Chương 447: Chapter : 447

The incoming magical projectiles slammed into the white shields. The impacts created loud, cracking sounds. Sparks flew everywhere. But the barriers did not break. Because Zaima angled the shields like a slanted roof, the high-velocity blasts simply deflected off the smooth surface. The destructive magic bounced away and exploded harmlessly against the canyon walls. Princess Hestia stepped calmly out of the carriage. She stood on the dirt road. She did not look afraid. She looked incredibly annoyed.

Her pristine dress flowed around her boots.

"They dare to ambush the 16th Unit?" Princess Hestia scoffed. She looked up at the monsters on the cliffs.

"How entirely pathetic. Girls, secure the perimeter. Do not let a single spark touch the carriages."

"Yes, Your Highness!" the servants shouted in perfect unison. The Ashura monsters realized their long-range attacks were failing. They let out distorted, bubbling roars. Dozens of the mutated beasts leaped off the high cliffs. They plummeted toward the road. They intended to crush the girls in brutal close-quarters combat.

"Vanguard, engage!" Zaima commanded. Elma dashed forward. Her blue eyes burned with intense focus. She drew her twin silver swords. The blades gleamed in the sunlight. She did not swing wildly. She moved with elegant, absolute precision. An Ashura monster landed on the road right in front of her. The beast swung a massive, clawed fist at her head. Elma ducked smoothly under the attack. She spun her body in a flawless circle. She slashed her swords upward in a perfect cross shape.

The sharp silver blades sliced right through the monster's chest. The beast shrieked in pain and stumbled backward. Elma did not stop. She kicked the monster firmly in the stomach. The beast crashed onto the dirt. She immediately turned and faced the next attacker. She kept her white uniform completely spotless. The combat intensity escalated rapidly. More monsters dropped from the sky. The narrow transit route became a totally chaotic battlefield. But the 16th Unit maintained their strict operational discipline.

They were ready to fight back.

The narrow canyon road filled with the sounds of battle. The Ashura monsters roared loudly. They swung their jagged claws. They threw massive blasts of toxic green magic. The monsters possessed incredible physical strength. They did not feel any pain. They fought with a mindless, relentless fury. A normal team would easily panic in this situation. A normal team would break their formation and run for cover. The 16th Unit did not break. They operated like a perfectly synchronized machine.

Princess Hestia stood in the exact center of the convoy. She did not draw a weapon. She simply watched her elite specialists work. She directed the flow of combat with calm, precise instructions.

"Celia, lock down the left flank," Princess Hestia commanded smoothly.

"They are attempting to surround the rear carriage. Eliminate their mobility." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Understood, Princess," Celia responded instantly. Celia ran toward the left side of the road. Four large Ashura beasts charged toward her. They bared their sharp fangs. Celia did not pull out a sword. She reached into her belt pouch. She pulled out a handful of small, glowing silver darts. Celia threw the darts onto the dirt road right in front of the charging monsters. The moment the darts hit the ground, they activated. Bright white lines of magical energy shot out from the darts.

The lines connected together in a flash of light. They formed a massive, glowing net on the floor. The four monsters stepped onto the net.

"Trap secure," Celia stated blankly. She snapped her fingers. The glowing net violently pulled upward. It wrapped tightly around the legs and torsos of the four monsters. The beasts tripped and crashed into the dirt. They thrashed wildly, trying to tear the magical ropes. But the net was completely unbreakable. They were totally trapped on the ground.

"The left flank is secure," Celia reported. She stepped back into her designated position. On the right side of the convoy, Elma continued her flawless sword dance. She moved with beautiful, athletic grace. She sliced through incoming magical blasts. She parried heavy claw strikes. An enormous Ashura monster leaped toward Elma. This beast was much larger than the others. It gathered a massive amount of toxic green energy in its hands. It prepared to unleash a devastating, close-range explosion.

Elma saw the attack coming. She knew she could not block it with her swords.

"Zaima! Shield support!" Elma called out. She did not panic. She simply requested backup. Zaima stood ten feet away. She instantly turned her head. She pushed her hands forward. A glowing white triangular barrier snapped into place exactly one inch in front of Elma. The monster released the toxic explosion. The green blast slammed into Zaima's barrier. The loud impact echoed off the cliff walls. The explosion washed over the shield harmlessly. The moment the explosion faded, Zaima dropped the shield.

Elma dashed forward through the clearing smoke. She used the shield drop as the perfect opening. She thrust both of her silver swords directly into the monster's glowing green veins. The beast let out a bubbling gasp and fell backward into the dust.

"Target eliminated," Elma announced proudly. She flicked her swords to clean the blades. Princess Hestia smiled a very small, very satisfied smile. Her team was performing perfectly. They utilized their unique elemental affinities flawlessly. They created overlapping protective zones. Every time a servant attacked, another servant provided immediate defense. They covered every single blind spot. But the Ashura assault was incredibly relentless. The monsters kept coming. More beasts poured down from the high rocks.

The sheer volume of attackers threatened to overwhelm the narrow road. A group of six monsters gathered on a low ridge right above Princess Hestia's location. They aimed their hands down at the royal leader. They channeled a massive, combined wave of toxic green fire. They wanted to burn the Princess to ashes.

"Princess! Above you!" Zaima warned loudly. She raised her hands to cast a shield.

"Do not break your formation, Zaima," Princess Hestia ordered calmly.

"Maintain the perimeter. I will handle this minor nuisance." Hestia stepped forward. She looked up at the six monsters on the ridge. She did not look scared. She looked absolutely bored. The monsters unleashed the massive wave of toxic fire. The green flames roared down toward the convoy. The intense heat warped the air. It looked like a lethal, unstoppable inferno. Princess Hestia elegantly raised her delicate right hand. Her palm faced the falling fire.

"Thermal Equilibrium," Hestia stated softly. Her unique, absolute magic activated in a fraction of a second. An invisible magical field expanded outward from her hand. The roaring, super-heated green fire hit the invisible field. The terrifying heat instantly vanished. The destructive energy completely evaporated. The deadly flames lost all their volatile power. By the time the magic reached Hestia, it was no longer fire. It was just a gentle, perfectly comfortable warm breeze.

The breeze fluttered Hestia's auburn hair. It rippled the silk of her pristine white dress. She did not even blink. She completely neutralized a massive, lethal attack with zero physical effort. The monsters on the ridge stared down in pure confusion. They did not understand why their fire failed. They roared in frustration.