Will center more into the OC and Mitsunari for now since some are confused already hahaha sorry.
Some swords will make a minor appearance in this chapter.
Remember that I'll call the OC here as a sage, saniwa, red-head woman (since her hair color is red.) But when some characters will refer or call her, it would be "Akira-san, Akira-sama, Saniwa-sama, etc."
Tachi - a sword that is longer than an uchigatana, but not longer than an oodachi.
"Aruji?" (Master?).
Mikazuki Munechika tried to shift her attention to him but she didn't budged. Not even said a small word.
"Arujiii..."
She sighed and finally gave him full attention. "What is it Mikazuki-dono?"
"No formalities please."
"Okay, what is it Mikazuki-san?"
He sighed in defeat and just shrug off the fact that she still used a honorific.
"How are things going on?"
"A lot of progress had been made. Except for one lord..."
"Mitsunari Ishida. A Toyotomi Loyalist." Akira flinched at the name but decided to hear his statement.
"Once paired up to Ieyasu Tokugawa in every battle, but when Ieyasu Tokugawa killed Toyotomi Hideyoshi he started to plant hatred for him."
"Revenge doesn't bring back dead ones Mikazuki."
"Hahaha~ I know."
Akira decided to take a breather and told Mikazuki that she'll go outside, rejecting the old sword's request to accompany her.
Closing the shogi, she heaved a deep sigh and walk casually on the hall.
"Mitsunari..."
Ieyasu's gaze was fixated on the silver-haired man. Hearing his name, he turn around to meet the caller.
"What are you doing here Ieyasu?" Despite calm, his tone still hinted annoyance.
"Please..."
The place fell silent. No one was there, only two of them. Mitsunari remembered his discussion with the sage.
"Please, just give us a chance. After the Retrograde Army will be wiped out, you can continue your goal."
Cold air gently blows on them. The green leaves falling one by one.
"What do you mean my goal?"
Akira's eyes hesitated to look at his piercing gaze. But mustered the courage to look at him once again.
"You are planning to kill Ieyasu Tokugawa. If you join the alliance against the History Retrograde Army... I'll be sure that you can learn more about him... his weaknesses... his--"
"We are acquainted."
Akira stopped. But her eyes didn't leave his.
"He... was my companion when we are still in Hideyoshi-sama's care. But..."
"Aruji!!" A small child wearing a strange tengu outfit tackled Akira's legs into a tight hug.
"Oh, Imanotsurugi..?"
"Ashikaga-sama is here!! He wants to talk to you!!"
Thus their deep conversation was ended.
"... I won't join..."
"Why not?"
Akira entered the scene. She's only clad with her kimono and haori.
"What are you doing here woman?" Mitsunari can't help but grit his teeth in anger as his glare hardened at her.
"Ah, I'm not going to give up pursuing you my lord."
"And why is that!?" He swung his arm.
"Because you're a potential to be a Toyotomi successor."
"And what made you say that I'm going to be Hideyoshi-sama's successor!?"
"Because you are loyal to him."
Ieyasu wanted to intervene but based on what the sage is saying, he realized that she can handle the irritated lord.
"I WON'T LET MYSELF!! I'M JUST A SOLDIER!! I DON'T DESERVE HIDEYOSHI-SAMA'S POSITION!!"
"Eh~ then should Ieyasu have that title instead?" She nonchalantly told him.
He was caught off guard. Why would a killer like Ieyasu can be a loyalist to Hideyoshi? No one knows on why she think of Ieyasu's name as the Lord of the West.
"Why Ieyasu..?"
It never ceases to amaze the sage on how loyal a general was to his lord. Most of the generals in battles are actually the traitors. She saw it. She learned it through experience. It surprised her that there's still a loyalist until now in this bloody war.
"Just a random speculation... Ieyasu has the same strength of Toyotomi-san--"
"Don't use such a low honorific on Hideyoshi-sama!!" He pulled out his sword and pointed it on her.
"My lord, dead people will only be honored in the day that they died."
"Your beliefs doesn't apply here woman!"
Akira gave up and used a proper honorific. "Ieyasu has the potential to unite this country... so is Toyotomi-sama... unless he makes right choices in every situations..."
"A-ah A-akira-sama... maybe we should talk to Mitsunari some other--"
"Let's settle this!" Mitsunari gripped his sword's handle. Staring intently at her like she was a prey.
"Mitsunari! She's a woma--"
"Ieyasu-dono, do I look like a weak stick?"
Ieyasu thought he stepped on a landmine. But the sage glanced at him and smirked. "I won't let him defeat me so easily..."
Arrrghhh finally chapter two is finished! Criticism allowed! I badly need feedbacks :-)
Don't worry, please correct me if possible!