The rugged wilderness of Kokuyou Hills remained silent beneath a gray morning sky.
A sea of ancient trees stretched endlessly across the land, broken only by five towering hills that overlooked the entire region. Thick forests swallowed the valleys between them, while a broad river cut across the battlefield like a blade, dividing east from west.
Whoever ruled these five hills would rule Kokuyou.
And whoever ruled Kokuyou would possess the gateway into Zhao.
Eighty kilometers north of Kokuyou...
The earth trembled.
Thousands upon thousands of marching feet echoed through the forests.
A massive host bearing the banners of Zhao advanced like an unstoppable tide.
At its center fluttered the banners of the instinctual commander...
General Keisha.
Around him marched 115,000 elite Zhao soldiers, their formations disciplined and silent.
Beside Keisha's army was another enormous force.
The black banners depicting the crest of Rigan.
At its head rode the beloved Lord of Rigan...
Ki Sui.
Behind him marched 70,000 soldiers whose loyalty to their lord surpassed even loyalty to Zhao itself.
Together...
185,000 Zhao soldiers advanced toward Kokuyou Hills.
The officers looked toward the distant forests.
"General Keisha."
"Our scouts report that the Qin armies have already entered Kokuyou."
Keisha slowly opened his eyes.
"...So they arrived first."
His expression never changed.
"The battlefield has already chosen its prey."
Without another word, the enormous Zhao army continued its march.
The thunder of one hundred eighty-five thousand soldiers shook the mountains themselves.
Kokuyou Hills
At nearly the same moment...
Two great Qin armies emerged from the southern forests.
On one side...
The dark banners of the Kanki Army.
50,000 soldiers.
Bandits.
Mercenaries.
Killers.
Men who laughed at death itself.
Beside them stood another army whose discipline sharply contrasted Kanki's chaotic ranks.
Rows upon rows of armored soldiers marched with unwavering precision beneath black-crimson banners.
The banners of...
Duke Hyou Ren.
100,000 soldiers.
Veterans who had survived countless War Campaigns.
Together...
The Qin coalition numbered 150,000 men.
As the army halted before the vast landscape, countless officers silently surveyed the terrain before them.
Towering hills.
Dense forests.
Steep slopes.
A winding river.
No cities.
No castles.
Nothing.
Only nature itself.
Standing atop a rocky overlook, Hyou Ren narrowed his eyes.
"...Kokuyou is host to a far denser forest than I imagined."
His gaze swept across the endless sea of trees.
"The High Command has ordered us to seize this region."
He paused.
"There is also the slight issue that this landscape is completely bare of any cities or forts to actually capture."
The surrounding officers exchanged glances.
Unlike every campaign before...
There was no fortress.
No capital.
No walls.
Nothing.
Ri Yue stepped beside him, carefully studying the map spread across a large wooden table.
"In that case..."
"Our objective becomes much simpler."
She pointed toward the five marked elevations.
"Our goal will only be to capture the five hills of this region."
Silence followed.
Every commander fixed their eyes upon the map.
Five hills.
Five strategic points.
Hyou Ren nodded.
"If we are able to gain control of all five hills..."
"...then victory will belong to Qin."
His finger traced the valleys connecting the elevations.
"This forest limits visibility."
"It restricts movement."
"It makes supply lines difficult."
"But once we establish ourselves upon every hill..."
"...we can link them together into a defensive network."
His eyes sharpened.
"In terrain like this..."
"...the army that holds the high ground controls the battlefield."
The commanders silently acknowledged the plan.
Across the field...
Kanki merely grinned.
"Heh..."
"So all we've gotta do..."
"...is climb a few hills?"
Maron sighed.
"If only it were that simple."
Kanki laughed coldly.
"The harder this is..."
"...the more entertaining it gets."
Elsewhere...
Deep within the forests...
A broad river quietly flowed through Kokuyou, dividing much of the region into separate approaches.
Morning mist drifted above the water.
Without warning...
Thousands of Zhao soldiers silently crossed the river.
Not a single drum sounded.
Not a single horn blew.
Only disciplined silence.
The unknown Zhao force disappeared into the forest beyond.
Moments later...
A lone Zhao scout sprinted through the undergrowth before dropping to one knee.
"Report!"
General Ba Tei turned.
"What is it?"
The scout pointed toward the western woods.
"It is one of the hills."
"The left hill closest to our enemy."
Before anyone could respond…
Another messenger burst through the trees.
"We've detected an enemy presence up ahead!"
Ba Tei's eyes narrowed.
"Who?"
"They're headed straight for our position!"
The messenger caught his breath before continuing.
"The scouts confirm it..."
"...judging by the banners..."
"...it's the Hyou Army!"
For a brief instant...
Silence.
Then...
General Ryuu Tou slowly smiled.
"Isn't that supposed to be the army of the commander-in-chief of Qin's current expedition?"
Ba Tei's grin widened into something savage.
"...We've struck gold today."
His enormous glaive rested upon his shoulder as bloodlust filled his eyes.
"If we crush Hyou Ren here..."
"The Qin army loses its head before this battle even begins."
Ryuu Tou calmly raised his hand.
"Spread out."
Every Zhao soldier immediately vanished into the dense forest.
"Keep yourselves hidden."
The soldiers silently disappeared behind rocks...
Bushes...
Towering trees...
Not a single trace of their existence remained.
Ryuu Tou's calm voice echoed one final command.
"...We will be ambushing the Hyou Army here."
Far away...
The black-crimson banners of Hyou Ren steadily approached the hill, completely unaware that thousands of hidden Zhao soldiers were already waiting among the shadows.
The forest itself had become a trap.
And its jaws were beginning to close.