In preparation for the night attack on Yamazaki Castle, the troops began to move according to the plan devised by Princess Osamu. They were charging up Mount Tennozan with tremendous force.
It's nighttime in the mountains. Without a light, it would be difficult for a person to even climb the mountain.
However, all of the attacking troops were on horseback.
The horses weave their way through the dense trees, treading the mountain slopes as if it were daytime.
The target of this attack, Yamazaki Castle, was a small mountain castle.
And Matsunaga Hisahide knew this castle very well.
During the strategy meeting, he didn't even need Princess Osamu to explain it—the map of the territory was something he could instantly recreate in his mind.
This castle has very few defensive structures such as the second or third baileys.
The main enclosure—that is, the inner citadel—was merely defended by earthen walls and a dry moat.
Why do they possess such a weak defense? The reason is simple.
Firstly, there's the issue of the construction techniques used when this castle was built.
Secondly, this is because Yamazaki Castle was primarily a base designed to station and retain troops.
Incidentally, in historical fact, Yamazaki Castle underwent extensive renovations by Toyotomi Hideyoshi before he moved to Osaka Castle, in order to keep a watchful eye on Kyoto.
In the modern society where Nagamasa lived, only the remains of such renovated buildings are left.
"...No enemies here? How boring."
The blitzkrieg force was advancing with 20 cavalrymen from Matsunaga's army at the forefront.
The Asai army's cavalry, consisting of 84 cavalrymen, formed the core of the formation, while the Oda army's 10 cavalrymen were divided equally and deployed on either side of the core.
Hisahide was at the forefront, riding his horse with a bored expression on his face.
Eventually, the 114 cavalrymen stopped silently in a position where they could see Yamazaki Castle.
The 20 men in Hisahide's platoon dismounted from their horses. The horses were under the control of Taishakutsukige of the Asai army, so there was no risk of them running away.
Matsunaga's army went ahead of them, approaching Yamazaki Castle under the cover of darkness.
It's the middle of the night in winter. It's extremely cold.
However, fire was not allowed.
Because we'll be discovered by the enemy. Open flames are strictly prohibited until [the enemy] arrives.その時...
Fire was a convenient tool for disturbing people's minds, but that was only true in the case of fire.伏撃Interhart奇襲Uberfar
Humans do not fear the appearance of fire that is expected and anticipated.
On the contrary, it only ends up stirring up a fighting instinct called anger.
"Each of you, begin preparations immediately. Do so thoroughly."
Hisahide told his soldiers this, then rubbed his hands together like a merchant. After that, he began to observe Yamazaki Castle, which was illuminated by torches and bonfires.
In front of him, the members of Matsunaga's army began their work in silence.
For the soldiers, the strategies devised by the Asai army's strategist were of no importance. All they cared about was obedience to their master, Hisahide.
On the battlefield, soldiers don't believe in the strategies devised in the conference room. They believe in what their trusted and revered commander thinks and how he acts.
"Lord Hisahide, the incendiary bombs are ready. There is not a single pin left ."湿気Rough seas
"You have done well. Lord Yoshitsugu will surely be pleased."
Hisahide responded to the soldier who had reported back to him.
Because there is no light at all, it is difficult to see the other person's face or even their hands.
However, Matsunaga's army was accustomed to night attacks and morning raids in order to survive.
In the darkness, it was entirely possible to make the necessary arrangements with practiced ease.
Following Hisahide's orders, they took their positions at equal intervals from each other and crouched down.
They had already received instructions from Hisahide regarding the siege strategy. They would move immediately upon receiving further orders.
Meanwhile, the great villain of Yamato Province is waiting for the moment to arrive.その時...
The instructions he gave were as follows:
First, we would hide in the dark of night. Then, we would wait for the soldiers standing guard in front of the castle gate to retreat, and drop incendiary bombs both in front of the gate and inside the castle.
While the enemy is distracted by the explosion, draw your sword, let out a war cry, and rush towards the castle gate.
This would have allowed the Asai army's cavalry to join the battle.
The Matsunaga and Asai armies will capture the attention of all the castle's defenders.
Meanwhile, ladders were placed across the dry moat, and the elite troops of the Oda family, led by Akechi Samanosuke, stormed into the castle.
The goal was to cause internal chaos and plunge Yamazaki Castle into a melting pot of confusion.
The problem with this strategy is that there is an extremely high probability of friendly fire occurring in the event of a chaotic battle.
Furthermore, there was a high possibility of being detected by the enemy when igniting the incendiary bomb, which was the starting point of everything.
Of course, concealing the presence of the fire before throwing it with cover was a prerequisite, but even then, there's always a chance of something going wrong.
If things go wrong, this could be far more difficult than the surprise attack that Princess Osamu pulled off during the day.
"The air has been extremely dry since midday today, Lord Hisahide."
"...It's easy to light."
"Yes, sir. Just like at Todai-ji Temple, I would like to quickly kill and injure the enemy with incendiary bombs, Lord Hisahide."
Hisahide nodded. The 20 men here are all fierce warriors who show no hesitation in battle.
Setting fire to the castle with rapid-fire flaming arrows would be a good idea, but that would not align with Hisahide's or their aesthetics.
In other words, the sound of gunpowder exploding and the flash of light, followed by the sight of the flames and fire that erupted afterward—that was what I loved most.
For Hisahide, watching people writhe in agony from the explosion of gunpowder was the ultimate pleasure.
The current head of the Miyoshi family. Yoshitsugu is the daughter of his beloved former lord, Nagayoshi. He felt a pleasure so great that he would drive her into a frenzy of ecstasy night after night, even to the point of fainting.
"...Wait a minute. It's not time yet."
Hisahide restrained his hot-headed soldiers and continued to gaze intently at Yamazaki Castle from the darkness.
From what I can see, the morale of the castle's defenders doesn't seem very high.
The reason is obvious. They are, in a sense, those who have been left behind.
Hosokawa Akimoto was the Kanrei (deputy shogun) of the Muromachi shogunate.
The Miyoshi Trio, with him as their supreme commander, aimed to annihilate the rebellious Oda coalition army in a field battle.
Those entrusted with guarding the castle never get the opportunity to be present at such a grand event.
In addition to those frustrations, they probably think somewhere in their hearts.
It seemed unlikely that the Oda army, being outnumbered, would bother to diverte troops to attack Yamashiro.
(Such an opportunity would be favorable to us, wouldn't it...)
A twisted smile appeared on Hisahide's face. His perfectly white teeth were visible.
In his line of sight, the gates of Yamazaki Castle were open. A relief sentry had emerged from inside the castle.
What's more, they carelessly started chatting with the gate half-open. Their carelessness was truly appalling.
"Ignite the fire. Prepare to throw the incendiary bombs. No need to repeat."
Hisahide let out a low, crawling voice.
Suddenly, the elite soldiers of Matsunaga's army struck flints inside the light-blocking boxes they had prepared and lit their fuses.
Hisahide had also started the fire with his own hands. A thunderous jolt of pleasure, similar to the sensation of ejaculation, ran down the old man's spine.
Having lit their matchlocks, Matsunaga's troops, including Hisahide, began adjusting the length of the matchlocks. This was to ensure that they would detonate immediately after being thrown.
In the soldiers' eyes, there was a murderous impulse that bordered on madness.
He was overflowing with an urge to destroy absolutely everything in his being .
The passage of time as they perceive it slows down.
It's not because of nervousness. It's because I'm forced to suppress the urge to see the enemy's tormented face as quickly as possible.
Because they are forced to suppress their feelings, a longing akin to first love burns in the men's hearts, sharpening their senses.
And Hisahide's mind remained calm. He had found an opportunity to massacre the enemy soldiers, and he was rejoicing in a frighteningly calm manner.
The old man wondered what on earth had happened.
Why are they leaving the castle gates slightly ajar?
What kind of commander would allow such foolish behavior?
The Miyoshi Trio were once foolish peers, but they certainly never committed such a stupid act, nor did they allow others to.
No, perhaps that perception itself is wrong.
I have always associated with high-ranking officials such as Lord Nagayoshi and his close attendants. I have never associated with the guards of bases that are not in my own territory.
I see, so it's because they're the kind of fools who follow along with the Miyoshi Three that they're so dull.
That's quite amusing. Certainly, any competent person would have quickly given up on those three.
At the very least, you wouldn't want to associate with such stupid and incompetent people.
Hisahide then let the waves of his thoughts flow away. And then he twisted his mouth even further.
A hot sigh escaped his lips—and at that moment, he stood up.
Sensing their leader's change of heart, Matsunaga's army understood his intentions and transitioned into their next move.投擲Toteki
"W-wait! What is that?!"
"A monster... no, that's not it, it's fire! It's an enemy!!"
A hōrokudama is a ceramic bomb filled with explosives that is thrown into enemy territory using a lasso and centrifugal force, causing it to detonate.
Inevitably, the fireball will float in the dark night and be seen by the enemy.
However, the defenders of Yamazaki Castle were slow to react. Although they screamed when they saw the flames on the matchlocks, they simply froze, their weapons in hand.
Clearly, this is the behavior of someone who is not accustomed to combat—someone who has been conscripted.
"Throw it!"
As Hisahide's voice boomed, 20 incendiary bombs, including his own, flew through the air, tracing lines of their fuses in the dark night.
The explosive projectiles, intended to inflict casualties, accurately targeted Yamazaki Castle.
I ventured in front of the castle gate, beyond the wall, and even into the open castle gate.
Then came the flash of explosives and the roar of a bang. The screams of the soldiers of Yamazaki Castle rose into the air.
As the incendiary bombs exploded, shards of pottery scattered everywhere, tearing the bodies of soldiers inside and outside the castle to shreds.
The sentries outside are severely wounded and groaning in pain. There is considerable commotion inside the castle.
However, there was still no sign of the castle gates being closed. Perhaps the person responsible for opening and closing the gates had also been injured by the incendiary bombs.
Hisahide instinctively knew that he couldn't let this opportunity slip away.
He took a deep breath and let out a roar that was surprisingly powerful for an old man.
"Our objective is to seize Yamazaki Castle! Everyone, move to the attack!! Kill all the rebels who have defied Lord Yoshitsugu!!"
"Yes!!"
Matsunaga's forces let out a war cry, drew their swords, and rushed towards the castle gate.
At the same time, the Asai army's cavalry emerged from the darkness.
They lunged at the open castle gate, and soon screams of enemy soldiers echoed through the air.
I had always thought a night attack was impossible.
The sudden emergence of incendiary bombs and a horde of men and horses from the darkness struck the defenders of Yamazaki Castle with a shock and terror far greater than their numbers suggested.