565: Chapter 565 The Sword of Pata

Following Rajesh Singh Delrosia's command, more armored soldiers surged forward like a tidal wave breaching a dam, densely swarming toward the battlements where Xiang Yu stood. Spears and short blades wove into an airtight net of death, attempting to use absolute numerical superiority to trap the Hegemon-King of West Chu and slowly grind away every last drop of his remaining strength.

Xiang Yu was already deep in the chaotic fray. The inner armor he wore was soaked in blood, and dark red beads of gore constantly dripped from the gaps in the armor plates, pooling into a startling puddle beneath his feet.

The violent slaughter had exhausted most of his stamina. Every swing of his arm and every block pulled at his aching muscles and bones. Cold sweat mingled with the blood on his face and slid down, dripping into the corners of his tightly pressed lips, tasting both salty and metallic.

Every breath he took was heavy and tearing. His ragged gasps were exceptionally clear amidst the noisy battlefield, as puffs of scalding white air billowed from his crimson mouth. Upon hitting the cold air, they instantly dissipated into a fine white mist, only to be swept away by the cold wind atop the city walls.

His peripheral vision swept over the dense crowd of figures closing in. Xiang Yu knew clearly in his heart—he could not afford to stay trapped on the city wall like this.

The enemy troops before him were countless, packed tightly together. No matter how peerless his combat prowess was, if this battle of attrition continued, he would eventually collapse from exhaustion and be swarmed to death or hacked to pieces by these men.

"I must fight my way down the wall! Open the city gates!"

The thought exploded in his mind with an unquestionable resolve.

Long Que, Xiang Bo, and Yu Ziqi were still waiting outside the city. If he could open the gates and let them lead the army inside, they could strike from both within and without. The pressure on him would be greatly reduced, and this desperate battle would have a chance for a reversal.

He gritted his teeth and suddenly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning pale from the force. His remaining strength spread from his arms through his entire body, and a wild, defiant light reignited in his eyes.

Just then, a sharp gust of wind struck from the side, carrying a biting chill different from the weapons of the Central Plains.

Xiang Yu's eyes sharpened, and he instinctively leaned aside to dodge. From the corner of his eye, he saw a Delrosian soldier dressed in exotic attire, holding a uniquely shaped weapon, roaring as he lunged forward—it was a patta sword.

"Hm?"

Xiang Yu fixed his gaze on the unfamiliar weapon, his brow arching slightly as a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

This sword was completely different from the bronze swords of the Central Plains he usually saw. The most eye-catching feature was the hilt, which resembled a metal gauntlet. The forged metal hilt had a cold, hard matte finish, its surface carved with intricate exotic patterns and its edges plated with a faint silver glow that was particularly piercing in the flickering light of the battle.

The gauntlet was firmly connected to the straight-edged blade via a decorated arm-like piece. Inside the hilt was a thick crossbar, which the soldier was gripping tightly. A curved metal chain at the cuff of the gauntlet was firmly wrapped around his forearm, fixing the entire sword and arm into a single unit, as if the blade were an extension of his forearm.

Though Xiang Yu had never seen this sword before, he saw through its secrets in a flash. Such a unique gauntlet design allowed one to maximize the force of the arm's swing. Every hack would carry immense weight and momentum, perfectly suited for a wide-swinging combat style.

However, the heavy gauntlet also restricted wrist movement, lacking agility. It was clearly unsuitable for delicate thrusts and better for direct, brute-force hacking.

But at this moment, Xiang Yu's Overlord Spear was still deeply embedded in the city wall.

Being empty-handed, his full combat potential had not yet been completely unleashed.

This patta sword would make a fitting weapon for him!