"Is there still a chance?"

"If our fleet can recapture the docks before the fortress falls completely, perhaps we will have a chance to wait until His Majesty John returns to Constantinople with the remnants of his army......"

The news of the naval battle had already reached the palace, but at this time, New Rome, except for the city defense army, could not gather troops to reinforce the front line in a short time. What's more, most of the fleets used for transportation were docked on the other side of the strait, which had been completely blocked by night and fighting. The calm Sea of Marmara now stretches like a moat between the Balkans and Asia Minor.

Constantine XI thought only for a moment on the Holy Seat, and then quickly decided: "Send someone to Galata at once, open all the iron cables, and let the galleon out!" Be sure to regain sea power in the Bosphorus as quickly as possible! In addition, ask for help from the port of Piraeus, Venice, Cyprus, Malta, Hungary, and Albania. ”

After a few heralds fulfilled their promises, they quickly received orders and went.

For the Empire, the strategic value of the Cut Throat seemed to have been replaced by the precarious siege of Smyrna, a fortified fortress that was more suitable as a bridgehead to the heart of the Ottoman heartland. But the current naval battle is actually the sharp arrow that shoots at the center of the Empire's eyebrows.

So far, Constantinople has not been able to figure out the size of the Ottoman naval fleet, and judging from the fact that the main force of the Phoenix fleet is in port and has not achieved an advantage for a long time, this fleet may have mixed all the ships that the Ottomans can mobilize. At this time, the direction of the Black Sea was not clear, and if Karacha had a backhand, perhaps even the situation of the Imperial Navy would be precarious.

"The Sea of Marmara is such a closed environment, as long as His Majesty John can hold out until dawn, our main fleet will even have a chance to sink all the invading enemies, but I'm afraid, time is not on our side......" Old Agrippa was well aware of the defensive force of a fortress like Cutthroat Fort, and even John led a small number of troops to hold it so far, and it was already difficult.

Constantine did not answer, his eyes were bloodshot, and the sound of cannon fire from the Bosphorus irritated his nerves. The situation is even more dire than it was a few years ago when he was confined within the walls of Theodosius.

"We've got to do something, Agrippa...... That's me...... That's the future emperor of the empire......"

……

The boiling oil and arrows were quickly depleted, and the pressure on the soldiers defending the outer walls became more and more apparent. At this time, the main army of Karacha, with its giant siege towers and wheeled artillery carriages, finally stopped twisting and filled the battle line with all the elite Janissries.

After the Ottoman guards with thick steel shields lowered the ladder in the siege tower, they quickly relied on their armor advantage to tear several gaps in the city wall with their flesh, and then the Ottoman soldiers swarmed up like a tide, turning the imperial army from a condescending defense battle into the most primitive hand-to-hand combat.

Caracha's preparations were more than that, after the artillery fuse was ignited, the crumbling eastern wall that had been crumbling due to the repeated bombardment by catapults finally could no longer support it and collapsed with a bang. The Imperial soldiers, who had been holding on to the city walls, became the first victims of the Ottoman artillery. Falling straight from the walls of several meters into the rubble, all that remained was a puddle of broken flesh and bones. At this time, the last servant had also been put into the front line, and the pomp and circumstance in front of him undoubtedly stimulated the blood of the Ottomans. It's been a long time since they've wrestled a decent victory from the Greeks, and at this moment, their crown prince is only one step away from him!

"The Lord is watching you! Kill all the heretics who dare to stand in your way! ”

Karacha let out a low roar, and the guards who acted as reserves also stepped into battle. By this time, the war had turned to slaughter, and the Imperial soldiers, who were physically exhausted, were no longer able to gain any advantage in a head-on confrontation. Without the shelter of the city walls, any resistance is meaningless.

After the army retreated to the inner walls, only five or six hundred soldiers remained in the entire Cut Throat Fort that were still capable of fighting. And many more soldiers, in addition to fighting to the death on the front line, were most likely trampled or severely injured by stray bullets.

The moats of the inner city were not very deep, and the walls were not so strong that until the Ottomans broke through, it was difficult to see the light of day.

"Your Majesty!"

At this time, John was somewhat embarrassed. Because of the shock caused by the artillery fire and the boulders, the furnishings of the house were scattered all over the ground, and in front of John was a desperate situation even greater than that above the Acropolis. Fortunately, at this time, Morey, as a secular knight, had prepared for the worst - he followed all orders from John, but only on the premise of ensuring the safety of the crown prince. If necessary, he will do whatever it takes, even to stun John, and will look for an opportunity to break through. In the stables inside the fort, the hunting horses, which were originally used to guard the hunting horses, became the last hope......

"Moving...... It's all about finding opportunities to rush out. The night will provide some cover, but the results will not be too optimistic......" John tried to calm his rapid breathing, and even forced his mind to calm down with a short knife with a few cuts in the back of his hand, "It's a temporary loss, but it's still expected...... If Giovanni and the others had taken Smyrna, the Empire's war of reconquest against Anatolia would have won a preliminary victory......"

"Your Majesty, there are three gates in the inner city, and the pressure on the south side is the least! At this time, Karacha's forces cannot be quickly concentrated, so we will first open the east and north sides as bait, and you will take Her Royal Highness the princess and the secular knights to break through from the south side on horseback...... What happens after that...... Redo the reconsideration. The threat at sea is too sudden, and if I can return to Constantinople, I will ask Your Majesty to settle my sins......" Orsini hurriedly explained his plan, holding his sword that had been cut out.

Even if a divine soldier descends from the sky, I am afraid that he will be helpless in the face of the current situation. Even how many of the hundreds of people in the inner walls will see tomorrow's sun again is unknown.

"Sir Morey, the safety of His Majesty John is in your hands. You must bring the crown prince and princess back to Constantinople......"

"Although this sounds like the only way, General Osini ......" Sophia held her cane with a nonchalant expression, "but if you divide your forces at this time, even if you escape from the Cut Throat Fort, it will still be a dead end." The place we are going to is not the outer city, but the port behind the city. ”

"Ports? It has been blocked by Ottoman galleys! With their firepower, we have no chance to rush out! Most of the only things left in the harbor were light galleons for transportation, which were not equipped with sailors! ”

"That's better than being pulled out and cut down by the Ottoman cavalry one by one after dawn!" Latius slammed the table, "If the ships I brought from Athens don't sink, maybe they'll be able to tear them open!" ”