Chapter 86: SEED – The Merciless Inferno
Sai Argyle felt as if he had just been struck by a million-ton punch. His mind went completely blank; he didn't know what to say, nor how to respond to Kira Yamato's words.
Fortunately, because Tolle Koenig had already spoken to Kira beforehand, Kira was no longer as aggressive as he had once been.
Kira Yamato continued, "Sai, please forgive me and Flay."
But Sai Argyle acted as though he hadn't heard a word from Kira, ignoring him entirely, and fixed his attention on Flay Allster.
"Flay! I have something to say to you." He turned his head away, unable to look at either Kira or Flay. "Kira, this has nothing to do with you."
From behind Kira's back, Flay Allster poked her head out and shouted loudly.
"How can it have nothing to do with him? The truth is… last night I slept in Kira's room."
Hearing Flay openly admit that she had spent the night with Kira, Sai Argyle seemed to collapse on the spot, as if he had suddenly aged more than ten years.
"Kira, what is going on? Flay—!"
"I'm sorry, Sai. Just as I said before, Flay and I are together now."
Sai Argyle once again ignored Kira Yamato, instead screaming hysterically at Flay Allster.
"Why! Why, Flay—tell me why?"
Still hiding awkwardly behind Kira's back, Flay Allster shouted.
"Why should I care what you think? This has nothing to do with you, Sai!"
Watching Flay's face twist in growing anguish, Kira Yamato turned toward Sai and said, "That's enough, Sai."
Sai Argyle, his face crumpled in grief, muttered, "Kira…"
Tolle Koenig couldn't bear to watch anymore. Suddenly, an idea struck him—why not pull Sai Argyle into his own group?
After all, he already had Nicol Amalfi; what harm would it do to add Sai Argyle?
He had some measure of power to protect himself now anyway. Why not gamble on something bigger?
What if the more he altered the plot, the faster the mysterious artifact that had brought him here recovered its energy?
He had already changed the story, already piloted an MS himself, already saved the Eighth Fleet. Adding Sai Argyle into the mix wouldn't hurt—so why not try?
With that, he stepped forward and forcefully pulled Sai aside.
Against Tolle's overwhelming strength, Sai had no chance to resist. He wasn't even given the opportunity to struggle as he was dragged away.
As they walked, Tolle Koenig spoke.
"Sai, Flay doesn't love you anymore. Once we get to Orb, you should move on. She isn't worth everything you've given her."
"Tolle, tell me—why is this happening? Why is Flay like this?"
Tolle didn't answer right away, just dragged Sai further away until no one else was nearby. Then he spoke.
"Because Flay has gone mad! For the sake of revenge, she sacrificed your relationship, gave herself to Kira.
She's no longer the pure Flay you once knew!
She wants to control Kira, to turn him into her weapon for revenge."
Hearing this devastating revelation, Sai Argyle collapsed to his knees. "Why… why did it come to this?"
"Because her father died—killed by ZAFT Coordinators. She craves power, the strength for revenge.
But you don't have that power, while Kira does. He can pilot an MS and destroy enemies with ease. That's why…"
At that, Tolle Koenig pulled a strip of cloth from his clothes and demonstrated the martial arts of the Unbeatable East.
He infused energy into the cloth and gave a gentle strike to a rock on a nearby sand dune. Instantly, the rock split in two with a perfectly smooth cut.
Leaning close, his voice became a devilish whisper in Sai's ear.
"Do you want to learn? Do you want to become strong? Do you want to make Flay regret betraying you?
This martial art allows Naturals to gain power equal to—or even surpass—that of Coordinators. It sharpens reflexes, even makes piloting an MS far easier."
Sai Argyle, stunned by the sight, snapped back to himself the moment he heard "easier MS piloting."
"Tolle—teach me! Please, I beg you, teach me!"
"I can—but I have one condition."
"Name it! As long as you'll teach me, give me your strength, I'll do anything you say."
"Heh… you're clever, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll teach you everything I just showed you.
But—if I tell you to give up on Flay, will you obey?"
Sai Argyle stood frozen, unmoving, struggling in anguish.
Tolle patted his shoulder lightly and, without Sai noticing, injected him with the neo DG cells to prevent betrayal or any action that might harm him.
"Sai, think it over. Once you have power, you'll make Flay regret ever betraying you.
There are countless flowers in the world—why cling to just one?
I've said all I needed to. The rest is up to you."
With that, Tolle Koenig left him and went back to find Kira and the others.
At that moment, Cagalli Yula Athha received word: the Desert Tiger had attacked their town.
Soon after, they saw in the distance a raging blaze rising toward the sky, as if the heavens themselves were on fire.
The Dawn Desert resistance fighters, furious and grief-stricken, immediately armed themselves and rushed toward the city to see what had happened.
ZAFT's BuCUEs had launched an all-out assault on their settlement, bombarding it with missiles.
The explosions ignited a merciless inferno, consuming everything—buildings, weapons, fuel, and even their food supplies.
Thankfully, the Desert Tiger had warned the residents beforehand, allowing them to evacuate.
They survived—but their city, food, and water were gone.
And in the desert, without food or water, survival was impossible.
One way or another, death awaited them—burned by fire, or starved in the wasteland.
Panicked, Cagalli Yula Athha quickly organized a rescue effort to the town.
Murrue Ramius, watching the inferno spread in the distance, turned to Mu La Flaga.
"What do you think?"
"Well… 'the Desert Tiger is cruel and inhumane'? I've never heard anyone say that.
But I'm not his friend either. What do we do? Should we go?"
"The Archangel should remain still for now. We also have to account for the other units. Major Flaga, could you make a trip?"
"You mean me?"
"Isn't the Skygrasper the fastest aircraft we have?"
"That's true enough. Fine, I'll go." Mu La Flaga immediately sprinted toward the Archangel.
Murrue Ramius watched him dash away and shouted after him.
"In the end, all we can really do is provide relief. I'll have the doctor follow after you as soon as possible!"
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