Chapter 318: The Alaska Defensive Battle (1)
The battle at the Alaska base was also raging at full intensity. Tanks and fighter jets of the Earth Alliance Forces were continuously being destroyed by ZAFT's artillery fire.
Although a few ZAFT MS were occasionally shot down by the base's turrets, the numbers were completely disproportionate.
If not for the Earth Alliance's sheer numerical advantage in tanks and fighter jets, the entire Alaska base would have already fallen.
Outside the base, the ground was covered across mountains and plains with Earth Alliance artillery emplacements and tanks, while the sky was filled with dense swarms of fighter jets.
At sea, large fleets of warships were also stationed, continuously launching attacks against ZAFT's forces.
However, the technological gap was simply too great. These weapons could not keep up with the mobility of MS, so the Earth Alliance's ground forces all became stationary targets that could only take hits.
The same was true for the fighter units in the sky, which were toyed with relentlessly by aerial Dinn.
After all, MS had a much wider attack range, and as long as they avoided a fighter's frontal assault, every other direction became the fighter's blind spot. In that situation, the fighter jet turned into a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.
The warships at sea were even better fixed targets. Whether it was the Zono and Goon operating underwater, or the Dinn in the air, all of them could attack the ships with ease.
One tank after another, one fighter after another, one warship after another—over time, all of them were destroyed by ZAFT's MS forces.
The Archangel also struggled desperately to hold on, using its fiercest firepower to defend against ZAFT's attacks.
Only along this defensive line did the Earth Alliance soldiers have even a sliver of breathing room.
At the same time, the Huayan, with its Mirage Colloid system activated, had arrived near the outskirts of the Alaska battlefield.
"Master, we're about to reach the outer perimeter of the Alaska combat zone. You can sortie at any time."
Sitting inside the Astray Gundam Zero, Tolle nodded and replied, "Alright, Nami. Help me pilot Zero for now. After I sortie, store the Huayan in the storage space."
"Yes, Master. Nami will definitely complete this task."
After retrieving the Huayan, Tolle immediately accelerated in the Astray Gundam Zero and charged toward the combat zone where the Archangel was located.
He then opened the communicator and called out to the Archangel, "Archangel, do you read me? Archangel, do you read me?
"This is Tolle Koenig. I'm piloting the Astray Gundam Zero and coming in as reinforcement.
"Please don't shoot me down by mistake."
"That's great—Tolle, you're really alright." Upon hearing the call, Murrue stared in shock at Tolle on the monitor. Having learned from past experience, she immediately said, "I'll send you the Alaska Forces' identification signal right away. Be careful out there."
Nearby, Miriallia was so happy that she burst into tears, crying as she spoke, "Welcome back, Tolle. I missed you so much. Wuu~."
"Yeah, Miriallia, I'm back. I missed you too. You've worked hard during this time."
The other members aboard the Archangel also expressed their welcome one after another.
Tolle nodded in response. "Mm. Once this battle is over, we'll all get together properly."
At that moment, several ZAFT Dinn closed in on the Astray Gundam Zero.
Looking at the Dinn charging toward him, Tolle said with some annoyance, "ZAFT pilots, interrupting someone's reunion is a very bad habit. Looks like I'll have to ask you to exit the stage for now."
Then Tolle grinned mischievously and said, "Tolle Koenig, Astray Gundam Zero—commencing target expulsion!"
Facing the Dinn, Tolle immediately raised the beam rifle and, just like Kira, targeted their hand weapons and head units.
Streaks of green beams instantly shattered the hand weapon and head of one Dinn, sending it slowly falling toward the sea.
Seeing the situation turn bad, the remaining Dinn immediately scattered, sprinting at high speed while firing shotguns, machine guns, and missiles in counterattack.
Tolle paid no attention to these solid-round attacks. He performed a flashy turn, easily evading the storm of bullets.
Then, while dodging and maneuvering, he unleashed a burst from the twin-barrel Gatling guns mounted on the shield in his left hand, destroying the hand weapons and heads of the remaining Dinn.
However, just as those Dinn were taken down, the Goon units in the sea surfaced and launched beams and high-speed torpedoes at the Astray Gundam Zero in a coordinated assault.
This time, Tolle showed no restraint. After all, his skills weren't refined enough to go easy on underwater units.
"Since you've provoked me, you'd better be prepared to die."
Tolle performed a 180-degree spinning flip and rapidly unleashed a full Gatling salvo at the Goon on the surface.
The Gatling guns on the shield thrusters on his back and the twin-barrel Gatling guns in his hands erupted with intense muzzle flashes. The torrents of fire instantly obliterated several Goon.
Unfortunately, ZAFT's MS forces were also extremely numerous. Dinn, Zaku, Goon, and Zono continued to surge toward Tolle without end.
Tolle had no choice but to pilot the Astray Gundam Zero at full pace, constantly eliminating incoming units while slowly pushing closer to the Archangel.
At that moment, he spotted a blue thermal energy beam test-type Zaku on the battlefield, mounted on an SFS GuA, charging straight toward him.
Tolle muttered to himself, "This thermal energy beam test-type Zaku… could it be Shiho Hahnenfuss's experimental MS?
"Nami, help me partially assimilate this unit later and check who's piloting it."
"Nami received. Master, please rest assured and focus on firing the Gatling guns. Leave the rest to Nami."
While still at a distance, the thermal energy beam test-type Zaku raised its twin shoulder-mounted thermal conduction energy beam cannons and fired two green beams at the Astray Gundam Zero in a sweeping attack.
Tolle immediately pulled the control lever for an emergency evasive maneuver, then pushed the thrusters to full power and charged straight toward the thermal energy beam test-type Zaku at high speed.
———
Thermal Energy Beam Test-Type Zaku
C+ Rank Unit
Terrain Adaptability: Sea C / Land B / Air – / Space A
Fixed Weapons: Shoulder-mounted thermal conduction energy beam cannons x2; Heavy beam saber x1.
Optional Weapons: Machine guns x2.
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