What does it mean to experience dramatic rises and falls? The opposing forces currently engaged in battle at the Allied Forces headquarters in Alaska would tell you through their personal experiences exactly what dramatic rises and falls describe!
"Our rear fleet is finished!"
Having advanced deep into Alaska's inland areas, they could already see the command post of the Natural Allied Forces. Yet while gazing at this ripe fruit seemingly within arm's reach, no one—from the commanders at various levels in the ZAFT Forces' advance units to the Coordinator soldiers who had been roaring with ambitions of imperial dominance—could maintain a smile on their faces.
Just moments ago, the ZAFT combined fleet off the coast of Alaska had sent its final video communication. The content was simple: the combined fleet commander concisely informed the frontline soldiers that the Operation Guillotine was fundamentally an ambush set by the Naturals, or more specifically, the East Asian Army. Facing the East Asian Army's long-planned, all-out assault, ZAFT Forces had made one misstep after another. If they didn't want to be completely annihilated here, they needed to utilize their Mobile Suits' mobility and retreat immediately!
"What nonsense is this?" Some frontline soldiers, unable to accept reality, pounded their Mobile Suit cockpit control panels. "We've fought all the way here! Just one more step—one more step—and we could have ended this war!" Stubbornly refusing to accept reality, a soldier glared viciously at the East Asian Unmanned Aerial Vehicles now visible flying at treetop level.
"Return fire!"
After witnessing the final scene in the video from the combined fleet—the moment before the flagship was sunk by the East Asian Army's main cannon Beam—many soldiers collected themselves. What followed would be a fight for their own survival.
"We still have a chance!"
Officers in ZAFT's frontline assault units desperately tried to boost the soldiers' morale. "Don't forget we still maintain the Mobile Suit advantage. Those foolish, outdated Naturals merely resorted to deceitful tactics. Even so, with our superior numbers and equipment, as long as we regroup and fight steadily, we can still achieve victory!"
That's right—upon hearing this analysis, numerous Coordinator soldiers regained their spirit. What did it matter if the combined fleet along the coastline had been sunk? ZAFT had never been famous for its fleet! What we rely on are Neutron Jammers and the Mobile Suits beneath us. We'll simply counterattack the East Asian Army's surprise assault!
It could be said that the Coordinator soldiers on the battlefield were unusually focused. With their lives on one side and honor on the other, each of them exerted 120% effort. However, the first wave of attacks from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles immediately gave the Coordinators a bitter lesson. The agile drones moved as if each contained an actual pilot—and a genuinely skilled Coordinator pilot at that. If not for the sufficient number of Coordinator soldiers in this mountain basin where the Allied Forces headquarters was located, and the volume of firepower they could deploy...
They might end up like the friendly forces on the coastline, falling in large numbers under the assault of the unmanned aerial vehicles.
"Push harder!"
Relying on the fortifications abandoned by the Naturals and the remains of fallen comrades, the Coordinators temporarily gained intelligence—paid for with the lives of their forward allies, who were now likely completely wiped out.
On the surface, the Coordinators were holding their own against the unmanned aerial vehicles, even gaining the upper hand!
"Rat-a-tat-tat."
"Boom, boom, boom."
Among the many Mobile Suits of the Coordinators, the Qilin fully demonstrated its value as the next-generation main mass-produced weapon for Coordinators. In terms of combat achievements, whether in previous attacks on the Allied Forces' Natural headquarters or now against the unmanned drones, it was the undisputed ace!
"We can win, we can win!"
The unmanned aerial vehicles inflicted heavy casualties on the Coordinators, but as more and more drones were shot down, the Coordinators' morale soared. They seemed to see the dawn of victory.
But dawn is the easiest thing to slip through one's fingers.
High up in the sky, ignoring the Coordinator soldiers near the coastline, the East Asian Alliance's airborne troops arrived, targeting the main Coordinator forces inland.
"Ready? Aren't you scared?" Wang Hu, suited up in his pressure suit and helmet, about to board the East Asian Alliance's enhanced Lightning Zeta Gundam, still had the mood to tease Li Chengzhi, who was piloting an MS for the first time in battle.
"Not nervous," Li Chengzhi replied calmly, his body fully encased in a combat suit.
Glancing at his friend's drastically modified Zeta Gundam, now prefixed as the Lightning Zeta Gundam, he then looked at his own MS, the Jeda. Though both were experimental MS models, the difference between them was visibly vast.
The original Zeta Gundam, now the Lightning Zeta Gundam, had high-performance sensors installed on its shoulders. Paired with the long-range components used with its beam rifle, this model could unleash ultra-long-range, ultra-high precision sniping capability. The armed system named the Lightning Pack mounted on its back not only provided the unit with powerful thrust but could also detach and operate independently for reconnaissance and combat support.
Thanks to the skillful work of East Asian researchers, this Lightning Pack did not interfere with the Zeta Gundam's original transformation mechanism. It could even further enhance the Lightning Gundam in its fighter form, granting it higher propulsion and faster mobility.
In terms of armament, though the Lightning Gundam appeared focused on long-range sniping, its equipment was comprehensive. East Asian designers could confidently claim that the enhanced Zeta Gundam was fully capable of handling combat at long, medium, and close ranges.
In practice, this held true. The Lightning Zeta Gundam's main weapon was the beam gun assembly. In its standard beam pistol mode, though less powerful, it had a high rate of fire, effectively demonstrating what concentrated fire meant to close-range enemies. It was more than sufficient against ZAFT's mobile suits without PS Armor and not classified as Gundams.
By adding components, it could transform into the commonly used beam rifle and the long-range beam sniper rifle.
Simultaneously, aside from standard armaments like the head Vulcan Cannon and Beam Saber, the Lightning Z Gundam was equipped to compensate for the firepower deficiencies of the base Zeta Gundam.
East Asian technicians installed a Beam Vulcan on the mobile suit's left arm and crammed another Beam Vulcan into its shield.
The Lightning Pack on the unit's back could also mount an external eight-tube missile pod or two Beam Cannons.
Thus, the East Asian technicians, ever fearful of insufficient firepower, elevated the Zeta Gundam's long, medium, and close-range combat capabilities to a considerable level.
"Want to swap?"
Glancing at his friend, who was eyeing his Lightning Z Gundam, Wang Hu turned his gaze to the MS Jeda that his friend was about to pilot.
Well, there wasn't much to say.
He had already inspected it earlier, and now, giving it another once-over, Wang Hu's assessment remained the same.
The dark green coating aligned with their military's consistent style, and its overall design closely resembled the MK-II.
To put it more bluntly, it was like an angular, aggressive Duel Gundam?
All 40 of the initially produced test units had been assigned to their unit.
They were slated to be deployed in this battle to gather data.
"No need."
Li Chengzhi declined once again, then checked the communicator on his wrist, which showed that friendly forces in the vicinity had already begun their descent.
Without delay, he climbed into his mobile suit, entered the cockpit, and activated the unit's energy system.
"Li Chengzhi, MS Jeda of the East Asian Army Special Mobile Force, Hanmin Corps, launching."
After notifying the bridge, he maneuvered the Jeda into motion.
From the open rear hatch of the Kunpeng Large Transport Aircraft, Li Chengzhi's Jeda leaped out without any landing gear.
As the wind howled around the Jeda, a sleek white-painted MS Methuss deftly caught it.
Amidst waves of descending East Asian Army mass-produced MS Rems, Wang Hu, piloting the Lightning Z Gundam, charged into the battlefield right behind his friend.
Wang Hu assembled his Beam Sniper Rifle.
He was ready to give the unwelcome Coordinator visitors a proper reception.
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