Introductions

Thump! Thump! Thump! A banging sound reverberated throughout the entire room.

“Mr Kurokawa! Please wake up! The emperor is expecting you!”

I immediately shot up from the bed. The thin sheet sliding doors in front and the wooden floor were still unfamiliar to me. A classic Edo-style bedroom was a far cry from the normal concrete modern bedroom I used to live in.

“I guess it really wasn’t a dream.”

I got ready as fast as possible. Any extra minute making the Emperor wait was equivalent to a year off my lifespan. I opened the sliding door to see a man clad in pristine black samurai armour. Light bounced off its clean exterior as though it were made from the body of a car. His eyes were serious, and his extra-long moustache made me guess his age was about mid-30s.

“I’m ready, sir,” I announced, giving a salute.

“Good. Any longer and I would have dragged you out of there myself. We’re going to the military base.”

I gulped in fear.

The guard led me outside the temple’s entrance. Waiting there was a cart with a worker ready to pull it. He, too, looked skinny and frail. Using him to carry me all the way to the military base felt wrong.

“Can we just walk there? I feel guilty making him carry us,” I asked the guard.

“It is a long walk, approximately 4 kilometres from here. Are you sure you can make the journey on time? You can’t make the Emperor wait.”

“I think I can make it with a jog. I’ll think of it as an exercise.”

I hopped up and down from the ground, getting ready for a jog. If it meant not putting any more trouble on the common folk, I was prepared for any strenuous exercise. I expected the soldier to berate me or cut me down here, but his reaction was unexpected.

“Hahahaha! You’re an interesting one, Mr Kurokawa. A man like you deserves my respect. Very well, I’ll join you!”

“But that armour is heavy, isn’t it?”

“Not to worry. This is simple training for me!”

His enthusiasm was infectious. The two of us began our marathon towards the military base of operations. Several townsfolk had recognised me from yesterday and waved. It made my feet feel lighter than before.

When someone mentions the term ‘military base’, you would expect a large building complex with multiple training complexes and rooms for the soldiers. What it actually was was a bunch of wooden sheds in an open ground, and on the side, a temporary stay for the nobles. Soldiers stayed at these sheds or “barracks” and trained till the day of the decisive battle.

Men donning thick armour filled the large area, training their sword techniques. At the entrance stood two guards. They saluted me and my new companion, raising their palms towards us. A green light emitted from their hands. All of a sudden, my exhaustion from jogging disappeared. My body felt lighter, and my limbs moved much more easily.

“Is this healing magic?” I asked my new samurai friend. I had forgotten that since I was able to be summoned from another world, there had to be some magic or sorcery elements in this world.

“Correct. Magic is very sacred in these lands. Only specialised soldiers and nobles are allowed to learn the magic of their choice and specialise in it. As you can see by my figure, I specialised in body-enhancement magic.”

He proceeded to showcase this by jumping into the air. A slight tremor shook the ground where he stood. The soldier soared into the air, almost touching the clouds. I was awe-struck at this unbelievable feat, unable to move my eyes at his flying figure.

Thud! The man landed squarely on his feet without a problem. He snickered for a while before turning back to me.

“Amazing, wasn’t it? That’s the beauty of magic!”

I couldn’t help but agree. But as amazed as I was at his power, a question popped into my mind.

“Could I learn how to use magic?”

The soldier was shocked by my words at first. He pondered for a while before shrugging.

“I don’t have a clue, young man. But more importantly, let’s see what Emperor Nobunaga has to say.”

—--------------------

Emperor Nobunaga sat on top of a raised platform, overseeing his men training hard. On one side, soldiers were practising their sword skills. On another corner, other soldiers were practising attacking with magic. The emperor seemed pleased at the improvement of his army.

Once I was below the platform, I crouched on one foot and greeted him respectfully.

“Good morning, your highness. I have arrived at your request.”

“Greetings, Mr Kurokawa. Come up here and watch the ground with me. We have a lot to discuss.”

It felt surreal standing next to the emperor. Normal people such as myself could not even have dreamt of this opportunity. I had to make sure I didn’t disappoint him at all costs.

“So, Mr Kurokawa. What combat experience do you have?”

So much for not disappointing him.

As an average high school student who has lived a decently comfortable life, I had absolutely no experience in any sort of altercation. I was a pacifist by nature and would never solve a problem with my fists. Now the question was how I was going to say this to an emperor who expected me to be their ace in the war.

“Ummm, your highness. I don’t have any combat experience in the slightest.”

Of course, I chose the worst words possible.

I could hear the gears in Emperor Nobunaga’s mind stop functioning for a split second. He blankly stared at my eyes for what felt like an eternity.

“Excuse me, could you repeat that?”

“I don’t know how to fight, your highness.”

Disappointing people was my hidden talent after all. All colour drained from the poor middle-aged man’s face. His body, previously firm with confidence, was drooping down like a wilted flower. He was now the leftover shell of the man he used to be.

“Mr Kurokawa, are you absolutely serious?” Emperor Nobunaga asked.

“Yes. I wouldn’t tell such tasteless jokes to you, your majesty.”

“...We’re doomed!”

This was bad. I had to make him regain his confidence in me. There had to be a way I could assist on the battlefield. What could I do to help the soldiers fight? Could I make food for them? Clean their equipment? Sing songs to boost their motivation? Absolutely not!

Just then, a sudden thought entered my mind. My best subject in school was history. I was especially adept in war-related topics. Information like old war tactics and battle plans was something I read daily. I could use the information about past wars in my world for Aogiri’s benefit.

“Emperor Nobunaga. I know of a way I can help in the war effort.”

“And what could you help with? It better not be something like cooking.”

“Let me be a strategist. I can use the knowledge of history from my world to improve our capabilities in the war effort.”

A glimmer of hope shone in his pupils. The formerly wilting plant had its life returned to it. But its stem had not risen straight. Emperor Nobunaga was still deliberating whether my choice was the wisest decision.

“You make a good point, Mr Kurokawa. The military expertise between your world and ours must be vastly different. But are you sure that a young and inexperienced man like you would be a better fit as a strategist than my current one with years of battle experience under his belt?”

That was the issue with this plan. No matter how much history I have read, it was no match for someone who experienced real battles firsthand. However, I wasn’t ready to back down from this opportunity. It was the only way I’d be able to prove my usefulness to the army.

“I can’t say for certain that’s the case. If you don’t mind, may I have a chance to meet the strategist? We can properly decide my role from there.”

“Why stop at the strategist? I want you to meet all of Aogiri’s generals. In the remaining two months till the war begins, you’ll need to build your rapport with them if we want any shot at success.”

Though I was terrified at the thought of meeting battle-hardened leaders of the army, it was inevitable that I would come across them soon. It was better to cross this bridge now than leave it for later. I nodded to the Emperor.

“Wonderful! Let’s arrange a meeting right away!”

—---------

Every single bone in my body shivered with a weird mixture of nervousness and excitement. The emperor sat on a cushion at the centre of a room surrounded by tatami. He adorned his traditional kimono with gold outlines and a vibrant blue hue. I sat adjacent to him, dressed in a simple and easy-to-move kimono in comparison. 4 other cushions were still empty.

“Excuse me, your majesty! The generals have arrived!”

As the guard finished speaking, the pressure increased tenfold. I did not know whether this was due to the generals’ magical prowess or just their ethereal presence. Their footsteps grew louder and louder until we heard the slide of the door in front of us.

Faint grey hair, almost transparent, caught my eye. It was tied in a neat ponytail with a thin string. The man it belonged to was well-built and tall, but the armour he wore looked lighter and thinner than the rest of the soldiers. His facial features were incredibly sharp, from his chin to his eyes. Calling him handsome would be an understatement.

Behind him was a woman who could only be called the epitome of elegance. She was dressed in typical miko attire, but it had been modified to have shorter sleeves and a shorter skirt for ease of movement. Her skin reflected the harsh sunlight, accentuating her angelic presence. Even her auburn hair was as silky as her attire.

Last but not least, a middle-aged man dressed in a dark blue, almost black kimono arrived. His fair face had slight wrinkles, though it didn’t make him look that much older. His moustache stretched across his face. If I had to describe him with one word, it would be wise.

But there were 4 empty cushions. Who was the last cushion for?

A minute after the first three took their seats, the last person finally arrived. Once I noticed that familiar dark hair, I immediately realised who it was. However, instead of wearing a kimono like I expected, she was wearing light samurai armour with a sheathed katana at her side. Her wavy, smooth hair was tied in a tight bun. Yukino didn’t come here as a princess; she was a general in full form. Before she sat down, she gave me a slight wink, making my heart feel warm. Since she was here, I had some support on my side.

It was obvious that I was out of place in this noble lineup. Convincing everyone here that I could act as a strategist was not going to be easy. As I pondered my words in this debate, the emperor cleared his throat.

“As everyone is now present, I believe it’s best if everyone introduces themselves to the others,” Emperor Nobunaga suggested.

“Is that necessary, your highness? Everyone here is already familiar with each other,” countered the silver-haired man.

“I agree. We shouldn’t waste any more time,” the lady dressed in the miko advised.

“But that wouldn’t be fair to Mr Kurokawa here,” Emperor Nobunaga added,” He should get to know everyone here before we begin our discussion.”

“I agree with Father. If we’re going to work together, no one should be left out.”

The silver-haired man lightly chuckled.

“Forgive me, your highness. It’s just that I didn’t even register that shabby man beside you as a member of this conversation.” He glared at me with thin eyes.

How rude! He was not even trying to hide his contempt for me!

“In that case, I’ll introduce myself first. My name is Aki Kurokawa. I’ve been summoned from another world to fight in the Sovereign’s Tourney.”

I got on my knees and lowered my head at the same time. To please a noble, showing respect was of utmost importance.

“It only makes sense that I go next, then. I’m Riku, and I’m a member of the Higashikata noble family. I specialise in archery and am the head general of the army” The silver-haired man unexpectedly bowed as well. If I had to guess why, it was to please the Emperor.

“My name is Chiyo Amagami. I’m a miko at the Kamina shrine in the centre of Ryushima. I’m adept at support magic. It is a pleasure to meet you.” The auburn-haired girl introduced herself next. Somehow, her face barely moved a muscle, almost like a plastic figure.

However, the elder gentleman refused to introduce himself. He remained seated, his arms crossed. His eyes were shut as well.

“Kawa, introduce yourself. Don’t make a scene here,” Emperor Nobunaga commanded. His voice was cross but not loud.

“I’m Arakawa, the strategist of the army. That’s all you need to know.” He finally introduced himself, albeit rudely.

“We have already met, but I am Yukino Hiroshi, princess of Aogiri and now general of the army. I am confident in both my sword and magic skills.” Yukino bowed, giving a gentle smile in my direction. I knew I could trust her to lighten up the mood in this hellhole!

“Now that we have all introduced ourselves, we shouldn’t waste any more time.”

“Let the strategy meeting for the Sovereign’s Tourney commence!”