September 16, 2197 AD. Sky above Fort Hurricane.

A massive fireball soared into the sky as the ammunition depot in the rear of the Federation fleet flagship, the "Claremont," exploded. Metal fragments flew into the sky, scattering in the sea of clouds. Next to the massive ship, a Magic Armor responsible for defense turned around, and the pilot gazed in fear as the flagship slowly sank. Though the white sea of clouds below was beautiful, it was actually a conglomerate of hydrated Magic Element. Once they fell into this sea, there was no possibility of survival.

"It's over," a voice of despair came through the pilot's headset, "Even the flagship has been sunk. It's hopeless..."

The pilot lifted his head, his pupils filled with despair as he looked at the burning flagship. Just then, a red Magic Armor suddenly burst out of the smoke, raising the knight's spear in its hand and thrusting it towards his aircraft. Unable to dodge in time, the tip of the spear pierced the chestplate, and the steel core inside shot out driven by gunpowder, piercing through the young pilot and his Magic Armor together. The Spirit Seed Furnace behind the Magic Armor stopped working with the pilot's death, and the out-of-control Magic Armor plummeted into the Sea of Emptiness.

More red Magic Armor appeared in the smoke. Those were "Iron Knights" equipped by the Empire, painted in deep red to indicate that they belonged to the Flame Knight Corps.

"Eliminate the enemy!" the Iron Knight commander ordered, "Dedicate our victory to His Majesty the Emperor! Ahh..."

Before the words could finish, a volley of fire from above tore the commander's Magic Armor to pieces. The knights looked up and saw 72 "Night Owl" type Federation Magic Armors entering the battlefield. They were painted in a dark blue, low visibility camouflage and formed a large organized aerial formation. A significant number of Night Owl Magic Armors were assigned to the three Magic Armor squadrons, 112, 113, and 114, belonging to the fortress Floating Island Fort Hurricane.

Colonel Calyss Noynheim, commander of the 113th squadron, achieved his first victory of the day. Unlike others, his Night Owl had two antennas behind it, indicating that it was a commander's specialized unit. The 72 Night Owls under the 113th squadron occupied the high altitude, overlooking the chaotic battlefield. The Federation warships scattered in disarray, desperately attempting to escape with no formation. The escort Magic Armors were engaged in a disadvantageous battle against the Empire Knights.

"As expected, we are defeated," Calyss's voice carried a bitter tone, "All personnel, follow orders and execute Operation 18. Provide cover for the remaining Federation fleet to retreat towards Fort Hurricane."

The squadron leaders responded to the command, and the 113th squadron dissolved the large formation, engaging in battle at the squadron level.

With the flagship Claremont sunk, the Federation's retreat operation descended into complete chaos. The disorderly retreat soon turned into a disaster. The faster destroyers and cruisers abandoned the battleships they were supposed to protect, desperately escaping at maximum speed. The slower battleships were abandoned in the rear and fell victim to the Empire Magic Armor division's encirclement without any protection. Meanwhile, at a further distance, a squadron of Empire battleships and cruisers happily reaped the heads of their prey.

An orange fireball soared into the sky, and metal fragments scattered in all directions. Another Federation battleship exploded and sank, its Spirit Seed Furnace destroyed, its ammunition depot exploded. The broken ship's hull fell toward the Sea of Emptiness, but in the instant before it touched that beautiful yet deadly sea, a phenomenon known as the Prometheus Effect swept over the entire ship, instantly killing all surviving crew members. The Empire battleship squadron cruised past the dying prey, continuously firing their 356mm cannons at the retreating Federation warships.

Leading the charge was the Empire battleship, Invincible. On top of its bridge's fire control tower, the sailors of the fire control team were operating range finders for observation. Suddenly, 20mm shells hit the range finder one after another, and the glass lenses scattered, turning the expensive optical equipment into a pile of scrap metal. A formation composed of a blue Night Owl command type and a regular Night Owl flew past the warship. The tracer fire from the anti-aircraft guns followed closely, and in an instant when it passed the fire control tower, the trailing wingman picked up the machine gun, shooting 12mm bullets that tore the bewildered sailors apart.The flagship of the formation lost its fire control system, disrupting Empire's proud coordinated shooting tactics, and the firepower of the entire battlecruiser formation quickly lost its accuracy. The 88mm anti-aircraft guns on the warship seemed to seek revenge as they fired at the two Night Owls, and the anti-aircraft shells exploded into black smoke clusters in the air. The two Night Owls skillfully maneuvered through the barrage of anti-aircraft shells and retreated beyond the range of the anti-aircraft fire.

"Hey, General, they've lost their accuracy," said the wingman Hadley Brent. Hearing Hadley's voice, Karlus glanced at the rearview mirror. The Empire forces were changing formation, with the invincible battlecruiser relinquishing its leading position to another battleship behind it, while it veered to the right side and separated from the fleet. Changing formation, re-establishing effective shooting, and then regrouping for coordinated shooting would probably take more than ten minutes, which would be enough time for the Federation warships that had fallen behind to escape to Fort Hurricane.

If the Empire forces were to deploy a torpedo attack force consisting of cruisers and destroyers at this time, the losses of the Federation forces would certainly be even greater. Fortunately, these deadly lightly armored warships did not appear on the battlefield.

Suddenly, a dense hail of machine gun bullets came from the left rear. One armor-piercing bullet hit the shoulder armor of the Night Owl Commander, but it was deflected due to a bad angle. Karlus immediately put the 20mm machine gun back on the rack behind and exchanged it for a lightweight 12mm machine gun. Although the machine gun had powerful firepower, it had a slow rate of fire and was not suitable for air combat.

"We've got a tail, General!" Hadley exclaimed excitedly. "How about using the crossing tactic and counter-attack them?"

"No need," commanded Karlus. "Gain altitude."

Since the two Night Owls had just sped out of the enemy's anti-aircraft range, their flight speed was almost twice that of the pursuing Iron Knights behind them. The Night Owl formation, which quickly distanced itself, began to climb, and the following Empire knights also followed suit in an attempt to climb, but their speed was not enough. No matter how the Spirit Seed Furnace increased its power output, it could not catch up with the Night Owls ahead. The two Night Owls quickly reached the peak of their somersault, their figures intersected, and they began to dive simultaneously. Below them, the Empire knights had already entered a stall state, their bodies irregularly plummeting, just caught by the two Night Owls.

As a result, Karlus took care of two, and Hadley shot down the last one. The two immediately ended their dive and regained the high altitude, overlooking the entire battlefield.

Far away from the battlefield, the Empire warship, "Queen Elizabeth," a battleship, was sailing with the wind. The white hull paint marked its identity as the flagship of the fleet. Eight cruisers and twelve destroyers formed a tight anti-aircraft circle around it. In addition, 12 Magic Armors were stationed in the sky, ensuring that nothing went wrong.

As the fleet flagship, the Queen Elizabeth had received special modifications. It removed the armored command tower that was useless for a flagship and used the saved weight to construct a large box-shaped bridge as the command center. In addition, it carried a communication system twice as powerful as an ordinary warship to meet the needs of fleet command.

Officers and NCOs walked around the command bridge, while communication soldiers manned the radios, constantly reporting the latest developments in the battle. In the center of the command center, a large sand table displayed the positions of the two fleet's ships, with sinking ship models being removed. Among the surrounding military personnel, a girl of about sixteen years old, wearing a light princess dress, sat in the commander's seat, boredom evident in her gaze as she stared at the chessboard in front of her. Her striking red hair added a touch of dominance to her slightly childish face.

On the chessboard, the white and black pieces were entangled in a fierce battle.

"Commander, Your Excellency!" a staff member saluted her. "Invincible reports that its fire control system has been destroyed and it can no longer serve as the flagship of the battlecruiser formation. It is withdrawing from the queue."

"Let it join the end of the queue and continue the battle," the girl picked up a white piece. "At the same time, order the battleship formation commanded by Admiral Dalamo to move forward and support the battlecruiser formation."

"Understood."

"By the way," she looked up, "where is the torpedo unit?"

"3M21, ma'am."

"3M21?" She pointed her chin with a finger and quickly constructed a tactical map of the entire battlefield in her mind. "Wait, I don't remember sending them to that kind of place. Why are they staying in a corner of the battlefield? Order the torpedo unit to return to the battlefield immediately. I need destroyers and cruisers equipped with torpedoes to maximize the results of the battle.""But..." The staff officer looked hesitant.

"Your Highness Felicia," a senior officer spoke up, "I ordered the cruisers and destroyers to stay at 3M21, where they can intercept enemy ships retreating towards Federation's mainland."

"So, it's meaningless," the girl put down the chess piece in her hand, "The Federation's target is Fort Hurricane, which is within close proximity. They are exhausted and in desperate need of repairs. Why would they retreat to their homeland? If they gather at Fort Hurricane for a last stand, we can annihilate them and achieve a complete victory."

"What if they manage to escape?"

"Let them. Our target is Fort Hurricane. It will be easier to capture it without fleet protection." She smiled slightly. "Admiral Merkel, I must remind you that I am the commander. Are you defying my orders?"

Facing the girl, Merkel had no choice but to lower his head. If it were only a noble, he would have already cursed. She was just a child, even though she was slightly cleverer, she was still just a child. However, this girl, Felicia von Bergmann, was the daughter of the current Emperor of the Empire, a princess. Even though she was thrown into the first fleet to serve as a commander due to inheriting her mother's red hair from the Kast family, she was still a princess. According to Empire law, disrespecting the royal family warranted the extermination of nine generations.

Damn little girl! Merkel cursed in his heart. However, he had to admit that Felicia's military talent surpassed his own. In the just-ended third Alanzo Sea Battle, Felicia commanded the Empire's first fleet and easily crushed the overwhelmingly dominant Federation fleet, gaining control of the airspace around Fort Hurricane. She did not wait for support from other main fleets of the Empire but launched an attack on Fort Hurricane alone, attempting to seize this vital transportation hub connecting the Federation and the Empire.

He couldn't let this little girl continue to achieve merits, otherwise, Merkel's position would be very dangerous. Although he did not publicly express it, he was actually a supporter of the third prince.

"Nevermind, it's too late now." Felicia sighed, walking to the sand table and drawing a line on it. "This line is the ceasefire line. Order all fleets to retreat beyond the ceasefire line and regroup." She turned to an officer, "Issue the order for Colonel Conan's supply and repair ships to rendezvous with our fleet, prepare to resupply ammunition for the participating fleets, and have damaged ships retreat to either Conist or stay for repairs before continuing the battle based on their damage."

"Your Highness!" Merkel stepped forward, "Why not continue the attack? We are clearly in an advantageous position! We can easily take Fort Hurricane in one go."

"Admiral, have you not heard of 'Do not pursue an enemy who flees'?" Felicia looked at Merkel and smiled. "Right now, I haven't gathered all the conditions necessary for victory. Although we can still win based on the current situation, it would result in significant losses for the first fleet." She scanned the surroundings, "All the soldiers here are subjects of the Empire. Even though the majority of them are not nobles, I have no reason to casually spill the blood of Empire's people. The victory you expect will only waste the lives of our troops. We have better options available, so why should we send our soldiers to die? What do you think, Admiral Merkel?"

After hearing her words, the military personnel in the command center cast accusing glances at Merkel.

"Your Highness, I must report your cowardice to the Ministry of Military Affairs!" Left with these words, Merkel slinked out of the command center like a beaten dog.

Felicia watched him leave and made a V gesture of victory towards her staff officers and NCOs who were looking at her. Applause suddenly erupted in the command center. Those soldiers understood just how little their lives were worth in this turbulent era; they were cannon fodder that could be sacrificed at will. And this Princess would never sacrifice her subordinates like noble commanders did. Hence, the soldiers dedicated their loyalty to her.

"Your Highness," a young communications officer called out, "We have received a report from the transport fleet. They will rendezvous with the first fleet at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.""Excellent, now we have achieved all the victory conditions." Felicia lifted her skirt and sat in the commander's seat. "Although His Majesty the Emperor doesn't like me, he still wants Fort Hurricane. So let's take down Fort Hurricane and offer it as a gift for His Majesty's 53rd birthday."

"Yes, ma'am!" all the soldiers saluted together.

"Also," Felicia pointed to the communication officer, "don't call me Princess Your Highness here, call me Commander."

"Yes!" The communication officer bowed and apologized hastily, "Commander, Your Excellency."

Seeing his nervousness, his superior, a middle-aged officer with a smile on his face, rubbed his blond hair vigorously, causing tears to well up in the young man's eyes.

The hand has been gathered, there is no reason to lose. Felicia looked out of the window, under the blue sky, the Sea of Emptiness covered the land, and humans have not seen the appearance of the land for a thousand years.

On the other hand, the sudden retreat of the Empire army gave the Federation army some breathing time. Calyus gathered the 113th squadron as the rearguard, they were the last troops to return to Fort Hurricane.

The harbor was crowded with ships waiting to be repaired, and sparks from welding flickered on the damaged hulls. Calyus drove the magic car past the wounded soldiers' queue, while Hadley sat in the co-pilot's seat. This subordinate of his had a strong physique and a bald head like a poached egg, but he had a thick beard on his chin.

"General, where are we going?"

"How about having a drink?" Calyus said casually while his hand rested on the steering wheel. "Everyone is at the tavern in the harbor, Mr. Field will definitely welcome us to consume together."

"Are you joking?" Hadley was surprised. "The Empire is invading, what if we go out for a drink and get caught by the military police?"

"But it's not us who were defeated. Those Federation cowards are really disappointing, if they can't win, they shouldn't fight in the first place. In the end, it's the Fort Hurricane air squadron that has to clean up after them." He looked at Hadley. "By the way, have you forgotten what day it is today?"

"What day? Let me think... Oh!" Hadley remembered. "It's the prelude to Lin and Eileen's wedding. My God! I can't believe I forgot such an important thing."

"Let's go, we can still make it!" Calyus injected more magic power into the Spirit Seed Furnace of the magic car through the magic circuit imprinted on his arm. "My best buddy's wedding is today, how can we be late!"

"General! Drive safely! Drive safely! Ahhhhh~"

Amidst Hadley's screams, the magic car drifted beautifully at the intersection, and its tail knocked down a wooden crate on the side of the road, heading straight for the tavern on the edge of the harbor district.

Tavern owner Field watched anxiously at the guests in the shop. Although the pilots of the Fort Hurricane air squadron often come here to drink all night, this time, even the ground crew and mechanics came too, and the small tavern was filled with people, bustling. While a thriving business is a good thing, considering the approaching Empire fleet, is it really okay for all the pilots to get drunk and stay overnight?

Just then, the door of the tavern was pushed open, and Commander Calyus of the 113th squadron and his wingman Hadley rushed in, clearly late.

"What's going on? Did you start without us!"

"You were late, boss."

"I was late?"

With a bang, a large glass of beer was placed in front of Calyus, and a young blonde woman smiled at him.

"Sister Eileen..." Calyus's mouth twitched uncontrollably. "I'm sorry, I was late."

"Drink it for me." Eileen Larson gave a short command.

Under everyone's gaze, Calyus picked up the glass and chugged it down, then he put the glass down with a thud and applause immediately broke out around him.

"Truly a general!" Hadley clapped his hands beside him.

However, with another bang, Eileen placed another large glass in front of him.

"Alright," Hadley picked up the glass, "Cheers to your happy marriage."

After saying that, he imitated Calyus and chugged the drink. But as soon as the liquor reached his throat, he realized that it wasn't beer at all, but spirits! It's too late to turn back now, so Hadley gritted his teeth and downed the entire glass of spirits, then slumped onto the table motionless."The bald one fell! Call for the medic."

"Fool, there are only ground crew and pilots here."

"And mechanics too."

The soldiers around were making a buzz, and Carlus, forgotten on the side, suppressed the alcohol buzz with willpower. There was liquor in his cup as well, but his tolerance was good, so he hadn't fallen yet.

A glass of water was placed in front of him, and a young man with black hair and black eyes sat down across from him. His first impression was that he seemed rather weak, with a scholarly demeanor rather than a military one. A red crystal pendant hung around his neck, emitting a faint light in the darkness.

"Are you okay, Carl?"

"Lin," Carlus looked up, "I'm sorry about today. Such a big incident happened and the Federation military was in chaos. The military meeting took two hours, and I was late for your wedding rehearsal. I'm really sorry."

"It's okay." Lin extended his fist.

Carlus smiled slightly and also extended his fist. Their fists bumped together, and they stood up together. "Rock, scissors, paper!"

Carlus lost in a spectacular fashion.

"Darn it, how did I lose again!" He slammed the table in frustration. "I don't think I've ever won before."

Carlus recovered from his despair and slowly lifted his head. At that moment, someone pressed their elbow against his shoulder blade. Golden hair fell onto the table as Aaron pressed against Carlus' back, leaning forward to look at his fiance.

"Are you guys still playing children's games like this?" There was no reproach in her words, only curiosity. "Although you both came from the orphanage, your relationship is really good."

"Because we're brothers." Lin smiled.

"By the way," Carlus said, "Lin, sister Aaron, is your new house ready? What else do you need for the wedding? Hardy's dad has some connections with the Business Alliance, so I can ask him to help you out."

"It's been ready for a while, Commander. After this battle, we're going to prepare for the wedding. You must come." Aaron turned around and came to Lin's side. "I will definitely come, don't worry."

Just then, a new recruit rushed in from the door and said out of breath, "Comrades! Something big happened, the military police are coming this way!"

"What! They've already found us?" Carlus quickly stood up. "Retreat! Everyone retreat! Don't forget Hardy! Bring him with me!"

The back door, prepared in advance, was opened, and the pilots, ground crew, and mechanics of the 113th Squadron disappeared in an instant. Mr. Field watched them all escape and then quietly closed the back door. He had just returned to the bar counter when the military police entered through the front door. Looking at the mess in the tavern, the captain of the military police glared at Mr. Field.

"Did any Federation soldiers drink here just now?"

"No?" Mr. Field smiled in response.

After taking a glance at the chaotic tavern and the smiling owner, the captain of the military police clicked his tongue and ordered his subordinates to retreat. Mr. Field watched them leave and then revealed a meaningful smile.

The next morning, the 113th Squadron was ready for deployment. The Magic Armor responsible for patrol duties walked out of the hangar, facing the rising sun. They spread their wings and the Spirit Seed Furnace behind them emitted a faint green light. The anti-gravity generated by the light particles lifted the four-meter tall steel giants, and they began to glide along the runway, eventually taking off. After the battle yesterday, the 113th Squadron had lost 12 Magic Armor units, leaving only 60 that were still functional. Carlus had to rearrange their formation, and to make matters worse, one squadron leader was listed as killed in action, creating a gap in the command of the entire squadron.

Someone had to be found to take his place as soon as possible.

As Carlus pondered over this, a new recruit burst into the room, gasping for breath. "Sir, something terrible has happened. The Federation fleet has taken away all the supplies they could and retreated to the homeland!"

"What did you say!" Carlus was shocked.

If the fleet was gone, Fort Hurricane would become an isolated city, defending without the support of the fleet. It was only a matter of time before it was captured.

"Have we been abandoned?" He angrily pounded the table. "Damn it! Those cowards!"At the same time, the patrol team dispatched by Squadron 113 flew over the Fort Hurricane port, only to see that the docks, which were packed with damaged warships yesterday, were empty today. Even most of the supplies stored in the port area had been taken away. Except for the damaged warships that could not return to their homeland on their own, the Federation fleet had fled, leaving none behind.

The defenders of Fort Hurricane were left with the desperate struggle of a lone army.

At noon, the Fort Hurricane Fortress Fire Control Headquarters observed the Empire fleet approaching. The heavy fortress cannons installed in concrete gun emplacements raised their barrels, ready to fire. However, the Empire troops, which had reached the maximum shooting range, did not continue to advance. Behind the main fleet, on hundreds of flat-deck transporters, there were a total of four thousand ready-to-go Magic Armor units. In the Empire, only nobles were allowed to pilot Magic Armor. Their iron steeds were adorned luxuriously, but these Magic Armor units appeared extremely shabby. Their armor had been simplified to the extreme, with no decorations at all, and some hadn't even been painted. They were mass-produced units manufactured in the imperial factory, cheap goods meant to be disposable cannon fodder. The pilots of these Magic Armor units did not have magic patterns on their arms. You see, driving a Magic Armor required a certain level of magical capacity and then carving a magic circuit onto the arm.

With the order to attack, the four thousand Magic Armor units took off one after another. The pilots, unfamiliar with each other, formed into formation and began to advance towards Fort Hurricane, while the Iron Knights of the Flame Order were responsible for aerial cover. Faced with the Empire's Magic Armor force, approaching like a swarm of locusts, the first to launch a counterattack was the 112th Squadron of the Fort Hurricane Air Force.

Led by Commander Colonel Anaheim, the 112th Squadron launched an attack on the enemy. However, in the face of overwhelming numbers of mass-produced units, the 112th Squadron's assault formation was instantly overwhelmed. 72 Night Owls were scattered and unable to mount an effective counterattack. The massive group of mass-produced units did not care about their own losses and continued to advance towards Fort Hurricane. As they approached, the anti-aircraft guns deployed near the port fired desperately.

The cannons roared, and the sky was filled with black smoke. Magic Armor units had high defense, and even mass-produced units could withstand anti-aircraft fire to a certain extent. Within thirty minutes of the start of the war, Fort Hurricane port was captured. The deployed mass-produced units retracted their flight wings, brandished their spears, and slaughtered the soldiers guarding the fortress cannons. Defenseless infantry could do nothing against the Magic Armor units. As the artillery positions on the high ground on either side of the port were captured, the Empire fleet began to advance.

"There are too many of these guys!"

"I'm running out of ammunition!"

"By the Winged God, just how many of them are there?"

Emergency calls filled the communication channels. Under Commander Carlus, Squadron 113 still barely maintained air superiority over the northern airport. They continuously drove away the Iron Knights of the Flame Order, who forcefully came to scout, maintaining the northern defense perimeter. The 112th Squadron, which had gone out to intercept, was scattered, and the 114th Squadron responsible for controlling the port airspace was almost completely annihilated. The port quickly fell and the Empire landing ships were on their way. Infantry would soon land, and defeat was now inevitable. Although he knew they would definitely lose this battle, Carlus never expected to lose so quickly. The Empire fleet in the direction of the port was changing formation, with a cruiser detachment beginning to move north under the cover of the Iron Knights of the Flame Order, engaging in a fierce artillery battle with the coastal artillery positions near the lighthouse.

"Those without ammunition, return to the airport immediately," Carlus commanded. "Each squadron resupply in sequence. We haven't completely lost this war yet!"

The last sentence was definitely a lie, but they were soldiers, and they had to fight.

About fifty Empire mass-produced Magic Armor units approached the lighthouse, and the nearby coastal artillery positions were in imminent danger. Carlus led a squadron to launch a sudden assault against them, instantly shooting down twelve enemy units. He noticed that these mass-produced units had very poor maneuverability, and all the pilots were rookies who obviously hadn't received systematic combat training. But for some reason, their morale was high. Even when their comrades were shot down, they showed no signs of retreat.And quantity itself is a form of violence. The 114th Squadron responsible for the harbor had been submerged in the wreckage of the enemy. Karlus gripped the enemy plane in front of him and pulled the trigger. A series of 12mm machine gun bullets tore the target to shreds, and then the Magic Armor was suddenly surrounded by lightning. It was the Prometheus Effect! Karlus maneuvered the control stick, and the Night Owl Command Type narrowly evaded the lightning by millimeters, but the mass-produced machine exploded into pieces.

What happened? Karlus trembled with fear. In theory, the Spirit Seed Furnace, with its magic circuit engraved on the driver's arm, drew magic power from the heart and should never produce the Prometheus Effect. Karlus had a record of 151 kills, having shot down so many Magic Armors, but he had never encountered this situation before. Could it be that there was something wrong with those ugly mass-produced machines themselves? Thinking of this, he ordered his subordinates to transport a relatively intact enemy aircraft wreckage back to base.

Eileen Lansing stood at the entrance of the hangar and watched the intense battle in the sky. Hundreds of green lights were entwined under the blue sky, and Magic Armors from both sides were constantly being shot down, their burning wrecks falling to the ground. She silently offered a prayer to the Winged God, hoping that it wouldn't be someone she knew who was shot down.

Suddenly, the resonance of the Spirit Seed Furnace grew closer, and Night Owl Command Type with the number 401 landed at the entrance of the hangar. Behind him, two Night Owls carried a mass-produced Empire Magic Armor, which then landed. Eileen noticed that a glowing liquid was leaking from the engine behind the wreckage. It was a high-concentration Magic Element, the fuel used to power large Hovercrafts.

"Karlus!" she asked, "Why did you bring back the enemy's machine?"

With a click, the helmet of the Night Owl Command Type flipped open, revealing Karlus' face underneath. He commanded his subordinates to replenish ammunition and then stepped on the pedal, maneuvering the Night Owl Command Type towards Eileen.

"Eileen, my sister," he said, "these guys are not right. I just took down one of them, and it produced the Prometheus Effect, almost sucking me in."

"No way..." Eileen turned towards the hangar. "Lin! Come out for a moment. Karlus has brought us an incredible gift, you'll love it."

A young man with black hair walked out of the hangar, his work clothes covered in grease.

"Isn't this an Empire machine?" Lin looked at the wreckage. "And it's a model I haven't seen before."

"And there are thousands of these guys," Karlus said, "pressing down on us like a dark cloud. The 114th Squadron has been wiped out, and the harbor has fallen."

Lin sighed and climbed onto the wreckage to dismantle the casing of the propulsion device. Suddenly, the glowing liquid gushed out, and he quickly closed a valve, stopping the liquid from further leaking.

"Indeed, it's a high-concentration Magic Element!" Eileen exclaimed.

"I was also startled," Lin continued dismantling the casing. "If I'm not mistaken, this Magic Armor uses not the Spirit Seed Furnace, but the Magic Element Power Generator."

"Huh?" Karlus asked, "Like the one on the ship?"

"It has been simplified to some extent, and miniaturized," Lin carefully studied the power system of the enemy machine. When he saw the driver's corpse, he frowned. "Look at this," he took off a metal disc and showed it to Karlus, "this is a revolving disc made of magic steel, and the spells on it are very simple. It can be concluded that this is definitely not the Spirit Seed Furnace. As long as it is supplied with high-concentration Magic Element, it can lift the Magic Armor into the air, and using Magic Element as the power source, anyone can drive it." He sighed, "This is the ideal weapon."

"Empire really went all out," Eileen forced a smile. "It seems like today, Fort Hurricane is going to undergo a change of hands."

"Not necessarily," Karlus smiled fearlessly. "As long as our Fort Hurricane Aviation Squadron is still here, Empire can't easily take control of Fort Hurricane."

Eileen and Lin exchanged a glance and both showed bitter smiles."Anyway, you should take shelter first," Carlus said. "The evacuation order has been issued, and this place will soon become a battlefield. There's no need for you to stay here."

"And what about you?" Lin asked. "Carl, you're not planning to continue fighting, are you?"

"I'm the squadron leader, how can I chicken out?" Carlus smiled helplessly. "Brother, you have to live happily with Sister Lin, have more children!" In the moment when his helmet closed, he whispered, "Don't forget about me."

The Night Owl command type turned around, and the Spirit Seed Furnace on its back accelerated. Light green particles were released from the exhaust ports, filling the surrounding air. Just as it spread its wings and was about to take off, a piercing scream came from above, and there was a sudden explosion in the hangar behind it. 152mm shells continued to fall on the airfield, turning the runway and hangar into a sea of fire.

In the Sea of Emptiness in the distance, the Empire fleet squadron approached the airfield, firing 152mm cannons, pouring destructive firepower onto the airfield.

Amidst the flying flames, a Magic Armor stood up, and everything around it turned into ruins, with the burning ruins emitting thick smoke. Carlus opened his helmet and looked around for survivors. A man and a woman lay among the nearby rubble, and he immediately manipulated the Magic Armor and walked over. He saw Lin with multiple injuries, blood flowing from his wounds. If they were not treated, he would soon lose too much blood. And beside him, Eileen lay in a pool of blood, a steel bar piercing her body, nailing her to the concrete runway.

"Carlus," she said weakly, "the ammunition depot will be engulfed in flames soon. Please... please take Lin away. Please, make sure he survives."

"Eileen," Carlus suppressed his tears.

"I'll be fine," Eileen forced a smile. "Tell Lin that I will love him forever... forever..."

Carlus endured the pain and manipulated the mechanical arm to pick up Lin, spread its wings, and left the burning airfield. Shortly after he took off, there was a massive explosion in the ammunition depot, and the shockwave and flames completely engulfed the area where Eileen was, leaving only a terrifying giant crater.

"Why!" Carlus looked at the mushroom cloud gradually rising. "Why did you have to die, Eileen! Why am I, who should've died, still alive!"

"General!" a Night Owl landed beside him. "It's good to see that you're safe!"

"Hadley?" Carlus looked at his subordinate who had opened his helmet. Hadley had been fighting non-stop for five hours, his face pale, a sign that his magical power was depleted.

"The port has fallen, we can't hold on anymore," Hadley said. "General, what should we do?"

Carlus didn't answer him, but flew directly to the nearest field hospital. He handed Lin over to the doctors at the medical station, then silently sat in his Magic Armor. Intense sorrow and anger consumed his heart, eventually turning into dark and sinister hatred. Carlus was determined to seek revenge, at any cost.

Hadley had been following him all along, and when they landed, he kept watch around them.

"Hadley," Carlus said, "how many of us are left?"

"Less than a third," Hadley replied, "and most of them have depleted their magical power. I'm afraid half of them won't be able to take off and fight. Among those who can continue fighting, including you and me, there are only 13 people."

"13 people, it's enough."

"General, what do you want to do?" Hadley had a bad feeling about this.

"You see," Carlus pointed to the Empire fleet on the Sea of Emptiness, "do you see that white warship? That's the flagship of the Empire fleet. It should have been in a safer position, but now, the Empire fleet is scattered, the number of escort ships and Magic Armors protecting it has greatly decreased, and we have a chance."

"Are you saying..." Hadley looked at the ship. "Maybe it's really possible, you truly are the general!"

"I am Carlus Noinheim," Carlus opened the communication channel, "All members of the 113th squadron, gather together and prepare to launch a surprise attack on the Empire fleet flagship. This is a suicide mission, and those who don't want to go can choose not to participate. I repeat, this is a suicide mission, it is not mandatory for everyone to participate." He paused for a moment. "Five minutes later, those who are determined to join the mission, gather at the ruins of the north corner airfield."After finishing his words, he turned off the radio and let out a deep sigh. As a commander, he was responsible for the lives of his subordinates, but now, Calius had no time to think about it. His only wish was to take the head of the Empire Army Commander-in-Chief.

Five minutes later, 13 Night Owls gathered at the airport ruins. Looking at his battered subordinates, Calius sighed deeply. The pilots were exhausted, ammunition was low, and the Magic Armors were heavily damaged, but everyone's morale was high. The survivors of the 113th Squadron were eager to join their commander in the final battle.

"Listen, everyone," Calius said, "I have decided to retire after the war. I will operate a merchant ship at that time. Those who have money can invest, and those who don't can offer their services. Welcome to join as shareholders."

The pilots looked at each other and someone suddenly laughed, "What if it runs at a loss?"

"I'll take responsibility for the losses! I won't let you pay!" Calius declared openly, "This raid is very dangerous. If we can't go on, surrender to me and try to come back alive!"

The pilots raised their weapons and roared.

Three red-painted Iron Riders were flying over the Sea of Emptiness, responsible for covering the fleet's flank. However, the Empire knights piloting the Iron Riders were full of complaints. There was no possibility of making a name for themselves in this direction. While the port was ablaze, they could only idle around here. The knights had some grievances towards their commander.

Without warning, the lead aircraft in front suddenly took a direct hit from a burst of fire coming from the direction of the sun, instantly exploding into a fireball. The two accompanying aircraft were startled and stopped to aim upwards, but the sun's rays blinded their eyes. Dozens of black silhouettes took advantage of the sun's cover and attacked.

"What's going on? An enemy ambush?"

"Damn, can't aim at all!"

"Forget it, fire!"

The Empire knights immediately raised their lances and started shooting with their built-in 12mm machine guns. However, a deep blue Night Owl Command Model had already rushed in front of them. It extended its hand and took off the chainsaw blade hanging on its back mount. The rapidly spinning blade cut open the Iron Rider's armor, severing it along with the pilot. The last Iron Rider turned its lance and lunged at the Night Owl Command Model, but the chainsaw blade skillfully deflected the lance. The 12mm machine gun in the Night Owl Command Model's left hand almost touched the Iron Rider's chest plate and fired, turning the Empire knight inside into a honeycomb.

"Charge!" Calius pointed forward with his chainsaw blade, and the 12 Night Owls behind him followed him in rushing towards the Empire fleet.

In the command center of the flagship Empress Elizabeth, Philippia was closing her eyes and meditating. She put aside the chessboard of the tired game of chess, where the black and white pieces were in a stalemate. Mekler was probably complaining to the Army Affairs Department, but Philippia couldn't be bothered with him. As long as victory was achieved at the minimum cost, the Army Affairs Department would have no complaints. After all, soldiers and nobles were different, and even most of the nobles within the military were pragmatists. Attaining victory while reducing the troops' losses was the perfect outcome. If it became a pyrrhic victory with both sides suffering heavy casualties, the commander would be held accountable.

The battle was about to end, and Fort Hurricane was already on its last legs.

At that moment, the Empress Elizabeth suddenly sounded the air defense alarm, and immediately, the anti-aircraft guns began firing. Even the cruisers and destroyers surrounding it turned their gun turrets and deployed anti-aircraft barrages.

"What's going on?" she asked, "Why are the anti-aircraft guns firing?"

"Report!" a officer stood straight and saluted, "Federation Army Magic Armor units have been spotted on our left side. There are 13 of them. They broke through the Flame Knight Corps' interception and are approaching our ship!"

"What did you say?!"

Before she finished speaking, an explosion occurred in a cruiser sailing alongside the flagship. Its Spirit Seed Furnace was hit by a 300mm anti-ship rocket, causing the ship's hull to lose buoyancy and begin sinking.

What a fierce attack! Philippia's mind immediately started working. The enemy seized the perfect opportunity of the Empire fleet's dispersal to launch a surprise attack. Their commander was indeed very excellent, stabbing a sharp knife in the moment the Empire army exposed a vulnerability. However, the battle had already been decided, and no matter what they did, they couldn't change the Empire's victory. A chill suddenly crawled up her spine, and Philippia understood the enemy's goal. They wanted her head."Order the ship's fighter squadron to engage in battle!" she commanded loudly. "Send a request for assistance to the Royal Order of Guardians who are escorting the transport ships, asking Sir Wetzhausen to come and support us."

There was still hope, and she had a few pieces left to play. Filixia desperately tried to regain her composure, but the fear of death continued to haunt her. Since the age of thirteen, she had commanded fleets in battles across the land, but death had never been this close to her. For her, war was a game played on a chessboard, meticulously planning strategies to outsmart the opponent, just like a game of chess. But now, the opponent of the game was bearing its fangs towards Filixia. They wanted her dead, and they could make it happen.

Another destroyer exploded and sank, creating a gap in the protective air defense formation surrounding the flagship. The Iron Knights of the Flame, mounted on their steeds, soared over the Queen Elizabeth and dove towards the enemy aircraft besieging the last escort ship. However, the three Iron Knights were quickly shot down. The No. 401 Deep Blue Night Owl Command Type forcefully landed on the deck of the flagship, wielding a chainsaw blade that penetrated the armor of the bridge, slicing through the armored wall like cutting through cardboard.

Sparks flew from the walls of the command center, accompanied by the thunderous crash of collapsing steel plates. The Night Owl Command Type appeared in front of Filixia, who looked at the harbinger of death with terror in her eyes. But at the critical moment, his subordinates, the staff and officers working at the headquarters, stood up to protect her.

Then the slaughter began.

The whirling chainsaw blade shredded the middle-aged officer wielding a fire axe. The 12mm machine gun and the 9mm submachine gun built into the mechanical arm fired indiscriminately at the brave staff and officers. Calyus coldly unleashed carnage, with occasional bullets hitting his Magic Armor but unable to penetrate its thick armor. In an instant, the command center became a sea of blood. The Night Owl Command Type, brandishing its chainsaw blade and machine gun, approached Filixia, who sat on the commander's seat.

Through the visor of his helmet, Calyus gazed at the young girl before him. She was wearing a light, flowing white dress, with long fiery red hair tied behind her head. Her face, still innocent and youthful, was stained with a few drops of blood. She appeared very young, perhaps only 15 or 16 years old. Fear emanated from her watery eyes.

Click! The chainsaw blade pierced the floor next to Filixia, and the whirling teeth ceased their rotation.

"Where did we go wrong?" the anger in Calyus' heart dissipated. "What kind of justice is this, a war that kills children?"

The battle continued, with people dying every second. As his anger and hatred subsided, Calyus regained his composure. There wasn't much he could do, but it was worth a try.

In Filixia's terrified gaze, the Night Owl Command Type knelt before him, like a knight.

"Princess," the driver spoke through the loudspeaker, "I am Colonel Calyus Noinheim, commander of the Federation's 113th Squadron. In this war, many of my friends and subordinates have died, and now, more people are dying every moment. Continuing this fight is beneficial to neither side. I humbly request, in my personal capacity, that you issue a surrender announcement and allow Fort Hurricane Fortress to surrender with conditions, ending this damn war."

Filixia looked at the blue-colored Magic Armor in front of her, with the two antennas on its back indicating it was a Night Owl Command Type. Its driver made a sincere request, without using his own life as a threat.

He was a noble person and a role model for a soldier.

For the first time, Filixia had the desire for this man to become her subordinate, and as time passed, that desire grew stronger.

"I... agree," Filixia looked at the Night Owl Command Type, determination in her eyes. "But I have one condition. After this battle is over, become one of my Royal Guardians."

"Sorry," Calyus smiled. "I've already promised the guys outside that we'll all run a merchant ship together after the war. I don't want to continue fighting anymore."

"Such a pity," Filixia expressed disappointment.

The Night Owl Command Type stood up and turned to leave, but at that moment, a silver-colored Magic Armor suddenly crashed through the right wall, grabbed the enemy aircraft, and rammed it out from the other side. Filixia recognized that silver Magic Armor. It was Albert von Wetzhausen's machine, the "Silver Wolf," the ancient-grade Magic Armor passed down through generations in the Wetzhausen family, with much higher performance than current models.If things continue like this, that driver will be killed, and there is no time to hesitate. Felicia walked through the pool of blood and arrived at the communication control console. Her communications soldier lay dead by the console, his young face lifeless. She gently closed his eyes, then picked up the headphones, preparing to give orders. However, the radio had been damaged in the previous melee, with electronic tubes shattered and unusable. Felicia put down the headphones and turned to leave the command center, heading towards the navigation bridge where there were backup communication devices. She could give orders from there.

Everything was spinning! Carlus regained his senses from the initial impact. His left mechanical arm was damaged, the shoulder armor had fallen off, and his ribs had taken a heavy blow, not surprising considering at least three were broken. He turned his head, looking through the visor on his helmet, and saw a silver Magic Armor spinning in the air along with him. In his spinning view, the Sea of Emptiness approached rapidly. He knew very well what would happen if he fell into that pristine sea of clouds - the true face of the white clouds were highly concentrated Magic Elements, tens of thousands of times stronger than the magic power generated by humans, only becoming beautiful white clouds when mixed with water vapor. If one got too close, a terrible electrical discharge would occur. The flesh and blood of a human would turn into charcoal in an instant.

"Let go!" He pulled the right joystick, and with the movement of his fingers, his Night Owl Command Type raised its mechanical arm and struck the enemy's face with a punch. The enemy, affected by the impact, let go, and the two Magic Armors immediately restored their flight positions, confronting each other at a height of less than ten meters from the cloud sea.

The opponent was a peculiar Magic Armor. That was Carlus's first impression, with the silver armor polished to a shine and gold-lined patterns decorating its surface, following an aerodynamic streamline shape that was visually refreshing. More importantly, this Magic Armor was equipped with two Spirit Seed Furnaces and four wings that unfolded, reminiscent of the high-ranking angels in the sacred scriptures of the Wing God Church.

"What a formidable enemy!" Confronted with a strong opponent, Carlus, as a seasoned veteran, became excited. The formidable enemy was right in front of him, his fighting spirit burning fiercely.

"My name is Albert von Weitzhausen. May I know your esteemed name, sir?" A young man's voice came from the public frequency, and the silver knight-type Magic Armor elegantly saluted with a sword. It was a gesture of etiquette from the high-ranking nobles of the Empire, giving the impression that the opponent viewed him as an evenly matched adversary.

"I am Colonel Carlus Noinheim of Fort Hurricane," Carlus reported his name. "Since General Norden has fallen, I am now the temporary commander of the Fort Hurricane Aviation Squadron."

"Then, allow me and my machine, 'Silver Wolf,' to defeat you, Colonel.""Exactly!" Karlus closed in, firing his cannons at the Silver Wolf to restrict its movements. In the moment of their two mechs crossing paths, the Silver Wolf's longsword severed the left arm of Karlus' Night Owl Command-Type, but the chainsaw sword stabbed into the Spirit Seed Furnace on his left shoulder. With its balance disrupted from losing an arm, the Night Owl stabilized its mech and turned to look back. On the Spirit Seed Furnace casing of the Silver Wolf, there was a clear mark of injury, but the armor hadn't been penetrated.

"Too weak..." Karlus couldn't help but sigh.

"Very impressive," Albert slowly turned around, holding the sword with one hand. "Colonel, your swordsmanship is incredibly sharp, I admire it greatly. Judging from the style of your swordplay, may I ask which Royal Knight you studied under?"

"Unfortunately, my teacher was a cripple," Karlus replied with a bitter smile, "and he died of illness long ago."

"What a pity," Albert pondered, "however, judging from your swordsmanship, I firmly believe that you have received formal knight swordsmanship training."

"That was just something the cripple taught me casually."

"Then let me learn a few more moves from you."

The two Magic Armors closed in once again, the silver sword and the chainsaw sword collided, creating a clang of metal meeting metal.

Aiming at the enemies in the vicinity, Haad redirected his control stick to evade the bullets coming from above diagonally. He changed the magazine, realizing it was his last ammo. Looking around, his wingmen were diminishing while the Empire troops kept reinforcing. At the limit altitude near the Sea of Emptiness plane layer, he saw Karlus' Night Owl Command-Type engaged in a close-quarters combat with a silver Magic Armor he had never seen before.

"General! Hang in there!" He unsheathed his chainsaw sword and began to dive, but his path was blocked by two Magic Armors, the Imperial Guards' Iron Cavalry Special Model.

"Get out of my way!" Haad roared.

"We won't let you pass," the Royal Knight shouted, "Princess is watching us!"

"I don't care who is watching you, go die!"

Haad charged towards the two Royal Knights when suddenly the last Night Owl of the aerial squadron was shot down.

The blades clashed, and the pressure from the chainsaw sword grew heavier. Karlus clicked his tongue and increased his mana output while more mana was drawn out from his heart and input into the Spirit Seed Furnace through the magic circuit engraved on his arm. Under the powerful mana drive, his mech's arm joints increased the output, and the Spirit Seed Furnace on his back shone even brighter.

With each clash of their swords, Karlus could feel the part of himself that thirsted for battle crying out. Although his teacher was just a cripple beggar, the swordsmanship he taught now radiated with a dazzling light. Fortunately, he had been beaten badly back then and had engraved this exquisite swordsmanship in his body, otherwise, he would have been defeated by now. Albert von Weizhausen had the dignity unique to the Empire nobles, the composure of the strong. With the Silver Wolf overpowering the Night Owl Command-Type in all aspects, not to mention Albert's superior operating skills, Karlus was gradually pushed towards defeat.

In the sky above, the battle was nearing its end. A large number of Empire Army Magic Armors arrived and gradually suppressed the survivors of the 113th Squadron. Only one Night Owl was still fighting in the air.

"Damn! What kind of performance is this?"

Haad maneuvered the Night Owl and engaged in combat with the two Royal Knights. Their Magic Armor seemed to be a variation or derivative of the Iron Cavalry, but when they really fought, Haad realized it was completely different. The mobility completely overwhelmed the Night Owl, known for its lightweight and agility.

After much effort, Haad managed to engage one enemy unit and seized the opportunity to aim and shoot. However, with a loud bang, black smoke emerged from the Spirit Seed Furnace on his back. Haad glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the other Royal Knight circling around to his rear.

"Was that guy a decoy?" He gripped the control stick tightly. "Even if I die, I'll take someone down with me!"

The severely damaged Night Owl suddenly accelerated and rammed into the approaching Royal Knight head-on. The opponent's longsword pierced its shoulder, but Haad firmly grabbed hold of the Royal Knight's head with his other mechanical arm. The two Magic Armors intertwined and fell at a high speed towards the Sea of Emptiness. However, a destroyer suddenly appeared directly below them, and with a loud crash, the two Magic Armors crashed into the hangar at the rear of the destroyer."Has Hadley been shot down?" Karlus glanced at the destroyer enveloped in thick smoke. "I'm the only one left now. Damn it, today is not a good day for dying on the battlefield."

A heavy sword strike came through the control lever. Karlus, suppressed by the force, decided to change his strategy. The Night Owl Command Type suddenly pulled away, accelerating sideways, while the Silver Wolf followed its movement. The two Magic Armors completed the acceleration in a circle and turned towards each other, their bodies colliding in an instant, creating sparks as the chainsaw sword and the silver sword clashed.

"Sir, you are very skilled in using the high-speed sword strike. It's the first time I've encountered someone use it so proficiently outside of the Empire."

"So this move is called a high-speed sword strike," Karlus sighed. "You sure can withstand it."

"I must admit, it's all thanks to the Silver Wolf's auxiliary targeting system."

The two Magic Armors circled each other, horizontally accelerating, and then launched their sword strikes. After a few rounds, Karlus heard an abnormal noise, the chainsaw sword starting to deform and almost unable to hold up.

Just then, a command from the Fort Hurricane headquarters came over the broadcast channel, "Attention all units, cease fire. Our forces have accepted the Empire's surrender offer. Surrender to the Empire!"

The ceasefire order finally arrived, and Karlus breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, Albert's Silver Wolf also stopped moving, the elegant Magic Armor keeping its distance, sword still raised in caution.

"It seems that we have been defeated."

"It appears so, what a pity."

"You don't have to comfort me," Karlus sighed. "As a soldier, I will naturally follow orders. This kind of battle that we can't win is not worth fighting to the death for."

With a sigh, the Night Owl Command Type discarded its broken chainsaw sword, and Karlus turned towards Albert, the silver Magic Armor retracting its longsword into the scabbard.

"A magnificent battle," the Silver Wolf extended its mechanical arm elegantly. "Colonel, your unit has been severely damaged, and we are too close to the dimensional barrier here. If you don't mind, please hold onto my hand."

"Thank you for your kind offer," Karlus couldn't help but admire the opponent's gentlemanly demeanor. "I can still fly."

"Then please follow me."

Carefully stabilizing his unit, Karlus followed the Silver Wolf.

The two Magic Armors landed on the deck of the Empire flagship, soldiers approaching Karlus. He forced a bitter smile as he extinguished the Spirit Seed Furnace, ready for the beating.

"Sir Wertzhausen," a military officer ordered loudly, "execute this guy!"

He pointed at Karlus, and the soldiers beside him immediately raised their guns, but their light weapons were clearly unable to penetrate the external armor of the Night Owl Command Type.

"Admiral Merckel," Albert said coldly, "pardon my bluntness, but the princess has already declared a ceasefire. As military personnel, we should follow the commander's orders."

"This man has injured the princess's noble body," Merckel furiously said, "as a knight of the Royal Guard, where is your sense of honor?"

Albert fell silent instantly.

Just then, a blonde girl appeared on the bridge. She was wearing a beautiful white dress, her beauty and nobility capturing the attention of everyone present. Several communication soldiers quickly set up the microphone, ready to transmit the princess's voice to the entire fleet.

"In the name of Commander Field Marshal Felicia von Bergmann," Felicia announced loudly, "the Storm Fortress assault operation is over. All Empire military units are to immediately cease hostilities."

Her words became the signal that ended this battle. The booming cannons ceased, all Empire warships stopped attacking, no longer pursuing the scattered Federation army.

Karlus let out a long breath; at least no one else would die now.

But he soon realized he was wrong.

With a loud bang, the shockwave from the barrel scattered Felicia's long hair and threw several Empire soldiers standing near the barrel away. The 76mm turret next to Karlus suddenly opened fire, penetrating his cockpit. Karlus felt a part of his body separate from himself; his unit lost balance due to the impact and plummeted towards the Sea of Emptiness."Who dares to ignore my orders?" Felicia shouted loudly, disregarding the buzzing in her ears. She turned abruptly to look at Merkel behind her, who seemed to wear a smile on his face.

"Your Highness, it was an unfortunate accident," Merkel bowed respectfully. "It was a misfire caused by a soldier's mistake. No one would dare to defy Your Highness's commands."

Felicia clenched her fist. "Just an accident."

"Yes, Your Highness," Merkel smiled with relief. "Thank you for your discernment."

Felicia gritted her teeth. The Empire soldiers on the deck were cheering. Were they celebrating their victory or celebrating their own survival from this brutal war?

Death was merely another beginning.