Grand Olympia: Further Horizon - Chapter 10: Unexpected
George Washington remained perched in his hiding spot still having an overcoat jacket on his shoulders and glasses, positioned high above the battlefield next to a sturdy, charred tree trunk that still barely held its ground after the chaos. The battlefield stretched below him in a swirling storm of fire, steel, and sweat—Musashi, Laplapu, and Yasuke's brutal clash in the center, Edward and Zheng Yi Sao keeps defending on countless assaults, and Billy playing the unpredictable element in this situation.
George's weapon, a heavily modified long-barrel rifle with two blades at the end, gleamed in the dim light of the burning wreckage around him. With practiced precision, he continued firing calculated shots, each bullet meant to do one of three things—harass Edward and Zheng Yi Sao, pick off stray monsters that threatened to swarm Musashi and Lapu-Lapu, and stay on the move to prevent being tracked.
His breathing remained calm as he pulled the trigger—another shot fired. The bullet whizzed toward Edward's arm just grazing it, forcing him to retract his chain whip mid-swing. "Tch!" Edward growled, momentarily thrown off balance.
Another shot—this time toward a lunging wolf-like beast, its grotesque, cyclopean eye glowing as it sprinted toward the fray. The bullet found its mark, piercing through its skull, sending it crashing lifelessly to the ground before it could interfere in the duel below.
George exhaled, watching through his different hiding spot as the battle below unfolded.
"This reminds me of my days leading troops into battle." His thoughts drifted back to the Revolutionary War.
"I don't know if they were good times or bad. But either way, I always wonder—did I do enough? Did I make the right choices? I have no idea what happened to America after my death… but I hope the people I fought for, the people I led, now live better lives."
He fired another round—Zheng Yi Sao ducked just in time, the bullet grazing past her shoulder.
She snarled, glancing toward his direction. "That damn coward is starting to piss me off!"
But George was already repositioning. "Come and find me, then."
But two figures standing behind unnoticed.
…
The ground was scarred and unstable, littered with scorched craters and undetonated landmines.
Yet within this minefield of death, three warriors stood locked in a relentless exchange of steel, sweat, and instinct.
Musashi's blades moved like water, fast and unpredictable. He weaved, cut, and redirected attacks in an ever-flowing dance of destruction, exploiting every small gap in Yasuke's defense. His eyes scanned continuously, measuring every movement, every breath of his opponent.
Laplapu was a fortress. He held his shield like an iron wall, absorbing powerful blows that would shatter lesser men. His kampilan sword struck precisely, his thrusts executed with mathematical precision.
And Yasuke-Yasuke was like a storm. His kanabo swung in arcs that could crush boulders, his sheer brute strength forcing both Musashi and Laplapu into constant motion. He was already bloodied, fresh wounds criss-crossing his arms and chest, yet his resolve never wavered.
His voice, deep and unwavering, broke through the battlefield. "You two are formidable warriors. But you fight differently."
He parried a rapid strike from Musashi, barely dodged a thrust from Lapu-Lapu, then spun his kanabo in a defensive circle, keeping them both at bay.
"One of you fights like a predator—calculating, always adapting." Yasuke smirked beneath his fearsome mask, glancing at Musashi. "The other fights like a shield—a guardian of something greater." His gaze flickered toward Lapu-Lapu. "Tell me, what drives you?"
Lapulapu's expression was firm. "My people. My home."
Musashi scoffed. "Myself."
The moment of brief conversation ended in an instant.
Yasuke charged forward, targeting Lapulapu with brute force.
Lapulapu braced, lifting his shield just in time, but the impact still forced him back. His feet skidded over the soil, nearly stepping onto one of the hidden landmines exposing the dozen gold coins.
Musashi took this chance to exploit Yasuke's blind spot. He moved with lightning speed, striking from Yasuke's exposed side.
But Yasuke had anticipated it.
Rather than blocking, he stepped forward, letting the wooden blade graze his ribs—then retaliated with a crushing backhand swing.
Musashi barely ducked in time, the black kanabo missing his skull by inches.
But before Yasuke could follow up—
Lapulapu counterattacked.
With a forceful step forward, he thrust his kampilan toward Yasuke's shoulder.
Yasuke had no choice but to twist his body, deflecting the strike with his kanabo, barely avoiding another wound.
The fight was shifting.
Yasuke was strong, but against two warriors of equal caliber, his body was taking its toll. Small cuts and bruises covered his arms and torso.
But still—his determination burned.
The battle had carried them dangerously close to a cluster of undetonated landmines, hidden beneath dirt and gold coins. Lapulapu, ever observant, caught a glimpse of the scattered gold coins peeking through the dirt.
"The explosives…" he thought.
He pivoted, keeping his movements precise, controlled.
But Yasuke…
Yasuke had memorized the safe zones. He had maneuvered them here intentionally. With a sudden burst of speed, Yasuke pivoted and swung low, sweeping his kanabo toward Musashi's legs.
Musashi jumped at the last second, but Yasuke was already following up with another attack—this time toward Lapulapu.
Lapulapu barely had time to react before Yasuke's kanabo slammed against his shield.
The force sent him reeling backward.
His foot—inches away from stepping onto a landmine.
Musashi, seeing the danger, threw his entire body into action.
With lightning reflexes, he lunged forward, grabbing Lapulapu by the collar and yanking him away.
At that moment—Yasuke thrust his kanabo downward. The tip of his weapon struck the edge of the landmine.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted, the force blasting dust and debris into the air.
Yasuke was sent flying backward, rolling across the ground.
Musashi and Lapulapu barely managed to escape the blast, bruised but still standing.
As the dust settled—Yasuke slowly rose
Smoke curled from his armor. A fresh gash ran down his arm, blood trailing into the dirt.
Yet his stance remained unbroken.
His grin widened beneath his mask.
"That was well-played."
Musashi cracked his neck. "You fight like a damn demon."
Lapulapu adjusted his stance, exhaling deeply. "And you fight like a man who refuses to die."
Yasuke let out a deep, hearty laugh.
"I'll never fall ever again! Then come, warriors! Let's see who falls first!"
And with that—they clashed once more.
The battlefield trembled beneath the weight of their unyielding will.
Musashi and Lapu-Lapu lunged forward in perfect unison.
Musashi's twin wooden swords flickered like blades of wind, cutting from every angle with relentless speed. His footwork was fluid and erratic, making it impossible to predict his movements.
Lapulapu, in contrast, drove forward with sheer force, his kampilan thrusting with pinpoint precision. Each strike was calculated to force Yasuke into a defensive stance, pushing him back, cornering him.
Yasuke fought back with everything he had.
His kanabo swung in massive arcs, deflecting Musashi's rapid strikes while simultaneously knocking away Lapulapu's thrusts. The clashing of their weapons sent echoes through the ruined battlefield, a symphony of steel and willpower.
But despite his monstrous endurance, Yasuke was slowing down.
The onslaught of blows became too overwhelming, and his massive frame could no longer react fast enough to deflect every attack.
Blood dripped from his arms, chest, and legs—small but numerous cuts forming across his thick, battle-hardened body.
Then—a loud, mocking laugh cut through the air.
Edward Teach.
The pirate's sinister chuckle rang through the battlefield, and before anyone could react, he swung his heavy steel chain, whipping the massive anchor at the trio.
The anchor crashed into the ground near them.
But no explosion followed.
Instead, it dug deep into the dirt, embedding itself like a buried weapon.
Yasuke's instincts screamed at him. Without hesitation, he took three rapid steps back, using his cloak-like jacket as a makeshift shield.
Musashi and Lapulapu, realizing the danger a second too late, barely had time to react.
Edward, muscles flexing with raw power, tugged the embedded anchor with a monstrous pull.
The ground shuddered violently. From beneath the soil, golden Chinese coins—were ripped out of their hidden positions.
A heartbeat later—
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
A chain reaction of explosions erupted.
The first blast sent a cloud of burning shrapnel soaring into the sky, followed by a second detonation that shot debris in every direction like bullets.
Lapulapu, moving on pure instinct, threw himself over Musashi, crouching low and raising his massive Kalasag shield to absorb the blast.
A storm of fire and debris rained down upon them.
The sheer force of the explosion drove them further into the dirt, their bodies rattled from the impact.
As the dust settled, Lapu-Lapu let out a pained grunt, lowering his shield slightly.
A warm trickle of blood ran down his forehead.
Musashi's grip on his swords tightened. His gaze darkened, his mind racing.
"I thought George was keeping that ashy bastard occupied. Did something happen to him!?"
His eyes snapped toward the distance.
And then he saw it.
The battlefield was no longer just a fight between warriors.
It had become a feast for the monsters lurking in the shadows.
Through the bloodied gaps, a horde of monstrous beasts surged forward—low-ranking but countless in number. Using their dead brethren and sacrifice of being denoted had inadvertently torn open new paths. The landmines, meant to keep the battlefield strategically controlled, have collapsed.
Cyclopean wolves, matted in blood and bile, lunged forward on all fours, their grotesque fanged maws dripping with saliva.
Serpentine creatures with bulbous, pulsating eyes slithered over the corpses of their fallen kin, hissing as they coiled toward their prey.
And yet—not a single gunshot had been heard.
Musashi's stomach churned.
"Sh*t!"
His hands gripped both weapons tightly.
If George had been holding back the monsters, then why had they suddenly broken through?
Where was George?
His instincts screamed at him—something had gone wrong. They were outnumbered. Surrounded. And they were running out of time.
Edward, standing atop a pile of wreckage, roared with laughter.
"What's wrong, boys? Ya look like you're in a bit of trouble! Hahaha!"
Zheng Yi Sao smirked, spinning a gold coin between her fingers.
"You expected this fight to be fair? The sea never plays fair, and neither do we."
Musashi, still breathing heavily from the last explosion, turned his gaze toward Yasuke.
The giant warrior stood there, watching them. Despite his injuries, he was not retreating. Despite the chaos, he was not backing down.
His eyes, still hidden beneath his menacing oni demonic mask, seemed to gleam with determination.
"Yasuke!" Musashi called out. "You see what's happening, right!? That bastard—he just tried to take us all out in one move!"
Lapulapu wiped the blood from his forehead and spoke in a steady voice. "Is this what you want? To fight alongside cowards who use tricks instead of their own strength?"
Yasuke paused. His grip tightened on his kanabo.
Edward's laughter faded slightly. "Oi… what's with that look?"
Zheng Yi Sao narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts now, Samurai."
Yasuke finally spoke. "This battle is not yours to decide. Leave this fight to me. Don't ever interfere!"
Maybe the first time in his whole entire life-being a slave for most it never spoke up towards anybody up until now. All of them shiver down their spine seeing how angered Yasuke is. But all of them except Lapulapu slightly twitch the corners of their mouths.
…
Elsewhere, in the distance—Billy Kid moved like a ghost.
His camouflage cloak blended into the shadows of the trees, his revolver spinning idly in his right hand while his robotic hand moving repeatedly the same motions again and again. He kept firing at Edward and Zheng Yi Sao, forcing them to stay on the defensive.
Occasionally, low-ranking monsters would rush him from the side.
Without looking, he'd fire a single shot—perfect aim, clean kill.
"Damn, these nasty-ass rodents look like they came straight out of a horror book." He muttered, reloading.
Billy continued moving toward a new vantage point, but a sudden movement above him made his instincts flare.
His body reacted before his mind could process—he rolled backward, dodging just in time.
A small figure landed where he had stood moments before. Holding a spear that pointed in the ground moments before Billy was.
Billy quickly crouched, revolver aimed.
But the figure moved too fast.
A spear swung toward him, aiming for his gun hand. Billy jerked his wrist, barely avoiding the strike.
The spear suddenly shifted into a rapid thrust, forcing him to block with his cybernetic arm. The force was stronger than expected, making Billy slide back slightly.
He fired a shot.
The figure twisted away, flipping upward onto a tree branch, crouching.
Now, Billy could clearly see his attacker.
A woman, barely of average height, wearing a simple almost white Chinese clothing with pants, jacket and one arm in a sleeve the other expose.
Her dark navy hair was tied into two buns, strands falling over her round glasses that glinted under the firelight.
She smiled.
Billy clicked his tongue. "And who the hell are you, sneakin' up on people like that?"
The girl tilted her head ignoring the question. "You're quick. Most people don't dodge my first attack."
Her voice was calm. Almost playful.
She twirled her spear once before pointing it to the ground.
Billy spun his revolver. "Let's just say I've shot a lot of people who thought they were smart. You one of 'em?"
She laughed lightly. "Why don't you find out?"
Billy sighed. "I swear, I ain't never met a woman who didn't wanna kill me."
And then—they clashed.
Her spear came down like lightning, Billy sidestepped, firing a shot.
She twisted mid-air, parrying the bullet with her spear's shaft.
Billy grinned. "Oh, this is gonna be fun."