On The Side Of The Pitch With You

Three Kingdoms Era II

"This is Zhuge Kongming's estate..." Shindou muttered.

They had arrived at the large pair of doors Liu Bei had described. It was built into the side of a tall mountain, which had a long walkway leading up to sections that lead higher and higher to the top of the mountain.

"First, we need to figure out how to get this door open." Liu Bei said. "We can't meet Kongming if we can't get through the door."

"Open up!" Zhang Fei tried to pull it open, but it didn't work. And so, he grabbed his spear. "It's locked, my honorable brother. I'll thrash it down!"

"No. If we break the door, Kongming will get upset and be even more reluctant to join us."

"Right! I didn't think Kongming would join us that way either!"

"Besides, there should be respect even among close friends."

"How can you be close when you haven't even met before?" Kariya had a sweat drop on his cheek.

"My honorable brother, I just had a thought..." Guan Yu suddenly said. "Kongming is a well renowned strategist. Would Kongming really choose to come in and out through this unhidden door? Perhaps this door isn't―"

"What's that?" Shinsuke's voice came from the very front of the group. He was crouching down, pointing at a dip below the door. "I think it could be a hole to put our hands through."

"A hole for our hands?" Liu Bei asked.

"Could it be... Brother!" Zhang Fei went up and did what Shinsuke suggested. Then, he lifted the door upwards, opening it fully.

Liu Bei turned to the tiny brunette. "Good work, uh..."

"I'm Shinsuke!" He said, smiling.

"Oh, Shinsuke, eh? That's a good name!"

"Yes! Thank you!"

"Oh? Guan Yu, what was it you were saying?"

"N-No, never mind!"

"Then, let's go in!" The warlord took the lead and went in first, dragging the large cannon along with him, and suddenly, there was a crash.

A wrecking ball had dropped on the cannon, destroying it.

"My capture device!"

"W-What was that?" Fei asked.

"This estate is littered with traps, and once you're inside, you can't get back out again easily. It's otherwise known as Kongming's Fortress. I've heard that some people have lost their lives in here."

"Eh?! Their lives?!"

"You tell us this now?!"

Because of course our third trip to the past can't be peaceful when the first two also had some kind of element that could've gotten us killed.

That's history for you, I guess...

... Well, on the other hand, you can't blame me if I die by circumstance.

Hey, don't jinx it, stupid!

I'm just saying!

"We'll just have to keep going." Shindou stated.

As they followed the man in, Kimiko felt a chill run down her spine. Looking back, there was no one but Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

"I could've sworn..."

"Kimiko?" She turned back and found Tenma staring. "Is something wrong?"

She blinked before shaking her head. "No, it's... It's probably just my imagination."