Chapter 179: The Warrior in Okehazama Is Actually Her

It was noon, the sun bright yet warm.

Following behind Okabe Motonobu, Uesugi Toru, with the two little ones in tow, soon arrived at the Gozen Hall after a long absence.

The last time he had been here was during Matsudaira Motoyasu's Genpuku Ceremony.

"Mr. Toru, please enter; Lord Imagawa is here."

Okabe Motonobu stepped aside at the doorway, revealing the Gozen Hall—just as quiet as the rest of the Imagawa Residence—to Uesugi Toru's eyes.

Uesugi Toru subconsciously raised his gaze toward the main seat, and the foot he was about to step over the threshold with froze.

He stood rooted to the spot.

Because the black-haired girl now seated in the main seat, likewise clad in black gusoku, with a cold and indifferent expression—

was exactly like the black-haired warrior he had seen in the "Okehazama Trial," within the Imagawa Clan's great hatamoto formation, and had personally killed!

In the curtain of memory, the two blurred figures from then and the clear figures before his eyes gradually overlapped, finally merging into one, indistinguishable.

Uesugi Toru only now understood.

No wonder he hadn't seen that "very conspicuous, short-legged fat man who couldn't run fast," Imagawa Yoshimoto, back then.

It wasn't that he hadn't seen him.

But that he had met him long ago, only without recognizing him.

It turned out Imagawa Yoshimoto had not fled in panic and disorder as history recorded, only to be caught and killed by two men of the Oda Clan in an unworthy manner.

Instead, until everything ended, he fought alongside his retainers, fearless of death, until the very last moment...

Backbone.

Imagawa Yoshimoto had never lacked such things.

On the main seat, Imagawa Yoshimoto, her face like ice, blinked in confusion.

—Tetsu-kun, why stand motionless at the doorway?

Imagawa Yoshimoto could tell Uesugi Toru had frozen upon seeing her.

But today, aside from donning a suit of "tosei gusoku," was there anything different about her from before?

—Tosei gusoku, the name of this armor actually means "complete equipment of the current age," armor further developed from "o-yoroi" and "do-maru."

Compared to the o-yoroi, which could only protect the upper body, and the do-maru, which focused mainly on the front of the torso, tosei gusoku could be called the culmination of Sengoku Period armor.

It was armor that was both agile and offered the best protection.

The head of the Imagawa Clan lowered her eyes, her narrow eyelashes trembling slightly.

—Perhaps Tetsu-kun also wanted a suit of tosei gusoku similar to what she wore?

Although Tetsu-kun's body was strong enough not to need much protection, armor was not only for protection...

Handsomeness was another aspect.

Imagawa Yoshimoto silently noted this, planning to take some gold to the blacksmith after the Mikawa Province affairs ended to have a suit of gusoku made for Uesugi Toru.

A few seconds later, Uesugi Toru withdrew his thoughts from the memory.

He raised his foot and stepped over the threshold, casting an unobtrusive glance around the Gozen Hall—

Taigen Sessai, standing beside Imagawa Yoshimoto, his vitality much improved; Asahina Yasunaga and Taichou, father and son, with solemn expressions; Matsudaira Motoyasu, who nodded slightly at him; a youth whose facial features were not unlike Okabe Motonobu's.

In addition, there were four or five retainers he did not know.

These people were probably most of the core retainer group under... no, under Imagawa Yoshimoto's command.

Finally...

Feeling the eager gaze, Uesugi Toru's footsteps had to pause again.

Ii Naomori?

He looked at the youth seated near the last position twice more, matching him with the fierce and ruthless face in the rain curtain.

Wow.

Uesugi Toru exclaimed inwardly.

He had run into an acquaintance again.

He looked at Ii Naomori, who for some reason was staring at him with fiery eyes, and nodded at him.

Uesugi Toru walked into the Gozen Hall and bowed slightly to Imagawa Yoshimoto.

"Greetings, Lord Imagawa."

The two Adults behind him, and Shiraishi, bowed deeply.

Imagawa Yoshimoto made a "rise" gesture, and after all three raised their heads, she spoke lightly: "Everyone, this is the onmyoji Toru, who has become famous throughout the Tokaido recently, and will serve as Deputy General in this Mikawa campaign."

No one spoke.

No one objected.

Because whether it was the Tenrai Kuja performed before all eyes during the Genpuku Ceremony, or the outrageous one slash of thirty thousand kan at the Test Cutting Ground, both were more than enough for Uesugi Toru to hold the position of "Deputy General."

Let alone both combined.

"Come, Mr. Toru, please stand here."

Imagawa Yoshimoto extended her right hand, slowly opening it, gesturing for Uesugi Toru to stand at her right side.

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Toru roughly understood the purpose of Imagawa Yoshimoto summoning him here this time, even though matters had already been discussed.

Imagawa Yoshimoto simply wanted to use the pretext of conscription to let her retainers become familiar with him.

That way, whether he worked for the Imagawa Clan or asked anyone for anything in the future, it would all be simpler.

"Yes."

Uesugi Toru lightly nodded his chin, first plucking the heartstring to have the two Adults take Shiraishi to the last position, kneeling beside Ii Naomori.

Then, under everyone's gaze, he walked step by step to stand behind the head of the Imagawa Clan.

Standing side by side with the aged Taigen Sessai.

He exhaled lightly, then looked down again.

Okabe Motonobu smiled and gave him a thumbs-up; Asahina Yasutomo wore a reluctant expression, yet his eyes plainly read "convinced."

Matsudaira Motoyasu, on the other hand, lowered his head, lost in thought.

Only Ii Naomori still stared straight at him, his whole body radiating "eagerness for battle."

At a glance, Uesugi Toru roughly grasped these retainers' attitudes toward himself standing in this position.

Tap, tap.

After deliberately waiting two seconds, Imagawa Yoshimoto tapped the armrest with her fingers, tone calm and unhurried, and said,

"Today is the final deadline before the Mikawa campaign activates.

From tomorrow, I will personally lead the army on campaign — additionally, I appoint Motonobu as Main General and Toru as Deputy General."

She propped her chin on her armored arm, half-lifting her eyes: "If there are objections, raise them now."

Everyone in the Gozen Hall bowed their heads.

A stretch of silence.

A full minute later, Imagawa Yoshimoto finally hummed and looked at Okabe Motonobu: "Is the traveling palanquin for this campaign already prepared?"

"My Lord, the new traveling palanquin is ready in the military formation," Okabe Motonobu cupped his hands and replied seriously, "We can depart at any time."

"Good then."

Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded faintly.

Riding in a palanquin on campaign was Imagawa Yoshimoto's custom.

But deliberately mentioning it again right now, in the Gozen Hall, with the retainer corps present, was actually to reinforce the stereotype to the outside that "Imagawa Yoshimoto will sit in the palanquin and travel with the military formation."

In reality, Imagawa Yoshimoto had long since chosen a body double, planning to have the double sit in the palanquin when departing.

She, meanwhile, would follow Uesugi Toru a step ahead into Mikawa Province to scout the situation and search for Tenkou.

The assembled retainers still had no objection to Imagawa Yoshimoto's "palanquin campaign."

After all, Imagawa Yoshimoto riding a palanquin on long journeys was already customary; although everyone had some thoughts at first, by now they had all grown used to it.

Besides, palanquin travel only slows the marching speed a little — our own lord is this generous, so occasionally indulging her small request is perfectly fine.

One might say, aside from keeping a cold face all day, being a bit fastidious and arrogant enough to not put the vast majority of people in her eyes, Imagawa Yoshimoto is practically a perfect Head of Family and Daimyo.

For the next half hour and more, Imagawa Yoshimoto discussed further campaign details with the retainers.

……

"Then, see you tomorrow morning."

Using those words as closing remarks, the armored Imagawa Yoshimoto stood up, nodded once each to Taigen Sessai and Uesugi Toru, then left the Gozen Hall alone.

Seeing the retainer corps had nothing more to say, Uesugi Toru knew she probably still had business after "adjournment."

And after Imagawa Yoshimoto, cold-faced from start to finish, departed, the atmosphere in the Gozen Hall instantly relaxed.

"From here on, I'll be counting on you."

The spirited Taigen Sessai said seriously to Uesugi Toru.

Uesugi Toru responded: "I will do my utmost to ensure Lord Imagawa's safety."

After Taigen Sessai quietly said thanks, he likewise left the Gozen Hall in quick steps.

Okabe Motonobu, not far away, smiled and stood up, waving to call Uesugi Toru over to say something, when another enthusiastic voice squeezed in,

"Mr. Toru!"

Ii Naomori strode over and bowed deeply to him.

A standard ninety degrees.

"Whether in governance or martial arts, please guide me greatly from now on!"

Governance?

Uesugi Toru raised an eyebrow at those words.

Ii Naomori saying this was purely to have an excuse to spar with him later.

After all, he himself is already an Onmyoji and cultivates a Breathing Technique; no matter how you think about it, he could never achieve anything in so-called "governance."

— In truth, Ii Naomori indeed thought exactly that.

Because a few days ago, when he returned to Sunpu Castle from outside, he also went to the Test Cutting Ground and cut the Zanshigimaru once.

But even exerting all his strength only made that black Zanshigimaru register "eight thousand kan," not even ranking in the top fifty of the list.

So facing Uesugi Toru with a slash power of thirty thousand kan, Ii Naomori naturally came greeting him with the thought of "hoping to cross blades."

With many retainers around, Uesugi Toru didn't expose this flimsy lie, merely nodding: "Alright."

Ii Naomori was overjoyed, and after exchanging a couple of pleasantries with the two, he left as well.

He still knew relationships must be cultivated slowly; bringing this up now would be too abrupt.

Immediately after, the one who walked over was Matsudaira Motoyasu, who had kept his head down and not spoken the whole time.

The boy, considerably shorter than the two, said sincerely,

"This campaign to Mikawa — Motoyasu lacks experience; I hope you both will look after me."

Uesugi Toru: "Good."

Okabe Motonobu said directly: "Sorry, sorry, I'm the Main General, and Mr. Toru has to watch the Great Demon; neither of us has the energy.

Isn't Hanzō always by your side? Just have him look after you when the time comes."

Okabe Motonobu's blunt words dropped, and the atmosphere instantly turned awkward.

Uesugi Toru didn't make a sound either.

Even from a long-term view, he indeed wanted to build a good relationship with the future Old Turtle, but there was no need to confront Okabe Motonobu head-on in a public occasion.

For a smart person like Matsudaira Motoyasu, what is done will always matter more than what is said.

He merely thought,

"I always feel that Motonobu-nee doesn't have a good attitude toward Matsudaira Motoyasu."

Matsudaira Motoyasu, upon hearing this, not only did not get angry or stiffen his expression, but instead seriously lowered his head,

"Okabe-sama's words are a lesson—even if Motoyasu lacks experience, he is not relying on others as a reason."

Once Matsudaira Motoyasu said this, he directly turned Okabe Motonobu's words into "education."

After speaking, he no longer stayed here to suffer for it, but instead turned and left after respectfully taking his leave.

Uesugi Toru looked at the boy's back and said, "Matsudaira, his city is quite deep, isn't it?"

Okabe Motonobu shrugged noncommittally: "No matter how deep his city is, it's still only half of our lord's."

"The Matsudaira clan's hostage... let him play whatever he wants to play."

She chuckled softly,

"Anyway, in the end, before our lord, it's all for nothing."

She extended a finger, teasing the Gu Chang drilling out from the gaps in the armor, laughing cheerfully,

"Mr. Toru, this little guy is really not bad; he can understand human speech and even help me clean my weapons every day."

It seemed Okabe Motonobu completely didn't put the Little Turtle in his eyes.

But this was also normal.

Matsudaira Motoyasu, who had just completed the Genpuku Ceremony, aside from the mysterious Hanzō by his side, had no second point worth praising.

Uesugi Toru reminded: "Motonobu-nee, you'd better take him seriously."

"Fine, fine."

From the tone, Okabe Motonobu was still completely indifferent.

Thus, Uesugi Toru said no more.

"Ah, right."

After seeing that almost everyone in the Gozen Hall had left, Okabe Motonobu casually said: "Also, we'll turn back three days after the expedition."

She pinched Gu Chang's nape with her fingers, then made a face at it and spoke, as if saying something unimportant,

"Our lord wants me to act together with Hanzō on the return trip."

"But I don't trust Hanzō, and I don't trust these old fossils either."

"Military Strategist Taigen Sessai also knows about this; he promised to stabilize the rear." Okabe Motonobu condensed his Gang Qi into a thread, transmitting it into Uesugi Toru's ear, "So we only need to be the blade; we don't need to manage anything else."

"Just the two of us?"

"Just the two of us; is that not enough?"

After a question and answer, Uesugi Toru already had a clear answer in his heart.

Since Motonobu-nee and Taigen Sessai had spoken about this matter, it represented that it was relatively reliable—otherwise the latter would not have agreed.

"Time?"

"Four in the morning on the fourth day after the expedition, gather at the entrance of the Imagawa Residence." Okabe Motonobu, "Mr. Toru... according to our lord, you want to leave a step ahead with her; you should be able to make it, right?"

"Easy as pie."

"Then I'm relieved."

The next day, outside Sunpu Castle.

A military formation composed of seven or eight thousand Ashigaru and Samurai was arrayed outside the city; although their quality was uneven, the entire formation was unusually silent.

Whether they were temporarily conscripted Ashigaru or Samurai wearing fine equipment, at this moment they all kept their heads slightly lowered and their mouths tightly shut.

Because of the figure in Black Armor riding a tall horse.

A moment later, Okabe Motonobu jumped down from the horse, startling the boy beside her who was holding her horse, and actively bowed to open the door of the spacious palanquin,

"My lord, please."

Under the gaze of the entire military formation and many residents of Sunpu Castle, Imagawa Yoshimoto, wearing the magnificent Twelve-Layered Robe, lightly responded and entered the palanquin.

"Lift the palanquin."

Okabe Motonobu shouted loudly, then mounted the horse again, letting the stern voice echo above the skies outside Sunpu Castle.

"March out!"

——On a small hill covered by dense forest in the distance, Uesugi Toru, seeing the dark military formation begin to move slowly, withdrew his gaze and looked at the black-haired girl beside him wearing a plain white garment, saying,

"Lord Imagawa, let's go too."

At this time, Imagawa Yoshimoto was wearing casual clothes, only hanging two swords at her waist like other samurai.

One was nominally a Tachi, but in reality was only slightly longer than Kaga Kiyomitsu, the "Soso Saemon."

The other was slightly shorter, the "Matsukura Go."

When Uesugi Toru saw the two sword blades, he discovered they both emitted a purple light; obviously, they were at least Epic Level weapons.

As for the Twelve-Layered Robe that Imagawa Yoshimoto must wear whenever she goes out as the Imagawa Clan Head, and the Tosei Gusoku she must wear when going into battle,

and also the Wajin "Iwanoyumi" that was much longer than herself, all were temporarily stored by Uesugi Toru in the Storage Backpack.

Imagawa Yoshimoto nodded and looked at the abrupt shadow on the tree beside her: "Everything depends on you."

"Hanzō, you go alone to collect current intelligence; I will go with Lord Imagawa and have another target—if we haven't shown up by the time, you first return to the main formation and tell the Main General what you saw."

Uesugi Toru was not vague; he directly spread his hands toward Hanzō: "Give me a wisp of your breath, to prevent accidents."

The next moment, a thick shadow was placed in Uesugi Toru's palm, and a hoarse voice echoed: "My presence can be sensed within a thousand meters..."

After speaking, the shadow on the tree quickly departed along with Hanzō's breath.

In less than ten seconds, Hanzō's breath disappeared from Uesugi Toru's perception.

"Then, Tetsu-kun, how should we go at a speed faster than Hanzō?"

After Imagawa Yoshimoto saw him withdraw his gaze, she crossed her arms and asked curiously.

"Two shaku."

As soon as the words fell, the already-prepared Adult Two Shaku floated down lightly, extending her palm toward the air before her with a serious expression.

Po~

Accompanied by a crisp sound, a square translucent board with "railings" around it appeared before the three of them.

After the translucent board appeared, Adult Two Shaku's face instantly paled considerably; her small body swayed twice, and before she could nearly fall, Imagawa Yoshimoto supported her.

At the same time, Imagawa Yoshimoto tilted her head in puzzlement.

She felt that apart from its translucent texture, this thing had no essential difference from a lid.

Is a lid proof that they can be faster than Hanzō?

Adult Two Shaku pointed to the Ideal Floating Board she had conjured with her Illusory Weapon ability: "Lord... Lord Yoshimoto, please sit on it."

Imagawa Yoshimoto sat on the floating board, which covered several square meters, half-believing and half-doubting, and then saw Uesugi Toru also sit down.

"Toru-kun..."

She was about to speak, but Adult Two Shaku, held in his arms, mischievously raised her fingertip, causing the floating board to instantly soar to a height of one hundred meters at extreme speed.

"Wah—!"

Imagawa Yoshimoto, experiencing such a strong sense of weightlessness for the first time, couldn't help but cry out, feeling as if her entire soul was about to drift away.

After two or three seconds, she regained her senses, and Imagawa Yoshimoto looked at Uesugi Toru and Adult Two Shaku, who were both staring at her.

"Cough cough..."

The girl tilted her head and coughed twice, then, just as she was about to speak, she lowered her head and saw a field of vision magnified countless times and military formations moving like ants in the distance.

She turned her head again, and only then suddenly realized something.

—I'm in the air?!

Imagawa Yoshimoto's legs went soft for an instant due to the height, but she still forced herself to remain calm and asked: "Toru-kun, is our mode of travel from now on flying through the air like birds?"

"More or less."

Uesugi Toru took Adult Two Shaku's small hand and gave her strength through Bidirectional Healing: "But as long as Two Shaku moves her mind, we can fly swiftly and steadily to our destination."

Imagawa Yoshimoto was stunned.

After a long time, she lowered her head and asked a completely unrelated question,

"Can the people below see us?"

Uesugi Toru shook his head: "Of course they can't."

"This... why?"

Uesugi Toru: "The power of shikigami is sometimes unreasonable, Lord Imagawa."

Pausing, he continued,

"Also—I want to visit Hasu Village, is that alright?"

He had a premonition that if he didn't bid farewell to Tanaka Ryo's family now, he might never see them again.

"Do you need to ask for such a small matter?" Imagawa Yoshimoto sighed softly, "Didn't I say everything depends on you, Toru-kun."

Shu—!

Amidst Imagawa Yoshimoto's words of praise, the floating board raced toward Hasu Village at extreme speed.

Not long after, the floating board arrived above Hasu Village.

"Please wait here for a moment, Lord Imagawa."

After speaking, Uesugi Toru leapt from the floating board, which had already descended to only ten-some meters above the ground, and landed lightly at the doorway of Aina's home.

He listened for a moment and discovered there was only one breathing sound inside the house.

Never mind.

Uesugi Toru didn't wait any longer, but directly reached out and knocked on the wooden doorframe.

Inside the Earth Seat, the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground immediately came.

The next moment, a small head with a hint of vigilance poked out, but froze the instant she saw him.

Immediately after, the girl revealed uncontainable joy.

"Toru... Toru-sama?!"

The door curtain was swished open, and the girl, who hadn't even finished putting on her clothes and trousers, didn't care about much else, running barefoot to the doorway with a thumping sound.

Aina looked up in disbelief, gazing at this handsome face she thought she would never see again in this lifetime.

"Toru-sama?"

She probed, asking softly.

Uesugi Toru gently curved the corners of his mouth: "It's me."

Truly, it really is Toru-sama!

The girl almost wanted to jump three feet high in excitement, raising both hands and cheering out loud.

But she immediately thought that Toru-sama should now be a samurai, so she couldn't be so unseemly in front of him.

So Aina took a deep breath, placed her hands before her, and said respectfully: "Toru-sama, please enter the Earth Seat, and let this little girl properly entertain you..."

"No need."

Uesugi Toru interrupted her words.

He took three items from his Storage Backpack: "I must depart with the army immediately; this time I came to give your family some help."

Uesugi Toru first pointed to the cloth bag and said,

"This is ten taels of broken silver, considered payment for what Tanaka Ryo helped me with back then."

Aina blinked her eyes, suspecting she had misheard the unit.

Only when she felt the heavy weight in her palm did the girl react with a start, stuttering, "Toru-sama, this we cannot..."

Uesugi Toru lifted her palm and placed an omamori he had infused with a bit of Five Thunder Technique power on top of the cloth bag,

"This is an amulet, please wear it on your person at all times; it can protect your safety once at a critical moment."

Aina stopped speaking.

She dared not speak.

She did not know what she had done, such that this honored Toru-sama would help her like this.

Finally, Uesugi Toru tucked a standard wakizashi bearing the Imagawa Clan family crest at her waist: "This is a wakizashi; should you encounter something truly unbearable, I hope it can become your courage to resist."

After giving the three items, Uesugi Toru turned without the slightest reluctance and walked toward the doorway,

"Goodbye, Aina."

The girl stood dazed in place, looking in the direction he had left.

For a long time, Aina murmured as if to herself,

"Goodbye."

Will we never meet again, Toru-sama.

(End of Chapter)