AFTER LEARNING the outcome of the first battle, Misuki erupted in a fit of rage. He was infuriated by the failure of his carefully laid plans. He had sent Kriken, an 'infector', with the intention of ensnaring the enemy samurai under his spell, but now Kriken lay dead, his efforts wasted and his #BG power fallen into the hands of his adversary.

"Zizu!" Misuki bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. "Explain to me what just transpired."

Zizu, visibly shaken by Misuki's anger, struggled to find an excuse.

"I... I'm not certain, your highness," Zizu stammered. "Perhaps our opponents are stronger than we anticipated. We may have underestimated them."

"I believe you're right," Misuki muttered, his frustration palpable. "Our men have grown complacent, relying solely on the power of #BG to carry them through. Ikaru's failure is a testament to their lack of dedication. They approach, heedless of the sacrifices I've made to build our empire. It's my blood, my sweat that stains the ground, not theirs. They know nothing of the true cost of power." Turning to his attendants, Misuki issued a command. "Summon Ikaru to me at once. We'll not engage them on the battlefield again. Let them come to us. We'll make our stand here."

Zizu's voice trembled as he dared to question the king's orders. "But, your highness, consider the risk. Fighting here could be catastrophic. If they breach our defenses, there will be no escape. You'll be at their mercy, likely tortured and executed."

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Misuki's eyes blazed with fury. "Silence!" he roared, his voice echoing off the chamber walls. "I didn't ascend to power by cowering in fear. If they seek to challenge my reign, let them face the full might of our forces. Prepare our slaves for battle. We'll halt production and use them as shields, as leverage. For every soldier we lose, we'll execute one of our slaves. Let the samurais witness the consequences of defiance. They'll either surrender or face the slaughter themselves."

Zizu's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a testament to his astonishment at the cunning and malevolence of Misuki. The man was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Following Misuki's directive, Zizu promptly dispatched a messenger to relay the news to the battleground. Left alone with his thoughts, Zizu realized the grave miscalculation he had made. If the samurai army had succeeded in slaying numerous dragons, they had effectively absorbed a substantial amount of #BG power intended for the creation of those very creatures. This meant that the samurais were now considerably more formidable than before. Conversely, Misuki's forces had been weakened, having lost a portion of their #BG power to the samurai army. Compounding the issue was Misuki's order to halt oil production, effectively putting an end to the generation of new #BG. With the cards laid out on the table, the situation had become a battle of wills—there was no more power to be generated; it was simply a matter of who possessed the determination to wield what remained.