The Unyielding Dwarf King in History

A colossal cannon stretched across dozens of meters, its entire surface gleaming with a bronze hue. Intricate runes, crafted from mithril and other magical materials, adorned its exterior. The cannon's mouth, an astounding seven meters in diameter, gave it an imposing and almost exaggerated appearance. It was no wonder that even the bone dragon, Charles, at the Saint level, could not withstand its might, being shattered by a single blast.

Now, however, this formidable weapon had become a trophy of the Royal Gryphon Knights' army, alongside hundreds of regular magic cannons on the city walls. The knights had seized control of the walls as soon as they breached the capital. Despite the Dwarf King's valiant efforts, leading his elite warriors and kingdom officials in a desperate defense, they could not repel the Royal Gryphon Knights' assault. The dwarves were quickly overwhelmed, forced to retreat, leaving behind a field of corpses.

All the defensive structures on the walls fell into the hands of the Royal Gryphon Knights. The arrow towers and heavy ballistae were of little use to them, but the magic cannons were valuable prizes to be taken back to the Golden Oasis.

***

The flames of war spread rapidly within the city, igniting even fiercer battles. Tens of thousands of Greyland Dwarves clashed with the invading Royal Gryphon Knights in various quarters of the capital. Despite outnumbering the knights nearly ten to one, their combat effectiveness was laughably inferior.

The Royal Gryphon Knights were of at least level seven, and over five thousand of them were King-class warriors. In contrast, the Greyland Dwarf Kingdom had only a few elite warriors of King-class or high rank, with the vast majority being intermediate-level fighters. The kingdom's regular army comprised merely four legions, totaling about twenty thousand soldiers, with the rest being weaker reserve forces and ordinary Greyland Dwarves. In such a high-stakes battlefield, they were little more than cannon fodder, only slightly stronger than the ratmen or sandfolk due to their armor.

The battlefield was illuminated by countless dazzling knight combat techniques and a deluge of golden feathers, falling like a torrential rain, mowing down the Greyland Dwarves like grass. The dwarves fought bravely, but the overwhelming strength of their enemies saw them fall in waves, their lives ending in pools of blood.

The massive Golden Gryphons rampaged through the battlefield like tanks, unstoppable by any force. To the dwarves, averaging just over a meter in height, these beasts, measuring ten to twenty meters in length, were akin to ancient monsters. Their physical attacks alone were enough to decimate the dwarves, and their powerful high-level magic wreaked further havoc.

As the battle wore on, the Greyland Dwarves' numbers visibly dwindled. This was without the involvement of the corpse dragon, Charles. If Charles had joined the fray, utilizing its domain or dragon breath, the dwarves would have perished even faster.

Charles hovered over the capital, having already dealt with the extraordinary dwarves that had attacked it. Most were torn apart and consumed, with a few managing to escape. But Charles did not pursue them, instead focusing on collecting the souls of the fallen dwarves to aid in the resurrection of its brother, the bone dragon Charles. Though heavily damaged and reduced to a skeleton, the bone dragon's soul fire remained intact, and with enough soul essence, it could be reborn.

Meanwhile, the Dwarf King fought fiercely. Compared to the Rat King Aubrey, he was a mightier and more spirited warrior. Wielding a nearly two-meter-long magic warhammer, each of his strikes unleashed immense power. Surrounding him were the kingdom's high-ranking officials, all fighting desperately.

Yet, as the battle dragged on, fewer and fewer comrades remained. Those who had fallen lay strewn across the battlefield.

"Your Majesty!" A pained cry rang out, drawing the surviving officials' attention to their king. A long knight's lance had pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground. The weapon's tip, stained with his blood, glinted in the light. The Dwarf King's face contorted in agony as he struggled to pull the lance from his body but eventually gave up.

Despite the pain, there was no fear in his eyes, only a sense of release. He cast his final gaze upon one of his high-ranking officials, repeating the words he had spoken before. "In history, there has never been a Dwarf King who surrendered! But for the survival of our race, you may…"

With those words, his hands fell limp, the warhammer that symbolized his battle honor dropping beside him.

"Your Majesty!!" The officials wept bitterly, except for the one whom the king had addressed. The rest charged at the Royal Gryphon Knights with renewed fury, fighting until the last one fell.

"You are true warriors!" A pinnacle-level Royal Judicator Knight approached, pulling the lance from the Dwarf King's body, his gaze respectful as it fell upon the last standing official. The dwarf, voice filled with bitterness, asked, "Why must you bring calamity to our kingdom? It was the same a hundred years ago, and now it is again... Is peace so difficult for you humans?"

The Royal Judicator Knight replied, "This is a battle to be remembered. War is not for slaughter, but to forge a better future! Of course, you wouldn't understand that. Now, you can give the order as the new king. If you wish to see no more dwarves fall on this battlefield…"

The dwarf stood silently, not acknowledging the title of "new king," feeling unworthy. Nonetheless, he heeded his fallen king's command to end the war.

***

Orders were soon relayed, and the dwarves on the battlefield began to lay down their arms. Yet, some elite dwarves continued to fight, refusing to surrender. The Royal Gryphon Knights granted their wish, allowing them to follow their fallen king into death.

With the fall of these last brave souls, the war was effectively over. The surviving dwarves were disarmed and made to kneel, swearing allegiance to the lord of the Golden Oasis under the watchful eyes of the Royal Knights.