Chương 446: Chapter : 446

"The tracking spell is stable," Sayma announced politely. She clicked a pen and wrote a note in her neat notebook.

"We are currently on schedule. Our route to Mira is completely clear." Princess Iris looked out the carriage window. Her violet eyes watched the green trees passing by. She wore her crisp dark blue uniform. She looked very calm.

"What about the other allied units, Sayma?" Princess Iris asked softly.

"Are they progressing safely?" Sayma tapped the magical mirror.

"Prince Hephaestus and the 9th Unit are traveling on the western road. They are moving slowly but safely. Princess Hestia and the 16th Unit are traveling on the eastern transit route. They are heading toward their separate high-priority mission assignment. Their convoy is moving at an optimal speed." Ken stopped chewing his potato chip. He blinked his sleepy dark eyes. He looked at Sayma.

"The 16th Unit?" Ken asked lazily. He popped another chip into his mouth.

"Are they riding in a fancy carriage? I bet their carriage has actual cushions. I bet Elma is sitting inside complaining about the dust on the road. She really hates dust." Laxmi grinned wildly. She pointed a finger at Ken.

"You are just thinking about Elma because she brings you free pastries. You miss your favorite delivery person."

"I miss the chocolate cake," Ken corrected her smoothly. He offered a goofy shrug.

"The cake was a masterpiece. Elma is just the person who holds the cake box. I am a very simple man with very simple priorities." Naomi rolled her eyes and smiled.

"You are totally ridiculous, Ken." The 13th Unit continued their peaceful journey toward Mira. The carriage rolled smoothly over the dirt path. They joked and laughed together. They felt entirely safe. Far away on the eastern transit route, the situation was completely different. The 16th Unit traveled on a narrow, winding road. They did not ride in a normal wooden carriage. They rode in a massive, specially designed combat convoy. The carriages were plated with strong, thick metal armor.

The metal shined brightly in the sunlight. The wheels rolled perfectly over the uneven stones. The convoy looked incredibly secure. Tall, steep rock cliffs rose on both sides of the transit route. The path was very narrow. It formed a natural canyon. Princess Hestia sat inside the main armored carriage. She wore a flawless, pristine white silk dress. Golden embroidery lined the edges of her gown. Her auburn hair fell perfectly over her shoulders. She sat completely straight.

She looked like a true, untouchable royal. She held a delicate porcelain teacup. She took a slow, polite sip of warm tea. Zaima sat across from the Princess. Zaima wore her spotless white and gold combat uniform. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest. She stared out the small glass window. She always looked for danger. Her face was set in a permanent, bitter scowl. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Elma sat next to Zaima.

The blonde swordswoman held a clean white cloth. She polished her twin silver blades. She rubbed the metal until it shined like a mirror. She wanted her weapons to look absolutely perfect. Elma paused her polishing for a second. She looked at her reflection in the shiny blade. Her cheeks turned a very faint shade of pink. She thought about a messy boy with an untucked shirt. She remembered his goofy smile. She quickly shook her head. She tried to erase the thought from her mind.

She needed to focus entirely on her mission. She could not let a lazy slacker distract her from her duties.

"This road is totally unacceptable," Zaima complained. Her voice was harsh and cold. She glared at the dusty cliffs outside.

"The dirt is blowing against the carriage windows. The air out here is completely filthy. We should not have to travel through such a miserable landscape." Princess Hestia placed her teacup down on a small silver tray. She smoothed out a tiny, invisible wrinkle on her skirt.

"Maintain your composure, Zaima," Princess Hestia instructed smoothly. Her voice was elegant but strict.

"We are executing a high-priority mission for the Upper Council. The environment does not matter. We will arrive at our destination, secure our objective, and demonstrate our absolute superiority over the other Royal factions. We do not complain about dirt. We simply ignore it."

"Yes, Your Highness," Zaima replied instantly. She offered a crisp nod. She went back to glaring out the window. Celia sat next to Princess Hestia. Celia was the quiet, highly organized shield-bearer of the unit. She held a small magical compass in her hand. She checked the coordinates.

"We are currently passing through the deepest section of the canyon, Princess," Celia reported calmly.

"The rock walls are extremely high. This is a massive tactical choke point." Hestia did not look worried.

"Our convoy is heavily armored. We are perfectly safe." Suddenly, a massive, deafening explosion rocked the entire canyon. BOOM! The blast hit the front of the armored convoy. The massive carriage shook violently. The magical horses shrieked in sudden panic. The metal wheels skidded against the stone path. The driver slammed on the brakes. The entire convoy came to a sudden, complete stop. Princess Hestia did not scream. She did not lose her balance. She simply gripped the armrest of her plush velvet seat.

Her green eyes narrowed into sharp slits.

"Report," Princess Hestia commanded clearly. Her voice remained totally calm. Zaima kicked the carriage door open. She stepped out onto the narrow transit route. She kept one hand on the hilt of her sword. She looked up at the steep cliffs surrounding the road. She saw them. Dozens of attackers stood on the high rocky ledges. They looked down at the convoy. They did not look like normal bandits. They did not wear regular armor. They had pale, sickly gray skin.

Glowing green veins pulsed brightly across their arms and chests. They possessed jagged claws and sharp teeth. They were Ashura operatives. They were the mutated, mindless biological monsters created by corrupt politicians. The monsters raised their hands. Dark, toxic green magical energy gathered in their palms. They aimed their attacks directly at the stalled convoy.

"Ambush!" Zaima shouted loudly. Her voice echoed off the canyon walls.

"We are under attack! Defensive formations immediately!" The rest of the 16th Unit poured out of the secondary carriages. The elite girls wore matching white and gold uniforms. They did not panic. They did not run around in confusion. They moved with flawless, terrifying military precision. A devastating barrage of intense magical fire rained down from the cliffs. High-velocity projectiles made of dark green energy shot through the air. They moved incredibly fast. They looked like falling meteors.

The attacks aimed to completely crush the metal carriages. Zaima stepped in front of Princess Hestia's carriage. She threw both of her hands forward.

"Alpha Shield!" Zaima ordered. Bright, glowing white triangular barriers snapped into place. The solid light connected together seamlessly. Zaima formed a massive, slanted roof of pure energy over the entire convoy.