Chapter 88: Landing at Solomon

Chapter 88: Landing at Solomon

Once again breaking through enemy obstructions and nearing the Solomon Fortress, Eli saw an assault craft that had run out of its missiles yet was still charging forward!

"What are you doing? This is reckless! Retreat now—the location is…"

Eli connected to the assault craft and tried to send the coordinates of the White Base.

"That doesn't matter anymore! Dad, Mom!"

The pilot of the assault craft didn't say much else, but his cries for his parents were childlike.

With a brilliant burst from its thrusters, the assault craft resolutely collided with a small Musai that had just escaped from the sinking main Musai.

After the explosion, the area was left with nothing but fragments of steel—there was no trace of any survivors.

"…"

Eli didn't need to think much to understand.

Perhaps the pilot was a survivor from a Side attacked by Zeon, or maybe a regular person who had once lived in Sydney, or someone recently liberated from Zeon's occupation.

No matter which, they were all victims of the war ignited by Zeon, people who had lost their loved ones and were left with nothing but a burning desire for revenge.

Piloting an assault craft was even more dangerous than piloting a Ball.

They were the first wave to rush forward, firing their large missiles.

This meant low maneuverability and almost no defensive armament.

And yet, the Federation had managed to gather so many of them.

In a sense, it was this hatred that the Federation relied upon.

Eli suddenly realized that even Second Lieutenant Arcadia was likely driven by these feelings, risking everything to board the G-Fighter and fight.

"This is Eli. Amuro, Sayla, Kai—we're launching an assault on the Solomon Fortress."

Witnessing the fate of the assault craft, Eli decided to take on more risk to accelerate the end of the battle.

Whether to prevent further sacrifices or to stop this battlefield from being consumed by hatred, Eli was determined to act!

"Understood!"

The White Base's Mobile Suit (MS) team responded together through the comms.

Unfortunately, Kobayashi's Guntank had been heavily damaged earlier due to an attack by several Rick Doms, forcing him to return to the White Base with injuries.

Even so, when the three Gundams turned into blades, piercing toward Solomon's defenses, they were unstoppable!

Eli and Amuro led at the front, Sayla covered the middle, and Kai brought up the rear.

Using this inverted triangle formation, few enemy warships or MS could escape their assault.

Eli fired a shot.

Due to the zero-gravity environment in space, the enemy used AMBAC maneuvering to narrowly avoid a fatal hit, taking damage only to its right leg.

The enemy pilot immediately used every skill to stabilize their MS and raised their weapon to counterattack Eli.

But in the next moment, a shell hit the MS square in the chest.

It was Sayla, piloting her FA-modified Gundam, who used the cannon on her right shoulder to finish it off.

Similarly, under Amuro's control, the NT-1 Gundam charged like a shooting star, rendering Zeon's MS helpless as they tried to shoot it down. Those attempts were quickly silenced by Kai's precise shots from his Guncannon.

The strategy sounded simple, but anyone else would have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies.

However, with Eli and Amuro present, there was no chance for Zeon's MS to break through the formation!

From a bird's-eye view, the four MS were tearing a hole in Zeon's defensive line, advancing steadily toward Solomon Fortress itself.

Meanwhile, the flanks of the breach were starting to close, threatening to encircle the four MS.

"All MS units, advance! Everyone who can move, attack, except those holding the line!"

While no one could physically oversee the battlefield, the commander's instinct was sharp.

Commander Wakens immediately ordered all his mobile forces to join the White Base's MS team in their assault.

Even a couple of Salamis-class ships advanced to stabilize the line!

As for the other directions?

He trusted General Tianem's main fleet to apply enough pressure on Solomon.

As the vanguard fleet, their only objective was: Charge!

"Thank you, Commander Wakkein."

Seeing the large number of GMs following behind to engage the flanking enemies, Eli understood the commander's intent.

"I'll accept this trust!"

Eli stepped hard on the pedal, and his Gundam emitted a stream of glowing energy.

"Buzz!"

At that moment, a pink beam from another direction streaked past Eli, destroying a Rick Dom in its path!

Eli didn't turn to look. Instead, he checked the rear monitor.

It was a beam fired from the G-Fighter.

"The G-Fighter? Arcadia actually piloted it all the way here?"

After taking out a Zaku, Eli approached the G-Fighter.

"Any further forward, and it'll be too dangerous for the G-Fighter."

"It doesn't matter. As long as I can fight Zeon."

As expected—another person consumed by hatred for Zeon.

Or rather, every Federation soldier active on this battlefield had similar motivations.

Even Eli, who prided himself on being rational, felt a sense of satisfaction when firing at Zeon forces.

"Is that so? Well then, at least don't die before we completely crush Zeon."

After leaving this remark, Eli dodged an incoming rocket and left it to the follow-up units, surging forward alone.

In the brief moment Eli spent conversing, Amuro had only one Musai left blocking his way to Solomon.

Without exchanging words, the EZ-SR headed for the power core while the NT-1 went for the bridge.

When the two Gundams reunited behind the Musai, the ship was already sinking helplessly, with its crew initiating evacuation protocols.

It's worth noting that, despite the Federation's hatred for Zeon, the GMs and Balls avoided attacking escape pods or shuttles broadcasting distress signals.

The Federation Space Forces, at least, still adhered to wartime regulations.

Some Balls even towed drifting Zeon personnel to slightly safer locations.

With the Musai neutralized, there were no opponents left to block the two Gundams.

"Amuro, infiltrate Solomon's interior. I'll remain outside."

Eli didn't specify what he intended to do outside, and entering the fortress alone was no doubt a dangerous task.

Yet Amuro raised no objections. Instead, he holstered his beam rifle and took up the massive rocket launcher mounted at his back.

This was equipment Eli had specifically prepared for Amuro.

"Understood, Eli-san. I'm going in!"