The knights pulled out their second muskets. Another volley rang out, and a squad of soldiers who had secretly raised their guns fell to the ground in unison. The soldiers had only just stepped out and were standing, while the knights remained on horseback. Their elevated position gave them a clear field of vision—any suspicious movement was instantly spotted, and firing from above was effortless. With a crisp *shing*, the prince drew his longsword. “Soldiers, follow your lord and execute the traitors!” As soon as he finished, he charged at Rade with sword in hand, taking the lead. The knights flanked him on both sides as they surged forward together. The prince’s golden curls fluttered in the wind, behind him a line of knights in gleaming armor. The soldiers’ eyes followed the arc of his sword, and as the tip pointed toward Rade, their gazes locked onto him. Rade was so frightened he collapsed onto the ground. Having long resided in Blood Harbor and managed the port guard, he had never truly seen battle. Now, facing the prince’s killing intent, his mind went blank. The prince raised his arm and fired. Their guns had been prepped in advance—just a trigger pull was needed to fire. In contrast, the opposing soldiers were still fumbling to pour powder into their barrels. It wasn’t until the prince was upon them that they snapped out of it and tried to draw their blades. Too late. The prince’s sword cut through flesh. Some were sharper and had drawn their weapons early, but before they could swing, Galahad—riding just behind the prince—effortlessly slashed down, cleaving both them and their blocking weapons in two. The prince rode up before Rade, tapping his face with the blood-dripping, icy sword. Rade trembled all over. Instinctively, he tried to flee, but his limbs had already gone soft. He stumbled two steps and fell again. Suddenly, something seemed to occur to him. He spun around and wailed in supplication, “Your Highness! Your Highness, I was bewitched! It was them—” The prince’s expression twisted with disdain. A glint of killing intent flashed across his face. His sword spun and thrust—Rade’s head flew into the air. Galahad caught it in one hand and held it high, shouting in all directions: “Rade, the traitor and rebel, is dead! Lay down your arms at once!” Very few soldiers had actually known of Rade’s plot. Now, seeing his severed head, they didn’t hesitate—dropping their weapons, they fell to their knees. The prince flicked the blood off his sword, glanced around, tugged his reins, and rode through the camp. His gaze was calm, devoid of excitement or fear, as if he had just taken care of some trivial matter. Sunlight fell upon him, his chiseled and handsome face like a statue. A halo surrounded his golden curls, as if heaven itself were crowning him. Every now and then, a soldier looked up at him and was left stunned. He seemed born to rule—even walking through a rebel camp felt like he was merely inspecting his own kingdom. His sword still dripped with blood. Soldiers knelt on both sides, utterly subdued. Knights patrolled through the barracks, cutting down all of Rade’s personal guards. All of this had happened within just a few minutes of their entry. In mere minutes, the treasonous port guard had been subdued. Outside the camp, Erwin and Connor exchanged glances, both seeing shock in each other’s eyes. They had breached the gates, seized the initiative, eliminated resistance, and rapidly seized control. It all seemed unbelievably smooth, but both knew—had the prince made even a single misstep, it would’ve led to utter ruin. The soldiers’ muskets hadn’t been loaded, but the guards’ weapons were ready to fire. Yet Galahad had blasted open the gate, and the charging knights opened fire as they entered, leaving no time for retaliation. Once inside, Rade issued disorganized commands. Though the soldiers were confused, his personal guards were prepared to fight. The knights’ second volley struck before they could act, followed by a swift melee to eliminate them. Each knight had carried just two muskets—those two volleys alone had broken the encirclement and killed Rade right in the heart of the port guard’s main camp. The prince had also acted decisively. Once control was secured, he executed Rade without hesitation to remove all future threats. No matter what tricks Rade had up his sleeve, he would never use them now. A cold sweat soaked through Erwin’s back. If he had been tasked with this—ten Holy Guards and one Extraordinary individual—could he have achieved this result? The prince had done it, and not a single man in his unit was injured. No wonder he had pacified the chaos in the Eastern Territories and unified all rebel forces within the Empire. For the first time, Erwin seriously contemplated the chances of victory in a war between Tis and the Empire. The odds seemed bleak. Their opponent was the deep-rooted Holy Mill Empire, allied with multiple churches. Whether in mortal armies or supernatural forces, they possessed overwhelming dominance. And what about the prince? What did he have? The prince’s eyes landed on the people of Castel. （Most⊥recent⊥novel⊥posted⊥at⊥69⊥book⊥bar⊥first⊥release!） Erwin took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulence in his heart. He gave the prince a slight nod. The prince turned to say a few words to Galahad, then walked out of the camp alone, sheathing his sword. He waved to the Castel group outside, smiling. “Everyone, it went rather smoothly. We’ll make a brief reorganization, then head to the docks.” As he said, soon several squads marched out of the camp. The front lines were port guards on horseback, followed closely by infantry. Galahad calmly issued commands. The lower-ranking officers barked at the soldiers to form ranks. Many of these officers had once been affiliated with Rade. Now, they were desperate to display loyalty, terrified of being mistaken as his accomplices.   For more chapters visıt 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝕟𝕖𝕥 The port guards now wore fanatical expressions. Some glanced toward the prince from time to time. They had just personally witnessed the prince slay the traitor—so decisive and fearless. Combined with his resolute, handsome face, the soldiers were completely awestruck. With the prince personally leading the force, though the operation seemed hasty, the morale was sky-high. Erwin scrutinized the port guard and frowned. “They’ve brought very little ammunition—and no rations or supplies at all,” he whispered. Connor pointed at the soldiers in the back. “Some of them aren’t even fully armored—just grabbed their weapons and rushed out.” The group exchanged glances. “This prince’s tactics are extremely aggressive.” “Indeed. If it were me, after capturing the port guard’s camp, I would’ve advanced cautiously outward, using this place as the center. With the army secured, I’d consolidate first.” Erwin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.