This episode is packed with action.
Endo Naotsune was born in 1531 (Kyoroku 4).
The current calendar year is Eiroku 10 (1567), so he would be 36 years old.
In Sengoku-period Japan, due to poor nutrition, a 36-year-old was equivalent to someone in their mid-50s in modern terms.
For Naotsune, Nagamasa, his "lord," was the person he felt the most affection for in this world.
This is because Naotsune had been serving Nagamasa since he was 14 years old—that is, since the year Nagamasa was born, 1545— and had witnessed his growth firsthand.近侍Kinji
"The Lord," who possessed extraordinary talent, has recently begun to focus on domestic affairs and is now aiming for the development of the entire territory.
Naotsune was proud of his lord and had decided that no matter what happened, he would "follow him for life..."
When I calmly reflect on how I became the person I am today, I come to the conclusion that "it might have been my first love..."
From the moment I saw "Shinkuro-sama" as a round, frail baby, I had fallen in love with him.
I must have felt a growing affection for him as I watched firsthand as "Shinkuro-sama" gradually transformed into "Nagamasa-sama," who led his retainers, and then into "Oyakata-sama" (Lord).
—So, that's like a love affair that spanned 22 years?
I was thinking about that while standing beside Nagamasa, who has been remarkably active lately.
Naotsune had three children, named Sonsaku, Kisaburo, and Jinbei.
He cherishes his wife, who gave birth to them, but if asked, "Who would you save, Nagamasa or your wife, if they were about to fall off a cliff into the sea?", he would answer, "I would first ensure my lord's safety, and only after that would I jump into the sea and save my wife."然deer
For Naotsune, Nagamasa was someone who absolutely had to take priority, and his instructions and ideals were equally important.
That is why Naotsune is critical of his former lord, Hisamasa.
This is because, in contrast to Nagamasa's ideal of "the Asai family remaining free from outside interference," he held and actually advocated the ideal of "the Asai family being stable under the protection of others."
This explains why Hisamasa, who was once a vassal of the Rokkaku family, is now loudly proclaiming his friendship with the Asakura family.
In other words, Hisamasa doesn't want to take responsibility.
They desire to abandon critical thinking and live a life of inertia in a comfortable, tranquil space.
Naotsune said,
—A weak-minded idea.
And so, they completely dismiss it.
Naotsune believes that humans must always move forward. In fact, he thinks that if they don't move forward, the Warring States period will never end.
—When peace is in sight, then and only then should we bow our heads to others, if that leads to a peaceful era.
Nagamasa has already stated that he no longer aims to become the ruler of Japan.
In other words, Lord Asai was accumulating power within the Asai family, and when an era of peace arrived, he intended to make a massive contribution to the "realm"—that was how Naotsune interpreted Nagamasa's actions.
And in that world, "it would be a problem if he didn't have a wife..."
Even from Naotsune's perspective, Nagamasa and Ichihime were remarkably harmonious, which is unusual for a politically arranged marriage.夫婦husband and wife
For Naotsune, who desires the happiness of Nagamasa, his "first love," more than anyone else, it would be disastrous if Ichihime were not alive.
"And then—the lord ordered that his wife be moved to his castle...!"
That fact deeply moved .誘Izana
Naotsune knows that Ichihime is an irreplaceable presence in Nagamasa's life.
The order to move Princess Ichi to Sugawa Castle, to a castle belonging to a vassal, was—
"Unless you have deep trust in me, Naotsune, you should never dare to say such a thing...!"罷Maka
As Naotsune rode his horse, he could not contain his excitement.
All the hardships I had endured while serving Nagamasa up until then were finally rewarded.
"Therefore, all I, Naotsune, must do is—to faithfully carry out my lord's orders!"
I ran at full speed along the mountain path leading to Odani Castle and entered the castle grounds.
Leaping from his horse and planting his feet firmly on the ground, Naotsune slowly raised his head, clenched his fists tightly, and gritted his teeth. He felt as if one of his molars had cracked, but he didn't care.
—Because what my beloved lord had feared was actually happening.
There, lying on the ground, was the blood-soaked corpse of a gatekeeper.
◇
Odani Castle was filled with shouts of anger and the sounds of clashing swords.
The first thing that caught Naotsune's eye was the sight of the Asai family's guards fighting amongst themselves.
However, if you look closely, you will realize that this is a factual error.
This is because one group is united and wielding their swords and spears, while the other is launching a disorganized attack like a ragtag group of soldiers.
(The latter are not Asai's soldiers.)
It didn't take long for me to realize that.
Hiding in the shadow of the gate, he slashed at the soldier who attacked him from behind, and as he turned around, he struck him down with a single blow . Looking at the soldier's face as he lay on the ground, Naotsune was certain.曲者A suspicious person
Naotsune was a regular worker at the castle, so he knew the faces of the guards well.
(But—I don't know the face of such a person.)
This could easily mean that someone let the bandits into the castle.
The moment he realized this, two options appeared in Naotsune's mind.
The first objective is to immediately take command of the defending troops and defeat the bandits. The second is to ensure Princess Ichi's safety, as instructed by Nagamasa.
And without hesitation, Naotsune chose the second option.
(Commanding the troops in the castle and ensuring their safety does not necessarily mean ensuring the safety of the lady of the house.)
If Ichihime were to harm him while he was in command of his troops, he would lose everything.
What Naotsune must do is faithfully carry out Nagamasa's instructions.
"M- Mr ."養父tower
A girl's voice echoed from behind the tethering area.
If you quickly glance in that direction, you'll see the girl we recently adopted.久Hisa
"It's been a while! Tell me what happened!"
"I, I don't know!"
Her language was crude and peasant, unbecoming of a samurai's adopted daughter, but she didn't have time to worry about such things now.
"After the master and my adoptive father left, a lot of men suddenly burst in!"
"What were those gatekeepers doing?!"
"I don't know! The gate just opened normally, and they suddenly attacked everyone!"
Naotsune turned around and checked the gatekeeper's corpse. There was only one.
(So, all the gatekeepers except him were under his influence...)
It seems everything had been meticulously planned.
It's highly likely that the simultaneous invasions by the Wakasa Takeda and Rokkaku clans, and this attack on Odani Castle, are all interconnected.
Furthermore, winning over the gatekeeper is something that only someone connected to the Asai family could do.
(We must hurry.)
Naotsune drew his beloved sword, "[ ]", from its sheath, and then threw the dagger he had been wearing at his waist, still in its sheath, to Hisa.打刀Uchigatana遠藤拵Preparing peas
"Come with me! As the adopted daughter of Endo Naotsune, you won't die from something like this!"諍Isaka
"Huh, what!?"
Hisashi looked stunned.
Even though he came from a farming background, he was still a farmer, and had never held a knife other than a kitchen knife.女子woman
However, Hisa instinctively sensed that his adoptive father was on some important mission—probably one related to Nagamasa.
For Hisashi, Nagamasa was nothing less than a benefactor.
So, I thought that if I worked alongside my adoptive father, I could at least repay some of his kindness—that's what I thought as a child.
After confirming that Hisashi had nodded, Naotsune kicked off the ground and ran in the direction of Ichihime's room.
"—I'll push through!"
He charged into the group of bandits ahead, first cutting down the first one with a diagonal slash, then slashing up at the second with a return stroke, and finally cutting down the third and fourth together with a horizontal slash.
"Come on!"
"Y-yes!"
Naotsune stabs and kicks one of the bandits, then draws his sword and shouts.
At the sound of the voice of the fierce, godlike general that the Asai family was so proud of, Hisashi was about to run off as if propelled by an impulse—but then he turned back and quickly jumped onto the horse that Naotsune had been riding.
Naotsune's entire body, drenched in blood splatters, was now a dark, ominous color.
As I ran through the enclosure, I could see the guards desperately defending the mansion from the attacking bandits.
That mansion is the very place Naotsune is aiming for.
"Thank you all for your hard work!"
As Naotsune swung his sword down in a splitting motion, cutting one of the bandits in two, he shouted.
"N-Naotsune-sama!"
The guards' faces lit up instantly.
"How about your wife!"
"They're inside!"
"Alright, I'm going through!"
Naotsune kicked down the sliding door and rushed into the mansion. Hisashi also hastily dismounted from his horse and followed after him.
Crossing the corridor, Naotsune entered Ichihime's room without hesitation.
"W-Who are you?!"
Three of Ichihime's ladies-in-waiting stood guard, each holding a dagger, as if to protect their mistress.
"Endo Naotsune! I have come to welcome your wife at the command of my lord, Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa!"
"W-Wait, Lord Nagamasa?!"
As Naotsune knelt and bowed his head, Ichihime asked him a question.
"Princess! We don't even know this person's background, so how can you believe such claims—"
"No... no! It's alright, I know this person. Right, Mr. Endo?"
"—It's been a long time, my lady. It's been since your meeting with the lord, hasn't it!"
Naotsune beamed and raised his head.
Both Ichihime and Naotsune reaffirmed the importance of the individual meetings that Nagamasa had been conducting, and at the same time, they had never felt so grateful before.
Ichihime recalls something her husband once told her.
"They might be the ones who come to your aid if something happens."
To put it simply, that's exactly what happened.
Ichihime was once again deeply impressed by the fact that her husband's thoughtfulness and consideration had not been a mistake.
At the same time, Ichihime decided to set aside her own narrow-mindedness and follow the instructions of Naotsune, who showed deep loyalty to his husband.
They are both kindred spirits, having fallen in love with the man Asai Nagamasa.
If this is the end of my life, then I have no choice but to accept that I was simply born under an unlucky star.
"I beg you! My lady, please come to my castle with me, Naotsune!"
"If that is Lord Nagamasa's instruction—"
As Princess Ichi stood up, her lady-in-waiting, Tsubaki, hastily tried to stop her mistress from acting.
"Wait, Princess! You may indeed know this man, but to obey a man who is not your husband—"
"Don't worry!"
Naotsune said in a voice like thunder.
"I don't know about the other men, but I haven't fallen so low as to lay a hand on my lord's wife! There is only one person that I, Naotsune, love—Lord Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa!"
"Ah... love..."
Not only Princess Ichi's eyes, but also those of her ladies-in-waiting widened in surprise.
It's only natural, if you think about it. A blood-soaked man was shouting at the top of his lungs about his love for Nagamasa, Ichihime's husband. Normally, that would be nothing but a turn-off.
"That's right! I, Naotsune, have served you, my lord, since I was 14 years old when you were a baby—and I have never forgotten your face or voice for even a moment!"
"It's... pure love, isn't it?"
When Ichihime gave an awkward smile, Naotsune clenched his fist tightly and said:
"Now, my lady, please prepare! Before it's too late—and to avoid having to make a pact !"違But
"--got it"
Ichihime stood up and bowed to Naotsune.
"Thank you very much for your cooperation."
"Leave it to me!"
Naotsune stood up and went out of the room. Ichihime and her ladies-in-waiting followed him.
As Naotsune leads the way, drawing his blood-soaked sword, Ichihime asks him a question.
"What will you do now?"
"Your wife and this daughter—Hisashi—will travel with me on horseback. I apologize, but the ladies-in-waiting will have to come on foot with the guards."
When Naotsune said that, the ladies-in-waiting nodded in agreement.
Their mission is to protect their mistress, Princess Ichihime.
To achieve this, they must be prepared to expose themselves to danger and even make sacrifices—but they must have understood this when they joined as ladies-in-waiting.
As we stepped outside the building, the guards bowed their heads.
With no enemies in sight, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to escape.
"Listen carefully, everyone."
Naotsune gave orders to the dozen or so guards.
"These three women are ladies-in-waiting to the wife of our lord, Asai Bizen-no-kami Nagamasa. You will protect these three women and escort them to my Sugawa Castle."
"But, the castle is—"
"This is a direct order from the Lord."
When Naotsune said that, the guards exchanged glances and then slowly nodded.
"Alright then, let's leave this place as soon as possible—"
Just as Naotsune reached for his horse's tack to mount it,
"That's enough, Naotsune."
From the shadows of the enclosure, a tall, muscular man called out.
Naotsune kept his hand on the horse's tack and turned only his head to look at the man.
井上経親Inoue TsunechikaHe was a prominent figure, being Hisamasa's brother-in-law and Nagamasa's cousin.
At the "family council" held when Ichihime was married, he clearly demonstrated his emphasis on friendship with the Asakura family— he was a man of the "Asakura faction" or "Hisamasa faction."所謂so-called
He is clad in a two-piece cuirass, wearing a helmet adorned with a full moon design, and carrying a large sword easily exceeding 90 centimeters in length on his back, stretching from his left shoulder to his right hip.
The odachi (great sword) is a type of sword originally intended for use while on horseback.
However, from the Kamakura period onward, "showing off one's strength" became an honor for samurai, and many men preferred to use the large sword, which required considerable muscle strength to wield.
And—Tsunechika is one of them.
With a mocking smile on his tanned, rugged, square face, Tsunechika said:
"Leave the Oda princess behind. Do not interfere with our plans... If you defy us, even though you are a loyal retainer of our family, we will have to cut you down."
Naotsune released his grip on the horse's tack and turned his whole body towards Tsunechika.
I glanced at Ichihime, who exuded a dignified aura and was gazing at Tsunechika with a cold look in her eyes.
"What are you talking about, Lord Tsunechika? Lady Ichi, who is here with us, is the wife of our lord."
"Shut up, you Bizen-no-kami !"狗dog
After spitting out the saliva from his mouth, Tsunechika made a bitter face.
"For our Asai clan to survive in this Warring States period, we must have the protection of the Asakura clan. That is an obvious fact, yet that foolish lord has forgotten it and is preoccupied with nothing but this. Do you know? That man has built a hot spring resort in Omi..."飯事Playing house
"Does Lord Tsunechika understand what the Lord's intentions were when he created that?"
"I don't know! I'm not interested! It's a pointless thing; you can just use water to cleanse your body. Using lukewarm water will only lead to the degeneration of one's spirit! Don't you think so too?!"
"Unexpected"
Naotsune cut him off abruptly and glared at Tsunechika.
"Why does Lord Tsunechika show no willingness to understand the Lord's feelings? Not only is he unable to comprehend the words , but isn't he just crying at night because he doesn't like something?"稚児Yayako
"Shut up!"
Tsunechika became enraged and drew his great sword.
"You foolish dog, dare to speak so insolently! I will personally present your head to Lord Hisamasa!"
"...So, Lord Hisamasa is involved after all."
Naotsune drew his beloved sword, which had absorbed the blood of dozens of people that day alone, and assumed a fighting stance.
Due to the continuous battles, the uchigatana Endō koshirae had become considerably dull.
Nevertheless, it is still a bladed weapon, and above all, with Naotsune's skill, it is merely a minor issue.刃毀box
"So, if I leave my wife behind—what will happen to her?"
"I don't know. But I suppose Lord Hisamasa and Lord Asakura Yoshikage will be enjoying it."
—But before that, I suppose I could have a taste.
Tsunechika wore a lecherous, twisted smile.
"—Very well."
Naotsune raised his sword and quietly declared.
"I will make you regret insulting my lord and his wife!"
"Go ahead and let me try!"
Naotsune planted his feet firmly on the ground and ran in one breath.
Tsunechika raised his great sword and cut downwards in a reverse diagonal slash.
The clanging of swords, the sound of metal clashing against metal, echoed through the air.
In principle, clashing swords is forbidden because it severely damages the blades, but in actual combat, that rule doesn't always apply. Ideals and reality are different.
"What's wrong, Naotsune? Is that all you've got?"
As they fought fiercely鍔迫Tsubaze
"You, who were said to be a prominent figure in the Asai family, are only this good... Rumors can't be trusted."
"...Hisashi, do it."
"--what?"
Tsunechika looked puzzled for a moment, but then he recoiled in surprise at the sudden arrival of a drawn dagger.
Hisashi threw the dagger that Naotsune had given him earlier at Tsunechika.
And Naotsune didn't miss that opportunity.
He lowered his body, clenched his right fist, which was covered by a gauntlet, and thrust out that strong fist with all his might.
"Bug--!?"
Naotsune's fist slammed into Tsunechika's face, piercing him and sending him crashing to the ground.
A warrior renowned for his strength on the battlefield; there's no way anyone could stand up straight after taking a punch to the face from him.
Naotsune raised his leg and stomped hard on Tsunechika's chest.
Against an opponent covered in armor, blunt force is more effective than slashing.
His chest was being trampled, and Keishin's massive body writhed in agony.
" Using that is incredibly cowardly—"童Warawa
When Tsunechika glared at Hisashi and tried to denounce him, Naotsune trampled on him again.
"Don't show me such a pathetic sight any further... you hen of Hisamasa."
"Guh...!"
Even as he writhed in agony, Tsunechika's arms and hands crawled along the ground, searching for the hilt of his great sword.
When Naotsune noticed this, he stomped on both of Tsunechika's shoulders—this would surely prevent him from moving his arms.
"So, Lord Tsunechika? I believe you mentioned Lord Asakura Yoshikage's name to Lord Hisamasa earlier. Surely you don't think the Asakura family is involved in this matter..."
"...I, I don't know!"
With a demonic expression, Naotsune picked up his beloved sword, gently touched the blade to Tsunechika's neck, and began to rock it from side to side.鋸saw
"I understand, stop it!"
Tsunechika turned pale with fear, sweating profusely as he cried out.
"This matter... has been planned for a long time between Lord Hisamasa and the Asakura family in order for him to regain his position as head of the family!".