Chapter 52: Ambush and Counter-Ambush!
The Capital of Flowers.
The daimyo urgently summoned from various provinces, along with the ronin leaders who had spontaneously gathered to resist the foreign invaders, all assembled within the castle keep of the capital city.
“According to the latest reports from Suzuura, the enemy’s numbers are staggering!”
The general of the Land of Harmony, Kozuki Sukiyaki, wore a grave expression as he spoke. “They arrive mounted upon enormous snails, each one bearing city-like structures on their backs! Even by conservative estimates, their total forces must number in the tens of thousands.”
The daimyo and ronin leaders present all looked equally grim.
Though the Land of Harmony was vast and populous, it had not seen warfare for centuries. Even the conspiracy of the Kurozumi clan decades ago was resolved without bloodshed. As a result, the nation’s military strength was limited.
Each daimyo commanded only a few thousand samurai at most; Kozuki Oden’s domain of Kuri was especially sparse in true warriors. Across the entire country, the standing forces barely reached twenty thousand.
As before, the Land of Harmony had grown too long without war. Encountering this unknown and formidable enemy for the first time, the daimyo were gripped by unease.
“What are you all hanging your heads for?”
At this moment, a man with a striking blue afro, the Shirafune daimyo Shimozuki Yasuke, slammed his fist on the table in anger. “Cowardice before battle—can you even call yourselves samurai?”
Shimozuki held great prestige in the Land of Harmony, and the daimyo respected him deeply.
“Hahaha! Old Shimozuki is right!”
The doors were kicked open with force, and the long-awaited Kozuki Oden strode in laughing heartily. Behind him stood his famed retainers, renowned across the Land of Harmony.
“Leave any and all foes to me!”
Once a notorious troublemaker who plagued the entire country, the daimyo of Kuri now earned universal acclaim. Kozuki Oden confidently raised his right thumb toward himself. “Today, I am Super Oden!”
The anticipation was palpable—finally, a chance to face the enemy from overseas!
“Finally, you have arrived, Oden!”
Shimozuki Yasuke nodded with relief.
With the unbeatable Kozuki Oden alongside the powerful samurai of the Land of Harmony, no enemy could pose a threat.
Kozuki Sukiyaki looked at his son now and nodded softly.
He had become reliable.
“Indeed, with Oden here, there is nothing to fear.”
The ronin leader Hananohei Gorō, still robust in build, chuckled.
“Then let us discuss the specific strategy.”
Kozuki Sukiyaki spoke gravely. “The reports from Suzuura say the enemy wields tremendous destructive power. The battlefield where Ushimaru faced them bears massive scars! We must never engage near the Capital of Flowers.”
“Then we shall ambush them within the mountain forests at the city’s edge.”
Shimozuki Yasuke said, “Strike them when they least expect it!”
Everyone nodded at his words.
“Then what are we waiting for?”
Kozuki Oden was impatient. “Let’s move out!”
An imposing army set forth, composed of samurai from various daimyo, the general’s direct troops and ninja, and the spontaneously gathered ronin.
General Kozuki Sukiyaki personally saw them off.
Though he yearned to join the battlefield, as supreme commander of the Land of Harmony, such action would be far too perilous.
Thus, he remained behind.
However, shortly after the army departed, Shimozuki Yasuke returned hastily with several unfamiliar attendants, saying he had urgent news for Kozuki Sukiyaki.
---
Kozuki Sukiyaki greeted him with surprise. “Shimozuki, has something unexpected occurred?”
Then the general saw the most esteemed daimyo of the Land of Harmony wearing a strange smile.
---
In a mountain forest at the outskirts of the Capital of Flowers, samurai who had traveled far from the city concealed themselves.
Several daimyo and ronin leaders stood atop a hill, overlooking the mountain pass below.
“They show no signs of hiding their movements. This is their inevitable path.”
Shimozuki Yasuke lowered his voice deliberately.
“Is such caution necessary?”
Kozuki Oden crossed his arms, his interest waning. “Why not just charge in and cut them all down?”
“Quiet, Oden!”
Shimozuki shot him a sharp look. “This is a critical moment for the nation’s survival! You only need to strike at the right time.”
He knew Oden well; though he had been a daimyo for years, his mind remained simple.
But this time, no strategy was required—only his invincible strength.
Oden curled his lips.
“Do not underestimate them,” Shimozuki said with intensity. “They’re no ordinary foe. Everyone must remain fully alert!”
“Understood!”
At that moment—
“Please, have something to eat, my lords,” a timid man approached cautiously, head lowered.
“Ah, it’s Odachi?”
Kozuki Oden recognized this servant who often borrowed money from Shimozuki. He wondered why Shimozuki was so short of funds.
“Lord Oden.”
Odachi, from the Kurozumi clan, bowed repeatedly to Oden.
“Thank you for your efforts, Odachi.”
Shimozuki nodded slightly. “Why not return for now? You’re not a samurai; there’s no reason for you to be on the battlefield.”
“No! Lord Shimozuki!”
Odachi declared earnestly, “Though I’m not a samurai, I am still a member of the Land of Harmony. I wish to contribute to this nation!”
“Good.”
Shimozuki patted the man’s shoulder with satisfaction.
Though usually timid, in crucial moments he could be relied upon. It was worth taking him in.
“Then rest for now,” Shimozuki said. “Prepare for the coming battle!”
“Understood!”
Yet, Shimozuki did not see the sinister expression Odachi revealed once his back was turned.
---
Time passed slowly. The sun sank low, dusk settling over the land.
The weak rays of sunset could not penetrate the dense forest, leaving the jungle in deep shadow.
The hidden samurai remained still, making no sound, awaiting the enemy’s arrival.
Boom!
Suddenly, a muffled explosion echoed from the far side of the forest.
Then more followed in rapid succession.
Shimozuki Yasuke, hidden behind a great tree, froze, then his face changed dramatically. “Cannon fire!! Take cover!!”
Black dots appeared suddenly in the sky, surrounding them from all directions.
Accompanied by whistling winds, these points plummeted toward the forest.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Terrifying blasts instantly turned the forest into a sea of flames. Massive explosions tore through trees, shattered rocks, and annihilated everything upon the earth.
“Ahhh!”
The samurai, ninja, and ronin, caught off guard, were thrown into chaos.
But the bombardment did not cease!
More shells rained down mercilessly, destroying every corner of the forest.
“What in the world is happening!!”
Shimozuki Yasuke roared, wielding his blade to block the descending shells.
How had their position been revealed?
“Look to the surrounding mountains!!”
Hananohei Gorō leapt up, sending out a powerful shockwave that detonated a cluster of shells. Sweat streamed down his forehead.
On the mountain ridges, enormous snails surrounded them from all sides. Each snail bore heavy artillery mounted atop its architectural shell city!
“Have we been surrounded instead?”
Kozuki Oden shouted, “Old Shimozuki! Your plan has completely failed!”
“Now is not the time for that!”
Shimozuki Yasuke bellowed. “Stop them—”
Before he could finish, the shelling ceased.
The daimyo stared in disbelief as a massive snail slowly climbed a ridge ahead.
A figure stood atop the snail’s head, looking down upon them.
“Yo, samurai, thanks for the welcome gift!”
The handsome youth took a deep breath. “Delicious.”
The sun set behind him, casting darkness over the land.