The soldiers on the ramparts, obscured by the dense fog, could not discern the exact details of the battle.
However, they were deeply impressed by Nodada Doichi's physique and attire.
When they vaguely saw enemies emerging from the fog, only to be dispatched by Nodada Doichi within ten moves, they all let out gasps of astonishment and cheers of victory!
"Long live, we've won!"
"As expected of an envoy from the Black-tailed Swallow Legion, their strength is truly formidable."
"I heard that no one could even last one round against these monsters before, yet they were so easily dealt with before His Excellency?"
"I suppose the enemy general must be the one who can last a few rounds against His Excellency!"
"Perhaps the mission is already accomplished and the crisis averted!"
"Truly, the Black-tailed Swallow Legion is terrifyingly powerful..."
Listening to the soldiers' boasting on the ramparts, Nodada Doichi showed no hint of pride.
Although the battle appeared to be an easy victory, he had, in fact, used his ultimate move from the start to showcase his power.
Radiant Lion Slash was his strongest skill.
He hadn't expected to need it to kill the enemy; the opponent was quite formidable.
Due to its immense power, this move could only be used a maximum of three times per day.
Having just used it once, Nodada Doichi's stamina was significantly depleted.
Just as he believed he had won and that the remaining enemies were mere cannon fodder.
Footsteps, almost identical to the ones from before, slowly emerged from the dense fog.
*Clack... clack... clack...*
The footsteps were uniform, but to Nodada Doichi, it was clear that this was the sound of dozens of people marching in unison.
Following this, rows of soldiers, identical to the samurai he had just faced, slowly emerged from the fog.
"This... how is this possible?!"
Nodada Doichi's eyes widened in astonishment.
The person he had just killed was not some hidden expert, but merely one among many soldiers?!
And there were dozens more of these formidable soldiers?!
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
"Hmm? Who killed the soldier I sent to persuade them to surrender?"
At this moment, a general with a large beard slowly walked out from the flank of the formation.
Pluto Mushroom frowned as it looked at the soldier lying on the ground, saying displeasedly,
"If you're going to kill, then kill. At least give them a quick end. What kind of mentality leads to killing someone with so many sword wounds?"
"Are they a psychopath? How could someone do something so cruel?!"
In reality, it wasn't that Nodada Doichi didn't want to, but he simply couldn't.
He had absorbed the energy of tens of thousands of lost souls who had besieged Rock City, absorbed five thousand elite imperial troops, and absorbed all the defenders of the port city and its surrounding fortifications.
Concentrating so much energy onto fifty people, their strength was indeed extraordinary.
"Damn it... are these the true experts of the True God Cult?" Nodada Doichi slowly drew his katana, watching Pluto Mushroom warily.
"Tell your king to come out and surrender, so I don't have to kill my way in."
Pluto Mushroom stroked its large beard and said, seemingly fond of it.
"Hmph, I have no king. If you want to kill your way in, you'll have to get past me first!"
Nodada Doichi roared, his katana transforming into countless phantoms as he slashed towards Pluto Mushroom.
He understood the principle of capturing the leader to catch the bandits.
Any one of these soldiers was difficult to deal with, let alone dozens of them?
If the enemy had time to react and their soldiers attacked in unison, would he even survive?
His only recourse now was to launch a surprise attack and kill the enemy's main general in one blow, perhaps demoralizing the enemy and winning the battle!
This was his only way to survive a desperate situation!
Radiant Lion Slash!
Nodada Doichi unleashed his ultimate move the moment he attacked.
And this time, he put in his full effort.
*Boom!*
A fierce explosion erupted, the shockwave instantly dispersing the dense fog in a vacuum, and even the flags on the ramparts snapped loudly in the blast.
As the sound of the explosion gradually faded.
The soldiers on the ramparts turned their attention to the battlefield.
They saw that the True God Cult's army was still neatly arrayed, and Li Ran at the forefront was unharmed. Conversely, Nodada Doichi had disappeared.
"Where did he go? Wasn't he attacking the enemy? Why did he disappear himself?!"
"Could it be that he knew he couldn't win and ran away?"
"Impossible, he's from the Black-tailed Swallow Legion. If he fled in battle, he would be hunted forever."
"Then where did he go?!"
Suddenly, a soldier shrieked:
"Found him, he's there!"
Everyone quickly followed the direction pointed by the soldier.
They saw Nodada Doichi, clad in the Black-tailed Swallow uniform, standing within the neatly arranged formation of fifty soldiers.
He had become a member of the soldier formation, marching forward with the same solemn expression and synchronized steps towards the ramparts.
"This... even the envoy sent by the Black-tailed Swallow Legion has been mesmerized... we're finished, we're doomed."
"Quick, run! Approaching these True God cultists will make you an idiot!"
"This is… impossible to fight, we can't hold! I'm sorry, I really don't want to become an idiot!"
The soldiers, discarding their armor and weapons, abandoned the ramparts.
Soon, only the Marshal and his five hundred Golden Armored Guards remained on the battlements.
These soldiers were loyal to the Marshal, having followed him through thick and thin, and had long since become indifferent to life and death.
"Defend the Royal City! As long as I am here, the wicked shall not advance an inch!"
The Marshal picked up his long-unused great axe, its haft striking the ground and sparking.
"We will live and die with the Royal City!"
The Marshal shouted loudly.
"We are willing to live and die with the Royal City!"
The five hundred Golden Armored Guards roared in unison, their voices clear and piercing the sky.
However, Pluto Mushroom was completely unaffected by all this.
Love, honor, camaraderie... these were not things a mushroom needed to understand.
Its mission was singular: to complete Zhang Chen's objective, capture the Royal City, and annihilate the entire empire.
"Attack! Annihilate all those who are not afraid of death!"
Pluto Mushroom said carelessly, stroking its beard.
"Roar!"
The soldiers roared and launched a fierce assault on the ramparts.
*Thump! Thump! Boom!*
Four soldiers took turns ramming the city gate. After only a few strikes, the massive gate crashed open.
Some of the other soldiers charged directly into the city, while others leaped onto the ramparts, engaging the Golden Armored Guards in combat.
Although the Golden Armored Guards were formidable, they were still too weak compared to these unbelievably powerful soldiers.
A single soldier charged into the ranks of the Golden Armored Guards, as if no one was there, slaughtering indiscriminately. None could withstand even a single exchange!