Not to mention that the nature of this world (chakra/physical energy/spiritual energy) means that there are people who are legitimately and simply better than others. (Which thankfully means that the nightmare of communism is all the more unlikely to rear its diseased head.) On the flip side there is an increased equality in that regular people do actually have the possibility of training and gaining personal power to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Reborn in a daimyo's court-Naruto SI
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Not to mention that the nature of this world (chakra/physical energy/spiritual energy) means that there are people who are legitimately and simply better than others. (Which thankfully means that the nightmare of communism is all the more unlikely to rear its diseased head.) On the flip side there is an increased equality in that regular people do actually have the possibility of training and gaining personal power to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Chaapter 30-A New World Order?
Chapter 30
KATSUGAWA TATSUYA-The Third Prince
The Third Prince of the realm couldn't believe his ears as he sat infront of his mother in a tent outside the capital walls. His men had been barred from entering the city by the Fire Temple and the Guardian Twelve, thwarting their plan of taking over the capital.
The two groups' actions were clear interference in the war of succession, yet they had a twisted justification for their actions. Their interference had been a massive hit for his campaign until he found her mother riding out to meet him deep into the night, pale as a sheet, her gaze filled with fear, in a state of panic and fear, unlike anything he had ever seen before.
"What happened, Mother?" he questioned, for while the actions of the Temple and Guardian Twelve were troublesome. The war was far from over; they still held more men and alliances than the up jumped peasant.
She was still in a daze as her lips quivered. She looked up and put forward a scroll, and he didn't miss how her hands shook as he took it from her and began to read its contents.
"What is i...." but he stopped as he read over the contents of the missive. And it all began to make sense.
As he read over it again and again, trying to make sense of it, he failed and uttered out.
"What Does this mean?" he questioned, his own voice sounding cold and troubled, for while he could make little sense of why it all happened, he was able to make sense of what had happened.
Lord Hayama Mahiro, his grandfather, and all his retainers had been put under arrest by the Fire Temple on charges of treason, his lands now stood sealed, the man, nothing but a prisoner until his fate was decided in by a new daimyo.
"It means your grandfather has been found guilty of treason, of colluding with rogue elements to interfere in matters of the country, and that all his lands and resources are now under the control of the Fire Temple until a new daimyo emerges and decided on his fate," she answered her lips thinning as she looked up at him.
"But ho..." and he halted as it clicked together, the man from the Hidden Village, her grandfather associate, Shimura Danzo. Somehow, the Temple had caught wind of their connection and had stepped in.
"This is a disaster," he reasoned out as all the implications behind this declaration began to dawn on him. Tatsuya drove much of his power from his connection to his grandfather, and the resources of his land. Without his backing the war effort would become troublesome.
"Indeed, it is, and it couldn't have come at a worse time, when the world of it spreads many a lord will pull back their support from us. They may not lend it to that accursed Akihito Shirahoshi, but their desertion will only hurt us," she reasoned, and he nodded.
"With his recent victories, he has gained a certain clout as well, we need to do something," he added and she nodded as she wiped her eyes, as her expression hardened.
"That we do, for all intents and purposes we must consider all of the resources of my father lost to us till the end of the war. We must now plan ahead with that in mind," his mother added, and it was a big blow to them.
The weapons, the money, and the connections would not be easy to replace, and if her words were true, they would continue to lose support with every passing day. They sat in silence, their minds racing as they thought of the way forward.
"Half of the Guardian Twelve stand in our way while the other half protect the castle," he began as he looked towards his mother.
"I have thirteen Master Samurai under my command here. If we plan it right, we could try and overpowe..." she said quickly, cutting him off.
"No, that would be futile," and he frowned at that.
"They say two master Samurai could match a jonin, that is the rank of the Guardian Twelve. Yes, it would be difficult, but if we succeed..."
"Special jounin," his mother cut in, and he nodded.
"Yes, but jounin still," he reasoned, and she shook her head.
"No, not a jounin. The choosing of the Guardian Twelve is highly selective, two master Samurai maybe able to take on a regular jounin, though that estimate has many faults in it by itself. Yet these aren't those jounins. They will slaughter your men easily. We cannot make a move against the order. They are too powerful, and it would decimate the little support we have left," she replied, and the idea was shot down.
He didn't know what was so special about these Guardian Twelve, and it was often believed that a master Samurai could take on a chunin while two could take on a jounin. It was a crude comparison given their vastly different fighting styles, but still one that had been used as a reference for decades now.
"Then what? We cannot move forward, for they won't let us enter the capital, and the longer we stay here, the lower the support for our cause becomes. We need to act, and we need to do it now!" he gritted out.
"You are right, my son, but our options are limited. We must act cautiously. We have already lost the momentum. We must act responsibly," she added as she stood up and began to walk to the tent.
"We still outnumber him. His forces, while high on morale from their victory, will be tired," she began as she turned to face him.
And he finished her sentence.
"So, you believe we must strike at him rather than the capital," he questioned, and she nodded.
"Yes, apart from him no other claimant remains, he is the biggest thorn in our side. We cannot hope to take the capital as it is, and waiting for the funeral proceedings to conclude would only diminish our support and give him time to recover," she added, and it was sound advice.
"Then so be it. I will have the men make preparations. We shall attack that little peasant directly."
0000
KATSUGAWA MIYUKI
"The battle is over!" the words from Nakiri-san surprised her as she woke up early in the morning. After the tiresome day yesterday, she found herself asleep in Nakiri-san's arms and woke up in a daze, realizing that Akihito was attacking the Hayama lands.
"But how?" she questioned with a frown, as anxiety bubbled inside her, yet Nakiri-san's smile gave her a semblance of hope.
"Lord Hayama has been found guilty of treason, and so his lands and castles have been seized by the Temple until a new daimyo sits on the throne," she replied as Miyuki tried to make sense of her words.
Treason.In such a scenario, the Temple was forced to step in and make it so that it could only be.
"Shinobi?" she guessed, and Nakiri-san nodded.
"Indeed, you guess right. The man was colluding with shinobi, something that constitutes the level of treason in these times," she confirmed, and that was alarming.
"Is Akihito-sama fine?" she questioned, and Nakiri-san nodded.
"He is and rides back home with the men," she added as relief flooded her.
"This is a big win for us," added Nakiri-san, and she nodded as well, as elation filled her.
"It is," she agreed.
"Lord Hayama was the Third Prince's biggest backer; his connections, his men, and his gold were as much the Tatsuya's as they were his. With that gone, and Lord Hayama guilty of treason, the lords will have no choice but to support Akihito," she reasoned, but no affirmation came from Nakiri-san, as the older woman smiled ruefully.
"I believe it will not be as simple," she said as she helped her into her formal kimono as the servants braided her hair for today was a somewhat special occasion, and she needed to look regal and do her duty as the lady wife of Akihito Shirahoshi.
"Why do you say that?" She questioned.
The lords were mostly opportunistic men, driven by ambition. They must see that the Third Prince's cause has lost its heat and hence would turn away from him. She knew they had little love for herself or Akihito and that most of their actions would be driven by self-preservation and ambition rather than any sense of righteousness.
"I don't believe that the lords will be rather eager to support Akihito sama's bid for the throne," added Nakiri-san as Miyuki looked herself over in the mirror and found herself the perfect image of a noble wife.
"Why?" she questioned as Lady Nakiri's lips thinned.
"For while popular and known as a visionary, many a lord still consider Akihito-sama as an outsider, an upjumped peasant," and she could tell that Nakiri-sama was hurt by that sentiment by the way her fists balled up.
Yet, it also made sense. It was something she had overlooked. Most of the noble families had been elevated decades before their ascension. Akihito-sama's family, on the other hand, had only been elevated a generation before.
"Add to that the fact that Akihito-sama isn't a more traditional lord. They look down on him and would not wish to see him on the throne," Nakiri-san finished, and Miyuki nodded as she made sense of her words.
"Well, for their sake, I hope they come to terms with it sooner rather than later," she said, finishing her belief in her lord husband, and Nakiri-san smiled.
"Indeed, they should," and with that.
"Indeed, they should," and with that, the doors to the room opened as a servant entered and conveyed the message.
"My lady, they are here," she nodded. She looked over herself one last time in the mirror before mouthing to Lady Nakiri.
"Let's go."
.
.
Then she found herself outside the castle gates surrounded by guards on both sides, with Lady Nakiri behind her as Gin-san knelt down on one knee and greeted her ceremoniously.
"May I present Lady Himiko Chiba?" With that, the gates to the carriage opened as the Lady who was set to be Akihito-sama's second wife walked out of the carriage. Her height was greater than hers, and the lady in question was older as well.
Her hair was tied in an elaborate braid, and she had a small smile on her face as she glanced up at her. She couldn't help but notice how her lips seemed to turn up.
"I greet the moon of the and my empress, lady Miyuki. Please accept my humble greetings," she began with a bow, the words surprising her. She had expected a taunt, defiance, yet she seemed rather docile at first glance and had seemed to defer to her as one of higher status. Yet she didn't let the surprise show as she nodded.
"I welcome into these Halls, lady Chiba," she said as the older girl raised her head and smiled radiantly.
"You are truly gracious, my lady."
0000
Rin Nohara had thought her life ended when she had found herself captured by the Kiri forces. Yet in the end, her fears had been proven wrong, for she had found herself out of one group of Kiri nin into the hands of another.
Though her treatment had been different. She was still a prisoner yet was now afforded much freedom and had been assured of safety. And so she had found herself a guest in this massive castle in Water Country. She was not allowed to leave yet was afforded everything else.
And it was all because of this person, the lord of the castle who now sat opposite to her for the first time.
"Who are you? And why are you so interested in me?" she questioned and saw the young noble Prince smirk. His face was regal and sharp. He seemed only a bit older than herself, and his black hair flowed nicely behind him as he sipped his tea.
"I am Fushio Suzuki, the daimyo of the Water Country," he remarked, and the words stilled her. She had just insulted a daimyo, that was not good.
"And my interest in your well being is because I have been entrusted with it by someone I hold in high respect," he replied his words coming as a surprise to her.
"Who?" she asked.
"My brother-in-law."
"And who might that be?" she questioned with a frown as alarm bells rang inside her head.
"The fire daimyo..." he began with a smile as the severity of her situation began to dawn on her.
"...Akihito Shirahoshi."
And the only thing that went through her head was.
'What have you gotten yourself involved in Rin?'
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support helps me write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider supporting me by becoming a Patron. It would be pretty awesome of you.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have a fun day!
KATSUGAWA TATSUYA-The Third Prince
The Third Prince of the realm couldn't believe his ears as he sat infront of his mother in a tent outside the capital walls. His men had been barred from entering the city by the Fire Temple and the Guardian Twelve, thwarting their plan of taking over the capital.
The two groups' actions were clear interference in the war of succession, yet they had a twisted justification for their actions. Their interference had been a massive hit for his campaign until he found her mother riding out to meet him deep into the night, pale as a sheet, her gaze filled with fear, in a state of panic and fear, unlike anything he had ever seen before.
"What happened, Mother?" he questioned, for while the actions of the Temple and Guardian Twelve were troublesome. The war was far from over; they still held more men and alliances than the up jumped peasant.
She was still in a daze as her lips quivered. She looked up and put forward a scroll, and he didn't miss how her hands shook as he took it from her and began to read its contents.
"What is i...." but he stopped as he read over the contents of the missive. And it all began to make sense.
As he read over it again and again, trying to make sense of it, he failed and uttered out.
"What Does this mean?" he questioned, his own voice sounding cold and troubled, for while he could make little sense of why it all happened, he was able to make sense of what had happened.
Lord Hayama Mahiro, his grandfather, and all his retainers had been put under arrest by the Fire Temple on charges of treason, his lands now stood sealed, the man, nothing but a prisoner until his fate was decided in by a new daimyo.
"It means your grandfather has been found guilty of treason, of colluding with rogue elements to interfere in matters of the country, and that all his lands and resources are now under the control of the Fire Temple until a new daimyo emerges and decided on his fate," she answered her lips thinning as she looked up at him.
"But ho..." and he halted as it clicked together, the man from the Hidden Village, her grandfather associate, Shimura Danzo. Somehow, the Temple had caught wind of their connection and had stepped in.
"This is a disaster," he reasoned out as all the implications behind this declaration began to dawn on him. Tatsuya drove much of his power from his connection to his grandfather, and the resources of his land. Without his backing the war effort would become troublesome.
"Indeed, it is, and it couldn't have come at a worse time, when the world of it spreads many a lord will pull back their support from us. They may not lend it to that accursed Akihito Shirahoshi, but their desertion will only hurt us," she reasoned, and he nodded.
"With his recent victories, he has gained a certain clout as well, we need to do something," he added and she nodded as she wiped her eyes, as her expression hardened.
"That we do, for all intents and purposes we must consider all of the resources of my father lost to us till the end of the war. We must now plan ahead with that in mind," his mother added, and it was a big blow to them.
The weapons, the money, and the connections would not be easy to replace, and if her words were true, they would continue to lose support with every passing day. They sat in silence, their minds racing as they thought of the way forward.
"Half of the Guardian Twelve stand in our way while the other half protect the castle," he began as he looked towards his mother.
"I have thirteen Master Samurai under my command here. If we plan it right, we could try and overpowe..." she said quickly, cutting him off.
"No, that would be futile," and he frowned at that.
"They say two master Samurai could match a jonin, that is the rank of the Guardian Twelve. Yes, it would be difficult, but if we succeed..."
"Special jounin," his mother cut in, and he nodded.
"Yes, but jounin still," he reasoned, and she shook her head.
"No, not a jounin. The choosing of the Guardian Twelve is highly selective, two master Samurai maybe able to take on a regular jounin, though that estimate has many faults in it by itself. Yet these aren't those jounins. They will slaughter your men easily. We cannot make a move against the order. They are too powerful, and it would decimate the little support we have left," she replied, and the idea was shot down.
He didn't know what was so special about these Guardian Twelve, and it was often believed that a master Samurai could take on a chunin while two could take on a jounin. It was a crude comparison given their vastly different fighting styles, but still one that had been used as a reference for decades now.
"Then what? We cannot move forward, for they won't let us enter the capital, and the longer we stay here, the lower the support for our cause becomes. We need to act, and we need to do it now!" he gritted out.
"You are right, my son, but our options are limited. We must act cautiously. We have already lost the momentum. We must act responsibly," she added as she stood up and began to walk to the tent.
"We still outnumber him. His forces, while high on morale from their victory, will be tired," she began as she turned to face him.
And he finished her sentence.
"So, you believe we must strike at him rather than the capital," he questioned, and she nodded.
"Yes, apart from him no other claimant remains, he is the biggest thorn in our side. We cannot hope to take the capital as it is, and waiting for the funeral proceedings to conclude would only diminish our support and give him time to recover," she added, and it was sound advice.
"Then so be it. I will have the men make preparations. We shall attack that little peasant directly."
0000
KATSUGAWA MIYUKI
"The battle is over!" the words from Nakiri-san surprised her as she woke up early in the morning. After the tiresome day yesterday, she found herself asleep in Nakiri-san's arms and woke up in a daze, realizing that Akihito was attacking the Hayama lands.
"But how?" she questioned with a frown, as anxiety bubbled inside her, yet Nakiri-san's smile gave her a semblance of hope.
"Lord Hayama has been found guilty of treason, and so his lands and castles have been seized by the Temple until a new daimyo sits on the throne," she replied as Miyuki tried to make sense of her words.
Treason.In such a scenario, the Temple was forced to step in and make it so that it could only be.
"Shinobi?" she guessed, and Nakiri-san nodded.
"Indeed, you guess right. The man was colluding with shinobi, something that constitutes the level of treason in these times," she confirmed, and that was alarming.
"Is Akihito-sama fine?" she questioned, and Nakiri-san nodded.
"He is and rides back home with the men," she added as relief flooded her.
"This is a big win for us," added Nakiri-san, and she nodded as well, as elation filled her.
"It is," she agreed.
"Lord Hayama was the Third Prince's biggest backer; his connections, his men, and his gold were as much the Tatsuya's as they were his. With that gone, and Lord Hayama guilty of treason, the lords will have no choice but to support Akihito," she reasoned, but no affirmation came from Nakiri-san, as the older woman smiled ruefully.
"I believe it will not be as simple," she said as she helped her into her formal kimono as the servants braided her hair for today was a somewhat special occasion, and she needed to look regal and do her duty as the lady wife of Akihito Shirahoshi.
"Why do you say that?" She questioned.
The lords were mostly opportunistic men, driven by ambition. They must see that the Third Prince's cause has lost its heat and hence would turn away from him. She knew they had little love for herself or Akihito and that most of their actions would be driven by self-preservation and ambition rather than any sense of righteousness.
"I don't believe that the lords will be rather eager to support Akihito sama's bid for the throne," added Nakiri-san as Miyuki looked herself over in the mirror and found herself the perfect image of a noble wife.
"Why?" she questioned as Lady Nakiri's lips thinned.
"For while popular and known as a visionary, many a lord still consider Akihito-sama as an outsider, an upjumped peasant," and she could tell that Nakiri-sama was hurt by that sentiment by the way her fists balled up.
Yet, it also made sense. It was something she had overlooked. Most of the noble families had been elevated decades before their ascension. Akihito-sama's family, on the other hand, had only been elevated a generation before.
"Add to that the fact that Akihito-sama isn't a more traditional lord. They look down on him and would not wish to see him on the throne," Nakiri-san finished, and Miyuki nodded as she made sense of her words.
"Well, for their sake, I hope they come to terms with it sooner rather than later," she said, finishing her belief in her lord husband, and Nakiri-san smiled.
"Indeed, they should," and with that.
"Indeed, they should," and with that, the doors to the room opened as a servant entered and conveyed the message.
"My lady, they are here," she nodded. She looked over herself one last time in the mirror before mouthing to Lady Nakiri.
"Let's go."
.
.
Then she found herself outside the castle gates surrounded by guards on both sides, with Lady Nakiri behind her as Gin-san knelt down on one knee and greeted her ceremoniously.
"May I present Lady Himiko Chiba?" With that, the gates to the carriage opened as the Lady who was set to be Akihito-sama's second wife walked out of the carriage. Her height was greater than hers, and the lady in question was older as well.
Her hair was tied in an elaborate braid, and she had a small smile on her face as she glanced up at her. She couldn't help but notice how her lips seemed to turn up.
"I greet the moon of the and my empress, lady Miyuki. Please accept my humble greetings," she began with a bow, the words surprising her. She had expected a taunt, defiance, yet she seemed rather docile at first glance and had seemed to defer to her as one of higher status. Yet she didn't let the surprise show as she nodded.
"I welcome into these Halls, lady Chiba," she said as the older girl raised her head and smiled radiantly.
"You are truly gracious, my lady."
0000
Rin Nohara had thought her life ended when she had found herself captured by the Kiri forces. Yet in the end, her fears had been proven wrong, for she had found herself out of one group of Kiri nin into the hands of another.
Though her treatment had been different. She was still a prisoner yet was now afforded much freedom and had been assured of safety. And so she had found herself a guest in this massive castle in Water Country. She was not allowed to leave yet was afforded everything else.
And it was all because of this person, the lord of the castle who now sat opposite to her for the first time.
"Who are you? And why are you so interested in me?" she questioned and saw the young noble Prince smirk. His face was regal and sharp. He seemed only a bit older than herself, and his black hair flowed nicely behind him as he sipped his tea.
"I am Fushio Suzuki, the daimyo of the Water Country," he remarked, and the words stilled her. She had just insulted a daimyo, that was not good.
"And my interest in your well being is because I have been entrusted with it by someone I hold in high respect," he replied his words coming as a surprise to her.
"Who?" she asked.
"My brother-in-law."
"And who might that be?" she questioned with a frown as alarm bells rang inside her head.
"The fire daimyo..." he began with a smile as the severity of her situation began to dawn on her.
"...Akihito Shirahoshi."
And the only thing that went through her head was.
'What have you gotten yourself involved in Rin?'
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. Your support helps me write these stories. So, if possible, have a look and consider supporting me by becoming a Patron. It would be pretty awesome of you.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have a fun day!
TFTC
What a fortunate turn of events for Rin! 
Though now Akihito is in a rather dangerous situation with the 3rd Prince leading all of his troops to attack directly. Hopefully his 'master' samurai aren't as skilled...
Though now Akihito is in a rather dangerous situation with the 3rd Prince leading all of his troops to attack directly. Hopefully his 'master' samurai aren't as skilled...
Chapter 31-No Rest for the Wicked!
Chapter 31
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
Akihito Shirahoshi rode back with his men towards the capital of his fief. The quick victory was a double-edged sword for him and his men, though he personally would lean more towards the blessed part.
They had come out relatively unscathed out of the battle, his men suffering little to no loss in the small skirmish that had taken place before the Fire Temple had stepped in. So, his men, while unscathed, remained unbloodied and untested, a small worry given the odds he faced.
They had the momentum now, yet he didn't wish to squash it by making a mistake. He had already received word that the capital had been sealed by the Guardian Twelve and the Fire Temple, denying the Third Prince and his men entry into the city, thwarting their plans of occupying the capital.
This gave the third Prince two choices: to remain put and lay siege to the capital and wait for the funeral proceedings to end before launching an attack and taking over the capital, or to turn back and attack him, for he remained his only true contender.
"What do you think he will do?" he questioned Shinohara-san; the older man rode by his side as they traversed through the forest; their riding speed had been slowed down so as to allow the men some rest after the sheer bustle that had been the last few days.
"It is tough to say," began the old man as they rode at the head of his army.
"Both choices carry a sense of risk. Waiting for funeral to end would leave him open to an ambush, and as more time passes many a lord could attempt to pull out their support after the whole mess with his grandfather. On the other hand, you have just won a great victory, and attacking you would mean battling you on your terms and land, a feat which his advisors would surely caution him against," Shinohara san's reasoning was sound as the older man turned to face him.
"What would you prefer he do, Akihito-sama?" and that was an interesting question.
"I would prefer he have a change of heart and decide to become a monk at a monastery," he said with a smile as they both chuckled at his answer.
"That would end the war rather quickly," the older samurai added, shrugging as he sighed.
"That it would," but his mind raced to the earlier question as he thought of what he wished the Prince would do. Truthfully, there wasn't much difference between the two scenarios.
"It wouldn't make that much of a difference in either case, though I would prefer it if he were to face me in my own lands, that way I could at least hope to dictate portions of the whole affair," he replied after some thought and the older man nodded.
"Then let us hope it be as you wish," and with that they continued to ride, until a missive reached them halfway into their journey, a letter had arrived for him from his own castle.
He would open it and skim through it. It was from Miyuki, and contained the usual greetings on his victory followed by a wish to see him in earnest, it was all good until he reached the last portion of the letter.
And he felt himself groan internally at the words.
His discomfort must have shown as Lord Shinohara cut in from the side.
"I don't believe that groaning is an appropriate reaction on receiving a letter from your dear lady wife, Akihito-sama," he added smirking at him and Akihito shook his head.
"It is not my lady wife that has me groaning," he replied as Shinohara-san's eyes narrowed.
"Ohh, them who have you troubled, young Prince," he questioned.
"My new wife-to-be, I am afraid," he replied, his voice a whisper, and had it been anyone else apart from him, except Nakiri-san, he would not have answered the same. Yet these two people had raised him and were like family to him.
"Ohh, lady Chiba, I recall hearing good things about her. She was rather famous as a maiko, wasn't she?" the older samurai questioned, and he nodded.
"Ohh, famous she was, yet few know the true reality of her fame," he mentioned as he pulled on the reins.
"Let us increase our pace a bit; we could make it to the castle by nightfall if we hurry," he shouted back, and the order was relayed to the man at the back.
"And what reality is that?" the question from Shinohara-san was drowned out by the sound of horse hooves drumming over the forest, yet not to his ears as he answered into the ear.
'That unlike himself, the whispers around her have a nugget of truth to them.'
0000
IEYATSU GIN
It was good to be back home, for the castle was just that to him. Home.
And he found himself sitting in his room as he was accosted by the only family he knew. Nakiri-san was much older than him and was like a sister to him, with both of them being the hands and feet of their young lord, doing his bidding.
"So, how is she?" she questioned, and there was little need to elaborate on who she was referring to.
She was, of course, asking about the Lady Chiba, Lady Himiko Chiba, their lord's wife-to-be. She was currently having a meal with Lady Miyuki, and giving the Princess her respect for she was of the higher status of the two.
Truth was that Ieyatsu didn't know what to make of the former maiko. The lady Chiba gave him an ominous feeling, the way dark clouds would give one before the storm came calling. And he had felt the sensation familiar and only now realized that being in her presence was similar to how he had felt the first time he had met Lord Akihito, with that gaze looking at him, more like looking through him as if all his secrets laid bare.
"I don't know," he answered before he recalled something.
"Though shouldn't you know about her yourself? After all, she told me that she used to frequent the castle in her youth," he added, and Nakiri-san nodded at that.
"Indeed she did, though that was years ago before she was dubbed as the blessed maiko, and even then, she had been a child," she began as her gaze began to wonder.
"A peculiar child at that, much like our own young lord. She was the only one who seemed to be able to mingle with him," she began, and Ieyatsu could see what she meant.
"Well then believe time has only enhanced her peculiarity, let us hope that she proves to be a blessing for our young lord, I would hate for this to turn into something ugly," he remarked as he sipped the warm tea, letting it soothe him as he closed his eyes.
"You should rest, I will go and see how's the meeting between Princess and Lady Chiba," and with that she was gone, leaving alone.
He would shut his eyes and lean back, resting until suddenly his rest would be disturbed by a loud banging at the door.
"Who is it?" he snarled in rage at being disturbed.
"Lord Gin, I bring troubling news," a servant called out from behind the door, and the words flung the sleep out of him as he jerked up, picked up his blade, and rushed towards the door.
Swinging it open, he found a servant standing outside nervously.
"What happened?" he questioned, for these were times of war, and he had to be prepared for the worst.
"My lord, the army from the capital," he began as his heart sank.
"It marches towards us."
0000
HIRUZEN SARUTOBI
Being a Hokage was a heavy burden. Few understood that. The weight of the hat he wore was gruesome, for once you donned it, it meant that you must place the village first in all matters going forward, beyond even family and comrades.
He had not felt the burden weigh heavier on him more than today as he sat in the Hokage office, having just dismissed his two older teammates. Both of whom had been livid at Danzo's arrest, and it had cut him deeply to make it clear to them that there was little he could do to help them in this regard.
The door to his office swung open once more as the person who was at the heart of this whole conspiracy walked in. He had always thought that of his three students Tsunade remained most oblivious to the affairs of the village, yet after what had happened in the last hours he might have to change his evaluation.
No greetings were exchanged as she walked in silently and sat down on the seat opposite to him as he sipped his pipe and scrutinized her face.
"You suspected this," he broke the silence. There was no accusation in his tone, no blame, for she held none. The actions that had started this mess were purely Danzo's own, and no one shared the blame apart from him.
"I did." She answered curtly, as he ahd expected.
"Yet you chose not to warn me," he said, a bit of anger and frustration leaking into his voice.
"I did warn you. You just chose to ignore it..." she remarked, and as he was about to return, she continued.
"...much like you did for everything else when it came to your precious little comrade," she said, and he frowned as he tried to recall their last conversation. Playing it back, he could see the signs, the indications, the hints—everything that he had chosen to ignore.
What had he done? He thought as he shook his head.
In the end, he sighed. It was all too late now.
"You said that this Lord Akihito would become the daimyo. How do you believe he would act given everything that has occurred?" he questioned, for the times were tough. They had just made peace; the ink on the treatise had yet to dry. Any spark or hint of cracks between the village and the populace apparatus could reignite the fires of war.
"Danzo attacked him and his wife. And though the attack was thwarted, the young lord believes this isn't the first time he has moved against him. Konoha has failed in its duties. He will be wroth with us, and he will demand answers," she replied as he looked him in the eye.
Thankfully, he was set to resign regardless; this just made it certain.
"But he will not a spectacle of it; he understands discretion and is not like the rest of the lords. He could be reasoned with and placated, things will not devolve into what happened Sunagakure," her answer alleviated his fears.
The nobility was often fickle and given to its own fancies. He had feared that this whole incident could spiral out of control, yet it seemed his fears were unfounded. Tsunade had a good measure of this rising lord, and he would trust her judgment now.
"Good, then..." but his words were cut off as the doors were swung open, and he was angry at first until his eyes landed on just who had walked in.
"I have heard interesting things about the happenings in the village," came in a boisterous voice, as his other student walked in, his hair white much like his own sensei, yet he wore red like the Shodaime, with a giant scroll at his back and a metal helmet with 'oil' written on.
Jiraiya was back.
0000
Back in the capital, a young man with black hair stood in the middle of the forest, yet it would be a mistake to call it as such, for at least the area around him. For little remained of the trees which once populated this area except empty stumps.
A katana and a shinai strapped to his side, as he stared at the poster of the young jito of Shinoi. A frown marred his face as he pinched it with a bit more force.
SWISH!
And the piece of paper was cut into a hundred pieces, as he began to walk away from the forest.
"So, he is the one who finally got you, you old bastard."
"Let us hope he proves worthy of my blade."
He was Kenshiro Ougi, a samurai who had lost only one battle in his life. One out of five hundred and sixty-three!
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me write this and other such stories. So become a Patron and support me, if you can. It would be pretty awesome of you.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
~I have a new DUNE fic on now as well. Check it out~
A/N: Samurai power level explanation. This is an apples-to-oranges comparison, but here is a simplified explanation.
A samurai has apprentices underneath him, and I have not covered them. But an apprentice can be like a weak genin (around the initial Sakura level)
A regular samurai is around a peak genin~maybe regular chunin
Special samurai, like MC, Watashi Masamune, and Shinohara, are unique. They are like Mifune and, hence, are difficult to classify. Each has his own skill set and power level but can be around chunin.
The biggest difference between samurai and ninjas is their code of conduct and their mobility techniques.
~Just began watching Shogun. That show seems pretty cool at first glance~
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
Akihito Shirahoshi rode back with his men towards the capital of his fief. The quick victory was a double-edged sword for him and his men, though he personally would lean more towards the blessed part.
They had come out relatively unscathed out of the battle, his men suffering little to no loss in the small skirmish that had taken place before the Fire Temple had stepped in. So, his men, while unscathed, remained unbloodied and untested, a small worry given the odds he faced.
They had the momentum now, yet he didn't wish to squash it by making a mistake. He had already received word that the capital had been sealed by the Guardian Twelve and the Fire Temple, denying the Third Prince and his men entry into the city, thwarting their plans of occupying the capital.
This gave the third Prince two choices: to remain put and lay siege to the capital and wait for the funeral proceedings to end before launching an attack and taking over the capital, or to turn back and attack him, for he remained his only true contender.
"What do you think he will do?" he questioned Shinohara-san; the older man rode by his side as they traversed through the forest; their riding speed had been slowed down so as to allow the men some rest after the sheer bustle that had been the last few days.
"It is tough to say," began the old man as they rode at the head of his army.
"Both choices carry a sense of risk. Waiting for funeral to end would leave him open to an ambush, and as more time passes many a lord could attempt to pull out their support after the whole mess with his grandfather. On the other hand, you have just won a great victory, and attacking you would mean battling you on your terms and land, a feat which his advisors would surely caution him against," Shinohara san's reasoning was sound as the older man turned to face him.
"What would you prefer he do, Akihito-sama?" and that was an interesting question.
"I would prefer he have a change of heart and decide to become a monk at a monastery," he said with a smile as they both chuckled at his answer.
"That would end the war rather quickly," the older samurai added, shrugging as he sighed.
"That it would," but his mind raced to the earlier question as he thought of what he wished the Prince would do. Truthfully, there wasn't much difference between the two scenarios.
"It wouldn't make that much of a difference in either case, though I would prefer it if he were to face me in my own lands, that way I could at least hope to dictate portions of the whole affair," he replied after some thought and the older man nodded.
"Then let us hope it be as you wish," and with that they continued to ride, until a missive reached them halfway into their journey, a letter had arrived for him from his own castle.
He would open it and skim through it. It was from Miyuki, and contained the usual greetings on his victory followed by a wish to see him in earnest, it was all good until he reached the last portion of the letter.
And he felt himself groan internally at the words.
His discomfort must have shown as Lord Shinohara cut in from the side.
"I don't believe that groaning is an appropriate reaction on receiving a letter from your dear lady wife, Akihito-sama," he added smirking at him and Akihito shook his head.
"It is not my lady wife that has me groaning," he replied as Shinohara-san's eyes narrowed.
"Ohh, them who have you troubled, young Prince," he questioned.
"My new wife-to-be, I am afraid," he replied, his voice a whisper, and had it been anyone else apart from him, except Nakiri-san, he would not have answered the same. Yet these two people had raised him and were like family to him.
"Ohh, lady Chiba, I recall hearing good things about her. She was rather famous as a maiko, wasn't she?" the older samurai questioned, and he nodded.
"Ohh, famous she was, yet few know the true reality of her fame," he mentioned as he pulled on the reins.
"Let us increase our pace a bit; we could make it to the castle by nightfall if we hurry," he shouted back, and the order was relayed to the man at the back.
"And what reality is that?" the question from Shinohara-san was drowned out by the sound of horse hooves drumming over the forest, yet not to his ears as he answered into the ear.
'That unlike himself, the whispers around her have a nugget of truth to them.'
0000
IEYATSU GIN
It was good to be back home, for the castle was just that to him. Home.
And he found himself sitting in his room as he was accosted by the only family he knew. Nakiri-san was much older than him and was like a sister to him, with both of them being the hands and feet of their young lord, doing his bidding.
"So, how is she?" she questioned, and there was little need to elaborate on who she was referring to.
She was, of course, asking about the Lady Chiba, Lady Himiko Chiba, their lord's wife-to-be. She was currently having a meal with Lady Miyuki, and giving the Princess her respect for she was of the higher status of the two.
Truth was that Ieyatsu didn't know what to make of the former maiko. The lady Chiba gave him an ominous feeling, the way dark clouds would give one before the storm came calling. And he had felt the sensation familiar and only now realized that being in her presence was similar to how he had felt the first time he had met Lord Akihito, with that gaze looking at him, more like looking through him as if all his secrets laid bare.
"I don't know," he answered before he recalled something.
"Though shouldn't you know about her yourself? After all, she told me that she used to frequent the castle in her youth," he added, and Nakiri-san nodded at that.
"Indeed she did, though that was years ago before she was dubbed as the blessed maiko, and even then, she had been a child," she began as her gaze began to wonder.
"A peculiar child at that, much like our own young lord. She was the only one who seemed to be able to mingle with him," she began, and Ieyatsu could see what she meant.
"Well then believe time has only enhanced her peculiarity, let us hope that she proves to be a blessing for our young lord, I would hate for this to turn into something ugly," he remarked as he sipped the warm tea, letting it soothe him as he closed his eyes.
"You should rest, I will go and see how's the meeting between Princess and Lady Chiba," and with that she was gone, leaving alone.
He would shut his eyes and lean back, resting until suddenly his rest would be disturbed by a loud banging at the door.
"Who is it?" he snarled in rage at being disturbed.
"Lord Gin, I bring troubling news," a servant called out from behind the door, and the words flung the sleep out of him as he jerked up, picked up his blade, and rushed towards the door.
Swinging it open, he found a servant standing outside nervously.
"What happened?" he questioned, for these were times of war, and he had to be prepared for the worst.
"My lord, the army from the capital," he began as his heart sank.
"It marches towards us."
0000
HIRUZEN SARUTOBI
Being a Hokage was a heavy burden. Few understood that. The weight of the hat he wore was gruesome, for once you donned it, it meant that you must place the village first in all matters going forward, beyond even family and comrades.
He had not felt the burden weigh heavier on him more than today as he sat in the Hokage office, having just dismissed his two older teammates. Both of whom had been livid at Danzo's arrest, and it had cut him deeply to make it clear to them that there was little he could do to help them in this regard.
The door to his office swung open once more as the person who was at the heart of this whole conspiracy walked in. He had always thought that of his three students Tsunade remained most oblivious to the affairs of the village, yet after what had happened in the last hours he might have to change his evaluation.
No greetings were exchanged as she walked in silently and sat down on the seat opposite to him as he sipped his pipe and scrutinized her face.
"You suspected this," he broke the silence. There was no accusation in his tone, no blame, for she held none. The actions that had started this mess were purely Danzo's own, and no one shared the blame apart from him.
"I did." She answered curtly, as he ahd expected.
"Yet you chose not to warn me," he said, a bit of anger and frustration leaking into his voice.
"I did warn you. You just chose to ignore it..." she remarked, and as he was about to return, she continued.
"...much like you did for everything else when it came to your precious little comrade," she said, and he frowned as he tried to recall their last conversation. Playing it back, he could see the signs, the indications, the hints—everything that he had chosen to ignore.
What had he done? He thought as he shook his head.
In the end, he sighed. It was all too late now.
"You said that this Lord Akihito would become the daimyo. How do you believe he would act given everything that has occurred?" he questioned, for the times were tough. They had just made peace; the ink on the treatise had yet to dry. Any spark or hint of cracks between the village and the populace apparatus could reignite the fires of war.
"Danzo attacked him and his wife. And though the attack was thwarted, the young lord believes this isn't the first time he has moved against him. Konoha has failed in its duties. He will be wroth with us, and he will demand answers," she replied as he looked him in the eye.
Thankfully, he was set to resign regardless; this just made it certain.
"But he will not a spectacle of it; he understands discretion and is not like the rest of the lords. He could be reasoned with and placated, things will not devolve into what happened Sunagakure," her answer alleviated his fears.
The nobility was often fickle and given to its own fancies. He had feared that this whole incident could spiral out of control, yet it seemed his fears were unfounded. Tsunade had a good measure of this rising lord, and he would trust her judgment now.
"Good, then..." but his words were cut off as the doors were swung open, and he was angry at first until his eyes landed on just who had walked in.
"I have heard interesting things about the happenings in the village," came in a boisterous voice, as his other student walked in, his hair white much like his own sensei, yet he wore red like the Shodaime, with a giant scroll at his back and a metal helmet with 'oil' written on.
Jiraiya was back.
0000
Back in the capital, a young man with black hair stood in the middle of the forest, yet it would be a mistake to call it as such, for at least the area around him. For little remained of the trees which once populated this area except empty stumps.
A katana and a shinai strapped to his side, as he stared at the poster of the young jito of Shinoi. A frown marred his face as he pinched it with a bit more force.
SWISH!
And the piece of paper was cut into a hundred pieces, as he began to walk away from the forest.
"So, he is the one who finally got you, you old bastard."
"Let us hope he proves worthy of my blade."
He was Kenshiro Ougi, a samurai who had lost only one battle in his life. One out of five hundred and sixty-three!
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me write this and other such stories. So become a Patron and support me, if you can. It would be pretty awesome of you.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
~I have a new DUNE fic on now as well. Check it out~
A/N: Samurai power level explanation. This is an apples-to-oranges comparison, but here is a simplified explanation.
A samurai has apprentices underneath him, and I have not covered them. But an apprentice can be like a weak genin (around the initial Sakura level)
A regular samurai is around a peak genin~maybe regular chunin
Special samurai, like MC, Watashi Masamune, and Shinohara, are unique. They are like Mifune and, hence, are difficult to classify. Each has his own skill set and power level but can be around chunin.
The biggest difference between samurai and ninjas is their code of conduct and their mobility techniques.
~Just began watching Shogun. That show seems pretty cool at first glance~
TFTC
Looks like MC is about to get a new ally! That should be a big help I'm facing the upcoming battles.
That should be a big help I'm facing the upcoming battles.
Chapter 32-An Oracle's Dreams!
Chapter 32
KATSUGAWA MIYUKI
The Princess of the Fire nation sat opposite to her lord husband's concubine to be, a tumultuous set of emotions beset her. Lady Himiko Chiba was beautiful. The years she had beyond her had allowed her to blossom beautifully from a girl to a proper woman.
Yet Miyuki herself was a beauty in her own right, and that part of her didn't truly trouble her. No, what troubled her were the rumours and the words she had heard about the infamous Oracle. Miyuki may have been too preoccupied in her grief as a princess to care for rumours much, but even she was not oblivious to the whispers spoken about the infamous Oracle Priestess.
Said to be blessed by the Shinto Gods, Himiko Chiba was an anomaly in the world of nobility, occupying a somewhat mythical figure in many religious circles for her prowess.
"You must have my condolences on the death of your father. Hirayoshi-sama was a true noble who had brought much prosperity to these lands. May the Gods grant you patience and the lands a ruler as noble as him," she offered, sounding as she should. There was no hint of malice or fabricated sorrow in her tone as she finished her words.
The remainder of her father's death was a sorrow but one she must come to terms with quickly, given her station.
"Thank you for your kind thoughts, Lady Chiba," she said as she gave the woman a bow. And then there was silence again, despite her attempts, there was not much to talk about, until Lady Chiba shifted slightly as she began with a gentle smile.
"I must say I was rather surprised when word reached of Akihito-sama accepting my father's proposal for a match," she began, and Miyuki frowned; she was missing something there.
"I cannot see why you would be surprised, my lady. Lord Chiba is an esteemed lord, and you, a noble lady, and my lord husband were honoured by the matc..."
"But he wasn't the one who accepted it," suddenly she cut in, the words catching her off guard. They were dangerous words, words that could bring dishonor to Akihito-sama. So, she steeled herself as she narrowed her eyes.
"Himiko-sama, that is a prepostero..."
"There is no need to lie. After all, you must know of my other name, Princess," Lady Chiba said. She was not sure what she had just gotten herself and Akihito involved in.
"Me and Akihito go quite a way back, and I had always known that he would end up marrying you, Princess," she continued, her words making her still as she felt the world around her halt.
'She knew'
How? She knew of her status as the oracle, as the blessed miko. She had predicted storms and wars and other calamities, yet this was unexpected. Marriage.
"Your fates were intertwined, his and yours. I had seen it. Just as it is in his fate to ascend to your father's throne," Lady Chiba continued, unaware or uncaring of the effect her words would have on her.
"How can you say that? That is..."
"My Miracle," she cut in once more as she pointed her eyes, which were glowing ominously.
"You!" she gasped out as she was lost for words.
"I can see it. A person's fate. Not everyone's, but for those whom the gods wish to tell me. It sometimes comes as dreams, visions, sometimes even a simple sensation of wrongness..."
"What are you talking about?" she questioned.
"I am saying that life is often too boorish. Fate is a fickle thing. And I had thought none had the power to change it, that was until I met him," cut in Lady Chiba as she smiled, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
And somehow, it all began to click together.
"And how the gods loathed him, detested him," she continued, her words snarling in absurd fascination as she talked about Akihtio-sama. She was dangerous, she could tell that much, Himiko Chiba was not a normal woman.
Yet she must be strong. Stronger.
"I warn you, Lady Chiba!" she cut in, surprising herself and the older girl as she looked her in the eye.
"If you even dare to think of harming Akihito-sama, I will make sure that you suffer a fate so unspeakable that even the Gods would shiver at it." She warned him, the words slipping out of her mouth as Lady Chiba looked at her with wide eyes.
"Harm him?" she questioned in a somewhat puzzled tone before she raised her hand and began to shake her head.
"I believe you are mistaken, Princess," Lady Chiba said seriously.
"I do not wish to harm him. I wouldn't dare," she answered quickly, and there was a sense of inhumanness in her tone as her eyes glinted as she continued.
"I merely wish for him is to grasp his full potential, accomplish what none have managed to do so in a hundred years," she uttered, and a frown appeared on her face and she continued grandly.
"To do what none before him have managed to do, to become the Sh...."
But her words were cut off as the doors to the room slid open, cutting them off, and her eyes snapped up to see just who had done such disrespect, only to halt as she recognized the face standing there.
"I hope I am not intruding," he said with a smile as he looked towards her, and she gasped out.
"Akihito-sama!"
0000
KATSUGAWA TATSUYA-The Third Prince
With their decision made, the Third Prince, Katsugawa Tatsuya, found himself with his advisors as they planned their assault on the Akihito Shirahoshi.
Yakumo and Kante, two of his retainers and the men who had assembled the whole force, sat by his side along with the man he would call the crown jewel of his army.
Kenshiro Ougi is a samurai who is young and able yet equally unpredictable. The young prodigy was said to have killed a jounin single-handedly during his training. He was a prodigy with the blade often said to be the heir to the throne once occupied by Watashi Masamune.
Yet he was unruly and disrespectful, and even now, in his presence, the fool had the gall to sleep as he sat there with no decorum. Yet he would have bitten his tongue. For some time, he consoled himself.
'Only for some time, then he will learn. They will all learn.'
"We have written time and time again to Lord Hattori and Saegusa, yet they have not responded to any of our letters requesting aid," Yakumo began from the side, his face even as he wore a golden kimono with a minister's hat atop his head.
"At this time, I am afraid we can expect little to no aid from them," he finished, and Tatsuya snarled.
"Those bastards!" he snarled angrily. These same lords would skimmer to his side previously, but now, with the support of his grandfather gone, they had backed away. Opportunistic bastards.
"Yet thankfully, apart from these two, most of our other supporters have not backed away despite our fears. Many lords flock towards Akihito Shirahoshi's side as well, yet most of them are newly minted lords with barely a generation in them. They have lesser men to offer, and even now, we have yet to learn of any new alliance being made by him apart from Lord Chiba," Kante added, and that relief was enough, he supposed.
"How do our armies compare," he questioned as Kante moved forward and unfurled a map of the whole province.
"Lord Shirahoshi has lands with little natural protection. They are mostly plains and straights, and while our numbers of regular footmen are comparable, when it comes to apprentices and samurai, we have superior numbers," Kante said as he placed a few wooden figures around the village they were currently residing in.
"My grandfather had a similar advantage, yet he lost nonetheless. I will not share a similar fate," he barked out.
"You will not!" a rather snoozy voice cut in from the other side of the room as he looked up and found Kenshiro Ougi yawning as he wiped his eyes.
"At least as long as you ignore what these two idiots have to say," he continued as she pointed toward Kante and Yakumo.
"You!" Yakumo spluttered, but he raised his hand, stopping him.
"And what would you say then, Ougi-san? What should we do? How should we attack Akihito-sama?" he questioned, and the prodigy killer looked him in the eye.
"Say what you will, but that young lord has a mind greater than you and thus lot combined; if you turn this into a battle of wits, you will lose," he continued, insulting him and his retainers as if it was nothing.
Yet perhaps for a man like him, it truly was. The man began to tie back his unruly hair as he continued.
"How many samurai do you have?" he questioned.
"Thirteen," came the answer from Kante.
"And how many does he have, including himself?" he questioned.
"Six, maybe seven," and with that, he yawned once more.
"So, you do the simple thing. You do not try to be clever or make elaborate plans. You use what you have. You fight using the advantage you have."
He continued as he finished tying off his thick black hair.
"You smash into him. Together, all thirteen of your men against all seven of his. You take the brains out of the equation and let brawn do the talking,"
"That is idiotic, prepos..." Yakumo tried, but he stopped him.
"And how can I be certain that this will work?" he questioned.
"Oh, it will. After all, it is I, Kenshiro Ougi, making that claim," the man lightly tapped the table, and with that, he felt the air in the room shift. The hair on his skin pricked up, and then the table separating them was suddenly cleaved right in the middle.
THUNK!
"I will be going now," and with that, the man stood up and left, yawning still, leaving him and his retainers sweating.
0000
RIN NOHARA
Rin Nohara tried to come to terms with the words she ahd just heard as she gaped at the noble sitting infront of her.
"You are a brother of the fire daimyo? The current one? Lord Katsugawa?" she questioned once more, recalling the face of the old noble leader of the land of fire.
"Ah, I should have been more clear. I was entrusted with your safety by the next fire daimyo. I am the son of Lord Katsugawa who passed recently," and then it became clear, yet she frowned.
"But you said you were the water daimyo," she questioned again.
"Indeed, I am, or more importantly, I will be, just as Lord Akihito Shirahoshi will be the fire daimyo," he added, and she was not aware of the politics much and failed to recognize the names.
Perhaps seeing her confusion.
"My mother was the daughter of the last water daimyo, and hence, I held a claim to the position of the water daimyo. A claim which i have chosen to pursue to bring peace back to my mother's homeland," he elaborated and it made somethings clear.
"Yet you must also hold a claim as fire daimyo?" she questioned. He nodded as he sipped his tea, motioning for her to take a sip as well.
"Indeed, yet I chose to give it up for Akihito, my brother in all but blood. And please, do have a taste, I can assure it is not poisoned," as a shinobi she was cautious enough but given her treatment over the past days and everything she was hearing, she was involved in matters far greater than she had any right to understand.
She sipped the tea, and it was better than anything she had ever had. It was even better than the blend her sensei would often make for them.
"Am I your prisoner?" she decided to ask straight away, and the air in the room shifted at her words as the Prince's eyes narrowed.
"No, you are not. You are a guest, an honored guest. You are as free in these halls as me," he answered, and the meaning of the last sentence was not lost to her.
"Yet not beyond these halls," she pointed out, and he nodded with a smile.
"I am afraid so. The situation in the village and the land is tumultuous at the moment. The country is rife with battle and conflict, and given your status and origins, if you were to step out of this Hall, you would find yourself in much danger. As soon as the conflict ends, you shall be handed back to Konoha after peace negotiations, but until then, I must insist that you remain here under my protection," he answered, and his words seemed genuine enough.
"Status? What status? I am a simple chunin?" she retorted, and the man's lips turned up as he answered.
"You undervalue yourself. After all, no student of the infamous Yellow Flash is just a simple chunin."
0000
Read ahead and support me on Patreon. Help me write this and other such stories, by becoming a Patron. It would help me out quite a bit and would be pretty awesome of you. 😉
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have a fun day!
KATSUGAWA MIYUKI
The Princess of the Fire nation sat opposite to her lord husband's concubine to be, a tumultuous set of emotions beset her. Lady Himiko Chiba was beautiful. The years she had beyond her had allowed her to blossom beautifully from a girl to a proper woman.
Yet Miyuki herself was a beauty in her own right, and that part of her didn't truly trouble her. No, what troubled her were the rumours and the words she had heard about the infamous Oracle. Miyuki may have been too preoccupied in her grief as a princess to care for rumours much, but even she was not oblivious to the whispers spoken about the infamous Oracle Priestess.
Said to be blessed by the Shinto Gods, Himiko Chiba was an anomaly in the world of nobility, occupying a somewhat mythical figure in many religious circles for her prowess.
"You must have my condolences on the death of your father. Hirayoshi-sama was a true noble who had brought much prosperity to these lands. May the Gods grant you patience and the lands a ruler as noble as him," she offered, sounding as she should. There was no hint of malice or fabricated sorrow in her tone as she finished her words.
The remainder of her father's death was a sorrow but one she must come to terms with quickly, given her station.
"Thank you for your kind thoughts, Lady Chiba," she said as she gave the woman a bow. And then there was silence again, despite her attempts, there was not much to talk about, until Lady Chiba shifted slightly as she began with a gentle smile.
"I must say I was rather surprised when word reached of Akihito-sama accepting my father's proposal for a match," she began, and Miyuki frowned; she was missing something there.
"I cannot see why you would be surprised, my lady. Lord Chiba is an esteemed lord, and you, a noble lady, and my lord husband were honoured by the matc..."
"But he wasn't the one who accepted it," suddenly she cut in, the words catching her off guard. They were dangerous words, words that could bring dishonor to Akihito-sama. So, she steeled herself as she narrowed her eyes.
"Himiko-sama, that is a prepostero..."
"There is no need to lie. After all, you must know of my other name, Princess," Lady Chiba said. She was not sure what she had just gotten herself and Akihito involved in.
"Me and Akihito go quite a way back, and I had always known that he would end up marrying you, Princess," she continued, her words making her still as she felt the world around her halt.
'She knew'
How? She knew of her status as the oracle, as the blessed miko. She had predicted storms and wars and other calamities, yet this was unexpected. Marriage.
"Your fates were intertwined, his and yours. I had seen it. Just as it is in his fate to ascend to your father's throne," Lady Chiba continued, unaware or uncaring of the effect her words would have on her.
"How can you say that? That is..."
"My Miracle," she cut in once more as she pointed her eyes, which were glowing ominously.
"You!" she gasped out as she was lost for words.
"I can see it. A person's fate. Not everyone's, but for those whom the gods wish to tell me. It sometimes comes as dreams, visions, sometimes even a simple sensation of wrongness..."
"What are you talking about?" she questioned.
"I am saying that life is often too boorish. Fate is a fickle thing. And I had thought none had the power to change it, that was until I met him," cut in Lady Chiba as she smiled, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
And somehow, it all began to click together.
"And how the gods loathed him, detested him," she continued, her words snarling in absurd fascination as she talked about Akihtio-sama. She was dangerous, she could tell that much, Himiko Chiba was not a normal woman.
Yet she must be strong. Stronger.
"I warn you, Lady Chiba!" she cut in, surprising herself and the older girl as she looked her in the eye.
"If you even dare to think of harming Akihito-sama, I will make sure that you suffer a fate so unspeakable that even the Gods would shiver at it." She warned him, the words slipping out of her mouth as Lady Chiba looked at her with wide eyes.
"Harm him?" she questioned in a somewhat puzzled tone before she raised her hand and began to shake her head.
"I believe you are mistaken, Princess," Lady Chiba said seriously.
"I do not wish to harm him. I wouldn't dare," she answered quickly, and there was a sense of inhumanness in her tone as her eyes glinted as she continued.
"I merely wish for him is to grasp his full potential, accomplish what none have managed to do so in a hundred years," she uttered, and a frown appeared on her face and she continued grandly.
"To do what none before him have managed to do, to become the Sh...."
But her words were cut off as the doors to the room slid open, cutting them off, and her eyes snapped up to see just who had done such disrespect, only to halt as she recognized the face standing there.
"I hope I am not intruding," he said with a smile as he looked towards her, and she gasped out.
"Akihito-sama!"
0000
KATSUGAWA TATSUYA-The Third Prince
With their decision made, the Third Prince, Katsugawa Tatsuya, found himself with his advisors as they planned their assault on the Akihito Shirahoshi.
Yakumo and Kante, two of his retainers and the men who had assembled the whole force, sat by his side along with the man he would call the crown jewel of his army.
Kenshiro Ougi is a samurai who is young and able yet equally unpredictable. The young prodigy was said to have killed a jounin single-handedly during his training. He was a prodigy with the blade often said to be the heir to the throne once occupied by Watashi Masamune.
Yet he was unruly and disrespectful, and even now, in his presence, the fool had the gall to sleep as he sat there with no decorum. Yet he would have bitten his tongue. For some time, he consoled himself.
'Only for some time, then he will learn. They will all learn.'
"We have written time and time again to Lord Hattori and Saegusa, yet they have not responded to any of our letters requesting aid," Yakumo began from the side, his face even as he wore a golden kimono with a minister's hat atop his head.
"At this time, I am afraid we can expect little to no aid from them," he finished, and Tatsuya snarled.
"Those bastards!" he snarled angrily. These same lords would skimmer to his side previously, but now, with the support of his grandfather gone, they had backed away. Opportunistic bastards.
"Yet thankfully, apart from these two, most of our other supporters have not backed away despite our fears. Many lords flock towards Akihito Shirahoshi's side as well, yet most of them are newly minted lords with barely a generation in them. They have lesser men to offer, and even now, we have yet to learn of any new alliance being made by him apart from Lord Chiba," Kante added, and that relief was enough, he supposed.
"How do our armies compare," he questioned as Kante moved forward and unfurled a map of the whole province.
"Lord Shirahoshi has lands with little natural protection. They are mostly plains and straights, and while our numbers of regular footmen are comparable, when it comes to apprentices and samurai, we have superior numbers," Kante said as he placed a few wooden figures around the village they were currently residing in.
"My grandfather had a similar advantage, yet he lost nonetheless. I will not share a similar fate," he barked out.
"You will not!" a rather snoozy voice cut in from the other side of the room as he looked up and found Kenshiro Ougi yawning as he wiped his eyes.
"At least as long as you ignore what these two idiots have to say," he continued as she pointed toward Kante and Yakumo.
"You!" Yakumo spluttered, but he raised his hand, stopping him.
"And what would you say then, Ougi-san? What should we do? How should we attack Akihito-sama?" he questioned, and the prodigy killer looked him in the eye.
"Say what you will, but that young lord has a mind greater than you and thus lot combined; if you turn this into a battle of wits, you will lose," he continued, insulting him and his retainers as if it was nothing.
Yet perhaps for a man like him, it truly was. The man began to tie back his unruly hair as he continued.
"How many samurai do you have?" he questioned.
"Thirteen," came the answer from Kante.
"And how many does he have, including himself?" he questioned.
"Six, maybe seven," and with that, he yawned once more.
"So, you do the simple thing. You do not try to be clever or make elaborate plans. You use what you have. You fight using the advantage you have."
He continued as he finished tying off his thick black hair.
"You smash into him. Together, all thirteen of your men against all seven of his. You take the brains out of the equation and let brawn do the talking,"
"That is idiotic, prepos..." Yakumo tried, but he stopped him.
"And how can I be certain that this will work?" he questioned.
"Oh, it will. After all, it is I, Kenshiro Ougi, making that claim," the man lightly tapped the table, and with that, he felt the air in the room shift. The hair on his skin pricked up, and then the table separating them was suddenly cleaved right in the middle.
THUNK!
"I will be going now," and with that, the man stood up and left, yawning still, leaving him and his retainers sweating.
0000
RIN NOHARA
Rin Nohara tried to come to terms with the words she ahd just heard as she gaped at the noble sitting infront of her.
"You are a brother of the fire daimyo? The current one? Lord Katsugawa?" she questioned once more, recalling the face of the old noble leader of the land of fire.
"Ah, I should have been more clear. I was entrusted with your safety by the next fire daimyo. I am the son of Lord Katsugawa who passed recently," and then it became clear, yet she frowned.
"But you said you were the water daimyo," she questioned again.
"Indeed, I am, or more importantly, I will be, just as Lord Akihito Shirahoshi will be the fire daimyo," he added, and she was not aware of the politics much and failed to recognize the names.
Perhaps seeing her confusion.
"My mother was the daughter of the last water daimyo, and hence, I held a claim to the position of the water daimyo. A claim which i have chosen to pursue to bring peace back to my mother's homeland," he elaborated and it made somethings clear.
"Yet you must also hold a claim as fire daimyo?" she questioned. He nodded as he sipped his tea, motioning for her to take a sip as well.
"Indeed, yet I chose to give it up for Akihito, my brother in all but blood. And please, do have a taste, I can assure it is not poisoned," as a shinobi she was cautious enough but given her treatment over the past days and everything she was hearing, she was involved in matters far greater than she had any right to understand.
She sipped the tea, and it was better than anything she had ever had. It was even better than the blend her sensei would often make for them.
"Am I your prisoner?" she decided to ask straight away, and the air in the room shifted at her words as the Prince's eyes narrowed.
"No, you are not. You are a guest, an honored guest. You are as free in these halls as me," he answered, and the meaning of the last sentence was not lost to her.
"Yet not beyond these halls," she pointed out, and he nodded with a smile.
"I am afraid so. The situation in the village and the land is tumultuous at the moment. The country is rife with battle and conflict, and given your status and origins, if you were to step out of this Hall, you would find yourself in much danger. As soon as the conflict ends, you shall be handed back to Konoha after peace negotiations, but until then, I must insist that you remain here under my protection," he answered, and his words seemed genuine enough.
"Status? What status? I am a simple chunin?" she retorted, and the man's lips turned up as he answered.
"You undervalue yourself. After all, no student of the infamous Yellow Flash is just a simple chunin."
0000
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Have a fun day!
Well darn. Looks like someone has a brain. I'm curious how the confrontation of 'brawn' will go.
Chapter 33-Greatness?
Chapter 33
TSUNADE SENJU
Tsunade found herself sitting beside her old teammate, who continuously seemed to be looking up and down at her like a gaping fool, his gaze ticking her off until she finally found her patience end.
"Speak, or I shall leave," she said, and as he opened his mouth, she added threateningly.
"And if it is anything inappropriate, I will bash your head in," she warned him and saw him halt as he raised his hands placatingly.
"Maa, maa hime, shouldn't you be a bit more happy at what you have managed to pull off?" he said. She sighed and began to stand up, before he finally ended his ruse and got serious.
"Okay, okay. It has been months since we last saw each other. What's the hurry? After all, we do have much to discuss," he said, and she took a deep breath as she settled back into the seat.
They sat in a private booth secured by seals in one of the Akimichi establishments, where no one else could hear them talk.
"I had always thought you were bad at politics and plots, but I must say your recent actions have me reevaluating my assessment," he began, taking a sealed bottle from his pocket and placing it on the table.
It was sake from the land of honey.
"Out maneuvering and getting rid of Danzo himself in the way you did, I would never have thought you capable of such a thing," he said, and she shook her head.
"I did nothing. The man's downfall is because of his own actions," she answered, for that was the truth.
And Jiraiya smiled at her words.
"Deny it as you may, but you did have a part to play in it, and so did that young lord of yours, Akihito Shirahoshi," and her eyes narrowed as he named Akihito. For most shinobi except the older ones involved in treatises and negotiations, names of nobility were of no concern.
Yet Jiraiya's knowledge of him by name and her connection to him spoke of his looking into her.
"An interesting fellow, that one, one whom I fail to wrap my head around," he admitted as he poured himself some sake into a cup and gulped it down as he offered her the second one.
"Tell me about him," he asked her, and that was interesting.
"What's there to tell? I am afraid you must know all about him by now," she replied as he took the cup and drowned it down. The sweet sake warmed her insides as she savoured the unique taste only found in sake from the Land of Honey, and interestingly, this was the same treat that Akihito would procure for her.
'Had Jiraiya brought this because he was aware of that, or was it all just a coincidence?'
"Yet he is not just a normal noble now, is he?" he questioned again as she poured them both another cup.
"Friendship of a sanin, servitude of two pure-blooded Uzumaki, possessing a sword designed on one of Kirigakure's treasures that he stumbled upon, and the list goes on and on," he began as he lightly twirled the sake. His eyes narrowed onto her as he continued.
"Now, I wouldn't call it all normal, now would I?" he questioned, and she shrugged.
"The boy has unsettled nearly all of the nobles on the continent. They shake in fear of his name, fear what he could become," he answered. Tsunade frowned as she drowned the second cup and questioned as she wiped away her lips with her sleeve.
"And what is that he could become apart from the Fire daimyo?" she questioned.
"A Shogun!"
0000
HIMIKO CHIBA
Life had been boring for her since she was born. It would be for anyone if they could see the lives of everyone around them, their futures, their pasts, and all in between.
To her, the world had little secrets. Her eyes saw much more than anyone else. A curse she would call it, for it had taken from her the little joy of the unknown, the fear of the future, and the rarity of the present.
That was until she met him. A boy, much like her own, with eyes that saw perhaps just as much as her or not more. Yet they eroded her visions, broke them, unraveled them, and filled the world with wonder once more.
The fates detested him. His sheer presence broke their wove threads, palpable apprehension, yet they were powerless to do anything. And then she prayed for the first time, as she found herself lost and intrigued by the boy who was so like her.
And then they were answered, as she saw atop the world, atop a hill which lay empty for over a hundred years. Many would have rejoiced at a fate like that, yet not him. He had shunned it, refused to ponder it, believing himself to be the architect of his own destiny.
She would offer him aid as a voice of the fates, for even as a child, she was not blind to her influence. Yet he would deny her once again and would do so for years to come, politely refusing the fated match between them until he finally could not.
"It is good to see you again, Aki-chan," she called out as they sat opposite one another. Her conversation with the Princess had been cut short, yet the way her eyes darted between her and Akihito told her that she understood enough.
His face didn't shift as she affectionately called out his name. Many would lay down their riches to have her call their name, but not him.
"So, you have begun poisoning my wife's mind with your petty dreams as well," he called out, his voice stern yet not angry.
"I told her just as much as I did you all those years ago about your future, about what you could become," she replied with a smile, and he rolled his eyes.
"You speak of the future as if you are certain we shall see tomorrow, yet we may not. Fate is fickle, and I would highly appreciate it if you were to keep your thoughts to yourself," he said. He could have been sterner, yet he wouldn't be her Aki-chan if he were.
He had always been different. His mannerisms, his speech, and, most of all, his ideals hint at a time either long past or yet to come. She could not be certain, though she was sure that he was like her—different, unique.
"As you say, Aki-chan," she acquiesced with a smile. There was time she would wait, yet the fates would take their course. She would see to it.
"And please don't call me that. It is inappropriate," he said, and she smirked.
"Why, Aki-chan?" she said with a smirk as she leaned forward and demurely covered her smile with her hand.
"Could it be that you didn't tell Miyuki-chan about our past?" she guessed. His eyes narrowed, and the very air in the room shifted at her following words.
"There was nothing to tell. We have no past except your little obsession with me," he answered as he rolled his eyes.
"But have you forgotten I told you that we were meant to be together?" she finished and saw his eyes narrow as he continued.
"You were wrong though, at least partly," he retorted, and she nodded.
"Indeed, I was, but that is what makes you so special," she replied with a smile as Akihito shook his head.
"But I did marry you in the end, didn't I, and so we can call it even," she offered, and he nodded as he began to stand up.
"You remain as much a mystery to me as the day I first met you. Yet you have gotten your wish. I shall marry you when this war ends, and then we shall see what the future has in store for me." With that, he gave her a slight bow.
"I will be honored to be your wife," she said in her own greetings. She reciprocated the bow as Akihito made his way out of the room.
And then she was left alone once more. She stared at the place where he had sat just earlier, and a soft whisper would escape her lips.
"You need not worry about what awaits you, Aki-chan, for I already know what it is."
"Greatness!"
0000
IEYATSU GIN
Ieyatsu Gin was tired from his journey and had barely had time to rest. The way things were developing, it seemed as if he was not going to get any chance to rest anytime soon.
He stood right now with Lord Akihito and Shinohara-sama. The older samurai had been his master for a time, and he had an astute military mind, and they would need his help.
"So, the enemy is simply rushing towards us," Lord Akihito questioned. He could tell that the young lord was tired from his journey as well, and he nodded.
"Indeed, my lord. Their army continues to move together as one unit. They are not making any notable maneuvers. I believe they plan to leverage their greater number of samurai and attack us straight on," he told them of the enemy's plans.
"That would be troublesome," commented Lord Akihito, for though they had better samurai than their opponents, the numbers were nearly double, and their strength lay in the quick and well-coordinated movements of their troops.
If the enemy turned it into a battle of simple strength, though not hopeless, it would become quite troublesome for them.
"We have seven samurai sworn to your cause at the moment, while the enemy has thirteen. The numbers may favour them, but I believe we could hold our own," Shinohara-sama added from the side as the older bald man peered over at the map.
"But we need to win, not just hold our own," commented Lord Akihito, and Gin could see their lord's mind racing.
"Nakiri-san told me that we have received letters of support from a few more lords, yet none can offer us enough men in enough time to make too much of a difference, \but given the recent actions of Lord Hayama, I believe the Third Prince is also unlikely to get any more support himself," Lord Akihito reasoned out as he pushed away the marbles representing other lords surrounding them.
"We could try and split their force," Shinohara-sama added, and Lord Akihito shook his head.
"We could try, but we are at a number's disadvantage. Doing anything like this would require me to leave large swathes of my land and population vulnerable to slaughter, an idea that doesn't sit right with me," Akihito-sama said.
"This is war, my lord, and wars are deadly affairs," he decided to add.
"Indeed, but we need a single decapitating strike. One strike and we break their already low morale and end this war," added Lord Akihito as the room stood in silence. Silence, which he himself broke as his eyes narrowed.
"I think I might have an idea."
0000
Read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me write this and other such stories.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
A/N:
Himiko Chiba is not a villainess. She is more or less a religious fanatic, loosely based on Melissandre of Asshai from Game of Throne and Aqua. To him, Akihito is interesting and special because he colors her mundane world, and so she is somewhat fixated on him.
Akihito avoids her because we all know how dangerous fanatics can be, and given her initial impressions, she is malleable enough, though her role and actions in the future shall tell us more about her.
A/N: Explanation of the Shogun part: Ok, the five great nations are provinces of the land governed by daimyo's. A shogun would be one above them all, whether a ruler of one of these five major swathes of lands or an independent person.
A Shogun has not come before no one has been able to prove their dominance or get acknowledgement of the five major daimyo's ever before.
~The idea was inspired by the show I am watching by the same name and I was able to bind the whole story as such~
Hope you guys like it.
TSUNADE SENJU
Tsunade found herself sitting beside her old teammate, who continuously seemed to be looking up and down at her like a gaping fool, his gaze ticking her off until she finally found her patience end.
"Speak, or I shall leave," she said, and as he opened his mouth, she added threateningly.
"And if it is anything inappropriate, I will bash your head in," she warned him and saw him halt as he raised his hands placatingly.
"Maa, maa hime, shouldn't you be a bit more happy at what you have managed to pull off?" he said. She sighed and began to stand up, before he finally ended his ruse and got serious.
"Okay, okay. It has been months since we last saw each other. What's the hurry? After all, we do have much to discuss," he said, and she took a deep breath as she settled back into the seat.
They sat in a private booth secured by seals in one of the Akimichi establishments, where no one else could hear them talk.
"I had always thought you were bad at politics and plots, but I must say your recent actions have me reevaluating my assessment," he began, taking a sealed bottle from his pocket and placing it on the table.
It was sake from the land of honey.
"Out maneuvering and getting rid of Danzo himself in the way you did, I would never have thought you capable of such a thing," he said, and she shook her head.
"I did nothing. The man's downfall is because of his own actions," she answered, for that was the truth.
And Jiraiya smiled at her words.
"Deny it as you may, but you did have a part to play in it, and so did that young lord of yours, Akihito Shirahoshi," and her eyes narrowed as he named Akihito. For most shinobi except the older ones involved in treatises and negotiations, names of nobility were of no concern.
Yet Jiraiya's knowledge of him by name and her connection to him spoke of his looking into her.
"An interesting fellow, that one, one whom I fail to wrap my head around," he admitted as he poured himself some sake into a cup and gulped it down as he offered her the second one.
"Tell me about him," he asked her, and that was interesting.
"What's there to tell? I am afraid you must know all about him by now," she replied as he took the cup and drowned it down. The sweet sake warmed her insides as she savoured the unique taste only found in sake from the Land of Honey, and interestingly, this was the same treat that Akihito would procure for her.
'Had Jiraiya brought this because he was aware of that, or was it all just a coincidence?'
"Yet he is not just a normal noble now, is he?" he questioned again as she poured them both another cup.
"Friendship of a sanin, servitude of two pure-blooded Uzumaki, possessing a sword designed on one of Kirigakure's treasures that he stumbled upon, and the list goes on and on," he began as he lightly twirled the sake. His eyes narrowed onto her as he continued.
"Now, I wouldn't call it all normal, now would I?" he questioned, and she shrugged.
"The boy has unsettled nearly all of the nobles on the continent. They shake in fear of his name, fear what he could become," he answered. Tsunade frowned as she drowned the second cup and questioned as she wiped away her lips with her sleeve.
"And what is that he could become apart from the Fire daimyo?" she questioned.
"A Shogun!"
0000
HIMIKO CHIBA
Life had been boring for her since she was born. It would be for anyone if they could see the lives of everyone around them, their futures, their pasts, and all in between.
To her, the world had little secrets. Her eyes saw much more than anyone else. A curse she would call it, for it had taken from her the little joy of the unknown, the fear of the future, and the rarity of the present.
That was until she met him. A boy, much like her own, with eyes that saw perhaps just as much as her or not more. Yet they eroded her visions, broke them, unraveled them, and filled the world with wonder once more.
The fates detested him. His sheer presence broke their wove threads, palpable apprehension, yet they were powerless to do anything. And then she prayed for the first time, as she found herself lost and intrigued by the boy who was so like her.
And then they were answered, as she saw atop the world, atop a hill which lay empty for over a hundred years. Many would have rejoiced at a fate like that, yet not him. He had shunned it, refused to ponder it, believing himself to be the architect of his own destiny.
She would offer him aid as a voice of the fates, for even as a child, she was not blind to her influence. Yet he would deny her once again and would do so for years to come, politely refusing the fated match between them until he finally could not.
"It is good to see you again, Aki-chan," she called out as they sat opposite one another. Her conversation with the Princess had been cut short, yet the way her eyes darted between her and Akihito told her that she understood enough.
His face didn't shift as she affectionately called out his name. Many would lay down their riches to have her call their name, but not him.
"So, you have begun poisoning my wife's mind with your petty dreams as well," he called out, his voice stern yet not angry.
"I told her just as much as I did you all those years ago about your future, about what you could become," she replied with a smile, and he rolled his eyes.
"You speak of the future as if you are certain we shall see tomorrow, yet we may not. Fate is fickle, and I would highly appreciate it if you were to keep your thoughts to yourself," he said. He could have been sterner, yet he wouldn't be her Aki-chan if he were.
He had always been different. His mannerisms, his speech, and, most of all, his ideals hint at a time either long past or yet to come. She could not be certain, though she was sure that he was like her—different, unique.
"As you say, Aki-chan," she acquiesced with a smile. There was time she would wait, yet the fates would take their course. She would see to it.
"And please don't call me that. It is inappropriate," he said, and she smirked.
"Why, Aki-chan?" she said with a smirk as she leaned forward and demurely covered her smile with her hand.
"Could it be that you didn't tell Miyuki-chan about our past?" she guessed. His eyes narrowed, and the very air in the room shifted at her following words.
"There was nothing to tell. We have no past except your little obsession with me," he answered as he rolled his eyes.
"But have you forgotten I told you that we were meant to be together?" she finished and saw his eyes narrow as he continued.
"You were wrong though, at least partly," he retorted, and she nodded.
"Indeed, I was, but that is what makes you so special," she replied with a smile as Akihito shook his head.
"But I did marry you in the end, didn't I, and so we can call it even," she offered, and he nodded as he began to stand up.
"You remain as much a mystery to me as the day I first met you. Yet you have gotten your wish. I shall marry you when this war ends, and then we shall see what the future has in store for me." With that, he gave her a slight bow.
"I will be honored to be your wife," she said in her own greetings. She reciprocated the bow as Akihito made his way out of the room.
And then she was left alone once more. She stared at the place where he had sat just earlier, and a soft whisper would escape her lips.
"You need not worry about what awaits you, Aki-chan, for I already know what it is."
"Greatness!"
0000
IEYATSU GIN
Ieyatsu Gin was tired from his journey and had barely had time to rest. The way things were developing, it seemed as if he was not going to get any chance to rest anytime soon.
He stood right now with Lord Akihito and Shinohara-sama. The older samurai had been his master for a time, and he had an astute military mind, and they would need his help.
"So, the enemy is simply rushing towards us," Lord Akihito questioned. He could tell that the young lord was tired from his journey as well, and he nodded.
"Indeed, my lord. Their army continues to move together as one unit. They are not making any notable maneuvers. I believe they plan to leverage their greater number of samurai and attack us straight on," he told them of the enemy's plans.
"That would be troublesome," commented Lord Akihito, for though they had better samurai than their opponents, the numbers were nearly double, and their strength lay in the quick and well-coordinated movements of their troops.
If the enemy turned it into a battle of simple strength, though not hopeless, it would become quite troublesome for them.
"We have seven samurai sworn to your cause at the moment, while the enemy has thirteen. The numbers may favour them, but I believe we could hold our own," Shinohara-sama added from the side as the older bald man peered over at the map.
"But we need to win, not just hold our own," commented Lord Akihito, and Gin could see their lord's mind racing.
"Nakiri-san told me that we have received letters of support from a few more lords, yet none can offer us enough men in enough time to make too much of a difference, \but given the recent actions of Lord Hayama, I believe the Third Prince is also unlikely to get any more support himself," Lord Akihito reasoned out as he pushed away the marbles representing other lords surrounding them.
"We could try and split their force," Shinohara-sama added, and Lord Akihito shook his head.
"We could try, but we are at a number's disadvantage. Doing anything like this would require me to leave large swathes of my land and population vulnerable to slaughter, an idea that doesn't sit right with me," Akihito-sama said.
"This is war, my lord, and wars are deadly affairs," he decided to add.
"Indeed, but we need a single decapitating strike. One strike and we break their already low morale and end this war," added Lord Akihito as the room stood in silence. Silence, which he himself broke as his eyes narrowed.
"I think I might have an idea."
0000
Read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me write this and other such stories.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
A/N:
Himiko Chiba is not a villainess. She is more or less a religious fanatic, loosely based on Melissandre of Asshai from Game of Throne and Aqua. To him, Akihito is interesting and special because he colors her mundane world, and so she is somewhat fixated on him.
Akihito avoids her because we all know how dangerous fanatics can be, and given her initial impressions, she is malleable enough, though her role and actions in the future shall tell us more about her.
A/N: Explanation of the Shogun part: Ok, the five great nations are provinces of the land governed by daimyo's. A shogun would be one above them all, whether a ruler of one of these five major swathes of lands or an independent person.
A Shogun has not come before no one has been able to prove their dominance or get acknowledgement of the five major daimyo's ever before.
~The idea was inspired by the show I am watching by the same name and I was able to bind the whole story as such~
Hope you guys like it.
Chapter 34-And So it Ends!
Chapter 34
MIYUKI KATSUGAWA
"You are leaving again," she spoke up worriedly as her lord husband reworked his armor after having taken it off only for a few hours. He was tired, she could tell.
"Yes, I am. The enemy marches towards us with all its might. We have no time to waste," he replied as he tightened his shoulder blade before turning towards her.
She bit her lip.
"But you could stay the night," she pleaded, a bit of desperation in her tone as he inched closer, raised her head by the chin, and looked her in the eye.
"I am afraid that will not be possible. There is much that needs to be done before we can face the enemy, and I must oversee it," he replied, denying her, and she couldn't help but feel saddened that it was her burden that he was carrying. Let alone the conversation she had just had with Lady Chiba, which was a whole other matter.
"The Third Prince himself rides with the army," he suddenly began surprising her with those words.
The Third Prince--Tatsuya, the man responsible for the murder of her brothers.
"If everything goes to plan, the whole war will end with this battle," he said as he pushed back a fringe of her hair and gave her a small smile.
"After that, I am all yours," her face heated up at those words, and she pouted, yet she decided to tease him as well.
"I am afraid that is no longer true. After all, you do have another wife now, and we don't know just how many proposals you will be bombarded with after the battle," she added, and he chuckled at her words.
"From what I recall, it was you, my lady, who accepted the proposal from Lord Chiba, not me," and it was an overstep on her part. One that many a lord would not have tolerated.
"And I apologize once more for my overstep," she said as she lowered her head.
"What's done is done. There is little we can do to change it, but I would prefer it that you trust me over these matters and discuss them before making a decision," he chastised her as he had before.
"I shall, but believe me, what I did was out of my love and concern for you. I held no malicious intentio..." yet her words were cut short as a soft hand landed on her shoulders and lifted her up.
"I know, and I should have explained my reasoning to you in more detail. Let this be water under the bridge," he said, and she nodded.
"Then I shall be on my way," he said, with a small kiss on her forehead. He moved past her towards the door of their room and slid it open, stopping for a second and turning to face her.
"Do you remember the promise I made to you in that garden when you agreed to marry me?" he suddenly asked, and she was reminded of his words from that time, words that had given her a new life.
"I do," she answered.
"Now, I shall fulfill it. Tatsuya Katsugawa shall die by my hands, and your brothers' deaths shall be avenged," and with that, the door slid back as she stood there alone in their room once more as her eyes remained locked onto the door, her body basking in his warmth which still lingered in the room as she whispered into the air, her hands held together in prayer.
"Bless him and keep him safe."
0000
KENSHIRO OUGI
Kenshiro Ougi had always known that he was special. Ever since he had picked up a sword for the first time, he had felt at home. The blade and he were like a single body, two parts of a whole, and he had progressed beyond his peers rather quickly, even overtaking the dojo master within a mere three years.
Praise and appreciation were lavished on him from all sides, his name became famous all around, and Kenshiro stagnated. For years, he was lost in his hubris as he traveled the lands, indulging himself as he continued to humiliate one so-called great samurai after another.
And then he met him. Watashi Masamune, the Great Sword of the West. Ougi had humiliated several of his students in his dojo when the old man had stepped into the dojo, not a hint of anger or fear on his face as he closed the door behind him, and Ougi had thought him to be as weak as the rest.
But he had been wrong. The old man had picked up a blade and had entered the ring, and for the first time in his life, he had felt as if he was staring at a mountain. Fear gripped his heart as their blades clashed, and through their dance, he found himself at the limit of his hubris.
He was defeated, humiliated, yet spared. And saved. His fame as the jounin killer came after that fight. A noble had put up a bounty on his head for the insult he had done to him, and as he was about to leave that man's dojo, injured and shaken, his sword broken, the jounin had struck.
He had thought his life ended until the jounin's head fell down before he could strike him. While all praised him for the feat, it truly was not him who had slain the shinobi. No, it was him.
'There is much to see in the world, young boy. Go and be worthy of the blessings you have been given.'
And ever since that day, his aim had been to live up to his talents so that one day he could walk back into that dojo and conquer the mountain of Watashi Masamune.
Yet he could never do that. That was taken from him and by none other than a noble a decade younger than him. And Kenshiro Ougi refused to believe that. He had seen nobles from all over the province. He was aware of their hubris, their pride, and their lies. It has to be a lie, a drummed-up lie by an upjumped bastard who dared to besmirch the name of Watashi Masamune.
And he will not let that stand.
And as the army rode into the province of Shinoi he could feel himself nearing the truth. These were the lands of Akihito Shirahoshi, the infamous noble who claimed to have felled the greatest samurai of their land.
The other twelve samurai under the Third Prince were nothing special; many of them had been defeated by him years ago, and they all rode in a circle around the Prince with him in front.
An idiocy for this left him exposed, yet the Prince values his pride more than his life, but no matter, he cared little for the Prince and his pride. All he wanted was to face the lord of Shinoi and he would have that soon.
And after riding for an hour, he suddenly raised his hand, stopping the march as he spoke up.
"They are here," and right infront of them was the army of the Jito of Shinoi.
"Tell me, who among them is the jito of Shinoi?" he questioned as one of the thirteen stepped forward with a far eye.
"He is not here, though I believe I spot a massive tent behind the force. He must be there," came the answer, and he scoffed.
'He should have expected that.'
"But, it's him. The one leading the army. It's Shinohara Kato," the man gasped out. He heard several other men gasp behind him at that name, and his own eyes narrowed on the old man standing at the head of the force.
Kato Shinohara, a samurai whose name was second only to Watashi Masamune, yet unlike the other person, he did not have a dojo and often wandered the lands rather than settling down, so he had never truly had an opportunity to clash blades with the man.
Though today was as good a day as any.
"How many samurai are leading the army," he questioned.
"It's six, apart from Akihito Shirahoshi all of them are there," came the answer.
"There is movement!" was added suddenly and he perked as he saw an arrow was shot towards them, yet this was not a simple arrow. No, this was laced with chakra and made out of special metal from what he could.
"Protect the Prin... came the shout as he reached for his blade. Jumping off his horse, he pushed his own chakra into it and murmured in a soft voice.
"Ninpo: Dragon's Demise," and he swung the blade swiftly and felt it cleave the arrow, yet he was surprised to find another arrow right at the tail of the first, heading straight for his head.
He felt a thrill as a smile appeared on his face, and he pushed his chakra into the sword's sheath as he brought it up.
KANG!
The arrow clashed with his sheath, and he felt himself get pushed back as the sound of grunts came in from around him as two of the samurai fell down holding arrows lodged in their necks.
CLANG!
The metallic arrow fell to the ground and he looked and saw that his sheath was damaged quite a bit despite being reinforced by chakra and he was amused.
"This might as well be interesting," he uttered as he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the next barrage of arrows.
"Ninpo: Dragon's Demise."
0000
KATO SHINOHARA
Kato Shinohara was fond of change, the change of seasons, the change of scenery, and the change of times. And it was the rumors of this change that brought him to the province of Shinoi, a land said to be ruled by an oni.
He had thought that it would be another one of those cruel, misguided young nobles, though what he had witnessed upon entering these lands had been nothing short of a surprise. The people were happy and prosperous; even during times of war, they seemed healthier than those of any other region, and there were new tools in their hands for farming. The farms were lush, the people happy and content, and thievery, and banditry nearly nonexistent as apprentices patrolled the streets dutifully.
It was a surprise and refreshing in a time when few lords truly cared for the well-being of the people who provided them with their luxurious lifestyles. And so, his curiosity would carry him to the castle of their lord, and he would find the young lord there, in the yard, sword in hand. He would be surprised once more as he saw the young lord trying to manipulate his chakra.
It was coarse and needed much refinement, yet for a child, that was nearly unheard of, except for in the Hidden Villages. He would observe the young lord for days, watch him train rigorously, stumbling with instructions half-caked, watch him eat simple meals unlike the other nobles, and make plans for the welfare of his lands and people.
He was the epitome of nobility, a true noble in a world filled with others blessed as such who had forgotten their duties.
And so, he would enter his service, a first for him, and it was a decision that he was proud of to this day. He would teach him what he could, guide the young lord in the way of the sword, travel across the region alongside his apprentice, and see the young lord's work all over, and realize that what he was witnessing was change as it occurred.
"Tch," Gin, the younger retainer of their lord, clicked his tongue as his apprentice ran out of the specially made arrows.
"He truly is a monster," the blonde uttered, and there was little need to elaborate about whom he talked about. Even from such a distance, he could feel Kenshiro Ougi's prowess.
"We were only able to take down two of them. That bastard was able to deflect the rest of the arrows," Gin informed them as Tachiyama handed back his bow to a servant.
"I am sorry for my inadequacy," the black-haired apprentice of his apologized as he waved it away.
"There is no need for that. We expected such an outcome. Even two kills is a nice outcome for us and cut the number gap between us by quite some," he informed as he reached for his blade and stepped forward as the enemy forces sped up.
The other five samurai behind him stepped up as well, and the men prepared for the eventual clash.
"Do not falter! Stand your ground, for the life of our lord depends on it!" he shouted as the men roared behind him. He saw that of the eleven that had remained, nine, including Ougi, led the attack.
Gin stood beside him; the right-hand man of their lord stood beside them and looked towards him.
"Are you sure about the plan?" he questioned quietly once more, and he nodded.
"Yes, leave Ougi to me. I leave the rest of the eight to you," he said, taking out his sword and raising it above his head.
"I promise you, Kenshiro Ougi shall not harm a soul as long as I live," and with those words, the ground around him cracked as his grip over the hilt tightened.
"Ninpo: Dismantle!" and then he brought down his blade, swiftly tearing up the world infront.
0000
TATSUYA KATSUGAWA-The Third Prince
The Third Prince sat in his palanquin and watched as the two armies clashed, smiling sardonically.
"It seems the young jito of Shinoi is scared. He famously led the attack against your grandfather's forces but now sits behind his men in fear," his aide, Yakumo, added from the side as the whole clearing was filled with shouts and screams of men.
"He should be, but fear will do him little good. I shall have his head, and then I shall march towards his castle and end it all," he added.
The jito of Shinoi drove his claim from his marriage to Princess Miyuki, his half sister. After killing the up-jumped bastard, he would finish it all by ending her life just as he had ended the life of her brothers.
He was guarded by a hundred men who stood infront of him and two samurai who stood by the sides of his palanquin, a caution against any stray attack that might come their way.
BOOOOOM!
And then he heard it from behind as the samurai shouted.
"LOOK THERE BEHIND US!" he shouted, and his head snapped back, and he watched as the ground erupted in a massive explosion, right behind them as a shadowy figure rushed out of the sand storm.
"Protect the Prince," the samurai guards around him shouted as they rushed infront of him, and he heard a small murmur.
'Ninpo: World Cleaver.'
0000
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MIYUKI KATSUGAWA
"You are leaving again," she spoke up worriedly as her lord husband reworked his armor after having taken it off only for a few hours. He was tired, she could tell.
"Yes, I am. The enemy marches towards us with all its might. We have no time to waste," he replied as he tightened his shoulder blade before turning towards her.
She bit her lip.
"But you could stay the night," she pleaded, a bit of desperation in her tone as he inched closer, raised her head by the chin, and looked her in the eye.
"I am afraid that will not be possible. There is much that needs to be done before we can face the enemy, and I must oversee it," he replied, denying her, and she couldn't help but feel saddened that it was her burden that he was carrying. Let alone the conversation she had just had with Lady Chiba, which was a whole other matter.
"The Third Prince himself rides with the army," he suddenly began surprising her with those words.
The Third Prince--Tatsuya, the man responsible for the murder of her brothers.
"If everything goes to plan, the whole war will end with this battle," he said as he pushed back a fringe of her hair and gave her a small smile.
"After that, I am all yours," her face heated up at those words, and she pouted, yet she decided to tease him as well.
"I am afraid that is no longer true. After all, you do have another wife now, and we don't know just how many proposals you will be bombarded with after the battle," she added, and he chuckled at her words.
"From what I recall, it was you, my lady, who accepted the proposal from Lord Chiba, not me," and it was an overstep on her part. One that many a lord would not have tolerated.
"And I apologize once more for my overstep," she said as she lowered her head.
"What's done is done. There is little we can do to change it, but I would prefer it that you trust me over these matters and discuss them before making a decision," he chastised her as he had before.
"I shall, but believe me, what I did was out of my love and concern for you. I held no malicious intentio..." yet her words were cut short as a soft hand landed on her shoulders and lifted her up.
"I know, and I should have explained my reasoning to you in more detail. Let this be water under the bridge," he said, and she nodded.
"Then I shall be on my way," he said, with a small kiss on her forehead. He moved past her towards the door of their room and slid it open, stopping for a second and turning to face her.
"Do you remember the promise I made to you in that garden when you agreed to marry me?" he suddenly asked, and she was reminded of his words from that time, words that had given her a new life.
"I do," she answered.
"Now, I shall fulfill it. Tatsuya Katsugawa shall die by my hands, and your brothers' deaths shall be avenged," and with that, the door slid back as she stood there alone in their room once more as her eyes remained locked onto the door, her body basking in his warmth which still lingered in the room as she whispered into the air, her hands held together in prayer.
"Bless him and keep him safe."
0000
KENSHIRO OUGI
Kenshiro Ougi had always known that he was special. Ever since he had picked up a sword for the first time, he had felt at home. The blade and he were like a single body, two parts of a whole, and he had progressed beyond his peers rather quickly, even overtaking the dojo master within a mere three years.
Praise and appreciation were lavished on him from all sides, his name became famous all around, and Kenshiro stagnated. For years, he was lost in his hubris as he traveled the lands, indulging himself as he continued to humiliate one so-called great samurai after another.
And then he met him. Watashi Masamune, the Great Sword of the West. Ougi had humiliated several of his students in his dojo when the old man had stepped into the dojo, not a hint of anger or fear on his face as he closed the door behind him, and Ougi had thought him to be as weak as the rest.
But he had been wrong. The old man had picked up a blade and had entered the ring, and for the first time in his life, he had felt as if he was staring at a mountain. Fear gripped his heart as their blades clashed, and through their dance, he found himself at the limit of his hubris.
He was defeated, humiliated, yet spared. And saved. His fame as the jounin killer came after that fight. A noble had put up a bounty on his head for the insult he had done to him, and as he was about to leave that man's dojo, injured and shaken, his sword broken, the jounin had struck.
He had thought his life ended until the jounin's head fell down before he could strike him. While all praised him for the feat, it truly was not him who had slain the shinobi. No, it was him.
'There is much to see in the world, young boy. Go and be worthy of the blessings you have been given.'
And ever since that day, his aim had been to live up to his talents so that one day he could walk back into that dojo and conquer the mountain of Watashi Masamune.
Yet he could never do that. That was taken from him and by none other than a noble a decade younger than him. And Kenshiro Ougi refused to believe that. He had seen nobles from all over the province. He was aware of their hubris, their pride, and their lies. It has to be a lie, a drummed-up lie by an upjumped bastard who dared to besmirch the name of Watashi Masamune.
And he will not let that stand.
And as the army rode into the province of Shinoi he could feel himself nearing the truth. These were the lands of Akihito Shirahoshi, the infamous noble who claimed to have felled the greatest samurai of their land.
The other twelve samurai under the Third Prince were nothing special; many of them had been defeated by him years ago, and they all rode in a circle around the Prince with him in front.
An idiocy for this left him exposed, yet the Prince values his pride more than his life, but no matter, he cared little for the Prince and his pride. All he wanted was to face the lord of Shinoi and he would have that soon.
And after riding for an hour, he suddenly raised his hand, stopping the march as he spoke up.
"They are here," and right infront of them was the army of the Jito of Shinoi.
"Tell me, who among them is the jito of Shinoi?" he questioned as one of the thirteen stepped forward with a far eye.
"He is not here, though I believe I spot a massive tent behind the force. He must be there," came the answer, and he scoffed.
'He should have expected that.'
"But, it's him. The one leading the army. It's Shinohara Kato," the man gasped out. He heard several other men gasp behind him at that name, and his own eyes narrowed on the old man standing at the head of the force.
Kato Shinohara, a samurai whose name was second only to Watashi Masamune, yet unlike the other person, he did not have a dojo and often wandered the lands rather than settling down, so he had never truly had an opportunity to clash blades with the man.
Though today was as good a day as any.
"How many samurai are leading the army," he questioned.
"It's six, apart from Akihito Shirahoshi all of them are there," came the answer.
"There is movement!" was added suddenly and he perked as he saw an arrow was shot towards them, yet this was not a simple arrow. No, this was laced with chakra and made out of special metal from what he could.
"Protect the Prin... came the shout as he reached for his blade. Jumping off his horse, he pushed his own chakra into it and murmured in a soft voice.
"Ninpo: Dragon's Demise," and he swung the blade swiftly and felt it cleave the arrow, yet he was surprised to find another arrow right at the tail of the first, heading straight for his head.
He felt a thrill as a smile appeared on his face, and he pushed his chakra into the sword's sheath as he brought it up.
KANG!
The arrow clashed with his sheath, and he felt himself get pushed back as the sound of grunts came in from around him as two of the samurai fell down holding arrows lodged in their necks.
CLANG!
The metallic arrow fell to the ground and he looked and saw that his sheath was damaged quite a bit despite being reinforced by chakra and he was amused.
"This might as well be interesting," he uttered as he closed his eyes and prepared himself for the next barrage of arrows.
"Ninpo: Dragon's Demise."
0000
KATO SHINOHARA
Kato Shinohara was fond of change, the change of seasons, the change of scenery, and the change of times. And it was the rumors of this change that brought him to the province of Shinoi, a land said to be ruled by an oni.
He had thought that it would be another one of those cruel, misguided young nobles, though what he had witnessed upon entering these lands had been nothing short of a surprise. The people were happy and prosperous; even during times of war, they seemed healthier than those of any other region, and there were new tools in their hands for farming. The farms were lush, the people happy and content, and thievery, and banditry nearly nonexistent as apprentices patrolled the streets dutifully.
It was a surprise and refreshing in a time when few lords truly cared for the well-being of the people who provided them with their luxurious lifestyles. And so, his curiosity would carry him to the castle of their lord, and he would find the young lord there, in the yard, sword in hand. He would be surprised once more as he saw the young lord trying to manipulate his chakra.
It was coarse and needed much refinement, yet for a child, that was nearly unheard of, except for in the Hidden Villages. He would observe the young lord for days, watch him train rigorously, stumbling with instructions half-caked, watch him eat simple meals unlike the other nobles, and make plans for the welfare of his lands and people.
He was the epitome of nobility, a true noble in a world filled with others blessed as such who had forgotten their duties.
And so, he would enter his service, a first for him, and it was a decision that he was proud of to this day. He would teach him what he could, guide the young lord in the way of the sword, travel across the region alongside his apprentice, and see the young lord's work all over, and realize that what he was witnessing was change as it occurred.
"Tch," Gin, the younger retainer of their lord, clicked his tongue as his apprentice ran out of the specially made arrows.
"He truly is a monster," the blonde uttered, and there was little need to elaborate about whom he talked about. Even from such a distance, he could feel Kenshiro Ougi's prowess.
"We were only able to take down two of them. That bastard was able to deflect the rest of the arrows," Gin informed them as Tachiyama handed back his bow to a servant.
"I am sorry for my inadequacy," the black-haired apprentice of his apologized as he waved it away.
"There is no need for that. We expected such an outcome. Even two kills is a nice outcome for us and cut the number gap between us by quite some," he informed as he reached for his blade and stepped forward as the enemy forces sped up.
The other five samurai behind him stepped up as well, and the men prepared for the eventual clash.
"Do not falter! Stand your ground, for the life of our lord depends on it!" he shouted as the men roared behind him. He saw that of the eleven that had remained, nine, including Ougi, led the attack.
Gin stood beside him; the right-hand man of their lord stood beside them and looked towards him.
"Are you sure about the plan?" he questioned quietly once more, and he nodded.
"Yes, leave Ougi to me. I leave the rest of the eight to you," he said, taking out his sword and raising it above his head.
"I promise you, Kenshiro Ougi shall not harm a soul as long as I live," and with those words, the ground around him cracked as his grip over the hilt tightened.
"Ninpo: Dismantle!" and then he brought down his blade, swiftly tearing up the world infront.
0000
TATSUYA KATSUGAWA-The Third Prince
The Third Prince sat in his palanquin and watched as the two armies clashed, smiling sardonically.
"It seems the young jito of Shinoi is scared. He famously led the attack against your grandfather's forces but now sits behind his men in fear," his aide, Yakumo, added from the side as the whole clearing was filled with shouts and screams of men.
"He should be, but fear will do him little good. I shall have his head, and then I shall march towards his castle and end it all," he added.
The jito of Shinoi drove his claim from his marriage to Princess Miyuki, his half sister. After killing the up-jumped bastard, he would finish it all by ending her life just as he had ended the life of her brothers.
He was guarded by a hundred men who stood infront of him and two samurai who stood by the sides of his palanquin, a caution against any stray attack that might come their way.
BOOOOOM!
And then he heard it from behind as the samurai shouted.
"LOOK THERE BEHIND US!" he shouted, and his head snapped back, and he watched as the ground erupted in a massive explosion, right behind them as a shadowy figure rushed out of the sand storm.
"Protect the Prince," the samurai guards around him shouted as they rushed infront of him, and he heard a small murmur.
'Ninpo: World Cleaver.'
0000
As always, you can read ahead ahead and support me on Patreon. Help me write this and other such stories by becoming a Patron. It would help me out quite a bit and would be pretty cool of you. 😊
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have an awesome day!
Nice! Decapitation strike! Hope Kato at least survives.
Chapter 35-Kneel!
Chapter 35
KENSHIRO OUGI
Kenshiro Ougi led the forces as they rushed toward the forces of the lord of Shinobi. The arrows had stopped earlier after about five barrages. The arrows, on closer examination, had been smithed out of chakra metal, and hence, he could reason out that the enemy had a limited supply of them.
Still, for a samurai to be so skilled in the art of archery and use it as such was a testament to their strength. Suddenly, as they were a yard away from the enemy forces, Ougi felt the air still as the older samurai, Kato Shinohara, raised his sword. A smile appeared on his face as he reached for his blade once more and shouted.
"The old man is mine! Interfere, and I will not hesitate to kill you myself!" he warned as the air shifted as the old man brought down his blade.
'....Dismantle'
And the very ground tore up infront of him, and he pushed his own chakra into the blade as he gently breathed out.
"Ninpo: Dragon's descent," and he swung his blade at the majestic slash that was cutting down the very ground they ran on and stopped the attack in its steps, more or less saving a massive portion of their army.
Yet the parry had not been clean, and he could feel his hand shaking. The metal of his blade shook, and he stood face to face with the samurai whose blade had just left a massive trench in the ground between them.
"Rejoice, for you are only the fourth person ever to survive this attack of mine," the old man with a scar running down his face spoke up as he brought up his blade. Their armies clashed around them, and the whole area was filled with screams of men dying, killing, and fighting.
Both of them rushed towards each other, their swords meeting in a dance that sent sparks flying everywhere, as he realized that the old samurai's reputation was not for naught. His swings carried weight, and his sword moved through the air as if a blur, each swing fast enough that it would be impossible for any regular samurai to track.
Yet he was not any regular samurai.
Their blades locked with one another as they stared into one another's eye, and Ougi decided that it was enough, and he shifted his grip on the blade and pushed his chakra into it, and whispered as he breathed out slowly.
"Ninpo: Dragon's breath," and he saw the old man's eyes gleaming as the air stilled before the man suddenly jumped back, though he didn't miss the grunt the old man gave as his feet hit the ground again.
"Argh," the old samurai uttered as blood dripped down his arm, though the wound was much smaller than he had intended it to be.
Yet Ougi did not give him any time to settle down as he jumped towards him his sword arching down at the older samurai who pushed shifted to the right and swung his own blade at him from the side, yet Ougi pulled his blade back, blocking the strike with the hilt of his blade as he pushed his own chakra and swung once more.
"Ninpo: Dragon's breath," he exhaled slowly. He saw the old man's eyes tighten. He immediately jumped back and pushed his blade to the side, and the sword's clang filled the clearing.
"You are nearly as good as they make you out to be, yet that is not enough," the old man began, his words making Ougi's eyes narrow.
"What did you say," Ougi spoke in rage at the insult.
"You remind me of myself, of a samurai wandering the lands without purpose, yet you are not a samurai yet, for you serve no lord, no purpose except yourself," the old man's words were part of an older dogma. The dogma of servitude, one he never understood.
His life was about him, about his desires, his goals, and his ambition. The service or oaths to a shitty noble were nothing to him.
"Then let me prove you wrong, you old man," he snarled as he raised his blade.
"Ninpo: Dragon's calling," he shouted as his chakra roared, mimicking his emotion as the ground beneath his feet tore up, the cracks reached all over as he stared at the old.
"Do not speak to me of service when your master takes the credit for your achievements and hides away as you wield your blade," Ougi snarled as the old man stood there defiantly without an answer.
"I will kill you first, and then your so-called master, and end this whole war with my blade," he snarled as he shifted his feet and pulled up his blade.
"And that is why you shall lose. For you still fight for yourself, fight for your pride. You lack purpose, devotion, and emotion in your blade. Emotion that allows us sacks of meat to defy our basic nature and go above and beyond our natural limitations," the old man replied, his words making Ougi frown as his blade lit up with a purple hue.
The old man's chakra, unlike his, didn't roar in rage and fury. No, it was as if a sea, with its gentle waves in the full moon, as the old man raised his blade.
"You besmirch the name of my lord. Call him a liar and a cheat. Now let me prove you wrong, as I sever your blade with a technique he himself imparted upon me," came the answer of the old man, and Ougi smirked.
"My blade shall tear you and your lie apart," and with that, he inhaled as his chakra became still, the enormous pressure vanishing as his blade lit up.
"Ninpo:..."
"Nnpo:...."
They both spoke at once, as they stood face to face with their blades raised.
"...Dragon's calling!"
"...Swallow Reversal!" (Tsubame Gaeshi)
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
Akihito swung his blade at the two samurai and felt it cut through one's flesh as he was showered once more in crimson blood as the other samurai was sent rolling away from the force of his strike.
"ARGH!" the samurai grunted as his eyes narrowed into the red palanquin some twenty feet from him where sat the Third Prince. The young Prince was looking at him with wide eyes as the body of one of his samurai fell to the ground his head rolling off. The regular army had caught wind of the ambush and was rushing towards them, that meant he had to end this soon.
Akihito pulled up his blade as the last standing samurai put himself between himself and the Third Price Tatsuya, he was young. His sword shook as he stood face to face with him, the difference in their strength visible to him after the first strike.
"Step away," Akihito offered. The boy was young and probably sword off to a lord who was supporting the third Prince, and he had a future infront of him.
His eyes widened at the offer, yet he bit his lip and held up his blade, refusing Akihito's generosity.
"So be it. I shall make it quick," Akihito offered as he pushed his chakra into the blade once more, reaching for his feet as his blade lit up.
"Ninpo: Wind Cleaver," he shouted even as the young samurai tried to push Chaka into his own blade, but Akihito was beyond him in an instant.
CLANG!
A second later, the young samurai's head and half-cut blade fell to the ground as Akihito stood face to face with the Third Prince, who had grown pale and sweaty as Akihito inched closer to him.
"AH!" he screamed as he tried to run away, stumbling out of his palanquin, yet he stumbled and fell to the ground as Akihito cut off the head of his two retainers.
"YOU!.. Where did you come from!" he shouted as he tried to back away.
"From the ground, I waited for a day for you and your men sitting in a ditch in the ground all alone just so I could end this whole ordeal, sparing as many lives as I could," Akihito replied.
There were many ways of winning this war, yet this was the swiftest way. The war had already taken much from the people, and it was his duty as their lord and ruler to soften the blow, and this was the solution he had reached.
An ambush, one that came with great risk for the whole plan to work. Everything had to work. Many had spoken against him being the sole attacker, yet he had persisted.
This was his war. And he had already promised someone else that he would exact their revenge for them, and he was not fond of breaking promises.
So, as the Third Prince backed off, dragging his feet onto the ground, Akihito pushed his chakra into his blade once more as the shouts and screams of the approaching army got louder and louder.
"Miyuki sends her regards," he uttered as his blade arched through the air, and with a half shout, the Prince's head rolled off, yet the approaching army did not stop.
Akihito sighed as he sheathed his blade and riled up his chakra once more, his face turning towards the hundreds of men racing towards him before he suddenly let go of his chakra, the very air thick with his presence tore up as a violent gust of wind erupted from around him tearing up the very ground he stood on as his voice boomed through the clearing.
"The war is over!" he shouted as the men of the enemy forces slowed down, coming to a halt as he raised the Prince's head.
"Your Prince is dead!" he said, and then his eyes narrowed as his chakra sharpened, pulsing out of him in waves as his presence filled the whole area.
"Now kneel!"
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. By becoming a patron, you can help me write this and other such stories. It would be pretty cool of you and would help me out quite a bit.
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KENSHIRO OUGI
Kenshiro Ougi led the forces as they rushed toward the forces of the lord of Shinobi. The arrows had stopped earlier after about five barrages. The arrows, on closer examination, had been smithed out of chakra metal, and hence, he could reason out that the enemy had a limited supply of them.
Still, for a samurai to be so skilled in the art of archery and use it as such was a testament to their strength. Suddenly, as they were a yard away from the enemy forces, Ougi felt the air still as the older samurai, Kato Shinohara, raised his sword. A smile appeared on his face as he reached for his blade once more and shouted.
"The old man is mine! Interfere, and I will not hesitate to kill you myself!" he warned as the air shifted as the old man brought down his blade.
'....Dismantle'
And the very ground tore up infront of him, and he pushed his own chakra into the blade as he gently breathed out.
"Ninpo: Dragon's descent," and he swung his blade at the majestic slash that was cutting down the very ground they ran on and stopped the attack in its steps, more or less saving a massive portion of their army.
Yet the parry had not been clean, and he could feel his hand shaking. The metal of his blade shook, and he stood face to face with the samurai whose blade had just left a massive trench in the ground between them.
"Rejoice, for you are only the fourth person ever to survive this attack of mine," the old man with a scar running down his face spoke up as he brought up his blade. Their armies clashed around them, and the whole area was filled with screams of men dying, killing, and fighting.
Both of them rushed towards each other, their swords meeting in a dance that sent sparks flying everywhere, as he realized that the old samurai's reputation was not for naught. His swings carried weight, and his sword moved through the air as if a blur, each swing fast enough that it would be impossible for any regular samurai to track.
Yet he was not any regular samurai.
Their blades locked with one another as they stared into one another's eye, and Ougi decided that it was enough, and he shifted his grip on the blade and pushed his chakra into it, and whispered as he breathed out slowly.
"Ninpo: Dragon's breath," and he saw the old man's eyes gleaming as the air stilled before the man suddenly jumped back, though he didn't miss the grunt the old man gave as his feet hit the ground again.
"Argh," the old samurai uttered as blood dripped down his arm, though the wound was much smaller than he had intended it to be.
Yet Ougi did not give him any time to settle down as he jumped towards him his sword arching down at the older samurai who pushed shifted to the right and swung his own blade at him from the side, yet Ougi pulled his blade back, blocking the strike with the hilt of his blade as he pushed his own chakra and swung once more.
"Ninpo: Dragon's breath," he exhaled slowly. He saw the old man's eyes tighten. He immediately jumped back and pushed his blade to the side, and the sword's clang filled the clearing.
"You are nearly as good as they make you out to be, yet that is not enough," the old man began, his words making Ougi's eyes narrow.
"What did you say," Ougi spoke in rage at the insult.
"You remind me of myself, of a samurai wandering the lands without purpose, yet you are not a samurai yet, for you serve no lord, no purpose except yourself," the old man's words were part of an older dogma. The dogma of servitude, one he never understood.
His life was about him, about his desires, his goals, and his ambition. The service or oaths to a shitty noble were nothing to him.
"Then let me prove you wrong, you old man," he snarled as he raised his blade.
"Ninpo: Dragon's calling," he shouted as his chakra roared, mimicking his emotion as the ground beneath his feet tore up, the cracks reached all over as he stared at the old.
"Do not speak to me of service when your master takes the credit for your achievements and hides away as you wield your blade," Ougi snarled as the old man stood there defiantly without an answer.
"I will kill you first, and then your so-called master, and end this whole war with my blade," he snarled as he shifted his feet and pulled up his blade.
"And that is why you shall lose. For you still fight for yourself, fight for your pride. You lack purpose, devotion, and emotion in your blade. Emotion that allows us sacks of meat to defy our basic nature and go above and beyond our natural limitations," the old man replied, his words making Ougi frown as his blade lit up with a purple hue.
The old man's chakra, unlike his, didn't roar in rage and fury. No, it was as if a sea, with its gentle waves in the full moon, as the old man raised his blade.
"You besmirch the name of my lord. Call him a liar and a cheat. Now let me prove you wrong, as I sever your blade with a technique he himself imparted upon me," came the answer of the old man, and Ougi smirked.
"My blade shall tear you and your lie apart," and with that, he inhaled as his chakra became still, the enormous pressure vanishing as his blade lit up.
"Ninpo:..."
"Nnpo:...."
They both spoke at once, as they stood face to face with their blades raised.
"...Dragon's calling!"
"...Swallow Reversal!" (Tsubame Gaeshi)
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
Akihito swung his blade at the two samurai and felt it cut through one's flesh as he was showered once more in crimson blood as the other samurai was sent rolling away from the force of his strike.
"ARGH!" the samurai grunted as his eyes narrowed into the red palanquin some twenty feet from him where sat the Third Prince. The young Prince was looking at him with wide eyes as the body of one of his samurai fell to the ground his head rolling off. The regular army had caught wind of the ambush and was rushing towards them, that meant he had to end this soon.
Akihito pulled up his blade as the last standing samurai put himself between himself and the Third Price Tatsuya, he was young. His sword shook as he stood face to face with him, the difference in their strength visible to him after the first strike.
"Step away," Akihito offered. The boy was young and probably sword off to a lord who was supporting the third Prince, and he had a future infront of him.
His eyes widened at the offer, yet he bit his lip and held up his blade, refusing Akihito's generosity.
"So be it. I shall make it quick," Akihito offered as he pushed his chakra into the blade once more, reaching for his feet as his blade lit up.
"Ninpo: Wind Cleaver," he shouted even as the young samurai tried to push Chaka into his own blade, but Akihito was beyond him in an instant.
CLANG!
A second later, the young samurai's head and half-cut blade fell to the ground as Akihito stood face to face with the Third Prince, who had grown pale and sweaty as Akihito inched closer to him.
"AH!" he screamed as he tried to run away, stumbling out of his palanquin, yet he stumbled and fell to the ground as Akihito cut off the head of his two retainers.
"YOU!.. Where did you come from!" he shouted as he tried to back away.
"From the ground, I waited for a day for you and your men sitting in a ditch in the ground all alone just so I could end this whole ordeal, sparing as many lives as I could," Akihito replied.
There were many ways of winning this war, yet this was the swiftest way. The war had already taken much from the people, and it was his duty as their lord and ruler to soften the blow, and this was the solution he had reached.
An ambush, one that came with great risk for the whole plan to work. Everything had to work. Many had spoken against him being the sole attacker, yet he had persisted.
This was his war. And he had already promised someone else that he would exact their revenge for them, and he was not fond of breaking promises.
So, as the Third Prince backed off, dragging his feet onto the ground, Akihito pushed his chakra into his blade once more as the shouts and screams of the approaching army got louder and louder.
"Miyuki sends her regards," he uttered as his blade arched through the air, and with a half shout, the Prince's head rolled off, yet the approaching army did not stop.
Akihito sighed as he sheathed his blade and riled up his chakra once more, his face turning towards the hundreds of men racing towards him before he suddenly let go of his chakra, the very air thick with his presence tore up as a violent gust of wind erupted from around him tearing up the very ground he stood on as his voice boomed through the clearing.
"The war is over!" he shouted as the men of the enemy forces slowed down, coming to a halt as he raised the Prince's head.
"Your Prince is dead!" he said, and then his eyes narrowed as his chakra sharpened, pulsing out of him in waves as his presence filled the whole area.
"Now kneel!"
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon. By becoming a patron, you can help me write this and other such stories. It would be pretty cool of you and would help me out quite a bit.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have an awesome day!
Ha! What an epic way to end the battle and war and win the throne! Hope the old man wins without dying.
Hope the old man wins without dying.
TFTC, so hype
prince84
In central Dogma flirting with Lilith.
- Location
- The Madness Place
This... This is the moment you know you had no chance.
Chapter 36-A Last Swing!
Chapter 36
KENSHIRO OUGI
Pain. Pain that he had not felt for years rippled through his being as his grip on his sword loosened and the taste of metal filled his mouth.
"KUGH!" he coughed blood as his knees gave out, and he fell to the ground as the older samurai stood there behind him, bleeding from his shoulder, yet the wound much shallower than the one he had suffered as he huffed.
"How?" he questioned as the old man walked up to him.
"The world is much bigger than what we realize," the old man said, and Ougi was surprised to see him sheath his blade. He was weakened, yet the wounds would not kill him, the old man could have used this opportunity to kill him yet he was sparing his life.
Ougi was the commander of the forces. If he were to fall, their victory would be certain.
"There was a time when I believed that I knew everything, that the world was wrong. Lords ruled over peasants, and because of some divine powers, I believed I was better than them. So, I thought, why must I swear my allegiance to them," the old man's thoughts were much like his own.
"I was stronger than them, my blade much sharper. Yet only when I met our lord did I see the fault in my thinking," the old man said as Ougi listened on.
"This land is filled not just with samurai. It is filled with farmers, smiths, servants, beggars, criminals, ninjas, and all sorts of people. A true ruler is not either, yet he understands them all and uses them all to maintain balance, for without that, we would be just like animals," he said, and Ougi could see the truth in that world.
"We, the samurai, swear our oaths to this balance and trust our lords to maintain that balance so we can be better men. Not all lords are like that, and not all samurai like me, yet I think that you and I alike in this sense," he said as he turned away from him and began to walk away.
"Why are you sparing me?" he questioned, as he coughed out another blotch of blood as he tried to find out the reason for this pity he never wished for.
The old man stopped and looked back at him.
"Look around you, young Ougi," he said and Ougi's heart thumped as he realised the deafening silence he was surrounded by and his head snapped towards the sides as he saw his army, kneeling down on the ground. All his men there, kneeling down swords on the ground in front as the white flags of surrender were raised.
The samurai were still alive, and he saw some of them kneeling down as well, yet that could only ever happen at his command.
"The war is over," came the voice of the old man, and his eyes landed on one person walking towards them, his sigil raised behind him in victory. The face matched the various pictures he had seen of the man, it was the jito of Shinoi.
The man whose technique had felled him down, the man who had taken his honour from him by killing Watashi Masamune, Akihito Shirahoshi.
He walked, through the crowd, his own men kneeling down for him as he rode past them, and only the samurai sworn to him remained standing.
Kenshiro Ougi looked towards the old samurai, and then he looked down at his blade and with his mind made he picked up his blade, and fought through the pain as he began to walk towards the path besides him, and found himself standing face to face with the young jito of Shinoi, blade in hand, ready for a final battle.
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
The battle was over. The succession wars over with the swing of his blade, and now he walked back towards his main camp as men both his and the Third Prince's knelt down for him. With their claimant gone, the battle was won, and so they had no cause to fight anymore.
Yet he was proven wrong, as a man stepped in the way of his small procession. He had a massive wound on his chest which had died his clothes red, and blood dripped down his chin as he stood there infront of him with his sword raised. Akihito had seen that face in posters and had heard many tales of him as well.
Kenshiro Ougi.
He was a very strong samurai, one who had led the Third Prince's army. By tradition, the man should either kill himself by seppuku or lay down his arms, yet he still stood there opposite to him.
"Back away," Akihito said to his men, who had stepped forward to protect him from the man.
"Your Prince is dead, and the war is over," Akihito told him as the older samurai wiped off the blood from his mouth and raised his blade.
"I know, But it is the war that has come to an end, not my life. Not yet, at least," he said as he coughed out blood once more. Akihito could tell that the injury was taking much out of him, yet he seemed determined toward his cause.
"Before I die, I wish to face the blade of the man who defeated Watashi Masamune," he said, raising his sword to challenge him.
Akihito's eyes glanced over his body, and the man would not survive if he persisted.
"You will die," he told him as much as he took out his own blade and gripped it in his hands.
"My life was forefit when you killed the Prince. Grant me this favor, and let me test my mettle against yours," he said as his chakra roared forth.
Akihito could deny the request. He had men at his command ready to intercept. But the man's gaze held determination he could sympathize with. He knew that he was going to die, and Akihito was not so cruel to deny a man his last wish.
"One swing," he said as he got into his stance, and the man nodded.
"My lord is very generous," he said as he got into his own stance, and then his chakra roared, cutting through the air, breaking the very ground beneath his feet, and Akihito replied in kind.
Yet his chakra did not roar. No his was controlled like a gentle wave coming to shore. His sword glew an ominous purple as Akihito decided to use his most powerful technique, one he had spent all his years mastering.
"Ninpo:...
"Ninpo:...
They both called out in a whisper as their chakras dried up, ending the crackling sounds in the air. The massive pressure vanished for a moment as they pushed all of it towards their blades.
"...Dragon's calling!"
"Swallow Reversal!" (Tsubame Gaeshi)
And as he swung his blade thrice in less than second, he did not miss how Kenshiro Ougi's blade never came down.
SLASH!
Akihito's blade cut through the man's flesh as blood burst out of his body. Akihito's blade itself broke down, the metal not strong enough to bear the sharpness of his chakra. Yet there was blood aplenty for it to regrow.
He sheathed the hilt as the old samurai's body fell down with a thud, lifeless in a puddle of scarlet blood.
0000
MIYUKI KATSUGAWA-The Princess
The castle was silent. There was no sound of metal being worked or of men being drilled in the yard. The whole army had left a day ago, and as she sat there and watched the Sun break through the clouds, she could feel the battle nearing its end.
Despite this being the third time Akihito had left for war, Miyuki could not find herself getting used to this feeling as she sat there with her breakfast, her appetite long gone from worry as she prayed for her lord husband's victory.
The servants, or at least the few that remained, sat beside her, serving her, and Lady Chiba, who sat opposite to her, yet unlike her, she seemed somewhat relaxed.
"You shouldn't worry too much, Princess," her voice broke her out of her reverie, and she looked up and saw the older girl smiling at her.
"It is my duty to worry," she replied stiffly, and the older woman nodded.
"I know, but your worry sobers the mood of the whole castle. You are the Princess; you must be the source of courage in these testing times for the people inside this castle," she advised him, her tone light and free of malice—at least, she could not sense any.
Miyuki Chiba had been a surprise for her. She had thought that her relationship with Akihito's new wife would be as rocky and complicated as it had been for her mother. Yet that had not been the case.
The woman was courteous enough, paid her appropriate respects, and deferred to her in all matters. Though Miyuki was yet to understand just what she was. She seemed nearly a zealot in her interest in Akihito, yet until she gave her a reason to suspect her a threat, she did not wish to intervene.
And then, suddenly, she saw her eyes tighten as Lady Chiba put down her bowl and looked towards the window as a small gust of wind passed through the castle.
"It is done," she heard her whisper. Before she could ask her more, the door to their chambers opened, and Nakiri-san and Kirin-san walked in. Her heart skipped a beat as the two women walked to the side.
Nakiri-san's smile eased her heart as the older woman spoke up.
"The battle is won," she said, letting out a breath she did not even know she was holding.
And then she watched as Lady Chiba stood up and walked to her side.
"I told you, didn't I? You should not worry so much," and with that, she lowered her head as all the servants bowed down, as they would to her mother, her as tears dripped down her eyes, for she had never thought that she would ever live long enough to see such a day.
"Greetings to the moon of the land," they chorused together.
"Empress Miyuki Shirahoshi."
0000
Back in Kiri, the brown-haired student of the Yellow Flash found herself in a conundrum as she realized that her captors, for that, were what she believed them to, knew quite a bit about her.
"Just because I am his student means little," she began as the Prince, and she ate their dinner, which had become a habit for them at this point.
"I am still a chunin, an inconsequential asset for Konoha. You will not be able to exchange my life for anything major," she retorted. The Prince smiled, as he always did whenever she confronted him about this.
"I am not looking for anything major, Rin-san. Your presence here is little for a bargain but more as a service to the incoming Fire daimyo. Your life is not in danger or a commodity to be exchanged for me," he assured her, yet she could see through his lies. Yet his next words surprised her even more.
"And who is to say that you are the only Konoha shinobi we have."
0000
Read ahead and support me on Patreon. Help me write this and other such stories by becoming a Patron. It would be pretty awesome of you and would help me out quite a bit.
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Have an awesome day!
KENSHIRO OUGI
Pain. Pain that he had not felt for years rippled through his being as his grip on his sword loosened and the taste of metal filled his mouth.
"KUGH!" he coughed blood as his knees gave out, and he fell to the ground as the older samurai stood there behind him, bleeding from his shoulder, yet the wound much shallower than the one he had suffered as he huffed.
"How?" he questioned as the old man walked up to him.
"The world is much bigger than what we realize," the old man said, and Ougi was surprised to see him sheath his blade. He was weakened, yet the wounds would not kill him, the old man could have used this opportunity to kill him yet he was sparing his life.
Ougi was the commander of the forces. If he were to fall, their victory would be certain.
"There was a time when I believed that I knew everything, that the world was wrong. Lords ruled over peasants, and because of some divine powers, I believed I was better than them. So, I thought, why must I swear my allegiance to them," the old man's thoughts were much like his own.
"I was stronger than them, my blade much sharper. Yet only when I met our lord did I see the fault in my thinking," the old man said as Ougi listened on.
"This land is filled not just with samurai. It is filled with farmers, smiths, servants, beggars, criminals, ninjas, and all sorts of people. A true ruler is not either, yet he understands them all and uses them all to maintain balance, for without that, we would be just like animals," he said, and Ougi could see the truth in that world.
"We, the samurai, swear our oaths to this balance and trust our lords to maintain that balance so we can be better men. Not all lords are like that, and not all samurai like me, yet I think that you and I alike in this sense," he said as he turned away from him and began to walk away.
"Why are you sparing me?" he questioned, as he coughed out another blotch of blood as he tried to find out the reason for this pity he never wished for.
The old man stopped and looked back at him.
"Look around you, young Ougi," he said and Ougi's heart thumped as he realised the deafening silence he was surrounded by and his head snapped towards the sides as he saw his army, kneeling down on the ground. All his men there, kneeling down swords on the ground in front as the white flags of surrender were raised.
The samurai were still alive, and he saw some of them kneeling down as well, yet that could only ever happen at his command.
"The war is over," came the voice of the old man, and his eyes landed on one person walking towards them, his sigil raised behind him in victory. The face matched the various pictures he had seen of the man, it was the jito of Shinoi.
The man whose technique had felled him down, the man who had taken his honour from him by killing Watashi Masamune, Akihito Shirahoshi.
He walked, through the crowd, his own men kneeling down for him as he rode past them, and only the samurai sworn to him remained standing.
Kenshiro Ougi looked towards the old samurai, and then he looked down at his blade and with his mind made he picked up his blade, and fought through the pain as he began to walk towards the path besides him, and found himself standing face to face with the young jito of Shinoi, blade in hand, ready for a final battle.
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
The battle was over. The succession wars over with the swing of his blade, and now he walked back towards his main camp as men both his and the Third Prince's knelt down for him. With their claimant gone, the battle was won, and so they had no cause to fight anymore.
Yet he was proven wrong, as a man stepped in the way of his small procession. He had a massive wound on his chest which had died his clothes red, and blood dripped down his chin as he stood there infront of him with his sword raised. Akihito had seen that face in posters and had heard many tales of him as well.
Kenshiro Ougi.
He was a very strong samurai, one who had led the Third Prince's army. By tradition, the man should either kill himself by seppuku or lay down his arms, yet he still stood there opposite to him.
"Back away," Akihito said to his men, who had stepped forward to protect him from the man.
"Your Prince is dead, and the war is over," Akihito told him as the older samurai wiped off the blood from his mouth and raised his blade.
"I know, But it is the war that has come to an end, not my life. Not yet, at least," he said as he coughed out blood once more. Akihito could tell that the injury was taking much out of him, yet he seemed determined toward his cause.
"Before I die, I wish to face the blade of the man who defeated Watashi Masamune," he said, raising his sword to challenge him.
Akihito's eyes glanced over his body, and the man would not survive if he persisted.
"You will die," he told him as much as he took out his own blade and gripped it in his hands.
"My life was forefit when you killed the Prince. Grant me this favor, and let me test my mettle against yours," he said as his chakra roared forth.
Akihito could deny the request. He had men at his command ready to intercept. But the man's gaze held determination he could sympathize with. He knew that he was going to die, and Akihito was not so cruel to deny a man his last wish.
"One swing," he said as he got into his stance, and the man nodded.
"My lord is very generous," he said as he got into his own stance, and then his chakra roared, cutting through the air, breaking the very ground beneath his feet, and Akihito replied in kind.
Yet his chakra did not roar. No his was controlled like a gentle wave coming to shore. His sword glew an ominous purple as Akihito decided to use his most powerful technique, one he had spent all his years mastering.
"Ninpo:...
"Ninpo:...
They both called out in a whisper as their chakras dried up, ending the crackling sounds in the air. The massive pressure vanished for a moment as they pushed all of it towards their blades.
"...Dragon's calling!"
"Swallow Reversal!" (Tsubame Gaeshi)
And as he swung his blade thrice in less than second, he did not miss how Kenshiro Ougi's blade never came down.
SLASH!
Akihito's blade cut through the man's flesh as blood burst out of his body. Akihito's blade itself broke down, the metal not strong enough to bear the sharpness of his chakra. Yet there was blood aplenty for it to regrow.
He sheathed the hilt as the old samurai's body fell down with a thud, lifeless in a puddle of scarlet blood.
0000
MIYUKI KATSUGAWA-The Princess
The castle was silent. There was no sound of metal being worked or of men being drilled in the yard. The whole army had left a day ago, and as she sat there and watched the Sun break through the clouds, she could feel the battle nearing its end.
Despite this being the third time Akihito had left for war, Miyuki could not find herself getting used to this feeling as she sat there with her breakfast, her appetite long gone from worry as she prayed for her lord husband's victory.
The servants, or at least the few that remained, sat beside her, serving her, and Lady Chiba, who sat opposite to her, yet unlike her, she seemed somewhat relaxed.
"You shouldn't worry too much, Princess," her voice broke her out of her reverie, and she looked up and saw the older girl smiling at her.
"It is my duty to worry," she replied stiffly, and the older woman nodded.
"I know, but your worry sobers the mood of the whole castle. You are the Princess; you must be the source of courage in these testing times for the people inside this castle," she advised him, her tone light and free of malice—at least, she could not sense any.
Miyuki Chiba had been a surprise for her. She had thought that her relationship with Akihito's new wife would be as rocky and complicated as it had been for her mother. Yet that had not been the case.
The woman was courteous enough, paid her appropriate respects, and deferred to her in all matters. Though Miyuki was yet to understand just what she was. She seemed nearly a zealot in her interest in Akihito, yet until she gave her a reason to suspect her a threat, she did not wish to intervene.
And then, suddenly, she saw her eyes tighten as Lady Chiba put down her bowl and looked towards the window as a small gust of wind passed through the castle.
"It is done," she heard her whisper. Before she could ask her more, the door to their chambers opened, and Nakiri-san and Kirin-san walked in. Her heart skipped a beat as the two women walked to the side.
Nakiri-san's smile eased her heart as the older woman spoke up.
"The battle is won," she said, letting out a breath she did not even know she was holding.
And then she watched as Lady Chiba stood up and walked to her side.
"I told you, didn't I? You should not worry so much," and with that, she lowered her head as all the servants bowed down, as they would to her mother, her as tears dripped down her eyes, for she had never thought that she would ever live long enough to see such a day.
"Greetings to the moon of the land," they chorused together.
"Empress Miyuki Shirahoshi."
0000
Back in Kiri, the brown-haired student of the Yellow Flash found herself in a conundrum as she realized that her captors, for that, were what she believed them to, knew quite a bit about her.
"Just because I am his student means little," she began as the Prince, and she ate their dinner, which had become a habit for them at this point.
"I am still a chunin, an inconsequential asset for Konoha. You will not be able to exchange my life for anything major," she retorted. The Prince smiled, as he always did whenever she confronted him about this.
"I am not looking for anything major, Rin-san. Your presence here is little for a bargain but more as a service to the incoming Fire daimyo. Your life is not in danger or a commodity to be exchanged for me," he assured her, yet she could see through his lies. Yet his next words surprised her even more.
"And who is to say that you are the only Konoha shinobi we have."
0000
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Chapter 37-Loose Ends!
Chapter 37
DANZO SHIMURA
Danzo Shimura could scarcely believe his life as he sat in his home as a prisoner. Hiruzen had refused to see reason, seeing his actions as treason.
Treason! As if he would ever. He simply saw what everyone else was blind to. The young lord had a reputation; he was an anomaly, a harbinger of change, a disturbance in the great order of things. Danzo could not let that happen just like he could not let Namikaze become the next Hokage.
Being the leader of a country and the village was a responsibility, one that came with darkness that few could understand. A burden that only he could bear.
Yet his reasoning had gone unheard, as his own home had been declared a jail. He sat there surrounded by shinobi who allowed him neither a foot beyond the premise nor any contact with anyone outside.
So, he sat there infront of a table doing calligraphy biding his time. Waiting.
And as the shadows shifted behind him he felt that it was time.
"Everything is ready Danzo-sama," came the voice as one of his men knelt down in the shadows, his presence so thin that one could miss it while staring at him.
"Where are the rest of you?" he questioned. Their chakras may be hidden, but Danzo had seals placed on all of his operatives to keep track of them.
"Many have been captured, my lord. the Hokage has ordered a shutdown of ROOT. Jiraiya-sama led a special team to bring everyone in. Few resisted, but many were lost," and Danzo's lips thinned at those words, yet his anger and frustration did not show apart from the small crack in the brush in his hand.
"How many of you are left?" he questioned.
"Twenty, Danzo-sama. We have made all the preparation..." But suddenly his operative began to choke. Danzo's eyes narrowed as another figure came out of the shadows, his skin pale as snow, his chakra absolutely absent, yet that showed only his mastery of it.
His golden eyes gleamed in the dark as Dano felt himself at unease after a very long time as those slits narrowed towards him, as his agent lay there dead.
"What do you think you are doing, Orochimaru?" he questioned as he looked at the Third Sanin, the only one who shared some of his beliefs. Their similarities were thin, for while Danzo believed himself to be a servant for the greater good of the village, the snake sanin was filled with avarice. His actions were driven by personal ambition and greed, not the well-being of the village.
"Tying up loose ends," the Sanin said and Danzo saw a tanto gleam in the moonlight.
"Do you really think you could get away with that? You and I worked together, and soon that all shall come to light, and when it does, you will find yourself in a place much worse than I," Danzo warned him as he put down the brush.
"You and I are in this together. If we can...
"It is over Shimura." The pale jounin said as he threw a missive towards him.
"The boy has become the daimyo. You are done," and Danzo was surprised by that. He had sent a special unit after the boy, yet he had still lived.
"Namikaze was able to intervene in time and save the boy, and now he has slain all his enemies. He is the next daimyo, and he shall not forget about your betrayal. Your fate is sealed, and there is nothing sensei could do to save you," the snake sanin said, gritting his teeth as he realized the truth of that statement.
"The same goes for you," he snarled in rage as the sanin's lips turned up.
"I am afraid not," said Orochimaru as Danzo felt his body stiffen Poison, a very deadly poison he realised. And as he was about to push chakra into the eye, he had always kept bandaged, pain rippled through him as he found Orochimaru in front of him, his fingers digging into his skin and plucking out the eye.
"AGHH!" Danzo tried to scream, yet no voice came out as his vocal cords had been cut.
Orochimaru gouged out his eye as he smiled down at him.
"You see I have found myself a rather interesting opportunity, and you were the last loose end."
He tried to activate his seals, yet somehow, all his chakra seemed to have been cut off, as he hankered for breath and his vision dulled.
And the last thing he saw as Darkness overcame him was a plant-like structure erupting from the ground and enveloping the Snake sanin and himself.
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
The war was over. The battle won, yet that did not mean his struggles were just done yet as him and his procession made their way to the capital.
He rode at the front, surrounded by four samurai with the other two behind him riding alongside the carriage of Miyuki and Mayumi as they rode towards the capital gates.
The capital was still guarded by the Temple, so he had not brought his whole contingent, only those he had felt were necessary.
And on the massive gates, a retinue was waiting for them. The whole Royal army stood in rows along a path that led to the main castle, and leading them was the small retinue of the Prime Minister, the leader of the Fire Temple and a few other ministers.
Akihito halted his halt as the Prime Minister stepped forward. He had met the old man with the hunched back, Hayama Sosuke. He was a genial man, yet he also knew that underneath that civility and joyous nature lay a ruthless man.
"My lord, the preparations are complete," he said as the whole contingent bowed to him. Akihito nodded, and he rode past them, moving towards the castle.
The stage had been prepared as the priests stood there with the special haori's and the crown. Akihito got off his horse and then walked back towards the carriage and helped out Miyuki, who looked around the capital with a forlorn and sad expression. However, he did not miss how her gaze chilled when it moved towards the part of the castle where the previous daimyo's concubines stood.
"Let me aid you, empress," Himiko stepped forward as she led her towards the stage alongside him.
Akihito came and stood infront of the throne, and the proceedings began as the special haori was tied around him, and he was dressed in the royal garbs. The layers of cloth were enough to break one's back, yet he waited as the proceedings were finished before suddenly Miyuki stepped out of the castle, clad in Royal gowns as she had been when he had first seen her.
She walked past him and up the stairs as the prime minister, standing at the sides of the emperor's throne. Chiryuu, the leader of the fire temple, stepped forward and, after a small prayer, motioned for the stairs.
"Arise," he said, and Akihito nodded as he began to ascend the stairs. The whole palace was quiet except for the sound of his steps as he ascended to the throne.
He sat down on the throne as the Prime Minister stepped forward, and the ceremonial crown was handed to Miyuki.
"I give you the fourteenth daimyo of the land of fire!" his voice boomed across the clearing.
"Akihito Shirahoshi-sama!"
0000
HIRUZEN SARUTOBI
Hiruzen read the reports from Jiraoya about the ROOT operation, and the more he read, the more damning it felt. It was a travesty, such that if it ever got out, the whole village could end up in shambles. And all this had gone on under his watch.
"How could this happen without anyone noticing?" he questioned, and Jiraiya raised a brow as he leaned back.
"People noticed, many did, including me, and tried to warn you about it. Yet you refused to listen, always taking his side," Jiraiya accused him, and he wished he could retort and deny that accusation. Yet he could not.
He had put too much trust in his friend, and now that was costing him. No, it had cost him.
"Word has come from the capital that Akihito Shirahoshi was crowned as the next daimyo a few hours ago," Jiraiya told him. Though he had expected the news, it still surprised him.
"So, it seems my time as the Hokage nears its end," he said, and there was some comfort in that.
"Not until you solve this whole mess; you cannot leave it all for Minato," Jiraiya added a bit sharply.
"What do you recommend I do," he questioned and Jiraiya seemed surprise by that question.
"Are you not going to ask your esteemed council members?" Jiraiya asked, indigent in his tone, and Hiruzen sighed.
"Just answer me," he said, and Jiraiya leaned back.
"From what I know of Shirahoshi, he will demand...." but Jiraiya's words were cut short as an ANBU appeared in the room, and that meant only one thing.
"What happened?" he questioned, for they were barred from the office unless there was an emergency.
"Sandaime-sama, we have an emergency!"
0000
In a desolate cave on the continent, a black and white human-like figure sprouted out of the ground, his body human-like like yet none would doubt it for one. It stood infront of a massive statue as it spoke.
"We have a problem."
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me along in this journey. It would be pretty cool of you and would help me out quiet a bit.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have an awesome day! 😊
DANZO SHIMURA
Danzo Shimura could scarcely believe his life as he sat in his home as a prisoner. Hiruzen had refused to see reason, seeing his actions as treason.
Treason! As if he would ever. He simply saw what everyone else was blind to. The young lord had a reputation; he was an anomaly, a harbinger of change, a disturbance in the great order of things. Danzo could not let that happen just like he could not let Namikaze become the next Hokage.
Being the leader of a country and the village was a responsibility, one that came with darkness that few could understand. A burden that only he could bear.
Yet his reasoning had gone unheard, as his own home had been declared a jail. He sat there surrounded by shinobi who allowed him neither a foot beyond the premise nor any contact with anyone outside.
So, he sat there infront of a table doing calligraphy biding his time. Waiting.
And as the shadows shifted behind him he felt that it was time.
"Everything is ready Danzo-sama," came the voice as one of his men knelt down in the shadows, his presence so thin that one could miss it while staring at him.
"Where are the rest of you?" he questioned. Their chakras may be hidden, but Danzo had seals placed on all of his operatives to keep track of them.
"Many have been captured, my lord. the Hokage has ordered a shutdown of ROOT. Jiraiya-sama led a special team to bring everyone in. Few resisted, but many were lost," and Danzo's lips thinned at those words, yet his anger and frustration did not show apart from the small crack in the brush in his hand.
"How many of you are left?" he questioned.
"Twenty, Danzo-sama. We have made all the preparation..." But suddenly his operative began to choke. Danzo's eyes narrowed as another figure came out of the shadows, his skin pale as snow, his chakra absolutely absent, yet that showed only his mastery of it.
His golden eyes gleamed in the dark as Dano felt himself at unease after a very long time as those slits narrowed towards him, as his agent lay there dead.
"What do you think you are doing, Orochimaru?" he questioned as he looked at the Third Sanin, the only one who shared some of his beliefs. Their similarities were thin, for while Danzo believed himself to be a servant for the greater good of the village, the snake sanin was filled with avarice. His actions were driven by personal ambition and greed, not the well-being of the village.
"Tying up loose ends," the Sanin said and Danzo saw a tanto gleam in the moonlight.
"Do you really think you could get away with that? You and I worked together, and soon that all shall come to light, and when it does, you will find yourself in a place much worse than I," Danzo warned him as he put down the brush.
"You and I are in this together. If we can...
"It is over Shimura." The pale jounin said as he threw a missive towards him.
"The boy has become the daimyo. You are done," and Danzo was surprised by that. He had sent a special unit after the boy, yet he had still lived.
"Namikaze was able to intervene in time and save the boy, and now he has slain all his enemies. He is the next daimyo, and he shall not forget about your betrayal. Your fate is sealed, and there is nothing sensei could do to save you," the snake sanin said, gritting his teeth as he realized the truth of that statement.
"The same goes for you," he snarled in rage as the sanin's lips turned up.
"I am afraid not," said Orochimaru as Danzo felt his body stiffen Poison, a very deadly poison he realised. And as he was about to push chakra into the eye, he had always kept bandaged, pain rippled through him as he found Orochimaru in front of him, his fingers digging into his skin and plucking out the eye.
"AGHH!" Danzo tried to scream, yet no voice came out as his vocal cords had been cut.
Orochimaru gouged out his eye as he smiled down at him.
"You see I have found myself a rather interesting opportunity, and you were the last loose end."
He tried to activate his seals, yet somehow, all his chakra seemed to have been cut off, as he hankered for breath and his vision dulled.
And the last thing he saw as Darkness overcame him was a plant-like structure erupting from the ground and enveloping the Snake sanin and himself.
0000
AKIHITO SHIRAHOSHI
The war was over. The battle won, yet that did not mean his struggles were just done yet as him and his procession made their way to the capital.
He rode at the front, surrounded by four samurai with the other two behind him riding alongside the carriage of Miyuki and Mayumi as they rode towards the capital gates.
The capital was still guarded by the Temple, so he had not brought his whole contingent, only those he had felt were necessary.
And on the massive gates, a retinue was waiting for them. The whole Royal army stood in rows along a path that led to the main castle, and leading them was the small retinue of the Prime Minister, the leader of the Fire Temple and a few other ministers.
Akihito halted his halt as the Prime Minister stepped forward. He had met the old man with the hunched back, Hayama Sosuke. He was a genial man, yet he also knew that underneath that civility and joyous nature lay a ruthless man.
"My lord, the preparations are complete," he said as the whole contingent bowed to him. Akihito nodded, and he rode past them, moving towards the castle.
The stage had been prepared as the priests stood there with the special haori's and the crown. Akihito got off his horse and then walked back towards the carriage and helped out Miyuki, who looked around the capital with a forlorn and sad expression. However, he did not miss how her gaze chilled when it moved towards the part of the castle where the previous daimyo's concubines stood.
"Let me aid you, empress," Himiko stepped forward as she led her towards the stage alongside him.
Akihito came and stood infront of the throne, and the proceedings began as the special haori was tied around him, and he was dressed in the royal garbs. The layers of cloth were enough to break one's back, yet he waited as the proceedings were finished before suddenly Miyuki stepped out of the castle, clad in Royal gowns as she had been when he had first seen her.
She walked past him and up the stairs as the prime minister, standing at the sides of the emperor's throne. Chiryuu, the leader of the fire temple, stepped forward and, after a small prayer, motioned for the stairs.
"Arise," he said, and Akihito nodded as he began to ascend the stairs. The whole palace was quiet except for the sound of his steps as he ascended to the throne.
He sat down on the throne as the Prime Minister stepped forward, and the ceremonial crown was handed to Miyuki.
"I give you the fourteenth daimyo of the land of fire!" his voice boomed across the clearing.
"Akihito Shirahoshi-sama!"
0000
HIRUZEN SARUTOBI
Hiruzen read the reports from Jiraoya about the ROOT operation, and the more he read, the more damning it felt. It was a travesty, such that if it ever got out, the whole village could end up in shambles. And all this had gone on under his watch.
"How could this happen without anyone noticing?" he questioned, and Jiraiya raised a brow as he leaned back.
"People noticed, many did, including me, and tried to warn you about it. Yet you refused to listen, always taking his side," Jiraiya accused him, and he wished he could retort and deny that accusation. Yet he could not.
He had put too much trust in his friend, and now that was costing him. No, it had cost him.
"Word has come from the capital that Akihito Shirahoshi was crowned as the next daimyo a few hours ago," Jiraiya told him. Though he had expected the news, it still surprised him.
"So, it seems my time as the Hokage nears its end," he said, and there was some comfort in that.
"Not until you solve this whole mess; you cannot leave it all for Minato," Jiraiya added a bit sharply.
"What do you recommend I do," he questioned and Jiraiya seemed surprise by that question.
"Are you not going to ask your esteemed council members?" Jiraiya asked, indigent in his tone, and Hiruzen sighed.
"Just answer me," he said, and Jiraiya leaned back.
"From what I know of Shirahoshi, he will demand...." but Jiraiya's words were cut short as an ANBU appeared in the room, and that meant only one thing.
"What happened?" he questioned, for they were barred from the office unless there was an emergency.
"Sandaime-sama, we have an emergency!"
0000
In a desolate cave on the continent, a black and white human-like figure sprouted out of the ground, his body human-like like yet none would doubt it for one. It stood infront of a massive statue as it spoke.
"We have a problem."
0000
As always, you can read ahead and support me on Patreon and help me along in this journey. It would be pretty cool of you and would help me out quiet a bit.
www.Patreon.com/Drkest
Have an awesome day! 😊
- Location
- England
That should be "mistake". Doubt doesn't work there.
Yay for getting crowned. "Akihito Shirahoshi-sama!" this should be -dono, as he's not just a lord, but the emperor.
"Akihito Shirahoshi-sama!" this should be -dono, as he's not just a lord, but the emperor.Shouldn't it be -heka instead of -dono? Plus dick move author for the cliff.Yay for getting crowned.
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But his wife is called an Empress though? Normal Tokugawa era daimyo is just a lord with a fief. He is the lord of Land of Fire, maybe a localised Emperor?