Il Cielo dei Tre Regni
by Lunar Wave

Disclaimer: This story borrows the setting and characters of the Koihime†Musou series and borrows multiple elements from Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I own neither series as they both belong to their respective owners. Also, considering Koihime†Musou could be considered a fanfic of the Three Kingdoms, I'd like to say I don't own anything related to the stories of the Three Kingdoms.

-()-

Helping and Being Helped

-()-

"Hey, Aunt Chrome, my father considers both you and Uncle Mukuro as his Mist Guardians, right? So why does everyone seem to think only Uncle Mukuro is the Guardian?"

"Hmm… I suppose it's because, well, officially Mukuro-sama is the one that was supposed to be the actual Guardian. I was supposed to be just a placeholder for him."

"… But that doesn't seem to be the case from how my father treats you…"

"Boss is kind." Chrome hummed, "He's not the kind of person who would abandon a person just because they're not needed anymore."

"Of course not… But what do you think? Are you a Guardian?"

"Yes." Chrome nodded, as she gestured to her earring, her Vongola Gear. "Mukuro-sama doesn't like being chained down to a family in the first place; I think he prefers to be considered a contractor of the family and not part of it."

"But even Uncle Hibari decided to join up…" And Hibari Kyoya is their Cloud Guardian, the aloof cloud that no one could bind. Then again, the man is also based exclusively in Namimori and only on certain occasions comes to Italy.

"Well… yes. Kyouya-san… isn't really…" Aunt Chrome thought quietly, "You know when we were younger, Kyouya-san and I never really interacted with each other so I can't really comment much about why he decided to join us. But as for Mukuro-sama… here's how I see it… Do you know what [nebbia] means?"

"[Mist]?"

"Correct. But it could also mean fog. And fog is just a cloud close enough to the ground to block one's vision… So the Mist Guardian can be quite similar to the Cloud Guardian in some senses."

"… Eh?"

"Honestly, I just mean that you'll find that most Guardian roles aren't so clear cut as you'd think. Just because the Cloud Guardian is the aloof one doesn't mean the others aren't." And with that, Chrome patted her nephew on the head. "Not everything is as it seems. And sometimes, the relationships run deeper than one might think."

"Uh…"

"Kazuto-kun…" Chrome laughed softly. "If it's too difficult to understand, just go with this: For day-to-day life, I'm Boss's Mist Guardian. But for the more serious ones, where the famiglia is in danger, Mukuro-sama will definitely help. After all, Mukuro-sama is Boss's friend; he can't abandon us even if he wanted to."

"Is… is that so?" Somehow, he could see that. The man did seem to have the kind of vibe of being a reliable ally, despite nominally being his father's enemy. His father generally calls him "enemy-in-name-only" which is quite hilarious as the man still holds stubbornly that he is a full-fledged enemy.

Chrome nodded, "As for my status as a Guardian, it doesn't bother me much if people dismiss me. Because I know Boss considers me a Guardian, and that's enough."

"That's enough… huh?"

"What brought this up?"

"… I was wondering what makes a Guardian a Guardian…"

"Oh? And you decided to ask me?"

"Yeah. Since Aunt Chrome is considered a Guardian by most people I know but not by others, I thought that… you would be the one who knows the most about it."

"Maybe you'll understand when you have a Guardian yourself." The woman smiled, as she patted him on the shoulder. "The questions you have… we won't be able to answer all of them, not me, or your father. I don't even think Gokudera-san would be able to answer it for you either, and he's the most intelligent out of all of us. That's why you should look for your own answer. It's the same with the duties of the Guardians and their boss really. Figure it out yourself."

Kazuto had nodded in response and left after that sentence. But even now, he knew that he still hasn't found the full answer to that question. What are Guardians? How does one differentiate them from the other famiglia members? Why are they so special? When he had explained to Ryuubi about the duties of the Sky and its Guardians, he deliberately told her to find her own answers. But this was not a test or done out of some sort of misplaced spite, but because even he didn't think he had the answers that the girl would want.

-()-

It was a relatively normal day for Kazuto. Birds are singing. Children are playing… He was currently on patrol, keeping all his senses alert while maintaining his usual smile. Yes, this time he is actually on patrol, and not skipping work. He was never much for skipping work unless it becomes unbearable anyway. Give him a decent amount of work and he'll do it without putting it off (complaining is an entirely different matter). But if you were to put an entire stack in front of him, of course, he'll want to straight-up leave the vicinity. Thankfully, the backlog that the (stupid) magistrate had left behind has now been completely taken care of (most of them being scrapped). The troubles of a simple Volunteer Army serving as a temporary Chief Magistrate are all that's left, leaving him to freely do patrols, rather than waste time writing up scrolls upon scrolls of letters. That alone made both him and Touka so happy; they almost cried tears of joy.

"Good morning, Hongou-sama."

"Ah, it's the heavenly messenger!"

"Good morning everyone," Kazuto replied with a smile. Ah yes, peace is certainly the best. The more peace, the better.

If people were to look at him right now, they would see a mostly relaxed boy walking casually in his white clothes, if not for the armed guards walking around with him. The only sign that he was remotely dangerous at his shoulder is a wrapped sword-shaped object hanging on his back. Of course, anyone who even slightly knew him would know that the sword was actually a mere wooden sword. Anyone who saw how he fights, however, would know that the wooden sword can turn into a steel blade with a single thought. And the fact that he can use (heaven's) fire to fight is almost common knowledge. The only thing dissuading people from believing it outright is the fact that it sounds like an embellished bard's tale.

But still, these days were the closest thing to halcyon days that he'll get. There had been no large-scale bandit invasions for a while (there were a few small ones, ones that didn't need him to even raise his sword in). No great gigantic monster looming in the distance. No titan about to break down the walls. No revived Dark Lords. While there's little chance any of the above will happen, at the very least he knew that something big will happen soon. His Hyper Intuition had been nagging him all morning. Something wi… And an injured soldier is coming through the gates.

"Hey, are you okay?", as Kazuto instinctively ran forward, knowing that, the moment he sped toward the man, his peaceful days will be over.

"Please… You… are you part of the Volunteer Army centered in this county?"

"Yes. Do you have some sort of message for us?"

"I… I'm here to request the aid of the…"

"Stop." Kazuto put his finger on the man's mouth. "You're not injured enough that you'll die from your wounds. If we get you rested, bandaged, and fed, you'll be able to give us the news properly. No ifs or buts." Kazuto stood up, "Mida! Ransen!" Stating the name of two guards that had been assigned to him, part of his personal Hongou Platoon as it were, he assigned them duties. "Help this man to the servant's quarters. Once he's been properly taken care of, take him to the reception room. Youki, find R…" he bit his tongue slightly, as he realized that he almost referred to Rinrin by her True Name instead, "find Chouhi-taichou and tell her to quickly return to the castle as soon as her patrol is over. Risou, Aidan, both of you head out to the nearby city and alert Ryuubi-sama and Kan'u-taichou that they are to return as quickly as possible once their duty is done." The two were there to meet with the elders. They had also been planning on letting Touka speak with her mother for a bit, possibly staying over, but that part will have to be scrapped. "As for the rest, we'll continue our patrol as scheduled."

"Understood, Hongou-sama." Kazuto watched as five of his men split up to do their duties. Kazuto sighed standing up. He noted the speck of blood that had managed to get on his white school uniform. What did it mean for a messenger to arrive in such a state? The man wasn't hurt enough to have been caught in some form of ambush. It looked more like he was beaten up by someone he didn't defend himself against. But there was no insincerity in the man's tone. He had deliberately been hurt, but he didn't defend himself… or couldn't? Idly, he let his flame burn the speck off to keep it from staining his shirt. Well, he'll know the answer to his questions later.

Now as for how long Touka and Aisha would come back… By horse, the trip to Touka's hometown should be about a few hours or so. If they make good time, they should be here before sundown. Then he'll get his answers. He just hoped that his intuition is once more correct.

-()-

Touka and Aisha wore small frowns as they walked briskly to the reception hall of the castle. Touka had been in the middle of telling her mother all the things she has been doing in recent times when two of Kazuto's Platoon (identified by the orange and white scarf they wore) arrived to inform them that a messenger had arrived from somewhere outside the county. Touka's mother quickly shooed them both out, without waiting for goodbye and the two quickly assembled their own guard and headed back to the main city.

Who was this messenger? It must have been important if Kazuto would ask them to return as quickly as possible.

"What do you think, Aisha-chan?" Touka asked.

"We should hear the man out first." Aisha replied easily, "Then we'll decide if he's lying or not."

"Kazuto-kun's soldier said he came in injured, so I don't think that he would lie to us." Touka pointed out, "And anyway, Kazuto-kun will know if he's lying or not even then."

"Kazuto-sama is truly a splendid person, but considering how whimsical he generally is," Aisha grumbled, likely recalling the times when Kazuto, on a whim decides to skip work and take Touka or Rinrin out for a ride on his airbike, "he might have a lapse in judgment…"

"Still, I don't think he's wrong this time so let's just listen to what they have to say." Touka smiled as they approached the room. Opening the doors, they quickly spotted Kazuto sitting at the table, doing a small stack of papers. Notably, he only had a small seal and an inkpad next to him, and he was simply idly stamping away. Rinrin was sleeping on Kazuto's lap. The Guard Captain (Kouhei, if Touka remembered correctly) was sitting next to the boy. Most likely he was there to assist with any questions Kazuto would have.

"We're here, Kazuto-sama."

"Ah, welcome back, Touka-chan, Aisha." Kazuto smiled, "Kouhei-san, can you tell someone to check on the messenger?"

"I'll do it myself, Hongou-sama." The Guard Captain promptly stood up and marched out the door. Kazuto sighed as he put away the seal and the ink pad.

"How was your mom, Touka-chan?" Kazuto asked as he shook Rinrin awake.

"She's getting by. Not having me help with the chores makes things a bit difficult for her."

Kazuto nodded. Unfortunately, they can't really do much for the woman, at least not yet. The taxes that are collected from the county are being used to support the entire volunteer army, which the Guard Captain had insisted on. At the very least, even among the four of them, they barely have the money to actually spend on personal stuff.

"Don't worry though, my mother should have enough money to last at least half a year before she runs out if the business doesn't go too well." Touka smiled, as she took her seat next to Kazuto. Idly poking the ring on her right middle finger, she then turned to Kazuto, "So? Why did you need us to come back here so quickly?"

Kazuto grimaced, "I don't have the answer to that yet. I just had a hunch that you two would need to hear what the messenger has to say."

"Kazuto-sama, you shouldn't rely on your hunches so often." Aisha scolded as she sat next to Touka.

"I know." Kazuto nodded appreciatively, "I'll try not to do it." Kazuto then turned to the door, "You can come in now." Kazuto called, startling his three sworn sisters. The door slid open easily, revealing the Guard Captain lending his shoulder to the messenger.

"Are you alright? Should you even be moving?" Touka asked, worried as the messenger detached himself from the Guard Captain's shoulder and hobbled over to in front of them. The Guard Captain quickly sat next to Aisha.

The man looked at them and bowed to them in haste, "Ah yes, I am fine enough to speak milady."

"That's good to hear." Touka smiled, "I suppose we should introduce ourselves first. I am Ryuubi Gentoku, and this is the heavenly messenger, Hongou Kazuto. Uhh… Kazuto is also his True Name so don't call him that." Kazuto looked like he was about to retort but kept his mouth shut, "We are the leaders of this Volunteer Army." She then gestured to Aisha, "Kan'u Unchou and Chouhi Yokutoku are our trusted officers. And this man is Kouhei. While not part of the Volunteer Army, he is the leader of the garrison of soldiers protecting this city."

"Thank you for hearing me out. I am a messenger sent from Kousonsan Hakukei-dono's army. My lady's army is currently battling a rather large subsidiary of the Yellow Turbans and we fear that we might not be able to fend them off with our numbers. So I was sent to request backup forces from the capital, however, they did not hear my plea. When I insisted on haste, it was then that they had beaten me before forcibly sending me home." The man grimaced at the memory, "However, on my way back, I've heard of the volunteer army that was stationed here in this county, and, I decided to ask for aid here instead."

"Kousonsan… Ah, do you mean Pairen-chan?" Ryuubi asked, surprising the others in the room.

"You… Are you a friend of Hakukei-dono, Ryuubi-dono?" The messenger asked, surprised and elated at the thought. Of course, if it was the case, then the Volunteer Army would have no reason to not aid his lord.

"Ah, yes. We both studied under Fuurin-sensei, and we were quite close." Ryuubi smiled cheerfully. Kazuto quickly substituted Fuurin with Roshoku in his mind.

"So an old friend of Touka is requesting aid." Kazuto nodded, "And there is very little reason for us to not aid her either. After all, this Volunteer Army was formed for the sake of eliminating the threat of the Yellow Turbans. If aiding Touka's friend would help with such, then it's not like we can refuse, right?"

"But would our forces be able to supply the necessary backup?" Aisha asked, "While we are quite numerous, I hardly believe that our numbers could possibly be comparable to Hakukei-dono."

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't try." Kazuto responded, "And I'm rather interested in learning just what kind of person this Kousonsan is. After all, she's the leader of Ryousei, correct?" While he's unsure if Kousonsan in the Sangokushi was of this rank at this point in time, he did know this much from all the paperwork he's been doing for the past few weeks.

"That is correct." The messenger nodded, "So… will you aid us?"

"I don't object to it." Kazuto shrugged, "And Touka-chan clearly wants to do so. What do you two think?" Turning to Aisha and Rinrin.

"If both our lords have decided, then there's no point in us speaking, is there?" Aisha asked bluntly. "And anyway, it's not like I'm against it either."

"Rinrin thinks that we should go for it!" Rinrin nodded, "So that we can beat all the Yellow Turbans already!"

Kazuto nodded, "Very well." Kazuto turned to the man, "As soon as you are well, you can head back to Hakukei-san saying that we will be there shortly. We'll begin our march early tomorrow."

"Thank you very much!" The man bowed deeply to the four, "I'll head out immediately."

"Oy! I said when you're well!" Kazuto called but it was no use, the man had already left the room, most likely to go back to his horse and set out. "… We better prepare soon, then." Kazuto turned to Rinrin. "Rinrin, inform our soldiers that we'll be setting out tomorrow morning. Ensure that all our men are well-rested."

"Understood!" Rinrin enthusiastically said running out the door as soon as possible.

"Aisha, look into our supplies and make sure that we have enough stock for the next few days. Make sure to rest as soon as you can." Aisha nodded, and she too departed from the room.

"Well then, I'll be informing my guards that we'll have to actually start doing our jobs more seriously then." Kouhei stood up as well, "They've been getting a bit lax." Kouhei departed as well.

And with all of the people gone, all that's left is Kazuto and Touka, silently looking at the door that their friends just left through.

Touka was the one who broke the silence first. "We'll be fighting again, huh…"

Kazuto nodded. "Yeah…"

"… Are you going to fight this time?"

"I… I shouldn't." Kazuto shook his head, "Not this time."

"Okay." Touka let out a small breath she didn't know she was holding back. "At the very least, I guess I'll be meeting up with Pairen-chan again."

"What kind of person is Hakukei-san?"

"Umm… she's pretty normal, I guess? She's smart but not that smart?"

Kazuto felt as if to sweatdrop at that description, "… She'll be a very interesting person to talk to, then."

The conversation eventually devolved into some rather inconsequential banter. But somehow, Kazuto felt as if he missed something, something that he didn't notice. But he simply dismissed it for now. He has a battle to fight.

-()-

Entering her own room and preparing for sleep, Touka idly took her ring off. An orange gem glistened on the silver ring, intricately designed with a clamshell etching roughing the surface a bit. This was the same ring that Kazuto had been wearing when she first found him. This was the ring that was completely identical to the ring on her sworn brother's finger. Touka softly rubbed the pattern a bit with her finger and sighed.

"Tomorrow… everything begins…" Touka looked at her side to see a rather beaten wooden sword. She had been practicing when she had the chance. She didn't want to be left behind again. If Kazuto had to fight, then she'll fight alongside him. She just hopes that this resolve that she has gained wouldn't disappear when the time comes. Touka patiently sighed, as she once more put the ring on her finger.

"I'll be ready." Touka nodded to herself.

And so, she climbed into her bed, hoping that everything would work out well.

-()-

Kousonsan's location is NOT a day away. So supplies were essential to keep track of. Using a map of the area, they decided to take a route that would lead them through some villages to resupply if necessary, but still reach Kousonsan in the fastest way possible. Their march was quick with purpose yet slow enough so that they won't wear themselves thin. Resting when necessary, but not excessively. There were a few bumps in the way, like a soldier being unable to keep up, but they still kept on going.

Their first few stops were uneventful. These moments were also the moment that Kazuto realized how underprepared he was. Used to good food or at least normal tasting food, he wasn't prepared for how bland the meal that was distributed to him would taste. Also, as a total newbie in leading huge armies, Aisha was the only one who was able to provide all the orders needed to keep their camp without too much incident. Rinrin was content with just solving things as it comes and Touka was on the same boat as he was. Aisha, however, kept everyone together and managed all the logistics. In his heart, Kazuto wished he knew more about these sorts of things and he mentally apologized to Aisha. He'll vocally mention it to her later when they don't have a hundred soldiers around them.

They certainly needed more people who can handle these sorts of matters. In the meantime, he will have to study how Aisha handles everything.

However… there was one unplanned stop on their path to Kousonsan's camp.

-()-

"Ryuubi-sama, Hongou-sama, there's a villager from a nearby village requesting aid." One of their soldiers came to them.

The four sworn siblings looked at each other before Touka spoke up, "What does the villager want aid for?"

"Apparently there's an imminent Yellow Turban attack coming to their village."

"Hold up, the Yellow Turbans actually announced their attack?" Kazuto asked, confused.

"Sorry sir, but we aren't aware of all the details. I think you should speak with the villager himself." The soldier pointed to a small girl, wearing a… beret? She walked forward rather unsteadily, partly from nerves, and partly from the heavy bag that she was carrying on her back.

"Hello-dethu…" The girl quietly spoke but had promptly bit her own tongue and she was quickly holding her mouth in pain…

"Hey, are you alright?" Kazuto quickly jumped off his horse. Aisha, Rinrin, and Touka quickly followed suit. The girl nodded, before quickly recomposing herself. "Ah, yes, I'm fine-desu." The girl nodded, "I am a villager who is recently returning home, alongside my friend." Kazuto raised an eyebrow at that remark, "But as I was headed home, I encountered what appeared to be a bandit threat heading in this direction. Unfortunately, the village… doesn't have a leader anymore… The Chief Magistrate of this area had run off to who knows where…"

"… Yuushu seems to have a lot of problems regarding coward Magistrates." Kazuto remarked.

"I think these two counties are the exceptional cases, Kazuto-sama," Aisha replied. "There are plenty of other counties with Magistrates capable of bravery."

"You won't convince me until you show me three other Magistrates that didn't run." Kazuto responded back, before turning to the girl, "Ah, sorry for interrupting. Please continue."

"Yes. There's a local guard, but they wouldn't be enough to fend them off until reinforcements could come. Right now, your army is the only one that's close enough to deal with them."

"So what you're saying is that you want us to help… How many bandits do you think you spotted when you saw them, and how many days do you think it'll take for them to arrive?"

"About ten thousand… somewhere around three to four days…" The girl replied. "My friend and I were on some rather fast horses, and we made sure to not be spotted by them."

"That's almost double our own forces…" Touka said worriedly. Kazuto nodded, frowning.

"A-Also!" The girl shouted out, interrupting the two. "I was… given a letter to give to you…" The girl said out loud, and Kazuto raised his eyebrow. The girl pulled out a single piece of parchment, which Kazuto took with a nod. Unfolding it to see a lot of difficult Chinese characters, Kazuto sighed and sat down.

"Give me a minute," Kazuto told them, and he analyzed each character…

Greetings Heavenly Messenger and Imperial Descendant,
I am a wandering strategist who has come across the situation and wanted to give a bit of advice.
From what I've heard, you are a virtuous person who would seek to aid anyone that comes into conflict.
But you also seek to aid the Kousonsan's army, who is having trouble dealing with their own bandit problem
What I give you is advice on how to deal with the bandit problem that is about to arrive in the village.
You have two options:
First option: You can march quickly to Kousonsan and help her deal with her that, you may march back as quickly as possible, with the reinforcements of the White Horse General.
Of course, this option has the risk of the bandits arriving before you could deal with Kousonsan's problem, and your arrival being too late.
However, this would ingratiate Kousonsan, and, if you do it quickly enough, you would be able to do both.

Your second option, however, is much more difficult. You'll stay and fight off the bandits yourselves.
With your size and some decent strategy, you should be able to defeat the bandits, albeit with very heavy losses.
I suggest using the nearby low-lying valleys to force the enemy into a chokepoint and minimize your own losses.
If you do this, however, you might not have the forces necessary to aid Kousonsan.
I hope heaven's wisdom will give you the correct answer.

Shokatsuryou Koumei

Kazuto wordlessly passed the note to Touka, before he started pondering on his own.

Shokatsuryou Koumei… Zhuge Liang Kongming is one of the most renowned Strategists of the era. Known as the Crouching Dragon, he was a big reason why Shu Han could match their rival kingdoms… A strategist capable of forming victory from what appears to be an unfavorable situation. But why was he here? Wasn't he only supposed to join up after Liu Bei's three personal visits? And, even then, this is still too early. Certainly, the chance to recruit such a person would greatly increase their odds. But, was he truly a wanderer? Wasn't he supposed to be some sort of hermit? Well, a letter isn't a particularly good source of information so he might as well take it with a grain of salt.

"Truly a difficult choice…" Aisha confessed, as she too finished reading the note from over Touka's shoulder, "Either we abandon the village in hopes of getting Kousonsan-dono's aid, or we fortify the village but lose our numbers and fail to give sufficient aid to Kousonsan-dono."

"Why don't we do both?" Touka asked, "Shouldn't we send a messenger to Pairen-chan and inform her of what's going on?"

"We could." Kazuto sighed, "But there's still a huge chance that she wouldn't be able to provide any form of aid… But we can still try. But first, let us decide what we should do. Who among us wants to do option one?" No one raised their hands. The young girl in the beret could barely hide her surprise before smiling a little bit.

"I feel as if it's cowardly," Aisha replied. "We are a volunteer army; our duty is to protect the people. There is no meaning to us if we were to choose to abandon them in the first place."

"Rinrin doesn't like it either! We should be protecting those weaker than us, even if our opponents are stronger." Rinrin replied.

"I don't think Pairen-chan would want us to run anyway just for her sake," Touka told him.

"Well, then, no choice. Option 3 it is." Kazuto grinned.

""3?"" Rinrin, Touka, and the beret girl asked in confusion.

"Didn't the letter only mention two strategies?" Aisha asked.

Kazuto shrugged, "We'll keep option two as a backup. There must be some way we can avoid losing too many of our soldiers." Kazuto frowned "I'm still trying to figure it out as is." He does have a good idea of what to use, from what he saw in the environment as well as read in the note. "I'm just hoping that there's a river somewhere nearby."

"A river?"

Kazuto simply smiled. "You'll see. For now, I'll have some of my soldiers scout the surroundings. Touka, you send your messenger. Tell Kousonsan-dono about our situation and simply request any aid that she can afford to send. It's fine if she can't send any." All three sworn sisters simply looked confused at that. Kazuto laughed, "I'll tell you more once I figure more things out." Kazuto began formulating a plan. It will be used a bit early, but this was one of the few strategies that he remembers being done in Sangokushi. He just hopes that it will work out well. He quickly gave his orders to a few members of his squad and they quickly dispersed around the area.

"I'm done, Kazuto-kun," Touka called, and just beyond him, he saw a pair of their soldiers on horses continuing the course. Kazuto nodded.

"Well then, we don't really have any time to spare." Kazuto nodded, "Let's head to the village and confirm a few facts." Kazuto turned to the girl and smiled, "But thanks for your help. Your information is greatly appreciated." Kazuto went on to pat the girl on the head.

"Hawawa…" The girl looked surprised at the sudden gesture but didn't reject it. Kazuto assumed that was basically permission to keep doing so, and continued for a few more seconds before removing his hand.

"Alright, we're going to the village and talking with the town elder." Kazuto said as he gestured to his horse, "Hop on."

"Eh? You're letting me ride with you?" the girl asked, surprised.

"I object as well, master!" Aisha said as well, "While this girl may not seem to be dangerous, you shouldn't be so trusting of strangers!"

"Ah, Aisha is being jealous~" Rinrin smirked.

"I am not being jealous!" Aisha replied hotly.

"Jealous or not," Kazuto ignored Aisha's outburst, "just for calling me "master" again, I'm going to go through with it." Kazuto snorted, causing both Aisha and the girl to falter. "Now, get on. You can give your bag to one of my soldiers." But it was clear to anyone listening: that wasn't a suggestion. One of the soldiers walked up to the girl and the girl meekly gave the bag to the soldier who quickly adjusted himself to the heavy bag. The girl then allowed Kazuto to help her onto his horse.

Touka simply shook her head and smiled. "So which direction is the village?" Touka asked the girl.

"Ah, it should be in that direction." The girl pointed. Kazuto nodded.

"Alright people, we're going to be stopping by." The surrounding soldiers roared, and they quickly started marching toward the village.

-()-

Upon arrival, Kazuto and his sworn sisters started walking towards the village center, where they hoped the village elder would be. The girl had disappeared somewhere with her bag and Touka couldn't help but wonder why Kazuto had actually done what he did.

"Oh, greetings!" An elder quickly bowed to them as they approached. "Would you happen to be the rulers of the Heaven's Army that we've heard of?"

"Heaven's Army?" Kazuto asked confused.

"Are you not the army of the Heavenly Messenger who wields the flames of the heavens themselves?"

"We're just a simple Volunteer Army." Kazuto firmly said. Aisha, Touka, and Rinrin looked at him in confusion at his response. Shouldn't he have at least confirmed it? Why would he hide his identity?

"Ah… that's a bit unfortunate. I'd hoped that Heaven would've been able to help us out…"

"We've heard of the situation. There's an army of ten thousand arriving here soon and we'll have to help fend it off."

"How many soldiers do you have, milord?" The elder asked.

"A bit over five thousand," Kazuto answered.

"… I do not believe that would be enough to repel this army… And, considering that you're in the area… and only now asking about our situation… would you happen to have another destination in mind?" The village elder hesitantly asked.

"Yes." Kazuto replied, "We intended to come and give aid to Kousonsan's army, who is currently busy repelling a faction of the Yellow Turbans."

"Oh? Are you referring to the White Horse General?" The man asked in surprise. "Maybe… if you could go to her quickly enough, she could provide us aid?"

"Unfortunately, her location is rather far, and there's no guarantee that even if we do arrive, she could afford to let some of her forces aid us," Aisha responded.

"That's a shame…"

Kazuto smiled, "Don't worry; we have no intention of abandoning you."

"We are very grateful, milord." The man bowed, "You may ask us of the village to aid you if need be. All able-bodied men are willing to even become part of your forces for this fight."

"That would be very much appreciated." Kazuto nodded, "Well, for now, I'd like to ask if there are any maps of the nearby area available."

"Ah yes, of course."

"Aisha, you're with me. Touka, Rinrin, you two start preparing our base of operations." Kazuto told them.

"What's the plan?" Aisha asked, confused.

"That's what we're figuring out."

-()-

Kousonsan frowned at the message that was sent to her. Earlier she had received a message that Ryuubi Gentoku, with her volunteer army, has responded to her call for aid and had begun traveling to her location. Ryuubi, or Touka as she remembered, had the potential of a great ruler, easily surpassing her if she wanted to. Her grades near surpass her own, and Kousonsan was pretty surprised to learn that Ryuubi was NOT already a leader of some commandery somewhere. But nonetheless, this old friend of hers had promised to come to their aid soon. With Touka's aid, depending on the number of soldiers she might have, they could likely change the situation from a stalemate to a rout of the enemy. All she has to do was to wait.

But this new information that she received put a damper on that thought. It turned out that there was a Yellow Turban contingent that had somehow managed to get past her blockade and is in the process of marching to attack the cities behind her. It was almost fortunate that Ryuubi would be there to at least delay the attack, but still… Ten thousand in number…

"That is a problem, huh?" A blue-haired woman arrived, carrying a spear with a red stylized blade. The way she wore her clothes revealed more than enough cleavage, and she still held herself with a poise that would make any guy squirm.

"Chouun, I don't have time for this." Kousonsan sighed, "I had hoped that I managed to keep the Yellow Turbans from getting past, but it seems they still managed to anyway."

"But you can't afford to send anyone." Chouun chuckled, "Don't worry, Hakukei-dono. I think I already know what we should do."

"What?" Kousonsan asked, "What can we do?"

"Send me." Chouun smiled. "Your forces should be enough to fend off any attacks while I go aid this Volunteer Army. That way, once I come back, I can also give you a good summary of where best to use them."

"Are you sure? Would you want a few soldiers to come with you, Chouun?"

"Don't worry, don't worry. They'll only slow me down." She laughed. "Well then, I'm headed to the stables. I'll be borrowing one of your horses, though."

"That's fine." Kousonsan chuckled, "Just keep your hands off my favorite one. Also, thank you for doing this, Sei."

"Don't worry about it." The woman laughed as she walked away.

Kousonsan smiled before turning to her generals, "Well, I suppose you've all heard. We'll continue this blockade until the arrival of the Volunteer Army."

-()-

It took most of the day, but he managed to get all the information he needed. Kazuto smiled at the reports he received. All the needed elements are there. Now he just needs to implement it. He can't afford to mess this one up.

'… This could be better.' Kazuto admitted to himself. Coordinating an army of this size to do the maneuver that he wanted them to is difficult. He looked at the maps, and couldn't make heads or tails of how to use it. For now, he decided to take a break and find a stall to eat from. Nothing big, nothing extravagant. Just something to fill his mouth with as he thought.

"Ah… Is something the matter, milord?" A voice called out from behind. Kazuto looked up and saw a periwinkle-haired (What's with all these strange hair colors?) young girl in front of him. The thing that he noted, however, was that the girl was wearing similar clothes to the blonde villager that had given him information earlier… Okay.

"Mind if you sit with me?" The boy asked, pointing to the seat in front of him. "Actually, I've been having some issues…" Kazuto admitted to her. "Can I ask for your opinion on how I should do this?"

"Eh… uh…"

"Oh, have you eaten? I'll treat you if you want."

"Oh, that's fine! Umm… I don't know what a poor villager like me could help with, but if you require advice, shouldn't you be asking your subordinates? Or Ryuubi-sama?"

"They're mostly busy right now." Kazuto sighed. "And, while Aisha and Rinrin are good at their jobs as officers, they're not actually advisors, you know? So is it fine to ask you a question? Shokatsuryou-chan?"

That shocked the girl a bit, "… You…"

"… I suppose I was wrong?" Kazuto sighed. "Figures the blonde one was Shokatsuryou. Or were both of you her assistants?"

"… I'm not Shokatsuryou, nor is there anyone in this town who goes by that name." The girl finally spoke up. She moved to stand up, but Kazuto quickly beat her to the punch.

"… Very well!" Kazuto interrupted before she stood up. "Not-Shokatsuryou, then? May I ask for an expert's opinion? You don't need to tell me your name, I just want a bit of advice."

"Ehh… uhh?"

"You see, I've been having a troubling time with this strategy that I've decided to do…"

"… what about a pincer strategy?" The girl asked, her eyes sharpened in thought.

Kazuto smiled, "I don't want to lose too many soldiers. We do have a… prior arrangement… that still needs resolving. So I've come up with this other idea that involves, well, the river nearby. Since spring has just come, the waters should be strong enough?" He told the girl the plan, and her eyes widened before she looked down in concentration.

"That kind of plan usually requires a dam that can be easily broken." The girl frowned. "Did you ask about that yet?"

"There's one that can be opened, but it doesn't lead into the valleys." Kazuto frowned.

"With a force 5000 strong, I can imagine it should be possible to dig it up regardless?"

"True, but I don't want to risk any villages' crops downstream to lose too much of their precious water."

"If the dam is fixed afterward, shouldn't it be fine? Considering how far up north we are, I'm certain that this place is no stranger to bandit attacks from the north. Fixing up broken pieces of architecture should be… natural, for them, even if it's troubling…"

"We don't want to be more destructive than the actual bandits." Kazuto shrugged. "So… What do you think of this plan?"

"It's doable… if you were a disciplined army."

Kazuto winced. "Yeah, that's a problem I guess…" Too complicated without proper training, huh…?

"Then… I have a suggestion." The girl thought, and smiled, "What about…"

The two's discussion lasted for quite a bit and ended when a soldier, seeking him, found him. The girl quickly disappeared and Kazuto left after paying for his meal. The girl had refrained from ordering anything, though, which was a bit of a shame in his mind.

But what he did notice was something the girl had left. He frowned, once he saw a single message addressed to him, written on the same type of paper as the letter that Shokatsuryou had given him.

Greetings, Heavenly Messenger and Imperial Descendant

So you've decided to remain and fight… Truly heaven's virtue flows through you.
Allow me to give you a tactic that might work in your favor.
What you should do is to attack the enemy, feigning a full-scale assault on the opponent.
However, you will also begin retreating into the nearby low-lying valleys and narrow passageways
Lure the enemy into more favorable terrain, and then pull a pincer strategy to rout the enemy.
This will require timing and precision, but I suspect you would be able to accomplish it.

Whether you use this tactic or not, is your choice.
While we are unaware of what you intend to do with a river,
I can imagine a few options that would make it viable.

Shokatsuryou Koumei and Houtou Shigen

Kazuto looked at this letter and frowned slightly. Houtou Shigen… Pang Tong Shiyuan… Kazuto vaguely remembers that name. The Fledgling Phoenix. Pang Tong is an advisor of Liu Bei who aided him in his conquest of Yi Province. A brilliant strategist, and is considered second or even equal to Zhuge Liang among Liu Bei's subordinates. Admittedly Kazuto remembers very little about the man, but he knew that Houtou would be a vital asset to their number soon if history should repeat itself.

But why was he here with Shokatsuryou? And if both of them are here, why haven't they approached them openly yet? Unless of course, the two girls that did were the actual Shokatsuryou and Houtou… Of course, that would explain why the strategy laid down in this letter is similar to the one that the periwinkle-haired girl had initially laid out.

However, he does hope that this analog of Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong would be willing to cooperate with them. Of course, he will use the plan that he and little periwinkle had been discussing at the time, after asking for the opinions of his three friends. Would this tactic work in his favor? No matter, he'll need to start informing people of what he needs them to do. After all, he can't afford to be slow about this.

When he came back, he was met with pouts and scolding. He honestly wasn't sure what he should've expected.

-()-

Just as the young girl had predicted, it took four days for the enemy to arrive. Ten thousand men roared running forward, yellow scarves wrapped around their heads. They continued running, eager to take and plunder from the nearby village.

And then a rain of arrows started striking them from a distance. The bandits were confused. Where was it coming from? And then they saw it. A standing army marching forward against them. On top of various valleys were archers, with arrows pointing at them.

"They dare attack us? The Yellow Turban Army? They dare? Attack them and show them no mercy!" They roared running forward to strike.

"Oh really? Then give it all you've got! Because your opponent is this Enhito Chouhi!" A young girl proclaimed as she took a stance. She smirked as she watched the enemy rush forward. And with a single swing of her spear she knocked out all those who were in front and she quickly began fighting. The soldiers around her too also had begun their own bouts.

But this wasn't a problem. No. They were managing to do it! They were pushing their enemy back. Such pushovers. They've already lost, and they still fight? There's no point! And so they continued pushing through. This was how it went for the first few hours. They continued to attack but the enemy continued to retreat. Through the valleys, they continued running.

At some point, the enemy has given up fighting and has started sprinting away. They chased them on the upwards slope of the valley. In the distance, he could see soldiers clambering up the walls of the valley on ropes. Cowards. It's time to die, non-believers! Their fortunes will serve our cause well! These thoughts were on their minds as they savagely ran after them.

"Ready-nanoda~!" The girl cried out in glee after a while. Confused at this sudden outburst when they heard a strange sound.

*rumble* *CRASH*"UWAAAAH!"

The sound of stones moving and then landing on the ground and on people. The sound of their comrades screaming. Turning around they saw great boulders had separated them and their friends.

*w-w-w-whoosh* *s-s-stab*

The sound of arrows lodging into flesh was followed by hundreds more. That was the last they heard before they were slaughtered by the hundreds of arrows striking their backs.

As for those who were on the other side of the boulders, they stood in fear. Beyond the boulders, they can hear great cheers. And atop it was something they heard about and dread to meet. For what was on top of the boulders was a boy wearing clothes of black bearing a blazing sword. The boy quickly took many broad slices of flame on the left side wall and jumped out of the way. And suddenly a great wall of water crashed out of the wall, destroying it, and roaring towards them, washing all of them back through the winding paths they took to reach that location.

Some died from the rocks that were thrown their way. Many died upon being slammed upon cliff faces. Some died when their own comrades' weapons had accidentally slashed them. And those who survived died from a woman wielding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and her soldiers.

Only those who escaped would remember the massacre. And they would fear the very path that the Heaven's Army walked.

-()-

"Not all of them are dead! Keep going!" Kazuto called. That was the truth. There were more likely still some companions left behind. It's very unlikely that all ten thousand had managed to be caught up in that river attack. But they were confident they had managed to get most of the enemy killed. "If they surrender, capture. Otherwise, don't hold back." That was the order that he had given the soldiers, and they accepted it easily.

Kazuto was never aiming for survivors this time around. Last time, they had the luxury of there being multiple prisons nearby to use. This time, they had no time to care about that. Any they manage to catch alive will still be thrown into the prison of the city, but Kazuto hadn't given any sort of orders to prioritize capture.

"Milord!" One of his soldiers appeared before him. "The survivors have begun to run away! Should we pursue?"

"Go ahead." Kazuto nodded. He sat down, exhausted. "Have Kan'u-taichou pursue." A salute, and then the man returned to the battlefield.

"Is it alright for you to use that again?" Touka asked. Kazuto smiled back as he lit the flame on his ring.

"As long as I don't go crazy with it," Kazuto replied. "And I didn't use Hyper Dying Will Mode, so it's fine." Not like HDWM itself will tire him out, but it's fine if they think that for now. He still needs to get used to what apparently is his new output when using it.

The strategy he chose was thus: lure the enemy into the nearby low-lying valleys. However, instead of doing a pincer attack, Kazuto had asked the villagers to help dig out trenches and redirect some of the water from the nearby river (Yangding River if he remembered correctly) into the valleys. Kazuto deliberately kept a strong wall left so that it doesn't prematurely start flowing water. The last touch was him using Shinotsuku Ame to sufficiently crack the last barrier between the water and the Yellow Turbans. The weight of the water in the natural dam they made should be more than enough to break the rest. The boulders that were dropped were to stop the river from harming his soldiers on the other side. Naturally, there's the chance that the boulders wouldn't be enough to keep it out for long, but the slope curved downwards towards the enemy, so it should remain there long enough for all his soldiers to get out through the ropes they had dropped into the valley.

In theory, it technically was still a pincer attack. It's just that one side is a wall of rushing water. The result: low casualties on their side, and a complete rout of the enemy.

"We won." Kazuto sighed. It's been a rough few days. The digging of the trenches could've gone better. For the most part, people were both hurrying and getting tired of it. But he didn't give up and kept urging everyone on. Touka was certainly a big help, as she was able to keep everyone motivated. Aisha and Rinrin worked hard as well, maintaining the army, and keeping track of the enemy. They never gave up.

"Yes. We most definitely did." Touka smiled. And so, the two walked back to the village, content with the knowledge that they managed to drive away from the enemy. Kazuto chuckled before looking up at a nearby tree. He smiled before returning. Well, just because they managed to drive this group away, doesn't mean there won't be more nearby. They'll stick around for a few more days, and then begin marching.

A faint rustling of leaves and two small breaths of relief were made.

"… Did he see us?"

"I don't know…" Two girls on top of the tree once more breathed a sigh of relief and then began climbing down the tree.

-()-

The two girls who had set out to meet the Heavenly Messenger were in a predicament.

They had managed to gather as much information as they could about the Heavenly Messenger through rumors and second-hand information, something they sent to their dear friend that they left behind. According to their research, the Heavenly Messenger looks like an average man, however, his eyes always look as if he was looking directly at you, yet at everything at the same time. He wears clothes that reflect light really well. He's an expert swordsman, capable of defeating thugs with a simple wooden sword. He's apparently also very kind, being seen playing with children whenever he's out of his office.

Also, there's the fact that his True Name and his Given Name are one and the same, which is highly confusing. He isn't as protective of his True Name as most people if the rumors ARE to be believed but that's something that they will have to tread lightly. This was also the reason why they didn't even get the man's name. Hongou, which is only the surname, is what they got. The two of them will have to suggest to the boy to at least get a Style Name so that his name can be spread further than it is now.

But what is something that neither of them really believed, but the rumors adamantly persisted to mention, was the fact that he can create flames purely the color of the setting sky. That was something borderline fantastical that neither girl could really think it's true, but this detail is always, ALWAYS, mentioned whenever the Heavenly Messenger is mentioned. Along with the other rumor that he has a strange horse that can run faster and longer than any other horse. Again, they are skeptical about this one. Many other rumors were made of the Heavenly Messenger, how he seems to constantly surround himself with women, and how his clothes shine bright.

He is currently one of the two unofficial Chief Magistrates of the area and co-rules the land with a self-proclaimed descendant of an emperor, Ryuubi Gentoku. Information on the girl who stands at his side is actually easier to gather. According to the rumors, she is a kind woman who carries the dignity of a great leader, even when she was still a peasant. Kinder than even the Heavenly Messenger, she stands as the considered actual figurehead of their group, and the one with the actual power, as the Heavenly Messenger is always seen deferring to her when possible. A common thing to see is the two of them patrolling the lands unguarded on the boy's Heavenly Horse. Both girls decided to at least try to stop them from doing so, if they join up with them.

Because of the fact that Ryuubi Gentoku managed to gain the attention of the Heavenly Messenger, she is hailed as one beloved by the Heavens, and many people who heard these rumors quickly come to their city to ask to join their cause. They were officially leading a Volunteer Army, and people believed that they will help put an end to the threat of the Yellow Turbans.

There are two relatively well-known officers of this Volunteer Army: Kan'u Unchou and Chouhi Yokutoku. Both brave, both strong, and both utterly loyal to Ryuubi Gentoku and the Heavenly Messenger. According to rumors the four had shared a pact of siblinghood, and there is rarely a time when they are seen having a fight among them, and when they do, it is mostly of inconsequential things that they'll eventually forget about after a while.

Kan'u Unchou is known for being beautiful and skilled, capable of weaving between foes and killing them with a swing of her polearm, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade. It was mentioned that it was as if watching a dance of death and destruction. She is also a wise army officer, capable of organizing a group of peasants into a strong militia. If the army was brought together by the two leaders, it is Kan'u who maintained it for the service of both the country and her lords. Admired by her peers and her allies, Kan'u Unchou can be said to be one of the most skilled spear wielders in the entire empire if the rumors could be trusted.

Chouhi Yokutoku, on the other hand, is known for being brave and strong. She is said to be capable of defeating eight hundred and eight foes on her own, and that it would take a thousand to actually manage to defeat her. The mere swing of her spear is deadly, and she fearlessly rushes into the midst of battle and defeats those who stood in her way. A devastating vanguard, it is this strength that assures the army that they'll be able to win as long as it is Chouhi Yokutoku who stands at their helm.

These are all from second-hand sources, information the girls heard from gossipers. This was hardly enough for them to be convinced of the virtues of the Heavenly Messenger and Ryuubi Gentoku. And, before they even came up with any conclusion, the Heavenly Messenger had already begun to march his army towards Kousonsan's lands, presumably to aid the White Horse General. They were marching at a quick pace, fast enough to get there at a good time, but slow enough that they won't arrive dead tired.

On their way to meet the four, they learned of an incoming threat of a city in danger of an attack from the Yellow Turbans. As it turns out, said city was on the way of the Volunteer Army forces and should end up resting there for a while. And so they had hatched a plan: a plan that would let them gauge the virtue of the Heavenly Messenger and Ryuubi Gentoku; a way to see if they were truly worthy of their service.

So they wrote up a plan. They first made the volunteer army decide: abandon the city and join up with Kousonsan quickly, or defend the city despite overwhelming odds. If they had chosen the former, it doesn't actually mean much. The situation is a difficult one, dangerous even. There's also the fact that they would be at a severe disadvantage. The enemy is double the Volunteer Army's numbers, and they would definitely be in danger of being defeated. It's the practical choice, and it's the first thing any strategist would suggest to their lord. But, if they had chosen the latter, it would speak volumes of their virtue and their will to protect, even despite hardships.

They also formulated two other plans, one for each choice. If they had decided to head out, they included a safe route for escape and quick passage to Kousonsan. They also slightly suggested this to aid the town by asking the well-known general to rise up and aid them to defeat the bandits. Of course, the enemies were too close for the city to escape the wrath of the Yellow Turbans, but it's the practical and logical choice. It would still speak quite a bit about the Volunteer Army if they had returned to aid with reinforcements. The second choice, which they carefully worded to sound very difficult to pull off, would limit the casualties on their side, but whatever aid they can provide Kousonsan would be rather small if they fail at it.

They hadn't expected what the Volunteer Army chose to do instead. Enlisting the townspeople to rise up and help them dig out trenches from a nearby river to flood the very same low-lying valleys that they suggested be used for a safer way of conducting battle? It was a highly innovative idea and left the army left with barely a dip in their forces.

This was both praiseworthy and troublesome for the two. As strategists, they would definitely praise the method used seeing as one of the hallmarks of war strategy is to maximize enemy casualties while minimizing your own. But they weren't able to ascertain virtue through that method. Sure, they managed to protect the village with minimal casualties but that's all there is to it… So they decided to observe their possible lord and lady.

They watched them interact with each other, their soldiers, the townspeople, the elders, the children. And they saw what they honestly hoped to see: two people worthy of serving. Two people who are both kind and gentle, but decisive and fierce when needed. They smiled easily, and they were close to their soldiers. The two's own personal interactions with the two only cemented this thought.

Truly… the rumors were not unfounded…

But that did not change their current predicament. For now, they were standing, just outside the camp of the Heavenly Messenger. Gulping down a breath of fresh air, the two looked at each other, determined to get this over with.

"Let's go, Hinari-chan."

"Okay, Shuri-chan." And so they walked forward, prepared to meet their new lord and lady.

-()-

Two more had arrived to join the great sky. One more comes soon after. The sky's strength grows with each element that comes, and soon it can engulf even the earth. Whether it be hero or enemy, real or myth, all shall approach the sky, and the sky will influence them all. No question needed to be asked. No great story needed to be told. The sky will accept and understand all of them.

-()-

Chapter End

-()-

Chapter Release Date: July 20, 2019
Last Edited: June 5, 2022

-()-

Beta Reader: Genesis SBX

And with this, Shuri and Hinari are coming into play. Sei is coming, but she's a bit late~ By the way, there isn't some sort of "Sky Attraction" in this story, i.e. I feel like I should stay with you because you're a Sky Flame User. I personally feel it's a copout of properly developing relationships. For all intents and purposes, it's just pure charisma.

I've also managed to fill up quite a bit of my spreadsheet for this story. I've recently taken to compiling the names of each and every character in Koihime Musou because the wiki is rather unreliable.

But goddammit, I'm slowing down again. I don't like this. But am I slowing down or am I just being too wordy with each chapter? This is the first chapter of this story that is above ten thousand words, after all.

By the way, I might bring this up to M rating soon, not for the uh… "off-brand anime" stuff, but for the stuff that would definitely be bad for certain demographics to read without supervision. Let's just say it involves death. So this is the last chapter that will be posted while this story is T Rated.