[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-reborn-king":3,"chapter-the-reborn-king-the-reborn-king-chapter-102":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},1100722,1437,"Chapter 102: Mansa’s Final Stand: Part 3","the-reborn-king-chapter-102",102,"\u003Cp>Alexei walked into the highest room of the fort. Behind him were his best men. In front, he saw Mansa and his men spread around the room. It was a huge room, maybe slightly smaller than the courtyard outside. One could imagine many strategies being made here whilst overlooking the surrounding landscape. Now it was a final battleground for either one of them. The general looked at Alexei with a smile on his face, standing up. He took his sword and shield in his hand. Alexei looked at him and gave a slight nod getting one in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m willing to offer you a surrender General, if you’re willing to take it.\" His voice was kind and full of respect asking the question. It didn’t give an indication of fear but a final courtesy to a formidable opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mansa took a couple of steps forward, \"I wish you luck in this battle. Try not to die.\" His men nodded in agreement and readied themselves. His words were arrogant and full of self-confidence but Alexei wasn’t mad. The man earned his arrogance and was fully capable of backing it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From behind he could hear more coming up to join him. Despite the advantage he would have if he waited for them, he walked forward, taking his spear from his back. The room was big enough for it and he knew he needed to be at his best if he wished to win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next to him, he saw his closest guard join him in the fight against Mansa, whilst the rest of his men took their respected opponents. Alexei couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by them and gave a nod to his bodyguard who understood its meaning. The two split going either side of Mansa who squinted his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei was the first to move. He stabbed his spear forward whilst keeping his distance. Mansa blocked it with his shield but heard the sound of wind ripping from behind. Spinning himself, he deflected the sword, pushing the man away. Fighting broke out all around with the start of Mansa and Alexei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mansa in the second of freedom he had, got the locations of both men. He made his body as small of a target as he could, having each shoulder pointed at the two, never fully facing one. Alexei struck once more like a viper. His spear pierced forward aiming to take Mansa’s shoulder in one go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was quick but he was quicker. Moving backwards, the spear threatened to stab his own ally. Mansa used the opportunity. He charged at Alexei, who had to pull back mid-stab. His sword swung up trying to cut the man’s arm off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei thought quickly. Using the momentum of pulling his spear back, he dropped and threw his arm up. The blade narrowly missed, cutting along his armour, and shaving it. A second sword once again came from his side and Mansa used his shield to block it, hitting it away. He saw the spear on the floor and positioned himself in between it and Alexei.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was annoying for Alexei but better than losing an arm. He quickly drew the sword on his waist. And walked forward. Mansa swung rapidly, his sword seeming to defy the laws of physics and bend. Walking forward, Alexei dodged each attack narrowly. It was hard and many cuts formed on Alexei’s body and armour. A large swing fell from above and forced Alexei down to his knee, catching it with his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swinging himself backwards, his shield outstretched, he hit the second man to the ground, who ran towards him. It was risky and had to be right but Mansa didn’t have the luxury of thinking deeply about his moves. Alexei used the opportunity. He lept past Mansa taking the spear again, quickly throwing himself to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed the sword on his waist once more and prepared. Stabbing forward repeatedly, he knew he had to keep the man on the defensive if he wished to win. Mansa’s dodged side to side avoiding them. He could hear the wind cut past his ear with each thrust and knew he was dead if any hit his vital. Seeing the second man get up once more, he used his shield to deflect a strike away. Alexei slightly unbalanced gave Mansa a second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He charged for the other man and swung his sword down. It was close and the man narrowly evaded certain death, instead his back getting a deep cut. Blood fell and before a fatal blow could be struck, Alexei stabbed at Mansa once more. It was quick and he barely avoided it, his cheek getting a deep cut on it. Part of his ear was ripped off and blood fell like a waterfall. Despite this he ignored it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’One man is nearly done. An ear is fine.’It went through Mansa’s head as he turned to face Alexei once more, his eye never truly leaving the other. A fury of thrust came again and Mansa dodged or blocked them whilst inching closer to him. It was hard and small cuts formed over his body, but once within distance, he stabbed forward with his thrust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei could see what he wished to do and was prepared, each step he got closer, the less he committed to an attack. He waited for when Mansa would make a sudden change in movement and when he saw it. He pulled his spear back quickly and took a step back. he watched the trajectory of the blade and moved his body slightly. He felt it stab through the gap in his armour and along his chest, opening it up. He stabbed his spear forward and clicked his tongue seeing it miss slightly. He tried too many things at once and paid for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mansa saw the wound on Alexei and moved. He took a step forward and raised the sword over his head, swinging the sword down. Alexei caught the attack with the shaft of the spear. His knees nearly buckled and his hands went numb. Despite this his eyes caught his guard coming closer. His face was white and he was in serious pain, but there was a determination in his eyes. He didn’t let it show what he had seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mansa saw Alexei was struggling but the man made no attempt to break free. Mansa quickly looked behind him to see the other threat, confirming his suspicion. He saw the man inch closer towards him, but the distraction gave Alexei enough time. He put all his power into throwing the sword up in the air. It didn’t go unnoticed and Mansa quickly redirected his focus and reorganise, but this second gave Alexei valuable time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shaft of the spear was thrown over the man, and Alexei pulled him, essentially hugging him. \"DO IT!\" His voice shouted had he slightly reshuffled his body. Mansa tried to move but the strength behind Alexei’s hold was intense. He slammed his foot down on his foot trying to break it. He head-butted him creating an explosion of blood, but Alexei refused to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guard gathered all his strength and raised his sword running at Mansa’s exposed back. He may have been weaker at that moment but he knew where Mansa’s heart would be. He trusted Alexei to have positioned himself safely to avoid a fatal strike. Mansa saw the man run at his back and smiled clicking his tongue as he failed to break free once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sword pierced through his back, cutting through his armour. It went through his chest, and out the other side piercing into Alexei’s body. It wasn’t a perfect strike, narrowly missing his heart, but Mansa knew he was done. He felt the sword exit back out his body and looked down at the blood coming from his chest. The hug was released and Mansa gripped his sword just to ungrip it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cough left his mouth, blood covering Alexei, and Mansa slowly turned, stumbling back to the rubble he sat on when they had first arrived. He fell on it holding his chest, deep laboured breaths coming from his mouth. He had a chance to get one final strike on Alexei the moment the hug broke but didn’t. He knew the battle was lost. He was sure the war was lost. He didn’t wish to kill the man. He had too much respect for him to get a cheap strike in like that. He could see Alexei made a hasty decision to do that and yet allowed himself to be stabbed just to kill him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave a small laugh followed by heavy coughing as more blood painted the floor. He was proud to be seen as such a threat. He looked at Alexei who walked over next to him. He held his shoulder, blood pouring through. He could see the exposed muscles and fat in his wound running along his chest. He took a seat next to Mansa the two watching as the fighting finished up. His guard had long fallen from the pain, but the two were tired. They had fought each other for so many years and now it was finally over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sat in silence and Mansa felt his vision slowly go. He was glad Alexei didn’t try and say anything. They were still enemies, after all, not friends. They had respect for one another but he wished to die in peace. A battlefield was a strange place to find it, but he somehow did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei watched as Mansa’s head went limp. The man lent on his sword and shield.’Even in death, he doesn’t fall.’He thought to himself seeing Mansa’s body. Seeing the shield slowly give way under his weight he gently held his body up. It was a courtesy he deserved. He didn’t deserve to fall on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexei sat as he watched his men flood into the room, quickly ending the fighting taking place. He rested Mansa’s body on his back in the rubble. Getting up he walked over to his men. He saw those he came with either dead or injured. No one was left unscathed. He gave a bitter smile before firing orders once more.\u003C\u002Fp>",1709,"2026-06-03T11:17:48.774Z","2026-06-03T11:17:51.400Z",1,"novelbin.me","e4ba2070a56b11f7b994521af0dbd81e29e68fa0be44dab910619ec5024973f8","the-reborn-king-chapter-103","the-reborn-king-chapter-101",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-reborn-king-cover.jpg"]