Su Benji looked around at his elite guards.

Each bore the scars of many battles for Su Benji only chose experienced soldiers to be in his personal army.

He was quite proud of them for they had easily broken through the pitiful guard that was stationed in the dining hall. In fact not a single soldier had been lost yet in this assassination mission.

He and his guards though knew quite well of the importance of this mission.

After Dong Zhou took the capitol, Su Benji returned to his governing city of Jiang Ling.

Upon returning he learned the horrible news from his brother, Su Ru, of the death of their parents from Liu Yan's own troops.

Su Benji in, his rage, quickly informed Su Foe, the eldest brother of the Su family, to gather a dozen of the most experienced and loyalist soldiers in Benji's army. For they would have to help Su Benji breach Liu Yan's castle and assassinate him.

Sun Tzu meanwhile was in charge of making sure the mission was well planned. It only took him a minute for he had been thinking of one ever since he joined Liu Yan's army. The plan was ingenious, the attack group struck out at night.

After Su Foe set fire to some of the neighboring fields, thus drawing out most of Liu Yan's army, the attack force entered unchallenged into the castle.

In fact up to the point that they entered the dining hall, which they took care of the problem quickly, there was no soldiers to be found.

"Look Out!"

Su Benji quickly rolled out of the way of a cloud of arrows that came from the opposite end of the room.

Unfortunately two soldiers weren't so lucky as they didn't have the quick reflexes of Su Benji. Their bodies were hardly recognizable as the arrow sliced through their bodies and their armor.

"Damn." Su Benji had hoped to find no resistance to the resting chambers of Liu Yan, but of course one must always expect the unexpected.

With lightning quick reflexes Su Benji fired two arrows from his advanced crossbow, which his father had made himself right before he died.

Both arrows found their marks as two dark shadows at the end of the room toppled over.

Benji's guards made to move to the end of the hall to finish the rest of Liu Yan's patrol, but Su Benji halted them.

This was his fight and he already felt bad for having to make these good men fight for him.

Unsheathing his sword Benji sprinted across the room, dodging arrows as he went. Reaching the other end of the room Su Benji found four guards who were drawing their swords.

The closest man to Benji found himself quickly sliced in half by Death's Hand, the name of Su Benji's sword. The other three soldiers decided to try and over power Benji with their numbers.

------------------------------------------------------

Zhao Guang couldn't believe the night he was having.

First his mistress decides to leave him with his two sons, and now this surprise raid on his lord's castle. To add to this his best friend was just sliced in half by the warrior standing no more than ten paces from him.

He didn't know the other two guards that had already been killed by the warrior, but he hoped that their souls passed inspection by the gods in heaven.

"Let us defeat this warrior with numbers and avenge our fallen comrades."

"You have got to be kidding me", thought Zhao, but the other guard obeyed the sergeant's command.

They didn't stand a chance as the warrior, "god he was quick", sliced through both of their throats with two strokes of his blade.

"Wait a minute, I recognize those flames on that sword. Oh, no!"

Zhao turned and ran as fast as he could, for he knew he stood know chance against the warrior, for it was-

"Ugh!"

Zhao suddenly felt an increasing pain and he couldn't breath. He looked down to see an arrow protruding from his chest. His hands felt increasingly warm as they became drenched from his own blood.

Zhao fell to his knees staring at the floor, knowing that he was going to die.

He can't though, his sons would never forgive him. Zhao fought the coming darkness as best as he could.

Footsteps approached him and he managed to raise his head to look at his attacker, who was nose to nose with him.

"Su Ben-," but before he could finish he felt a new pain in his throat, and this time Zhao was overcome by the increasing darkness.

----------------------------------------------------

Su Benji sheathed his sword, there was no more of Liu Yan's guard left.

He knew the face of the man he had just killed. He had been a sword dueler he dueled with in the training camps.

He had lost.

"Lets keep moving," he whispered to the remaining ten of his guard.

They complied as amazement shown in their eyes of his recent feat.

It was nothing really.

He had at the age of thirteen taken on a dozen bandits who were plundering a caravan of goods. He defeated them all with only rocks and a very good stick which he kept in his house as a trophy.

Su Benji and his troops rounded the corner of the hall that marked the entrance of the sleeping chambers.

It was time to finish this.

-----------------------------------------------------

Liu Yan awoke to the sound of a scream.

For goodness sake it was only a fire. Probably a farmer's house caught on fire and he's just crying over it.

He was eager to get back to sleep though because he had just had a very long day. The monthly taxation occurred today and many citizens weren't too happy with that; a riot had broken out in camp which caused that stupid fire that was raging outside, and of course the killing of his adopted son's parents didn't go as planned. How was he to know that the Su family had adopted a son?

His soldiers had arrived as planned to the estate of the Su family.

The estate was rather quite lovely with a magnificent garden along with a koei pond. That was where most of the fighting took place, and to say the least, the garden is no more.

The Su's mere dozen guards didn't stand a chance to the thousand soldiers he sent, led by Zhang Ren.

Su Xian was hacked to pieces near the pond by Zhang Ren, his wife suffered the same fate.

Then there was that stupid child, the one they never expected.

The lad had obviously been given the same training as Su Benji for he killed twenty privates, twelve sergeants, and four captains to be exact.

He didn't carry the family name of the Su, but a different name.

Liu Yan couldn't quite think of the name at the moment but what did it matter.

The kid disappeared after he figured out that Su Xian was dead. Though, what if that kid was trying to assassinate him right now?

Then of course there was Su Benji. He had obviously found out about the death of his parents, probably from that damn kid.

There was also disturbance in his army from Su Xian's last words as he died.

Liu Yan couldn't for the life of him remember the exact words at the time.

Oh, well.

The odds of Su Benji coming on this night were extremely low.

Liu Yan went back to sleep, comforted by the fact that fifty armed guards, along with Zhang Ren, were in the same room watching for any signs of an attack.

Not one soul in that room would live to see the sunrise.

--------------------------------------------------

Su Benji halted his men.

Something was definitely not right.

There was no guards in the halls or in the other sleeping chambers. The only inhabitants so far were a bunch of court ministers who had probably helped Liu Yan with the plan to murder Su Benji's parents. They were all tied and gagged at the moment.

Only one thing entered Su Benji's mind.

A trap.

"Cai Gong."

"Yes my lord," responded a guard closest to Su Benji.

"Go and get the ministers," responded Benji.

"May I ask why?"

"We're letting them go."

-----------------------------------------------

Zhang Ren was bored out of his mind.

This has to be the worst assignment I've ever been on, he thought.

The best day of his life had been the first day of the month as he was ordered by Liu Yan to execute Su Benji's father.

Which he thought could offer quite a challenge being the fact that he was the father of Su Benji.

Unfortunately, the father of Su Benji didn't live up to Zhang Ren's expectations, he fell very quickly to Zhang Ren's swift blade.

What made that day so special though, was that young boy.

Zhang Ren had just finished the bloody job of decapitating Su Xian, when he came across a battle that still raged in the garden entrance.

He was quite surprised to see a young boy, no more than thirteen, taking on a whole regiment of soldiers.

The boy was doing quite a good job of it too as the boy's dragon crested sword slaid all who were in his way.

Finally Zhang Ren had thought, a decent challenge. Yet no, the boy saw the body of Su Xian and fled before Zhang Ren could offer a duel.

Zhang Ren though now had a purpose in life, and that was to find that boy and defeat him in combat. Honorably of course.

Unfortunately, his search for the boy was futile, as word of Su Xian's death spread to Su Benji, and now he was stuck baby-sitting his lord while he slept.

Zhang Ren would bet his entire stipend that the boy at the estate told Su Benji.

Zhang Ren was snapped out of his reminisce by the sound of the door opening to his lord's chamber.

Zhang Ren looked towards the entrance and saw the outlines of at least ten men.

"Looks like tonight won't be as boring as I thought."

Zhang Ren quickly, and silently, gave orders to the other fifty guards in the room.

Bows were drawn and arrows were aimed at the assailants entering the room.

"Su Benji will not escape me."

Zhang Ren had never been so wrong in his life, for he failed to notice the seal of the court, embedded in the hats of the, so-called, assailants.

-----------------------------------------------

Zhang Song couldn't believe it.

The fool Su Benji had just let him and his fellow court officials be free.

"Beats being gagged and tied so tight that the breath escaped your lungs," thought Zhang Song, "and now to tell Liu Yan where Su Benji is hiding."

Zhang Song opened the door to Liu Yan's sleeping chambers, entering the room along with the other ten ministers.

Zhang Song forgot about the guard Liu Yan had deployed in his room, and that would cost him and the others their lives.

-------------------------------------------------

Zhang Ren gave the order for his men to release their barrage of arrows.

The men who entered the room never stood a chance as all of the fifty-one arrows found their marks.

Ten of Zhang Ren's men went to the entrance of the door to check the bodies.

Suddenly, and out of no where, all ten near the door fell to a barrage of arrows coming from the other side of the door.

Zhang Ren realized his mistake way too late as eleven armed men entered through the door of the sleeping chambers.

One of them stood out among the rest, he was at least two feet taller than them.

"Men draw your swords," yelled Zhang Ren, "Su Benji is here."

--------------------------------------------

Su Benji charged through the room as did his guard.

The plan had worked without a flaw.

Su Benji had let the ministers go letting them think that they had been freed. Just as he had thought they had went right for their lord's sleeping chambers, and thus springing the trap that was meant for Benji's men.

Benji got an extra bonus when ten of Zhang Ren's men went to check the bodies.

Needless to say they were dead now.

Benji, and his guard, clashed with Zhang Ren's men near the middle of the huge room.

Su Benji flew through the line of men, slashing and hacking, his way through.

Benji counted the bodies he killed as he went.

"One," as a man was sliced in half by Death's Hand.

"Two, Three, Four," as Benji did a revolving motion with his sword, killing three in mid swing.

"Five, Six," two more fell to a quick slash to the throats.

Needless to say, Liu Yan's guards were being demoralized with each kill from Su Benji.

Benji crossed to the other side of the room, noting the fact that Liu Yan now only had twice as much men then Benji's.

His guards were doing well as they also slashed their way through the enemy.

He saw though, that two of his men were engaged in combat with a strong warrior, near the middle of the room. Both of the men were having a tough time as the warrior repeatedly blocked their attacks.

"It must be Zhang Ren," thought Su Benji.

Suddenly, both men fighting the warrior, had sticks penetrating through their abdomen. They really weren't sticks though they were actually spears.

Su Benji noted this, unsheathed his sword, and charged the warrior.

It was too late for the other men, their intestines spewing out of their bodies, as the warrior, who was indeed Zhang Ren, pulled the spears out of their stomachs.

Zhang Ren turned, noticing a warrior sprinting across the room to engage him.

This was the moment he had been waiting for, to defeat Su Benji.

Zhang Ren hurled both of the spears, that were in his hands, towards Benji.

Benji saw the spears leave the hands before even Zhang Ren was aware of them leaving his own.

Benji's sword deflected the spear on the right, that was aimed at his shoulder. The other spear, he simply plucked out of the air and hurled at the stunned Zhang Ren.

The spear found its mark as it penetrated the left eye of Zhang Ren, continuing it's bloody path through the skull, breaching its way out the back of the brain.

Zhang Ren's lifeless body would have crumpled to the floor, if had not been for the shaft of the spear keeping him propped upright.

Ren's body stood in the middle of the room, in the middle of the battle, and was in between Su Benji and the murderer, Liu Yan.

---------------------------------------------

Liu Yan couldn't believe this was happening.

Why he had been so sure that fifty men, and Zhang Ren, would be enough to stop Su Benji.

Yet no, as Zhang Ren and at least half the guard were now dead.

He now remembered what Su Xian had said to his army.

Su Benji is a god.

The thought was absolutely preposterous.

"How could he be a god?"

Liu Yan peered out from underneath the safety of his bed.

The battle was drawing to a close as only four of Benji's guard remained and just as many of Liu Yan's own guard.

"Where was Su Benji though?"

Liu Yan failed to look on the other side of the bed as a pair of spiked gloves casually grabbed Liu Yan's feet.

Liu Yan screamed for all he was worth, which was apparently a lot.

Su Benji held the pleading Liu Yan upside down.

"Please do not kill me," yelled Liu Yan. "I didn't mean for your parents to be killed."

"You lying sack of shit," returned Su Benji. "You personally asked the court to exterminate my family under false pretenses."

"No, I swear I didn't."

"Silence," commanded Benji.

"Don't kill me please. I'll give you all the gold I have," Liu Yan had to think of something fast. "Uhhh... you can have my mistresses."

By now Liu Yan's face was turning quite red, due to being upside down for an extended amount of time.

Su Benji quickly flipped Liu Yan around, wrapping a hand around the prefect's throat.

"And to think that I was eager to join your army," commented Benji dryly. "I'll let hell deal with you."

Su Benji hurled Liu Yan across the room.

Liu Yan's head struck the wooden walls of the room, and he was instantly knocked out.

-------------------------------------------------

The battle was over in the sleeping chambers as two of Benji's guard ran up to report the losses.

"My lord there is no more of Liu Yan's guard alive."

"How many of our guard is left," questioned Benji?

"Us my lord, and Cai Gong who is checking the bodies."

"Summon Cai Gong, we are leaving this place."

"Yes, my lord."

The two guards quickly left to fetch Cai Gong.

Su Benji walked over to the wooden wall next to Liu Yan's bed. He then began tapping each panel of the wall, waiting to hear the hollow sound of space.

Sun Tzu had promised him that the local servants would remove part of the wall near Liu Yan's bed, to make an easy escape for the raid party.

"Thump."

"Ha, there it is," mumbled Benji.

The sound of metal boots announced the return of Benji's guard.

"My lord, I checked all the bodies," said Cai Gong hurriedly. "There are no survivors."

"Good work, Cai Gong," replied Benji. Cai Gong truly will be a terrible loss to him, and so will the other two guards who fought so bravely.

He began to shift his hands to behind his back, finding the two throwing knifes, stowed away in Benji's belt.

Su Benji turned to face Cai Gong and the two other guards. The guards didn't notice that Su Benji's hands were grasping two knifes, hidden in his belt.

"You three have all shown your bravery and camaraderie in this raid, and for that I hope the heavens will surely let all of you through it's gate."

"My lord, but were still alive," replied Cai Gong, beginning to think that Benji was going mad.

"I'm truly sorry."

With that Su Benji tossed the two knifes at speeds, that did not exist at the time, and the guard on the left of Cai Gong was impaled between the eyes. The other guard managed to turn his head so that the knife struck him through his right ear, and the tip of the blade was sticking out the other side. Both of the guards were killed instantly.

All Cai Gong could do was stare awestruck at the quick reflexes of Su Benji.

Benji drew his sword, bringing it down on top of Cai Gong's head.

-------------------------------------

Su Benji prayed in honor of the three that had just died.

He knew that it wasn't right to kill them, but if the Han court found out about the raid then he would be forever branded a traitor to the Han.

Being a traitor wouldn't get him very far with raising a army to rule China, now would it?

With the dreadful deed done, Su Benji pulled out a small black ball with a piece of string sticking out of one end. The black ball was actually a crude incendiary grenade that Sun Tzu had given Benji right before he left.

Benji struck two pieces of flint together near the fuse of the grenade, and in a matter of seconds the fuse was lit.

The countdown began.

Sun Tzu had promised Benji that the fuse would last thirty seconds.

Benji would need every second to escape.

He quickly pulled away the panel that had produced the dull thump, and sure enough there was no other side to the wall.

Benji ran through the opening, never looking back, as he raced to the gate of the palace grounds.

---------------------------------------------------

Liu Yan opened his eyes slowly.

"What happened?"

Oh, yes, that devil Benji hurled him into the wall.

"Uhhhgg," moaned Liu Yan. "Damn my head is killing me."

Liu Yan looked up to see three of Benji's guards, dead in front of him.

He knew that those bodies hadn't been there before.

Maybe Liu Yan's guards had won the battle, and managed to chase Benji away.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

No answer.

Liu Yan's hearing was beginning to return, and he began to hear a faint hissing sound.

Liu Yan looked to the right of the bodies, wishing he hadn't. For there was a burning fuse, which disappeared into a small black ball.

Liu Yan recalled Benji's departing words, "I'll let hell deal with you."

Indeed, hell's fiery flames would deal with Liu Yan as the fuse reached the liquid, stored inside the ball.

-------------------------------------

Benji ran through the gates, hearing a large whoosh of air, that came from the right side of the palace.

Though he wanted to look and witness the fall of his former father, he knew if he stopped, he would surely be discovered.

Five minutes later Benji made it to the top of a towering hill, and now, he knew it was safe to look.

But had the bomb done it's job?

It had and more.

Benji turned to see that the entire palace was now on fire, due to it's wooden structure.

Benji finally smiled.

His father could rest in peace.