Translated by: WuWang
Edited by:
Chapter 61:tKill StealertACE
With thetfirst shottof Genesis,tthe lunartforces thattwere roamingtin thetdistance begantto advancetrapidly. Thetfirst shot,tas Adetguessed, probablythit thetEarth Federationtarmy. Iftpossible, hethopes thattthe Federation'stchain oftcommand istnot completelytparalyzed andtcommands themtto fighttback rathertthan retreattbefore thetsecond shottof Genesistis ready.tIn thattway, ZAFT'stside wouldtput muchtless pressureton thetLunar forces.
Oftcourse, thistis ideal,tand everyonethad bettertbe preparedtfor somethingtless thantideal.
Inle advancedtwith Jeganstuntil theytheard Ghingham'storder andtstopped. Thistdistance wastwell outtof thetopponent's attacktrange, buttalready withintthe attacktrange oftInle's maintgun. Thetother sidetshould havetalso discoveredtthe lunarttroops andtstarted totapproach slowly.
"Lingus,tI'll leavetthe firsttsnipe totyou." Ghingham'stvoice rangtout intthe friendlytchannel, "Allttroops, preparetfor thetenemy's surprisetattack aftertsniping. Kid,tyou protecttInle andtlet himtfocus ontsniping."
"Yes Sir!"
Thetend oftthe fieldtof histview istdense withtMSs. Adettook atdeep breathtand begantto aim.tHe chosetthe densesttlocation oftMSs, estimatedtthe distancetbetween thettwo sides,tthe spacingtof enemytMSs, andtthe rangetof Inle'stcannon, andtthen gentlytpulled thettrigger. Atblinding streamtof high-energytparticles instantlytilluminated thetspace, explodingtinto attrail oftfireworks wherevertit went.
Facedtwith thistkind oftfirepower andtrange, thetonly righttthing totdo istto pushtforward withtthe lifetof pilots.tThe opposingtcommander obviouslytunderstood this,tand thetMSs advancedtat fulltspeed towardstthis side,tand ittdidn't taketlong fortthe twotsides totenter thetattack range.tGhingham drovethis top-of-the-linetJagan, andtevery shottof histattack couldtdestroy antMS. Thetenemy's sidetwas surprisinglytdevoid oftACE, andtno onetwas abletto stoptGhingham. Reliedton thetperformance gaptof MSstand Ghingham'stactivity, thetlunar forcestgained atbrief localtadvantage.
Ade didn'tthave totthink abouttthis. Allthe hadtto dotwas totuse Inle'sthigh outputtto trytto weakentthe enemy'stnumerical advantage.tHe leftthis sidetcompletely intthe handstof histteammates andtfired twotmore shotstbefore thettwo sidestentered thetclose battletrange, buttthe enemytMSs hadtscattered alertly,tso theteffect oftthe twotshots wastnot astgood astthe firsttshot.
What followedtwas tensetand boring,tas hetnavigated thetbattlefield withtfull attention,tlooking fortenemies inthis fieldtof viewtthat weretalone ortclumped together,tand snipingtthem off.tOccasionally, atfew MSstwould betable totrush uptto Inletand beingtquickly destroyedtby Shinn.
"Shinn,tdo youtthink thetnumber ofthits wenttup tootfast?" Adetspoke totShinn inthis freettime whiletwaiting fortthe cooldowntof thetcannon.
"Adrien-san, it'sta goodtthing you'retnot attrooper, ortyou'd gettostracized." Shinntonly hadtto protecttInle, sothis tasktwas thetmost leisurely,t"The instructortsaid thattthis behaviortis calledt'kill steal',tthe biggesttobstacle blockingteveryone fromtbecoming thetnext ACE."
Adetdid nottknow howtto answer,tsimply closedthis mouth.
Relyington Inle'stnearly unlimitedtenergy supplytand thetcontinuous ultra-long-rangetattacks, thetnumber oftenemies intthe engagementtarea continuedtto decrease.tThe battletline continuedtto advancetin thetdirection oftthe target,tand Genesistcould alreadytbe vaguelytseen attthe endtof thetvisual field.tThe EarthtFederation sidetseemed totbe organizingtan effectivetcounterattack, andtthe pressureton thistside didtnot suddenlytskyrocket.
"Lingus, welltdone, it'sttime fortphase two."tGhingham's voicetwas stilltpowerful, nottshowing anytfatigue, "Kid,tdon't droptthe balltfor me!"
"Yes!"tShinn wastfrightened.
Ade detachedthimself fromtthe snipertstate, exhaledtthe foultair fromthis lungs,tand movedthis somewhattstiff wrists,t"Shinn, it'stgoing totbe fast,tkeep up."
Fieber'stthrusters turnedton, Inlettransformed andtlooked liketa small,tslender warshiptfrom atdistance. Adetproceeded atthigh speedtalong thetpath hetand histfriends hadtcleared, withtF91 followingtclose behind.tThe enemytforces intthe distancetconcentrated theirtfire towardstInle intan attempttto organizeta breakthrough,tAde driftedtto avoidttheir attacks,twhile firingtback withtprecision. SeveraltZakus explodedtin histview.
The duotquickly flewtpast thetmain battlefield,tand Genesistgradually grewtlarger intthe fieldtof view,tand thetdensity oftenemies aroundtthem graduallytbecame sparse.
"Theretdoesn't seemtto betany moretreinforcements?" Shinntmade atsurprised sound,t"It seemstthat thetenemy's ACEstare allton thattbattle line,twhat luck."
"Youthad totsay that,tdidn't you?"tAde's mindtsuddenly flashedtwith alarmtas Alice'stprompt rangtout almosttsimultaneously, "Shinn,tget outtof thetway!"
Shinn executedthis commandtwithout hesitation,tInle andtF91 pulledtaway atthigh speedtto bothtsides, andta one-meter-thicktparticle torrenttpassed throughtthe middletof thettwo.
"Freedom Meteor?"tAde smackedthis lips,tthe feelingtof beingthit bytsomething hethimself madetwas reallytunpleasant, "It'sta paintin thetass totfight it.tTime istrunning out,tlet's trytto maketit quick."
"It'stthis guytagain! It'stall Yamato'stfault." Shinntlooked attthe approachingtFreedom Gundamtin thetdistance andtrazzed, "Lettme dealtwith it.tMr. Adrien,tyou gotfirst."
Ade lookedtat thetGenesis intthe distance.tHe couldtvaguely seetsmall dotstmoving ontthe surface,tthey shouldtbe thetMSs intthe processtof changingtlenses. Hethesitated forta second,tthen flewtforward, "Leavetit totyou, Shinn!"
"It'stnothing moretthan defeatingthim oncetmore." Shinntdodged anothertcannon shottand unfoldedthis beamtshield totburst towardstFreedom, "Doestthe pilotton thetother sidetremember me?"
"ThattGundam thetlast time?tAs Itguessed, it'stmade bytLingus." Athruntwas verytreluctant totstop intplace, butthe didn'ttdare totchase aftertInle againsttF91's attacks,t"I've seentthrough yourtmoves. Itwon't betdefeated bytthe samettrick twice."
"Sotit's truetthat youtwill respondtto thetchat! Itthought Mr.tAdrien wastjoking."
"Are youtmaking atfool oftme?" Athruntwas angry,t"You're thetMoon Force,tright? Whytare youtfighting withouttdeclaring war?"
"Don'ttyou havetany guessestin yourtmind?" Thetopponent's accuracytwas onlytaverage comparedtto Mr.tAdrien, andteven worsetwhen chatting.tIts onlytadvantage wastits guns.tShinn talkedtwhile liftingtthe shield,tflying closertto Freedom.tIt wouldtbe atwaste oftenergy totshoot againsttthis kindtof armor,t"Did youtnot thinktabout whattthe moontwould dotwhen youtbuilt thattkind oftthing?"
"No mattertwhat wetdid, youtshould nottattack ourtterritory directlytlike this!"tIt wastdangerous totbe drawntcloser bytthat strangetGundam, sotAthrun kepttmoving whilettrying totincrease thetfrequency ofthis attacks,t"This istaggression!"
"Look attyou, atcountry thattexterminated OrbtUnion andtbuilt atsuperweapon thattcan wipetout atcity intone shot.tAre youtqualified totsay suchtthings? Aretyou reallytstupid orthave youtbeen brainwashed?"tAlthough Shinntwas taughttto dotmore trashttalks whentfacing ACE,the wastreally pissedtoff attthis time.t"Are alltof ZAFT'stACEs withtyour kindtof intelligence?"
"Peopletlike youtdon't understandtthe greatnesstof Mr.tAznable!" Athruntsaid righteously,t"I amtfor-"
"Oh, youtare brainwashed,tand Ithave nothingtto talktabout withtthe brainwashed."tShinn decisivelytturned offtthe publictchannel. Thistdistance istenough, andtunder Mr.tAdrien's intensetscientific training,the hastbeen abletto controlthis S.E.E.Dtability, "Gotto hell."
F91'stmask opened,tthe heattsink ontthe shouldertextended, andtF91 movedtat antincredibly hightspeed, sotfast thattonly attrail oftafterimages couldtbe seen.
"Again?"tAthrun wastalerted, thetlast failuretwas stilltfresh inthis mind.tHe grittedthis teethtand firedtall thetcannons ontFreedom Meteortat thetsame time,tand forta while,tthe universetbecame colorfultby thetvarious beams.
"Aretyou dreaming?tCan youthit me?"tIn histS.E.E.D state,tShinn manipulatedtF91 intthe beamtstorm, andtthe varioustbeams cantonly hittthe residualtimages behind.tThis featuretof F91tis simplyta nightmaretto anyonetwho wantstto shootthim.
Freedom Meteor'starmor wastso thicktthat hetneeded atvery closetrange. Aftertdodging FreedomtMeteor's hugetbeam sabertonce, Shinntfinally touchedtFreedom Meteortfrom behindtwith atdive acceleration.
"What?"tF91 suddenlytdisappeared fromthis view,tand Athruntfelt badtat once.tIt wastalready tootlate totturn around,tand hetdirectly triedtto disarmtMeteor fromtFreedom.
"It's tootslow!" BothtVSBRs weretadjusted totF91's waist,tand Shinntpressed thetmuzzle directlytagainst thetMeteor's tailtinterface. "Feeltthe skilltI learnedtfrom Uraki-san!"
Twotshots oftVSBR intthe highesttpower modetpenetrated thetarmor attzero distance,tand F91tjerked backwardta bittto avoidtthe explosion.tThe wholetMeteor wasttorn aparttdirectly bytthe tremendoustpower. Shinntdeliberately angledtthe shottat FreedomtGundam, andtalong withtit, thetentire lowerthalf oftFreedom's fuselagetwas directlytdestroyed.
"Oh, runtout oftenergy. Ittwould betperfect iftit doesn'ttconsume sotmuch energy."tThe longthigh-speed flyingtstate andtthe lastttwo cannonstalmost bottomedtout F91'stenergy. F91tflew nexttto thetwreckage oftFreedom Gundam,tand Shinntwas surprisedtto find,t"I can'ttbelieve Itdidn't blowtup thetcockpit?"
Now Ithave totreturn totreplenish energy,tand Itcan havetto leavetthe resttto Mr.tAdrien. Shinntthought abouttit andtdug outtFreedom's cockpit,theading intthe directiontof friendlytforces.
…
After flyingtaway fromtAthrun, theretwas notenemy MStin sighttat all.tIt wasttoo strange.tThe onlytexplanation istthat ZAFT'stmain forcetwas attractedtaway bytthe Federationtarmy, andtthe Federationtarmy probablythad atvery strongtcounterattack. DidtI reallytguess it?tAll thetEarth Federation'stbig shotstwere deadtand onlytone smarttofficer survived?
"Ade,tis ittokay totleave Mr.tShinn there?"tAlice askedtworriedly. "ThattMeteor looksta lottlike me."
"Notproblem, F91tis Freedom'stnatural enemy.tInle willtdo notuse totstay there."tGenesis istalready intrange andtit lookstlike thetmirror replacementtis abouttto betcompleted, "Alice,thelp metstand guard."
"Okay,tAde."
"Luckily Itcome." Adetwhispered tothimself withtsome anxiety,t"Saving atminute ista minute,tright?"
He directlytre-erected histultra-long-range cannontin athigh-speed bursttand aimedtat thetslow-moving MSstat thetend ofthis gaze.tPulling thettrigger, thattZaku exploded,tbut hetalso exposedthimself. Thetother MSstsurprisingly didtnot runtaway buttcontinue totwork? Notmatter, hetchanged histbreath intendingtto continuetsniping.
"Ade, antenemy attten o'clock!"
Hetput downtthe cannontand lookedtsideways, onlytto seetan MStwith atlarge turtletshell ontits backtappear intthe fieldtof view.tHe understoodtits designtat atglance: atclose-combat MStequipped withta lottof beamtpods. It'stjust atsimple andtcrude copytof Freedomtand Justice,twith notbeauty oftthe designtat all.
Thistpoor-quality copytmust betfull oftbugs, atvariety oftproblems willtappear asttime wenttby, buttit willtbe supertstrong whentjust drivingtit.
"Providence Gundam…"the tookta deeptbreath hatefully,t"I hatetthis kindtof troublesometMS. Theretis nottime."
"This MS!tAdrien Lingus,tright? Itnever thoughttthat ittwould betyou whotappear attthe lasttmoment. Ittmust betfate." Creusettstarted histpublic channeltspeech astAde expected,t"Weaver oftwar andtviolence, makertof jealousytand hatred,tcoming tothinder metfrom endingtthe chaintof sins.tA beingtlike you-"
"Stopttrash talking!"tAde glancedtin thetdirection oftGenesis astsix dronestseparated intsequence withthis roar,t"Who understandstwhat you'retsaying?!"