NOVPUBThe setting sun pierced through the gaps in the forest, casting spotty shadows; a gentle breeze blew across the treetops’ small leaves, playing a rustling, sandy sound. At this moment, as birds had flown afar and beasts fell silent, in this world of interwoven light and shadow, only two people faced each other with a chilling intention to kill.
The silent stare lasted but for a few breaths. Black Wolf Torc was the first to bend down and toss his longbow at his feet. Then, with his right hand, he took out his bronze axe, and with his left fist pressed to his chest, he shouted across to the other side.
"Blessed by the War God Huitzilopochtli! I, the warrior from Tepanecapan, ’Black Wolf’ Torc, challenge ’Hound’ Yuku of Qinchongcan to a duel!"
Hearing the formal challenge, Hound Yuku’s eyes flashed. He nodded slightly, stepped forward a few paces, and then suddenly drew his bow, firing a swift arrow that he was best at!
In the instant of life and death, Torc was suddenly shocked. His reactions were incredibly fast; he swiftly dodged, and the copper arrow grazed past his hair like a bolt of death’s lightning, "whooshing" over his head and then "thud" embedded in a tree. A surge of raging fury rose from Black Wolf’s heart, and as he bent to retrieve his bow and arrows, he roared angrily.
"You!..."
"Qinchongcan’s warrior, ’Hound’ Yuku, challenges ’Black Wolf’ Torc to a duel!"
The arrow had missed its mark, and Hound Yuku’s eyes gleamed again. Only then did he speak aloud, discarding his longbow, following suit with the ritual of a duel.
"This arrow is to pay back for your previous pursuit!"
At these words, Torc’s movements paused. He narrowed his eyes, took in the calm, statue-like Yuku, then slowly straightened up and gripped the bronze axe in his hands more firmly.
"Let the divine spirits be our witness; let the sacred duel decide who the strongest warrior is!"
Yuku nodded. He drew his spear, gave it a slight shake in his hand. The sharp bronze point, as if endowed with spirit, traced agile paths in the air, as the peerless samurai began to run with small, rapid steps.
Torc took a rattan shield from behind and gripped it lightly with the four fingers of his left hand, slanting it in front of him. Then, raising his right arm with the war club’s tip pointing backward, he coiled his strength without releasing it, and likewise started racing forward at a rapid pace.
The distance of a hundred steps was closed in an instant! Yuku’s gaze was icy as he took a leaping step forward, plunging his spear viciously toward Black Wolf’s waist and abdomen. Facing the fierce thrust, Torc’s body bowed slightly like a reed, swayed to the side in a light dodge, then raised his left arm with the shield for defense, and his right arm swiftly chopped forward, his war club striking at the hound’s spear-wielding left arm.
Yuku made an agile leap, his left wrist loosened and then recoiled, while his right hand shot forward. The spear, like a star picker, dazzled, as the golden copper spear aimed straight for the Black Wolf’s neck. The tip of the spear shimmered with cold light. Torc squinted his eyes and swiftly raised his shield to guard, then pivoted his body and chopped forward. The obsidian blades of his war club glided down the shaft of the spear, poised to sever his opponent’s right hand! Yuku reacted instantly with another sideways leap!
Su’angua watched intently from a distance, his gaze unblinking, his expression exceptionally tense.
The hunting dog’s spear weaved like a dragon, never straying from vital targets; the Black Wolf’s club was like a gust of wind, arriving in the blink of an eye. The two top-tier samurai - quick as falcons, masterful and precise to the utmost degree - advanced and retreated, attacked and defended with agile, strong bodies and simple, accurate movements. Their weapons had yet to clash even once, but their bodies were constantly dancing on the edge of life and death!
This was a duel between a wolf and a dog! This art-like battle represented the pinnacle of martial arts. The rapid exhaustion of mental and physical energy, where a single mistake could welcome a fatal strike from the opponent. After just two or three minutes, both the hunting dog and the Black Wolf began to tire, their chests heaving slightly, breathing heavily.
The thrill of life and death made one’s scalp tingle with heat, and the self-forgetting struggle brought comfort to the entire body! In the midst of the fierce battle, Torc’s eyes grew brighter. He smiled slightly, savoring the pleasure of fighting with his opponent. Within a close distance of two steps, Yuku’s face turned red, but his eyes were filled with murderous intent.
Startled by the movement through the forest, a sharp red bird burst into flight not far from the north, chirping as it flew across the sky. The incomparable warrior glanced briefly, his expression unchanged, but he made his decision in his heart! He slightly crouched, holding the spear horizontally in both hands, and lunged forward once more, aiming for the chest and abdomen of the Black Wolf!
Torc concentrated fully, his eyes tracking his opponent’s swift movements and shifts in form. Yuku was the strongest adversary he had ever encountered, and this duel was the greatest challenge he had ever faced! Facing the familiar thrust, the Black Wolf once again pivoted to the side and raised his shield, the war club lifted diagonally, ready to strike down!
This time, the hunting dog Yuku did not dodge at all. He let out a fierce shout, and his spear pierced the rattan shield for the first time. Then, with force, he thrusted it upward, forcing the Black Wolf to abandon his shield. Next, he dropped the spear with both hands and continued to advance, closing within a step of the Black Wolf. His left fist shot out swiftly, striking the opponent’s lower jaw, while his right hand reached for the bronze axe at his waist, ready for a deadly chop!
The spear thrust forward, and with a forceful deflection, the Black Wolf was compelled to release his grip, a shock flashing through his heart. He tilted his head to dodge a close-range punch, but his eyes fell on the opponent’s waist. In the split second of lightning-fast reflex, Torc had no time to think. He relied purely on a warrior’s instinct, exerting all his strength to charge forward, violently colliding with hunting dog Yuku.
"Bang!" Both stepped forward and collided fiercely. Yuku’s right hand grasped the axe handle, but the Black Wolf’s left hand had grabbed it too. Torc swung his right fist, punching the opponent’s midsection, and immediately felt a pain at his own waist. Then, the two head-butted, fighting fiercely, and with a "bang," they collided again!
Torc shook his head vigorously, dizzy from the direct blow. He held down the opponent’s right hand that gripped the axe, and his own right knee drove into a knee strike, which Yuku forcefully returned. A strong knee impact hit the back of the thigh, causing muscle spasms and an immediate loss of balance. The intense close-quarters struggle lasted but a breath, and both men soon shook, entangling and tumbling to the ground, then wrestling like wild beasts once again.
"You go, help the Great General kill his opponent!"
Su’angua’s eyes widened as he anxiously watched the two samurai engaged in close combat. He pressed on his aching right arm and shouted at the last two Imperial Guards with a stern voice.
"Go, kill him! Forget about the duel!"
The two Copper-axe Guards hesitated briefly but then responded in unison. Their expressions fierce, they drew their bronze axes from their waists and headed towards the battlefield a hundred steps away.
"Ha!"
The hound Yuku’s face was blood-red as he pinned Black Wolf firmly beneath him. Thanks to the potion, he temporarily maintained more abundant strength. His left hand slowly choked Black Wolf by the neck, while his right hand gradually broke free from the other’s grasp, slowly yet resolutely drawing his bronze axe!
The sharp edge of the axe glinted with a murderous cold light, and its smooth copper surface reflected a chilling smile. Black Wolf Torc’s face was swollen red, but his eyes shone bright like stars. He tried to protect his neck with his right hand, struggling to keep breathing, his left hand still desperately clinging to Yuku’s right wrist, resisting the approach of death.
Faced with Black Wolf’s last struggle, Yuku, who was usually indifferent, showed a trace of cruel pity on his face. He shook his head slightly and pressed down hard with the bronze axe, bringing death closer and closer to his opponent’s chest! The sharp chill pierced the skin, bringing a hair-raising coolness. Black Wolf clenched his teeth, feeling the call of the Divine Kingdom becoming clearer and finally, a look of despair appeared in his eyes.
"Whiz!!" A swift bolt of lightning suddenly struck, bringing with it a howling wind! It "pfft" pierced through the sturdy leather armor, and then "hiss," buried deeply into the soft body. Fresh blood instantly spattered, taking away the warrior’s exceptional life force.
"Uh... ah...!"
The warm liquid dripped down like a spring, flowing over the cold bronze axe, landing on Black Wolf’s barely scratched skin. For the first time, the blood of two top warriors mingled together, their formidable lives about to be decided by life or death. Black Wolf’s spirit surged, and in that moment, the hand choking his neck suddenly loosened, the strength pinning him down promptly dissipated. He immediately exerted his power, pushing Yuku away, and then quickly rolled twice, swiftly jumping up from the ground.
"Whiz!!" Another feathered arrow shot through the air like lightning! The copper arrow was extremely accurate, hissing as it passed through the throat. A dozen steps away, an Imperial Guard’s eyes suddenly widened, a "heh-heh" sound from his mouth, as he fell backward, dead.
Black Wolf Torc half-squatted, gasping for air in huge gulps. He turned his head back warily, only to see, eighty steps away, a weathered and familiar face, looking over with concern. Upon seeing this, Black Wolf couldn’t help but bare his teeth, revealing a brilliant smile of someone who had survived an ordeal.
"Go... hurry!... Take him away!!"
The hound Yuku lay on the cold mud, his life’s warmth continually ebbing away from his wound. That previous arrow was exceptionally precise and powerful, deeply stabbing into his lower back, and in an instant, taking away all his strength. The pain from his innards twisted his eyebrows, his body convulsing continuously. However, the loyal Great General still looked towards the last Imperial Guard, struggling to issue his final command.
"No! Yuku, my hound!!"
Su’angua stood still in the shadow of a shrub, crying out in despair, tears brimming in his eyes. He watched Yuku lying not far away, bathed in the golden-red light of the setting sun. The red of death flowed out from beneath the hound, rapidly spreading across the ground, pooling into a shallow puddle. The familiar bloodstain was so vivid, accompanied by the red twilight, it entered the King’s vision and also veiled his sky, as if the red kingdom had descended.
"Go!!"
Hearing the King’s cry, the Great General Yuku turned his head with effort. He didn’t care to look at the enemy who had given him the fatal blow, only trying to open his eyes wide, using all his strength to let out his last call from his torn lungs.
"Whiz!" Another deadly arrow came flying. The last Imperial Guard flipped over, falling to the ground, struggling weakly on the mud. His body rolled out the last traces, like a cocoa tree that had fallen in the forest.
The young King turned around dazedly and stumbled into the woods. At sunrise, he led tens of thousands of troops with endless confidence and hope, heading for the majestic Capital City; and as the sunset fell, he was left alone, desperately dragging his wounded body, escaping into the deep and dark jungle.
Black Wolf Torc’s eyes widened, sniffing the air in confusion. He saw the last wounded Imperial Guard staggering away. Looking closely, the familiar figure, that familiar profile, always gave a sense of recognition, just like, just like... Black Wolf’s eyes suddenly widened. He leapt up from the ground with a shout of extreme excitement.
"The big fish, the real big fish!"
Black Wolf Torc quickly bent down, picking up the bronze axe that had nearly killed him. Then, pressing his left hand over the wound in his chest, not even bothering to dress it, he chased after the fleeing King like the wind.
Watching this, the hound Yuku closed his eyes in despair and pain. His life had only moments left, even the most valiant samurai was destined to enter the eternal world of the deceased.
The wind rustled, leaves whispered. Bertade, carrying a longbow, quickly stepped out from the woods. He came silently in front of the hound, watching the fierce rival about to leave this world. Drenched in sunset, red birds sang at the edge of the sky, their clear voices like the illusions of boyhood dreams.
"Haha! I, Black Wolf Torc, have caught the King of Tarasco!! I, Torc, am the most peerless warrior!!!..."
The long wind rolled, bringing with it a profoundly satisfying laughter, and the joyful shouts of triumph. Great General Yuku opened his eyes once again, tears falling from the corners.
"Yuku, you are a worthy opponent, leave your last words!"
The Head Warrior, holding a short dagger at his side, squatted down, looking at the dying warrior.
"... I am a loyal hound, dying before my master... That’s the bygone Kingdom, the bygone legion... the bygone... people of Prepetcha..."
Great General Yuku’s eyes widened as he murmured. Delusions at the edge of death brought a smile to his face once more; he looked towards the most majestic sky under the sunset, and into his dreams, the life without regrets. In the crimson sky, there was a red kingdom. In the red kingdom lay a bygone land.
