Chapter 323: The Sword That Dances Down (3)
Tolle immediately had Nami issue a command to the neo DG cells inside Yzak's body, causing him to subconsciously believe what Tolle was saying.
"Bastard!" Not long after, although Yzak did not verbally agree, his attack intensity dropped significantly, and his shots were no longer properly aimed.
At a glance, Tolle knew Nami had succeeded, so he immediately continued speaking to Yzak. "Thanks. When there's time, I'll arrange for Dearka to talk to you.
"Remember to have any units you can mobilize move outward. Come with us and say you're pursuing the Archangel.
"There's no downside to trying. If I really am lying to you, then you and your units can just sink the Archangel afterward.
"Of course, you can also broadcast it to the entire army if you want. Whether they believe it or not is up to them. The choice is yours."
Tolle also symbolically fired a few shots near the Assault Shroud Duel Gundam.
"You bastard!" Yzak shouted helplessly. He temporarily gave up attacking, increased his altitude, and began calling his own forces for support.
At this moment, the Archangel ran into real trouble. The attacks from the submarine carriers were simply too fierce.
With a tense expression, Neumann said to Murrue, "Captain Ramius, the enemy fire is too dense. We can't break through."
"Port rudder, twenty degrees. We'll go around them."
Chandra also reported nervously, "At the ten o'clock direction ahead, a mobile suit group has appeared. Estimated numbers exceed fifty units.
"The Ulysses has lost power and cannot advance. The Doloff has sunk."
Tolle also saw the sudden appearance of the large number of GINNs and asked Yzak, "Yzak, are those your units?"
With an ugly expression, Yzak replied, "No. My forces haven't arrived yet. They probably heard the reinforcement call and rushed over."
Cold sweat immediately broke out all over Tolle. He hadn't expected his own move to backfire and attract so many ZAFT units instead.
"Damn it!" Tolle shouted unwillingly, then muttered to himself, "Should I just copy Kira and make an all-forces broadcast too?"
Before he could decide what to do, the GINNs had already launched their attack on the Archangel.
The Archangel's damage worsened even further.
Left with no choice, Tolle activated both the Focus and Mercy mental commands, then charged straight toward the MS group in front of the Archangel.
While assaulting forward, he activated every weapon on the Astray Gundam Zero.
He then tightly gripped the firing controls, aimed at the weapons of the surrounding units, and unleashed a full-ammo barrage.
As it attacked within the ZAFT MS formation, the Astray Gundam Zero continuously rolled and spun, adjusting its firing angles.
Unfortunately, the range of the Gatling guns was inferior to that of the electromagnetic cannons and beam rifle. To improve efficiency, he could only perform a 360-degree map-clearing attack by plunging directly into the enemy formation.
In an instant, all of the enemy units' weapons were destroyed. With their armaments gone, they could only retreat backward.
However, the Archangel's situation was still far from optimistic. The submarine carriers and the units that had dispersed earlier continued attacking it.
Say also reported the Archangel's damage status with a tense expression. "Internal damage to the ship. Sections 64 through 72 have been isolated and sealed. Overall operational capacity has dropped to 43%."
Chandra added, "The mobile suit group ahead has been driven back. Most are withdrawing from the Archangel's effective range."
But before this good news could settle, he reported again in panic, "At the eleven o'clock direction ahead, submarine carrier groups have launched a large number of missiles. They're incoming."
Watching the missiles streak in like a torrential downpour, Murrue issued commands with a grave expression. "Load all missile launchers. Anti-air defense missiles, target the incoming missiles!
"Engines to maximum output. Break free from their attack!"
At the same time, after the Freedom Gundam entered Earth's atmosphere—
Kira immediately maneuvered it, raised its shield, and deployed the ten wing binders on its back, entering high-mobility aerial combat mode as he forcibly plunged through the atmosphere.
Upon arriving above the Archangel, he deployed the back-mounted plasma convergent beam cannons "Balaena," the waist-mounted railguns "Lacerta," and the beam rifle "Tannhäuser," unleashing a full-power map-clearing attack at the incoming missile swarms.
Beams of three different colors instantly streaked across the sky, sweeping toward the missile clusters.
Explosions blossomed across the sky as all of the missiles were intercepted by the Freedom Gundam's fire.
After completing the attack, Kira piloted the Freedom Gundam to the front of the Archangel. Everyone on the bridge stared in shock at the mobile suit before them.
Tolle also saw the Freedom Gundam's arrival and sighed in relief, feeling that he could finally relax a little.
At that moment, Kira opened the comm channel. "This is Kira Yamato. I'll cover you now. Take this chance to retreat immediately."
Hearing Kira's voice, everyone on the bridge cried out his name in surprise and joy.
Seeing the Archangel continue advancing without stopping, Kira defended against ZAFT attacks while speaking to Murrue again. "Ms. Murrue, what are you doing? Hurry up and withdraw."
Looking at the display showing Kira wearing a ZAFT red pilot suit, Murrue answered helplessly, "There's a Cyclops System beneath Alaska Headquarters. We were used as bait.
"This was a battle plan we knew nothing about!
"So we can't go back now, and we must get as far away from the base as possible."
Kira nodded gravely. "I understand."
Immediately afterward, he charged into the enemy formation as well, once again deploying all weapons. While continuously attacking ZAFT MS weapons at full firepower, he opened the all-band channel and shouted loudly:
"Attention ZAFT forces and Earth Alliance forces. The Alaska base will activate the Cyclops System and self-destruct in the near future.
"Both sides are to cease hostilities immediately and withdraw from this area at once.
"I repeat, Earth Alliance forces—Alaska base will activate the Cyclops System and self-destruct shortly.
"Both sides are to cease hostilities immediately…"
As the transmission ended, the Freedom Gundam also ceased firing. The gun barrels automatically vented white smoke as part of the cooling process.
Both ZAFT and Earth Alliance personnel were stunned by this sudden broadcast.
However, most of them were not in control of their own situations. Whether the message was true or false, they could not simply stop fighting.
At this moment, Tolle piloted the Astray Gundam Zero to the Freedom Gundam's side and said to Kira, "Hey, Kira. Long time no see."
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