<h4>Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 30 – He is a Samurai</h4>


    On thekeshore in southwest of Lake Biwa, under the cover of night, a grand army numbering 200,000 marched forward. Their lit torches formed a river of orange stars, seemingly connecting earth and sky. Above, twelverge bronze statues of Nioh carried the sedan thousands of meters high, hidden in clouds with only the immense statues intermittently visible beneath the cloudyer.


    Atop the sedan, three celestial maidens, adorned in elegant feathered attire, swayed above the clouds. Lily, dressed in silver and white, her feathered sash fluttering, was nked by her elder sisters, also garbed as celestial maidens.


    Beneath the vast sky, the sea of clouds stretched far, and with Lily in the sky, the moon itself seemed dimmer.


    Time passed, and the army drew within a few hundred kilometers of Heian-kyō. The huge sedan descended from the clouds. By then, Lily, Rei, and Shimizu had changed back into their regr kimonos. Despite appearing unchanged, Lily’s aura was stronger, her confidence grown.


    Approaching Heian-kyō meant confronting Yoritomo’s true form, a mere few hundred kilometers away. Lily hadpleted the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle’s fourth path, Heavenly Dance Path. Along the way, they crushed opposing forces and ck-armored army, with Lily’s unstoppable army, sparing her from intervening directly.


    Heian-kyō, the massive capital, was engulfed in demonic clouds, casting it in darkness. The city gates opened, and an army of around 30,000, mainly elites from the Genji’s direct line, marched out, led not by a powerful demon general but by the Right Imperial Guards’ Commander, Minamoto no Yoshitada.


    Determined and resolute, Yoshitada understood the might of the opposing force and the imperial court’s actions. Yet, as a samurai of the Genji n and the imperial court, he was bound to obey the Shogun and the Cloistered Emperor’s orders, regardless of the consequences. His troops, faces expressionless but disciplined, shared his sentiment, disying neither fear nor hesitation, only unwavering determination.


    After mastering the fourth path of the Tsukuyomi Swordstyle, Lily’s strength had increased fiftyfold. With her newfound power, she was now on par with a sextuple-soul expert, giving her a legitimate chance of victory against Yoritomo’s true form. This advancement made her fully qualified for the decisive battle ahead.


    At this moment, Lily was sitting alone on the upper deck of the sedan, her gaze directed westward. They were merely two hundred kilometers from Heian-kyō, the billowing demonic clouds to the west already visible.


    A female ninja approached to report, “Lyn-hime, an army approaches from ahead.”


    “Friend or foe?” inquired Lily.


    “It’s unclear,” the ninja admitted.


    This uncertainty lingered even as both armies aligned in formation. Lily’s forces dwarfed the opposition, a Genji army ten times smaller inparison. The Genji banner fluttered, not the familiar ck-armored army, but rather a contingent of regr Genji warriors. Lily’s puzzlement grew.


    Amidst the enemy ranks, a middle-aged samurai d in striking red and ck armor advanced on horseback. It was Minamoto no Yoshitada, the Right Imperial Guards’ Commander. Confronting the overwhelming opposition and the colossal, cloud-shrouded sedan, he amplified his voice using his peak Throned Sovereign Stage power, challenging, “Ahead lies Heian-kyō, the heart of the imperial court! Without an edict from the Cloistered Emperor or the Shogun, why have you amassed such a force and marched towards us? State your intentions!”


    “Lord Yoshitada?” Lily queried, her voice tinged with confusion. At her side, Ayaka and the other sisters stepped out from the sedan, their eyes scrutinizing the unfolding scenario. The presence of Yoshitada, the Right Imperial Guards’ Commander, leading the troops wasn’t unexpected. However, theposition of his force was perplexing. Yoshitada, a mere Throned Sovereign, had brought with him an assembly of regr Genji warriors, far from the formidable ck-armored troops they had faced before.


    Despite Lily’s side being an overwhelming force of 300,000, the sight of Yoshitada’s much smaller army triggered a mix of emotions. If Lily chose to engage, this rtively modest army would stand no chance, potentially being obliterated in mere moments. The question hung in the air: why would Minamoto no Yoritomo send such a force to confront them? Did Yoshitada understand the futility of his position yet still chose to lead his troops into this confrontation? Sorrow filled Lily’s eyes as she contemted this.


    Taking a step forward, Lily’s voice, soft yet carrying an undeniable authority, resonated across the sky. She addressed Yoshitada, seeking to understand his stance and reason for this seemingly futile stand-off.


    “Do you truly endorse Minamoto no Yoritomo’s actions, Lord Yoshitada?” Lily called out, her tone somber yet audible across the sky. “Do you wish to witness Heian-kyō descend into a Yoritomo-induced hell?”


    “Miss Kagami, I did not expect you to grow so significantly,” dered Yoshitada, his voice resonating with firm resolution. “As a senior, my heart swells with pride at your growth. Yet, as the Imperial Guards’ Commander, I must follow orders. His Majesty The Cloistered Emperor and the Shogun havemanded me to obstruct your path, and that I shall do.”


    Ayaka stepped forward, her tone earnest, “Lord Yoshitada, as someone who has been as loyal as you, I urge you to see reason. Our strength is immense, and your resistance is in vain. We act upon a secret edict from Emperor Masayoshi to overthrow Minamoto no Yoritomo and reim the court. I implore you to stand down.”


    Yoshitada stood unyielding, “Lady Ayaka, I am bound by the orders of The Cloistered Emperor and the Shogun. Your words, regardless of their truth, cannot sway me from my duty.”


    Makoto, with a blend of urgency and respect in her voice, stepped closer to the railing. “Yoshitada,” she called out, her tone reflecting a mix of pleading and reasoning, “consider the vastness of our forces and the certainty of your defeat. Is it truly worth it to sacrifice the lives of 30,000 brave warriors in a battle that cannot be won? Reflect upon the consequences, for these men are loyal samurai, just as you are.”


    Yoshitada’s stance remained unwavering, his eyes reflecting a deep-seated resolve. “Madam Ashikaga,” he responded, his voice steady and firm despite the gravity of the situation, “I have always held you in high regard and I am grateful for your efforts. But my duty as a soldier is clear – I am bound to obey the orders of His Majesty The Cloistered Emperor and the Shogun. I cannot, and will not, betray mymand, regardless of the oue.”


    Yoshitada, gripping his sword with a warrior’s resolve, faced the overwhelming forces arrayed against him. His decision was irrevocable, rooted in the unwavering code of the samurai – to obey and serve, even in the face of insurmountable odds.


    “Miss Kagami, Lady Ayaka, Madam Ashikaga, I’ve said my piece! Archers—” Yoshitada shouted, signaling hismand with a wave of his sword. The 30,000 troops, including eight thousand skilled archers and three thousand firearm units, were well-prepared. The archers, bows drawn, aimed towards the sky, targeting both the punitive army and the towering sedan.


    “Fire!” With Yoshitada’smand, a barrage of arrows soared towards Lily and her army. Ayaka, observing the scene, knew the futility of their efforts. The front lines of their 300,000-strong army, bolstered by the Asuka Army’s elite, formed a protective formation. A hundred warriors merged their spiritual energies, creating a colossal shield of light that effortlessly repelled the iing arrows.


    Meanwhile, the arrows aimed at the sedan were ineffective, falling short of their lofty target and harmlessly tumbling to the ground.


    Lily, from her vantage point, witnessed this disy of fruitless resistance and shook her head in dismay. She leaped into the air, her voice resonating across the battlefield, “Lord Yoshitada, why continue this fight? Your efforts won’t change the oue. Minamoto no Yoritomo has sent you on a mission doomed to fail. Why do you still obey?”


    Yoshitada, eyes aze with determination, retorted, “Miss Kagami, is victory the only thing that matters in this world? You underestimate the samurai spirit


    ¹.”


    “Lord Yoshitada…” Lily’s voice was filled with sorrow as she watched him rallying his cavalry. Ten thousand horsemen, ready and resolute, prepared for the charge.


    “No, Lord Yoshitada…” she whispered softly.


    Yoshitada’s voice thundered across the battlefield, “Samurai of the Genji n, this battle transcends good and evil, victory and defeat! Today we fight for the final honor of our Genji army! This is ourst stand!” His words stirred the hearts of every samurai under hismand.


    Without a moment’s hesitation, the 10,000 cavalry behind him responded to his call. Like a disciplined and relentless tide, they surged forward towards the rock-solid formation of the punitive army. The thunderous gallop of thousands of horses, coupled with the fervent shouts of the samurai, caused the very earth to quake beneath them. Each warrior, following Yoshitada’s lead, seemed to embody the spirit and determination of the Genji n.


    Yoshitada himself was a figure of unyielding strength and courage at the forefront. He raised his sword high, its de catching the faint light of the moon, as he roared wildly—a testament to his unwavering spirit. It was clear that from the moment he departed Heian-kyō, he had epted that he might never return alive.


    In this battle, the concepts of strength or weakness, life or death, held no relevance. It was a fight that transcended the usual bounds of warfare, solely focused on the honor of the samurai. There was no distinction between the strong and the weak in this final act of bravery.


    The samurai, united under Yoshitada’s leadership, charged with an intensity that seemed to shake the very heavens. Each one was prepared toy down their life, not for victory or glory, but for the honor and legacy of their n—the Genji.


    Lily, observing the courageous charge, felt a tear escape her eye. She had the power to halt their advance without taking lives, but she understood that doing so would only dishonor their final, brave act.


    Turning her back, she respected their choice to die with honor rather than surrender to dishonor. Such was the path of a true samurai.


    From the battlefield below, Yoshitada’sst words as a human echoed, “Kagami Lily, don’t me me! We are warriors of the imperial court, sworn to obey!”


    Following Yoshitada’s lead, each samurai, one after another, took out pills that shimmered with a strange, otherworldly aura. With resolute expressions, they ced the pills in their mouths, chewed, and swallowed. The moment the pills were ingested, a dramatic transformation urred. The aura surrounding each of the thousands of troops intensified exponentially, turning every samurai into a formidable demon warrior. Their warhorses, too, underwent a startling metamorphosis, sprouting menacing fangs and their eyes aglow with a sinister, demonic light. The entire battalion transformed into a fearsome horde of demonic spirits and hellish steeds.


    This abrupt and terrifying transformation sent ripples of unease through Lily’s 300,000-strong army. Even the most seasoned soldiers among them felt a shiver of dread, causing their ranks to waver and a sense of chaos to spread gradually.


    However, high above in the distant sky, Lily stood with her back to this chilling spectacle. Her long hair billowed around her, as if caught in a tempest of unseen forces. She radiated an aura of overwhelming power that seemed to defy the very heavens. In the backdrop of the sky, ethereal images of a snowy moon and cherry blossoms drifting in the wind emerged, adding a surreal, haunting beauty to the scene.


    Suddenly, with a sound akin to the crackling of lightning, Lily spun around. Her movement was swift and graceful, yet it carried the weight of inevitable confrontation. She unleashed a powerful sh of light from her sword, a brilliant purple beam that sliced through the sky like a bolt of lightning. This radiant sword light cascaded downwards with unrelenting force, aiming directly at the heart of the thousands of demonic horsemen below. <h4>Footnotes:</h4>


    Robinxen: It’s a charge of a light brigade.