Naruto The Warlord

Chapter 5

Standing on top of the wall, over the gate which pointed out towards 'The Quiet Vein', Naruto narrowed his eyes upon the movement in the forest. He could see armored men scouting for the village and he knew the Daimyo's men were soon upon them.

Hours had passed since they made ready for war and the sun was now in full bloom above them. Its glaring heat went ignored in favor of pre-battle nerves.

An archer next to Naruto, a boy younger than himself, suddenly heaved and puked, nerves obviously not agreeing with his last meal. Naruto ignored it, despite his sympathies and continued to scout ahead into the forest. Minutes passed and the scouts eventually disappeared into the forest.

This was it.

Naruto knew the Daimyo's men wouldn't stop to parlay with them. In their eyes, they were criminals and murderers, rebelling against their rightful lord and undeserving any mercy. When they came, they would throw everything they had into a decisive blow; such was their way of the sword.

Seeing movement in the forest, Naruto could hear the sound of horses galloping along with the warcry of a hundred men.

The sound sent a shiver down Naruto's spine, but he refused to let it show.

"Open the gate!", Naruto barked and turned briskly, making his way down the ramps on the wall. Men yelled in confirmation and opened the gate before the wide row of men which Naruto would personally lead into battle. Coming down the ramp, Naruto gave Shou who would fight alongside of him a nod, before facing the gate. Taking a deep breath, Naruto tried to calm his beating heart. "Forward.", he said in a firm voice and Shou nodded.

"Forward!", Shou roared.

"Osu!", the men behind them yelled. Breaking into a jog, the entire platoon behind him mirrored his movement and followed bravely out the gate.

His shield and javelin in his left hand felt light, his halberd in his right bobbing along with his jogging steps. Adrenaline was beginning to rush past his ears now in preparation for the coming battle. He couldn't imagine how it was for those behind him, those who had never been in a true battle for life and death.

As the last man left the gate, it was promptly shut behind them. They jogged quickly past the many wooden palisades which laid around the village and into the open, flat field in front of them that was between them and the forest.

The sounds of horses and warcries from the forest were loud now.

"Spread out.", Naruto said to Shou, coming to a stop as the rest halted behind him. "Loose formation."

"Spread out! Loose formation!", Shou roared next to him. The platoon moved out into a line with 5 rows, about a 30 men in width, making them a force of about 150 fighting men. The group of archers behind them which had followed crouched and waited behind their lines. "Stand ready!"

"Osu!", they thundered again as they pointed their spears forward in a hunched and battle ready position.

Every breath felt as if it was unnaturally long now. The urge to hyperventilate had began to grow and Naruto had to remind himself to breathe slowly.

200 meters in front of them, a contingent of samurai on horseback came riding out of the forest, straight for them. Their warcries thundered across the field, shaking the men in their shoes.