Traveling the Heavens in Thunderbolt

Chapter 536 The situation in Kyoto

In Kyoto, Japan, Ryumasa Sanada watched the battle reports from the front line and handled logistical matters for more than 300,000 troops.

At this time, the guard came to report, "Your Excellency, please do not summon me outside the gate to see you."

"It seems that the matter of the God of War has been dealt with. Well, let him in."

After Mo Zhaonu led Cao Isshiki in, Sanada Ryumasa asked, "Mo Zhaonu, judging from your expression, did you encounter any unexpected events during this trip?"

Cao Yishi replied: "Sanada Ryumasa, you don't know. This time, Mo Zhaonu and I almost lost our lives."

"what happened?"

Mo Zhaonu then recounted what he encountered during this trip, "Cao Yise and I took the God of War to Shenye Mountain. We originally wanted to find the God's Legacy Clan and treat the God of War's injuries. Unexpectedly, we encountered people from the God's Legacy Clan escaping. I heard the details."

"The God's Legacy was destroyed by the Cruel Alliance. How could this be possible?"

"That's the truth. According to Miss Yuan Ji's description, the people who attacked the God's Legacy Clan had no intention of hiding anything. If my inference is correct, the Cruel Alliance should also be a secret stake arranged by the Buried Soul Emperor in Japan. Back then, the Western Sword School swept across the Western Sea Road and destroyed countless sects. This group of people mixed in, claiming that their sects were destroyed by the Western Sword School, and took advantage of the situation to form the so-called Cruel Alliance. On the surface, they are opposed to the Western Sword School, but in fact, like the Western Sword School, they use the struggles in the Japanese court to strengthen themselves and prepare for the Buried Soul Emperor's attack on Japan."

Sanada Ryumasa sighed, "How many forces has the Soul Burial Emperor planted in my Japan? How many people have secretly joined him? This question is really chilling."

"I'm afraid only the Soul Burial Emperor can answer this question for you. Even many of the Emperor's blood relatives have surrendered to the Soul Burial Emperor, so you can imagine how powerful the forces behind this are. In other words, the Soul Burial Emperor must have had plans for Japan a long time ago, otherwise he wouldn't have deployed so many forces. This also explains why he knows Japan's coastal defense so well. It seems that Japan's so-called expansion plan is just an excuse for the Soul Burial Emperor to attack Japan in advance. It is not even ruled out that he is behind this." Mo Zhaonu put forward the speculations he made through his observations during this period of time.

"Now that I think about it, the reason why Shenwu Xiongba went against his usual practice and ordered Yan Tang to commit suicide was not only because he wanted to get rid of the donkey after it had done its work, but also because he wanted to gather the forces of Japan so that the Western Sword School and the Cruel Alliance could destroy all the forces of Japan in one fell swoop."

"So, it has come to this critical moment. Sanada Ryumasa, don't tell me that you didn't do anything while I was healing the military god."

"Mo Zhaonu has been working hard for the God of War, so how can I not show my appreciation? I believe the Sword Saint is on his way."

Cao Yisese was shocked and said, "What!? The Sword Master actually took action. There has been no news of him in the martial arts world for sixty years."

"Come to think of it, I have to thank Shenwu Xiongba."

"why?"

"If it weren't for the two sword masters under his command, Ryomine Sadayoshi would never have been able to persuade the Sword Saint to come out of seclusion."

Mo Zhaonu had already guessed how Sanada Ryuzheng had persuaded the Sword Saint to come out of seclusion, "Did you show the sword marks left by the two sword energies that day to the Sword Saint?"

"That's right. According to Ryoumine Sadayoshi, the Sword Saint didn't want to intervene at first. But after seeing the two sword marks, he changed his mind and wanted to fight the two swordsmen. He even estimated that one of them had reached the realm of 'man and sword unity'. The other's swordsmanship was no less advanced than his. This was also the reason why the Sword Saint was willing to intervene."

At this time, Cao Yisese noticed that Mo Zhaonu looked a little unhappy, and asked, "Mo Zhaonu, the Sword Saint has taken action, and the God of War will soon recover, so why are you still frowning?"

Mo Zhaonu expressed his worries. "Under the command of Shenwu Xiongba and his son, there are two sword masters who can interest even a sword saint. In addition, there is the royal family's top master, Huang Ying. This does not include the forces that have not yet revealed themselves and the Zanghun Emperor who has not yet taken action."

He then asked, "Sanada Ryumasa, how is the defense of Osaka going?"

"Because of the incident at Sakai Port last time, I have ordered the strengthening of the defensive offensive against Osaka. Based on the experience of last time, the troops will be deployed far away from the coast, and the three important roads leading to Tamba, Kyoto, and Osaka will be blocked by the mountains. This will prevent the Soul Burial Emperor's army from landing and cutting off our army's retreat. The Western Sword Style's Spirit Ninja Force was blocked by the more than 300,000 troops commanded by Yoshimine Sadayosuke in the territory of Tamba on the Sanindou Road."

"To avoid any more accidents, I have to rush to Osaka to prevent the Soul Burial Emperor from really landing there."

"With you, Mo Zhaonu, here in Osaka, Sanada Ryumasa can rest assured." At this moment, there was a sudden violent shaking. Then, a series of piercing noises spread throughout Kyoto.

Upon hearing the sound, Sanada Ryumasa and Mo Zhaonu, who were in the house, hurried out to check and saw a strange light tainting the sky.

"That's the direction of Osaka, right?"

"Oh no, oh no, Master Dazai."

"Why are you so alarmed?"

The guards hurriedly reported the information from Osaka, "Your Excellency, the messengers scattered around Osaka sent back news that the Soul Burial Emperor's army has landed in Osaka, breached the defense line, and is heading straight for Kyoto."

"You're here so quickly. How about I arrange for troops to guard the important roads?"

The guard told another piece of despairing news. "According to the surviving messenger, the shock just now was caused by the enemy's warships firing. Our troops stationed at various important roads have been flattened along with the defensive offensive."

"So this is the reason why the Soul Burial Emperor attacked Sakai Port. It was because I, Sanada Ryumasa, was careless." Only then did Sanada Ryumasa understand the Soul Burial Emperor's intention of attacking Sakai Port that day.

The purpose is to make him misjudge the attack range of the battleship's cannon. According to the experience of Japan's ultimate weapon, Tenkōge, the preconceived meaning is that the battleship's attack range is the same as Tenkōge.

They built offensive lines on various important roads near Osaka, thinking that even if Osaka fell, they could still use the terrain to resist the enemy.

The Soul Burial Emperor took advantage of this opportunity to clear the obstacles from Osaka to Kyoto, annihilated the defensive forces around Kyoto in one fell swoop, and cut off the retreat of the more than 300,000 Japanese troops.

"Mo Zhaonu, I have something to trouble you with."

Mo Zhaonu already understood what Sanada Ryumasa was going to say, "Sanada Ryumasa, I know what you are going to say. There is no force between Osaka and Kyoto that can stop the Soul Burial Emperor's army. The most important thing is to preserve the manpower of the more than 300,000 troops. I will notify Yoshimine Sadayori at the front with Kusa Isshiki to retreat."

"please."

"Please." As this matter concerned the life and death of Japan, Mo Zhaonu and Cao Yisese did not dare to stay for a moment and hurried to the front-line military camp.

After Mo Zhaonu left, Sanada Ryumasa ordered the guards, "Pass my order down. All the famous samurai families in Kyoto must immediately hand over their private soldiers. I will command them."

"Yes."

"Also, how is the progress of the things I asked the craftsmen to make?"

"Reporting to the Lord, after the order was issued, the craftsmen in the capital worked day and night and finally completed it two days ago. It is now ready for your use."

"Okay. Go down and get ready."

"Yes."

Sanada Ryumasa looked at the storm coming in the distance and made a surprising decision, "Soul Burial Emperor, you want to destroy my Japan, then I, Sanada Ryumasa, will make you pay an unimaginable price."

Thanks to Wu Mengsheng for the generous reward.

(End of this chapter)