After a few days, a legendary day in the history of the Hakone Kingdom would arrive.
On this day, the kingdom’s most famous Shogun would work together with his competent aides, the mysterious visitors from the Roland Continent. They were Blood Fox Nedis, Evil Star Sith, and Lone Wolf Rody. They would have had all journeyed to the capital.
There would be a lot of dispute about the origins of the three visitors amongst the scholars studying this in the later generations. This was because the Shogun Yukinari would reveal that these three people had come from the Roland Continent’s famous Dark Mercenaries. Besides that, the beautiful Blood Fox Nedis had said that the Dark Mercenaries had many masters spread all over the Roland and Radiant Continents. It could be regarded as a great power in the underground world.
However, the countless scholars that would be studying this would all feel like pulling out their hairs as they would be unable to find out anything about the Dark Mercenaries.
At present time, Nedis was currently dozing off in the carriage. She leaned on the back of the chair and her head tilted onto Rody’s shoulders. She had an expression of a lazy kitten. The Blood Fox Nedis absolutely did not know that her nonsensical words would create a difficult problem for the scholars in the future.
Rody pulled back the curtains of the carriage and looked into the distance. After a few days of rushing, they were already in front of the capital of the Hakone Kingdom.
The architectural style of the city was similar to Home River. However, the buildings were taller. The buildings at the roadside were low-rise buildings. There were more army patrols. A heavily armed group of soldiers was walking towards the South.
The main road at the capital was very wide. The trees on the road were not the well-known ironwood but willow trees that were grown with effort.
At the moment under the breeze, the willow trees and the golden armored warriors enhanced each other’s beauty. It showed a somewhat tender feeling.
"Looks like the war at the South is reaching a critical point." Sith was sitting opposite Rody. He was also looking out the window and could not help but whisper these words.
Rody smiled and nodded. 'Looks like the King is giving the dwarfs a lot of pressure.'
Once they entered the capital, Rody found out that there was an inner city with another city wall. Most of the people living in the area after entering the outer city walls were civilians and merchants. The streets appeared to be in a disorderly mess.
The inner city walls were taller than the outer city walls. A number of armored warriors were stationed on the walls. They wore a strange helmet with two horns and a long and narrow katana on their waists. Evidently, they had a military air.
Yukinari had already become clear-headed at that moment. Although tired from the hurried journey, he became enthusiastic when he returned to the capital and introduced it to Rody and the others.
Only people with status or the rich and powerful lived in the inner city. The streets were also wider compared to the outer city. People were coming and going quietly. Their heads hung down with a serious demeanor. There were even more carriages coming and going.
"We are now taking this road that is known as the Cherry Blossom Road. On the left are the homes and territories of the officers, generals, and henchmen. On the right are homes of members of the royalty." Yukinari smiled and said, "Going along this road, you would be able to see the distant mountains." Yukinari then became serious and said, "That is our Hakone Kingdom’s tallest mountain, the Sacred Mountain. Some people also call it the Rich Mountain. This is the symbol of our race’s Hakone Kingdom. From a distance, you can see the heavy snow. However, this is the Sacred Mountain! Every hundred years or so, the mountain will start shooting out fire."
Rody’s mind stirred. A mountain that shoots out fire? Isn’t that a ‘volcano’ described in the Sunflower Treasure left behind by the Grand Master Dandong?
Nedis sighed as if she already knew about this. She showed a fascinated expression and laughed, "That mountain seems to be the restricted area of the Royal Family. Outsiders are not allowed to go in. I really want to go in and see what kind of mystical place it is."
Sith also seemed fascinated and sighed, "Will it really spit out fire? How does the capital get through this all these years as it is so close to the mountain?"
"Well, in fact, the territory around the mountain belongs to the Royal Family. Their palace is underneath the mountain. Although flames will erupt very hundred years, there is a large lake about ten meters in the vicinity of the mountain. Every time the mountains erupts, the flames would flow down the mountain into the lake where it is blocked. As a result, it would not endanger the capital or the palace at the foot of the mountain." Yukinari then laughed and said, "The last time it erupted was fifty years ago so for the time being, there is no need to worry about this. Ah, if you are interested, we can go and take a look another day. Although the mountain is the Royal Family’s territory and you are not allowed there, the lake at the foot of the mountain should still be close enough."
Rody hung his head and thought for a while. Suddenly, he said, "You said the mountain would erupt into flames. So presumably the earth shakes every time it happens?
Yukinari exclaimed in surprise. He then asked, "Mister Rody, how did you know this? The earth shakes every time the mountain spits out fire. Supposedly it is because God is enraged. However, this is something only we dwarves know. How do you know about this?"
Rody shook his head and did not answer. He looked at the tall mountain at the distance in a trance.
Suddenly, they heard loud sounds of gongs outside. Yukinari raised his eyebrows and loudly said, "This is my father’s order to gather and discuss official business. Let us go to the shogunate so that I can report the matters at Home River to my father."
He then looked at the three with inquiring eyes.
Nedis laughed and replied, "Young Master Yukinari, you do not need to worry. We will naturally accompany you. You just need to pretend like nothing has happened. We will naturally help you according to the way we discussed earlier."
Yukinari became happy and he emphatically nodded his head.
The shogunate on the left side of the Cherry Blossom Road was different from what Rody had imagined.
In his imagination, the places with supreme power in the Hakone Kingdom should be filled with glorious golden walls and huge but heavily guarded buildings. However, when he arrived, all he saw was a large area of dwarven buildings.
The place was surrounded by rows of lush green trees except for the entrance which was guarded by warriors. They did not see the soldiers coming back from inspection.
The door in front had a very simple and elegant style of architecture. It looked less like a general’s residence and more like a scholar’s library.
Outside, Hideyoshi and the few other warriors had stopped the carriage. They then stood on both sides. Hideyoshi was nervous as he pulled the door open for the few people to get down the carriage. The guards at the entrance saw that the carriage belonged to Kikukawa Yukinari and one of them immediately ran in to notify the others. The remaining ones stood on both sides and greeted.
Yukinari returned to his territory looking arrogant. He wanted to loudly say a few words when the rapid steps of the horses could be heard from behind him. Several horses sped through the streets like a whirlwind. They rode quickly until they were near Yukinari’s carriage and then stopped suddenly. One of the horses stood up and neighed but the knight remained calm and steady.
Yukinari had a fright when the charging horse had almost crashed into him.
The knight on the horse immediately showed a smile of disdain. He turned and jumped off the horse. He then stood in front of Yukinari and said, "Yukinari, you have returned!"
Rody carefully looked at this person.
This person was taller than the average dwarf. He had a sturdy figure and wore warrior’s clothes made from cloth. The coarse cloth he wore over his body did not make him look unrefined. On the contrary, it even highlighted his magnificent appearance. He looked as though he was about thirty. His long hair was tied up behind his back. On top of that, his eyes seemed to show how refined he looked.
Could this be Kikukawa Koichi, the other son?
Rody and the others did not recognize Koichi. At that moment, they hesitated to walk up and put on an act.
The young warrior then looked at Rody and the others. When he saw Nedis, his eyes turned aggressive. He looked all over Nedis and licked his lips. When he looked at Rody, his eyes flashed and then he looked back at Yukinari. He then laughed, "Looks like Yukinari brought back a few masters with him this time!"
Yukinari suppressed his anger and calmly replied, "Nobunaga, you jest. These are my new retainers."
He then looked at Rody and the others and said, "This is the number one warrior under my father’s command. He is the Thousand Rider General, Oda Nobunaga!"