The golden radiance gradually dimmed, and the once dazzling cosmos returned to its deep and tranquil state.
"Finally, we've destroyed you, Gundam, Diva. The mountain obstructing VEGAN has been leveled..."
Before the Dygmengunnon Cannon was fired, Jehart had been closely monitoring the positions of the six Gundams and the Diva. Although he noticed other Federal Army fleets spreading out to the sides, their movements seemed merely like forming a battle formation. Since the primary targets were the Gundams and the Diva, even if fewer Federal fleets were destroyed, it didn't matter as long as they remained within the cannon's firing axis.
However, his excitement and agitation were quickly interrupted as the electromagnetic environment stabilized.
"The Gundams... all units are intact!"
"What!?"
Jehart had already located the position of Liu Tao's Gundam on the tactical map. It was not far from the firing axis but indeed unharmed.
"What about the Diva? Find the Diva's position!"
"The Diva... signal lost!"
"What are the Federal fleet's losses?"
"...Federal fleet losses are minimal!"
"The enemy fleet seems to have executed evasive maneuvers before the Dygmengunnon Cannon was fired!"
"This..." Jehart was shocked and immediately realized that his strategy had been seen through. "We've been outmaneuvered again!"
Jehart was furious and unwilling to accept this. His plan had been nearly perfect. Although it involved using decoys to lure the enemy fleet into the firing axis to annihilate them in one strike, the first time he used unmanned warships, a tactic that couldn't be repeated. Jehart wanted the Federal Army commanders to believe they wouldn't use their comrades' lives as bait. Thus, to make the second attempt more convincing and to mislead the Federal Army, he had sent part of the fleet to hold the firing axis.
On one hand, it was to confuse the Federal Army, and on the other, to eliminate dissenters—a plan that killed two birds with one stone.
Who would have thought...
His scheme had been turned against him, and the enemy had also discerned his primary targets, using the Diva and the six Gundams as bait to deplete the strategic weapon's firing opportunity.
"Recharge the Dygmengunnon Cannon immediately! We can't give the Federal Army any chance!"
"The cooling system is 41% offline. Estimated time to reactivate: 21 minutes!"
"Lord Jehart, there's no time," Falk Okramud reminded Jehart. The distance between the Federal fleet and the Second Moon was closing rapidly. Under the Federal fleet's fierce assault, the VEGAN fleet had also suffered heavy losses, not to mention the recent sacrifice of part of the fleet. Before the Dygmengunnon Cannon could recharge, there was no way to hold off the Federal fleet's advance, unless...
"Begin recharging immediately! I will sortie to delay the Federal Army and buy us time. Once the cannon is fully charged, fire it immediately..."
"No!" Falk Okramud immediately objected, grabbing Jehart to prevent him from acting recklessly. "Lord Jehart, you are not only the commander of this operation but also the heir to Lord Ezelcant. VEGAN still needs your leadership. You cannot risk your life again!"
Falk Okramud was firmly opposed to Jehart's decision to launch another attack. Previously, even with the protection of the royal guards and Fram Nara, they had suffered a crushing defeat against the Gundam. Now, without the support of skilled protectors, Jehart stood even less of a chance against the Gundam.
It wasn't that he doubted Jehart's abilities, but the opponent was simply too terrifying.
"If I don't go out, who will hold off the Gundam? Without someone to restrain it, we have no chance at all!"
"But Lord Jehart..."
"Enough. My mind is made up. I leave the command to you, Falk."
With that, Jehart ignored Falk Okramud's objections, broke free from his grasp, and prepared to leave the command room.
Jehart knew deep down that VEGAN was likely to lose this battle, but he wasn't willing to give up just yet. He wanted to fight back, to settle things with his past self, and to give VEGAN a proper account.
If... if he were to fall in battle, he hoped his life could buy VEGAN better terms.
At that moment, the door to the command room opened, and Jehart nearly collided with the lady standing outside.
"My lady! What are you doing here? It's dangerous. Please return to the mansion and wait..."
Lady Doreen's arrival startled everyone. She should have been by Ezelcant's side, caring for him. Moreover, the command room was always the enemy's primary target. In the ever-changing battlefield, no one knew if a sudden grenade might blast the room or if enemy troops would storm in.
Lady Doreen was well aware of the danger, but she had a reason she couldn't ignore—it was Ezelcant's final wish to her before his passing.
"Jehart, where are you going?" Lady Doreen's voice was no longer gentle and kind as usual. Instead, it carried an imposing authority that was hard to face.
"I..."
"My lady, please stop Lord Jehart! He plans to face the Gundam alone!"
Seeing Lady Doreen arrive, Falk Okramud found his savior. He couldn't persuade Jehart to abandon his suicidal mission, and neither could anyone else. Now, within all of VEGAN, only Lady Doreen could possibly stop Jehart.
"My lady..."
"As a commander, how can you act so impulsively? My dear entrusted VEGAN's future to you. Is this how you repay his trust?"
To become Ezelcant's wife and remain by his side all these years, Lady Doreen relied not just on emotional bonds. She naturally possessed the demeanor and capabilities of a leader—vision, ability, and tact. However, after marrying Ezelcant, she gradually buried these qualities to become his supportive partner.
Now that Ezelcant was gone, for the sake of VEGAN, to which he had devoted his life, Lady Doreen stepped forward without hesitation, reclaiming the authority she once held.
"But the Gundam..."
"Jehart, my dear is no longer with us."
"What!?"
The command room fell silent, and in the next moment, everyone couldn't hold back their tears, unwilling to accept this reality.
"How could this be?"
"How could Lord Ezelcant have passed away?"
"Didn't they say Lord Ezelcant just needed rest and he would be fine?"
"Impossible! I don't believe it!"
...
"Silence!" Madam Doreen's stern voice quelled the agitated crowd.
Facing the expectant, even pleading gazes of the crowd, Madam Doreen chose to speak the truth: "It's true, my dear passed away half an hour ago."
"How could this be..."
"Lord Ezelkanta..."
...
"Pull yourselves together!" Madam Doreen's sharp rebuke made the weeping crowd lift their heads. "Though my dear has left us, VEGAN still stands! The battle is ongoing, and this fight determines the fate of VEGAN! Are you planning to surrender to the Federal Army by crying like this?"
"No!" they shouted in unison.
"Then brace yourselves! Though my dear has passed, his soul has ascended to Eden. He awaits your arrival there. Give your all in this battle, everything for VEGAN!"
"Everything for VEGAN!" they echoed.
The morale, which had plummeted to its lowest, was now reignited by Madam Doreen's words, like adding fuel to a dying ember and dousing it with oil.
"Madam..."
While Madam Doreen's words could boost morale, the situation remained unresolved. No matter how high the spirits, it could only inflict greater casualties on the Federal Army, not fundamentally alter the course of the battle.
The Gundams advanced unhindered, no matter how valiant the VEGAN soldiers were, they couldn't stop their march.
"Are you troubled by the Gundams?" Madam Doreen asked Jehart and Falk Okramud.
"...Yes," they nodded.
Falk Okramud had stopped Jehart from engaging the Gundams, but he couldn't deny that the Gundams were the greatest threat, unparalleled in their menace.
"That's why I'm here, Jehart. This is the gift my dear left for you, a way to counter the Gundams."
"A way to counter the Gundams!?" Jehart was astonished.
"Indeed."
With that, Madam Doreen took out her PAD, opened a file, and handed it to Jehart.
"This is!"
"Cloning technology, combat-enhanced X-Rounders created from his cells, five in total, all equipped with VEGAN's finest masterpiece—the [VEGAN Mobile Suits]. They are fully prepared and will surely defeat the Gundams," Madam Doreen affirmed.
"Lord Ezelcant's... clones..."
Seeing the data on the clones, Jehart's emotions were extremely complex. Cloning technology had been sealed away even before the wars of the old era, deemed too inhumane.
He never imagined that Ezelcant would be so insane as to unseal this forbidden technology and create five clones from his own cells.
As he flipped through the pages, the data on the [VEGAN Mobile Suits] came into view.
Standing at a towering height of 31 meters, the entirely black MS stood out among its peers. Despite its height, it was far from bulky; instead, it was as slender as an insect, with a long, thin tail extending from its lumbar region. The tail's tip was equipped with a beam cannon known as the "Delter Gazer," whose power rivaled that of the Gundam Legilis' beam cannon. Its arms, resembling dry branches, were fitted with gleaming claws that were not merely for show—they were thermal sabers comparable to high-output beam sabers.
Despite its tall stature, its slender frame granted it mobility surpassing that of the Gundam Legilis.
"A perfect combat machine!" Jehart and Falk Okramud exclaimed simultaneously.
The clones had no thoughts of their own, only faithfully executing their master's commands. They were also enhanced X-Rounders, specifically designed for combat. Paired with the "VEGAN Mobile Suits" created solely for slaughter, they suddenly felt a renewed sense of hope for this battle.
Jehart tightened his grip on the PAD and sincerely thanked Lady Dorel: "Thank you, my lady. This power has come at just the right time."
"Use it well, Jehart. Remember, you carry the hopes of all VEGAN," Lady Dorel nodded before leaving the command room. Her task was complete, and now she would return to await the outcome of this war.
After Lady Dorel's departure, Jehart wasted no time and immediately issued the order: "VEGAN Mobile Suits, deploy immediately! Target: the Gundam!"
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