This fucker was selling us out all along

Some stumbled over one another, some collided and fell, while some were stepped to their death as they tried to escape the fate they knew was closing in on them.

Arberus shouted in fury, "You fuckers! Where are you running to?!"

But his words were like dropping a bottle of water into an ocean—completely meaningless. The soldiers didn't listen.

They were already too far gone, lost in their panic, and it was clear that their resolve had shattered.

Lian watched with a mixture of frustration and defeat. He shook his head. "Forget about it, Arberus. Those are just bandits and criminals. Who would expect loyalty from them?"

The words seemed to hang in the air as the last remnants of his army fled into the distant forest.

Lian's gaze remained fixed on the now-empty battlefield, and for the first time in a long while, he felt the weight of defeat crushing down on him.

Julian had won—not just the battle, but their very will to fight.