Chronicles of The Hardships of Komachi in The Sengoku Era - Chapter 108

Chapter 108




Late December, 1572.

At this time, history certainly moved. The destruction of the Takeda army by the Oda-Tokugawa alliance and Shingen’s death in battle shook Japan. The news of the generational shift in hegemony reached Nobutada (Kimyomaru, Oda Nobutada), who was stationed in Hashisuka, located to the west of Totomi, before dawn.

“Yes!!”

Before finishing hearing the report, Nobutada shouted with joy. Following Nobutada, his subordinates shouted loudly, raised their hands high in the air, and rejoiced. Some of the warriors were moved to tears, but it was not unreasonable this time.

Everyone was anxious. Everything they had endured and nurtured was taken away by the overwhelming violence of the Takeda. Everyone had envisioned such a scene, where they had no way to resist against the Takeda. In this era, the Takeda army was such a presence and a symbol of fear. The fear that had not been forgotten since hearing the news that Takeda Shingen had marched from Kai. With this good news, the fear was dispelled, and the suppressed and oppressed emotions exploded. It was not tears of grief, but tears of joy and pride for their comrades who had achieved such a great feat, and tears of joy as members who shared the same flag.

This news finally reached Nobunaga, who was far away. Upon hearing the news from the messenger who had been riding all night, Nobunaga’s close aide confirmed it repeatedly and, knowing that there was no mistake, ran out without caring about the onlookers. Without realizing that the guards were staring at him in surprise, he rushed into Nobunaga’s hall with rough footsteps.

“Re-report!! The messenger has brought this!”

Because the close aide ran at full speed, he was gasping for breath as he tried to hand over the letter.

“Tell me the contents!”

Nobunaga, who had been more worried than anyone else while maintaining composure, ordered the close aide to convey the contents without reproaching him for his lack of manners. The close aide took a deep breath once, composed himself, and spoke while enduring the intense pressure from Nobunaga’s gaze.

“O-our army and the Tokugawa army have defeated the Takeda army at the Mikatagahara Plateau!”

After a moment of silence, the retainers of the Oda family, who had been eagerly awaiting the good news, raised their voices in joy. Only Nobunaga remained composed as if it were only natural, but he clenched his fist with his hidden hand.

“Furthermore, it is written that Shingen has been killed! And many other renowned Takeda generals are listed. First, Yamagata Masakage, the strongest member of the Takeda, was defeated by Mori Nagayoshi in a one-on-one duel!”

“Oh! They killed Yamagata!?”

“We must reward Mori Nagayoshi for his distinguished service.”

When it comes to the Takeda’s “Akabishi” (red armor), it refers to a highly esteemed unit known for its unparalleled strength, wearing armor unified in red. It is said that enemies who saw a red warrior (Akabishi) on the battlefield would lose their fighting spirit and willingly surrender to the Takeda. Leading this Akabishi was Yamagata Masakage. He was said to be “unmatched in field tactics” and his fame was passed down to future generations. He was truly the strongest man of the Takeda family. Killing Yamagata Masakage was a significant achievement. It was such a great feat that Nobunaga immediately began thinking of rewards, and the name of Mori Nagayoshi resounded throughout the land as the one who defeated Yamagata Masakage.

“Next, Baba Nobuharu was defeated by Kani Saizo! And…”

The names of the Takeda’s main generals were announced one after another, along with the names of those who had defeated them. The military achievements of those who participated in the Battle of Mikatagahara were beyond measure. It would be more appropriate to say that they not only repelled the Takeda army but also completely annihilated them based on the extent of the damage.

“…You really did it. The preparations are complete!”

“Yes! Everything went smoothly!”

After hearing the report, Nobunaga smiled and gave orders to his retainers.

“Now, we will carry out the final cleanup. Everyone, show your military prowess to surpass those who fought against the Takeda.”

The members of the Oda-Tokugawa alliance, who had survived the decisive battle for control of the country, returned to Hamamatsu Castle with wounded soldiers. During the battle, they were in an excited state and didn’t realize it, but upon returning to Hamamatsu Castle, they felt the reality of their survival and embraced each other in joy.

“Oh, by the way, Shizuchi. I completely forgot about it.”

As Shizuko and the others were waiting to enter the castle, Keiji suddenly called out to Shizuko. Seeing Keiji’s guilty expression, Shizuko had a bad feeling and motioned for Keiji to come closer.

“(Don’t be angry, just tell me honestly.)”

“(Um, well. Actually, I captured a certain general… but I completely forgot to report it.)”

“(Is it about Muto Kihei?)”

“(Ah, yes. After returning to the main camp and taking a break, I completely forgot about it.)”

It was a terrible story. Being held captive and abandoned in enemy territory was tantamount to torture. Shizuko covered her eyes and looked up at the sky, realizing that she had left the prisoner unattended until now.

“Bring him here quickly. Even though he is a defeated general, I still value honor.”

“Yes, I will bring him immediately.”

Urged by Shizuko, Keiji hurriedly went to call Muto Kihei (Sanada Masayuki). Muto Kihei himself seemed to feel guilty for what he had done and had an unusually composed demeanor.

“Are you the commander?”

Muto Kihei, who had been kept waiting for a long time, asked with a stern face. He was not in a position to complain no matter how he was treated, but no one would be pleased to be treated rudely.

“In a sense, I am entrusted with Maeda-sama. First, I apologize for keeping you waiting for so long.”

“No, let’s change our attitudes. You have fulfilled half of the promise, and the remaining half has also been fulfilled.”

Muto Kihei was surprised that Shizuko apologized for Keiji’s mistake as her own mistake, but he quickly changed his mindset and replied.

“So, when will the execution take place?”

“Huh!? The battle is over. I don’t need his head, and it would be troublesome to take his head now. I won’t send him off, but if he wants to go back, he can do as he pleases.”

“What?”

Unable to understand Shizuko’s departure from common sense, Muto Kihei was dumbfounded. There are generally two ways to treat a captured general. One is to behead them after extracting information and count it as a military achievement. The other is to incorporate them into one’s own forces while they are still alive and use them as their own military strength. Shizuko’s statement that the captured general can go free if they want to go back makes capturing him in the first place meaningless.

“I risked my life to exchange my own head for the head of my older brother and the lives of my soldiers. Even though I have already received compensation, I cannot live in shame.”

“Even so, the rewards are still to come, and the urgent post-war processing has already been completed. The soldiers who are looking forward to the victory celebration cannot be burdened with dirty work from now on. Besides, why didn’t Keiji take his head on the spot?”

Since Keiji, who had fought with his life on the line, did not intend to take his head, it was his judgment and Shizuko intended to respect his wishes. Shizuko, who had no particular desire for the head of a captured general, did not need to claim the credit for her subordinates’ achievements. If Muto Kihei wanted to go back, she would not send him off, but if he chose to stay and share the fate of the Sanada family, it could still be done now.

“I can offer you two paths. Either return to Kai or remain loyal to your lord until the end. If you choose to remain loyal, I won’t hesitate to perform the ritual for you. Well, choose as you please.”

Understanding Shizuko’s thoughts, Keiji decided to let Muto Kihei choose his own path. Muto Kihei, who was unexpectedly faced with such a choice, pondered for a moment and spoke.

“…Then, I will express my wish. I will see what becomes of the Sanada family. Whether the Sanada family continues or perishes, if I can see their fate, I will definitely come to you.”

“If you come to me, I will welcome you, but you will not escape the stigma of being a traitor. If you choose to stay with the Sanada family, even now, you can do that, you know?”

Shizuko asked a straightforward question in response to Muto Kihei’s words. Muto Kihei said that he wanted to see what would become of the Sanada family after her brothers’ deaths. This was clearly a betrayal of the main Takeda family, and once he had turned his bow against the main family, he could never return to Kai. From his words, it seemed that he would separate from his family and go to Shizuko alone. If that were to happen, he would never see his family again, and in the worst case, he would have to fight against his family as enemies on the bloody path of killing each other.

“I apologize for being impolite, but your retainers are all too honest and straightforward, just like you.”

“And what’s wrong with that?”

Shizuko restrained the soldiers who were taken aback by Muto Kihei’s frank words with her hand and urged him to continue. With a defiant smile, Muto Kihei continued speaking as prompted.

“The reaction towards me just now. It puts you in danger. Your retainers and soldiers are devoted to you and would gladly throw away their lives for you. Until now, that may have been fine. However, if you are evaluated as the one who defeated the Takeda, that won’t do. Their attitude is easy to understand, and it will be easy for others to know that someone important is present, and your intentions will be read from the reactions of those around you. You need someone who can stand in front of you, someone who can handle even the most dangerous situations.”

“Are you saying that person is you?”

“Honesty and sincerity are virtues as human beings. But what about as someone who stands above others? It becomes a greater evil than incompetence. Your name has become unshakable in the Oda family. From now on, it won’t be just opponents who are easy to understand. Enemies who approach you with a friendly attitude and aim for your downfall will surely appear.”

“Are you saying that you will make up for that lack?”,In response to Shizuko’s question, Kihei Mutoh nodded slowly. His attitude could be seen as arrogant, but without such courage, he wouldn’t be able to compete with a wise person. He had the option to return to his home country without losing anything. However, he chose to demonstrate his usefulness in a situation where everyone around him was an enemy and to sell himself.

Kihei Mutoh already understood. Takeda’s defeat was not a coincidence. Rather than becoming a fierce warlord who ruled with his loyal and brave generals, he became a lord who governed the people with virtue. Takeda’s defeat was inevitable. Takeda’s power would never return in the future. While obtaining an important position in the Oda family, he saw that the best future was to be under Shizuko’s command, where he could utilize his own power. It was not simply a matter of switching from Takeda to Oda. He would become a fleeting existence like a weed. In order to preserve the Sanada family, it was absolutely necessary for him to become a direct subordinate of Shizuko. This was not a simple sales pitch. It was a gamble of a lifetime for Kihei Mutoh and the entire Sanada family.

“(As expected of Masayuki Sanada, a renowned strategist who even made Ieyasu afraid) Very well. I will not leave this place and instead, I will acknowledge your abilities. I will not hire you on my own, so I will need to obtain Lord’s approval, but there should be no opposition.”

“Haha.”

In his later years, he had an unfortunate fate, but Shizuko’s expectations were raised by the arms of this renowned strategist and tactician who had been active in the Sengoku period.

“Then let’s head to Hamamatsu Castle. Until a moment ago, you were a defeated general, but now you are my temporary retainer. I am not a narrow-minded person who would allow unfair treatment towards you.”

Saying that, Shizuko ordered the release of Kihei Mutoh. The soldiers were momentarily surprised, but they released Kihei Mutoh as ordered. They also returned the confiscated sword.

“Do you not think that until now, I was pretending to make you lower your guard, and in reality, I was aiming for an opportunity to strike you?”

“At that time, there was a foolish person who was deceived by a raccoon dog and died, but it will only remain in history. However, if you were to strike me, you would surely regret it. The Sanada family would be remembered as a treacherous group that repaid kindness with betrayal, and you yourself would suffer greatly, desiring the arrival of death.”

Shizuko spoke calmly, as if she was stating a certain future without emotion. Her words had an indescribable persuasiveness. And for her own future, she had a strange intuition that it would turn out exactly as she said.

“Haha, you got me. I considered myself a raccoon dog (tanuki), but it seems like you have a demon.”

Kihei Mutoh laughed cheerfully and handed his sword to Shizuko.

“This is my loyalty to you. If you see any suspicious movements, please do not hesitate to cut me down.”

If he showed any suspicious behavior, he would be cut down without hesitation. Kihei Mutoh’s attitude spoke volumes. Shizuko thought to herself that he was indeed an untouchable raccoon dog. While showing her determination, he was also testing Shizuko. But she didn’t feel bad about it. She was able to have a serious match with a renowned strategist, something that even history enthusiasts couldn’t wish for. Shizuko thought that there was nothing more joyful than that.

“I will take care of it. However, I think I will return it to you without using it.”

“Let’s wait without expecting too much.”

When Shizuko received Kihei Mutoh’s sword, the procession waiting to enter the castle began to move. Shizuko understood that they would soon be able to enter Hamamatsu Castle. With a kind smile, she said to Kihei Mutoh, “Please enjoy the sake produced in our country.”

The things that Shizuko had transported in large quantities were not supplies for the siege, but rather food intended for feasts held before and after battles. Without doubting their victory, large amounts of food and barrels of sake were being brought in.

“Everyone, thank you for fighting well. I would like to express my gratitude on this occasion.”

Shizuko expressed her gratitude to the Oda foot soldiers and soldiers, but most of them were not listening and were restless. Shizuko inwardly smiled wryly and continued speaking.

“Haha! It seems that everyone wants to drink sake more than listen to my words. This is a celebration sake, so let’s have a free-for-all. We have prepared plenty of food and drink, so please eat and drink to your heart’s content!”

“Uooo!!!”

“Here we go!!!”

“Today, there is no Oda or Tokugawa. To our comrades who fought against a strong enemy, this is a small token of my gratitude. Today, we won’t talk about serious matters. Drink and eat to your heart’s content!”

At Shizuko’s signal, the soldiers gathered around the food and started eating and drinking. Since Shizuko didn’t know the preferences of the soldiers, both cloudy sake and clear sake were prepared, but the clear sake, which was rare, seemed to be consumed more quickly. It was a celebration without any worries, and it was livelier than the pre-battle feast. Shizuko thought to herself that she couldn’t be happier, standing where even history enthusiasts couldn’t be.

Shizuko, accompanied by Ashimitsu, headed towards Ieyasu’s place after the feast. When they arrived at the hall where Ieyasu was, a celebratory gathering was already prepared. The Tokugawa vassals who were chatting with each other stopped their conversation as soon as they realized that Shizuko had entered and bowed deeply to her.

“Everyone, I am grateful to all of you. Thanks to you, we were able to stop Takeda’s invasion with minimal losses. To be honest, if it weren’t for you, I doubt we could have even held off Takeda.”

“Understood. I will let them know.”

“Thank you. See you later.”

After that, Ashimitsu’s role as Shizuko’s escort was taken over by Saizo. When the footsteps of the two could no longer be heard, Ashimitsu let out a small sigh. Without changing his gaze, he conveyed his thoughts to Tobi Kato (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katō_Danzō).

“There is food and sake there. Eat and drink as you please. Today, I won’t complain even if you get drunk.”

“(… Haha)”

“… And Shizuko’s message. ‘Thank you for saving me, I appreciate it.'”

“(…)”

“I won’t say it again. Savor the words of gratitude to your heart’s content.”

After finishing his words, Ashimitsu headed towards Shizuko and the others. When Ashimitsu’s presence could no longer be felt, Tobi Kato muttered to himself.

“(Thank you… This is the first time I’ve received words of gratitude, even though I may be feared. I don’t feel bad about it.)”

As he muttered, Tobi Kato disappeared. In the place where he was, a small water stain appeared.

Shizuko, who had reunited with other generals and Ashimitsu, walked in unison towards Ieyasu’s place. When they arrived at the hall where Ieyasu was, a celebratory gathering was already prepared. The Tokugawa vassals and Oda generals stopped their conversation and bowed deeply to Shizuko as soon as they realized she had entered.

“Everyone, we are grateful to you. Thanks to your support, we were able to achieve victory in this battle against Takeda and protect our country.”

Shizuko, surprised and taken aback, Ieyasu explained the actions of his vassals. Shizuko, without hiding her embarrassment, sat in the designated seat. When the Oda generals sat down, Ieyasu spoke with a cup in his hand.

“First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who came as reinforcements from Oda. Thanks to you, we were able to stop Takeda’s invasion. To be honest, if it weren’t for you, I doubt we could have even held off Takeda.”

Ieyasu’s words hit the mark. If we follow historical facts, Ieyasu suffered a devastating defeat in the Battle of Mikatagahara. However, thanks to the efforts of Shizuko and others, they were able to avoid a major defeat, and the “Shikami statue” that symbolized Ieyasu’s character no longer existed.

“Shizuko, we must repay this favor. If you have any requests, please let us know.”

“Thank you for your kind words. If I may, I have one request.”

“Anything.”

Ieyasu smiled at Shizuko’s response.

“Then… I would like to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in this battle. Therefore, I would like to obtain permission to mourn the dead on the Mikatagahara Plateau.”

“Well, I heard that the deceased were brought in.”

The Oda-Tokugawa allied forces had few casualties. Furthermore, the dead were being brought into the camp to be mourned later. After being cremated together, they would return to their home country as hair and personal belongings and be mourned by their families. Ieyasu tilted his head because he didn’t know who Shizuko intended to mourn.

“Of course, I understand that there is an irreconcilable conflict between Tokugawa and Takeda. Therefore, I have no intention of forcing it upon you, and if it is not accepted, I will give up.”

Saying that, Shizuko looked at Ieyasu. In her field of vision, she saw Ieyasu sobbing and wiping his tears. It wasn’t just Ieyasu. Even the Tokugawa vassals and Oda generals were shedding tears. Just as she was about to think about how to handle the strong conflict, Ieyasu, who raised his face resolutely, spoke loudly.

“Listen, everyone! Shizuko’s compassion even extends to those who selfishly invaded us… Truly, Shizuko is kind-hearted. I am deeply moved and ashamed of my own narrow-mindedness.”

“Um, wait a minute. I feel like something is completely off…”

“Once we are given a command, we will rush anywhere and sacrifice our lives. There may have been young people and wives and children waiting for them to return among those who selfishly invaded us. Their appearance is also the appearance of us on any given day. Who will mourn them if not us, who achieved victory? Everyone may have long-standing grudges, but when they die, they all become Buddhas. Let us respectfully mourn the members of the Takeda family who fought bravely and died.”,The current Mikatagahara is filled with corpses scattered everywhere, presenting a scene of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood. Shizuko suggested burying the bodies while they are still fresh and less likely to decompose due to the cold, from a hygiene standpoint. However, Ieyasu perceived it differently.

“(I can’t say it’s different now) So, um… may we bury them?”

“Of course. We will assist you, so please give us any orders.”

“Thank you for your special consideration.”

Rather than saying unnecessary things and stumbling into trouble, it would be better to proceed as planned even if there are misunderstandings. Thinking this, Shizuko summarized the conversation without resolving the misunderstanding. Fortunately, Ieyasu was intoxicated with victory and continued the conversation without noticing Shizuko’s intentions. At the right moment, the victory celebration began with Ieyasu’s declaration.

The celebration ended in a short time. Since Shizuko provided a large amount of sake, the Tokugawa retainers, who rarely had the opportunity to drink sake, competed to drink and ended up getting drunk from the strong alcohol despite its refreshing taste. When Shizuko poured sake into Tadakatsu’s cup, he immediately drank it all and collapsed. Shizuko panicked when Tadakatsu fell in front of her, but Hanzo and Yasumasa restrained her and dragged Tadakatsu to the waiting room. Carrying Tadakatsu, who was muttering in a dreamlike state, with a look as if he were garbage, the two opened the sliding door to the waiting room and threw Tadakatsu from the hallway. There was a loud noise as if he had hit a pillar, but Tadakatsu had a happy expression, so they quietly closed the door and sealed him inside.

Not only Tadakatsu, but other people also got drunk one after another and were carried out, and the celebration ended without any plan. Of course, Shizuko did not drink a drop of sake, and she and Ashimitsu, Saizo, Takenaka Hanbei, Shibata, and Mitsuhide took turns in a solid defense to prevent the Tokugawa retainers from offering her sake.

“Phew, it’s over.”

Shizuko murmured while feeling the night breeze. Although she didn’t drink sake, she felt as if she were drunk from the atmosphere, so she was refreshing herself by feeling the night breeze like this.

“Now that this is over, Lord will attack the Ikko sect in Nagashima next, right?”

When Takeda and the Oda-Tokugawa allied forces fought and won, Shizuko’s final plan would be put into action. It was a plan to attack Nagashima and drive them out before the surrounding forces could recover from the chaos caused by Takeda’s defeat. In historical records, it is said that tens of thousands of people were killed in Nagashima, but Shizuko’s plan was to attack quickly and decisively to achieve a quick resolution. She had spent a year preparing for this. Since the battle with Takeda was successful, the chances of success in Nagashima were very high. Although she considered the possibility of unexpected events, there was nothing Shizuko could do about it.

“Starting tomorrow, most of the Oda army will be on the move. I will stay behind and help drive out the Takeda army in Totomi.”

The Oda army would be divided into multiple groups starting tomorrow. Most of the generals would participate in the battle in Nagashima, but Shizuko, Saizo, and Nagayoshi would work with the Tokugawa army to drive out the Takeda army in Totomi. Keiji said he was tired and would not participate in the attack on Nagashima, returning home instead. Takatora (Yokichi Toudou) had the largest number of Kurokuwa (civil engineering workers), so he would be involved in the burial work on the Mikatagahara plateau. Shizuko’s gunners, which she was personally involved in, would head to Nagashima like the other retainers and act as a direct unit under Nobunaga.

It was expected that Nobunaga would finish his preparations and camp at Nagashima around the same time that the gunners and generals would arrive with Nobutada. The number of days until New Year’s was limited, but Shizuko believed that capturing about half of the fortresses would be sufficient. However, Shizuko’s expectations would be greatly betrayed. She would only learn about it after everything was over.

“Ah, stop, stop. There’s no point in thinking about unnecessary things. Come on, let’s go to sleep.”

When she called out to Wittman and the others beside her, they wagged their tails and gathered around her. Shizuko fell asleep surrounded by the Wittman family. The next morning, when a page from the Tokugawa came to wake her up, he was stunned to see the scene.

The news of Takeda’s defeat and Shingen’s death began to reach not only Nobutada and Nobunaga, but also the anti-Oda alliance and those who had remained neutral. As soon as the news was received, Asakura immediately returned to their home province. The reason given was that the winter was deepening and marching was delayed by snow, but it looked like nothing more than an early defection from the anti-Oda alliance in response to Takeda’s defeat. Even the prominent retainers of the Asai clan became restless, and some even began to collaborate with the Oda clan. Seeing the behavior of their senior retainers, the soldiers also attempted to escape for self-preservation. The soldiers left behind at Odani Castle were mostly wounded or those who couldn’t afford to escape. With a shortage of soldiers available for defense, some of the defensive facilities were abandoned. The countrymen of small countries who participated in the anti-Oda alliance also had similar responses.

The temple forces, including the Honganji Temple, were also shocked. It wasn’t that the Takeda army gradually lost, but they were completely defeated in a single battle. Kennyo at Ishiyama Honganji Temple couldn’t understand the reports from messengers. Shimotsuma Rairen was the same, unable to grasp why and how Takeda was defeated. But as they understood the situation, they decided that it was not wise to fight against the Oda anymore and closed their gates, focusing on defending themselves and sending spies to gather information. Little did they know that closing their gates would become a major problem.

Initially, Yoshiaki, the Shogun, didn’t believe the reports and even shouted at the messengers, driving them away. However, as he realized from the reactions of those around him that the reports were true, he suddenly became weak and began to panic, holding his head. The retainers who had followed the Shogun and rebelled against the Oda clan were also disgusted by his pitiful appearance.

The turmoil among those who were hostile to the Oda clan was tremendous. The fact that Takeda Shingen had been defeated weighed heavily on everyone.

On the other hand, Nobunaga planned to take full advantage of this momentum and drive out the Ikko sect from Nagashima. To completely eliminate the annoying presence of the Ikko sect, now was the perfect opportunity. With Asakura’s return to their home province, Nobunaga had more leeway in the defense network on the western side. He immediately led his troops to Nagashima from Hamamatsu Castle. At the same time, the Oda army set out from Hamamatsu Castle and joined forces with Nobutada to march towards Nagashima.

On the early morning of the 24th, a total of 50,000 troops from Nobunaga’s main army and Nobutada’s second army gathered at Nagashima. After holding a war council at Ogie Castle, it was decided to divide into multiple forces and launch the invasion from noon. To prevent support from the Kuwana area, Takigawa Kazumasu and the Kuki navy would conduct a naval blockade as soon as they arrived. After each individual’s actions were determined, they began preparations for the advance.

The urgent task was to manufacture ammunition for the new firearms. The outcome of the battle would be significantly different depending on whether a large number of these new firearms could be deployed. However, it took much more time to make the gunpowder charges than the usual paper cartridges. Therefore, the start of the battle was postponed without the mass deployment of the new firearms. Nevertheless, the Oda army’s rapid progress continued.

“Lord, they have captured Ichinoe Fortress and are advancing towards Uguiura Fortress.”

“Lord Akechi has secured a commitment from the Daikoku meeting members in Ominato not to support Ganshoji Temple.”

“Lord Shibata has captured Katori Fortress and is advancing towards Ganshoji Temple.”

“Lord Kuki’s fleet has arrived. They can participate in the naval blockade from tomorrow.”

Report after report was placed in front of Nobunaga. Each one satisfied him and hinted at the one-sided defeat of the Nagashima Ikko sect. It was not surprising. No matter how strong the door was, it would be blown to pieces with a single explosive tube. Even if they tried to bring out their prized matchlock guns, they would be mowed down by the Oda side’s new firearms before they could shoot. There was no chance for the Nagashima Ikko sect from the beginning. The battle between Takeda and the Oda-Tokugawa alliance was a battle, but the battle between Nobunaga and the Nagashima Ikko sect was not a battle. It was a one-sided game where the strong preyed on the weak.

“It’s all exciting reports. Order the generals attacking the fortresses to try to leave as many enemies alive as possible. Let them spread our strength and terror to our allies.”

Nobunaga’s orders were immediately conveyed to each general. Instead of inflicting severe damage, they were to leave a certain number of enemies alive so that they could spread the fear of the Oda’s strength to their allies. Nobunaga imitated the tactics used by Takeda when attacking the Tokugawa. The effect was beyond expectations. The fact that Takeda lost to the Oda and that the fortresses fell in a day became a source of great fear for the defenders.

If a fortress fell in a day, it meant that reinforcements would not arrive in time. For the defenders of the fortresses outside the circle who realized that they had no chance of winning, they surrendered, offering the lives of their families as a condition. Nobunaga accepted their surrender on the condition that they disarm themselves, leave Nagashima, and go directly to Ishiyama Honganji Temple without making any detours. Of course, he also conveyed the threat that if they made any suspicious moves, they would be immediately exterminated.

Ganshoji Temple, which had been exposed to fierce attacks from all directions, also fell in just half a day. Although there was fierce resistance until the end, the Oda side suffered almost no casualties, and most of the bodies were those of the Ikko sect members. In this way, except for the five castles of Nagashima, Yashima Nagashima, Nakae, Shinohashi, and Otorii, which remained in the circle, all the others fell in just a few days.

“Starting tomorrow, the gunners will take the front line. First, we will attack Shinohashi Castle and Otorii Castle.”

Until now, they had quickly destroyed the fortresses, but from now on, they would be attacking castles. The enemy would also fight desperately to defend, so everyone expected the battle to be tougher than before.

“Don’t be too tense. Nagashima is on the verge of falling. Don’t let yourself get carried away and waste your efforts.”

Sakuma and Shibata would be in charge of Otorii Castle, and Tsuda Nobuhiro and Niwa Nagahide would be in charge of Shinohashi Castle, while the rest would provide support and Nobunaga’s main camp would attack Nagashima Castle. Takenaka Hanbei and the soldiers he brought with him returned to Hideyoshi in Nagahama, Omi Province. Mitsuhide, after negotiating with the Daikoku meeting members in Ominato, returned to Kyoto for his mission. It was a deployment that also served as a deterrent to other forces, but there was no need for such a deterrent. No one attempted to attack Kyoto, which had become vulnerable, and they were only fearful as they heard about Nobunaga’s rapid progress.,Despite the decrease in troops due to Hideyoshi’s and the Akechi forces leaving, the Oda forces continued their fierce attacks and their momentum only increased.

“My Lord! We have confirmed that the gunners of the Iga and Koga clans are deployed in front of Nagashima Castle! There are about 2,000 of them!”

Reports arrived at Nobunaga’s headquarters that gunners were gathering in front of Nagashima Castle, where the Oda gunners using the new-style guns were only about 300. Since Shizuko’s gunners numbered only about 1,000 in total, the number 2,000 seemed threatening.

“My Lord! We should recall the gunners that were dispersed to other units!”

“No need. 300 is enough.”

Nobunaga dismissed the advice of his retainer. Ignoring the astonished retainers, Nobunaga called for Genro, who led the gunners.

“The enemy is waiting with 2,000 men. You lead the 300 gunners and scatter them beautifully.”

“2,000, huh? That’s a bit unsatisfying.”

“Hahaha, you said it!”

In response to Nobunaga’s order, Genro smiled and implicitly expressed that it was too easy. Hearing this, Nobunaga laughed cheerfully.

“Then please wait a moment. We will settle it in no time.”

“Finish it in half a moment.”

“Understood. We will finish it in four half moments.”

To those who did not know the situation, the conversation between Nobunaga and Genro was nonsensical. But they would come to know that it was not a lie or a bluff four half moments later.

“Everyone, we have been entrusted with the task of scattering the Iga and Koga clans. We only need half a moment. Let’s finish it quickly and show our strength!”

“Ohh!!”

Genro encouraged the gunners and moved to the location where the Iga and Koga clans were deployed. Upon arrival, they could see the Iga and Koga clans crowded on the opposite bank. Assuming that they would cross the river and advance from the narrowest point, Genro thought of a strategy to annihilate them with guns before the Oda forces landed.

“Even if they try to land from elsewhere, crossing the river itself will be difficult. And they will have guards watching, so they will be quickly discovered and exposed to a rain of bullets. In that case, there is only one thing to do.”

“Lord Genro, the distance is said to be between 250 and 300 meters. It is well within range.”

“Alright, fire!”

With Genro’s command, bullets were fired from the new-style guns. The Iga and Koga clans on the other side of the river fell, but Genro continued the suppressive fire without concern. The battle was settled in less than 20 minutes. The total number of dead and injured in the Iga and Koga clans was about 700, while the gunners under Genro had no casualties or injuries. This result was natural. While the Iga and Koga clans were out of range, the new-style guns were easily within the killing range. Although their shooting training at distances over 300 was almost nonexistent, they compensated with the number of shots. Despite the low hit rate, it was a decisive victory. No matter how one looked at it or tried to make excuses, the fact remained that the Iga and Koga clans, who had been renowned as gun experts in the Sengoku period, were annihilated.

“As expected.”

30 minutes later, when Nobunaga arrived at Genro’s location, he nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the devastation on the opposite bank.

The Oda forces continued their unstoppable advance. Nobunaga reduced the troops attacking Nagashima and used both rewards and punishments to manipulate the powerful clans who were cooperative with Nagashima, one by one.

If they cut ties with Nagashima, let’s forget about what happened so far. But if they continue to cooperate with Nagashima, even if it means uprooting them from the grassroots, let’s find them and eliminate them.

Nobunaga’s argument boiled down to this. If they cut ties, he would respond with tolerance, but if they continued to cooperate with Nagashima, he would eradicate them completely. There was no clearer message. Most of the powerful clans submitted to Nobunaga. Some clans rebelled, but they were uprooted within a day.

In the early morning of the 29th, as if it were their final resistance, Shimotsuma Raidan and a thousand elite soldiers who had commanded the Ikko sect in Nagashima launched a suicide attack on Nobunaga’s headquarters. However, before they could reach Nobunaga’s headquarters, many commanders, including Shimotsuma Raidan, were shot and killed. Upon hearing this result, Genshin, the fifth head of the Ganjoji, who had lost all hope, committed suicide by throwing himself into the Kiso River.

Realizing that further resistance was impossible, the Nagashima side requested surrender from Nobunaga, promising the safety of everyone. In response, Nobunaga replied that they would accept the surrender on the condition of disarming, prohibiting the removal of unnecessary wealth, and following their instructions to leave Nagashima without stopping at Ishiyama Honganji Temple. It took some time, but the Nagashima side accepted the conditions proposed by Nobunaga and ordered the cessation of resistance at the Nagashima and Nakae castles, and to follow Nobunaga’s instructions.

From noon on the 29th, the soldiers and civilians who had been holed up in each castle left under the supervision of the Oda soldiers. Nobunaga inspected the surrendered castles and forts. He checked if there were any hidden treasures or weapons. The results were as Nobunaga had expected. Gold, silver, and gold coins were hidden in Nagashima Castle and many other castles and forts. The reason for hiding gold and silver was that they intended to come back and recapture the castles and forts later. In other words, their surrender was just a pose to survive this situation, and Nobunaga understood that.

Nobunaga, filled with internal anger, used his soldiers to transport and pile up the hidden treasures carelessly. After finishing the pile, Nobunaga gathered the warlords who had participated in the Nagashima Ikko uprising.

“What is this?”

Facing the gold and silver, Nobunaga asked his warlords a question. Whether he didn’t expect a response or didn’t intend to hear one in the first place, Nobunaga continued his words, ignoring the surprise of the warlords.

“You serve the Buddha, yet you involve yourselves in worldly matters, hoarding wealth unnecessarily like Matsu. Do you speak of the Buddha’s name while having wives and children and living a luxurious life?!”

Nobunaga kicked the piled gold and silver. Some of it collapsed and gold and silver rolled everywhere, but no one looked in that direction. Everyone was frozen in place, unable to move under the anger emanating from Nobunaga.

“What kind of divine protection is this? In the end, they only care about themselves. You wretched people, crawling like insects!”

Nobunaga let out a sigh as if venting his anger. After calming down somewhat, Nobunaga continued his words, looking at the warlords.

“I have prohibited looting in the army. Why is that? If we take away the livelihood of the people, they will no longer work for us. If the people’s feelings drift away, the country will collapse in no time. That’s why I have forbidden looting. But this time, I will allow it!”

“Ohhh!!”

The foot soldiers cheered at the order to lift the ban on looting. The warlords also rejoiced at Nobunaga’s decision, thinking it would be a good outlet for the soldiers’ pent-up frustrations.

“If it’s the Buddha’s wealth, I will also prohibit looting. But the wealth they have hoarded is only for themselves. Do not hesitate to take everything from those scoundrels! Take everything!”

A grand order to lift the ban on looting was issued. Over the next two days, Nagashima was thoroughly searched from corner to corner. Not only weapons and ammunition, but also gold, silver, large amounts of gold coins, and preserved food were hidden everywhere. All of these were taken by the foot soldiers and common soldiers. Some foot soldiers brought back piles of gold bars, and some common soldiers happily boasted of the good souvenirs they could give to their families before New Year’s.

Although the massacre that is said to have killed tens of thousands of people did not occur in Nagashima, there was a ruthless battle among the foot soldiers and common soldiers to seize the wealth. Unaware of such events, the Shizuko army in Hamamatsu Castle arrived in Owari.

The expulsion of the Takeda army from Totomi ended quite uneventfully. Spreading the news of Takeda’s defeat through spies, the previously arrogant Takeda army fled in a hurry. With Ieyasu gaining the upper hand, the local clans in Totomi who had surrendered to the Takeda switched their allegiance to the Tokugawa. Some even attacked Suwa Masayoshi and Takasaki Masanobu, who were retreating to Kai, as if giving them a parting gift. However, the clans in Totomi were easily dealt with by Takasaki Masanobu, who was known as the “Escaping Bullet Magistrate,” and Suwa Masayoshi managed to retreat to Kai without significant damage.

“So in the end, it was used to destroy the empty Nagashima Castle, the ultimate weapon.”

After returning to the residence and receiving the report on Nagashima, Shizuko learned how the ultimate weapon was used. The ultimate weapon referred to by Shizuko was a makeshift thermite bomb made from powdered aluminum. The aluminum frame of an aluminum umbrella was processed into powder, mixed with several other materials, and ignited to cause a thermite reaction. At the center of the reaction, temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees Celsius were generated, and the surrounding area was hit by radiant heat. If anyone was within the effective range, they would disappear (…). They would instantly turn to ashes without even being allowed to burn. Even if they were not at the center, they would be exposed to high temperatures within a radius of several meters, and suddenly burst into flames. Furthermore, even those outside would have their lungs burned by the heated air, causing them to die with a single breath. It was an extremely dangerous weapon.

“Well, as long as it wasn’t fired at people, it’s fine.”

Originally, the thermite bombs were intended to be used on castle gates, such as those of Ishiyama Honganji Temple, to show that resistance was futile. If the stone gates melted in an instant (…), one might think that castle defense was meaningless. Of course, Nobunaga did not simply use them. He made sure to show the power of the thermite bombs to the Ikko sect members who were leaving Nagashima Castle before setting them free.

It was more terrifying to hear reports from allies than for Nobunaga himself to boast. Nobunaga learned this during the battle with the Nagashima Ikko sect. At the same time, he recognized the power of the thermite bombs that Shizuko had stubbornly insisted should not be used against people. Recognizing this, Nobunaga later ordered Shizuko to seal the thermite bombs.

“Well, after the new year, I’ll move to a new residence, so I need to organize my belongings… Let’s do our best for next year.”,After finishing reading the report, Shizuko placed it on the table and rolled onto the floor. The nearby Wittman family quickly stood up and surrounded her. The Wittman family recently learned that when Shizuko lies down on the floor, it means she has finished her work. So if Shizuko doesn’t lie down, they won’t gather around her.

“Phew~ I want to spend next year leisurely. I want to forget about battles and spend my time doing farm work.”

Shizuko makes the same wish every year at the end of the year, but she forgets. She has never had that wish come true. On the contrary, she had to take on an even more prominent role as the one who defeated Takeda. However, Shizuko, who is unaware of her own position, was peacefully sleeping with the Wittman family.