One year later

Nobunaga Oda's rise to power was almost as quick as his demise. He was killed at Honno-ji temple by his retainer Mitsuhide Akechi. Mitsuhide was aided by friend and ally Motochika Chosokabe. Both Motochika and Mitsuhide were killed by Hideyoshi Hashiba one month later at Yamasaki. Hideyoshi wasted no time eliminating all rivals for the right to become Nobunaga's sucessior. He then defeated army after army until he was the most powerful Damiyo in Japan. After gaining imperial power he took the name of Hideyoshi Toyotomi and built a castle in Osaka. Once the Shimazu clan surrendered the lands of Kyushu only the Date clan and the Hojo remained. The Toyotomi have called all the clans under it's rule to make camp outside of Odawara castle. The Tokugawa, Sanada, Uesugi, Shimazu, Tachibana, Mori and Chosokabe clans have answered the call.

Now to talk about my life. I find myself having reoccurring nightmares about Kotaro. It's like I'm foreseeing his death. The thought of Kotaro dying sends shivers down my spine. To make matters worse Lord Ujiyasu has taken ill and remains in bed. We the mighty Hojo have remained in power for as long as I can remember. Now it seems our days are numbered. On top of all this Hideyoshi has personally requested I come to his camp for negotiation.

"You should go." Kotaro tells me leaning against the wall.

"I can't go." I plead to him.

"Go" Ujiyasu says trying to sit up.

"Fine I'll go." I surrendered

Kotaro motions for me to leave so he can talk to Ujiyasu privately. I follow Kotaro's wish and leave. I close to door behind me.

"Why would they make me do this?" I thought

I leave to grounds of the Hojo to meet Yukimura and his kunoichi. Both of them his stern looks on their faces.

"Follow me to lord Hideyoshi's camp." Yukimura tells me.

He whispers something to the kunoichi and she hurries off. After riding of a moment we reach the Toyotomi camp. Yukimura dismounts and help me off my horse. We walk to a tent. Yukimura opens it and motions for me to enter. I do so and find Hideyoshi waiting for me. He's shorter then I thought he'd be. He really does resemble a monkey. His robes are golden with many decorations. I heard he lives a very lavish lifestyle.

"Glad you could accept my invitation Lady Kai." Hideyoshi said

I simply bow my head.

"You are much more beautiful in person." He tells me.

"Thank you." I said holding back a blush.

Hideyoshi does a backflip in excitement. He really is a monkey.

"Lady Kai join the Toyotomi and I promise you will be treated will the love a women like yourself deserves." Hideyoshi tells me.

"I'm sorry I must reuse" I tell him

"Whatever you want you can have it." Hideyoshi says

"Aren't you married?" I ask raising an eyebrow

"What Nene doesn't know won't hurt her." Hideyoshi said with a grin that give my shivers. "What is it you wish?"

"My only wish is to serve the Hojo." I say

He grips me by my shoulders and slams me against a tree. He locks eyes with me and I see the fury in his eyes. Then he calms down.

"Is that so?" Hideyoshi asks

"As long as there is one Hojo alive I will never join you." I tell him unwavering.

"Then every Hojo will die and you have one to blame but yourself for their deaths." Hideyoshi says

He can be really scary when he wants to be. The look Hideyoshi is giving me reminds me of Nobunaga.

"I will have you and I will have you now." Hideyoshi says

As he moves in to kiss me a kunai gets in between us. I look in the direction the kunai was thrown from to see Kotaro. Hideyoshi separates from me and Koatro shields me from Hideyoshi.

"How bout we play a game monkey." Kotaro says "Loser forfeits his head."

"Aren't you a little tall to be a ninja" Hideyoshi questioned. "There are more fitting jobs for oafs like yourself. Beasts of burden, for example"

"Says the man to puny to be a ruler." Kotaro states "I will bury you in bedlam. Then see where your learning gets you."

Hideyoshi reaches for his staff and attacks Kotaro. Kotaro evades all of Hideyoshi's attacks. Kotaro then disarms Hideyoshi off his staff and Hideyoshi falls to his kness pleading for his life. Kotaro raises his arm to deal a fatal blow only to be stabed in both sides by Yukimura's kunoichi and Nene. Hideyoshi then gets up with smile.

"Did you really think it would be that easy." Hideyoshi says

I just watched this all unfold around me. I screamed at my body to move but, it just stayed in place. I watch as the two kunochi's hold Kotaro down and Hideyoshi get face to face with him. Hideyoshi slapped him.

"I know Ujiyasu is dying to him to surrender." Hideyoshi tells Kotaro

"Sure, I'll ask him when I give him your head you can hear his answer for yourself" Kotaro replied "Fire in the hole"

Then the ground to shake and a series of explosions happened across the camp. Out of nowhere this muscular guy appears. Striking an extremely over the top pose.

"Goemon Ishikawa king of thieves at your service." He says

Hideyoshi makes his escape from the camp that has no been set ablaze. Kotaro then breaks free of the Kunoichi's grip and rushes over to me.

"We have to go now." Kotaro says

All I do is sit there and give him blank look. It's like I can hear him but, I can't repond. My body still refuses answer my commands.

"Odawara is falling to the Toyotomi" Kotaro yells at me. "We have to go."

Then I rise up, grab a nearby sword and the three of us hurry to Odawara. I see the castle is coming apart.

"Goemon secure an escape route." Kotaro says "Save anybody you can and take then to Imasho village."

Then me and Kotaro fight our way to the main keep. Only to find the bloodied corpse of Ujiyasu laying there and a ninja with a bloody sickle standing over him.

"Fuma you are too late." the ninja says

"Hanzo that was unnessasary" Kotaro flatly states

"My masters orders" Hanzo replied

"He was dying already and you knew he have mere days before he passed." Kotaro yelled "You will pay."

"No we will not fight here" Hanzo said rasing his hand. "If you truly wish to settle this meet me at the site of the Ikko-Ikki temple of Hongan-ji or better said Osaka castle."

"Agreed" Kotaro told him

I couldn't belive what I heard. It's like my nightmares are coming true. Kotaro going to Osaka castle. If my dreams are correct Kotaro will meet his death at that castle.

"When the moon is full and the tide shifts we will finish this." Hanzo said before fading away.

Kotaro brought me to safety as Odawara castle was taken by the Toyotomi.

The die has been cast