What Does a Super Weak Minor Lord in the Sengoku Era Aim For? - Chapter 18

January 12 – Evening, Yamanaka Fortress, Irori Room, Yamanaka Yūzaburō

I returned to the irori(hearth) of the mansion for the first time in a while.

It was here that I regained consciousness after the accident. This was the place where I truly realized how fragile life could be—how it could end in an instant.
Since that day, the fleeting nature of existence has lingered in the corner of my mind.

After returning to the mansion, now fortified as a castle, I checked on the people working here and observed the results of their training. They had far exceeded my expectations.

To top it off, Jūzō and Shinsuke had crafted a jūmonji yari (cross-spear) specifically for me. That gesture moved me deeply.

With this spear in hand, my courage was a hundredfold—I was itching to test it in real combat.

There is also Shima Kiyooki, a young man, who had accompanied Shinsuke from Kamo-go. 

That is Shima Sakon.

I had always imagined Shima Sakon as a powerful, solidly built warrior in his prime. But when I actually met him, he was more of a mischievous youth—energetic, carefree, and a bit reckless.

Yet, he had an easygoing nature that made him popular among the fortress’s people.

Still, I could see the potential for him to become an unmatched warrior in time. Better to bring him to our side now.

First, I called for Kurozō to hear the latest situation. There might be hidden information I needed to know before the military council.

Then, I gathered everyone and held a war council in preparation for our upcoming campaign.

The ones present were Shimizu Jūzō, Kitamura Shinsuke, Tōnai Munemasa, Kurozō, the finance officer Meki Kyūemon, Sugawa Jingorō, and myself.

These seven were the core leadership of the Yamanaka clan at present.

“Tell me about our current situation.”

“Yes, my lord. The current strength of our Yamanaka clan consists of Sugawa Village, the mountainous areas of Kamo-go along with three villages, and six villages in Okuyama. In terms of land holdings, that amounts to 2,200 koku. With the addition of Tōnai’s unit and the warrior monks, our total number of soldiers has reached approximately 145 men.”

At the report given by our military commander, Kitamura Shinsuke, murmurs spread throughout the room. Since our forces were growing daily, not everyone had a complete grasp of our total numbers.

“What about the movements of the neighboring kokujin (local samurai lords)?”

“Yes, sir. In the southern Okuyama region, we deployed our troops and brought them all under our control. In the west, Nakagawa Village is close to Kōfuku-ji and is taking a wait-and-see approach. The remaining two villages in the plains of Kamo-go are in a similar position. As for Sarakawa, despite our attempts to persuade them, they are gathering troops.”

The response came from our senior retainer, Shimizu Jūzō. This information matched what I had already heard.

“What is the strength of Sarakawa’s forces?”

“The combined total of Upper, Middle, and Lower Sarakawa villages stands at seventy men. If they defend their land, they could muster up to 150 by mobilizing the villagers. Furthermore, Hirooka of Kasagi has been deeply shaken by the rumors we spread, but since his wife is from Lower Sarakawa, it is highly likely that he will ultimately side with them.”

A low murmur filled the room.

One hundred and fifty men… Sarakawa truly had impressive strength. But we had 145 soldiers without including the militia. That put us near their strength. 

However, if Kasagi reinforced them…

“What about the rest of Kasagi-go?”

“The kokujin (local samurai lords) of Kasagi are divided into three factions: the Kiriyama clan in the western mountains, the Hirooka clan on the left bank, and the Ariichi clan to the east on the right bank. Among them, the Kiriyama clan, which is close to Kamo-go, has pledged to cooperate with us. As for the Ariichi clan in the east, they are fiercely independent and have yet to respond.”

“So their cooperation is not the same as swearing fealty?”

“Yes, sir. It means they will not oppose us and will provide troops if requested, but they do not consider themselves our subordinates.”

Too weak. I had already made it clear that they must either submit or fight.
Wavering on the sidelines was as good as opposition. 

Hirooka had joined the enemy, and Ariichi was ignoring us. In other words, the entirety of Kasagi-go could be considered hostile.

“…Kurozō, do you have any other intelligence?”

“Yes, sir. Sarakawa is preparing to launch an attack against us on the twentieth. Their plan is to first cross the border, wait for you to mobilize in response, and then crush you in one decisive strike.”

“Hmm. So they will violate the border but not immediately invade? Luring us in to finish us off… I see. They wish to avoid fighting on unfamiliar ground. It’s a sound strategy. What about our own military preparations?”

“Yes. We have stationed twenty men at Hira-Shimizu to secure the southern front, and another twenty at Ōta Village to hold the western flank. Currently, we can deploy one hundred standing troops. Our forces include thirty shin yari (true spears), sixty bamboo spears, and Tōnai’s unit of ten men. All troops are equipped with Mōsō bamboo armor and shields. We have fifty bows with accompanying arrows, and in addition, we have a team of ten scouts armed with short bows who can remain concealed in the mountains, never exposing themselves.”

“Oh, that’s quite a force. That should be enough. Tōnai’s unit will serve as my hatamoto (personal guard) and stay close to me. Arrange the supply carts so that the bamboo spear units can switch to bows if needed, and load extra bamboo spears as well. The spear unit will guard the flanks of the bamboo spear troops. 

Tomorrow, we will march to Sugawa while conducting drills along the way. The day after, we will deploy from Sugawa. Make the necessary preparations.”

“Yes, sir!”

Sarakawa is mustering 150 men, including conscripted peasants, with reinforcements from Kasagi possibly bringing their total numbers up to 180. 

However, there is no reason for me to wait for them to complete their military preparations. Their plan is to defeat me and then turn to Matsunaga for support. 

If the situation becomes dire, they will submit to Yagyū—but they refuse to serve under me, a man whose origins they cannot even trace.

Heh, I understand their reasoning well.

I have been keeping Matsunaga-dono informed of developments, but if I lose, he will waste no time in abandoning me and taking Sarakawa in instead. That is simply how the Sengoku era works.

One hundred versus one hundred eighty… 

Our victory must hold meaning.
We must not just win—we must utterly overwhelm them.

Once we crush Sarakawa, we will immediately press forward to strike both Kasagi-go and Kamo-go.

The Yamanaka forces must demonstrate their strength to the kokujin (local samurai lords). We must make them realize that opposing us is not an option.
That realization will serve as a deterrent—preventing unnecessary wars before they can begin.