Kingdom (キングダム)

DESCENDANTS OF THE QUANRONG

Xia Jiu, secure the area in front, just in case.

Sir!

What is it, Gong Kang?

It's just... I've had this bad feeling. The whole time.

Wha--

Protect Lord Ben!

I am Mǎ Nanci, one of the three commanders of Zhao's left flank.

And you're the Yu Feng Force I've heard about--getting in the way.

One of three... Did he come to personally slay us?

Never heard of you.

And I won't bother remembering your name.

I, Wang Ben of the Yu Feng Force, will ventilate your brow in a single blow.

You haven't heard of me? Well, I'm not surprised.

Besides, fancy names mean nothing amid the carnage of a real battle.

QIN

ZHAO

YAN

In Zhao, renowned commanders are sent to Yanmen in the far north, one by one,

and not a man among them lasts a month before dying.

Yanmen? The northern fortress on the Xiongnu frontier?

I used to think there were none so hateful as the Xiongnu,

who seek to trample the whole of the north,

but that changed last year, after Li Mu and I met your king.

The Qin king, who seeks to trample six whole nations with the army he's raised,

is the worst of the worst-- a monster taken human form.

As are you, who serve as his blade!

I, Mǎ Nanci, will smite you fools who are worse than even the Xiongnu!

Learn your history before you mock other people's kings, Zhao commander.

In the past 500 years, some 100 nations were rallied or culled into seven.

The trend toward becoming one large nation

may be the answer that the history of the Middle Kingdom seeks.

Nonsense!

Of course, I'm well aware of your view of the situation.

It's because our opinions can't be reconciled

that we have this battlefield, where we decide right and wrong by force.

Come, Mǎ Nanci. Qin's blade will cut you down where you stand.

You just try it,

Wang Ben of the Yu Feng Force!

W-Wow...

Yeah.

I haven't seen Lord Ben go all-out in a while.

He was already fast and accurate,

but now he has destructive power!

Lord Ben's spear skills must be...

Y-Yes.

His skill is definitely in the Middle Kingdom's top five now.

Mǎ Nanci, sir!

--General! --Mǎ Nanci, sir!

Keep your heads! He's yet to land a single solid blow.

Still, I've never seen such skill with the spear.

I've heard reports, but to think Wang Ben of the Yu Feng was this good...

If I try to swing my poleaxe,

he launches a flurry of terrific blows before I'm even in range!

I'd probably get the hang of it after a few more clashes...

Mǎ Nanci, sir! We have less time than we thought!

I'm aware!

...but I have no time for such games.

Let's withdraw for now! At this rate...

Don't be absurd.

Mǎ Nanci still hasn't brought...

Lord Ben, be careful! He's up to something!

...the hammer down on this brat!

So you dodged it.

This fist has crushed the heads of countless superhuman Xiongnu hotshots.

Mǎ Nanci, sir!

Yes--

I'm aware!

General Ya Guang?!

It would seem you're a better match for me, Qin commander!

Mǎ Nanci, sir!

Quickly!

Lord Ben...

Perhaps I brought slightly too few troops

to bring down my hammer on two great fighters at once.

Think you can get away, do you?

Do you think you can take my head on day one?

ZHAO

What the--

An enemy army--from behind?!

Zhao Elong, sir,

is that...?

YUE YING ARMY

YA GUANG 1ST

YA GUANG 2ND

YU FENG FORCE

MǍ NANCI ARMY

Mǎ Nanci's army, the first to break away and become a shield.

This is too unbalanced, Qin army.

I'm not the only Zhao commander here, you know.

Is our first wave recovering?

Yes.

MǍ NANCI SECONDARY

MǍ NANCI MAIN

YA GUANG 1ST

YU FENG FORCE

Mǎ Nanci struck the Qin army's left,

and it seems Qin's commanders gathered there.

YUE YING ARMY

YA GUANG ARMY

That resulted in this power imbalance in Qin's horizontal deployment.

Enough for Yue Ying's army to make a comeback after having been crushed.

Time to rally, troops!

Mǎ Nanci does have a decent understanding of war after all.

QIN

At the same time, in Qin's central main army,

Xin had been summoned by Wang Jian.

Is it finally our turn, General Wang Jian?

-Sure are makin' a big deal out of it!

-Choose 800 riders.

Eh?

Select 800 of your fastest riders and send them out at once.

Send out 800?

Wh-Where to? Which battlefield?

The left.

The left...

That's where the Le Hua Force is.

You shall join the left-hand battlefield

and return with Zhao general Ji Hui's head!

ZHUHAI PLAIN

Meanwhile, some 300 li southwest of Zhuhai Plain,

another critical battle was underway:

The army of Yang Duanhe, queen of the mountain realm,

versus the Laoyang army.

Wh-What strength!

Whatever the situation,

the mountainfolk shove on in with their individual might!

Th-They don't even need our 10 thousand reinforcements--

Fifty thousand of them are overpowering 90 thousand enemies!

You wasted your time, flatland commander.

Don't tease him, Du Ji.

The enemy's fighting has been very one-note.

They may be working toward something.

I may need you out there on a moment's notice.

Be ready, General Bi.

Ma'am!

A cavalry...

But so few... Messengers?

Let's go.

A showy entrance unbefitting his stoic face.

The commanding general has arrived at last!

First we send a unit to greet him!

Sir!

Wh-What was that all about?

Yang Duanhe.

I know.

The fool. I've etched his face into my memory.

Th-The entire army?!

ZHAO

We're retreating?

That's right.

Please, wait!

This current stagnation is because we were waiting for you, sir!

Of course. I'm aware.

Then why?!

If we are to win, I want to really draw them in and wipe out every last one of them.

My concern is that any survivors here

could drift over to Zhuhai Plain, where Li Mu is doing battle.

Then how far do we withdraw?

To the castle.

The castle? Surely you don't mean Laoyang?

I do.

B-But Laoyang's home to those awful...

No. It can't be.

It can, and it is.

The Fangs of Laoyang will tear the flesh right off that Qin army.

ZHAO