414: The war begins

Eastern Japan, which is what we now know as Japan, had also dispatched several batches of envoys to the Great Tang to learn various knowledge, including the culture, economy, and military preparations of the Great Tang.

Historically speaking, Japan during this period was no different from an uncivilized nation of savages.

However, due to the arrival of Darwin and his group, the entire nation of Japan underwent earth-shaking changes.

In Eastern Japan, at the Flying Bird Capital, within the Oharida Palace of the Imperial Palace, Empress Suiko, as the first female Emperor in the history of Eastern Japan, was sitting in the main seat, handling state affairs.

She was currently filled with worry, holding a vermilion brush in her hand, looking at the memorial on her desk, seemingly finding it difficult to write.

"Is Your Majesty present?" A voice came from the doorway.

"Come in!" Empress Suiko said helplessly.

A young man walked in slowly, knelt before the Emperor, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty... do you really intend to hand over power to an outsider?"

"Shotoku, do you think that if we don't give them power, they won't be able to seize it?"

Empress Suiko smiled bitterly, "You have also seen it; since they arrived, they have promoted agriculture and sericulture, reclaimed wasteland, and ensured that the majority of our people in Eastern Japan have food to eat and clothes to wear. They support this outsider more fervently than they support me, the Emperor. And you have also seen their military strength. Even the Celestial Empire, known as the Heavenly Khan, does not possess such a military appearance, do they? If he wanted to exterminate our race, it would be a matter of a mere snap of his fingers!"

Prince Shotoku frowned slightly: "But... are you willing to accept this?"

"Of course I am not willing, but... sigh, there is no other way!" Empress Suiko said. "The knowledge and technology they brought have changed our lives—those fruits and vegetables we had never seen before, those farming methods that make cattle and sheep grow fatter, those seed techniques that have maximized our farmland yields... Do you think our country could still survive without these now?"

"No... we have a way!"

Prince Shotoku stared intently at the Emperor and said, "We can completely seek assistance from the Great Tang!"

"But, even if the Great Tang's military strength were stronger, they still wouldn't be able to defeat them!" Empress Suiko smiled bitterly. "That army... to speak bluntly, even if Amaterasu were resurrected, she might not be able to harm them in the slightest... That is a heavenly army, an unrivaled army of gods... And those sorcerers of theirs—even our great masters of Yin and Yang, as well as the supreme experts of the six sects of the Ninja Dao, are not a match for them in a single exchange. The Great Tang... they are very strong, but I fear they are still somewhat insufficient to contend with these people..."

"No... you do not understand the current Great Tang!"

Prince Shotoku suddenly shook his head and said slowly, "You should know that I firmly believe in the Buddha Dharma, and the envoys who returned from the Great Tang not long ago brought me a piece of news..."

"What news?" Empress Suiko could not help but frown slightly.

"The Emperor of Great Tang, Li Shimin, has abdicated and passed the throne to the Crown Prince, Li Chengqian. He is diligent in governing, and the Great Tang has become increasingly prosperous and wealthy. Moreover... the new Imperial Preceptor of the Great Tang is that Tang Sanzang who went to the Western Heaven to obtain the scriptures. His magical power is immense; he is a True Buddha... Yes, the very same kind of True Buddha that we enshrine in our temples..."

A glint of sharpness flashed in Prince Shotoku's eyes.

"So what? The power of one person, in the end, cannot... uh, wait... Even the envoys wouldn't know the current situation of the Great Tang so clearly, right!" Empress Suiko could not help but frown slightly. "Have you already been in contact with... the Great Tang for a long time!"

Prince Shotoku smiled slightly: "You guessed correctly. Among the envoys who returned this time, there are several monks from the Great Tang... allow me to introduce them to you!"

Empress Suiko's eyes were full of doubt, but she nodded abruptly and said, "Then let them come in!"

Prince Shotoku stood up and clapped his hands. Suddenly, three monks entered from outside the door, wearing inconspicuous grey monk robes, and bowed slightly to Empress Suiko.

The leading monk smiled and nodded to Empress Suiko, saying, "If Your Majesty has any questions, feel free to ask us. We were originally disciples of the Buddha from the Western World, and of course... we are also monk soldiers. Now that we have allied with the Great Tang, it is precisely to help Your Majesty deal with these visitors from beyond the realm!"

"It is not that I do not believe you, it is just that... their power... is difficult to contend with!" Empress Suiko said helplessly. The meaning was clear: you had better demonstrate how powerful you are; otherwise, I will not listen to you any further.

The leading monk glanced at Prince Shotoku, and seeing the other party nod, he could not help but smile slightly. The bodies of the three monks trembled suddenly, and immediately after, three phantom images suddenly emerged from their bodies—they were actually three Dharma manifestations.

These three Dharma manifestations: one had extremely long eyebrows and a kind appearance, one sat on a fierce tiger and was extremely imposing, and one carried a cloth bag and was joyous and content...

Empress Suiko could not help but stand up abruptly, exclaiming, "This... this is..."

Prince Shotoku laughed, "These are three Arhats from the West who have descended to the mortal world. They have come this time bringing a message: the Great Tang's Dharma Master Tang Sanzang has already united with the various Arhats and monk soldiers of the Western Buddhist Realm and has set out for our Eastern Japan. The goal is to round up these demonic visitors from beyond the realm and restore a bright and clear world to our Eastern Japan!"

Empress Suiko suddenly fell silent, then said, "But... they have not harmed my subjects. If... if we rashly start a war, it will cause suffering to the living!"

"Hehe, Your Majesty certainly has a compassionate heart. Rest assured, our battlefield will not be here..." the leading Arhat riding the tiger laughed.

"Oh, then where... is your battlefield?" Before the Emperor could answer, a voice suddenly rang out in this palace, and a figure with a severed arm appeared behind the three Arhats.

"Dar... Darwin?" Prince Shotoku's face instantly became extremely ugly.

The three monks turned around abruptly to look. The Arhat riding the tiger looked at the person before him and suddenly laughed, "So you are Darwin... tell me, the feeling of having your palm severed by threads of killing intent, it doesn't feel good, right!"

Darwin said in a deep voice, "You bald donkeys, you actually dared to come! Your Majesty, they weren't brought here by you, were they... Hehe, I have done so much for your Eastern Japan, letting your uncivilized people gradually live a good life, and this is how you repay me? Hehe, the people of Eastern Japan really are a bunch of people without faith or honor..."

"Occupying a magpie's nest, and you have the nerve to talk about others?" The leading monk smiled slightly and said.

"Hmph, since you few have come, then don't leave... Your Majesty, since you do not trust me, then let someone else be this Emperor!"

Swish! Darwin's figure flashed repeatedly, and he suddenly arrived in front of the Emperor, pointing a finger out.

Empress Suiko was stunned with fear and could not react in time, but immediately after, those three huge Dharma manifestations suddenly appeared in front of Darwin, each striking a palm toward him.

Boom! The immense impact force nearly overturned the entire imperial palace. The three Dharma manifestations were like three huge bulldozers, forcefully smashing through the walls and pushing Darwin out.

Darwin was furious and was just about to counterattack when he suddenly heard the sound of cannons in the sky. Looking back, he saw countless monk soldiers and soldiers with strange figures descending from the sky, charging toward the eastern suburbs of the Flying Bird Capital. Looking at the large banners behind those soldiers, they were clearly written with the character "Tang".

The war... had begun!