The name of the great swordsman begins in Okehazama.

Shinsuke Mori squinted, observing the pursuing enemy forces. Their formation was scattered, and the trees and bushes obscured their vision.

He was preparing to launch a counterattack.

At most, the enemy has only three hundred men. With our troops plus Niwa Nagahide's, we can easily defeat them.

Besides, the fact that the monkey has risen to such a high position in the world must mean he has some good fortune, so we shouldn't lose with him by our side.

"Monkey, how many people did you bring?"

Hideyoshi's face stiffened. "There are only thirty-odd people left..."

"Give me all your men. You ride my horse and tell Lord Niwa to lead the rest of your men around from the side."

"You're going to launch a counterattack?"

"Stop talking nonsense, trust me, this is your chance to make a name for yourself. Run fast when the time comes, and I'll give you credit!"

Before he finished speaking, Shinsuke lowered his body and walked forward.

Hideyoshi was so eager to improve himself that he actually believed Shinsuke's nonsense and ordered his men to follow Shinsuke.

The hilly terrain did indeed limit the mobility of the cavalry. The cavalry captain of the Nagai family was clearly aware of this and was preparing to await the troops of Ichihashi Nagatoshi and Marumo Mitsukane.

However, before the team could even leave the hilly area, several people had already been stabbed down by bamboo spears.

"Don't poke people! Poke the horse's leg!"

As Shinsuke shouted, many enemies immediately fell off their horses!

Seeing an opportunity from his vantage point, Niwa Nagahide believed he had a chance and immediately sent his monkey to provide support.

When the enemy's troops, led by Ichihashi Nagatoshi and Marushige Mitsukane, arrived, they immediately joined the melee, and a large-scale battle involving only 600 people broke out in an instant.

Shinsuke didn't have much of an advantage against cavalry, but against enemy foot soldiers who were poorly equipped and trained, he was like a demon invincible force, taking them down one by one with each swift stroke. Before he knew it, he had reached Ichihashi Nagatoshi.

Ichihashi really had guts; seeing this killing machine, he wasn't intimidated at all, and charged forward on horseback with his spear in hand...

When Hideyoshi arrived on horseback, Ichihashi had already fallen to the ground, and his warhorse was only hopping around on its two legs.

"Your head is on the balance, remember how good your brother was to you!"

Hideyoshi quickly said "okay" and stabbed Ichihashi to death with one spear. The whole process was so smooth and fluid that he probably practiced it in his dreams.

Without command, the Ichihashi army quickly collapsed, and Marumo Mitsukane's troops and the remaining cavalry of the Nagai family immediately withdrew from the battle.

That's how battles were at that time. Sometimes, a thousand men would fight on both sides, and the outcome could be decided with less than a hundred men dying.

Hideyoshi looked at Shinsuke, his eyes filled with admiration. "Lord Shinsuke, Nagai Eiyasu's main force is almost here. He's a veteran of the Saito clan..."

Shinsuke looked north; the smoke and dust were indeed getting closer.

A crazy idea took shape in his mind.

"Monkey, dare to go crazy with me one more time?"

Hideyoshi blinked: "Please speak, my lord."

"We're not going back to the riverbank." Shinsuke pointed west. "Do you know where Ichihashi Nagatoshi's territory is?"

"It seems to be in Ikeda! I know that road well!"

"Nagai originally intended to drive us out and wipe out our rearguard. But if we go and burn down Ichibashi's territory now, would he dare to pursue us?"

Hideyoshi paused for a moment, then suddenly grinned: "Brilliant! But what about our lord!"

"Our lord can see the opportunity." Shinsuke mounted his horse. "Tell Lord Niwa that I will now take on the responsibility of the rearguard. Let him cross the river and rendezvous with our lord!"

……

When Nagai Weian arrived at the hills, his face was pale.

He hadn't expected that while the main force of Oda's army had already crossed the river, the 300-strong rear guard would launch a counterattack.

Ichihashi Nagatoshi's troops were routed, and his precious cavalry suffered losses. He couldn't swallow this insult!

"Sir, shall we continue the pursuit?" Marumo Mitsukane asked cautiously.

Now the enemy has not only not been driven out, but has instead penetrated deep into western Mino, which is a mountainous area, making it even more difficult for cavalry to maneuver.

If they are allowed to burn, kill, and plunder within their territory, the local powers there will likely be dissatisfied with the Saito family's response.

He finally ordered, "Pursue this remnant force. They number no more than a hundred; they can't have gone far! Go and request reinforcements from the lord."

When the Nagai army chased for five miles and arrived at the first village, they found it in complete chaos.

He no longer needed to ask where Oda's army was going, because another fire broke out not far away.

"Chase!"

"My lord, Oda's army has crossed the river and is attacking!"

Nagai Weian felt a chill run down his spine.

The territory that was burned wasn't his, and at most he'd get a scolding from his lord if he went back. But if he suffered losses on both sides after splitting his forces, the responsibility would be too great.

He gritted his teeth. "The entire army is ready to meet the enemy at Nagara River!"

On the high ground west of the Nagara River, Nobunaga watched from afar as the Nagai army returned to form their battle lines, and he laughed heartily.

"Well done, Shinsuke."

"My lord, should we urge Lord Niwa to cross the river?" Maeda Toshiie asked.

"No," Nobunaga shook his head. "Let Nagai Eiyasu wait. Tell Goroza to retreat to the east bank of the Nagara River. If the enemy dares to pursue, cross the river to scare them!"

"But Shinsuke-sama and the others are still in Mino..."

"It's precisely because we're here that Nagai doesn't dare pursue Shinsuke and the others! Fools! If we just stall for half a day, we can retreat."

The reinforcements from Inabayama Castle arrived in about half a day, but Oda's scouts did not see any sign of Saito Yoshitatsu's troops.

It seems that Saito Yoshitatsu also saw through the entire battle.

……

That night, under the cover of darkness, Shinsuke and Hideyoshi made their way to the Kiso River, crossed it, and returned to the heart of Owari Province.

Outside Qingzhou City, the rearguard and the main force successfully reunited.

"Haha! You're back!" Nobunaga strode forward, patted Shinsuke on the shoulder forcefully, then looked at Hideyoshi, "I heard you captured their general?"

At this moment, Hideyoshi had lost all his battlefield shrewdness. He was so nervous that he was at a loss for what to do. He hurriedly took a cloth-wrapped object off his horse and carefully presented it to Nobunaga.

The cloth bag was untied, revealing Ichihashi Nagatoshi's frozen, astonished face.

"Reporting, reporting to my lord!" Hideyoshi's voice trembled, but he tried to straighten his back. "This is the head of Ichihashi Nagatoshi, a powerful clan leader from western Mino! It was taken by my men after Lord Mori Shinsuke bravely shot him down!"

Shinsuke was speechless; monkeys these days are too docile.

Although Ichihashi Nagatoshi was not a general of the Saito family, he was a well-known powerful clan in western Mino, and this achievement was not insignificant.

"Good! What a fine 'finishing shot'! Monkey, you're quite honest! From this day forward, you, Kinoshita Hideyoshi, will receive an annual stipend of fifty koku!"

Hideyoshi was stunned for a moment, until Maeda Toshiie whispered a reminder to him, at which point he snapped out of his daze, knelt down with a thud, and banged his forehead heavily on the ground: "Thank you, thank you for your great kindness, my lord! I will repay you with my life!"

"Shin-suke," Nobunaga's smile faded slightly, but his eyes sharpened further, "Do you know how you should be punished according to military law for this unauthorized advance and your solo deep penetration behind enemy lines?"

Shinsuke felt that Nobunaga was picking a fight, so he said, "Just tell me whether I am a prince or not!"

You may complain in your heart, but you still have to explain it out loud.

"My mission was to cover the army's retreat. I even covered Lord Niwa's escape, so I think I did nothing wrong!"

Nobunaga thought this explanation seemed reasonable, so he changed the subject and asked, "What if Nagai Mamoru keeps pressing you?"

To climb the ladder, you still have to flatter people!

"With our lord's wisdom, there will naturally be corresponding actions."

Nobunaga smiled and nodded. "Hmm, well said. Their merits and demerits cancel each other out!"