New Legend of the Overlord

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

(I) Returning to
Kyoto in the spring of the Warring States period, it was so beautiful and tranquil.
The entire city has preserved almost all the historical buildings from the Warring States period, with an antique charm and rich cultural heritage.
Walking on the ancient bluestone avenues, a few cherry blossom petals would occasionally drift past, making one feel as if they were in a fairyland, unconsciously intoxicated by the scenery.
Before the Tokugawa Shogunate, Kyoto had always been the political, religious, and cultural center of Japan, so there are countless famous historical sites.
Of course, the most famous is the Kyoto Imperial Palace, the residence of the Emperor. However, the Emperor is no longer there, having moved to Edo (now Tokyo) with the Tokugawa Shogunate, but the unparalleled scenery of the palace has remained, especially during the cherry blossom season, when it is adorned with a pink hue, making it seem like the Peach Blossom Spring in ancient Chinese novels.
Not far west of the Imperial Gardens lies Nijo Castle, the former residence of each shogun during the Muromachi period. Two streets south lies Honno-ji Temple, a place that left a significant mark on Japanese Sengoku history, the site where the powerful warlord Nobunaga was ambushed and burned by the traitorous general Akechi Mitsuhide . And this
story begins here…
＊ ... He even watched the videos, often lamenting that he was born at the wrong time, thinking that if he had been born in the Warring States period, he would definitely… Recently, school was on holiday, and Xiao Dong, with his savings from part-time work, boarded a Japan Airlines flight to Kyoto for a school trip. Due to limited time, he chose to visit some must-see attractions, with Honno-ji Temple being his last stop. Although Honno-ji Temple has undergone several renovations, one can still faintly feel the massacre that took place on that terrifying night: billowing smoke, flying blood and flesh, corpses strewn everywhere, and the deafening shouts of battle. There weren't many visitors to Honno-ji Temple, and Xiao Dong leisurely admired the ancient temple. Gradually, it was noon, and almost all the tourists had left. The lonely temple was quiet except for the occasional chirping of birds in the branches. When he reached the back courtyard of the temple, he found a small stall, seemingly selling souvenirs, where an elderly man with white hair smiled at him from time to time. "Hey, young man, could you come here for a moment? " Xiao Dong looked around and realized that there seemed to be no one else besides himself and the old man. "Are you calling me?" Xiao Dong pointed to himself. "Yes, young man, could you come here for a moment?" the old man said with a smile. Xiao Dong approached the old man's stall with suspicion. "Grandpa, what can I do for you?" "You're not Japanese, are you?" "I'm Chinese. I'm just here in Kyoto on a school trip." Xiao Dong answered the old man's question politely. "It seems you're very interested in Japanese culture and history." "Oh, how did you know?" "Young people your age rarely come here to visit, especially since you're a foreigner." The old man looked at Xiao Dong with approving eyes, making Xiao Dong a little embarrassed. "Why did you come to Honnoji Temple?" "I heard that this is where Oda Nobunaga, the famous warlord of the Sengoku period, was buried, so I really wanted to see it." "Oh," a glint of interest flashed in the old man's eyes. "Could you tell me about it?" "You're interested too?" Xiao Dong felt increasingly close to the old man in front of him. The two then chatted freely. The beautiful and tranquil courtyard was undisturbed, so they chatted happily until dusk fell. "Alright, young man, it's getting late, I should go back now." The old man prepared to pack up and go home. "Really? It's so late already. What a pity. It was a pleasure chatting with you." Xiao Dong said regretfully. "Hehe, young man, we get along very well. How about this, I'll give you something as a souvenir." He took out a ring. "No. No, how could I accept your gift?" Xiao Dong politely declined. "Hehe, don't underestimate it. Although it's small, it's quite magical. It's said to possess divine power, but I haven't seen it. It hasn't performed any miracles over the years. Anyway, I have no use for it. Since we get along so well, let's make it a small souvenir." Unable to resist the old man's persistent persuasion, Xiao Dong finally accepted it. "Then, thank you, Grandpa." Xiao Dong carefully examined the ring in his hand. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, and the pattern looked very familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Oh, right! It's the Oda family crest! Strange, how could this old man have such a thing? "Grandpa..." When Xiao Dong looked up again to find the old man, he had already left. "What a strange old man," Xiao Dong thought, stroking the ring in his hand. Xiao Dong left Honnoji Temple, preparing to spend his last night in Japan. Should he have a big meal or … ********** ... The pale moonlight filtered through the light blue dome, casting a thin, eerie silvery-white glow on the marble floor. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the exhibition hall displaying ancient artifacts. Xiao Dong was captivated by these rare treasures, completely forgetting his true purpose for being there. He came to a glass display case and found a very ancient mirror inside. It didn't seem to be made of bronze or glass; its material was indistinguishable. Strange patterns and characters were engraved on it, giving it a very eerie appearance. Looking at the caption below, he discovered that this mirror was actually one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan—the Yata no Kagami (Eight-Foot Mirror).

Xiao Dong examined the mirror carefully for a long time, wondering why it was considered a magical artifact. What was so special about it? Suddenly, a beam of light shone from somewhere and struck the mirror, causing it to gleam with an unusual brilliance. Like a pebble thrown into a lake, ripples spread across the calm surface, growing stronger with each passing moment. At the same time, a corresponding light emanated from Xiao Dong's chest. Xiao Dong was stunned by the sight before him; in an instant, intense light enveloped him.
The entire hall was bathed in its radiant glow. After about fifteen minutes, as the light slowly dissipated and everything returned to calm, Xiao Dong was gone, leaving only his backpack behind.
The Asahi Shimbun reported the following day that a theft had occurred at the Kyoto National Museum the previous night. Fortunately, nothing was stolen, and the thief was caught red-handed. The stolen items were scattered around him, but he seemed mentally unstable, repeatedly chanting "Miracle..." ************ The wheel of time turned back to 1467 AD (the first year of the ōnin era). Japan was under the rule of the Ashikaga clan, the shogun of the Muromachi shogunate. However, this rule was extremely fragile. Dozens of large and small conflicts had already occurred throughout the country, and the shogunate was powerless to mediate or suppress them, forced to remain silent. Then, in the first year of the ōnin era, a major event that changed Japanese history occurred—the ōnin War. The catalyst for this event was the struggle for the position of shogun.
Controlling the shogun was tantamount to controlling the entire country of Japan. Therefore, the daimyo, centered in Kyoto, split into two camps, east and west, and engaged in a chaotic war in the Kinai region. This war lasted for ten years, until finally, the daimyo Toki Nariyori returned from Mino to Kyoto to accept Ashikaga Yoshimi as shogun, ending the ōnin War.
However, the matter did not end there. The ōnin War signified the complete loss of the Ashikaga clan's power over the regional daimyo. Warlords rose up, each carving out their own territory. The daimyo harbored their own ambitions and plans, with most wanting to lead their troops into Kyoto, receive imperial investiture, become the new shogun, and usher in their own era.
Owari, the territory of the Shiba clan, one of the four major retainers of the Muromachi shogunate, suffered from the waning power of the Muromachi shogunate, the Shiba clan's extravagant lifestyle, and the incompetence of the head of the Owari governor's family. Content with the status quo, real power gradually fell into the hands of the deputy governors, the Oda clans: the Iwakura Oda clan ruling the four upper districts of northern Owari and the Kiyosu Oda clan ruling the four lower districts of southern Owari.
The Kiyosu Oda clan had three magistrates, known as the "Three Magistrates of Kiyosu," one of whom, Oda Nobuhide, gradually rose to prominence with his martial prowess and wisdom, surpassing the power of his lord, the Kiyosu Oda clan.
After years of painstaking effort, Nobuhide essentially controlled the entire Owari region, fighting against the Mino daimyo—"The Viper" Saito Dosan—in the north, and against Imagawa Yoshimoto, hailed as "the strongest archer in the East," in the east, becoming a force to be reckoned with. Later, he paid tribute to the imperial court, gaining its recognition.
In the Sengoku period, people constantly felt a sense of crisis, exhausted from battles, hoping for a powerful figure to emerge and quell the chaos.
One summer day in 1547 (Tenbun 16), a young man hurried along a path leading to Suemori Castle in Owari.
"Ugh... this awful weather, it's unbearably hot! Father's deadline is almost here, looks like I need to hurry, or I'll get scolded again,"
he muttered under his breath.
To save time, he abandoned his plan to take the main road and instead chose a difficult, winding path to shorten his journey.
Beyond this forest lay Owari territory; he should be able to reach it smoothly in a few days. The journey seemed peaceful.
Suddenly, everything went black, and he felt something fall from above. Before he could figure out what was happening, he was crushed.
"Ouch... what was that?"
He scrambled to his feet, carefully examining the unidentified object.
It was a person!
It looked like a boy about his age.
"Hey, are you alright?"
he patted the boy's cheek.
"...!"
The boy rubbed his eyes, looking extremely surprised. "Where am I? How did I get here?" "Haha, thank goodness you're alright! I thought you were hurt. Falling from such a tall tree is dangerous. Luckily, I was there."
"Who are you?"
The boy looked at the person in front of him in astonishment.
"Hello. My name is—Oda Nobunaga."
A gentle smile appeared on his lips.
"Oh...! What? You're Oda Nobunaga?"
The boy looked as if he had seen a monster.
"Yes, is there anyone else with the same name as me? By the way, what's your name?" "What year is it?"
"Tenbun 16, huh? You're really strange."
"! I've actually returned to the Sengoku period? Are you kidding me? Is this a dream?" He pinched his thigh hard. Ouch!
"Looks like this isn't a dream. This is too fantastical."
He clutched his head, trying hard to recall what had happened to him. "I went on a school trip to Kyoto, then did some sightseeing, then met a strange old man, then encountered a thief about to steal from a museum's collection, and followed him inside. Then, without realizing it, I found myself in front of a display case with a mirror inside. Suddenly, the mirror emitted a strange light, and then the same light emanated from my chest." Thinking this, he instinctively reached into his clothes, only to find that his attire had been changed to that of a peasant from the Warring States period. It felt odd. He rummaged around in his chest for a while, then his fingers touched something hard. He pulled it out and saw it was the ring the old man had given him. Could it be the light emanating from it?
He looked up at the person in front of him. This person was Nobunaga. He looked left and right. This person didn't seem like the powerful Oda Nobunaga at all. He looked so frail. It was strange.
It wasn't until he was asked his name again that he snapped out of his daze. "Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is Koto."
"How did you fall from the tree?"
"I... I don't know."
Koto scratched his head, looking embarrassed, but he really didn't know.
"Oh, I'm glad you're alright. I have to get going, so I'll be going now." Nobunaga stood up, dusted himself off, and prepared to leave.
"Uh, please wait a moment."
Koto called out to Nobunaga.
"What can I do for you?"
"Excuse me, where are you headed?"
"I'm on my way to Suemori Castle in Owari."
"He really is a liar, so frank with strangers. No wonder he can't survive in this day and age. Heaven has brought me to meet him. There must be some deeper meaning to it. I might as well follow him and see what happens."
After making up his mind, Xiao Dong said in an extremely friendly manner, "I wonder if I can travel with you?" "Oh, you're going to Suemori Castle too? That's great! I've been so bored on the way. With you as a companion, I won't be lonely anymore." Nobunaga
's face lit up with joy.
"Why does he seem a bit effeminate..."
The two chatted and laughed along the way, getting along very well. However, Xiao Dong always felt something was off, as if there was something wrong with Nobunaga.
(II) Encountering Danger
On this day, the two arrived at a small village, which was still 3 days' journey from Suemori Castle.
The two decided to stay overnight at a small inn in the village and continue their journey the next day, as they hadn't stayed in a decent inn for several days.
They quickly took hot showers and fell asleep immediately; they were utterly exhausted.
Around midnight, a slight noise came from the corridor. Xiao Dong, with his keen hearing, woke up. It sounded like someone was talking. He tiptoed to the sliding door.
"Hey, those two lads who checked in today, one of them seems to be Nobunaga, the one the master ordered us to kill.
But, strangely, wasn't he supposed to come alone? How come there are two of them? Could it be that he already knows we're going to kill him?"
"No way. I don't think so. Besides, the other one doesn't look very old, he won't be a threat. Let's do it tonight, lest something unexpected happens." "...Okay. Let's..."
Xiao Dong didn't hear the rest of the conversation because it was too soft, but what he did hear was enough to shock him. Luckily, if he hadn't overheard their conversation, he and Nobunaga would be meeting their maker tonight. He had to quickly inform Nobunaga so they could escape together.
Xiao Dong went to Nobunaga's side and shook him awake.
"!"
Nobunaga instinctively curled up into a ball, looking at Xiao Dong in terror.
Xiao Dong couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself, thinking that she probably thought he was going to rob her.
"You...what are you going to do?"
"Shh!"
Xiao Dong made a shushing gesture. "This shop is dangerous. Someone wants to kill you. Get up quickly, let's get out of here."
Nobunaga looked at Xiao Dong suspiciously, remaining motionless to see what he was up to. At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing closer and closer. Xiao Dong, disregarding everything else, scooped up Nobunaga, blanket and all, grabbed their luggage, and fled to the courtyard from the other side. Just then, the door was suddenly flung open. In that critical moment, Xiao Dong, quick-witted, darted into a partitioned area beneath the building.
He held his breath, listening intently to the sounds coming from above. Nobunaga, realizing the impending danger, watched Xiao Dong nervously, barely daring to breathe.
After a clatter of swords, the two inside began to discuss the situation again.
"What happened? Where is he?
" "He didn't run away,
did he?" "Of course he did! But how did he know about our operation? Did you leak the information?" "You! How could you suspect me? I've been with you the whole time!" "Damn it! That kid got off easy!"
"We'd better report to the master quickly."
"That's the only way. Ugh."
Gradually, the footsteps faded away, and everything returned to calm. Xiao Dong felt Nobunaga in his arms wriggle slightly.
He looked down and realized that he had been too nervous and had been holding Nobunaga tightly, making it difficult for Nobunaga to breathe.
He quickly and apologetically released Nobunaga gently, gesturing for him to quickly put on his clothes. Nobunaga hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly turned around and changed into a set of casual clothes.
Xiao Dong led Nobunaga, tiptoeing over the wall of the inn's courtyard, and left the village under the cover of darkness. The two plunged into the dense forest, which was now the only thing that could protect them.
"Thank you,"
Nobunaga whispered in Xiao Dong's ear.
"It's nothing. Since we're partners, it's my duty to take care of you." "Thank you,"
Nobunaga said again in a voice so soft he could barely hear himself.
Just then, an owl in the woods cawed a few times, and Nobunaga immediately flew into Xiao Dong's arms, trembling with fear.
"It's alright, it's alright. It's just an owl,"
Xiao Dong comforted Nobunaga.
"Waaah, it was...it was so scary."
Judging from his voice, Nobunaga was about to cry.
"How can he be so timid and cry so easily? But it was really dangerous; he almost lost his life just now."
Xiao Dong secretly wiped away a bead of sweat. This was the first time in his life he had encountered something like this, something he'd only ever seen in movies. He didn't know what the future held, but this experience was unforgettable. Luckily, he was quick-witted; thank goodness.
"By the way, why did they want to kill you?"
Xiao Dong asked curiously.
"I... I don't know either. I've lived with my wet nurse since I was little. Recently, I received a letter from my father telling me to come to Suemori Castle immediately, so I came."
Nobunaga said tremulously.
"Why didn't anyone come with you?"
Nobunaga blushed. "My wet nurse wanted to come with me, but because she's old and frail, I didn't let her come and ran off by myself."
So naive. So inexperienced. Lacking experience and seemingly a bit dim-witted, was this really Nobunaga?
Was he mistaken?
Just as Xiao Dong was lost in thought, Nobunaga gently asked, "Xiao Dong, what should we do next?"
"What did you say?"
"I said, what should we do next?"
"We'll stay here until morning, then we'll take a shortcut to Suemori Castle. It seems we can't go the main road. These people are after you. If you show your face on the main road, you'll definitely be killed." Nobunaga looked around fearfully, a chill running down his spine, trembling uncontrollably. Xiao Dong sighed and pulled him into his arms. Thinking about history, he was only 14 years old. At 14, he had just stepped onto this chaotic land and already faced assassination. This was truly extraordinary, especially since he was so weak, so naive, utterly powerless, like a lamb released into a primeval forest.
Gazing at the sleeping Nobunaga, Xiao Dong was filled with countless thoughts.
At dawn, the sun slowly climbed over the mountains, illuminating the earth.
The two men, awakened from their slumber by the chirping of birds in the forest, rubbed their sleepy eyes and continued their journey, albeit unsteadily.
They were like frightened birds, extremely cautious, traveling by day and resting by night, traversing the forest. After crossing a stream, they were still a day's journey from their destination, the city of Mosen, when something unexpected happened: their whereabouts were discovered by assassins.
"Heh heh, finally found you! You escaped from us last time, but not this time!" a masked assassin chuckled sinisterly.
"Heh heh, yeah. You two got off easy last time, but you won't be so lucky this time!" another masked man chimed in.
"Xiao... Xiao Dong,"
Nobunaga shrank behind Xiao Dong.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here, I won't let them hurt you." "What! You? Hahaha, don't joke around! Hahaha!" the masked assassins laughed uproariously.
"Hey, who are you two?"
Xiao Dong calmly demanded.
"Hey, who are you, kid? Why are you so arrogant?" The leader was taken aback by Xiao Dong's composure.
"Never mind who I am. Who sent you? Why are you trying to assassinate Nobunaga?" "Heh heh, what's the point of knowing so much? We're all going to die anyway." "Boss, stop wasting time talking to them, let's do it."
Another urged.
The two men drew their long swords with perfect coordination and slowly approached Xiao Dong and his companion.
"Do you have a sword?"
Xiao Dong whispered to Nobunaga behind him.
"Yes, but..."
"Stop talking so much, give it to me!"
Xiao Dong urged.
Nobunaga pulled a long sword from his bundle and handed it to Xiao Dong. Xiao Dong took it and immediately thought, "This is bad." This was hardly a long sword; it was at least a third shorter than the assassins' swords. An inch longer, an inch stronger—this sword was truly... and what was even more shocking was that it was a reverse-blade sword. Xiao Dong thought, "Do you think I'm Kenshin Himura? I might not even survive with an ordinary long sword, let alone with this one! You're going to kill two lives with one sword! Bah! Bah! No, I mean,
kill two lives with one sword!" "Haha, this is hilarious! Showing off a sword like this? It's laughable! I think you're both doomed!"
The two men laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
"Xiao Dong, I'm so sorry. I've got you in trouble."
Nobunaga apologized profusely to Xiao Dong, filled with remorse.
"It's alright, don't worry, neither of us will die." Xiao Dong was more nervous than ever before; this was a life-or-death situation, and he could lose his life here.
Two assassins swiftly charged at him, brandishing their long swords. Xiao Dong instinctively raised his sword to parry, barely managing to block the two swords coming down on him, but was immediately kicked to the ground, his short sword slipping from his hand.
Xiao Dong clutched his stomach and struggled to his feet, but before he could even stand properly, he was kicked away again. The assassins shouted and cursed as they toyed with him, the scene somewhat like a circus animal trainer.
"Stop! You're going to kill me, not him. If you want to kill someone, come at me!" Nobunaga displayed incredible courage, gripping his short sword tightly, ready to fight the assassins to the death.
"Hmph, you've got some guts, huh? But it's all in vain. You're just buying more time."
"What's the point of all this talk! Come on!"
With a shout, Nobunaga was the first to strike. He nimbly dodged the twin blades thrusting at him and swiftly slashed his short sword at the waist of the leader.
"I didn't realize you were so skilled."
The assassins abandoned their playful attitude and engaged Nobunaga in serious combat. Nobunaga, as expected of someone from a family of warriors, clearly had received excellent training from a young age. His swordsmanship was orthodox, the Yin-ryu style. In the first few rounds, the assassins couldn't get close to Nobunaga. However, being inexperienced, their swordsmanship wasn't yet fully developed for real combat. Moreover, due to their age, they couldn't unleash their true power, and they were far inferior to their opponents in terms of stamina and strength. It was a perilous situation.
With a "clang," Nobunaga's sword was knocked away, tracing an arc in the air before embedding itself in the ground.
"Heh heh! How about that? Now you should be utterly desperate!" The assassins closed in on Nobunaga again.
"Kill me, but please spare that guy over there. He has nothing to do with me." "Heh heh, you're in danger yourself, why are you worried about others? Besides, we never leave anyone alive.
Just give up on that idea! Bring
me your life!" "Xiao Dong! I'm sorry!"
In that instant, Nobunaga felt a cool breeze, followed by something slippery splashing onto his face. He touched it; it was sticky and smelled a bit fishy—blood! It was blood! But it
didn't seem like my blood. He hadn't felt anything. He opened his eyes and saw Xiao Dong shielding him with his body, his shoulder blocking the falling sword.
"Dong! You!"
Before he could even react, Xiao Dong had already pushed him away.
"It's you again! You're asking for trouble, aren't you? You're always ruining our plans, just die!" "Second brother, forget it, don't bother with him, we have important business to attend to..." There was no sound of clashing swords. No screams, only a flash of light followed by a body crashing to the ground.
"Second brother, you... what happened to you?"
The lead assassin rushed to his companion's side, unable to believe his eyes. His brother had been killed in one strike by this young man who looked no more than 20 years old.
"You... who are you! This... what kind of swordsmanship is this?" He screamed hoarsely, as if venting his fear.
"You better get out of here! Otherwise, I'll cut you in two too!"
The icy voice and murderous eyes sent chills down everyone's spine.
Who doesn't cherish their own life? The assassin was no exception. He knew that his fate wouldn't be much better than his brother's. The outcome was uncertain, so he decided to wait for another opportunity. He carried his companion's body and disappeared into the woods in the blink of an eye.
"Dong! We won! We won!"
Nobunaga ran happily to Dong's side and hugged him tightly, expressing his overwhelming excitement.
"Dong. Dong! What's wrong with you!"
Due to excessive blood loss, Dong had lost consciousness and collapsed into Nobunaga's arms. It was soft and comfortable. He only heard Nobunaga's effeminate shouts and the approaching sound of horses' hooves, and then he knew nothing more.
(III) Secret
Soft and comfortable bedding, a fragrant scent of flowers, a warm feeling... Hmm, where am I?
Dong's first reaction upon waking was to observe his surroundings. A spacious bedroom. Neat bedding. Outside was a beautiful courtyard, with the occasional sound of flowing water reaching his ears.
"Huh? Where's Nobunaga? Could he be in danger again?
Where am I? How did I get here?
" "You're finally awake. You've been unconscious for three days."
A maid carrying a magnificent robe entered.
"Three days? That's a long time. May I ask where I am?"
"This is the residence of General Oda Nobuhide. You've been unconscious since you and the young master were rescued three days ago. The young master has come several times."
The maid respectfully handed over the robe.
"Your clothes were tattered, so the young master specially ordered a new set made for you." "!"
Xiao Dong then realized he was completely naked. His face flushed red, feeling a burning sensation on his cheeks.
"You... could you please leave for a moment? I need to change." Xiao Dong's shyness made the maid chuckle.
"Of course. Please change and then go to the room in the middle of the corridor. The master is waiting for you." With that, the maid respectfully withdrew.
"Hmph... What on earth is going on? It seems we were rescued by Nobunaga's father, but what will happen next? Will those assassins return? Who sent them?" Composing himself, Xiao Dong entered the central hall of the corridor. There were only two people in the large hall. He recognized Nobunaga; the other man looked to be around 40 years old, broad-shouldered and imposing, yet he was very friendly towards Nobunaga. It was undoubtedly Nobunaga's father, Nobuhide. Nobunaga was overjoyed to see him enter, but restrained himself because his father was nearby. Nobuhide secretly sized up the young man, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"Thank you for saving my son,"
he said in a deep, powerful voice.
"Not at all, who would stand by and watch someone die? It was my duty." "Heh, an interesting young man. How about it, work for me?" "Father, you're not joking, are you?"
Nobunaga was overjoyed, excitedly tugging at his father's sleeve.
"Hehe, isn't this exactly what you wanted?"
Nobunaga affectionately stroked Nobunaga's hand.
"How about it, young man?"
"Hehe, just what I wanted, interesting. Since fate has brought me here, I'll do something spectacular!"
"It's my honor to obey your command, sir."
"Haha, good! You will be Nobunaga's bodyguard, protecting his safety!" Although Nobuhide said this half-jokingly, his tone was very serious. Serious.
Koto was assigned to a place near Nobunaga's residence. That evening, after washing up, Koto was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly heard a soft knocking on the door.
Who could it be so late?
"Come in."
The sliding door was gently opened, and Nobunaga entered. Koto was taken aback, but a smile quickly appeared on his face.
"Is there something you need?"
"What do you mean 'you'? You're my subordinate, you should call me sir or young master, how can you address me with 'you'?"
Nobunaga pouted, showing a very displeased expression.
"No way, I'm your savior, I don't have any special privileges," Xiao Dong teased him with a laugh.
Nobunaga blushed. "Alright, just call me that in private, and call me 'Young Master' in front of my father and the others."
"Yes, sir."
Xiao Dong's comical actions made Nobunaga burst into laughter.
"So, what brings you here so late, 'Young Master'?" "I have a secret to tell you, and I hope you can keep it a secret for me." Nobunaga stammered.
"Since it's a secret, I think I'd better not know." "No! I want you to know, and I hope you can keep this secret forever." Nobunaga seemed to have made a great decision.
"Alright, please speak."
Xiao Dong also put away his playful attitude at this moment.
After a brief silence between the two, he slowly loosened his hair, and his waterfall of black hair flowed down, revealing a charming face that was both playful and reproachful.
"!"
"You're a woman!"
This was a huge secret, it was simply unbelievable! Oda Nobunaga was actually a woman! Xiao Dong was completely stunned. He couldn't believe his eyes. Had the history books been wrong, or was time and space chaotic, or was fate playing a cruel joke on him
? "As you can see, I am indeed a girl. From a young age, to keep this secret from others, I have always dressed as a boy and been secretly raised by my wet nurse in another place until now." So that's how it is. Then everything that seemed strange about him before made sense.
"Why did you tell me this?"
"Although our meeting was such a coincidence, you risked your life to protect me, a complete stranger. I believe you are the only person in this world I can entrust my life to. I believe you will continue to protect me and keep me safe from harm, right?"
His eyes were filled with longing and sorrow. Who could resist such a beautiful woman?
"...Since you trust me, then please entrust your fate to me." Xiao Dong solemnly extended his hands. He saw joy, expectation, and more in Nobunaga's eyes... Nobunaga slowly placed his hands in Xiao Dong's palms.
Their hands clasped tightly together—what a wondrous moment!
After an unknown amount of time, Nobunaga gently withdrew his hand, straightened his clothes, and returned to his men's attire before leaving.
Xiao Dong was left standing there, dumbfounded. The events of the past few days felt like a dream, an unprecedented dream. He hoped… it would never end. Wasn't this what he had longed for? Wasn't this what he wanted—to live a life of passion and intensity here? Thinking this, Xiao Dong regained his usual confidence and energy. Perhaps from exhaustion, or perhaps from excessive excitement, he drifted off to sleep.
Just as he was drifting off to sleep, he felt something slip inside him, soft and smooth. Carefully and slowly, he touched it with his fingers, and suddenly felt a fleshy mound—a breast! It was a woman! Xiao Dong snapped awake.
"Who are you?"
The woman in his arms didn't answer but instead offered her hot lips, silencing Xiao Dong. Her body rubbed against his, her breasts squeezed into ovals. Xiao Dong was gradually aroused, pulling the woman close and responding passionately.
Silently, Xiao Dong cupped her face in his hands and kissed her deeply. His gentle yet rough movements completely captivated her. He tenderly kissed her lips while sucking on her small tongue, grasping her full breasts, which trembled slightly from the pain, but she offered no resistance.
He turned her around, her slender waist arching upwards, and roughly spread her legs, revealing her parted vulva and pink anus in the dim moonlight. He
spread it open with his fingers, revealing thin, small labia, almost transparent pink without any pigmentation.
The inner layers of flesh were already moist.
He thrust his long-erect penis inside, the feeling of the pink flesh against the glans was wonderful.
"Oh!"
came from deep in her throat.
A tight little hole, her buttocks trembling incessantly.
The penis couldn't enter smoothly, as if it were wrapped up, only the tip of the glans entered the hole.
"Oh!"
He thrust forward again with force.
"Ah!"
Unable to withstand the pressure, her body almost pressed against the floor. He
continued to push forward from behind.
He went in a little further, but the resistance from the front was even greater, and the glans even felt a little painful.
Even so, he still insisted on breaking through.
"Ah! It hurts—it hurts!"
He grabbed her waist, which was trying to escape forward, and continued to insert it.
"Ah! It hurts—it hurts—" It felt like it was about to split open, and with one more thrust, he found that the glans was bound by a fleshy ring.
Suddenly, he felt something wet on the surging penis, and used his hands to spread her thighs.
He pressed his lower abdomen and her buttocks tightly together.
He continued to go deeper until he reached her cervix and then breathed a sigh
of relief. The flesh walls were almost burning hot, and the inner flesh walls seemed to be contracting forcefully to suppress the thick penis.
The trembling sensation of her breaking free traveled all the way to the base of his penis.
"Lift your buttocks up."
After saying that, she slowly pulled her waist outwards.
It felt as if the delicate flesh attached to his penis was being pulled out at the same time.
"Ouch! Ouch! ————" Her contractions were very strong.
The flesh walls, with no gaps whatsoever, actually pulled Xiao Dong inwards.
With training, she would definitely be a top-tier sex toy, an excellent tool.
Abandoning long thrusts, he adopted a quick, short sprint.
"Oh! Oh! Oh! ……" Each time he reached the very bottom, a small sound would come from her throat.
It didn't sound like she was enjoying it; it was just her trying to endure the foreign sensation in her abdomen.
However, with each thrust, something finally seeped out—a natural protective reaction of the body.
The gliding became smoother, and the fleshy walls enveloping the glans were no longer so stiff.
The movements of the waist became more and more vigorous, and from between the two came wet, obscene sounds.
Clearly, she had become wet due to sexual arousal.
Xiao Dong reached out from behind, through his armpits, and grasped her full breasts, which were very elastic. After stroking them for a while, he found that her nipples were completely hard, so he rubbed them with his fingertips.
"Ah! Ah!—Ah!—Dong—" Her voice underwent a strange change.
The delicate flesh enveloping the penis also began to react subtly.
When pulled back, a strong contraction was generated at the vaginal opening, preventing him from withdrawing. As it advanced along the fleshy walls, the whole thing trembled slightly, while a force of inward suction was generated.
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah ah!"
He brushed aside the hair hanging by her ears, looking at her lewd expression.
Suddenly, a numbing pleasure spread from his waist throughout his body.
The intense urge to ejaculate was uncontrollable.
"Oh—" she cried out, the thrust reaching her back, a pleasure she had never experienced before, so incredibly pleasurable.
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
Her body arched beneath her.
Their love juices mingled deep within her.
Xiao Dong gently kissed her earlobe again, teasing her neck with his tongue.
"Does it feel good?"
"Mmm…"
They continued to passionately caress each other's bodies, murmuring incessantly.
In the morning, Xiao Dong was the first to wake up, only to find Nobunaga lying beside him! At that moment, Nobunaga also woke up, her arms flailing. She suddenly realized she was lying naked in someone else's room. As she tried to get up, she discovered intense pain in her genitals. She hurriedly looked down to check, and saw the thing she least wanted to see—she had been violated. She burst into tears.
"Don't cry, it's all my fault."
Xiao Dong gently comforted Nobunaga, thinking to herself, "How strange, she was so passionate last night, why is she crying today? Is this the first time, so that's why she's like this?
" "You! It's you!"
Nobunaga exclaimed when she realized that the person who raped her was the one who had saved her just a few days ago. She had trusted him so much.
"You. You beast! How could you do this to me! I trusted you so much, I was blind!" She wrapped herself in the blanket and ran out without a second thought, leaving Xiao Dong with a heavy heart. Last night she was so passionate, how could she suddenly become a rapist today?
(Part 4) First Battle
In the morning, Nobunaga sent someone to call him. Xiao Dong, with a heavy heart, went to Nobunaga's room. Did he already know about last night? If he did, how would he deal with him? Xiao Dong, troubled by a series of questions, slowly walked into the room.
Nobuhide, dressed in a light blue silk robe, had just finished breakfast. The servants had cleared away the dishes, and a young woman of marriageable age was helping him tidy up. Nobuhide noticed Xiao Dong's arrival and waved for everyone to leave.
"You've arrived, please sit down,"
Nobuhide said, gesturing to a cushion beside him. Xiao Dong sat respectfully to his left.
"Although it's sudden, I summoned you here to give you your first task." "Oh,"
Xiao Dong replied, surprised that he had received a task from Nobuhide so soon. He wondered if there was some hidden meaning behind it. Fortunately, it seemed Nobunaga hadn't mentioned last night's events to his father, and Nobuhide hadn't noticed anything amiss, which put Xiao Dong's anxieties at ease.
"Nobunaga has been living outside for 14 years. I want to see what he has learned in those 14 years and whether he is worthy to be my son, Nobuhide."
A hint of pleasure flashed in the eyes of the beautiful woman serving beside him. It was less like happiness and more like the smugness of a wicked scheme succeeding. However, this subtle movement did not escape Koto's keen observation, which made Koto a little suspicious.
"What task will you be assigning?"
"It's like this. Mikawa Province originally belonged to the Matsudaira family, but since the death of the previous head of the Matsudaira family, Kiyoyasu, I have planned to incorporate Mikawa into my territory. However, Imagawa Yoshimoto of the Tokai region shares my ambition and also wants to annex Mikawa. Thus, we have been fighting for control of Mikawa Province, with both sides experiencing victories and defeats. Recently, our army suffered a defeat at the hands of Saito Dosan of Mino, and morale is low. Therefore, I plan to make a breakthrough in Mikawa. This time, I have ordered Nobunaga to lead a large army to attack western Mikawa. Your task is to protect his safety and ensure victory in this battle. Do you understand?"
Nobuhide's words exuded an aura of authority that easily inspired awe, and Koto was no exception. Perhaps this was a natural consequence of the seasoned veteran of Owari.
"Alright, you can leave now. Koto and I have some details to discuss." The beautiful woman reluctantly stood up and excused herself.
After confirming she was far away, Nobuhisa resumed his amiable demeanor, saying with a wry smile,
"Alas, I really shouldn't have let you see this scene."
"As expected, there's something fishy going on."
"Since Nobunaga left this place at birth 14 years ago, everyone knows I have a son named Nobunaga, but everyone is skeptical about what kind of person he really is. Meanwhile, my second son, Nobuyuki, has been by my side since childhood, and his talent has been widely praised. Therefore, most of my retainers oppose my plan to pass the headship of the clan to Nobunaga. And this concubine of mine, Nobuyuki's mother, naturally wants Nobuyuki to succeed as head of the clan. So she rallied the retainers, saying that if Nobunaga cannot prove his abilities, he is not worthy of being the heir to the headship." "I want Nobuyuki to do it. I was initially very opposed to them doing this, but their strength shouldn't be underestimated. Even if I pass the position to Nobunaga in the future, there will inevitably be obstacles, and it might even lead to a family feud, which is something I don't want to see. So, I hope you can help me, help Nobunaga! The reason I trust you is because Nobunaga trusts you. You saved Nobunaga twice, and I believe you will continue to protect him, don't you think?" Nobuhide's trusting gaze and warm hand made Xiao Dong feel that this was the first time in his life he had received such attention. This trust contained many things, but even more so, a responsibility.
"I will certainly not let you down."
Nobuhide patted Xiao Dong's shoulder, looking hesitant, but ultimately he said nothing, telling Xiao Dong to step back and prepare to depart.
In the council hall, Nobuhide sat in the center, with Nobunaga standing to his left, and to his right, in order: Oda Nobumitsu, Hayashi Hidesada, Kawajiri Hidetaka, Maeda Toshiie, Niwa Nagahide, and Ikeda Tsuneoki. To his left was Hirate Masahide. Shibata Katsuie. Sakuma Nobukatsu. Koto.
Everyone's expression was extremely solemn, each with their own plans. Koto kept stealing glances at Nobunaga beside Nobuhide. Nobunaga had changed into a white mourning robe, and apart from his pale face, there was nothing else unusual about him. When their eyes accidentally met, Nobunaga's gaze suddenly became extremely complex, a mixture of love and hate, before he quickly avoided Koto's pursuing gaze and stood respectfully with his hands at his sides again.
"I've called everyone here today to announce something,"
Nobuhide said in a deep voice.
"Since our army suffered a defeat in the recent battle against Dosan in Mino, we are at a slight disadvantage in terms of strength and will not be able to achieve anything in the short term. In order to boost morale and better consolidate our rear, I have decided to launch another attack on Mikawa Province. This time, the target is ōhama Castle in western Mikawa. To demonstrate the martial might of the Oda clan and to let Yoshimoto see the descendants of Nobuhide, I have decided to appoint my son, Nobunaga, as the commander-in-chief of this eastern expedition."
Nobuhide paused, observing the reactions of his generals.
"My lord, are you reconsidering? Prince Nobunaga has only just returned to Suemori Castle. Is this...?" The speaker was none other than Hirate Masahide, recorded in history as Nobunaga's mentor until his death.
"Masahide, what are you saying? I believe my lord's decision is absolutely correct and should not be questioned."
Hayashi Hidesada, with a gloomy expression, chimed in from the side.
Apart from Nobumitsu, who echoed his sentiments, most of the others remained silent. Since they couldn't guess their lord's true intentions, it was best to keep quiet. However, Katsuie revealed a hint of schadenfreude; he was a supporter of Prince Nobuyuki and showed no affection for the newcomer.
"You!…"
Masahide was momentarily speechless with anger.
Nobunaga, standing to the side, had an expression that shifted constantly, mostly showing panic.
"Father, this…"
"Alright, I've made my decision."
Nobuhide waved his hand to stop Nobunaga from speaking his mind.
"Attack Kira-ōhama Castle. Nobunaga will be the commander-in-chief, and Masahide the deputy commander. We will depart after this meeting. Meeting adjourned." The generals gradually dispersed, leaving only Masahide. Nobunaga. Nobuhide. Koto.
"Masahide, this battle is Nobunaga's first. He has no experience with war; he doesn't know what war is, nor how cruel it truly is. I don't want him to die on the battlefield. You understand what I mean."
"Yes, Your Highness. I will do everything in my power to protect you." "And you must know, this war… cannot be lost!" Nobunaga's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm and resolute, instilling a sense of oppression in Masahide and the others. "
Nobunaga, I hope you can understand your father. I have no choice but to do this. I've sent Masahide as your assistant. He's calm and collected, efficient and capable. As for Koto, he's brave and decisive, full of a sense of justice. This is all I can do for you." His
words were filled with a sense of weariness and desolation.
"Father… sob…"
"Alright. Alright, my good child. Look, Masahide and the others are here too. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?" Nobunaga lovingly stroked Nobunaga's hair, a scene of warmth and affection.
At noon, Nobunaga mustered 3,000 troops and marched out of Suemori Castle. Nobuhide stood silently on the castle wall, watching his son's procession gradually disappear into the distance, praying for his safe return.
Because Nobunaga had never fought a battle, even her attire was incongruous. With her father's precious sword, Akahita, strapped to her waist, her hair was tied up high to avoid suspicion. Disliking heavy armor, she wore only a leather one. Whether samurai, soldiers, or civilians seeing her off, everyone thought she was either a madman or a fool. But she didn't care what others thought; the cold, stern expression on her face truly gave the impression that she was not a novice.
Hirate Masahide selected 3,000 men for Nobunaga from his own army and Nobuhide's own forces: 500 archers, 500 riflemen, 500 cavalry, and 1,500 infantry. At Nobuhide's instruction, Maeda Toshiie was also brought in. Niwa Nagahide, Ikeda Tsuneoki, Kawajiri Hidetaka, and Sakuma Nobukatsu, along with Koto, were always by Nobunaga's side. However, Nobunaga remained cold and sarcastic towards them, sometimes even ignoring them completely, leaving Koto in an extremely awkward and difficult position, forced to endure it all. Koto, however, stubbornly stayed close to Nobunaga.
Historical records state that in his first battle as a samurai, Nobunaga received orders from his father, Nobuhide, to attack western Mikawa, leading his army straight to Kira-ōhama Castle. This was in the 16th year of the Tenbun era, when Nobunaga was 14 years old.
The army entered the Mikawa region in less than two days. News quickly reached the ears of the commander of Kira-ōhama Castle. Upon hearing that the visiting general was the completely unknown Nobunaga, the commander laughed heartily, mocking Oda Nobuhide for having no capable generals and sending such an obscure figure as Nobunaga, implying he didn't want his son dead. He summoned his generals to discuss how to completely crush Nobunaga's 3,000 troops outside ōhama Castle, thus striking a blow against Nobuhide.
Meanwhile, Nobuhide's army camped outside ōhama Castle, preparing to attack the next morning. Scouts sent by Masahide reported that the garrison consisted of 6,000 men: 1,000 cavalry, 1,200 archers, 1,200 short swordsmen, and 2,600 infantry—twice the strength of Nobuhide's forces. Furthermore, ōhama Castle was located by the sea, and the terrain outside the castle was mostly plains and beaches, offering no cover. There was also the risk of a pincer attack from the sea. Therefore, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Nobuhide.
The group gathered in the main tent, racking their brains for a way to defeat the enemy, but to no avail. Xiao Dong carefully examined the map repeatedly. A direct attack offered no chance of victory; they had to resort to some tricks. But what to do? When he saw the scattered villages on the map, an idea suddenly came to him.
"Everyone, come here for a moment. I've come up with a way to eliminate the enemy. Let's hear what you think is feasible." "I think we should forget about it,"
Nobunaga pouted.
Xiao Dong couldn't help but smile wryly to himself; this young lady was still sulking with him.
"Alright, young master. Let's hear what Xiao Dong has to say. Maybe it really will work," Masahide quickly intervened to smooth things over, and the other generals, understanding the tension, also moved closer to the map.
"Listen to me, everyone. I've discovered that outside of Ohama Castle, although it's mostly plains and beaches, with sand making up the majority, this is affecting the marching speed of both our and the enemy's armies. Also, I've noticed three scattered small villages outside the castle. They appear disorganized at first glance, but upon closer inspection, it's clear they're in a line, roughly the same distance apart. According to scouts, the villagers have fled out of fear of being caught in the war. So, I think a portion of our army should seize the village closest to Ohama Castle under cover of night. After the two armies engage, we can lure the enemy's vanguard into the village. That area isn't suitable for cavalry, so we can take the opportunity to eliminate some enemy soldiers. Of course, we can't stay too long, otherwise, when the main force arrives, the small village won't be able to serve as a defensive fortification. Then, we can snipe in the second village, and finally, engage the enemy in direct combat in the third village. Even if the enemy has naval support, we must draw them all in. Then, the main force..."
Xiao Dong clasped his hands together, circling the location of the small villages on the map.
"A pincer attack from both inside and outside, a central attack."
Masahide and Toshiie nodded repeatedly in approval, finding it truly a brilliant plan.
Koto thought to himself, "I have to thank Mr. Chiang for this; I've put his central attack strategy to use here." "However, there are still two problems."
Everyone turned their attention to the speaker, who turned out to be… Nobunaga.
"Oh, please speak."
"First is the issue of troop allocation. How to rationally allocate our limited forces is crucial; otherwise, before you…"
Nobunaga mimicked Koto's earlier gesture, making a closing-in gesture.
"We have no reserves, or perhaps the decoys have already been eliminated. Also, how do we set up the final defenses? Can they hold out until reinforcements arrive?" This immediately made everyone admire the young master before them. His intelligence was definitely no less than his father, Lord Nobunaga; his observation and thinking were meticulous, showing no signs of inexperience.
Koto couldn't help but re-evaluate this young lady; despite being a girl, her wisdom was truly outstanding.
"My plan is to first deploy our forces about three miles from the first village, then retreat immediately upon contact. I've estimated that within this short distance, a full-speed retreat would lure the enemy cavalry into the village. At that point, our pre-positioned troops would launch a surprise attack, retreating quickly into the second village before the enemy could react. Then, we would proceed as planned, launching another ambush. This would deplete most of the enemy cavalry and a portion of their vanguard, ultimately leading them to the third village. There, our forces would consist of 500 infantry, 500 musketeers, and 500 archers. The initial surprise attack and ambush would also be carried out by the musketeers and archers, while the 500 infantry would only lure the enemy at the very beginning, then quickly retreat to the third village to reinforce the offensive and provide support. Without these 500 men, the enemy wouldn't believe this is our main force, so their role is crucial." Xiao Dong paused here, turning his head to the generals beside him.
"Lord Niwa and Lord Ikeda will lead the musketeer and archer units respectively, while Lord Kawajiri will lead the 500 infantrymen."
"Hey, who's the commander? How dare you assign them to others without my permission?" Nobunaga chimed in again.
Everyone looked at her helplessly.
"Alright. Alright, we'll do as you say."
"Thank you, sir."
Koto gave Nobunaga a knowing smile.
Nobunaga made a cute face at him, though of course, no one else could see it.
"If the three of you can hold out for an hour, Prince Nobunaga will arrive with reinforcements. We'll light a fire as a signal and attack from both sides. What do you all think?"
"Good!"
"Good!" "
Let's do it this way!"
"We'll definitely win this time!"
After the meeting, everyone went about their business according to the plan.
Koto accompanied Nobunaga back to her tent.
"I didn't expect you to be so skilled in warfare."
Nobunaga reverted to her girlish ways, looking at Koto with admiration.
"Of course, besides in bed, I'm also quite skilled on the battlefield," Xiao Dong teased.
"Hmph!"
Nobunaga's face immediately darkened at the mention of sex.
"You're really something, we've both been intimate, why are you still so cold to me?" "Go away! Go away! Get out, I don't want to see you!"
Xiao Dong was inexplicably kicked out, but oh well, it would save him some energy for tomorrow's battle.
As dawn broke, Nobunaga's army began to move frequently, adopting a posture of decisive battle.
The general defending the castle saw this and thought it was exactly what he had expected, so he ordered his troops to proceed as planned.
The defending army was exactly as Xiao Dong had predicted, with cavalry and fast-moving short-swordsmen in the front, and infantry archers forming the main force behind them.
As planned, Niwa Nagahide and Ikeda Tsuneoki retreated into the village as soon as the two armies made contact. This caught the enemy off guard, who pursued without thinking. Muskets and arrows formed a dense barrage, and the narrow streets restricted the cavalry, leaving them utterly helpless. In the ensuing chaos, many swordsmen were kicked and trampled by their horses.
Wasting no time, Nagahide and Tsuneoki's troops withdrew from the village and entered a second small village. The enraged commander ordered a full-scale pursuit, but the result was the same: only 1,200 cavalrymen remained, and the swordsmen simply withdrew from the battle.
Nagahide and Tsuneoki's excellent performance bought valuable time for Hidetaka. By the time they retreated into the third village, everything was ready. To avoid repeating the same foolish mistake, the commander waited for a definitive report from his scouts before launching another attack.
A stalemate ensued in the small village, with the enemy completely surrounding it. Nagahide and his two companions fought bravely, but due to the vast difference in numbers, the enemy's encirclement was steadily shrinking, almost reaching the center of the village.
"Damn it, what are the young master and the others doing? Why aren't they here yet?" Nagahide saw an enemy soldier charging forward with a long spear, his eyes bulging with anxiety.
His companions, Hidetaka and Tsuneoki, were in no better shape, both wounded. Of their original 1500 men, only 800 remained.
Suddenly, a loud horn blared throughout the village, thick smoke billowed, and the sounds of battle filled the air. Nobunaga's army had arrived, led by Maeda Toshiie with 500 cavalry, charging in from the west. The enemy was thrown into chaos, and a breach appeared in their strong encirclement. Nobunaga, wielding his crimson chariot, charged in, flanked by Masahide and Kotobuki, and followed by Nobukatsu's infantry. The besieged Nagahide and his men were greatly encouraged, raising their arms and shouting in triumph.
"Kill!!!"
The soldiers, like madmen, recklessly brandished their weapons and charged at the enemy.
The enemy, terrified, scattered and fled in disarray.
Nobunaga spurred her horse, charging left and right, her target the center of the village. However, due to her excessive speed, she broke away from the army behind her and was suddenly caught in the enemy ranks.
"Kill him! Look at his armor, he's a general in Nobunaga's army!" The enemy swarmed forward, eager to tear Nobunaga apart.
Nobunaga swung her long sword, just managing to parry a spear, when suddenly a flash of cold light appeared before her—a katana. She had no way to dodge; both hands gripped the sword to parry the spear overhead, and she was surrounded by enemy soldiers. If she fell from her horse now, she would surely die.
Just as the tip of the blade was about to touch her nose, at that critical moment, she felt a tightening around her waist and was lifted from the saddle. She was startled and struggled fiercely, but it was futile; the arms were too strong to budge. She looked up at her owner—it was Kotobuki! He held Nobunaga in one arm and slashed left and right with his katana, felling more than a dozen enemy soldiers in an instant.
"What's wrong, my little darling? Why aren't you staying in my arms?" Xiao Dong gently nibbled on Nobunaga's earlobe.
Nobunaga let out a soft "Eek" and collapsed into Xiao Dong's arms, feeling that this was the safest and warmest place in the world, obediently holding tightly to his waist.
Seeing that Nobunaga was alright, Xiao Dong spurred his warhorse, brandishing his sword and charging back the way he came, like a tiger descending a mountain, automatically parting a path in front of him. After charging for an unknown amount of time, he saw someone charging towards him from the front, and without thinking, Xiao Dong swung his sword to strike.
"Hey, Xiao Dong, don't slash randomly! It's Masahide!"
Xiao Dong hurriedly stopped his sword midway and shouted at Masahide.
"Lord Masahide, let's finish this quickly! I'll protect you, my lord, so you don't need to worry!" "Alright! I'll leave my lord to you!"
The battle lasted until dusk. Of the 6,000 enemy soldiers, only less than 200 remained. Nobunaga's army suffered a total loss of about 1,200 men. Nobunaga won a great victory in this battle!
"Long live! Long live! Long live Prince Nobunaga!"
Cheers echoed throughout every corner of the battlefield. Masahide and his men led the remnants and captured enemy soldiers straight to ōhama Castle. Upon hearing the news of the defenders' defeat, the castle immediately surrendered.
Nobunaga's first battle in his life had come to an end. At this moment, Nobunaga was nestled in the arms of his beloved, savoring the warmth of surviving the ordeal.
(V) A Fateful Encounter
The revelry after the victory made the originally peaceful night noisy and chaotic. The soldiers drank wine wildly, sang and danced loudly, and their hearty laughter resounded throughout the night sky.
On the other side of the military camp, the commander-in-chief of the entire army, the architect of this victory—Nobunaga—was nestled tightly in the arms of his beloved, as docile as a Persian cat.
His long, styled hair had been loosened, the smooth, black strands feeling wonderful to the touch. Shedding his military uniform and donning women's clothing, which he usually only wore at home, he appeared even more alluring. In the lamplight, his charmingly coquettish expression made it hard to believe that this was the same young general who had just been fighting bravely on the battlefield. His snow-white breasts and thighs were glimpsed through the gaps in his half-closed kimono. His cheeks were flushed, and a sweet smile graced his lips.
"Higashi,"
he murmured languidly, calling his beloved's name.
"Mmm,"
his beloved lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.
"Tell me, why are your martial arts skills so amazing? I remember when I first met you, you seemed to know nothing about kung fu. Even when the assassins were closing in, you were only defending yourself on instinct. But later, why did you unleash such fierce sword moves when you were almost exhausted? And today on the battlefield, the sword techniques you used seemed exactly the same as those last time. Tell me the truth." Although it sounded like sweet words between lovers, her words carried a certain authority.
Xiao Dong gently brushed a few strands of hair from her face, gazing at her with deep affection.
In her eyes, besides tenderness, there was also a chilling look.
"It's a long story. When I was little, my family moved to Nara because of my father's work. Next door to us lived an old man with a strange temper. He didn't like to talk to others and didn't get along well with the neighbors. Everyone was afraid to talk to him and just gossiped behind his back about whether he was sick or had mental problems. However, this old man was very interested
in the tea ceremony." He was quite knowledgeable in both calligraphy and swordsmanship, and occasionally people would visit him to ask for his guidance. Back then, I was fearless and often went to his place to play. At first, he would yell at me to leave, and later he would try to scare me with a bamboo sword, but I didn't care.
Eventually, he got so angry that he hit me with the bamboo sword. I gritted my teeth and picked up a branch from the ground to fight him back—it seems ridiculous now. But as you can imagine, how could I possibly beat him?
However, he greatly admired my persistence and perseverance, and he allowed me free access to his house.
His garden had many beautiful and exotic flowers and plants, and I often spent the whole day there. Then one day, I saw him practicing swordsmanship in the garden and found it very interesting, so I begged him to teach me. He couldn't resist... After much pleading, he finally agreed to teach me kendo.
However, I later discovered that his teaching differed from that of other dojos, emphasizing speed and ferocious slashing techniques. I asked him what it was, and he told me it was called Iwado, a style rarely studied anymore.
A few years later, due to my father's job change, the whole family moved again.
When I first met you, I hadn't practiced Iwado for a long time, so I had completely forgotten the moves. During several chases, the moves I had learned before gradually became clear in my mind. The moment you were attacked, I instinctively swung my long sword. I never imagined... that it would be my only weapon to survive in this world.
"So that's how it is."
"Well then, it's my turn now. "
"What for? "
I looked up at him in surprise.
"Tell me, why are you dressed as a man?"
"This..."
A look of great difficulty appeared on my face.
"I always answer questions, you..."
"No. No. Actually, I don't know why, but my father always insisted that I wear men's clothing and behave like a boy, except when I'm with him or at home in the countryside."
She hurriedly explained, afraid that her sweetheart would misunderstand her.
"Alright, then, there's one more thing."
"Go ahead."
"Your swordsmanship is excellent, and you're so brave on the battlefield, but when you were being chased, you didn't show any martial arts skills."
"I'm different from other girls. From a young age, besides learning the skills that other girls need, I also learned swordsmanship, military skills, horseback riding, etc. These were all instructed by my father, and he taught me personally. Although my father didn't come to see me often, he always instructed my nanny to supervise me at all times. However, I don't have much practical combat experience, so when I was being chased, I couldn't even think of using a sword..." As she said this, her already pink cheeks turned even redder.
"..."
Xiao Dong was speechless. Such a thing could not be true.
"But it's strange, on the battlefield, I was terrified. Cowardly, but for some reason, my body felt like it was being controlled by another person. I couldn't stop even if I wanted to." Thinking back to what happened on the battlefield, she still felt a lingering fear.
"That other person... that night, it seemed like it was the same. She threw herself into my arms, but why the next day she... there must be something going on..." The heat emanating from Xiao Dong's naked upper body made her dizzy and unable to control herself. The friction of their skin aroused her inner lust, and she kept grinding her body against him, hoping for satisfaction.
"Young Master..."
"Pah, what young master? From now on, I am your Xin Ji. I belong only to you. Quickly. Quickly. Quickly love me well, I want you to never leave me!"
Xiao Dong was also aroused by the teasing, his lips sliding down Xin Ji's face to her alluring red lips, greedily sucking them.
Nobuhime, unable to contain herself any longer, reached out her small hand, trembling, and removed the last of Xiaodong's clothes.
When Xiaodong removed Nobuhime's only garment, a kimono, a breathtaking sight unfolded before her eyes: snow-white, smooth breasts, soft and lustrous, high and full, with a pair of erect, lifelike brown nipples; a deep cleavage, brimming with desire; a smooth, glossy abdomen; and below, a slightly protruding mound covered in fuzzy hair. The glossy hair revealed her slightly parted labia, exposing her agate-like clitoris, with vaginal fluid constantly overflowing from her opening; her round, plump buttocks, beautiful, bright, and white; her slender waist swaying gently; and her pink arms flailing wildly in the air.
Xiaodong laid Nobuhime flat on the military couch, kissing her from her calves upwards, until Nobuhime blushed and felt a tingling, itchy sensation inside her. Although she wanted to struggle, she was powerless and could only let him play with her.
Xinji grabbed the thick, long penis and pulled it forcefully to her mouth. Xiaodong, understanding her intention, spread his legs wide, bringing them close to her lips, and turned his attention to her vulva.
Xinji took the penis and rubbed it against her face, the pungent, fishy smell filling her nostrils. Without hesitation, she grasped the base of the penis and swallowed it whole. At the same time, Xiaodong parted her labia and extended his tongue, probing like flames, stirring Xinji's body until she was unbearably itchy and her plump, white buttocks writhed.
Xiaodong held Xinji's buttocks tightly, but she struggled uncontrollably, which only fueled his lust. He frantically licked her clitoris, causing Xinji's legs to kick and she to moan softly.
With each lick, Xinji's entire body trembled as if electrocuted; a myriad of sensations emanated from her clitoris, immediately spreading throughout her body—heat, tingling, itching. Waves of indescribable pleasure surged one after another, my heart raced, and my whole body writhed and swayed.
Xinji gripped the penis, closed her mouth tightly, and took it into her mouth, frantically stroking it and sucking with all her might, the hissing sounds filling the air.
Xiaodong, enduring the waves of pleasure emanating from the penis, licked even more vigorously, tightly embracing Xinji's buttocks, and inserting his fingers into her vagina. At this moment, Xinji could no longer endure this torment. She spat out the penis from her mouth, moaning with pleasure:
"Ahhh... Ohh! So itchy. So comfortable!"
Xiaodong turned around and straddled her lower abdomen. Xinji's face was flushed with desire, her beautiful eyes gleaming with lust, her disheveled hair scattered around the pillow, her face glistening with saliva, her jade arms flailing, her high, firm breasts undulating, her beauty breathtaking.
Xiao Dong, disregarding any playfulness, parted her legs, thrust his erect penis inside, and with a "plop," plunged deep into her flesh, causing Nobuhime to tremble violently. Xiao Dong's rapid thrusts and slow in-and-out motions made Nobuhime's core tremble wildly, unbearably itchy, causing her to sway her plump buttocks wildly, her white legs hooking around Xiao Dong's buttocks as if afraid he would leave.
Outside the tent, the sounds of drinking songs filled the air, while inside, the sounds of passion echoed, adding vibrant color to the night.
Early the next morning, the entire army broke camp and prepared to return to Suemori Castle. Nobuhime reappeared before everyone, now appearing as Nobunaga, radiant with the glow of love. The army, fully prepared, marched back to Owari in a grand procession.
Just as the army had traveled less than ten li, a scout reported that suspicious figures had appeared in the deep forest not far to the right, suspected to be enemy spies or ambushers.
"Dong, what do you think?"
Nobuhime turned to Dong beside her and asked.
"Well, we're currently in enemy territory, so we need to be careful. I think I should go and investigate, then report back for a decision." "
This... Then I'll go with you."
"No need. Besides, an army can't be without a commander. It'll be easier for me to hide if I go alone; too many people would be worse." "But it's too dangerous for you to go alone. I'm worried!" "My lord, please allow Dong to go with me. That way, we can look after each other if anything happens." Hirate Masahide rode up to Nobuhime and Dong's side.
"Alright, with Masahide accompanying him, I'm relieved. You two must be very careful!" Nobuhime repeatedly warned Dong not to take any risks. Faced with her tender affection, Dong felt a sweet warmth in his heart, unable to express it in words, only casting a loving glance.
Dong and Masahide urged their horses to the edge of the forest, leaving their horses outside, and walked into the forest on foot. The sounds of arguing occasionally drifted into their ears from the forest, growing clearer as the two ventured deeper.
"You...you, how dare you! I am the head of the Matsudaira family! How dare you plot against me here!" The childish voice indicated the speaker was quite young.
"Hehe, don't blame us, we were just following orders." "But, weren't you supposed to escort me to Lord Imagawa's Sunpu Castle? Why...?" "Hehe, this is Lord Yoshimoto's order. Hehe, if we don't kill you, you'll eventually reclaim Mikawa's territory. If we kill you and frame Oda, then the entire Mikawa province will fall permanently into Lord Yoshimoto's hands. You'd better accept your fate!"
"Ah!"
Hearing this, Koto and Masahide exchanged a glance and appeared before the speaker.
Before them lay a severely wounded child lying in a pool of blood, with two samurai wielding swords in front of him.
"What are you doing?" one of the
samurai asked, glancing at the two who had suddenly appeared while silently observing the movements within the forest.
"Never mind who we are, we can't allow you to kill an innocent child!" Confirming the two had no backup, they revealed their狰狞 (zhengning, meaning ferocious or hideous) faces.
"You came here to your deaths yourselves. I'm sure you heard what we just said. Heh heh, consider yourself unlucky. To keep this a secret, we'll have to silence you!"
Without another word, the two charged at Koto and Masahide with their long swords.
Koto and Masahide drew their swords to meet them. Within two or three rounds, Koto's opponent was felled. On the other side, Masahide and the samurai were locked in a fierce battle.
"Lord Masahide, leave him to me!"
The words were spoken, and Koto blocked the samurai's sword.
"Huh? Who are you?"
"Heh heh, you're unlucky to have met me. Heaven won't let Imagawa Yoshimoto's scheme succeed." "You!!"
"You'd better watch your sword."
In the blink of an eye, Koto swiftly unleashed a mid-section slash from the Iwa-zan, his long sword striking at the opponent's waist from both sides at an extremely unpredictable angle.
The samurai hastily swung his sword to parry, but just as he deflected the first blow, the second slash changed course, cutting diagonally upwards from under his armpit. Unable to parry in time, the samurai's right arm was severed.
The samurai was shocked; he hadn't expected these two who had suddenly appeared to be so powerful. He was no match for them, and staying would only lead to his death. He turned and ran for his life.
Xiao Dong was about to give chase when Zheng Xiu stopped him.
"Never mind, Xiao Dong, saving him is the priority. Look, he's lost too much blood; if he doesn't receive immediate treatment, his life may be in danger!"
Xiao Dong picked up the boy from the pool of blood and, together with Zheng Xiu, hurriedly retreated from the woods, mounted their horses, and quickly returned to the main army camp.
Xin Ji was very puzzled to see Xiao Dong and Zheng Xiu carrying a severely wounded and unconscious child, but she didn't ask any questions. She knew they would tell her what had happened.
Xin Ji quickly ordered the accompanying medic to treat the child urgently, and they finally managed to stop the bleeding. However, due to excessive blood loss, the child's face appeared unusually pale.
"Dong, what exactly happened?"
Princess Xin summoned Xiao Dong into the main tent.
Xiao Dong explained the whole situation to her.
Princess Xin pondered for a moment.
"So, what do you plan to do next?"
"Hehe, I should be asking you that. You are the commander-in-chief of the entire army." Xiao Dong laughed, passing this troublesome question to her.
"You're so cunning! But I think, since Imagawa Yoshimoto is determined to harm him, sending him back now would be like sending a lamb to the slaughter. Besides, Yoshimoto will definitely spread rumors that the Oda clan has kidnapped the Matsudaira clan's hostages. So we might as well go with the flow and simply take him back to Father. On the one hand, we can save his life, and on the other hand, with him in our hands, it will be futile for Imagawa to use the military power of Mikawa Province to attack the Oda clan, because the true master of Mikawa Province is in our hands."
"Hmm, Nobu, you are really amazing! I didn't realize you were so talented in both literature and martial arts, a woman who is just as capable as any man. Your wisdom is like that of Zhuge Liang from the Three Kingdoms period in China."
Xiao Dong sincerely praised Nobuhime's talent. To be honest, the historical records say that Nobunaga was arrogant and domineering, and it was indeed true. The wisdom that Nobuhime showed was indeed superior. No wonder she would rule the world in the future. But thinking that such a powerful figure had been under his crotch last night, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.
"You're making fun of me again."
Nobuhime pouted, looking sullen.
"How could I dare? I'm just telling the truth."
Koto put on a comical, innocent look, making Nobuhime giggle.
"Alright, alright, that's settled then. We need to speed up our march, otherwise things might get complicated, and if we delay, the armies of Imagawa and Mikawa might arrive at the same time, making it difficult for us to escape." "That's right, we need to set off tonight and retreat to Owari immediately; that's the safest place." The army didn't stop in the Mikawa region any further, retreating to Owari at lightning speed.
(VI) The Legendary Illusionist
********** ... By the way, I wonder if something's wrong with the Fengyue Continent again . **********
... "It's nothing, we were just lucky." Nobuhime brushed it off lightly, without a trace of arrogance. Masahide secretly admired her composure. "Uncle." Nobuhime led her horse to Masahide's side and whispered to him. "What is it, young master?" "I want to stay in Suemori Castle for now and take a good look at the territory under my father's jurisdiction. I haven't had a chance to go out and explore since I came back." "How can that be! Young master!" Masahide reined in his horse, looking at Nobuhime with a flustered expression. "It's alright, uncle. Anyway, we've already won the battle, and my father can't say anything. Consider it a reward for me. Besides, it's in our own territory, so you don't need to worry." "But, what about Lord Nobuhime..." "Oh, uncle, it's alright. Don't worry, please, please." Nobuhime's expectant eyes made Masahide feel conflicted. After much deliberation, Masahide softened. "This...this...alright." "Thank you, Uncle!" "However, I'm worried about you being alone. I need to find someone else to protect you." Masahide's expression was very serious, with no possibility of compromise. "Xiao Dong, Xiao Dong will protect me, is this alright?" Nobuhime pointed to Xiao Dong, who was slowly walking towards them not far away. Masahide pondered for a long time. He didn't know Xiao Dong very well, only that he had once saved the young master's life, and nothing else. However, judging from the Battle of Kirahama, he was indeed a brave and resourceful warrior with a promising future. "Alright, but you two must come back quickly, otherwise I can't handle Lord Nobuhide's anger." That night, Nobuhime secretly slipped out of the army with Xiao Dong. Although Xiao Dong was a little confused by Nobuhime's mysterious actions, letting Nobuhime go out alone was too dangerous. The two rode leisurely along the country lanes of Owari, their casual clothes making them look like traveling ronin (masterless samurai) on a journey through the land. Owari was truly a beautiful place, with kind and simple people. They chatted and laughed, admiring the scenery on both sides of the road. Farmers working in the fields would occasionally greet them, as if the war had nothing to do with them, making it all the more enchanting. "Nobu, why did you secretly run away from the military camp?" Nobuhime's previously radiant smile suddenly dimmed. "Uh, if you don't want to say, that's fine. I don't want to force you," Koto quickly retracted his foolish question, realizing his words had touched a raw nerve. " It's alright. Actually, I wanted to pay respects to my deceased mother. My nanny told me that she often went to Atsuta Shrine nearby to pray for my father, so I wanted to go there to see..." Nobuhime's voice grew increasingly choked with emotion, interspersed with sobs. Xiao Dong brought his horse to her side, lifted her onto his steed, and held her tightly in his arms, hoping to offer her some comfort. She was so fragile, so pitiful. Perhaps she shouldn't have been born into this samurai family, much less into this chaotic world. Her trembling shoulders slowly calmed, and she hurriedly tried to break free from Xiao Dong's embrace. "Oh dear, what will people think of this? Two grown men embracing," Nobuhime gave Xiao Dong a coquettish glance, blushing as she sat back on her mount and spurred her horse to gallop away. Xiao Dong awkwardly scratched his head, then spurred his horse to hurry after her. After traveling for a while, they turned into a forest, and Atsuta Shrine gradually came into view. The shrine wasn't very large, nestled halfway up a mountain. Local people would occasionally come here to pray for peace, but the few scattered tourists made it seem rather deserted. The two settled their horses at a small shop at the foot of the mountain and walked up the rugged stone steps to the shrine. In the empty courtyard, only two or three priests were sweeping. They slowly made their way to the main hall, offering sacrifices bought from a small shop at the foot of the mountain. Nobuhime prayed devoutly for her mother in heaven. Although Koto didn't believe in Shinto, he prayed with her, also praying for his parents in another time and space, hoping they would be healthy and not worry about him. "You two aren't locals, are you?" a melodious voice reached their ears. Captivating eyes, alluring red lips, a rosy face, and a fiery figure were all contained within the shrine maiden's attire, though her ample breasts almost spilled out of the front. Even Nobuhime, a woman herself, couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart, let alone Koto, who, having tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, was now experiencing a small tent in his pants, which he awkwardly tried to cover up. Seeing Koto's embarrassment, the shrine maiden couldn't help but smile, a smile so beautiful it could eclipse even the blooming cherry blossoms. Seeing her beloved so distraught in front of her, Nobuhime felt a surge of anger, her face darkening like a still pond. "What does it matter to you whether we're locals or not? Why ask so many questions?" Her words were laced with sarcasm, behaving like a petty jealous lover. The shrine maiden paused, but quickly regained her alluring charm. "Hehe, young master, you don't know, things haven't been peaceful around here lately. Evil spirits often appear at night, so..." Nobuhime wasn't afraid of people, but the mention of ghosts terrified her, and she nervously glanced at Kotobuki. "Hehe, there are no evil spirits in the world. These are just fabrications used by Buddhism to educate the people." "Hehe, is that so? Then I suppose I've been too nosy. You two better watch yourselves." She turned and disappeared into the shadows of the hall, leaving Nobuhime and Kotobuki alone in the empty space. As darkness fell, only Kotobuki and Nobuhime remained in the shrine, besides the priests. Nobuhime trembled as she recalled the shrine maiden's mention of the evil spirits that appeared at night. "Higashi, I think we should stay here for the night before heading down the mountain. I'm scared..." Her voice trembled for some reason. "Hmm, alright, I'll go talk to the head priest here."

Xiao Dong and Xin Ji were arranged in a guest room in the backyard. The priest repeatedly instructed them not to step out of the room no matter what happened that night.
Xin Ji went to sleep early, but Xiao Dong stayed up late. Having grown up and received more than ten years of modern scientific and cultural education, he had seen many ghost movies, but he had never actually seen a real ghost. He was determined to see what a ghost looked like tonight. Watching Xin Ji sleep soundly, Xiao Dong closed his eyes to rest, listening intently to every movement in the courtyard.
Around midnight, a chilling atmosphere gradually filled the air, and the temperature dropped a few degrees.
The air currents seemed to have increased noticeably. A strange howling sound approached from afar.
"They're here!"
Xiao Dong quickly got up, slipped to the sliding gate next to the courtyard, and opened it a crack, taking in everything in the courtyard.
The priests stood in the courtyard in a six-pointed star formation, each holding a ritual implement and chanting incantations, as if facing a formidable enemy.
In the center of the formation stood the alluring witch, her expression unusually solemn. Her hands formed a mudra before her chest, and a faint, holy white light emanated from her, highlighting her otherworldly aura.
A gust of wind swept through, and suddenly five or six "people" appeared in the courtyard. Xiao Dong focused his gaze on the group of "people" and was astonished to discover that they weren't people at all, but rather monsters with somewhat human-like forms.
Leading them was a one-eyed giant, flanked by two three-eyed monks, and behind them were three boar-headed, human-bodied monsters wielding giant axes. With a wave of the giant's hand, the three axe-wielding boar-headed monsters charged towards the magic circle with strange cries.
Despite their bizarre appearance, they possessed immense strength; each strike of their giant axes against the magic circle produced sparks, causing the magic circle to vibrate continuously.
The priests within the formation struggled to hold on, while the priestess opened her slightly closed eyes, her red pupils gleaming with a sharp light.
"Hmph, what's there to see? Just go to sleep."
A deep voice reached Xiao Dong's ears.
"Who?"
Xiao Dong looked around warily. Nobody!
He observed the surroundings again; apart from the sleeping Nobuhime beside him, there was indeed no one. Perhaps he was just imagining things,
Xiao Dong turned his attention back to the battle in the courtyard.
"Summon the Flame Tiger!"
With a crisp shout, a fierce tiger covered in flames pounced on the three pig-headed men.
The pig-headed men howled and swung their axes at the fire tiger, but the fire tiger moved nimbly, burning everything in its path to ashes. Before long, two of the three had fallen, and the third kept crying out for help to the giant watching the battle.
The giant waved his hand again, and the three-eyed monk beside him rushed forward without waiting for orders. Two three-eyed monks, along with the last remaining pig-headed man, firmly trapped the Fire Tiger within their encirclement. The Fire Tiger seemed afraid of something, unable to unleash its previous power, fighting like a cornered beast.
With a deafening roar, the Fire Tiger was shattered.
"Water Gun Serpent Strike!"
A shimmering silver water serpent flew from the priestess's hand, unexpectedly piercing the pig-headed man's throat and biting one of the three-eyed monks.
The giant seemed impatient, mooing strangely as if urging them to finish the fight quickly. The
three-eyed monk removed the prayer beads from his neck, chanting something; the beads, as if possessing a spirit, tightly coiled around the water serpent. The water serpent struggled fiercely, unwilling to submit, but still couldn't escape the beads' restraint. With
a "snap," the water serpent was severed in two. The one-eyed giant, wielding a large sword, finally couldn't hold back any longer and charged forward. The three monsters swiftly pounced on the magic circle once more.
These three monsters possessed extraordinary magical power, especially the cyclops. Not only was its arm strength superhuman, but it also dealt with the priestess's incantations with ease. Fortunately, the two three-eyed monks seemed somewhat wary of the priestess. However, the six priests supporting the magic circle were showing signs of fatigue and appeared to be on the verge of collapse!
Xiao Dong grabbed the long sword beside him, ready to leap out. Unexpectedly, his wrist was suddenly gripped tightly by someone. Turning around, he saw it was Nobuhime. Nobuhime showed no fear this time, remaining calm and composed, her aura completely transformed.
"Don't be so impulsive. It's not the crucial moment yet. Don't rush. Going out now will only lead to your death." "Let me go! If I don't go out, they might all die." "Calm down. You'll die even faster than them if you go out now."
The slender hand gripping Xiao Dong's wrist had now become a solid shackle, impossible to break free from.
"You!"
"Hmm..."
Nobuhime's eyes radiated an unassailable power, and Xiao Dong involuntarily returned to his original position.
"Watch closely."
After saying this, Nobuhime pressed herself against the crack in the door, silently observing the commotion in the courtyard.
At this moment, the scales of victory tipped more heavily in favor of the monsters. The six priests, exhausted, had all collapsed to the ground, leaving only the priestess and three monsters locked in a fierce battle.
Although the priestess was unarmed, the powerful incantations she chanted were truly astonishing, leaving Koto and Nobuhime speechless.
"Wait for the Living Hell!!"
The priestess unleashed a flurry of black flames with both hands, sending suffocating black flames flying towards the three monsters.
The giant wielded his long sword, constantly parrying the oncoming flames. Unfortunately, the two three-eyed monks were outmatched; their magical power was clearly no match for the priestess, and they struggled painfully in the flames, screaming and writhing helplessly. In the blink of an eye, they were burned to ashes.
"Beast! I never expected you to be a bull demon who has cultivated for a thousand years."
The giant's single eye also emitted a cold light, suppressing the raging flames.
"Oh no! This monster seems to have at least five hundred years of cultivation. This time, the priestess might be in trouble!" Nobuhime's exclamation made Xiao Dong's heart tighten inexplicably.
No sooner had she spoken than the bull demon and the priestess clashed palms, exchanging magical power. Two orbs of red and white light shone brightly, waxing and waning, remaining locked in a stalemate for about an hour. Suddenly, the bull demon seemed to weaken slightly and retreated. Seeing an opportunity, the priestess exerted all her strength to once again unleash her supreme divine magic, hoping to kill the beast in one fell swoop.
Two streams of white vapor spewed from the bull demon's mouth and nostrils, respectively. The priestess, unable to dodge in time, was hit squarely, spitting blood and being thrown more than ten meters away, collapsing to the ground. However, the bull demon didn't gain the upper hand either. The priestess's demon-sealing seal struck its chest, temporarily sealing its magic. However, given the excessive consumption of magic power, the effectiveness of the seal was greatly reduced, and it was estimated to automatically unseal itself in half an hour.
Even with his magic sealed, the bull demon's hip strength was still immense. He raised his giant sword, panting heavily, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.
He strode towards the defenseless shrine maiden.
Xiao Dong could no longer bear it; he couldn't stand by and watch this beautiful woman perish. He flung open the sliding door and leaped into the courtyard. Xin Ji, unable to stop him, shook her head and followed, grabbing her sword, Akari.
"Monster! If you want to kill her, kill me first!"
He casually swung his sword in a quick, unrestrained motion. While swordplay often involves simple gestures, usually just a sign of respect or a signal, the quick, unrestrained motion of the iaido slash was itself a killing move. The katana slashed diagonally from the lower left to the upper right.
The bull demon seemed to be encountering such an opponent for the first time, and was somewhat flustered, taking a few steps back and barely managing to parry with its massive blade. Xiao Dong seized the opportunity to unleash thirteen consecutive strikes, attacking the monster's middle and lower body. The bull demon, being large, appeared somewhat clumsy, and with its opponent targeting its weakest point, it couldn't dodge in time, taking blows to its waist and thigh. Seeing blood, it went berserk, frantically swinging its massive blade and lunging at Xiao Dong. No matter how skillfully Xiao Dong used his katana to avoid direct attacks, it paid no heed, fighting with a desperate, all-out effort.
The tide turned, and Xiao Dong found himself at a disadvantage, retreating step by step.
"I can't retreat any further! If I retreat any further, I'll be right where that injured girl collapsed!" Suddenly, drawing strength from somewhere, Xiao Dong felt two powerful forces surge into his hands. He gripped his longsword tightly and unleashed the essence of Iaijutsu—the True Iaijutsu—with tremendous force. Bathed in the bright moonlight, the longsword emitted a sinister yet beautiful gleam, slashing towards the monster's neck like a fleeting glimpse of a beautiful woman. This was only the second time in Xiao Dong's history that he had harbored murderous intent; the first time was to save Xin Ji, and the second time was now… However, at the last moment, Xiao Dong was moved by compassion. The blade slightly deviated three inches, striking the monster's collarbone with a devastating blow. Blood splattered instantly, and the bull demon's mournful cry soared into the sky, echoing across the surrounding wilderness.
However, this strike was not fatal. The bull demon had cultivated for a thousand years, its bones as hard as diamond. When Xiao Dong's longsword cut through the skin and reached the bone, it was actually shattered in two. Driven by excruciating pain, the bull demon fought back even more fiercely, several blows narrowly grazing Xiao Dong's body, just a hair's breadth away from killing him.
A fierce slash descended upon its head, and Xiao Dong leaped backward with all his might. The massive blade cleaved through the earth three feet high, demonstrating its immense power. Before Xiao Dong could even regain his footing, a second blow followed. At his feet lay the dying shrine maiden. If he jumped away, he might survive, but she would surely die. As he hesitated, a desperate cry rang in his ears.
"Go! Don't worry about me!"
It was the heavily wounded shrine maiden, who, barely managing to prop herself up, urged him to leave quickly.
"I absolutely cannot let her die!"
The thought had barely crossed his mind when Xiao Dong selflessly shielded the shrine maiden with his body, hoping to absorb the devastating blow with his own back.
"No…!"
"Fool!"
Two cries came from two different women, but from the same person.
Xin Ji, who had been observing the battle, finally made her move. A crimson sun, carrying a streak of red light, struck the monster. The bull demon seemed terrified of the red light, abruptly withdrawing its wielded sword to parry the descending sun.
With a loud "clang," the greatsword in the bull demon's hand was knocked away by the Crimson Sun, flying away in a ball of flame.
"Secret Technique: Moon-Shattering Strike!"
With a shout, the Crimson Sun, like a falling meteor, clad in fiery red, pierced through the bull demon's body. With a "boom," the bull demon's body was burned to ashes, becoming fertilizer.
"You idiot! How could you use your body to catch a falling greatsword? You're insane!" Shin-hime shouted at the still panting Xiao-dong.
"I can't let such a beautiful girl die in front of me. Haha... cough. cough..." Even at this moment, he didn't forget to make a joke.
"Hey, why don't you get up? What kind of behavior is this, lying on top of another woman!" Shin-hime's pretty face was stern, and Xiao-dong smiled bitterly as he got up.
"Are you alright?"
Helping the heavily injured priestess up, Xiao-dong asked with concern about her injuries.
"No. I'm fine..."
Her voice trembled slightly, and her body was still shaking uncontrollably.
"What's wrong with you? You won't tell me the truth!"
A blush crept onto her pale face.
"I was ambushed by that bull monster. Its breath threw my magic into chaos, causing an excess of demonic energy, so..."
"What should I do?"
"Unless someone with higher magic power helps me exorcise the evil energy, or..." She paused.
"Or what? Tell me quickly!"
"Or a man's blood..."
Before she could finish, Xiao Dong bit his wrist, and blood gushed out like a burst dam.
"Quick! Drink it!"
Xiao Dong pressed his wrist tightly to her lips, urging her.
"Maybe... he is the real man..."
Two crystal tears slid down her cheeks. She silently closed her eyes, feeling the warm, salty, and slightly fishy blood flowing in her mouth.
"Idiot! Humph!"
"I don't know why 'she' would fall in love with this idiot!" Xin Ji stomped her foot angrily and turned to go back to her bedroom.
After the wound scabbed over, Xiao Dong bit it open again, repeating this two or three times. The shrine maiden regained her vibrant life force, but Xiao Dong seemed somewhat weak, only managing to stay upright with unwavering willpower.
"Alright, that's enough. That's enough,"
she said softly, gently pushing away the hand near her mouth.
"How are you feeling now?"
Xiao Dong asked anxiously, still very concerned.
"I'm much better now. With some time to recover, I'll be fully healed." Her slightly shy yet tender voice finally put Xiao Dong at ease. A wave of fatigue washed over him; perhaps due to blood loss, he felt dizzy.
"Are you alright?"
"Hehe, if you're alright, how could I be? Alright, let me take you back to your room." "No need. I think you need more rest now. I can move around on my own now." "Then... alright. What should we do with these priests?"
Xiao Dong pointed to the group of priests lying on the ground.
"Hehe, don't worry about them. They're just exhausted, they're not seriously injured, they'll wake up soon. You should go."
"Okay."
Xiao Dong returned to his room and collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep. He was just too tired... Watching the soundly sleeping Xiao Dong, Xin Ji's heart couldn't calm down for a long time.
"What's so good about this man? He's so reckless. And overestimating himself. Although he did show some talent in the Battle of Kirahama, but... humph, I don't see anything good about this man! 'She' must be blind to have fallen for him, it's a cruel joke played by fate." The next morning, the rooster's crow broke the silence of the morning.
"Ouch, that hurts."
Xiao Dong stretched, his whole body felt like it was falling apart. Last night's experience felt like something out of a fairy tale.
"Really? You slept all night and you're still this tired?"
Xin Ji looked at him in surprise.
"You... You know what happened last night, were you just teasing me?" "What happened last night? Weren't you sleeping the whole time?"
Nobuhime didn't understand what Xiaodong was saying at all.
Xiaodong thought Nobuhime was still angry from last night, so he couldn't help but smile.
This left Nobuhime completely confused.
"You're up."
The door opened, and a priest walked in.
"Yes, that's right."
"Please come to the front for breakfast."
"No, we have to go now."
"Oh, so fast."
"Yes."
The priest didn't say much and hurriedly turned and left.
"How strange! Everyone's acting weird this morning."
Nobuhime's bewildered look made Koto secretly chuckle; she really knew how to act.
The two of them finished getting ready and were about to descend the mountain when they ran into the priestess from yesterday at the shrine's entrance.
Today, she was dressed in a white kimono, dignified and elegant, graceful and poised.
Nobuhime couldn't help but snort coldly upon seeing her.
"What are you doing here?"
Her words were also cold.
She didn't care about Nobuhime's cold words and instead slowly approached Koto.
"I heard you're leaving."
"Yes. Yes."
Under Nobuhime's jealous gaze, Koto felt slightly embarrassed.
"You're leaving, and I have a few words to say to you. You're a very kind person, and I admire your courage and fearlessness, but sometimes your kindness can be your downfall. This is a chaotic world, a cannibalistic world. If you don't kill, you'll be killed. Last night was the best example. I hope you'll reconsider." "Okay." "
Alright, I won't say anything more. You two go. Uh, what's your name?" "Just call me Xiao Dong."
"Xiao Dong..."
"Alright, alright, stop talking and let's go!"
Nobuhime impatiently pulled Xiao Dong down the mountain.
"Dong!~ Please remember, my name is Guoxin!..."
A series of sweet shouts echoed throughout the Seiza Hotten Shrine.
The two remained silent on the way. Xiao Dong was thinking about what Guoxin had said to him before he left. The goal he set for himself when he came to this world was to create unprecedented glory with his own hands. He had been too soft-hearted. To be honest, he had only used Nobuhime as a puppet to realize his ambitions, but for some reason, he always felt a sense of guilt towards her. Perhaps it was her innocence. Or perhaps she had truly fallen for her.
And when facing enemies, she always harbored good intentions, always holding back when she attacked, only incapacitating them rather than taking their lives. But was this truly right? If it weren't for Nobuhime's timely act of drawing her sword and killing the monster last night, perhaps she would have been the one dead.
Meanwhile, Nobuhime secretly sulked. From the moment they arrived at the shrine, her beloved had been captivated by that shrine maiden named Kashin, especially their intimate whispers at their parting, which only fueled her resentment. The two
silently returned to Suemori Castle, where someone was already waiting at the gate.
"Young Master Nobunaga, the lord has gone to Koto Castle. This place has now been bestowed upon Young Master Nobuyuki. Your residence is Konoha Castle. The master said you can go directly there; you don't need to come to the ancient capital for an audience." Upon hearing this, Nobuhime knew it was her stepmother's bad idea. Humph! She was even more furious. Without another word, she spurred her horse and galloped towards Konoha Castle.
Xiao Dong followed closely behind, knowing she was in a bad mood and it was best not to stir up trouble now; it was better to remain silent.
The two arrived at Kono Castle again, and after a short rest, before they could even settle in, an urgent report arrived.
Nobuhime opened it and was greatly surprised. It read: "
The chief retainer of Kiyosu Castle, Sakai Daizen. Sakai Jinsuke. Kawajiri Hidetaka led his troops in a surprise attack on Koto Castle while Nobuhide was engaged in fierce fighting with Viper Saito Dosan in Mino…"

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