Chapter 269: The Fractured Lord Of Tokaido, If Only “che” Were Here, Rin Character Technique, 10!
Ii Naomasa.
This name was not unfamiliar to Shangshan Che. Although she was not among the most core vassals in the Imagawa Clan, her status was not low either.
——Clearly, all those Elders in the Imagawa Clan who held office without doing any work had been completely purged by Imagawa Yoshimoto, and they had learned in advance about the World Revival and made preparations.
Yet historically, the Imagawa Clan still suffered defeat at Okōshazam, losing once again to that Sixth Heavenly Demon King, Oda Nobunaga.
Perhaps after reading this Memory Orb, he could glimpse the true reason why this segment of history remained unchanged after his departure.
Shangshan Che used a palm conjured from Lightning to bring the orb before him and said, “I’ll use these orbs right now.”
“Please do.”
The Onmyoji opposite him eyed the palm conjured by the Five Thunder Technique with considerable wariness, then flicked her sleeve and collected all the remaining Memory Orbs.
The Fox-faced Woman smiled silently and knelt directly on the wooden floor, waiting quietly.
【Read it? Imagawa Clan · Ii Naomasa’s Memory Orb?】
“Yes.”
【Reading in progress…】
The noisy and lively scenes and sounds of the Hanafuda Market gradually faded away.
What then surged into Shangshan Che’s heart was a series of emotions: astonishment, calm, and silent mourning.
These three emotions, progressively deepening toward profound negativity, formed the main tone of the memory within this Memory Orb.
——Probably because the quality of the Memory Orb was not very high, and the timeline it contained was very long.
Thus, the fragments Shangshan Che saw were both disjointed and somewhat blurry in places.
“March to Kyoto!”
As “Ii Naomasa” opened her eyes, the first words Shangshan Che heard were these.
The tone was full of vigor and commanding authority.
March to Kyoto?
Marching to Kyoto right from the start?
If marching to Kyoto, the earliest timeline should be after 1559.
It had been over three years since his inexplicable disappearance in their eyes.
Shangshan Che felt his own line of sight lift.
He then saw the Head of the Imagawa Clan seated in the familiar main position, wearing the equally familiar Modern Armor.
She was raising her hand, continuing to speak passionately.
Through some unique patterns on the armor, Shangshan Che could even keenly recognize it as the set Zashiki had personally forged.
But unlike before, Imagawa Yoshimoto now also wore a stern black Iron Mask, covering her entire face.
Strange, he had spent so much time with Imagawa Yoshimoto, yet he had never seen her like masks.
“That’s all! I hope all of you will fulfill your duties and prepare swiftly!”
Imagawa Yoshimoto waved her arm again, declaring the first meeting for this march to Kyoto concluded.
At this moment, Shangshan Che could feel Ii Naomasa’s heart surging with excitement; she even wished she could ride to Kyoto tomorrow and hang the Imagawa Clan’s banners on Kyoto’s castle walls.
Looking around, he saw the other warriors and clerks equally enthusiastic, the entire Imagawa Clan enveloped in vibrant vitality and upward momentum.
It looked like a thriving and prosperous scene.
This was only natural.
——From the snippets Imagawa Yoshimoto had revealed, it was clear that due to preparations before the World Revival, the Imagawa Clan was far ahead of other Daimyo.
By now, the Imagawa Clan had devoured the Hojo Clan, Takeda Clan, and the southern Riize Clan, once its allies.
Even most of the northern Uesugi Clan’s territory had been allocated to the Imagawa Clan.
The current Imagawa Clan was nearly the master of the Tokaido!
The only force that could contend with the Imagawa Clan was the Oda Clan, which had launched a major advance westward and won almost all the way.
——Though Imagawa Yoshimoto’s voice sounded a bit strange, not like herself.
But through this Modern Armor and her uniquely tall stature when seated, Shangshan Che could easily judge that the one in the main seat was indeed herself, not some stand-in.
The first scene in this Memory Orb was full of doubts.
After this came the long preparations for the march to Kyoto, and for the possible Oda Clan ambush midway.
In the blink of an eye, Shangshan Che felt the originally verdant foliage change colors several times.
Autumn and winter passed in an instant, and time arrived at the spring of the following year.
This march to Kyoto had been prepared for over half a year.
Shangshan Che was quite pleased, as Imagawa Yoshimoto had not underestimated that former Owari fool at all.
But at the same time, Shangshan Che noticed something strange—
Ii Naomasa was seeing Imagawa Yoshimoto less and less frequently.
Even in the spring suitable for hunting, she went a full month without seeing this ambitious Head in her prime.
Shangshan Che could feel a speck of unease emerging in Ii Naomasa’s heart.
Until the march to Kyoto began.
Ii Naomasa believed the march to Kyoto would likely succeed.
Because the Imagawa Clan’s overall combat power and gravel were considerably stronger than the Oda Clan’s, and Imagawa Yoshimoto had treated the opponent as a major enemy, making specific preparations.
There was no reason for this march to Kyoto to fail.
Until they arrived at Okōshazam.
Tens of thousands of troops passed through Okōshazam and naturally encountered the Oda army ambushed there.
Ii Naomasa remained calm, knowing their side had a high chance of victory and the main camp was very safe.
Oda army?
Just roadside gravel, kick it away.
So she wanted to charge out and kill.
But just as she thought that, Okabe Motono suddenly appeared behind her and pressed her down.
“Lord, she passed away from illness.”
“Huh?”
Not only was Ii Naomasa stunned, but Shangshan Che, watching this memory, was also stunned.
Astonishment, bewilderment, confusion.
The too-sudden news caused Ii Naomasa’s mind to blank out momentarily.
After a long while, in the pouring rain, she uttered a hoarse voice.
“Why?”
Just a few days ago, Lord Yoshimoto had stood before everyone, loudly shouting “March to Kyoto!”
Okabe Motono did not answer.
But Ii Naomasa could vaguely hear Okabe Motono’s low whisper, squeezed through gritted teeth, cold as a knife.
“If only that guy were here… He deceived me, deceived the Lord, let the Lord’s hopes fall through…”
At the end of the words, a strand of Hatred spread out.
Snap.
The memory cut off in the rainy night.
What followed was probably the same as the history he had seen.
Defeat at the Battle of Okōshazam, failure of the march to Kyoto, the Imagawa Clan carved up, and Matsudaira Motoyasu, who had endured until then, grabbing the largest piece.
Then history returned to its course.
Shangshan Che opened his eyes and remained silent for a long time.
——Imagawa Yoshimoto had really inexplicably passed away from illness.
Even Ii Naomasa felt it was inexplicable.
The Wikipedia entry, and the “truth” Lili Zi knew, were not fabricated.
No possibility of assassination, because Hattori Hanzo guarded Imagawa Yoshimoto’s side—and at the height of the Imagawa Clan’s power, about to march to Kyoto, Matsudaira Motoyasu had no reason or need to defect.
Because the timing was too poor.
Otherwise, how did the Old Turtle nickname come about?
Moreover, Okabe Motono’s expression and tone did not seem fake…
So, “Imagawa Yoshimoto suddenly passed away from illness” was a fact among facts.
However, there were still many strange things in the Memory Orb.
Shangshan Che recalled Okabe Motono’s final words and sighed deeply.
If he had been there then, would things have been different?
Unfortunately, at least until the Seed Battle ended, he had no chance to know.
After casually reading the remaining few Memory Orbs, Shangshan Che, still immersed in the first Memory Orb, faced his opponent in the third round.
The opponent was a Great Demon whose identity was indeterminable, with highly skilled and powerful techniques; Shangshan Che naturally lost.
Immediately after, Shangshan Che spent his second life and, as expected, appeared at the node after passing the second Match.
This life also failed to defeat the opponent, winning only twelve cards, about half the number.
“To pass this stage, it’ll probably take another two or three days.”
Jumping off the bed and stretching, Shangshan Che heard the sounds of Lili Zi returning downstairs.
……
Late night.
“This is Matsudaira’s Edo Castle… Ah no, it should be called Tokyo now?”
The tall woman who had walked along the Railroad Track raised her head and saw the neon lights illuminating the late night in the distance.
She wore an incongruous baseball cap and sunglasses, marveling at everything around and ahead.
“Next… to Shinjuku Ward? Do I need to buy a map? Where do you buy maps in this era?”
Even as the tall woman muttered to herself in confusion, she did not approach the occasional passersby nearby.
——If possible, avoid talking or interacting with people.
This was the instruction Okabe Motono received before boarding the Train to the Mortal Realm.
Anyway, her hearing was strong; with just that, she could continuously gather Information.
Speaking, on the other hand, could easily expose her identity.
Okabe Motono, who had deliberately not Ascended to Ghost God to come to the Mortal Realm, strode toward the depths of Tokyo, one of the Mortal Realm’s largest cities.
This time, she only needed to clarify two things.
First, personally confirm if the Eternal World Train would appear within the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Second, a task personally assigned by her Lord.
——Go confirm news of the Great Onmyoji “Che” in the current Mortal Realm.
“Che, huh…”
Okabe Motono spat out the cold voice discontentedly, then stopped upon seeing an Oden street cart by the road.
“Anyway, eat first.”
……
“Lili Zi, did you run into any trouble today?”
After sparring a few moves with Yagyu Oshi, putting the latter into contemplation, Lili Zi turned to stare at him and asked after a moment.
“You’ve met my Eldest Brother?”
This could be seen at a glance?
Shangshan Che, marveling at the power of Clear Sword Heart, shook his head: “Can’t hide it from you.”
Lili Zi asked again: “Tokugawa Motoyasu… that old thing was there too, right.”
“Yeah.” Shangshan Che did not hide what was impossible to conceal.
Lili Zi’s gaze chilled for an instant: “Did the old thing say or do anything to you?”
“No.”
“That’s fine then.” Lili Zi gently closed her eyes, her tone indifferent. “In the end, it’s family business.”
Shangshan Che naturally understood the implication—if it was family business, involving an outsider like him would not be good.
The same went for him.
While pondering this in his mind, Shangshan Che voiced his earlier question: “Lili Zi, how’s your relationship with your Eldest Brother?”
Lili Zi was silent for a while, until Yagyu Oshi swung his twenty-sixth sword on the other side, then replied.
“It’s okay, I guess. When he was little, he often secretly brought me rubber candy to eat, but it’s been many years since I last saw my Eldest Brother…
Who knows what he’s like now or what he’s thinking.”
Lili Zi paused, then suddenly leaned in and poked Shangshan Che with her elbow: “Did he tell you, Shangshan Jun, to sneak me away?”
Shangshan Che blinked: “You even know that?”
“Because this guy, when he was little, told me he wanted to sneak away from the Tokugawa family together.”
Lili Zi held her head and sighed: “It was a completely meaningless and impossible thing.”
This was “okay”?
Heh, that was truly invincible.
Shangshan Che kept a straight face, but laughed inwardly.
——Giving up most of his rights as the eldest son of the Tokugawa family head, even saying it directly to Lili Zi… Heaven knew how much Courage that took.
Though it was indeed probably impossible, it had at least been accomplished in Tokugawa Ryuji’s heart.
Probably, Tokugawa Ryuji and Tokugawa Hoshi, Lili Zi’s Eldest Brother and Third Sister, were the only two family members she acknowledged in the Tokugawa family.
But Lili Zi’s response also indicated she might not appreciate Tokugawa Ryuji’s feelings.
Just like last time, the answer this time would not change either.
The Q&A about the Tokugawa family ended here.
Shangshan Che could hear the unspoken meaning in Lili Zi’s words, and she knew he could.
Understanding each other, everything else went without saying.
“By the way, why hasn’t Tamamo come back?”
“She said she was playing with Sister and staying overnight at the Special Affairs Office.”
After using the topic-changer, Shangshan Che, as usual, suggested evening Cultivation.
Lili Zi nodded gladly.
Still close-contact Inner Force guidance, plus Breathing Technique Muscle Refining and Five Thunder Technique practice; Yagyu Oshi remained ten meters away, eyes straight ahead, swinging his sword alone.
【Embracing the Core（10/100）→Embracing the Core（12/100）】
【Your skill, Corona Breathing Technique Proficiency +88!】
【Your skill, Five Thunder Technique · Ki-Ai Proficiency +12!】
This was the result of this brief night.
……
Early next morning, Lili Zi went out to the winners’ bracket of the Seed Battle, while Yagyu Oshi sat in the first-floor Dojo honing his Spirit, Energy, and Vitality, conserving energy.
Everything proceeded orderly as planned.
After a good sleep, Shangshan Che went to the Rooftop, took Soul Incense Ash under the sunlight’s bath, entered the black space to comprehend the Rin Character Technique.
This remaining progress bar had to be filled!
After some unknown time, the ancient “Rin” character filling Shangshan Che’s entire vision blazed with Silver Light!
A gentle force pushed his Spirit out of the black space.
Slightly drained and dizzy, Shangshan Che raised his right hand and saw the mark on the back of his hand had solidified considerably.
A shiny Prompt popped up before his eyes.
【Your Rin Character Technique Mastery Level has reached 10%! Entered the next stage!】
Shangshan Che called up the Panel.
【Rin Character Technique】
【Mastery Level: 10.003%】
【Since your Rin Character Technique Mastery Level reached 10%, your Rin Character Technique effect is enhanced!】
【Since your Rin Character Technique Mastery Level reached 10%, your Rin Character Technique usage cost is greatly reduced!】
【Since your Rin Character Technique Mastery Level reached 10%, you gained a new effect!】
【Since your mastery of the Rin Character Technique reached the next stage, your Rin Character Technique Comprehension difficulty increased!】
