Chapter 342: There Must Be Ceremony!

Takumi wasn't going to play favorites.

After finishing Bronya's Silver Wolf Gundam, he made a Celestial Gundam for Jibril as well.

Yep, it was pink.

Jibril had some complaints, but she still really liked it.

Once all three units were complete, Takumi began transferring piloting knowledge to both of them.

Bronya probably didn't need it, but Jibril definitely did.

Though, if she couldn't fight in the Gundam, she'd probably charge out on her own.

She was fully capable of moving in space on her own, and Takumi didn't doubt for a second that she would.

After constructing the three Gundams, Takumi snapped photos and shared them in the group chat.

Takumi: [Images, images, images.] [Franken-Gundam, Silver Wolf Gundam, Celestial Gundam!] [Cool, right?!]

Upon seeing the pictures and names Takumi posted, those who knew Gundam—like Fujiwara Chika—immediately popped up in the chat.

Sagiri: [!!!!] [Are those names serious?]

Fujiwara Chika: [My god, you've got to be kidding me—what kind of ridiculous names are those?!]

Kaguya Houraisan: [Insanely cool!!] [If I'd known, I would've gone with you too.]

Seeing that Takumi had made Gundams, Kaguya got tempted.

Those stylish mechas—she wanted to pilot one too.

With her time-stopping ability, she'd be the strongest Gundam pilot in the world.

Unforgivable!

So enviable.

Takumi: [Enough chat. We're heading out in our Gundams now.]

After showing off in the group, Takumi closed the chat and signaled Bronya and Jibril to get ready.

The three of them headed to their respective units and entered the cockpits.

Staring at the console before him, Takumi got excited.

Though these Gundams weren't anything special to him—

This was a man's romance.

Takumi was fired up.

His blood was boiling.

Without hesitation, he initiated startup.

The next moment, a thrilling sound echoed—

'Shwoom~!'

The Gundam's eyes lit up.

Blue light burst forth.

The cockpit displays activated one by one.

Prometheus appeared on the monitor.

Light shimmered across the exterior of the machines.

Take Bronya's Silver Wolf Gundam, for instance—

It glowed with a silver brilliance.

All three units powered up together.

Everyone began testing their controls.

Bronya, with her machine manipulation superpower, understood it instantly.

Takumi didn't launch right away. First, he used his powers—

To give Bronya and Jibril new suits!

Bronya, who had been checking her Gundam, noticed her outfit changing and paused.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she said nothing.

"Hey hey hey!!"

"What the heck are you doing?!"

Little Jibril was distressed.

Why was Takumi suddenly changing her gear?

"Quiet. Just put it on."

"It's for the ceremony!"

Even though he knew she'd protest, Takumi changed her outfit anyway.

"Urgh!!"

So awkward!

Jibril was frustrated.

"If you're ready, let's head out."

"Let's have some fun in this world."

"I bet the people here are going to be utterly confused."

"Mysterious mechas suddenly appear to fight aliens?"

Takumi's face lit up with amusement.

He was clearly looking forward to it.

"Ready to go. Launch at will."

"But weren't you planning to capture the ELS?"

"Why are we attacking them directly?"

Bronya was confused.

Weren't they supposed to capture those things?

"We'll destroy some, capture others."

"These creatures have high research value."

He didn't need to capture them all.

Takumi just needed some samples.

An alien civilization like this surely held a wealth of information.

He only needed their properties and knowledge.

The rest?

He wasn't interested.

Besides, there was no way he could bring them all back.

Once he had a sample, he could replicate them entirely.

Super easy.

Hearing that, Bronya said no more.

Takumi had made up his mind—no problem then.

Immediately, the three launched.

The imaginary number channel opened.

Takumi was the first to charge out.

The Franken-Gundam crouched slightly and then, after a short slide, ignited its thrusters.

It soared into space.

Bronya and Jibril followed closely in their own Gundams.

They were near Jupiter now.

Once out, the trio drew their particle weapons—

And flew straight toward the derelict ship floating above Jupiter.

Just as they launched, they detected waves of electric signals being fired at them.

But the three blocked them easily.

The ELS had noticed them.

Seeing the three machines, they instantly counterattacked.

The massive ship began to shift.

Countless conical ELS swarmed toward them—

Like a locust plague.

Their goal: to corrode the Gundams.

Faced with this, Takumi didn't hesitate.

He attacked.

'Beep beep beep beep!!'

Lock-on alerts echoed in the cockpit.

Takumi pulled the trigger without delay.

Brilliant blasts surged toward the ELS.

Fireworks lit up above Jupiter.

The battle had begun.

Bronya and Jibril, both exhilarated, charged forward in their Gundams.

What followed was a mowing-down session.

As the battle raged near Jupiter—

Alarms blared aboard the Celestial Being ship.

Everyone rushed to the control room.

"What's going on?!"

The Celestial Being members were utterly confused.

What was happening?

"Detected combat near Jupiter."

"Visual feed coming up now."

A technician girl reported as she typed rapidly.

Soon, the battle footage of three Gundams fighting the ELS appeared on-screen.

The Celestial Being crew froze at the sight of the three machines.

Especially that Franken-Gundam.

"Exia?"

Someone gasped.

Wasn't that the Exia Gundam from their database?

"No... it's not!"

"That machine is far more powerful than Exia!"

Watching its performance, someone immediately refuted the idea.

It might resemble Exia, but it was clearly far stronger.

At that moment, VEDA responded.

It issued a command for the Celestial Being ship to head for Jupiter.

Because it had already identified them—

Those were indeed the ELS.

And the Celestial Being ship had been built precisely to prepare for communication with the ELS.