Beneath the towering shadows of Kiyosu Castle, fear crept like creeping vines. A samurai named Chikuta Yajiemon, glimpsing a turning point in fate from the shadows, risked his clan's demise by secretly meeting with the castle lord, Sasaki Yoshimoto, and offering a plan that seemed to save his family: align with Oda Nobunaga outside the castle to overthrow the increasingly violent Oda Hikogoro.
However, whispers of a conspiracy spread faster than a blade. Oda Hikogoro's spies had already infiltrated every corner of the castle, and the treacherous plan was instantly laid out on his desk. He didn't act immediately, but a sneer played on his lips, like a dormant venomous snake, quietly waiting in the shadows for the moment to strike the fatal blow.
The Sasaki clan remained oblivious, maintaining a facade of calm. One day, unable to bear the gloom in the castle, Sasaki Yoshikane led his entourage out of the city on a hunting expedition. As he galloped across the fields, Oda Hikogoro sensed the moment had arrived. He personally led his elite warriors and brazenly surrounded his lord's residence. Amidst the clatter of swords, he forced Sasaki Yoshimoto to commit suicide on the spot to preserve the dignity of a samurai.
Amidst the clatter of horse hooves, Sasaki Yoshikane learned the devastating news on his way home. Heartbroken, he had no time to grieve. He immediately turned his horse around and, like a stray dog, led his trusted followers on a gallop to Furuno Castle, where he knelt before Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga listened silently to Sasaki Yoshikane's tearful accusations, a subtle glint in his eyes. Not only did he generously welcome this impoverished nobleman and house him in Tennobo, but he also mentally saw this as a sharp blade pointed at Kiyosu Castle.
Oda Hikogoro's murder of his lord was a heinous act of treason! Nobunaga immediately raised the banner of "suppression of rebellion" and marched his troops straight towards Kiyosu. By this time, Kiyosu Castle was already gripped by panic following Oda Hikogoro's purge. The Sasaki clan's old retainers had been nearly eliminated, with only one strategist, Sakai Daizen, remaining by his side, offering advice. It was this strategist who proposed what he considered a brilliant plan: contacting Oda Nobumitsu, who guarded Yama Castle, to jointly resist Nobunaga.
They never anticipated that Oda Nobumitsu had secretly allied himself with Nobunaga. The allied forces surged forward, quickly surrounding the inner castle where Oda Hikogoro was stationed. After a fierce battle, the rebel surrendered, while Sakai Daizen, the culprit, escaped in the chaos, a ghostly escape, and fled eastward to the Imagawa clan.
In this battle, Oda Nobunaga not only captured the strategically important Kiyosu Castle and established it as his new headquarters but also rewarded his uncle Nobumitsu with the defense of Nagoya Castle and his younger brother Nobujiru with the defense of Yama Castle.
However, beneath the throne of power, new crises always lurk. Oda Nobuji, who had become the lord of Moriyama Castle, was fishing in the river outside the castle when he encountered a samurai riding past without a salute. Furious, seeing this as an affront to his authority, Nobuji drew his bow and arrow, striking the rude samurai from his horse.
But this arrow nearly pierced the very foundation of the Oda clan. The deceased samurai was Oda Hidetaka, Nobunaga's younger brother! Upon learning his identity, Nobuji was horrified and fled the castle. Meanwhile, Hidetaka's other brother, Oda Nobuyuki, Nobunaga's younger brother, heard the tragic news and was filled with grief and indignation. He immediately dispatched troops from Suemori Castle and set fire to Moriyama Castle.
Oda Nobunaga rushed to the castle. Inside, Nobuji's old retainers, Kakuda and Takahashi, were still attempting to hold out. At the urging of his retainer, Sakuma Emon, Nobunaga's half-brother, Oda Nobutoki, attempted to take over Moriyama Castle. However, internal strife erupted within the castle, and in the chaos, Nobunaga's veteran retainers murdered Oda Nobutoki.
Faced with this chaotic situation, Oda Nobunaga displayed his unconcerned side. Rather than investigate further, he recalled the frightened Oda Nobutoki and allowed him to continue as lord of Moriyama Castle.
But after this incident, the rift within the family became apparent. Many of the older retainers grew increasingly resentful of Nobunaga's unruly and unruly demeanor and instead favored the refined and traditional Oda Nobuyuki. Having practically watched Nobuyuki grow up, they began to harbor a dangerous thought: Perhaps this gentle and refined second son was the perfect successor to the Oda family fortune. An undercurrent began to brew within the Oda family.