Arc 24: The King is Busy in Many Ways

Chapter 217: The Running Horseman, and the One-eyed Warrior

We run through the enemys camp, while I mow down the enemies standing in my way with the swings of my spear. The roar Kohaku makes blows off the soldiers in front with a shockwave, making way. We then cut across the enemys camp without stopping by running through them.

Afterwards, I make a U-turn and take a stance with my spear once again.

Uhaa. Look at how many of them there are. Theres still a whole lot more of the swarm remaining.

A hail of arrows comes pouring down on us, swooshing through the air.

Shield(Touya)

I react to them by deploying a defense barrier. The incoming arrows are being stopped one after another and fall down to the ground.

Now then, shall I run through the camp once more? Kohaku was about so start running again when a young warrior riding a horse suddenly appeared from the enemys camp.

Yaa Yaa, Im a retainer of Hashiba, thou own nameth is Fukushima Masanori! Im peerless in the whole world with the spear, and thithers nay on who ist surpasses me! What kind of person of sorts is this oni warrior!? i wint hark to thy nameth, cometh now(Masanori)

Slip(Touya)

Guhaaaa(Masanori)

The young warrior who has made a long self-introduction falls down unsightly from his horse due to me getting rid of the friction coefficient of the saddle.

I wonder, is he a fool to do something like introducing himself in the middle of the battle? Even in my world, it was said that it hadnt been done that much since the mongol invasions of Japan, but I dont know about this world though.

Ive heard words saying that Im a coward, that I should fight them fair and square, and so on and so forth, but those things have nothing to do with me.

Silently, I plunge into enemys camp causing the soldiers to escape and scatter in all directions while screaming Waaaaa!. Whats that? How dare he call me a coward when they act like that!

Yet there are still some people coming at me despite the situation they are in. I push down the horse riding warrior while conversely dodging the incoming spear.

Being crowded had made me irritated so I used a spell.

Oh wind, coil around, tempest whirlwind, Cyclone Storm(Touya)

Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!?

A tornado rises in the enemy camp, and the soldiers are being blown up to the skies. As expected of a windstorm. I then swing my spear and defeat the army of Hashiba before my eyes in succession while glancing at the storm attack.

Wait! Yaa Yaa I am one of Hashiba vassals, Katou(Katou)

Cyclone Storm(Touya)

Uhyowaaaaaaaaaaa!!?(Katou)

Katou-someone (a certain someone) vanishes high up in the sky. Like Ive said, such things have nothing to do with me.

What are you doing!? The enemy is just one person. Surround and skewer him all at once!(???)

The cry of the commander, whos riding a chestnut horse, causes the foot soldiers to surround me from all directions and unleash their spears toward me at the same time.

However, Kohuku, being faster than that, jumps vertically, and we start to dance in the air.

Oh sand, come, blinding sandstorm, Blinding Sand(Touya)

Guwaaaa! My eyes!

The soldiers faint in agony as sand enters their eyes, and they get blown off in a circle with the shockwave Kohaku releases underneath her.

Kohaku immediately starts running once she lands, and, matching her, I pull out my spear and tumble down the enemies one after another.

Oh wind, pierce, Helix Sharp Blade, Spiral Lance(Touya)

I push the spear which is clad in wind upfront, and it becomes a spear of the storm, thoroughly blowing the army of Hashiba in a straight line.

I-its an O-oni! It is an Oni warrior!

We will be killed! Everyone will be killed!

Disrespectful person. They only look as if theyve died, but they just cant move because theyve become paralyzed.

Suddenly, a roar from the direction of the castle gate can be heard while Im being angry.

The army of Tokugawa is attacking! Fight them back!

Not good! The formation of the right-wing is collapsing! They cant intercept the enemy!

Oh, did Yae inform Juubei-san and the rest about me?

The army of Hashiba, which Ive badly thrown into confusion, is already turning into a disordered mob, and most of them have lost the will to fight. As result,

P-pull back! Withdraw! We are retreating!

Everyone, retreat!

The military commanders riding the horses are running at full speed, with only the sound of hooves being heard. Not being late behind them, foot soldiers have also begun fleeing from this place. Only the paralyzed soldiers that couldnt move remain behind.

OOOOOOOOOooo!! cheers rise from Tokugawa/Date allied army and victory war cries are echoing all around. It seems they will not pursue the retreating enemy.

Guess weve repelled them for now, right?(Touya)

Seems so(Kohaku)

I jump down from Kohaku and put the spear inside [Storage]. I then look toward the castle gate and see the figures of Yae and Juutarou-san rushing here.

To(Yae)

Shhhh(Touya)

I gesture Yae to hush when shes about to carelessly yell my name. I talk to the two in a low voice after theyve approached me.

Long time no see, Juutarou-san(Touya)

Touya-dono, we are indebted for your assistance.You really saved us(Juutarou)

Yaes elder brother, Juutarou-san, bows deeply. I guess hes still formal as always.

In any event, this appearance(Juutarou)

I more or less have a position of sorts so it will get troublesome if Brunhild becomes entangled. Therefore, Im here as a mysterious oni warrior(Touya)

Haa. Well, we dont mind it, but what should we call you in that case?(Juutarou)

A name? Hmm then, call me Shirogane(Touya)

Its simple but, oh well, its fine I guess. Everything is black though except the mask.

More importantly, is Ieyasu-san alright? I heard that he was injured(Touya)

Ah, yes. The feudal lord has been injured by an arrow to the shoulder, but its not life threatening(Juutarou)

Can you let me meet with him then? I believe I can help him with recovery magic(Touya)

Most of the people from Ishen dont have magic attributes, just like Yae. There are even less of those who have the rare light and dark attributes.

Its not like they dont have any magic power since theyve developed something like their own unique simple magic sorcery. Like artifacts or ninjutsu. Tsubaki-sans voice hoping into a cat is this kind of skill as well.

Im grateful for that. Hes waiting with Father in the castle. Lets go, To Shirogane-dono(Juutarou)

Being led by Juutarou-san, I pass under the castle gate with Yae who got on Kohaku while attracting the attention of Tokugawas soldiers.

=========================Scene Change====================

No, I am sorry. I owe To Shirogane-dono yet another favor(Ieyasu)

Ive cured the shoulder injury of Ieyasu-san with recovery magic, and I also cure the wounded people while I was at that.

Ieyasu-san and I face each other in the reception hall inside the castle. The chief vassals have also gathered in the surroundings. The figure of Yaes father, Juubei-san, is among them as well.

The rumors about how youve been doing things in quite a flashy manner have even reached as far as Ishen(Ieyasu)

The eyes of the small-mustached Ieyasu-san, whos talking in low voice, are filled with light which one can call as the being immensely curious kind of light. He surely has the same kind of aura as the King of Belfast and the Beast King of Misumido

Incidentally, what kind of rumors are those?(Touya)

About how youve been capturing the princesses of various countries, annihilating the devils army all by yourself, destroying an entire country by manipulating giants and so on and so forth. Theres no end to them if I bring them all up(Ieyasu)

Listening to Ieyasu-sans stories made me show a cramped smile. Its hard to deny those rumors as the truth is subtly mixed in. Those stories have probably been handed down in a strange way, with details being omitted, and exaggerations being made.

Well, I will ignore it since its unrelated right now.

Lord. Who in the world is that person?

Voices of doubt rise from among the chief vessels. Of course, wont you also be vigilant if a suspiciously powerful man wearing a mask comes?

Ouu. This one is being called Shirogane-dono. Hes a guest of Kokonoe Juubei over there. Everyone saw not too long ago that his strength is unrivaled, truly one Oni able to match thousands strong warriors. He has purposely come rushing to us after learning of our crisis(Ieyasu)

Everyones eyes focus on Juubei-san so he slightly nods, showing his affirmation towards. Yae can also be seen standing next to him. By the way, Kohaku has turned back to her small form and is curling on Yaes knees.

Aa, Ieyasu-san. Now then, how is the situation of the war going?(Touya)

We are at an overwhelming disadvantage. The forces of Hashiba exceed us in numbers by far. We have no choice but strike against our opponents weak unity if we are to gain victory(Ieyasu)

Weak unity?(Touya)

I did say the forces of Hashiba, but those forces are mostly soldiers who are originally from Oda, Mori, Shimazu and Chosokabe. It means that the majority of them dont follow him due to their loyalty. Everybody only fears Hideyoshis power(Ieyasu)

Ive thought that controlling with fear was a franchise that Oda Nobunaga had monopolized.

Oh well, I guess Hideyoshi doesnt lose in cruelty either. If I remember correctly, he made his nephew Hidetsugu, who had served his purpose, commit seppuku simply because his son Hideyori had been born. Moreover, Hidetsugus wife, concubines and their children, approximating around 30 people had been beheaded.

However, cruelty is probably not unusual for military commanders of the warring states period. Even Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the punishment of his vassal, Ouga Yashiro, by sawing him when he found out about his secret communications with Takeda.

He doesnt overlap very much with Ieyasu-san in front of me, and it seems Hideyoshi is different.

In that case, why does everyone obey Hideyoshi? Is he that strong?(Touya)

They say Hideyoshi uses a golden gourd with a strange jutsu. No one can go against that power, and it seems that everybody has no choice but obey him. Theres also a rumor that even the assassination of Oda Nobunaga-dono has happened due to Mitsuhide Akechi being controlled by that power(Ieyasu)

A golden gourd? Perhaps, it might be an artifact. Dont tell me it is similar to the [Jewel of Immorality] wherein something had fallen from [Warehouse] again?!

I take out my smartphone in panic, and open the missing items list of [Warehouse] No, theres no article corresponding to that gourd. If thats the case, maybe its the work of another person the same as during the dragon king incident.

Then does this mean that the other side will just collapse if we somehow manage to do something to Hideyoshis golden gourd?(Touya)

Probably. Although Ive said that, Hideyoshi doesnt even take a single step outside of his castle. Even I, being the same feudal lord as him, didnt see his appearance. Though its just a rumor, its being said that he doesnt feel like appearing in front of people because his face looks like that of a monkey(Ieyasu)

Monkey face, you say? Will he become a bald mouse if he loses his hair?

However, a shut-in feudal lord? Hes a person with unknown lineage in the first