It wasn't until the crumbling stone smashed a dent in the breastplate, and then an irrepressible feeling of suffocation came from his chest, that John understood what had happened in that second.

He wanted to say something more, but the sweet blood that kept pouring up his throat stopped everything. Everyone around seemed to be in a hurry, shouting something in a hurry, but John couldn't hear anything.

"General Publius ......"

He tried to roll his throat, but swallowed a large mouthful of blood, and as the pain slowly spread, everything around him became blurred and distorted.

Finally, before darkness fell, John, who hung his head weakly, saw a large pool of scarlet around his body.

……

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!" Morey instantly broke free from the grasp of the secular knights and rushed in front of John in two steps. But at this time, perhaps because of the excessive blood loss, John had already lost much consciousness. I could only feel myself being lifted by a force, but I couldn't hear or see the changes around me.

"General Publius, you lead the men to defend the mountain pass. We'll talk about the conscripts in a moment! Duke Latius, don't go to the civilians of the Acropolis to find a doctor, it won't work! Your Majesty needs a safe open space to lie down first! ”

After spending a long time with Sophia and John, Morey naturally felt a strong distrust of the folk doctors.

Of course, since the range of the stone-throwing has reached here, there is naturally no so-called safe place above the acropolis.

The Ottomans did not leave any respite for the Empire. Especially now, when only the last step is missing.

"For Your Majesty! Defend the hills of Akropolis! ”

Nor can Publius say for sure what effect John had on the army after he was seriously wounded and unconscious. He didn't dare to spread the news. The line of defense can only be re-consolidated as quickly as possible. to buy more time for Athens.

With the exception of a few secular knights who followed Morey's guard John, the rest of the men were all thrown into the front line of battle. According to the character of the Ottomans, the next offensive would continue until the empire ran out of troops.

Just to buy time, Publius adopted the most traditional Roman phalanx to defend the mountain pass. Since there was only a narrow path to the top of the Acropolis, and it only took four men to block it, Publius commanded his army, which was lined up in a column of four. until you reach the top of the mountain. I don't want to inflict much damage on the Ottomans, I just want to hold out until late afternoon, dusk.

The boulders thrown by the Ottoman trebuchets and the stones that had been shattered by the great kinetic energy also became the weapons of the Roman city defenses. Pushing boulders down the vertical mountain can not only cause a lot of damage, but also damage the mountain and mountain paths, and slow down the Ottomans' advance.

"General Publius, you have done everything you can......" Latius shook his head, tucking his gauntlet sword into the ground and glancing at the fearless Ottoman Sultan's guards beneath the walls.

He didn't know if in the end, he would die because of this battle. But he can at least be sure that he will fight until the moment of peace in Athens.

"How is Your Majesty, Lord Duke......"

"The bandages are tight. The conditions here also allow us to do only preliminary hemostasis...... It can only be said that the situation is not optimistic. Even if His Majesty's cuirass withstood the damage caused by a large amount of impact, but still unconscious, we can almost conclude that ...... His Majesty also suffered trauma on the inside of his body......"

The two fell silent at the same time. Such an injury, coupled with the current environment. John's death sentence had almost been pronounced. Unless a miracle comes, ......

"Do what we should do, for Athens...... Gain time. His Majesty is God's favorite. But it still needs to be experienced in the world. The Lord Almighty will not let His Majesty accompany him so soon. ”

The dynamics of the war did not change in any way because of John's serious injury, and the Empire's defenses at the Akropolis Pass were shrinking. The Ottomans were quite experienced in dealing with such bastion-like fronts, which were almost offensive. The traditional phalanx was not as effective as Publius thought.

"If this continues, perhaps before noon, the Ottomans will be able to break through this last line of defense......" Latius let out a sigh of relief, glancing at the last banner of King Paleiollis fluttering in the city in the middle of the marble carved statuettes of Athena and Artemis at the top of the acropolis, "General Publius." After I was killed in battle, you led everyone and surrendered to the Ottomans......"

"I will fight Athens until the last moment......"

"Stupid! Then what about Your Majesty! Tell the Ottomans that we surrender and then go and ask for Muhammad's forgiveness. Tell them to send the best doctors to treat Your Majesty! No matter how important Athens is, it is just a city that can be fought for at any time, but Your Majesty ......"

Publius suddenly grabbed the collar of Duke Latius's shirt, and he looked directly at Latius with bloodshot eyes, and roared, "Even when the Ottomans were under the walls, Your Majesty did not abandon us. He had countless opportunities to evacuate to safety with Her Royal Highness the Princess, but he didn't! Now, let me surrender to this group of infidels with my majesty? Lord Duke, do you want me to be ridiculed by Satan after I die in battle? ”

"General Publius, the mountain pass is about to be overwhelmed! The Ottomans are storming the Acropolis! ”

After the two calmed down from their quarrel, they realized that the Ottomans were about to complete their final offensive. The strength of the city defense and the Holy See Guard was less than 300 men, and the spacious platform at the top of the Akropolis hill was completely unable to withstand such a powerful attack by the Ottomans.

"General Latius, it's all coming to an end. I hope His Majesty Constantine won't blame us for this......"

"If there is still a chance, I will definitely cut off Muhammad's head with my own hands on behalf of Your Majesty......"

The two looked at each other, then drew their swords in unison.

This may be a rout that will go down in history, or it may be a strong mark in the history of the Ottomans.

"For Valleologo! For Rome! ”

Not only the remaining city defense troops, but also the Athenian civilians who were still cowering in the acropolis before, have now picked up all the "weapons" that can cause casualties.

This battle has nothing to do with glory. When John Paleioho fell in a pool of blood in order to protect his subjects, it was already doomed, and the battle of Athens was endless.

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Lewen