The sky over Qin churned with smoke and cries of war. On the first day of battle at Kankoku Pass, the might of the Coalition Army slammed against Qin's final gate.
The three towers of the pass stood like mountains, each manned by a powerful general:
Mougou, unmoving and solid in the center.
Choutou, unshaken and precise on the left.
Kanki, ruthless and unpredictable on the right.
Their combined presence held the wall, preventing collapse on the first assault.
To the left of the pass, Ousen's army engaged the Yan forces, reacting with eerie precision — neither overextending nor retreating, a dance of control.
On the right, the Chu army, led by Rinbukun, clashed brutally with Moubu and General Tou, their respective soldiers fighting like wild beasts. Beyond them, Duke Hyou's army carved a bloody path along the outer flank, laughing wildly as they tore through enemy lines.
Ren and his Gu Ren Tai, now a 1,000-man unit, remained in reserve near the rear of Ousen's army, positioned slightly behind the left cliffs. The view gave them a wide scope of the battlefield — a sea of flags, dust, and screaming steel.
Night fell.
The pass still held, though tremors of what was to come had only begun.
Day 2
By the second day, the scale of the invasion became clearer. Ren stood on the ridge again, arms crossed, as the first light bled across the mountains. His lieutenant, Kai, approached quietly.
"They've begun rotating units more aggressively," Kai observed. "More cavalry moving behind their front."
Ren narrowed his eyes. "They're probing."
"Do you think they'll try to strike through the cliffs?" Kai asked.
Ren shook his head. "No. The cliffs are too treacherous. But there is a gap between the rear slopes and the pass… a flank route. It's not defenseless, but it's vulnerable."
Kai's expression turned grim.
Just then, a group of cavalry rode toward them. At their head was a messenger from Ousen's main command.
The man dismounted swiftly and bowed. "An order from General Ousen. A force has been spotted maneuvering behind the hills. He intends to send a detachment to intercept."
Ren glanced toward the direction in question. He could already sense the change in the air — the faint tremble of movement not visible to most.
"How many men does he plan to send?" Ren asked.
"Roughly 3,000 from the main line," the messenger replied. "Sir, Ousen-sama requests your unit remain on standby to support them if necessary."
Ren turned away from the view, his calm face hardening.
"No," he said simply. "Tell General Ousen — give me 2,000 men, and I'll crush them myself."
The messenger blinked. "But sir—"
Ren stepped forward. His voice, though quiet, left no room for doubt.
"You don't need thousands to stop them. You only need to know where they'll strike — and hit them first."
The wind howled behind him, carrying with it the scent of blood and fire.