[Tai Lung's POV]
We stood at the main platform just outside the Tower of Sacred Flames. There were many soldiers below us, ranging from wolves, gorillas and a few other animal species.
The 13 noble houses of Gongmen City were also there to witness the ceremony as they stood at the forefront of the audience.
There were probably more than a thousand soldiers but the place was in absolute silence. It was silent to the point that their heartbeat was the loudest sound my ears picked up.
The City was also in a complete lockdown. The citizens locked themselves up in their houses while traders and travellers were chased out. This was an important military event so certain exercises were executed.
There were no such things as a microphone in this world so there needed to be complete silence since the ruler was about to make an important announcement.
Every eyes were on me yet I did not flinch or show the slightest hint of nervousness under the gaze of more than a thousand.
The most prominent emotions I felt from the eyes were that of fear and anger. I could almost taste the fear in the air and I smiled at that.
Imagine a thousand warriors shivering at the sight of one.
I no longer hated those eyes, I no longer wished they looked at me with admiration and love. I uprooted the very idea of being seen as a hero from the deepest part of my heart.
This is me.
I embraced their fear. I smiled at their petty anger, the anger of the weak. I learned to enjoy the way everyone held their breath when I looked at them, I enjoyed the way their hands instinctively went to their weapon due to my mere presence.
Shen stood beside me and addressed the crowd, officially announcing our alliance to the world. Suffice it to say, that everyone was shocked. But I could see some smart nobles and the commanders of the army smile with every word Shen uttered.
Shen gave a speech about the future, how he and I would conquer China and unite the Ten Kingdoms once and for all.
But in this great conquest of ours, Shen said we needed them. He promised to bring glory and asked his subjects to give him all of their support to fulfil this ambition.
He was a great speaker with charisma unmatched by anything I have ever seen before. I was impressed by his speech and the way he spun words into a spell that cultivated loyalty in his subjects.
It reminded me of the politicians in my past life.
"For so long, our land has been scarred by countless wars. The peace we have is but temporary, a thin veil that hides the true darkness." He said with powerful words. His sentences were not hurried and left a mark on everyone's heart.
It was not only because of Shen's charisma either but also because it was mixed with the truth. The land of China had never seen true peace in all of its years.
It was not like my past life where China had different dynasties and was ruled by one big empire which changed only after centuries.
This world was much more complicated than that, wars were not won only by soldiers but by Masters of Kung Fu. And with each of them being able to change the tide of wars by themselves, there can never be a permanent wielder of a major power.
Even if one kingdom seemed stronger than the other, one amazing warrior would pop out and change the power dynamic in mere decades. That was why China was never under one domination and the Kingdoms were in a constant war for territory.
There were ten kingdoms in China and under the Codes of War introduced by Oogway, they waged wars against each other.
A Great War was when more than half of the Kingdom participated in war and disregarded the Codes of War. But there have been no such cases in a long time.
But that doesn't mean wars have stopped though. At least two to three kingdoms were always in conflict. A great example was the war for control in the West during which the Monkey King came into power and put a stop before things settled into a conclusion.
As I said, one master can change the war in an instant.
"The rulers of the Ten Kingdoms will never be satisfied!! They will continue to wage wars and slaughter each other due to their own greed!!" Shen yelled out.
"The thin veil of peace had also been destroyed after Oogway's death. When he was alive, we could look at him in times of need but he is no more. The kingdoms had also noticed this and they are preparing themselves for a Great War again. With the one who maintains peace in this land gone, China needs a new moderator."
"This world is cursed and the incoming disaster is so great that it calls for me, a banished prince. And I will do whatever I can to fulfil my duty, my destiny!!"
"Together, Tai Lung and I shall accomplish what no one has been able to do in the history of China, in the history of this world!! With my weapons and with Tai Lung's unparalleled strength, we will go through China like the most violent storm after a perpetual drought!! We will wage a massive war against the Ten Kingdoms but with unstoppable force, we will force China to its knees." Shen said and paused to let his words sink into the crowd.
"And what a great war it will be." He whispered yet his voice could be heard from anywhere.
"It will be unlike anything this land had ever seen, surpassing the previous Great Wars by a huge margin, but this time it will not be for nought. After all, a storm even though it is violent, destructive and is thought to be evil, it will bring back life to our land once more. The cursed soil ruined by drought will finally get the rainstorm it requires. China shall get the correction it needed."
He looked ahead at the horizon as if peering into the future and he slowly stepped forward to get closer to the crowd of soldiers and nobles who were entranced by his presence.
"It will be a war that will end all wars."
The silence was suddenly broken like glass. The deafening cheers and screams crashed into the world. It was so loud that it shook the whole city and rumbled like thunder through the space.
The look in the eyes of the soldiers and nobles was that of fanatics, ready to throw away their lives for the great purpose that Shen had presented them.
Of course, what Shen said was all but fabricated words. They did not know that.
Shen walked back at me with a pleased smile on his face which got tainted with evil when he turned his back on the crowd.
He took a small dagger from his robe, a curly dagger decorated with gold, diamond and jade.
Shen cut his own wings and let his blood spill on the sacred ground while he said his oath. He promised to become my ally and a brother in arms as we went on our conquest.
I did the same after and cut my own hands and let my blood spill on the sacred grounds, In my name, in my blood and in the name of Kung Fu, I promised to fight for our ambition until the very end.
It was finally official.
Lord Shen presented me with spiky shoulder pad armour to signify my position as the Supreme General of the army.
With that, I held even more authority over the army than he did.
I walked forward to the thundering crowd looked at me with fear and respect in their eyes. After Shen's great speech, my reputation had also been greatly boosted as someone who shared the same dream.
"Behold!! The Warrior who will lead you to victory!"
"Sumpreme General Tai Lung!!" Shen declared and I raised my hand to the exploding soldiers. They cheered for a long time until all the soldiers kneeled before me.
Then the wolves started howling, the Gorillas beat their chest and every animal made a sound of respect.
Like it had been said before, it was an alliance even though it would make more sense if I worked under Shen.
But I did not, so that meant that although Shen had the whole city and such a great army under his rule, I could rival it with my strength alone.
That was a feat worthy of the utmost respect.
I looked at the cheering crowd and the kneeling soldiers.
It felt so perfect. It felt so right.
I could get used to this.
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.
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[IMAGE]
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