"Let go of me!" Yzak's furious voice rang out as he forcefully broke free from Dearka's restraint. His unrestrained fist struck Athrun's face once more, but he didn't continue after that single blow.
Releasing Athrun's collar, Yzak glared down at the bruised and battered Athrun on the floor, his voice still seething with anger as he spoke.
"I really want to kill you right now!"
"Alright! That's enough."
Dearka looked at Yzak and spoke to calm his emotions.
Glancing back at Dearka, Yzak said nothing and walked straight to the wall to lean against it. He looked at the still-lit emergency room lights before closing his eyes to quietly await the outcome.
Seeing Yzak's state, Dearka glanced at Athrun but said nothing, taking two steps back to lean against the wall and wait quietly for the result just like Yzak.
On the floor
Athrun, who seemed to have lost his soul, lay motionless for a long time before finally moving. Slowly supporting himself with his arms, he shifted near the wall, leaning against it with his head bowed. His eyes, filled with self-blame and regret, now revealed a determined expression.
'Kira!!'
His heart filled with hatred and pain as he called out his friend's name.
Time passed minute by minute,
The emergency room lights turned off, and the soft sound of the door opening caught the attention of all three.
Yzak and Dearka stepped forward first, while Athrun, sitting on the floor, endured the pain to stand up and follow behind them.
"Doctor, how is Nicol's condition?"
"After our emergency treatment, Nicol's life has been temporarily preserved, but his condition remains critical. To ensure his safety, he needs to be transferred to the rear base for more specialized medical treatment."
The emergency room doctor looked at the three of them with a grave expression, his voice heavy as he replied.
Hearing the doctor's report, all three felt their hearts sink. Yzak turned his head and glared angrily at Athrun, clearly wanting to beat him up again.
Seeing Yzak's expression, Dearka patted his shoulder and said.
"Beating Athrun to death right now won't accomplish anything."
"Killing him would prevent him from bringing us more disasters later!"
Yzak replied furiously.
Hearing Yzak's words, Athrun looked up at him, enduring the pain in his mouth as he spoke with absolute determination.
"I know you might not believe me, but I promise you - in the next battle, I will definitely kill him."
"Don't make promises you can't keep!"
Hearing Athrun's voice filled with such determination and killing intent, Yzak felt a stir in his heart. He glanced at Athrun but still spoke with anger and disbelief.
Feeling Yzak's attitude, Athrun pressed his lips together without speaking, silently vowing to himself that he must follow through!
Thirty minutes later,
Nicol was placed in a specialized Medical Pod and transported via DINN to the rear Carpentaria base.
Watching Nicol depart, Yzak turned to look at Athrun, his expression stern as he issued a warning.
"I hope you can keep your word!"
...
Two days later,
Near the Marshall Islands
The Zala Team, which had been pursuing the Archangel, launched another attack on the vessel here.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. Under the relentless assault of the Aegis Gundam piloted by Athrun, the Strike Gundam gradually drifted away from the vicinity of the Archangel, until both MS landed on a desolate island within the archipelago.
On the Island
The clash between the Aegis Gundam and the Strike Gundam showed no signs of ending.
"Kira!"
His eyes bloodshot, Athrun roared as he stared at the Strike Gundam before him. His hands never ceased moving, continuously firing the Beam Rifle at the Strike Gundam.
"Athrun..."
Witnessing the near-frenzied attacks of the Aegis Gundam, Kira's face twisted in anguish and self-reproach. He murmured his friend's name under his breath, his own controls focused entirely on defense, with little intention to counterattack.
"Kira, I'm coming to help!"
Just as Kira used the Strike Gundam's shield to block an incoming beam, a voice crackled over the comms.
Hearing it, Kira's expression shifted abruptly, and he shouted urgently, "Tolle, stay back!"
But his warning came too late.
Tolle, piloting the Skygrasper, had already arrived and launched a missile at the Aegis Gundam.
Spotting the incoming attack, Athrun maneuvered the Aegis Gundam to evade, simultaneously executing another attack command.
The Aegis Gundam swung its arm, hurling its shield forward.
"No!"
Watching the shield fly through the air, Kira's eyes widened in horror. He screamed, piloting the Strike Gundam in a desperate attempt to intervene. But Athrun, controlling the Aegis Gundam, used the Beam Rifle to decisively cut off Kira's efforts.
"Ah!"
The shield, hurtling at high speed like a scythe of death, filled Tolle's face with terror. An involuntary cry of fear escaped his lips.
Before Tolle could react, the shield slammed violently into the cockpit.
Instantly, the cockpit shattered into fragments, blood gushing from within, followed immediately by a deafening explosion.
Boom!
The loud blast and blinding flames reflected in Kira's eyes. Watching his longtime friend, whom he had always protected, die before him, Kira's expression froze momentarily before being completely overtaken by rage and hatred.
"Athrun!!"
A furious roar erupted from Kira.
The Strike Gundam's combat style shifted instantly—from cautious defense to aggressive offense.
Firing the Beam Rifle, Kira blasted the Aegis Gundam's own rifle to pieces. As if consumed by madness, he then drew the Beam Saber and charged straight at the Aegis Gundam.
Athrun responded without hesitation, steering the Aegis Gundam to meet the Strike Gundam head-on.
The Aegis Gundam's arm-mounted Beam Saber ignited, slashing through the Strike Gundam's Beam Rifle.
Discarding the destroyed rifle, the Strike Gundam gripped its Beam Saber and severed one of the Aegis Gundam's arms.
In retaliation, Athrun controlled the Aegis Gundam to raise its leg, activating another Beam Saber that tore through the Strike Gundam's cockpit.
While both sides fought with reckless abandon, Dearka was experiencing a different scene entirely.
"Capsized in a ditch!"
Staring at the two large-caliber Beam Cannons aimed at him from the Archangel, a bitter smile spread across Dearka's face as he resignedly muttered to himself.
Just then, a voice came through the comms.
"Exit the Buster Gundam's cockpit and surrender immediately! Otherwise, we will interpret it as continued resistance and open fire at once!"
Hearing the announcement over the comms, Dearka reached out to unbuckle his seatbelt. He pressed the button to open the hatch, then stood up and stepped out of the cockpit.
Standing atop the Buster Gundam and facing the direction of the Archangel, Dearka raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
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