3 bar menu

Volume 4 Chapter 5 Part 1

Chapter 5 : Furinkazan

Southern Omi province, Lake Biwa, winter.

After signing the peace agreement, Nobuna immediately lead an army out to Southern Omi. Expecting a struggle, instead she found the Rokoku clan had retreated back to Koga. Equally surprising was the familiar face that greeted her when she arrived at her destination.

「Hohoho, Nobuna-dono, there is no need to worry anymore. 」

Rang out the cheery voice of Saito Dosan.

Dosan, who accompanied Nobuna to Kyoto, had been forced back to Mino by those grannies that were chasing him in order to get back the money that he embezzled from them when he was younger. After that, he received news that Takeda Shingen planned to head to Kyoto as well, and had tightened his security. Even after hearing about Nobuna’s assassination at Kirara Hill during the 「 Retreat at Kanegasaki」by the Azai-Asakura allied forces, he had endured the temptation and kept guard at Gifu, carefully observing the situation and the way it was going to develop.

If he had tried to save Nobuna, Gifu castle would have been completely open to Takeda Shingen’s attacks from Kai. Dosan had no choice but to endure through this situation.

After receiving reports of 「Nobuna coming back」 and 「The Azai-Asakura allied troops retreating from Mount Hiei」, Dosan could resolve himself to travel to Southern Omi in the midst of such a situation.

With such chaotic rumors surrounding Nobuna’s life, Takeda Shingen wouldn’t possibly move out without figuring out the truth himself.

「The main danger to Kyoto right now is the Southern Omi’s Rokoku clan having control over the southern side of Lake Biwa. So, if I defeat the Rokoku clan at the same time the Azai-Asakura allied troops retreat, Kyoto and Mino will once again be linked and we will take care of this danger. 」

Without hesitation, Dosan lead his troops that he had available on hand and attacked the Rokoku clan. Using the frightening strategies he had once acquired as 「The Viper of Mino 」, he defeated the Rokoku clan.

The only thing that Dosan had not expected was Azai Hisamasa retreating back to Odani castle in the middle of the battle. Upon finding out that him and the Rokoku clan were battling with each other, Hisamasa decided:「Though the Rokoku clan is the enemy of our Azai clan, right now it only makes sense to help each other.」 and joined the Rokoku forces attacking Dosan.

Dosan was overwhelmingly outnumbered in that battle, but due to The Viper’s cunning strategies, he managed to brake the formation of the Azai clan’s army and the confused enemy forces soon collapsed, and Azai Hisamasa himself was forced to retreat with his remaining troops to Odani castle.

Seeing that the Azai clan’s army had been totally defeated, the Rokoku clan dispersed without hesitation and fled back to Koga. With this victory in the 「Battle of Yasu River」, Dosan gained the territory of Southern Omi for the Oda clan. As such, the Oda Clan, who had been isolated at Kyoto was once again reunited with their base at Mino due to Dosan’s preemptive strike.

After finally meeting Dousan, Nobuna gave Niwa Nagahide command of the troops with the order to rest for half a day.

At that time, Nobuna pitched a tent at Mount Azuchi of the eastern side of Lake Biwa and the three of them looked at the wide lake, appreciating the scenery over dinner. The other two people present were…

「Nobuna-dono, I’m sorry for not being able to help much during this crisis of the Oda clan. This is my fault for fleeing back to Mino from those grannies. 」

Saito Dosan said, narrowing his eyes.

「Hoho, you can say that again. It’s because you were afraid to meet me again, Viper-dono. 」

Matsunaga Hisahide retorted with a smile as she held out tea and snacks to Dosan.
Dosan broke out in sweat as his body started shivering.

「According to your personality, are those tea and snacks poisoned? 」

「Don’t worry, Yoshiharu-dono has warned me. 」

「Oh? You can’t compete with that guy either, as expected of him. 」

Dosan praised Yohiharu.

「He’s a strange fellow, but his feelings for Nobuna-sama make even mine feel shallow in comparison. 」

「Your love is that of a bad mother, I think. 」

Dosan laughed.

「Ara, I don’t want to hear that from you. I am not the one here that has done something worth my master banishing me. I’m a woman full of love and loyalty. 」

「Didn’t I say that there was nothing I could do during that situation? 」

「Signing the contract to give Mino to Nobuna-sama, yet ending up in such a state; not a single person would believe you. 」

Saito Dosan and Matsunaga Hisahide. The two of them, though they laughed and smiled at each other, if either decided to go head to head and a battle would break out between them, they would be able to finish each other off at any time if they wanted.

「The Viper and Scorpion are actually old acquaintances? I did not know anything about that. Just how much did this geezer borrow from you, Danjo? 」

Like a daughter sitting between the two of them, Nobuna smiled.

Dosan and Hisahide avoided each other’s glances, both revealing bitter smiles.

These two did not share a simple creditor and debtor kind of relationship. Both were once in love with each other, and were a couple that almost became husband and wife in the process of conquering the world together. But their relationship suffered because of their individual ambitions, and in the end, they regrettably split after a violent argument.

Dosan thought that to conquer the world, one must first claim Mino, but Hisahide was fixated with her revenge on the evil nobles of Kyoto, wanting Kyoto as the first objective to fall into their hands. Dosan had retorted:「Kyoto is too difficult to defend to serve as a base. One should prepare an army and open up commerce in Mino, waiting till the time is ripe. One can then head into Kyoto and conquer the world」 and thought that Hisahide’s mindset was too immature. But what really hurt Hisahide was Dosan’s unintentional words: 「Your dream is nothing but a personal grudge. You have been blinded by your feelings and are now unable to see the situation clearly. This isn’t how someone aiming for the world should be acting」.

The two had thought that their paths in life would never cross again. But now, due to a girl called Nobuna, they miraculously intersected once again.

「Haha, because it’s been so long ago, I had forgotten just how much he borrowed from me. 」

「The interest is quite frightening, it’s no longer possible to even estimate it. 」

「Don’t tell me, you never thought we would once again meet like this and become comrades, didn’t you? 」

「Yes, but the fates of us mortals are really mysterious. 」

Dosan shared a look with Hisahide, and they both looked as if they wanted to say that they should just forget about the grudges of the past and move on with their lives.

The both of them had given up their own rights to happiness for the sakes of their own ambitions, and in the end, they were not able to get married in this lifetime.

But now, they had a common daughter, someone that was able to inherit their ambitions of conquering the world and extend their dream. That is their daughter, Nobuna, their shining pride and joy… and an irreplaceable treasure.

Hisahide too sent her feelings to Dosan, her eyes explaining what was hiding in her heart in ways that words failed to achieve.

(She’s not afraid of me who was from another country, and she is admiring me like a real mother… Nobuna is just so cute that I can’t help it!)

「Look, the sun is slowly setting at the direction of Mount Hiei. 」

「So beautiful… 」

With glittering eyes, Nobuna pointed to the west and said. Under the reflection of the winter’s Lake Biwa, the setting sun seemingly set the skies ablaze while birds floated around the surface of the lake.

Dosan and Hisahide, their hearts were now linked together with Nobuna’s.

「How good would it be if such a peaceful time could just last on forever… 」

「It would be great, but at the other side of Lake Biwa, my brother and Azai Nagamasa are trapped on Chikubu Island. 」

「Please don’t worry about it, Nobuna-sama. 」

「Yes, the ninja Goemon will definitely bring the two of them back safely, so there is nothing to worry about. Once the two of them return to your side, we can once again begin the battle to conquer the world. 」