Nasu no Yoichi * Bow and Arrow

Shintarō returned to the Taira's camp.

They brought back information about Koremori's suicide by jumping into the sea.

Sukemori learned of his brother's final decision.

He locked himself in the cramped cabin for a full day and night.

When he came out, his face was almost sickly pale, and his eye sockets were deep-set.

Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, requesting his protection to return to the capital, using the most respectful and earnest words.

The messenger was sent out, braving the waves and pursuers.

Then came the long wait.

However, it all vanished without a trace.

Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who had long regarded the Taira as stray dogs and avoided them at all costs, would never respond to this plea from the brink of destruction.

Former favor is nothing more than a piece of waste paper that can be torn up at any time in the face of absolute power and interests.

Hope was utterly shattered.

Just as the last glimmer of hope in Sukemori's heart was about to be extinguished, another letter, overcoming numerous obstacles, quietly reached his hands.

It's Iko.

His lover remained in Kyoto.

That woman, born into a branch of the Fujiwara, was gentle yet resilient.

The letter paper carried the scent of incense, and the handwriting was delicate and beautiful.

There were no extra words of comfort, only rambling about the recent situation in the capital, about how the plum blossoms he loved in the courtyard had bloomed again, and about the Waka she had been reading recently. Between the lines, there was a cautious concern and an unspoken, deep longing and worry.

She heard the news of Kiyotsune and Koremori's suicide by drowning, and knew that Sukemori must be in great pain at this moment. She wanted to tell Sukemori that there were still people who remembered him and cared about him, and that in this cold world, there was still a warm corner reserved for him.

Sukemori held the thin sheet of paper, his fingertips trembling slightly.

He picked up his pen and wrote a reply.

"I know I could die at any moment, so I take everything in stride now."

Then, he added a waka Waka.

When the reply letter, delivered by Takuichi as a messenger, finally reached Iko's hands after several twists and turns, the Biwa Izuna's biwa (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) on the side of the stage turned mournful.

He lowered his eyes and softly sang Sukemori's waka Waka:

"To merely survive in this chaotic world is pointless; the rest of my life is of no use."

Pain is unavoidable, and sorrow is overwhelming.

When Iko saw the familiar handwriting and heard Izuna singing Waka, tears instantly blurred her vision.

She understood.

This is a farewell.

It was her lover, in the last glimmer of his life, bidding her a final farewell to her and to the world.

She clutched the letter tightly, pressed it to her chest, and let her tears silently soak her clothes.

Just as Sukemori and Iko were completing this silent farewell through letters, a different scene was unfolding in Kyoto.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the chief general of Hikaru Minamoto, encountered a woman in a mansion in Kyoto.

In Shizuka Gozen.

The actress who plays the role is Uchiha Tadayo's wife. Although she is Ninja, she has an amazing classical temperament.

She wore a gorgeous dress, her long black hair cascaded down like a waterfall, her demeanor was elegant, and her dance was graceful.

As she danced gracefully to the music, it was as if the most refined elegance and beauty of the Heian period were embodied in her, instantly making the audience understand what a Yamato Nadeshiko truly meant.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune and watched. He was still dressed in his Samurai attire, which allowed him to move around easily. His face was handsome, and his eyes followed Shizuka Gozen, the tenderness in his eyes impossible to hide.

His interactions with Shizuka Gozen, one dashing and handsome, the other gentle and beautiful, their eyes sparkling with unspoken feelings, were like a beautiful painting. This allowed viewers who had just experienced the tragic fate of the Taira to temporarily relax their tense nerves and watch with great interest.

However, beneath this seemingly romantic facade, turbulent undercurrents are brewing.

Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa never stopped manipulating power. He was wary of Minamoto no Yoritomo's growing influence, and he also noticed that Minamoto no Yoshitsune battle but seemed to lack political acumen. So he deliberately tried to win him over and sow discord between them.

Minamoto no Yoritomo, being a man of great stature, immediately perceived the Cloistered Emperor's intentions and also developed suspicion and dissatisfaction towards his younger brother, who had achieved great military exploits but seemed to be more favored by the court Court Nobles of Kyoto.

When it came time to reward meritorious service, he deliberately neglected Yoshitsune, failing to grant him the corresponding fiefdom and generous salary.

Later, when the organization launched its final campaign against the Taira, Yoshitsune was excluded from the main battlefields.

Perhaps he was truly inept at political maneuvering, or perhaps he still held expectations and loyalty for his elder brother, Minamoto no Yoshitsune was unaware of his brother's suspicion and the danger he posed.

He remained in Kyoto and even accepted the imperial title of "Kebiishi" (貫非賀使) bestowed upon Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

This action thoroughly enraged Minamoto no Yoritomo.

Although the "Kebiishi" was not an extremely high-ranking official position, it Uwagi a formal appointment and recognition by the imperial court.

Yoshitsune's unauthorized acceptance of the offer was seen by Minamoto no Yoritomo as tantamount to abandoning the Minamoto clan's stance and siding with the court Court Nobles, a blatant challenge and betrayal of his authority.

However, the war against the Taira continued.

Minamoto no Noriyori, as the commander-in-chief, pressed forward relentlessly, completely sealing off the remnants of the Taira on islands in the Seto Inland Sea.

However, due to the excessively long battle lines, supply difficulties, and especially the lack of sufficient ships for amphibious operations, they were unable to deliver a fatal blow, and the battle reached a stalemate.

Ultimately, we still need Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

That brilliant general who always managed to break the deadlock in unexpected ways.

The stage performance did not depict these intricate power struggles and psychological activities in detail; Izuna only showcased Yoshitsune's almost supernatural military intuition and courage.

One rainy night, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, using a small number of recruited ships, took advantage of the darkness and the wind and rain to sneak up behind the Taira's supposedly secure coastal defenses like a ghost.

They resorted to the same trick, lighting torches and raising countless white flags to create a terrifying scene on the dark sea, resembling the overwhelming force of the Minamoto army, which was closing in from all sides.

The Taira, already on edge, saw the Kakkō and white flags covering the sky in the rainy night and assumed that their main force had been completely surrounded. Their morale collapsed instantly, and they hastily abandoned their positions and fled deeper into the enemy territory.

In a crucial defensive battle, Yoshitsune once again triumphed through his ingenious tactics.

Subsequently, due to panic and poor decision-making, the Taira ultimately lost its last foothold.

The Taira, this once glorious ship in the long river of history, was finally driven into a desperate situation.

The Battle of Dan-no-ura is about to begin.

However, before this crushing defeat and the final battle, an interlude occurred on the stage.

That Nasu no Yoichi fan to be shot.

Izuna knew this story by heart, and in the Biwa aria of "The Tale of the Heike," it is a classic chapter showcasing the bravery of the Minamoto Warriors.

But how to present it on this stage gave him a lot to think about.

Simple Genjutsu or actors' gestures cannot convey the extreme shock of that critical moment, which concerns the morale of both armies and personal honor.

In the end, Izuna made a bold, almost insane, decision.

"We need to do something real." Izuna said to the actors and backstage staff in charge of this segment at the final preparation meeting before arriving in the Capital.

On stage, the scene briefly switches to Minamoto's side.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune's fleet and the Taira's fleet faced each other across the sea.

The war drums fell silent, the arrows were not fired, and a tense, imminent silence spread out.

On the Taira side, a relatively ornately decorated ship was pushed to the front of the battle.

On the ship, several actors dressed as court maids stood together.

The noblewoman of the Taira, who was at the head of the group, stood at the bow of the ship, the sea breeze ruffling her sleeves.

She raised her voice, a clear and resonant sound that traveled distinctly across the sea.

"I have long heard that the Minamoto army is full of skilled archers! Today, our two armies face off, and battle is about to begin. We women are unarmed, and we can only rely on this fan as our defense—"

The maidservant beside her, who was carrying an exquisite lacquer box, stepped forward, opened the box, and took out a brightly colored fan painted with the Taira's Ageha butterfly Gunbai.

"I wonder if there are any brave warriors in the Minamoto army who could shoot down this fan with a single arrow while the ships are rocking?!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the maid beside her took a deep breath and steadily raised the fan on the narrow bow of the boat.

Under the specially lit lights, the red and white of the fan were clearly distinguishable, and the Ageha butterfly pattern was clearly visible, making it the most eye-catching focus of the entire event.

This is a provocation!

If no one in the Minamoto dares to respond, or if they miss their target, their morale will be severely damaged.

If we were to accept the challenge, shooting a fan that's barely a foot square on this turbulent sea would be nothing short of a pipe dream.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune stood at the bow of his own ship, his brow slightly furrowed.

He knew, of course, that this was a tactic employed by the Taira to buy time and demoralize their soldiers. However, since the enemy was a woman and their words were meant to provoke the Samurai, he would lose face if he did not respond.

His gaze swept over the soldiers behind him.

Many people looked hesitant; such archery skills were beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Just then, Izuna's chanting voice cut in like a voice-over, carrying a strange, persuasive power.

"Among the Minamoto's ranks, there was a young Samurai named Nasu no Yoichi— "

As the lyrics were sung, a figure emerged from the crowd.

The role of Nasu no Yoichi Uchiha Clan Uchiha Setsuna, a young man widely recognized as the best archer in the Uchiha clan.

He wasn't an actor; all he needed to do was execute this one arrow.

He was dressed in Samurai hunting attire, carrying an ancient-style longbow on his back. His face was expressionless, except for his sharp, eagle-like eyes.

He walked up to Yoshitsune, knelt on one knee, and said, "This humble general is willing to give it a try."

Yoshitsune looked at him, nodded, and a hint of expectation appeared in his eyes. "Go, Yoshihiro. This arrow concerns the honor of our army."

He stood up Setsuna and walked to the side of the ship.

He didn't draw his bow immediately, but first quietly felt the sea breeze and then estimated the distance to the fan.

Then, he untied the longbow from his back and drew an arrow.

The arrow gleamed in the sunlight.

Nock the arrow, draw the string, and pull the bow.

The movements were as fluid as flowing water.

He slowly pulled back the bowstring, making a faint, teeth-grinding "squeak" sound.

His gaze pierced through the simulated waves and across that not-so-short distance, locking firmly onto the small, brightly colored fan on the bow of the opposite ship.

The entire room fell silent.

All eyes were fixed on the taut bow and the arrow poised to be released.

They knew it was acting, but the atmosphere was so tense it made their palms sweat.

However, just when everyone thought Setsuna was about to fire arrows at the Taira ships on the stage...

Izuna's chanting suddenly changed, taking on a hint of a smile.

However, the stage is too small to fully display their artistry.

"How about you—please look away!"

Almost simultaneously, the stage lights suddenly went out!

Behind the audience seats, a spotlight suddenly lit up a watchtower-like Tower that had appeared out of nowhere!

Within the pillar of light, the "fan-holding maid" appeared!

She had disappeared from the stage at some point, and was now standing on the edge of the tower, which was dozens of meters away from the stage and much higher than the audience seats!

Still dressed in that maid's outfit, she held high in her hand the red and white Gunbai painted with Ageha butterflies!

"Whoosh--!"

The audience erupted in chaos!

Exclamations, gasps of disbelief, and excited whispers erupted!

No one expected that Izuna would pull such a stunt! He set the crucial "target" right behind the audience! The distance, the height, the angle... it completely exceeded the scope of stage performance!

"Insane... How could that possibly hit?!"

"It must be... close to a hundred paces, right?"

"Even if Nasu no Yoichi really came, he might not be able to hit it!"

Even Hashirama and Madara in the front row raised their eyebrows slightly, showing interest.

They could naturally see that this was no longer a simple "performance," but rather the most direct demonstration of the combat power of the Uchiha Clan, or rather, the Ninjas.

In that Setsuna on stage, he was completely unaware of the commotion behind him.

His gaze, following Izuna's prompting and the spotlight, had already been directed towards the high area at the back of the audience seats.

His bow moved slowly, adjusting its angle.

The simulation of the sea breeze has stopped.

He felt the subtle air currents on the open-air stage, the gentle breeze blowing from afar, and listened to the heavy breathing of the audience.

He stared intently at the Gunbai with wide eyes.

There is only a fleeting moment when you are certain that you can hit the target.

The Archery trembled slightly as he drew the bow with all his might.

The moment the trembling stopped.

The three fingers of the right hand nocking the arrow loosened!

"Boom--!"

The snapping sound of the vibrating bowstring pierced through people's eardrums.

Everyone's head involuntarily turned backward to follow the silver streak, their eyes following it.

"Smack!"

A crisp, clear sound rang out from above!

Under the spotlight, everyone could see it clearly.

The arrow pierced precisely through the center of the fan ribs of the raised Gunbai.

The immense impact propelled the arrow backward a short distance, its fan-like motion carrying it with it, before it finally pierced the wooden floor of the tower with a loud "thud!"

The white feathers at the tip of the arrow were still trembling slightly.

The red and Ageha butterfly fan was pierced by an arrow and hung on the arrow shaft.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Two or three seconds passed.

"Oh--!"

The cheers and exclamations were deafening, erupting from every corner of the audience like a volcanic eruption!

The applause, stomping, and excited cheers almost lifted the roof off the theater!

Uchiha Setsuna lowered his Archery, smiled, and quietly left the scene with his Archery.