"The nation is fallen, yet mountains and rivers still exist.
In spring, in the city, trees and grasses thrive."
Did Hideyoshi's dream of a united nation die along with him?
What does fate have in store?
A peaceful world at last?
Or even more warfare?
The Battle of Sekigahara
ended in victory for Ieyasu's Eastern Army.
Mitsunari, Yoshitsugu, Sakon, and many others
lost their lives on that battlefield.
Kanetsugu and Yukimura, who had shared a vow of righteousness with Mitsunari,
also faced a time of trials and tribulations.
Kanetsugu and the Uesugi clan's army had to retreat
before their battle with Date's army reached a proper conclusion.
Meanwhile, Yukimura was sentenced to exile at Kudoyama, in Kishu.
Episode 6
The Caged Heart
It's so uncomfortable, living with folks like that around.
I hear ya.
If only that samurai hadn't shown up...
What it means for you to stay in this world.
Reconsider the meaning of your life.
What meaning is there?
If I can no longer live as a warrior,
how am I supposed to live?
Head for Aizu,
and inform the Uesugi clan of their sentence.
The Uesugi clan?
What, you can't do it?
Well, I hear the Uesugi clan would rather go to war than submit to the Tokugawa,
so if you're too scared to go, you don't have to.
That's—
I shall see to it.
I sure hope you make it back in one piece.
Siding with Mitsunari Ishida,
the Uesugi clan fought Masamune Date's army, which was part of the Tokugawa forces.
Nobuyuki made his way to Aizu,
as the messenger who was to inform them of their punishment.
When I first heard of it,
I was afraid they were sending some monster here,
but this guy's a wimp.
Yeah.
What do you think you're doing?!
Don't leave your post!
S-Sir!
B-But do we really need to keep such a close eye on him?
You imbecile...
That man is a monster who took out thousands of our allies!
If something were to happen, Lord Tokugawa would skin us alive.
Now return to your posts!
A butterfly!
Were you trying to catch that butterfly?
What bad things did you do?
My mom was talking about it...
You were sent here as punishment, right?
Punishment, huh?
I suppose.
Eat this!
It'll make you feel better.
Isn't that your lunch?
It's all right. I have another one.
I don't know what you did,
but if you say you're sorry, they'll forgive you.
My mom always does!
Now, eat this and cheer up!
Thank you.
Lord Yukimura, lunch—
When the sun rises over that mountain, it looks really pretty!
Is that so?
Hey, kid! What are you doing?
Stay away from that man!
You should go now.
Okay.
Hey—
You little—
So feisty.
Open the gates!
Aizu's Uesugi were powerful feudal lords, whose fiefdom was worth 1.2 million koku.
Nobuyuki found himself face-to-face with their chief retainer, Kanetsugu Naoe.
I shall now pronounce the sentence for your recent transgressions.
You are to leave Aizu and take over the Yonezawa domain.
Your income will also be cut from 1.2 million koku to 300,000.
300,000 koku?!
How are we supposed to live on a quarter of what we get now?
Basically, you're saying you want to crush the Uesugi clan.
Justice is on our side!
Ieyasu tried to usurp the Toyotomi clan's power.
What gives him the right to punish us?
We will never agree to this!
We're ready to go to war, in order to protect the Uesugi clan!
If it comes to that,
the Tokugawa clan will do everything in their power to crush you.
Then so be it!
To uphold our sense of justice, we'd gladly die!
True, that's one way to go about it.
But would you make those retainers outside take up arms and die?
Is that the Uesugi clan's brand of justice?
In their hands,
leaders hold the lives of their servants and the populace.
And yet, you'd neglect their protection, to go to die in battle?
Is that what you call righteousness?
But accepting the Tokugawa clan's demands
would resign the Uesugi clan to a fate worse than death!
It would be utterly humiliating!
Even so, you must live!
So that you might protect the Uesugi clan.
Lord Nobuyuki, if it were to protect the Sanada clan,
you'd be prepared to make the harshest decisions, yes?
I hear Yukimura escaped the death penalty and was exiled to Kudoyama instead.
Surely that was only possible because of you.
No.
When people were demanding his execution,
I said it would be understandable.
I could not let myself be swayed by love for him
if I were to protect the Sanada clan.
You would go that far?
That is a leader's responsibility.
Yukimura told me about this before.
Will you fight to the death, six coins in hand?
No. My brother will never do that.
In order to defend the soul of the Sanada,
we must survive, no matter what.
Those were my brother's words to me.
Survive, no matter what...
I shall go ask my lord for his decision.
Mitsunari...
Am I making the wrong decision?
Kiyomasa!
Masanori!
I keep telling you to stay away from me when your hair's like that!
H-H-Hey...
We're talking about the shogunate and the title of shogun!
How could he accept it without talking to Lord Hideyori?
The Tokugawa are supposed to be the Toyotomi clan's retainers, aren't they?!
Is this what we fought Mitsunari for?
We promised Lady Nene
that we would protect the world full of smiles our lord left behind!
I'm sure Lord Ieyasu will eventually relinquish the post of shogun to Lord Hideyori.
He'd better...
This is a nice place.
The kids are all lovely, too.
But staying here forever?
If we stay here, Lord Yukimura will—
Why so blue?
Lady Nene!
I went to Sekigahara.
Is that Lord Mitsunari's?
Yes.
Lord Tadakatsu,
why was Yukimura Sanada pardoned?
Naomasa,
that matter has already been settled.
If I had been at the council, he'd never have gotten away with mere exile!
How are your wounds?
I'm fine...
Yukimura stalled Lord Hidetada's troops with a tiny army.
And at Odawara, he charged in alone and was victorious.
He's too dangerous to be left alive!
This was our lord's decision.
Focus on healing your wounds.
We mustn't leave Yukimura alive!
I thought it would make Mitsunari happy for you to keep it.
I'm sorry,
but I have no right to take it.
Starting now, what will you do?
When I saw how tranquil life was here, in Kudoyama,
I realized that this might be the kind of peaceful world Brother was speaking of.
I shall quietly pass my time here.
A "peaceful world," huh?
Some are unhappy that Ieyasu has become the shogun.
That peaceful world might still be some way off, you know?
If the Toyotomi and Tokugawa clans were to fight again,
what would you do?
I shall never take up arms again.
Worried about Yukimura?
Do you think that Lord Yukimura has changed?
I'm glad his life was spared,
but it seems he's lost his purpose.
And now, he's even turned his back on his memories with Lord Mitsunari.
He fought his brother, lost his friend,
and had his life spared by his enemy, Ieyasu.
But he cannot live as a warrior anymore.
It's only natural that he would lose his way.
Aren't you Yukimura's ninja?
Then you have to believe in him.
Lady Nene...
I'll leave this with you.
Right now, even seeing this probably hurts him,
but if Yukimura is ever able to look back fondly on his memories of Mitsunari,
give it to him then.
Yes.
That's impossible!
Wait up... Hey!
Don't be stupid!
That's the girl from this afternoon.
What's wrong?
She suddenly came down with a high fever.
What's all this ruckus?
W-Well...
I wanted to take her to a doctor.
This village doesn't have one!
I'll take her to the village at the foot of the mountain!
It'll take an entire day to reach the base.
The kid won't last that long.
I can get there by dawn if I go straight down the valley!
Don't be ridiculous! That's an animal trail!
People can't use it.
You'll lose your footing and end up killing the both of you.
But...
I will take her!
Yukimura Sanada, you are forbidden from leaving this village!
You'll be punished severely if you break the rules.
It doesn't matter!
There's a doctor in the village at the base, right?
Yes.
I'll see to it that her life is saved.
Lord Yukimura,
I'll go instead.
Carrying a child would be too dangerous, even for you.
H-Halt!
We won't allow you to leave the village!
A child's life is at stake.
You will let me pass.
Why, you...
Get back... You'd better—
I refuse!
Lord Yukimura!
Please save Suzu's life!
What's going on?
Yukimura S-Sanada has fled!
You fools! What were you doing?
Hang in there.
Just a while longer.
I'll save you, no matter what.
What's wrong?
Get a hold of yourself!
Where did you come from?
Don't worry.
I'll save you!
Hang in there.
Just a while longer.
Lord Yukimura!
Use this.
Kanetsugu, you've made your decision, have you not?
Yes.
We shall go to Yonezawa.
Sir!
Who goes there?
Halt!
It's Yukimura Sanada!
After him!
Stop!
Lord Yukimura!
This way!
What's the matter?
Please help her.
She has a high fever.
You're...
You came all the way here for her?
Leave her to me!
Thank you.
There he is!
Lord Yukimura!
I won't resist!
Welcome back, Lord Nobuyuki.
Sorry to have worried you.
Don't be.
Thank you all for coming, men.
I have decided to relinquish the post of shogun to my son, Hidetada.
What about the Toyotomi clan?
What of Lord Hideyori?
Moving forward, I'd like you all to do your best under Hidetada, the second Tokugawa shogun.
Yes, sir!
It's too soon.
This will surely spur the Toyotomi clan to action.
Yukimura might get dragged into battle yet again!
Finally, this day has come!
Shogun Hidetada Tokugawa!
I am the greatest man in all the land!
Y-Yukimura?
Curse you, Yukimura Sanada.
I can't leave him alive!
I can't! I won't!
There's only one thing I can do to protect Tokugawa's world.
Sengoku Musou High School
6th Period
Please have this, Lord Nobuyuki.
Thank you, Ina.
I'm so jealous.
Here, Masanori.
Thanks!
You have some, too, Kiyomasa!
How stupid.
My lord...
Here.
To Be Continued
Next Episode
The next visitor is a warrior clad in crimson armor.
Seeking a purpose to his existence,
the blade of a man's soul will cut through flames.
What will the men see at the end of their battle?
Episode Seven The Crimson Blade
Next time: "The Crimson Blade."