The Romance of the Three Kingdoms: Lu Bu is good at being filial

＜ Martial God Chronicles, Prologue (2) (Free until here) ＞

Rising to fame.

Achieving merit and making one’s name known.

For an official, especially a military officer, it is a natural thing.

It is only natural for a person to want to make their name known throughout the world.

From the establishment of the Xia Dynasty in this Central Plain, through the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the Spring and Autumn Period, and the Warring States Period, to the present day, rising to fame has been the foundation of the world for the people of this land.

That naturalness is now broken.

“Deception… you say?”

Yuan Shao could not understand.

“The real Lü Bu?”

Thump, thump, thump.

The military flag of Lü Bu fluttered with the sound of drums.

Wearing Hua Xiong’s armor, riding Hua Xiong’s horse, wielding Hua Xiong’s weapon, and cutting down many warriors.

Not with the gray halberd, but with the Mi-cheom-do, proudly raising his head.

“If he had fought from the beginning, all the military achievements would have been his, so why?”

Everyone knew.

The fake Hua Xiong was Lü Bu.

But until he revealed his true self, everyone thought he was Hua Xiong.

The military achievements were mixed.

Just that alone made half of the warlords here unable to understand Lü Bu’s actions.

In many ways.

“You, you coward!!”

The lord, Wang Guang, shouted while pointing his finger.

“Hiding yourself, how cowardly! Pretending to be weak and killing the warriors!!”

Indeed.

That is correct.

“Did you not think of raising your own name, but instead tried to pass the credit to Hua Xiong!”

What is the meaning of establishing one’s name and fame?

It is to establish one’s position or status and to widely spread that name and fame.

Of course, it should not be infamy.

To be a hero whose name is remembered in history – that is what it means to be a man.

Thousands of years later, future generations should mention the people of the time without a shred of shame.

But what did that Lu Bu do?

“Deceiving people cowardly, raising Hua Xiong’s reputation while lowering his own!!”

He killed the warriors with deceit.

The dead warriors would think they were killed by Hua Xiong.

“The warriors who went to the afterlife first must be weeping! Not because they fought and died against Lu Bu, but because they died to Hua Xiong!”

It is not respectful to the warriors.

Why on earth did he do such a thing?

“Is he even a brother to Hua Xiong!”

Could he be related to Hua Xiong?

“Is Hua Xiong his father! He did not think of raising his own fame, but only established Hua Xiong’s military achievements!”

The lord, Tao Qian, shouted with veins bulging in his neck.

“We consoled the spirit of Zhao Biao, thinking he was killed by Hua Xiong, but it turns out it was Lu Bu! Now I understand! The Hua Xiong on the wall was you!! It was not Lu Bu, but actually Hua Bu!”

As Tao Qian said, Lu Bu had already killed many warriors under the name of Hua Xiong.

“He must have laughed when he killed those who thought they were fighting Hua Xiong!”

He captured Liu Se, and killed Zhao Biao and Zhao Mu.

From Fan Feng, Mu Shun, Fang Lie, Wu Anguo, to Sun Jian.

He killed or defeated all of them under the name of Hua Xiong.

“Why did he not simply say he defeated them himself…!”

Poh-shin laments.

“After achieving such military merit, how could you pass that merit to another?”

A pure warrior’s question and lament.

“Now, the people of the world will have doubts. The real Hua Xiong and the fake Hua Xiong… Who is who among the generals killed by Lu Bu?”

Those on the battlefield would know exactly.

“If Lu Bu had captured them all from the beginning, his fame would have risen even higher…!”

But some, especially those who don’t know that Lu Bu pretended to be Hua Xiong, will surely be mistaken.

“He mixed Hua Xiong’s name into his own achievements, making it impossible for everyone to recognize Lu Bu’s prowess!”

Hua Xiong killed two of Sun Jian’s subordinates, including the chief general of several lords, and even defeated Sun Jian.

“How could he not monopolize the merit and instead cut his own flesh in such a way!”

Those who rose to the position of lords by achieving military merit could not understand.

The lords, who inflated even small achievements to raise their reputation and somehow created nonexistent achievements to gain merit, could not understand Lu Bu’s actions.

“Dong Zhuo! Dong Zhuo has brainwashed General Lu to the bone!”

Therefore, they had no choice but to judge according to the way they had lived until now.

“How did he deceive General Lu to make him wear Hua Xiong’s shell and fight in his place! What did he say to General Lu to make him accept it so willingly!”

Like the lament of Beihai Governor Kong Rong, the lords could not hide their regret.

Lamentation, astonishment, anger.

Amidst the myriad of emotions, Yuan Shao shuddered at the symbol of tyranny that no one of this era could ever imagine.

“…Heh heh.”

Behind, Cao Cao laughs softly.

“How ridiculous. It’s utterly ridiculous.”

Of course, that laugh was nothing more than a soliloquy.

“They just didn’t see it.”

Although he was muttering very quietly to himself, Yuan Shao clearly heard that voice.

“If they had been in the imperial palace on the day we crossed the Yellow River and arrived in Luoyang, they would have known about General Lu.”

Yuan Shao turns his head back.

Cao Cao, as if expecting Yuan Shao to speak, lightly bows his head and smiles.

“What did you see?”

“Nothing much. The heavens opened.”

“What does that mean….”

“You will witness the emergence of a hero whom you will see as an ‘enemy’ for the rest of your life.”

“…….”

“How could a loach understand the will of a dragon?”

Was he excited?

“Why did General Ye appear in the form of Hua Xiong? Of course, it’s because those who think they can win against Hua Xiong will challenge him.”

Cao Cao spoke as if mocking Yuan Shao, but Yuan Shao listened attentively.

Among all the other warlords, only Cao Cao was analyzing Lu Bu’s actions with cold precision.

“Even those confident in their skills find a flying dragon daunting, but they think a wounded tiger is manageable.”

“So, why?”

“I’ll give you the conclusion directly, Lord.”

Cao Cao replied with a sly smile.

“General Ye has no desire for military achievements, honor, or official positions.”

“……!!”

“What he desires is simply a world without thieves. That is the peaceful world he seeks.”

Cao Cao trembled as he pointed at Lu Bu.

“Even if you ask him now, he would answer in front of everyone.”

Cao Cao held up two fingers.

“If the whole world, if history does not remember your name, but the world can achieve peace, would you walk that path?”

“…Cao Cao, can you walk that path?”

“Not at all.”

Cao Cao shook his head firmly.

“Yuan Shao, you are the same.”

“……Is he not human?”

Yuan Shao was even more confused.

“I don’t know. Perhaps he is a being sent from heaven to govern the chaos of the human world.”

* * *

‘Ah, as expected, he doesn’t come in.’

Should I have continued to hide my identity?

As expected, now that I’ve revealed myself as Lu Bu, he doesn’t seem to want to come in.

‘It seems all those who dared to challenge knowing I am Lu Bu are dead.’

Additionally, those who thought of challenging the existence of Lu Bu but hesitated after realizing the reality were the same.

‘I need to kill a few more.’

I can kill those numerous armed men one-on-one.

If we engage in a full-scale war instead of a duel, as Jia Xu said.

‘Zhang Liao or the cavalry commander might survive, but the soldiers will all die.’

It’s an easy task for one general to kill dozens of soldiers.

If you kill that one general, you can save dozens or hundreds of ‘friendly soldiers.’

So, I have no choice but to kill one more.

With that determination, I disguised myself as Hua Xiong, but when I revealed my identity, everyone’s eyes looked strange.

‘They look at me like I’m a madman.’

Eyes that look at an ‘unreasonable existence.’

‘I’m familiar with it.’

Sometimes, when I disguised myself as Song Xian, Wei Xu, or Hou Cheng to deal with bandits, they had those eyes.

‘Performance. Of course, it’s important.’

Why fight openly as Lu Bu and build military achievements, instead of disguising myself as someone else?

Why contaminate my own achievements?

‘The achievements are already sufficient.’

No matter how many military achievements you accumulate, the first place is already decided.

Me.

‘However, those achievements are ultimately built on blood.’

Would my father in heaven like the achievements and fame gained by killing people?

‘If you want to compete in achievements, compete in rice production or livestock numbers, not killing people.’

Whether some misunderstand it as Hua Xiong’s merit or think of me as a coward, the important thing is the end of this war.

‘Instead of thinking about fighting, go back to your hometown and farm.’

Soon, winter will end.

At the time when the new sprouts of spring are about to emerge, should we bring numerous young men and just waste food?

‘How would the wife and children feel about sending the head of the family to the battlefield?’

Everyone gathered here is someone’s father, husband, or perhaps brother or son.

An adult man is the pillar that supports the family, and if that family member is gone, how will the rest of the family live?

So.

‘If we must kill, it should be the generals or lords who mobilized them.’

We must kill those who forced these people, who would have held plows and sickles, to take up spears.

Those lords, and the armed men who are their blades, are over there.

Why did they bring so many young men to war?

In the end.

For fame and recognition.

-Disciple. Building a reputation is the universal measure of human success in this era.

The master said.

-I also realized this only after reaching this age. Until I came down here, I too traveled all over the world to make my name known.

Just as people in the modern capitalist era gather more money to achieve social success.

-If you have a good name, wealth, power, and people will naturally come to you. Since you understand best when I use money as an analogy, I will say this. Fame and wealth are proportional.

People of this era see ‘fame’ as both the means and the end to gather that capital.

-Do you want to earn a lot of money? If you make a name for yourself so that the whole village knows you, that’s enough. If you make your name known so that the entire castle knows you, the rich will come to you, offering gold and silver to build connections.

Whether it’s subjugating Dong Zhuo.

Reviving the royal family of this country.

Ending the chaotic times and setting the court right.

-Yes. Making a name for yourself in the world and leaving your name in history. That is the universal image of a successful man in this era.

All of it, everything, is to make ‘your name’ known to the world.

-Disciple. What will you do when such people try to impose their ideology on you? For example, if they try to defeat you, a strong man, to elevate their own name.

I answered the master with my true feelings.

-Is that so. A perfect answer.

The master smiled more contentedly than ever at that answer.

-With overwhelming power.

Defeat them all.

-Rise to the position above all others.

Become the best in the world.

* * *

Thud, thud, thud.

The sound of drums from the training hall gradually fades.

Has the excitement waned?

Lü Bu stood on his horse with both feet for a long time before jumping down under the horse.

That action seemed like he was about to leave-

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“Ma, my lord!!”

Governor Han Fu shouted.

“Yan Liang! Wen Chou!!”

“……!”

Han Fu called someone’s name.

At the same time, two generals standing near Yuan Shao frowned.

“It’s time for the left and right generals of the lord, Yan Liang and Wen Chou, to step forward!”

“Yes, yes! Aren’t the two generals of the lord the ones who can match Lü Bu in strength?”

“Aren’t those two generals recognized by Sun Jian as well? Especially Yan Liang, who was seen overpowering the rampaging Sun Jian with his strength…!”

The voices of the warlords grew louder.

The flow naturally led to the deployment of Yan Liang and Wen Chou, but Yuan Shao could only cover his face with one hand.

Uncertainty.

If it were Hua Xiong, the two could kill him easily.

But Lü Bu?

If one of Yan Liang or Wen Chou were to die, what would become of his grand plan after the coalition’s victory?

“That is….”

Yuan Shao couldn’t bring himself to speak.

“A dilemma indeed.”

Cao Cao said sarcastically from the side, but it was true.

If he permits it,

One of Yan Liang or Wen Chou would be greatly harmed.

If he doesn’t permit it,

The loyalty of Yan Liang and Wen Chou might crumble.

“My lord.”

“…….”

Yan Liang called out with a strong voice, and Wen Chou frowned and placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

Both had pride in their martial arts, comparable to, or even surpassing, Sun Jian.

To tell them not to step forward was the same as saying, ‘I’m afraid you’ll lose to Lü Bu.’

“Leader!”

Even hesitating indecisively to make a decision is a problem.

Up to a certain point, it can be packaged as deliberation, but if enough time passes for the warm wine to cool, then one becomes a person without decisiveness.

“Leader.”

Amidst the confusion and shock that everyone was in, only three people remained calm and stepped forward to Yuan Shao.

“According to the order, I believe it is our turn next.”

“…Lord Liu Bei.”

Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei.

The lieutenants of Gongsun Zan stepped forward.

“I have heard of the names of the two heroes, Yan Liang and Wen Chou. But because of that, I believe they should step forward as the ‘last bastion’.”

“The last bastion.”

At Liu Bei’s words, Yan Liang stroked his beard, and Wen Chou nodded slightly.

“We will step forward.”

“For Gongsun Zan?”

“For the greater cause. We will follow the leader’s will.”

“The greater cause. Against Lü Bu….”

“I am confident.”

The man with the jujube-colored face untied the weapon strapped to his back with a cloth.

“I will take the vanguard.”

Swoosh.

A weapon similar to a Mi Tian Dao, but with a more ferocious blade, the Crescent Moon Blade (偃月刀).

It was a weapon that an ordinary person would not be able to lift due to the weight of the blade alone.

“I, Guan Yu, will step forward first.”

Guan Yu stood in front of Yuan Shao, lightly tapping the Crescent Moon Blade on the ground like a spear.

“The opponent has changed from Hua Xiong to Lü Bu. I am rather satisfied. There will be no lack in facing him.”

“Are you confident?”

“Confident? Of course.”

Guan Yu reached out to the burning torch stand beside him and placed his hand on it.

“If the opponent were Hua Xiong, I would have asked for the wine to be warmed, but since the opponent is Lü Bu, it is a different story.”

Flame.

“Before this torch turns to ashes and burns out completely, I will defeat Lü Bu and return.”

A log taken from the torch stand was thrust into the ground, and the end of the log, about a hand’s breadth in length, was burning like incense.

“……I permit it. Go forth.”

“Thank you.”

Guan Yu bowed his head after making a fist salute, then turned towards Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.

“Brother. Yide.”

“I trust you, Yunchang.”

“Well then.”

Liu Bei patted Guan Yu’s arm with his hand, and Zhang Fei, stroking his beard, pointed to his weapon wrapped in cloth.

“Make sure it doesn’t come to my turn!”

“Of course, Yide.”

Yuan Shao thought.

What an arrogant conversation.

“Go and return.”

However, despite that arrogance, there was no fear in the words of that man, Guan Yu, who was walking out with his Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

“…….”

If.

If that man, Guan Yu, is truly someone who can match Lü Bu.

And if that man, Zhang Fei, is strong enough to arrogantly say ‘until my turn’ against Guan Yu.

“…….”

Then how extraordinary must that man, Liu Bei, who has these two as his brothers, be?

Thump, thump, thump.

The truth will be known through that man, Guan Yu.

* * *

“He’s coming.”

His whole body tingled.

Even from afar, his presence was unmistakable.

“Knowing it’s Lü Bu and still coming out, that means he must be confident.”

A warrior clad in green armor, dragging the blade of his Green Dragon Crescent Blade on the ground, came forward.

Just by seeing him emerge through the ranks of the lords, one could tell.

“Whoa, whoa.”

The horse tries to step back.

I immediately get on top of it and pat its back.

“Don’t worry. That warrior is coming to cut me down, not you.”

A horse is an animal.

Therefore, it instinctively feels it.

How strong that warrior in green armor is, even though he isn’t properly armored.

“Calm down. Watch closely.”

These words are meant for both the horse and myself.

“His stance is upright. An honest warrior. His weapon is heavy, and its weight alone is more than most weapons.”

Dragging it on the ground is to reduce the burden on his horse.

“It seems I can’t counter his charge from a standstill with this.”

Yielding the first attack is a consideration for the weak.

Trying to counter from a standstill with a spear?

Certain defeat.

I might withstand the first strike, but I will eventually fall to the continuous attacks like waves.

I consider many strategies, but if I stand still and fight, I will eventually lose after a hundred exchanges.

“He’s strong.”

Even from afar, dozens of trajectories are drawn just by his indifferent approach.

As the distance closes, both he and I are assessing each other.

A strong opponent requires a response befitting his strength.

“Will you trust me and charge forward just once?”

Snort.

“Good boy.”

I stroke the horse’s neck, then grip the spear with both hands.

Whoosh.

Before I know it, he’s right in front of me.

The distance is far, but with a charge, we can cut each other’s throats in the blink of an eye.

“Your name?”

“Guan Yu. Style name Yunchang. My position is….”

“What meaning does a title hold?”

Guan Yu’s eyebrow lifts as he raises his Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

“I merely gained fame first and received a high rank, while you will now make your name known.”

“Hmm.”

His eyebrow lowers, and the corner of his mouth twists.

“Do you not need a halberd? A weapon unfamiliar to your hand would be disadvantageous.”

Confidence, or perhaps ease, flows out in a smile.

“I will wait. Bring it if you need it.”

“A craftsman does not choose his tools, and a general always prepares for the battlefield with the best.”

He slightly twists his grip on the Mi-cheom-do.

“Do you think you can defeat this Lü Bu and take the title of the best under heaven without a halberd?”

“The best under heaven… the best under heaven. It has a nice ring to it.”

Guan Yu strokes his beard with one hand.

“I, Guan Yu, will defeat you and claim that title.”

He lifts the Green Dragon Crescent Blade with both hands and holds it horizontally.

Whoosh.

The wind blows, and one of the allied army’s banners comes loose and flies into the sky.

“…….”

“…….”

As the banner flies on the wind and falls to the ground between us, I spur my horse forward.

“Which region’s strongest are you!!”

“I, Guan Yu!”

Guan Yu also grips his Green Dragon Crescent Blade and charges at me.

“I am the first blade of my sworn brother, Liu Bei─!”

Towards the turquoise trajectory flying at my neck, I swung the Mi-cheom-do with all my might.

Boom!

Heavy.

Our blades cross in an X, scraping and sliding against each other.

“Strong.”

My arm tingles, and my heart races.

“In facing you, I lack nothing!”

Sweat flows from the hand gripping the trembling Mi-cheom-do.

“Behold the full power of this Yeobongseon!”

It has truly been a long time.

An opponent has appeared who I must fight with all my strength.

One against a thousand. Warriors like Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, Hua Xiong, and Sun Jian.

A match for ten thousand. Guan Yu, who stands before me.

Above all.

Unparalleled under heaven.

Me.