Back to the Warring States Period, Chapters 1-3

"Strange~ What is this thing?" He'd been studying it for ages without a clue, muttering to himself, when suddenly, "Bang bang bang~" The knocking on the door was unusually loud in the quiet room. "Fujihara, are you there? Hiding in there studying something again?" A familiar voice interrupted Fujihara's concentration. The knocker was none other than Fujihara's best friend and classmate (Akiyama Kazuki). "Aki~ Stop knocking! You're about to break the door! Wait a minute, I'll tidy up and open it." Putting down what he was holding, Fujihara got up and walked towards the door. Click~ The door opened. "Fujihara, what are you doing hiding in there? Class is about to start, if you don't hurry up, Nakamura-sensei will yell at you!" Akiyama glanced at his watch. "Nothing much, just researching something from an unknown era." "What is so easy to research? It's just an antique. Those inanimate objects don't move. You might as well hurry up and go to the classroom to see the pretty girls." This guy only entered this department for the pretty girls. If it weren't for his girlfriend (Yukimura Suzuko), he wouldn't have chosen archaeology. But what's intriguing is why Yukimura likes archaeology. He believes that apart from his own interest, most women wouldn't choose archaeology, but rather popular majors like home economics or computer science. "Alright, enough of your nonsense, let's go." Akiyama urged me again and then grabbed my hand and rushed towards the classroom. "Slow down! Are you in such a hurry to die?" "Just kidding, there are only 3 minutes left before the bell rings. If you don't hurry up and grab a seat, the good seats will be gone." ...The so-called good seat (the best place to sleep).
Ding ding~~ Ding ding~~ Ding ding~~ Ding ding ding~ The class bell rang. "Stand up~" "Salute!" "Good morning, teacher!" "Hello everyone, I am (Nakamura Tadashi). This class is Archaeology." Nakamura-sensei's usual first words. "Now, please take out your Archaeology and Literature History books." There were 36 students in the class. Akiyama and I hid at the very back on the left. As soon as class started, Akiyama, not noticing there were no pretty girls, asked me to cover for him so he could sleep. "Now, let's talk about the Sengoku period history of our country," Mr. Nakamura began writing on the blackboard with chalk. "The historical figure on the blackboard is (Oda Nobunaga). During the Sengoku period, he defeated an enemy country with the fewest troops. This classic battle is called the (Battle of Okehazama). Even today, people are still studying how (Oda Nobunaga) won. However, today we are not going to study his battle, but his literature." At this moment, a student raised his hand. "Mizuno-kun, do you have a question?" "Mr. Nakamura, according to what you said, during that battle, (Oda Nobunaga) used arquebuses similar to modern firearms. But according to research, it was raining at the time. So how did they use arquebuses?" Arquebuses in the Sengoku period generally could not be used in rainy weather. The reason is simple: the matchlock could not be lit. "Very good question. Please sit down." Mr. Nakamura nodded appreciatively. "That's right~ It was indeed raining at the time, but this (Oda Nobunaga) didn't use cannons but rather a surprise attack. The textbook says that the route he took was (Atsuta Shrine) and then he launched a surprise attack on the enemy from here, so today we're going to study (Atsuta Shrine)." "In the past, shrines would have some items from that time. The thing I'm holding in my hand is the bowl that (Oda Nobunaga) used during his march." As he finished speaking, Mr. Nakamura had a bowl-shaped object in his hand, but it didn't quite look like a bowl anymore; it looked more like a stone.

"Some of you might doubt that this is a bowl, but don't doubt it, it is indeed a bowl. Of course, it will have damaged over time, and the place where it was unearthed is the muddy ground in the backyard of Atsuta Shrine." "Professor Nakamura, how do you know this is from that era?" another student asked. "This is what we learn in archaeology, but it doesn't mean you're becoming antique appraisers." This statement elicited some laughter from the class. "Based on the geographical location and after asking around, we learned that it's similar to an ancient military bowl. As for determining the age, we consulted relevant experts. This document I have here is the appraisal document from that time." Unbeknownst to many, Professor Nakamura produced another document. It seems this item, through special channels at the school, became teaching material. After all, the value of a bowl is not as important as the value of a genuine antique. I only listened for 35 minutes of the 50-minute class before Akiyama secretly pulled me out of the classroom. "Ah~~ the air outside is so fresh!" "Then why are you rushing to class? You're obviously skipping." "Hehe~ of course, it's to catch a glimpse of the school's number one beauty, the school flower (Murakami Yu)." I looked at Akiyama with a puzzled expression, pondering the reliability of his words. Sure enough, as soon as he saw my face, he immediately said, "According to information, Murakami is taking an elective course in archaeology. I'm only attending class to catch a glimpse of her, but I don't know the exact time or which class it is." This guy clearly has a girlfriend, yet he's still acting like a bachelor. Maybe men are just naturally attracted to women. "Fine, I give up. When did you think you'd become a model student?" "Hehe~ bro, stop talking nonsense. I've already skipped class, so I might as well skip the rest of the classes. I should start planning where to go for a stroll." Eating, drinking, whoring, gambling—this guy is proficient in everything, but he fails every single one of his studies. Just as I was lamenting my bad choice of friends, he dragged me off on another wild ride, inevitably to places mostly populated by female students. While I'm not exactly shameless, my skin isn't as thick as this guy's, which is as thick as a rhinoceros hide. After his repeated disruptions of the all-female class, the inevitable outcome for us two unfortunate brothers was that we were caught and disciplined by the instructor.
Time flew by, and the boring campus life was soon over. I naturally returned to my dorm to continue studying the unknown black crystal. Unfortunately, all my attempts at identification were fruitless. It was already 10 PM, and most students were probably asleep by then. But I was a night owl. Putting down the black crystal, I left the dorm. I habitually picked up a cigarette and lit it—something I only did when I was thinking. The strong smell of tobacco helped me think. Hehehe~ There seems to be something in the bushes. Just as my curiosity led me to it, a figure jumped out of the bushes. Wow~ It's a ghost! So dark! "Who's there?" I asked tentatively, facing the unknown shadow. "It's me (female voice)." Strange, that voice sounds so familiar. A woman emerged from the bushes. That figure, that face… God, who else could it be but the school beauty? "Uh…" I was stunned. I didn't know why I'd seen the school beauty at this time and place. "You are~ Fujiwara-kun." "Huh~ how do you know me?" Never answer so stupidly when a beautiful girl recognizes you, but unfortunately, that was the first thing that came to my mind. Suddenly, I noticed that the beautiful girl was also holding a cigarette, just like me. Hehe~ the school beauty smoking has a unique charm. Seeing my gaze, the school beauty clearly noticed. "You haven't seen me smoke before, have you?" Beautiful girls are indeed sensitive. "No, I haven't." "Can you keep it a secret?" I thought for a moment; it's just smoking, so I nodded without thinking. "Thank you." "No, it's nothing to me." "Hehe~ you really think I'm a model student? If someone sees me smoking, it's no small matter." "So what?" "The problem can be big or small, don't you think?" It could indeed be big or small, but I didn't think too much about it. "Everyone has their own secrets. I don't want to know your secret about smoking, but I can keep it for you. As for me, smoking is a habit I use to think things through." Seeing my serious answer, the beautiful woman seemed much more at ease. "Why don't you want to know why I smoke?" she asked curiously. "If you want to tell me, you'll naturally say it. Even if I ask, if you don't want to answer, it's like I've asked for nothing." "Hehe~ You're really interesting~ Okay, I'll tell you." "Thank you for your trust." "Actually, it's because of academic pressure." As she said this, the beautiful woman's face showed a little worry. The faint worry made her look even more pitiful and touching, giving one the urge to hug and comfort her. "I see." After saying this, I took a deep drag of my cigarette and slowly exhaled the white smoke. "I can only say that you can't ask for help with your studies; it all comes down to your own efforts. Even knowing you'll encounter difficulties, as long as you have a clear goal, you'll find a way to understand even the toughest subjects. I won't offer comforting words; I'll only address practical issues. Men can let go of everything to pursue their ideals, but women often have many worries and confusions that confuse them about their goals." Hearing my explanation, the beautiful woman's face gradually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. "So what you're saying is that success depends on human effort?" "Don't you think so?" "No, I think it's absolutely right." "If you think it's right, that's fine, but everyone can talk the talk, but few can walk the walk." Because I'm like that too, I naturally assume that even if I set my sights on a goal, I might give up after a few minutes. "Thank you~ I feel much better after hearing what you said." "You're welcome. When you're overthinking things, it's better to talk to a true friend; it might help. It's late, I should go back to the dorm." Looking at my watch, it was 11:10. If I didn't go to sleep, I'd definitely have dark circles under my eyes tomorrow. Before I knew it, I was sitting with a pretty girl, smoking and chatting for a few minutes, and time had flown by. Time really flies. So I started walking back to the dorm, opened the door, picked up the black crystal, looked at it, and sighed. I still didn't know its age. So I put down the black crystal and moved to the bed. The dorm rooms are all one person per room; this space is my world. Lying in bed, I still wasn't sleepy. *Click*~ Strange, why is my door open at this time? Could it be the drill instructor checking the rooms? I pretended to close my eyes, but I didn't feel a flashlight; it was still pitch black. Usually, there are flashlights during room checks. Who could it be at this hour? Just as I was lost in thought, something soft and fluffy slipped into my blanket. Oh my god~~~~~ Who else could it be but the school beauty? "You~~~" I panicked for a moment. "Shh~~~ I can't sleep, can I lean on your shoulder?" Lie on my ass... If I were a man at this moment, I would have already pinned her down and stripped her naked. "Uh~~ Miss, are you really not afraid I'll do something inappropriate to you while you're lying down?" But her answer made me burst out laughing. "If you also think with your penis, then come on." Just one sentence and she turned me into a gentleman. That's too clever. "Okay, fine, I'll accept my fate and let you lie down. I won't do anything inappropriate." After I finished speaking, she lay down on my left side. It's amazing that I said something like that, even though I had no intention of doing anything inappropriate. But what I was curious about was why she came to sleep with me and offered herself up. I had never encountered such a thing before. Although I was not a virgin, I was definitely not a scoundrel. However, my male symbol was gradually starting to react because of the school beauty's body lying on my side. I didn't expect her to notice. "You still say you're not? You're obviously reacting." She looked at my engorged lower body and said this with a red face.
"Hey, beautiful and generous Miss Murakami, do you know what a man's physiological reaction is? Health education explains it, right? When a man and a woman are in close contact, the man's penis will naturally become erect. It's written in textbooks too, Miss. This is a normal physiological reaction." I emphasized the words "physiological reaction." "So, in that case, don't all men want to do that thing?" Seeing his idiotic answer, what normal man wouldn't want to? "It would be a lie to say I don't want to. I do think about it, but I promised not to mess with you. Although I'm not exactly a gentleman, I don't want to break my promise. Maybe once I adjust my mindset, the normal physiological reaction will disappear, and then it won't be so awkward." She was already itching to strip him naked, but she had to pretend to be a gentleman. This damn girl was pressing down on my shoulder while one leg was rubbing against my left thigh, her beautiful legs rubbing against my inner thigh. My poor little brother was still erect and wouldn't come down for a long time. Just as my rationality was about to crumble, I got up. She was startled and asked, "What are you doing?" Turning back to look at her, I sighed. Beauty was before me, yet I didn't take advantage of her. I really wanted to abandon all pretense of morality and become a beast. "It's nothing~ You can sleep here, the bed is yours." "And what about you?" I was joking; if I lay down again, I might do something. So I said seriously, "If I lay down again, I can't guarantee I won't do something to you. If you want that, I don't mind continuing to lie down and sleep with you." "........." Silence was her response. I looked at her, then got up again and walked to the table, picking up the black crystal. I turned on the table lamp, and the room became somewhat blindingly bright. I squinted at the crystal, wondering what it was. I picked up a brush and brushed the surface, but it didn't reveal anything. Could it just be a crystal? Absolutely not. This thing felt much more complex than that. It was very likely a gem from some era—that was my guess. Time ticked by. I glanced at my watch—good heavens, 12:30 AM! Looking back at the woman on my bed, she lay there peacefully with her eyes closed. "You slut, aren't you afraid I'll rape you?" I thought. So I turned off the lamp and headed to the bed. But instead of getting into bed, I grabbed the blanket from the side. A smart person would know which side I'd sleep on at this hour…the floor. Lying there, I gradually drifted off to sleep. It was already 1:05 AM. Just as I was about to fall asleep, I felt a soft touch on my back, a sensation of skin against skin. Oh my god~~~ The sleeping posture of this beautiful woman on the bed is terrible! She can sleep on the floor, roll off the bed, and even roll behind me, pressing against my back. The most outrageous thing is that her hands are wrapped around my waist... Do I look like a teddy bear? A sense of helplessness gradually rose, and I tried my best to force myself to sleep. But just as I was about to drift off to sleep again, this feeling was strange? At least before, I could feel her clothes, but this time... Holy crap~~ (black lace trim) This isn't a lace bra. Heaven knows when the beauty behind me took off her top. Actually, my room isn't too hot, but it's still a bit stuffy without air conditioning. The beautiful woman probably has air conditioning in her own room, or maybe she's not used to sleeping with her clothes on. A sense of tension gradually rose. Although it wasn't the first time I'd seen a woman completely or partially naked, this kind of stimulation was really... (awesome). This deadly contact immediately made my blood boil again, and my little brother immediately got a tent. To describe it, I can only say that a volcano was about to erupt, but the truly fatal thing was not the contact with her upper body. Instead, when I came up behind her, I only felt that the beautiful woman was wearing no pants, just her underwear. Strange~ When did she lose her pants? Yet I didn't hear her taking off her pants or clothes. If I held back any longer, I really wouldn't be a man. So I turned to face her. I was still a little scared, so I closed my eyes. But when I secretly opened my eyes, I found that the beautiful woman was still fast asleep. So I made a bold move and placed my hand on her breasts. Spring is so beautiful... The school beauty's D-cup is really something else. One hand couldn't hold those magnificent breasts. At first, I didn't dare to rub them, but my hands wanted to rub them more and more. So after two minutes of hesitation, my rationality gave out. I didn't care anymore. I had already touched them, so I rubbed them a bit. So I started to rub the beautiful woman's breasts. The feeling was so fulfilling. The great D-cup greatly satisfied the feeling in my hands. But there was always a slight imperfection in the bra. So I secretly slipped my hand that was rubbing her breasts to her back and carefully unhooked her bra. As I undressed her, I secretly closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. Finding she wasn't awake, I became even bolder and more confident, caressing her breasts. It felt so good! The sensation. Those pink nipples, that smooth, white skin, and those full, plump D-cups in my hands—I couldn't resist any longer. I buried my head in her breasts, greedily licking, kissing, sucking, and even gently biting her nipples. At that moment, I refused to believe she wasn't awake, but seeing her deliberately closed eyes, this damn woman had been awake all along… So I pretended not to notice and continued to play with her breasts with even more unrestrained abandon. Gradually, she began to breathe heavily, "Ah~~" The small breaths didn't escape my ears, so I called out to her, "Xiao You~ would you let me continue? I know you're awake. I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise. If you don't want me to continue, I can leave this room." Sure enough, she opened her eyes. This damn woman had been teasing me from beginning to end, making me hold back until now. If I really wanted to stop now, I think I'd need ten brothers. She only replied, "I don't dislike you." After hearing that, I continued with my work, but this time it wasn't just her breasts; my right hand was already attacking her private parts. Who knew that just a short while inside her panties, it was already overflowing with fluids? It turns out that behind the mask, she had a lewd side. Who says women can't pretend? She clearly wanted to, but she acted like nothing was wrong. But the strange thing is the feeling; once the feeling is right, women are usually at your mercy. Perhaps my performance won her favor, or perhaps I'm handsome; in short, when the feeling is right, a woman is like a fish on your chopping block.
When my fingers entered her panties, she initially only weakly flinched at me, but my right hand quickly found her vulva. Her overflowing vulva was already ready for action without much contact. I couldn't rush to pull down her pants and get to work; I wanted to enjoy every inch of her skin, to savor this beautiful flesh before me. My hands and mouth kept me busy and ecstatic. Our position had changed to her on top, and after kissing her breasts, I began to attack her mouth. Like a snake flicking its tongue, I found her lips, and our tongues intertwined. With each thrust, she felt an unbearable itch, and her vulva became even more overflowing. Finally, she abandoned her reserve and reached down to hold my penis, teasing it from front to back, first touching the tip and then stroking it a couple of times. Although her technique was a bit clumsy, it gave me immense satisfaction, making me even more vigorous in playing with her vulva. Suddenly, she got up and said, "You lie down first." Strangely, why did she tell me to lie down? Although I didn't understand, I did as she said. Then I felt a heat in my lower body, oh~~~~ (so good!), and I realized that her little mouth was sucking on my penis, and she was starting to play with the sensation of her tongue. The temperature in her mouth and the rhythmic movements of her sucking and contracting made me rub her breasts even more. What a thoughtful woman! I usually don't ask girls to give me oral sex, but she took the initiative. After she had been sucking on me for 15 minutes, I was completely satisfied and I had to enter her territory. So I pressed her down, and as my penis entered her secret place, "Oh~~~~ so good~~ Xiaoyou, do you like it?" She nodded shyly in response. I started to slowly thrust, the contact of the flesh walls was even more satisfying than what I could get from her mouth. I thrust 5 times into her secret place, 6 times into her secret place, and finally thrust hard into her G-spot. The feeling of our bodies and souls becoming one made us both cry out in pleasure. "Ah~~~ So comfortable~~~ So beautiful~~~ So good~~~ You~~ You~~~ So good~~~" Xiaoyou started moaning lewdly. "Xiaoyou, I feel so good too~~~ Your~~~ hole~~~ So good~~ You~~~ So beautiful~~~ So good~~~ I can fuck you~~~ It feels so good~~~ I~~ want to fuck you harder, do you like it?" I shouted even more wildly. "Good~~ Good~~ Harder~~ Fuck me~~~ Fuck me to death~~ Fuck me over~~ You~~ You~~ Be~~~ my~~~ boyfriend~~ Come on~~ Fuck me hard." Unconsciously, I had completely conquered this beautiful school beauty. She had fallen in love with my clone and was completely unable to leave this body that made her feel like she was in heaven. "Ah~~ Ah~~ Yes~~ Right there~~ Faster~ Do it~~ Go in a little deeper~ So good~ So good~ Ah~" Watching her desperately grip my legs, squeezing my lower body tightly, as if afraid I would stop moving, at this moment, there was no so-called elegant beauty, only the primal animalistic instinct of human beings. "So good~~ So good~~ I'm almost there~~" "Good brother~~ Don't pull out~~ Let me feel good~~ I want~~ Let you fuck me to death" Although I was very excited, I still completely kept myself from ejaculating. I didn't want to get her pregnant. It wasn't that I didn't love her, but at the moment, I was still a student and there were many things that I couldn't give her satisfaction and responsibility for. After another 60 minutes, I truly enjoyed sex. It was a stimulating and provocative sex. Finally, at the end, I pulled out my penis and ejaculated on her navel. After I ejaculated, she said weakly to me, "Put it in again~ Don't pull it out. I like this feeling of satisfaction." I glanced at her and put my penis back. This time, my penis was not as strong as before, only a thin little matchstick. "Are you satisfied, Yu?" I looked at her tenderly. "Mmm," she answered me contentedly. "You know what? I've liked you for a while now. Remember that time you helped me get rid of those annoying flies? I wasn't grateful then; I even thought you arranged it. But you just told me you didn't need to arrange things like that. You said if you wanted to pursue me, you would go for it. Even if I'm just an ordinary woman, as long as you love me, it doesn't matter. You even said that even if I were the school beauty, it would be better to be an unknown girl. The simple joy of being ordinary is something I've never experienced. I was angry when I heard that because someone said that about me, but later I realized you were right. If I weren't pretty, there wouldn't be so many flies. If I weren't pretty, there wouldn't be so many people who only have designs on me. Unconsciously, you've left a shadow in my heart. I often pay attention to you, but you haven't noticed. However, I've realized you're not approaching me because I'm pretty. Today, I came to you with a testing mindset. If you had made a move on me from the beginning, I wouldn't have resisted, but I would have been disappointed." "Thank goodness... thank goodness... you didn't... sob... sob sob." I was stunned after hearing her string of confessions. It happened a long time ago, and at the time I only thought this girl was arrogant, even a little repulsive. It's not that women are bad, but men spoil them. If everyone is subservient to you, and one day someone suddenly doesn't give you face, anyone would be angry, especially a girl. But I never expected that she had been secretly watching me all along, and unintentionally fell in love with me. And to test my character, she was willing to risk losing her virginity. This kind of girl moved me. Seeing her cry after she finished speaking, I immediately wiped away her tears and said, "You know what? I still didn't keep my promise. I promised not to lay a hand on you, but now... it's making me a little disheartened, and I even feel like I'm a man who only thinks with his penis." She immediately shook her head in denial, replying, "You're not like that~ It's my fault. I tested you first. When I found out you weren't like that, I was so happy, so incredibly happy, so happy that I like you more and more. I know you don't have a girlfriend, and I'm willing to give myself to you because... I... like... you." She finally blushed deeply, deliberately hiding her face from me. Her shy appearance was truly heart-wrenching. At that moment, without holding her tightly, even a thousand words couldn't express the love in my heart, so I held her tightly. And so it went until dawn. The next day, needless to say, the intense battle of the previous night had left us both completely asleep. But this gifted student, who had never skipped class before, skipped class yesterday for me...

Chapter Two: The Black Crystal Mutation
Another day of classes began, and the morning was as dull as ever. However, a shocking event occurred that stunned the entire school: the school beauty (Murakami Yu) arrived at our classroom during the third period, Archaeology class, much to the delight of a bunch of stargazers. But to everyone's surprise, this school beauty insisted on sitting next to me. If looks could kill, I would have died several times over. Her piercing gaze, capable of killing hundreds of elephants, echoed throughout the class. I know Xiaoyou's intention; she just wanted to announce that she's taken, but it didn't have the desired effect. A few self-important handsome guys still swarm around her like flies. Even after learning of my existence from her, they still relentlessly press on, saying things like, "What's so great about him? I'm dozens of times better than him!" "That guy isn't outstanding at all, why did you choose him?" "How could you like someone so ordinary?" "Hey, I know you're shy about throwing yourself into my arms, baby, don't be shy, just throw yourself into my arms!" These kinds of words would often be thrown at me, but our school beauty would always respond with indifference. However, when facing me, she'd beam with joy. Qiu Shan, standing to the side, was practically drooling. He secretly pulled me aside and asked, "Bro~ You've already got Ah Lian, the school beauty! Good thing I have Xue Cun, otherwise I'd definitely be after you!" Hearing these words, I could only...sigh. After all, my girlfriend is a school beauty; what man wouldn't want to be her prince? But out of thousands, no one but me can make this beauty's smile captivating.
Thinking back to that enchanting night, my heart was filled with a surge of spring fever. That alluring body, the epitome of beauty, was now my girlfriend, at my sole disposal. The thought filled me with immense satisfaction. Soon it was afternoon. Since Xiaoyou was only taking one elective course, he couldn't join the afternoon outdoor class. But his reluctant departure drew countless stares. "Class, today's outdoor class is to visit the bowl we saw in the last class (Atsuta Shrine). This temple is nearly a hundred years old and is currently a historical site. Please remember, during your visit, you are not allowed to enter any temple buildings without permission. The school will not be responsible for any damage; you will be responsible for it yourself." Professor Nakamura's instructions before departure were repeated even as we boarded the bus. It's strange, though. I had planned to ask Professor Nakamura about the black crystal I couldn't figure out yesterday. The reason I haven't had a chance is because of Xiaoyou's power as a campus beauty; I've already been subjected to intense interrogation by several people. Every time get out of class ends, male classmates take turns calling me in for questioning, including, of course, big shots from the campus gang. Unfortunately, my answers didn't satisfy them. When I returned to class injured for the first time, Xiaoyou immediately mobilized her family's bodyguards—black-clad bodyguards—to accompany me. Good heavens! It turns out her family is descended from the powerful Murakami Yoshikiyo of the Warring States period (the Murakami clan). Their family business (Murakami Enterprises) is the fourth largest enterprise in H city. No wonder he thought I had ulterior motives for helping her; a daughter of such a wealthy family is bound to be much more wary than the average person.
"Young Master Fujiwara, please get in the car." This bodyguard, named Murakami Ryuji, was sent by Yu to protect me from being beaten up by my classmates. Although he didn't understand why the young lady would send someone to protect a classmate, as a member of the Murakami family for generations, he would never object to his master's orders; his loyalty was unmatched even by modern armies. "I said~~~" "Yes~~ What are your orders, Young Master Fujiwara?" What an impolite bodyguard! "No~~ I meant please don't call me 'Young Master,' I'm just a student." The first thing I did after getting in the car was to hope that this bodyguard wouldn't keep calling me "Young Master" all the time, making others think I was some kind of rich kid, when in reality I was just an ordinary, unknown citizen. "Young Master Fujiwara~ That's a mistake. The person the young lady is protecting must be an important figure. I am just a lowly retainer, I dare not address you by your name." This... this class system is too obvious. If this guy lived in ancient times, he would definitely be an excellent retainer. Persuasion failed... so let him call me whatever he wants. It's just a different name, I don't care too much. The journey was unusually quiet, perhaps because of the presence of this village bodyguard. The car was quieter than usual, without the usual chatter and noise. Sigh... People are afraid of becoming famous, just like pigs are afraid of getting fat. Once I became famous, even the teachers looked at me differently. Before, I'd be called to report to the drill instructor if I slept in class, but now I sleep with one eye open and pretend I didn't notice. This difference in treatment happens faster than turning the pages of a book. Humans... bully the weak and fear the strong. We arrived at our destination quickly (Atsuta Shrine). The first thing that caught my eye after getting off the bus was a dilapidated building. Is this what you call a temple? I'd call it a haunted house more like it. A first-class historical site? What a load of rubbish! Only those old fogies at the national level would list this dilapidated building as a first-class historical site. According to Sengoku history, this is the shrine where Oda Nobunaga won the Battle of Okehazama. "Dear students, I must reiterate, this site is a first-class historical site, equivalent to a modern-day national treasure. Therefore, please remember not to damage the building during your visit. Students found damaging it will be held responsible." This irresponsible attitude of the school has long been ingrained in the minds of every archaeology student. Surprisingly, Akiyama didn't come to bother me, because his girlfriend (Yukimura Suzuko) was attending this outdoor class. This girl's major wasn't archaeology but archaeological literature, a major focusing on ancient writing. Archaeology is a required supplementary subject, so it's not entirely his fault that he regretted choosing archaeology after knowing everything. Everyone else only recognizes archaeology, but his girlfriend, being a weirdo, chose archaeological literature as her major, meaning he only saw her four days a week; the other three days were... dragging me to other girls' classrooms.
Entering the shrine, my first impression was its antiquity, coupled with the dilapidated buildings and piles of dust. Hehe~ The dust of a first-class historical site. Looking at that thick layer of dust on the ceiling, if it were to collapse, I think it could bury a person. "Uh~~ Murakami~ I think this place should be safe for me. Your young lady only instructed you to be safe at school, so I think you don't need to follow me in. My classmates shouldn't attack me inside. I don't think anyone would be willing to take responsibility for the compensation of a first-class historical site." After listening to my explanation, (Murakami Ryuji) thought for a moment and nodded, saying, "Then please be careful, Mr. Fujiwara. I will wait for you here." "Okay~ Thank you, Mr. Murakami." "You're too kind, Mr. Fujiwara. I was just following the young lady's orders." "Even so, I'm still very grateful to you~ Thank you." It's never wrong to be polite. This is a good habit I developed when I was a child. As I entered the historical site, I felt a slight vibration in the black crystal on my body. Strange? What is this feeling? It seems this thing is sensitive to things around here. Hehe~ Could this be a magic gem? I've read similar science fiction novels and almost thought this black crystal was a magic gem. The deeper I went in, the stronger the vibration became. What could be attracting it? I studied it for a long time but couldn't find anything unusual about the crystal. Could it be some kind of sensory stone, with a particularly strong sensitivity to certain things or substances?
"Fujiwara~ Look at this." Following Akiyama's voice, my eyes followed his hand and saw an ancient well. "This well is very old. Look at the stones; they don't seem to be from our town. They look like stones from Osaka." "Hmm~ It really is. It seems that the materials used to build this well were not local. But it's strange that the materials were taken from such a remote location." "Maybe it was renovated later." Just as the two of us were reasoning, a figure appeared behind us. "Gentlemen~ This well was renovated by the first warlord to unify Japan during the Sengoku period (Toyotomi Hideyoshi), so the stones were from Osaka." Before we knew it, an old monk appeared behind us. "Master, who are you?" Akiyama asked questioningly. "Hehe~ I am the current abbot of (Atsuta Shrine), but because the temple is protected as a national first-class historical site, we can only live in a temple built nearby. Now this place has become one of our sources of income." "So this place has long been developed into a tourist spot." Just then, Nakamura-sensei walked over. "Master Zenno~ Hello, these are my two students~ Fujiwara~ Akiyama~ Thank you for opening the temple to us today." "Hehe~ You're too kind~ Without you, our temple's historical sites wouldn't be preserved so well. Alas~ A group of tourists from the previous town came and, not knowing the structure of the ancient sites, caused us to damage a small shrine for worship." The so-called small shrine is the torii gate that you see at the end of the shrine, which resembles the dwelling place of the gods. "Master Zenno, you're too kind~ Why don't you put up a sign?" Nakamura-sensei was very puzzled, as there was no sign for a first-class historical site. "Historical sites~ are relics left by our ancestors. If we add too many modern things, they will lose their historical value. We just want to maintain their original appearance." "I see." While the two of them were chatting about a bunch of trivial things, Akiyama and I had already slipped away, because if we kept listening, we might get a lecture from the two elders.
Having finally escaped the gazes of the teacher and the abbot, we arrived at an open space. It was a rather ordinary place, but in the center stood a large tree. "Phew~ This spot is nice, quite comfortable," Akiyama stretched. "Hmm~" I stretched too. The place was breezy all around, and a feeling of comfort immediately washed over me. "Akiyama~ I want to look around by myself~ Aren't you going to spend time with your girlfriend first?" "Ugh~ Don't even mention it. As soon as I got off the bus today, my girlfriend was taken by her classmates to a temple to study the inscriptions on the stone tablets. It was so boring~~~~" Before he could finish complaining...
I spotted a beautiful woman, and before I could even finish my sentence, he abandoned me. Damn it, he prioritizes women over friends! But this wasn't the first time he'd treated me like this. Looking in the direction he left, he shouted, "Hey classmate~ let me show you the way~ I know this place like the back of my hand!" Although he wasn't bragging, his fly-like reaction to seeing shit made me want to punch him. "Sigh... here we go again." With Akiyama gone, I took out the black crystal I had on me. Strangely, this thing seemed to be alive all day. The frequency of its activity, from entering the shrine to the prefecture and the towns, could almost be counted in minutes. What could make it react so strongly? My curiosity grew, and I couldn't bear not finding out. So, I waved the crystal around like a reconnaissance officer, searching for treasure, wandering aimlessly in the open. After about 20 minutes, I arrived at what looked like a forest passage. I noticed the vibration of the object in my hand was becoming more pronounced, so I entered the forest passage. Heh heh, this atmosphere, this location, this scene—I think "a haven for lovers" would be the most fitting description. There were trees all around, and several secluded spots of grass beneath the trees. Doing something like this would definitely be incredibly pleasurable. These wild thoughts were meant to calm my unease, because the vibration of the black crystal in my hand was now measured in seconds, almost one beat per second. This made me increasingly nervous.
As I walked deeper into the forest, a strange thing happened to a large tree. I saw a white light emanate from the center of the tree, shooting directly at the crystal in my hand, which immediately emitted bursts of white light. Oh no! Could it explode? No way! I don't want to die! I just tasted the exquisite pleasure, and I wanted to experience it again and again. I don't want to die young! God, protect me! But the next second, my mind went blank, because all that remained was white light; all the scenery had vanished. I forced myself to suppress my unease. I tried shouting, "Is anyone there?" Shouting at a ball of white light seemed ridiculous. A faint sound came from all around, "Who's there? Don't scare me!" Just as I was becoming increasingly uneasy and even considering abandoning this thing, an old voice suddenly appeared, "Young man, you possess the teleportation stone. God has chosen you. You don't need to understand why; the gods have chosen you." Are you kidding me? "Who are you? This thing isn't yours, is it? If it is, I'm willing to return it." Just as I was trying to find the source of the voice, I heard a heart-wrenching sound of bones being torn apart. The tearing sensation almost made me faint. Was I doomed this time? Just as I was in despair, something miraculous happened. The excruciating pain gradually transformed into an unbearable itching sensation, like a thousand ants crawling all over my body. Then came a burning sensation, like being engulfed in flames. This inexplicable feeling tormented me repeatedly. When the pain subsided, I noticed the surrounding scenery had changed. The forest was gone, replaced by a lake-like area in the distance. My mouth was incredibly dry after the pain, so I slowly crawled to the water's edge. What I saw shocked me greatly. This...this...is this me? My face and body had almost completely changed. My handsome, delicate face and strong adult body had transformed into the appearance of a 16-year-old boy. What happened? This...thinking this, I fainted.
"Little...you...Little...you..." In my unconscious state, only my girlfriend's voice echoed in my mind, hoping to find some comfort in her. But would she still recognize me? When I awoke, I was indeed in a temple, and an old monk was sitting beside me. "Great...Master...please tell me...where is this?" "You're awake, benefactor." The monk, who had been keeping his eyes closed, slowly opened them. His wise eyes undoubtedly made him appear even more sacred. "This humble monk is boundless~ Benefactor, you have been unconscious for three days." Good heavens~~ Three days! I've been unconscious for three days! I haven't even asked for leave, haven't gone back to my dorm, I'm doomed. "Master~ Where is this?" "Benefactor~ This is Atsuta. You are in Owari Province (Atsuta Shrine)." Owari~~ Owari~ Good heavens, isn't this Atsuta Prefecture? A strong sense of foreboding washed over me, so to confirm my doubts, I asked again, "Master~ What era is it now?" The answer shocked me for a long time: "It is the year Tensho 1560." Tensho... Sengoku... period...

Chapter 3: The Battle of Okehazama .

Initially shocked to be transported back to the Sengoku period, I gradually accepted reality. After all, being able to travel through time and return to the past is a kind of adventure, isn't it? What's done is done; no matter how uneasy I felt, I had to accept reality. If history unfolds correctly, 1560 was precisely the beginning of the Battle of Okehazama. The Warring States period was tumultuous; later commentators say that the Sixth Demon King (Oda Nobunaga) won this battle with a smaller force. Unfortunately, I haven't experienced the so-called turmoil of war. Staring blankly at the basin of water before me, I see a face that is unmistakably that of a 16-year-old boy. The passage of time has long since robbed me of the innocence of my youth at 25. My body has returned to that of a 16-year-old, but my mind remains that of a 25-year-old.

"Master, thank you for saving me." Looking at this sacred and unapproachable master, it's difficult to harbor any evil thoughts. There's a saying that killing a monk will bring divine retribution; perhaps this saying is more fitting for this era of war. If applied to modern society… many monks are just playing with sports cars, beautiful women, and having sex with women. "No need for formalities, benefactor. This humble monk merely noticed a dazzling white light emanating from Lake Atsuta in the backyard, and then found you by the lake. It is all fate." These selfless words, spoken by the monk, did carry a touch of holiness. But… my identity… and my attire… I truly didn't know how to explain that I wasn't from this era, so I could only fabricate a backstory. "I… I lost my parents in the war, and then suffered atrocities at the hands of the enemy, forcing me to flee. Unfortunately… last night I reached (Atsuta Lake) but had no strength left to run." The so-called atrocities referred to the actions of the Sengoku army against the people when they breached the city, including robbery, rape, murder, and torture—these heinous acts were tacitly approved by the army during the Sengoku period. Although my story was full of holes, it naturally had a certain persuasiveness when combined with my innocent 16-year-old face. Sure enough, the old monk stared intently at every word I uttered, as if trying to find some clue, but my performance was undeniably sincere and believable. He didn't immediately see through my lie, and finally spoke slowly, "Poor child, yet another victim of war." The old monk displayed the compassion of an elder caring for a younger person, his kind appearance making my heart ache. Why did I deceive him? But returning to reality, I decided to continue this white lie.

"It seems you have a painful past, benefactor. Poor child, how about this: if you have nowhere to go, this humble monk can offer you temporary shelter." The old monk spoke these words slowly, his eyes clear and unwavering, without the slightest hesitation. I deeply admired the old monk's compassion. If it were me, I probably wouldn't so easily take in someone of unknown origin, after all, the human heart is the most terrifying thing in this world. "It's getting late, young benefactor. You should rest early and join us monks for morning prayers tomorrow."...Oh my god! Old monk, you wouldn't be thinking of turning me into a novice monk, would you...? "Okay, thank you, Master. I thank you in return." The verbal response didn't mask the unease in my heart... Could I really become a novice monk? I silently grieved... Just kidding, I haven't even experienced the beauty of this world yet, and now I'm supposed to be completely detached from worldly affairs? I bet my brother will protest!

The next day... unexpectedly, there were only six monks in the temple, including Master Wuliang and myself. The other four monks were 21...17...16...14, according to my estimation, but I didn't actually know their ages. However, hearing their Dharma names... almost made me burst out laughing: "Incompetent," "Shameless," "Powerless," "Utterly Killing" (my own addition). As they chanted their morning prayers, all I could say was... sleepiness hadn't left me. That feeling of sitting there chanting was really giving me a headache. Within minutes, I was already fast asleep again, and then a sharp pain shot through my head... I'd been knocked out by the old monk... speechless! Old monk, you're the master, and I'm just a nobody. Helplessly, I'm stuck doing this boring morning prayer with you; it's making me want to drift off to sleep again. After finally finishing my arduous journey, I glanced at my watch (this has become my only memento in this day and age). The shirt and black jeans I wore yesterday looked tattered, like something a beggar would wear on the street. Perhaps it was from that transformation I went through. Anyway, my clothes now resembled those of the youngest little monk I ever was—clean robes that still exuded a monk's aura, and even the ordinary fabric was comfortable. At 10:05, a boy appeared outside. "Master~ I'm here again! The fruit is very fresh today!" He was about 12 years old. Besides his tattered clothes and dark skin, what was peculiar was that this boy didn't have the frailty of a poor person; instead, he was full of energy. "Hehe~ Where did Hijiki go to steal fruit from the monkeys today?" The old monk wore a compassionate face. "What stealing? Master~ These are the fruits those monkeys lost to me. You don't know that no monkey can beat me!"... So he's become the Monkey King... Pfft, this kid is really proud of himself. "Hiyoshi~ You're still as sunny and energetic as ever. It seems calling you the Son of the Sun is truly fitting." "Hehe~ Master, you flatter me~ My mother only ever makes me help with the plowing, saying that in times of war, children who don't work won't eat. I don't want to farm all day." He put down the fruit as he spoke. "Oh~ Well~ Hiyoshi, you're a farmer's child, so of course you'd lose your farmer's duty if you didn't work." "Hmph~ Who says farmers have to work? I like samurai~ I want to be a samurai someday." The lowest class of people in the Warring States period were: ronin, farmers, merchants, samurai, nobles, and royalty. In terms of class, farmers and merchants were roughly equal in status, but samurai enjoyed extremely high status.

The strength of a nation wasn't determined by its ethnic class, but by the labor of its people. Even with a thousand troops, without sufficient food, one could only become a bandit or a beggar. Farming—a very important profession—was like a chamber pot, used only when needed, and generally lived at the lowest level of society. "...Hiyoshi~ Samurai are destined for life from birth. Unless their ancestors were all samurai, a farmer will only ever be an ordinary soldier." The old monk earnestly advised Hiyoshi, hoping he would resign himself to his fate and help his mother with the farm work. Hiyoshi's mother had secretly asked the master to guide her son, who dreamt of becoming a samurai all the time. "Master~ What you can't see isn't necessarily unattainable~ What you can't obtain isn't necessarily impossible~ Perhaps my goal is distant, but I believe I am a child of the sun." Hearing this, I was somewhat shocked. This boy was only a few years old, yet his mind was so clear. It was hard to imagine he was just a boy. The first part sounded very ambitious and idealistic, but the last part... I won't comment. However, seeing his confident demeanor, I didn't want to disappoint him, so I spoke up, "Hello, young Hiyoshi." As I spoke, the young Hiyoshi noticed my presence and looked me over curiously. "Eh~ Master, why does this little monk still have hair?" Curious, Hiyoshi even ran over to my side and touched my hair...you brat... "Hiyoshi~ Don't be rude~ This young benefactor isn't a monk, just temporarily staying here..." The old monk finished speaking and realized he didn't know how to address me. Seeing this, I immediately spoke up, "I am Fujiwara." Shang expressed his gratitude briefly, then turned to continue lecturing Hiyoshi... Of course, I had no interest in listening to the old monk's sermons... So, "Little brother Hiyoshi~ I heard you beat the monkeys~ Take me to see where those monkeys are, let me see them!" Hiyoshi, who must be dragged around for sermons every day, excitedly grabbed my hand and shouted, "Okay~ Brother Fujiwara~ I'll take you right away~ Old monk~ I don't want to listen to your lectures anymore!" He ran away at a speed that could be described as an escape... It seems that this kind of lecturing is a daily occurrence for this young Hiyoshi...

"Hahaha~~ Hahaha~~ Brother Fujiwara~ You didn't even see the old monk's green face!" Hiyoshi laughed happily, playfully rubbing the ground. "Little brother Hiyoshi~ Actually, I'm also one of the victims who suffered greatly." After saying that, they both sighed at the same time. Alas, the term "going with the flow" really describes us perfectly. And so, my first friend in the Warring States period, little brother Hiyoshi, was formed in this atmosphere. Perhaps we were both just teenagers, and both equally mischievous... When I was little, I was... quite naughty. Little did I know that this Hiyoshi would one day unify the country (Toyotomi Hideyoshi). But of course, I couldn't know that now, after all, we were still just little brats. As time passed, I unknowingly spent a month in the temple, according to real-world time. The famous Battle of Okehazama actually took place around May of 1560, when the weather was around the autumnal equinox. Just as autumn was approaching, I was preparing some things for winter with the monks at the temple. However, here I witnessed a moment in history. The sound of horses' hooves was unusually loud in the quiet night. "Men! Dismount! Prepare food! How can we fight without food? Men, get to work!" A heavily armored warrior rode a fine horse across the open space outside the temple, gesturing to his men. "Report!" came a rapid hoofbeat. "Report! Report! My lord! The enemy! The enemy has destroyed the (Nezu Fortress) garrison commander (Sakuma Katsushige)! Unfortunately! Unfortunately! He has been killed in action!" The man, clearly badly wounded, rushed to report the battle. The retainers nearby were all astonished. "This! My lord! Please move to (Washizu Fortress)! We swear to cover the rear!" one of the middle-aged military retainers immediately advised. However, the lord remained unmoved. "Issue the order!" he shouted, and a knight immediately ran to his side. "Send word to Washizu Fortress that I am about to send 5,000 reinforcements and ask them to hold out for a moment." The "moment" meant one hour. "Men, follow me into the temple." The monks in the temple, including myself, had already been awakened by the sound of hooves. Master Muryo immediately spoke upon seeing the newcomers, "My lord, our temple is only for us. In this time of war, we beg you to spare these unrelated people." His sharp eyes sent chills down one's spine, and his piercing gaze made one tremble with fear. Even Master Muryo couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat under such sharp eyes. Then the newcomer suddenly said, "Master, you misunderstand. The battle report just now was extremely unfavorable to us. We came to the temple to pray for victory." "No wonder. In that case, this old monk will also perform a ritual to wish my lord a successful campaign." After saying this, he ordered three young monks, Wuli, Wuchi, and Wusha, to take ritual implements and other ritual items. The ritual began naturally in less than a quarter of an hour, but the warrior sat quietly with his eyes closed at the foot of the execution ground.

A moment passed; in real-world time, it should be around 3:37 AM. "Report! Urgent report!" A hurried voice immediately broke the final prayer of the ritual. "Report! Report! Lord! Lord! The enemy's Mikawa vanguard—the Matsudaira clan—Motoyasu, leading 12,000 Imagawa vanguard troops, has launched a fierce attack on Washizu Fortress. Friendly forces have suffered heavy losses and are urgently requesting reinforcements! Enemy generals and samurai—(Tsunabe Suruga-no-kami Masatsuna) and (Tsunabe Oribe Masamoto-no-nobu)—along with Mikawa and Imagawa generals, totaling 25 people..." Intelligence often arrives... The outcome of a war hinges on the intelligence network this general possesses. After hearing this chilling report, the general remained unmoved, sitting quietly in the execution ground. Suddenly, he slowly opened his eyes. "You over there~" I was genuinely startled because his finger was pointing at me. "Uh... sir..." Faced with his sharp gaze, I could only stammer. "Don't be afraid, little one. I just want to ask how familiar you are with the roads around here." His sharp gaze softened, easing my pressure considerably, but I was already drenched in sweat. So I replied, "My lord, my familiarity with the roads around here is only so-so." Hearing my answer, the samurai silently gazed at the execution ground ahead. Two minutes later, he asked again, "Then what roads do you know?" "Uh...my lord...as far as I know, there are two roads here. One leads to the first fortified outpost on the border of Owari Province (Washizu), and the other leads to the border of Owari Province (Nezu)." Hearing my answer, the samurai's expression didn't change much; he continued to silently gaze at the execution ground. I, of course, understood the samurai's thoughts. From an outsider's perspective, both roads were essentially suppressed by the enemy army; a breakout would only result in total annihilation. Therefore, based on the current situation, the only option was to locate the enemy general and launch a surprise attack. Unfortunately, the intelligence didn't yet pinpoint the enemy general's location, and moreover, no one knew the surrounding geography. Time began to slip away again, and a growing tension enveloped everyone present.

"Report!" Half an hour later, another battle report arrived: "My lord! The enemy has captured Washizu Fortress! The defender has committed suicide!" It was another tense battle report. Upon hearing this, the samurai beside the lord turned pale. One samurai even rushed forward desperately, "My lord! My lord! Please retreat to Owari (Kiyosu Castle)! We are willing to die to protect you and help you break through the siege!" "My lord! Please retreat!" With this cry, almost every samurai present knelt down and begged the lord to retreat. Seeing his subordinates so impatient, the lord's expression grew increasingly hostile. He looked as if he might draw his sword and kill his retainers at any moment. The actual time was 4:10 AM. Finally, at this moment, the composed samurai drew his sword (Hase Munechika) and forcefully chopped off the corner of the table. "You all~ are trying to persuade me to retreat~ so let this table stand~ the outcome is not yet clear~ the fallen generals have not yet been claimed~ to retreat now and become a laughing stock for the world~ I~~ (Oda Kazusa no Nobunaga)~ would rather die on the battlefield than be a coward." Just as I had guessed, this samurai was the legendary Sengoku warlord (Oda Nobunaga). From the moment he entered the temple, I felt his imposing presence. As dawn approached—it was 5:10 AM in real life—a figure suddenly appeared beside Nobunaga. Without turning his head, Nobunaga said, "Masatuna, where is the enemy's commander-in-chief?" The highly skilled ninja (Yanagi no Masatuna) was startled. He considered himself a master, but his lord knew of his presence without even turning his head. In the ninja world, skillful concealment was a source of pride. He wasn't upset, though; if Nobunaga hadn't been so skilled, he wouldn't have willingly served him. "Reporting to my lord, the enemy's commander-in-chief (Imagawa Yoshimoto) is currently encamped at (Okehazama)." Upon hearing this, Nobunaga's face gradually brightened. Knowing the enemy commander-in-chief was equivalent to knowing the enemy's leader. Everyone knew the principle of capturing the leader first, so Sengoku generals generally wouldn't reveal their headquarters' location. "How many troops are stationed here?" "Reporting to you, my lord, according to our reconnaissance at the time, there are currently 7,000 troops stationed here, including generals and samurai such as Asahina Tōtōmi no Yasunori and Asahina no Shinobu." "Is the information accurate?" "My lord, please rest assured, this information comes from local residents offering sacrifices and praying for the safety of their families." In the Sengoku period, weak powerful clans would offer sacrifices or gifts to submit to powerful states. These sacrifices came in many forms, even including women, precious swords, gold, and common currency (copper coins), etc. The gifts were varied and numerous. "Good! This achievement is equivalent to capturing more than a hundred enemy generals," Nobunaga praised. Suddenly, he turned to look at me and asked, "Young man, do you know anyone nearby who is more familiar with the terrain than you?" "My lord, I have a friend named Hiyoshi who is a good friend of mine. He is more familiar with the terrain than I am." Hearing this important news, Nobunaga was obviously excited and immediately asked, "Where is your friend now?" "My lord, my friend Hiyoshi is in the border of Owari Province (Nagoya)." Upon hearing this, Nobunaga immediately shouted, "Send word! Two men!" The messenger knights who knew his call immediately knelt down in front of him. "Little friend, I'm sending these two men to take you to your friend. I hope you'll bring him here immediately." And so, I rode ahead of a knight, galloping towards Owari (Nagono). Along the way, many defeated deserters were running amok. The most obvious were soldiers with Oda clan flags on their backs, being chased by soldiers with Imagawa clan flags. These soldiers weren't in a hurry to kill them; they let them run until someone couldn't run anymore, then stabbed them in the back. Several houses echoed with women's screams, and fields were burned everywhere. The entire 10-mile stretch from Atsuta Shrine to Washizu Fortress had been ravaged by war; the merciless war had destroyed countless homes. My heart was filled with many emotions.

Just as we were approaching the border of Owari (Nagono), suddenly many Mikawa flags appeared ahead, completely surrounding Nagono. It seemed the battle had extended here… Thinking of this, I began to worry about the civilians, especially Hiyoshi. He was my first friend in this era, and I didn't want to see him get hurt, so I immediately told the two messengers, "Samurai brothers, there are enemies ahead! Let's put the horses in a hidden place." "Kid, your suggestion is good, but if we lose the horses and the enemy finds us, it will be too late to run." What an idiot samurai! In this situation, of course we have to use a feigned attack. There are a lot of corpses on the road; finding the armor of three Imagawa soldiers shouldn't be difficult, especially since soldiers all look pretty much the same. Unless someone is really observant, it should be hard for them to recognize our movements. "Samurai brothers, there's a small group over there." At this moment, the two samurai cleverly hid in the roadside bushes. Holding my breath, I silently watched their movements. Just then, I realized something was wrong because the enemy soldiers would often stick two or three shots into the bushes to make sure no one was hiding there. "Samurai brothers, wait! You two, don't come out!" The two samurai nodded, but they didn't know why I told them not to come out. As the soldiers' search drew near to our hiding place, I stood up and stepped out. "Who's there?" they asked warily. "Uh...Samurai sir...please don't kill me...I'm just a lowly commoner," a captain stepped forward from among the soldiers. "Kid, wandering around here, don't you want to live?" "Samurai sir, sir...your skills are unparalleled! I'm just a traveling ascetic monk, intending to find a place to rest at the temples of Owari." While most monks were laymen, during the Sengoku period, there was a type of monk called ascetic monks, or penitent monks. Among them were monks like myself, who practiced asceticism while still keeping their hair, but were also the most vulnerable to being killed by samurai from various states as spies. "Captain~ Could this kid be a spy?" a sneaky-looking soldier asked. "Idiot~ Do you think a spy is a child?" The captain was clearly in a bad mood. "Listen up, kid~ I'm in a good mood~ Owari is facing war right now. If you're smart, kowtow a few times~ If we're in a good mood, we'll let you go." These low-ranking soldiers didn't seem like good people either; they looked like cowards who bullied the weak. Without thinking, I immediately kowtowed, "Samurai sir~ This martial arts master is blind to have stumbled upon you~ I'm so sorry." "Hahaha~~ Captain, this kid is interesting." The soldiers were clearly pleased with my actions.

"Haha~~ Little brat, you know your stuff, I'm in a good mood~ Go on your way~ Remember not to run around like that next time~ Lots of people die inexplicably these days," the captain said, then punched me in the face. ...Damn it... Don't ever fall into my hands again. At that moment, two messenger samurai came out. "Kid, your behavior is a disgrace to men," the other said. "Don't do such shameless things again, like a samurai valuing honor more than his own life. I'd rather fight them to the death than beg for mercy."...They wanted me to instill my values in them... I thought, forget it. In my mind, once someone dies, there's no chance for revenge. If you suffer humiliation, you can always get your revenge someday. But if you die, you lose even the chance for revenge, so I could only remain silent. After remounting, we arrived at a house. There were signs of a struggle. An Imagawa soldier had plunged a samurai sword into the body of an Oda soldier, but his head was missing. He probably killed the Oda soldier, but other Oda soldiers took the opportunity to cut off his head. After searching for a while, I finally found three Imagawa soldiers of similar size to the three of us. Out of modern respect for the dead, I silently bowed a few times to one of the soldiers, who was similar in build to me, and began stripping him of his armor. Looking at the naked corpse, I felt uneasy, so I used the remaining strips of cloth to wrap around his vital parts. Wearing these soldiers' armor instantly satisfied my desire to wear samurai armor. Touching the thin armor on my chest and hearing the clanging of the metal plates—the kind of sound you only experience in video games—it all came alive before my eyes. After about a minute of this ecstasy, I turned to the two messenger samurai and said, "Brothers, now we can only walk to (Nagoya)." "I say, kid, your method is good, but if friendly forces encounter us, they'll just draw their swords and attack," the other said. "That's right, it's easy to die by our own side this way..." I didn't have time to think about it. Thinking about all this, all I could think about was Hiyoshi's safety, and I felt I had to sneak in (Nagono) as quickly as possible. "Samurai brother, there's no time to think about these details right now. We just need to find a way to get into (Nagono)." The two samurai thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, kid, you're right. Let's go. If we really run into friendly forces, we can only try to explain." Another said, "If we really have to fight each other with swords drawn, I don't think that would feel good." "Well, there's no other way. We still have to carry out our lord's orders. If we accidentally hurt our own people afterward, we can only let our lord punish us." So we slowly moved towards (Nagono).

Somewhere in (Nagono), Hiyoshi was hiding in a house with his mother. "Mother, will (Nagono) be captured?" Hiyoshi's anxious face was the same as everyone else's. Hiyoshi's mother nodded apologetically to those around her, because saying such things at this time would not only make everyone more uneasy but also lower morale. With the siege battles turning into defensive sieges, these battles became a contest of endurance and sustenance; whoever had enough food had a greater chance of winning. During battles, civilians would typically seek refuge in settlements near the city. However, the civilians had to provide food to the soldiers. The able-bodied farmers naturally became soldiers, while women and children performed logistical work in the settlements. Women cooked for the soldiers at the front, and children filled their water jugs. "Don't talk nonsense, little one~ (Nagono) has Lord (Hayashi Sado-no-kami Michikatsu) stationed here, and Oda's greatest warrior (Shibata Gonrokuchi-ie) is here too, so don't worry about those problems," Hiyoshi listened to his mother's narration, and gradually, his young heart yearned even more to be a samurai, so he could protect everyone's safety.

As we walked, we gradually drew closer to the castle. We were surrounded by soldiers bearing the banners of Mikawa and some Imagawa soldiers. The siege was underway at 6:06 AM, nearly dawn. Many houses near the castle were occupied by Imagawa and Mikawa soldiers, including some civilians who hadn't managed to escape and were being held captive. Not far from the army of the Imagawa general (Tsunabe Suruga no Kami Masatsuna), we heard the cries of women, many of them ordinary civilians. Following the sound, we witnessed the atrocities committed by some Imagawa soldiers. "Heh heh~ This Owari woman's slutty appearance is giving me a real thrill," an Imagawa soldier, spewing vulgarities, walked out of a house. Inside, a group sex act was taking place. We, hiding in a corner, watched with rage. These Imagawa soldiers, in their eagerness to fight, were raping Owari farm girls in front of the enemy. But what followed made me draw my sword and kill a soldier. I saw a familiar face—Hiyoshi's sister. Shocked... The sounds of fighting naturally attracted many soldiers. Knowing our whereabouts had been exposed, I immediately grabbed my 18-year-old sister (Akiku) and ran. The commotion behind us grew louder and louder, with soldiers shouting, "Spies! Brothers, spies!" The call was met with immediate response, and many soldiers drew their swords and gave chase. The two samurai were clearly very skilled; none of the soldiers surrounding them could harm them. The swordplay was so tight and powerful, they seemed invincible. Unfortunately, the commotion didn't subside. More and more soldiers emerged from the civilian defenses, wielding broadswords and spears, and approached us. We fought and retreated to the gates of Nagoya Castle. Seeing the ever-increasing number of soldiers, I was almost in despair. But the two messenger samurai's faces grew even more resolute, protecting me and (Akiku) with the samurai's spirit of protection. As the fighting continued, wounds began to appear on the two messenger samurai's bodies. Even the strongest person's strength eventually runs out. At that moment, the castle gate opened, and a mounted samurai appeared. He shouted, "The First Samurai of Oda (Shibata Gonrokuchi) apologizes!" Following his shout, the soldiers behind him roared, "Oda First Army, Shibata Assault Team! Kill!" The Imagawa soldiers' faces paled. A quick-thinking soldier immediately ordered his comrades to alert their allies. Facing two hundred Imagawa soldiers, the Shibata Assault Team was a killing machine. A knight wielding a fiery red tassel spear pierced through an Imagawa soldier, then plunged into a second. The battle lasted two minutes. The battle quickly turned into a one-sided rout. The demoralized Imagawa soldiers began to flee. At that moment, the battle horns sounded, and a shout no less powerful than Shibata's rang out: "The Mikawa samurai (Okubo Tadayo) have been rude!" From the other side of the castle gate came the shout of the enemy commander, and the soldiers behind him echoed the battle cry: "Matsudaira Fourth Army, Okubo Unit, charge! Kill!" This force of approximately five hundred Mikawa samurai was entirely armed with long spears. Long spearmen would certainly be at a disadvantage against cavalry, but if both sides were enraged... The battle was evenly matched, with the outcome uncertain. In close combat, the once-invincible Shibata assault team began to suffer losses. Many Mikawa soldiers braced their lances against the muddy ground in front of them, ensuring that any cavalry charge would inevitably collide with these lances. Some riders, propelled by the force of the charge, were even impaled along with their horses. Seeing his men constantly being worn down, Shibata's team gradually began to falter. "Bang! Bang! Bang!" came the sound of cannons firing from the defenders. "(Hayashi Sado no Kami Michikatsu) Excuse me," came the voice of his arquebusier. With a flick of his fan, he commanded, "Oda arquebusiers, fire!" Immediately, gunfire erupted, and many Mikawa and Imagawa soldiers were hit. "Damn it! Archers, fire! Shoot down those with guns!" (Okubo Tadayo) immediately dispatched his hundred archers to fire upon the castle. In just five minutes of close combat, the strength of both armies was revealed. The retreat horn sounded, and the Oda soldiers began to withdraw into the castle. The fierce general (Shibata Gonrokuchi) also abandoned his pursuit, cutting down several Mikawa soldiers as he retreated. Meanwhile, the Mikawa and Imagawa samurai, wary of the enemy's arquebusiers, were unable to pursue them deep into enemy territory.

Just as Shibata Gonrokuchi's army broke out of the castle, the four of us were rescued. However, because we were wearing Imagawa soldiers' armor and carrying Imagawa flags, we were only captured by Shibata's army. Once the last Oda soldier retreated back to the castle, the gates of Nagoya were closed again. "Hahaha~ This is just a warm-up for the battle. Give it your all in the big battle to come!" Shibata's voice once again echoed with the excitement of battle, and his men's morale soared along with their commander's bravery. Just as the Shibata army erupted in resounding cheers, a junior officer ran down to his knees, reporting, "Reporting... Reporting to Lord Shibata... We captured 50 enemy soldiers and 5 captains in this battle!" Hearing this less-than-stellar result, Shibata was clearly dissatisfied and turned to inquire, "What are our losses?" The junior officer immediately reported, "Reporting to my lord... We lost over 20 cavalrymen and 23 infantrymen were wounded." Shibata's face gradually darkened with anger. He had lost over 20 of his own cavalrymen, all his personal guards, directly under his command. Every single one of them was a pure-blooded Owari samurai. Looking at the corpses of the cavalrymen being disposed of after the battle, even the mighty general Shibata felt a pang of sadness. "Hmm... their families, send a few people to report this, and at the same time, collect the allowance from Lord (Hayashi-Sado-no-kami Michikatsu)." Suddenly, the imposing Shibata spotted us among the prisoners of war. "Eh~ isn't this... Inuchiyo~ Manchiyo~ you bastard~ someone untie her!" It turned out to be two messenger samurai, (Niwa Manchiyo Nagahide) and (Maeda Inuchiyo Toshiie). After untying her, Shibata immediately grabbed Inuchiyo. "Inuchiyo~ aren't you a personal guard serving our lord? Why are you in the enemy camp?" "Lord Shibata~ Your subordinate~ Your subordinate came to (Nagono) on our lord's orders to find someone." "What~ our lord~~ isn't our lord in Owari (Kiyosu Castle)?" Shibata was clearly shocked that his lord, Nobunaga, was not in the castle. "My lord... my lord led his men to (Atsuta Shrine) last night." "This... this..." Shibata was even more alarmed. The battle had now entered the defensive phase, yet his lord was surrounded by enemy forces. If the information leaked, his lord's life would be in grave danger. "My lord... my lord is really... reckless... Someone... are all those bastards dead? Someone, come quick!" Shibata, who was known for his fiery temper, had clearly lost his composure upon hearing the news.

(Nagono) Honmaru is the residence of the garrison commander. This council hall currently houses the garrison commander (Hayashi Sado-no-kami Michikatsu) and many important retainers. "Lord Shibata, what's going on? You said the lord isn't here (Kiyosu Castle)." Hayashi's eyes gleamed with the wisdom of a sage. "Lord Hayashi, according to the lord's guards, the lord is indeed not here (Kiyosu Castle). Please, sir, send troops to support the lord." Hayashi turned to (Maeda Inuchiyo Toshiie) and (Niwa Manchiyo Nagahide) and inquired, "The lord ordered you here only to find a...child." "Replying to..." "As a subordinate, I dare not disobey my lord's orders." (Hayashi Sado no Kami Michikatsu) listened to this and was clearly thinking. Seeing his eyes grow increasingly intense, he asked, "Then where is my lord now?" (Niwa Manchiyo Nagahide) immediately replied, "Reporting to you, my lord, my lord is currently at (Atsuta Shrine)." "Wh-what...this..." (Hayashi Sado no Kami Michikatsu) was clearly surprised by the answer and stood up from his chair. He knew that his lord was trapped in the enemy's camp, and if he rested and the information was leaked, his lord's safety would be threatened. He tapped his head lightly with his military fan from time to time, looking thoughtful. Two minutes later, the wise man slowly inquired, "My lord, you sent you here to find a child... what is your purpose..." Hayashi was clearly talking to himself. He couldn't fathom Nobunaga's eccentric ways, nor could he comprehend his unpredictable nature. In the succession battle, Hayashi (Hayashi Sado-no-kami Michikatsu) and Shibata Gonrokuchi-ie had originally supported Nobunaga's younger brother (Oda Nobuyuki) to succeed as head of the clan, but they were defeated by Nobunaga's elite troops. He secretly admired when Nobunaga had cultivated such skilled samurai, and was even more astonished that he hadn't received any intelligence about Nobunaga's army. The two men, who had originally intended to commit suicide, were persuaded by Nobunaga. "A samurai is meant to die on the battlefield, leaving his life to fight for me," were Nobunaga's last words to them as they resolved to end their lives.

Reflecting on the past, and considering that while Nobunaga's governance of Owari Province in recent years hadn't been ideal, it was still stronger than during his father's (Oda Nobuhide's) reign, it was undeniable that Nobunaga possessed the talent to govern. Hayashi's thoughts raced. He was considering how to safely escort Nobunaga's messenger (Maeda Inuchiyo) (Niwa Manchiyo), and even more importantly, how to repel the enemy. These matters were urgent and could not be delayed. Finally, he raised his war fan, "(Shibata Gonrokuchi) Heed my command!" "Yes, sir!" Shibata was clearly very happy; having the castle lord's attention immediately was a source of pride for a samurai. Even more exciting was knowing that the mission ahead would be even more significant, and accepting such a heavy responsibility was an honor for every samurai. "Lord Shibata, quickly lead 1,000 soldiers to the castle, along with Shibata's assault team, out of the castle! Remember, for now, you can only hold off the enemy! My lord, please don't delay!" He then turned and said, "Manchiyo, Inuchiyo, continue to carry out the orders given by my lord! Head to the rendezvous immediately!" Since he couldn't figure out his lord's movements, Hayashi managed to hold off the enemy.

Then, (Nagono) became bustling with activity. The soldiers took turns on guard duty, the women and children in the castle were busy, the weapon blacksmiths were forging new samurai swords, the armor makers were working hard to repair the damaged armor, and the soldiers were collecting firewood from the castle to add fuel to the fire. Everyone was busy. In the midst of this busyness, I finally found Hiyoshi in the castle. As soon as Hiyoshi saw me, he happily shouted, "Fujiwara-nii-san, what brings you here?" Then, seeing his sister's distraught appearance, he was heartbroken. On the day of his escape, Hiyoshi watched helplessly as his sister was kidnapped, unable to rescue her. His eyes reddened; he knew his sister wanted to save him, unwilling to see her brother die under the enemy's blade, willing to become a tool for their lust. "Sister... Sister... Waaah..." Little Hiyoshi couldn't hold back his tears any longer. "I... I'm alright... Where's Mother?" This (Kiku) was a strong woman. Most women suffering such brutality would be mentally devastated, but this woman quickly regained her composure; familial love often makes one stronger. "Mother... He's busy... Every time I think of your safety, Mother cries." Hiyoshi secretly saw his mother's helpless tears that night, tears containing resentment, sadness, and heartache for her daughter. "It's alright... It's alright... Thankfully, this samurai saved me..." Samurai... When did I become a samurai? Yes, my current appearance can no longer be described as a monk, only a refined samurai, but... I'm still just a lowly soldier.

The hustle and bustle continued; (Nagoya) was still busy. Hiyoshi had been taken to meet the castle lord (Hayashi-Sado-no-kami Michikatsu), and I had changed into Oda soldier armor. Now I looked no different from an ordinary soldier. Just as I was about to head to the location of the two messenger samurai, a figure quietly made its way to the (Nagoya) armory. This familiar figure made my heart pound with unease, so I followed. Sure enough, I found (Okiku). My sense of foreboding grew stronger, so I grabbed her. To my horror, I discovered the sword in her hand... This girl was not as strong as she appeared. She struggled, saying, "Let go... let go... I don't want to live anymore... let me die." But I didn't listen to her, who had lost her mind. So I said, "Stop it now... stop this stupid idea... you still have your mother and brother... if you die like this, your family will be heartbroken." Hearing my words, she obviously stopped holding the head and prepared to slit her throat, but... to stop her... my hand was already bleeding from gripping the head so tightly. ...It hurts...it's so damn painful. "Waaaaah~ Waaaaah~~ Waaaaah," Kiku, who had been holding the limp headband, finally broke down in tears. A woman always needs someone to comfort her when she's sad. Although I'm a man, it's still a little better than no comfort at all. I gently hugged her, my eyes filled with tenderness, and said, "Don't do anything rash. A beautiful life is still waiting for you. If you go like this, regret will only make Hiyoshi even sadder and sadder, and it will only prevent your mother from ever smiling again." Thinking back on the past month, Hiyoshi and I, those two mischievous kids, had played countless pranks on her. Every time, she chased after us and beat us mercilessly. I never expected that someone as strong as her would be so vulnerable in the face of such a situation. When she was working in the fields with a hoe, Hiyoshi and I would catch frogs from the paddy fields and secretly put them in her bag. Then, when she opened the bag to drink water...she screamed in surprise, and she discovered the two kids hiding in the nearby bushes, laughing so hard they couldn't stand up straight. Then she would angrily chase after us, and a chase would begin. Every time we were almost cornered, the cunning Hiyoshi would say, "Sis~ who's that?" and we'd slip away while she turned around. Then all we'd see was her stomping her feet in a fit of rage.

Seeing the beautiful woman before me in this state filled me with immense sorrow. Hiyoshi was my first friend during the Warring States period, and his family naturally became the first people I encountered in this era, besides the old monk… Thinking of the old monk sent chills down my spine again. The woman in my arms exuded a faint fragrance, and although she was drenched in sweat, her delicate scent was alluring. Undeniably, my manhood began to stir again at this moment… Thinking such things now… I felt a pang of guilt. Seeing her gradually calm down, I finally felt a little relieved, because I truly didn't want anything to happen to her. Although she wasn't my biological sister, the way she treated me was very similar to Hiyoshi's. Perhaps she saw me as a second brother, except for the youngest one who still needed to be carried (Koichiro). I slowly released her hand, only to find her expressionless... The silence left me unsure what to do, so I resorted to what I considered the best form of body language, silently stroking her face. She wasn't as beautiful as Xiaoyou, but she had a striking face. However, Xiaoyou was undeniably hot and alluring. Combined with her devilish figure, she was the epitome of womanhood; what man wouldn't want to have an affair with her? ...I'm overthinking again... Stop thinking like that, I don't want to become the kind of man Xiaoyou talks about who's always thinking too much. Receiving my touch, she slowly looked up at me. "Don't cry~ okay? You still have me, you still have Hiyoshi, and you still have your beloved family..." She didn't speak, just stared at me. Even with my thick skin, I felt uncomfortable being stared at by a woman for five minutes, so I blushed and said, "Want to go back and see? Maybe your mother is waiting for you." But she just shook her head and didn't speak. So I silently gazed at her, also remaining silent, quietly stroking her face. "You..." "...Can you...hold me...like you did just now?" she stammered, her face already flushed. She lowered her head and remained silent. "If you're scared, I'm here~ You can rest assured~ Don't be afraid anymore," I said, holding her and offering words of comfort. Although my strength wasn't enough to protect her, I hadn't harmed her. Looking at her tattered shirt and those...two mounds of flesh on her chest... Oh my god~~ My nose is about to bleed! No, no~ Taking advantage of someone in distress is not gentlemanly, but no one is perfect. That primal animalistic instinct within me began to stir again. "Sleep~ Sleep peacefully~ You're tired~ Have a good sleep." Slowly, the beautiful woman in my arms closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Sister~~ Sister~~~ Sister," Hiyoshi's voice rang out nearby. Soon he found our weapons depot. To avoid disturbing the beauty in my arms, I made a shushing gesture. Hiyoshi obediently shut his mouth, but his mischievous eyes still looked at me with the same questioning gaze. Heh heh~ Brother Fujiwara, could you possibly like my sister? His ambiguous look made me want to smack him on the head. So I glanced at him to prove it wasn't what he thought. I slowly picked up the beauty in my arms; she was clearly exhausted and sleeping peacefully in my arms. I left the weapons depot and headed towards the civilian houses. Entering a civilian room, I gently placed the beauty on the bed and covered her with a blanket. Looking at her, I felt really sad. A girl in the prime of her life was... Sigh, I touched her face again. "Poor girl," I sighed and left the room. As I walked back to the room, the way that little brat, Hiyoshi, tiptoed around made me want to laugh, but the peaceful sleeping face of the beauty in my arms made me too embarrassed to laugh out loud. If it were any other time, I would have grabbed that little brat and hit him on the head, laughing and scolding him for acting like a thief.

In the castle of (Nagoya), a heroic shout rang out: "My lords, follow me, Shibata Katsuie, and charge out of the castle! Remember, do not be greedy for military merit! Seize the stronghold and await reinforcements!" In the Sengoku period, military merit was usually the head. Many warriors would cut off the enemy's head and hang it on their waist. These bloody heads not only slowed down their movements but sometimes even hindered the battle. However, the heads could not be discarded because the merits had not yet been recorded. After the battle, a military supervisor would carry a merit book to record the heads and merits. Once the registration was completed, these heads would be discarded. Valuable generals would keep their heads and wait for their lord to inspect them. There were also officials who would wash the heads. There were also makeup artists applying makeup to the heads, somewhat like modern funeral home staff. As Shibata's shouts (Nagono) reached their peak, some young soldiers were already rubbing their hands together, ready to face the brutal battle. The battle horn sounded, and (Shibata Gonrokuchi) charged out of the castle gate like a cannonball, shouting, "Oda's First Army (Shibata Gonrokuchi) is seeking guidance from Matsudaira-kun!" Shibata was charging towards the camp of Matsudaira Mikawa-no-kami Motoyasu, a highly capable retainer of the Imagawa clan. Seeing Shibata's unstoppable advance, some Mikawa soldiers picked up their weapons. The generals and officers, their faces unwavering, commanded their warriors. Seeing the well-trained, swift, and fiercely brave Shibata, he gasped, thinking, "What a formidable force of the Mikawa!"

The enemy camp, the Imagawa forces, having received news of the Oda army's attack, began preparing for battle. The soldiers moved about, but in terms of quality, they were not as elite as the Mikawa troops. (Tsunabe Suruga no Kami Masatsuna) kept urging the surrounding generals to act with his military fan in hand, while ordering his deputy (Tsunabe Oribe no Masamoto no Nobu) to lead his samurai to reinforce the Mikawa forces. "Hmph~ My lord, those lowly country samurai of Mikawa, why waste our military strength to reinforce those lowly commoners?" (Tsunabe Oribe no Masamoto no Nobu) said disdainfully, shaking his head at his nephew (Tsunabe Suruga no Kami Masatsuna). After all, his nephew was still young and had not thought things through. "Motonobu~ Don't forget that the Mikawa forces are also vassals who have submitted to my Imagawa clan. Perhaps they are lowly, but if my lord loses too many men when he marches on the capital, it will damage the prestige of my Imagawa clan." The so-called marching on the capital means entering the capital. In May of Tensho 1560, (Imagawa Yoshimoto) with great ambition, the forces of the three major territories of Mikawa, Totomi and Suruga marched on Kyoto to control the emperor and command the world. Now his first obstacle was the Oda clan of Owari. Seeing that Motonobu (Tsunabe Suruga-no-kami Masatsuna) was unwilling to provide support, he could only sigh helplessly. So he said, "The greatest samurai of the Oda clan (Shibata Gonrokuchi-ie) has already left the castle." Upon hearing this, Motonobu's spirits immediately lifted. The war-loving man undoubtedly wanted to challenge the greatest samurai of Owari. At this moment, he no longer hesitated and mounted his horse, shouting, "Boys~ Follow me to reinforce the Mikawa clan!" He brandished his red-tasseled spear and galloped towards the direction of the Mikawa clan.

The battle intensified, with the Oda Army's Shibata assault force charging towards the Mikawa forces. "The Mikawa (Okubo) samurai general (ōi Heisukebei) challenges Lord Shibata to a duel!" a Mikawa samurai announced his name menacingly and swung his pheasant-sword at Shibata. The valiant Shibata roared, "Insolent fool! Die!" With that, his cross-shaped spear pierced the man, and with a backhand flick, a figure traced a graceful arc through the air. The dying man's expression was one of utter astonishment. The all-out assault by Shibata's forces did not result in the expected one-sided victory. The Mikawa samurai boasted numerous skilled and valiant generals, and the soldiers held their ground steadfastly. The two sides fought fiercely for a time. Matsudaira Motoyasu, watching Shibata's godlike bravery in the battle, couldn't help but praise, "Indeed a valiant samurai. With such an assistant, Lord Oda is truly blessed." He couldn't help but exclaim. "My lord~" A voice interrupted his thoughts, as he was pondering how to capture such a valiant samurai and make him serve under him. He turned back to look at the speaker with displeasure, but his eyebrows instantly lit up with joy. "Oh~ Heihachiro~ You are willing to fight this man?" (Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu), the legendary war god of the Sengoku period, whose martial arts were praised by the daimyo of various countries, yet he served loyally to (Matsudaira Motoyasu), later Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who even commented, "This boy~ is a war god," which shows how much he was regarded by the Mikawa samurai. Looking at the 17-year-old (Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu), awaiting his answer, (Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu) said expressionlessly, hoping to fight this man. "Heihachiro, this is the perfect time to test our army's abilities. This man is brave and skilled in battle, a perfect candidate to test my Mikawa warriors." This absurd idea of training troops in front of the enemy was actually conceived by the wise (Matsudaira Mikawa-no-kami Motoyasu). Its effect forged the Mikawa samurai's tenacious spirit and created numerous opportunities for the famous Battle of Nagataka. Watching the Mikawa soldiers die more and more, (Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu) grew increasingly impatient. Shibata, on the field, became like a demon, taking lives wherever he went.

Just minutes after Shibata Gonrokuchi set out, my messenger and I, the two samurai, had already ridden out of the castle and were galloping towards Atsuta Shrine. It was 7:50 AM. When the Battle of Okehazama ended and Matsudaira Mikawa-no-kami Motoyasu sued for peace, the valiant Shibata Gonrokuchi was forced to the castle walls. Without the battle report, this demon Shibata might have perished in the battle. The Mikawa forces suffered heavy casualties, but fortunately, the Imagawa reinforcements arrived in time, instantly reversing the overall situation. Upon receiving the report from Okehazama, the Mikawa and Imagawa forces immediately sued for peace, reorganized their troops, and quickly withdrew from the Owari Province. We were

getting closer and closer to Atsuta Shrine; our target was in sight. In the central open space of the temple, a dignified samurai sat. "Finally!" Nobunaga's joy grew. "Report! Report! Report! My lord, the enemy has besieged Lord Shibata at Nagoya! The valiant warrior is fighting fiercely; the situation is extremely critical!" Another messenger arrived at the same time. Hearing the battle report, Nobunaga didn't show any panic. Instead, he calmly asked Hiyoshi, "You're Fujiwara-kun's friend, Hiyoshi." Hiyoshi timidly replied, "Yes, yes." "Good. Hiyoshi, I've heard you're very familiar with the surrounding terrain. You must know how to get to (Okehazama) without being discovered by the enemy." "Yes, sir. Hiyoshi will definitely guide you." Seeing that the atmosphere was good, I spoke up, "Sir." As I spoke, Nobunaga and the other generals looked at me. Seeing that I was dressed as a common soldier but didn't look like a monk, Nobunaga was also taken aback. "You... Oh~ Fujiwara-kun~ What is it?" I knelt on one knee like a messenger knight. "My lord~ Hiyoshi has always wanted to be a samurai. I beg that after this battle, Hiyoshi be allowed to serve you as a samurai." Nobunaga looked at me and then at Hiyoshi. He hesitated, thinking that this kid didn't seem particularly handsome, and his dark skin and face made him look more like a monkey than a handsome boy. But after a moment's hesitation, Nobunaga immediately replied, "Alright~ If this battle is successful, you (Hiyoshi) will be Nobunaga's groom." In the Sengoku period, a groom's status was equivalent to a common soldier, but it was a coveted position. The day when one could serve one's lord and rise to prominence was not far off. Hiyoshi looked at me gratefully and replied, "Yes~~ Yes~~ Yes~~ Hiyoshi will serve his lord faithfully~ Even if he dies on the battlefield, he will not hesitate." Nobunaga looked at Hiyoshi's answer with satisfaction, but in his heart, he thought, "I can't let a child become a general." Nobunaga was also pondering this question.

As Hiyoshi led the group through Atsuta Mountain, the two of us kids followed Nobunaga, pointing and gesturing wildly, thoroughly satisfying our desire to command. When we arrived at a forest, a group of monkeys started shouting. Seeing this, Hiyoshi immediately yelled at them, clearly showing the monkeys' fear of him. Nobunaga, seeing this, laughed and scolded, "Hahaha~ Hiyoshi~ I think we shouldn't call you Hiyoshi anymore~ From now on, I'll call you Monkey~ Hahaha!" Little did he know that this joke would later make Hiyoshi a monkey in the eyes of his retainers. The naive Hiyoshi didn't care; his young heart believed that his lord's happiness was his happiness. So he said, "My lord~ as long as you're happy~ I'll be happy no matter what you call me." Nobunaga laughed even harder. Chapter 1: Campus Life
In today's society, few people are interested in history. However, in a certain city, H, there lives a young archaeology graduate student, the protagonist of this book (Toshiji Fujiwara), currently 25 years old, a first-year archaeology graduate student at B University in H. The pitch-black room exuded a sense of darkness, yet somewhere within this space, a faint glimmer of light shone. (Fujihara) sat on the table, holding an ancient artifact he had discovered on the hill behind the school. It was a black crystalline substance, dated to an unknown time. Location of discovery: hill behind the school. Discoverer: Fujihara Shunji.

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