How to Create Rebel Soldiers is the 415th chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Summary
Ryo Fui is still wondering about what is going on as the king stated he wants to go through with the ceremony even with the army of Ai advancing. Ei Sei asks the people in the Kinen Temple to be silent. The ceremony is almost over. He states that he wants to see the Coming of Age Ceremony to its conclusion.
Everyone is shocked, but the people agree. Both Ryo Fui and Bi Ki are stunned as this isn't the reaction they were expecting. Ryo Fui tries to grasp what is going on as he then looks around. He sees Shou Bun Kun and realizes that even he is calm as he normally would be making a fuss about now. He then deduces that the king and his faction must have known that the armies of Ai would be coming. As then both Ryo Fui and the Queen Mother asks themselves, when was it that Sei found out.
At the Northern passage, the Ai army is still fighting the 3000 Qin garrison stationed there. The army has an overwhelming advantage. However, some soldiers within the Ai army don't understand why they are fighting Qin soldiers. They were told that they are to help with Kanyou's defenses. A soldier by the name of Men asks his superiors for an explanation, but he is killed instead by the Duke of Juuteki with him stating that he will explain later, but for now they should keep fighting.
The Ai army is actually comprised out of three different armies. The first 10,000 soldiers under general Han O Ki's direct command were sent out from Ai piece by piece to avoid attracting Kanyou's attention. Another 10,000 came from lands of Juuteki, once a small kingdom conquered by Qin a century ago and made into one of their provinces. And the last 10,000 soldiers were recruited from the various cities they passed on route to Kankoku Pass. While each of these three groups held numerous men who were unaware that they were marching towards Kanyou with rebellion in mind, this was especially true for the 10,000 soldiers who had been conscripted with the fake royal seal. Which is why for this preliminary battle, Han O Ki purposely placed the 10,000 freshly recruited soldiers.
Duke of Juuteki who is fighting in the front orders his men to not lead any of the Qin soldiers alive.
Han O Ki states that once someone has a sword to your throat, rebel or not, everything stops mattering. Regardless of who it is coming after your life, then the only thing to do is fight them with all you have. It's kill or be killed, that is human nature. As so the rebel army is born.
Because of the overwhelming odds, the battle is over in a half an hour. However, Han O Ki's methods doesn't end there. Despite their surrender, he had every single one of the 1,000 prisoners executed by beheading.
Rou Ai heads towards Han O Ki and asks him what the meaning is of this. What reason is there behind butchering soldiers that have already surrendered and asks if they shouldn't be headed towards Kanyou already. Han O Ki states that there is a point to this. He picked out 1000 men who still seem to be having second thoughts from their own armies to carry out the executions. Naturally, if they refused to do it, they would join the chopping block. Now every single one of them is obediently swinging their swords. He asks Rou Ai to look at the expression on those men face. After just one battle, they've understood that they've gone past the point of no return. He states that the rebel army is now ready, and they are now a force to be reckoned with. Han O Ki says that he is however concerned about Rou Ai. He asks if he realizes that this is nothing compared what they plan to do once they arrive in the capitol.
Rou Ai tells him to not to belittle him. He states that more than any other person here, he made up his mind as to what needs to be done. They then depart for Kanyou.
Back over at Kinen Temple, Ryo Fui is still wondering when the king found out about the Ai army. He tries to gather information and tries to stop the ceremony once again. He tells the king that he finds it quite odd to continue the ceremony given the situation. He states, as it stands, Kanyou doesn't have the soldiers to stand up to Ai's 30.000 men. Ri Shi deduces, as it stands their forces are so weak that they would fall from just 10.000 troops.
Ei Sei tells Ryo Fui that he jumping to conclusion. He says that Ryo Fui speaks as if he has been driven into a corner. He states that there is no need for him to struggle. Sei tells Ryo Fui one thing. An army capable of stopping the rebels is on its way as he speaks. he is referring to the Hi Shin Unit.
Characters
Qin
- Royal Palace
- Ei Sei Faction
- Ei Sei
- Shou Bun Kun
- Rei
- You
- Kou
- Unnamed officials
- Ryo Fui Faction
- Ryo Fui
- Shou Hei Kun
- Ri Shi
- Sai Taku
- Unnamed officials
- Ei Sei Faction
- You City
- Unnamed officials
- Unnamed citizens
- Unidentified guests and states representatives
- Kankoku Pass Northern Passage Garrison
- Unnamed officers
- Unnamed members
Ai
- Royal Palace
- Ai Army
- Rou Ai
- Unnamed officers
- Han O Ki Army
- Han O Ki
- Han Roki
- Unnamed officers
- Unnamed soldiers
- Juuteki Tribe
- Wa Tegi
- Unnamed officers
- Unnamed members
- Men Unit
- Men
- Unnamed members
- Han O Ki Army
- Unnamed others
Characters Introduced
Ai
Chapter Notes
- Ei Sei continues the coming of age ceremony despite the news of Rou Ai's rebellion.
- The Ai army is comprised out of three different armies.
- 10K soldiers under Han O Ki.
- 10K from lands of Juuteki.
- 10K were recruited from various cities.
- The 10K that were recruited from various cities were unaware of the plan for a rebellion.
- 1000 men of Qin army surrendered.
- 1000 soldiers of the Ai army who had still doubts were tasked to behead the prisoners.
- The Hi Shin Unit heads towards Kanyou.
- First appearance of Men and Duke of Juuteki, Wa Tegi. Wa Tegi is not identified by his name in this chapter.