Outside~
Thanks to the support and diversion provided by Bakar and the others, Yzak, Nicol, and Diakka had already boarded their MS.
"Rat-a-tat-tat~"
As their fingers flew over the controls, countless lines of code flashed across the screen.
"Ding~"
"OK! Done!"
As the MS engine roared to life, Yzak grinned and lifted his fingers from the controls.
Two beams of light flashed from the Gundam's head as the 17.5-meter-tall, 61-ton GAT-X102 Duel Gundam slowly rose from the transport vehicle.
Though the surviving Earth Alliance soldiers below were distressed and furious at the sight, they had no choice but to turn and flee as the Gundam stood up.
They knew this thing's combat capabilities better than anyone else. Calling it the strongest MS currently in existence would not have been an exaggeration; it simply could not be defeated by human strength.
Not long after the Duel Gundam stood up, the GTA-X103 Buster Gundam, which Diakka had been tasked with seizing, also rose from its transport vehicle.
"Nicol? How's it going?"
Yzak noticed that the Gundam Nicol was handling had yet to stand up and called out to him.
However, his tone was completely different from the one he used when speaking to Athrun.
"Just wait a moment, I'll be done right away!"
Inside the cockpit, Nicol's hands flew across the controls. As a pianist, his hand speed far surpassed Yzak's and the others'.
"It's fine, we'll wait for you," Yzak replied casually.
"Wait a little longer, I'll be done soon, I'll be done soon..."
As Nicol spoke, his fingers continued to dance rapidly over the controls~~
Boom~
Soon, accompanied by the heavy clang of steel, Nicol's GAT-X207 Rage Gundam also rose from its transport vehicle.
With that, the seizure of the three MS was complete.
"Athrun and Rusty still aren't done? This is taking a little too long. Nothing happened to them, did it?" Diakka asked worriedly as he stared at the unmoving gate.
It was fine outside with Bakar and the others' GINNs providing a distraction, but inside the gate...
"Don't worry. They'll be fine."
Yzak replied without hesitation. He truly did not get along with Athrun, but that did not mean he underestimated Athrun's ability.
He recognized Athrun's combat strength. Otherwise, he would not have constantly shouted about surpassing him.
"Anyway, let's take these three units back first. But be careful—don't damage them before handing them over to Captain Cruze!"
After saying that, Yzak increased the power. The Duel Gundam's four rear thrusters activated instantly.
Boom~
As four jets of white light erupted, the massive sixty-ton Gundam was lifted into the air by immense thrust.
The Buster Gundam and Rage Gundam followed close behind.
Though Diakka and Nicol were worried about Athrun and Rusty, they could only prioritize completing the mission.
"Bakar, Athrun and Rusty are still inside. Please hold on a little longer."
As he spoke, Yzak piloted the Duel Gundam toward the harbor.
"OK, got it! Just head back without worrying!"
As Bakar spoke, he blew up two tanks approaching from the distance with a single shot.
Inside the gate~
Without GINN support, Athrun and Rusty had indeed fallen into a bitter struggle.
The remaining Earth Alliance forces had all rushed in, while the squad they had brought could barely keep up the offensive.
Bang~
"Rusty!"
Just as Athrun was reloading, Rusty, who had been providing cover nearby, was suddenly hit and collapsed.
"Ah! Die!"
Enraged, Athrun grabbed his machine gun and charged sideways, firing directly at the Earth Alliance soldiers around him.
With that reckless style of fighting, Athrun quickly reached Rusty's side.
Braving the hail of bullets, he dragged Rusty behind a nearby metal crate. "Rusty! You..."
"Ath... Athrun..."
Blood streamed from the corner of Rusty's mouth as he opened his mouth, choking back all the words he wanted to say.
"It's okay. I'll get you out of here right now!"
Seeing Rusty's condition, Athrun no longer cared about the mission. He helped Rusty to his feet and headed toward the gate.
However, after only two steps, Rusty shoved Athrun away, pulled out the unused timed bomb, and pressed the emergency button.
"Rusty..."
Athrun turned and reached out to grab him, but Rusty merely looked back and smiled before slapping the chest of his combat suit.
Using the combat suit's thrust, he leaped forward, carrying the bomb toward where the Earth Alliance soldiers were hiding.
"Rusty!"
Boom~
This timed bomb had been intended for demolishing buildings and was loaded with explosives even more powerful than C4.
Amid a thunderous explosion and blazing fire, Rusty vanished into the flames along with more than a dozen Earth Alliance soldiers.
"Ah!"
Athrun could no longer hold back. With tears in his eyes, he charged out with his gun.
He killed the Earth Alliance soldiers who had survived by sheer luck.
"Hah!"
"Havana!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Marlu turned and saw the pilot responsible for operating the Strike Gundam get hit by a stray bullet and fall into the sea of fire.
Before she could recover from her shock, Athrun noticed Marlu as well. He turned and shot her in the shoulder.
Just as Athrun used his combat suit's thrust to leap onto the Gundam and prepared to kill Marlu, a figure unexpectedly entered his vision.
He was a slender youth with brown hair and violet eyes. He seemed to have inherited his mother's delicate features, and his refined face still retained a trace of childishness.
At a glance, it was hard to tell his ethnicity, though he looked somewhat East Asian.
But that was not the important part. What mattered was that his face was both familiar and unfamiliar to Athrun!
"Ki... ra?" Athrun froze, staring at him in disbelief.
"Athrun?" Through the transparent visor of his combat suit, Kira vaguely recognized Athrun as well.
But like Athrun, he could not believe his eyes.
As the two stared blankly at each other, Marlu, whose shoulder had been hit, got up from the ground. She picked up a pistol, raised it, and fired at Athrun.
Bang~
Smack~
However, her arm could not withstand the pistol's recoil. Her shot went wide, and even the pistol itself flew out of her hand from the recoil.
Boom~
Boom~
Just as Athrun was preparing to engage in hand-to-hand combat, a series of explosions suddenly sounded in the distance.
Seeing this, Marlu grabbed Kira, who was still frozen in place, and dragged him into the cockpit.
Athrun immediately stopped himself and turned to run toward a nearby unit.
Meanwhile, while everyone outside was fighting for their lives.
Noer...
Did absolutely nothing. He could only sit inside the escape pod, questioning his life, pondering philosophy, and recalling the sutras... ah, no, recalling whether he had committed some terrible sin in his previous life.
Or maybe he really had stepped in shit when he transmigrated...
Because that woman really was Flay—Flay Alster, Kira Yamato's wife. No, wait, his ex-wife... that did not sound right either. Whatever, it did not matter.
In any case, she was connected to Kira Yamato.
As for how he knew, there was nothing he could do about it. Flay had such an incredible father that he directly contacted the escape pod to call for her. It was impossible not to know!
"So this ship will be taken aboard the Archangel later, and then I..."
"Am I not completely screwed?"
Before you continue