Chapter 44

【Kusunoki Family】

Hidetsugu Gorouemon Yukinari Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary, Councilor, Captain of Echizen

Miyagawa Shinjiro Yasunaga Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary, Councilor

Iguchi Echizen-no-kami Tsunahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Asai Family Vassal, Councilor, Captain of Kaga

Shinjo Gobusasemon Naomasa Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Ohno Kii-no-kami Hidetoshi Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Tsukagase Wakasa-no-kami Tadayoshi Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Takano Bizen-no-kami Hidetaka Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Rokkaku Family Vassal

Abiru Awaji-no-kami Sadaharu Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Isogai Tango-no-kami Morinaga Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Nakajima Bitchu-no-kami Sadaharu Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Miyabe Zenjo坊 Toshizumi Kusunoki Family Vassal, Local Lord of Omi, Former Asai Family Vassal

Ashida Shirozaemon Nobumori Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Muroga Jinshichiro Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Ichigawa Mokusaburo Nobuyasu Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Shibata Miechizen-no-kami Masahisa Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Maruyama Higo-no-kami Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Sanada Danjou Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Former Takeda Family Vassal

Sanada Genjiro Nobutsuna Kusunoki Family Vassal, Eldest Son of Sanada Danjou Masahiro

Sanada Tokujirou Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Second Son of Sanada Danjou Masahiro

Sanada Gengorou Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Third Son of Sanada Danjou Masahiro

Akechi Jubei Mitsuhida Kusunoki Family Vassal, Military Strategist

Takechi Hanbei Masahide Kusunoki Family Vassal, Military Strategist

Numata Ueno-no-suke Yoshiaki Kusunoki Family Vassal, Military Strategist

Nagae Sakyō Masaharu Kusunoki Family Vassal, Relative, Grandson of Nagae Bizen-no-kami Masaharu

Isogai Fujiro Masahisa Kusunoki Family Vassal, Son of Isogai Tango-no-kami Morinaga

Akiba Kyūbe Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary

Chijū Gobei Yoshiyuki Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary

Kasai Shizō Yoshiyuki Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary

Machida Kojūro Masahiro Kusunoki Family Vassal, Hereditary

【Rokkaku Family】

Rokkaku Sakyo-no-taifu Katsunaga Rokkaku Family Head, Adopted son of Rokkaku Family, Biological son of Hosokawa Harumoto

Shindo Yamashiro-no-kami Tadamori Rokkaku Family Vassal

Mehata Jirozaemon-no-jo Tadayasu Rokkaku Family Vassal

Gotou Tango-no-kami Tadamitsu Rokkaku Family Vassal, Died in the collapse of Kannonji

Gotou Iki-no-kami Tadamasa Rokkaku Family Vassal, Son of Gotou Tango-no-kami Tadamitsu

Hosokawa Shimo-no-kami Masahide Rokkaku Family Vassal, Retired due to estrangement from Sakyo-no-taifu Katsunaga

Hosokawa Saburo-no-kami Masahide Rokkaku Family Vassal, Son of Hosokawa Shimo-no-kami Masahide

【Miyoshi Family】

Miyoshi Saburo-no-kami Masahide Former Head of Miyoshi Family

(Yoshitaka's side)

Miyoshi Maru Jiro Tadahide Head of Miyoshi Family, Son of Togawa Isao, Adopted into the Miyoshi main family

Matsunaga Danjou Masahide Miyoshi Family Vassal, Known as Shodai (Chinese name for Danjou)

Naito Bizen-no-kami Masahide Miyoshi Family Vassal, Brother of Matsunaga Danjou Masahide

【Hosokawa Family】

Hosokawa Saburo-no-suke Takahiro Head of Hosokawa Family, Governor of Kii and Kawachi

【Oda Family】

Oda Shousaemon Nobunaga Head of Oda Family, Lord of Owari

【Ikkō Family】

Ikkō Ikkō Rokudai Shōnin Kennyo Eleventh Head of the Ikkō-ikki

Shichiri Mikawa-no-kami Yasuaki Monk official of the Ikkō-ikki

Shimo Tsukushi-no-kami Yasuteru Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Sugiura Iki-no-kami Genren Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Kubota Daikō Masahide Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Kasama Hyoe Masahide Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Oku Ikkō-no-kami Masahide Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Tokuda Shima-no-kami Masahide Warrior of the Ikkō-ikki

Uchigashima Hyogo-no-kami Ujiyori Local lord of Hida who sided with the Ikkō-ikki

Eiroku 10th year (1567) Late June Yamashiro Province, Uji District, Yamashiro Kusunoki Mototsuna

For the first time, Kusunoki's 20,000 troops set foot in Yamashiro Province. Hmm, I'm not excited at all. I'm calm. The young pages are the ones who are excited. This time, I didn't bring the usual group as pages; they are probably with their fathers or relatives. I placed them under the jurisdiction of the magistrates, so they need to be trained as administrators first.

Instead, I brought Nagae Sakyo Masaharu, my uncle's grandson, as a page. That makes me his uncle's cousin. It's a frustrating reality. Others include Isogai Fujiro Masahisa, the second son of Isogai Tango-no-kami Morinaga, and Akiba Kyubei Masahiro, Chijū Gobei Yoshiyuki, Kasai Shizō Yoshiyuki, and Machida Kojūro Masahiro. They are all sons of small families within the clan but are said to be promising young men. Their ages range from fifteen to twenty, and some are on their first campaign. I wonder if they'll be okay?

About ten cho (approximately one kilometer) away, the 15,000-strong Miyoshi army is deployed. They remain calm even when they see us. Normally, messengers would be running back and forth, but there are none. They are battle-hardened, I thought. As expected, they were waiting for us. They are different from the enemies we've faced before.

"Any news on the Rokkaku's movements?"

"None yet."

Hidetsugu's answer was not what I hoped for.

"Don't look so disappointed, Hidetsugu. Fortunately, the Miyoshi haven't moved. We'll wait for the Rokkaku to make their move."

Fortunately, the days are long now. It would be great if we could settle this today.

"The Miyoshi aren't moving. I think we should engage them at this point."

"Perhaps they are uncertain. Kusunoki has the advantage over Miyoshi alone. They lack the confidence that the Rokkaku will definitely come."

Shinjiro and Danjou are discussing. They are probably right, and the three military strategists nod in agreement. Both Kusunoki and Miyoshi are being manipulated by Rokkaku Sakyo-no-taifu.

Originally, the Miyoshi and Rokkaku had a poor relationship. Moreover, Sakyo-no-taifu's father, Hosokawa Harumoto, is an irreconcilable enemy of the Miyoshi. It's hard for them to trust each other. There's also the possibility that the Rokkaku are considering letting Kusunoki and Miyoshi fight each other and then attacking the survivor. The Miyoshi can't rely on the Rokkaku as an ally.

News of the Rokkaku's movement arrived about an hour later, just as we finished lunch and were boiling water to drink.

"Hidetsugu, are they moving?"

"Yes, according to the report, the Rokkaku's forces exceed 7,000 and have already entered the Noto region. They are moving quickly."

More than 7,000? The castle's defenses are almost non-existent. They are in a hurry; they want my head.

"Shinjiro, can you go to Katsuta District?"

"Yes."

He said "Yes," but Shinjiro looked uneasy. I told him, "It's okay," and sent him to Katsuta District. Hmm, before he left, Shinjiro and Danjou exchanged glances and nodded to each other. It felt like "I'm counting on you" and "Understood." Am I that unreliable?

Shinjiro leads 8,000 troops to Katsuta District, both to suppress and attack the Rokkaku. If Sakyo-no-taifu leaves the castle, Shinjiro's forces will enter Katsuta District and, along with Komi and Hirai, restrain Sakyo-no-taifu. Then, Kusunoki's navy will transport 2,000 troops to the Hosokawa District. Sakyo-no-taifu will be surrounded on both sides. The idea to use the navy was Hanbei's. This time, we aim to destroy the Rokkaku and not let them escape. Hanbei is impressive. The young master can be terrifying when angry.

I will face the 15,000-strong Miyoshi army with 12,000 Kusunoki troops. The deputy commander is Sanada Danjou Masahiro, and the Sanada forces are led by his sons. If Shinjiro heads to Katsuta District, the Miyoshi will likely start the battle. Not immediately, but after a certain amount of time has passed. It could start in an hour or, at the latest, two hours.

"Danjou, are the cannons and firearms ready?"

"Yes, rest assured. Lord Naga-no-kami says they are ready to start at any time."

"Good."

The young pages are fidgeting. They are a nuisance.

"Sakyo, go take a piss."

"Y-Yes, I—"

Sakyo's face turned red.

"Just go. Once the battle starts, you won't have time to go. Do you want to wet yourself? The others should also go without hesitation."

The young pages exchanged glances and fidgeted, but when Danjou laughed and said, "Go quickly," they quietly went to relieve themselves.

"Danjou, do you think we can win?"

"Eight out of ten, I think."

"What about the other two?"

"Well, I'm not sure. We might win, lose, or draw."

"I see, that's what war is like."

I was genuinely impressed, and Danjou laughed. Not just Danjou, but Jubei, Hanbei, and Ueno-no-suke also laughed.

"When you're unsure of the outcome, you don't hesitate, but when you think you can win, you do."

"Is that so?"

Everyone nodded at Danjou's words.

"Yes. It's a strange thing, but you still win. That's also strange."

"I see."

It seems I'm considered a bit of a mystery to everyone. But, losing is easier, as I can be more straightforward in my actions.

I have concerns. We are at a numerical disadvantage, and this will be a decisive battle on flat ground. There are no horse barriers, and it will be a direct confrontation. I have a plan, though. The center will use the firepower of the firearms, and the flanks will engage in close combat. The firearms will break the enemy's center, and then we will send in troops to attack the enemy's flanks. The young pages returned, and it was amusing. They all looked refreshed.

The Miyoshi army started moving about an hour later. Messengers began circling the camp. They seem ready to start, probably giving final instructions.

"Danjou, start the cannons. Order them to fire continuously at the enemy camp. The firearms should start firing when the enemy is two cho away. The flanks should attack the enemy simultaneously with the firearms."

"Understood."

Danjou called a messenger and gave the orders, and the messenger began circling the camp. In the past, I would just give the order, and that was it. Now, it's more complicated. The most troublesome part is the cannons, as they are heavy and placed at the rear to avoid being seen by the enemy.

Soon, a loud "Boom" echoed. Four shots in quick succession, all missing.

"They flew far beyond the enemy camp."

Jubei's voice sounded disappointed. The effective range of the culverin is 1,600 meters, and the maximum range exceeds 6,000 meters. It's a monster in this era.

"It's better than falling short. The enemy is within range of the cannons. They must understand that. They will rush forward, and we will hit them with firearms."

The bullets in this era don't explode; they are just solid metal. But if they hit, they will certainly kill or severely injure. We can instill fear. We can put the Miyoshi on the defensive.

"I see. But wouldn't it be more effective to use them in a siege?"

"Sure, but if we had 500 cannons, we could use them in the field, Hanbei."

"Five hundred..."

"Only Kusunoki and Oda could probably gather that many. Others lack the funds."

"Ah."

Hanbei looked puzzled. In this era, firepower isn't highly valued. I guess I'm still a bit of a mystery.

Another "Boom" echoed. This time, two shots, followed quickly by two more. The enemy camp was in disarray, and cheers rose from our side. Yes, it also boosts morale.

"Two shots hit the enemy camp this time."

Jubei's voice was excited.

"Good, if they hit."

"Here they come!"

Ueno-no-suke shouted.

The Miyoshi army charged with a battle cry. Normally, from a distance of one kilometer, they would walk slowly and gradually increase their speed. They are afraid and want to close the distance. Can we hit them one more time? Wearing armor, their charge is not fast. One more shot. "Boom," four shots, and two more hit the enemy camp. The camp was in disarray. If we had 500 cannons, we could instantly break the enemy's formation.

The distance was two cho. The 2,500 firearms in the center started firing. Five rows of 500 each, without horse barriers to increase the rate of fire. The sound was deafening. As the Miyoshi troops were startled by the noise, Kusunoki's flanks charged with a battle cry. Another deafening sound, and the Miyoshi troops fell in disarray. Yes, it's going well. The enemy's center can't get close