Waiting for the Second Shot

Chapter 358: Waiting for the Second Shot

Everyone in ZAFT was stunned by Genesis's light, even forgetting to continue fighting. But while they could forget, Patrick would not. After a speech that set every ZAFT soldier's blood boiling, ZAFT's troops became utterly frenzied, charging like madmen at the Earth Force, which had already begun retreating and no longer had any will to fight.

One side's morale was soaring, driven by the conviction of victory and the desire to avenge itself upon the Earth Force. The other side's morale had collapsed, and they wanted only to escape this terrifying place at once. One side fought while the other fled; the final outcome of this battle had already been decided. The fiercely advancing Earth Force was thoroughly driven back, and once their retreat began, Xiao Ran gave the order to withdraw as well.

Even if Xiao Ran had not given that order, Andrew aboard the Eternal and Bargyll aboard the Archangel would have ordered everyone to retreat. Remaining here at a time like this could easily have caused the high-spirited, already crazed ZAFT forces to regard them as targets and launch an attack.

The Archangel, Eternal, and Kusanagi departed at high speed. Freedom Gundam, Justice Gundam, Black Astray, MK-II Gundam, and a group of M1 Astrays escorted them away, taking advantage of ZAFT being too occupied to concern itself with the three warships. The mobile suits that returned to the three ships' hangars immediately began maintenance.

When Xiao Ran climbed down from Lightning Aegis, one of the maintenance crew's older men hurried him back to the bridge. The moment Xiao Ran entered, Bargyll rushed straight at him and raised her hand to slap his face.

Xiao Ran froze for a moment. He had intended to raise a hand and block Bargyll's inexplicable