Missiles from both sides collided with one another, filling the sky with fireballs from the explosions.
Yet many missiles still slipped through and struck the buildings on South Ataria Island directly.
Countless civilian buildings were destroyed, and many ordinary people were caught in the bombardment and killed outright. The entire island was left devastated beyond recognition.
At that moment, Hayase Misa on the Macross bridge noticed that an orange VF-1 Valkyrie fighter was still sitting in the ground hangar instead of taking off to fight.
The person sleeping inside was Ichijo Hikaru himself.
"VT 102 Unit! VT 102 Unit!
VT 102 Unit at the exhibition area airfield! Why haven't you taken off yet?"
Still half-asleep, Ichijo Hikaru asked in confusion, "VT 102?"
Then he opened the fighter's canopy and began examining the aircraft over and over.
Seeing Ichijo Hikaru's foolish expression, Hayase Misa shouted impatiently.
"Stop fooling around! Take off immediately! This is war!"
Ichijo Hikaru said in confusion, "Take off... I mean, I'm already on the runway..."
Meanwhile, the ground crew beside him had already fitted weapons and ammunition onto Ichijo Hikaru's orange VF-1 Valkyrie fighter and sealed his cockpit.
Ichijo Hikaru could only grit his teeth and pilot the VF-1 Valkyrie into the air, joining the war against the alien invasion.
The sky was filled with Zentradi aircraft and Battle Pods, along with VF-1 Valkyrie fighters constantly battling them.
They weaved back and forth, firing missiles at each other and occasionally unleashing Machine Cannon fire.
Zentradi aircraft, Bipedal Combat Pods, and Earth Sphere Unified Army VF-1 Valkyrie fighters were constantly being hit and exploding amid the chaotic battle.
The bravest among them was Roy Focker's Skull Squadron, flying white VF-1S Valkyrie fighters.
They constantly darted across the battlefield, shooting down Zentradi aircraft and Bipedal Combat Pods without pause.