Hero Simulator in Type-Moon, Chapter 35

"You made Liu Bei choose."

Fujimaru Kyoya watched the vast, sprawling tide of refugees. Their marching speed could never outrun Cao Cao's most elite Tiger and Leopard Cavalry.

"To have the benevolence of crossing the river with the people, yet also the ruthlessness to abandon wife and child—this is indeed a man capable of great things."

Zhuge Liang had already steeled his resolve to leave the mountain after that night's discussion with Fujimaru Kyoya. He was merely waiting for the right opportunity.

In the current situation, Cao Cao seemed unmatched after his victory at Guandu, but Guo Jia had died of illness, Cao Cao's ambitions had begun to clash with Xun Yu's ideals, and Jia Xu was like a donkey—wouldn't move without a whip.

This was the turning point where prosperity gave way to decline, and also the best time for him to emerge.

"I'll set up formations along the way to slow Cao Cao's main force. The rest is up to you."

Zhuge Liang looked at Fujimaru Kyoya. This dangerous task could only be entrusted to this friend before him.

Since Liu Bei treated him as a state scholar, he couldn't truly let Liu Bei's wife die in vain. At the very least, he had to bring the child out.

"As always, I'm the one stuck doing these dangerous jobs."

Fujimaru Kyoya sighed, but didn't say much more. After all, between fighting a bunch of muscle-bound brutes and matching wits with a crowd of strategists whose intellect bordered on demonic... anyone would know which to choose.

"Be careful. If something happens to you, who am I supposed to collect my wedding gift from?"

Zhuge Liang suddenly remembered that day at the wedding—this shameless bastard hadn't given a single coin as a gift. So he'd have to get it back when the guy got married himself.

Though this fellow had shown no intention of marrying all these years, who knew when he might suddenly wise up?

"Marriage? I'm not stupid. If I got married, you'd definitely come mooching off me."

Fujimaru Kyoya shook his head. It wasn't that he couldn't afford the wedding gift, but since ancient times, who had ever gotten the better of Zhuge Liang?

He wouldn't mind trying, though.

"If you want to drink at my wedding feast, then... how about next life?"

Fujimaru Kyoya said this, then spurred his horse away, leaving Zhuge Liang alone to seriously ponder how he might collect that wedding gift in the next life.

Chapter 61: Boss Cao's Hobby

[You look at the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry in the distance—Cao Cao's most elite cavalry unit. This was originally supposed to be Zhao Yun's battlefield, but now it's been swapped out for you, this "Zhao Yun."]

[You don't dwell on your identity. These years have taught you not to fuss over such meaningless things, because you've always been indifferent to them.]

[Without any hesitation, following Zhuge Liang's guidance, you quickly find the carriage of Liu Bei's wife.]

Fujimaru Kyoya's iconic white horse and silver spear, along with the armor of Liu Bei's Army, quickly earned him trust.

Lady Gan's guards had also heard that their lord had a strange bodyguard—usually nowhere to be found, but always appearing at critical moments to rescue their lord from crisis.

"Might you be General Zhao?"

Fujimaru Kyoya, being a purely nominal attachment, naturally held no general's title, but Lady Gan still gave him due respect.

"Indeed."

Fujimaru Kyoya looked inside the carriage. Besides Lady Gan, there was another woman with an arrow wound, barely clinging to life. This must be Lady Mi.

"Seriously injured?"

"Don't mind me. I beg you, General, take Chan'er away. He is my husband's bloodline. Please keep him safe."

Lady Mi's face was pale, but her expression was resolute. She hoped Fujimaru Kyoya would take the infant back—even if only this child escaped, it would be a good thing.

"No need."

Fujimaru Kyoya didn't look at the child later known as "A Dou Who Cannot Be Propped Up." His gaze was fixed on the five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry behind them.

"General..."

"Milady, did you know? I'm at least a student of Water Mirror Manor. I know a thing or two about military strategy."

Fujimaru Kyoya finally spotted his target and broke into a grin.

"Military strategy?"

None of them understood what strategy a force of less than a hundred could use against five thousand cavalry. But Fujimaru Kyoya told them to leave quickly—he would handle the rest.

"I'm at least a student of Water Mirror Manor, so don't underestimate me. This 'Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao' should be... a tactic from The Art of War? Probably."

Fujimaru Kyoya spurred his horse into a mad dash toward the five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry. Whether it was actually from The Art of War or not, he knew the principle of striking where the enemy must respond.

Cao Cao's failure this time lay in his haste.

Since Liu Bei's route was heading toward Jiangling, Cao Cao had personally brought five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to intercept him before he could reach it. Even if they couldn't win a fight, they could still escape.

But could an army's marching speed match a single man?

"Kucha Zi, let's go."

Fujimaru Kyoya's mount let out an annoyed sound. The famed Night-Shining Jade Lion had been saddled with the name "Kucha Zi"—not funny at all.

This was already the result of Zhuge Liang's repeated negotiations. Otherwise, Fujimaru Kyoya's original plan had been to call it "Underpants."

Cao Cao had set out with five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry to intercept Liu Bei before he reached Jiangling, but somehow they had stumbled into a maze formation. By the time they emerged, they hadn't found Liu Bei—but they had found Liu Bei's wife.

What a stroke of luck.

Most of Cao's army knew their lord's hobby. When Guan Yu was still around, Cao Cao hadn't shown it, but now that Guan Yu had made his Thousand-Mile Solo Ride, Cao Cao simply couldn't hold back anymore.

If he couldn't catch Liu Bei, then he would catch Liu Bei's wife.

Cao Cao's two heads surged with hot blood, clearly forgetting the time he lost a beloved general over Zhang Xiu's sister-in-law.

"Hm? What is that?"

Cao Cao spotted a white figure charging toward them in the distance—it was like a cloud, utterly devoid of threat.

Indeed, he was surrounded by the unparalleled Tiger and Leopard Cavalry; unless Lu Bu himself rose from the dead, no one could harm him here.

"Reporting to my lord, it's Zhao Yun."

Xiahou Dun had long held the reputation of "seeing a hundred li," and though he had lost one eye, when he had swallowed that eye...

Laying both eyes together, he summoned a giant spray... ahem, his vision remained undiminished.

From afar, he recognized Fujimaru Kyoya approaching alone.

"Zhao Yun? Not only do we capture two ladies today, but we also break Liu Bei of a great general. Yuanrang, can you kill him?"

"Allow Wenyuan to join me."

Though five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry stood by, Xiahou Dun was not complacent.

In battle, facing one man, only three could engage at once; theoretically, if one could keep defeating three, even a thousand troops could not stop him.

Of course, that was just theory—no one had infinite stamina, and Xiahou Dun knew using a thousand troops against one man was overkill.

They still needed to capture Liu Bei's wives; he and Zhang Liao were enough.

"My lord, for a swift victory, let me go as well."

At that moment, Xiahou En stepped forward. The Xiahou clan had all risen thanks to Cao Cao's favor, and he wanted his chance.

He recalled the tale of the three heroes battling Lu Bu.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had held Lu Bu at bay, then let Liu Bei join, staging a fine show that made Liu Bei famous overnight.

Now Xiahou En looked at Fujimaru Kyoya, thinking that with Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao protecting him, he could use Liu Bei's old trick.

Besides, Xiahou Dun was his own kin; he'd give him the kill credit and treat him to a meal afterward—it would be settled.

"You~ always so clever."

Cao Cao was originally from the Xiahou clan, having changed his name after being adopted by Cao Song. Now that his kin wanted to shine, this elder brother had no reason not to help.

"Fine, go with Yuanrang and Wenyuan, and take this sword."

Cao Cao drew one of his paired swords and handed it to Xiahou En, who was overjoyed.

This Azure Cyan Sword was Cao Cao's personal blade. Zhang Liao saw the meaning in giving it—clearly, it was to keep others from stealing the glory.

He didn't care much for the credit, but it was a pity that a strong man like Fujimaru Kyoya would be used as a stepping stone by a nobody like Xiahou En.

"Thank you, my lord."

Xiahou En beamed with the Azure Cyan Sword in hand. Then Xiahou Dun sent a few hundred Tiger and Leopard Cavalry ahead to wear down Fujimaru Kyoya's stamina.

Against such a formidable foe, a preemptive drain was never wrong.

But soon they sensed something wrong—why did the man seem to have no stamina loss, growing stronger the more he fought?

A figure that had once terrified Cao Cao seemed to appear before him.

Lu Bu?

Impossible. There could not be another Lu Bu in this world.

Absolutely impossible.

Chapter 62: Sword God of Changbanpo

"Consort Yu, if you're worried, you could go with him."

Huang Yueying looked at Consort Yu, who seemed distracted. Over the years, even if Fujimaru Kyoya and Consort Yu weren't close, they were at least "friendly rivals." If she was truly concerned, she could follow and see.

"It's fine. That guy is actually strong. I just think their efforts will still be in vain."

For Consort Yu, who had once witnessed the Hegemon-King of Western Chu, few earned the label "strong." Fujimaru Kyoya's current combat performance didn't yet warrant it, but...

"That guy's swordsmanship is incredible, yet he refuses to use it. But this time, if he wants to survive, he'll have no choice."

Consort Yu recalled their sparring sessions over the years. She had once used her immortality to demand Fujimaru Kyoya go all out. That day, she finally saw his sword technique—endless like flowing water.

When asked about it, Fujimaru Kyoya's answer was just two words: "Bored."

Not bored with the "sword," but bored with the "flowing water" style.

Fujimaru Kyoya's simulations didn't erase memories. Even back in modern life, with hard practice, he could at least approach the skill level of his simulator self.

He wouldn't abandon those techniques, but he didn't use this strategy in simulations. If he kept simulating this way, it would become dull.

Such simulations would have no "Shadow" or "Zhao Tian," just one "Lloyd" after another, using his Flowing Water Sword to crush countless simulations.

"Lloyd" had already reached the end of the Flowing Water Sword path, so "Shadow" and "Zhao Tian" had no need to keep exploring it.

Instead, "Zhao Tian" could continue exploring the spear technique that "Shadow" had never mastered.

"You have a lot of faith in him."

"I've merely lived a long time, and in that lengthy life, those who have reached that level in a single skill are exceedingly rare."

Since Fujimaru Kyoya wasn't present at the time, Consort Yu freely acknowledged his mastery in swordsmanship.

That kind of insight was something even the Immortals of the Age of Gods could rarely achieve.

If properly utilized, it would certainly be far more useful than a spear, but Consort Yu couldn't understand how someone his age could possess such skill so early.

Could it be that the fading of the Age of Gods had instead greatly increased the purity of the people in this world?

The fading of the Age of Gods—truly inconceivable.

That day, Cao Cao recalled the fear of being dominated by Lu Bu and the helplessness of facing a monster.

Time seemed to rewind; back then, he had yet to claim victory at Guandu, and he was attacking Xuzhou when Lu Bu ambushed him—that was the moment he came closest to that war god.

That helplessness of having life and death beyond his control, he thought he would never feel again, yet now he sensed it once more.

One man, one spear, and five thousand Tiger and Leopard Cavalry couldn't stop him.

As for capturing Liu Bei's wife?

What a joke—if Fujimaru Kyoya charged again, his own lord's head would be in danger.

Flee?

No, Cao Cao would never flee.

In a battle between two armies, the commander is the symbol of morale. If he fled, what would become of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry? What of the troops pursuing Liu Bei?

More importantly, Cao Cao had confidence in his generals.