Gundam: Changing the World Even with a Mass-Produced Unit

Chapter 2: Merciless Conclusion

The barrage of 100mm machine gun fire left the last Zaku with almost no chance to fight back.

It's no exaggeration to say that the 100mm machine gun rounds, when striking the Zaku, could even penetrate its weaker armored sections. Meanwhile, the Zaku's rocket launcher could only deal effective damage if it directly hit the Ground Gundam's armor — something that hadn't happened since the battle began.

This was because the Ground Gundam, although an early mass-production model, was equipped with Luna Titanium Alloy armor. This special alloy, which could only be produced in low-gravity environments, possessed exceptional defensive capabilities.

The prototype machine known as "Gundam" was built with such components, achieving unparalleled performance. The Ground Gundam, constructed using parts that didn't meet Gundam specifications to address increasingly severe battlefield conditions, might not match a true Gundam's overall performance but still far surpassed ordinary mass-production models.

This performance disparity gave Eli the confidence to single-handedly hide along the patrol route of this small team to provide data for the rear.

In Eli's fight against the Zaku squad leader, this gap in performance created a truly despairing situation.

The Zaku's shoulder shield was struck by several bullets and shattered, leaving the Zaku with no more cover.

A faint sound of a man's furious roar reached Eli's ears.

Another rocket round was fired at the Ground Gundam.

This time, Eli didn't dodge. Instead, he tossed the small shield in his hand outward, allowing the rocket to strike it mid-air, blocking the attack.

Thick black smoke quickly engulfed the Ground Gundam's upper body.

The opponent clearly wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste. Given the disparity in armor, the Zaku couldn't win a ranged firefight against the Ground Gundam.

Taking advantage of the smoke obscuring the Ground Gundam's vision, the Zaku dropped its empty rocket launcher, drew an energy axe from its lower back, and ignited its thrusters, rapidly closing the distance.

Inside the cockpit, Eli remained calm as he watched the smoke displayed on the screen before him. A faint electric current seemed to flicker at the center of his brow.

Eli knew this was a premonition that the enemy was about to attack.

The Ground Gundam immediately stepped its right leg forward, slightly bending its knee. Its left arm moved protectively in front while its right hand reached toward the left knee.

With the Ground Gundam's movement, the side armor of the left knee opened, ejecting the handle of a beam saber.

Without hesitation, Eli maneuvered the Ground Gundam into the smoke, slashing diagonally upward with the saber despite having no visibility!

A move that countered the enemy's attack.

Although the Zaku had raised its right arm to swing down the energy axe first, the Ground Gundam's pink beam saber cleanly severed the Zaku's right arm at its base.

Eli didn't let up. Pulling the Ground Gundam's left arm back, he formed a fist and thrust it forward like a melee weapon.

The punch struck the Zaku's head-mounted sensor, knocking its entire head clean off.

The Ground Gundam held its pose with the left arm thrust forward, while the Zaku's body crashed heavily to the ground.

Eli then lowered the Ground Gundam's left arm slowly.

The beam saber in his right hand ignited once more, hovering just above the Zaku's cockpit.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two muffled sounds echoed as the Zaku made one last act of defiance — firing its anti-personnel shrapnel rounds from its legs.

These weapons exploded high in the air, sending countless pellets raining down to kill infantry units.

However, such anti-personnel weaponry couldn't penetrate the Ground Gundam's defenses. Yet, Eli's brow once again tingled with the warning of imminent danger.

Feeling that electric shock-like premonition, Eli ignored the anti-personnel rounds in the sky and maneuvered the Ground Gundam to the side.

A stream of bullets narrowly grazed past the Gundam's position.

Eli followed the bullet's trajectory and found that it came from the Zaku Karen had initially taken down.

The Zaku was still lying on the ground, but its right arm was slowly and steadily moving, attempting to aim again at Eli.

Instead of rushing to stop it, Eli decisively plunged the beam saber into the Zaku he had just defeated.

The last trace of life disappeared.

The Zaku's left arm, which had been quietly raised, dropped powerlessly to the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust.

After confirming there was no risk of the nuclear engine detonating, Eli turned his attention to the crippled Zaku still trying to fire at him.

The Ground Gundam strode forward, its steps crushing the rich vegetation of the Southeast Asian rainforest. The beam saber in its right hand sliced through fallen trees along its path.

The Zaku's pilot cursed and hated himself in a frenzy.

Though Eli couldn't hear the exact words of the voice echoing in his ears, he understood the sentiment.

Eli deliberately slowed the Ground Gundam's approach, giving the pilot plenty of time to decide whether to surrender.

Even when the Ground Gundam stopped in front of the Zaku, there was no sign that the cockpit would open.

Eli raised the beam saber, carefully aimed at the Zaku's cockpit, and, after ensuring there was no risk to the nuclear reactor, stabbed downward.

"Zeon really isn't the right path."

…

"Yo, Eli! As expected of you!"

"How many Zeon bastards did you take down today?"

When Eli opened the Ground Gundam's cockpit, with a 100mm machine gun strapped to his waist and a 180mm cannon in hand, he returned to the Earth Federation's Southeast Asian field base on automatic cruise mode. His comrades greeted the returning warrior with cheers.

Eli propped himself up on the edge of the open cockpit like a tin can, responding to his comrades below.

"I took down a squad, didn't take much effort."

He scratched the back of his head with a hearty laugh and tossed a wild fruit he'd picked along the way to one of the 07th MS team members.

The man caught it, thanked him, and took a bite without even washing it.

"By the way, Eli, something big happened while you were out. In North America, the Zabi family's little prince — Garma — got killed!"

"Hahaha!"

The group erupted into laughter.

With the front lines stabilized thanks to the early mass-production MS, the news that the son of Zeon's leader and commander of a military district had died was more than enough to boost the morale of the frontline soldiers.

Eli also smiled with genuine joy.

The 08th MS Team's captain would be arriving soon.

And the White Base was probably being chased by Ramba Ral, fleeing toward the Pacific.

The gears of the world were turning.

Eli could feel it deeply.

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