Hero

In ancient China during the Warring States period, a nameless warrior claims to have defeated three dangerous assassins who threatened the life of the ruthless King of Qin, a ruler obsessed with conquering the other states and achieving unification. The warrior is granted an audience with the king to tell the tale of his heroic deeds. As reward for his service, he's allowed to approach the king within ten paces, an unprecedented honor.

The warrior recounts his battles with the three assassins—Sky, Flying Snow, and Broken Sword—who each possess distinctive skills and philosophies. He explains how he used their individual weaknesses and interpersonal conflicts to his advantage. Through the warrior's recollections, the complexities of his encounters with each assassin are revealed, unfolding in a series of elaborate and visually striking flashbacks, each flushed with color schemes matching the mood and theme of the narrative. These stories are met with intrigue and suspicion by the king, who has his own understanding of the assassins' motivations and questions the veracity of the warrior's account.