143. The Gundam's First Battle: Sif Has a Blast with the Cannons

At this moment, Sif even wondered if the Quinjet before her were to fire upon the palace in Asgard, the palace's protective shield would likely hold—but would there be enough time to activate it?

Given the rate of fire, Sif was genuinely worried that the shield would only be halfway up before the roof was blown off. Furthermore, what if the ship fired from far outside the borders of Asgard? Would it not destroy the very foundations of the realm?

Sif trembled as she imagined the scene of Asgard being mercilessly bombarded. She shook so violently that her back became drenched, sweat trickling down in a cold, relentless stream.

Across from her, however, Farbauti remained completely indifferent.

"You rely on the power of artifacts. So what if you can shoot down a divine beast? It is merely dependence on external objects. We Frost Giants have artifacts too, and they are far more powerful than yours. Have we ever boasted?"

Su Ye scoffed. "So, your point is that we must defeat you with our own raw strength, without the use of fighter jets, for you to admit defeat?"

"Precisely!" Farbauti snorted coldly. "Relying on the power of trinkets is no different from Odin wielding Gungnir. The strength of the Frost Giants lies in our power and our physique, not in external crutches!"

Su Ye couldn't help but laugh. "No external crutches, just raw strength, is that it? Well, I am currently controlling all of you by myself. Does that count as strength?"

Farbauti fell silent. After a long while, he managed to choke out, "Your individual strength does not count!"

"Fine," Su Ye decided he didn't want to waste any more time with this argumentative fellow who excelled in circular logic. "In that case, let's have a brawl. We will field an equal number of people on both sides and see whether the warriors of Earth or the champions of the Frost Giants are superior."

Upon hearing this, Farbauti immediately shouted, "As the King of the Frost Giants, I will not participate, and you are forbidden from doing so as well!"

"Agreed!"

With the terms set, the Great Wall Defenders quickly selected a ten-man squad: Captain America, Hawkeye, Harry, Max, Terry, Abomination, Kisame Hoshigaki, Wolverine, Riptide, and Azazel.

While this squad did not represent the peak combat power of the Great Wall Defenders, it was more than enough to deal with the Frost Giants.

Su Ye and Farbauti stood on opposite hills, looking out over the field. Across the way was a group of scantily clad Frost Giants, while Su Ye was surrounded by a bevy of beauties: Gwen, Sharon, Raven, Natasha, the young mutant Angel, and the Asgardian warrior Sif. Su Ye mused that if this were a different kind of battle, he might not be able to handle it alone.

Soon, the battle below erupted in a frenzy.

Although Captain America was merely a "super soldier," he charged at the forefront with immense bravery—a trait that had become his trademark. Every time he charged, his blue-and-red shield, emblazoned with a white star, was always at the vanguard. It represented not just himself, but the United States—a manifestation of national will, a form of cultural export, and the planting of an image.

Of course, that was during his Avengers era. Now, as a member of the Great Wall Defenders, the paint job on his shield had long since changed from the red-and-blue rings with a white star to a light blue background with olive branches, centered with a map of the world centered on the North Pole.

Yes, it was the pattern of the United Nations flag. It was a transitional plan Su Ye had devised to dilute the influence of the Stars and Stripes. Eventually, he would find an opportunity to change the flags and insignias to a red background with a golden star—the ultimate form of the Great Wall Defenders. Since they carried that name, they had to embody the temperament and heritage of the civilization that built the Great Wall.

Though Captain America was just a super soldier, his role as a role model was powerful. If a super soldier was fighting this hard, how could the others afford to slack off?

The Abomination and Kisame Hoshigaki, both rather single-minded, immediately broke rank to launch long-range attacks. One leaped like a cannonball toward the crowd of Frost Giants, while the other utilized "Water Style: Water Shark Bomb Technique," transforming into a water shark and lunging forward.

On the ground, the Frost Giants were not to be outdone. They conjured weapons made of ice, clamoring loudly, determined to return the humiliation they had suffered when Su Ye controlled them earlier.

The other Defenders joined in, especially the two newest recruits—the mutants Riptide and Azazel—who were still serving penance. They refused to be seen as dispensable peripheral characters; they wanted to earn their status and respect in this new team through their own strength.

Driven by these individuals, the battle ended in less than a minute. The Frost Giants lay scattered across the ground, clutching their knees and lower backs, wailing in misery.

This was only because Su Ye had explicitly ordered the Defenders not to kill, but to keep things gentle. Otherwise, the giants groaning on the ground would likely have stopped breathing half a minute ago.

Watching the Frost Giants rolling on the ground, Su Ye smiled at Farbauti. "Well, are you satisfied with the result?"

"I... I do not accept this!" Farbauti retorted decisively. "This only proves that these few individuals are strong. What do one Odin and ten Thors represent?"

"Unless you can prove that all Earthlings are this powerful—that every single one possesses abilities no less than theirs—we will not be convinced."

"Ha!" Su Ye was so annoyed he laughed. "Changing the rules, are we? Do you know what happened to the last person who changed the rules on me?"

Without waiting for a reply, Su Ye snorted. "Indeed, blind concession only invites greed. I’ve changed my mind; everything I said before is void. You rejected the friendship offered to you and insisted on getting beaten. Very well, I shall grant your wish!"

Su Ye gave up. The Frost Giants had fought Asgard for years without bowing; the saying "Giants will never be slaves" wasn't just talk. Even with food and shelter provided, they would not compromise. Since that was the case, he would simply let them go.

"Originally, we were commissioned by Asgard to suppress your rebellion. Do you understand what 'suppress' means? It means as long as you don't cause trouble, we don't care whether you live or die. Before I came, I thought perhaps there was a peaceful way to find a different path for Jotunheim, but it seems you don't recognize it."

"In that case, let's return to the original rhythm. We will offer our greatest respect for your bravery. That respect is—war!"

Su Ye cut the mental link and shouted, "Great Wall Defenders, prepare to suit up!"

At his command, everyone—from ordinary humans like Hawkeye and Natasha to the reckless brawlers Abomination and Kisame—retreated toward the Quinjet. The bay doors opened, and a dozen Iron Man suits fell out like dumplings, flying toward each defender and opening their chest plates.

With a series of mechanical clicks, the Defenders were fully armored, transformed into steel warriors. These suits were the ones Tony had prepared in case the team ever found themselves accidentally exposed in space.

For someone like the Abomination, the armor didn't increase his power; it was actually a hindrance. However, when everyone stood fully armored, the oppressive presence of the steel monsters was overwhelming. The suits shared a consistent paint scheme: Tony's signature red with gold accents.

However, Su Ye had implemented his own small suggestion: a golden star sprayed on the chest plate. It wasn't too conspicuous, representing the Defenders' victory over an alien invasion in New York—a military merit. As they continued to save the world, the number of stars would increase. One small star per merit; after five, they would upgrade to a large star. The limit for this record was nine, the number of ultimate perfection in traditional culture. Any further merits would be recorded on the back or shoulders.

Yes, that was it. As for the fact that nine merits would happen to form one large star and four small ones? Well, they hadn't planned for that; it was just a coincidence. That was the official explanation. As for how others interpreted it, that was up to them.

Seeing Su Ye drop the facade and summon such powerful equipment, Farbauti’s brows furrowed. He didn't *want* to fight, but after losing the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Frost Giants had lost their foundation in the Nine Realms. Su Ye’s initial friendliness had offered hope for them to step out of Jotunheim. If Farbauti had truly been the barbarian he looked like, he might have compromised; but as a clever man, he had tried to haggle for status and benefits.

It was the flaw of the clever, yet cleverness often leads to self-defeat.

After the team suited up, Su Ye pulled a scroll from his back. He opened it and pressed his palm to the surface. "This is the greatest sincerity we, as messengers of peace, can offer to a brave enemy: Summoning Jutsu!"

With a flash of golden light, a massive steel mech was pulled from the scroll. It stood nearly twenty meters tall, its presence rivaling the fallen Frost Beast. Its design was more angular than the standard suits, featuring shoulder armor, a battle skirt, a dramatic helmet, and metal wings on its back. This was the super-sized armor Su Ye had discussed with Tony, built upon the foundations of the Iron Monger and Hulkbuster: the Gundam.

Su Ye’s model imitated the Freedom Gundam. While its functions differed from the original, it was an aesthetic masterpiece. It bore the same red-and-gold paint as the Defenders, with a large golden star on its chest.

Upon seeing the Gundam, Farbauti felt a pang of regret. He had dismissed the Quinjet’s attacks as "artifact power," believing that like the Casket of Ancient Winters, once gone, they couldn't be replicated. But Su Ye had proven that the Quinjet, the armor, and the Gundam were manufactured weapons. If they were destroyed, they could be rebuilt—mass-produced—turning ordinary humans into powerful warriors.

Did they have any chance of winning against such Earthlings? Faced with them, their tens of thousands of years of history felt like a waste.

Farbauti regretted his actions and even considered surrendering, but the mental link was severed. Even if he shouted, they wouldn't hear him. More importantly, the moment Su Ye entered the Gundam, the war had become irreversible.

Inside the cockpit, Su Ye squeezed into the seat with Sif. Sif’s abilities were too insignificant for a war of this scale; if he didn't bring her in, she would likely be obliterated by the crossfire. To protect her, he had brought her into the cockpit. The seat hadn't been designed for two, so Sif had to remove her heavy armor to reduce her volume.

Though Sif had lived for millennia, she had never experienced anything like this—strapped into a Gundam, sitting on the control stick, watching it run, roll, leap, and charge across the battlefield. The grand spectacle made her forget the bumping and shaking; she began to enjoy the thrill of the flight.

Especially as Su Ye used the Gundam’s massive cannon—which packed a recoil powerful enough to rattle the frame—to fire shell after shell, Sif was filled with exhilarating tremors. By the end, she had gone mad with excitement, taking on the role of a tactical commander.

Su Ye handled the aim, while she shouted from above:

"Forward! Dead ahead! Three short, one long—full volley!"

"Slightly left, angle it! Nine short, one long—half volley!"

"To the right, a bit more! Yes, right there! Continuous fire, come on!"