What Does a Super Weak Minor Lord in the Sengoku Era Aim For? - Chapter 12

Eiroku 3rd Year, January 7th – Yamanaka Fort – Kitamura Shinsuke

“Raise your spears!”

“Strike!”

“Thrust!”

Under the command of Yamada Ichinojo, the spear unit in tight formation moved in unison. 

But it’s still not good enough.
Their movements were not yet synchronized, and some had their spear tips wavering, even hitting the ground. 

Wielding a long bamboo spear requires strength—not just in the arms, but the entire body, including the legs and core, which must be trained.

The general’s fort had finally been leveled and prepared, allowing training to take place in a spacious area. Now, the construction of huts and storehouses was in full swing. Bows, arrows, weapons, and armor were being produced at a hurried pace.
A large number of villagers had come to help with cooking and provisioning to feed the workers, craftsmen, and soldiers.

However, watching fifty soldiers train was a sight to behold. The fact that I was leading them still felt a bit surreal.
Not long ago, we had only ten men in total.

“Commander, five new recruits have arrived.”

“Hmm, teach them our ways here. After that, send them to assist with hut construction. Securing sleeping quarters is the top priority.”

“Understood!”

This was the reality. Every day, our numbers grew.
At first, it was overwhelming, but now, even an increase of ten or twenty men feels small. 

We’re barely keeping up with building quarters for them. When not training, the soldiers assist with leveling the land and constructing huts.

At this rate, we will soon surpass one hundred men. Even the renowned Yagyū once had only sixty warriors.
I remember being in awe of their might back then…

How did things end up like this?

During the recent New Year’s celebrations, I went to the general’s estate to offer my greetings.
But before I arrived, Jūzō, who had gone ahead, told me something shocking—the general had not returned to the domain.

Yamato was entering an increasingly perilous situation. Losing our general at such a time… My mind went blank.

“But then, the general’s younger brother arrived to summon him back, yet ended up staying in his place. This Yūsaburō-dono, who is just a year younger, looks exactly like the general. You’ll be shocked when you see him…”

Yūsaburō-dono… exactly alike… his younger brother?

My mind was still blank, struggling to comprehend Jūzō’s words.

“Haha! You can’t wrap your head around it, can you, Shinsuke? No wonder. Even I was dumbfounded when I saw him in person.”

When I finally met the man claiming to be the general’s younger brother, I was stunned.
He truly was the spitting image of the general, though his demeanor was slightly different. Even his voice was nearly identical. Moreover, I sensed the same aura of martial prowess from him.

Apparently, he had trained in martial arts at the domain just like the general. However, he claimed to have only studied battōjutsu (quick-draw sword techniques) and had never engaged in live combat.

From that day on, everything changed at an astonishing pace.

It was as if a sleeping tiger had awakened. And that tiger was none other than our new general, Yamanaka Yūsaburō-sama.

Orders from the general arrived one after another, and the villagers sprang into action. It was the agricultural off-season, so many people were available, and they worked harder than expected.

At the general’s estate, crowds of people gathered, each contributing whatever they could. Even the elderly and women had tasks to assist with. We couldn’t afford to pay them, but at least we could feed them.
Fortunately, due to last year’s upheaval, we had barely paid any taxes, so we had enough food to sustain everyone. This, too, was thanks to the general. Additionally, large amounts of rice arrived from Sugawa, who had pledged allegiance to us.

The general’s estate and its surroundings were rapidly expanding, almost like a festival in full swing.

Even my father and Sugawa’s former leader were given important roles. They moved with renewed vigor, as if they had regained ten years of their youth.

Jūzō and I were also working relentlessly, immersed in our duties day and night. Yet, strangely, we did not feel exhausted. The excitement of the moment drove us forward, and the satisfaction of completing one task after another kept us motivated.
The more we did, the more eager we became to tackle the next challenge.

“Shinsuke, the negotiations for Kamo-go have been going well. How about launching an invasion as part of a training exercise to see where things stand?”

Jūzō, caught up in the relentless pace of events, had grown leaner, and his face was more defined. But his large eyes burned even brighter with resolve.
There was no sign of fatigue in those keen eyes.

“Understood, Jūzō. My unit will take the new recruits and conduct a show-of-force training exercise in enemy territory. Of course, we’ll be prepared for combat. No need for supply lines—Tōnai-dono and his men from Yagyū have joined us, so I can entrust them with training the new soldiers.”

“Good. I’ve heard about Tōnai-dono from the general. I was thinking of deploying him to subdue the southern regions—what do you think?”

“If Tōnai-dono leads ten riverfolk warriors, even triple that number of mercenaries won’t be able to stop them. His ability to read the battlefield is exceptional. Having someone of his caliber on our side is truly reassuring. Use him as you see fit.”

“Understood, I’ll do that. By the way, Commander, despite Shōzaemon-dono’s efforts, it seems Sarakawa remains hostile. Do you think we can defeat them with our forces?”

Sarakawa, with its 1,500-koku domain, was once far beyond our reach. The idea of opposing them would have been unthinkable.

But the general had simply declared, ‘If they refuse to yield, we will crush them.’

“I don’t have an answer for that. But if the general says we’ll crush them, then that’s all there is to it.”

“Haha… I feel the same way. I can’t wait to see how the general plans to bring Sarakawa down.”

And it wasn’t just Tōnai-dono who had been sent by the general.

A group led by Kurozō had also arrived. These men were an enigma—they carried out rumors, deception, abduction, imprisonment, and assassination without hesitation.

The general had named them the Yamanaka Shinobi and had hired and dispatched them without reservation.
His determination was clear. Conquering other territories would not be achieved through noble ideals alone.

Jūzō immediately sent a portion of the Yamanaka Shinobi ahead to Kamo-go. Gathering intelligence on the enemy’s movements was crucial, especially in hostile territory.

Now, it was time for field training in Kamo-go. 

This would mark the beginning of the Yamanaka Army’s war.