“Thud–”
The bamboo tube naturally drops down to empty the tube of water before C*cking its head again and returning to its original balance, the tail hitting the battering ram with a crisp sound.
Akihiko Mitsuhide sent out the crowd, who had just finished their discussion, and listened to the occasional crisp sound with a rare moment of peace in his heart.
In the past few days, he had been talking to all the people of the East and trying his best to calm them down, and he was really tired.
“Everyone wants to overthrow the imperial family, everyone wants to take advantage of the situation to gain power, but they forget that the East is now in a state of turmoil, how can it withstand such a tumult?” Akechi Mitsuhide’s eyes were closed tightly, revealing a bitter smile.
All but a few thought he was trying to gather his party to overthrow Oda Nobunaga, but in reality, Akechi was doing his best to stabilise them and not let them go on a rampage.
“Then Mitsuhide-kun won’t be displeased with Lord Oda?”
An abrupt voice came from within the courtyard, but Akechi replied as if he had expected it, “They do not know the majesty of the most powerful, as you and I always should.
If it were just Lord Oda, it would not matter if he was more or less. But the problem is that Lord Oda is not just Lord Oda, he is also Sujang Naruto, a being of the same rank as Amaterasu Omikami.
Nowadays, there are only a handful of gods in the East, so there is no need to rebel.”
“You don’t shy away from your dislike of Lord Oda.”
The thin, monkey-like figure came from the courtyard, took off his wooden clogs, stepped inside and sat down on his knees opposite Akechi Mitsuhide.
“Hideyoshi-kun, is it your men who have been watching my house recently,” said Akechi Mitsuhide, still with his eyes closed, “since before you returned to the East?”
“Haha, Mitsuhide-kun has indeed found out about my men.”
Toyotomi Hideyoshi laughed without embarra*sment, “My men are useless, so I have to do it myself.”
“So are you sure?” Akechi Mitsuhide asked indifferently.
“I am indeed basically sure, sure that Mitsuhide-kun will not betray. But ——”
Toyotomi Hideyoshi suddenly curbed his smile, and on his dry, thin face, two eyes protruded, staring deadly at Akechi Mitsuhide, “I still want to really confirm. You, Mitsuhide, are you sure you won’t betray Lord Oda?”
The word “Akechi” was a harsh statement that struck at the heart of his opponent.
Akechi Mitsuhide seemed to feel the severity of those two eyes, and opened his eyes to meet Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s and said, “I do have grievances against Lord Oda, but I swear by the glory of the Akechi family that I, Akechi Mitsuhide, will not betray Nobunaga Oda.”
The oath was a resounding one, demonstrating a loyalty that would never be betrayed.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s stern, grim face seemed to freeze with this loyalty for a moment before softening, “If that is so, then I believe in Brother Mitsuhide’s loyalty as well. I will now ask the men who are watching to be removed.”
With these words, Toyotomi Hideyoshi rose at once, as if impatient to prove his trust in Akechi Mitsuhide.
“Hideyoshi-kun, why don’t you stay and have a little drink before you leave?”
“No, no, it has to be immediately and immediately. I cannot allow any more mistrust of Brother Mitsuhide.”
No matter what Akechi Mitsuhide said, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was still leaving, showing his thunder and lightning.
Although Akechi Mitsuhide knew that there was a lot of theatre involved, he also expressed great approval of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s behaviour.
‘At this time of crisis, it is the presence of a man like Hideyoshi-kun that will enable us to work together to overcome the difficulties.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi is the man that is most needed in the East today, because in times of great trouble, the only way to get through it is to join forces. 110 eBook
So he personally saw Toyotomi Hideyoshi out and did not return to his house until his back disappeared from his eyes.
After that, Toyotomi Hideyoshi withdrew his surveillance of Akechi Mitsuhide’s house and never sent any more spies to the place.
It was no longer necessary.
————————
In the darkness of night.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi went alone to the back of his family’s mansion on the outskirts of the countryside and sought out a small temple of land in the mountains.
“Akechi Mitsuhide, who is willingly driven by Sujang Naruto for the sake of the East, is no longer to be kept.” He spoke murderous words to the idol of the land god in this small temple.
“What is your plan?”
A dark colour moved and a dark green figure appeared at the back of the small temple.
“To kill Akechi Mitsuhide and have me pretend to be him. I have been in contact with Akechi for many years, and have many spies in his home, so I am familiar with his habits and mannerisms. Toyotomi Hideyoshi replied.
“Yes. But what about yourself?”
Toyotomi Hideyoshi was no less a man than Akechi Mitsuhide, and it would be a problem if he suddenly disappeared.
“Please rest a*sured, my lord, that I have a shadow warrior double to keep the plan running smoothly.” Hideyoshi Toyotomi said confidently.
It was a trend in a way to have two shadow warriors at the top echelons of Japan to stand in for trouble at all times. However, it was not easy for a master of the True Dan realm like Toyotomi Hideyoshi to do so, and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to cultivate an extremely suitable shadow warrior.
“You are quite talented, and it is no wonder that you were approached by Lord Dao.”
The dark shadow flickered away, leaving only a whisper in his ear, “I will help you with the ninja around Akechi Mitsuhide, so you can proceed with your plans without fear.”
After these words, there was no more sound.
‘Already even the existence of the ninja is known?’ Toyotomi Hideyoshi was secretly amazed at the tactics of the opposite side.
Keeping ninja was another trend in the higher echelons of the East.
All those in high positions had kept some ninja to act in secret. Akechi Mitsuhide, as Oda Nobunaga’s second-in-command and the man sent by Amaterasu to spy on him, had no ninja at his disposal.
As far as Toyotomi Hideyoshi knew, Akechi Mitsuhide had a ninja under his command, Sarutobi Higurashi, who was as famous as Hattori Hanzo, and the strength of his ninja army was quite impressive.
The fact that he had learned of Akechi’s shinobi within a short period of time after arriving in the East and was confident that he would be able to take care of them, was a source of alarm to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
At the same time, he was also secretly alerting himself to the need to strive for great success.
‘The men under Michinaga have already entered the East, and with their strength and means, no one else can be a hindrance to them in today’s East as long as they do not endure to Sujang Naritsugu and Tsukuyomi.
If I don’t make a mark soon, I’m afraid that even the value of my existence will be replaced by theirs.”
That Dogun may have kept useless men under him, but he would never keep useless surrenders. If Toyotomi Hideyoshi wanted to live and make a name for himself under Kiyoharu, he would have to make enough merit.
‘Brother Mitsuhide, let your bones be the first step towards my success.’
Under the darkness of the night, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s thin, monkey-like face was plastered with a hideous smile, as ghastly as a mandrill.
