more-than-a-dragon-warrior

by Dextrode

Dont read. Posted for tts

4. Chapter 4

Chapter 51: Proposal

[Tai Lung's POV]

Using Flash steps to fly across China was quite taxing for my body as I felt my legs numb due to the strain. My Chi reserves were also plummeting at an alarming rate since I was not too proficient with the technique.

But I pushed on because I could see the metropolis city ahead. It took me less than a day to cover the distance I took 2 months to cover by foot. Abliet I was in no hurry when I travelled on land.

I used my heightened senses, my hearing and my acute sense of smell to observe the City ahead. The smell of iron and gunpowder was thick in the air. I could see huge smoke rising from factories and buildings, they were probably creating more cannons for Shen.

I continued kicking the air and when I was right above the main entrance gate of the city, I stopped kicking and allowed myself to fall.

I could've just entered the city and directly go to the Palace but I did not want to risk anything before I got more information.

For all I know my students could have not come to the city, they could be on the run from Shen or they could've been killed. I wanted to get some information first before barging in and falling into a trap.

My cloak came off as I was falling from the sky but I made no effort to retrieve it. A deep frown graced my face and my throat vibrated to produce low-pitched growls.

..

V-BOOM!*

I landed on all of my four limbs right outside the city gate and the many guards stationed there gawked at me in utter surprise. My landing created a small crater in the dirt road and the shockwave sent small pebbles flying.

My yellow eyes narrowed as I scanned the surroundings. My ears twitched to hear the many footsteps that came from other places, rushing here to check what was going on.

My nose took in the smell, searching for the faint scent of gunpowder as I searched for any cannons stationed there. My eyes observed the wolf and Gorilla soldier stationed ahead, I swiftly judged their strength from the way they held their weapons, their muscles and the quality of armour they were wearing.

My sensitive paw sensed the ground, noting that it was made of dirt and it was damp. I should be able to move easily without any fear of slipping.

All of these observations were done on instinct and in just a single second. My long tail whipped behind me as my muscles tensed, ready for movement.

I stood up slowly as the guards still looked at me as if I was some illusion. The gravity of the situation had not quite settled in their mind.

There were 13 of them stationed right outside the gate. 5 of them were Gorillas while the rest were black wolves.

Soon enough, they shook their head and finally reacted to my presence. The biggest Gorilla amongst them whom I assumed was the leader yelled out, "Get him!"

The soldiers rushed towards me but before they could get close, I disappeared. There was no sound produced by my movement. The air was not displaced and there was no footprint on the ground.

'Flashsteps.'

I moved at a speed untraceable by their eyes and when they saw me again, I was already past them and stood directly in front of the Gorilla who gave orders.

They all paused for a second and then a dozen of them fell on the ground, paralysed. I had hit their never points even before they could realize what was going on.

Thump! x12

The Gorilla who was the only one left took a step back in surprise. I let out my claws and sunk them at the side of his face before I brought him down to my level.

He gritted his teeth but he was frozen in fear. He was too scared to even fight back as I looked him in the eye.

"Tell me, have the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five came into the city?" I asked with a threatening edge to the vibration of my voice.

I expected him to give me an answer but even if he did not, I have no problem with it. I chose him for a reason.

He had a big body which meant more bones I could break and more muscles I could tear to get my answers.

Lucky for him, he answers my question instantly, "Yes! They are currently held as prisoners in Baoxiang inn."

His voice cracked in the end due to fear but I heard him clearly.

"Are they alive?"

"Yes! All of them are unharmed! Lord Shen ordered us to no harm them." He said, "Even the Dragon Warrior too."

I hummed at his answer before I delivered a swift nerve attack on his neck that made him fall to the ground limply.

His answer got me curious. Why are they all held as prisoners and why did Lord Shen still spare them? He also said Lord Shen ordered them to not harm the prisoners.

What is he planning? Is he trying to hold them as hostages against me?

'One way to find out.' I thought to myself before kicking myself up in the air and I made a beeline to the top of the Tower of Sacred Flames.

I now learned that my students were indeed captured and held as prisoners so I could finally act. I flew across the ginormous city in a few minutes before I found myself directly above the Tower.

I fliped in the air and kicked as hard as I could to propel myself downwards. I crashed through the tile roof of the Tower and landed directly on the top floor which was the throne room.

Crash*

I broke through the roof and the clitter clatter sound of pieces of tiles falling on the ground filled the empty room

It was dark and eerily silent with no guards to be seen. I would've thought no one was here if not for the presence I sensed on the balcony.

I turned my head to look at Shen who was standing on the balcony a few meters away. His back was facing me so I was unaware if he had any weapons but I was ready for sharp projectiles.

"I have been waiting for you." He said softly yet in the eerie silence, his voice was loud and it echoed.

He turned around as his majestic wings and royal robes fluttered due to his action. His eyes confidently met mine and there was a friendly - almost good-natured - smile on his face which was something I did not expect considering how we met last time.

"Greetings Tai Lung, we meet again." He said with a courteous bow benefitting of an elegant ruler.

I was thrown off by the whole thing and I did not know how to respond. So I narrowed my eyes at him and became alert.

"You do not have to be wary, I just want to have a talk with you." He said, "And your students are safe and under great care."

Shen slowly walked towards me, his metal talons made a clicking sound as he walked and they made me very conscious of the many hidden weapons he might have under all that feather and robe.

"I know you are someone who does not like to beat around the bush so I will cut straight to the point." He said.

.

.

.

"I have a proposal." A smile benefitting the devil on your shoulder appeared on his face.

[3rd POV]

Shifu opened his eyes and looked into the horizon.

He was standing on the top of his staff and medtating until he felt a disturbance in the flow of the universe.

He had received the relpy letter from Lord Shen so he knew his students were not in danger and treated as guest so he wondered what the feeling he had was about.

The wind suddenly picked up pace and a powerful gale blew on Shifu while he looked the the sky.

The once clear sky was gone as dark clouds filled the sky. The world rumbled as a storm without rain brew above.

Shifu noted that it was an aweful lot like the storm on the night Oogway passed. When his master had said there was an 'accident'.

Whatever was happening the universe did not like it. Shifu was not sure but through inner peace, he could feel it.

The universe was throwing a tantrum.

...

In the Kingdom to the West, Monkey King snapped open his eyes to look at the sky above.

His eyes glowed in his chi as he blinked once before he creased his eyebrow.

Something was wrong.

...

Simlar scene could be seen happening across China as everyone with a deep connection with the world could feel something was wrong.

They did not know what.

They did not know where.

But they felt the distress of the universe.

.

.

.

[IMAGE]

JOIN MY TO SUPPORT ME AND READ 15 CHAPTERS AHEAD!

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 52: The accident escalates

[Tai Lung's POV]

"I have a proposal for you." He said and stood just at the right distance. He was close enough so that we can see eye to eye yet he was just out of my reach.

The balcony was also open and right behind him. It was to be his escape route if things went south and I attacked him.

I raised an eyebrow, "A proposal?"

"I sure hope it has nothing to do with ordering me around in exchange for my students' release." I said with a humourless chuckle.

"Oh I won't even think of such things~" He said with a smile, "People say I am crazy but I am not that crazy."

"So then, what is this proposal that you speak of?" I asked in an impassive voice without hints.

Shen let the silence stretch as he stared me straight in the eye. He was trying to show his utmost honestly and sincerity in what he was about to say next.

He'd have to do more than that to even pique my interest though.

..

..

..

And he did.

He took a step to the side and started walking around me. With each step he took he came closer to my reach and each step took him further and further away from his escape.

Now that piqued my interest. Maybe what he was about to propose was more than just one of his cunning ploys.

"I want an alliance." He said and I paused.

Out of all the things I expected, this was not one of them. I half expected him to ask me not to interfere with his business or give me a threat.

But an alliance? Now that's something I did not expect.

"An alliance between me and Gongmen City?" I asked. It was not rare to see an alliance between a powerful master and a city.

The Monkey King of the West was an example. He formed an alliance with a Kingdom and became their guardian and in exchange, he held a high status there and got any resources he wanted.

"No." Shen said and stopped pacing around me. "I want an alliance between you and me."

That sentence had a whole different meaning behind it although they might feel similar. It means that even if he stopped being the ruler of Gongemn City, we would remain an ally.

Naturally, I laughed.

I could understand if he wanted an alliance between me and the city but between him and me? The audacity baffles me.

Being in an alliance requires both parties to benefit from each other or share similar interests.

I wonder, what could he possibly give me? What would I benefit from working with him?

"Why would I even want that?" I asked in genuine curiosity.

He gave me a small smile before he started pacing around me again. I turned my head and focused on him as he said, "Because that way, we both would be able to achieve what we want."

"We?" I asked, "You think I want to start a meaningless war just because of your delusion of conquering China?"

"You want a legacy." Shen said and changed direction. He started walking up to me ever so slowly as I stayed silent.

"You want glory, you want to be remembered until the end of times." Shen said with wide insane eyes. "You want a legacy that surpasses even the likes of Oogway, the person who locked you up and denied you what was rightfully yours."

"You want to be..." He drawls and stops in front of me. His eyes pierced through mine and looked into my soul.

"More than a Dragon Warrior."

...

...

...

My eyebrow relaxed as I looked at the bird in front of me. I did not know how but he was somehow able to tell me exactly what I desired.

To be the strongest and to leave a mark in the annals of history as the greatest, surpassing the likes of Oggway himself.

I can't be the Dragon Warrior. The Universe rejected me. Destiny betrayed me.

So I wanted to be more.

"I know that because we are not so different," Shen said and slowly walked backwards away from me.

"I wanted to surpass my great ancestors and have the whole of China by myself. I wanted to bring glory to the royal Peacocks and I wanted more power than any Kings ever had." He said and raised his wings.

"But destiny won't allow me. My parents betrayed me, hated me and I was burdened with a self-fulfilling prophecy that I have fought against ever since." He said, "Yet I keep on fighting and I will continue chasing after that dream. If it eventually leads to my demise, then so be it."

"I would die trying." He said.

He was a lot more different than what I expected. He was not the psychotic delusional bird shown in the movies. In fact, he was more like what he became by the end of the movie. The bird who accepted his own demise.

The one who clings to his ambition to the very end.

"You said that conquering China was only a delusion of mine." He said, "But it won't be a delusion if I have you by my side."

He was awfully humble when he said that sentence. Shen in the movie thought he was unstoppable but after I showed him otherwise, he changed his arrogant and haughty behaviour. At least when it came to me.

"Become my ally. With your help, I would be able to conquer China and in return, I will give you the legacy and glory you always wanted."

"With your strength and kung fu, coupled with my intelligence and weapons, we would be unstoppable. I will finally have the control and power I always wanted and you will have the legacy you desired." He said.

"Together, we can both achieve our ambition." He finished off his speech with a smile.

Now silence filled the room as I took in his words. I thought about it carefully and if I was being honest, it was not a bad idea.

'The path you walk shall not lead to glory as you wish. Your quest for validation, a failure.' Soothsayer's prophecy rang in my mind.

I realized then that I was trying to follow in Oogway and Po's footsteps to achieve what I wanted. I was walking down a path not made on my own.

I promised myself that if I was to be remembered, I would be remembered as what I truly am. Tai Lung.

Not a hero, not a saint and not even the strongest. They will remember me as Tai Lung.

I planned to stay close to Po and save the world when any threat arises. That way, I thought the people would accept me and remember me. I thought I would leave a legacy like that.

But that path would only end with failure.

On the other hand, what Shen proposed was a very attractive path. If I worked with him, I would have weapons and armies by my side. I wouldn't have to worry about armies which can overwhelm me and defeat me.

Not only that, the best place to grow stronger was by fighting. What better chance to fight than in wars? If I wanted to get strong enough to defeat Kai before he returns, it was only right that I take a path that could make me stronger.

"So, you believe I will be able to achieve my ambition by conquering China with you." I asked and Shen smiled.

He asked me one question that immediately caught my attention and directed my mind to uncharted territory.

"Why stop there?"

..

..

..

"I have never said this out loud before because people were already calling me crazy for wanting to conquer China but the truth is..." He said and opened his wings to show his majesty.

"I want to conquer the world." He said and his pupils dilated, burning with madness.

He was even crazier than I thought.

But what an interesting idea. I can't help but like the idea of conquering the world. The names of great figures from my past life came to mind.

Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napolean Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Cyrus etc. All of them were great conquerors who wanted to rule over the world.

History never forget their names even if they failed to truly conquer the world.

If I were to do the same, surely I would leave a legacy that surpassed Oogways whose influence stretched only to the landscape of China.

To try and conquer the world. I have never even thought of that before because it was an impossible feat to achieve alone no matter how strong I became.

Even if I could become strong enough to defeat kingdoms, governing that much territory was not an easy feat. It would require a royalty who was taught from a young age and with the necessary education.

I would also never be able to sit around and rule a kingdom. I was made to fight, not to govern.

But with Shen. it became a possibility. I did not have to worry about all the politics or governing, I could just take territories and put him as the ruler to manage it.

I turned on my heel and slowly walked towards the balcony while I was busy in thought. I could see the sky darkening and storm clouds were rolling in the sky.

Ka-Chang!*

A flash of light cracked between the clouds and a deafening thunder shook the sky. I stood at the balcony and the intense gale blew on my fur, foretelling a storm.

The universe was in distress.

"So, what do you think?" Shen asked as he slowly approached me from behind. "If you need more time to think then you can have all the time you want."

He finally stood by my side and I gave him a side eye.

I don't need time.

"I accept your proposal. It seems Interesting."

The sky rumbled and lighting struck the world. The universe cried as two villains once wronged by fate and destiny decided to join forces.

The Universe could not right the wrongs.

The accident escalates.

It was not just China this time, the World was not prepared for the storm that is approaching.

...

..

.

[WALLPAPER IMAGE]

Author : Now that this whole thing came to a conclusion, I am going to take a break.

I say a break but it's only until I stockpile enough chapters on again. Storms had been constant where I live and electricity are out most of the time so I could not write properly.

I will return by the next week at most so no worries.

PS : A moment of silence to all those who commented that they drop the story because in the earlier chapters Tai Lung thought 'I should stay with Po and save the world to leave legacy'.

Thinking the thoughts of the MC matter when it truly came to important plot points. They do not know how to read first POV stories where information could be wrong or straight up unreliable since we are seeing the story through one characters eyes.

They should've let me cook.

..

..

..

IF YOU LIKE WHAT I WRITE, SUPPORT ME BU JOINING MY AND READ 15 CHAPTERS AHEAD! CHAPTER UPDATES ARE GOING TO BE CONSTANT THERE!

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 53: Lord Shen

[Tai Lung's POV]

"I accept your proposal. It seems interesting." I said and Shen was oddly surprised at my answer.

"Really? Just like that?" He asked me with a raised eyebrow. "I thought I would have to do more to convince you."

"I am not clueless like most warriors Shen. I can see how an alliance could benefit me even without you having to name them one by one." I said with a scoff.

"What I am more interested in is how you plan to proceed after this."

"To be completely honest with you, I didn't think this far ahead." He said with light chuckles. You could tell that he was absolutely ecstatic at the moment.

"I thought even if I did not fail, you would at least take a few days to think about my proposal." He said and waved his wing.

That was not a meaningless action as I saw all of the cannons which were aiming at the tower from a distance lower their aim.

It was the same thing that happened in the movie, he was willing to bring the down tower in hopes of killing me if things went wrong. I knew he wouldn't have confronted me without any preparation.

That means if things went wrong and I kill him, he was determined to at least bring me down with him.

Turly a mad bird.

"But after our alliance is declared officially, I plan to appoint you as the supreme general of my army. You will have all of my soldiers under your command and you will also be responsible for training them." Shen said.

A general.

"Heh." My lips stretched into a smile as the prospect felt a little silly.

After all the talk I had about not following Oogway's footsteps, I seem to do the opposite and follow behind him. I remember Oogway also used to lead armies when he was young.

"And your plan on how to defeat the other kingdoms?" I asked and Shen shook his head with a smile.

"It doesn't matter anymore after I have you by my side. No one can stand in our way." He said.

"You have quite the confidence in my strength don't you?"

"Of course, I have seen it with my own eyes."

"And after we conquer China, then what?"

"Then we wait." Shen said, "We gather our resources and unite the kingdoms before we begin our conquest."

"Do you think it would be that easy?"

"No. I know there would be problems and challenges along the way but two things gave me confidence." He said, "The rest of the world do not have any clue on what gunpowder even is, they do not have dynamite or fireworks, much less something similar to my weapons."

"And Kung Fu is not widespread like it is in China. The rest of the world lacks powerful warriors and masters, although I have discovered that they have other forms of combat, it is ultimately inferior to Kung Fu." He said, "In a sense, I think it would be easier than uniting China."

I hummed at his words although I did not agree. There was no way the rest of the world would be weaker than China.

Although Kung Fu may not be practised like it is in China, I was sure that there would be powerhouses around the world. Of course, they wouldn't be able to match me but they won't be pushovers.

I looked at the horizon, the storm clouds were slowly retreating. It goes as quickly as it suddenly comes.

I looked around the city below us and I touched the fence surrounding the balcony. A weird memory came into my mind in that moment of seriousness.

"Hey, do you remember the time I pushed you off this balcony?" I asked and turned towards him.

He paused for a few seconds, recalling the memory before he quickly took steps back. "Why do you bring up such unpleasant memories?"

"You said you could fly."

"You knew I couldn't!" He hissed at me.

Although we were not exactly friends, we were the same age and were often forced to spend time together whenever we visited Gongmen City.

He was always arrogant and haughty when he was a kid and after getting annoyed, I insulted him by calling him a bird who can't even fly. He took great offence in that and claimed he could fly.

In the end, like I said I pushed him off this very same balcony to give him a chance to prove his words.

He did not fly.

But that was the day he learned how to glide.

"Your students are in Baoxiang inn located in the Noble District, they must be waiting for you. Since we are done here you should leave." He said, "I shall summon you when the time is right to get into more details about our alliance."

I smirked at him before jumping off the balcony and I headed towards the inn to finally meet my students again after nearly 3 months.

..

..

..

[3rd POV]

Shen remained on the balcony for a long time even after Tai Lung had gone to meet his students. He watched the city below with a permanent smirk on his face as if everything was going exactly according to plan.

Eventually, someone came to disturb his peace. Soothsayer walked up to him, her cane and footsteps made a clanking nose in the silent tower.

"So he agreed." Shoothsayer said and stopped right behind Shen. He turned around to look at her with a victorious smirk.

"He did."

"Are you serious about this? Or is it just one of your cunning tricks to destroy your enemies?" Soothsayer asked with eyes narrowed with curiosity.

Shen chuckled, "There are no tricks this time. No amount of trickery or manipulation would benefit me more than an honest alliance."

"So you really plan to work together. You are willing to share the glory with him or more likely than not, get outshined." Soothsayer asked.

She laughed, "Yes! I figured the whole world was big enough to share between two people. I will have the power and control I always desired and he can have the glory and legacy he wanted."

"So it's not just China anymore but the whole world huh?" Soothsayer said in a calm voice, "The cup you wish to fill is made of greed Shen, it has no bottom."

"You don't know that. You don't know me."

"Maybe not. But your parents..." She said but was cut off by Shen.

"My parents hated me." Shen said in a heartbreaking voice.

"They wronged me." He said. His parents had always promised him the throne and all of the glory and power it holds.

They promised he will be the great ruler of Gongmen City, the one who would bring the City to height never before seen. He had worked to do just that all his life.

Yet in the end, they banished him and stripped him away of that promise. In a way, it was similar to how Tai Lung was promised to be the Dragon Warrior only to be denied in the end.

It was because of this promise and the sense of responsibility to achieve great things that he did not see the beautiful colours in the fireworks.

He only saw the explosion.

And his parents hated him for seeing the explosions. He still remembered the eyes of disappointment and disgust they threw at him when he excitedly showed what else he could do with the fireworks.

They looked at him like a monster.

He just wanted to help, he just wanted to fulfil his responsibility, he just wanted to show them who he really was.

Well...

They saw him. They hated him.

He had heard of great kings conquering and defeating other kingdoms. They expanded their territory and established an unquestionable rule of power. Shen thought his parent would be proud if he had done the same.

But no. He still remembered the night of his banishment. When he came home after massacring the Panda Village, he thought they would praise him for defying destiny and for breaking the prophecy.

But the looks they gave him. The curses that left her mother's beak and the words his father spit at him, disowning him.

It sticks in his mind forever.

It scars.

"I will make it right." Shen said with a voice filled with psychotic determination.

Shen felt so wronged because he thought he was so right. His methods were correct and he would prove it to his parents by conquering not just China but the world as well.

"Do you think then, you would finally be happy? Will you finally be healed?" Soothsayer asked before the silence stretched too long.

"Scars don't heal, wounds do." Shen rebuked, "But yes, after I have China and the whole world under me, I will be happy."

Soothsayer stills and stares at the hatchling which she had watched grow into what he is now, She then turned around and walked away.

But not before leaving her final words.

"You are right, scars don't heal." She said, "They fade."

..

..

..

"And happiness is not a destination, it's a direction. Are you happy with what you are now and what you are doing?"

She did not wait for an answer but walked away from Shen, leaving him to watch her back as he contemplated her words.

Shen was not happy with he is or what he was doing. He could not let go of his past and he remained hurt forever.

And he hoped the future would magically be better for him. He can never learn to accept the present.

Lord Shen, the bird who could never let go.

..

..

..

[IMAGE : Cute]

Author : Stone for the surprise chappy!

Join my to support me and read two weeks ahead.

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 54: Meeting Juniors

[3rd POV]

"We need to act fast and complete our mission. We must find out more about the weapon and report back to Master Shifu." Tigress said to her fellow prisoners in a serious voice.

They were currently in the largest suite of Baoxiang Inn, held as prisoners of war with every exit tightly guarded by Gorilla soldiers.

As the name would suggest, the suite they were in was built with all the luxury that ancient China could afford. So the Furious Five and Po were enjoying their stay even if they were prisoners in name.

"Are you even listening to me?" Tigress asked with a helpless sigh as she watched her fellow students enjoying the luxury they were given.

Monkey was sleeping lazily on a hammock and he was using bananas instead of a blanket to cover himself. Viper was currently receiving a massage from a small and nimble rabbit that cracked and adjusted her spin much to her comfort.

Crane was standing in one corner and was surrounded by different books of novels. He was contently reading them while plugging his ears so he did not hear what Tigress said at all. Mantis sat on top of Crane's hat, idly reading the book as well since it was about romance.

Po was a little further away from them and he was eating from the table which was filled with different dishes from all across China. They were made by different Chefs and Po didn't forget to ask or the recipes of any dishes he liked more than the others.

"Guys!" Tigress yelled out and finally caught the attention of everyone in the room. They looked at her with questioning eyes.

"We can't just stay here forever and simply wait to be rescued! We have to do something!" She said in frustration. It felt like she was the only one taking the mission seriously while her friends were easily distracted by everything Lord Shen threw at them.

"Ummm..I mean, what else are we supposed to do?" Mantis asked with a shrug to which everyone else agreed.

From what they could see, Shen was not enslaving the people of the city or starving them. And he was also not trying to deploy his armies to launch an attack on China like he did in the movie since he waited for Tai Lung.

So there was really not much to do.

"I-I don't know." Tigress began, "But what I do know is that we can't stay here forever."

"Po!" She called and turned to the Panda who froze midway through putting the steamed bamboo shoot in his mouth.

"You are the Dragon Warrior, so you should decide what we are going to do." She said and every eyes suddenly turned to him. Even the rabbit who was massaging Viper.

Po slowly put the bamboo shoot in his mouth and swallowed loudly. "I mean, we can stay here for a few more days and wait for Master Tai Lung to come. If we leave so soon, we'd be thowing away his efforts of saving us right? That would be rude." He said and got the nod of agreement from the others.

"What? We can't just sit here like ducks and wait for him. Besides, how do you know for certain that he is going to come to our rescue?" Tigress asked.

"Oh, the old goat lady told me. She said Shen has been waiting for Tai Lung so he had not made any moves yet and I trust her." Po said, "She can do these Vodoo, looking into the future thingie."

"But still, we can't just do nothing." She said, feeling a little ashamed already at the thought of Tai Lung coming to save them without them doing anything.

Would he be disappointed in her?

"Orrrrr...maybe we can." Monkey said, "I am pretty sure Shen will not do anything stupid as long as big brother Tai Lung exists."

Viper laughed, "Yeah, did you see the way he froze when he learned Tigress was his sister?" she hissed.

The others laughed remembering the almost panicked look on Shen's face and the way he ordered his soldiers to release her from her chains immediately.

"Man, I wish I was his brother too." Mantis said, "Or maybe I can be his son? You know I never really knew my father. It was because my mom ate his head before I was born."

"Next time we get interrogated, how about I tell Shen that I am Tai Lung's secret son? You guys will support me. Then maybe I will be allowed to get out of this inn and search for my own fair lady." Mantis said.

Gongmen City was known for its ladies and resort. He thought that if he were to find a wife of his own, there was a high chance of that happening in the city.

But alas, he was a prisoner. Although it was luxurious and had you could get any material thing you could dream of, you couldn't get love in a room.

"Mantis, I don't think anyone is going to believe that," Viper said.

"Why not? It's Tai Lung we are talking about here. Plus, he has inner peace meaning he can do impossible things. His seeds being able to impregnate another species doesn't seem so far-fetched."

"I think you are forgetting the most important part." Crane said and his eyes looked up at Mantis, "How is he supposed to get in there?"

"Oh." Mantis muttered in realization. "You're right. I didn't think about that."

But not a second later, a creepy smile crossed his face and so did Crane's. There must've been something that gave them an idea amongst the romance books they have read.

"Well, he can alwasy ru-"

"Guys!" Viper hissed, "Could you not! Po is here."

"Oops, almost said it out loud. Sorry, Po, I forgot that you didn't know about 'that' yet." Mantis said, and Po looked around in confusion.

"What do you mean? " Po said with a fake laugh, as if amused, "I can totally understand what you guys are saying." He could not. Panda was innocent and it hasn't even been long since he learned he was not Mr. Pengs real son.

"We are getting off track here!" Tigress yelled and brought them back to the earlier topic.

"Crane, any idea on a possible plan?" She asked the main brain of their team. Crane released a sigh and closed his book before taking a few seconds to think.

"We are at the ground floor and the bathroom is directly connected to the drainage system under the city. If we break the floor of the bathroom, we should be able to access that pathway to escape." He said and Tigress's eyes lit up.

"But are we sure that we should do this? What if they capture us again and they don't show us goodwill next time" Crane followed up with another question of hesitance.

Crane had always been a warrior with a heart of gold who was righteous in spirit and heroic in his character. So his show of hesitance meant that he didn't think there was something wrong they needed to stop.

It was true that most of the citizens were in panic and were fearful. But that was only natural after the sudden change of rulers. And Shen had not shown any actions of needless violence or malice.

In his mind, he didn't think there was any need to stir up trouble. Why cause conflict for the sake of it? They were in the city after all and if a fight did break out, the people would suffer in the end.

But he also respects Tigress and if she felt the need to act, there must be something wrong since she had always had a good gut feeling. Crane realizes that sometimes, the most logical thing can be wrong as it is directly based only on present information.

Tigress stayed silent for a while, wondering if she should follow her friend's judgment. But how long exactly were they going to stay here? No matter how nice it was, they were still prisoners.

They have had no contact with the outside world, what if Shen was hiding something? What exactly is happening in the outside world? They have been here for four days now and they need to get out

They shouldn't be supressed forever.

"We have to do this." She said, "Everyone, get to the bathroom. We are busting out of this place."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and the rabbit quickly got out of the room. They got up from their seats and were about to move but a voice from the window suddenly stopped them.

"You guys do realize the waters would be dirty right?"

Everyone paused and looked towards the window. A snow leopard with a robust stature stood in front of the window. He stood at around 6'8 feet tall and he had a muscular upper body filled with muscles that seemed to be carved from jade.

A small smile stretched across his lips, displaying his sharp lower canines and although he had no ill intent towards them, a certain pressure took hold of their heart.

It was an aura only possessed by the strongest, confidence that came from overwhelming strength.

Everyone took a moment to process the situation before they all showed myriad of reaction, mostly shock and relief.

"I am sorry this is the first question I ask, but how long have you been standing there?" Mantis, as the quickest amongst them, asked first.

"A while."

"How much did you hear?"

"I heard everything." Tai Lung deadpanned.

Mantis blinked, "It was Crane. He smiled first."

"Hey! Don't blame me! And what do you mean I smiled first, you can't even see my face because you are literally standing on my hat- Ouch!" Crane yelped as Mantis stabbed him with his forelimbs.

"How did you do that?" Viper asked curiously as she slithered forward. She meant the way he could sneak up on them.

As a snake, she was very actute to vibrations and could easily sense anyone even if they did not make a sound or are invisible.

So the fact that Tai Lung could sneak up on her surprised her.

"I have mastered the ability to stand so incredibly still, that I became almost invisible to all the senses." Tai Lung said and then everyone finally noticed that he was indeed standing still.

That would explain why Viper couldn't sense him. He didn't move, so there was no vibration.

There was a moment of silence as everyone stared at him, waiting for him to magically disappear in their eyes. That was until Po broke the silence.

"Whoa! Is that the stealth technique of Master Chameleon which he developed during the Xianbei invasion so that he could sneak into the enemy's camp and assassinate their commander?" Po asked excitedly with his pupils dilating in excitement.

Tai Lung raised an eyebrow. It was always impressive to see Po's vast knowledge of Kung Fu in person. He was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable in the team when it came to Kung Fu.

"Yes."

"That. is. so. awesome." Po said, "You could've killed us all even before we know it if you wanted to!"

"But I thought it was only possible with the help of a chameleon's special skin?"

"Many things become possible when one attains inner peace." Tai Lung said. It was not hard to pull off the technique since inner peace was basically becoming one with the world. It naturally had a stealth aspect to it if one really wanted to be stealthy.

"Speaking of, congratulations on attaining inner peace." Tai Lung said as he could feel Po's endless Chi constantly leaking out from him.

Unlike Tai Lung who could enter and exit the state of inner peace, Po was constantly in that state. He was leaking out his Chi around him and was constantly affecting his environment.

There was no control over his Chi, Tai Lung noticed.

But unlike what others would have thought, it works well for Po. If Tai Lung were to stay in a state of inner peace constantly, his Chi would inevitable run out after weeks or maybe months even if he did not do anything.

But Po wouldn't have to worry about that because the amount of Chi he had was endless. Literally endless as Tai Lung could not feel the depth of it. He could not tell how much Chi Po had.

He thought he had a huge amount of Chi but compared to Po, it was like comparing water in a lake to an ocean.

Endless versus finite.

Tai Lung was forced to reflect upon the privilege of being the universe's chosen one. Maybe Kai exploding due to so much Chi after Po gave his chi to him was not just a bullshit for writers to make Po win.

That part was always sad to Tai Lung even in his past life. General Kai who had constantly been training his Chi for 500 years, that too in the spirit realm where you could learn a lot of things about Chi than the outside world.

Kai developed different Chi techniques and even invented a way to steal others Chi. Yet he was defeated by a newly awakened Chi user and that too by just the quantity of Po's Chi alone.

He was a spirit warrior, said to be immortal but he was defeated just like that.

"Oh, you noticed." Po said while rubbing the back of his head with a proud smile. It felt great to be complimented by someone you admired.

"Yes, it's quite obvious with all of the Chi leaking out of you." Tai Lung hummed, wondering if that would have an effect on people.

"I will have to teach you how to control it properly." Tai Lung said with a smile. Some selfish people might think that it was not wise to teach Po and make him stronger.

Po already had so much Chi so what would happen if he was taught how to use it properly? Wouldn't his title as the strongest be challenged?

But that thought never even crossed Tai Lung's mind. His mentality was that of the strong, if he was the strongest only because he put other people down, then he didn't deserve such title.

He is the strongest because he is Tai Lung. If others got strong, he would just get even stronger to surpass them.

Besides, he was a Kung Fu enthusiast and would never miss an opportunity to witness the growth of the greatest Kung Fu master that will ever live. Yes, he believes that the future Po can surpass even Oogway. He was the chosen one, after all, the protagonist of the universe.

Plus Tai Lung would never deny a challenge.

"Tai Lung." Tigress finally spoke up before stepping towards him. He cracked a genuine smile while she remained serious.

"What is happening outside?" She asked, "What are going to do next?"

It was two related questions. What is happening outside? Was there chaos amongst the citizens and had Lord Shen made a move? And whatever the answer was, what are they going to do about it?

Were they going to escape? With Tai Lung here they could just break out from the inn, there wouldn't be a need to be discreet. Or are they going to bring down Lord Shen?

"You guys are free now." Tai Lung said, "And about what your next course of action..."

"You will do nothing and return back to the Jade Palace." He said, and everyone nodded at his words.

They put his words on the same level of importance as Master Shifu's.

"And the situation.." Tai Lung drawled and looked at each and every one of them.

"Shen and I have formed an alliance."

!

[IMAGE]

Author : This is a long ass chapter. Two chapter worth of content.

New week so hand over my stones!

...

Join my to read 12 chapters ahead. I swear it will be 15 chapters ahead by the end of the week!

: Emmanuel_Capricorn.

Chapter 55: Powerful ally

[Tai Lung's POV]

"Shen and I have formed an alliance." I broke the shocking news to them and watched as their jaws fell in shock.

It was truly a piece of random and impactful news, one that even I was still processing. I never expected Shen to ask for an alliance. In fact, I expected him to hate me to the core for being an obstacle to his grand plan.

But I guess you can't get in the mind of a psychotic genius.

"What?" Tigress asked the justified question.

"Shen and I have formed an alliance," I repeated.

"You mean you decided to be the guardian of Gongmen City?"

"No." I said, making myself clear "I have formed an alliance with Shen himself and I will be helping him in his quest to conquer China."

Everyone gasped at that revelation. At first, they were shocked but now the hard truth was shoved down their throat and they choked on it.

"Bu-But why?" Tigress asked me again, I could see the swirling of different emotions in her eyes. Anger, confusion, hesitance, hope and even a flicker of understanding.

Why did I ally with Shen? It was a great question but one I would not indulge in answering. No matter what I said, no one would understand me or my vision. They lack the knowledge to do so.

They did not know of the future where Kai would return and I needed to get stronger, they did not know about my ambition and dream nor did they realize the extent to which everyone else hated me.

"Why not?" I asked back with a raised eyebrow.

"Why not?!" Tigress repeated and stepped forward, "Shen is evil. He was the one who destroyed Po's village and killed his parents."

There was a beat of silence as everyone looked at me, searching for my reaction to that news. They thought I would be surprised to learn such information about Po's past.

"I know." I said instead of showing any other reaction, "I was still not imprisoned when that happened."

Everyone was stunned to silence. They all looked at me with varying eyes but interestingly enough, Po seemed the most unbothered by the whole thing.

The kid had such a precious heart. You'd expect him to be the most upset amongst everyone and even if he felt betrayed, it would be reasonable. But he just wanted everyone else to get along.

He was just chill. I could understand why the universe chose him to wield unimaginable strength. He never wanted to hurt anybody, his heart belied no daggers or malice.

"So then why? If you know that why would you still want to work with him?" She asked me. The thought that Shen was not a good person had cemented in their mind even if he acted differently from the movie.

"Being good or being bad has nothing to do with why I work with him." I said with a shake of my head, "I form an alliance with him because Shen with his genius and weapons, is powerful in his own way. He is powerful in a way I am not." I said.

"He is useful and we share the same ambition," I said and Tigress thought hard for a while before she nodded in understanding. I smiled and reached out to pat her head.

"You don't have to worry about it. Shen wouldn't do anything wrong as long as I am around, I will control him by force if I must." I said.

I looked around the room and eyed each of my students one by one. There was not even a speck of wound on their body so I was pleased.

But then my eyes fell on the food on one table, and my nose instantly smelled the intoxicating aroma. I was hungry since I came rushing to Gongmen City the moment I heard about what happened without stopping for food.

"Okay, let's eat first while we will all catch up." I said and headed towards the table.

The Furious Five and Po followed behind me and we sat around the table. There was enough dish on the table for us all and Po ordered more food too.

We sat and ate the multiple dishes, my students had smiles on their faces as they were finally relieved of any stress they had prior to my arrival.

How could they not be, elder brother Tai Lung was here and there was nothing they had to worry about while I was with them.

I asked them about how they were while I was away, how their training had progressed and how they came into conflict with Lord Shen.

Crane was the one who answered most of my questions even though Tigress should be the one. But alas, she was too preoccupied with devouring her fish that she couldn't even answer properly.

I knew she would love fish since she was a fellow feline.

Apparently, she was hesitant to eat any of the food Shen had given them so she was just as hungry as me, if not more.

We shared a wonderful meal and after we were done, I told them they were free to roam around the city and everyone except Po and Tigress left the inn after four days.

I spent the rest of the day with Tigress while simultaneously training Po in using his Chi and explained to him how inner peace worked.

I was not like Oogway who wanted to keep all the secrets to himself. I would gladly share my knowledge and who knows, Po would make a quicker breakthrough into mastering Chi than me and I could learn from him then.

And of course Tigress wanted to spend some time with me. She even asked me to teach her some techniques she could use in case a huge number of people attack her.

She realize during the conflict with Shen how she lacked the ability to take on multiple weak opponents even though she could fight powerful oppoents.

We also spent some time talking about Shen's weapons. Her official mission required her to get information so I have her some.

I told her how the cannons work and a way to counter it. That is to move around quickly so that they could not aim at you and to wet the fuse with water.

The day soon came to an end and my students all went to sleep as I allowed no one to stand guard. I told them I would be guarding them the whole night.

.

.

[IMAGE]

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 56: Supreme General Tai Lung

[Tai Lung's POV]

We stood at the main platform just outside the Tower of Sacred Flames. There were many soldiers below us, ranging from wolves, gorillas and a few other animal species.

The 13 noble houses of Gongmen City were also there to witness the ceremony as they stood at the forefront of the audience.

There were probably more than a thousand soldiers but the place was in absolute silence. It was silent to the point that their heartbeat was the loudest sound my ears picked up.

The City was also in a complete lockdown. The citizens locked themselves up in their houses while traders and travellers were chased out. This was an important military event so certain exercises were executed.

There were no such things as a microphone in this world so there needed to be complete silence since the ruler was about to make an important announcement.

Every eyes were on me yet I did not flinch or show the slightest hint of nervousness under the gaze of more than a thousand.

The most prominent emotions I felt from the eyes were that of fear and anger. I could almost taste the fear in the air and I smiled at that.

Imagine a thousand warriors shivering at the sight of one.

I no longer hated those eyes, I no longer wished they looked at me with admiration and love. I uprooted the very idea of being seen as a hero from the deepest part of my heart.

This is me.

I embraced their fear. I smiled at their petty anger, the anger of the weak. I learned to enjoy the way everyone held their breath when I looked at them, I enjoyed the way their hands instinctively went to their weapon due to my mere presence.

Shen stood beside me and addressed the crowd, officially announcing our alliance to the world. Suffice it to say, that everyone was shocked. But I could see some smart nobles and the commanders of the army smile with every word Shen uttered.

Shen gave a speech about the future, how he and I would conquer China and unite the Ten Kingdoms once and for all.

But in this great conquest of ours, Shen said we needed them. He promised to bring glory and asked his subjects to give him all of their support to fulfil this ambition.

He was a great speaker with charisma unmatched by anything I have ever seen before. I was impressed by his speech and the way he spun words into a spell that cultivated loyalty in his subjects.

It reminded me of the politicians in my past life.

"For so long, our land has been scarred by countless wars. The peace we have is but temporary, a thin veil that hides the true darkness." He said with powerful words. His sentences were not hurried and left a mark on everyone's heart.

It was not only because of Shen's charisma either but also because it was mixed with the truth. The land of China had never seen true peace in all of its years.

It was not like my past life where China had different dynasties and was ruled by one big empire which changed only after centuries.

This world was much more complicated than that, wars were not won only by soldiers but by Masters of Kung Fu. And with each of them being able to change the tide of wars by themselves, there can never be a permanent wielder of a major power.

Even if one kingdom seemed stronger than the other, one amazing warrior would pop out and change the power dynamic in mere decades. That was why China was never under one domination and the Kingdoms were in a constant war for territory.

There were ten kingdoms in China and under the Codes of War introduced by Oogway, they waged wars against each other.

A Great War was when more than half of the Kingdom participated in war and disregarded the Codes of War. But there have been no such cases in a long time.

But that doesn't mean wars have stopped though. At least two to three kingdoms were always in conflict. A great example was the war for control in the West during which the Monkey King came into power and put a stop before things settled into a conclusion.

As I said, one master can change the war in an instant.

"The rulers of the Ten Kingdoms will never be satisfied! They will continue to wage wars and slaughter each other due to their own greed!" Shen yelled out.

"The thin veil of peace had also been destroyed after Oogway's death. When he was alive, we could look at him in times of need but he is no more. The kingdoms had also noticed this and they are preparing themselves for a Great War again. With the one who maintains peace in this land gone, China needs a new moderator."

"This world is cursed and the incoming disaster is so great that it calls for me, a banished prince. And I will do whatever I can to fulfil my duty, my destiny!"

"Together, Tai Lung and I shall accomplish what no one has been able to do in the history of China, in the history of this world! With my weapons and with Tai Lung's unparalleled strength, we will go through China like the most violent storm after a perpetual drought! We will wage a massive war against the Ten Kingdoms but with unstoppable force, we will force China to its knees." Shen said and paused to let his words sink into the crowd.

"And what a great war it will be." He whispered yet his voice could be heard from anywhere.

"It will be unlike anything this land had ever seen, surpassing the previous Great Wars by a huge margin, but this time it will not be for nought. After all, a storm even though it is violent, destructive and is thought to be evil, it will bring back life to our land once more. The cursed soil ruined by drought will finally get the rainstorm it requires. China shall get the correction it needed."

He looked ahead at the horizon as if peering into the future and he slowly stepped forward to get closer to the crowd of soldiers and nobles who were entranced by his presence.

"It will be a war that will end all wars."

The silence was suddenly broken like glass. The deafening cheers and screams crashed into the world. It was so loud that it shook the whole city and rumbled like thunder through the space.

The look in the eyes of the soldiers and nobles was that of fanatics, ready to throw away their lives for the great purpose that Shen had presented them.

Of course, what Shen said was all but fabricated words. They did not know that.

Shen walked back at me with a pleased smile on his face which got tainted with evil when he turned his back on the crowd.

He took a small dagger from his robe, a curly dagger decorated with gold, diamond and jade.

Shen cut his own wings and let his blood spill on the sacred ground while he said his oath. He promised to become my ally and a brother in arms as we went on our conquest.

I did the same after and cut my own hands and let my blood spill on the sacred grounds, In my name, in my blood and in the name of Kung Fu, I promised to fight for our ambition until the very end.

It was finally official.

Lord Shen presented me with spiky shoulder pad armour to signify my position as the Supreme General of the army.

With that, I held even more authority over the army than he did.

I walked forward to the thundering crowd looked at me with fear and respect in their eyes. After Shen's great speech, my reputation had also been greatly boosted as someone who shared the same dream.

"Behold! The Warrior who will lead you to victory!"

"Sumpreme General Tai Lung!" Shen declared and I raised my hand to the exploding soldiers. They cheered for a long time until all the soldiers kneeled before me.

Then the wolves started howling, the Gorillas beat their chest and every animal made a sound of respect.

Like it had been said before, it was an alliance even though it would make more sense if I worked under Shen.

But I did not, so that meant that although Shen had the whole city and such a great army under his rule, I could rival it with my strength alone.

That was a feat worthy of the utmost respect.

I looked at the cheering crowd and the kneeling soldiers.

It felt so perfect. It felt so right.

I could get used to this.

.

.

.

[IMAGE]

Chapter 57: Preparation for war

[3rd POV]

After the ceremony was done, Tai Lung and Shen returned to the Tower. They were followed by the family head of each house and the commanders of the army.

Then, they proceeded to start planning for the upcoming war they were about to wage. Shen with his intelligence and Tai Lung with his knowledge of the art of war were the main brainpower behind the strategy they came up with.

There was no need to delay the attack any further as that would just give the kingdoms more time to prepare themselves so they decided to attack as soon as the following week.

The speech that Lord Shen gave in the ceremony was also recorded in a letter which was then spread amongst the citizens and to the rest of China.

It was a declaration of War.

China entered a state of awkward times as every kingdom prepared for the war yet the kings waited for Shen to make the first move.

Although Shen had declared war against all of them, the kingdoms did not work together to defeat him. Instead, they waited for the right opportunity and were always ready to take advantage of Lord Shen's attack.

There were ten kingdoms that currently ruled over pretty much the whole landscape of China other than the rare independent places like Gongmen City and the Jade Palace.

..

There was the Kingdom of Dali and the Kingdom of Minyue in the South. They can be said to be the only two neighbouring kingdoms that had a good relationship as they prospered in trade and maintained the silk route which facilitated trade between China and Southeast Asia.

The Kingdom of Nanzhao and Shu were always at each other's throats in the West with the recent war. Each of them had two powerhouses, Mighty Eagle and the Monkey King which put them in a stalemate with each other.

The Kingdom of Wu and Wuyue shared territory in the East and were once one giant kingdom. But it was split apart in a civil war with the criminals living in the kingdom of Wu and the rest staying in Wuyue.

The Kingdom of Chu and Tang were located in central China and never really at war with each other since the Jade Papalce occupied the border between them. Whenever a conflict was about to start, the Jade Palace would put a stop to it before it could get serious.

Tai Lung himself had been given a mission to settle disputes between the two kingdoms countless times. These two territories had a big influence since they were in the centre of China and there was a time in the past when the dispute between them got so bad that a Great War almost broke out, in which more than half of the Kingdoms would participate in one war.

It was Tai Lung who put an end to this budding Great War and it was also the last mission Shifu gave Tai Lung as a test to see if he truly deserves the title of the Dragon Warrior. After which Shifu brought Tai Lung to Oogway where the canon unfolded.

It was due to this feat that the other Kingdoms were more than happy to imprison Tai Lung and even built the Chroch Gom Prison to hold him. He held too much power and ruined many of their plans so they took their revenge on him.

How else would the Jade Palace have enough resources to carve a prison right out of a mountain and station an elite 1000 Rhino soldiers for two decades? It was due to the funding of the kingdoms.

And lastly, the kingdoms of Jingnan and Zhou were in the North. These two were extremely hostile to each other but would never go into a proper war because invaders from Russia, Mongolia and Korea were always ready to take advantage of their weakness to conquer China.

It was due to this that the two kingdoms rarely dealt with the other kingdoms as they were always busy fighting off invaders or with themselves. It was also because of this that they wanted more territory and power.

All of these Kingdoms were not allies even though some might be on friendly terms. So none of them wanted to waste any substantial amount of troops just to deal with Shen and weaken their force so that other kingdoms could take advantage of them.

Although Shen had his weapons and although they were powerful, his army was the size of a city and couldn't compare to the military might of a whole kingdom.

if he were to disregard the Codes of War and launch a surprise attack on the main city of a kingdom like Shen in the movie was trying to do, then he might be successful in taking over one kingdom. Then he could take over the resources to build more weapons to conquer the other kingdoms.

But with Tai Lung by his side, things have changed. With Tai Lung's neutral moral nature and his sense of honour as a warrior, Shen couldn't break the Codes of War.

But on the other hand, he now had enough power to rival the military might of a kingdom.

...

Or maybe even more, Shen thought to himself when he realized the true value of having Tai Lung as a general. He was not only just a master of Kung Fu but of war who learned many strategies and siege tactics from the library of the Jade Palace.

But there was one other reason why Lord Shen changed his evaluation of Tai Lung, it was because of his innovative ideas.

Of course, it was not hard for Tai Lung to give ideas as he had knowledge of another world. Especially when it came to the usage of gunpowder, let's just say Tai Lung had to keep himself from saying too much.

Shen with his genius mind could comprehend the true weight of Tai Lung's suggestion and immediately got his mind to work

And just like that, they brew up a plan to conquer the whole of China. The two of them worked together perfectly as if they were always meant to be allies. They covered each other's weaknesses and truly became a force to be reckoned with.

..

..

[3rd POV]

(A few days later)

"Come on now pups, try harder!" Tai Lung screamed at the wolf soldiers as they trained according to Tai Lung's instructions.

There were more than a thousand wolf soldiers alone as they lined up and executed different techniques with their weapons.

They were currently in the middle of preparation for war and even though it might seem foolish to train the soldiers now when the war was about to start in a few days, that did not apply when the teacher was Tai Lung.

Although it will only be for a couple of days, the training they received here would be priceless and it would save the lives of many people while also allowing them to eliminate more enemies.

"You are preparing for war! Forget about all the combat teachings you've had until now. Your aim is no longer to defeat the enemy but to eliminate them with the least amount of effort!" Tai Lung said before he clapped his hand suddenly.

A shockwave erupted as the calp exploded in a terrible sound. It was a Wing technique that allowed someone to create a loud echoing sound of shockwave.

The wolves nearby whimpered and fell to their knees. They covered their ears as their ears rang in pain.

"Learn to control your own senses! When the real battle starts, the cannons are going to explode with louder sounds, you can't get affected by it!" Tai Lung said, scolding them.

Wolves have a very acute sense of hearing like Snow Leopards and they needed to learn how to be immune to loud explosions if they wanted to fight in a war.

The training ground which was outside of the city was bustling as they all learned under Tai Lung. He would approach the wolves one by one and decimate them while giving them advice.

"Stop swinging your sword like that. Not only are you predictable but you can harm your own ally in a war." Tai Lung told the Boss Wolf, "It's better if you can stab."

Boss Wolf was more adept with using a war hammer but that was not a good weapon for war as it wastes a lot of energy and as one of the commanders, he needed to be fighting without stopping.

"Are those teeth only for display?" Tai Lung asked and right after, the Boss Wolf lunged forward to bite him.

Tai Lung dodged and grabbed his maw. "Good."

And the teaching continues. Tai Lung could not train the Gorilla soldiers as they were busy preparing the battleship and the cannons.

But he made do with what he could and taught the wolves as best as he could. He dug into his memories and used his vast knowledge of kung fu to help them as much as he could with the limited time.

As the Supreme General, he couldn't have incompetent soldiers. He also trained them in making different formations and taught them how to train even in his absence.

"Pain is inevitable! Suffering is not." Tai Lung said as hundreds of soldiers groaned in pain while they did body training.

Tai Lung trained them to exhaustion just to see how fit and strong his soldiers were and although it could've been better, the wolves were to an acceptable standard.

"Learn to enjoy the training and know that the more you sweat here, the less you will bleed in battle." Tai Lung said to the wolves who looked at him with respect.

"So even when you feel pain, do not allow your mind to suffer. Embrace the pain, for it is proof of your improvement." Tai Lung said and the soldiers nodded at their general.

"Now do it AGAIN!"

.

.

.

[IMAGE]

Author : Stones.

..

Join my to support me and read 2 months ahead.

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 58: Love makes people soft

[Tai Lungs's POV]

"So, you finally came back." Shifu said with his eyes closed and his back facing me.

He was sitting in a meditative position on top of a single rock while the surroundings were covered with a shallow puddle of water. There was a dragon-shaped statue on the roof of the cave which was covered in a thin layer of green algae.

The constant crashing of waterfalls brought a sense of comfort and the sound was oddly pleasing to the ears.

This was the Dragon Grotto, a large cavern located at the top of a waterfall beside the Jade Palace. Oogway often used it as a place to meditate and now it was used by Shifu.

"Yes. But not for long." I said.

The day after tomorrow, we were going to set out for our battle and I thought I should meet my father one last time before heading to battle. Although I was confident in my abilities, anything could happen in a war.

"How did the journey treat you, my son?" Shifu asked me as he stayed in his place.

I cracked a smile at his question, "It was far from the journey I expected. It was short and eventful, but it was also eye-opening."

"Is it now?" Shifu said, I could feel the smile in his voice, "I heard you were quite rough with your old acquaintances."

"Can't say I didn't warn them."

Shifu chuckled for a short while before he stood up and turned to me. His eyes looked at me with the love of a father and his serene smile put me at ease.

"I am sure you did." He said and walked towards me. He used Hing Kung and his chi to walk on top of the water as he came by my side.

"So.." He drawled and gestured with his hands to follow me. "...I heard you became the Supreme General for Lord Shen and his army."

I followed him as we walked towards the edge of the cavern and we stood there to gaze at the beauty of the green valley below.

"I did." I said and shook my head, "Although I did not see it coming either, Shen really has a way with words to convince me."

Shifu laughs, "Yes, I do remember little Shen to be quite the orator while also being charismatic. His father was always so proud and we would have a friendly competition on who has the more accomplished son."

I smiled at that and recalled the past. The past when things were so much simpler and easier.

"So, a war that will be the end of all wars huh." Shifu asked me, "Tell me, son, how much of that is true?"

I stayed silent for a few seconds before I opened my mouth to answer, "All of it is true and more."

Although it was only a part of my plan, my desire to unite China and get it under one rule was very real. The greater good might not be my first priority but it was definitely one of the reasons why I am doing this.

"More?" Shifu raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Like I said before, I have had an eye-opening experience." I said and paused, "I think I know where I will be going from now on. I have found my own path."

Shifu turned towards me and the most heartfelt smile appeared on his face, "I am proud of you son. I wish you luck in whatever you are trying to achieve. After all, it is a dream that came from your own heart and not inspired by the selfish wish of some red panda."

I was thrown in for a loop as I got lost in his smile. I felt a tightness in my heart and there was no longer a doubt or hesitation in my heart.

I was afraid of how Shifu would react towards what I was planning and my goal to unify China but in the end, I was only met with a father who was happy to see his son chase after his ambition.

"And I am glad that you are putting an end to this whole thing and give a much-needed conclusion for China. I know you have the power and in my opinion, it is a good thing." Shifu said.

"If it must happen, I am happy knowing you will do it."

My lips thinned as I took in his words, " I'm afraid the reason behind it comes not from a righteous heart nor good intention. Although you can deduce that by now with how I am working with Shen."

Shifu chuckled, "Does it matter? Sometimes, we do the right things for the wrong reasons and the wrong things for the right reasons."

"And there is nothing wrong with Shen. You know, he was the only one that was banished from Gongmen city and the wolves and the Gorillas follow him by their own free will. Even though they knew Shen would not be able to reward them nor bring them glory, they decided to follow and serve him with their life. That should at least tell you that he is more than just a cruel ruler." Shifu said.

"I suppose that is one way you look at it."

"As long as you follow the Codes of War, you will have my blessing in your conquest." Shfiu said and waited for my reply.

"The Codes of War will be respected," I said with a nod.

The Codes of War was something made by Oogway a long time ago and date back as far as a thousand years. It was a list of codes Oogway had carefully created after he learned that conflict and wars were a part of nature.

Death was what gave meaning to life.

The Codes of War were signed by the Five Dynasties which were the direct forebearers of the Ten Kingdoms.

The Codes of War were exactly like the name suggests, something which should be respected in war times. This was not new as even in my past life, something similar had always existed in history.

Some of the codes include showing mercy when either side surrenders to the victor, planting trees on the battleground one year after it took place, sparing the soldiers that surrender, and not doing things like not involving civilians in the war, not poisoning or messing with food sources of other kingdoms, not forcing your own citizens into war-related matters, the prohibition of more than half of the kingdom to participate in one war etc.

It was basically a list of codes that should be respected during wars. They were what brought a sense of order into a chaotic event such as war.

And all the kingdoms respected it most of the time as they did not want those things to happen to them even if it meant not being able to do it to others.

"You know, speaking about the Codes of war, I remember there was a time Oogway used to be a war general as well. He had seen first-hand how bloody a war without order could get and it was what motivated him to create it in the first place."

I hummed in acknowledgement and Shifu and I shared each other company for a few hours, Sometimes we talked about the students, we talked about the past and most of the time, we just enjoyed the peace and the silence.

But as the sun got closer to sinking into the horizon, I knew my time with my father was up.

"I will be going now." I said.

"Of course, we can't let the Supreme General be absent for long," Shifu said.

I walked away from the place and right as I was about to use Flashsteps to fly, I heard Shifu's voice.

"Stay safe son."

"And if you ever need any help, know that I will always be here." Shifu said and I turned back to look at him with wide eyes.

How could I not? The Jade Palace had been a neutral party for as long as it had existed. But what he just said defied the very foundation of the Jade Palace.

He was basically telling me that if I ever needed help, no matter who was after me, he will be there to shelter and help me.

He was the master of the Jade Palace. He had a heavy responsibility and duty on his shoulders. But a father's love triumphs over that.

I let out a genuine hearty laugh and cracked a smile, "Love has made you soft, father."

Then I shot towards the sky and by propelling myself everytime I was about to fall, I flew towards Gongment City and covered the distance which would've taken five days to cover in five hours.

..

..

..

[WHOLESOME IMAGE]

Author : Next chapter will be out after a few hours.

Chapter 59: The last Eve

[3rd POV]

(The Kingdom of Shu in the West)

"Shen has finally made a move." An old baboon said and silence followed the throne room.

There were many people gathered in the throne room ranging from soldiers, commanders, generals and the king of Shu.

There was also a certain Monkey King in the room and he covered his face after hearing the news.

"And?" The King of Shu asked, he was a giant Orangutan that was known for his cunning and wisdom. He had a huge belly and would constantly reach out his long arms for food.

"They are heading West. Or to be more precise, they are heading towards us." The old baboon said and everyone stilled, as if a soundless lighting had just struck the throne room.

Lord Shen and his army had begun making their move and the first kingdom they went after was the closest to them, the Kingdom of Shu located in the Western part of China.

"How big is the army?" A deep and rough voice rang out in the silence, it was the general of the Shu Kingdom. He was mean-looking Mandrill with a nasty colourful face that struck an odd sense of horror to everyone who saw him.

"Around a thousand strong." The old baboon said and opened the scroll in his hand once more. It was the information provided by Master Gazelle of the Kung Fu Council.

The Kung Fu Council wanted vengeance against Lord Shen and was willing to work with any kingdom that was to face off against Shen. In their mind, Shen was a coward who murdered their leader using a trick and an evil dictator who must be put down.

So when Shen made a move against Shu, they immediately reached out to the kingdom and offered their assistance. The quote, 'the enemy of the enemy is my friend.' perfectly captures their standing.

"According to the information provided by Master Gazelle of the Kung fu council herself, the army consists of around 200 Gorilla soldiers, 500 wolves and around three hundred other soldiers of Gongmen city." He said and paused to read the scroll more carefully.

"It seems the soldiers of Gongmen are put at the frontlines to be used as pawns while nearly half of Shen's army are still stationed in the city to control the citizens. Master Ox and Master Croc are also stationes in the frontlines and the army is directly led by Shen and..."

"Tai Lung."

Silence descended the throne room but you could hear a groan from the Monkey King.

"Are you sure they are coming for us and not the other kingdoms?" The King asked in a hopeful tone.

"Yes, they made it clear that they meant to attack us in their speech and the direction they are moving directly points towards us."

"How long till they reach the kingdom?" One noble asked.

"At the time of writing this scroll, the army is still on the boat crossing the Pearl Lake. But the weapons Shen created are heavy so they should take some time to reach here. It will take them around three days to reach our borders."

"We got more than enough time to prepare then. General, what do you think should be our next course of action." the King asked.

The Mandrill took a few seconds to gather his thoughts, "We send scouts and spy to check on the situation and how the army is separated. They are not that many so they may not even separate."

"We need to put our forces on the North, that is the place they will most likely attack from." the general said.

There were not many towers or walls built in the North so it was the most suitable place for an attack, especially if they were only a 1000 force strong.

The East, West and South were all places where they shared a border with the neighbouring kingdom, the Nanzhao Kingdom.

There were plenty of towers, barracks, camps, walls etc built there and the soldiers who were always stationed there were well-trained and plentiful.

Meanwhile, the North was peaceful and the soldiers they put there were mostly to fend off bandits and protect trading routes and nothing else. There were no other Kingdoms located there as it was foreign ground and that made it more vulnerable.

So if someone with a small army were to launch an attack, it would most likely be from the North. They would make their way through the cities and capture thier capital that way.

"Okay, then we need to send reinforcement to the North. We will show that peacock just who he is messing with. Lord Shen's ambition dies here because he chose the wrong kingdom to attack first." The Orangutan King said.

For now, they will send their army to the north and wait for more information about the enemy. Fortunately, the enemy was respecting the Code of Wars and it makes things easier.

They outnumber Shen's army by one to a hundred, even if Tai Lung was to lead them it wouldn't make up for the differences in sheer numbers.

Amongst them, only the Monkey King who was the guardian of the capital city was doubtful.

While the leaders of Shu were busy making plans and coming up with a strategy to deal with the real threat which was the alliance of Shen and Tai Lung, a foreboding storm was brewing all across China.

The other Kingdoms were spying on the events carefully and became silent observers at the moment. They were waiting for the right time to move where they would be able to reap the most benefits.

They did not send reinforcement to the Kingdom of Shu nor made trouble in the borders to take advantage of their preparation, instead, they gave Lord Shen and the Kingdom of Shu the space they needed to battle against each other.

The hearts of the people all across China were also struck by fear and anticipation, although wars were common and hearing thenews of different kingdoms waging wars was not that rare, what was happening before them was something new.

Something more, cursed.

Tai Lung, the name struck chords of fear in their heart as his strength and threat rang out like a melody throughout China.

Although he was hated, feared and everything in between, people were not strangers to the power this snow leopard holds.

Yet he was now armed with even more power. The Supreme General Tai Lungnaturally held more weight than the villain/criminal Tai Lung.

Trade still flourished even in Gongmen city and the people were still living their normal lives as the Codes of War were respected but everyone knew that a great change was happening around them in real time.

China was silent and still as it witnessed history, the start of a legendary Saga.

...

On the West Coast of China, a certain Snow Leopard leapt off the boat and landed on the sand. His senses took in the world around him in meticulous detail that would overloaded the mind of the average animal.

A thick fog covered the surroundings but as if having the ability to see through the clouds, a smile crept up to his face as he looked towards the Kingdom of Shu.

"And so it begins." He said.

He was wearing a gauntlet and a shoulder guard made from iron to show his status as the general but he left the rest of his torso bare to the world as if saying he did not need the protection of any armour.

A seemingly reckless attire for a general who was about to fight a war but if you knew the extent of his power, you would understand why he did not need such heavy and restricting armour.

And then behind him, many boats arrived at the beach and the Gorilla soldiers leaped out of the boat to anchor them and to unload the cannons contained.

"Get ready! Anchor the boats and unload the weapons! Don't keep the general waiting!" Boss Wolf quickly yelled out his orders before he howled into the sky.

All of the wolves in the pack quickly joined the howl and the fog slowly disappeared to reveal hundreds of soldiers landing on the beach, preparing for war.

..

..

[3rd POV]

(The Spirit Realm)

"Hmmmmmmmmmmm." Oogway hummed as he floated near a peach tree. His body was positioned in a meditative position and his eyes were closed in concentration.

After a long time of meditation, the old tortoise who never found peace and rest even after death opened his eyes.

"This is truly bad." He said with a sagely nod but a carefree chuckle followed.

Even though he was just a spirit in the spirit realm, he could still see the events happening in the mortal realm and he still had his foresight.

Even if no one was aware of it, he was guiding the world from the spirit realms. He did this mostly by sending messages to the people in the mortal realm.

Oogway let out a sigh and shook his head. For a master who preached the teaching of inner peace and was considered the wisest of all, he sure did have many regrets after his death.

Most of which he only came to realize now after his death. There were many things he wished he had done differently.

..

..

But that's okay. Oogway smiled.

For so long he considered himself to be wise and thought he had learned everything there was to learn. But the universe had a strange way of enlightening someone.

He was not perfect, he was not without flaws. But that gave Oogway a chance to have faith again.

!

Oogway tilted his head slightly as a green blade whizzed past him. He finally opened his eyes and saw his old friend Kai who had returned once more to battle him.

"Ah, Kai. I was tired of waiting for you." Oogway said and a wrinkly smile appeared on his aged face.

"Oh? Did you miss me already while I was away?" Kai chuckled and pulled back his chained blade with a flick of his wrist.

"I found something interesting while I was away." Kai said and showed off a jade amulet which was shaped like a Rhino.

"He was an interesting kid. Had a powerful Chi too." Kai said with a smile and flexed his muscles which bulged out with raw strength once held by Master Rhino.

"Ah, Master Thundering Rhino." Oogway said, recognizing the Chi before he shook his head with pity. "Such a tragedy to see him here so young. The young child had much to learn."

"Yeah, Yeah, anyways..." Kai drawled as he scratched his chin with his blade. "Have you ever heard of a warrior named Tai Lung?"

Oogway froze for a brief instance, "I may or may not have heard of him yes." He said with a wry smile.

"I fough with the Rhino kid to steal his children and before I finally turned him into a Jade Pendant, I told him to be glad that he was going to be extinguished by my hands, the strongest warrior he has ever fought."

"And?"

"And, the kid said I was not the strongest warrior he had fought. He said that title belongs to someone named Tai Lung."

A peal of laughter rolled off Oogway's throat, "I can see that, yes."

"Are you mocking me?"

"How can I mock you, my old friend? You are like a brother to me." Oogway said while wiping a tear off his eye.

Kai huffed and released steam from his nose. Then he started spinning his weapon, getting ready to fight again.

"Get ready for round...whatever it is." Kai said and an excited smile soon split his face.

Oogway smiled for one last time before his eyes started glowing golden and the hero Chi surrounded him.

Kai was taken aback as it was the first time he had seen Oogway get serious in their confrontation.

"I'm sorry Kai but I will have to hold you back here for a little bit longer." He said, "The world is still not ready for your revival."

"Bastard!" Kai yelled and exploded out to clash with his old friend.

A great explosion erupted in the spirit real, desentegrating everything in the vicinity as two powerhouses met in an epic clash.

This was one-way Oogway could repent for his mistake. Kai was not as strong as canon since he did not get Tai Lung's Chi so he would be able to hold him off for a little longer.

But all he can do was buy more time for the world.

Kai's return was inevitable.

.

.

.

[IMAGE : Important character pictures, must see]

: Emmanuel_Capricorn

Chapter 60: War (1)

[3rd POV]

After the army of Gongmen City crossed Pearl Lake, they immediately headed further down West.

Their movements were greatly slowed down by the heavy cannons they carried like the enemy had predicted and they took three whole days to reach the border of Shu.

It was at this point that they started executing their war strategy which was quite simple. They will send their strongest force to the North of the Kingdom and launch an attack from there.

The rest of the army would then attack from the East which was the furthest from the neighbouring kingdom to make sure that no reinforcements could come from the other kingdoms.

In this battle, Lord Shen planned to use the element of surprise and march his way straight through the defences Shu would erect to stop them.

Although people knew that he had a weapon that could even kill the likes of Master Rhino, they were not aware of the full extent of it's abilities.

They probably thought it was a weapon that target one person at a time and not something that works better against a huge army than a single individual.

There were also the new explosives that he had deviced with the help of Tai Lung so he was at least confident in taking any elite army Shu would put forward to stop them.

It will be an absolute devastation.

"The plan is simple. We will send our strongest force to the North and the rest will move towards the East and attack from there." Lord Shen addressed his soldiers and amongst them, Master Ox and Master Croc shared a look.

When night came and while everyone else was asleep, Master Ox sneaked away from the camp.

Master Ox and Master Croc were forced to fight in this war by Tai Lung as he threatened them to not only kill them but the citizens of Gongment City would suffer if they disobey his orders.

With all his bad reputation, the Masters did not doubt his words and called his bluff. So for now, as the sworn protector of the Gongemen city and it's citizens, they will fight in the war against Shu.

They have been invaluable asset to the army as they were not only great instructors for the soldiers, their fighting power was one of the best as you would expect from the higher ranks of the Kung Fu Council.

But they were not planning to be helpless victims in this war. They were more than just lost lamps Tai Lung could force and control to his whims.

"Here take it." Master Ox said in a hushed voice and gave a scroll to a messenger bird who was hiding in the bushes. The scroll contained the plans and strategy Tai Lung and Lord Shen had devised.

"Thank you, Master Ox." The messenger said his heartful thanks to the one-horned Ox before he flew away in the night.

He was an owl so there was no sound as he flapped his wings and took off into the night. Master Ox watched as the messenger flew away and he slowly sneaked back into the camp.

But through the whole ordeal, he did not notice the pair of yellow eyes which glow eerily in the dark.

They were always on him.

..

..

[A few Days later]

(The Eastern defence line of Shu)

After getting information from Master Gazelle and making sure that the war strategy of Lord Shen and Tai Lung was just as expected, the Shu dispatched most of its soldiers to the North to stop the attack.

But the East was not disregarded either as 5000 soldiers which consisted of mostly primates were stationed in the eastern walls.

Three days quickly passed and then four, finally Lord Shen and his army had reached the Eastern defensive lines but something was wrong.

There was a taste of something else in the air and as the soldiers of Shu looked at the horizon where the army of Shen was slowly appearing, they knew they had made a huge blunder.

"All of the army are here! Damnit! We have been tricked!." The Monkey King who had been ordered to lead the defensive line in the East cursed out loud when he saw the thousand-strong soldiers coming towards them.

They have been thoroughly tricked. But how could that happen? The information they got was from Master Ox himself and it should definitely be trustworthy because even Lord Shen had repeated the plan many times to his soldiers.

So how?

"Not the time." Monkey King bit on his own tongue as he looked around at the soldiers he was leading. They were five thousand strong and definitely had the advantage against the enemy when it came to number.

But he knew that would not be able to make up for the difference in the quality of their power. The army had Tai Lung and the weapons that Lord Shen had created.

"Soldiers! Prepare for battle! We have to protect our home from the evil claws of Tai Lung and Lord Shen!" Monkey King yelled out as his soldiers gathered their courage to face the full force of the Gongmen army.

They could see them on the horizon and they were marching ever closer. They were only a thousand strong yet the presence they had made them seem ten times that amount.

"Messenger!" Monkey King called out and a small crow flew towards him.

"Fly back to the capital and report the situation immediately! We have been tricked by Lord Shen, there will be no attack in the North as all of the army had gathered here. Ask for reinforcement as quickly as possible." The Monkey King said the crow immediately took off to report the news to the enemy.

The Monkey King clicked his tongue when he saw the slow flight speed of the crow. They sent a lot of birds to scout the enemy army and most of them never returned as they were probably killed by the enemy birds or even Tai Lung himself who knew the Crane technique.

So the current messenger they had was just a civilian they recruited to make up for all of the lost birds as some who refused to continue working for them in fear of death.

"Ready the catapult, archers get into position!" Monkey King yelled and his voice infused with Chi was able to reach even the ears of the enemy.

They have towers and a huge wall that is 20 miles long and protects the king of Shu from the East.

They have the advantage of numbers and home ground so he hoped they could hold the force long enough for reinforcement to come.

The soldiers moved into position as quickly as they could and they started loading up the catapult which they would launch the moment the enemy crossed their range.

Monkey King used a telescope and looked at the enemy. He could see them stopping way before they entered into the range of the catapult and archers.

Then they started loading up the weapons which were called cannons. He cursed under his breath and quickly counted how many of the weapons there were.

While he was doing so, his eyes searched for the person he dreaded the most but oddly enough, he could not find him. That gave him a bad feeling but he did saw Lord Shen who was standing at the forefront of the army.

The Monkey King focused on Shen who had the most carefree and easygoing smile he had ever seen on a King in the middle of war.

It was the smile of a victor.

And then, Lord when waved his wings and his beaks moved to speak one order. Monkey king could read what came out of Shen's beak.

'Fire.'

..

..

..

"Oh, god damn it." Monkey King cursed and put away his telescope to stare at the horizon which was suddenly lit up in the colour of red.

Then he saw streaks of red line flying towards the wall and to his soldiers. They were like fireworks but he knew they were something much worse.

If fireworks were the manifestation of dreams and wonder, this one was a nightmare, a hell on earth.

BOOM*

BOOM*

BOOM*

BOOM*

BOOM*

The sound reached them and they were a melodious beat of their death, a song to thier funeral.

It would likely be impossible to hold the fort until reinforcement arrives. It would be a miracle if they held out for half a day.

But fortunately, Monkey King could maybe provide that miracle they needed.

"Brace yourselves!" Monkey King yelled as the soldiers ran around like headless chickens. They have been through countless wars and they trained all of their life learning the way of violence.

But this was like nothing they had ever seen before.

This was an advance form of war which none of them were familiar with. It was the ultimate violence of the future.

They knew how to fight against soldiers and warriors but what they faced was the cold touch of metal and the indifferent heat of a raging fire.

The cannons reached them and they crashed against the stone wall of their defence. An explosion followed as the towers and fort shook violently.

The Monkey King, the sage of the west let out his Chi and his body was soon covered with the heroic colour of gold. He leapt off and bravely faced the cannon balls but the rest of the soldiers were meat in a pot, waiting to be butchered.

Limbs flew off and the shockwave sent the Soldiers to their death as they met their end without even being able to fight back. The weapons Shen had created were truly cruel as the soldiers did not get the glorious death they always dreamed of, instead, they met their end like any civilian.

Absolutely helpless.

War was violent, the Monkey King knew this as someone who gained fame through wars. But what he witnessed that day was beyond anything he had ever seen before.

"Rush towards the enemy!" Monkey King yelled as he punched and kicked away multiple cannon balls but they were just too many in number, it was just a waste of his Chi.

They could not fight back from this range so if they wanted to even stand a chance against them, they needed to close the gap between themselvee.

The soldiers got out of the towers and leapt off the walls before they started running towards the enemy.

"My soldiers push forward!" Monkey King yelled and ran first with his body covered in golden glory.

In return, Lord Shen ordered his men to aim a little lower as they started massacring the incoming enemy.

Monkey King watched as they became the attacker when they were supposed to be the defender. He also watched as his men quickly dwindled in number with every meter of distance they covered.

It was then that he realized how easily Shen turned the war in his favour. The advantages they had, being the defender in their fort and their number slowly died as Lord Shen flipped the table.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAAH!" A desperate laugh rolled off the Monkey King as he witnessed how easily Shen took away their advantages and made them his own.

They were basically puppet under his control, he had every right to smile like a victor before the war even started. Monkey King realized.

He watched as his soldiers died due to the explosions of the weapons. But he thought at least he would avenge them by killing Lord Shen when he reached them.

He may be helpless when it was long range but when he reached them...

That dream also quickly died down when he remembered Tai Lung was somewhere there and two of his friends, Master Ox and Croc stood beside Lord Shen to protect him.

A sage, a prodigy, a war hero.

How can he be so helpless?

..

..

..

At least Shen will only win this battle. He can never win the war.

When the soldiers in the north reach the East to give a reinforcement, they will put an end to Lord Shen and Tai Lung's ambition.

After all, the fact that they would be sending their strongest force to the East was just a lie to trick them. And the soldiers there will quickly realize it and come back to help in the Eastern fronts.

..

..

(The North of Shu)

"What is the meaning of this?" The general of the Shu military asked as he looked through his telescope.

On the North of Shu, 50,000 soldiers were stationed here to protect against the invasion of Gongmen. From the information they got, the strongest force was going to invade from the North, so they stationed 10 times the amount they put in the East.

Yet even when it was about time the army reached the Northern defence line, there was no army in sight.

Instead, there was one person walking slowly towards them. He was wearing a black cloak that hid all of his body so they were not sure who it was.

The person in the hood took out his hands from the cloak and started badging his hands. He wrapped the white bandage tightly around each of his fingers in such a way that his claws remained out and not retracted.

"I thought they were sending their strongest force here, to the North." The general muttered in confusion.

..

..

..

..

They did.

.

.

[Tai Lung's image]