Chapter 108: Zeon's Counterattack

Chapter 108: Zeon's Counterattack

In response to the Federation's 1st Combined Fleet, apart from the defense forces stationed at A Baoa Qu, reinforcements had also arrived.

These reinforcements came from Granada and were led by Kycilia—a mobile assault force dispatched by Gihren to stabilize the front lines.

Unfortunately, most of the MS pilots in the mobile assault force were unable to stop the razor-sharp spearhead formed by Eli and Amuro.

Before this, Kycilia had questioned Gihren about his strategic choice: focusing a large portion of their forces on the main battlefield rather than reinforcing an all-around defense. Was he not concerned that the Federation, with its superior numbers, would ultimately secure victory?

But Gihren had confidently assured her that there was no need to worry.

It seemed that, even though the Solar Ray system had failed to deliver its expected results, Gihren still had a plan in place.

He had a backup strategy.

Regardless of what the higher-ups were scheming, Char had already launched into battle.

The massive Zeong stood out prominently among the swarm of MS units.

To preserve her strength for the factional struggles that would follow the war, Kycilia had not brought the full might of the mobile assault force. She had left a significant portion behind in Granada.

As a result, the mobile assault force was now facing the fully organized 1st Combined Fleet with an incomplete formation. The only reason they had managed to hold on thus far was thanks to the supporting fire from A Baoa Qu's fortress defenses.

Flanking the massive Zeong were exclusively Rick Dom units.

Char and these pilots were Kycilia's trump card, prepared specifically to counter those two Gundams!

Indeed, these aces, their Rick Doms painted in blue, red, and various other colors, were elite pilots in the truest sense.

Among them were the top five pilots on Zeon's ace pilot leaderboard—nine in total, all following Char's lead.

This was the Chimera Corps, a unit Kycilia had assembled to counter powerful enemies like the Gundams.

And this was the first—and only—time this unit had been fully deployed.

All thirty-one members were here.

Among them, eight had been assigned the task of eliminating the Gundams.

As for the remaining pilot…

"Colonel Char, I'll leave that white Gundam to you. No objections, I presume?"

Having retreated from Solomon to A Baoa Qu, Anavel Gato had finally received his custom Rick Dom. Now, he was addressing the Zeong beside him.

This was technically an overreach, as target assignments should have been handled by the Chimera Corps' commander.

But no one objected.

Everyone knew that Gato considered Dozle's capture a humiliation beyond measure. His desire to eliminate the grey "Reaper" that had taken Dozle prisoner was entirely understandable.

"Understood."

Char nodded firmly.

This was, after all, his intention—to settle things with Amuro once and for all.

"Thank you, Colonel. It is because of men like you that Zeon shines with glory. After the war, please allow me to attend the wedding between you and Ensign Lalah."

Gato, who was warm and patient with his comrades when not facing the Federation, deeply admired Char—a legendary figure in the Zeon forces.

With that, the nine Rick Doms split up, moving to surround the grey Gundam.

Sitting in the cockpit of the Zeong, Char remained silent for a long time.

Something about Gato instinctively repelled him.

Gato was the kind of man who would stain his hands with unfathomable amounts of blood in the name of some grand cause.

And Char had already pondered, and rejected, such causes.

But now was not the time for such thoughts.

Char exhaled, gripping the controls tightly.

Despite its enormous size, the Zeong responded smoothly to his commands.

The MEGA particle cannon in its abdomen fired first, eliminating an oncoming GM.

But these ordinary soldiers were not his true targets.

With Lalah controlling six remote-controlled bits, the surrounding Federation forces were quickly cleared out.

Or rather, the Federation soldiers actively avoided this area.

Just as Zeon forces had avoided the Gundams earlier.

The only presence approaching now was—

Gundam!

A sharp hum filled the comms.

The Gundam moved at incredible speed, while the Zeong's massive frame slightly hindered the split-second precision required for ace combat.

Lalah's presence was meant to compensate for that.

As soon as NT-1 began accelerating from afar, Lalah had already sensed Amuro's fighting intent.

Focusing solely on operating her bits, she acted ahead of Char, firing in a staggered pattern to form a beam barrier, blocking Eli's charge.

At the same time, perfectly synchronized with Lalah, Char turned and fired both of the Zeong's MEGA particle cannons!

A total of ten MEGA particle blasts, combined with Lalah's bit attacks, created an inescapable net of firepower, engulfing NT-1 completely.

But Amuro did not panic.

Raising his shield to protect the cockpit, he fully utilized NT-1's numerous thrusters.

No matter how brief, there was always a time lag between beam travel and impact. Exploiting that minuscule gap, Amuro slipped out of what seemed like an impossible encirclement.

He even found time to take a shot, destroying one of the bits with a beam rifle blast.

"What an astonishing ability…"

Char had once believed that Lalah's abilities were among the strongest of the Newtypes he had encountered.

But seeing Amuro now, he couldn't help but feel that his presence in the Federation was as if fate itself had willed it.

Amuro?

So that was his name.

The thought came naturally to Char mid-battle.

It wasn't surprising—this was how Newtypes were supposed to be.

Not just using their heightened brain waves to communicate, but to control killing machines.

A sharp click.

Two more bits detached from the Zeong's rear skirt armor, launching toward NT-1.

In the brief moment it took, Amuro had already taken down another bit.

"This won't work. Lalah, follow my lead!"

Lalah, focused entirely on using her bits to ensure survival for both herself and Char, nodded.

A faint electric flicker ran across her forehead as her bits moved with the precision of an extended limb, systematically restricting NT-1's movements.

Char wasn't idle either.

His wired hands shot forward, closing in on NT-1 from both sides.

Without words, a faint spark flickered across Char's visor as well.

The bits and wired arms fired in unison!

At the same time, having calculated NT-1's escape trajectory, Char pressed the trigger—

The Zeong's abdominal MEGA particle cannon fired once more!