"."
"..."
After the brief clash and intimidation came a staring match, a long standoff. Zuwaro was certainly not going ashore to duel a Fish Skin chief who was carrying a great hammer and had arms broad enough to race horses across. On the entire Kingdom longship, the only one who could subdue a startled horse alone the way the other man had was probably the strong Unangan warrior Xiong Da.
But if they truly fought, who knew what would happen? That savage ferocity in the other side's battle cries and killing was utterly different from the simple, steadfast Unangan warriors. And with so many Fish Skin barbarians surrounding them, they might not necessarily keep to the rules of one-on-one combat! No matter what, he had to let these barbarians calm down first before they could have a proper talk.
"Tami-kusa! Light a fire and cook on the ship! We're having fish porridge at noon. Add more of that Wajin rice, and more of the Kingdom's chilies! Let these Fish Skin Tribes stand on the bank, smelling it and watching it, drooling!"
Zuwaro's eyes turned, and he gave the order aloud to the Captain of Warriors, Tami-kusa. The longship anchored there in the river, and the warriors aboard kept watch in the standoff while busying themselves with their own work.
".?"
Soon, under the astonished stares of the Fish Skin Tribe, the tribe on the longship actually began cooking. A faint fragrance of rice drifted toward the bank, carrying with it an extremely special, stimulating aroma that stirred one's appetite. Maha Aguda's eyes went wide. In anger, he clenched his Stone Hammer tight, but his stomach could not help rumbling as well. The Fish Skin Tribe archers around him tried hard to maintain their fierceness, but the saliva they occasionally