In the last few milliseconds of his life, Sultan Murad II subconsciously recalled all the unforgettable events that had occurred from the moment he could remember until this very moment, including this, his final battle, from beginning to end.
No one knows whether, in his final moments, he regretted choosing to succumb to the radical faction's forced abdication, staking the Ottoman's future by tearing up the treaty, or whether he regretted choosing to fight Manuel to the death.
But no one would ever know his memories.
In those brief milliseconds, Murad II could only watch helplessly as the fatal lead bullet flew towards his glabella, powerless to do anything. It left his line of sight, then struck him directly in the center of his forehead, creating a small hole before immediately exploding within.
Thus, the life of the sixth monarch of the Ottoman Sultanate, Sultan Murad II, came to an end.
Seeing his archenemy truly killed by his own hand, collapsing with eyes wide open in death, Manuel gasped for breath, his heart pounding rapidly.
It was his victory.
After the Sultan fell dead, Caesar, having somewhat composed himself, surveyed the situation on the battlefield. The Edirne battlefield was still in a stalemate, but the personal guards of the two monarchs had already decided the victor: upon seeing the Sultan killed by Caesar, Janissaries Decurion Kodija Hazar fell into panic and disarray, creating numerous openings. Badars Gavras, the enemy's Commander of the Guard, seized an opportunity, sliced off his wrist with one sword stroke, then pierced his neck with another, slaying the exceptionally brave Turkmen warrior on the spot. With their Sultan and officer dead, the remaining Janissaries either lost the courage to continue fighting or became vulnerable due to their momentary panic, turning into ghosts under Christian swords.
After spending nearly ten minutes wrapping up the situation on his side, Manuel also accepted the Sultan's head with a smile. When his Commander of the Guard asked him what to do next, Manuel's expression lightened considerably, "Murad II is dead; the Ottoman have basically lost their command center. However—"
At this point, Manuel's tone took a deliberate turn, "There's still one person who needs to be dealt with specifically." He hadn't forgotten how, after Ottoman Sultan Murad I was assassinated on the battlefield in 1389, his son, Bayezid the "Thunderbolt," killed his brother, took command of the entire army, and continued to lead his forces to defeat the Serbian army of the time.
To prevent such a situation, after he and his unit rendezvoused with one of his main legions, he requested another warhorse from them. He had originally intended to lead the Cataphracts in pursuit of Murad's second son, Sultan Aladdin Ali, who had been designated as the next Sultan's heir. However, before taking formal action, he took some time to learn the current state of the battlefield from Barbaro Talostos, the legion commander, and changed his mind:
Shortly after his dramatic duel with Murad II, the Ottoman Akinji cavalry and Turkmen conscripts had completely collapsed under the Bosporus Army's advance. Even Ishak Bey, who led them, had already fled the battlefield with his remaining forces. The elite Sipahi cavalry also scattered like birds after their general, Kasim Pasha, was shot dead by a crossbow bolt from a crossbowman. The Kapikulu Corps, the core of the Ottoman infantry, was on the verge of collapse under the Bosporus Army's infantry phalanxes and artillery fire, needing only one final blow. The Topcu Artillery Corps, not to mention, without sufficient infantry cover, had either been killed or captured along with the Humbaraci Corps, which had a very low presence in this battle. Only the Ottoman Janissaries were still resisting stubbornly.
Among these events, one caused Caesar great sorrow: his Pontus Army Commander, the Anglo-Irish Dungar de Lapole, was accidentally unhorsed by the personal guards of Murad's eldest son, Ahmed, while leading a charge against the Kapikulu Corps. Although his subordinates later successfully repelled the enemy, Dungar was unfortunately trampled by the chaotic soldiers, and his right leg was almost a mangled mess. Even if he survived, he would likely have to retire from his military career.
But now was not the time to mourn for his subordinate. To end this battle as quickly as possible, Caesar issued the most advantageous military order for the Bosporus Army, "Spread the news of their Sultan's death among the Ottoman as much as possible. And continue fighting; try not to let their Janissaries escape!" Pausing, Manuel stroked his chin, as if he had thought of something else, and added, "Furthermore, if Murad's eldest son, Ahmed, and fourth son, Muhammad, leave the battlefield, there's no need to pursue their brother, Sultan Aladdin Ali."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Although somewhat perplexed by Caesar's order, his generals faithfully carried out his command.
Thus, without the Sultan's command and with the extensive propaganda from the Bosporus Army, the already exhausted Ottoman gradually collapsed. Sultan's eldest son, Ahmed, upon learning of his father's death, fearing the same fate as his great-granduncle Prince Yakub, fled with his remaining forces to the northern region of Bulgaria. Sultan's designated heir, Sultan Aladdin Ali, upon learning of his father's death in battle and that his two brothers had fled the battlefield, realized he could not turn the tide and abandoned this inevitable losing battle, breaking through with over a thousand Janissaries who still had fighting capability and fleeing south to Gallipoli.
And in the final stages of the battle, the Ottoman Sultanate's important ministers also chose their respective paths: Ishak Bey was overtaken and killed by Tatar light cavalry during his escape, but his son, Isa Bey, successfully fled north of Emos Mountains under his father's cover. Grand Vizier Chandarli Halil Pasha, protected by Janissaries led by Veli Mahmud Pasha, fled with the latter to the Gallipoli Peninsula. As for Zaganos Pasha and Turahan Bey, who were temporarily unaware of these events, they would surely make the right choices for themselves once they learned of this battle.
With the Sultan's death and the army's collapse, this battle, which took place outside Adrianople, finally ended with a complete victory for the Romans as dusk arrived.
Under the bloody afterglow, Caesar Manuel Gavras, surrounded by his officers and soldiers, looked at the battlefield strewn with the corpses of both friend and foe. He showed neither a relieved smile nor shed tears, but instead chose to turn his back to the sunset, gazing at the scene with a calm yet dazed expression.
Everything here, the dust has settled.