Odawara Castle.
The strongest fortress in the Kantō region.
Shinji stood on a hill outside the castle, looking at the familiar sight. A thin layer of blood mist spread around him, shrouding both him and the twenty-three small demons behind him.
In the distance, the great castle nestled between mountain and sea seemed unusually silent under the afternoon sun.
Layer upon layer of stone walls, dense watchtowers, and the castle gate tightly shut.
Unlike the last time he was here to slay Gaikimaru, the banners on the walls had changed.
Not only the Hōjō's three-scales crest, but also banners signaling 'preparation for war.'
Something was wrong.
Shinji frowned.
Though the gate was closed, as if all residents were staying indoors, the human energy within the castle was not dense.
Blood mist seeped from beneath his skin, spreading down the hillside toward the city, a thin layer almost invisible.
[Blood Change] activated once more.
His vision slowly expanded through his 'perception,' and the situation inside the castle gradually became clear.
Few defenders.
Fewer than when he had come last time.
Though the city's inhabitants seemed to be going about their normal lives, there were noticeably fewer samurai on the streets, and the stables were mostly empty of warhorses.
"The main force has been moved out," Shinji concluded. It was the only conclusion he could draw.
After all, he could only see, not 'hear.'
But Shinji had no intention of revealing himself.
No need.
Unlike his direct contact with the Imagawa, last time he had only been in a 'dream,' never exposing his whereabouts directly. Dreams were hazy; most people would not recall them clearly unless deeply stimulated by a similar scene.
So neither the Hōjō nor the people of this city knew who he was. Suddenly appearing as a demon in a crimson mask would only cause unnecessary commotion.
And he wasn't alone this time.
The demon warrior in the crimson mask turned to look at the group of small demons huddled in the blood mist.
"Spread out," his voice came from beneath the mask. "Go into the city and listen to what the Hōjō are saying."
The tanuki blinked. "L-Lord… we're going into the city?"
"You can't enter the city looking like that." Shinji's tone was flat. "Transform."
"Transform?"
"Are you not a tanuki?"
The tanuki's face showed embarrassment.
It was indeed a tanuki, and tanuki were best at transformation techniques.
But the problem was it was only at one-and-a-half transformations.
The first transformation had been for developing intelligence. The remaining half was for transformation techniques.
Because of that, his human form was fixed, a tuft of fur would always appear on his nose, his tail couldn't be hidden, and he couldn't maintain it for long.
"My lord, my transformation only lasts half an hour…"
"That's enough." Shinji pulled a thread condensed from blood mist from his robe and tied it around the tanuki's wrist.
"This blood thread will help conceal anything unnatural, but after you enter the city, stay away from monks and shrines. Find tea houses and sake shops. Listen to people talking."
He then looked at the one-eyed little monk and the fox-eared girl.
"Same for you. Those who can transform, transform. Those who can't, hide on the rooftops."
"Remember, just listen. Don't speak, don't touch, and don't steal anything."
"Meet at the pine forest south of the city in half an hour."
The little demons looked at each other.
Then they dispersed.
The tanuki pinched its nose, went 'poof,' and transformed into a short, fat middle-aged merchant, its tail barely tucked into its trousers. It wobbled toward the city gate.
The one-eyed little monk covered himself with his broken paper umbrella, shrinking his whole body beneath it, only his straw-sandaled feet showing as he shuffled along with a group of farmers carrying loads.
The fox-eared girl picked flowers from around her and wove a garland to cover her fox ears.
She was a half-demon, very weak that was why she had a human form. She had no other abilities, but at least she looked human.
As for the rest, those without the ability to transform, the rat with the broken leg, the half-centipede, the two-headed crow, they climbed to the treetops and rooftops outside the city, ears perked.
Shinji leaned back against an old pine tree on the hill and closed his eyes.
The blood mist was his eyes.
And these twenty-three little demons became his 'ears.'
Soon, reports came back from the demons.
"The lord of this castle has taken his troops to the front…"
"The Imagawa have attacked again…"
"Apparently this time, it's not about territory…"
"Imagawa Yoshimoto herself has come… says she's looking for someone…"
"…Some kind of demon god? Never heard of it…"
"…Name sounds like… Nakai?"
The last demon didn't catch Shinji's full name. Shinji's eyes opened.
Imagawa Yoshimoto.
Personally leading an army.
Not to conquer land.
But to find him?
"Interesting."
He stood up. The images from the blood mist and the information from the little demons began to coalesce.
More pieces assembled into a clear 'game board.'
Three days ago, the Imagawa had suddenly mobilized over two thousand soldiers, setting out from Suruga and heading east into Hōjō territory.
But this army did not attack any castles, did not plunder, and didn't even cross the traditional border between the two clans.
They simply formed up on the plain at the border and displayed their banners.
Then they sent an envoy to Odawara Castle.
The townspeople relayed the envoy's words in various ways, but the core message was the same:
"Hand over the 'Demon God Shinji.'"
Hōjō Ujiyasu naturally refused.
Not because she cared about Shinji, she didn't even know what that name meant.
But because who was this woman to make demands?
Imagawa Yoshimoto had come onto her territory, ordering her to hand over something she had never even seen.
This was a provocation.
An absolute provocation.
So Hōjō Ujiyasu gathered her troops and personally led them to the border to face off.
The Lion of Sagami never struck first, but she would never tolerate anyone strutting about on her doorstep.
Just as when the Imagawa had come aggressively last time, the Hōjō had countered decisively.
The previous war had ended inconclusively.
But that didn't mean she was afraid.
Currently, the two armies were facing off at the border between Suruga and Musashi.
Not yet at war.
But the atmosphere was already tense.
…
At the same time.
West of Hakone Mountain on the border between the two provinces, Yajirōgen.
A wide plain, with low hills on both the north and south sides, and large stretches of dry fields and grassland in between.
The Hōjō army was encamped on the northern hills, about fifteen hundred strong.
The Imagawa army held the southern side, their banners stretching across, about two thousand strong.
The two armies were three miles apart. The plain between them was empty, save for the autumn wind blowing through the withered grass.
In the northern camp.
Hōjō Ujiyasu stood on a platform in the main encampment. She wore a dark purple kimono over a light suit of armor. Her long black hair stirred slightly in the wind.
Her delicate features showed little expression, but the corners of her mouth turned down, full of gloom and displeasure.
Beside her stood several elderly retainers, their faces also full of gravity.
"Report! The Imagawa have sent another envoy. Same demand as before. They want us to hand over the 'Demon God Shinji.'"
The messenger knelt below the platform.
Hōjō Ujiyasu looked at the Imagawa banner waving in the south, her tone cold:
"Demon God Shinji, Demon God Shinji what the hell is that?"
"This is the fifth time. What kind of madness is Imagawa Yoshimoto going through?"
A senior retainer beside her spoke quietly: "My lord, I looked into it. The name 'Shinji' has recently become famous in Suruga. It is said to be the name of a demon"
"A demon?"
"Yes. According to reports, half a month ago, when the Suruga capital was attacked by a thunder beast, it was this demon who slew the beast. Imagawa Yoshimoto even built a shrine in the city to enshrine him, calling him the 'Thunder-Slaying Demon God.'"
Hōjō Ujiyasu's brow furrowed tightly.
She remembered something.
Half a month ago, Odawara Castle had fallen into a city-wide nightmare.
That nightmare.
That burning city.
That figure that had appeared in her dream red-eyed, white-haired.
"…It was him?" she murmured.
The demon from her dream? The one who had summoned lightning to burn away the scales and slay the moth demon?
She had always thought it was just a dream.
Or perhaps, she didn't want to admit it was real.
Because if it was real, it meant she, Hōjō Ujiyasu, owed a demon a debt.
And she hated owing debts.
But it seemed that not admitting it wasn't enough anymore.
"My lord?" The retainer looked at her shifting expression, concerned.
"It's nothing." Hōjō Ujiyasu withdrew her thoughts and turned her gaze back south. "Whatever this Demon God Shinji is, he's not with me. If Imagawa Yoshimoto wants him, she can look for him herself."
"Coming to my territory and making demands" Her tone grew cold. "Does she think the Hōjō are pushovers?"
…
In the southern camp.
The Imagawa headquarters were completely different from the Hōjō side.
There was no austere military atmosphere; it felt more like an outing.
In front of the main tent, a sunshade had been set up, with a low table underneath holding delicate tea utensils and refreshments.
Imagawa Yoshimoto herself sat in the tent, her twelve-layered kimono layered, as opulent as ever.
Her deep brown hair spread like a waterfall over the silk cushion behind her, adorned with a gold butterfly hairpin that glittered in the sunlight.
Her delicate, charming face wore an air of leisure, as if she were admiring flowers rather than fighting a war.
She raised her tea bowl and took a small sip.
"The Hōjō refused again," her attendant reported, kneeling.
"Expected." Imagawa Yoshimoto set down her tea bowl, parting her red lips, her tone leisurely. "Hōjō Ujiyasu hates taking risks, but she hates being ordered around even more. The more I demand, the more she'll refuse."
"But" The corners of her mouth lifted in a sly smile. "It doesn't matter."
"My target isn't the Hōjō."
"It's just that the person, the Demon God Shinji, last appeared in Suruga, then went straight to the Hōjō's Odawara Castle, and then, overnight, slew the demons of the four directions."
Imagawa Yoshimoto's tone was like someone telling an interesting story.
She had heard this from traveling merchants who passed through Imagawa territory, they were always well-informed.
"The area he operates in is Musashi Province."
"And Musashi is Hōjō territory."
"So the most likely place for him to appear is right here."
She picked up a chestnut-covered sweet and took a bite. "I just need to make enough noise."
"And chances are, it'll draw his attention."
Imagawa Yoshimoto's eyes sparkled.
Not with the fervor of war.
But with the anticipation of a hunter waiting for prey to fall into their trap.
Only what she wanted to 'hunt' was not Shinji's life, but his person or rather, his demonhood.
The future of her Imagawa clan.
"Oh Demon God, oh Demon God..." She chewed the sweet, murmuring to herself.
"Hurry up and come."
"I've come all this way to meet you."