Simultaneous Time Travel: Gundam? All Teammates are Old Six

Chapter 23: The Devil's Whispers and the Sage's Gift

【Archangel, Hangar】

A cold, metallic scent permeated the entire hangar, mixed with the smell of engine oil and coolant, like the breath of a silent steel behemoth.

Ling Yu, limping, pulled Kira along to the feet of the silently standing Strike Gundam. This pure white killing machine, reflecting a cold luster under the lights, resembled a god judging all living beings, silently watching its pilot.

The silence between the two was heavier than the metal walls of the hangar.

Kira lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, his fingers unconsciously curling up. Frey's venomous words from the restaurant echoed repeatedly in his mind like a demonic whisper.

"Sit down." Ling Yu broke the silence first, sitting down against a toolbox. The movement aggravated his wound, causing him to wince slightly.

Kira did as he was told and sat down beside him, but he never dared to meet his gaze. Instead, he stared at the intertwined shadows cast by himself and the Strike Gundam on the ground.

"Frei's words... were hurtful, weren't they?" Ling Yu's voice was flat, devoid of emotion. "Especially when you feel that every word she said might be true."

Kira's shoulders jerked violently, as if someone had precisely struck the softest and most painful spot in his heart.

"I..." he finally spoke, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded down, "I don't know... I don't know what to do. I don't want to fight, but... but if I don't fight, everyone will..."

"You'll die." Ling Yu finished the sentence for him, his tone calm to the point of cruelty. "Just like me, I almost died in the cockpit."

Kira lowered his head even further.

Ling Yu looked at him, who was on the verge of breaking apart, but his mind was racing with calculations.

"System, monitor his favorability... no, I mean trust level in real time. This pep talk has to be delivered properly; the future strongest DPS and main tank can't afford to break down over a newbie mini-boss. This is a significant investment!"

He cleared his throat and adopted a persuasive tone, like the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden.

"Kira, I have a few questions for you."

"You hate war, don't you?"

Kira nodded without hesitation.

"So you're fighting now to protect your friends on this ship, right?"

Kira nodded again; this was his only pillar of support.

"Very well." A barely perceptible smile appeared on Ling Yu's lips. "Then tell me, are you fighting for the sake of the 'Earth Alliance,' or simply for the wish to 'protect Mirialia, Sai, Thor, and the others'?"

This question struck Kira like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through his chaotic thoughts.

He was stunned.

Yes, he never thought about fighting for the alliance; he just... wanted to protect everyone.

"It seems you already have your answer." Ling Yu's voice seemed to possess a magical quality, guiding his thoughts. "Since your goal isn't for a particular stance, but for the act of 'protecting' itself, then tell me, are your current 'hesitation' and 'weakness' protecting them, or harming them?"

Kira looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.

"Your kindness makes you unwilling to kill your enemies. Your gentleness makes you hesitant in battle." Ling Yu's voice was low, like a devil's whisper, yet every word pierced the heart. "But have you ever considered that every time you show mercy to the enemy, it could become a bullet fired at your friend? Every hesitation you make forces people like me, who shouldn't be on the battlefield, to sit in that cockpit and risk our lives to fill the void left by your 'gentleness'!"

"I...I didn't..." Kira's voice trembled.

"No, you are." Ling Yu interrupted him decisively. "It's not your fault I'm lying in the medical bay. But it's the price I paid for your 'gentleness.' Kira, you must understand that from the moment you boarded the Strike Gundam, your kindness no longer belonged only to yourself. It became a Damocles' sword hanging over the heads of everyone you wanted to protect!"

These words struck Kira like a hammer blow. He had always believed that his "weakness" had led to the tragedy, but Ling Yu told him that it was his "kindness" that had caused the problem.

This cognitive upheaval caused him pain, but it also made him confront the true nature of his power for the first time.

"Listen, Kira." Ling Yu leaned closer to him, his gaze intense. "You don't need to fall in love with war; you can even continue to hate it. But you must learn to control your power, not be controlled by your kindness."

"Treat the Strike Gundam as your shield, not your sword. A shield that exists solely to protect those you cherish. When someone tries to shatter your shield, use all your strength to crush them completely. Can you do it?"

"Damn, I'm almost starting to believe this motivational rhetoric myself. What kind of bullshit shield theory is this? Isn't fighting just a matter of life and death? System, has his trust level increased? Quick! Let me see!"

Kira stared blankly at Ling Yu, at his eyes that shone brilliantly in the shadows. All those grand themes about Coordinators and Naturals, about war and peace, were utterly shattered in that moment, simplified into an incredibly pure and clear creed.

—We fight to protect.

The fog of confusion dissipated, revealing a clear road ahead. Tears finally streamed down Kira's face, but they were no longer tears of weakness, but of relief after the clouds had parted and the sun had shone through.

He looked at Ling Yu as if he were looking at a wise man guiding a lost soul, and nodded heavily.

"I...I understand."

The moment Kira uttered those words, a series of cold, mechanical notification sounds rang out in Ling Yu's mind like heavenly music.

[Ding! Key story character Kira Yamato has reached the "Life-or-Death Bond" level of trust with you!]

[Ding! Hidden achievement completed: 'The Best Support Player's Approval'!]

[Achievement rewards are being distributed...]

[Congratulations to pilot Ling Yu! You have obtained the SR-level permanent pilot card – 'Shining Hathaway'!]

A card with a purple glow slowly appeared in Ling Yu's system interface. The card showed the profile of a young man with a determined look in his eyes and a slightly furrowed brow.

[Card: Shining Hathaway (SR)]

[Type: Permanent · Passive]

[Effect: Upon equipping, the pilot's basic physical attributes, reflexes, and tactical planning abilities receive a permanent, moderate boost. The pilot will also receive the mental imprint of the "Mafaldi's Principle," resulting in a slight increase in fighting spirit when facing a corrupt system.]

[Note: This card is a passive equipment and can be equipped simultaneously with active activation cards (such as SSR Char). The permanent effect is always active.]

A surge of overwhelming joy welled up in Ling Yu's heart!

"Holy crap! A passive card! And an SR card that permanently boosts base stats! This talk-off was a total steal!"

He immediately completed the equipment in his mind. An indescribable warm current instantly flowed through his limbs and bones. His body, which had been sluggish due to serious injuries, seemed to be injected with new lubricant, and the perception of his nerve endings became clearer and more acute than ever before.

"Perfect! This is absolutely perfect!" Ling Yu laughed inwardly. "My original body was like a stock family sedan. Forcibly activating the [Char] card was like flooring the gas pedal to the limit; the engine would break down after a few minutes. But now, the [Hassawi] card is like giving me a free ECU tuning, and it even upgraded the engine and chassis! I can use this 'near-ace' level physical condition in normal battles, with significantly improved endurance and operational precision! And when it really comes down to fighting tooth and nail, I'll activate the [Char] card..."

"That's like modifying a sports car and then adding nitrous oxide acceleration! Combining daily cruising with extreme bursts of power, doing both equally well! This is the truly sustainable way to fight!"

Just as Ling Yu was basking in the joy of gaining new abilities, a piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout the entire warship!

"Waaah—! Waaah—! Waaah—!"

The red warning lights inside the hangar flashed wildly, shattering the shadows of the two men and the Strike Gundam.

The ship's intercom immediately broadcast Miriam's somewhat flustered yet slightly excited voice: "CIC calling all crew! Radar has detected an unidentified fleet approaching at high speed! ...Wait! Identification signal confirmed! It's the Earth Alliance's identification code! Repeat! It's friendly forces! The Eighth Fleet! The main force of the Eighth Fleet is coming to our aid!"

A new piece has been placed on the card table.

Ling Yu slowly stood up and exchanged a glance with Kira, who had also stood up.

He patted Kira on the shoulder, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Let's go, my ace. There's a better show waiting for us."