Cao Cao's ambush party set up on the path to Xu Province and begin preparations for battle. They split their forces into two. One to hold them at the back gate of Dingtao castle on higher ground with more archers which left recently. While the other hide in the forest to ambush them on all sides. The force hiding in the forest finish their preparations and are just idling around until they can see the enemy army. A few of them huddled around a campfire roasting the leg of a cow over it.
'So when do you think they'll show up?' One soldier asked another as they were lying in wait.
'Hopefully never and they'll all get riddled with arrows.' The other one replied.
'Argh that's boring though!' He moans in frustration.
'Whether it's boring or not it's what we're ordered to do. Or if you'd prefer you could disobey them and get executed.'
'Yeah yeah I know...it's just I signed up to fight for lord Cao Cao not stand around is all.'
'Remember, no matter how lowly your orders may be they're all important and as a result every single soldier is important.'
'Yeah yeah I heard the damn speeches when we signed up. By the way where's Ping? he's been gone a while.'
'I heard he went hunting for special game he saw nearby. Said something about a wild large Ox or something roaming around here.' Another soldier answered opposite the other two.
'Oh of course he went hunting at this time.'
'It'll be fine they'll be a while till they get here anyway so we got time to kill.' All of a sudden everyone starts to feel the ground rumble every now and again almost to the pattern of footsteps with various soldiers stumbling over as a result.
'Woah is this an earthquake...right now of all times!?' One questioned.
'Don't tell me the earth is going to swallow us whole!? I can't die like this!' Another exclaimed.
'Calm down all of you!' The rumbling suddenly ceases as all of them stand up looking at the ground around them.
'See nothing to worry about at-' He was suddenly interrupted a pair of legs flying at him with such speed he's knocked unconscious. The soldiers stand up in shock.
'What the!?' One shouted before being interrupted by a large club flattening him. Gyuki emerges from the trees surprising everyone. The other soldier attempts to run away however Gyuki quickly catches him. He screams for a few seconds before being silenced as he was devoured from the waist up. Gyuki discards the legs to the side. The unconscious soldier manages to wake up and immediately screams before being stepped on like a bug. Various soldiers ran up to Gyuki with spears and tried to jab him in the legs or his abdomen however he was so intimidating they stayed as far back as possible and instead use the spears to attempt to shoo him off it seems. Gyuki swats them away with ease like mere insects, sending them flying with such force they died upon impact. Whether it be against the trees or the ground or even each other, in some cases their bodies were torn apart by the pure strength of Gyuki's simple swing.
More soldiers lunged forwards towards Gyuki with weapons drawn. Gyuki raises his club vertically in the air. He suddenly crashes the club down to the ground as the soldier in the front is close enough. The torso was flattened and the impact the club had as it made contact with the ground created a dust storm strong enough to blow them away and smack them in nearby trees or on the ground. Gyuki raises his club and walks over to them one by one and crushes them with his club. His strength made the trees fall to the ground with a single blow to finish off the enemies. Some of them would scream, some of them were unconscious and some grovelled and begged for mercy. It mattered little to Gyuki because they would dare to harm Mitsuko the lady he serves loyally. That to Gyuki is a death sentence.
In the middle of his slaughter Gyuki felt something sharp hit him in the back. It wasn't serious to him but it was just an annoyance. He drops his club and struggles to reach for it but he does eventually. He grasps on the thing that's giving him an uncomfortable feeling and pulls it out. It was an arrow oddly enough. He turns around and puts his hand in front of his face and blocks another lone arrow with it. With his sharp demonic eyes he sees a lone archer roughly 200 yards away he thought was separated from the other ambush party that Dodomeki was going to surprise. He sees him get paralysed with fear. Gyuki looks to his side and picks up a knocked down tree trunk with his immense strength with his left arm at the bottom of the tree and his right arm placed at the roots. He throws it straight at the archer who is still paralysed. As he sees the trunk get closer he finally attempts to run away but to no avail. The forest is filled with his fearful scream before only silence remains as he gets flattened and a long blood trail followed the tree as it skids on the ground for another 50 yards.
At the end of his personal rampage Gyuki looks around to see the carnage he created, the amount of blood that stained the grass and the bodies that littered the ground. Gyuki roars with all his might which was heard by everyone in the vicinity of the castle.
Meanwhile Lu Bu's forces were finishing the enemy off at Dingtao castle when they all heard the roar. Everyone stopped for a while before continuing. Mitsuko entered an almost trance of some sort as she realises she remembers that particular roar but she doesn't know where from. She breaks her trance as LingQi thrusts one of her double bladed halberds barely passing Mitsuko into the enemy soldier behind her armed with a sword in his gut. Mitsuko glances behind her as LingQi removes her weapon and kicking the soldier to the ground.
'You really shouldn't let your guard down in the middle of a battle.' LingQi tells her as soldiers are fighting around them at all sides.
'He was already dead he just didn't know it. Besides you heard that roar right? I can't help if something like that grabs my attention.'
'Perhaps but you still should be aware you're in a battle. The enemy only need a second of your defences open to slay you.' Mitsuko lunges forwards towards Mitsuko and swipes the blade barely missing her face and slashes an enemy coming up behind her, slicing him between the left of his neck to the right of his chest.
'Like that?' Mitsuko smirks as did LingQi who didn't even flinch when the crescent blade zoomed past her.
'Exactly like that. Well now that you're more aware let's start cleaning up the enemy in the castle.' Ling Qi suggests and as she charges forward to a group of enemy soldiers and takes them out in a single blow. More of the enemy came towards her from the sides. She holds both of her weapons separately as she cuts down those in her path with a single slash one at a time aiming in the general area of the torso. Even as she's slaying her enemies, LingQi's facial expression didn't hold much hatred. She was calm and disciplined. She moved with precision and attacked with force but still watching her fight was a sight to behold for Mitsuko who could see the elegance that she possessed. Yet in this battle there was something...different about her the way she struck down her enemies and dodges or blocks their attacks. Especially compared to how she saw her fight before. Two soldiers lunge behind LingQi though she simply thrusted her halberds behind her stabbing them in their gut. Two more from the front charge thinking this was their chance to strike. She forcefully pulls her weapons back through the previous enemies sides and slashes them in front of her. Successfully decapitating them, all four bodies at once fall to the ground. Mitsuko chuckles to herself as she looks behind her to see a group of the enemy charging towards her
'Well I can't have her show me up now can I?' She licks her top lip as they got close enough. She swung her scythe in front of her horizontally making them fall away from her. More soldiers came at her as she simply smirks. She dodges the first few strikes and struck down one enemy in front of her on the side of their neck with the momentum dragging them down and start to bleed out. She swings her scythe to her side and lacerates another soldier's stomach as he falls to his knees. She slashes his throat as he looks up for a split second before falling to the ground. Another enemy tried overhead strike her from behind. Mitsuko easily blocks it but struggles to keep it in the air with one hand as she reaches for her sheathed sword. She grasps the hilt and slashes him in the stomach as she draws it. Mitsuko feels his strength waning rapidly as he thrusts her sword upwards through his skull. She removes the sword and kicks the corpse away.
Mitsuko side steps to the right at the last second and thrusts her sword backwards with her left arm extended as far as it could stabbing an unaware enemy. She removes the sword from the stomach and the soldier falls to his knees. Mitsuko quickly places the sword high and stabs him at the top of his skull. She places her left foot on the corpse and pulls the sword out with ease. She spots another soldier standing idly preparing to defend against her attack. She grins as she raises her scythe and strikes. The soldier blocks it however because of the strength behind the swing, the bloodstained crescent blade pierces the back of his head making him lose his strength. Mitsuko pulled on the scythe dragging him to the ground and slices the back of his neck. Among all of this Mitsuko face gave away to the soldiers that were more aware, just how much fun Mitsuko was having. Enemies saw her smile as something dastardly or wicked, though her allies saw it as her simply enjoying herself at least that's what they told themselves if they ever so glanced at it.
'R-retreat!' An officer called out as the remainder of the forces attacking Dingtao castle run away. Looking around the castle the amount of bodies littering the castle favours Cao Cao's forces though Lu Bu's forces took some losses of their own though it was still large enough to tackle Cao Cao's army head on. The forces of Lu Bu raised their weapons in a short victory until another messenger came to the castle lying in wait until Cao Cao's army evacuated the castle. He knelt towards Lu Bu and relayed his message.
'My lord Juye castle is under attack by Cao Cao's forces and requires immediate assistance.' Lu Bu grinned widely.
'Come men lets march towards Juye castle and drive them out from there as well!' He shouts as his men cheered.
'My lord something seems off perhaps we should-' Chen Gong chimed before he was interrupted by his lord.
'There's no need we'll wipe all of them out in a single blow. If they take the castle while we're gone we'll just take it back again! Now follow me!' Lu Bu charged out with his army following him along with a rather displeased Chen Gong. Leaving behind a small garrison force that defended the castle before Lu Bu arrived. Mitsuko was going to go aswell before Pang Tong spoke.
'My lady it is my suggestion that you should remain here.'
'Why? Are you expecting an ambush?' Mitsuko questioned. Pang Tong nods in response.
'Most definitely. I wouldn't be surprised if an ambush came charging in soon after the main army left. This is Cao Cao we're dealing with here. Besides having another warlord in our debt by staying here voluntarily would be beneficial for you on a personal level wouldn't you say?' Pang Tong whispers to Mitsuko who nods in understanding. What he says makes sense.
'Hey Mitsuko are you coming along?' LingQi asks as the rest of the army starts to leave them behind. Mitsuko glances towards Pang Tong before replying.
'Actually think I might just in case an ambush comes by.'
'You really think they'll have the gall to attack the castle again?' LingQi questions.
'Remember this is a more prepared Cao Cao we're dealing with. He'll probably have some plan up his sleeve.' LingQi looks at Pang Tong before walking up towards the duo.
'Well if that's the case I'll also remain here.'
'Wait are you sure? You really don't have there could be the chance that no one will arrive at all you know.' Mitsuko replied to make sure that LingQi knows she doesn't have to stay here if she doesn't want to.
'I'm sure...besides I'm sure father will be all right without me there.' Mitsuko could've sworn there was a hint of sadness in her voice before they were interrupted by someone wearing lamellar armour and a helmet that covered their head apart from their face. He is armed with a fancier looking spear by having a black cloth near where the blade is tied.
'Please you don't have to remain here please go and join our lord to his victory.' He bows politely while having a fist in his palm.
'Sorry but we made our decision. Besides who are you anyway?' Mitsuko asks.
'Ahh my apologies my name is Wu Zi the warlord that requested lord Lu Bu's army.' Mitsuko was taken aback by this almost ordinary looking man being a warlord under the mightiest warrior in the land...then again Mitsuko didn't really know what she should've expected Wu Zi to look like.
'Still I'm sure you would much rather be on the frontlines that help us should another attack come even though I doubt that's the case.'
'Have you considered they just want to be here? After all we can't have you dying this early can we? Besides if our positions were reversed I'd be grateful for any help I received especially if it was voluntary.' Pang Tong laughed out loud as Wu Zi bows yet again though this time he seemed to be a bit more...panicked.
'Ah of course my apologies I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. I am happy that you volunteered to help us...but will Lord Lu Bu be ok with it?' He asks unsure.
'I'm sure as long as we win it'll be ok besides it's only us 3 and its Lu Bu of all people leading the charge. I'm sure it'll be fine.' Mitsuko attempted to reassure him.
'Aha I guess you're right.' Wu Zi laughs slightly before they all heard a collection of footprints. They all turn towards the gate and suddenly Cao Cao's forces started to charge straight into the castle making Mitsuko grins happily with a slight tint of bloodlust in her eyes.
'Aha just as our strategist predicted. All units slay the defenders and claim the castle for Lord Cao Cao.' A more armoured soldier ordered, Mitsuko guessed he was the officer in charge.
'Well looks like you were right.' Mitsuko glanced at Pang Tong before turning to LingQi.
'Well LingQi...ready for round 2?' Mitsuko questions as she points her scythe towards the enemy. LingQi smirks as she holds her double halberds separately.
'I'm always ready.' The duo charge headfirst to match the rather small enemy force. Wu Zi gives the order for his remaining men to aid them to defend the castle.