Soon, it was based on the desire not to lose the prestige of the Eurasian Federation in front of Wang Hu and the world.
There was also the consideration that Wang Hu and the Archangel were willing to engage in battle.
At the same time, Major General Charle's greatest confidence still came from the Umbrella of the Moon, which had protected them for a long, long time.
In any case, the Artemis Fortress was full of vigor this time, quickly assembling a response team in a short period.
After meeting up with the Archangel battleship, the entire fleet grandly passed through an opening in the Umbrella of the Moon.
They arrived in front of the ZAFT fleet in a combat-ready formation.
"Captain Creuset, the long legs are indeed here!" On the Vesalius in the ZAFT fleet, Creuset's aide finally relaxed his heart.
Seeing that the Archangel was indeed present, the aide felt that at least they had some allies and local gentlemen to rely on.
There would be a reasonable explanation after all.
"Hmm." Since this fleet was assembled using Creuset's privileges, he was naturally elected as the commander of this fleet.
A cunning light flickered in his eyes behind the mask as Creuset calmly ordered, "Let the diversionary troops engage first, test the strength of the Eurasian Federation, and then give them a little taste of sweetness afterward."
"Understood." Without further ado, the aide agreed and immediately began contacting the allies.
Wang Hu!
After the aide left, Creuset muttered the name of his old rival in his mind.
Will our tacit understanding still exist this time?
He quietly watched the Archangel, which was arrayed at the forefront of the enemy fleet, silently waiting for the outcome in his heart.
"Alright, Kira, Mu, it's our turn to take the stage. Without our appearances as the main characters, those allies over there might end up staring at each other until the end of time. Let's skip the silent war; we can't afford to lose face!"
Wang Hu, who was being mentioned by Creuset, piloted his Qilin onto the launch runway.
"Yes, yes, yes, Lieutenant Wang Hu, I'll follow your lead."
Ever since this ship had been sold for a good price by Wang Hu, and after seeing the so-called supplies supposedly sent by the Eurasian Federation, Mu had lost all spirit.
He had known that the three components of the Allied Forces were scheming against each other, but to calculate against allies in the face of a great enemy was disheartening.
Mu decided to just go through the motions in this battle!
After all, the weapons and ammunition sent were not much, and there were no living supplies at all, which was truly disappointing!
In contrast to Mu's determination to slack off, Kira was much more motivated.
"Kira Yamato, Strike Gundam, launch! For the revolution of this world!"
Look at that, listen to that, the slogan is different now!
This shows how much Wang Hu's persuasion had influenced Kira, whose thoughts had changed dramatically.
"Kira." Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Archangel, several of his classmates listened to Kira's launch slogan.
On one hand, they were surprised by Kira's change; on the other hand, they silently prayed for him.
Praying that he would return safely!
Seeing the three mobile suits on the Archangel take the lead in launching, the Eurasian Federation's battleships also began to move.
It was impossible for the battleship to advance and engage in artillery fire with the enemy ZAFT Forces, but deploying the cannon fodder Moebius fighters from the ship was still feasible.
Squadrons of fighters trailed behind the vanguard trio led by Wang Hu, presenting a somewhat formidable front for the Eurasian Federation's forces, at least in terms of appearance.
Meanwhile, the Artemis Fortress had deactivated several of its Umbrella of the Moon generators.
The gaping maws of beam cannons were primed and ready to provide fire support at any moment.
"They're coming!"
The frontline soldiers of both opposing forces, each harboring their own ulterior motives, gradually closed the distance in this delicate atmosphere.
With a sudden shout over the comm channels in both formations, it was unclear which side fired first.
In an instant, bullets flew wildly, missiles streaked across the sky, Moebius and Gene danced in unison, flames and death coexisting.
The battlefield was a scene of fierce combat, with relentless exchanges of fire, yet in reality—
"Something's off."
Having fought Coordinators multiple times, Wang Hu was, in a sense, an old acquaintance with them.
From within the Qilin, Wang Hu sensed a whiff of conspiracy the moment he engaged the enemy.
For one, his formidable rival Creuset hadn't come to "reminisce" with him this time.
Of the four stolen Gundams, considering two needed repairs, why hadn't the other two been deployed?
Moreover, the Coordinators on the battlefield seemed less like they were fighting the Eurasian Federation and more like they were staging a mock battle.
Given his combat prowess, it made sense for the enemy, lacking ace pilots, to focus on containing him rather than engaging directly.
But even against the Eurasian Federation, these Coordinators were fighting so cautiously—borderline conservative!
"Creuset, are you seriously insulting my intelligence now?"
Wang Hu had witnessed multiple instances where enemy Gene units could have easily taken the lives of Eurasian Federation soldiers.
Yet, at the last moment, they inexplicably veered away.
On the surface, it might have seemed like the Gene units were avoiding counterattacks from rescuing Moebius fighters, letting their prey slip away.
But everyone knew that unless the Moebius' firepower struck a Gene's critical spot, these Coordinators typically wouldn't dodge—their combat style was all about recklessness!
Reckless to the core, charging headlong into the future.
"Hmm?" Wang Hu scrutinized the battlefield again and noticed another oddity.
In the Nova campaign, where Coordinators clashed with the East Asian Army—the strongest force among the Allied Forces—they had once gained the upper hand. Yet today, the Coordinators were steadily retreating!
"One, two, three..." He tallied silently. Don't misunderstand—Wang Hu wasn't counting the Eurasian Federation's achievements.
In fact, aside from Kira, who had been unusually aggressive and managed to down enemies, Wang Hu hadn't seen the Eurasian Federation score a single genuine kill!
On the surface, it was all Genes withdrawing after taking damage.
To put it bluntly, Wang Hu didn't even believe the injuries sustained by the enemy Genes warranted such tactical retreats.
"Creuset, you really do know me well."
Finally reaching his conclusion, Wang Hu couldn't help but give a thumbs-up to his old friend, who was sitting comfortably on the sidelines.
After that, there wasn't much left to say. A battle with ulterior motives wouldn't last long.
The battle outside Artemis Fortress concluded without suspense as the Eurasian Federation emerged victorious.
They left behind wreckage destroyed by Kira and the unfortunate soldiers who had fallen in the midst of the siege.
The ZAFT Forces, surging forward like a tide, retreated just as swiftly, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Then, likely in retaliation for this defeat, the enemy fleet deployed fresh reinforcements, pressing forward with their entire armada.
Seeing the enemy's furious, all-out offensive stance, Major General Charle decisively ordered a full retreat into the fortress.
After all, they had fought—and won—which was enough to satisfy both superiors and subordinates.
Major General Charle, who had been intent on using the East Asian Army as a shield, had no intention of risking his own forces to clear the way for others.
Wouldn't it be better to stay comfortably within the impenetrable Umbrella of the Moon and leave the rest to those barbarians of the East Asian Army?
Since the enemy's bombardment couldn't so much as scratch them, why not enjoy the sight of their opponents grinding their teeth in frustration?
Delightful!
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