Oda Nobuna no Yabou - Volume 5 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 : Infiltration, Takeda Shingen's Secret Hot Spring 

Part 1 

Between Takigawa Kazumasu's freshly conquered Ise and Shima and Nobuna and Matsudaira Motoyasu's holdings in Mikawa and T?t?mi was a very convenient passageway through the sea. 

"Takeda Shingen marches on Ky?." 

After hearing this ominous news, Matsudaira Motoyasu, whose territory provided a natural barrier between Owari and Shingen's territories, had rushed to T?t?mi from Mikawa to begin defensive maneuvers along her borders with the Takeda Clan. 

In the Matsudaira clan, the retainers quickly voiced their objections, claiming "Even if we are to save the Oda clan, it's meaningless to battle alone." "How about we wait at our base, Okazaki castle for the Takeda army?", but Motoyasu reminded them of her god-sister, Nobuna's ambush on Imagawa Yoshimoto and the "Battle at Okehazama" saying, "Now is the time to pluck up our courage and head out!" For a short while longer, she managed to unify her retainers. 

Now, Matsudaira Motoyasu's army stood ready at the western side of T?t?mi using Hamamatsu Castle, situated between Tenryuu river and Lake Hamana, as their main base. In this age, Hamamatsu Castle was still a small base without any fortified buildings. In the ideal situation, Motoyasu would have liked to head east and set up a solid defensive line at the border between T?t?mi and Suruga... But, the Takeda Clan was far swifter than Motoyasu's expectations. 

As expected of the clan renowned for its wind-like speed. 

Scouts and ninjas reported further bad news for Motoyasu, her tanuki ears beginning to tremble slightly. 

"Suruga's Takeda fleet is moving along the rivers." 

"Ehhh, Takeda's fleet? Isn't Suruga a mountain castle? How could they have a rowboat, let alone an entire fleet?" Motoyasu yowled pathetically. 

After absorbing the Suruga area previously ruled by Imagawa Yoshimoto, Takeda Shingen had specially recruited a fleet in preparation for her march to Ky?. 

"Between Takeda Shingen's personal army from Suruga and her fleet from T?t?mi, Futamata Castle on our Northern border has been completely surrounded!" 

"If… If I don't send reinforcements~!" Motoyasu's tanuki ears trembled even more, but with the Takeda fleet approaching quickly, there was no way she could send reinforcements. If she abandoned the frontline castle however, rumors would definitely spread; "This master can't even protect her retainers and territories." But, this time round, the enemy was the sengoku's strongest, Takeda Shingen, and this fearsome daimyo had decided to that she would reach Ky?. 

The situation was really too much for anyone to handle. 

No matter what, Takeda was too fast. Motoyasu had reacted at soon as she could, but she still ended up on the defensive with no choice but to try to react to Shingen's attacks. 

"H...H...H...Ho...How about Mino's reinforcements~?" 

"Mino has also been invaded by a Takeda strike force! Saitou Dousan is caught up in protecting Mino and has not sent any reinforcements; no, even if he wanted to, he doesn't have any soldiers to spare." 

"I...I...I..It's useless, I...I...I can't do anything..." Motoyasu felt dizzy, nearly fainting on the spot. "H...H...How about Kichi-nee-sama back in ?mi and Ky?to...?" 

"The allied Asai Asakura forces have abandoned the Empress's peace agreement and once again gather at northern ?mi. This time, they seem to want to fight the Oda clan to the end! They could not send any reinforcements..." 

Disaster was not content with throwing Takeda at them... Motoyasu was on the verge of tears as fear and despair began to consume her. 

"Even if we were to send the Oda Clan reinforcements, I'm afraid the Oda Clan's princess leading Japan's weakest, the Owari soldiers, would not be able to escape this crisis." Hattori Hanzou replied coldly as he knelt before Motoyasu. 

The Takeda fleet advanced from Suruga. 

A massive army advanced from Tenryuu river. 

Mino was immobilized by a strike force. 

Even ?mi's allied Asai Asakura forces wanted to fight head on with Nobuna's army. 

Takeda Shingen had completed the web surrounding the Oda clan. 

"Hanzou, will Kichi-nee-sama... lose?" 

"Compared to their last attack at Mount Hiei, this time the Asai army is led by the seasoned warrior, Asai Nagamasa. With him is Asakura Yoshikage who, though he has always hated war, seems to be obsessed with defeating the Oda Clan for some unknown reason. Even with the help of the Matsudaira army, it will be extremely difficult for the Oda army to win against the Asai Asakura allied forces." 

"B...Bu...Bu...Bu...But it's impossible for us to send any reinforcements~!" 

"...Exactly. Though regrettable, the Takeda army has already trapped us at T?t?mi using both the land and sea. Without the help of the Oda clan, if Hime-sama were to fight head on with the Takeda army... To win, I'm afraid we have to wait for a miracle; likely our best plan is to surrender now." 

"Kichi-nee-sama will never give up. No matter what kind of a critical situation she faces, she will surpass it. Didn't she miraculously win during Okehazama? And during that hellish retreat at Kanegasaki, she also survived. So, I...I...I...I...I too, w...w...wi...will never give up~!" 

"Do you plan to let the clan be eliminated as you hope for a miracle?" 

"No… No, if I were to betray Kichi-nee-sama after Asai Nagamasa, Kichi-nee-sama will be so pitiful. My father died when I was still young, so I will never be threatened by my father like Nagamasa~. Besides, if we betray the Oda Clan, wouldn't we just be people without honor, only allying with the stronger person? The princess of the Matsudaira Clan will never do such a despicable thing~" 

Even as Hanzou tried to persuade Motoyasu, saying, "This miracle you hope for won't appear so easily", in the city the Matsudaira soldiers erupted in loud cheers. 

"What, what is going on?" 

The soldier ran in, crying happily as he gave his report; "It's reinforcements, Hanzou-sama. The Oda Clan's reinforcements have arrived!" 

"Fool, how could there be reinforcements?" 

"It's true! The Oda Clan sent reinforcements claiming themselves as Kuki Pirates from Ise Shima! And somehow, there are lots of namban ships within the fleet!" 

"Pirates and... namban ships? What a weird combination." 

Motoyasu's tanuki ears trembled violently as she immediately stood up "It must be Saruharu~! Saruharu has given us our miracle!" 

"Yes, that man had provided several mysterious miracles at Okehazama and Kanegasaki, but princess, the enemy this time is Takeda Shingen. With her as the opponent..." 

"I believe in Saruharu~! Saruharu is guarded by the goddess of victory. This time, we can win~!" 

Yoshiharu and the rest arrived to tremendous cheering. 

When Motoyasu and her guards reached Lake Hamana, just as she predicted, Yoshiharu walked down from the deck. This time, Yoshiharu's upper body was naked and across his forehead was a headband, giving him the look of a pirate. Setting her eyes on him, she shouted out "Uwahhh, Saruharu, I'm so grateful! Our clan, even 7 generations later, will forever remember this debt!" She ran to the lake shore and hugged him, repeating, "For seven generations, we won't forget; we won't forget even after seven generations!" 

"Okay, Motoyasu. This seven generations thing sounds like a cat demon, and it's honestly kinda scary." 

"It has nothing to do with cats! the tanukis of the Motoyasu clan, for 7 generations, will never forget this debt. We will definitely repay you~" 

The three people with strange attire kneeled in front of Motoyasu, introducing themselves in turn. Kuki Yoshitaka, the head of the pirates; Organtino, the bishounen missionary; and Giovanna, clad in namban armor from head to toe. 

"Leave the Takeda fleet to me, that hodge-podge of a navy will never be my opponent!" 

"Nobuna is the key to peace in Japan, and she holds my senpai Frois' support. Allow me to take charge of the defense of T?t?mi harbor and the surrounding area." 

"...As part of the Knights of Saint John, I will assist the army together with Kazumasu and Sagara Yoshiharu." 

Kuki Yoshitaka made sure to explain, "The namban ships and merchants are only able to act scary and menacing. They can't be considered part of our strength, but just their existence should be enough to give the Takeda fleet quite a scare." 

"Geez…" Hattori Hanzou muttered. 

"Sagara Yoshiharu, with this, the battle on the sea is considered even, but on the land we are still lacking in numbers. Where is your Sagara Yoshiharu corps?" 

"My corps are currently under Nobuna. Instead, I brought Kazumasu-chan's army in Ise, as well as Giovanna-chan, over for support. Kazumasu-chan, it's time to show us your worth as one of the Four Generals of the Oda Clan, please!" 

"This isn't even T?t?mi; we're already in some backwater place. It stinks of Miso here." Kazumasu-chan pinched her nose as she walked over. 

"Ohhhh, so cute....!" The male soldiers of Mikawa cheered. 

"....Achoo! Uhh, so cold." 

"Hime-sama, please wear this tanuki skin coat for warmth." 

"Ohh? You are well prepared, Kuki!" 

"Tanuki coat!? So cruel! How dare you look at Hime-sama as a coat!?" The Mikawa soldiers started scolding the pirate girls, who promptly retorted, "You damn guys dare to complain?" "What's so cruel about a coat made from animal skin?", "You should be all thankful we came all this way to save you.", and as the situation seemed about to heat up... 

"Wait, wait. Everyone here is a comrade, and now isn't the time to quarrel! No matter what, our enemy is that Takeda Shingen! In the greatest of all sengoku games, 'Oda Nobunaga no Yabou', he is a monster, with leadership and political power over 90, and military strength over 85+! Even more terrifying, with the right high quality items one can get all his stats over 100! If we aren't careful, we will be eliminated upon clashing with her! Her retainers are all strong like monsters too, especially that demon strategist, Yamamoto Kansuke, and that always victorious Sanada clan! Honestly, I have no clue why Yamamoto Kansuke is still alive, but if we don't unite our strength, we will definitely not be able to win against them!" Yoshiharu cut between the two groups before they could really go at it, giving a simple explanation of the threat of the Takeda army. Eager to keep his momentum with the soldiers and pirates, he said, "Let's start the military meeting, Motoyasu." 

Yoshiharu regretted throwing his game knowledge around and sounding little arrogant, but Takeda Shingen was just such an abnormally strong existence. He wasn't just praising Takeda Shingen however; for Sagara Yoshiharu, the fanatic of sengoku games... 

There was a slim chance for victory. 

"We will leave all the fleet battles to Kuki-nee-san. The opponent's navy should just be a feint anyways, just like ours. Takeda Shingen will still fight her best on land, since the Takeda army's strong point is in their Cavalry." 

"Exactly, Saruharu~ If we fall here, next will be Hanamatsu castle, and after that the Takeda army will be able to conquer both Mikawa and Owari in one fell swoop~" 

"I don't wanna. Just thinking of killing in this sweaty land and facing off with the Takeda cavalry, my skin is already turning." 

Kazumasu seemed unmotivated, reluctant to even breathe T?t?mi's rural air, so Yoshiharu tried to cheer her up, saying, "If we can defeat Takeda Shingen, Kazumasu will definitely be the most famous person in Japan, and will appear in all the educational books!" After a little work, Kazumasu recovered her spirit enough to say, "What is 'educational books'? It seems interesting~. Now is the time to let the people in the future know about how great this princess is, kuku." 

As the group mounted up and prepared to ride out, Yoshiharu pulled himself up behind Kazumasu, nonchalantly planning to share the horse with her.. 

"Why must you ride the same horse as me?" 

"Don't touch Hime-sama's waist, uwahhh, dirty Saru!" Kuki Yoshitaka scolded, rushing towards Yoshiharu without a moment's hesitation. 

"Sorry, I'm not used to riding a horse. I planned to scout the surroundings with Motoyasu and Kazumasu-chan as soon as possible, so that means having our meeting on horseback." 

Motoyasu mounted the horse Hanzou led over before trotting close to the duo. Giggling, she asked, "Do Japanese people of the future not know how to ride horses~?" 

"Ahh, in the future, everyone gets around with bicycles, automobiles, trains, planes… oh, but boats still exist." 

Kuki Yoshitaka said, "I have no idea what you just said, beast. Hime-sama, Saru must be trying to take advantage of you!" 

Giovanna leaned over from her large horse and advised Yoshiharu, "Come to my horse, Sagara Yoshiharu. My ride has enough space for the two of us." 

"OK, holding onto cold and hard armor isn't going to be fun, but it seems like it would make a better painting than hugging a loli on horseback." 

Giovanna joined the scouting party! 

"Now, let's check on the situation of the Takeda army. If it's like what I've predicted, we have 12% chance of winning, hohoho... Don't underestimate the strength of knowledge gained from sengoku games!" 

"As expected of Saruharu, you seem to have a plan! I can almost feel victory~" 

"Kuku, you should be a little more careful, Giovanna. If you ride on the same horse with Yoshii like that, he can assault you at any time; if he gets his way, you'll have no choice but to marry him." 

"....I'll be fine under my armor, and if this guy dares to court me again, I will execute him immediately." 

"So vengeful, asking you out before was just a reflexive joke..." 

"Teasing a knight without any heart put into it? My humiliation felt real enough. Will cutting you down relieve this simmering anger?" 

"I'm not teasing you! How can I put it? They were heartfelt words. I said my heartfelt words to you on reflex." 

"Even if you were honest, the idea is too disgusting; I should just cut you down." 

"Save me, Kazumasu-chan! Hurry and persuade Giovanna-chan. No matter how I answer, she wants to execute me." 

Kazumasu narrowed her eyes and laughed, "Kuku, a maiden's heart is so subtle." 

"Anyway, don't bring that up anymore, Kazumasu-chan." 

"Kuku, what should I do~? If Nobuna-chan gets wind of it, Yoshii might be banished to somewhere further than Ise." 

"The legend of 'Demonic ero-saru' had already spread to Ise...? As expected from Saruharu, you'll probably end up on the Ry?ky? islands next time~" 

"Don't join in too, Motoyasu!" 

Thankfully for Yoshiharu, Hanzou chose this moment to interject, "We've discovered the enemy's scouts. We must proceed cautiously from now." 

"Hattori ninjas, spread out the barrier as we proceed." 

Yoshiharu and the rest slowly crept nearer to Futamata Castle. 

Futamata Castle stood at the northern side of T?t?mi, a small Matsudaira castle under heavy siege from Takeda Shingen's army. Situated near the joining of Tenryu River and Futamata River, Futamata Castle was a strong mountain fort which utilized the natural rivers for its defenses. The position was so secure that even the renowned general Takeda Shingen and her ridiculous army were unable to conquer it within a day. Under the Takeda army's perfect siege however, the morale of the soldiers in Futamata Castle had reached an all-time low. By this point, the nearby cities had been conquered by the Takeda army, and the only territories in T?t?mi still flying the Matsudaira Clan's banner were Futamata Castle and Hanamatsu Castle. 

Under the protection of Hanzou's barrier, Yoshiharu and the rest climbed on top a small hill that provided an excellent view of the situation at Futamata Castle. 

"The soldiers trapped in Futamata castle amount to about 2,000. If we abandon them just like this, the Matsudaira Clan's reputation will definitely be damaged, but the Takeda army surrounding Futamata Castle contains up to 30,000." Motoyasu explained, her tanuki ears shivering slightly. 

"Oh, Takeda Shingen's forces should have already split to attack Mino. To imagine she could still lead an army this large..." 

"Sa...Sagara Yoshiharu, don't move around. If you do anything weird, I will immediately cut you down." 

"Sorry, Giovanna-chan, it's because my body can't take the stress and tire." 

"....Weak fellow." 

"Looks like Shingen plans to defeat our Matsudaira Clan before battling it out with Oda army in Mino~" 

Motoyasu, who had finally made her way up the small hill, took in the large Takeda army and pointed a trembling finger. "It's just as everyone sees, Futamata castle has been totally surrounded. It's only a matter of time until it falls." 

No jokes could be made about the situation. Even Kazumasu couldn't help but sigh. 

"Oi, Yoshii. If there's any plan, hurry and spit it out. Didn't you say you had a plan for defeating the Takeda army?" 

Leaning against Giovanna's back to avoid falling off the horse, Yoshiharu was somehow able to look confident. 

"Hohoho, brace yourselves for this shocking revelation. In actual fact, according to future scholars, the horses of Sengoku Era Japan, beside being few in number, are mostly built smaller than other horses. They aren't much faster than people running on foot if they have an armored samurai on top of them." 

"Yeah, compared to my beloved horse, yours are very small." Giovanna said as she glanced down at Kazumasu and Motoyasu's horses. 

"Because of this, the Takeda cavalry isn't actually as strong as rumored, but Takeda Shingen utilized her skill in psychological warfare and controlled the information traveling through Japan, creating such an illusion. Takeda Shingen's speed came from focusing her horses on transportation, but mountainous areas like Kai and Shinano kept her from fully utilizing her usual wind-like speed. All in all, according to my sengoku game knowledge, Takeda Shingen's 'Strongest Cavalry in Japan' does not exist at all. 

Yoshiharu looked upon the Takeda army and laughed, "Hahaha, Takeda Shingen, it's your misfortune that the Oda army has me." 

"So you're saying the Takeda army still uses spears and arrows mainly, and the invincible cavalry was just a ruse to scare the opponent? Is that really true?" 

"Informational warfare, as expected from Takeda Shingen. Her brain is good, but after seeing through this, I have gained the upper hand~!" 

"Ahh, look over there, there's a bunch of huge horses galloping across!" 

"Where?" 

Tontonton 

Now that they were all listening, the growing sound of pounding hooves was obvious. In Yoshiharu's eyes, there were thousands of huge, red Takeda horses. Not a single one would lose to Giovanna's beloved ride, and on these horses were the Takeda army's finest riders. Even from a great distance, the frightening pressure they emitted, the speed; it was as rumored. Each and every rider gave off a terrifying aura as the entire force advanced like flames. 

The Sengoku's Strongest, the legendary Takeda cavalry was right here. 

Even Yoshiharu couldn't help but tremble at such a frightening existence. 

"You gotta be joking, the Takeda cavalry re...rea...rea...really exists!?" 

Too scary! His heart was howling as his fear completely paralyzed his body. 

This is the real Takeda cavalry... It isn't just for show.... 

It was a totally different existence compared to the sengoku movies or games… Looking at the cavalry's relentless advance, Yoshiharu's battle resolve vanished. 

"This Takeda Shingen fought to a draw with Uesugi Kenshin; I was an idiot to underestimate her....!" 

Ever since coming into this sengoku era, Yoshiharu had always laughed at every discovery, saying "It's real.", or "Ohh, so cool!" This was the first discovery that struck fear in his heart. Reasoning was useless at this point. These galloping red beasts instantly sent everyone into a state of fright. 

"To fight on even terms with such a cavalry, just what kind of a monster is Uesugi Kenshin!? Shit, this is too much, this is way out of bounds for the common sense of the Sengoku Era!" 

"Sagara Yoshiharu, your deduction has totally missed the mark." 

"Yoshii, no matter what, you are being frightened too much. Are you really from the future?" 

"Ah, ahh, I'm from the future, all right. But, in the future Japan, we had deducted that Sengoku Era Japan should not have such big horses... But no matter how I see it now, there's nothing small about those horses! These guys are just too imbalanced!" 

"Uwahh... No...No way~ With such a frightening cavalry... The soldiers in Futamata castle can't have any morale left~!" After personally witnessing the abnormal pressure brought by the Takeda cavalry, Motoyasu seemed totally overwhelmed by despair and almost fell down from the horse. "With such a cavalry force as our opponent, even if we send out reinforcements from Hanamatsu castle, it's useless. Either tomorrow or the next day, Futamata Castle is doomed to surrender." 

"We can't give up here! If we give up, this Sengoku Era is done for, Motoyasu! You should buck up! What is the military strength at Hanamatsu castle?" 

"Even if we gather all of Mikawa's forces, 8,000 is the limit~ but everyone has been frightened by Shingen's power; I'm afraid we won't be able to gather even that many." 

The enemy had 30,000 and their trump card, bright red cavalry. It was over. Kazumasu laughed. 

"Hey, Kazumasu-chan, how many soldiers can you contribute?" 

"The pirate girls were led away by Kuki to fight the Takeda fleet, so I can mobilize about 2,000 land troops?" 

"We have around 10.000... The Takeda army has 30,000, and this cavalry alone could rival any army three times its size... The odds are steep, but if those horses are just for show, there might still be a way..." 

"Saruharu, after Futamata Castle falls, Hanamatsu Castle will be next~ What should we do~?" 

"Ah, Ahh, it's December already, it might snow here." 

If Hanbei-chan or Goemon were here, they might come up with a good plan... Yoshiharu's mind almost instantly floated to the impossible, but he immediately shook his head back into reality. 

Now was the time to give meaning to my existence in the Sengoku Era! 

Can I really save Nobuna from the fate of the "Incident at Honnouji?" 

My reason for existing, the reason why I come to this era... 

I can't let the heavens decide any of them! 

My life is my own, and I will decide how to use it! 

I've decided, to protect Nobuna and avoid that sad fate. 

"If this goes on, both Nobuna and I won't even reach the 'Incident at Honnouji'. Before that, we will be finished off by Takeda Shingen..." 

Pa, Giovanna knocked Yoshiharu's head with the butt of her gun. 

"Ow, what are you doing, Giovanna-chan? That hurts!" 

"What are you muttering with your monkey language? Buck up, Sagara Yoshiharu. If you want to live on, don't run away from reality." 

Yoshiharu slapped his face, "It's true, I understand!", it's just that my sengoku game knowledge has been wrong several times now, so I had been shaken...I...I must recall properly. 

What was the reason Takeda Shingen was unable to defeat the Oda Clan and become the conqueror of the world... 

"The Takeda cavalry were just small horses used for transporting goods." Such a theory had been proven wrong. No matter what the scholars might say, the fearful Takeda cavalry existed right here in front of Yoshiharu. 

Wait a minute... 

Was there no other reason? 

Oda Nobunaga met such a crisis like Oda Nobuna now. Even if he wanted to battle it out with Takeda Shingen, because of the Asai Asakura allied forces, he couldn't do it. 

Eh? If that's the case, how did Oda Nobunaga avert this crisis? 

That's right, the arquebus troops! 

Obtaining 3000 arquebus, he utterly defeated the Takeda cavalry in the "Battle of Nagashino". 

Wrong! 

At the "Battle of Nagashino" the Oda army used 3000 arquebus to defeat the Takeda Clan, but the opponent wasn't Shingen. It was Shingen's nephew, Takeda Katsuyori. If it wasn't the young Katsuyori but the seasoned veteran Shingen leading the "Battle of Nagashino", even with 3,000 arquebus, the Oda Clan would not have seen victory. In fact, the Sengoku's strongest, Uesugi Kenshin, who was on par with Takeda Shingen, had defeated the very same Oda army even after Nobunaga had prepared a large force of arquebus soldiers. 

The amount of arquebus will decide the victor? The Sengoku isn't such a naive era. 

"Eh? Then how did that Oda Nobunaga do it? Eh... Ehhh?" 

Pa! 

"Giovanna-chan! I said it hurts already, right?" 

"Muttering to yourself while crying and laughing strangely... So disgusting. To think I was courted by such a strange guy like you, my heart can't take it anymore. I'm so close to being sick now." 

"There's no reason to be so shocked! If this sort of verbal abuse keeps up, I'm really going to cry!" 

"Kuku, Yoshii seems to be happier when he's being bullied. In other words, you're an M Yoshiharu? How about giving you a Kouga specialty poison?" 

"Stop joking, if anyone else bullies me, I'm going to attack back! ... Ah, that's it, Kazumasu-chan!" 

Yoshiharu brought a fist down on his palm. 

"Hmmm? What?" 

"The reason why Takeda Shingen isn't successful in proceeding to Ky? in the history that I remember from the games! Takeda Shingen did not lose to the Oda army, and had achieved countless victories on his road towards Ky?. But, somehow, he passed away suddenly! Because of that, the Takeda army had to retreat back to Kai, and the Oda army was spared! So this time, the key lies in this miraculous event!" 

"In the end, he was still trapped in delusions of being dominated. Yoshii, you are just such a pitiful fellow... Ku" 

"This isn't a delusion, Kazumasu-chan! I'm not sure how things will progress in this world, but in the history that I know of, that's exactly how it played out." 

Motoyasu's tanuki ears shivered as she gulped. "Is this Saruharu's rumored future knowledge~? But, could such a thing really be so easy for Kichi-nee-sama~? Does Kichi-nee-sama know about this?" 

"Nobuna doesn't know. That fellow said that she will kill me if I say anything about the future... Anyway, Kazumasu-chan, what are you noting down on that paper?" 

"Nothing, I'm not planning to rat on you to Nobuna-chan at all, kuku." 

Yoshiharu tried his best to simplify the "history" that he knew to Kazumasu and Motoyasu. There were roughly 3 different theories in the modern world for what happened to Shingen on his journey to Ky?. The first was that Takeda Shingen had an illness like asthma, and due to the cold climate and considerable fatigue throughout the journey, his illness worsened and he died. Second, Takeda Shingen had lung cancer, an extremely dangerous disease even in the modern world, which was of course hopeless to the doctors in the Sengoku Era. Third, when Takeda Shingen was sieging Tokugawa(Matsudaira)'s castle, he was attracted by the enemy soldier's beautiful flute melody and was sniped by the enemy in a dark corner while he was mesmerized ; so as to say, he was "assassinated". 

"I see, assassination is indeed a good method. How about getting close to Shingen and poisoning her? You sniping from afar in the middle of the night, but that method seems very difficult." 

Kazumasu-chan handled these very dangerous with such an innocent smile, and Yoshiharu immediately replied, "Wait, wait, Kazumasu-chan. Assassination isn't a righteous method. The opponent is that Takeda Shingen right? If we assassinate the Sengoku's strongest, Nobuna's reputation will drop like a stone!" and stopped Kazumasu who had totally changed into a Kouga ninja mode. 

"Listen, assassination will definitely not change the path of history. Even if history changes like this, all it will do is delay the changing of the era and lead to a bad end! No matter how strong Takeda Shingen is, if we don't fight it out with her face to face, we can't be called heroes wanting to conquer the world!" 

" But Saruharu, if we fight her face to face, we can't possibly win." Motoyasu moaned. 

"We...Well... considering the overwhelming difference in military strength...." 

"That's true~ So troubling~ Sigh..." 

"So what is our plan?" 

"I plan to wear the enemy's armor and sneak into the Takeda army, then try to find ways to communicate with Takeda Shingen and figure out her body's situation." 

"I see, communicate with Shingen-chan directly, and then feed her poisoned Uiroumochi, right? Yoshii is quite evil, kuku." 

"Not at all, Kazumasu-chan! I just want to confirm that history forces us to follow the theory of 'assassinating Shingen'. Since we can't win face to face, I have to bet everything on the theory of that 'Shingen died due to illness'." Yoshiharu but up a brave front, but anyone listening properly would realize this was just an unprepared gamble. Kazumasu-chan revealed a smile and looked at Yoshiharu as though he were the most unpleasant type of idiot, but Yoshiharu didn't notice at all. 

"If Futamata Castle falls, we won't have another chance to contact with Shingen. I'm heading out!" 

"Wait, Saruharu, that little girl ninja you keep with you isn't here... That's too dangerous~ Bring Hanzou with you." 

"Use me and my golden armor as your own hands and legs," Giovanna also offered. "... But once I strip off this armor, the fact that I'm not of this country will be revealed and might inhibit your mission." 

"That's fine, I'll find a way through this." 

"Shingen is not just capable in battles, but cautious as well. To prevent our espionage, she has destroyed the stone bridge. Saruharu, I think it will be very difficult for you to sneak in alone." Even Motoyasu didn't seem to approve of Yoshiharu's dangerous plan. 

"Right now, I'm just a lowly soldier in the Kazumasu army, not even a retainer. It's no good if I don't achieve something." 

"True, Yoshii. For the Takigawa Clan's reputation, you must rush in even if you know you will lose your life, kuku." 

"Kazumasu-chan, if I'm still alive after this mission ends, we need to talk." 

"Yeah, Yoshii, if you can't come back, you won't be able to fulfill your promise with me will you? So, you must swear that you will definitely not die now." But even as she said such a thing, she leaned over toward Yoshiharu and immediately followed up with "...Ahh, that promise... You'd probably prefer if you had died... Ahahahaha." 

Motoyasu violently shook her tanuki ears and said, "If Saruharu died himself, I will definitely be blamed by Kichi-nee-sama~ Kichi-nee-sama should be feeling regretful about childishly banishing Saruharu because of jealousy~" 

"Ha, that fellow isn't that gentle of a girl." 

"It's not good if you go alone~ There's no helping it, th...th...th...though I'm so scared I might wet myself, I...I...I...I...I... I will go too~" 

"Oi, no matter what, it's not good if a commander herself becomes a scout! If something happens, what will happen to the Matsudaira army?" 

"...I got it, how about I dye my hair black and become a Japanese girl?" 

"That is useless, Giovanna-chan. Even if you dye your hair, what are you going to do with your green eyes. And nothing about your face is Japanese, right?" 

"...So regrettable." 

Suddenly, Kazumasu-chan said, "Uhh, it's not like I can't accompany you..." 

"Eh? That's too dangerous, if Kuki-nee-san knows that I allowed Kazumasu-chan to scout the Takeda army's base, she might really cut me down without hesitation." 

"Kuku, the faults lie in my curiosity; Yoshii's secrets are just too interesting. Besides, isn't it much more convenient for a ninja to accompany you sneaking in and out? I'm the princess of the ninjas, so there isn't anyone else more suitable." 

Kazumasu's cute smiling face only set Yoshiharu on edge. 

No no, there's no doubt. The more I see of you Kazumasu, the more I think you have to be related to Himiko-sama. 

Part 2 

In the night.... 

With Kazumasu in the lead, Yoshiharu finally sneaked into the base of the Takeda army. The duo's main plan for their infiltration was to wear the Takeda army's armor and pretend to be corpses of Takeda soldiers whenever scouts approached. 

Kazumasu was young, but as expected from her Kouga ninja origins, she was an expert in faking death. Her small lips tightly closed, her big eyes staring into the sky without moving... This was the level of a professional. 

"It's perfect, isn't it? I have scared Kuki and her pirates countless with this 'Feigning death' trick, kuku." 

"Ha, I wish I could've seen Kuki-nee-san's frightened expression... Oh, the soldiers are here, quiet, quiet!" 

".....Kuku." 

"....Uwahh, so nervous." 

Yoshiharu and Kazumasu's battle of faking death waged on. 

"...I'm bored. Hey, Yoshii, what if they suddenly start burning us?" 

"Ahh, luckily it's winter. Corpses can be stacked together for a short while without risking spreading diseases. No one should bother us before we have an opportunity to sneak in." 

"Where to?" 

"In such cold weather, if we believe the theory that Takeda Shingen is sick, then she would never stay in the camp. She would likely arrange for a substitute to handle the battlefield while she goes to a nearby hot spring to recuperate. Kazumasu-chan, are there any hot springs around?" 

"There is no record of one, but according to the geography here, there must be hidden hot springs in the mountain." 

"As expected from a ninja. Ok, we will act like a brother and sister off hunting who know nothing about politics and wait in the hot spring for Shingen." 

"Don't try such transparent excuses! Are you really so anxious to see my tits? As expected from the Oda Clan's legendary demonic monkey, said to have extended his demonic hands on female warriors one after the other; am I its next target? I'm so afraid that my heart can't stop racing." 

"Sorry, but I'm not the sort of pervert who gets excited over a kid's washboard chest." 

~ ~ ~ 

Deep within the base was Takeda Shingen's living quarters. To reach it, one must walk through the labyrinth-like camp, and every soldier knew only Shingen's close aides were allowed near here. 

This formation should show just how cautious Shingen is. 

"Ok, the castle's water supply has been cut off. After seeing our cavalry, the soldiers guarding the castle must be shivering in terror. We should be able to conquer Futamata castle by tomorrow. After Futamata castle falls, we will leave 5,000 men to guard it. With that, our strength will be 25,000 when we battle with Matsudaira Motoyasu. I never calculated for our fleet to be blocked by the Oda army's reinforcements, but even with this, we will have absolutely no problem in defeating that tanuki." 

Just older than twenty, Shingen glared at the note in her hand with the piercing gaze of a tiger. With a well endowed body foreign to the Japanese, the fierce gaze befitting the title "Tiger of Kai", and the clever brain that would remain calm no matter the situation, Shingen was undoubtedly the perfect Sengoku daimyo. 

December was now more than half over, and the new year was fast approaching. 

Matsudaira Motoyasu who had moved to T?t?mi from Mikawa, Saitou Dousan who guarded Mino and Oda Nobuna who dominated southern ?mi and Ky?to. To defeat these three, I will need around… two months? Shingen calculated. 

No, two months isn't necessary. 

In just one month, I must defeat all of them, or else the situation will become worse. 

Once spring comes and the snow melts, the Dragon of Echigo, Uesugi Kenshin will definitely come and pick a fight again. 

Honestly, if not for the huge amount of snowfall in Echigo, a plan like heading to Ky? would have been impossible. 

My speed depends wholly on just how long can the Asai Asakura allied forces fight with Oda Nobuna. 

I must destroy both Matsudaira Motoyasu and Saitou Dousan while Oda Nobuna can't move. To do so, I must have a flawless plan. 

[Master, your servant Kansuke has taken Iwamura Castle, the most important fortification of Eastern Mino. I have prepared the best battlefield for your glorious battle with Saitou Dousan. Please advance towards Mino as soon as possible. We are racing with time, so it's not worth the effort to tussle with that tanuki Matsudaira... Katsuyori-sama banzai!] 

There wasn't anyone around. 

It had been so long since she had stripped off her "Takeda Shingen" exterior that she relished the long awaited freedom. 

"I still need to come to the hot springs to truly relax and become my real self. Kai is big, but it isn't a place that one should stay for long." 

Ahh, what a good hot spring. 

I must complete the plan to redevelop the eastern sea area soon, because after defeating the Oda forces, there will be a lot more things to do. 

To battle with Uesugi Kenshin, I should build a huge fortress at T?t?mi. 

If not for that warmongering idiot Uesugi Kenshin always coming in and disturbing me, I would have conquered this miso filled eastern sea area quite some time ago and proceeded with redeveloping this area for commerce. 

"Uesugi Kenshin always abandons the territory she puts all that effort into conquering and waltzes back to Echigo. I can't believe it! If she doesn't want the land, why did she go to war? Considering how much I love internal politics, she is my nemesis!" 

Both Katsuchiyo and her persona Takeda Shingen absolutely loved internal politics, and she wanted to take this land, long ravaged by continuous warfare, and make it fertile and rich again. Upon seeing wastelands, her greatest desire was to create a fertile field, or a noisy harbor or city. Katsuchiyo loved transforming the world like this from the bottom of her heart. 

"Nya~" 

A wild cat slowly sauntered near Katsuchiyo and her hot spring. 

"Nya, Nya~" 

The cat narrowed its eyes, obviously wanting a hug. Katsuchiyo gentling hugged the cat in her bosom and slowly caresses it. 

"Nya, Nya." 

"Are you tired from joining Neko-sama's festival at Honneko Temple? In this Sengoku Era, everyone has unease in their hearts that they cannot shake. Who knows what will happen in the next day, so even renowned warriors will pray to Neko-sama for peace in their heart, right?" 

Honneko Temple once housed a relatively normal Buddhist sect, but at some point they started using cats to replace Buddhas and slowly become the biggest religion in Sengoku Japan. Honneko Temple was based in Osaka, and had a few smaller temples in Ise's Nagashima and the northern Kaga. The number of loyal devotees to the temple greatly surpassed the force of any Sengoku daimyo. 

And, because they believe, "If they died for Neko-sama, they will rise to cat's heaven.", they were abnormally brave in battle, holding no fear of death. 

"If Takeda Shingen starts to conquer the world at Seta, you guys should be able to enjoy your cat's life much more happily. Though I don't like being that Tiger of Kai, Takeda Shingen, if I say as much Kansuke will definitely be angry and I will have failed as a master." 

Now, the one she is most interested in among the Oda army was that "Human who defied fate". According to the divination of Yamamoto Kansuke, Saitou Dousan's life had been exhausted long ago. The fact that Dousan and his goddaughter, Oda Nobuna joined forces is already in opposition to heaven's decree. 

Katsuchiyo did not not know divination, so she didn't understand the logic behind it, but things that should never happen had already happened, and Kansuke's explanation is that the Oda clan has a "Human who defied fate". Though it's mysterious, it isn't unacceptable. 

"Does such an extraordinary person really exist in the real world? If he really exists, just what kind of a guy is he? Does that fellow know my fate as well; this Takeda Shingen's fate, and the fate of the Takeda clan? I, who banished my father and chose to become Takeda Shingen, who chose to conquer the world, just what kind of fate awaits at the end of my struggles? And, my dream, that perfect future, will it be fulfilled?" 

Takeda Shingen is never afraid. 

Takeda Shingen is never disturbed. 

Takeda Shingen was unperturbed, like the mountain. 

But in this newborn appearance, the normal girl Katsuchiyo felt fear creep into her heart, slowly stealing control of her body. Other than the small cat in her bosom, there wasn't anyone around. 

"After receiving the erroneous report in Kawanaka Island, simply stating 'Yamamoto Kansuke, dead', I felt like the world had collapsed. It was in that moment I realized. I had banished my own father, but this Kansuke, who had seen Takeda Shingen grow up... This geezer, who always had a lecherous eye for Shirou for some unknown reason, at some point I had come to rely on him. With his help, I was able to banish my loveless father. But for Kansuke to have miraculously survived in Kawanaka Island, does that mean that Kansuke's life has not been exhausted?" 

Somehow, Katsuchiyo wanted to meet him 

That Oda clan's "Human who defied heaven." 

Intelligence, 

Strength, 

Leadership, 

Politics, 

Ambition, 

The huge wealth that Kai and Suruga's gold mines had brought her. 

A capable army and loyal retainers. 

And Japan's strongest Takeda cavalry. 

A natural born talent coupled with Kansuke's elite training and countless months of hard work put in, she had become the perfect Sengoku warrior, Takeda Shingen. 

But, in Katsuchiyo's heart, there was an unease she just couldn't shake off. 

That is... 

I, who was never looked well upon by my father, yet have reached such a huge existence, could I have exhausted my life? 

There was an unease in her heart that would require tremendous strength to speak. 

What would be heaven's decree? Katsuchiyo did not know. 

She did not understand her feelings precisely, but upon banishing her father to gain the position as head of the clan, she felt like she had abandoned something very important. 

To be able to use my own hands to grab my dream, I must mend those areas that I'm short on, so I must become stronger. 

The me at that time was so lost and impulsive. 

To escape from this feeling of loss, she has sought countless meaningless battles. 

"To this country, am I really someone necessary? For the Takeda clan, I have shed rivers of fresh blood, is... is that really meaningful?" 

Katsuchiyo had a very rational brain and was able to consider different possibilities, but it was because of this that she had such a trouble sometimes. It was because of her rational mind that she asked herself such a question. Even Takeda Shingen was unable to answer a question that required godlike intelligence. 

But, 

If it's that "Human who defied heaven", he might be able to answer this question. 

~ ~ ~ 

At another corner of the same hidden hot spring, Sagara Yoshiharu and Takigawa Kazumasu were having a mixed bath. 

Kazumasu hadn't yet reached the age where letting a young guy see her breasts would get her flustered, so she had not covered herself at all, revealing her skin and naturally conversing with Yoshiharu. 

"How is it, this jade-like skin of mine? Do you feel your heart pumping?" 

"No way, no matter what, I keep thinking of that person every time I see your face. How is it possible for me to have feelings?" 

"That person? Who is that? Are you talking about Nobuna-chan? Because if word were to reach her of our mixed bath, she would definitely kill you? What a coward." 

"It's totally not like what you think." 

Splash* 

The sound of someone entering the bath echoed from the side. 

"Ohh! Look over there Yoshii, it's a young girl!" 

"Ohh, it's a nice body Onee-san other than Kazumasu! So lucky [10] !" 

"Naise pody? The future language seems very difficult." 

"Is she Takeda Shingen? But that Onee-san seems to be very demure; she even brought along a small cat. Rumors say that Takeda Shingen has quite an aura surrounding her." 

"Compared to Kuki, she is quite young, but as Shingen's aide she must be about the same age. She must be a substitute." 

"Even if she is a substitute, I don't mind at all! I really want to look at that beautiful Onee-san's big breasts up close..." 

"Hey Yoshii, if we are discovered, it's going to be bad for us. Just endure a little using my breasts. Look here, look." 

"Umm, Kazumasu-chan, you and Inuchiyo, Goemon and Nene, all of your breasts are totally flat, aren't they? F.L.A.T, they can't be called breasts yet; that would be an insult to all real breasts!" 

"Uhh, your words are too cruel. You don't feel anything even after seeing my cute and delicate look when I entered the bath? Yoshii, don't tell me you can't...?" 

If Yamamoto Kansuke had been around to peek at the scene, he would definitely have been shedding tears of blood, shouting at Yoshiharu, "You bastard, how can you not understand a little girl's beauty!? Demonic idiot, your life has no worth!" before drawing a sword as he rushed over. 

"Anyway, let's greet her. She must be someone close Shingen to be able to use this secret hot spring. Maybe we might be able to collect some information on Shingen too, hahahaha. With this plan, the only problem is finding the correct angle so nothing blocks me from looking at the crucial parts..." 

"....Uhh, to think that Yoshii loves big breasts, what a strange man... like a pervert." 

"In the future, this is common sense! Listen Kazumasu-chan, we must act like this is a coincidence. Our story is that we are hunter brother and sister from T?t?mi. I'm the brother, you're my sister, and I think that onee-san's breasts maybe even bigger than Katsuie's. gulp" 

Yoshiharu subtly began to swim towards Katsuchiyo. 

"There's no helping you." Kazumasu sigh and followed Yoshiharu. 

"Hmmm? Who are you guys?" 

"Aha! What a coincidence, mountain's onee-san." Throwing on a fake smile, Yoshiharu made first contact with Katsuchiyo. "I'm Sagara Gonzou, and this is my sister, Nekomaru." 

"Nya, I'm Nekomaru~nya." 

In an instant, she changed from a seductive devil to a cute loli. Even her tone perfectly matched with the name Yoshiharu gave; as expected from Kouga's princess. 

Ohh, though the brother has a monkey face, this sister is quite cute. Katsuchiyo thought, giving the pair a pure smile. 

To Katsuchiyo, Yoshiharu didn't even rank as an unknown man. He couldn't even compete for the rank of feces with the nearby piles. She was too caught up in thinking, "Tonight, I met a small cat and a little girl, how lucky." and was delighted enough to completely ignore Yoshiharu's evil gaze on her breasts. 

"Thank you Kazumasu-chan! This onee-sama isn't just a beauty, her breasts are quite big too. I wonder if her breasts are more nice to touch than Katsuie's... I must discover the truth." 

"I heard the reason you were banished to Ise was your frivolous ways. If learned of this incident, you might be banished even further you know? How do you like the Ry?ky? islands?" 

"Please do keep this a secret from Nobuna." 

Yoshiharu and Kazumasu whispered to each other as they slowly shifted closer to Katsuchiyo and looked at the night sky with her. 

"Are you both from near here, little girl? Did you come from Owari?" 

"Nope~nya." 

"After listening to Nekomaru's tone, you should know we aren't from Owari. Isn't the way Nekomaru say things like Neko-sama? Hahaha, it's in the trend nowadays, do you believe in Neko-sama? The Neko-sama of Osaka…?." 

"I see, I haven't been to Osaka." 

"I see that onee-san seems to hug that small kitty very happily. Do you like cats?" 

"Che, because of you, I can't look at her breasts clearly..." Yoshiharu sent evil glares at the small kitty Katsuchiyo held to herself as he tried for some casual conversation with Katsuchiyo. 

"Hmmm, I like cats, but I'm not part of the Nekogami sect. To be exact, I would be troubled if cats really become gods." 

"Is that so? Well, I don't believe in the Nekogami sect either." 

"Gonbei belongs to the breasts sect, and we worship the goddess of the mountain~nya." 

"Is this the setting!? Anyway, Kazumasu-chan, I'm Gonzou, not Gonbei." 

"I've made a mistake~nya, anyway, my name is Nekomata~nya." 

"That is a demon's name, you are called Nekomaru!" 

Damn it, we were exposed!, Yoshiharu shut his mouth in a hurry, but too late! Katsuchiyo's sharp glance instantly penetrated Yoshiharu. 

"I get it. You are not nearby hunters but Oda Clan assassins. To be able to find a place like this, I should praise you guys a little." Katsuchiyo's lips shifted slightly into a small smirk. But this half smile was filled with unspeakable pressure. 

She had slowly turned back to Takeda Shingen mode. 

"Yoshii! This woman is Takeda Shingen herself!" Kazumasu, feeling the sudden killing intent, had instantly hidden behind Yoshiharu's back and used Yoshiharu as a meat shield. 

"Come, this kill is your responsibility. I will use this chance to escape." 

"You betrayed me without any hesitation! Che, I had no other choice since we are exposed. Listen carefully, my name is SA.GA.RA YO.SHI.HA.RU! How is it, taken aback, right!?" 

... 

"Who is that?" 

Katsuchiyo had not heard such a strange name. 

"Eh? EHHHHH, don't tell me I'm really a nobody!?" 

"....Kuku, you should understand if you think through it clearly. Though Yoshii might be famous in big cities like Ky?to, in the rural areas like Kai, you are just a nobody." 

"I get it, Kazumasu-chan! Ok, let's buck up once again!" 

What a simple man..., Kazumasu sighed as she looked at the idiot. 

"Onee-san with beauty and big breasts, are you Takeda Shingen? If that's the case, you are the Oda Clan's enemy, just how unfortunate is that...! Your breasts aren't just big, you are a hundred times sexier than Katsuie. Ohh, my heart has shattered..." 

"Let's stop this meaningless chatter, come at me then, I will kill you with a strike." 

Katsuchiyo hugged the small cat and said, "Assassins who only know how to talk? Has the Oda Clan run completely dry of talent? This proves that Oda Nobuna is totally unskilled in talent management." 

"We're not assassins, we are here to scout." 

"I had planned to give you a Kouga specialty poison, but Yoshii doesn't like me doing that." 

But Katsuchiyo muttered to herself, "It's about time I kill that fellow with a monkey face, but that cute little girl... I should bring her back and dote on her. It would be unthinkable to let a small girl see blood. I should just mutilate him..." as she started to consider how she might go about killing Yoshiharu. 

Sagara Yoshiharu was completely oblivious to his crisis, as all his attention gravitated towards Katsuchiyo's breast, now floating on the water, and felt no fear. Kazumasu misunderstood his thoughts, thinking he was merely calm and collected, and was shocked to think, "Is Yoshii unexpectedly someone respectable?" as her eyes filled with admiration. Without a single weapon, right in the middle of the Takeda army, and even facing off with the fearful Takeda Shingen, he could still calmly smile. He had surpassed what others called a respectable person; he could only be a rare hero seen once in a hundred, no, a thousand years. 

"Onee-san, are you really Takeda Shingen? Somehow, the Sengoku daimyos of this world all became bishoujos." 

"What a clueless person." 

"Upon my investigation, somehow in this world, the warriors' strength had some sort of relationship with the size of her breast. One can discover that by comparing Katsuie's with Hanbei's. So, this onee-san with such big tits must be Takeda Shingen herself, who is extraordinary in both knowledge and strength! Even if you're not Shingen, you must be a Yamagata or Baba level of character!" 

At his side, Kazumasu was shocked. She certainly expected as much from him around Giovanna, but even in this situation…? He was just too unruly, and she seemed to understand why Nobuna-chan banished Yoshii. 

"....Oh? Looks like you're really not an assassin. You aren't affected by my killing intent at all, and even after seeing my true form, 'Tiger of Kai' Takeda Shingen, you are still looking at my breasts with lewd eyes, good caliber." Katsuchiyo smiled as she confirmed her identity. 

Because he is an opponent she could kill instantly if she wanted to, her killing intent slowly disappeared. Like Kazumasu, Katsuchiyo felt interested in this man who seemed prepared(or in some meaning, brave) even in the face of Takeda Shingen. 

And Yoshiharu who was under the complete control of Katsuchiyo's breasts kept spouting nonsense, like "Uwahhhhh! I've met someone extremely famous!" As a fanatic for sengoku games, he felt joy fill his bones. 

"I see! So onee-san you are Takeda Shingen herself! This is the world's number one renowned warrior, Takeda Shingen's true form! With that beautiful smile, those huge breasts and that strong character, you are very close to what the common people thought of you. I thought you were a girl more savage like a tiger, but you have an unexpected demure and quiet side. The Nakai Kiichi that acts as Takeda Shingen in the NHK drama 'Takeda Shingen' is much closer to the real you, but this isn't bad too! This looks more like a girl. Please, sign for me, give me a sign!" 

"Sai...Sain?" 

"Sign is future language, in this era, huh, what's it called? ahh, seal?" 

"Wh...What are you talking about, who the hell are you?" Slowly, it was Katsuchiyo who began to feel embarrassed. 

"I said I'm the Oda Clan's aide, Sagara Yoshiharu. Though I'm just an aide now, not long ago I was a famous warrior with my own corps. Because I was a little frivolous, I was banished by that idiotic Nobuna... But it's all ok now! To be able to get Takeda Shingen's sign, my tragic past means nothing, I feel so lucky now!" 

"Do...Don't talk about the sign anymore. Sagara Yoshiharu, just what kind of a person are you? Before embarking on the journey towards Ky?, I did my research on the Oda Clan and never heard a name like yours." 

"That must be Nobuna's doing. She must have planned to ignore all my contributions... The Takeda Clan must have heard of a 'Saru' person in the Oda army, right? That 'Saru' is me." Yoshiharu proclaimed, slapping his chest. 

"Ohh, I heard there was a species in the Oda Clan that was half monkey, half human and had no idea what he was. The rumor goes he was totally useless, but if there was a chance, he would definitely attack the girls' breasts... Almost all the information I gather on this ero-saru said the same thing. You mean to say you are the lewd guy who wears human skin and could not even be compared to a monkey?" 

"Ahhhhh! Nobuna that bitch, the way you control information is going to make my reputation stink for years!" Yoshiharu frustration exploded, "I have no more expectations from Nobuna, that fellow is just too much, seriously too much. If it's the world's number one renown warrior, Takeda Shingen, she will definitely understand the value of my existence." he cried as he embraced Takeda Shingen. 

"Wa...Wait a minute, don't just dive your face into my breasts! Wait, yo..yo...yo...you, you seem to have a subtle way of flirting with girls?" 

"It isn't like that! After everything time Nobuna abused me, Frois-chan always healed me like this. I guess I somehow got used to it! The abuse that Nobuna gave me is so intense that if no one consoles me, I can't live on." 

"Frou...is or something? Who is that?" Katuschiyo felt very uneasy. 

This was the first time she had seen a man be so blatantly rude... He dived in and rolled his head around the breasts that even her father had not touched before. 

"I...I...I...If it's men, by merely standing in front of 'Takeda Shingen' they become so frightened that they are shivering! Could there exist such a subtle man in the world? No matter if it's my name or my fierce glare, none of it seems to scare him, and he completely ignores my killing intent too. Don't tell me he is actually a man with very good caliber?" 

This totally new situation had Katsuchiyo was blushing bright red, and Yoshiharu used this chance to bury his face deeper into her breasts as he wailed on with tears flowing out his eyes. 

"Saru was just a nickname that Nobuna gave me on a whim! My real name is Sagara Yoshiharu! Please, at least in the records of the Takeda Clan, let my real name be passed down! I'm someone who came to this sengoku era from the 21st century! It's a future 400 years from now! I thought helping Nobuna conquer the world was my mission! No matter what hardship I faced, I worked my way through it, but... but that petty woman Nobuna broke her promise of a kiss just because I'm a little frivolous, and even demoted me to an aide and banished me to Ise. That's why I have become like this.” 

What a bunch of nonsense, Katsuchiyo thought, his boasting is ridiculous. 

But somehow, there was a strange feeling, like this idiot wasn't bluffing. 

"...You said you came from the future? Just how could such an mysterious thing happen?" 

"I'm not really sure myself. when came to my senses, I was already in this world." 

"Th...Then, you chose to surrender yourself to Oda Nobuna without hesitation, you bastard, totally clueless! Why didn't you choose me, Takeda Shingen but that Oda Nobuna?" 

"Ah, that..." 

If he tried to explain too much right now, things would get complicated... Yoshiharu couldn't help but feel confused. 

Katsuchiyo looked at Yoshiharu's lost expression and felt uneasy. 

Why am I so curious about it? 

To think that Takeda Shingen... towards such an unknown guy...? 

"...We...Well, no matter the birth or family status, if one is useful, the Oda clan will hire him or her. In the history books of my era, this aspect of Oda Nobuna received lots of praise and allowed her to be considered a competent daimyo compared to the rest... Though it turns out she isn't actually like that..." 

"Tell me, Sagara Yoshiharu, I... How was Takeda Shingen rated in the history that you know? As expected..." 

As expected, the Takeda clan won't be able to defeat the Oda Clan during this trip to Ky?? 

In the end, Takeda Shingen isn't necessary for this sengoku era? 

Katsuchiyo wanted to find the answer to these questions, but her tongue couldn't seem to move normally. If she knew her own future, then her life from now on would become meaningless. 

Katsuchiyo suddenly thought of the words that Kansuke said... 

"...'Heaven's decree'..." 

Maybe, this common monkey face youngster, Sagara Yoshiharu is the Oda Clan's "Human who defied fate"? 

"Sagara Yoshiharu, did you participate in the suicide squad that saved Saitou Dousan in the 'Battle of Nagara river'?" 

"That's right... Wait... You mean even Kai wasn't able to discover that after intense research? To erase such a big contribution... Nobuna, that bitch!" 

"It's this person...! The one who changed Dousan's doomed fate! The destined rival that I had always wanted to meet... 'The human who defied fate'." The moment when she noticed, Katsuchiyo only felt more embarrassed about facing Yoshiharu with just her bare skin, and her chest began to throb non-stop. 

"I snuck in here to personally see if Takeda Shingen is really sickly. In my era, such a theory is very common, but looks like you are quite healthy, not bad, not bad!" 

"...Such fair skin, not an inch of her looks sickly. The Oda Clan is in big trouble." 

"There's no helping it, Kazumasu-chan. We were too naive to think that Takeda Shingen would die of poor health. Ok, let us battle it out in the battlefield, Takeda Shingen! Though I'm just a small aide now..." 

"...Katsu...Katsuchiyo." 

"Eh?" 

"...Shin...Shingen is just my proper name. It's a strong name to fit my status as a sengoku daimyo. Echigo's Uesugi Kagetora changed her name to 'Kenshin' for the same reason. M...My real name is Katsuchiyo, a very feminine and weak name, so it has never been used before in public." 

Eh... To think that Takeda Shingen has such a name, I had not known of it in the past. Yoshiharu thought as he revealed a confident smile. 

"Now that I think about it, Takeda Shingen-chan is a young girl too... I'm so sorry, I... Because I was too excited about meeting someone so famous, I had totally forgotten that we were in a hot spring now." 

"...No, no...It's ok. When I'm in the hot spring, I'm just Katsuchiyo. But I am not sick, and like you've seen, I'm healthy... Why does your era have such a theory?" 

"It was just a guess by historians. There are even people who think that the Sengoku's Strongest Takeda cavalry did not exist. Geez, they've deceived us a lot, huh?" 

"The only one deceived by such a theory is you, Yoshii." Kazumasu-chan stood up and grabbed a bunch of Yoshiharu's hair angrily. 

"No matter what, the difference in the way you treat me and this woman is too much. Why didn't Yoshii understand my real charm?" 

"Because once I see your face, I can't help but think of a certain distinguished someone... And I have said many times, I have totally no interests in flat washing board figures." 

"That's too much! My heart hurts! I'm going to complain to Kuki and the rest so they will punish you." 

"Oioi, don't spray water at me!" 

Looking at Kazumasu-chan teasing Yoshiharu, Katsuchiyo gathered her courage. 

No matter what happens in the future, this Sagara Yoshiharu, who had come from hundreds of years away, who upon realizing that she was his enemy Takeda Shingen, still chose to talk to her without any pretense. This alone was enough to satisfy her. 

Suddenly, she felt a sense of relief. 

Because of this relief, Katsuchiyo gathered the courage to ask the question she had longed to speak to Yoshiharu. 

"Is my life going to end soon? Are all my years as Takeda Shingen going to be a meaningless dream...? From the start, I've had this feeling. This trip to Ky? won't be successful. No matter how many advantages I've created, I can't discard my unease. Sagara Yoshiharu, I know I'm being shameless for asking help from my enemy... But please, tell me the truth." 

"This world has started to move differently from the history that I know about. Honestly? I'm not someone who can say for certain anymore." 

"You can just tell me the history that you know, Sagara Yoshiharu, about my life." 

Yoshiharu was moved by Katsuchiyo's earnest eyes. 

To say it out, or remain silent? Yoshiharu couldn't decide for several moments. 

But, 

Yoshiharu decided to reveal the truth about Katsuchiyo, the one she already believed would occur. 

"Since the theory of Shingen dying from sickness is no longer valid, then there's only one more possibility. Be cautious about assassinations... Nobuna isn't the sort that would ever resort to such a despicable act like assassination, but in the hopeless situation the Oda Clan currently faces, Matsunaga Hisahide and the rest might plan something like an assassination independently. Ahh, don't record what I've said in your Takeda Clan's records." 

If it's possible, please return to Kai immediately. With that, Nobuna can be saved... Though Yoshiharu wore a troubled face, he tried his best to explain the history he knew to Katsuchiyo. 

"Ohhh... Yoshii has been successfully seduced by Takeda Shingen? Are her mammoth breasts so superior to Nobuna-chan?" 

"It's not like that, Kazumasu-chan! Though I'm Nobuna's loyal subordinate, at the same time I'm the comrade of all beautiful girls in the world! If Takeda Shingen wasn't such a cute beauty but an ojii-san, I would definitely not have told her anything!" 

"The more you explain, the more suspicious it is, kuku." 

"....You MUST keep this a secret from Nobuna, please." 

"Kuku, what should I do? I really want to see Nobuna's fuming red face with her jealous expression." 

"What is there for her to be jealous about? That fellow just keeps me around as her punching bag! Kazumasu-chan must have heard some exaggerated rumors from Ise and developed some misunderstanding." 

"Hoho, you plan to resist? Ahh, if I put my hand on Yoshii's forehead, I will immediately know the truth, kuku." 

"I...I...I...I...I...Isn't that the promise when the battle is over!?" 

I'm so thankful to you for telling me the truth, Sagara Yoshiharu. 

But the fact that I, Katsuchiyo... No, I, Takeda Shingen am the enemy of the Oda Clan will not change. 

Before setting the flag of the Takeda clan on seta, the Takeda Clan will never retreat. Katsuchiyo felt a wave of regret and slowly distanced herself from Yoshiharu's side. 

In the silence, Katsuchiyo noticed the sadness in Yoshiharu's eyes. 

"The flag of the Takeda clan would never rise on the land of Seta. Not just that, the Takeda clan..." 

There is such a dark future. 

"If I keep this man, Sagara Yoshiharu by my side, I might be able to change the fate of the Takeda Clan." 

Should I catch him? 

The small girl beside him seems to be a ninja. 

But, she's just a small girl. 

If I want to catch him, it would be as easy as catching a harmless baby. 

As long as I have the 'future' that Sagara Yoshiharu knows and my own intelligence, the heaven's decree is no longer a thing to be feared. 

It's possible to change the future. 

There isn't a need to feel uneasy about the unclear future... anymore... 

Even the seemingly impossible dream of reconciling with my banished father may be possible too... 

As long as I have him, I will definitely be the conqueror of the world. 

[Do it, Hime-sama! The saying goes, in battles, there will always be fresh blood. If we can avoid the battle and use strategies to win, it means we are saving countless lives. It's definitely not a despicable move to catch this man right now; if anything, it's a move that only kings should do!] 

She could almost hear the shouts of Yamamoto Kansuke right by her ear. 

But, Katsuchiyo did not listen. 

Yoshiharu did not just allow fate to kill her because she was his enemy. 

Facing such a man, any betrayal would be too much. 

~ ~ ~ 

As Takeda Shingen met Sagara Yoshiharu in the secret hot spring... 

On the path leading to Futamata castle, a monk blended in with the reinforcements sent by the Matsudaira Clan. 

His name was Sugitani Zenjuubou, the Kouga assassin. Twice he had tried to snipe Nobuna, one time coming quite close to taking Nobuna's life. Why did Sugitani Zenjuubou, who had strangely disappeared during the Mount Hiei incident, suddenly appear in the Matsudaira Clan's reinforcements? 

The reason is... 

"....I am not afraid of Matsunaga Hisahide's threats. For failing my assassinations two times, in order to gain back my reputation as a killer, I must kill a stronger daimyo than Oda Nobuna. Yes, that Takeda Shingen." 

Assassinate Takeda Shingen. 

At Mount Hiei, Matsunaga Hisahide captured him as he fled. At the time, she had given Sugitani Zenjuubou two choices: one was to be tortured to death in the cruelest method she could imagine, and the other was to assassinate Takeda Shingen. 

Sugitani Zenjuubou chose the latter without any hesitation. 

After seeing Nobuna's bright smile, he couldn't pull the trigger at that face. From then on, Sugitani Zenjuubou had become a corpse, walking around and living a life devoid of meaning. 

"This is the only method left to bring meaning to my life." 

If Shingen dies here, Nobuna can conquer the world, but I don't care about any of that. 

"Tonight, I'm afraid I can't escape death. But, to be able to assassinate Takeda Shingen, for my name to be passed down as an assassin of the highest order, my life till now will be filled with meaning." Zenjuubou firmly believed. 

There was only one soldier in the Matsudaira army who knew of Sugitani Zenjuubou's existence. Without any doubt, that man was the leader of the Hattori squad ninjas leading, Hattori Hanzou. Focused on organizing his ninja subordinates, Hanzou allowed Sugitani Zenjuubou to move as he pleased. 

"It's enough for just me alone to know such a thing. There's no need to report to Hime-sama." Hanzou coldly decided.