Chapter 275: Want to Catch Me? Then Give It a Try!
"Tamaki!!!"
Witnessing their comrade slain before their eyes, the Black Knights' faces twisted with fury, their eyes blazing with rage!
Kaname Ohgi, in particular, as the former leader of the Red Moon resistance, felt his heart wrench at Tamaki's death!
Why had it come to this?
Though Tamaki was greedy, obsessed with status, prone to heavy drinking, always reckless, hot-tempered, socially inept, often arrogant and perverse, with ambitions exceeding his abilities...
Even with all these flaws.
Tamaki had still been a member of the resistance, a comrade who fought alongside them.
Why did he have to die here, when they had promised to walk this path together...
"Damn it!!"
"We'll never forgive you!!"
The Black Knights surged forward as one, unleashing their full strength in an attempt to surround and kill Jeremiah, seeking vengeance for Tamaki and the others.
But Jeremiah, originally the leader of the Pureblood Faction, possessed unquestionable prowess in Knightmare control—let alone now, driven to a frenzied, desperate state. The Black Knights' assault not only proved ineffective but cost more lives in the process.
"ZERO!!! Show yourself!!!"
Like an enraged, maddened lion, Jeremiah spotted the motionless Knightmare observing the entire battlefield from the mountaintop and instantly recognized it as ZERO. He charged straight toward it.
"Hmph, long time no see, Orange? I never expected you to be such a troublesome man."
Lelouch snorted coldly.
Jeremiah's actions were indeed unexpected, causing significant deviations in his plans and forcing a change in strategy...
But it was enough.
Watching several Guren Mk.IIs wreaking havoc within the Britannian forces, with the Britannian army already collapsing and unable to maintain their defensive lines, Lelouch felt the battle's objective had been achieved.
Now, it all came down to Mahiro—whether that man would succeed in capturing Cornelia.
As he pondered this, Lelouch saw the wild Knightmare charging up the mountainside toward the summit and immediately ordered:
"Kallen, ignore the white Knightmare! His target is Cornelia, so leave it to Shadow. Return to defend and intercept Orange now!"
"Huh?"
Kallen was momentarily stunned by the command.
The white Knightmare opposite her was already on the verge of defeat; just a little more persistence would have destroyed it.
But as she hesitated and glanced back, she spotted the frenzied Knightmare nearing the summit and understood.
Using her Radiant Wave Surger to force Lancelot back, she turned and raced toward the mountaintop to reinforce the position.
"ZERO, I've found you at last, found you at last! Face me, Jeremiah Gottwald, in a duel to the death! Wash away my disgrace with your life!!"
"Don't even think about it!"
With a furious roar, Jeremiah instinctively halted his Sutherland, his sharp combat intuition allowing him to evade an incoming attack.
And what appeared before him was a crimson machine, its design completely different from Britannia's mainstay models, the Sutherland and Glasgow.
Though it also featured a humanoid design, unlike the clearly "knight"-inspired forms, this machine carried no sense of superiority but instead exuded the oppressive aura of a killer. Particularly striking was the massive silver claw equipped on its right forearm, which seemed to conceal something.
"An unseen model... Could it be the ELEVEN's own... the Japan Liberation Front?"
Though Jeremiah was currently frenzied, he hadn't lost his basic judgment.
Seeing the abnormal nature of the opposing Knightmare, Jeremiah immediately raised his massive assault rifle.
Rat-a-tat-tat...
Roaring bullets poured relentlessly from the barrel.
Without hesitation, Jeremiah unleashed all his ammunition upon what was likely the Japan Liberation Front's secret weapon.
However, attacks of this level had no effect whatsoever.
With reaction speeds far surpassing his sensors, the opponent moved at high velocity, evading his shots even at such close range.
"What? So fast!"
Just as he managed to exclaim in astonishment, the mysterious crimson machine suddenly vanished from his screen!
Of course, it hadn't disappeared—instead, it had executed a series of agile maneuvers to position itself at Jeremiah's flank.
"Move aside! I'm looking for ZERO, not you, wryyyyyyy!!!"
Red alerts from his sensors warned of imminent danger. Jeremiah casually discarded his assault rifle, deploying the two weapons from his Sutherland's arms as he fearlessly swung them forward.
Unfortunately, not only was the machine's performance superior, but the opponent's piloting skills and combat techniques far exceeded Jeremiah's. The moment his arm weapons activated and the blades swung, they were caught by the red Knightmare's right hand.
But the instant they were seized, a chill ran down Jeremiah's spine. He immediately abandoned the short sword in his right hand and retreated several meters.
He then watched as his short sword was crushed to pieces by that white claw.
"Was it you? Were you the one who took out the Calius squad...?"
Jeremiah's rationality once again ignited with fury.
Though he'd been demoted to a soldier, his bonds with the Pureblood Faction remained. This time, the Pureblood Faction had suffered its most devastating blow.
It was because of this red machine that the Pureblood Faction had lost so many!
"See this, Britannia? Finally... finally, we can fight you as equals. This Guren Type-02 represents the beginning of our counterattack!"
Inside the Guren Type-02's cockpit, Kallen gazed excitedly at the enemy she had effortlessly repelled, proudly declaring the pent-up frustration and rage in her heart.
The days of helplessly piloting outdated Knightmares and being easily defeated were gone forever. From today onward, she would truly create a stage belonging to her Guren.
Burning with intense fury, this dazzlingly beautiful red lotus now fully bloomed in all her glory.
The ferocious right arm suddenly shot forward, seizing towards the enemy unit that had retreated several meters away.
It was that silver claw!
This time, however, Jeremiah didn't evade. Instead, he chose to charge straight toward it.
If it were merely capable of crushing Knightmares, he could withstand such damage—even use the opening to strike the vulnerable parts of the opponent's Knightmare!
"Die, you pathetic ELEVEN!!!"
Yet while ideals are plump, reality is bony.
Jeremiah's counterintuitive charge became the root of his defeat.
The moment the Sutherland was caught, Kallen hesitated for almost no time at all. With just a muttered "Sorry," she cranked the radiant wave energy to its maximum.
Hum—
An intense red light erupted violently from the silver claw, slamming mercilessly into the mechanical head gripped in her palm.
Simultaneously, inside the cockpit of the Sutherland being assaulted by the red light, Jeremiah's screen displays were flooded with flashing warnings, turning a cautionary red.
A strange wave transmitted from the silver claw, as if an intense heat had instantly generated within the frame.
"What is this?!!"
Jeremiah realized the Knightmare had completely lost control.
The Sutherland he piloted was rapidly swelling up, like a bubble inflated by rolling heat—akin to popcorn tossed into a microwave. Its equipment and components were instantly shaken loose and sent flying by the expanding frame.
"Damn it! How can I retreat here? Just a little more... just a little more and I could have taken down ZERO, cleansed my stain and shame!!!!"
Jeremiah roared with a voice torn from his throat.
The speakers were already destroyed, his guttural cries leaking out distorted. The radiant heat flowing through the Knightmare made his ears, eyes, mouth, and nose gush blood once more.
But Jeremiah stubbornly refused to flee.
However, the computer, detecting severe damage to the unit, had already automatically activated the ejection system.
"No! It's AUTO—don't activate... I haven't... I haven't yet faced ZERO…"
Amid Jeremiah's furious, unwilling roar, his cockpit was violently ejected. The next instant, the Sutherland he piloted exploded as if fulfilling its destined purpose.
Blazing flames enveloped the crimson, mysterious machine.
Retracting the silver claw that had destroyed the enemy unit, it stood majestic amid the inferno—like a fire lotus blooming from the depths of hell!
"I won't lose—not with the Guren Type-02!"
Seated in the ride-style pilot chair, Kallen's eyes gleamed with confident sharpness, having avenged the defeat at Shinjuku.
Then, the feast of slaughter began!
Nearly all the Knightmares that had surged through the gap Jeremiah opened met the same fate as him. The lucky ones were ejected; the unfortunate were instantly consumed in explosions.
More than the Lancelot at Shinjuku, it resembled a grim reaper—a wandering specter specialized in hunting Britannia.
Yet the next moment, a sudden broadcast echoed across all frequencies.
"I, Cornelia li Britannia, Second Princess of the Empire, hereby order all forces to retreat immediately! I repeat, all forces retreat!"
The moment this announcement echoed, both Britannian forces and the Japan Liberation Front ceased hostilities.
Even Toudou, who had been preparing to unleash his Spinning Free-Combat Formation, halted his movements.
The voice broadcasting across all channels undoubtedly belonged to that Imperial Witch, Cornelia.
Yet the question remained—why would this fearsome battlefield witch suddenly choose surrender and withdrawal? Who could have achieved this?
Only Euphemia inside the G1 mobile command vehicle let out a soft sigh of relief upon hearing the message.
It seemed Her Highness had compromised with Sensei...
No, perhaps only when facing Sensei would Her Highness make such a choice.
After all, Her Highness was...
"Hmph, are you satisfied now?"
"Congratulations on making a wise decision."
Though Britannia still retained roughly fifty percent of its military strength, successive setbacks had shattered their morale. Continuing the battle—even if victory were possible—would result in devastating losses far outweighing any gains.
While Mahiro remained calm and composed, Cornelia—seated in her cockpit with the canopy torn open—gazed up at the person she once revered most and let out a contemptuous sneer.
"Heh, a wise decision? What will you do next? Kill me?"
"My, how many times must I say it? Stop obsessing over life and death. Why would I kill you? What would I gain? I'm no terrorist like ZERO—I'm a hero fighting on the frontlines for freedom and ethnic liberation!"
Cornelia responded with scorn, "Terrorists masquerading as knights and heroes—how absurd this world has become!"
"Well, the world's just a giant makeshift stage. What does it matter if terrorists play at being knights and heroes?" Mahiro shrugged indifferently.
Just as their conversation deepened, Mahiro's ears twitched. He turned to see an escape pod streaking across the sky while distant explosions clearly reached his eardrums.
"Tch, here comes another reckless fool."
Perched on the arm of the Guardian Deity Mech, Mahiro peered into the distance where billowing dust rose from the sloping road. A white Knightmare was approaching at breakneck speed.
"That bastard ZERO..."
"He explicitly agreed the Black Knights would handle Lancelot, yet now he's sent this guy over again."
Using Cornelia's broadcast for triangulation, he'd pinpointed their location directly.
Typical of you, Suzaku Kururugi—always crashing in at moments like this.
For a moment, Mahiro felt he understood Lelouch's frustration whenever Lancelot appeared in the original storyline.
"Your Excellency the Viceroy!"
Suzaku's voice boomed from Lancelot's external speakers. Discovering Cornelia had been taken hostage by Shadow, he panicked and immediately drew his weapons while accelerating rapidly.
Charging in this direction, the VARIS muzzle was aimed directly at Shadow.
"I advise you not to make any sudden moves, Mr. Suzaku Kururugi."
Watching the white Knightmare charging fiercely toward him, Mahiro felt a sudden playful impulse. He grabbed Cornelia's wrist and dragged her out of the nearly shattered cockpit, wrapping one arm across her chest to pin her shoulders while pressing his other hand against her neck.
It looked as if he was using Cornelia as a human shield.
However, his movements were so rough that they caused Cornelia to grimace in pain.
"Despicable!"
"Fool, this is called tactics, understand? For someone of Princess Cornelia's esteemed status, wouldn't it be a waste not to make good use of it?"
Mahiro pulled Cornelia to a relatively flat area and leaned against it while saying: "I strongly advise against any reckless actions. I can guarantee I won't kill her! But if you try to make a move, my finger might just pierce through this princess's neck."
"You!!!"
Suzaku gritted his teeth in anger, but upon hearing these words, he truly didn't dare advance half a step further. Even his gun muzzle shifted sideways by a few degrees.
His goal was simple: to rescue Governor Cornelia completely unharmed.
This was primarily due to a request from Her Highness Euphemia to him and the two Knights of Rounds—
"I hope you can rescue my sister completely unharmed."
That princess was so kind-hearted. He was willing to fight for such a princess, to help her create a better world, and also hoped to use Princess Euphemia's influence to fulfill his wish of changing Britannia from within.
Therefore, no matter what, he had to rescue Cornelia without a single scratch!
"Enough!"
Cornelia suddenly shouted at this moment.
Not only did it startle Suzaku, but even Mahiro was taken aback.
"I, as the Second Princess of the Empire and Governor of Area Eleven, order Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi: You are now authorized to open fire! Kill both me and Shadow, for the glory of the Empire!"
Cornelia tightly bit her enchanting purple-glossed lips, staring at Lancelot with the resolve of one prepared to die.
As the War Goddess of the Empire, being captured was a disgrace—even by her former teacher. But if she could die by her teacher's hand, or die together with her teacher, it would be a worthy death for her!
Yet this decision made Mahiro sigh inwardly.
This woman is truly stubborn. Everything I said earlier was completely wasted on her.
"Do you really want to die that badly?"
"Hmph."
Cornelia snorted coldly, completely ignoring Mahiro, instead shouting angrily toward Lancelot:
"What are you hesitating for, Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi? Now, aim your gun here!!"
"I... I can't do it!"
Suzaku refused Cornelia's request.
And precisely because of these words, Cornelia became utterly enraged.
As a general who roamed the battlefield, what she disliked most were soldiers who disobeyed orders. No matter how unreasonable the command might be, as a military personnel, he should carry it out without hesitation.
Thus, she shouted loudly:
"What did you say?! As a soldier, what is your sacred duty!"
"Damn it..."
Suzaku Kururugi gritted his teeth and spoke word by word, his trembling hands controlling Lancelot to raise the VARIS, once again aiming it at them.
This energy weapon could even penetrate and melt mountain rocks. If it were to hit a human body, the person would likely evaporate instantly without a trace.
"Tch, you win this hostage game, Cornelia."
Just as Suzaku Kururugi was hesitating whether to pull the trigger or not, Mahiro suddenly threw Cornelia in his arms toward the opposite side.
And he warned: "Cornelia, the Second Princess of the Empire, I'll let you off this time. Don't be so reckless next time—such good luck won't come twice."
It sounded less like a warning and more like advice given to a junior.
The thrown Cornelia was quite surprised too. After being caught by Lancelot, she looked at Mahiro with complicated emotions.
She never expected this man would actually let her go like this.
Was it because of their former master-disciple relationship?
Or something else?
She had truly been prepared to die...
"Your Excellency the Governor, what should we do next?"
Suzaku asked again.
After hesitating for a moment, Cornelia said with determined eyes:
"Capture that man!"
"Yes!"
This time, Suzaku didn't hesitate at all, directly pointing the dark muzzle at Shadow.
Now that the Governor had been completely rescued, he no longer had any reservations!
"You want to capture me? If you can do it, then come try."
Facing this lethal threat, Mahiro's lips curled slightly into a faint smile, appearing completely calm and unruffled. He didn't even regard the seventh-generation guided weapon Lancelot as worthy of his attention!
Even that VARIS weapon capable of evaporating human flesh was no exception!