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Build Gundams Ch 4
🕑 Added 2025-09-17 14:29:19 +0000 UTCThe shrill blare of the alarm cuts through the relative calm on the frigate, jolting everyone into action. A pirate attack. Not just one group, but two, emboldened by their combined numbers. Their target: the cargo ships under the Antares Mercenary Group's protection.
Ryuuichi's voice crackles over the comms. "All MS pilots, launch immediately. Defend the cargo ships."
Hayato, Avina, Pani, and Ryuuichi scramble to their designated MS, the bays hissing open as their machines are catapulted into the void. The launch sequence is smooth and efficient, honed through countless drills.
Each pilot settles into their cockpit, the familiar scent of ionized air and machine oil filling their senses. Hayato is in his custom GM MS, its red paint gleaming. Beside him, Pani is in a blue GM MS, a greenhorn eager to prove herself. Avina's pink GM MS rounds out the quartet, a splash of color amid the grim backdrop.
"What's going on? Pirates are actually ganging up to rob us now?" Avina asks. Her voice carries a hint of disbelief, a sentiment shared by many of the mercenaries.
Outside, the scene is chaotic. Four hulking cargo ships, crudely refitted with weaponry, advance menacingly. Two distinct flags flap from their masts, confirming the alliance of two separate pirate factions. Swarming around them is a motley collection of Mobile Suits, mostly repurposed construction units, their bulky frames ill-suited for combat. Mixed in are a few battered but functional MS, clearly salvaged from battlefields. A paltry squadron of antiquated fighter jets buzzes around the periphery, adding to the disarray.
The pirates have brought forty MS and eight fighter jets.
The cargo ships maintain their course, sticking close to the frigate for protection.
Ryuuichi, piloting the RX-78-2 Gundam, takes point, accelerating directly into the heart of the pirate MS swarm. The Gundam is a blur of motion, its white armor gleaming in the harsh light of space.
With almost casual ease, Ryuuichi raises his Beam Rifle, firing three shots in quick succession. Three pirate MS explode in silent bursts of light and debris.
The effect is immediate and dramatic. The pirates, initially eager for a fight, falter, their confidence shaken by the Gundam's devastating power. All the remaining MS pilots lock onto Ryuuichi.
Projectiles streak towards the Gundam from every direction. Beams, rockets, and solid rounds fill space.
Inside the cockpit, alarms scream warnings as Ryuuichi throws the Gundam into a series of evasive maneuvers. He dances through the incoming fire, using the foot pedals and control stick to execute split-second dodges. Even as he evades, he continues to fire, each shot finding its mark, each explosion thinning the ranks of the enemy.
"Wow, Boss is really amazing. In just one minute of combat, Boss has already taken out ten MS. I've only taken out three so far," Pani says.
"Pani, you're so weak! Most of them have already been attracted by Boss, and you've only taken out three. I've taken out five!" Avina retorts.
Hayato's voice cuts through their banter. "Avina, if you have time to complain about your companion, why don't you quickly focus on helping Boss deal with the other enemies?"
Avina, chastened, sticks out her tongue and redoubles her efforts, her GM MS weaving through the fray, adding its firepower to the defense.
Ryuuichi, meanwhile, switches from the Beam Rifle to a rocket launcher, locking onto one of the fighter jets attempting to outflank him. He presses the launch button, and the rocket streaks towards its target, detonating in a brilliant fireball.
Ryuuichi watches as the remaining seven fighters attempt to break away from the main engagement, heading straight for the vulnerable cargo ships.
Without hesitation, Ryuuichi switches back to the Beam Rifle, activates his thrusters, and darts forward, closing the distance in seconds. He fires with pinpoint accuracy, each shot vaporizing a fighter jet in a spectacular display of controlled destruction.
The pirate leaders, watching the carnage unfold from their bridge, realize the situation has rapidly spiraled out of control. In less than two minutes, they have lost more than half their MS and all their fighter jets.
Fear overrides greed. They issue the order to retreat.
"Tch, how boring. They got scared off so quickly," Avina says.
"The power of Boss's MS's Beam Rifle is much stronger than the Beam Rifle used by our GM MS. We might not even be able to take out one MS with a single shot, but Boss makes them explode with just one shot," Pani says.
"I hope Boss makes a few more MS like this for us. By then, our Mercenary Group can basically walk sideways in this area. Any Pirate Group that sees us will give us a wide berth."
Ryuuichi's voice booms over the comms. "You two, if you have time for idle chatter, why don't you immediately return to the frigate?"
Avina and Pani, suitably reprimanded, sheepishly guide their MS back to the mothership.
Ryuuichi surveys the battlefield. The remaining pirate MS are in full retreat, their cargo ships lumbering after them. The Antares Mercenary Group's cargo ships are safe, the mission a success.
But Ryuuichi is far from satisfied. The engagement had been too short, too one-sided. The pirates, with their antiquated equipment and clumsy tactics, had posed little threat. This was not the challenge he had hoped for, not the crucible in which he could truly test the capabilities, and, more importantly, the limitations, of the RX-78-2 Gundam. The modified engineering MS were very inefficient in combat. Although the Pirate Group also had a small number of MS that belonged to the standard equipped MS used by some countries.
However, the overall combat capability of the Pirate Group was far inferior to that of regular forces, especially in terms of MS operation, which was even more unsatisfactory. This level was simply not enough to highlight the power of the Gundam or to find its shortcomings.
The pirates' fighter jets were also outdated, so their speed was not very fast. Even if someone else were to pilot the Original Gundam, as long as their piloting skills weren't too poor, it would still be very easy to shoot down those fighter jets.
I need a real test, Ryuuichi thinks. A fight against a competent opponent, with modern equipment and skilled pilots. Only then will I truly know what this Gundam is capable of.
With a sigh, he turns the RX-78-2 Gundam back towards the frigate, his mind already racing with plans for the future.
The two days following the pirate skirmish pass without incident. The frigate, true to its purpose, escorts the cargo ships safely to Gritstone Country. The nation, comprised of a mere three colonies, holds a marginal position among space-faring entities, its influence paling in comparison to more established powers. With a population under four million, its economic foundation rests on the export of meteorite minerals and limited agricultural produce, a stark contrast to the robust economies of nations like Iron Ridge.
While the frigate undergoes routine maintenance in the shipyard, awaiting potential commissions, Ryuuichi decides to immerse himself in the local environment. He ventures out on a motorcycle, intending to observe the customs and socio-economic conditions of Gritstone Country's third colony. His observations reveal a struggling economy, evident in the dilapidated infrastructure and the presence of idle citizens dressed in worn clothing.
Driven by a desire to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the region, Ryuuichi directs his motorcycle towards the more industrialized areas. Here, he finds a semblance of economic activity, with factories and basic infrastructure providing employment opportunities. He notes the presence of workers diligently performing their duties.
Ryuuichi pauses to contact Kenji, the factory manager, via a secure communication channel. "Kenji, I need to know if there are any critical material shortages at the factory."
After receiving a detailed response from Kenji, Ryuuichi proceeds to several factories, placing orders for the required metal materials. He finalizes the agreements, ensuring that Kenji is notified to arrange for the pickup and transport of the materials.
As evening approaches, Ryuuichi checks the time. The colony's sky reflects the fading light, signaling the end of the workday for many factories. However, some continue to operate, their lights piercing the twilight as workers push through overtime shifts.
Ryuuichi makes his way to the city center, seeking a suitable restaurant.
The city center presents a more vibrant scene, with bars and entertainment venues catering to the local populace.
Having satisfied his hunger, Ryuu takes a leisurely stroll through the city center, appreciating the ambiance as a form of post-dinner relaxation.
As he pauses by a fountain in a park, a familiar voice breaks through his contemplation. "Ryuu."
Ryuuichi cannot help but exhibit a slight frown. The use of that childhood nickname, exclusively reserved for his mother and one other woman, evokes a sense of mild annoyance.
Turning towards the source of the voice, Ryuuichi sees a young woman, seemingly in her twenties, gazing at him with an expression of surprise.
He realizes that the woman is Yumi Kaneshiro, his paternal aunt.
Yumi also expresses her surprise at encountering her nephew, whom she has not seen in years.
The Kaneshiro were primarily known as a business family. The head of the family, Takeo Kaneshiro, is Ryuuichi's paternal grandfather. Kazuki Kaneshiro, his father, is the third son of Takeo. Yumi is the fourth child of the family head, the youngest, only daughter and favored by Takeo.
Kazuki's business skills are not as strong as those of his older brothers. Coupled with his father's lack of emphasis on him, Kazuki lives a relatively relaxed life in the Kaneshiro family, without much restraint.
His marriage was arranged by his father, but Kazuki refused and even fell out with his father.
This is because Arthur's wife, Miyuki, comes from a relatively ordinary family. In the Kaneshiro family, her family is considered low-class and not worthy of their prominent family.
Kazuki's marriage was not blessed by the family, and not a single member of the Kaneshiro family attended his wedding.
Yumi is the daughter Takeo had in his old age and is very much doted on by her father. She can be described as the willful little princess of the Kaneshiro family. Yet, for some unknown reason, this princess has an exceptionally good relationship with her third brother.
When Ryuuichi was a child, after his transmigration and reincarnation, this aunt often came to visit. As a child, he was often teased by this aunt. Ryuuichi was not an ordinary child even then; he was a transmigrated soul with an adult's consciousness.
He also sees that although Yumi is an aunt, her behavior is like an older sister teasing her younger brother.
Furthermore, Yumi and her eldest sister Aoi are not far apart in age, with Yumi being only ten years older than her eldest sister.
