The second squad, having arrived early at the rendezvous point, hid in a valley not far from Asbard, anxiously watching time pass minute by minute.
"Travis, tomorrow is the scheduled time," Jung and Kajima Yuu walked over and said.
"Hmm."
"I wonder how the Major and the others are doing," Fried Leber worried.
"Rather than worrying about the Major, I think we should prepare ourselves not to be envious," Giorgio Miguel chuckled lightly. "You all saw the previous flames, right? That was truly magnificent."
"Bullshit envy! Following the Major, are you afraid there won't be merits?" Fred Reber retorted angrily.
"Exactly. If the Major's plan succeeds, each of us getting a medal is guaranteed."
"Maybe we can even jump two ranks at once..."
"...Jump two ranks? Do you want to die a heroic death?"
"Get lost!"
"Hahaha..."
"Hmm? Something's wrong."
"What is it?" Giorgio Miguel, who had been maintaining observation, suddenly noticed something unusual, and the others also took out their binoculars to observe Asbard.
"At this time, Zeon suddenly started mobilizing troops?"
"And it's a full-scale offensive deployment. Are they going for a decisive battle?"
"Not that, but another defense line. Look, Zeon has split off a group of troops heading toward the rear."
"Could it be that the Major and the others have been discovered!?"
"Travis, should we go support the Major and the others?"
"Do you know where they are?"
"But we can't just watch them face danger!"
"Hmm..." Travis Kirkland also began to struggle. The raid on Asbard was a strict order Yang Hui had given before departure, stating that even if they all died, they must execute it if there was an opportunity.
Now the opportunity had come, but Yang Hui and the others might also be in danger. Between the mission and their comrades and commander, they faced a dilemma.
"Zeon dispatching so many troops to pursue the Major and the others indicates they've achieved significant results and are currently safe. Tonight at 2400 is the scheduled time. If those are pursuit forces, they probably won't find the Major and the others immediately," Jung offered his perspective. "Let's hold our position for now. When the scheduled time arrives, we'll raid Asbard. If the Major and the others don't appear, after destroying Asbard's command system, we'll head directly toward Zeon's rear to support the Major."
"Hmm... That's a solution that covers both aspects."
"Then let's do it that way."
"Trust the Major, trust Fort, Russ, and Blog."
"Hmm."
...
Time passed minute by minute, the sun's warmth gradually replaced by the moon's refreshing coolness. The deep and mysterious night curtain hung high, draping the world in a tranquil veil.
"Time's up. Operation begins!"
"Roger!" x4
In the valley, the eyes of five Astray Gundams lit up simultaneously. Unit 6's shoulder cannons were immediately deployed, unleashing furious roars toward Asbard without hesitation.
At the same time, Units 2, 3, 7, and 9 charged toward Asbard at top speed. Using the bombardment flashes from the cannon fire, they precisely eliminated each defensive position before them, then leaped over the walls and rushed into Asbard's interior, their predatory eyes gleaming with bloody wolf-like light.
Beam rifles, Vulcan cannons, and rocket launchers poured indiscriminately in all directions. Buildings, mobile suits, vehicles, aircraft, Zeon soldiers—everything in sight became their target of destruction.
Meanwhile, on their other flank, four battered Astray Gundams scaled the high wall, sweeping their weapons as they advanced, obliterating everything in their path.
"Major!" x5
"Hahaha! I knew they'd be fine!"
"Let's go! Regroup with the Major!"
After days of separate operations, the Mobile Suit Squad of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division reunited once more.
"Major!" x5
"Split into three teams! Travis, ammunition depot! Jung, hangar! George, command center!"
"Roger!" x8
Unit 6, having concluded its artillery barrage, stormed into the Asbard base. The nine Astray Gundams seamlessly divided into three groups, fanning out toward different sectors while maintaining relentless fire. When their ammunition ran dry, they seized Zaku IIs' weapons. When none were available, they scavenged from the ground. When even that failed, they resorted to slashing wildly with beam sabers—like frenzied berserkers, their mantra became: Attack! Attack!! Attack!!!
"Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat..."
"This doesn't feel right. Zeon's pea-shooters can't compare to my big gun."
Unit 5 had long discarded its Gatling Vulcan Cannon after exhausting its ammunition, along with its beam rifle. Even its chest-mounted Vulcan cannons fell silent. Though their backpacks carried spare ammunition, countless battles behind enemy lines without resupply had drained their reserves.
"We don't need to know how comfortable your 'big gun' is!"
"Pfft! I meant the big gun in my hands, not that one!"
"Have you ever held it with your hands?"
"It's clearly a squirt gun, why call it a big gun!?"
"Pfft! Fred, I'm not done with you!"
"Bring it on! Wanna compete who takes down more?"
"You're on! I'll definitely win!"
"We'll see! But only this battle counts, not previous ones!"
Reunited with comrades safe and sound, all tension and solemnity melted into banter and laughter. Even surrounded by countless enemies, they felt no fear—with allies at their side, they were invincible!
Their jesting matched their lethal efficiency. Curving maneuvers, alternating cover, diagonal thrusts—they executed the Zeon Army's three-unit mobile suit tactics with masterful precision.
"Major, found it!"
"Located on my end too."
"Spotted Zeon command center... Wait, they're trying to flee!"
"Don't let a single one escape!"
"Roger!"
...
After the assault on Asbard began, Zeon officers witnessed nine unstoppable Astray Gundams carving through their forces like harvesting vegetables. They immediately attempted escape, but upon fleeing their command center in vehicles, they encountered George's Unit 6.
Against the backdrop of night sky, illuminated by flames and wreckage, the machine's emerald-glowing eyes shone like the gaze of the Death God, harvesting their souls.
"Go! Faster! Move!"
The commander suppressed a strong urge to urinate as he gave orders to the driver, but no matter how fast the car sped, they couldn't escape Unit 6's line of sight. They could only watch in despair as Unit 6's gun barrel aimed directly at them, and then...
"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat..."
Flaming tongues erupted across their chests, leaving a trail of shattered holes on the ground like a whip lashing across the convoy. Vehicles were overturned, their occupants torn to shreds by Vulcan Cannon fire, then completely consumed in explosions and flames, reduced to flying ash and charred remains scattered by the wind.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."
At two other locations—the hangar and ammunition depot—fierce explosions erupted simultaneously. Thick smoke billowed into the sky as towering flames illuminated the darkness. The shockwaves from the blasts swept through like an autumn gale, leveling all obstructing structures. The brilliant flames transformed Asbard's night into day, dazzling and radiant.
"Mission accomplished, retreat!"
"Roger!" x8
The nine Astray Gundams regrouped, with Yang Hui's Unit 1 forming the sharp tip of their formation. They sliced through the enemy encirclement as effortlessly as cutting through tofu. Against the backdrop of Asbard's continuous explosions, they departed triumphantly bathed in the glow of victory.
...
"Huh? That's the direction of Asbard!"
"Could it be?!"
"All units, attack!"
...
"That's Asbard's direction!"
"Command center! This is the 31st Ground Fleet, please respond, command center..."
"We can't reach command. What do we do now?"
"It's over... Command has been destroyed..."
"Retreat! Retreat now!"
...
The towering inferno allowed both the Federal Army and Zeon Army, locked in decisive confrontation at the front lines, to anticipate what had happened in Asbard. Such violent disturbances couldn't possibly be minor skirmishes—Asbard must have suffered severe damage, or even complete destruction.
The two armies' situations were complete opposites. The Federal Army commanders didn't waste this golden opportunity, immediately ordering a full-scale assault. The outcome of the Middle Eastern front would be decided in this battle.
Meanwhile, Zeon Army descended into chaos following the catastrophe at Asbard. With their command system destroyed, the disorder intensified and morale plummeted to its lowest point. Many soldiers had already begun deserting, regardless of whether tanks or fighter craft pursued them, whether they faced artillery shells or bullets—the single word "RUN" dominated all their thoughts.
"Don't panic!"
"Cover! Provide covering fire!"
"Rear guard! Someone stay behind as rear guard!"
"We'll cover the retreat, fall back quickly!"
Not everyone had lost their reason or been affected by the chaos. Those who remained clear-headed understood that Zeon's defeat was irreversible. Watching their disorganized comrades, they willingly sacrificed their insignificant lives for Zeon's sake, for victory in the war, to buy survival opportunities for more of their fellow soldiers.
But... the faster they ran, the closer they came to the Death God, because ahead of them, the nine Astray Gundams of the Twelfth Independent Technical Division were charging straight toward them.
"It's them!"
"The Federation's MS units!"
The previously unified retreat direction immediately dissolved into chaos. Soldiers scattered in all directions, colliding with each other in complete disarray. Countless perished at the hands of their own comrades in the confusion.
Even those brave souls who had stayed behind to cover the retreat lost all their courage when they noticed the nine Astray Gundams approaching from behind.
"It's over..."
It was truly over. With wolves ahead and tigers behind, the nine Astray Gundams saw the Zeon Army scattering in all directions, completely devoid of fighting spirit. Like a pack of wolves pouncing into a flock of sheep, they hunted freely without specific targets. Anyone caught in their sight would be torn apart the next moment, erupting in a violent bloom.
The Death God, once completely unshackled, swept his scythe of death in a harvesting motion. Like reaping wheat, each swing created countless wandering souls awaiting his guidance—crossing from the shore of the living to the final destination of the dead.
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