Chapter 346: The Young Lady of the Honda Family
"If the monsters swarming all over Japan are truly under Toyotomi Hideyoshi's control, it means he won't wait fifty years for us. In fact, some daimyo have already died under mysterious circumstances. As for those who openly resisted him, there was only Shibata Katsuie, and she was killed long ago," Ieyasu said, his expression darkening as he spoke in a low voice.
"She? Never mind, please continue," Shirou stammered, letting out a surprised sound.
Ieyasu looked at Shirou strangely and explained:
"There have been many outstanding female warriors since ancient times. For instance, Tomoe Gozen, the hime-musha of Kiso Yoshinaka, and Shizuka Gozen, who was by Minamoto no Yoshitsune's side, were both first-rate experts. Even among the Four Heavenly Kings of the legendary general Minamoto no Yorimitsu, there was the great swordmaster Watanabe no Tsuna, who was famous for her swordsmanship, held the 'Onikiri,' and cut off the arm of Ibaraki-doji. These were all heroines among women. Especially in the last decade or so, almost all the young officers who have appeared on the battlefield and achieved merit are female. However, the daimyo and castle lords are still mostly male."
"I see..." Shirou nodded silently. The first two examples were easy enough to understand, but in this world, it seemed the Four Heavenly Kings were also women. Shirou hadn't met Watanabe no Tsuna, but he was very familiar with the leader of the Four Heavenly Kings, even if her "enthusiasm" was somewhat difficult to endure.
"I wouldn't have believed it in the past either, if it weren't for these monsters popping up so suddenly and catching everyone off guard," Ieyasu sighed. "The legends of slaying demons remain, but the techniques and methods for doing so have been lost. If we had such samurai today, we wouldn't have to fear those demons and monsters."
'So ordinary blades and spears really can't hurt those monsters?' Shirou thought to himself. He couldn't help but feel that the monsters appearing here shared something in common with Phantasmal Beasts.
Shirou asked, "Is there truly no other way in this city to deal with such monsters?"
"Indeed. Aside from those famous swords, there is little else. But how many of those famous swords are left in the world? Ironically, even Minamoto no Yorimitsu's Dojigiri Yasutsuna has fallen into the hands of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. That is why we are so very glad to meet you, Mr. Shirou," Ieyasu said with a sincere smile.
"I will complete the forging as scheduled," Shirou nodded in agreement. But then a thought occurred to him, and he asked, "But are there no monks or Onmyoji here who specialize in dealing with monsters?"
Ieyasu shook his head with an amused smile. "Those fellows are all frauds. Those we invited either ran away, or... it has been a long time since anyone with real skill and the courage to face monsters has appeared."
"Is that so." Shirou nodded, more or less understanding the current situation. When he first arrived, he thought this would be a world of pure samurai. Even if swordsmanship strong enough to reach the level of magic existed, he didn't think magi existed.
However, the monsters among the mountain bandits and the existence of Toyotomi Hideyoshi had exceeded his expectations.
It was possible that these monsters and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were outsiders, which was why they were so out of place in this world.
Then there was another possibility: those with power were hiding for some reason.
The Sage is not benevolent; he treats the creation like straw dogs. Perhaps the hidden, capable people of Japan were like the immortals and cultivators of China, or the magi of the West—they didn't view the lives of ordinary people as anything significant. Distant from the mortal world and transcendent, whatever happened in the world of ordinary people had nothing to do with them; they would only watch coldly from the sidelines.
The change of dynasties, wars, and disasters seemed unable to affect them. There were shadows of these mysterious existences in the stories passed down, but they were also very careful, hiding their tracks and avoiding the mundane world, rarely taking the initiative to interfere in mortal affairs.
But some things must be carried by someone.
Having made up his mind, Shirou asked, "What exactly is going on with the monsters in the city?"
"No, I don't know much. When I was a young man, no monsters ever appeared in the city. It's only in recent years that I started hearing about incidents of monsters harming people. But by now, everyone has grown used to it," Ieyasu replied, shaking his head.
"..." Shirou nodded in contemplation.
"Well, the tea is finished, so let our talk end here for today. I'll see you back to your resting quarters. My father should have arranged a place for you already," Ieyasu said to Shirou with a smile as he stood up.
"Alright, thank you for your hospitality," Shirou replied and stood up as well.
Ieyasu then led Shirou back to the place arranged for honored guests to rest. He saw the merchant standing at the door waiting anxiously, and beside him stood a burly general.
"Well then, I'll let General Honda show you the situation in the city. He will arrange your lodging and workplace," Ieyasu said to Shirou.
It was the tall, brawny middle-aged general who had previously drawn the Cursed Blade and cut himself to stop the killing intent with his own blood. He was a retainer who had served the Matsudaira family for generations. Now a general, because of his bravery and willingness to fight, he held a place of his own in the eyes of the Matsudaira patriarch. He greeted Shirou with a cheerful smile.
"Haha, kid. We meet again! Just come with me."
"Wait, General, what about me? What about me?" The merchant squeezed forward, pointing to himself.
"You stay here!" the General said coldly.
"Then I shall trouble you, General," Shirou nodded.
"Haha, don't mention it. By the way! Do you know how to ride a horse?" The general paused, staring Shirou in the eye and asking with a laugh.
"I do."
"Good, good!" The general looked at Shirou, stroking his thick beard and nodding with increasing satisfaction.
Shirou bid farewell to the merchant, taking a large bundle that was pushed toward him just before he left. Following the arrangements, he rode a horse alongside General Honda, followed by a group of cavalry attendants, and arrived at the Honda residence.
Entering through the main gate, he saw a large Japanese-style house. Servants came to take their horses. General Honda didn't lead Shirou toward the main interior but instead walked toward the right side.
"Look, that is the forge we prepared for you. Other necessary tools will be delivered here today."
General Honda took Shirou to see where the forge was set up. Originally, it was a small independent building with a chimney for venting exhaust.
Outside the small building was a courtyard the size of a small plaza. Including the forge, there were three buildings forming a triangle. One building faced the plaza, while the other faced away, but it had a rear veranda; as long as the paper screens were opened, one could see the back.
At that moment, the shout of a woman practicing martial arts came from the opposite side. Though the voice was clear and steady, and every breath and pause followed a regular rhythm, one could feel the seriousness of the person practicing.
"That child, is she still practicing?!" General Honda said, sounding like he was complaining, yet also somewhat dejected.
"The one living there is?" Shirou looked at the man in confusion, sensing that he didn't seem very happy.
Shirou followed the sound and looked at the house opposite—a rather exquisite-looking building. The person living there seemed to have a high status in this family.
General Honda said, "That is my worthless daughter." He turned and shouted toward the side, "Wife! Wife!"
"Hey! Hey! Hey! If you're back, you're back! Why are you shouting!!" An answering voice came from the large house, and a lady ran over in a hurry, speaking reproachfully.
"Ahem, Wife, I've brought a guest back. This is Mr. Shirou, whom the Castle Lord values highly. He specifically asked me to look after him." General Honda introduced him.
"Mr... Shirou?" The middle-aged lady turned and looked Shirou over seriously, observing him from head to toe.
"A small gift, just a token of my respect." Adhering to proper etiquette, Shirou remembered the bundle he got from the merchant and pulled out various large and small gift boxes, handing them over with both hands.
As soon as the lady took the gifts, her eyes lit up. Inside were the most popular rouges and powders, as well as food boxes filled with high-end pastries.
She gave a very satisfied smile and said, "Shirou! What a thoughtful and well-mannered child. As expected, your background is not ordinary. Right! Hahaha, no need to explain, welcome! Quick, come in and sit. Have a casual chat with Auntie. Hohoho... How many cows does your family have? And how much land do you own?"
"..." Shirou was speechless. He hadn't said anything, yet he felt cornered, not knowing how to respond.
"Hey... there's no need to talk about that, is there?" General Honda said, pulling at his wife.
"Aren't you worried about our daughter's marriage! She's almost fourteen! In two more years, if she isn't married off, she'll be an old maid!" The lady angrily pinched the flesh on her husband's waist behind his back.
General Honda, having been pinched, let out a grunt of pain. Shirou quickly looked away, pretending not to see what was happening.
"Hachi! Hachi! Come over here for a moment!" The general's wife shouted toward the other house with a voice no less loud than General Honda's.
A girl with a long black ponytail, carrying a wooden sword, ran straight over and asked, "Yes! Mother? Father! You're back."
The girl was quite tall, already over 170cm. From her figure, she looked like she was 17 or 18, but her slightly chubby round face looked a bit childish, as if she were only thirteen or
fourteen. She was dripping with sweat and soaked through; her black training clothes clung to her body, outlining an impressive curve. However, her eyes remained pure, appearing completely oblivious to the distinction between men and women.
General Honda nodded and gave a muffled grunt, saying, "This is Mr. Shirou, a top-tier master blacksmith, and a rare man of great learning. Greet him."
"Yes! Hello, Mr. Shirou." The girl quickly bowed.
"Hello, Miss Honda." Shirou nodded. He had seen this child in the forest where he first encountered the Witch of the Dense Forest, though at that time it was a Possession Summoning, so her appearance and age were different.
General Honda turned to introduce her to Shirou. "This is my only daughter, Honda Heihachi. Shirou, you can help me discipline this dull daughter of mine and talk with her more. My daughter may lack talent, but she has a pure nature and isn't bad-looking. It would be for the best if you two could get along well."
The General's wife chimed in, "Yes, yes. My daughter doesn't have much else going for her, but she has a big chest and round hips, good stamina, and plenty of strength. She's definitely built for childbearing; having three or four big fat boys would be no problem at all."
"Well then, we'll take our leave. You young people living in the same courtyard should get along well. It's perfectly fine to drop by for a visit in the evening, hohoho." The General's wife smiled as she pulled General Honda away.
For some reason, the tone of the General and his wife was somewhat suggestive.
'Why does this feel like a matchmaking session? And they're really overselling their daughter.' But then Shirou thought about it—didn't all parents cherish their daughters and hate to see them married off? A mother would usually want to set high bars for dowries, property, and cars, while a father—at least in the Hikigaya family—doted on Komachi so much he wanted to hold her up to the sky and keep her by his side forever.
Even if there was a gap of hundreds of years and the eras were different, the cultures were very similar. Ancient families probably weren't that different.
'It must be an illusion because I'm overthinking it,' Shirou thought, shaking his head with a smile.
"Mr. Shirou, do you need me to show you around?" the girl left behind asked, looking at the daydreaming Shirou with wide eyes.
"No, thank you. I happen to want to rest a bit right now," Shirou said with a light smile.
"I understand. Then I'll go back to my practice. If you need anything, please call me." The girl nodded and agreed.
"Mmh, thank you, Miss Honda," Shirou said.
"You can just call me Hachi or Hachi-chan. See you later." The girl smiled, picked up her wooden sword, and ran off.
She still had a child's heart; hearing Shirou's words, she just ran back to practice.
Shirou walked into the room assigned to him. The Japanese-style architecture and white wallpaper reminded him of that large mansion in his previous life, making him feel a bit nostalgic.
By the afternoon, Shirou heard the sound of wooden swords clashing from the opposite side. It seemed a match was taking place.
"It's useless! A mediocre talent like you, no matter how much you practice, it's all in vain!" a young man, appearing to be in his late teens, shouted.
"Hah!" The wooden sword held in the girl's hands was swung with great strength, but it lacked technique. Her original power couldn't even exert half of its potential combat strength.
"No matter how strong you are, it's useless if you can't hit anyone!" The man stepped aside to dodge and looked at the girl mockingly.
"As long as I practice desperately, even if I can't succeed right away, something will definitely change!" the girl shouted, swinging down another strike.
"That's why we told you to stop trying! You're an eyesore! What have you done to the Honda family's fast, light, and ruthless swordsmanship! Are you swinging a hammer?!!" A fierce glint appeared in the man's eyes as he aimed at the girl's hand holding the sword and struck down.
The girl's strike was parried by the man, and his sword landed on her palm.
The girl winced from the numbing pain, and the wooden sword in her hand fell to the ground.
"Thank you for the instruction, it is my loss..." The girl squeezed her palm, which was starting to swell and showed a long purple bruise, and spoke with her head lowered.
"The result is the same no matter how many times we fight. You have no talent for combat. It's better to leave inheriting the Honda family business to me." The man of the same clan sheathed his wooden sword and spoke with a cold laugh.
"You tomboy, you gorilla-woman! You're taller than a man, but you're completely pathetic when you fight." The man's lackey from the same clan mocked her.
Shirou brushed past these three boys, who seemed to be from the same Honda clan as the girl, and shook his head slightly.
The girl worked very hard but lacked the right method, leading to her being mocked by her peers. Even her father, General Honda, had given up on her.
However, this girl wasn't without potential; she had just been using the wrong method all along.
Shirou thought of his previous life, after Kiritsugu died, practicing alone every night, constantly repeating dangerous exercises that yielded half the result for twice the effort, until he met Tohsaka and had a crucial change. He felt a sense of mutual sympathy for the girl.
Shirou walked forward, knelt down, and asked the girl, "Are you alright?"
"Mr. Shirou..." Hearing the voice, Hachi wiped her eyes before looking up at Shirou, asking in a low voice, "Do I really have no talent for martial arts? Even if I work as hard as I can, is it all useless?"
"No, you're just using the wrong method," Shirou shook his head and replied softly.
"Really?" Hachi stared directly at Shirou, wanting confirmation from him, her eyes filled with hope.
"Yes. You weren't suited for a sword to begin with, and since your strength exceeds that of ordinary people, you need a weapon that suits you." Shirou said.
"A weapon? But the Honda family uses a hereditary swordsmanship?" Hachi blinked and asked in confusion.
"Never mind. Whether it's good or not, you'll only know once you've tried. Come with me. I'll give you one!" Shirou said as he walked toward the forge.
Shirou began the forging process, lighting the furnace and waiting for it to reach the proper temperature.
If he used the creation power of his eyes, he could produce this spear—and those swords—in just a few dozen minutes. However, that would be far too shocking for the world.
Furthermore, his original intention in coming here wasn't to gain anyone's approval or receive a salary; it was simply to resolve the demons and monsters here so the people in the city would suffer less.
Announcement!
New Fanfiction!
Hikigaya's Path to Become a Jujutsu Sorcerer is Wrong as Expected
Following an unusual request from Yotsuya Miko, the world of Jujutsu is unveiled to the Service Club. However, Cursed Spirits are merely the beginning, as this world harbors far deeper secrets.
Magic and swords, curses and abilities, and the beautiful girls gradually gathering around... This kind of youth romantic comedy is definitely a huge problem.
Multi X-Over (Jujitsu Kaisen, SAO, Amagi Brilliant Park and others)
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