Oni: Tale of Four Warriors

Chapter 24: Kakehiki

The warriors all sits on the ground defeated, letting the rain washes their pain. Miyamoto scoffs and kicks the grass before he turns to everyone and yells "Damn it! We cannot lose now! We have done so much to get to where we are now!" The Samurai just looks down, Hachi steps forward and shakes his head "That is the point Ogawa, we have done so much. We've gotten tired..." Koji, Sayaka and Yuriko join Miyamoto at a front. Koji looks at each one of the people and sigh "You're tired, Miyamoto and Yuriko is tired. Sayaka and I too is tired. We all is, restless. Exhausted and out of energy. But what about our people? What about your wife, your kids, should they feel what we feel? The Shogun, has done everything for us. Should he too suffer?" All the samurai looks down.

Tesso approaches from the graves as he says "My wife's death will not be in vain..." Koji nods and turns back to the samurai "Stand up! Our fight has yet to over, as long as we breathe, and as long as we have things to protect. We cannot give up! Do you hear me?" All the Samurai stands and nods, Hachi steps forward "But my lord, what do we do now?" Koji sigh and holds Hachi's shoulder as he says "We march back to the fortress, make sure their family is save. Then we talk strategy on how to bring down the Kurosawa." Miyamoto and Tomoe steps as Miyamoto says "We'll get your friend Mitsuhade and the others to join us back to the fortress. We do not have much time before the Kagesama returns to their castle." Koji nods and tells Miyamoto and Tomoe to hurry over to the castle.

As they rides toward the castle, Koji begins to lead the samurai back to the fortress. On their way there, Koji clears his throat "We will have to declare war against the enemy. Let them know we're coming. But with the element of surprise." Hachi raises his brow and ask "How are you planning to do that my lord?" Koji shrugs and rides away. Time passes, it has been at least two days of riding until they got close to the fort. They notices the little amount of Kagesama samurai trying to break in, quickly Koji and the Kagesama warrior charges toward the enemy on their horse. As they got close, Koji jumps off his horse and kicks one of the Kagesama samurai on their chest, dropping them to the ground before together the warrior fights and slain the enemy. The warrior runs in and hugs their family as Koji slain the last of the enemy. Miyamoto and Tomoe arrives together with Mitsuhade and the other shortly, Miyamoto climbs off his horse and smiles "Good thing you got back in time, those are the one that manages to slipped passed us."

Koji chuckles and pats Miyamoto's arm before he walks into the fortress and yells "Everyone is safe! I'm glad, now we'd want to keep it this way, so we will have to defeat the Kurosawa!" Hachi turns to Koji and ask "But we have lost our leader. The Shogun has yet to even assist us. What do we do?" Koji smiles and say "From now on, you are no longer the warrior of Kagesama, after the war. We will all declare to be, the Masaharu clan... Together, we will save this land!"

Black smoke fills the stormy skies, the warriors collected metal and ash from the previous battlefield. Forging an armor and weapon for them. The sound of hammer clangs in the air as the blacksmith hits their hammer on the smoldering steel. Sayaka and few other begins to mix the ash with some water and spreads in on a cloth. The warriors has returned back to the Kagesama fortress, they make use of every little time they have to prepare for the attack. They begins to hunt for cow's skin to make the armor. Koji, Mitsuhade and Hachi paces around the warriors and villagers that agrees to joins in the battle. Sayaka remains with the mother and children, calming them. While Miyamoto, Tomoe and Yuriko is on their horses making sure no enemy is nearby yet.

Hachi stomp his Naginata on the ground as he yells "Who are you?!" The warriors replies in unison "We are the loyal servant to the shogun!" Koji smiles and steps forward as he says "Today we struggles. Next week, we strive for victory, and bring peace... To us, our family... And our land!" Hachi nods and yells "For Masaharu!" The Warriors all yells together "For Masaharu!" Mitsuhade joins in with the warrior and lead them to do more training.

Koji walks into a shack, he joins Miyamoto, Yuriko and Sayaka at the strategy table. Koji leans on the table as he ask "So, to declare our war. I am leaving that to you Miyamoto." Miyamoto nods. Koji turns to Yuriko and say "Yuriko, as far as we know, The Kumamoto Castle does not have much mountain terrain for our archer. Do you have any idea on how to position them?" Yuriko nods and points at a river as she says "The Tsuboi River, us archers will charges from the town. And take cover at the riverside behind a boulder or anything that was designated there. Team archer B in the other hand will charges from the horse, led by Tomoe. But I need our infantry to break through the gate first before Tomoe can charges too." Koji nods, he turns to Sayaka as he says "Sayaka and I will handle that, we will support our army to bring the battering ram towards the gate." Sayaka shakes her head and say "It'll take more than what we have to charge our battering ram toward the gate. Even if we gets help from another force, before we know it, we'd lose too much warriors." Koji nods in agreement and sigh as he says "I have one more way..." Miyamoto chuckles as he looks at Koji and ask "The dishonored way?" Koji groans and nods.

Before Koji dismisses the others, helooks at each one of his alliance "I must say, this may not be the proudest forcesI've ever lead. But it is the best among all..." Yuriko nods with a smile. Sayaka puts her fist on the table. Soon, Koji, Miyamoto and Yuriko joins in theirfist, Koji smiles "No matter what happens, I am glad we are all in this together." They all smiles at each other and walks out of the shack, only to find Shinsengumi approaches their fort. Koji walks toward them and ask "Who is your leader? And why are you here?" Hijikata Toshizo walks out of the army and smiles at Koji as he says"Pleasure to meet you Lord Masaharu." Koji shakes Toshizo's hand as he ask,"How the Shinsengumi did knows of our movement?" Toshizo answers that word travels fast in this small island. Koji and Toshizo walks inside the fort asthey chats. Toshizo nods and pats Koji's back as he say "It is a good deed forthe Shogun, about what you are doing now. I will make sure your wish to restore the Masaharu clan with this warriors is granted. Of course, after this war with Kurosawa alliance rebellion." They both look after the Warriors training as they wait for the time of the war to begin.