Ronin waiting at the gate



"Wow, there's a lot of them."



　I was at the only gateway into the clan at the foot of Mount Amatsukami.

　A large number of ronin have already gathered around the gate besides me.



　The goal was to get rid of a boy who was coming here.

　It was a dirty job, an assassination, but the reward was quite good.

　But that wasn't the only reason I took the job.



"Killing one boy and getting a commission is easy work."



　A nearby ronin muttered these words.

　Yes, that is the real reason why I accepted this commission.

　If I succeeded in this request, I would be allowed to serve in a department directly under the control of the Shogunate.



　As a proof, the client showed me a coat of arms that could only be used by those who served the Shogun's family.

　The fact that the client was using a coat of arms that could be used without permission without a trial means that the client was definitely working under the orders of a high official of the Shogunate.



Hurry up and get here, target boy!



　We're all set to kill the target kid.

　As ordered by my client, the other assassins are dressed as travelers and merchants who are lined up to pass through the barrier so that the boy cannot escape into the clan.



　Furthermore, we are scattered around the area, pretending to wait for the line to be empty and acting as if we are eating or resting nearby.

　When the desired boy arrives, we plan to kill him while pretending to be in the line, surrounding him and blocking the eyes of the officials at the gate.



　In other words, it is impossible for the boy to enter the clan no matter how hard he tries.

　We were waiting for the target kid to arrive.

　That's when it happened.



"Hey, what's that?"



　One of the Ronin who had been waiting in disguise looked up at the sky and shouted.



"That?"



　I looked up at the sky to see what I had seen, and saw something strange.

　It was something long, thin, and brownish in color, which did not look like something in the sky.



"That's not a bird ....... Is it a demon?"



"No, even demons have wings."



　The man was right, a flying creature should have wings.

　It gets closer and closer, and the whole picture becomes clearer.



"What's ......?　A ship?"



　Yes, it was indeed a ship.



What the heck is that?



A ship flying?



"Why is there a ship flying in the sky ......?　A boat is supposed to float on water, right?



"I don't give a shit!"



　The ship is approaching so close that there is no longer any mistaking its shape.

　Yes, it was definitely a boat.



"What the hell is that?



"A ship!"



　Not only us, but also the officials at the gate were amazed at the flying ship.

　Then the ship flew over the barrier and flew toward Mount Amatsukami.



"......What was that?"



I don't know.



　We were bewildered by the incomprehensible scene, but we regained our composure and turned our attention to our surroundings again, remembering that we were waiting for the target kid.

　But in the end, the target boy did not come.



　The ronin who infiltrated the clan



"Information has come in on the grimoire you entrusted to me. It seems that the target is coming towards us on a flying ship."



　We had already entered the clan and were waiting near the priest's village when we received a call from the warden.



"A flying ship?　What's that?"



　One of them, upon hearing the report, twists his head in puzzlement. Well, I understand.



"I don't know either, but it's probably some kind of magical tool," he says.



"A magical tool on a ship?　That's a hell of a lot of magical equipment.



　He sounds surprised, but he doesn't seem to be really surprised.

　In fact, it doesn't make any difference what we do.



"Hey, how do you attack a flying magical tool?　I'm not very good with a bow."






"Don't worry. You borrowed a magical tool from your employer."



　Yes, we were loaned a number of magical tools by our client.

　All to make sure we kill the target kid.



"Oh, yeah. Some employers are so generous as to lend us magic tools.



"Heh, we're not like the mooks who wait at the gate."



"Yes, because we were asked to intercept them around the village because of our abilities."



　That's true.

　We are the best assassins hired by the client.

　All of us were vassals of proven ability who had served in the Shogunate's army or in the service of a feudal lord who ruled a large domain.



"Even a flying ship can be set on fire in an instant by the magic of fire with this magic wand.



"It's just a pity that I can't slash the little Yanglian kid directly."



　In a whisper, one of the assassins mentions the name of the target kid.

　Yes, I ......, or rather all the assassins here, knew that the target was the Shogun's heir, Yoren Yukinojo himself.

　And yet we were asked to assassinate him.



"Indeed!　I really wanted to kill the little Yanglian with my own hands!"



　We used to serve the shogunate.

　Some of us were members of the Shogun's family of vassals, and some of us were family members or vassals of the feudal lords.

　If you ask why we are here playing the role of assassins, the answer is simple.

　Because we lost our jobs by the Shogun's family.



　Some of us lost our positions because we committed a serious blunder, some of us lost our fiefdom because we admonished the Shogun, and some of us lost our fiefdom because we were scorned by the Shogun.

　The only thing I can say is that all of them hate the Shogun's family.



　That is why we have been given the task to deal with the next Shogun, Yoren Yukinojo.

　In order to overthrow the current Shoguns and to make our client the new Shogun.

　When that is done, we are promised that a path of service will open up for us.

　The family of a clan whose territory has been taken from them will regain their lost territory, and those who have been ousted from their positions will regain their lost positions.

　Furthermore, they have promised to give us the positions of the lords and vassals who are close to the current Shogun's family.

　After defeating the hated Shoguns, a new Shogun family will rule the Imperial Kingdom of Tenbong.



　Oh, it's like a dream.

　It's worth all the shit we've endured until now!



"Oh, I think they're here."



　One of the assassins pointed to the sky and saw a brown mass floating in the sky, which looked out of place against the blue sky.



"Wow, it's really flying! How does it work?



"I don't know!　Die, Ora!"



"f*ck you, Shoguns!"



　The guys who couldn't take it any longer send flames toward the ship with their magic tools.

　The magic flame hits the bottom of the ship and the ship turns red.



Ha-ha-ha!　Burn, burn, burn!"



　I can't believe the Shoguns ended so easily!

　You must be hilarious!



"Ha ha ha ha ...... hmm?"



　Then I suddenly felt something strange.

　Funny, that ship should have caught fire with a direct hit from the magic wand.

　So why didn't it crash?　Why aren't there more flames?

　Why does it keep flying at the same height?



"What's going on?　Why isn't it broken?



Then just hit it again!



　The attacks with magic tools are resumed and others begin to join in the attack.



"Yes. I don't know how they managed to hold out, but they can't afford to lose any time when so many magical tools are concentrated on them!"



　A large number of magical attacks are unleashed on the flying ship.



"d*mn, this time it's over!"



　But we were the ones who were finished.

　The ship, which had been helplessly under attack, suddenly began to glow.



"What?　What the hell?　What the hell are you doing?



　And the next moment, a blinding light burst out, and a huge amount of light poured onto the ground.






"Whoa!"



"Geeaaaahhh!"



　Those who were directly hit by the light are being blasted away helplessly.



"They attacked us!



"Oh, my God!　Ow!　It hurts!"



　Those who should have dodged the direct hit are now lying on the ground, groaning in pain.



"Are you crazy?　We're protected by the magical armor borrowed from the client!



　But the attackers are writhing in pain as if they were wearing no armor.



"Don't be coward!　Fight back!　They took a real beating from us. There's no way they didn't get through!"



　Yes, there's no way they could have taken that many hits and not come out unscathed!



Die, you son of a b*tc*!



"f*ck you, you piece of shit!"



　The survivors, now holding their fears in anger and cursing, resume their attack.

　But the flying ships, taking no notice of our attacks, continue to attack from the sky.

　It was like rain falling from the sky, and those around us were being blown away one after another.



"No, no!　It's not working at all!



What the hell is going on?



　The ground had become a hellscape.

　Everyone was wounded, and no one was unharmed.

　I, too, had been hit by a light that fell from the sky and was in great pain.

　What the hell is going on!　My armor is useless!　Did they give me a defective one?



"d*mn! Wasn't it just a simple job of killing kids?　I never heard of such a thing!



Run!　Run!



　Those who were relatively lightly wounded began to rush out, but it was already too late.

　There was no way we could compete with them, since they were flying in the sky and we were running on the ground.



"Whee!　They're coming after us!



　Those who ran away quickly caught up with them and were blown away by the light attack.



"""""Gyahhhh!



"Oh, how am I supposed to beat that thing ......?"



　Thus, in the blink of an eye, we who should have had an overwhelming advantage were annihilated. Gakkuri.



A priest.



"Now, when will the young lord of Yanglian reach us?"



　A messenger of the Lord Mimitsu reported that the young lord of Youren was coming to perform the ceremony of assuming the title of Shogun.

　However, it seems that Lord Yamazakura Koji is plotting treason and is being interfered with.



"Hm, I thought Lord Yamazakurakouji was ...... not interested in the position of Shogun?　No, people change. If one is immersed in the secular world for a long time, even the bloodline of priests can become tainted with the secular world.



　But that's none of our business. Whoever becomes general, we will do our part.

　And those who become generals will have no choice but to accept our existence once they know the truth of this village.

　At the same time, they will understand why we do not wish to appear on the stage, and they will decide that it is best to leave us alone.

　Yes, just like the usurpers who have taken the position of Shogun.



　Therefore, we do not care who takes the position of general.



What the hell is that?



　someone shouted.

　It is rare for anyone other than children to raise their voices in this closed village.

　What on earth is going on?



　If you look in the direction where the villagers are turning their faces in surprise, you will see ......



""""F, there's a ship flying in the sky!



　Yes, a huge ship was floating in the sky.

　What in the world is that thing?



　Moreover, the ship was not only floating, but it started to attack the ground.






"Whoa!　They're attacking us!



　Fortunately, the attack was launched on the ground far away from the village, but the ship was coming closer and closer to us.

　If we don't do something, they will reach the village!



It's coming this way!



Run for your lives!



　The villagers are running away screaming.



"Calm down, everyone!　Don't panic!　Don't panic!"



　But the panicked villagers were having none of it.

　Everyone began to flee in different directions at different points.



What is going to happen to this village?



　Oh, gods of the heavenly peak!　Please save this village!