[Faster, you idiot. You can't be late for an important event like this] The old man keeps giggling while the maids are tightening the strips on my armor. Even from here, I can hear the sounds of the footsteps of hundreds of men marching outside the Ice Temple. Outside the door, there is a 17-year-old boy already in a Samurai's armor, standing ready waiting for orders. His name is Minoru Tatsuya, son of Lord Minoru Yukio, the best general under my father.
All over Iceland, no one does not know about how Minoru Tatsuya rides into a group of 30 bandits with his spear held high in the air and defeats them, saving a village from robbery. Yesterday, he came to visit me with a letter from my father, telling me that I would follow him in hunting the bandits to gain battle experience.
[ You should observe carefully, kid. Although he is still immature, I can feel the aura of a skillful warrior in him. ] " My master spoke when he saw Tatsuya. I was surprised because my master rarely makes compliments anyone, including the Samurais who have been protecting me.
The maids have finished helping me prepare my armor. Through almost a year of training, my arms are now strong enough to carry over the weight of my body. Using crutches, I can start moving around at a speed a bit lower than that of a normal person.
Tatsuya lowers his head and follows me outside. There is a horse with a special saddle designed for me. A servant raises me up and helps me get on the horse; aside from the katana on my waist, I only have a short bow. I cannot use any weapons while I'm walking; however, the monks in the temple have taught me archery to a level that I'm able to fight with a bow while sitting. I heard the old man tell the story about how a longbowman from a kingdom named England had to practice archery every day from the day he was young so that his bones structure can be in
300 Ashigarus, the seasonal soldiers drafted from the field and trained by Samurais, are standing in formation outside of the temple. Their armors are simpler and less protective than mine. On the backs of some of them are the banners of Ice Lotus, the simple of my house. Around 20 mounted Samurais, my normal bodyguards will also take part in this mission. My master reckons this mission is a test from Minoru Tatsuya if he's fit for a position of a Samurai.
- " SILENCE'' A Samurai shouts, silencing the noisy Ashigarus as Tatsuya moves forward on his horse. He is tall, holding a spear that is longer than usual, his appearance makes everyone think about an experienced general that has gone through countless battles.
- " I am Minoru Tatsuya, son of General Minoru Yukio. You may have heard about how I defeated 30 bandits alone. Lord Akira Kenji has given the order to lead you to feat the bandit gangs ravaging the countryside, stealing our livestock, burning our houses, and raping our women. ''
In the Ashigarus' lines start to erupt some hateful swears toward the bandits. After pausing a little, Minoru Yukio continues to speak:
- " I know that most of you have never fought in a battle before. But you are Icelanders, the descendants of the warriors that were born from the Ice, the strongest and toughest warriors the world has ever witnessed. Do you fear the bandits? "
- " NO "Ashigarus shouts
- " WILL YOU SHOW THEM OUR WRAITH AND LET THEM PAY FOR THEIR CRIMES? ''
- " YES"
- " THEN GET IN LINES AND FOLLOW ME "
The Ashigarus starts to cheer after Tatsuya's speech. His words are strange; they carry something special like magic that boils my blood and makes me feel full of energy. Ido Kakeru, the leader of the Samurai acts as my bodyguard and speaks:
- Remember this moment, Lord Takahiro. Your father always says the best general is not the one with the highest prowess but the one that can make the morale of his men skyrocket.
[ That's true, kid. Remember how 300 Spartans can hold off a million Persians I tell you about last night? It's not because the Spartans were stronger but their fighting spirit is thousands of times higher than the Spartans ]
My master has started telling me tales about great warriors in the world he comes from for a while now. How 300 Spartans face a million Persians was one of them. They are fascinating stories but they do not sound really persuasive; I would call him a moron if I do not know that he possesses a great amount of knowledge.
With Tatsuya leading the army, we start to move.
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Three days march south from the Ice Temple is the location of a bandit camp. The bandits have taken advantage the Highground of a hill and install fortifications. The bandit leader, a tall and large man with wild appearance looks at the approaching army of the Akira Clan. Another man who is much smaller stands by his side; he wears full black clothes with two katanas on his back. The large man speaks:
- '' Just as our leader predicted, Akira Kenji underestimate us and send Minoru Tatsuya with his heir to attack us.''
- '' I cant still believe that that Tiger is so ignorant of his child. '' The man in black speaks.
- '' Maybe he thinks that we are just a normal bandit gang. '' The large man smiles. Then, he picks up a large battle ax and walks off the watch tower. There are around 100 bandits, all armed and armored standing ready to fight in front of him. The large man raises his ax high to the air and let out a battle cry, which is followed by the bandits afterward.
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- ''Have the ladders and the ram ready? ''
- '' Archers to position. ''
- '' The catapults are ready. ''
Under the command of the Samurais, the soldiers have already gotten in position. There are around 50 archers prepare to advance; some of the footman carry large wooden shields in the front. Minoru Tatsuya observes the bandits' encampment for a while before raising his spear and signal for the attack.
The Yari Ashigaru ( Spearmen) start to charge. The bandits, utilzing the high ground, loads their bows and start to fire. Although the large shields manage to block most of the arrows, some of the unlucky Akira soldiers are hit and fall into the ground.
-'' Catapults, fire'' Tatsuya commands. Oil vessels are fired toward the watchtower of the bandits.
- '' Lord Kakeru, you are the most skillful archer in Iceland. I need your help. '' Tatsuya speaks, he lowers his head a little bit.
With a smile on his face, Kakeru gets off his horse and load a fire arrow into his longbow. The old Samurai looses the arrow and it swiftly fly into the area where the oil vessels break, lighting up a watchtower of a bandits, including three bandits on it. Arrow by arrow, the watchtowers are burned along with about a dozen of bandits.
100 Yari Ashigaru are sent in the first way of assault. Around 90 of them safely reaches the walls of the bandits' camp. A battering ram is brought along with them and start to batter the camp's gates. From the walls, the bandits throw rocks and fire at the soldiers pushing the ram, hoping that they can stop their advance. However, with the assistance from the archers, many bandits are shot down and they have to hide behind the palisades to get safe cover.
Suddenly, the moment when the battering ram is about to breach the gates, the gates are opened. The large man appears with his ax, followed by the bandits, start to attack the vanguard Ashigarus. Everytime he wields his ax, a man is cut in half. A Samurai draw his sword and charge toward the large man. The Samurai thrusts his sword with an incredible speed, which the large man dodges in gap, leaving a cut on the large bandit's face. The next moment, the large man delivers a strike from the air, cut the samurai in half along with the Kanata he uses trying to block the attack.
Minoru Tatsuya lets out a battle cry, riding toward the large man followed by another 100 ashigarus.
[Attention, kid. You're being attacked from behind!]
I look behind and realize that a group of riders wearing black coats appear from the woods and charge at my location. I can hear one of them shout:
- Capture that child. He is the main key in our leader's plan.
Behind the lines are the archers; the samurai commanding them has noticed the incoming riders and order the archers to fire at the group. 3 of the riders fall but the rest manage to dodge the arrows.
[ Run, kid. That man wielding two katanas is dangerous, I don't think these farmer soldiers can stop him ]
Just like the world of my master, the man leading the riders draw his sword and cut down all the arrows fired at him. When he charges into the line of the archers, his sword harvest heads like cutting down weeds on the paddy fields.
My bodyguards charge toward the riders, they are ones of the strongest warriors in Iceland. However, they only manage to reach an equal fighting with the riders and hold them off. The man holding two katanas easily cuts through the lines of the Samurais and ride toward me. My master's yelling becomes louder, urging me to run. But my body's frozen and cannot move.
And the rider's just 2 meters away from me, he raises his sword ....
The next moment, everything goes blank.