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Volume 4 Chapter 1 Part 5

In front of them was a young kid not more than 10 years old.

He had a pale face and cold eyes just like that of a doll. As an Onmyouji, he looked similar to Hanbei, but that ice-cold heartless look of his was the thing that set the two of them totally apart. That, and the cold smile on his lips was showing that he had utmost confidence in his own strength.

This small kid looked like he wasn’t ordinary, and maybe he was not even a human.

(What a detestable brat…)

Although Yoshiharu was trying to act cool, he noticed that he was soaked with sweat.

It’s true that Tsuchimikado Hisanaga was just a child. But precisely because of this, he possessed a cruelty known only to children contained within that small body of his. And in terms of pure strength, Yoshiharu could heel that this kids strength was limitless. And because he knows that he possesses that kind of limitless strength, he wants to use it to kill his enemies, just like a small child cruelly rips the wings off of an insect that he caught.

This is human nature; there is nothing shameful about such a thing, and it’s not something that kids do out of hatred. Maybe such a childish way to use his own strength is Tsuchimikado Hisanaga’s principle.

And because of that, things like respecting life, thinking about others… To Tsuchimikado Hisanaga, the child who had already attained the position of the leader of all Onmyoujis of Japan, those are worthless.

*RUSTLE RUSTLE!*

(As expected, the enemy has began to move again.)

Yoshiharu realized.

「Just like I predicted, you really tried to run to Wakasa… Oda Nobuna’s godlike speed had already seen her to Omi, but if I catch this famous Oda clan’s monkey, Azai-kun and Asakura-kun should be very happy with me nonetheless! 」

(He is still a child, yet he really has the intention to kill all of us here.)

Hanzo threw a shuriken, but it did not hit the body of the floating Tsuchimikado Hisanaga, almost as if there was an invisible wall protecting him from all harm.

The members of the Sagara Corps, who have yet to discover the severity of the situation, were panting heavily at the side.

And then, in the night sky above them, more than 10 strange Shikigamis appeared behind Tsuchimikado Hisanaga.

Zenki let out a roar when he saw them.

「Hisanaga, the Tsuchimikado clan are just a bunch of sore losers who fled to Wakasa after failing in their duty to protect Kyoto! 」

「…Hmph! That fox-faced guy is a Shikigami, right? This is the first time that I, the genius Onmyouji and the descendant of Abe no Seimei, have seen a high-rank Shikigami who can transform into a human completely like you. But regrettably, you are alone, right? The strongest point of Shikigamis are their numbers. No matter how capable you are, you can’t win against the amount that I’ve summoned all by yourself! After I’m done with you in a flash, then there won’t be anyone stopping me from going back to Kyoto!」

「Hisanaga. What crazy shit are you talking about, saying things like returning to Kyoto?! You think this is a child’s play?!」

「Hehehe… 」

Hisanaga’s red lips tilted upwards while he gave a fake laugh.

「A rural Onmyouji like Takenaka Hanbei may have followed Nobuna to power in Kyoto, but it doesn’t change the fact that the true leader of the Onmyoujis is our Tsuchimikado clan, and though we are referred to as the reincarnations of Komei, we do not want to bear such a title. But because of our title, as troublesome as it is, we still have to go to Kyoto to fight with that ignorant rural Onmyouji even though it’s just a pain in the ass. But once we do battle, we will finally be able to determine once and for all which one of us is stronger: Takenaka Hanbei or I. And for that, I won’t allow anyone to stop me, understand? 」
「Stop floating around up there! Can’t you come down and talk to us like a normal person!? 」

Yoshiharu yelled out to Hisanaga while jumping up and down, trying to reach him.

「Ha, no matter how high you will try to jump, you can’t reach me. Are you an idiot? Very well then, enough with the useless chatter. I will finish all of you off right here! 」

The surroundings were filled with darkness in an instant… and then numerous Shikigamis launched an attack at the troops who had set up camp at the peak of the mountain.

「D-d-demons have appeared!!! 」

「How can we win against them?! 」

They were all brave men who excelled at fighting multiple enemies, but against these Shikigamis who were violently attacking them from the sky, they could only let out pathetic howls.

And once their morale is lost, no matter how brave an army may be, their formation will collapse in an instant.

One by one, the soldiers were blown away like blades of grass.

(To have summoned this many Shikigamis at once! Zenki alone cannot win against them! Ninja techniques are useless against Shikigamis too! But still, I will never give up!)

Yoshiharu raised his arquebus.

「D-damn it!!」

(Even if…my life is fated to end here, I must… I must endure to the last minute… to fight against fate!)

* * *

「Nobuna-sama. We have entered Kuchiki Valley! If we can go through here successfully, all that’s left is the highway, and then Kyoto will be right ahead of us! 」

Oda Nobuna, who had abandoned Monkey, Sagara Yoshiharu, to retreat towards Kyoto, was now riding her famed horse, 「Rigatanakuro」, speeding through the mountain paths of Wakasa.

Back when they were first heading out from Kyoto, they marched pridefully along Lake Biwa down the western Omi’s streets. But now, the western Omi streets were full of enemy soldiers just waiting for them to show up. There was no way to escape but to go deep into the mountains.

Ever since they had started their retreat, they had not once stopped running to rest or sleep.

Her tears had already dried. Her chest was tight, leaving her almost unable to breathe. In her body, there was not a drop of water left for tears

Regret. Anguish. Pain that threatens to rip her chest apart. Those were the only things she was feeling right now.

Maybe this enormous pain would be enough to just destroy the weak body of Nobuna if she was still her former self, but the current Nobuna knew that she had to live on! Even if she was full of wounds from falling down, if she couldn’t go back to Kyoto alive, Yoshiharu’s sacrifice would become meaningless, so Nobuna bit her lips and held on to her belief in her Tenka Fubu’s ambition, as well as her anger towards the dumbass, Azai Hisamasa, who threw away his son, Nagamasa’s future, and the hope that Yoshiharu was alive and well, and that they will meet back at Kyoto.

Yes, Nobuna was furious right now, but even though she was fuming mad, Nobuna clung to the reigns of her horse desperately, crying and struggling to not fall from her saddle.

But her fury was already beyond the point she could endure!

「Nobuna-sama, are you alright? This Kuchiki Valley is governed by Kuchiki Shinano. Shinano clan is a part of the Azai clan and they will most likely try to stop us from passing through, and our retreat route is blocked by the Kuchiki Castle. Our only options is to pass by Kuchiki Valley. 」

「…Nobuna-sama. Please wait here for a while. 」

The two protectors of Nobuna, Katsuie and Inichiyo both ran hastily to Nobuna’s side. The two of them were covered in wounds as well.

Judging from the fact that the vanguard retreated, taking this path would not be easy. At that moment, 「 That is the Daimyo of the Oda clan! 」 「If caught alive, the reward is a hundred kan, her head itself is worth fifty kan! 」 The enemy soldiers swarmed at them from all sides while screaming as such , their eyes alight with bloodlust.

But Nobuna must return to Kyoto as soon as possible. If she was delayed, fake news like 「Nobuna is dead! 」might start being spread around, and who knew what Kyoto might turn into when that happens. Only escaping from the enemies’ hands and returning to Kyoto would allow the army to regroup so as to fight the combined forces of the Azai and Asakura clans. Even if the possibility was as small as a bean, they had to fight for the chance to save Yoshiharu….

Because Nobuna must return to Kyo as soon as possible, she needed to focus solely on her speed.