Chapter 273: Three-Way Action
Like the finest ballet dancers.
This phrase perfectly describes skilled Knightmare pilots, whose grace and ease on the battlefield resemble a performance for the entire world.
Wielding weapons that surpassed all others, moving through the battlefield like knights of old brandishing swords and lances—this was yet another flawless performance by Cornelia.
The Second Princess of Britannia employed no particularly ingenious strategies in her suppression operation against the Japan Liberation Front. She simply surrounded their stronghold and launched a direct frontal assault.
Though seemingly straightforward and blunt, this approach best demonstrated military might, showcased Britannia's power, and intimidated all would-be challengers.
With overwhelming advantages in both overall strength and logistical support, resorting to tricks and schemes under such circumstances would be nothing but a clownish performance. So-called conspiracies and tactics are as fragile as paper in the face of absolute power.
Swinging her lance effortlessly to pierce through the Knightmares dispatched by the Japan Liberation Front, Cornelia snorted coldly, her face full of disdain.
"I had some expectations, but it turns out this is all they amount to."
Her Highness spoke thus.
And indeed, compared to the Empire's Witch who had dominated battlefields across the world, the mere Japan Liberation Front—akin to a terrorist organization—was utterly insignificant.
"Excellent, all preparations are complete. Black Knights, full assault!"
Lelouch stood on the mountainside, carefully observing the battle below.
Seeing Cornelia leading a small force charging straight into the Japan Liberation Front's headquarters, he immediately raised his hand and gave the order.
"Yes, Zero!"
Under the threat of death and the authority of Zero and Shadow, the members responded with all their might.
"We will launch a surprise attack on the Britannian forces from the mountaintop. All of you proceed to designated positions and await further orders. The objective of this operation is to capture the Second Princess of Britannia, Cornelia!"
"Kallen, you will spearhead the assault. Deploy the No. 3 Penetrating Electrode now and detonate all previously planted explosives!"
Lelouch boarded the Burai, a Knightmare unique to the Japanese front, and shouted commands from the cockpit.
"Understood!"
Kallen's tense voice came through the radio as the Guren Type-02 began to move.
"Activation confirmed!"
"Radiant Wave Surge, maintaining standby—"
"Launch!"
Taking a deep breath, Kallen resolutely activated the Guren Type-02's most powerful weapon.
As the red Radiant Wave Surge seeped into the ground like a distorting force, the earth beneath them began to tremble. Under Lelouch's watchful gaze, the mountainside experienced a catastrophic landslide akin to a natural disaster.
"Rumble—"
A terrifying roar, like the fury of a mountain god, accompanied a torrent of mud and boulders rushing down the slope at incredible speed.
"Well now, Cornelia, I wonder how you'll handle this?"
Standing atop the mountain peak, Mahiro gazed at the collapsing slopes like a mere spectator before boarding the Divine Protector and charging down alongside the raging mudflow...
The earth trembled as if struck by a magnitude eight earthquake. The vibrations from the demolished mountain clearly reached the foot of the hills.
Even the distant Britannian headquarters could distinctly perceive the disturbance.
Euphemia stood frozen before the strategic radar, watching boulders tumble and shatter across the Narita mountains, witnessing this catastrophe that resembled a natural disaster with her own eyes.
On the strategic radar, the blue dots representing intact Knightmares instantly turned into a sea of red "Lost" indicators. The flood of information filling the screens in that moment was suffocating to behold.
Staring blankly at the screen, Euphemia suddenly snapped back to reality and screamed: "Sister!!!"
"Damn it! This isn't a natural disaster!" Cornelia sat in her cockpit, swiftly maneuvering her machine to dodge the stone torrents from the mountain. Though her movements remained elegant and precise.
While several of her accompanying guards inevitably fell behind, they had prepared for such contingencies and preserved some combat strength, maintaining their charging formation alongside Cornelia.
However, the greatest losses undoubtedly belonged to the Japan Liberation Front hidden within the mountain—nearly completely annihilated!
These people were buried beneath the mountain in an instant, never understanding what had happened until their deaths.
But Cornelia had figured it out.
This was no natural catastrophe, especially considering the massive muffled explosion that had emanated from the mountain earlier.
Clearly, someone had triggered demolitions!
Yet before launching the encirclement against the Japan Liberation Front, she and her staff had thoroughly analyzed that the rebels couldn't possibly cause a landslide.
Because such an action would only bring disaster upon themselves!
Moreover, with their current arsenal, they lacked the capability to achieve this scale of destruction.
That left only one possibility—
"The Black Knights and Shadow Garden..." Cornelia demonstrated unparalleled skill piloting her Knightmare, almost effortlessly evading the incoming debris and cascading mudflows.
Yet her expression remained exceptionally grave.
ZERO... as expected, you've come!
This tactic of destroying the battlefield was identical to how you killed Clovis back in Shinjuku!
"How foolish, to think I would be like my brother Clovis?" Cornelia's lips curved into a cold smile.
"Confirm new enemies appearing from the mountain peak direction... Authorization granted for the Knights of Rounds at base and the special unit Lancelot to sortie!"
Without hesitation, Cornelia set aside her unnecessary pride and dignity, deploying Britannia's strongest knights.
This was what Mahiro had once taught her.
Only strength could protect that pitiful dignity. When strength proves insufficient and one refuses to let go, it ultimately becomes nothing but dead weight.
Cornelia was now putting this lesson into practice.
"Guilford!"
"Here!"
"Retreat first! Infantry units flank from the sides, prioritize rescuing the wounded! Tank units provide covering fire for the infantry!"
"Yes, I'll execute immediately!"
"The Knightmare units maintain formation while disrupting enemy attacks. There may be landslides later—monitor the situation at the mountain base. Still no contact with Darlton?"
"Sorry, not yet..."
"Go confirm immediately! He's not a man who dies easily!"
Cornelia calmly issued commands one by one, showing no trace of panic. Her extensive battlefield experience allowed her to make correct decisions immediately when facing unexpected situations.
"Report! Enemy forces confirmed. They're not the Japan Liberation Front—highly likely to be the Black Knights!"
"So it's you, ZERO!"
Cornelia's speculation was completely correct. However...
"But there's another completely different Knightmare appearing on the battlefield! An unseen model, descending from the mountaintop at extreme speed. It has already broken through our remaining defensive lines!"
"What did you say?!"
Seeing the transmitted footage, Cornelia slammed her console, grinding her silver teeth tightly. Though the image was blurry, merely capturing a fleeting shadow, the glimpse of green was enough for Cornelia to understand.
"Teacher, you still came after all!"
「Hadron Cannon」—
An azure beam tore across the sky, sweeping over transport aircraft executing airborne operations. In an instant, they transformed into spectacular fireworks blooming across the heavens.
Consecutive explosions echoed through the sky, with most aircraft destroyed in mere moments.
"That... that's a particle beam cannon?!"
Watching the pillar of light piercing the sky through his monitor, Lloyd's eyes widened behind his glasses, his mind seemingly trembling. Britannia was indeed researching hadron cannons like this beam weapon, with Lloyd being one of the researchers involved.
However, they had been stuck at the stage of how to concentrate the energy. He never expected to see a perfect energy beam cannon here!
Who could have created this...
"Excellent! The enemy is now divided, the battle situation is clear! Assist the Japan Liberation Front in annihilating the enemy forces! Black Knights, full assault!"
"Yes!"
While Lloyd was shocked, Lelouch saw the beam as some kind of signal. Instantly, the entire Black Knights' morale surged. With a collective cheer, they began their surprise attack in their Knightmares.
However, watching the isolated Cornelia with her few remaining guards, Lelouch devised another plan.
"C4, C5, C6—find a way to lure away Cornelia's guards! Then B1, proceed to the location I marked on the map and advance directly!"
"Huh? But..."
The man called B1 looked at the marked location and path on the map. The starting point was Cornelia's position, while the endpoint was that dark green mech fighting as their ally!
Clearly, this was meant to use him as bait!
Was this really okay?
"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing. Follow my commands and you'll be safe. Moreover, the scales of victory will tilt heavily in our favor!"
It must be said that aside from his Geass, Lelouch was also quite the orator.
He easily incited the man, eliminating his hesitation and sending him straight to the designated location.
Watching the dots gradually move and converge on the map, Lelouch murmured beneath his mask:
"Sorry, teacher, but allow me to borrow your strength this time!"
Everything proceeded smoothly, just as Lelouch had planned.
After Cornelia's royal guards were lured away by several Knightmares, the isolated Cornelia herself came under harassment.
"Decoys? First using the terrain to trigger a landslide, then attacking my royal guards, and now sending decoys... Such a transparent strategy. It seems I was your target from the very beginning, ZERO!"
Cornelia's mind worked rapidly, instantly grasping the situation on the battlefield.
Not only that, she also seemed to understand the direction the enemy was trying to lead her—right toward Mahiro, who was currently delightfully wreaking havoc on the defensive line!
With a massive six-meter frame and armor scales covering the Knightmare's surface that resembled vivid dragon scales.
What else could it be but the [Divine Protector: Canglong]?!
Yet a cold smile appeared on Cornelia's lips.
"I never imagined you'd dare scheme against that man too, ZERO. Very well, I'll play along with your plan this time!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Cornelia immediately piloted her Knightmare toward the Divine Protector.
ZERO's plan coincidentally aligned with her own thoughts—Cornelia had originally been considering how to contain that dangerous Knightmare.
After all, having witnessed its power firsthand, she knew exactly how strong the Divine Protector was—possessing terrifying power that could completely turn the tide of battle!
What she hadn't expected was that ZERO would now actively clear her path and draw her toward the Divine Protector. How could she pass up such a perfect opportunity?
As long as she could contain the Divine Protector, as long as she could keep her teacher in place, as long as she waited for the Knights of Rounds and the special detachment's Lancelot to deploy...
Then victory this time would belong to her!
Mahiro: "..."
These people are really willful...
Did no one consider my feelings?
Mahiro had naturally noticed Cornelia being led toward him, and with just one glance he understood Lelouch's plan.
It was nothing more than wanting to use his hands to capture Cornelia.
As his teacher, he was pleased that his student could survey the entire battlefield and make good use of every piece. But being treated as a chess piece himself? That made him quite unhappy.
Mahiro had already decided in his heart that after the Battle of Narita, he would definitely teach that brat Lelouch an unforgettable lesson!
As for now...
"Since you're here, let's play!"
Dropping the Sutherland he had torn in half, he turned to face the approaching Cornelia.
"Teacher, let's settle this!!"
"You're still so naive, Cornelia."
Facing the charging violet Gloucester Knightmare brandishing a lance, Mahiro maneuvered the Guardian Deity Mech into a defensive stance.
This had nothing to do with the battlefield.
Nothing to do with victory or defeat.
Nor anything to do with glory.
It was just like that time at the Aries Palace annex, when a young Cornelia, egged on by Marianne, had challenged him.
Even knowing she was no match, she persistently launched her assaults...
BOOM!!!
Fist and lance collided in an instant.
The alloy-crafted lance tip was the first to emit an ear-grating screech of twisted metal, as if being forcibly compressed.
Under the tremendous force, the lance actually lost the clash against his fist, instantly crushed into scrap metal.
But Cornelia had anticipated this outcome.
Immediately abandoning the lance, she manipulated the Gloucester's arms to grab at the Guardian Deity Mech's body.
"Must stay vigilant, constantly observe the teacher's movements, especially those hands..."
While mentally reminding herself, Cornelia had already engaged in close combat.
The seemingly cumbersome mech now demonstrated absurdly refined techniques.
Both evasive maneuvers and offensive actions surpassed human flexibility, displaying movements and techniques impossible for human bodies to achieve.
Yet they accomplished this through Knightmares!
"Truly remarkable. Not only is the interior space so spacious, but there's no sense of bumpiness or shaking at all..."
C.C. in the co-pilot seat watched the Gloucester struggling on screen against the attacks, then observed Mahiro who seemed to be playing a motion-sensing video game, quietly marveling.
"Naturally. This took Eta and others considerable time to develop... It's equipped with the latest gravity system that maintains consistent cockpit orientation regardless of the mech's posture."
While speaking, Mahiro already delivered a crushing punch to the Gloucester, instantly exploding it into a shower of components.
"..."
C.C., witnessing the same scene, commented with detached calm:
"But is this really appropriate? First outmaneuvered by Lelouch, now using such brutal force... If I recall correctly, Cornelia is also your student, isn't she?"
"Correct. But precisely because she's Cornelia... precisely because she's my student, I cannot hold back... No, actually I'm already holding back enough to spare an entire galaxy!"
He excitedly dismantled Cornelia's Knightmare frame while countering C.C.'s remark.
His perverted expression resembled someone tearing the dress off a helpless maiden, eyes shimmering with boundless curiosity and exploratory desire!
Yet Cornelia refused to surrender, continuing to struggle and even seeking opportunities to counterattack.
"You really are a pervert..."
"Hmph, what would you know? This is called art!"
Just as Cornelia temporarily managed to occupy Mahiro's attention, the battlefield situation began to shift.
Her command had already reached headquarters!
"Lord Weinberg, Lord Alstreim, I beg of you—please ensure the Governor's safe rescue!"
Before the Knights of Rounds about to deploy, Euphemia made her earnest request with utmost seriousness.
"Fighting for the Empire is our sworn duty. Please rest assured, Your Highness!"
The young man, not much older than Euphy, immediately flashed a bright smile and gave her a thumbs-up.
He then glanced meaningfully at his companion.
"Right, Anya?"
"Mhm. We'll rescue Lady Cornelia. Besides, I hate failing twice."
The expressionless loli girl Anya nodded along, her slender frame brimming with burning fighting spirit!
Clearly, she still held a grudge about what happened last time at the lakeside.
She had even developed resentment toward both the Black Knights and Shadow Garden.
Euphy let out a slight sigh of relief.
She watched with envy as the two Knights of Rounds boarded their respective exclusive Knightmares—Tristan and Mordred—and launched alongside the guide weapon Lancelot.
Unlike herself, whether it was her sister's brilliant strategies or the extraordinary combat skills of the Knights of Rounds—these were all things Euphemia admired.
Often, Euphy felt utterly helpless, completely unsure of what she should do or what she could accomplish...
Even after studying under Mahiro-sensei for some time, she hadn't acquired remarkable martial arts like him, nor did she possess the wisdom of her elder brother Schneizel, let alone her sister's natural talents.
But Euphy—she truly wanted to do something. For this nation, and for that person.
At the very least, she needed to find a way to prevent her teacher and Lelouch from becoming enemies with her imperial sister!
Watching the chaotic battle unfold on the screen, Euphy desperately racked her brain for solutions.