Great, we're doomed now!

"The Tower of Babel is not an organization so weak as to be unable to keep its promises—I will not argue about that. If anyone wants to verify this, they will get an answer!"

"..."

The room fell silent for a moment.

"cough!"

The elderly man who chaired the meeting struck his gavel to end the topic, but the atmosphere of questioning did not ease.

Soon, the topic shifted to the more central controversy.

An elderly man with gray hair and considerable influence in Earth's political arena spoke slowly, his tone gentle but immediately getting to the heart of the matter.

"Your Excellency McGillis, whatever the conspiracy, the attack has indeed exposed a major oversight in the management of the Temple of Solomon. Do you have any objections to that?"

"I admit there were mistakes."

"That's understandable. No one can stay on guard 24 hours a day, and the same goes for organizations. No one will be blamed for this."

However, we believe that the Temple of Solomon is a very special place. As a sacred site that carries the shared historical memory of all humanity, the temple should no longer be managed by the 'inner circle' or a single family. It needs a more transparent and authoritative management body.

"...What do you mean?"

"The inner ring of the Tower of Babel is never open to the outside world and has always adhered to mysticism. While this ensures its objectivity and independence, it is inevitable that a small group of only about ten people would be distracted by managing too many affairs."

Frankly, I believe this system is bound to have flaws... Of course, we won't discuss the specific division of responsibilities here, but just considering the 'Temple of Solomon,' it should logically be separated from the inner circle's management.

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room:

This is a direct challenge to the authority of the Legion and the "Inner Ring"!

McGillis's eyes narrowed slightly. He had anticipated this topic might come up, but he hadn't expected someone to actually launch an attack from the front.

He slightly raised his chin, his voice still steady, but with an undeniable coldness: "The management of the Temple of Solomon has been personally determined by Lord Kuze Ye Shou, the first commander of the legion, since the beginning of the Restoration Era, and handed over to Agnica Kayeru and his descendants."

This is a tradition within the Legion and a sign of respect for its historical significance.

For three hundred years, the Cayère family has performed its duties faithfully and has committed no major offenses. To alter a three-hundred-year-old tradition simply because of a single external attack, in my frankness, is not a wise move.

He deliberately emphasized "tradition," elevating the issue to the level of the very foundation upon which the legion was founded. A brief silence fell over the audience, some of whom looked displeased, but for the time being, they could not find any sharper words to refute this banner of "tradition."

Since the Legion's authority essentially stems from its contributions during the Calamity War, and its embodied representative is "Kuze Yoru," his remains and vehicle (it is believed that Yoru's remains have always been inside the cockpit) should naturally be kept by the Legion.

To change this, one must deny or overshadow Ye Shou's achievements—something no one has been able to do yet.

The savior who streaked across the sky like a shooting star was so dazzling that even three hundred years later, no one was qualified to challenge his authority, and his legion also possessed an indestructible golden body.

However, to be fair, McGillis felt that they might not actually be after the "inner ring" this time. Even the most naive person wouldn't think that a single questioning could shake the legion's position.

—The real target might be "Kayeru"!

Compared to the savior who only existed for a year, the first Agnica suppressed governments for almost a century, and even made his name synonymous with consul!

His influence was extremely profound, and correspondingly... he also had many enemies.

Strictly speaking, it's not a specific individual, but rather the interest groups restricted by Agnukka.

The main areas of business are pharmaceuticals and arms. Because Agunica facilitated legislation restricting genetic modification and the scale of military buildup, the leading companies in these two fields hoped to overturn these laws, and naturally, they were very dissatisfied with the Cayel family.

...The Cayel family has never been willing to give up its heavy industry group, taking over the maintenance and upgrading of the legion's equipment. In fact, this is also to maintain internal control and prevent the legion from being "suicided" one day.

"Putting that aside for now, have you really fulfilled your responsibilities?"

Someone stood up excitedly, seemingly expressing genuine emotion: "Where is [Wangzuoji Bayeli] now?"

The temple exists to preserve that person's legacy, but what have you actually done?

Not only was the peace of the temple disturbed, but someone even entered the interior of [Bayel]... This is blasphemy! No matter how you try to justify it, it is!

"McGillis, after [Bayeri] defeated the enemy, where did your pilot hide it?!"

"..."

McGillis looked over and felt a headache coming on:

It is the head of the Birdwin family...

What a fanatical guy!

Because that great man has left behind sacred words, and everyone knows his attitude towards personality cults, theoretically it is not allowed to create a sect that regards him as its "master".

However, among the general public, especially on Mars, many still regard him as the Messiah, subtly integrating him with traditional religious sects and developing numerous "research societies" and "associations." But in reality...

The head of the Baldwin family is a member of a certain society; strictly speaking... many societies are supported by the Baldwin family.

This family has always considered themselves chivalrous, and they have only ever served one lord.

Elegant and courteous in everyday interactions, yet possessing an awe-inspiring fervor in this particular matter—this is the veteran noble of the Legion, [Baldwin].

During the previous attack, Bayeri unexpectedly activated and defeated the invading enemy, but then mysteriously disappeared. After the initial shock, rumors of a "Messiah's arrival" spread, suggesting that Kuze Yoru had awakened in this era.

However, this statement was met with strong rebuttal from Birdwin and others, who argued that there was no crisis "worthy of that great man's awakening" at present, just as the Messiah only appears on the end of the world.

The reason Bayeri was activated was because the "Kayel" family had modified it over the past three hundred years and gained the right to manipulate it. This was an undeniable act of blasphemy, and Bayeri was about to openly turn against the "Kayel".

—The Birdwyn family has been coveting control of the temple and the royal throne for quite some time now.

"【King's Throne - Bayeri】has not disappeared, it is just where it is supposed to be, and we did not activate it without authorization... It is all a choice of fate."

Do you think you can get away with this?

"【Bayeli】will eventually appear, please be patient."

“McGillis, you little bastard…”

-

The questioning session finally ended in a less-than-harmonious atmosphere. McGillis walked off the podium expressionlessly and through the crowd. He could feel the focused gazes behind him, a mixture of calculation, dissatisfaction, and scrutiny.

He appeared calm, but he was young and inexperienced, and urgently needed to find this generation's Agnica to discuss the next steps.

However, before he had taken more than a few steps, a figure blocked his way.

"McGillis, it's been a long time." The newcomer's voice was gentle, with a familiar smile. "We've seen each other less and less since you entered the 'Inner Ring'."

McGillis stopped and looked at the other person—Gallio Birdwin.

He was about the same age as him and a direct descendant of the first Baldwin; the two had a good relationship in private. Unlike McGillis, who was at the center of the power vortex of the "inner circle," Galio was more composed than his father and was currently active as an excellent pilot and mid-level commander in the Legion.

“Galio.” McGillis nodded, continuing to walk as he spoke.

Galio caught up with him and walked alongside him, lowering his voice slightly: "That was quite a scene. Those guys were like sharks that smelled blood."

McGillis twitched his lips, revealing a weary, cold smile: "They're just trying to use this as an excuse, nothing serious, just normal political maneuvering."

“I knew you wouldn’t give up so easily.” Galio patted him on the shoulder, his tone becoming serious. “Listen, McGillis, no matter what those people up there think, we in the Birdwin family, and most of the frontline brothers I know, know who is truly protecting the big picture.”

He paused, looked at McGillis's profile, and said solemnly, "Although my father said that just now... it was also a disagreement within our legion. He really wanted the honor of 'Temple Guardian'."

However, when it comes to dealing with external villains, the Baldwin family will fully support any decision made by the 'Inner Ring' as long as it is for the Legion's original intention and for the future of humanity as a whole!

When needed, my knights and I will stand by your side.

These words weren't exactly passionate, but at this sensitive moment, coming from a descendant of a powerful first-generation family, they naturally carried a heavy weight.

McGillis paused slightly, glancing sideways at Galio. His childhood friend's eyes were honest, without a trace of pretense.

“…Thank you, Galio.” McGillis’s voice was deep, and his tense nerves seemed to relax slightly for a moment because of this sudden support.

Lord Kuze... when will you finally return? If things continue like this...

-

Above Sydney, at an altitude of 10,000 meters, a blinding white light appeared, and the outline of a silver demon god emerged in the halo of light.

"Iron Blood... It's been a long time."

-

-

PS: Here's a small patch: In the part where the protagonist carved the words on the stone wall, he originally signed his name, but it has been changed now. It's not his real name, but just an alias, "Giant of Light." Since it's meant for future generations to guess, there's no need to leave his real name.

Chapter 261: For Humanity! For Freedom! (4K)

"This trip took longer than expected, and there must have been quite a few unexpected events. Thank you for your hard work."

"It is our honor to be able to share the burdens of adults."

Inside the Temple of Solomon, old Agnica and McGillis rushed over after receiving the message, their hearts filled with immense joy, and knelt on one knee to welcome Ye Shou's return.

"There's no need for such red tape."

Ye Shou's eyes flickered, and he gently raised his hand. Old Agnica and McGillis felt an invisible force supporting their bodies and gently helping them up.

Startled, the two couldn't help but look up at the figure on the throne, then exchanged glances, both with expressions of disbelief but unwilling to think too much about it.

It could be powerful spiritual energy, a force field generator within the temple, or some other unimaginable power—Ye Shou's existence itself is difficult to explain. Like their ancestors, they began to learn to accept these bizarre sights.

'My lord seems somewhat different... compared to when we last met.'

McGillis was meticulous and had a keener eye than the elderly head of the Cayel family (Old Agnica), and he was able to perceive the strange atmosphere surrounding Ye Shou.

In a daze, it was like a bright but not scorching sun; just being by its side brought immense peace to my heart.

As he pondered this, McGillis couldn't help but glance at the royal throne—[Bayeri].

One glance was enough to plunge him into a profound shock, a feeling beyond words. Compared to the more reserved Ye Shou, the sheer power and presence of this steel giant were overwhelming!

It's hard to imagine that a "machine" that has never been started could have such a profound impact on one's soul, as if it were a living and intelligent deity, scrutinizing all the individuals kneeling at its feet.

“…” McGillis lowered his head with difficulty.

Ye Shou noticed this and looked back at [Bayeli] with a slightly reproachful look in his eyes.

The next moment, the omnipresent pressure suddenly lessened, and McGillis felt his breathing become easier. Unbeknownst to him, beads of cold sweat trickled down his face. He dared not wipe them away, silently watching the sweat droplets fall and splash on the ground.

"McGee?" Old Agunica turned his head in confusion. "What's wrong with you?"

"I...I'm fine, Lady Agnica, it's just..."

"Your gaze is too bold. It is in a very arrogant period right now and cannot be looked at with a sense of inquiry or scrutiny."

Ye Shou then spoke up, but without any intention of reprimanding him. He simply suggested, "You'd better think of it as a being with personality, not just a Gundam."

“…I was careless.” McGillis bowed to [Bayeri] in apology. “Please forgive my rudeness and allow me to behold the glory of the throne.”

After the words were spoken, nothing particularly unusual happened inside the temple, but both McGillis and Agnukka felt that the surroundings seemed to have brightened up a bit—perhaps it was just a psychological effect.