Chapter 118

## Student Confrontation 1337

**Chapter 118** is titled "*Student Confrontation 1337*".

## Synopsis

Akiie, his servant, Tokiyuki, Kojiro and Ayako ride their horses down a road. Akiie taunts Tokiyuki, belittling him as an *azuma ebisu*, a derogatory term used by nobles for Eastern warriors. He mockingly dares the boy to outpace him, a noble, as he quickly leads the charge with his servant by his side, leaving the others to play catch-up. Kojiro grumbles about his speed, while Ayako wishes he would stop shouting Tokiyuki's name.

As they continue their journey, Tokiyuki expresses his concern for Akiie's safety and urges him to be careful, since the land they are crossing belongs to the Northern court's warriors. Undaunted, Akiie assures them that he has concealed his splendor with his ragged cloak. Ayako and Kojiro are amazed by his bravery to come to Izu alone through enemy territory with such a luminous aura that cannot be suppressed. However, they have no doubt that the enemy would be unable to catch Akiie, given his speed. Having completed two lightning-fast rides from Oshu to Kyo, averaging 40 kilometers per day, Akiie is told to have set a record for armored warriors in Japan. Impressed by Akiie's overwhelming strength, which surpasses even Takauji's, Tokiyuki believes it would be advantageous to follow him – the only one who knows how to defeat the boy's enemy.

When Tokiyuki finally arrives at the stop, Akiie is already there, waiting for him after preparing a fresh horse. The noble berates him for his tardiness and demands that he apologize to the "honorable" horse for keeping it waiting. Eventually, Akiie's relentless teasing provokes Tokiyuki to declare himself an *azuma ebisu* and an animal eager to befriend the horse. Ayako and Kojiro observe the scene with bewilderment, wondering why Akiie always behaves in such a rude manner. Kojiro, who strongly dislikes Akiie's arrogant demeanor, remarks Ayako that he will advise Tokiyuki to abandon the noble if his behaviour becomes excessively haughty.

Upon reaching the destination, the Tone river, Akiie informs Tokiyuki that his army is located 12 kilometers away on the far side of the river. As Tokiyuki, Kojiro, and Ayako catch their breath, Tokiyuki reflects on how it took his army five days to march a similar distance two years ago, in contrast to their current journey that took only one day and one night. He is surprised by how much time and distance have changed since Akiie's arrival. Akiie remarks that it is much easier to travel alone than with an army. He goes on to explain that his army is on their way to subjugate Takauji, and, while the castle they are attacking will soon fall, someone Tokiyuki knows is preventing them from crossing the river.

In Kamakura, Uesugi Noriaki discusses the situation in Shimotsuke with Shiba Ienaga, the 17-year-old commanding general of Oshu and Kanto steward of the Northern court, who requests his second-in-command not to call him by his childhood name Magojiro. Akiie then tells Tokiyuki that, despite having overpowered Takauji's force in Kyo, his army was held up for a whole month on their return to Oshu by Ienaga, who was only 16 years old at the time and had inherited the rule of Eastern Japan from Ashikaga Tadayoshi. Enraged, Akiie declares that he will make Ienaga grovel at his feet and requests "honorable" punishment from him as Kojiro and Ayako comically remark on his overuse of the word "honorable" and how crowded his speech bubbles are.

Akiie queries Tokiyuki about how many soldiers he can round up, to which Tokiyuki replies that he can muster 3000. Akiie emphasizes the importance of having a 3000-strong force stationed on the south side of the river, unbeknownst to their opponents, as it's essential to his plan. He requests that Tokiyuki strikes Ienaga's force from behind as they attempt to confront Akiie's army crossing the river.

Back in Izu, Tokiyuki, his companions, Surugashiro and other subordinates gather in a room to discuss their plan. Surugashiro states that it will take three days for him to raise the neighboring Izu warriors and for Shizuku to rally the survivors from two years ago. However, he expresses concern for his three children, one of whom will soon be walking and he fears that he may not be there to witness it. Although Tokiyuki suggests that Surugashiro remain with his children, he, feeling a deep sense of shame for not fighting two years ago, declares that he will never be a worthy Hojo retainer if he doesn't fight this time.

As they discuss their strategy, Natsu observes them, thinking that the only way for her is to be with the Ashikaga. She decides to ask the tengu for rejoin by providing the explosives and information on Akiie's army should she encounters one. Meanwhile, Ayako expresses her concerns about Akiie, whom she sees as arrogant and likely to discard them once he no longer needs them. However, Tokiyuki reassures his surbordinates that they will learn Akiie and his warriors' characters through battle together, unlike in Shinano two years ago, when they learned about their allies beforehand.

In December 1337, Tokiyuki receives a message to ride north and conquer from Akiie. Positioned on a hill in Hakone, he and his army await their next move.

## Characters

* Kitabatake Akiie
* Matsuhime
* Hojo Tokiyuki
* Kojiro
* Mochizuki Ayako
* Ashikaga Takauji
* Uesugi Noriaki
* Shiba Magojiro
* Ashikaga Tadayoshi (mentioned)
* Shizuku
* Nagasaki Surugashiro
* Kazama Genba
* Natsu-no-yon
* Shinomiya Saemontaro (mentioned)
* Hoshina Yasaburo (mentioned)
* Nezu Yorinao (mentioned)
* Unno Yukiyasu (mentioned)
* Mochizuki Shigenobu (mentioned)