The battlefield had descended into chaos.
The clash between Duke Hyou's army and Riboku's elite forces shook the mountains as steel screamed against steel.
Yet amidst the countless soldiers...
One presence alone commanded every eye.
Houken.
The Bushin had finally stepped onto the battlefield.
Far away...
Shin's eyes widened.
The moment he sensed that overwhelming killing intent...
His entire body froze.
"...Houken."
In an instant, memories flooded back.
Ouki...
The setting sun...
The monstrous glaive piercing the Great General's body...
The smile Ouki wore as he entrusted everything to the next generation.
Shin's fists trembled violently.
"YOU BASTARD!!"
Without hesitation, he spurred his horse forward.
"I'm coming, Duke Hyou!"
The Hi Shin Unit desperately followed behind their captain as they forced their way through Zhao soldiers.
At the center of the battlefield...
Riboku calmly watched Duke Hyou.
"There no longer exists anything for you to set ablaze."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Merciless.
"In these circumstances... your followers remain trapped within Ryuudou."
"They will be unable to reinforce you."
"There are only your precious few honor guards left."
He slowly raised his arm.
"And standing before you..."
"We possess the overwhelming martial might of Houken."
"The only thing awaiting you now..."
"...is defeat."
Silence followed.
Then...
Duke Hyou burst into laughter.
"GAHAHAHAHA!!"
"You really are something, Riboku."
"You certainly know how to crush a man's spirit in the nastiest way possible."
His horse stepped forward.
"But unfortunately..."
"You picked the wrong old man."
BOOM!!
His glaive collided with Houken's.
The impact blasted apart the earth beneath them.
Duke Hyou stared directly into Houken's emotionless eyes.
"So..."
"What is a man like you still doing here?"
"I heard you swore never to step onto another battlefield after your fight with Ouki."
Houken remained silent.
His massive glaive slowly rose.
Duke Hyou continued.
"Or are you still lost?"
"Still chasing after the image of Ouki..."
"...the man you never truly defeated."
Houken's eyes narrowed.
His killing intent exploded.
"I finally understand."
Duke Hyou grinned wildly.
"You..."
"...are nothing but a gigantic buffoon."
"A fool wandering endlessly..."
"Unable to recognize the enormous contradiction within yourself."
"You've been agonizing over it all alone."
Houken's grip tightened.
"The answer..."
"...certainly lies upon the battlefield."
BOOM!!
The two monsters clashed once more.
Each collision echoed like thunder throughout the valley.
Neither yielded.
Neither stepped back.
Meanwhile...
Shin finally broke through Zhao's encirclement.
"Duke Hyou!!"
He raced toward the duel with tears already forming in his eyes.
But before he could reach them…
"STOP!!"
Duke Hyou's roar halted him.
Shin froze.
The old general smiled.
A smile unlike any Shin had ever seen.
"I know you get it, Shin."
"I've waited..."
"...for this moment for a very long time."
His smile became even wider.
"My time has come."
"So..."
"Please."
"I want to ride this excitement until the very end."
"I want..."
"...a really awesome exit."
His eyes met Shin's.
"So let it happen."
He pointed his blood-covered glaive toward the distant horizon.
"Forward."
"This..."
"...is not where your flame is meant to burn out."
"Go onward."
"Go to Kanyou."
Protect Qin.
Protect the future.
Protect the King's dream.
Shin's face twisted with grief.
"What are you saying...?"
"What the hell are you saying, Duke Hyou?!"
"What are you saying...Gran..pa..?!"
The Duke laughed loudly.
"I was born upon the battlefield."
"I was raised upon the battlefield."
"I devoted my entire life to battle."
"Day after day."
"Year after year."
"Compared to Ouki..."
"My blade has always been far more savage than his."
His horse charged.
"So I'll end it..."
"...like a beast!!"
BOOOOOOOM!!
The final clash shook the heavens.
Houken descended with all of his monstrous strength.
Duke Hyou answered with every ounce of power remaining within his aged body.
Both glaives cut through the air simultaneously.
SLASH!!
For the first time...
Houken cried out.
Blood exploded into the air.
His right arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder.
Even Houken staggered backward in disbelief.
But...
At that very same instant…
THRUST!!
Houken's glaive pierced completely through Duke Hyou's chest.
The blade emerged from his back.
Silence consumed the battlefield.
Blood slowly dripped onto the ground.
Duke Hyou looked down at the weapon lodged in his heart.
Then...
He smiled.
"...Not bad..."
His body slowly collapsed from horseback.
"Duke Hyou!!"
Shin's scream echoed across the mountains.
"No…No…No!!"
"GRANDPA!!"
His eyes overflowed with tears as he prepared to charge straight at Houken.
"Shin!!"
A hand grabbed his shoulder.
Karyo Ten.
Her face was soaked with tears.
"You can't!"
"We have to leave!"
Shin struggled violently.
"LET ME GO!!"
"I HAVE TO KILL HIM!!"
Karyo Ten shouted louder than ever before.
"If you die here..."
"Then Duke Hyou's sacrifice means nothing!"
At that moment...
Another messenger arrived.
"Kyoukai has broken open a path!"
"The escape route is ready!"
Karyo Ten looked directly into Shin's eyes.
"Gather the remaining Duke Hyou Army and the Hi Shin Unit!"
"We're breaking out!"
Shin clenched his teeth until blood flowed from his lips.
His entire body shook with rage.
Yet...
He remembered Duke Hyou's final words.
"Go onward."
"...Damn it..."
"...Damn it all..."
He raised his sword toward the sky.
"Everyone!"
"Break through!!"
"To Kanyou!!"
The survivors charged with everything they had left.
Kyoukai and her unit held open the narrow mountain pass just long enough for the remnants of Qin's force to escape Riboku's encirclement.
Behind them...
The body of Duke Hyou remained upon the battlefield.
Facing Houken until his final breath.
Hours later...
Silence filled the retreating column.
Of the ten thousand soldiers who had marched into Riboku's trap...
Only five thousand remained.
Half had perished.
The Duke Hyou Army had lost its commander.
The mountain winds carried only sorrow.
At the very front of the column...
Shin rode in silence.
His tears had long since dried.
Only hatred remained.
His grip tightened around his sword.
One day...
No matter how long it took...
He would return.
And when that day came...
Riboku and Houken would finally answer for the deaths of Ouki...
...and Duke Hyou.