Soon, the area Talion had chosen was filled with the Rodel Legion, becoming quite crowded, and as the portal continuously flashed, they began to spread out.
However, despite the space being somewhat narrow compared to the wide streets of the Royal Capital of Leyndell, the soldiers of the Rodel Legion did not become disorganized; instead, they strictly changed formations under the command of various Leyndell Knights, systematically arranging themselves into military formations.
Arthur gave Talion a reassuring look and said, "I've temporarily sent a thousand-man elite legion from the Golden Tree Territory as support. Now you shouldn't have to worry about the safety of the Black Gate."
Talion looked at the Leyndell soldiers in front of him, who made no sound except for the clanking of their armor and weapons as they walked. He took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily, a look of relief on his face: "Don't just say a thousand-man legion, even if you sent a hundred-man squad, it would relieve a lot of our pressure."
Arthur raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Oh? Is the Black Gate already that tense? Are the Ringwraiths leading those orcs?"
Talion shook his head, a bitter and sorrowful expression on his face: "No, ever since your confrontation with Sauron last time, the Ringwraiths have disappeared, as if they vanished. However, the orcs have gone mad, attacking the Black Gate day and night, incessantly. Although those scoundrels aren't strong in combat, they excel in sheer numbers. The Rangers stationed at the Black Gate are already few, and there are too many places to defend, which has led to our defensive line being further stretched and weakened. At first, we were unfamiliar with the orcs' new attack rhythm and lost many comrades. Although we later became familiar with it, there were no extra hands to support us, and my comrades also died one after another during the defense... If it weren't for the abundant supplies of arrows, lamp oil, and other materials supported by Gondor, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to hold out until you arrived."
After listening, Arthur mourned for a few seconds for Talion's fallen Ranger comrades, then patted his shoulder: "When I met with the Regent, I tried to persuade him to send some soldiers from Gondor to help the Rangers guard the Black Gate, but he refused."
Talion sighed helplessly, then forced himself to cheer up and said, "I know, Dihail told me about it. No one is to blame for this. I also know Gondor's situation; indeed, as the Regent said, they are already stretched thin just resisting dark forces from other directions. Even so, the Regent generously supplied the Black Gate with a large amount of materials, and the materials provided were not shoddy in any way, which already speaks volumes about his attitude."
Arthur heard this and asked curiously, "Why is only Gondor resisting those dark forces that constantly try to invade? What are the other human nations doing?"
Before Talion could speak, Bernal's voice came from in front of them: "What else could they be doing? Hiding and warming themselves under the behemoth that is Gondor. And I imagine that Regent of Gondor would certainly not be willing to entrust his country's borders to other untrusted people to defend. Moreover, there are many political factors involved, such as how many soldiers other countries should send each year, whether they send elite soldiers or just warm bodies, and how much money Gondor would have to spend for this each year, or whether they would invade while their own country's military strength is empty, and so on. In short, just thinking about it is terribly troublesome."
Talion first performed a Ranger's salute to Bernal, then looked at Arthur, wanting to know his name from him.
Arthur also understood Talion's meaning. While introducing Bernal to Talion, he also called over Igon and Millison and introduced them to him as well.
After Talion heard their three names, his eyes widened in surprise, and he said with some excitement, "Are these the three sirs who participated in the recent epic dragon-slaying, Bernal the Swordsman, Igon the Divine Archer, and Millison the Swordswoman?"
Arthur blinked in confusion, looking at Bernal and the other two, and asked, "When did your titles become what he said?"
Bernal sighed, rubbing his forehead, and Millison also looked at Arthur in confusion. Only Igon laughed heartily and said, "Haha, those were all given by the dwarves! Thorin said that to commemorate our journey to the Lonely Mountain, he commissioned a bard to write a poem about us. Later, the Elves heard it and gave it some artistic embellishment, and our titles became like this."
Talion also nodded in admiration, following Igon's words: "I did hear your story in its entirety from those bards. Sir Bernal, who single-handedly fought several Ringwraiths and killed them; Sir Igon, who never misses a shot; and Lady Millison, who wields her long sword as elegantly as a dancer. I have always admired heroes like you, and I never expected to meet all of you here."
Then he showed a completely relieved expression and said, "I didn't expect Arthur to invite the three of you to support the Black Gate. Now I no longer have to worry about what those orc scum will do to the Black Gate."
Arthur smiled and nodded; this was the effect he wanted.
He had originally wanted to summon one or two more Roundtable Knights belonging to the Royal Capital Leyndell, but then he thought that the summoned friends had no fame in this world yet, and although the possibility was very small, some people might still be unconvinced if they came to help.
To avoid such a minimal probability event, Arthur still prioritized Bernal and the other two, who had become famous after the Battle of the Lonely Mountain.
Of course, among those more famous in the Battle of the Lonely Mountain was General Radahn, who single-handedly defeated and killed Smaug. However, Arthur still needed Radahn within the territory for emergencies, so he did not choose Radahn as the support person this time.
Having Radahn, a demigod, was Arthur's reassurance that he could leave the Golden Tree Territory for so long.
However, after Talion finished his exclamation, Arthur still told Talion the original titles of Bernal and the other two in The Lands Between, so that he would no longer call them by those strange names.
But it also caused new confusion for Talion.
Igon and Millison's titles were fine, but Bernal's title of "Pretender" made Talion somewhat perplexed.
Because he clearly remembered that the Golden Tree Territory currently had and only had one king, and that was Arthur. Did "Pretender" mean that Sir Bernal had thoughts of usurping Arthur's throne?
Then Talion glanced at Arthur and Bernal, who were smiling and conversing, not looking like a king and a would-be usurper, which made him even more confused.
Arthur and Bernal simultaneously saw Talion's confusion, and the former helped explain: "In my homeland, only the strongest person can become king, and the title of 'Pretender' is given to those strong individuals who once had the opportunity to become king. This title more often symbolizes that his personal strength is close to that of a king, which is why he is called 'Pretender'."
And Bernal also shrugged at this moment: "That's what it means. Whoever wants that rotten position can have it. Seeing Arthur busy all day, I'm too lazy to fight him for that position. Moreover, I didn't accept the title of 'Pretender' because I wanted to be king in the first place... Sir Talion, it looks like your man has urgent business with you."
Before he finished speaking, he saw a young man who resembled Talion running over anxiously, and he was startled when he saw a golden Rodel Legion.
Talion looked at his son, Dihail, coming over and asked, "What's wrong, Dihail?"
Dihail calmed his panting and replied, "The orcs have started attacking again."
Arthur and Bernal heard Dihail's words and exchanged a knowing glance, realizing that the Rodel Legion would soon have work to do.