Kingdom: Hyou Ren

The First Day was the most decisive amongst them all, the extermination of the Vanguard, over 12,000 men killed or wounded, served to force the main force on the defensive.

A defensive which had continued against Rin Koo, the child with 2 swords. And he had put us on the defensive, to say the slightest.

The first and second day had been chaotic, his desire for revenge against me for the death of Gen Pou, which had earned me a lot of reputation during these last days.

During our return to the camp, after the first day. Shin and I were branded as heroes, me more than Shin. Nonetheless, he was given some of the honours, however I killed the General, one of the 4 Greats.

That said, something in itself, and I doubt I´d be taken easy from now on. 

However, the Battle had continued as normal for 4 days, and we had just returned from the 4th day of fighting.

All of the 4 Rookie Units had been placed in reserve. The Hi Shin Force, due to their exhaustion, the Gyoku Hou due to their losses and the Le Hua, simply due to luck. However, on the fourth day. I had been approached by Mou Ten, and invited to Ou Hon's tent, for a discussion of strategies. 

"So, to say it simply. The Hi Shin and Gyoku Hou are exhausted, and therefore cannot complete the mission, and we´ll need the Ginryu Tai to clear the way for you two. Therefore, I must take on the task." Mou Ten said, his determination apparent in his facade.

"I hope you realise, that this will result in your elites getting massacred. Rin Koo´s men are veterans of a hundred battles. Your men will not stand a chance, and they will be massacred in great numbers." I told the man, seriously. And it was a fact.

He desired to take out Rin Koo, and his strategy was simple.

He´d charge first, alongside the La Hua Force, aiming for the openings between the various square formation, whom were guarded by Rin Koo´s soldiers, and he'd soften them up for the cavalry of both the Hi Shin and Gyoku Hou´s cavalry, which wasn't larger than 500 men to pierce through.

And for the 2 Commanders to challenge Rin Koo in a duel. 

In addition, the plan was for me to assist Mou Ten at the same time, smashing into the occupied 700 Rin Koo men, to take them out.

For as long as they existed, we'd struggle. 

Shin gritted his teeth, he didn´t quite agree with the strategy. But he knew, deep down. That it was a necessary sacrifice. 

However, I decided to point out the battle's obvious flaw.

"The problem is, Ri Koo is unlikely to have a place for all his men in that singular position, even if we push through them. He's likely to have another few hundred elites in the back, they´d make quick work of the exhausted and outnumbered Hi Shin and Gyoku Hou Units." I said, pointing to the map. 

"Therefore, I suggest that my unit joins the mission to kill Ri Koo." I said, shocking most of them.

3 men, to kill a singular commander. 

"What? You'd be leaving Mou Ten to die, bastard!" Shin shouted, standing up violently. But Mou Ten kept silent, studying the map. 

"I have 285 Horsemen left, and I have full faith in my officers. We will and can destroy the Main Camp Guards. And you're underestimating Ri Koo, he will not die quickly. " I said, staring down Mou Ten, who sighed.

"So you too, have an eye for strategy. And I agree, you'll join Shin and the others." He said, and I nodded.

"What, have you gone mad Mou Ten? You'll lose all your men." Shin said.

"Relax, Shin. I´ll manage." He said, ending the meeting. And I nodded, heading out of the tent and back to my camp.

And on the way, I found Ishiro sitting on the ground, by the cliff of a mountain. Overlooking the skies.

I had yet to fully talk to the man, so I decided to do so. As I walked up to him.

He turned to look towards me, as he heard footsteps approach. And as soon as he saw me, he immediately made to stand up.

"Remain seated, Ishiro." I said, as I sat down beside him. Although he sat back down reluctantly.

"The Moon is quite beautiful at this time, its figure completely disregarding the death happening beneath it, and all the violence." I said, as Ishiro remained silent.

"Ishiro, I wish to know. What is your desire, your goal? What do you wish to achieve?" I asked, turning to face the man, who looked away. And towards the moon.

"I desire to help you fulfil whatever goal you desire." He said, but I doubted his honesty. He wanted something else, as most wanted.

"Do not lie to me, Ishiro. Everyone wants something, what made you enlist in the Military? How did you end up in service to my Father?" I said, and Ishiro was reluctant, keeping silent for a few seconds.

Until he turned towards me, his eyes locking onto mine.

"When I was 7, I lived in a border village. We lived a simple life, my father, mother, and grandmother. My Father was a fisherman, my grandmother a healer, and my Mom stayed at home." He said, his eyes looking down slightly, it was a hard topic for the man.

"Then, a 1000-Man Commander once visited our village. We thought him to be a Qin, so we welcomed him with open arms. But of course, he was not. He was a Zhao Commander, by the name of Riboku. He had been wounded in a battle close by, and my grandmother healed him up." He said.

"Once he was healed, he left. He didn´t pay us, nor did we ask....."

"But one fateful day, he returned. But not alone, an army of 10,000 men. And they fell upon our village like hunters, hunting its prey. The farmers were killed in the streets, the women raped. And children killed, and all the while. Riboku just watched. I saw him, sitting on a horse beside another man, just watching. My eyes even caught his once, but he said, nor did anything."

"We had treated him like family, and yet he betrayed us. But luckily, my father had been away. And returned just in time to escape with me, taking me into the forest. Whereas he died from hunger, and I just barely made it to a town close by." Ishiro said, as his eyes turned to face mine. A determined facial expression on his face, and a hint of anger. 

"My goal, is to kill Riboku. And I will not die, nor will I stop. Till he dies, and I will let him know, whom came to kill him." Ishiro said, and I couldn´t help but smile to myself, although I didn´t let it show.

I stood up, before I stretched my arm out to the sitting Ishiro, to help him get up.

"Very well, Ishiro. We´ll get your revenge, for your family, for your village and for Qin." I said with a smile, which was replicated by the usually stoic man, as he took my arm and I lifted him. 

"Let's head back. But I´ll let you know, you are not strong enough to kill him, as his. And you still have a far way to go, as do I." I said, and Ishiro nodded resolutely.

"So I suppose, we´ll just have to cut down that distance. And I´m sure, we´ll face Riboku soon." I said to the man, as we returned to camp. 

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**EVERY 50 POWERSTONE IS AN EXTRA CHAPTER**

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Hyou Ren: 40+ (soon, gotta fix a few things)