Chapter 43: SEED – The End
Not long after, Tolle Koenig returned with the Blitz Gundam, bringing it back near the Archangel.
"Archangel, Archangel—this is Tolle Koenig, piloting the Blitz Ginn. Requesting permission to return.
Captain Murrue Ramius, I've brought back another big one this time.
Hehehe—it's the Blitz Gundam!
Captain, can we repair it so I can pilot it?"
Murrue Ramius, startled and incredulous, asked in return,
"Tolle Koenig, volunteer soldier—did you capture the Blitz Gundam?"
"Of course! Didn't you all say I have a knack for finding things? Well, this time I really did bring back the Blitz Gundam.
So, Captain, that means I'll be its pilot from now on, right?"
Murrue Ramius exchanged a glance with Natarle Badgiruel, then nodded.
"Tolle Koenig, volunteer soldier—your request is approved. Return immediately."
"Roger, Captain. Returning at once."
When Sergeant Murdoch saw the Blitz Gundam being towed back by the Blitz Ginn, his jaw dropped in speechless shock.
Was the Blitz Ginn he had modified really that powerful? It had even defeated the original Blitz Gundam.
After all, the PS Armor's greatest advantage was its tremendous defense against physical attacks, along with some resistance to high heat and high-voltage electricity.
The high-voltage current on the Blitz Ginn's claw anchor shouldn't have been able to inflict much damage on the Blitz Gundam at all.
No matter how Murdoch racked his brain, he couldn't figure out how Tolle Koenig had managed to completely take down the Blitz Gundam.
Could that brat Tolle Koenig be a natural-born ace pilot among Naturals?
Tolle jumped down from his own mobile suit and, seeing Murdoch still lost in his own speculations, said,
"Sergeant Murdoch, sorry, but I'm about to add to your workload again."
Then, a little sheepishly,
"Also… the Blitz Ginn's legs are gone again. But no rush—
The Captain has approved me to pilot the Blitz Gundam.
So, Sergeant Murdoch, fix the Blitz Gundam first—and while you're at it, transfer all the Blitz Ginn's weapons onto it.
Hehehe, I'm counting on you, Uncle Murdoch."
Murdoch snapped out of his thoughts, recovering slowly before replying,
"Oh… oh, all right. I'll do as you say."
Then he turned to the mechanics team.
"Contact the Captain right away and have soldiers sent over—we're going to open the Blitz Gundam's cockpit."
Soon, a large number of armed soldiers surrounded the Blitz Gundam's cockpit as Murdoch began unlocking it.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the Strike Gundam and the Moebius Zero were still locked in fierce combat with the Duel and Buster Gundams.
When they realized their comrade, the Blitz Gundam, had disappeared—towed toward the Archangel by a modified GINN—they began a desperate push toward the Archangel, determined to rescue Nicol Amalfi and reclaim the Blitz Gundam.
Unfortunately for them, the Strike and Moebius Zero kept them tied up, while the Archangel's powerful artillery fire repeatedly forced them back.
ZAFT's Laurasia-class battleships kept up a relentless barrage of beam cannon fire on the Archangel.
On the bridge, Murrue Ramius issued orders,
"Archangel, initiate manual evasive maneuvers—unpredictable patterns. Main cannon, target and fire!"
The two warships continued exchanging beam cannon fire, their shots also creating chaos for the Gundams fighting in the area.
The Archangel took several direct hits; if not for its layered anti-beam armor, ZAFT's Laurasia-class would have destroyed it already.
But that armor had its limits. After several hits, the radar operator reported,
"Captain, the sixth sensor array has been hit. Armor temperature is rising—at this rate, the heat dispersion won't keep up.
The armor temperature is still climbing; one or two more direct hits from the beam cannon and we won't hold out!"
Murrue Ramius tensed.
"Only one or two more hits left in us? Just keep evading as much as possible!"
Natarle Badgiruel asked,
"What are the Strike and Moebius Zero doing?"
Sai Argyle quickly reported,
"They're still engaged with the Duel and Buster Gundams, respectively."
On the battlefield, the Strike and Duel Gundams were locked in an intense chase, neither giving an inch.
The Moebius Zero dodged Buster's attacks while occasionally returning fire with a few linear shots.
Both sides were at a stalemate, unable to break off to engage ZAFT's Laurasia-class battleships.
The Archangel called out to the Strike Gundam, urging Kira Yamato to disengage and deal with the Laurasia-class.
Just then, Kira saw another beam cannon blast slam into the Archangel, triggering a massive explosion.
The ship's layered armor had reached its limit—it could no longer withstand the beam cannon's firepower.
At that moment, the Buster Gundam closed in on the Archangel, unleashing a barrage of beam rifle and scattershot fire.
Seeing the Archangel under attack, Kira finally snapped, shouting,
"I won't let the Archangel be hit!"
Suddenly, the Strike Gundam's movements became blindingly fast; it dodged the Duel's attack, then swung its beam saber in a single stroke, slicing through the Duel Gundam's waist.
Kira immediately broke away, rushing back toward the Archangel.
The damaged Duel kept firing its beam rifle in pursuit, but the Strike's movements were now in a completely different league—dodging effortlessly, not taking a single hit.
The Strike reached the Archangel and kicked the Buster Gundam away.
At that moment, the Duel reappeared from behind, closing in.
Kira quickly drew his combat knife from the Strike's waist and stabbed it into the spot where his beam saber had already damaged the Duel.
He kept cutting into the wound until an explosion erupted near the cockpit.
As before, Yzak Joule's face was slashed by shrapnel from the blast.
Clutching his face in pain, he kept screaming, "It hurts! It hurts!"
Seeing the tide turn, the Buster Gundam grabbed the Duel and retreated.
The ZAFT Laurasia-class also sent out a retreat signal.
With the enemy withdrawing, Kira Yamato and Mu La Flaga returned to the Archangel.
Everyone aboard finally breathed a sigh of relief—the battle was over.
In her quarters, Flay Allster muttered blankly,
"Yes… just wipe them all out like that…"
At the same time, the Archangel's bridge received a transmission from the Earth Alliance's Eighth Fleet.
"Archangel, please respond. Archangel, please respond.
This is the Atlantic Federation's Eighth Orbital Fleet. Archangel, do you copy?"
Hearing that voice, everyone on the bridge broke into cheers.
Murrue Ramius immediately replied,
"Atlantic Federation Eighth Orbital Fleet, this is the Archangel. Captain Murrue Ramius responding."
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