Young Hyobanshi was sitting on his horse, staring out onto a large village filled with soldiers moving around alongside the smaller and unhealthy looking villagers.
“How many can you see from here?” Arata asked him.
Hyobanshi was in the middle with Arata and Yasuke on either side, the rest of the soldiers lined up behind them in formation.
“It appears that it’s an entire battalion.” Hyobanshi replied.
“This should be fun.” Yasuke said.
“Well…how many men do we have left?” Arata asked.
“About one hundred, but a few have minor injuries that will get worse if they fight.” Hyobanshi quickly replied.
“So what are you suggesting?” Arata asked.
“You’re the one in charge.” Hyobanshi replied.
“I’m asking you what your plan is.” Arata replied quickly.
“You know me too well.” Hyobanshi replied just as quickly.
“And so I’m going to have to follow one of you two huh?” Yasuke asked.
“Don’t have to.” Hyobanshi said with a shrug.
“And go die with all of them? No thanks.” Yasuke replied.
Hyobanshi very subtly smirked as Arata rolled his eyes.
“You two get ten minutes.” Arata said.
“We’ll only need eight.” Yasuke replied.
“Only because of you slowing me down.” Hyobanshi joked back.
Arata chuckled as he rode back towards the large formation.
Hyobanshi looked over at Yasuke.
“Are you sure you can handle this?” Hyobanshi asked.
“Only one way to find out.” Yasuke replied.
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The village was full of men walking around, dressed head to toe in black and green samurai armor. They were walking together or standing at attention outside of homes and shops. The villagers were left to walk around in incredibly dirty and unkempt robes that dragged across the dirty ground.
Hyobanshi and Yasuke were hidden by a small hill, laying down as to not be seen.
“So, any plan?” Yasuke asked.
“I was thinking of just walking in and swinging my sword.” Hyobanshi replied.
“Yeah that sounds like you.” Yasuke replied.
Hyobanshi smirked at him before standing, walking up the small hill until the soldiers could see him.
Two of them drew their swords as they made their way over.
“State your name and business being here!” One of them shouted.
“Name is Hyobanshi…and I’m here to kill all of you.” He replied in a dry, emotionless tone.
The two looked at each other.
In a flash, Hyobanshi’s sword was drawn and he sprinted forward. His sword slashed against both of the guard’s swords, shattering them both before slashing again in the other direction, cutting through their thick samurai armor and sending waves of red blood flying into the air that crashed down onto the bright green grass.
More of the guards ran through the streets, spotting Hyobanshi before they all charged at once.
“Oh shit.” Yasuke and Arata said in unison.
Yasuke quickly ran up the hill as Arata quickly raced forward on his horse, the one hundred men following on their own horses. Hyobanshi stood in between the two armies charging towards each other, gripping his sword tighter.
Hyobanshi continued to stand in the center, on the edge of the village. The black and green armored soldiers were racing through the streets, climbing on top of the buildings to run towards him like a tidal wave. Yasuke ran forward as their friendly forces caught up on their fast horses, every sword drawn and sharp.
Hyobanshi smirked as the guards came close enough, the wind blasting past him like a canon as the fast horses raced past.
Every soldier’s swords were slashed at once. Some connected with other swords creating a loud metallic clang. Some swords connected with horses, causing them to fall and tumble which sent dirt and soldiers flying into the air. Some swords connected with armor, either slashing through and cutting into the flesh or bouncing off at awkward angles.
Hyobanshi was moving faster than anybody could keep up with, darting between bodies as a blur while his sword would strike so quickly that the targets didn’t have time to react before they would suddenly burst into fountains of blood spewing out.
The two armies were clashing with their swords swinging wildly and hitting whatever they could. Hyobanshi continued to move as quickly as a ghost, slicing and slashing with ease. The bodies were falling quickly, neither army backing down or retreating as long as one stands.
The bodies piled faster and faster as Hyobanshi, Arata, and Yasuke were pushed to stand with their backs together, surrounded by nearly twenty men in chipped and damaged black and green armor.
“Well…any plans?” Arata asked.
“Don’t die.” Hyobanshi replied.
“Good plan.” Yasuke replied.
All three men began to slash their swords as the enemies pushed deeper. The three men kept wildly doing whatever they could to block blade after blade while barely being able to dodge any other attacks. Hyobanshi was pushed hard into Yasuke, almost making each other lose their balance.
“Stand as stiff as possible.” Hyobanshi said.
Yasuke stiffened his entire body when Hyobanshi suddenly jumped up and pushed off of his back like a wall, charging forward and spinning around with his blade slashing through four men with ease before he landed on his feet. Arata was pushed down onto the ground when one blade was preparing to slash down onto his golden mask, but Hyobanshi came in to block it with a few inches to spare, Arata taking his sword and stabbing straight up through the men’s chest. Hyobanshi then jumped over the bent over body to kick and stab another enemy while Yasuke threw his arm to send three flying back. They very quickly took down most of them, leaving a single one bleeding from both shoulders and thigh as they sat on their knees. Their mask and helmet were broken as Hyobanshi held his sword to their throat.
“Please…we were…just here…to protect them.” The man said while blood was beginning to pool in his mouth before spitting it out.
“Protect them from what?” Hyobanshi asked.
“From the…evil emperor…that you treat…like a God.” The man replied.
Hyobanshi’s head subtly tilted when Arata’s blade suddenly shot in from the side, stabbing deep into the man’s chest before slicing up to slice open his neck and chin, blood and organs spilling out as Hyobanshi shoved Arata.
“What are you doing?” Hyobanshi asked loudly.
“He disrespected our emperor. You should’ve done the same thing.” Arata replied.
Hyobanshi and Arata were face to face when Yasuke stepped in between.
“Not here.” Yasuke whispered as all of the men looked towards the village.
The villagers were all leaving their homes slowly and fearfully, looking at the trio afraid.
“We should go.” Yasuke whispered.
Some of the women and children walked through the aftermath of war, softly touching bodies and moving them so that they could see the faces. Some kept moving on and on until they found faces that would make them drop to their knees and cry. Women and children screaming and crying as they spotted their husbands and fathers laying dead on the ground.
Arata stormed off without saying a word while Hyobanshi and Yasuke stood together, staring at the grieving families.
“We need to go Hyobanshi.” Yasuke’s voice was heavy and somber but quiet.
Hyobanshi kept staring forward without reacting. Yasuke softly pulled his arm, yet he didn’t move.
After a few seconds of silent reflection, Hyobanshi finally turned and walked alongside Yasuke.
The families watched the men walk away, leaving nothing but pain and death in their wake for no reason.
The dead bodies were slowly moved and lifted off the ground, the soldiers on both sides being carried carefully before the village people dug hole after hole, carefully placing the bodies inside before piling the dirt back on top.
The village people continued to stand in silence over all of the unmarked graves.
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