Raphael donned his armor, fastened his Knight Sword at his waist, took the helmet from his personal guard, and strode toward the military camp.
Inside the empty camp, more than a thousand soldiers stood in neat formation, staring straight ahead.
At the sound of faint footsteps, the officers shed their lax expressions and turned solemn. They straightened up and took their places at the very front of the formation.
Raphael entered the camp and swept his gaze over the crowd, quickly determining the army's numbers: 1,326 men in total.
After being left to their own devices for three days, it truly surprised him that so many had remained.
"Move out!"
Raphael issued the command in a low voice that echoed throughout the camp.
The thousand-plus soldiers immediately moved out in groups of four, silently following behind the Garrison General. Their footsteps were perfectly synchronized as they headed for the West City Gate, prepared to surrender.
The silent streets were deserted. Only a few rats scurried past, making the place seem especially desolate.
This city, once prosperous, bustling, and full of life, had now lost its former clamor and vitality.
Haina City, which had once held nearly three hundred thousand people, now had only tens of thousands of civilians left behind, unable to part with their homeland as they awaited an unknown fate.
Beneath the city walls, Raphael stood before the heavy gates. He reached out, gripped the cold iron rings, and pushed with all his strength. The enormous iron gates slowly opened.
As the hinges let out a heavy grinding sound, Raphael opened the gates by himself, revealing an empty stretch of countryside before him.
Behind him, the Garrison Army silently watched their general's actions.
The gates stood wide open, sunlight gleaming brilliantly off their armor.
Suddenly, the ground began