Seeing several warships and their escorting MS units being engulfed by a surge of energy, Yang Hui's expression turned grim. The differences between the anime and reality had become too numerous, and with them being the biggest point of divergence, Yang Hui had gradually stopped placing importance on the original plot. This was to prevent being caught off guard by unexpected changes due to over-reliance on the original storyline.
Who would have thought that this very mindset would lead Yang Hui to not recall the details of this battle in advance? Jehart had used unmanned warships as bait to lure the Federal fleet into stepping into the abyss of destruction.
Although they had issued warnings beforehand, preventing Jehart from fully succeeding, losing 7% of their forces was still no small matter.
"Damn VEGAN!" Argreus had bitten his lip until it bled. This loss was entirely due to the commander's mistake in failing to detect the issue with the enemy fleet in time.
"Argreus!"
"All units, the enemy's fortress cannon will have intervals during its charging phase. Take this opportunity to find a weak point in their defensive line and break through the center!"
"Understood!" XN
Everyone in the Federal Army was shocked by the sudden bombardment. After a momentary pause, an endless rage filled their hearts, burning with the desire to completely annihilate VEGAN's fortress and the Second Moon.
"Dawn Gundam, Flag Gundam, Luna Gundam, along with the Celestial Being squadron and the Diva, prepare the Diva's Photon Destroyer Cannon. Once the enemy fortress is within range, fire immediately!"
"Understood! Diva, maximum combat speed!"
Captain Enaes had now become a competent captain. Upon receiving the order, she immediately commanded the Diva to break formation and move to the forefront, its Photon Destroyer Cannon beginning to charge.
"Let's move! We can't let it fire again!" Yang Hui ordered Graham and Yurin. He was also furious, though he didn't believe this was entirely his fault for being negligent, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Understood!" X2
The three Gundams abandoned their formation. The Flag Gundam transformed into its MA mode and charged straight toward the Laglamis Fortress, its mounted cannons firing continuously, blasting a path through the obstacles ahead, completely disregarding the dangers closing in around it.
The Dawn Gundam followed closely behind, its Funnels firing one after another, tearing through VEGAN's defensive line with a dense barrage of pink beams. Any MS or warship that tried to approach was instantly destroyed in the hail of gunfire.
Though the Luna Gundam was last, it wasn't slow, keeping pace closely behind the two Gundams. Without the Dawn Gundam's cover, Yurin unleashed her full strength.
"Yang Hui!"
"Understood! Mirror Reflection System activated."
"Mirror Reflection System activated, mental link restrictions fully released!"
The Dawn Gundam slowed its speed, closing the distance with the Luna Gundam. The Funnels of both units scattered around them, forming a tight defensive array.
The Dawn Gundam and Luna Gundam fired simultaneously, their beams striking the surfaces of the scattered Funnels, refracting back and forth to weave a dense net of light that expanded outward, instantly clearing the surrounding enemy units.
The Dawn Gundam and Luna Gundam didn't stop, maintaining their intense barrage as they advanced at high speed.
"Ha… Ha…"
"Yurin, watch your stamina!"
"I'm fine, I can still hold on."
Yurin didn't possess the physical traits of the Prometheus Fortress. Being elderly, she was already gasping for breath after just over ten minutes of intense combat, her pilot suit completely soaked with sweat.
"Five minutes at most, rendezvous with Flit."
"...Understood."
Yurin wasn't one to be overly sentimental. On the battlefield, she couldn't afford to hold Yang Hui back. It was a fact that her aging body couldn't keep up with the high-intensity combat. For the sake of victory, she wouldn't oppose Yang Hui's orders.
At that moment, the Dawn Gundam and the Luna Gundam had caught up with the Flag Gundam, which had taken the lead, and like the Flag Gundam, they slowed their speed.
"They're here! Spread out!"
The three machines dispersed, and several golden beams struck the spot where they had been. The Gundam Legilis, accompanied by [Van Farsia] and several [Ghilsbain], blocked their path.
"Legilis... this feeling, it's Jehart!" Amidst the back-and-forth clashes, Yang Hui noticed that the movements of the Gundam Legilis were completely different from before—more agile and unpredictable, with a stronger offensive. The flexibility and number of its bits had also significantly increased.
Among VEGAN, only Jehart could reach this level.
"Then I'll take him on!"
Hearing this, Graham's eyes flashed with determination. This was the opponent he had been waiting for decades to face. Without hesitation, he pressed the pedal to the floor, and the Flag Gundam, trailing a bright plume of fire, charged toward the Gundam Legilis.
With full firepower, he scattered the bits surrounding the Gundam Legilis. Taking advantage of the dust obscuring visibility, he drew his sword, breaking through the dust and colliding with the Gundam Legilis.
"Flag Gundam, Graham!"
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, young man!"
The Flag Gundam, with its immense thrust, pushed the Gundam Legilis away from the others, taking it to an open area for the long-awaited duel.
Yang Hui didn't stop Graham. The Dawn Gundam, on its own, faced off against a squad of [Ghilsbain] that formed the elite guard. Their coordinated teamwork made it difficult for the Dawn Gundam to break through, but under its deliberate guidance, they also cleared a path.
The last [Van Farsia] was naturally left for the Luna Gundam to handle, as per Yurin's request. She had unilaterally made a pact with Fram Nara, wanting to hear her answer.
Now, the enemy's main force no longer posed a threat, and the path forward had been opened.
"Flit, Asemu, widen the gap and get the Diva through!" Yang Hui commanded.
"Understood!" X2
Without elite troops to block them, the [Celestial Being] squad charged into the fray like wolves among sheep, feasting on the opportunity.
"This ends here!"
At that moment, Zannald's fleet arrived belatedly, joining the battle from the side and blocking the gap. Zannald himself, piloting the [Sendrham], destroyed several [Adele III] before confronting the Gundam AGE-1 Glansa.
"Hmm~ a custom machine? Such formidable power!"
In their first encounter, the Gundam AGE-1 Glansa barely managed to block the [Sendrham]'s claws before being sent flying by a powerful tail strike.
"Father!"
"Grandpa!"
The nearby Gundam AGE-2 and Gundam AGE-FX immediately tried to provide support, but they were entangled by Zannald's forces and couldn't break free for the moment.
"Don't come over! Prioritize opening a path for the Diva!" Flit said to the two of them, enduring the pain of the impact and shock.
"But..."
"Execute the order!"
"...Understood."
Under Flit's stern command, Asemu and Kio had no choice but to abandon their thoughts of support and focus on dealing with Zannald's forces.
Meanwhile, the Gundam AGE-1, targeted by the Sendrham, was in a tough battle.
Its bulky and obese body possessed immense strength and formidable defense, along with powerful firepower.
Flit attempted to exploit the mobility advantage to find a weakness in the Sendrham, but to his surprise, the Sendrham was a nimble giant. Despite weighing over 1000 tons, its mobility was on par with the Gundam AGE-1 Glory Type.
The Gundam AGE-1 seized a few opportunities to counterattack the Sendrham, but neither the high-output Vangs Rifle nor the missiles could leave a mark on the Sendrham's surface.
"Damn it, what kind of monsters are VEGAN's MS?" Flit cursed.
"Hmph, an outdated machine and an old man like you can never defeat me and the Sendrham. Just become my stepping stone, Gundam!"
Struggling to withstand the Sendrham's fierce attacks, Flit's stamina and energy were rapidly depleting. Even with his pride, he had to admit that he was getting old.
But even in his old age, he would never let go of his pride or allow himself to fall behind, using age as an excuse. His goal had never changed—to surpass Yang Hui and become the savior!
"It's not over yet!"
As the Sendrham's blade came slashing, Flit's X-Rounder ability activated, allowing him to see the enemy's movements with crystal clarity. He gently pulled the control stick back and slightly pressed the pedal, making the Gundam AGE-1 leap to the top of the Sendrham. The shield gun was inserted into the armor gap between the head and the body.
"It's over, VEGAN!"
With those words, Flit pulled the trigger repeatedly, and the beam shot through the gap into the Sendrham's body, exiting from below.
"How... how could I lose!? Gundam~!!!"
Just before the explosion, the Gundam AGE-1 pulled out the shield gun and kicked the Sendrham away, shielding itself with both shields.
"Boom~!"
The massive impact forced the Gundam AGE-1 back, but thankfully, the shields blocked the flying debris and the intense blast, preventing significant damage to the machine itself.
"Ha~ Ha~" Flit was drenched in sweat, utterly exhausted from the short but intense battle. The Gundam AGE-1 had also sustained considerable damage.
"Father! Are you alright?"
At this moment, the Gundam AGE-2 and Gundam AGE-FX, having dealt with their own enemies, arrived by the Gundam AGE-1's side. While Asemu was filled with concern, Kio remained silent, his expression conflicted and troubled.
Ever since the cannon fired from the Laglamis Fortress, witnessing countless lives vanish like fleeting flowers, his heart had been shrouded in sorrow and pain.
Even though he knew that if Flit hadn't killed the enemy, the enemy would have killed Flit, he was still struggling with the thought: "Why... why can killing be so simple?"
"I'm fine, just the damage to the mobile suit is quite severe," Flit responded to Asemu's concern.
"Father, the Diva has broken through and is not far ahead. Return to the ship for maintenance."
"...Alright." Although somewhat reluctant, Flit was well aware that given his physical and mental exhaustion, as well as the extent of the damage to his mobile suit, he couldn't continue fighting. Without stubbornness, he accepted Asemu's suggestion and headed towards the Diva.
"Kio, let's go." Seeing the Gundam AGE-1 returning, Asemu said to Kio. The breakthrough had been made, but there were still many obstacles blocking the Diva and their path. As long as the fortress cannons remained intact, they couldn't affor
d to relax.
"...I understand." Kio snapped out of his thoughts and piloted the Gundam AGE-FX, closely following the Gundam AGE-2. However, the grief in his heart remained unresolved.
(End of Chapter)