The Grim Reaper Arrives

How does this sound so much like...

Gravity Front?

Eli shuddered as he stood there in a daze.

It felt as if a cold hand had brushed against his spine, and an inexplicable chill erupted throughout his entire body.

"Interesting, interesting. To think such a person actually exists—interesting, interesting."

A faint, ethereal female voice drifted into Eli's ear, a sound that was chilling just to hear.

It was like falling into an ice cellar and suddenly discovering that the meat hanging on the slaughterhouse conveyor belt was speaking to you.

"The Grim Reaper... is it."

This was no mere superstitious rumor circulating in the military about some soldier being a 'grim reaper'; this was the genuine article.

Everyone she latches onto eventually dies in battle.

Just like the pilot of that Assault Guntank from a moment ago.

"Why is there no reaction? Can you not hear me?"

At this moment, the voice of the Grim Reaper drew even closer.

"Hey~ can you hear me~"

Eli shivered.

Just now, the Grim Reaper's voice had sounded right next to his ear without the slightest warning.

The voice felt as if it had manifested into reality, incredibly clear and vivid.

Through the black screen, he saw his own reflection in the glass.

Beside him, a floating female figure was leaning in, whispering into his ear.

"Hehe, looks like you can hear me. Never mind, I won't tease you for now; I wouldn't want such an interesting soul to disappear just like that. Hurry up and fight~"

As the voice faded, Eli realized that the lights in the entire cockpit had gone dark, as if he had been transported to another world.

Only now did he return to reality.

"Eli-san, why are you just watching!"

Amuro's shout immediately snapped Eli back to the realization that he was still on a dangerous frontline battlefield.

Eli lifted his head at once, turning his gaze toward the external battlefield.

The Gundam was standing in front of him, using its shield to block the incoming artillery fire.

"Sorry, I was distracted for a second."

"What? Distracted..."

Amuro was clearly furious.

It didn't seem to be anger at Eli for failing to assist in the fight, but rather anger at Eli for not valuing his own life.

"If you want to scold me, do it later! Some heavy hitters are coming!"

Eli's ears picked up the sound of turbine engines whirring.

Was he really hearing it?

Or was it that Eli could feel the pressure of their approach?

There were three distinct, heavy presences.

"It's the Black Tri-Stars."

Eli solemnly braced his shield to protect his entire body, focusing all his attention on the three approaching presences.

Soon, three familiar mobile suits appeared within Eli's line of sight!

They were none other than Doms!

Since they were at the Odessa base, that meant these were the genuine Black Tri-Stars!

Seeing the three Doms line up, he immediately understood this was their signature combined attack.

"Amuro, after dodging the first one, watch out for the attacks from the following units. It's best to create distance and use long-range attacks!"

Eli had no time to wonder why his perception had suddenly reached a higher level; he had to focus on the enemies before him.

With Eli's warning, Amuro didn't recklessly wait to receive the attack. Instead, the moment before they made contact, he and Eli leaped to opposite sides.

The Black Tri-Stars, having missed their mark, immediately turned toward the direction where the Gundam had landed!

They were clearly planning to launch an attack the instant the Gundam touched the ground.

Eli furrowed his brows.

He dared not gamble on whether Amuro would awaken his Newtype ability—the perception of danger—at the critical moment as he did in the original story, allowing him to dodge every attack.

In fact, even in the original story, Amuro, having awakened his Newtype abilities, still couldn't dodge the final Dom's attack; it was only because Matilda had sacrificed herself by ramming the Medea into them that Amuro was saved.

"This is bad."

Eli thought this to himself while operating his Mobile Suit to boost once more, charging toward the Black Tri-Stars from the rear.

However, he might not make it in time.

Is it time to gamble on luck?

"What a cute little brother, I wouldn't want to see him die here either~"

Just as Eli was feeling anxious about the danger Amuro was about to face, a whisper echoed in his ears once again.

That sensation of being shrouded in a black veil swept over his entire body, only to recede just as quickly.

When Eli looked at the scene outside again, he saw that the Gundam piloted by Amuro was dodging every attack as if it had known the Black Tri-Stars' movements in advance!

At the same time, in Eli's eyes, Amuro's presence was stronger than it had ever been before.

"Eli-san?"

Eli even faintly heard Amuro's voice, filled with surprise.

However, Amuro's crisis had not been averted, as the final Dom of the Black Tri-Stars had already raised its Heat Saber, ready for the kill.

This was not a matter of Amuro's skill; it was simply that the Mobile Suits of this era were limited in what they could achieve. Dodging the previous two slashes by such a hair's breadth was already the absolute limit of what the Gundam could do.

If that's the case!

Eli raised his Beam Rifle and aimed it at the last Dom.

Of course, this meant that Amuro was now also in the line of fire.

In the past, Eli would not have had the confidence to shoot down the Dom without harming the Gundam.

But now!

"Don't get caught in the crossfire, Amuro."

"Hum!"

The next moment, Eli pulled the trigger, and a cherry-pink beam surged forth!

The beam melted through the armor starting from the Dom's back. Drawing on the experience gained from destroying Ramba Ral's Dom, this shot did not miss. It melted the Dom's cockpit and punched straight through its chest!

The beam continued on its path, heading straight for the Gundam's head without losing momentum.

But, as if he had known all along, Amuro bent his right leg, causing the Gundam's head to shift and dodge the beam!

"Gaia, Ortega, I'm sorry..."

In a daze, Amuro seemed to hear a voice.

Auditory hallucination?

Before Amuro could reach a conclusion, two sorrowful cries suddenly came from behind him.

"Mash!"

A hallucination?!

Amuro could only tell himself this.

But he still steadied the Gundam's stance, drew his Beam Saber, and together with the Ground Type that had arrived at his side, faced the remaining Black Two-Stars.

Both sides immediately initiated a charge!

In terms of mobility, the Dom, capable of hover-movement, naturally held the advantage.

But the glowing eyes of the two Gundams, reflected against the burning wreckage of the Dom behind them, appeared incredibly oppressive.

As the two sides closed the distance, even though Eli had not communicated with Amuro beforehand, he suddenly fired a flash grenade from his Multi-Purpose Launcher!

Come to think of it, I made a mistake; I forgot about the reinforcement equipment from the movie version, the Core Booster setting. I actually prefer that over the G-Armor. Also, I really didn't want to write about that Federation Forces traitor during the Odessa operation today; I only realized it when I was watching the movie version.