[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-101":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Reborn King",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1100721,1437,"Chapter 101: Mansa’s Final Stand: Part 2","the-reborn-king-chapter-101",101,"\u003Cp>The war raged on, but the wall was lost. Mansa could kill a hundred of the enemy but two hundred would replace it. \"KEEP MOVING!\" His voice shouted as he and his men retreated. He took the front, covering the retreat. He was the best warrior and knew that it would be hard to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A second man charged at him after killing the first. Mansa ducked, putting the shield into his stomach. Throwing him to the right he fell from the wall. It was endless. The staircase leading down had become a funnel for the Principality’s soldiers to throw themselves into and desperately charge at them. He and two others held the very front. They were the best the wall could offer. Deflecting an attack coming down, he stabbed forward gutting a man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another came right after him, attacking at the moment of opening available. Mansa was quick to react. His shield blocked the attack, and he pushed back. He looked back quickly to see how far was left and seeing a couple of steps he knew that he was almost in the clear. The man next to him, fell victim to overwhelming numbers. Blocking one attack, a sword pierced through his neck, exiting the other side. He fell quickly having an instant death as Mansa and the remaining soldier tightened the gap between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Attack after attack fell on the two, but they held the line. Mansa was quick, with his sword, slashing at anyone who threw an attack first, whilst the soldier next to him was an iron wall, blocking everything, even if he got wounded in the process. \"RETREAT TO THE COURTYARD GENERAL! I’LL MAKE TIME!\" The man next to him gave the order to Mansa once they reached the bottom of the steps. He pushed his general away with his shoulder, barely holding the stairs alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It only lasted a couple of seconds before he was cut down, but it gave Mansa valuable time to retreat unopposed. He ran through the second set of gates and watched as the rest of his men charged for it. The Principalities soldiers were close behind but were held off by a wall of men who gave their lives to see the rest of the troops escape. \"CLOSE THE GATE!\" The one leading this force turned his head and shouted before his leg was stabbed taking him to one knee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gritting his teeth the man stabbed his sword through the attacker’s stomach before a second blade found its way through his chest. Mansa gave the nod and the second gate was quickly shut. They had a little breathing time before the second gate fell. There was one way in and out. The walls although thick didn’t have enough room at the top for people to stand atop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They heard the final bits of fighting outside before it ended. The sound of metal clashing that had been so prominent was gone, replaced by a quietness that carried the footsteps of soldiers and distant groans of those who were neither dead nor alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t last long. Once more the hammering of the gate began. Mansa looked at the walls and knew that if Alexei refocused on them with the ram, they would quickly fall. \"FALL BACK INDOORS!\" He couldn’t let a second of a third opening force his men to be spread thin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one hesitated to follow the order. They ran back to the stone castle that was in the middle of their fort. A wall of men created themselves at the door, and archers stood behind them, bows ready to be drawn. Mansa didn’t stand in the front. He went with his men creating a series of choke points to funnel the attackers through. Multiple entry points were blocked by debris they could find to force the attackers one way. It wasn’t perfect but he hoped that no one would notice in the chaos that was about to take place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t created to win the battle but to take as many of them as he could. Mansa stood in the highest part of the fort available, his best men and warriors with him. The roof had been destroyed from the artillery fire previously and the sun shone through with a harsh glare. Down below he heard the fighting begin and looked out the window to see the sea of attacking men charged at his location. He silently thanked every one of his soldiers for their sacrifice. He turned to face the distance horizon. He looked at the stretching lands of his home and a smile spread on his face. He knew he wouldn’t see it again unless a miracle occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei walked through the front door of the fort. He stepped over a mountain of bodies many of his own people and clicked his tongue. \"Mansa, you really know how to waste time don’t you.\" He quietly muttered to himself but didn’t let it distract him. Walking through with his men behind him he turned the corner and saw another row of soldiers. As soon as they caught sight of him arrows were let loose. Alexei barely had time to react as he threw himself to the ground. The men behind who couldn’t react fast enough faced the fury of the arrow storm and died. Alexei grabbed one of their shields and covered himself as he retreated back behind the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"CREATE A SHIELD WALL AND PUSH!\" Alexei took position second in the wall, a small shield covering his face and his spear piercing out the front. They moved as one and many arrows assaulted the wall. They walked no more than ten steps before a melee broke out. Alexei, stood behind the main section, stabbing his spear forward. Once again it tasted blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More of his soldiers flooded in from behind. Pushing against his back. The defending forces moved back and struggled to hold. Despite this, they killed a number of his men before they fell. Alexei moved forward to take one of their places and stabbed forward. It was hard to use his spear inside, but he couldn’t switch yet. He attacked with calculated movements. Every move had meaning and never missed its target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those on the receiving end questioned if the spear was a part of him, the way he attacked with such precision. He should have been at a disadvantage inside such a tight space, but it made no difference for him. Many tried to block the spear but failed, it moved too quickly that they would have to predict its next move to block it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei and his men made quick work of the defending force at a cost. He looked at the spear in his hand and frowned but placed it on his back, having one of his men tie it to its holster. Reaching for his waist he pulled out a short sword. He picked up a shield that had been lost by one of his killed men and led the march once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near a thousand had entered the fort, but many tried to find new entrances or escapes. Alexei didn’t want to even allow a chance for Mansa or his soldiers to escape. He walked slowly, scouring every corner of the fort. Any time he came across a row of guards he charged in, quickly dispensing of them. The wounds on his body grew with each engagement but it was nothing serious for him, only minor scratches and cuts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised his hand halting his men. \"CLEAR THAT WAY AND SEND MEN THROUGH IT!\" Pointing towards an entry that had been blocked by Mansa he continued on leading the majority of his force, whilst some stayed behind clearing the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere at the highest point of the fort was relaxed. Mansa sat on the rubble underneath the hole in the ceiling. His sword was leaned against his shoulder and shield against his leg. With bright eyes, he waited holding no fear of death. He was doing his job and that was it. He listened and heard the sound of fighting growing closer and closer. He could hear the yells of attacking soldiers outside killing those who tried to escape. He didn’t blame them for running from such an unwinnable situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bringing them in here was asking them to die. He made it so he could take as many of them as possible but he could see it was over. If he could kill Alexei maybe it would create the right conditions to end the war, but he knew Ivan would properly take over and make the Principalities soldiers fight even harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his mind on Ivan, he thought about Harun. He hoped the boy was smart and didn’t come to help him. He knew that Harun was skilled at battle, but he was still young. He lacked the experience that people like him and Ali had. He could make plans but even when he did all those years back he had two of the best advisors in the Sultanate guiding him. Now he had neither. If Harun had come and attacked Ivan he was sure the war was all but lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then thought of Nasr. He was an impulsive and emotional man who had slowly been consumed by them once taking the throne, but he also remembered the man who skillfully took over for the Sultane when he had fallen ill. Sure he wasn’t a great ruler during that time but he held everything together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had wished that none of this happened and like Nasr blamed Harun.’He should have just listened to his father’s decision.’Mansa knew the Sultan better than the two. He knew that he favoured Nasr over Harun for a long time ever since the boy stopped his sister from being married off. He had made it so that the war all those years ago was a two-front war. He had cost the Sultanate so many men. They were lucky the Pope’s arrival cut the war short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After that, it had become hard to ignore the rumours spreading about the two adding fuel to the fire. Mansa didn’t believe them and the two obviously didn’t care about them, but they were powerful enough to sway the Sulatan’s mind even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Nasr showed his ability. He showed what Harun lacked in the political world. He proved he could make those sacrifices. He proved he could play dirty if needed. Mansa saw it first-hand, using his own daughter’s funeral as a way to bolster support for his cause. He mourned the girl but was willing to use it for his own means.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more he thought the more he blamed Harun. The boy had thrown the country into chaos. He had allowed two powers to invade them and weakened any defence that could have been created. Mansa had always believed that Nasr was the one led by emotion, but maybe it was Harun. He had caused all these problems because his ego was hurt after being skipped, due to his own faults.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of fighting broke Mansa out of his thoughts. He chuckled to himself.’I must be close to death. I’m reminiscing now.’He cleared his mind and focused. The fighting was close. Maybe one line away. His men all picked up their weapons. There were only five of them in the room, but it was the best he had to offer. His remaining personal guard that had survived the initial assault. It was the best final stand he could hope for and he knew that they alone may be able to kill the Grand Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>",1943,"2026-06-03T11:17:48.774Z","2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z",1,"novelbin.me","ac7c16c9613c5bd27ce6992492f189fcc26d42533407bac8d33246a763b48cdb","the-reborn-king-chapter-102","the-reborn-king-chapter-487",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]