Orphee's shots grew increasingly frenzied, yet he could never catch that white phantom. He tried to predict Xia Ya's trajectory, but Xia Ya was simultaneously reading Orphee's intent to attack. Every movement of the Unicorn Gundam precisely responded to Xia Ya's will; the enemy's position, the subtle shifts in its gun barrel—all the data was processed and analyzed in an instant, transformed into precise predictions of incoming beam fire.
Though the Unicorn Gundam's mobility did not match that of the Goddess of Liberation with its Light Wing System deployed, under conventional thrust it still stood at the pinnacle of all MS. As long as it maintained the proper distance and never let its movements stall for even a moment, it would not be hit easily.
"Damn it... What are you doing?! Get out of here, now!"
In the gaps between repeated high-speed passes and exchanged fire with the Covenant Gundam, Xia Ya caught sight of the Goddess of Liberation Gundam still remaining where it was, as though their battle had stolen its focus. He immediately raised his voice and urged Flay to retreat again, but the machine remained completely still.
"Why...?"
In response came Flay's confused, trembling voice.
From that voice, Xia Ya could clearly sense her profound confusion toward this sudden "savior" who had appeared out of nowhere. That was only natural.
"I... should be your enemy... shouldn't I? Why would you still—"
"You're not my enemy." Xia Ya cut her off without hesitation.
"Eh—?"
In Flay's warped perception at this moment, Char La Flaga was undoubtedly an enemy she had to defeat, an obstacle blocking her path of revenge—but so what?
Flay had gotten one thing fundamentally wrong.
"To you, I may be an enemy. But that isn't how I see you... Flay, you are not my enemy."