Defeat Them! Kakare Shibata's Weakness!

The Chaldea clan has finally succeeded in conquering all territory other than Demon King Nobunaga's!

So now we can't go any further without figuring out what to do about Gonroku, huh.

That's right. We can no longer keep our distance from Shibata and wait for him to retreat, like we did before.

If we're going to invade Demon King Nobunaga's base in Azuchi, we'll need to find a way to defeat him.

Guess that Kuzu guy was full of it after all.

He said we'd find the Heroic Spirit we need to beat old man Shibata in Oumi, but we never found anyone like that.

It's not Kuzu, it's the Caster of Makuzu.

Though, yes, at this point it does seem like he was lying to us.

So we have to figure out a way to defeat Shibata the Demon, huh...

Are you sure my Sandanzuki wouldn't work on him? I mean, I could aim for his heart!

Man, I don't know why, but you really rub me the wrong way.

Now that we have numbers, what if we tried to take him together? Powerful as he is, he can't beat us all at once.

Trying to get by him with brute force alone, hm? Interesting. Somehow that excites me as much now as it would have when I was younger.

Wahahahaha! I guess there's something to be said for going all out at times like this!

In that case, why don't we hit him with all our Noble Phantasms at once?

We may have no choice if we can't find a better way.

？！

Hold it right there!/Hold it right there!

Y-you two!?

Hey. Are we sure we wanna let them handle this?

I don't know... But either way, we need to make sure to soften him up first.

Agreed. After we wear him down, then it'll all rest on the plan we agreed to.

I doubt it'll be easy to land even a single strike against a warrior like him.

Hey, the important thing is that we get past him, right? If we end up beating him ourselves, there's nothing wrong with that!

I still don't know where you get your confidence from... But, you aren't wrong.

Charge...! Advaaance!

D-don't worry...Master...

I'll handle this...!

All right, everyone! Remember to stick to the plan!

Shibata the Demon, huh? Interesting!

Let's see how he stacks up against the Demon Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi!!!

Okita Souji, Captain of the Shinsengumi's... I mean, Infantrywoman of the Chaldea clan, ready for battle!

Ha!

I commend your resolve in facing us head-on, demon! Let's see how long it lasts against my fists!

Aw yeah! Laugh this off! Ningen Mukotsu!!!

Come! Bishamonten's protection is with us!

Charge... Advance...!

I didn't want to believe he could still be standing after everything we've hit him with.

Hahahahahaha! So much for beating him ourselves! My Ningen Mukotsu didn't do shit against him!

It's like fighting a boulder. He simply refuses to go down, no matter how hard I hit him.

Hey, is that plan they came up with ready yet? We're not gonna last much longer out here.

They should be here any moment!

Charge... Advance...!

Shibata the Demon? Really? You've got a lot of nerve just showing your face here, Gonroku.

Fight...!?

Wh-who are... That voice...? N-no, it can't be...!

How dare you pretend to be Sister's loyal attendant after you let me talk you into betraying her?

What a joke. You know what you did to Sister back then. You have no right to side with her now!

Lord N-Nobukatsu!? Is it really y-you!?

Th-this can't be right... Lady Nobunaga killed you!

Shibata has finally stopped!

Ouch. I didn't know Gonroku was still hung up on that.

？！

Oh, when Nobukatsu incited a revolt against me back when we were alive, Gonroku chose to side with him.

Of course, we managed to work things out, and he ended up as one of my trusted retainers.

So that's why he was so shaken by what Nobukatsu had to say.

Gonroku always did feel bad about what happened, even after I told him I'd forgotten all about it.

You idiot retainers wouldn't know Sister's greatness if it hit you upside your heads! If it wasn't for you

Huh!? I-I...!

F-forgive me...! I promise, I'll never betray Lady Nobunaga again!

Ha! You expect me to believe that? Trust me, Sister's never forgotten what you did to her either!

Your sins will follow you forever, Gonroku! You will pay dearly for them! It's only a matter of time!

S-stop... Please, stop!

I... I'm Lady Nobunaga's...!

Ouch. Sometimes, it's kind of scary how there's no depths to which my brother won't sink...

Senpai! Shibata's Spirit Origin is weakening! I think we should be able to defeat him now!

？！

Now I see. The plan was not to attack the body, but the mind. Clever.

At any rate, this is the chance we've been waiting for! Let's go, everyone!

Gh, ghhh...

...Did we win?

Hey! Don't go tempting fate like that.

How was that, Sister!? Pretty good, right!?

Gonroku had changed so much since I last saw him that I was honestly a little scared...

...but he turned out to be no problem at all!

Though he certainly gave us all quite a bit of trouble up to this point, didn't he?

Still, maybe I went a little too far. He might be kind of a simpleton, but he's not a bad guy...

Nooo! I refuse to let this end now!

Aah! H-he's still moving!?

I... I did turn my back on Lady Nobunaga once...

It may have only been a single lapse of judgment, but there was indeed a time when I failed to put my faith in her!

But that...

That is exactly why...I so fervently wished to serve Lady Nobunaga now...!

After she died, and that damn Monkey took over...!

I couldn't stand to see him run the Oda clan into the ground!

But then...my cowardice led to Lady Oichi's death too!

Gonroku... I didn't know you'd taken that so hard...

That is why...I cannot squander this chance!

I refuse to retreat so much as a single step...!

My liege! Nobunaga of Azuchi, watch over me! I promise I will devote all my strength and will to this battle!

？！

Chaaaaaarge!!!

It's all right, Lord Gonroku. It's all right.

...!?

...I-it's you!

You can rest now, Lord Gonroku.

That face... Chacha!? Is it really you!?

It wasn't your fault, Lord Gonroku. Everything changed with the times.

I'm sure Mother never blamed you for her fate.

B-but I... I...!

Hehe... You haven't changed a bit. You're the same as when my sisters and I visited Kitanoshou for the first time.

It's all right, kind Lord Gonroku... No... Father. You can rest now.

Chacha... My Chacha...

Even now...you would still call me Father...?

Of course, Father. I've always been proud to be your daughter.

...Have you now...?

I didn't realize... I've been lost all this time, unable to come to terms with my own cowardice...

...

...Forgive me, Lord Nobunaga. It seems I am destined to be disloyal to the end.

A single remark from my little girl was all it took to knock the fight out of me...

Take care...my dear Chacha...

Oh Father... You really are a hopeless softie...

I don't know what we're going to do with you...