Fifth Cup: Shrine Maiden of Destruction

Alter, look! Flowers!

I see them. They're beautiful.

Yeah! I love flowers! I wonder why?

Good question... Hm?

Hmm?

I feel like there was supposed to be a joke there.

Aah! Wh-who's there!? I don't recognize your voice!

Don't scare them like that, Rengoku. Oh, right. Rengoku is my sword.

Your sword? Your sword TALKS!? Th-that's amazing!

Hey! Get your grubby hands off me, kid! Come on, Wielder, stop them!

Sorry, Rengoku.

Rengoku? Is that your talking sword's name? Wow, that's so cool!

I know, right? You won't find a cooler sword than me any

Wait. Nice try. You're still not touching me.

Aww, no fair! Don't be stingy, Rengoku!

Yeah, don't be stingy, Rengoku.

Why are you taking the kid's side, Wielder!?

Ahahaha! Stingy Rengoku!

Shut up, you stupid brat! Hey! Don't pour your half-drunk tea on me!

Say, I just remembered. You said you were going somewhere far away, right, Shusha?

Yeah! It's really, really far away, but I have to go.

I see... That must be hard.

I don't remember what it is, but I know there's something important waiting there for me.

...I just know it.

It's been waiting for me for a long, long time...

...I see.

That's why I have to go, no matter what.

It's really, really important.

So I'm not gonna cry or nothing!

...

Do you have anywhere you have to go, Alter?

Me? I've kind of already been there...

Really? Then you're doing even better than me!

You think? I can't really tell, myself.

I can! You've done lots of great things! I'm sure of it!

I see... I hope you're right.

Hey! We're done talking!

Ooh, it's Nobbu!

Let's go, Alter!

...

Rengoku, is it okay if I try to help that kid finish their journey?

Huh? Why's that suddenly your problem, Wielder?

Please. I think they've already been through a lot.

I want to help them along their journey, at least for as long as we're together. Please, Rengoku.

So why does that mean you have to...

Ugh, fine, you win! Let's do whatever we can to keep the kid safe.

At least it should be easier than my usual lost kid-guiding duties.

Thanks, Rengoku.

No need to thank me. If you want to go with them, that's what you should do.

Besides, it looks like a tall order for a small kid.

Yeah... I'll have to make sure they get there safely.

So we're going to fight them after all, huh? Then what was the point of all this?

It was always going to go this way since neither of us are willing to give anything up.

I probably should have just shot him once we finished talking. Hindsight's twenty-twenty, I guess.

Did you notice anything unusual with Rikyu?

I kept an eye on Rikyu the whole time, but I didn't see her get up to anything suspicious.

We didn't run into any trouble, either. Nobody tried to mess with me or Shusha at all.

I watched out, but yeah, I never saw nothing.

I see...

I'm still wondering why Mitsunari was so confident. I mean, he DOES know what happened with the last Yamataikoku, right?

He's not the type to underestimate us, and yet, he was still bizarrely self-assured. I wonder why?

As you've likely guessed, he's got an ace up his sleeve.

He's here!? Master, Shusha! Get behind me, quickly!

Whoa, whoa. Please let me say my piece before you start trying to cut me down today, Okita.

You're one of Okita's old crew, right? What are you doing here? Aren't you on their side?

W-wait, please! Let me explain.

Iyo? What's going on?

Oh, I see. He's your spy, isn't he?

Should've figured you'd put it together, Lady Nobunaga. Yes, you're right.

I've been deep undercover in Lord Jibu-no-Shou's camp so I could help Lady Iyo.

I met Yamanami when I first discovered the souls that had been pouring into this land.

I thought I had disappeared during the last Yamataikoku incident, but the next thing I knew, I washed up here.

Lady Iyo saved me just as I was wandering around unsure of where to go or what to do next.

Please don't call me "Lady." I'm not a queen anymore.

Oh? All right. But I insist on at least calling you "Ms. Iyo."

This is what you call acting based on the time, place, and occasion.

I'm sorry?

Nothing. Go on.

O-okay...

Anyway, after Ms. Iyo told me what was going on...

...I came here to investigate what was happening.

So you went undercover to find out what the enemy was up to here.

I know this won't be enough to make up for what Serizawa and I did to the people of Yamataikoku...

...but it's the least I can do to try and atone.

Then why didn't you say so sooner? I was this close to killing you.

I'm sorry, Okita. Yamanami made me promise not to tell any of you.

I don't exactly exude trustworthiness, so I figured I'd have to put myself through the wringer a little if I was going to get in close.

You're not wrong. Your whole vibe screams "sus as hell."

So? Did you learn something?

Yes. They're trying to resurrect the late heir to the Toyotomi clan, Toyotomi Hideyori.

The guy who was supposed to take over for Monkey, huh? The way Mitsunari was talking, it sounded like he's already back.

Are they planning to summon him as a Servant or something?

No. Mitsunari is trying to make Hideyori into a much greater king than he ever was when they were both alive.

And he plans to do it with the Ancestral Beast, a beast that survived the Age of Gods and predates even Yamataikoku.

The Ancestral Beast? What's that? How's it different from the haniwa Nobbus we saw last time?

Like Yamanami said, the Ancestral Beast is a great beast that survived from the Age of Gods. It was ostracized even in Kunakoku, where beast curses are common knowledge.

A beast from the Age of Gods? Must be chock-full of Mystics.

And I was...its shrine maiden.

I brought you some meat. Eat it.

Remember, Iyo, you are our Ancestral Beast's shrine maiden. It is why you must live, and why you must eat.

Your tainted body will become the vessel for our ancestor.

You are the shrine maiden of ruin. By merely existing, the power of eternal darkness within you brings curses, illness, and destruction upon those around you.

You must hate everything. Hate me. Hate the people of Kuna who put you in this cave.

Hate yourself for being born into this cursed world.

Do this and the power of the Ancestral Beast will take root in you and be born once again as the ancient king of beasts.

I understand...

We must kill Himiko, or Kunakoku is finished. So give in to hate. Let hate be all you feel.

Curse that queen of light, the bane of our existence!

I will...

...

From the moment I was born as a shrine maiden, I've been tainted with the power of eternal darkness...

Everyone loathed me, for that power was said to destroy all who came in contact with it.

That power is what led Kukochihiko to choose me to become the vessel for the Ancestral Beast...

...and confine me in a cave completely bereft of light.

I think I've heard a similar story from Okuni. Though yours probably comes first, since you're from an older time.

Just goes to show yet again why monks suck so hard, though! Wanna burn their temples down, just to be safe?

Well, after hearing that, I'm more confused about how you wound up as Yamataikoku's second queen.

I'm getting to that. One day, after years of confinement...

(Sigh) I'm so sick of meat.

I know there's nothing else to eat around here, but I wish I could at least have an acorn or something for variety.

I still remember that rice stuff we got from Yamataikoku once. Now that was good. Wish I could have it again...

...

Why was I even born?

My parents both died because of me... Everyone else in my village died of disease...

So many people dead, all because of me...

Why was I even born?

If I'd never been born, then my parents, and everyone else, would still be alive...

...

Why was I even born!?

...

...(Sigh) Guess I might as well eat this meat.

...Ugh, it stinks.

Kukochihiko! I know you're here!!!

Huh!?

Huh? That's weird. I could have sworn I sensed him here...

Hm? Who are you?

Eep!

Whew, it stinks like wet dog in here. Pretty bad, huh?

Ah...

Say, you're not looking too good, are you? Come on, let's get you out of here.

This place absolutely reeks of wet dog, and to be honest, so do you.

B-but, I'm the Ancestral Beast's shrine maiden. I have to stay here to become its vessel...

Nah, forget that. Come on! You'll feel way better once you get outside and get some sun on your face!

I mean, not today, obviously, since it's raining and all. Just my luck, getting rain on the day of my big final battle, huh? Pretty typical for me though, I have to admit.

Outside? But... I can't. I'm doomed to spread curses to those around me wherever I go.

Something bad will happen to you too if I go with you.

Oh, don't worry. It's fine. I don't worry about that sort of thing at all.

Besides, from what I can tell, your power seems pretty amazing.

No, it's definitely amazing! I'm super impressed!

But, this power is, well...bad. It's dangerous to use it.

Don't be silly. Good power, bad power, it's all in how you use it. Even my terrible luck with rain is great when we need to water the rice crops.

That's not what I

Wait. Rice? Are...are you from Yamataikoku?

Yup! I'm actually its queen...

Himiko!

After Lady Himiko destroyed Kunakoku, she took me in as her apprentice...

...and I became a resident of Yamataikoku.

So you kind of glossed over it, but Himiko destroyed ALL of Kunakoku? Damn, that's one crazy queen.

So that's what happened.

Only Lady Himiko and her brother knew I was originally from Kunakoku.

That's how I was able to become her apprentice and succeed her as queen.

What about Kukochihiko? What happened to him after that?

Once I was gone, he tried to summon the Ancestral Beast using himself as a vessel, but failed.

That abomination you all saw in the last Yamataikoku was the result.

After that, he kept on cursing Yamataikoku's name.

After Lady Himiko went into hiding, I did my best to support Yamataikoku on my own...

...but in the end, I couldn't stop it from falling to ruin.

I see.

So that's how we ended up fighting that freaky skeleton-looking Kukochihiko last time we were in Yamataikoku.

That's right. Back then, I thought that Lady Himiko had returned Kukochihiko to the light, but I guess I was wrong.

It may be that this beast god was somehow involved as well.

Whatever the case, taking down Mitsunari should put an end to this.

Plus, we've already got a spy in their ranks, and more than enough firepower to win.

I agree. This is why I've been spying on them up to this point. When the time is right, I'll make my move.

You're going to wait to betray them? That seems kind of cowardly.

That sort of thing was common as hell in the Warring States days.

Frankly, if you aren't accounting for a betrayal or two in your schemes, that's on you, not the traitor.

Well, you've been betrayed more than any other daimyo, so I guess that makes you the expert.

It's true. I'm not proud of it, but I've been stabbed in the back more times than I can count.

There was Matsunaga... Araki... Hell, Matsunaga actually blew himself up along with his prized Hiragumo teakettle, I couldn't believe it.

Yeah, definitely not a thing to be proud of.

The Ishida faction is planning to deploy their beastman army in the area up ahead, and they're trusting me to command the right flank.

You'll pretend to be hopelessly surrounded, then go on the offensive once I make my move.

There's a lot of fog cover here, so the Ishida forces shouldn't have a clear view of what's going on across the whole battlefield.

Yeah, that should work.

Especially since our forces mainly just consist of Servants and Rikyu's tea Nobbus.

Understood. All right, I'd better get going.

I should hurry back before anyone gets suspicious.

I'm sorry again to make you go to all this trouble.

Please, don't be. Compared to what Serizawa and I did in the last Yamataikoku, this is nothing.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

？！

Oh, by the way, Okita, how come you're not wearing your haori this time?

Haori?

Oh, I'm sorry. Today's...not the best time for it.

But what about you, Yamanami? You're not wearing yours, either.

Only because this is a better outfit when I need to be subtle. Okay, everyone, I'd better get going. Remember the plan.

...You really think he'll be okay? He seemed weirdly...restless.

He'll be fine. Especially since it looks like he's over what happened last time.

Now come on, Master. Let's get ready for the upcoming battle!

Now that diplomacy has failed, I don't want the Chaldeans sniffing around any longer. We'll finish them off here.

Understood. I thought you might have something like that in mind, so I already have soldiers awaiting orders.

Where's Yamanami?

I have him commanding the right flank, just like you instructed. I'll command the left, and you'll command the center. That's what you wanted, right?

You beasts have probably never heard of this, since hunting is all you know, but this is called the Crane Wings formation.

The goal is to surround an enemy force between the two flanks and obliterate them.

I see. So this is how you humans fought in later times. But why go to all that trouble?

We already vastly outnumber them. Why not just send our entire army in and be done with it?

I wouldn't be at all concerned about the Master of Chaldea, except for the fact that he has Oda Nobunaga on his side.

And you should already know that she can produce an army's worth of firepower on her own.

You mean guns? True, those things are troublesome.

Believe me, the art of war has advanced radically from its incarnation in your own time.

Just follow my instructions, and everything will be fine.

You sound confident.

Oh, it's you. I trust there will be no issue commanding the right flank?

There won't. Everything there is going smoothly.

Then all that remains is to settle our score with the Chaldeans.

On a different note, this terrain certainly takes me back.

I never would have thought I'd be fighting on ground like this again after I died.

You said that was your final battle, right?

Indeed. It was the last, and greatest, battle of my life.

...The Battle of Sekigahara.