Volume 2: Thick and Heavy Winds and Clouds Chapter 66: The Main Camp is Attacked

  The commander of the Later Army, Kizawa Kagetane, indeed adopted a central breakthrough strategy as Li Xiao had anticipated. Although this strategy was somewhat adventurous, in Li Xiao's estimation, relying on the thickness of the central musket array's dense defense, it could allow the Takeda army to hold out for a while longer.

  After all, the advantage of the Later Jin army in terms of numbers is indeed something that the Takeda army cannot match.

  Just as the vanguard of the Echigo army and the Takeda army were engaged in a fierce gun battle, the iron cannon corps at the rear of the Echigo army also entered into position. They took aim at the location of the Takeda army's ashigaru at the top of the mountain.

  As nearly a hundred iron cannons fired in unison, the rear of the Takeda army's gunners were lightly armed and fell one after another. Unfortunately, the narrow terrain in front and behind made it impossible for them to avoid.

  Boom!

  The Takeda army was again hit by more than 20 ashigaru with firearms in the second round of simultaneous firing by the Later Hōjō clan's iron cannon corps.

  The Takeda army's iron cannon corps on the mountain also refused to show weakness, and engaged in a counter-battery duel with the Echigo iron cannon corps. However, their gun barrels had become overheated from firing, and after one or two shots, the cannons began to burst.

  And the lightly armored archers also gave it their all, shooting out a few more arrows until they could no longer draw their bowstrings.

  The Later Zhou army took advantage of the situation and turned the tide, constantly compressing the defensive line of the Takeda army's gun array.

  At this moment, the small hillside was already a scene of carnage, with one of the Takeda army's ashigaru having just thrust his spear into the ribs of a Hojo army soldier, only to be immediately pierced through the body by another Hojo army soldier wielding a long spear. Meanwhile, the Takeda clan samurai were shouting as they charged down the hill to clash with the Hojo army samurai.

  Some warriors still retained the habits of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, before finding an opponent to fight to the death, they would first report their own names and surnames to each other, then engage in a 'single mounted duel' concerning the honor and life of the warrior.

  However, at this time, each other's formation had already intersected and dispersed, and the samurai and ashigaru of the Takeda and Uesugi families were killing each other, making it difficult to distinguish between them.

  As the Takeda army's defensive line was pushed back step by step, the advancing Echigo army became frenzied, kicking aside the corpses of the Takeda soldiers that obstructed their advance. Corpses with intestines spilling out from being pierced by long spears continuously rolled down the mountain slope.

  As the battle progressed, the Takeda army approached the brink of collapse several times, but with the support of old general Moroshige, they still maintained their position. At this time, one or two branches of the Echigo army broke through the weak side of the Takeda army's formation and bypassed the front line, directly entering Katsuyori's main camp.

  Hokō Shunjirō, Hokō Masahiro, and Hokō Shōgetsu, father and two sons, as well as the brothers Tsukumo Raishun and Tsukumo Raifuku, all led their respective family's warriors to fight on the front lines against the light infantry of the Taira army.

  In this array, only Sanada Masayuki, Yamamoto Kansuke and more than ten ashigaru who held the banner were left, as well as several close attendants of Takeda Shingen.

  At this time, more than 30 Uesugi samurai and ashigaru who broke through the Takeda side, entered the main camp of Takeda Katsuyori. And Takeda Katsuyori, wearing a helmet with deer antlers, bright armor and a feathered crest, suddenly became the target of the enemy.

  The Uesugi samurai rushed towards Takeda Katsuyori, clashing with the ashigaru and attendants who were guarding him.

  Yamamoto Kansuke and Sanada Masayuki drew their swords, ready to fight, and even Takeda Shingen took up his long spear, preparing to join the fray.

  Yamamoto Kansuke, despite being one-eyed and lame, wielded the sword techniques he learned from Kashima Shinryu with great sharpness. With a swing of his arm and a fall of his blade, he cut down three opponents in succession. The Uesugi soldiers were so startled that they didn't dare approach him. As for Takeda Shingen, who was surrounded by his attendants and had no chance to take action, he also managed to kill one Uesugi soldier who tried to sneak up on him.

  Under the desperate defense of the crowd, this group of eager-to-merit Vietnamese soldiers were killed more than a dozen people after being left in disarray and fleeing in all directions, and were driven out of their own camp.

  Sanada Masayuki was slightly injured in a duel with a soldier from Echigo, and is now bandaging his wound, saying: "Curses, if my martial arts were just a little better, I wouldn't have been wounded by the Uesugi army."

  In fact, after repelling this group of enemy troops, four people were also injured in the main force of the Takeda army.

  The cries of killing shook one's ears and were getting closer and closer to the main camp, apparently the situation for the Takeda family was gradually deteriorating.

  "If this continues, our army will not be able to hold on." Bandaging his wound, Sanada Yukimura stood up and grasped his sword again.

  Takeda Katsuyori, hearing Sanada Yukimura's words, held his large spear horizontally and shouted loudly: "Even if I can't hold on, I'll still hold on. I will definitely fight Uesugi Kenshin to the very end."

  Takeda Katsuyori had just spoken when another contingent of Echigo troops again charged into the Takeda army's main camp.

  "Damn it, how did the vanguard let someone slip through again?"

  Takeda Shōryū shouted and then let out a loud roar, this time ignoring the guards' attempts to stop him, he personally took up his gun and charged forward to fight. Takeda Shōryū's current marksmanship was something that even ōoka Echizen no Kami praised without end, his strength had already earned him a place among the ranks of the Takeda family's most powerful generals.

  Takeda Shōryū was invincible, and he successively cut down five Uesugi soldiers who came to attack. The Uesugi army was terrified by this. The Takeda army fought desperately to the death, and before each Takeda soldier fell, they killed at least one Uesugi soldier as a sacrifice.

  However, this time the invading army of Echigo was quite large in number, and one by one, the close attendants and ashigaru around Takeda Katsuyori were killed in battle.

  At this time, Yamamoto Kansuke was suddenly struck by a skilled warrior from Echigo and cut down with a sword, immediately having his right arm severed.

  Yamamoto Kan no suke fell to the ground, his vision in front of him was a blur.

  "Lord Yamamoto!" Shigenaga Sanada shouted, rushing forward and desperately fighting off the Echigo warrior. Meanwhile, Kanetsugu Yamamoto was on his last breath, with blood gushing from his right shoulder.

  Takeda Shingen killed another famous warrior from Echigo and retreated to the side of Sanada Masayuki and Yamamoto Kansuke, now he only had four Takeda generals left around him, all of whom were wounded, with fresh blood dripping from their bodies and swords onto the ground.

  Now behind everyone is the flag of Honjin, 'Shomonji Mantra Flag' and 'Kajiba Flag', not a single step can be taken back.

  Again, seven or eight Wu soldiers came to attack, wanting to completely eliminate the last defensive strength of the enemy's main formation. Just as they were about to do so, a figure suddenly broke through the array and killed his way out. This person was incredibly fast, drawing his sword in an instant, and the snowy blade light flowed like clouds and water, passing through the Wu soldiers' sides.

  "Your Excellency, Shirō, I, Tsukahara Bokuden, have arrived a step late. Please forgive me." Tsukahara Bokuden bowed deeply, behind him were the corpses of several enemy soldiers.

  Jian Shi Gang killed a soldier from Yue Hou with one arrow, and Takeda Shori let out a slight sigh of relief. His body stiffened and he fell to the ground, asking: "Li Xiao, where is he?"

  At this moment on one side of the mountain slope, Li Xiao wore a helmet that was set up three days ago, wearing a thick heavy armor, and was jumping onto his chestnut-colored horse.

  Li Xiao inserted a flag with Takeda's crest into the back of his quiver, then took over a two-meter-long cavalry spear and held it in his right hand.

  "Drive!"

  Li Xiao let out a loud whoop, kicked his legs to urge the horse forward, and as the warhorse charged ahead, he felt a strong gust of wind hitting him in the face. Suddenly, there was a loud rustling sound behind him, and the flagpole-like object on his back began to flutter wildly.

  More than sixty Takeda cavalrymen with the same four-masago flags on their backs, also mounted and followed behind Li Xiao, their war horses' hooves stirring up a deafening rumble like thunder, as they charged down the mountain with overwhelming force.