Chapter 94: Prologue_ The man named Nobunaga

「Hyaa!!」The kid screamed out, swinging his wooden katana sword upward, splashing the muddy water at the three charging kids, blinding their eyes before the kid himself counter attacked, taking down all three of his enemies at the same time. 「Muahahahahaaaa!! You're a thousand years early, trying to take me down! Surrender now and I'll spare…」

Bam!

A heavy blow hit his head from behind, interrupting the kid's speech. 「Young master, what are you doing here?」The old man angrily asked.

「Hii!」The kid shuddered. 「Jii chan! How did you know I'm here?」

「Shibata dono saw you playing in this field when he was coming into the castle to meet with your father.」The old man answered.「Goodness, you're Oda Nobunaga, the legitimate first born son of lord Oda Nobuhide, the future lord of Owari. Please act like it.」

「Mehh, that's boring.」Nobunaga shook his head before coming over to the other three kids to help them stand up.「We only have one life, Masa jii san. Isn't it better if we live the way we like rather than be forced to do something we don't want?」

「... Haaa, what did I do wrong?」Hirate Masahide sighed. For his young lord, whose father's nickname was "Tiger of Owari", to be called "Fool of Owari" by the people, the old retainer could not help but wonder if he failed as the kid's educator.

「So, what did Shibata want with my father?」Nobunaga asked.

「They're discussing the upcoming conflict with the Saito clan. It seems like the Viper of Mino is making his move.」

「That's so?」Nobunaga frowned.「Seriously, I don't know what father is thinking. If I were him, I would try my best to make peace with that old schemer and worry about the Imagawa instead. I know we just recently pushed back their army, but father was unable to press the advantage to unite Owari. Instead, he's now stirring up things with the Saito… We're not strong enough to fight multiple fronts like this. Between Saito Dosan and Imagawa Yoshimoto, it's Yoshimoto that we have to be wary about since it's obvious that he wants to extend his influence toward the capital and we're in his way. Granted, Yoshimoto needs to be wary of the Takeda and the Hojo, but if by some miracle, if they ever enter an alliance or temporary non aggression pact, we'll be screwed… Ahh, when will father ever learn!」The kid shook his head, though his disapproval look quickly turned sadistic.「Well, I guess all the mistakes father commits now, putting our clan at a disadvantage, only means it'd be more interesting for me to clean up the mess we're in later on. 」

… Young lord… he's only 9 years old, yet, his strategic mind clearly rivals that of Takeda Shingen or Uesugi Kenshin… But he keeps thinking of the nonstop fighting in Japan as nothing but a board game to satisfy his thirst for excitement. If he keeps acting like a fool like this, he'll be wasting his potential. Masahide thought to himself.

「Ah, right, did you finally find the thing I asked for?」Nobunaga excitedly asked.

「No, it's really hard to find one. I heard there are a lot of them in the far off domain of the Otomo, but around here, it's really rare.」The old man shook his head.

「Tsk… I really want to see that weapon… that so called "gun."」

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「Haaaa…」Nobunaga, now in his late teenage years, loudly yawned, breaking the depressing silent atmosphere of the funeral.

「... My lord!!! 」Masahide, fuming with anger, vehemently scolded the youth.「What are you doing? This is your father's funeral, can't you mind your manner just this one time? 」

「What's the point, Jii chan?」Nobunaga slowly stood up before making his way out of the room.「Father's dead. Whether I sit still, kneeling in front of his coffin for hours or should I yawn and make myself comfortable would not change the fact that he's passed away. Sitting around here mourning is just a waste of time and effort. Enemies within and without are circling around us like hungry wolves, all jubilant to hear about my father's passing. Shouldn't it be wiser for us to prepare for the storm that's approaching this Owari province?」

「... Young lord, how could you say such thing in front of Nobuhide sama's body…」Masahide was shaking and watching in horror as the young lord whom he raised as his own simply left the funeral procession, unconcerned for carrying out the last duty of a son to his own father.

「... Crying and mourning won't bring him back, Jii chan.」

By the gods… I've utterly failed in my duty to raise Lord Nobunaga… I've failed you, my Lord. Masahide turned to the wooden coffin where his Lord was laid to rest. If Nobunaga sama continues to act like a deviant, no matter how much of a genius he is, no matter how much talent he has, he will never be able to command the respect of those who serve him… Even if it costs me my life, I will have to correct my mistakes… I have to set the young master on the right course.

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「Jii chan… 」The young lord held the lifeless body of Masahide. The warm, crimson red blood of his caretaker started to drip down his own hands as grief filled his heart, not unlike the moment he learned about his father's passing.「... Why took such a drastic action like this…」Nobunaga clenched his fist before slowly reaching out to the sheet of paper that Masahide held onto, even in his death. The young lord slowly read the death letter written by the old man, every word echoed in his head. For a young man who was so sure of his action up until now, a sense of regret swept over him the moment he realized his very action had driven his beloved "Jii chan" to his death.

「... Fine, Jii chan… I will not let your death be in vain.」Nobunaga declared, strangely with a smile on his crying face.「If you want me to wake up from my own fantasy, then I shall do so… I shall show you how I bring this country to its heel. Just watch me, Jii chan…」

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「Nobunaga sama, please, you have to escape from here! They're breaching in here.」The young retainer panically urged his lord, who calmly swirled the hot cup of tea in front of him. His gaze quickly glanced at the burning castle gate and keeps down below before fixing his sight at the waving flag. Although there was no moonlight since it was just one day past the new moon, with the bright fire burning, the aging Nobunaga could clearly see the markings on the flags, indicating the forces of Akechi behind the attack.

「... So, it's that monkey Hashiba who would successfully overthrow my rule.」Nobunaga took a sip from his cup.

「Hideyoshi dono?」Ranmaru was puzzling.「What are you talking about, Nobunaga sama? We're clearly under attack by that treacherous Akechi!」

「Ha, it would appear so, but that timid and coward man would not dare to launch this attack without someone else backing him up.」Nobunaga shook his head.「I've been telling you all these time, right, my cute little Ranmaru, that under me, there are only three people who could ever wish to turn against me and have a small chance of successfully topple my rule: Shibata Katsuie, Hashiba Hideyoshi, or Ieyasu Tokugawa. If Akechi's rebellion here successfully kill me and my son, who do you think would be in a good position to do something about it? Akechi with his meager forces? Of course not, he didn't realize this yet but he'll be hunted down by my retainers and have no chance of winning against their forces. Among the three, Hashiba is the one who could easily take over control.」

「Why Hideyoshi sama?」

「Unlike Shibata and his fierce battle against the Uesugi, I've heard reports that his war against the Hojo is reaching a stalemate and there have not been a lot of actions happening at the Kanto plain. It's not far-fetched to think he has entered a truce with him for some time now. If that's the case, he can easily turn his force around, hunt down and crush Akechi in attempts to consolidate power and to prove himself as my successor. Ieyasu, though very crafty, possesses much weaker force. After my death, he can not do much but return to his domain to wait and see… Hashiba using Akechi to turn on me would really make sense since I've heard the two have been getting along really well recently. That monkey must have whispered something into this idiot's ear.」

「Please stop talking as if you will die here, my lord. We have to get you to safety!」Ranmaru cried out.

「Exactly, father!!! I have prepared an escape route for you!」Nobutada barged in the room, sword in hand.

「... Ha, it's hopeless, son.」Nobunaga stood up and reached out for his sword.「Once Hashiba's blade has reached me, there's no way I can dodge it. But strangely, this very moment makes me so excited.」The warlord grinned.「A feeling that I have not experienced in years, not since the Imagawa's march toward the capital, that's for sure. To feel this alive, I even tried to manufacture such a predicament for myself when I allowed the Azai to stab me in the back and allied with the Asakura. Haaa.. This, is life!」Nobunaga raised both his arms, signaling Ranmaru to come over and help to dress him in his battle armor.「Ranmaru, Nobutada, how do you feel about joining me in my last battle?」

「Father… Even if it cost me my life, I will get you to safety.」Said Nobutada

「My lord, no matter if it's this life or the next, you can always count on me to be by your side.」Ranmaru smiled.

「... I guess, this life of mine wasn't so boring after all.」Nobunaga said softly. Sorry, Jii chan, I failed you in the end, but it was a good try right?

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「Ashura sama…. Ashura sama….Nobunaga sama!!!」The orge poked the headless corpse laid in the middle of a pile of crushed rocks.「So, someone really was able to kill you this time, my lord?」The corpse suddenly turned into dust and scattered away into the blowing wind.

「Yeah!」The hybrid beastman walked up behind the orge.「It has been a while since one of "me" lost in a fight, hasn't it, Ran chan?」

「So, do you know who was responsible for your own murder, my lord?」the orge, who was Ranmaru's reincarnation, curiously asked.

「Believe it or not…」Ashura stopped for a moment, allowing all the dust from his dead corpse to be reabsorbed into his own body, letting him scan through the information that the corpse possessed.「It's one of the Astrals… I think he called himself Adeus.」

「Adeus… wasn't that the name of a really important Astral?」

「An Ennead Candidate, I think.」Ashura tried to recall the information from his memory.

「Why would an Astral go after you, a Yonko?」Ranmaru was confused.「I thought the Astral almost never actively interfered with the mortal's affair? Isn't that why they need the 6 Heroes to counter the Yonko threat?」

「You won't believe this, but I think my new sworn brother has something to do with this.」Ashura grinned.

「That incubus hybrid?」Ranmaru the orge was surprised.「Who is he, really? Forcing the Astrals to personally take action.」

「... I don't know. From my talk with Gilga, I don't think she knows either.」Ashura shook his head.「But, things are really getting interesting.」

Artist: PP

https://skeb.jp/@IllustPp

Ember (Short hair) and Floria (Long hair) [ I forgot to specify that Ember should be a bit serious looking lol But I still like their designs.]

Images here:

https://imgur.com/h7gcq8l

https://imgur.com/QScUIGx