The battlefield roared beneath a sky darkened by smoke and banners.
Steel clashed endlessly as the Qin and Chu armies fought with every ounce of strength they possessed.
At the very center of the battlefield…
CLANG!!
CLAAANG!!
Rokuomi and Rinbunkun exchanged another violent series of blows, each strike powerful enough to send shockwaves through the surrounding soldiers.
The Qin soldiers dared not cheer.
The Chu soldiers dared not blink.
The duel between the two commanders had become the focal point of the entire battlefield.
Rinbunkun's mace carved through the air like a raging dragon.
Rokuomi met every strike with fearless determination despite the blood flowing from multiple wounds.
"HAAAAAA!!"
"GRAAAAH!!"
Their weapons collided once more.
BOOOOM!!
Nearby, Hakurei watched the duel carefully.
Seeing Rokuomi slowly being pushed back, he immediately raised his bow.
Before he could loose the arrow…
"General Rinbunkun!"
Rinbunkun never looked away from Rokuomi.
"Do not butt in, Hakurei."
Hakurei frowned.
"...Do not butt in, he says?"
His expression became one of irritation.
"Like hell we're going to just sit here and watch the enemy close in on our general like that."
He pulled another arrow from his quiver.
"If you die here..."
"...our army will rout."
He smiled bitterly.
"Not to mention..."
"...my older sister would become a widow too."
Several Chu officers exchanged uneasy glances.
They all knew Hakurei spoke the truth.
He was the pillar supporting the entire First Chu Army.
Elsewhere…
Mouten's eyes widened.
"...Commander Rinbou!"
He watched as Rinbou collapsed beneath the overwhelming pressure of the battlefield.
Without another thought…
"Follow me!"
The Gakuka surged forward.
"Our destination is the Hakurei!"
His cavalry broke through one formation after another, racing directly toward Hakurei.
Watching the battlefield unfold, Tou remained perfectly calm.
"If Qin cannot contest Chu in quantity..."
His horse slowly advanced.
"...then we must compensate with quality."
His eyes followed the movements of Qin's officers.
"I refer..."
"...to the quality of our officers and commanders."
"HYAAAAAA!!"
Mouten finally burst through the battlefield.
"There he is!"
Hakurei.
The young Chu commander immediately noticed him.
"So another one comes."
Mouten lowered his sword.
"I won't allow your arrows to interfere."
Before either man could make a move…
Another figure landed directly between them.
BOOM!!
"Kyouroku!"
The Chu commander rested his weapon upon his shoulder.
"You'll go no further."
Mouten clicked his tongue.
Before Kyouroku could charge…
Thousands of horse hooves thundered across the battlefield.
RUMBLE!!
Both armies turned.
A new banner emerged through the dust.
GYOKU HOU
Leading them was a young commander with a cold, unwavering gaze.
Ouhon.
Without slowing his horse, he pointed his spear toward Kyouroku.
"Your opponent..."
"...is me."
The Gyoku Hou cavalry slammed directly into Kyouroku's troops.
The battlefield instantly erupted into another fierce melee.
Mouten smiled.
"Took you long enough."
Ouhon's expression remained unchanged.
"You were simply too slow."
Back at the center…
The duel had reached its climax.
Rokuomi's breathing had become ragged.
Blood covered his armor.
Across from him…
Rinbunkun remained an immovable mountain.
With one tremendous swing.
CRAAAASH!!
Rokuomi was thrown backward.
His weapon nearly left his hands.
Rinbunkun raised his mace high above his head.
"This..."
"...ends now."
The surrounding Chu soldiers erupted into cheers.
"General Rinbunkun!"
The Qin soldiers could only watch helplessly.
As the mace descended…
Rinbunkun spoke.
"If you truly wish to give me a decent fight..."
"...you had best drag Ouki himself out of the grave..."
"...to face me."
The mace fell.
Then…
A voice answered him.
"There will be no need for that."
SHIIIIING!!
A single sword intercepted the mace effortlessly.
Silence consumed the battlefield.
Rinbunkun's eyes narrowed.
"...Tou."
Standing before Rokuomi was the man who had served beside Ouki for decades.
Tou slowly lifted his sword.
"You have called for my lord."
"Allow his sword..."
"...to answer you."
The day before the battle…
Inside the Qin camp…
Moubu stood with his arms crossed while staring at the map.
"The Chu Army."
He glanced toward Tou.
"You will be responsible for taking care of whichever Chu army reaches us first."
After a brief silence, he asked,
"Are you confident in that?"
Tou remained as composed as ever.
"There is little point..."
"...in giving voice to vague and uncertain matters."
He gently rested his hand upon his sword.
"I have always been strong."
Back to the present…
The battlefield fell completely silent.
Everyone instinctively moved aside.
Even the fighting around them ceased.
The commanders of Qin and Chu understood.
This duel...
...would decide the momentum of the entire battlefield.
Rinbunkun smiled.
"So."
"The hidden general finally steps forward."
Tou raised his sword.
"I merely wished to confirm something."
"What?"
Tou's eyes became frighteningly sharp.
"Whether the strongest warrior of Chu..."
"...is worthy..."
"...of my blade."
Rinbunkun roared.
"HAAAAAA!!"
He charged with terrifying speed.
His mace descended with enough force to split a mountain.
Tou moved.
One step.
The first strike missed.
A second.
The sword flashed.
A third.
Steel rang.
A fourth.
Blood flew into the air.
Rinbunkun's eyes widened.
"Wha.."
Before he could react.
Tou appeared behind him.
The fifth strike.
SHING.
Silence.
Rinbunkun remained standing for a brief moment.
Then a crimson line slowly appeared across his chest.
His mace slipped from his hands.
His knees buckled.
He collapsed.
THUD.
The battlefield froze.
Five moves.
The strongest warrior of the First Chu Army had been slain in merely five exchanges.
Tou slowly returned his sword to its sheath.
Without even looking back, he calmly spoke.
"Feel free..."
"...to share a few drinks with Doukin, Rinbou..."
"...and Rokuomi together in the next world."
A loud voice immediately answered.
"OI!!"
Tou paused.
Rokuomi was somehow struggling back to his feet despite looking like a man who had already died three times.
"I'M STILL ALIVE!!"
Around them, the Chu soldiers stared in complete disbelief.
Their invincible general...
Had fallen.
And with that single death.
The tide of the battlefield began to turn in Qin's favor.