Honoo no Mirage Vol 4 Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Flowing Stars

“He wants to speak to me? Masamune?”

Chiaki and Ayako had told him upon their return to the hotel. His gaze suddenly fell to the bandage around his right hand given him by Masamune and his household.

“To Uesugi Kagetora. That’s what he said?”

“They pretty much know all about us. Though that’s only to be expected if they were in contact with Kousaka,” Chiaki commented. “I don’t get that guy. Kousaka, that b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Didn’t he say he was here to negotiate an alliance for Takeda with Date against Mogami? Then why was he helping Mogami?”

“Just because he thought he could finish us off?”

“Then why did he save Kagetora?”

Naoe, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth to speak. “I wonder if there’s some sort of benefit for him in attaching himself to Mogami. If Takeda really wants to destroy Mogami, they probably wouldn’t take an alliance with Date so lightly.”

“But Takeda might also be considering joining with Mogami to bring down Date.”

“No—” Naoe shook his head. "That’s almost certainly not the case. If they joined with Mogami, then Mogami would immediately learn about the hostilities in Echigo. I don’t think Takeda would go so far to destroy Date. Just, maybe Kousaka sought to gain something by making a deal with Mogami Yos.h.i.+yasu personally...

Ayako made a face. “Whatever for? Maybe Kousaka’s going along with Mogami’s transfer of the capital plan or something.”

“Well, who knows?”

Chiaki unfolded his arms in disgust. “It’s like that guy’s just playing around, doing whatever he wants... But Mogami’s not doing too bad either, huh? All this transfer of the capital c.r.a.p? Can it be accomplished that easily by a hypnotic suggestion?”

“But he sounded pretty serious about the transfer of the capital, didn’t he?” Yuzuru entered the conversation. “The capital is filled to bursting, and the problem is no longer on a scope that Tokyo can resolve by itself—it has to involve the entire island chain. But even if something’s started now, I can’t see it finis.h.i.+ng within twenty or thirty years.”

“That’s true. The complexity of this country as it is now really cannot be dealt with using Sengoku-Era sentiments.”

“Humph. If the «Yami-Sengoku» onshou have any idea how to solve the awful mess of today’s national problems, then let’s let them, those f.u.c.king morons,” Chiaki swore, and returned Takaya’s gaze. “Anyway, Kagetora. What’re you going to do about Masamune?”

“...Hmm, that’s true.” Takaya returned expressionlessly. “In any case, we have to dissolve the curse on Sendai. The joint spells we need to neutral this ‘kinrin no hou’ are ‘Gouzanze Myouou-hou’ and ‘Daiitoku Myouou-hou’, you said, right?”

“I think we can trust that information. Since it is true that either of these will neutralize Dakiniten-hou.”

“Can we—do it?”

Naoe closed his mouth. They could handle «choubukuryoku», but they were not experts in curses.

“I wouldn’t say that we can’t do it, but we would need to choose a place that is very spiritually advantageous.”

“An advantageous...place?”

“Yes. The power of location is significant. A place with a strong, pure spiritual aura such as a holy site increases the power of spells cast there. If we’re to break the curse barrier, we should do it where the effect is weakest.”

Takaya murmured, “So, Kyougamine, then?”

Everyone turned to him. Takaya raised his eyes determinedly.

“We’ll need Masamune’s power, won’t we?”

“Are you gonna accept his invitation, Kagetora?”

“I gotta go and have a look, right? And I think we can trust Masamune and company more that that guy Kousaka.” Takaya responded flatly to everyone present. “I’ll go see Masamune tomorrow.”

No one raised an objection.

 

 

 

“I want to talk to you,” Yuzuru had said to Takaya, so the two of them had come up to the roof.

Night had fallen, and lights shone in the city. The tail-lights of cars flowed along main street. Takaya and Yuzuru leaned against the railing and gazed down at the scenery for a while without saying anything.

They had not spoken much since that morning; Takaya seemed to be avoiding it.

A car’s horn blared distantly. Takaya finally opened his mouth to speak, still looking down on the hustle and bustle of what seemed almost like another world.

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

“...”

Yuzuru was silent for a moment, then said haltingly, “Uesugi Kagetora.”

Takaya raised his head, blinking.

“That’s your name, isn’t it?”

“...”

“I’ve heard all about you guys. Uesugi Kagetora is your true name, right? He said that you’re this person called Uesugi Kagetora.”

“Chiaki told you?”

Yuzuru’s gaze fell to his feet.

For a moment he seemed to be steeling himself—then he turned to Takaya resolutely.

“You can’t throw away yourself, Takaya!”

“Huh...?”

“Right now, you’re planning to discard ‘Ougi Takaya’, aren’t you? You’re thinking that throwing yourself away won’t matter if you can get that power, right? That it’ll be fine. That it doesn’t matter if you toss ‘Ougi Takaya’ away.”

“Yuzuru...”

“I’m not going to let you do that!”

Yuzuru’s tone was more forceful than usual.

“No matter what the reason, I’m not going to let you act so selfishly. I’m not letting you! It’s true that I don’t have your power or your strength, but still... I’m not going to let you run away like that!”

Takaya looked at Yuzuru in surprise. Yuzuru was glaring fiercely at Takaya, hands clutched into fists.

“I’ll never forgive you if you betray the people who treasure you now by doing that. There must be some other way you can get power!”

“Yuzuru—”

“We only have you. Miya-chan and your parents only have you. To us, there’s not one good reason for ‘Ougi Takaya’ to disappear!”

Takaya was speechless. Yuzuru pleaded with him forthrightly, “There must be some way for you to accept ‘Uesugi Kagetora’ without losing ‘Ougi Takaya’. Some way that won’t hurt anyone. You have to find a way—”

It would take everything he had to find a way.

So that he would not need to betray anyone.

Takaya finally understood.

His seventeen years were probably next to worthless in comparison with Uesugi Kagetora’s four hundred. ‘Ougi Takaya’ was one small person whose human value was far beneath that of ‘Uesugi Kagetora’.

That was what he had thought in self-derision, and in that light throwing away ‘Ougi Takaya’ was the right thing to do for those who needed Kagetora. —If he could not have that power without doing so.

But that had never been true.

It was not necessary for him to throw himself away. There had to be another way. He did not have the right to betray anyone.

Yuzuru finally smiled his usual gentle smile.

“You can call me pesky and obstinate all you want, but I’m going to be following right behind you everywhere you go. I’m going to watch you so you don’t take any stupid shortcuts.” He smiled at Takaya unwaveringly. “I’ve already made up my mind, so be prepared.”

“Yuzuru.” Takaya looked slightly stunned, but it gradually became a heart-felt grin. “You’re really obstinate,” Takaya said, and extended his right hand. “Gimme your hand.”

“Huh?”

“Just do it.”

Yuzuru obediently placed his hand on Takaya’s palm. Takaya quietly closed his eyes.

“Yuzuru. I’m gonna make you a promise.”

“A promise?”

“I’m not gonna take the easy way out. I’m not gonna betray anyone. ...If I b.i.t.c.h about it...” The corners of Takaya’s mouth curved up in a small smile. “You can knock me down with this hand.”

“...”

Yuzuru also smiled.

“You’d probably just hit me back.”

“I wouldn’t do that.”

“You never know.”

Yuzuru grinned happily to see Takaya finally acting himself again.

But he was changing.

The seeds of change had already been planted.

 

Naoe gazed out at the two friends from the entrance to the staircase. His eyes dropped slightly as a voice called to him from behind.

“Why don’t you climb up instead of standing there so silently?”

A young man wearing a white coat was standing at the foot of the stairs.

It was Kousaka Danjou.

Naoe turned to him without any sign of surprise. Kousaka gave a low laugh and slowly ascended.

“Looks like Kagetora is in one piece?”

“He would not be so easily done in by some onshou.”

Kousaka came to stand next to Naoe and cast his gaze over at Takaya and Yuzuru.

“Humph, so you brought Narita Yuzuru?”

Naoe replied guardedly, “You were the one who told us not to take our eyes off him, Kousaka Danjou.”

Kousaka snorted. “True enough. He appears to be the only person who can draw out Kagetora’s powers, huh?”

“Why don’t you stop putting on airs and just tell me? The true nature of Narita Yuzuru. Who in the world is this young man that’s supposed to be a ‘threat to the Roku Dou Sekai’?”

Kousaka answered with a faint smile, “Instead of asking me, wouldn’t it be faster to seek an answer from your master, Lord Uesugi Kens.h.i.+n?”

“! What?!”

Looking at the color draining out of Naoe’s face, Kousaka said, “On that score, Kagetora doesn’t seem that far off from regaining his memories, hmm?”

Naoe’s face stiffened slightly. As if feeling him out, Kousaka murmured, “Aah, but that’s what’s called reaping what you sow, hmm, Naoe? It’s no good trying to wriggle your way out of it now. Since you slept with your master’s lover, of all things... You’ve let the way of the retainer fall to the wayside.”

Naoe held his breath. Kousaka continued mercilessly, “Well, Naoe? How did it feel to toss away even your honor to satisfy your desires? Did you want Minako that much? Did you hate Kagetora that much?”

“—That’s not true...!”

“And really, you didn’t have to do it at that scene of carnage. ...Ah, of course. In the Otate no Ran four hundred years ago, you were the ringleader of those who drove Kagetora to his death, were you not? The two of you started in mutual hatred, so I suppose that’s the only place where you could end up.”

“No!” Naoe raised his voice, glaring at Kousaka. “Mutual hatred...? I never hated him. I never hated him at all!”

“Then why did you steal Minako away from Kagetora? Did you want that woman so badly? So badly that you were willing to sever the bond between lord and retainer?”

“No...that’s not true! I—!”

Kousaka cut Naoe off coldly, “You went so far that you flew right past tragedy into comedy—you rape Minako, then force Kagetora into her body with kanshou, which is pregnant with your child.”

“...!”

“I’m not going to let you make the excuse that you had no other choice in the a.s.sault from Oda, Naoe. Of all things, you performed kanshou for Kagetora on Minako’s body. The body that you raped, that bore your child—Minako’s body. Yes, it was precisely the same as having Kagetora kill Minako. To drive the soul of your beloved out of her body in order to make that body yours and prolong your own life. Of course Kagetora was vehemently opposed to it. But with that abominable ability of yours, you overcame his objections. That abominable ability to performkanshou for someone else!”

“...”

Naoe stood frozen, his eyes widening.

“You should be thankful that at least Kagetora didn’t go mad. Kens.h.i.+n may have bestowed it upon you, but what an arrogant «power» it is. You used it as a tool for your loves and hates. Did you hate those two so much? Did you hate Kagetora so much...?!”

“Shut up!” Naoe shouted, with so much pain that he might well have spat out blood along with those words.

The smile suddenly vanished from the corners of Kousaka’s mouth.

He asked Naoe quietly as the other man wrestled with his anguish, “Did you hate Minako...?”

Naoe’s eyes abruptly flew open.

“Did you hate Minako, who won Kagetora’s love in those days of carnage? Minako, who eased Kagetora’s hardened heart? ...Did you hate her?”

“...”

“Who was it you really held in your arms?”

The expression fled from Naoe’s face.

The wind suddenly blew through the s.p.a.ce between them.

Kousaka gazed at Naoe silently for a moment, then asked slowly, “Do you love him so much?”

“—”

“Was it with a heart twisted and maddened, in self-deception... Or...”

He received no reply.

For a moment he looked at Naoe with something like compa.s.sion.

Then he suddenly glanced away and focused on Takaya and Yuzuru. Kousaka gazed at the gentle light glowing from Takaya’s body as he stood there with Yuzuru’s hand in his.

The door would soon be closed—

“Date will probably offer their aid. You can use their strength to great advantage. Take the offer.”

“... Does Takeda really want an alliance with Date? Is it true that you’ve joined with Mogami?”

Kousaka’s laugh was a low rumble in his throat. “Who’s joined with Mogami? Helping the Mogami lordling was just a little business deal.”

“Business? What sort of business?”

“Naoe. Surely you’ve noticed it.”

And Naoe turned.

“That Oda is behind Mogami. I don’t think we should make light of the fact that Oda is the one pulling the strings from the shadows. Though that plan to transfer the capital does seem to be something the Mogami are plotting by themselves. Oda is likely unifying the onshou of the Northeast to fight against Takeda.”

“So you’re saying that you made a deal with Yos.h.i.+yasu in order to get information on Oda? You can’t mean that the bargain was—”

Kousaka looked at Naoe coldly.

“Yes. It’s exactly as you guessed.”

Naoe’s face abruptly stiffened. He seized Kousaka’s collar violently.

“You bargained to deal with us? Were you the one who attacked Kagetora-sama...and Jikou Temple last night?!”

“Humph. I never supposed that it’d be enough to kill Kagetora. But it seems to have become impetus for Kagetora to regain his «power».”

“d.a.m.n you! Do you understand what you did? You involved the abbot and his wife! His wife died. Someone died because of you!”

“Hot-tempered, aren’t you, Naoe,” Kousaka said with a faint, cruel smile. “Have you forgotten? We’re onshou of the Sengoku. On that battlefield, did we ever hesitate to kill anyone? What need do murderers have to pretend virtue at this late date?”

“Wh...!”

“You should think of it as a small unavoidable sacrifice for Kagetora’s sake. With a minimum of sacrifices, Kagetora has gotten the message that he must regain his «power» as soon as he can.”

Gnas.h.i.+ng his teeth in anguish, Naoe thrust Kousaka violently away from him.

“... Date thinks you’ve betrayed them for Mogami. What will you do?”

“Give them proof of our innocence.” Kousaka’s expression was dismissive. “An alliance between Takeda and Date is necessary to counter Oda. Oda will probably one day be Date’s enemy as well. Lord Masamune must know this quite clearly.”

“...”

“Looks like tomorrow will be a tough day.” Kousaka began descending the stairs with those parting words.

Naoe said to his back, “Kagetora-sama will...probably never forgive you, Kousaka.”

Stopping, Kousaka turned to say over his shoulder, “Hmm, then I guess that makes two of us, Naoe.”

Kousaka vanished down the stairs with that last shot. Naoe looked after him, then turned back to Takaya and Yuzuru. —To regain his «power».

He bit his lip lightly.

(Kagetora-sama...)

 

 

 

“What. Thou wert hindered by Uesugi...!”

Mogami Yos.h.i.+aki raised his eyes sharply as he heard the report.

He was at a certain j.a.panese restaurant in Sendai. He had stopped in Sendai to check on the effectiveness of the curse barrier before heading for Tokyo, and called his son Yos.h.i.+yasu to him.

“And so thou shamelessly retreated?”

“—”

Yos.h.i.+yasu fell prostrate before his father. He had taken another spiritual vessel—a young man this time.

“Didst thou once again stand by uselessly, doing nothing about the Uesugi? I had thought that thou hadst dealt with them long ago! Thou worthless slave! Yet thou darest name thyself son of the Hawk of Dewa?”

Yos.h.i.+yasu could make no reply. He only tensed slightly as he trembled.

“By all rights, the «jike-kekkai» on Sendai should have been completed long ago! And yet thou art here while it lies incomplete.”

“But, Father...!”

“I shall not listen to thine excuses!” Yos.h.i.+aki interrupted flatly, and Yos.h.i.+aki closed his mouth. “I was wrong to overestimate thy spiritual powers. I had thought to wipe the slate clean of the strengths and weaknesses of thy past life and bestow upon thee one more chance to prove thy worth... I was wrong to ask this of thee. In truth, thou knows nothing of thy father’s heart. Thou wretch!”

“—”

“How much disappointment must thou heap on thy father before thou art satisfied...!”

Yos.h.i.+yasu glared down at the tatami, not raising his eyes. His fists shook as he endured the humiliation. His father gazed at him silently for a moment, then forcefully expelled a sigh.

“’Twould be cruel of me to ask yet more from thee. I can change not thy natural ability. There is no other way. If my second son Iechika had but remained in this world...”

“...!”

Yos.h.i.+yasu’s eyes widened, and he unthinkingly moved forward on his knees to shout, “Father! I shall not give thee further reason for care! I, Yos.h.i.+yasu, will annihilate Uesugi’s Yasha-shuuwithout fail! I will complete the curse on Sendai tomorrow! So I beg of thee! I beg of thee, Father!”

Yos.h.i.+aki gazed at Yos.h.i.+yasu coldly. “Naturally.”

“Father—”

“If thou canst not accomplish even this, then thou art not fit to bear the name of the son of Mogami. If thou dost understand this, then away from hence immediately. Until thou shouldst defeat Date and Uesugi, do not think to speak with me again.”

Yos.h.i.+yasu raised his head in terror and looked at his father’s face without meeting his eyes. His father raised his cup to his lips, indicating that he had nothing more to say.

Yos.h.i.+yasu bit his lip hard. His nails dug into the tatami as he silently swallowed against nauseating regret.

“...As you command.”

It took everything he had.

 

Stepping out of the j.a.panese restaurant, Yos.h.i.+yasu turned back towards where his father Yos.h.i.+aki was likely even now drinking sake with the members of the prefectural Diet. —The words that Kousaka had once said to him flitted across the back of his head.

“Do you not think that, after being alienated and murdered, you’re still just being used now that you’ve been resurrected?”

He wanted to believe that that was not true, but he bit his lip as he recalled his father’s cold features. His fear of his father had not changed. When he stood in front of Yos.h.i.+aki, he was immobilized by it.

Regret transformed into irritation. Yos.h.i.+yasu blamed his father’s rebuke on Kousaka.

(He might talk big, but ’tis almost as if he is not working to defeat them—...)

Though he had promised to deal with Uesugi’s Yasha-shuu, Kousaka had not killed even a single one of them. And Kagetora seemed to be still alive as well.

(’Tis not my fault, but his.)

Yos.h.i.+yasu raised his eyes sharply.

(Thou—)

Now that it had come to this, he had to complete the barrier over Sendai. Neither Mogami’s rule of the country nor the transfer of the capital mattered to him. He only wanted to be recognized by the father who had disinherited him. He only wanted to triumph.

(I shall certainly kill the Uesugi.)

He clenched his fists tightly. His father’s cold look was reflected in Yos.h.i.+yasu’s fiercely glaring eyes.

(Father—)

The direction of the wind seemed about to change.

People began to stir.

 

 

 

The papers the following morning announced the approval of the ‘Proposal for Transfer of the Capital’ by the prefectural a.s.sembly. Its pa.s.sage two days after its submission was of unprecedented speed. The ‘Transfer of the Capital’ plan was splashed across all the headlines, and it made for big television news as well.

Mogami Yos.h.i.+aki and his cronies had apparently roused the ma.s.s media.

Scowling peripherally at all of this, Takaya and company set out to the meeting with Masamune.

 
Chiaki drove Naoe and Takaya in his Leopard, and they alighted in front of the front door of Date’s mansion.

A line of Date’s va.s.sals were already waiting at the entrance, and one among them, Katakura Kagetsuna, guided them inside.

As he walked along, Takaya half-turned as if suddenly realizing something. Naoe, following after him, asked, “What is it?”

“Eh? Ah, nothing—”

Takaya looked at Naoe with fresh eyes as a memory of Masamune and Kojuurou, master and retainer, surfaced in his mind.

“I was just thinking that you’re with me today.”

Naoe smiled quietly. "Even if anything should happen, I will not allow anyone to lay a finger on you. So set your mind at ease and do what you came here to do.

Takaya nodded, his tense expression easing, and said as he turned, “You don’t have to tell me. I’ll do it anyway.”

“Here,” Kojuurou said, kneeling in front of a paper sliding door. “Dono. Uesugi-dono is here.”

Kojuurou slid open the door at his lord’s response. All of the Date chief va.s.sals were seated within.

Sitting directly in front of them was a one-eyed young man.

“I am glad that thou hast come, Uesugi-dono.”

Takaya glared at Masamune, his eyes razor-sharp.

The s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ odos.h.i.+ clacked.

 

“Let’s dispense with the long greetings, Lord Masamune. I came here today as Uesugi Kagetora to meet with you. Let’s get straight to what you want to say to me.”

Takaya was almost arrogantly calm before the One-Eyed Dragon. Since Masamune already knew the truth about him, there was nothing more to fear.

Masamune grinned.

“So this left eye of mine was not mistaken. When it meets eyes such as thine, my warrior’s blood is unwittingly stirred.”

“I’m honored. But anyhow, have you noticed? Sendai’s brainwas.h.i.+ng is finally starting in earnest.”

“... About that—” and Masamune gravely began to tell the Date the information they had gathered so far. They had of course noticed the «jike-kekkai». They also spoke of the ‘fox-user woman’ and of the times they had scuffled. At around two last night, they had skirmished with Mogami Yos.h.i.+yasu at the spot slated to be the southeast barrier point, the Northeast Bullet Train overpa.s.s, and they spoke of how they had forced her to retreat.

“Uesugi-dono. Dost thou know of Mogami’s plans? What follows the brainwas.h.i.+ng of Sendai?”

Takaya looked at Naoe behind him, who had thus far remained silent.

“About that, I think it’ll be better to let the person who actually heard it from Mogami Yos.h.i.+aki himself tell you.”

“What? Heard it from mine uncle?”

Pressed by Takaya, Naoe opened his mouth to speak.

“I am Naoe n.o.butsuna, a retainer of the Uesugi Clan. Allow me to explain,” Naoe began, and revealed the particulars of Mogami’s ‘Transfer of the Capital Plan’ to Masamune. Masamune and the others leaned forward attentively, but the color slowly drained out of their faces as they listened.

“Doth mine uncle...truly plan to take such a foolish course of...” Masamune said disbelievingly.

Naoe continued, “Mogami Yos.h.i.+aki and Mogami Yos.h.i.+yasu appear to have already begun using ‘kinrin no hou’ to manipulate the ma.s.s media. Even before that, he used the power and connections of Diet Representative Ues.h.i.+ma, his spiritual vessel, to rouse influential people in the business and political worlds in Sendai as well as Tokyo. If the «jike-kekkai» is completed, all organizations will move towards transfer of the capital starting from the individual level. In that case all power will doubtlessly be collected in the hands of one person: Diet Representative Ues.h.i.+ma—namely Mogami Yos.h.i.+aki.”

 

 

Takaya added, “These old men like Ues.h.i.+ma who’re members of the Diet should refuse to become spiritual vessels, but he’s still helping Mogami. Seriously, if this continues, this country will be under Mogami’s thumb. I’m not very good with words, so—”

Masamune crossed his arms firmly. “So ‘tis Mogami’s aim to become the ’Shogun’ of this era? And build the Mogami Bakufu?”

“Even if a ‘transfer of the capital’ is the right thing to do, Mogami’s methods are high-handed and radical. Those who do not obey and those who interfere will be murdered by the koko one after another, and tyranny will be the result. If such a thing should actually happen, it will only result in social chaos. Though that is probably Mogami’s goal—”

Takaya agreed, his voice hard, “In the end, they’re still living in the Sengoku Era. And word is that the Mogami onryou will be migrating to Sendai soon. Of course, they’re planning to wipe out the Date and make this their stronghold.”

“... A general offensive, then?”

All the retainers present tensed. Masamune hummed for a moment with a hand on his chin.

“Dono. If Mogami hath formed a coalition with As.h.i.+na and other clans to encircle Date as Uesugi-dono hath said, they will inevitably move to attack Date at the same time,” Kojuurou said, and Date s.h.i.+gezane continued:

“... For now, if we could just escape As.h.i.+na’s siege—”

“Negotiating with As.h.i.+na is impossible. Even if ’twere not so, their «power» is formed of malice towards the Date. They will never consider a deal.”

Masamune slowly murmured, “Takeda, then?”

All present turned their attention to Masamune. Masamune raised his eyes to return the gaze of his row of commanders.

“We will have Takeda draw As.h.i.+na away, then attack in a pincer movement. If we should accept Takeda’s proposal, we will have fighting strength in one way or another.”

“But, Dono—!” Unsurprisingly, s.h.i.+gezane moved forward from his kneeling position. “Takeda—this man called Kousaka—may be in collusion with Mogami. We may be heading into a trap if we should take any unsound steps.”

“On that score—” Naoe weighed in, and the attention of the Date turned to him—“you need not be so anxious. Takeda’s intentions should be true. Better that you use the advancing Takeda.”

“On what dost thou base thy conclusion?”

“Because the one he’s in collusion with is Mogami Yos.h.i.+yasu.”

Takaya turned to Naoe as if mesmerized. But Naoe continued, “Kousaka appears to have accepted a private deal with Yos.h.i.+yasu. Mogami was aware of our movements. So if Kousaka, who is himself kanshousha, agreed to remove us from the picture—”

Takaya’s expression tensed as he listened. He stared at Naoe’s serene profile, eyes widening. It was Masamune who asked, “Then what did Kousaka-dono and Yos.h.i.+yasu exchange, if ’twas not us?”

Naoe’s eyes glinted.

“Perhaps—information on Oda.”

“!”

Everyone drew in a startled breath.

“Information on...!” “Lord Oda n.o.bunaga?” “Is Mogami by chance connected to Lord n.o.bunaga as well?!”

Naoe nodded firmly. The Date va.s.sals visibly blanched. Directly in front of them, Masamune sat with his single eye staring intently at nothing, apparently at a loss for words.

The clack of the s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ odos.h.i.+ clove through the frozen air.

The next words came from Takaya.

“Lord Masamune. You said that you wanted to protect Sendai. We came here today because we trust you. We cannot surrender this city to Mogami, to say nothing of handing it over to n.o.bunaga.”

Masamune returned Uesugi Kagetora’s taut gaze. Takaya stated forthrightly, “We are asking you to lend the Uesugi your strength.”

“...”

Masamune felt the impact of those words more absolutely than any hundred equivocal exchanges. By all rights, they should have come from the Date.

An awakening tiger sat right in front of him with its teeth concealed. Masamune smiled softly against the swelling tension.

His voice was anything but soft.

“You shall have it.”