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"All your men have been revived," Kaizer Baron said to Marcus.
"Merci, Monsieur Mitsuki," Marcus said gratefully. "Now, we can celebrate our victory properly. Would you like to join us? It'll be fun."
"Pass," Kaizer Baron declined. "I need to go meet with Karin. Enjoy your party."
"Oui, we will. Au revoir."
"Later." Bidding Marcus goodbye, Kaizer Baron took off.
After reviving the Yellow Turbans who had been killed in combat, Mitsuki flew back to Sou Gi. He landed in front of the palace and was greeted by Kyocho and Chouryou who let him in.
"How was the mission?" Chouryou asked.
"Successful," Mitsuki answered. It was mostly successful since they managed to reclaim Son Go but both Minato and Saito had gotten away.
"Wish I could go with you, Onii-chan. Guard duty is sooooo boring!" Kyocho complained.
"I'll ask Sousou if I can bring you on my next assignment. How does that sound, Kii?" Mitsuki offered.
Kyocho's eyes lit up as she beamed brightly.
"Thanks, Onii-chan!"
Mitsuki smiled and went inside the palace. Instead of going straight to the throne room to meet with Sousou, he made a detour.
"I'm back," Mitsuki announced as he entered the room. Kakoen was sitting up on her bed and sitting beside her was her sister Kakoton. Kakoen was due to give birth any day now. Because of her condition, Kakoen would not be able to fulfill her duties as Sousou's general. That was fine with Sousou who looked forward to the birth of the baby. She really wanted to spoil it when it was born.
Mitsuki hated being away during this time but he had his duties as Sousou's Armored War God. Still, between missions, he tried his best to be there for Kakoen during her pregnancy.
"Mitsuki," Kakoen smiled when she saw him. "You're back."
"What are you doing here? Didn't Karin-sama summon you?" Kakoton questioned.
"She did but I wanted to check up on you both first," he said. "I'm sure she won't mind."
"More like check on my sister and your unborn child, right?" Kakoton asked.
"Yes," he answered, not denying it. "How are you feeling, Shuran?"
"I'm just tired of lying here in bed all the time," Kakoen grumbled as she rubbed her belly. It had been months since Sousou ordered her to take leave for her pregnancy and she really missed fighting on the frontlines. "And look at me! I'm fat!"
"No, you're not. You're beautiful," he insisted as he gently touched her stomach. It may look like a huge balloon right now but that was just because she was pregnant with their child. He felt the child kick and smiled at how strong it was.
"Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?" Kakoen asked, wondering about the sex of their baby.
"Boy or girl, I'll love them all the same," Mitsuki swore. Though, if it was a boy, he'd teach him how to fight. If it was a girl, he'd teach her how to fight too but he'd protect her since she would be his little princess.
"You mean we'll love them all the same," Kakoen corrected.
"Don't forget me," Kakoton reminded, pointing to herself. She was going to be the best aunt ever. One day, though, she would become the mother of Mitsuki's child too.
"So, have you thought of any names yet?" Kakoen asked Mitsuki.
"'Katsumi' if it's a girl. 'Katsuki' if it's a boy," he answered. He had thought about it long and hard. They just seemed right.
"Good names," Kakoen agreed.
"You know, this reminds me of a funny story Chou'un once told me," Kakoton said. "Ryuubi was having a stomach ache and everyone thought she was giving birth."
"Seriously?" Mitsuki cocked an eyebrow. "And did they think Oda knocked her up?"
"Yeah. They were all freaking out about it and telling him to take responsibility."
Mitsuki laughed but he couldn't help but sigh as he thought about Nagata. He might have been naive and softhearted but Mitsuki still respected him for his resolve and how strong he had become. It was too bad he was dead. He would've liked to have one last match with him to prove who was the strongest between them.
The door opened and someone came inside.
"Kakoen-san, I brought you your porridge. Be careful when you eat it. It's hot. Oh, hey, Akechi. Welcome back."
Mitsuki gawked, his eyes as wide as dinner plates, as his jaw went agape when he saw Nagata standing in the doorway.
Sangokuden Armored War Gods Saga: End of the Armored War Gods
Co-Written By: Kamen Rider Chrome & Ten-Faced Paladin
Beta Reader/Editor: Busterleader92 & Kamen Rider Goji
Chapter 55: The Rule of ODA
"I'm guessing Karin did not tell you I was back," Nagata assumed as he and Mitsuki sat at a table in the palace's tearoom.
"Yeah, back from the dead. Seriously, Karin always looking for a chance to screw with me," Mitsuki grumbled.
"I think it's nice how you both are so close. You're like siblings."
"You're just lucky Shuran and Shunran were there with me. I almost fireballed you right in the face. Now explain to me how you're alive or did you fake your own death? And why are your eyes like that?"
"OK, to make a long story short: I was killed, got sent to Purgatory, and found a way back," Nagata summarized. "And I look like this because I'm undead. I'm basically a Rinrinshi now."
"That's it?" Mitsuki cocked an eyebrow.
"The long version is...I really don't want to get into it." Nagata refused to go into detail. He just did not want to relive his horrible experience in Purgatory, of dying and respawning over and over again.
"What else did I miss while I was away?" Mitsuki wondered. He had been on the frontlines for months, coming back between missions to check up on Kakoen and their baby while delivering his reports to Sousou in-person.
"I beat Majin Gaim," Nagata answered. "And Iori left the team to join yours."
"So, no hard feelings about snagging away your #2 from you?" Mitsuki asked. He had not expected anyone from Shoku to join Sousou's faction as they seemed close like a family.
"Disappointed maybe, but if it gets the aggression out of his system, maybe this is for the best. He's reaching for so much power that he's forgetting why he needs it in the first place," Nagata remarked, nursing his cup.
"Hey, in order to lead, you need to take action. Your wait-and-see tactics were just waiting to fail," the Crimson Enforcer General shrugged.
WHAP!
"OW! Who the Hell!?" Mitsuki turned around to see who had hit him, stopping to see Sousou, "Karin? What was that for!?"
"That's for insulting someone I consider my contemporary, especially out of ignorance. That is something I do not condone even from my sworn brother," Sousou reminded her Crimson Enforcer General as she took her seat with a cup of wine. "It seems you have discovered that Nagata is staying with us now."
"And back from the dead. Thanks for telling me, Loli," Mitsuki shot back sarcastically. "Anyway, you'll be happy to know we managed to retake Son Go without any casualties on our side." Even if their men had been KIA, Mitsuki could easily revive them.
"Thank you for that brief report, Mitsuki. Nagata, would you please regale my Crimson Enforcer General as to why neither I nor Son Go ever tried to invade or annex your kingdom?"
Nagata huffed. Perhaps it was his new sense of cynicism or guilt, but his frustrations at being considered doing nothing with his rule, and in turn insulting Ryuubi, was getting too much to bear. Especially since Iori was all but mocking him for it and insisting that power needed to be displayed. Taking a gulp of wine, he decided he would finally explain his motives to people who should have guessed it.
"Let's start at the beginning," he started. "Akechi, think back to just before I took control of Shoku. Remember the operation at the mountain that Nise so royally screwed up and the Chompa-Chomp Brothers?"
"I remember," Mitsuki recalled. They had saved Touka Village that night. "I did you guys a solid by going to help. Kakoton did too by bringing in the cavalry."
"Why didn't Karin try to annex us after that?" Nagata put forward. "Our military commander proved to be incompetent, the magistrate was mostly a nonentity, we were hammered by the bandit army and our morale was in the crapper from it all. It would have been a prime opportunity for Karin's army to come in and peacefully annex it. With me and Aisha setting down roots there, if the people wanted to declare Karin their ruler, she would have gotten it all easily."
"Mm-hm," Sousou nodded. She remembered the look of outrage Kashin had when her oh so clever plan backfired in the worst way.
"Easy. Our forces were split up in another campaign. We only had small units nearby," Mitsuki answered with a shrug. "Say what you want, but with your five generals and two Armored War Gods, we'd need a whole lot more manpower to take the province even if you didn't consider leading your Volunteer Army..."
"But we finished in three weeks and gathered our men," Sousou spoke up. "Why didn't we invade then?"
"Ah…" Mitsuki blinked. Granted, he hadn't been made a general yet at that point so he hadn't considered it. "I...uh...I don't know why. You just said it was infeasible when Keifa suggested it."
"It's because Shoku doubled in size in the time it took me to gather our forces," Sousou answered before taking a dainty sip. Mitsuki sputtered for a moment in shock before he looked at Nagata in surprise.
"You think that festival we held to celebrate our victory against the Venom Fists was the only serious decision I made?" asked Nagata. "Akechi, what's my last name? Who do you think I am related to?"
Mitsuki blinked. The first name that came up was Nobunaga Oda, the infamous general who managed to nearly unify Japan and would have become the emperor if he had not been betrayed by one of his officers, Mitsuhide Akechi. Honnoji temple was burned to the ground and the legend of Oda ended in a resounding defeat rather than glorious victory. Despite his premature death, tales of Nobunaga became legendary. Many called him a ruthless tyrant, a foolish madman, or an evil demon king but those who followed him called him a genius tactician and a great man with great ambition. Before his death, he had accomplished so much.
"So...you really are…?" Mitsuki's eyes widened in sudden realization.
"Yes, Nobunaga Oda's direct descendant," Nagata claimed. "Do you really think my family wouldn't drive lessons of politics, leadership, and martial arts into my head? I might've grown up in a restaurant but I did learn other things besides cooking skills."
"If you're the real deal, then no." Mitsuki blinked, he somehow felt humbled yet excited to know his counterpart was descended from such an infamous and legendary figure.
"Well, after Nise ran off, we had to rally fast and hard to make sure our defenses and operations were where we thought they were and not short-changed since Nise wanted to keep all the loot for himself. Turns out he was making treaties with all the neighboring provinces, but once the Imperial Court contacted him, he dropped them all like hot potatoes."
"Sounds like him," Mitsuki muttered. The guy had been an ambitious con artist who aimed for glory, fame and riches. He had even stolen Ryuubi's name and sword to claim he was descended from royalty. Obviously, he kept anything that could elevate his wealth and status for himself.
"Yes, well, we got lucky. Between my Lockvehicles, Komei's negotiation skills, and the proof I really was an Armored War God, we managed to secure the agreements with those provinces. We helped deal with bandits and monsters while they rallied economic and logistical support for us. We unified and it worked."
"But, that's just a treaty or a contract. How'd they get absorbed into Shoku?" asked Mitsuki.
"Think like the man you are now, not the greenhorn you were then," Sousou snickered.
"The magistrate retired and handed it off to me," Nagata reminded him. "Or rather, he knew Karin or Sonsaku would be on their way. I have no doubt Masataka was keeping tabs on all of us and the chance to get more territory as well as collect warriors like the girls and two more Armored War Gods would have been too much to resist. The magistrate knew they would likely invade so he retired and ran off. He was trying to maintain the status quo so all the changes scared him off before he dropped the mess onto me. No one would argue leaving things to one of us."
"Hm, cowardly, but shrewd," Mitsuki nodded as he pondered the move. "Wait, since all those contracts and treaties went to you once you took the throne…"
"They became politically binding, so all of those provinces had all but publicly declared their allegiance to me," Nagata finished. "So, since anyone who heard the rumors would know, they had to declare their allegiance and anyone who tried to back out would have the people revolting. I mean, where else would be safer than being under the direct rule of the Ultimate Sword?"
Mitsuki shook his head with a chuckle.
"Sheer luck, but it worked."
"Mm, the contracts were all calculated, but me taking the throne was the surprise," Nagata continued. "With the alliances we made and our power, Shoku's borders and theirs would have been secured from enemy invasion."
"And since the Volunteer Army was receiving training from professional warriors, had new land, resources, and I repeat two Armored War Gods, it made taking the land all the more daunting," Sousou added. "Not an enticing target despite the possible rewards."
"Right, I get that." Mitsuki understood the logic. "So, how did you plan on keeping it? I mean, all you seemed to do was guard your borders and fight the monster that kept slipping in to cause trouble. If you wanted Sou Gi and Son Go to stay away, you'd have to gather more territory to keep up and you'd have to go out and take it for that."
"Remember what I once said to you? 'Victory without ruin. Domination without disgrace'," Nagata reminded. "I didn't just pick that line to sound inspiring. I fully believed I could do it and with the others, we were making it happen."
"What?" Mitsuki frowned in disbelief. "You don't have a deceitful bone in your body, Oda. You always play fair and take the soft pedal approach."
"Lenient I may be and I might be slow to take action sometimes, but when it comes a time to make a decision I make it no matter how much it tears me up inside." Nagata gazed into his cup. "Not that I was a smooth operator. I needed Shuri and the others constantly to help me get up to speed on all the things I needed to know. Running a kingdom is way different from running a clan after all. China needed to be brought to peace and it seemed I was thrust into the running, but if I was going to do it, I was going to do it my way."
Sousou nodded with a pleased grin, but Mitsuki was still confused.
"What? Unite China? How? All you did was play defensive and reactionary. You adventured a few times and pretty much played nice to let other provinces come to you. You can't expect to unite China and hold it like that," Mitsuki remarked.
"As much as I wish to save everyone, I knew I couldn't. If I tried to wave my swords and get proactive, Sou Gi and Son Go would get nervous and start moving against me. Playing defensive just made me a passive threat so they could focus on other things like the RinJyuKen incursions or dealing with enemy provinces," Nagata explained. Mitsuki looked at Sousou who nodded. Everyone in court knew Shoku was a passive power and wouldn't fight unless provoked, which saved resources for more immediate campaigns. "The RinJyuKen were always the main enemy for me, so I treated them as such and the other kingdoms as neutral."
"Huh?" Mitsuki frowned before Sousou rolled her eyes.
"Think about it, Akechi," Nagata prompted. "I made Shoku safe. Why do you think the incursions were so small? Why was bandit activity so rare? Why was crime so low? I focused on cleaning house and making sure my territory was secure. All the people would see Shoku was safe and they came running to me. But where would the enemy forces go and always arrive?"
"To the borders." Mitsuki's eyes widened as it dawned on him. "Holy...you turned those into a show of force to demonstrate how you would protect them."
"And as much as I hated it, I couldn't do much for the neutral provinces they'd pass through unless I knew where they were coming from. If bandits took some villages, we'd crush them at the border and return the loot to the survivors or help rebuild. Same with the RinJyuKen. Of course, many such villagers just decided to cross the border to Shoku where it was safer."
"Which gave it more manpower, like farmers, workers, and even soldiers for the Volunteer Army," Mitsuki gaped, realizing Nagata's strategy. "You...you were slowly absorbing the surrounding provinces not through the armies or lands but through the people."
"Now you're seeing it," Sousou smirked.
"Mm-hmm," Nagata nodded. "No doubt every province you took, you faced conspiracies of rebels and assassins. Have them willingly join and everything was fine. My method, if the people began leaving, the lords would have to declare for me to get them back and officially join. People fight back when someone tells them they have a new ruler, but if people want to be ruled by you, they flock to you. I had several competent generals, a growing army, two Armored War Gods, and a track record for zero tolerance on crime, corruption, and enemies sneaking into the province. With the other two kingdoms constantly going to war, who would you pick?" He looked at Sousou. "No offense, Karin."
"None taken, Nagata and I got to admit, it was a marvelous and subtle strategy." Sousou tipped her cup to Nagata. "It took myself and my strategists a while to get it, but by then you had grown too powerful for us to properly counter, although we tried adopting some of your methods. Sadly, my reputation preceded me too far to make it as effective as you had done it."
"I get it. With corruption, war, and crime going so strong, a place where it was stomped out would bring them running to you." Mitsuki rubbed his chin. "Leave the provinces who didn't declare their allegiance to you to fend for themselves unless it was too brazen to ignore and use it as a way to show just how the Blue King gets the job done. People flock to Shoku, leaders lose valuable workers, find themselves coming up short against the next threat and they run to you with no other choice but to join."
"The fact it plays to my sense of duty and compassion made it almost effortless when I got the hang of it," Nagata confirmed. "Of course, it gave me the chance to remove a lot of corruption and install good and competent officials in those positions to strengthen my government too."
"Always a good priority," Sousou agreed. "I do confess why leniency was such a big part of your rule. You always punished serious offenders of course, but my contacts told me that many offenders for less serious crimes were released with minor punishments. You understand sometimes there is a risk that more offenders will think they can get off lightly."
"I do. I likened it to the velvet fist approach," Nagata answered. "I had Sei and others thoroughly check stories and alibis. I also ran background checks on men and women who worked for me. You'd be surprised how many people commit a crime because of someone's so-called 'honor' debt, blackmail, or corrupt folks are trying to get back what they believe is entitled to them."
"So you investigated," Mitsuki concluded. "The 'velvet' for the first offenders who didn't have a choice and the 'fist' for the unashamed and the repeat offenders."
"Three strikes and you are out for petty stuff. Heavier crimes, you get hit with the iron fist right off the bat," Nagata confirmed. "I have seen too many magistrates go on a power trip and try to throw around their weight so they can abuse laws or take them too far in some stupid attempt to show that they were powerful. I had to take a soft approach to small things, especially with people who had no choice but to steal or starve. The worse the crime got, or the more they committed it, the harder I had to be. 'Benevolent Tyrant' and all that."
"It would initially invite repeat offenders to commit a crime again, but as your punishments got worse, the people would see that you are only lenient because it was the first minor offense," Sousou hummed. "I suppose it would be harder for people to commit a crime if an Armored War God himself declared them guilty."
"The trials were time-consuming, but when one of us declares a verdict and has the evidence to back it up, it tends to dry up opportunities for crime when a 'god' knows they are criminals," Nagata shrugged. "The girls and I worked hard on that one, using my reputation as the Messenger of Heaven to eventually dry up plenty of crime and discourage people from breaking the law."
"Heh, I have done the same with Bravo and Baron. It clears up much of my day. Sadly the nobles get more time to complain to me." Sousou rolled her eyes.
"Okay, but what about the Ugin Army? Those guys were a major threat and you just ran them off without trying to stop them," Mitsuki frowned.
"I knew about them for nearly a week before they showed up," Nagata replied as he shook his head. "Did you know they tried to hit Son Go before they headed my way? Many of my subjects had families up in Son Go and they stayed in contact. They passed along rumors to their families who passed them to me. Not quite spies, but people gossip all the time."
"You...knew?" Mitsuki gaped. "But...then why let them go?"
"Most of that army was conscripted by that point," Nagata answered. "Masataka mangled them and they raided along Son Go's borders to restock before aiming for Shoku. If they raided our border provinces I would have stopped them, but I knew I didn't need to."
"And why not?" asked Sousou.
"Because by then, only a few small provinces were left while any major ones had competent guards," Nagata answered. "The Ugin Army was too big to support itself through small raids so they had to keep moving. Shoku was the only big kingdom near Son Go and they needed a win badly."
"So they went straight to your borders looking for a big score to refill their larders where you defeated their best and drove them off," Sousou concluded. Her eyes narrowed in thought. "And, I suspect, you knew they would come for Sou Gi next."
"It would be the only place where they could go to restock fast as well as repair their morale," Nagata nodded. "The girls and I guessed that after two huge defeats like that, the conscripts would begin deserting. The only ones left would be the ones like their leaders, greedy and eager to use their strength to bully others."
"I thought that fight was too easy," Mitsuki pondered, crossing his arms. "Damn, Oda. You were playing the long game. Like, years long." He was impressed. Nagata seemed to do a lot more behind the scenes than he thought. In public, he just seemed like a heroic figure who fought monsters to protect people. To think he could expand his territory without going to war. He just took advantage of what Nise left behind to build his kingdom and continued to grow from there. Being a strong yet compassionate Armored War God made him an attractive ruler for people.
"It would be longer, but that was partially why I was teaching Touka," Nagata nodded. "She could keep going where I left off if I died or it was time for the Armored War Gods to move on."
"So, considering your strategy, how would you make peace with Sou Gi and Son Go, provided we took care of the RinJyuKen? How would you unite us?" Sousou asked.
"Well, in a perfect world?" Nagata frowned thoughtfully. "To keep the peace, we'd start making economic ties. We'll trade small yet essential things first. Things like processed wood, stone, food, and then we'd go to other items like weapons, parts for war machines, things like that. With three large kingdoms, you need to make sure they are stable before you can even think about claiming more territory."
"True, but it wouldn't stop skirmishes and small land grabs," Mitsuki retorted.
"And trade agreements only stall for time before Sonsaku or I would have decided to make a grab for the production spots," Sousou added.
"Hm, but the necessity at the time would have given me the time for the next phase," Nagata pointed out. "By this point, Karin, you would likely have numerous advisors and nobles trying to force you to take a husband and sire an heir, right?"
"They bother me about that now and then, but if you have the same timeline in your mind that I do, they would be badgering me daily by that point," Sousou grumbled.
"True. With the stalemate, you'd also be forced to consider other avenues to unite the last portions of China," Nagata replied. "So...I'd offer to marry you."
"Bweh?!" Mitsuki choked on his wine after he did a spit-take.
"Oh? So brazen," Sousou laughed. "Are you not so in love with Kanu and the other women of your harem?"
"Forever and a day," Nagata affirmed. "Admittedly, this part of the plan came after they hit me with the 'let's all share him' plan. Shuri got me to see the benefits of a political marriage. No doubt your court would be thrilled to see your bloodline joined with an Armored War God. I know Akechi is your sworn brother so you would never look at him that way and I would think our friendship has earned me enough of a chance to have at least a shot at a political marriage."
"Hm, true," Sousou agreed, unashamed at admitting it. Few men have earned her respect and she would admit it was a practical and particularly tempting political move. All of Shoku uniting with Sou Gi through their marriage? That was two-thirds of China already and marrying a man who could understand her was not only enticing but a comfortable thought. "I admit I would try to steal away your harem though."
"Heh, we'd probably share," Nagata chuckled.
"Don't need to hear about this," Mitsuki growled irritably. "Okay, fine, so how do you get Son Go onboard then?"
"Well, it was kind of an open secret that Sonsaku and Shuyu were in love and all that. But obviously, two women can't have children and with all the boundaries Sonsaku pushed to get Son Go to that point, I don't think she would be able to stay on the throne. No, Sonken would likely get the throne in peacetimes and she'd have to get married fast to produce an heir and secure her succession. Once she had kids, maybe by Masataka to keep up appearances, your child with me would be matched up with theirs to become the next emperor and empress of China," Nagata explained.
"Hm, a viable plan and a subtle one considering most would just try to conquer," Sousou agreed. "Although, you don't seem to take into account how the landscape can change."
"Or being betrayed so deeply from within," Nagata sighed, remembering what Karasu had done. "To be honest, a lot of it is still viable. The snag is that Shoku is overrun with Inves. Now that the Majin Riders and that twisted parasite that made them are gone, we can start cutting back the forest with only common Inves to worry about."
"You mean Ryuubi has a plan for that?" asked Mitsuki. "Wasn't she just protecting the borders and the people?"
"Honestly, have I sent you away so often that you've forgotten about basic strategy?" Sousou huffed. "As much as I try to incorporate her and the Shoku refugees into my kingdom, they are having none of it. They patrol Shoku's borders, scout the edges, and burn back any new growth. It's only because they knew those Majin Riders and their leader would strike if they tried to take it back which kept them at bay. They knew he was too strong."
"Something Iori keeps forgetting with his growing desire for power and action," Nagata sighed. "He's so focused on getting power and using it, he's forgetting when and why he's using it. That, and he's forgetting his own strength for every quick and possibly dangerous upgrade he can get."
"Wasn't he part of your strategies though?" asked Mitsuki. "Shouldn't he know about how your plans go?"
"Well...he should, but he was always happy to just take care of the militias and my paperwork while I was away." Nagata shook his head. "He just kept it running, never tried to advance it or offer ways to improve it. He just kept the status quo going since he was comfortable being a husband and father."
"Can't blame him with a wife like his," Mitsuki nodded. Kochu was stunning and she had great boobs.
"Men love breasts." Sousou rolled her eyes.
"He wanted to be a family man and I didn't see any reason not to let him be unless we needed him for a military campaign," Nagata nodded. "But, hindsight and all, I kept him out of the loop and I think Shion didn't want to stress him out with her part in the campaigns so they didn't talk about work when they were together."
"And keeping secrets from those you love always backfires," Sousou added. "It is why I am always transparent with my generals, even down to my carnal intentions with them."
"You made that clear when you made me a general," Mitsuki remarked.
"Yeah, but it made him get the wrong idea and I think those Lockseeds of his just made it worse," Nagata sighed. "Good luck getting him to listen to me now after Karasu and all this crap from Dai Shi. He's convinced that we need to show off our power or we'll end up dead as I had."
"Yeah, you screwed up big with her," Mitsuki stated. "Come to think of it, when she turned you into that drone it was kind of when your plan began falling apart, wasn't it?"
"Yeah." Nagata dropped his head. "I...really dropped the ball. I just trusted her so implicitly since I knew her for so long...but I guess, in a lot of ways, I didn't really know her. Worse, I tried to explain or rationalize away some of the concerns everyone had about her. I didn't see the warning signs and it cost everyone."
"Learn from this experience, Nagata," Sousou advised. "It is a hard lesson and perhaps one of the most painful ones you will experience. Do not let the people that were lost die in vain by ignoring it."
"I swear," Nagata vowed, gripping his cup tighter.
"Good," Sousou accepted, satisfied that the lesson was real and not a pity party. "Now all we need to do is somehow bring you back to life properly. When you are alive again, come back to me about that marriage proposal. I am at least a little intrigued."
"WHAT?!" Mitsuki cried out while Nagata coughed into his cup.
"What? It's a perfectly viable political move," Sousou shrugged. "The fact he's all but offering now means I can strike while the iron is hot. Nagata's return from the dead won't stay in my borders forever. Shoku is still an expansive land of resources and Sonken will certainly be happy to offer her own aid in reclaiming it. She does have a younger sister who is of marrying age to cement that agreement."
"Sonshoko!?" Nagata paled. That haughty little loli?!
"You know, Oda. Looking at how her big sisters turned out, the little princess is going to be a knockout," Mitsuki remarked. "How about it? Marry her and I'll try to use my phoenix feathers to bring you back to life right now."
"Guh...wha-?!"
"Oh no. You use those now." Sousou pointed to Mitsuki. "Then Nagata and I can negotiate our marriage. Ryuubi will no doubt happily hand back ruling Shoku to him, so no one will argue about his status."
"But you hate men!" Mitsuki snapped back. "You're seriously considering this again?!"
"'Hate' is a strong word. I just don't have much of an attraction to them," Sousou stated neutrally, drinking more wine. "But Nagata's not all that bad. I can see what Kanu sees in him. I wouldn't mind marrying him."
"OK, OK, time out!" Nagata crossed his hands into an X. "Aren't we moving a bit too fast with all this talk about marriage? We should focus on ending this war before we talk about settling down."
"On the contrary, it's best to ensure there is some kind of succession before it's too late. One does not know what will happen on the battlefield," Sousou argued. "On that note, I think your harem should join us on the wedding night. Blessing our wedding bed will ensure any of them that get pregnant and their children will have special status as heirs. It will make it more fun for me as well."
Nagata's face lit up bright red as steam came out of his ears as he pictured the hypothetical wedding night. He never said it out loud. However, if he were to be honest, he did find Sousou to be attractive. She had a petite yet curvy figure. Plus, she had a strong and charismatic personality that drew people to her. Also, well, she was kinda cute.
Nagata had caught her attention since their first meeting, and it had grown ever since he showed her how talented a cook he was. Without knowing it, he had checked all of the boxes Sousou had pretty much decided to have him as her consort. Granted, she was secretly unsure of how to perform with a man, but for her kingdom and the future, she was willing to try. At the very least, he had a harem of his own to help make the event more pleasant.
If circumstances had been different and he had ended up serving Sousou from the beginning, perhaps they could've ended up together. She may prefer women to men but if the right man caught her fancy then, well, she was willing to accept him.
'And I will finally get to bed Kanu,' she thought wickedly. 'Perhaps I will even get her to let me call her by that lovely name Aisha.'
Mitsuki just drowned out the words with another gulp of wine. In some ways, he wasn't sure if he wanted to punch Nagata for trying to add Sousou to his harem or ask for tips on managing them, like his own scheduling issues with his ladies.
"Well, if you insist, we can do this now," Mitsuki said as he produced a flame that manifested one of his Phoenix Downs. Nagata gazed at the orange flaming feather. With it, he would be fully alive again.
"Wait, hold up." Nagata held his hands up.
"You don't want to come back to life?" Mitsuki cocked an eyebrow.
"Yes, I do, but not here and not right now. We'll need to gather everyone as witnesses," Nagata explained.
KRC: "Victory without ruin. Domination without disgrace." is a callback to Chapter 4 of the second season, "Legends of the Armored War Gods". Anyway, just to clarify, since gaining their Overlord Forms, they have become their new ultimate forms, replacing the Sovereign Arms.
Nagata and Mitsuki stood facing each other in Helheim Forest.
Word was quick to spread through Sou Gi and to its people. The Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword had fought his way back from the afterlife and Sousou had decided to make him her royal consort. Hearing he was marrying Sousou was a surprise, but people knew political marriages happened all the time. Many people just saw this as two of the three kingdoms uniting and peace that was much closer to being achieved.
Of course, many of the kingdom's nobles and officials were sighing in relief, feeling that Sousou was finally considering an heir for the throne and securing her line for the future. Of course, they wouldn't be completely relieved until the baby was born, but they took the small victories they could get. If it left the Ultimate Spear and Ultimate Fury available for marriages then all the better for them.
"You called me out here, Akechi. What's this about?" Nagata asked.
"I need to know that I can trust you with Karin," Mitsuki answered.
"I won't hurt her," Nagata swore.
"I know that," Mitsuki stated. "I just need to know if you'll be strong enough to stand by her side."
"So you want me to earn your approval and blessing, is that it?"
"I trust Karin's judgment. This is just me making sure you'll be right for her."
Nagata wanted to refuse as he did not want to fight Mitsuki but looking in his eyes, he could see that the Crimson Enforcer was adamant. Walking out on this duel would be disrespectful and it could strain their relationship as allies.
"Alright, if that's what you wish. Let's do this," Nagata accepted.
"Don't disappoint me, Oda, and don't you dare hold anything back," Mitsuki demanded. This was the reason why he wanted to meet with Nagata in Helheim Forest. Here, they could safely cut loose and run wild without endangering anyone or damaging Sousou's palace. There was also little to no chance of anyone interfering.
"Just give me your all and I'll give you my all, Akechi," Nagata promised.
"Henshin!" they announced in unison.
[COME ON! BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!]
[SOIYA! NOBUNAGA ARMS! SENGOKU JIDAI NO DAI SHOGUN!]
As they transformed, Nagata briefly noted that Baron's armor had flame decals on both his Ride Wear suit and Banana Arms armor.
Yelling their battle cries, the two charged at each other. Explosions went off as Gaim fired his Nobunagun while Baron lunged at him with his blazing Banaspear.
