"K-Kira..."
Wang Hu's Qilin and Captain Creuset's CGUE had already disappeared from sight by now.
The meteorites falling from above weren't even in Athrun's consideration. If one were to ask about the greatest ill-fated relationship in this world,
Nothing could surpass that between Athrun and Kira!
Even Kira, who was originally this world's destined protagonist, with all his entanglements with Cagalli, Flay, and Lacus—
None of it could compare to what existed between these two!
"Athrun..." The Strike Gundam released its embrace from the Aegis Gundam.
Inside the cockpit, Kira's expression was complicated. To be honest, even now he didn't understand why he had done this.
Originally, if he hadn't intervened,
His respected elder brother Wang Hu might very well have shot down Athrun. In a way, that would have brought them one step closer to changing the world.
"Kira." The look of resignation on Athrun's face softened as he let out a deep, long sigh.
He probably smiled with relief, carrying that joyful feeling of satisfaction that his good friend hadn't changed.
"Kira, come back with me. Plant is our homeland."
Speaking thus to the friend who had saved his life, Athrun extended his invitation with three parts expectation, three parts certainty, and four parts anticipation for the future.
For Athrun, what could bring more happiness than fighting side by side with Kira?
Even taking the most conservative view, as long as Kira could return with him, he was fully capable of protecting the other.
There was no need for someone as gentle as Kira to set foot on the battlefield!
Fighting on the battlefield was something he alone could handle—he, Athrun, could perfectly accomplish even Kira's share!
"Athrun..." Kira opened his mouth, but unlike the smile on Athrun's face,
His own expression was filled with complexity as he watched the Aegis Gundam on the screen extending its hand toward him once more.
There was happiness, hesitation, reluctance, and struggle. What happened earlier was just a momentary impulse.
Caught up in the heat of emotion, Kira hadn't considered the consequences—the situation he faced now.
Faced with Athrun's sincere and hopeful invitation now, Kira didn't know how to position himself.
Leave with Athrun?
He shook his head. Even in the heat of emotion, such a thought had never crossed Kira's mind.
If Athrun was his good friend, then weren't Tolle and the others his good friends too?
Not to mention there was also Big Brother Wang Hu, that respected senior who placed great expectations in him and offered earnest guidance.
"Athrun, I'm sorry, I can't go back with you. I still have things I need to do there."
No matter how much he struggled and felt reluctant, one could only say fate was cruel. If time could flow backward and circumstances allowed choices...
Many possibilities flashed through his mind, but now Kira could only resolutely decline Athrun's invitation.
Moreover, in this situation, even with his limited emotional intelligence, Kira knew he couldn't possibly ask Athrun to switch sides right now.
"Kira, you!"
The rejected Athrun showed a heartbroken expression, staring at Kira on the screen as he slowly drifted away, putting distance between them.
He felt lost about the path ahead—should he engage in a deadly battle with Kira?
Or simply watch him leave?
His eyes devoid of light, Athrun inside the Aegis Gundam lowered his head.
"Athrun." Taking one last glance at his now lifeless-looking friend, Kira felt an inexplicable pang in his heart.
Clutching the chest area of his combat suit, Kira's uniform wrinkled under the force of his grip.
But
Once the Strike Gundam had put some distance between itself and the Aegis Gundam, Kira resolutely turned his mobile suit around, blue flames erupting from the rear thrusters.
Kira flew toward the center of the battlefield.
He needed to explain things to Big Brother Wang Hu, and the people on the Archangel were still waiting for him.
One headache unresolved, yet more daunting and troublesome matters lay ahead for Kira.
"Alright, now's the time! Archangel, launch! All departments, prepare for combat!"
Patiently waiting in the safe zone for the meteor shower to end.
As the meteor shower showed the first signs of subsiding, Natarle Badgiruel and Li Chengzhi almost simultaneously issued commands to the bridge crew.
Then, as if sharing the same thought, the two spoke in unison once more.
"Command of this battle is handed over to Captain Li Chengzhi."
"Command of this battle is handed over to Lieutenant Natarle Badgiruel."
"Uh..." Faced with the sudden and inexplicable mutual deference between the two, the bridge crew was speechless and couldn't help but turn to stare at them.
Since when did you two get along so well?
Weren't you two supposed to be rivals?
"You take it!" "You take it!"
Another two infuriatingly polite refusals. As Li Chengzhi and Natarle Badgiruel fell silent due to each other's words,
Coincidentally, just as both felt they should say something,
An even more awkward situation than wearing the same outfit occurred, and this time, they completely lost the will to speak. They stared at each other, man at woman, woman at man.
For a moment, the air on the bridge seemed thick with palpable awkwardness, and no one dared to speak.
"Ahem." Finally, Murrue cleared her throat, her eyes flickering with amusement as she glanced between Li Chengzhi and Natarle Badgiruel.
Ah, women! Perhaps gossip and curiosity are deeply ingrained in their genetic sequence.
"Let Captain Li Chengzhi take command of this battle."
Murrue, for once, could still distinguish the priorities of the current situation.
"Alright." Rubbing his nose, Li Chengzhi awkwardly stepped forward.
Positioning himself in front of Natarle Badgiruel, he made sure she was no longer in his line of sight.
"The objective of this operation is to engage three enemy Nazca-class Battleships. Based on my assessment, during the recent self-destruction of the Artemis Fortress,"
"Due to the distance, even if the enemy battleships survived by chance, they are surely heavily damaged."
"With our current combat capabilities, we have a chance to sink them. So, I ask everyone to lend me your strength."
"For the journey ahead, for our safe return to the United Forces Lunar Base, let us fight with all our might!"
Li Chengzhi's pre-battle pep talk was undoubtedly meant to cover up his own embarrassment.
And hearing Li Chengzhi deliver a full-blown motivational speech at a time like this?
Everyone on the bridge swiftly sprang into action, tacitly burying the previous events deep in their hearts.
'Hey, should we keep an eye on them later?' The helmsman and gunner exchanged meaningful glances.
'Tolle, this couple seems worth shipping!' Miriallia quietly asked her boyfriend.
'Is that even possible?'
Katz, the hopeless single ordinary guy, felt the world's profound malice toward him.
And so, in this bizarre atmosphere, like overworked office workers rushing off duty to catch some drama, the Archangel, driven by a crew of fervent soldiers, surged forward at a speed that defied conventional limits.
The battleship charged into the visible range of the three beleaguered enemy Nazca-class battleships.
"Alert, alert! The enemy Archangel has appeared ahead! Precursors to the City Breaking Cannon firing have been observed!"
Unlucky enough to have attempted to gang up on the Archangel only to be battered by the Artemis Fortress's self-destruction, the three Nazca-class battleships, with their massive frames, had suffered greatly under the meteor shower. Those aboard had clung to a sliver of hope: if they were in such a sorry state at this distance, perhaps the enemy Archangel, being closer to the Artemis Fortress…
Would end up even worse off than them, right?
Who could have imagined that the Archangel now before them appeared completely unscathed?
Even if it had sustained damage, it was far better off than their three battleships.
Didn't they see?
The enemy had already deployed the City Breaking Cannon, ready to turn the tables and strike back at them!
Everyone on the Vesalius—the helmsman, gunners, and others—turned in unison to look at the adjutant.
Fight or flee?
Their eyes all conveyed the same unspoken question.
Heavens, Captain Creuset, why aren't you here?
Tilting his head up at a 45-degree angle, the adjutant now missed his captain intensely, wishing he would appear right before him at this very moment.
(End of Chapter)