"You hold off these fighters here. I'll go attack their fleet from the rear."
As Heine fired his CGUE's weapons, his squad leader's voice came through the comms. Hearing this, Heine made a request over the communication channel.
"Squad Leader, let me go with you."
"I can handle it alone."
A firm refusal echoed through the comms.
Heine didn't repeat his request after hearing this.
In the sky, the Dawn mobile suit piloted by Felix eliminated several Vanguard Fighters blocking his path before accelerating toward the Earth Alliance Forces fleet ahead.
"Don't let him get through!"
Seeing the Dawn's movement, the Vanguard Fighter squadron leader recalled the fate of the first interception unit and issued orders through the comms.
While giving commands, he maneuvered his fighter to pursue the Dawn.
His finger rested on the trigger, and he had just pressed the fire button.
The moment missiles launched, he saw the Dawn rapidly turn around and raise its Heavy Assault Machine Gun to open fire.
Boom!
The missiles were instantly destroyed.
Seeing this situation, Tan Wu quickly performed evasive maneuvers with his fighter.
Halfway through the evasion, a bullet already came streaking toward him.
Tan Wu pulled the ejection seat mechanism without hesitation.
He ejected to escape just before being hit.
As his parachute deployed in the air, Tan Wu watched helplessly as the Dawn continued charging toward the fleet.
Looking back, he witnessed his comrades' deaths.
"Ah!"
With bloodshot eyes, Tan Wu opened his mouth and roared.
"We won't let you interfere with the Squad Leader."
Heine smiled slightly as he spoke, pulling the trigger.
Boom!
A Vanguard Fighter exploded.
"Miguel! Missiles at four o'clock, orange, Bravo!"
Seeing Miguel's situation on his screen, Heine warned through the comms.
"Received!"
Miguel's voice came back through the comms.
Heine watched as Miguel maneuvered his CGUE to evade the missiles, then instantly destroyed them with his weapons.
Relieved to see Miguel was safe, Heine sighed in relief.
Under Heine's control, the CGUE evaded attacks in the air while firing its Heavy Assault Machine Gun.
"Heine, fighter at your three o'clock, yellow, Charlie!"
Doulens' voice came through Heine's comms.
Heine acknowledged while performing maneuvers and pulling the trigger.
Boom!
An explosion echoed through the sky.
"How's the Squad Leader doing?"
After eliminating the enemy, Heine gazed forward and murmured to himself.
"Commander, green, Alpha, distance one hundred, one MS approaching at high speed."
"Intercept!"
The Commander immediately issued the order.
Receiving the command, the radar operator quickly transmitted the information to the fire control department via data link.
With the precise target location confirmed, the Tactical Commander ordered.
"Green, eighty-eight, thirty-two, mark zero-two, Alpha, launch missiles!"
Precise directional terminology was spoken from the commander's mouth.
Soldiers began operating according to the directional commands.
With the press of the launch button, missiles from the vertical launch units ascended one after another, completed their turns mid-air, and rapidly charged forward.
Inside the Dawn's cockpit, Felix watched the screen display with a calm expression, his hands moving swiftly through operations.
The Dawn raised its Heavy Assault Machine Gun.
The trigger was pulled, rounds firing consecutively from the chamber.
The bullets flying forward collided head-on with the incoming missiles.
Explosions erupted repeatedly in the sky.
Under Felix's control, the Dawn continued its high-speed charge forward.
At 4:35 PM, the midday sun had begun its descent, and the air battle over this stretch of ocean had concluded.
Hundreds of kilometers from the air combat zone, an aircraft carrier lay silently moored on the sea surface. Its battered flight deck, destroyed island, and continuously rising thick smoke all testified to what this carrier had endured.
"Squad Leader, how should we handle this aircraft carrier?"
Inside the Athena's bridge, Aric looked out the viewport at the carrier and asked Felix.
Felix glanced up at Aric in the captain's seat, then looked back at the carrier whose island he'd destroyed, whose flight deck he'd pierced, and whose various anti-air weapons and propulsion systems he'd demolished. After a moment's thought, he said:
"Sinking this thing would cost too much ammunition. Later, gather all the surrendered soldiers and have them tow this carrier back. It might still be of some use."
"Yes, Squad Leader."
Aric raised his hand in salute as he responded.
At 9:30 PM, after dinner, Felix took advantage of this quiet and secure moment to come out onto the warship's deck. Leaning against the railing, he admired the beautiful scenery before him, feeling the salty taste carried by the sea breeze.
"So beautiful! So relaxing!"
Just as he uttered these words of appreciation, a soldier came jogging over.
Standing before Felix, the soldier saluted and reported:
"Squad Leader, there's an urgent communication."
"Understood."
Nodding slightly at the soldier, Felix responded briefly before striding back toward the ship's interior.
Inside the Athena's bridge:
"What's the matter?"
Felix looked at Aric as he asked.
Aric turned to face Felix and reported:
"Squad Leader, the deep-submergence assault team's reconnaissance indicates the Earth Alliance has likely deciphered our tactics."
"Our tactics have been compromised?"
After this remark, Felix sat down in a chair. After a moment of silence, he stated:
"Since they've been exposed, we'll temporarily abandon this strategy and prepare to implement new tactics."
"New tactics?"
Aric's face showed clear confusion at these words.
While Aric was still puzzled, Felix explained to him:
"The new operation plan involves us launching a strong surface assault with continuous advancement, while the underwater assault units remain silent and hidden below, awaiting orders.
When we're locked in intense combat with the Earth Alliance Forces, we'll drop troops from near-orbit to coordinate with our offensive. The hidden underwater units will then activate, supporting the orbital drop troops' attack."
At this point, Felix sighed.
"Sigh! I didn't want to trouble the cosmic forces, but it seems we'll have to bother them after all."
"Captain, it's not your fault."
Seeing Felix sigh, Aric offered words of comfort. Hearing Aric's consolation, Felix stopped sighing and smiled at him.
"Alright! I'm not that fragile." Then Felix shifted the topic. "Besides, I anticipated the possibility of being exposed from the start. Otherwise, I wouldn't have developed and arranged a second combat plan."
After speaking, Felix stood up and looked at Aric, continuing.
"Keep an eye on things here for now. I'm going to rest."
"Understood, Captain."
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