Chapter 109: System, Activate!

Chapter 109: System, Activate!

"Amuro, are you being held up?"

While chasing a fleeing mobile suit, Eli noticed an explosion in Amuro's direction.

Even at this moment, he could still multitask, using his beam rifle to take down the mobile suit who had his back turned.

Eli frowned.

Just to be safe, I should go check—

"Where do you think you're going?!"

Just as Eli was about to maneuver his mobile suit toward Amuro's position, a mobile suit suddenly appeared and blocked his path.

The ash-gray mobile suit didn't hesitate. Spinning the beam halberd in its hand, it swung down fiercely at Eli's EZ-SR!

Like the NT-1, the beam saber extended from its forearm, instantly deploying to intercept the attack.

Just as Eli was about to take his next move, another red mobile suit charged at him from behind. Holding its beam halberd with both hands, it aimed its tip straight at Eli's back and thrust forward.

Facing this pincer attack, Eli made a split-second decision. He kicked the back of the ash-gray mobile suit in front of him while spinning around, using his beam saber to deflect the red mobile suit's halberd, neutralizing the threat.

It wasn't over yet!

A tingling electric sensation surged across his forehead, almost to the point of pain. The thrusters on EZ-SR's right shoulder flared, sending the entire mobile suit into a barrel roll.

A beam shot past the spot where Eli had just been!

While suppressing the red and ash-gray mobile suits with beam rifle fire, Eli glanced upward.

There was another mobile suit, armed with a longer beam rifle, taking sniper shots at him.

Beyond that, Eli also noticed six more mobile suits, each distinct from standard models, encircling him.

This was a coordinated ambush against him.

Eli realized it immediately.

Firing his thrusters again, he primed the boosters on his back. A surge of bright blue energy erupted as he launched himself toward a water-blue mobile suit that appeared to emphasize speed and mobility.

His opponent fired several shots in rapid succession, but Eli dodged them all with precise micro-adjustments.

In this situation, breaking through was the only way to escape the encirclement.

Eli could tell—these were all Zeon aces. They had come specifically to hunt him down.

Even as he charged forward, Eli wasn't idle. His head-mounted Vulcan guns fired continuously, attempting to disrupt the targeting of the mobile suit he had locked onto.

The mobile suit facing him understood that retreating now would unravel the carefully constructed trap.

So, this mobile suit—Uma Lightning, also known as the "Blue Lightning"—raised his shield, using it to block the Vulcan rounds.

At the same time, he turned slightly to the side, extending his right hand and firing his beam rifle at Eli.

The other mobile suits closed in, ready to assist Uma in intercepting Eli.

The first to engage was a standard-colored artillery-type mobile suit.

This pilot was Thomas Kurtz, originally from the Federation's Side 3, but he defected to Zeon after the One Year War broke out.

Of course, Eli knew none of this.

Artillery-type mobile suits were notorious for their high-caliber weaponry. However, against a unit specialized in precision dodging, Eli could evade their pinpoint attacks with ease.

Simply put, Eli had already closed in on the artillery-type mobile suit!

Only now did Thomas attempt to activate his beam halberd for melee combat.

But before he could, Eli swung his left arm—shield and all—smashing the mobile suit's left hand and knocking the halberd away.

Without pause, Eli let go of his beam rifle and drove his right fist into the mobile suit's chest armor.

The mechanism inside his forearm deployed, revealing the hidden beam saber. It ignited instantly, piercing through the enemy's chest.

In this brutal battlefield, before he could even score a single kill, this ace pilot had become the first casualty of the Chimera Squadron.

Even on the main frontlines, Chimera Squadron hadn't suffered any losses yet.

"Thomas!"

Eli shoved the dying mobile suit away with his right hand and retrieved his beam rifle.

At that moment, a Zaku suddenly rushed toward him.

"Don't—"

Uma tried to stop the Zaku, but before he could even finish his sentence, the mobile suit was shot through the chest and destroyed.

Without hesitation, Eli reignited his EZ-SR's thrusters and continued his charge toward Blue Lightning.

He ignored the thoughts of his enemies.

Regret, fear—none of it mattered. If they wanted to reflect on this battle, they'd need to survive first.

After instantly taking down an ace and effortlessly eliminating a reckless Zaku, Eli's EZ-SR had become the embodiment of death in the eyes of his enemies.

Even though Thomas wasn't among the top aces, his loss still sent a chilling wave through the battlefield.

"UAAAHHHH!"

Blue Lightning couldn't withstand the mounting pressure any longer. He roared, drawing his beam halberd, and charged straight at the Gundam!

Fortunately for him, while the deaths of the two previous pilots were near-instantaneous, the red and ash-gray mobile suits had now caught up. Meanwhile, sniper fire rained down from above.

If he could just hold out a little longer, his teammates would secure the kill!

Uma's gaze sharpened as he locked onto the EZ-SR.

Eli had already holstered his beam rifle and redeployed his beam sabers.

Even while dodging sniper shots with precise movements, he focused entirely on his enemy ahead.

For a moment, this entire battlefield revolved around two mobile suits—one silver-gray, one water-blue.

Two high-mobility combat units clashed in an instant.

One pink, one yellow—two beams collided, their I-fields repelling each other, unleashing a dazzling explosion of energy.

But now was not the time for a prolonged duel.

A sense of unease crept into Eli's mind.

A sinister, seething hatred was closing in from behind.

Eli realized—the ash-gray mobile suit behind him was Kado.

After a brief hesitation, he made his decision.

"..."

Uma watched as the Gundam in front of him slowly lowered its head.

He knew that mobile suits weren't human—this movement didn't mean surrender.

But his attention was drawn in.

Then, EZ-SR lifted its head once more.

Its eyes—glowing crimson.

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