The morning sun crested the horizon, casting a pale gold across the Crescent Kingdom. Birds chirped, villagers tended their crops, and Spears drilled quietly along the fortress walls. Eugene stood atop the keep, eyes scanning the eastern plains. He could sense it—the calm before the storm.
**[System Alert]:] Enemy coalition detected: Ishida Masakatsu & Hojo Tadakuni. Combined forces: ~8,000 troops. Potential coordinated strike: 72%. Recommendation: preemptive isolation, fortify strategic positions, disrupt communication.
The boy-lord's mind worked rapidly, analyzing terrain, potential weak points, and enemy psychology. Hojo and Ishida had long been rivals. Separately, they were dangerous; together, they were a threat capable of overwhelming even the disciplined Spears. But Eugene was no ordinary lord.
He turned to his council. Hiroshi, ever eager for combat, flexed his knuckles. "Let them come! We'll smash them apart before they even think to coordinate."
Aiko's voice was sharper, calm as a steel blade. "They won't move recklessly. Ishida is cunning, Hojo is ambitious. They will try to divide our forces, test our loyalty among minor lords, and exploit shadows in our newly integrated territories."
Eugene nodded. "Exactly. This is not a battle we win with swords alone. We strike with strategy first. Diplomacy, misinformation, and timing—our blades follow."
The first phase of Eugene's plan involved minor lords. Several villages in the northeast still nominally pledged loyalty to Hojo. Envoys were dispatched carrying gifts of grain, weapons, and armor, along with formal invitations to join the Crescent Kingdom.
One northern village resisted. The village elder, a stout man with graying hair, demanded proof. "Why should we abandon Hojo? His soldiers have protected us for years."
Eugene personally arrived, mounted on his dark horse, Spears arrayed behind him in disciplined formation. "Hojo seeks obedience. Crescent seeks loyalty through protection and prosperity. Those who align with us will be rewarded. Those who hesitate… will see the futility of resistance."
Hiroshi stepped forward, his grin cold. "And those who defy the Crescent may feel the edge of our axes."
The elder studied the formation, the disciplined Spears, and Eugene himself. The message was clear: strength coupled with reason. After careful negotiation and demonstration of Crescent discipline, the village pledged allegiance.
**[System Update]:] Northern minor lords: 2 pledged loyalty. Crescent influence +15%.
While diplomacy worked on the surface, Eugene understood that Hojo and Ishida would attempt to coordinate secretly. Aiko's intelligence network infiltrated enemy camps, distributing false information about minor lords switching allegiances, food shortages, and ambush points.
**[System Advisory]:] Enemy trust fractured. Probability of effective coordination decreased: 68%.
Spies intercepted letters, forged messages, and fed reports to Hojo's advisors. Within days, tension brewed between Hojo and Ishida commanders, each suspecting the other of secrecy and betrayal. Eugene's calculated psychological warfare had already begun to weaken the coalition before any steel had been drawn.
Even as diplomacy and espionage unfolded, Eugene prepared the Spears for war. Cavalry drills, archery ranges, and rapid deployment exercises intensified. The Crescent Cavalry, trained in previous chapters, became the spearhead of rapid-response units.
**[System Advisory]:] Combat readiness at 92%. Probability of success in limited engagements: high.
Hiroshi led rigorous sparring sessions, while Masanori reinforced fortifications, ensuring all villages and routes were prepared for both skirmishes and sieges. Eugene himself oversaw strategic planning, laying traps, and ensuring supply lines were secure. Every move was a preparation for the inevitable confrontation with the combined forces of Hojo and Ishida.
Three days later, Hojo sent a probing force of 1,000 troops toward the northern villages. Eugene had anticipated this. Spears and archers lay in concealment along the narrow mountain passes, with traps and barricades ready.
As the enemy marched confidently, they fell into the prepared kill zones. Arrows rained from above, hidden Spears struck from flanks, and chaos erupted among Hojo's men. Panic spread as officers tried to rally their troops, only to be cut off by rapid strike teams led personally by Eugene.
**[System Log]:] Enemy morale destabilized: critical. Probability of successful ambush: 89%.
Hiroshi laughed, swinging his axe. "Let them taste their own arrogance!"
By nightfall, the probing force was routed. Hojo had been humiliated, Ishida's plans delayed, and the Crescent Kingdom had demonstrated that it was prepared and disciplined.
After the skirmish, Eugene visited the northern villages to reinforce loyalty. He addressed the villagers directly.
"Today, you witnessed the strength of the Crescent. But strength alone is not enough. Loyalty, discipline, and cooperation will ensure your safety and prosperity. Those who serve with honor will be rewarded; those who resist will face futility."
The villagers nodded, some tearful, some resolute. Minor lords who had wavered now pledged fully. Aiko coordinated the distribution of supplies, weapons, and security measures, ensuring that loyalty was tangible, not just spoken.
**[System Update]:] Northern territories secured. Crescent influence +30%. Enemy morale: significantly decreased.
Eugene knew this was just the beginning. Hojo and Ishida would not give up. But by combining diplomacy, intelligence, and tactical superiority, he had disrupted the coalition before it could form.
That night, Eugene walked along the fortress walls, watching the village lights flicker below. Spears patrolled silently, ever vigilant. Aiko joined him, her expression thoughtful.
"They'll strike soon," she said. "Hojo will rebuild, Ishida will attempt deception. But you've gained a significant advantage."
Eugene's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "We do not wait for the storm to hit. We prepare, anticipate, and act. The Crescent Kingdom will survive every test, every trap, and every alliance formed against it."
**[System Log]:] Strategic advantage: high. Enemy coalition: delayed. Crescent readiness: optimal.
As the wind carried the scent of pine and distant earth, Eugene smiled faintly. The Crescent Kingdom had faced its first coordinated threat—and had emerged stronger. This was only the first step in the journey to unify Japan under a kingdom built not just with steel, but with loyalty, strategy, and foresight.
And Eugene, the boy-lord with the mind of a strategist and the heart of a warrior, would be the force that carved this new era.
**[System Advisory]:] Monitor enemy coalition. Continue diplomatic outreach. Prepare Spears and cavalry for rapid deployment. Strategic dominance achievable with continued vigilance.
The Ishida Alliance had begun—and Eugene was already ten moves ahead.