"What is going on?! Why is the Avalon attacking us?! Has Prince Schneizel betrayed us too?!"
Bismarck was shocked and bewildered.
He hurriedly tried to contact the Avalon, hoping to make sense of the incomprehensible situation before him.
But Charles interrupted him.
"Enough, Bismarck. Go out there yourself and deal with them."
"Your Majesty... understood, but... could this be Geass?"
He meant Ask's Geass.
Although he did not know what power Ask's Geass possessed, it seemed to be the only explanation for Schneizel's betrayal.
Or perhaps that Zero... Lelouch was in league with his older brother.
Charles, however, did not care about any of that.
"It makes no difference. Once the plan is complete, the dead will be with us as well."
"Understood, Your Majesty. I will deploy immediately."
"Then have the Tokyo Bay Fleet direct all its guns at the Avalon and fire a full salvo. It does not matter if they expend all their ammunition."
Charles issued his orders without hesitation.
He believed three Knights of the Round would be enough to deal with Ask. All the remaining forces needed to do was pour their firepower into the Avalon and dispose of it.
The sound of the explosions also reached the three Knights of the Round on the front line.
Dorothea immediately recognized the danger.
"This is bad! Prince Schneizel has betrayed us too! His Majesty the Emperor's warship is in danger!"
Her instinct was to return to the flagship and defend it.
But just as she turned, a specially forged sword suddenly slashed down at her most exposed side, striking the joint of her arm.
Two gunshots followed immediately.
Bang! Bang!
The explosive rounds struck the joint with precision, completely disabling her right arm and blasting it off.
"What?!"
Dorothea's pupils contracted as she looked