Precious Comrade is the 233rd chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Summary
The members of the Hi Shin Unit are in shock as they can't believe that Kyou Kai of all people is seriously wounded. But they also can't believe how many enemy soldiers she killed before succumbing herself. Some saying that she really can't be human. The squad leaders are shocked as they can't believe Kyou Kai is actually a woman. The squad leaders are angry and asks Shin what the meaning of this is. Kyo Gai asks him if he knew about this all this time. However Shin doesn't respond. The squad leaders however can't let this pass and force him to answer as then Den Yuu tells them to stop. He asks them how many times Kyou Kai has saved them up until now. At this point, who cares if she is a woman. None of that means a thing anymore. He tells the others to use their heads. For such a young girl. To be so skilled with the sword, then going as far as to take the battleground while disguised as a man. She must be carrying some great burden or task on her shoulders.
Shin however tells that it's the opposite which surprises him. He tells them that it's the opposite because she is actually empty. However, this confuses everyone. Shin then explains that she grew up in a place that had a system with a bunch of ridiculous laws. In that place, she was planning on sacrificing her life for the sake of her sister. Who she grew up together with. But in the end, her sister was killed, and she was the one who survived. And ever since then, she has been on a journey to avenge her sister. To her getting revenge was the only thing in her life. For someone like her who never thought of a life past the laws of her village, her mission of revenge was the only thing she lived for. Who knows, maybe she was even planning on killing herself right after she accomplished her mission. However, recently she has begun to change herself. Something other than revenge. She has finally started to look past her revenge, for a place where she can return to after it's done. That would be the Hi Shin Unit.
Everyone is quiet as they now understand and realize what kind a life she had. Shin says that he won't ask them to keep pretending as if they didn't notice, but he would like them to keep treating her the same as they have up until now. Because she is their precious comrade. En tells that it will be fine. It's just like Den Yuu said, Kyou Kai is Kyou Kai. Bi Hei however tells that they can't treat her like they used to. They can't just keep things going the same as before. The fact that she is a woman will most definitely be exposed to the enemy someday. Once that happens, you can bet there will be people coming to target her specifically. God knows what will happen if the enemy captures her. To make sure that doesn't happen, from now on they're going to have to use what little strength they have to protect Kyou Kai together. Even if their strength isn't even worth a thing compared to Kyou Kai's.
Everyone starts to smile. They say that is how it is. Hai Rou is surprised that even Bi Hei can say some decent things. Suddenly they then realize that Shin is the one that needs saving. The members of the Hi Shin Unit say that Kyou Kai needs treatments. Because of both Shin and Kyou Kai wounded in battle, it's up to the old timers to get everyone wrapped up. Bi Hei, along with someone else is carrying Shin. The others tell that He should check those wounds too. Shin however says that if you just stop the bleeding, he will be fine. He asks to bring him his horse. He then asks En how the enemy is looking.
En responds that the news of Rin Ko's death seems to have blunted their momentum, but he can 't say they're collapsing just yet. Perhaps the reason for their morale holding is due to a combination of Rin Ko not being a genuine Wei general and the fact that this is a battle to safeguard their homeland from foreign invasion. Shin says that you could say that this is admirable of them. Shin says that he leaves this spot to En. The latter realizes what Shin plans to do. Shin states that there is still one last place he needs to go.
Meanwhile, at the rear of Mou Gou's HQ. The battle between the Mou Gou army and Ren Pa army continues. Ren Pa is cutting through Mou Gou's defensive lines like butter. Mou Gou tells his men to hold the line. The troops up high are asking what the idiots down below are doing. They need to hurry up and kill Ren Pa. He is personally leading the charge. This is a golden opportunity for them. However, for the men fighting him, this isn't a golden opportunity. The reality is that once he is front of you, he leaves you cowering in fear. Ren Pa was a general who possessed the traits of hardness.
Ren Pa and his army are cutting down the enemy one by one. However, Ren Pa is moving too far forward. His men are asking him to come back as he will be hit by enemy Archers. Suddenly, Ren Pa moves his army back downhill. The archers are confused, but they can't let the enemy get away. The archers are about to shoot as then an enemy Cavalry are slicing the archers up from behind them. The archers are confused what is happening and are asking where they came from. Even the soldiers in Ren Pa's main army are confused. They didn't know there was a detachment above them. The men realizes that these are Ren Pa's personal troops and that he used himself as bait.
With this, Ren Pa starts climbing again. The soldiers above realize that they can't stop them. They are already 80% of the way up. The soldiers start to panic as then Mou Gou states that there is still 20% left so there is no need to panic yet. Mou Gou says that by this point, this fort has no more tricks like the maze. All that is left is to dig into their HQ and hold out as long as they can use their terrain advantage. In exchange, Ren Pa also has no choice but to slowly siege their position, pushing his way up one step at the time. One of the soldiers responds that even so, it's only a matter of time before he makes his way here.
Mou Gou says that this is fine. After all, is that not always the Mou Gou army's battle style. A test of endurance. Mou Gou asks his men if they have already forgotten that their forces are comprised of three armies split between himself and two deputies. With each of their roles clear and obvious. First his task is to defend and hold out, never allowing himself, the commander to fall at any cost. During which the two deputy's armies will set out and destroy the enemy. This is the sure win strategy devised by them. One of the soldiers tells that right now Ou Sen has been pushed back to his fortress in the rear and even now, they still don't know Kan Ki's whereabouts.
Mou Gou responds that the fact that even they, his allies have lost him simply means that they can be even more certain that the enemy has no idea where he is either. These surprises the other as they believe that Kan Ki might be planning something. Holding out and believing in that possibility is the way of war that he has chosen.
Elsewhere Kan Ki and his army are moving. They are approaching the enemy HQ led by Haku Ki Sai.
Characters
Qin
Wei
- Haku Ki Sai Army
- Haku Ki Sai (mentioned)
- Ren Pa Army
- Ren Pa
- Unnamed members of Ren Pa's personal unit
- Unnamed Wei's soldiers
- Rin Ko Army (Center Army)
- Rin Ko (mentioned)
- Kai Shi Bou Army (Left Army)
- Kai Shi Bou's personal troops (corpses)
Clan Shiyuu
- Kyou Shou (indirect mention)
Chapter Notes
- The members of the Hi Shin Unit finally learned that Kyou Kai's is a female and demand an explanation from Shin.
- Shin tells the others who Kyou Kai is.
- Shin asks the others to keep treating Kyou Kai as usual.
- Both Shin and Kyou Kai are being carried away.
- The Wei center army has yet to collapse.
- Shin says that there is still one place he needs to go.
- Ren Pa possesses the traits of hardness.
- Ren Pa is being targeted by archers.
- The archers are being attacked from behind by Ren Pa's personal troops.
- Ren Pa used himself as bait.
- Both the enemy and allies don't know Kan Ki's location.
- Kan Ki and his army are near the enemy HQ.