Ei Sei continued his relentless ascent, his figure a stark silhouette against the jagged peaks. Shin and Ka Ryo Ten followed closely, their youthful energy allowing them to keep pace, but they couldn't help but notice the lagging column of soldiers behind them. Weariness etched itself onto the faces of the Qin troops, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"Look at them," Ka Ryo Ten scoffed, nudging Shin. "Noble class soldiers, huh? Can't even keep up. All that money and influence, but no actual strength."
Shin grinned, nodding. "Told you. They just bribe their way up the ranks. Real strength comes from fighting in the dirt."
Heki, overhearing their banter, pushed past them, his face flushed but determined. "Don't lump us all together!" he retorted, panting slightly. "I'm from a noble family, yes, but I achieved my rank through my own merits on the battlefield, not influence."
Shin simply shrugged, his gaze fixed on Ei Sei's back. He couldn't help but marvel at the young king's stamina. Ei Sei moved with a grace that belied his slight frame, his strength seemingly boundless. 'What has he been through?' Shin wondered, remembering the king's calm demeanor even in the face of death. He glanced at Kaelen, who stuck to Ei Sei like a shadow, his massive form a silent, immovable guard. Alex and Olivia moved with the main group now, seemingly unburdened by needing personal guards. 'Alex must be even stronger now after summoning Erza,' Shin thought, remembering the surge of power he'd felt from Alex. He tried to ask Ei Sei, "Sei—" He stopped himself, biting back the informal address. It was still so ingrained. Ka Ryo Ten rolled her eyes at his failed attempt.
Further back in the column, Shou Bun Kun stumbled, his face pale with exertion. He cursed under his breath, leaning heavily on his spear. "Damn this old age," he muttered, watching Shin's youthful vigor. He then looked forward, his gaze on the boy. 'Shin's temperament is too straightforward,' he mused. 'Martial strength alone cannot cut through the world. He has so much to learn.'
Suddenly, Alex's senses screamed. A faint rustle, a shift in the air, a scent of damp earth and raw wildness that wasn't there a moment before. But before he could shout a warning, it was too late. From the dense foliage and rocky outcrops that lined the narrow path, mountain warriors erupted, masked figures moving with astonishing speed and silence, surrounding them all.
"Defensive circle! Protect the king!" Shou Bun Kun roared, struggling to draw his sword.
But Ei Sei, remarkably calm, raised a hand. "Stand down!" he commanded, his voice carrying surprising authority through the sudden tension. "If they wished us dead, we would be already." Each side stood poised, weapons drawn but not yet clashing. One of the masked warriors, taller and more imposing than the rest, stepped forward, his eyes, visible through the slits in his mask, fixed on Ei Sei. Kaelen, anticipating his move, intercepted him, stepping directly into the warrior's path. Kaelen's glare was thuggish, a clear warning to stay back.
Heki and Ka Ryo Ten quickly grabbed Shin, pulling him back as he bristled, ready to charge. "Shin, don't be rude!" Heki hissed under his breath, apologizing with a bow to the masked warrior.
The mountain warrior, ignoring Shin's outburst, spoke in the language of the central plains, his voice deep and resonant. "You intrude upon the land of the mountain tribesmen. Normally, you would be killed on sight. But this time... this time is an exception, for the King of Qin journeys to see our King."
Heki's eyes widened. "How do you know that?" he stammered.
"Our King knows everything," the warrior replied simply, his gaze unwavering. "He knows who Ei Sei is. We offer to escort Ei Sei to him now."
Shin, ever impulsive, surged forward. "Alright! Let's go!"
But before he could take another step, the masked warrior moved with lightning speed, striking Shin across the chest with an open palm. Shin was sent sprawling, landing hard on his back. "Idiot!" Ka Ryo Ten snapped, kicking him lightly.
The warrior's voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "This is our ultimatum. Either Ei Sei comes with us now, and all his soldiers withdraw from our land, or we will kill everyone present without mercy."
Shou Bun Kun, recovering from his earlier collapse, stepped forward, a desperate plea in his voice. "Your Majesty, reconsider this plan! It's too dangerous to go alone!"
The mountain warrior shook his head. "There is no proposal to decline. Ei Sei will go with us, one way or another. And he should do it quickly. My warriors are spoiling for battle." Another mountain warrior, smaller but radiating fierce impatience, stepped forward and reached out a hand towards Ei Sei.
Before he could touch the king, Kaelen moved. His massive fist shot out, a blur of raw power, connecting squarely with the newcomer's jaw. The warrior was lifted clean off his feet, sent flying through the air before crashing into the rocks.
Shin, seeing Kaelen's brutal efficiency, scrambled up. "Fine!" he roared at the masked warriors. "Then take all of us! Ei Sei, and all his soldiers! Otherwise, we'll beat every single one of you into the ground!"
The mountain warriors reacted instantly, darting forward, their weapons shimmering in the faint light. Kaelen and the remaining Qin soldiers instinctively drew their own blades, ready for the inevitable clash. But before the fight could commence, Ei Sei raised his hand, his voice clear and resolute, cutting through the escalating tension. "STOP!"
The mountain warriors paused, their movements freezing. The Qin soldiers, bewildered, questioned their king with their eyes.
"I will go with them," Ei Sei declared, his voice unwavering. "I will go with the mountain warriors to meet their leader."
"Your Majesty!" Heki cried out, utterly aghast. Shou Bun Kun, equally dismayed, tried to dissuade the king. "This is madness! It's a trap!"
But Ei Sei was steadfast. "My goal is to gain them as allies. This is the path." His resolve was unshakable.
Ei Sei then turned to his remaining soldiers. "Withdraw. All of you. Regroup at Boku Kou's shrine. Alex has already set up the proper training and defense there."
Alex, knowing many of the men were already injured and weak, nodded. He quickly dispatched Akame with the remaining soldiers to lead them back to the retreat and oversee their training. "Akame, ensure they make it back safely and start their Page rank training. We need them ready for the capital." Akame gave a curt nod and began herding the weary soldiers down the mountain.
Ei Sei began to leave with the mountain warriors, his back to the others. Shin, stunned, finally found his voice. "Wait! Am I meant to stay behind too?!"
Ei Sei glanced back. "Your sword isn't needed for meetings, Shin." And then he was gone, swallowed by the masked figures and the winding mountain path.
The remaining soldiers, including Heki and Shou Bun Kun, began their weary descent back to Boku Kou's retreat. Heki, still fuming, insisted, "He was kidnapped! The King was kidnapped!"
Shin, sprawled on the ground for a moment to catch his breath, just shook his head. "Kidnapped? No way. He went with them. But this whole mountain warrior plan... whoever came up with it is insane!"
Shou Bun Kun, his old face etched with worry, turned to Alex. "Alex," he pleaded, his voice raspy, "please... go after him. Take your warrior... Kaelen. Ei Sei is in danger." The old official even began to bow.
Alex quickly stopped him. "You don't need to bow, Shou Bun Kun. He's my King too. We're already on it."
As they parted ways, Ka Ryo Ten, without a word, fell into step behind Shin. Heki, after a moment of internal debate, resigned himself to escorting Shou Bun Kun.
Shou Bun Kun called back to Shin, his voice filled with regret. "Shin! I... I am truly sorry about Hyou. My plans failed him. I failed you both." His gaze then shifted to Alex, a profound trust settling in his eyes. "I am entrusting Alex with the King's safety. He is our last hope."
As Alex and Kaelen began their own ascent after Ei Sei, Shin, with Ka Ryo Ten now following him, scrambled up a loose rock face. He accidentally knocked a bit of debris loose. It tumbled past Ka Ryo Ten and landed squarely on Heki's head.
"Ow! Hey!" Heki yelped from below.
Shin looked down, a mischievous grin on his face. "Didn't expect to see you, Heki! Hurry up, or you'll be left behind again!"
Heki rubbed his aching head. "Shou Bun Kun sent me to help you! He thinks you'll get into trouble!" Noticing he was becoming a burden, Heki quickly stripped off his heavy armor, leaving it behind. With a lighter frame, he began to climb the mountainside with renewed vigor, unhindered.
From a distance, high atop a remote cliff, the masked captain of the mountain warriors' spies watched Shin and his companions following them over the mountains. He observed their determination, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He then issued a quiet order to a number of his warriors. "Go back. Meet them. Ensure they do not deviate from the path... but do not engage them unless provoked."
As night fell, a small fire flickered weakly in a secluded mountain nook. Alex, Kaelen, Shin, Ka Ryo Ten, and Heki huddled around it, the cold mountain air biting at their exposed skin.
"Alright," Alex began, his voice low, "here's the plan. We need to rescue Ei Sei. And the first step is infiltration. We need to steal a few masks from their warriors to disguise ourselves."
Ka Ryo Ten looked doubtful. "Steal their masks? That's risky."
"It's our best shot," Kaelen rumbled, his deep voice carrying conviction. "If their king truly 'knows everything,' then a frontal assault is suicide. Disguise is key."
Heki nodded, his face grim. "I agree. Infiltrating is smarter. We just need to find their village. I assume the mountain dwellers and their king live in a collection of huts somewhere deep in the mountains, a secret, hidden place. It'll be easy enough to infiltrate and rescue Ei Sei if we're careful." 'Just a collection of huts,' Kaelen thought, his own practical mind already running through scenarios of bypassing simple defenses, though a part of him felt an unease about Heki's casual dismissal of the mountain people's ingenuity.
The light from the small fire illuminated their bodies, casting long, dancing shadows against the cavern walls. It also highlighted something else. The subtle glint of movement in the surrounding darkness. The barely audible shift of rock.
"Alex," Ka Ryo Ten whispered, her eyes wide with sudden realization. "We're surrounded."
Before Alex could even react, the masked figures emerged from the shadows. The mountain warriors had their campsite completely encircled.
Meanwhile, far away on Kankoku Pass, the eccentric General Ou Ki was meticulously carving a small wooden figurine, his signature spear resting casually beside him. A messenger, breathless from his ride, arrived and knelt.
"General Ou Ki!" the messenger gasped. "Lord Ketsu Shi has ordered you to take hold of Kankoku Pass! To fortify it for the coming conflict!"
Ou Ki's massive frame rumbled with a deep, dismissive laugh. "Oh? Kankoku Pass? Tell Ketsu Shi my personality is not suited for defensive battles. I require engagement, a dance of blades." He looked towards the horizon, a knowing gleam in his eyes. 'Ketsu Shi is planning an all-out war against Ryo Fui when he returns. A grand spectacle.' A wistful sigh escaped him. "It's going to become very hard for Ei Sei to reclaim his throne indeed."
A flash of memory, a younger Shou Bun Kun, standing before him, earnest and hopeful: 'Ei Sei will surpass King Shou.' Ou Ki's smile broadened, tinged with a predatory anticipation. 'Hmm. How far will Ei Sei go, I wonder? Can he truly surpass the God of War?'
Back on the treacherous mountainside, the ambush was swift. Alex, who had already told Kaelen not to kill or give mortal injuries to the mountain warriors – reminding him they might be crucial allies later on – was caught in the surprise. Kaelen, however, was the first to react, his massive form intercepting a charging warrior aimed at Alex. He defended Alex instinctively, his powerful blows aimed to incapacitate, not kill. The noise jolted Alex awake from his light doze, and he sprang up, immediately joining the brawl with the ambushing mountain warriors.
Alex, Kaelen, Heki, and Shin fought fiercely, using their combined skills to defeat the first group of attackers. But as they caught their breath, a second group, clearly waiting in reserve for things to "go south," surged forward. Already tired from fighting the initial wave, Alex and his companions were overwhelmed. They were quickly subdued, bound by thick ropes, and were now the mountain warriors' hostages.
Bound, they were led by the warriors over an even more treacherous path, winding higher and deeper into the mountains. Alex, ever the strategist, tried to reassure the others. "This is a good thing," he muttered, grimacing as the rope dug into his wrists. "They're taking us back to their village. We're still alive, which means we can still rescue Ei Sei."
As the path became increasingly dangerous, with sheer drops and crumbling footholds, Shin muttered under his breath, "They'd better not be taking me up here just to kick me off a cliff."
Ka Ryo Ten, overhearing him, began to break down, resisting the pull of the rope, a whimper escaping her lips. Shin tried to calm her, but as he turned his head to have a go at the warrior leading them, he was greeted by an awe-striking, impossible presence.
Before them, nestled deep within the colossal faces of the surrounding mountains, lay a kingdom. Not a collection of huts, but a vast, intricate city carved directly into the living rock, its various levels connected by complex bridges and pathways that spanned dizzying chasms. Smoke curled from hidden vents, and distant figures moved along impossible ledges.
"Heki," Shin breathed, his voice barely a whisper, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Are we... are we really going to be able to save Ei Sei now?"
Heki, completely bewildered by the sight of the impossible mountain city, could only stare, his jaw hanging open. "I... I don't know, Shin."