Section 6: Siblings, Killing Lovingly

...

You're the one best suited to lead the Oda clan, Lord Nobukatsu.

Lady Nobunaga's victory at Inou was just a fluke. This time I am certain we will bring that fool to justice!

Right you are! Don't you agree, Lord Shibata!?

U-uh, yes, I suppose so.

My retainers, your loyalty to the Oda clan has moved me deeply.

I promise you here and now that I will indeed bring that fool to justice and prove the Oda clan's rightful rule to all the neighboring provinces.

Wonderful! That's just what we wanted to hear! Now the Oda clan's longevity is all but assured!

Thank you, everyone. Just remember to say nothing of this discussion until the day comes.

Understood!

Now come, have dinner with me. Tonight, I want you to eat and drink your fill.

You're too kind, Lord Nobukatsu! We would be honored to share a drink with you!

Wahahahahaha!

...

...Are they gone, Gonroku?

Yes, my lord.

Hmph. Simpering fools.

They'd better enjoy their ridiculous dreams while they last.

...

All right, Gonroku, from here on, you'll do exactly as we planned.

A-are you truly certain about this, Lord Nobukatsu?

Are you serious?

You've already betrayed Sister once. Don't think she's truly forgiven you for that.

E-er... Yes, but

It's all thanks to incompetent idiots like yourselves that I haven't been able to unify the Oda clan.

Remember, it's also your fault we lost the Battle of Inou!

I swear, how could you have possibly let Yoshinari of all people get the better of you!?

I-I'm sorry, my lord. I have no excuse...

Listen closely, Gonroku. Now that you've betrayed Sister once, you're walking a very fine line.

She may be magnanimous, but even she won't forgive you a second time.

Now just shut up and do exactly what I tell you.

Yes, my lord.

...As you wish.

...

There. Now Gonroku will have no choice but to inform Sister about my plot.

And since he still feels guilty about betraying her, this time he'll support her no matter what.

He's a simple, honorable man at heart, and he's one of the best fighters around. He should make a good pawn for her.

All that's left now...

...is for me to die.

They were working for the enemy all along!? Are you kidding me!?

...

Shut up. It's none of your business.

Wh-what do you mean, none of my business!? Th-they used to be your allies, didn't they!?

Hmph, see? What did I tell you?

I always knew there was something suspicious about them.

Aww, you think? I still don't think they're bad people at heart.

？！

What are you, stupid!? Did you forget how they just tried to kill you!?

I know you can be gullible, but come the hell on!

Still, they were helping us out until then, right?

Probably only because there was something in it for them.

You think?

Hmm. But, you know, the only thing those two have done since they showed up is go around destroying haniwa, wasn't it?

So that must be their objective.

Huh? That doesn't make any sense. Those haniwa were trapping our allies and basically brainwashing them, right?

So if those Shinsengumi guys are really our enemy, why would they do something to help us like that?

I'm guessing it's because of that old saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

What do you mean?

It's pretty simple actually. Somehow, the haniwa must have been an obstacle to their plans.

The haniwa? But, destroying the haniwa cleared up the black haze... And the enemy is controlling the black haze... So...

Gaaah! None of this makes any sense!

...No point just thinking about it. We'll find out once we go see for ourselves.

Let's go, Okita.

Huh? Go where, Mr. Hijikata?

Wait. You don't mean

'Course I do. We're gonna go take care of them ourselves.

Keh. You Mibu wolves sure do love your purges, don't you?

You don't have to say it like that, Izo!

She's right, Izo. There's no need to go that far.

Yeah. That right there is why you have no friends.

Huh!? Where've you been, Ryouma!?

Sorry I'm late. It took a while to catch up to Oryou while she was wandering around every which way.

Oryou's honestly sorry. But Ryouma forgave Oryou after Oryou apologized from the bottom of Oryou's heart.

Big deal!

Anyway, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I happened to overhear some of your discussion. Can you fill me in?

Oh, of course. Well, Yamanami and Saito, they...

Those two, huh...

Now I see. So the two Shinsengumi leaders said they're loyal to Serizawa Kamo...

Is there a reason for that, or

Ha! What reason? Once a traitor, always a tr

Gurk!

For once in your life, shut up and listen.

Haha, go easy on him, Oryou.

Anyway, I wonder what it was that summoned Serizawa Kamo and those two Shinsengumi leaders here in the first place.

Did you say "what"?

From what you've told me, it doesn't sound like Serizawa Kamo formed a contract with a mage to become their Servant.

So I'm guessing he's a Heroic Spiritor maybe an Anti-Hero, in this casewho was summoned here directly by the Holy Grail.

So what about the other two? You think that's the case for them, too?

I can't say for sure just based on what you've told me, but if I had to guess, it sounds like they

Who cares who summoned them!?

The question is, what do they want!? And why'd they pretend to want to help us!?

I think Lady Kenshin already figured out why they initially agreed to help us.

It seems pretty clear that they wanted the haniwa out of their way.

But that doesn't make sense. The haniwa were guarding the shrines that were releasing the Dark Blight.

So if their goal is to spread the Dark Blight far and wide, why would they want to get rid of the haniwa?

Right, they wouldn't. Which is why it's probably the opposite.

I don't think their goal is to spread the Dark Blight.

I think they want to collect it for themselves.

And I'm guessing someone was using the shrines to scatter it across the region in order to stop them.

It's like letting the air out of a balloon by poking holes in it.

That's probably why they turned us Servants into haniwa and made us guard the shrines, too.

...You think whoever did that to us did it to make us guard shrines?

Huh? Then, whoever turned you guys into haniwa must be...

Wait. You don't mean

That's right. Remember who the haniwa were modeled after?

Lady Oda Nobunaga.

Good work, you two.

Thank you, sir. How's the vessel coming along?

It's going great. Shouldn't be much longer now.

I'm impressed she was able to pull that off after being immersed in so much Dark Blight.

But, that's all coming to an end now.

Soon, at long last, this tiresome old kingdom will be done for. And then, it'll be all mine.

Hmm. I guess you could call this the birth of a new nation, couldn't you?

Hahaha! Either way, this calls for a celebration. Here, how about a drink?

No thank you, sir. I make it a point to stay sober.

Is that so? I see you're still as much of a stick in the mud as ever, Yamanami.

On a different note, Saito, you agreeing to join me came as a bit of a surprise.

It's pretty simple, sir. When I've got a choice to make, I always go for the more interesting one.

I see. The more interesting choice, huh?

So you're saying backing Kondou at that time was more interesting than backing me?

...

Hahaha, I'm just pulling your leg.

The important thing is that you two finally get who should be leading the Shinsengumi.

No sense dredging up the past now. Consider it water under the bridge.

...

Now we just need to worry about that Queen Himiko chick and good old Hijikata.

Not that either of them'll be able to stop us now, of course.

You seem awfully confident. You sure this is gonna work?

Those guys'll be a pretty big pain if we have to face them directly.

Don't you worry about that. Just stick with me and everything'll work out.

Besides, Saito, you know better than anyone what happened to the guys who stuck with Kondou, don't you?

Wahahahaha!

...

Is that the great shrine you used when you were alive, Himiko?

That's the one! That's the place where, as Queen Himiko, I'd always

Wait. What's going on? I don't remember the area around my shrine being this deserted, or feeling this ominous...

What happened to this place after I died!?

I believe Lady Iyo was supposed to take up residence there in your stead...

...but the people living here said they never once saw her.

Maybe that's where my sister is now. Come on, let's hurry!

What're you even doing here? It's not like you'll be any help.

That god of war lady would've been much more useful.

Kagetora said she was going to teach the villagers how to fight and fortify our defenses.

And since Sakamoto and Oryou are out conducting an in-depth investigation of the shrines...

...we were the only ones left to go to the great shrine.

Hmph. And if my sister's there now, then of course I need to come along!

Hmph...

He's got a point, Mr. Hijikata. If Nobbu really is here, it's probably better if Nobukatsu is, too.

...Let's go.

Hey! Wait for me, Mr. Hijikata!

At least we didn't encounter any resistance getting here...

True. I don't see any guards patrolling the place.

Well that's weird. When I lived here, there was an excessive number of guards keeping watch.

Not to mention a whole bunch of servants ostensibly there to attend to my every whim.

All that made it pretty much impossible to slip out and go play somewhere. (Sigh)

Hm? That IS strange. Presumably, there should still be some servants around here at this point.

Is this really where we're going to find my sister?

...So, you've come.

Mr. Yamanami!

I see you're here too, Vice Commander.

Yamanami. You bastard...

Come inside. The commander is waiting for you.

Welcome, former Queen Himiko.

It certainly took you long enough to get here. Dare I say you're already too late?

You? What are you doing in the queen's chambers?

And would you look at that. If it isn't Hijikata. Hey, how's Kondou been? He okay?

Serizawa... You bastard...

Ohhh, right, it completely slipped my mind. Saito told me Old Kondou got the chopping block, didn't he?

Hahahaha, what a way for a proud warrior to go out, am I right?

...!

Whoa there! That was close. Damn, I see your lunge is deadly as ever.

Mr. Saito!?

Don't bother trying to sneak attack me, Souji. You'll never get away with it as long as Saito is around.

...Where's Iyo? Why isn't she here?

Iyo?

Hmph, she was never here in the first place.

How could that be...?

Then again, I guess it'd be more accurate to say she's not here anymore.

What do you mean?

There is no Iyo here now. There is only a throne for binding her vessel.

Her vessel...? What are you talking about?

Exactly what it sounds like.

There's no priestess by the name of Iyo anymore.

Unfortunately, Himiko, unlike you, Iyo was never able to find a successor.

...

So when she died, this kingdom lost its grand arbiter.

And unfortunately, that didn't go over so well for Yamataikoku...or, at least not for its inhabitants.

Without a queen, the people of this land would never come together.

Or, more to the point, never fall in line and do what they're told.

So I made a fake Iyoa new queen that could serve as her eternal vessel.

How could you...do something like that?

I'm guessing the real Iyo must've wanted to at least keep her convenient travel shrine intact.

Take a look at this throne of the godsthis empty seat meant solely to hold the vessel in place.

This, Himiko, is why your precious kingdom has fallen into such a terrible state.

No... It can't be...

...

I see. So after myself, Sister, and Lady Iyo were gone, the people made up a fake queen to keep Yamataikoku going.

Exactly. The whole kingdom became a puppet state, all to benefit a small handful of people.

I can't believe it... All I ever wanted was to listen to the invisible voices...share their prophecies...

And make this a kingdom where everyone could live in peace and harmony...

？！

So I thought I'd destroy the whole thing.

...What did you say?

I'd certainly heard of Yamataikoku myself, of course, but I never would've thought it had fallen this low.

So I figured it must have been the will of heaven itself that summoned me here.

That I was meant to destroy this kingdom and create a new one in its place.

The hell are you talking about?

See that, Hijikata? That's exactly what you and Kondou lacked.

You twono, the whole Shinsengumi, reallynever had the guts to do what was necessary to save Japan.

Not if it meant tearing everything down and starting over.

...Is that why you're siding with this bastard, Yamanami?

Hijikata, you know who it was we sided with that day.

It wasn't Serizawa. It was Commander Kondou.

And you also know what happened to us as a result.

I couldn't help but wonder if we made a mistake siding with Kondou back then.

If we hadn't...maybe things would've turned out differently...

Don't make me laugh. You really think things would've been different with Serizawa in charge?

You're damn right they would've been, Hijikata!

The power I possess will let me shape the future however I like!

That black haze... No, it's not just a haze! It's assuming some kind of form!

This aura...!

Bahahahaha! Of course you'd recognize it, Queen Himiko!

This is the residual animosity of all the inhuman creatures you destroyed before!

Y-you mean, the inhabitants of Kunakoku!?

Exactly. It was their voices calling to me from beyond the grave that brought me to this land...

...all so I could destroy Yamataikoku and its false priestess of a ruler!

And now, the final touch!

I'm going to sacrifice her to destroy everything!

...

S-Sister!!!

She turned out to be quite the handful, let me tell you.

I originally summoned her to be the vessel to gather all the hatred those creatures had for you...

...but she fought back by absorbing and scattering my power instead.

So that's why Nobunaga turned all those Servants into haniwa!

I suppose I should've expected nothing less from Oda Nobunaga's Spirit Origin.

Not only did she retain her consciousness instead of having it ground away, she even managed to interfere with my plans in a way I never would have imagined.

But then, just as I was up the proverbial creek without a paddle and all seemed lost, you lot showed up.

Then...all this time, we were helping you!?

That's right.

I have all the Dark Blight I need now, so you have outlived your usefulness.

All that's left is to sacrifice "Iyo" here so I can summon even more inhuman creatures from the bowels of the earth.

Are you nuts!? If you think I'm going to just stand back and watch you sacrifice my sister, you've got another thing coming!

That's right! If we stop you here and now

Hm? What are you lot going on about?

I'm not the one who's going to sacrifice her.

You are.

...I am Iyo, sovereign queen of Yamataikoku.

Prepare to die by my hand, foul inhuman creatures.

There you have it. All that's left now is for you lot to kill each other.

You're free to fight back, of course.

In fact, I'd rather you didn't die too quickly.

Still, if you do, I suppose I can always just kill this woman myself.

Sure it'll be a hassle, but unlike you, I'm willing to do whatever it takes, including getting my hands dirty.

Hahahahahaha!

Serizawa... So this is how you do things, huh?

Or was this all your idea, Yamanami!?

Say what you like about me, Hijikata. You certainly did when you killed me.

This can't be happening!

So this is why you lured us here. This was your plan all along, wasn't it?

Why do you think I said it took you lot long enough to get here?

Still, your bad timing doesn't change the fact that you've already long since lost.

Anyway, if you'll excuse us, we'll just be on our way. Wahahahaha!

Serizawaaa! Yamanamiii! Get back here!

...

Well, see you next time, Okita.

Well, there probably won't be a next time, huh?

Mr. Yamanami! Mr. Saito...!

...I am Iyo. Queen Iyo, ruler of Yamataikoku. I will purge this land of any disaster that threatens it.

Senpai, Nobunaga's about to attack us! What should we do!?

What else can we do!? We have to kill her before she kills us!

You know damn well we can't hold back against the likes of her!

Stop! Nobody's killing my sister as long as I'm around!

I-It's okay, Sister! It's me, Nobukatsu! I'll protect you!

Silence!

Huh!?

Look out, Nobukatsu!

How dare a lowly human like you touch me.

It's no use! The Dark Blight has completely engulfed her!

No...! Come on, Himiko! Can't you use your power to save her!?

I don't know. I'm not sure there's anything even I can do for someone who's been caught in that much Dark Blight...

Why not!? You're supposed to be an amazing queen and priestess, right!? Then figure something out!

Please, my queen, use your powers to save us!

Please, deliver divine punishment unto the vile inhuman creatures of Kunakoku!

I... I...!

...I, Queen Iyo, ruler of Yamataikoku, will purge this land of any disaster that threatens it.

？！

Here she comes, Master!

Ghh... Argh...!

Phew... If I never go through anything like that again, it'll still be too soon.

Nobbu! You're yourself again!?

？！

Sister! Y-you're okay! Oh, I'm so glad!

Get back, you idiot! Stay away from me!

Are you trying to get yourself killed too? This crap is lethal!

Huh!? Sister... You're still

Hmph. You must be Himiko. Iyo filled me in on what's going on here.

Iyo spoke to you!? How?

Back when I was summoned here and bound to this throne of the gods or whatever to serve as a vessel...

...the few remnants of Iyo's soul still left on this throne...

...asked me to buy time until Himiko returned.

She wanted you to buy time?

That's right. Besides, there's no way I was ever letting myself end up as anyone's lowly vessel.

That said... Serizawa, was it? I'm guessing his power comes from the Holy Grail.

Anyway, before he bound me and made it impossible for me to fight back, I did my best to piss him off.

I sealed everyone else who was summoned here into haniwa, spread his power among all of you, and scattered you across the land.

So then, you did put us into those haniwa.

I did, but even that was just a ploy to buy time.

At this rate, they're not far off from accomplishing their goal.

What is that goal, exactly?

It's... Hang on. Why's that tortoise talking?

Ah, whatever. Anyway, their goal is to gather the residual animosity of the ancient beasts and inhuman creatures slumbering within this land...

...in order to resurrect the old gods.

The old gods...

Well, imitations of them, really. They mean to gather that animosity and seal it in their image, then use them to destroy the entire kingdom.

Wh-what's that rumbling noise!?

Looks like they already started destroying this kingdom, supposedly in the name of creating a new one.

Anyway, that's it for me. I was already pushing my luck sticking around even before I got to telling you lot all that.

Ah well, at least I managed to buy you time Lady Iyo asked for.

The rest is up to you, Himiko.

You did all that just to honor Iyo's request?

Hey, don't worry about it. Part of me just wanted to mess with that asshole.

Those so-called Shinsengumi have a lot of nerve, trying to sacrifice me for their own ends.

You used to be friends with those guys, right, Okita? You damn well better take care of this, then.

Nobbu...

All right. I will...

？！

I-it can't be! You're kidding, right, Sister!?

You can't just disappear on me!

That's... You just can't!

You can't disappear while I'm still around! It's just not right!

It's not right, dammit!

Come on, Himiko! Do something already!

Nobukatsu...

You too, Sister's Master! Can't you figure something out!?

Snap out of it, you idiot!

Huh? Sister...

I swear, you've been following me around like this since we were little. I'm sick and tired of it.

Let me spell it out for you.

I don't ever want to see you again.

Huh? C-come on, Sister... Y-you don't really mean that, right...?

Don't make me say it again! You don't have time for this crap!

From here on, you'll have to get by in a world without Oda Nobunaga!

Which means you need to learn how to stand on your own two feet!

I-I... But...

？！

I'm sorry to ask you to do this, Fujimaru, but look out for Nobukatsu for me, will you?

He might not be much...but he's still my little brother.

No... Please, wait!

Nobukatsu.

Y-yes, Sister?

...It's all up to you now.

Sister...

Sister...!

Sisteeerrr!!!