The sound of gunshots shattered the silence of the snowy night, and the corridor, filled with cold air, was instantly engulfed by an explosion. The flagship rocket hit the main building of the governor's mansion, causing an explosion. Phyllixia woke up from her dream, and as someone who grew up on the battlefield, she immediately understood the current situation. Someone attacked the mansion, and they were armed with heavy weapons.

The sound of counterfire rang out. These were the palace guards of the mansion wearing red military uniforms. They held old-fashioned single-shot rifles and futilely fired at the passing Magic Armors in the sky. These old soldiers were advanced in age, but they made up the guard force of the governor's mansion. Officially, using low combat effectiveness old soldiers was to honor them, but there were many rumors behind the scenes. The strongest rumor was that the use of low combat effectiveness old soldiers was to weaken the defense of the mansion.

Two Magic Armors belonging to the Flame Knights of the gate stood motionless since the attack began. There was no sign of the Spirit Seed Furnace starting up. They just stood there, indifferent to the enemy.

"Your Highness!" an old soldier with gray hair pushed open the bedroom door. "We are holding back the rebels here. Please quickly escape from the back door!"

"Escape?" Phyllixia smiled bitterly. "The Magic Armors are all around us. The back door has already been blocked off. There's no way we can escape."

With a loud bang, a fireball rose in the yard. Phyllixia turned her back to the smoke and flames, allowing them to burn outside the window. A smoking crater appeared in the yard, with the bodies of several old soldiers lying around. They fought with their lives, but they couldn't do any damage to the Magic Armor forces attacking the mansion.

"Gather the remaining people," Phyllixia ordered. "Abandon the second floor and defend the main hall on the first floor. Hold out for reinforcements using the sturdy structure of the building itself. Send someone to launch signal flares... but with this weather, it's impossible for anyone to see them, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the old soldier saluted. "Sorry, I couldn't hear the last part of your sentence."

"It's nothing," Phyllixia shook her head. "Carry out the orders, soldier!"

Is her life really about to come to an end tonight? Phyllixia, wearing her pajamas, held her trembling shoulders due to cold and fear. She bit her lip tightly, thinking of a strategy. However, she had too few pieces on her hand. Even with extraordinary tactical acumen, without troops to command, it was like a "skilled housewife without rice to cook".

Just then, a Magic Armor appeared in the sky above the battlefield.

It's really lively down there.

Uther activated the inherent magic function of the Type 880 "Night Vision", and the surrounding darkness instantly became as bright as day. The governor's mansion was burning fiercely in the snowstorm, and the fire engulfed the north side of the building. However, the main structure remained intact. The attacking Magic Armors were divided into two groups, with eighteen units in a formation attacking at low altitude and four units stationed in high altitude providing cover. This was a textbook standard tactic, combining offense and defense.

(Enter combat mode. Auxiliary systems online.)

The voice of the Alchemist rang in Uther's mind, furrowing his brow slightly. Half of the intelligence obtained from the wide-ranging perception flowed to the Alchemist, as if there were two brains thinking side by side. Although the processing power of handling information greatly increased, it felt a bit awkward. Maybe it'll get better after getting used to it, Uther gradually accepted the presence of the Alchemist in his mind.

Circling around the perimeter, Uther utilized the cover of the snowstorm as much as possible to avoid being discovered by the attackers. Just then, red, blue, red, and yellow signal flares rose into the night sky. Those were distress signals. The old soldier who climbed onto the roof to launch the signal flare was immediately torn apart by the Magic Armor approaching from behind, fulfilling his mission with his life. But on this stormy night, is there really someone who can see the signal flares?

Two undamaged red Magic Armors stood at the gate of the mansion. They were the bodies of the Flame Knights, but they didn't react at all.

(Scan display shows no signs of life inside the target unit.)

"No pilot?"

(No, the pilot is deceased.)

The Empire's knights were nobles, yet they were killed inside their own armor. Uther couldn't help but feel a chill. It seemed that the enemy spared no expense in order to kill Phyllixia.

(I recommend an immediate retreat. This unit is not equipped with any weapons.)

The Alchemist hit the nail on the head. Uther indeed had no weapons at hand. Even the 9mm submachine gun loaded inside the arm was out of bullets. However, Uther was not ready to retreat. She quietly raised her altitude, entering the clouds. Although her field of vision was almost zero, with the wide-ranging perception, she still accurately felt the presence of the air superiority unit above her. Suddenly, she descended from the clouds, and the brilliance of the Spirit Seed Furnace appeared in the darkness ahead. Uther rushed towards the frontmost long machine and grabbed its Spirit Seed Furnace from behind."What's going on?" the driver's panicked voice came through the radio.

But Uther didn't give him any chance. She pulled the emergency safety handle of the Spirit Seed Furnace, and the Night Owl's Spirit Seed Furnace immediately stopped, causing the armor to lose its flying ability and start plummeting. The whole process took only a second, and the three accompanying aircrafts finally reacted and quickly aimed their guns, but hesitated to shoot the lead aircraft for fear of causing harm.

"Not bad guns, let me borrow them!"

"Kid? Wait, what are you doing?"

Before the driver could protest, Uther snatched the spare 12mm machine gun from the Night Owl's back rack. The regular version of the Night Owl usually carried two spare weapons, either a machine gun with a chainsaw sword or two machine guns, as it was lighter than the command version.

(Acquire weapons, import temporary driver program?)

"No need!"

Using the lead aircraft as a shield, Uther aimed at the side aircraft on the left, disengaged the safety, and fired three shots that knocked off its flying wing, causing the imbalanced Night Owl to spiral towards the ground.

"Open fire!" the captain shouted, "Ignore me!"

Although Uther made a quick decision, it was too late. She let go of the powerless Night Owl, diving down while the two Night Owls hesitated. One of them went to rescue the disabled lead aircraft, while the other chased after Uther. However, Uther injected a huge amount of magic into Spirit Seed Furnace, and the powerful propulsion instantly created distance, leaving the pursuing aircraft behind. Just as the driver was astonished, Uther successfully performed a small-angle maneuver, biting its tail and shooting it down with two quick shots. She quickly disengaged, no longer paying attention to the falling enemy aircraft. With excellent dynamic vision aided by "night vision," Uther instantly spotted the two Night Owls in the left rear.

The two Night Owls were losing precious altitude. The escort aircraft grabbed the droplet ring behind the lead aircraft and desperately pulled upward, unaware that Uther, who had an advantageous altitude, was closing in from directly behind. Uther aimed at the enemy aircraft and fired a single shot, but due to the heavy snowstorm, she missed. The two enemy aircraft immediately retaliated, shooting tracer rounds like hot whips through the air, but Uther could see their aiming lines, easily dodging them.

"Captain, who is this person?"

"I can't hit her, why can't I hit her?"

"This move, she's an ace!"

Praises of apparent doubt came through the communication channel. Uther whistled lightly, using the cover of clouds to turn back again. She still maintained the altitude advantage and launched an attack from above. This time, both groups of shots hit their targets. The two Night Owls crashed with thick smoke on the mountain slope, stirring up dirt and loose snow.

The captain's aircraft finally restarted the Spirit Seed Furnace, struggling to stand up. But the descending Night Owl Command version stepped on its back, lifting the machine gun towards its own Spirit Seed Furnace, and fired several shots, destroying the rotary disc.

"Who are you?" the driver of the captain's aircraft shouted, "Why are you piloting a Federation armor? Wait... the 401 designation, Colonel Carius Nornheim's unit?"

"To correct the delusions of some fools, I have returned from hell," Uther said coldly. "Bring me your spare magazine, and you can leave."

With that, she took the spare magazine from the destroyed Spirit Seed Furnace of the Night Owl and took off into the air, spreading her wings.

The high-altitude air defense team was wiped out, but the low-altitude assassins seemed unaware. The severe weather greatly reduced communication distance, and coupled with Uther's deliberate choice of a relatively distant location to act, the enemy aircraft had not yet realized her presence when she had already shot down the two Night Owls responsible for guarding the rear gate. With its sturdy armor, Uther crashed directly into the building.

The entire building was engulfed in flames, and thick smoke filled the air.

Philixia and the surviving soldiers guarded the sturdy hall, the most fortified part of the entire mansion, which was made of concrete. The enemy seemed to have no intention of breaking in and just kept bombarding from the outside with long-range weapons. They were probably using incendiary bombs, intending to burn her to death inside the room.

"Your Highness!" one soldier said, "Let's break out, otherwise you'll burn to death!""Wait!" Princess Felicia commanded in a stern voice, "It's not time yet."

"Your Highness, please make a decision!"

"We pledge to protect you with our lives!"

Looking at the determined faces of the veterans, most of whom were bruised from the relentless fighting, their once red uniforms now tattered. Felicia bowed respectfully to the veterans and they immediately showed expressions of sincere fear.

"Thank you all," she said, "but it seems we won't be able to win this battle."

Just then, the wall suddenly exploded, and amidst the flying debris, a Magic Armor crashed through the wall and into the hall. It lowered its body, one hand supporting the ground, creating a spark. Felicia stared at it in astonishment, she would never forget this machine for the rest of her life. But why did it always have to break through walls? The last time was in the flagship's command tower, and now it was in the mansion. What about the next time? She shook her head, pushing away the thoughts that disrupted her sense of urgency. Before she could speak, the Magic Armor opened its cockpit.

"Good evening, Princess," Uther, wearing a thin shirt, sat inside, "You always seem to be in trouble. Fortunately, I had some free time tonight and decided to drop by."

"Bold rebel!" The veterans raised their guns, "We can't let you continue acting recklessly!"

"Stop!" Felicia spread her arms to protect Uther, "This child is not our enemy."

The veterans hesitated and lowered their guns, and Felicia took a step forward.

"Uther, I hope you can help me save these veterans," she said, "They have fought for the Empire their whole lives. I can't stand by and abandon them here."

"No problem," Uther nodded, "I respect the determination and loyalty of these old folks, but this Magic Armor can only fit one more person. It will be difficult to save them all together now."

"In that case," Felicia pondered for a moment, "Uther, we'll charge out the front entrance later."

"But there are enemies in front," Uther suddenly realized something, "Ah, I see. There's a slope in front of the mansion, we can accelerate and shake off the enemies. While we distract their attention, these old folks can slip away from the rear. You truly deserve to be called the Empire's top strategist, Your Highness."

The veterans, however, expressed their dissatisfaction.

"Who are you calling old folks?" "We can still fight! We're not old!" "Whose child has such bad manners? Don't they know how to respect their elders?"

"Alright everyone, forgive her," Felicia smiled and reassured her subordinates, "When we charge out from the front, all of you must wait for one minute before escaping from the rear door after I have fully attracted the enemy's attention. I hope all of you can escape safely. Once again, thank you all! Thank you, everyone!"

After speaking, Felicia bowed and then climbed into the cockpit of the Night Owl Command Model, squeezing into the narrow space behind Uther. Originally, it was a space used to store emergency rations and parachutes, but Lin had taken out all those things during repairs.

With the infusion of magic power, the Spirit Seed Furnace began to operate at full speed, emitting faint green light particles from the exhaust port, dancing in the burning hall like countless fireflies. In the center of the dancing light, the blue Night Owl Command Model slowly stood up like an ancient knight, ready to enter the battlefield. For a moment, the veterans were mesmerized by this fantastical sight; ordinary pilots didn't have enough magic power to create so many light particles, only Uther could do it.

"Hold on tight, Your Highness," Uther stepped on the pedal, "Now, bite your teeth and don't say a word!"

Following Uther's words, Felicia clenched her teeth. In the next instant, a violent impact was felt as the Night Owl Command Model broke through the burning mansion gate and flew into the night sky.

Three minutes ago, Carlos received a report of an unidentified machine approaching and engaging in combat. But soon, the radio went silent. Before the battle, Carlos was just a commander in the second line, he didn't have much combat experience, nor did he possess exceptional courage or strategic insight. There was an error in the plan, and for a while, he couldn't think of a way to fix it. If he had immediately dispatched two Magic Armor units to check the back of the mansion, he would have discovered that Uther had already infiltrated the estate. Unfortunately, in those precious three minutes, he did nothing. It wasn't until a Night Owl Command Model burst through the burning gate that Carlos realized the gravity of the situation, but Uther had already used the length of the hall to accelerate to such an extent that the two Night Owls attempting to intercept couldn't keep up."The hill slope is great!" Uther zoomed down the hill, thinking, "It would be troublesome if it were flat land."

(Enemy aircraft approaching, 6 o'clock direction.)

Got it, Uther thought impatiently. The broad-spectrum perception, like an external radar called Spirit Seed Furnace, allowed her to constantly grasp the dynamics of the battlefield and gain the upper hand.

"Princess, " she handed the headset microphone to Philippa, "The frequency has been set. Please attract their attention so that the old men can escape from behind."

"Understood," Philippa put on the headset. "I am Philippa von Bergman, I am on this Magic Armor, I won't escape. If you have the ability, come and kill me, you filthy assassins."

Was that a bit too much? Uther couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The enemy lured in immediately. All the enemy aircraft around the official's mansion followed. A total of 16 enemy aircraft formed four formations and rushed from behind. Uther, who had already accelerated, did not rush to climb higher but entered the residential area and hid in the shadow of a building.

Two enemy aircraft flew overhead but did not notice them. Uther adjusted the output of the Spirit Seed Furnace to the lowest, operated the mechanical arm to push open the door of a warehouse, and then hid inside.

"Princess," she said, "What should we do now?"

"Let me gather my thoughts," Philippa rubbed her temples. "Perhaps seeking help from the Flame Knights' headquarters is a good idea, but I cannot guarantee their loyalty."

"That is indeed a problem," Uther said, crossing her arms, "After all, there are too many people who want you dead."

(Enemy communication detected, would you like to listen in?)

The All-Knower seemed to be getting more powerful. It could even intercept communication from the Empire army. But the content of the communication surprised Uther. She adjusted the radio and tuned it to the Empire's frequency.

"Attention all units! Princess Philippa has been assassinated. She was killed by a Federation army Magic Armor, Night Owl Command type, painted in blue. All units, commence search, and kill without mercy upon discovery!"

After hearing this command, Philippa sighed. "The enemy planned this very carefully. The Flame Knights have also become our enemies. They will block the entire port area and coastline and conduct a thorough search."

"I think we should go on foot," Uther said. "The Magic Armor is too conspicuous."

(Warning! Armed personnel approaching.)

The All-Knower warned again, surprising Uther. The feedback from the broad-spectrum perception showed that a group of masked men were searching the streets. They were equipped with Empire weapons but were not wearing military uniforms. The door was kicked open, and several assassins rushed into the warehouse, holding flashlights that illuminated the Night Owl Command hidden in the shadows. These unfortunate souls were not mentally prepared for a battle with the Magic Armor, but Uther unhesitatingly raised her machine gun. Rat-a-tat-tat! The machine gun roared, spraying bullets through the darkness. The assassins instantly turned into scattered flesh, but the gunshots also exposed their position. On the stormy street, more flashlights converged, and the red-painted Flame Knights' Magic Armor also flew over.

"What's going on?" Uther was itching to fight. "Princess, there are assassins everywhere on the street. It seems Mayor Dengral has sent his private guards to the streets."

Philippa furrowed her brows, biting her lip as she thought desperately.

"Princess!" Uther increased the output of the Spirit Seed Furnace. "Before you come up with a solution, I will buy us some time."

Things had turned for the worse.

What was supposed to be a secret assassination operation executed by misleading retired Federation soldiers had now turned into an open and blatant hunt, with the target being a princess of the Empire. Even though Philippa had repulsive red hair, she was still the emperor's heir and had been bestowed with the title of princess. The Federation was a bureaucratic socialist society that claimed equality for all, while the Empire was a class-based society with clear distinctions between the imperial family, nobility, and commoners. The Imperial family, nobility, and commoners formed three distinct layers of this pyramid structure, with Philippa standing at the pinnacle as a member of the imperial family.Merkel and Denglar actually dared to attack the royal family. There must be a prince supporting them from behind, otherwise they wouldn't have the guts. Just thinking about this made Uther feel a wave of stomach pain. Indeed, being a mercenary or a free citizen is the most comfortable. Being involved in power struggles only brings more trouble.

(Enemy aircraft approaching! Six o'clock direction!)

The Almighty issued a warning. Uther concentrated his consciousness and the feedback from the wide-area perception showed that the rear was occupied by three advantageous positions with Magic Armors. And in the sky, three of them were still searching for targets. A formation of three, this is the standard tactic of the Empire army, but in actual combat, it seems to be a waste of manpower. Even in the stormy night, the faint green light emitted by the Spirit Seed Furnace was still too dazzling.

Bullets flew towards him, narrowly missing the cockpit. Uther swiftly evaded the enemy's line of sight and turned around to counterattack. He fired three shots in quick succession, disrupting the enemy formation. Uther then continued flying low and guided his Night Owl Command Type into the residential area. The complex terrain here posed a risk of colliding with buildings. The intricate streets provided trench-like cover, making it difficult for the aerial combatants to launch a dive attack from above.

With the enemy occupying the high altitude and having overwhelming numerical superiority, Uther could only rely on the terrain to maneuver against his opponent.

(Enemy aircraft approaching, three o'clock direction!)

What? Uther glanced at his left side and saw a row of shacks, the most rudimentary houses for the poor. The wide-area perception immediately locked onto the enemy aircraft. Uther quickly adjusted his posture and descended, with the Magic Armor's feet creating sparks on the ground, finally coming to a stop. The shacks in front suddenly shattered, and a red Magic Armor swung a knight's spear in front of Uther. It was an official Flame Knight Corps' machine, the high-end type of Magic Armor called "Iron Rider" used by the Empire army. The two Magic Armors were just five meters apart, and the Iron Rider immediately thrust its spear at Uther. It should be noted that this long spear contained a recoil module powered by gunpowder. Once it made contact with the enemy armor, the tungsten alloy core inside would be propelled by the explosive force of the gunpowder, able to penetrate even battleship armor.

In such a situation, an ordinary Magic Armor pilot would probably be helpless. However, as an ace among elites, Uther reacted immediately. The Night Owl Command Type lowered its body and supported itself with one hand, evading the spear thrust. Uther then used the mechanical arm pressed against the ground as a fulcrum to activate the Spirit Seed Furnace, making the machine spin like a top and launching a sweeping kick. The red Iron Rider, immersed in shock from missing its attack, had absolutely no defense on the ground. With a loud metallic impact, the Iron Rider was knocked down, and its knee joint was broken from the impact.

Uther stepped on the pedals, and the Night Owl Command Type leaped high with the propulsion of the Spirit Seed Furnace. In mid-air, he stomped on the Iron Rider's abdomen, then fired several shots from the machine gun in his hand at its cockpit. In the midst of the snowstorm, red liquid sprayed out from the bullet holes in the cockpit, splashing onto the Night Owl Command Type's blue armor. Was it blood or hydraulic oil? Uther couldn't tell. However, this series of actions caused distress to Felicia, who was struggling to fix herself to the driver's seat. Her head hit the top of the cockpit, and her knees were grazed, but she didn't make a single groan. Because she knew very well that if she distracted Uther, both of them would die.

The gunfire had exposed their position. It was not safe to stay here for long! Uther increased the infusion of magical power into the Spirit Seed Furnace and, under her precise manipulation, increased its output. The more precise the manipulation of magical power, the better the adjustment of the Spirit Seed Furnace's state, thereby saving magical power while increasing response speed. This was a required subject for ace-level Magic Armor pilots. It was not an exaggeration to say that precise manipulation of magical power was the dividing line between ordinary pilots and ace pilots in terms of technique.

The green light in the air began to approach, but quickly lost its target. Uther successfully evaded the enemies in the sky by taking advantage of the interconnected streets in the residential area. She steered the Night Owl Command Type low along the canal, which was said to be filled with water from the mana mechanism supporting Fort Hurricane. Water gushed out from a huge concrete well, flowing along three concrete channels to the edge of the Floating Island, eventually turning into a waterfall, disappearing into the Sea of Emptiness. Many experts and scholars speculated that this water should be the cooling water used by the mana mechanisms hidden beneath the Sea of Emptiness in the dimensional layer below the Floating Island. Due to the relatively high temperature of the water, when it flowed into the concrete canal in winter, white water vapor filled the air.The Night Owl Command Type flew low, less than one meter above the water's surface, skillfully avoiding the bridge piers that came towards it. It flew under an arch bridge, with the white water vapor perfectly concealing the light particles released by the Spirit Seed Furnace, providing a natural cover. Uther flew low along the winding canal, finally gliding over it from above the waterfall. The clear water turned into a waterfall that disappeared into the Sea of Emptiness, and Uther turned again, flying counterclockwise along the edge of Fort Hurricane towards the military port. The only ones who could protect Felicia now were the Empire fleet, and her prestige within the Empire's army was absolute. Now, that prestige had become her only hope.

("Enemy aircraft approaching at nine o'clock!")

The warning from the All-Powerful interrupted Uther's thoughts. She looked up and saw four squadrons of four aircraft approaching. These were not the usual three-aircraft squadrons used by the Empire's army; these were assassins! Uther couldn't help but be alarmed. How did they know she would come from here? Actually, Carlos didn't expect Uther to come from here either. They had come here to board a disguised merchant ship for evacuation. In their assassination plan, they had an escape route. A small merchant ship was supposed to be docked nearby, and when they needed to retreat, the assassins would gather there, discard their equipment, and escape overnight on the ship. However, that ship was not here, because there was never any retreat plan to begin with!

Unluckily, Uther ran into Carlos and his group who were preparing to escape. Meeting their enemies made them red with envy, especially since the enemies had the advantage of height!

"Surround her!" Carlos commanded. "Bring her down!"

His squadron immediately dispersed, with four Magic Armors forming a group, descending like eagles pouncing on a chick in the air. However, this particular chick was armed like a fierce beast.

"This one is mine!" a pilot locked onto Uther's targeting system. But just as he was about to pull the trigger, the Night Owl Command Type suddenly rolled to the left, elegantly evading his bullets.

The wingman followed suit and opened fire, but the Night Owl Command Type, flying low, dodged its attacks like it was dancing. Due to the speed difference between the two sides, shooting opportunities were fleeting. The captain led his squadron to make a right turn and disengage, giving the shooting window to the squadron behind him. However, Uther, flying low, made an unexpected acceleration, following the enemy squadron's right turn, evading the next wave of attackers diving down.

"Not what you expected, huh!" Uther clenched her teeth at the squadron which had just heavily attacked her. "Remember, boys! Your magic power output is in a completely different league from mine!"

The Spirit Seed Furnace of the Night Owl Command Type emitted a dazzling light, a sign of being pushed to the limit. Uther carefully controlled the amount of magic power injection, preventing the Spirit Seed Furnace from burning out as it did in the previous battle. The Night Owl Command Type, with full power, began to accelerate and actually caught up to the squadron in front. Uther aimed unceremoniously at the enemy, picking up the machine gun and firing. The two Night Owl Command Types painted in red were shot down, and the remaining two dispersed and escaped to the left and right. Uther was about to catch one of them, but a barrage from the front forced her to give up the prey in her mouth.

Carlos and his bodyguards swooped down from the sky, and Uther had no choice but to abandon the attack and focus on evading. The battle lasted for ten minutes, and Carlos and his men not only failed to bring down Uther, but also lost six units themselves.

"Captain!" a pilot groaned, "What the hell is going on with this guy? How come he can maneuver our Night Owl so skillfully?"

"Focus on the battle, soldier!" Carlos felt somewhat guilty, but still gritted his teeth. "Felicia, that bitch, is on that Magic Armor. Bring it down, and it will all be over!"

"Darn it, why can't I hit him!"

"He's got me, ahhh..."

"Box! Damn it!"

Moans and curses filled the radio. These assassins, though they were all Magic Armor pilots, were not aces, just more experienced soldiers than rookies. They followed basic tactics and were proficient in operating their armors. However, these alone couldn't bridge the gap in technical skills compared to ace pilots. Nevertheless, they still managed to tightly press Uther at low altitude, which frustrated her.The Night Owl command type has been damaged, with a hole in the shoulder armor, and the wind is blowing into the cockpit. Uther's right hand is almost frozen. But she still grits her teeth and continues to fight. To be honest, the current situation is very dangerous. With her broad perception, she can take evasive action in the instant before the enemy fires, which is very effective in one-on-one combat. However, it is not so useful against a firepower net composed of multiple units. The damage to the mecha is accumulating, although it has not been hit in a critical area yet, but it is only a matter of time before it is shot down.

When both sides feel that they are about to lose, they are often right.

Uther bit her lip, and opened the switch on the control panel to the left. Two signal flares were shot out from the rear of the Magic Armor cockpit and exploded in the sky. They were Federation army's call for help signal, shining brightly in the snowy night sky. This was her last resort. Although it was mostly psychological comfort, she still wanted to grasp even a tiny bit of hope.

"Captain!" one of the assassins' Night Owl mechas stopped and looked at the shining signal flares. "That's our call for help signal. What's going on? Who are we fighting against?"

"Don't get distracted!" Carlos commanded. "That's the enemy's trick!"

However, his subordinates were already starting to waver, which Uther hadn't expected. After all, all these assassins were soldiers of the Federation army. Seeing their own distress signal, it was inevitable for them to hesitate.

Suddenly, anti-aircraft fire burst in the assassin's formation, and the spotlight's bright beam lit up the sky. On the Sea of Emptiness, where endless snow and wind were swirling, an Empire destroyer was rapidly approaching.

Captain Luke Maximilian ended his three-day routine patrol and commanded his Falcon to return to Fort Hurricane. Due to encountering strong winds, the Falcon was blown to the north and had to make a detour before returning to Fort Hurricane. It was close to midnight, and Captain Luke stood on the bridge, commanding the sailors to clear the ice and snow on the deck. Just then, two signal flares exploded in the night sky, and the direction of the signal flares was right in front of them.

"All hands, battle stations!" Luke commanded. "Prepare for anti-aircraft fire, launch all carrier-based aircraft!"

The sailors quickly removed the covers from the anti-aircraft guns, and four Magic Armors took off from the flight deck one minute later, whizzing past the bridge and flying towards the direction where the signal flares were launched. Luke raised his binoculars and saw seven or eight dots engaged in fierce combat, with hot fire lines occasionally tearing through the darkness. It was obvious that there was a battle happening ahead. But the Magic Armors in the sky formed a neat formation, a Federation tactic, definitely not the Empire army!

"Anti-aircraft guns!" he ordered. "Aim at the enemy aircraft in the sky and fire!"

The 88mm anti-aircraft guns on both sides of the Falcon immediately aimed at the Magic Armors in the sky, and the guns roared. Several groups of black smoke immediately exploded in the assassin's formation. An Empire destroyer was closing in, and its accompanying Magic Armors had also taken off. This unexpected reinforcement surprised Uther as well, and she quickly opened the radio.

"Help! We are under attack by the Federation army's Special Forces. We need support!"

"Don't worry, Uther! Hold on!"

"Hadley?"

Four iron horses appeared in the snowstorm, forming a neat formation. They opened fire at the Red Night Owls who were regrouping. Uther took the opportunity to shake off the pursuers behind her and successfully counter-killed one of them. The unfortunate soul she killed happened to be the commander of the assassin unit, Carlos.

"The enemy's response was slow. Did you just shoot down their team leader?" Uther glanced at the battlefield. "Hadley, I'm sorry, my mecha is heavily damaged. I'll leave it to you here. I need to land on the destroyer with Princess Felicia and have them raise the blockade net."

"Huh? The princess is with you? What good deed did you do, you scoundrel?"

Uther handed the headset to Felicia, and the pale-faced princess endured the urge to vomit.

"I am Felicia von Bergman," she said. "The Empire destroyer ahead, I need to make an emergency landing."

"It really is Princess Your Highness!" Hadley commanded. "Matt, Chris, cover the blue guy. We'll take care of the red enemy aircraft!""At your command!"

Two iron steeds immediately flew over to form a formation with the severely damaged Night Owl Command Type. They bypassed the bridge of the destroyer, and the cannons on the anti-aircraft deck roared. Uther approached the flight deck from behind, and sure enough, a large interception net had been raised. After slowing down, Uther drove the Night Owl Command Type and crashed into the interception net. The waiting mechanics immediately ran over, sprayed cooling agents on the Spirit Seed Furnace to cool it down, and began to open the cockpit. Uther effortlessly climbed out, and Philippa was completely unconscious. With the help of two mechanics, she crawled out of the cockpit. She was bruised all over and could hardly walk. Then, whether it was the mechanics or other crew members, everyone in the area saluted the princess.

"Welcome aboard the Falcon, Princess Philippa von Borgman, Border Duke," Captain Luke Maximilian bowed and saluted, "We offer you our utmost respects."

"Captain, hoist the command flag and my battle flag," Philippa took a coat handed to her by a non-commissioned officer and casually draped it over her shoulders, "The Falcon is now my temporary flagship. Transmit this order to the entire fleet."

"At your command!" Luke saluted.

Philippa glanced at Uther, who was talking to a mechanic, seemingly protesting against them blocking the exhaust port of the Spirit Seed Furnace with the cooling agents. After retracting her gaze, the princess's eyes gained a hint of determination. Why can't she do things that even a child can do?

At that moment, Hadley and his subordinates also landed on the flight deck. It seemed that they had lost Commander Carlos, and the assassins immediately dispersed. Hadley effortlessly drove them away.

"Hey, Uther," Hadley opened his visor and asked, "How many did you shoot down?"

"Thirteen," Uther calculated his achievements and couldn't help teasing himself, "I'm a ace again for a day."

"Why 'again'?" Hadley asked.

"Please don't mind these details!" Uther stuck out his tongue and made a cute face.

Shooting down five enemy aircraft would make one an ace pilot according to Federation military regulations, but the Empire military did not have such a rule. Hadley grinned wide, but Luke and the others didn't understand the meaning of being an "ace for a day". However, the clever Philippa understood what it meant, and she later introduced this rule into the Empire military.

Passing by the magnificent North Gorge Lighthouse, the white pillar of light on the top of the tower was like a sharp sword tearing through the darkness, splitting the pitch-black snowy night in half. Behind the lighthouse, the dazzling port appeared in view, along with the Empire fleet's Magic Armor unit confrontating the Flame Knights. The shabby mass-produced Magic Armors appeared extremely inferior compared to the red machines of the Flame Knights, but they still held their ground.

At that moment, the Falcon with the fleet commander's flag entered the harbor. It fired signal flares while sounding its whistle, attracting everyone's attention. When the soldiers saw the fleet commander's flag and the battle flag of Princess Philippa flying below it, the whole fleet fell silent. Philippa, dressed in a military coat, stood on the bow of the ship. Behind her, two iron steeds stood in front of the A turret of the Falcon, like mighty knights guarding their princess.

"I am Princess Philippa von Borgman of the Empire," Philippa stated her identity over the radio, "Admiral Merkel and Mayor Dengra have conspired together, attempting to kill me! Assassinating a member of the royal family is a grave crime! They have both betrayed the Empire, committing unforgivable sins! I hereby order the First Fleet to raise the battle flag and eliminate all resistance forces! Loyal soldiers of the Empire! Glory be with you!"

In that instant, the princess's voice resounded through the sky, and the eyes of tens of thousands, both commanders and sailors, were focused on her. The cold wind blew her fiery long hair, and the coat draped over her shoulders swayed in the wind, giving a majestic impression. It was the figure of the beloved daughter favored by the God of War, the embodiment of victory and glory.

Now, it all depended on Philippa's influence. Uther stood on the bridge, silently bearing the gazes from all directions.

If no one responded...

"Shut up! You witch!" a knight raised his spear and aimed, "Die!"Just as the cannon built into the spear fired, the knight's body, along with his Magic Armor, was pierced. It wasn't another knight who pierced him, but an ordinary soldier piloting a mass-produced Magic Armor.

"Long live the Princess!" the soldier shouted. "Long live the Empire!"

"Long live the Princess! Long live the Empire!"

The powerful voices spread throughout the entire Empire fleet, and soldiers and officers alike shouted slogans. The once silent Empire warships raised their battle flags, while the soldiers piloting the mass-produced Magic Armor raised their spears.

Within seconds, the fleet completely shifted towards Felicia. The soldiers cheered her name, creating a deafening noise. The rumors spread by Meckel, that Felicia had been killed, were instantly debunked. If he had been smarter, he would have only announced the characteristics of the assassin, without revealing the death of the princess. But it was too late. As the fleet commander, Meckel's credibility plummeted to freezing point. No one listened to his commands anymore, and no one believed his words.

Uther looked at the fanatical soldiers and felt a chill run down his spine. These soldiers worshipped Felicia immensely. She had given them victory, honor, and the chance to survive in war. In the soldiers' hearts, Felicia was synonymous with victory; she was a goddess of invincibility. If she demanded their lives, these soldiers would probably sacrifice them without hesitation, let alone someone who was plotting to harm their goddess.

"Begin the crusade against the rebels!" Felicia commanded loudly. "The Flame Knights dare to oppose me, betraying the Empire! Crush them!"

With a swoosh, all the mass-produced Magic Armors aimed their spears at the Flame Knights. The Empire fleet in the rear began to advance, continuously launching Magic Armors. It was the prelude to a full-scale assault.

"Stop! What do you lowly commoners think you're doing?" a knight shouted. "How dare you ignore the commands of the nobles!"

The knight was immediately pierced by four soldiers.

The two sides engaged in close combat, and the sixty Empire knights were quickly annihilated. Although the Empire fleet suffered twice the casualties, there were still over two thousand mass-produced Magic Armors remaining. It was a very cost-effective exchange to eliminate half of the Flame Knights' combat strength.

The white flagship was located in the center of the fleet formation. This battleship, named "Elizabeth II," was equipped with 356mm cannons and the thickest armor. Uther piloted the borrowed "Iron Rider" and flew with Felicia from the Swift Swallow, landing in front of the flagship's bridge. When she opened the cockpit, they were greeted by soldiers lined up and officers in sharp uniforms.

"Your Highness!" a general who came to greet them said tearfully. "I am delighted to see you unharmed!"

"I've been on the brink of death, but I'm still alive," Felicia nodded calmly. "Duke Dalamo, I never expected the traitor to be among us and targeting my life."

"The First Fleet will surely crush those traitors!" a young officer shouted. "Long live the Empire!"

"Long live the Empire!" the soldiers responded loudly.

Uther silently watched these people and suddenly felt envious. Although the Federation's military always had the advantage, they repeatedly suffered defeat. The main reason was probably a lack of unity, right? The Federation was composed of many small countries, with a chaotic military structure and numerous factions, making it difficult to unite. If they had half the unity of the Empire military, Fort Hurricane probably wouldn't have been lost. The main fleet that was defeated abandoned the front-line base in a panic and fled back to the homeland, leading to the current situation at Fort Hurricane. It was truly infuriating.

At this point, it was probably time for him to leave the stage, right? Whenever he thought of Lin hiding in the freezing cold warehouse district, he felt a tinge of worry. That guy was a fool who needed someone to take care of him. It might be a good idea to introduce him as a mechanic in the Empire military. They probably wouldn't meet again after this.

"Hello, are you the pilot?" An unexpected greeting interrupted Uther's thoughts. He turned around and saw the general from earlier standing beside her. He looked at the Night Owl Command Type and sighed, "I never expected that the one who saved us, Your Highness, would be such a young girl. And she's even piloting the enemy's armor.""I'm just repaying her kindness," Uther hastily replied.

"No matter who you are, thank you," the general took off his coat and handed it to Uther. "Put it on, child. It's very cold tonight; don't catch a cold."

Uther took the coat in a daze, only realizing how frozen he was.

"May I ask who you are..."

"The name is Johnnie von Dalamo," the general smiled. "If you ever have any difficulties in the future, feel free to come find me in the fleet."

The Empire fleet began to advance, maintaining a strict formation under the command of the flagship, creating an invisible sense of oppression. The suppression of the rebel army was completely overwhelming; the mass-produced Magic Armor units and ground troops quickly cleared out the private soldiers in the City Hall. In the Empire's law, merely possessing private soldiers was enough to be deemed treasonous. Charlie Denglar committed suicide in his room, leaving behind numerous files and account books that hadn't been burned. These materials would later become crucial evidence against him.

The only resistance came from the Flame Knight Order. The remaining seventy knights engaged in fierce battle with the First Fleet, but none of them were able to break through the iron wall formed by the warships. Instead, they crashed into the anti-aircraft barrage, turning into ashes. Relying on overwhelming manpower, Felicia easily crushed the insignificant resistance of the Flame Knight Order and captured their headquarters along with Merkel.

"When we get in front of His Majesty, there will be a reward for you!"

Merkel was being held down by two young military officers, but he remained extremely arrogant. Felicia, wearing the general's uniform, looked down at him, her expression icy and terrifying.

"The dead cannot defend themselves," she coldly ordered, "give the admiral a dignified death."

The two young military officers understood her intentions. One of them grabbed Merkel's hair and pulled his head back, while the other placed Merkel's service pistol into his own mouth.

With a gunshot, Alfrede von Merkel completed his 53-year life.