Gundam: From Piece to Player

“He wasn’t on the machine,” Serena said. “The one piloting the ZUDA is artificial intelligence. During my fight with him, I realized that it would be impossible for a human to perform that level of maneuvering. I didn’t expect him to use 20 high-yield nuclear bombs to blast open the ice and cover the AI’s retreat. I originally wanted to capture his machine to study it.”

“Are you suspecting that he received help from Ms. El?” Glax asked.

Serena nodded: "We were able to build the Europa Underground City thanks to the technology and data left behind by that person. Do you remember...? The old colonies couldn't block Jupiter's cosmic radiation, which led to shortened lifespans and frequent diseases. Water was also rationed every day. But now, thanks to Europa's 20-kilometer-long ice wall, we no longer have to fear Jupiter's cosmic radiation, and water can be supplied in unlimited quantities..."

"I don't think that's the case. He doesn't have that kind of invincible strength. With the space mechs designed by AE, we can barely fight him to a draw."

Serena nodded, looked at Dekach with gentle eyes, and smiled, "Darling, did you make any deal with the army?"

"The expeditionary force is heading towards the Jupiter sphere. He told me to find a way to track Kalma Zabi's movements and form a slowly forming encirclement..."

“The encirclement will eventually be broken,” Serena said. “He has nuclear weapons; things can’t possibly be going this smoothly.”

"It's alright, the increased strength is a gain in itself; the key is negotiation."

Dekach slowly explained, but his attention was not on the so-called increase in strength.

Because Serena had already stood up and was taking his hand as she led him toward the bedroom inside the building.

I'm already thinking of making him consume the calories of a nutritious meal.

---

Karma was organizing the information she had gathered from Zuda's battle with the underwater MA.

The unknown speed of the MA in water, and the firing frequency of the Mega Particle Cannon.

...The conclusion drawn is that Zuda's survival was an accident.

If the opponent decides to launch a desperate attack, Alice would likely not survive even if she were possessed by Amuro.

Even if the Zuda performs at 100% capacity, it can only reach a maximum speed of 90 knots in the water, while the opponent's sprint speed has already reached 120 knots.

Judging from the other party's retreating actions after emerging from the ice and avoiding danger, it was clearly driven by someone.

Artificial intelligence can be quite stubborn at times, which is related to the initial command settings.

The other party intentionally showed mercy... Why?

Are you looking forward to his second challenge as the level boss?

Although she considered trying to find a way to defeat the monsters in the water, Karma, after assessing the strength of the monsters and deciding that the game was too difficult, decided to turn back and go home.

The gas collection is almost complete.

Let's wait a few years until he makes a new toy.

Now, if the other side dares to come up into space and fight him, he wouldn't mind waiting a little longer.

By assembling two MS squadrons, he was confident he could turn their opponents into sashimi.

If you're just swimming in the water the whole time, then forget it.

All the necessary discussions have been held, and all the gases that needed to be collected have been collected.

Kalmar is already planning to return to the asteroid belt.

—This intelligence was also received from the Juno. The Federation fleet will arrive at the asteroid belt in about a month.

Although the Juno is currently in a state of stealth and its defensive capabilities are quite strong.

But we still need to be on high alert, because our assets and possessions are all tied up there, and we can't afford to lose money in a sale.

Four days later, as the Kalmar fleet set off to accelerate away from Jupiter's orbit, they received a message.

"Received a distress signal?"

"Yes, they are sending radio signals and requesting assistance."

Karma hesitated for a moment, then said:

"Then let's save them. We can't just stand by and watch them die."

Chapter 186 Encirclement and Suppression Operations

The spaceships in this area belong either to a conglomerate or to the Jupiter Flotilla.

There is no other possibility than that the reason it happened to be in the shipping lane was to wait for its "rescue".

As they approached the refugee ship, Kalma even made a guess about the genders of the people inside.

She must be a beautiful girl.

Rescuing the refugee ship that sent the signal... this plot development is also a classic Gundam feature.

According to Alice's analysis of the cause of the spaceship damage... the auxiliary thruster fuel pipe ruptured, and the forgery was quite elaborate. The label left on the spaceship should also be of Jupiter specifications... The reason for saying "should" is that no similar spaceships have been seen since arriving on Jupiter.

Upon opening it... it was all correct.

This girl has short, blonde hair that reaches her ears, but unfortunately, she doesn't have blue eyes; they're amber.

She was only about fifteen years old.

To prevent the girl from carrying viruses or similar things, Karma piloted a large demon to guide her from the damaged spaceship to a separation escape pod on Zanzibar.

The girl in the isolation pod kept smiling, but it was unclear what she was smiling about.

Karma felt a chill run down her spine; this artificiality was even more exaggerated than the "Happy Valley Effect" that Alice's unnatural attempts at cuteness had created.

Could it be an alien disguised as a human?

Can we pretend we didn't receive a distress signal?

"My name is……"

The girl was interrupted halfway through her sentence.

"I have no interest in knowing your name... Miss, are you sent by the conglomerate or by Sirocco as a liaison?"

The girl smiled and replied, "I come from the Icarus colony on Jupiter's fourth planet. I implore you to help us defeat the evil Jupiter Corporation and liberate the people of Jupiter."

There's also a resistance group; let's call this girl a "smiling tiger" for now.

Karma then heard 'Smiling Tiger' continue, "Your Excellency defeated the Federation with fewer troops in the Earth Sphere. Please provide your support for our aid efforts."

What Jupiter Mafti?

"What benefits will I get?" Karma continued to probe.

"After overthrowing the conglomerate's rule, you can become an important partner of our Jupiter and mine helium-3 resources without restrictions."

"Let me think about it, Miss. Why don't you rest for a bit?"

Karma sent a message to Blau Bro, and at that moment Uncle Green had already opened his eyes.

After Karma said, "If you don't help me, I'll tell Commander-in-Chief Char Aznable about this."

Threatened, Sharia could only offer Karma mind-reading assistance.

It was obvious that he also knew that Char was not a magnanimous person.

"How is it, Commander Sharia?"

"This girl is not lying."

"..."

This was a situation that Kalmar had not anticipated.

"Is it possible that memory has been altered?"

In Karma's mind, enhanced humans can directly alter memories and write low-level commands, including continuous laughter, which could be some kind of behavioral code.

“Her emotions were quite natural; I could even see her recalling the brutality of the rulers on Callisto whipping civilians as she answered.”

There really is a resistance organization in the Jupiter sphere.

That's true. Where there is oppression, there is resistance. Just like in Zeon, the Zabi family's oppression was too severe, which led to the emergence of some non-Dyken resistance groups.

But Karma was still not careless, and he placed the girl in a specially designed cabin on the Zanzibar.

We still need to examine her background.

This solitary confinement cell was built with materials that can block the brainwaves of New Humans. It was specially tested by Marian to prevent possible remote location and sensing—such as deliberately entering enemy camps and then launching a coordinated attack from within and without—which was also what Karma originally intended to use to imprison enhanced humans.

With this potential ally (or bomb) in hand, the fleet accelerated to a sailing state.

Meanwhile, in the Jupiter sphere, two Jupiter Triss-class giant gas ships, each 2000 meters long, departed from their respective space bases on Europa and Ganymede.

The two ships soon met during their acceleration as they left Jupiter's orbit.

"Sirocco, instead of continuing helium-3 mining operations in the Jupiter sphere, are you going to abandon your post?"

"Lord Dekach... I have received a request from the Federation Army to replenish its energy reserves. I am not going to carry out military operations, but rather to facilitate the operations of the Federation Expeditionary Force."

Sirocco was already prepared to answer the other party's questions...

However, this was not a request from the Federation Expeditionary Force, but rather a suggestion that Sirocco took the initiative to make to the Federation government. The Federation government then asked the Expeditionary Force if it needed helium-3 fuel replenishment and offered to pay part of the helium-3 quota for the year directly. This "thoughtful" act almost immediately received a response from the Federation army—yes.

Shilock naturally received the order to transport Helium-3—the report on the movement of the Jupiter convoy was not even submitted to the Federal Chief of Staff, and the entire operation was carried out as discreetly as possible.

In contrast, the location of the [Conglomerate] must be within the sight of the Federation Army.

"As a federal inspector, you must fulfill your duties properly."

Dekach's words were somewhat sarcastic, and he certainly didn't think that Sirocco was simply there to 'cheer up' the Federation.

"I will keep your advice in mind."

The two giant ships then simultaneously headed towards the asteroid belt, seemingly forming two separate military forces in conjunction with the Warken Expeditionary Fleet that had departed from the Earth Sphere.

Meanwhile, the advance fleet dispatched by Wakeman... arrived at Ceres.

The Caruso family opened the port to the Federation fleet after the fleet arrived at Ceres... This surprised Commander-in-Chief Wallen of the Expeditionary Force.

According to feedback from the Caruso family, Kalmar had not sent any delegation to contact them at all.

Thus, the expeditionary force acquired Ceres—the largest dwarf planet in the asteroid belt—as a port and base.

The only advantage of the Kalmar Group seems to be that they hid in the asteroid belt first, and their coordinates are unknown.

But a containment network woven across the asteroid belt is gradually taking shape.

The Federation also deliberately prevented the spread of public opinion in the Earth Sphere through civilian media, as if the rumors about the capture or killing of the legendary Karma of the One Year War would reach the Earth Sphere at any moment.

Because the rumors were so widespread, even some voices emerged within Zeon itself...