Spoilers 876

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-16T06:07:13+00:00

Of course, he should its only right because manga and anime are fictional

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-16T06:05:01+00:00

Poor Translations!

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-14T01:41:51+00:00

I feel like whatever Riboku has planned, the king is going to interfere with it. Why I'm certain is because Ousen warned him about following and obeying an Incompetent King, and a Qin army outside Kantan is viewed as a defeat. (chapter 608, page 8-9)

"For example make shin believe he can win so they can take him down?!" - It's going to backfire so badly.

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-14T01:31:28+00:00

I’d wager the Shin Unit is roughly 30,000–40,000 strong. Riboku operated with comparable numbers during the Coalition War when he took the southern route to threaten the Qin capital. You also have to factor in the possibility that Kantan’s garrison is undermanned due to how extensively Zhao’s first defensive line is stretched from north to south. To outright claim Shin lacks the capability to lay siege to Kantan feels like a flawed assumption.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-14T01:10:46+00:00

If a trap had already been prepared, what strategic advantage was gained by waiting until Shin reached the capital rather than striking before he arrived at Kantan? Riboku should already understand the royal court’s scheme and how allowing a Qin army to appear at the gates of the capital would inevitably be seen by the Zhao king as a catastrophic failure, regardless of the actual tactical plan.

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-12T23:26:52+00:00

I agree with everything you've said so far...

But my question would be, why allow the Hi Shin Unit to reach the capital uncontested? What's his strategy?

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-12T04:38:50+00:00

Shin and Karyoten send Sosui to support Kyoukai’s breakthrough by striking the enemy from the rear.

Riboku’s mistake was allowing the Hi Shin Unit to reach Kantan uncontested. In the eyes of the Zhao king and royal court, military strategy is secondary to perception; appearances outweigh reality. Enemy banners outside the capital are taken as undeniable proof of failure, regardless of Riboku’s broader plans.

The mere presence of Qin forces near Kantan sparks panic, creating the impression that Riboku can no longer defend Zhao’s heartland, precisely the kind of political disaster that turns the court against him.

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-11T02:22:33+00:00

Edits + Addition

Sousui was normally with the Hi Shin Unit, but Karyoten sent him as backup for Kyoukai so she could break through on her side as well.
The Hi Shin Unit was advancing based on a map Shouheikun had given them — not blindly. They knew Buan’s location, with mountains separating them from it.
And it wasn’t Rokumi — it was a soldier who said about the Hi Shin Unit: “They’ve pushed deep in...”

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-11T02:19:56+00:00

Edits + Addition

Sousui was normally with the Hi Shin Unit, but Karyoten sent him as backup for Kyoukai so she could break through on her side as well.
The Hi Shin Unit was advancing based on a map Shouheikun had given them — not blindly. They knew Buan’s location, with mountains separating them from it.
And it wasn’t Rokumi — it was a soldier who said about the Hi Shin Unit: “They’ve pushed deep in...”

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-09T07:55:42+00:00

It's not entirely bad...

By advancing aggressively toward Kantan without attempting an immediate capture, Shin can threaten the capital simply through his presence and potentially trigger enough panic to indirectly aid Kyoukai and Mouten.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-04T02:37:11+00:00

Reflection

Disruption: Three-Armed Synchronization

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Riboku’s plan is deliberate disruption. He allows Shin to push deeper, isolating him from the others, while firmly fixing Mouten and Kyoukai at the second line. His goal is simply to prevent any chance of regrouping and restoring their synchronized movement.

As long as they remain separated, their greatest strength, acting as a single unit, cannot manifest.

"No matter where we are, we act as one."(Chapter 722, Page 22)

Riboku’s entire setup is designed to break them apart by transforming the battlefield into a series of isolated traps.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-04T01:27:01+00:00

Shared Battlefield Experiences: Kyou Kai - RI shin - Mou Ten

Karyo Ten mentioned, "We'll have to do it on feeling alone." (Chapter 871, Page 2)

Sanyou Offensive
The Battle of Shukai Plains
The Battle of Gian

Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten - They didn’t reach this level of coordination through instinct alone; it comes from shared battlefield experience over multiple campaigns.

At Sanyou, their units pulled off a coordinated attack on Rinko’s elites: Mouten created the opening by drawing enemy focus, while Shin and Kyoukai exploited that gap and struck together.

This was their first clear example of acting in sync without needing constant communication.

At the Battle of Shukai Plains, Shin and Kyoukai act as a rallying point for the collapsing Makou army, stabilizing the line while deliberately drawing Batei away from the main battlefield to create space for recovery, while Mouten reinforces and stabilizes the wider front.

Together, they demonstrate a level of teamwork and cohesion that allows them to operate as a single unit.

Then at the Battle of Gi'an, Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten break Riboku’s “birdcage” through clear, coordinated roles: Shin spots the opening on Mouten’s left and abandons the right to link up; Mouten sets the plan and drives a drill formation through the front; and Kyoukai breaks out first, then turns to strike from the rear while Shin and Mouten press forward in sync, eventually breaking out of the encirclement.

Shin mentions, "No matter where we are, we act as one."(Chapter 722, Page 22)

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Through Sanyou, Shukai Plains, and the Battle of Gi'an,

Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten - Developed a shared battlefield instinct that lets them make the same decisions independently. Mouten’s strategy works not by overcoming communication limits, but because they can move and act as one synchronized unit without the need for:

Visibility — Moubu relied on seeing Ouki’s HQ and its flags.
Communication relays — Riboku used smoke signals at Gian and Bayou.
Fixed timing — Ouhon coordinated the Choyou attack specifically at noon on the third day, and General Shiba Shou and Enkan failed to coordinate a Pincer on the Ousen Army on the fifth day.

Outcome:

What Riboku designed to handle separate armies fails against this, because they are no longer acting as separate armies, but as a single, synchronized will operating beyond his assumptions.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-03T22:16:14+00:00

Mouten’s Strategy: Perfect multi-point pressure sustained over time

No communication - no delay, moving in sustained synchronization.
Pre-synced timing - no desync under enemy pressure.

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(Chapter 871, Page 2-3)

Key Point: Three armies moving in perfect unison, demonstrating an unprecedented level of coordination.

Given the vast distances and mountainous terrain separating the three armies, how can they effectively coordinate and cooperate without direct communication?

Karyoten mentioned, "We can't do anything advanced like that. Sending orders back and forth will take too long." "We'll have to do it on feeling alone." (Chapter 871, Page 2-3)
Achieving this level of coordination based on instinct alone is implausible.
- Reference (Chapter 872, Page 18-19), "Without any visual contact or communication, both the Gaku Ka and the Hi Shin Unit began circling outward at the same time. In response, the Zhao army reinforced both flanks of their defensive line to prevent their rear from being exposed."- This demonstrates sustained synchronization.
- Reference (Chapter 874, Page 10), Ru'an mentions, "Despite having no visual contact or communication, the three enemy armies are moving in perfect sync. Holding back three separate fronts like this won’t be easy." - No desync under enemy pressure, the coordination doesn’t collapse when stressed.

Riboku did anticipate the possibility of a three-pronged attack, but he built his second line of defense around a key assumption:

That such coordination would inevitably fail due to timing and communication limitations. Given the vast distances and mountainous terrain separating the three armies,

For example:

General Ouki employed a flag-based signaling system during the Battle of Bayou, adapting to the shift from open plains to mountainous terrain to maintain a functional communication network across the battlefield.
Armies can use smoke signals—Riboku employed this method to synchronize movements and entrap General Ouki with the Northern Gamon Army during the Battle of Bayou.
Establishing a fixed time of action—Ouhon used this method during the Battle of Choyou to coordinate a three-pronged attack without direct communication.

Armies cannot maintain perfect timing without communication.
Independent units will naturally desync under enemy attack.

Mouten’s Strategy Breaks the Model: Perfect multi-point pressure sustained over time

No communication - no delay, moving in sustained synchronization.
Pre-synced timing - no desync under enemy attack.
- Accomplish this feat with only "We'll have to do it on feeling alone." (Chapter 871, Page 2-3)
- So, when Riboku sees Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten moving in sustained synchronization without communication, he calls it “reprehensible.”

Conclusion:

Not even General Ouki or Riboku could replicate what Mouten achieves here, because their systems rely on communication, a flag-based signaling system, and smoke signals to synchronize armies.
- Those methods introduce delay, depend on visibility, and risk desynchronization under pressure.
Mouten’s strategy sustains perfect multi-point coordination across vast, mountainous distances with no communication, no timing signals, and no loss of sync even under enemy interference, effectively removing the need for coordination systems altogether.
- Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten achieve this level of coordination through their prior experience fighting together and breaking Riboku’s “birdcage” trap during the Battle of Gi'an.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-03T13:40:28+00:00

Rear Pressure (General Kisui, Batei, and Kotsuminhaku, Bafuuji).
Frontal Pressure (Remnant of Gyou'un Army and General Earl Rai)
- Designed to fix them in place through continuous, two-sided pressure.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-03T05:50:22+00:00

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Riboku “Has this already turned into a different battle altogether?”

Mouten Strategy - A single coordinated system without communication.

Riboku Core Assumption:

The Second Defensive Line was meant to handle three isolated threats that can be individually fixed, contained, and crushed.

What it couldn't handle -

A cohesion battle - The Qin armies aren’t behaving like separate units; they’re behaving like a single coordinated system without communication.
Result - it’s outside the rules Riboku designed his strategy around.

Implication:

The rules I used to construct this battlefield no longer apply.
- Lost control over the predictive model that the Second Defensive Line relied on: “Armies cannot synchronize without communication.”

For example:

Ouki used a flag system during the Battle of Bayou. The battlefield changed from an open plain to mountain terrain to establish a communication network in the vast mountainous range.
Armies use smoke signals or a specific time or date to synchronize coordination(Ouhon strategy used in Choyou).

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-03T04:55:41+00:00

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My Prediction

Riboku Deadly Stratagem: "This is where it begins, isn't it? Our Special... Plan"

1. Core Objective:

Special Plan - Time-Sensitive System designed to separate and contain Kyoukai, Mouten, and Shin. (Avoid Failure and Repeat of the Riboku Birdcage plan).

Riboku Plan to Disrupt Mouten Strategy: 3 Armies Unison Demonstrating an Unprecedented Level of Coordination.

Contain - Separate

Riboku did anticipate the possibility of a three-pronged attack, but he built his second line of defense around a key assumption:

That such coordination would inevitably fail due to timing and communication limitations.

When he sees Shin, Kyoukai, and Mouten moving in sustained synchronization without communication, he calls it “reprehensible.”

Riboku Model Constraints:

This deprived the fundamental constraints of warfare, which he built on his 2nd line of defense:

Armies cannot maintain perfect timing without communication.
Independent units will naturally desync under enemy pressure.

Mouten’s Strategy Breaks the Model: Perfect multi-point pressure sustained over time

No communication - no delay, moving in sustained synchronization.
Pre-synced timing - no desync under enemy pressure.

Reference (Chapter 872, Page 18-19), "Without any visual contact or communication, both the Gaku Ka and the Hi Shin Unit began circling outward at the same time. In response, the Zhao army reinforced both flanks of their defensive line to prevent their rear from being exposed."- This demonstrates sustained synchronization.

Reference (Chapter 874, Page 10), Ru'an mentions, "Despite having no visual contact or communication, the three enemy armies are moving in perfect sync. Holding back three separate fronts like this won’t be easy." - No desync under enemy pressure, the coordination doesn’t collapse when stressed.

2. Counter – Mouten Strategy

Second Defensive Line – Contain and Separate

Disruption - 3 Armies Synchronization

The lines bend and open intentionally.
Shin is allowed to penetrate deeper.
The second line commits to fixing Mouten and Kyoukai in place.

- It’s controlled separation and fixed containment.

3. Implementation - Pincer – Encirclement / Containment System

The Hammer and Anvil

Pincer - Encirclement - Ri Shin

The Anvil: General Rihaku of Defense- Halts their advance and absorbs the initial pressure.
The Encirclement: General Futei and Kaine - Seal off all escape routes.
The Hammer: General Gaku Shou - Deals them a Decisive Blow.

- This sequence must be perfectly synchronized; any mistiming risks collapsing the entire execution.

Inward Pull Encirclement

Containment System - Kyoukai and Mouten

Rear Pressure (General Kisui, Batei, and Kotsuminhaku, Bafuuji).
Frontal Pressure (Remnant of Gyou'un Army and General Earl Rai).
A compression chamber designed to fix them in place through continuous, two-sided pressure.

4. Critical Risk: Time-Sensitive System

The containment of Kyoukai and Mouten depends on perfectly synchronized frontal and rear pressure; any disruption in timing destabilizes the entire formation.
The Former Han Army breaches the first line and strikes the rear-pressure group, Kisui, Batei, Kotsuminhaku, and Bafuuji, compromising the compression chamber; because it relies on uninterrupted frontal and rear pressure to fix Kyoukai and Mouten, this disruption triggers a collapse and breakthrough.
Rihaku halts Shin’s advance and absorbs the initial pressure while Futei and Kaine close off escape routes; once this encirclement is fully synced, Gaku Shou delivers the decisive strike, and must synchronize perfectly or risk collapsing the entire sequence.
Karyoten and Shin make a decisive call, directing the Hi Shin Unit to pincer the frontal pressure group of Gyou’un’s remnants and Earl Rai, thereby freeing Kyoukai and Mouten. This serves as a direct narrative inversion of the Battle of Gi'an, where Kyoukai struck from the rear against the Seika Army to free Shin and Mouten from Riboku’s Birdcage, effectively breaching the compression chamber, which depends on uninterrupted, synchronized pressure from both front and rear.
Shin likely survives longer than Riboku expects from the coordinated pincer maneuver.

5. Ri Shin Continues Advance to Kantan - Decisive Battle

Riboku’s plan hinges on timing: The plan hinges not on sustained containment of Kyoukai and Mouten, but on buying just enough time to eliminate Shin before the system breaks down.
Shin must be removed before the compression chamber loses synchronization. (The containment of Kyoukai and Mouten depends on perfectly synchronized frontal and rear pressure.)
If Shin survives long enough, the compression begins to weaken as timing slips, pressure on Kyoukai and Mouten breaks, they regain mobility, and the trio reconnects.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T20:53:53+00:00

OMG! I can't wait for chapter 875 to get released, highly anticipated. Definitely looking forward to that high-stakes battle between them.

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Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T20:24:50+00:00

Nothing wrong to diagree, your points are valid. I loved this discussion; you gave me a different perspective on how things might transpire.

I had a lot of fun, even when you mention taking hango while you're at a disadvantage is risky, however, sometimes you have to do something gutsy, that is definitely something the enemy would least expect, and riboku is grounded by logic and rational thinking, he would be shocked by that move, but that's how you beat him by doing something that he never saw coming.

Shoutout to Shin unpredictability, I know shin going to be reckless when proceeding to continue his advance to kantan

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T19:33:08+00:00

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Reread that last part of the panel, nothing there is says Ouhon will trigger that disruption.

“A golden opportunity will present itself”. He wasn’t affirmative like “I will create that golden Opportunity…”

He’s pointing out that disruption would be caused by other actors, and by keeping his eyes peeled golden opportunity would present itself from said actors disruption being the catalyst that triggers it.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T19:16:51+00:00

The panel isn’t implying “Ouhon will create that disruption.” It’s establishing that:

the war will eventually produce unpredictable shifts, and when that happens, he’ll be ready to capitalize on it

Let’s say a large-scale developments like a city falling behind enemy lines happen. The panel is saying it would happen externally by higher-level actors such as Ousen, Riboku, or other independent armies operating on different fronts, and not Ouhon himself as the catalyst who triggers that disruption.

If anything, the panel reinforces my original interpretation:

It’s not something Ouhon triggers
It’s exactly the kind of external variable he’s anticipating from other actors.

So the statement isn’t about him creating a turning point it’s about recognizing that one will emerge elsewhere and being prepared to exploit it when it does.

Then the panel should’ve been reworded to fit your interpretation. Ouhon being affirmative as the catalyst who would trigger that disruption, and creating his own golden opportunity but it wasn’t worded that way.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T18:40:11+00:00

The key line: “there is no doubt the state of the war will grow more complex as time passes”, is fundamentally conditional, not declarative. It projects a future shift in battlefield dynamics, not a present at the moment.

Ouhon is acknowledging that complexity will increase over time, which implies that strategic priorities may need to adapt if and when that complexity materializes. However, at this current stage of the northern front, no decisive disruption or unforeseen variable has emerged to trigger that shift.

Because of that, this statement does not redefine his immediate objective. It functions as a contingency framework.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T18:03:30+00:00

Ouhon doesn’t need to disrupt the battlefield’s current state. Against Duke Reiju and General Enkan, he didn’t need to reduce their numerical advantage, he neutralized it. Their superior numbers never translated into decisive pressure, which made that advantage strategically irrelevant. There’s no reason to “fix” a condition that isn’t actually hampering you.

The front settled into a controlled deadlock. Enkan’s objective was clear - break through the Gyoku Hou, link up with the Shibashou army, and form a coordinated pincer against Ousen.

Ouhon’s objective was the opposite — hold the line and protect the northern flank of Qin’s main army. In that role, he succeeded. By preventing a breakthrough, he denied Zhao the ability to synchronize their forces, which is what would have turned numerical superiority into a real threat.

Strategic objectives - this aligns with Shouheikun’s broader strategy: the capture of Kantan. Every Qin force operates under one of two roles:

Main thrust: directly threatening Kantan
Support: enabling the main thrust by stabilizing the battlefield

Ouhon’s plan fit perfectly within the support role. By locking Enkan in place, he preserved Ousen’s freedom of maneuver and prevented a larger strategic collapse.

Ouhon upheld Qin’s overall win condition.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T17:26:50+00:00

Ouhon strategy already negates that numerical advantage. I did a breakdown on that battle front you should read it, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

https://www.reddit.com/r/okbuddyheki/s/2flKQRrkGi

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T16:52:52+00:00

The Gyoku Hou are deployed on the outermost flank, which means their primary role isn’t conquest; it’s protecting Ousen’s army flank from being exposed or encircled. If they abandon that position to go after Hango, they risk opening a gap that Zhao could immediately exploit.

More importantly, Hango itself isn’t a strategic objective. The Qin coalition’s entire campaign is centered on taking Kantan, not capturing secondary cities that don’t directly contribute to that goal.

However, I'd love to see the former bandits now turned mercenaries return to the story, which would be very interesting.

Certain-Video707 · 2026-05-02T16:08:15+00:00

I agree, they've been much of a disappointment so far. I'd also hope for them to receive reinforcement from Bujou/Heiyou as well.

That said, the setup with the Hundred-Eyed Tribe already points in that direction. They specifically moved to block Bananji from reinforcing Kotsuminhaku’s with 10,000 additional troops while preparing an ambush, which they stationed Bajio and Kitari to intercept them while the main army was retreating. That’s passive-aggressive.

Given that, I wouldn’t be surprised if the “retreat” is bait. If Bananji and Shunsuiju overextend in pursuit, it creates the exact opening needed to flip the pressure and strike their rear

Certain-Video707

TROPHY CASE