It Wasn’t a Martial Arts World, but the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 25: Peerless Warrior and Martial Artists (1)

“Form the ranks!”

The sight of a hundred thousand-strong army arranging itself into battle formations was truly a spectacle.

As the sky gradually brightened, the ground vibrated with the sound of the soldiers’ footsteps.

– Doom! Doom! Doom!

In sync with the drumbeats, the vanguard, led by Wang Kuang, Governor of Henei, and Gongsun Zan, Governor of Beiping, appeared.

They drew their spears and prepared for battle, but what stood out most was Gongsun Zan’s white horse.

When he tapped its thigh, the horse lifted its head, exuding an elegance unmatched by the other rough-looking horses.

“Today, we shall be victorious!”

At Gongsun Zan’s booming shout, the soldiers’ cheers were endless.

Had those marching toward the battlefield ever been this grand and imposing?

They seemed fearless in the face of death.

Rather, Gongsun Zan’s troops clashed their armor and swords, as if victory was already assured.

To an outsider, they might have seemed like savages.

Well, it wasn’t entirely wrong, since Gongsun Zan had expanded his power by absorbing foreign tribes.

In Zhang Yang’s army, where I was positioned on the left wing, I watched their display in a daze until my horse suddenly began to buck wildly, forcing me to break into a cold sweat.

Damn it, I really wasn’t used to riding horses.

Usually, when traveling, I’d just relax and sleep comfortably on Unsam’s back, so my experiences of actually riding a horse were few and far between.

For that reason, Unsam, who was the best rider among us, had been sent to join the vanguard’s cavalry.

It was frustrating, and I resolved to learn how to ride properly one day.

As I was lost in these thoughts, Zhang Yang’s light brown eyes gleamed coldly.

“If the vanguard defeats Lü Bu, we will signal with the blue banner, and you must charge immediately. However, if it becomes apparent that they are in danger, we will raise the red banner, and at that moment, you must secure their retreat. Therefore, always be prepared to enter the fray.”

Even she seemed to change during war.

“Understood.”

I simply nodded without saying much.

Since verbal commands have limits when directing such a large army, signals were typically given using flags.

Never having commanded a large army before, I found this method intriguing.

I was also impressed by how systematically Zhang Yang was managing the troops.

Thus, we arrived at Hu Lao Gate.

The wind blew.

As the wind gusted, it stirred up clouds of dust.

In front of the massive gate, a dense formation of soldiers awaited us.

Among them, the most striking was the figure dressed in red.

With fiery red hair and a long crimson plume flowing from her helmet, she was clad in meticulously crafted armor and wielded the enormous Fangtian Huaji.

She rode atop the famed Red Hare, which moved with a calm, unhurried grace.

As she took her place at the forefront, a crimson battle flag unfurled in the wind.

At the same time, the enemy soldiers raised their long spears and swords to the sky.

This was not the same Yeo I had met in the tavern, the one who had kindly wiped my vomit.

Even from afar, the stench of blood seemed to hang heavily around her.

“Lü Bu…”

A soldier’s voice, trembling with fear, echoed out.

It was a voice filled with dread and awe.

That complex emotion spread like a plague, unsettling the ranks of our hundred thousand-strong army.

All because of a single person.

Indeed, she truly deserved to be called the Peerless Warrior.

No one could say who attacked first.

In that fleeting moment, a sandstorm began to rise.

***

Thirty thousand against one hundred thousand.

Even among Lü Bu’s soldiers, there were those who cowered at such an overwhelming number.

That’s the nature of numbers.

No matter how elite the soldiers, being surrounded by such a vast army stirs fear and unease.

However, that foolish unease didn’t last long.

“You think you can challenge Lü Bu with such pitiful fools?”

-Wham!

With every swing of her halberd, dozens of allied soldiers fell dead.

Her movements were swift and fluid, her strength overwhelming, and atop the Red Hare…

No matter how they tried to surround her, the Red Hare seemed to possess a mind of its own, dodging swords and arrows with ease.

The combination of the mightiest warrior and the mightiest horse was pure terror.

“…M-maintain the formation!”

No one had expected it to be this bad.

Wang Kuang, though wide-eyed in shock at her martial prowess, continued to rally his soldiers as they slowly retreated.

But she was too fast.

One after another, soldiers were cut down.

Never before had I witnessed people being thrown through the air so easily.

“Governor, allow me to step in,” said Fang Yue, one of Wang Kuang’s generals, bowing respectfully.

There wasn’t a trace of fear in his demeanor.

Indeed, every warlord had their own elite.

Just as Dong Zhuo had Lü Bu, Wang Kuang had Fang Yue.

“Fang Yue, advance and claim victory!”

Without another word, Fang Yue struck the thigh of his horse and charged.

“Lü Bu! You arrogant wench! I, Fang Yue, will put an end to you!”

“Hm?”

Lü Bu merely glanced at him with a disinterested expression.

Infuriated, Fang Yue’s face turned crimson, and he charged recklessly, but Lü Bu easily tilted her head and dodged his attack with minimal effort.

He didn’t even have time to regroup.

Lü Bu snatched his face with one hand as he passed by.

“Guh…!”

“Trash. You dare what?”

– *Crack! Crunch!*

Bones shattered.

His eyes, nose, and face collapsed in her grip, crushed by sheer force.

It was strength beyond human limits.

Wang Kuang’s soldiers, witnessing Fang Yue’s gruesome demise, began to lose their fighting spirit.

This was the overwhelming power of absolute might.

The sheer strength that transcended human limitations etched fear into their minds.

With that, Lü Bu tossed Fang Yue’s broken body far away.

“Hah! You’re really fired up now, sis. Weren’t you looking so bored just a moment ago?”

“Shut up and charge already!”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Zhang Liao had followed Lü Bu, captivated by her martial prowess.

Look at them.

The soldiers who had been trembling in fear just moments ago seemed like entirely different people now.

“Cavalry, charge!”

At Zhang Liao’s command, the thunderous sound of hooves filled the air.

There wasn’t even a trace of fear left in them.

Wang Kuang’s forces were utterly helpless as the cavalry suddenly pushed through their flank.

“Brother, how long do you intend to sit and watch?” asked Liu Bei, gritting her teeth as she turned to Gongsun Zan.

“Not yet. Wait a little longer.”

“If we don’t act, the front lines will collapse. Shouldn’t my brothers Yide and Yunchang intervene—”

“Lü Bu is mine. Don’t you dare interfere.”

“…Brother.”

Gongsun Zan seemed to be biding his time.

He planned to encircle Lü Bu by maneuvering his cavalry to surround her and her forces.

Had his White Horse Volunteers been with him, he wouldn’t have needed such a strategy, but they were stationed at the border of You Province, leaving him no choice.

That didn’t make his actions any more justifiable.

He appeared to be aiding Fang Yue in the vanguard, but in reality, holding back like this was little short of betrayal.

Gongsun Zan clenched his sword tightly, closing his eyes for a moment.

‘If I let that brute steal the glory again, the coalition will be humiliated. I must ensure that I claim the victory in this battle. So, Lü Bu’s head must be mine.’

Each person harbored their own ambitions, or so Gongsun Zan believed.

His ambition was to rise.

Even if it meant wagging his tail like a dog and abandoning his pride, he longed to change this corrupt world with his own hands.

At last, Wang Kuang’s army’s formation began to collapse completely.

Gradually, Lü Bu’s forces began to press inward.

Now was the time.

Gongsun Zan’s eyes flashed open.

“Maintain formation and charge!”

Gongsun Zan led his cavalry forward like a bolt of lightning.

Of course, Lü Bu’s forces weren’t easily trapped.

Made up of Bing Province troops, they had fought in countless battles and swiftly adjusted their formation.

Gongsun Zan clicked his tongue in frustration as he continued his charge.

But if he could just take Lü Bu’s head, the battle would be won.

“Lü Bu! I, Gongsun Zan, am your opponent!”

Hearing the menacing cry, Lü Bu, who had been lost in the thrill of slaughter, turned her head toward him.

“Looks like a worthy opponent finally showed up.”

A savage grin spread across her face, baring sharp teeth.

Steel clashed against steel.

It wasn’t over in a single strike, unlike with the others.

They exchanged blows several times.

Eventually, Gongsun Zan pulled his horse to the side and leaned low.

A strike from below—a technique only Gongsun Zan, who had spent his life on horseback, could execute.

If he could pierce the Red Hare and knock Lü Bu off, victory would be his.

At that moment, his eyes met those of the Red Hare.

The Red Hare turned its head as if it had anticipated Gongsun Zan’s movement.

“What…?”

Could that truly be a mere beast?

Gongsun Zan had ridden countless horses in his lifetime, but never had he seen one move with such apparent awareness.

His amazement lasted only a moment.

Lü Bu’s Fangtian Huaji flooded his vision.

Kwoang!

A sound rang out that no ordinary weapon should make.

Gongsun Zan barely managed to block Lü Bu’s strike, but it was clear that this was only the beginning.

She unleashed a flurry of attacks, relentless in her assault, and yet the Red Hare moved in perfect sync with her, as if they were one.

As the barrage continued, the crescent blade of the halberd caught on Gongsun Zan’s sword.

And when Lü Bu pulled back her halberd, Gongsun Zan’s sword was wrenched from his grip, flying from his hand.

“Is that all you’ve got?”

Lü Bu yawned and tapped her shoulder casually.

It was a blatant mockery.

“You wretched woman…”

Despite the humiliation boiling inside him, Gongsun Zan had no choice but to retreat.

With practiced hands, he quickly seized the reins of his horse.

“You, a man, have no pride?”

Lü Bu taunted as she pursued him.

Though Gongsun Zan’s white horse was a renowned steed, the Red Hare was even faster.

The distance between them rapidly closed.

Lü Bu raised her halberd high.

“Stop struggling, you coward.”

She spoke in a tone of boredom.

Just as her halberd was about to strike Gongsun Zan’s neck—

Kaang!

“What is this, one after another…!”

A girl with jet-black hair braided to one side blocked Lü Bu’s attack.

“At last, we meet, Lü Bu! I, Zhang Fei, will bring you down!”

The girl, wielding a snake spear, flashed a refreshing smile.