Chapter 42: Day of Arrival

Charlotte and her companions moved outside the city in a car and toward the main base near the "No-Zone", a nickname for the area that is not legally claimed by a nation. This could be called the border between nations, as it was the fighting ground of the soldiers. The name was an added bonus to keep citizens away from it, in case of anyone got killed by the neighboring nations.

She boarded the vehicle with steady feet. As instructed, she left her luggage and her robot friend before boarding. The people there said they would care for everything, so she obediently followed her companions.

Seeing everybody dressed for the occasion, everyone felt a bit more mighty. Maybe it was because people have become more serious about their roles, but she felt empowered by admiring everyone's attitude.

Truly, there is a difference between a normal person and someone who has seen life and death with their eyes. Completely immersed, she strolled with them while matching their aura. It felt surreal to soon be a part of a significant war between nations.

Once arrived, they immediately border another vehicle in order to travel to the bases of the "No-Zone".

The vehicle looked more like a tank, on top was a massive gun that was out and ready to fire in case of emergency. The gun itself, especially the nozzle, was made with a special material. Charlotte wasn't sure what it was, but she could assume it has a special function.

She sat in one of the seats near the driver patiently waiting for the others. Although the space was a little cramped, she made do and sat next to the window that allowed her to see from the outside. Gazing at the borders that blur between territory and wilderness, she couldn't help but think of what the next month of her life would be like.

'I wonder what the place is like. Maybe destroyed or a little wrecked? We are on the borders of our territory, so the 'countryside' is still equipped with the latest technology. I wonder what the wilderness even looks like.'

"Alright, everyone is now on board so we will begin to depart. While we travel, remember to alert us if there are any suspicious activities," the driver spoke.

"Hang on!" he cried while sounding the engine.

The vehicle then began to move, with the wheels rolling on the still-concrete road. They moved at a high speed, making the scenery pass quickly as if meshing together with the image.

The trip will take a long time, guaranteeing everyone's exhaustion by the end of this trip. Therefore, no one was in the mood to talk after a couple of minutes. Since everyone remained silent, her mind began to wander.

'Can I die in a story? Seeing as though I am one of the side characters, I have the ability to die. But once I die, how does that work? I guess no one in the past did, I mean who would want to test that theory out? Though, if I were a normal character, I wouldn't even be thinking of dying. If the point of other characters is to polish the main protagonist, then my life won't be as valuable. However, normal side characters don't know this and would continue to act how the author wrote them. So, will there be deaths in this story? It seems likely...'

As they moved closer to the zone, she could feel a change in the atmosphere. Once they left the border, the sky reddened to the color of the fierce sun constantly shining its rays at them. the surroundings became bare, with nothing but dust in sight. A drastic change in scenery left Charlotte a bit dumbfounded. The once lushes city she saw vanished into nothing, only the wind and the heat surviving.

Charlotte started to heat up despite not being able to feel the sun. Her body was now sweating. She never lets it show though, as her face remained calm while trying to cool herself down.

It was an hour in did she hear a cry that woke her from her thoughts.

"There is an intruder in our claimed 'No-Zone'!"

Everyone collectively looked to the side of the commotion and their pupils dilated. It was an ambush.

A large number of robots started to charge in their direction, all equipped with heavy weaponry. Their figures were tall and extremely big, making them look sturdy. They had a luminous shine to them under the blazing sunlight. They were clearly aiming for their vehicle.

"Fighters! Get your suit ready! Prepare to deploy!" Eric commanded.

"Informants, keep a look out in all directions! Act as spotters for any ambushes," Lucianna also directed.

There was a collective of "Yes!" from everyone as they all strictly followed their orders.

Charlotte noticed all the fighters took one of the suitcases with them while exiting the vehicle. They now stood outside, covered in the dust that flew towards them.

All of a sudden, the suitcases started to re-assemble. It automatically unfolded itself, slowly taking shape of a figure. It was standing on two feet, its height far exceeding two meters. It had a pair of hands and a pair of firearms on the back. Its chest opened, allowing the fighters to walk in and take control.

The suitcases were mecha suits, designed to be more conveniently carry on around. She watched them fly off while slashing the mechanical robots that were shooting at them. They skillfully use aerodynamics to dodge, appearing as if they are stepping on thin air. Their motion was smooth and clean, not wasting any movement when it comes to attacking.

They were clearly in charge of different roles and situated at different spots. One was charging in front, one on each side, and one at the back, completely surrounding the vehicle. Once they all got off, the vehicle kept driving while they tailed it, matching the ridiculous speed.

The driver yelled, "I'm activating the gun!"

The gun above deconstructed itself and changed its nozzle into a wider one. It shot a beam of energy toward the robots, technologically making them unable to function and collapse.

It didn't take long for everything to be handled. With the help of the informants spotting, they were able to escape the horde of robots that ambushed them.

The fighters accompanied them outside and rode all the way to the main base. As everyone got off, everyone remained deal silent. Only Lucian made brief eye contact with Armand, his face was seemingly a bit dazed.

No one talked that entire time, as they all received their luggage and silently went toward the meeting room. Only when everyone sat down did someone talk.

"We need to report this to the main commander right away," Eric spoke.

Everyone all collectively nodded.