"T-They sent y-you, an SS-rank, f-for me?" The mech took a step back.

"Seriously?" Alice's voice became higher-pitched in disbelief.

"Hmm... Yes. We thought you'd cooperate with the sanctuary squads. Since they are allied forces to you. They are there to escort you back, not to fight you." The mage took one step forward.

The giant mech took one more step back.

"However." The mage sighed. "The results are quite unfortunate. So I am here."

"Why me?!"

"Hmmm... Well Ms. Finley. You see, only 20% of what you do matters decisively. So it would only make sense to put 80% of work into the 20% that matters."

"What's most decisive factor in this operation?"

"Jeff Norman." The mage examined Alice's mech with his glowing amber-colored pupils.

"Now. If you do not mind, Ms. Finley, please step out of the mech."

Alice: "..."

"I have to admit Ms. Finley, the mech you are piloting is a masterpiece. Technology had always been limited by materials and energy sources. With the introduction of mist materials, we have progressed so much!"

"Now! Imagine what we could accomplish with void materials!"

"Under my eyes of analysis, gifted by the void, this little toy of yours have no secrets!" The mage pointed his wand at the giant mech.

"Now Ms. Finley. If I do this by force, you may get hurt. That is a scenario neither of us want to see."

Inside the mech, Alice panted heavily. The girl clenched onto the seat's armrests. Her legs shook a little in nervousness.

Thump!

The mech took one last step backwards.

"No..." Alice's panting voices sounded out the mech.

"Are you certain about this decision Ms. Finley."

"..."

Inside the mech, Alice clenched her teeth. The girl's face reddened up. Her heart throbbed like a drum.

In an instance, the glowing stripes on this mech became blindingly bright. In a blink, the color of their glow changed.

Yellow... Cyan... Blue... Violet...

Boom!

A burst of mana exploded from this mech.

Broken blocks of cement, dirt, patches of grass were flung into the air.

SS-rank reached!

"I don't want to fight..."

"But I don't want to drag everyone down more!"

The mech pointed its rocket launcher at the mage. The opening of this tube brightened up!

Rays of light shot out of this weapon like an endless stream.

In a second, hundreds of mana projectiles shot towards the cloaked mage.

Pla! Pop! Pla! Boom!

As if hitting an invisible barrier, these mana projectiles exploded.

Pressing against this stream of exploding mana projectiles, the void mage walked forward.

"Am I a small fry to you, Ms. Finley!" This mage sounded real ticked off.

BAM!

The streams of mana projectiles pierced right through the mage. Yet, the next moment, the mage disappeared.

It's an afterimage!

In a blink, that cloaked mage suddenly appeared in front of Alice's mech.

"HWwuuaaa?!" Alice squeaked in surprise.

The mech leaned sideways. But it was too late!

Its size was simply too big.

It's almost impossible for the mage to miss.

Pointing up, the mage's wand quickly brightened up with a purplish glow.

Tap!

Bttooomm!

A purplish flame blossomed on the Mech's head.

Under this explosion, the mech shot into the factory.

BAM!

Flying across this factory, the mech crashed through the walls on the other side.

"Hmm..." Leaving a blur, the void mage shot towards the opening on the wall.

Zap!

Inside the factory, rays of laser beams cut towards that mage. A swarm of robotic spiders dropped down from the ceiling. The air inside this factory also started to reek of a chemical smell.

Yet, in a blink, the mage had already left. These attacks only hit the mage's afterimage.

"Oh geez. Oh geez." The Mech stood up from the muddy shores. Behind it was the river already.

Surrounding the mech, small patches of purplish flames burnt on the wet sand.

The ground under these flames quickly sank. It's as if the ground was being corroded away.

"I lost 15% health?! Oh. Uh. Oh no!" Alice panted.

"Focus Alice. Focus."

The world in Alice's view quickly slowed down.

The debris falling off the Mech gradually slowed down, until it was frozen in place. All the sound in this world became low-pitched, until nothing could be heard anymore.

Yet, at this moment, the void mage came into view.

The Mech did a screaming motion at the void mage.

The next moment, the eyes of this mech brightened up. Two rays of blue light blasted towards that mage.

These two rays of light pierced right through that mage.

No. It's just the mage's afterimage.

This attack missed!

The beams shot right into the factory.

The inside of this building quickly brightened up.

The ground rumbled a little. Under a rising fiery cloud, the entire factory was blown into pieces. A wall of blast wave brushed against Alice's Mech.

Yet, this level of force couldn't even waver Alice's Mech.

Travelling in air, the debris gradually came to a halt. The world became standstill again.

The Mech looked around for its enemy.

Looking from above...

The mage moved to stay in the Mech's blind spot. The detection pattern of this Mech was way too predictable.

The void mage raised his wand at the Mech. The wand quickly brightened up with a red glow.

BAM!

The Mech's back exploded into flames. Under this surprising hit, the mech stumbled forward.

Fanatically looking around, no enemies were in sight though.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

Finger sized missiles shout out of the Mech.

Raising a hand, fire spewed out of the mech's wrist.

Yet, no hits...

At the same time, the mech started fidgeting. It's as if the mech was trying to pull out 20 weapons all at once. Yet, under this confusion, it couldn't pull out anything.

[Override...]

[Pilot is having trouble locking onto the enemy...]

[Deploying detection probes...]

The Mech's shoulder plates opened up.

Plop! Plop! Plop!

Marble-sized orbs were shot out into the air. In a blink, this area was covered with floating orbs.

The Mech flinched as if it got jump-scared.

BAM!

Another explosion of flames on the back of the Mech's knee.

Losing its balance, the mech dropped to the ground on one knee.

[Shield Level: 65%...]

Sensing something, the mech turned around and raised its shield.

BAM!

A successful block.

Turning around quickly, that mage was finally in view again. That mage froze up in surprise for a moment.

The eyes on Alice's mech brightened up!

Zap!

Two blue rays shot towards the surprised mage.

Like a ragdoll being hit by two fire hoses, the mage was knocked into the sandy beach.

BOoom!

A cloud of sand rose up under this explosion.

Under the blast wave, that mage rolled down the beach like a broken ragdoll. In air, that guy spit out a mouthful of purplish-black blood.

The dude's cloak was quickly burning away, revealing a skinny body underneath.

Without hesitation, Alice's Mech aimed a hand at the injured mage.

At this moment, the mech brightened up like a star!

This mech poured energy into its palm without holding back.

Like an inflating balloon, a sphere of golden energy expanded before its palm!

Open Fire!

A beam of golden energy shot towards that injured mage.

Leaving a trail of molten ground, that beam shot forward into the mist.

The light on this mech quickly dimmed again. Gradually dropping its palm down, the mech seemed to relax a little.

Pop!

The void mage suddenly appeared in front of Alice's Mech. Wearing a mocking smirk, the mage pointed his wand at Alice's Mech.

This Mech just wasted its ultimate attack. Baited out with ease. Almost too easy...

There was nothing threatening left.