NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Chapter 30: Battle Against the Azure Star
Chapter 30: Battle Against the Azure Star
"Mr. Eli, do you know I've arrived?"
Amidst the siege by not six but four Dopp fighters, Amuro, seated in the core fighter, still found the composure to confirm the battle progress at the ravine.
At the start of the battle, he felt as though he had touched something intangible.
Thanks to this, Eli seemed to receive the signal and decisively began his assault.
In this way, Amuro had essentially fulfilled the task assigned to him by Bright.
He exhaled in relief and focused entirely on the battle unfolding before him.
Indeed, the White Base had detected the Apsalus even earlier than Eli's team.
After all, the carrier radar detected a high concentration of Minovsky particles moving at high altitude, a phenomenon far beyond the capability of any ordinary mobile suit.
With Karen relaying Eli's determined stance, Bright, both impressed and inspired, ordered the White Base to proceed at full speed.
At this rate, if Eli and his team could stall the Apsalus for just ten minutes, it would enter the range of the ship's cannons.
Bright's eyes widened as he tried to exude confidence.
"We'll make it in time, don't worry."
He reassured Karen and the other MS pilots who were on standby in the hangar.
Meanwhile, the battle at the ravine had reached a fever pitch.
The three well-hidden ground Gundams swiftly took out three Zaku units with their beam rifles in the opening moments.
Immediately after, they emerged from their cover and advanced toward the Apsalus.
"Intercept them!"
The ground units didn't even need Norris's command; they were already engaging.
The remaining three Zakus each charged toward a ground Gundam, while the Dopp fighters assigned targets for their attacks.
The infantry, meanwhile, boarded jeeps and began retreating away from the ravine.
This wasn't an act of cowardice but a strategic decision made by the two seasoned commanders at the Flying Tiger base.
They knew full well that infantry held minimal value in such a high-level battle.
Thus, it was better to preserve the Duchy's young soldiers for future engagements.
"This guy isn't half bad."
The two middle-aged commanders each glanced at the other's unit, silently acknowledging their opponent's prowess.
However, their mutual respect was short-lived as a fiery explosion erupted once more.
Norris looked up to see it had come from Unit 06's location.
"Miss Aina, leave immediately!"
Norris urged Aina once again.
"Ah… yes…"
Sitting in the Apsalus's cockpit, Aina snapped out of her daze and acknowledged Norris's plea.
Her gaze, however, remained fixed on another ground Gundam marked with "08."
Even with two other units bearing the same insignia on the field, Aina believed this one was piloted by Shiro.
Reaching out, she gently touched the screen.
"Shiro…"
"Miss Aina!"
Norris's sterner tone finally drew her attention away from the ground Gundam. She began operating the Apsalus to ascend.
The Apsalus kicked up a strong gust of wind as it started to rise.
Yet, just as its base leveled with the ravine's edge, a pink beam struck once more!
This time, it pierced the side of the base, causing a red warning light to flood the interior of the Apsalus.
"Apologies for exploiting your kindness, but even so, I cannot let you escape."
Eli, the one who had fired the shot, locked his gaze past the two Flying Tiger units onto the colossal Apsalus.
The ground Gundam's thrusters flared as the suit rocketed toward the Apsalus!
During this advance, Eli used the 100mm machine gun in his left hand to suppress the Flying Tiger unit on his left flank.
This Flying Tiger raised its shield, holding its ground defensively, while the other maneuvered to the side and charged at Eli.
Unsurprisingly, the Flying Tiger guarding the Apsalus was piloted by Norris, while the one attacking Eli was under the control of Ramba Ral.
Eli quickly deduced this.
How? The Duchy's notorious emphasis on appearances made it clear—Ramba Ral's Flying Tiger had been freshly painted in azure blue, his signature color.
Coupled with the distinct Flying Tiger model and Ramba Ral's reputation for relentlessly pursuing the White Base in the original series, Eli recognized the pilot immediately.
"The Azure Star himself? I'm honored."
Forced to abandon suppressing Norris, Eli turned his attention to the enemy before him as Ramba Ral's heat saber slashed down toward him.
Using his ground Gundam's shield to block the strike, Eli addressed the Duchy's renowned ace over the comms.
"Ha, the 'Grim Reaper of the Jungle.' That's hardly a flattering title."
Ramba Ral's steady voice replied in kind.
"And the original Gundam? Has it gone into hiding?"
Ramba Ral's sharp eyes observed the Gundam before him, noting its distinct differences from the original but undeniable similarities, marking it as a mass-production model.
"Underestimating me?"
Eli sharply pushed the left control lever forward, causing the suit's left arm to exert full power and fling the Flying Tiger's heat saber aside.
Seizing the opening, Eli thrust forward with the right arm, pressing his beam rifle's muzzle against the Flying Tiger's shield.
"Firing at this range? You'll cause a blowback!"
Ramba Ral mockingly warned Eli.
"That's none of your concern!"
"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!"
As Eli retorted without hesitation, his left arm's 100mm machine gun, recalibrated moments earlier, unleashed a barrage toward the Flying Tiger.
Ramba Ral instinctively raised his shield to block the shots.
Seeing this, Eli prepared to pull the trigger and fire his beam rifle.
"Naïve!"
It was only then that Eli noticed his right arm had been entangled by a whip-like weapon.
"A heat whip?!"
The whip glowed a menacing red, illuminating Eli's face as his onboard computer reported extensive damage to the right arm.
While the Luna Titanium alloy temporarily held up, the heat whip had a history of slicing through even Gundam-grade armor.
Realizing the danger, Eli abandoned suppressing the enemy with his left-hand machine gun. He released the weapon, drew his beam saber, and slashed upward, severing the whip.
Without hesitation, Eli then directed the beam saber toward the Flying Tiger.
However, the Azure Star, Ramba Ral, was no ordinary opponent. With a subtle adjustment to the Flying Tiger's right-side thrusters, he generated enough thrust to evade the beam saber's trajectory.
"This… is a space combat maneuver?!"