Yashiro the Blind

Once the opponent's mount is overwhelmed, the outcome of the battle is no longer in doubt.

This style of fighting may not be honorable, but battlefield confrontations, unlike sword duels, don't have high moral standards. Skills like the counterattack and deadly moves are commonplace, and the dragging-blade maneuver is Guan Yu's most prized technique. Now that lives are at stake, the only one to blame is the opponent for not having a good horse—

The thought had barely crossed his mind when suddenly a chill ran down his spine. Miyoshi Masayasu snapped back to reality and saw Ii Naotora pull the reins with his left hand to steady his warhorse, while his right hand flicked the spear, which, like a viper spitting its tongue, pierced straight at the black horse's foreleg!

How is that possible... so fast!?

He instinctively tried to swing his staff to block, but the force of the previous blow had not yet dissipated, and his arm was sore and numb that he could no longer exert any force. He had no choice but to grit his teeth and pull the reins hard, causing his mount to retreat several steps backward, narrowly dodging the spear thrust.

Before Miyoshi Masayasu could even catch his breath, in the next instant, the eighteen-foot spear that seemed to have exhausted all its strength suddenly retracted and thrust forward, actually changing from a thrust to a parry, heading straight for his own chest!

"This……"

That fierce thrust was actually a feint, an unexpected change that caught Miyoshi Masayasu off guard and put him at a disadvantage!

From the two exchanges just now, he had roughly estimated the strength of the woman opposite him. He knew that if she were to be hit by this spear, even with the protection of armor, she would break at least five, six, seven or eight bones.

Ignoring the pain in her arm, she forcefully swung the iron rod, intending to force back the spear. Unexpectedly, Ii Naotora did not fight back this time. Just as the two weapons were about to clash again, the woman suddenly changed her move. The eighteen-foot spear spun in her hand, and it was just like a living snake. It smoothly bypassed the sweeping iron rod and then moved forward, hitting Miyoshi Masayasu's right wrist, which was holding the rod, squarely!

He was clad in armor, providing excellent protection. The spearhead pierced the iron gauntlet but did not damage the flesh underneath. However, Miyoshi Masayasu felt an immense force surge towards him, as if his entire arm had been struck by a giant iron hammer. He could no longer hold onto the weapon, and with a clang, the iron rod fell to the ground!

Unexpectedly, the weapon flew out of his hand so easily. The man on horseback stared wide-eyed in disbelief. Just as he was about to draw his sword to continue fighting, Ii Naotora was a step faster. He released the reins, held the spear with both hands, and wielded it like a club. With a clean and decisive sweep, carrying immense force, he slammed it solidly into Miyoshi Masayasu!

If the previous thrust was like a hammer blow, then at this moment, Miyoshi Masayasu felt as if he had been struck head-on by a towering mountain or a raging torrent that had gone out of control. He had no strength left to resist, let out a loud cry, tumbled off his horse, fell heavily to the ground, spat out a mouthful of blood, and then collapsed to the ground, where he remained silent.

The black horse, having lost its master, was unharmed, but remained snorting and pacing restlessly.

Ii Naotora glanced at the horse a few times, seemingly lost in thought. Suddenly, as if he had made a decision, he reached out and took the reins of the black horse, then pulled it around in circles a few times.

Only after the other party gradually calmed down did he leap up and, with a single bound, sit steadily on the back of the black steed—the latter did not resist at all, but instead obediently lowered its head.

It seemed to be a sign of submission to its new master.

From swinging an iron rod to unleashing a serpent spear, the attacks were executed with lightning speed. The two exchanged blows in just a few rounds, yet the renowned Miyoshi Masayasu was already lying on the ground, his fate unknown. Even his prized horse, a gift from Miyoshi Nagayoshi, was snatched away by his opponent.

The outcome is now clear.

Perhaps the result was too shocking, for the next half minute or so, both armies remained silent, and no one dared to utter a sound.

Suddenly, from the Ashikaga vanguard composed of ronin and samurai, a somewhat plump figure rushed out, stood before Ii Naotora, reached out to grab the warhorse that had been "cruelly abandoned," took a deep breath, and shouted:

"The enemy general, Miyoshi Shimotsuke no Kami Masayasu, has been defeated by my lord, Ii Naotora!"

It was none other than Okuyama Rokuzaemon.

After shouting that, he took a couple of breaths, raised his right hand, and yelled again, "Hey! Hey!"

"Oh!"

The rest of the forwards seemed to snap out of their daze and joined in the shouting.

"hey-hey!"

"Oh!"

The sound traveled farther and farther, growing louder and louder. What started as just a few hundred ronin and samurai shouting gradually drew in soldiers from other factions, who spontaneously joined in the shouting. Eventually, it became a chorus of 20,000 people, a cacophony of cheers and neighing horses, a sound that seemed to stop the clouds in their tracks!

Actually, the shouting and hawking that was originally something that Ii Naotora should have done himself, but since Okuyama Rokuzaemon took the initiative to do it, the woman quietly sat on the black horse that she had just acquired.

She first looked back at the flag bearing the inlaid crest symbolizing the Tōtōmi Ii family, then turned her gaze to the Miyoshi army not far in front of her, where people were leaning against each other and guns were pointed at each other.

The time has come.

A sudden realization dawned on Naotora, and she lowered her head, meeting the gaze of Okuyama Rokuzaemon. This young samurai, who had followed her all the way from Tōtōmi, was not the type to be brave and skilled in battle, yet now he too looked eager and brimming with fighting spirit.

"Naotora-sama!"

"Sixth Left, bring me my knife."

She simply gave the order.

Rokuzaemon responded loudly, took the nodachi from another warhorse beside him, and presented it with both hands.

Although Yashiro was there to guide her, the time was still short, and Naotora wasn't yet proficient in using her left hand. So, when facing Miyoshi Masayasu, she only used her spear. At that moment, as Naotora drew her sword, one side of the mirror-like blade reflected the midday sun, while the other side reflected the woman's calm eyes.

Even after a fierce battle, there was still little killing intent in her eyes; in fact, one could almost glimpse a trace of pity. And what was the object of her pity...? Was it the defeated enemy general beside her, or the soldiers on both sides who were about to lose their lives on this battlefield?

No one knows the answer.

The next moment, a conch shell began to sound behind them—

This is the order to advance, which came from the main camp.

Sure enough, she knew the general wouldn't miss this opportunity. So, then…

"Follow me on the assault!"

Raising his voice, he suddenly let out a shout, and without turning his head, Zhihu seemed not to care at all whether the others would follow. Before his words had even finished, he spurred his horse forward, one man on horseback, sword in his left hand and spear in his right, and resolutely launched a charge towards the sixteen or seventeen thousand men in front of him!

……

Chapter 427 Tiger Fights Dragon Battle

Only at this moment did Miyoshi Nagayoshi realize that he seemed to have made several grave mistakes:

Deploying troops with their backs to the river is a major taboo in military strategy, because if the battle situation becomes unfavorable, one's own troops will not be able to retreat in time, and in the worst case, they may become pigs and sheep, slaughtered by others.

But as the saying goes, there are no fixed formations in warfare, just as water has no fixed shape. Thousands of years ago, there was the story of Han Xin, the "God of War," who fought a battle with his back to the river and defeated the enemy army. His theory itself—"Throw them into a place of certain death and they will live; trap them in a place of certain death and they will survive"—is also a teaching in Sun Tzu's Art of War, and it certainly sounds very reasonable.

Therefore, throughout history and across the world, there has never been a shortage of similar attempts. Some have succeeded by taking a desperate gamble, while others have suffered a crushing defeat and a miserable end. But before the results are in, every general making the decision probably thinks he is sure to be the winner.

Sanhao Changyi is no exception.

In his mind, the Miyoshi clan had fought in the north and south for many years and was a formidable and powerful army. In terms of strength, they were naturally much stronger than the group of defeated enemies on the other side. Since the strength of the two sides was about the same, the only concern was the possible reinforcements from the Rokkaku family.

Now that the entire army is backed by the Yodo River, there is no fear of being attacked from both sides, so they can fight with all their might. In order to increase the chances of victory, he specially arranged for Miyoshi Masayasu and his subordinates to serve as the vanguard, which was a desperate and hopeless plan.

Given Miyoshi Masayasu's character, he would undoubtedly consider being captured a great disgrace. Given a chance to avenge himself, this fierce general would be willing to fight to the death. When equipment and training levels are not significantly different, the outcome of a battle often depends on the morale of both sides. A single charge by an elite force can sometimes even turn the tide of the entire battle.

Over the past few decades, Miyoshi Nagayoshi had witnessed this scene more than once... but this time, the warrior who could decide the outcome of the battle stood on the opposite side of him.

Woohoo!

The sound of the conch shell signaling the attack echoed in his ears. He sat in the center of his main force, gripping his military paddle tightly, staring intently at the armored figure and the black horse charging towards him!

Naotora Ii took the lead and charged into the encirclement alone. At first, many people raised their weapons and shouted as they rushed forward, but the tall woman would wield a large sword or a long spear, and often, in the blink of an eye, several soldiers would fall to the ground and roll around, screaming in agony.

Some of the blood splattered in the air, while some splashed onto that simple torso. In an instant, the originally black armor was stained with a bright red color, becoming extremely dazzling. Against that white jade-like face, it was almost like a ghost or god, making people tremble with fear!

Including Miyoshi Nagayoshi, the Miyoshi generals gathered in the main camp could only stare blankly as the enemy charged left and right, unstoppable and awe-inspiring. Even during the summer and autumn harvests, crops in the fields were not harvested in such a way...

Human life is as worthless as grass. This phrase, which is usually used as a metaphor, has now become a true statement.

Although the soldiers under Miyoshi Masayasu were relatively brave, people are afraid of comparisons, and even their general could not last more than a few rounds before being knocked to the ground. So where did these soldiers get the confidence to face this fierce god?

At first, they gritted their teeth and desperately tried to meet the attack, but later, they saw Ii Naotora charging forward with his sword and spear, and almost every time he attacked, five or six people were injured or killed. Their numerical advantage was almost non-existent, and the last bit of courage they had left vanished without a trace.

But just then, someone shouted, "Don't be afraid! There's only one person there. Bring over the bamboo bundles and shoot her with bows and arrows and cannons!"

The soldiers, as if waking from a dream, quickly stepped aside to let those holding bamboo bundles advance. The so-called "bamboo bundles" are exactly what they sound like: bamboo cut into lengths slightly shorter than two meters, bundled together, and then coated with a thick layer of oil, essentially forming a large, inexpensive shield that could be effectively used to defend against arrows and even cannon fire.

Knowing that Hatakeyama Takamasa had returned, Miyoshi Nagayoshi knew that he would have to fight against the mercenaries, such as the Saiga and Negoro, who were skilled in using arquebuses. So he ordered a bunch of bamboo bundles, wooden shields and other protective gear to be made. But before he could even see the muzzle of the Saiga gun, he ran into the fierce Ii god who was killing everyone.

Amidst shouts, the tall bamboo bundles pressed down from several directions. Zhihu briefly weighed the sword and spear in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly. Out of caution, he did not attempt a head-on confrontation, but instead gave his horse a light kick to the belly and shouted.

The black steed seemed to be quite intelligent; it understood its master's meaning in an instant, let out a long neigh, and turned to leave before the bamboo bundles could be closed.

Amidst the clatter of hooves, several more soldiers charged forward, thrusting their bamboo spears, only to be cleaved in two by Naotora's nodachi. Following closely behind, she thrust her serpent spear forward and then parried, piercing right through the foremost soldier, and with a powerful swing of her right arm, lifted him into the air!

A pitiful scream echoed in all directions. The soldier, not yet dead, desperately pounded on the unyielding spear shaft with both hands. Meanwhile, the woman, horse and all, galloped a distance in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, with a flick of her wrist, the eighteen-foot spear, carrying the armored man's body weighing over a hundred pounds, traced a smooth arc in the air and flung behind her—

Whoosh whoosh!

Dozens of arrows pierced the air, riddling the poor soldier with holes. Amidst the splattering of blood, another samurai drew back his bowstring from the crowd, aiming the arrow at Naotora's back: "Go!"

An arrow flew out!

Compared to the volley of arrows fired by the foot soldiers just now, this arrow from the samurai's hand was obviously more powerful. Naotora clearly did not turn around, but as if he had eyes in the back of his head, he simply flipped his spear behind him to block the arrows. At the same time, he swung his greatsword in his left hand and cut down several people who were closing in!

Surrounded by enemy forces, her momentum remained undiminished. The soldiers surrounding the woman were all terrified and involuntarily staggered backward. But not far away, the warrior had already drawn his bow again, aimed briefly, and fired another arrow as fast as the wind, heading straight for Zhihu.

This time, Naotora did not continue to dodge or parry.

She seemed completely oblivious to the deadly arrows that were about to strike her from behind, single-mindedly urging her horse forward, using her broadsword and spear to drive away the enemy soldiers who were constantly gathering around her.

However, before the samurai could feel joy, a bowstring suddenly rang out, and a sharp arrow flew out from the chaotic army. It arrived first, passing straight past Zhihu, and collided with his arrow in mid-air, both falling to the ground!

This is……

A moment of shock flashed through his mind, but then a cold glint appeared again, and a second arrow was aimed right at him. The warrior was terrified and had no time to dodge. He could only throw his great bow and barely manage to block the arrow that was aimed at him...

It should be so.

But even though he had clearly seen with his own eyes that the second arrow had broken the bow and veered off course, in a flash he saw the arrow still following its original trajectory, whistling as it came and piercing his brow.

A chill ran through him, followed by a sharp pain. At the last moment, the samurai seemed to finally react, shouting, "Rapid Fire Arrows! It's a Swift Arrow Horse!" But as his consciousness faded, his warning abruptly ended.

Instead, there are more and sharper sounds of wind breaking through!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—

The arrows came from the other end of the battle formation. Despite the surging crowd and fluttering banners, the archers were not hindered in the slightest. The bowstrings rang out in succession, and with each sharp sound, a foot soldier or samurai wielding a bow and arrow or a musket fell to the ground.

Because Naotora charged into the crowd on horseback, the archers and arquebusiers who had escaped were now hesitant to fire, fearing they might injure their comrades.

In the brief moment of this delay, the black horse, with a long neigh, charged out from the Sanhao army formation!

Naotora suddenly looked up and saw his own family's flag with the inlay pattern right in front of him. Okuyama Rokuzaemon was leading the vanguard of hundreds of ronin and samurai, shouting as they charged forward. At the very front of the army was the spirited Lord Ryuko.

The latter, also dressed in a dashing warrior's attire, sat astride her horse, quiver on her back, bow in hand, exuding a natural air of elegance. Seeing Zhihu break through the encirclement, she grinned, "Wow, impressive!"

Normally, Naotora would probably have been more modest, but perhaps the battles she had fought along the way had stirred her fighting spirit. She simply shook her head, wiped the sweat from her forehead and bangs, and then smiled and said, "How do I compare to you?"

"Hahaha!"

Upon hearing this, Long Zi burst into laughter, "Good question! Shall we take this opportunity to have a contest?"

"Right on my mind."

The two exchanged a smile, and Naotora spurred the black horse to turn around, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ryuko. The hundreds of soldiers led by Okuyama Rokuzaemon behind them also slowed their pace and stood behind the two of them.

The flags with the pattern of the well beams fluttered in the wind.

Naotora's gaze swept across the area, and wherever it landed, the Miyoshi soldiers involuntarily retreated. She tilted her head and licked her lips—sticky and fishy, ​​whose blood was it? Suddenly, she heard Ryuko say, "What's the bet?"

"What do you want to bet on?"

“I want half of the ‘80%’ that you’ve taken,” Longzi said, raising his chin as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"That's too much. A quarter is negotiable." Without needing to spell it out, Naotora understood what the other person meant, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

"I don't care, I want half of it. You can divide the rest however you want."

"That's really rude."

"This is Lord Dragon Prince's style of doing things."

"Then..."

Naoto smiled and shook his head, then said nothing more. He turned his head and glanced at the group of people following behind him, then looked further into the distance and saw a flag fluttering in the mountains.

"Let's talk about it after you win."

She replied.

Although his tone remained as gentle and approachable as ever, perhaps due to the bloodstains on his clothes, Naotora's voice sounded sharper than usual. The next moment, this warrior, who had just fought her way in and out of the enemy ranks, charged forward once more—

But this time, she was not alone.

Instead, he led hundreds of unruly ronin, and under the banner with the incense burner pattern brought from Tōtōmi, he and his horse, like a sharp sword and spear, cut straight forward and into the Miyoshi army, which had lost its fighting spirit and was in a state of panic!

The power is like...breaking bamboo!

……

With the conch shells blaring and horns blaring, amidst the earth-shattering battle cries, the two armies finally clashed heavily on the banks of the Yodo River... The moment they clashed, the sounds of battle shook the entire field, and the air was thick with the scent of blood.

Initially, only the vanguard led by Ii Naotora was present. Although the force was small, it easily defeated the enemy's first and second lines of attack, like a hot knife through butter. However, soon after Miyoshi Nagayoshi issued an order, a stronger army was also mobilized and forcibly reinforced the third line of defense, which finally stopped Ii Naotora's unstoppable advance to some extent.

But it was merely to stop them, not to repel them. Straight Tiger's spear charged forward, while Dragon Prince's bowstring fired in rapid succession. One was close, the other long, their coordination seamless, making them move through the enemy ranks as if on flat ground.

Faced with the astonishing skills displayed by these two young women, the other ronin and samurai who were confident in their martial prowess were also aroused. They almost disregarded their own lives and fought desperately. Wave after wave of attacks made the third formation teeter on the brink of collapse.

Just then, the sound of war drums shook the heavens and earth, surging forth from behind. Naotora, amidst the chaos, turned to look and saw that Tsutsui, Hatakeyama, Negoro, Saiga, Tenfu, Yagyu, and even the largest, tallest, and most conspicuous Ashikaga two-flag seal, had all left their original positions, advancing layer by layer—

Clearly, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, seeing how the situation had developed, finally made up his mind and issued the order for a general attack.

Seeing Naotora lead several hundred men in a fierce charge, actually managing to carve a large hole in the Miyoshi clan's formation, how could Hatakeyama Takamasa and Tsutsui Junsei, seasoned veterans who had fought countless battles over the decades, not realize the direction of the battle? And when Ashikaga Yoshiteru beat the drum to advance, they immediately jumped up from their benches, shouting at the top of their lungs, and led their troops forward with all their might.