Owari Yumeki Golden Day.

The Tokugawa army withered away like cherry blossoms, though their heroic figure of holding off 20,000 cavalry on the battlefield with only 5,000 cavalry was dazzling. But the speed at which they died and perished was just like the cherry blossoms that could only bloom for one night. The wind howled and swept in, and the number of soldiers surrounding Honda Tadakatsu became increasingly sparse.

Come quick!

Sakakibara Koheita, come quick!

Where is my lord who promised to organize a large army to counterattack? If you don't come soon, even Heihachiro won't be able to hold on.

Did Ieyasu not want to come? No, he couldn't come. After returning to the fields north of Komakiyama to reorganize the defeated armies of Yoshikawa Motonaga and Sakuma Nobueki, the vanguard of Amago Katsuhisa and Watanabe Kanbei quickly advanced about seven or eight kilometers and entered the main battlefield of Inuyama.

Upon seeing the large insignia of the Amago clan's Yotsumi clan, Tokugawa Ieyasu knew things were going badly. The Kinzan Special Forces, sent to launch a fierce attack on the flank of the Western Army's central force, had not only failed, but had certainly suffered a crushing defeat. Otherwise, the Western Army's detachment wouldn't have detoured through Kinzan to attack Komakiyama.

One of the Ten Banners of Nizi, Dohu Shigemori (Kamei Tsutomu's maternal uncle), who was charging ahead, shouted "Here I come!" and brandished his spear, plunging straight into the Eastern Army's regrouping formation.

The Togo family, father and sons, were all exceptionally brave men. Togo Tatsuki, at the age of sixty-six, personally guarded the Siluyan Mountain Castle against Mori Motonari's attack. Standing atop the castle, he drew his bow and fired arrows until he ran out of arrows and his troops were exhausted, before finally committing seppuku.

Because he exchanged poems with the lyric poet Tani Sōyō (also known as Mui-hanshō-sai), his records were preserved. Historically, Tōgo Shigemori died at Kōgetsu Castle, while his son continued the fight alongside Kamei Tsukiyori, remaining steadfast in his resolve.

With the Nizari resurgence before us, and Dokho Chongsheng holding a key position in the Nizari Ten Banners, how could he not be brave? No matter who you are, my lord Izumo no Kami has summoned me to take your dog's life.

The Yoshikawa and Sakuma armies, which had finally managed to regroup, were once again thrown into chaos and could not be contained.

Now Tokugawa Ieyasu was finally getting anxious. If he couldn't quickly reinforce the pontoon bridge at the Kiso River Inuyama ferry crossing, it would be tantamount to betraying Honda Tadakatsu and Sakakibara Yasumasa's forces. The 10,000 men sent to attack the ferry crossing by Kagawa Nobusumi and the vanguard of the Western Army left behind were already a gamble. If they couldn't get reinforcements, they would definitely suffer a crushing defeat.

Although he was in a bit of a hurry, Tokugawa Ieyasu repeatedly warned himself not to panic. Once things got chaotic, it would be too late to turn the tide.

He still had about ten thousand men with him. He had left Torii Mototada behind when he took Hamamatsu Castle, and he did the same when he took Okazaki Castle. As Ieyasu's former territories, Totomi and Mikawa were still somewhat of a concern for him.

Currently, the organization is intact, still has combat power, and is right next to Ieyasu, totaling about ten thousand people.

To move or not to move? Only about a thousand of Amago's troops had arrived, but since he had already arrived, Amago Katsuhisa could not be far behind.

verb: move!

If we can't even defeat the enemy in front of us, how can we expect to defeat the enemy elsewhere? Only by defeating the Amago army that is rushing towards us as quickly as possible can we quickly reinforce the Inuyama ferry crossing.

When the more than 10,000 Tokugawa cavalrymen arrived at the battlefield, Amago Katsuhisa and Watanabe Ryo's entire army found that the vanguard had already engaged the Tokugawa army and could no longer charge towards Komakiyama.

Very well. The two core pillars of the Eastern Army are Oda Nobushige and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Killing either of them is the same. Their heads are equally valuable and can both be considered a great achievement.

The Amago-Watanabe Second Company immediately engaged the Tokugawa army in fierce combat. Although they had come a long way and were somewhat exhausted, their morale was high, and they knew that the enemy general was Tokugawa Ieyasu, which boosted their courage.

Ieyasu was also eager to break through the second unit, and personally encouraged his generals to charge bravely. However, Ieyasu's decision completely betrayed Honda Tadakatsu.

The Western Army surrounded them from all sides, growing ever larger. Honda Tadakatsu, realizing he had no choice but to retreat, could only desperately fight his way out of the encirclement. After a grueling fight, he finally broke free, but many soldiers who had followed Honda Tadakatsu since the time of Hamamatsu in Tōtōmi Province were left behind and cried out for help from within the encirclement.

The so-called "Hatamoto Sensho-yaku" (憲本先手役) refers to the armies established by Tokugawa Ieyasu by placing many of his adopted sons under the command of powerful generals. These armies often formed relatively strong master-servant relationships, advancing and retreating together in an effort to achieve victory on the battlefield.

When his soldiers cried out for help, Honda Tadakatsu felt as if his heart was being torn apart. These were his old brothers who had fought alongside him for over a decade. If he lost them, not only would his army's fighting strength crumble, but even if he managed to escape alive, he would have no face to face his elders again.

Without much hesitation, Honda Tadakatsu, who had finally managed to break through the encirclement, turned back to rescue the bound Tokugawa troops.

By this time, over seven hundred cavalrymen had completely surrounded the battle group, dust billowed up on all sides, and shadowy figures were everywhere—the Western Army was everywhere. Honda Tadakatsu, who had fought his way through several battles, was momentarily disoriented, while the Western Army's pressure tightened even further.

"Sanada Saemon-suke has come to seek your guidance!"

The thunderous sound of hooves approached, and Honda Tadakatsu's eyes flashed. A young samurai in red helmet, red armor, and a red-brown horse, holding a vermilion spear, had already charged in front of the horse.

The spear swept straight down, startling Honda Tadakatsu, who immediately raised his spear to parry. Only after the exchange did he realize Sanada Nobushige's skill.

The Sanada family truly produces outstanding talents generation after generation. The previous generation, Sanada Masaki, was a renowned samurai, known as "Japan's Number One Sanada Warrior," and nicknamed "Demon Sanada." And the Sanada Nobushige before him is equally formidable. Honda Tadakatsu thought that perhaps only in his prime could he suppress him.

Unfortunately, Honda Tadakatsu had fought his way through several battles and was already exhausted. At this moment, encountering Sanada Nobushige was a formidable foe.

"Sanada Izu-no-kami has come to seek my guidance!"

Before Honda Tadakatsu could come up with a solution, Sanada Nobuyuki had already charged in. Although both brothers were known for their bravery, it was only natural for the younger brother to fight the long-established Honda Tadakatsu.

The guards who should have been standing by Honda Tadakatsu's side were mostly injured and tied up with Sanada's men, so they couldn't spare any effort to assist Honda Tadakatsu.

If we don't seize this golden opportunity and take down Honda Tadakatsu, it would be truly unjust.

The two brothers worked together, with Sanada Nobushige charging first, using his horsemanship to leap onto Honda's horse and knock Honda Tadakatsu off. Without a word, Sanada Nobuyuki abandoned his spear, grabbed his katana, and gave chase.

The three immediately began to wrestle, choking, elbowing in the chest, and punching in the groin—using every possible means. With his last ounce of strength exhausted, Sanada Nobushige plunged his knife into Honda Tadakatsu's neck.

The Tokugawa clan's leading general, Honda Heihachiro Tadakatsu, asked for it!

Panic gripped the entire army, like a thunderbolt striking. The Tokugawa forces, who had been putting up resistance, crumbled instantly. After Honda Tadakatsu's antler-shaped helmet was displayed, the remaining Tokugawa troops lost all will to fight. Some retreated, some committed suicide, and others fought to the death—the list goes on.

News of the collapse of Honda Tadakatsu's force, which had been embroiled in a fierce offensive and tied up more than 25,000 Western Army soldiers, arrived. Takeda Nobufusa's force, which had been fighting the Ukita Nagaie for a long time, could no longer hold on and scattered and retreated.

On both sides of Inuyama, the Eastern Army suffered a crushing defeat, with men and horses dragging their spears, either begging for mercy or fleeing in disarray. There was no longer a single large-scale resistance force.

Amid the chaos, cries for the capture of the Eastern Army warriors rose and fell, soon reaching the ears of Sakakibara Yasumasa's troops, who were fighting against the Bungo forces.

Chapter 658 Withering, Collapse, and Fall

Honda Tadakatsu's antler-shaped bridle was lifted up by Sanada Makai and held high on the tip of his spear, which was five or six meters high. The Eastern Army was routed and its momentum was unstoppable. It soon rushed to Sakakibara Yasumasa's side.

Upon seeing the familiar antler-shaped hat in the distance, Sakakibara Yasumasa was shocked to realize that he had betrayed Honda Heihachiro.

The two had grown up together since childhood, sharing everything from urine to mud. They both served Tokugawa Ieyasu, were trusted by Ieyasu, and were appointed as hatamoto (spear masters), their relationship being extremely close. Honda Tadakatsu's death left Sakakibara Yasumasa almost completely disoriented, losing all composure.

The Tokugawa army, which was already barely putting up a fight, lost the command of Sakakibara Yasumasa and ran into a fierce attack by Shiga Chikatsugu and others. Before they even had time to lament, after a brief period of chaos and relaxation, they collapsed completely.

The Sakakibara troops scattered and fled, taking advantage of the fact that the Bungo army only had 5,000 cavalry and could not encircle them. They fled back to the main army of Tokugawa Ieyasu, where they would slowly regroup and continue fighting.

With Komakiyama Fortress and Nagoya Castle in hand, from a normal perspective, it's just a temporary setback.

His close guards rushed over, grabbed the reins of Sakakibara Yasumasa's horse, and turned to leave. Only then did Sakakibara Yasumasa realize that he still had the will to regroup and fight again.

Helpless, the routed troops of Takeda Nobufusa's forces surged in like a tide, fleeing south in droves. Caught in the crossfire, there was no way to escape.

Sakakibara team is in despair!

At this point, Shiga Chikaji and his men had no time to worry about Sakakibara Yasumasa; they simply gathered their troops and continued their advance towards Komakiyama. They had been blocked here by Sakakibara Yasumasa's forces for quite some time, and if they couldn't break through the main camp of the eastern Komakiyama army soon, they would have wasted the opportunity that others had bought for them.

The Bungo army broke through the enemy lines and rushed south. They had just defeated the forces of Honda Tadakatsu and Takeda Nobufusa, but because their troops were stuck in the roads and fields, they could not advance quickly and could only shout their victory everywhere, which further contributed to the disintegration of the Eastern Army.

As the battle progressed to this point, one of the men who had been wavering finally made up his mind when he saw the smoke and dust in the distance and heard the increasingly loud shouts of battle.

"Justice is with the Western Army!"

Yamagata Masamitsu, stationed at the site of Nagoya Castle, uttered a cry that the people of Kai already knew all along. He spurred his troops and attacked Komakiyama Fortress.

Over the past few decades, the Kai samurai had long been accustomed to allying with the Imagawa to kill his son and besiege Sunpu, allying with the Hojo to plunder Odawara, allying with the Tokugawa to fight fiercely at Mikatagahara, and allying with the Oda to seize eastern Mino.

The Kai Takeda clan was a top-tier power throughout Japan's Sengoku period, known for its disregard for alliances. This stemmed from both Takeda Shingen's strategic vision and choices, and the fact that the Kai mountain people, due to their harsh living conditions, chose to abandon morality.

To be honest, when faced with the harsh realities of survival, all morals, qualities, and ethics can be discarded. How can one maintain morality when one can't even afford food?

Similar to Shichibei's suspicion of Miyoshi Nobutaka, Tokugawa Ieyasu also harbored some doubts about Yamagata Masamitsu. Therefore, he placed Yamagata Masamitsu on the ruins of Nagoya Castle, ordering him to oversee the supply and communication routes to ensure the safety of the Eastern Army's rear.

Shichibei also ordered Miyoshi Nobutaka to be stationed in Kano, maintaining continuous communication with Ōgaki Castle regarding supply routes and ensuring the safety of the rear. Miyoshi Nobutaka and Yamagata Masamitsu both observed the entire process.

It was only at this moment that he finally made up his mind to defect to the Western Army.

At a command, the Yamagata army charged straight north. Nagoya is quite far from Komakiyama, about ten kilometers away. But the Nobi Plain is flat and open, with no view of the wind rustling through the grass.

Yamagata Masamitsu could see the battlefield to the north getting closer and closer, and Oda Nobushige, who was in Komakiyama, naturally noticed that the garrison of Nagoya Castle to the south was heading north.

"A beast in human form, a beast in human form!" Oda Nobushige was already quite composed, and he didn't curse, but just made this comment as he looked at Yamagata Masamitsu who was charging towards him with his troops.

“The situation is urgent, so we will go down the mountain to set up the formation.” Pu Sheng Fuxiu and Dan Zhongzheng immediately came forward.

"I'm counting on you." Oda Nobuzu nodded solemnly and ordered the two to descend the mountain.

Nobushige brought 10,000 cavalry from Shinano and also received 18,000 cavalry from the former Nobutada's horse-riding retinue, so his forces were not weak. Previously, Toyama Tomotada had taken 3,000 men in a surprise attack, leaving 25,000 men here.

It's just that the newly organized Shinano cavalry force of 10,000 men was relatively weak in combat. This was a group of retainers that Nobunaga had helped Nobushige establish before his death. They had not experienced major battles or training, so their level was average and their abilities were limited. They could only stay in Komakiyama.

The Umakai troops led by Gamo Fushihide and Saji Kazunari possess considerable fighting strength and can descend the mountain to block Yamagata Masamitsu's forces. As for the outcome, that will depend on which side Suwa Daimyojin sides with.

The changes brought about by war are truly beyond description.

The Bungo troops, charging south, ran into the Tokugawa army, which was engaged in battle with the armies of Amago and Watanabe. This time, Shiga Chikaji and his men did not choose to stay and fight the Tokugawa, but instead took a detour to Komakiyama.

You can have this great achievement of Tokugawa Ieyasu. I need to go and seize Komakiyama. If they don't capture Oda Nobushige, their trip will have been in vain.

Soon enough, the main force of the Komaki East Army was actually facing enemy forces on both the north and south. Oda Nobushige, who had initially remained relatively calm and believed that the battle situation was only slightly changing, finally began to get restless.

How did things suddenly change so drastically?

Just moments before, everything seemed to be under control. Although Yoshikawa Motonaga, who had made the initial move, had been defeated, at least the battle lines were stable, and the rear guard had sufficient troops. But in the blink of an eye, the entire battle situation collapsed. Where did things go wrong?

"Lord Edo is still defending the north, and the northern flank has not yet been completely breached." Saji Kazunari understood this point clearly.

The fact that Tokugawa Ieyasu didn't flee indicates that the fighting in the north is still ongoing. Although it seems a western army has advanced, it's only a detachment. The ten thousand or so troops on the mountain can easily hold them off.

Even though the more than 10,000 troops on the mountain were just a newly organized army, they still occupied the advantageous terrain and had the advantage in terms of troop strength.

Don't panic, absolutely don't panic. The battle hasn't collapsed; we're just at a disadvantage. Throughout history, countless examples exist of those who fought valiantly from a disadvantageous position, turned the tide of battle, and ultimately achieved victory. At this point, panicking means defeat. You must hold fast to one belief.

If we hold firm, there's a way!

After being persuaded by Kazunari Saji, Oda Nobushige felt somewhat relieved. He immediately ordered Inaba Sadamichi and Kawajiri Hidenaga, who had come to join him, to lead troops to block the advancing Bungo forces and maintain the battle line.

The generals of the Western Army keenly realized that it was time to press the enemy to the bitter end. Even the armies of Shimazu and Sanada, who had been fighting continuously, mustered their spirits and began to advance southward.

Shichibei immediately ordered his men to carry Honda Tadakatsu's head to the Sunomata battlefield. He certainly wasn't going to shout to kill Tokugawa Ieyasu, but the Eastern Army generals would definitely want to see Ieyasu's head.

Shouting "The Tokugawa army has been defeated! Honda Tadakatsu has been killed in battle!" and then displaying Honda Tadakatsu's head, the generals of Sunomata's eastern army would inevitably collapse, possibly even suffering a major defeat and surrendering to the western army.

Of course, this is the best-case scenario, just a gamble. If the Eastern Army in the Sunomata direction is still fighting, then there's nothing more to say. Perhaps they only have eyes for Oda Nobushige; such things are not surprising.

Shichibei was somewhat puzzled when he heard that Sanada Nobuyuki and his younger brother Sanada Nobushige had taken Honda Tadakatsu's head and sent it to the main camp.

In another dimension, Honda Tadakatsu is your father-in-law, Sanada Nobuyuki. Who would have thought that in this dimension, it would be you, kid, who would end Honda Tadakatsu's life?

Who knows, Honda Komatsu might even be taken as a concubine by Sanada Nobuyuki as a spoil of war; that would truly be a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Press on while the enemy is winning, my Western Army!

"Our army has gained the upper hand." Takenaka Shigeharu also climbed onto the turret and congratulated Shichibei.

"Hahahaha, things are still undecided, things are still undecided." Shichibei looked at the pursuing army, and although he was actually overjoyed, he still restrained himself.

The battle is far from over until Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobushige are seen. Only by clearly seeing these two men, whether alive or dead, can a true victory be achieved.

At this moment, Todo Takatora, Akizuki Tanemi, and Tsukushi Koremon had arrived at the Kagami-sho main camp. Looking at the battlefield, they all knew of the Western Army's victory and were all delighted.

Especially Akizuki Tanemi, who was just there to make a cameo appearance. He thought it would be a tiring trip, but he unexpectedly made a contribution by blocking the Eastern Army's special operations force. He wouldn't be promoted, but everyone knew that Kawamura Yoshino was a wealthy merchant with mountains of gold and silver. If he let a little slip by, the Akizuki family would have enough to live comfortably.

"I will remember your contributions." Seeing Akizuki Tanemi looking at him expectantly, Shichibei immediately agreed.

How to reward them is a matter for after the war, but I have remembered your merits, so there is no need to worry. Upon hearing this, Akizuki Tanemi quickly stepped forward and saluted Shichibei.

"I dare not take credit, I dare not take credit." We're all old foxes, why are we playing these ghost stories?