What Does a Super Weak Minor Lord in the Sengoku Era Aim For? - Chapter 20

Outside Upper Sarakawa Castle – Yamanaka Yūzaburō

We spent the night in Sugawa and began our invasion of the Sarakawa territory in the morning. Marching past Upper Sarakawa Castle, where enemy forces lay in wait, we stopped at a vantage point from which we could see the main Sarakawa Castle.

Ahead, near the foot of the main castle, a unit was visible—likely the forces of Sarakawa Genzaiemon from Lower Sarakawa.
The main Sarakawa force, led by their lord, Sarakawa Mondo, was stationed within the main castle in Lower Sarakawa, while Sarakawa Hasaemon’s troops were holding Upper Sarakawa Castle behind us.

The Yamanaka forces had positioned themselves in a highly vulnerable spot, where they could be attacked from three sides. Yet, there was no sign of unease among our troops.
That was because I had already shared my strategy with each of the unit commanders the night before.

I believed my plan to be solid, but in truth, I could not predict how things would unfold.
After all, this was the first large-scale battle in which the entire Yamanaka army would fight. More than half of our soldiers had only been training for ten days or less—they were still raw recruits.

Even I had never been in a fight where killing the enemy was the objective.
Would I really be able to take a life? I wasn’t sure. 

But I did understand one thing: if I didn’t kill, I would be killed.

I had also experienced firsthand how easily a life, no matter how carefully lived, could be snuffed out in an instant.
In war, there was no such thing as justice or evil, virtue or fault.

“Upper Sarakawa Castle has around thirty soldiers, with an equal number of militia. Their morale appears high.”

Hmm… That makes sense. Sarakawa Hasaemon is well-liked by the people.

“The Lower Sarakawa unit ahead is led by Sarakawa Genzaiemon. He has thirty soldiers, thirty militia, and an additional twenty reinforcements from Hirooka of Kasagi.”

Genzaiemon must be nearly sixty by now. Even so, he couldn’t entrust his forces to his third son, Gontōta, who is known as a fool… 

I almost feel sorry for him.

“What about the main forces at Lower Sarakawa Castle?”

“Sir! The main Lower Sarakawa force consists of thirty soldiers and fifty militia. However, it appears that half of them have left the castle.”

Hmm… Their main force is likely preparing for a flanking attack.
In that case, it makes sense that they sent home any militia who lacked proper weapons. 

Even so, when combined, their three forces nearly double our numbers… But this, too, was within expectations. 

No problems so far—everything was proceeding according to plan.

PoV: Shimizu Jūzō

The Lower Sarakawa forces ahead were marching straight down the highway toward us. 

The battle would begin soon.

“Alright, about-face!”

Our unit—twenty men armed with bamboo spears and ten with regular spears—was assigned to deal with the forces expected to emerge from Upper Sarakawa.

Our general had said, “Jūzō, I’m leaving the rear in your hands,” but I had no intention of sitting out Yamanaka’s first major battle.
I insisted on joining, so he simply laughed and allowed it.

Still, the general’s strategy was as bold as it was brilliant.
Marching right past Upper Sarakawa Castle and exposing our forces in front of the main Sarakawa Castle—surely the enemy was caught completely off guard.

—Hmph. The Lower Sarakawa troops have started firing arrows.

Now’s the time!

“Alright, fall back to the entrance of the pass! Move!”

Following Yamada’s lead, the bamboo spear unit sprinted about two town-blocks (roughly 200 meters) back to the entrance of a narrow pass. The spear unit followed closely behind, and beside me ran Kiyooki.

Shima Kiyooki, a friend of Shinsuke, was a lively young man with a bold personality. At Yamanaka Fortress, he had mingled with everyone, becoming well-liked, and people now called him by his first name without hesitation.

Despite not being a retainer, he insisted on joining the battle, citing “a debt of gratitude for food and lodging.” 

The general laughed and said, “Fine, then you shall be Jūzō’s bodyguard.”

Since he was Shinsuke’s junior, I expected he had some skill—I was counting on him.

The Yamato Highway narrowed here, squeezed between Upper Sarakawa Castle and the mountains, forming a bottleneck.
The passage was about four to six ken (roughly 7 to 11 meters) wide and stretched for about two town-blocks. Steep slopes flanked both sides, making escape nearly impossible.

Normally, anyone trapped in this terrain would be like a rat in a bag—completely annihilated.

However, our general’s plan was to deliberately lure the enemy into this trap. Once inside, we would bare our fangs and crush them.

In other words, this “rat’s bag” would transform into a “tiger’s den.” Instead of us being trapped, it was the enemy who would be dragged in and annihilated.

The “Tiger’s Den Strategy.”

What an audacious idea—I had never heard of such a tactic before. When I first heard it, I couldn’t help but shudder.

“Halt! Drop your bamboo spears and take up your shields!”

Hmm, as expected, the castle troops have come down. Quite a large number.
However, just as our intelligence indicated, the vanguard consists mostly of poorly armed militia. Our sudden deployment and control over the Yamato Highway must have prevented them from properly equipping themselves.

Arrows began to rain down sporadically, but our shield wall absorbed the assault.

A second volley—then a third—struck our shields with a dry, pelting sound, like hail against wood. But soon, the barrage ceased. Likely, they had run out of arrows.

“Retrieve the arrows. Supply unit, distribute the bows.”

A single supply cart followed our twenty-man bamboo spear unit, carrying spare spears, bows, and arrows. That’s right—our bamboo spear unit also functioned as an archery unit.

The bows we crafted ourselves had slightly shorter range but were compact and easy to handle, allowing most soldiers to pick them up and use them with minimal training.
Since we also produced our own arrows, we never had to hold back during practice.

Now, with their arrows depleted, the enemy let out a battle cry and launched a full-scale charge. Quite an impressive display of ferocity.

“Archers, fire!!”

Yamada, our seasoned commander, gave the order.

Our arrows struck the enemy front lines, sending soldiers tumbling backward. More than half of them lacked shields.
Still, they pressed forward, increasing their momentum. 

By this point, their only way to avoid further arrow fire was to rush in and force a melee engagement.

However, as they drew closer, the effectiveness of our archers only grew.

One by one, enemy soldiers collapsed, their fallen comrades becoming obstacles that tripped up those behind them. The distance had closed enough that I could now make out their individual faces.

“Drop the bows, take up your bamboo spears, and brace! Supply unit, retrieve the bows!”

The archers swiftly tossed their bows behind them, grabbed the bamboo spears they had left on the ground, and assumed a half-turn stance to form a spear wall.
The supply unit immediately retrieved the discarded bows to clear the battlefield. 

Just like in training—flawless execution.

“Do not kill the militia if possible. Knock them down and drive them off.”

This was a direct order from our commander.

These militia would soon become Yamanaka’s own people.
While arrow fire was unavoidable, our bamboo spears were blunt—we can use them only to knock enemies down. If we had to strike, we were instructed to avoid hitting their heads.

Incidentally, the tips of our bamboo spears were not sharpened.

“Advance!”

“Ei! Yah! Ei!”

“Ei! Yah! Ei!”

As the bamboo spear unit surged forward, the enemy’s formation quickly crumbled. Against our two-meter-long bamboo spears, their shorter spears, swords, and sticks—barely one and a half meters long—were no match.

The narrow pass was only four to six ken (about 7-11 meters) wide. With twenty bamboo spearmen standing in formation, there was no room for the enemy to maneuver around us.

Hmm… at this rate, I won’t even get my turn.

Even Kiyooki looks unsatisfied…

PoV: Hirooka Nagamichi

I was positioned behind the forces, leading a group of twenty soldiers.

I had wrestled with my decision for a long time, but in the end, I couldn’t sever ties with old comrades.
And now, standing here on the battlefield, I was relieved. 

Our forces were twice the size of the enemy’s, and their position was utterly precarious—practically inviting us to encircle them.

Looking at this deployment, I had assumed this enemy general, Yamanaka, must be a fool. Normally, he should have attacked Kamisakawa Castle first and used it as a stronghold.

That’s why eighty soldiers were stationed at the castle—to prepare for such an assault.
It’s common knowledge that a castle siege requires at least three times the number of defenders. 

With only a hundred men, there was no way Yamanaka’s forces could take the castle. Perhaps realizing this, he chose instead to face our main force in an open battle.

Oh, the order to advance has been given. Time to send the archers forward.
First, we’ll suppress them with arrow fire, then charge with spears once they’re shaken. 

That’s the standard way to fight.

“Fire!!”

A cloud of black arrows soared into the sky and rained down upon the enemy in unison—hmm? 

Shields. 

The enemy had raised their shields in defense. 

Impressive. 

Even from here, I could hear the dry, sharp thunk of arrows embedding into wood.

“Advance while firing! Aim for any gaps in their defense!”

If arrows aren’t working, we’ll have to get closer. Besides, our supply of arrows is limited.
But that’s not an issue—after all, battles are decided with spears. Archery is merely the prelude.

Still, I notice a problem. Among our militia, only a handful are properly armed with spears.
If they charge in like this, they might only get in the way.

Hmm? The enemy is retreating.
Their formation remains intact, and they’re withdrawing at a steady pace, matching our advance.

Could it be…?

Have they realized our plan to encircle them from three sides?

“It seems they’ve realized…”

My father-in-law, Gonzaemon, appears to have reached the same conclusion.

“What shall we do?”

“Hmm… retreating now would only make them cornered rats. No, rather, they don’t realize they trapped themselves even further. We just have to keep pursuing them.”

I see—he’s right. If we had engaged them in the open plains, they might have had room to escape, even while being attacked from three sides.
But now that they’ve backed into the narrow pass, there’s no way out. 

This must be the end for Yamanaka. I’m glad I didn’t defect too hastily.

“Archers, fall back! Spearmen, charge!!”

We’ve driven them far enough into the bottleneck. With our arrows spent, it’s time for a full assault with spears. I’ll be joining the charge as well—

—Ah.

For some reason, our front-line spearmen are suddenly collapsing in droves.

Arrows!! The enemy’s arrows are relentless—Shields!

“Raise your shields!!”

We barely made it in time. Arrows thudded against the shields with a sharp thwack.

That was close…

“Charge! The only way to stop their arrows is to get in close! Charge!!”

Yes, that’s the only option. Even as our soldiers scream, they push forward.
It won’t take long—just a short sprint.

Just as expected, the enemy’s archers have stopped firing. We’re nearly upon them. Good—now we’ll tear through them!

Then—BAM!

A heavy impact echoed, and the front ranks tumbled backward like an avalanche.

What just happened?!

The fallen soldiers blocked my view—I couldn’t see what was going on ahead.

“Ei! Yah! Ei!”

“Ei! Yah! Ei!”

I heard their chants. In an instant, our vanguard was being pushed back, and the militia was scattering in panic.

I caught a glimpse of something round—

Bamboo. The cut end of a bamboo pole was thrusting straight toward me.

“Fall back! Retreat!”

No use. The surge from behind was growing stronger.

The main force must have joined from the rear.

Shoving into a narrow pass like this… now we in the front have no way to escape—

“D-Don’t push! Fall back! FALL BACK! Uwaaaah—!!”