The Federation fleet led by Douglas Bader was surrounded in its attempt to eliminate the threat of the Bigro, and the Wraith unit, striking back from the rear, also encountered a massive obstacle.
"How are there so many enemies here!?" Char cursed irritably, the Sazabi's Beam Rifle and Wing Funnels downing over a dozen enemy machines in quick succession.
"Mark Be calculated that we would return. Hah, my usual tactic," Yang Hui mocked himself. This tactic of penetrating deep behind enemy lines to eliminate a target and then turning back to assault the front lines from the rear was one the Twelfth Independent Technical Division had used more than once. Mark Be had indeed researched Yang Hui thoroughly.
"You're a menace!" Char cursed loudly. If Yang Hui's habits hadn't been studied so thoroughly, they wouldn't have escaped the tiger's den only to fall into a wolf's lair.
However, despite the cursing, his movements were not slow at all. His coordination with Yang Hui was incredibly seamless. The Sazabi's Wing Funnels fired beams that streaked toward Unit 01. Unit 01 didn't even flinch, allowing the beams to trace its silhouette before they pierced through several enemy machines behind it.
Unit 01 drew its Beam Saber and charged toward the Sazabi. The Sazabi showed no fear, tilting its body slightly to let Unit 01 pass. A Beam Saber plunged into the chest of a Dom, which was then kicked away. The Beam Rifle fired repeatedly, eliminating several enemy units. Back-to-back with the Sazabi, the Wing Funnels of both machines orbited them, acting as the most loyal knights guarding their lords.
"Not bad."
"There's still room for improvement."
"You just can't say anything nice, can you?"
"Hahaha."
The corners of both their mouths curled up at the same time. Leading their respective Wing Funnels, they launched an assault in opposite directions, turning into shooting stars that traversed the void of space, putting on a grand fireworks display for this final battle of the war.
Beep beep beep...
At that moment, Unit 01 suddenly issued an alarm. Yang Hui's gaze sharpened, and he manipulated Unit 01 into a sudden halt and retreat.
In the next second, a dense rain of beams swept across the position he was about to occupy.
"That's..." Yang Hui looked toward the source of the attack and saw a familiar yet somewhat strange enemy machine. A wicked smile appeared on his face. "So you actually built the Gyan too? Hmm... it seems you've made some modifications."
As soon as he spoke, the Gyan, performing a high-speed assault, pointed its rapier-style Beam Saber directly at Unit 01's abdomen. Unit 01 drew its saber to meet it. The two machines collided, emitting a blinding light.
"Yang Hui, I've finally found you!" Mark Be's voice, growing increasingly crazed, came through the communication channel.
"Isn't it good to be alive?" Yang Hui retorted calmly.
"Heh, arrogant people die easily. Yang Hui, I prepared this machine specifically for you!"
Suddenly, the Gyan's power surged, and its blade swiped Unit 01's arm aside.
"What?" Yang Hui was taken aback. The performance of the Astray Gundam was near the bottom among all the machines Yang Hui had used, but after multiple enhancements and modifications, utilizing designs integrated from other worlds and incorporating the UC world's most advanced current technologies, its performance—including its power—should have absolutely surpassed the Gyan's. Yet, its blade had just been parried!
However, in less than a second, Yang Hui regained his composure. Mark Be gave him no time to rest. The moment the Beam Saber was swiped aside, the Gyan's round shield was already held in front of it, its dense array of beam muzzles aimed at Unit 01.
Yang Hui would not sit and wait for death. Borrowing the momentum from his parried right hand, Unit 01 spun rapidly. A spinning kick landed on the lower edge of the round shield, altering its direction and causing the shield's Beam Diffusion Cannon to fire into empty space.
Simultaneously, the Beam Saber slashed upward from below toward the Gyan's shield arm, intending to sever it, but the enemy evaded quickly.
The Gyan pulled back, dodging even the shots fired by the Wing Funnels from various angles, creating distance.
"As expected, it's impossible to kill you so easily, Yang Hui. Hehe, how is it? This machine I prepared for you? Using linked dual Minovsky Reactor technology, the machine's output is multiplied. The frame and armor are made of Gundarium Alpha, enough to support the load of such high output. Its mobility and flexibility exceed the Astray Gundam you developed. Although it lacks your flashy armaments... the Psycommu System has made me one with the machine! This is the feeling! The feeling of power! Hehe... Hahahaha!"
Yang Hui understood why the Gyan's power and flexibility were so high. The large structure on its back that wasn't in his memory turned out to be an external second Minovsky Reactor and a high-power thruster pack. The machine's flexibility was thanks to the Psycommu System, but...
"Your brain isn't feeling too good, is it?" Yang Hui mocked with a cold sneer.
"Wha—"
"Heh."
In Yang Hui's memory, Mark Be was not an NT and could not use the Psycommu System. Even now, Yang Hui couldn't create a Quasi-Biological Computer or a Quasi-Psycommu System that allowed ordinary people to use remote-controlled weapons, let alone Mark Be and the Zeon scientists.
It wasn't that he looked down on them—Yang Hui had the right to feel this way!
Thus, there was only one explanation: Mark Be was using some special method to maintain high-intensity brain stimulation to ensure his Psychic Wave output temporarily reached the level of an NT or a Cyber-Newtype.
But the consequence of doing so was brain damage, or even turning into an idiot. This was also the reason why Mark Be's mental state was clearly abnormal.
"Hmph! It doesn't matter. As long as I kill you, that's enough. Lady Kycilia is waiting for my report!"
"Fine, I'll send you down to see her."
As soon as he finished speaking, the eighteen Wing Funnels were recalled. Yang Hui's eyes flowed with a seven-colored radiance. His high-intensity Psychic Energy miraculously took on a color—a vibrant, emerald green. The Wing Funnels seemed to leap with joy as if they had been given life.
"This... what is this!?" Mark Be watched everything unfolding before him and fell into a strange panic, but he quickly regained his composure. He slammed the foot pedals to the floor. Violent flames erupted from the Gyan's back as it charged at Unit 01. "Whatever you're trying to do, don't even think about it!"
"Heh, don't even think about it?"
Just as the frost-covered sneer faded, a beam suddenly pierced through the round shield on the Gyan's left arm, frightening Mark Be into immediately discarding the shield and retreating.
But just as he began the retreat, another beam pierced through the Gyan's left leg. Mark Be looked closely and saw that a Wing Funnel had somehow reached a position directly beneath the Gyan.
Vroom—
Another beam pierced the right leg, then the left arm, the backpack, and the head. Soon, only the torso, flickering with electrical arcs, remained floating in space.
"How... how is this possible... what... what on earth is... this!?"
Under Mark Be's terrified gaze, Unit 01 slowly approached him, and the green Psychic Waves also covered the Gyan.
"No... don't... don't come over here!"
"Do you see it, Mark Be? This is a true NT. This is the true Psycommu System."
"You... you..."
"Before you die, I'll give you one more secret. Take it down with you to Kycilia Zabi; she's one of the few opponents I've acknowledged."
"Get... get away! Don't come near me! Get away!"
Fear and despair caused Mark Be's brain, which had been under constant high-intensity stimulation, to collapse. His cranial nerves were destroyed. As frenzied as he had been before, he was now like a terrified child, flailing his arms and legs in the cockpit.
"I have never been a person of this world."
"Don't come—"
It was unknown if Mark Be could fulfill his request. After giving him the "parting gift," Yang Hui decisively pressed the hilt of the Beam Saber against the Gyan's cockpit. His finger lightly pulled the trigger, and the Beam Blade lunged out, piercing the Gyan's chest and consuming Mark Be and the cockpit. He fulfilled Mark Be's wish, allowing him to perfectly merge with the Gyan.
The Beam Blade was retracted, and Unit 01 gently pushed the Gyan's torso away, letting it drift with the force of inertia. The pale green Psychic Waves retracted, and the seven-colored light in his eyes faded.
"It's over."
Muttering this, Unit 01 dove back into the shattered enemy formations.
Yes, it was indeed over. Gihren Zabi's death had thrown the Principality of Zeon into chaos. Gihren Zabi's death had caused the faith of the Zabi family's fanatics to crumble. And Mark Be's death caused the final pillar of the Principality of Zeon to collapse.
...
"General, the right-wing fleet's damage rate is 40%!"
"Left-wing fleet damage rate is 43%!"
"Vanguard fleet damage rate is 49%. General, we..."
Facing his subordinates' frantic reports, Douglas Bader suddenly raised his hand to cut them off, preventing them from saying what they intended next.
"Tighten the formation. With this ship in the lead, the entire fleet will charge toward A Baoa Qu!" Worthy of being called the "Fighting General," Douglas Bader's initial mission was only a feint to keep the A Baoa Qu defenders from reinforcing Solomon Fortress, but he had resolutely chosen a full-scale assault.
And now, even though the fleet had suffered heavy losses and completed its combat objectives, and there was still a final chance to break out, he did not choose to retreat in disgrace. Instead, he chose to stake everything, concentrating all remaining forces to launch a final charge at the behemoth that was A Baoa Qu.
"General, our mission is..."
"To hell with the mission! The Principality of Zeon's strongest fortress is right in front of us. We have paid such a heavy price, and countless heroic spirits have paved the way for us to reach this distance. It's within our grasp. If we don't take it, how can we face them!? How can we face the uniforms on our backs!?"
"...Yes! General!"
"Order! Tighten the formation. This ship will act as the arrowhead. Charge toward A Baoa Qu and prepare for a forced landing assault!"
"Yes!"
Beep beep beep...
"General!"
"Report."
"A call from Colonel Yang Hui!"
"Read it out!"
"Yes! My unit has completed the mission, destroyed the Principality of Zeon's strategic weapon, and killed Gihren Zabi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Principality of Zeon. We encountered enemy resistance on the return journey, but have now broken through the blockade and killed the A Baoa Qu Commander, Mark Be. My unit will conduct a surprise assault on A Baoa Qu from the rear. Please provide coordination and support from the main fleet!"
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