Dragon, tiger, and Qilin

"Lord Shingen, I have long heard of your renown. The world has always spoken of us as the tiger and the Qilin."

"Yet we have both been so occupied that we have never met. As it happens, the scenery here is lovely, and Kawagoe Castle is nearby."

"They say a chance meeting is a sign of fate. Why not join me in that little castle and follow the ancients' example, warming wine as we discuss the heroes of our age?"

Riding his fine steed, Hojo Akitoshi shouted after the tail end of Takeda Shingen's fleeing army.

Given the capabilities of the Fully Armored Cavalry, their power when charging enemy formations, slaying commanders, and capturing banners was beyond question.

But with both riders on their backs and armor covering their bodies, the horses carried an enormous weight.

Once it came to pursuing a routed enemy, particularly over a long distance like this one,

the Fully Armored Cavalry gradually began to struggle.

Thus, as time passed and the red sun climbed higher, the distance between Takeda Shingen and Hojo Akitoshi actually continued to widen.

"Hahaha! Lord Akitoshi, I appreciate your kind invitation!"

As the distance between them grew increasingly safe, Takeda Shingen was no longer as bedraggled as he had been during the night.

He had had more than enough time to recover the composure of the Tiger of Kai.

Hearing Hojo Akitoshi's clumsy attempt to goad him-or perhaps merely his frustration at seeing him about to escape-

Takeda Shingen found his spirits inexplicably lifting and did not mind trading a few barbs.

"Since you are in such a cultured mood, Lord Akitoshi, why not come and stay in my humble province of Kai?"

"Once you have finished admiring Kai's charms, I could escort you to Odawara Castle myself."

A needle hidden in cotton; even a dying tiger retained its majesty.

Despite the tremendous loss Takeda Shingen had suffered, his words still carried the intent to challenge Hojo Akitoshi again.

He was simply saying that next time, it would be his turn to march on Odawara Castle.

"Heh, heh, heh."

Hojo Akitoshi chuckled at that and gradually slowed his fine steed.

They had pursued the enemy all night. Even though every horse in his force was a carefully selected Western import or one of the Tōdai Horses, they had been running for far too long.

Sometimes, human determination still had to bow to physical reality.

If he did not let the horses recover some stamina here...

Should the next person to enter the fray spot even the slightest opening,

judging by that person's performance in field battles and talent for seizing opportunities,

any weakness would truly invite an assault as relentless as a flood of quicksilver!

One misstep could turn a great victory that should have left everyone delighted into a crushing loss at the final hurdle.

That would never do.

"My lord, the Hojo Army has slowed down."

Takeda Nobushige immediately noticed the movement of the Hojo Army behind them.

He spoke to his lord, who was still whipping his horse's rump.

"Oh, he truly lives up to his name: Hojo Akitoshi, the Qilin of Sagami."

Takeda Shingen had already praised his opponent several times, but he still felt compelled to praise him again.

"He is letting his horses recover their stamina so he can deal with whoever comes next."

"Given his age, I thought a victory of this magnitude would surely go to his head."

"Who would have thought..."

Turning to survey the Hojo Army as the entire force slowed to recover, Takeda Shingen felt his newly lifted spirits vanish.

"Whoever comes next?"

Takeda Nobushige was sharp enough that, with this hint from his elder brother,

he immediately understood the deeper meaning.

His brother had fled toward Uesugi Kenshin's army not merely to use that rival's military might as a shield.

He wanted not only to escape Hojo Akitoshi's pursuit, but also to lay a trap for him.

After this disaster, the Takeda's military strength had suffered a devastating blow.

They would surely be incapable of launching another offensive for some time. Conversely, as their strength waned, the Hojo's power to intimidate would grow considerably.

Faced with a badly weakened Takeda Shingen coming straight to him, along with a Hojo Akitoshi whose strength was spent and had yet to recover,

whom would a man as adept at seizing opportunities as Uesugi Kenshin choose to attack?

Killing Takeda Shingen would certainly be worthwhile, but it would also help Hojo Akitoshi.

With its overall strength essentially intact, the Hojo Army would undoubtedly move on Kai immediately afterward.

It would become the greatest winner of this battle.

But sparing Takeda Shingen and striking directly at Hojo Akitoshi's exhausted night-raiding force would be a different matter.

In this era, a single man could raise a realm to greatness, just as a single man could bring it to ruin.

If Hojo Akitoshi could be killed outright, the Hojo, which had only just begun to flourish, would suffer a staggering blow.

Deprived of its next clan head, the Hojo might even descend into internal strife as its members fought for power!

And even if Hojo Akitoshi could not be killed!

Looking back at those splendidly equipped Hojo soldiers and their astonishing fighting prowess,

Takeda Nobushige thought wiping out such a cavalry force would be an excellent result in itself.

It would not only weaken the Hojo and restore the balance of power in Kanto,

but also bring the Uesugi army a wealth of valuable supplies!

Sadly...

It was a fine plan, but deep regret showed in Takeda Nobushige's eyes.

A man's reputation was no accident. Even at such a triumphant moment, Hojo Akitoshi could keep his emotions firmly in check!

"What a pity!"

Sighing once more, Takeda Nobushige looked ahead in the direction they were riding.

On the land off to one side, the familiar Bishamon Banner slowly came into view, fluttering in the breeze!

The Bishamon Banner referred to the banner of Bishamonten, a heavenly deity also known as Tamonten, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

He was the original figure behind the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King so familiar to later generations.

Bishamonten's fame reached its height during the Tang dynasty, when soldiers regarded him as their guardian deity. Japan, with its profound admiration for the Tang, adopted this faith as well.

He had many worshippers throughout Japan and was counted among the Seven Lucky Gods of Japan.

In choosing such a banner for his army, Uesugi Kenshin made his ambitions plain.

"My lord."

The same address rang out simultaneously in two different places.

Hojo Akitoshi and Takeda Shingen both drew back on their reins.

The two armies they led began watching Uesugi Kenshin's forces approaching in the distance.

"At last, I get to meet

this man."

Having now met Takeda Shingen, Hojo Akitoshi felt that the tiger lived up to his name.

What, then, of the dragon who remained?

He was intensely curious, recalling what he had learned from games and anime in his previous life.

Uesugi Kenshin was a man surrounded by many legends.

Some claimed that he was actually a woman, because he always kept himself tightly covered on the battlefield.

He had also never married or taken a concubine, having only three adopted sons, which was highly unusual in this era.

That alone might have meant little, but there were also clear records stating that Uesugi Kenshin suffered recurring abdominal pain around the tenth of every month.

His eventual cause of death was even recorded as Big Insect Disease, a Japanese euphemism for menstruation.

Added to that were reports of his fair, beardless face, delicate good looks, well-proportioned figure, and fondness for ornate, feminine clothing.

(I made a slight change here. In reality, Uesugi Kenshin was only fifteen at the time of the Battle of Kawagoe.)

(He had also only just taken control of his clan, and reportedly still went by the name Nagao Kagetora.)

(I brought all of this forward considerably. It is a novel, after all, so just take it with a smile.)

Thinking of all these rumors about the Uesugi Kenshin he was about to meet, Hojo Akitoshi stroked his chin, an unusual gleam flickering in his eyes.

"My lord? My lord?"

Perhaps Hojo Akitoshi had become too absorbed in some amusing thought, for he failed to hear Akechi Mitsuhide speaking quietly to him.

With no other choice, Akechi Mitsuhide raised his voice and called a few more times.

"Oh, Mitsuhide. What is it?"

Abruptly coming to his senses, Hojo Akitoshi felt embarrassed at having let his mind wander on the battlefield.

Naturally, he still acted as though nothing had happened.

"Uesugi Kenshin has halted his formation over there. It does not look as though he intends to attack."

Akechi Mitsuhide did not know, and could not possibly have known, what was going through his lord's mind. He simply assumed that his lord was tired after pursuing the enemy all night.

He hurriedly reported his observations with concern.

"Mm."

Hojo Akitoshi nodded and was just about to speak.

Suddenly, several riders emerged from Uesugi Kenshin's formation, carrying their distinctive Bishamon Banner.

And from the look of it, Uesugi Kenshin was among them.