Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Iino Battle (2)
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"Yes, General."
At Il-yeong's command, Niwa Nagahide let out a peculiar laugh as a fortress of wooden palisades sprang up with impressive speed.
It was, of course, a hastily thrown-together structure—more fence than proper castle—but as long as it gave the feel of a stronghold, wasn't that enough?
Even so, a rushed palisade still had to serve as their main base, and erecting it took only a few days.
Meanwhile, across the Odaigawa River, an enemy force had taken position and was watching them intently. Soon after, inside the newly completed command tent as the generals pored over a map, a scout rushed in and bowed deeply.
"Just as you said, my lord—it's the mon with two geese!"
Il-yeong nodded at the scout's report.
"As expected..."
The mon with two geese.
It belonged to Shibata Katsuie. With that, Il-yeong rose immediately and gave his orders.
"Launch the boats. Tell them we want to talk."
He strode forward without even donning his helmet, clad only in black armor with Onimaru Kunitsuna at his waist.
To some, it might have looked like a stride born of certainty.
If it was Shibata Katsuie on the other side—not someone else—she would surely agree to parley.
And sure enough, after boats were fetched from a nearby village and preparations made at the riverbank, a reply came from Shibata Katsuie.
"She says to meet at the center of the river."
It was a response utterly in character for her.
—Creak!
A boat floated to the middle of the Odaigawa River. The air was still chilly, so a freshly brewed cup of tea sat before Il-yeong on the boat from the local village.
Standing beside him were Itsuki, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Niwa Nagahide. As Il-yeong silently sipped his tea, Akechi Mitsuhide, positioned behind him, hesitantly spoke up.
"...Um."
She seemed torn about whether to say it, but then steeled herself.
"This could be dangerous."
She knew little of the Oda Clan's internal affairs from Mino, but even she had heard of Shibata Katsuie. Undeterred by Il-yeong's calm sip, she added from behind him,
"Isn't she the one they call Oni Shibata? A woman like that..."
...could probably cut down an enemy general on a boat in one stroke.
She left the rest unsaid. Of course, she'd witnessed Il-yeong's prowess recently, but what if...?
But just then.
"No need to worry."
A firm female voice rang out—not from their boat, but from the opposite side. It wasn't hostile, merely resolute.
"She's not that dishonorable."
And as eyes turned toward it,
Il-yeong stood and faced the familiar oni-masked blonde general.
"It's been a while, Lady Shibata."
"...Lord Hirate."
For a moment, the eyes behind the mask wavered.
But unseen by anyone, Shibata merely glanced at the approaching boat and thought to herself.
She hoped it would reach that general quickly.
*
—Screech.
As Shibata's samurai, handling the oars, docked her boat against Il-yeong's, Shibata Katsuie crossed over without hesitation. The boat rocked precariously for a second, but no one staggered.
Shibata took in Il-yeong's appearance.
The black armor, the legendary sword at his waist now called a yasha's blade, fitting for the man. And for some reason, his features seemed even sharper than before. Cautiously, Shibata Katsuie parted her lips.
"You've weathered quite a few storms lately."
With her own fame and network of ninja scouts, she already knew all about Il-yeong—including the recent assassination attempt.
"Our lord was furious when she heard. And I want to assure you: we had no hand in sending anyone."
She had once called Nobuyuki "young miss," but with the succession struggle now set in stone, such familiarity threatened her liege's legitimacy. Thus, Shibata Katsuie used "lord" instead, expressing sincere regret to Il-yeong.
Or rather, she held her words back.
Nobuyuki had flown into a rage upon hearing it, ranting that they should've just kidnapped him. What more needed saying?
One thing was clear: Nobuyuki's side aimed to win Il-yeong over, not kill him.
With that, Shibata Katsuie flashed her signature sly grin and addressed the silent Il-yeong.
"Our lord wants to know: do you still think the same?"
Referring to their conversation at the restaurant before. Il-yeong answered.
"Yes. Same as ever."
"...I figured as much."
A flicker of inner disappointment crossed her mind. She'd personally taken a liking to him and thought it would be nice if they served the same lord.
And a question arose.
If so, why had he called for her?
As if sensing her doubt, Il-yeong sat back down and nodded to Itsuki beside him. Itsuki promptly dragged a chair from the corner of the boat and placed it behind her.
"Please, sit."
"Very well."
She accepted his offer without refusal. Then Il-yeong pulled a mouth-slit mask from his armor and placed it before her.
Shibata Katsuie eyed it curiously, but Il-yeong chuckled and tapped the mask on her face.
"I set out tea, after all. Why not have a taste?"
"...Ah."
Only then did Shibata Katsuie realize she was still masked and couldn't drink. She fingered the new mask briefly before turning to her retainer.
"...Turn around."
"Yes, my lord."
Her retainer, also a woman, promptly faced away toward their camp across the river. In that moment, Shibata Katsuie turned her head down, swapped masks.
Her pale skin and lower face emerged. The sudden chill breeze felt awkward, so she brushed her delicate jaw with fine fingers. But seeing it, Il-yeong smiled unwittingly.
"They say a pretty jaw means a beauty. You are one."
"...Kuhk!"
"Oh? You alright?"
As she brought the teacup to her lips at his words, Shibata Katsuie choked and sputtered tea. A line trailed down her elegant jawline. Il-yeong drew a handkerchief from his armor and wiped it.
"I-I can do it myself."
Regaining her wits late, she snatched the handkerchief and wiped it, then stared awkwardly at it, now stained with her saliva and tea. If it were just tea, she could've returned it clean—but this was tricky.
Il-yeong chuckled in response.
"Keep it if you like."
"...I'll return it next time."
Holding it would be improper, she thought, tucking it into her armor. Sensing the mood had eased, Il-yeong cut to the chase.
"In this battle, I plan to kill everyone except you and your key generals, Lady Shibata."
"...Pardon?"
Silence fell over the boat. Shibata's samurai, who had turned back, was stunned—as was Itsuki, unprepared for such bluntness. Akechi Mitsuhide went without saying.
But Niwa Nagahide was different.
As if she'd expected it, she simply gazed at him with her usual smiling eyes.
Shibata Katsuie, meanwhile, rolled her eyes, unsure how to respond. Il-yeong calmly sipped his tea and continued.
"It's the heart of 'righteous execution.' I'll frame it as a sacrifice of the few for the many. Then pacify Owari and march on the capital as 'Oda Nobunaga's Owari.'"
March on the capital.
In other words, end this chaos and put her on the shogun's seat. Stunned by the successive shocks, Shibata Katsuie could only gape at him.
Curiously, the mouth-slit oni mask he'd given her accentuated her pale skin and red lips.
And in that moment,
Il-yeong said,
"Of course, to do that, hitting your main camp with a detachment now would be ideal. Plenty of samurai would die, sure... but that's unavoidable."
With both camps' top generals here together, striking now—while no one could replace Shibata—via Mori Yoshinari or others wasn't a bad plan.
Thus, to Shibata Katsuie glancing back suspiciously,
Il-yeong said,
"But I won't."
The Shibata Katsuie he knew might be strategically naive at times, but she prized honor highly. He didn't know the real history's version, but the one before him now was like that.
So, to the tense, lip-biting Shibata, Il-yeong offered a light smile and said,
"So, at dawn tomorrow, duel me one-on-one. Shibata Katsuie."
"In other words."
This was blackmail.
Basically: unless you want your entire force wiped out right now, let's settle it with a duel.
It was the method Il-yeong devised for minimal casualties—a gamble staking his and her lives. The only way to preserve both sides' troops.
At the same time, it was a proposal bound to disappoint Shibata Katsuie, who held some fondness for him as a fellow general.
Shibata Katsuie closed her eyes.
Gauging his true intent, she soon nodded.
"Fine... We'll do it that way."
Even though it was the obvious choice in a no-win scenario, she couldn't help feeling some disappointment.
Perhaps because they stood under different banners, knowing one decision could doom countless lives under their command.
Thus, she left those words behind and silently rowed her boat back.
Alone now, Il-yeong stared at the teacup she'd half-drunk and left on the table, murmuring lowly.
"...Guess I can't help feeling like shit."
The words dripped with bitter scorn.