The White Rabbits' small jetpacks propelled them with exhaust streams onto the shuttle's external armor.
Faint electric arcs flickered beneath their white feet, allowing them to adhere firmly to the surface.
A White Rabbit wearing a military cap had data streams flowing in its red eyes. Instantly, the shuttle's model and specifications appeared in its vision. It raised a hand and pointed forward. Several White Rabbits trotted over and crouched at the indicated spot. Their small hands split open to reveal tools, and within moments, they had peeled back a small section of the shuttle's external armor, exposing the cables beneath.
Next, their bellies split open, and they pulled out several data cables, swiftly connecting the two systems.
As data flowed through their eyes, the shuttle's maintenance hatch nearby automatically opened, yet no alarm sounded within the vessel.
The remaining White Rabbits drew high-powered stun guns from their bellies. At the military cap rabbit's signal toward the maintenance hatch, they swarmed inside.
"Hahaha~"
In the ship's lounge, a man laughed as he stood up. "I'm going to the restroom."
He paused at the door...
"Huh?" The man frowned, pressing the nearby switch. "Is the door's sensor broken?"
Click, click—
He pressed it several times, but the door remained firmly shut.
Two others stood and approached. "Broken? This is a new ship. I knew those disgusting lowlifes couldn't produce anything decent." Crack!
One of them twitched an ear, turning to scan the room—empty.
Shaking his head in confusion, he turned back to examine the door.
Behind them, from the ventilation shaft above, several White Rabbits curled into balls and dropped down like dumplings.
Before hitting the ground, they stretched out, aiming their guns and firing slender cables.
The men facing away sensed something prick their bodies and tried to turn, but powerful currents erupted with blue light.
Their bodies stiffened instantly, trembling uncontrollably. Within moments, they collapsed foaming at the mouth.
Similar scenes unfolded throughout the shuttle as the White Rabbits used compartment doors to isolate and pick off enemies one by one.
But not all attempts succeeded—
In some areas, too many enemies overwhelmed the White Rabbits, shredding them when ambushes failed. Elsewhere, foes proved too powerful for the rabbits to handle.
Yet, thanks to compartmentalization and severed communications, the enemies remained at a disadvantage, unable to mount a coordinated counterattack.
On the bridge, Bonnie reacted swiftly. Sensing something amiss, she immediately began hacking the system to fight back.
Dozens of White Rabbits' eyes glowed with data streams, engaging in a back-and-forth digital battle.
Lenore's cabin was eerily quiet.
Mother and child sat whispering on the bed, while a burly man leaned against the cabin door, arms crossed and eyes closed as he rested.
"Mom..."
Athrun's face showed worry, his body trembling slightly, but he forced himself to straighten his back and stood between Lenore and the large man. "I'll protect you." Lenore smiled and gently embraced Athrun. "Don't worry, your father and Zhou Tianming will come."
Athrun pressed his lips tightly together, clenching his fists, his face full of frustration.
Crack!
The large man's eyes snapped open, and without hesitation, he drew a pistol from his waist and fired several shots at the vent where the sound had come from.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bullets accurately slipped through the gaps in the vent, striking the inner wall and sparking. The sound of something shattering echoed from within.
Startled by the gunfire, Athrun instantly turned and spread his arms to shield Lenore, but she swiftly pivoted, pulling him into her embrace. "Stay calm. It seems something small has gotten in."
The large man chuckled. "I'll protect you both. You're very important people."
Lenore fixed an icy gaze on him. "You're definitely not Patrick's subordinates."
The man shook his head. "Wrong. We've always been his. Only Lord Patrick is worthy of leading us." As he spoke, his eyes widened, his face filled with fanaticism and excitement.
Watching him, Lenore uneasily tightened her hold on Athrun. "Madmen of the Holy Order."
"It hurts to hear you say that, ma'am. We're risking everything for the Coordinators."
Clatter!
The large man turned his head.
A white bundle fell from the vent along with the grate.
He raised his gun and fired!
The White Rabbit's barrel hadn't even aimed before it was hit, its head exploding instantly, parts scattering everywhere.
Just then, a cable shot out from the dark opening of the ventilation duct.
The large man sidestepped, lifting his gun.
But before he could fire, three or four more cables flew toward him.
He had to dodge sideways to avoid them.
Seizing the opportunity, the White Rabbit squad leaped down from the vent in unison, dozens of cables spreading out like a net.
The large man dodged while returning fire, taking out a few White Rabbits before a cable struck him.
Electricity crackled, and his body convulsed violently. The pistol slipped from his hand as muscles twitched and veins bulged across his limbs.
"Ahhh!!!"
He roared, enduring the powerful current, and twisted his arm to grab the cable, swinging it fiercely.
The stun gun was torn from its grip, and some White Rabbits, unable to cut the magnetic force in time, were sent flying.
The large man swung his arm, using the White Rabbits like a flail, sweeping them aside.
The Mass-produced White Rabbits tumbled over in disarray.
A cold smile spread across the large man's face as he strode forward, tearing the White Rabbits apart with his hands and feet.
The situation reversed, and the White Rabbits fell into a disadvantage.
Cables shot out from the vent again, but the large man grabbed a White Rabbit to block them, then kicked a White Rabbit wreckage with his foot.
With a powerful kick, the wreckage flew into the vent, knocking over the White Rabbits inside.
"Is this all?!" the large man yelled. "Just this much trash?! Zhou Tianming is nothing special!"
At that moment, a small figure darted out from Lenore's embrace.
As the figure flashed past the large man, he instinctively swung his leg.
The thick thigh stirred a gust of wind that blew aside the blue bangs on Athrun's forehead.
His heart pounded like a drum, limbs stiffening.
In that split second, the large man realized his mistake and tried to pull back, but it was too late.
Suddenly, Lenore rushed from behind, hands raised protectively, moving past Athrun to meet the kick.
Thud!
The impact produced a dull thud. Lenore grimaced in pain as she was sent flying backward, her back slamming hard against the bedframe before she collapsed to the floor with a pained groan. Athrun's mind went blank, his ears filled only with the frantic pounding of his own heart.
A surge of rage rose within him, but it was doused like cold water when the hulking man's massive frame cast a shadow over him.
Fear gripped his heart.
"Damn it!" the man roared, bending down and spreading his fingers to seize Athrun's slender neck. "Stay put!"
Suddenly!
The military-capped rabbit shot down from the ventilation duct. Landing in a crouch, it gathered strength in its limbs and launched itself like a cannonball toward the man's spine. The man halted his grab, straightening and sidestepping.
The rabbit swept past him, flipped midair, kicked off the wall, and rebounded with explosive force.
The whoosh of wind filled the room.
Faced with such a high-speed metallic projectile, the man dared not take the hit directly and could only dodge repeatedly.
Man and rabbit tangled in a frantic dance.
Athrun stood frozen in place, breathing heavily, his hands trembling faintly at his sides.
Lenore's agonized moan reached his ears. Athrun spun around, desperate to return to her side.
"Athrun!" Lenore clutched her own arms in pain, yet her eyes shone with resolve. "Go!"
His foot, which had taken only a single step, paused. The fear and gloom in his heart were pierced.
Eyes hardening, Athrun pivoted on his heel and dashed toward the pistol lying on the floor not far away.
The man noticed. Ignoring all else, he wrapped his arms around the military-capped rabbit as it lunged at him again.
The tremendous impact arched his back, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
But a savage grin spread across his face. "Got y—"
In the next instant, the rabbit discharged electricity across its body, blue sparks crackling.
The man convulsed violently, his hair standing on end like needles, tendrils of smoke rising from his skin.
At the same moment, Athrun snatched up the pistol, turned, and dropped to one knee, assuming a textbook military shooting stance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several shots rang out in succession, the bullets striking the man squarely in the forehead.
A spray of blood erupted. His expression froze as he toppled backward.
Athrun's stomach churned; he gagged and vomited.