Chapter 113

## Intermission 1336, Part 3

**Chapter 113** is titled "*Intermission 1336, Part 3*".

## Synopsis

Just before the beginning of the battle of Minatogawa, Yoshisada and Masashige stand on a cliff with their troops, observing the massive fleet of ships carrying Ashikaga warriors to their lands. Kusunoki expresses his concerns about the Ashikaga having 100,000 soldiers, but Yoshisada calms him by claiming that the emperor is on their side and that their opponents' morale will plummet once they see the imperial standard, which bears the name of the Great Goddess Amaterasu. However, upon seeing the standard, the Ashikaga soldiers just laugh. Sasaki Doyo and Akamatsu then take out another imperial standard belonging to emperor Kogon of the Jimyo-in line – an imperial lineage rival of the Daikaku-ji line – which bears the names of Amaterasu and the Great Bodhisattva Hachiman, frustrating Yoshisada. It is narrated that Takauji's permission to bear former emperor Kogon's standard while opposing emperor Go-Daigo only increases the tumult of the times. However, Takauji himself remains indifferent; he only laughs, stating that he is no longer the emperor's enemy.

Moronao directs the decoy troops to land east of the location, effectively luring Yoshisada's army away and isolating Kusunoki's forces in the process. Becoming concerned about being surrounded, Yoshisada immediately heads east, angering Kusunoki's younger brother. However, Kusunoki calmly states that he has taken this into account. He observes his opponents – Moronao, Takauji and Moroyasu, and remarks that his 700-strong army merely needs to defeat a force a hundred times larger. He then orders his troops to charge Tadayoshi 16 times continuously. Worried about Tadayoshi, Takauji orders Moronao and Moroyasu to assist his brother. Since the numbers of Kusunoki's force have decreased due to the reckless charges, Moronao easily approaches a person wearing a tri-horned helmet whom he mistakes for Kusunoki, and strikes him down from behind. However, upon closer inspection, Moronao realizes that the person is not Kusunoki.

In the meantime, the real Kusunoki approaches Takauji and explains his *False Kyo* plan to Takauji, in which he took advantage of Takauji's concern for Tadayoshi to lure away the formidable guards. He insists that victory would have been certain had the defensive line included Kyo; thus, he uses 16 charges to carve out 32 streets with caltrops, dividing the battle area to multiple squares, resembling the city itself. This tactic allows him to engage and finish Takauji in single combat during a count to one hundred, bought by his few yet skilled retainers who use long-range weapons to prevent Ashikaga soldiers from crossing the caltrop lines and intervening.

Unaware of Kusunoki's prowess in individual combat, Takauji unsheathes his sword, only to be caught off guard by Kusunoki's powerful charge, which leaves a cut on Takauji's left spaulder. Kusunoki then explains that hiding one's abilities is also a tactic before continuing his skillful attacks on Takauji, who struggles to defend himself. Intending to make Takauji show his full prowess before delivering the final blow, Kusunoki spits a couple of needles into Takauji's eyes and takes advantage of his temporary disorientation to thrust his sword into Takauji's left arm. Kusunoki then breaks Takauji's left leg by trampling on his knee and uses it as a fulcrum to deliver a flying side kick, snapping Takauji's neck.

Takauji falls to the ground, his sword out of his reach. Kusunoki slowly approaches him, wondering how his defeated opponent's face would look. However, to his surprise, Takauji suddenly pulls a *naginata* decorated with bones out of the sand and is magically pulled up onto his feet. This weapon is called Honekami, or "Bonebiter", the Ashikaga clan's heirloom *naginata*. Takauji then declares that no opponent has ever given him a serious challenge before; he tells Kusunoki that he will take him down with a single strike as he smiles enigmatically – a smile told to only become more placid as the danger to Takauji's life increases.

## Characters

* Kusunoki Masashige
* Nitta Yoshisada
* Sasaki Doyo
* Akamatsu
* Emperor Kogon (debut, mentioned)
* Emperor Go-Daigo (mentioned)
* Ashikaga Takauji
* Kono Moronao
* Masashige's younger brother (debut)
* Kono Moroyasu
* Ashikaga Tadayoshi
* Isshiki Yoriyuki