The southern escape route had become a desperate race against time.
The Hi Shin Unit galloped relentlessly through the night, every rider pushing both horse and body beyond their limits. Dust covered their armor, dried blood stained their weapons, and the weight of Duke Hyou's death hung heavily over every soldier.
At the head of the exhausted column, Karyo Ten studied the map while Kyou Kai rode silently beside her.
"The only path left for us to continue the resistance..." Karyo Ten said grimly.
"...is the city of Sai," Kyou Kai finished.
Karyo Ten nodded.
"Sai is the fortress that guards Kanyou's throat. If Riboku captures it, nothing will remain between his army and the royal capital."
She pointed toward the route ahead.
"To reach Sai, we have to pass through the three cities of Kan, Ri, and Rou."
Her expression darkened.
"However... we have no choice but to run past them."
The Hi Shin Unit soon reached the first city.
Kan.
But the sight before them was not one of a standing fortress.
The walls were already burning.
Zhao soldiers had broken through several sections of the defense.
Qin soldiers fought desperately in the streets, attempting to delay the inevitable.
The city was falling.
Shin looked toward the battlefield.
"They're still fighting..."
Karyo Ten clenched her teeth.
"But they're losing."
"There isn't time for us to help..." Karyo Ten muttered.
The Hi Shin Unit continued forward.
They had no choice.
Then came Ri.
The same sight awaited them.
The once proud Qin city was surrounded by Zhao forces.
Smoke filled the sky.
The sounds of battle echoed from within the walls.
The defenders were still resisting, but everyone could see the outcome.
The city was already at its end.
Kyou Kai quietly said,
"Riboku's advance forces moved faster than anyone expected."
"They didn't waste time capturing every city."
"They broke through them and kept advancing."
Finally...
Rou.
The last city before Sai.
The Hi Shin Unit passed by as its gates were collapsing.
Qin soldiers desperately defended the final sections of the walls.
Zhao banners surrounded the city from every direction.
Rou was about to fall.
Karyo Ten looked back.
"All three cities..."
"They're falling one after another."
Shin remained silent.
He understood.
This was Riboku's true strategy.
The cities were not the objective.
They were obstacles.
Riboku's army had crushed through the southern passage, leaving behind only destruction and defeated defenders.
Every moment the Hi Shin Unit spent looking back was another moment Sai became closer to death.
Shin gritted his teeth.
"We can't stop."
"We keep moving."
As dawn broke...
The walls of Sai finally appeared on the horizon.
The Hi Shin Unit had reached its destination.
Or rather...
They had stumbled toward it.
Many soldiers nearly fell from their horses.
Some could barely keep their eyes open.
Even Shin himself swayed atop his mount.
The entire army had reached its absolute limit.
Then...
The gates of Sai slowly opened.
A lone figure stepped forward, surrounded by royal guards clad in brilliant armor.
The morning sunlight illuminated the crimson royal cloak.
Shin's exhausted eyes widened.
"...Sei?"
Standing before the gates...
Was the King of Qin himself.
Ei Sei.
Shin immediately rode forward.
"What are you doing here?!"
Ei Sei smiled calmly.
"Obviously..."
"I came to fight alongside you."
Silence fell.
Shin stared blankly at the king.
Then Duke Hyou's final moments flashed through his mind.
The massive glaive.
Houken's overwhelming strength.
The old general's final roar.
His final charge.
His death.
Tears streamed down Shin's face.
"Duke Hyou..."
"He..."
"...was killed."
His voice trembled.
For the first time since the battle...
The grief he had buried burst forth.
His fists shook violently.
"But..."
Shin wiped away his tears.
His eyes once again burned with determination.
"We can still fight."
He repeated louder.
"We can still fight!"
Again.
"We can still fight!!"
The cry echoed across the city gates.
Shin stepped closer.
His expression still in grief.
"...Sei."
"Is it alright..."
"If I lean on you... just a little?"
Ei Sei looked at him in surprise.
Then he nodded firmly.
"Yeah."
"You can."
Behind them...
The five thousand surviving soldiers of the Hi Shin Unit and Duke Hyou quietly watched the exchange.
One soldier whispered,
"Those guards..."
"They're strangely dignified."
Another asked,
"Who are they?"
A veteran answered quietly.
"They're the Royal Guards."
"The King's personal protectors."
Only then did many realize...
The man standing beside Shin...
Was truly the King of Qin.
Soon afterward...
Inside Sai's command headquarters...
Karyo Ten and Kyou Kai had already begun inspecting the city's defenses.
Maps covered the table.
Measurements of the walls were quickly recorded.
As Shin entered, both girls turned toward him.
Karyo Ten smiled faintly.
"So..."
"You finished crying?"
Kyou Kai gave a small nod.
"Thank goodness."
Shin scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"...Yeah."
"We've got work to do."
Karyo Ten immediately returned to the map.
"The city's defenses..."
"There are both good points and bad."
Kyou Kai continued.
"The good news..."
"The gates are extremely sturdy."
"They'll be difficult to break down."
Karyo Ten sighed.
"But the walls..."
"They aren't particularly high."
"The enemy can easily reach the top with ladders."
Kyou Kai added,
"And the greatest problem..."
"We don't have enough soldiers."
"There aren't enough men to defend every section of the walls."
Silence filled the room.
Everyone understood what that meant.
Against Riboku's massive army...
Sai simply lacked manpower.
Just then...
The doors opened.
Ei Sei entered alongside Shoubunkun.
The old minister stepped forward.
"There is still hope."
Everyone looked toward him.
Shoubunkun unfolded another report.
"Sai's population numbers approximately thirty thousand."
"Most of the able-bodied men have already left to fight for Qin."
"What remains..."
He paused.
"...are roughly twenty thousand civilians."
"Children."
"Women."
"And the elderly."
The room fell completely silent.
Shin frowned.
"...What does that matter?"
Ei Sei stepped forward.
"If we combine those twenty thousand people..."
"...with your five thousand soldiers..."
"Our force becomes twenty-five thousand."
Shin's eyes widened.
"...You're planning to use ordinary civilians?"
"That's impossible!"
"They've never fought before!"
"They aren't soldiers!"
Ei Sei's gaze remained unwavering.
"No."
"They are not."
He looked toward the city beyond the command hall, where thousands of frightened citizens awaited news of their fate.
"But..."
His voice carried the resolve of a king willing to wager everything.
"That is precisely why..."
"It is my duty..."
"...to transform them into soldiers."
Silence gripped the chamber.
At that moment, everyone present realized that the coming battle would not be won by legendary generals or elite armies.
It would be decided by the courage of ordinary people.
The Battle of Sai...
Was about to begin.