"I am a naturally evolved Natural."
"Neither processed by Doctor Hibiki's hands nor modified by any of this world's technologies after birth."
Wang Hu genuinely couldn't understand what similarities he shared with the other party, let alone anything about being processed by Doctor Hibiki.
He felt it necessary to debunk these rumors now—otherwise, who knew what kind of wild stories Creuset might spread after his inevitable breakdown.
The last thing Wang Hu wanted was for two perfectly good siblings to suddenly gain another brother out of nowhere. He had absolutely no interest in visiting the German orthopedics (note: internet meme about incest).
Moreover, Wang Hu wasn't lying—his body truly hadn't been enhanced by this world's technologies.
If anyone had complaints, they could take it up with the Homeland's core system that was god-knows-where, possibly not even in this dimension.
"A Natural!"
Unexpectedly, Wang Hu's words struck Creuset harder than even the name "Kira Yamato" had.
Even through the communication channel, Wang Hu could hear the man's labored breathing from within the Qilin's cockpit.
"Your body can't handle it?"
Wang Hu probed, recalling how Creuset's condition during episodes rivaled the infamous "Druggie Trio's" chemically-enhanced states.
"Hahaha... HAHAHA!"
Creuset suddenly erupted, mirroring his late-stage confrontation with Kira—his entire demeanor and tone dripping with madness.
"Gone mad already?" Wang Hu didn't linger before Creuset, maneuvering the Qilin further away from the stationary CGUE.
Parking at a safer distance, he frowned at the unresponsive Creuset.
Wasn't this mental breakdown happening way ahead of schedule?
Unbeknownst to him, had Creuset's physical deterioration reached its later stages, he might have already attempted to drag Wang Hu down with him.
Kira Yamato represented Creuset's deepest wound.
Because Creuset's very existence was meant to facilitate the creation of the so-called "ultimate human"—Kira Yamato!
Consider this: Mu's father was a one-in-a-million genius—privileged upbringing, physical attributes surpassing all peers.
As a Natural, his capabilities could even outshine Coordinators.
The evidence lay in two individuals:
Mu, who inherited fragments of his abilities yet still earned his disdain, and Creuset—his clone who thrived among ZAFT's Coordinator elite.
These two served as living testaments to his legacy.
Undoubtedly, such a man raised in Western traditions would likely develop arrogant tendencies.
Indeed, Mu's father embodied arrogance incarnate.
And this man's hubris would eventually unleash immeasurable suffering upon the world.
Deeming his son Mu inferior—unworthy of his brilliance—he met Mu's childhood with perpetual disappointment and scorn.
Because Mu failed to mirror his greatness, the wealthy and prideful Old Flaga made an insane decision.
That was funding provided to Dr. Ulen Hibiki, who had achieved remarkable accomplishments in biological genetics at the time.
The idea was to have this outstanding doctor use his own genes to clone an heir as brilliant as himself.
Faced with such a like-minded patron who came knocking, Dr. Hibiki practically agreed without hesitation.
However, Dr. Hibiki, who had become obsessed with human genetic research, was not as he appeared on the surface.
While ostensibly working wholeheartedly for Old Flaga, he embezzled research funds to fulfill his own ambitions.
Thus, what followed was almost inevitable.
Even later, when Creuset learned of his identity as a clone and uncovered the full truth,
he would toss and turn in the dead of night, tormented by a soul-searching question:
Was it because Dr. Hibiki diverted too much research funding that he ended up imperfect?
After all this rambling, many have probably already guessed—
Kira Yamato was the masterpiece Dr. Hibiki created by misappropriating funds, the strongest Coordinator in both theory and reality.
The price for this was Creuset's birth, his flaws exposed, his eventual abandonment, and the fate of a short lifespan plagued by genetic illness.
Tell me, faced with such facts—
how could Creuset, the victim, possibly harbor goodwill toward Kira Yamato?
How could hearing Kira's name not stir something in Creuset?
But wait, there's more!
Wang Hu's revelation of being a Natural struck Creuset even harder.
Because seeing Wang Hu was like seeing that old man Flaga himself.
Good grief—two heavy blows in a single day. Thankfully, Creuset had nerves of steel.
Otherwise, he might've lost his mind right then and there—believe it or not.
"Are you alright?"
Wang Hu's mind raced as he tried to guess what the other man was thinking. He swore he hadn't meant to provoke Creuset deliberately.
He'd stake Azrael's life on it.
"Good. I'm perfectly fine."
The low, magnetic voice spoke again. Creuset seemed to have regained his composure.
Behind the mask, his lips curled slightly into a calm smile as he glanced at Wang Hu, then turned to look at Kira, who was fighting fiercely in the distance.
"He wants to protect that ship and this satellite, doesn't he?"
Creuset posed the question.
"Yes." Wang Hu remained wary of Creuset, sensing that the man was plotting something.
Was it aimed at him—or at Kira?
Receiving the confirmation, Creuset didn't press Wang Hu further.
In Creuset's eyes, a man like Wang Hu surely cared for nothing but himself.
Just like that damned, arrogant original of his!
Suddenly, to Wang Hu's shock, Creuset piloted his CGUE toward the Archangel.
Creuset was abandoning Wang Hu!
He was leaving Wang Hu behind!
"Creuset!" Realizing something was wrong, Wang Hu gave chase.
But with his heart brimming with resentment, how could Creuset give Wang Hu any chance to stop him?
Arriving at the battlefield near the Archangel, Creuset seized the moment and issued an order to the entire Gene squad.
"Now, all units! Fire all heavy missiles!"
"Captain Creuset?" Athrun, who had been locked in combat with Kira, shuddered at the command.
He feared that the captain he admired had noticed him holding back.
"Yes, Captain Creuset!"
The other Coordinator soldiers, aside from Athrun, didn't have as many thoughts.
They all straightened up, their morale instantly soaring.
To them, the arrival of the flawless Creuset on the battlefield was nothing short of a symbol of victory.
Though... it seemed Captain Creuset hadn't managed to take down that Natural ace.
Still, it didn't affect their obedience to him.
Without hesitation, all the Coordinator soldiers launched their missiles toward the Archangel's position.
As the missiles streaked toward them, the three highest-ranking officers on the Archangel's bridge reacted differently.
"Evade!" Murrue and Natarle Badgiruel shouted simultaneously at the helmsman.
"Don't evade!" The only dissenting voice came from Li Chengzhi, who hailed from East Asia.
"Huh?" The helmsman hesitated at the conflicting orders.
Perhaps because Murrue and Natarle were both officers from the Atlantic Federation, or maybe due to human survival instincts—
He turned the Archangel's helm, doing his utmost to dodge the incoming missiles.
And then...
The earth shattered...
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!