Japan's Warring States Period: The Rise of the Wakasa Tiger

Chapter 36 Abandoned City
"Goroemon!" Seeing Kuriya Katsuie coming to support, Torii Heiji, who was injured in the leg, was overjoyed. He picked up the naginata with difficulty and led a group of men to resist the Asakura army that tried to rush into Kukura.

Despite this, the Asakura army continued to use its numerical advantage to advance inward little by little.

"It looks like we have a sure win this time." Outside Qulun, Asakura Kageki boasted to Yamazaki Yoshiie, "According to my guess, Kuriya Genbei has mobilized all his forces to this northern Qulun. As long as our army can break through this place, the main castle should be within easy reach."

Yamazaki Yoshiie nodded, his tone full of hope: "Yes, as long as we can capture the Iwade Mountain Fort today, we will have completed His Highness Sotachi's mission, and we can report to the emperor."

"I thought Genbansuke had some outstanding qualities, but you see, he's just so-so. In the end, he still has to rely on us." Asakura Kageki glanced at Yamazaki Yoshiie, and the two smiled at each other, showing a tacit understanding.

Looking back at the Hokugurune, the continuously pouring in Asakura army had expanded the originally small gap to a width of nearly five people. Even with Kuriya Katsuie's desperate resistance, the passive situation of the Takeda army could not be effectively improved.

"Sasuke, you kid! Where is the kerosene?!" At the critical moment, Torii Heiji yelled at the top of his voice, and several foot soldiers hiding behind the wooden wall remembered that there were still several tanks of kerosene in the storage room under their feet.

The team leader named Sasuke hurriedly led several foot soldiers to carry two cylinders of kerosene to the top of the warriors' walkway (a staircase behind the wall or stone wall for the convenience of warriors to move. The defenders stood on it to attack outside through the narrow gap), and poured it on the Asakura army outside the wall through the narrow gap.

"Sir! It's done!" Sasuke told Torii Heiji loudly.

"What are you waiting for? Light the fire!"

Following Torii Heiji's order, dozens of torches were thrown from behind the wooden wall. Some hit the Asakura army directly, while others fell to the ground, but no matter what, they all ignited the kerosene.

Suddenly, a raging fire burned outside the entire Qulun. The flames spread rapidly on the ground and among the Asakura army like an infectious disease.

The Asakura army, which had been full of fighting spirit and rushing to squeeze into the gap just now, saw their companions rolling and wailing in pain in the sea of ​​fire, and they were all frightened and fled away. The Takeda army defending the city was excited when they saw this, and immediately chased after them, gradually pushing out the Asakura army that had squeezed into the curve.

However, water and fire are merciless. It was not only the Asakura army that suffered from the flames. Many Takeda troops involved in the battle were also affected and died. Some even rolled into the sea of ​​fire while hugging the enemy.

What's worse is that the kerosene flowing down the narrow gap also ignited the wooden wall. In an instant, the entire curved wooden wall turned into a wall of fire. Both friends and enemies inside and outside the wall were burned. The scene was so tragic that it was truly horrifying.

Asakura Kageki, who had never seen such a tragic scene, looked at the wall of fire in horror, at the charred corpses curled up on the ground, and at the soldiers fleeing frantically in the sea of ​​fire. He was stunned, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes, his mouth wide open, choking with sobs, unable to utter a word.

"Your Highness, please withdraw your troops! If you don't, I'm afraid we will all die!" Yamazaki Yoshiie pulled Asakura Keinori's arm and begged bitterly.

"A bunch of lunatics, these guys are a bunch of lunatics!" Asakura Kageki, who had not yet recovered from his shock, was hesitating and cursing with gritted teeth.

"Retreat, retreat! The whole army retreats!" Seeing this, Yamazaki Yoshiie could no longer hold back and arbitrarily issued an order to retreat. Then he said to Ma Hui beside him, "You two take His Highness down the mountain first, and I'll take care of this."

"Ha!" Makai responded and hurriedly helped the stunned Asakura Kageki down the mountain. Yamazaki Yoshiie led the retreating Asakura army and quickly moved down the mountain. So far, the Asakura army's second attack on Iwade Mountain Fortress ended in failure. Looking at the Asakura army gradually going away, Kuriya Katsuie, with a dark face, spat fiercely in the Hokugura Rinnei: "Finally, they held on."

Not far away, Torii Heiji was leaning against the well, gasping for breath, with blood gushing out of his abdomen. Even at his last moments, he still tightly grasped the naginata that had accompanied him for half his life.

"Sir!" Seeing this scene, the surrounding Takeda soldiers surrounded him, and Kuriya Katsuie squeezed through the crowd and knelt in front of Torii Heiji.

"Sir, did you see that? We won and the Asakura army was defeated!" Kuriya Katsuie's eyes were filled with tears and he held Torii Heiji's hand tightly.

Torii Heiji nodded slightly and smiled weakly, "I see, you guys are great, especially you, Goroemon. I'm afraid I won't be able to continue assisting the lord in the future. The glory of the Kuriya family will depend on you young people to protect it."

As night fell, the blazing fire shone on Torii Heiji's weathered face. At this moment, he slowly closed his eyes, still smiling. The last breath he exhaled was like a gentle breeze, quietly drifting in the mountain fortress that he defended with his life.

"Sasuke, count the troops, gather the wounded, and withdraw the entire army to Honmaru." Regardless of being sad, Kuriya Katsuie immediately began to make arrangements.

"Sir, this... this Qulun is no longer needed?!" Everyone was very puzzled. They had finally driven away the Asakura army, so why did they retreat? Moreover, the Honmaru was located on the top of the mountain and the surrounding terrain was relatively open, which was suitable for a large-scale attack by the Asakura army. On the contrary, the Hokuqulun had a long and narrow area and was able to repel the Asakura army's attacks again and again.

"What else do you want?" Katsuie Kuriya pointed at the wooden wall and the huge gap covered by the fire and asked, "The gap can be repaired, but now the wooden wall is almost burned down. There will be only earthen walls and stone walls left. What else can this curved wheel use to defend? Lead everyone to retreat back to Honmaru and listen to the lord's next arrangements."

Although they were unwilling, everyone still obeyed Kuriya Katsuie's order and gathered the remaining troops to retreat towards Honmaru.

When they arrived at the Ote Gate of the Honmaru, Katsuhisa Kuriya had been waiting for a long time. Seeing this, Katsuie Kuriya knelt down and apologized: "I failed to defend the Kitakurin, please punish me, lord!"

"This is not your fault. You have done a great job." Katsuhisa Kuriya helped Katsuie Kuriya up. He looked around at the wounded soldiers in front of him and said with emotion: "You have all worked hard today. Katsuhisa is very grateful!"

"Serve the public wholeheartedly and die for the country!" The crowd responded in a resounding voice, which really moved Katsuhisa Kuriya.

"Goroemon, take everyone into the city to rest and receive treatment first. When it gets darker, we will retreat back to Kuniyoshi Castle." Katsuhisa Kuriya said.

"Withdraw troops?! We don't want this Iwade Mountain Fort anymore?!" Kuriya Katsuie said in astonishment, "My lord, you should know what losing this city means to Kuniyoshi Castle."

"Of course I know that," Katsuhisa Kuriya responded, "but you should also know that with the remaining 300-odd troops and this Honmaru, we can't resist the Asakura army's attack for even one day."

Today is the second chapter. Thank you all for your support. I will try to publish two chapters a day, and I am also trying to find a time period that will be more consistent.

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(End of this chapter)