Hello again, everyone! And I actually have a legitimate excuse for being relatively late this time: I've been going too deep in designing what this story's epilogue should be... until I realize it's going to get so long I have to break it into two neat chapters. So, yes, there's your spoiler: Unlike HV-S01: RKR & HV-S02: QGF, which have single long epilogues, there's going to be even more content for this one! Additionally, I needlessly placed the 5th HV story's foreshadowing in the epilogue, when all I have to do is prepare for the 4th one, but I feel it's too good to leave you guys out for at least another year before that part gets published. Look forward to it!
I'm very happy regarding the discussions we're having in the review section, and I've grown past getting pointlessly irritated at the anons prodding me for predictions. I know I'm looking at it from a writer's point of view, but I also have to respect your privacy and personal interests as well. So don't get turned off by my various callous comments, because there's going to be more incoming, but know also I appreciate all of your patronage all the same. Check out the Mailbag below for your answers, and let me know if I somehow missed your questions before.
uboNiniM: Maybe, I haven't decided yet. She'll definitely show up in the fourth HV story, though, set in the Heian Period... which is technically a prequel to this one. The Koga Clan is very independent with different family branches and goals, which I'll expand upon in future chapters. For example, the character Takigawa Kazumasu is also Koga, but not Chiyome's acquaintance. In Oda Nobuna no Yabou's canon, the former's also Himiko's twin sister, as she was in this story too. Historically, Koga is close to Takeda, like Chiyome's historical canon, but not particularly so here. They're unlike the Fuuma and Iga who serve one noble clan almost exclusively; more like mercenaries who did what a paying customer told them to.
Royal Freshness12345: Yes, I feel like it's due. Balancing the M-rated scenes between the girls is tough, I tell you.
(Shirō's Lore) Guest (1): Have you considered Shirō's tendency to take the third option? I'm not saying your theories are wrong, but I think that's far, far down in his list of options of what comes to his mind the first time he's presented by a problem. I have an issue with you picking only interviews and official facts to suit your theories, instead of the other way around (adapting theories to suit facts). Every version of Shirō (F/SN, F/HA, Prisma Illya, F/E) exemplifies a piece of his character which ends up forming his adult self (whether it's EMIYA or not), and the playable Shirō is right at that precipice we can argue about this all day long. So, both of us are strangely correct and wrong at the same time, because I don't think even Nasu has made up his mind about what he should be.
(Grammar critique) Guest (2): I really want to push you to make said account, because I feel it's an important step in this community. I'm not even saying you have to comment/review using that; you can just PM me so it only stays between the two of us. It's a shame if the courage you and I mentioned only go so far. The Naruto story... will be very far into the future. If you pay attention to the leaks I've littered this mailbag section with, I have a large backlog of set projects I have to get into... not to mention the rewrites of several old stories. Yes, it'll happen because Naruto, disregarding of that universe's literature quality, is so impactful to the world as a whole it's impossible for me to say I'm not interested in writing a story for it. But that's all I can honesty say right now. Look forward to talking to you again in the future!
(Image recommendation) Guest (3): Not sure what your sent link is supposed to mean. I mean... it's quite a generic, if well-done piece of art. Can you explain further?
(Archer) Guest (4): Not sure whether he's grinning in pleasure, exasperation, or shame... You decide!
Thirsty Anon: Now, now, everything in moderation... And for you, I can reveal I'm planning on doing Danzō and Jūbei soon, after several action scenes. Look forward to it!
Xinhad: Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near familiar enough with Koihime to confidently attempt a fanfiction for it. I'm happy you like this story enough to want more, though.
N.B.: I made a mistake in referring to Kamikaze with Kamaitachi, as well as Joseon with Goryeo. I've replaced the ones I've spotted in past chapters, but I need you guys' help to check for the rest! Let me know if you find any other inconsistencies, too. Also, because this is an exposition-heavy chapter, there's also new Glossary Updates entry at the end.
For the second time, the group unofficially coined as 'Get Rid of Sengo Muramasa' group gathered.
Naturally, things were vastly different now, especially the mood in the room. The previously cheerful, almost-neutral members were now really letting themselves go with the entertainment and delicacies present, while the most extreme provocateurs emanated such negativity most of the serving maids and dancers chose not to linger too long around them, creating an empty sphere in their place.
The one who suffered the most was certainly Hanzō… or so he opined.
He escaped by a hair's breadth with his lord's life – he didn't particularly care for his own, anyway – for this daring gambit to enter the Owari Clan's array of retainers. He relied solely on second-hand information, which he should've known to be fatal for someone of his stature, and threw his lot with these supposedly-deadly generals.
'Yeah, deadly for others. Apparently, these people sucked at internal politics.'
It's only after spending the past week under Owari stewardship did he realized how badly this group was accidentally played by their intended target. Only after he himself was a victim did he realize these were no 'accidents' – merely extremely well-covered up small steps which maximized their impact towards the greater picture.
Just by analysing what happened in Okehazama, he could already pinpoint what went wrong with this group.
How warfare was fought in this era, notwithstanding the revolution Nobunaga was attempting to bring, meant those who fought in the larger war right on the frontline would get all the public credit, praised as war generals and brave heroes. Now, Nagahide, Katsuie, Toshīe, Nagayoshi, and the rest duly received their plaudits, they had actually failed in reaching their true objective, which was increasing their internal prestige in front of Nobunaga's eyes to pressure her to reconsider Muramasa's position.
Instead, with a single report of the approaching secret Uesugi army, he utterly showcased his and his people's competence and ability, even if they'd never receive the credit for this as the current political situation was too delicate. Additionally, Muramasa himself had never showed any desire to attain fame as a warrior, continually choosing to place himself as the Owari Clan's famed craftsman and weaponsmith.
As it was, he only gapped them more and more in Nobunaga's eyes, as evident from the additional member present in this meeting.
Katō Danzō took the seat in the head of the room, replacing Nagahide's former position. It wasn't even a debate – the taciturn kunoichi simply sat there as she had arrived earlier than the rest of them, showing this 'secret' meeting wasn't truly as secretive as they had thought. The question was: How long had Muramasa known of their intention? And why had he allowed this to happen? Considering how close he was to their lord, all it took was one whisper amidst their lovemaking session – of which had become a somewhat public internal secret – to have them all stripped of their position.
Ranmaru might survive this supposed 'purge', but he doubted that redhead, whose 'mercy' only extended to the point where his victims could become a valuable hostage, would let anyone go against his goals without repercussions.
First of all, a woman of Danzō's position, never mind her usual attitude, should never have the chance to sit where she was, because she's… nobody. A literal nobody in the Owari Clan, both officially and unofficially. Compared to Nagahide, whose family's meritorious service dated back several generations to Nobunaga's grandfather's time – as was the rest of her retainers. Additionally, Danzō was here in place of Muramasa, and no one liked facing a substitute instead of the person they really wanted a piece of.
"Thank you for your time. I shall be brief."
The people paying attention to her words, other than Hanzō, were the two people who had been bribed and moved camp by Muramasa by virtue of his cooking and weapon creation: Katsuie and Toshīe. Ranmaru was neutral-faced, as always, while his brother's and Nagahide's faces were obviously ugly.
"Given the threat of not just our own people, but also foreigners sending intelligence officers into our lands, Nobunaga-sama had decided to intensify our efforts in this area."
- Grr…
Nagayoshi audibly gritted his teeth. "What do you mean by 'our own people'?! are you suggesting…"
"No. But it's a good opportunity for us to flush out the rats we don't know," Danzō immediately cut him off, making him flinch with a glance from her glassy, inorganic gaze. Their unfamiliarity with her certainly was an advantage she had to take right now in order to get some work done.
Hanzō, the most experienced in this topic, raised one hand. "And with this, I assume you already have a structure in place already?"
The buxom woman smiled. "Not me. It's either my lord or Nobunaga-sama."
"Yes, yes. Can you tell us already? You did say you're keeping things short."
With a flourish, Danzō spread her arms to either side of her body.
- Fwoosh!
To Hanzō's eyes, the smoke-show was child's play, yet it achieved its intended effect for the rest of the room's occupants. Katsuie even instinctively reached out for her glaive – which naturally wasn't here – and summoned her Guardian Spirit on standby when several figures clad in various designs of dark uniforms appeared among the dissipating smoke.
"I was thinking of having Hanzō-dono supervise things," Danzō began, monotonously retracting her arms back from her earlier showy pose. "But unlike most, we'll decide things independently, creating as much chaos as possible among our opponents, with only 'Tenka Fubu' as our sole guiding theme."
"No, no, no, no, no… Hang on. You can't just drop this on me!" The older man cried in protest, his face contorted with both confusion and desperation. "I wasn't consulted on this!"
"You have. Just now." Danzō's doll-like response was the only reply he received. "Do not worry. This is Nobunaga-sama's decision."
"Impossible! That's… That's just illogical!" Nagahide joined in, her usual smiling composure having long gone. "Our interpretation of our lord's dream isn't even the same! How can… she divided her power like this…?"
"Changing times require establishing new decisions and customs, most of those are exactly that: illogical," Danzō tried to rebuke. "The Nanban comes with new ideas we're ill-equipped to deal with, not to mention the trouble our most recent generation are causing. We have to prepare for the Shogun coronation for Imagawa-sama, as well."
"Ah, how can I forget about that?" Ranmaru jovially slapped his forehead lightly. "Did our spies in Ming find anything?"
The former doll shrugged, exposing the unblemished shoulder revealed by her skin-tight kunoichi uniform. "Only the fact their emperor was eager to place the Ashikaga back to their previous position."
"Hmph! Traitors, the lot of them! Selling our people's produce for the Ming to enjoy!" Katsuie growled. "Did they find Yoshiteru?!"
The fact a regular Princess Generals like Katsuie, who's at most a minor daimyo, dared to mention the previous shogun by name showed how little the Nihon respected that family. With the Minamoto Clan ruling the empire, the status of the Shogunate was lowered since its inception by Yoritomo, having intertwined itself with the royal family. Thus, they saw no need of continuing to hold two official positions, and left the relatively weak Shogun seat to the other noble families amidst protests of 'tyranny' and 'nepotism' – hypocritically, the very same sins they were guilty of when they massacred members of the early Minamoto Clan.
Therefore, a few generations after Yoshitsune took the seat, the Minamoto staged a fake handing-off of the position in the event remembered as 'Kenmu Restoration', where they left the Hōjō and Ashikaga Clan battling for the position as they integrated themselves with the royal family and the yōkai noble clans, becoming more powerful in the process as the aforementioned two clans' array of Guardian Spirits were successfully convinced to abandon these 'earthly' hosts of theirs.
Losing the support from the Reverse Side, when the Ashikaga won, they became Shogun in name only, with the real power resting where it should be: the royal throne… held by the Minamoto.
This was, actually, the chief reason why Nagahide had been so well-behaved lately. Instead of constantly scheming of ways to get rid of Muramasa, she realized there's no point fighting a member of the Minamoto Clan. The rest of the retainers were as shocked as her when they saw that gigantic magic circle in the air, and they instinctively understood why Nobunaga favoured Muramasa so much. Hanzō saw with his own eyes the destruction of confidence occurring in their eyes in the weeks followed, correctly guessing they assumed they weren't worthy enough to be told this secret ahead of time.
Of course, that's if it wasn't the man himself who ordered Nobunaga, his now-confirmed lover, to do so. How long had this relationship existed? How deep, and how trustful? How strong? Could anyone – especially him – create a rift between them?
The answer to that latest question was inconsequential, as he's sure he'd get his throat slit by that snake kunoichi before he could voice that thought out loud.
"Yes… though that man was no longer the Shogun their clan put forth," Danzō revealed, not even pretending now she didn't have a hand in the exile of the Ashikaga siblings and Owari's overall intelligence decisions. "His sister, Yoshiaki, has managed to garner quite the following with several well-written letters to Ming backers."
"Letters…" Nagahide murmured, her earlier hostility on hold in the face of this new critical information. "Don't tell me…!"
Danzō smiled mysteriously, just like the way she did so many times to not-answer their leading questions.
Even to Katsuie, who refused to dabble in this 'annoying politics' out of spite, understood what was left unsaid. Naturally, once the existence of these 'letters' were found out, it's all too easy for interceptors to doctor fake ones in place of the genuine article, even in another empire.
"Imagawa-sama was surprisingly astute. I received reports our people didn't even need to escort or assist her in the task Heika gave her," Danzō finally spoke. "I am certain our lord's path will soon be unhindered from that direction."
- Clap! Clap! Clap!
"Eh? No one's clapping?" Having been silent up till now, Toshīe looked around confusedly as she was the only one excitedly giving plaudits to that last revelation. "Danzō-san, your campaign is amazing! Here's a toast to you!"
Danzō stiffly bowed towards the little spearwoman's raised bowl – containing light shirozake, of course – before continuing, "I shall proceed with the new organizational structure. As you may have realized right now, Hachisuka-san has been following our direction for some time, and will accompany Hanzō-dono in his new position."
Everyone present had initially thought Goemon and Kazumasu headed the Owari Clan's shinobi division, as they didn't have a longstanding relationship with a major group, such as the Hōjō and the Fūma. The Iga Clan Hanzō represented was unique in its relative independence, as shown by his current relationship with Motoyasu. His father, who had moved to the Reverse Side after his death, served a different family, as did his predecessors.
Of course, it turned out the Owari Clan did have a contract with an esteemed clan: the Kōga and Fūma, represented by the two women who once belonged to them.
Hanzō and Kōtarō had tasted their prowess first-hand with their own bodies.
In essence, now, Muramasa held two of Owari's most influential divisions: weapons production and intelligence. How could the rest of them compare, when their worth could only be found on the battlefield? When 'Tenka Fubu' was achieved, their roles would disappear along with it, while the redhead would continue on, stronger than ever, from the added demand of the new era.
"These people here are the Lone Shadows, the third level in this new structure below two others. Naturally, the first layer would comprise of Nobunaga-sama, my lord, Chiyome-sama, myself, and the two newly-appointed Kage." Her words apparently were the cue for the masked people to lightly bow, but their eyes remained fixed on the people in front of them. "Below us, and above them, will be the Named. They are currently unavailable for me to present to you as they're on specific missions tasked by Nobunaga-sama herself."
"And Takigawa-dono? Surely, this isn't an attempt to banish her someplace else, correct?"
"She has been recalled to the Minamoto Clan's main branch. As for the specifics of her current duty, I am not privy of," Danzō revealed.
"Grr… How much have you been keeping from us?!" Nagahide was the first to point out this new information – again – was withheld from them. "And what relationship does Kazumasu have with-"
- Schwing!
"Tch! Get your filthy blade away from my face!" The beauty snarled fearlessly at the straight tanto which suddenly appeared in front of her nose, held by one of the newly-introduced Lone Shadows. "My questions are all legitimate, because we are one family!"
"Your point is astute, Niwa-dono," Danzō acknowledged, gesturing with one palm to call the shinobi back. "Longsword, you are too hasty."
The man addressed by said codename bowed apologetically, though his eyes still radiated a strong sense of duty towards Nagahide. Silently, he trudged back to formation.
Hanzō and Toshīe were actually in position – as well as fully able to – intercept that threatening move from their seats, but chose not to, preferring to see what new information would be brought to light by this interaction. The Iga Kage certainly was able to fire a projectile powerful enough to alter the blade's trajectory, while Toshīe's long spear and powerful spear arm could knock the man clean off to the side.
"I have wrongly assumed you are privy of this information. Pardon my oversight," the busty kunoichi bowed apologetically to the suddenly guilty-looking Nagahide. "Still, what I said remained: 'Tis not my place to probe into Takigawa-dono's family situation, if my lord doesn't reveal it personally to me. Please understand."
"Hmph! Make sure you give us all a good head start next time! 0 points! No points, I say!" Nagahide clacked her decorative fan loudly in anger, though her shoulders had relaxed into a resigned atmosphere. "You can start by explaining their strengths! We don't particularly care about their identities – that's you shinobis' prerogative – but at the very least, we need to know what arrows lay in our quiver."
"Will it be advantageous for all of us to know, though?"
That quip came from Ranmaru, which was immediately replied to by his older brother, "What the hell are you talking about?! Of course it's good if we know!"
"Have you considered the possibility of internal spies, Nī-san? Just like Danzō-san mentioned earlier: Even if we haven't detected any evidence leading to that fact, it doesn't mean it's impossible." Eyeing the kunoichi to see whether his guess was accurate or not – unsuccessfully, with how easily she reverted to her emotionless façade – he added, "The fact we're even having this meeting proves it's possible – if we can't unite over a single person by Nobunaga-sama's side, how easy will it be for outsiders, looking at our situation, to sow discord?"
He deliberately didn't mention Nagahide's name – the main character of this meeting – but his hidden message was clear. Gesturing with one palm, he said, "Danzō-san, please continue at your own pace. Of course, Hanzō-san should also add more perspective whenever you feel it's necessary, owing to your experience and new position. Congratulations, by the way."
The older man solemnly nodded at Ranmaru's half-hearted toast, though his concentration had been absorbed by evaluating these new subordinates of his since earlier. He had nothing against this new arrangement – better than being executed for something he didn't know of quietly behind the scenes. He's sure everyone present wasn't making more of a fuss due to this fact: Danzō was here not just to announce things, but to evaluate which person to keep, to punish, and to remove. Ordinarily, having separate meetings without their lord's knowledge like this was tantamount to treason, no matter the reason… and the fact Nobunaga clearly knew what they're attempting since the start was the last straw which broke their respective backs.
The unspoken threat was clear: None of you are indispensable to me.
They knew she viewed them as family… But in this Sengoku Period, how much or little did that matter? They saw with their own eyes, heard with their own ears, did with their own hands of brothers killing brothers, fathers raping daughters, mothers selling themselves and abandoning their families for a better life, heirs eating ancestors. Human, yōkai… it didn't matter. Sworn friendship, adopted siblings, and complicated political arrangements were only as firm as the scroll they're written on… or even as light as the hot air escaping each party's mouth when they forged that verbal agreement.
It's clear her heart now belonged to another, and this was that man's firm decision: I'll let you live, but fall in line.
Considering his 'mercy' towards the captured Uesugi Clan troops, Kagetora, and the Fūma shinobis, they're not sure whether to be grateful or not.
Taking stock of the various expressions and body language present, Hanzō could divide those present into three distinct groups.
The ones enthusiastic to work together with Muramasa in the first place, to the point Hanzō doubted why they were here in the first place. Obviously, these were the gluttons and simple-minded Katsuie and Toshīe. He and Ranmaru were neutral, both of them watching all sides to see whether they should abandon ship or be steadfast in their opposition of Muramasa – the younger Mori brother having recently converted after Okehazama, having assisted her brother in the other camp beforehand. And, clearly, Nagahide and Nagayoshi were still unhappy about the situation, but being in check with no clear way out forced them to silently endure it.
"Danzō-dono… These 'Named' shinobis; how can I identify them? Or, more importantly, how will they introduce themselves to me?"
"If I may, Hanzō-dono, I shall reply to your question with another one of my own: What do you think construes a great shinobi? Martial prowess? Fame? Fortune? Political sway?" The kunoichi meaningfully asked. "No – it's our ability to infiltrate anyone, anywhere. Thus, the greatest shinobi should, ironically, have their name unknown to others, their deeds unrecorded, and their achievements erased from history. Another question: Would you know of me if I or others have not introduced my identity to you?"
The older man scratched the back of his head. "I've heard of your esteemed name… but no, I have no idea what you looked like. There was no accurate depiction of your appearance – not to mention the fact you're supposed to be dead."
"The best deception, is it not?" Danzō smirked – as much as she could while still keeping half her face expressionless. "To properly answer your previous question… They shall receive names of beasts. How you should differentiate them… I shall leave that for your own volition. Even I am not privy to the complete list of names."
"No one knows the entire picture… except for Nobunaga-sama and that blacksmith," Nagahide finally came out of her sullen stupor, spitting out the last two words with slight venom. "However much I dislike this arrangement, 85 points. You lost 15 points due to my subjectivity."
"I welcome the return of your common sense with great joy, Niwa-dono."
"What an awful sarcasm. 90 points," Nagahide forced herself to smile – the mask she most often used when dealing with others unrelated to Muramasa – but her face was stiff.
Unseen by all, the various Buddhist temples in Japan were in uproar.
They had received a message from their counterpart in Ming about the loss of one of their esteemed Guardian Spirits, the avatar of Bodhidharma, and its most likely current location. Naturally, they only received this message because said probability was in Nihon… only for no practitioners being able to tell where he had gone.
Practically half of the martial skills of the Buddhist private military force was invented by this holy person, when he imparted his physical teachings to the Shaolin masters' precursors. This, in turn, evolved and was spread to Nihon by the travelling monks many generations later, where they combined with local traditional arts to become the current martial syllabus – particularly kempo.
There were certainly occasions where each empire's Divine Spirits crossed the borders, leaving enough impression with the new locals for them to form a new separate, yet similar self under a different name. Over time, as cultures and legends diverge, these multiple copies of the same self would exhibit evolution according to their believers and worshippers. For example, one of Nihon's Three Great Calamities had counterparts in both Ming and Joseon, all of them taking the form of beautiful women with nine fox tails.
Thus, various Buddhist practitioners went on a large-scale manhunt in the past few years, to no avail. Of course, they did so from the shadows – no need to publicize a potential Buddhist superweapon was now on the loose. Various factions were eager to forge a contract with it, Buddhist or not, because of the possibility of this Guardian Spirit being enticed with a random person's heart and resolve.
That's what's difficult for the religious leaders who wished to not even expand, but simply maintain their influence and power: It's not a given the being of the Reverse Side whom they worshipped would stay favourable to them forever. It made Minamoto-no-Yoritomo's achievement even more spectacular, for being able to bridge various schools of thoughts, beliefs, and pure desires of not just two species – human and yōkai – but also the varying cultures existing among them. His opponents begrudgingly respect him tremendously just from this… and also the fact his blade had slaughtered countless members of their clans, on occasion to extinction, out of familial revenge.
The man was said not to be particularly grudgeful, but absolutely ruthless to those who stood steadfastly in his way. As such, he often took the opportunities presented by his enemies to also 'cleanse their past sins', even though those who personally knew him realized he never particularly cared about who personally wronged him.
There were always those who wronged the people he cared about, and only against this group did he showcase irrational wrath and cruelty.
In fact, his younger sister and succeeding Shogun, Yoshitsune, was seen as the eviller between the two. Still, in spite of the surmounting evidence against her, never did the retired Shogun Yoritomo took action against her, always defending her from her opponents. She did bring pride and honour to the empire as a whole with her naval prowess during the Mongol invasions, when she crushed the Khan's great armies so swiftly she attained the moniker 'Kamikaze' – the Divine Wind. At the time, Nihon wasn't famed for her navy, but Yoshitsune proved otherwise. Stories and songs about her figure, leaping and dancing amidst the grandiose Mongol ships from Nihon's relatively simpler ones, were popular until today, inspiring many Princess Generals when they were growing up.
Kaede, too, thought she could become like Yoshitsune when she was small, but reality was harsh. Soon, she realized her talents laid elsewhere, and pledged her loyalty to the new-born Sengo shinobi clan.
She was sent here also due to the disappearance of Bodhidharma… but from the completely opposite side.
In fact, the Guardian Spirit had latched itself to a member of her own faction. Kaede was simply here partially to monitor what the various temples were doing in their search and their resistance against Nobunaga's 'Tenka Fubu'… but also to laugh at their futile efforts. She stifled her disgust away from those two reasons, because the fact Bodhidharma had refused to make himself known to these practitioners meant only one thing: They were too fake for him to grace them with his presence.
The royal family had attempted to bridge a partnership between them and the Buddhists, yet said religion was taken advantage of by those who wished for independence from royal rule, perverting its teachings to be detached from this world into a fierce, stubborn, unyielding side. Stronger attempts were twisted into rumours of the royal family attempting to genocide entire religious sects, their members shouting out injustice when there were none, fanning the flames large enough the Empress couldn't keep them out of sight.
Over the years, these temples were no longer places of study and worship, but training grounds for insurgents and terrorists, ready to latch onto whatever forces attempting to overthrow the royal rule and lend their 'monks' just to see Nihon burn.
Land of the Thousand Gods. Nihon's moniker originally showcased its acceptance and tolerance for all, to present to the whole world everyone was welcome – those who were suppressed, harmed, rejected by those around them.
Yet, to these opportunists, it became fuel for the fanatics they influenced to decry the 'heathens' and push their beliefs into Nihon. The royal family resisted, drafting rules after rules to support the various groups either originating from Nihon or foreign ones, thinking it's better to divide and conquer, then deal with the chaotic mess later, than face a united, insurmountable front.
Still, it couldn't do anything too overt to prevent these monks and nuns to arm themselves.
Under Kaede's watchful telescope, various nekomatas and humans trained their bōjutsu skills in Hongan-ji's grounds under the watchful smiling expression of Kennyo, fanning herself while her younger sister Kyonya fed her some snacks.
Higashi Hongan-ji was the eastern centre of Shin Buddhism in current Nihon, and was built by the Nyankōsō Buddhist nekomata after the debilitating wars of the Heian Period. Their public persona and goal was to achieve 'united laughter', nobly lifting the empire's sombre mood after the ravaging war.
To be honest, Kennyo wasn't the Buddhist leader Nobunaga was most wary of. Being a yōkai, naturally, the pink-furred catgirl was favourable towards the royal family, often becoming the pacifying voice among other temples when murmurs of riots and rebellions stirred every now and then. Cultured, easy-going, and just, she was the epitome combination of manuṣya and tiryag, embodying both the wisdom and innocent freedom both realms were famous for.
No, it's the black-furred little sister beside her, sitting there with stone-cold expression, which was the target of Kaede's observation today.
The evidence was circumstantial at best, but so numerous Kaede took the initiative to engage this task herself.
- Flutter.
The rustling of leaves behind her didn't draw any alarm from the kunoichi, as she knew this was one of the silent methods her assistants communicate their presence to her, instead of the necessity of verbal acknowledgement or physical contact.
"How goes your investigation, Shōjō?" She asked, not moving her gaze from Kyonya in the slightest, to the man behind her. "I assume the monks were treating you well?"
The haggard young man bitterly chuckled. "You jest, Kaede-sama. The sheer number of times they roped me into drunken stupors disgusted me to the point I wished to vomit. Those hypocrites…"
"Well, were they connected to Kennyo or Kyonya?"
"Hrgh…" the man grumbled scratchily, his rough voice pausing momentarily to think. "…the problem was… it was neither."
The fingers clasping the telescope's sides twitched. "…a third party, then?"
"Yes. Though internal or external, I'm not sure. The trails ended up in so many pitfalls it's too risky for me to chase every single one without compromising myself."
Kaede hummed. "Then, any confirmation about our guesses?"
Shōjō nodded, his scraggly beard rubbing against the thick Hongan-ji uniform. "The Saika Clan is fully behind Kennyo, with Magoichi corresponding with Kennyo regularly. Personal, too – mixed with business at times."
"Love interest?"
"Unlikely. More sibling-like, if my decoding skills are up to par."
"Stop self-deprecating yourself. You're sounding like Shirō-sama recently," Kaede chided. "Speaking of which, what craftsman are you posing as?"
"A sculptor of Buddha statues," Shōjō replied. "With my skills, I am able to pass as a fledgling, frustrated artist who can barely control his inner anger, unable to craft anything but horrifying asuras."
Nodding, she miniaturized her telescope and placed it back into her inner pocket, having seen and heard everything she needed to. "Excellent. Continue your role, Named One."
"Now, who's the self-deprecating one, o' Miss Lone Shadow?"
That exchange went by unnoticed by anyone but the wind.
The Sengo Clan's forge had suddenly become the premier weapons workshop in all of Nihon, almost overnight. It was logical, in a sense – people were very susceptible to trends, and when evidence to the contrary wasn't presented quickly and strongly enough, they'd flock and flow with the current, instead of trying to break free and gouge their own hard path.
What's most annoying for Toyo and Tome was the amount of people coming to and fro their compound everyday who simply wanted to make some connections to the Minamoto Clan, instead of truly attempting to do business. The twins much preferred dealing with simpler customers, such as chefs, artists, rōnins, and so on – the types who'd bring in their requirements, pay, and leave.
…well, there were occasions where rōnins attempted to dash off without paying, but their older brother always seemed to come back with the required money, so the two didn't put too much thought into it. Yes, they were fully capable of defending themselves in case of emergency, as befitting the daughters of a noble clan (however far removed), but the two preferred not to be forced to use that. They'd rather spent their time learning their brother's secrets of the hammer instead of studying the best way to separate one's soul from their body.
Naturally, as word got out, more and more official security was placed on the compound due to its strategic value not just for the Owari Clan, but also secretly for the royal family's arms as well.
The place wasn't large, and even then, it was divided into three parts: Muramasa's personal Temple, the main production line, and the experimental studio. The married couple lived off-site nearby, while the twins and some apprentices stayed in-house. Other than potential customers and politicians, young smiths from all across the land journeyed here to learn from the 'master', even though Muramasa still lacked the official certification given out by other masters and recognition from the royal family.
Still, everyone assumed he'd get his soon, after seeing his work and his real connection with the Empress. Therefore, might as well strike early and take a position as a senior apprentice rather than fight it out later in the future among hundreds of students when it really was official.
Natsu was eagerly scrubbing the floor of the public viewing hall, not minding the way her sweaty body emitted a natural smell which most men disliked.
Hailing from a small village and inheriting her blacksmithing skills from her grandfather, she relocated to Owari when her home was scheduled to be flattened into a military outpost. It was by chance she stumbled upon the Sengo forge, and as a single young woman, just entering marriageable age, the prospect of stable income was more appealing than anything. Therefore, she thoughtlessly joined, spurred on by the sight of two women close to her age leading the smithing process.
While official sex barriers had long been abolished, there were still certain trades unfavourable by women, and thus those who stubbornly joined was looked down upon not just by the men, but their fellow fairer sex. Blacksmithing was a back-breaking, illness-inducing job, and had long been seen as a man's work. Yes, the Divine Spirit Kagutsuchi had also confirmed there wouldn't be any bad luck for the forges with women in them, but they were still seen more as helpers instead of true smiths, destined never to craft a sellable piece to a customer.
Natsu initially didn't have this problem, as her grandfather – and, eventually, her – was the sole blacksmith in the village, and thus they had to swallow their grumbles if they wanted to get things made for them. Fortunately, the first place she applied for an apprenticeship in Owari was also a smithy ran day-to-day mostly by these adorable twin sisters – who wouldn't take any crap from customers, to put it mildly.
Those who said otherwise would have their faces smacked by the standing-by Ippon-Datara's mallet.
She was always simply-dressed – typical of a careless village girl – with her shoulder-length black hair simply tied up in a rough masculine ponytail, just enough to not interfere with her work. Wearing the plain-coloured hakama all her fellow apprentices donned, its sleeves were rolled up during her chores.
As was the norm, most apprentices didn't even get to touch the end product, their determination first tested by mountains of meaningless chores. Today was Natsu's turn to scrub the floor, her loose hakama allowing a generous view of her sarashi-bound breasts for anyone in front of her.
Luckily, today was a busy day, and thus most people weren't around this area. She herself was somewhat clueless to her own femininity, growing up with her grandfather and dressing up as a boy all her life for simplicity's sake – why buy new ones when her deceased father's old clothes fit her well enough, as well as being more durable. She kept her mother's clothes for special occasions… just that they didn't come by very often.
Work hard, be successful, and settle down in a bustling city with her future family. Sounds like a good plan!
The 'busy day' she referenced earlier was due to the regular shipment for Oda's naval forces coming up, but with a few new design changes to keep the twins busy. Luckily, the master was around after his rounds of 'warfare' in Okehazama and Kyoto, and thus the tweaks were handled smoothly.
She hadn't met the master face-to-face – that's what she'd long decided how she'd address Muramasa – as most of the daily operations were handled by his younger sisters and the Ippon-Dataras. The former was responsible for the intricate designs and final forging, as well as some repair work, while the latter were mostly working on the basic forging, such as the tamahagane consolidation, shingane and kawagane marriage, along with basic sculptural or armour work.
The apprentices, like Natsu, were uncharacteristically allowed to join in the fun, owing to the busy period, and she herself had begun polishing and grinding work during her shifts.
"Ah, apologies."
"M-Madam! No, please go on ahead!" Natsu nearly squeaked when her handheld mop nudged Chiyome's petite feet when they both turned a corner at opposite directions. "I'm sorry I've wetted your feet!"
"'Tis of no consequence. I've hindered your duty – no need to get flustered. Danzō-san, what do you think?" Chiyome consoled, before looking behind her towards the taciturn buxom woman. "Should we go receive our subordinates' reports, or should we go play and hinder Shirō's work?"
And with that, went Natsu's usual interactions with the master's two lovers.
While it's odd for a 'mere' blacksmith to be able to provide for two women, as it was usually a privilege and excess only nobles could afford, she only understood it when recent news began filtering in of how the master wasn't just a simple blacksmith, after all. Most of her knowledge of the Sengo Clan were sourced from hearsay, as it wasn't the apprentices' place to investigate and query – barring any brave souls who couldn't help their curiosity, of course – and she also wasn't interested in gossips.
Gossips didn't pay the bills or feed her stomach or improve her blacksmithing skills, after all.
…but she was at least normal enough to get interested once the whispers around her started.
The petite 'official' wife was quite popular with the more traditionally-minded male apprentices, who appreciated her slender figure and refined beauty even under those horrifying marks disfiguring her skin. Of course, most of them reacted like everyone else when they first met her face-to-face – only managing to repress the worse of it out of respect to the master and his wife – but subsequent days of living in close proximity with her tempered their irrational fears and improved her placement in their immature hearts tremendously.
…only for said fear to re-emerge once a particularly brave reptile yōkai engraver proposed his desire to mate with her, and was promptly chomped and swallowed whole by an invisible giant snake.
He reappeared a few days later none the worse for wear, but on occasion lapsing into a nervous wreck whenever Chiyome suddenly showed up for an inspection.
The other beauty parlayed more to the younger generation, with her dynamite curves barely hidden by her form-fitting kunoichi outfit which left little to the imagination at times. While she dressed somewhat conservatively in public, this blacksmithing compound was her home, too, and the occasions where the males – and some girls – caught her off-guard was numerous. Additionally, apart from her usual emotionless expression, she was very approachable, not minding the young'uns' leers in the slightest.
Acting as an older sister to the girls and the unreachable mature wife for the boys. Truly, befitting her role as a kunoichi, she's as skilled with the blade as she was with the hearts of others. Uniquely, Danzō often belittled herself, acting ashamed of an unspeakable past, but most of them considered this to be her personal quirk instead of the truth.
All in all, it made for an interesting family – certainly one not found in Nihon.
And Natsu was completely fine with that, as she hurriedly finished mopping the floor to avoid any other incidents like the one previously. Fortunately, the two ladies had ignored her fluster and walked off somewhere – either going through what they discussed earlier or something else – so she had a relaxed end to her chores, before her night shift of tending coals began.
Glossary Update!
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Dragon's Heritage
Along the decline of Mystery and mass migration of Phantasmal Species to other realms, there existed a transitory period where they and humanity lived in perfect balance and harmony, resulting in various half-breeds and the birth of new mutated species. These bloodlines, fortified by humanity's far superior breeding ability, enabled various abilities and Sorcery Traits to be passed down. Those families who properly prepared for the ebb and flow of Mystery, owing to the presence of various Heroic Vessels in history, retained more of their purity without losing their humanity.
One of the most prized was a draconic lineage, inherited by various ruling families in different Textures. The combination of both natural and artificial strengthening was at times necessary, or the drying up of worthy heirs, conflict with ancestors from the Reverse Side, leyline quality shifts, and various other problems would cause the migration of this 'blessing' into other accepting bloodlines.
S
Sengo Clan
The newly-formed shinobi clan serving the Oda Clan, separate from the Minamoto Clan branch family who specialized in metallurgy production. Technically led by Muramasa, its day-to-day operation was overseen by Chiyome and Danzō, deputized by Goemon and Hanzō. In that way, they also influenced the Kōga, Fūma, and Iga Clan, with considerable amount of members formerly of these clans.
Its structure borrowed heavily from already-established clans – genin, chūnin, jōnin, Kage – but there were specialized groups within the jōnin rank: Lone Shadows and Named Ones, which consisted of the clan's most capable fighters. Neither was considered above the other, but the Named Ones often had members modifying their bodies to increase their lethality in combat, while Lone Shadows operated more traditionally in mastering the basics to the utmost.