Justicar vs. Providence

Genesis's enormous barrel gleamed with a cold metallic sheen in space. Dazzling orange-red energy slowly gathered at the heart of its muzzle as it silently aimed at the distant blue planet, like a beast about to devour everything. Piloting the ZGMF-X17A Justicar Gundam, Mei Hock broke through the Earth Forces' final defensive line. Its silver-white frame, traced with red markings, streaked through the smoke like a meteor piercing the darkness, heading straight for the massive fortress that would decide humanity's fate.

Along the way, several Earth Forces mobile armors carrying tactical nuclear missiles continued their frenzied counterattack. Like beasts out of control, they charged toward PLANT without any regard for their own safety, intent on destroying it with nuclear explosions. Akira's gaze remained calm. His ACCORD ability and SEED Factor activated at full power simultaneously, and dense streams of data instantly appeared on the cockpit's holographic screen. Every mobile armor's trajectory, weapon charging time, and defensive weaknesses were analyzed with precision.

"No need to waste time." Akira's murmur rang through the cockpit as his fingers flew across the controls. The DRAGOON System storage bays on either side of the Justicar Gundam's back sprang open, and seven small DRAGOON-7 funnels shot out like arrows from a bow. Guided by the psycommu support system, they precisely locked onto every incoming nuclear-armed mobile armor. Unlike Providence's DRAGOON System, Justicar's funnels were smaller and more maneuverable, tracing smooth silver arcs through space. A lethal beam flashed at the end of every arc.

The first nuclear-armed mobile armor had just finished preparing its missile for launch when two funnels struck its central reactor simultaneously. Before it could fire, a violent explosion blossomed into a dazzling fireball in space. The blast's shock wave instantly dispersed the nuclear radiation, limiting its effect on the surroundings. The remaining nuclear-armed mobile armors then fell into the Justicar Gundam's web of fire one after another. Its two head-mounted MMI-GAU27D 12.5 mm CIWS guns spun at high speed, spraying dense streams of rounds to intercept mobile armors attempting flanking attacks. Its chest-mounted MMI-M100 twin beam cannon bay opened, unleashing two searing beams that punched through their armor. The Justicar Gundam held its MA-M21KF high-energy beam rifle in single-shot mode, and every pull of the trigger struck a mobile armor's weapon mount with precision, setting off a chain of explosions.

Within minutes, every nuclear-armed mobile armor blocking his way had been completely destroyed. Not one broke through the Justicar Gundam's defensive line. Yet Akira showed mercy to the conventional Earth Forces mobile suits sent to intercept him. His beam rifle struck their thrusters and weapon connections precisely, disabling their combat capabilities while always avoiding their cockpits. Each damaged mobile suit could only drift through space, unable to keep fighting, but its pilot survived. His goal had never been slaughter. It was to stop Genesis and end this endless war.

Just as the Justicar Gundam approached Genesis's outer defensive perimeter, a battered white machine slowly appeared in view. Its head armor was badly damaged, the right arm's drive system lay exposed, and its beam rifle was long gone. It was the Strike Gundam, piloted by Mu La Flaga. Its energy was almost exhausted, and its thrusters could barely keep it hovering, as though it might go completely out of control at any moment.

"Akira, watch out!" Mu's slightly hoarse voice came over the encrypted channel, edged with urgency. "Rau Le Creuset's behind me! His machine's powerful-it's from ZAFT's latest series. I'm no match for him!"

Akira turned the Justicar Gundam slightly sideways and scanned the void behind Mu. His SEED ability had already detected a faint yet intensely oppressive energy fluctuation. He nodded slowly, his voice steady. "Understood. Mu, get out of the battlefield as quickly as you can. Leave this to me." He immediately switched channels and contacted Kira. "Kira, Rau Le Creuset's intercepting me here. I'm leaving Genesis's destruction to you. Lead our forces to tie down the remaining enemies immediately, then enter Genesis with Athrun and stop Chairman Zala from activating the firing sequence."

The other end of the channel fell silent for a second. Piloting the Freedom Gundam, Kira was locked in combat with several ZAFT mobile suits. He knew how formidable Rau Le Creuset was, and he knew even better how dangerous it would be for Akira to face him alone. But he trusted Akira completely, a trust that countless battles fought side by side had etched into his bones. "Understood! Akira, be careful! We'll finish the mission as soon as possible and come support you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Freedom Gundam's back thrusters roared at full power. The blue machine tore through the enemy formation like lightning, its MA-M20L beam rifle unleashing a dense barrage that instantly defeated two intercepting ZAFT mobile suits. Athrun's Justice Gundam followed close behind, racing toward Genesis's entrance. In perfect coordination, the two advanced toward their designated objective at full speed.

The instant Kira and Athrun departed, an icy sense of danger stabbed into Akira's consciousness, like a cold blade pressed against his throat. "Here he comes." His eyes sharpened. Without hesitation, he thrust the control stick forward and pressed the attitude-control button. The Justicar Gundam instantly performed an astonishing flip, rotating 180 degrees around its waist as its main back thrusters fired in reverse, bringing it to an abrupt halt in space.

Almost at the exact moment the Justicar Gundam completed its flip, an intensely concentrated purple beam shot out of the void with devastating force. It skimmed past Justicar's shoulder and struck a piece of distant space debris. Boom! The wreckage was instantly vaporized into scattered dust, leaving not a trace behind. Had Akira reacted a second later, the beam would have pierced the Justicar Gundam's chest armor and severely damaged its nuclear reactor.

Akira slowly turned the Justicar Gundam around, its silver-white frame facing the distant enemy. The cockpit's holographic screen clearly displayed the other machine's outline: a silver-gray body, a large DRAGOON System mount on its back, sharply pointed head armor, and eyes glowing cold red. It was the ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam, piloted by Rau Le Creuset. Providence's DRAGOON System was slowly retracting, its purple beam cannons still gleaming dangerously. The ambush had clearly been Rau Le Creuset's doing.

A faint smile lifted the corner of Akira's mouth. His voice traveled over the open communications channel, calm and composed. "Rau Le Creuset, I did give you all that information about yourself. Attacking me without saying a word seems rather rude."

Rau Le Creuset's sinister chuckle came over the channel, carrying a hint of madness and anticipation. "Silver Wing Angel, Mei Hock. I've wanted to test myself against you for a long time. The information you gave me was very useful." The Providence Gundam slowly advanced, its DRAGOON System deploying again. Eleven funnels arranged themselves in a fan, purple energy gathering at their muzzles. "But if you can't show me that you're strong enough to work with me, today will mark the end of humanity. Once Genesis fires, Earth will become scorched wasteland. Either the Coordinators or the Naturals will ultimately be wiped out."

"What you've wanted was never chaos. It was destruction." Akira's voice turned cold, his fingers tightening around the control stick. "But I won't let you succeed. Genesis won't fire, and it's time this war ended."

Before his words had faded, both machines moved at once, charging toward each other like two meteors on a collision course. The Justicar Gundam's two main thrusters erupted at full power, leaving long, searing red trails through space. Twelve auxiliary thrusters fired fine streams of red flame in unison, driving its frame forward like a burning arrow. Its blistering charge was ten percent faster than even the famously agile Freedom Gundam, its silver-white body drawing a brilliant streak through the smoke. The Providence Gundam refused to yield. Dense purple flames poured from its back thrusters as its machine darted through space like a specter. Its silver-gray armor reflected the orange-red glow of Genesis's muzzle, radiating lethal pressure. Within milliseconds, the distance between them shrank to less than a kilometer. The surrounding energy fluctuations grew increasingly violent, as though they might tear the void apart at any moment.

The battle erupted without a moment of probing. Rau Le Creuset struck first with a thunderous offensive, a sharp gleam of madness flashing in his eyes. The Providence Gundam's eleven funnels fired purple beams simultaneously, like venomous snakes slipping their restraints. Each beam held intensely concentrated energy and measured half a meter across, pouring toward the Justicar Gundam like a rainstorm without a single gap. Their trajectories were not random but precisely calculated, targeting Justicar's head sensors, chest beam cannon bay, back thrusters, leg joints, and other vital points. Every shot was intended to kill. At the same time, Providence gripped its MA-M221 beam rifle in both hands, gathering a purple column of light several times thicker than the funnels' beams at its muzzle. It fired straight at Justicar's central chest with devastating force. Together with the DRAGOON System's barrage, it formed an impenetrable web of fire that sealed every escape route and gave Akira no room to breathe. The beams shrieked as they cut through space, instantly vaporizing the dust in their path and even distorting the light. Their terrifying power made soldiers watching from both sides hold their breath.

Facing this lethal assault, Akira's expression grew grave, but he remained composed. His SEED Factor surged at full power, a faint golden halo glowing in his pupils, while his ACCORD ability operated at its limit. His mind worked like a supercomputer, rapidly analyzing every beam's trajectory, speed, and impact point. Data refreshed on the cockpit's holographic screen faster than the eye could follow. Countless green lines intersected and adjusted, instantly plotting the best evasion route and even predicting the rhythm of Rau Le Creuset's follow-up attacks. "Multilock System, activate!" Akira's low command rang through the cockpit, utterly steady. His fingers flew across the controls, every movement precise and free of wasted effort. The Justicar Gundam's multilock system activated instantly, simultaneously acquiring twelve target points on Providence, including its DRAGOON System mount, main back thrusters, armor surrounding the cockpit, beam rifle connection, and leg joints. Red targeting markers flashed continuously, accompanied by urgent alerts, but none disturbed Akira's rhythm.

Like an agile specter, the Justicar Gundam wove through the dense purple beams, performing a succession of demanding maneuvers beyond human limits. Its shoulder-mounted auxiliary thrusters instantly fired red flames, shifting its body sideways by the narrowest margin to evade a thick beam approaching head-on. The beam skimmed past Justicar's shoulder and struck an abandoned transport ship in the distance, instantly tearing it into scattered fragments. The explosion's shock wave spread outward, only to be firmly blocked by the small energy shield on Justicar's back. Next, its leg thrusters fired in reverse while the attitude-control nozzles at its waist worked at full power, bringing it to an abrupt stop in space. The tremendous inertia made the machine shudder slightly, but did nothing to disrupt Akira's control. It immediately surged forward again, slipping like a fish through the gap between two purple beams. They passed along either side of its frame, leaving two searing trails and faint scorch marks on its armor. Before the machine could settle, its main back thrusters erupted again, sending it sharply upward. Its leg joints bent into a curled evasive posture, avoiding three DRAGOON System beams rising from below. The beams struck a huge piece of wreckage overhead and blasted it into powder. Dust spread through space without obscuring Akira's vision in the slightest. The entire evasive sequence flowed seamlessly, without a single pause, as though he had already foreseen every beam's path. Each movement was perfectly timed, avoiding lethal attacks while placing him in the ideal position to counter, demonstrating control far beyond Rau Le Creuset's.

Even as he evaded, Akira launched a fierce counterattack, switching between offense and defense without hesitation and displaying the Silver Wing Angel's true strength. The MA-M21KF high-energy beam rifle in the Justicar Gundam's hand instantly switched to three-round burst mode. Red light gathered at its muzzle, and three searing red beams roared out, slightly faster than Providence's, like three bolts of crimson lightning. They flew precisely toward three of Providence's funnels, their purpose clear: to destroy its long-range firepower advantage first. As the beams fired, Justicar's seven small DRAGOON-7 funnels had already deployed. Under the psycommu support system's control, they darted through space like nimble hummingbirds, avoiding the Providence DRAGOON System's purple beams while firing fine red beams of their own. Each struck a Providence funnel's muzzle with precision, attempting to destroy its firing mechanism. Smaller and more maneuverable than Providence's funnels, Justicar's were far more agile. They moved freely through the dense barrage, alternately flanking, attacking head-on, and scattering to draw fire. Their flawless coordination formed a red barrier of fire as they exchanged fierce volleys with Providence's DRAGOON System in a breathtaking clash.

Red and purple beams intertwined and collided in space. Every collision produced a blinding burst of light, too dazzling to look at directly. Enormous shock waves spread outward, shattering nearby debris and abandoned machines into dust, and even sending faint ripples through space itself. The two figures darted through the dense beams, closing in to fight at close quarters one moment and pulling apart to exchange long-range volleys the next. Every attack was delivered at full strength; every evasion was heart-stopping. Seizing the instant Providence's funnels retracted, Akira thrust the control stick forward and drove the Justicar Gundam to within a hundred meters of its opponent. Its MA-M21KF high-energy beam rifle switched to melee mode, the muzzle retracting and giving way to a red beam saber. Its three-meter blade shone with dazzling crimson light, its keen edge seemingly capable of cutting through anything. Justicar twisted sideways, using its thrusters' force to attack Providence's right flank. Its beam saber swept down fiercely toward Providence's beam rifle with searing energy, aiming to destroy it and deprive Rau Le Creuset of his main close-combat weapon.

Rau Le Creuset's eyes narrowed. Clearly caught off guard by the speed and ferocity of Akira's counterattack, he immediately brought the Providence Gundam into a defensive posture. Its beam rifle retracted, and a purple beam saber sprang out, its cold sheen contrasting sharply with Justicar's red blade. Clang! The two beam sabers slammed together. Red and purple light instantly intertwined, erupting into a dazzling sphere. The immense impact drove both Gundams backward, and only full thrust from their back engines allowed them to barely stabilize. Their frames continued shuddering. Inside their cockpits, both Akira and Rau Le Creuset felt the violent shock, a trace of blood appearing at the corners of their mouths. The demanding maneuvers and energy impacts had placed a considerable burden on both their bodies. Yet neither paused. Before their machines had fully steadied, they attacked again, their figures tangling once more.

The Justicar Gundam's beam saber attacked like a raging storm. Every strike was heavy and powerful, charged with searing energy. Its blade cut through the air with a piercing hum, red streaks weaving a vast web of sword light through space and closing around Providence. Akira's control was fierce and precise, every blow aimed at a vital point. He slashed at the cockpit, chopped toward the thrusters, and thrust at the joints, his dazzlingly fast rhythm denying Rau Le Creuset any chance to counterattack. Rau Le Creuset relied on Providence's powerful performance and his extensive combat experience to defend with all his strength. His purple beam saber swept rapidly before him, forming a defensive barrier that blocked every attack. Clang, clang, clang! Impacts rang out continuously, bursts of light erupting one after another as fragments of energy scattered everywhere. Residual heat from the blades burned deep gouges into both machines' armor, with sparks spraying out from time to time in a brutal spectacle.

A flash of impatience crossed Rau Le Creuset's eyes. Long-range suppression was his specialty, not close combat, and prolonged passive defense was gradually putting him at a disadvantage. He suddenly exerted all his strength, gripping his beam saber in both hands and using his thrusters' force to strike hard against Justicar's blade. The tremendous impact left Akira's arms slightly numb and knocked the Justicar Gundam several meters backward. Taking advantage of the opening, Rau Le Creuset quickly pulled Providence away and redeployed its funnels. This time, instead of firing a dense barrage, he sent them rapidly circling Justicar to form a purple energy vortex. Small purple beams continually shot from the vortex like a rain of needles, aimed straight at Justicar's leg joints in an attempt to cripple its mobility.

Akira's gaze sharpened, and he immediately moved the Justicar Gundam to respond. Its back-mounted auxiliary thrusters fired at full power, rapidly spinning its frame while the two head-mounted MMI-GAU27D 12.5 mm CIWS guns whirled at high speed. Dense streams of rounds intercepted and weakened the small purple beams. Their collisions produced countless tiny bursts of light, like a sky full of stars. At the same time, Justicar's leg thrusters expelled red flames, sending it sharply upward to avoid Providence's chest beam cannon attack. Its beam saber sprang out again and slashed hard into the vortex of funnels. The red blade instantly split the vortex, cutting two funnels in half. Their fragments scattered through space, and the purple energy vortex immediately collapsed. Before Rau Le Creuset could react, Akira charged again. The Justicar Gundam's MMI-M100 twin beam cannon bay opened, and two searing red beams roared out, striking Providence's back thrusters with precision. Boom! With a tremendous explosion, the damaged thrusters belched thick black smoke. Purple energy leaked out in faint streaks, thrust instantly falling by thirty percent. Providence tilted slightly, its mobility badly compromised.

"Damn you!" Rau Le Creuset's roar came over the communications channel, filled with anger and frustration. He had never expected Akira to be so powerful-not only far superior in control, but also utterly precise in his timing. Yet he did not give up. The madness in his eyes intensified as his fingers raced across the controls. Providence's remaining nine funnels attacked again while he sent the Gundam charging straight at Justicar. Its purple beam saber stabbed fiercely toward Justicar's cockpit, clearly intent on taking them both down together.

Akira's eyes sharpened without a trace of fear. He moved the Justicar Gundam sideways to evade while bringing his own beam saber up against Providence's. Clang! The two blades collided again. This time, both pilots put everything into the clash. The tremendous impact made both machines shudder, armor fragments falling away as their energy leaks worsened. Akira's arms trembled slightly. Keeping his SEED Factor and ACCORD ability continuously active was rapidly draining both his physical and mental strength. Fine beads of cold sweat covered his forehead, and his face had grown slightly pale. Yet his gaze remained unwavering. He applied force to the controls again, driving Justicar's beam saber down and pinning Providence's beneath it. The blade drew closer and closer to Providence's cockpit, its red energy scorching the armor with a sizzling hiss.

Rau Le Creuset gritted his teeth, veins bulging across his face as he tried to resist, only to discover that Akira's strength far exceeded his own. No matter how hard he strained, he could not move Justicar's beam saber an inch. At that moment, Akira seized his chance and drove the Justicar Gundam's leg hard into Providence's abdomen. Thud! Providence was kicked backward, its frame shaking violently. A large dent caved into its abdominal armor amid a shower of sparks, and its energy leaks worsened further. Inside the cockpit, Rau Le Creuset coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper, but he still refused to give up.

By then, everyone on the battlefield, friend and foe alike, had been drawn to the fighting in this sector. The remaining Earth Forces fleet, ZAFT's defensive units, the Three Ships Alliance's warships, and the Silver Wing fleet's crews all focused on the two X Series Gundams locked in their frenzied duel. Their eyes filled with shock and awe. They had never witnessed a clash between elite combatants so brutal and overwhelming. The two machines' speed, firepower, mobility, and control had all reached unprecedented heights. Every attack and every evasion was enough to leave them breathless.

On the Archangel's bridge, Murrue Ramius clasped her hands tightly before her chest, staring at the silver-white machine on the screen. Her lips trembled as she silently prayed, Akira, come back safely. You have to win... She had lived through countless battles and witnessed countless terrible sacrifices, yet her heart was still in her throat. Her concern had long since become a worry lodged deep in her bones.

Lacus Clyne stood before the Eternal's bridge window, her blue eyes brimming with tears. She clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, her body trembling slightly. She knew Akira's strength, and she knew how terrifying Rau Le Creuset was. Unable to go help, she could only silently cheer him on and pray for his safety. Akira, please be all right. I'm still waiting for you, waiting for us to build a peaceful world together... Tears slid down her cheeks and fell onto her white skirt, spreading into a small damp patch. Her worry and hope were plain to see.

Beside the Silver Wing, Lunamaria Hawke sat in her mobile suit, biting her lip hard and gripping the controls until her knuckles turned white. Her eyes were full of anxiety and unease. Come on, big brother! You can win! she cried inwardly. Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall. Meirin Hawke's large green eyes were filled with fear and concern. Her small hands clung tightly to Luna's clothes as she murmured, "Big brother, come back safely. I want my big brother to come back safely..."

Shiho Hahnenfuss sat at the mobile suit control console, pale-faced but still holding her post, her gaze fixed on the Justicar Gundam on the screen. She said nothing, merely pressing her palms together in silent prayer. Her concern was hidden in every breath and every heartbeat. She believed in Akira's strength, yet she could not suppress her worry. All she could do was hope he would return from this ultimate duel with a victorious smile.

Flay Allster sat in the Silver Wing's observation compartment, watching the silver-white machine on the screen. Her eyes held a complicated mix of guilt, concern, and above all, hope. She had once feared Akira and hated him, but as they spent time together, his gentleness and determination had moved her. Now she silently prayed, Akira, please stay safe. You have to win. I haven't had the chance to tell you I love you yet...

Li Bing sat at the chief helmsman's station on the Silver Wing's bridge, her short dark-blue hair impeccably neat. Her expression remained calm, but a barely perceptible trace of worry lay deep in her eyes. With her arms folded across her chest, she kept her gaze locked on the Justicar Gundam on the screen. She said nothing, silently cheering Akira on. She understood his mission and the significance of this battle. She believed he could win, yet she could not completely put her mind at ease. She could only wait quietly for the outcome.

Unlike the others, who remained consumed by concern, Natarle Badgiruel stood at the center of the Starry Sky's bridge and spared the battle on the screen only a brief glance before looking away. Her expression remained cold and resolute. She knew Akira had put her in charge of the Starry Sky because he trusted her to stay calm and fulfill her mission amid the chaotic battle. "All hands, attention!" Her cold, forceful voice carried throughout the ship over its internal communications. "Starry Sky, turn toward the Dominion. Charge the main gun. All secondary guns, target the Dominion and concentrate fire!"

"Captain, the Dominion is a warship you once commanded. Are we really going to destroy it completely?" Meyrin hesitated before asking quietly.

Natarle Badgiruel's gaze was icy, without the slightest hesitation. "It is now an Earth Alliance warship, Azrael's weapon, and an obstacle to peace. Today, I'll bid my final farewell to the warship I once commanded. And I'll eliminate Azrael, the driving force behind the Atlantic Federation, to bring this war to a definitive end!"

"Understood!" Meyrin hesitated no longer and immediately carried out the orders. The Starry Sky slowly turned. Its enormous main gun began charging, glowing with dazzling white energy, while every secondary gun targeted the Dominion. Beams instantly shot out, pouring toward it. Explosions erupted one after another. The Dominion's shields were immediately pierced, its armor began breaking apart, and it was forced onto the defensive.

At that moment, three elite Earth Forces mobile suits launched urgently from the Dominion's hangar and raced toward the sector where Akira and Rau Le Creuset were fighting. All three were newly developed enhanced Earth Alliance machines, and their pilots were genetically enhanced Extended. Their mental states had already been unstable, and for this final battle, Earth Alliance scientists had injected them with excessive doses of enhancement drugs. Now they had descended completely into madness, seeing nothing but destruction and slaughter. Ignoring friend and foe, they charged into the most chaotic part of the battlefield, intent on destroying both Gundams together.

"This is bad! Extended machines!" Piloting the Freedom Gundam, Kira instantly sensed the threat posed by the three mobile suits. He immediately abandoned his efforts to contain the remaining enemy forces and raced toward them. "Athrun, keep heading for Genesis! Leave this to me!"

Athrun glanced back, worry flashing in his eyes. But he knew Genesis's firing sequence left no time to spare, so he could only grit his teeth and nod. "Understood! Kira, be careful!" The Justice Gundam accelerated toward Genesis's entrance. Cagalli's Strike Rouge Gundam followed closely, the two fighting side by side as they raced into Genesis.

Kira instantly caught up with the three Extended mobile suits in the Freedom Gundam. His MA-M20L beam rifle unleashed a dense barrage while the beam cannons on its back joined the attack, pouring fire toward the three machines. At the same time, Dearka's Buster Gundam and Yzak's Duel Gundam arrived just in time. Working together, the three Gundams formed a tight web of fire to block the three maddened Extended mobile suits.

"Lunatics!" Dearka's roar came over the communications channel. The Buster Gundam's beam sniper cannon fired accurately, striking one Extended mobile suit's thruster. "These guys don't care what happens to them! They're a nightmare to fight!"

"Concentrate fire and destroy their weapon systems first! Don't get bogged down!" Kira's voice was steady and forceful. The Freedom Gundam's beam saber sprang out and instantly pierced one Extended mobile suit's weapon mount. At the same time, DRAGOON System beams precisely struck the sensors around its cockpit, stripping it of its targeting capability. Through the three pilots' seamless coordination, the Extended mobile suits were soon defeated. Badly damaged and unable to fight, they fell into the vast expanse of space.

Meanwhile, Athrun's Justice Gundam and Cagalli's Strike Rouge Gundam finally made it inside Genesis. The roar of working machinery filled its interior without pause. The central console's screen displayed the firing sequence countdown, while orange-red energy continued gathering at the barrel's core, growing ever more dazzling. Athrun hurried toward the central console, only to stop as he approached. His whole body jolted, and his eyes filled with disbelieving sorrow.

Chairman Patrick Zala lay on the floor before the central console, a fatal wound in his chest. He had long since stopped breathing. Beside him lay the body of a ZAFT officer. Clearly, a fierce argument and deadly struggle had taken place before Athrun arrived. Chairman Zala still tightly clutched a control terminal. A line of text remained on its screen: "Fire Genesis. For the future of the Coordinators, destroy Earth completely and end this war!"

"Father..." Athrun's voice was hoarse, tears sliding down his cheeks. He slowly approached Patrick Zala's body, sank to his knees, and tightly embraced his father's cold form, his heart filled with endless grief and pain. He had always opposed his father's radical beliefs and hoped to peacefully resolve the conflict between Coordinators and Naturals. Yet he had never imagined that their final meeting would be like this.

"Athrun, there's no time to grieve! The firing sequence is still running! If we don't leave now, it'll be too late!" Urgency edged Cagalli's voice. She approached him and gently patted his shoulder, her eyes filled with worry and sympathy.

Athrun drew a deep breath and forced down his grief. He slowly stood, wiped the tears from his face, and steadied his gaze. Hurrying to the central console, he worked rapidly at the keyboard, trying to cancel Genesis's firing sequence. Yet no matter what he did, the console failed to respond. The sequence continued, its countdown drawing ever closer to zero.

"It's no good! I can't cancel it! The firing sequence has been locked. Unless we destroy the central console's core module, there's no way to stop it!" A trace of despair entered Athrun's voice. He knew Genesis's core module was protected by heavy armor that conventional weapons could not destroy.

After a second of silence, Athrun made a desperate decision. He turned toward the Justice Gundam, his gaze firm and utterly without hesitation. "Cagalli, get out of here immediately! Hurry!"

"Athrun, what are you going to do?" Cagalli jolted, her eyes filling with disbelieving fear. She had begun to suspect what he was planning.

Athrun did not answer. He simply climbed into the Justice Gundam's cockpit, worked rapidly at the controls, and activated its self-destruct sequence. Justice was a nuclear-powered mobile suit, and its self-destruction would be far more powerful than a nuclear missile, enough to destroy Genesis's central core module and halt the firing sequence. "Cagalli, live on. For me, for everyone, protect the peace we want." Athrun's voice came over the channel, carrying both gentleness and grim resolve.

With its self-destruct sequence activated, the Justice Gundam began glowing with dazzling white light. Energy rapidly accumulated in its nuclear reactor, ready to erupt at any moment. Looking at the shining machine, Cagalli burst into tears. Instead of leaving, she piloted the Strike Rouge Gundam back toward it and stopped directly before Justice.

The Strike Rouge Gundam's cockpit slowly opened. Cagalli stood in the doorway and reached a hand toward Athrun. Tears streaked her face, but she gave him a determined smile. "Athrun, I'm not leaving. If we go, we go together! I won't let you stay here alone!"

Athrun looked at Cagalli standing in the cockpit doorway, his eyes filled with shock and emotion. Tears slid down his face again. By then, energy at the core of Genesis's barrel had reached its peak, and orange-red light illuminated the entire interior.

Out in space, Akira and Rau Le Creuset's battle continued raging. The Justicar Gundam and Providence Gundam were rapidly exhausting their stamina and energy, and both machines had sustained varying degrees of damage. Akira moved Justicar to evade Providence's beam attack, then clashed beam sabers with it. Red and purple light intertwined, the tremendous impact driving both machines backward.

Akira watched the equally battered Providence Gundam on his screen, his gaze still firm. He knew he could not lose this battle. For the people beside him, to protect peace, and to end this war, he had to win. Yet the crisis inside Genesis remained unresolved, and whether Kira and Athrun could successfully stop the firing sequence was still unknown.

Beams continued weaving across the battlefield, and space continued trembling. This final battle to decide humanity's fate pressed onward toward an unknown outcome.