I was a knight in the Middle Ages

Without any formalities, Captain Kaskin's sharply defined face remained expressionless as his hawk-like eyes swept over the eight surviving knights.

Kaskin's voice was loud and cold as he explained directly, "Congratulations, you have passed the final test of the Imperial Knights!"

He paused, seemingly enjoying the bewilderment on the faces of these blood-soaked, exhausted soldiers, a barely perceptible sneer playing at the corners of his lips.

"You endured hellish loneliness, withstood the test of death, and successfully emerged from endless slaughter! Upon returning to the holy city of Jerusalem, you will be awarded the highest honors and become the new cornerstone of the empire!"

Kaskin's voice echoed across the empty deck, each word like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's tense nerves.

Before anyone could react to the sudden "congratulations," Kaskin waved his hand.

His tone became somewhat impatient: "Alright, you'll receive a 'warm' welcome from us from now on. Hassan, take these heroes to rest!"

After saying this, Kaskin seemed to have nothing but contempt for these so-called "heroes" and didn't want to look at them at all.

He turned around abruptly and strode toward the bridge's cockpit. The heavy hatch slammed shut behind him, separating the two worlds.

Although the hatch was closed, the perceptive knight Jin seemed to catch through the crack in the door a sound that seemed out of place with the somber atmosphere.

It sounded like a woman's silvery laughter, and the crisp, melodious clinking of wine glasses...

Inside the wheelhouse, the atmosphere was completely different from the somber mood on the deck.

Under the warm light, Kaskin sat comfortably on the leather sofa.

A scantily clad, alluring woman, for some reason, lost her balance and fell headfirst into Kaskin's broad arms. "Lord Kaskin, you're so naughty."

Instead of pushing her away, Kaskin burst into laughter and pulled the woman into his arms, kneading her.

"Those knights will probably live a life of luxury in the future," the woman said, her eyes filled with envy. They too had come from poor backgrounds and were forced into this profession.

However, Kaskin's laughter was full of smugness and contempt: "Hahaha, of course! But... those so-called fiefdoms are all barren lands where no one will shed a drop of dirt. The real good places have long been thoroughly plundered by us old noble knights, leaving them nothing but a mess full of dangers and the possibility of a popular uprising at any moment! These newly recruited knights are nothing more than cannon fodder for us, to suppress those reckless rioters."

As Kaskin spoke, he tightened his grip on the beautiful woman in his arms, his disdain and mockery practically overflowing: "Resources are limited, and enjoyment is reserved for 'us.' You think you can climb to our level by becoming a knight? A hundred years ago, perhaps such a naive possibility existed, but now? Absolutely not!"

……

"This is what you call 'warm hospitality'? This is the accommodation for heroes?!" Knight King, looking at the appalling conditions that resembled a pigsty, could no longer contain his anger and let out a thunderous roar.

The so-called "dormitory" in front of us is nothing more than a simple space hastily partitioned off with wooden planks on the lower deck.

Three rows in a group, three groups in a row, so narrow that it was difficult to even turn around, and the air was filled with a musty smell and the stench of sweat.

This was worse than hell for infantry knights who were already restricted in their movement due to heavy armor.

Hassan, the sailor in charge of leading the way, leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed and a disgusting look of disdain on his face.

The sailor looked at him like a bunch of country bumpkins who'd never seen the world: "That's right, this is your quarters. You'll have to make do here for the next few days of the voyage. If you need anything, just let me know, but—"

He drawled out his words, his face full of disdain, "I can't guarantee I'll solve it for you."

"Absurd!" Knight King's eyes widened in anger. "We demand a change of accommodation! At the very least, give us single rooms! This is the most basic respect for the heroes of the Empire!"

The other knights behind the Golden Knight did not speak, but their eyes were also filled with dissatisfaction and anger.

However, they did not speak out to stop Knight King's resistance.

Having survived a life-or-death ordeal, they truly needed a decent place to recover their strength and dignity.

The key is the presence of three paladins, which compels them to do this.

"This is what the captain arranged. Take it or leave it!" Hassan's tone became even more aggressive and provocative.

"How dare you treat the heroes of our empire like this? Then I'll go and confront the captain myself!" Knight King's temper was completely ignited.

He stepped forward, his large, fan-like hand suddenly reaching out and grabbing Hassan's collar.

Knight Jin lifted him off the ground like a chick, suspending him in mid-air.

"Cough...cough...what I said...is all true...this really was arranged by the captain himself..." Hassan was choked and could hardly breathe, his face flushed.

He was indeed afraid of Knight King's strength, but he was even more afraid that the knights' noise would disturb the captain's enjoyment.

In that case, this little sailor would probably be thrown into the sea to feed the fish!

"I don't care who arranged it! If I'm not satisfied, I'll fight for it!" Knight Jin roared angrily, his eyes bloodshot, like an enraged lion, and he increased the strength in his hands.

"I...I'll get you a replacement! Quickly...put me down! I'll arrange something better for you right away!" Hassan finally gave in completely.

Faced with the fear of death, the captain's orders were disregarded.

Ultimately, under Knight King's forceful coercion, everyone was taken to the upper cabin.

Although the environment is still not very comfortable, the space is much larger than the one below, and it is a four-person room with two rows on two floors.

At least it would allow these burly knights to stretch their bodies, and turning around would no longer be a pipe dream.

"You'll have to make do here," Hassan said, rubbing his neck and glaring at them with venom. "This is the sailors' rest area. I put you here to keep you from disturbing the captain. You're lucky!"

The knights ignored him and immediately began tidying up their own space.

After all, they have special identities and the secrets of the armor they wear are hidden.

A relatively safe and private space is needed for recovery and communication.

The three paladins, along with Athena, were placed in the innermost room to be protected as the core force.

Knights Jin and Alpha, Dark Elf Peter, and Knight Wood were positioned on the outer perimeter as the first line of defense.

They later learned that Hassan himself might face criticism from other sailors for settling them there.

The sailors who were originally resting here initially tried to surround and argue with the knights when they were confronted by their domineering arrival.

But under Knight King's murderous gaze and merciless punches and kicks, they all eventually covered their faces and slunk away obediently.

The air inside the cabin was foul, a mixture of sweat, mildew, and the salty smell of seawater, making it suffocating.

Alpha frowned, unable to bear it any longer, and then took the taciturn dark elf Peter with him.

The two pushed open the creaking hatch, stepped out of their dormitory, and headed towards the deck.

The sky was already dark, as if a huge black cloth had shrouded the world.

The waves at sea seemed much larger than during the day.

The fifty-meter-long warship, in the boundless, raging sea, was now like a rootless duckweed, tossed about by the giant waves, violently swaying and rocking.

The journey, which was originally expected to take two days, was forced to be extended because the warships needed to pick up other personnel along the way.

They would likely have to endure drifting on this vast ocean for a full week.

Of course, this week wasn't the end of the mission; they also had to escort the people back to receive the next assignment from the Empire.

This cycle repeats endlessly.

Alpha knew all too well that the empire never supported idlers.

Upon returning to the Holy City, they will be dispatched like pawns to the most remote and dangerous corners of the empire, based on each person's strength and background.

Looking at the exhausted figures of the other knights on the deck, Alpha suddenly had an immature but ambitious idea.

These knights, whom the empire had abandoned and who were not well-liked, might be the very force he could utilize.

Each of them possessed strength that remained firmly at the level of a high-ranking knight.

He is only one step away from reaching the Bronze Knight realm where battle aura can be released, making him an extremely promising talent.

"What a waste of talent," Alpha thought to himself.

The ruling class of the Ottoman Empire was so corrupt that they treated these loyal and capable knights like dirt, discarding and wasting them at will.

The Empire's attitude towards knights is not based on their strength, but on their background.

"Sir Knight, a storm is coming! You must get back to the cabin quickly, it's too dangerous outside!" a slightly fearful voice called out. It was the sailor Hassan.

Since being reprimanded by Knight Jin that afternoon, he had become much more respectful to these fierce-looking knights.

Hassan was braving the howling sea wind, shouting a reminder.

As if to confirm the sailor's words, the already turbulent sea instantly changed its appearance.

The ocean's capricious temper was on full display at this moment, with towering waves crashing down like black mountains.

Under the pitch-black night sky, everything in sight was a blur, and nothing could be seen at all.

The entire warship, along with the people on board, resembled a helpless child abandoned under the endless night sky, small and lonely.

……

"Why is it rocking so violently? This damned tin can... Will the ship... will it sink?!" Knight King's burly body swayed violently as the warship rocked.

He gripped the railing tightly, his face ashen, and his eyes revealing an undisguised fear.

This is a warrior who remained unfazed even when surrounded by hundreds or thousands of mutants on the battlefield.

Faced with this boundless, raging sea, they became like frightened birds.

They were a group of "landlubbers" who were used to living on land.

At this moment, faced with the roar of nature, we appear so small and helpless.

"Lord Alpha...will we be alright...?" In the dimly lit, swaying cabin, Fanxing's small body curled up in Alpha's arms.

She was trembling slightly, her big eyes filled with terrified tears.

This scene, like a nightmare, awakened terrible memories buried deep in her heart.

That was back when the stars had just been sold from the distant East to the Western continent.

A crowded, dilapidated ship drifted at sea for a whole month.

The environment there was a hundred times worse than it is now; storms, diseases, and hunger, like the scythe of death, mercilessly reaped lives.

Less than half survived. Every one who died, or who was seriously ill and incurable, was ruthlessly thrown into the sea to feed the fish, like garbage.

Watching her close companions disappear one by one in terror, the deep-seated despair and fear she felt is still a nightmare she can't shake off.

"Don't be afraid, it's alright, I'm here for you." Alpha's voice was steady and strong as he gently patted Fanxing's back to comfort her.