The massive wooden gates of Nagoya Castle groaned as they swung open, allowing Oda Nobunaga's small entourage to enter. To the untrained eye, the fortress was an impressive display of provincial power. But to Subaru, who viewed the world through the cold data of his gaming interface, the entire castle was a powder keg waiting for a spark.
As they crossed the threshold, the air grew thick with tension. The casual, reckless demeanor Nobunaga had maintained on the road subtly hardened. His posture on the horse became rigid, his jaw set. He was no longer just an eccentric teenager; he was a warlord stepping into a nest of vipers.
Subaru walked a few paces behind, his eyes darting across the courtyards. Everywhere he looked, ashigaru and elite samurai stood at attention, but their gazes weren't filled with loyalty. They looked at Nobunaga with thinly veiled contempt, whispering behind their hands.
Suddenly, Subaru's vision flared as several high-profile targets entered his field of view. A group of older, heavily armored retainers was standing near the main keep, watching Nobunaga's arrival with cold, critical eyes.
Subaru focused on the man leading the group—a stern veteran with a deeply lined face and a graying beard. The system interface immediately dropped a massive stat window above his head.
Hirate Masahide (Age: 59)
LEAD: 78 | ATK: 62 | DEF: 80 | INT: 85 | POL: 88
Current Status: Senior Retainer / Nobunaga's Mentor
Current Mood: Deeply Anxious, Exhausted
Loyalty to Nobunaga: Max (Unshakable)
Hirate Masahide, Subaru thought, his heart sinking slightly. He remembered the history. Masahide was the tragic, fiercely loyal tutor who would eventually commit suicide in a desperate attempt to force Nobunaga to behave like a traditional lord. Right now, his high POL and INT stats were withered by stress.
Next to Masahide stood a younger, broader samurai with a sneer plastered across his face.
Hayashi Hidesada (Age: 38)
LEAD: 65 | ATK: 58 | DEF: 63 | INT: 70 | POL: 76
Current Status: Chief Councilor of the Oda Clan
Current Mood: Disdainful, Scheming
Secret Affiliation: Favors Oda Nobuyuki (The Younger Brother)
There he is, Subaru noted, his gamer instincts analyzing the numbers. Hayashi Hidesada. The man who will eventually rebel against Nobunaga in a few years. His stats are strictly average, but his high political influence makes him dangerous right now.
Nobunaga dismounted his horse, tossing the reins to a servant without looking. He walked straight toward the grim-faced councilors. Subaru followed closely, trying to blend into the background as an unnoticeable attendant, though his modern posture and lack of a topknot still drew sharp glances.
"You return late, My Lord," Hayashi Hidesada spoke first, his voice dripping with forced formality. "Your father's illness worsens by the hour. The physicians say Lord Nobuhide may not survive the month. Yet, you spend your days riding through the mud with firearms and... whatever this is."
Hidesada's eyes flicked to Subaru, his expression souring further. "Have you brought home another nameless beggar to add to your collection of fools?"
Before Subaru could speak, Nobunaga stepped forward, his presence completely eclipsing Hidesada's average stats. He didn't yell; instead, he let out a low, mocking chuckle.
"A beggar, Hidesada? This man has better eyes than half the councilors in this room," Nobunaga said, his voice cutting through the courtyard like a blade. "While you sit here counting rice sacks and praying for my father's recovery, the Imagawa are sharpening their spears at our borders. Ryu here saw the threat before he even reached our gates."
Hirate Masahide's eyes widened slightly. He looked past Nobunaga, his sharp 85 INT assessing Subaru. "A threat from the south? Young man, what do you know of the Imagawa's movements?"
Subaru stepped forward, bowing perfectly to Masahide out of genuine respect for his historical loyalty. He spoke clearly, ensuring his voice carried just enough for the surrounding retainers to hear.
"Lord Hirate, the Imagawa clan is not merely waiting. They are biding their time because they know the pillar of Owari is fracturing," Subaru said, using his knowledge of 1551. "They have already established secret trade lines with merchants near the border to supply a sudden march. If the Oda clan divides itself into internal squabbles over succession when the Lord Patriarch passes... the Imagawa will strike Kiyosu Castle within the year."
Hidesada slammed the scabbard of his sword against the wooden porch. "Insolence! A vagrant dares to speak of the Lord Patriarch's death and lecture the council on succession? My Lord Nobunaga, this is treasonous talk!"
"It is not treason if it is the truth, Hayashi," Nobunaga snapped, his eyes flashing with a terrifying intensity that made the older man take a half-step back. "The world is changing, and those who blind themselves to it will be swallowed by it."
Nobunaga turned his back on them, gesturing for Subaru to follow him toward the inner chambers. "Ryu stays in the guest quarters near my pavilion. No one touches him without my command."
As Subaru followed Nobunaga down the long, dark wooden corridors of the inner keep, the atmosphere grew even heavier. The faint smell of medicinal incense and burning herbs filled the air—a grim reminder that Oda Nobuhide was dying just a few rooms away.
The system screen flashed in the dim light of the hallway.
[MAIN EVENT PROGRESSION: The Death of Nobuhide (Approaching)] [CURRENT AREA CLIMATE: Hostile / High Risk of Internal Betrayal] [ADVICE: Secure your position before the funeral event triggers.]
Subaru clenched his fists inside his loose sleeves. The political tension in Nagoya Castle was thick enough to cut with a knife. He had successfully gained Nobunaga's interest, but he had also just painted a massive target on his own back by insulting the Hayashi faction. In this world, there was no reload button. If he made a mistake now, his first game over would be his last.