Leslie drew her slingshot, and the four militiamen trembled as they pulled out their short swords.

Alfonso gripped his greatsword tightly, his eyes scanning the battlefield as he quietly counted the number of pirates.

Seven enemies.

With the pirates' roars, the battle began.

Walton pressed the button on the crossbow, and a bolt, carrying immense kinetic energy, pierced through the wooden shield and lodged in the enemy's eye socket. But he didn't have time to reload. Seeing the enemy charging towards him, the short, stout man threw down the crossbow, drew a dagger from his chest, and began hand-to-hand combat.

Leslie's "Flame Breath" ability had become ineffective due to overuse. He pulled out a tinderbox from his pocket, blew on it, and bit it between his teeth. He then took out a small ball from his ammunition pouch, lit it on the tinderbox, and fired it with his slingshot.

Alfonso fought three enemies alone. Although the knight, who had lost his armor, was more agile, he lacked any protective measures, resulting in a constant stream of wounds, large and small, on his body.

At this critical moment, a swarm of rats surged onto the battlefield from behind Adelina. They climbed onto the pirates' bodies, gnawed at their exposed skin, and even burrowed into their armor, tearing open the enemy's abdomen.

The enemy screamed and writhed in agony, trying to shake off the little demons clinging to them, but it was all in vain. They eventually lost their strength and fell silent.

As the rats slowly retreated, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief after the battle.

Exhausted, Alfonso collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, unaware that a blood-soaked pirate had risen behind him.

"careful!"

The longsword slashed down, and blood splattered everywhere.

Alfonso turned around and saw Adelina's fallen body.

"ah!!!"

Enraged, Walton grabbed the crossbow from the ground and rushed behind the staggering pirate, striking him hard on the back of the head. He then used the crossbow as a warhammer on the fallen enemy, smashing his skull like a madman. Brain matter and blood splattered everywhere, the iron crossbow was deformed from the impact, but the short, stout man continued his mechanical, relentless assault, like a madman.

"Enough! Walton! Enough!"

Rice used his arms to support Walton and pulled him backward.

Alfonso's hands trembled as he lifted Adelina, warm liquid dripping slowly from his arms onto the ground. The knight's throat felt like it was blocked by a stone, and he could only utter soft, choked sobs.

He discarded the greatsword, hoisted the woman onto his back, and raced toward the guard camp.

"Boss..."

The whisper from the person on his back roused the knight's spirit: "Adelina! Don't speak, the camp is just ahead, hang in there a little longer!"

“Boss, please talk to me for a moment, I beg you…” Adelina leaned closer to Alfonso’s ear: “I remember you once asked me why I wanted to live… When I lost my husband, I felt like a superfluous ornament in this world, and I lived with the intention of dying… But, during my journey afterward, I met many people who cared about me, and they gave me back the courage to live…”

The woman spoke each word with all her might: "When we part from the deceased, we only remember the pain of separation, but we always forget the feelings of the living... Do you understand what I mean?"

Alfonso's eyes were red-rimmed, and he nodded heavily.

“That’s wonderful, I can still help you in the end, that’s wonderful…” Adelina slowly rested her head on the knight’s shoulder, whispering, “Afonso…”

————————————————

Alfonso de Cavo, covered in blood, held Adelina's cold hand as Todd slowly shook his head at him.

The deafening clamor of battle outside the camp faded into the distance.

The knight slowly stood up and walked to the door of the camp warehouse. Pushing open the door, he passed numerous alchemical instruments and potion bottles, stopping in front of a glass culture tank. He lifted the white cloth covering it and reached his hands into the liquid, as if he could hear Todd's words from the past.

"A knight's duty is to protect the old, weak, women, and children, and to fight for justice against injustice and evil. As for the abilities of other races, there is no right or wrong."