On the outskirts of EX-10, a small force of guerrillas knocks out the guards and ambushes the sleeping base. The mercenaries respond quickly, and Potaria arrives just in time to spot a woman fleeing into the jungle. Potaria broods about it later in the Fantom Club. The woman's name is Monica, and they were childhood friends.

The next day, Kan Yu chooses a task force to join him in an attempt to locate the guerrillas, who are believed to be hiding in Zonmu village. The task force includes Chirico, Kiderra, Potaria, and Shako. They arrive at Zonmu some time later, and Kan Yu orders all the villagers brought forward for questioning. The villagers deny any connection with the guerrillas, but Kan Yu orders the village searched. The search turns up Monica.

she refuses to reveal anything about her fellow guerrillas, even when forced by Kan Yu to play a cruel game of Russian Roulette. Chirico intervenes, and Turtles erupt for hiding! A firefight ensures which carries into the nearby mountains. Once again, the Blue At appears and Chirico attempts to communicate with the pilot. Separated from the battle, Chirico gets out of his AT and approaches his opponent on foot. The Blue AT opens its cockpit, revealing that the pilot is not Fyana after all - it is another Perfect Soldier altogether, a wiry young man who knows Chirico's name!

Chirico demands to knwo where Fyana is, but the PS refuses to tell him anything, and their battle resumes. As Kan Yu watches from hiding, Chirico's Marshydog is wrecked, and Chirico barely escapes into the jungle on foot. Kan Yu returns to Zonmu Village, which is now being leveled. The others insist on searching for Chirico, but he orders them back to base.

Later, another type of combat is taking place at the palace of Prince Kanjelman. The prince duels Fyana in a round of Balancing. She does well, but is beaten by the more experienced Prince. The Prince's other student, Ypsilon, returns from the jungle ad reports to Borough that he had fought Chirico again.

Out in the jungle, Chirico is caught by robotic sentries and brought to the palace. Everyone gathers to watch, including Fyana, who recommends that he be imprisoned. Instead, Ypsilon offers to duel him in a round of Balancing. Chirico is completely out of his league, and is quickly beaten. Fyana herself delivers the final blow, which draws blood and finishes the match.

That night, Fyana goes to Chirico in his cell and apologizes. This was the only way she could think of to save his life. She helps him to escape, but once again refuses to go with him. Saddened, Chirico nevertheless slips away. Monica lends aid as well, asking Chirico to tell Potaria that she remembers their childhood together. Agreeing to do so, Chrico vanishes into the Kummen night.

"Fyana hadn't forgotten about me. Knowing that was good enough for now."

An air patrol from EX-10 locates Chirico and brings him in to the EX-10 hospital. Gotho, Vanilla, and Coconna stand vigil over Chirico as a doctor explains to Gon Nu and Kan Yu that Chirico suffers from exhaustion and cannot answer their questions. It is actually a ruse, and the doctor is bribed to maintain it. Chirico tells the others that he has located Fyana, and Coconna fumes with jealousy.

At the Holy Palace, Kanjelman fights Ypsilon in a Balancing match. This time, Ypsilon is beaten, and Kanjelman cautions him against excess pride. Ypsilon confronts Fyana about her treachery in allowing Chirico to escape, and Kanjelman conducts a meeting with his advisors to plan a new assault on EX-10.

At the base, Gon Nu takes a leave of absence, and Kan Yu is left in charge. Observing this, Gotho promises to dig up more information and contact Chirico later. That night, Chirico sneakes out of the hospital to Gotho's house and receives a phone call. Gotho tells him that Gon Nu has gone to set up an alliance with the Melkian army, which can only escalate the civil war. As Chirico hangs up the phone, Kan Yu and his troops barge in to take him captive.

Learning of this, Kiderra and Potaria force their way into Kan Yu's office, where he is attempting to interrogate Chirico. No sooner have they freed him when an alert sounds; Veela Guerrillas are launching an attack! In the Fantom Club, Vanilla and Coconna also take notice of the attack - missiles are streaking right into Niitan!

Kan Yu scrambles his AT platoons to the base perimeter, but no enemy is in sight. Chirico realizes the truth of what is happening; the guerrillas are concentrating their attack on Niitan instead of the base. Defying Kan Yu's orders, he and his companions race to the aid of the town, hoping it isn't already too late.

"With a roar, everything began to move. I couldn't see what was ahead, but everything right now was connected into one thing. And then I knew this was all just a prelude to an approaching hell."

At a Melkian army base, Gon Nu prepares to return to EX-10. With him is Rochina, who is looking forward to seeing Chirico again.

Meanwhile, Chirico and his companions rush into Nitan and launch their counterattack on the invading Turtles. Chirico looks around for Ypsilon, but the PS is not participating in this fight. He is insted watching from the palace as reports roll in. He protects when Kanjelman orders a retreat, but is overruled. Ypsilon complains to Fyana, who admits that she has become afraid to fight in any further battles.

At Niitan, Chirico's group takes out a few more enemies, and Kan Yu finally appears with the rest of the mercenaries to drive the invaders back into the jungle. The next morning, Niitan lies in ruins. Vanilla broods over the loss of the Fantom Club, depressed over losing his purpose in life. Gotho approaches to announce winds of change.

Chirico reports to Gon Nu on the events of the previous evening and receives a full pardon, even though he defied Kan Yu. Bitter and humiliated, kan Yu leaves...and Chirico is introduced to Rochina. He has come to discuss the Perfect Soldier situation. Back at Kanjelman's palace, Fyana has undergone an examination to determine why she has developed a fear of fighting. To Ypsilon's outrage, Borough declares that the interference of Chirico is what has poisoned her mind.

Rochina describes how Proto-One was created, but is shocked to learn that a second PS is in action. Since Chirico has more experience than anyone,he will be sent into darkest Kummen to recover Proto-One. A short time later, a special task force under Kan Yu prepares to depart into the jungle. Once again, it includes Potaria, Kiderra, and Shako. Chirico is along as a specialist. having decided to sign up with the army, Vanilla desperately wants to join them...but arrives too late to leave with Chirico.

Coconna sits sadly on the dock as Chirico's boat disappears into the distance, and she sings her love song one last time...

"It's okay baby. I guess I'm just used to it now. you never used to say much, but we have time 'til dawn. You never really treated me that well, but I could see a little bit of the real you inside. So long, baby. I loved you once upon a time."

Lost and exhausted, Kan Yu stumbles through the Kummen jungle from one pitfall to another. He runs right into a Veela platoon and very nearly loses his life...until Shako appears out of nowhere and saves him. Later, he wakes up in the EX-10 hospital to seek Gon Nu standing over him. He will soon be back in action; the Melkian army is nearly ready to launch their attack on the prince's palace.

With Potaria's knowledge of the area, Chirico's group hijacks a Veela AT truck bound for the palace and takes it over, sacrificing Kiderra's and Potaria's mercenary ATs in favor of Veela Turtles. On the Palace ground, Monica wanders aimlessly, confused by Kanjelman's orders to abandon guerrilla warfare. Others speculate that he is giving up the fight, so she decides to find out for himself. She arrives just in time to overhear a conversation between Boorough and the prince, who states his belief that his kingdom is doomed, and that he has called all the guerrillas back to die with him. Shocked, Monica can only run.

Chirico's group smashes their way into the place grounds. Potaria leaps out of his AT and dashes into the palace on a mission of his own. Ypsilon is anxious to go and fight Chirico, but Borough orders him to wait until his new AT arrives. Tearing through palace corridors in search of Kanjelman, Potaria runs into Monica, who gets caught in a crossfire. Potaria drags her to safety, and she tells him of the prince's treachery...just before she dies in his arms.

In the skies above the palace, countless enemies appear; the entire fleet of mercenary ATs from EX-10 is preparing to attack. The battle begins in earnest, and Chirico looks up to see yet another object approaching from on high.

"There was no way of my knowing at the time...that the light I saw was a new custom AT made for Ypsilon..."