Underneath the Underneath is the 221st chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Summary
Ou Sen states that they have recaptured the cliff tops while Heki is still surprised on what has transpired but is relieved that the Wei Di is back under their control. Ou Sen tells Kyou En that he has lost. The soldiers with Kyou En are shocked that they are surrounded. They don't understand how they could have overlooked enemy reinforcements. They ask Kyou En what happened. Heki's men are still confused as well and are looking at Heki for answers. Heki notices that there around 5000 to 6000 people on the cliff tops and is asking himself where they came from. He realizes that this was prepared in advance. He deduces that from the very start general Ou Sen saw that he would be defeated by Kyou En.
Ou Sen directs to Kyou En again and tells him all that waits for defeated commanders is death. That is the iron law of the battlefield. The soldiers with Kyou En tell him to escape as they will try holding them back. However, Ou Sen says that he is a merciful man. He says that he will offer one path to escape his faith. This statement shocks all bystanders as he goes even further. He asks Kyou En to serve him from here on. He tells that if he swears loyalty to him and accepts him as his master, he will not only spare his life, but that of his men as well. He says that he will not be treated as a servant, he will reward him with land from his own territories.
However, Kyou En soldiers don't believe this. Ou Sen says that he speaks in earnest. He states that his kingdom is in need of men skilled in warfare such as him. If he would decline, he states that this Wei Di will run red with blood of him and his men. The response however of Kyou En isn't what Ou Sen expected as Kyou En shoots an arrow at Ou Sen as his men block it. Ou Sen is impressed that the arrow pierced the shield of one of his men as it is made out of steel from the lands of Chu. Ou Sen tells his men to capture them alive.
Kyou En tells Ou Sen that there is one think he likes to ask him. Was the fact that their forces had been going so well thus far entirely a performance on his part in the first place. Ou Sen responds that this is right. This however confuses Kyou En's men and asks him what he means. he says that there is a reason why they never discovered that army which is currently holding the cliff tops. It's because they didn't arrive from somewhere else but have been lying in wait before the battle even started. His men are still confused as they shouldn't have been able to set up an army without them catching wind of it. They also have scattered their forces on response to Qin splitting up, they have been keeping track of every movement they made. However, Kyou En says that they didn't keep track of everything. There was one army they didn't have a grasp on. That army is his main army. He states that from the very beginning he knew this location was a special constricted terrain and predicted that the battle would take place here. The reason why Ou Sen's main army withdrew so early was to set up this ambush. To make his withdrawal look natural, he had his forces put up a performance in the early clashes, acting as if they were struggling. It's hard to believe. The opponent's mentality and the course of battle was read by him and just with these tiny hints. He states that he is a real monster. However, to everyone's surprise he didn't talk about Ou Sen, but someone else.
Soldiers are seen flying and everyone his confused on what is going on. Then A man stands on the cliffs. He laughs as he is then revealed to be Ren Pa. He says that Ou Sen moved as he expected.
It was this moment that an incredible phenomenon occurred. The battlefield which was buried in angry cacophony suddenly went silent. All the troops on the field, Wei and Qin alike, simply stopped and stared. Everyone felt a great pressure. Even the enemy realized who he was even without seeing his face or the banners. Suddenly Ren Pa raises his fist in the air. It was truly as if the heavens and the earth itself were shaking as all the sheers are resonating in the mountains.
Characters
Qin
- Mou Gou Army
- Do Mon Army
- Ou Sen Army
Wei
- Haku Ki Sai Army
- Ren Pa Army
- Ren Pa
- Unnamed members
- Kyou En Army (Right Army)
- Kyou En
- Unnamed officers
- Unnamed members
- Ren Pa Army
Chapter Notes
- Ou Sen has an army of 5 to 6 thousand surrounding the cliff tops.
- Ou Sen asks Kyou En to join him.
- Ou Sen talks about his own "kingdom".
- Kyou En shoots an arrow at Ou Sen.
- Ou Sen's men shields is made out of steel from the lands of Chu.
- Ou Sen orders his men to capture the enemy alive.
- Kyou En stalls for time in order for his master to get here.
- Ren Pa comes to Kyou En aid.