Chapter 505: Occupying Mist City

As the Flame Seal Knights unleashed their full combat strength, on the front lines of Mist City, the noble alliance faced over twenty knights of Meteor rank or higher.

High-level knights had immense room to maneuver in chaotic battles; they could avoid clashing with tough opponents like Gu Shan and Iben, yet freely swing their blades at weaker adversaries.

Even though the noble alliance had trained in small-unit tactics to surround powerful enemies, when the foe grew strong enough, squads of five or six became utterly insignificant.

They surged forward like wolves among sheep, cutting through ranks as easily as slicing melons, slaughtering scores within moments and inflicting devastating losses upon the nobles.

Fortunately, Gu Shan, Iben, and a few others quickly realized what was happening, swiftly crossing the battlefield to stand before Ural and other Moon Silver-ranked warriors, halting further casualties.

"Ural, if you possess such power, why did you allow outposts like Forward Camp, Watchtower Fortress, and Blazing Stronghold to fall?"

"Heh... If I hadn’t, would you have rushed so quickly into Mist City? Would you have grown so careless, failing to reinforce your numbers?"

Iben and Ural—men who had clashed countless times along the border—now fought each other fiercely. Their mighty powers collided, forcing nearby soldiers to scatter from the shockwaves.

Iben suddenly understood—this had been Ural’s plan all along.

And knowing Ural as he did, this border baron of Trisia had long dreamed of becoming a marquis, even a duke.

Perhaps eliminating Watchtower and those other noble holdings had served his own ambitions perfectly well.

"Pity… it's still unclear who will win this battle!"

Iben stamped his foot. Wind elements swirled around his body. As a dual-adept Moon Silver knight skilled in both magic and martial arts, he wielded countless subtle techniques in combat.

"Look—the dragon has returned!"

Hmm?

The words stirred something inside Ural. He glanced up—and there, looming once more above the main battlefield, was the massive form of Carlos.

Unable to unleash wide-scale attacks midair, Carlos manipulated flames into fiery ropes, binding the rune-covered Flame Seal Knights and leaving them vulnerable to allied strikes.

Against his mastery of fire, even the Gold-rank Flame Seal Knights stood powerless—quickly overwhelmed and slain.

The aerial Dragonhawk Knights and the remaining birdmen who claimed descent from gods abandoned their griffins, attempting to unite against Carlos—only to be fearlessly engulfed in a blast of flame, charred black, and sent plummeting from the sky.

"How could this be… My master and Kassarin failed to contain the dragon?"

"And Rowan?"

For the first time, Ural—who had been so certain of victory—felt his heart tremble with doubt.

There’s an old saying: the more you fear something, the more likely it becomes.

Soon, a figure appeared in the sky—Rowan, arriving via Wind Shadow Technique.

At his speed, crossing from the west gate to the north gate of Mist City took mere minutes.

His spiritual sense swept across the battlefield. Combined with sight, he grasped the situation—losses were heavy.

"My lord, are you well?"

Ridar had just slain Vina, a Flame Seal Knight empowered to Sunflare rank, and now approached Rowan with concern.

Just as Rowan had first checked on the west gate, Ridar’s first thought was for Rowan’s safety.

From Rowan’s disheveled hair and dust-streaked face and clothes, Ridar knew the entrapment array must have caused him great hardship.

"Their forces have been annihilated by me and Carlos."

Then he saw Garrett, surrounded by three Moon Silver knights, retreating step by step—on the verge of death if no aid came.

Yet strangely, these three attackers seemed hesitant—perhaps playing with him, or perhaps reluctant to deliver the final blow, as if seeking capture rather than killing.

Rowan’s mind raced. If he did nothing, and let Garrett be worn down until slain… then King Bruno would have no heir.

Who, then, would inherit the vast kingdom of Auduin?

Bruno’s younger brothers? Princess Shellen’s son? Or his wife Blanche?

In any case, all would have legitimate claims to succession.

"Marquis Rowan! Please save the prince!"

A thunderous voice cut through the battlefield, snapping Rowan from his thoughts. He turned.

He recognized the speaker—a scar-faced man he’d seen earlier in Golden Feather Palace, one of Garrett’s personal guards. His name… Gorman?

By shouting with condensed battle aura, he left himself open—an enemy blade slit his throat, spilling blood and ending his life in an instant.

But that cry, amplified by battle energy, echoed across the field. Many now knew—Rowan had returned.

"Ridar, go help Garrett."

Rowan could no longer stand idle. He looked at Gorman’s fallen body, then launched a Fire Flash strike, instantly felling the opposing Gold-rank Flame Seal Knight.

A small vengeance for the loyal knight.

"To arms!"

Flames erupted along the Flowing Flame Sword, reigniting the momentum that had been suppressed.

With Rowan and Ridar—two Sunflare knights—reentering the fray, the balance of battle abruptly shifted, swinging from Mist City’s favor back to the noble alliance.

"Hah! You’ve failed, Ural!"

Iben and the others now felt emboldened. No longer reserving strength for retreat, they fought with full fury.

Rowan didn’t seek out Ural. Instead, he focused solely on Flame Seal Knights and the avian riders in the sky, capturing a few Dragonhawks along the way for Carlos to control.

With the loss of Grand General Aruba, Kassarin, and Vina—all Sunflare-rank—the rest were merely a matter of time.

Then, reinforcements arrived from the east and west gates, noble troops pouring into the northern battlefield. The Mist City forces were now encircled on three sides. After brief resistance, the survivors dropped their weapons and knelt in surrender.

"We won!"

"We’ve won!"

After the brutal carnage, the alliance knights stood drenched in blood—but their faces shone with exhilaration.

Mist City—seized.

This place, long branded a national shame, had finally been reclaimed.

An unprecedented glory—one they would boast of for the rest of their lives!

Yet where there was joy, sorrow also dwelled.

First, the knights of Black Jade Bay—mourning their lord, Viscount Willis, who had fallen.

Rowan recalled how, before battle, Willis had hoped to arrange a marriage between his granddaughter and Brandon. A pang of regret struck him.

Had the wound come later, Elron might have saved him. But he had died too early—by the time Rowan arrived, the breath had already left his body.

Beyond Black Jade Bay, Twin Peaks Ridge and Gu Shan’s men felt both triumph and grief.

Many of their Meteor and Gold-rank knights lay dead—seasoned lieutenants forged over years of loyalty and battle.

New blood could be found, yes—but none could truly replace those lost.

But none felt greater sorrow than Prince Garrett.

Himself battered and bruised, his golden armor scarred by countless blows, wounds bleeding across his body.

Had Ridar not slain the three Moon Silver knights, Garrett feared he would have followed Willis into death.

Beyond his own suffering, every knight who followed him—Uger, Gorman, Mika, Dino—had perished.

Especially Uger—his only Moon Silver knight, now gone.

Most crucial of all was the psychological blow this battle dealt to Garrett.

Watching others gather around Ronin, thanking him for their rescue, while he could only lie aside licking his wounds—this stark contrast deepened his resentment.

And just then, the distant sky echoed with the piercing cry of a griffin.

The group turned and saw a royal griffin knight squadron approaching from the direction of Redpine Keep.

"It's Broll."

Eve, as commander of the royal griffin knights, knew Broll well—he was her deputy.

"Pity he arrived too late. He might have joined such a fierce battle."

But Garrett’s face instantly drained of color.

Broll’s arrival meant his father’s orders had come.

Though they had won the Battle of Misthaven, it wasn’t the one-sided victory Garrett had envisioned.

Moreover, the heavy losses incurred were ultimately due to his recklessness, his failure to fully understand Misthaven’s defenses.

He had hoped to claim credit for this victory before Bruno—but now, it would hardly suffice. (End of Chapter)