Chapter 75: SEED – Landing Operation IV
Tolle Koenig piloted the Ginn, immediately adjusting course toward the Archangel.
At the same time, the four Gundams—Blitz, Duel, Aegis, and Buster—also received the news: the Ginn customized for Miguel had been stolen by the Earth Alliance volunteer soldier who'd been captured earlier.
He had disabled the engines and main cannons of three ZAFT warships, leaving them adrift.
While destroying the Archangel, they were ordered to also eliminate this Ginn immediately.
Athrun Zala, Yzak Joule, and Dearka Elsman were all stunned, unable to believe that the timid-seeming young volunteer soldier could be this ruthless.
They marveled that he had managed to steal a Ginn from right under ZAFT's nose, in the middle of a group of Coordinators, break through the encirclement, and even disable three warships. Truly, he was like a wolf in disguise.
Only Nicol Amalfi finally felt relieved, as if parched land had just been given sweet rain, his whole body loosening with ease.
But then the thought struck him: Tolle Koenig was now facing encirclement from three Gundams. Could he possibly make it out alive? And the worry began anew.
Tolle Koenig, in his orange Ginn, kept charging forward at full speed, occasionally firing a few shots from the beam rifle.
In a surprise strike, he managed to destroy two Ginns. On the battlefield, only five ZAFT Ginns remained.
On the Archangel, when they saw the orange Ginn firing on other Ginns, they were completely baffled.
Sai Argyle whispered to the radar operator beside him:
"What's going on with that orange customized Ginn? Did its targeting system malfunction? It shot down two of its own allies. Could it be one of those legendary team-killers?"
The radar operator broke into a cold sweat. Though a veteran, he had never seen anything like this and had no idea how to explain it.
At that moment, Tolle Koenig opened comms to the Archangel.
"Captain Murrue Ramius, I escaped from the ZAFT warships and I'm returning.
Miriallia, I'll be back soon. I'm sorry I've worried you these past days.
Also, the orange Ginn—I'm the one piloting it.
Please notify the Eighth Fleet of the Earth Alliance not to mistake me as a target."
Miriallia Haw started crying in joy, calling Tolle's name again and again, leaving him rather embarrassed.
Murrue Ramius was shocked at first, then immediately had Tolle Koenig switch to the Eighth Fleet's IFF code.
She promptly informed the Eighth Fleet, Kira Yamato, and Mu La Flaga that the orange Ginn was being piloted by an ally—Tolle Koenig.
General Halberton was astonished to hear that the captured volunteer soldier had escaped on his own, even hijacking a Ginn.
He had written him off as expendable, barely giving him any thought—yet here he was, back again.
He couldn't help but suspect Tolle of possible defection. Otherwise, how could he have slipped from ZAFT's grasp so easily?
And by sheer coincidence, he just happened to secure a customized Ginn? ZAFT wouldn't just leave such a machine unused, conveniently waiting for him. It didn't add up.
But without proof, Halberton couldn't say such things aloud. If Tolle was truly loyal, accusing him might drive him straight into the enemy's arms. All he could do was wait and see.
Tolle Koenig, oblivious to the general's doubts, would surely have slapped him and given him a lecture if he knew, telling him to stop overthinking.
Just then, the five remaining ZAFT Ginns opened fire on Tolle Koenig, showering him with rockets and machine gun rounds.
Seeing the storm of incoming fire, Tolle's skin crawled, goosebumps rising all over.
Seriously? Was this necessary? All he did was steal one Ginn, and on his way out he happened to disable three warships.
Now they all ganged up on him like this—too much! Did they think he was easy prey? They were the ones who'd regret it.
Tolle immediately activated his Concentrated Focus—SEED Mode.
The customized Ginn's movements became fluid and seamless, effortlessly dodging the attacks of all five enemy Ginns.
Every incoming bullet was met with a dance-like maneuver, slipping past without so much as scratching the paint.
But that was only appearances. In truth, Tolle inside the cockpit was panicking like crazy. Dodging alone was eating up every ounce of his focus.
He was drenched in sweat, and in less than two minutes his mental stamina would be spent—then he'd be dead for sure!
At that moment, under General Halberton's orders, several ships of the Eighth Fleet opened fire in support.
Not long after, a warship's main cannon scored a direct hit on a ZAFT Ginn, vaporizing it instantly.
The other four scattered. Tolle finally exhaled in relief, deactivated SEED Mode, and continued relying on Concentrated Focus.
He targeted one Ginn with repeated beam rifle shots and, luckily, blew off its right arm and leg.
Crippled, that Ginn immediately retreated toward the ZAFT fleet.
Tolle felt a pang in his chest. These Ginns were supposed to become his property, and now seventy percent were gone.
But if he went too easy on them, the higher-ups would surely cause him trouble.
Destroying them was unavoidable. Still, it hurt deeply, as though his very heart was bleeding.
The three remaining Ginns scattered, dodging the Eighth Fleet's barrage while taking out several more Moebius units.
Tolle had no choice but to grit his teeth and dive in, blasting another Ginn to pieces.
The last two, realizing the situation, fled toward the four Gundams, hoping to lure Tolle along and let the Gundams finish him off.
Tolle let out a heavy sigh of relief, temporarily shutting down Concentrated Focus, and had Nami control the Ginn toward the Archangel.
Through the main monitor of his flagship, General Halberton watched Tolle's Ginn.
Tolle's piloting skills were in no way inferior to those of the Coordinators.
If not for the confirmed records of his natural birth, Halberton would have suspected him of being a Coordinator himself.
Meanwhile, Kira Yamato accelerated his Strike Gundam out of Earth's orbit, heading toward the Minerva-class warship Menelaos.
The moment Yzak Joule spotted the Strike, he accelerated in his Duel Gundam to intercept.
Kira opened fire with the beam rifle as the Duel came rushing in.
Yzak, eager to settle the score, switched weapons, drawing his beam saber as he closed in.
From his right shoulder, anti-armor shells fired one after another at the Strike.
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