Gundam:Super G Universe System

As the familiar red error codes faded, Reid found himself unceremoniously dumped into the ocean this time.

He wondered whether the system chose deployment locations based on his selected Mobile Suit or if the drop points were fixed. Had he not brought an aquatic model today, he'd have sunk straight to the seabed.

However, the next moment, the system's prompt window popped up before him, displaying his identity details. Reid couldn't help but mutter,

"A field inspector sent by Mithril's secret sponsors? What a convenient cover. Though, where exactly am I?"

No sooner had he finished grumbling than another system window appeared, containing a USB drive, an ID badge, authentication codes, and a dedicated comm channel frequency.

After retrieving all items, Reid plugged the USB into his Mobile Suit's interface. A nautical chart loaded, pinpointing his current location and marking his destination: The chemical weapons disposal facility on Belylda Orb Island, Republic of Peilieu.

Recognition dawned—this was the timeline right after Kowloon's capture. His mission was to intervene in that battle, though three days seemed excessive for such an operation.

Reid decided to survey the battlefield. As an inspector, he theoretically had clearance for on-site assessments but wasn't supposed to engage freely.

Still, taking out Kowloon early shouldn't raise suspicions of betrayal—they were enemies to begin with. Dawn approached; Reid recalled the operation commenced just before sunrise, with most perimeter skirmishes concluding shortly after.

Without delay, he transformed his unit into MA mode and raced toward the island marked on the map.

Soon, his Kapool's sensors detected a massive submersible carrier ahead—undoubtedly the Tir Na Nog.

Making no attempt to conceal his approach at full throttle, the Kapool was promptly picked up by the Tir Na Nog's sonar.

The sonar operator urgently reported to Captain Teletha Testarossa:

"Unknown spherical contact aft! Size suggests a mini-sub, but speed exceeds 30 knots!"

Teletha (usually called Tessa in-series) furrowed her delicate brows and turned to her executive officer, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Mardukas:

"A mini-sub at that speed? No nation's developed such fast mini-subs. And why appear now of all times?"

Mardukas considered briefly before responding:

"Unprecedented indeed. However, Captain, HQ mentioned a professional inspector arriving today—someone jointly hired by our sponsors."

As he spoke, the CIC received encrypted authentication via the dedicated channel and announced:

"Authentication code received on internal channel. ID: HX551942887. System matching... Huh? Affiliation classified. Name: Reid Isaac. Rank: Captain."

The credentials all but confirmed the visitor's friendly status. After Mardukas nodded verification of the name, Tessa ordered:

"Very well. Patch him through."

Soon, Reid's communication came through, and both parties saw each other's faces.

Looking at the small, adorable white-haired girl on the screen, Reid couldn't resist cracking a joke:

"Although I knew the person in charge of this inspection mission was still a little girl, I didn't expect her to be quite like this. But never mind. Colonel Teletha Testarossa, Reid Isaac requesting permission to join the battlefield. Since you're currently on a mission, I'd like to start by observing the combat situation. Any objections?"

In a regular military force, Reid's words would have earned him disciplinary action—it could easily be construed as disrespect toward a superior officer.

However, Mithril was a mercenary unit after all, and Reid was an inspector sent by the "big-money sponsors." Even as just a captain, the Tir Na Nog had to treat him with courtesy.

Moreover, Teletha herself was well aware of what strangers' first reactions would be upon seeing her as the ship's captain. So she wasn't angry and replied with a smile:

"Captain Reid Isaac, welcome aboard the Tir Na Nog for your inspection. Your request can be accommodated. However, please do not interfere with the soldiers' mission—observe only from a distance."

Reid nodded, dropping the jokes and responding seriously:

"Understood. I won't intervene unless absolutely necessary. Also, the unit I'm piloting is called Kapool. Please register it as a friendly unit to avoid frontline forces attacking me. I won't hold back if that happens."

With that, Reid cut the communication and bypassed the Tir Na Nog, heading straight for the more forward-positioned Belialda Orb Island.

Meanwhile, aboard the Tir Na Nog, Teletha let out a big sigh of relief and muttered:

"Honestly, HQ really sent quite the person and machine this time. So it wasn't a small submarine after all—a water-specialized AS with a panoramic cockpit. It actually seems quite compatible with the Tir Na Nog. I'll have to ask HQ for more intel on that unit later."

After Teletha finished speaking, Lieutenant Commander Mardukas nodded in agreement:

"Indeed. Even through the screen, I could sense the aura of war around Captain Reid—as if he sleeps on the battlefield every other day. Most likely, he's someone accustomed to life and death. CIC, mark that Kapool as a friendly unit. Sonar team, keep close track of his position. Don't lose him."

Teletha didn't object to Mardukas's orders. It wasn't that she distrusted this mysterious inspector from HQ—at least for now, his credentials checked out. As for unit confidentiality, that was probably the investors' doing. After all, many of Mithril's backers didn't want their identities revealed to prevent leaks and assassination attempts.

But basic surveillance was still necessary for strangers, especially one piloting a new AS that outpaced most submarines.

Reid wasn't aware that the Tir Na Nog was observing him—or if he was, he didn't care, since he had no intention of attacking the ship this time.

By now, Reid had reached the shores of Belialda Orb Island. He surfaced his unit, exposing the main camera.

However, the Tir Na Nog's forces had already advanced to the island's central region, so little could be seen from the beach. Reid decided to transform into MS Mode and move ashore.

His Kapool had excellent ground adaptability—after all, in the Turn A world, people mostly used it as a land combat unit.

However, the moment Reid transformed and went ashore, the Tir Na Nog instantly lost track of the Kapool. The sonar operator could only report uncertainly:

"Report: Kapool's sonar signature has disappeared. Based on its last position, it may have gone ashore..."

Lieutenant Commander Mardukas was also somewhat shocked and murmured softly:

"Ashore? At that underwater speed, it could still go ashore?"

Teletha's eyes lit up as she commanded:

"Surface to periscope depth and observe the shoreline where Captain Reid's sonar disappeared with the periscope. Also, dispatch one of the battlefield observation drones to that coastal area."

Following Teletha's orders, the Tir Na Nog immediately surfaced to periscope depth and extended the periscope, quickly capturing the Kapool's figure.

"At this moment, the Kapool was running on land like a gibbon, its two arms swinging back and forth exaggeratedly. Though it looked comical, its movement speed was anything but slow."

Meanwhile, the drone in the air also captured footage of the Kapool and conducted a basic analysis.

In the Tir Na Nog's command room, Teletha's eyes shone even brighter as she observed the Kapool's 14-meter height, remarking:

"Fourteen meters tall, with such long arms—it qualifies as a large AS. I wonder what its firepower is like. Are those long arms for melee combat? And how did it transform underwater? This must be the creation of some Whispered."

Everyone in the command room nodded at Teletha's analysis. In this world, any technological equipment beyond their understanding was most likely the work of Whispered, as only they could receive such "divinely bestowed" knowledge.

However, the command crew didn't dwell on the topic, because on the screen, Reid's Kapool was already approaching the battlefield.

At that moment, Reid was hiding behind the ruins of a bombed-out building, observing the battlefield.

The Tir Na Nog's forces (the SRT Force) had advanced near the main building of the chemical weapons disposal facility and were preparing for the final assault.

Reid also spotted the Venom's position. Just like in the original, it was perched on the rooftop, mounted with a Gatling gun, ready to put on a grand performance.

Meanwhile, Kowloon was engaging in the classic villainous pre-battle move—taunting the protagonists.

Without waiting for a response, he immediately opened fire with the Gatling gun.

Clearly, this Gatling was specially modified, with terrifying penetration power. The cover the SRT Force had taken was pierced within a few shots, forcing the M9Es to switch positions to evade.

Of course, the SRT Force didn't forget to return fire. However, when their bullets reached the Venom, they seemed to hit an invisible wall, deflecting harmlessly away.

From his monitor, Reid could only see the Venom holding its left hand flat in front, causing the bullets to ricochet automatically.

But Reid's Newtype abilities allowed him to sense something in front of the Venom. Gradually, his mind visualized a colorful barrier—though it looked like a soap bubble with two-thirds of its surface pinched off, constantly twisting and vibrating. It was unclear whether this was due to the bullets' impact or if the barrier was inherently unstable.

Reid hadn't expected his Newtype abilities to manifest the Lambda Driver's visualization. Perhaps the device itself was powered by mental energy, and Newtypes were highly sensitive to concentrated mental forces, resulting in this effect.

This moment made Reid feel that the Lambda Driver wasn't quite as unscientific as he'd thought. To him, it was just like the enemy holding a giant beam shield that could change shape at will. Though still bizarre, it no longer evoked the same unease as before.

Humans fear the unknown, but when they can actually see and somewhat comprehend something, that fear quickly dissipates. Just like how many people online joke that if Sadako from The Ring could physically interact with humans, there'd always be brave souls wanting to play the role of Ning Caichen.

Unfortunately, ordinary people clearly couldn't see this psychic barrier, making them feel like the enemy was invulnerable—standing there taking hits without a scratch.

This visibly agitated the SRT Force members as they continuously attacked from various angles, only for Kowloon to effortlessly block everything by slightly expanding his barrier.

Meanwhile, as the protagonist of Full Metal Panic, Sagara Sousuke—distracted by Kowloon's pre-battle taunts and memories of his teammates' deaths during their last encounter—found his control over ARX-7 noticeably sluggish.

ARX-7 was relatively easy to identify, with its distinct appearance and color scheme compared to the M9E. When Reid noticed a mech moving as if its limbs had gone numb, slow and uncoordinated, he immediately recognized it as the protagonist's unit.

Fortunately, Kowloon didn't immediately focus on ARX-7, only giving it a brief strafing run. Then, by chance, a bullet grazed the edge of the Lambda Driver's shield and struck the Gatling gun in Venom's hand.

The gun barrel, already overheated from prolonged, unchecked firing, instantly exploded upon impact.

The blast collapsed part of the roof, shrouding Venom in thick smoke.

But "smoke without damage" is a universal truth—soon enough, Kowloon maneuvered Venom out of the rubble, brandishing its high-frequency cutter and charging straight toward his "beloved" Kasim (Sousuke's real name).

The SRT Force couldn't just watch as the enemy targeted their tactical core. However, during the pre-mission briefing, ARX-7 had been designated to handle Venom, with orders for others to retreat upon encountering it. They could only provide long-range support.

But without Lambda Driver capabilities, their frontal assaults were useless. From Reid's perspective, Venom had expanded its psychic barrier to cover most of its body, effortlessly blocking attacks from the front and sides.

Faced with the enemy's sudden advance, Sousuke immediately tried to activate his mech's Lambda Driver.

Yet Sousuke had always found the system unsettling and deeply distrusted it. Combined with his unstable emotions, he couldn't activate it at all.

Growing desperate, Sousuke attempted to force-start the Lambda Driver module, repeatedly commanding the AI system [AL] to activate. This caused the mech to freeze up like a crashed computer, standing motionless without firing a shot.

Kowloon was probably baffled—he likely never expected Sousuke to just stand there like a log waiting to be cut down.

Thankfully, Sousuke's teammate Melissa Mao rushed in with her mech at full speed, tackling ARX-7 to the ground and saving him.

However, Kowloon felt extremely displeased seeing Sagara Sousuke's pathetic state. He had intended to feign surrender, but he didn't even want to surrender to someone who lacked the will to fight.

So Kowloon decided to give Sagara Sousuke a little stimulation. Activating the Lambda Driver, he formed a shockwave sphere in his hand, intending to destroy the machine that had saved the ARX-7. (Here, Kowloon actually held back—he was afraid of accidentally killing someone important and then getting executed the moment he boarded the Tir Na Nog. Otherwise, with Kowloon's ruthlessness, Mao wouldn't have survived.)

Reid seized this moment, preparing to strike.

The Kapool immediately opened the missile bay on its chest, launching six homing missiles set to target the Venom into the air.

Then, the machine charged forward at full thrust, its boosters at maximum output as it rushed toward the Venom. At the same time, its external speakers blared loudly:

"Honestly, I can't stand to watch this. Is this how Mithril's SRT Force fights? Daydreaming on the battlefield—and in the most elite unit, no less. I've really seen it all now."

Kowloon had actually noticed the Kapool long ago—after all, Reid hadn't hidden himself particularly well, and from his elevated position, it was easy to spot.

But the Kapool didn't look like an AS, and since it hadn't attacked, Kowloon, who was already planning to feign surrender, had ignored the bulky machine, assuming it wouldn't be very agile.

What Kowloon hadn't expected was how fast the Kapool could actually move when it charged. Reacting swiftly, he hurled the shockwave sphere in his hand straight at the Kapool. A machine that large, without Lambda Driver protection, would be pulverized just from the impact.

Unfortunately for him, Reid could see the Lambda Driver's psionic energy sphere. As the Kapool charged, it spun sharply, narrowly dodging the attack.

Kowloon was stunned. Since obtaining a Lambda Driver-equipped machine, he had never seen anyone evade an attack like this. Others either predicted the trajectory by watching the gun barrel and hand movements or relied on erratic, mindless dodging. But this round, hulking machine had sidestepped the attack by a hair's breadth—a first.

Right now, though, Kowloon didn't have time to ponder how the enemy had dodged the Lambda Driver's shockwave sphere. The Kapool's mechanical claw was already swinging toward him—forged from Gundarium alloy, it could split the Venom vertically into four pieces without Lambda Driver protection.

Kowloon instantly sensed the lethal threat. The Lambda Driver immediately formed a barrier, blocking the Kapool's claw.

Reid hadn't held back, but when the claw struck the Lambda barrier, it sent sparks flying before being deflected.

From Reid's perspective, the Venom's Lambda barrier had also vanished—whether shattered by the Kapool's strike or deactivated by Kowloon, he couldn't tell.

But Reid's assault wasn't over yet. The missiles he had fired earlier arced through the sky, descending in a perfect parabola before slamming straight into the Venom. In an instant, the machine was engulfed in explosions.

Reid was willing to sacrifice up to 70% of his machine's integrity just to kill Kowloon. After all, an AS cockpit was small enough—worst case, he could just carry it back himself. The Kapool's arms were powerful enough to double as cranes, anyway.

However, when the smoke cleared, the Venom lay almost completely unharmed amidst the rubble. Reid knew then that Kowloon had reactivated the Lambda barrier at the last moment.

Just as Reid raised his hand to deliver the finishing blow, the cockpit of the Venom opened, and Kowloon walked out with a bloody nose, hands raised in surrender.

However, Reid had no intention of letting him surrender. Raising the Kapool's arm, he aimed to obliterate the defenseless Venom—now without its Lambda Driver barrier—using the wrist-mounted triple-barreled machine gun.

But Kowloon seemed to have nine lives. The moment Reid raised his weapon, the Venom reactivated its Lambda Driver. This time, Kowloon swung his arm, shaping the Lambda Driver's energy into a long blade that slashed diagonally upward.

Reid dared not take the hit head-on, so he maneuvered his machine into a massive leap, dodging the slash—though the evasion caused all his machine gun fire to miss.

Kowloon then stomped and kicked the ground with the Lambda Driver's power, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that obscured Reid's camera vision.

Reid scoffed—this was nothing compared to the interference from Neutron Jammers and Minovsky particles. But just as he switched to thermal imaging to pursue, he saw the Venom sprinting toward the ARX-7 and Teletha's M9E. Then, in an instant, Teletha's M9E shot the Venom down.

To make matters worse, Teletha's M9E was now directly between the Kapool and the Venom, blocking Reid's line of fire to the cockpit.

As the dust settled, Reid approached only to see Teletha pointing her gun at the Venom's cockpit, where Kowloon—still bleeding from his nose—emerged once more to surrender. And as he stepped out, he shot a fierce glare in Reid's direction.

Reid was speechless. Damn it, he still managed to surrender. But just as Reid debated whether to take another shot now, a transmission from the Tir Na Nog arrived—Teletha's voice came through.

"Captain Reid, thank you for rescuing the SRT Force. We will take Kowloon into custody—he possesses critical intel on our enemies. Please return with us as well. The Tir Na Nog welcomes you."

With Teletha saying that, Reid couldn't argue. Firing now would only make it seem like he was trying to silence Kowloon, and being mistaken for an enemy could jeopardize the entire operation.

So Reid could only reply, "Copy that. I'll follow the unit back. But personally, I recommend executing this terrorist outright. He's not the type to talk under torture—the best way to deal with a madman like him is to send him straight to hell."

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