Even the most basic Coordinator genetics would be enough to raise a person’s reflexes, physical abilities, and mental processing speed far beyond those of an ordinary Natural.
And inside the underground storage facility before him, chaos was about to erupt.
For Jonathan, this was the perfect place to obtain a Coordinator genetics.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, a succession of thunderous explosions erupted in the distance.
The entire passageway trembled faintly.
Jonathan looked toward the corridor being torn apart by explosions not far away, his eyes narrowing slightly.
It appeared the plot had already reached the point where Athrun and Rusty infiltrated the factory.
He quickly recalled the relevant events from Gundam SEED before finding a corner in which to hide.
Explosions continued erupting around him.
Firelight flickered across the walls, while the air filled with scorching heat and choking smoke.
Before this, the most dangerous situations Jonathan had experienced were gunfights.
Now that he was facing a genuine battlefield, it would have been a lie to say he was not nervous.
His heart was beating faster.
His palms had begun to sweat.
However, he understood that the more chaotic the situation became, the more important it was to remain calm.
He could only force himself to settle down, suppress his breathing, and wait for the right opportunity.
It did not take long.
From his hiding place, Jonathan watched as Murrue Ramius shot Rusty, who was wearing a red ZAFT uniform.
Blood sprayed through the air.
Rusty staggered before collapsing heavily to the ground.
The moment Athrun saw this, his eyes practically turned red with rage.
He opened fire furiously on Murrue and the Earth Alliance soldiers.
The opportunity had arrived.
Jonathan did not hesitate.
He charged out of the corner and rushed toward Rusty, who was still clinging to life.
Fortunately, the Earth Alliance had already eliminated most of the ZAFT soldiers in the area.
Athrun was also fully occupied with fighting Murrue and had no time to pay attention to the stranger who had suddenly appeared.
Jonathan pressed one hand against Rusty’s body.
Then he activated Plunder.
“Buddy, you were already about to die anyway.”
“Give me a hand before you go.
Maybe you’ll be born into a better life next time.”
In truth, Jonathan’s words were more an attempt to comfort himself.
This was the first time he had used Plunder on someone who was still conscious.
Rusty’s reaction was far more violent than that of any of Jonathan’s previous victims.
The man who had been on the verge of death suddenly forced his eyes wide open.
Veins bulged across his face as his entire body convulsed uncontrollably.
The sight was genuinely unnerving.
Unfortunately, Rusty had already been shot and lost too much blood.
He no longer possessed the strength to resist.
All he could do was endure unimaginable agony as Jonathan gradually plundered everything from him.
Until his life was completely extinguished.
The moment Jonathan felt his body and mind changing simultaneously, his entire body trembled.
His senses became considerably sharper.
He could perceive the smallest details in the distant flames, the faint vibrations in the surrounding air, and even the noticeably increased speed of his thoughts.
It felt as though his mind had suddenly been fully awakened.
Jonathan lowered his gaze toward Rusty’s lifeless, unblinking eyes.
After a brief silence, he grinned faintly.
“Buddy, I’ll make sure to complete your mission of seizing the Strike Gundam.”
“Rest in peace.”
Flames surged throughout the facility.
Scorching shock waves repeatedly swept out from the depths of the factory.
Murrue had been shot in the shoulder by Athrun’s submachine gun.
She was now gritting her teeth as she sat beside the Strike Gundam’s cockpit.
Blood continuously seeped through her uniform, its vivid color impossible to ignore.
Meanwhile, Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala stared at each other across the mobile suit and the surrounding flames.
It lasted only a few seconds.
Perhaps the scene possessed considerable dramatic weight in the eyes of others.
But to Jonathan, it could be summarized in two words.
In the way.
If they continued dragging things out, the entire factory would be destroyed.
And right now, the Strike Gundam’s cockpit happened to be the safest place to survive the explosion.
Jonathan therefore raised his handgun without hesitation and opened fire in Athrun’s direction.
Of course, he did not actually aim for any vital areas.
With his newly acquired Coordinator genetics combined with his firearm proficiency, hitting Athrun while he was distracted would not have been difficult.
The problem was that if Athrun died now, many future events would be thrown into chaos.
Jonathan still needed his knowledge of the plot to obtain further advantages.
Therefore, he deliberately fired around Athrun instead.
He intended to force him away with the gunfire.
Even so, Athrun was one of ZAFT’s elites.
He reacted instantly, retreating and quickly distancing himself from the Strike Gundam.
Athrun had already withdrawn, yet Kira remained standing there.
There was even a hint of reluctant attachment in his eyes as he stared in the direction Athrun had disappeared.
By this point, Murrue had noticed Jonathan approaching them.
“Who are you?”
She covered her bleeding shoulder and stared warily at the unfamiliar young man in the black trench coat.
No matter how she looked at him, his clothing did not resemble an Earth Alliance uniform.
Yet he had clearly helped them drive Athrun away.
He was neither an Earth Alliance soldier nor someone from ZAFT.
Jonathan swept his gaze over her.
He had to admit that Murrue possessed an exceptional figure.
Even the mechanic’s uniform, which normally offered little room for beauty, somehow emphasized her mature allure.
However, this was clearly not the time to admire a beautiful woman.
The factory was about to explode.