Chapter 260: Return to Orb

The *Minerva* successfully broke through the Earth military's ambush and sailed toward Carpentaria Base.

It is said that the waters near Orb are a great place for "SEED mode" activation; it seems that in the CE century, three super ace pilots first awakened in this very place.

If this were a cultivation novel, this place would definitely be a holy land for transcending tribulations.

Just a few days after Shinn Asuka successfully transcended his tribulation, the mistress of these waters seemed to be experiencing a new tribulation herself.

Cagalli Yula Athha, Chief Representative of the Orb Union, was forced by domestic political circumstances to fulfill the marriage engagement she had been bound to since childhood and marry Yuna Roma Seiran.

Just as she was preparing to accept this political marriage as if resigned to her fate, our classmate Kira Yamato finally made his move.

After suffering an assassination attempt by a ZAFT special forces unit, Kira, who had been forced to take action once, no longer had any scruples. He directly piloted the Freedom Gundam and staged a popular "wedding crashing" act at Cagalli's wedding.

Poor Yuna Roma of this world hadn't been possessed by a transmigrator, so he could only watch helplessly as his wife flew away with someone else.

As the saying goes, when a person is unlucky, even drinking water can get stuck in their teeth; the same applies to a country.

They betrayed the *Minerva* to the Earth military, but the Earth military was incompetent and was beaten to a pulp by the *Minerva*.

Now their own Chief Representative had been snatched away, and there were still many more unlucky things waiting for Orb.

The wreckage from the *Minerva*'s battle with the Earth military was still drifting on the sea, and the smoke-filled waters had only been calm for a few days when they encountered another uninvited guest.

The Saviour Gundam in mobile armor form approached Orb's airspace rapidly after breaking through the atmosphere.

Athrun, unaware that the *Minerva* had already left Orb, issued an entry request to the Orb government, hoping to board the *Minerva*.

Such a request was naturally treated by the Orb government as a retaliatory provocation by the ZAFT military after being betrayed. After sternly refusing, they issued a warning to Athrun.

But Athrun was bold and skilled, ignoring the Orb government's repeated warnings and attempting to contact the Chief Representative's residence directly, hoping to use Cagalli's special privileges to gain approval from the Orb government.

But unfortunately, this was also impossible, because Cagalli had already been snatched away to the *Archangel* by Kira.

At the Orb military airbase, following a siren, two Murasames took off urgently, preparing to intercept the ZAFT mobile suit that had intruded into their airspace.

Perhaps it was the trickery of fate, but the two Murasame pilots who received the sortie order happened to be Sai and Tolle, who had just started piloting Murasames.

"Hey, hey, an attack order? Is this the rhythm of going straight into real combat?"

In one of the Murasames, Tolle said somewhat nervously, "If only Kira were here."

"Don't think too highly of it; that guy has hijacked the head of state and who knows where he's slipped off to," Sai interjected from the other Murasame.

"Kira is really not a good friend; if he had told us, I would have just piloted the Murasame and left with him."

"That guy also had good intentions and didn't want to implicate us."

"First real combat, don't die."

"Of course, Flay and Miriallia are still waiting for us."

"Hey, hey, don't say such ominous things!"

"Then what should I say?"

"How about, 'Let's not let down the hard training of this period'?"

The two best friends chatted aimlessly, wanting to use this to relieve the tension of real combat.

Soon, the two Murasames entered engagement range with the Saviour Gundam.

The two, having received the attack order from military headquarters, began their attack after locking onto the Saviour Gundam.

"Orb military control tower, Orb military control tower, we have no intention of attacking your country, why have you suddenly started attacking?"

Athrun, while maneuvering the Saviour to dodge the attacks, sent a communication to the two Murasames.

Hearing the communication from the ZAFT mobile suit, Sai replied routinely: "Orb has now joined the World Security Treaty Organization, so PLANT is a hostile country."

"Although our military has not yet engaged with the ZAFT military, we naturally cannot allow entry."

A single unit intruding into airspace didn't look like an act of aggression, so the cautious Sai explained according to procedure to avoid potential diplomatic disputes.

In other words, he was afraid of being "touched" (a scam).

"Agreed to sign an alliance treaty? Did Cagalli fail to suppress the Chief Representative Council?"

Athrun muttered to himself in surprise, and his words were heard by both Sai and Tolle in the communication.

This tone of calling the head of state by name, and the voice that seemed to have been heard somewhere before...

Athrun Zala!

Kira's Coordinator best friend!

Athrun had, after all, lived in seclusion in Orb for two years, and both sides had Kira as a mutual friend, so they had intentionally or unintentionally bumped into each other a few times.

But how could that guy be in a ZAFT mobile suit?

Did he return to the ZAFT military because of the situation?

However, listening to his tone now, it seemed as if he didn't know the news that Cagalli had been snatched away by Kira.

Hearing Kira mention it, wasn't that guy in a relationship with the Chief Representative?

For a moment, Sai and Tolle held back significantly while attacking.

Although even if the two of them used 120% of their spirit, they wouldn't be able to beat Athrun, they still tacitly began to hold back.

After all, they knew that if the other party got serious, the two of them might really never see Flay and Miriallia again.

And...

This guy's relationship with the Chief Representative...

The Chief Representative's engagement with the Seiran family...

The two best friends seemed to smell a trace of their own kind; it was the unique scent of a "loser."

It seemed, a little sympathetic.

Athrun was still trying to contact the Chief Representative's residence, while Sai spoke up directly to reveal: "Please stop using lame excuses. The Chief Representative was hijacked by the *Archangel* several days ago. Now a ZAFT pilot claims to be from the Ashha family; there should be a limit to fooling people. Please leave Orb's airspace immediately."

He "righteously" scolded Athrun and unscrupulously revealed a lot of information to the other party.

This was already the limit of what he could do. If he relied on his father, who was an official, such an obvious violation of discipline this time would likely lead to a disciplinary action.

Hearing Sai's words, Athrun didn't recognize Sai and Tolle.

But from the other party's restrained attacks and the meaning between the lines, Athrun understood a lot.

So, during the time he went to PLANT, so many things had happened in Orb.

Then now, continuing to linger here would truly be a very dangerous thing.

Having made up his mind, Athrun maneuvered his mobile suit to turn around and left Orb's airspace.

Watching the Saviour Gundam go far away, Sai and Tolle both breathed a sigh of relief.

Both of them had experienced the last great war and knew the other party's strength.

Although they knew that this Athrun Zala, like Kira, adhered to a non-killing principle, and if they really fought, their survival rate should be 99%, but their hospitalization rate might also be 99%.

In short, avoiding the experience of being "dismembered" was truly a joyous and congratulatory event. ===== CHAPTER 261 =====