Chapter 142: Three-Minute Battle
"…Is this the Gundam Unit 7?"
Back aboard the White Base after a long time, Eli looked up at the newly unveiled Gundam, now fully exposed after its tarp had been removed.
At first glance, this mobile suit bore a striking resemblance to the Unit 2 piloted by Amuro—the original Gundam.
Designed specifically for space combat, it featured a backpack with six thrusters. Additionally, it was built to accommodate extra armor and firepower for enhanced performance.
Now standing before Eli was the FA-78-3 Full Armor Gundam Unit 7.
"Well, unfortunately, the OS test pilot for this unit was declared a Zeon spy. Whether or not to install the system on the machine is up to you," Bright said as he stood beside Eli in the hangar, admiring the new Gundam.
"I know. I was the one who personally ordered his arrest. Use it."
Bright didn't question Eli's words and simply signaled the maintenance crew to proceed with the adjustments per Eli's command.
There was still an hour left before the operation—enough time.
"Wanna take a seat?"
"No, I should get used to this thing's controls first."
After all, this would be Eli's first time piloting a panoramic cockpit, so it was best to familiarize himself with it.
"Tough, isn't it? Being used as the Federation's poster boy."
Bright was, of course, referring to the Federation's propaganda portraying Eli as the ideal Newtype.
"I feel like this is something I have to go through."
Floating in the hangar, Eli turned to look at the face of the Gundam Unit 7.
"Is that so? I can never quite figure out what you're thinking—just like I can't figure out Mirai."
"Are you showing off now?"
"Well, you missed my wedding with Mirai. Even Amuro was there."
Eli waved his hand dismissively, signaling the married man to stop talking, then climbed into the cockpit.
The Zeon remnants occupying the mass driver had two late-model Musais. The mobile suits spotted included a fully armed Zaku, along with several Doms and Zakus.
That fully armed Zaku—Eli recognized it immediately.
Isn't that the Psycho Zaku from the Thunderbolt Sector?
For a moment, he even wondered if the South Seas Alliance existed on Earth.
After some thought, he concluded that only the related technology had surfaced—thankfully, the absurd political environment of the Thunderbolt Sector had not.
Regardless, it was time to sortie.
Gripping the controls of the Gundam Unit 7, Eli familiarized himself with the feel of the machine. Then, after a year, he had finally returned to the White Base. He held his breath, waiting for the launch catapult to fully engage.
The CIC's voice came through. "Launch clearance granted."
"Eli Lee, FA-78-3 Full Armor Gundam Unit 7—launching!"
The moment he was catapulted out of the White Base, all six thrusters ignited simultaneously. The overwhelming thrust, far beyond that of contemporary mobile suits, turned the Gundam into a streak of light, rocketing toward the lunar city of Von Braun.
At the same time, inside his own mobile suit, Gato removed his prosthetic mechanical hand and plugged it into the cockpit interface. His Psycho Zaku surged forward from the lunar surface, charging straight toward that streak of light.
A Full Armor Gundam and a Psycho Zaku—perhaps this was fate.
The Psycho Zaku launched its first strike, unleashing a barrage of missiles from its many weapon pods. However, Eli swiftly evaded by twisting his machine's posture.
But Gato wasn't idle either—he fired two Iron Fist rockets straight at the Full Armor Gundam Unit 7.
Eli simply activated his thrusters and repositioned himself between Gato and the Moon.
Now, with no risk of collateral damage to the lunar city, he could unleash his beam weaponry without restraint!
Even without an onboard system, Eli was already an undeniable ace.
Still, Gato, directly linked to his machine, used his heightened reflexes to nimbly dodge through the beam fire, preventing Eli from landing a clean hit.
"Major! I'll cover you!"
A Dom stormed in from behind Eli, spinning its beam naginata in an attempt to cleave through the Gundam.
"Stay out of my way!"
With the panoramic cockpit's aid, Eli had already spotted the Dom's approach. He drew his beam saber and swung in reverse, cleaving straight through the Dom's cockpit and slicing it in two.
Hearing his comrade's name shouted in despair, Gato's anger flared.
Previously, he had only viewed the Gundam as a Federation symbol, but now, seeing its combat maneuvers—ones he was all too familiar with—he realized exactly who was inside.
"Eli Lee! A Spacenoid like you is willing to be a Federation lapdog?!"
"Give me back my home, my parents, and I'll join Zeon."
Compared to Gato, who had lost his temper and opened a public channel to yell, Eli remained unnervingly calm.
Without hesitation, he kept his beam saber ready and fired a long-range beam cannon shot from his right shoulder, destroying the Psycho Zaku's weapon rack.
Now, all that remained on the Zaku were its heat hawk and rocket launcher.
"We fight for a cause greater than personal life and death!"
"Then please, sacrifice yourself for that cause. I will mend relations between Earth and space—unite humanity for real."
"Delusional! Spacenoids have only one path—independence!"
"That's just your narrow nationalist mindset, clinging to Zeon's twisted ideology. Humanity can surpass such divisions!"
With the additional thrusters on its back, the battle between the two mobile suits escalated beyond the reach of anyone else.
Gradually, their battlefield drifted closer to Von Braun City, until they finally landed on the lunar surface just outside the city for a decisive confrontation.
The Psycho Zaku, now heavily damaged, drew its heat hawk, signaling a desire for a final melee duel.
But Eli ignored it. Instead, he fired his beam rifle and beam cannon, blasting away the Zaku's legs mid-charge.
"They're just decorations anyway!"
Gato roared, pushing his prosthetic arms deeper into the cockpit interface as if trying to fuse with the machine.
But what he got in return was another beam shot—this time, obliterating the Zaku's head.
Without hesitation, Eli reignited his beam saber. He crouched slightly, then unleashed a burst from all his thrusters.
This strike was aimed directly at the Zaku's cockpit!
Boom!
Just then, a vivid green beam exploded beside the Full Armor Gundam, knocking its beam saber slightly off course.
The Psycho Zaku struggled to swing its heat hawk at the Gundam, but Eli blocked it with his shield.
However, the impact forced him to drop his beam saber, which extinguished instantly.
Eli looked up and saw a Musai, engulfed in smoke, plummeting toward the lunar surface!
As it fell, the Musai desperately fired its remaining beams and missiles at Eli, barreling toward him in a last-ditch suicide attack.
With no choice, Eli pulled back the Gundam Unit 7 to evade.
The Psycho Zaku was crushed beneath the wreckage of the Musai.
Sorry, sorry—this is the third time I've let Gato survive. But honestly, making up some random villain to carry out Operation Stardust just doesn't feel right. After much thought, I decided to let Gato hang on a little longer.
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