The invasion from Settsu Province into Yamashiro Province took place shortly after Hisamichi left Shimamoto's camp.
His army numbered around 800, all of them desperate mercenaries he had gathered in Sakai.
Those conscripted from rural areas were not included in Hisamichi's army.
The aesthetics of youth were also being applied here. When farmers began to imitate samurai, the boundary between the two became blurred.
Because it's not aesthetically pleasing, they don't use soldiers obtained through conscription.
As can be seen from these points, the Hisamichi army was a force that a young man had gathered on his own.
The fact that these were soldiers personally recruited, and the pride they felt from being personally invited by their commander, meant that the bond between the officers and soldiers was ironically very strong.
As Hisamichi and the others continued their march, the weather slowly deteriorated. Eventually, it turned into a torrential downpour reminiscent of a squall.
Visibility was poor. But the enemy was in the same situation, and that's precisely why Hisamichi was convinced they should continue their march.
The soldiers obeyed. It was an astonishing level of blind faith that their leader could never make a wrong decision.
Taking advantage of the torrential rain, which made it difficult to even stand or move forward, Hisamichi and his men slipped past the enemy's intelligence network and entered Yamashiro Province.
And without ever climbing Mount Tennozan, they began to hide and lie low in the forest at its base.
They could launch a sudden assault, but Hisamichi would prefer to avoid unnecessary troop losses.
As the rain began to subside, I could sense the presence of soldiers from beyond the forest. I could also hear the neighing of horses.
It seemed they were right in front of the garrison fortifying the foot of Yamazaki Castle—Kyuumichi realized this and grinned.
I took a quick look at the soldiers' faces. They seemed quite exhausted from marching through the heavy rain.
However, I still have plenty of energy left.
Hisamichi averted his gaze from his own troops and glared towards the other side of the forest.
The banner fluttering in the wind is Oda's, not Matsunaga's. It appears that his father, Hisahide, has not taken a single step outside Yamazaki Castle.
(In other words... there is no one more foolish than me, Hisamichi, standing before me.)
Hisamichi smirked.
He is a young man who prides himself on being able to hold his own against any of the world's greatest generals when it comes to intellectual battles and strategic maneuvering.
And I was able to accurately grasp the situation.
Due to the recent heavy rain, a fire attack is impossible. Furthermore, the use of firearms is also restricted.
Therefore, duels can only be fought in close combat using drawn swords and spear formations.
And it seems unlikely that we'll be able to attack Yamazaki Castle.
Since they couldn't use fire as a diversion, the attacking side had no choice but to launch a direct assault.
Although Hisamichi hates his biological father, he highly values his abilities.
We absolutely must avoid a situation where we have to launch a frontal assault on a castle defended by a cunning strategist like Matsunaga Hisahide.
"There's only one thing we can do: launch a surprise attack from the enemy's rear or flank and scatter them."
We can't stay in hiding forever.
Having heard about the Oda army's battles up to that point, Hisamichi suspected that the enemy likely had some exceptionally skilled ninjas accompanying them.
Therefore, we must act before our whereabouts are discovered.
The enemy is unable to ascertain the movements of Hisatoshi's army due to the heavy rain that fell earlier.
And there was no sign of the soldiers holed up in Yamazaki Castle coming down the mountain. We had no choice but to do it.
"Everyone, prepare your weapons."
Hisamichi gave the order.
Before a full-scale battle begins, it's also necessary to dampen the enemy's morale.
After disrupting the enemy to a reasonable extent, we will have to withdraw our troops without pursuing them too far.
If we return without capturing Yamazaki Castle, the Miyoshi Three will surely have a lot to say to us.
But Hisamichi thinks that's fine.
Because everything depends on being alive.
"As soon as the order is given, we will disrupt the enemy."
The soldiers nodded silently in response to Hisamichi's message.
And so, they wait for an opportunity. The enemy is right in front of them. They don't know when they might be spotted by an enemy ninja.
But we must wait for the decisive opportunity to strike. We must identify the opportunity for us to have a greater chance of survival.
From Hisamichi onwards, the men were beginning to sweat profusely from the tension.
My throat was parched, and a shiver ran down my spine.
The opportunity to attack had not yet arrived. Not yet, not yet—while I was thinking that, a war cry boomed.
"Have they found us!?" Hisamichi was understandably flustered, but the battle cry did not come from the Oda army.
It wasn't that Hisamichi's army had acted rashly. So, who was it? It goes without saying, it was the Kinai army led by the Miyoshi Three.
Having advanced into Yamashiro Province while they were in hiding, they immediately turned their forces against the Oda army.
"Draw your sword, stop the charge. This is exactly what I wanted."
Hisamichi immediately gave a signal, and the men sheathed their swords.
Then, I instruct them to quickly ascend Mount Tenno. The more the enemy's attention is fixed on the plains, the better.
It was a favorable situation for him to secretly go and see his father. Hisamichi scratched his throat as he climbed the muddy slope with the men.