Chapter 144: A Fateful Encounter 1
The Wing Gundam, struck by cannon fire, still had black smoke trailing from a thruster on one foot, throwing it slightly off balance.
Heero had no choice but to reveal the Wing Gundam's MS form, maneuvering it as it shifted into mobile suit mode.
At that moment, two Aries flew out from the squad's transport craft, heading toward the Leo piloted by Zechs to attach MS parachutes.
Then the two Aries charged at Wing Gundam, launching rapid-fire rifles and missile attacks.
Every strike hit the Wing Gundam, but thanks to its inherent superior physical defenses, these conventional solid rounds couldn't inflict any real damage like the cannon had.
Even the earlier cannon strike from the Leo had only hit the thruster nozzle by chance—otherwise it wouldn't have done any meaningful harm either.
The Wing Gundam's altitude kept dropping as the two Aries continued their ineffective rapid-fire rifle barrages.
Once it had fully passed through the atmosphere, Heero finally rotated Wing Gundam, slowly raising the Buster Rifle.
A massive yellow beam shot toward the Aries, and before they could even react, both were instantly blown into fragments.
Tolle knew that idiot Heero must be cackling like a madman inside Wing Gundam right now. Damn it, showing off a machine isn't supposed to be done like this.
If it hadn't been Zechs holding back—if it had been Tolle piloting that Leo—he would've fired cannon after cannon at the showboating, non-dodging Heero, crippling the Gundam right there in the atmosphere.
Gundanium alloy wasn't invincible. A few cracks were enough—there's no way a damaged Wing Gundam could pass through the atmosphere intact without burning up.
Zechs had already witnessed the Wing Gundam's power. He knew his parachute-hung Leo couldn't stand a chance against it, and that his cannon couldn't do much damage either.
He immediately disengaged the parachute, discarded the cannon, switched to a beam rifle, and accelerated straight toward Wing Gundam.
Inside the cockpit, Heero, still laughing like a maniac, abruptly stopped. He once again raised the Buster Rifle and fired at the charging Leo.
But Zechs sidestepped the shot, dodging the Buster Rifle's blast entirely. He then surged forward, closing in on Wing Gundam and slashing down with a beam saber.
Yet the Leo's mobility was still no match for the Wing Gundam. Its right arm, holding the saber, was instantly seized by the Gundam's left hand.
Helpless, Zechs pushed his thrusters to maximum, ejecting himself from the cockpit. He planned to use the massive inertia to make Wing Gundam lose control and crash into the ocean.
But Heero offered no resistance, letting the Leo drag Wing Gundam into the sea.
Tolle sighed—Heero was far too reckless. Of all the Wing Gundam's many destructions, three out of ten were from him pulling stunts like this, five from pressing the self-destruct button, and only two from actually being outmatched in combat.
Such a Gundam deserved a better pilot. He wanted to snatch it for himself.
Unfortunately, even if he did steal Wing Gundam, someone would only deliver another one to Heero. That was his backing for being so reckless.
Not that Tolle cared too much—he had full blueprints for five Gundams anyway. With enough materials, he could always build another ten or so.
Meanwhile, Tolle's space shuttle landed smoothly at an airport on Earth. He and his five companions trailed not far behind Relena.
It wasn't that Tolle deliberately followed her. Relena's father, Darlian, had been immediately swarmed by reporters the moment he stepped off the shuttle, blocking Tolle's path as well. So he could only move along slowly behind them since the exit was in the same direction.
Before long, OZ military representatives arrived to meet the delegation. The reporters dispersed, unable to continue pressing Darlian.
Still, Relena declined the military's offer. She separated from her father, choosing to return home on her own.
Walking alone, muttering to herself with a pout, Relena complained,
"Dad, my birthday's almost here. A normal girl would be angry about this.
Always with military planes… If it weren't for that, this place would've been turned into a spaceport by now. Forget it, I'll just go home."
At that moment, she spotted Heero collapsed on the beach. Driven by the urge to save someone, she rushed straight down without hesitation.
When she got close, she saw him in a space suit and murmured to herself,
"A combat suit… He's a soldier? I'll go get help right away."
She hadn't gone far before she spotted Tolle and his group on the road. She shouted to him,
"You there, please help! Someone's fainted on the beach!"
Before Tolle could respond, Coco and Miranda, for reasons unknown, bolted ahead at full speed.
Tolle knew the one lying there had to be Heero. But since Coco and Miranda had already gone, what else could he do? He could only call back,
"Oh, all right—I'll be right there."
Tolle and the others made their way to the beach. Looking at Heero lying face-down in the sand, Tolle cursed his luck. The more he tried to avoid someone, the sooner fate would shove them in front of him. He hadn't wanted to run into Heero this soon—at this stage, the guy was still a lunatic.
Relena glanced anxiously at Tolle, then back at Heero lying prone on the beach.
She felt cornered, forced to act. She opened Heero's helmet and turned his face upward.
Just then, Heero snapped awake, leaping up in an instant and springing several meters back while clutching his face.
Relena, watching his panicked reaction, said,
"Don't move! I've already called for medics—an ambulance will be here soon."
Leo (OZ Mass-Produced General-Purpose MS)
C-Class Unit
Terrain Adaptation: Sea–Land B, Air–Space C (Ground Type)
Terrain Adaptation: Sea–Land C, Air–Space B (Space Type)
Fixed Armaments: 105mm Rifle ×1; Shoulder-Mounted Cannon ×1 (Ground-Type Commander Unit); Shield ×1; Beam Saber ×2 (stored inside shield)
Optional Weapons: Beam Rifle ×1 (Ground/Space Type); Short Rifle ×1; Rocket Launcher ×1; Dobergun ×1
Special Equipment: Titanium Alloy Armor, Flight Pack
———
Aries
C-Class Unit
Terrain Adaptation: Sea–Land C, Air B, Space –
Fixed Armaments: Rapid-Fire Rifle ×1
Optional Weapons: Handheld Quad Missile Pod ×1; Wing-Mounted Rapid-Fire Rifle ×2; Wing-Mounted Quad Missile Pod ×2
Special Equipment: Wing Hardpoints ×4; Transformation Mechanism
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