Welcome to yet another chapter of Bonds of the Hōjō! I hope you're ready because the story continues! Sit back and enjoy chapter 16!
Chapter 16: The Shadows of Nagashino
"It should just be a little further ahead," Isuke said, as he landed atop a branch. He carefully surveyed the dense forest around him before several other ninjas appeared on the branches around him. Appearing behind him was Ryuto and Kotarō.
"How much longer until we get there?" Ryuto asked.
"Not too long. Nagashino Castle is just up ahead. We should be there in less than an hour," Isuke said, pointing ahead of him.
"Let's hurry then, we need to make it there before the battle begins," Ryuto said calmly before leaping from the branch. The other ninjas quickly followed behind with Isuke and Kotarō dashing beside him from tree to tree.
"So how does it feel being in charge for once?" Kotarō asked, flashing a smile towards the purple eyed ninja. Looking directly ahead to the dense forest in front of him, Ryuto thought back to the orders he received.
(Flashback)
(Two weeks ago- Odawara Castle, Kanto)
"Wait... why me?" Ryuto asked in a confused tone. He stood before Ujiyasu, who was seated in front of a large map. Standing beside him were Ren and Kotarō.
"Kotarō was the one who recommended you for this, and Ren here also vouched for you," Ujiyasu said, looking up to the two, who smiled at the uncertain ninja before them.
"This will be a good opportunity for you to get some experience as a leader on the field. You've always worked alone, so I thought it would be best for you to try something new," Kotarō said.
"Is this really necessary though? It's just a scouting mission, right? I could just go by myself for something like this, or just a few scouts. Isn't mobilizing nearly all the Fuma ninjas a bit much?" Ryuto asked skeptically.
"Normally you would be right, but this battle is different. The outcome of this battle is one that every clan will be looking at," Ujiyasu said.
"It's been about six months since Shingen passed away and his son Katsuyori has taken over as head of the Takeda. While I hear that he is a fairly capable man, ever since he took over, there have been rumors that he's been more brash and unhinged lately," Ren explained.
"He's still young. I'm sure he desperately wants to live up to his old man's legacy, but he's trying too hard. Apparently against the wishes of many of his retainers, he's rushed into a campaign against the Oda. The idiot is betting it all on this fight," Ujiyasu said, sighing.
"Nobunaga is also bringing all he has to this fight. We hear he's begun moblizing a large force from the the capital while the Tokugawa will engage Katsuyori. There's also been reports about a large shipment of unknown supplies being shipped into the area. We don't know what will happen in this battle, so we thought it would be best to get a closer look. This will also give us some more insight into the Oda's capabilities, Ren said seriously.
"The Takeda is the only major force standing between Kanto and the Oda. If they fall then we'll be open to attack from them, so there is a lot at stake for us as well in this fight. We'll need to see just how this battle will play out. While I would like to help the boy out, this battle will take place around Nagashino Castle. By the time we would get there, the battle will be long over, so we'll have to settle on just observing, Ujiyasu said, pointing to the marked location on the map.
"That's why we want you to go and survey the battle. You and the rest of the Fuma will be able to reach the sight of the battle much more quickly than anyone else, and with all of you there, we'll be better off in getting as much information as we can", Ren said.
"I see. Is there anything else, you need us to do other than just watch and report?" Ryuto asked.
"Since you'll be in charge of this mission, I'll leave all the decisions up to you. Take whatever actions you deem necessary. Kotarō will also be going with you, so try not to do anything stupid, and that goes for both of you," Ujiyasu said, glaring at Kotarō, who merely chuckled in response.
"I know we can count on you. Come back safely, alright?" Ren said, giving him a confident smile. Seeing his lord's faith in him, the ninja put aside his doubts and accepted his task.
(Flashback end)
"Honestly, I still don't think putting me in charge was a good idea. I work better alone, but I guess I don't have much say in the matter. Let's just get this done," Ryuto said while speeding up.
Soon they reached the end of the forest which led to a large clearing. They stood at the edge of a tall hill that overlooked the vast area before them. In the distance, they could see a large castle that flew the purple Oda banners. Large pillars of smoke could be seen rising from it, as it was being besieged by another force on all sides. The familiar Takeda flags had completely encircled the castle, however the Ryuto noticed the force was smaller than expected.
"That's Nagashino Castle, right?" Ryuto asked, and Isuke nodded.
"Yeah, it is. And it seems the Takeda haven't captured it yet. From the looks of it, they couldn't take it on time, so they've moved the rest of their forces to meet the Oda's main force," Isuke said.
"Spread out for now. Isuke, you take half of our unit and and fan out to the south. Master and I will handle the north. Report back on anything you find," Ryuto ordered. Isuke nodding before motioning his hand to the ninjas behind him. In an instant they all vanished from sight, leaving Ryuto and Kotarō with a few dozen others behind them.
"Alright, let's get going," Ryuto ordered, as he dashed ahead with the others following closely behind him. Within a couple of hours, the Fuma ninjas had completely spread throughout the entire battlefield. Ryuto and Kotarō stood atop a tall cliff after they had found the main forces of the Oda encamped by a long river. The two ninjas looked on in interest, as they watched the mass of Oda soldiers busily move all around the area making some sort of preparations. Many were rapidly setting up palisades along the river while others began gathering into a large formation of infantry and spear, but one section of the camp in particular piqued Ryuto's interest, as he noticed an unusually large amount of crates set up with several thousand men gathering around them. Squinting, he saw a couple of officers opening up the crates and passing around something to the men who had lined up there.
"What are those... rifles?" Ryuto said questioningly, as he starting seeing soldiers walking out with the long, shiny weaponry. Those who had received their weapons began lining up along the palisades while adjusting their new weapons.
"Those reports of large number of unknown supplies being sent here... It was a massive shipment of rifles... Two, no three thousand of them," Ryuto estimated based on the number of riflemen being supplied.
"Hm, interesting. So that's how he plans on taking on the Takeda. How fun," Kotarō said in an interested tone.
"Rifles are one way way of countering cavalry, but I doubt it will be enough. As powerful as they are, they can only make a single shot each time before having to reload. In the time it takes to do that, they would get flattened by the rest of them. Surely just having a lot of rifles can't be his only plan to counter a massive cavalry, the Takeda's no less," Ryuto mumbled.
"Well this is Nobunaga we're talking about. Let's see if the rumors about him are true. Either way, this should be fun to watch," Kotarō remarked, but Ryuto ignored him, as he carefully watched the Oda forming their ranks. Within a little less than an hour, the Oda's battle lines were fully formed. A long line of zigzagging palisades had been assembled on the hill above the river, fully encompassing the Oda camp. Along the entire way was several thousand riflemen positioned in three separate units one behind the other, each commanded by a different officer. Meanwhile several infantry units were spread around the area, all appearing ready to move out at any moment.
"What is this formation? I've never seen anything like it before..." Ryuto said dumbfounded. In all of his battles, he had never once seen such a bizarre looking layout. As he racked his brain trying to make sense of the formation, Kotarō pointed to something over in the distance.
"No point in trying to figure it out. It's just about time to see it in action," Kotarō said excitedly. Looking over, Ryuto saw a large wave of red of closing in. Even from far away, they could hear the thundering sound of thousands of hooves crashing against the ground. Looking down, he could see the Oda and Tokugawa forces beginning to tense up at the sight of their foes. It was clear that they were fearful of the coming battle, however there was one exception. Standing on top of the hill above the battle lines, there was one man who Ryuto couldn't see a single shred of fear or doubt from. The man wore a distinguishing black armor with golden streaks with a dark purple and red cape flowing behind him. The man had a wide smile on his face, one that showed eager anticipation for the future.
"So that's him, huh?" Ryuto said, crossing his arms.
"Looks like it. The Demon King himself. He certainly looks the part. That smile certainly looks like he has something devious planned," Kotarō said, his face possessing a similar look. Ryuto clicked his tongue, shaking his head.
"You're one to talk. But still, you're right. What does he have planned I wonder... Whatever, we'll see if he really is a threat soon," Ryuto said, glancing over to the other side of the battlefield. He saw several officers of the Takeda commanding their troops at the same time, and within moments, the once quiet field was overrun by the mixture of battle cries and speeding hooves getting closer. The grassy plain between the two forces seemed to get smaller and smaller, as the large wave of crimson red raced across the battlefield, threatening to trample anything within it's path. Seeing the terrifying sight before them, many within the Oda ranks began to tremble and falter, some of whom even falling out of formation with the others. Soon they all stopped at the sound of clanging armor behind them. Looking back, they saw Nobunaga taking a few steps forward until his shimmering dark armor in the sun was visible to most of men in the area. Raising his hand, a sudden surge of force encased the area. A dark purple aura emanated from his body which spread like a powerful gust of wind across such a range that every single one of his men across his formation could feel it. It was even able to spread all the way to the cliff where Ryuto and Kotarō stood, taking the former aback.
"Unbelievable... What the hell is this aura?" Ryuto said, sweat dripping down the side of his face.
Even those who were unable to wield and see Musou could feel the overwhelming pressure on their skin, and then just as suddenly as it appeared, the aura suddenly ceased. His smirk growing wider, Nobunaga's fearsome eyes looked down to the men below, who were still processing the sensation that they had felt. Seeing their leader's confidence as well the great power that radiated from his being, all of the fear that they had suddenly evaporated into nothingness, leaving behind only determination and desire to fight for the powerful man who stood behind them. Lining back up into formation, the outermost unit of riflemen pointed their long barrels forward, carefully waiting for their foes to get within range.
Seeing the Oda suddenly regaining their composure caught some of the charging Takeda soldiers off guard, however, they shook away the thought and in unison, they all let out a ferocious battle cry that was loud enough to even drown out the thunderous hooves of their horses.
"Fire"
And then they ceased. With a wave of the hand and simple order, all of the first line of rifles erupted at once, with clouds of smoke rising over them. Within that split second of deafening fire, countless Takeda soldiers and horses had their bodies punctured by overwhelming gunfire. Within less seconds, hundreds of bodies crashed against the ground before being trampled by those behind them. While the Takeda were shocked by the sheer number of their comrades who had just felled, they had no choice but to brush aside the thought to take advantage of the small window of opportunity they had. To avenge their fallen allies, they knew that within the time it took to reload those rifles, they would need to completely flatten the Oda before them.
"Fire"
And then, their hopes were brushed aside. Another command turned their worlds upside down, as their vision began going red. All they could see before slowly falling to the grown was yet another cloud of smoke rising from the palisades before everything went dark.
Up on the cliff, Ryuto's normally calm eyes were wide in disbelief, as he watched the unprecedented scene play before him. Just after the rounds of gunshots were made, the long line of riflemen began running in single file towards the back of the formation while the one behind them took their place allowing the ones who had fallen back to reload. Within a matter of minutes, another round was fired, and the cycle would repeat, and with each cycle, the Takeda lines seemed to grow smaller and smaller.
"This is... I can't believe it," Ryuto could only look on as the endless rounds of gunfire just seemed to never relent. By the time the Takeda made it to the river, their force wasn't even half of what it was before. As soon the horses hit the water, they immediately noticed the problem. The Takeda's charge was drastically slowed down, and in a panic they shouted in frustration to move faster due to the fact that their target was only several meters ahead of them. That frustration soon turned to fear, however, once they saw the fresh line of barrels aimed directly down at them from the hill. Ryuto could only close his eyes as the next shots were fired, coating a large section of the river in a shade of crimson red. The bloody cycle had endured for little under an hour and by the time the palisades were reached, the Takeda were reduced to a little over a thousand, but by then more than half were wiped out by the point blank range fire, as they desperately tried to break through the palisades. The few that were successful in doing so had no time to revel in their achievement, as they were quickly surrounded and slain by the reserve infantry in place. Before anyone knew it, the battlefield which had once been filled with the roars of mighty warriors, the charges of battle horses, and the rounds of endless gunshots, was soon replaced with an quiet silence.
Ryuto let out a long sigh, as he tiredly looked over the battlefield. He had seen his fair share of battles and have witnessed many bloodbaths before, but this was too much even for him. On one side of the river was the blood stained fields where the first of the casualties had taken place. Thousands upon thousand of bodies lay strewn across the grass broken bits of armor and discarded weapons lying in the spaces between them. There were nearly as many horses as there were soldiers that lay beside them with a few hundred lucky ones still roaming around, unsure of what to do. At the river, the sight was no better. Many bloody bodies floated along the river, nearly too enough to completely fill it. Long streaks of red ran with the current, tainting the once pure waters that flowed through. Then finally there was the palisades where the least number of souls rested. Ryuto could see a large number of bodies, much less than the other areas, but still noticeable none the less, resting on the cliff that lead up towards the Oda camp, with many of them having outstretched arms reaching up, desperately trying to reach the goal that lied before them, yet so impossibly far at the same time. Their puncture wounds could even be seen as them lied on their stomach with long streaks of blood flowing down to the river below. The lucky or rather unlucky few that actually made it were in much worse shape. Several fallen soldiers were slumped against the palisades with many of them having stab wounds, gunshot holes, or both, and finally the ones who made it through could all be seen embedded with countless weapons, horrified and pained faces that lingered in death.
"So how do you feel?" Kotarō asked. He maintained his usual amused face, yet there was a subtle hint of worry for his young protégé who was too focused on the sight before him to notice.
"Honestly, I think I've seen enough," Ryuto said quietly, as he turned over to his master. For the first time in a long while, he genuinely felt pity after seeing the battle, if it could even be called that, play out. After having been used to seeing bloody sights in his time as a ninja, this new feeling of exhaustion and sickness was new to him. Looking over, he saw Isuke returning with the rest of their group. His friend had the same look on his face, as he walked up to him.
"So I'm guessing you already saw what happened?" Isuke asked. Ryuto nodded.
"Yeah. What's the full situation right now?" Ryuto asked.
"Well as you saw, all twelve thousand of the Takeda cavalry that fought here were slaughtered. Most of the Shingen-era generals were also slain leading the charge. Nobufusa Baba, Masakage Yamagata, Masatoyo Naito, Nobutsuna and Masateru Sanada to name a couple," Isuke reported.
"Both the unmatched cavalry and mighty commanders that Shingen assembled throughout his life have been swept away in an instant. It's doubtful they'll ever recover," Kotarō said.
"How was Nobunaga able to think of something like this? Just like that, the clan once known as the strongest was decimated almost effortlessly," Isuke said, clenching his fist.
"With that formation it was easy. Revolving rifle fire between three lines that could keep the barrage going while making up for the reload time. Using that with three thousand rifles at his disposal, they didn't stand a chance. Add that to his choice in location, atop a hill behind a river that slows down horses even more, and having several reserves units in case any managed to survive long enough to get through. I'm sure even Shingen himself would've had a difficult time dealing with something like this. How Nobunaga was able to come up with such a plan is beyond me, but it's pretty clear at this point that he is a real threat," Ryuto said, his tone serious.
"There was also that aura that came from him earlier. He seemed to be on the same level of power as Ujiyasu and Shingen, maybe even stronger, but there was also something more to it," Kotarō said, remembering the sensation of Nobunaga's Musou.
"Yeah... it felt strange. Dangerous even," Ryuto said before turning his attention back to Isuke.
"So, what is the Takeda's next move now?" Ryuto asked.
"Well last I saw, they gave up the siege on Nagashino Castle, and Katsuyori started retreating eastward towards Kai," Isuke said. Just as he said that, one of the Fuma ninja's beside the cliff called out to them.
"Sir! The Oda are sending out a large force. They are giving pursuit to the Takeda," he reported. Ryuto walked over to him and looked over. He could see multiple large units quickly advancing towards the east.
"Seems like the Oda want to end the Takeda here for good," Kotarō commented.
"I think we've got all information we need. We should probably head on home," Isuke suggested. The others nodded and began preparing to head back, but Ryuto suddenly stopped them.
"Wait. Not yet," Ryuto said, turning back to them. Isuke stopped and raised his brow.
"Why, what's going on? We already finished what we set out to do right?" Isuke asked.
"No. We can't just leave like this. We need to help the Takeda escape," Ryuto said in a serious tone.
"What?! But why? We were only ordered to scout out the battle. Why should we get involved, and at this juncture no less?" Isuke asked, dumbfounded.
"At this rate the Takeda have no chance of escaping. If they fall here, Kai will fall right into Nobunaga's lap, and just beyond there will be..."
"Kanto. You're right. The Takeda came full force in this battle, and their territory has barely anyone left. If Katsuyori were to fall as well then there won't be anyone to stop him from reaching Kanto," Isuke said, rubbing his chin.
"Exactly. At the very least if we help the Takeda escape here, that'll give us time to prepare our defenses," Ryuto said. Kotarō let out a small chuckle.
"How unlike you. You usually just complete your orders and that's it. Why the sudden change of heart?" Kotarō asked in an amused tone.
"I am completing my orders. I was given command of this mission and allowed to take whatever actions I deem necessary. I'm not doing anything beyond our mission. This is simply for the sake of the Hōjō," Ryuto retorted to which Kotarō's grin got wider.
"That makes sense. So how should we do this? True we have all of the Fuma here, but what can we do against that massive force?" Isuke asked. Ryuto then pointed over the horizon where the sunset in the sky was slowly getting dimmer. The long streaks of clouded orange got darker as it stretched further back beyond the distance. They could tell within a couple of minutes, nightfall would arrive.
"Night will soon be here, and we will be doing this in the forests and mountains. That's when we ninja's thrive, isn't it? All we have to do is stealthily slow down the Oda long enough for Katsuyori to escape, not fight them. It should be fairly simple, don't you think?" Ryuto said confidently. Everyone nodded towards him in agreement. With that Ryuto raised his hand for everyone to follow him, and just like that, they all disappeared into the shadows, quickly making their way towards the Takeda's location.
Within an hour they were able to reach the forest close to where the Takeda had stopped to rest temporarily. Night had completely overtaken the sky, casting a complete shadow over the forest they were at. Only a few torches were lit in the small camp they were at due to both their heavily reduced numbers, as well as the need to stay hidden from the pursuing Oda forces. Ryuto and rest of the Fuma stood ready in a clearing several meters away from where they discussed their plan.
"How is it looking right now?" Ryuto asked. One of the red and black clad ninjas walked up and placed down a map on the ground in front of Ryuto. He pointed to a large mountain in the center. We've received word that Masanobu Kosaka of the Takeda has a force awaiting the Takeda on the other side of the mountain.
"That means if we can make sure the Takeda get there, they'll be home free. The Oda won't want to go too far into Takeda territory like this, however the issue is if they are able to escape. Their forces just took a massive blow while the Oda are rallied and energized" Isuke said contemplatively.
"It will be fine. This terrain might slow down the Takeda's retreat a bit, but it'll be perfect for what we need to get done. There's only several points where the Oda can pass through to get through the forest. We'll set traps at each of those locations and stall their forces in everyway we can. I've already sent out a couple of people to get it set up," Ryuto said. Just then, one of his ninja's appeared by his side, and bowed to him.
"Sir, the Oda forces are fast approaching. They'll soon reach the target points," he reported. Ryuto turned back around to everyone else and waved his hand.
"You all have your orders. Go and carry them out. As soon as the Takeda have escaped, everyone is to leave and meet back up at the target point," Ryuto ordered. Everyone quickly nodded before fading into the shadows, all speeding through the forest in every direction without making a single sound. All that was left was Ryuto and Kotarō, we continued to smile back at the young man.
"So then, is it finally time to have some fun?" Kotarō asked in a playful tone.
"If that's what you want to call it. Time to get rid of any prying eyes around here. Starting with this one," Ryuto simply stretched out his arm without turning his head. Within a split second, he fired an arrow from his gauntlet which bounced off of a tree trunk before hitting another, altering it's trajectory. It flew across the clearing leaving a streak of dark red in it's path before flying up and disappearing into the mass of leaves on top of a tree above them. Rustling of leaves and branches could be heard above them before something finally appeared and fell straight down. With a loud thud, and small cry of pain, a dark figure landing on their stomach behind Ryuto. Turning around, he kneeled down at the figure before him. It was a ninja clad in black and purple garments. His whole face was covered aside from his eyes which were bulged open from the sudden pain that came moments before his death. On his back was the Oda clan's crest which was ripped through by Ryuto's arrow. Grabbing the arrow, Ryuto slowly pulled it out, the quiet sounds of ripping cloth and flesh audible to him as he did so. Fully taking it out, blood began to gush from the wound, staining the symbol.
"I can sense a lot more of them in the area. A couple dozen. We'll need to get rid of them all quick before they reach the Takeda or find out about our plans," Ryuto said, as he took a piece of cloth and began to wipe the blood from his arrow.
"Hehe. Then let's get started. I've been dying for some entertainment," Kotarō said, stretching his fingers within his gauntlet. Taking his now clean arrow, Ryuto reinserted it into his gauntlet with a small click. Nodding at his master, the two pounced onto the trees above them and began racing through the forest in a blinding speed.
Over at the Takeda camp, a large cloud of uncertainty and misery clouded the men there. In the dim lights of the torches around, everyone could be seen battered and bloodied. Their physical strains however, were no match for their emotional ones. They remembered that just several hours earlier, they were all cheering and excited for their futures. Many saw that the capital was within their grasps, and that within weeks they would be able to achieve their fallen lord's dream. It was as if they stood at the very top of the world itself, but now the reality was much different. Their once great army, considered the mightiest in all of the land, was now reduced to not even a shadow of what it once was. So many familiar faces to them were no longer there including the many generals who inspired them. Many began to wallow in their grief, burying their faces into their hands, and others slumping down in defeat. Very few still had their spirits up, but even for them, seeing the sorry state of their men was enough to almost make them give up.
Masayuki was no different. He was more determined than anyone else to make sure his lord would get through this danger, yet even he could feel his heart ache at the sight before him. Having just lost his brothers and so many familiar faces, even the usual calm and stoic strategist found it difficult to keep his composure. Sighing he looked back at the tent behind him where his lord was temporarily resting. Shaking his head, he pushed aside his thoughts and remembered his purpose. He would ensure Katsuyori survived no matter what happens. Just then Kunoichi appeared by his side.
"How is it looking right now?" The dual haired strategist asked in his usual calm voice.
"Not good. The Oda will reach here soon. We don't have much time left," she reported gravely. Frowning, he looked back towards the tent.
"We'll need to get moving then. I'll inform Lord Katsuyori and Sakon," Masayuki said. Just as he was about to walk off, Kunoichi spoke up.
"Also there's one more thing. Earlier I sensed a lot of presences in the area. I think there are multiple ninja's in the area," she said.
"So the Oda sent out some to come for us. We'll need to be careful then," Masayuki said, looking around.
"That's the thing. I don't think it's just the Oda. There were way too many presences for it to just be the Oda. I think someone else is here too," Kunoichi said in a concerned tone.
"Someone else? Hm, if they are enemies then this will be a problem. Can I ask you to look into this? Sakon and I can ensure Lord Katsuyori reaches Lord Kosaka safely," Masayuki asked. Kunoichi nodded and gave him a confident smile.
"Hehe, of course! This will a breeze for me," she said in a playful tone before disappearing. Sighing Masayuki looked up into the bright moon above. Glaring at it, he tightly clenched his fists.
"No matter what, we will survive this,"
(Play Nagashino (Takeda))
In another portion of the forest, it was relatively quiet except for the sounds of battle and confusion in the distance. All that could be heard was a calming breeze that lightly blew the leaves in the night. All of that changed when the sounds the bodies crashing to the earth began increasing in frequency. It was as if sandbags were constantly being dropped from the sky, the time between each thud seemed to get smaller. If anyone else were in the area, they would've been shocked by the sight of continuous people falling from the trees. Upon closer inspection, they would've noticed that they were all dark clad ninja's each with a similar slash wound somewhere on their body's that started trickling out long streams of blood. Even if anyone was there to notice, looking up would've done no good, as only a certain few would've been able to see the near invisible clash in the shadows of forest.
"Hurry up! We need to get back to-" an Oda ninja was cut off as a stream of crimson red energy passed through his side.
His eyes rolled into the back of his head before finally falling down to the floor below. There were dozens in front of him, all who wore the same garb, and each with an equally concerned look on their covered faces. They raced as fast as they could on to each branch, but all they could hear were small pained gasps and cries from those behind them followed by the sound of them hitting the cold hard ground below.
"What the hell is going on?!" The one ahead of the rest asked, as he looked behind him. His eyes widened at what he saw. There were two red streaks zooming around behind his unit. It was fast, almost too fast for him to see, but he just about able to see the pattern. Whenever they passed through one of his men, they were instantly cut down. Whatever it was doing to them, it was far too fast for him to notice. Scrunching his face, he turned around tried running as fast as he could. It wasn't until a few seconds later that he heard something. Through the sounds of tress rustling, and pained cries of his men, he swore he heard cutting noises. Slowly turning his head around again, his eyes widened in disbelief. Everyone behind him was gone. It was only several minutes ago that he was leading dozens upon dozens of other ninja's and yet they were all gone. Stopping on a large branch, he looked around and noticed what was below him. On the forest floor, the dirt was littered with the countless bodies of his last comrades. Each one had a small yet noticeable cut or gash on their bodies. He felt himself breaking into a cold sweat at the thought, and quickly pulled out his sword. Carefully looking around him, he tried to spot the two red streaks from before, but there was nothing. Even for the forest this late, it was far too quiet.
"You know, you shouldn't have stopped. Although to be fair, it wouldn't have helped anyway," a mocking voice said from behind him. He quickly tried to slash at the figure behind him as fast as he could, but the thought couldn't even fully cross his mind before feeling something sharp impaling him through his back. He let out a quiet gasp, as the world around him starting turning cold. His arms dropped to his sides and quickly lost his footing. As he saw the ground getting closer, his vision progressively got dark until there was nothingness. Back up on the tree, Kotarō smirked as he wiped the blood from his gauntlet with Ryuto appearing beside him.
"That should've been the last one here. There were a lot more than I was expecting," Ryuto said, turning his head to the sounds coming off in the distance. There could be loud rumblings heard far off, the unmistakable sound of explosions followed by boulders rolling through the ground, and crashing into one another.
"Another one of your plans? How fun," Kotarō said.
"Just something to buy the Takeda some time. After all, isn't the Fuma's specialty causing chaos?" Ryuto asked, eyeing his master, who snickered in agreement.
"There's still about two groups left. One to the north here and other to the west," Ryuto said.
"I'll deal with the pests to the North. You can go have fun in the West," Kotarō said before vanishing into the shadows. Ryuto sighed in the quiet clearing.
"Can't wait to go let loose, can you?" Ryuto said before heading off himself.
He landed on top of the branch above him and proceeded to dash towards the next, each step not making the slightest sound. Closing his eyes, he was able to feel the presence of multiple people ahead. They were very faint, indicating that they were trying to mask themselves, but he was still able to sense them thanks to his honed detection. He was just about able to feel two more close to him. One very faint one was several meters behind him, and closing in. The other was much harder to make out. Their presence was much more faint than the others. If it weren't for the fact that Ryuto was occasionally able to sense it in from exact same distance from him each time, he wouldn't have been able to know if it were a person or not.
Opening his eyes, he focused on the foes coming into sight in front of him. While still wary of the two following him, he set aside those thoughts before slowing his breathing, and masking his own presence. As soon as he saw the group ahead of him, he unsheathed his blades and sped up as fast as he could in a flash of red. The group consisted of sixteen Oda ninja. They were all standing by, sharing the information they had with one another, completely oblivious to the impending danger that was about to befall them. Just as one was about to hand out a scroll to the others, a slim streak of red zigzagged through the entire group. In an instant, they all felt blood gushing out of wounds that didn't exist a moment ago. Just as Ryuto appeared right behind them, they all fell over at once, dropping their scrolls with them which soon began to be soaked in their blood.
He looked from the corner of his eye, as he felt something zooming towards him from behind. Instinctively, he swung his arm back to meet his attacker. His blade loudly scraped against another, the screech echoing through the clearing. He rapidly turned his body around, preparing to lunge his other blade towards the one who attacked him, but quickly stopped as soon as he saw who it was. Kunoichi had a shocked expression on her face, as she looked at him. The two each one blade locked together while Ryuto's other blade was mere inches from Kunoichi's face while her other blade was pointed at his stomach.
"Hey! You're that guy from Mimase Pass," Kunoichi exclaimed, as she warily kept her blade trained on him.
"Oh, it's you," Ryuto said, lowering his arm. Kunoichi pressed her blade closer to his stomach, as she watched him cautiously.
"Don't "Oh, it's you" me! What are you doing here?!" she asked angrily, as she kept her blade close to his stomach.
"Calm down. I'm not your enemy," Ryuto said, lowering his other arm. Kunoichi was still unsure, however she looked over to see the pile of Oda corpses beside them. She looked back over to him to see that he had completely lowered his guard, not a hint of murderous intent on him.
"So you're helping us? Why?" Kunoichi said, slowly lowering her knives.
"I guess My Lord would say something like because we're allies. Honestly I'm only doing this because it's best for the Hōjō. If Katsuyori dies here, the Takeda are as good as gone. It won't be long before Kanto will be in Nobunaga's sights," Ryuto explained.
"I guess that makes sense. So all the commotion that's been going on has been you Fuma, huh?" Kunoichi said.
"Yeah. We have all of our clan here to buy you some time. You should hurr-" Ryuto was suddenly cut off by high speed object that flew from behind him. He immediately jumped up, and just about saw the object fly from under him. It was large four sided blade that was similar to a shuriken, but was far larger it's blades being far more curved. It continued towards Kunoichi who also just about managed to evade it by jumping up. After pass under her, it flew upward and curved around them until it flew back behind Ryuto. The two ninjas watched as the weapon flew around until it was caught by someone who wasn't there before nor was it someone either of them sensed until this point.
"So the naughty children who have been causing all this ruckus was you two!" a high pitched voice yelled. Squinting, the two got a better look at their attacker from the shadows. The one holding the weapon was a young woman with short brown hair with a golden hair clip resembling a flower shaped shuriken. She was clad in slightly revealing yellow and white ninja garb with golden gauntlets and boots. Despite how she looked as she pouted at the two, Ryuto and Kunoichi instantly prepared for battle.
"Who is that?" Ryuto asked, carefully eyeing her for any movements. Even though it looked like her guard was down, Ryuto's instincts were screaming at him of the danger.
"I don't know. I'm assuming she's not with you?" Kunoichi said, remaining just as cautious as Ryuto.
"You know it's rude to talk about someone when they're right in front of you, you know," Nene said, giving the two an angry stare. She then pulled her blade apart until it separated into two parts. With a loud click, each on folded together until it was just two large purple tinted blades in each hand. She held them in a similar way to Kunoichi's knives, but Ryuto could feel the vast difference in more than just size.
"So the Hōjō are the ones causing all this trouble. You won't get away with hurting our allies like that. It's time for you two to be punished!" Nene said before lunging toward the two. She burst forward in a flash of yellow and within less than a second, she was right below Ryuto. The silver haired ninja barely had time to react, as she slashed upwards towards him. He managed to step back just in time to avoid the attack to his body, but her long blades still scraped against his with enough force to send him back several feet. Just as he landed back on his feet, she was already above him with her blades raised above her head. Ryuto brought his arms up to block, but to his surprise, no force came from the attack. His eyes widened, as it looked like she faded through him, her body growing transparent before disappearing completely.
"An afterimage?" Ryuto looked back down to see that Nene was now directly in front of him with her blades coming towards his chest. He jumped back, but was still just about cut by the attack. He winced as metal tore through fabric and flesh alike, as he was sent skidding back through the ground. One hand slid across the ground while the other held onto his chest. Looking down at his hand, he saw his glove was now a darker shade of red, as well his fingers being drenched in the same fluid. He saw that he had two thin cuts across his chest which was now seeping blood. Luckily the wound was shallow, but he still felt a tinge of pain. Looking back up, he saw Nene about to charge towards him, until she turned around to block two long knives that were thrown at her. Catching them both in midair, Kunoichi spun around in a flurry of pink energy aimed directly towards Nene who braced herself for the attack. Using the time to catch his breath, Ryuto wiped the blood on his hand on the ground before standing back up.
"Damn, she's as fast as Master... Who the hell is this woman?" Ryuto asked himself quietly before rushing back into the battle.
Kunoichi grunted in pain as she was kicked in the stomach by Nene. Before she could even land on the ground, Nene was already beside her. Nene swung her blade, but stopped midway as she saw something from the corner of her eye. Ducking down immediately, three red Musou infused arrows flew over her head before embedding themselves into a tree, shaking is slightly causing some leaves to swivel down. Ryuto pounced from side to side in swift flash of crimson red. Using his momentum, he launched attack after attack from every angle possible. Nene skillfully blocked and evaded each strike, but even she found herself surprised by her foes relentless assault. Meanwhile Kunoichi watched the two, as she had a hand on her hand. After shaking her head, she quickly picked back up her knives, and rejoined the fight. Helping Ryuto, the two ninjas fought back as hard as they, each attacking in a position that the other wasn't currently at. Even Nene found herself beginning to struggle against the unrelenting flurry of pink and red coming from all sides.
She kept narrowly blocking the two for what felt like an hour until finally she found it. A small window of opportunity between the two ninja's attacks. While they were both exceptionally skilled, she could tell this was their first time fighting together, so there was a gap in their attack. In the small amount of time that both ninjas were between attacks, Nene used that chance to focus a large amount of Musou into her blades. Her blades gained a yellow outline and she then turned towards Kunoichi. The young Takeda ninja's eyes widened as she saw both blades being aimed towards her. Raising he knives up to block, she was gasped as she felt more power than expected. As soon as Nene's blades hit her's, Kunoichi was swept off of her feet by the sheer power before sent skidding on her back. Despite not taking a direct hit, she felt intense pain in her stomach from the shockwave that came from the attack causing her to cough out a clump of blood while still sliding across the dirt. Once she stopped, she felt herself losing strength, as she tightly shut her eyes and lost her grip on her knives.
Ryuto quickly tried to attack Nene from behind while she was still focused on Kunoichi, but to his surprise, his blades didn't find anything to piece, as he seemed to faze through her body before it disappeared like smoke.
"Another afterimage?!" Ryuto turned his head as quickly as he could, but it was already too late. She powered up her Musou once more. An intense yellow aura vibrating from her body which flowed into her blades. She then threw them forward and while in midair, they snapped open to become double sided blades which spun fast enough to appear like two yellow disks aimed at him. They were fast for him to avoid, and seeing no other option, he released all the Musou he could muster and quickly transferred it into his gauntlets. Thrusting both arms upwards, his blades met hers, and he instantly began feeling overwhelmed. He felt his feet sliding across the ground, as he felt his muscles pulsing just trying to hold back her blades. Sparks flew as metal kept scraping against metal. Scrunching his face, he felt his veins about to pop from his arms and head while trying to push upward as hard as he could. With a loud grunt, he finally pushed through and knocked both of her projectiles upwards, both flying up into the sky.
Unfortunately, he didn't have any time to rest, as suddenly Nene appeared in the air and skillfully grabbed both of her weapons. Once more fading out of sight, Ryuto was just barely able to sense her presence in time to turn his head to his side where she once more threw her weapons at him. Clicking his tongue, he narrowly jumped over one of them with it being close enough to feel the spinning breeze that it created from under him. There was no time to avoid the second, however, as it flew directly towards him. Bringing both of his blades up, he tried to empower his gauntlets as much as he could, but it wasn't enough once their blades met. He heard metal screeching and cracking, and could tell right away that her blades were on the verge of cleaving right through his gauntlets if he didn't act fast. Thinking quickly, he focused all of his currently amassed Musou into two spheres on his blades which burst immediately upon coming into contact with Nene's weapons. The resulting burst of Musou was strong enough to deflect Nene's blades away but at the same time the blast sent him flying back uncontrollably.
Before he knew it, his back was slammed against the base of tree. Coughing up blood into his mask, he strained to look down to see that both of his blades were cracked. The stinging pain in his back kept him from getting back up right away. With one eye closed from the pain, he slowly looked back up to see that Nene had already once again grabbed her weapons, and threw them again in the same manner as before. Seeing the two deadly projectiles flying towards him, Ryuto tried his hardest to get up as fast as he could, but his wounds slowed him down greatly. Just as he limped back up onto his feet, the blades were already inches from his face. Just before they tore through the young ninja's head, a strong gust of wind blew through the area. This one was unusual however due to the fact that the wind was actually visible with a tint of dark red. Nene raised her arms up to shield herself from the gust which hindered her vision. Soon it stopped just as mysteriously as it appeared, but to everyone but Ryuto's surprise, Kotarō now stood in front of the injured ninja. In his hands were Nene's weapons which he had caught during the chaos.
"You look like you got really roughed up there, little birdie," Kotarō said.
"Took you long enough to get here," Ryuto said, rubbing his arm. Chuckling, the Fuma ninja dropped the blades to the ground, the two weapons clanging as they hit the dirt. Upon seeing the red haired ninja, Nene pouted angrily as she placed her hands on her hips.
"Kotarō! I should've known that this was your doing. You're always up to no good!" Nene scolded.
"Sorry to break it to you, but this wasn't my idea this time although I will say I am enjoying myself," Kotarō said while snickering.
"You two know each other?" Ryuto asked, eyeing the two ninjas.
"Sort of. Her name is Nene. She's the wife of one of Nobunaga's retainers. She's not really a "real" ninja, but she's certainly got the ability of one, as you probably saw for yourself. I'd suggest you and the Takeda girl get going. You're not ready for this kind of battle just yet, so fly out of here, won't you? I want to have a little bit more fun before we leave," Kotarō said, as crimson red Musou appeared around him.
Ryuto looked over at Kunoichi, who was on her knees while still recovering from Nene's previous hit. While she rubbed her head, her eyes met Ryuto's who motioned his head to the side. Catching on, she nodded before the two of them leapt out of sight at the same time. Only Kotarō and Nene remained, each one staying completely still, as a gentle breeze passed through the clearing. Kotarō continued smiling while Nene glared at the red haired ninja, neither one moving a muscle as leaves began falling between them. As soon as the last one hit the ground, the two bolted from their spots towards each other. Once the two of them were mere inches from one another, Kotarō made the first move. He lunged his arm forward, aiming the spikes on his gauntlet for Nene's face. She arched her back while lowering her body allowing her to go under his arm. As her eyes looked at his arm from a hairs distance above her face, she slid on her knees past him until she reached her blades that were discarded by Kotarō earlier. As soon as she got a grip on them, she immediately got back onto her feat and turned around just in time to block Kotarō's attack. The ensuring blade lock caused a small shockwave to radiate from the two, as neither was able to overpower the other.
"Why are you and the Fuma here? Just what kind of naughty scheme are you planning this time?" Nene asked in an annoyed tone, as she kept her blades on him, both clicking as they stayed locked on each other.
"Don't worry. I'm just letting my little birdie get some experience in the air. So until he's able to fly with the winds of chaos, I can't really let him die just yet," Kotarō replied.
"As usual, I can't make heads or tails of anything that comes out of your mouth. I don't have time for this. I need to get back to my darling," Nene said.
"Oh? Afraid that he might be having fun with other women to celebrate tonight?" Kotarō said mockingly. Nene's eye twitched before sending a kick directly towards the side of his head which he narrowly evaded by jumping back. He could feel the force behind that kick as it flew by his face which he could tell was strong enough to rip someone's head clean off. Landing back, he gave her a mocking smirk.
"Struck a nerve, huh?" Kotarō said while raising his guard. Nene angrily pouted at him, as the grip on her blades tightened.
"Kotarō! You bad child! You're going to pay for that!" Nene said angrily before charging towards him.
"Hehe, this day just keeps getting better," Kotarō's grin grew even wider as he dashed towards the angry brunette. The clash between these two masters would make the whole forest tremble as their Musou exploded to their limits in what would be a truly fierce battle.
Meanwhile as the two of them fought, Ryuto and Kunoichi were able to get a good amount of distance away. The two of them stopped in a small clearing in the woods in order to catch their breaths from their previous beating by Nene. Kunoichi leaned against a tree as she let out a deep breath while rubbing her exposed stomach.
"Wow, that lady was tough. I'm going to feel this one for a while," Kunoichi sighed. Ryuto kept a hand on the two gashes on his chest, making sure to keep pressure on the wound.
"We got lucky there. If master hadn't arrived, we likely would have died," Ryuto said.
"Is he going to be okay?" Kunoichi asked.
"He'll be fine. He's one of strongest ninjas I've ever seen. I know he'll make it back," Ryuto said, turning away from the pink clad girl. Kunoichi gave him a small smile.
"You really believe in him, huh? Aren't you a big softy?" Kunoichi teased. Even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he was making an annoyed expression.
"Quiet. I'm just going on logic. Master or not, he still annoys me," Ryuto said letting out a small huff. Looking to his side, one of his Fuma ninja's appeared next to him.
"Sir, I have news. Katsuyori Takeda and his unit have made it through the mountain. They've met up with Kosaka's unit and have begun making their way back," he reported.
"Good, tell everyone to make their way to the rendezvous point. Don't engage in anymore battles," Ryuto ordered. The ninja nodded before making his way to the others in the area. Looking over to the Takeda ninja, he nodded his head to her.
"You heard him. You should probably get going. He might be in a better position now, but there's no guarantee he's out of danger just yet," Ryuto said. Kunoichi nodded, as she walked past him. She stopped just as she was about to leap away.
"Kotarō said earlier that helping us was your idea, right? Thanks a lot for that," she said sincerely before leaping away onto a branch. Ryuto watched as she leapt away from branch to branch before finally disappearing from sight within seconds. Crossing his arms, he closed his eyes.
"I'm alone now. So, are you going to come out of hiding or not?" Ryuto asked to seemingly no one. Without a single sound, someone slowly walked out of the shadows behind the young ninja.
"You're senses haven't dulled one bit, I see. So you've been with the Fuma this whole time," a gruff voice said. Turning around, Ryuto's eyes widened for a moment before he frowned. The man was tall with a fairly muscular build who was slightly more so than Kotarō. He wore a dark tight ninja gi with a purple vest over it. Both his gauntlets and his boots were jet black with pruple stripes and on them were dark purple patterns of a snake. The back of his vest had the Oda symbol on it with a purple snake encircling it which was biting it's own tail. The man had medium length brown hair tied into a ponytail with two long bangs hanging on either side of his face. He had dark yellow eyes with a long jagged scar running down his left one while everything below his nose was covered by a mask. On his hip was a long rapier with a dark purple blade and a golden handle.
"So you're still alive, huh? I had heard that the Black Vipers were nearly decimated by the Ashikaga and Miyoshi, and that the Oda finished you all off when they took over," Ryuto said.
"And we have you to thank for that. Because of you, everything we had built came crumbling down around us. There are less than ten of us left now, and we were forced to serve that damn Nobunaga," the man said with venom seeping out of every word.
"If that was all it took to end your reign then that just means the Black Vipers were never destined to rule like you and the master wanted," Ryuto said, letting out a sigh.
"Tch. I don't need to hear another word from you. But to think of my luck. I was ordered to kill Katsuyori, but forget Nobunaga's orders. As soon as I saw you, I knew I needed to settle things once and for all with the traitor that did this to us," the man said while pulling out his rapier.
"Do you really want to do this? Second in command or not, you weren't even able to beat me when I was a child in training, Niyoshi," Ryuto said, unsheathing his blades from his gauntlets. As he did so, he felt his blades were looser than usual. Looking down, he noticed the large cracks on both sides before looking back up at his foe, who took his stance.
"Oh, I'm very well aware. You were the gifted child who the boss favored above all else. I'm not such a fool as to fight you recklessly, but as you probably know, I've been watching you for a little while now including the thrashing you got from Lady Nene. As you are now, I couldn't possibly pass up such a prime opportunity," Niyoshi said, his smirk visible through his mask. Ryuto glared at the older man before rushing forward without warning.
He rapidly appeared behind Niyoshi, and prepared to gouge his blade into the man's neck, but stopped once he felt a wave of pain passing through most of his upper body. It slowed him down just enough for Niyoshi to swing his rapier back to block the attack. He then moved his rapier past the younger man's blade and thrusted forward towards his head. Ryuto quickly moved his head to the side, but the rapiers point still grazed his cheek, cutting skin, but not deep enough to draw blood. Jumping back, he rubbed his cheek, as he warily kept an eye on the man who retook his stance.
"As I thought, you've grown even stronger... If it weren't for your wounds just now, I would've been dead," Niyoshi said, glaring at the boy. Ryuto took his hand off of his cheek, and prepared for battle. While taking his stance, he could feel his muscles aching from his battle earlier. Toughing through it, he charged forward. He leapt between branches, tree trunks and the ground constantly in a blazing stream of red to confuse his opponent. Eventually he appeared above the man, and brought down both of his blades at once. Sensing his presence, Niyoshi brought his rapier above his head and blocked the attack. With one powerful swing, he knocked Ryuto upwards a little before delivering a swift barrage of constant thrusts which Ryuto struggled to block with some of them ripping parts of his gi. Jumping back onto a branch. He leapt towards another one, but while in mid air, he fired his arrows towards the other ninja who skillfully pierced and broke each one.
Seeing the Fuma ninja's sluggish movements, the veteran ninja saw his chance. Leaping into the air immediately, he quickly landed on the branch that Ryuto was aiming for, and pointed his rapier forward. A dark purple aura enveloped the long blade, with the glow reflecting off of Niyoshi's eyes. Lunging forward, he sent dozens of lightning quick thrusts. Ryuto tried his best to block and counter, but Niyoshi's barrage proved to be both too strong and fast causing him to struggle to just block the attack from piercing his vital points. The attack caused dozens of slight cuts to the Fuma ninja, who quickly tried jumping back, but Niyoshi followed immediately. He infused even power than before into his rapier, and using all of his strength, he thrusted forward. Because they were already in mid air, Ryuto had nowhere to go leaving him no other option than to bring his blades up to block. As soon as the tip of Niyoshi's rapier met Ryuto's blades, a loud snap went off. His blade completely broke through Ryuto's blades sending the two of them to the ground below with little shards following close. The rapier continued forward until it pierced right through Ryuto's shoulder who gasped in pain. Pulling out, the force from the attack sent Ryuto crashing down to the ground with his back slamming against the base of a tree. He coughed up decent amount of blood which was caught by his mask which then stained. He tightly clutched his shoulder which had decently sized hole through it. Blood began pouring out, seeping through the gaps in Ryuto's hand before dripping down to the ground below. Niyoshi flicked his blade to the side, causing all of the blood on his rapier to splatter to the ground, as he began slowly walking towards the young man.
"To think this day has finally come. You have no idea how long I've been wanting to do this. After all of the unfortunate events before this, luck has truly aligned perfectly for me for this to happen," the man said, grinning.
Ryuto scowled at him, as he slowly got back onto his feet in a shaky fashion. His breathing was heavy and ragged as the pony tailed man neared him. Moving quickly, he gave a swift and powerful kick to the ground below, causing a big amount of dirt to fly towards the ninja. Moving his rapier in a blinding speed, he was able to sweep aside all of dirt to reveal Ryuto closing the distance between them. Niyoshi lunged his rapier forward, but Ryuto just barely slid past it with blade scraping past his shoulder. Using his chance, Ryuto drove his gauntlet into Niyoshi's stomach who let out a small cry of pain. The broken half of the blade however was not long enough to go far enough to deal a major injury despite how hard Ryuto tried pushing it in. Wincing in pain, Niyoshi tightened his grip on his rapier and seeing the opportunity, he repositioned his blade and moved to drive it into Ryuto's back. His eyes grew wide, however, once he felt a sharp, agonizing pain in the back of his neck.
"W-What...?" He could barely let out as he felt his throat feeling tight. On the back of his neck was the broken half of Ryuto's blade which was broken off earlier in their skirmish. He felt his body losing strength until he point where he dropped his rapier. It made a loud clang as it hit the ground.
"When did..." He gasped as he realized what had happened. Earlier when Ryuto kicked the ground. The dirt wasn't the only thing sent flying. The broken half of his blade was also lying there, and was sent flying to the side by Ryuto's kick which ricocheted off of the tree. Ryuto's charge forward was meant as a distraction so that he wouldn't notice. Letting out a moan of pain, he wobbled backwards away from Ryuto, his stomach burning once it detached from Ryuto's arm. His vision began going blurry, as he fell onto his back with pained groan. All he could see was Ryuto standing over him, his piercing purple eyes staring right into his being.
"No wonder... Tensei saw such potential in you... Damn... to think... you of all people... would do this... to me," his voice sounded like he was drowning. His eyes flickered, and his fingers twitched as he stared into the night sky. Ryuto shook his head before beginning to walk away. As he did so, he could hear the dying voice of Niyoshi trying to say something, but he stopped caring.
"You might be strong... but Tensei... he will no doubt... deal with... you," Ryuto stopped in his tracked, his eyes widening. Quickly turning around, he stared at Niyoshi's bleeding body. His hands shook, as he processed the man's words.
"Hey... what you just said. Is the master still alive?!" Ryuto asked in a serious voice. Seeing his panic, Niyoshi's mouth curved slightly upward before his head limped to the side, and his twitching stopped. Seeing that he was no longer with him, Ryuto felt his heart beating faster at the man's final words. Clutching his shaking arm, Ryuto looked up.
"It can't be... He's still alive. Looks like I can't keep running after all..."
Phew! Man it's been too long. A lot of stuff has happened in the past few months, and unfortunately I haven't been able to get much done on my stories as a result which I honestly feel really bad about. Hopefully with the new year everything will get back on track, and once more I really am sorry for how long this took :( Anyway, I will see you all in the next chapter, and hopefully it won't be nearly as long this time.