"What should I do?"

Hilda felt quite nervous about the current situation.

It was unlike the virtual game that she didn't have to worry about the others as she was well aware that it was only a game and they can be resurrected once they died.

There was pressure in the game but it wasn't this heavy.

She only has to worry about the reward's reduction or possible quest failure at that time.

However, right now, any misfire of the Steel Knight she was piloting can cause a real casualty.

She was sure that the war machines aiming this mountain don't have any good intentions so her initial thought was to try and defend this place...

"Defend this place? Can I just escape?... No, I can't leave the others behind."

She had an urge to protect those feeble magicians at the plaza. After all, her seniors at the academy were also present at this time.

She couldn't l just leave them behind and fly away using this Steel Knight...

Beep!

[ Sixty Mech Frames, similar to Steel Knights, are approaching. ]

Beep!

[ Locked On. ]

Beep!

[ Enemy ECM has been detected. ]

[ Activating ECCM. ]

Hilda saw the sign that her Steel Knight has been targeted by the enemy's Mech Frames... She didn't have that time to think about why it was called a Mech Frames and what are the other things being detected by the Steel Knight's system as she tried her best to learn everything about the current Steel Knight she was piloting.

Soon, she had a clear grasp about its full capability and even learned the Steel Knight's name, Radiant...

She had a hint of an idea why it was named like that but the situation didn't allow her to confirm it. She had to ready and try to defend the place while the magicians were starting to evacuate or even prepare to help with the battle.

She was sure that powerful magicians would surely come and rescue them here after some time.

They just had to hold on until that moment.

"Everyone! Run! There is a shelter beneath this mountain. Hurry! The automatons and others will try to defend this place while we evacuate so we have to hurry!"

A man, probably a staff on this event, shouted as he gave instructions to the magicians who were preparing their low-grade mana artifacts to fight against the Steel Knights.

"We have already sent communications to nearby cities informing about our situation... Don't panic! This whole thing may just a plot of another enemy country!" The man added to give them a bit of assurance as they followed his instruction.

It was still up to debate whether this was really a product of the country but it doesn't matter at this time.

Hilda had also heard the man's words and as she plans to evacuate together with them, she suddenly received a message inside the Steel Knight telling that the organizers don't have the time to find and switch to a pro pilot and requested for her to delay the incoming Steel Knights.

Anyway, she will be receiving some help from the automatons protecting this place and the mid-size battleship floating outside. She just had to be on the back lines and try to assist as much as she can.

'This...'

"I... I understand. I will do my best..."

Hilda can only nervously answer as she operated the Steel Knight and prepare for the inevitable. Anyway, she also noticed that the four Steel Knights were also advancing. It means that the four other players had agreed and was ready to fight against the enemies.

Boom!

Boom!

A series of explosions were heard as the dark-blue and winged Mech Frames that came out of the huge spacecraft were now starting to tear out the barrier that was just activated within this mountain's territory.

Boom!

Finally, the barrier was broken but before the enemy Mechs took their advance a counterattack has occurred.

Whooozzsh!

A bright light suddenly came out of nowhere and hit more than a dozen Mech Frames that were attempting to enter the territory.

It halted the advance of those at the back as they change their tactic and started firing their weapons from the distance.

Hilda was elated seeing such a powerful attack coming from this place's defense system and forced the enemy to halt.

It seems that it was true that they will not have to go at the front lines and only had to support from the back and ensure that everyone would be able to safely evacuate to the shelter.

Soon, she noticed several automatons floating around as they attempted to fight against the large Mech Frames.

They summoned powerful mana-based barriers and took the full brunt of their assault.

"We are unable to continuously fire the particle beam. We need 5 minutes to recharge. Help the battleship and the automatons fight."

A voice coming from the Steel Knight's communication mana artifact was heard. It seems that the enemy still managed to disrupt their electronic communications so they had to switch their method and used mana artifacts as a medium.

Hilda wasn't sure who was speaking but it was definitely the commander of this place's security defense.

"Yes! I'll do my best..."

She then started helping the automatons and fired the rifle gun that almost has an unending mana bullet. She was monitoring the Steel Knight's energy filler and realized that even after four minutes of constant firing, it barely moved.

'This is so impressive?!'

It was nothing like the Steel Knights in the virtual world who had many limits.

It seems that they haven't completed enough missions yet and only managed to unlock the low-end Steel Knights within the game.

Anyway, as she realized its fearsome power and noticed that many automatons were being destroyed, Hilda decided to show the full might of the Knight.

"Fly!"

The booster that she previously thought attached on the Steel Knight's back was actually a well-folded wing, imbued with various mana spells for its flight module.

Whoosh!

The huge Steel Knight flew so fast that it almost arrive in front of the enemy Mechs.

Even though that was the case, Hilda no longer panics as she was already far from the evacuating magicians. She was planning to unleash at least one of its powerful attacks before retreating behind the lines until the particle beam fires out again.

"Radiance!"

***

Avalon was trying its best to stealthily observe the asteroid that was still twelve days away from Earth.

[ Scanning... ]

[ No abnormalities detected. ]

Beep!

[ Preparing 6th Method... ]

[ Mini-Investigator IV preparation complete. ]

[ Permission to send Mini-Investigator IV for asteroid investigation has been requested. ]

[ ... ]

[ Permission Granted. ]

[ Mission to investigate Unnamed Asteroid: 3 Days to Complete. ]

Suddenly, Avalon received communication from Earth. It was another instruction from Ace.

[ Affirmative. ]

[ Preparing Anti-Asteroid Module. ]

Avalon just received an instruction to change the size of the asteroid before it hits the planet if it was found as a normal or real asteroid.

It had to make it smaller to lessen the damage on Earth.

But if it was a camouflage to trick their sensors, it had to immediately report to him before taking action.

Haa~

Ace sighed as he slowly makes his plans for the possible incoming asteroid.