The third battlefield in the combat zone was the smallest in scale and also the easiest to handle.
Yang Hui took the lead, intercepting two unknown Mobile Suits attempting to reinforce their allies. Faced with the orange wave of light, they could only evade. Any attempt to approach the Dawn Gundam would result in being shredded by countless thin orange beam threads.
"Damn it! Yang Hui! You bastard! Fight me fair and square!"
The familiar sound of impotent rage made Yang Hui smirk disdainfully. "Even as a copy, you're still this stupid, Gina?"
Among the two top commanders of Librarian Works, one was indeed a Carbon Human replica of Gina. However, the Mobile Suit he piloted surprised Yang Hui—it was the Outframe Gundam Purple Frame, specifically the Mirage Third variant.
In the original timeline, the parts of the Purple Frame hadn't been recovered by Lowe but were instead acquired by Librarian Works through some means. They upgraded it into the Mirage series, with the design and upgrade plans culminating in the Mirage Third that Yang Hui now faced. However, since Gina (Shadow) had died prematurely in battle, the upgrades had stopped at Mirage Second.
Now, not only was Gina (Shadow) still piloting the Astray Gundam, but the Mirage Third had appeared ahead of schedule.
Still... considering Librarian Works' technological prowess, Yang Hui wasn't too surprised. When it came to reverse-engineering, Yang Hui would readily acknowledge Librarian Works as the best in the Gundam SEED world—capable of not just replicating but improving upon original designs. Just look at the extended X Series Mobile Suits for proof.
"Yang Hui! Don't you dare compare me to that incompetent fool! He's not worthy!"
"Honestly, you're even worse than Gina. At least he wouldn't resort to such idiotic taunts."
"Yang Hui! Go to hell!"
"Unfortunately for you, that's impossible."
"Gina, calm down. You can't take him alone."
Just as the Astray Mirage Third was about to charge into the trap Yang Hui had set, over a dozen beams not only destroyed the bits sneaking in from both sides but also cut off the Mirage Third's path, forcing it back.
Several white Dragoons were retrieved by a Mobile Suit that closely resembled the Providence Gundam—white overall with a red-and-blue chest. This was the Blizzard Providence Gundam, Librarian Works' improved version after stealing Providence's technology.
They had relocated the Dragoon System pack to the right shoulder while equipping the left shoulder with four small gun barrels and additional thrusters on the MA-MV05A composite armed shield. Two conical gun barrels were mounted at the waist, and a twelfth attack terminal—the Dragoon Assault Pack—was added.
By distributing the Dragoon System across the entire body, the energy supply system was optimized, making this unit even more maneuverable than the original Providence Gundam.
Its pilot was Librarian Works' Head Librarian—a Carbon Human replica named Preya Reveley. Like Creuset and Rey, Preya Reveley's original was a clone of Mu's father, Al Da Flaga.
According to the original timeline, Preya Reveley should have stolen his original mobile suit, the GuAIZ Gundam, along with Dragoon technology, then escaped and encountered Lowe. He would eventually become Canard Pars' sworn rival, ultimately sacrificing his own life to redeem Canard Pars.
"Shut up! Don't order me around!"
"Don't you want to defeat him?"
"Tch, I don't need your help! I can do it alone—"
"You can't. Only by working together can we... Watch out!"
The clustered Blizzard Providence Gundam and Mirage Third Astray Gundam abruptly split apart as dozens of beam threads slashed through the space they had occupied like claws.
"Damn it! Yang Hui, you—"
Gina (Shadow) wanted to curse Yang Hui for his dishonorable sneak attack while they were still talking, but the words caught in his throat. The Dawn Gundam was already upon him, its gleaming blade nearly filling the entire screen, its cold edge piercing Gina (Shadow)'s soul through the monitor and armor alike.
Just then, support arrived from the Blizzard Providence Gundam. Multiple beams surrounded the Dawn Gundam from all directions, forcing it to deploy bits to intercept them.
Though the attack failed to repel the Dawn Gundam, it managed to stall it for a crucial second—enough time for Gina (Shadow) to raise his twin chain swords and block the Dawn's Solid Sword. Yet the high-frequency vibrations sent sparks flying as the blade gradually ground through the crossed weapons.
Credit where it's due—Gina (Shadow)'s combat instincts were sharp. Realizing the Mirage Third's chain swords were about to break, he immediately kicked at the Dawn Gundam, the sharp blades on his legs sweeping forward like extensions of his weapons.
"Heh. As expected—your tech tree's all wrong," Yang Hui muttered, utterly unfazed by the incoming threat. With a mere thought, an orange thread sliced through the attacking blades, allowing his Solid Sword to press down harder.
"What?!" Gina (Shadow) stared in shock and fury as his attack was effortlessly neutralized, his eyes burning with resentment and hatred.
"Why? Why must someone like you exist?!" Both the original and the Carbon Human harbored deep hatred for Yang Hui—not because of anything he'd done to them, but purely out of envy.
Especially the original. Yang Hui's excellence was a constant reminder of his own inadequacy. Outshone in every way, defeated at every turn, and diametrically opposed in ideology—what began as reluctant admiration twisted into jealousy, then outright hatred.
As a Carbon Human, Gina (Shadow) naturally inherited both the memories and this hatred from his original.
"Still, I'll give you credit—you cracked the GN Particles' properties and restored communications faster than expected."
"Yang Hui! If not for you—"
"Gina would've failed anyway. His path was flawed from the start."
"Yang Hui!"
"Farewell. Since I couldn't send off the original Gina properly, you'll have to do."
As soon as the words fell, Gina (Shadow)'s hair stood on end as a bone-chilling cold enveloped his very soul. He could only watch helplessly as the Dawn Gundam's Solid Sword slowly cut into the Mirage Third Astray Gundam's chain sword, and then...
"Screech~"
"Thud~"
"What?"
"You!"
The Dawn Gundam's Solid Sword severed the Mirage Third Astray Gundam's chain sword but failed to cleave through the mobile suit itself.
Because the Blizzard Providence Gundam had suddenly charged through the exploding bits and rushed to the Mirage Third's side, pushing it away and exposing itself to the lethal blade instead.
The blade sliced downward from the shoulder, cleaving the Blizzard Providence Gundam in two—not only taking its left half but also the left side of Preya Reveley (Shadow)'s body inside the cockpit.
As the cockpit ruptured, emergency bulkheads activated to seal the exposed compartment. Yet even so, Preya Reveley (Shadow) was beyond saving.
"Cough... Ha... Ha... Gi... Gina..."
"You damn fool! Who asked you to save me!? I told you I don't need your help!" Gina roared at Preya Reveley as he retreated with the Blizzard Providence Gundam.
No tears, no grief—only rage and resentment. He felt no gratitude for the rescue, only that he'd been humiliated by the act.
"Gi...na... surrender... cough... we... can't win... against... him... You're... my only... friend... I don't want... you to..."
"Thud~"
(End of Chapter)