Volume 3 Chapter 29 The Forces Of Aika Country Fight The Jinkyo Tribe In The North Iii
"...I'm alive. I'm really alive..."
A few minutes later.
Haku Kan, who escaped from the danger zone, murmured.
He clung to the horse's back and sighed.
Following behind Haku Kan was Kei Koshou, who held a spear.
He fought bravely against the enemy cavalry as the rear guard. His armor was broken, and his arms and legs were covered in wounds, but he had not received any fatal injuries.
Zeng Taiga was not among the enemies.
That was a stroke of luck. Because of that, they survived.
There were sacrifices, but they managed to escape from the danger zone.
"...How dare those foreigners set a trap for us."
Haku Kan whispered with a trembling voice.
"I will make them pay. Zeng Taiga..."
"Be quiet."
Suddenly, Kei Koshou said.
They were in a forest in a hilly area.
The path was steep, but it was also a shortcut to the Aika Country border.
If they could get through here, they should be able to return to the fortress.
"The moment just before reaching a safe zone is when you let your guard down the most. Be careful as you move. Once we get past the uphill, the view will open up. After that, we can rush through──."
Just as Kei Koshou said that, there was a sound of wind cutting through the air.
"────What!?"
A black arrowhead struck the shoulder of a soldier nearby.
With a thud, the soldier fell off his horse.
On the ground, he clutched his throat, gasping like a whistle, 'hii──' 'hii──'.
"This is... a poisoned arrow!?"
Kei Koshou looked around.
They were in a hilly area surrounded by trees. The visibility was poor.
He couldn't tell where the arrows were being shot from.
"Unit leader! Please run away... gagh!?"
An arrow pierces another soldier.
In the dim light, the enemy is definitely aiming at us. The fact that we are being targeted fills the unit's soldiers with fear.
But that's not all.
In addition to the black arrows, a large number of arrows are flying in from beyond the trees.
(Is there an ambush here too? But... why are they using poison arrows?)
The enemy is shooting through the gaps in their armor.
If they are that skilled, they should have been able to aim for the neck or face──vital spots.
Yet──
(No, this isn't the time to think.)
Kei Koshou shakes off his doubts.
This is a death zone. He cannot save all his subordinates.
He will face the consequences. He will take responsibility for not stopping Hakukan.
With his life, he will repay the subordinates he couldn't save.
Having made that resolve, Kei Koshou raises his voice.
"Full speed ahead!! We must return to our position no matter what!!"
"""Y-yes! Unit leader!!"""
The soldiers of the Chou Ki respond.
They are the ones saved by Kei Koshou, who has become the rear guard.
Their loyalty is already directed towards him.
Following behind them, Kei Koshou urges his horse to run.
He swings his spear with all his might to knock away as many arrows as possible.
And to make himself stand out.
"Don't stop, my subordinates!! Bring back the information!! Hidden archers!! If you're going to aim, aim for me!"
Kei Koshou is also a warrior. He does not fear death.
But someone must bring back the information.
He must inform Kou Kairyou and Crown Prince Rouen about the Jinkyo Tribe using a fake Zeng Taiga and the dangerous archers.
With that single-minded purpose, Kei Koshou drives his horse forward.
Soon, the main road comes into view.
We will arrive soon──Kei Koshou lets out a sigh of relief as he sees the shadows of cavalry moving along the road. The small flags look like silhouettes. That shape──it belongs to Kou Kairyou, who is in charge of the eastern camp.
He must have realized the situation and rushed to help.
"──They've come. Reinforcements. Is that 'General Skybear's' family?"
Suddenly, a faint voice reaches Kei Koshou's ears.
In that moment, Kei Koshou understands the enemy's goal.
(Are we bait!? Is that why they didn't kill us!?)
The enemy's target is Kou Kairyou and Kou Eishin.
They used a fake Zeng Taiga as bait for that purpose.
If Kou Kairyou and Kou Eishin come out, they will surround and attack.
If another military commander appears, they will use poison arrows to immobilize him and draw the two in as bait.
That was the enemy's plan.
Both Kou Kairyou and Kou Eishin care about their subordinates and are compassionate.
That's why many soldiers admire them.
There's no way those 2 would abandon Kei Koshou and the others.
"Someone! Tell Kou Kairyou not to come!! This forest is dangerous!!"
Kei Koshou shouts from the back.
The subordinate at the front is about to exit the forest.
If they keep running, they should be able to join Kou Kairyou's unit. They have no choice but to bet on that.
Thinking this, Kei Koshou takes the rear guard position and uses his spear to deflect arrows.
And then──
"This way!! We need help right now──."
The one at the front, Haku Kan, waves a flag.
He snatched the flag from a fallen soldier and is waving it while on horseback.
As the unit moved down the street, they sought help.
"What are you doing, Haku Kan! You need to go to Kou Kairyou's place──."
"We have to regroup with our allies and defeat the enemy soldiers!! We can't just run away... Gah!?"
Haku Kan fell off his horse. He had been hit by a poisoned arrow.
It was obvious that such a noticeable action would make him a target.
Kei Koshou no longer looked at Haku Kan, who was twitching on the ground and foaming at the mouth.
Just before exiting the forest, Kei Koshou jumped off his horse.
He then began to run low between the trees.
(I have to let Kou Kairyou know the situation no matter what. I can't let him come into a dangerous area!)
As he exited the forest, he shouted, "Don't come!" hoping it would reach him.
With that determination, he moved forward while hiding.
His subordinates followed his lead. Enemy arrows flew past them as they lay flat on the ground.
The enemy soldiers couldn't aim for them while they were hidden. If this continued, they might just make it out of the forest──
"──Good job. We don't need any bait anymore."
There was a sound like meat being pierced.
The sound of an arrow striking──Kei Koshou realized it as he saw a black arrowhead sticking out from his shoulder.
Then he felt a boiling sensation of blood.
With intense nausea and pain, Kei Koshou clawed at his chest.
(What incredible skill... Can they really aim for someone crawling on the ground...)
Kei Koshou was crawling through the gaps between the trees.
An enemy arrow had pierced him through that tiny opening.
"...Run. Everyone, run!!"
With his last strength, Kei Koshou shouted.
But his voice only echoed between the trees.
His subordinates were hit by arrows, falling one after another. They weren't dead. They screamed and writhed in pain, their voices echoing through the forest.
(This is bad. This is...)
They were bait to draw in Kou Kairyou.
Kou Kairyou is the son of 'General Skybear' and the best friend of Crown Prince Rouen.
If they kill him, the two of them will be shaken.
As a result, the northern defense will be greatly disturbed. That must be the enemy's goal.
(...suicide, huh)
He should commit suicide right now.
There's no need to save the dead.
He can let Kou Kairyou escape. But his numb arms won't move.
Now he can hear his subordinates' voices. There are still some left.
Just one is enough. He wants someone to run to Kou Kairyou and tell him the situation.
If that happens──he won't get involved.
"Please! Someone, send a message to Kou Kairyou──."
"Stubborn. You're done. Someone, shut him up!"
He heard the enemy's voice.
Right after that, he faintly heard the sound of an arrow flying.
Just as Kei Koshou made up his mind──
*Thud.*
An arrow struck the ground near him.
(──Did he miss? Why!?)
"I've come to help. I'm glad I made it in time."
He heard a voice.
It was a young boy's voice.
"The information will be passed to my 'brother' by my comrades. Please don't worry."
"──Guh!?"
The trees shook.
An archer rolled out from the bushes. He was foaming at the mouth, writhing in agony.
"Looks like just a regular archer. I wonder where the poison arrow user is."
"──Who are you?"
The voice he heard was calm.
They weren't shaken at all by the sudden appearance of the enemy.
They must have that much confidence. They have everyone here in their sights and hold the power of life and death over them.
"──My arrow pierces the enemy by divine will. Anyone who obstructs my arrow's path is defying fate itself. I won't let you die easily."
"Ah, so that's why you used 'martial artist killer' on my master."
"──What!?"
The enemy archer's voice was shaken.
Right after that, an archer with limbs bent in strange directions rolled out from the bushes.
He understood then.
The one who came to help was drawing the enemy master's attention while taking down other archers. No one could do that alone. So, there must be multiple allies.
And the voice called Kou Kairyou "brother." If that's the case──
(Could it be... Kou Tenhou!? Did he come to help me!?)
As expected, the Chou family and the Kou family are on different levels.
Chou Sekimei ordered, "Don't lose to the Kou family."
Unable to defy that order──Kou Kairyou and Kou Tenhou came to help Kei Koshou and Haku Kan, who acted on their own.
It's clear who people will follow... no need to think about it.
(Haku Kan said that the Kou family is too pure. But people admire and follow pure things. I should understand that by now. Haku Kan too... and me.)
Thinking about this, Kei Koshou took a deep breath.
He strained his voice and shouted.
"...My matter is... fine. Please defeat the enemies... the ones targeting my brother!!"
"I understand. But I'll try to make sure our allies don't die."
A voice replied, sounding unsure.
Hearing that voice, Kei Koshou bit his lip in frustration.
(Thanks to the foolish pride of the Chou family, I put valuable people in danger. How stupid!)
Alright. He'll end it himself.
The battle was over, and if Kou Tenhou and the others were dead, he would take his own life.
Kei Koshou made up his mind.
And then, out of Kei Koshou's sight, the fight between Kou Tenhou and the poison arrow user began.
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