He Kui, an average office worker in the legal society of the 21st century, never imagined he would one day become part of the army of transmigrators.
However, he found himself in the world of *Gundam SEED*, a place where social classes were rigidly stratified, and human talents had become commodities.
This led to a situation where, aside from mutations, the wealthier someone was, the stronger their talents became. The offspring of wealthy first-generation Coordinators were even more powerful, whereas someone like He Kui was nothing special, just a first-generation Coordinator. His natural-born parents farmed and reclaimed land on Julius 7, and he joined the military due to the fierce competition for positions at the Five Design Bureaus.
He Kui's reason for enlisting was as simple as his abilities were plain; undoubtedly, he was someone who would be easily defeated by Kira if he ever met him—assuming he could survive the ongoing battles, as grunts were the most expendable in the world of Gundam.
He Kui stepped out of the simulation pod, sighed deeply, and looked at his mediocre grades within his class.
Of course, no one cared. Everything about the middle-lower He Kui was so unremarkable that he wasn't even bullied—a true invisible man.
"Not bad, you've improved since the mock exam. Report to ZAFT headquarters in a week."
"Yes! Thank you."
Listening to the instructor's encouraging words, He Kui saluted, though he could only smile bitterly in his heart.
Though the instructor praised him, he was still just cannon fodder.
His improvement might be due to the merging of two souls and his relentless practice over the past two years. His abilities had grown slightly since he first enrolled, advancing from the bottom of the class to a few ranks higher, which was the result of squeezing every drop of talent from his genes.
In two years, he had gone from a soldier to a cannon operator, not even a super soldier. Without talent or a system, he realized the misery of being a low-ranking soldier. Unlike in the anime where Kira could battle elite squads in a Gundam, ordinary soldiers like him would undoubtedly meet their end.
As a soldier, encountering Kira would be considered lucky compared to meeting someone like Mu, who specialized in targeting cockpits, leaving no chance of a complete corpse.
He Kui put away his report card and returned to his dormitory alone.
The dormitory was a double room with a bed above and a desk below, a cold steel-clad room.
Staring at a family photo on the desk, He Kui sighed in despair. Although the colony enjoyed eternal spring, the current year was January of CE 70, just a month away from Bloody Valentine. This morning, he sent a message to his parents urging them to leave and temporarily stay on Julius 6, along with funds sufficient for three months. Sending it via the most basic communication should mean they received it by now. Though unsure if it would happen this year, precaution was better than nothing.
This would at least save them, but what about afterward?
Perhaps it was time to give up. After two years of transmigration, he had given his all, but the lack of talent was still despairing. His parents were Naturals, and he was a first-generation Coordinator born from their life savings. Though they spent everything, the resulting talent wasn't impressive. Without talent or connections, it was all in vain.
Despite wanting to give up, he couldn't leave the military. ZAFT, being a militia, didn't have strict regulations, but without his support, his parents would be homeless.
Literally homeless. A small colony satellite housing 500,000 people meant immense pressure on living space, with exorbitant housing prices. Living in high-tech pigeonholes was normal life; not everyone had the surname Clyne. A life without hope was suffocating, even leading him to consider that dying in battle would at least provide compensation for his parents. His transmigration wasn't just a body swap but a fusion, deepening his feelings for his parents.
Thinking about these things, He Kui continued working on a half-finished Haro. Of course, it wasn't for that princess, nor was it as exquisite as Athrun's. The materials were low-cost, defective products from a waste merchants' guild. He planned to capitalize on the celebrity effect by imitating the Haro beloved by the Pink Princess and selling it. Athrun Zala, that rich young man, hadn't applied for a patent, and no one dared to steal his patent in PLANT, offering a loophole for business. The Haro parts cost 50, selling for 150, making it profitable, though making only one a day was limiting.
"How was the graduation exam?"
A familiar voice interrupted He Kui's processing of Haro's microprocessor components.
Ed Ryan, his roommate, had golden hair, a tidy military school uniform, and a straightforward appearance. A second-generation Coordinator, his family was somewhat better off than He Kui's.
"Average."
"I've told you not to worry too much~. Our GINNs can handle two or three of the enemy's Moebius or Strike Daggers."
"Yeah, here's the money I owed you."
He Kui nodded, handing a QR code-like object to Ed.
He had borrowed money from Ed after sending his stipend to his parents, and Ed, being generous, lent him the funds.
"Paid back so soon?"
Ed scanned the code with his white wristband, seeing the 1,000 technical credits received.
"Several Haros jumped on stage at the princess's concert."
"Congratulations~. No wonder you're making more now. Sold out already?"
"Sold out."
He Kui's Haros were popular because of his D-rank operational skills, making them more refined and capable of simple speech and movement. Among imitators, his were favored. Anyone with the skills to perfectly replicate Haros would aim for a job at the Five Design Bureaus instead.
"By the way, Shi He Hanivis was looking for you at the test site."
"Why would she look for me?"
Shi He Hanivis was consistently in the top twenty of the piloting class, a future Redcoat. Why would such an elite seek him out?
"I don't know~. But she's a future Redcoat; maybe bring a gift. She might help us later."
Unsure of the reason, He Kui glanced at the finished Haro, thinking Ed might have a point.
After asking a few passing classmates, He Kui followed the winding green path in the military school's back garden, spotting a serene figure sitting in a traditional pavilion ahead.
Her skin was fair and delicate, the form-fitting military school uniform adding a touch of heroism to her intellectual face, starkly contrasting He Kui's slightly wrinkled attire.
They had attended classes together before, but seeing her again evoked more wonder than emotion.
"Miss Hanivis? Were you looking for me?"
He Kui softly broke the silence in the pavilion.
"Yes, He Kui."
Shi He looked at the young man in front of her, unable to fathom that this classmate was her fiancé as per the AI genetic matching system.
It seemed he was unaware of the situation.
"Did you check your phone messages?"
"What messages?"
As he spoke, He Kui opened his phone.
"Dear Mr. He Kui, according to PLANT's current 'Genetic Marriage Match Law,' your fiancée selection has been preliminarily completed. Please follow subsequent instructions to complete the related confirmation procedures with Miss Shi He Hanivis within fifteen days. If you have any comments or suggestions, please contact: 0000xxxxxx."
"."
Staring at the message on his phone, He Kui was stunned. So he had a fiancée? And it was Shi He Hanivis?
"That's the situation."
Looking at her fiancé, Shi He sighed. Although she hadn't expected to escape the genetic marriage law, facing it was still complicated.
Would she have to have children with this person? While he was handsome and hardworking, his talent was ordinary. In the world of Coordinators, unattractive ones were rare, and he was assigned to frontline combat.
Many sympathized with her after hearing the news. If her fiancé died on the front lines, she'd become a widow, with the chance to remarry through the 'Genetic Marriage Match Law.' However, her status would become awkward, and she wasn't ready for children yet.
"I want to continue my research."
Shi He said. Despite ranking in the top twenty in piloting, her goal was always research. Compared to personal prowess, weapons that could change the course of battle were far more significant. After graduation, she intended to join the beam weapon miniaturization project led by the Helan Design Bureau. Such weapons would give them an edge in future wars.
"I understand."
He Kui immediately grasped Shi He's meaning, though he wondered if she overestimated him. He couldn't afford to raise a child.
Expecting Shi He to support them wasn't feasible either. The 'Genetic Marriage Match Law' outlined various measures for shared child-rearing costs, meaning he'd have to contribute half, regardless of his financial situation. Taxes were also filed separately, meaning their marriage was primarily for procreation, with each living their own lives otherwise.
Hearing He Kui's understanding, Shi He visibly relaxed.
"I saw your final exam results. Your micro-component assembly reached D-level, right?"
It was slightly better than the unranked E-level, but not by much.
"Yes."
"Would you like to work at the Helan Design Bureau?"
Helan Design Bureau, one of ZAFT's Five Design Bureaus, primarily developed the GINN and CGUE.
"I'd love to, but is it possible?"
It seemed the young lady intended to help him find a backdoor. He might have refused upon first arriving, but circumstances had changed.
Working for ZAFT would allow him to transition from a dangerous frontline soldier to a micro-operator, responsible for precision equipment assembly—essentially high-tech screw driving, a task AI couldn't handle. His D-level skills barely met the internship standard for micro-operators, but hiring was far beyond his reach without connections.
"Though it's still a long shot, it's not impossible. Practice for the exam in three days."
Even with her connections, his D-level skills might barely suffice, but it was worth trying.
"Thank you. This... is a gift. Please don't mind."
He Kui retrieved a pink Haro from his bag. He was grateful for Ed's advice to bring it, as it was now a 'token of affection,' albeit a slightly embarrassing one. If successful, it might save him from a doomed fate, though reliant on his fiancée. Even as he accepted his fate, He Kui's eyes darkened at the thought.
"Is this... a Haro?"
Shi He looked in surprise at the pink sphere in her hand, although its surface was uneven, and the color was a bit patchy.
"Yes, I made it myself."
"Thank you~"
With those words, Shi He smiled for the first time since they met.
[You have gifted Shi He Hanivis, Micro Component Processing Experience +6]
[Shi He Hanivis Favorability 45]
[Experience Bonus 0]
[Micro Component Processing D-level: (506/500) Eligible for Upgrade]
About to exchange pleasantries, He Kui was bewildered by the text in front of him. After rubbing his eyes, he incredulously looked at Shi He.
"Miss Hanivis, did you see anything?"
"See what?"
Shi He looked around in confusion.
"Nothing."
Staring at the seemingly real interface, He Kui's heart surged with excitement. He had finally found his golden finger after two years!