"They're resisting… Increase the output… It doesn't matter whether our Artifact gets broken!"

"Yes!"

Hilda was fully aware of the danger they were in. If they have allowed the Empire's forces to start their counterattack. It would be extremely difficult for them to escape or defend themselves…

After all, their Mech Knight's size was probably even smaller than one of their main cannons…

Even if they are confident with their Mana Barrier, there was no way for them to resist a massive amount of enemy fire.

They can only rely on one of their advantages to hold them off, their Mana Reserves and their Artifact!

Boom!

They heard the series of explosions from the Blood Net they've set up… They've managed to buy enough time!

The second Knights Division quickly acted as they completed their arrangement for their escape path…

Blast!

The ESN1 Asteroid with perhaps twice the size of Omen IV exploded! The rocks and debris were going in the direction of the main fleet!

Yes! Everything is going according to their plan!

"Hilda! Our Artifacts is at their limit!"

"Alright… We have to retreat… Not slowly! We have to move fast!"

They activated their thrusters to full capacity as they headed towards the Providence…

However, as they were planning to retreat, a full blast from the main cannon of the enemy blocked their path!

It is from the Imperial Flagship!

Although none of them were hit directly, the sheer power from that cannon affected the Mech Knight's system…

'Just like what Sir Wallace said, they are also using backup energy aside from the Aether…'

Hilda thought as they quickly organized themselves…

"Stay in Formation! Use your stealth! The second division will do their job…"

Aside from smashing the Asteroid into many pieces and making them crash towards the Empire's position, the second division had also prepared another set of Mana Artifacts…

They weren't offensive tools but are meant to suppress them even by a little…

Their Aether Force System shouldn't have activated yet after the First Division's Artifacts messed with them…

"Activate!"

Ray Penber, the leader of their division, ordered his team…

"Activating Devices!" His team replied in unison.

It is the activation of the Neutron Jammer and EMP Sequence!

After a moment, they also activated their last Mana Artifact and used half of their Mana Reserves…

Binding Traceless Oscillation!

It is an improved version of Wallace's signature Magic Structure.

Whoom~

The devices they just used were half artifact and half machines so it still requires Magicians to trigger them effectively.

Ray then noticed that the barrier that the Empire has set up wobbled a bit… Unfortunately, it seems that it was not enough.

But they must be affected by that… It's enough...

"Tsk! We got all the data we needed… Detonate the remaining space mines! We have to retreat!"

"Yes!"

Whoosh!

Their thrusters activated in full force….

However, two of the Black Sovereign Spaceships glowed for a moment before they started to detach themselves from their formation in pursuit of their team.

Unlike the Conqueror Starship's floating-city appearance, the Black Sovereign is a large elongated spacecraft… and although it is heavily armored, it can be said that this is the fastest spaceship within their fleet.

Aside from that, this Spaceship boasts overwhelming firepower compared to other spacecraft that normally require a small fleet to protect them…

To their surprise, they ignored the space mines they detonated and continued pursuing them unscathed!

"Tsk! Ray! What should we do? We can't lead them to where the Providence is hiding…"

"I'm thinking! Just scatter for now! Let the first division retreat first! They should've spent most of their Mana Reserves already…"

"Copy!"

Ray Penber can order them to just rush to the Providence together with the stealthy First Division. However, if the Black Sovereign started firing in their direction, the Providence might be in a lot of trouble…

The spaceship's Mana Barrier and Radiant Wave might be capable of defending it but it would surely affect its performance… After all, once they retreated, there would still be another mission meant for the Providence…

Of course, they can make adjustments to it but Ray wanted the Providence to be in its peak condition until later…

He glanced at the Imperial Flagship and noticed that they are still dealing with the remnants of the ESN1 Asteroid…

As expected, they were still affected by various Mana Artifacts they've used so they can't just charge out…

It seems that the sudden glow of the two spaceships just a while ago allowed them to ignore the constraints of their Mana Artifacts…

Whoom~

Ray saw the Black Sovereign closing in… There was no way for his Mech Knight to fight such gigantic spaceships so they have to quickly take an action about this.

As he was about to order his group to fire at the incoming spaceship while moving away, a communication link connected to his Mech Knights…

[ The Providence will start its Active Defense Phase. Return to the spaceship as quickly as possible. We will cover your retreat. ]

"Avalon? Ahh---Yes!"

He immediately gave an order to his team. Of course, they activated their Magic Skills to block the enemies from tracking their movement even for only a little time.

'Active Defense Phase… It means that this is no longer just a hit and run tactic…' Ray thought for a moment as he glanced at the far Excellence that has dealt with several Conqueror Starships…

None of them had used their destructive weapons and the skirmish appears like they were just probing each other…

However, if the Defense Phase started, it means that Ace was now planning to take this battle to the next level…

'What happened?'

Ray Penber was curious but he doesn't have anyone he could ask about it since Avalon used a one-way comm just now.

Anyway, he would surely learn its full details later on…

***

Ace managed to capture two Mech Frames from the enemy but he didn't allow them to enter their hangars yet unless Avalon has fully examined them through his investigative automatons…

In the meantime, he let his Mech Knights carry them in the meantime…

[ Isolation: Activate ]

[ Blocking transmitters… ]

[ Hacking into Wolf Pride System… ]

[ Hacking into Dragon Hive System… ]

Apparently, the Mech Frames that Ace managed to capture were the Dragon's Warrior and Wolf's Sledger.

They have advanced their security system but Avalon has already evolved from normal life-support A.I. to super A.I. with massive numbers of mainframes within the Earth's continent, Moon Base, and even at the Lagrange Point.

As long as it managed to isolate the Mech Frame's A.I. support, Avalon would be able to do anything on it in a matter of seconds…

"Continue our retreat… We have planted them already!"

Ace gave his orders.

He knows that even with Mana Wave, Mana Burst, Blood Net, Space Mines, and Mind Stone Explosives that they used, the five Conqueror Starships would still be able to fight…

It is unfortunate but it just shows how powerful a single spacecraft of the strongest Empire can be…

They are the strongest Galactic Empire that has ever existed, after all… Ace wouldn't doubt their strength even with his knowledge about Mana…

Because of this, he was extremely cautious when he started their operation… What he has planted in the five Starships was part of the Celestial Blood that has turned into liquid within the Blood Net that restricted them a while ago…

It would, even if it's slow, corrupt the Conqueror Starship…

It will happen… As long as none of them possesses Mana that could solidify it or Astral Energy that could absorb it… He would succeed in this plan.

[ The Providence is in danger… Recommending to start the Active Defense Phase! ]

"Go! Launch it!" He replied immediately.

He doesn't want the activation to be delayed especially when it comes to the safety of his fellow magicians.

Of course, Ace was alarmed so he immediately checked the situation after permitting Avalon's request.

He noticed that a couple of Black Sovereign Spaceships were getting near the Providence… It doesn't look that dangerous but he immediately noticed the problem…

"Tsk! Is it the Cube of Paradox?!"

It is going to be very dangerous if they didn't act now…

[ It is still unclear. However, they have managed to defend against the Mana Skills even for a brief moment. It shows that only these two were capable of resisting Mana as of yet. ]

"Alright! Use everything we got! We need to destroy those Spaceships…"

[ Affirmative. ]

They were perhaps using the Cube similar to how Wallace's father used it on his corvette-class spaceship before.

However, the gigantic spaceship might be too much for the cube to handle as well…

As soon as the Active Defense started, their particle cannons, mana artifact, and other weapons system activated and targeted the two spaceships with the intention to destroy them…

This surprised many of the Providence's pilots. Instead of escaping, they are launching an assault?!

As this was all happening, Ace received a report from his A.I.

[ No response similar to Mana's Frequency has been detected. ]

Avalon reported.

Ace sighed in relief but this is still not over.