The knight of Barton Kingdom was dead!
Everyone in the bakery stared in shock at the lifeless knight, his neck a mangled mess of blood and flesh, his head hanging limply. Most of them held their breath, swallowing in disbelief.
In Ironblood City, no one dared touch anyone from Barton Kingdom, let alone a knight.
Even Barton Kingdom's ordinary citizens could bully others with impunity, as no one had the courage to oppose them. After all, Barton Kingdom's Sacred Battle Legion, a thousand-strong mage army, was stationed just outside Ironblood City.
At the slightest sign of trouble, the Sacred Battle Legion could march in and take control of the city.
"The Barton knight is dead! They… they won't let this go!" Lord of Ironblood, his face ashen and eyes red, clutched his head in terror, pacing in panic.
He knew that if the Sacred Battle Legion attacked, Ironblood City stood no chance of defense.
Gripped by the impending disaster, the Lord of Ironblood shot a fierce glare at Alan and the young woman, as if he wanted to tear them apart on the spot. In a rage, he shouted,
"Guards, seize them! Deliver them to the Sacred Battle Legion outside the city and let them deal with them!"
At his command, guards approached to apprehend Alan and the young woman.
She, though beaten down by despair, spread her arms protectively, shielding Alan behind her like a fierce mother goose.
"I killed the Barton knight; this gentleman had nothing to do with it!"
"Ha! If he hadn't injured the knight, you would never have had the chance! He's equally guilty and can't escape punishment!" snarled the guards.
Alan shot a cold glare at the Lord of Ironblood.
"You're the lord of Ironblood City, a part of Plantagenet Kingdom. When your citizens were being abused, you turned a blind eye. Now you want to attack us instead. Just whose side are you on?"
Alan's words carried a chill, causing the two guards to shiver as frost seemed to settle on their brows. Intimidated by Alan, they hesitated to step forward.
The Lord of Ironblood's pupils constricted, feeling as if Alan's gaze was like two swords he could barely withstand.
He reflexively took a step back before regaining his composure with a dark expression.
"I am the Lord of Ironblood! Insolent child! Who are you to question matters of the kingdom? How dare you defy my orders!"
Alan took a step closer, saying, "The prosperity of a nation is every citizen's duty! Plantagenet Kingdom is my country—why shouldn't I speak up?"
The Lord's eyes widened, his glare fierce. "What, do you plan to defy me? Are you seeking rebellion?"
At that moment, brilliant red fireworks exploded over Ironblood City, accompanied by a deafening boom.
This blood-red flare signaled that Barton Kingdom's Sacred Battle Legion had begun their attack!
As the citizens of Ironblood City saw the flare, they fled from the city gates in terror, causing widespread chaos.
Hearing the warning from the city guards, the Lord of Ironblood shuddered, his legs nearly buckling.
"Lord, it's terrible!"
"The Sacred… Sacred Battle Legion is attacking!"
A small group of city guards staggered back, panting, their shoes half fallen off, as they reported to the Lord of Ironblood.
The Lord's mind buzzed with dread, his heart in turmoil.
"Seize them! Hand them over to the Sacred Battle Legion as an offering!"
The Lord of Ironblood roared in fury.
Ignoring the Lord and the approaching guards, Alan narrowed his eyes toward the city gate, sensing the chaotic surge of magic outside. Barton Kingdom's army was indeed attacking.
If they breached the gates, Ironblood City would be devastated! Since this situation had begun because of him, Alan felt he couldn't simply walk away.
"Carter, please watch over my sister," Alan said, as he dashed toward the gate.
"Hey!" Carter's eyes widened in shock.
"Are you really going to take on the Sacred Battle Legion alone? They're seasoned warriors, top-tier iron mages!" he called out, trying to stop Alan. But Alan was already dozens of meters away.
"Brother! Be careful! I'll be here waiting for you to come back!" Isabella shouted, understanding that Alan was worried for the citizens. Although she couldn't help, she silently cheered him on, trying not to burden him further.
Everyone else watched in stunned silence. None of them expected Alan to head toward the Sacred Battle Legion instead of fleeing.
"Alan is still too young and reckless," Annie muttered, shaking her head. The city guards stationed at the gate were already fleeing in panic, without a trace of fighting spirit. Though Alan appeared heroic going against the flow, a battlefield was no place for heroics.
…
"The Barton army is attacking! Hurry, or we'll be too late!"
As Alan approached the gate, the sound of frightened voices and the panic of those fleeing grew louder.
Pushing against the flow, Alan soon reached the gate and found the city guards, abandoning their posts in terror. Each guard's face was etched with fear.
Alan frowned, surprised by their cowardice, and looked toward the wide-open gate. He understood why they were fleeing so quickly.
About a thousand meters away, he could make out the outline of Barton Kingdom's mage legion. Some mages rode swift spellbeasts, while others used wind-based spells to advance rapidly, kicking up clouds of dust and stone along their path. The ground trembled slightly from their approach.
"A thousand iron-tier mages, forming the Sacred Battle Legion…"
Alan took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their presence bearing down on him.
Though individually weak, their sheer numbers presented a formidable force, enough to make even a gold-tier mage hesitate.
Yet, Alan didn't back down. If he did, the citizens of Ironblood City would be left defenseless. He knew these mages were like merciless beasts, cruel and greedy, driven by the lust for war.
With each step he took outside the city walls, facing the growing wave of magical energy, more and more people took notice of his solitary figure, thinking they were witnessing something unbelievable.
A lone mage against thousands?
To some, Alan seemed like a madman, a lone fool facing certain death.
Some of the fleeing guards felt a sting of shame as they saw his silhouette, knowing it was their duty to defend the city.
"Should… should we go back too?" a few guards murmured, their consciences stirring.
"Are you insane? Do you want to die with him?"
The rest of the guards, looking at them as if they were fools, hurriedly withdrew.
Finally, as the last city guard looked back at the advancing Sacred Battle Legion, he fled in terror, leaving Alan alone outside the gate.
Alan tightened his grip on his staff, the power within him reaching its peak, seething like molten lava.
Even before the clash, Alan's senses sharpened like never before.
At that moment, all he could see was the oncoming torrent of the Sacred Battle Legion, a dark wave ready to engulf him.
Compared to their overwhelming numbers, he was a single figure, seemingly insignificant. Yet his resolve surged, his spirit as fierce as the coming storm.
"You still dare to stand before our army? How amusing!"
"He's probably frozen in fear, too scared to move!"