The Hidden Extra: The Lazy Prince Refuses to Ascend The Throne Chapter 685 Landslide Victory (2)

Hearing Elina's threat, the soldiers dared not move. At once, they dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves on the sand.

Soldiers from the eastern region swiftly apprehended them, ensuring no possibility for resistance.

Elina offered a slight smile before turning back towards Erkan.

"You have been defeated. Surrender," she stated icily.

"Ugh..." Erkan clenched his teeth. He then regained his bravado, sneering, "Do not be so arrogant, Elina Lorian! Do you truly believe victory is yours? Hahaha! Such naivety!"

Elina's brow furrowed, perplexed by his words.

Sensing her confusion, Erkan chuckled. "Have you forgotten that this land belongs to the Ancient Kingdom of Eron? An hour ago, moments after we departed that valley, I dispatched a distress signal to the royal palace. They are likely en route as we speak! You are doomed! Hahaha!"

Erkan was not without foresight. Having lost over ten thousand soldiers, he had promptly transmitted a distress signal to the royal palace.

This signal utilized a magical artifact, directly connected to the palace itself. Reinforcements were almost certain to arrive within one to two hours.

Consequently, Elina, Nolan, Seira, and their forces would face insurmountable odds in their return to the Great Velmora Empire.

Elina's expression grew tense instantly. She had not anticipated Erkan's cunning.

He had discerned his impending defeat and dispatched a plea for aid to the royal palace. Should reinforcements arrive, Elina and her contingent would face annihilation.

Just as a sense of panic began to overwhelm her, Nolan's composed voice resonated from behind.

"Fear not, Elina."

Elina startled, turning towards Nolan, and felt an inexplicable wave of reassurance.

"Fear not? What do you mean?" she inquired.

Erkan, too, was bewildered, his gaze fixed warily on Nolan.

Of all the deceitful individuals he had encountered, Nolan was the most perilous.

He had not only concealed his true capabilities but had also misled everyone with the facade of a useless prince.

Had Erkan maintained his vigilance, the outcome would have differed. The mission would have been successful, and he would have reaped a substantial reward from Gulvar.

However, it was now too late. His sole recourse was to hope for the swift arrival of reinforcements from the royal palace; only then could the tide of battle turn.

Yet, as Nolan began to speak, a shiver coursed down Erkan's spine.

"You may be unaware, but the royal capital is currently in a state of pandemonium. Gulvar lacks the capacity to dispatch reinforcements. He himself is in dire straits. How could he possibly allocate troops in such circumstances?"

Erkan's heart pounded, his breathing becoming labored.

"Cease your nonsensical talk, Nolan Lorian! I shall tear your tongue out!" Erkan snarled.

Elina frowned, poised to strike, but Nolan intervened.

"There is no need to soil your hands. Simply await. Within five minutes, a missive from that individual will arrive."

Elina nodded, complying with her brother's directive.

Erkan scoffed, still assured of the royal palace's imminent intervention.

Yet, strangely, after three minutes elapsed, a disquieting feeling began to consume him.

'Could Nolan Lorian's words hold truth?'

The thought flickered through his mind, yet he promptly dismissed it.

'Impossible. Yes, it is utterly impossible! That man is a schemer. He merely intends to break my resolve and shatter my troops' morale. Yes, that must be it!'

His confidence rekindled, Erkan offered a thin smile, fixing a cold glare upon Nolan.

Nolan simply smiled, offering no response.

Second by second, the minutes ticked by until the five-minute mark Nolan had predicted finally arrived.

Nevertheless, nothing materialized, save for the piercing cry of the night wind.

Erkan erupted in laughter, taunting, "Hahaha! Have you lost your mind, Nolan Lorian? I knew you were merely spewing falsehoods!"

His soldiers, who had been gripped by fear earlier, also began to regain their composure.

Even as they remained kneeling, their expressions no longer conveyed fear, as if assured of ultimate victory.

Nolan maintained his placid smile. "Do not celebrate prematurely. The message has indeed arrived."

A moment later, the distinct sound of wingbeats echoed from afar.

Instinctively, all eyes turned, observing a crow soaring rapidly towards them.

Nolan raised his right hand, and the crow alighted upon it.

He gently stroked its head before untying the slender scroll from its ankle.

Under Erkan's astonished and terrified gaze, Nolan unrolled the parchment and began to read.

Time seemed to stretch. Erkan's breaths grew more rapid with each passing second.

"Success," Nolan murmured, a faint smile gracing his lips. He refolded the scroll and presented it to Elina.

"Take it and read. I assure you, you will be pleasantly surprised."

Elina hesitated. She still held Erkan captive. If she were to release him now, would all her efforts be in vain?

Noticing her hesitation, Nolan offered reassurance. "Don't worry. Once he hears this, he'll be too shocked to continue fighting."

Elina took a deep breath. Releasing her arm from Erkan's neck, she then delivered a kick to his back.

Erkan was propelled forward, his body crashing into the sand. What appeared soft was, in fact, sharp enough to abrade his skin.

As he prepared to rise in fury, Elina's voice, laced with horror, suddenly echoed.

"The capital… has fallen!? How could this possibly happen!?"

Her declaration struck like a thunderbolt, striking the hearts of all the kingdom's soldiers, including Erkan.

"I-It's impossible! You must be mistaken!" Erkan cried out.

Yet, Elina had no desire to engage in an argument with him. She rolled up the scroll and presented it to him.

"Read it for yourself. You will discover the truth," she responded with indifference.

Erkan quickly caught it and began to decipher its contents.

"[The capital is engulfed in chaos and ruin. The hundreds of mysterious individuals I dispatched have successfully ignited fires in residences, businesses, and more. The reported casualties already number in the thousands, possibly even exceeding that count. Survivors have sought refuge in underground shelters and within the royal palace, but this measure alone is insufficient. A palpable sense of panic and terror pervades the populace. Everything has unfolded precisely as you predicted, Nolan Lorian. Inevitably, the people will foment rebellion, and my father's authority will crumble. I trust you will make your way back to your empire safely. Respectfully, Karakh Leyrn.]"

Bang!

Erkan felt an overwhelming sensation, as if his head had been struck by a heavy hammer. His countenance turned ashen, as if all the lifeblood had been drained from it.

His mouth moved, opening and closing, as though numerous words were poised on his tongue but utterly failed to emerge.

"How… can this be real?"

The scroll slipped from his grasp, descending to the ground. He collapsed forward, as if his strength had abruptly deserted him.

This scene utterly devastated the morale of his soldiers.

They grasped the implications. The moment Erkan faltered, it solidified their understanding: Nolan had spoken the truth.