The valley fortress grew stronger with each passing day. Stone walls rose, spears gleamed, and banners of the crescent moon snapped proudly in the wind. Yet Eugene's mind was not on masonry or drill. His thoughts lingered on the messengers he had sent into enemy lands.
Whispers carried by shadows often mattered more than blades on the battlefield.
A week later, Hiroshi hurried into the council chamber, his face tense.
"My lord," he said, kneeling. "A rider has returned. From the Imagawa."
Eugene's eyes flickered with cold anticipation. "Bring him."
The rider, dust-caked and weary, entered and bowed low. He produced a lacquered scroll bearing the seal of the Imagawa clan. Eugene broke it open carefully, scanning the lines with a soldier's patience.
The message was short, but every word gleamed like a dagger in the dark:
To Lord Eugene of Kai,Though Ishida's silver tongue drips venom, our coffers listen to coin, not lies. Trade routes secured under your banners shall flow with profit. Should Ishida march, Imagawa eyes will turn away. Some among us may even turn our blades at your command.
Eugene folded the scroll slowly, his lips curving into a smile.
"The first wolf strays from Ishida's leash," he murmured.
That night, Eugene gathered his closest retainers. Around a low fire, Hiroshi, Captain Masanori, and Lady Aiko listened as he laid the scroll upon the table.
"The Imagawa crave wealth above honor," Eugene explained. "I gave them what Ishida could not: gold, routes, and stability. When Ishida calls them to war, they will nod—but their swords will not point at us. Perhaps… they may even strike his flank."
Masanori frowned. "But can such men be trusted? Gold buys loyalty only until a heavier purse appears."
Eugene tapped the scroll. "True. But Imagawa's rivals—like Hojo—would never allow them to betray me openly. By binding Imagawa to our coffers, I bind them in fear as much as greed."
Lady Aiko's voice was soft, yet sharp as a blade. "Then Ishida's alliance already cracks. But will he realize it before it's too late?"
Eugene's smile deepened, but his eyes remained cold. "He will. And when he does, suspicion will poison his camp faster than any arrow."
Far away in Kai Castle, Ishida himself sat in his war council. Satomi envoys drank his sake, Hojo generals scowled at maps, and his own retainers whispered promises of swift victory.
But among the papers on his desk lay a troubling report. A scout had returned with rumors that Imagawa merchants had signed trade contracts with Eugene's men.
Ishida's face darkened.
"Imagawa…" he muttered. "Filthy moneylenders. They smile at me, but already their hands count another man's coin."
A Satomi officer noticed the shadow on his face. "Lord Ishida, is something amiss?"
Ishida's reply was smooth, but his eyes glittered with suspicion. "No. Nothing at all. Only a reminder that wolves sometimes bite their masters when the leash grows loose."
But in his heart, he knew: his coalition was not as strong as he boasted.
Back in the valley fortress, Eugene's Spears drilled late into the night, their chants echoing through the stone walls. The AI's voice murmured in his mind, sharp and precise:
[Imagawa cooperation secured. Probability of Ishida coalition fracture: 47%. Hidden risk: counter-bribery by rival factions. Recommend immediate reinforcement of alliances.]
Eugene tilted his head, gazing up at the stars. Yes, he thought. Every man has a price. But I pay mine not in gold alone—I pay in vision. They will follow me not just for wealth, but for the future only I can build.
He clenched his fist.
"This is only the first betrayal," he whispered. "Soon, the others will follow."
The firelight reflected in his eyes, twin embers of ambition and resolve.
At dawn, a lone hawk circled over the valley. To Ishida, it would have looked like any bird. But to Eugene, it was an omen.
Not all allies wore banners. Not all victories were won with steel. Some began in silence, in ink, and in secrets whispered over a fire.
The first thread of Ishida's alliance had already unraveled.
And Eugene was ready to pull the rest.