Ouhon asks Sou’ou about Ousen‘s condition then questions why Sou’ou isn’t waiting by his side. Sou’ou retorts that if Ouhon is worried then he should go check on Ousen himself, but Ouhon says his concern would be unwelcome. They start talking about the battle and Ouhon says they underestimated Riboku. He doesn’t think Ousen got sloppy, but he thinks some openings may have shown themselves after the victory at Shukai Plains. Sou’ou says that may be so, that’s not why they lost. They lost because Riboku engaged them in pure, direct warfare. Ousen gets stronger as the battlefield gets more complicated and Riboku would have no hope of winning in that situation. That’s why Riboku locked down the Hi Shin Unit and the Gyoku Hou who are capable of complicating the battlefield. Sou’ou said he’s sure Ousen noticed that as well, so the next battle will be Ousen’s victory. Ouhon questions if there will even be a next time. Sou’ou asks what he means, but Ouhon just says that rebuilding their army won’t be simple. Ouhon tells Sou’ou he’s entrusting him with Ousen. Now that Akou, Makou, and Denrimi are dead, Sou’ou is the only one who can support Ousen as his right arm. However, Sou’ou refuses and says that Ouhon should be the one to support Ousen. Sou’ou apologizes and says there’s something he must do no matter what and this is as far as he goes.
At least one portion of the chapter is good lol