However, as the hidden boss of this world, Creuset still maintained the composure befitting his status.
While entangled with both Wang Hu and Mu, it took him only a brief moment to regain his mental balance.
Alone, he held off the combined attacks of Wang Hu and Mu.
After all, Wang Hu was currently piloting the Moebius Zero, limited by that mobile suit's firepower, and this was a one-on-one duel without the risk of friendly fire.
Wang Hu's personal threat level had significantly diminished.
And Mu?
Creuset glanced at his disappointing "son"—well, he was just about average.
Having him around didn't make much difference, nor did his absence.
Though Mu had done a decent job coordinating Wang Hu's attacks, that was all he could manage—coordination.
"Hmm?" Soon, what Creuset noticed was also picked up by Wang Hu.
"Mu, I'll switch to creating openings for you now."
Sending a quick transmission to the Qilin, Wang Hu immediately altered his strategy.
He shifted his role to that of a wingman, hoping to apply greater pressure on Creuset this way.
Perhaps even settle things with Creuset here and now!
"Got it!" Mu agreed readily. After all, the prospect of shooting down Creuset today was highly tempting for him as well!
"Oh?"
With his mind now calm, Creuset instantly detected the shift in his opponents' roles.
Watching the Moebius Zero charging straight toward him, Creuset smirked and prepared himself.
Would that bastard Wang Hu attack from above or below?
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."
The first volley didn't come from Wang Hu—instead, it was Mu's Qilin that fired!
Dodging effortlessly, Creuset remained composed, his gun hand steady.
He didn't rush to counter Mu's attacks.
After all, an unfired bullet was the most threatening. Once fired, his shooting trajectory would be exposed.
With this in mind, though Creuset weaved left and right, his gun remained trained on Wang Hu's approach vector.
"Oh?" Seeing this, Wang Hu chuckled and spoke over the open comms channel.
"Creuset, just how little do you think of our dear Mu? He might actually cry, you know!"
No response. Against anyone else, Creuset might have engaged in some verbal sparring, but not now.
His opponent was Wang Hu, and in such a tense situation, he couldn't afford even the slightest lapse in focus!
While Creuset stayed silent, Mu was genuinely getting angry.
Not to mention how decisively Creuset had turned away the moment he realized Mu was piloting the Qilin—as if utterly disgusted by the sight of him.
And now!
His coordinated attacks were being completely ignored, even though he was the one wielding the most threatening weapon!
Just you wait—I'll make you regret this!
Eyes wide, Mu slowed his breathing, waiting.
Waiting for Wang Hu to create the perfect opportunity!
"It's coming!"
Murmuring softly inside the CGUE's cockpit, Creuset saw the four wired-control gunpods detach from the Moebius Zero.
Excellent spatial awareness was in full play, estimating and sensing the flight trajectories of those four gun pods.
Below!
A phantom electric flash streaked past his forehead as the CGUE abruptly veered.
Aiming at the gunpod attempting to strike from below, Creuset fired three precise shots.
"Ping! Ping! Ping!"
Two missed, but the third—
The third shot didn't hit the gunpod itself, but it struck the wire controlling it!
One must understand that wired-control gunpods are inherently small and agile. Under Wang Hu's control, most people couldn't even hope to hit the pods themselves—
They couldn't even graze the edges of the pods.
This was precisely why Wang Hu had the confidence to engage four Gundams stolen by the ZAFT Forces using only a Moebius Zero.
But now!
Creuset had actually managed to hit the wire controlling the gunpod—something even thinner, smaller, and harder to spot than the pod itself!
"Heh!" A light chuckle escaped him. If others had witnessed Creuset's display of skill,
they might have frozen on the spot, their confidence shattered. But Wang Hu merely chuckled.
As Creuset's mech assumed a downward-facing posture, Wang Hu unleashed a barrage from the linear cannons beneath his own machine.
Simultaneously, the other three wired-control gunpods maneuvered into positions that were awkward and difficult for Creuset to counter.
Raising his shield, Creuset reacted with lightning speed.
A tremendous force slammed into the shield on his left arm—the collision of shield and projectile.
Using the impact's momentum, Creuset's mech was pushed backward, creating distance.
And it was this very distance that allowed the gunfire from Wang Hu's three remaining wired-control gunpods—
To weave a deadly net of flames before Creuset's machine.
"Impressive!" Witnessing Creuset's masterful response—though the man was merely mimicking his own tactics—
Wang Hu couldn't help but voice his admiration.
"Mu!" Wang Hu then shouted, signaling that the moment had arrived.
"Creuset!"
Mu didn't need Wang Hu's prompt. Having been waiting for this opportunity, he roared as well.
Like a ghostly assassin lurking in the shadows, Mu charged forward in his Qilin.
The twin-linked linear cannons beneath his machine roared to life, while four beam cannon pods soared into the air.
A cascading net of fire descended as Mu swore to thoroughly thrash the cornered Creuset here and now.
Creuset's eyes shimmered with intensity, his heart pounding violently. Since joining the military, this was undoubtedly his most perilous situation.
His usual elegance and nonchalance had long since vanished.
Hands and feet moved in unison as Creuset input a flurry of commands into the CGUE's control system within milliseconds.
Whether it was an illusion or not, this CGUE—designed with a Coordinator's reaction speed as the baseline—
Somehow felt like it couldn't keep up with his own rhythm.
Fortunately,
PLANT's technological prowess was commendable, and ZAFT's military manufacturing used robust materials.
Tossing away the machine gun in his right hand—ranged weapons proved too ineffective in an Ace's close-quarters combat—
Why not let it block a few beams and lighten the load?
"Boom." The machine gun fulfilled its final purpose as Creuset had anticipated.
The shrapnel from its explosion even unexpectedly detonated several more beams midair.
With a horizontal block of its left arm, the shield scavenged from Gundam spare parts by the CGUE became the MVP of this battle, once again helping Creuset deflect several attacks from Mu's wired gun barrels.
Utilizing the impact force, Creuset's CGUE leaned backward, executing a backflip in the vacuum of space.
As the flip neared completion to face Mu directly, the CGUE's rear thrusters flared with intense blue flames, their brilliance dazzling against the darkness.
His speed increased abruptly, even surpassing safe operational limits.
"Impossible!" Mu was simultaneously charging toward Creuset during his attack.
With Creuset also accelerating toward Mu, their combined velocities caused the distance between them to vanish in an instant!
Watching the screen as Creuset appeared before him in the blink of an eye, seeing the raised beam saber—
Mu's adrenaline spiked uncontrollably in that unprepared moment.
Could it be?
Is this where it ends?
Will the legend of the Endymion Eagle conclude right here, right now?
While Wang Hu and Mu's combined assault against Creuset continued, elsewhere—
Following Creuset's orders, Athrun and Dearka were racing toward the mothership at high speed with their two disabled comrades.
They had to drive off the Allied Forces' Strike Gundam at minimum before the mothership was destroyed.
Otherwise...
None of the four wanted to witness that outcome.
"Kira? So it really is you?"
Though the Allied Forces were being overwhelmed by ZAFT on the battlefield, their manufactured Gundams proved remarkably effective.
Seeing the mothership barely holding up under the Strike Gundam's assault, Athrun felt relief at having returned in time.
Yet simultaneously, his tension mounted.
(End of chapter)