As the Gedim Fleet launched its attack, Cruze's machine raised the massive cannon in its hand. The GN Dragoons mounted on its body also flared with white light, ejecting from the machine amid green GN Particles. Like lightning, they moved to block Dawn's path. As they formed a Light Barrier, a Large Reaction Missile warhead shot past in an instant, flying toward the Gedim from afar.
It was only one warhead, launched from such a great distance and flying against countless Gedim attacks, liable to be hit at any moment. But Cruze's goal was not to use that Large Reaction Missile to attack the Gedim. Like the ejected GN Dragoons, it was merely another means of defense for Xiao Ran, using the tremendous energy released by the missile's explosion to disrupt, weaken, and even swallow up the Gedim's attacks.
The moment Cruze moved, Kira, Amuro, and the others who possessed the same GN Dragoons released theirs as well, joining Cruze in constructing even more defensive barriers in front of Dawn.
The EVAs—Unit-01 piloted by Shinji Ikari, Unit-00 piloted by Rei Ayanami, Unit 2 piloted by Asuka, Unit 8 piloted by Mari Makinami, and Unit-13 piloted by Kaworu Nagisa, an Angel willing to act alongside the Victory Fleet—all charged in front of Dawn under the thrust of their backpack armor. Together, they erected an AT Field before Dawn.
The backpacks used by the EVAs were not the sort commonly used by conventional MS units. They were merely simple energy drive systems integrated onto frames, with a few armor plates attached and several weapons mounted on them. They were more like schoolbags worn on their backs, vastly different from what Xiao Ran and the others understood as conventional backpacks.
Cruze's grasp of timing was exceptional. Before the Gedim attacks could strike the