It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 84: Fire Attack (2)

While we maintained our silence and waited, the sound of trumpets echoed through the air.

Soon, a bright red flag was raised high from the right flank.

“Yuna.”

“Yes!”

Yuna tightened her grip on the reins, and I gently tapped her side.

I heard a groan that was unpleasant to the ears, but this was not the time to care about such things.

A gust of wind swept past us.

I had often ridden on someone else’s horse before, but never at such speed.

As Yuna and I charged ahead, Unsam and Baekrang collided with the enemy’s formation from the flank.

The enemy had already been encircled by our right flank, and now a huge gap opened on their right side, leaving them defenseless and opening a path.

We took a wider detour, racing towards the side of the earthen fortress.

The side wasn’t fully completed, so it was lower in height compared to the front.

Just as Sima Yi had said.

“Throw the straw!”

I shouted.

Upon hearing my command, Sun Jian’s soldiers stationed on top of the earthen fortress turned pale.

Ignoring them, we threw the straw high up.

My brothers did the same.

“Throw it! Throw it all!”

It wasn’t just straw.

We threw anything that could catch fire without hesitation.

That little one even seemed to have calculated the wind direction, so everything crossed over easily without much effort.

Meanwhile, the soldiers of Sun Jian’s army were momentarily at a loss, overwhelmed by the shower of straw pouring down like rain.

They could only fire meaningless arrows.

Whizz-!

With a swing of my sword, dozens of arrows fell away.

“If you’re done throwing, raise the flag, you bastards!”

While deflecting arrows, I maneuvered our path again.

At the rearmost line, a signalman was already on standby.

Another red flag was raised high.

And then.

—Whoosh!

Countless flames shot down like a meteor shower from a distance.

Using the fiery scene as our backdrop, we charged forward once more.

The battlefield became chaotic as the earth-shaking sound of galloping hooves and the crackling of flames mixed together.

When I glanced back, I saw black smoke rising inside the fortress that they had been tirelessly building.

According to the strategists, the enemy would have no choice but to abandon the fortress and retreat to regroup.

We prepared ourselves and moved towards the rear to launch a surprise attack on them.

Meanwhile, our main forces would confront them head-on.

—Fwoosh!

Flames soared high.

As time passed, just as expected, the enemy hurriedly abandoned the fortress and began to retreat toward the rear.

Leading the vanguard was Sun Jian.

I had seen him before; he was certainly a formidable man. Perhaps even comparable to Lü Bu.

His calm eyes reflected the characteristic composure of a strong man.

Finally, the right wing, previously separated from the central army, spread its formation wider, blocking Sun Jian’s retreat.

The central army also gained momentum and advanced forward.

The left wing reinforced the central army, accelerating their charge.

“The smell of burning is no joke.”

I spoke as I observed the scene.

“Indeed.”

“So, do we just wait again?”

“If things continue as they are, that would be the best course of action.”

I nodded.

I dismounted from my horse.

“… You may rest a bit longer. Shouldn’t you conserve your strength?”

“No, I’m comfortable like this. Sitting in an uneasy spot when we might have to rush out at any moment is pointless.”

As I shrugged my shoulders, Zhao Yun suddenly turned her head sharply.

“… Wait. Is that…?”

“Huh?”

She squinted her eyes and stared intently ahead.

“… No way.”

When I turned my gaze in that direction, I saw figures rapidly approaching us.

At the forefront, Sun Jian was holding the reins.

Even someone as clueless about military strategy as I could tell that this was a terrible plan.

Charging so deeply into the enemy lines was akin to a suicidal strategy.

I never expected such a reckless approach from their commander.

Was he acting out of desperation?

No, his aura was too menacing for that.

“We retreat.”

I said.

There was nothing to gain from fighting here.

It was better to lure them deeper or simply evade.

One of the two would be the wiser choice.

However.

“You must be Unryong.”

This time, hoofbeats sounded from the flank.

It was a face I had never seen before, but I could sense it. He was another strong one.

Just when had they prepared such an ambush?

This strategy seemed designed specifically to capture me.

“Ha… Seriously.”

Time truly has a way of humbling one.

I never expected to become this popular.

It was too late to turn back now.

The distance was too close.

And getting caught here meant having to deal with Sun Jian head-on as well.

“Yuna, grab anyone you can and call for reinforcements.”

“… Master.”

“I’m fighting here.”

“You can’t.”

Zhao Yun protested.

“Master, you should retreat. We will hold them off. It would be best for you to regroup with the main forces.”

I knew the battle situation was unfavorable.

I also knew that retreating was the best option.

Their target was undoubtedly me, so retreating was probably the right decision.

But I had never once abandoned my brothers and fled.

If I had to take the blows, I would.

A big brother who left his younger siblings behind was nothing but trash.

Alright, then. If I can’t avoid it, I’ll face it head-on.

When I drew my sword, Zhao Yun’s expression twisted fiercely.

“What are you doing!”

It was the first time I had seen her genuinely angry.

I had only ever seen that from afar during training.

“Fine, let’s say I retreat. And what’s left? Your corpses? Do you want me to see your heads?”

“Master, your life no longer belongs solely to you. All our hopes and our cause rest on you alone. How can you put yourself at risk like this?”

“Yuna, what meaning would life hold if I achieved peace without you?”

I knew my words were contradictory.

Nothing is achieved without sacrifice.

I had already experienced and understood this several times.

“Let’s achieve it together.”

I stepped forward.

Even so, I had made my decision.

To walk this path.

For all the people under heaven. And for my family.

Let’s create a world where everyone can live comfortably and prosper.

My sword bore the weight of the heavens.

It represented chivalry, a promise, and my ideals.

If I forgot that, there would be no point in wielding a sword.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already fully recovered. I’ll sever their heads instead.”

I gripped my sword hilt tightly, pressing my thumb against my heart.

Upon reaching the Gate of Entry, I opened the Gate of Opening.

“Master…”

Zhao Yun squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her spear.

“When reinforcements arrive, you must retreat.”

“That would be even better.”

Smiling, I clenched my neck muscles. I could feel the blood vessels rising.

They were coming.

“Brace for impact!”

I shouted, digging my toes into the ground. If I could capture that foppish rascal at the vanguard and Sun Jian, victory would be ours.

—Clang!

As iron clashed against iron, we collided with them.

“Hmm, you certainly have impressive skills.”

And the blow from this one’s sword was far heavier than I had anticipated.

I spread my qi throughout my body.

And then, with my sword…

“Sip…”

I tasted blood.

But now wasn’t the time to savor it.

“And as rumored, your skills are indeed extraordinary.”

As blue sword qi flowed from my blade, he widened the gap between us.

It was likely due to my previous battles.

Since the war with Dong Zhuo’s forces, tales of my martial prowess had spread far and wide.

Because of that, they called me a ghost or spouted nonsense like that.

While he kept his distance, the battlefield was filled with clashing soldiers.

Bang, bang— chaotic noises rang around us.

“Master!”

Zhao Yun shouted.

She had struck the side of the retreating foe.

But many soldiers were positioned beside him.

Thus, Zhao Yun’s ambush was quickly blocked.

Several soldiers surrounded her, forming a formation that seemed to isolate me and him alone.

“This Sun Ce will be the one to kill you. Not just me.”

“…”

The reason why he was maintaining this awkward distance was simple.

“Damn, they’re really coming at me from all sides.”

A sigh escaped my lips.

Sun Jian was getting closer.

I swung my sword.

I couldn’t afford to be surrounded here.

We had to maintain distance and hold out until reinforcements arrived.

—Ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kang!

I swung my sword, and the sword qi pierced through their armor.

But it was shallow.

I gritted my teeth, squeezing the hilt harder.

“Kugh…!”

I cleaved the one in front of me in two and shouted again.

“Pull back the line! Don’t fall for their numbers!”

Immediately, my breath became labored.

Just one swing.

And yet my head was growing foggy.

There was no time to think.

Slash.

—Swick!

If you don’t kill, you won’t survive. That is the reality of this world.

So, cut.

—Swish!

Blood stained my collar.

I couldn’t tell if it was my blood or the enemy’s.

All I knew for sure was that the blue sword qi, which should have been flowing smoothly, was gradually losing its form.

It was then.

“Unryong.”

Beside me was Sun Jian.

And in front of me, blocking my path, was a man named Sun Ce.

“This Sun Jian sees you as the core of your army.”

“Well, that’s a touching compliment.”

“So, I wasn’t really interested in winning the battle. I figured that if I cut you down here, everything else would be much easier.”

“Do you think you can?”

“Of course.”

And then, at that moment, both they and I stepped forward simultaneously.