"This is easier said than done. I'm afraid it'll be even harder than unifying this country... But since you're confident, go ahead and do it. Let this old man see what you're made of! If you truly have that ability, then I won't be stingy. I'll certainly do everything in my power to lend you a hand!"
After pondering for a moment, Saito Dosan seemed to make up his mind. His eyes suddenly widened, gleaming sharply as he barked in a low yet immensely forceful voice.
He had always been an open-minded and easygoing man, so such decisiveness was nothing hard to understand. More importantly, as he had grown older over the past few years, he had begun to feel his strength failing him. He had already been considering this matter for some time, had carefully assessed his other son-in-law, and had already reached a decision.
—Had this brat not appeared before him, the Viper of Mino had planned to hand over all of Mino after some more time.
So... this was not some impulsive decision made on the spur of the moment. Saito Dosan had spent several years carefully considering it before making up his mind, and had originally intended to put it into practice before long.
Even without Gu Mo, he would have done this. But Gu Mo had appeared at precisely this critical juncture, and the conditions seemed to fit quite well, so Saito Dosan included Gu Mo as one of the possible candidates in the matter he had already been considering.
So Saito Dosan was not being rash, nor had he made a hasty decision in a moment of heated passion. If that were the case, he would never have achieved what he had today. Rather, someone's luck had been good enough to catch the last bus—
Even if he had not caught it, the bus would have departed anyway.
"Hm? Wait, old... old man, I think we need to straighten this out. I don't need your help with this sort of thing..."
Gu Mo was a little slow to react. What was all this about? Why could he not understand a word this old man was saying? Frowning, he thought it over and felt that something had gone wrong somewhere. The communication had not gone smoothly, resulting in a slight misunderstanding.
Did he really need to make it sound so serious? Gu Mo merely wanted to go back. Did something so minor really require the other man to give it his all, just to "lend him a hand"? And what was this about it being harder than "unifying this country"?
"Hmph! I didn't even want to help you. I'm only doing it for Axiu's sake!"
With a cold snort, Saito Dosan gave him a practiced glare. This brat was truly infuriating. Did he really think he was doing this for his sake? If not for Axiu, he could not be bothered with such matters!
He waved his hand forcefully, looking deeply disdainful. "That's enough... Hmph, anyone can talk big. Show me some results first! Tomorrow, go to Sagiyama Castle. Let me see what you're capable of before we discuss anything else. If you can't even govern one small castle town properly, don't spout such grandiose nonsense. You'll be a laughingstock!"
As if recalling something, he looked at the slight man who had remained silent with his head lowered ever since entering, then added, "If you have no one under your command, bring Monkey with you. He's quite clever."
"Hey, I'm not..." Gu Mo frowned, about to say something, when he caught sight of Tokichiro desperately signaling at him from the corner of his eye. His gaze was not conveying any particular message; it was simply filled with hope and pleading.
Gu Mo fell silent for a moment and quickly weighed the consequences of this change in his mind. In the end, he slowly nodded. "I'll give it a try."
"Good, then that's settled. This old man is tired..."
Saito Dosan waved his hand again and spoke with obvious impatience, making it very clear that he was dismissing them.
His reason and emotions were clashing fiercely at this moment. Reason had made him choose this path. After all, they were family. If this brat was no worse than Oda Nobunaga of Owari Province, then choosing him would be acceptable. He could consider it compensation for all the hardship Axiu had endured over the years.
But precisely because of that, whenever his emotions made him think of how Axiu had only recently returned to his side, only to be taken away again by this brat so soon, his heart ached unbearably. He could not suppress his anger. The very sight of Gu Mo irritated him, and the more he thought about it, the more furious he became.
"...Lord Dosan, then we'll take our leave first."
Tokichiro desperately suppressed his excitement. Pulling Gu Mo along as he tried to say something else, he hurriedly bid the Viper farewell while heading outside.
An opportunity—an opportunity had finally come! I, Tokichiro, had finally endured until this day and waited for my chance to rise! But Brother Gu Mo did not seem very willing. I had to hold him back. I couldn't let him do something so irrational at a time like this!
It was such a wonderful opportunity, one he would not have dared dream of. Even the accumulated virtue of eight generations of ancestors might not have been enough to earn it. Yet someone was actually hesitating over whether to accept it when it had been handed right to him? Tokichiro truly could not understand. Perhaps this was what they meant by drought killing some while floods drowned others.
Watching the door close and the room return to its dim, shadowy atmosphere, Saito Dosan also fell silent.
Though he had reached a decision, he had only said that he would help Gu Mo with all his strength. He had not explained what form that help would take. The old man knew better than that. Even though he had long decided to "yield the country," he would not announce it before the final moment.
After all, the human heart was difficult to predict. He had to consider not only the thoughts of the candidate being assessed, but also the thoughts of Mino's interest groups and the many retainers.
Still, it was not a major problem. From his previous assessment of Oda Nobunaga, that man had both the means and the courage to unify Mino. This brat's abilities were still unknown, but his ambitions were even greater—across the sea lay a powerful nation, one that even all of Japan's strength combined could scarcely hope to approach, much less this presently fractured Sengoku.
Given this brat's background, he must have belonged to the very highest ranks over there, practically representing the ruling power of the Celestial Empire... Therefore, reclaiming everything he had lost and returning home was likely far more difficult than ending the Warring States Period and unifying this island nation.
However, if one set an exceptionally lofty goal from the beginning and worked tirelessly toward it, then even if one ultimately failed, the height reached might already far surpass any ordinary path.
Of course, just as he had said, the brat first needed to prove himself—Owari's great fool had been his original favored candidate because he had been assessed. This brat would be no exception... Sending him to Sagiyama Castle this time was for precisely that reason. Seeing what he could do was only a superficial pretext.
Saito Dosan's true intention was to test whether this brat was the sort of person who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals... That was the most important point.
The Viper of Mino sank into his thoughts. His gaze stretched into the distance, not clouded with the murkiness of old age, but carrying a certain profound depth.
Yet only moments later, he seemed to think of something else. He immediately snorted angrily, picked up his sake bowl and filled it to the brim, then downed it all in one furious gulp... For a long time to come, he would probably be like this—thinking himself into anger for no reason at all.
"That old... old gentleman really changed by the minute."
After being dragged away by Tokichiro, walking down the long corridor and returning to the guest room where he was staying, Gu Mo could not help making that complaint.
He truly was a strange old man with an unpredictable temper. If Gu Mo said his attitude was good, the man had been glaring and snapping at him the entire time. If Gu Mo said he treated him badly, he had been willing to make such a promise and had even directly thrown an entire castle town at him to govern?
Wait, speaking of which, that was a castle town, right?
"That only proves how highly Lord Dosan regards you, Brother Gu Mo... Ah, no, Lord Gu Mo." Monkey was beaming, so excited that he nearly began dancing beside him. But as he spoke, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly corrected himself.
Before, while matters were still unclear and Gu Mo held no official position, he could seize the chance to get closer to him. But that would no longer do... From the moment Lord Dosan spoke, his companion had truly taken flight.
Moreover, he himself had managed to rise today, but that was still thanks to Gu Mo. From now on, he would also have to make a living under Gu Mo's command—someone as worldly and smooth as Tokichiro naturally had the sense to recognize that.
"There's no need to call me lord... Anyway, what's the situation with Sagiyama Castle?" Gu Mo frowned. After thinking it over, he felt it would be better to ask clearly. He did not know much about normal history, much less history that might have been heavily altered.
The information in the game had also been pitifully scarce. He could only understand the broad setting and the general story progression. Being able to sort out that much was already quite good.
As for everything else... such as place names, he truly recognized very few of them. Simply put, his gaming experience had been that he did not know where he was; he only knew that he was about to go on a killing spree.
"Sagiyama Castle? That was where Lord Dosan first entered service in his early years. You could say it was where he made his fortune. Back then, Lord Dosan served Toki Yorinari of Sagiyama Castle, though you should know what happened afterward. That's where Lord Dosan's reputation came from..."
Monkey carefully looked around, then pulled Gu Mo into the room before lowering his voice to speak.
"Perhaps he still has an attachment to that castle. Three years ago, Lord Dosan captured Kitagata Castle and completely dealt with Toki Yorinari. The following year, he had his head shaved and entered the priesthood at Jozai-ji Temple. Then he began extensive construction at Sagiyama Castle, building a residence. He said that after passing the position of clan head to Lord Yoshitatsu, he would retire there."
No, I don't know what happened afterward. Couldn't you explain it in a little more detail?
Gu Mo maintained a smile, though his heart was full of complaints. Since Monkey clearly believed these matters were common knowledge, Gu Mo could not very well ask. He could only sort it through in his mind and form a rough understanding.
Saito Dosan had initially served Toki Yorinari at Sagiyama Castle, then years later completely eliminated Toki Yorinari. The following year, he planned to retire in the place where he had first made his name?
In other words, the old man had usurped the position of Mino's original master. That was the source of his fearsome reputation, right? Then he built a residence at Sagiyama Castle and intended to retire there... Wait, that should be where Viper's Divine Realm was located, shouldn't it?
Recalling the story he knew, Gu Mo finally connected the pieces.
—To prevent people from abusing the power of spirit stones, Saito Dosan had secretly directed Tokichiro and others to travel across the land, gathering large numbers of spirit stones. All the collected spirit stones were stored in Viper's Divine Realm.
—After Saito Yoshitatsu suddenly betrayed him the following year, Dosan suffered a crushing defeat and fled back to his residence. In the end, it was also in Viper's Divine Realm that he saw Axiu, who had come to reinforce him, for the last time.
Putting the two together, Gu Mo naturally understood where he was about to go.
Could the old man truly have ill intentions? Was he specifically luring him into a Feast at Hong Gate... Thinking this with a grave expression, Gu Mo turned to Tokichiro and asked doubtfully, "By the way, did the old man just say that only the two of us were going? Did he say anything about Axiu?"
Old man... A bead of cold sweat appeared on Tokichiro's forehead. He could only pretend not to hear and smile awkwardly. "It didn't seem like he mentioned Miss Axiu."
"Oh, then he didn't say Axiu couldn't go. I'll go get her." Gu Mo nodded with an enlightened expression, turned around, and pulled open the door to head outside.
Better to be safe and bring Hidechiyo along.
Besides, they were good partners. They had promised to be each other's angels, so how could they separate so easily? Naturally, they had to act together.
Time passed swiftly, and another day was soon gone.
Saito Dosan woke and looked toward the eastern sky, which had already begun to brighten beyond the window. Old age had made sleep difficult. Even though he was no longer as overwhelmed with endless work as he had been in his earlier years, he still could not sleep for long and always woke early.
But he could be happier today. At least he would not have to see that detestable fellow.
At that thought, the old man became cheerful again. He sat up from his bedding, summoned the servant who had been waiting outside, and said, "Go urge that brat along. Tell them to set out quickly and not delay too long. The journey to Sagiyama Castle is rather far."
Then he received a respectful reply from the servant outside—
"Clan Head, according to reports from the guards at the gate, they left the city during the night before dawn even began to break."
"Oh? Is that so?" Saito Dosan was slightly surprised, then nodded with gratified satisfaction. "That brat has some sense after all... Fine, then. You may leave." As though recalling something, he hurriedly added, "Right, make today's breakfast better too. Don't repeat yesterday's dishes. Axiu must be satisfied..."
The person outside seemed to freeze for a moment, their voice carrying a hint of surprise.
"Clan Head, Miss Axiu... Miss Axiu also left the city with them before dawn."
"..."
"..."
A deathly silence followed.
The old man in the room opened his mouth wide and took several hurried breaths. He clutched his chest tightly, then ground out through clenched teeth, "Th-that traitor!"
"Sagiyama Castle is still rather far away, so it's better for us to get there quickly... But can the few of us really manage that castle town?"
On a road more than ten miles beyond the Mino Plain, beneath the dim grayness of dawn, two far more refined carriages moved slowly one behind the other along the winding road. They carried little baggage, with only three people accompanying them.
Tokichiro, leading the way at the front, was rather worried. After calming down from yesterday's excitement, he had also noticed the practical problem. Could outsiders like them, suddenly dropped into Sagiyama Castle, truly govern an entire castle town? What about the existing factions and interest groups within the city?
Unless Lord Dosan personally came forward to support them, or Miss Axiu's identity was made public, how could they possibly use his name as a banner?
"Don't worry. Things will work out if we make them work. Maybe some talented people will see that we have a promising future and voluntarily come join us..."
Gu Mo did not care much. Unlike Monkey, he was not overly invested in the matter, so he would not agonize over it before it had even begun. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, looked ahead, then raised his hand to call for a halt—
"Stop, stop. Go over by that river. I need to wash my hands..."
"Wash... wash your hands?"
"Yes, right there." Gu Mo nodded repeatedly. His gaze casually swept over the surroundings before settling on a hillside in the distance.
"??? (100%)." "??? (100%)."
Two bright Health Bars with unknown names appeared in his field of vision.
Wild monsters?
At the same time.
On the distant hillside, two figures stood side by side, watching the two carriages traveling along the winding road. One valiant figure gave a soft snort. "At this point in time, they're nothing special. They're actually this weak..."
"Don't underestimate them, Raiko. You said it yourself—at this point in time..." The man in the tall hat chuckled. "You should know what happened when our original selves encountered them in life. Don't be so unconvinced."
"I know that, of course... Hm? Wait!"
The woman called Raiko replied coolly. Just as she was about to say something, her tone abruptly shifted, and she let out a startled cry. "He seems to have noticed us... How did he do that?"
Before you continue