The duel between Alex and Sa Ji reached its brutal climax. Sa Ji, a whirlwind of swift parries and cunning thrusts, sought to exploit any opening in Alex's powerful attacks. But Alex, now fully immersed in the rhythm of combat, utilized the precise thrust attack from his Page rank, repeatedly disrupting Sa Ji's balance and forcing him to commit to defensive maneuvers. With every clang of steel, Alex felt a subtle shift within him, a surge of honed power. He parried a desperate lunge from Sa Ji, then, with a fluid, blindingly fast swipe attack, aimed for his opponent's neck. Sa Ji, reacting on instinct, brought his own sword up to block. The impact was deafening: Alex's blade, imbued with an unexpected force, cleanly cut through Sa Ji's sword, slicing through the tempered steel as if it were paper. Unimpeded, Alex's blade coursed forward, a silver arc that cleanly beheaded Sa Ji. The Chief Executioner's body swayed for a moment before collapsing to the stone floor, his head rolling with a sickening thud.
As Sa Ji's lifeless form hit the ground, a wave of stunned silence fell over the remaining enemy soldiers. Kaelen, along with Shin and Heki, had already efficiently wiped out the rest of Sa Ji's unit, their combined power overwhelming. In the sudden quiet, Alex felt a profound change within himself. He had reached the Squire rank mid-battle, the culmination of his combat experience and latent strength. The realization settled, quiet but absolute.
Everyone present, even the battle-hardened mountain warriors, was stunned by Sa Ji's swift and decisive defeat at the hands of Alex. The feared executioner, dead in a single, masterful strike.
Meanwhile, Ketsu Shi, his face a mask of desperation, burst into Sei Kyou's chambers. "Your Majesty! Two things to report!" he gasped, panting from his frantic sprint. "First, the mountain people deceived us! They have broken through the Crimson Turtle Gate and are now engaged with Shi Shi and his 300 soldiers in the courtyard!" He took a shaky breath. "Second... Ei Sei seems to be among the mountain dwellers! He's here!" Ketsu Shi's eyes gleamed with a desperate, new plan. "Your Majesty, we can crush them! Rally 10,000 men to the courtyard! We'll defeat their mere 2,000 mountain dwellers and finish this!"
Sei Kyou suddenly burst into laughter, a high, mocking cackle that chilled Ketsu Shi to the bone. "Hah! Allying with the mountain people? That was Ei Sei's last option! Rallying an army of savages is truly fitting for him!" Sei Kyou's laughter died down, replaced by a chilling arrogance. "I am the King of Qin! Not that pathetic fool!"
Back in the palace corridors, Heki, still reeling from the ferocity of the brief engagement, wiped blood from his blade. He was surprised. "Only two of our side unit died after encountering Sa Ji," he muttered, shaking his head. Given Sa Ji's reputation and the number of guards, it was a testament to the strength of Alex's group. With their path now clear, they pressed forward, their destination: the throne room.
In the main courtyard, the battle raged, the combined forces of Ei Sei and Yo Tan Wa still going strong against Shi Shi's forces. Though outnumbered, their morale was high. Ei Sei, seeing the weariness creeping into his soldiers, raised his voice, making it carry above the din. "Victory is within our grasp! Stay strong! Sei Kyou's rebellion will fall if Ketsu Shi and Sei Kyou are defeated!" His words were a rallying cry, echoing off the palace walls.
Yo Tan Wa, a fierce smile playing on her lips behind her mask, echoed his sentiment to her mountain people. "We only need to defeat ten people each! This is a simple task!" Her words electrified her warriors, who roared in response. Even Shi Shi, watching the battlefield, felt a grudging admiration for Ei Sei's ability to inspire his troops.
Now, with Ei Sei's side unit halfway to the throne room, one of the mountain people, heavily injured from the earlier skirmishes, began to falter, falling behind. The pace was relentless, and they had to keep moving forward. Ka Ryo Ten, however, wasn't happy about leaving him. When the injured warrior started to collapse, Shin, without hesitation, supported him, throwing the man's arm over his shoulder to help him keep moving.
"Hang in there!" Shin urged, trying to cheer him up. "Ei Sei needs us! Remember Hyou? He wouldn't give up!"
Ka Ryo Ten's voice was quiet, stark against the urgency of their march. "Shin... he died."