At the End of the Road

Inuyama Castle stood atop a mountain on the southern bank of the Kiso River, facing Mino Province across the water.

Thanks to its treacherous terrain and its command of the Kiso River's strategic choke point, during the Edo period a Confucian scholar named Ogyu Sorai gave Inuyama Castle the alternate name "White Emperor City," after Li Bai's Tang poem "Departing Early from Baidi City."

Inuyama Castle was built in the sixth year of Tenbun. Its first lord was Oda Nobuyasu, younger brother of Oda Nobuhide.

At the time, the martial Oda Nobuhide had fought north and south across Owari, beating a host of branch families into submission. He then sent his younger brother Oda Nobuyasu to the Iwakura Oda clan as a "guardian"—put bluntly, to seize power.

The current lord of Inuyama Castle, Oda Nobukiyo, was Oda Nobuyasu's son. After inheriting the family headship, Oda Nobukiyo married Oda Nobuhide's daughter, becoming Oda Nobunaga's brother-in-law.

Simply put, Inuyama Castle was a chess piece Oda Nobuhide had placed to control the Iwakura Oda clan, as well as a bridgehead against invasion from Mino.

Oda Nobuhide's rule over his territory had been relatively gentle, and he had been willing to yield some authority to the branch families below. Oda Nobunaga, however, did not agree. He believed that to stand against the powerful Imagawa Yoshimoto, Owari had to be unified.

Thus, Oda Nobunaga's hard-line stance swiftly stirred the resentment of nearly every samurai in Owari, and the process of centralizing power internally went anything but smoothly. Still, Oda Nobunaga was indeed fierce. Like his father Oda Nobuhide, he beat the opposing forces into submission one by one.

In this attack on the Iwakura Oda clan, Oda Nobunaga had brought his brother-in-law Oda Nobukiyo along. But that did not mean Oda Nobukiyo and Oda Nobunaga could piss in the same pot.

Bang!

"Bastard!"

First came the sharp crack of a hand slamming heavily onto the table, followed by Oda Nobukiyo's furious curse.

"I went to Kiyosu Castle and asked Oda Nobunaga to grant this house the Iwakura Oda clan's lands, yet he refused!"

"He must have seen the Inuyama Oda family growing stronger by the day and become displeased, deliberately suppressing this house!"

"This is utterly outrageous!"

Oda Nobukiyo was so enraged that even his beard stood on end.

Before the troops had marched, they had agreed that the two houses would split the Iwakura Oda clan's territory evenly. Yet once the fighting ended, Oda Nobunaga took every scrap of seized land for himself, leaving not even a sliver for Oda Nobukiyo. How was he supposed to swallow that insult?

"My lord, please calm yourself. Kippōshi may simply have other considerations. Besides, you are family—why make such a distinction?" Inuyama-dono reached out and laid a hand on Oda Nobukiyo's shoulder, trying to soothe her husband.

"Who is family with him?" Oda Nobukiyo turned back irritably. "Since you see it that way, how about I send you back to Kiyosu Castle?"

Inuyama-dono's heart clenched. If she truly returned to Kiyosu Castle, it would mean the alliance between the two sides had broken down. She could not bear that responsibility.

As a daughter of the Oda clan, Inuyama-dono knew full well the heavy duty she carried. She could only do her utmost to resolve the conflict between the two men, rather than intensify it.

"Say no more!" Oda Nobukiyo naturally knew that Inuyama-dono was not acting of her own will, but when real interests were involved, he could not afford to dwell on marital affection.

In these times, fathers killing sons and sons driving out fathers over a patch of land were everyday occurrences. If Oda Nobunaga had truly resolved to keep everything for himself, Oda Nobukiyo could always replace even his principal wife.

"Stay obediently inside the castle. You had best not run around."

"Where is my lord going?" Inuyama-dono pressed.

Oda Nobukiyo ignored her and strode out of the palace without looking back.

It was merely a political marriage. What affection could there be between them? Oda Nobukiyo would rather waste more words on his concubines than spend his energy on Inuyama-dono.

"My lord, the Maeno family has already relented." A samurai hurried over.

"They claim that so long as this house can guarantee the Maeno family's lands, Oda Nobukata will not fall into Oda Nobunaga's hands."

Clearly, the Maeno family had failed to reach an agreement with Oda Nobunaga and had instead sought Oda Nobukiyo's protection.

After hearing his retainer, Oda Nobukiyo raised a brow. "Nobunaga, you brat—if you are heartless, then do not blame me for being unjust."

"If I cannot have this land, then no one else will have it either."

"Send men to receive them. By tomorrow morning, I want to see Oda Nobukata in Inuyama Castle."

"Yes!"

Two or three li east of Iwakura Castle stood a small mountain, one of the few high points across the entire Owari Plain.

This hill, called Mount Komaki, was still bare and barren at this time. Decades later, history would see a great battle erupt here—one that nearly changed the shape of Japan.

"This isn't right. Why are we heading farther and farther east?"

Mount Komaki was simply too easy to recognize. It was the only mountain in western and central Owari. So even though dawn had barely broken, Horio Yasuharu and his father immediately recognized where they were.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo could no longer sit still. The farther they traveled, the more panic filled his heart. The sensation of having his family's lives in another's hands pressed down on him until he could scarcely breathe.

"Saburozaemon, catch."

After passing his younger sister to Goto Joki, Yamauchi Kazutoyo quickened his pace and moved to the very front of the party.

Maeno Katsunaga turned and shot Yamauchi Kazutoyo a glare. "Iemon, we have not reached the place yet."

"But this road does not lead toward Matsukura Castle, does it?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo asked coldly.

Maeno Katsunaga answered casually, "To avoid pursuers, we naturally must take a detour."

"What pursuers?" Yamauchi Kazutoyo swept his gaze around, his right hand already resting on his sword hilt. "Now that we have left Iwakura Castle far behind, I hope to leave this party and travel alone."

"Tajima no Kami entrusted you all to this house. Naturally, I must do my utmost. Let us first reach Matsukura Castle, then discuss the matter further," Maeno Katsunaga replied without hesitation.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo's expression darkened. He feared that once they reached Matsukura Castle, they would no longer be able to leave.

At that moment, Oda Nobukata, beside Maeno Katsunaga, removed his straw hat and said warmly, "Iemon, why not come to Iwakura Castle with us? There is strength in numbers, and we can look after one another."

Yamauchi Kazutoyo showed a slightly surprised expression, as though Oda Nobukata's suddenly revealed identity had startled him. "My respects, my lord. I never imagined you were here as well. Please forgive my discourtesy."

"It is only that my father ordered me to protect the family and take them to Kuroda Township for temporary refuge. Going to Iwakura Castle would not be on the way."

At the mention of Yamauchi Moritoyo's name, Oda Nobukata gave a soft sigh.

"Tajima no Kami is a loyal and righteous man. It is my fault that his family must suffer alongside me." Oda Nobukata's words carried at least some sincerity.

As for the distance in Yamauchi Kazutoyo's words, Oda Nobukata understood it perfectly well. When disaster struck, every bird flew its own way. Since he could no longer guarantee the Yamauchi family's lands, it was only natural that they wished to go their own way.

Every family knew its own affairs. Given the Iwakura Oda clan's current condition, Yamauchi Moritoyo's willingness to remain in Iwakura Castle and fight to the death under siege had already done Oda Nobukata proud.

"Kohei, since Iemon wishes to leave, let them go." Oda Nobukata looked toward Maeno Katsunaga.

The instant Oda Nobukata finished speaking, Yamauchi Kazutoyo had already drawn the sword at his waist.

"I am afraid we cannot leave."

Across the wilderness behind them, a force of more than a hundred men, holding torches high, was rushing rapidly toward them.

Yamauchi Kazutoyo turned to look at Maeno Katsunaga and found the man's face equally panicked, with no sign of pretense.

They had come from behind, which meant the pursuers belonged to Oda Nobunaga.

That meant the Maeno family's escape route was either Oda Nobukiyo of Inuyama Castle or Saito Yoshitatsu of Mino.

In the flash of lightning and spark, Yamauchi Kazutoyo swiftly sorted through the stakes and made his decision.

"Run!"

Yamauchi Kazutoyo shouted to his family behind him. Goto Joki, who had long been prepared, led the women and children running in the opposite direction.

In an instant, the crowd split in all directions, scattering like birds and beasts.

Oda Nobukata was even more panicked and lost, and could only follow Maeno Katsunaga as they continued fleeing east with their heads down.

"Quick, they are over there! Do not let a single one escape!"

"Haha! This great merit belongs to me, Kawajiri Hidetaka!"

"Who takes the deer's head remains to be seen. Do you think I, Mori Yoshinari, cannot claim this merit?"