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Kasen ran with the baby cradled in his arms. The rear gate, where Gaifuku had concentrated their remaining forces, was under enemy surveillance, so he opted to head to the main gate, which was still fiercely under attack. He hoped that in the chaos of battle, he and the baby could slip away unnoticed.
When he arrived at the main gate, he encountered Gaten, who was engaged in combat there.
“Sir Gaten!”
“Oh! Young Kasen!”
Upon seeing Kasen carrying a baby, Gaten immediately understood the situation. If Kasen was here with the child after reporting to Fuuga, it was easy to guess how their conversation had gone. Realizing this, Gaten shifted from defense to offense, cutting through the enemy ranks and targeting one of their commanders.
“Get out of the way!”
His whips cracked through the air, sending enemies flying as he advanced. He focused on the enemy commander, wrapping his whips around the man’s neck and pulling him down to the ground. Without sparing a glance at the commander, who lay dead from the fall, Gaten seized a horse and returned.
“Young Kasen! Take this horse!”
He dismounted and handed the reins to Kasen.
“Sir Gaten! But—gwagh!”
Even at his master’s command, Kasen hesitated to flee while his comrades continued to fight. Gaten ended that hesitation by slamming his fist into the younger warrior’s stomach.
“Blegh! Wh-What was that for?!”
“Don’t hesitate, young Kasen. The young lord’s life is in your hands.”
“Kh... Right.”
“Then go. Fulfill your duty.”
“Got it...!” Kasen nodded and mounted the horse.
Suddenly, an enemy spear shot towards him, aimed to impale him. It had likely been thrown by a frustrated soldier. Gaten, noticing it before anyone else, leapt up to intercept it, taking the spear’s tip in his own chest.
“Urgh!”
“Sir Gaten!”
Gaten fell to the ground, the spear lodged in his chest.
“Go... Go, Kasen!” he shouted, mustering the last of his strength.
“Urgh...” Kasen shook off the emotions welling inside him and urged his horse forward, breaking through the enemy lines while shooting arrows as he went.
As Gaten watched him ride away, he weakly murmured, “Ha ha ha... Live on, young Kasen. And give my regards to the one you love...”
“You’re trying to act cool even now, huh?” said Hashim, who had joined him unnoticed.
“I get that a lot...” Gaten replied with a faint smile.
Not long after, the defenders at the front gate were overrun by the enemy. Hashim and Gaten fought valiantly and fell in battle.
Hashim, known as the Wisdom of the Tiger, had used his insight to devise strategies that supported the great Fuuga. Even after committing treacherous acts, such as betraying his own father, his courageous stand here earned him the accolades he had long sought. In later generations, some would argue, “Maybe he was a loyal retainer, after all?”
This event would come to be known as the Great Tiger Castle Incident.
Fuuga and Mutsumi escaped with the cavalry gathered at the back gate, heading west. However, the remnants of their forces were decimated by Krahe’s relentless pursuit. Hashim and Gaten fell at the front gate, and Gaifuku, the Shield of the Tiger, went down fighting to buy time for Fuuga and the others to escape.
It remained unknown whether Fuuga and Mutsumi survived. The pursuit was brutal, leaving horribly mangled bodies. Many in their group fell into valleys or were swept away in rivers, making it impossible to identify the dead. The only body that could be recognized with certainty was that of a massive tiger.
Despite having been attacked head-on, the injured beast Durga had apparently made it to Fuuga’s side. Some believed the arm found beside the tiger belonged to Fuuga, but there was no definitive proof either way. With Durga’s remains as proof, Krahe announced Fuuga’s death to the world. However, since no body could be identified, rumors of Fuuga’s survival occasionally surfaced, but the name Fuuga Haan would never appear in history again.
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