As they moved through the grand halls towards the throne room, Shou Bun Kun walked with a hopeful gait, clinging to the slim chance that Ou Ki might yet ally with Ei Sei. He approached the Great General, who was now at the very threshold of the throne room. "General Ou Ki," Shou Bun Kun began, a plea in his voice, "surely now, with the rebellion crushed, you will.."
Ou Ki cut him off with a dismissive chuckle. "Shou Bun Kun, you should stop with the jokes. My path is my own."
Ei Sei, standing nearby, remained utterly unfazed by Ou Ki's dismissive stance, his posture regal and determined. Ou Ki's gaze, however, settled solely on the young King. "I wish to speak to the King alone," he stated, his voice resonating with an unspoken challenge.
Shou Bun Kun's hopes surged anew. 'Perhaps Ou Ki might truly ally with them after all!' he thought, interpreting the request as a sign of deeper engagement. He quickly made arrangements, ushering Alex, Yo Tan Wa, Shin, Heki, Ka Ryo Ten, and all the other mountain people and soldiers to wait outside the throne room, ensuring complete privacy for the two kings.
Ou Ki stepped into the throne room, stopping a respectful distance from the now empty throne. Ei Sei walked towards it, his stride firm and deliberate. As he reached the throne, he turned to face Ou Ki, then, with a voice that echoed through the grand chamber, he shouted for everyone, both within and outside, to hear. "I will become the one and only King of China!"
Ou Ki's lips curled into a broad, knowing smile. "Hmm. Only one other king has stated those words, as foolish as that." His eyes, filled with a distant memory, softened slightly. "A man regarded as 'the God of War'."
Ei Sei met Ou Ki's gaze, his own eyes burning with conviction. "You are still chasing after King Shou's shadow, General Ou Ki. You don't have a place to land. If you accept King Shou's death, if you finally let go of that obsession, then you will be able to begin soaring across China, a true monstrous bird of Qin!"
Ou Ki stared at Ei Sei, the young king's words cutting deep, stirring a powerful, painful truth within him. It was a truth he had long denied, a wound he refused to heal. The memory of King Shou, vivid as if it were yesterday, washed over him: Shou, in his advanced age, passing on his grand dream of uniting China. "You will be my wings, Ou Ki," Shou had said, his eyes burning with conviction. "Fly and achieve what I could not." Ou Ki had replied, "I wouldn't be able to fly again, My King, for you are gone." He had believed there would never be another king like Shou, one who chased such a 'childish' dream with such devoted passion. But Shou had simply smiled. "One day, someone will come with the same dream I has. Until then, Ou Ki, you must sharpen your fangs, even if you do not fly."
Now, looking at Ei Sei, Ou Ki saw it – the almost identical, devoted eyes. The unwavering conviction that mirrored his late master. A profound understanding settled over him.
Ou Ki turned to the now-visible Shou Bun Kun, who had returned, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. "Shou Bun Kun," he rumbled, his voice holding a hint of respect, "I understand why the General acted like an idiot." He then met Ei Sei's gaze one final time, a challenge and a prophecy in his voice. "King Ei Sei, you should gain the power to back up these words." Without another word, Ou Ki and his army turned and began to leave the courtyard of Kanyou, their departure as impactful as their arrival, leaving Ei Sei to claim his throne.