Kingdom: Hyou Ren

Just like yesterday, we formed up at dawn. And our 2 formations stood opposite of another for a few hours, until the Raiga Tai made their first move.

Their cavalry, composed of 100 men, charged forth, straying to the sides of the Battlefield.

"So they want an honourable duel between Ishiro and Shinrai." Genji said, and I agreed. That was their strategy.

Jin Ko most likely relied on Shinrai to finish Ishiro off today, and then Shinrai could turn on my 4 officers. Now, the most strategically correct move would be to send Kaen, Roku, Tetsuji, Hozu and Ishiro together, alongside all 550 cavalrymen, taking them and their commander out entirely.

But I saw no goal in doing that, except a quick victory. Rather, by sending Ishiro and 100 men, I´d allow Ishiro to evolve through combat. Shin killed a General purely by becoming stronger while he duelled Rin Ko, and I had full confidence in Ishiro. 

"Send Ishiro alongside 100 cavalrymen, we'll accept their honourable duel." I told a messenger, who rode off. 

But, now I had to be cautious. We were still down by 300, 950 infantrymen vs 1250 infantrymen, but. We outnumbered them in the great scheme of it, and now we had 450 available cavalrymen with none to oppose them. 

"Split the cavalry into 4 units of 100 men each, and keep 50 in reserve." I said, and a messenger rode off again.

"The infantry is to charge forward, today will be the final battle, the winner will be decided today." I said, and Genji quickly got to work.

Our formations had formed identical formations to yesterday, but the Raiga Tai hadn´t. 

They had opted for wider ranks, surprisingly. So they had split their 1200 into 4 units of 300 each. 200 men wide, against our 150 men wide formations. 

"Widen our formations to 60 men per unit, 5 men deep."

This meant our formation would be 180 men wide, meaning we'd be 20 men fewer in width, but it was a necessary sacrifice due to our disadvantage in troops.

"Hozu and Tetsuji, you'll go to the right and left flanks respectively, make sure we´re not overwhelmed by their 10 men difference on each of the flanks." I told the two men, who stood beside me.

"Yes, sir." They said, as both of them rode off.

"Have the cavalry units focus on the back and flanks of the Raiga Tai. Same as yesterday, do not fully commit to one side, harass them." I told a messenger, and he ran off. 

And with that, the battle began. Starting with the clash of the combatants.

Shinrai and Ishiro clashed, 700 meters away from the main infantry, their elite units enveloped into a large-scale battle, a duel of commanders and soldiers. 

I had decided against putting Roku in that unit, as I needed him with the infantry, but my elites were holding on, and they were beginning to defeat the Raiga Cavalry, they were more skilled, but not by much.

I stood a few meters behind our infantry lines, and therefore. Due to the depth of my lines, 5 men deep, I had the ability to view the frontlines, and the fights.

And the men that met my infantry, surprised me.

They didn´t have the vigour nor skill of the men I fought yesterday, almost equal to my men, and it made no sense. 

"Genj-" I tried, turning to the man beside me, but I was cut off.

"I see it as well, it's unusual. Often the most elites are in the vanguard, but these recruits... It means he's devising something, a move that requires his elites." Genji said.

"I thought the same, but that also means the elites are in the back." I said.

"Indeed, the cavalry won't have much of an effect on the veteran troops." Genji said, and I sighed at that. It made no sense for me to keep my cavalry there if they weren't doing much.

"Redirect the cavalry from the enemy backlines, they are to strike the flanks, and the flanks only from now on." I said, the order being given. The flanks were more likely to have an effect, due to being closer to the weaker frontlines. 

And with that, the first battles began.

We were quickly putting the enemy infantry on the defensive, as we began pushing them back further and further, our morale was gradually increasing, but I had yet to see a single elite.

The Raiga Tai suffered casualties as everyone else did, and therefore they always had a set of recruits on hand, it was natural. Every single unit had it at almost all times, except certain Generals. Whom replenished the loss of his elites, with veterans from his army. 

But even so, we shouldn't be capable of destroying them this quickly, it makes no sense. Why haven't they deployed their elites, what are they waiting for?

Are they waiting for reinforcements? No, the scouts would have notified us. 

Are they waiting for Ishiro to be killed? That was a chance, but I doubted it. Jin Ko was a strategist through and through, and he wouldn't bet his entire battle on Shinrai winning. 

"What do you think, Genji?" I asked the man.

"My guess is as good as yours, none. We cannot predict him as it stands, he doesn't possess a unique fighting style, nor are his small battles documented. We have next to no information about him as a character, and therefore cannot predict anything." He said.

However, I did notice the dust clouds on either side of the army rising up, with the cavalry running alongside the flanks, kicking up dust.

We might be able to use that....

...

30 minutes had passed, and we had been decimating them on all fronts. Ishiro had begun winning his battle, but Shinrai was no easy foe to kill and they were still fighting. 

The dust cloud had only become larger, and it was now encompassing the battlefield. It wasn't large enough to hinder our view of the battle, but it did restrict our eyesight in regards to small units. 

However, the entire battle changed. As the Raiga Tai Forces began retreating. Turning around and they began running.

"What? Are they retreating this early into the Battle? Is he mad?" Genji said, and I couldn´t help but agree, it made no sense.

But my eyes widened, as I saw the men, high on morale rush after them, breaking our formations and ranks.

"Fuck, recall the infantry. Reform our lines!" I shouted, and the flags were raised. But of course, the dust hampered the sight, making them invisible to the infantry.

I had some horns, but only a few. One for attack, one for retreat, another for cavalry and one for special commands, but none for reform. 

Fuck, this was his plan all along. 

And indeed, it was. Coming rushing forth from behind the running recruits, the remaining Raiga Infantry fell upon us, easily numbering over 900 elites, against our 800 recruits, caught in the open. Without their formations, nor their commanders. 

However, I also caught something. A misstep, and our chance to turn the tide.

"CAVALRY, ON ME!" I shouted to the 50 reserves, as I turned towards Genji, Kaen, and Roku. 

"Genji, attempt to restructure our lines. I´ll go for Jin Ko´s head. Kaen, Roku. On me." I said, without waiting for a response as I charged forth. 

The trembling of incoming forces had constantly harassed the lines of the Raiga Tai Unit, and they still were. So an additional 50 men wouldn't do much.

I rode straight towards the right flank, as I blew into my horn. And the units before us separated.

Tetsuji, on the right flank. Was an experienced Commander, and therefore. At the point of retreat, he had managed to hold a small part of his infantry back, resulting in them not charging.

However, all else had charged.

But, as they were pounced on, the spot left open, which the men Tetsuji had held back would have used, was kept open.

With no men there, the charging elites focused their attention on the scattered ones, and therefore. It had created an opening. 

Now, although the cavalry had no opponents, they still couldn´t go for Jin Ko´s head, simply because he was placed in the rear, under heavy guard by the elites. And the rear was covered with their elites, who would have stopped any enemy. 

But now, those spots were filled by recruits.

"Push through!" I shouted, as we used the open space to gather momentum, before we changed direction towards the left, heading straight for his camp.

"There is Jin Ko! Kill him!" I roared, as Kaen and Roku joined me at the forefront, and our 50 men charged through the lines of the Raiga Tai.

Most elites were at the front, and due to having pushed past the first, second, and third lines in the opening. What faced us were the fourth and fifth lines, which now held the recruits and lightly wounded men. 

And they weren't prepared, so in the smoke-screen, we cut through their ranks. Straight for Jin Ko. 

The man didn´t even notice us till we clashed with his elite guards, Roku and Kaen riding to the front and crushing their first defense, and our men charged in. Engaging the 100 elite guards in a brutal melee, but Joku and Kaen kept leading me through them, as the 3 of us charged for Jin Ko.

"Intercept them!" Jin said, as all the guards on his right, or our left, charged towards us.

We had engaged by the right flank, or their left flank. But their right flank, or our left flank, wasn't. And seeing my men overwhelming his own, and with the threat of his own death, Jin Ko called all his men to defend him. 

Which would be his downfall, as suddenly. Behind him appeared Lieutenant Ryo, assisted by his 100 cavalrymen. His glaive took Jin Ko´s head. 

"Raise his head high, Jin Ko has been slain!!!!" I shouted, as his head was put on a spear, and paraded behind their troops, their morale dragged through the mud.

And their actual commander was locked in combat away from their sights, though it would perhaps be worse if they saw it.

For at that moment, Ishiro slayed the 2000-Man Commander Shinrai Kaku. 

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**EVERY 50 POWERSTONE IS AN EXTRA CHAPTER**

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