Wind and rain
In the distance from the town of Kaizu Castle, inside a huge shrine, an Onmyoji was surrounded by countless strange magical energies. On the table in front of him lay a map of Kaizu Castle. A five-pointed star rune rose from beneath his feet, with an open eye in the center.
The Onmyoji looked up at the war-torn Kaizu Castle in the distance, then took out a paper doll, held it in his hand, lit it, and blew on it. A wisp of smoke fell above Kaizu Castle.
Having done all this, the Onmyoji took a deep breath and said:
"This way, I can see this woman's potential. This way, I can consider my master's task completed. If I could, I really want to go back to Kyoto."
A misty fog enveloped the once clear sky, instantly turning it dark. A clap of thunder followed, and rain began to fall, as if draping the entire Kaizu Castle in a hazy veil.
The shouts of battle shook the heavens. This once beautiful city, filled with cherry blossoms, was instantly engulfed in war. Generally speaking, the children of a family, as vital members of the population, must be protected.
Whether it's the Takeda Clan or the forces affiliated with Takeda, only when there are no worries about the future can their warriors fight with peace of mind. And clearly, the Mochizuki Clan is not one of those that can be protected.
Furthermore, since most of the ninjas were female, many of them infiltrated the enemy camp disguised as courtesans. Therefore, the clan's internal guard force was not large. However, even a cunning rabbit has three burrows, and this group was clearly preparing to move the child to a secret location first in order to preserve the bloodline.
At the front of the group, Mochizuki Chiyome stood, her figure like a dancer frantically moving through a banquet, constantly changing her dance partner, each movement accompanied by the fall of Uesugi warrior.
The ninja behind him couldn't help but exclaim, "As expected of the leader, his strength seems to have surpassed even before, and what an elegant figure he possesses!"
A cold glint flashed continuously, but Chiyome felt something was amiss. There were far too many people. She had clearly chosen a more secluded path, yet she still encountered so many enemies.
Besides, aren't the Takeda Clan's flags still flying on the city walls? Where did all these people come from?
Her ninja instincts told her that something was amiss.
But she couldn't care less about anything else at that moment; she could only continue fighting her way through until she had carved a bloody path. Unbeknownst to her, the sound of the rain gradually drowned out the voices of those behind her; apart from the screams of her enemies, nothing could be heard.
She didn't notice that the people behind her had long since become faint shadows.
Meanwhile, the Mochizuki Clan ninjas were extremely anxious. They didn't know when, but Chiyome's figure had disappeared. Surrounded by enemies, they felt like puppies encountering a pack of wolves in the night.
The leading ninja was Mochizuki Mo. She wiped the blood from her face and looked at the people behind her. It felt as if a huge boulder was pressing on her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
Heavy footsteps approached, and a group of armored soldiers rushed towards them. Seeing the prominent "Uesugi" characters on their clothes, everyone present felt a heavy weight in their hearts.
"Ninjas? It seems the higher-ups were right. The Takeda Clan is treating Mochizuki's ninjas like disposable tools. Move them, leave no one alive!"
As the blade flashed through the rain and was about to fall, a figure appeared before her like a ghost, extending two fingers to stop the falling samurai sword.
Just as Mochizuki Mo saw the figure clearly, a strong gust of wind arrived late, breaking through the rain curtain. The samurai in front of her was thrown into a wooden hut nearby like a sack.
It was a somewhat familiar figure; many of the Mochizuki Clan's ninjas even recognized him.
Bai Mo turned around, carelessly exposing his back to the soldiers. Mochizuki Mo rubbed her rain-drenched eyes, looking at the approaching people with a somewhat incredulous expression.
"Gods..." Mochizuki Mo had just begun to speak when Bai Mo slapped her on the head, interrupting her.
"Stop talking nonsense, it's not safe here. Take your people and come with me."
The tone was somewhat familiar, but this time it carried a strong sense of security. The soldiers behind them watched their captain fly away. The vice-captain took a deep breath and roared:
"Don't be afraid, there's only one opponent. Get into formation..."
But before he could finish speaking, the soldier who was about to speak was sent flying like a cannonball with a scream, knocking everyone behind him to the ground.
The formation that had just begun to take shape was instantly torn open, leaving a passage that stretched as far as the eye could see.
Bai Mo waved to the people behind him, signaling them to follow. Then, he strode confidently through the Uesugi Clan's army.
No one dared to stop him; many people kept backing away, and some even slipped and fell to the ground because of the wet rain.
Some people in the group recognized Bai Mo; they had been to that clinic for treatment. But no matter what, they couldn't imagine that the quiet but gentle doctor in the clinic was the same person as the powerful figure before them who could make even blades retreat.
Following behind Bai Mo, Mochizuki Mo and many other ninjas followed. A strange scene unfolded on the battlefield: a group of unarmed young ninjas swaggered past a group of fully armed Uesugi Clan soldiers.
All eyes were on the person in front of them, and only now did someone notice that although he was in the rain, not a single drop of rain had soaked his clothes.
Not only him, but many members of the Mochizuki Clan also realized that, without knowing when, the rain would stop falling on them.
Only after Bai Mo and the Mochizuki Clan ninja left did a soldier from the Uesugi Clan dare to speak, "Shinatsuhiko-no-Mikoto...?"
Shinatsuhiko-no-Mikoto, the wind god in Japan legends, a deity who only exists in mythology, but it seems that only the power of a god can explain everything that is happening before our eyes.
"So, the legend that Mochizuki Chiyome was Divine Marriage Bride is true."
Inside the clinic, Bai Mo didn't care what the group of people were thinking; he only cared about what was in front of him. A shed was set up in the backyard, a stove was lit, and warm breezes blew to keep the air circulating.
Handing a bowl of brown sugar ginger soup to the ninja in front of her, Mochizuki Mo took a deep sip of the soup, dispelling all the chill from her body.
Have you regained your strength?
Bai Mo spoke to Mochizuki Mo, who appeared to be in charge. Mochizuki Mo nodded, and then Bai Mo handed her the soup spoon, saying:
"Then I'll leave this place to you. I'll go take care of other things. As long as you don't leave this area, no one will notice you."
After saying that, Bai Mo's figure vanished instantly. Holding the soup spoon in her hand, Mochizuki Mo stood there, somewhat dazed. A ninja approached her and said:
"Shang, do you think he's the god who came to marry the leader? He can even control the rain, could he be a descendant of Shinatsuhiko-no-Mikoto?"
Hearing these words, Mochizuki Mo frowned, somewhat puzzled, and murmured:
"Really? But I've never heard of a god personally making ginger soup for humans..."