Where Did He Go?

The alarm blared.

Heine turned sharply, and Destiny Unit 2 raised its shield and arm.

Screech—

One orange and one red mobile suit collided.

"Captain Noer, I've wanted to test myself against you for a long time!"

Feeling the overwhelming pressure coming from his opponent, Heine's face flushed with an unnatural smile.

Noel Cassia—

Those who were not ZAFT MS pilots could never understand the weight carried by that name.

It was as though every MS pilot in ZAFT had been overshadowed by that name, its immense pressure draining the color from all other pilots.

Especially after the South American campaign, Noel Cassia's name had even taken on an untouchable quality.

ZAFT had a certain ranking system for soldiers.

At the most basic level, there were Green uniforms, elite Green uniforms, Red uniforms, elite Red uniforms, Red FATIH, and then—Noel Cassia.

Yes, no one knew when it had started, but Noel Cassia had separated himself from ZAFT military's MS pilot evaluation system.

He stood like a king high above, looking down upon the elite Reds below.

No matter how hard those Reds worked, they could never catch up to him or stand on equal footing with him.

Gradually, ZAFT's pilots no longer took pride in becoming elite Reds. Instead, they took pride in catching up to, or keeping pace with, Noel Cassia.

Yes, catching up—not surpassing him.

Because in their hearts, Noel Cassia had become an insurmountable mountain.

Legendary pilot, humanity's strongest pilot, Red Reaper—

Every title rang out so loudly that it left people breathless!

"I, Heine Westenfluss, am also an elite Red who took part in the Yachin Due Campaign, damn it!"

With a roar, Destiny Gundam Unit 2 shoved forward with all its strength, forcing Eternal Destiny Gundam back.

The cannons on its back rotated and locked