Oda Nobuna no Yabou - Volume 3 - Chapter 7

Chapter 7 : Retreat at Kanegasaki 

"Nii-sama! While you’re supposed to be guarding Kyoto, you must never flirt around! Nene will observe you all the way!" 

"Why did you come to Kyoto...?" Yoshiharu grumbled unhappily, but Nene simply said "Hime-sama sent me here to keep an eye on Nii-sama.", not caring about his obvious displeasure at all. 

Both Yoshiharu and Nene were staying temporarily at Taesumidera. 

Because Saitou Dousan had trained here when he was a child, this place gave Nobuna a feeling of ease. 

As for Nobuna herself, she had led her troops to attack Wakasa, leaving Yoshiharu behind in Kyoto to finally enjoy his long awaited vacation. 

"*Cough* *cough*... I've been troubling you guys. Sorry about this." 

Takenaka Hanbei has a high fever and has been bedridden ever since the battle at Kiyomizu Castle. 

Nobuna left with the words, "I will clean up Wakasa in a moment; stay here and accompany Hanbei," and left her godfather Saitou Dousan guarding Mino and Owari. She herself brought Shibata Katsuie, Niwa Nagahide, Akechi Mitsuhide, Matsudaira Motoyasu, Maeda Inuchiyo and Matsunaga Hisashide and left for Wakasa in the north. 

It has been a month since Imagawa Yoshimoto officially accepted the position of Shogun, which allowed Kyoto's "Imagawa Shogunate" in Nijou Castle to replace the Ashikaga Shogunate. 

Daimyos from different provinces had sent messengers with their well wishes and congratulations to the Imagawa Shogunate, though most probably realized she was honestly just Nobuna’s puppet. If any nobles resisted however, especially those near Kyoto, they would be giving Nobuna a reason to attack them. 

But only Echizen's daimyo Asakura Yoshikage and Echizen's neighbour Wakasa did not send messengers. 

In light of this, Nobuna's order to "Attack Wakasa" set 30000 troops marching towards the north. 

"But why must I guard Kyoto? I don’t fit in at all with the Kyoto nobles, who have more rules than a cow has hairs. You should give this job to Juubei." 

"Hehe. This job is just temporary. Once Mitsuhide comes back, it will be changed obviously." 

"Well that’s a relief!" 

"This time, Mitsuhide is in charge of leading the way for the troops. She had once been the guest of the Asakura clan of Echizen, so she should be knowledgeable of Wakasa." Hanbei said with a laugh as she drank the porridge Yoshiharu fed her personally. 

"Really? Juubei must be nearly omnipotent... Looks like I can't relax any longer." 

"Nii-sama has not been resting well ever since the battle at Okehazama, so Hime-sama wants you to rest once in a while." 

"Sagara-shi's wounds have not healed completely. It's better if you rest." 

Nene and Goemon, these two lolis were lying down on the tatami lazily, enjoying their time to relax. 

That Goemon who was always on the roof is actually sleeping on the tatami, how rare... Yoshiharu thought. 

"But Hanbei, is your body really okay? Your condition doesn’t look like it’s improved since you collapsed at Kiyomizu Temple. I'm a bit worried." 

"It's okay. I asked the famous doctor Manase Dousan-sensei to come, so I should be much better in a few days." 

"Dousan? If I'm not wrong, that’s the geezer that called himself Belchior in Kiyomizu temple..." Just when Yoshiharu was recalling... 

Ho~ho~ho* 

"Here I am, here I am. It's time for a body inspection." 

The one known as the famous doctor, Manase Belchior Dousan laughed and came up upon Yoshiharu’s side. 

"I'm the doctor of the previous Shogun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Manase Dousan. After giving Frois-chan’s body an inspection last year, I became a Christian. Now I'm baptized and called Belchior." 

This Manase Belchior looked energetic. He had a long white beard, and he even wore a white dojo suit, altogether giving him a rather honest appearance. Though he should be long past 60, his back was straight and he looked extremely spirited. 

"Geezer, you look young!" 

"I have my ways for longevity. I expect to live up to a hundred." 

"Longevity?" 

"Ho~ho~ho. The trick is to touch the skin of young girls and suck the ‘miasma’ from them... This is a top level secret." 

This geezer is just too suspicious... Though Yoshiharu can't help but frown, Hanbei does not seem on guard against him, saying "Doctors won't bully people." 

As expected of the #1 doctor in Japan, to get the shikigami wielding, “test people by throwing daggers at them” Hanbei to let down her guard. 

"Ho~ho~ho. What a cute child. Is it here, or here? Does it hurt here?" 

Manase Belchior squinted his eyes and sat down at Hanbei's side, and suddenly, with a shout of "Hei ya", he stripped Hanbei of her pyjamas and used his thin fingers to touch Hanbei's body. 

Once he saw Hanbei's white skin and cute breasts, Yoshiharu's nosebleed shot out all of a sudden. 

"Ahhhhh! Ma-Manase-sensei?" 

"Ho~ho~ho. It's just a simple checkup. Good good. So cute, so cute." 

"Oi, oi, you perverted geezer!" 

"What are you doing, I can't suck any "miasma" by touching a man's body, Ho~ho~ho." 

Not knowing where his anger came from, Yoshiharu took a bat and swung it at the famous doctor's head. 

"Ahhhh. Have mercy, have mercy!" 

"Hurry and stop, Sagara-shi." 

"Nii-sama, he is the famous doctor!" 

"Correct. I do not have any ulterior motives. I'm just letting my patient cool down her fever by stripping her clothes. As for why I'm touching the patient's skin, um...that...is...is a touching inspection method from Namban!" 

Touching inspection... It seems barely reasonable... Yoshiharu loosen his hands slightly. 

"Th-though it's a bit embarrassing, Manase-sensei is the #1 doctor in the country, and he has knowledge of Namban's newest medical techniques, and with him being a Christian, he must be a serious doctor. Ah, but Yoshiharu, please don't stare at me...please." 

"Ahhh, S-so...I'm really sorry!" Yoshiharu turned his back in a hurry. 

"I'm saved..." Manase Belchior let out a sigh of relief and put his doctor face on again. 

"Ho~ho~ho. Brat, you should thank me. With that, you should have had your fill of the scenery, right?" 

"I keep getting the thought that this geezer only became a doctor so he could touch young girls’ bodies..." 

"Hanbei-chan. Leave your clothes off for a while and lie down. Reveal your body and let the heat be dispersed out." 

"I-I got it... B-but...it's...so embarrassing..." 

"Come, come. Don't be shy, take your small hands away from your breasts..." 

"...I don't want to. Sensei, your hands seem perverted... Uhhh..." 

"Take them away, take them away. Ho~ho~ho." 

Hanbei grabbed one of her nearby daggers and threw it at Belchior's head, and the geezer fell down to the ground face first. 

Yoshiharu did not know, but actually this perversely skilled Manase Belchior had written down a guide to skills in bed with Matsunaga Hisashide. 

Matsunaga Hisashide had once said, "Beauty is a woman's strongest weapon. If I can forever be young, how good will it be...", and at that time, Manase said, "Ho~ho~ho. There is a secret for women to be forever young. When they are having sex with another, they should suck the ‘miasma’ from them." and taught Hisahide many unspeakable sex techniques. 

Of course, at that time, the geezer had said while drooling, "Ho~ho~ho. The secret arts can’t be learned with simple words. Come, Danjo-chan. Let me teach you personally with my body." But, with Hisashide's rebuff of "I hate geezers", he was fed sulfur mustard poison and thrown away with the rest of the rubbish at Tamon Mountain Castle, numb and paralyzed. 

"At that time, I almost became the food of crows.... Ho~ho~ho." 

Manase sat up and laughed, while reminiscing. 

"Oi, oi Geezer, the dagger is still in your head..." Yoshiharu looked on sweating, but Manase brushed it off and said, "It's okay if it didn't hurt the brain", and treated it in an instant, as expected from the famous doctor. 

Well, though he is a lolicon geezer on the outside, his medical skills are indeed the greatest in Japan... No, because he has knowledge of western medical skills, he might even be the greatest in the world. 

"No matter how I look at him, he is just a perverted geezer, Sagara-shi." 

"But his skills are top notch... Geezer, please save Hanbei! This child has been weak from birth, I will give you any money you need." 

"Ho~ho~ho. No matter if the patient is the Shogun or a simple commoner, the medical fee will all be the same. Hanbei-chan is so cute I feel like doing it for free. Hehehe, I may even be the one who benefited the most from this, so maybe I should be the one paying... Owwww!?" 

"Yo...Yoshiharu. Don't beat up sensei. *Cough*Cough*" 

"Ohoh, my bad, my bad, my body moved reflexively." 

After a fuss, Manase Belchior finished his inspection and gave Hanbei her prescription. 

"Um...for how long must I be naked...? I'm tired of covering my breasts..." Hanbei said. 

But Manase just kept nodding. 

"This is Chinese medicine and these are Namban ones. Hanbei's body is too weak. For your illness, nourishment is the best way to go, and be careful about your diet; remember to eat more meat." 

"Meat...? ...It's smelly, I don't really like to eat it. And I think it's pitiful for the animals to be killed. Uhhhh." 

"No, no. All because Buddhism has taken root in this country's heart and the nobles have forbidden people to kill and eat meat, their life expectancy has been cut noticeably shorter. In the past, no matter if it was deer, pig, or fox meat, they ate it without restraint." 

"Is that so, Yoshiharu?" 

"Yeah. In the era I lived in, the Japanese eat meat. Because there are no wars, the guys lived long and the infant death rate decreased due to the public sanitary standards having improved. Anyway, everyone's life expectancy longer compared to the Sengoku era. And it wasn’t just their body condition; even the breasts of girls had developed much more.” 

"So that's how it is... Breasts...will grow bigger..." 

Hanbei snuck a peak at the breasts she covered with her hands. 

"If that's the case..." Hanbei said with determination in her eyes. 

"I-I'll eat! But, just not squirrel and cat meat, definitely not!" 

"No, no. In the future, the only meat sold are pig, cow or chicken. No one will eat squirrels or cats." 

"Ho~ho~ho. This can't do, this can't do. Small breasts on small girls are the way to go! As expected, Hanbei, it's better if you don't eat meat." 

"Shut up, you lolicon geezer!" 

"But, Sagara-dono. Did you really come from the future?" 

For Manase Belchior who had a strong interest in Namban culture, he was obviously very curious about Yoshiharu. 

"Correct. I came from Japan approximately 400 years from now. Don't tell anyone about this though." 

"I see. There was such a story behind your success. Do you know anything about the medical knowledge of the future?" 

"...Um... My grades weren't really good enough to study medicine... Si-since I'm just a high school student... I-I do know a bit of English?" 

"Oh...you mean...?" 

"As in the language of England. You will think of Spain and Portugal once we talk about Namban people, but England and Holland will become strong soon." 

"I see... But, I advise you not to tell many people about things in the future." Manase said to Yoshiharu. 

"That is your last trump card. And, if history changes too much, your knowledge will become useless." 

"I'm worried about this too," Hanbei said. 

"Because of Yoshiharu, the course of history has changed to a great extent. You didn't just save Imagawa Yoshimoto who should have died in Okehazama, you even saved Saitou Dousan at Nagara River. You’ve admitted yourself that both of these people should have died in the last war." 

"I got it. But there is such a saying in Christianity, 'Everything is of God's will.' If that's the case, everything is predestined. Even if you tried to change it, the course of history can’t and won’t be stopped. We can't deny such a possibility." 

"Now that you mention it..." Yoshiharu suddenly smacked his hand. 

"According to the history of my Sengoku game, Ashikaga Yoshiteru should have died facing the Miyoshi Three and Matsunaga Danjo. The Oda clan should have then pushed Ashikaga Yoshiteru's little brother Yoshiaki to be Shogun instead of Imagawa Yoshimoto. But now..." 

"...Ashikaga Yoshiteru is still alive, having run with her sister Yoshiaki-sama. The one who should succeed the position of Shogun Yoshiaki-sama has disappeared from the stage of history. I'm afraid that because of Imagawa Yoshimoto being alive, history has changed to such an extent to compensate for the difference." 

"Compensate the history's difference... Does anyone have such an ability, Hanbei?" Yoshiharu asked. 

"I'm not sure myself, but this will fit with that Christian word 'Destiny', so 'God' might be the culprit." 

"I'm the same as Nobuna; I just can’t believe in such a thing. If there was really something like that, then there’s no meaning to me coming to this era. Assuming this 'destiny' thing really exists, then it should be wanting me to complete my mission in this era and help Nobuna." 

"Uhhh, don't say such difficult things, Nii-sama!" "I will bite my tongue just from listening!" 

Nene and Goemon began kicking up a fuss, so this topic was brought to a close. 

History had begun to change more noticably though, as Nobuna’s attack on Wakasa wasn't something that Yoshiharu had seen in his version of the future. 

"Ahh, correct. I had thought Nobuna would be attacking Echizen's Asakura clan." 

"Oh? The target isn't Wakasa but Echizen? But if they really attack the Asakura clan, Azai Nagamasa will be caught in the middle since he holds an alliance with both the Asakura clan and Nobuna." 

"Correct, Goemon. In my gaming knowledge, things went like this. Just when they are moving towards the territory of Echizen, Azai Nagamasa suddenly defects behind the Oda force and cuts off their retreat back to Kyoto, plunging Nobuna’s army into an unprecedented risk. This is the very famous event in "Oda Nobunaga no Yabou", "Retreat at Kanegasaki." 

"If Azai really defected, then there really is no retreat! It scares me just thinking of it." 

"It's okay, Nene. The Nobuna of this world is only attacking Wakasa." 

"What... Not good." Hanbei who was planning to put her pyjamas back on let out a nervous noise and even forgotten to cover her breast after listening. 

"Attacking Wakasa is just a farce! Nobuna-sama had bluffed even her advisors, and her real motive is to launch an assault on Echizen's Asakura Yoshikage at the same time she is moving towards Wakasa at the west." 

"...What...!?" 

"*Cough* I'm sorry, Yoshiharu. If I knew the details of the "Retreat at Kanegasaki" earlier, I would have seen through it sooner...!" 

"What is going on, strategist-dono?" 

"This is not good." 

"Nobuna-sama had long seen that the Asakura clan has no intentions of following her, and wanting to conquer the area near Kyoto sooner, she launches an assault to conquer Echizen in one fell swoop! But if Azai Nagamasa knew this, he will be caught in a bind between the Oda and Asakura clans, so Nobuna-sama kept Azai Nagamasa in the dark and went straight to Echizen...!" 

"....How can that be possible...!? If that's the case, Azai Nagamasa will definitely betray Nobuna! This situation is the same as the game! But, thinking logically, Nagamasa should not betray Nobuna..." 

"The way that fellow looks upon Nobuna is totally different compared to the past! What I think is, he really admires Nobuna as his sister!" Yoshiharu explained earnestly. 

"Azai Nagamasa is a filial person, though he had once banished his own father Hisamasa to an island to become the head of his clan. I'm afraid he won't be able to go against his father's wishes this time." 

"That's too ridiculous. A talented warrior like Nagamasa... Just because of this... How can he... How can he..." 

"Everyone's outlook on life is different. Compared to Nobuna-sama, the very reason Nagamasa lacks the capability to rule the world is his virtue, his strong filial piety. Such a virtue is his biggest weakness." 

Hanbei's brain was thinking at full speed and had analyzed the situation in an instant. 

"The Oda troops moving from western Omi have most likely turned east and moving towards Echizen territory. Their motive should be Kanegasaki Castle. If they conquer Kanegasaki, what lies ahead is just Kinomet?ge. The distance to their base camp, Ichijodani is just a few steps. Nobuna-sama is just too isolated. If Azai Nagamasa of northern Omi and the Kuchiki clan under him defected....." 

"....how will it be....." 

"If that happens, they will face not just the Echizen's Asakura clan's army of 20000 and northern Omi's Azai clan of 15000's pincer attack, but when they are retreating back to Kyoto, the western Omi road will be totally sealed off by the Kuchiki troops. If that's the case, the Oda troops will be completely surrounded, trapped between 3 armies!" 

All the warriors...all the soldiers...in danger...the army decimated... Hanbei explained the cruel fact with difficulty through her coughing. 

"...I've been too careless...! Damn it...!" 

Yoshiharu was deathly pale as he stood up. 

"I have to see for myself personally what Nagamasa will do! I'm going to Odani Castle now!” 

"*Cough* *cough* I'm going too..." 

"Hanbei-chan, just lie here quietly and rest! Correct, geezer?" 

"Hohoho. yes yes. At least recuperate for a month." 

"But, I'm Yoshiharu's advisor..." 

"No. You can't run around!" 

Manase Belchior let out a strict tone suddenly and said. 

"I got it..." Looking at Hanbei's unwilling expression, Yoshiharu's mind started to worry; might Hanbei's illness be a critical one? But right now, he has no time to worry. The most urgent concern right now was to check on the intentions of Odani Castle, whether Nagamasa would really defect, and then to reach Nobuna's side by any means possible. 

"If that's the case, let Nene go with you!" 

Yoshiharu lifted Nene off his head, where she had been nagging him with "Try your best", and caressed her small head. 

"This is a very dangerous job, so instead of taking you with me, I will leave you in charge of the calculations and allocations of the funds." 

"Ok, I got it Nii-sama. I'm skilled at fund calculations!" 

"I'm sorry Goemon, but I need you with me this time." 

"Understood." 

"If so, bring Zenki with you." 

Hanbei said lightly. 

Odani Castle. 

Azai Nagamasa's bedroom. 

Stripped of her armor and wearing a cherry colored robe, Nagamasa was letting Oichi, in his own male robe, lay across her lap like a pillow. Nagamasa blushed faintly as Oichi laughed, waving the fan in his hand. 

If one did not know better, they might thought that the roles of the husband and wife were swapped with these two. 

"Nee-sama's luck is strong. It really gives me a scare after hearing what happened at Kiyomizu Temple, Saruyashamaru." 

"...D-don't call me by that name... That...is just a nickname to make people think I'm a guy." 

"Then, Nagamasa?" 

"That name is too manly, not cute at all..." 

"Hahaha, just joking. I understand, Oichi." 

"...Hmmm." 

Correct. 

The gentleman who is skilled at cross dressing, Kanjuurou Nobusumi, and the lady who cross dresses due to necessity, Azai Nagamasa. 

Ever since that day in the onsen... 

The two of them have fallen in love. 

Nobusumi had changed his flirty nature and doted solely upon Nagamasa. 

And in Nagamasa's love-deprived heart, she thought only about Nobusumi. 

Nagamasa was cleaning Nobusumi's ears as he lay across her lap, and with a soft laught said, "For the first in my life, I feel like I’m slowly becoming myself. All of this is due to you being here." 

"Me too. To think that it's such a wonderful thing to be wedded as husband and wife, this is far from my expectations." 

"One day, I will report to father and go back to being a girl." 

"Is that okay? Hisamasa-dono seems stubborn." 

"Once we have our own child, I think even father will give in." 

"Will such a thing happen? At least, I can't give birth." 

"Hmm. As long as we keep living in happiness like this, there will be one in the future." 

"Ah, I get it. You are the one giving birth. Hahaha." 

"Hehe." 

Compared to the time when she was competing for Nobuna with Yoshiharu, this feminine Nagamasa was like a totally different person. 

Right now, Nagamasa's heartfelt ambition had long since disappeared, replaced by the feeling of a brother-- no, sister that admires her god-sister. 

In Nagamasa's heart, she felt very satisfied with the current situation. 

Of course, that did not mean that she had given up on being a Sengoku warrior. 

Her own ambition had changed into a dream. 

The dream of conquering the world by herself had been taken up by her numerous comrades. 

And the dream that she had forsaken, the happiness of being a princess, has come back to her. 

Every minute, every second of this happiness satisfies Nagamasa. 

"One day, Omi will ride to war against the Takeda clan or the Echigo clan. At that time, I will definitely ride with god-sister and let the name of ‘Japan's greatest army’ ring out in the world." 

"But, in front of me, you are always my cute Oichi-hime." 

"Mhmm." 

The quiet but happy moment shared by the two of them. 

But... 

Not long after. 

Nagamasa was called by her father to the great hall of Odani Castle. 

"Nagamasa. Oda Nobuna has broken the pact agreed between us and started invading Echizen. She had already conquered Tsuruga's Tsuzukuyama castle, and is attacking Kanegasaki Castle. She planned to keep us, the Azai clan in the dark until the end." 

Ever since his own "son" Azai Nagamasa married Oda clan's princess and become Nobuna's comrade, Hisamasa had been brooding. Today, he has finally gathered all the advisors and suggests to Nagamasa the plan to cut all ties with the Oda clan and send reinforcements to the Asakura clan. 

"That...that can't be done, father. Only this, please reconsider!" 

Though Hisamasa was just an ordinary guy who don't know how to wage wars, he was still Nagamasa's father. 

Nagamasa fell deep into thought. 

The advisors had also split into 2 factions, quarreling non-stop about whether to stand with the Asakura clan or the Oda clan. 

If the issue was not settled soon, the Azai clan might be torn asunder. 

At that time, the battle between her and her father would be unavoidable...! 

"Father. The Oda clan and the Azai clan already have a strong relationship. If we betray the Oda clan now, what is going to happen to Oichi?" 

Hisamasa edged near to Nagamasa and whisper to her ears. 

"What nonsense are you sprouting, Nagamasa... Don't tell me you are really charmed by that Oda clan's brat that you can't think straight?" 

"One needs search far and wide for a beauty like Oichi-sama. Nagamasa-sama will definitely be faithful to her..." The advisors were all whispering among themselves, but to Hisamasa who did not know the truth, this was just a silly farce of a marriage. 

But, though Nagamasa and Nobusumi had alway cross dressed in front of others, in private they had been entwined as lovers. 

By betraying Nobuna, it means that Nobusumi would also be betraying his own sister. 

And, if the Azai clan marched to war, eliminating the Oda troops that are already deep in the territory of Echizen would be child's play. 

Even with all of Nobuna's talent, she could not escape. 

"Father, please listen to me. Oichi is actually..." 

"Shut up, Nagamasa. In this situation, you are still thinking about the enemy's princess, where is your loyalty!?" 

Oichi is actually a guy... If she explains that, Hisamasa will definitely scream, "Nobuna lied to us!" and be enraged. Nagamasa can only swallow her words. 

"Father, if that's the case, please tell me one thing. After we have defeated Oda Nobuna, what do you plan to do with this country?" 

"Nothing. The Ashikaga clan is extinct. Right now, we should follow the Imagawa Shogun and re-establish the rules of this country." 

"'Rules' have not existed in this country ever since the Onin war! Now is the time when Nobuna-dono can establish new rules in this war-ridden country; now is the most crucial period!" 

"That fellow is a demon lord aiming to destroy this country! Not only did she hurl insults towards the Kampaku Konoe Sakihisa, she even suggested to the esteemed Himiko-sama something crazy like ‘There is no difference in the value of a life’! She must be the reincarnation of Sutoku-denka! [5] An unforgivable traitor!" 

"That is just her way of rejecting!" 

Looking at the Nagamasa who resisted him, Hisamasa said this lightly. 

"It is time for you to return the position of head of the clan that I once relinquished." 

"Father!? What are you talking about!?" 

"Men, lock Nagamasa up at Chikubu island, and until he calms down, don't let him out!" 

In the past, when the advisors pushed Nagamasa to replace the inept Hisamasa as the head, Hisamasa was kept in Chikubu Island. 

"After we have killed Oda Nobuna, I will return the position to you and become a monk. Don't hate me, Nagamasa. With this, we are even." 

When Nagamasa had succeeded her father as the clan head, she had him detained on the island. Even to this point, Nagamasa still felt guilty for what she had done. 

It's because of this that she was unable to go against her own father. 

(No. How can I be an unfilial child again... If I continue to fight, I might cross swords with father. Facing my own father, do I have the heart to kill him? Even that merciless Takeda Shingen only banished his own father once.) 

Nagamasa gave up on resisting. 

Hisamasa watched as his advisors took Nagamasa away and left these words. 

"The one that I had hoped to see controlling the world wasn't Oda Nobuna, but you. A golden opportunity such as this one will never appear again. Forgive me, Nagamasa." 

(If it's Oda Nobuna, she would slay her own father as she shed tears of blood. For the stability of the country, for the dream of saving this world from the curse of war, she would definitely do it. But the difference between me and Nobuna is just too great, my resolve is far inferior... Why doesn't father understand this?) Nagamasa cried silently. 

Escorted by the advisors, Nagamasa passed by the hallway. 

At this moment, Oichi——Nobusumi suddenly rushed over with a pale face. 

"Wh-what is going on here...!?" 

"My lady, you can't come over." The advisors formed a human wall and separated the two of them. 

"...If this goes on, Nee-sama will...!" 

"Kanjuurou! If Nobuna-dono dies like this, the war will go on forever. If that happens, we have no chance of resisting the Namban countries... From now on, I'm relying on you." 

Who is Kanjuurou, where is he? As the advisors glance at each other in confusion, Oichi——Kanjuurou understood what Nagamasa meant and rushed out. 

I must get to Echizen's Kanegasaki castle; every second counts. 

But... 

Dressed as he was in the elegant clothes of a princess, the soldiers chasing Nobusumi as he galloped across Odani castle were gradually gaining on him. 

The people in the town were all shocked at the presence of Oichi-hime, not understanding what had happened. 

No one could see that the Nobusumi in front of them was actually a guy, but they were all mesmerized by the attractive looks of the cross dressed bishounen, and were cheering "Eye candy!" "If I can accompany Oichi-hime, I'm willing to die a hundred times!" and were crying and bowing, so no one heard the desperate Nobusumi desperately pleading "Who can help me?" 

"Ahhh, it's a sin to be this beautiful... Er, now isn't the time for me to go all giddy-headed! If I'm caught, Nee-sama will...!" 

Though Nobusumi was the eldest son of a warrior clan, his horse riding skills and shooting skills were mediocre. 

Almost immediately after he left Odani Castle and made way for Echizen, he fell from his horse and was surrounded by the soldiers. 

"Oichi-sama! Please don't do any silly things!" 

"Please go back to Nagamasa-sama's side!" 

"Don't come over! Ahh, if this was Owari, my fanbase would definitely protect me...!" 

Just when Nobusumi had plucked up his courage and decided to pull out his sword and fight it out, he remembered that current identity was Oichi the lady, and Oichi didn’t keep any swords on her person. 

"Ahh, this is bad." 

"Please forgive us for our rudeness!" 

"Forgive us!" 

Is that it...? Just when Nobusumi was giving up. 

"Hachisuka Goemon, here! Ninnin!" 

Boom* 

With a loud bang, a chibi ninja clothed in black and a young warrior grumbling "Ow, I think I feel a little sick" appeared. 

"Ohh. Ninja-kun, Saru-kun! Why are you guys here?" 

"Leave that for later! You, why did you come here? D-don't tell me, things really turned out like we guessed?" 

"Now isn't the time to talk about the reasons, hurry and give this to Nee-sama...!" 

Using the time Goemon bought him delaying the soldiers, Nobusumi took out a small bean sack that was tied at both ends and threw it to Yoshiharu. 

This small bean sack, Yoshiharu can't be more familiar with it. 

This is the important event in the Sengoku SLG's greatest work, "Oda Nobunaga no Yabou", the famous small bean sack that appears in "Retreat at Kanegasaki". Looks like things had really gone in the worst case scenario. 

"I got it! Goemon, I leave it to you for the rest! I know it's a bit hard, but please delay these soldiers!" 

"It's too dangerous to go there alone, Sagara-shi!" 

"What choice do I have!?" 

Once again, the time for Yoshiharu to gallop on had come. 

“I'm here...!” With a high-pitched laugh, a shadow dropped gradually from the sky. 

The attire of a noble with long and pale face... 

This gentleman is the manifestation of a fox demon. 

"It's Zenki! Good to have you aboard!" 

Hanbei's substitute, Zenki. Though he has a noble and suave face, he is in fact a shikigami summoned by an Onmyouji. In Kiyomizu Temple, he was the one that dug the way to the groundwater and extinguished the flames in the main hall and protected Hanbei from the puppets' attack. 

"Under the request of my master, I will look after you." 

"With someone here with such a game-breaking level of strength, I'm relieved." 

"No. Though I'm invincible in Kyoto, in Echizen my strength is greatly diminished. If I'm hit by a bullet, I will be down. Once down, I won't be of help anymore." 

"I see. Without Hanbei-chan, there is no way to summon you again." 

"Your monkey language is hard to understand, but you seem to understand the situation." 

"I feel complicated being called a monkey by a fox." 

"If you're talking about that tanuki, she should be at Echizen." 

"And there is a dog with a tiger skin. I will not let anyone die!" 

"Saru-kun, I leave Nee-sama in your hands! Ninja-kun, please save Nagamasa-chan with me!" 

After hearing the calls of Nobusumi at behind them, Yoshiharu and Zenki rode on ahead. 

Onwards to the fated place... Echizen. 

After conquering Kanegasaki castle at Echizen, the 30,000 strong Oda army was heading to Kinomet?ge like a flood. 

Once they pass through here, Echizen's Asakura Yoshikage would have only his base camp, Ichijodani Castle left. 

One month had passed, and in one more week, Echizen would be conquered. 

The reason Nobuna had launched a surprise attack on the northern area Echizen was also to slow down the god of war in Echigo, Uesugi Kenshin. This was her real motive. 

The two strongest clans of Japan, her rivals in the past, Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin had already declared a truce. 

If that god of war, the one seemingly born for war, were to attack Echizen from Echigo, Nobuna would have to fight Kenshin's troops at the plains of Omi. If that's the case, even if she had the help of the Azai and Matsudaira troops, the chances of her admittedly weak Owari troops winning were laughably small. 

Due to this, conquering Echizen gained an even greater urgency. 

Echizen's Asakura clan is an old clan that held tradition and rules in high regards. Even the ordinary soldiers wore old and plain armor. Once they see the colorful and special armor of the Owari troops, they were shocked and thought to themselves that Kyoto's big shots were indeed different as they surrendered, not one of them noticing the fact that the Owari troops were the weakest. 

As for the overall commander riding the black horse , "Chikaragantakuro", Nobuna is wearing a glamorous namban armor, and on her head sits the elegant namban hat given to her by Frois. 

The aide at the side, Inuchiyo was carrying a huge grandfather clock and following behind Nobuna, panting. 

This huge grandfather clock was originally given to Nobuna by Frois, but Nobuna said, "No one knows how to use such a delicate thing even if I accept it." and was thinking of rejecting it, but Yoshiharu said "Let me think of an idea" and they kept it. 

They had planned to keep this grandfather clock as a treasure, but even Inuchiyo did not expect that they will bring such a thing into the battlefield. But because the Asakura troops had been losing sleep and had never seen such a thing before, they were full of discussions, like "Strange, is that a new weapon from Sakai?" "For the Oda troops that had so many firearms to have such a thing, it might be a Namban weapon even stronger than cannons", and the clock proved an unexpected benefit. 

Wherever the Oda troops marched in Echizen, they did not meet any resistance at all. 

"Hehe. If I were Azai Nagamasa, I would definitely defect. With that, Oda is trapped like a rat when the Echizen and the Azai troops pincer attack us." 

Only Matsunaga Hisashide was laughing to herself and saying unlucky things. But since she had long since gotten so used to betrayals as to see them everywhere, the rest did not mind her too much. 

But the Oda troops that had been going at a great speed stopped just before entering Kinomet?ge. 

At a gathering of Nobuna's generals, Sagara Yoshiharu and Takenaka Hanbei's substitute Zenki suddenly rushed in. 

"The Azai clan has defected! The Oda troops are now like this bean sack, and don't have any way out!" 

Yoshiharu rushed over, sometimes stumbling and crawling, and passed the small bean sack over. But then Nobuna found it impossible to believe her ears. 

Actually, Nobuna did not even understand what Yoshiharu was talking about. 

"Saru, what dumb things are you saying? I can’t for the life of me figure out why, but Nagamasa and Kanjuurou are on good relations with each other. Even his personality has improved. I understand that he will be caught in a bind between the Asakura clan and the Oda clan, but for the dream of Tenka Fubu we had no choice but to stabilize the north. He must have understood this point. Speaking logically, he should not care about this and let it go..." 

"It's all my fault..." Yoshiharu said, lowering his head. 

"I should known that this would definitely happen if you attacked Echizen, but I'm really...an incurable idiot! I totally thought you were really attacking Wakasa! This is all my mistake! Before you moved out, I should have checked whether you have any plans of attacking Echizen...!" 

Saru...is crying...? 

"Sagara-dono does not seem to be playing around. 1 point." 

The generals at the side were silent. 

"...But... There is no way for me to believe it." 

"Nobusumi had run away from the castle wanting to pass this small bean sack to you, but he was met with soldiers on the way, so he passed it to me. Azai Hisamasa who was supposed to be retired stirred things up and imprisoned Nagamasa. It seems like they have rather strong feelings against us for keeping them in the dark about attacking Asakura." 

"Hisamasa might be dumb, but how can he do such a ridiculous thing? It’s impossible!" 

"Nobuna. I'm not joking around with you. Hisamasa isn't the same as your father!" 

Oda Nobuna was now in the greatest danger of her life. 

No, not just Nobuna herself. 

All of the Oda troops, stuck as they were deep in enemy territory, were now in an unprecedented danger. 

As a princess daimyo, Nobuna could be spared by choosing to surrender and become a nun. 

But, in Nobuna's vocabulary, there is no such word as surrender. 

Her dream of Tenka Fubu would only shatter when she loses her life. 

If she did not have such a resolve, she could not possibly tell her troops to "Leave your life in my hands." 

Besides, it was her own carelessness that had plunged all of them into such danger. 

Manchiyo... Takechiyo.... Riku. Juubei. Inuchiyo. Danjo. 

And, Saru. 

If this went on, all of them would become cold corpses. 

"Impossible. You're bluffing. This is all a joke...." 

"NOBUNA! NOW IS THE TIME TO GIVE THE ORDER TO RETREAT! IF WE ARE AMBUSHED ON ALL SIDES, WE WILL ONLY BE DECIMATED!" 

Yoshiharu shouted. 

"Right", Nobuna rubbed her eyes sheepishly and stood up from the bench. 

"All of you guys go, let me delay the enemy..." 

Niwa Nagahide suddenly cut Nobuna's words short. 

"No can do, princess. This retreat won’t succeed unless we face the enemy with the whole army!" 

"But, to me, all of you are irreplaceable. I do not want any of you to die..." 

"No. I will definitely not let such a terrible thing like Kiyomizu Temple happen again. If the princess falls into the enemies' hands, it will all be over." 

"Then...surrender... Let's surrender... If this goes on, all of us will die for nothing...!" 

"Definitely not, princess! Are you planning to give up on the dream of Tenka Fubu?" 

"But...but, if this goes on... Everyone will...will..." 

"Listen to me. Since the enemy has done a despicable move like defecting, they will definitely be afraid of the repercussions if the princess survives. They likely place top priority on making sure you don’t live on in this world much longer. In the end, they will ignore the rule of not harming a princess daimyo when she chooses to become a nun and cut off your head. 0 points." 

Niwa Nagahide said while shaking her head and Matsunaga Danjo smiled and said "Correct. Accidents, the rampage of an advisor, poisoning... There are just too many ways of letting a princess daimyo ‘disappear’ in this world." 

"Princess, the future of the Oda clan, no, the future of this country rests on your shoulders. Please give the last order to your advisors as well as your soldiers... Please...give us the order to die. Since you have decided to walk the path of Tenka Fubu, sacrifices can't be avoided. Please make your resolve!" 

Nobuna had been forcing her face to remain calm, but her expression had finally twisted. 

"...Such an order... How can I give...!" 

You must make a choice. 

We must not let Hime-sama live her life in regret! 

Each of the advisors asked Nobuna to give them the order to guard the back. 

But then Yoshiharu, faster than anyone, rushes over shouting "I WILL BE THE ONE TO DO IT!" 

Long before coming here on his rush to Echizen, Yoshiharu had prepared himself for this. 

Everyone was silent in an instant. 

For Nobuna, Sagara Yoshiharu actually...! 

"As you guys all know, I'm a vagrant from the future. I have no family in this world... Well, there is Nene... So as to say, I am someone who was not supposed to be here in the first place. There is no difference with or without me." 

Yoshiharu words, Nobuna did not hear them at all. 

With giant teary eyes, she was staring at Yoshiharu's face. 

"Nobuna, if I had not met you, I think this simple guy from the future would have died in the battlefields of the Sengoku era. It's because of your dream of conquering the world and travelling the seas that I was able to escape from the curse of homesickness and move on earnestly. If you are killed here, my life in this Sengoku era will be over too!" 

“It's regrettable that I can't adjust your Namban clock for you, but please keep this.” 

Yoshiharu put his belongings on Nobuna's quivering palm. 

It's a mobile phone... It's the mobile phone that Yoshiharu kept in his school uniform pocket and kept with him always. 

It wasn’t a light, thin modeled phone, but a thick and heavy smartphone. 

"The battery is depleted, so it can't be turned on, but Nobuna, this is the newest clock from the future; it’s much more technologically advanced than Frois's Namban clock. To be exact, it's a 'phone.' Not only can you see the time on it, you can even use it for taking photos, writing letters, and this is the outdoor survival version. No matter if it's splashed with water or thrown from a high place, it won't be destroyed. This model was actually intended to be used in construction sites. It was something that my father bought from overseas when he was building houses everywhere." 

"In the future, you have a father too...." Nobuna said lightly, her voice barely audible. 

"Nobuna. If you don't put in effort, our future will be gone. If you die here, this country will definitely be the colony of the Namban countries. The only one that can break this worst era, the only one that can open the modern gates, the gates to the future, is you!" 

Piak* 

Yoshiharu's face suddenly lit up with immense pain like fire. 

"...Liar." 

Nobuna had slapped Yoshiharu mercilessly, and her face was already a mess with her tears. 

"Aren't you the one that said that you will be with me till my wish is granted!? It has not been granted... BIG LIAR!" 

"Listen to me. If it's others guarding the back, they will definitely die here. But there is a reason that I definitely will not die here. Toukichiro-jii-san survived this ‘Retreat at Kanegasaki’! If I'm the one summoned to this era to replace Jii-san and help you, then I will definitely not die here!" 

Nobuna's slaps fell like rain droplets onto Yoshiharu's face. 

"You will definitely die! Is there any point in asking!? Goemon and Hanbei aren't with you, how can you survive!? Because all...all of them, the people I... Had always...had always left me.....!" 

Nobuna started wailing. 

Oblivious of the advisors at her side, as if forgetting about this urgent crisis, she wailed like a small child. 

Her first love, the Namban missionary that her father brought over 10 years ago. 

That guy, he was already dead. 

Father, he...he too was dead. 

Even Hirate-jii-san [6] who watched me grow up had already left this world. 

"Wait a moment, isn't Dousan still alive!? That geezer should have died at Nagara river. But he was saved because of me! Remember!?" 

"...But I..." 

"I came to this world to change your destiny!" 

Yoshiharu pulled the sobbing Nobuna into his chest and hugged her. 

At this moment, he realized it for the first time. 

The girl in his arms was so soft, yet scorching hot like flames, and she had a good fragrance. 

No one present said anything about the difference in their status. 

In his brain, there was even an impulse to just take Nobuna and run away. 

For such a delicate girl, the responsibility of uniting the country is too heavy. Besides, he doesn't want to give Nobuna to anyone else. 

But that was a desire that could not be fulfilled, no matter what. 

"Nobuna, just like you, I don't believe in any gods in this world. But, I have sworn to myself and made my resolve, since I came to this era because of you, I will never do anything to make you sad. I swear." 

"...Mhmm." 

"After you return to Kyoto safely, and I come to your side alive... Remember to give me the world's number one reward." 

"...Mhmm." 

"The next time we meet, let me kiss you." 

"....Kisu [7] ...?" (A type of fish) 

"So as to say, the locking of lips." 

"...Mhmm. I got it." 

Nobuna nodded her head lightly. 

Yoshiharu let go of Nobuna's body. 

"Then, I'm off." 

"Okay. Let's meet again in Kyoto." 

Yoshiharu laughed and said. 

At such a situation, how can I cry? 

If not, I will definitely be laughed at by Nobuna, "You were so embarrassing right then" and be despised forever. 

Even if this was the last meeting in his life, he didn't want her to see him cry like a monkey. 

(For men, holding back your tears is the right thing to do.) 

Matsunaga Hisashide hugged Nobuna like a mother before the daimyo rode off from the camp. 

The generals were all silent while they start preparations for moving off. 

But, no one is panicking, even as they prepared to all but run for their lives. 

They walked past Yoshiharu, shook his hand and left their final words. 

"...Saru... You..." 

In such a situation, Katsuie does not know what to say. 

She can only blush while holding Yoshiharu's hand with a strength almost enough to break his bones, while tears were dropping non-stop. 

"...We leave the volunteers who want to stay behind to you. Take this as a present..." 

"Uhh, thanks." 

"...For the princess, you must live on..." 

"Katsuie. If I know I can see your breasts again, I will definitely not want to leave this world. Hurry and go." 

"...Idiot. A-a-after you come back alive, I will let you touch my breasts as you wish. It's a promise! S-so....." 

"Okay, okay." 

"...Don't die... Please..." 

When Katsuie crying, Nagahide walked over. 

Nagahide who was normally calm and gentle was unable to control her tears as she pressed onto Yoshiharu's hands and lowered her head. 

So Nagahide cried too... A refreshing feeling entered Yoshiharu's heart. 

"...Sagara-dono. If I had known this.... If I had known this to be the ending, even once... I should have allow you and Hime-sama to..." 

"No no no! I had never really thought about Nobuna one bit. Please don't take it to heart!" 

"...As one of the chief advisors, 0 points." 

"Nagahide is always full points. If the chiefs are all like that fool Katsuie, then the Oda clan will definitely fall." 

"....Sorry..." 

"Uh. Nagahide! Don't be like this. Really, I've not thought of her at all!" 

Wow, I feel like if I don't die, this will all be wasted... If I'm really alive and go back to them, they will definitely say "Forget everything" and then kill me..... 

Next is Inuchiyo. 

"I've been in your care ever since the Five Leaf Aralia houses. Thanks a lot." 

"..." 

This fellow is emotionless as usual... Yoshiharu feels slightly better. 

But Inuchiyo hugged Yoshiharu's body tightly and doesn't let go. 

"..." 

"Oi, Inuchiyo-san? You are Nobuna's aide, right? Hurry and chase after Nobuna, hurry!" 

"...Not going." 

"No! Eh, why is your strength so ridiculous!? I can't get away... Someone, pull Inuchiyo away!" 

"...Don't wanna." 

"Look! Listen, I'm not the only one in danger, mountains of danger are awaiting Nobuna too! There won't be any meaning if you just protect me and put Nobuna in danger!" 

"..." 

Inuchiyo finally let go. 

"..." 

Her face had a streak of glittering tears. 

Yoshiharu was suddenly speechless. 

Suddenly, he did not know what else to say. 

As expected, he should not die here... To the last second, he must fight on and live... 

"...See you. Bye bye." 

"Hmmm. Live on, and let us meet later." 

... 

"Well, with this, everyone should have retreated from the camp..." Yoshiharu let out a sigh of relief and sat on the bench Nobuna left behind. 

There is a bit of warmth left. 

This is the warmth of Nobuna.... That fellow, her body is so hot... 

I'm just a Sengoku game fanatic, but it's such a good thing that that fellow is a girl. 

But just one time... 

I want... to kiss her... 

"As expected... I can't die here." 

When he raised his head, he realized. 

There were 2 warriors that stayed behind. 

Matsudaira Motoyasu. 

Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide. 

"Oi, what the hell are you still doing here? Hurry and run for your lives!" 

"Saruyoshi-san. Why didn't you just take Kichi-nee-san away just now?" 

"H-Huh? What are you saying, Motoyasu?" 

"Hehe. One day, I plan to change my name to Tokugawa Ieyasu, this fabulous name~" 

"I don't really like the name. It feels kinda old." 

"Uhhh. I've been shot down..." 

"Motoyasu-dono is from Mikawa, so her tastes are ancient. At this point, my new name is much better and elegant. 'Koretou Hyuga no Kami!' Such an elegant and different name, it's so exciting." 

"Is that even a reasonable name for a human? I don't understand what you are saying at all~" 

"There’s nothing even remotely linking that with 'Akechi Juubei Mitsuhide'! Besides, why are Juubei and you staying here?" 

Mitsuhide snorted and puffed up her chest. 

You've become rather arrogant after Nobuna left, huh? Yoshiharu shrugs. 

"To let such a weak Sagara-senpai be in charge of guarding the back, it's almost certain that we will all be wiped out in an instant. If that's the case, there isn't any meaning to your sacrifice, so I will stay and protect you, however unwillingly it may be." 

"Same for me~. I had heard from Hanzou~. The reason Mikawa was able to become independent is all due to Saruyasha-san's plan. So this is the time for me to repay my gratitude~" 

Ahhh, this tanuki was so polite... But what does Juubei-chan plan? 

"Anyway, senpai, since we are here, prepare yourself." 

"Mitsuhide-san, you said wrong; it should be, 'Please be grateful.'" 

"No no. I, Juubei Mitsuhide, may actually end up shooting Sagara-senpai from behind." 

"No no. Both of you, go now!" 

Yoshiharu put on a stance as if he were shooing ducks, and tried to chase them away. 

"Sagara-senpai, you are just too arrogant! Just be obedient, shut your mouth and accept my kindness! There will be a day when I need you to pay it back 10 times over!" 

"Kindness is to be paid back, this is the family rule of the Motoyasu clan who has long worshipped tanukis." 

"Listen to me. Both of you are necessary for Nobuna's plan to conquer the world. I'm afraid that after Nobuna unifies the country, she planned to leave all state affairs to you, Motoyasu." 

"To me~?" 

"Yeah. Because Motoyasu, you are honest, no one else is more capable of enduring than you when they are defending. Though you have Takeda Shingen who was known as the Sengoku’s strongest as your neighbor, you never gave up and never considered betraying Nobuna and defecting to Takeda, right?" 

"...Correct~. Because I would rather face Shingen on the battlefield than let Kichi-nee-san turn me into tanuki soup... *shiver*" 

"Though Motoyasu's thinking was not as revolutionary as Nobuna's, your endurance to maintain the current state of affairs has been recorded in Japan's history." 

From the history that Yoshiharu learned, the Edo Shogunate that Tokugawa Ieyasu, so as to say Matsudaira Motoyasu, established had once successfully let this country enjoy 300 years of peace. Of course, this peace was built upon the ideology of closing the doors of this country. If Nobuna lived, then Japan and this world's history would face a huge change. In light of this, Yoshiharu believed that Nobuna will definitely leave Motoyasu in charge of state affairs. 

"And you, Juubei, you and me will one day be together with Nobuna, and sail from the base at Kyushu and head on to the world." 

"To the world...?" 

"Yeah. Sailing across the seas and using your own eyes to see this wide world... The two of us are the only ones that can understand her dream." 

"...Hmph. Senpai is once again trying to bluff me with all these fancy words!" 

"What I'm saying is true! Listen, family status and ranks are nothing in Nobuna's eyes. But, to make sure those daimyo warriors of Kyushu will listen to you, Nobuna intentionally gave you the position of 'Hyuga no Kami', and also the name that only Kyushu nobles can have, 'Koretou.' Did you know, Hyuga province is where the Takachiho is from. So as to say, Yamato Gose, Japan's origin! It's obvious that you are different in her eyes." [8] 

"...Nobuna-sama actually... Towards me..." 

"Yes. I did not make this up." 

Yoshiharu can't help but grab Mitsuhide's hands and continue saying. 

“That fellow has immense expectations for you.” 

“If you die here with me, then that fellow will be alone in this world again.” 

“And after that fellow sails the seas, if there is no one like Matsudaira Motoyasu to govern Japan, it will definitely be in pieces again. Other than Motoyasu, no one else in this country is capable. She must have understood this point long ago.” 

"I-I'm not that capable~ Why do you understand such things~?" 

"Because I came from the future! Believe me!" 

"Sagara-senpai. If that's the case, can you see the future where you survive in this battle?" 

"...I don't know. But one can never see his own future. Besides, the future isn't something to be seen, but we create with our own hands, isn't it?" 

Mitsuhide became silent. 

After the short silence, she raised her head and said. 

"...I understand. I will leave the mission of guarding our backs to Sagara-senpai, but there must be an additional condition." 

"What condition?" 

"I will lend 50 of my finest rifles to you." 

"No need. Don't you need them yourself for retreating?" 

"Don't dilly dally, just accept it! I will want you to return them next time!" 

If senpai dies here, then the battle between us will never be decided! Just who will be the one that Nobuna-sama dotes on the most? There will be a day when we fight it out to decide, so I will help you out this time around. 

"...If Senpai just dies here, then that means that you aren't fit to be my rival, and I will laugh at you forever!" 

Mitsuhide's eyes are red like a rabbit, and after bowing deeply, she retreated from the camp. 

Maybe in front of me, that fellow just can't be honest... Yoshiharu thought. 

Finally, Motoyasu grabbed Yoshiharu’s hand and bowed. 

"As a replacement for Goemon-chan, I will lend you Hanzo. Please come back safely." 

"Is that really ok? Motoyasu, without a ninja beside you, you will find this retreat difficult, right?" 

"This is Hanzo's wish~" 

Motoyasu smiled and said, and ran off from Yoshiharu's side. 

"...Wow. Humans are quick to shed tears, but that's where they are interesting. With this, my job has meaning." Zenki said with a smirk, suddenly appearing beside Yoshiharu. 

"Zenki, it's up to you now." 

"Yes. Since I can't die, there’s no stress whatsoever." 

"If you disappear, you can be summoned back. So as to say, you won't disappear forever?" 

"Who knows. If the dragon vein in Kyoto's underground is cut, then even I will be reduced to ashes." 

"Dragon vein?" 

"Shikigamis are a kind of deity. Deities are an existence surpassing humans. They are not something that should exist in this world." 

"Huh, but aren't you alive and well? Other that you being immortal, what's the difference between you and humans?" 

Zenki looked at the birds in the sky, laughed and said, "Sagara, you really are a good man." 

"Oi, stop here. I don't have such an interest." 

"Relax, me neither." 

Just when they are joking... 

"It's been a while, Sagara Yoshiharu. Asakura has taken the lead of all his troops and marched over. With such a dangerous situation, how do you plan to act?" 

Hattori Hanzo leading 10 Kouga ninjas suddenly appeared silently. 

Now that he thinks about it, he had quite a fateful relationship with this guy. 

Other than them, there are a bunch of volunteers, their glaring eyes filled with tears as they struggled to control their faces, a total number of 500. 

"We amount to 500, all of us volunteered to stay behind!" 

"Everyone has prepared to sacrifice ourselves for Sagara-sama!" 

"Though we are the weakest Owari troops who work for money, we were deeply moved by Sagara-sama's bravery and loyalty!" 

"We must let Sagara-sama live and go back to Hime-sama's side!" 

"Don't let our cute Hime-sama cry again, Sagara-sama!" 

These people, they would most likely die in this battle... In this Sengoku world, this was something that couldn't be helped... Thinking here, Yoshiharu dumped the idea of crying at his own life or death situation and decided to boost their morale. 

"Hahaha! Why is it that only the guys are left!? Did something go wrong in my dream of hugging beautiful girls!?" 

"We chased away all the girls that tried to volunteer to stay!" 

"A thing like protecting the back of a retreating army is like serving your head to the enemy. How can we let Sagara-sama who is Owari's most frivolous guy be sad!?" 

"All of us had been admiring Hime-sama and thinking of her day and night, but because the differences in family status were too great, there is no way any of us could stand by her, so we had all given up." 

"But Sagara-sama is different! Maybe...just maybe you will create a miracle unheard of!" 

"Sagara-sama, you are our hope!" 

Yoshiharu nodded and said. 

"Correct, I'm the world's No. 1 frivolous guy. Wherever I go, all the cute girls there belong to me! Even if she is a princess or a daimyo!" 

"OOOOOOOUUUUUUUU!" 

"Everyone, LET'S GO!" 

"OOOUUUUUUUUUU!" 

The biggest retreat in Japan's history. 

"The retreat at Kanegasaki" has finally come. 

Translator's Notes and References 

1 "Thank you" in Portuguese. "Obrigado" means "Thank you", but the last "o" was changed for an "a" since Frois is female. 

2 Daijo-daijin, literally 'Chancellor of the Realm'. Basically the head of state affairs. 

3 Danjo Daihitsu (弾正大弼) is a Japanese official court position, 4th grade. 

4 Seii Taishogun (征夷大将軍) is the official title; Shogun is just a short form. 

5 Emperor Sutoku was a puppet to his father. After trying but failing to overthrow the government, he was branded a traitor and banished. 

6 Hirate Masahide, a Japanese samurai who served the Oda clan, Nobunaga's teacher when he was a child. 

7 Kisu (キス, 鱚), known as whitings or Sillaginidae, is a family of fish with 31 species, spread all around the world. 

8 In Japan legends, Susanoo sent his grandson to the human world. The place that this grandson arrives is Takachiho.