Another DRAGOON closed in from Unicorn's left, attempting to fire a beam at close range and seal off its escape routes.
But Unicorn did not even turn its head. The Maglin Rifle in its right hand fired backward toward the left rear, the beam piercing the DRAGOON with perfect accuracy and setting off an explosion.
At the same time, the Funnels on its back swung around in unison and fired several beams at Providence Gundam itself, forcing Rau Le Creuset onto the defensive.
"What the hell—?!"
Rau Le Creuset's roar echoed through the cockpit. His hands clenched around the controls.
Beneath the mask, his severely aged face, ravaged by shortened telomeres, twisted in fury. The spasms in his facial muscles made his wrinkles seem even deeper, while flames of hatred burned within his ice-blue eyes.
I refuse to accept this. How could I possibly accept this?!
Rau Le Creuset refused to accept such an ending. From the moment he was born from an artificial womb, his life had been destined to be a tragedy.
His genetic telomeres were absurdly short, and his cells had been aging at several times the rate of an ordinary human's since the day he was born.
He was Al Da Flaga's clone—the failed product of that man's pursuit of immortality and wealth, a copy stripped of any reason to exist from beginning to end.
And Char La Flaga, that man's perfect and legitimate heir, had a healthy body, extraordinary talent, dependable companions, and a laughably bright tomorrow—why?
"In a one-on-one duel, isn't this exactly what you wanted?" Rau Le Creuset said, his voice recovering its operatic cadence, every syllable steeped in vicious mockery. "Playing the hero, saving everyone—what a noble delusion. Char La Flaga, what do you think you are?"
The communications channel fell silent