**Chapter 4: The Battle Begins (Sort Of)**

The day of the battle arrived, and Kiyo's army was deployed on the field, their armor glinting in the morning sun like a sea of polished steel. Kiyo, dressed in his commander's attire, stood atop a small hill, looking out at the enemy lines with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. He took a deep breath, feeling the cool morning air fill his lungs, and tried to recall the battle plan. But, as usual, his mind was a blank. "Ah, yes," Kiyo said, turning to his officers. "Let's get started. Um, what's the plan again?" He scanned the faces of his officers, hoping to find some hint of reassurance. Commander Thompson cleared his throat, his expression a mixture of concern and patience. "We discussed this, Commander. We'll start with a cavalry charge on the enemy's left flank, followed by a siege engine deployment to weaken their defenses." Kiyo nodded vigorously, trying to look confident. "Ah, yes, that's right. Cavalry charge. Siege engines. Got it." He turned to his officers, a look of determination on his face. "Alright, let's do this!" The officers exchanged skeptical glances, but they tried to press on. Lieutenant Sophia stepped forward, her eyes locked on Kiyo's. "Commander, are you sure you're ready for this? We can't afford to make any mistakes." Kiyo smiled, trying to appear confident. "I'm positive, Lieutenant. I've got this." He nodded, his eyes scanning the battlefield. With a loud trumpet blast, the battle began. Kiyo's cavalry charged forward, but instead of following the planned route, they veered off course and began to chase after a group of enemy scouts. Kiyo watched in confusion, unsure of what was happening. "Wait, what's going on?" Kiyo asked, turning to his officers. "Why are our cavalry chasing after those scouts?" Commander Thompson's face turned red with frustration. "I don't know, Commander. It looks like they're not following orders." Kiyo shrugged, feeling a sense of panic rising up inside him. "Oh well, I'm sure it'll work out. I mean, it's not like we're playing a game or anything." He laughed nervously, trying to diffuse the tension. The officers looked at him incredulously, but they tried to adapt to the situation. Lieutenant Sophia rushed forward, trying to rally the cavalry and get them back on course. As the battle raged on, Kiyo's cluelessness led to a series of comedic mishaps. He accidentally ordered his troops to retreat, thinking that they were advancing. He mistook the enemy's war cries for cheers of support. And he tried to use a nearby tree as a makeshift siege engine, much to the confusion of his officers. The enemy lines began to laugh at Kiyo's antics, and his own troops started to get confused. But despite the chaos, they managed to hold their ground, mostly due to the efforts of his officers. As the battle reached its midpoint, Kiyo's army was in disarray. The cavalry was scattered across the battlefield, chasing after enemy scouts. The infantry was pinned down behind a nearby ridge, trying to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. And Kiyo was left standing alone, wondering what to do next. "Ah, yes," Kiyo said, looking around at the chaos. "I think I see the problem. We need to...uh... regroup and reassess." He nodded, trying to look confident. "Let's do that." The officers looked at each other uncertainly, but they tried to rally behind Kiyo. After all, they had to. The battle was far from over, and they needed to find a way to win it. As Kiyo's officers scrambled to reorganize the troops, Kiyo took a moment to survey the battlefield. The enemy lines were still strong, but he spotted a weakness in their defenses - a small gap in the lines that could be exploited. "Ah ha!" Kiyo exclaimed, pointing at the gap. "I see our chance! Let's attack there!" The officers looked at him in surprise, but they quickly adapted to the new plan. With a loud trumpet blast, Kiyo's army launched a fresh attack, this time targeting the weak spot in the enemy lines. The battle raged on, with Kiyo's army fighting to gain ground. It was far from over, but Kiyo felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he could lead his army to victory after all. The sun beat down on the battlefield, casting a golden glow over the chaos. Kiyo's heart pounded in his chest, his senses on high alert. He was in this now, for better or for worse. And he was determined to make it work.