Due to the positive reactions I got from my first fic, I have decided to make another one, only longer this time. Yes, it will still be Mitsuhide Akechi x Ranmaru Mori (I love them to death), so rejoice my fellow fans!

Note:This takes place during and after Mitsuhide's rebellion against Nobunaga. Game events are tweaked according to necessary, and those that follow are fictional. This is a yaoi story, meaning man-to-man fluff. You have been warned. But those who love yaoi and Mitsumaru, read on!

Chapter One: The Roar of the Lion

"Burn down Honnoji! Trap them inside, and then launch an ambush!"

Mitsuhide Akechi's voice did not falter as the noble warrior barked out his fateful order. This was a moment in time that many people in the course of history had not expected, but it had finally come.

That night, Mitsuhide chose to betray his former lord, Nobunaga Oda.

It was inevitable, the lord of the Akechi clan thought. I have reached my limits. I can no longer put up with Nobunaga Oda's torturous methods of murder. I thought about this well, and I know I made the right decision. Someone has to put a stop to this unneeded violence, and that person will be me! Prepare yourself, Lord Oda…

"Be sure to keep yourselves alive out there!" he yelled to his men as he rode past, trying to maintain morale. "They outnumber us greatly, that's why we must be careful. Help whoever is in trouble! Prioritize the unit I sent to set the fire! Do not let them get killed! Block the routes as well, we don't need additional trouble".

He felt another surge of guilt, but quickly pushed it away as he headed for the temple. He had made up his mind about this, and chose rebellion over his undying loyalty. It was quite an irony, as he had always been Nobunaga's most loyal warrior. But after what happened at Saika village, he doubted he could live with himself if he stayed by Nobunaga. Their ambitions were just too different now. Mitsuhide craved peace, while Nobunaga preferred to fight things over. For the longest time, Mitsuhide thought Nobunaga could bring peace to the land.

But he had just been proven wrong. Nobunaga was a sinner, just like everyone else.

Indeed, you cannot hail one man a saint when he lives among sinners,Mitsuhide thought grimly. I was wrong to think that Nobunaga would be this land's rightful ruler. That role must be undertaken by none other than me, even if I have to kill my former lord to take the title. Only I can save the land I love…

He paused at the entrance to Honnoji, taking everything in. Before him, soldiers – both Akechi and Oda – were battling to the death, blades repeatedly clanging against each other. It was a sight he had never expected to see. Before this battle, there was no division. Akechi was with Oda, and Oda was the main ruling force.

But I am forsaking all of these all now, he reminded himself. My former home, my former allegiance, my former master, my former comrades, my former ideals, my former beliefs, my former student...

A pang of guilt pierced him, very much as if a snake had sunk its fangs into his heart. Aside from Nobunaga, Ranmaru Mori had been the most important person to him. The beautiful young man had been his student before, and Mitsuhide could never forget him.

Bless you, young Mori. May we not meet in battle today, for I am most unwilling to cross blades with thee…

Drawing in a deep breath, he pushed forward and jumped into the heat of the battle. He leapt off his steed and petted the stallion's nose, letting the animal know that he was grateful for its service. He then slapped his horse's rump, urging it to go free. Mitsuhide prayed that he would not run into his faithful companion's corpse later on if ever he did emerge victorious from the battle, as the sight would be most heartbreaking. Mitsuhide was a kind man by reputation, and he valued animals as much as he did his troops. It was difficult watching his soldiers get demolished by the enemy troops, but he knew this was a reality of war that he could not change. Indeed, in this world, the strong prevailed and the weak died at their hands.

"Where do you think you're going, Mitsuhide?"

A tall, slender woman with dark hair and conniving eyes blocked his path. Lady Nou licked her lips viciously, her razor-sharp golden claws at the ready. Mitsuhide hesitated a moment, knowing that he was facing off against his former queen. Lady Nou was as beautiful as the night sky, but she was also as ruthless as the stealthiest of thieves. Mitsuhide knew that it would be wrong to underestimate her, for her fighting skills were superior to even most of the Oda troops. The young warrior had seen her fight before, and he thought it best to stay out of her way. This time, though, he had no way out. It was kill or be killed.

"Forgive me, my lady, but I must put an end to this madness your liege has caused", he said calmly, drawing his sword. "If I must cut you down in order to spare the people of this land from your husband's tyrannical rule, then I will not hesitate to do so".

"You have grown foolish, Mitsuhide", Nou smirked tauntingly. "Very well then, let us dance!"

Mitsuhide prepared himself for her attack. He knew how fast Nou's reflexes were, so it would be unwise to fight back with full force for now. His defensive stance was a pattern composed of two moves – parry and block, parry and block. Every once in awhile, he allowed himself to observe what was going on in his peripheral vision. Countless troops were being slaughtered around him, and he silently prayed that the gods spare the souls of his fallen comrades.

They have given themselves up for my cause; hence, it is my duty to win this battle for them!

"Still hoping for your useless ambitions to succeed, Mitsuhide?" Nou was gloating, thoroughly convinced that the Oda would emerge victorious. "I'm afraid you won't be able to achieve them now that you are this close to death. Afraid to fight me, young man?"

"I said nothing of the sort, Lady Nou", Mitsuhide replied primly, wedging the blade of his katana in between his face and Nou's talons. "I will tear you limb from limb if necessary".

Nou was ready to gloat, but the feeling of Mitsuhide's blade slicing through the flesh of her shoulder made her lose her focus. The queen stumbled backward, unable to look Mitsuhide in the eye. She was unwilling to express her fears, of course; but she could not deny that she felt uneasy in Mitsuhide's presence at the moment. As she had clumsily recovered from her fall, she caught a glimpse of the unusual iciness in Mitsuhide's normally tender gaze. She had never seen her husband's former retainer look so cold before.

"…you were wrong to oppose me".

Mitsuhide took advantage of Nou's temporary standstill, and pierced the queen's stomach with his blade. He took a few moments to watch the fright pool in her eyes before drawing his sword out. Never in his life did he think he would see the Lady Nou looking wretchedly pitiful like she did now, with blood dribbling from the sides of her mouth and pooling at her sides as she writhed like a dying wild boar that had been caught by a lion.

"Sweet dreams, Lady Nou".

Mitsuhide sheathed his katana once more and moved through the dead bodies and remaining fighters. His main objective was the heart of Honnoji, where he knew Nobunaga was.

This battle will surely end in defeat for one of us…but it is not going to be me!

"Lord Mitsuhide! I cannot allow you to go any further than this!"

"…Lady Oichi", he murmured, studying the petite brunette blocking his path.

He felt himself hesitate. He had always been fond of Nobunaga's gentle younger sister, and had no intentions of getting into battle with her. However, Oichi wasn't supporting his current state of mind. She faced him just like any noble warrior would, iron and cup at the ready. Knowing there was no way he could demure from this fight, he unsheathed his blade once more, trying to ignore the guilty pangs in his heart.

"Lord Mitsuhide!"

One of his men, Shigetomo Akechi, rushed forward to attack Oichi. Surprised, the young woman parried Shigemoto's advance, not knowing that the latter was setting up a ruse for Mitsuhide. Getting the message, Mitsuhide nodded his thanks and ran toward the temple. He had killing Nobunaga on his mind, yes; but halfway around it, he was pondering over one rather significant thing. He hadn't seen Ranmaru Mori anywhere.

It's impossible that he would have been killed, the samurai thought, a frown creasing his handsome features. Ranmaru has mastered his nodachi, and he is much stronger than any other Oda officer I know. He must be out there fighting…or perhaps he has already escaped. I do hope he is still alive. Even if I die, he must live on…

Mitsuhide bit his lip. He cared about Ranmaru intensely…perhaps even more than the boy knew. They had started out very close, as Mitsuhide had been assigned the job of being Ranmaru's teacher. Day after day, they had trained together from sunrise to sunset. Mitsuhide had always been aware of how much of a prodigy Ranmaru was, and he had been proud of the boy. Ranmaru rose so high in rank that Nobunaga had employed him as a personal bodyguard. Of course, Mitsuhide had been happy for him, but this caused a silent rift in their student – teacher relationship. Ranmaru had spent more and more time with Nobunaga, and Mitsuhide had so much work to do that they scarcely saw each other. When they did, the exchange would be nothing more than a quick nod of the head or an exchange of polite words. This bothered Mitsuhide greatly, but he did not have time to ponder over such.

I shouldn't have let our closeness fade away…

He stepped through Honnoji's open doors, and was immediately greeted by several rifle units. He pursed his lips in a scowl, ripping forth like a tongue of flame and expertly cutting down all the riflemen with his sword. He did not wish for anyone to interfere with his battle. This time, he wanted to claim this battle – whether victorious or defeated – and come to the end of his journey once and for all. Well, it would be the end if he were to die.

"Ahhhhh, Mitsuhide", Nobunaga Oda greeted him with a smirk. "I was expecting you".

"Don't try to be hospitable, Nobunaga", Mitsuhide said dryly. "You know very well that I came here to kill you, and for no other reason. This will be the end of your tyranny".

"Rather optimistic about success, aren't we?" Nobunaga arched an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure about your win, Mitsuhide? You have seen how strong and I cruel I am".

"It is because I have faith in myself", Mitsuhide replied coldly. "Look how the tide has shifted against you, Demon King. I have succeeded in asking many of your men to turn against you and fight with me. You have also lost many valuable officers to death as well as to treason. It is time for your era to end, Nobunaga Oda…and time for mine to begin".

"You were always such a wordy man", Nobunaga admonished him. "But it is time, yes. You have made life interesting, Mitsuhide. And you will make death interesting as well".

He rushed at Mitsuhide, blade at the ready. Of course, Mitsuhide was a bit behind on Nobunaga's prowess as a swordsman, so he had slight difficulty in parrying Nobunaga's attack. Nonetheless, he countered almost immediately, making Nobunaga stagger backward. The Demon King was unaffected, though. Instead, he stood up to his full height and simply laughed, surprising his opponent.

"What do you find so amusing?" Mitsuhide asked coldly, wanting this over and done with.

"You", Nobunaga said simply. "I can see how much you've improved over the years".

"Yes, I do believe I've improved well enough to kill you", Mitsuhide pointed his katana at Nobunaga. "Now…would you be kind enough to continue on with this battle?"

"It's rather dismaying that you remain to be so polite despite the situation, Mitsuhide", Nobunaga sighed. "I was actually looking forward to finally see you snap, but I see I am not enough to incur your wrath. Very well, perhaps I could offer you a little something that could get you a little more in the mood…"

He clapped his hands, signaling his soldiers to come forward. Mitsuhide peered into the shadows, frowning. He could very well make out the silhouettes of two of Nobunaga's guards. They seemed to be holding someone captive; though, and that someone was struggling madly against the restraints. Mitsuhide felt apprehensive. There seemed to be something amiss.

"You were looking for Ranmaru, weren't you…?"

The silhouettes of those approaching now cleared up, illuminated by Honnoji's burning torches. The slender youth struggling against the soldiers was Ranmaru Mori.

"Ranmaru!" Mitsuhide exclaimed, forgetting his purpose for being there.

"Lord Mitsuhide!" Ranmaru's eyes widened with a mix of fear and relief.

"Nobunaga!" Mitsuhide glared at his former lord. "What is the meaning of this? I believe this was only supposed to be between the two of us. Why did you drag Ranmaru into this?!"

"To add fuel to the fire", Nobunaga replied simply. "I wonder what you actually care about, Mitsuhide. Would it be your pride or is it that you actually care for the young Mori?"

"…you have no right to say things like that!" Mitsuhide glared at him. "I would sooner burn down here and have your defeated than to walk away from this!"

"Lord Mitsuhide! Lord Nobunaga!" Ranmaru struggled against the guards. "Stop it, please!"

"There's no use, Ranmaru", Mitsuhide said quietly. "He's crossed the line".

"Finally, your temper flares", Nobunaga chuckled. "Very well, then. Allow me".

He lunged at Mitsuhide, blade at the ready. Mitsuhide managed to block the attack, but he cursed himself for his bad timing. Having Ranmaru there was more distracting than he initially thought. It kept him worried, hence distracting him from the actual battle. He couldn't keep his focus since he had to check on Ranmaru every now and then.

"I'm alright, Lord Mitsuhide!" Ranmaru cried. "You must watch your back!"

"Who is your master, anyway?!" one of the guards kicked him in the shin. "Answer me!"

Ranmaru turned away, faking a defiant look. He did not wish to look weak, but he was worried about Mitsuhide. He had never felt so torn in his life; watching the two most important men in his life fight. Yes, Nobunaga had tricked him into becoming a red herring to distract Mitsuhide, but old loyalties always ran deep. Still, he would have to choose, though. One of these two strong warriors would surely meet his end.

But who is it that my will chooses? Who do I want to continue to serve…?

"Giving up, Mitsuhide?" Nobunaga taunted the younger warrior, who was gripping a bleeding shoulder.

"…no way!" Mitsuhide rushed at him again. "I won't! Not until you die…!"

"Lord Mitsuhide!" Ranmaru cried out, his worry getting the best of him. "Please be careful…"

Mitsuhide caught Ranmaru's eye. Was it possible that Ranmaru wished for him to survive this?

…if only for you,he thought, his determination restoring itself in threefold. If only for you, I will win!

He was about to rush at Nobunaga when one of the temple's roof beams collapsed, creating a line of fire dividing them. Mitsuhide turned to look at Ranmaru again, concerned. He knew there wasn't much time.

"Getting distracted again, eh?" Nobunaga asked lazily, ignoring the falling debris. "How foolish".

The Demon King prepared his blade to attack as he targeted Mitsuhide's throat, but the younger warrior was quick to block it this time. He swung his katana quickly, and then went for a quick slash to Nobunaga's abdomen.

"Cat got your tongue, Nobunaga?" he asked quietly, evading another falling beam.

He didn't wait for an answer. He rushed at Nobunaga again, aiming for his shoulder. This time, Nobunaga slumped toward the ground, supported only by the blade of his sword.

"You did well, Mitsuhide…" he coughed. "I'm…proud of you…"

"…Lord Nobunaga!" Mitsuhide ran to approach him, but stopped shortly. "I…forgive me".

"There is no need for an apology, Mitsuhide", Nobunaga forced himself to stand up to his full height. "You fought for your own cause. For the longest time, I was awaiting the day when you would finally follow your own point of view".

"But how can you forgive me for what I've done?!" Mitsuhide exclaimed. "I've killed the Oda!"

"Sometimes, things like that don't matter, Mitsuhide", Nobunaga said plainly. "You've got to think of yourself as an individual at one point in life. I saw how genuinely you care for Mori".

"My lord, please", Mitsuhide looked anguished. "Honnoji is burning to the ground".

"You go and run", Nobunaga encouraged him. "Take Mori with you".

"But Lord Nobunaga!" Ranmaru cried. "We can't just leave – "

A gunshot broke through the silent whispers emitted by the inferno. Mitsuhide's eyes widened in shock. Ranmaru clapped a hand over his mouth, not daring to believe what he has just seen.

"Mitsuhide…your Japan was one I would have liked to see…"

Nobunaga fell to the ground as tree would after it had been cut. Ranmaru rushed to his side, crying hysterically as the loss of his lord sank in. Mitsuhide looked around angrily, trying to locate the marksman. His efforts were in vain, though. There was no one in sight.

"Ranmaru…we have to run", he said quietly. "Or else we will burn up".

"And leave Lord Nobunaga here?!" Ranmaru cried. "No! I will die with him!"

"He said that my Japan was one he would have liked to see", Mitsuhide looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his cheeks. "For him, I will fight and establish my kingdom. Ranmaru…will you join me?"

Ranmaru met Mitsuhide's tender gaze, his desire to die crumbling almost instantly. Over the years, he had forgotten why he had loved his teacher so much. Maybe this time, he could learn to love Mitsuhide again.

"…alright", he whispered. "Take me with you".

Bowing reverently to Nobunaga's fallen corpse, Ranmaru allowed Mitsuhide to help him onto the horse. They set off quickly, not wanting to risk injury caused by the flames, which were now spreading at the drop of a hat. Ranmaru pressed himself against Mitsuhide's chest and closed his eyes.

The story was just beginning again for them both.