Chapter 1 : Sniping of Nobuna
Part 1
In north-eastern Japan, one could find Yonezawa Castle in Dewa Province.
This was the main castle of Date Terumune of Oshu.
At a corner of Yonezawa Castle, connected with tons of rainforests, a black namban church had been erected.
If one looked closely, they would see an upside down cross on the roof.
Inside this namban church that seemed more useful for worshiping an antichrist than the namban god, a young girl had been shouting in a high-pitched voice since daybreak.
"Kojuurou~~!"
This was the voice of Bontenmaru, Date Masamune, Date Terumune's eldest daughter, calling her aide, Kojuurou. No matter how far apart they were, Kojuurou would always be able to hear Bontenmaru's voice.
"Yes~~! Hime-sama, what is it that you wish this early in the morning?"
Katakura Kojuurou; at 15 years of age, she was a girl born from a distinguished chief advisor.
The day Bontenmaru was born, Kojuurou was tasked with protecting her, and from then on she had acted as an aide and caretaker for the young and willful Bontenmaru. Before she knew it, her marriage age had almost passed her by completely.
Anyway, when Kojuurou arrived at the Antichrist church, she found Bontenmaru, who was supposed to tour around Sakai, wearing a black feathered namban hat, standing on top of the altar with her arms crossed.
"Uwahahahaha, Kojuurou! I've decided that from this point on, I will be the conqueror of Oshu!"
"Wh-what are you saying, Hime? Don't tell me you were affected by that ridiculous namban culture... The daimyos in Oshu all have those complicated marriage relationships, so they won't be serious in fighting among themselves, will they?"
"You don't understand! Before I become the ‘Beast of Revelation’, I must first destroy this old way of thinking! Uwahahahaha! If I don't hurry and become the conqueror of Oshu, I will be surpassed by Oda Nobuna who has already captured Kyo!"
"Kyo...Kyoto is too far, that is a place that we...we Oshu people have no relation to, a completely different world..."
"Shut up, Kojuurou, don't say things like this anymore! Oda Nobuna is becoming stronger and stronger! She has already started to attack the Soma clan! If enemies won't listen to ‘the Beast’, they must be eliminated!"
Ahhhh~? The cowardly Kojuurou let out a small shriek.
"Don't tell me you were affected by Oda Nobuna at Sakai, Hime-sama? Don't become such a terrifying person! There will be enemies everywhere around you! Besides, you aren’t the head of the Date clan, Hime~! Your father Terumune is the head~!"
"Hmph... It's unavoidable. Listen, Kojuurou, I can't wait until I come of age. Because I have gained such an ambition, I want father to live a relaxing, retired life."
"Ahhh~? Hime-sama is still too young~ You can't do it~!?"
"There is no better choice for father than to give the position of head to this ‘Beast of Revelation’! Ahh, how agonizing the path to the journey of a conqueror is for me... But I'm willing to bravely travel this path of hell! Like Jesus who bore the heavy cross on his back and climbed impossible peaks! But, I must go against Jesus~! Because I'm the ‘Antichrist’ that the book of Revelation has predicted! Hahahaha!"
After such a fiery speech, Bontenmaru revealed a beastly expression and continued. "We decided before on the extremely cool nickname ’Dokugan Masamune’, but now I have no need for it."
"Eh? That is a nickname that Hime-sama and I thought of using after 3 days and nights, referencing the great Tang's famous one-eyed hero, Li Keyong [1] . I have said before that Hime-sama even looks very similar to Li Keyong when she wears black..."
"Listen to what you’re saying Kojuurou, I'm not one-eyed at all. In Sakai, a Saru from the future told me something. I am a hero for the ages, someone who possesses a ‘Jakigan’. It was said that in a place of the future named ‘Akihabara’, these eyes of mine are very popular!"
"Jakigan? Does that mean the color of your eyes are different?"
"Correct!"
Bontenmaru, whose eyes were different colours because her father was namban... Because of the sin between her mother and her namban father, she was punished by the Buddha... The people surrounding her all whispered amongst themselves, and even her mother was stunned, saying "So ugly" and becoming despondent to the point of almost disowning her. Bontenmaru made a request to her father, saying "I want to see a namban church with a real pastor" and was sent to Sakai. The advisors all said, "With this, we can finally do a proper exorcism." "Isn't it better if we just send her back to the namban?" and just like that, she was half-banished to Sakai. Because of the advisors, her protector Kojuurou was not allowed to accompany her.
But the Bontenmaru who came back from Sakai seemed like a different girl altogether, having gained great confidence and ambition.
But to be the conqueror of Oshu and compete with the world's Oda Nobuna, to Kojuurou it all seems like a story right out of a dream.
"Kojuurou! From now on, I will be the ‘Jakigan Masamune’... Ha... Hahahaha... Look on, Oda Nobuna, I will use my Jakigan to conquer Oshu and come at Kyo like a storm! Like the true great demon lord, let us battle to the death!"
"A-ar-are you serious, Hime-sama?"
"Of course! Uwahahahaha!"
"Uhh, you came back with the ambition to unify and return peace to the world, so that's what you meant, Hime? If that's true, then I Kojuurou will do what I can to help!"
"No! My ambition is to destroy this world like a demon! World chaos! To become the foretold ‘Beast of Revelation’ and rampage the lands like in the holy bible! Uwahahahaha!"
"Ahhhh~, Hime, Hime! Though I'm overjoyed that you regained your spirits, what has this Sakai trip change you into~!? What should I do~?"
In this mysterious Antichrist church outside of Yonezawa castle, the sound of sobbing could be heard from the serious Kojuurou.
Part 2
This scenery had never been seen before.
In the middle of the night.
All one could see were mountains... But the scattered sounds of hoes and shovels echoed in the dark.
Hoes? Shovels?
These weren't weapons; they belonged in the hands of commoners.
Why...?
Isn't Onii-sama heading towards Odani Castle?
Sagara Yoshiharu was full of injuries, staggering alone in a battlefield full of tragic screams.
An arrow had even embedded itself in his back.
His thighs and legs were covered in injuries from spears and traps.
He couldn’t even walk straight, and was reduced to hobbling along with the aid of swords and rods...
"Nene... I'm sorry... I can't return to your side anymore..."
This was his last sentence.
Sagara Yoshiharu suddenly collapsed forward.
His soul was still heading back towards Kyo...
"Onii-sama!?"
Nene woke up violently.
The sight of Yoshiharu on the battlefield disappeared from her eyes like an illusion.
The place Nene had woken swam into focus; a dark room...on a tatami mat.
"...Hu...Hu...Hu... A dream, it's just a dream... Good, good."
This was Kyo's My?kaku Temple.
Sagara Yoshiharu and his allies had been staying here.
In the room next door, Takenaka Hanbei was lying on a tatami mat, and Hachisuka Goemon and Sagara Yoshiharu have yet to return from Omi.
The Oda Nobuna army had moved out to assault Echizen's Asakura clan. Yoshiharu and Goemon who were tasked to protect Kyo rushed out to Omi, frantically saying "The Asakura and Asai clans are very close; if Asai Nagamasa of Northern Omi betrays Nobuna because of the Asakura clan, then the Oda troops have no way out and will be eliminated."
"Weird... That dream just now, if it's a dream, it was too weird. It's almost as if it was real."
The young Nene had yet to see a real battlefield.
But the vision matched the very real battlefield many miles away; what Nene saw in the dream was real.
It was still deep in the night. The prescription that Takenaka Hanbei got from Manase had taken effect and she was sleeping soundly. Nene did not want to wake her up just to discuss her dream.
"That Onii-sama is like a cockroach who can't die, but don't tell me... Though Onii-sama's skills with the spear, bow, and riding are all ridiculously low, he has always lived on somehow!"
Till now... Hasn't Yoshiharu always returned home with a brilliant smile just for the waiting Nene?
Always bringing local delicacies with him.
During the time at Okehazama or at Sunomata Ichiya castle, or at Kiyomizu... Yoshiharu would somehow win against all odds at the most desperate of times.
He would be safe this time too. Yes, he would be...
She repeated this to herself, but her body wouldn't stop shivering. Once again, she slipped back into her bed and hugged her legs, forcing her eyes closed, but the unease in her heart lingered still.
Part 3
"These are the front troops of Echizen's Asakura Yoshikage!? There are so many of them!"
"Uwahhhh, run, commander~!"
"No matter the amount of enemies~! We must face them straight on!"
"We must let the commander return alive to Hime-sama's side!"
After escaping from Echizen's Kanegasaki castle, Sagara Yoshiharu and these 500 seemingly invincible people were running in the mountains as arrows rained down at them. There was not a soldier among them uninjured.
The Asakura army was attacking them like a flood.
Oda Nobuna, who had helped Imagawa Yoshimoto to attain the position of Shogun, successfully persuaded Himiko to allow her to launch an attack at Echizen's Asakura Yoshikage after he refused to submit himself to the Imagawa Shogunate.
The warriors who had joined in the battle, other than Nobuna herself, were her two chief advisors Shibata Katsuie and Niwa Nagahide.
The talented genius, a new girl, Akechi Mitsuhide.
The aide, Maeda Inuchiyo.
And finally, Oda’s ally, Mikawa's Matsudaira Motoyasu.
With all personnel's counted, the total army strength consisted of 30,000 men.
The Echizen clan's total strength was just 20,000. Because of the sudden assault, the Echizen army was defeated in an instant, their lack of preparation proving disastrous.
Nobuna's troops pressed their victory and conquered Kanegasaki Castle before started their advance on Konome Ridge.
The distance from Echizen's main castle to Ichijoudani Castle seemed simply a step away.
But at this time, the god-brother (who was actually a girl) of Nobuna in charge of Northern Omi, Azai Nagamasa defected. Her father Azai Hisamasa, who heavily favored the Azai clan’s long term alliance with the Asakura clan over the newer alliance with the Oda clan, imprisoned Nagamasa and took the position of clan head. With this, the retreat route of Nobuna’s army was cut off, leaving them stranded deep in Echizen territory.
20,000 Asakura troops in front.
15,000 Asai troops at the back.
The Nobuna troops were trapped like a rat.
Nobuna decided to give the difficult order to retreat to Kyo. The one who insisted on stopping the attacks of the Asakura troops and protecting their back was Sagara Yoshiharu, a high school student who adores Sengoku games, but somehow came to this era from modern Japan.
Finding an Oda Nobuna instead of an Oda Nobunaga, he made it his mission to help her obtain the world. Whether quarreling non-stop with her or helping her, by her side he was called "Saru".
At such a dangerous situation, he could still wear a refreshing smile.
"From my gaming knowledge, this event is the ‘Retreat of Kanegasaki’. If I'm really the guy who replaced Toukichiro-jii-san and came to this world, then I will definitely live and reach Kyo with Nobuna!! Ohohoh?!"
Suddenly, Yoshiharu's headband was hit by a bullet from an arquebus.
"Not good! If that was on target, I would be dead!! Uwahhh!"
"Hohoho, what a careless guy, to be shot dead in the head by a bullet, how boring."
The shikigami Zenki, who was summoned by Takenaka Hanbei, was just an idiot who could only float in the sky right now.
Though he doesn't look quite like a noble, he possessed elegant looks. But he wasn't a human, and a casual look at his head would reveal fox ears occasionally. Shikigamis were such a strange race.
"Such a careless human can win, Zenki. Look, is my face auspicious or what?"
"No, Sagara, your face looks full of women troubles. There will be quite a number of troubles waiting for you in the future."
"Eh? What's that about? There isn't really someone decent in this troop, is there?"
The Matsudaira ninja clothed in black, Hattori Hanzo jumped between trees, his eyes never leaving Yoshiharu.
"Sagara Yoshiharu. Didn't you say that you will survive this ‘Retreat at Kanegasaki’ no matter what? If we are defeated here, the Oda army won't be able to run! The enemy knows this, and they will attack us as if their lives depend on it."
"You're right Hanzo, we can't stay here because now the main force of the Oda troops has successfully retreated! Letting them reach Kyo safely is our responsibility!"
"There are just 500 of us. If we meet the enemy's main troops, we will be eliminated in an instant."
"Actually, I have 50 arquebus from Juubei. If the Asakura troops chase us, we can teach them a lesson even if we are defeated."
"There are just 50 of them, and we have to concentrate on running, so there is no time to reload them."
The foot soldiers that came from Kyushu's Satsuma Province besides Yoshiharu were all suggesting available strategies to him even as they blocked arrows aiming at Yoshiharu's back. They really were elites.
"In Satsuma's Shimazu clan, there is a technique called ‘Sutegamari’ [2] .”
Even as the force ran, they left small arquebus squads ambushing pursuers, but because reloading required more time than they could spare, rapid firing is impossible. After firing then, the soldiers who had finished shooting would stab their arquebus at the enemy lines and hope for a swift death. Of course, soldiers without an arquebus would just take spears and rush into enemy lines.
If they follow this plan, 500 people would in essence commit suicide against the enemy on this mountain path, though the enemy army’s pursuit would be greatly delayed and Yoshiharu-dono's chances of escaping would increase.
"To protect our commander, we heroes will not hesitate to commit suicide against the enemy. A coward would foil the entire plan, but we Satsuma heroes are united in the Sagara troops, so there is no need for worry. This is the tradition of the Shimazu clan, the ultimate technique, ‘Sutegamari’!"
Even as all 500 of the soldiers were shouting "Let's battle it out, Satsuma heroes!" "We will bet our lives on it!", Yoshiharu was shaking his head as he ran. *Bang* another shot from the back just missed his ear by inches.
"Bastards! How can I just let you guys get killed while I run away! That isn't the Sagara Yoshiharu way of fighting! Don't just give up on life so easily; all of us are to return to Kyo!"
"I too must fight back with the arquebus!" Yoshiharu said, and immediately the expressions on all 500 injured heroes’ faces changed as they cried "No, you can't do it, commander!"
"The commander taking an arquebus and fighting with us, I've never heard of such a thing!"
"That's why I said, I can't agree to a plan that requires you guys get killed like insects!"
"What are you talking about!? We were born to protect you!"
"Please! Our dreams are all entrusted to you now!"
"We are just insignificant soldiers; do not hesitate to kill us for your own ambitions!"
Yoshiharu's eyes started to blur with tears before they had even finished crying out against his idea.
"I... will be pained if even one of you guys died! I want to see Nobuna again, but even though I want to... Soldiers or princesses, aren't they all human beings!? Even if your statuses are low, you still have families and friends, right!? There are people waiting for you to come home, right!? So don't just say things like ‘giving up on life’!”
Yoshiharu, who was born in the peaceful 21st century, wasn't used to all the killing that took place on the battlefield. No, he would likely never get used to it.
"I don't have a family... I did say that, but that’s only because I’m from a completely different era, so I can't see them. But you guys are different! So... It will be hard to accomplish... but even so... I must make sure all of us reach Kyo safely!"
At these heartfelt words, the fearless guys were enveloped with an unspeakable feeling.
"What is this, what kind of commander is this...!"
"This guy isn't like a samurai at all...!"
"But why...our tears can't be stopped...!"
"Well said, Sagara Yoshiharu! Then, what do we do to the huge army at our backs?" Hanzo said. Zenki, using his powers, chants an incantation to release mist all around them, but the Asakura troops had already rushed all the way to the narrow mountain path and would stumble upon Yoshiharu and his force in an instant, no matter their cover.
"I will lead the arquebus squad personally. Using the 50 arquebus that I borrowed from Juubei, we must cover the main troop as they retreat! Even if it's kinda forced, we must not simply lose our lives! We must endure all this to the last second of our lives!"
Yes. From now on, we must battle on.
Yoshiharu who had been fleeing all the time, turned his horse around and shot at the Asakura troops.
"Hurry! We need 50 men! In the 500 of us, is there anyone skilled in using arquebus?"
"I'm skilled in using spears."
"Katanas for me."
"I use chains."
"Traps."
"I use punches."
...Is there no one!?
In this suicide squad, everyone was confident in their strength, every single one of them were heroes capable of fighting one to many.
But also due to that, they were a bunch of people not skilled in using arquebus.
"With this, we can't establish an arquebus squad at all!"
"Ahhh!? Juubei graciously lent me these 50 arquebus, but didn't she give me any skilled arquebus users!?"
"Sagara Yoshiharu! Decide fast, the enemy is right in front of us!"
"Hmph, though Sagara Yoshiharu is a muddle-headed monkey that loves big breasts, he always has good ideas. Especially that tasteless ‘knowledge from the future’."
Zenki said from above, and Yoshiharu, silent at the comment, suddenly had an idea flash through his mind.
Arquebus... Oda troops... Sengoku SLG!
"...I GOT IT! "The repeated volleys!"
"Repeated volleys!?"
The soldiers holding the arquebus were already fighting. Blood and screams rang out in the mountainside.
Yoshiharu explained the plan briefly.
"It's the strategy that the Oda troops employ in the ‘Battle at Nagashino’, it's very simple! The arquebus's weakness is that it's very time-consuming to reload after every shot, so it can't fire rapidly. Before firing the second shot, the enemy will kill him already."
"So after one shot, the foot soldiers will rush in."
"We will split the 50 men into 3 teams, one being in charge of filling the gunpowder in the barrel, one in charge of lighting it up, the last team in charge of firing."
So as to say, Oda Nobunaga's "repeated volleys" was a strategy to split his marksmen troops to 1000 a team, allowing the Riflemen fire non-stop. But, it's been said that the "repeated volleys" had another specialty, that is "The time to aim will be shortened as the one who shoots and the one who reloads are different."
"We don't have anyone who can finish a job from reloading to firing." Yoshiharu noticed this problem and suddenly thought of a way.
"We will all help to prepare the gun for firing so we can let these 50 arquebus continue firing."
"Commander, with this we can fire at 3 times the speed!"
"To be shot at such a speed, the enemy troops will definitely fall into chaos."
In front of their eyes, the enemy troops had already pushed in and plungede the whole area into disarray.
But on such a narrow mountain path, even if there were only 50 arquebus the enemy will definitely be confused.
After making the resolve to battle, Yoshiharu's legs suddenly began shivering.
"Listen, Sagara Yoshiharu. Don't be scared of firing. Once you are scared, you will be killed." Zenki said at his side with a dark expression.
"Ah, yeah!"
The fingers and shoulders that had taken over the arquebus had all started shivering.
Must not get hit by the enemy.
This wasn't a game!
If he had fought on while only thinking about himself, then the spirit of the Sagara Yoshiharu corps would be lost right here.
But just as Yoshiharu's heart started to waver, in front of him was a shining Nobuna.
(Saru, is there a need to let your heart suffer so much?)
Hmmm...?
This seems to be not for me but to Katsuie...
(Oi Saru, my eyes have always been looking at the world 10 years, even 100 years in the future. Even if no one understands you, I will believe in you!)
Ahhh, I understand.
I understand.
For me, I always know you are correct.
Because of that, even if no one else understands you, I will definitely understand.
(So, when your heart is in pain, don't pray. Just think of the ‘common folks’! Let me alone suffer this pain!)
Damn it.... Ever since you were born, you have been enveloped in this country's non-stop war and fighting.
Other than you, no one else will bring peace to this world again. No, no one else can.
This isn't a pain only you can bear!
I...
Nobuna. If it's to protect you, I'd rather...!
"Uwahhhh...!"
Yoshiharu closed his eyes and squeezed the trigger.
The flying bullet did not hit the enemy.
The amateur arquebus squad were all bad with their weapons.
Even if it's such a close range shot, none of them had managed to hit the enemy.
But even with that, the Asakura front troops who were suddenly attacked by arquebus in the mist-covered mountain were scared stiff by the sudden burst of the gunfire.
"The arquebus is single shot! There's already one shot, no need to worry! Charge!"
Straight into the shirt of the enemy commander, with a bang! Yoshiharu's second shot was right on target.
The commander shrieked, "Ba...Bastard!!...", fainted, and fell from his horse.
"Next!"
Without any time for breathing, Yoshiharu fired the third shot.
"Th-that is a multi-shot arquebus!"
"As expected, the Oda clan has shipped new weapons in from the namban!"
With just this, the front troops of the Asakura army were defeated.
Yoshiharu's plan worked.
"Hattori squad, engaging!"
Hanzo roared and together with 10 other ninjas, they rushed into the confused Asakura front troops while throwing their shurikens at the enemies silently, and then mercilessly finishing them off with their daggers. They also scattered spikes on the floor while releasing more smoke to confuse the enemy.
In the smoke, movement had already been difficult. With the addition of gunshots ringing out in the surroundings, the Asakura front troops fell into mass confusion.
At this time.
The ground shook with a huge explosion.
The cold and merciless Hattori Hanzo seems to have ignited the explosives set by the enemy.
"Now!"
Yoshiharu shouted, "Everyone, retreat!", all 500 of the troops turned their backs on the Asakura troop and once again ran away into the mountains.
Originally, Yoshiharu’s running speed had been honed playing dodgeball at high school, making him exceptionally fast, but after coming to the Sengoku era and training here, his skills were becoming better and better still.
"Nicely done, Sagara Yoshiharu. Before igniting the enemy's explosives, you succeeded in clumping the Asakura troops together."
Without Yoshiharu noticing, Hanzo was silently running beside Yoshiharu while whispering praise to him unexpectedly.
"Hanzo! That was a little too cruel! That explosion just now blew all the soldiers away!"
"Hmph. Because of that, we gained some more time... There's only one bomb left, so from now on it's up to you to guard your life."
"Leave the running to me."
As expected of the 500 who were determined to protect Nobuna's rear, though 10% of the troops had fallen, the rest are supporting and relying on each other with extraordinary strength and will.
To catch up to the ninjas who had very good speed, all of them tried their best to run and not fall back at all.
For Zenki, it was too troublesome to run, so he flew in the air.
A miracle had occurred on that battlefield, Zenki realized.
The mist that he had created emitted, Yoshiharu's "repeated volleys" and the ninja squad under the command of Hanzo were used together to great effect, and they had once again evaded the fierce attacks of the Asakura troops.
But, the biggest contribution to this miracle wasn't the strategy of "repeated volleys" that was born from tasteless knowledge, but instead was Yoshiharu's undying will that "All are to get to Kyo safely", that imparted the heroes with incomparable morale and loyalty, though only Zenki and Hanzo noticed this.
"The enemy is still chasing us, so we can't delay for even a second, but there are still numerous mountains to cross in front of us; if we don't rest, I'm afraid we can't hold on to Kyo."
Pushing at full speed, Yoshiharu was thinking about how to let his companions have a chance to rest, and finally, they rested for a short while after crossing the peak of a mountain, on a narrow mountain path.
Yoshiharu was still worrying about the pursuing soldiers. After deciding to rest, he lay onto a bamboo leaf on the ground and soon snored.
"This fellow, is the same as an ordinary folk, so full of openings." Zenki laughed and said, and the foot soldiers said, "Though he looks like someone totally not used to war, and the way he uses the arquebus is kinda clumsy, he turned out to be an excellent commander." Everyone nodded happily.
After Yoshiharu rested, he stood up with gusto.
"Okay! Let us continue on! From now on, we have numerous mountains to cross!"
As of now, not even one of them had fled for fear of death, but even so they had lost many comrades. Half were lost during the battle with the Asakura troops, after which some thought, "I can't burden the commander due to me not being able to run," and left quietly.
That plump guy with thick eyelashes from Samoa isn't here anymore.
(Damn it...! Has that guy died...!? Damn...!)
Yoshiharu feels a heart-shattering pain.
But even so, if the commander sheds tears at such a critical period, morale would definitely fall. Yoshiharu tried his best to give a bitter smile.
In the darkness of the night, they came to a crossroads.
"Everyone is to go into the mountains, bypassing Echizen, and head towards Wakasa!"
Hanzo who had climbed onto a mountain cliff, grumbled.
Straight after this, Yoshiharu and his comrades started climbing the mountain.
Not a single soldier was uninjured.
Constantly getting spotted by the enemy, hearing "Ah, that's the enemy's commander!" and being sniped, Yoshiharu's face and forehead was full of blood. His own blood and the enemy's blood had mixed together. Yoshiharu himself did not know where the wound was.
His stomach was empty, his throat parched.
But his eyes were still sharp, and held not a sign of giving up.
"Everyone, can you all still run?"
"No problem!"
"I still feel energetic, no problem!"
"When we feel terrible, we can just think of Hime-sama's smile and our courage is boosted a hundred times! We're full of spirit!"
"Alright then! If we run to Wakasa, the enemy can't chase us. Just a little more!"
Ohhhh~! The bloodied suicide squad was still in good spirits, but at this moment...
"Not good, Sagara. It seems that the situation has taken a turn for the worse," Zenki whispered, his normally bored and lazy face wearing a serious frown.
"What is it, Zenki?"
"Wakasa's Tsuchimikado seems to be standing on Asakura's side."
"Tsuchimikado? Who is he?"
"...The leader of Japanese onmyouji. In the past, he bore the name of Abe, though now he is known as Tsuchimikado. He fled the chaotic Kyo and retired in Wakasa."
"Maybe he is the descendant of the super onmyouji from the Heian era, Abe Seimei? ...I was wondering why I didn't see him in Kyo. So he was at Wakasa!" Yoshiharu said with a sigh.
"Whoever you think this Tsuchimikado to be, he seems to want your head and has opened up a barrier while waiting for us!"
"Ah, a barrier?"
There's just darkness in front of me... Yoshiharu squinted and looked forward.
In the dark night, the scene was just as it had looked before, just uncountable mountain peaks.
Hanzo then added, "It's a little different from the barriers set by ninjas," shaking his head.
But Zenki only bared his teeth, his eyes emitting a golden glow as he looked at the barrier emitting a mysterious light invisible to ordinary people.
"Hmph. The barrier will be upon us once we close in and head towards it."
Across Zenki's white forehead was a streak of sweat.
Here it is.
Tsuchimikado's onmyouji.
Not using his own body.
Not bound by gravity.
Supported by a power that can't be seen.
Floating slowly from the mountain.
"This fellow..."
"Tsuchimikado?"
"Yes, I'm the head of the Tsuchimikado clan, Tsuchimikado Hisanaga. We should return to Kyo now, but before I arrive, shouldn't I prepare some gifts for Kyo's new masters, Azai-kun and Asakura-kun? Tonight, right here, we've decided to take the head of this Oda clan's Saru!"
In front of them was a young kid not more than 10 years old.
A pale face and cold eyes like a doll. As an onmyouji, he looked similar to Hanbei, but that ice cold heart was totally different from hers.
That cold smile revealed his utmost confidence in his own strength.
This small fellow, looks like he isn't ordinary, maybe not even a human. What a detestable child...
Although Yoshiharu was trying to act cool, he noticed that he was soaked with sweat.
It's true that Tsuchimikado Hisanaga was just a child.
But precisely because of this, he possessed a cruelty known only to children in his small body.
Strength, it looked like his strength was limitless.
So, he wants to use this strength...
To kill his enemies.
Like how a child cruelly rips the wings off of an insect that he caught.
This is human nature; there is nothing shameful about such a thing.
And it's not out of hatred.
Maybe such a childish way to use his own strength is Tsuchimikado Hisanaga's principle.
So...
Things like respecting life, thinking about others... To Tsuchimikado Hisanaga, the child who had already attained the position of the leader of onmyouji, those are worthless.
rustle*
As expected, the enemy has moved... Yoshiharu realized.
"As expected, they had run to Wakasa... Oda Nobuna’s godlike speed had already seen her to Omi, but if I catch this famous Oda clan's Saru, Azai-kun and Asakura-kun should be very happy..."
(He is still a child, yet he has the intention to kill everyone.)
Hanzo threw a shuriken, but it did not hit the body of the floating Tsuchimikado Hisanaga.
As if there was an invisible wall protecting Hisanaga.
The heroes, who have yet to discover the severity of the situation, were panting at the side.
And the shikigamis...
In the night sky, more than 10 strange shikigamis appeared behind Tsuchimikado Hisanaga.
Zenki let out a roar.
"Hisanaga, the Tsuchimikado are just a defeated dogs who fled to Wakasa after failing to protect Kyo."
"...Hmph! That fox-faced guy is a shikigami, right? This is the first time that I, the genius onmyouji and the descendant of Abe Seimei, have seen a high-rank shikigami who can transform into a human completely like you. But regrettably, you are alone, right? The strongest point of shikigami is its numbers. No matter how capable you are, you can't win against the amount that I've summoned!"
"Hisanaga. What crazy shit are you talking about, saying things like returning to Kyoto. You think this is a child's play?"
Hehe, Hisanaga's red lips tilt upwards while he gave a fake laugh.
"A rural onmyouji like Takenaka may have followed Nobuna to power in Kyo. The true leader of the onmyoujis is our Tsuchimikado clan, and though we are referred to as the reincarnations of Koumei, we do not want to bear such a title. But because of our title, as troublesome as it is, we still have to go to Kyoto to fight with that ignorant rural onmyouji. Takenaka and I, whoever is stronger will be determined once we do battle. Okay, understand?"
"Stop floating around up there, can't you come down and talk like a normal person!?" Yoshiharu yelled out to Hisanaga while jumping up and down.
"Ha, no matter how you jump, you can't reach me. Are you an idiot?"
No more useless chatter.
I will finish all of you right here.
The surroundings filled with darkness in an instant...
Numerous shikigamis launched an attack at the troops who had set up camp at the peak of the mountain.
"D-d-demons have appeared!!!"
"How can we win!?!"
They were all brave men who excelled at fighting multiple enemies, but against these shikigamis who were violently attacking them from the sky, they could only let out pathetic howls.
Once their morale is lost, no matter how brave an army is, their formation will collapse in an instant.
One by one, they were blown away like grass.
(To have summoned this many shikigamis! Zenki alone cannot win against them! Ninja techniques are useless against shikigamis too! But, I will never give up!)
Yoshiharu raised his arquebus.
"D-damn it!!"
Even if...my life is fated to end here, I must...
I must...
Endure to the last minute... To fight against fate!
Part 4
"Hime-sama. We have entered Kuchiki Valley! If we can go through here successfully, all that's left is the highway, Kyo is right ahead!"
Oda Nobuna who had abandoned Saru, Sagara Yoshiharu, was now riding her famed horse, "Rigatanakuro", speeding through the mountain path of Wakasa.
Back when they were first heading out from Kyoto, they marched pridefully along Lake Biwa down the western Omi streets. But now, the western Omi streets are full of enemy soldiers. There was no way to escape but to go deep into the mountains.
Ever since they had started, they had not once stopped running to rest or sleep.
Her tears had dried.
Her chest was tight, leaving her almost unable to breathe.
In her body, there was not a drop of water left for tears.
Regret.
Anguish.
Pain that threatens to rip her chest apart.
Maybe this enormous pain would just destroy the weak body of Nobuna.
But...
Nobuna has to live on!
Even if she was full of wounds from falling down, if she couldn't go back to Kyo alive, Yoshiharu's sacrifice would become meaningless.
So, Nobuna bit her lip and held on to her belief.
That dumbass who threw away his son, Nagamasa's future, Nobuna's Tenka Fubu's ambition, Yoshiharu's future, Azai Hisamasa! Nobuna was furious!
Even though she was fuming mad, Nobuna clung to the reigns of her horse desperately, crying and struggling to not fall from her saddle.
But, such fury was already...
Beyond the point she could endure!
"Hime-sama, are you alright? This Kuchiki Valley is governed by Kuchiki Shinano. Shinano is part of the Azai's clan and will most likely stop us from passing, and our retreat route is blocked by the Kuchiki Castle. Our only options is to pass by Kuchiki Valley."
"...Hime-sama. Please wait here for a while."
The two protectors, Katsuie and Inichiyo both ran hastily to Nobuna's side.
The two of them were covered in wounds as well.
Judging from the fact that the vanguard retreated, taking this path would not be easy. At that moment, "That is the princess of the Oda clan!" "If caught alive, the reward is a hundred kan, her head itself is worth fifty kan!" The enemy soldiers swarmed at them from all sides, their eyes alight with bloodlust.
But, the master Nobuna must return to Kyo as soon as possible. If she was delayed, fake news like "Nobuna is dead" might spread, and who knew what Kyo might turn into. Only escaping from the enemies' hands and returning to Kyo would allow the army to regroup so as to fight Asai and Asakura. Even if the possibility was as small as a bean, they had to fight for the chance to save Yoshiharu....
Because Nobuna must return to Kyo as soon as possible, she needs focus solely on her speed.
By now, the aides protecting Nobuna had dwindled.
The ones remaining were the brave Shibata Katsuie and the child, Maeda Inuchiyo, who was swinging her huge bamboo spear.
Without these two loyal aides protecting her, Nobuna's head might have fallen multiple times.
"Hi-Hime-sama!"
"...Negotiate with Kuchiki Shinano, turn him into one of us."
"...It must be done."
Nobuna struggled to keep her eyes open, and her speech no longer had her usual air of superiority.
"...Where is Manchiyo and the rest?"
"To allow the rearmost troops to retreat safely, Nagahide is opening up more paths of retreat into the mountains, Mitsuhide and Motoyasu are helping too."
"...Dearuka. That is kinda unnecessary..."
"Hime-sama! Unnecessary? Everyone is fighting for their lives to not let Saru die! Please get your spirits up! Hime-sama!"
"...That...is hypocritical. We abandoned Saru and left him to die... What everyone is doing is useless."
"Hime!? Wh-what is happening to you!? This isn't like you, Hime!"
"Oi, Riku... When Father became sick, didn't he call many monks to do those rituals to pray?"
"Y-Yes? There was such a thing, but..."
"...Those monks were chanting those useless incantations, and in the end, Father didn't get better. They came to do those rituals because we were worried about Father's illness. What I want to say is this. Those monks used this weak psychology on us to earn money. So, I locked them up in the hall and burned all of them together. I hate cheaters, they had known that the rituals wouldn’t heal Father, yet we still invited them... That is, hypocrisy..."
"You... Y-you're right, Hime-sama. Wh-when the hall was on fire, no one bothered to save them!"
"At that time, Hime-sama was totally furious... Just like the sixth demon lord..." said Katsuie.
"...Father's funeral was totally unnecessary too. Dead people turned to ashes. Things like pain or suffering, such feelings will be gone. We hold burials, letting those monks chant, everyone crying on the floor, in the end, those are all for us... Showing a look of sadness... To a dead person, that is completely useless. So I, dressed like a hooligan, rushed into Father's funeral and made a big mess..."
"...And Saru's retreat? I already know that they aren't coming back... Ah. We let them protect our rear... Honestly, we ordered them to ‘die’... And then we hypocritically create retreat paths for them. Those are mere attempts to satisfy ourselves, just like a funeral. Really, so laughable... But... But, the one who ordered Saru to ‘die’...isn't Manchiyo...but, myself... Uhh, waaaahh!"
I thought I had ran out of tears.
But...now they're still flowing.
From the depths of her eyes... The depths of her soul, it seemed, tears were squeezed out.
"Ahh, Hime-sama... Hime-sama is becoming stranger and stranger! Hime-sama, just why!?"
The sobbing Katsuie felt terrible.
At her side.
Bam*
"...Hime-sama, please cut this out."
Inuchiyo gave a hard punch to Nobuna.
"...Crying is useless. If Hime-sama dies, the sacrifice of Yoshiharu and his troops will become meaningless!"
"Wh-wh-wh-wh-why, Inuchiyo!?" Katsuie howled.
"...Inuchiyo...? What..what am I doing...? Where...am I?"
"...This is Kuchiki Valley. We must negotiate with Kuchiki Shinano now."
"Yeah... Right."
"...Hime-sama. Yoshiharu is alive. Right now, we must believe in him. It's the same for Nagahide and the rest, we must believe in them. They are risking more than they should to open more retreat paths for Yoshiharu, even when they themselves are retreating. And those who volunteered to protect us are with Yoshiharu, soldiers whose names we don't even know, Hime-sama should not be so cruel now!"
Ah, Nobuna looked upon these aides as she opened her eyes.
Yoshiharu... I can't leave Yoshiharu on the battlefield by himself.
The 500 soldiers who were moved by Yoshiharu's loyalty had been pouring their spirit into performing their role, for Yoshiharu's sake, and for Nobuna's sake as well. Most of them were mercenaries hired with gold. People who could have simply escaped or switched sides...
I've only been worrying about Saru... Saru threw his life away for me, yet I had forgotten all about them! Forgotten the importance of their lives...
Nobuna smiled and regained her composure, so that Inuchiyo and Katsuie could stop worrying about her.
"...Thanks, Inuchiyo. What...what have I been doing. Yes, Saru can't just die so easily! I must, I must kick them in their butts, have them evade the Asakura troops, and hide in the mountains to escape!"
"...*Nods*"
"As the commander, I can't be weeping like this here. Sorry, Inuchiyo. Once we reach Kyo, I will give all you guys Uiroumochi."
"...*Nod*Nod*"
"Hime-sama has woken up! Inuchiyo! And Saru, I must not let you guys worry about Hime-sama... Definitely not!!"
"...Inuchiyo too, will take up her spear to attack once Yoshiharu returns. To cry and die while protecting our rear isn't Yoshiharu's style!"
"Alright! This resolve is rare, Inu-chan! Let us try our best for Saru!"
"...Destroy the enemy!!"
Seeing that Katsuie and Inuchiyo had been encouraging her all this time, Nobuna held back her tears and let out a sigh.
"They did not cry even once ever since we escaped from Kanegasaki castle.... Actually, Riku and Inuchiyo were feeling so sad that they wanted to cry out loud.... yet they endured it for me. To not let me become even sadder.... How can I be so weak......"
Another urge to cry rushed up her heart, but Nobuna forced it down.
"I've decided. Before reaching Kyo safely, I will not shed another tear!"
An oath seared in her heart, with her hand blocking the sunlight, she looks upon Kuchiki castle.
"Kuchiki Valley.... is really like a ninja hiding by the side of Kyo. I'm afraid it won't be easy to pass through. Inuchiyo?"
".....Afraid so. Kuchiki Valley is the evacuation area for the numerous Ashikaga shoguns, a very special place. No matter who, if they tried to pass through with force, the other side will launch an attack."
"Dearuka. Now is really the time to buck up."
"But, who should we send to negotiate with Kuchiki Shinano? I don't know the guy. Inuchiyo?" Katsuie said.
".....Not letting Inuchiyo go."
"If Nagahide or Mitsuhide were here, I would suggest they go. Should I wait for them to return?"
"No can do, Riku. Kuchiki Shinano belongs to the Asai clan, right? If so, we don't know when they will attack us; just sneaking in for now is too dangerous."
Besides, we need to hurry back to Kyo, and announce to the world, "I, Oda Nobuna am still here.", regroup my army..... And I have to hurry and send reinforcements for Saru.... Nobuna swallowed her greatest motivation with difficulty.
"Ye...Yes! But if I'm the envoy, I will most likely mess things up.... I, am not comfortable in negotiating. When I'm talking to Kuchiki, what will I do if I just killed him on impulse, Hime-sama?"
"Hmph... Are you dumb, Riku? We’re in this very situation now because we’re running straight ahead all the time. If we keep saying such things, then we will never be able to escape. It's as if we are strangling ourselves!"
"Ah, I understand! Wa, I'm really sorry.... My brain short circuited just now....."
"Brain... short circuited?"
"That is what Saru would say, Hime-sama. I don't really understand the meaning, but it's a thing he says when I'm being stupid. It seems to mean that I'm behaving stupidly, or electric currents are unable to flow through... I'm getting furious just talking about this! Saru that bastard!!!!!"
"What a Saru-like style."
Inuchiyo was tilting her head left to right.....
But it wasn't because she couldn’t follow the situation. Rather, she seemed to be trying to express that it's useless to send out an envoy, in her own introverted way.
"If it requires such great linguistic skills, then let me go. Ok, I will directly negotiate with Kuchiki Shinano!"
Nobuna had decided and was about to gallop away on her horse.
"Nonononononono, Hime-sama! If you do that, things will get worse! You are like a moth flying towards a candle flame, you won't return!"
"....Definitely not. Hime-sama might have good linguistic skills, but your words are often harsh and self-centered. If you provoke the other party here, things will become much worse."
Katsuie and Inuchiyo rushed forward to stop Nobuna.
"But, just who will go and negotiate?"
".....Hmmm, then let me go."
In the deep bushes.....
Wearing a chinese outfit over her tanned skin, sitting upright and puffing out her chest, a woman was slowly approaching them.
"Hisahide?"
"......Matsunaga Danjo."
Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide.
Also known as, "Venomous Scorpion."
A repeated offender on revolting that had plunged Kyo into a state of chaos.
Responsible for burning the great Buddha of Nara, poisoning her master and the Miyoshi clan, attacking Ashikaga Yoshiteru and destroying the Ashikaga Shogunate amongst other dark legends, the poisonous flower that blooms in the sengoku era.
Biting a long tobacco pipe, her face revealed an alluring smile as she returned the surprised stares of Nobuna and the rest.
"Where had you been for such a long while? Didn't you flee?"
"......This fellow appearing here suddenly is weird, she might be doing something to betray Hime-sama."
"Hehe. Yes, if I betray Nobuna-sama today, then I will be able to easily regain control of Kyoto. What do you think, Nobuna-sama? If I agree to help you negotiate with Shinano, then.... defect to Asai and Asakura."
“You bastard~!” Katsuie glared at her, while her hands held her sword tightly, at this moment, Nobuna stopped Katsuie.
"Danjo! I'll leave it to you. No matter what, I must live and go back to Kyoto! You must hurry, hurry! I'm relying on you!"
"Hime-sama! How can you trust someone like her!? Someone like her......!"
Once again, Katsuie was stopped, Nobuna and Hisahide looked at each other and nodded.
Towards this evil girl, Oda Nobuna who "Viper" Saitou Dousan was said to dote on, she seems very interested somehow.
Capturing Mino, Dousan who was fighting to unify the world by using trade, he was like a teacher, a second father to Nobuna who aims for "Tenka Fubu".
She who had broken traditions again and again, who had been disliked by her mother due to her not following traditions, to Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide, Nobuna was almost the same.... One can even say that Nobuna had finally met a "mother-like" figure for the first time.
"Nobuna-sama? Now, you guys are the danjo who controls Kyo. Oda Danjo-sama Nobuna. Right now, I'm just a shadow working under you."
"Enough. Danjo is Danjo. You should just call me ‘Nobuna’."
"Ok, I know it's the position that was given to you by the Gose, sorry. But I actually like those guys."
After a short pause, she narrowed her eyes to a slit and straightened her back. With a laugh, Hisahide started to gallop away towards Kuchiki castle.
"We are lucky that the other party is still immature. We will be able to contact Kuchiki Shinano quickly."
Using her own long and red tongue to lick her lips, Hisahide, who was known as the evil woman reveals a trademark-like dark smile.
Till now, this evil woman's smile had poisoned away how many people; just how many people had fallen to it......
Katsuie shivered.
With a face that came from the blood of the far western areas of the world, she was inhumanly beautiful, and at the same time this same face could only be described as terrifying.
"Ahhh.... Oi Inuchiyo, it's not that I don't mind. Why is Hime-sama allying herself with such a demon?"
"....Ah....Isn't easy to say."
"To use it's own stomach as bait for the venomous scorpion and viper. The world really has no good animals."
".....Dogs, are good animals."
"Oioi, are you listening, Riku?"
"I'm....I'm sorry!"
"Right now, all we can do is to entrust our fate to Danjo, Danjo will definitely not betray me." Nobuna nodded her head heavily.
Part 5
"Ah, Ahh, isn't this Matsunaga Danjo!? Such tanned skin, as expected from a well seasoned warrior." At Kuchiki castle, Kuchiki Shinano had come to meet her himself. For a castle owner, he was extremely young.
This Kuchiki Shinano who was born in Kuchiki, a place where distinguished people retire, for a sengoku warrior, his body build was very thin.
"Hehe. I was born with this skin color. I have not taken any injuries on the battlefield, so I maintained my young looks."
That alluring smile and the huge bosom that was revealed from her clothes had all made Shinano very flustered.
The fan was opened up in an instant while Shinano revealed a scared smile.
"...Ok, I've heard of Matsunaga Danjo being the most evil of persons, having destroyed the Ashikaga Shogunate and burning Nara's great Buddha, but right now you aren't quite the same."
"I'm just an ordinary citizen in Kyo, there isn't much to talk about."
"Even so, I can't agree to your request."
"Oi, I haven't even said anything."
"I have already received reports saying that Oda Nobuna has run here from Echizen, correct? Don't think that you can just pass Kuchiki Valley like this."
That is impossible, Kuchiki Shinano’s face seemed to say.
"I don't want to let Oda Nobuna think that I'm hers. After being betrayed by the Asai clan and gradually sinking into oblivion, if I allowed her to return to Kyoto, Asai and Asakura will attack Kyo together, and she won't last a minute."
"You are wrong."
"Matsunaga Danjo. Don't tell me you think that Asai is a despicable traitor and Oda Nobuna is in the right? You destroyed the Ashikaga shogunate! With an evil woman like you saying such hypocritical words, I find it only more difficult to trust Oda Nobuna."
"I believe that Oda Nobuna is strong. Don't tell me you think otherwise?"
"Oda Nobuna has already lost."
"No, winning and losing are common matters to warriors. As long as one lives on, he or she can once again rise up. What the one who is victorious in the end needs is determination, determination to never give up."
"Asai and Asakura's determination isn't enough, but Nobuna's is?"
"Yes."
Hisahide face revealed her gentle smile while she glanced into Shinano's eyes.
"Let's leave this discussion for another time, Danjo-dono, we will know soon enough how to proceed in the future. How about a cup of tea?"
"Hehe, thank you so much."
At this moment, should I kill Matsunaga Danjo....or..... While his heart is struggling, Shinano's uneasy expression revealed itself on his face.
On the other side, Matsunaga Hisahide had already decided on a plan to enter Kuchiki castle.
If Kuchiki Shinano dared to say no, then the true nature of the scorpion would show itself. The numerous puppets using crimson flames will surround the whole Kuchiki residence.....
"More than anything, I think Nobuna-sama is really a cute girl to be able to accept someone like me. If you betray this little girl and cause her defeat while you yourself lived on like a coward, from that point on I will kill all who stand in my way..... If you dare to say ‘No’, no matter how many years, how many decades, I will kill everyone in this valley, no, all the animals, the plants, all of them, not one will be left living."
Hisahide's heart moved.
Under a fake smile, her love, her hatred that did not fit her face, every one of Hisahide’s feelings raged stronger than any normal Japanese man could know.
Facing the dark and overwhelming killing intent that was emitting everywhere from her, the young Shinano retreated in an instant.
"Shinano-sama? How about letting me prepare the tea?"
Shinano swallowed his saliva.
"You, don't tell me, you want to poison me?"
"Hehe, it's regrettable, but I've been asked by Nobuna-sama to not poison any advisors. Right now, in some way, you may still be either Nobuna-sama's advisor or Asai's man, so I can't be that rude to you yet."
"Are you threatening me? I... I am not a guy that is so easily intimidated."
"Relax, there isn't any poison."
First, Hisahide used her own touch to lick the tea.
That soft red tongue, licking the teacup like a soft invertebrate.
Once again, Shinano swallowed his saliva, but, this time round, the meaning of it is different.
His brain is numb.
In this room, not knowing when, a strange aroma.... A scent that Shinano had never known before, a sweet fragrance was filling the room.
"Shinano-sama, don't tell me you don't believe me?"
"Poi...Poisoning someone is too easy, the teacup might have something hidden in it, the part that you licked might not have poison, but the rest of it will have, isn't it right?"
"Hehe, if so, let me show you, the proof that the rest of it wasn't smeared with poison."
Lick*
Lick*
Hisahide's eyes were narrowed into a silt while she glanced at Shinano's eyes, putting the teacup on her palm, she licked all the sides of it.
That extremely alluring body, Shinano is already panting, his whole body hot with passion.
"......Weird... Such a weird feeling..... This fragrance.....?"
"Hehe, *lick* Ok, like this, there is no problem touching any side of the teacup, I had already used my own tongue to clean it all up. But if you think my saliva is poisonous, then your life will be in danger."
"....Ca...Can human's saliva be poisonous?"
Shinano's hand received Hisahide's teacup before he could realize his hand was extended.
Hisahide's..... teacup that was filled with that alluring saliva.
"Not... Not poison... No... I should say.... It's fragrant... This.... This taste is fragrant....?"
"Come. Do something, because I'm a scorpion. Ah.... Hahaha."
Shinano can no longer detect Hisahide's weird behavior.
Hisahide is soaked with sweat, and her breath came in pants.
In between the deep valley of her breasts, the sweat flowed through them.
But, that fragrance that seemingly numbed the brain.....
Shinano head began going berserk.
Drink.... tea.....
Drinking the saliva that Hisahide left behind, that extremely fragrant fluid.
At that instant.
"So...So refreshing... So... So comfortable. Such a wonderful tea, this is my first time drinking it......"
Shinano's overflowing saliva dripped drop by drop onto the ground while he laughed out loud.
".....Dan...Danjo.... No...Now that I think about it.... It's... It's not like I can't agree with you.... ha...Hahaha."
Hisahide leid down, letting her outfit fall from her shoulder, another hand shaking the fan while she smiled like a little girl.
".....I... I can't take it anymore. Ah....Ahhhh. Come... Come and hug me, if you hug me, let Nobuna pass.... it...isn't a problem, right? Haha!"
"......Hehehe, it's my honor."
"The dark brown skin of foreigners, haha....! Now that I see it, so beautiful.... So beautiful.......!"
"......Then, Shinano-sama? Please embark, on your never ending sweet dreams."
Hisahide's lips gave a light kiss to Shinano's ears, and suddenly something seemed to slip in.
"Ah, Ahhh, what is this.... My ear.....!"
"Hehe.... You, are already one of my puppets."
Ahhhh!!!
In Shinano's ears, a hot fluid was injected in an instant.
Hisahide left Shinano's side while laughing loudly.
"He, hehehe. As if someone like you who doesn't know anything could hug me. Come back after another 10 years. Be played around by me in your dreams!"
".....Wh...What did you do.... Whore!"
In an instant, Shinano returned to his senses.
This strange fragrance.... And the saliva that Danjo smeared onto the teacup.... Damn it, I've fallen for Danjo's tricks!
".....Don't tell me, you planned to keep the poison in your mouth and then smear it on the teacup....? And gambled that I would fall for it....! Hmph, interesting.... Ahhh, but this fragrance, what is this rotten fruit-like fragrance......?"
In the next instant, his sudden return to his senses was extinguished like a flame being put out.
Suddenly, Shinano tilt his head like a puppet.
".....Ok, I got it. I will allow Oda Nobuna to pass. And at the same time, protect her on her way to Kyo. I, Kuchiki Shinano, will be the comrade of Oda Nobuna from now on, the puppet of the Oda clan. Ahahaha....hahahaha!"
At the same time, Hisahide who had breathed in the same toxin laughed.
"It's an honor, an honor." To her victim who had just fallen for her tricks, she opened her arms and bowed.
Part 6
"Nobuna-sama, everything is within our control. Shinano has agreed to arrange for guards to send you back to Kyo."
Katsuie and Nobuna shared a shocked glance.
Who could have thought that... Who could have thought that she can even get soldiers from Shinano as bodyguards? What an unexpected outcome.
Just how did Matsunaga Hisahide manage to persuade Shinano?
And why did Hisahide feel so weird? An indescribable fragrance floated around her.
Ah.....Katsuie suddenly shouted.
"Yo...Yo...You fellow, don't tell me, you did something disgusting, so as to let Shinano join our side?"
"Hehe. I did not do anything disgusting. I... am not such a despicable woman. At most, I just did something unpleasant, hehe, hehehehe."
Ahhhh.... Katsuie was shocked.
Demonic... Demonic woman.....!
"Hi...Hime-sama! Danjo, we can't let her follow us! If she did something bad, she won't admit it anyway!"
"Now isn't the time to consider such things, Riku. Now, full speed ahead to Kyo! With these guards, we are no longer afraid of any pursuing soldiers!"
Inuchiyo bowed her head deeply.
Part 7
"Not good, we have been discovered, get down now!"
Ahhhhhhh.....!
The shikigami army was still searching for Yoshiharu and his gang.
Yoshiharu and the others had hidden themselves in the bushes while, above their heads, a multitude of shikigamis were flying around.
These low intelligence life forms were floating in the air like vultures searching for dying warriors.
From then on, Yoshiharu and the rest were pursued by the shikigami and the Asakura troops, while hiding from villagers and local warriors who are searching for escaping warriors.
At this point, the company had been reduced to less than half.
Half of them had either been killed by the pursuing soldiers or had dropped out due to heavy injuries.
Yoshiharu and the others' visions started to blur. They were already so tired that they could barely tell whether they were alive or not.
No one held any strength left to carry on.
"....Is it day... or night? .....Where is this, Hanzou?"
"The boundary between Wakasa and Western Omi, near Mizuzaka kai.
"Damn it.... We just reached the entrance of Omi? It's still far from Kyo."
Since that time when Tsuchimikado Hisanaga surrounded them with the barrier, Yoshiharu and the half that remained fired a shot of the arquebus near midnight.
Why would they fire a shot of the arquebus? The shikigamis hate such a sound. A high level shikigami like Zenki is able to endure the fear rationally, but these low level shikigami cannot hide their fear towards the arquebus.
In the past, Zenki had told him shikigami's weakness; Yoshiharu realized it unknowingly or coincidentally.
Maybe, the arquebus that Yoshiharu and the rest have may be enough to scare those Tsuchimikado's shikigami away.
Let's do it! Yoshiharu led the rest of the 40 riflemen squad and fired together at the night sky.
The shikigamis fled, and during the period they are panicking, by some miracle, Yoshiharu and the rest managed to break the barrier and they started on their escape back to Kyo.
But Tsuchimikado was incredibly persistent after setting his sights on Yoshiharu's head.
As if failure would be a scar on his very pride, he chased after Yoshiharu.
And Yoshiharu and his gang had already used up the rest of the ammunition.
If they were caught by the shikigamis again, there wouldn’t be enough gunpower for another volley.
And, in the worst case scenerio, if the pursuing shikigamis caught up with them on the retreat paths that Niwa Nagahide opened up for them, they would have no choice but to go onto the mountain paths full of dangerous beasts.
While they were moving slowly, there were numerous dropouts.
"Now is the period to decide the victor."
Lowering his face, Yoshiharu waved at Zenki, Hanzou and the representative of the troops, they gathered together for a meeting. Those people who escaped with them had already displayed strength far exceeding that of a normal human, and their backs were bowed with exhaustion.
"We are totally helpless towards Wakasa's Tsuchimikado. If this goes on, we will all be eliminated. Does anyone have some good ideas?"
"Those demons, no matter how we see it, we can't win against them...... If we can use spears and stab wildly at the sky to scare them away......" The soldiers mumbled, hugging their heads.
There isn't anyone in the troop, not one that could hit the flying shikigamis with arquebus.
Though the most popular plan is scaring them and running away, there wasn’t enough ammo left. If their next shots didn’t kill, they would be unable to escape.
In other words, the one solution left is to bet everything on their arquebus, but if they finished up the ammo, everyone would be dead.
"I'm sorry, Commander! Our brains are useless, and we don't know what to do!"
"If this goes on, the commander and Hime-sama can't meet again."
"You guys, don't say such things anymore! Right now, we have to get what remains of us back to Kyo! No... No more sacrifices!"
"Yoshiharu-sama, don't be disheartened!"
"Yes! With you thinking about us, we are satisfied. But in the end, you are different from us foot soldiers."
".....No. Looking at our companions falling one by one, I had gradually realized that there is no difference in value of life....."
"Commander! Now is not the time to talk about this philosophy, look at the situation now! If the commander died at such a situation, what should Hime-sama do!?"
"As a man, I had already sworn an oath to protect you to my death, if you dismiss us at this moment, I won't forgive you for the rest of my life, Yoshiharu-sama!"
"Yes! Let us fulfill our own dreams. Yoshiharu-sama!"
You all.... Uhhh.... All of you.... bastards....! You guys... and me, we are all idiots whose heart was taken away by Oda-sama! If it's not Nobuna, I don't care about the rest, but this time around, I have made my resolve to claim the reward that's rightfully mine......!
Slowly, a weak grace unique to commanders was revealed. Yoshiharu held the hands of the soldiers together, and though he feared there would be an outburst of laughter, in the end all he could hear was their rhythmic panting.
"Here it comes again...." "It hasn't stopped from last night." Hanzou and Zenki, who were never tired, shared a glance and nodded.
"Hmmm, to be jealous of my master Hanbei's activities, the Tsuchimikado clan has really fallen. Anyway, they are the heads of omyoujis from the last era of Abe Seimei's line of omyoujis. The time has really changed."
Zenki jumped around like a frog while sighing.
"Yoshiharu. The era of omyoujis should have ended long ago."
"But the Tsuchimikado of this era isn't weak! Is there a way to defeat all of those ominous shikigamis, Zenki? If not, they will be searching for us like those aircrafts from the air force."
Hmmm, though I don't really understand the namban language... but Zenki laughed.
"I don't know what this ‘aircraft’ is, but our strength as of now is too weak; we can't fight against that amount of shikigamis. And part of the reason is also that, compared to our motivation to flee to Kyo, the courage required to defeat them something completely different."
"Then, what should we do? It's nothing if it's just man to man, but to face off against a shikigami, what will the modern man do?"
"In these circumstances, we should seal their dragon hole and cut the dragon vein around this area."
"Dragon hole? Dragon vein?"
What were those words that just entered his ears? Yoshiharu did not understand.
"The dragon vein is the pathway through which ‘Ki’ flows in the ground. The dragon hole is the main area of the dragon veins and it's a special place that ‘Ki’ flows out."
If we imagine the flowing of "Ki" as railways.... Then the dragon vein is the railways that "Ki" travels and the dragon holes are the train stations that "Ki" flows in and out, Yoshiharu nodded at his rationalization.
"The shikigamis who were summoned from talismans need to maintain their life by absorbing the ‘Ki’ from the dragon hole. So as to say, if we seal the dragon holes nearby, the shikigamis will become weaker." Hanzou whispered.
"Hmmm, if we can find a big dragon hole and seal it, we should be able to finish these shikigamis. At most, I might disappear with them. Since my master, Hanbei used just 5 talismans to summon me, it's already not easy for me to move for such a long period of time.
Seems workable.... If we are able to make these shikigamis disappear, even if Zenki isn't around, it will be much more advantageous for the path ahead. Shikigamis disappearing isn't death, so even if Zenki disappears here, they should be able to meet in Kyoto.
"So where is it, the dragon hole?"
"Dragon holes are commonly found in the mountains, normally caves or big holes on the ground. Places with dragon holes normally had shrines erected near them so as to prevent ‘Ki’ from being used for evil purposes. It's like the one who protects Kyoto's gate of demons, Mount Hiei is actually Kyo's biggest shrine.
"So that’s the meaning behind building shrines at strategic spots." Yoshiharu said.
"Then, let's find the shrine and destroy it!"
"Ok, let's go and find it!"
"Wa...Wa...Wait up you guys! If you just go search like this, you will be the target for those who are searching for escapees! And, you may be found by the shikigami army.
Yoshiharu stopped the soldiers.
"At such deep mountain areas, we have to assume that there aren't any shrines erected near dragon holes. I'm afraid Tsuchimikado has chased us to a place where there are no shrines so as to not let us find any dragon holes."
Zenki's eyes glittered while he nodded.
Ok, we will do it this way!
Yoshiharu straightened up his body.
"Then, let's go! Where off first, Zenki!?"
"Find caves."
"I get it, there are still many caves emitting smoke! Because caves are actually holes that are opened up on the ground.”
The heroes of the troops all nod their head while whispering, "Ohhhh."
These people, taking what's left of their ammo and weapons, turned to the enemy.
They searched in the mountains for nearly half an hour.
Zenki, taking a rope down to the bottom of a valley pointed to a cave while shouting, "There"!"
"Hmmm, this ‘Ki’ that is rising up, if we seal such a place....."
But......
At that time, those people in the troops had already reached the limit of their exhaustion and excitement and had already lost their cool heads.
"Ok, let's go!"
"Seal it off!"
"If so, the commander can return to Kyo!"
"Wait, you guys. This might be a trap laid by Tsuchimikado. First we should let the ninja squad check things......."
Though Zenki tried to stop them, but they had already climbed down the cliff and ran towards the cave.
Yoshiharu too said, "Can't help it", and slipped down from the cliff while protecting his arquebus.
But.
There was really a trap.
In the cave, there are numerous shikigamis under the control of Tsuchimikado and they flew out in an instant.
The heroes of the troops at this moment, all of them had the resolve to battle to their deaths.
We've fallen for their trap!
"Sagara-sama, run!"
"We will be your shield to stop them!"
"No, don't say such stupid things! I won't abandon you all!"
Yoshiharu took his arquebus and rushed to the front.
Yoshiharu could not abandon any of these companions that had come with him through such a long way.
"Hisanaga!!! Come out, you bastard!!! Your hands are full of blood! Playing with peoples' lives like it's nothing!!!"
Shooting with his arquebus non-stop, soon, the ammo had finished.
One by one, the heroes were caught by the claws of the monsters in the sky and shredded.
If this goes on, all of us will be eliminated!
Looking at the tragic scene in front of him while he went down from the cliff, Zenki whispered, "Oi, Hanzou. If this goes on, I will be lectured by my master. Hurry and take Sagara Yoshiharu away."
Suddenly, Hattori Hanzou appeared out of nowhere and whispered back, ".....No. The ammo is depleted. There is nowhere to run. Sagara Yoshiharu has made his resolve, right?"
"If that's the case, let us kill him."
Hanzou laughed lightly, and glanced at Zenki.
"......Understood."
And nodded softly.
He jumped suddenly but silently.
Hanzou threw a smoke bomb at the chaotic battle, obstructing the shikigamis’ view of the battlefield.
All the while being silent, he grabbed Yoshiharu from behind.
"Release me, Hanzou! I'm going to battle to my last breath here!"
"Hmph, don't tell me you want to watch these soldiers die with your own eyes?"
"It's the same if we run away, so we should just die together while fighting!"
"Oda Nobuna said the same thing at Kanegasaki castle, but she decided in the end for you to protect her rear even though you might be killed, why?"
"That fellow, is the leader of a province, she must live! But, I......"
".....You, don't tell me you feel that everything is okay since you have no attachments? Sagara Yoshiharu, are you saying that now? From your heart?"
".....That..."
Actually, it might be so. But... So many soldiers died for me. And, Nobuna shedded tears for me.....
I can't do such a thing.....!
But, if I sacrifice myself, it's a fact that my companions might be saved. Tsuchimikado is aiming for me only.
Yoshiharu wiped the blood left on his forehead and the tears in his eyes as he swallowed his saliva.
"Then Yoshiharu, I ask you again, will you die for your companions?"
"Ahhh! I don't want to give Nobuna up.... Ah, damn it, I don't wanna die! But, I don't want to abandon my companions! I, want too much! I'm sorry that I want things to be perfect!"
"Ok then, you will die right here. Sagara Yoshiharu, Oda clan's rising star, the hero of Sunomata Ichiya castle; if the one whose head has a bounty is to die here, Tsuchimikado or those who are searching for you for that very bounty will all lose their motive. Other than that, there is no other way."
".....Hmmmm? Hanzou? You......?"
"It seems like, it's over."
Finally, someone walked out of the cave, Tsuchimikado Hisanaga flapped the fan in his hand.
The smoke that Hanzou released was blown away.
Tsuchimikado had appeared.
Hattori Hanzou who was soaked with blood.
That frozen expression of him as he held a dagger at Sagara Yoshiharu's neck.
Zenki who was supposed to come down from the cliff.... was missing.
Looks like he ran after seeing the result.
Or he was defeated by the shikigami army and disappeared....
Originally, he is a high level shikigami, but his "Ki" is too weak.
Maybe he spent it on maintaining his human body.
"No matter what, it seems like I'm the victor. As long as I have the head of this Saru, I don't care about these puny soldiers. It's too troublesome, let them escape."
At this moment, Hanzou answered.
"I understand. I will take my last wages to destroy Sagara Yoshiharu's body!"
Part 8
Before this, before Yoshiharu launched the final battle with the Shikigami army.
Nobuna had also started on her journey.
Sagara Yoshiharu, must have already....
The pounding of her heart.
Even during the time when Father passed away, it wasn't that painful.
Father passed away from sickness.
And the reason why Yoshiharu died was....
And.
Nobuna had sworn not to cry again.
Rather than dying from protecting those who should be protected, the one living on should... The one whose lives had been entrusted to, after going through a long period of sobbing, pain, even suffering, those can't be endured.
"If I die at this moment, Saru's death will no longer hold any meaning. No, Saru is still living. Yes. Manchiyo and the rest had already prepared retreat paths while retreating themselves... And there is such a clever Juubei there too.... I believe, I believe that he is living right now!"
Near the streets of Wakasa, on the mountain paths that Nobuna took to go to Kyoto, for the first time in her life, while she is riding, she crossed her hands and lowered her head, praying to God or Buddha, the deities she wasn’t even sure existed.
The tears that had been shed at the burial, the memories of the monks praying, all of those were so detestable.
But now, she had become less selfish and less self-centered.
It's not far now, from Kyoto.
Now, she had almost reached Kyoto.
With lightning speed that no one had expected, Oda Nobuna had returned.
Oda Nobuna died? Shikoku's Miyoshi three will definitely launch another attack on Kyoto upon hearing the news. And the Kouga who had been hidden till now and the Rokoku Yoshitaka who was planning to rise again.
And, the Asai Asakura army who believes that there are no more obstacles ahead of them from capturing Kyoto.
With this, I can greatly diminish their strength.
It is almost confirmed.
As long as there was still a female warrior like Oda Nobuna, the Oda army would rise again.
For this ambition, Nobuna had given up.
Given up that dream.
That, seemingly unattainable dream.
Even so.
She did not cry.
Always wearing a smile.
To make her body a little lighter, she had even stripped off her armor and had ridden the horse with just robes.
Even so, there was still a thing that she couldn't abandon no matter what.
In her chest, the gift that Yoshiharu gave her... The future namban clock, Nobuna held it tightly in her hand.
"Riku! Where are we?"
"Hime-sama, we are now at the western side of Mount Hiei! Once we pass this, Kyoto is right ahead!"
Katsuie squinted her eyes and said.
The long night had finally changed to light.
"Ok. Inuchiyo, Danjo. Now we don't have to worry about whether the horse can take it or not. Full speed ahead!"
".....Roger."
"Roger"
At the other side of the mountain peak, the scenery that was before them is the Kyoto castle.
"I'm still alive. You gave me this life. I'm waiting for you, Saru."
Nobuna's horses were standing at the foremost of the troops.
At this moment.
From the two sides of the mountain path filled with thick forests, a gunshot sound suddenly rang out.
A shot.
And then.
Another shot.
Though it's detestable, but Nobuna felt something had pierce her soft belly.
At this moment, the small body of Nobuna had already...
From her horse, she had fallen down.
Violently, the senses she got from the body had disappeared.
".....So...Sorry, Yoshiharu......"
Her eyes were full of...... tears.
Translator Notes
1 Li Keyong (李克用) was a Chinese Emperor during the late Tang Dynasty, also known as Emperor Wu (武皇帝).
2 Sutegamari (捨て奸) a 'fighting retreat', where the main army fights until a certain number of men died holding a position and repelling an attack before actually retreating.
This is a rough translation from the chinese raws we have. It is still under work and there will be lots of edits in the near future as I care more about bringing to readers the story rather then the correct use of vocab and grammar. If any readers have inputs and want to edit, please do so.
~Tarmade~
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