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

Eiroku 3 (1560), January 17 – Yamanaka Fort – Kurokura

With the Yamanaka army’s advance under the great General’s command, the villages of Sakawa, Kasagi, and the remaining two settlements of Kamo-gō had surrendered. The territory now totaled 4,800 koku, with a standing army of 180 men.

The population of Hōyō Village had already tripled. The fort’s surroundings were continuously expanding, and at this rate, it would soon swallow the village and take on the appearance of a castle town. |
Along the highway, merchants had gathered from who knows where, setting up makeshift stalls, making the place lively.

“I see… Kakuchi Anami ran off with the money, did he?”

I reported to the General that I had taken down Kakuchi and handed over the money he had been carrying.

“However, that money was your spoils, was it not? Why bring it here?”

“… It was a rather large sum…”

As the General pointed out, under normal circumstances, no one would voluntarily hand over looted money. But as this was a considerable amount, keeping it for myself might raise suspicion.

And with our General, you could never quite predict what he was thinking.

“No matter. Keep it. Also, Kurokura, you have family, no? Why not bring them here, to the mountain region of Kamo-gō? Iga will not remain safe for much longer.”

“Do you mean Iga is in danger?”

I had never hidden the fact that I was from Iga. The mountainous region of Kamo-gō was close to here, as well as Nanto and the capital. The place has the feel of a hidden village—an ideal place.
But what did he mean by Iga being in danger?

“The Sakoku system may work well for the kokujin-shū (local samurai clans), but an independent force that refuses to submit to any power will inevitably be eradicated by a larger one. That will happen before long. Bring your clan here before it’s too late.”

“……”

The General spoke as if he had already seen the future, which made him terrifying.

Thinking it over, he is probably right. Even on a small scale, the General never allowed surrounding villages to remain independent if they refused to submit.
The same logic will be applied, even if it was an entire province.

“I will discuss it with my people…”

“Good. Once you’ve decided, inform Jūzō. Also, I have an urgent task for you.”

“Anything you ask.”

The mission I received from the General was… covert work. And even I was surprised by its nature. I was ordered to carry it out in absolute secrecy—not even the council elders were to know.

This, too, was part of what made the Great General so terrifying.

January 18 – Yamanaka Fort – Yamanaka Yūzaburō

As always, my fort is short on manpower.

Jūzō, the chief retainer, and Jingorō of Sugawa are stationed in Sarakawa with twenty soldiers, working to restore both Sugawa and Sarakawa. This has left this place rather undermanned.
So I called in Kitamura, who has retired from active duty, as a stronghold like this needs experienced veterans to hold things together.

Meanwhile, Shima Kiyooki is building a fort on Kaseyama, using Kiriyama of Kasagi and the local workers. I told him it only needed to be for show since we wouldn’t be using it for long, but it seems he’s quite taken with the project and is putting in more effort than necessary.

As for our allies, the Yagyū, they seem to have hit a wall after doubling their forces from sixty. Seems like they have drawn too close to the mountain castles where the Tsutsui lurk.

The resistance from the local samurai clans of Tawara-gō has been especially fierce, especially since that region consists of more than ten villages, making it densely populated.
On top of that, Tsutsui’s mountain castle looms behind them. They can expect a tough fight.

With a request for aid from the Yagyū, I sent fifty troops, led by Yamada as vice-captain under Tōnai, who knows Yagyū well. I also dispatched scouts and the covert agents. Hopefully, they can improve the situation without overextending themselves.

Even with that, nearly a hundred soldiers still remain at Yamanaka Fort. New recruits from Sakawa, Kasagi, and Kamo-gō are being trained by Shinsuke, who usually leads from the front.
Being a Daitai-chō (Commander) isn’t easy, as on top of training, they’re also clearing land around the fort, rapidly transforming the surroundings.

Inside the fort, the atmosphere remains lively—almost like an ongoing festival.

“A traveling monk has arrived, requesting an audience with you, my lord…”

It was Aritsu Rokurō who reported this, somewhat hesitantly.

After submitting to Yamanaka, he had come to the manor along with his soldiers. Shinsuke had placed him by my side as an aide.

“My lord needs a retainer like Aritsu, rather than a mere war-monger like myself.”, he said.

Unlike militia leaders who simply relied on sheer numbers, Rokurō had led a small band of warriors to fight for their pride—a trait that had deeply impressed Shinsuke.

I had no objections to that, as having Aritsu close at hand proved invaluable. He was highly observant, mindful of details, and, as a former clan head, capable of making quick decisions under pressure.

With Jūzō absent, he was proving exceptionally useful—a rare and valuable asset.

“A traveling monk? I don’t recall anyone like that…”

“He also mentioned this would be his first time meeting you. However, he appears to be quite skilled, so I’ve asked the commander to spar with him.”

Rokurō was subtly suggesting that the monk might be an assassin sent by Kōfuku-ji. If that was the case, there was no harm in being cautious.

“I am In’ei, head priest of Hōzō-in at Kōfuku-ji.”

Ugehh… You’ve got to be kidding me… The founder of the Hōzō-in Ryū?

Hearing his name, I froze. So did Shinsuke and Rokurō—though for a different reason.

For them, it wasn’t about martial arts. Kōfuku-ji and Kasuga Taisha were part of the powerful temple faction that opposed Matsunaga, meaning they were my enemy.
The fact that he openly declared his identity must have caught them off guard.

“Ah, no—please don’t be alarmed. I am acquainted with Tajima-no-kami (Takeda Shingen) and have no interest in hostilities. My visit is for another reason entirely.”

I had a feeling I knew why he was here.

“One night, I saw the reflection of the moon on the water, and it inspired me to develop the cross-shaped spear. I realized its design could be advantageous in controlling an opponent’s weapon. However, I’ve heard rumors of a warrior who wields a cross-shaped spear like a demon, and I simply could not contain my curiosity—I had to see it for myself.”

Yep, just as I thought.
He was so obsessed with martial arts that he didn’t care about whether it’s a friend or foe—he just wanted to see it in action.

A true founder of a martial art school is exactly that kind of person, to put it bluntly, he was a “martial arts fanatic”.

“Very well. I shall show you. Shinsuke, I’ll leave you to entertain our guest for a while.”

We moved to the dōjō and demonstrated some training drills with practice spears, and In’ei watched intently, completely absorbed. In’ei ended up staying at the fort for a while, training alongside us.

North of Tahara-go – Yagyū Munetoshi

We have captured Kutsukake Village, located at the northern entrance of Tahara-go, and set up camp on the outskirts. The enemy has gathered their forces on Higasa-yama, a small mountain directly in front of us.

Their numbers are around 100, while we have 120. Our forces are evenly matched, but this is enemy territory.
I can sense enemy troops lurking in the surrounding mountains, making it too dangerous to move recklessly. For now, we are locked in a stalemate, locked in a battle of wills.

Tahara-go is a broad mountain basin, rich and fertile, with a substantial rice yield. It has fifteen or sixteen villages, producing well over 3,000 koku, and can easily mobilize over a hundred soldiers.
Moreover, it seems that Tsutsui has stationed forces at Tsubakiyama Castle, which is positioned behind them.

This is not a place that the Yagyū forces alone can capture so easily. The frontline has remained stagnant, and we had no viable strategy to break the deadlock.
That is why I requested Lord Yamanaka to assist in disrupting Tahara-go from the rear.

Not long after, I received word that 50 troops of the Yamanaka forces, led by Tōnai Munemasa, had arrived at Seitari Village.

Despite being engaged in a standoff with the Kizu clan to the north and Kōfuku-ji, Lord Yamanaka still managed to send such a significant force to aid us. His growth and influence are truly remarkable.

I cannot afford to fall behind…

“Something is off with the enemy on Higasa-yama.”

Indeed, the enemy forces that had been facing us were now in disarray. Most likely, the Yamanaka forces had begun their assault from the rear.

“Alright, advance! The vanguard of 50 men will ascend the mountain. The main force will advance along the highway.”

As the vanguard let out a cheer and charged up the mountain, the enemy’s disorder grew even worse, and it seemed they were beginning to retreat.
The main force continued forward along the highway, passing by Higasa-yama without resistance.

We halted our advance just before Yokota Village, the largest settlement in Tahara-go.
Before long, the vanguard—who had moved through Higasa-yama—rejoined us.

As we passed, we sent detachments to the villages on the left side of the highway. One after another, they surrendered without resistance, including Higasa Village.

“Someone is approaching from Yokota Village.”

An elderly man, holding a white flag, approached us from the front. He appeared to be a messenger of surrender.

“I am Yokota Seizaemon. The remaining eight villages of Tahara-go pledge allegiance to Lord Yagyū.”

“Lord Yokota, what of your loyalty to the Tsutsui clan?”

“Tsutsui is in decline. We cannot afford to remain aboard a sinking ship.”

“I see. But you say eight villages—what of the rest?”

“Suyama, Wada, and Konose have already surrendered to the Yamanaka forces.”

Now, it all made sense—why the enemy at Higasa-yama had fallen into disarray.

Tōnai’s Yamanaka troops had swiftly captured the Suyama, Wada, and Konose villages before flanking Higasa-yama. This sudden maneuver had left the enemy forces in chaos, unable to regain control.

Rumors were already spreading that Yamanaka’s troops could tear through forces twice their size in a single charge.

But in reality, Tahara-go had surrendered not to an actual tiger—but to the fear of one that had yet to appear.

That, more than anything, was the true genius of Lord Yamanaka’s strategy—spreading false rumors to break the enemy’s spirit before the battle even began.

Truly terrifying…