A Highly Honorable Foe is the 857th chapter of the Kingdom manga, written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara.
Synopsis
With Yo Tan Wa's fall in mind, Bajio, Shunmen, Tajifu, and Kitari lead their respective armies on a rampage, overwhelming the Zhao in front of them. Despite their units' overwhelming victories, Shun Sui Ju, aware that Yo Tan Wa and Danto have been taken out, skillfully shift the overall battle in favor of the Zhao army.
At the headquarters of the Yo Tan Wa army, two mysterious, masked figures step forward. The larger one contemplates the situation, commenting that it was bad, and earns a remark of agreement from her father.
The advisors in Yo Tan Wa's headquarters are confused, wondering who the two of them are. One of them recognizes their mask and identifies them as members of the Hundred-Eyed Tribe, the "Sages" of the Mountains, said to be as rare as an ancient panda. The others immediately begin to chatter, wondering why the tribe had chosen to appear all of a sudden.
Gin, one of the other chiefs present, suddenly brings up a vague recollection of something Yo Tan Wa had previously said, about how someone would appear to take command in her place should something happen to her, and speculates that they had never appeared until then because such a scenario had never happened in years.
Udama, the daughter, laments to her father that even the HQ close aides did not properly know of them. Hadama, chieftain of the Hundred-Eyed Tribe, tells her not to lament, and that it was all Yo Tan Wa's fault. Seeing the confusion of the others, he goes on to explain how his tribe had supported Yo Tan Wa for years from her shadow as her strategists, devising strategies and tactics that she claimed credit for, choosing to hide their existence in fear that they would be targeted and killed. The credit for Yo Tan Wa's strategies had made her hailed as a genius by all, and further solidified her popularity.
Hadama rudely confirms that he would be taking command of the Yo Tan Wa Army's headquarters, then begins giving his opinion on the battlefield thus far. He comments that Bajio and the others had greatly demonstrated their rage to the enemy, but any more was unnecessary, and that now, they need to take care not to lose the four.
He predicts that the Feego Tribe would likely be defeated, and concludes that they should focus on the Mera Tribe to their left, justifying his statement with the fact that their opponent was Ba Nan Ji, one of Ri Boku's aides that had a strong army. Hadama speculates that the Feego's disadvantage would spread to Bajio and the others in the center, and that Ba Nan Ji would capitalize on that and crush the Mera, who they had to rely on, and could not be stopped because Shun Sui Ju would gather forces there.
He points out that their center was barely holding together as is, and that Yo Tan Wa, who held enough power to force a change in the battle's situation, was not present, and informs the other advisors at the headquarters that, because time was of the essence, he had, on his own authority, already requested reinforcements.
Hadama and Udama hint at a strategy of feigning death and enduring until an opportunity that comes their way, and that it was a stroke of fortune that the Mou Ten of the Gaku Ka Army, the man with the most flexible mind in their coalition army, waonin the adjacent battlefield.
At the Gaku Ka Army's headquarters, Mou Ten speaks with Nudama, son of Hadama, and learns that Yo Tan Wa had been struck down. He explains that their army would likely be pushed back significantly, and requests that Mou Ten's army cross to their right with 10,000 reinforcements. Nudama apologizes but also makes clear his request for Mou Ten to stop the fallout of the Yo Tan Wa Army's blunder on their battlefield. Mou Ten's advisors are quick to dismiss the efficacy of the strategy, but Mou Ten alone contemplates the suggestion in silence.
Mou Ten asks about Yo Tan Wa, and hears that although her condition was uncertain, the Yo Tan Wa Army was operating under the assumption that she would survive. Mou Ten decides to assist and orders that 12,000 troops be sent to their right, and for his own army to revise how they fought. He declares that they would bring the Ba Nan Ji Army, originally putting pressure on their right, into view as well.
Nudama thanks Mou Ten and reminds him to keep the archer who took Yo Tan Wa and Danto in mind. Mou Ten says that he would send riders to share that information with all the commanders, and asks that the Yo Tan Wa army endure until their reinforcements arrive. Mou Ten's advisors ask him if he was sure of his decision, and he says that it could not be helped, and that the impact of Yo Tan Wa's falling had to be stopped there, lest it affect their entire coalition.
Thinking to himself, Mou Ten wonders if Ri Boku's strategy had been to target the Yo Tan Wa Army first, given that they were the closest to Kantan. He turns his attention to the left, nd asks how the Kyou Kai Army was doing, on the battlefield to the north of Houkin.
An officer reports that their scouts had reported that the Kyou Kai Army was being pushed back, something only natural considering that they began with only 20,000 against the enemy's 50,000. Mou Ten thinks about Ki Sui, Kyou Kai's enemy, a solid general who is bold but does not make mistakes. He decides that the only thing that could tip the balance would be the Former Han Army that the Kyou Kai Army was supposedly using.
At her headquarters, Kyou Kai gets constant reports of her units struggling and needing backup. Her advisors comment that the Ki Sui Army did not have any openings, despite being a large army, and that the Ba Tei Army was not displaying its usual roughness as well. Right as one of her advisors suggests using the power of the Former Han Army, several horses ride up, and Kyou Kai hears someone brush aside those who had come to receive them.
Raku'A Shou introduces himself and states that he had been entrusted with 20,000 troops by Yoko Yoko to aid Kyou Kai and requests permission to divide his forces into two and have each half form a wing of the Kyou Kai Army to stop the enemy's momentum.
The advisors hesitate at the sudden suggestion, but Kyou Kai thanks Raku'A Shou and tells him that she was considering giving his army its strength a little later. A thought flashes across the minds of the advisors in Kyou Kai's camp, of the 20,000 former Han troops betraying them after being deployed to their left and right, resulting in the instant death at the hands of the 70,000 total troops surrounding them.
Raku'A Shou moves to deploy his forces, but Kyou Kai calls him back to speak with him. She tells him that, despite not having crossed swords with his father, Raku'A Kan had been a magnificent Great General of Han, and asks if he held grudges against Qin for killing his father.
Raku'A Shou pauses for a moment and then reveals that he had finally become sixteen years old and had not been allowed to join the previous battle, nor was he called back from his training grounds. He shares his belief that his father was preparing for every eventuality, and that when Shintei had fallen, he had sought to join his father in death, but had been prevented by him.
He thinks of his late father's final words to him, to inherit his will and move forward, and to know the difference between frustration and hatred. Raku'A Shou recounts how his father had said that the Qin army he faced was a highly honorable foe, and how the two battles he had lost were frustrating but honorable.
Raku'A Shou admits that even with how proud his father had been in those battles, it had taken him half a year to settle the matter within himself, the loss of his former state and his father frustrating enough to tear his body apart. Finally, he confirms that there was no more hatred in his heart, and Kyou Kai thanks him for his answer, speculating that her subordinates were likely more relieved than if she had simply approved his actions.
Kyou Kai lets Raku'A Shou know that Yoko Yoko had said that his return had revived the once-lost nobility of the Han Army. Raku'A Shou declares his intent to fight in a way that would not tarnish his father's name. Kyou Kai declares that his army needs a name, and christens them the Raku'A Army. Raku'A Shou thanks her and expresses his gratitude and rides off.
Raku'A Shou's forces bolster the wings of the Kyou Kai Army, and the now-40,000-strong Kyou Kai Army begins to turn the tides of battle against Ki Sui's 50,000-strong army. From a distance, Sei Ka Un watches the battle, silent as a stone. They begin running again, moving swiftly and crossing the mountains like wind, finally reaching the battlefield of their target, Ri Shin of the Hi Shin Unit.
Characters
Qin
- Yo Tan Wa Army
- Yo Tan Wa (Image)
- Bajio
- Shunmen
- Tajifu
- Mera Tribe
- Feego Tribe (Mentioned)
- Danto (Mentioned)
- Gin (Debut)
- Hundred-Eyed Tribe
- Enshu Tribe (Mentioned)
- Hi Shin Unit (Mentioned)
- Ri Shin (Mentioned)
- Yoko Yoko Army
- Yoko Yoko (Mentioned)
- Raku'A Army (Debut)
- Raku'A Shou (Debut)
Zhao
- Shun Sui Ju
- Shun Sui Ju (Image)
- Ba Nan Ji Army
- Ba Nan Ji (Mentioned)
- Ki Sui Army
- Ki Sui (Mentioned)
- Ba Tei Army
- Ba Tei (Mentioned)
Others
- Raku'A Kan (Flashback)
Characters Introduced
Qin
- Hadama
- Udama
- Nudama
- Gin
- Raku'A Shou