In January C.E. 71, at this seemingly ordinary but destined to be extraordinary moment, he arrived quietly at Heliopolis, a space colony belonging to the Orb Union, with a complex and excited heart.
This was the core area about to be swept by the storm of war, and it was also the crucial stage for him to change his fate and turn the tide.
"...It's been a week today," he murmured softly, a hint of undetectable tension and anticipation in his eyes.
Ever since he learned that ZAFT had begun to attack the spaceport, he, like a keen hawk, immediately sensed the danger and opportunity contained within, and rushed to Heliopolis without hesitation.
Of course, to avoid unnecessary trouble and worry, he specifically instructed his butler to keep this a secret from Mu.
In his plan, everything had to proceed quietly according to the established trajectory, without the slightest deviation.
In the original story, as soon as Kira and his companions heard the news of the spaceport's fall, Heliopolis would be mercilessly attacked, like a domino.
Although this news had not yet been reported, with his deep understanding of the original plot and keen intuition, he knew that there wasn't much time left before the original plot officially began.
Every passing minute and second was like a countdown of fate, making his heart beat uncontrollably faster, both nervous and excited.
——He silently reconfirmed his meticulously planned strategy.
First, once ZAFT's attack officially began, he intended to skillfully blend in with the panicked refugees and stealthily make his way to the factory area.
After all, he had been in Heliopolis for a whole week, and during these seven days, like a diligent scholar, he had deeply imprinted every street and building structure of the colony in his mind; now, these memories would serve as powerful guides for his actions.
Then, the target mobile suit for his operation was the Blitz Gundam.
In his eyes, this mobile suit was like a brilliant yet dangerous star, exuding a unique charm.
Its armament was extremely rich, with various advanced weapons and equipment acting as its fangs and claws, giving it powerful offensive capabilities on the battlefield. However, more importantly, it was equipped with the Mirage Colloid system.
The Mirage Colloid system is a fictional special particle technology that uses high-tech methods to deflect electromagnetic waves such as visible light and infrared rays.
When the Blitz Gundam activated this system, it was as if it put on an invisible cloak, allowing it to cleverly conceal its mobile suit and deliver a surprise fatal blow to the enemy on the battlefield... Although described as such, the Blitz Gundam is actually a fierce mobile suit full of controversy and danger.
But in his heart, as long as he could successfully Pilot the Blitz Gundam, it would be as if he held a key to open the door to future victory.
He firmly believed that with the powerful performance of this mobile suit, the plot development after his intervention would become as effortless as sailing with the current.
Moreover, if he could successfully Pilot the Blitz Gundam, then the tragic plot in the original story where Nicol piloted this mobile suit into battle and was ultimately killed by Kira might also be avoided.
As soon as he thought of this, an irrepressible excitement and sense of mission surged in his heart.
"...So, where should I eat lunch today?"
As he was immersed in his grand plans for the future, time quietly arrived at noon.
At this moment, his stomach also began to rumble, and hunger surged in his heart like a tide.
He shook his head slightly, temporarily pulling his thoughts back from those grand plans, thinking it was almost time for lunch. After all, food is fuel, and only by filling his stomach could he better face the upcoming challenges.
Just then, a strange sensation suddenly surged in his heart.
It was not an ordinary feeling, but a wonderful sensation directly in his head, difficult to describe in words.
But this feeling was by no means unpleasant; on the contrary, his chest even felt a warmth, as if it was a long-lost, intimate call.
"...Is it Mu?"
A thought flashed through his mind instantly. Mu had finished his mission of escorting the ship carrying the original Pilots of the GAT series and had now arrived at Heliopolis.
If that's really the case... then it's today.
Today, ZAFT—the dangerous force led by Raww Le Klueze—would attack Heliopolis according to the trajectory of the original plot.
It's finally starting... the SEED storyline.
His heart was filled with both excitement for the upcoming challenges and a hint of apprehension for the unknown.
Just as these thoughts surged like a tide, suddenly, a deafening explosion, like a clap of thunder, resounded across the sky, followed by strong vibrations from the ground.
The force of the explosion seemed to tear the entire world apart, and the huge shockwaves spread outwards like surging ocean waves.
He instinctively bent down, trying to avoid this sudden disaster.
However, the violent shaking made it impossible for him to maintain his balance, and his body swayed precariously like a falling leaf in the wind.
But he gritted his teeth, and with stubborn will, he struggled to regain his balance after losing it due to the intense shaking.
"No way...! It's so fast...!" he shouted, his eyes wide with astonishment. ZAFT's attack was much earlier than he had anticipated.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind: Did Mu's ship trigger the enemy's attack as soon as it entered Heliopolis? Or was it that he sensed Mu's presence too late? At this moment, there was no time to search for answers.
"Damn it!" he cursed fiercely. Although his heart was full of doubts, he knew clearly that instead of pondering the reasons here, he must act first.
Otherwise, only death awaited him.
At this moment, the colony satellite was still shaking violently, as if it were a giant beast struggling in pain.
He didn't hesitate for a moment, resolutely running at full speed towards the factory area.
His feet were like springs, each step full of power as he weaved through the chaotic streets.
However, a hint of worry soon surged in his heart: would he make it in time by running from here?
He had been in Heliopolis for a week, and because there had been no attacks, he had unconsciously lowered his guard and become a bit careless.
When he first arrived, he had deliberately set his range of activity close to the factory area, but now this seemingly short distance felt impossibly far... No, it was too late to regret.
He sternly admonished himself in his heart that doing so now was just wasting precious time.
Every passing second could take him further from success, or even cost him his life.
"What is that...?"
As he ran at full speed, filled with anxiety, something suddenly caught his eye.
It was an abandoned car, left behind for evacuation. The car door was wide open, and he could see the empty driver's seat inside at a glance.
"——!"
His eyes instantly lit up, without the slightest hesitation.
He immediately changed his running direction, rushing towards the car like a flash of lightning.
He quickly got into the car and found that the engine was still running, presumably the car hadn't been damaged by the previous impact.
A wave of relief surged in his heart. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, stepped on the accelerator without hesitation, and sped towards the factory area.
Although the steering wheel was occasionally affected by the continuous shaking, making the vehicle somewhat difficult to control, he, with his firm belief and skilled driving technique, still managed to steady the car and continue driving forward.
His eyes revealed a desperate determination, his forehead covered in sweat that streamed down his cheeks, but he paid no attention, all his focus on the road ahead and his impending destination.
After approaching the factory area to a certain extent, he cautiously stopped the car and then quickly got out.
He knew that from here on, ZAFT's eyes would be closely monitoring.
If he continued to approach carelessly by car, he would instantly be riddled with holes by the enemy's powerful firepower.
Given this, he could only rely on his own legs to run desperately, carefully avoiding the eagle-eyed gazes of the soldiers amidst the hail of bullets and smoke, while exerting all his strength to approach his target.
His figure appeared exceptionally small yet incredibly resolute on this chaotic battlefield, each step seemingly carrying his destiny and hope.
"...Is it too late?" An ominous premonition surged in his heart.
At this moment, the plot had already begun in earnest, like a wild horse unbridled, unfolding intensely.
ZAFT forces were fiercely attacking the transport vehicles streaming out of the factory area.
The transport vehicles moved with difficulty under a barrage of gunfire, their bodies constantly enveloped by the flames of explosions.
There were 3 transport vehicles in total.
And the Blitz Gundam he longed for should be inside one of them.
A hint of anxiety and longing showed in his eyes as he pondered, "Which one could it be..."
Just as he was about to delve deeper to find out which vehicle housed the Blitz Gundam.
Suddenly, a colossal shadow slowly rose before his eyes.
One, two, three—those massive and majestic figures stood up one after another, like steel beasts awakening from slumber, they were giant humanoid weapons—MS.
His face instantly turned pale, his heart filled with despair: "...It's no good!"
In this critical moment, he quickly made a decision in his mind.
The Duel Gundam, Buster Gundam, and Blitz Gundam—these 3 units had already fallen into ZAFT's hands.
So, there was no room left for his plan here.
His meticulously planned scheme, which he had worked on for so long, had thus been mercilessly declared a failure; at this moment, the only remaining option seemed to be a desperate escape.
He clearly remembered that the factory area had a designated shelter for refuge.
The immediate plan was to desperately flee inside; now, he could only wait there, hoping for a glimmer of survival.
"Ha... ha...!" His breathing became rapid and disordered, like a bellows, sounding exceptionally clear on this noisy battlefield.
Even so, he did not slow his running pace at all, like an agile rabbit, seizing the interval of intense fighting between the Earth Alliance Forces and ZAFT, he dashed into the factory area like lightning.
"Ha...! This ability is truly convenient!"
As he weaved through a hail of bullets, he secretly congratulated himself for possessing precognitive abilities.
Relying on this unique ability, he stealthily moved, like a ghost groping forward in the dark, trying to avoid enemy sight and firepower.
Of course, the factory area was not peaceful either; intense gunfights also erupted there.
Blinding splashes of blood constantly appeared at the edge of his vision, the vivid red appearing particularly horrifying in the dim environment.
Painful cries echoed, one after another, throughout the area.
This formed a stark and cruel contrast with the peaceful world he had lived in before; the current scene made him feel as if the previous peace was merely an illusory lie.
"...Wait, what is this?"
Just as he was desperately running to escape into the shelter, his eyes suddenly caught an unbelievable sight.
Outside were the Duel Gundam, Buster Gundam, and Blitz Gundam—these 3 units.
According to his understanding, there should only be 2 units left here, namely the Strike Gundam and Aegis Gundam, the remaining 2 units.
However—he widened his eyes, unable to believe what he saw; there were actually 3 units here.
"3 units... Why...!"
He muttered to himself in a daze, as if a petrification spell had been cast upon him, and he involuntarily stopped in his tracks.
"Hey! Who are you?!" A sharp shout came from behind him and to his side.
Xia Ya's internal alarm bells rang loudly, and he sharply turned his head. He saw a young soldier in a ZAFT red uniform pointing a gun at him; it seemed he was a Red Coat elite. This soldier had clearly discovered the stealthy Xia Ya by chance while clearing out remaining enemies. His eyes were sharp, his movements swift, and he pulled the trigger without the slightest hesitation!
It was Rusty Mackenzie! Xia Ya instantly recognized this ZAFT Red Coat who, in the original plot, should have seized the Aegis Gundam but met his demise here. But at this moment, he had no time to ponder the deviation in the plot; the threat of death was imminent!
In a flash of lightning, Xia Ya's body had already reacted. He forcibly twisted his body, attempting to evade using the super-reactive speed brought by the Flada Family bloodline. However, the distance was too close, and the opponent was a well-trained soldier! He could feel the scorching airflow of the bullet graze his cheek!
"Damn it!" Xia Ya's heart tightened; he had tried his best, but it seemed he still couldn't completely avoid it... Bang!
A dull gunshot almost simultaneously rang out with Rusty's shot, but from a different source.
Rusty, who was aiming and firing at Xia Ya, suddenly jolted, a burst of blood blossoming on his chest. He looked down at his chest in disbelief, then fell straight backward, his rifle clattering to the ground.
Xia Ya stared in astonishment at the fallen Rusty.
No time to think! Rusty's death, while resolving the immediate crisis, also meant he was completely exposed!
Seeing this turning point, he sprang up as if propelled by a powerful force, and without hesitation, he started running again.
At this moment, a flash of insight struck him, and he remembered where he was and what was about to happen here.
Go to the shelter? This thought lingered in Xia Ya's mind for less than half a second before he decisively rejected it.
While the shelter was safe, it also meant being passive and waiting for death.
Once ZAFT controlled the entire factory area, whether the people in the shelter could survive depended entirely on the opponent's mood.
No! He couldn't leave his fate to others!
His gaze once again fell upon that mysterious third MS!
The Blitz Gundam plan had failed, but this unknown unit... perhaps it was a new opportunity!
An unexpected variable, a chance that could change everything!
Seize it!
He ran wildly towards the mysterious unit, disregarding everything else.
Xia Ya looked up, and fortunately, the cockpit was open!
It seemed the previous maintenance work had not been thoroughly completed, or it had been interrupted by the surprise attack.
With no time to ponder the reason, Xia Ya used both hands and feet, swiftly climbing like an ape, and in a few movements, he squeezed into the cold and complex interior of the cockpit.
The seat, the control stick, a dense array of buttons and screens... everything seemed somewhat unfamiliar, yet there was a peculiar sense of familiarity.
His hands almost instinctively reached for the main control stick and the start switch.
The special intuition of the Flada Family was brought to its fullest at this moment, as if this cold machine was resonating with his spirit.
He could "feel" the flow of energy, could "understand" the system's Veins .
He didn't read the complex start-up manual; he simply relied on that special intuition originating from the depths of his bloodline and decisively pressed a button.
Buzz—
A low hum of electricity sounded, the lights in the cockpit lit up one by one, and the screens began to flicker, displaying various initialization data streams.
Click—!
The sound of hydraulic rods activating and the heavy clang of metal locking came from above.
The cockpit hatch... closed automatically! It sealed off the outside noise and chaos, leaving only the hum of the system starting up and his own slightly hurried breathing.
He succeeded! At least, he successfully entered and initiated the preliminary system!
Xia Ya opened his eyes and looked at the main display in front of him.
Complex startup procedures scrolled rapidly, and various system self-check prompts constantly popped up.
Finally, all the information streams converged, stabilized, and a concise yet powerful acronym appeared in the center of the screen—the full initialism of this mysterious unit—
General Unilateral Neuro-Link-Dispersive Autonomous Maneuver
G. U. N. D. A. M.
Gundam!
This unknown unit was also a “Gundam”!
Feeling the slight vibration as the steel beast beneath him gradually awakened, and the surging, about-to-erupt power, Xia Ya, this young man who inherited the Flada Family bloodline, curled his lips into a cold and confident smile.
The war had just begun.
And he had finally obtained his own chess piece.