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.
-()-
Entering War
-()-
Touka's pseudo-confession (since she didn't outright say the words, it's not a full-on one, but Kazuto knew what she meant)… was instantly pushed to the back of his mind as, the morning directly after it, Touken's reply had arrived, fully accepting the conditions that they put out. With that reply, the entire group was immediately busy that he could barely keep up with it all. Touka seems remarkably content anyway, seeming just as comfortable in his presence as the day before. It would worry everyone if he seemed overly conscious of Touka, so he decided to just ignore it for the most part. He'll bring it up again when he actually has time to breathe… If Touka even remembers that she did that while awake. She was pretty much half-asleep at the time.
It helps that, outside of breakfast, the two had immediately split off to take care of things. Kazuto joined Aisha and Hinari, dealing with the preparations for war, while Touka and Shuri began preparations for the temporary hand-off of domestic affairs to Paitan and Pairen… To be honest, Kazuto was rather surprised; he didn't realize until now but… Hinari is probably… better than Shuri when it comes to military affairs. It seems Hinari specializes in it, even, while Shuri is a generalist who can do both quite well. It's almost a shame that Hinari DID stay behind during the Anti-Toutaku Coalition; she'd probably be in her element then. He probably should've figured it out when Hinari traded strategies with him the first time they met. Kazuto decided in his heart that Hinari won't be left behind anymore. Of course, there's still the matter of strategic reasoning, but Kazuto doubts that there's a big difference between the three students of Suikyou.
Then again, Josho is almost exclusively taking care of the information network, so Kazuto had yet to see where she stacks up to the other two. She's doing a good job at it though. But it's a boss's job to assign people to positions that they're the best at so that they can excel, so he'll have to experiment with Josho's skills one of these days.
The other military officers began calling in the troops that will join the group on this venture. Sei and Rinrin were in their element, while Ren just left Nenene to do all the work there.
"Why is Chiihou coming?" Aisha asked, seeing the name among the people coming with.
"She wanted to come." Kazuto replied. He decided to conveniently not mention that he offered. It'll come out eventually, but he'd rather not be scolded at right now.
"She'll be in danger there."
"She'll be in the protection of three of the strongest warriors in this era, Ryofu, Kan'u, and Chouhi." Kazuto pointed out, "She'll be fine."
Hinari piped up here, "What of Sousou? If Sousou…"
"Sousou knows that we have Chiihou, yes, but she also knows that we know she has her sisters." Kazuto patiently replied, "She tries to use her against us, we have one of the loudest voices of this era prepared to use it against her as well."
"… That's still a risk." Aisha remarked.
"We're already cutting it close with regards to Chiihou. The longer we wait, the more likely Sousou decides to forget the deal. Besides, Chiihou won't be directly speaking into the mic."
"Ah, you mean Touka-sama will…" Hinari murmured.
"Yep." Kazuto nodded.
"But what of her activities here?"
Kazuto shrugged, "Without Rairai, Denden, Shuri, Hinari and I, Chiihou's activities automatically halt anyway. She needs someone to manage her activities and workload."
"Sosou will be…"
"Sosou has no head for anything other than merchandising." Kazuto sighed. "If he had it his way, Chiihou will be doing shows every day. A merchant's perspective in matters, but it's not healthy for her."
"And why can't Chiihou handle this herself?" Aisha asked.
"… Because she's spending most of her time training and practicing, that she has no time to do it herself. Besides… will you trust the girl who accidentally manages to start a rebellion to organize her own events?" Kazuto asked, although the humorous tone in his voice clearly shows that he's not that serious about it.
"I suppose not." Aisha nodded, "But what would Chiihou do when we get there?"
"Aside from being Touka's glorified microphone? Morale boost." Kazuto smiled. "She can sing and dance for the soldiers."
"Hmm, fine. I'll accept it for now, but I think I'll have to start coming with you everywhere just to keep you from all these whims."
Kazuto scratched his head, "Ahaha, busted, huh…"
"It was obvious, Kazuto-sama." Aisha smiled slightly.
"I'm sorry." Kazuto smiled back, "But do you think the head general of our group should be hanging around me all the time?"
"It would help if you weren't so reckless all the time." Aisha sighed.
"Umm… I think that's enough…" Hinari interjected here, "Umm… we need to focus on the task at hand and…"
Kazuto nodded, knowing that this conversation simply won't end if Aisha gets going, "Speaking of, don't you think it's strange that Touken eagerly accepted our conditions… we expected a few more days than this…"
"Judging by the time it took to arrive here…" Hinari hummed, "He must've given the reply immediately."
"Is he really in that much danger that he'll accept such lop-sided conditions?" Kazuto grimaced. "We basically said that we'll help, but, if things go south, we reserve the right to just up and leave."
"Is your intuition telling you something?" Aisha asked sharply.
"… No." Kazuto sighed. "Besides, if it did, it's speaking in a language that I don't know."
"… On account of Hinari's words, I'll only say one line on the matter: If that is the case, please don't rely on it so heavily." Aisha promptly replied.
"Anyway, the letter itself is not a problem. He didn't add any hidden caveats to the letter, and I don't feel as if we're going to be walking into a trap. It seems he's genuinely interested in bringing us in." Kazuto frowned.
Aisha and Hinari looked at him, waiting for him to finish his thought. When none came forth, Hinari spoke up, "Awawa… then what's the problem?"
"… I guess I'm just being paranoid." Kazuto leaned back on his chair, as he rested his head. "I don't feel that something's off so I worry about it. That's all."
"I see…" Hinari nodded. "I think… in this situation, it's fine for you to rely on your intuition, rather than your head…"
"Eh?"
"Kazuto-sama isn't the type to distrust others… so what does your Intuition say? Is Touken-dono trustworthy?"
"… Yes." That was the impression he had during the coalition, and it remains so now.
"Then that's the end of that." Aisha nodded.
"You two are sending me mixed signals here…" Kazuto complained. "How do I know it's fine to rely on my intuition?"
"Whichever makes less trouble for us." Aisha replied shortly. Hinari laughed softly at that, nodding all the same.
"Unfortunately," a squeaky voice interjected, "Bakazuto is a leader. So he'll be causing trouble for you lot regardless." Reborn popped into the room, this time without a mountain of books.
""Reborn-sensei."" Hinari and Aisha acknowledged his arrival.
"Reborn." Kazuto nodded.
"Ciaossu." Reborn replied to them.
Aisha coughed, "Reborn-sensei… is there something you need?"
"Nothing. So, Touken replied then?"
"Yep." Kazuto nodded.
"Hmm… quick and decisive. You should learn from him."
"I'll try." Kazuto winced. "So, what did you need? It'll take a couple of days for us to march to Touken's aid, so there's no need for you to pop in now."
"I'm here to see if you've covered all your bases." Reborn promptly replied.
"Which is?"
"You already know that those white-clothed people are targeting you." Both Aisha and Hinari sharply looked at Kazuto, realizing that, in their haste, they forgot that part. "They may not have shown up in a while, but that just means they're playing the long game this time. Or they're preparing for something."
"… I see. So shoot." Kazuto nodded.
"Don't tell me what to do." Reborn sharply replied. "First is the obvious: how defended are the ones you're leaving behind?"
"… Sei is here, with Paitan, Yue, Ei, and Josho."
"Hmph, so Chouun is your only defense here… I notice that Chouhou is not on that list?"
"… Please don't use that name so casually." Kazuto pleaded.
"I know what I'm doing, Bakazuto. There is no one else here, now answer."
"Chiihou's coming with."
"I already figured that out from just your first sentence. I'm asking why."
"Simply put, to remind Sousou that Chiihou exists."
"You do remember your pact of non-alliance with Touken, correct?"
"Yes." Kazuto nodded, knowing what Reborn meant by that question. Chiihou is not allowed to make contact with Sousou.
"Very well." With that, the topic ended promptly and Reborn moved on to the next: "What of other potential hostages against you?"
"… Like?"
"Ryuubi's mother."
"… Paitan-sama has successfully convinced Touka-sama's mother to come here. She now lives in one of the houses in the village, but she refuses to enter the government building." Hinari replied. "Paitan-sama plans to convince her to do so after we leave." Sei's accompaniment is a given, and Touka's mother's main concern is the proximity with Touka, after all. It's likely that Touka's mother, if she even does agree to move into the main government building, would immediately move out when they return.
"Hmph, good. Chouseihei? Sosou?"
"We're assigning some of the soldiers we left behind as his guard…"
"We're dealing with a group that can match the Imperial Guard, Bakazuto. Your rabble that you call soldiers will do little."
Here Aisha took point, "Kousonsan is also going to help with the defense of the territory. Considering Chousehei's merchant routes are currently limited to Kousonsan's territory, as well as Seishuu and Joshuu, he should be well protected. He's also planning on joining us on the way to Joshuu so he can sell some wares there, before coming back up."
"Hardly acceptable, but with how short-handed you are, we'll have to deal with it." Reborn nodded, "Supplies?"
"We've checked our stocks and judged that we can afford to carry a round trip's worth of supplies." Hinari replied.
"Soldiers?"
Aisha replied here, "All loyal to their platoon leader. We decided not to chance on bringing too many. Many soldiers want to spend some time with their family, especially since they need to begin winter preparations soon, and we don't know how long this war could last."
"It's better if they were disciplined." Reborn pointed out. "If they're rowdy, Touken's soldiers may grumble about your soldiers not taking to the frontline and being bossy."
"We'll make it clear to the soldiers that if they cause conflict with Touken's soldiers, that they'll be sent home with no pay."
"That's at best a stopgap measure, but it can't be helped given the circumstances." Reborn frowned. "This army needs a proper trainer."
"… Are Sei and I not enough?" Aisha frowned.
"You were merely a wandering fighter before you joined Ryuubi." Reborn pointed out, "While I have no doubt about your professionalism, it's a different matter to instill the same in others. That's no fault of yours. All of you are still young. Most of your soldiers are older than you. While they respect you, that respect doesn't necessarily translate to following your orders to a tee."
"… I know that." Aisha nodded, with a sigh, "The lack of veteran generals in our army is our main sticking point…" The most veteran of their soldiers are Ren and Sei and both are very independent and not really suited to teaching others. The two tend to just overpower their trainees and lack the professionalism that is rather crucial for soldiers. Sei's better than Ren in that regard, but Sei's streaks of independence tend to result in Aisha having to handle everything else. Ren simply has no people skills and, while she's probably the second most professional-acting warrior in their group, she prefers to just play with her animal friends or fall asleep in a random part of the garden. About as expected for Cloud Guardian Candidates, Kazuto supposed, reminding him of Uncle Hibari.
"It can't be helped." Kazuto consoled, "I'm sure we can handle it just fine."
"Regardless of that, you seem to have a handle on things." Reborn stood up, "I'll be heading out. Ciao ciao."
"Where?" But Reborn merely jumped out the window. Kazuto judged, by the direction, Reborn was probably headed to Rinrin… Well, that's fine.
"So where were we?" Kazuto looked at the desk, only to see an envelope that wasn't there earlier. It was open, which was good since he can't really cut open envelopes if they're basically just projections. He scanned it and smiled awkwardly.
"Is that?"
"From Papa." Kazuto chuckled. "My father, I mean." He clarified, seeing slight confusion on their faces.
"I see." Aisha nodded, "Do… do you need some privacy?"
"No, it's fine." Kazuto chuckled, putting the letter back into the envelope. "It's basically just a greeting. Some things about mom, Yoshiko, and my friends at home." No letters from them today, but he didn't really expect one. He just received a letter last week, after all. "He also told me that I'm still considered his chosen successor." It's a bit worrying that Sawada Tsunayoshi had to clarify that to him, though… What's going on there?
"To inherit your family business, right?" Aisha shallowly nodded, a slight tone of concern in her voice.
"Yeah." Kazuto nodded. "But I'm not leaving yet. And if I do, I think I'd like to be able to come back here as much as I can to help out."
"Right!" Hinari blurted out, "Of course! Just because Master leaves doesn't mean Master won't come back!"
Kazuto blinked, "Y-yeah. Of course. Besides, I'm still just the heir, until my dad thinks that he needs to step down. That should still be a long time, all told. Probably when he reaches sixty-five."
"How old is your father?" Aisha asked.
"43," Kazuto replied.
"So 22 years…" Hinari mumbled.
"What if your father were to…"
"My father, Sawada Tsunayoshi, is one of the strongest people in the world, protected by other strongest people in the world." Kazuto grinned. "He'll reach retirement age."
There is no doubt in Kazuto's words. He's not worried in the slightest. To Kazuto, no one in the world could even touch his father without being absolutely destroyed.
"But enough about that!" Kazuto shook his head, "We have to finish our job so we can set out tomorrow."
""Right!"" The two nodded. And so the three busied themselves till the day was done. They set off the very next morning.
-()-
The march to Joshuu was largely uneventful if a little tense. They briefly passed by the territory of Kouyuu, one of the warlords in the Anti-Toutaku Coalition. He seemed largely intimidated by Ryofu's presence. Brief niceties were exchanged between Touka and the warlord before they set off once more. To be perfectly honest, Kazuto thought he was a bit of a coward, but he decided against saying anything about it.
Touka and Kazuto had plenty of time to discuss with each other, but since Touka chose not to bring it up, Kazuto decided to not do so either. Besides, thinking of romance in this stage is just begging for trouble. Best leave that off for a time when it's already beyond that, but… So Kazuto actively ignored it. And anyway, considering how Touka acted around him, it seems more likely that she was half-asleep and didn't realize what she had done.
Reports from their scouts indicate that Touken has set up a defense in one of his forts at the border of Joshuu and Enshuu. He apparently had done remarkably well in defending the initial attacks, but those initial attacks didn't have the backing of Sousou's full army yet. But other scouts have indicated that they definitely were marching in. And they'll be striking soon enough.
Kazuto breathed deeply, trying to erase some of his tension. It's no good for him to be so stressed before even entering the warzone. They were marching with a skeleton crew of around six hundred soldiers. Hardly of note in the grand scheme of things. But fewer people meant that they could probably move quicker. Probably. They didn't even bring any particularly heavy armor. They were marching in the guise of a mercantile caravan, but anyone can see this is too heavy defended for one. Then again, with Joshuu currently under attack, no one really looked at all the specifics. Each member has around fifty soldiers assigned to themselves. Well, it's basically double for both Touka and Kazuto since Shuri and Hinari would always be on their side.
"Ren. Nenene." Kazuto walked over to the two who were sitting at a spot that could clearly see the fort. "You know the plan right?"
Ren tilted her head slightly, before gesturing to Nenene. Nenene puffed up her chest and nodded, "Of course! We'll keep a majority of the soldiers here and hide out in the woodlands. In the meantime, you'll meet up with Touken at the fort at the lake. If you don't contact us after a couple of hours, assume Touken set a trap and either move forward" her tone turned bland afterward, "or retreat." Sounding as though she doesn't even believe in the slightest that it was an option. Well, it was Ren after all.
"Chiihou?" Ren tilted her head, indicating the girl.
"Chiihou's staying here for the time being. After all, some of Touken's soldiers might be former… fans of hers, and we'd rather her stay out of their sight for a few minutes." The main cause of this war is that some of Touken's soldiers were from the Yellow Turbans, after all, and tried to take revenge on Sousou for it. They were already a skeleton crew moving into Joshuu, and they'll be more of one once they enter the fort.
"For now, you should be fine here in the woods. Stay safe, okay?"
The two nodded.
Kazuto turned to the fort. "Alright then, send in the messenger."
-()-
"Hongou-sama!" Their messenger soon arrived back, before bowing towards him, "Touken-dono is now ready to receive us."
Kazuto gave him a nod, and the man returned to stand behind Shuri, having been part of her platoon.
"Ready?" He asked Touka. Touka gave a nod. He then extended his hand to Touka. "Let's go." Touka gracefully accepted it, and the two, surrounded by Aisha, Rinrin, Shuri, Hinari, Rairai, and Denden, walked towards the fort. Behind them are some of the more senior members of their army, all from their volunteer army days. Kazuto carefully looked ahead, his hand ready to draw his sword. In front of the fort, a brightly smiling old man was there, laughing. Next to him was…
Kazuto forced himself to not stare too much. But that was a maid. That's definitely a maid. Why is there a maid in this era? Maid outfits aren't local, nor do they even exist at this point in time! Not only that, but that outfit is significantly more risqué than any traditional maid outfit he's seen. Why is her chest exposed like that? Touka's hand squeezed his a bit too tightly for a bit, forcing Kazuto to focus elsewhere.
Kazuto immediately bowed to the man, "Greetings Lord Touken Kyouso. We've come to answer your request for aid."
"It is an honor to see you once more." Touka bowed as well.
"Ryuubi, Hongou… No, Sawada, correct? Thank you for coming." Touken greeted.
"I did not mean to deceive anyone. Due to circumstances, I've been accustomed to hiding my true family name." Kazuto nodded, a tone slightly apologetic, "However, I've since realized that there is little reason anymore for me to conceal my family name, and thus taken it up once more so that the Sawada Family can receive honor from my deeds." which is the excuse he is using for starting to use the surname. "I've since made Hongou my Style Name. Feel free to refer to me as you like."
"Then I shall continue to refer to you as Hongou." Touken smiled, "Call it an old man's inability to adapt to the changing world."
"Nonsense." Kazuto smiled, "If you had lived in my homeland, you'll only be just past the halfway point of your life. If you are still strong enough to stand on the battlefield, I don't doubt that the path of retirement is still a bit beyond you."
"Ah, but a life on the battlefield is a short one." Touken hummed, "I'd much rather sit behind my desk composing poems."
"If only I can have such a peaceful life too." Kazuto laughed, a bit hollowly. Even if he manages to get back to his world, his life can never be truly peaceful.
"Alas, we seem to be entering an era of war." Touken sadly smiled. He then turned to Touka, "Lady Ryuubi, you've grown lovelier than last I saw you. Truly, the blood of emperors past course through you. I can see the resemblance between you and Reitei-sama."
"Thank you for the compliments, Lord Touken." Touka bowed back. "Although I must say, it's been only three months since our last meeting. I've barely changed."
"Lord Touken," Kazuto interrupted, "I do believe that there's a war being waged between you and Sousou. Should you not be worried about it?"
"I believe it's best if we talk about that inside." Touken smiled, before gesturing to the maid (because that's what she is) beside him. "Allow me to introduce my aide, Sonken Kouyuu."
"You… you're Sonken?" Kazuto cautiously asked, trying to remember some details from his readings. Sun Qian Gongyou. Unfortunately, that's about the most he can remember. She was Shoku, if he remembered correctly, but his memory has started becoming fuzzy on the topic of the original Three Kingdoms Era.
"You've heard of me?"
"N-no. Not you specifically." Kazuto chuckled slightly to try and hide his surprise, "I just happen to know two other people with Sonken as their name." Both using different Kanji, but pronounced the same regardless. "Also, your clothes threw me off… I thought you were a servant."
"I do serve as the leader of the servants of the household." Sonken nodded with a smile.
"You're not one of Touken's officials?"
"I am that too." Her smile continuing on.
"… That's a lot of work." Kazuto said before turning towards Touken once more. "I believe we have much to discuss?"
"Ah, you mentioned that you've met others with the name Sonken, correct?" Sonken Kouyuu smiled, "Then feel free to call me by my True Name, Mifa."
"Is that fine?"
"But of course." Mifa curtseyed once more, "After all, for the duration of this war, you will be my master, after all."
"I, uh, wh-"
"Kindly explain, Lord Touken?" Touka asked cautiously.
"You requested to take charge of soldiers from my army to defend against Sousou, rather than your own, yes?" Touken hummed, "However, to combat the possibility of dissent, I am putting my trusted official, Sonken Kouyuu under you, so that you may command them. I'm also putting another official under you, who I'll introduce later."
"Take good care of me, Master Sawada." Mifa nodded. "And of course, Mistress Ryuubi."
"… Take good care of me." Kazuto bowed back.
Well, this is a surprising turn of events, Kazuto thought.
"Lord Touken, Lord Touken!" A soldier called out from the side. "Sousou's flag has been spotted in the distance! They're charging in!"
"Seems the main force has arrived. Looks like we don't have time for niceties." Touken frowned, "Ryuubi, Hongou hurry inside, we need to close the gates."
"But R-"
"No time, Touka. Ren will be fine." Kazuto told her. "She still has our troops with her."
"I sent a messenger telling them of the situation." Shuri hurriedly said.
"Are they going to make it here?" Touka worriedly asked, "If Sousou is close enough to see then-!"
"Actually… we sort of want Ren and Nenene to work from outside." Hinari murmured. "Them being outside is actually a blessing for us. They're out of the way enough that none of Sousou's soldiers will spot them and…"
"We can discuss later! I'll leave the plans to you two; just move in! I see the dust cloud!" Kazuto hurried. "Sheesh, Sousou is the emperor of heavenly timing." Great timing for her, terrible timing for them. Their forces haven't even managed to even remotely create a cohesive plan.
"What resources do we have available to us, Touken-sama?"
"About half of my forces are assigned to your group." Touken replied, "They're mostly recent conscripts… and…"
"If they're recent conscripts then some of them would be former Yellow Turbans." Kazuto frowned.
"I'm afraid I need all the help I can get." Touken sighed. "And my senior soldiers would probably be better for me and my officials to handle personally."
"No, no… it's fine!" Touka hurriedly replied.
"Beggars can't be choosers." Kazuto smiled, "We'll take what we can get. What of your other officials?"
"There should be nothing to worry about on your side." Touken replied. "I'll be taking most of my senior officers with me to confront Sousou. I'm leaving Sonken and Kanyou with your group. Please coordinate with them."
"… Kanyou?" Touka tilted her head.
"Another of my retainers. Around your age." Touken hummed. "A bit of a new-blood, so she's a bit estranged from my other officials. Regardless, I'll leave the defense of the walls of the keep to you." Touken then hurried to a horse.
"W-wait!" Touka called but to no avail. Touken and his guards have left. "Sh-shouldn't we go after them?"
"Defending the keep means defending the supplies." Shuri hurriedly said. "And that is the biggest advantage that our side has over Sousou's."
"As I said, you should learn from him, Kazuto. Quick and decisive." Reborn remarked, popping down onto Kazuto's head. "The man had a clear idea of how to make use of your group. It would be foolish to have placed you with his veterans; it will be seen as a mockery of their tenure. So instead of forcing you into their command structure, he gave you a simple task that they need to be done. Defending the keep. In the meanwhile, they'll take care of the more complex issues."
"I'm more wondering why he went out first." Kazuto grimaced.
"To announce to Sousou that he is present." Mifa told him, after a small bit of surprise at the sudden appearance of Reborn. "That way, Sousou will not divert her forces away from this fort… provided her claim that her conquest is for the vengeance of her father is true."
"Fair enough." Kazuto nodded, "How is the supply line?"
"As long as Touken-sama successfully repels Sousou, we should be able to do well." Mifa nodded, "Even if, in the worst case, we end up surrounded, we have a surplus of supplies that could last us long into the winter if necessary." If necessary means if they ration it well. They'll probably have to, in all honesty.
"We have the advantage in a prolonged battle." Hinari frowned. "The winter setting in will be worse for Sousou's troops."
"All that means is she'll want to end this campaign quickly." Kazuto frowned. "Mifa, what's available to us for use in the defense?"
"They have siege engines!" Hinari exclaimed as they passed by a catapult. Both of them are now in strategist mode, as they looked at the walls of the fort.
"Ah, yes." Mifa smiled, "Joshuu is a rather rich territory, so we were able to splurge a bit for some machinery. Mostly for defensive purposes though…"
"How good are your people at using them?" Kazuto asked.
"They know how to load and how to fire." Mifa shrugged.
"Good enough." Shuri remarked.
"As long as we look like an imposing threat, Sousou won't take too many chances." Hinari followed up.
"We can set them on fire if we have to." Kazuto nodded. "Aisha?"
"Reborn-sensei told me not to use my flames for this campaign. It's still a bit wild." Aisha replied with a frown.
"Well, it was an idea." Kazuto smiled, assuring Aisha that he meant no insult. "What of our army outside? What do you plan to do with them?"
"To be honest, we just told Nenene to take charge for the time being." Shuri hesitantly replied.
"… I'll leave it to her judgment then," Kazuto nodded. Although Nenene might be a bit green as a strategist, she's still a peer of Shuri and Hinari and has a decent enough head on her shoulders. "So where's Kanyou, Mifa?"
"She's right there." Mifa pointed to a girl, around Touka's age, who lazily looked at them.
"Hmm?" Kanyou turned to them, "So these are the reinforcements from the north?"
"Correct. Touken-sama has high hopes that they'll be able to help us in this crisis."
"Don't count on too much. We mostly wanted you so that the old hats get to take to the battlefield and rack up some victories and honor. No one wanted to stay behind in the keep."
"Kanyou!" Mifa scolded her.
"What? I'm just telling them the truth!" Kanyou sighed. "Well, it's not like Sonken and I care about that sort of stuff, so we volunteered to guard the keep, as it were. But Touken-sama thinks we need a bit more backup, so they asked you here."
"Well, we already guessed you didn't recruit us for our numbers." Kazuto laughed. "Well, I'm Sawada Kazuto, and this is…"
"Ryuubi Gentoku, right?" Kanyou looked at her. "Kanyou Kenwa." Jian Yong Xianhe. Kazuto felt like he should recognize the name, but his mind can't quite picture it. It's been a long time since he's read anything Three Kingdoms related. At best, all he remembers now are key events and even those are now foggy. Still, he knows Jian Yong was Shu Han, an ally of Liu Bei.
"Ah, yes. Nice to meet you!" Touka bowed to her. Kazuto can't help but see a wave of displeasure emanate from the girl, but she kept it off her face. She didn't seem to mind Touka before though… if anything, she seemed to know…
"Bakazuto." Reborn scoffed.
"Oh right! No time to waste! Let's start setting up the defenses!" Kazuto nodded. Reborn merely jabbed his foot on Kazuto's head in response.
"What do you think I've been doing for the last few minutes before you interrupted me?" Kanyou scowled. "Look-out tower's that way. Stairs for the wall are that way. And can you figure out how to deal with these machines? Never used one before."
"… So how many of the new soldiers are willing to listen to us?"
"Dunno, but they seem pretty interested in your group." Kanyou shrugged.
"Got it." Kazuto nodded. "Then let's get going."
-()-
"They're really going to leave me in charge of the decisions here!?" Nenene yelled at the messenger.
"Y-yes, that is what Koumei-sama told me."
"Why would they let me just-"
"Trust Nenene." Ren firmly interrupted.
"I know Ren-dono trusts me! I'm talking abou-"
"Trust Nenene." Ren repeated, however, pointing her spear to the fort.
"… Ren-san is probably saying that they trust you." Chiihou awkwardly butted in, to which Ren nodded enthusiastically to. Well, as enthusiastic as Ren could be.
"I… that's…" Nenene frowned, looking at the battlefield… "So what do you think we should do then?"
Chiihou frowned, before smiling, pulling out her microphone. "Well, we could always surprise attack?"
"… That must be it." Nenene nodded. "An opportune surprise attack with Ren-dono leading the charge!" Nenene grinned. "They'll never see it coming!"
Ren nodded, before putting her finger to her lips.
"Ah, right. We shouldn't draw attention to us if we do it." Nenene nodded.
"Then when the time comes, I'll be as loud as I possibly can!" Chiihou laughed. "Then we'll scare them all the way back home!" Chiihou smiled.
"But that means we'll have to wait…" Nenene frowned.
"Nenene."
"Got it, Ren-dono! I'll watch the flow of battle and make sure we take to the field as soon as we get the best opportunity!"
Ren nodded, before carefully inspecting her ring again. Waiting. That's what she needed to do. That's fine. She can do that. But for the time being.
"Let's go to a good spot for the ambush!" Nenene exclaimed, scanning the field and the forest. "That way!"
And so, the Ryuubi Army began moving in the depths of the grove.
-()-
"Dammit! How can a mere upstart be this strong!?"
"Truly, Sousou is not to be underestimated." Touken frowned, as he surveyed from the back. Not like there was ever any doubt in his mind about it.
"We need to retreat." One official told Touken.
"The hell are you saying!?" Another official demanded. "We can't retreat here! If we retreat, we'll be losing ground! We could get surrounded in the keep!"
Touken frowned. This is getting more troublesome. While Touken is aware of how talented Sousou is, it's a testament to her talent that she can match his army with her own. The sheer charisma necessary to bring such talent to her side… it's almost a shame that she's so hell-bent on destroying him.
"Touken-sama!"
Touken nodded, looking back to the keep, before smirking. The old man laughed, "Retreat to the keep."
"But sir!?" The official who wanted them to remain there demanded.
"Do as I say."
"Touken-sama has commanded it! All soldiers, retreat!"
-()-
"Come back here you cowards!" Kakouton roared, charging after the group. "Hand over Touken's head and we'll be lenient!" She cut down a few soldiers who were in her way as Touken's flag moved further and further from her. "Dammit!"
"We can still catch up." Kyocho told her, as she swung her flail into her own swath of enemies, felling them all.
"That's right!" A blonde girl with a single drill-shaped tail on her left side laughed, her clothes absurdly revealing, hefting a decorated Dao, having just dispatched her own enemies, "You worry too much, Ton-sis!" This girl is Soujin, cousin of Sousou, serving as one of her generals.
"Karin-sama declared that we need to end this quickly. And as her sword, I must be the one to deliver his head!"
"Gen-chan, you're too hyped up." Chouryou sighed, as she pulled her Crescent Blade back, and out of her enemy's body. She frowned and looked elsewhere. "But can't say I don't like it~ Let's go!"
"See? Shia understands!" Kakouton laughed. Kakouton then turned her head once more. "ATTAC-"
"Soujin-sama! Kakouton-sama!" A soldier rushed over.
"Yeah?" Soujin asked.
"A flag has appeared to the side from the woods! An army is charging at us!"
"E-excuse me!?" Kakouton balked at that, turning to the direction. "Who would! But Touken's army is THERE!" Kakouton pointed to the retreating soldiers, "Who's attacking from the si-… That flag…"
"Ryuu." Chouryou frowned. "And… Ryo… Ryo-chin." Chouryou grimaced. The rumors said that Ryofu had defected from Toutaku and joined Ryuubi. Chouryou didn't really know what to think about that, but for her to be facing Ryofu here of all places.
"IT'S RYOFU!" A soldier screamed, and almost tripped running backwards.
"DON'T BE AFRAID!" Kakouton roared. "It's just Ryofu! She's not invincible!" Kakouton growled turning her head there.
"Arrows! The Ryuu army is firing at us!"
Kakouton frowned, as she…
"Sousou Army!" A loud voice proclaimed.
"… Nenene." Chouryou instantly recognized the voice, "But sheesh, her voice is louder than normal, for me to hear it from all the way here…"
"I am Chinkyuu Koudai, Strategist of Ryofu Housen! We of Ryuubi Army have allied with Touken! Your ambitions are over! Retreat or suffer defeat!"
"Noisy little runt!" Kakouton roared.
"Our flank was destroyed! Ryofu is tearing through it!"
"Shia, with me! We'll face Ryofu together." Kakouton growled, "Karon, Kii, chase down Touken."
""Understood!"" Soujin and Kyocho saluted before directing their respective platoons forward.
"Gen-chan. We can't beat Ryo-chin. Not with just us two." Shia warned.
"Kan'u and Chouhi managed it just fine." Kakouton scoffed.
Chouryou grimaced. "They managed it with the help of a literal flying general to fight said Flying General! Not only that but Ryo-chin is more rested than us!"
"Scared? Then I'll face her myself!" Kakouton snorted, charging on ahead.
"What do you mean scared?" Chouryou scoffed, as she directed her horse. "If anything, I'm excited."
"That's the spirit!" Kakouton laughed.
The two quickly moved through the soldiers, and they soon saw a slaughtering ground of their own soldiers. In the middle of it was Ryofu, who turned her head towards them.
"Shia." She said, before pointing her weapon, the Houtengageki at them. "Fight?"
"Yep." Chouryou smirked. "We're fighting."
"Mm. Will lose." Ryofu took a stance.
"That's you!" Kakouton roared, as she charged, her sword at the ready. Ryofu merely took a swing at her. But… "Too early!" Kakouton smirked. At the range of that halberd, it shouldn't even hit h-. A burst of purple entered her vision and only her instincts saved her as she raised her sword in defense.
"That's… a new trick." Chouryou grimaced.
"More of those Heaven Fires…" Kakouton groaned as she pulled herself together, only for her to raise her sword once more in defense as Ryofu charged forward and swung her halberd down onto her head. The weight of the hit practically caused Kakouton's knees to buckle. "it seems you're stronger than I expected, Ryofu!"
Ryofu silently nodded, swinging her halberd once more, and Kakouton blocked that too. Fast and strong. Fighting Ryofu directly… dammit, it's clear to even Kakouton that Ryofu is not messing around.
"Ryo-chin!" Chouryou smirked as she swung her naginata at Ryofu, forcing the Flying General to retreat ever so slightly. "You haven't forgotten me, have you?" Ryofu merely responded with a swing in her direction, and Chouryou in turn blocked it. "That's the spirit!"
Kakouton's sword swung, and Ryofu jumped out of the way, parrying the blade away, before taking the chance to strike at the attacker.
The three generals exchanged attacks, but even an outsider can tell that, despite the two on one, Ryofu is outpacing both Sousou Army Generals and their soldiers could only look disheartened, while behind Ryofu, the soldiers of Ryuubi Army were cheering heavily.
"Ren-dono!" Another loud yell was heard from Chinkyuu.
"Done here." Ryofu nodded, before jumping away. She turned around and began running.
"Hah!? What are you doing, Ryofu!" Kakouton roared, "We're not done here!"
"Done here." Ryofu repeated, before pointing to the Sousou Army, who are still pursuing the retreating Touken Army. Kakouton and Chouryou turned around, and then saw exactly what Ren was referring to.
"… Dammit." Kakouton frowned.
Rocks were falling from the sky. Kakouton turned once more to Ryofu, but she and her group has retreated to the woods. Part of Kakouton badly wants to chase, but there's no more time for that. As the General of the Sousou Army, she can only give one command.
"… Retreat." Kakouton gritted the word out. Siege engines, and Ryofu. And the revelation that the Ryuubi Army, along with their sorcery, is here. They're here, prepared for war as well. They need to regroup and… report to Sousou what happened.
-()-
"… I didn't expect to have to calculate physics equations to win a war…" Kazuto grumbled as he watched the enemy retreat from the walls, as he double-checked his notebook. "And I'm not even the best at math…"
"All I did was give you the equations for the catapult, Kazuto." Reborn smirked. "If you made an error, that's your problem."
"Even now you're still trying to get me caught up on school work." Kazuto sighed.
"Besides, you haven't won a war yet, idiot." Reborn kicked him. "Also, you made an error on the tension equation!" Another kick.
"I'm not a physics major or an engineer, dammit!" Kazuto snapped back, and he only received yet another kick for his troubles.
Well, the equation part was just a joke; Kazuto just basically measured by eye how far the catapult would hit, and, when Touken's army has retreated far enough, basically blanket told the soldiers manning the catapults to fire in waves. However, that hinged on one thing: that Touken could get a good enough gap between them and the enemy vanguard. And through, either luck or instinct, Ren led their army to cause a distraction great enough to cause the enemy vanguard to hesitate even for a split second, allowing Touken to create a large enough gap between the two, and get far enough that, the catapult could be fired safely, that Sousou's soldiers immediately scattered.
"Ren and Nenene are amazing to have timed that so well." Kazuto smiled fondly, as he watched the forest, seeing the signs of their army slowly inching their way to the keep. There's little reason to leave their soldiers outside anymore. Considering the number of Sousou's soldiers, they'll be sitting ducks. And anyway, now Sousou's forward momentum has been completely halted. It'll take a while for them to try anything. In other words, it's the best time for Ryofu's group to join up with them.
"Well, certainly not the soldiers. But the leaders are another thing entirely." Reborn frowned. "That Sousou is not one to be deterred by such a minor setback."
"The soldiers becoming demoralized is a pretty good thing for us though…" Kazuto said.
"Don't get complacent, Kazuto." Reborn told him, "If you so much as lose focus, you'll be the one being surprised. You of all people should know that a person's will isn't so easily broken by a single setback."
Kazuto shrugged in response, turning back to where Touka was walking up to him.
"Is Touken coming in?" Touka asked as she sat down next to him.
"Not yet, I think." Kazuto looked at the stationed soldiers surrounding the keep. "The Sousou army's still in sight, after all." There's a chance that they're trying to put them in a false sense of security. "Also, I think they're waiting for Ren and the others to arrive."
"So they're coming? Good. I wouldn't want them sleeping outdoors." Touka breathed a sigh of relief.
"So did you figure out which of the conscripts are the leaders of the group?" Kazuto asked.
"I think so…" Touka nodded, before rattling off a few names. "That's about it."
"Did you confirm if they were former Yellow Turban?"
"Most of them are, yes. Although they didn't seem to want to be connected to the Yellow Turbans… some were afraid that they might be executed for it."
"I see… I suppose Touken's execution scared them straight." Kazuto frowned. "Working around that would be a problem."
"Why did you want the names of the leaders, Kazuto-kun?"
"Soldiers are unlikely to want to follow the orders of an outsider. It's better to use someone who's already a leader of the group to move the group."
"That's not a good thing if you want to maintain their loyalty." Reborn remarked. "You don't want someone interpreting your orders for you unless you can trust them."
"Maybe if this was for the long-term. But we only need them loyal for a couple of months at best."
"You mean by snowfall." Touka frowned.
"No, not just snow. Even just a particularly cold night." Kazuto replied. "Sousou's unlikely to want to continue the campaign if she fails to capture this keep and has to camp out on a winter night. No matter her reason for this war, her own soldiers should eventually push her to return to Kyoshou… I hope."
"That's weak." Reborn scoffed. "I'm telling you this, brat. That Sousou is not one to give up."
"Maybe not her, but we can't say the same for her soldiers." Touka frowned. "If her soldiers are starting to lose morale due to the biting cold…"
"We win." Kazuto nodded. "A siege into winter is Touken's advantage."
"And is likely the reason why Sousou won't allow it to go that far." Reborn nodded.
"So we can expect strong offensives from them." Kazuto sighed. "At any rate, where are the others?" Kazuto asked.
"Shuri and Hinari are poring over the map of the surroundings with Mifa-san…" Touka replied, "Aisha and Rinrin are talking to the people I identified as leaders so…"
"They're quick to the uptake." Reborn nodded, approvingly. "It's good that they don't need your or Kazuto's prompting to do their jobs."
"And the twins?" Kazuto asked.
"Rairai and Denden are working with Aisha and Rinrin." Touka nodded. "Kanyou-san's there too, but… it's rather odd…"
"What is?"
"The soldiers seem to trust Aisha and Rinrin more than Kanyou-san…" Touka frowned.
"Some of that is probably due to their fear of execution?" Kazuto offered.
"If it was just that, then why would they trust us more?"
Kazuto pondered on that, "We do have a reputation…"
"You do realize said reputation is built on Chouhou's death, right?" Reborn scoffed. "Why don't you think a bit more, Bakazuto."
"Ahh, right…" Kazuto laughed a bit hollowly. "If anything they should be just as afraid of us… no, they should be apprehensive… just like with Sousou's father…"
"Thinking of 'should be's and 'could be's are a waste of time." Reborn hit him, "Start working, both of you."
"You know I could sue for domestic abuse when we get home right, Reborn?" Kazuto grumbled.
"You won't." Reborn scoffed in reply, "You're just overreacting to my hits, after all. You don't even feel the least bit hurt." No bruises, no lingering pain, no marks are left on his body.
Kazuto sighed. "You know that's not what domestic abuse is all about…"
"Focus. Kazuto. Don't you have something you need to do?"
"Guess I'll help out with Shuri and Hinari." Kazuto nodded. "Touka, why don't you meet up with Ren and Nenene out front. They seem to be close now, and I don't want Touken's Army attacking them."
"Alright!"
-()-
Sousou closed her eyes, as Kakouton finished her report. An undecipherable expression was on her face. No… it's probably irritation.
Her hands clenched hard.
It's definitely irritation.
"Is Ryuubi really going to poke her nose even here!?" Sousou growled, incredulous. "And that Hongou let her?"
"It's Sawada now, right?" Ten'i demurely asked.
"Hongou also said that he took up Hongou as his Style Name now, and I'm not changing how I call him!"
"Hiiiii!" Ten'i jumped to hide behind Kyocho. Kyocho could only stand at attention.
"Does she really have to work hard to be a thorn at my side?" Sousou growled. "What gain could she possibly have helping Touken!?"
"Objectively? Nothing." Jun'iku helpfully replied. She recoiled as Sousou's gaze jumped towards her. "I'm sorry for interrupting you, Karin-sama!" Jun'iku immediately went full dogeza at her feet.
"Maybe you need to relax a bit, Karin-sama." Kakouen made to appease her lord.
"My father died, Shuuran. I'll have Touken's head. I don't even care about the territory, as long as Touken is made responsible for what he allowed to do."
Kakouen flinched before nodding.
"Che, if it wasn't for Ryuubi Army, we would've gotten to them!" Kakouton growled. "We could've gotten Touken's head right there!"
"But the catapults…" Kyocho pointed out. "I barely got out of there myself… and Karon-sama is…"
"I'm fine, I'm fine~" Soujin waved her off, before wincing, "Ow, ow, ow…"
"Nee-sama, please calm down!" A demure looking girl was busy treating her. Her blonde hair is longer, some bunched up into a bun, but the rest flows down freely, with the Sou Family's signature curls at the end. Her clothes are predominantly white and purple. This girl is Soujun, another of Sousou's cousins, as well as the younger sister of Soujin.
"I'll be fine by tomorrow!" Soujin assured the others.
"Ruurin, make sure Karon does not enter the battlefield tomorrow." Sousou told Soujun.
"Ah, Boss is too much!" Soujin sighed, while Soujun nodded.
"Let's get this over as quick as possible." A haughtier blonde girl moved forward. She too sports the Sou Family's curls. She holds a pink rabbit plushie in hand, and is frowning over a scroll. "We can't afford a long campaign."
"Well, in the end, we won't get surprised next time." Kakouton growled. "It doesn't matter right? The Ryuubi Army are just more weaklings for us to beat up." Kakouton dismissed. "And besides, it'll be one less thorn on our side if we do kill them."
"You're ignoring their sorcery." Kakouen pointed out. "Their officers wield fire sorcery, and there's no doubt they'll only get better in time."
"That Chouhi has a fire that can heal people so I don't see it as much of a problem." Kyocho added, "It's the niichan that is dangerous if we're talking about sorcery."
"You mean Hongou-san?" Ten'i asked.
"He can fly." Kyocho nodded in reply. A lilac-haired girl's ears twitched in response. The whisker-like lines on her cheek contrasted her stoic demeanor as she turned towards Kyocho. Unfortunately, Kyocho seems to not have heard her silent plea for an explanation as everyone else kept going.
"Even without sorcery, Kan'u, Chouhi, Chouun, and Ryofu are not weaklings." Kakouten pointed out.
"Would they really have brought all of them here?" Jun'iku asked, "There's no reason for them to be involved, so maybe Ryofu's the only one here."
"Nenene called themselves the Ryuubi Army." Chouryou pointed out. "Although, I guess that's probably not good enough. But if Ryuubi is here, why didn't we see Kan'u or Chouhi?"
"Maybe they're keeping them in reserve?" Kakouen pondered.
"That is enough from all of you!" Sousou shouted suddenly.
"Karin-sama?"
Sousou's expression is hardened, deadset on what would come next. "In the end, nothing has changed. Whether Ryuubi's here or not, before the first snowfall this winter, we'll take Touken's head."
"""""""Understood!""""""" All the generals and strategists in that room roared.
-()-
And so, the stage is set. For the two symbols of this era to have their first clash.
The hero that wishes for a world of peace, Ryuubi Gentoku.
The hero who seeks to carve her path through a world of chaos. Sousou Moutoku.
Who is morally right? The one who seeks to protect, or the one who seeks vengeance for a grievance? That is not a question that can be answered by war. Only by the historians who will look at this battle in the far, distant future.
Some will praise Ryuubi and condemn Sousou. Praising Ryuubi for protecting others, for standing up for those who will likely be trampled by a personal vendetta, even though there's no discernible gain for her. Condemning Sousou for waging war and lives for no other reason than vengeance.
Others will praise Sousou and condemn Ryuubi. Praising Sousou for doing her duty to her family, for the sake of filial piety, to take vengeance for the death of her father. Condemning Ryuubi for standing in her way, for poking her nose in someone else's business, and for hypocritically standing in front of war when she swore against it.
Which interpretation of the events will stand, remains to be seen. But this far off scenario, the opinions of others, are things that are equally distant in the minds of those who were there and now.
Neither is truly right or wrong. Both are simply following their own path of justice. Those two ideals will simply clash. With only one leaving unbroken.
-()-
Reborn simply smirked, as he finished writing his report to Tsuna. He made the first few paragraphs incredibly obtuse for the sole purpose of annoying Tsuna.
He then frowned.
War. This will probably the first battle the boy has where he's not necessarily fighting for the right cause. War is messy and fraught with moral conundrums that are brushed off by everyone for the sake of their own image. Some moral conundrums are easier than others, like with bandit hunting, or putting down rebellions. Or fighting to end tyranny. Those are easy. This one, not so much. Can Touken be trusted to be telling them the truth?
But it doesn't matter. Reborn shrugged. Whatever reasoning Kazuto or Ryuubi uses to enter the battle, it doesn't change that this battle is a necessary event for them. Where they were at, a commandery sandwiched between Kousonsan and Enshou, they would not have been able to grow. They need Joshuu as their base of operations.
As for future complications, it's unlikely that the path that historically happened, where Lu Bu rebelled against his ally Liu Bei to take Xu Province, will take place in this world. The Ryofu of this other world seems remarkably loyal. With Toutaku not truly being a tyrant, and Kazuto showing her kindness, there's no logical reason for Ryofu to betray them without cause. Of course, there's the cause of ambition, but Ryofu doesn't seem to have a single shred of that, preferring sleep and food, above all else. Reborn's been keeping an eye on her for any sign of treachery, but the most treacherous thing about Ryofu would be her strategist, Chinkyuu. And, even then, Chinkyuu's bouts of rebellion stem from wanting to protect Ryofu. It is unlikely that Ryofu's historically infamous bouts of betrayal will come to pass in that world.
The only tangible likely trouble in Kazuto's near future is threats from the En Family, but that will boil down to what happens after this battle.
Reborn stood up from his desk, his report sent to Tsuna. Leon returned once more to his shoulder. Leon had been busy sending a scan of the "fake" homework for Kazuto's schoolwork. That should quell matters there for the time being. If they don't soon find a way for Kazuto to return, the boy will likely graduate without setting foot in St. Francesca for his third year.
As for the progress of bringing the boy home, there are two possible paths to walk. They could either create a gate for Kazuto to use to return home with, preferably with his newfound Guardians, or have Kazuto eventually find a way home himself. The latter is unlikely. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack the size of China, guarded by bees and red ants. The former, however, will take time. Irie Shouichi, Giannini, and Spanner are some of the brightest minds of their era, but this is a bit beyond their scope of expertise. Byakuran, after finishing the promised Box Animal for Mikoto, pledged to aid in the task. To be honest, he would've wanted Verde to be involved, but that is an absolute last resort, as far as everyone else is concerned. And even then, only if Verde requests to take part. Verde is a mad scientist and owing any favors to him would just be detrimental to them in the long run.
"Kazuto is sure putting far more work on me than expected." Reborn said. Although, he didn't seem exasperated. If anything, he's pretty happy about it. In the climate that Tsuna has been creating for the mafia, there has been little chance for him to stretch his limits.
He smirked, as he reached for his fedora and putting it over his head. It's time to go back in.
-()-
Chapter End
-()-
Chapter Release Date: September 4, 2020
-()-
Beta Reader: Seraphius
Current Composition of Armies:
Offensive Force:
Commander: Sousou Moutoku (Karin)
Generals: Kakouton Genjou (Shunran), Kakouen Myousai (Shuuran), Kyocho Chuukou (Kii), Ten'i (Ruru), Chouryou Bun'en (Shia), Jokou Koumei (Shanfuu), Soujin Shikou (Karon), Soujun Shiwa (Ruurin),
Advisors: Jun'iku Bunjaku (Keifa), Soukou Shiren (Eika)
Note: Gakushin Bunken (Nagi), Riten Mansei (Maou), and Ukin Bunsoku (Sawa) have all been recruited, but not as full generals, nor are they present in this fight. Kakuka Houkou (Rin) and Teiiku Chuutoku (Fuu) have also been recruited but are remaining behind.
Defensive Force:
Commanders: Touken Kyouso, Ryuubi Gentoku (Touka), Sawada Hongou (Kazuto)
Generals: Sonken Kouyuu (Mifa), Kanyou Kenwa, Kan'u Unchou (Aisha), Chouhi Yokutoku (Rinrin), Ryofu Housen (Ren), Bijiku Shichuu (Rairai), Bihou Shihou (Denden)
Strategists: Shokatsuryou Koumei (Shuri), Houtou Shigen (Hinari), Chinkyuu Koudai (Nenene)
Other: Reborn, Chouhou (Chiihou)
Writing this arc will be a slow experience, as I try to piece together the pieces of a battle that I haven't even imagined happening. So many times I ask myself, "Why do I write this fic?" I'm probably on the same level if not below Canon Koihime when it comes to knowledge of tactics. And just as naïve about politics as Canon!Kazuto.
I toyed with making Jian Yong a male, making him a rival-like existence for Kazuto. But then I remembered how sucky I am at making character designs from scratch. So I borrowed Jian Yong from Don't Tell Me This is the True History of the Three Kingdoms, and so, Kanyou is now female.
Here's the link for their character designs: asd398 DOT wordpress DOT com /true-history /covers-and-character-designs
Remove spaces and replace DOT with a dot.
So far I've borrowed four characters: Han Fu (Kanhyoku), Zhang He (Choukou), Xu Shu (Josho), and Jian Yong (Kanyou).
As a side note... I did it! I've now finished translating every single released character profile from Koihime Musou, Shin Koihime Musou, Moeshouden, Koihime Eiyuutan, Shin Koihime Eiyuutan, and Shin Koihime Musou Kakumei. Finding an OCR really helped for it, but those things are not perfect. But still, yay!