Chapter 182: One Versus Two
"Vmm!"
A beam of light shot across the battlefield, blasting apart a Zaku that had attempted to charge in.
After analyzing the combat situation, Paolo concluded that the Delaz Fleet would prioritize eliminating the remnants of the Jamitov forces up ahead.
Thus, under Paolo's command, the White Chaser decided to stick to their original plan—destroying the thrusters of this colony satellite.
This was also a direct order from their newly appointed commander, General Green Wyatt.
But it wasn't until they actually launched the assault that they realized just how difficult this operation would be.
Under normal circumstances, a unit like the Dijeh could be taken out by the ship's anti-air cannons, provided one remained cautious. Though the Dijeh had decent acceleration, it was severely lacking in maneuverability.
Yet with Zeon mobile suits appearing from all directions, the Dijeh unexpectedly found its niche.
With allied forces drawing away the anti-air fire, the Dijeh could utilize its respectable speed to execute hit-and-run tactics. Even if each strike only destroyed a single anti-air gun, it still made the solo-operating White Chaser increasingly vulnerable.
"Port-side compartment on fire! Firewalls deployed!"
Paolo gritted his teeth, a line from the Pegasus-Class Captain's Manual flashing through his mind—specifically the section on the Pegasus-class's port-side defenses.
They had already reinforced that area. It shouldn't have gone down so easily.
"Io, take Gis with you to guard the port side. Everyone else, hold position within the anti-air perimeter."
Realizing the White Chaser was in dire straits, Eli gave orders to his MS team while personally piloting the GP04 to spearhead the counterattack.
First up was the Dijeh that had just inflicted damage on the White Trojan's port side. With only minimal aiming, Eli took it down using his long-range beam rifle.
Before the suit's auto-balancing system could even react, Eli pulled back on the control stick, causing his machine to drop slightly and dodge a strike from behind—delivered by a Rick Dom—before deploying his beam jitte!
Eli had specifically requested the maintenance crew to tweak this weapon, extending the beam blade just slightly past the rifle's muzzle.
Now wielding the long-range beam rifle like a spear, he gripped it with both hands and drove it straight into the Rick Dom's chest.
Placing a hand on the Dom's head, he shoved the now-inert mobile suit aside and scanned his monitors for the next target.
A late-model Musai cruiser was emerging from the colony satellite's shadow, suddenly firing its MEGA particle cannon!
Eli shifted his suit to the side, narrowly dodging the main cannon's blast.
But the shot wasn't aimed at him—it was targeting the White Chaser!
"Anti-beam flares—launch!"
At Paolo's command, the anti-beam flares that had already been loaded into the missile tubes detonated the moment they were fired. At the same time, the Musai's beam struck the newly formed flare curtain.
Although the defense was activated in time, the hastiness of its deployment meant not all of the beam was neutralized.
A stray beam from the dispersing blast scraped the side of the bridge, sending a jolt of panic through Paolo and the crew.
After confirming the White Chaser had sustained no critical damage, Eli quickly shifted his focus. He soared past a Dijeh and charged toward the Musai.
The Dijeh pilot, let out a breath of relief, thinking he had been spared.
But in the next second, a beam struck him from behind, impaling his mobile suit.
Eli retracted the beam rifle in his left hand—originally modified from G-line's beam rifle and now mounted as a sub-weapon on the GP04.
Drawing closer, Eli raised his long-range beam rifle. Despite moving at high speed, he fired three consecutive shots, detonating the Musai's MEGA particle cannon.
By neutralizing the main cannon before it could charge a second shot, Eli immediately turned his rifle's muzzle toward the Musai's bridge.
"Vmm!"
Just as Eli was about to pull the trigger, a beam of emerald green light shot down from above!
Moments before it hit, Eli pulled his rifle back and dodged.
His mobile suit shuddered.
A massive MA had charged past GP04 at the same time the beam had grazed him!
It was Neue Ziel!
Seeing the enemy MA pass below, Eli didn't raise his beam rifle to pursue. Instead, he reversed his grip and drew his beam saber, slashing sideways!
A tethered cable had emerged beside the GP04, still actively maneuvering!
Eli swung his beam saber, intending to slice it clean in two.
But just before the blade made contact, a red grappling claw shot out from the side and intercepted it!
"Coming from behind, huh!"
Seeing the other MA—Val Walo—Eli instantly grasped their plan.
The green tethered claw from Neue Ziel had already looped behind him, aiming straight for his cockpit!
Though the GP04 boasted the most advanced frame and armor at the time, a direct hit would leave nothing behind but a twisted corpse.
Gritting his teeth, Eli deactivated the beam saber still locked in a power struggle with Val Walo's claw, while keeping the thrusters on his backpack running.
The entire mobile suit toppled forward, with the left arm raising its shield to guard his side.
Neue Ziel's claw struck the shield—a single impact was all it took for the entire shield to shatter.
As the GP04 fell forward, Eli adjusted the angle of the thrusters on his backpack's Gale Boosters, forcing the enemy's claw to merely graze across his back.
Still, it wasn't without consequence. One of the Gale Boosters was torn apart, sparking with electrical discharges.
Without hesitation, Eli jettisoned all three Gale Boosters—keeping two would have only made his thrust unbalanced, requiring constant adjustments to maintain posture.
"Boom!"
The damaged booster exploded, taking the remaining two intact ones with it.
A thick cloud of smoke now hung between the GP04 and Val Walo.
Eli knew the explosion wouldn't have done much to the Val Walo. Reigniting his beam saber, he dove into the smoke, aiming straight for the source of the red glow.
It was Val Walo's main monitor.
Though such a massive MA wouldn't lose visual function just from one damaged monitor, it would certainly be affected.
Kelly quickly tried to maneuver Val Walo's claws, aiming to grab the Gundam's leg and tear it off.
With the regeneration P-system assisting him, this should have been an easy task.
"Kelly Layzner—the man who abandoned his wife and child just to keep fighting!"
Just as Kelly prepared to strike, an unfamiliar voice rang out inside the cockpit.
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