A wind just flew past the white lillies, lifting its petals. The petals whirled in the air, slowly touching Zen Shi's body and crumbling to dust.
The aroma of the lilies poked into Zen Shi's nose, intoxicating his head. The white light pierced his eyes. Blinding him and making him fall into that white bed of flowers.
A black figure just stood before Zen Shi; his aura overwhelmed him, and tears rolled from his eyes.
"Wh..who is that?", Zen Shi whispered.
The sound of the wind made him deaf; his mind felt foreign. A feeling of losing everything enveloped him.
"The strongest...what is it?", Zen Shi muttered.
The scenes rushed through Zen Shi's eyes. The scene of a beautiful girl laughing, a man with long hair and a black sword walking into the darkness, along with some others, blood pooling around a body, and the picture of a general wearing red armour, Hia playing in front of him and their pinky promise.
The black figure appeared right in front of him, with his own sword, Kagutsuchi. He raised his arm to swing the sword.
The scene of him and Hia playing together under a tree flashed in his eyes. They both sat under the golden tree, the faded sunlight reflecting in their eyes.
"Zen...what are you most scared of?" asked Hia.
"Fear...that is the thing I am scared the most of, replied Zen Shi.
"Yes...I am scared of fear"
"Zen, then always be with me, said Hia.
"Hia...", Zen Shi looked at her eyes.
"I am also scared of fear, Hia smiled.
"As the strongest Great General...protect our people and me, Hia held Zen Shi's hand.
"I will be the queen, and you will be the strongest general...then we will get married, Hia said and lifted her pinky finger.
"Hia...Heaven may judge me. Hell may claim me. But on this battlefield—only I decide who stands." Zen Shi's aura burned, and his determination made the clouds fumble.
The black figure's sword approached to crush Zen Shi's heart. All the lilies turned crimson, thus awoke Zen Shi, dodging the blade and ceasing it from the man.
"Kagustushi!!!", roared Zen Shi.
Zen Shi swung the sword and slashed away the black figure. The wind rushed, and the figure crumbled to ashes.
Zen Shi pointed the blade towards his heart and stabbed himself. The sword pierced through his chest, crushing his heart and exited through the other side.
"Fear is death, Zen Shi spoke.
"Die, my cowardly self!!!"
************************************************
The men surrounded Zen Shi, determined to protect him until their last breath. They were ready to betray their minds that urged them to treason.
Ri Qu walked from the front. With the sole intention of crushing Zen Shi, the soldiers were ready to engage him.
Another soldier appeared to punch him. In an instant, Ri Qu unleashed a barrage of punches and destroyed his ribs. With a final blow to his chin, Ri Qu ended him.
Nevertheless, the soldiers never left him out of their range. One after the other appeared to hurt him. To buy as much time as possible for their hero to escape.
3 soldiers with the plot of defeating him with their blades surrounded Ri Qu. They drew their blades and aimed at his throat.
Futile...
Ri Qu grabbed one of their swords and, with a front flip, stabbed it into the chest of another. With his fist, he shaved it across his whole chest, cutting open his body into two. Grabbing that sword, he slashed off the head of another soldier. In a back turn, he slammed that sword into the eyes of the last one and ripped his head off.
Now, only the last one was remaining; he stood near the injured Zen Shi. Starrng right into Ri Qu's eyes.
Ri Qu's feat started to move faster...he ran towards him.
"My dead comrades...All hail Han!!!", he roared.
"I will take you down with me..."
Both of them went for each other's throats. Ri Qu swung his blade. But the man evaded it and punched him in the face. For the first time...a soldier had evaded his move and punched him in the face.
Ri Qu's hands trembled, and eyeballs froze. The power of a man who is willing to give his life for the kingdom strangely overwhelmed him.
"Ahhhhh!!!", he roared.
Ri Qu, with a front flip, kicked him on the chest. But he didnt move an inch. The man smiled...dust rose behind him, his long hair moved due to the wind.
Ri Qu unleashed a barrage of punches, destroying the man's ribs. Drops of blood rolled down from his mouth and nose. But he never faltered once.
The red aura enveloped Ri Qu; the man was in his last stance. He knew that he would die with this.
"Till my last breath, I will protect our hero", the man declared.
The force of Ri Qu's kick lifted the man off the ground. He spat blood and moved backwards.
An arm appeared from behind. Strongly enveloping his chest. Preventing him from falling, the muscular hands from which the veins popped out. Tears rolled down his face, the tears of joy.
"All Hail Han," he muttered.
From his back appeared a face. The smoke was slowly moving apart. Ri Qu smiled upon seeing that.
"Your eyes have changed, Zen Shi," Ri Qu complimented.
Behind the man appeared Zen Shi. Starring right at Ri Qu, Zen Shi's dark blue aura enveloped him. He kept the man slowly on the ground. The man looked at the blue skies and muttered...
"I Fa Shin, is thanking the heavens"
Zen Shi and Ri Qu walked towards each other. Slowly, their feet started to move faster. Hitting the ground and raising the ground. Both swaying their hands on either side.
Zen Shi stamps on his sword and raises it above his head. Extending his hands, he catches it in an instant.
"Kagutsuchi!!", he roars.
Both of them plunged into the air...like gods, they headed towards each other. The death match had already begun between a general and a man equivalent to a general.