During the two days that passed, Date's troop were busy preparing for the next battle that was to
come soon. They repaired their equipment and weapons, refreshed their horses and packed
supplies for the journey. Meanwhile, Sora packed her own food she asked for from the
kind cooks and checked on her things if they needed replacing.
Kojuro said that she needed to come with them; they couldn't risk leaving her there with no
protection. It was also not to put the villagers of Oshu in danger if somebody comes for Sora.
Sora was allowed to participate in the war meeting. She listened to Date's, but really Kojuro's,
plan in invading the mountain lair of Oda. Their plan is to attack the Devil king's lair straight on
with full force. Other warlords might join them there, but they plan to attack independently.
Sora saw little of Date and Kojuro; she didn't want to bother them since they were busy
organizing their troops. Sora didn't know if Date had told anyone he was her Piece, but when
Kojuro and Sora exchanged greetings one day; she noticed his look of disbelief.
The day to leave for battle came. Sora dressed in her original clothing and met everyone at
the gates. All the men were ready; they were practically jumping with excitement.
As Sora petted Date's grey stallion, four soldiers watched the silent girl from afar.
"I don't get it" one of them said, "I heard rumours that Lord Date was alone in his room with the
Crufix. I mean, out of all the girls he could have, he chooses to like this one. She can't even
speak!"
Another said" Maybe he's into mute girls."
"Yeah, I get it." grinned one "He wouldn't have to listen to any whining."
The soldiers laughed and the forth cried" Boss Masumune is clever! I wish my wife was like
that!"
Another familiar voice joined in with a serious tone "Being silent is not a laughing matter."
They whipped around to see Kojuro glaring at them all. The soldiers immediately shut their
Mouths and shrank from his scowl.
Kojuro continued "I should have you punished for such insolence, but we have no time to stop
for a flogging. Once we get back though, you will apologize to Lord Date and Sora-kun a million
times and then you will be flogged."
The men trembled in fear as they cried like babies inside.
Sora, oblivious to the soldiers' jokes, was scratching the horse's ears when she heard loud clinks
of armour behind her. She turned to see Date, back in his armour and helmet. She couldn't believe
this was the man she was alone with in his room.
"Are you done petting my spoiled horse, Sora? When you're ready, we'll go. You see?"
Snickered Date.
Sora made an annoyed face and mounted the stallion, to Date's surprise, with ease then waited
for him in the saddle. Date shrugged and mounted in front of her.
He then shouted to his men "Alright, guys! Put ya guns on! We're moving out! The One Eyed
Dragon is going to party!"
Date kicked his horse's sides, reared to paw the sky and then charged in front of everyone.
The men cheered their lord's name as the troop thundered after Date. Sora was comfortable
gripping onto Date's back this time.
For days, the troop galloped across Japan, stopping at night to rest and rising early in the
morning to continue. Sora did her best to carry her own weight; she helped the soldiers pack,
organize and repair their gear, prepare food, and attended sick men. She wanted to do her
part, but she felt it was not enough. These men are going fight for their country and many of
them will not make it. Sora knew she had the potential to do more.
Soon, they finally arrived. They could see Oda's lair in the tallest mountain that was surrounded
in black clouds. You didn't need to have the supernatural sense to know there was a great evil
here. Everyone could feel it.
The troop was galloping through a forest when they heard the deep hum of shouts and crashing
blades. Everyone jumped at the familiar sound and it was just ahead of them.
Date yelled without fear, "Increase the speed!"
"Yeah!" his troops cried.
Sora was present in the war meeting when a female ninja from Usegi had informed them that
Kenshin was going to fight along side Takeda against Ieyasu and Azai who are supporting
Oda. It seemed they got there before Date did.
They broke from the forest to see a valley full of troops in different colours fighting each
other. Sora spotted Takeda's red, Usegi's white, Ieyasu's yellow and Oda's black.
Kojuro shouted as they galloped down the hill "Do not back down now! We are here to defeat
the Devil king! If anybody retreats without Date's order, they must perform seppuku! Be strong
and fight for honour!"
The soldiers cheered their promise. Date grinned at the battlefield below him and then yelled
" Let's get this party started!"
Sora scanned over the valley to find Takeda's red troops fighting against Ieyasu's golden
soldiers. She spotted Takeda and Yukimura fighting a giant in black armour who held a giant drill
like weapon , smashing it into Takeda's axe. Date reigned his horse away from the main battle
and lead his army to the other side of a river. Sora turned to Date, puzzled at this strategy.
Date explained " We're going to attack the Devil King himself but first we'll have to get through
Azai. "
The army of Oshu reached the bottom of the hill and continued towards the river when a troop
in black carrying the flags of Oda's symbol stood waiting for them at the river's edge. Standing
in front of Oda's men , was a man dressed in white and red armour. Date halted his men and
narrowed his eye at the warlord.
The black haired man raised his sword and shouted" Date Masumune, One -eyed Dragon of the
North, I 'am Azai Nagamasa! On be hath of Lord Nobunaga, I will fight you and slay you in the
name of justice!"
Date coolly sneered " So, the Devil king has sent his brother-in-law to do his fighting. Fine then,
let's get to it!"
Date dismounted but then laid his gloved hand on Sora's thigh to say " As soon as I start fighting
this guy, take my horse and get out of here. My men will engage when I cross blades with Azai.
I don't want you getting in the way.''
Sora nodded, obliged to follow his instructions. Date patted her thigh and then turned to march
toward Azai. As he walked, he unsheathed his swords and cried " Let's party!"
But before either man could charge at each other , everyone heard a woman scream
"No! Nagamasa-sama! Run!"
Sora saw a woman with long, black hair and pink lady armour running towards Azai from the
Oda's troop, her beautiful face distorted in fear. Azai and Date stopped their advancements and
Azai turned the woman in shock but yelled " Oichi! What are you doing here! Get out of here!"
As the wife of Azai continued running, a man with long, white hair and a creepy smile on his
pale face was standing in front of Oda's soldiers. He raised his hand and the soldiers raised
something from the ground.
Sora's eyes widened in fear as she recognized the long tube like objects that came from the
mysterious western world. Rifles.
Oda's soldiers aimed the western technology at everyone before them, including Azai and Oichi.
The white haired man clad in black armour with spikes on his shoulders laughed
" Oda thought you were more useful dead than alive. Fire!"
Date yelled over his shoulder " Sora! Run!"
It was too late. The soldiers fired , loud cracks exploding from their muzzles. Bullets rained on
Date's troop. Everyone scattered in madness as men flew off their horses with blood exploding
from their chests. Sora caught a glimpse of Azai falling to his knees with bloody holes in his
chest and Date standing still to watch this massacre go on.
Kojuro jumped from his horse to run to his Lord's aid. Sora was about to do the same despite
what Date ordered her to do when the stallion bucked.
Sora kept his seat as the horse reared and screamed in agony. A bullet had caught the grey horse
in its hind quarters and charged towards the river. Sora held on to the handle bars and bent
forward with the horse so she wouldn't fall off from the back. As the wind whipped her eyes, she
could see between the horse's ears that the main battle was on the other side of the river.
Sora tried steering the stallion the other way with the handle bars, but the poor horse was in too
much pain to notice Sora's yanking on his head.
Sora tried stopping it by pulling its mane and pressing her weight into the horse's back, but again
,with no effect. Suddenly, the horse jumped over the river and Sora held on to the horse's neck.
The horse landed on the other side and continued galloping towards the battle.
Sora could only watch the mass of soldiers and swords come towards her like one, writhing
beast. The horse barged into the membrane of soldiers and galloped through the mass. The noise
of screams and weapons deafened Sora's ears as the horse ran over some unlucky soldiers who
were in the way. Date's horse suddenly reared from a wall of spears and took Sora by surprise.
She tumbled backwards from the saddle and landed on the ground, soggy from blood.
Sora saw an armoured foot coming for her face and quickly rolled to one side before it could
smash into the ground. She sprang to her feet and caught a glance of the horse disappearing into
the wall of armour and flesh. Sora tried to keep her hysteria down as she ran the other way, hoping
to find where she entered the battle.
She ducked and dodged from every blade or club that swung at her. She ran away from soldiers
who would suddenly chase her with their bloody swords. Sora kept pushing through in hopes of
reaching the end and escaping this madness, but her hope was slowly diminishing.
She tripped over corpses and slipped into pools of blood but always got back up to continue .
Her cheek got cut by the tip of a swinging sword and her upper arm was slashed by a blade. She
tried to ignore the pain and kept running where she thought the end was going to be. But this
ocean of hell was never ending.
Finally, after being shoved and pushed for Gods know how long, she found an opening and
headed for it. She bursted from the wall of bodies and breathed in the open air when she saw
Takeda and Yukimura fighting the giant samurai.
She's on the wrong side of the battlefield. Going back is suicide, it was a miracle that she was
still alive. Sora decided to go around without being noticed. She ran in a wide arc around the
fight when she heard Yukimura shout
"Sora! Is that you!"
Damn, she cursed, you idiot!
The robotic like giant followed Yukimura's gaze to see a girl with a long, blond braid, crusted in
blood. He also saw the mark of the Crufix on her neck. Honda, the legendary invincible samurai,
knew his Lord Ieyasu would want the Crufix and zoomed after the girl.
Yukimura cried " Sora! Watch out!" as he ran after the warrior.
Sora was sprinting away when a giant, iron hand grabbed her leg. The hand lifted Sora from the
ground and she hang upside down while staring at the robotic face of Honda.
Sora knew it was useless to fight against the robot, he was too strong.
" Let her go, Honda-dono!" thundered Takeda as he swung his axe at Honda's back. The blade
of the axe pounded into Honda's metal skin, but he wasn't fazed by it. The robot suddenly
whirled around to pinch Takeda in the gut. The warlord was sent flying but not far.
Yukimura ran in front of Honda and yelled
"Honda-dono! Please let go of Sora! She's not part of this fight! Fight as the honourable samurai
you are! Fight for your lord!''
Honda didn't make any movement in releasing Sora who was staring to feel a head rush coming
on . But he did seem to question his actions. Sora looked into Honda's red glowing eye with a
pleading expression. Then, she felt his hand slowly lowering her when they heard a woman's
laugh. They turned to see a beautiful woman with cruel purple eyes and black hair pinned in a
stylish bun. She also wore a black kimono with purple butterflies.
And she held a huge, gatling gun.
" Legendary Honda!" she said with a wicked smile " My husband, Lord Oda, wishes us to kill
the Crufix! So hold her while I put bullets into her body!"
Lady Nobunaga opened fire. The gatling gun made short, loud cracks as the lady aimed it at Sora.
Sora struggled to get out of firing range when Honda quickly covered her with his oversized
hand. He shielded Sora as his impenetrable armour took the bullets.
Everyone was shocked by the robot's sudden action, including Sora.
" You piece of junk !" Lady Nobunaga spat " If you want to be that way, then I'll blow you up to
hell!"
She brought out a giant bomb from her skirts, lit it and threw it at Honda. The robot quickly
threw Sora up into the air.
She flew high into the sky and looked down below to see Honda watching her with that
emotionless stare.
Why? She thought.
The bomb smacked into Honda's body and a huge explosion of fire and ash tore up the ground.
Sora was so high up that the inferno couldn't reach her, but she felt the waves of intense heat
burn her skin. She started to fall when Yukimura leaped from the ground and caught her in mid
air.
" I got you , Lady Sora!" he said as he pressed her side against him.
He then landed back on the ground and both him and Sora looked to where Honda was once
standing.
There was nothing left of him, only pieces of metal surrounding a giant crater in the smouldering
earth. Honda was destroyed, killed.
Yukimura made a choking sound as he stared sadly at the fallen warrior. Sora felt the same way.
He was going to kidnap her, but instead protected her from the gatling gun. He threw her up in
the air to save her from dying with him. He was the enemy, but by choice, he saved Sora.
Tears brimmed along Sora's eyes.
" It was his fault really" snickered Lady Nobunaga "He sacrificed himself to save a little girl
instead of following orders."
Sora moved from Yukimura's arms and started walking towards Oda's wife with a dark face.
The cruel woman laughed "Uh oh, I made her angry. But why should you be? He was your
enemy, was he not?''
Sora kept on walking solemnly.
" My husband doesn't want you to interfere with his plans." Lady Nobunaga said " He wishes for
your death so no one can use your power against him. He wants you to die while you are still
weak."
She raised her gatling gun and aimed at Sora.
" Sora!" cried Yukimura and sprinted after her.
Lady Nobunaga cackled" Die, Crufix!"
She fired at Sora.
Sora could see the bullets, actually see the cone shaped metal pieces coming at her. She went
into a run and then charged at Lady Nobunaga. She then dodged each bullet by moving side to
side. She was suddenly before Lady Nobunaga and the Devil's wife tried to counter attack with
her gun.
Sora was way faster and hooked Lady Nobunaga in the jaw with her fist. She flew back from the
punch and fell on the ground with a giant, aching bruise on her face. Sora was about to continue
when the Lady threw up a ball that exploded into thick smoke.
Sora quickly leapt out of the smoke and backed far away from it. She then watched the smoke
fade to see the Lady gone.
" Sora…" said Yukimura behind her. She turned around to see him with a shocked face.
" Sora, you were so fast! I couldn't see a thing! It all happened in a flash!"
He couldn't understand what he just saw. He watched Sora sprint at Lady Nobunaga and then she
disappeared and reappeared to punch the evil woman which sent her to hit the ground hard. It
was so powerful that there were cracks in the earth. He imagined the Lady would have broken
bones everywhere.
Yukimura shook his head. He must take them to safety.
He grabbed Sora's arm and said " We're not safe here, Sora. We have to find you a safe spot."
The trumpets of both Takeda and Date bellowed across the battlefield, signalling their retreat.
As Yukimura took her away to regroup with his lord, Sora couldn't help but look at the sea of
dead bodies sprawled all over the valley.
Life, beautiful life to Sora's eyes was no where to be seen. It was crushed in one swoop.
Sora closed her eyes and mourned for everything.