Chapter 110

## History 1335

**Chapter 110** is titled "*History 1335*".

## Synopsis

Hojo Tokiyuki, Kojiro, Shizuku, Mochizuki Ayako and Kazama Genba leave Sochojuin Temple. Nezu Yorinao, Hoshina Yasaburo, Shinomiya Saemontaro and the other warriors bow to Yorishige one last time before leaving. Yorishige then goes to a room with many corpses of warriors who fell the day before, including a Hojo boy of the same age as Tokiyuki, with Suwa Moritaka standing near the door. They pay their respect, then Yorishige takes a seat among the corpses, thanking Moritaka for staying until the end and complimenting him for being an excellent commentator. Yorishige requests that his final moments be narrated, which Moritaka then carries out by summarizing his life as a loyal god. As Yorishige commits suicide, a shooting star passes by.

When the Ashikaga army arrives, they see that the skin has been removed from the faces of every corpse in the room and find a letter nearby explaining that those who died were too ashamed to face their ancestors. This makes it nearly impossible to indentify the corpses, despite Yorishige being recognized by his wounds and clothing. Sasaki Doyo has doubts, but Ashikaga Takauji commends Yorishige and says that history will remember this war as the war of Suwa Yorishige.

As Takauji comes outside, he sees a young soldier walking with an abdominal wound. He examines the wound and suggests granting the soldier a reward for good fortune and success in battle. The soldier expresses his gratitude for being able to participate in the Nakasendai War, which Takauji demands him to repeat. He then explains that the soldiers has started calling Hojo Tokiyuki, being a worthy opponent and a young warrior who made his clan proud, *Nakasendai* – meaning *the ruler in between* – as he was heir to the previous ruler but could not rule in the present. Upon hearing this, Takauji is reminded of a line Tokiyuki sang in battle the day before. He pushes his fingers inside the soldier's wound, then tears his abdomen apart, killing him. Takauji then walks a way, happily agrees with Kono Moronao's suggestion of having *udon* for dinner, while other soldiers look on in fear.

As Takauji leaves, the spirit of Yorishige appears on the roof of the temple. It is narrated that, after this war, Tokiyuki goes by the name of Nakasendai and that he is not viewed as a puppet but an individual who is even greater than *Suwa-myojin*. Despite foreseeing a future in which Tokiyuki's name is barely remembered aside from this conflict, Yorishige believes the boy will have an impact on history if he struggles and survives, since the climax of everything people strive for is what makes history, and wishes that Tokiyuki should live his life however he pleases.

Tokiyuki and his companions escape towards the beach, where a small boat lies waiting, passing a stronghold by jumping over rooftops, with Kojiro carrying Shizuku and Ayako carrying the luggage. The narration states that this is the end of the Hojo's last military effort, which occurs just 20 days after the recapture of Kamakura. From then on, Tokiyuki's force dwindles, becoming younger and no longer burdened; the boy chooses his own path and live unencumbered. However, he takes a deep breath, turns around and says "Only you remain", envisioning Takauji, before setting sail with the other four.

## Characters

* Suwa Yorishige
* Kojiro
* Hojo Tokiyuki
* Shizuku
* Nezu Yorinao
* Shinomiya Saemontaro
* Hoshina Yasaburo
* Suwa Moritaka
* Sasaki Doyo
* Kono Moroyasu
* Kono Moronao
* Ashikaga Takauji
* Hojo Takatoki (mentioned)
* Mochizuki Ayako
* Kazama Genba