With the Black Tortoise at a distance, Zhou Tianming didn't forget to test Lacus's reactions.
As expected, the rustling sounds and tinnitus immediately improved as fewer people were around, only worsening when someone approached.
Having identified the cause, Zhou Tianming began optimizing the Mental Blocking Helmet to create a device that could alleviate Lacus's symptoms.
Instead of completely severing Lacus's innate abilities, he planned to create a switch allowing her to control them herself. Mind-reading and manipulation were indeed unsettling, but Zhou Tianming believed Lacus could use this ability wisely.
Abilities themselves aren't good or evil—it's the people who wield them.
Yet when Zhou Tianming considered Lacus's mind-reading ability, his thoughts took a whimsical turn.
"Someday it'd be amusing to have Lacus dye her pink hair blonde—she'd be the spitting image of Princess Deianera."
The thought of their resemblance made him chuckle.
Cosmic Space, Unknown Coordinates
Five green Zaku Warriors hovered in the void, positioned back-to-back while scanning their surroundings.
Inside the cockpits, pilots clad in black pilot suits wore exquisitely designed Mental Blocking Helmets that shimmered with faint light.
"Number 5, what's the status of the Tower?"
Number 5's pink mono-eye focused on a diamond-shaped crystalline structure floating hundreds of kilometers away in space: "No abnormalities. Neither the Knight nor the Princess show any reaction."
"Good. Maintain vigilance and report immediately if anything changes."
"Understood."
Number 1 issued orders: "This operation must not fail. We must obtain the 'Gem'."
"Numbers 2 and 3, you'll distract the 'bugs'. Number 4 and I will handle the assault. Number 5, monitor the Knight—if he shows signs of approaching, lure him away to prevent interference."
The team responded in unison: "Understood!"
The five Zaku Warriors maintained their silent watch. About ten minutes later, Number 5 who'd been observing the Tower shouted: "The Princess is singing! The 'bugs' are coming!"
In the distance, the upper transparent pink crystals of the diamond-shaped structure began glowing as an invisible Mental Force Field expanded, enveloping hundreds of kilometers.
A clear, crystalline female voice echoed through the cosmos.
Simultaneously, as if in response, a soft feminine hum emerged from the void. A golden portal materialized.
The pink mono-eyes of all five Zakus lit up.
While Number 5 remained in position watching the distant crystalline tower, the other four split into two groups and rapidly advanced toward the golden portal. From the glowing aperture emerged a colossal beast—a massive conical skull, two elongated claws extending from its thoracic ribs, and a serpentine tail trailing behind.
Six tentacle-like wings undulated along its spine as a golden sphere between its thoracic ribs radiated brilliant light.
"Two and Three, move out!"
"Roger!"
The two Zaku Warriors leading the charge raised their MMI-M633 Beam Assault Rifles and opened fire at the colossal beast.
Green beams rippled across its transparent skin as the creature turned its head toward the Zakus, the golden sphere in its chest flickering. Transparent spheres abruptly materialized around the Zakus, prompting them to instantly scatter with bursts from their backpack thrusters.
The transparent spheres vanished after striking empty space.
As the golden sphere continued flashing, more transparent spheres appeared around the Zakus, but each was deftly avoided. Simultaneously, the Zakus maintained their assault while encircling the beast.
The creature's attention fully captured, it began pursuing the two mobile suits in a high-speed chase.
Meanwhile, Unit 5's thrusters flared as it accelerated toward the Crystal Tower.
A bright dot emerged from structures beneath the tower, rapidly approaching.
"The Knight is approaching. I'll intercept!"
"Hold on! We'll wrap this up quickly!"
Units 1 and 4 drew their MA-M8 Beam Axes from their shields. Space rippled as a white glow enveloped the axes. The two units executed a swift rear assault, cleanly slicing through the beast's transparent skin with precise strikes.
The beast howled, whipping its elongated tail like a whip.
At that moment, Units 2 and 3's beam rifles also gleamed with white light, unleashing a torrent of green beams that shredded the tail, piercing through golden bones and severing it completely.
The severed tail segment spun away for hundreds of meters before dissipating like mist.
Roaring in fury, the beast reared upright, the golden sphere in its chest pulsating.
"Now! All units engage!"
All four Zakus surged forward, bringing their beam axes down toward the beast's chest.
The axes passed through as if cutting through void.
The golden sphere flashed, and a massive transparent sphere rapidly expanded outward from the beast.
The Zakus scrambled backward.
Within moments, one unit lost all four limbs, two others had their legs obliterated, leaving only Unit 1 unscathed.
"Tch!" Unit 1's pilot clicked his tongue. "Useless!"
"Unit 5, lure the Knight here! We might still salvage this!"
"Understood!"
The four units dispersed as the beast's spatial attacks relentlessly pursued them.
Suddenly, green beams shot from afar, piercing through the beast's body.
The creature turned to see a figure streaking toward it.
V-fin antenna, blue wings, black chest armor over white frame—it closed the distance instantly, drawing two beam sabers from its waist. The blades passed harmlessly through the beast, which retaliated with another charged spatial attack.
The Strike Freedom's green optics flashed as it propelled backward, evading the assault.
A youthful voice echoed in the cockpit: "Knight 14 requesting observation permissions."
In the distance, the Crystal Tower emanated white radiance.
The next instant, the beast twisted and struggled as if sensing something.
The retreating Strike Freedom activated its chest-mounted MGX-2235 "Wildfire" multi-phase beam cannon and opened its waist-mounted MMI-M15E "Piscis III" railguns.
All three weapon systems fired simultaneously—thick red-white beams tore through the dark Cosmic Space, followed by over a dozen projectiles wreathed in brilliant yellow electricity.
Red and white beams instantly pierced through the colossal beast as yellow railguns tore through its skin and shattered its bones.
Strike Freedom twisted its torso, sweeping the red-white beams from its chest like a longsword attempting to cleave the beast in two.
At that moment, two Zaku Warriors slammed in sideways, shoulder shields braced for impact.
Dragoons launched from Strike Freedom's back, weaving a net of green beams that stripped both machines down to their torsos.
But this momentary disruption caused the bisecting beam to veer off course, grazing the golden sphere inside the beast's body.
The creature shrieked, its tentacle-wings glowing as a humming resonance revealed golden portals.
From the cockpit of the crippled Unit 1, the pilot yelled: "All mobile units advance! Secure the 'Gem' at all costs!"
Two legless Zaku Warriors ignited their thrusters, charging toward the beast as it tried to retreat into a golden portal.
At the critical moment, Strike Freedom's Dragoons streaked in, green beams piercing the beast from all angles before plunging deep into its body to wreak havoc.
The creature was dismembered into fragments amid agonized screams.
Seizing the opportunity, the two Zaku Warriors swarmed forward. One retrieved a black metallic block from its waist and hurled it at the Gem.
The block phased through the Gem's surface, cracking open at its core to release blinding Mental Power radiance.
Ripples spread across the Gem as white light enveloped it. The two Zakus embraced the massive golden sphere and fled at full speed. Strike Freedom drew its beam rifle, raising it to fire.
But then hundreds of golden portals materialized. The mobile suit immediately holstered its weapon and ascended: "Sector 31 reporting massive 'Vermin' incursion! Requesting backup!"
"Sector 22 acknowledges. Knight-03 en route."
"Sector 15 copies. Knight-24 deploying."
"Sector 02 confirms. Knight-11 moving out."
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