The dust over Odessa had not yet settled from the first clash when the second wave of the Federation descended like a hammer. Mobile suits poured from their transports, GM lines tightening into disciplined formations. Among them, three figures stood out: Amuro Ray in the Gundam, his machine radiating defiance; Kai Shiden and Hayato Kobayashi in their Guncannons, their heavy firepower forming the backbone of the assault line; and further back, gleaming like fresh steel, the red Aegis Gundam under Athrun Zala's control and the Buster Gundam prepared by Lockon Stratos.
Zeon's frontline already bled from the first storm, trenches collapsing and defense turrets silenced one by one. Yet in the heart of chaos, Tanya von Zehrtfeld's Zudah streaked forward like a spear of defiance, her voice cutting into M'quve's command channel.
"Let me take the Buster," Tanya demanded, sharp and unwavering. "That cannon will tear our lines apart before we even regroup. My Zudah can close the distance faster than anything else we have."
There was a pause, only broken by the distant thunder of Federation bombardments. M'quve, seated deep within his command bunker, adjusted his gloves with eerie calm, his tone smooth but edged with tension.
"Granted. But remember, Major, you are not to squander yourself recklessly. Norris will engage the Aegis. Ramba Ral will occupy the Gundam. Your squad will intercept the Guncannons. Each of you is a pillar holding this wall together. Do not break."
His voice carried both weight and subtle pressure, and yet Tanya only smirked bitterly inside her cockpit. As if I had the luxury to break… damn this fate, damn that smug god.
Norris Packard's Gouf custom powered up beside her, the veteran's gravelly voice breaking in.
"Leave the Aegis to me, Major. You'll have your chance to carve your own legend. Just don't get yourself killed before we see this war through."
On the opposite flank, Ramba Ral's Gouf revved like a beast waiting to pounce, its pilot muttering to himself. "Amuro Ray… Deikun's ghosts echo in your eyes. If fate wishes, I'll measure that resolve personally."
Meanwhile, Mila and Zhou Wei, already in their Dom units, pushed ahead with thruster roars, their heavy frames maneuvering with surprising grace as they locked onto Kai and Hayato's Guncannons. Zhou Wei cracked a grin inside his cockpit.
"Let's see how long those cannons hold up against real pilots."
Mila simply muttered, "For Zeon…" and pressed her machine forward.
Richter, his Zaku II gleaming with fresh paint despite the dirt of Odessa, commanded his defensive unit over comms, directing Zaku lines to hold against the incoming GM swarm. "Keep formation! Don't panic! They're just numbers—break their lines and they'll crumble!" His voice, full of youthful fire, rallied the faltering soldiers.
Above all this chaos, hidden in a vantage point, Gary Lin leaned against his Federation-issued cockpit seat, watching the clash unfold from his sensor screens. His eyes glowed with that familiar otaku excitement, his voice dripping with commentary as if narrating a battle anime.
"Hoho! It's happening! Real boss battles, right here! Zudah versus Buster—speed versus firepower! Gouf against Aegis—classic close-range duel! And Ramba Ral, oh man, going one-on-one with Amuro like in the original timeline, but with more spice!"
The system's mechanical voice cut in flatly, unimpressed.
[Correction: This is not an anime. This is real. And your 'commentary' has no tactical value.]
Gary laughed, unbothered. "Shut it, system! You don't get it—this is history being remixed in real time! I'm living the crossover dream! My only regret is that I don't have popcorn."
[Warning: Enemy Zeon ace pilots pose high-level threats. If you do not focus, you may become the next casualty.]
"Yeah, yeah," Gary muttered, tightening his grip on the controls. "Don't worry, I'm not missing my chance to shine. Just watch me, system. By the end of Odessa, Gary Lin's name will be trending in the Universal Century—if this world even has Twitter."
And so, as fire and steel clashed in the skies and on the soil of Odessa, every ace, every machine, and every will converged on one decisive moment. Tanya's Zudah surged forward toward Lockon's Buster Gundam, thrusters screaming against the earth, while the other duels lit up the battlefield like a storm of gods and demons.
The battlefield of Odessa had become a storm of fire and steel. The Federation's second wave had struck with brutal precision, hammering every weakened point of Zeon's defenses. Explosions thundered across the scarred plain, flames licking at collapsed trenches and shattered bunkers, while the earth itself seemed to tremble beneath the fury of massed mobile suits.
Tanya von Zehrtfeld and the rest of Zeon's aces had already plunged into their chosen duels. Her Zudah darted like a phantom toward Lockon's Buster Gundam, thrusters cutting arcs of blue light through the smoke. Norris Packard threw himself at Athrun's Aegis with the unflinching fury of a veteran, his Gouf Custom crackling with heat. Ramba Ral sought out Amuro Ray himself, Gouf to Gundam, history and destiny colliding.
But on the eastern flank, two Doms burst forward through the haze, their black armor streaked with dust. Mila and Zhou Wei, members of Tanya's GED squad, angled their thrusters to meet a new threat emerging from the Federation lines.
Twin Guncannons lumbered into view, their massive shoulders bristling with artillery barrels. Red paint gleamed even beneath soot and dirt, and behind their armored visors sat Kai Shiden and Hayato Kobayashi, Federation rookies who had long since lost their innocence in the fire of war.
"There they are," Zhou Wei muttered, his voice low but sharp over the squad channel. His Dom's mono-eye flashed as he locked onto Kai's Guncannon. "Heavy cannons—Federation's long arm. They'll rip our lines to shreds if we don't stop them here."
Mila's tone was colder, as steady as the desert stone she hailed from. "Then we stop them. No one else will."
The two Doms split, fanning wide as they bore down on their targets. The earth shuddered beneath their thrusters, black trails rising behind them like comets racing toward their prey.
Inside his Guncannon, Kai wiped sweat from his brow. His hands gripped the controls with an uneasy tightness. "Damn it… those are Doms. Why do I always get the scary ones?"
Hayato's reply was calmer, though his eyes narrowed with focus. "Because this is war. Just keep your aim steady. We've taken down Zakus. Doms are just faster targets."
Kai let out a nervous laugh. "Faster? They're practically flying! No way I can keep up—"
His sentence cut off as Zhou Wei's Dom suddenly lunged forward with terrifying speed, closing the gap in a blur of thruster fire. A beam bazooka shot ripped through the air, grazing past Kai's Guncannon's shoulder. Alarms blared inside the cockpit as metal shrieked.
"See?!" Kai shouted. "They're not Zakus, they're nightmares!"
Zhou Wei chuckled grimly inside his cockpit, his voice a steady growl. "Not bad reflexes, Federation boy. But let's see how long your luck holds."
He fired again, forcing Kai to roll his Guncannon hard to the side. The heavy machine lumbered awkwardly, its bulk ill-suited for sudden dodges, and dirt erupted in geysers where the shot struck.
Meanwhile, Mila's Dom flanked wide, her movements precise and deliberate. She raised her giant bazooka, sights locking on Hayato's Guncannon. Unlike Zhou Wei, she didn't taunt. She simply breathed, aimed, and fired.
Hayato braced, his machine jerking back as the bazooka round streaked past, detonating in a fiery burst just meters away. He gritted his teeth, forcing his hands to steady. "They're trying to box us in. Don't let them!"
Kai fired back with shoulder cannons, twin bursts tearing through the haze. Zhou Wei swung his Dom's massive leg boosters, dodging the blasts with a surge of thrust, while Mila let her machine slide sideways, skimming low along the ground like a skater across ice.
The battlefield shook with the back-and-forth exchange, artillery thunder merging with the roar of thrusters. Dust clouds rose thick, choking the horizon, until it seemed only flashes of light and the scream of metal gave meaning to the chaos.
Zhou Wei pressed the attack with his bazooka, closing in on Kai. "You're sloppy! A real pilot would've countered by now!"
"Sloppy?!" Kai barked, firing his vulcans in desperation. "I'll show you sloppy!" The Guncannon's head-mounted guns spat fire, pelting Zhou Wei's Dom in a shower of sparks. Armor plates rattled, but the Dom surged forward through the barrage.
"Almost had me," Zhou Wei muttered, bringing his heat saber to life. The crimson blade cut through the smoke like a predator's fang. He slashed down at the Guncannon—only for Kai to stumble his machine backward, the saber hissing as it carved a trench into the earth instead.
"Holy—!" Kai's voice cracked with panic. "They've got beam sabers too?! No one told me that!"
Hayato's tone was sharp now, losing its calm edge. "Kai, focus! Don't lose your head!"
As if to punctuate his command, Mila's Dom lunged from the flank, her bazooka swinging into melee range like a bludgeon. She slammed it into Hayato's Guncannon's side, sending the heavy unit staggering. Hayato grunted, alarms flashing red.
Mila's voice was cool, almost detached. "Fall already."
Hayato steadied his machine, countering with a shoulder cannon blast at near point-blank range. The explosion lit Mila's Dom in searing flame, rocking her cockpit violently. Her breath caught, teeth clenched, but her grip never wavered.
Smoke curled around her armor, but the Dom emerged intact. She raised her saber, eyes narrowing. "Persistent."
The duel split into two furious exchanges. Zhou Wei harried Kai relentlessly, saber slashes cutting arcs of molten earth as the Guncannon scrambled to evade. Mila pressed Hayato with cold precision, each strike and shot aiming to wear him down, to strip away his defenses until only inevitability remained.
Kai's voice cracked again over comms. "Hayato, they're monsters! What kind of squad is this?!"
"They're Zeon," Hayato replied flatly, deflecting another of Mila's strikes with sheer brute force. "And they're fighting for their lives. Same as us."
The words hung heavy, even in the chaos.
Zhou Wei caught Kai's hesitation, grinning fiercely. "He's right. And today, our lives weigh heavier!"
He lunged again, heat saber raised high, while Kai raised his cannons in a frantic attempt to hold him off. Sparks exploded where beam met armor, the clash reverberating across the battlefield.
In that moment, all four pilots pushed themselves to the limit. Mila's steady, icy assault clashed with Hayato's stubborn defense, while Zhou Wei's fiery aggression tested Kai's desperate resilience.
The fight raged on, neither side yielding, each pilot consumed by the will to survive.
And as smoke swallowed the horizon, the echoes of battle promised that Odessa's fate had only begun to be written.