Aexl took a deep breath, the cold, clean air settling the last of his adrenaline. His thumb hovered over the Ephone's screen, over the icon that pulsed with a quiet, insistent light. He tapped it.
The screen shifted, displaying a new, high-value option.
[ H-Lords Summon – Takeda… ]
Cost: 1200 War Coins
Unit Specialty: Tiger Cavalry – Legendary shock troops of Kai.
Passive Skill: Fūrinkazan – Unit gains a massive boost to speed (as swift as wind), morale (as silent as a forest), charge attack (as ravenous as fire), and defense (as immovable as a mountain). Grants a one-time charge invulnerability per battle (Steel Reinforcement).
Aexl's breath hitched. He knew that name not just from the game, but from the annals of Earth's history. "Takeda Shingen…" he murmured under his breath, scrolling through the details as if flipping through a digital grimoire. "Japan's most feared warlord. A master of mobility, deception, and discipline."
His thumb hovered over the screen while his mind filled in what the text could not tell.
He'd studied her — him, rather — back on Earth. The man whose armies crushed stronger foes by sheer precision, whose banners roared the words of Sun Tzu:
Swift as the Wind. Silent as the Forest. Fierce as Fire. Immovable as the Mountain.
Aexl smirked. "Fūrinkazan… The doctrine that broke the samurai code and rewrote warfare itself."
He could almost picture it — banners whipping in a storm, mounted samurai charging in perfect synchronization, flanking enemies before they even realized they'd lost. Shingen's army wasn't the biggest, but it was the most disciplined.
"Hell," he muttered with a half-grin, "if there's one general I'd trust to tear through an orc phalanx, it's her."
Then he caught himself and chuckled. "Or him—whatever version this world throws at me."
His eyes narrowed as the Ephone pulsed, the edges of the interface rippling like liquid fire.
"But… Tiger of Kai, huh?"
He looked out across the camp, where his soldiers rested under the moonlight — broken shields stacked beside tents, banners fluttering faintly in the wind. Aexl's heart thudded with that familiar blend of curiosity and instinct.
"If I'm building an army that can shake the continent," he whispered, "then I'll need a predator leading the charge."
He tapped [Summon].
The air grew heavy, thick with ozone. The gentle rush of the waterfall was drowned out by a sound that started as a low thrumming in the rock beneath his feet and grew into the thunderous, soul-shaking beat of a thousand war drums. The summoning circle he'd designated flared to life, not with a simple light, but with a vortex of raw power that painted the clearing in violent strokes of gold and crimson. The light formed stripes across the earth, a transient brand on the world, like the pelt of some colossal beast.
A roar tore through the air—not of a man or monster, but of pure, unbridled ferocity.
From the heart of the blaze leaped a giant sabertooth tiger, a creature of myth and muscle. Its fangs glistened like polished daggers, and its eyes burned with molten gold. Upon its back sat a woman, her posture as unyielding as the mountain for which her creed was named. She was radiant in red-and-gold lamellar armor that was both beautiful and brutally functional, shaped to a form that spoke of power and grace. A crimson, tiger-striped cloak streamed behind her, not just moved by the wind, but seeming to command it. Her long, black hair, streaked with amber, flowed like a wild mane, and in her hands, a naginata gleamed with deadly intent.
The beast landed without a sound, its immense paws absorbing the impact. It lowered itself, bowing its great, tusked head before Aexl.
With effortless grace, the woman dismounted. She stood tall, her golden eyes—sharp, unyielding, and ancient—locking onto Aexl's. There was no subservience in that gaze, only a piercing assessment that seemed to weigh his very soul, and a flicker of something else… warm recognition.
Then, an act so profound that even Kentucky stopped its ravenous chewing, its head snapping up in shock.
She knelt. One knee to the stone, a gesture of fealty from a queen.
"I am Takeda Shinka, the Tiger of Kai," she said, her voice carrying the authority of a seasoned commander and the deep allure of a woman who had forged her own destiny. "You may call me Lady Shingen." Her gaze never wavered. "I do not kneel lightly… but I kneel to you, Aexl. My cavalry will ride for your banner. My claws will rend your enemies. From this day forward, the Tiger of Kai serves you."
The sabertooth let out a low, rumbling growl, circling Aexl once in a clear act of inspection before settling at her side, a guardian made of muscle and fang.
The Ephone flickered with the after-action report:
[ Summoning Successful ]
[ Unit Gained: Tiger Cavalry – Elite Mounted Samurai ]
[ General Summoned: Lady Shingen, Tiger of Kai ]
Aexl's chest tightened, a knot of something far more complex than fear. It was the crushing weight of realization. This wasn't a random summon. This was an evaluation. The H-Lords, the god-like arbiters of this world, hadn't just given her to him. They had presented him to her. She wasn't just summoned; she had chosen him.
A cynical part of his mind, the part that remembered the pandering nature of War Dominion, surfaced briefly. Of course, she's a woman. The game always knew how to package its deadliest assets in the most appealing forms. But he crushed the thought. This was different. The raw power and undeniable will radiating from her was no game mechanic.
Lady Shingen rose, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of loyalty and challenge. She offered her hand, armored fingers extending toward him.
"Together, General… let us conquer."
Aexl fell silent, caught between the awe of a historian meeting a legend and the reverence of a soldier recognizing a true peer. He looked at her offered hand, then back to her face, a warrior queen who had just pledged her life and army to his cause. As she gracefully remounted her sabertooth, becoming one with the mythic beast, the true scale of the power he now commanded began to settle upon him.
General To Gaia, as lady shingen call him
"Tell me, General," Lady Shingen's voice was a low hum, like a distant war drum, as she settled onto the sabertooth's back. Her eyes, still fixed on Aexl, narrowed slightly. "What is our first strike? What battlefield awaits the Tiger of Kai?"
*****
The ridge wall served as their guide, a rugged spine of rock separating the high ground from the forest below. Aexl led the way, Kentucky picking its path with an unnerving certainty, while Lady Shingen and her silent, hulking sabertooth followed, a shadow of crimson and gold.
"What battlefield awaits, General?" she had asked moments before, her voice a low hum that vibrated with contained power.
Aexl glanced back, his mind still processing the image of the Orc fortress. "For now, we're on a scout mission," he replied, his tone all business. He pointed toward a grey stone tip peeking over the canopy of trees ahead. "We need to check that tower. We head there."
"Understood," Lady Shingen replied, the simple word carrying the weight of an oath.
Kentucky, having devoured the last of its bread, trotted faithfully to Aexl's side. The sight of the massive bird, so alien yet so disciplined, seemed to fascinate the warrior queen.
"Does it fly?" she asked, her golden eyes appraising Kentucky with a professional's curiosity.
"Nope," Aexl said, swinging himself into the saddle. "But it has other capabilities."
A small, knowing smile touched Lady Shingen's lips. As a master of cavalry, she could see the coiled power in the cuckoo's haunches, the intelligence in its gaze. "What is its name? And what do the locals call such a creature?"
"The locals call them cuckoos," Aexl replied. "I named him Kentucky."
"Cuckoo? As in, crazy?" A melodic laugh, rich and genuine, escaped her.
"Yeah, the locals call them that," Aexl confirmed, a faint smile on his own face. "Let's go. We need to be back at the village after sundown."
"Roger that, General," she responded, the modern military term sounding strangely fitting from her ancient lips.
As they moved, Aexl glanced at his Ephone. The map had updated, placing a name on the structure they were approaching: Tactical Gate of Eldethyr. "So, it's not a tower… it's a gate," he muttered to himself, the strategic implications already clicking into place.
They were about to round a sharp corner in the ridge path when a sudden thwip cut through the air. An arrow, fletched with stark white feathers, slammed into the ground directly in front of Kentucky, its shaft quivering like a struck nerve. It was a warning shot, a clear line drawn in the dirt.
"Halt!" Aexl commanded, his voice sharp. Kentucky froze, a low growl rumbling in its chest. Beside him, Lady Shingen's sabertooth had already dropped into a predatory crouch, its lips peeled back from its immense fangs.
From the shadows of the trees that lined the path, figures emerged. They moved with a silent, fluid grace that bespoke years of training. They were mature women, stern-faced and battle-hardened, with long, elegantly pointed ears. On Earth, we'd call them elves, Aexl thought, his gaze sweeping over them, but here in Eldethyr, they could be anything. Locals, guardians… certainly not from Lyssa's village.
Their uniforms sent a jolt of recognition through him. It was the same style as his Valkyrie units: golden breastplates and helmets modeled after Greek hoplites, with armored skirts over hardened leather.
Lady Shingen's voice was a dangerous whisper at his side. "You know we can take them, General." Her naginata was already in her hand, the blade seeming to drink the light.
More of the women materialized, flanking them. Twenty in total. A disciplined phalanx, some armed with bows, others with javelins, spears, and shields. They formed a silent, glittering wall, blocking the path forward.
"So, what's it going to be, General?" Lady Shingen asked, her gaze fixed on the woman who seemed to be their leader. Her knuckles were white where she gripped her weapon, every line of her body coiled and ready to unleash hell on whoever dared to fire again.
"I mean no harm!" Aexl's voice boomed, the command in it cutting through the tension. He kept his hands open, visible. "I'm here to scout the Gate of Eldethyr. I come from the village. Lyssa, your chief, summoned me."
The name 'Lyssa' rippled through the phalanx of armored women. They exchanged hushed whispers, their spear points wavering for a fraction of a second. The leader, a stern-faced woman with a scar bisecting her eyebrow, barked a sharp command. "Go! Fetch Lyeona. Now!" One of the soldiers, a younger woman with a javelin, immediately turned and sprinted back the way they had come, disappearing into the trees.
The leader's gaze snapped back to Aexl, hard as flint. "Don't move, or the next arrow won't be a warning."
"General, we can take them," Lady Shingen murmured, her voice a low growl of promise. The air around her seemed to shimmer with her readiness.
"I know," Aexl replied, his voice calm and low, not moving a muscle. "But I don't want to make unnecessary enemies. That runner is calling their leader. Let's see who's in charge first."
Moments stretched into an eternity, thick with the silent standoff. As a gesture of peace, Aexl slowly dismounted, raising his hands slightly. He gave a sharp nod to Shingen. With a reluctant sigh, she dismounted as well. The naginata in her hand didn't return to her side; it simply vanished into motes of golden light, a clear signal that she would not be the one to start the fight.
The rustle of heavy footfalls announced the runner's return, followed by a figure who moved with an authority that commanded the eye. A woman clad in magnificent golden armor strode into the clearing. The armor was of the same make as the set Roderick had given him, the one he wore when he tore the orcs apart, but where his had been obsidian black, hers was the brilliant, untarnished gold of a sunrise. Her hair, the same shade of gold, was braided down her back, and she possessed an imposing aura, a presence that reminded him instantly of Lyssa, but older, more seasoned by command. And then there was the other feature… Well, Aexl thought wryly, I guess large chests are a common trait here, right alongside the pointy ears.
"Why are you here?" the golden-haired woman demanded, her voice ringing with authority. She stopped, her sharp eyes taking in Aexl, then Lady Shingen, her gaze lingering on the sabertooth. "You spoke my sister's name."
Aexl took a single, deliberate step forward. In an instant, the air was filled with the sharp shing of steel as a dozen spear tips snapped into place, forming a glittering wall just inches from his chest. The movement was perfectly synchronized, a testament to a disciplined, veteran force. He stopped, holding his ground without a flicker of surprise, his eyes locked on the commander.
"I am Aexl," he stated, his voice calm and steady, a commander addressing an equal. "Lyssa, the chief of the Eldenthyr village, summoned me to be its General. I am here to conduct reconnaissance on that Gate." He gestured with his head toward the stone structure, his gaze never leaving the leader's face.
The golden-haired woman, Lyeona, strode forward, her armor plates shifting with a soft, metallic whisper. She moved like a predator, her sharp eyes dissecting Aexl, then Shingen, her gaze lingering on the barely contained power of the sabertooth.
"Summoned?" Lyeona's voice was sharp, laced with suspicion. "Why would my sister need to summon a General? What has happened at the village?"
Aexl met her hard gaze with his own, a seasoned general reading his opponent. He delivered the next words with the cold, calculated impact of a hammer blow. "The village was about to be wiped out by orcs." He paused, letting the words hang in the air. "I'm here now because I'm devising a plan to take the Brokenshield Fortress."
The name "Brokenshield" struck the soldiers like a physical blow. A wave of murmurs and fearful glances shot through the ranks. Their spear points, held so rigidly moments before, now dipped towards the earth as if the word itself was too heavy to bear.
Lyeona's professional mask shattered. The blood drained from her face, replaced by a raw, visceral fear. "Brokenshield?" she breathed, the name a poisoned whisper. Her eyes, wide with alarm, darted from Aexl to her soldiers and back again. The commander was gone, replaced by a terrified older sister. "Is Lyssa…?" She couldn't finish the question. "Lower your weapons! All of you, now!" she snarled at her troops, her voice cracking with urgency. Her attention snapped back to Aexl, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Is she safe? Tell me!"
"She's more than safe," Aexl replied, his tone absolute, leaving no room for doubt. He was the answer to the question she was too afraid to ask. "Now, as I said, we're heading to the gate."
"No!" Lyeona's voice was adamant, pleading. The haughty commander was completely gone, replaced by a woman desperate for information. "You will not. You will follow me to our camp. Now. You have to tell me everything that happened."
She turned on her heel, her stride no longer that of a confident guardian but of someone rushing to uncover a terrible truth.
Aexl caught Lady Shingen's eye and gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. A silent understanding passed between them. With a shared thought, they released their mounts. Kentucky let out a happy caw and galloped off into the trees, while the sabertooth melted into the shadows with a silent, feline grace, both free to roam until called.
One of Lyeona's soldiers, her spear now held respectfully at her side, her face etched with a mixture of awe and relief, gestured for them to follow. "Please," she said, her voice full of a newfound respect. "This way, General."