A.N. While I would love to have crafted this story around the actual historical timeline, that was simply not possible. As such, the game's time-bending atmosphere will be utilized to bring events closer to one another. I suppose, if a timeline is to be involved, this first chapter would fall sometime during or after the Battle of Nagashino.

A spear, a sword, and a clash between them and the two powerful men who were their wielders—the former a crimson armored samurai full of righteous pride and the latter an ambitious man garbed in dark clothing and armor fit for a conqueror. Their weapons had originally clashed some time ago, of which the wounds and exhaustion evident on and in both men were signs of. Both men struggled to overpower one another as their weapons grinded.

Suddenly a trick by the ambitious man—his struggle to overpower his opponent was seemingly overcome and the crimson armored samurai took the opportunity, took the bait for the trap; the spear lunged forward and an unavoidable wound was given to the side of the ambitious man who retaliated without falter as if he felt no pain. Bringing his blade across the lesser armored forearms of the spear's wielder, a deep gash was formed that spurt liquid colored a shade deeper than the crimson armor.

As masterful a samurai the spear user was, he did not release his grip from his weapon, but he couldn't keep hold of it when it was yanked from his bleeding arms by his opponent. A kick to his breastplate sent him skidding backwards, feet unrelenting from their firm grip of the ground and eyes unwavering from the weapon of his opponent that suddenly gleamed in the moonlight as it was heightened for an attack—an attack that his current situation prevented him from defending against. This would be the finishing blow that shattered his pride as a warrior.

Another kick connected with his breastplate, pushing him back even further. He heard a clash of steel before he collapsed to one knee, his eyes finally having wavered from his opponent. When his head rose in confusion, his eyes widened.

"My lord…!"

He heard the ninja, clothed in very untraditional garments for her profession, speak. She stood in front of him with trembling arms held up and dual kunai crisscrossed near her left shoulder, preventing the ambitious man's sword from cutting deeper into her trapezius. Anger swelled within him and he yelled to her, "What are you doing here?!"

She flinched at his harsh words, or perhaps it was just from the strain and pain of her predicament. "My lord, I am your loyal ninja and will always be wherever you are. I have a duty to protect you, and it is my only purpose." It strained her, made the gash near her neck flare in even greater pain, but she managed to turn her head to look at him. Her face was shrouded in shadow yet the conviction shown on it was as bright as day. "Yukimura, run!"

The Sanada samurai stared at her in shock. Something inside him was swelling, a feeling of fear that he would destroy the ninja's conviction if he did not listen to her request. Yet, if he did listen, he would be destroying his own pride as a samurai. His head drooped and a battle began to wage between his mind and his heart. The sound of grinding metal interrupted that battle.

"Please!"

He raised his head once more to look at the ninja. She had managed to push the ambitious man away, but no longer looked at him. He smiled at this, knowing she could be naïve at times but keen when the situation required it. She would not look at him anymore for only a fool would turn their back on the enemy. She would not ask him to leave anymore for if he didn't abide then she would force him to. She would not quit, would not relent from her purpose until she knew he was safe. He would not want to see her perish, so he fled in hope that she would follow suit.

Once she could no longer hear his footsteps, she sighed in relief. Her relief was short-lived, however, as the ambitious man's sword was coming down on her for a second time. She managed to parry it by hopping backwards and deflected the two other consecutive attacks with her dual kunai. Instead of counterattacking, the ninja leapt backwards multiple times to put distance between her and the ambitious man. She examined him: a pencil mustache, black hair, and foreboding eyes. "So you're Nobunaga, huh?"

The ambitious man, identified as Nobunaga Oda, stared at her condescendingly. "Yet another fool," he stated slowly while walking towards her.

She gripped her kunai tightly. "I am no fool." She told him confidently. "I fight only for my purpose!" Her tone escalated as she blocked Nobunaga's sword. Separating her kunai as he lifted his sword for a second strike, she attacked at two different areas of his body simultaneously. She figured he would cancel his attack and block the more vital spot, and he did just that, stopping the kunai aimed for his chest with his sword and taking a wound from the second kunai in his thigh. She heard him grunt but had no time to relish in her small victory, for he pushed forth his sword with one hand and used the other fist to backhand her in the cheek; she did whatever she could to get away, but in the end her cry of pain was much louder than his had been as his sword cut into the flesh of her arm.

He was relentless. She had no time for the agony her arm and shoulder were bringing her and now had to desperately move her dual kunai all about to block the quick and successive attacks. Each clash of metal pained her, but she knew it was nothing compared to the pain she'd feel if she faltered even for a second. This man truly was as fearsome as she had heard, and she knew now why her lord had wanted to kill him, but…what a fool—what a fool Yukimura was to try and fight a man of such caliber! Her distracted mind was unable to continue keeping pace with the flurry of attacks. Metal cut into her flesh for a third time and the pain caused her great daze. Not even a moment later she was run-through by the blade, her stomach the target of the fatal blow. Although she had cried out in agony previously, she could only muster a tiny gag at this one.

The sword was pulled from her body quickly, and the owner of it stepped backwards. The fight was over—they both knew that; yet she took her time falling to her knees, at first continuing to stand as if she had the strength to fight on. From her knees she fell onto her side, her body almost curled up. She hadn't lost grip of her weapons, but her opponent saw no threat in her as he pierced the ground with his sword before kneeling next to her. Her breathing was erratic.

With narrowed eyes the ambitious man inquired, "Tell me what this purpose you fight for is."

She'd never been in such pain before so answering his demand took much effort and time. "I…what I fight for…" she stopped and, knowing her speech was impeded by the encroaching death, simplified it all into one word: "Love."

His narrowed eyes relaxed and for a moment his ambition held no spot in either his heart or mind. "Then you are no fool." He stood but kept his gaze on her, the image of a woman who shared his blood flashing before his eyes. "You are something far greater than any man caught up in this foolish thing called 'war.'"

She could feel her conscious slipping away. Before the blackness consumed her completely, she asked, "What's…that?"

He turned his back to her.

"Human."

His hand gripped his sword and the moment it did his ambition once more flowed through his veins. But he wouldn't forget the solace he found in the few seconds without it.

A.N. There will be at least two more chapters to this. Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!