Chapter 50: The War Never Stops

Alexander was equally astonished. Although his action had caused some deformation, even at eighty percent of his abnormal strength, it was not something an ordinary person could withstand. Yet, the opponent had merely retreated a few steps. Furthermore, Alexander's hand felt slightly numb, indicating the immense force of the opponent's strike.

Compared to Alexander's slightly numb hand, the Rogue Knight leader had used his full force in the strike, yet it felt like chopping into a solid rock. Not only his hand, but even his arm felt numb, and his head buzzed.

Without giving him time to react, Alexander swung the Executioner's Greatsword directly at him, seizing the opportunity to strike while the iron was hot. The buff from the Executioner's Greatsword lasted only one minute; he had to determine the outcome within this time frame. After all, he had estimated that the Rogue Knight leader's strength was around 21, with agility about 15. If his buff wore off, the outcome would become uncertain.

The Executioner's Greatsword was wielded by him like a cascade of sword lights, making it hard to imagine that such a heavy two-handed sword could be swung like this. The terrifying onslaught, however, was somehow blocked by the opponent. The Rogue Knight leader always managed to parry Alexander's strikes in advance.

Yet, he was completely powerless to counterattack because every time he received an attack, he had to retreat several steps or use some techniques to disperse the force; otherwise, his arms would likely be crippled.

As time passed, Alexander felt the power from the Executioner's Greatsword dissipating. He shouted loudly, "Execute!" Digging his feet into the ground as if trying to embed them into the earth, exerting force from his waist, every muscle in his body tensed, eyes bulging, staring fixedly at the Rogue Knight leader. With both hands holding the sword, he poured all his strength into this strike.

The strike of the Executioner's Greatsword was like a bloody moon emanating a dark light, bloody yet tragic.

"Damn it!" The Rogue Knight leader cursed at the absurdity of the strike. At the same time, he quickly exerted force with his legs, stabilizing himself on the ground. With a speed far exceeding that of Alexander, he swung his sword from behind, equally unleashing a fierce strike.

Clang!

After a piercing clang, the entire audience was shocked to find that the Rogue Knight leader had already knelt on one knee, his knee ruthlessly embedded into the ground, his hands veins bulging, but his sword was firmly pressed against his chest.

Alexander's Executioner's Greatsword was already placed at his neck, and despite the Rogue Knight leader's efforts, his hybrid sword couldn't resist Alexander's greatsword.

After holding on for a few seconds, the Rogue Knight leader had no choice but to surrender, admitting his defeat.

Alexander slowly sheathed his sword, smiling slightly as he said, "Looks like I won."

The Rogue Knight leader, who had already surrendered, said nothing. Instead, he stepped back towards the other Rogue Knights, quickly mounted his warhorse, and then smirked, "But we don't intend to keep our promise, kid."

With that, he took the lead and rode away. Just as he was leaving, he couldn't help but leave a parting shot, "Your strength has earned our recognition. If one day you see the darkness of this world clearly, feel free to join the Blackheart Rogue Knights. We'll always have a spot for you."

The twelve Rogue Knights rode off, leaving behind a group of angry Knights of Saint Martin.

"These shameless guys, they completely disregard the spirit of knighthood."

"Not abiding by it is right for them. They've long abandoned their ideals, and promises are less valuable to them than the dirt on the ground," Alexander said lightly.

However, no one noticed that his back was already soaked with sweat. After all, the just-finished battle could be said to have been full of dangers. Not only was the duel with the Rogue Knight leader very dangerous, but if the Rogue Knights had suddenly charged at Alexander and his eleven Knights of Saint Martin, they wouldn't have been able to hold out. While the other Rogue Knights might not have been as strong as their leader, they were likely on a similar level. Even if Alexander could take down two or three of them, the remaining Rogue Knights would overwhelm the Knights of Saint Martin and then surround Alexander.

Fortunately, the enemy had left. While Alexander hadn't made them his subordinates, getting rid of this group of troublemakers was an acceptable outcome.

...

The outcome here on the Beach of Misery was unacceptable for the Kingdom of Saint Martin.

Because... General Hoover had actually been defeated.

The reason was that the infantry of the Kingdom of Saint Martin had been predictably defeated by the Vedites. As a cavalry kingdom, the infantry of the Kingdom of Saint Martin was ultimately there to serve the cavalry. The wise General Hoover had sent them to fight the strongest infantry on the continent, with the results easy to imagine.

It wasn't General Hoover's fault. He was used to small-scale operations with not many troops to begin with. As long as the cavalry killed fast enough, this tactic could indeed catch the enemy off guard.

The problem was that this large-scale war was a battle of blood and spirit. It was absolutely not something that could be decided in a short amount of time. Once the infantry's morale collapsed, it couldn't be stopped.

In the end, it was the hard crossbowmen and the divine archers of Saint Martin who rushed up to hold the collapsed defense line, which saved General Hoover from a complete disaster.

(Saint Martin Recruit—Saint Martin Conscript Crossbowman—Saint Martin Crossbowman—Saint Martin Heavy Crossbowman—Saint Martin Marksman)

As for why Saint Martin's advanced crossbowmen are equipped with shields, we have to mention Saint Martin's tradition.

Their crossbowmen, armed with crossbows, are mainly for long-range attacks.

Just look at their equipment, who else's crossbowmen are equipped with huge shields, chainmail, and spine-shaped sword-like weapons for close combat?

It's obvious that after shooting their crossbows, they transform into shield-bearers to engage in melee combat.

I wonder if these brave crossbowmen would curse before sacrificing themselves: "You useless infantry, worthless!"

In short, the Kingdom of Saint Martin suffered defeat once again on the beaches of hardship.

After two consecutive defeats in major battles, even the strength of the Kingdom of Saint Martin was starting to show signs of strain. Now, before King Hades, there are two paths.

One is to persist stubbornly and confront the Kingdom of Veeda to the end. While it saves face, the outcome is uncertain; it could lead to casualties or even losing territory.

The other is to seek peace by humbling oneself. In war, there are always winners and losers. Losing a battle might cost some money, but showing humility can make the matter pass.

As a rational and wise king, Hades resolutely chose the first option—damn it, we all have one head and two shoulders, who's afraid of who? Let's do it!

The Saint Martin nobles who couldn't bear to watch immediately stepped forward, ready to intercept King Hades.

However, King Hades quickly silenced them with a single sentence: "If you want peace, fine, but I'll chop off the head of Hoover Baudier first."

At this point, all the nobles wisely chose to keep quiet. After all, no one dared to admit defeat. Who knows, if they were chosen as the marshal next time and failed, would they have to lose their heads too?When Alexander arrived at his own fiefdom, he also received the news that the Kingdom of Saint Martin had decided to continue the protracted war with the Kingdom of Veeda.