Yes, my liege. By the time I arrived,[sr]I'm afraid there was nothing to be done...
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
[wt 0.1]
[charaTalk A]
[charaFace A 0]
[charaFadein A 0.1 0,-50]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
No matter. Gonroku served me well.[sr]He has earned a respite.
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk B]
[charaFace B 0]
[charaFadein B 0.1 0,-50]
＠Akechi Mitsuhide
As for the Chaldea clan, they are preparing to launch a direct assault on Azuchi as we speak.
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
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[charaTalk A]
[charaFace A 0]
[charaFadein A 0.1 0,-50]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
Hmm... Then we will muster our entire[sr]regiment and ride out to meet them.
[k]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
This battle will decide everything.
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk B]
[charaFace B 6]
[charaFadein B 0.1 0,-50]
＠Akechi Mitsuhide
W-well, I'm afraid there have been some...complications on that front, my liege.
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
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[charaTalk A]
[charaFace A 0]
[charaFadein A 0.1 0,-50]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
...What sort of complications?
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk B]
[charaFace B 6]
[charaFadein B 0.1 0,-50]
＠Akechi Mitsuhide
You see, we are, um...currently unable to feed our soldiers.
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
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[charaTalk A]
[charaFace A 4]
[charaFadein A 0.1 0,-50]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
Hm? I don't understand.
[k]
＠Demon King Nobunaga
I thought we had plenty of rice to spare thanks to the string of bumper crops we've had in recent years.
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk B]
[charaFace B 6]
[charaFadein B 0.1 0,-50]
＠Akechi Mitsuhide
Y-yes, well...I'm told a merchant by the name of the Kameyama Troupe has purchased the majority of Azuchi's rice supply...
[k]
[messageOff]
[fadeout black 1.0]
[bgmStop BGM_EVENT_5 1.0]
[wait fade]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
[pictureFrame]
[charaSet A 6036002 1 "Li Shuwen"]
[charaSet B 3038000 1 "Nagao Kagetora"]
[scene 79000]
[wt 1.0]
[fadein black 1.0]
[wait fade]
[bgm BGM_EVENT_50 0.1]
[charaTalk C]
[charaFace C 0]
[charaFace F 0]
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[charaFadein F 0.1 1]
＠Sakamoto Ryouma
...so I don't think we'll have to worry about Demon King Nobunaga's army making any moves of their own for a while.
[k]
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[charaFace D 6]
[charaFadein D 0.1 1]
＠Chief Retainer Mash
When did you even find the time to start a merchant business since we last saw you, Sakamoto?
[k]
[charaFadeout D 0.1]
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[charaFace C 0]
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＠Sakamoto Ryouma
Well, it was the perfect cover for some information gathering, so I figured I'd take advantage of that.
[k]
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＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
You bought up the enemy's entire supply of rice, huh?[sr]That's...really clever.
[k]
＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
Even the Demon King version of me can't raise an army without feeding it.
[k]
[charaFadeout E 0.1]
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＠Sakamoto Ryouma
The rice was unusually cheap thanks to a string of bumper crops anyway, so it wasn't even all that hard.
[k]
[charaFace F 1]
＠Oryou
Oryou has never carried so many bags of rice in Oryou's whole life.
[k]
[charaFace C 0]
[charaFace F 6]
＠Sakamoto Ryouma
Anyway, this has given us a good chance to march right into Azuchi and square off with Demon King Nobunaga without a big, long series of battles just to get there.
[k]
[charaFadeout C 0.1]
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[charaTalk G]
[charaFace G 7]
[charaFadein G 0.1 1]
＠Hijikata Toshizo
Devious bastard... I'm glad you're not working for the other side, and that you weren't with the shogunate back in the day.
[k]
[charaFadeout G 0.1]
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[charaTalk H]
[charaFace H 5]
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＠Infantrywoman Okita
I'll say... Were you always good[sr]at this sort of thing, Sakamoto?
[k]
[charaFadeout H 0.1]
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[charaFace C 11]
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＠Sakamoto Ryouma
Nah, I wouldn't say that. I just figure, if there's a way to avoid fighting, that's the way to go.
[k]
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＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
Hmm, so this is economic warfare.
[k]
＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
I guess my Demon King self didn't see this coming, since there couldn't be many others who were good at that sort of thing in this time.
[k]
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＠Mori Nagayoshi
Yeah, Lord Toyotomi's about the only other guy I can think of who'd bother with such a boring plan.
[k]
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[charaFace J 4]
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＠Oda Kippoushi
Now that I think about it, I bet Monkey would've loved tactics like this.
[k]
[bgmStop BGM_EVENT_50 1.5]
＠Oda Kippoushi
He always seemed like the only one in the Oda clan who knew how to really make his money work for him.
[k]
[charaFadeout J 0.1]
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＠Li Shuwen
At any rate, now that the Demon King's newfound[sr]impoverishment has greatly impeded their capabilities,[sr][bgm BGM_EVENT_67 0.1]does this mean we will finally be settling things[sr]directly?
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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＠Nagao Kagetora
I still can't imagine we'll be able to just walk into Azuchi, no matter how low on rations they may be.
[k]
＠Nagao Kagetora
So what if we split our forces here? One army could create a diversion by pretending to attack Azuchi head-on, and the main one would be free to slip into the castle undetected.
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
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＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
That could work. So you'll handle the diversion while the rest of us handle the Demon King, god of war?
[k]
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＠Nagao Kagetora
Actually, there's something about the Demon King Nobunaga I want to make sure of for myself, so I would prefer to join the main force as well.
[k]
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＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
Hmm. In that case, I think the only ones here who can oversee the diversion are Hijikata, me, and me.
[k]
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＠Hijikata Toshizo
That's fine. I'll handle the diversion.
[k]
[charaFace G 7]
＠Hijikata Toshizo
I don't have much experience commanding large armies, but we're just going for a diversion here so that shouldn't be a problem.
[k]
[charaFadeout G 0.1]
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＠Oda Kippoushi
Then I'll go with you. I've got plenty of experience when it comes to large-scale warfare.
[k]
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＠Hijikata Toshizo
Great. With the famous Lord Nobunaga helping out, we've practically already won. Okita, I want you to lead the vanguard as Captain of the First Unit.
[k]
[charaFadeout G 0.1]
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＠Infantrywoman Okita
The vanguard? That's fine with me, but to be honest,[sr]leading isn't really my thing?
[k]
＠Infantrywoman Okita
I've never told you all this before, but I'm actually much better when it comes to assassinations and such.
[k]
[charaFadeout H 0.1]
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＠Infantrywoman Nobbu
Yeah, I knew that.
[k]
[charaFadeout E 0.1]
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[charaFace H 3]
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＠Infantrywoman Okita
You did!?
[k]
[charaFadeout H 0.1]
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＠Li Shuwen
I think I'll join the main force. I may not be as proficient at fighting in silence as that man-slayer over there, but it still suits me better than a direct assault.
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk I]
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＠Mori Nagayoshi
I'm coming with the main force too! I bet I'll get tons of points for taking down Demon King Boss!
[k]
[charaFadeout I 0.1]
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＠Chief Retainer Mash
All right then, Master, myself, Kagetora, Li Shuwen, Mori, and Infantrywoman Nobbu will join the main force...
[k]
＠Chief Retainer Mash
...while Hijikata, Okita, and Kippoushi will lead the diversionary force.
[k]
[charaFadeout D 0.1]
[wt 0.1]
[charaSet A 7026000 1 Chacha]
[charaSet B 98111600 1 "Oda Nobukatsu"]
[charaTalk A]
[charaFace A 3]
[charaFadein A 0.1 1]
＠Chacha
Then Chacha will stay and hold down the castle! Honestly, Chacha's too tired to do anything else now anyway.
[k]
[charaFadeout A 0.1]
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[charaTalk B]
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＠Oda Nobukatsu
I think I'll do the same. I'd hate to come along only to end up getting in Sister's way.
[k]
[charaFadeout B 0.1]
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[charaTalk D]
[charaFace D 6]
[charaFadein D 0.1 1]
＠Chief Retainer Mash
What about you, Sakamoto?
[k]
[charaFadeout D 0.1]
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＠Sakamoto Ryouma
You guys can handle the Demon King.[sr]I've still got some things I need to look into.
[k]
＠Oryou
Like finding Izo.[sr]Oryou has no idea where that dumbass could be.
