The capital of Qin.
Kanyou.
For the first time since the Battle of Bayou, the city welcomed not a victorious army...
...but the greatest enemy Qin had yet to face.
The man known as Riboku.
The grand audience hall was silent.
Ministers, nobles, generals, and officials stood in ordered rows as the envoy of Zhao entered without hesitation.
His footsteps echoed throughout the chamber.
Across from him stood the Chancellor of Qin.
Ryo Fui.
The moment their eyes met...
The atmosphere changed.
Invisible pressure spread across the hall.
Neither man moved.
Neither lowered his gaze.
The ministers felt as though two mountains had collided.
Even veteran generals unconsciously tightened their fists.
Then...
"..."
"..."
Both men smiled.
"Hahahaha!"
The laughter erupted almost simultaneously.
Ryo Fui stepped forward.
"So you are Riboku."
"And you must be Chancellor Ryo Fui."
The Chancellor folded his sleeves.
"I must commend your courage."
"You walked into the capital of Qin."
"If these negotiations fail..."
His smile widened.
"...you will not be leaving alive."
Several Qin officials nodded.
There would be no safer opportunity to eliminate Zhao's greatest strategist.
Yet Riboku merely smiled.
"I anticipated that possibility."
"Fortunately..."
"I did not come empty-handed."
Behind him, Kaine and the attendants carefully unrolled an enormous carpet across the center of the hall.
The entire court leaned forward.
It was not decoration.
It was...
A complete map of China.
Even Ryo Fui narrowed his eyes.
Riboku pointed toward the seven kingdoms.
"Everyone gathered here dreams of unification."
His finger rested upon Qin.
"If Qin truly seeks to conquer China..."
"...then your first target should not be Han."
Murmurs spread throughout the court.
Instead...
His hand moved eastward.
"Wei."
The hall fell quiet.
Riboku calmly continued.
"Han is weak."
"But it exists as a buffer."
"If Qin marches directly into Han, Wei will strike your flank."
"Chu will watch."
"The balance of power shifts against Qin."
His finger then moved north.
"Meanwhile..."
"Zhao intends to wage war against Yan."
"If Zhao and Qin exhaust themselves fighting one another..."
"...both kingdoms lose."
He looked directly at Ryo Fui.
"So I propose an alliance."
"Qin attacks Wei."
"Zhao attacks Yan."
"When both campaigns conclude..."
"We may resume our struggle."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then…
"Ridiculous!!"
A roar shattered the chamber.
Rokuomi slammed his hand against the floor.
"The blood of General Ouki has not even dried!"
"And you dare speak of an alliance?!"
His eyes burned with fury.
"You Zhao dogs murdered our lord!"
Many officers shared his rage.
The memory of Bayou remained fresh.
Even Tou's usually calm expression darkened.
Yet Ryo Fui simply raised a hand.
Instantly...
The hall became quiet once more.
He looked down at the map before smiling.
"A fascinating proposal."
"But alliances require trust."
"And trust..."
"...requires payment."
His eyes became sharp.
"If Zhao wishes for peace..."
"Then hand over Kankou."
The court erupted.
"Kankou?!"
"That fortress?!"
Even Riboku paused.
Giving away a city...
...was no small price.
Several moments passed.
Finally...
Riboku slowly nodded.
"...Accepted."
Gasps echoed across the audience hall.
Ryo Fui laughed loudly.
"Excellent!"
"Then Qin and Zhao shall be allies..."
"...for now."
Thus...
The temporary alliance between Qin and Zhao was born.
That evening...
The palace celebrated with an extravagant banquet.
Wine flowed endlessly.
Musicians filled the halls.
Officials who had glared at one another only hours earlier now exchanged polite smiles.
Among the honored guests...
Two seats stood beside the highest-ranking nobles.
Hyou Ren.
Ri Yue.
The direct family members of Duke Hyou and Princess Ai You had earned not only fame on the battlefield but respect throughout Qin.
As servants poured wine…
A loud voice echoed through the hall.
"Hah?!"
"What do you mean this isn't my seat?!"
Every head turned.
Standing proudly...
Holding a bowl twice the size of his face...
Was Shin.
The servants panicked.
"Th-That seat belongs to Lord Riboku!"
"Huh?"
Shin blinked.
He looked at the elegant chair.
Then toward Riboku.
Then back at the chair.
"So that's his seat?"
He crossed his arms.
"Good."
"I'll sit here."
"When I kill him one day..."
"It'll feel like I already stole his place!"
The entire banquet froze.
Even Riboku blinked.
Kaine nearly exploded.
"You idiot!!"
"You dare insult Lord Riboku?!"
Shin pointed directly at Riboku.
"Listen carefully!"
"I'm Shin!"
"And one day..."
"I'll personally cut your head off!"
The banquet descended into chaos.
Some ministers nearly fainted.
Others burst into laughter.
Even Riboku chuckled softly.
"So..."
"You are the young soldier who inherited General Ouki glaive."
Before Kaine could respond…
"Hahaha!"
A booming laugh echoed across the hall.
Hyou Ren.
He laughed so hard that even Ri Yue struggled to hide her smile.
"Still causing trouble wherever you go."
Shin turned.
"General Hyou Ren!"
Hyou Ren gestured toward the empty seats beside him.
"Come."
"If you're going to start a war at a banquet..."
"You may as well do it from our table."
The servants hesitated.
But no one dared object.
Shin hurried over, dragging two familiar faces behind him.
"Kyoukai!"
"Karyo Ten!"
"Come eat!"
The pair awkwardly followed.
The surrounding nobles exchanged confused looks.
"So the boy knows General Hyou Ren?"
"I heard he comes from the Hyou family's lands."
"Perhaps his family serves the Hyou."
"That would explain the treatment."
No one questioned it further.
To everyone else...
Shin was simply another talented youth from the Hyou domain.
Only a handful of the Hyou family's closest retainers knew the truth.
As the food arrived, Shin stuffed his mouth before suddenly pointing toward Riboku once again.
"He's mine."
The table fell silent.
"When the day comes..."
"I'll be the one who kills Riboku."
He looked first at Hyou Ren...
Then at Ri Yue.
"And I'll beat both of you to it!"
For a brief moment...
Silence.
Then Hyou Ren smiled.
The smile of a warrior accepting a challenge.
"As expected."
Ri Yue nodded calmly.
"A worthy ambition."
Hyou Ren raised his cup.
"But understand this, Shin..."
"We have no intention of letting you succeed."
Ri Yue lifted her own cup.
"If the opportunity appears..."
"I too shall take Riboku's head."
Hyou Ren laughed.
"So let this be our competition."
"Whoever reaches Riboku first..."
"...claims the greatest prize in China."
Shin grinned from ear to ear.
"You're on!"
Three cups collided.
None of them realized...
Across the banquet hall...
Riboku watched quietly.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"The next generation of Qin..."
"...is truly terrifying."