[Takina's POV]
Roughly 2 weeks have passed by since we came back from Kyoto, when the war between the three clans were declared.
The entirely of Uesugi Clan took up their arms and rose to the challenge, with many nobles from the smaller sub-clans and samurais from former enemies and allies alike joining us at Niigata.
Many of them seek business with Kenshin-sama, and as the bodyguard of him I have been busy accompanying him on war meetings in general.
The Dancer group have since disbanded due to the upcoming war.... We do not have time for leisure recreational activities now.
And the Shibata Castle's dojo have since then grew dormant, as many of the regular fencers inside the dojo are prominent samurais that has to take part in the war itself.
With what little time that we have, Kenshin-sama's training with me started to become more and more intense....
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(2 weeks later....)
"Come, Takina." Kenshin-sama said as he stood in the dojo, brandishing his wooden sword.
"Yes.... Hmph!" I dashed forward, closing the distance on him with my own practise sword raised overhead. One Line!
'Fwoosh!' Right as I swung down, Kenshin sidestepped my attack with minimal movement, by just a hair's width away.
"Fool!" He swung his wooden sword at my exposed ribs. 'Thud!'
"Urgh...!" I wore protective gears so I was not damaged.... But it still knocked the wind out of me.
"I didn't teach you to rush in blindly, all these days of training and you still have nothing to show for it?"
"Cough.... Sorry, Kenshin-sama...."
"Forget it, our practice today ends here.... I'll be meditating on the rooftop, let me do it alone."
"Y-yes, Kenshin-sama...."
The old man puts away the wooden sword and walked off to the stairs, heading further upwards to the castle tower's lookout.
What's with this old man...? He suddenly became so aggressive and rude today....
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[Kenshin's POV]
I made my way to the top of the castle.... Sitting down on the small cushion in the center of the balcony, I closed my eyes and sat there in silence....
I need to calm myself more.... I've been particularly on edge since recently.
"Hoo.... Hah...."
But this won't do, she isn't enough.... Not good enough to defeat me or that Shadow-Style swordsman, the current Sword Pioneer.
It seems that my final wish will not be fulfilled.... I will not be able to truly have a duel to the death with one of my apprentice, because my time is short now.
Enna told me yesterday.... That my lung has been getting worser, and that the end of my days may be getting closer than ever.
But I don't need her to say it for me to figure it out... that my days are limited, and this long-term disease I have isn't something that anyone can just get over.
"Cough! Cough cough...!"
When I revealed my hands after coughing into it, there was blood on my palm.
"Urgh...."
Hahaha.... I'm such a selfish old man. In the end, despite being a Lord of the Uesugi Clan, all I cared about is still myself.
What I truly wanted before I die, is to have a duel to the death with Takina.
Back then, when I first joined the fight against the demons.... I didn't do it out of a sense of justice or responsibility, I did it because my father ordered me to.
I was still called Nagao Kagetora then, before I became a retainer of the Uesugi Clan.
In battles the demons were fierce and brutal. It took the power of 3 men to match one demon, and I was no one of importance in this war. But it was then, in the most difficult time of my life, I found my inspiration.
Miyamoto Rei, a renowned swordswoman from back then, she was the first Sword Pioneer and she developed her own fighting style using two sword - Nitou Ichiryu, Two Heavens as One. She was the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and she fights just as fierce as the demons themselves.
It was she who inspired me to chase after swordsmanship not as a way to kill, but as an artform, a way to express myself just like writers do with their words and artists do with their paintings. She was the reason I found my purpose in life - to master the concept of fighting itself.
Fujiwara Takina.... The foreigner swordswoman whom I took in as my body guard. In some ways she resembled Miyamoto Rei.
To be frank I'm still surprised that I took her in myself.... but it seemed like the natural action to take.
My days are limited.... I'm certain that I'll perish in the upcoming war, without a doubt. I just hope that before I die I can strike inspiration in Takina, just as Rei did to me back then.....
"...."
Rei perished in combat herself. She was ambushed and captured by the demons, where she was presumably played with until the demons got bored and killed her.
Eventually, however, the demons were driven away by an old friend. Lynn Howard the Magic Pioneer had challenged and killed the enemy leader - Baal, effectively ending the Great War in a single battle.
All the forces of the Moonfall Continent came back home.... With their new-found strength the people of each clan began to rebel against the emperor, claiming lands of their own instead of paying taxes and obeying the emperor.
And when everyone starts to claim massive plot of lands, disputes between neighbors are sure to happen. This is how the first Sengoku began three decades ago, almost immediately after the Great War ended.
Of course, longing for a way to hone my swordsmanship farther, I joined the Sengoku following my father. He soon perished in the war just like any other, leading to me to become the leader of the clan.
The Nagao Clan is a sub-clan that grew to be very powerful, and as such was merged with the main clan. Uesugi Clan merged with the Nagao Clan leading to me, as one of the retainers of the Nagao Clan, to become the daimyo of the Uesugi Clan when the last one died.
All of this led me down the path of the Sword Pioneer, and eventually letting me grow old until I retire from all the fighting....
"Sigh...."
My days are limited, but there is still a battle to be fought.
I need to do what I have to do, my duties as a Lord and a leader. It's my responsibility, as much as I disdain it.
In truth, I hoped that Genji alone could be enough to lead this clan, but that's just wishful thinking on my part. That boy isn't made to be a Lord, for one simple reason....
He's too cold and calculating.
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(2 weeks ago....)
I sat in my room, reading a book and resting alone....
'Knock knock.'
"Oji-sama, it's me."
"Ah, Genji. Come in."
The grandson opened the door, and walked in a polite manner after making sure he closed the door.
"Am I disturbing your rest, Oji-sama?"
"Somewhat, but I don't mind it. What brings you here Genji? You don't usually show up for chit chats afterall, is it about the war?"
"No, it's not. It's actually about Fujiwara-dono and the young lord...."
"Takina and Sora.... What about them?"
Genji walks up to the table, and sat down opposite of me.
"During the envoy trip a few days ago, I happened to overheard them talking about something of importance. Takina is not a human, and Sora holds a secret."
"....Speak more." I put down my book and paid closer attention.
"You see, Matsumae Sora contains a secret in his body.... The Severance Blade to be precise, the magic sword that you wields in the past. A magical weapon that was once used by a great demon swordsman."
"I know about it, that the boy has one half of the sword."
"Which is what brings me to the second point.... Fujiwara-dono is not a human, but a dragonkin, both you and me know that since the start. Inside her veins flows the blood of the great Yamata-no-Orochi, the multi-headed dragon.
While it is called Tiamat in their language, there's no difference between the two dragon deities. With the help of the Severance blade, we can make use of Takina's blood to create super soldiers.... Humans with the power of the dragon blood.
This is the same process as Shishou's own tragedy.... But this time we can control the outer power with the sword-"
"....Genji, I forbid you from ever doing this to anyone. Takahashi saved your life, while his was ruined because of the accident with the sword. This is why I sent the blade off to Shingen-chan, because he is someone whom I can trust to keep the sword safe.
To meddle with the biology of the human body.... It's heresy, grandson."
"I see.... I'll refrain from doing anything about this then if it is your wish, Oji-sama. But it serves as a way for us to obtain more power for our side.... in case the worst happens."
"Haha, don't be ridiculous! That dumbass Nobunaga would never stand a chance at ovetaking both the Takeda and the Uesugi, there's no need for us to rely on such a blasphemous power in the first place! Rest assured, victory is guaranteed for us."
"Of course, Oji-sama."
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Deep down I know.... I know that Genji would not stop at just a warning.
Not just that, both Takahashi and I knew, he sent me a letter saying this.
'Kenshin-sama,
Genji might hurt the kid and the boy, but let them be.
It takes some conflict to make the younger generation stronger, but it's our duty to make sure that they are safe. Let them dance, but don't let them kill each other.
-Monkey.'
"Hahaha.... You really are a cold and calculating villain, Takahashi."
Despite the war going on, he doesn't give a care about it. What he cares more about is for the upcoming conflict between Genji and Takina, a clash of two warriors.
Fine, I'll do what he wants and stay neutral from the two's conflict while making sure that no one gets killed.... even during the war.
Now this is exciting, a duel between my two strongest apprentice and not just that, but also a battle of something more than just those two - it's a battle of ideals.
I have no idea who will win this one now.... But I can confirm that both of them will come out of this as true warriors, not kids.
But for now, I need to get ready to leave for the battlefield tomorrow.
(Chapter End)
(Side Story Finish)
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(Extras)
(At the frontline city, Toyama)
(Castle)
Kenshin woke up in the morning, and heads to the room's window to check outside.
It's been a day since he arrived at the front lines. The first large scale battle between the Oda Clan and the Uesugi Clan happened yesterday, and Kenshin with his leadership managed to repel the offense of the Oda Clan, fending them off the walls of Toyama city.
That being said.....
"Yawn.... Nothing like the smell of warring smokes in the morning.... What the fuck?!"
Overnight, under the cover of the shadows, the Oda Clan suddenly built a fort right at the fields in front of Toyama city.
It was still a normal rain forest just yesterday, but now there's a tall and dangerous enemy fort standing there.
"They just build that fort in a night?!"
It takes days to even build a stable fort, let alone make defenses for it!
Out of decades of war and battles, this is news to me.... A one-night-built castle from the enemy clan, sprung up right at your door steps ready to deliver even more attacks on your city.
A banner hung from the enemy's fort, it was the banner of one of the retainers of the Oda Clan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
(Extras End)