Chapter 157: Akechi Mitsuhide’s Motive

Akechi Mitsuhide was completely unbothered by Oda Nobunaga’s fierce glare. He casually got off his horse and walked towards his former lord.

Drako Yau furrowed his brow. It was as he had surmised; Oda Nobunaga had no intention of fleeing. It was meaningless to retreat with only Lady Noh and Mori Ranmaru!

Akechi Mitsuhide continued his slow stride as he took off his samurai helmet and revealed his bald head which was incompatible with his handsome looks.

‘I can tolerate you mocking my baldness.

‘Tolerate you ordering Mori Ranmaru to knock my head.

‘Tolerate your rash decision of depriving me of my diplomatic role without investigating the truth.

‘Tolerate you slaughtering countless people.’

Akechi Mitsuhide was only ten steps away from Oda Nobunaga. The air between them trembled. Drako Yau knew it was their auras clashing against one another!

‘But I can never tolerate you robbing me of the woman I love.’

Oda Nobunaga was startled by his words. Lady Noh, who was behind Oda Nobunaga, was just as startled. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

‘Cousin… you…?’

Akechi Mitsuhide made a bitter laugh as a tint of madness tainted his eyes. ‘Noh, why didn’t you choose me? Why did you have to choose this devil! Why!’ He was gritting his teeth by the time he finished what he had to say.

Drako Yau could never have imagined that the reason why Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled was Lady Noh. And Lady Noh was Akechi Mitsuhide’s cousin no less!

Lady Noh didn’t utter another word, while Oda Nobunaga laughed. He was laughing so hysterically that tears seeped from his eyes.

Akechi Mitsuhide stared daggers at Oda Nobunaga and asked, ‘Are you done laughing yet!’

Oda Nobunaga didn’t stop though.

‘Baldy Akechi! I never thought you were so… right, emotional! Yes, emotional!’ His laughter subsided as he returned to his calm, emotionless look. ‘I am disappointed in you! I thought you were a terrific retainer! Turns out you’re just an idiot who’s blinded by emotions!’

It was at that moment Lady Noh sighed and said, ‘Mitsuhide, that’s the reason.’

‘What reason?’ Akechi Mitsuhide immediately asked. He could no longer be bothered about Nobunaga’s mocking laughter.

Lady Noh looked at Oda Nobunaga with adoration. She said, ‘Lord Nobunaga is always concerned about the nation. His heart does not belong only to me, but to the entire nation. Such an outstanding hero is the kind of man I long for. And you, my dear cousin, are only fixated on emotions and love. You are not destined for greatness, not destined for my love.’

‘Ahahaha!’ Oda Nobunaga chortled and grabbed Lady Noh’s slim waist with one hand. They started kissing right before Akechi Mitsuhide.

‘ODA! NOBUNAGA!’ Flames burst out around Akechi Mitsuhide as he unsheathed his sword and leapt.

Oda Nobunaga snickered and pushed the intoxicated Lady Noh to Drako Yau.

‘Young man, protect her in my place. Go!’

Akechi Mitsuhide descended from above like a flaming comet.

Oda Nobunaga drew his katana from his waist. Purple flames gathered on and shrouded his sword. With no intention of dodging, he stepped forwards to meet Akechi Mitsuhide.

Their blades clashed against one another. Orange flames confronted dark purple flames, creating a hot vortex.

Soldiers of both camps held their ground. It was an unspoken rule of the Sengoku Period: when generals fought in a duel, their soldiers had to silently watch on before a victor was decided.

But Drako Yau was not a person from their time. He was growing anxious and impatient because the fires were gaining momentum and spreading quickly. He estimated that it would take roughly fifteen minutes for the fires to reach their location.

Oda Nobunaga was entirely immersed in the duel. He made a psychopathic laugh and yelled, ‘Come forth, Devil of the Sixth Heaven!’

As if answering his call, his shadow enlarged into a silhouette made of purple flames.

‘Devil Punch!’

He threw a heavy punch at Akechi Mitsuhide with his free left hand, and a fist of purple flames shot out from behind him. Akechi Mitsuhide frowned and thrust his right palm.

‘Flaming Palm!’

A palm of orange flames materialised out of thin air and flew forwards to block Oda Nobunaga’s fist.

Oda Nobunaga only snickered and said, ‘Break through it!’

The devilish silhouette behind him made a voiceless shout as its purple fist punched through Akechi Mitsuhide’s palm of flames. Blood spurted out of Akechi Mitsuhide’s mouth as he tumbled a few steps backwards.

‘Oda Nobunaga, for some reason, I really hate you! I absolutely despise you!

‘Soldiers, go! Slay the devil!’

Hearing Akechi Mitsuhide’s order, his soldiers made battlecries and charged forth.

‘Ahaha, good! Come at me!’ Oda Nobunaga laughed. His sword of purple flames suddenly extended, and he swept it at the soldiers that approached like a flood.

The dozen or so soldiers who led the charge were all cut into two halves in one strike.

‘Mask! Bring them and go!’

Drako Yau yelled back, ‘What about you!’

Oda Nobunaga shouted in rage, ‘Preposterous! I shall never be a deserter! Get out quickly! I will be a true devil today! Those who try to banish me to hell, come at me knowing that I’ll drag you all down with me!’

With another swing of his sword, he sliced up several dozens of soldiers. Akechi Mitsuhide was already retreating. The soldiers were only cannon fodder used to keep Oda Nobunaga occupied. The real finishing blow was the massive fire.

As Akechi Mitsuhide retreated from Honno-ji on horseback, he threw fireballs all around the place.

Oda Nobunaga laughed wildly at the sight of Akechi Mitsuhide fleeing.

‘Baldy Akechi! See you in hell! Ahahahaha!’

Oda Nobunaga’s eyes turned bloodshot from all the slaughtering. Seeing their general’s brave display of might, the youth guards were also high in morale as each of them took on three enemies.

However, it was futile. Their enemies numbered a hundred times more than them; it wouldn’t make a difference even if each of them could take on ten enemies at once.

Casualties among the Oda clan were starting to rack up, and Oda Nobunaga found it more and more difficult to handle the never-ending stream of enemy soldiers.

Sasaki protected Greenstone while Greenstone began rescuing the Oda clan members. Still, with over a hundred friendly soldiers, he couldn’t heal them all no matter how good he was. He could only save as many as he could.

Drako Yau cried out at Oda Nobunaga, whose mind was occupied with blood and slaughter, ‘Oda Nobunaga! Did you forget about your ambition!’

Startled, Oda Nobunaga muttered, ‘My ambition?’

Unite the nation by force?

The hundred Akechi soldiers saw Oda Nobunaga lose focus and gritted their teeth as they swung their weapons at him.

Drako Yau thrusted his right palm—Dragon Capturing Hand! The dragon-shaped aura bit onto and pulled Oda Nobunaga to his side. He grabbed tightly onto Oda Nobunaga’s shoulders. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

‘If you’re dead, your goal of uniting the nation will fall apart! Peasants will continue to suffer from war! Not escaping now isn’t brave, it’s pure foolishness!

‘There’s a saying in my hometown: “While the forest lasts, there’ll be firewood.”

‘Stay alive, and you can rise again one day!’ Drako Yau tugged Oda Nobunaga’s chestplate and glared at him with cold eyes.

‘Do you want to unite the nation or not! Do you want everyone to live a peaceful life or not!’

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