Heart-pounding Random Box Opening
Heart-pounding Random Box Opening
In the end, a sword's purpose changes depending on whose hand holds it.
In a bandit's hand, a sword can become a vile tool of slaughter.
In the hands of the righteous, that same sword becomes a means to protect the innocent.
She knew this well.
Born in the far-off land of Liaodong, she had long regarded herself as a single blade. And so, she began to wander the realm in search of a master worthy of her service.
Her first candidate was a renowned warrior who had made a name across Xiliang and Bing Province, the current Governor of Hedong, Dong Zhuo.
Unlike the incompetent, feeble governors and officers, this was a woman said to personally ride a fine steed and hunt down the barbarians who plundered the borders.
Thinking that a person who could rightly be called a hero might become her master, she first turned her steps toward Hedong.
But the moment she arrived in Hedong to serve under Dong Zhuo, another name began to reach her ears.
The scion of a prestigious house, a man who had fought the tyranny of the Ten Regular Attendants in the capital Luoyang and been driven out to Hedong—and who, even amid such circumstances, had foreseen the coming national crisis and used his own private funds to train soldiers.
General Who Guards the North, Yuan Shu.
The news that this man, already known favorably to some degree, was now gathering soldiers through the officials of Hedong kindled the curiosity she felt upon her arrival.
Though she had set a target and come this far, it was only to confirm a candidate; she had not yet resolved to serve Dong Zhuo as her master.
Since she was choosing someone to entrust her life to, using another opportunity could hardly be a bad thing.
And so, nearly a few months after entering Yuan Shu's command.
In her life, which had begun as a low-ranking Han officer...
Nothing in particular had happened.
Although there had been several battles during that time, and her side had won every one, she had never once had a chance to distinguish herself.
Perhaps because she had joined last and lacked seniority, or perhaps because her master-candidate, General Yuan Shu, possessed such exceptional strategies— By the time the unit she belonged to was committed, the battle was already almost won.
Winning is good, and confirming that a master-candidate's ability is outstanding is also good.
But what use is a peerless blade, no matter how fine? Even if it isn't steel, it needs a chance to cut at least a radish to show what it can do.
And as for going to Dong Zhuo instead, the Dong Zhuo in question had ended up moving together with General Yuan Shu, rendering the point rather moot.
In the end, for better or worse, she had to earn merit here.
So, even in that frustrating situation, she watched for an opportunity, biding her time and eyeing the circumstances hungrily.
And heaven helps those who persevere. At last, as if answering her wish, heaven granted her an opportunity.
In the chaos of the melee, General Yuan Shu had the bad luck to become the enemy's target.
Even to her eyes, it felt like a bit of a cheap shot, a sudden crisis unfolding out of nowhere. But seeing it, she flashed a triumphant smile and charged toward that spot alone.
By good fortune, the distance was close.
Arriving at the precarious moment the formation was breached, she planted herself before General Yuan Shu and at last drew the greatsword she had not once unsheathed in months, carrying it only on her back.
Realizing that the Yellow Turbans surging before her eyes could look this lovable.
As though releasing months of pent-up frustration, she began to swing her blade freely, pouring all her stifled feelings into every stroke.
*
The Yellow Turban bastards kept swarming like cockroaches.
In this godawful situation, having accidentally drawn the enemy's aggro, I felt genuine bewilderment.
True, my armor was conspicuous, but this spot was a fair distance from the battlefield proper. I'd thought there was no chance of being discovered, especially with the enemy's morale shattered and a chaotic melee underway...
My cursed luck was swinging a merciless morning star right into my face.
Zhang Liang—tentatively identified—had spotted me and was screaming at the top of his lungs as he charged. The moment they heard that, or simply got swept up by the people around them running, Yellow Turbans began surging toward my position.
Not just one or two—at least tens of thousands converging to capture me alone. Worse, this location was on a hill where escape was impractical, so fleeing the Yellow Turbans closing in from all sides wasn't easy either.
In this situation, I had only one choice left.
Whether it was Ji Ling or Lady Dong Zhuo, I had to hold out with sheer stubborn grit alongside whatever guards were nearby and wait for someone to rescue me.
I'd believed that since these were handpicked elite soldiers, they'd hold out for at least a little while... and believing that made me the idiot. No matter how excellent they are, how can a few hundred stop tens of thousands from pushing through?
We'd set a fairly solid position, but in the end, the soldiers' formation was torn apart in minutes.
Yellow Turbans pushed through the gap.
Watching this, I braced myself with a certain grim resolve.
Though I was in a position to be protected, I'd still trained my martial skills beyond the basics for the sake of survival. I steeled myself to hold out at least until Ji Ling arrived, tightening my grip on my sword as I looked at the Yellow Turbans who had reached me. I could only hope that Yuan Shu's martial stat—which in some games reached 60 or 70 when Lü Bu's reached 100—might shine, even if only by a fingernail's breadth.
But then...
—Swish!
"?!"
In an instant, before my resolve even had a chance to register, the Yellow Turbans' heads went flying. The speed was invisible to the eye; for a moment I just stared blankly.
Then a woman wearing the uniform of the government troops entered my vision.
Blonde hair tied in a ponytail, dark eyes. Judging by her attire alone, she looked no different from any ordinary soldier, but she was swinging a massive greatsword—one an ordinary person would struggle even to lift—and literally blending the Yellow Turbans charging at me like a mixer.
"Wha— what the hell is that bitch?"
"Damn it! D-Don't panic! The hilltop is right there! Push through somehow!"
Zhang Liang—tentatively identified—and his subordinates shouted frantically, urging their soldiers on. But the Yellow Turbans' wave-like momentum collapsed in an instant. Watching their comrades fall planted a heavy terror in their hearts: if they took one reckless step forward, they could die just as easily.
And momentum, once broken in a single moment like that, began reversing into an opportunity for me and the government troops.
"Now! All units attack!"
At my command, our soldiers began pushing back the wavering Yellow Turbans.
At the same time, the mysterious woman who had saved me swung her greatsword ahead of me, swiftly cutting down more of the enemy.
Like biting the giant's pinky toe the moment it hesitated, we chewed into the enemy and bought time.
Then—
"My lord!!!"
"!"
A loud voice that was both familiar and, today, especially welcome.
Before my eyes, Ji Ling finally appeared, having literally torn through the encirclement, along with the several thousand cavalry she led.
"A-are you all right, my lord? Are you injured anywhere...?"
"I'm fine. For now, continue the battle."
"O-okay, my lord."
Ji Ling was visibly flustered in a way unlike her usual self. After hastily steadying her, we set about exterminating the Yellow Turbans still teeming in every direction.
The Yellow Turbans had gambled everything on one last push toward my position. But now, with even that gamble ruined by the intervention of an unidentified woman, their morale began to plummet visibly.
And in this situation, I knew exactly what to say to make them love dying.
"Those who surrender will be spared! Throw down your weapons and yield!"
A lifeline cast to an enemy already exhausted beyond measure with even their last will to resist broken.
Right after, an impressively predictable scene unfolded before my eyes...
The magic trick of prisoners multiplying in an instant began to play out.
"Wh-what are you doing!"
"Get a hold of yourselves! Do not throw down your weapons!"
Zhang Liang—tentatively identified—and the leaders began to panic in earnest as they watched the Yellow Turbans collapse in an instant.
But despite their shouts, the Yellow Turbans, whose morale had already been driven into the dirt, mostly chose to lay down their arms, save for a few.
"This... this cannot be... this cannot be!"
"General! We must retreat! There is no other way!"
"No! Absolutely... absolutely it cannot end like this!"
"General!"
Amid cries that bordered on screams, Zhang Liang—tentatively identified—was dragged away by his subordinates. Having realized no hope remained, they swiftly fled on horseback into the forest with their remaining soldiers. A flight born of quick judgment. For us, tied down by the fighting there and unable to pursue, it was a frustrating outcome—but for them, it was an exceedingly wise conclusion.
Having confirmed that the situation was rapidly being brought under control the moment we escaped that crisis, I turned my gaze to the blonde woman, who was now kneeling before me with formal deference.
I felt curious who this person, who had saved me with such stupendous martial prowess, could possibly be.
"Raise your head."
"Yes."
I hadn't noticed in the chaos earlier, but her face was unexpectedly quite beautiful.
Looking at it, I asked in a calm voice,
"I wish to thank you for saving me. Your martial strength is remarkable."
"You flatter me, General. I am but a common soldier in your service, and I merely did my duty."
Her voice trembled, and her face flushed slightly. Anyone could see the excitement and anticipation written on her.
Seeing her like that, my own anticipation grew.
Someone who had distinguished herself naturally expected a reward—which meant I needed something to give her in return. More precisely, it meant I had what you'd call a recruitment opening.
Who could this be? Though the timeframe and location were a bit awkward, this world was twisted in many ways, and in that instant, the names of numerous renowned warriors began surfacing in my mind.
Given the incredible martial prowess she'd just displayed, she had to be a major named character, right?
Could it already be Sun Jian? Sun Jian is good. The Tiger of Jiangdong and Sun Quan's fa— no, in this world, her mother. If I snag her, Huang Gai, Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, and the rest come as a bonus prize later!
Or maybe Lü Bu? I'd worry about betrayal, but that's not bad either. The Mightiest Warrior under Heaven, martial 0-tier, S+-rank fierce general. If I somehow acquire Red Hare from Dong Zhuo and gift it to her, and later help her get lovey-dovey with Diaochan, she probably won't stab me in the back.
Surely it can't be my favorite, Liu Bei... no, her battle power looks too extraordinary for that. Or what if one of the other Peach Garden brothers—no, sisters—Guan Yu or Zhang Fei, somehow drifted here? That'd feel a little weird, but it's good in its own way.
"What is your name?"
I asked the question with my heart pounding.
It didn't feel like mere imagination that, at the moment of cracking open a random box, the dazzling golden S-rank effect that scatters brilliant light was flickering before my eyes.
The name that reached my expectant ears was...
"I am called Xu Rong, from Liaodong in You Province."
"?!" An extremely familiar place name had been followed by a name with such catastrophically low name recognition that I went blank for an instant.