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waterscrollThree chapters in and so far this is pretty amazing. It continues pretty directly from the Noble (happy) ending of Act 2, a few years later. The first chapter is Nobunaga and MC living happily in 'Danming' (seems to be a stand-in for China). They are working in weapons selling but generally living a quiet life and enjoying the culture and food of a different country. Nobunaga, now that he's no longer in power, is a much happier person. He still acts assholish to MC from time to time but it's all for show, things like threatening to leave her behind when they go shopping together when he obviously won't and then carrying all her bags. Oh and he's still dominant in bed.
Meanwhile back in Japan, Mitsuhide is ruling from Azuchi castle but Ieyasu, Masamune and Hideyoshi are separately ruling different parts of Japan. This is working okay, the four of them more or less respect each other (less in Ieyasu's case) but there are occasional rebellions. But, Nobunaga and MC figure, Mitsuhide is a competent person and can handle it. Right?
In chapter 2 we find out that over the past few years Nobunaga and MC have developed a friendship with, of all people, Yukimura. He came to Danming as a mercenary because he didn't have anything else to do with Shingen and his clan gone. When he met Nobunaga he immediately tried to kill him but Nobunaga had so renounced anything to do with his former life that after a few bouts of sparring it didn't seem worth continuing. Nobunaga invited Yukimura to stay with him and MC and eventually he did. Occasionally he tells them about how things are going back in Japan. Occasionally Nobunaga thinks about going back. But, he's so much happier in Danming.
Then we hear the rumors that Danming might be invading Japan. Why? It's not clear. Then they run into Mitsunari, who is in Danming to scope things out for Hideyoshi, and he confirms these rumors. Nobunaga and MC are worried about their country. They're not sure what to do. Every time they go to the market they ask the shopkeepers for rumors. Finally they find out what is actually going on: Hideyoshi has sent his forces over to 'Choson' (presumably Korea). Danming is sending troops to protect Choson.
MC: If Danming is sending troops to aid Choson, then they have to have ambitions to invade after the war is won. The idea that our homeland would be wiped off the map has always been there, but this is the first time I feel as if it could happen.
And for crying out loud MC I have no idea how you got there! Hideyoshi is invading Choson for no good reason and Danming is helping them, where do you see Danming's invasion plans? But even though there's no evidence for it, it feels plausible that MC would think this way. She misses her country and she's worried about it and inclined to think the worst of anyone threatening it. And also probably inclined to think of Hideyoshi as a decent guy who doesn't invade foreign countries for no reason. (Oh, MC..) And it makes sense that other people would think this way too, and that's where the rumors of invasion would come from.
Nobunaga: You little monkey bastard...So that's your game, is it...
This strikes me as a more reasonable response.
At this point (just finished chapter 3) I do not know what the little monkey bastard's game is, but I am very curious to find out, as well as what Nobunaga is going to do about it and how he is (hopefully) going to shut it the fuck down. I am so here for this storyline.
Meanwhile back in Japan, Mitsuhide is ruling from Azuchi castle but Ieyasu, Masamune and Hideyoshi are separately ruling different parts of Japan. This is working okay, the four of them more or less respect each other (less in Ieyasu's case) but there are occasional rebellions. But, Nobunaga and MC figure, Mitsuhide is a competent person and can handle it. Right?
In chapter 2 we find out that over the past few years Nobunaga and MC have developed a friendship with, of all people, Yukimura. He came to Danming as a mercenary because he didn't have anything else to do with Shingen and his clan gone. When he met Nobunaga he immediately tried to kill him but Nobunaga had so renounced anything to do with his former life that after a few bouts of sparring it didn't seem worth continuing. Nobunaga invited Yukimura to stay with him and MC and eventually he did. Occasionally he tells them about how things are going back in Japan. Occasionally Nobunaga thinks about going back. But, he's so much happier in Danming.
Then we hear the rumors that Danming might be invading Japan. Why? It's not clear. Then they run into Mitsunari, who is in Danming to scope things out for Hideyoshi, and he confirms these rumors. Nobunaga and MC are worried about their country. They're not sure what to do. Every time they go to the market they ask the shopkeepers for rumors. Finally they find out what is actually going on: Hideyoshi has sent his forces over to 'Choson' (presumably Korea). Danming is sending troops to protect Choson.
MC: If Danming is sending troops to aid Choson, then they have to have ambitions to invade after the war is won. The idea that our homeland would be wiped off the map has always been there, but this is the first time I feel as if it could happen.
And for crying out loud MC I have no idea how you got there! Hideyoshi is invading Choson for no good reason and Danming is helping them, where do you see Danming's invasion plans? But even though there's no evidence for it, it feels plausible that MC would think this way. She misses her country and she's worried about it and inclined to think the worst of anyone threatening it. And also probably inclined to think of Hideyoshi as a decent guy who doesn't invade foreign countries for no reason. (Oh, MC..) And it makes sense that other people would think this way too, and that's where the rumors of invasion would come from.
Nobunaga: You little monkey bastard...So that's your game, is it...
This strikes me as a more reasonable response.
At this point (just finished chapter 3) I do not know what the little monkey bastard's game is, but I am very curious to find out, as well as what Nobunaga is going to do about it and how he is (hopefully) going to shut it the fuck down. I am so here for this storyline.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-13 03:38 am (UTC)I can unfortunately see this. D: Yukimura is really just a mercenary now (for some reason... which I assume either means (1) the Sanada are out of power or (2) he just left the Sanada afterwards, but either way that means the Sanada are no longer paying Iga for Saizo). And then I feel like Saizo would be very conflicted about whether or not to stay, but ultimately, Yukimura would be Self-Sacrificing and refuse to let Saizo become a hunted shinobi for him. And Saizo does have a history of letting his loved ones sacrifice themselves for him and choosing to live nobly and miserably on.
But I assume what's going to happen is that Yukimura will go back with Nobunaga, and then Saizo can turn up then! No way Saizo is abandoning Yukimura forever.
I wonder if this is going to be an Everyone Gets Together route with all the hype around the route and it being the first (and maybe only-for-a-long-while) route 3? I mean, they're bringing in Yukimura...
And they AUed away Mitsuhide's and Mitsunari's worst actions
What did they AU away for Mitsunari? For Mitsuhide, I'm assuming it's betraying Nobunaga or are there other things?
no subject
Date: 2020-03-13 03:49 am (UTC)What did they AU away for Mitsunari?
When fighting against Ieyasu he took wives of Samurai hostage in order to force their husbands to join his side. It rather spectacularly backfired when Mitsuhide's daughter Gracia (she'd converted to Christianity) dramatically killed herself in order not to be used as a pawn. It was a major plot point in Demon's Bond but nothing like it happens in the SLBP Mitsunari route.
For Mitsuhide, I feel like killing Nobunaga is easy to justify, but less so killing Nobunaga's son.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-13 03:53 am (UTC)OH. D: Gracia seems like a really fascinating person.
For Mitsuhide, I feel like killing Nobunaga is easy to justify, but less so killing Nobunaga's son.
Ah.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-16 02:39 am (UTC)Same with Mitsuhide. SLBP Mitsuhide kills Nobunaga (in his own route) because he has to, because there is no other choice, because it is the only way to prevent the deaths of many more innocent people. You can't imagine him killing members of Nobunaga's family, it would be completely out of character.
So this is why I am so curious as to where things are going with Hideyoshi. If they write his invasion of Korea, well, it's an atrocity that would be hard to write as anything else. If they don't, they're leaving out one of the most important things about the historical character. So what will they do? I am very curious.