"Don't hit the cockpit... just destroy the machine..."
The lingering confusion in Kira's eyes seemed to vanish like clouds parting before the sun.
Yes, the thing he had feared most was actually quite simple to resolve. If he didn't want to kill, he simply had to avoid hitting the cockpit.
Having grasped this simple yet profound truth, Kira's aura shifted instantly, and he re-entered that strange, heightened state.
A slight smirk played on Mikazuki's lips. "Finally figured it out, have you...?"
Engaged in combat with the Strike, Nicol felt the sudden change in his opponent's movements. His heart hammered in his chest as the Strike's actions became significantly sharper. He scrambled to evade the Strike's heavy bombardment.
The power of the Launcher pack's hyper impulse cannon was beyond anything a standard beam could match. Even Phase Shift Armor would fail under a sustained blast from the Agni.
Though Nicol reacted quickly, he couldn't completely dodge Kira's cannon fire. His right arm's Offensive Shield System was obliterated along with the arm itself.
Mikazuki pulled his attention back; he knew there was no longer any reason to worry about Kira. The fog before Kira's eyes had cleared; he had seen the crossroads ahead and made his choice.
Meanwhile, Athrun, who had been pursued and battered by Mikazuki throughout the fight, checked his energy meter. He had less than half his power remaining. Judging by the situation, Nicol and Dearka weren't doing much better.
"Are we forced to retreat...? Dammit! Nicol, Dearka, fall back!"
Dearka looked at Athrun on his screen with dissatisfaction. "Huh? Retreat? Are you kidding me? We haven't even avenged Yzak yet!"
"Yzak isn't even dead yet, what vengeance are you talking about? Look at your energy levels! How many more shots can you even fire? Have you lost your mind?"
Dearka instinctively glanced at his energy meter. His expression shifted to one of frustrated reluctance; his energy was already nearing the critical point required to maintain his PS Armor.
"Tch, is there no other way...? Fine, understood."
"Acknowledged," Nicol added. He had no objections; ever since he started trading blows with the Strike, he felt that his opponent had no intention of killing him. The Strike had numerous opportunities to strike his cockpit, yet it had targeted other parts of the machine instead. It was strange, to say the least.
"Hm? Are they retreating...?" Mikazuki hoisted his Tachi onto his shoulder and watched the three machines vanish into the distance. This battle was a victory for the Archangel.
"Mikazuki, let's head back too." Kira's tone sounded genuinely bright, happy that he had finally found clarity. However, at that exact moment, the Archangel's surveillance radar and the Barbatos's alarms shrieked simultaneously.
Murrue shouted, "What now?"
Sai called out urgently, "An unknown heat source is approaching rapidly from the flank! It's coming right at us!"
"What?" Murrue stood up in shock as the heat source appeared on the screen. "What is that thing?"
Between the horizon and the sea, a black machine they had never seen before was flying directly toward them.
"This is no friendly visit. Battle stations!"
Zzt-zzt!
Just as Murrue issued the order, the Archangel was hit by a powerful, unexplained interference.
"What's happening?" Natarle turned to Sai.
"Detecting unknown interference... it's not a Neutron Jammer. This signal is... it's similar to the Barbatos."
"The Barbatos?" Murrue's pupils contracted. "Could it be...?"
Inside the Barbatos, Mikazuki's expression turned grim as he stared at the black machine charging toward them.
"Hey, hey, are you kidding me?" Orga's voice echoed within the cockpit, filled with dread. "Didn't you finish this guy off back in Edmonton? Graze Ein... why is he appearing here?"
Compared to Orga's horror, Mikazuki remained much calmer. He said flatly, "It's not that strange. We're still alive and well, aren't we? It's normal that he survived too."
"That's not the point! Surviving is one thing, but why is this monster showing up here of all places?"
The Graze Ein looked up, its singular red eye glowing with a predatory light.
"Mikazuki Augus! I've finally found you! Child of profound sin who killed Lieutenant Crank!"
Graze Ein seemed to have opened a public communication channel. Not only did Mikazuki and Orga hear him, but his voice a roar that sounded like it climbed out of hell reverberated through the bridge of the Archangel.
"Profound sin?" Murrue and the others were stunned. It was clear the newcomer had come specifically for Mikazuki.
"Mikazuki!" Kira's Strike moved to support him, but Mikazuki barked a command to stop.
"Don't come over here! This guy isn't someone you can handle. Fall back! Get back to the Archangel!"
Mikazuki then patched into the Archangel's comms, speaking even as he charged toward the Graze Ein. "Hey, Murrue, you guys leave first."
Murrue's voice was frantic. "Wait, what do you mean leave first? You're not coming with us?"
"I'll catch up soon. Just go. Aren't you headed for Alaska? You've spent so much effort getting this far; do you really want to stop now?"
"Ugh..." Murrue struggled with the decision. Finally, she exhaled slowly, suppressing the ache in her heart as she gave the order. "Archangel, full speed ahead!"
She had no choice but to order a withdrawal. She wasn't the only one on this ship; as Captain, she was responsible for every soul on board.
"How can we do this? Captain, let the Strike help Mikazuki!" Kira said anxiously.
Mikazuki interrupted him immediately. "Don't get in my way! I told you, this guy is more than you can deal with."
As he spoke, the Barbatos and the Graze Ein were on the verge of a collision. It was only then that everyone realized the sheer scale of this MS it was significantly larger than a standard machine.
📢 MASSIVE UPDATE FOR BINGE-READERS! 📢
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