The Heart of the Warrior

Hideyoshi

One of the most brutal Daiymo ' s in history was right in front of me. No doubt he was judging me. With one order he could have me killed.

"Thank you for saving my precious daughter." He said as he bowed.
" Uhhhhh, no problem. "
" Will you walk with me?"
"Sure"

I walked with him deeper into the castle complex. He didn't really have the largest army. He had maybe a few hundred men maybe a thousand.

"Noah, honestly I need help. I solidified my rule by acting like God. But if I lose a battle, they will turn on me."
"Okay, so what... you want me to help."
"Exactly, our gunpowder storages are low. My troops are better with guns than swords. I hear that you have some of the best sword skills ever. Will you help us?"

I had to make a decision that just 6 months ago I denied. But this time it was different, here was a Daiymo asking for my help. If I make to big of an impression than history could change, but he is a Daiymo!

" I'll help, but I have my limits. There is a lot that I can't do."
" Understood, do my mission and training to the best of your ability. "
" Thank you, I look forward to working for you. " I replied as I bowed and walked away.
" No, thank you." He said as he walked in the direction we came.

I walked around the castle observing the engineering and technology that was needed to build it. Hundreds of thousands of years of engineering went into all the aspects of this massive ancient thing.

I walked around to the front where all the soilders were practicing. Their form was sloppy, they barely had control of their swords. It was a miracle that no one was being stabbed in the back.

I was going to have my hands full training them. But I'm willing to help. As I walked up the officers yelled at the grunts to stop and bow at me.

"Men, this is your new general. Hideyoshi!"

That name, I know it. They are pointing at me but it isn't my name. It was the name of Oda's successor. Why were they calling me that?

"Tomorrow Hideyoshi will be helping you train. You are all done for today."

As the grunts left the courtyard the large castle wall gates closed. The officer that announced me walked up to me.

"Hello Hideyoshi. How are you?"
"That's not my name."
"I know, I was one of the samurai you saved a few months ago. Oda has ordered that you be called Hideyoshi. He doesn't want the men to freak out that we have a man from a different world."
"Understood, sorry for being rude. I'm fine, how are you?"
"Well considering I'm speaking with the man that saved my life.. I'm great. "

How many people know me? Are most of the people I saved here?

" I didn't save your life, you did it yourself... What is your name?"
"Oh sorry, I'm Ryuu."
" Alright I remember you now. So I'm Hideyoshi now, how did Oda come up with that? "
"It was the name of the young man that died when you saved me. "
" Oh, damn. Well then I will honor his name. "
"You will bring it to new heights. "

Ryuu showed me to where I would be staying. It was a small room in the castle, although it was small it was comfortable.

" Thank you Ryuu. I'll see you tomorrow. "
" Sooner, Oda is having a party slash meeting to celebrate Asika and your safe arrival. They will also be planning an invasion. "
" Understood I'll be there. "

Ryuu left me to be all alone in my room. I took Senshi and Murasame off and threw them aside. I flopped down on the bed and my eyelids began to grow heavy and I fell asleep.

************************

The nightmares never end. They never will, but this nightmare was worse than anyone I've had before.

Blood poured all over the ground, a never ending stream of thick red liquid. I was face down on the ground, blood soaked into my hair and clothes.

In front of me was the source of the blood. A lifeless body was laying in front of me, the only movement was the blood coming out.

The body was clearly a friend, I tried to rise but immediately I was kicked down. A man had his foot on me, he looked into my eyes and said "The pain of a lost love one is unbearable, I will show you a mercy you did not show me."

He raised his sword and began to bring it down. Before the sword hit me, it was stopped. I looked up but before I could see what was going on I woke up.

*******************************

The room was dark, quiet, and humid. Rain poured outside and was causing discomfort. What time was it? Did I miss the party?

*Knock Knock

"Who's there?"
"It's Ryuu, the party is in half an hour, you better be there."
"Thank you."

A lantern hanged on a hook and started a spark on the oil and observed my surroundings. Apparently someone had been inside my room while I slept. There was a pile of clothes on a chair in the corner of the room.

It had been so long since I changed clothes. Usually I only took my cloak off, my undershirt hadn't came off since I bought it in Kyoto.

There was a mirror in the room and the reflection looked nothing like me. Scars lined my body from my thighs to my shoulders I was covered in battle wounds. My hair... oh God my hair is bad. It must have grown 6 inches. I knew it was long, but it was longer than I expected.

I grabbed Senshi and began to cut away at the tangled mess. The hair slowly fell off until I got down to the scalp. My face was next, it was covered in dirt and blood. There was a pot in the corner of the room full of water. I washed the dirt off and for the first time in a while I felt clean.

I put on the robe in my room and walked out to the courtyard. There was maybe 30 people there drinking and celebrating. Oda was surrounded by several drunk men. On the other side of the courtyard was Leyasu and Ryuu. It had been a long time since I've been to a party, I looked down at my watch.

It was like those old clocks that flip over when the time changed. I watched as the month section flipped over. It was official I have now been in Japan 18 months.

" Noah... oh wait Hideyoshi. You want a drink? "

Leyasu extended his arm with a sake bottle in it. He was clearly the most drunk person there.

" Thank you Leyasu. "

The sake was probably the best that I ever had. And that is saying something because over 18 months I've probably had 1 gallon of sake.

The party was nice, the food was good, the sake was better, but the reason I was there was for the planning.

After about an hour Oda got up and announced, the meeting will now begin. Please take a seat, sober up, and participate.

I sat down between Ryuu and Leyasu, and put my full attention to Oda. But I couldn't help notice someone by Nobunaga, it was Asika.

" Our scouts report that an army of 25000 is marching towards Kyoto. Currently we only have 3000. This meeting is to plan our course of action. "

25 thousand, what the f@$? How are we suppose to fight that?
We are so outnumbered it's not even funny. Wasn't this battle in history I read about? Ya I think it was, how did it end again?