Behind a large asteroid at some distance from the moon in the lunar space zone, the Silver Lightning remained hidden using GN Particle stealth, awaiting the moment to engage.
Inside the Silver Lightning, Flay had completed her combat preparations. Though her ultimate goal remained becoming a princess consort (in Flay's view, Reid becoming king was inevitable), she had long since embraced her identity as a soldier.
When the operation time arrived, Flay opened her eyes from her meditative state. As the latest Psycommu System in the core unit read the pilot's brainwaves (using the GP-08 [Phantom Rose] β - Reid had installed the newest Psycommu System before departure, delivered to the Star Palace Colony Satellite via an Antietam-class Freighter), the entire cockpit flickered with various signal lights before fully illuminating to display a 360-degree unobstructed view around the Mobile Suit.
Externally, the Silver Lightning disengaged its GN Particle stealth, revealing its massive and formidable frame.
Then, a brilliant trail of GN Particles streaked across space, heading straight for Requiem Relay Station One.
Just as previous reconnaissance had indicated, the fake space debris posing as Requiem Relay Station One in lunar synchronous orbit was completely undefended. The Silver Lightning's assault encountered no enemy resistance.
However, the Atlantic Federation wasn't careless enough to leave Requiem Relay Station One completely without detection measures.
With no Neutron Jammers on the moon, both radar and long-range communications functioned perfectly.
Thus, the moment the Silver Lightning approached, alarms sounded in the monitoring room of the Daedalus Base below.
The intelligence immediately reached the Daedalus Base Commander.
The Silver Lightning's enormous form immediately made the Daedalus Base Commander realize this was a surprise attack by the New Misurugi Kingdom.
Only the New Misurugi Kingdom favored manufacturing Large Mobile Armors - ZAFT had no expertise in creating such weapons.
In the next moment, the commander realized the grave trouble he faced. The New Misurugi Kingdom's attack on Requiem Relay Station One meant they had discovered the Requiem and understood its operational mechanisms.
The commander found it extremely puzzling how the New Misurugi Kingdom had uncovered this information. This was one of the Atlantic Federation's top secrets - no one stationed at this base had returned to Earth since arriving, and the vast majority didn't even understand the Requiem's firing mechanisms.
The existence of the Requiem was unknown even to personnel at Earth Alliance lunar bases. Within the Atlantic Federation, only a few high-ranking military officials and the president were aware, along with certain individuals in LOGOS.
The Daedalus Base Commander could only conclude that someone in LOGOS had betrayed the organization. Otherwise, the Requiem's discovery made no logical sense - unless Reid Isaac, this so-called Newtype, truly possessed supernatural foresight and could predict anything.
However, hunting for traitors would have to wait. The Daedalus Base Commander first needed to confront this assault on his base.
Thus, the Daedalus Base Commander issued orders with solemn composure:
"Notify the Earth Alliance lunar base that we're under attack by new weapons from the New Misurugi Kingdom. The entire New Misurugi Kingdom force is deploying. Request they dispatch at least three fleets for reinforcement."
"And relay my orders: deploy three Euclid squadrons. Then inform that berserk Enhanced Person that the opportunity to avenge his commander and siblings has arrived. We must make the New Misurugi Kingdom realize the Atlantic Federation's research capabilities are nothing to scoff at."
No sooner had the Daedalus Base Commander finished speaking than his adjutant relayed the commands, then cautiously inquired:
"Sir, the New Misurugi Kingdom's base still shows no movement. The lunar monitoring base would certainly know this. Are we certain about transmitting this information?"
The Daedalus Base Commander cast a cold glance at his adjutant, indicating the young officer still needed seasoning, but nevertheless explained:
"The New Misurugi Kingdom wouldn't deploy just one unit to assault Relay Station One. If they merely wanted to destroy it, they wouldn't need their latest MA. A single squad carrying high-yield bombs would suffice."
"The New Misurugi Kingdom possesses exceptional Mobile Suit stealth technology. They could easily covertly destroy the unmanned Relay Station One, which is precisely why we've disguised all relay stations as space debris. It's not about fearing theft, but about preventing unwanted attention."
"Now that they're boldly deploying new units in a frontal assault, there must be follow-up forces with the Requiem itself as their ultimate target. The forces at their lunar base will inevitably mobilize."
"My old comrades aren't fools—they'll undoubtedly reach the same conclusion."
"Even if we're mistaken and the New Misurugi Kingdom's lunar base remains inactive, we still need fleet-level forces monitoring that installation to prevent sudden battlefield intervention. Besides, we haven't played all our cards—the three other new units developed under the Acteon Plan remain stationed here."
As the Daedalus Base Commander's orders took effect, dozens of meteoric trails soon ascended from the base.
With the Zamza-zah already entering mass production within the Atlantic Federation, its intended mass-production model, the Euclid, had been manufactured in even greater numbers.
Thus Daedalus Base casually deployed three squadrons totaling forty-five units. (One squadron equals three teams, with one team typically fielding five Mobile Suits. While team sizes vary even within Earth Alliance forces—ranging from three to ten units—here we follow my established standard.)
Leading the formation was a distinctive Orb-style unit: the MBF-02VV Astray Reverse Red Frame.
This Mobile Suit was developed by Valerio Valeri, chief Mobile Suit engineer at Acteon Company.
Though Reid's CE Universe lacked those meddlesome factions from side stories—with Lowe Guele genuinely operating as a junk dealer along the war's periphery, occasionally scavenging debris while working part-time as a mercenary and Astray series tester—
Valerio Valeri had nevertheless taken notice of Lowe Guele's Red Astray Gundam. Driven by personal interest, he utilized his research budget and authority to develop this Astray Reverse Red Frame.
Though this unit fell outside Acteon Company's official Acteon Plan, its composite greatsword backpack with integrated beam gatling guns demonstrated exceptional anti-phase-shift-armor and photon-wave-barrier penetration capabilities. Consequently, Acteon Company ultimately delivered this Mobile Suit to the Earth Alliance alongside other units.
The Atlantic Federation ultimately took a liking to this Mobile Suit and assigned it to Sting Oakley, who had fled the South American battlefield and voluntarily requested enhancement of his Enhanced Person abilities. His physical strength and madness now far surpassed that of the first-generation Three Young Aces.
Since human experimentation on Earth was highly sensitive at the time, Sting Oakley, along with several other Enhanced Persons, was dispatched to Daedalus Base, coincidentally arriving just in time for Reid's assault.
However, the speed at which they launched from Daedalus Base was undoubtedly no match for the Silver Lightning's pace in destroying Requiem Relay Station No. 1.
To the Silver Lightning, Requiem Relay Station No. 1 was nothing more than a massive Colony Satellite wreck.
Flay piloted her Mobile Suit in close and directly fired the handheld Super Positron Cannon.
The crimson beam effortlessly pierced through the armor and outer shell of Requiem Relay Station No. 1, melting through the other side as well.
With a swift horizontal maneuver, Flay cleanly split the entire Requiem Relay Station No. 1 in two.
Immediately after, the Silver Lightning unleashed a barrage from its various upper and lower weapons systems. Without even using missiles, the entire Requiem Relay Station No. 1 was reduced to scattered cosmic metal fragments, making it impossible for the Atlantic Federation to reassemble them.
By this time, the L3 support squad from the New Misurugi Kingdom, which had followed the Silver Lightning but launched from the Mothership, had just arrived at the location of Requiem Relay Station No. 1.
Flay glanced at the scattered flashes of fire below and, as the frontline commander, addressed her comrades:
"When the fighting starts, remember to stay behind my Mobile Suit or attack from the far flanks. This unit has too much area-of-effect damage and friendly fire is a real risk."
The L3 support troops from the New Misurugi Kingdom were all veterans from the Artemis Base. Their Mobile Suits had been replaced with mass-produced Ghost Jegans, all equipped with Beam Sniper Rifles and Super Rocket Launchers for assault operations, along with six Jet Drill Darts at their waists specifically designed to breach Positron Shields. Naturally, they had no objections to Flay's instructions.
Seeing that her allies had already positioned themselves behind her Mobile Suit, Flay activated the GN Field and opened the missile bays. A massive wave of missiles blanketed the space, targeting the forces launching from Daedalus Base.
With no Neutron Jammers to interfere, the Silver Lightning's missile barrage struck their targets with pinpoint Accuracy.
The Mobile Suits ascending from Daedalus Base were instantly engulfed in a series of explosions.
However, when the explosions subsided, these Mobile Suits remained completely unscathed.
The reason was simple: forty-five Euclid units, detecting the incoming missile swarm, deployed their Positron Reflector Beam Shields side-by-side, forming a large rectangular shield array measuring five rows by nine columns.
The sole Astray Reverse Red Frame, lacking a Positron Reflector Beam Shield, took cover behind this barrier. With only missiles at her disposal, Flay stood no chance of breaching the shields.
Frustrated that her missiles hadn't taken down a single enemy unit, Flay's built-in Passion skill (doubling emotional fluctuation values) kicked in, causing her combat spirit to soar and her Focus to intensify.
In truth, as someone with inherent Newtype potential, even after being transformed into an Enhanced Person and Super-Soldier through skill modification, Flay's latent abilities remained unaffected. After all, the system's modifications were perfect and didn't overdraw her potential.
So Flay could vaguely sense a mind brimming with hatred, rage, and madness among the enemy forces.
She immediately roared over the squad comms, "Crane Wing Formation!" and charged ahead without hesitation.
The others, trusting her judgment, split into two teams to flank the forces emerging from Daedalus Base.
Seeing the enemy's Large Mobile Armor charging at them, the three squadrons of Euclids naturally retaliated. Each unit was equipped with two M464 Type 'Degtyaryov' High-Energy Large Beam Cannons, and with forty-five units in total, the ninety crimson beams they fired created a spectacular sight.
Flay wasn't foolish; even with her Mobile Suit protected by a GN Field, taking ninety high-energy large beam cannons head-on would be idiotic. So, she maneuvered the Silver Lightning into a long-distance sideways roll.
The Silver Lightning's agility defied its massive size.
The fourth-generation GN Solar Furnace allowed the Mobile Suit to achieve high-speed lateral movement effortlessly without numerous lateral thrusters. Combined with its powerful thrust, the Silver Lightning traced a lightning-like arc through space without slowing down, piercing straight into the enemy formation.
Simultaneously, the long blades on the Silver Lightning's lower body extended horizontally, poised to slice through the clustered Euclids in one sweep.
However, Sting Oakley in the Astray Reverse Red Frame wasn't just standing by idly.
Seeing the New Misurugi Kingdom's Mobile Suit, Sting Oakley reacted as if he had encountered his father's killer.
He roared, "Die, all of you from the New Misurugi Kingdom!!" and the Astray Reverse Red Frame swung its massive twin swords, aiming directly for the Silver Lightning's head.
Alarms blared inside the Silver Lightning. Spotting the enemy attacking from above, Flay immediately deployed six Kihar II Kai units and fired the upper section's GN Rocket Cannon at the Astray Reverse Red Frame.
Sting Oakley had improved significantly; his reflexes were sharp. Facing multiple GN Beams, he executed three consecutive 180-degree sideways flips to evade them.
But slowing down was unavoidable. After the flips, the Astray Reverse Red Frame found itself surrounded by six Kihar II Kai units operating under Kamille's combat parameters.
The Euclid pilots, whose reactions were far slower than Sting Oakley's, weren't as fortunate. Nine Euclids lined up in a row were cleanly sliced apart by the Silver Lightning's long blades. Their positron shields were as flimsy as paper against the large, high-heat blades infused with GN Particles.
And it didn't end there. After cutting down the Euclids, Flay executed a 90-degree drift, maneuvering the Silver Lightning behind the main Euclid force.
The Euclid pilots could only curse in frustration. How could a super-large Mobile Armor with a wingspan over 100 meters and an MA Mode length of at least 70-80 meters turn faster than their small MAs, which stood 23 meters tall and were 54 meters long?
It was as counterintuitive as a massive semi-truck being more agile than a compact car.
Atlantic Federation pilots muttered among themselves, "Is this thing a Cybertronian in disguise?"
But no amount of cursing could change the outcome.
By the time the Silver Lightning slid to their flank, the Euclid pilots had desperately tried to turn but still couldn't keep up.
This wasn't just due to the Mobile Suits' lateral turning speed; the pilots also failed to immediately recognize the Silver Lightning's new position, their reactions lagging several beats behind.
It's important to note that the Euclids' positron shields, like those of the Zamza-zah, could only be deployed from the front.
Once the enemy flanked or attacked from the rear, the Euclid—with four fewer legs than the Zamza-zah—struggled to retaliate.
As a result, the Euclid pilots faced a split in their decision-making.
Some chose to maximize their thrusters, attempting a high-speed forward dash to evade the enemy's follow-up attacks.
Others continued trying to turn, activating their Positron Shields to block the enemy's assault. As long as the Positron Shield could rotate into position, their chances of surviving the enemy's long-range attacks would significantly increase.
However, Flay was indifferent to the enemy's choices.
Her goal was to disrupt the enemy's formation. After all, if these Mobile Suits focused their fire, they still had a chance to breach the GN Field. But if they scattered, sporadic high-energy large Beam Cannons would pose little threat.
So Flay unleashed the Silver Lightning's full firepower at the still-disorganized Euclid units in front of her. How many of them survived this onslaught depended entirely on their own skill.
--Enjoying the story? Want more chapters? Check out my Patreon and support me for 40+ advance chapters.
Just search for "LegendaryTL" on Patreon!"
Thanks!