Kanbe'e’s single letter had forced the Hosokawa father and son into priesthood—but he could not rest. To dominate the next board, he had to move his pieces now. He needed to secure an immediate peace with the Mori and organize a punitive expedition to silence Mitsuhide. Every second counted. He required a perfect formation to depart, and he required it instantly.

  June 3rd, the 10th year of Tensho (1582).

  The day after the Honno-ji Incident. On the surface, the encampment at Bitchu-Takamatsu remained unchanged, maintaining the appearance of a steady siege.

  Throughout the day, Hideyoshi continued formal negotiations with the senior vassals of the Mori clan. Kanbe'e, despite being certain of Nobunaga’s death, maintained the mask of a strategist who knew nothing, betraying not a single emotion until the official courier arrived.

  The written pledges (Kishomon) sent by Hideyoshi’s side to the Mori that day were laced with tactical decoys, laid in anticipation of the grand reversal to come:

  ? Acknowledging the loyalty of the Mori general, Motosuke Uehara, and agreeing to the handover of Hibata Castle.

  ? In return, promising to secure and deliver a "Vermillion Seal Letter" (Shuinjo) from Lord Nobunaga, granting Motosuke the fief of Bingo Province.

  ? In the unlikely event that Bingo could not be secured, 20,000 kan of land within Bitchu Province would be granted as compensation.

  ? Should these promises be broken, the wrath of the gods and Buddhas would fall upon the promisor.

  Kanbe'e used the bait of Nobunaga’s Shuinjo—a document that could now never be issued—to buy time and escalate the conditions. The Mori, though haunted by the phantom of an approaching Oda main army, maintained a bold stance, unaware the world had already tilted.

  The shift occurred late that night.

  Faster than Kanbe'e had calculated—as if by a stroke of divine providence—the long-awaited "shadow" slipped into the Bitchu camp.

  Inside his tent, Kanbe'e sat staring at a dripping water clock. Suddenly, a Ninja tumbled through the gap in the curtain. He was drenched in mud and sweat, his breath scorching his lungs.

  "A report! Honno-ji... is in flames. The Lord... is certainly...!"

  A sharp phosphoric light ignited in Kanbe'e’s eyes. He didn’t flinch. He asked only one question, his voice cold as ice.

  "Both father and son?"

  The Ninja, having run far beyond his physical limits, could not speak. Panting heavily on his knees, he gave a slow, deep nod.

  "Exactly as planned. A day and a half since leaving Kyoto. You ran well. This difference of a few hours will divide the world under heaven."

  Kanbe'e rose immediately and headed for Hideyoshi’s sleeping quarters. Along the way, he rearranged the folds of his heart, painting his expression with 'shock and grief.' Armed with his finest performance, he appeared before Hideyoshi.

  "My Lord! It is...! Lord Nobunaga has been struck down at Honno-ji, and Lord Nobunaga (the heir) has also perished! There is no mistake. It is the rebellion of Mitsuhide Akechi! My man in Kyoto has just returned, having witnessed the end with his own eyes!"

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  Upon hearing the report, Hideyoshi’s legs literally gave out.

  "Wha... wha..."

  The words caught in his throat; his gaze darted wildly. Eventually, a strangled sob escaped from deep within him.

  "No... tell me it’s a lie! Kanbe... the Lord, that Lord is... What will become of us now?! It’s over! Everything is over, I tell you!"

  Hideyoshi wailed like a child. Kanbe'e watched him with a dispassionate gaze, but at the decisive moment, he leaned in close to Hideyoshi’s ear. Then, with his true face—the face of a terrifying strategist—he whispered sharply.

  "My Lord, your luck has finally opened."

  Those words were like a cold stake driven directly into the heart of the grieving Hideyoshi.

  "What... did you say?"

  Hideyoshi’s thoughts ground to a halt. Into the void of the great darkness left by Nobunaga’s death, Kanbe'e had forcibly thrust a different light: the light of "The Unification of Japan."

  The childish tears vanished from Hideyoshi’s eyes, replaced by a whirlpool of profound confusion and an even more violent agitation.

  "The news of our Lord’s passing is a grief beyond words. That is precisely why we have no time to weep. We must finalize the peace treaty before the Mori learn of this. Then, with the speed of lightning, we return to Kyoto and strike down the traitor, Mitsuhide! If you do so, you will be the premier vassal who avenged your master. The world under heaven will be within your palm!"

  Kanbe'e continued without a stutter.

  "I shall summon Ekei Ankokuji at once. Leave everything to me. Everything depends on the silence of these next few hours!"

  Hideyoshi felt the hair on his neck stand up at Kanbe'e’s chilling composure—his words made it seem as if he had been waiting for this very catastrophe. Yet, Kanbe'e’s logic was sound; it was the only "path to survival."

  Hideyoshi stopped sobbing. He wiped his tears with his sleeve and stared intently at Kanbe'e.

  "Kanbe'e, you... You’re telling me to take the place of Lord Nobunaga... Just how terrifying a man are you?"

  Kanbe'e didn’t move a muscle, pressing forward with concrete strategy.

  "My Lord, give the order. This is a 'Great Opportunity' like no other. Of our 30,000 troops, we shall leave the slower units behind to handle the aftermath of Takamatsu and monitor the area. The rearguard shall be entrusted to Tadaie Ukita; he will not object. That leaves 20,000 elite, swift-footed troops. Move them now, and the army will become the wind, sweeping through to Himeji!"

  "Kanbe'e, are you serious? Do you know how many leagues it is to Kyoto? The men and horses will collapse halfway!"

  "Do not worry. The preparations for that are already complete."

  The corners of Kanbe'e’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.

  "Fortuitously, I previously asked Mr. Koichiro to 'clear the path to Himeji' under the pretext of welcoming Lord Nobunaga to the Chugoku region. The roads have been widened, broken bridges repaired, and in key villages, mountains of rice for rations and torches for running through the night have been stockpiled. Even if the entire army moves this very instant, we can race back to Kyoto without a moment’s delay. The preparations are perfectly set!"

  Hideyoshi’s eyes widened; his trembling stopped completely.

  "You... how far ahead did you see? You’re saying Koichiro’s 'Royal Road' has become the 'Path of Vengeance' for the traitor... Even the heavens are on my side, Kanbe'e."

  The fearless smile returned to Hideyoshi’s face—one sharper than ever before. Kanbe replied quietly but powerfully.

  "My Lord! It is not just the heavens. The roads, the rations, and the intellect of this Kanbe'e—everything has aligned to push you onto the throne of Japan. My Lord, is your mind resolved?"

  Hideyoshi wiped his tears away roughly with his sleeve and stood up. The charm of the "Monkey" had vanished, revealing the face of a cold-blooded gambler.

  "Yes, it’s decided. I’ll kick that Mitsuhide into hell, and I’m the one who’ll sit in his place! Tell Koichiro! We’re going to let all of Japan know that Hideyoshi Hashiba is the first to arrive!"

  Kanbe'e prostrated himself deeply, very deeply.

  "As you command. I have waited for those words. Now, let us begin the great gamble for the world under heaven!"

  In the darkness, the wills of two monsters merged into one. From here, the frantic symphony of the "Great Chugoku Reversal"—a forced march unparalleled in history—began its first note.

  Produced and written by a Japanese author, rooted in authentic Japanese history. Translated with the assistance of Gemini (AI).