Gathering Allies Arc

The **Gathering Allies Arc** is the second arc in The Elusive Samurai series. This arc introduces the **Elusive Warriors**.

Tokiyuki manages to reach Suwa with the help of Yorishige Suwa and Shizuku, being in Suwa, Tokiyuki must gather allies to begin his mission to defeat Takauji.

## Summary

### Meeting Yorishige

One day after his escape from Kamakura, Tokiyuki is received at the Suwa shrine, Yorishige orders the maidens of the place to calm down Tokiyuki due to his situation, making Tokiyuki uncomfortable, he escapes from the place falling into a hole put by Yorishige. who saw that Tokiyuki would try to escape by that route.

Tokiyuki believes that Yorishige is still lying about his ability to see the future, Yorishige explains that being in his territory he has more divine power so he can easily know Tokiyuki's location.
Yorishige tells him that he must study if he wants to recover the nation from him, so Tokiyuki flees by falling into another hole, Shizuku helps him out of the hole and explains that although Yorishige has an eccentric personality, he doesn't really want to hurt him.

Tokiyuki keeps trying to escape by falling into various holes which annoys Ayako and Kojiro since they are tired of filling in the holes, Yorishige explains that due to his situation it is normal for him to try to escape since he doesn't trust them.
Tokiyuki takes advantage of the rain to escape being found by Yorishige, Tokiyuki tells him that he can do whatever he wants without studying, so Yorishige shows him his divine power to clear the rain, thus gaining Tokiyuki's trust and making him study again.

### The meeting with the emperor

Takauji returns to Kyoto after overthrowing the Kamakura shogunate, so he is given a welcome and is received by Emperor Go-Daigo who, thanks to Takauji, regained his power.
The emperor thanks Takauji and gives him a position, to which Takauji honorably agrees and tells him that he wants him to give his vassals a position in the imperial court.

After the meeting Takauji returns to his home and meets his butler Moronao who asks him if everything is alright, to which Takauji replies that everything is alright and that they will give their support to the emperor as he cries and shows a monstrous eye at him. Moronao replies that he will help him.

### Hunting Trip

Yorishige tells Tokiyuki that he must gather allies if he wants to face Takauji, so he introduces him again to Kojiro, Ayako and Shizuku who will be his vassals.
Tokiyuki and his vassals spend time together to get to know each other better and decide to go hunting, during their trip they find a rabbit whom Tokiyuki tries to hunt with his bow failing multiple times being helped by Kojiro and Ayako, during their walk they find an Ushi -Oni so they have to hunt him down.

They try to shoot him with their arrows but seeing that they do not hurt him they flee from the boar, Shizuku tells Tokiyuki to distract the boar and take him to a mount; while Kojiro and Ayako prepare a trap, Tokiyuki manages to take the boar away. until the trap causing it to fall into an obsidian peak dying from the fall.
After hunting the boar Tokiyuki, Ayako, Kojiro and Shizuku decide to take a ba;o in a hot spring, Tokiyuki and his group decide to name their team after what elusive warriors choose.

In another place Takauji is hunting a boar with the help of a vassal who thanks him for naming him shugo of shinano, Takauji tells him that this is thanks to the fact that he left the Hojo clan to join him, Takauji gives him the mission to find to the survivors of the Hojo clan to which this one accepts.

## Battles & Events

### Events

* Takauji returns to Kyoto.
* Elusive Warriors Formation
* Appointment of the Governor of Shinano

### Battles

* Tokiyuki Hojo, Kojiro, Ayako and Shizuku vs Ushi-Oni

## Characters Introduced

* Sakae
* Hikari
* Homare
* Sadamune Ogasawara
* Myojin

## Story Impact

* Tokiyuki is received at the Suwa Shrine.
* It is revealed that Yorishige is one of the 3 Arahitogami in Japan and that he has Myojin within him.
	+ The others are the Emperor of Kyoto and the Izumo Shrine Priest.
* The emperor gives power to Takauji.
* Elusive Warriors are formed.
* Takauji appoints Sadamune as governor of Shinano.