Anyone who paid attention in elementary school math could count the six U-Type Funnels deployed by the Nu Gundam.
In terms of sheer numbers, they couldn't compare to the exaggerated thirty Dragoons of the Red Mantis that the Library had given to Creuset.
They were also far inferior to the total of eleven Dragoons on the Destiny Gundam piloted by Nicol.
Compared to the number of Dragoons on those two machines, the threat level theoretically decreased exponentially.
But if anyone dared to approach Athrun at this moment and say:
"Man up! With just these mere six Dragoons, can't you win?"
Athrun swore he would spit right in that person's face and tell them, "If you're so capable, you try it!"
His eyes were practically spinning like windmills, yet Athrun's vision still couldn't keep up with the movements of Wang Hu's Dragoons.
Every time the enemy's Dragoons changed direction, it intensified the dryness in his eyes.
"How long has it been since I last blinked?"
Athrun murmured to himself in the Justice Gundam's cockpit. Honestly, he couldn't even remember anymore.
If possible, if this weren't the battlefield,
He wished he could take out an entire bottle of eye drops and pour it all directly into his eyes.
"I can't keep up! My eyes simply can't match their speed!"
His heart sank to the deepest depths of the Mariana Trench. Athrun believed he hadn't been lacking in effort.
But the most tragic thing in life was precisely this: even without any laziness, having squeezed out the last ounce of strength from his body,
He couldn't even touch the shadow of the person ahead on this path—now he couldn't even see their figure!
So while gritting his teeth and continuing to extract his body's potential to deal with the elusive Dragoons of the Nu Gundam, Athrun watched with growing apprehension as Wang Hu, with arms and legs hanging naturally, approached majestically in the distance.
"What should I do! What should I do!"
As Athrun Zala, the universe's designated strongest Mobile Suit pilot in this world, he absolutely couldn't admit defeat.
Racking his brains, he still sought survival in death and a counterattack from desperate straits!
"Is this really his level? And I actually thought I could rely on him!"
While Athrun persisted without abandoning hope, from the perspective of Lily Savary, a member of the Library,
Athrun's earlier act of leaving her behind to deal with Wang Hu was undoubtedly a betrayal.
Of course, if Athrun could hold his own against Wang Hu, that would be a different story.
It could be seen as handing the easier opponent to her while Athrun took on the stronger one.
But wasn't the problem that Athrun couldn't handle Wang Hu!
Moreover, after losing Athrun's support, Lily Savary was gradually being overpowered by Kira and falling into a disadvantage.
After all, she couldn't even defeat a mere Yzak.
So under these dual factors, her thoughts began to stir.
Glancing at the two friendly signals still blinking on her console—
Just moments ago, one of her Imitator sisters had been killed by Kira.
This only strengthened her resolve to escape.
"Forget it, I should retreat."
Once the thought of retreat emerged in one's heart, and the external situation was so unfavorable...
After much deliberation, Lily Savary seized a gap during an exchange.
She activated the Mirage Colloid System of the Nebula Blitz Gundam, decisively attempting to withdraw from the battlefield.
"Huh?"
Lily Savary's retreat was immediately noticed by Kira, who possessed some spatial sense ability, and he sensed something was wrong.
While engaged in combat with the other two Nebula Blitz Gundams, Kira still had the capacity to ponder.
He remembered clearly that he had taken down one.
So there should still be three Nebula Blitz Gundams—why hadn't the last one appeared for so long?
"Could it be...?"
It never crossed Kira's mind that Lily Savary would flee. In all the battles he had experienced, Kira had always encountered enemies who fought to the death without retreating.
So, instinctively, Kira thought the missing enemy might have slipped away to the battlefield where Athrun and Wang Hu were fighting.
"Brother Wang Hu!"
Shouting to Wang Hu, who had already closed in on Athrun, Kira wanted to warn him to be cautious of the long-unseen Nebula Blitz Gundam's ambush.
And then Kira witnessed a scene that darkened his expression!
"Athrun!"
Unsure of what expression to wear, Kira had once imagined bidding farewell to Athrun.
But what he never expected—or perhaps had repeatedly tried to deceive himself into believing—was that Athrun wouldn't die so soon.
Now, the farewell he had dreaded and hoped to postpone had arrived.
Just as Kira tried to warn Wang Hu, the moment he glanced at the battlefield where Wang Hu and Athrun were fighting...
Pushed to a point of no retreat, Athrun made a desperate, all-or-nothing move to survive.
Seeing Wang Hu, who seemed no different from a great demon, right in front of him, Athrun recklessly abandoned his defense.
He charged headlong at Wang Hu, his hands and feet moving in perfect harmony. In this critical moment, Athrun's potential was unleashed beyond his usual level.
His every response lived up to his title as the strongest Mobile Suit pilot.
Facing the attack from Wang Hu's six Dragoons, Athrun first deployed the large combat backpack on his back.
Athrun didn't expect the backpack to destroy Wang Hu's Dragoons.
That was clearly unrealistic, but the relatively large size of the large combat backpack could at least serve as a shield to block some of...
Wang Hu's Dragoon beam rifle shots?
Thinking this, Athrun temporarily saw his plan succeed as he had hoped.
The large backpack, at the cost of its own "life," indeed blocked a significant portion of Wang Hu's Dragoon attacks.
"Good!"
Seeing this, Athrun's spirits lifted, and he seemed to catch a glimmer of hope for victory.
But the large combat backpack only intercepted the majority of the enemy's beam attacks.
There were still quite a few that slipped through the net, heading straight for the charging Athrun.
At the same time, the assault alarm in his cockpit beeped incessantly, unbearably noisy.
"I can do this, I can!"
His eyes fixed unwaveringly on Wang Hu, who showed no reaction to his sudden assault and displayed an expression of utter arrogance.
Athrun muttered to himself, as if using the words to bolster his own courage.
With a decisive motion, Wang Hu reached out and silenced the blaring alarm on the console. Taking a deep breath, he cast aside all distractions and fear.
He knew full well that in this decisive confrontation, every second of focus was critical!
His fingers danced nimbly across the control stick, precise and powerful like a performer, as he adjusted the mobile suit's posture and speed.
Raising the shield on his left arm to block the last volley of beam rifle fire, Wang Hu charged straight toward Athrun.
"Come on, this is the final battle!"
With a roar like a cornered beast, Justice Gundam drew its beam saber. Athrun intended to rely on his most skilled close-quarters combat style.
Against Wang Hu, this would decide not only victory or defeat—but life and death!
A straightforward overhead slash—Justice Gundam opened with a classic "Splitting Mount Hua" strike.
Simultaneously, Athrun constructed a dynamic 3D map of the battlefield in his mind, analyzing every possible strategy Wang Hu might employ.
"Good!"
Seeing Wang Hu step back to evade his slash, Athrun felt a surge of satisfaction.
Not letting his move grow stale—Athrun had trained relentlessly for this very duel with Wang Hu.
He swiftly switched the beam saber to his other hand.
Like a venomous serpent striking, Athrun unleashed three rapid thrusts toward Wang Hu's left side with his left hand.
He remembered his instructor once saying that people are often less adept at defending their left side!
"Oh?"
But Athrun's swift change of stance and left-side assault, while effective against others, meant nothing to Wang Hu.
Though Athrun was fast with his blade, Wang Hu was faster. Their Phantom Particle-shaped beam sabers clashed, scattering brilliant sparks.
Athrun felt no hesitation—for hesitation meant defeat—nor disappointment, even though his series of responses had been flawless.
His expression was stern, his mind racing faster than ever before.
Justice Gundam discarded its beam saber, raised its shield, and lunged forward in a compact charge. At the same time, from behind the shield, his right hand drew another beam saber hilt.
If he could just close the distance and collide with Wang Hu's Nu Gundam, that beam saber would clearly pierce through its opponent.
Yet all the attacks so far had been initiated by Athrun. Wang Hu's seemingly passive defense was perhaps just another form of his mercy.
Watching Athrun raise his shield so high it blocked his own line of sight, Wang Hu considered it utterly foolish.
After all, not everyone could rely on perception in place of sight like he could.
Or did Athrun have some other trick up his sleeve?
But what era was this now? Beyond seven paces, the gun is fast; within seven paces, the gun is both fast and accurate.
It seemed this was the first time in this battle that Wang Hu raised the high-output beam rifle equipped on his Nu Gundam.
Aiming directly at Athrun, who was still charging recklessly forward, Wang Hu pulled the trigger.
The first shot struck Justice Gundam's shield. Thanks to its decent anti-beam coating, Athrun's shield held.
The second shot again hit Justice Gundam's shield—but this time, Athrun's shield couldn't withstand it.
After all, the output of Nu Gundam's beam rifle was immense, no less powerful than a standard battleship's beam main cannon!
The third shot shattered Athrun's plan. Just one step away from Wang Hu, his shield was completely pierced through.
In the midst of the chaos, to avoid being shot dead, Athrun dodged slightly, creating a fleeting opening.
Seizing the moment, Wang Hu naturally wouldn't let this perfect opportunity slip away.
The Nu Gundam kicked Athrun's Justice Gundam at the left knee, forcing it into a semi-kneeling position.
"Goodbye, Athrun."
After a glance at Kira, who happened to be looking over, Wang Hu smoothly thrust his Beam Saber downward from the Justice Gundam's neck.
The Beam Saber, brimming with extreme heat, pierced unimpeded through the machine's weak point, driving straight into Athrun's cockpit.
(End of Chapter)