Chapter 34: Flight to the Kingdom

Aso’s skies were dark, though it was the middle of the day.

The clouds were a strange color: one might call them blackish-purple. They hung low and heavy, as if they were a lid over the Aso caldera.

A volcanic plume rose from the middle of the central volcanic cone cluster—from the Middle Peak, the only active member of the Aso volcanoes. It had become active about a month ago, and the area around the crater had been made off-limits; even the mountain-top plaza below the ropeway, which bustled with tourists during tranquil periods, was now devoid of people. It was the first time in two years that the crater had been active.

Volcanic smoke rose high into the sky to dissolve into gray clouds. From a distance, it looked like a pillar connecting heaven and earth.

Very similar to the pillar of spirits in Kumamoto City, in fact.

From the ground, where a cold wind blew, Naoe stared up at the sky.

A feeble ray of sunlight shone through a gap in the clouds onto the outer crater rim.

He sometimes felt the existence of ‘God’ in the streaks of light coming through the clouds, he’d said.

When? Kagetora had said it while gazing at the northern mountain range.

“It makes me feel like praying...”

Because it was a light falling from a place out of reach.

“Because we cannot fly.”

Still staring at the sky, Naoe’s eyes narrowed.

He remembered the sight of Kagetora’s back as he’d hugged himself.

He closed his eyes and quietly hugged himself as if trying to embrace that lonely back.

He called his name.

Light pierced through the heavy gray clouds, descended.

Shined on the ground: a prayer of light.

The strange events in Kumamoto had badly shaken the Ootomo in Aso.

Here at Saiganden Temple, their base of preparations, Ootomo vassals charged around around tumultuously.

“Jouun-dono at the old castle can’t be reached,” a messenger frantically informed Aso Koremitsu, stationed in the main hall of Saiganden Temple. With him was a chief retainer dispatched from Ootomo, Ichimata AkizaneIchimata Akizane (一萬田 鑑実) ? - 1588

Also written as: 一万田 鑑実

Head of the Ichimata Clan, which was descended from the third son of Ootomo Yoshinao. He initially served Ootomo Yoshiaki, and after his death in 1550, his son Ootomo Sourin.

Sourin ordered the deaths of Akizane's father Ichimata Akisuke and uncle in 1553, at which point Akizane succeeded as head of the family. He continued to serve Sourin without rancor, and won several battles, making his military reputation. He put down a rebellion by another uncle in 1568 and fought against the Mouri in 1569 at the Battle of Tatarahama. He spent much of his life fighting for Ootomo but was ordered commit suicide in 1588 by Ootomo Yoshimune due to a rebellion of the Ichimata Clan.

Note: Mirage gives the reading of his name as Ichimanda Akizane; "Ichimanda" appears to have replaced "Ichimata" as the favored reading in modern times. .

“The old castle seems to have fallen completely silent. We are committing all our efforts to gather information, but we still don’t know if the lightning and tornado were caused by Shimazu’s weapons or not. We have had no confirmation as of yet.”

“What of Jouun-dono and Otaa-dono? Are they both thought to have been killed by Shimazu?”

“That can’t be!” Ichimata shouted, pounded his fists against the wood-board floor. “If they had held out a little longer, Saga’s army would have reached Kumamoto!”

Koremitsu and the others in Aso had no idea what had happened. They could never even have imagined that the «Golden Serpent Head» had run amok. Old Castle High SchoolOld Castle High School (古城高校)

Old Castle (Kojou) High School is a fictional school set at the site of the castle which was torn down to make way for Katou Kiyomasa's Kumamoto Castle (also named Kumamoto but using different characters—隈本城 instead of 熊本城). It's likely where real-life Kumamoto Prefectural Daiichi (First) High School stands.

It was originally built as a Western school by foreigners during the Meiji Period (Daiichi was built in 1903 as an all-girls school but later become co-ed). The current school was built around 20 years ago (1970s) and is composed of two three-story buildings to north and south connected by a series of hallways with air-conditioned rooms. It also has a sports oval, a prefabricated club storehouse, and a gym under construction. Kumamoto Castle Park is quite close. was completely silent, and they had lost contact with Julia and the others. Perhaps the old castle had fallen. Wild speculation about a Shimazu secret weapon had created havoc. The boy Koremitsu gazed westward with a troubled countenance. Ichimata ground his teeth. If only he were a kanshoushakanshousha (換生者)

Those who possess others by driving out the soul from a body and making it theirs.

Unlike normal spirits, kanshousha cannot exchange bodies at will; they can only switch to another host body when their current body dies. Because kanshousha become the owners of their bodies, choubuku does not work on them. It is, however, still possible to exorcise kanshousha when they are in spirit-form (i.e. between possessions). himself, he could have stayed beside Jouun-dono to help him.

(Though I believe in Jouun-dono...)

“We should believe in them. Let us trust our friends and do what must be done.”

Koremitsu’s attention was caught by a man’s voice coming from outside. A man in a wheelchair arrived, accompanied by his men.

“I am also sending my subordinates to gather information in the city,” Naoe NobutsunaNaoe Nobutsuna (直江信綱) ? - Oct. 6, 1581

Also known as: Nagao Kagetaka (長尾景孝), Nagao Toukurou (長尾藤九郎)
Title: Yamato no Kami (大和守)

Historically: Son of Nagao Akikage, he became head of the Sousha-Nagao Clan at a young age. He later (around 1545) passed the position to his younger brother Nagao Kagefusa. When the clan was destroyed by Takeda Shingen and their territory lost, the family escaped into Echigo. There Kagefusa became a monk, and Kagetaka was adopted by Naoe Sanetsuna when he married Sanetsuna's daughter, Osen-no-Kata. He succeeded his adopted father as master of Yoita Castle in 1577 and was a vassal of Uesugi Kenshin. He promptly took the side of Uesugi Kagekatsu during the war for succession after Kenshin's death and mobilized the members of the Naoe Clan at the castle to subdue Kagetora's troops.

After the intra-house war and Kagekatsu's victory, a question of reward was called into question. Yasuda Akimoto, one of Kagekatsu's trusted commanders, had promised rewards to Shibata Shigeie, Mouri Hidehiro, and others to convince them to join Kagekatsu's side. However, Yamazaki Hidenori, Naoe, and others objected, for they had risked life and limb at Kasugayama Castle from the very beginning of the battle, while Shibata Shigeie and the others had been lured by promise of reward from Yasuda Akimoto.

Yasuda Akimoto committed suicide when he could not keep his promise of reward. Later, Mouri Hidehiro, carrying a grudge for his death, murdered Yamazaki Hidenori at Kasugayama Castle; Naoe, who was with him at the time and took up a sword to defend himself, was killed as well. His death ended the Naoe line, which Kagekatsu later resurrected by marrying Naoe's widow, Osen-no-Kata to Higuchi Kanetsugu and commanding him to take the Naoe name.

In Mirage of Blaze: According to Kousaka Danjou, and Houjou Ujiteru he was the ringleader of Uesugi Kagekatsu's forces in the Otate no Ran. He is now Uesugi Kagetora's protector and one of the Yasha-shuu under his command. He alone, as Kagetora's protector, was given the power to perform kanshou on other souls, a power he used to force Kagetora's soul into Minako's body. told Koremitsu from his wheelchair. “We have heard nothing about a Shimazu weapon. It is conceivable that some unexpected trouble may have occurred. Until the details of the situation become clear, let us continue with our assigned tasks.”

“I wonder if everything will be all right. Maybe something terrible has happened to Jouun-dono and the others. The Shimazu are a fearsome people. What if they take Kumamoto and invade Aso?”

Koremitsu’s fear was understandable. The Aso Clan had been jostled between such powerhouses as Shimazu and Ryuuzouji, and had only managed to survive with Sassa NarimasaSassa Narimasa (佐々成政) Feb. 2, 1536 - July 7, 1588

Also known as: Kuranosuke—nickname (内蔵助)
Titles: Mutsu no Kami, Ecchuu no Kami, Chamberlain

A daimyo of the Sengoku, born in Owari. His father was Sassa Morimasa. His two older brothers, Sassa Masatsugu and Sassa Magosuke, died in battle, so Narimasa became head of the clan and master of Hira Castle in 1560. He distinguished himself in the loyal service of Oda Nobunaga and fought in many of Nobunaga's battles. His name was first on a list for the Kurohoro-gumi, an elite group of Nobunaga's bodyguards.

In 1580, he backed Jinbou Nagazumi against both the Uesugi Clan and the Ikkou-ikki in Ecchuu, and was given half the province. The following year, he was named governor (Kami) of the entire province when Jinbou Nagazumi lost his standing. He made Toyama Castle his main castle and performed extensive repairs and renovations on it.

After Nobunaga's death in 1582, Narimasa continued to engage in fierce battles with Uesugi Kagekatsu. He took the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobukatsu against Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but later surrendered to him in 1585 when Hideyoshi laid siege to Toyama Castle with 10,000 troops. He lost Ecchuu, but was given a fief in Higo in 1587 for merits in the suppression of Kyuushuu, along with instructions on refraining from hasty reforms. Ignoring those instructions because of illness or perhaps misunderstanding, Narimasa immediately set out on Hideyoshi's nationwide land survey, resulting in rebellion of the province. He was charged with misgovernment and committed ritual suicide.

He wrote the following as his death-poem: "The shell of my begging bowl in which I have placed the evil delusions of these recent days now breaks" (この頃の　厄妄想を　入れ置きし　鉄鉢袋　今破るなり).

Narimasa is said to have brutally killed his concubine, Sayuri, along with her family for a rumor of infidelity. The legend goes that Sayuri cursed him before she died, and the curse was responsible for his death at the hand of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In Mirage of Blaze: He is kanshousha who has entered the «Yami-Sengoku» as one of the Oda's commanders, described as a tanned, fearless-looking young man, a "mountain cat in human skin." He and Mori Ranmaru don't appear to be on the best of terms. He later seeks his death at Sayuri's hands in remorse for the way he brutally tortured and killed her in their previous lives.’s protection.

“You are the commanding general here, Koremitsu-dono. You must not show such a face to your subordinates. Your anxiety is understandable, but a general maintains perfect composure in the face of any situation.”

“Like you, Naoe-dono?”

“...I, Koremitsu-dono... For four hundred years I have been watching someone who, no matter how difficult the situation, never admitted defeat.”

Koremitsu looked curious.

“The anxiety and fear of those who served under him would disappear when they saw his calmness and composure, no matter what crisis they faced. I would like you to become such a general. Do you understand?”

The boy’s gaze was sincere. Koremitsu had deep trust for Naoe, a warrior from EchigoEchigo-no-kuni (越国)

An ancient province in north-central Japan which was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku Period. Now a part of Niigata Prefecture. who had served under the famed Kenshin Uesugi.

“Listen only to reliable intelligence. Speculation created by fear is extremely dangerous. It’s all right. If you remain calm and collected, you will be able to assess the situation correctly.”

“...You’re, you’re right. I understand. I will tell the Aso to continue their work.”

“Good. How goes the work on top of the mountain?”

“Souun is now in charge of the crater barrier ritual, which is ongoing. He intends to establish the main camp at Kusasenri. We will also make preparations for war in case Shimazu’s army should invade.”

“I see. In that case, we will head up the mountain ahead of you. I will take command of main camp set-up. Sourin-dono is waiting at Old Bouchuu. We will meet there.”

“I will guide you,” Ichimata offered. Naoe accepted, and he and his company left the main temple building.

Several cars were parked at the temple’s rear entrance in preparation for the move. The top of the mountain referred to the area near the Middle Peak’s crater. Kusasenri was properly named Kusasenri Beach, an immense old crater nestled within the arms of Eboushi Peak which lay on their route to the Middle Peak’s crater. From there, it was about 20 to 30 minutes up the Bouchuu Line mountain trail.

Naoe was accompanied by Yoshie KagesukeYoshie Kagesuke (吉江景資) 1527 - 1582

Son of Yoshie Munenobu and trusted vassal of Uesugi Kenshin. He served as keeper of Kasugayama Castle when Kenshin was absent during his battles. He also fought in many of Kenshin's wars.

He supported Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran after Kenshin's death along with his son Nakajou Kageyasu and his father Yoshie Munenobu. He committed suicide at Uozu Castle along with his father and two eldest sons when it fell to Oda Nobunaga in 1582..

(What a poker face...)

Naoe had not mentioned Kagetora thereafter.

“It has to be me! I have to go to him!”

(I’ve never seen him so emotional before.)

Yoshie had mixed feelings when he thought back on what had happened. Even when he’d been Kagetora’s assistant, he had always been a reserved man who did not much express his emotions.

When Naoe had reappeared before Yoshie and the others a year ago, he had become a man of iron. He had lost the soft, suave air that had characterized him when he’d stood in Kagetora’s shadow, and had become a man devoted single-mindedly to his mission. It was not that he was pompous or high-strung...

Until now, he had seemed rather cool towards Kagetora, who was being chased out of the Uesugi.

“Yoshie.”

His heart jumped at the sudden sound of his name.

“Have you heard from Hakkai yet? If he’s in the city, he must know what happened there.”

“No, I’ve heard nothing from Hakkai-dono. The investigator we sent to the city should be back shortly.”

Naoe’s expression was neutral. But Yoshie saw that his fists were white and trembling. A closer look revealed the occasional quiver at the edges of his tightly-compressed lips. His expression of a short time before seemed about to spill out from behind his iron poker face. Although outwardly cool-headed and composed, he was clearly unsettled on the inside. Had the Naoe of earlier been his true self, then?

According to a report from Hakkai from several hours ago, Kagetora was apparently also in the city.

No, that was certain. Naoe had been acting a little strange since coming to Aso. So it must be true that the real reason he had come, despite his physical condition, was—

(Because of Kagetora-sama, to...)

Naoe noticed that he had fallen inadvertently silent.

“What’s wrong, Yoshie?”

“Supreme commander,” Yoshie said, going down on one knee beside his wheelchair, “there is something Yoshie Kagesuke would like to ask of his supreme commander.”

“What?”

“What do you think of Kagetora-sama?”

Even Naoe’s eyebrows were motionless.

“You seem very concerned about Kagetora-sama.”

“His power is a great threat to the New Uesugi. He must not fall into the hands of another onshouonshou (怨将)

Lit.: "vengeful general": the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period, who continue their battles even in modern-age Japan.. Securing his person is crucial.”

“Is that something you must do yourself?”

Naoe looked down at Yoshie coldly. “What are you trying to say?”

"It seems to me that in Naoe-sama’s mind Kagetora-sama holds greater importance than the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’.

“That is not true.”

“The one who proposed this plan was none other than Naoe-sama yourself, wasn’t it?”

Naoe’s eyes opened just a little wider. Yoshie made sure that no one was close enough to overhear and kept his voice low.

“We have spent the past half-year rooting ourselves into Ootomo’s network from the shadows with the intention of using them. You, Naoe-sama, are the center from which we have steadily advanced. Your plan is finally bearing fruit. Did you not come here to witness first-hand the construction of the Aso sun power dam?” Yoshie’s voice grew in strength. “Was not the purpose of your alliance with Ootomo the construction of the Uesugi sun power dam?”

Naoe narrowed his eyes.

Yoshie was right. The real mastermind behind the construction of the sun power dam via the «Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel» was not Ootomo, but Uesugi. Sourin and others believed that it was Tawara Chikakata, one of Ootomo’s chief retainers, who had proposed the idea. Tawara’s subordinate Toutetsu, a monk of Rokugou Manzan, had suggested it. However, Toutetsu was actually an undercover Uesugi monk who had infiltrated Ootomo for intelligence operations at Naoe’s instruction. Sourin had adopted the plan and decided it would proceed in parallel with the construction of his Christian Kingdom. Around this time, Aso Koremitsu had informed Sourin of the existence of the «Golden Snake Head», which was said to be the head of the eight-headed, eight-tailed serpent. Sourin had decided to use it as his cornerstone.

However, the «Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel» required specialized knowledge of Shingon magic, for which Ootomo lacked the personnel. That was when the New Uesugi had proposed an alliance. It was common knowledge that Uesugi had many Shingon experts. This was one of Ootomo’s reasons for accepting the alliance.

All according to plan.

In other words, Sourin and his group were moving according to the diagram drawn by Naoe and company.

Uesugi needed Aso in order to gain enough sun power to cover the entire Japanese archipelago. It was the optimal location both in terms of size and topography. That was where they would construct the sun power dam, and it required an alliance with a prominent general in the area.

Naoe and company had set their sights on Ootomo.

“Our secret maneuvers have finally paid off. Completion of the sun power dam will constitute a major step toward Uesugi’s unification of Japan. Here in this volcanic archipelago, none of the onshou can escape this underground threat, and all will bow to Uesugi.”

Of course, once it was complete, it would not be left in Ootomo hands. Secret preparations were also underway to deprive Ootomo of their sun power invocation authority.

“We undertook this great enterprise to put Uesugi on top: in other words, to make you the leader of the «Yami-SengokuYami Sengoku (闇戦国)

Lit.: "Dark Sengoku", the civil war still being fought by the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period in modern-day Japan.».”

“Stop, Yoshie.”

“Please make up your mind!” His tone had become unintentionally chastising. “What is your most important priority? Naoe-dono, I believe you already know. You must know better than anyone the weight of the mission that the New Uesugi has taken on. That you are concerned for a master you served for so long time is perfectly natural. Such is human emotion. But you now lead Uesugi. You are the one Lord Kenshin chose, Naoe-dono!”

Naoe glared at Yoshie through his light-colored sunglasses. Yoshie returned his stare undauntedly, but eventually bowed his head in acknowledgment of his discourtesy.

“In any case, I believe it would also be to your benefit. Please think again on the weight of the responsibilities you have taken on. Their enormity. Then you will know where you must devote your energies now as a matter of course.”

“...Yoshie-dono.”

“Uesugi is in your hands now. The completion of the sun power dam must be the top priority. For Uesugi’s sake.”

And for your own sake.

Naoe fell silent then. He seemed to be brooding over something.

Yoshie sighed lightly and started pushing the wheelchair toward the waiting cars once more.

“Naoe-sama!”

Just as the two were about to get into the car, one of the «NokizaruNokizaru (軒猿)

Lit. "roof monkey"; Uesugi Kenshin's ninja, who used a special technique which involved traveling on rooftops and entering houses from above. Their forte was hunting down other ninja, such as the Fuuma of the Houjou Clan and the Toppa of the Takeda Clan.» came running from the stone steps in breathless haste.

“What is it? What have you learned?”

“I’m sorry, there’s no word of what happened in the city yet. But we received an emergency message from Hakkai-dono.”

“From Hakkai? You know where he is?!”

“Just before the calamity occurred, we intercepted a coded message at Mt. Funano on the city border.”

“What did it say?”

“That he had made contact with Kagetora-sama.”

“!” Yoshie gasped and immediately turned to Naoe. Naoe’s expression didn’t change, but his eyes suddenly sharpened. Yoshie immediately asked the messenger, “Were we able to secure his person? We have him under protection?”

“Kagetora-sama rejected Hakkai-dono’s proposal.”

“Rejected! He couldn’t bring him back?”

The messenger hung his head and looked distressed.

“Kagetora-sama considers Ootomo to be his enemy and intends to fight against his friends.”

“!”

Both of them gasped this time.

Kagetora intended to defy Naoe and the New Uesugi—

Yoshie saw the blue veins standing starkly against Naoe’s white-clenched knuckles.

Naoe sat frozen, eyes bulging.

Asara has taken KihachiKihachi (鬼八)

Also known as: 金八 (Kinpachi), Onhachi, Buddhist Priest Kihachi, Kihachifushi, 走建 (Hashiritakeru, Hasetakeru)

Kihachi is mentioned in the Asahi Daijin (1189) at Takachiho Shrine.

There are many legends about Kihachi, including:

- He served Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto and ran to retrieve his arrows during the god's target practice. He retrieved 99 arrows, but grew so tired that he retrieved the 100th with his foot. Displeased, Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto cut off his head. The head rose into the sky and brought frost on the land until it was warmed by a bonfire.

- Onihachi lived in Chichi Cave at the foot of Mt. Nijou. He forcibly took Unome-hime (also known as Asara-hime), daughter of Inari-hime, as his wife and hid her.

- (From the Miyazaki Legends) Similar to the Takeiwatatsu-no-mikoto story, he angered Aso-myoujin of Higo by picking an arrow up with his foot. His wife Asara-hime, an incarnation of a dragon from Mitai, rebelled against him at the behest of Mikeirino-no-mikoto (Mikenu-no-mikoto), whereupon Tabe Shigetaka and others subjugated him, cut him into pieces, and buried the parts in three separate places.

- (From Takachiho) He was a demon who lived in a cave until he was killed by a son of Emperor Jimmu, who cut him to pieces and buried him in three separate places.

- (Also from Takachiho) His real name was Hashiritakeru, a giant spider. He ruled Takachiho, harried the people, and violently carried off beautiful women. He was exterminated by Mikeirino-no-mikoto, his body cut up, and buried in several places. He was described as a god who could make frost at will.
’s head...!

Kiyomasa and Tetsuya immediately sprang into action. If they didn’t do anything, there would be catastrophe.

(If Asara removes the seal on the head!)

It contained more than just the Kihachi Tribe. The spirits of the city it had just swallowed were in there too. Kiyomasa had not the slightest idea how many that added up to.

(We have to go after them and stop them!)

Kiyomasa and Tetsuya immediately set out in pursuit of Hokage and the bird-people who had flown away from Old Castle High School. By the time they rushed down the crumbling stairs and reached the school gates past the shattered glass of the entrance, the tiny shadows of the bird-people were already melting into the sky. They were going to lose them...!

“Shit. Miike Tetsuya! If you’re also a descendant of Asara, why can’t you fly?!”

(Easy for him to say!)

Tetsuya looked on the verge of tears. It was not an unreasonable assumption that if Hokage could fly, then Tetsuya, who shared the same blood, should be able to do so as well. But to expect him to just up and do it?

“Feh! You useless good-for-nothing!” Kiyomasa cursed, and broke into a run. At which point he saw—

A man in a trench coat racing toward him from behind a collapsed building. Kiyomasa stopped dead in his tracks. The man looked to be about thirty or so. It was not a face Kiyomasa recognized.

(But he...!)

As they came face to face, both of them sensed at the same time:

(He’s kanshousha.)

“Oi, Nezu!”

Tetsuya skidded to a stop as he felt the tension between them. Here was another strange man.

And wasn’t Kiyomasa staring at the man in the trench coat rather belligerently?

“Who the hell are you? You must be onshou. Which clan? Shimazu?”

“...Are you Katou Kiyomasa?” Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide (明智光秀) 1526 - 1582

Title: Hyuga no Kami
Also known as: Koreta Mitsuhide

A talented general and poet who belonged to the inner circle of Oda Nobunaga's vassals. He later ambushed Nobunaga at Honnou Temple in 1582, killing both Nobunaga and his heir, Oda Nobutada. Akechi Mitsuhide then proclaimed himself the new shogun, but soon clashed against Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces and was defeated in the Battle of Yamazaki only 13 days later. He was killed en route to his stronghold of Sakamoto Castle in the village of Ogurusu by a bandit with a bamboo spear (though an alternate theory states that he was not killed but became a monk instead). asked the uniformed high school student standing in front of him. He had rushed down from Mt. Hanaoka before anyone else. Kikkawa Motoharu had described Kiyomasa to him, and he’d heard that Kiyomasa had been wounded fighting against the bird-people. Kiyomasa had re-tied his loosened bandage behind his head like a headband.

“Was it Kihachi’s head that caused the lightning strikes, then? I just saw people flying away—the bird-people?”

“What are you doing, Nezu?! Stop dawdling, or we’re gonna lose Hokage and Ougi!”

The man’s eyes widened in shock. “Hokage? Do you mean Miike Hokage—Asara?!”

Now it was Tetsuya’s turn to be surprised.

“You know about Hokage?”

“If you know about Asara, then you must be one of Kikkawa Motoharu’s allies. Are you Mouri?! Or Shimazu?!”

“Was it Asara who controlled the lightning? You said Ougi—you mean Ougi Takaya? Kagetora-dono?!” Mitsuhide pressed Kiyomasa in return, then grabbed him by the collar. “What is going on? What the hell is going on?! Explain everything!”

“I...I don’t fucking know! Weren’t they supposed to be your allies?!”

Tetsuya forced himself between them and tore Kiyomasa away from Mitsuhide. “Oi, you an acquaintance of Ougi’s? If you’re his friend, then help us! Hokage took Kihachi’s head and flew off. She’s been taken over by Asara. If we don’t do something, Asara will release all of Kihachi’s onryouonryou (怨霊)

Lit.: "vengeful ghost"; the spirits of those who died in the Sengoku period who are still so filled with rage and hatred that they continue to exist in the world as vengeful spirits instead of being purified and reborn....!”

“What?! Asara was the one who took Kihachi’s head?!”

“They carried Ougi off, too. We need to hurry! If we don’t get them back quick, there’ll be a catastrophe!”

Mitsuhide looked up at the sky. There was no longer any trace of Hokage and the others.

(Damn it!)

“Evidently this isn’t the time for a fight, Kiyomasa. Stopping Asara must come first.”

“Oi, I haven’t heard an answer to my question yet. Who the hell are you?!”

Mitsuhide glared with sharp impatience. “Have you forgotten me, Toranosuke?”

Kiyomasa cringed. This man knew Kiyomasa’s name from his coming-of-age ceremony.

(It can’t be...)

Mitsuhide pulled a carved wooden figure from his inside pocket. It was shaped like a bird. Placing it on the back of his hand, he began to chant some kind of incantation. Before Kiyomasa and Tetsuya’s eyes, the bird carving quickly transformed into a real eagle. It spread its wings wide, and Mitsuhide tossed it into the sky.

“My shikigamishikigami (式神)

Lit.: "ceremony god"; spirits summoned through ceremony to do the bidding of the summoner, much like familiars. . I’ve sent it after Asara and the others. Let us follow.”

“Hey, wait! Wait a moment. Are you by any chance...”

“Akechi Hyuuga-no-kami Mitsuhide,” Mitsuhide said over his shoulder. “I know you’re with Oda. But now’s not the time for fighting. It is imperative that we stop Asara and Kihachi. Otherwise KyuushuuKyuushuu (九州)

Also known as: Kyuukoku (九国: “nine states”), Chinzei (鎮西: “west of the pacified area”), Tsukushi-shima (筑紫島: “island of Tsukushi”), Saikaidou (西海道: “West Sea Route”).

Lit.: "Nine Provinces", the third-largest and most southerly and westerly island of Japan. Its name comes from the former provinces of Japan situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyuuga, Osumi, and Satsuma. It is now comprised of the prefectures of Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Ooita, Saga, and Okinawa. will sink into the ocean.”

Kiyomasa was stunned. The great traitor who killed Nobunaga—Akechi Hyuuga-no-kami.

(Mitsuhide-dono!)

As a military commander, Mitsuhide was greatly senior to Kiyomasa. Although he and Hideyoshi apparently hadn’t seen eye-to-eye, he’s spoken with the young Kiyomasa several times.

(So he really has been resurrected?)

“I’m coming too!” Tetsuya dashed after Mitsuhide with a sidelong glance at Kiyomasa, who was standing around flat-footed. Left behind, Kiyomasa gulped.

(Does he know that Lord Nobunaga is here?)

He felt cold imagining a fight between the two of them, but indeed—

Now was not the time to be babbling about Nobunaga and Shimazu. If Kihachi were to come back to life, the «Yami-Sengoku» would be the least of their worries. The whole of Japan could be lost to Kihachi!

(We must unite our approaches and exterminate Kihachi first.)

Having steeled himself, Kiyomasa broke into a run after Mitsuhide and Tetsuya.

 
After Kiyomasa and the others had gone, a man appeared in the lifeless Old Castle High School.

As if even the stagnant spiritual energies in the area had been swallowed up by Kihachi’s head, the icy winds peculiar to February blew crisply through the school.

It was a tragic sight. Cracks ran through the schoolyard, the clubhouse had been smashed to pieces, the two school buildings were bizarrely tilted, and the gangway bridge connecting the two had fallen half a floor due to some sort of destructive impact. When he stepped inside, he found students lying everywhere.

Somehow he managed to climb the stairs to the roof. A cold north wind ruffled the hem of his coat. Traces of the battle between Takaya and Nobunaga were still vivid. The floor was scorched in places, as if it had been exposed to high heat. Concrete shattered to fist-sized pieces, dented fences, pillars with their rebar exposed, snake-shaped objects crawling across the floor.

“They had quite a fight,” the man muttered, lightly wetting his red lips. But Kihachi’s head was nowhere to be found.

(Did Asara carry it off?)

Kousaka DanjouKousaka Masanobu (高坂昌信) 1527 - 1578

Also called: Kousaka Danjou Masanobu (高坂弾正昌信), Kousaka Danjou Nosuke Masanobu (高坂弾正忠昌信), Kasuga Toratsuna (春日虎綱), Kasuga Gensuke (春日源助)
Title: Danjou Nosuke/Faithful True-Shot (弾正忠)

Historically: One of Takeda Shingen's most loyal retainers who was one of his Twenty-Four Generals and played a key part in the fourth battle of Kawanakajima.

Kousaka was born in Kai to a wealthy farmer, Kasuga Ookuma (?) (春日大隈). His father died when he was 16, and he lost a lawsuit against his elder sister's husband for ownership of his father's lands. He then enrolled in the service of Takeda Shingen.

Kousaka first served as a messenger for Shingen. He distinguished himself in battle, and rose swiftly through the ranks of Shingen's trusted retainers. He participated in most of Shingen's battles. He did not hesitate to retreat when required, which earned him the nickname of "Escaping Danjou". However, he was calm and logical in the midst of battle, and was perhaps the best of Shingen's generals.

There are anecdotes that in his younger days, Kousaka and Shingen were engaged in a shudo relationship, and Kousaka rose so quickly in Shingen's service because of Shingen's affection.

After Shingen's death in 1573, Kousaka continued on to serve Takeda Katsuyori. He sought an alliance between the Takeda clan and their old enemy, the Uesugi clan, in order to unite against the threat of Oda Nobunaga.

Kousaka died in 1578 of illness at the age of 52. He was succeeded by his second son, Kousaka Masamoto (高坂昌元), his first son, Kousaka Masazumi (高坂昌澄) having died in the Battle of Nagashino in 1575.

In Mirage of Blaze: A kanshousha who, along with Sanjou-no-Kata, breaks the barrier over Takeda Shingen's tomb, the Maenduka, in an attempt to resurrect Shingen by using Narita Yuzuru as a vessel for his spirit.

According to Haruie, Kousaka has a high level of spiritual sensing ability (reisa), such that he is able to recognize someone he had met before even after their soul has undergone purification. He warns Naoe that Narita Yuzuru's existence is a threat to the Roku Dou Sekai.’s eyes narrowed sightly.

Sirens approached—a patrol car and an ambulance. Kousaka noticed a young man in school uniform lying in the back. That’s— He approached.

(Narita Yuzuru.)

Yuzuru was lying on his side, his eyes wide open, completely motionless. Kousaka bent and checked his pulse and breathing. He detected neither. His heart had stopped quite a while ago.

Kousaka looked down at him expressionlessly, his eyes narrowing faintly.

He was dead.

But this was not real death.

(Suspended animation...)

Yuzuru had, of his own volition, stopped his vital activity so that his body could no longer be used by Nobunaga.

“What folly.”

He snorted contemptuously and picked up Yuzuru’s body, grown heavy with the disappearance of his volition. He could hear the distant sound of helicopters. He lifted his eyes to see one, likely belonging to the Self-Defense Forces, flying toward Aso. Kousaka followed it with hard eyes.

Mitsuhide and the others stole motorcycles partway through their pursuit of Asara. Since there were only two, Kiyomasa and Tetsuya had to ride double, but Tetsuya didn’t really know how to drive it.

“I’ve only ridden mopeds!”

“Let me be in front, then! You ride in the back!”

“Have you ever ridden a two-wheeler?!”

“It’s like a horse, isn’t it?!”

Bellowing, Kiyomasa proceeded to ride the hell out of the bike. His handling was so violent that Tetsuya screamed. It was like a rodeo. The road was so broken and bumpy that if he got distracted, he’d bite his tongue. Tetsuya clung feverishly to Kiyomasa.

“Yes! I see them!”

Kiyomasa and the others finally caught sight of Asara as they approached the city border.

(Are they going to Aso?)

“!”

Hearing the deafening sound of a propeller, Tetsuya looked up and behind them. A helicopter was trailing them from above. It was a Self-Defense Forces aircraft—the one that had been flying over Kumamoto for a while.

(Is it chasing after Hokage and the others?)

The bird-people flew through the valley leading to Aso, a gap in the outer rim called the Tateno Crater Shoals—the entrance to Aso. The helicopter also headed in that direction.

It was clearly pursuing Asara and the others.

(They can’t be planning to arrest Hokage?!)

“Oi, go faster! They’re pulling away!”

(That’s...!)

Mitsuhide looked up at the helicopter, and an image of a man flashed across his mind’s eye with a feeling of pins and needles streaking like an electric current between his brows.

(It can’t be!)

After taking off from Old Castle High School, Asara flew eastward across the Kumamoto sky with Kihachi’s skull in her arms. Her flying ability was indeed superior to that of any other bird-person. She flew steadily at a speed none of the others could match, and the four bird-people chased after her frantically.

“Faith-Protector, where is—where is Asara going?”

“Aso.” Yasuo’s eyes sparkled like a child’s as he flew into the wind. "She’s returning to Aso. It’s their homeland. She’s going home to the Kingdom of Himuka.

Yasuo’s heart leapt with excitement, as if Asara’s path were leading him to a foreign land.

(It is our kingdom. The kingdom of the Himuka people, which the Yamato people cannot touch.)

(A place where we can be at ease—a place where no one will be ostracized.)

A bitter thought returned to his mind.

Yasuo had entered the cult six years ago. He was distantly related to Miike, but his family had left Aso in his great-grandfather’s generation, so he wasn’t counted a Celebrant, let alone a member of the head house. He’d been nineteen when he had first visited Oyashiro at the invitation of his cousin. By that time, Enoki had already been leading the young believers in their efforts to decipher the Miike Records. His cousin Norio’s initial invitation had been worded thus:

“Hey, did you know that we’re descended from the Himuka people, who were destroyed by the Yamato people a long ago?”

“There are a lot of people like us in the Himuka cult. Why don’t you come and join us?”

The descendants of an annihilated people—Yasuo had felt as if this were the first thing that had ever make his heart leap in his nineteen years of life.

He had always had a complex about not being able to communicate well with others. In addition to his natural shyness, he developed a stuttering complex that made it difficult for him to converse with others. He wasn’t able to fit in anywhere. Upon entering adolescence, he became overly conscious of his hang-ups and felt nervous in front of others. He hated his crippling sense of inferiority and was unable to make friends. He worried so much about the slightest word that he couldn’t sleep. What did others think of him? Were they are laughing at him behind his back? He was so suspicious of meanings behind meanings that he grew to fear people.

This grew even worse when he entered high school. There was no place for him there; at recess he would leave the classroom and wander aimlessly around school until class started. They sounded like they were having such fun; he wondered if they knew their happy laughter was a deadly weapon to those who did not fit into their circle.

He hated being him. He tried and tried to change, but nothing ever came of it. He feared all people, and shut himself away more and more to protect himself. Whenever he turned on the TV, he felt ostracized by noisy people. He resigned himself to the idea that he was an outcast. He became hostile towards those laughing people within their circles, who must be showing off their superiority. He came to regard them as enemies.

Under Enoki’s teachings he became convinced. He finally knew the names of those people:

(The Yamato race—)

He was ostracized because he was special; he carried the Himuka blood. They were all Yamato. They had driven his ancestors to extinction.

While working as an auto mechanic, Yasuo frequently attended study groups. They made progress on deciphering the Miike Records and reconstructed several spells. There were able to successfully create luminous flame stones, and then finally perfected the Method of Bird-Flight. The more he saw of the realization of these mystic forces, the more he began to truly feel how wonderful the Himuka blood was.

(These Yamato people were always inferior to me.)

He thought of his past self as an idiot for being hurt while living among low-level people. A world where the stupid Yamato could act so brazenly in ignorance of their status was itself wrong.

Yasuo was eventually chosen to be one of the bird-people. His cousin Norio was not. He couldn’t fly. Poor Norio. His veins must be filled with thick Yamato blood. Come to think of it, his father was a jerk. He was a businessman or something, and boasted about how much money he made, about profits and where he made them. He was always bragging, always comparing Yasuo and Norio, always making a fool of Yasuo. He had to be a Yamato.

Within the Himuka faith Yasuo was the elite of the elite. He was a chosen warrior. The Method of Bird-Flight worked better for him than for anyone else. It showed that Yasuo was the closest to the pure blood of Himuka. One and all acknowledged his superiority.

And now. He had at last overthrown their leader, Enoki Masamichi, and become the Faith-Protector of the ‘true Himuka cult’.

“Let us destroy the Yamato, Asara!”

They had finally found Asara—Miike Hokage—at the quarry on Mt. Ishigami. Yasuo had shouted in front of her: “Take your revenge on the people of Yamato!”

Yasuo’s wish resonated with Asara. She recognized that the will of these bird-people was one with hers and accepted them as her servants.

“Come with me, my children.”

 
Now Yasuo flew with Asara, the goddess of his hopes.

Concentrating his will between his brows, he flew steadily against the cold wind. He could finally see the valley surrounded by mountains. The river below them was Shira River. Soon Tateno Station would come into view. This valley was the Tateno Crater Shoals, the only break in the outer rim, created by an active fault line that split the crater wall north to south. It was the entrance to Aso.

(Is everyone with me?)

Yasuo looked at those following. Three bird-people remained with him: Osamu, Tokuyama, and Harada. Harada had sustained serious injuries in the fight against Kiyomasa, but with the healing power of the luminous flame stone, he had recovered to the point where he could move. And then there was the student in his school uniform that Tokuyama and Osamu were carrying.

Ougi Takaya.

He was unconscious. The heat of the luminous flame stone burning inside his body had been too much for him to bear, and he had ultimately passed out. —Enoki had intended to use Takaya as a container for Kihachi. He’d said there was no one more suitable. Yasuo didn’t know exactly what he had meant by “suitable,” but there was no doubt he possessed supernatural abilities equal to those of the bird-people themselves.

(He’ll be Onpachi-sama’s body.)

He would be presented to the heroes of the Kihachi tribe, who would be brought back to life with his body. And then—

(Become king of the Himuka nation.)

“Faith-Protector!” Yasuo was jolted back to reality by the sudden cry. Harada, who had been bringing up the rear, screamed: “Faith-Protector! It’s a helicopter! There’s a helicopter coming!”

Yasuo and the others turned. What they saw rattled them.

“What?!”

With a sound similar to the buzzing of a giant insect’s wings, a Self-Defense Force helicopter flew straight toward them at full speed. It looked as if it were chasing them. He had heard it earlier, but had not expected it to loom so close. He instantly fell into a panic.

“What the hell is that?! It’s coming after us!”

Meanwhile, the helicopter was getting closer and closer.

“Oi, speed up! Fly along the valley!”

The helicopter was coming up very fast. Shielding Asara, Yasuo and the others dove toward the valley.

The back door of the helicopter opened, and a man leaned out.

“Hmn. They really are flying. Preposterous.”

The man was young, flamboyant, and red-headed. His feet were braced against a bar at the bottom. He was holding a small machine gun in one arm while supporting himself with the other.

It was Shiba Eiji—Nobunaga. He had dragged one of the Self-Defense Forces helicopters flying over Kumamoto down to Honmyou Temple and stolen it. As soon as he and Narita Yuzuru had fallen out of sync, Shiba had leapt into action himself. He had tracked Asara with the helicopter, which was piloted by a boy of high school age: Mori RanmaruMori Ranmaru (森蘭丸) 1565 - 1582

Also called: Mori Nagasada (森長定), possibly Shigetoshi (成利), Nagayasu (長康)

Historically: A vassal of Oda Nobunaga who served as his attendant from
an early age. His father, Mori Yoshinari, was also a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. Favored by Nobunaga for his talent and loyalty, he also followed the tradition of shudo with his liege-lord. He and his three younger brothers died with Nobunaga at the Honnou-ji on June 21, 1582..

Deftly maneuvering the helicopter, he tailed the bird-people closely as they descended into a mountain recess. Shiba braced his machine gun against the onrush of air, its muzzle pointing towards the bird-people. He lightly licked his fingertip and pulled the trigger.

Hearing a series of gunshots, the bird-people turned their heads in surprise. Somehow they managed to dodge out of the way of the bullets, but the helicopter was relentless in its pursuit. Shiba took aim at all the bird-people except for Asara.

“Ora oraa!! Drop, drooop—!”

“Waugh!”

The bird-people flew frantically from the relentless barrage of shots. Nobunaga continued to fire away.

“Kihachi’s head wasn’t made for the likes of you! Hand it and Asara over at once!”

(Wh-who the hell is that man?!)

The bird-people grazed the valley as they attempted to evade the helicopter, but its professional-level handling made that difficult.

“Shit! Osamu, protect Asara and hide in the forest! We’ll hold them off here!”

Osamu replied boldly and headed for the national highway with Asara tucked under one arm. Yasuo and Harada fired luminous flame stone attacks, but they melted into vapor right in front of the helicopter. The luminous flame stones, which would easily penetrate an ordinary «goshinhagoshinha (護身波)

Lit. "wave of self-protection"; the goshinha is a protective mesh spun from fine strands of spiritual energy which surrounds the caster and protects from an opponent's spiritual as well as physical attacks. The mesh gains strength and stability when it is multi-layered and becomes the goshinheki. The goshinha is Naoe's forte.», were ineffective...!

“It’s useless! Stones at that level can’t touch me!”

“Waugh!”

A bullet pierced Tokuyama’s foot. Yasuo flew to support them as he and Takaya, whom he was carrying, were about to fall. Another bullet grazed past his ear.

“Are you all right?! Can you keep going?”

“Faith-Protector...!”

“Don’t fly in a straight line. Move up, down, left, right—fly erratically! ...Waugh!”

A bullet passed between them. The helicopter appeared to be loaded with bullets, and they were being used profligately. The empty magazines were chucked one after another as the gun pounded away. The SDF helicopters did not carry armaments, but that didn’t apply to machine guns.

“Damn it...damn it, in a place like this!”

Though they were young, Yasuo and the others had been in the air since last night. They were exhausted. Out of breath and drenched in sweat, they desperately tried to escape. The roar of machine gun and helicopter echoed through the valley. Their field of view finally opened up.

(It’s Aso!)

Like a folding screen, the outer rim unfurled to left and right. They had entered the caldera.

“O-Ran! Forget the small fry, go after Asara!”

The helicopter veered sharply to the left and plunged toward the mountain forest into which Hokage and Osamu had disappeared.

“Don’t let them get away!”

Yasuo and his company fired a volley of luminous flame stones at the helicopter, but it dodged them easily as it skimmed through the air. Yasuo tsked and chased after the helicopter, concentrating his will so hard his forehead fell as if it might split in half. A furious air chase ensued.

The roar and heavy gunfire seemed to shake the unconscious Takaya out of his stupor.

(Wh...at...?)

He opened his eyes a crack. It didn’t take him long to understand the situation.

The bird-people were chasing the helicopter. The helicopter was chasing a girl dressed as a shrine maiden, its bottom grazing the treetops of the mountain forest. Yasuo shouted hoarsely, “Fly! Think only of Asara! Hurry...!”

“That’s not going to happen.”

Nobunaga’s machine gun threatened their path. A bullet grazed Osamu’s shoulder. Several subsequent rounds hit him squarely. Osamu fell, trailing blood.

“Bring down the helicopter! Protect Asara!”

Asara flew desperately, trying to outrun the helicopter relentlessly pursuing her. If she chose a wrong direction, the helicopter would turn and cut her off. She could only fly as fast as she could. But her speed was no match for the machine’s.

Yasuo and the others desperately tried to attack the helicopter with their will, but with Nobunaga’s powerful «goshinha» surrounding it, they didn’t even manage to scratch the paint. It was like a lion hunting a rabbit—no, a bird of prey chasing a small bird.

“Resign yourself, woman.”

Nobunaga exchanged his machine gun with a rifle. The instant he caught Asara in the scope’s crosshairs, he pulled the trigger.

“Asara!” Yasuo screamed. At that moment, her body trembled. The assassin’s bullet was absorbed by the shimmering flame that suddenly enveloped her. A transparent membrane-like barrier blocked the bullet. Nobunaga fired several more shots, but none penetrated. He tsked.

(The «power» of a shrine maiden of fire?)

“Asara, please hide in the forest below! The forest!”

None of the cries from Yasuo’s company reached her due to the roar of the helicopter.

“Damn it! Raise the luminous flame stone density! Concentrate on the helicopter’s engine!”

The bird-people raised their force of will to their limits and poured their energy into producing luminous flame stones. These stones quickly grew to the size of a fist and became a darker shade of red.

Nobunaga tossed aside his rifle. If the gadgets didn’t work, there was only one way to go. The air above his palm wavered.

“I’m going to destroy you!”

His will slammed into Asara. The bird-people attacked with their luminous flame stones at nearly the same instant.

“!”

The helicopter tilted with the impact. The engines erupted into flame. Meanwhile, Asara entered a tailspin. Hit squarely by Nobunaga’s will, her barrier appeared to have failed.

“Asara—!”

Yasuo dove to help the falling Hokage. The helicopter rapidly lost power from the luminous flame stone attack.

“Tono...! I can’t control it!”

Nobunaga caught Ranmaru’s cry and unhesitatingly launched himself out of the helicopter into mid-air.

Hokage lost consciousness as she fell. Kihachi’s head spilled out of her hands. Yasuo reached for it desperately. But Nobunaga was faster. His fingertips touched Kihachi’s head...!

(No!)

A moment before, Takaya’s eyes burst open.

“Waugh!”

Kihachi’s head traced a strange trajectory, flicked by Takaya’s telekinesis. It rolled around Nobunaga’s hand and pinwheeled into Yasuo’s arms.

“Feh!”

It was a short distance to the ground. Nobunaga and Hokage fell into the forest.

“Asara—!”

“Faith-Protector!”

At Tokuyama’s cry, Yasuo looked behind him. A formation of helicopters was heading in their direction amidst a tremendous roar of sound. There were five or six of them. There was the sound of heavy gunfire—they were attacking. Nobunaga’s men had joined the chase. A number of bullets grazed right past Yasuo and the others.

Takaya shouted, “Run! Otherwise we’ll all be shot down!”

“Fuck...!”

The bird-people immediately turned around and fled toward the outer rim.

Chapter 36: The King Who Quelled the West

White stuff began to lightly fall on the mountains of Aso as the weather grew sharply colder.

At the top of Aso, the restoration of old Bouchuu continued. The ritual platforms for the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ were divided into a main platform at the crater and a supporting platform at its foot. The latter’s main purpose was to maintain the crater ‘site’ where the magic was to be performed, and Naoe and the other Uesugi were in charge of it. The restoration of old Bouchuu was necessary for increasing the power of the supporting platform. Restoration didn’t mean rebuilding the group of temples,however. Instead, five-story pagodas were being installed on the sites where the temples had once stood, and would take their place. Even ruins of religious structures like temple buildings still emanated Buddhist power, and were ideal locations for performing esoteric Buddhist rituals. The foundation stones of old Bouchuu were all that remained, and excavations were incomplete. Investigators with spirit-sensing abilities were picking out temple ruins one building at a time, and a five-story pagoda was placed at each site to fortify it. Given the massive scale of the ritual, stabilizing the ‘site’ was naturally a good idea.

“There are fifteen or sixteen buildings remaining on the west side,” said Ichimata AkizaneIchimata Akizane (一萬田 鑑実) ? - 1588

Also written as: 一万田 鑑実

Head of the Ichimata Clan, which was descended from the third son of Ootomo Yoshinao. He initially served Ootomo Yoshiaki, and after his death in 1550, his son Ootomo Sourin.

Sourin ordered the deaths of Akizane's father Ichimata Akisuke and uncle in 1553, at which point Akizane succeeded as head of the family. He continued to serve Sourin without rancor, and won several battles, making his military reputation. He put down a rebellion by another uncle in 1568 and fought against the Mouri in 1569 at the Battle of Tatarahama. He spent much of his life fighting for Ootomo but was ordered commit suicide in 1588 by Ootomo Yoshimune due to a rebellion of the Ichimata Clan.

Note: Mirage gives the reading of his name as Ichimanda Akizane; "Ichimanda" appears to have replaced "Ichimata" as the favored reading in modern times. as he watched the work in progress. Uesugi men dressed as mountain ascetics were systematically placing five-story pagodas on the field of dry grass over the extensive network of old Bouchuu ruins, then casting the site fortification spell. “Old Bouchuu used to have as many as 36 monks’ halls and 52 hermitages. But now, as you can see, it’s just a grassy plain.”

“Were they burned down?”

“Yes. It’s said Ootomo’s army burned them down, but that is not true. It was probably Shimazu. Shimazu destroyed the Aso Clan and invaded Aso. —This is the five-story pagoda we’re using.” Ichimata showed Naoe. It was of unglazed pottery and about 30 cm (~1 ft) high. It was an odd hourglass shape, and its five rings were meant to represent, from the top: sky, wind, fire, water, and earth. The five-story pagoda symbolized the enlightened world of Dainichi BuddhaDainichi Buddha (大日如来)

Also known as: Mahavairocana, Dainichi Nyorai, Vairocana, Daibutsu

Mahavairocana is the Cosmic Buddha who represents the center or zenith and is especially important to the Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism. He was worshiped in Japan from as early as the Heian Period, and his Mahavairocana Sutra forms the basis for the rituals of the Shingon School.

Dainichi's characteristic hand gesture is the index finger of the left hand clasped by the five fingers of the right, symbolizing the unity of earth, water, fire, air, and spiritual consciousness.. “The middle section, representing the fire ring, is of special importance to the Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel. The practitioner wears red.”

‘Fire ring’ also meant ‘sun.’

"We’ve been especially careful with the barriers over old Bouchuu: this will be our center for controlling
sun power. A large temple will eventually be built here."

This was to become the control room for the generation of sun power. The current site was a desolate field with nothing but five-story pagodas standing on it—almost like the Children’s Limbo—but Sourin intended to rebuild a magnificent temple here someday. As in the old days, a group of Mt. Hiei-like temples would rise.

However, these temples would not be Buddhist, but Christian—every last one.

“Lord Sourin is a bold man. I thought Christianity abhors pagan magic most of all.”

“For my lord, Buddhist magic is just another skill, like constructing buildings, generating electricity, and so on.”

The ethos of taking advantage of whatever came to hand was, indeed, typical of Sourin. It wasn’t quite the same thing as tolerance, but in his pragmatic mind, he was able to cleaning separate faith from technology.

A light layer of snow covered the withered field of the Children’s Limbo. A bleak brown mountain mass could be seen on the other side of the grassy plain, a white plume of smoke rising from its hillside—the Middle Peak’s crater.

Even for a mountain it was quite cold. As darkness fell, Aso temperatures dropped below freezing. There were several fires burning nearby, but Ichimata, concerned for Naoe’s health, urged, “It will be a while yet. Let’s go back to the main camp.”

Naoe and the others got back into the car and drove about a kilometer (~.62 mi) back down the road. There they found a facility called the Volcano Museum, which was of course fully heated, occupied by Ootomo, and closed to the public. Ichimata had planned to have Naoe rest there, but at Naoe’s request the car drove on to the Kusasenri observation platform on slightly higher ground.

Once out of the car, they had a panoramic view of Kishima Peak to the left, Middle Peak to the back, and Eboushi Peak directly in front of them. The ridge-lines of Eboushi Peak cradled a basin-shaped plain about a kilometer across. This shallow bowl in the mountains was called Kusasenri Beach. It was the remains of an enormous ancient volcanic crater. At its center was a gently sloping hill called Komatate Hill with a pond to either side. These were said to be the remnants of old craters.

From spring to summer, Kusasenri turned into a beautiful grassland covered with a carpet of green where cattle and horses could be seen leisurely grazing and drinking water in idyllic pastoral scenes. It was a relaxing tourist destination, but this time of year there were no cows or horses to be seen, and the withered grass gave only a sense of loneliness.

“In the country of fire: great Aso’s mountains/autumn in the high horse-gamboling plain/the thousand-li grassland beach whose very name is sorrow,” Ichimata recited for some reason, looking at Naoe. “It is a poem written by a poet named Miyoshi Tatsuji. This view reminds me of it.”

“Oh? I see. I feel like I understand. It is a mysterious and wonderful landscape that compels poetic sentiment.”

But now it was filled with the spirits of warriors rather than cows and horses. Their spirit-bodies varied widely, many still retaining their living appearances. Among them were pallid faces and crumpled bodies, and some looked unstable, as if they might lose their shape at any moment. —These were the soldiers Ootomo had gathered. They would fight against any who might interfere with the incantations.

“It is a force 8,000 strong. We don’t know what might happen.”

As an ally, it was a reassuring number. Yet—

“Kagetora-sama intends to fight against his friends!”

Naoe’s brow furrowed deeply without his realizing it. But I am not in a position to leave right now.

He still feared the worst-case scenario.

Yet he could not deny that there was a strong something in his heart that beat in contrary rhythm to his anxiety. Was the nature of this emotion contradictory to or the other face of the feelings that gave rise to that anxiety? Naoe didn’t know, but he was aware of a power that was liable to goad him with an intensity that would silence all his pangs of guilt.

Isn’t this your first step?

(Because I’m supreme commander—...)

Naoe gazed at the desolate grassland extending toward the outer rim. A cold wind rose from the withered field with its thin cover of snow, adding impetus to Naoe’s unease.

Beside him, Ichimata shouted something. Naoe came back to himself and looked toward Kishima Peak. He saw a black car heading toward them from the foot of the mountain. It was a exceedingly stately car which seemed to assert that the person inside was special.

“It appears he’s arrived.”

The car kicked up snow on the sleeted road as it climbed. It quietly parked in the parking lot of the observation platform.

A few men dressed in ancient ceremonial court robe got out. The last to do so was a well-built man in black Shinto priest garments who climbed out of the back seat of the stateliest foreign-built car.

Ichimata knelt and assumed a bow proper to a retainer.

Naoe held his spine very straight. When he reexamined his own value as a human being, he didn’t doubt that he had chosen the right path. That was what he continued to think. It had not been forced on him; he’d made the choice out of his own free will. Naoe looked straight at the other man without flinching or fear and slowly got up from the wheelchair.

This was—his first true step.

The man who had gotten out of the car was in the prime of his life. He had white hair and sharp eyes.

This man was the king of Bungo, Ootomo Sourin himself.

Their formal meeting took place in the museum building near the main camp. The terraced windows on the south side of the building looked out over the vast spread of Kusasenri.

Naoe’s impression of Ootomo Sourin differed slightly from what he had expected. He‘d never imagined a rugged sort of man, but neither did Sourin correspond to a ’local politician’-type, like he’d thought. If anything, he was an entrepreneur: the president of a company that had started out as a local enterprise whose growing business was still rooted in the local community, perhaps. Or a leading figure in local finance. He was a man who seemed suited for one-man jobs.

“I’ve been hearing rumors about Uesugi for some time. To tell you the truth, I was surprised; surely Uesugi would not become onshouonshou (怨将)

Lit.: "vengeful general": the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period, who continue their battles even in modern-age Japan. in the «Yami-SengokuYami Sengoku (闇戦国)

Lit.: "Dark Sengoku", the civil war still being fought by the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period in modern-day Japan.»... However, there is no ally more dependable. Everyone must want to have you on their side. I feel as though I’ve won a beautiful woman over a crowd of other men. We Ootomo must be everyone’s envy,” Sourin announced complacently, ensconced comfortably on a leather sofa. An ostentatiously large cross glinted on his chest. “I have heard rumors of your former lord, Kagetora-dono. About the destruction of the Houjou of the Kantou, about the sea battle of Itsuku Island. Though I also heard, Naoe-dono, that you were shot dead by Mouri in Hagi and, with no way to perform kanshoukanshou (換生)

To possess another's body, driving out their soul, so as to be reborn with memories intact. Only Naoe of all the kanshousha has the power to perform kanshou on another soul., had been purified.”

This information had come from Shimozuma RairyuuShimotsuma Rairyuu (下間頼龍) 1552 - July 16, 1609

Son of Shimotsuma Shinrai, Shimotsuma Rairyuu was a monk of Hongan Temple but said to be more devoted to politics and culture than military affairs. He had many merchant friends and joined them for tea ceremonies.

During the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, he fought alongside his relatives Shimotsuma Yorisuke and Shimotsuma Raijun against Oda Nobunaga general Hosokawa Akimoto. In 1580 at the Ikkou Sect's surrender, he signed the peace treaty with his relatives Shimotsuma Rairen and Shimotsuma Nakataka.

A confidant of Kennyo's eldest son Kyounyo, he joined Kyounyo in a plot to retake Ishiyama Hongan Temple the following year and was rebuked by Kennyo. After Kennyo's death, Ishiyama Hongan Temple split into the Eastern Temple and Western Temple. Rairyuu followed Kyounyo to the Eastern Temple, where he became a monk magistrate. He married the daughter of Oda Nobutoki and had several children.

and Fuuma KotarouFuuma Kotarou (風魔小太郎)

Historically: The name Fuuma Kotarou was given to each leader of the Fuuma Clan/organization of ninjas which served the Later Houjou Clan, starting with its first leader. The clan started information-gathering and espionage activities in the time of Houjou Souun, the founder of the Later Houjou Clan. The clan name began as 風間, composed of the characters for "wind" and "space", but was changed to its present form, a homophone composed of the characters for "wind" and "evil/demonic/magical."

In its 100 years of service to the Houjou Clan, the most renowned Fuuma Kotarou was the fifth, who served Houjou Ujimasa and his son Houjou Ujinao (unknown - 1603). Stories say that he was 7'1". One of his most famous exploits was in 1580 and the Battle of Kise-gawa, during which he slipped into the enemy camp at night and caused mass chaos. Another famous ninja, Ninokuruwa Isuke, also belonged to the Fuuma Clan.

After the destruction of the Houjou Clan, Kotarou and the Fuuma Clan became thieves near Edo. Kotarou was captured and executed in 1603 from information given by Kousaka Jinai, another ninja-turned-thief who formerly served the Takeda Clan.

In Mirage of Blaze: Fuuma Kotarou leads the Fuuma ninjas in service to the Houjou Clan. He is described as a tall, slender man with broad shoulders and a muscular but supple body. He wears his hair long, tied in a long tail that reaches to his waist., who had happened to be at the scene, and had spread throughout the «Yami-Sengoku» in the form of secret intelligence which Sourin had obviously also acquired.

“—Indeed. In that state it was impossible to perform kanshou on a living body,” Naoe answered in a low voice, remembering. Kanshou took unparalleled power, for it expelled the soul which was the owner of a body and took possession. It was a scuffle in which a soul which had already rooted itself was pulled out root and branch. To drive out a resisting opponent by force required more power than a simple «nenpanenpa (念波)

Lit.: "waves of will/thought"; a nendouryoku attack using spiritual energy which focuses the will and releases it in a burst to strike at a target.». Of course, Naoe hadn’t had that kind of power at that time.

“That was why—I performed kanshou on my corpse.”

“A corpse? That’s insane. Then that body—”

“I have lived for four hundred years, but I have never done anything like this. In other words, my dead body was resuscitated.”

Sourin’s eyes as he stared at Naoe were as dark as if he were looking at something grotesque. Naoe smiled faintly.

“Happily, I had several pieces of good luck. My remains were cremated soon after my death, and the fire used was spirit-fire lit from Hakone Shrine’s holy oil.”

He‘d learned only afterwards that the holy oil was called ’dragon oil’ harvested from the scales of a dragon. It was used to purify the bodies of those who had died unfortunate deaths, and it had the special property of reacting to a certain kind of spiritual power.

“Most importantly, Lord Kenshin lent me his power. Without his help, I would not be here today.”

At first Kenshin had intended to use his power to give Naoe permanent possession of someone else, but Naoe’s spirit had itself been too weak to withstand kanshou. Thus he had been forced to return Naoe to his unresisting corpse and attempt to regenerate it. The possibility of returning the fire of life to a body in which it had already been extinguished, however, was exceedingly low. He had carefully applied his power to a heat so small it couldn’t even be called an ember. Fortunately, the cremation spirit-fire had reacted well to Kenshin’s spiritual power. It had been a microscopic operation. Somehow he had managed to rekindle a small fire in one of the cells.

He had cautiously, over a very long time, divided the fire to other cells. NikkouNikkou-shi (日光市)

Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767., the holy precinct of Tokugawa IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) 1543 – 1616

Also called: Matsudaira Takechiyo, Matsudaira Motoyasu
Titles: Mikawa no Kami, Shogun

Historically: The third of the "Three Unifiers"; an ally of Oda Nobunaga, after Nobunaga's death he first battled against then became an ally of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. When Hideyoshi died in 1598, Tokugawa moved against Hideyoshi's son and heir Toyotomi Hideyori and the five regents appointed to protect the Toyotomi rule. Tokugawa, along with his allies the Date and Mogami, and the defected Kobayakawa and Mouri clans, defeated the opposition at the Battle of Sekigahara and established the Tokugawa Shogunate., had aided him in this work with its own power. There in the womb of the sacred ground, he had patiently devoted himself to the resuscitation. It had taken a year for Naoe to wake up, a year and three months to breathe on his own, a year and a half of steady rehabilitation to stand. For him to be here now had taken almost two years.

“In other words, that was how much Kenshin-dono wanted you to be the general of the New Uesugi. I suppose you are able to use «power» as well.”

Naoe was silent. —He did not seem inclined to say anything more.

“I see. This must be Uesugi KenshinUesugi Kenshin (上杉謙信) Feb. 18, 1530 - Apr. 19, 1578

Also called: Nagao Kagetora (長尾景虎), Uesugi Masatora (上杉政虎), Uesugi Terutora (上杉輝虎)
Title: Kantou Kanrei (関東管領)

Historically: Fourth son of the noted warrior Nagao Tamekage, Kenshin wrested control of the Nagao clan from his brother Nagao Harukage and fought for control of Echigo Province. He accepted the name Uesugi Masatora when he gave refuge to his nominal lord, Uesugi Norimasa, and at his urging campaigned to push the Houjou out of the Kantou Region.

He adopted the name "Kenshin" when he became a Buddhist monk and a devotee of Bishamonten. The standard his army carried onto the battlefield bore the character 毘 ("bi") for Eight-Sword Bishamonten. He battled Takeda Shingen five times at Kawanakajima, as well as the Houjou and Ashina clans and Oda Nobunaga, whom he defeated despited being outnumbered. However, Kenshin died soon after the battle. He named his two adopted sons, Uesugi Kagetora and Uesugi Kagekatsu, his heirs, hoping that they would divide the Uesugi lands peacefully between them after his death.

In Mirage of Blaze: He became a god of war after his death, ascending from Nin Dou to Ten Dou, and established the Meikai Uesugi Army to ensure that the peace of Japan is not disrupted by the onshou. He named Kagetora as its commander.’s true feelings after all. Perhaps Kenshin-dono has never been able to completely trust Kagetora-dono, who is after all a son of the Houjou. I suppose, during his previous life, he intended for Kagekatsu-dono to succeed him.”

“As for that—”

“The past is past, eh? Indeed.”

Naoe’s eyes opened a little wider as he looked at Sourin.

He didn’t regard Naoe as his equal. It was clear from his manner that to him, Naoe was nothing more than ‘Kenshin’s deputy’. In fact, he referenced ‘Kenshin-dono’ throughout in an attempt to probe into Kenshin’s intentions, not Naoe’s.

“I am grateful for Uesugi’s support in this endeavor. Ootomo in the west, Uesugi in the east. I hope you will tell Kenshin-dono we Ootomo will be pleased to return the favor the next time he conducts a large-scale operation in the east.”

“Of course.”

“No onshou has ever counted Christian soldiers in his army. Their numbers are unknown, but they are a force with great potential. We Ootomo will gather the power of the Christians with Aso as our base. I intend to name it the ‘Kingdom of the Sun’. Please relay everything you witness in proper detail to Kenshin-dono.”

Yoshie and the other Uesugi vassals who were standing by looked rather displeased, probably unhappy with the fact that Sourin was not treating Naoe as the supreme commander of the Uesugi. Naoe was not Kenshin’s messenger. Ootomo’s vassals were also embarrassed, but there was no one in a position to remonstrate with Sourin. He saw Ichimata’s apologetic expression out of the corner of his eye.

He’d expected something like it, so it hadn’t exactly come as an unpleasant surprise, but—

Naoe had another strange suspicion he didn’t know what to do with.

(It it had been him...would this man have behaved in the same way?)

If nothing had changed, it would have been Kagetora sitting here. He would have been standing watchfully behind Kagetora, observing the opposite party’s caliber and character and innerly sneering with arms folded.

(Because ‘I’ am the one being scorned?)

If it had been Kagetora facing him, Sourin might have taken a different attitude. Of course, though they were both ‘supreme commanders’, Kagetora was also Kenshin’s son. Still, surely he would behave differently with someone whom he considered a fellow human being.

(If it had been him...?)

If Kagetora had received the same treatment from Sourin, if he had found Sourin’s pompousness distasteful, he would have boldly stated his objection. And Naoe, at Kagetora’s back, would naturally have added a word or two of banter. —Why couldn’t he do that now?

Speaking to Sourin, he found a man who indeed deserved to be called ‘the King Who Quelled the West’—a man with a strong personality and odiously violent prejudices. The fact that he was not simply a ‘self-centered coward’ was bothersome.

“Ootomo’s ‘Kingdom of the Sun’ will be the realization of the ‘Christian kingdom’ we would have created in Mushika. We will build a cathedral in Bouchuu that will rival any in Rome. It will be a beautiful thing. The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ is magic worthy of Ootomo, conqueror of the west. Here in Aso.”

Naoe felt more and more suffocated. He now knew what it was to have no one’s back in front of him. In other words, he was now facing the aggression and venom (of the big guns) head-on. There was no wall.

From behind the wall he could think whatever he wanted. Yet Kagetora had always taken these suffocating ordeals on himself without flinching.

(I thought I knew that very well—...)

He felt a strange loneliness in his heart. Did such weakness make him look small? Yoshie, who was watching from behind him, looked quizzically at Naoe’s back, which exuded neither arrogance nor drive.

(Supreme commander...)

“I am sure you have heard about the human impact of the sun power dam, but allow me to give a supplementary explanation,” Ichimata spoke after a pause. Naoe must look small in Sourin’s eyes as well; he could see that, too.

“What happened to Julia? And the «Golden Serpent Head»? Kumamoto seems to be in a state of chaos.”

“Yes. We’re utilizing all possible means to gather information.”

Naoe suddenly came to himself and looked at Ichimata.

“We are making preparations to begin as soon as Julia-dono returns.”

“She is quite a formidable woman, isn’t she? She always does what she says she will do.” Sourin folded his hands over his stomach. At this point, neither he nor Naoe knew what had happened at the old castle. “We will wait at the crater’s main platform. How is the activity at the Middle Peak?”

“You can see the current state of the crater on the second-floor monitor. Two crater cameras have been installed.”

“Are the soldiers ready?”

“They are.”

“Good. At sunset, we’ll place Tateno under total lockdown and establish a barrier over the caldera. The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ is about to start. Everyone, put your hearts into this fight for Ootomo!”

Sourin stood and headed for the stairs, accompanied by his entourage. He didn’t even bow to Naoe. Naoe watched Sourin disappear down the stairs and finally rose. Yoshie, who was at his side bracing him, said with concern, “Is something the matter? Are you not feeling well?”

“No—no, it’s not that.”

Yoshie seemed displeased with Sourin’s manner toward Naoe. Perhaps he thought Naoe could also have done more to emphasize his status as ‘supreme commander’. Naoe guessed his thoughts.

“—I allowed him to. It is better to let Ootomo think that they are the masterminds. Uesugi’s display of power would make them cautious.”

“That is true, but...”

Naoe put on a mask of impassivity—he didn’t want to tell anyone about his bitter inner reflections. An image of Kagetora’s back came to his mind. How strong the headwind he’d faced to move ahead.

(I thought I understood him...)

His mouth tasted bitter.

Naoe frowned slightly as he slowly stood, gazing at the stairs where Sourin had gone.

The true Himuka faith crumbled.

After Saeki Ryouko took down Yasuo—

She rescued Takaya from the cave. Fortunately, only the entrance had been blocked by earth and sand. Ryouko carried Takaya to the brim of the outer rim. At the top of the northern outer rim was a vast meadow. A cold northerly wind blew across the endless winter-desolated grassland, making waves. They landed there.

“You really do fly without wings, don’t you?”

“Yes. But I have heard that each flight shortens our lives.”

He looked at Ryouko with a surprise.

“He didn’t tell the bird-people because he didn’t want to frighten them. Enoki-san and I were the only ones who knew.”

I see, Takaya thought. They were cutting short their own lives in order to fly.

Kihachi’s head lay next to Ryouko. She had retrieved it from Yasuo’s arms.

“You’re badly hurt,” Ryouko said, sitting Takaya upright on the grass and unbuckling the belt that bound his hands. She placed her hand on Takaya’s chest. The luminous flame stone began to give off a faint heat, which gradually spread to the tips of his fingers. The pain of his wounds faded as if he had been anesthetized. Ryouko took out a handkerchief and wrapped it as a bandage around the little finger of his left hand, the worst injured. Her work was deft and gentle—she was indeed a good medical student. He felt warm, probably thanks to the luminous flame stone.

“The cold should be a little more bearable. If you don’t do anything rash, your wounds should heal with time.”

Takaya snorted a laugh. “Yeah, you don’t wanna give Kihachi damaged goods, do you?”

“The luminous flame stone...” Ryouko said, “will be fully absorbed by your body it in ten days. You’ll have to recuperate on your own after that.”

Takaya looked at Ryouko suspiciously. She had purged the followers who had gone out of control. Next was recovery of Asara. Then with Takaya as vessel, she would be able to restore the Kihachi tribe as ‘superhumans’. If she was acting according to Enoki’s dying wish, those had to be her next moves. Yet—

She said Takaya’s name in a low voice and asked him a question contrary to his expectations. “I have heard Motoharu-sama say that you have the power to send the dead to the other world. Is it true?”

“You mean the «power of exorcism»?” Takaya returned warily. His gaze fell to the palm of his hand, and his lips curved self-mockingly. “What are you going to use me for this time?”

“Can you use your power to allow the spirits sealed in the head to rest in peace?”

Ryouko’s unexpected proposal took Takaya by surprise a second time. Her look was full of entreaty. There was no falsehood in her eyes.

“—You’re serious?”

“...”

“You’re willing to allow Kihachi to be purified?”

Ryouko’s eyes fell, and she quietly asked, “Can you do it?”

“I don’t know,” Takaya said cautiously. “We don’t even have a complete picture of the scale involved. All the onryouonryou (怨霊)

Lit.: "vengeful ghost"; the spirits of those who died in the Sengoku period who are still so filled with rage and hatred that they continue to exist in the world as vengeful spirits instead of being purified and reborn. it swallowed up in the city must have swelled the total considerably. That group on its own would have been difficult enough for an individual to purify alone. I’d need the assistance of some other power. I don’t know if there’s an effective way. Even if a solution can be found, it’ll take a considerable amount of time to both determine the scale of work and make the necessary arrangements, etc.”

“I don’t care how long it takes. In the meantime, I’ll hide this head where no one will be able to touch it.”

“You’ve forgotten about Asara,” Takaya said calmly. “No matter where in the world you hide it, Asara will be able to find it.”

“She won’t come looking.”

“What do you mean?”

Takaya’s eyes widened as he looked at Ryouko, who refused to look up.

“You’re going to kill her?”

“...”

“What in the...”

What had changed her mind so drastically? Takaya was about to ask, but instead closed his mouth.

The split in her comrades had come as a shock, but for Ryouko, her grief at Enoki’s loss was greater than anything else. Enoki’s presence within her was too big for her to rise and carry on his legacy.

A gaping hole had opened in her heart.

While chasing Takaya, Ryouko had seen the destructive power of Kihachi’s head in Mikuriya’s hands, and it had finally shaken her faith.

The spirits of the Kihachi tribe would be fused together and reborn as a single ‘superhuman’—born as a living god. So they believed. But was that really a good thing? Wasn’t it, rather, a very dangerous thing?

They had been trying to turn Kihachi’s hatred into something positive, to help the disadvantaged.

But was using power to help someone really helping them?

The truly downtrodden desperately wanted power—true power, not measly consolation. But this ‘power’ sometimes made losers into winners and winners into losers—and wasn’t that liable to stir up greater conflict rather than stopping it? Above all, wasn’t it simply too dangerous to give power to a single ‘superhuman’ with a ‘personality’? Kihachi was not an omniscient, omnipotent god. He gave power to those who resonated with his grief. They had called it healing, but what was true ‘healing’? How could his power save people from the sorrows and pains unique to them? Could Kihachi’s power be used to save people?

Ryouko had trembled at witnessing the might of Kihachi’s head.

People of the modern age probably underestimated the horror of the resentment of ancient onryou. Hatred is hatred—she felt the reality of Mitsuhide’s words now. They had thought that the various every-day sorrow and anger that resided in their hearts could resonate with those of Kihachi and Asara. Their assumption that they would be able to understand each other had been too naive. There was no sympathy; there wasn’t even the hint of a willingness to understand, Ryouko felt. Their anger was rooted at different depths. Though the emotion was the same, they were like ‘a grain of sand and a mountain range’. The sadness and anger of the living could fade away as they went about their daily lives. But their anger had a life of its own; it lived of its own volition.

(In other words, I’m afraid).

She could justify herself all she wanted, but that was what it came down to. If Enoki were still with her, it might have been different. He’d probably have had some encouraging answer for her. But Ryouko could find none of those answers on her own.

“We said that we were going to revive the Himuka nation, but we probably all knew somewhere in our hearts that we were going to use Onpachi-sama for our own benefit.” Ryouko purposely chose the word ‘use’ with its connotation of arrogance. “I’m probably disqualified as a believer. I knew it was going to get scary, and I was prepared to die. I understood nothing at the time. I think I was drunk on passionate words.”

In truth, the mere sight of Kihachi’s head next to her frightened her so much that she felt as if she might run away in the very next moment.

“The voices of Enoki-san and Ikeda Faith-Protector urge me forward: We have done so much hard work; are you going to ensure it all comes to nothing? What will happen to our legacy? But...”

The living were no match for the dead. Ryouko was at a crossroads, lost and confused.

After a moment of silence, Takaya said haltingly, “It’s not just the courage to overcome fear.”

What? Ryouko’s expression asked. Takaya added in a low voice, “There is no shame in turning back. Simply sticking to the path isn’t courage. Admitting that you are afraid also takes courage.”

When a person could no longer tell whether or not they were afraid—that was when they walked the road to destruction. Such had been the case for Japan during the war. Takaya could recall an abnormal world which had lost its tenderness and become mentally rigid.

“Those who cannot pause when they’re being pushed will all someday face destruction. We can change direction as many times as we want. Everyone has the right to turn back. To set yourself free—to forgive—that is nothing to be ashamed of. It’s nothing to be ashamed of at all.”

Ryouko looked at Takaya in surprise. She felt her heart unexpectedly ease.

“Ougi-san...”

“You can say that to others...”

Takaya could hear ’that man’s voice in his ears.

“You can say that to others, so why not to yourself?”

Takaya lowered his eyelids in exhaustion. If he knew he would be destroyed, why? If he didn’t retreat now, he would be destroyed.

(Even if I know it—)

“Once all of this is done, I’ll go to the police,” Ryouko said. She wanted to tell them everything. Whether or not they believed her, the truth was that she had killed someone. She seemed to have made up her mind. “I’ll go kill Asara myself.”

Takaya gazed silently at Ryouko’s profile—the last of the bird-people.

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

Ryouko closed her eyes instead of answering. Seeing this, Takaya understood her feelings.

The wind blew across the winter-desolated meadow, and there was a faint smell of earth. Takaya scooped up a little soil and wrapped it in his palm as if to check the earth’s temperature.

“What will you do?”

Takaya looked into the distance with the wind against his face. After thinking for a long time, he finally answered slowly, “—I think I’ll...go to Hagi.”

“Hagi? Um, in Yamaguchi?”

Takaya nodded. There was no sparkle of surging life in the depths of his eyes, only drifting fatigue and emptiness.

“I want to get my memories back.”

“You went crazy.”

Even if that was true. Going back to Hagi didn’t mean he would return to normal. But if he could find even one thing to fill in the missing memories.

Takaya let out a faint sigh. His heart was as desolate as these winter grasslands. The dry north wind seemed to rouse emptiness. He put his hand over his eyes and smiled self-mockingly.

“It wasn’t because I liked it that I was general.”

It had been a request from his adoptive father—the most important person in the world to him, the one whom he respected more than anyone else.

It had been a request from someone who loved him very much.

“You are my son, Saburou.”

There within the cold wind, Takaya heard a faraway voice over the withered field. He recalled the events of that distant day as if it had happened only a short time ago...

“I will give you my name: Kagetora. Henceforth you may call yourself Uesugi KagetoraUesugi Kagetora (上杉景虎) 1552? 1554? - Apr. 19, 1579

Also known as: possibly Houjou Ujihide (北条氏秀), Houjou Saburou (北条三郎), Saburou Kagetora (三郎景虎)

Historically: Uesugi Kagetora was the seventh son (sixth to survive to adulthood) of Houjou Ujiyasu, younger brother of Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujiteru, Houjou Ujikuni, Houjou Ujinori, Houjou Ujitada, and older brother of Houjou Ujimitsu. His mother was the sister-in-law of Tooyama Yasumitsu, a vassal of the Houjou Clan (other sources say Zuikeiin, Ujiyasu's principle wife). It's likely that he and Houjou Ujihide were two different people and that Ujihide was the son of Houjou Tsunashige and living in Edo while Saburou was living in Echigo, so most historians refer to him as Houjou Saburou when describing his early life.

As a child, he was sent into the priesthood at Souun Temple in Hakone, then sent as hostage to Takeda Shingen of the Takeda Clan in the three-way alliance between Houjou, Takeda, and Imagawa formed in 1554 (though this last point is now in dispute, as it is told only in the Records of Ancient Battles of the Eight Kanto Provinces and recorded in none of the Takeda Clan records.)

He was adopted by his uncle Houjou Genan in 1569 and married Genan's daughter.

When the Houjou and Uesugi clans formed an alliance in 1569, Saburou was sent to Uesugi Kenshin in an exchange of hostages with Kakizaki Haruie. (At first, the hostage was set to be Houjou Ujimasa's third son Kunimasumaru, but Ujimasa could not bring himself to send off his son, who was then still a baby.) Saburou was sent to the Uesugi clan in early 1570. Kenshin, who never married, developed a liking for the handsome and intelligent Saburou. He married his niece Seienin, the daughter of Nagao Masakage and older sister of Nagao Akikage (Uesugi Kagekatsu) to Saburou, gave him the name Kagetora (a name that had once belonged to Kenshin himself), and adopted him into the Uesugi Clan.

When Kenshin died suddenly in 1578 without naming an heir, Kagetora and Kagekatsu, similarly adopted by Kenshin, fought for succession to the position of clan head (the Otate no Ran). Though Kagetora held the early advantage with the backing of Uesugi vassals such as Uesugi Kagenobu, Honjou Hidetsuna, Kitajou Takahiro, and the Houjou Clan, the tide of the battle turned with Takeda Katsuyori's betrayal to Kagekatsu's side.

When the Otate fell in 1579, Kagetora attempted to escape to Odawara Castle, but was betrayed at Samegao Castle by Horie Munechika and committed suicide. His wife committed suicide along with him (though there are also accounts that she remained behind at the Otate and committed suicide there when her brother Kagekatsu refused Kagetora's surrender.) His oldest son Doumanmaru died at the hands of Kagekatsu's troops along with Uesugi Norimasa, and the rest of his children were believed to have died along with their parents.

In Mirage of Blaze: He was born to Houjou Ujiyasu and Zuikeiin as their eighth (seventh to survive to adulthood) and youngest son. After his death in the Otate no Ran, he was charged by Uesugi Kenshin to become kanshousha in order to ensure that the peace of Japan is not disrupted by the onshou as the leader of the Yasha-shuu and the commander of the Meikai Uesugi Army..”

(Because you...needed me.)

Kenshin’s words had been so very precious to him because they acknowledged that he was a person. More than anything, he’d wanted his own path in life.

(Because you taught me—)

“You’re going to EchigoEchigo-no-kuni (越国)

An ancient province in north-central Japan which was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku Period. Now a part of Niigata Prefecture., Saburou.”

When he’d heard Ujimasa’s decision, Kagetora had realized that his brother didn’t even recognize him as a commander.

A ‘hostage’ was not allowed volition. Saburou had been the black sheep of the closely-knit Houjou. Instead of being allowed to nurture his bond to his brothers during that critical period of his childhood, he’d been sent to KaiKai-no-Kuni (甲斐国)

Also known as: 甲州 (Koushuu)

An ancient province in central Japan which was ruled by Takeda Shingen during the Sengoku Period. Now known as Yamanashi Prefecture.. The Takeda had treated him wholly as a a ‘hostage’. He’d grown up with the constant fear of knowing that he would lose his life if anything happened.

He’d been conscious of the difference between himself and his brothers. But after returning to Houjou, he had become one of seven brothers. He’d been desperate to make up for the years he had spent away from them.

And then had come the night of disaster.

(That night—it’s carved into me.)

Takaya covered his eyes as his brows furrowed.

Among the men who’d gang-raped him had been a protector he’d trusted like a brother, but he no longer wanted to recall that fact; he no longer wanted to recall the deeds or circumstances. Not the vulgar laughter or jeering voices, the violence that had silenced his resistance, stopped his mouth, pinned his hands and feet...

He didn’t know why they had done those things—he no longer wanted to know—but it wasn’t their scheming or betrayal that had left indelible scars on his heart.

He had not been a person to them in that moment. He’d had no individuality. He’d been prey. He’d been a piece of meat to be fucked.

He’d been trampled root and branch. It was as if he’d been told, “You’re not worthy to be a human being.” Rape was not simply violence. It was a negation of your humanity without a second thought. It was like being told you were the most worthless person in the world.

The rage and humiliation had come after the shock.

Something...very important to him, that had been wavering unsteadily, had become irrevocable; an insurmountable distrust had reached deep into his soul and carved itself there.

Ever since then, his heart had been...his heart had been screaming

And it had never stopped...

 
Going to Echigo—

He‘d already given up; he’d had no expectations. It had simply been the beginning of a ’hostage’s volitionless life’. There had been ice in his heart. He’d had no hope at all. Yet what had awaited him had been a person who had completely overturned Kagetora’s expectations.

A mysterious and wonderful person.

Kenshin had been a general unlike any other he’d ever met. Power he’d had, but he had not flaunted it. He’d been a man who had transformed the muddiness of life into a transparent sharpness through some magic of his personality. He had vividly reminded Kagetora of a blade tempered by a master hundreds of years ago. His eyes had seemed to be gazing at somewhere far away, even when he’d been looking at what was in front of him. —But this unworldly sword-human had not been cold in the least. In his depths there had been a hidden glow that had made others yearn, which had confounded those who saw it.

What had surprised Kagetora was that Kenshin had been serious about adopting him as his son.

Was he amazingly soft-hearted? Or too naively honest? No one in their right mind would truly adopt the child of someone who had been their longtime sworn enemy until recently. Carelessness might lead to his usurpation. But Kenshin had been in earnest. Completely so. Once he had shown friendship to someone, even an enemy with whom he had crossed blades many times, he trusted them to the very end. He opened his heart and never doubted the other. He was the essence of sincerity. Kagetora had never seen such a person before.

Kenshin’s ‘straightforwardness’, which had seemed clumsy at first, had released Kagetora’ heart from its cage of ice.

When Houjou had unilaterally broken off the alliance, Kenshin’s rage had been terrible—but all of that rage had been directed at the fact that Kagetora hadn’t even been consulted. When he’d learned of it, Kagetora had been stunned.

Why was he...

It had been a mystery.

How could he trust him so completely and unconditionally from the very beginning, this man with whom he shared no blood, whose character he didn’t know? How could he do something like that?

(He accepted me unconditionally...)

Kenshin had had little contact with his blood relations. He had cherished Kagetora as if he had found an outlet for affection for the first time. Kenshin, who had never known the love between father and son, may have been clumsy in the way he had loved Kagetora, but his caring had been obvious. Kagetora’s lonely heart had perceived it almost painfully.

“You shall succeed me as Guardian Deity of the North.”

(You acknowledged me.)

That unconditional trust had given his wasted heart an unimagined light.

Kagetora had tried desperately to live up to Kenshin’s expectations. He had frantically tried to improve himself so that Kenshin, who called him a genius, would not be disappointed—would not shun him.

It had been as if two lonely hearts were trying to pull each other closer.

(Your trust made me so happy, Father.)

Thereafter, Kenshin had adopted Kagekatsu.

 
(I am sure you have no idea...)

How shaken he’d been.

Others probably dismissed it as a weak ego. Perhaps that truly was all it had been. But Kenshin’s words were of great importance to him. The name ‘Kagetora’ was the key to the door which opened onto the path where he could live as ‘himself’.

You needed me.

Was to disappoint you to lose the meaning of my existence—...?

“Become my successor as Guardian Deity of the North...”

Though he tried to use words like ‘respect’ and ‘ideals,’ in the end perhaps that had been his motive for accepting the position of general of the Meikai Uesugi Army.

(...And it’s been four hundred years, huh?)

Takaya laughed at himself. What was he doing? What had he been doing for such a numbingly long time?

(What have I been doing...?)

A life in which a dead person stole the body of a living person to continue to live—

As his life drifted into unfocused meaninglessly, he met someone.

A man unlike any he’d ever met before, whose never-before known emotions crashed into him. Whose never-before known stare pierced him.

Naoe NobutsunaNaoe Nobutsuna (直江信綱) ? - Oct. 6, 1581

Also known as: Nagao Kagetaka (長尾景孝), Nagao Toukurou (長尾藤九郎)
Title: Yamato no Kami (大和守)

Historically: Son of Nagao Akikage, he became head of the Sousha-Nagao Clan at a young age. He later (around 1545) passed the position to his younger brother Nagao Kagefusa. When the clan was destroyed by Takeda Shingen and their territory lost, the family escaped into Echigo. There Kagefusa became a monk, and Kagetaka was adopted by Naoe Sanetsuna when he married Sanetsuna's daughter, Osen-no-Kata. He succeeded his adopted father as master of Yoita Castle in 1577 and was a vassal of Uesugi Kenshin. He promptly took the side of Uesugi Kagekatsu during the war for succession after Kenshin's death and mobilized the members of the Naoe Clan at the castle to subdue Kagetora's troops.

After the intra-house war and Kagekatsu's victory, a question of reward was called into question. Yasuda Akimoto, one of Kagekatsu's trusted commanders, had promised rewards to Shibata Shigeie, Mouri Hidehiro, and others to convince them to join Kagekatsu's side. However, Yamazaki Hidenori, Naoe, and others objected, for they had risked life and limb at Kasugayama Castle from the very beginning of the battle, while Shibata Shigeie and the others had been lured by promise of reward from Yasuda Akimoto.

Yasuda Akimoto committed suicide when he could not keep his promise of reward. Later, Mouri Hidehiro, carrying a grudge for his death, murdered Yamazaki Hidenori at Kasugayama Castle; Naoe, who was with him at the time and took up a sword to defend himself, was killed as well. His death ended the Naoe line, which Kagekatsu later resurrected by marrying Naoe's widow, Osen-no-Kata to Higuchi Kanetsugu and commanding him to take the Naoe name.

In Mirage of Blaze: According to Kousaka Danjou, and Houjou Ujiteru he was the ringleader of Uesugi Kagekatsu's forces in the Otate no Ran. He is now Uesugi Kagetora's protector and one of the Yasha-shuu under his command. He alone, as Kagetora's protector, was given the power to perform kanshou on other souls, a power he used to force Kagetora's soul into Minako's body.—

His quiet eyes, armed with reason, were striking. Sarcasm and banter came easily to his lips. He viewed the world with disillusioned eyes and rarely made a show of his feelings. He seemed a heartless man who disdained those left at the mercy of their emotions. And in the chest of his cold man was a hidden cache of heat.

(Naoe...Nobutsuna...)

Feeling as if he had been brought back to the reality in front of him, Takaya sighed in something like resignation.

(I don’t want to think about you anymore.)

People said that he had died two years ago in Hagi and had been purified. Yet he was now the new general. What did that mean? He didn’t understand.

(The truth.)

If he could get ahold of it, Everything would become clear. And then...

(Enough,) he tried to tell himself. He didn’t have to live like this anymore. (I’ll go to a place where I can forget everything.)

All the memories of four hundred years.

About Naoe, that cold, kind man...

And about his own existence—

The image of Kenshin on his horse came vividly back to life when he closed his eyes.

(Lord Kenshin—)

The undulating grass sounded like ripples. The sea of Echigo carried away his bitterness and anger. The sea rumbled in Takaya always. High and fierce, always...

Takaya quietly rose and walked toward the cusp of the cliff. He closed his eyes and quietly hugged himself, as if trying to feel the rough surging sea of the north in the Aso wind.

Kenshin did not answer.

Perhaps he was no longer even worthy of hearing his voice.

(Father...)

“I want you to protect Kagekatsu.”

Takaya’s eyes opened wide. Yuzuru’s anguished face overlapped with that of Kagekatsu.

“Ougi-san?” Ryouko’s voice startled Takaya back to his senses. In an instant the memory of that moment was gone from his mind like fire blown out by the wind. He looked back at Ryouko sharply with a hint of disquiet in his eyes. “What should I do now?”

“Now...” he muttered, still shaken. He forced his mind back to what was in front of him. “...Right. In any case, the sooner you act, the better. Hide that head. Somewhere safe so it won’t fall into the hands of Asara and the onshou.”

Takaya was about to say, “Take it and go,” when he hesitated. Where? We cannot use any place within Uesugi’s influence. Where else would it be safe? Turning it over in his head, Takaya suddenly recalled a certain place.

HakoneHakone-machi (箱根町)

Hakone is a town located in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It is a popular tourist location, hosting many hot springs, Hakone Shrine on the shore of the caldera lake, Lake Ashi, the volcanically-active Great Boiling Valley, and beautiful views of Mt. Fuji.. —Lake AshiAshino-ko (芦ノ湖)

Also known as: Hakone Lake, Ashinoko Lake, Manji Pond

Lake Ashi is a crater lake that lies along the southwest wall of the caldera of Mt. Hakone, located in Hakone Town. It is known for its beautiful views of Mt. Fuji and many hot springs.

Legend has it that during the Nara Period, when the lake was still called Manji Pond, it was home to a poisonous nine-headed dragon. In order to appease the dragon's anger, the villagers would offer maidens to it as sacrifices. Holy Priest Mangan, who had come to Mt. Hakone to practice asceticism, heard the tale and bound the evil dragon to a rock at the bottom of the lake in order to save the villagers. The dragon promised to protect the mountains and villages, and thus reformed, became a dragon god. Thereafter the villagers fed the dragon red rice instead of their daughters..

Ujiyasu—his biological father—should be there. Takaya vacillated. It meant relying on Houjou, whom he had abandoned. It meant overtly borrowing Houjou’s power.

He hesitated, but what choice did he have? He could no longer count on any of the Uesugi for help.

“Lake Ashi?”

“Yeah. The dragon god of Lake Ashi will probably lend you his aid.”

“The dragon god of Lake Ashi?” Ryouko’s eyes widened. “Do you mean Houjou UjiyasuHoujou Ujiyasu (北条氏康) 1515 - 1571

Title: Sagami-no-Kami
Also known as: The Tiger of Sagami, The Lion of Sagami

Son of Houjou Ujitsuna and third head of the Late Houjou Clan, one of the greatest daimyo of the Sengoku in both military and political arenas. He expanded the Houjou holdings to five territories and battled both Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin over the Kantou and Suruga regions.

He retired in 1560 and handed over the clan to his eldest son Houjou Ujimasa, but continued to guide the clan until his death of palsey or stomach cancer in 1571. He made an alliance with the Takeda Clan in 1562 and gave over his 7th son, Houjou Saburou, to Takeda Shingen for adoption.

Houjou Ujiyasu was a great admirer of poetry, culture and learning as well as a outstanding administrator who created unique bureaucratic organizations such as litigation processes for the ruling of his lands. He was much beloved of his people and widely mourned at his death.?”

(What...?!)

Takaya looked at Ryouko in surprise. Her expression changed into another person’s.

“It must not be. That cannot happen.”

“You—”

“Who would give Houjou the «Golden Serpent Head»?!”

Takaya caught his breath. Ryouko had been possessed. When had it happened? He hadn’t sensed it until just then. And this tone of voice!

“Ougi Takaya! You’re really a Houjou, aren’t you! We will not let an invader from a foreign land lay a finger on our «Golden Serpent Head»!”

(This woman...)

Takaya paled.

He swallowed.

(It’s Mikuriya... Juri...!)

Chapter 38: 'Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel'

I must tell Lord Sourin—!

A man walked single-mindedly along the national highway at sunset, away from the destroyed city toward Aso: Takahashi Jouun.

He now wore a different shape. After being killed by Nobunaga, Jouun had managed to possess another body somehow and was on his way to Aso—to Sourin. If Sourin had not arrived yet, he intended to go as far as Usuki. He was now relying solely on his own two legs.

(I have to tell him everything.)

All of Ootomo’s allies involved in the battle in the city had perished or been swallowed up or ‘died’ in truth. Yokote no GorouYokote no Gorou (横手五郎)

Orphaned son of courageous general Kiyama Masachika of Higo, he was a giant of a man recognized as a person of unrivaled physical strength, said to possess the strength of 75 men. He was one of the coolie workers who built Kumamoto Castle.

"Yokote no" is not a family name; it means "side/beside", so Yokote no Gorou is something like "Gorou at the side". had been fatally wounded by the blow from Narita Yuzuru. Irobe was dying and unable to move. Jouun had barely managed to possess someone.

(The «Golden Serpent Head» isn’t just a head.)

“I have to tell my lord about everything I’ve seen!”

The sun had already set, darkness had fallen, and it was difficult to see.

Jouun found a car at the city border with its keys still in the ignition. The road ahead appeared to be drivable. The engine started. Jouun quickly got in, made a U-turn, and drove east.

“?!”

He abruptly stepped on the brakes. A young man stood in the middle of the road with his arms outstretched, blocking the way.

(Wh...what the hell!)

He honked his horn, but the ‘roadblock’ refused to budge. Frustrated, Jouun got out of the car.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Get out of the way!” he yelled—and then realized that he had seen this tall man before somewhere. The young man seemed to know Jouun as well. His eyes narrowed slightly.

“Huh, it’s you.”

Jouun’s guard went up.

“You can’t just drive around in other people’s cars, Pops,” he scoffed, but his eyes were serious—seriously angry, and not because Jouun had taken the car. He was about to demand the young man’s identity when the latter was suddenly infused with a hostile aura.

“!” he choked. He was suddenly frozen in place as if he’d been bound hand and foot. Though he fought with all his strength, he couldn’t move even a fingertip.

(Wh...what is this power?!)

“I’m not gonna leave even a single one of you guys alive.”

(What?!)

Jouun goggled even more when he heard the young man chant what sounded like an incantation. From his mantra, Jouun now knew where he was from.

(Impossible... Why?!)

Jouun tried desperately to resist, but the young man was stronger than he had imagined, and he could not break the bonds. Weren’t they on the same side? Why was he targeting him...?!

Jouun’s face contorted with fear as he saw the light coalescing mercilessly.

“Wait! Wait! There are still things I need to do...!”

“You’ve done enough,” the young man said with the full force of his rage. “There’s nothing more for you to do but go to the other side.”

Immediately thereafter, Jouun heard his last words on earth.

His retinas exploded with sharp searing light, and as he felt his soul being engulfed by it, when he knew it was all over, Takahashi Jouun sensed from within the whiteness:

«Mune...shige—...»

The last thing he saw on the pure white screen of his consciousness was the radiant smile of his son, Muneshige.

 
A cast-off husk lay on the road.

The young man expressionlessly left it by the side of the road, got into the driver’s seat, and drove off in the direction that Jouun had taken as if picking up the torch of his unfinished task.

At 8:00 p.m., a barrier went up along the Aso outer crater rim.

The caldera was now completely cut off from the outside world, with only one point of entry and exit left accessible for logistical reasons: the checkpoint Ootomo had installed at Tateno’s dam.

The barrier was stronger than expected. Its surface was like a massive wall, preventing any spirit-beings from entering or leaving. There were, in fact, two layers of barriers; another covered the Middle Peak and the entire central cone group to defend against any who would attempt to interrupt the ritual.

Takaya and the others had descended into the caldera. Kiyomasa would be going off on his own from this point on. They carried special Fuuma-made communications equipment given them by Shichirou: green fingertip-sized snail shells that were inserted into the ear like earphones and allowed them to wirelessly communicate with each other in a way that was difficult to intercept. Shichirou dispatched Fuuma colleagues to gather information on Ootomo. Takaya and Tetsuya arrived in Ichinomiya Town.

—Which was in an uproar, with most of the furor centered on the town hall. The sealed-off area within the caldera couldn’t communicate with the outside at all. Not even television or radio signals were coming in. Police officers and town hall employees were feverishly scrambling every which way, wondering what the hell was going on.

An uneasy Tetsuya said feebly to Takaya, “The...big fire wheel thing...whatever it’s called, if it succeeds, what will happen to Aso? Is everybody living here gonna die?”

“—I don’t know.”

If the caldera was turned into a dam, two towns and four villages would sink to the bottom of the sun power-filled space. But sun power was spiritual, closer to gas than water. It was not a reservoir dam that would dispossess people of their homes...probably. Firstly—

(Knowing it will kill tens of thousands of Aso’s residents...)

It was not a plan that Naoe would ever allow. He could assert that with certainty. Naoe was not that kind of person.

But if it was an absolute order from Kenshin?

(Even so—...)

Takaya scowled bitterly. He forced back the avalanche of emotions and blanked his face.

“Sun power is not a poison gas. If concentrated in a single spot and abruptly expended, it’s true that it can be destructive, but it shouldn’t kill people just by flowing into a place. However, because it is a spiritual power, it affects the mind. Those with resistance to it will be fine, but those who don’t will find it difficult to stay.”

“You mean...they should leave Aso?”

“In the worst case, they’ll go insane,” Takaya explained flatly. “People will naturally begin to avoid this place. Tourism no longer be possible here.”

There was no way it wouldn’t have an impact on people’s lives. Tetsuya’s face turned grave.

“But if Kihachi’s head becomes the cornerstone, it will be a problem way before that. Aso will be blown away.”

“We have to get to the Middle Peak, then.”

“We’re trying to find a route. I hope we can find a way to break through.”

Takaya and Tetsuya arrived at Aso Shrine. Fortunately, it had not been damaged; Ootomo seemed to have left it alone. The black panther followed closely. The town was in turmoil, so anyone who spotted him seemed to assume he was just a big black dog. —Shichirou returned shortly thereafter.

“We have a rough idea of their defenses,” he said, spreading a large map out under the tower gate and illuminating it with a flashlight. “All the mountain trails, including the small ones, are blocked. The line of the central barrier looks approximately like this—”

He traced a contour line at 700 meters (~2297 ft) above sea level with a marker, describing a large circle with the Middle Peak as its center.

“All the roads are blocked off, so no vehicles can get through. Infiltration will have to be accomplished on foot.”

Takaya sighed bitterly. They were stuck with scaling the Middle Peak in the middle of the night. After seeing people who could fly, he was annoyed that he had no choice but to walk. —In any case, Aso was too big.

“We were unable to ascertain Nobunaga and Asara’s whereabouts. We spotted the wreckage of the downed helicopter, but their bodies were nowhere to be found.”

“Which means they’re still alive.”

“Probably,” Shichirou answered. Takaya growled as he glared at the map. Nobunaga would eventually learn that Kihachi’s head was in Ootomo hands. He had Asara. ...The problem was that Oda had the means to approach by air. They couldn’t win against Oda if he were to fly to the crater by helicopter.

“We have information that several of Oda’s pursing helicopters have landed in the south Aso area. We are doing our best to locate them.”

“Oda must be aware of the situation. Mobilize everyone you have to find him. And if you find him—”

Kill Asara.

He couldn’t say that out loud; Tetsuya was right next to him.

Tetsuya was staring intensely at the fire burning in a brazier in front of the gate. He looked a little strange, as if it were calling to him.

“Tetsuya—...?”

He came back to himself. Fire—it made Takaya uneasy.

“Are you seeing something in there?”

“Not really...seeing...” Tetsuya answered with a strange look on his face. “—Feeling.”

“Is it Kihachi again? Is Kihachi moving? What do you feel?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know... But, Ougi... I feel...I feel weird. I’ve been feeling weird for a while.”

“You feel weird? Weird how?”

“Like my body is going haywire. My heart is thumping like its a volcano...”

He was about to say something else when he felt as if someone were calling his name. Tetsuya turned. He wasn’t hearing things this time. Several men approached from the shrine road to their right, calling out to Tetsuya.

They looked to be locals.

“Un...Uncle!”

It was Tetsuya’s adopted father’s son, Norihiko. The familiar faces of his relatives were all there.

“Uncle Narukawa...and everyone!”

“There you are, Tetsuya.”

Tetsuya looked dubious. Norihiko bowed deeply to Takaya next to him.

“We are Tetsuya’s relatives. Spirit-Protector Miike Haruya has been watching over your activities for some time now.”

Takaya and Tetsuya’s expressions contorted at the same time.

“He’s been watching us? From where?”

“With a spell passed down through the Miike. It’s called flame-scrying, which means to see what is happening far away by sensitizing yourself to fire. The Spirit-Protector is using it now—he told us to look for you here.”

Takaya looked at the brazier burning nearby. Haruya and company were still at Frost Shrine. Enoki had possessed Haruya to practice the magic of the fire shrine maidens documented in the Miike Records. Naoe had used water to search for Takaya; Haruya had done the same with fire. Of course, this was the first time such a technique had been practiced by Miike.

“Uncle is seriously injured. He’s in no condition to be doing this.”

“The Spirit-Protector—Tetsuya, he’s risking his life to help you. We came here on his instruction.”

Norihiko turned to Takaya.

“We know that Middle Peak has been occupied by heretics. Generation after generation of the Miike have been guardians of the Middle Peak crater, as we were charged by Aso Shrine. The Middle Peak and its crater are ours. We should be of use to you.”

“Are you saying you’ll help us?” Takaya’s eyes narrowed slightly. “...Do you know why I’m trying to get to the Middle Peak?”

The Miike were silent. Takaya wasn’t just going to recover Kihachi’s head, he was going to destroy it. Destroy the ‘god’ of Frost Shrine worshiped by the Miike.

After a long silence, Norihiko abruptly spoke.

“We will abide by Tetsuya’s will.”

Tetsuya’s face stiffened. Takaya looked at him in surprise.

This had been Haruya’s idea, and all the Celebrants had agreed with him. What should they do about Kihachi? They certainly needed more than a day or two to come up with an answer. But the situation was urgent. The Celebrants had answered that they trusted Haruya and would follow his lead, And Haruya had said that he would abide by Tetsuya’s decision.

(Why...)

Haruya must have known that Tetsuya would destroy Kihachi.

To be free from the blood hatred.

(Uncle knew and still said something like that...)

Tetsuya’s face paled as if he had suddenly felt a heavy burden dropped on his back. Takaya asked grimly, “What are you going to do?”

What was he going to do with Kihachi’s head? was Takaya’s real question. The ‘true body’ might be called Miike’s soul. It was their pride and symbol. Was he going to destroy it? Was that really the right thing to do? —Wouldn’t he regret it?

Tetsuya furrowed his brow, caught in painful thought for a long moment. Then he slowly looked up. No, he had already made his decision.

(We’re going to keep on living.)

“You’re okay with it?”

Tetsuya nodded. Both of his eyes were firmly fixed on Takaya’s. Takaya nodded in understanding.

“I want to go to the Middle Peak crater. I’d like your help to choose a route where the enemy is thinly stationed.”

Norihiko took up the request. The Miike were professionals when it came to the Middle Peak.

“We recognize that there has been abnormal activity. If practitioners of heretical arts are at the crater, then we the Miike must fulfill our mission as guardians. We will accompany you.”

“Do you know where Asara is?”

“The Spirit-Protector says he is calling out to Asara using the sacred fire.”

Apparently he had not received a response. The fire was connected to both Asara and Kihachi. If she was alive, there should probably have been some sort of response.

(Maybe she’s already dead?)

“Saburou-sama, we will do something about Oda. There’s not much time. Please leave Oda to us and head for the Middle Peak.”

“If only he were someone you could handle.”

Takaya urgently wished there were two of him. He was the only one who could stand up to Nobunaga. That wasn’t self-confidence, just reality. He didn’t think Shichirou and the Fuuma could pin Nobunaga down. Which way should he go? But there was no time for hesitation.

What should he do—...?

«But I’m here, Kagetora.»

Takaya’s eyes jerked up. What was—?

“Woah...the fire!” Tetsuya suddenly screamed behind him. As he spun, the flames of the brazier whooshed and overfilled its iron basket, making everyone leap back.

Another fire serpent? Tetsuya and Takaya tensed, but the flames did not turn into a snake.

Instead, it slowly undulated and took on the form of a person.

Not Hokage—someone Takaya knew very well.

“You—...”

Blood gushed from her body.

The wound would not close. —The blood vessels would not close.

Blood flowed.

The girl on the bed lay dying.

Her white shrine maiden’s robes were turning redder and redder. The color of her blood was beautiful. Pure red, fresh from the heart. —Like the magma at the bottom of a mountain of fire. It flowed steadily out of her body through the wound. With every pulsation of her heart. Out of her body.

Asara was leaving with it.

Once she had no blood left, she would die.

I can’t die. —I can’t die yet. Not until I free Kihachi-sama and kill the invaders.

In her dreams, the girl saw a distant past.

“I will come for you, Asara, so wait for me!”

She had dreamed of him ever since she had been a little girl. Over and over again.

“I’ll rescue you from the Yamato...” the hero shouted, though wounded all over. Sword swinging, he fought until the very end. Until his last breath. The invaders trembled violently at his terrifying tenacity. That relentless resistance was embodied in the story passed from generation to generation of the demon who kept returning despite being killed over and over again.

“I’ll get our country back. I’ll rescue you!”

Beloved shrine maiden of fire...

Aso wailed on the night of the hero’s death. The divine mountain erupted in lamentation, and the sun, worshiped by the Himuka people, was shrouded by thick black smoke. As the hero died, so too did the sun. But his sense of purpose was such that he continued to resist the Yamato as an onryouonryou (怨霊)

Lit.: "vengeful ghost"; the spirits of those who died in the Sengoku period who are still so filled with rage and hatred that they continue to exist in the world as vengeful spirits instead of being purified and reborn..

In the land of Aso, golden ears of rice swayed.

The people celebrated the harvest: sung, danced, laughed. They prayed to the queen who presided over fire and to the holy mountain of Aso from their temples, expecting their lives of abundance and peace to continue. The shrine maiden recalled times of peace.

“Know that our resentment will move the holy mountain, Mikenu!”

Kihachi was said to have shouted just before he was beheaded.

“The divine mountain’s black plume is the resentment of the Himuka!”

Our fury and hatred will never disappear from this land...

 
The blood drained steadily out of her, as if her very soul were fading away.

I can’t die yet. I have to free Kihachi-sama from the head.

I’m the only one who can. Only I can break the seal.

Wait for me—... I’m flying to you now, the shrine maiden repeated in her dimming consciousness.

I’ll release everyone.

Flying to you like a bird—...

“The woman’s injuries appear to be more serious than we thought. She hasn’t regained consciousness yet,” was the boy’s report on Hokage’s condition when he returned from the first-aid room to the lobby. A young man with reddish-brown hair was sitting on the sofa there. At the slender boy—Mori RanmaruMori Ranmaru (森蘭丸) 1565 - 1582

Also called: Mori Nagasada (森長定), possibly Shigetoshi (成利), Nagayasu (長康)

Historically: A vassal of Oda Nobunaga who served as his attendant from
an early age. His father, Mori Yoshinari, was also a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. Favored by Nobunaga for his talent and loyalty, he also followed the tradition of shudo with his liege-lord. He and his three younger brothers died with Nobunaga at the Honnou-ji on June 21, 1582.’s words, the red-haired young man turned his gaze from the window to him.

“She’s lost so much blood, she might bleed to death.”

“—Perhaps I was a bit too aggressive. It seems I misjudged my power. Should I give her some of my own blood, O-Ran?”

Nobunaga laughed as if he thought it a fine joke. They were in the clubhouse of a golf resort at the foot of Mt. Aso. Ranmaru and Nobunaga had escaped the helicopter just before it had crashed and had sustained not even a scratch. They’d been rescued by another of their helicopters. Asara, aka Miike Hokage, was also with them. Nobunaga was not such a fool as to allow her to fall to her death.

‘SEEVA’ had rented the entire golf course as their headquarters in Aso. Before them lay a spacious fairway and a view of the five peaks of Aso beyond the forest. —Needless to say, Nobunaga knew what Ootomo and Naoe were planning.

“Since it looks like things are starting, I would say they’ve got the cornerstone. I didn’t think Kagetora would lead them to it... Or did they give up on Kihachi’s head and come up with another cornerstone?”

“Tono, what should we do with that woman?”

He’d intended to use her as a hostage in his dealings with the Himuka cult, but perhaps that was no longer necessary.

“Humph, I shall get my revenge, cursed bird-people. Thanks to them, Narita Yuzuru is no longer of any use to me. I will punish them at my leisure later. Kagetora too, of course. As for Asara, well. If she’s useless, then she will only hinder us if she is allowed to live. It would probably be a good idea to finish her off as soon as we squeeze the whereabouts of Kihachi’s head out of her. All we need is the head,” Nobunaga said, and rose. The crash had not injured him at all, thanks to a judicious application of his psychic powers on landing.

“A Kihachi’s head which has been powered up immensely. Hmm, I’m so excited, I’m tearing up.”

“But first, Tono.”

“Ah. Shall we make our move, then, before Ootomo and New Uesugi complete their monstrous ritual? Are the helicopters ready?”

“Servicing is almost complete. They’ll be ready to take off in an hour.”

“Good. We’ll hit them from the air, so make sure to bring plenty of firepower.”

Standing by the cold window, Nobunaga scowled at the mountain ridgeline looming in the darkness.

“I’ll use this head the Ootomo woman couldn’t handle to its fullest. But first, shall we wipe out Ootomo and the New Uesugi?”

His gloating lips suddenly tightened. Had he sensed something? Ranmaru wondered at the shift to alertness.

“Is something wrong?”

The smile faded from Nobunaga’s eyes. His expression unusually blank, his gaze drifted to the side as he announced in a low voice, “—A man has come bringing memories of the good old days, O-Ran.”

“Good old days?”

“Aye. Come. I’m sure you’ll want to see him as well. Let’s go.”

 
(I’m too late...!)

By the time Akechi MitsuhideAkechi Mitsuhide (明智光秀) 1526 - 1582

Title: Hyuga no Kami
Also known as: Koreta Mitsuhide

A talented general and poet who belonged to the inner circle of Oda Nobunaga's vassals. He later ambushed Nobunaga at Honnou Temple in 1582, killing both Nobunaga and his heir, Oda Nobutada. Akechi Mitsuhide then proclaimed himself the new shogun, but soon clashed against Toyotomi Hideyoshi's forces and was defeated in the Battle of Yamazaki only 13 days later. He was killed en route to his stronghold of Sakamoto Castle in the village of Ogurusu by a bandit with a bamboo spear (though an alternate theory states that he was not killed but became a monk instead). rushed to the scene, the attack had already taken place. The troops he had gathered in Kugino had been wiped out by Ootomo’s attack. Moreover, a barrier had been set up over the whole of Aso, and a strange atmosphere enveloped the area. Ootomo seemed to be preparing for some kind of ritual.

(I won’t let them do whatever they want.)

Mitsuhide retraced his path to re-establish contact with Kiyomasa and the others, but encountered Ootomo soldiers and got into several skirmishes along the way. Though he managed to deal with them and escape somehow, he wandered onto a strange path and got lost. That it was nighttime didn’t help. Mitsuhide strayed into a wooded area and discovered something unexpected.

(Those are...!)

Hidden deep in the woods were several helicopters that obviously belonged to the Self-Defense Force. Strange, this couldn’t be a training area. And it certainly wasn’t a helicopter port.

(They’re the helicopters that were chasing the bird-people...)

A bad feeling ran down his spine. Mitsuhide gulped.

(Could they be...)

“We’ll be taking off in an hour. Our lord will be on the second helicopter. Finish your inspections of the firearms.”

“Kusaka, Ranmaru-dono wants to see you at the house.”

Cold sweat beaded on Mitsuhide’s forehead. He’d instantly recognized that the people around him were Oda’s «nuenue (鵺)

In Japanese mythology, the nue is a chimera formed from the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the legs of a tiger, and a snake-tail. The nue can transform into a black cloud and brings illness and misfortune.

In Mirage of Blaze: The troops of the various clans, lumped-together masses of onryou, are called the «nue». Mori Ranmaru commands the Nue-shuu of the Oda, who are onryou with strong powers.».

(Is Lord Nobunaga here too?)

Mitsuhide followed the vassal summoned by Ranmaru through the darkness. Beyond the trees was an open, gently sloping hill with a beautiful lawn. It appeared to be a golf course. He could see the lights of the clubhouse in the depths of the forest. —Was he there?

Mitsuhide watched them work, concealed in the shadows of a fir tree. «Nue» hurried back and forth between the helicopter and the clubhouse. Where were they flying to? Was their objective—

(Asara and Kihachi?)

Mitsuhide instinctively pulled his coat collar shut. Tension ran to the tips of his toes. If their target was Kihachi’s head, he would have to stop them. He must never get his hands on the head.

(What should I do?)

Mitsuhide gulped again. Was he here along with Ranmaru? He had to do something to stop him.

(—Blow it up?)

If he could blow up the clubhouse, he would at least stall them. Mitsuhide calculated. It would be better if he could make his enemies fight each other. He would incite Ootomo’s soldiers. If they attacked, even Nobunaga would not be able to move so easily.

(All right...)

He went into action. Under the cover of darkness, he approached the clubhouse. «Nue» came out of the entranceway as if to meet him, noisily discussing something. Something about a ‘woman’.

(Woman? Asara!?)

“Asara is here.”

Mitsuhide’s shoulders jolted. The boy’s voice had come from behind him.

“You came looking for Asara-hime—she’s here. She’s going to guide us to Kihachi.”

Mitsuhide slowly turned to look behind him, his expression that of a man who’d come face-to-face with a ghost. A small slender boy was standing there. With his soft chestnut hair and fair, exquisitely-chiseled face, he looked like an angel in a painting. But Mitsuhide soon realized who this angel really was. He’d been very familiar to Mitsuhide in their previous lives, for he had always accompanied not God, but the Demon King.

Mori Ranmaru—...

“This is the first time we’ve met since Honnou Temple, I believe, Mitsuhide-dono.”

Ranmaru had chosen his words deliberately despite the fact that they had never come face-to-face at the time. But that was not the last of the shocks to Mitsuhide.

A tall man appeared from the shadows of a tree behind Ranmaru. He was wearing jeans and a leather jacket with a black logoed cap low over his eyes, and his longish red hair tied back. He was quite a handsome man with a firm straight nose, but there was nothing frail about him. His body was conspicuously muscular and suffused with a beast’s nimbleness and strength. If ‘brilliance’ was the sort of gravitational pull that drew people’s attention while he did nothing more than stand there, then he was the king of ‘brilliance’. Even in the dark, he gave the illusion that the sun shone only on him—

Mitsuhide felt the blood drain all the way down to his feet. His lips trembled, and his hoarse mutter choked in his throat.

“To...no...”

There in the darkness, Oda NobunagaOda Nobunaga (織田信長) 1534 - 1582

Also called: Oda Kippoushi
Title: Kazusa no Suke, Owari no Kami

Historically: The first of the "Three Unifiers"; born in Owari to a samurai, his unbridled, ruthless ambitious and military tactical genius enabled him to gain control of the imperial court in 1573 after having driven the shogun out of Kyoto. His seal read "the realm subjected to military power". Murdered at the age of forty-nine by his vassal Akechi Mitsuhide in the Honnou-ji in Kyoto. stared silently at him with that same cold look in his eyes.

The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ had started two hours ago.

Five Tendai monks of old Bouchuu were performing the ritual in concert from five platforms installed on the crater wall: one each to east, west, south, and north, and another large main platform placed in the south. Each of the monks had received instruction from Toutetsu of Rokugou Manzan on the ritual to be performed from his own platform. (Toutetsu, of course, was the Uesugi plant.) In addition, dozens of auxiliary platforms had been installed in old Bouchuu at the base of the mountain, where the Uesugi and Tontetsu and other monks were working together to provide support for the ritual. A throne had been constructed behind the large main platform for the master of the spell, from which Sourin watched over the proceedings. Since he was a baptized Christian, he did not participate in the actual incantations—he only watched over the process.

The temperature around the crater dropped precipitously as darkness fell. Beneath the howling of the freezing-cold wind came the eerie combustion sounds of the crater floor 150 meters (~492 ft) below them.

“The magma’s activity appears to be increasing,” said Ichimata at Sourin’s side. Evidence of that came not only from the crater floor, but from the low rumbling of the ground. It must be a volcanic earthquake. They could feel the volcano’s quickening from the vibrations beneath their feet, which had clearly been caused by the ritual.

“The mountain is reacting to the spell,” Sourin said. Or rather, the spiritual might of the magma was.

The six kinds of mantras called the ‘Pure Light Dharani’ were chanted at each of the directional platforms to start the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’. Each was quite complex, involving various movements and protocols that included not only mudras, but prostration, ringing of bells, stick-burning, etc., and a bewildering succession of movements. The great main platform then assembled the threads spun by each of the four directional platforms. A bell was rung at a steady rhythm to keep everyone in sync. Around the crater came the rumble of the earth, the voices of the monks, and the sound of the wind, accompanied by the bell’s punctuation, all of them chorusing into the darkness.

The prayer and austerities of Ratnasambhava [Houshou Nyorai] formed the crux of the spell, and took much time. The foundation part of the ritual would probably take them until after midnight.

Flames at the bottom of the crater cast a reddish glow on the crater walls, and countless vertical graven shadows emerged from the rock face. Despite the heat within, the Middle Peak’s midwinter night was deathly cold. His ears and fingertips felt as if they might break off at any moment.

The mantra didn’t break off.

The «Golden Serpent Head» had been enshrined in front of the large main platform.

Mikuriya’s use of its power seemed to have scoured away the decomposed spiritual aura it had exuded after its exhumation from the old castle to some extent. However, the power it contained had increased by several orders of magnitude—which was only natural, given the tremendous number of spirits it had swallowed. Just being near it was enough to make him feel oppressed and unable to breathe.

Julia continued to sleep in the waiting area below. She lacked even the strength to participate in the ritual.

Ichimata, now in charge of security, was in the parking lot next to the ropeway station. He looked down the desolate mountainside, strumming with unrelieved tension. Time and again he put his walkie-talkie to his ear to check in with his men.

“How are things looking? Anything unusual?”

There were lookouts at the summits of Kishima Peak, Eboushi Peak, and Narao Peak. He would receive word if anything happened, but all appeared to be quiet.

“I see. Don’t let your guard down—I’m counting on you.”

He removed the walkie-talkie from his ear and looked down at the braziers of Kusasenri and Bouchuu. 8,000 troops were standing by at Kusasenri. All the other trails leading to the Middle Peak were blocked. He could clearly see the fires of their allies through the clear air, though they flickered like stars from time to time in the wind.

(Let it conclude without incident...)

The Uesugi at old Bouchuu were thinking the same thing.

Kagetora’s intention to oppose them had dismayed Uesugi to no small extent. Neither Hakkai nor Irobe had returned. The movements of Chiaki and Ayako, the two who had turned New Uesugi down, remained opaque.

(It would be a bother if they interfered.)

Yoshie and others had misgivings about Naoe performing the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ without consolidating his supporters. It was thought the Yasha-shuuYasha-shuu (夜叉衆)

The five kanshousha at the head of the Meikai Uesugi Army ordered by Uesugi Kenshin to hunt for the onshou who are disrupting the peace of modern-era Japan in a battle which has lasted four hundred years. Led by Uesugi Kagetora, with Naoe Nobutsuna, Kakizaki Haruie, Yasuda Nagahide, and Irobe Katsunaga. The name "Yasha" refers to soldiers in the army of Bishamonten, called "Yaksha". would follow Kenshin, but Nagahide and Haruie had their pride. This approach might provoke a backlash. Shouldn’t they have acted against Nagahide and Haruie earlier? True, in order for Naoe and company to move behind the scenes, they’d needed the activities of Kagetora et. al. to serve as a diversion. It was said that to deceive the enemy one must start with one’s allies, but Naoe must certainly have known that they would become his biggest enemies if handled badly.

(If he fails, he will surely be accused of bad leadership.)

Yet Naoe seemed to know that very well.

There in the cold wind Naoe stared fixedly at the glow of the Middle Peak’s crater. He didn’t have the physical stamina to participate in the ritual, but neither could he leave the site to rest. He seemed determined to personally witness the progress of the prayer and austerities.

For you to become a leader...

Naoe’s brows contracted sharply, and his eyes narrowed. The creature known as conscience lived always in his heart, its steady gaze fixed on him. Unable to remove it or ignore it, Naoe could only tolerate it on the dark ground.

Takaya’s face never left Naoe’s mind, not even for a moment. Takaya with his arms around his knees in the darkness, giving Naoe a hard stare of reproach.

The completion of the sun power dam is the New Uesugi’s...

Naoe stared even harder, painfully.

The fires swayed wildly in the wind. The unbroken flow of spell-casters chanting the mantra of Hosho Nyorai in unison seeped into the frozen earth.

Chapter 40: The Lamenting Land

The highest point of the Middle Peak was on the outer rim surrounding the eastern half of the crater at 1520 m (~4987 ft), part of an ancient crater wall. The present crater was 200 m (~656 ft) lower, halfway down the mountain.

On the southern side of the crater was an old crater floor called ‘Sunasenri’ [Thousand Li of Sand]. It was devoid of vegetation due to frequent eruptions and releases of gases, and the bleak scene of tumbling volcanic rocks and lapilli, large and small, distinctly illustrated the grim face of a mountain of fire.

The crater was so brightly lit by braziers and lights that from the summit it felt as if they were watching a play being staged from above.

Their Miike bird-people rescuers had brought Tetsuya and Takaya up to the summit of the Middle Peak. They could see that the crater’s east observatory, a little below them, was crowded with guards, but for now they had escaped detection in the darkness.

“...The volcano is beginning to spew ash,” muttered Nagashima Atsushi, son of Takachiho’s ‘Tomb-Protector’, as he looked down at the crater. “This is bad. At this rate we’ll have a full-scale eruption on our hands.”

“Ougi.”

After having received first-aid for his injuries, Takaya came to stand next to Tetsuya. Norihiko and his company, who had been badly injured, went on ahead down the mountain. There remained eighteen Miike bird-people, Tetsuya, Shichirou, and the panther, who caught up with them under his own power.

“How does it look? Is it moving?”

“Even at Frost Shrine we could sense that something was wrong with the Middle Peak. Once night fell there was a sudden shift.”

“That makes sense.”

It was blindingly obvious at this short distance. The wild surge of spiritual power made their hearts pound. It felt as if they were standing in a strong headwind.

“I never thought so many people would be able to fly. Uncle knows how to perform the Method of Bird-Flight?”

“It surprised us, too. But since we haven’t had the practice, we probably won’t be able to fly for very long. The Spirit-Protector is supporting us from below.”

There was no way for the Celebrants to know that Enoki’s spirit had possessed Haruya to grant them this power. Takaya didn’t care about any of that. He stared through binoculars at the movement around the crater and at Kusasenri, making various calculations.

News of the bird-people’s appearance had apparently reached strategic headquarters at the crater, where defense shifted to anti-air measures. Many floodlights were set up, and searchlights scanned the sky. The rocky ridge to the east, where Takaya and the others were located, came under special scrutiny. Soldiers would soon be on their way up. They could not stay where they were.

A large ritual platform had been set up near the crater. That was where Kihachi’s head, the cornerstone, would be. So much power had collected in the area that it was enveloped in a white mist of spiritual energy.

“The incantation is far advanced, but there is a lot of confusion down there.” Takaya touched the communication shell in his ear. “Kiyomasa, answer if you can hear me. Where are you?”

Kiyomasa had launched a bold attack, and he had almost reached Kusasenri. A considerable number of soldiers remained stationed there, however. They exchanged information and looked at their watches. —It was three in the morning. If they tarried too long, they wouldn’t make it before dawn.

(We have no choice but to make a play.)

“We’ll divide into two groups and take down the support platforms in old Bouchuu. I need you to prepare yourselves to fly all the way to the bottom,” Takaya said in a low voice. “We’ll launch an assault against the ritual platforms.”

The main camp at Kusasenri was in an uproar.

Kiyomasa’s army’s furious advance finally reached Kusasenri, and the mountain quickly became the scene of a fierce battle.

“No retreat! Attack, attack, attack!”

The 500 soldiers led by Kiyomasa charged forward at a blistering pace, as if the only thing on their minds was to attack. Kiyomasa himself was at their head, swinging his single-sided sickle spear with its blazing ‘Glory to the Lotus Sutra’, taking down every soldier in his path. The soldiers of Higo fighting at Kiyomasa’s side valiantly beat back Ootomo to keep up with him.

“Keep going! Our goal is the Middle Peak! We’ll drive right through them—!”

Graaah—!

War cries and angry roars reverberated around the mountain. Kiyomasa, with the bandage wrapped around his head fluttering like a headband, was fighting as if this were his very own stage.

“Don’t stop! Go, go!”

Meanwhile, Aso Koremitsu appeared to have decided on Kusasenri as his battlefield.

“Here they come—! Stand your ground!”

Their defense was solid. When Kiyomasa charged, they were well-prepared to receive him.

“Graaah—!”

However, a new attack came from another direction with perfect timing.

"They’re in the sky! The enemy is attacking from the sky...!

“What?!”

Miike’s bird-people swooped down on them from behind Eboushi Peak, carpeting Kusasenri with bomb-like objects. They were called ‘flaming stones’, a spiritual substance one step less refined than luminous flame stones. They were dropped into the midst of the Ootomo soldiers, their explosions sending the soldiers flying. The Kusasenri camp descended into chaos in no time at all.

“Drop them! Shoot them down with arrows! Where are the guns?!”

The soldiers fired their guns at the bird-people, but they were flying too fast to present easy targets. They shifted their attack from Kusasenri to old Bouchuu, where the New Uesugi were assembled. Naoe and the others spotted the fliers.

“Are those... Himuka cultists...?!”

Under orders from Takaya, the bird-people mercilessly peppered the Uesugi with flaming stones. Some of the supporting platforms were blown away. Bird-people with torches splashed kerosene and started fires, which spread quickly across the dry field.

“Guh!”

Naoe and the others ducked for cover as flames erupted.

“Put out the fires! Soldiers, cast «shieldsgoshinha (護身波)

Lit. "wave of self-protection"; the goshinha is a protective mesh spun from fine strands of spiritual energy which surrounds the caster and protects from an opponent's spiritual as well as physical attacks. The mesh gains strength and stability when it is multi-layered and becomes the goshinheki. The goshinha is Naoe's forte.»! Hold fast and protect the supporting platforms!”

“Naoe-sama, if this continues, we will not be able to continue the ritual!”

“Do not stop! Any interruption will destabilize the crater platform! Concentrate on protecting the supporting platforms; the ritual must continue!”

“Supreme commander!” Yoshie had returned from Kusasenri. He jumped out of the car, face pale. “Katou Kiyomasa’s army has invaded Kusasenri!”

“What?!”

 
Kusasenri had descended into a battle royal. Violent clashes between ghost-soldiers had transformed the quiet, desolate field into a grand battleground in no time at all.

“Scatter the Ootomo! Rout theeeeem!”

Kiyomasa swung his spear with a vengeance. Its sickle blade gained steadily in power as it preyed on Ootomo soldiers, who responded in kind, resulting in fierce fights to the death. Bellows, screams, and the sound of guns quickly filled the air in the bosom of Eboushi Peak.

“Do not back down! They must not be allowed to advance! Take them take them take them—!” Koremitsu urged his soldiers hoarsely from Komatate Hill. However, the bird-people’s attacks showed no sign of abating, and Ootomo’s large numbers only increased the confusion. The momentum was very much with Kiyomasa and his small force. Unable to watch any longer, Koremitsu dashed down the hill.

“Stop their advance! Not even Kiyomasa-dono can be allowed to pass!”

“Graaaah—!”

Kiyomasa charged, whirling his single-sided sickle spear like a windmill. Koremitsu drew his sword and confronted him. Kiyomasa didn’t know his opponent was Koremitsu; he was a hungry tiger in search of prey. Like a tiger he roared and raised his spear in a powerful movement. The air howled eerily. Razor whirlwinds generated by the blade engulfed the Ootomo soldiers around him, killing them in a flash. Koremitsu blocked Kiyomasa’s advance, his sword raised unflinchingly.

“Aaaah—!”

He ran at Kiyomasa. Yet, before this fearless veteran of many battles, Koremitsu was only an inexperienced young warrior. With a sharpness like bared fangs, Kiyomasa slashed upward at Koremitsu’s torso as if scooping him out.

“Guh...ugh!” Koremitsu moaned and died. Kiyomasa ran on without a backwards glance.

The smoking form of the Middle Peak soon emerged in front of him, its black plume brightly illuminated. Fire was spreading across old Bouchuu, and large shadows flew unaided through the air—.

“Oooh! Are those the Miike bird-people?” Kiyomasa exclaimed in delight as he looked up and caught sight of the fliers dropping flaming stones. The were bona fide Himuka bird-people.

“I’m counting on you, Miike!” Kiyomasa shouted as he resumed mowing down Ootomo soldiers. His inexorableness was like that of a demigod.

The «goshinhagoshinha (護身波)

Lit. "wave of self-protection"; the goshinha is a protective mesh spun from fine strands of spiritual energy which surrounds the caster and protects from an opponent's spiritual as well as physical attacks. The mesh gains strength and stability when it is multi-layered and becomes the goshinheki. The goshinha is Naoe's forte.» set up at old Bouchuu by Naoe’s command acted as an anti-air attack barrier. It would withstand the bird-people’s attacks, but they could not leave the momentum of the advancing Kiyomasa forces unchecked.

“! ...Where are you going, Supreme Commander?!”

“Block off the road immediately. You’re taking command here. I’ll «exorcise» Kiyomasa!”

“You’re going to fight? You can’t, you mustn’t! You’re in no condition to face Kiyomasa!”

“Kiyomasa is kanshoushakanshousha (換生者)

Those who possess others by driving out the soul from a body and making it theirs.

Unlike normal spirits, kanshousha cannot exchange bodies at will; they can only switch to another host body when their current body dies. Because kanshousha become the owners of their bodies, choubuku does not work on them. It is, however, still possible to exorcise kanshousha when they are in spirit-form (i.e. between possessions).. Ootomo soldiers won’t be able to take him down even if they attacked him in a group. Only a kanshousha can stand against him. If he falls, his forces will crumble. I must go!”

“You mustn’t, Naoe-sama!”

Shaking off Yoshie’s protests, Naoe got into the car and drove at breakneck speed toward Kusasenri. Meanwhile, the bird-people continued to attack. They were, in fact, taking advantage of the situation by intensifying their aggression.

“Defend your positions! Hold fast!”

 
“Graaah—!”

Flames spread across Kusasenri as the fighting intensified. As Kiyomasa’s army charged forth from the barrier breach at Hot Spring Valley, they found awaiting them Ootomo forces which more than exceeded ten times their number. The concentrated attack which met them as soon as they emerged onto Kusasenri felled many.

But nothing could check Kiyomasa’s momentum. He was determined to cut a swathe from here to the top of the Middle Peak no matter what it took.

The battle for Kusasenri was bitter in the extreme.

“Guh...haaah...haah...”

Kiyomasa continued to swing his sickle spear even as he panted. He gritted his teeth and glared at the Middle Peak.

“I’m coming for you, Sourin! I’m going to cut off your head, you bastard!”

It was then that he noticed something wrong with his companions. He realized that some strange power was making the warriors vanish, and looked around wide-eyed for Kagetora.

(Who?!)

They continued to vanish as if swallowed by a razor whirlwind. Kiyomasa turned pale at the eerie hum. Someone was systematically eliminating them without even raising a sword...!

(That’s...!)

Kiyomasa had witnessed Shimazu warriors disappearing in the same way during the battle in the city. It was a technique limited to a select few—the same technique Kagetora had used: that menacing power which sent spirits to the other world!

(The «power of exorcism»!?)

Which could only be used by the Uesugi kanshousha...!

“!”

A man stood blocking Kiyomasa’s way.

His hair, usually lightly combed back, was disheveled from battle, and the trench coat covering his broad back flapped in the strong wind. He was around 30. He had handsome, clean-cut features, but his reddish-brown eyes held a wild, sharp glint. He confronted Kiyomasa suffused with a strong fighting spirit.

Kiyomasa adjusted his grip on his sickle spear and braced himself. He knew who this man was:

(Uesugi’s Yasha-shuuYasha-shuu (夜叉衆)

The five kanshousha at the head of the Meikai Uesugi Army ordered by Uesugi Kenshin to hunt for the onshou who are disrupting the peace of modern-era Japan in a battle which has lasted four hundred years. Led by Uesugi Kagetora, with Naoe Nobutsuna, Kakizaki Haruie, Yasuda Nagahide, and Irobe Katsunaga. The name "Yasha" refers to soldiers in the army of Bishamonten, called "Yaksha".—...)

Julia was having a nightmare.

She had possessed Saeki Ryouko and delivered the «Golden Serpent Head» to Sourin in triumph, but in doing so had used up all her strength and collapsed. She lay now unable to move. Her soul was in tatters from defying the terrible suction of the «Golden Serpent Head», and she was unable to properly sustain consciousness. But she refused to fade away into death. Her deep-seated regrets prevented her from being purified.

Her consciousness drifted in a nightmare mingled with soldiers’ shouts of rage from Kusasenri.

Kusasenri, enveloped in flames—

(The churches...!)

So many churches burning. Fires set by pagans were burning down the churches of their kingdom. She could see the Virgin Mary behind the crimson flames, her benevolent smile scorched to keloid.

(Stop it!)

Pagan axes shattered the image of Jesus on the cross. Bright red blood splattered, smelling of iron.

She heard screams and groans, and saw a dark hole in front of her. Moans were coming from it. The stench of putrid corpses lingered in the stagnant air. Scents of corpses, blood, earth, and mold... Bodies dumped in a gruesome heap.

(I must die here in order to go to heaven.)

(I must die without losing my faith.)

(God is testing me.)

She had to die for God...

If she could not die, she was not worthy of life.

Julia reached out a hand to the raging flames devouring Mary. Her fingertips burned and blackened to carbon. The heat was like walking through hell, but Julia didn’t stop. It was not Satan’s fire searing through her—but flames of faith.

This time I’ll die for you...!

«No, don’t!»

Julia suddenly heard another woman’s voice coming from inside her body. She looked around in surprise and gasped when she realized its source. The voice belonged to Saeki Ryouko, the owner of the body.

«Faith shouldn’t be something that kills you. We have faith in order to live!»

(That’s not true!) Julia sharply retorted. (If you’re not willing to die for your faith, then you don’t truly believe. Those who renounce the teachings have no right to be forgiven by them!)

«Don’t the true teachings forgive even that? Isn’t forgiveness the true salvation?»

“This is the kind of human arrogance that kills the faithful!”

“Julia-sama!”

Ryouko screamed and suddenly rose from the bed. Her vassals involuntarily backed away at the sight of her ghastly face.

“Wh-what is amiss...?”

“The devil is in me.”

Ryouko’s—no, Julia’s eyes were shot through with anger. She tried to crush the other soul in her body...!

“Fiend, I must kill you! You are Satan, and I must kill you to stop you haunting me!”

CRASH!

All the windows shattered at once to a tremendous boom beside the building, caused by the violent explosion of a flaming stone. The assault on old Bouchuu had reached her. Julia shielded herself from the debris and looked out the window.

She could see the flames rising from old Bouchuu. Kusasenri was already a battlefield.

(Heathens have invaded the Christian kingdom.)

Julia trembled and paled.

“Our kingdom is burning... Satan and his demons want to raze our Christian kingdom!” Julia covered her face and shook her head violently. Her voice rose in a wild, shrill scream: “Is God putting us through another trial? Must we be put to the test even though we are already dead? How far must we go to prove our faith to satisfy you, O Lord!”

Julia dug her hands into her hair and screamed uncontrollably.

“O Lord! Are you so easily frightened? Is it so hard for you to believe in us? You test and test us...when will you be satisfied? I don’t know anyone as cowardly as you! Do you know how much we love you...?!”

“Julia-sama!”

“Aaaaah—!”

Julia crouched with her head in her hands. An aura the color of blood blazed from around her, resembling dozens of snakes.

(The infidels are after the «Golden Serpent Head»!)

“I won’t let you! You’ll never get your hands on it! I will protect this Christian kingdom!”

The bird-people’s attack on the Middle Peak crater had finally begun, and fighting had reached the summit.

“Attack! Attack—!”

Miike’s bird-people hurled flaming stones from the sky. However, the crater’s defenses were a tougher nut to crack. Ootomo’s anti-air measures were intense. Floods of concentrated psychic fire prevented the bird-people from getting as close to the crater as they wanted.

“Keep shooting! Bring the enemy down!”

Perhaps uneasy about Ichimata’s generalship, Sourin himself finally took charge. As soon as he stepped down from his seat, he exhorted his vassals: “Do not let them approach! Kill the enemy, kill them aaaall—!”

The prayer and austerities were reaching their climax. They were at the final stage and couldn’t afford to stop now. Ootomo shielded the spellcasters with a powerful «goshinha» and took aim at the bird-people...!

“Gwah!”

One of the bird-people was struck by a psychic gun and crashed to the ground. The anti-air fire was relentless. But the airborne forces were not the only ones attacking. While the soldiers were distracted by the air battle, Takaya and company were approaching the crater from the ground.

Under cover of darkness, Takaya and Shichirou approached from Sunasenri to the south and descended into the remnants of the fifth crater, now just a deep depression, and then climbed up the cliff, moving low to the ground. They took advantage of the rugged terrain to approach the platform while studying the battle overhead with intent detachment. From there, they could also peek at Sourin’s pavilion.

“We’ll have to make a dash for it.”

Shichirou nodded.

Wah!

Exclamations came from a group of soldiers stationed a short distance away on the east side of the first crater. The panther had launched a preemptive strike.

“What?!”

“The enemy is attacking from ground-level as well!”

The panther brought down the soldiers in the area with the quickness of a lightning strike and then tore out the throat of the spellcaster on the eastern platform. On cue, Takaya and the others stood.

“Let’s go!”

They shot up the cliff.

“What?!”

Soldiers recoiled from the black shadow bounding from the cliff, and Takaya immediately blasted them with «ressa-choubukuressa-choubuku (裂炸調伏)

Lit. "rend-exploding exorcism"; a type of choubuku which uses the incantation "ari nari tonari...." Described as gun-like, as opposed to kouhou-choubuku.» while Shichirou pounded away at them with his will. A full-scale battle began around the crater.

“—Namu Tobatsu BishamontenNamu Tobatsu Bishamonten (南無刀八毘沙門天)

Lit. "Hail Eight-Sword Bishamonten" Chanted during "light-enclosing exorcism," the summoning of the Sword of Bishamonten, and other invocations to Bishamonten.!”

Takaya made the ritual gesture and concentrated his will.

“For this demon subjugation, lend me thy demon-conquering sword!”

A sharp plasma surrounded Takaya, and sent charging Ootomo soldiers flying. The power gathered in Takaya’s hand quickly gained weight, transformed into matter, and became a magnificent sword. This blade, which felt so familiar in his hand, was Uesugi’s sword of exorcism, the ‘Sword of Bishamonten’.

“Oooooraaaa—!”

He swung the Sword of Bishamonten as hard as he could at the oncoming enemy. The flashing blade drew a trail of plasma through the air, humming heavily, and slashed across their torsos. Ootomo soldiers disappeared as if sucked into the blade...!

“Who...who the hell is that?! Who are you?!”

The crater became a crucible of confusion as attacks came from the air and the ground.

“Tonooo!”

“Keep them away from the platforms! Protect the cornerstone! Strengthen the «goshinha» and hold fast!” Sourin drew his own sword as he shouted himself hoarse. “Kill the enemy! Kill them all!”

Fire sparks floated on the wind.

Kusasenri’s flames scorched the mountains in the night. Kiyomasa and Naoe faced each other on the plains that had been transformed into a battlefield amidst roars and bellows. The heat-infused wind ruffled Kiyomasa’s black hair.

“Step aside, Uesugi Yasha-shuu.”

Naoe raised his eyebrows. So Kiyomasa knew. Kiyomasa held his sickle spear by his side, suffused with fighting spirit. He yelled, “Did you hear me? Get out of the way!”

“I cannot allow you to go any further,” Naoe said resolutely. “You are Katou Kiyomasa of Higo Kumamoto? So Earthquake Katou has become Nobunaga’s pawn after resurrection. You have fallen far.”

“How dare you speak thus to me? You’re Kenshin’s dog. Pawn? I was resurrected to protect Kumamoto from destroyers like you. I stand for Kumamoto!”

“You can drop the pretense. I know who you really are. If you take orders from one of the power players, you do as you are told without criticism. You’re a tail-wagging lapdog.”

“What did you say?” Kiyomasa’s eyes widened at the provocation. Naoe looked soberly back at him.

“Was that Nobunaga’s work, earlier? Your master is nearby, I’ll wager. So you’re a pet to Nobunaga now.”

“You bastard, how dare you run your mouth run at me...! Who do you think I am? I’m Katou Kiyomasa of Kumamoto! Katou Kiyomasa of Higo!”

“On the other side of the sea, the Hero of Higo is nothing but the chief villain.”

“!” Kiyomasa’s face changed color.

His cheeks stiffened, and he glared fiercely at Naoe.

“What did you do there? Do you know with what hate and animosity your name is spoken there even now?”

The Korea invasion—

Kiyomasa gulped.

He knew what Naoe was alluding to: Hideyoshi’s expedition to the continent. Called the Bunroku-Keichou Campaign, it was a war of aggression that Japan had waged four hundred years ago.

Hideyoshi, who had completed his subjugation of KyuushuuKyuushuu (九州)

Also known as: Kyuukoku (九国: “nine states”), Chinzei (鎮西: “west of the pacified area”), Tsukushi-shima (筑紫島: “island of Tsukushi”), Saikaidou (西海道: “West Sea Route”).

Lit.: "Nine Provinces", the third-largest and most southerly and westerly island of Japan. Its name comes from the former provinces of Japan situated on the island: Chikuzen, Chikugo, Hizen, Higo, Buzen, Bungo, Hyuuga, Osumi, and Satsuma. It is now comprised of the prefectures of Fukuoka, Kagoshima, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Ooita, Saga, and Okinawa., had set his sights on the continent as his next target: ‘conquest of the Ming’. The invasion of Korea, as his first step towards this goal, led to two major crossings and raids stretching over a period of seven years. Hideyoshi’s immense power and influence dispatched various successive daimyo to the Korean front. Kiyomasa fought in both the first and second invasions at the head of the daimyo leading their huge armies.

But it had been a reckless war from its conception. The Korean forces resisted fiercely, and the Ming came to their rescue. Awaiting them had been a bitter battle in the mud.

(I never knew a harder war.)

Kiyomasa himself knew of no other battle in which the future had been so opaque. His memories of glory were blurred amidst suffering. The most painful had been the siege of Ulsan Castle, which was considered to have been decisive in Japan’s defeat.

Kiyomasa had looked upon hell. The combined Ming-Korean forces had fallen upon a partially-constructed castle already deprived of provisions, then seized their water supply stations and left them in a state of abject starvation, like something depicted in a picture of hell.

Somehow he’d managed to make it back to Japan with his life...

Even Kiyomasa, who worshiped Hideyoshi, could not deny that the invasion of Korea had been ill-advised. Ieyasu was right to be critical. Later generations had speculated about the aim of the venture, but no calculation could make it any less unrealistic. This war wrought by Hideyoshi’s megalomania was held up as being representative of the deadly sin of power.

But upon whom had the true harm fallen?

During the war, Hideyoshi ordered the noses of Korean generals to be sent to him instead of heads. As many as 100,000 noses were sent as proof of distinguished war service. Even now there remained a ‘burial mound for severed ears’ near Houkou Temple in Kyoto where the ears and noses sent home from this war were buried.

“You did terrible things. You cut off the noses and ears of not only soldiers but women and children. You butchered, massacred, pillaged, and torched. You trafficked in slaves. You brought prisoners of war back to Japan and enslaved them. Tell me, what was the point of going to such lengths?”

Kiyomasa fell silent for lack of a response. What they had done was recorded in Korea Day by Day by Keinen, a monk medic from Usuki, Bungo.

Kiyomasa gritted his teeth painfully and retorted, “...That was what it was like in those days, wasn’t it? Slave trafficking, cutting off people’s ears—they were a matter-of-course in the SengokuSengoku (戦国)

The "warring states" period, lasting from 1467 to 1615, in which the warlords of Japan battled each other for the rule of the country.! That was life in an era of war. As if you have any right to condemn me. Kenshin also took slave trafficking for granted!”

Naoe shut his mouth. Kiyomasa repeated emphatically, “The righteous warlord dealt in slaves, too. If you didn’t thoroughly crush your enemies, you yourself was killed. Today’s moral standards were invalid in that era. There were no laws to protect people. The weak weren’t even considered human beings. You had to reek of blood—you had to cover yourself in blood to survive! To condemn people of the past using modern-day justice is nonsense. In that case, past-you are just as guilty!”

Kiyomasa had a point. Past Naoe was guilty, too. However—

“Yet what you did, Kiyomasa, couldn’t be wholly blamed on the era.”

Kiyomasa choked.

“What you did in Korea is known as the ‘Nightmare of Imjin’ and has been spoken of from one generation to the next with hatred. You see, your invasion of Korea was a grand genocide. It is a symbol of Japanese violence that will never be erased from their blood-memories. They still remember, Kiyomasa.”

Kiyomasa’s eyes widened.

“For all these long years, your name has symbolized a race’s evil. It will remain so. In Korea, they still bear a grudge towards you for your invasion hundreds of years after your death.”

The crimes of the Yamato Kiyomasa, who once put Korea to the torch—

Blood-bitterness went deep. It did not fade so easily. The atrocities committed by the invaders would never be forgotten. There was no blaming such malice on the era...!

A symbol of ethnic evil—...

Kiyomasa glared at Naoe, biting his lower lip.

“—What would you have had me do?”

“...”

“It wasn’t just me—many other daimyo participated! I could not defy his Excellency the TaikouToyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) 1536 - 1598

Also called: Hiyoshimaru (日吉丸), Kinoshita Tokichiro (木下藤吉郎), Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉)
Titles: Kanpaku, Taikou, Chikuzen no Kami

Historically: The second of the "Three Unifiers"; he was born a peasant but rose quickly through the ranks of Oda Nobunaga's vassals to the position of one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals. After Nobunaga's death, he took over the work of unifying the nation through military strength and brought an end to the Sengoku period.; doing so would have meant my own end. All the daimyo were afraid—we had no choice but to obey, though we knew it was a reckless venture. What could I do? I loved his Excellency the Taikou. I revered and admired him from childhood! He ruled the country, and there was no longer any voice that could reach him, not even mine. The only thing I could do was to work single-mindedly towards fulfilling his wishes. I knew everyone would give up on him sooner or later. But whatever happened, I wanted to be one of his men. To stand with him...!”

Naoe looked skeptically on Kiyomasa’s excuses. Kiyomasa himself knew those were not the only reasons. He had burned for the invasion. He had set off joyfully.

Kiyomasa couldn’t stand Naoe’s telling silence. He clenched his fist so hard his nails broke through skin.

“How could you understand?! You turned your back on your master of four hundred years as if it were nothing!”

“!”

“You’re the New Uesugi who allied yourselves with Ootomo, aren’t you, Kenshin’s watchdogs?! Ah yes, the hatred of the people. Your ignorance is about to sink Kyuushuu to the bottom of the sea. Did you really think the «Golden Serpent Head» could be a cornerstone?”

“What? What do you mean, Kiyomasa?”

“The «Golden Serpent Head» is not the head of a serpent.”

With the flames of the approaching fire at his back, Kiyomasa stated emphatically, “It’s the head of a man named Kihachi—the head of an indigenous hero of this land who was invaded by the people of Yamato!”

Naoe goggled. “What?!”

“Many onryouonryou (怨霊)

Lit.: "vengeful ghost"; the spirits of those who died in the Sengoku period who are still so filled with rage and hatred that they continue to exist in the world as vengeful spirits instead of being purified and reborn. of the ancient Himuka people are sealed inside. And that’s not all; it also holds every conceivable kind of spirit from Kumamoto. If you use it as a cornerstone, Aso will be blown away, and Kyuushuu itself will be torn in half!”

“!” Naoe gasped and turned to the Middle Peak. Its plume had increased extraordinarily. The battle had already begun.

“It’s too late. Kagetora-dono’s assault has already begun.”

“Wh...at...!” Naoe choked, eyes wide.

“He—Kagetora-sama came?! To the Middle Peak?!”

“The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ will not reach completion!”

Kiyomasa swung his sickle spear dramatically. The razor whirlwind generated by the blade sliced through the ground.

“You will die here, Uesugi!” Kiyomasa roared, and lashed out with his will.

It exploded violently between them as Naoe shielded himself with a «goshinha».

(I have no choice but to «exorcise» him...!)

His body could not yet withstand battle of any intensity. It would take a considerable amount of energy to «exorcise» Kiyomasa. But this man was dangerous. He had to be «exorcised».

“Oooryaaaa—!”

Kiyomasa swung his spear. Naoe «shielded» himself. As he was about to form the ritual gesture—

RUMBLE

The ground shook—shook so hard that it tossed them off their feet. Naoe and Kiyomasa turned to the Middle Peak in surprise. It looked strange...

(Kagetora-sama!)

“Graaaah—!” Takaya shouted, swinging the Sword of Bishamonten in obliterating arcs in a fierce battle to the death. But Ootomo soldiers stood like a wall; he would not be able to break through so easily.

Bang bang! came a series of explosions as the Miike bird-people hurled flaming stones.

“Do not falter! Protect the main platform! The ritual is almost complete—a few minutes more! Strengthen the barrier around the cornerstone!”

“Tono! Souun-dono’s reinforcements are—!”

Warriors were pouring in from the old crater wall on the east side of the crater. Souun’s men were rushing to his assistance.

“Aah! They’re here at last!”

Shichirou saw them as well.

“Sa-Saburou-sama! The enemy!”

“Feh!” Takaya tched and swung the Sword of Bishamonten fiercely. Ootomo appeared to be throwing its soldiers at him like a human wave. But they couldn’t retreat despite the increased numbers. They couldn’t retreat until they had stopped the ritual and destroyed Kihachi’s head...!

(The spiritual power of the crater is increasing.)

Spiritual energy gushed like volcanic gas from beneath their feet. The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ neared its completion.

“Tetsuya! Gather the Kusasenri bird-people at the crater! Concentrate their attack on the crater!” Takaya bellowed into the communication shell he wore like an intercom. Tetsuya was on the Middle Peak’s summit, transmitting Takaya’s instructions like a control tower instead of underfoot in the middle of the fighting.

“Got it!”

The bird-people soon returned from Kusasenri, perhaps ten or so joining in the fierce attack from the skies over the crater. But the cornerstone was wrapped in a stout barrier, rendering their hits nigh ineffective.

(Damn it...!)

Takaya’s stamina was at its limit. It was getting harder to lift his limbs. His eyes were blurring, making him dizzy. The only thing moving him now was willpower.

(Until the head is destroyed.)

“Why have you not overrun them?!”

“My lord! There is someone wielding a strange sword. Our forces are being wiped out!”

“A strange sword?!”

Sourin didn’t know it was the Sword of Bishamonten. He could not have imagined that a splinter of his allies the Uesugi could have launched this assault against him. The one who thought of the possibility was not Sourin, but Ichimata.

(Isn’t that «choubukuryokuchoubuku (調伏)

Also known as: choubukuryoku (調伏力)

The special power given to the Yasha-shuu to banish onryou to the Underworld using the dharani of Uesugi Kenshin's guardian deity, Bishamonten. The types of choubuku include "kouhou-choubuku", "ressa-choubuku", "kekkai-choubuku", etc. Each choubuku is begun with the incantation "bai" and the ritual hand gesture of Bishamonten's symbol.

Choubuku does not work against kanshousha, who have bodies of their own.»?)

“Uwaaah!”

Shichirou tumbled down the crater cliff with a scream. Takaya looked over his shoulder, but didn’t have time for anything more.

“Gah!”

Takaya was dealt a glancing blow by a psychic attack and fell to the ground. A warrior swung his sword down at him. Takaya instantly struck him with the Sword of Bishamonten, but though the warrior was injured, he didn’t vanish. Takaya looked at his sword in surprise. —Its power had fallen.

(It can no longer sustain «choubukuryoku».)

The Sword of Bishamonten held the energy of «exorcism» within itself. He had never seen this happen before. Was its «choubukuryoku» weakening? Takaya’s face tightened as he panted. This was not good..!

Ooooo—!

Warriors rushed at him. Takaya quickly made the ritual gesture and switched to «ressa-choubukuchoubuku (調伏)

Also known as: choubukuryoku (調伏力)

The special power given to the Yasha-shuu to banish onryou to the Underworld using the dharani of Uesugi Kenshin's guardian deity, Bishamonten. The types of choubuku include "kouhou-choubuku", "ressa-choubuku", "kekkai-choubuku", etc. Each choubuku is begun with the incantation "bai" and the ritual hand gesture of Bishamonten's symbol.

Choubuku does not work against kanshousha, who have bodies of their own.».

“ (baibai ()

Intoned by the Yasha-shuu at the beginning of choubuku, 'bai' is the "seed syllable" for Bishamonten, originally known as Vaiśravaṇa.)!”

With a swoosh the howling possessor spirits were expelled to the other world. But there was another enemy right behind him, sword swinging. He couldn’t avoid it! But on the wings of that thought came a flaming stone from the sky that completely blew the enemy away...!

“I’ll cover you here! Get the cornerstone!”

Takaya nodded at Atsushi and dashed off. Bird-people protected him from the sky. In Takaya’s hand, the Sword of Bishamonten was regaining its strength.

(Just a little farther...!) Takaya desperately slashed at his enemies. (Lend me strength, BishamontenBishamonten (毘沙門天)

Also know as: Bishamon, Tamonten, Vaiśravaṇa, Kubera

Bishamonten is one of the 12 Deva Guardians, the protector of the North and the most powerful of the Four Heavenly Kings. He is the god of warfare and warriors, sometimes called the "black warrior"; black is his symbolic color, and winter is the season over which he presides. He is often depicted as warrior with a crown on his head, a pagoda in one hand and a trident in the other. He punishes those who do evil and is also the guardian of the places where Buddha preaches. He is one who is all-knowing, who hears everything, who is always listening, and is completely versed in Buddha's teachings. He is one of Japan's Seven Deities of Fortune. The soldiers of his army are the powerful earth deities called Yaksha.

Bishamonten is also called "Tobatsu Bishamonten" (刀八毘沙門天), or "Eight-Sword Bishamonten", because of an error in translation passed down through the centuries. The original name, "Bishamonten of Tobatsu", pointed to a manifestation of Bishamonten which appeared in the Central Asian kingdom of Tou-po or Tobatsu (兜跋) to protect the capital city against invaders. Bishamonten in this form is depicted with a diadem on his head, four hands holding a key, a gem, a pagoda, and a halbert before him and eight arms holding eight swords around him.!)

“Strengthen the barrier, don’t let them approach!”

Takaya finally appeared in front of Sourin. Gasping for breath, Takaya glared straight at him. A single glance seemed enough for Sourin to discern he was no ordinary man.

“Who the hell are you...?!”

“Are you Ootomo Sourin?” Takaya demanded in a hushed voice. “Stop the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ right now. If you continue, something terrible will happen!!”

“What the hell are you talking about?!” Sourin stood blocking Takaya’s way to the crater with his sword at the ready. “Are you Oda? Shimazu?!”

“Stop it right now! The «Golden Serpent Head» you plan to use as your cornerstone is not the head of a serpent, but a head with the onryou of the ancient Himuka sealed within. If you use it as your cornerstone, the Middle Peak will be blown to pieces!”

“Nonsense. Did you really think I would fall for such a story?”

“It’s the truth!”

“Why should I pay any mind to the drivel of mine enemies? Reckless fool, I will personally send you to the underworld!”

Takaya tsked. Sourin was not going to listen to reason, and he didn’t have time to attempt to persuade him. He had no choice but to «exorcise» Ootomo Sourin right here.

“I must get through no matter what it takes!”

“!”

Takaya kicked off the ground with lethal intent. Sourin barely caught the downswing of the Sword of Bishamonten with his own blade. There was a tremendous flash of sparks. Both combatants went flying and tumbled onto the concrete.

BOOM

“!”

The ground rose and fell violently with a thunderous roar: a volcanic earthquake. Magma activity had intensified in response to the ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’. At the bottom of the crater, the gas-venting fumaroles expanded rapidly, and the smoke suddenly increased. Deep crimson flames blazed at the base of the smoke. Gas heated to nearly 600 degrees Celsius looked like flames in the darkness. Volcanic activity was reaching its peak.

“Uwah!”

The plume expanded so rapidly that it nearly swallowed the airborne bird-people.

“Watch out! Don’t get too close to the crater!”

The volcano made ominous rumbling noises. The ‘Ritual of the Great Fire Wheel’ climaxed with the ceaselessly repeated mantra of Ratnasambhava. The ritualists loudly chanted in unison. In response, the cornerstone took on the color of red flames.

(No! If I don’t stop them—!)

“Ooooo—!”

Takaya hammered into Sourin with the entirety of his will as the latter charged at him again. Sourin’s back crashed into the concrete wall of the shelter. He collapsed, spraying blood. The way opened up in front of Takaya; he could see the main platform. The «Golden Serpent Head» was there as well.

“I’m ending it right now!”

Takaya gathered his remaining power to destroy Kihachi’s head. Ichimata howled in desperation, “Everyone, take that man down!”

“!”

The Ootomo soldiers launched a concentrated and simultaneous attack on Takaya. Takaya curled into himself, unable to hold up against a psychic assault about to rip him to pieces. Atsushi saw him and screamed, “Ougi-san! —Everyone, cover him! Protect him!”

As everyone’s attention was drawn to Takaya, a bird-person flew toward them from Kusasenri at tremendous speed. The Miike thought it was one of their own and gave no alarm, but the woman was not a Miike.

“Heathens! You will not be allowed to interfere!”

“What?!”

It was Saeki Ryouko. Julia flew at full speed straight for the main altar...!

“My...mys looooord...!”

The bird-people were slow to react to this unexpected ambush. Julia easily swatted them away and grabbed desperately at Kihachi’s head. She flew to the crater rim with the perfervid skull in her arms, uncaring of her burning skin. Takaya’s breath caught.

“Don’t, you mustn’t!”

“Julia!”

I praise thee, O Lord.

“Lord, give us light—!”

Julia dove to the bottom of the crater and threw Kihachi’s head into the magma of the fire pit.

 
!

 
With a thunderous roar, the Middle Peak explosively erupted.

Epilogue: Mt. Aso Elegy

As the piercing cold gradually slackened and even the wind began to feel the soft warmth of the sun, Aso began preparations for the burning of the fields that heralded the coming of spring.

Across the misty earth, ShakyamuniShakyamuni 563 BCE - 483 BCE (approx)

Also known as: Gautama Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, Sakyamuni

The founder of Buddhism, who was born as a prince in ancient India and became an ascetic and spiritual teacher after encountering a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic. He reached enlightenment after rejecting self-indulgence and self-mortification. He traveled and taught for 45 years and died at the age of 80.’s prone figure looked as if it were sleeping on a bed of silk floss when seen from the outer rim.

It was still too early for planting, and the rice fields extended blackly beneath him.

The boy slowly looked up with the smell of soil filling his nostrils.

 
Two weeks had passed since that day—

 
Miike Tetsuya was walking on crutches through the rice field. Beside the raised footpath that wended its way between the fields were weeds he didn’t know with pretty pink flowers. Tetsuya paused for a while, smelling spring in the earth.

He had been discharged from the hospital just yesterday.

Though Tetsuya couldn’t quite believe it himself, he had survived. He couldn’t remember the details. When he’d come to, he’d found himself with Atsushi and the others around him at the foot of Middle Peak. He had no idea how he had come to be there, but everyone had told him that Hokage had kept him safe.

Hokage was one of those who never returned.

She had jumped into the crater, and her body had probably burned to ash.

Though the Miike Celebrants had suffered injuries, none had died. Norihiko had also survived and was on the road to recovery.

Tetsuya looked at Middle Peak again.

He didn’t know what had happened to Middle Peak in the interval. There had been a big fuss, but given that Tetsuya had been in the hospital, he’d heard nothing.

Old Castle High SchoolOld Castle High School (古城高校)

Old Castle (Kojou) High School is a fictional school set at the site of the castle which was torn down to make way for Katou Kiyomasa's Kumamoto Castle (also named Kumamoto but using different characters—隈本城 instead of 熊本城). It's likely where real-life Kumamoto Prefectural Daiichi (First) High School stands.

It was originally built as a Western school by foreigners during the Meiji Period (Daiichi was built in 1903 as an all-girls school but later become co-ed). The current school was built around 20 years ago (1970s) and is composed of two three-story buildings to north and south connected by a series of hallways with air-conditioned rooms. It also has a sports oval, a prefabricated club storehouse, and a gym under construction. Kumamoto Castle Park is quite close. was closed for the time being. The destruction of the school buildings meant there was no hope of classes resuming; his uncle had received word yesterday that the school would go on spring break. Though many among the student body had been either lightly or seriously injured, none had died—Tetsuya thought it almost a miracle.

Haruya had officially appointed Tetsuya as the next Spirit-Protector.

But what did Miike’s future look like?

Now that Kihachi and the others had been purified, the Miike had been released from their mission. But Haruya did not seem to have any intention of letting ‘Miike’ end.

“Let our mission be to become a bridge.”

Haruya had conveyed Hideya’s words to Tetsuya.

“Miike’s role is not yet ended.”

Tetsuya’s work as a storyteller was just beginning.

Tetsuya had agreed to become the next Spirit-Protector. Even if he hadn’t, he couldn’t simply bury what he had lost. Tetsuya had lost too much to Asara and Kihachi.

(Hokage—...)

Tetsuya closed his eyes tightly.

The fire flickering in the darkness—the fire’s shadow ¹. The ‘child of destiny’ whose name itself seemed to stand for Kihachi and the Himuka’s emotions.

(My only—...)

 
A car approached. It stopped at a pumping station about 20 meters down the road. The driver poked his head out and called out Tetsuya’s name. He recognized Nagashima Atsushi.

“There you are.” He climbed out of the car to join Tetsuya. “I’ve been looking for you. I brought someone who wants to see you.”

“Me?” he asked, and saw someone climb out of the passenger side:

Saeki Ryouko.

She bowed politely to Tetsuya and approached with firm steps. She looked well.

He heard she had been discharged from the hospital somewhat earlier than Tetsuya, and had been staying with Haruya since then. She had been summoned to the police station for questioning, and had come to say goodbye to Tetsuya.

“Have you found out anything about Ougi?” Tetsuya asked Atsushi. He’d been running about gathering information from the police and other sources, but he shook his head.

“The bodies were all so badly damaged that they couldn’t be identified.”

“I see.” Tetsuya closed his eyes. He couldn’t forget the voice that had called him by his first name. That look that once seen could never be forgotten seared his mind briefly and vanished. “Just who—the hell was he?”

“...”

Ryouko gazed silently at Tetsuya.

As if she had suddenly remembered, she took out the contents of the paper bag she was holding and offered it to him. It surprised Tetsuya.

“This—...”

It was a bell of invocation used in Takachiho’s night kagura. It looked like a bunch of grapes, but so battered it made no sound. It was melted here and there and vividly marked by exposure to high heat.

“It’s a memento of Hokage-sama,” Atsushi said. There was no doubt these were the bells Atsushi had given Hokage in Takachiho, her favorite, which she had worn at her waist as a talisman.

“It was found at the crater site. She probably dropped it during her flight—”

Tetsuya took it from Ryouko and stared in a daze.

“...”

Finally he cradled them against his chest. As if he were hugging his sister.

The others gazed at him quietly.

“Oh...” Ryouko whispered. Tetsuya raised his eyes a little.

Something white fell gently from the sky. At first he thought it was snow.

“This is...”

Tetsuya gazed wide-eyed at the sky and then held out his hand to catch the snow-like flakes.

It was volcanic ash from the Middle Peak.

Surprised, Tetsuya looked toward Middle Peak’s plume.

 
Te-chan...

 
It’s Hokage, he thought.

What was being emitted from the crater were the ashes of his sister. Of whom not even bones remained.

Tetsuya wrapped his hand around a tiny speck. ...Gripped it tightly and cradled it tenderly to his chest beside the bell of invocation. He lifted his face to the sky.

Tears welled up.

For the first time—for the very first time, Tetsuya cried.

“Hokage...”

He would never forget—

Every time ash fell, Tetsuya would remember.

He would cry over and over again, thinking of the ashes falling on the land of Aso as his sister. Over and over again.

His sister’s body was falling, piling up.

It was also the emotions of his ancestors.

Returning to the earth.

To give birth to new life.

The three figures stood there for a long time without exchanging a word, gazing quietly at Middle Peak and its ever-rising plume of smoke.

Thinking of those who had disappeared, they only stood there for such a long, long time, if as they had forgotten the passage of time.

 
END