The forest of bones was thick, and the thunder had not yet ceased.
Imagawa Yoshimoto, however, seemed not to see those fatal dangers; she lifted the complicated and gorgeous hem of her twelve-layered kimono, stepped on the grass stained with blood and mud, and walked step by step in front of Kanbe Hikaru.
Too close.
So close that Kanbe Hikaru could smell the rich incense on her.
This Lord of Suruga Province, who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, had skin so excessively white from years of being pampered that it even had a semi-transparent texture in the afternoon sunlight.
Her wide sleeves slipped down, revealing wrists so slender they seemed like they would break with a snap.
The layers of collars tightly bound her neck, but it only made that face, no larger than a palm, stand out more.
The clear and simple makeup set off the exquisite and pretty face of the young girl.
Clearly facing a terrifying yokai, her face was full of excitement.
She tilted her head, looking at Kanbe Hikaru, who was wearing the crimson oni mask.
No fear.
Only a fanaticism as if she had seen some rare treasure.
"Lord Kishin Hikaru."
Imagawa Yoshimoto's voice was soft and sweet, with the drawn-out tone peculiar to Kyoto nobles: "Finally, I get to see you again."
Kanbe Hikaru looked down at her.
The Tanuki Spirit behind him was so scared that it had bent its flagpole, and the Hitotsume-kozo had shrunk back into its umbrella, shivering.
The aura on this woman was, to some extent, even more unusual than that Hime-musha who held the divine artifact.
"It seems that you really started this war just to find me?"
Kanbe Hikaru spoke, his voice sounding muffled and indifferent through the mask.
"Of course."
Imagawa Yoshimoto smiled until her eyes curved into crescent moons: "To see you, I specially brought two thousand people to this wilderness to blow in the wind."
She stretched out her hand, pointing to the group of shivering small yokai behind Kanbe Hikaru.
"Are you looking for a place to settle down with these… guys?"
Seen through at a glance.
This woman was not like the fool who only knew how to play football in later legends.
Kanbe Hikaru did not deny it: "Yes."
"Then come to my Suruga."
Imagawa Yoshimoto opened her arms, her wide sleeves spreading out like butterfly wings:
"I have castles, shrines to worship you, and countless treasures and lands. As long as you nod, I don't mind sharing Suruga's faith—no, even if it's the faith of this world, I will share it with you."
She took a step forward, almost pressing herself against Kanbe Hikaru's bone armor.
Those eyes were burning with an unmasked intensity.
"The Takeda Clan has the monster of Fudo Myo-o, and the Uesugi Clan has the madman of Bishamonten."
"My Imagawa Clan should also have a true 'Kishin'."
"Come, Kanbe Hikaru."
"Be my blade, be my god."
"Join me and unite this world!"
The wind stopped.
A deathly silence fell over the battlefield.
Two thousand Imagawa troops and fifteen hundred Hojo troops all heard this borderline insane confession.
Courting a yokai... no, seeking an alliance?
Even going so far as to use a nation's faith as a bargaining chip.
Kanbe Hikaru looked at her.
He had to admit, the offer was tempting.
If he just wanted a place to settle these small yokai, Suruga was indeed a good choice—it was a certain distance from Musashi Province, allowing them to support each other without being wiped out in one go.
But—
"Wait!"
A cold shout interrupted Imagawa Yoshimoto's monologue.
The sound of horse hooves shattered the silence.
The military formation to the north parted, and a single rider came galloping forth.
It was Hojo Ujiyasu.
The Lion of Sagami's face was currently covered in frost, her long hair tied into a ponytail that whipped wildly with the horse's jolting.
The armor plates on her chest rose and fell violently with her breathing, outlining curves that, while not voluptuous, were exceptionally tight.
Her legs beneath her hakama gripped the horse's flanks tightly as she reined it to a halt thirty feet away, looking down at Imagawa Yoshimoto from her mount.
"Imagawa Yoshimoto, what madness has possessed you?"
Hojo Ujiyasu's voice was cold as ice shards: "Running onto my territory to poach my 'man'?"
"Your man?"
Imagawa Yoshimoto covered her lips and laughed softly, her eyes shimmering: "Hahaha, what a hilarious joke—little sister Ujiyasu, you shouldn't talk nonsense. Since when did this Kishin-dono become your man? I saw him nearly cleave your army in half just now."
Imagawa Yoshimoto emphasized the word 'little' heavily, making Hojo Ujiyasu grit her teeth, though she could only suppress her anger and take a deep breath.
"He is standing on the soil of Musashi Province."
Hojo Ujiyasu dismounted, her movements crisp and agile.
She walked to Kanbe Hikaru's other side, forming a standoff with Imagawa Yoshimoto.
Though she extremely disliked trouble and hated taking risks,
She hated her things being snatched away by others even more.
Especially being snatched by Imagawa Yoshimoto.
Even if it didn't actually belong to her.
She looked at Kanbe Hikaru.
The figure who had saved Odawara Castle in her dream was now right before her eyes.
Though he wore a mask, and though he radiated an uncomfortable aura of blood and lightning,
That was her dream.
Her benefactor from the dream!
"Kishin... Kanbe Hikaru-dono, right?"
Hojo Ujiyasu spoke, her tone stiff and carrying a hint of awkwardness: "About that time... even though it was in a dream, it seems it actually happened."
"I, Hojo Ujiyasu, do not owe favors."
"If you want to settle these... like this person said..."
She glanced at the ragtag group of small yokai, her mouth twitching slightly.
She hadn't seen them clearly from a distance before, but now that she was close, she realized with a shock that these guys were truly 'weak.'
"...these things."
"Whether it's Sagami or Musashi Province, take your pick."
"Whether it's a village or a mountain peak, just say the word, and my Hojo Clan will allocate the territory to you."
She lifted her chin and looked provocatively at Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"If you want a shrine, my Odawara Castle can build one too."
"If you want offerings, my Hojo Clan also has no shortage of money."
"You want the world?"
Hojo Ujiyasu sneered: "Better to hold the Kanto region with me than to hang around with this woman who only knows how to apply makeup."
The scene became awkward for a moment.
Or rather—bizarre.
Two women standing at the pinnacle of power in Kanto were now fighting over a yokai's ownership like they were haggling over cabbage in a wet market.
Kanbe Hikaru stood in the middle.
Yura of the Hair in his arms was vibrating so hard she was about to fall apart, clearly unleashing a torrent of sharp-tongued complaints about this Shura Field-like situation.
Kanbe Hikaru was somewhat speechless.
He did indeed need power and allies.
But initially, he had only been aiming for the Hojo.
After all, the Imagawa did not rule Musashi Province and were not in his considerations.
He really hadn't expected these two 'Daimyo' to tear into each other right in front of the battle lines for his sake.
But,
Kanbe Hikaru wasn't flustered at all.
He was thinking more about how to exploit this situation to maximize his interests—
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
It was at this very moment.
While the two surrounding armies were staring at each other in bewilderment.
The ground, suddenly and without warning, began to vibrate!
It wasn't the war drums of either army.
It was coming from the west, from behind that stretch of rolling hills.
Heavy, oppressive.
Like the footsteps of a giant beast.
Hojo Ujiyasu and Imagawa Yoshimoto's expressions changed simultaneously.
They were all too familiar with this rhythm.
It was cavalry.
The... strongest, sharpest heavy cavalry of this era!
"Kai..."
Hojo Ujiyasu's pupils contracted.
In the next second.
A great banner as red as blood slowly rose from the hills to the west, behind the Imagawa Clan's position.
There was no family crest on the banner.
Only four large pitch-black characters danced wildly in the wind, exuding a madness that seemed to want to burn the entire world.
—Fūrinkazan.
Takeda Clan!
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