Chapter 238: As the Decisive Battle Nears Its End
Led by the samurai responsible for the defense of each route, the villagers resisted the crazed bandits with all their might. Through many days of training and their internal resolve, encouraged by the samurai, the villagers—as warriors protecting their own home—mustered the courage to resist even when facing the bizarre, horn-growing demonic humans.
Protecting one's own village was, after all, only natural.
However, because Souji was no longer there, the previous plan had been disrupted and changes had to be made.
First, Shirou sat at the center, serving as the commander. Young Yukino used her agile movements to act as a messenger, serving as the liaison between Shirou and the other defending samurai.
By the bridge, the villagers used axes to dismantle the wooden structure connecting the upper and lower village, hauling the pieces to the bank to serve as a defensive barrier.
"Gaaaaah!" The demonic bandits, their minds under control, waded through the water without fear of death, attempting to climb the bank.
A sharp arrow whistled through the air, piercing straight into the center of a demonic bandit's forehead. He collapsed into the stream and remained motionless.
It proved that these horned bandits were not invincible, and the surrounding villagers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The one responsible was the green-haired man holding a longbow, Tawara Touta. He was the one filling the gap left by Okita Souji, forced to simultaneously cover the two adjacent areas of the back mountain and the bridge. Fortunately, he could use the advantage of long-range archery to compensate for the physical exhaustion and wasted time of running back and forth.
Tawara Touta nodded to Shirou, who also carried a bow, and then headed toward the other side. Beneath the large tree in the center of the village where Shirou was stationed, he ran out and shouted loudly to the surrounding villagers.
"Don't be afraid! Aside from having a bit more strength, they aren't that impressive! Use the bamboo spears in your hands to stab them—whether it's the heart or the head! Aim for their vital points!"
"Yes!" The villagers' morale was bolstered, and they answered loudly in unison.
At the front entrance of the village, a group of bandits stepped forward with blades, hacking at the wooden wall. It looked as though they were about to smash open a new hole from the existing gaps.
"Waaaagh! Die, you bastard monsters!" The villagers inside charged forward through the gaps, thrusting their long spears.
With bamboo spears pressed against animal hides, the bandits seemed unable to feel pain. Relying on their massive strength, they pressed their chests against the bamboo spears and kept moving forward, forcing the spearmen to retreat as their feet scraped against the ground.
Two more bamboo spears stabbed into a bandit's abdomen. The villagers gritted their teeth, their faces turning red, but they still couldn't stop the bandit's advance.
At that moment, a long spear thrust out with its shaft spinning. A hole appeared in the bandit's throat, and immediately after, the bandit's head was sent flying by the sickle-blade of the specialized spearhead.
"Well done! Keep defending. As long as we don't let them in, the village is safe," Houzouin Inshun said.
Suddenly, a blurred shadow launched a surprise attack.
Several thrown kunai flew straight toward the warrior monk's shoulders and feet, seemingly intended to sever the powerful tendons in his shoulders and pin his steady feet to the ground.
At the same time, from the other side, a sickle-blade flew straight toward Houzouin Inshun's neck.
He had to face attacks from five directions at once, especially that sickle-blade. Connected to a chain wrapped around the attacking ninja girl's hand, it was like a living venomous snake, capable of changing direction at any moment—as if even if its head were cut off, it would still fly over to take a bite.
"Hah!!!" Houzouin Inshun leapt into the air, dodging two kunai, while simultaneously sweeping his spear tip to knock the kunai back toward the attacker's face.
"Ugh..." Mochizuki Chiyome endured the pain. The marks on her body became even more pronounced, and her small frame looked as if it were being squeezed, her bones letting out a piteous cry. At that exact moment, the shadow of a giant serpent behind the ninja girl opened its hideous maw, transforming into a bizarre entity between illusion and reality, biting toward Houzouin Inshun's head as if to crush it in one bite and swallow him whole.
In this perilous moment, Houzouin Inshun, holding his cross-shaped sickle-spear, was like an Arhat or Vajra-deva incarnate—impervious to evil and unafraid of any ghosts or monsters. He spun his spear and smashed it forward, sending the girl flying back with a burst of immense strength.
"Tch!" Mochizuki Chiyome, seeing that she could not defeat this monk-lancer, used a kunai stabbed into the wooden wall to vault over and flee. With her agile movements, even the sharp barbed wire strung above could not hinder her in the slightest.
Following that, unable to take the village after a long assault, a shrill whistle sounded. Mochizuki Chiyome held a leaf to her lips and blew, signaling the bandits to retreat.
From just after noon until the current late afternoon hours, the first clash of the battle had successfully been held.
Young Yukino ran to various locations to inquire about the results, then ran back to the center of the village to report to Shirou.
"At the front entrance, Lord Inshun killed one."
"Lord Tawara Touta shot one, and Lord Kojiro also killed one."
"Miss Nobu also led the villagers to hold the fields."
Young Yukino reported with a joyful smile, "No one in the village is injured."
"Very good!" Shirou answered with praise. He had previously drawn forty circles on a map, and by now, twenty-three of them had been crossed out. They had finally reduced the bandits to only seventeen.
However, the true slaughter was only just beginning.
After the daytime fighting, with those three locations remaining unbreachable, the battle at the back mountain officially commenced.
Tawara Touta, who had been roaming, now joined the defensive team at the back mountain.
Every time there was a charge, they wouldn't let the entire enemy force in; instead, they let a portion inside to "catch the turtle in a jar."
Initially, the personnel ambushed on both sides remained still. However, once two bandits charged through on horseback, they ran out to block the entrance.
"Charge!!" Tawara Touta brandished his ancestral golden greatsword, leading the villagers with bamboo spears as they rushed out from the left. Kojiro led the other villagers from the right, instantly blocking the small path leading into the village from the back mountain.
Sharp bamboo spearheads stood in the way. Even if the mounted bandits were fearless, the horses stopped and shrieked in terror upon seeing them.
Of the two bandits who had charged in, the lead horse stepped into empty space and fell into a previously dug trench.
The one behind him was wary and avoided it, but he didn't expect a tripwire to suddenly appear ahead, causing the horse to lose its balance and crash down.
Without needing anyone else to move, Shirou drew his bow and fired. Before the bandits could even fall from their horses or hit the ground, he shot them through their heads, ending their lives.
"Excellent archery!" the villagers cheered loudly.
The villagers, who had rehearsed many times, systematically dealt with the traps and led the horses away.
"Once more!" Shirou instructed Young Yukino.
"Yes!" Yukino stepped lightly and ran off quickly.
Tawara Touta once again took the lead at the very front to resist, but this time, the enemy was prepared.
"Hahaha!" A gray-blue-haired ronin riding behind a horse jumped down directly, slashing toward Tawara Touta.
Touta quickly raised his golden greatsword above his head, blocking the man's strike.
At that very instant, a dark shadow suddenly darted out from beneath the horses. With a wave of both hands, hidden weapons flew toward Touta's front, who was unable to defend himself.
Unable to dodge in time, blood splattered onto the ground.
"Hyaaah!!" Touta grew fierce and sliced off the horse's head with one blow, then proceeded to cut the bandit on its back in half at the waist.
"Lord Touta! Hah!" Kojiro swung his blade in shock and anger, forcing the enemy forces back.
But at that moment, Tawara Touta felt his vision go dark. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.
Back at the village center, Shirou, having just dealt with two more bandits, saw the girl running back with a face full of sorrow.
"Lord Tawara Touta... Lord Tawara Touta, he..." Young Yukino ran over, tears welling in her eyes.
"What!" Shirou quickly ran over.
By now, Tawara Touta had collapsed on the ground. A wound on his chest was leaking strange blood that was a mix of black and red. The area around the wound was an eerie purple-black and emitted a foul stench.
"Damn it, is it poison?" Shirou smashed his fist into the ground.
Sasaki Kojiro, standing nearby, said, "It is the lethal poison of that female ninja. I didn't expect that besides the crazed bandits and ronin, there was also a kunoichi hiding behind them. The poison released by the demon snake active on her body is a poison like a curse. There is no hope left."
"Ah, it's a potent poison. It looks like I have to exit the stage early. It's a shame I won't get to eat the victory feast you made! Don't die, General. Ah, come to think of it, I was actually already dead, haha. I should say, I hope we meet again if fate allows..." Even at the brink of death,
Tawara Touta didn't forget to joke. Having finished his last sentence with a blood-stained mouth, his breath ceased.
The group suppressed their sorrow; they had to face the cruel reality that followed.
"Whether it's that ronin or the ninja, we must deal with at least one of them now. Otherwise, having them together is too dangerous. I'll go settle one of them," Shirou said.
"No! Leave it to me. I will rest for a bit and then set out to eliminate him before the battle starts."
After saying this, Kojiro held his sword, went to a secluded spot, sat down against a wall, and closed his eyes to rest his spirit.
Everyone was used to it; if this man didn't encounter a worthy opponent or a beauty, he always maintained the silent, aloof demeanor of a master.
However, no one disturbed him. They understood that when this man opened his eyes, it would be the moment he swung his blade to kill the enemy and bring the battle to a close.
.
.
.
The sky began to darken.
Kojiro opened his eyes and set out alone, walking into the dense forest.
The night grew deeper.
But Kojiro still hadn't returned.
After the moon had passed through the center and moved toward the back, and as it approached the early morning hours, a rustling sound came from the bushes. The swordsman in the blue samurai robe finally returned. He looked a bit disheveled, but his eyes retained the sharp, piercing aura of a great grandmaster.
"I have fulfilled the mission; the samurai's head has been taken by me." Kojiro sheathed his sword and fell asleep leaning against an earthen wall next to Shirou's position.
"Fantastic!"
"Ooooh! The Samurai Lord is the best!"
The villagers broke into cheers. Even they understood that by defeating a powerful foe, they were one step closer to victory.
"Tomorrow is the battle that decides the outcome. Tonight, everyone take turns going home to see your families once more, and then come back!" Shirou said.
Hearing Shirou's words, the villagers looked at one another and then returned to their homes.
A short while later, a villager appeared carrying a tray. On it was an opened wine jar, two wine bowls, and a plate of smoked and dried meat jerky.
"This is?" Shirou asked in surprise, seeing both wine and meat.
The villager smiled and didn't answer directly, simply putting the tray down, bowing, and retreating to the other villagers to eat and drink with them.
"Bad Nobu really wasn't wrong—they really do hide good things," Shirou shook his head with a smile. This was also the survival wisdom of the villagers.
"Kojiro, eat something. There's meat jerky and wine," Shirou said.
"The rest isn't necessary, but wine is good." As Kojiro spoke, he took the wine bowl and poured two helpings onto the ground, saying, "Come, Lord Touta, have a drink as well. I know how much you enjoyed these worldly appetites."
Regarding Tawara Touta's funeral, the villagers simply sent people to bury the body on the mountain. Everyone else simply couldn't spare the manpower right now; they could only find a way to hold a proper ceremony later.
Shirou followed suit, pouring wine on the ground and saying, "Yes, Touta, I toast to you too. If there's a chance, I'll definitely treat you to a good meal again."
"It's a truly fine moonlight, and the wine is good too."
Kojiro clinked bowls with Shirou. Looking up at the full moon, so clear that one could see the Golden Toad and Jade Rabbit, he let out a sigh of praise.
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The next morning.
On the other side, the area where Maou Nobunaga was responsible for guarding the fields was much quieter. Situated on high ground that was easy to defend but hard to attack, few people came over after the first few waves of bandits were repelled.
"Keep a good watch. I'm going to check the situation on the other side," the black-haired, red-eyed girl said to the group.
"Eh? But..." the tense villagers said with some panic.
"It's nothing difficult. Just do as you did before. By the way, after I leave, you'll be in charge here, Erniu." The black-haired, red-eyed girl patted the shoulder of one of the farmers.
"Eh? Me?" The villager, Erniu, who had been fighting at the very front with a bamboo sword earlier, cried out in a daze.
"Yeah, I'm counting on you. Even if you're scared, don't run away. Everyone's lives depend on you guys." The girl gave a casual wave of her hand and left.
"Houzouin, how is the battle situation on your end?" The black-haired, red-eyed girl arrived at the village's main gate. She spoke to the group defending with spears and then turned as if to leave.
"Oh, Lord Nobu, how is it on your side?" Houzouin Inshun, focused intently on the enemy, asked without turning around.
"My side is naturally fine... but Shirou is about to lose on his end." As soon as Maou Nobunaga's words fell...
"What!?" In that split second of shock, Houzouin Inshun lost his vigilance.
Under the astonished gaze of the turning villagers, the matchlock in Nobunaga's hand was already aimed at the back of Houzouin Inshun's heart.
Bang!
A bloody, mangled hole appeared on the warrior monk's body.
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