I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 274 Two for two, is there a problem?

Half a minute later.

Uchiha Hikaru piloted the mecha, breaking through the water from beneath the river's surface. He then carried Samson in one hand and Ye Sheng and Shudeya in the other, stopping above the "Moniahe".

on the deck.

Professor Mans instinctively raised his sniper rifle, aimed at "Strike Freedom" for a second, and then silently lowered his hand.

no way.

If he were facing a dragon, he would know where to shoot to inflict maximum damage. But against a metal can made entirely of metal, even if the opponent is a hostile enemy, would a sniper rifle... be effective?

"you……"

"Two are for you, two are for me. Is that alright?"

Uchiha Hikaru's voice drifted faintly from the other side through the rain.

Because of the mecha behind her and the interference of the rain, her voice sounded a bit distorted.

However, some information could still be gleaned from the conversation—

"...A girl?!"

"No, we can't be sure yet whether she's human or a dragon, but this voice... if it's not disguised, it's actually a female?"

Professor Mans was so shocked that he forgot to think about what "two for two" meant.

At that moment, Uchiha Hikaru flew forward a short distance and stood in mid-air above the deck of the "Moniah". Then, under the tense gazes of Selma and the first mate, he released his right hand and put Ye Sheng and Shudeya down.

These two were just pulled out of the water by her.

Because their oxygen supplies were almost depleted, they were in a state of semi-consciousness, confused about what had happened to them. Patches of blood and various scrapes and abrasions were visible on their bodies. However, their still-strong heartbeats proved they were alive.

Mans glanced at Uchiha Hikaru with some hesitation, then called for the third mate to come out and rescue the person.

After watching his two beloved students being carried into the cabin, he turned back and looked at Strike Freedom's other hand: "That dragon..."

"It's my spoils, is there a problem?"

Uchiha Hikaru spoke again.

This time, because the distance was so close, her voice sounded a little clearer, but it was still cold and stern.

"Forehead……"

Mans was speechless for a moment.

midair.

Uchiha Hikaru glanced at Mans, then said calmly, "There's another section of a dragon's body underwater. If you're quick, you might be able to retrieve it. As for this jar... it's a reward, a reward for changing your predetermined fate of death."

"No need to thank me, I'm just a Gundam pilot who happened to be passing by."

After saying that...

Uchiha Hikaru controlled "Strike Freedom" and turned to leave in the direction he had come from.

The steel body, wrapped in ten wings, disappeared into the torrential rain in the blink of an eye.

Until this point.

Mans snapped out of his daze, instructing Selma to send a second team of divers to collect blood and tissue samples from Samson scattered in the nearby waters. He then turned back to the cockpit, dialed Principal Angers' number, and began to report on the course and results of the operation.

……

Later that day.

Principal Angers personally contacted the executive department and then announced the failure of the "Kuimen Project" to the students and professors present.

Professor Schneider and the others were somewhat disappointed.

After all, the executive department had spent a great deal of time, energy, and money on this plan, even risking revealing the existence of dragons to the world—since the operation took place at the Three Gorges Dam. If they could obtain a dragon king, or even just a living or dead third-generation dragon, then all these sacrifices would be worthwhile.

But now...

The Dragon King's bone flask that I had already obtained was stolen by a Gundam?

What kind of nonsense is this?

If it weren't for the photos and videos transmitted back by the "Moniach," Schneider would have thought it was an April Fool's joke. The only saving grace was that there were no casualties in this operation. Even Ye Sheng and Jiu Deya, who were injured, were out of danger after emergency treatment, but they still need to rest in bed for a period of time to fully recover.

Compared to the executive department's frustration.

Two groups of people, however, were very excited.

One group consisted of male students from Kassel College—

Gundam!

That's a Gundam!!

Which young man in his early twenties, full of vigor and vitality, hasn't dreamed of piloting a mecha through the skies and into the earth?

And if this imposing and powerful mech could also emit the voice of a soft and cute young girl... that would be a killer move!

In just half a day, many students have already expressed a desire to take leave and travel to China to see the mecha in person. Topics such as "female version of Strike Freedom" and "Gundam Zanpakuto" have become hot topics on the Kassel campus forum, with consistently high levels of discussion.

As for the other group that was excited about this...

It was the academy's equipment department, a gathering place for scientific madmen that Angers called a "mental hospital".

"...I knew it! These mechs can actually be built in reality! That someone else built them before us is a disgrace to all the researchers in our Equipment Department!"

Director Akadura spoke: "I propose that we begin drafting the 'Fourth Generation Mech Manufacturing Plan' now, to create mechs under our control!"

"But the 'Strike Freedom' has already appeared. If we build a mech that looks like it, won't it be considered plagiarism?"

This time, it was Deputy Director Karl who spoke.

"It's alright, we can build the 'Original Gundam'! If even the 'Original Gundam' is built by that mysterious person, then we still have 'Unit-01' and 'Optimus Prime' to choose from!"

Akadula was full of confidence.

His passion even infected the entire research institute, making many people eager to try it out.

But just then...

A discordant voice suddenly rang out:

"...I think we probably can't build a mech like that."

"?"

Inside the institute.

Everyone glared angrily at the person who had poured cold water on them.

The latter held up a newly printed photograph, pointing at it with his finger as he explained, "These miniature missiles are alright; they don't seem to be much more powerful than the ones we've made. But this 'beam saber'... it's really hard to imagine how it works. It can't be highly concentrated plasma, can it?"

"That kind of technology... it only exists in theory right now, right?"

(End of this chapter)