Chapter 349: Justice and Freedom
Everyone on the Archangel's bridge looked gratefully toward the Buster Gundam. However, since they didn't know the pilot was actually Dearka, they didn't dwell on it too much.
Dearka decided to go all the way. He opened the shoulder-mounted micro-missile pod hatches, raised the beam rifle and electromagnetic cannon, and unleashed a full simultaneous barrage at the cruise missiles and fighter formations that continued to surge toward the Archangel.
Then Dearka opened the comm channel and shouted toward the Archangel, "Hey! Don't just sit there—get out of this area right now! Archangel!"
Everyone on the Archangel's bridge was instantly shocked. They hadn't expected a former ZAFT prisoner to suddenly become an ally.
After a brief moment of daze, Murrue immediately issued orders to Ramius, "Archangel, withdraw from this airspace immediately."
Then she added a simple line to Dearka, "Thank you."
Being thanked like that, Dearka replied awkwardly, "Ah, well, I'm only doing this to stay alive. It's not like I'm helping you on purpose.
Besides, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I'm just helping deal with the Earth Alliance—ZAFT's enemy."
As soon as the Archangel left the area, Dearka immediately maneuvered the Buster Gundam, combining the weapons in both hands into the anti-armor dispersal mist cannon.
He unleashed a rainstorm-like barrage at the incoming cruise missiles and fighter aircraft.
On the other side, Mu was still locked in continuous combat with the Calamity Gundam.
Facing the Calamity Gundam's overwhelming full-barrage attacks, Mu had no ability to counterattack and could only keep dodging and evading.
Nearby, Kira also couldn't spare any attention. He could only watch Mu being suppressed, because he himself was entangled by the Raider Gundam and the Forbidden Gundam, leaving him stretched thin.
Especially with the Forbidden Gundam's beam-deflecting energy bias armor combined with its TP armor, Kira couldn't inflict even the slightest damage on it.
Even whenever Kira tried to aim his beam rifle at the Raider Gundam, the Forbidden Gundam would rush in to block the attack, clinging tightly to the Freedom Gundam without letting go.
But Clotho was far from appreciative. Seeing Shani constantly getting in front of him and interrupting his attacks, he complained irritably, "Stay put over there and stop interfering with my attacks."
"Huh?" Shani, who was having a great time and felt he was clearly helping with defense, replied unhappily, "You're so noisy! What a pain."
Hearing the two of them arguing over the comms, Orga immediately changed targets, firing two green beam shots from the twin high-energy long-range beam cannons at the Freedom Gundam.
He added coldly, "You're both so annoying. Stop arguing and don't interfere with my mission."
After that, all three of them launched a ferocious assault on the Freedom Gundam. Kira found it increasingly difficult to cope, struggling just to evade their attacks.
At the same time, Athrun arrived above the Orb battlefield in the Justice Gundam.
Watching the Freedom Gundam locked in constant combat with the three Earth Alliance Gundams, he murmured anxiously, "The Freedom Gundam… is it really Kira piloting it?"
Suddenly, Kira made a mistake while dodging, and the Raider Gundam seized the opening.
Clotho immediately launched the wrecking-ball pile bunker toward the Freedom Gundam.
The wrecking-ball pile bunker slammed heavily into its abdomen, knocking the Freedom Gundam flying with a single hit.
Shani then pressed the advantage, swinging the heavy scythe down hard onto the Freedom Gundam, sending Kira reeling once again.
Just as the Raider Gundam was about to use the "Wrath" energy cannon in its mouth to deliver the finishing blow to the Freedom Gundam—
Watching Kira being relentlessly ganged up on, Athrun finally couldn't hold back anymore. He piloted the Justice Gundam forward at full speed, interposing himself in front of the Freedom Gundam and blocking the Raider Gundam's energy cannon attack with his shield.
He then swiftly raised his beam rifle and fired a beam shot straight at the Raider Gundam.
"Athrun's here? That's great—this pair finally reunited." Watching the Justice Gundam arrive at last, Tolle aboard the Huayan felt a surge of excitement. The scene he had been waiting for was finally here, and the battle had reached its long-awaited midpoint.
"Heh, time to give Athrun a surprise… no, maybe not a scare." With that, Tolle climbed into the Aegis Gundam's cockpit and launched toward Kira and Athrun.
"Damn it! Who are you? How dare you interfere with me—then you can die too!" At the same time, after evading Athrun's attack, Clotho muttered angrily.
He then switched the Raider Gundam into MA form and charged toward the Justice Gundam, firing its machine guns as it advanced.
"Oh! There's another toy now? What a strange mobile suit." On the side, Shani looked at the suddenly appearing Justice Gundam with excitement, then charged toward the Justice and Freedom while firing his rail cannon.
As Athrun dodged the attacks, he opened a comm channel and spoke in a deliberately calm tone to Kira, "This is ZAFT Special Mission Unit, Athrun Zala. Pilot of the Freedom Gundam, can you hear me? You're Kira Yamato, right?"
Hearing Athrun's voice, Kira was filled with disbelief. He never imagined that the one who had just saved him would be Athrun.
However, the Raider Gundam's continued attacks quickly cut off Athrun's transmission.
Angered, Athrun immediately raised his shield to defend while drawing the two beam sabers from his waist and combining them into a beam double-bladed lance.
With a spinning charge, he swung the beam double-bladed lance and launched a direct assault on the Raider Gundam.
Facing the Justice Gundam's fierce offensive, Clotho struggled to defend. At the same time, Shani also rushed in, competing with him to attack Athrun.
Seeing Athrun being surrounded, Kira drew his own beam saber and rushed forward anxiously to support him, slashing at the Forbidden Gundam.
He also opened his comm channel and shouted at Athrun, emotions mixed with joy and confusion, "Athrun, what are you trying to do? Is ZAFT trying to interfere in this war too?"
While dodging the Raider Gundam's machine-gun fire, Athrun shouted back, "I have received no orders from ZAFT regarding this battle. This intervention is my personal decision and has nothing to do with ZAFT."
Hearing that Athrun had chosen to help him of his own will, Kira finally couldn't suppress the smile spreading across his face.
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