Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors Orochi and this fic isn't something to make money from by writing. Koei owns the original game, but they're lazy bricks to make the story a lot more interesting.
A/N: I must get a new copy of Warriors Orochi 1 because the one I have is suffering game glitches and deflects. Playing through Warriors Orochi 2 on Orochi's story gives me a better view on Orochi's goal. Here's the last chapter of the first arc. Review if I make any mistakes so I can edit.
Warrior Seven: Dawn of the Dragon
Chapter 3: Out of Nowhere Act 3
At Orochi's castle…
"Zhen Ji? Are you certain that woman Da Ji send is the 'Luoshen'?" Orochi faced to his right hand man look little to no surprise by the incarnation of the beautiful one.
"She wouldn't doubt it, my lord," the mysterious man lower his head down stuttered.
"Kiyomori….there are many women in both eras I brought into this world, but only one so beautiful is a potential threat to my demon bride. How can she tell that is the 'Luoshen'? Hehehe, she carries a flute," Orochi chuckle in amusement.
The mysterious man named Taira no Kiyomori is Orochi's right hand man, the demon possessing general of the Heiki vow to serve his lord to the fullest.
"The Flute of the Dark Moon, but that's a title only a woman of evil call it's enchanted weapon," Kiyomori said.
"Hmmm, isn't it ironic Kiyomori? This woman reminds me of Amaterasu…." Orochi mentioned the Japanese sun goddess.
"You don't think that human woman…" Before Kiyomori gets it, Orochi lips curl with an evil smile.
"The mystics were smart enough to put their fate in humans especially one Da Ji now possess as our own. She can be of use for us and I know Cao Pi wouldn't dare try to rebel," Orochi said.
"Are there other women like her, Orochi sama?" Kiyomori questioned.
"Ask Da Ji, she knows women better when none were worthy to take her…even Nu Wa," Orochi gets off his throne and left leaving Kiyomori wondering.
At Jian Ye….
Saito No is growing impatient in her prison. She fumed, the place is reck of boredom, since her capture at the hands of Orochi, her husband flee with the remaining Oda army regrouping with the other daimyos to form the Anti Orochi coalition. It won't be long, she'll leave this place and reunite with the Demon King. The Demon King's ambition cannot be complete with his viper assassin. She's the daughter of Saito Dosan, The Viper.
"It's getting dusty in here; can't a lady be put in a nice clean room instead of a stoned prison? Who brought the idea of making this a stone castle? Those silly Chinese…" Nohime said to herself.
Suddenly the sound of footsteps coming from the left hall is coming towards the stairs. Whoever it is, she liked to have another look at the orochi soldier with grey ash skin and the same white gazing eyes and hair. Her husband thought of recruiting such troops for his army.
The sound of music begins to orchestrate the entire room. It's such a sorrowful tone, music not likely to be entertaining, but grieve.
"Oh someone must have a difficult life to perform such music," Nohime thought. And it appears the person she's referring to is the Chinese woman emerge from the stairway, she continue playing the flute gracefully.
It's already the middle of the damn night and she's bored, but who would have thought sad songs can conquer her boredom in this prison.
"Did someone died?" Nohime sarcastically spoke to provoke the woman's singing.
"……." The melody continues to play and Nohime give out a heavy sigh. It's been months since the battle at Mikatagahara. Orochi's forces have cornered her and she's separated from her husband only to get captured and put into this horrid place.
"You can stop now. The music isn't doing anything to cease my boredom. I prefer something else to impress me like the way you're dressed," Nohime studied the woman's fashion sense.
The woman named Zhen Ji is standing in front of the cage firmly serious and stopped blowing her flute. They stare at each other for another minute before No speaks again.
"If Hideoyoshi saw you, he'll be sex crazed again. You're Lady Zhen right? Or Empress Zhen as your son preferred you to be called?" Nohime shifted closer to the bars plucking her interest in the Chinese woman.
"I'm the flute of death and my lady's right hand. Your husband send one of his peons to Wu planning for you rescue. Wu will be here soon to reclaim their territory from us. To ensure their failure, I'll do everything in my power for Orochi and at best for Wei," Zhen Ji informed.
"Hahahaha, this is getting exciting. Whoever is brave enough to come get me out of this place will be worth joining the Oda," Nohime grinned.
"Don't count on it. Wu are so predictable when it comes to backstabbing, just like in Chi Bi," Zhen Ji scoffed.
"….." Nohime knew what happened at the Battle of Chi Bi, one of the famous events that triggered the three kingdoms era.
"I learn from a samurai who told me that you're the daughter of a daimyo Dosan Saito. What kind of man is your father?" Zhen Ji asked.
"He's more of a man than your father in law. He changed my husband greatly to become a powerful daimyo the land will come to respect. If it weren't for my father's death then I could have ended Nobunaga's life earlier before he rise from the depths of obscurity," Nohime said, retelling her father's influence to her husband's rise to power.
"It's a pity your father is no longer in this world and only my father in law remain and my husband and my son," Zhen Ji chuckled evilly.
"Can I ask you the same question? What about your biological father?" Nohime questioned putting one eyebrow raise in the left, she's puzzled with the conversation because Zhen Ji acting oddly high and mighty.
"That is none of your business…" Zhen Ji turned away from the cell preparing to leave the dungeon.
"If you say so. I know this isn't like you to be so….corrupt, because your real father is nothing like the great Cao Cao," Nohime crossed her arms and return a wicked smirk.
"Shut up! Don't assume you know me!" Zhen Ji snapped.
"Ohohohoh, I know you well enough because your clothes are so ancient, the style of Chinese exotica. That's something you're forced to wear in your time. Look at my dress; it's more revealing than yours except this is the Japanese custom," Nohime glared.
"I hope I'm not interrupting the argument ladies," Da Ji voice head coming down the stairs. She looked the most revealing of the three vixens.
"Oh, it's foxy chan, now all three of us 'evil' women are here," Nohime sighed.
"I'm complied to the sincere. Even Zhen Ji is enlightened of our gathering. Evil is beautiful….hahaah.," Da Ji then shift to give a mischief smile to her puppet, "Right Luoshen?"
"….." Zhen Ji didn't return a glance. She's still staring at No like she got herself a worthy rival for competition.
"We're sworn sisters," Da Ji said.
"Ah…you two make a great yuri couple," Nohime joked.
"Zhen Ji, be a good girl and allow me to talk with her alone," Da Ji ordered.
"Yes my lady," Zhen Ji bowed. She went upstairs leaving the two alone for a brief silent until No speaks.
"I knew you brainwashed her. Clever, but as low as my husband when he slaughtered the Takeda at Nagashino," Nohime said.
"As long as Zhen Ji under my control, Wei will continue to be blindly controlled by Orochi even if Cao Pi is its ruler now," Da Ji said. She feel so proud of it, removing the threat of the 'Luoshen' is part of securing the alliance with Wei.
"Don't I get the feeling that you're underestimating my husband? He'll try to destroy that alliance," Nohime said.
"We'll see, but that won't change the fact that I control Zhen Ji's mind to do whatever I desire. If Wu tries to rescue you, she'll attack Wu. If the coalition invades, she'll defend against the coalition fighting some of the most famous women who were more respected. I can't wait to get the entire Anti-Orochi Coalition to hate her. Oh wait, every kingdom despise Wei because they are 'evil'," Da Ji giggled.
"I'm afraid your disillusion will be your downfall. Wei is the kingdom Japan admires the most since the Japanese sailed to China as envoys. Just have Wei continue to attract my husband and he'll come up with a plan to influence the Wei ruler to defect," Nohime shrugged.
"You see, that's going to be Wei's problem. Will they continue to depend on Cao Pi's leadership or the alliance?" Da Ji tapped her finger on her cheek.
"Is Orochi really this powerful or does he have flaws?" Nohime asked.
"He's powerful enough to make you humans look inferior. Flaws, well if you depend on a mystic to stop him instead of your human Demon King wannabe," Da Ji grinned.
"It's better he's worth a lot to please Nobunaga sama. So, no human can beat a god you presume," Nohime sighed.
"Hmmm, none I can think of, maybe Zhuge Liang. There's something special about that human," Da Ji thought about Zhuge Liang when he first used his strategies to help get Wu to submit.
"The Sleeping Dragon? My husband admires his talents," Nohime nodded.
"Zhuge Liang serves Orochi now, so that threat is out of the window. Give up that confident about your husband. Not even Zhen Ji's husband stands a chance and it makes me laugh so hard how such a delusional couple exist, ahahahaha. Nu Wa should be ashamed of herself," Da Ji loved the enthusiasm of humanity's false hopes of Love, Peace, and Power.
She then takes her leave chanting in Orochi's name. This night is getting better for No as she quietly return to her resting side and wait for her rescuers. She stumbles to boredom a month after the incident in which brought her here.
At Shinano…
Zhao Yun traveled out of the foggy forest after his escape from Wei. He learned from Zuo Ci about Liu Bei being held captive by Orochi's forces. The rumor of him being dead was a ruse to force Zhao Yun to surrender to Wei in with he was a prisoner, charged of previous activities against Wei for being a rebel. About an hour ago, his conversation with Nagamasa and Zuo Ci leaves him thinking of what his next move will be.
Flashback…
"Liu Bei is alive and well being a hostage to Orochi," Zuo Ci revealed.
"Then I must go and rescue him!" Zhao Yun urged.
"But, you don't have an army, so borrow my troops at Echizen by asking my retainer there," Nagamasa suggested.
"No, I can't. You need those troops, Lord Nagamasa," Zhao Yun refused.
"Cheng Du is now located west of Echizen and south of Han Zhong. It'll be dangerous traveling there alone. But since you're used to such lonely wanders, I pray you'll recover some of the former Shu troops there. Also, a masked man you know is traveling alone north from here," Zuo Ci said.
"Wei Yan…" Zhao Yun mutters the name of the Shu general.
"Wei Yan, the traitor of Shu?" Nagamasa questioned.
"Traitor? Did the history record that?" Zhao Yun looked at Nagamasa shocked by that revelation after Shu's fall.
"Well, it's not clear, but Wei Yan tried to go to Wei after Zhuge Liang's death," Nagamasa shrugged.
"That doesn't make sense. I have to go search for Wenchang," Zhao Yun hasty went to get his white horse while the two men watch the worried general.
"You know, my clan had the same kind of horrible legacy. We loss, we get scoffed at for everything we fought for, heh especially betraying Nobunaga…" Nagamasa sighed heavily.
"Zhao Yun, Orochi changed time and space continuum. So you'll likely meet people who died before the establishment of Shu Kingdom, like Lu Bu," Zuo Ci puts one card showing Lu Bu.
"If Lu Bu is back then so is Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao, Sun Jian, and Zhang Jiao," Zhao Yun said.
"Yuan Shao controls Cheng Du now after he briefly allied with Orochi," Zuo Ci informed.
"I'm going to stop him with my own army as soon as I get to Wei Yan!" Zhao Yun scowled.
"Shouldn't you have Yuan Shao turn against Orochi and join the Anti Orochi coalition?" Zuo Ci questioned.
"I will NEVER work with Yuan Shao anymore!" Zhao Yun retorted.
"Still, you need all the help you can get to fight Orochi's massive army. Let by gones be by gones between you and Benchu," Zuo Ci shook his head.
"….." Zhao Yun gets on his horse and turns his direction north to where Wei Yan is located.
"Zhao Yun, the next time we meet, we'll work together to fight against Orochi. Right now I must stay behind with my clan in Wei," Nagamasa said. Zhao Yun nodded and looks hard into Zuo Ci's calmness.
"Whatever you do, it will greatly affect the path you walkthrough. Make the best case scenario, Zilong. The mystics are watching you," Zuo Ci teleports leaving only Azai and Zhao alone.
"Young lord!"
"Oh no, my men caught up with me. You must hurry Lord Zhao Yun. You're welcome to Echizen to get anything for your army on the journey, I'll contact you on Zhen Ji's whereabouts including the situation in Wei," Nagamasa bowed.
"Thank you, I'm in debt to your kindness," Zhao Yun smiled. His horse neighing, it waited too long to get a good race to Cheng Du.
After he left, the Azai army arrive and their lord pretend to groan and kneel down the grass struggling.
"Young lord! Are you alright?!" one of his retainers hurried to drag him up.
"I..I think so. The prisoner has already escaped," Nagamasa nodded. He feels the after effects of his wounds after fighting. Zhao Yun is indeed stronger than that.
This will not be good news for Wei as soon as their majesty finds out.
Near Yi Ling…
Wei marched from Shinano to the south where they're heading for Jing. The large Wei army has sneer determination to bring their King another victory. Mitsunari talked to Cao Pi about Kessen. If Cao Pi occupies enough land, he can force a massive winner takes all battle. This farther planning the unification of the entire country once he expands Wei into a force that can penetrate Orochi's forces.
"A Kessen, Ishida that's the most acclaimed idea I've heard. So you started this Battle of Sekigahara and it's a Kessen," Cao Pi felt satisfied.
"Yes, but to each who sides one conqueror and the other, it's a battle either you'll rule the entire nation or lost everything your clan controls. Thousands of warriors gather in one gigantic battlefield," Mitsunari explained.
"One battle to rule em all eh," Xu Huang likes the idea of just one battle. Having too many battles might cause more chaos.
"However, if Wei happens to lose in a Kessen, the kingdom is destroyed. It's too risky, your majesty," Zhang Liao warned.
"It's boring having to give my adversaries enough time to survive for another battle. One battle with everything they got is much better. Until we finish expanding our forces we'll come up with a plan to trigger that ace in the hole," Cao Pi said.
"My lord!"
"That voice, its Cao Ren," Xu Huang turn his horse towards where Cao Ren is coming.
"Cao Ren, what's so urgent to hurry here to me while I'm having some fun with the 'Demon King'?" Cao Pi listened to the troubling news.
"Zhao Yun…he has escaped from his prison cell and left with the Azai army pursuing him!" Cao Ren reported.
"That's strange. Couldn't somebody have let him escape?" Mitsunari give a suspicious look.
"It doesn't matter, the blind man wandering pointlessly without an army of his own. Does he have any will to fight with no lord? This is a brand new world, Shu just wanted to restore the useless Han dynasty nobody cares about anymore," Cao Pi glared at Mitsunari.
The silliness of worrying about one guy unimportant to his ambitions irritates him no less. Seriously, what did Zhao Yun do other than saving Liu Bei's incompetent son?
"……" Zhang Liao doesn't agree with that.
"Even without an army, he's dangerous and should be captured alive! Cao Cao had long wished Zhao Yun is captured by Wei so we must carry that wish out," Cao Ren urged.
"Father wanted Guan Yu in Wei. Tch, I don't see what's so good about Zhao Yun and I'm glad he's out of the way. Somebody else might deal with him and I have more important people to meet than a pro Liu Bei bore. Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, go with Cao Ren and help him find Zhao Yun. If you cross with any resistance forces, attack without hesitation understood. Mitsunari and I will be stationing ourselves at Yi Ling," Cao Pi ordered.
"Yes, my lord!" Zhang Liao and Xu Huang rode with Cao Ren and a quarter of troops to the west in hunt for Zhao Yun.
"So the expedition will have to wait," Mitsunari commented.
"Seriously, I don't give a damn about Zhao Yun. All he does is fight, chanting how great Liu Bei is, dull personality yet my father has a fondness in him where I don't understand. Shu has its talents, but nothing revolutionary like Guan Yu and Zhuge Liang," Cao Pi sighed disbelief.
Wei forces come into a halt after learning the news of Zhao Yun's escape. With the remnants of Shu staying in Nan Zhong, only time will soon shine for the revival of Shu.
Next Chapter: The Yuan, The Sanada, and The Zhao.
