Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Warriors, only the OCs of my story, SW belongs to Koei Tecmo and its owners.

Patience of the Tokugawa

Independence – Part 1

The Men of Mikawa and the Next Generation

(Events are based on Azukizaka and Kaminogo.)

Two years had passed since the Battle of Okehazama.

In the aftermath of the disastrous battle the Imagawa clan found itself in chaos due to the lack of confidence in Ujizane Imagawa to lead the clan.

This was the moment Ieyasu had been waiting for…

After making a secret alliance with Nobunaga and coming to a secret alliance with the Takeda. Ieyasu moved to make the Tokugawa independent from his former lord.

This would also be the time a new generation of officers would come to grow in their own…

May 1562

Later in the year 1560, Ieyasu and Lady Sena's daughter Kamehime was born into the world, the clan rejoiced at the announcement of a new addition to the family.

In the two years preceding the Battle of Okehazama, Ieyasu had focused on recuperating from previous losses and continued to keep up his appearance as a loyal subject to the Imagawa.

However, in secret He has made an alliance with both his old friend and new lord, Nobunaga Oda and made a secret deal with Shingen Takeda for a future campaign against the Imagawa in the future.

And now we come to the scene in Mikawa, where the Tokugawa homeland is both excited and cautious at the same time…

Inside Okazaki Castle

We then join a now 7-year-old Hidetaka Tokugawa who is currently in the middle of his sword training with Mototada as Hotaru and Okatsu stood by and watched their future opponent continue.

The young boy did not mind as he too in fact spied on their own sessions from time to time as well.

However as there days went by the tension could be felt in the air, it had been two years since the Tokugawa had secretly betrayed their former overlord and turned their back on them.

The days went by as the Tokugawa waited for the prime opportunity to commit to his rebellion. But for now he needed the perfect excuse…

"That is enough for today, young master. I believe you've more than earned your rest for the day." Mototada said as the two laid down their training weapons.

"Thank you, Master Mototada for your instruction. So how goes the planning?" Hidetaka inquired as to his father's progress.

"Hmm, our strength has returned to normal and the men are getting anxious, but everything seems to be in place, it just seems Lord Ieyasu is waiting for the right moment and reason to attack." Mototada explained.

"I don't get it, its not like that worthless Ujizane is going to do anything. He's so spineless I don't even think he knows what a sword is." Hotaru's haughty voice could be heard.

"She's right, the Imagawa are finished even if we don't do anything. I heard a lot of their retainers might defect to other clans; some might go independent like us." Okatsu joined the conversation.

"Perhaps, maybe…" Mototada said to himself as he placed a hand to his chin.

"Master Mototada?" Hidetaka said with a confused look. "I think I may know what our lord is looking for." He answered.

"What is that?" Hotaru asked.

"While most of our lords family resides in Mikawa. His older half-sister, Lady Ichiba and other family are still stuck in Totomi if we even do anything to signal betrayal they'll put them to death immediately." Mototada explained.

The deal with Nobunaga was one that even the children didn't know about, in fact none of the children knew what Nobunaga even looked like or who he even was but for what there father explained of the man he sounded… interesting to say the least.

"Well then I think you all have finished for today, so you have the rest of the day to yourselves so then off you go." Mototada left off with that as the three left to the castle town.

The three continued into the castle town and walked together, for all the slight hostility in the beginning the trio had started to warm up to each other but their match was still on in 5 years' time.

The trio walked around town and continued to talk until a loud and gruff voice greeted, "Ah, young ones."

It was Tadakatsu Honda and a much older man joining him. Beside the two were two boys about similar age as the children.

"Master Tadakatsu and Master Masanobu, how are you today?" Hidetaka greeted the two as they bowed in respect.

"It has been fine, but of course everything has been getting very excited recently. I believe our lord will plan his next move soon enough. But where are my manners, this here is my son; Takamaru Honda." Tadakatsu introduced the boy by his side.

The boy bowed and replied, "It's nice to meet you all, I hope to also be a great warrior some day like my father one day!" An excitedness could obviously be heard in his voice.

"Well go on you as well my boy." The calm voice of Masanobu spoke up as he introduced his own son to the trio.

"My name is Masazuke Honda, this is my father Masanobu Honda, one of Lord Ieyasu's strategists. So I'm guessing you three are…" The young boy closed his eyes and then pointed first at Hidetaka.

"You're Hidetaka Tokugawa, our lord's adopted son. And you two are Hotaru and Okatsu, the "Mikawa Princesses" some call you." The young boy replied.

"How did you know who we were when we haven't introduced ourselves at all?" Hidetaka inquired.

"I could tell by the way you look. Your manner of dress is more formal than most and… I may have already seen you before in the past about a year ago or so, but it was quite a while back" He replied one more.

"Well I see, so then do you want to explore the castle with us?" Hidetaka asked the pair of Honda children.

The two boys looked to their respective fathers and they nodded in agreement. Just the group was about to leave a messenger arrived to deliver a report for the two retainers.

"My lords', Master Ieyasu has called for all retainers to the castle at once he has made a plan of action and wants all retainers to attend." The messenger relayed.

"I see, the five of you should head for the castle as well. Perhaps you can all get to know each other during then. Masanobu ,let us be off." Tadakatsu said as the two men bowed one last time and left for Okazaki Castle.

Back in Okazaki Castle – War Room

The Tokugawa daimyo sat at the head of the room and the retainers sat anxiously waiting to hear from their lord.

Ieyasu then began to speak, "I know of what I said to you all 2 years ago, I will continue to stand by it. Lord Nobunaga shall be the one to change this nation and we shall see it without our own eyes."

He continued, "But first we must set our own wrongs to right for too long we have endured under as vassals to the Imagawa. But after today, no more I say!"

The room burst into cheer as everyone then murmured in agreement over the words of their lord.

"That is why it is time to make out move and show the Imagawa we are independent and shall forge our own path. That is why we must seize Kaminogo Castle as a show of strength and as a show of good faith to the Oda that we are committed to this alliance. Prepare yourselves for the battles ahead!"

Inside Hidetaka's Quarters

The meeting ended in joyous cheer as the Tokugawa Army began to mobilize to lay Kaminogo to siege quickly for if the Imagawa realized to soon what the Tokugawa were planning everything would be for naught.

The army left a short time later leaving a sizeable garrison left to keep order in the own under the command of Masanobu Honda, Tadatsugu Sakai and Moritsuna Watanabe as castellans in charge of the castle's defenses.

At the head of the army was Hanzo Hattori, leader of the Tokugawa's Hattori ninja unit and an Iga ninja master widely respected by even enemy clans such as the Koga and even the Fuma in many regards.

As the army left our group of five youngsters were left together discussing the current state of affairs.

"So father has finally made his move, I can only imagine what this will do to us in the future." Hidetaka said with slight concern in his voice.

"It's just about time. The Imagawa will be a thing of the past in a few more years' time. There days are numbered." Hotaru said with her ever silky voice.

"The Imagawa won't go without a fight I hear the Hojo are still allied with them and it wouldn't surprise me if they came to aid their struggling ally in a time of need." Takamaru replied.

"Yes, that may be true but Totomi is no where barely near Hojo land, so I don't think its that great an issue to deal with if anything they shall watch the Takeda more so then us." Masazuke replied back.

"But even so, this betrayal will be noticed by some. For as much as we are 'honorable warriors of Mikawa' this isn't very 'honorable' is it?" Okatsu for the first time showed doubt in her voice.

"Even if it isn't this is the path father has chosen its our job to help him when the time comes. Oh that reminds me, you two never said what you wanted to be when you reach your coming of age." Hidetaka said trying to encourage the group.

Takamaru spoke up first, "Well I want to be just like my Father, a warrior what's just as fierce and brave as they come. I want to continue Father's streak of never being injured and keep our family name remembered."

"Noble." Hidetaka replied. "Simple but encouraging." Hotaru spoke up next. "I will want to see this in time." Okatsu replied last.

"Yes, he has always been the more exited of the two of us, I for one prefer to be more subtle in my training." Masazuke joined in.

"What he means is that he reads a lot of books and barely trains when he can." Takamaru teasingly added.

"For your information, I beat you in our last training session. You could barely hold your spear straight." Masazuke replied, his cheeks red as he was flustered.

"So was your sword, even Uncle Masanobu said you had weak form." Takamaru shouted back at this cousin.

The two then preceded to look away from each other in annoyance and said nothing for quite some time.

Although after a few more minutes the two made up and the group began to speak again for some time.

A Few Days Later

Only days after the Tokugawa left for the castle at Kaminogo did the army return victorious and captured the castle and all its hostages inside now belonged to them.

The sudden attack came as a shock to the Imagawa as the sudden raid left little time to mount a rescue and the Imagawa were forced to negotiate with Ieyasu.

In return for the Udono clan hostages Ieyasu had obtained he wanted the Imagawa to return the family of his half-sister and remaining relatives safely to Mikawa.

The Imagawa obliged as Lady Ichiba and his remaining half-family including Nobunari Naito, Ieyasu's half-brother returned to Mikawa safely a few days later and all respective hostages had been swapped.

In a sign of good faith, Ieyasu handed over the castle to the control of the Oda clan to solidify their alliance formally.

With this action Ieyasu had officially rebelled against the Imagawa clan and made the first move toward independence.

In the aftermath of the siege though the internal affairs of Mikawa were far from peaceful.

2 years later

The alliance with the Oda was now in full effect as news arrived that Nobunaga began his campaign in Mino, after the battle of Kaminogo, to further solidify the alliance Nobunaga married his youngest daughter, Gotokuhime to Ieyasu's youngest son Nobuyasu.

Two years passed since the Tokugawa had rose in rebellion and declared their independence. But the internal affairs of Mikawa were coming to a boil.

Recently a large movement of Ikkō-ikki monks had been causing unrest in the country side throughout Mikawa against Tokugawa samurai.

The unrest came to a boil when a Tokugawa retainer of the Suganuma clan raided a local temple for its rice and the monks stole the rice back through armed means.

Ieyasu dispatched several messengers warning the rebellious monks to surrender or face certain defeat but each time the messengers were killed, and their heads sent back to Ieyasu.

Finally having enough Ieyasu attempted a counter-raid on a nearby temple called, Honshō-ji but was beaten back.

This was the last straw that broke the already tense atmosphere to all-out battle. The Tokugawa Army lead personally by Ieyasu attacked the central temple of the rebel Ikki army. But the two sides meet in the fields of Azukizaka, a field where at one time was the battleground between the Oda and Imagawa but now this was Ieyasu's fight.

News also reached that Masanobu Honda, a member of the side branch of the main Honda clan led by Tadakatsu rebelled snd joined the monks. Ieyasu then called upon the monks of Daiju-ji to assist him in the battle.

The battle was hard-fought and bloody but through his own conduct on the battlefield, many of the enemy monks were swayed to the side of the Tokugawa and the rebellion was destroyed.

This battle would leave deep impressions on all of Ieyasu's children as well as the Honda children.

Especially for Masazuke whose own father joined rebels pleaded on his father's behalf for clemency while many called for both father and son to be executed for treason and rebellion.

However as a shock to everyone, Ieyasu pardoned Masanobu by saying he simply stood by his virtues out of the good of the people of Mikawa and not for personal ambition, Masanobu swore fealty to Ieyasu later that year and re-joined his service.

1567

It was time…

Seven years had passed since Hidetaka, now 12 years old, had been adopted by Ieyasu and formally made a member of the Tokugawa family.

But right now that wasn't what was on his mind, what occupied his attention was his upcoming duel with his step-sisters Hotaru and Okatsu.

This was something they had agreed upon all those years ago and now was the time to end it and have the victor choose the loser's fate.

Inside Okazaki Castle – Sparring Room

Besides Ieyasu and his wife, many Tokugawa retainers including Tadakatsu, Masanobu, Mototada, Hanzo and Sadatsugu came to watch the event. Even Masazuke and Takamaru came along.

On one side of the room Hidetaka carried his bokken in his hand as his opponents prepared themselves.

Okatsu carrying a bokken just like Hidetaka's but Hotaru was carrying two small knives carved from the same wood that's used to make bokken.

"Well then this will be interesting indeed." Hidetaka thought to himself as the three young warriors stood opposite of each other.

Ieyasu then stood and approached the middle of the training space to speak to both sides, "As the official referee for this unofficial match I shall decide when the opposing side can no longer fight, and the winner shall be decided."

All three nodded in agreement as they walked back to their respective sides. First up were Hidetaka and Okatsu.

Hidetaka vs. Okatsu

Both approached the middle of the ring and each shared a long look as their hands approached their swords…

With a quick draw from both each backed away quickly hoping to avoid damage. Then both circled for some time looking for an opening as they stared down.

Then Hidetaka rushed forward and attempted to deliver a powerful forward slash but went too wide as Okatsu came with a close slash to his side, Hidetaka thinking on his feet quickly pivoted his blade to match his opponents and parried her strike.

The two traded some simple slashes and blows until they both clashed at one point, both sides didn't seem to back down until both pushed the other away.

The two resumed as Hidetaka took the offensive unleashing a barrage of slashes against his opponent but was just a gracefully avoided by his opponent.

Okatsu then let out her own counterattack at one point a blow nearly came near Hidetaka's face but was able to dodge it at the last second.

He then reached out for the girl's arm and wrapped their arms together and quickly pulled her in and delivered a quick new to her stomach causing her to fall over, she fell for a second to avoid a close blow and then tripped her own opponent with a low kick.

At this point the two had lost their blades and were now using martial arts and trying to pin the other.

Okatsu attempted to pin Hidetaka but with a sudden pivot, Hidetaka was able to grab Okatsu by her mid-section and then pin her beneath him.

"It's over!" Ieyasu shouted as both combatants got off each other and let out large puffs of breath, their tired looks more than evident.

"You're… not half bad you know." Okatsu replied. "Thanks…" Hidetaka replied as he turned his head quickly noticing how close he was to Okatsu in the moment. The girl to then suddenly felt heat rush to her cheeks and she turned away.

Victor: Hidetaka

Hidetaka was allowed to rest for a few minutes as he watched Hotaru prepare herself she found herself looking at the pair from before and for some reason she could help but feel.. left out?

"What… what's that supposed to mean?! So they were just close so what…? Doesn't mean anything. But I have noticed over the years she has grown fond of him and we aren't as confrontational as when he first got here so maybe…" Hotaru's thoughts were interrupted as Ieyasu announced the next match.

Hidetaka vs. Hotaru

The two opponents then came to the same circle as they both displayed their weapons, unlike the last match Hotaru taking from her ninjutsu teachings jumped back from her opponent and proceeded to throw some replica wooden kunai at Hidetaka.

The young samurai deflected all the kunai as they fell to the ground. The young kunoichi then went in to try and attack her opponent up close and personal. Unleashing a volley of slashes she tried to use her speed to her advantage and tire out her opponent.

Hidetaka was not used to this kind of fighting as his training with Master Mototada did not prepare him for this at all. Working on his feet he blocked what attacks he could. But a few made their way past and he proceeded to be victim to a small combo from Hotaru which threw him back slightly.

Recovering from his wounds, Hidetaka new the best defense at times was a good offense, so instead of waiting out his ninja opponent he decided to go straight for his enemy in this case.

Moving forward he engaged Hotaru in close-quarters and the two traded blows for some time, until once more the two clashed unlike last time though Hidetaka easily overpowered his opponent and pushed her back.

He then tried to follow-up on his small victory by unleashing a set of powerful slashes that took almost all of Hotaru's strength to guard against.

With her defenses fawning Hotaru then took the next best option available to her an attempted to get in close herself and end the match like last time, she decided to gamble all on hand-to-hand combat.

She charged at Hidetaka that took the young man off-guard as she tackled him to the ground, the two then began to struggle as Hotaru tried to use her more slender and graceful moves to pin Hidetaka in place while Hidetaka used his strength to fight his way out.

Unfortunately for the young kunoichi, Hidetaka was able to grab one of Hotaru's arms and the other and then in a short struggle was able to hold her down.

"The match is over!" Ieyasu shouted once more, but just as the match ended. Hidetaka and Hotaru tripped backwards and as everyone looked back to the young pair they were… surprised to say the least.

The scene before them was both hilarious yet slightly romantical, in the confusion Hotaru and Hidetaka had accidentally kissed.

As the situation became clear to the two they separated quickly as both had warm, red cheeks of embarrassment while everyone else was laughing and chuckling. With Takamaru on his stomach laughing out loud and even Masazuke trying but unsuccessfully stifle his own laughter at the scene.

Even Okatsu drew a blush to her face as she witnessed the scene before her happened as she turned away in embarrassment.

With the matches now over all other spectators had left and only our three fighters were left in the ring.

"Well a deal's a deal. What's your demand?" Okatsu asked. "What, we have to do that?" Hotaru tried to object.

"We made a deal with Master Mototada as our witness, we have to live up to it." Okatsu explained.

They looked to the young Tokugawa boy and awaited his order. "Well I just have one request: stay by my side."

"…Huh?" Both girls said in confusion. This was his request?"

"Well what I mean is I want you two to serve under me, as retainers." He clarified. "As retainers?" Hotaru repeated.

"With you as my ninja and you as my bodyguard. That way both of you are by my side and support each other. I want to help father in my way. But I can't do it alone. So…please?" Hidetaka pleaded as he grabbed a hand from both of them.

The girls then developed a deep crimson blush on their faces as they replied, "F-fine, I'll stay with you. You seem like you need all the help you can get so be grateful." Hotaru said.

"Of course, as a samurai of Mikawa I'll support in everything." Okatsu replied in turn.

"Well then that seems to be settled." A sudden voice came out from beside them to see it was Masazuke and Takamaru standing at the doorway to the training room.

"W-what the hell are you two doing here?" Okatsu said in annoyance. "We heard that whole spiel about supporting each other and all that so we decided… we want in." Takamaru spoke up.

The trio could only look confused as they wondered what he meant.

"What he means is we also want to help you." Masazuke replied. As the two then did something they never suspected the two Honda cousins bowed to Hidetaka.

"As a warrior of Mikawa and a man of the Honda clan, I shall serve you when the time comes. Lord Hidetaka Tokugawa." Masazuke said.

"As the son of Tadakatsu, I can't besmirch my father's good name. So just as he did I shall serve you as he does Lord Ieyasu. As then, you shall be my lord." Takamaru then did the same.

The girls then looked at each other and smiled then doing the same as the boys. They all replied in unison, "My lord!"

As this was going on Ieyasu, Tadakatsu and Hanzo were watching from behind a nearby door to the training hall and all of them had smiles on their faces. Proud of how far their proteges and children had come far.

January 1569

The day had finally come Hidetaka was now of age to join the Tokugawa ranks as an official retainer to his father.

It had been over a decade since Hidetaka was adopted and now in a few months he would see battle for the first time.

But recently Hidetaka misses the company of one person, someone he hasn't seen in quite some time, Naotora Ii.

They had only seen each other when Hidetaka was still a boy. Would she even recognize him after all this time, would she even be interested in him at all. After all of this time he couldn't forget the beauty Naotora carried and was saddened when he always hear her chastise herself. Even in some ways it had been cute.

Now he was visiting the site of the Battle of Azukizaka, he always came here to honor those who had fallen and the place where he was taught a valuable lesson about the state of the land and what needed to be done in this time of chaos.

As he walked the grounds he came upon Daiju-ji temple and from there he began to pray for the good blessings to come to his family and to the province itself.

As he continued to walk around the temple grounds he could hear the whistling of arrows from nearby and investigated the sounds.

As he rounded a corner of the temple he could see a young lady wearing a light Shinto priestess robe and carried a red Yumi bow in her hands as she stared at the targets down range.

Hidetaka went to back away but a branch beneath his feet snapped and the sound turned the young ladies' attention in that direction.

"Who goes there?!" She yelled as she pointed her bow in his direction. With is hands in the air he said, "Its just me, I mean you no harm. Who are you?"

The girl kept the bow up until she realized who she was pointing at, the young son of Ieyasu Tokugawa, Hidetaka Tokugawa.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry young master. Please forgive my rudeness just now. I got startled." She said apologizing, as she bowed as well.

"It's alright, but who are you?" He asked. "Me, my name is Oka Tsuruhime. My adoptive father is the head monk of this temple. He took me in as a child after my home was raided by Ikki monks and my parents were killed by them." She explained.

Hidetaka was shocked by the story, to think that a movement that wanted to help those in need only was an excuse to satisfy others is one of the reasons he never believed in the movement even if some in Mikawa still did.

"I see, I'm sorry for your losses. On behalf of my family, I give my condolences." He said as he bowed at the young maiden.

"No, its quite alright. In fact, I have a lot to thank Lord Ieyasu for, if not for him my father's temple wouldn't still be here. It was thanks to the Tokugawa our temple has been around and has prospered as it has." Tsuruhime explained further.

"So why do you have that bow, it seems peaceful here. So why?" He inquired.

Tsuruhime's face then softened as she began to answer, "Because I want to do something." She began.

"Huh?" Hidetaka said in confusion. "I want to be able to do something about his chaos, I don't like fighting, but I know that's silly to just wish for it. So I decided to take up the bow and fight but…" She never finished.

"But what?" He continued to inquire.

"I have no where to fight for, I can't leave here as this is my home, how I can just abandon it?" She replied as tears began to well in her eyes.

Hidetaka then walked up to the young shrine maiden and hugged her, comforting in her small moment of sadness.

"Then come with me." He spoke up. She could only let a simple, "What? Go with you?"

"If you want to help end this chaos, you can join us and then fight with us to end this chaos. I know it won't be easy but with someone like you on our side we can do it." Hidetaka then explained to her his proposition.

She seemed to think on the matter for a few seconds until a resolute face came from her and she replied, "Very well, I'll join the Tokugawa and offer my services. Also if you don't mind can I serve under you?"

"Of course, everyone who fights for the Tokugawa is a treasure to the clan and is considered family. You'll be just as precious as everyone else to me and my father no matter what." Hidetaka replied.

Tsuruhime giggled in happiness and the two left for Okazaki and was introduced to the Hidetaka's small group of personal retainers.

Later that month

In order to draw on Nobunaga's momentum in Mino, Ieyasu decided it was time to push into Tōtōmi Province and begin expansion eastward.

News had arrived that the Iio clan had rebelled against Ujizane and were holed up in Hikuma Castle led by the lady of the clan Tazu Iio and many of her clansmen and women.

Ujizane was aid to be moving his army to crush the rebels in the area, but in recent years many on the Imagawa had shown sides of discontent and sent word to the Tokugawa with wishes to defect and serve a new lord.

With this news in hand, Ieyasu sent word for the army to prepare for battle and now was the time to take the battle straight to the Imagawa.

"My first battle, this feeling is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. I wonder how everyone else is?" Hidetaka thought to himself as he prepared for the campaign ahead.

"Hidetaka, I have something for you. Come." Ieyasu said to his son as the two walked through the town to the local blacksmith.

When they arrived the same man from before Ieyasu had met was seen hammering away at some metal he was preparing for a new weapon possibly.

"My friend, how are you?" Ieyasu greeted the owner. "My lord, I'm going great. I see this is the young man you told me about." The owner looked at Hidetaka who was now wearing his new battle gear.

He wore a blue and golden short with along with a similarly colored haori coat with shoulder pad armor and he wa now wearing his new Kabuto helm. Which was similar to his father, but its point was much shorter.

"Yes, this is about that 'project' I asked you about years ago." Ieyasu said.

"Ah yes, I have it here stored away just for your arrival." The owner than walked to the back of his shop and retrieved a long wooden box.

Taking off the top it showed a rather sleek silver blade with a round guard at the handle and black and blue handle.

"It's incredible." Hidetaka seemed speechless. "Well my boy do you have a name for it?" The smith asked.

Hidetaka thought for a moment until he answered, "Kanemitsu, after the great forger of swords."

"An excellent name for an excellent sword. I hope it serves you well in the battles to come." The smith then bowed as Hidetaka sheathed his new blade and attached it to his hip.

With the last of the preparations in place the army began to move into the border between Mikawa and Tōtōmi, making camp near a mountain garrison the Tokugawa Army began to set up formation and Hidetaka dismounted the horse he'd been given.

"We finally made it. So this is Enshū as I think Naotora called it all those years ago." Hidetaka said to himself.

"Everybody gather around!" Ieyasu could be heard by all as the retainers gathered around the camp.

"Our objective hear is to aid the struggling Iio forces and push back the Imagawa in Enshū in the process our scouts say that Hojo forces have been spotted so time is of the essence. The Takeda are said to be sending reinforcements so we must hold our own for now." Ieyasu began to explain.

Everybody broke away and started going their separate ways until Hidetaka bumped into someone trying to find his horse.

"Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't paying… attention?" Hidetaka slowly finished as he saw the person he bumped into.

That crimson armor, that same crimson he saw all those years ago. There was mistaking it. Her beautiful black hair and her long pigtails complimenting it.

And also that same round face he saw and blushed at.. it was her after all this time.

"N-Naotora, is it you?"

AN#1 – Well here's the first official part of Chapter 2 – Independence, The next battle will be Confusion at Enshu from SW3C. But this time Naotora is on the side of the Tokugawa, but will it be enough to save her dear friend?

AN#2 – Also, Naotora and Hidetaka have been reunited after nearly a decade the two have meet again but now they fight on the same battlefield. What could possibly happen on the battlefield stay tuned.

AN#3 – And now Hidetaka enters his first battle and now has a group of allies helping him. There first campaign together will be up next.

AN#4 - I may also now put Tokugawa Chronicle parts as interlude chapters from now on so be on the look out for those as well.

AN#5 – I wouldn't be here without you guys! Remember to Favorite, Follow and Review!