Standing atop the city wall tower, Cumberland looked towards the distant eastern horizon, where a dark shadow loomed in and out of sight amidst the swirling dust, slowly approaching.

The adjutant climbed the steps and stood beside Cumberland, saying in a low voice, "Sir."

Cumberland's deeply lined, aged face was devoid of any expression: "How many more are there?"

Adjutant: "Three hundred and twenty-nine men."

Cumberland was taken aback, then turned to his adjutant and asked, "Three hundred and twenty-nine men? I told you to pass down the order that anyone who wanted to leave could return to the inner city. Didn't you tell them that?"

Adjutant: "I've already said... everyone has to stay."

Cumberland stood there in silence for a long time, and finally just sighed and stopped talking.

The adjutant lowered his head, looked at the dragon badge on his chest, and said, "Sir, everyone is already prepared."

Cumberland looked at his adjutant's slightly childish face and suddenly asked, "How long have you been with me?"

Adjutant: "Five years."

Cumberland: "Five years...five years. You've been with this old man for long enough. Perhaps you should start thinking about your family."

The adjutant shook his head slightly and said with a smile, "My grandfather and you were comrades-in-arms under Lord Emerson when you were in the Silver Ring Kingdom; my father, as your first squire, regarded you as his spiritual mentor."

"When they were both alive, they taught me more than once that family and honor go hand in hand, and that a knight can never break his oath."

Cumberland looked at his adjutant, and the determination in the adjutant's eyes made him let out a soft sigh.

“Let’s go,” Cumberland said as he walked down the steps. “Let’s go see the lads.”

Upon arriving at the square in front of the military camp, Cumberland saw his subordinates preparing weapons and armor.

The force consisted of 329 men, including two knight captains, 42 knights, 115 squire knights, some soldiers from the Holy Guard army, and auxiliary soldiers responsible for miscellaneous tasks such as food, stables, and transportation.

These people were the survivors of the entire eastern defense line and the last military force of the Knights' alliance.

Some of them were covered in wounds and needed help to mount their horses; some couldn't find armor that fit them and had to tuck their hands and feet inside the armor; some didn't even know how to use weapons and carried swords and shields like sacks.

Despite the dismal state of the army, Cumberland showed no sign of disappointment or disgust.

He walked among the people, patted everyone on the shoulder, and laughed as he talked to them.

After looking at everyone, Cumberland jumped onto a wooden crate in the camp and said to them, "You all should know what staying means..."

People nodded in agreement; they all understood the implication in Cumberland's words.

Cumberland continued, “We’ve held out here against an enemy a hundred times our number. Look at the corpses of those enemies outside the walls! They’re piled up like mountains, high enough to block out the sky!”

"Looking at the history of human warfare, I dare say that we have created a miracle, a miracle that has never been seen before and will never be seen again!"

Cumberland looked around and said, "Regardless of the final outcome of this war, we who have created such a miracle are already the undisputed victors!"

"Now, what we need to do is figure out how to bring this war to an end."

Cumberland paused for a moment, then said, "Everyone must die eventually."

"Whether to return to heaven with honor, or to live a life of dishonor and forgetfulness... I have made my decision!"

Cumberland raised his head, looked at the black dragon banner fluttering at the top of the tower, and shouted, "I swear here that for honor, for the king, I will fight to the death, until my last breath!"

In an instant, shouts from the people echoed through the military camp: "For honor, for our king! Fight to the death!"

Cumberland jumped off the crate, mounted his warhorse, and shouted, "Open the door!"

The iron gates on the city wall gradually opened, revealing an endless plain before our eyes.

Just as Cumberland was about to move forward, he heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats behind him.

Alfonso rushed into the military camp, stopped beside a surprised Cumberland, and steadied himself.

Cumberland glared at Alfonso, lowering his voice in annoyance: "You should be back in the city now!"

Alfonso: "Not this time."

Cumberland raised his voice: "You're disobeying orders!"

Alfonso turned to Cumberland: "If I remember correctly, you handed me the Grand Master's badge. So, as the new Grand Master, my first order was to order myself back."

Cumberland was stunned.

After a moment, he realized what was happening and burst into laughter while shaking his head.

Alfonso looked at Cumberland and said, "I understand your good intentions, but in this world, there are always things more important than life."

Cumberland stared into Alfonso's eyes and nodded slightly.

The two rode their horses out of the city gate, bypassed the mountains of corpses, and came to the plain.

The shadows in the distance drew ever closer, and darkness surged in like a tide.

Looking out, the entire horizon was completely obscured by the horde of corpses, and its original shape could no longer be seen.

The 330-strong knightly order stood in a line across the land, appearing from above like a grain of sand blocking the path of a black tsunami.

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