Yasushi Inoue - The Samurai Banner of Furin Kazan

The allied troops were preparing the war formation on both sides of Yahatahara field. Yes, they should be taking up their position further back in the field, but it was unlikely to think that they had advanced this far. Hence, there should not be a single warrior of the allied troops to the front.

“All right, return to your camp!”

As soon as Kansuke yelled at him, he himself also rushed to the main camp where Takeda Shingen was waiting. At about that moment, the mist started to dissipate with great rapidity. To their left and right, the branches and roots of trees started to appear.

By the time Kansuke arrived at the main camp, the numerous flags surrounding the main camp could be seen through the mist, looking like a thin white silk veil. And as each second passed, the veil was peeled away.

“My Lord!” called out Kansuke.

“How was Mount Saijo?” responded Shingen.

“Mount Saijo will probably be empty, sir.”

“What!”

“Right in front of us, in this mist, Kenshin might be hiding.”

“He can’t be! What are we going to do?” yelled Shingen, his voice trembling.

Before long, the sound of a conch shell, which announced the shaping of the war formation, began to vibrate in a low tone.

At just about the same time, three patrol horses dashed in one by one.

“Large military troops are forming war lines several hundred yards from here, and their right wing is about to start advancing,” said one patrol.

“The left wing has started to deploy their mounted horses toward the east,” reported the second patrol.

“I understand that the troops in front of us are the Echigo army. We assume that there are more than 10,000.” When the third patrol said this, the violent explosive sound of guns was heard from the west.

Before they were aware of it, the mist dissipated. The low plateau, pine forest, rice field, roads, trees around the houses, and rivers which spread out across the vast plain started to appear as if they were emerging from the ground.

Kansuke saw them right away. What he saw was the most frightening scene that he had ever witnessed. Hundreds, no, thousands of mounted horses were stampeding, in three long lines of warriors, toward the Yahata field where Shingen and he were standing. Kansuke held his breath for a moment, overawed with the splendid form of the advancing enemies.

The next moment a war cry was raised from the allied camp.

It was the left wing troops led by Takeda Nobushige. About 700 mounted horses were approaching in unity toward one of the enemy belts.

“My Lord!” said Kansuke, “I misjudged our enemy, and we put ourselves into an unexpected situation.”

“Shall we win?” Shingen was as calm as ever.

“We must win.”

“Yes, otherwise we will lose our lives.”

“It’s not our lives, but our ancestors lives to whom we owe this victory. It would be an inexcusable loss to them.”

“Still I do not want to die yet. I am going to live,” Shingen said as if it were a joke. He grinned fearlessly at his own words.

“Kansuke, until Kosaka’s vanguard arrives, this battle is going to be a mess. Make sure you do not die in this.”

“I give the same advice to you, My Lord,” answered Kansuke, a smile on his face.

Kansuke agreed with Shingen. All of the most skillful generals among the Takeda army, such as Kosaka, Obu, Baba, and Oyamada, were all in the vanguard to attack their supposed enemy on Mount Saijo and the enemy was no longer there. The victory depended solely on when the Takeda’s great army of 12,000 would be able to join them on this field of battle. If they could last until then, victory would be theirs. No matter what, I cannot let Shingen die in this field, Kansuke thought. He resolved to never leave the side of Shingen, save to die for him.

War cries were raised all over the battlefield. Yamagata Saburohyobei’s troop arrived, cutting into the center belt; Naito Shuri and Morozumi Bungo’s troops on the right wing were also attempting to cut into the enemy’s massive lines.

Kansuke had never expected to deploy his warriors against Kenshin’s army in this way in such a strained situation. He had been planning the strategy of this moment for such a long time.

Yet what was actually happening in front of him was not what he had envisioned at all.

The fog had dissipated completely. The earth that was washed up by the mist presented a serene autumn morning. The sacred scarlet robe which Shingen wore was dazzling. He was sitting on a stool wearing armor stitched with woven black thread and the helmet of the Takeda Clan of the region of Suwa.

Kansuke was sitting beside him. His ugly shaved head was tied with a white headband, and he was also wearing armor with black silk thread.

Suddenly, the war cries became louder, and the ear-splitting neighing of the horses was heard at the same time. Obviously both armies had collided at that moment.

From the beginning, it was a hard battle for the Takeda army. There was a large discrepancy in numbers between the two sides; the error of their strategy dampened the morale of the allied warriors. No matter what the situation was, the Takeda army had to face a sudden and surprise attack by the much larger and more powerful Echigo army.

They had to win. And to win, they had to overcome their inferior military position until the 12,000 warriors of the reserve allied army joined the battle lines. Kansuke had no other wish but this. There was no longer any room for strategy. It was simply a showing of power and pure brute force. Kenshin had outwitted Kansuke this time. The Takeda had fallen into the enemy’s trap.

“How is Nobushige 96doing?” asked Shingen. He was not looking at the war line; his eyes were half closed, and he asked his question in a less animated tone than usual.

“They have not yet reached the point of giving way.”

“Hmm, they are withstanding well, aren’t they?” said Shingen. Just the way he said it, there was a tone of warmth in Kansuke’s ears. Even from there, Kansuke could see the desperate battle of Nobushige. With only 700 troops, they were hanging on with a firm grip against an enemy who was several times larger than they were. Although the allied troops were repeatedly pushed back, they rallied forward time and again and managed to push the enemy back every time.

Gradually, Kansuke sensed they were in danger, since new and fresh enemy troops continually advanced before them.

Almost at the same time, Nobushige’s troops, who had been withstanding so far, crumbled all at once. Once they fell apart, it was a pitiful site, since their numbers were so much smaller than the enemies’. In no time they were swallowed up by the billowing waves of enemy warriors.

Then, 1,000 warriors under Yamagata appeared from the side and tried to cut forcibly into the enemy’s line. It was an excellent attack, which was an impressive sight from Kansuke’s point of view.

“Lord Nobushige’s troop crumbled, but…” Kansuke started.

“It’s Yamagata, isn’t it?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

“We can depend on him on that side. How about the right wing?”

“Morozumi’s troop is fighting desperately.”

“Still withstanding?”

“Naito’s troop is turning to the right. It is hard to tell who is winning.”

It was not long before they heard news of the death of Takeda Nobushige.

“Lord Nobushige has passed away!” said the mud-caked messenger. The post-horse suddenly broke its front leg, and the mounted messenger rolled forward onto the ground holding his long sword in his hand. He stood up and yelled again, “Lord Nobushige has passed away,” and again fell forward onto his face.

Kansuke rushed to the samurai and rolled him onto his back.