The spearpoint veered off target, tearing a deep gash but missing his vital organs.
Ignoring the pain, Suzaku Kururugi reached back, clamped down on the shaft, and yanked it toward himself.
He kicked at Qianzhi's knee, trying to subdue her.
Qianzhi sensed trouble. She released the spear and, as the kick knocked her down, rolled away into the smoke.
With no time to dwell on the pain, she hurriedly shouted into her headset:
"Zero, I failed!"
Suzaku Kururugi did not pursue her. Protecting Nunnally took priority.
Lelouch clicked his tongue.
"Tch! So it wasn't going to be that easy..."
Qianzhi's failure was within his expectations. He still had another move.
"Tōdō!"
Bang!
Answering his call, Tōdō drove the Gekka through the ceiling and dropped down in front of Zero.
The Guren Type-2 landed on the other side.
"Tōdō, seize Schneizel and Ask! Kallen!"
"Understood!" × 2.
Either Schneizel or Ask would serve as leverage in negotiations with Britannia.
Kallen's target, meanwhile, was Nunnally.
But just as the Gekka reached out, a grappling claw hurtled down from the sky and knocked its arm aside.
"Here already!"
Tōdō looked up.
It was the Tristan, piloted by Gino, the Third Knights of the Round.
As a Knightmare with excellent mobility and powerful transformation capabilities, it was ideally suited to providing support.
When Xingke broke through the encirclement, Gino had received Schneizel's orders, secretly left the venue, and brought his mecha to provide support.
Word had come from his covert informant that large numbers of Knightmares were moving outside.
Even if Zero had not come, Li Xingke had likely planned everything out and intended to seize Tianzi by force.
Anya, who had originally been in Ask's arms, had also slipped away.
Tōdō's attempt failed.
To avoid endangering Zero, he had no choice but to