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.
-()-
Kan vs Chuu: Dueling Warlords
-()-
The battle against Enjutsu was steadily being pushed into Enjutsu's territory. However, their progress is not what one would call fast. One wouldn't call it slow either, but it was not fast by any means. Sousou's Army is matching pace with Ryuubi's Army, as they entered the territory. As for why Ryuubi is not pushing as fast as what is probably expected, it is because:
"I am Emperor Ken, Kan Dynasty's Kentei." Paitan declared to the town. "I assure all that I'm not here to subjugate you, nor am I here to ask you to join my army. All I ask is that you allow us to pass peacefully, so that we may depose of the false claimer of the title of Emperor (Son of Heaven). Enjutsu's Chuu Dynasty cannot be recognized."
"According to rumors, Enjutsu has been abusing her rule in her territory. May we ask if you would verify this?" Touka asked one elder.
"… Many of our farmhands were taken into the military. Our harvest has become poor due to this."
Another person declared their own voice to this. "Not only that, but the taxes are too high! We've no money and no food! We're practically been dried out!"
"Please… end this war soon…"
"We'll do so." Touka nodded, "I swear it upon my name of Ryuu Gentoku. This war will not last for much, much longer."
"C-c-can we truly believe that?"
"Yes."
Touka smiled. "Now then, we'll be taking our leave. Thank you for your time."
"… Then we got our confirmation." Aisha sidled up to her.
"We'll end it quickly." Touka nodded. "Let's go."
To ensure that the citizenry of Enjutsu does not consider them enemies, Paitan needs to make a speech in each town and assure the residents of their safety. All to spread the word: the Emperor is personally here to deal with the Chuu Dynasty. Of course, there were uncomfortable requests, like the mothers who are begging for their husbands and sons to not be harmed. However, in war, there is no guarantee. All they could do is shake their heads at that, no matter how much Touka wants to say "Yes, we'll save them". But that is the one thing Kazuto told her not to do. She should not make promises that they cannot keep. War brings casualties. And those casualties can be innocent of all crimes and just happen to be on the wrong side of the battlefield.
Bringing only career soldiers, those who wished to fight in war, is the only solace Touka has. Since they wished to fight and risk their lives for the cause, there is some numbing to the loss of life of one of their own. Of course, the hallmark of strategy is to minimize your own casualties, and by that, Hinari's been doing a pretty good job.
"… I wonder how he's doing?" Touka thought.
-()-
"Where did that Kouso-bastard go!? There's no way she could have escaped! Is there a secret passage we missed?" Sonsaku's complaints were loud enough to reach the heavens, as she overturned another shelf in her bid to find the missing General.
"We're still questioning her soldiers and scouring the fort, but…"
"But what?"
"…uhh… do you think the Heavenly Messenger took Kouso? He did just fly off north… It's not like we saw all that much…"
"… Meirin?"
"We have no confirmation. And we didn't exactly send scouts there."
"Wasn't Kouso shooting at us?" Sonsaku sharply asked.
"Arrows were being shot at us during the last battle, but considering the distance, there's no way for us to prove whether that was truly Kouso or not," Shuuyu told her.
"And, while we have confirmation from her soldiers that it was Kouso shooting from the fort, they could be lying." Kougai shrugged. "So yeah. There's a chance that Hongou carried her off. They do have a precedent of protecting people like Kouso…" Although when they told Hongou about Kouso, he looked more surprised than anything. Still, anything could have happened between then and now.
Still, that was all Sonsaku needed, "Meirin, Sai, I'll leave the fort search to you. Leave no stone unturned. If Kouso escaped during our battle she would have had to leave through here. Rian, Suirei, we'll be taking on Hongou."
"Then, I suppose you'd like some strategies?" Shuuyu scoffed, "Don't be a fool. Hongou may have foolish tendencies, but you and I both know that he is no fool. He'll have plans ready to handle us."
"I'll take a listen now, but… Suirei?" Without Shuuyu next to her, Sonsaku is just likely to forget them and go with instinct.
"Fine, fine, I'll remember them for you." Teifu nodded.
"You need not worry, Sheren." Shuuyu smiled, "I've worked with you for so long, that I'm more than aware of how to plan for you." Or rather, plan around her.
"Thanks. Then let's go."
-()-
Kazuto was floating a bit above and beyond the fort when he spotted Sonsaku's army organizing outside the fort… and they were facing where the others are. Oh for the love of… Is she really going to attack? He and Shuri made a big show of making plans and contingency plans on how to attack the fort for the sake of keeping up the façade but…
"… Yeeah, she looks pissed." Kazuto groaned, as his contacts magnified Sonsaku's face. "What did we do to deserve that? Was the letter just a big lie?" Unlikely, seeing as the messenger is her own sister, who clearly lived a rather carefree and happy life from her demeanor. "… Screw it." Kazuto began speeding back to the army, currently busy looking for methods to cross the big river in their way.
Flight is such a game-changing tool and one this world wasn't quite prepared to deal with just yet. But since far, far too many outsiders have seen him use it at this point, Kazuto has no compunctions using and abusing it to spy on enemy actions. Still…
He carefully surveyed the potential battlefield before him. The river is probably the most notable landmark, but he could also spot a few lakes scattered around. Seeing as they're still in springtime, the soil would be a bit muddy, making cavalry not be a great tool… and heavily-armored infantry as well. Lightly armored fighters would have a good enough time, and that's what most of their soldiers are, minus Tanpopo's cavalry. Tanpopo doesn't seem terribly bad at fighting on foot either, so it should be fine-ish. (As a side note: he's starting to see why Sonsaku's Army prefers such light clothing, even though it's really bordering on fetishistic. Likely it's that and the fact that it would be rather hotter down south, especially in summer.) Well, it's not as if they had a large contingency of cavalry. Just Batai's and some of the members lent to him by Sousou.
The Yangtze river… or at least what Kazuto thinks is the Yangtze River is soon in view, and a small camp is formed on one of the banks, a bit of a way away from the nearby settlement. The settlement was rather worried about the Sonsaku Army attacking and occupying the nearby fort, and once they learned that Kazuto's group is representing the Kan, they showed no hesitation in aiding them. They now have fishermen's boats ready to transport their soldiers across if they needed it.
"Welcome back, Master." Shuri smiled.
"Well?" Gakushin prompted.
"Sonsaku's charging at us."
"Then it's a good thing we haven't begun crossing the river yet." Shuri breathed a sigh of relief. "We've sent a few scouts, but…" If they had crossed the river, Sonsaku could've likely arrived as they were doing so or as they were organizing. It would force them to fight her head-on with a practical wall behind their backs.
"So Plan 1 is a bust?" Tanpopo asked.
"Yep. The very straightforward 'siege the enemy' is no good." Kazuto shrugged.
"We were probably not going to do that anyway." Shuri smiled apologetically, "With our numbers, it's just unrealistic."
"I could set fire on the fort?"
"Too much water around here." Shuri shook her head.
"Fair enough."
"Seeing as Plan 1 is a bust, then that means!"
"Yes, Riten. Take it away."
"Alright! I want that wall built by sunset!" Riten declared as she walked towards the soldiers. They'll likely get some lumber from the village, or the nearby woods.
"For now, Kouchuu, can I ask you to organize our archers at the banks? Hopefully, that would be enough of a deterrent for Sonsaku to not attempt to cross the river. Not without significant backup." Kazuto told her.
"Understood, Master."
"Okay, now you're definitely making fun of me." Kazuto scowled. "There is no way you're drunk right now."
"Fufufu, I've no idea what you mean."
Kazuto elected to take that at face value and ignore the slip. "Just go."
"Anyway, everyone, we're going with Plan 4, the scenario where Sonsaku has left the fort with minimal forces, but we haven't established a base on the other side of the river. Everyone should be aware of their roles. Let's move people!"
-()-
"Sonsaku-sama." A messenger bowed to the irate Sonsaku, who was leading a march north.
"Did you find Hongou's group? They might be hidden in some grove or something?"
"N-no… they're currently camped on the other side of the great river. They seem to be building something in a great hurry…"
"… Well then." Sonsaku grimaced. "Any confirmation if Kouso is among them?"
"There's a Kou Flag being waved among the flags."
"… There should be no Kou in Joshuu's Army, correct?" Sonsaku asked Teifu.
"There shouldn't be." Teifu nodded. "Shaoren-sama doesn't seem to have indicated any in her correspondences."
"Right." Sonsaku nodded, agreeing, "Let's move in and watch them. Do not let them cross the river."
"Is this really alright?" Teifu asked. "Wasn't our plan to ally with Joshuu?"
"We will," Sonsaku replied. "Once Kouso is dead. I didn't set this elaborate ruse just to come up empty-handed, Suirei. I'll get my vengeance for Mother."
"… Is that so…" Teifu frowned.
"Eh, if anything, I just want a fight." Taishiji shrugged. "The Heavenly Messenger should've come packing with some strong generals, right?"
"Let's not lose sight of our goal." Teifu warned them.
Silence enveloped them as Sonsaku deliberated on that.
Finally, she spoke, "… When Renfa's signal comes, I'll relent. But no sooner." Sonsaku looked ahead. "Besides, that Kouso didn't give me a good enough fight, and Enjutsu won't either. This will probably be our one chance for a good fight."
"I swear… you must get this from Yenren-sama." Teifu grumbled as Sonsaku's feral tendencies are peaking for a completely different reason.
"So, what did Meirin want us to do if they haven't crossed the river yet?"
"Already on it." Teifu nodded.
-()-
"… You know, when you said you made contraptions, I didn't think you meant that you were an engineering genius that can whip something this elaborate up from basic materials and a handful of soldiers." Kazuto looked flabbergasted at the sight of the wooden fort. The plan honestly just called for a simple façade, just a big wall. Not a fort viable enough to defend with the number of soldiers they have.
"Praise me more!"
"Don't." Gakushin stopped that in its tracks. "Her ego's big enough as is."
"I… uh… didn't account for this being so expansive…" Shuri winced. "But, the more convincing it is, the better." Although now they feel bad for the soldiers who Riten roughshod into working double-time. They'll let them rest in the fort that they constructed.
"Well, I'm pretty sure we're not gonna get more convincing than this." Kazuto nodded. "So, Operation Fort is a go."
-()-
"… We knew that they were building something, but was there always a fort up here?" Taishiji blinked. "They couldn't have built this in just a single afternoon, right?"
"If there was, then Kouso would have had reinforcements." Teifu frowned. "This must have been cobbled together through some sort of sorcery." They did have a sorcerer, after all.
"Do we know how many soldiers they have?" Sonsaku asked.
"It can't be particularly large unless they manage to get Keishuu's Army here." Teifu replied. "But they're likely a similar size to our own."
"So that fort should be able to hold all of them." Sonsaku sighed. "Well, it's not that they have boats."
"They could've built some with all the wood they spent on the fort." Teifu scoffed.
"So why didn't they?" Taishiji tilted her head.
"Does it matter?" Sonsaku impatiently looked across the river. She then yelled, "Hongou! Relinquish the Keishuu General to us, and we'll leave you be!" There's a chance that Hongou's companions didn't know the name of Kouso. By highlighting that their target is the Keishuu General, that should make things clear for everyone involved who they want.
Silence covered them all as Sonsaku awaited Hongou's answer.
-()-
"… Okay, what the hell is she talking about?" Kazuto blinked as he heard the declaration. "… Maybe I should go talk to them?"
"No." Shuri denied him. "You already used up our trust when you decided to talk to Sonsaku instead of just the general in the fort." Oh, right… he may have done that… and Shuri pretty much has decided to keep a vice grip on his freedom to move. He's not allowed to leave her line of sight anymore. She did allow him to go when he asked to check on Sonsaku's movements, but that's about it.
"Still, do you have any idea what she's talking about?" Kazuto asked.
"They can see my flag." Kouchuu frowned, pointing to one of the flags on their wall. It was hung there specifically to show that they're cooperating with the Keishuu Army. Ukin's is also hung there, although it's unlikely that they'll recognize it as the flag of a Sousou officer. "If they want a Keishuu general, it's likely me."
"Any chance they're talking about Kouso?" Kazuto asked. "You do have the same surname."
"And?" Kouchuu asked. "Kouso is an ally. I may not consider her a close friend, but she's a Keishuu General."
"… Riiight. Alliances." Kazuto groaned. Being allied with Keishuu means that, whatever reasoning Sonsaku may have, as long as she's hunting down a Keishuu General, Kazuto really isn't allowed to brush it off. "Fair enough. Should we tell them that Kouso isn't with us?"
"… Let them waste their time. More time for Kouso to get away." Kouchuu replied. "The more time Sonsaku wastes on us, the less time they're spending scouring the land for Kouso."
"Still… How did they manage not to get to Kouso?" Riten asked. "I mean, they're right at her doorsteps and Hongou didn't carry her off."
"Dunno." Kazuto sighed. "She seemed like she had a plan, though, so she was already planning on getting out as soon as she could."
"Kouso's always been like that." Kouchuu shrugged.
Kazuto grimaced as he looked across the channel. He thought: This would be so much easier if Sonsaku just gave up.
-()-
"No reply." Teifu frowned.
"Then I guess negotiations are off the table." Sonsaku frowned.
"Really?" Taishiji asked. "Oh, they have archers looking over the walls."
"Well, if he's going to harbor Kouso, then he leaves us no choice." Sonsaku pulled her sword out, "If he wants us to fight him for it, then we'll fight."
-()-
"They're organizing across the river," Shuri told him. "I don't think they're leaving."
"… Okay… I guess we're fighting now…" Kazuto grumbled. "This is why Touka should be with me; she knows how to defuse a situation better than I ever will…"
"Or escalate it." Shuri pointed out. "Touka-sama wouldn't have allowed an innocent to be threatened by an army."
"…That's unlikely. But sure, let's go with that." Kazuto nodded. "Anyway, archers, scout around the perimeters. If Sonsaku makes a move, I want to be able to know as soon as possible."
-()-
The thing about fighting across a river is that you either need lots of ammunition or an easy and quick way to cross the river. There is no bridge that they could use right now… which is honestly Sonsaku's fault. It was one of the few things they did to cut off Kouso's support. Ultimately, they just wound up in a stare-off. Archers were positioned looking out, rotating as necessary. Any action from the opposing side and their bows were nocked. But they can't afford to waste arrows, right now, and the other side likely is in the same situation. Occasionally, the head of the Heavenly Messenger would appear on the other side as well to look at them, before returning back to where he was.
"… Are they going to try to cross soon?" Taishiji asked, bored. "The most they've done is set up camp." And they sort of need to go back if they want food.
"That's a lot of smoke from their fireplaces." Teifu grimaced, "Must mean they have a decent number of soldiers on reserve."
"… Maybe." Sonsaku shrugged. "Hey, are they here yet?" Sonsaku asked, as her anger has waned and is now more annoyed as she took a glance at the wooden wall again. "Or should we just go back? They haven't launched an attack at all…"
"Sonsaku-sama!"
"What?"
"Sightings of a cavalry unit headed towards the fort!"
"… Well, damn." Sonsaku grimaced.
"When did that happen?" Taishiji blinked, "We were watching the fort the entire time! They can't have gotten there so quickly! And cavalry takes a while to cross, especially with their horses! Wouldn't we have spotted something like that?"
"Unless they were never there in the first place." Sonsaku pointed out. "What if the cavalry were transported while we were watching the fort?" Sonsaku looked upstream. "There's a village upstream. The villagers likely have fishermen boats that could be used to cross the stream."
"What now?" Teifu asked.
"We'll strike their cavalry down. With all the lakes and rivers here, they'll have a hard time getting a clear shot towards the fort. After that, we'll come back here. By that time, they should be here, right, Suirei?"
"Yes."
"Then let's move!"
-()-
"Master!"
Shuri hurried towards the boy, as he set up another fake bonfire. This was Operation Fort. Also known as: make a fake fort, so that they can strike at the real one. They essentially have two teams. The Fake Fort Team and the Real Fort Team. The Fake Fort Team is just that: the group in charge of making it seem like the fort is working as intended. The members are Kazuto, Shuri, Sei, Kouchuu, Riten, and Ukin. They have a bare minimum of soldiers left to them, enough to make the fort seem believable. The rest of the soldiers were part of the Real Fort Team, the team in charge of trying to take the enemy fort. This team has Ren, Nenene, Tanpopo, Gengan, Jokou, and Gakushin. The main leader of this group is left to… Ren, for lack of a good leader choice. Kazuto sort of wanted Kouchuu to be there and leading, but Kouchuu denied that, claiming that Gengan's weapon would be more suited to dealing with a fort… and Kazuto can't disagree, seeing as she has a cannon. So, by default, Ren is the best option, being the highest-ranked person with her mental faculties not inhibited by battle lust.
"Master!" Shuri called out again. "Sonsaku is leaving!"
"Dammit, so they caught onto Ren and the others." Kazuto grimaced. "So Undetected Route is a no-go." He said as the other members of Fake Fort gathered around him.
"Then the Detected Route it is." Riten grinned, excited. "I have all the materials needed!"
"Glad to see the enthusiasm, but first, I want to know if anyone noticed what Sonsaku could possibly have been waiting for?"
"Waiting?" Ukin blinked.
"Sonsaku would not have wasted that much time doing nothing."
"It looked as if they were looking downstream, waiting for something." Shuri frowned.
"… Downstream… I'm guessing boats." Kazuto nodded.
"… If they arrive while we're crossing!" Shuri worried.
"Plan, Shuri. Plan!"
"Right. Umm…" Shuri looked at the wooden pieces of the fort. "… Riten-san, do we have any spare wood that we can use?"
"Sure, I suppose… what are you going to do with that… Oh! But that would need quite a lot, don't you think? We might need boulders for that!"
"Better than nothing." Shuri hurried.
"Sei."
"Yeah?" Sei asked.
"I might need your help too."
"I'm no Rinrin, you know? I can't lift something as heavy as a bunch of boulders!"
"It's better than nothing!" And Shuri and Sei headed off.
"So what are they planning?" Kazuto asks Riten, who shrugged.
"How does one stop a fleet of boats trying to move upstream?" Riten smirked.
"… Fair enough." Kazuto nodded. "Let's get this bridge going."
-()-
"Sonsaku-sama!"
"What now?' Sonsaku asked.
"The Heavenly Messenger has flown across the river… carrying ropes."
"What for?' Taishiji frowned. "If he's going to help the cavalry, shouldn't he just… you know, fly there?"
"… If we turn back, they're just going to cut the rope." Sonsaku confirmed to Teifu.
"Likely."
"… Should we turn around and face them, leaving the cavalry to fight Meirin and the rest?"
"The boats should be here soon. They won't be able to cross without dealing with that." Teifu shook her head.
"Then we'll leave it to them." Sonsaku nodded.
"Hey, uhh… anyone going to answer my question?" Taishiji asked.
"Likely the rope is to help with the construction of a bridge." Teifu grimaced. "Considering the speed they made the fort, they'll likely have the bridge operational soon enough."
"I see. So we're leaving them to Pao." Taishiji nodded. "… Would that really be alright?"
"We need to deal with the army. While I don't doubt that Sai and Meirin can hold the fort, they have a minimum of soldiers, and they are preoccupied keeping Kouso's soldiers at bay." Sonsaku turned.
"Let's just be careful that we do not get attacked on two fronts." Teifu warned.
"Even if they build an unstable bridge, it will take a while for them to reorganize on this side. Let's move!"
-()-
"I'll show them that I can be a great strategist too!" A woman with blue hair declared. She was wearing clothes more suited to a court than a battlefield, but here she is. This one is Roshuku Shikei (Not to be confused with Fuurin whose name is Roshoku Shikan), Strategist of Sonsaku's Army, apprentice to Choushou Shifu. Her true name is Pao, and she's been left in charge of commandeering the boats. "If we can defeat the Heavenly Messenger, we can cast doubt upon the belief that the Heavenly Messenger is the representative of the Mandate of Heaven!"
However, her declaration was cut short by the fact that…
"Umm, Roshuku-dono."
"… What?" Roshuku frowned.
"… Doesn't the water levels seem… low?"
"Eh?" Roshuku blinked, "But it's the middle of spring!"
"We don't know, but…"
Looking out, Roshuku can see that, indeed, the river levels are much, much lower than they should be.
"W-w-why!?" Roshuku groaned. "Uhh… let's see… dismount! We'll go on on foot!"
"Which side?"
"… North Side!" Roshuku declared, and the small navy that Roshuku leads dismounts and begins moving.
-()-
"Ren-sama!" Nenene called. "Sonsaku has begun chasing us!"
"Mm." Ren nodded, quietly surveying the situation.
"What do we do?" Gakushin asked.
"Forward."
"I don't know about you guys but aren't there a lot of horse traps here?" Batai complained as she looked around them. Innocuous pieces of sturdy string were tied all around them. Batai, coming from a family of horseback warriors, noticed them immediately. This resulted in their relatively sedentary pace as they cut through them. "We're not going to be outrunning them if they're chasing us!"
"Must be Shuuyu." Nenene sighed. "Shuri warned us that she'll probably have set some up." About as expected of the renowned strategist of the era. In Nenene's opinion, Shuri and Hinari are probably better, but they don't have the fame to back it up. Shuri has started cultivating her legend, as the primary strategist during the Anti-Toutaku Coalition, but that's just it. Just a budding beginning. They don't have much to work with just yet. "But we can't cry about it! We need to move forward. Ren-dono said so, so it must be so!"
"Agreed." Gakushin nodded. "There is only forward."
"Gahahahaha!" Gengan laughed, "Forward it is!"
"Forward." Jokou nodded.
"Oooooo… Oh no!" Batai groaned, "I've been stuck in a group of muscleheads! Kazuto-niichan, HELP ME!"
-()-
"… We still haven't found anything?" Shuuyu asked Kougai.
"Nothing the soldiers found. And we pretty much upended this fort. If Kouso disappeared, then she must have had help." Kougai concluded.
"Then let's end this farce." Shuuyu sighed. "We've spent an entire day scouring this place. We're not going to find anything new." Shuuyu looked exhausted. The sun is pretty much gone from the sky, and flames were being lit around them. The moon's light is both a blessing and a curse; it means that they don't need too many lanterns and torches, but it also means that the enemy can simply use its light to see.
"Hoh? Didn't think you to be one to give up, Meirin."
"We've spent all of daylight; I'm fairly certain anyone would stop by this point." Shuuyu shrugged. "Kouso definitely escaped. Where to, is unclear. Our only lead is the possibility of it being Hongou."
"Hmm… would that boy really have sheltered Kouso?" Kougai frowned.
"They have precedent." That being Touken.
"Fair enough, but is that enough to act?" Kougai asked, "I thought the goal is to become their ally in taking down Enjutsu?"
"Which is exactly why I hope Sheren keeps a level head and not go too far." Shuuyu frowned. "Even if Hongou decided to shelter Kouso, we'll be dealing with immense backlash from the Ryuubi Army if Hongou is killed."
"Then she should just let bygones be bygones." Kougai scoffed. "Even if Yenren-sama wanted vengeance for her death, she valued the future of Koutou more than something that trivial."
"Maybe so." Shuuyu laughed, "But when did Sheren do things by halves?"
"Like mother, like daughter." Kougai agreed. "Still, do you think the horse traps are enough? They're hardly crippling."
"Only if they're not moving quickly," Shuuyu smirked. "Besides, our goal isn't to kill the army of the Heavenly Messenger. That would simply look bad to Kentei, who can declare us traitors, putting us in the same situation as Enjutsu. We need to put them in a position where they need to mobilize their entire force. That way we can confirm if Hongou truly is harboring Kouso."
"So, what should we do?" Kougai asked. "We know that the Heavenly Messenger is coming."
"I think they'd be pretty busy to even try to get near us." Shuuyu dismissed. "With Sonsaku after their detached force and the boats coming upriver to pincer them from behind, they'll find that a difficult thing to do."
"Hmm… Are you not underestimating the Heavenly Messenger a bit too much?" Kougai frowned. "I honestly doubt that he's foolish enough to fall for something like that. Despite it all, Yenren-sama spoke highly of him as the leader of the Anti-Toutaku Coalition."
"… Thank you, Kougai. I almost made a fatal mistake." Shuuyu silently grimaced at that. "You're right; underestimating him is a dangerous thing. He has a strange ability to bring different-minded people to agree on a course." As evidenced by how he handled the Anti-Toutaku Coalition. With everyone vying for glory, he managed to make them organize in a way that they all had assigned roles that they weren't too unwilling to take. Still, if Shuuyu would pick something truly fearsome about the Ryuubi-Hongou Army… "Which of his officers would've come with him?" it would definitely be his hyper-competent and greatly loyal officers.
"Dunno. Thought you were the one keeping track of that?" Kougai frowned.
"Frontline information from Enjutsu? I've more luck knowing what meal Enjutsu had three days ago." Shuuyu grumbled. "Her information network is atrocious."
"Fair enough."
"However, I doubt that they let Hongou move on his own." Shuuyu frowned. "He likely has an escort of his top generals with him."
"Kan'u, Chouhi, Chouun, and Ryofu." Kougai nodded. "At least one, maybe two."
"Then either Chouun or Ryofu." Shuuyu nodded, with a grimace. "I doubt that they'd allow Kan'u and Chouhi to not be on their frontlines."
"Maybe. But let's not try and guess. Kougai, organize our forces. Man the walls, keep a clear patrol."
"What are you wary about?" Or rather, who?
"Would Shokatsuryou have come?" Shuuyu asked. The girl whose petite and small frame hid an intelligent and cunning strategist who pretty much laid the groundwork for every strategy they pulled during the coalition. Sure, there was a time where she asked for their opinion as her relative seniors in strategy, but both she and Jun'iku were more or less content in just pointing out the flaws in Shokatsuryou's plan, of which there were few. And due to that, they were exposed to the depths of strategy that she held in her mind. Every plan that happened during the coalition came from her mind. In this world, Shuuyu can honestly say that Shokatsuryou may just be the one person that could rival her. And that is honestly quite terrifying to imagine. If Shokatsuryou were to rise in power… would she not be the most powerful person in the country? She'd still pay lip service to Ryuu Gentoku, doubtlessly, and even honor her desires, but that mind could shape the world if it gets to that point.
"… Would they take away their primary strategist from their frontlines?" Kougai frowned. "Enjutsu may not be savvy in war, but…"
"No, you're right." Shuuyu shook her head. "That can only be considered a foolish move. Shokatsuryou must be at the frontlines…" Shuuyu said as if trying to convince herself. "Let's just focus on preparing for a potential battle at our walls."
-()-
Hinari breathed a sigh of relief as she collapsed inside her tent. Quite honestly, being the primary strategist for this war is terrifying; that Shuri isn't here to help her out with decisions is worrying in a way that makes her social anxiety spike up. Still, she needs to keep the pace up. The sooner they can move the frontline forward, the sooner they can end this war. That was the role she has to play.
The landscape here is honestly a lot more difficult than expected. Still, they managed enough, especially with Bachou's help. Still, it would help if she wasn't so bull-headed… If it wasn't for Aisha reining her in, she'd charge into enemy lines far more than is necessary.
"… I need to do my best." Hinari told herself, as she pulled out her bookmark. Fledgling Phoenix, it said. What it means still confuses her, but all she knows is that she… "I can't keep following Shuri-chan's footsteps."
Tomorrow, another day of combat will take place. Soon enough, they'll reach Enjutsu's capital. Soon. Very, very, soon.
And so, Houtou Shigen's own legend, as a genius of war strategy, sprouted, as she earns victory upon victory in the northwest.
-()-
"… Th… b… uh… what?" Roshuku blinked at seeing the empty fort. Or rather, a bunch of cooling fireplaces. "Didn't the message say there's a big wooden fort here!?"
"Roshuku-dono!"
"What?"
"Look!" Roshuku blinked as she saw exactly what happened.
"Th-this is…"
A dam. Made of rocks, boulders, and what appeared to be a bunch of wooden pieces that had fallen in… no. Deliberately broken off. They used the reported wooden fort to help with the dam. It's not a perfect dam; the river will eventually erode it and return to normal. But it was enough to lower the river levels that their navy cannot move on it.
"But how did they cross so quickly!? There aren't any boats here!" Roshuku pointed out. "… Light!"
A torchbearer approached her, and she saw exactly what happened.
"… A bridge… they managed to make a bridge… and then they cut it down!?" No, no, no, no… this was going all wrong! Roshuku snap turned. "We need to cross now! The enemy is there, and they're going to pincer Sheren-sama if we can't!"
"But, how?"
"Can we use the dam?" Roshuku asked.
"The dam is too unstable to cross safely!"
"Then is there a village with boats nearby?" Roshuku asked.
"There should be…"
"Then let's move!"
In Roshuku's haste, she forgot that she's not in Koutou. She's not in Sonsaku's territory. If a bunch of foreign soldiers shows up to demand to be shipped across, would the villagers even consider it? Maybe if they value their lives, but… fate isn't particularly kind to them, right now as…
… "Roshuku-dono."
"What?" Roshuku asked.
"… Are those…"
"Boats." Roshuku nodded… "From upstream… and those aren't fishermen boats… those are…"
"Hey! Hongou! I got the Keishuu Navy to help ou-" The loud voice abruptly stopped, as… "… Wait, that flag… Son Army! A-ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS!"
"Oh, nonononononono…" Roshuku blinked. "Retreat! Back to our boats!"
"NO ESCA- Huh? Something is blocking our way?"
"We'll be safe once we get beyond the dam! Back, back to our boats!" Roshuku exclaimed.
"Woah, when did this dam get here!?" The loud voice exclaimed before a boyish figure (aside from her relatively large breasts) jumped out of the boat, carrying a weapon of clearly massive weight. An iron club of some type, if Roshuku is correct. She then slammed her weapon into the dam. It pretty much crumbled from the extra force and the river flowed freely once more. "There, we can go on now." She said, satisfied with her work.
"That's not good!" Roshuku groaned. The boats are definitely faster than her, so… "Run far from the river!"
"COME BACK HERE!" The loud voice roared.
And so, Gien Bunchou and Roshuku Shikei's game of cat and mouse lasted into the night.
-()-
"Kazuto-sama… the enemy fort is in sight," Shuri told him.
"Yeah. Should I use Hyper Dying Will Mode?" Kazuto asked.
"… No." Shuri shook her head, "We don't need you to fight this time." Hopefully, her tone said.
"Fair enough." Kazuto nodded. "So what should we do?"
"Get the siege ladders ready?" Riten grinned.
"… Yeah, I can get behind that." Kazuto nodded. "Let's go."
"Finally, I'll get some action!" Sei grinned. "It's been a while since I last fought."
"My bow is yours, of course." Kouchuu smiled.
"Soldiers ready!" Ukin nodded.
"There should be no problems." Shuri nodded.
"Then, let's go." Kazuto finished, "Kan Alliance Army, full speed ahead!"
-()-
"Enemy soldiers incoming!"
"Flag?" Kougai sharply asked as she scanned the battlefield. A bunch of soldiers, carrying what appeared to be siege ladders were charging,
"Kan, a cross on a green banner, Chou, Kou, Ri, and U." Flag of the Kan, Hongou, Chouun or Chouhi, someone with Kou (likely Kouso), and two others that none of them recognize.
"So they left their cavalry at the mercy of Sheren."
"Ah Meirin." Kougai greeted the strategist.
"Either they're confident in their generals, or foolish." Considering it's Hongou… the former is more likely than the latter.
"Still, we can't allow them to get close to the fort. Shoot them down if needed." Shuuyu told her. "Still, it is a surprise to see that Pao is nowhere behind them. She should've been hounding at their heels if she arrived as soon as she could."
"It's Pao," Kougai replied as an answer. Overconfident and, while legitimately intelligent and capable, has a tendency to overlook little details that turn into big problems.
"… Maybe I should've stuck with Sheren." Shuuyu grimaced. "All soldiers, prepare for a defense!"
"Which side!?" One soldier asked.
"… The side that has the soldiers attacking us, of course." Shuuyu blinked at the absurd question.
"… Which side?"
"… Don't tell me…" Shuuyu moved quickly towards the other side of the fort, with Kougai on her heels. There they saw yet another army, charging forward at them. Cavalry. There are no siege ladders on them, but…
"Flags," Shuuyu asked them.
"Ryo, Gen, Jo, Gaku, and Ba."
"Ryofu… and a representative of Seiryou's Ba Clan," Shuuyu concluded. "Gen… that could likely be Keishuu's Gengan. Jo and Gaku, however, is unclear."
"Ah, Sonsaku-sama's flag is behind them!"
"So Sheren did manage to get on the cavalry's heels… but not quick enough." Shuuyu frowned. Their horse traps should've been enough to slow them down, she thought, but… it seems that she underestimated their cavalry.
"What should we d- are… are they turning?"
"Huh?"
"Meirin. Look over to Hongou's group as well." Kougai pointed.
"They're… running towards each other…" Shuuyu is not entirely sure what's going on, but…
"Hongou's group seems to be… dropping their siege ladders?" Kougai said, confused. "Why?"
"Whatever crazy plan they have… prepare for it!" Shuuyu declared. "Hurry! Reinforce the gates!"
-()-
"REEEEEEENNNN!" Kazuto roared, as he ran towards them. "Take the ladders and take the fort! We'll hold Sonsaku off!"
Ren nodded, and she led her horse towards where the fallen siege ladders are, to retrieve them.
"Have fun with them, Shion!" Gengan barked. "I've been saving my ammo for the fort, and I'll be damned if I run out before that wall crumbles!"
"Take care, Kikyou." Kouchuu smiled, as the group quickly lined up. "Aim! Fire!" And the archers sent a flurry of arrows to stop Sonsaku's army in their tracks.
"Good work, Nenene." Shuri greeted.
"As expected of Ren-dono!" Nenene smiled.
"Tanpopo, switch!" Kazuto called, "Ukin, Riten, help Gakushin!"
"About face!" Tanpopo declared and her soldiers quickly made a maneuver to face the enemy soldiers, as Ukin and Riten left the group. "Niichan! Why did you leave me with a bunch of muscle-heads?"
"Yeaah… I honestly expected Gakushin to be a bit less… intense." Kazuto winced, as he watched Gakushin grab a couple of ladders. "She was supposed to rein in the muscle-headedness. Not enhance it."
"You owe me!"
"Yeah, yeah, let's just deal with Sonsaku now!" Kazuto smiled. He then drew his sword. "Kouchuu, Tanpopo, I leave Teifu to you two. Sei and I will deal with Sonsaku and her companion. Shuri?"
Shuri wordlessly drew her crossbow and aimed it forward. Her grip's still a bit shaky, but it's enough.
"Then, let's go!" Kazuto declared, "Everyone, FORWARD!"
-()-
"Turn the army quicker!" Sonsaku called, as the Hongou Army was charging at them. Now one of their flanks will be hit if they don't turn quickly.
"I'm trying!" Teifu replied as she parried another rain of arrows. "Their archers are rather difficult to deal with!"
"… We have no choice, declare a battle of generals! We can't afford to lose too many soldiers to this!" Sonsaku grimaced. "Hongou! Come and face me! Let's see if your strength is great enough to bear the weight of your ideals!"
She moved forward, unafraid of anyone attacking her.
"No fair, I want to fight too, Sheren," Taishiji told her, as she sidled up to her, trident in hand.
"I'll keep the army." Teifu nodded. "Just, don't do anything stupid."
"No problem." Sonsaku moved forward.
-()-
"… Well?" Kazuto asked Shuri, who lowered her crossbow once more, a bit worried.
"… Can you win?"
"… Maybe?" Kazuto grimaced.
"… Do you want to use the pills?" Shuri asked him.
Kazuto considered it. He has six uses left. "What do you want from me?"
"… The longer you can stall Sonsaku, the more time they spend not helping the fort." Shuri replied.
"Tanpopo, Kouchuu, can I count on you to keep the others at bay in case they double-cross us?"
"Got it." Tanpopo nodded.
"I'll keep my bow trained on them for any sign of betrayal," Kouchuu replied as way of answer.
"Oh, and what about me, Milord?" Sei coyly said.
"I'm pretty sure Sonsaku's friend is more than willing to keep you company."
"I'll take it." Sei nodded.
Two on two. Honestly, the odds aren't in Kazuto's favor… however… a duel means that fewer people will die. Kazuto frowned before nodding to Shuri. "Then I'll go."
Shuri nodded, and two pills were placed in his hand. Kazuto quickly gulped them down. His body's reaction was instant. The feeling of strain within his body, as if threatening to burst. The warmth of the Dying Will Flame surging from within until…
"Ready, Sei?"
"Very much so."
Kazuto walked forward, the flame on his brow clear for Sonsaku to see. He drew his sword, it immediately shifting to its steel form, lighting immediately on fire. Sei followed suit, her blue flames covering her red bident, the contrast almost beautiful in its appearance.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kazuto told her, as a savage smirk appeared on Sonsaku's face as she drew her own sword.
"The first to knock out the other," Sonsaku smirked.
"I'm assuming death counts as a knockout in this case." Kazuto casually shot back.
"But of course."
Figures.
"Hey, I'm Taishiji Shigi! General of the Sonsaku Army!" Taishiji greeted. "Hope you don't mind me joining the fight?"
"I doubt you'll have time to worry about that." Sei walked forward, "Chouun Shiryuu, Rain Guardian Candidate."
"Sonsaku Hakufu, Lord of Koutou" Sonsaku pointed her sword towards Kazuto.
"Sawada Kazuto Hongou, Regent of Joshuu, Advisor to Kentei, and Heir of the Vongola." Kazuto nodded. He swung his sword around them, and a blaze of orange encircled all four of them. "Let's begin."
-()-
"… Meirin."
"…"
"Sheren has decided to settle this fight with a duel between…"
"Yes, Sai-dono. I can see that." Shuuyu groaned. "Did she not see the siege ladders? No, of course not. Sheren just trusts me to be able to hold the fort for long enough that she can beat Hongou."
"Is it a misplaced one?"
"I do not think s-" A burst of purple blazed in their periphery as…
"Ryofu!?" Kougai balked at the sight of the general, as she landed on their wall without even a spare thought. "How, and when!?"
"Sorcery. More sorcery!" Shuuyu grimaced, as she pulled out her whip and prepared for a defense.
Ryofu merely blinked at them. "… Give up," She declared, Houtengageki pointed at them.
"Save Shuuyu-dono! Save Kougai-dono!" An archer tried shooting at Ryofu. Ryofu only dryly looked at them before rushing after them, apparently ignoring Shuuyu and Kougai.
"I don't think you have time to worry about others, girl." Kougai drew her own bow, two arrows nocked. She shot both at once at Ryofu. Ryofu grimaced as she knocked those down.
"Annoying." Ryofu glared before continuing her path towards the archers.
"Soldiers! We have an intruder in the fort!" Shuuyu called, as she retreated from the fray, with Kougai following shortly. In the meantime, Ryofu remained on the platforms above knocking down every single soldier that came across her path.
"I can see why she's called the Ikkitousen," Kougai said, miffed. "All those soldiers barely slow her down at all. And how did she get here so quickly? Unless her title of Flying General isn't just some sort of joke?"
"There's no guessing when it comes to sorcery. We're always at the backfoot with whatever method they do." Shuuyu grimaced. "And not only that but… she's… not chasing after us…"
"Do you think her goal is…"
"She's going to clear out the walls so that the siege ladders can be placed unimpeded!" Shuuyu said, alarmed. "Get her off of there, now!"
"We're trying!" One soldier cried out.
"Someone get Sheren to end that charade of a duel!" Shuuyu yelled, "It's just a stalling tactic!"
"Would be nice, but…" Kougai looked at the doors, blockaded as it is. "Seems we got one-upped there as well."
Shuuyu blinked at what she said as…
BOOOM! What sounded like the explosion of a black powder weapon was heard. The doors of the fort now have a sizeable hole in them.
"I am Gengan, General of Keishuu! Open these doors or have them be blasted open! It belongs to us in the first place so we have no problems destroying it to get to you!"
"… Shuuyu-dono! Enemy soldiers are starting to climb the walls!"
"Retreat inwards! Keep them as busy as possible!"
"… We need to find a way to signal to Sheren our situation." Shuuyu grimaced.
"Hmm… if you can get me to a lookout tower, I can send out the signal for you." Kougai told her.
"Let's go then." Shuuyu then turned to all the soldiers. "Stall them for as long as you can! Don't let them get any further!"
The desperate battle for the fort has begun.
-()-
A swing, parried. A piercing blow, dodged. It was almost like a dance, watching the battle between Taishiji Shigi, and Chouun Shiryuu. Blue flames adorned the red bident, as it stabbed and sliced through air, as Taishiji moved out of the way, to follow with her own blow from her trident. Savage grins appeared on their faces, and they each swing their blades with little regard to their surroundings. Only the flaming orange circle kept them contained. Otherwise, it was likely that they'd have left.
"You're pretty good, Tai Shigi!" Chouun smirked, as they separated after a particularly intense clash.
"Same, Chou Shiryuu!"
"So, how'd you get into Sonsaku's service? Didn't exactly see you during the coalition."
"We had a duel like this!" Taishiji struck. "Then she beat me! She was really amazing." Taishiji smiled savagely. "I believe that Sheren will become a great ruler one day, so I'll follow her to the ends of the world! Why don't you come with us? You'll be able to fight amazing fights!"
"A tempting offer, but I'm already committed to my path." Chouun returned with a fierce smirk, "It'll take a really incredible ruler to pull me from their side, and Sonsaku, while a truly heroic figure, is hardly what I seek from a ruler."
"Then what do you seek?"
"It's not that I do not see potential in Sonsaku as a ruler. She's a wild tiger, let loose upon the world. Powerful, and beautiful in its ferocity." Chouun smirked, "But in the end, this dragon would not be ruled by a tiger."
"I don't really get it…" Taishiji frowned. "If you're a dragon, then why follow Ryuubi and Sawada? They don't seem that great."
"You don't see their greatness, even though it's so obvious as saying the sky is blue and the sun is bright?" Chouun laughed. "That is fine! For if you cannot see it, then it must be doing its job well!"
"Huh?"
"The sky is always present. So much that no one even realizes how important it is. Did you know that the shooting stars that appear in the sky sometimes are actually great stones trying to destroy this world?"
"Eh, really?"
"But the sky is there to protect us! It burns those stones away so that they cannot harm those in its presence!" Sei declared. "The sky protects us. A sky that unconditionally protects every one of us! Ryuubi and Sawada are not dragons like me and Aisha, nor are they tigers like Rinrin and Sonsaku. What they are, are Skies! The one most suited to rule this dragon is a sky that will allow me to fly freely!"
"Uh, what?" Taishiji asked, a bit confused. It seems that she got lost somewhere midway that strangely long tangent.
But Chouun paid no mind to that, "And I have been given the role of protecting those skies! Now! Taishiji, let's go!"
"I don't really get it…." Taishiji frowned. "But, that's fine! Let's just fight! Let's go, Chou Shiryuu!"
-()-
This duel is exhilarating! That is all Sonsaku can think of as she blocked a flaming slash from her opponent. It is not often one can fight a flying opponent. And it's even better seeing how skilled he is. It's likely that if he had been her equal in sword skill, his aerial maneuverability might have tipped the scales. Always at the edge of her range, always trying to get her to overextend herself. Still, at his skill, he's more or less someone who can match her.
"This is fun, Hongou!" Sonsaku laughed. "If I knew you were such a great fight, I'd have challenged you sooner!"
"…" Hongou did not answer, as his brow furrowed further, as he sped around her to try and hit her again.
Now, normally, elevation in combat is a tricky concept but there are two general principles. If in strategy, an elevated position is an easily defensible position. The more elevated the better. Easier to shoot arrows down, rather than up. More energy is wasted by a charging army going up than down. However, in one-on-one combat, it's reversed. A higher elevation is honestly worse for a close-quarters fighter. You can cut at their legs easier than they could. They'd have to overreach themselves to hit you in turn. That becomes a moot point when your opponent is upside down while swinging at you.
Kazuto can move freely in three dimensions, while Sonsaku's a bit more limited as she dodged and weaved. At this point, the only reason why she can even keep track of him is because of the flame on his head giving his position away in the night. That and her instincts as a warrior.
He, however, does seem to prioritize dodging hits over attacking. It's a bit aggravating for Sonsaku, as it means that Hongou is valuing his life more than the fight. But she honestly can't blame him and it would most certainly lead to problems for him down the line if he was taking risks. Still, dodging like that is something that wears you down quickly. Further evidence for that is how he's oftentimes having to land, for some reason, and proceeding to have an on-foot battle before returning to fighting while flying.
"Getting tired of your tricks just yet, Hongou?" Sonsaku grinned. "You should've just stuck around instead of harboring Kouso."
"So it really was Kouso that you were looking for," Kazuto answered, speaking for the first time since the fight began.
"Who else do you think we'd refer to?"
"Kouchuu." Kazuto nodded to the woman, who's critically looking at the fight in its entirety. "Or Gengan. You never specified which Keishuu General."
"Fair enough." Sonsaku shrugged, "I didn't think you still had the Keishuu delegates among your group. Shao never said anything about them…"
Kazuto isn't too sure why Sonshoukou wouldn't say anything about the Keishuu delegates' presence but… "So Sonshoukou really was sending back messages to your group about the state of things around Joshuu." Kazuto jumped to avoid a slash from Sonsaku, hovering just above Sonsaku's reach. "Hey, if you want me to talk to you, try not to attack me? I'm not good enough to fight and talk at the same time!"
Sonsaku merely smirked, "Thanks for taking care of my younger sister all this time. Are you going to come down anytime soon?"
"… How did Kouso get away from you?" Kazuto frowned. "You had the fortress pretty much surrounded by the time I left."
Sonsaku blinked at that question. "… Excuse me?"
"Oh right, you think we're harboring Kouso. Dunno where she went, but she was shooting arrows at you when I left."
"… Well, it was always a longshot anyway." Sonsaku sighed. "So it wasn't you who carried her off?"
"I'm not good enough to carry anyone for that long a distance." Kazuto shrugged.
"I'm afraid that's not good enough. As you said, we had the fort surrounded, and we didn't find a single secret passage for her to go through. Her only escape route is through you."
"Believe what you will." Kazuto extended his blade once more. "… If you want to continue this fight, we can, but I'm afraid you've already lost this particular battle."
"Oh really?" Sonsaku's smirk widened.
*WHIZZ*
Kazuto parried the arrow and sent it towards Sonsaku's feet. "… Tell Kougai I didn't particularly appreciate that one."
"AN ATTACK! THE SON ARMY HAS ATTACKED AND INTERRUPTED THE DUEL! THEY ATTACKED THE HEAVENLY MESSENGER!" A call from one of his soldiers cried out, and they started preparing their weapons.
"Hmmph," Sonsaku growled a bit, seeing the colored cloth on the arrow. "… Haahh… so that's why you were so willing to get into a fight with me." Sonsaku sheathed her sword. "So, if Shao gave you our letter, then you know what we want, right?"
"… All soldiers, still your arms." Kazuto raised his hand to the soldiers who were preparing their weapons. "… And why should we trust you now when you actively attacked and assaulted our soldiers?"
"Because it's in your best interest to do so," Sonsaku replied.
Kazuto grimaced before nodding, "State your case."
"The Son Army pledges allegiance to Kentei and the Kan Dynasty~" Sonsaku smirked.
"… Things would be so much easier if you just decided to do that in the first place." Kazuto sighed.
"And since when has the world been easy, Hongou?"
"Never enough." Kazuto sighed. "Never enough." He then pulled out a scroll from his pocket, unfurling it and raising it. "This scroll is an acknowledgment of Sonsaku's pledge of allegiance, signed by Emperor Ken. All soldiers, cease battle immediately, or you'll be violating Imperial Mandate." Soldiers were immediately dispatched towards the fort to relay this message. "Happy?" Kazuto asked Sonsaku.
"Ecstatic." Sonsaku laughed.
-()-
Chapter End
-()-
Chapter Release Date: January 29, 2021
Last Edited: June 10, 2021
-()-
Beta Reader: Seraphius
Dammit, why do I keep forgetting to update this story? By the way, the Chapter Release Dates of the previous two chapters, according to my time zone, are actually wrong. I posted them just past midnight, after waking up and realizing I failed to update.
Anyway, spent quite a sizable amount of time the past week rolling over my bed, in muffled anguish, as my wisdom tooth finally began telling me that my brushing habits are the worst in the world. Toothache is one hell of a bitch. So my productivity went down by quite a large margin the past week.
Then the dentist kindly told me that I should probably just get both wisdom teeth on that side removed because pain (and the other two too, but I'm not about to sacrifice my ability to eat just to get all of them out in one go). So now I'm half as wise as before. Any future stupidities in my writing will be blamed on this fact, and not my total ineptitude. (I'm joking of course. And yes, this is the best my comedy will ever get. I apologize to all of you.)
Anyway, here's a war chapter! As in, strategy vs. strategy! Thank my beta reader for the bare bones of the strategy used in this battle. I should probably also say that it was Seraphius who also helped with the formulation of the strategies in the Joshuu War Arc, so thank you~. I swear Seraphius helps me so much with the war arcs of this story. The biggest issue with me writing these is that I tend to prefer to write things in both a realistic way, yet going to the desired outcome. I usually don't really care about strategy, so my beta's input really helps a lot so that I don't have to think too hard and just fill in the gaps. So yeah, if you think the strategy in this story is nice, please thank Seraphius. If you think it's terrible, please blame me for not caring to look up better roads to victory.
We're getting close to the end of this arc! Unfortunately, the next arc... I don't foresee it being done before I'm done posting this arc, so you guys might end up waiting again. But eh, who knows? Maybe I'll be so utterly productive that I'll actually be done! We can only hope. And so, once more! See you next week!