"Lord Sei Chou is really going to go head-to-head against Oukotsu."
"H-he's like a mountain; he must be bigger than Lord Gyou'un."
The Zhao and Qin soldiers were now only spectators; they knew this was a duel they could not interfere in. The stakes were now too high for either side, and an interference in this duel could spell doom for either army. A circle began to naturally form around Sei Chou and Oukotsu as the two men sized each other up.
"This is major; we've managed to bring out Zhao's Commander in Chief, but it will not be easy." A Qin soldier said, looking with his eyes wide, trying his hardest not to blink. He didn't dare to miss a single moment of the fight.
"It will be difficult for Lord Sei Chou, even with Oukotsu's supposed defeat in Chu. No one knows if he was truly defeated in a one-on-one duel or if he just retreated, seeing that he was strategically outmanoeuvred by the Tiger of Chu, Kou En." One of the warriors in Sei Chou's personal army commented.
"Also, Oukotsu is the pillar of Qin's martial might, even with the likes of Ouki, Shiba Saku and Haku Ki. Oukotsu has always been the symbol of their martial might. If Sei Chou were to be defeated here, it would put an end to many whispers and rumours, while giving the Qin further motivation in attempting to conquer all of the central plain." A grizzled veteran with a scar down his right eye said to the younger man next to him.
"However, if Sei Chou were to defeat and take the head of Oukotsu here and now. The shock would reverberate throughout China, and Qin's ambitions would be shattered completely." The younger man kept looking towards the older man before turning his head sharply back to where Sei Chou and Oukotsu were.
"The opening strike of both men will be the most telling. If Ouktosu was truly defeated as the rumours say, then the task would be easier. However, should he not then…" The veteran's words trailed off as he felt the furious stomps of Sei Chou and Oukotsu's mounts.
The two horses darted towards each other, and both combatants drew back their arms before swinging and meeting dead in the centre. Sei Chou gritted his teeth, while Oukotsu sported a smirk, and a wild aura started to swirl, accompanied by a deafening bang. The two trying to overcome one another were locked in place only for a movement…
"!" Sei Chou's eyes widened a fraction as he felt his horse lose its footing before being sent skidding backwards nearly into his own troops.
"Tch." Fu Jin clicked his tongue as he gripped the reins of his horse tighter, his eyes narrowed dangerously at Oukotsu, who didn't give Sei Chou a moment of reprieve before swinging another power strike at him.
Sei Chou raised his glaive and blocked the attack.
"THAT'S WHY HE'S THE STRONGEST!!!"
"WHO DARES CLAIM HIS TITLE!!!"
"LORD OUKOTSU IS THE STRONGEST MAN IN CHINA!!"
The Qin soldiers started shouting and cheering as they saw Oukotsu showing the gap between Sei Chou and Oukotsu.
'Dammit,' Fu Jin thought, 'Were the rumours all fake?' He asked himself, not liking the current situation that his Lord was in one bit.
"For someone so boastful, I find you to be weak. Earlier you said you were not being arrogant, but seeing you now, all I can see is a boy who doesn't know the vastness beyond his single well. You talked as if you were above me, but it is now I that am above you." Ouktosu frowned at Sei Chou.
SEI CHOU POV
Hearing Oukotsu's words, I didn't reply to him. I had said what I had said, and there was no way I would take back my own words after only two swings of his axe. In truth, my first strike was not at its fullest, as with my body maturing, I had to truly test the amount of strength I had within me.
It was stupid now that I think back to it; I should've gone all out from the start, but I also wanted to test if Oukotsu had any lingering injuries from his previous encounter with Kan Mei, but seeing as the man still had enough in the tank to knock me back several paces. I had misjudged him, and now it gave him the confidence to say whatever he wanted.
So, I rushed at him with a grin and saw that Ouktosu was shocked to see such an expression on my face; no doubt he'd been hoping that I was terrified and shaken by his strength. Swinging my glaive with all my power, I unleashed it all. The strike sent him flying backwards this time around. Like him, I didn't let up, instead continuing my offence with vicious swings.
I chose to only listen to my glaive and cut off the once-cheering Qin soldiers who'd gone dead silent as they saw me overpowering the symbol of their martial might. Oukotsu looked up at me in between one of my swings, and a cruel visage covered his scarred face.
An aura of menace seemed to explode from him as he spoke in a low tone only for my ears, "Yes, this is how it should be. Unlike that deep boredom I had whilst in Chu, you're different and the stage is different."
Oukotsu swung back at me, knocking me back and separating the two of us. I used that moment to look at Fu Jin. "Tell Shuu, right time, right place and right people. He will know what it means, and act accordingly." Fu Jin nodded before relaying my orders to one of the men beside him, who quickly sped off.
The encircle enlarged, as the soldiers came to a single conclusion without speaking a word. 'THIS DUEL IS ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS!!!'
Once again, Oukotsu and I went at it, trading strikes with both skill and strength in close quarters and at ranges that shouldn't have even been possible. Before once again, I horizontally swung my glaive, only to meet the flat of Oukotsu's axe, but the strike sent him back one more time.
"I'm happy to bring you out of your boredom; now present your head for me. I require a big score." I pointed two fingers in Ouktosu's direction.
"I've yet to take away your arrogance, it seems." The Qin Great General replied before charging at me with a swing.
….
THE RESERVES OF SEI CHOU'S ARMY
Behind the main Headquarters of Sei Chou sat his reserves, soldiers of Zhao who'd yet to have a say on how this battle would be concluded. Sitting on his horse in discussion with the soldier who had been sent by Fu Jin was none other than General Shuu, the second in command of General Chou Haku.
"Are you sure he said those words?" General Shuu questioned with the utmost seriousness in his tone and eyes, as he stared at the soldier in front of him. The soldier nodded, "Yes, General. Right time, right place and right people. All in that order." General Shuu nodded before turning back to one of his men and quickly said something which sent the messenger off racing.
"Good, we are the first. Let's show those Qin dogs the might of the Zhao!" Behind General Shuu was an army of 10,000 soldiers who answered their General with a resounding cheer.
"UOOOOUHHHH!!!"
The 10,000 set out as one, but the direction they went in was odd; instead of heading directly towards one of the three battlefields, they took a much longer route around. The army of 10,000 looped around the intensely loud Gyou'un battlefield that had each side going all out on the offensive.
Due to the noise and clamour of the battlefield, they went somewhat unnoticed, with only some clueing in on what was happening; those who had noticed them from the Gyou'un side started to make even more noise. Whilst the Qin soldiers under Shou Hei Kun's command tried to raise the concern, they dismissed it as only a distraction.
…
BEHIND THE CHOU GARYUU HEADQUARTERS…
"Huhuhu, Sei Chou sure cooked up a vicious plan." An elderly man stroked his manchu beard, and he gave the messenger a close-eyed smile before signalling his men to be ready.
"No wonder he had us searching for any scouts in the region and making sure none of them returned to-" He stopped his words, turning sharply to his left and meeting the wide eyes of a Qin scout.
The Qin scout who'd seen all his fellow company be killed with quick efficiency had been playing dead among the bodies of his fallen comrades, but now it seemed he would no longer be playing. From behind him, silent as a shadow, a lone man crept up behind him and pushed his sword through the back of the man's throat.
"You said previously it was Sei Chou's mistress who sent you guys here?"
"Yes, General Chou Haku." The man with an eye patch answered with a sharp incline; his eye patch was black with a single silver skull in the middle.
"We are the handicapped warriors." The man replied.
"General, we are ready." A soldier in the Chou Haku army announced.
20,000 men of the Chou Haku army set out, though their direction was opposite that of General Shuu's army. They took the same action, marching a longer route around the right flank of Sei Chou.
….
CHOU GARYUU RIGHT FLANK
"Lord Chou Garyuu, is the earth shaking?!" An Ki asked Chou Garyuu in alarm, who had disengaged from battle. Chou Garyuu frowned slightly before turning to one of his troops. "Order the men to raise the noise; even if they're tired, they must continue to shout warcries until they cough blood!" The man nodded before giving out the order.
Chou Garyuu had taken a short break from the frontline fighting, instead choosing to maintain the headquarters, but now, seeing the state of the battlefield, he knew it was time to get back into the thick of it once more.
"We're heading back in there, An Ki and make sure to raise some noise!" Chou Garyuu said, leading a second charge into the Qin lines, the Zhao soldiers who saw their General fighting started shouting and cheering before throwing themselves directly towards the Qin soldiers opposite them.
Chou Garyuu moved like a wild beast, killing any Qin soldier that he saw, further inciting the Qin and firing up the Zhao. As more died, the fighting grew fiercer and fiercer, with the noise being the only thing that could match the fervour of the battlefield.
Chou Garyuu fought in a way that drew attention from all Qin soldiers, who looked to stop him or cowered in fear from the gruesome carnage the man was causing. The attention only acted as fuel for the fire in Chou Garyuu.
An Ki, who, though a strategist, was by the side of Chou Garyuu, couldn't help but feel it was odd that his Lord had dismissed his concerns and fought in such a monstrous way that was more like Gyou'un than his Lord.
But it was his Lord who told him not to pay attention to it, and he would not. Chou Garyuu swung his glaive at a new enemy, and the clash of their glaive screeched loudly. Chou Garyuu turned back to see that the person was still alive and stared at him.
"A talented commander, state your name?" Chou Garyuu asked.
"The names Ra Gou." The man replied with his glaive slick with blood.
Chou Garyuu charged at Ra Gou and shouted, "DISMOUNT!"
CHAPTER: DONE