The battlefield smelled of iron and smoke. Though the Ishikawa had been driven into retreat, danger still lingered like a coiled serpent. Survivors skulked in the woods, striking at stragglers, desperate to wound Takeda pride even in defeat.
Eugene knew this, and so he marched at the front with Hiroshi and a handful of chosen men. The road was narrow, lined with towering cedars, the ground soft from yesterday's rain. Silence reigned, too heavy, too deliberate.
[Warning: Enemy ambush probability—78%. Signs of recent disturbance in soil detected. Advise heightened alert.]
Eugene's hand rested on his katana. "Stay sharp. They'll try to catch us unawares."
The men tightened grips on their spears and bows, nerves taut. Hiroshi, beside him, smirked despite the tension. "My lord, you speak as if you can see the future itself."
"Not the future," Eugene replied quietly. "Just the patterns of fools who think they're clever."
They advanced cautiously. The air thickened. A bird's cry broke suddenly—then silence again.
That was the signal.
"Down!" Eugene barked.
A rain of arrows hissed from both sides. Takeda men dropped behind shields, though two fell screaming, shafts piercing their armor. From the shadows, enemy warriors roared, charging with blades raised.
Ishikawa remnants—at least fifty of them.
The clash was immediate, steel on steel, grunts and cries mingling in chaos. Eugene's katana flashed, parrying one strike, cleaving the next man's neck in a smooth arc.
"Hiroshi! With me!"
The spearman answered with a roar, driving his weapon through an enemy's chest, twisting it free in a spray of blood. Yet for every foe they felled, more pressed in.
[Tactical scan: Enemy morale—reckless. Intent—kill or die. Priority threat identified: elite swordsman, right flank, approaching Hiroshi. Danger level: high.]
Eugene's eyes darted. A tall samurai in scorched armor barreled toward Hiroshi, wielding a nodachi nearly as long as a man's height. The enemy swung with murderous strength, each strike threatening to cleave Hiroshi in two.
Hiroshi blocked once, twice, but his spear splintered under the pressure. The third swing sent him crashing to his knees, defenseless.
"Hiroshi!" Eugene's voice tore from his throat.
He surged forward, every muscle burning. The AI's calculations blurred with instinct.
[Time to impact: 1.2 seconds. Solution: intercept trajectory at mid-swing. Success probability: 62%. Fatality risk: moderate.]
No hesitation.
Eugene lunged, katana raised. Steel met steel in a blinding clash as he intercepted the nodachi mid-arc. The force rattled his arms, but he did not yield. With a twist, he redirected the blow, stepping inside the enemy's guard.
His blade thrust upward, piercing beneath the man's helmet. The nodachi-wielder stiffened, eyes wide, then collapsed in a heap.
Breathless, Eugene stood over him, chest heaving. Blood dripped from his blade, hot and thick.
Hiroshi looked up, awe and shame mingling in his eyes. "You… saved me…"
Eugene extended a hand, pulling him to his feet. "You're too valuable to lose here."
"Valuable?" Hiroshi's voice cracked. "No, my lord. You risked your life for me. A common soldier."
Before Eugene could reply, another wave of Ishikawa warriors charged. Their screams pulled both men back into the storm of steel.
The fight raged for minutes that felt like hours. Eugene cut down foes with terrifying precision, his AI guiding every angle, every step. Hiroshi, emboldened, fought at his side like a man reborn.
At last, the last Ishikawa fell, clutching at a mortal wound before collapsing. The forest was silent again, save for the panting of Takeda survivors. Only a dozen of Eugene's men remained standing, battered but alive.
The battle was over.
Hiroshi knelt suddenly before Eugene, his spear planted in the earth like a banner. His voice rang loud, raw with emotion.
"My lord, today I should have died. Yet you shielded me, as if my life were as precious as your own. Such a debt can never be repaid with words. So let my blade, my strength, and my very life belong to you."
The other soldiers fell silent, watching.
Hiroshi bowed deeply, forehead pressed to the dirt. "From this day, I swear myself as your retainer. I shall fight, bleed, and die for you alone, Lord Eugene. This I vow by my blood."
The forest held its breath.
Eugene looked down at him, heart stirring. He knew the significance. A sworn retainer was more than a soldier—it was loyalty sealed by honor, unbroken until death. In this brutal era, such vows were worth more than gold.
He sheathed his katana and placed his hand firmly on Hiroshi's shoulder.
"Then rise, Hiroshi, not as a mere soldier—but as my first sworn retainer. From today, you fight not behind me, but beside me."
Hiroshi's eyes burned with devotion as he rose. "Yes, my lord. I shall never falter."
Cheers erupted among the men. Though weary, their morale soared higher than ever. They had witnessed something rare—the birth of a bond stronger than steel.
That night, a fire crackled in the camp as the survivors ate and drank. The wounded were tended to, the dead honored with prayers. Eugene sat with Hiroshi close by, the flames reflecting in their eyes.
"You shouldn't have thrown yourself into danger for me," Hiroshi said softly. "You're the heir of Takeda. The clan's future."
"And what good is the future if we discard the men who fight for it?" Eugene replied. "This path I walk… I can't walk it alone. I'll need comrades who believe in me as much as I believe in them."
Hiroshi bowed his head. "Then know this: as long as I draw breath, I will never betray that belief."
The AI, silent for much of the evening, whispered in Eugene's mind.
[Analysis: Securing sworn retainers is essential for long-term success. Loyalty levels among Hiroshi: maximum. Probability of further retainers pledging loyalty increases if Eugene continues demonstrating personal courage and leadership.]
Eugene smiled faintly. "Good. Because this is only the beginning. One day, when Japan unites under a single banner, I want you there, standing by my side."
Hiroshi's grip tightened around his cup. "And I will, my lord. Until the very end."
The fire crackled louder, sparks rising into the star-strewn sky.
That night, in the silence between the trees, a new bond was forged—a bond that would echo across battles yet to come. The tale of Takeda Eugene would not be the story of one man, but of the loyal retainers who followed him into legend.