Karmic Justice (I)

My name is Ishida Takeo, Chief of Staff of the Kiko Land Army. For the past year, I've been serving under the tutelage of General Shimura Nobisuke and the command of Lord Iwasawa Hiroshi.

I used to just be a simple farmer working on the fields of my master who is a rice merchant. I would start the morning by plowing the fields, the midday in planting seeds and the afternoon drawing water from the well to water the plants I just planted. It was a very tiring and arduous job. But it was the craft that has been passed down in our family of servants that I cannot really change.

However, in one of the normal farming days, the bull that I use to pull the plow had a temper tantrum and began acting aggressively. I tried to tame it down, but it won't stay still and ended up charging towards me and hit me which caused a huge wound on my leg.

With my leg wounded and swelling with a boil from the infection, I wasn't able to work in the fields anymore. My master, being more concerned with earning money than the life of other people, drove me out of his farm and left me on the roadside to beg for alms just to stay alive. At that point, I lost all reason to believe that things would even be any better. I can recall myself thinking about Iso river constantly and how fitting it would be for me to rest there for all eternity.

Until that young man called out to me and spoke…

"That's a pretty bad wound. Mind letting me check it out?"

I didn't care much since I was planning to end it all anyway. I pulled up my pants and showed him the wound. He looked at it curiously and even poked it softly before telling me "This would hurt a bit but if I can successfully do this, you can walk properly again."

I didn't like it. After I resolved to just die later on, this kid just came up and gave me hope again.

But somehow, as he sliced the boil and poured powdered medicine and disinfectant on it, a thought came up to my mind.

"What's your name?"

"Huh? Oh. Hiroshi. Iwasawa Hiroshi."

After healing me, he gave me a few coins and told me to get warm meal. Even with what he did, I didn't really believe that I can properly walk again until I felt like I wanted to take a piss somewhere and instinctively stood up and then and there, I felt it. The ever-so familiar feeling of standing up on your own two feet.

And for the first time in a while, I felt happy that I didn't end up following what my heart told me. That night, I ate a warm bowl of rice porridge while my tears of joy constantly fell on it. Many of the customers in the stall was annoyed with me, but the vendor who knew who I am and what I went through, just smiled and gave me another heaping.

A few weeks later, I heard that the young man who healed me suddenly became the Daimyo of the province. I was so surprised that the person who treated me, a mere peasant, like we are of the same social standing, is actually a noble. At that time, a feeling of indebtedness filled my heart and with everything that I personally have, I walked to Naka city to work at the castle as a guard.

A lot of things happened and little by little, I saw how things has changed for this land under his rule. The machines that made our lives easier, the lights that allowed Naka to work even in the night and the weapons that destroyed all traces of hostile forces in Kiko. It was all because he was here to rule us.

General Shimura announced that he is in need of Army officers and is looking for an adjutant that will handle the affairs of the armed forces. Even though I don't know anything about how to fight nor was I an educated person, I pushed myself to my very limits just to be the one that can get that rank.

And now, I am Ishida Takeo, the Commander of Kiko Land Army. Serving under Lord Iwasawa Hiroshi.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Commander Ishida. Lady Kusanagi is asking for your presence!"

"At ease. Watch over the construction of the trenches. I'll go to her tent now."

Currently, I was placed under the command of Kusanagi Kyoko. The warrior princess and interim lord of Shinka. An ally of Lord Iwasawa whom we are helping in this war against a hostile neighboring daimyo.

"Lady Kusanagi. In your presence!"

"Come on, come on. No need for the stiff salutations from your province's military instructions. Your constant raising of hand is making me instinctively draw my sword."

"A-apologies…"

The war tent of the female lord has just been set up. The furnishings and carpets are still being tended to by the servants which left me sitting on the ground before her wooden chair.

"I heard that your men are still building the defensive trenches. Would that be finished soon?"

"Yes, Your Highness. With the ground not being too stony and the battleline not that huge, I think my men can fortify our position in just a few hours from now."

"I see… huh? What's that?"

While she was responding, I brought out my pocket watch that I used to estimate the time and it caught her curiosity.

"This is a watch, my lady. This is a tool that shows time."

"W-what? So, this is some kind of a sundial or water clock?"

"I… guess? I don't know much about it too, but the gist of it is it helps us coordinate huge attacks by agreeing to attack on a specific time. For now, the only ones who has this tool are officers and strategists in the army."

"Mm… I see. How curious."

Suddenly, a woman wearing heavy samurai armor called out from outside before entering.

"Lady Kyoko! This is Mitsuha. Requesting permission to enter."

"Accepted. I told you already to just go in, right? This is a battlefield, even a few seconds of delay will be fatal."

Once she entered the tent, the clanging and clashing of the metal plates on her armor resounded that it made my ear start ringing for a bit.

"I bear news from Shinka. Lord Kenji is insisting to join in the battle."

"What? Argh…! That old man of mine… Tell him that we can do this, and he should just maintain his health. If he would still insist, tell him that I will be really angry if he even dares to step a toe out of the castle."

"As you wish!"

"Haaah… Father… Just how much of a headache can you be…?"

Hearing her complaint, I tried my best to not show any change in expression to not garner the annoyance of the female lord. I kept a straight face and excused myself to get out of the tent now that there seems to be nothing more for me to do here.

"Commander! We have just finished setting up the machine gun nests. The engineers are saying that the rest of the trench would just be a cake walk to set up so we wouldn't have any problems for later anymore."

"Good. Tell the war kitchen to prepare the lunch early. These kids should eat up soon after they are finished with their work.

"Yes, sir!"

Things are going smoothly here… I wonder how things are going for Lord Iwasawa and General Shimura.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"House clear!"

"Alright! Move on to the next area!"

The clearing operation for the village we just conquered is currently underway.

"Get out of there! Get out! Now!"

"A-a-alright! Please don't shoot!"

"Hands behind your head! Put down that spear or I'll blow your head off!"

"Aiyeee!!!"

As for the hostile tone and threats of the soldiers, there is a reason for it.

Earlier, we immediately engaged the small northern force composed of horse archers and mounted spearmen. Because they are mostly made up by quick, offensive soldiers, they were hopeless in the presence of our machine guns that mowed down their wave-like cavalry charges and the sharpshooting riflemen that shot off the mounted archers from their saddles.

"Lord Iwasawa! The retreating warriors has hidden on that village! General Shimura is asking for permission to clear the area!"

"Granted. Tell him that everyone will go there."

"Yes, my lord!"

And thus, we marched towards here. A simple village that wasn't alerted of a nearby battle that we had to sieve the entire place to catch our targets without harming the residents.

"How are things progressing, Shimura?"

"It is nothing to be worried of, kou-sama. The soldiers, although annoyed with the extra work and the show of cowardice by the enemy, are following orders to not harm the citizenry."

"Good. We can't look too hostile with the locals or directly harm them."

I rode my horse and looked around the village to see the people quite worried as they looked at us cautiously. The elderly seemed to turn pale with the sight of unfamiliar people while the women and children huddled together in order to have a sense of security amidst our door-to-door raid.

"H-Hey! You-"

"N-N-NOO!!! LET GO OF ME!!!"

"Gahaha!!! Can't do shit now, aren't you?!"

I heard some shouts, so I turned around and sped to a street where the commotion was happening.

"What is happening here?"

"K-Kou-sama. We apologize, but a captive cut off his ropes and took a woman hostage."

I looked past the crowd and there, I saw a person holding a knife over a woman's neck while a few of my soldiers are pointing their guns on them. They were locked in a stalemate as the assailant is trapped while the soldiers can't shoot him.

"It just happened so we are asking our platoon leader for-"

"There's no need for that… You."

"Y-yes?"

"With that badge of yours, I believe you got that special training, right?"

I spoke and pointed on his left chest where a black badge with a golden crosshair symbol is embroidered.

"Ah! Yes, my lord!"

"Then climb up a roof and wait for the signal. I'll handle this by myself."

I unmounted from my horse and walked through the crowd to directly address the hostage-taker.

"Hey! You there!"

"W-W-W-WHA?!"

"Mind having a conversation?"

I started placidly as he turned towards my direction with a tense expression.

"W-W-Who are you?! Why do you want to talk?!!"

"I just want you to let go of the girl. She's got nothing to do with this, so can you please let her go?"

"N-NO WAY! Why would I?! If I'm gonna die, I'll take one for my name!"

What? Argh… stupid militaristic society… thinking that taking lives is the goal of life…

"Alright, alright. I'm not gonna kill you. Let go of the girl and I'll let you go."

"Do you see me as an idiot?! No way in hell am I believing you!"

As he shouted, he sank the knife a little bit deeper that now, it's stretching the skin of the girl.

"Are you sure about that?"

"I sure do!"

"Say goodbye to your arm then!"

*BIYAK!*

Once I shouted that, I raised my hand and from the rooftop of a nearby building, a gunshot rang and in a blink of an eye, a bullet hit his shoulder and his arm fell down to the ground.

"AIIIIYYAAAAAA!!!"

"Now!"

Once the arm that was holding the knife was blown off and the girl has ducked in fear, I shouted the order to open fire and the assailant was peppered with bullets by the 4 soldiers around him.

"Agyak…"

"Get the woman, now."

"R-roger!"

The hostage-taking was quickly settled as the female hostage was brought away from the scene while the soldiers asked the onlookers to disperse immediately. The sight of them killing the assailant was something that made the villagers not test the patience of the soldiers and they hurriedly went away from the scene.

"It's a cavalry archer. A low-ranked one, I believe."

"I see."

The soldier I was talking to earlier climbed down from the roof of a house and approached me.

"Nice shot."

"It's an honor to receive your words, my lord. I can never be able to do it if not for the classes given to me in the military academy."

The Sharpshooter Course. It's a special training set given to soldier trainees who was seen to have potential for long-range marksmanship. Most of the time, it's former hunters or trappers that gets this special training course due to their past experiences in going after specific targets.

"Still… I can't believe that they'd even get normal citizens caught up in this situation… Just look at this loser. So afraid to die but is willing to place someone on harm's way just to stay alive…"

"I know, my lord. It's such an unsettling display of shamelessness…"

I looked away from the scene as the corpse of the enemy was literally mutilated by the number of bullets it took. I turned around and rode my horse to get out of that place.

"Kou-sama. A report came in from the cavalry platoon chasing the mounted escaping enemies."

"What's in it?"

Nobisuke approached me with a report, and I responded appropriately.

"All of the escapees have been shot dead near the river. They are bringing the corpses back to not just let it litter around the area."

"Good. If that's the entire enemy force, then we don't have anything else to do here."

"Aye! I'll call the troops in and tell them to leave the clean up to the rear forces. Shall we move on with the plan, Kou-sama?"

"Of course. We can't waste too much time here. If the Kusanagi army are already engaging the enemy at Kawano Lake, we should go back now and encircle the enemy by the flank or meet the ones rushing into the central castle."

I looked around and the villagers seemed a bit more distressed now that someone has died inside their settlement. Seeing this, I can't help but sigh in disappointment after bringing the fight to the eyes of the common folk.

"Since we'll be holding the surrounding area as a potential battleline, I'll go apologize to the villagers for bringing the fighting here. We've inconvenienced them with this raid so we should at least win back their favor while we are still here."

"Still the ever-humanitarian leader, aren't you, Lord Iwasawa?"

"You got that right. The best leaders are those that lead with people supporting their backs. That's the one thing that I'm not giving up on."

"Well, that's what makes you the daimyo that we all love to serve under. Anyway, I'll be going to my task now, my lord!"

"Mm. Keep safe on the trip."

As Nobisuke ran off to his errand, I turned around only to see a particular thing sticking out of the ordinary sight in the village.

"A Crow… one that is native to Kiko of all things…"

"Were we sticking out like a sore thumb, Kou-sama?"

"For me who oversaw your training, it is."

It's Captain Kuro again with his plain white mask and all-black ninja garbs.

"Has there been any updates from your insiders?"

"There are, my lord. Here is the letter about it. It's been encrypted in the usual way."

Once he handed the piece of paper to me, Captain Kuro went away into the dark alley and with him, the crow flew away from the place.

"Update… at this time of day, it would usually be pretty serious."

Opening the letter, I can't help but be shocked of its initial contents.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Just as expected, the enemy began their offensive by noon.

"Open fire! Open fire!"

"Don't hold up the reloads! If we let up, they'll patch up their formations!"

"Can't the Sakana cannons fire the Canister shells now?! Their shield wall needs to get broken ASAP!"

"Don't be stupid! We can't waste precious shells on a minor skirmish!"

As the commander of the Kiko army defending the battleline at the east, I forked out order after order and accepted and declined requests for fire support as the first engagement with the enemy began.

"How is the rapid attack maneuver of the Kusanagi army going?"

"The latest reports said that they've pushed the main attacking army out of Kawano lake, sir!"

"Then this attacking force?"

"A detachment meant to bait us into Kawano lake for an ambush. The ambushing force didn't expect that the Kusanagi army will attack first and is probably in disarray while the forces attacking us right now can't make us get out of our structures and follow them."

"I see. If that really is their plan, we are in an advantage."

I looked into the map where chess pieces symbolizing our forces are placed. With how things are going right now, I doubt that we will face any kind of misfortune now that we are a few steps ahead of the enemy.

Or at least, that was what I thought.

"C-C-Commander Ishida! Orders from the central army!"

"Give it to me."

A cavalry messenger looking exhausted from an express delivery ran inside my tent and gave me a small piece of paper where the encrypted message is written.

"These words… it's to be expected…"

I walked to the bonfire outside and burned the letter that was obviously meant to be confidential.

"Cavalry Sergeant. I have new orders."

"Yes!"

The cavalry brigade leader that was waiting in my tent for orders since earlier stood up in attention and raised a salute.

"I'm sending out your group to sortie to the gap between our battle line and the lord's army force that are marching downwards. I received a tip that the enemy group that saw the vulnerability of the central castle has broke through the border and are rushing in to take it. Once you're there, coordinate with the cavalry force from Lord Iwasawa's army and crush the attackers, am I clear?!"

"Yes sir! As you order!"

With a salutation and a determined tone, he ran out of the tent and I later heard the loud footsteps of tens of cavalrymen going out of the camp to the northern direction.

"Now then… Will everything play out as you say, lord Iwasawa?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

We were hurriedly marching down to fill in the intentional gap between our battlelines.

"Lord Iwasawa! Reports from the forward cavalry. They are currently chasing the leading sortie force of the enemy. They said that with the range advantage, they're successfully shredding the enemy count."

"Nicely done!"

"Lord Iwasawa! Visual on hostiles at 12'oclock! They seem to be the ones reinforcing the attacking sortie force!"

"Raise the command flag! Tide crusher formation!"

A horn was blown that sounded like the continuous echoes of waves crashing against rocks before a small flag with a wave symbol was raised.

"Follow me! Form a line!"

With this, the mounted riflemen sped up the sprint of their horses and formed a wide line with minimal gaps between each other before raising their rifles to aim.

"Enemy in range!"

"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"

As the wall of bullets reached the confused enemies, much of them fell down dead with the gunshots.

"Don't break formation! Line up your shields and point your spears to them!"

To be fair, the commander of this force didn't give in to the shock of our sudden attack and quickly recomposed his men to form an anti-cavalry formation.

"Break up! Break up!"

"Make way for the second wave!"

The mounted riflemen, having seen that the enemy is now on an advantageous formation, turned on their saddles and made way for the second line of warriors.

"UGRAAAAH!!!"

"Show them how good the cavalrymen of the Hikigaya domain are!"

Another group of mounted warriors sped up and drew their katanas or spears and shouted loudly to their horrified enemies.

"RAAAAH!!!!"

""BIYAAA!""

In but a single moment, the battle formation of the enemy was broken as the cavalry warriors broke through their lines.

"Break them! Break their lines!"

"Don't let anyone catch you off-guard!"

When the cavalry men have broke the formation apart, they didn't waste anytime and began flailing their swords around to fend off everyone that wants to retaliate.

"Raise the attack flag! Crush the remnants of this reinforcing group! Let's go with the arranged formation now! Raise the command flag for the pile bunker formation!"

"Yes sir!"

From the slow gallop of our horses, everyone sped up into a formation resembling a sharp drill bit of a pile bunker.

"Go! Go! Go!!!"

The sight of suddenly seeing a greater number of the same people that has been making your life a headache for a while must've demoralized a lot of the enemies.

"R-R-RUN!!!"

"I'M OUTTA HERE!"

"I SHOULDN'T HAVE WENT HERE!"

Several shouts resounded as the main force reached the line and began raining bullets on the now broken and vulnerable defense line of the enemies.

"Keep up the pressure! More and more soldiers are retreating from the battlefield!"

"Yes sir!"

Seeing this, I was reminded of the battle that happened before I ascended into the throne.

The battle for Naka castle ended up taking a lot of lives from both the battles and the flood that I made.

"Lord Iwasawa! The reinforcements are now neutralized!"

Whatever it is, it's on the past now. No need to dwell on to for too long.

"Good! Let's pick up the pace and meet our allies at the gap now! We're running out of time!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Hold the line! Hold the line!!!"

"Push that ladder off! Don't let them get over the walls!"

"Reload! Reload!"

I am Sergeant Sendai from the Shock Cavalry brigade. I was previously ordered to intercept the attacking enemies that are rushing towards the castle that we intentionally left empty as a bait.

"Throw in the firebombs!"

However, we underestimated the time of arrival of the enemies that when we arrived at the town to meet the enemies, they're already crossing the river to attack the castle.

With this, I decided to hunker down in the castle, close it up and bring the enemy into a disadvantage by making their quick, offensive force of cavalrymen that is good at quickly conquering locations to unmount their selves and go the long way of scaling the walls or forcing the gates open.

"The firebombs! Use the firebombs and scatter the ones using ladders!"

Good thing that lord Iwasawa left much of the arms supplies here so we had a free rein on the battle without worrying about running out of ammunition.

"FUURRUUUTTTT!!!!"

The familiar sound of a horn echoed from the herby hill and from there, a huge amount of soldiers ran to the town fully equipped for battle.

"Sergeant! It's the main army!"

"Ah! Thank the heavens! Shoot out the signal flare to show them our situation!"

A soldier heard my order and attached the red signal flare on a wall before lighting its fuse.

"The lord's army is forming a battle formation! We should coordinate the defense and gather the enemies towards the walls!"

"Got that! Everyone! Let the enemies scale the walls! Lord Iwasawa is here to clean things up!"

Hearing that, my soldiers went back and pointed their guns on the walls, only shooting when someone emerged from the ledge and not actively pushing the scaling stairs away.

"RUN! RUNNN!!!"

"Ride your horses! We're retreating!"

As Lord Iwasawa's force crashed against their flank. The attacking enemies abandoned their offensive on the castle and quickly mounted their horses to save their own skins.

"Shoot them down! Don't let them get away!"

But just like his cautious side, Lord Iwasawa sent an order that made everyone in his group to point their guns at the retreating enemies and make quick work of them.

"Kou-sama! We're sorry for the bother!"

I shouted from the top of the castle walls.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"No need! Just get out of there and regroup with me!"

I replied and turned around to go to the gates of the castle. But before that, the soldier leading the chase against the enemies spoke out a report.

"The enemy force has escaped, my lord… Some went through the alleys and got out of our sight."

"It's alright. Just gather everyone. We have to immediately get out of here."

We really do. After all, the plan is not yet finished.

"Sergeant! Consolidate with the cavalry force and follow us. The eastern battleline is in danger."

"Aye!"

"Corporal. Take all of the wounded out of the group. It doesn't matter if it's just a scratch or it's an entire slash. I don't want anyone that has been hurt to follow us."

"As you command!"

After speaking my orders, I unmounted from my horse and went away to a secluded corner of the courtyard to read the rest of the message that was given to me when I left the northern battleline.

[The Yukogahara leaders are responding to the sudden pre-emptive strikes. Lady Kusanagi and her army would probably be baited to march to an abandoned village rigged with explosives.]

"As expected… Kawano Lake and the northern cavalry was a distraction."

They must've been informed of our style of fighting that they've settled to guerilla tactics and sabotage to avoid direct combat with us.

"Is everyone here now?! We'll leave immediately!"

"As you command, my lord!"

I rode my horse with a single thought in my mind…

"I need to get there. Or else, I'll be breaking my promise with the old man!"