Thor Kni knew that Athrun Sara, piloting the Aegis Gundam, was approaching from directly ahead of the Archangel.
To the rear, the Duel Gundam, Gundam Blitz, and Buster Gundam had completely surrounded the Archangel—the Gundams seized by ZAFT.
Thor Kni could not stop complaining inwardly:
[The Earth Federation Army in this world really was tying itself in knots.
But in the Gundam worlds, there wasn't a single Earth Federation Army officer who didn't have a death wish. Wouldn't it be better to secretly build Gundams on their own turf?
They always had to build them outside their own territory, and most of the time they ended up getting stolen.
Although that was the editor's fault, since Gundam worlds existed, the editor was nothing more than a TV antenna.
It was only responsible for receiving signals, then turning those signals into anime.
Surely the Creation God wasn't some shut-in who had materialized the worlds he liked.
If that really was the case, give me a whole stack of Creation Gods.
Then I'd have the chance to roam through all kinds of anime worlds. Hehehe.]
Kira Yamato, piloting the Strike Gundam as he launched out, soon encountered Athrun Sara's Aegis Gundam directly ahead of the Archangel.
The Duel Gundam, Gundam Blitz, and Buster Gundam behind the Archangel also began to spread out, preparing to encircle and destroy the Archangel.
Mwu Lamias shouted, "Begin interception! What is the C.I.C. doing?"
Natale Baki Lulu glanced at Mwu Lamias in panic, then immediately gave her orders.
"Lock on with radar, understood? Missile tubes 13 through 18, Large Missiles, fire!"
After a brief pause, Natale Baki Lulu continued directing the crew.
"Missile tubes 7 through 12, reload.
Missile tubes 19 through 24, Large Missiles, fire."
Twelve Large Missiles from one side of the Archangel's stern all flew toward the Duel Gundam, Gundam Blitz, and Buster Gundam behind it.
However, the Duel Gundam, Gundam Blitz, and Buster Gundam refused to be outdone, blasting apart the incoming Large Missiles one after another.
They continued closing in on the Archangel at high speed.
Up ahead, the Strike Gundam and Aegis Gundam crisscrossed around each other.
If Thor Kni had seen that scene, he would have known that the chicken and the wolf were definitely engaged in a fierce war of words.
Before long, the Duel Gundam left the Archangel's range and went to assist Athrun Sara, preparing to attack the Strike Gundam.
Gundam Blitz and the Buster Gundam continued their fierce assault on the Archangel.
The Archangel also kept firing Anti-air Defense Missiles as though they cost nothing, occasionally unleashing High-energy Beam Cannon fire and Linear Cannon shots as well.
One blast from Gundam Blitz's Anti-armor Shotgun Cannon detonated a large number of Anti-air Defense Missiles.
On the Buster Gundam's side, it picked off Anti-air Defense Missiles one at a time with its beam gun, continuously closing in on the Archangel.
The Archangel had no choice but to unleash the Auto Anti-air Vulcan Turret System at full power, and its ammunition reserves for the Auto Anti-air Vulcan Turrets rapidly dwindled.
The approaching Buster Gundam had no choice but to pull back, evading the Auto Anti-air Vulcan Turrets' attacks.
Gundam Blitz was even less able to break through the Archangel's wall of fire and could only launch assaults from afar with its Ultra High Pulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle.
A slender beam shot straight toward the Archangel's bridge.
Mwu Lamias immediately ordered the Archangel's helmsman to evade the incoming attack.
The Archangel successfully dodged the Ultra High Pulse Long-Range Sniper Rifle attack from Gundam Blitz.
Kira Yamato, piloting the Strike Gundam, saw that the Archangel was being besieged by Gundam Blitz and the Buster Gundam and wanted to return to defend it.
But Athrun Sara's Aegis Gundam blocked his path, forcing the Strike Gundam back in the opposite direction from the Archangel.
The Aegis Gundam pressed forward step by step, leaving the Strike Gundam no choice but to keep retreating.
At that moment, the Duel Gundam arrived and launched a series of attacks against the Strike Gundam, firing its beam gun.
Caught between the Aegis Gundam and the Duel Gundam, the Strike Gundam was in grave danger. Kira Yamato, inside the Gundam, was extremely tense and drenched in sweat.
He could only keep raising his shield to defend himself, firing his beam gun at the Duel Gundam several times whenever an opening appeared.
Things were no better on the Archangel's side. Gundam Blitz and the Buster Gundam pressed closer step by step, drawing ever nearer to the Archangel.
Mwu Lamias gave the order.
"Perform evasive maneuvers while accelerating to maximum speed."
Natale Baki Lulu added another order.
"Anti-beam Flares, fire!"
The Anti-beam Flares launched and immediately exploded, scattering Anti-beam Material around the Archangel.
Natale Baki Lulu continued commanding the crew.
"Gunners, set the Auto Anti-air Vulcan Turret System and all Anti-air Defense Missiles to automatic fire. Do not let the enemy approach the Archangel."
The Buster Gundam and Gundam Blitz were struck one after another by dense Vulcan Cannon fire and Anti-air Defense Missiles. If not for their tough PS Armor, they would have been destroyed long ago.
Gundam Blitz ignored the Archangel's attacks and continuously fired its beam gun, solid-shell cannons, and Micro Missiles at the battleship.
Unfortunately, its beam gun fire was blocked by the anti-beam interference curtain, while its solid-shell cannon fire and Micro Missiles were intercepted by the Archangel's Vulcan Cannons and Anti-air Defense Missiles.
However, the shockwaves produced by the missile explosions still shook the Archangel badly, and faint tremors ran through the ship's interior.
Under Gundam Blitz's fierce bombardment, a beam gun shot finally struck the Archangel's hull.
Fortunately, it did not penetrate the Archangel's armor, but the impact generated by the beam gun—
Still caused massive vibrations throughout the Archangel, leaving even Thor Kni's entire body numb from the shaking.
The refugees aboard the Archangel were thrown about even more badly.
Seeing that it could not take down the Archangel after such a long assault, Nicol Amalfi, the Buster Gundam's pilot, changed his direction of attack.
He turned toward the underside of the Archangel, preparing to attack the more weakly defended bottom of the ship.
The Archangel's radar operator raised the alarm.
"Enemy MS has moved beneath the ship."
Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Natale Baki Lulu immediately gave an order.
"Underside Auto Anti-air Vulcan Turrets, begin interception."
Mwu Lamias added.
"Attack with the Single Linear Cannon. Lower left, 30. Starboard rudder, 20."
The Archangel continuously spun at high speed, adjusting its defensive angle.
The refugees inside the Archangel were also sent sprawling by its sudden turn.
At the same time, the Archangel opened fire with its Twin High-energy Beam Cannons, relentlessly shooting at Gundam Blitz and the Buster Gundam.
Faced with the incoming Beam Cannon attacks, Gundam Blitz and the Buster Gundam could only abandon their assault and keep dodging.
The Strike Gundam was also in dire straits, constantly evading the pincer attacks of the Duel Gundam and Aegis Gundam, unable to divide its attention.
The Duel Gundam relentlessly pursued the Strike Gundam, continuously attacking with its beam gun.
Seeing the battered Strike Gundam, the Aegis Gundam slightly slowed its rate of attack and watched from the side as the Duel Gundam chased the Strike Gundam.
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