NOVPUBThe long wind blew, the battle flag soared high, and the vivid hummingbird flew on the flag. It symbolized the reinforcements from the capital city, dancing in the air. The air carried the scent of blood from afar, and the wind was filled with fierce shouts. The sky was vast, the earth churned, the battle raged fiercely, and the killing filled the fields!
The aged Samurai stood solemnly under the battle flag, gazing towards the fierce battle to the south.
At the horizon’s end were clusters of fierce skirmishes, while pale yellow dust continuously rose from the tangled formations. At that moment, tens of thousands of Samurai fought desperately, their small figures appearing and disappearing in the dust. They seemed to vanish into an illusory world, a demon’s mouth spewing smoke, leading to the Land of the Dead deep underground!
The old Samurai continued searching. Soon, the inherited Eagle Banner caught his eye. From his perspective, the Royal Banner stood between heaven and earth like the sacred cocoa tree, having inherited two hundred years of glory. It stood stubbornly and still, allowing the ants beneath it to fight, keeping alive all hope!
Seeing this, the old Samurai sighed, silent and wordless. A warm breeze brushed over his new leather armor, bringing rapid calls; the slanting sunlight shone on his gleaming copper helmet, casting a long shadow. Time etched lines of sorrow on his face, leaving only his sparkling eyes.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!" A piercing barrage of arrows came again from the south. Seeing the shifting figures not far ahead, the old Samurai shivered abruptly. He quickly raised his shield and crouched swiftly, as the consecutive impacts "thud, thud" arrived. The surrounding recruits were hit by arrows one after another, screaming tragically as they struggled futilely on the ground. The area under the fluttering flag immediately cleared, leaving only dozens of old soldiers tightly holding their shields.
"Roar, roar!" The Vanguard of the Tekos Militia roared furiously. They could no longer contain the anger in their hearts, unwilling to suffer attacks in vain. These mountain warriors took big strides forward, charging towards the scattered enemy squads. But the agile Longbow Hunters once more retreated, as hundreds of elite Scout Warriors formed up to meet them. The Samurai easily reaped their opponents’ lives with their war clubs swinging.
The war drums sounded, and hundreds of warriors with the Hummingbird insignia on their shields made their strike. The Mexica scouts immediately fell back, maintaining a stay-near-yet-far distance in scattered skirmishes. The Longbow Hunters quickly moved to the flanks, swiftly launching their hidden arrow attacks. More warriors of the capital city fell to the arrows. Among the Vanguard, over two hundred Tarasco Longbowmen also countered simultaneously. They shot down approaching enemies, pushing back the Mexica archers. The thousands of warriors from both sides thus tangled with each other, advancing and retreating, pausing and moving towards the south.
Only then did the old Militia Chiwaco peek from behind his shield. He carefully surveyed the front, and seeing the threatening figures now pushed back, he cautiously stood. The group of old soldiers holding shields continued to move south, escorting the battle flag.
The army formation advanced, leaving the recent battlefield behind. Chiwaco glanced at the severely wounded soldiers screaming on the ground, shaking his head helplessly. Then, he touched the sturdy copper helmet on his head and rubbed the solid leather armor on his body, sighing with relief.
Three days ago, the Chief Minister of the Capital City organized an army to support the king; the Samurai squad to which the old Militia belonged was also conscripted. Under the strict military orders, he could only pick up his weapons, accompanied by his brothers in arms, to depart once again from the grand Capital City and join such a dangerous reinforcement force. Fortunately, before leaving, the Great Master of the Chief Minister was unusually generous for once, distributing brand-new Samurai equipment to every warrior. The craftsmen of the Capital worked day and night; the Capital’s weapons and armor were plentiful, only the battle-ready Samurai were lacking.
"Boom, boom!" Distant cannon sounds came, like the roar of the God of Thunder. Hearing this familiar explosive sound, the old Militia shivered again. He looked towards the southeast, several miles away, where the king’s banner gradually became visible. The vast Mexica legion appeared like dense dark clouds, and the elite Tarasco Royal Army was like a faint crescent moon. Black clouds covering the moon, the Royal Army was being severely suppressed, clearly at a disadvantage.
"Toot, toot!" Urgent trumpeting sounded. The Commander-in-Chief of the Hummingbird Family personally led the Vanguard, standing at the front line of combat. He waved the battle flag vigorously, and the warriors of the center army immediately followed up, joining the prepared strike formation.
Chiwaco blinked, continuing to hold his shield, guarding the fluttering flag. Beside him, a dozen shield-bearing warriors hesitated slightly before stepping forward. Chiwaco, quick and alert, "whooshed" his hand out, tightly grabbing a young Samurai. He suppressed the anger in his heart and cautiously scolded in a low voice.
"Foolish log, what are you doing! The masters are upfront as firewood, burning noisily, bright and clear. We should just watch from behind... what excitement are you trying to join?!"
The young Samurai, also clad in new armor and holding a sharp long spear, had a crooked headband tied outside his helmet, he was the former Militia Weizti. Tying a headband had been his habit for decades of village life. Although he now began to regard himself as a Samurai, it was hard for him to change overnight.
"Uncle, I’m now a respected Samurai master too!"
Weizti lifted his head, puffing out his chest, with a stubborn face.
"The King’s banner is right ahead! That is the descendant of the gods, our last hope as Prepetcha people! I am now a Samurai master, and as long as I break through the Mexica line and rescue the king, I can be promoted to a great noble! And once a great noble, no one will have to suffer again! Perhaps, I can even find my wife and children..."
