Qingzhou City, the last stronghold in the western part of the Heavenly Martial Empire.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the thick city walls, turning the bluish-gray bricks and stones blood red. Banners fluttered on the city walls, and the guards patrolled back and forth, their eyes scanning the distance warily.
Since the news of Martial Capital's fall arrived, the entire city has been shrouded in a sense of oppression.
Inside the city lord's mansion, candlelight flickered.
A dozen generals and nobles sat around a long table, the air seemingly frozen.
The map on the table was spread out, marking the advance route of the Shinobi Alliance army. The red lines, like venomous snakes, were winding their way towards Qingzhou.
" Martial Capital, is it really gone?"
The white-haired old general's voice was hoarse, and his fingers trembled slightly.
He was a former subordinate of Heavenly Martial XIII, who had fought alongside the emperor in numerous battles. Now, however, he could only sit here, listening to the devastating news of his former lord's death in battle.
The Qingzhou City Lord, seated at the head of the table, had a gloomy expression. He held a crumpled telegram in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force.
"Absolutely true." He spoke slowly, his voice so low it seemed to be squeezed from the depths of hell.
"His Majesty has perished in battle, the royal bloodline has been wiped out, Martial Capital has been reduced to ashes. The puppet army of the Shinobi Alliance has begun to expand into the surrounding areas, and within three days, they will be at the gates of Qingzhou City."
After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
"Then we..." a nobleman began tentatively, unsure how to continue.
"War!"
Suddenly, a furious roar exploded.
A young general with a scar on his face slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly, his eyes burning with hatred.
The commander of the Qingzhou garrison, though only thirty years old, is already a rare and fierce general in the empire.
At that moment, he slammed his fist on the table, causing the teacup to tip over and tea to drip down the edge of the table.
"His Majesty's edict has arrived! All Heavenly Martial, rise up upon seeing this edict! To the Shinobi Alliance the massacre of our imperial city is an irreconcilable enmity!"
His voice, like Thunder, echoed throughout the hall.
Several young generals immediately responded, standing up with clenched fists and resolute eyes.
"Fight! We'd rather die standing than live on our knees!"
"Those monsters from the Shinobi Alliance, do they really think our Heavenly Martial is without anyone?!"
The crowd was furious, and their roars nearly lifted the roof off.
However, a nobleman sitting in the corner let out a cold laugh.
"War? With what?"
Everyone turned to look, and there stood the representative of a prominent family in Qingzhou. He slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then continued.
"Even the Jinwu Guard and Martial Saint of Martial Capital have been completely wiped out. How can Qingzhou, with only 30,000 troops, possibly withstand those monsters?"
"What do you mean?" the scarred general glared angrily. "Do you intend to surrender?"
The representative put down his teacup and said calmly, "I'm just stating the facts. The Shinobi Alliance's puppet army is impervious to swords and spears, and those ninjas can move mountains and fill seas. If we try to block them with our own flesh and blood, we're just throwing our lives away."
"So you mean we should wag our tails and beg like dogs?" another general demanded sharply.
The family representative remained calm, surveying the crowd before saying, "I just think... perhaps we can negotiate."
"Negotiation?" The scarred general nearly lunged forward to grab him by the collar, shouting, " The Shinobi Alliance massacred Martial Capital, and you want to negotiate with them? They didn't even spare the surrendered civilians!"
"That's Martial Capital," the representative said calmly. "If we surrender willingly, we might be able to negotiate better terms."
"Fart!"
A furious shout rang out, and everyone turned to look. It was the usually composed city lord, who slowly stood up, his gaze coldly fixed on the representative.
"Did you already have contact with the Shinobi Alliance?"
The representative's expression changed. "Lord, you can't say things like that lightly."
The city lord sneered, pulled a letter from his sleeve, and slammed it on the table. "Then how do you explain this letter?"
The letter was unfolded, revealing a handwritten note from the entire family. It contained a secret message to the Shinobi Alliance, promising to open the city gates in exchange for the Lin Family's safety if Qingzhou City fell.
The hall erupted in an uproar.
"Traitor!"
Kill him!
Several generals drew their swords immediately, and the representative, pale with fright, retreated abruptly. "You dare touch me? You...!"
Before he could finish speaking, the city lord had already taken a step forward, his long sword drawn, a flash of cold light.
"Pfft!"
The head of the clan representative rolled to the ground, and blood splattered on the map on the table, staining the Shinobi Alliance's march route crimson.
The hall fell silent again.
The city lord coldly surveyed the crowd. "Who else wants to surrender?"
No one answered.
The scarred general walked to his side and gripped his sword hilt. "Lord, give the order."
The city lord remained silent for a moment, then slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over every face in the hall.
"Pass on the order."
His voice was hoarse but firm.
"Prepare the entire city for war, burn down granaries, and poison water sources."
Everyone was taken aback.
"Lord of the city, what are you doing...?"
"Since we're going to fight, let's make sure the Shinobi Alliance gets nothing."
The city lord walked to the table and pressed his finger heavily on the map. "They want to rule? Then I'll send them a land of annihilation!"
The people in the hall looked at each other, but soon their eyes became resolute.
The scarred general grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth. "Just what I wanted."
That night, Qingzhou City
Despite the pitch-black night, Qingzhou City was brightly lit.
The granary was engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing into the sky. The well was filled with deadly poison, and blood-red words were pasted on its opening.
" The Shinobi Alliance slaughtered the city, cutting off my path to survival. This grudge will be avenged!"
On the city wall, the defending troops stood ready in battle.
The steam cannons were loaded, and the rolling stones and hot oil were already prepared.
At the city gate, suicide soldiers strapped with gunpowder awaited the enemy's attack, ready to charge into the enemy ranks and perish together with them.
At the edge of the horizon, dark clouds brought by the Kumogakure were slowly approaching, and the metallic gleam of the puppet army could be faintly seen.
The city lord stood atop the city wall, clad in heavy armor, the night wind ruffling his scarlet cloak.
On the distant horizon, countless pairs of red-glowing mechanical eyes flickered in and out of the darkness, like ferocious beasts ready to devour their prey.
"They've arrived."
The lieutenant whispered a reminder, his voice trembling with suppressed emotion.
The city lord slowly drew his sword, turned to face the soldiers gathered in the city, and the 30,000 defenders silently raised their weapons, the clanging of steel echoing in the night.
"Soldiers of Heavenly Martial!" The city lord's voice echoed across the city walls, "Tonight, we will show those monsters what the walls of Qingzhou are made of!"
His response was a deafening battle cry.
The steam cannons roared deafeningly, and the first volley of fire ripped through the night sky, exploding into dazzling flashes of Kakkō among the puppet army in the distance.
In the darkness further out, thousands of shadowy figures were approaching the city walls at an alarming speed.
"For Heavenly Martial!"
The city lord raised his longsword high, its blade pointing straight at the night sky.
Behind him, the entire Qingzhou City transformed into a ferocious beast awakening, baring its final fangs.
besides.
The news of Martial Capital's fall resounded like a thunderclap throughout the entire empire.
That blood-stained telegram, carrying the last will of Heavenly Martial XIII, scattered like sparks in all directions.
Every city, every fortress, every surviving Heavenly Martial trembled and fell silent before this edict, and then erupted in jubilation.