The Rise of PULSAR

Chapter 1: The Onmyouji and the Bladed Falcon

(A/N: Sengoku Japan doesn’t actually take place on the same Earth that we know in the main story. The world that the Sengoku Warriors come from is called Sokoku, with their nation itself being called Hinomaru. The word Sokoku means ‘homeland’ in Japanese, while Hinomaru means ‘circle of the sun’, referring to the national flag.

The Sengoku period of Japan’s history refers to the mid-15th century to the beginning of the 17th century, which was a time of constant military conflict and social upheaval. A lot of characters from the Sengoku storyline are named and modeled after actual people from that era, including Oda Nobunaga, the main villain of the storyline.

Also, for those who aren’t aware, surnames in Japan are ordered before first names. To use Oda Nobunaga as an example, Oda is actually his surname, while Nobunaga is his first name. This is also the case for the other characters in the Sengoku storyline. The way that GMS handles this is a little weird, as it refers to virtually everyone by their first name, which is pretty uncommon in Japanese culture.

Typically, first names are only used by people whom you’re close with, which makes the GMS translation even weirder because they refer to Oda Nobunaga as Nobunaga, which would likely never even happen in American culture, let alone Japanese culture. It would almost be like having the characters refer to Gerand Darmoor as simply Gerand. For the sake of remaining consistent, I’ll be referring to characters the same way that GMS does, which is basically by using everyone’s first name, except they refer to Oda with his surname for whatever reason.

As an additional disclaimer, I’m basing this writeup on the GMS localization of the Sengoku storyline, which is vastly different from the original text - especially in the way that it changes the characterization of many characters and adds stupid jokes that don’t exist in the JMS text. I’ve had lots of problems with the GMS localization of KMS lore, but this localization takes things to a whole new level of dumb.)

In the Sengoku era of the world of Sokoku, the Great Diviner, Abeno Seimei, had a premonition that a being would appear in the nation of Hinomaru with the power of the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven, threatening the entire realm. However, Abeno Seimei also had a premonition that five skilled heroes would rise to oppose Oda. These heroes were the Children of the Five Stars, each bearing a mark somewhere on their bodies that showed proof of their heavenly vessels.

(A/N: Hayato and Kanna are both Children of the Five Stars, although we don’t have confirmation about Ayame. The whole concept of the Children of the Five Stars was introduced as part of the background writeup that Nexon had released with the introduction of the Sengoku classes, but it plays an almost non-existent role within the scope of the lore, only being vaguely alluded to with the Will of the Five Planets questline at the end of the Hieizan Temple story.)

Centuries later, a warlord named Oda Nobunaga appeared and planned to become the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven. With an overwhelming military force, Hinomaru was quickly seized into hegemony. For the Demon King Ritual, Oda required a special sacrifice. Princess Sakuno was the first daughter of the Matsuyama clan and held an immense font of mana within her body.

On Oda’s orders, Sakuno was kidnapped and the Matsuyama clan was wiped out. Oda then brought Sakuno and his army to Honnou-ji, where he planned to perform the ritual that would grant him immortality and untold power. Hoping to stop him, a united military force of daimyos, composed of the great lords Mouri Motonari, Uesugi Kenshin, and Takeda Shingen, formed an alliance called the Sengoku Warriors and led their armies to Honnou-ji Temple in order to put an end to Oda’s ambitions.

(A/N: Daimyos were feudal lords who owned large portions of land. They commanded armies composed of the citizens of their territory and pledged their service to the shogun, the ruler of the entire land. The real-life battle at Honnou-ji was actually an internal coup, in which Akechi Mitsuhide, one of Oda’s generals and the other antagonist of this storyline, betrayed him.)

Uesugi Kenshin arrived early with the great Onmyouji, Tsuchimikado Haruaki, and his apprentice, Ayanokouji Kanna.

(A/N: In real life, Kenshin was believed to be a man, although there’s a lot of debate about whether he was actually a woman posing as a man. The strongest piece of evidence for this is that Kenshin would routinely suffer stomach cramps every month, even going so far as to plan his campaigns around it, making it possible that he might have been a woman hiding her periods. Furthermore, his cause of death was listed as uterine cancer by a doctor who had made virtually no other mistake in the book that he had written it in. Because of this, a lot of media that portrays Kenshin depicts her as female.

What’s undisputed, however, is that Kenshin had an intense rivalry with Takeda Shingen, a dynamic which was carried over in this storyline. Onmyouji was an official government position that referred to experts in divination and the supernatural. Abeno Seimei, who divined the prophecy of the Demon King in the game, was an actual person and was widely regarded as one of the greatest Onmyouji who ever lived, becoming a legend in Japanese folklore. In GMS, Onmyouji is translated as Spirit Walker. Both Haruaki and Kanna are original characters, with no real-life counterparts.)

Haruaki told Kanna to stop the ritual in the Western Wing, explaining that it would cause the power flowing into the temple to cut off. However, he warned that in order to fully stop the ritual, she would need to destroy the altar in the basement. Kanna arrived in the Western Wing, where she disrupted the flow of power, causing the barrier to weaken. She then fought past Oda’s Spirit Walkers with her mystical fox, Haku. As she continued on, she noted that the barrier was continuing to collapse as a result of the other warriors succeeding in destabilizing it.

Outside the temple walls, Takeda Shingen was rallying his soldiers as they prepared to face Oda’s army. A samurai named Anegasaki Kenji, known better as Hayato the Bladed Falcon, told Shingen that his hands were shaking with anticipation, claiming that the disgrace of the Matsuyama clan would haunt him no more.

(A/N: I’m guessing that Hayato is probably a nickname, they never really explain it during the storyline. Hayato explains this later, but he was retainer to the Matsuyama clan, of whom Princess Sakuno is a member. A retainer is basically a warrior who served a lord, tasked with keeping their seat of power safe. Hayato failed to protect his family, which is why he wants to redeem himself. Both Hayato and the Matsuyama clan itself are original creations in this storyline.)

Shingen told Hayato to keep his emotions in check, though Hayato claimed that the only emotion that he and his weapon, the Mist Cutter, felt was a thirst for vengeance. Shingen laughed at Hayato’s seriousness and ordered him to begin the attack by attacking the Eastern Door so that the cavalry could be let in. Hayato joked that there would be no enemies left for the horses to trample by the time that he was finished and proceeded to scale up the wall. After defeating the Oda soldiers, Hayato opened the gate to let Shingen and his men inside.

(A/N: You’ll notice throughout all the Sengoku sections that I refer to Oda’s men as Oda soldiers. The reason for this is because they belong to the Oda clan, and so I call them Oda soldiers, or soldiers of the Oda clan.)

Hayato reported that the Uesugi troops had likely barged in too early, and that they would need assistance. Shingen commented that it was typical of Kenshin to be unable to control her men, though it was unusual for her to be early. Regardless, he refused to break their momentum and ordered his soldiers to charge into the temple.

As Hayato continued into the temple, he encountered Akechi Mitsuhide, whom he mistook as a woman because of his feminine appearance and dress. Hayato declared that he was the eldest son of Anegasaki Tomonobu, retainer to the Matsuyama clan, and that he had come to avenge his family and rescue Princess Sakuno.

(A/N: By family, he means the family he serves, not his literal family. As I’d mentioned previously, Akechi was a real person and defeated Oda’s forces during the real life counterpart to this battle. I wasn’t able to find any records of his feminine appearance and dress, and so I’m guessing that these characteristics are unique to the game version of him.)

Mitsuhide laughed at Hayato mistaking him for a woman and claimed that he vaguely recalled an unimportant family with the name Matsuyama. Hayato raised his blade, but before he could attack, Shingen arrived and told him to put his blade away, claiming that there was no need to waste his time on such a trivial matter. Shingen recognized Mitsuhide as one of Oda’s Four Heavenly Kings, causing Hayato to realize that Mitsuhide was the man who had wiped out the Matsuyama clan and kidnapped Princess Sakuno.

(A/N: The Four Heavenly Kings, or the Four Guardian Kings, were four of Oda’s generals who were heavily attributed as integral to his rise in power, both in the game and in real life.)

Realizing that Mitsuhide was the one who had started the rebellion against Oda, Shingen offered an alliance with Mitsuhide, though an enraged Hayato refused to ally himself with the man who had destroyed his family and instead prepared to attack. However, Shingen reminded Hayato that rescuing the princess was his priority and told him to hurry into the temple while he himself handled Akechi. As Hayato rushed off, Akechi vowed to deal with Shingen before finding Oda, raising his blade to attack.

(A/N: In the game, the reason that Mitsuhide betrays Oda is because he hoped that unifying all of Hinomaru would finally result in peace. However, Oda’s thirst for power remained unquenched as he sought to become the Demon King, which made Mitsuhide realize that Oda was nothing more than a power-hungry tyrant. The real life Mitsuhide’s motivations are unknown to this day, remaining a topic of great debate.)

At the entrance of the temple, Hayato ran into Princess No and asked her to step aside, claiming that he had no quarrel with her. However, No chastised Hayato for speaking so familiarly with her and introduced herself as Kichou, daughter of Saitou Dousan and the lawful wife of the Demon King.

(A/N: In real life, Princess No was renowned for her beauty and cleverness. Her proper name was Kichou, but since she came from the Mino Province, also known as Noshu (or No for short), she was more commonly referred to as No-hime. Hime means ‘princess’ or ‘lady’, and so she was essentially known as the Lady of Noshu, or Princess No in English.

Despite her intelligence and beauty, there are few records about her, and so most of what we know about her life comes from legend and speculation, many of which postulate that she was a spy for her father, who wanted her to kill Oda since she was skilled with a sword and several martial arts. She was said to have died in the flames of Honnou-ji while clashing blades against Mitsuhide’s soldiers, but there’s rumors that she survived and lived for some number of years. While Princess No in the game is fiercely devoted to her husband, the real Princess No had a loveless marriage with Oda.)

As No raised her gun to attack, a perfect shot from Ayame, hidden from a distance, disarmed her. As No was taken aback at the impossible shot, she immediately realized the identity of the mysterious shooter. Hayato also recognized that the shot had to have come from Ayame and thought to himself that he owed her his life.

(A/N: Ayame was indirectly introduced through this sequence since Hayato’s release, although we never learned the identity of the sharpshooter until the release of Hieizan Temple, which introduced Ayame’s character and explained her backstory. Ayame had been taken in by Princess No from a young age, and so she had No’s trust. She eventually came into the service of the Matsuyama clan and was ordered to spy on Princess No at the behest of Matsuyama Nobukane, the head of the clan and Princess Sakuno’s father. While Ayame was away on missions, Sakuno was kidnapped and Nobukane was killed. Ayame eventually discovers this and rushes to Honnou-ji, where she openly betrays Princess No.)

Hayato entered the temple, ignoring No’s cries for him to stop. He then confronted Oda and began to fight him, just as Kanna discovered the entrance to the basement hidden by magic. She easily dispelled the glamour, scoffing that such weak spells couldn’t hinder her. Proceeding into the basement, Kanna discovered her former classmate, Mori Ranmaru, conducting the ritual to link Sokoku with the Demon Realm.

(A/N: In real life, Ranmaru was a highly trusted attendant to Oda and a talented samurai who was responsible for setting fire to Honnou-ji on Oda’s orders when it was clear that they were going to lose, thus allowing Oda to commit seppuku without the fear that Mitsuhide would claim his head as a trophy. There's also a lot of evidence to suggest that Ranmaru and Oda were lovers.

Ranmaru was said to be both highly feminine and beautiful, having been taken in by Oda at the age of six. At this time, ‘shudo’ was a common practice between an older samurai and a younger boy, in which the older samurai would serve as a mentor while the two engaged in a sexual relationship until the boy reached adulthood. This is extremely similar to the pederasty of Ancient Greece and Rome, even down to the same age-based dynamics corresponding to the dominant and submissive roles in the relationship.)

The two Spirit Walkers began dueling, with Kanna attempting to destroy the altar and Ranmaru defending it. As the battle dragged on, Kanna realized that their powers were too evenly matched for her to be able to destroy the altar in time. With no other choice, Kanna used her full power and had Haku unleash a devastating series of magical attacks. Though Ranmaru blocked most of them, a single attack was able to slip past his defenses and destroy the altar, causing Princess Sakuno, who was being used as a conduit to the Demon Realm, to awaken.

At the same time, Oda managed to easily defeat Hayato and shattered his Mist Cutter. Oda then noticed Sakuno attempting to disrupt the ritual and warned her of the consequences of doing so when the link to the Demon Realm was nearly complete. However, Sakuno merely told Oda that she was unconcerned with the ramifications and disrupted the ritual, creating a large beam of light that engulfed the temple and transported everyone to Maple World.

(A/N: Both Hayato and Kanna’s storylines cover nearly the exact same content, with only minimal differences in the way that the storyline is executed. Originally, I expected it to be like Kaiser and Angelic Buster’s storylines, in which both of them do their own things and each of them offers a different perspective as the same events unfold. However, these two stories don’t happen in parallel, they’re the exact same events with slightly different interactions. You can almost think of it like Luminous’ light and dark paths, in that they both lead to the same end, just with some differences in dialogue.

Because of this, I can’t interweave their storylines like I did with Kaiser and Angelic Buster, and since it’s impossible for them to have canonically completed these same quests together, I’m instead gonna present them separately, just like how I did with Luminous’ light and dark storylines. Also, you’ll see this pretty early in the story, but for some reason, everyone who got transported from Sokoku to Maple World had their arrivals staggered, meaning that some people arrived earlier than others.)

Kanna:
In Maple World, Kanna awoke in Zipangu to the sight of Haku. Soon enough, she encountered a man named Naoe Kanetsugu, who explained that the battle had been chaotic, and that he had seen someone fighting Oda, although he had no idea no way of knowing who it was. (A/N: Kanetsugu is a real person who served as a kosho, or page, to Uesugi Kenshin. They actually did a really good job with recreating his armor in the game.)

He congratulated Kanna for disrupting the ritual and told her that Mitsuhide had planned to betray Oda and take all of Hinomaru for himself. He explained that Mitsuhide had fought for hours as he attempted to reach Oda, though a large beam of light had erupted from the temple before he could enter, which had teleported them all to an unfamiliar world.

He told her that he had arrived a few days ago, and that he had discovered her while searching for Kenshin. He then told her that those who had arrived earlier had set up a base nearby. Kanna wondered whether destroying the altar had caused the ritual to fail, though Haku told her not to blame herself, as she had done everything that she could. Kanetsugu then escorted her to their base, Momijigaoka, which he explained had been established by Mouri Motonari, one of the three leading daimyos of the alliance.

(A/N: According to the dialogue, Momijigaoka means autumn’s blood-red leaves, a reference to the maple leaves around them. However, I looked into a bit and found that it actually only translates the first part, ‘momiji’. With the disclaimer that I don’t know a single word of Japanese, my search for what ‘gaoka’ means returned 'the word ‘hill’. Thus, Momijigaoka would actually mean ‘maple leaf hill’.)

Kanetsugu then told her to go on and meet Motonari while he continued searching for Kenshin. Inside the base, Kanna approached Motonari and introduced herself as Haruaki’s pupil. Unable to recognize her, Motonari immediately grew angry at Kanna inviting herself into the base, calling her a fool blundering in. Kanna was taken aback and explained that she had been sent by Kanetsugu.

Motonari immediately apologized, though he asked her to first prove that she could handle herself, as the physics and energy of the new world was much different from their homeland. After training to recover some of her strength, Kanna was deemed fit to carry out missions by Motonari. (A/N: Motonari is a closet perv who keeps making comments about how perfect Kanna and Kenshin’s bodies are after training, though he unsuccessfully tries to correct his slip-up by rambling on about how he meant to say that she’s improved.)

Nevertheless, Kanna still felt that her strength had diminished greatly, though Haku noted that he felt perfectly fine and couldn’t understand why everyone kept saying that they felt weaker. Kanna then decided to find her master and Princess Sakuno, as she feared that Oda had also come to the unfamiliar world.

Just then, Motonari told Kanna that soldiers in dark armor had appeared in the area, though the strange light had left them lightly armed and disorganized. Kanna defeated the Oda scouts and collected some of their reports for Motonari, who was pleased to hear that Oda’s forces were weakened by new world as well.

(A/N: The Ninja Spy Journal that she collects has a lot of stories about the Sengoku Warriors who landed on Maple World, as well as their interactions with groups like the Black Wings. I’ll cover all the details of the journal at the end of this section.)

After venturing outside again, she ran into Kanetsugu, who was on the same mission. Believing that Motonari had meant for them to complete, Kanetsugu ran off to win the supposed contest. After being egged on by Haku, Kanna rushed to defeat as many Oda scouts as she could, although Kanetsugu defeated her nevertheless. He then asked Kanna to return ahead to camp without him, as he wanted to find Kenshin as soon as possible before she starved in the wilderness. Refusing to be outdone, Kanna decided to find and defeat the high-ranking soldiers, hoping that it would force the scouts to retreat.

As she proceeded deeper into the woods, she was surprised to encounter Kenshin, who was battling Oda’s advanced scouts. Hoping to impress her, Kanna fought as many scouts as she could, ignoring Haku’s protests that she couldn’t compete against Kanetsugu, let alone someone as strong as Kenshin. Nevertheless, Kenshin was impressed and claimed that Kanna would have made a better pupil than Kanetsugu. She then asked Kanna whether she knew what had happened after the flash of light, to which Kanna told her that they had set up a base. She then escorted Kenshin to Momijigaoka, where Kanetsugu was both relieved and flustered to see Kenshin safe.

Shingen then noticed Kenshin and remarked that Oda wasn’t the only swamp rat to have made it through, calling Kanetsugu a lapdog when he jumped to defend Kenshin’s honor. Motonari then broke up the quarrel and began explaining the details of the battle in the temple, as well as details about the new world. He then ordered them to put their rivalry aside, as they needed to focus on building their alliance to defeat Oda once and for all. (A/N: I mentioned this once before, but Kenshin and Shingen had a legendary rivalry.)

Motonari then told Kanna that the Oda army had discovered the base, and though their forces were still weak, their numbers would soon overwhelm the base. As Kanna prepared for battle, she sensed a faint, familiar energy near the Oda base, Momijigahara. (A/N: My Google search for ‘gahara’ showed that Momijigahara roughly means ‘maple leaf plains’, although someone please correct me if I’m wrong because I found a lot of technical details about ‘ga’ in ‘gahara’ that didn’t fully make sense to me.)

Surprised that the Oda army was already building a camp, Kanna decided to investigate what the army had brought with them to generate such energy. Fighting through the soldiers, Kanna discovered a mysterious foxtail and brought it to Motonari, who explained that warriors who had participated in the raids against the Oda forces had returned with similar tails.

Suddenly, Kanna’s master, Haruaki, emerged from the foxtail, much to everyone’s surprise. Haruaki explained that he had arrived before everyone else, having been being transported at the same time as Oda and his forces. In order to avoid being discovered by Oda’s men, Haruaki had disguised himself as a number of foxtails, though the Oda soldiers had taken a liking to the foxtails and brought them, and thereby him, straight into their camp.

Having been rescued by Kanna, Haruaki began explaining the true purpose of the ritual. He explained that Oda had sought to conjure the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven from the Demon Realm, a world that was as different from their homeland as Maple World was. He explained that much like how it was possible to contact Maple World, Oda had sought to make contact with the Demon Realm through an ancient ritual.

Upon discovering the Demon Realm, Oda had devised a plan to create a portal to the Demon Realm in order to bring the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven into their world, which was why Haruaki had launched the mission at the Honnou-ji Temple. Though he congratulated them on interrupting the ritual, he explained that no one could have predicted the consequences, which were that the gate to the Demon Realm had been warped, causing them to be transported to Maple World instead.

Kenshin and Shingen both immediately resolved to defeat Oda, though Motonari reminded them that they needed to first regain their strength. Haruaki then took Kanna aside and confided in her that Princess Sakuno was not among them. Kanna was worried that Oda’s men may have captured her, but Haruaki reassured her that Oda needed her alive, as the ritual required the blood of her lineage. He also reminded her that she needed to be ready, as the fates of both Sakuno and Oda rested on her shoulders.

He then noted that the Oda men were well-nourished, whereas the people of Momijigaoka were struggling to obtain food. In order to remedy this, Haruaki decided to send Kanna on a mission to make alliances, regain her strength, and find a way to create a supply route. He instructed her to find a nearby town to the south of the camp, though he warned her that the enemy had likely created a pathway to get to it. Kanna then fought her way past the Oda forces and soon arrived at the Mushroom Shrine, where she encountered Kino Konoko.

After exchanging greetings, Kanna asked Kino whether she had noticed anything strange in the area. Kino told her that a group of suspicious people had recently been spotted near the Mushroom Shrine. Kanna decided to investigate and encountered several Mecha Warrior Prototypes. After defeating them, she reported back to Kino and told her that they were likely not an immediate threat to the Mushroom Shrine. Kino then asked whether Kanna could investigate the mechanical ninjas in the area, whom Kanna determined to be hostile, numerous, and appearing to be searching for something. (A/N: During the Asura Crisis storyline, we learn that these robots were made by Niwa Nagahide, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.)

Realizing that the robots were a threat to the Mushroom Shrine, Kino asked Kanna to investigate several robots wielding guns. After defeating them, Kanna warned Kino that the gun-wielding robots were even closer to the Mushroom Shrine than the mechanical ninjas, and so she warned Kino to be cautious. Kino resolved to seek out long-term help and agreed to answer Kanna’s earlier question about strange occurrences in the area. She explained that there was a constant influx of dirt blowing into the area, as well as a storm near the shrine, which she noted was an uncommon occurrence.

Kanna realized that Oda must not have made contact yet and asked Kino to point her to the nearest shogun, explaining that she was a skilled Spirit Walker who could offer her services. Unsure of Kanna’s strange question, Kino explained that the closest person to a shogun in Maple World was Empress Cygnus in Ereve. When Kanna was confused about what Ereve was, Kino jokingly asked whether Kanna wasn’t from Maple World before giving her a book to help get acquainted with her new surroundings.

Regarding Maple World itself, Kanna read that a suspicious aura had been reported near the Mushroom Shrine, exuding a sense of immense power surrounded by darkness and greed. Kanna wondered whether it could have anything to do with Oda Nobunaga. She also read about the Transcendents who maintained balance over the fundamental laws of light, life, and time. Kanna speculated that there might be other Transcendents that were yet to be discovered and wondered whether they could help the Sengoku Warriors return home.

On the next page, she learned about Grandis and its three major races, the Flora, the Nova, and the Anima, as well as its three Transcendents and their statuses. Finally, she read about the Interdimensional Portal that connected Maple World and Grandis, lamenting at the possibility that there truly might not be a gateway that could return them home. Kanna then thanked Kino and resolved to visit the Empress. Believing that Kanna had greater need of it, Kino allowed Kanna to keep the book about Maple World.

Before she could head out, however, Kanna received a letter from Haruaki ordering her to return to Momijigaoka immediately, as they had discovered the location of Princess Sakuno. Kanna immediately rushed back to base, where Haruaki told her that their scouts had sighted the princess imprisoned deep within the eastern wing of Honnou-ji.

Though she fortunately appeared healthy, she was under tight watch by the Oda guards. Kanna immediately declared that they needed to launch a rescue operation, but Haruaki told her that they didn’t have the strength, reminding Kanna that both she and the rest of their military forces needed more time to recover. Though he conceded that they had made several allies in Maple World, Haruaki explained that they couldn’t draw them in so soon and risk fighting Oda with exhausted forces.

Shingen then interjected that he agreed with Haruaki, adding that they couldn’t risk their forces for a single person, even if it was Sakuno herself. However, he claimed that there was still a way and proposed sending a small group of elite warriors to infiltrate the enemy camp. With the other daimyos in agreement, Shingen planned for the group to enter through the western Honnou-ji walls, but Motonari then suggested that they attack from the east, as Oda wouldn’t expect them to strike at the same place that they had during the original Honnou-ji raid. Kanna volunteered to go, explaining that she was nimble and didn’t wear armor. Kenshin agreed and ordered Kanetsugu to accompany Kanna.

With the plan finalized, Kanetsugu moved in first to scout while Kanna followed. After she arrived, she rendezvoused with Kanetsugu, who told her that the security around the eastern wing was lacking, just as Shingen and Motonari had anticipated. He then left Kanna to rescue the princess while he secured their escape route, though he warned her to be cautious, as it was possible that the enemy’s frail security might be a trap.

Kanna covertly infiltrated Sakuno’s prison and rescued the princess, but just as they were about to escape, an Oda guardsman discovered them and began to attack. After defeating him, Kanna led Sakuno through the escape route, where Kanetsugu met them and escorted them back safely to Momijigaoka.

Back at the base, Sakuno met with the leaders of the Sengoku alliance and thanked them for the rescue operation. Having met them for the first time, Sakuno introduced herself as Matsuyama Sakuno, the eldest daughter of Matsuyama Nobukane and the acting head of the clans. The other daimyos noted that Sakuno had a commanding presence in spite of her young age and remained hopeful that she would have the ability to lead the Sengoku alliance.

Haruaki then asked Sakuno whether she had learned anything about Oda while she had been in his custody, as their own intel was severely lacking. Sakuno explained that even though the only person she had spoken to was the guardsman who delivered her meals, she had seen that Oda had been surrounded by many Spirit Walkers and conjurers, although nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. Haruaki then asked Kanna whether she had any questions for Sakuno.

The princess was pleased to see Kanna again and noted that Haku had grown since their last meeting. Kanna began reminiscing about when she and her grandfather had first moved to Matsuyama territory. She recalled how Sakuno had always been desperate to leave the castle, noting that she herself would have traded everything to stay there for even one night, though she had been sent away to train as a Spirit Walker before she ever got the chance. She then pointed out the irony in Oda reuniting them and hoped that something good had come of the journey after all, with their victory over Oda finally allowing them to return to their homeland and resume their normal lives.

Soon after speaking with Sakuno, Haku noted that Kanna’s true skills were returning, adding that it was good because he was getting tired of doing all the work. Kanna amusedly asked Haku what he did besides sleep, to which Haku claimed that he did all sorts of things when he had enough mana, which he pointedly remarked that he was still waiting for. Kanna then realized that she ought to release some of the mana that she had stored up, as the weak magic that she had been using thus far wouldn’t do for the difficult journey ahead.

After releasing a small amount of her mana, Haku demanded to know whether Kanna intended to starve him, as he was nothing more than a house cat without mana. Kanna claimed that she wanted to be careful with how they used mana in Maple World, as there was no way of knowing how it would interact with the new laws of the strange land.

However, she silently noted to herself that she had released as much as she could, acknowledging that it was hardly enough to defeat Oda and resolved to grow more powerful. Deciding that she needed to learn more about Maple World before making her next move, Kanna began to explore Victoria Island and soon made her way to Henesys, where she met Athena Pierce at the Bowman Instructional School.

(A/N: For some reason, Athena Pierce’s characterization in the GMS localization has been completely changed from her usual serious self to acting like a ditzy airhead. It might have been done to inject some humor into the story, but it comes across as just really weird. For example, she writes a note to Grendel to help Kanna, which says: “Dear Grendel, please help figure out how to fight the scary demon guy. XOXO, A-Peezy.”)

Kanna greeted Athena and explained the situation which had led to her being transported to Maple World. Though Athena sympathized, she told Kanna that she had no idea about how to help and instead referred her to Grendel the Really Old, to whom she sent a note outlining her request for him to help Kanna.

Kanna then traveled to the Magic Library in Ellinia, where Grendel greeted her and recognized her from Athena’s note, which indicated that Kanna was facing the threat of a demon. He asked what sort of demon she was facing, citing Balrog, the Black Mage, and Pazuzu as many possibilities of the Demon King whom she was hoping to defeat.

(A/N: Pazuzu comes from ancient Mesopotamian religion, in which he serves as the king of the demons of the wind. Ironically, even though he’s an evil spirit, he’s actually also a protective deity worshipped to ward off other malicious spirits and protect against misfortune and plagues.)

He then gave Kanna a list of books to read through, although she discovered that none of them had the answers she sought. Grendel apologized for not being able to help, though he hoped that she would find her answers when the time was right. Just then, Kanna received a letter from Athena Pierce, which stated that a suspicious man who seemed like he had come from Kanna’s world was speaking with the Black Wings at the Golem Temple. Athena also wrote that he had a feminine appearance and a large sword.

Kanna immediately headed to the Golem Temple and infiltrated Francis’ hideout, where she fought and defeated the Puppeteer. She then asked Francis to tell her everything he knew of the strange man who had arrived earlier. Francis told her that the man had asked to join the Black Wings, though he had explained that he wasn’t the one who made the decision to accept new members, and so he had passed the man’s request on to the leader of the Black Wings. When Kanna asked him what the man’s name was, Francis struggled to pronounce it and butchered it as “Akechyou Mister Heydey”.

Puzzled, Kanna left the hideout and soon realized that Francis had meant to say that the man’s name was Akechi Mitsuhide. She was surprised that Mitsuhide wanted to ally with the Black Wings and realized that Oda’s ambitions had grown to the point that he sought to control both Hinomaru and Maple World. She decided to return to the Bowman Instructional School and reported what she had learned to Athena, warning her that Oda sought to conquer Maple World.

Athena replied that even though she didn’t know much about Kanna’s enemies, anyone who allied with the Black Wings was a threat to Maple World, and so she couldn’t sit by and watch idly. She then pledged her support to Kanna as a citizen of Maple World and promised to spread the news and gather support from the people to come to her aid.

Soon after, Haku told Kanna that their spiritual power was beginning to return, enough that he could maintain his original form. However, without a way to store the spiritual energy, Haku asked Kanna to seek out Kobayakawa Takakage for help. (A/N: The dialogue actually says Mouri Takamoto, but this might be a typo, as Takamoto is actually the Storage Keeper, whereas Takakage is a merchant from whom we need to purchase the item needed for the mount quest.) Kanna obtained a Spirit Shroom from Takakage, which she fed to Haku, allowing him to grow strong enough to let Kanna ride him.

As Kanna continued to grow stronger, she decided to seek out Empress Cygnus in Ereve. After arriving on the island, she spoke with Neinheart, who noted that he had never seen someone with as peculiar clothing as she was wearing, which reminded him of a report he had recently received from Zipangu from an informant that reported that a terrible storm had recently occurred there, with its aftermath bringing forth a new land.

Realizing that Kanna was from that new land, Neinheart asked whether she was a friend or foe. Kanna reassured him that she was an ally and explained the story of how her land had been transported to Maple World, as well as the threat of Oda’s army. Neinheart told her that he believed her, as her story lined up with the reports of the shift in the Black Wings’ operations.

He then allowed Kanna to meet Cygnus, who told Kanna that Oda’s threat meant that the people of Maple World would need to rally together to defeat him. She also explained that she would need the full cooperation of the Sengoku Warriors and asked Kanna to deliver the message. Before Kanna could return to Momijigaoka, Neinheart reported that remnants of Oda’s army had been sighted near El Nath and asked her to meet with Alcaster, who would provide further details.

Kanna arrived in Orbis on her way to El Nath, where she encountered Kanetsugu, who explained that he had been sent by Haruaki to collect information from various places in Maple World. After he asked her about her tally of how many monsters she had killed, Kanna made up that she had killed 5,000 enemies, though Haku quietly scoffed that she had hardly killed 500. Impressed, Kanetsugu wished her well and continued on with his mission.

Kanna then proceeded with her own and traveled to El Nath, where Alcaster informed her that Oda’s forces were preparing for a ritual, and that one of them had the same outfit as hers, only black. Fearing that he was Mori Ranmaru, Kanna proceeded on and soon encountered several Oda Spirit Walkers with a Black Wings henchman. She noted that Ranmaru wasn’t present amongst them, and that they had enchanted several of the monsters nearby. The Black Wings henchman asked the Spirit Walkers who Kanna was, to which they claimed that she was an enemy and moved to attack her.

After Kanna defeated them, she returned to Alcaster and reported that Oda had used spells to provoke the monsters from afar, as he was likely aware that she was tracking him. She also reported that she had encountered a rabbit-like creature and asked what it could be. Alcaster explained that it was a member of the Black Wings, adding that nothing good could come of Oda’s alliance with them.

Haku noted that Oda seemed to be making a spectacle of his schemes, with evil auras and menacing monsters loudly proclaiming his intent. Kanna replied that he had never been known to ally with other before and wondered why he needed such power, even going so far as to incorporate the monsters of Maple World into his plans.

On her way back to report to Momijigaoka, Kanna ran into Kanetsugu and explained what had happened in El Nath. Kanetsugu explained that he had found similar evidence in Aqua Road and noted that Maple World was in grave danger. He offered to bring Kanna’s report to the base along with his, allowing her to continue her investigations while he got to see Kenshin again. (A/N: This man is such a simp but he’s also really wholesome.)

Kanna then continued growing stronger until she was contacted by Haruaki, who explained that the Empress wanted to speak with her. Kanna traveled to Ereve, where Cygnus explained that the Black Mage, who had once threatened Maple World, had returned again. Believing that the Black Mage would soon turn to attack other worlds, including Kanna’s homeland, Cygnus extended an invitation to join the Maple Alliance. Kanna explained that it was the duty of a Spirit Walker to stop the evil spirits that tormented the people and declared that she would stand with Cygnus.

As Kanna continued regaining her strength, Princess Sakuno passed along a message from Neinheart, who had requested for Kanna’s assistance in investigating Oda’s army near Mu Lung. Kanna traveled to Mu Lung and spoke with Tae Sang, who explained that a group of suspicious people had passed through near the Peach Farm, and that they wore similar clothing to Kanna.

Kanna then headed to the Peach Farm and spoke with Tae Soo, who explained that the Peach Monkeys and Reindeer had gone berserk after the suspicious group had passed through. Fearing that they would ruin the harvest, Tae Soon asked Kanna to calm the monsters down. After Kanna defeated the monsters, she returned to Tae Soon, who wondered why the group wanted to disrupt the harvest. He then sent Kanna to Do Gong at the Mu Lung Temple, as he kept watch over everything that happened in Mu Lung.

Do Gong explained that Maple World’s energy flowed strongest in Mu Lung, likening the town as the piece the held together the whole puzzle. Because of the threat to Mu Lung, Do Gong believed that Maple World’s energy was the goal of the perpetrators. Their actions at the Peach Farm had led Do Gong to believe that they would soon be upon the forest, where the energy of Mu Lung flowed the strongest. He told Kanna to defeat the Sage Cats in the forest, who had been warped by Mu Lung’s energy. While fighting the Sage Cats, Kanna found Oda’s Clan Seal teeming with dark energy, which she brought to Do Gong.

Do Gong realized that Oda’s forces had been planning to warp the monsters of Mu Lung and realized that they were likely heading to the Goblin Forest, which was a sinkhole of energy. Inside the forest, Kanna was shocked to find Mori Ranmaru and demanded to know what he was planning. However, Ranmaru countered by asking what he or Oda stood to gain from corrupting the monsters and allying with the Black Wings.

Puzzled, Kanna began stammering that Ranmaru caused chaos, but as she continued wondering what the reason for it was, Ranmaru snapped at her, asking her whether she was blind and whether there had been chaos at Honnou-ji. His words caused her to recall Akechi Mitsuhide’s rebellion, after which Ranmaru told her that Mitsuhide had left with a troop of Oda soldiers on a supposed reconnaissance mission moments before the battle at Honnou-ji had begun, explaining that Mitsuhide had hoped to use the chaos created by the battle for his own ends.

Kanna then realized that Mitsuhide had been behind everything. Ranmaru explained that he had been sent to Mu Lung in order to deal with Mitsuhide, although he had found Kanna instead. Though he wished that he could defeat her, Ranmaru said that he had more important business and warned her not to cross paths with him again. He then disappeared, but before Kanna could chase after him, King Sage Cat appeared and decided to punish her for trespassing into his territory.

After Kanna defeated him and escaped, she was troubled to know that Mitsuhide was yet another threat that they had to face. Soon after she sent a letter to Momijigaoka detailing what she had learned, she received one in response from Princess Sakuno, who thanked Kanna for uncovering the truth and reminded her that they needed to defeat both he and Oda.

(A/N: This section is the prequest for Mori Ranmaru. Technically, you can complete this before the Mu Lung quests, but since Kanna refers to the events of Mu Lung in the prequest, it wouldn’t make sense to have it set before the Mu Lung section.)

Some time later, Princess Sakuno contacted Kanna and explained that Mori Ranmaru had been discovered. Kanna noted that she had seen him in Mu Lung and wondered what he was up to. Sakuno noted that Ranmaru was once Kanna’s classmate and asked whether it was difficult to face a former friend in battle. Kanna explained that she had never liked him from the beginning, which annoyed Haku, who asked why Sakuno could ask such a question when it would be considered impertinent for him to ask.

Sakuno then told Kanna that Ranmaru hadn’t been seen near Honnou-ji in some time, though Sanada Yukimura had reported that he was preparing for a ritual deep in the mines of El Nath. Kanna traveled to the El Nath mines and spoke with Yukimura, who explained that Ranmaru was preparing for an unknown ritual. He wondered whether Ranmaru was planning to open the link to the Demon Realm, though he noted that it would be impossible without Princess Sakuno. Though Kanna dismissed Ranmaru as foolish, Yukimura reminded her that in spite of his youth, Ranmaru had great power and knowledge, as Oda accepting him into his ranks was proof enough. Kanna then confronted Ranmaru and put an end to his ritual.

Soon after, Sakuno contacted Kanna once again and ordered her to return to Momijigaoka immediately, as Shingen had summoned the entire alliance. Back at the base, Shingen addressed the Sengoku Warriors and explained that Oda’s forces had been broken, having lost Akechi Mitsuhide and several lesser generals.

With Niwa Nagahide missing, only two of the four Heavenly Kings remained: Shibata Katsuie and Takigawa Kazumasu. He also explained that he had just received word that Oda had moved his base out of Honnou-ji, and though Shibata was possibly in the area, Shingen expressed his confidence that they could take Honnou-ji for themselves.

The daimyos resolved to take the temple and sent their forces immediately. At the southern gate, the daimyos gathered together, where Shingen told Kanna that because of her accomplishments in Maple World, she was the only one whom he could trust to create a diversion for their forces to charge in. Kanna entered the battlefield and fought the soldiers, allowing the Sengoku Warriors to follow.

She then proceeded deeper and fought the samurai captains in the temple plaza. Shingen then asked her to defeat Kazumasu and claim victory for their forces. Inside the temple, Kanna encountered Kazumasu and urged him surrender, claiming that there was no reason for him to throw his life away for Oda. Reminding her that he was one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Kazumasu rushed to attack.

After a fierce battle, Kanna managed to defeat him. Kanna then demanded to know where Oda was hiding, but Kazumasu laughed that he didn’t know, as Oda would not be so foolish as to reveal his plans to mere footsoldiers. He explained that the only thing he knew was that Honnou-ji was worthless, collapsing soon after. (A/N: I’m not sure whether he’s dead or just unconscious.)

News of the alliance’s victory quickly spread amongst the troops as they all celebrated having retaken Honnou-ji. In Momijigaoka, Haruaki congratulated the alliance, though he noted that there was more work to be done, as Oda was missing and his base’s location remained a mystery. He lamented that the only thing they had learned was that Honnou-ji once had great spiritual power, though it seemed to be gone. He speculated that if Oda had left Honnou-ji to find a new base, he would likely be looking for a location of great power.

(A/N: Here’s Kanna’s exclusive cutscene from Black Heaven. I don’t really know where all of GMS-verse fits within the chronology of the main story, and so I’m just including this in case anyone’s interested.)

Several days after the operation to rescue 10 Boogies, Princess Sakuno addressed the entire Sengoku alliance. Sakuno explained that a few days ago, she had received a letter from Neinheart that Maple World was being confronted by an incredible menace, and that the entire Alliance was moving to combat it. She added that Neinheart had also closed his letter with a request for help from the Sengoku Warriors. She then told the soldiers that even though Maple World wasn’t their home, they had learned to appreciate it, as it had much of the beauty and tranquility of their homeland.

In the name of the Matsuyama clan, Sakuno then ordered the Sengoku Warriors to claim an honorable victory over the Black Wings. Motonari, Shingen, and Kenshin immediately moved to mobilize their troops as Sakuno took Kanna aside and explained that Empress Cygnus had bestowed a special mission upon her.

She told Kanna that Cygnus valued her spirit and powers, and so the Empress wished for Kanna to join her on the front lines. Though Kanna was grateful, she began asking whether her place was Sakuno, though the princess reminded her that it was a great opportunity for her to bring honor to the Sengoku Warriors. Kanna then swore on her family name of Ayanokouji that she would bring victory.

(A/N: There are a couple of errors in this cutscene. First off, when Sakuno swears on her clan’s name, she says that she’s swearing in the name of the Sakuno clan, which doesn’t make sense since Sakuno is her first name. Her surname is also misspelled as Matsukaya instead of Matsuyama. Finally, when Kenshin has her dialogue, she has her old illustration with black hair, rather than her current illustration, which correctly depicts her hair as teal.

Moving on, here’s Kanna’s Aftermath cutscene. In the Labyrinth of Suffering, she hears the voice of Haruaki. The White Mage also gives her the title “Fated Master of Spirits” at the end of Limina. The Sengoku Warriors were also said to have fought at Tenebris alongside the Alliance, the Nova, and the Temple Keepers.)

Several days after the victory at Tenebris, Princess Sakuno addressed the Sengoku Warriors at Momijigaoka. She told the soldiers that when they had first joined forces with the Alliance, their goal had simply been to vanquish Oda Nobunaga, and that they never would have suspected that their battle would have taken them to Maple World, where they would meet new enemies and allies alike. Having fought with the Alliance, she proudly proclaimed that they had vanquished the Black Mage, whom she called the greatest evil of all. She then congratulated the troops for their dedication before presenting Kanna, whom she described as having led the battle with courage and honor.

As the soldiers cheered Kanna, Shingen noted that the time for celebration was upon them. Yukimura also proudly told Kanna that she had been impressive, and that he could learn much from her. Kenshin warmly told Kanna that she had become a blade of justice to cut down her foes, though Kanetsugu stubbornly reminded her that she still wasn’t as great as Kenshin. Haruaki then told Kanna that she had exceeded all expectations, even exceeding his wildest dreams.

Motonari proudly noted that the Sengoku Warriors were now feared and renowned worldwide, which was an excellent position for them. However, Sakuno then reminded the crowd that the path ahead was still difficult, as Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide, and the villains of Grandis were still enemies that they were yet to face. However, she proclaimed that their unbreakable bonds of unity would see them prevail the battles ahead. With that, she declared that they would celebrate their victory in Kanna’s honor.

Later that night, Kanna was standing amidst the cherry blossom trees when Haku pointed out Hayato standing on the castle balcony with Princess Sakuno. He then proposed that they sneak up and eavesdrop on the conversation, though Kanna scolded him for suggesting it, reminding him that eavesdropping was wrong, and that it would be rude to Sakuno. Haku pouted over Kanna worrying about Sakuno, asking when the last time was when she had tended to his needs by feeding him Star Candy. Amused, Kanna fed several pieces of candy to Haku, who was placated.

Just then, Haruaki found Kanna and approvingly noted that she was enjoying the party. He then commended Kanna, explaining that she had saved the world and honored the ways of the Spirit Walker in the process. He then asked how she had found her way when she had entered the heart of chaos, where evil flowed freely. Kanna admitted that it had been difficult, as there had been times at the darkness had been so great that she could no longer see the cycles of the spirit.

However, as she had continued stumbling blindly, a single light had pierced through the darkness, which had embodied the hopes, dreams, and determination of everyone who had been counting on her. As an afterthought, she added that Haku had helped as well, to which Haku wagged his tail and proudly proclaimed that he had indeed. Haruaki warmly smiled and noted that he couldn’t have done a better job himself. However, he added that her journey as a Spirit Walker was far from over, as there were still many evils in the world. With that, he excused himself, explaining that he was needed elsewhere.

Hayato:
In Maple World, Hayato awoke in Zipangu and immediately wondered where Princess Sakuno was. He then saw that the Mist Cutter had been shattered and lamented that Oda had destroyed everything that he had. However, he quickly picked himself back up and began recalling everything that had happened. Realizing that he was in an unfamiliar place, he began exploring the area and soon encountered a man named Yamanaka Yukimori, who introduced himself as a retainer to the Amago clan.

(A/N: He actually says the Amako clan, but this might be a typo since all future mentions have him say Amago. Just like Kanetsugu, Yukimori is a real person and they did a good job with replicating his armor, which features an upward facing crescent moon on his helmet, as he was born under a harvest moon and wore the crescent ornament as a token of good luck.)

Hayato introduced himself by his name, Anegasaki Kenji, causing Yukimori to immediately recognize him as the master of Battoujutsu. (A/N: Battoujutsu is an old term for iaijutsu, a combative quick-draw technique of the katana.) He then began to explain that the strange light had transported them to a new world and led Hayato to their base, Momijigaoka.

(A/N: According to the dialogue, Momijigaoka means autumn’s blood-red leaves, a reference to the maple leaves around them. However, I looked into a bit and found that it actually only translates the first part, ‘momiji’. With the disclaimer that I don’t know a single word of Japanese, my search for what ‘gaoka’ means returned 'the word ‘hill’. Thus, Momijigaoka would actually mean ‘maple leaf hill’.)

Realizing that Hayato had no weapon, Yukimori gave him one before taking his leave. Proceeding into the camp, Hayato encountered Mouri Motonari and introduced himself. Motonari greeted him and explained that he and his sons, who had been the first to arrive, had set up a base of operations and asked to work together to adjust to the new world.

When Hayato asked Motonari what he meant by adjusting, Motonari asked him to move as he normally would. Hayato quickly found that he had a hard time controlling his muscles and wondered whether it was because of his injuries. Motonari explained that the rules of the new world were different from their homeland, as the shift in spiritual energy had weakened even the strongest amongst them.

After training to recover some of his strength, Hayato was deemed fit to carry out missions by Motonari. Nevertheless, Hayato still felt that his strength had diminished greatly and resolved to grow stronger so that he could be of use to the Sengoku Warriors. He hoped to find Oda Nobunaga as soon as possible in order to rescue Princess Sakuno from his torment, as well as to prevent his evil from spreading to the people of the new land.

Just then, Motonari told Hayato that soldiers in dark armor had appeared in the area, and though they likely had not yet discovered the base, Motonari asked Hayato to dispatch them before they stumbled across it by blind luck. Hayato defeated the Oda scouts and collected a familiar four-diamond crest. Though he was fairly certain that the scouts’ erratic movement meant that Momijigaoka was safe, he was troubled by the crest, whose pattern was that of Takeda Shingen, as it meant that his men were in danger.

As Hayato began searching for Shingen, he ran into Sanada Yukimura, who was relieved to see Hayato. Hayato noted that Yukimura was exhausted, to which Yukimura explained that he had awoken dazed and weakened after the bright light. He told Hayato that the Oda scouts had attempted to take him down, though he had managed to fight them off. He also told Hayato that he had been separated from Shingen during the battle with the scouts. As he was too weak, Yukimura asked Hayato to rescue Shingen in his stead. Hayato agreed and prepared to head out. Before he left, he told Yukimura about Momijigaoka and asked him to get to safety.

Hayato proceeded deeper down Maple Hill Road and soon ran into Shingen, who was glad to see him. As Shingen was exhausted from the battle, Hayato cleared a path through the Oda scouts in order to escort him to the base. At Momijigaoka, Yukimura was relieved to see Shingen safe, although Uesugi Kenshin wasted no time in throwing insults at Shingen.

Motonari quickly broke up the quarrel and began explaining the details of the battle in the temple, as well as details about the new world. He then ordered them to put their rivalry aside, as they needed to focus on building their alliance to defeat Oda once and for all. Motonari then told Hayato that Oda’s army had discovered the base, and that their numbers would soon overwhelm them. Hayato agreed to lead the assault and proceeded to fight through the soldiers, discovering a mysterious foxtail along the way.

Believing that it belonged to Tsuchimikado Haruaki’s fox, Hayato brought it back to Motonari, who explained that warriors who had participated in the raids against Oda’s forces had returned with similar tails. Suddenly, Haruaki emerged from the foxtail, much to everyone’s surprise. Haruaki explained that he had arrived before everyone else, being transported at the same time as Oda and his forces. In order to avoid being discovered by Oda’s men, Haruaki had disguised himself as a number of foxtails, though his soldiers had taken a liking to the foxtails and brought them, and thereby him, straight into their camp.

Having been rescued by Hayato, Haruaki began explaining the true purpose of the ritual. He explained that Oda had sought to conjure the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven from the Demon Realm, a world much different from their homeland as Maple World was. He explained that much like how it was possible to contact Maple World, Oda had sought to make contact with the Demon Realm through an ancient ritual.

Upon discovering the Demon Realm, Oda had devised a plan to create a portal to the Demon Realm in order to bring the Demon King of the Sixth Heaven into their world, which was why Haruaki had launched the mission at the Honnou-ji Temple. Though he congratulated them on interrupting the ritual, he explained that no one could have predicted the consequences, which were that the gate to the Demon Realm had been warped, causing them to be transported to Maple World instead.

Kenshin and Shingen both immediately resolved to defeat Oda, though Motonari reminded them that they needed to first regain their strength. Haruaki then took Hayato aside and confided in him that Princess Sakuno was not among them. Hayato was worried that Oda’s men may have captured her, but Haruaki reassured him that Oda needed her alive, as the ritual required the blood of her lineage. He also reminded Hayato that he needed to be ready, as the fates of both Sakuno and Oda rested on his shoulders.

Noting that Oda already had great knowledge of Maple World, Haruaki decided to send Hayato on a mission to make alliances and regain his strength. He instructed Hayato to find a nearby town to the south of the camp, though he warned that the enemy had likely created a pathway to get to it. Hayato then fought his way past the Oda forces and soon arrived at the Mushroom Shrine, where he encountered Kino Konoko.

After exchanging greetings, Hayato asked Kino whether she had noticed anything strange in the area. Kino told him that a group of suspicious people had recently been spotted near the Mushroom Shrine. Hayato decided to investigate and encountered several Mecha Warrior Prototypes. After defeating them, he reported back to Kino and told her that they were likely not an immediate threat to the Mushroom Shrine. Kino then asked whether Hayato could investigate the mechanical ninjas in the area, whom Hayato determined to be hostile, numerous, and appearing to be searching for something. (A/N: During the Asura Crisis storyline, we learn that these robots were made by Niwa Nagahide, one of the Four Heavenly Kings.)

Realizing that the robots were a threat to the Mushroom Shrine, Kino asked Hayato to investigate several robots wielding guns. After defeating them, Hayato warned Kino that the gun-wielding robots were even closer to the Mushroom Shrine than the mechanical ninjas, and so he warned Kino to be cautious. Kino resolved to seek out long-term help and agreed to answer Hayato’s earlier question about strange occurrences in the area. She explained that there was a constant influx of dirt blowing into the area, as well as a storm near the shrine, which she noted was an uncommon occurrence.

Hayato realized that Oda must not have made contact yet and asked Kino to point him to the nearest shogun to whom he could offer his services. (A/N: The dialogue here was duplicated from Kanna’s storyline, and so Hayato erroneously claims that he’s a Spirit Walker.) Unsure of Hayato’s strange question, Kino explained that the closest person to a shogun in Maple World was either Empress Cygnus in Ereve or Athena Pierce in Henesys. (A/N: She doesn’t mention Athena as a shogun in Kanna’s storyline.) When Hayato was confused about how to get to Henesys, Kino jokingly asked whether Hayato wasn’t from Maple World before giving him a book to help get acquainted with his new surroundings.

Regarding Maple World itself, Hayato read that a suspicious aura had been reported near the Mushroom Shrine, exuding a sense of immense power surrounded by darkness and greed. Hayato wondered whether it could have anything to do with Oda Nobunaga. He also read about the Transcendents who maintained balance over the fundamental laws of light, life, and time. Hayato speculated that there might be other Transcendents that were yet to be discovered and wondered whether they could help the Sengoku Warriors return home.

On the next page, he learned about Grandis and its three major races, the Flora, the Nova, and the Anima, as well as its three Transcendents and their statuses. Finally, he read about the Interdimensional Portal that connected Maple World and Grandis, lamenting at the possibility that there truly might not be a gateway that could return them home. Hayato then thanked Kino and resolved to visit Athena Pierce. Believing that Hayato had greater need of it, Kino allowed Hayato to keep the book about Maple World.

Before he could head out, however, Hayato received a letter from Haruaki ordering him to return to Momijigaoka immediately, as they had discovered the location of Princess Sakuno. Hayato immediately rushed back to base, where Haruaki told him that their scouts had sighted the princess imprisoned deep within the eastern wing of Honnou-ji.

Though she fortunately appeared healthy, she was under tight watch by the Oda guards. Hayato immediately declared that they needed to launch a rescue operation, but Haruaki told him that they didn’t have the strength, reminding Hayato that both he and the rest of their military forces needed more time to recover. Though he conceded that they had made several allies in Maple World, Haruaki explained that they couldn’t draw them in so soon and risk fighting Oda with exhausted forces.

Shingen then interjected that he agreed with Haruaki, adding that they couldn’t risk their forces for a single person, even if it was Sakuno herself. However, he claimed that there was still a way and proposed sending a small group of elite warriors to infiltrate the enemy camp. With the other daimyos in agreement, Shingen planned for the group to enter through the western Honnou-ji walls, but Motonari then suggested that they attack from the east, as Oda wouldn’t expect them to strike at the same place that they had during the original Honnou-ji raid. Hayato begged to be sent, claiming that he needed to regain his honor after failing to rescue the princess the first time. Shingen agreed and ordered Yukimura to accompany Hayato.

With the plan finalized, Yukimura moved in first to scout while Hayato followed. After he arrived, he rendezvoused with Yukimura, who told him that the security around the eastern wing was lacking, just as Shingen and Motonari had anticipated. He then left Hayato to rescue the princess while he secured their escape route, though he warned Hayato to be cautious, as it was possible that the enemy’s frail security might be a trap.

Hayato infiltrated Sakuno’s prison and rescued the princess, but just as they were about to escape, an Oda guardsman discovered them and began to attack. After defeating him, Hayato led Sakuno through the escape route, where Yukimura met them and escorted them back safely to Momijigaoka.

Back at the base, Sakuno met with the leaders of the Sengoku alliance and thanked them for the rescue operation. Having met them for the first time, Sakuno introduced herself as Matsuyama Sakuno, the eldest daughter of Matsuyama Nobukane and the acting head of the clans.

The other daimyos noted that Sakuno had a commanding presence in spite of her young age and remained hopeful that she would have the ability to lead the Sengoku alliance. Haruaki then asked Sakuno whether she had learned anything about Oda while she had been in his custody, as their own intel was severely lacking. Sakuno explained that even though the only person she had spoken to was the guardsman who delivered her meals, she had seen that Oda had been surrounded by many Spirit Walkers and conjurers, although nothing had seemed out of the ordinary.

Haruaki then asked Hayato whether he had anything he wanted to add. The princess was pleased to see Hayato again and asked how he was. Hayato replied that the journey had been difficult, but he had borne it for her sake, as he didn’t want their fifteen years of friendship to end in tragedy. He then explained that his family, though small, had served the Matsuyama clan for generations, with his father and brothers working in her government while he himself had left to study the ways of Battoujutsu.

Upon returning, he had found himself stunned by her beauty and purity and confessed that she was the reason that he fought. He added that after Akechi Mitsuhide had destroyed their families, the only hope he had left was that she still lived, and so he had pledged his service to Takeda Shingen in the hopes of finding her again. With her safe return, Hayato expressed confidence that he would defeat Oda and restore her to the throne.

After speaking with Sakuno, Hayato noted that even though the battle was not yet over, he felt a sense of peace as he realized that Maple World was not so different from his homeland and hoped that he would master his old skills once again. Deciding that he needed to learn more about Maple World before making his next move, Hayato decided to meet with Athena Pierce in Henesys.

(A/N: For some reason, Athena Pierce’s characterization has been completely changed from her usual serious self to acting like a ditzy airhead. It might have been done to inject some humor into the story, but it comes across as just really weird. For example, she writes a note to Grendel to help Hayato, which says: “Dear Grendel, please help figure out how to fight the scary demon guy. XOXO, A-Peezy.”)

At the Bowman Instructional School, Hayato greeted Athena and explained the situation which had led to him being transported to Maple World. Though Athena sympathized, she told Hayato that she had no idea about how to help and instead referred him to Grendel the Really Old, to whom she sent a note outlining her request for him to help Hayato.

Hayato then traveled to the Magic Library in Ellinia, where Grendel greeted him and recognized him from Athena’s note, which indicated that Hayato was facing the threat of a demon. He asked what sort of demon Hayato was facing, citing Balrog, the Black Mage, and Pazuzu as many possibilities of the Demon King whom he was hoping to defeat.

(A/N: Pazuzu comes from ancient Mesopotamian religion, in which he serves as the king of the demons of the wind. Ironically, even though he’s an evil spirit, he’s actually also a protective deity worshipped to ward off other malicious spirits and protect against misfortune and plagues.)

He then gave Hayato a list of books to read through, although he discovered that none of them had the answers he sought. Grendel apologized for not being able to help, though he hoped that Hayato would find his answers when the time was right. Just then, Hayato received a letter from Athena Pierce, which said that a suspicious man who seemed like he had come from Hayato’s world was speaking with the Black Wings at the Golem Temple. Athena also wrote that he had a feminine appearance and a large sword.

Hayato immediately recognized the man as Akechi Mitsuhide and rushed to the Golem Temple. He then infiltrated Francis’ hideout, where he fought and defeated the Puppeteer. He then asked Francis to tell him everything he knew of the strange man who had arrived earlier. Francis told him that the man had asked to join the Black Wings, though he had explained that he wasn’t the one who made the decision to accept new members, and so he had passed the man’s request on to the leader of the Black Wings. When Hayato asked him what the man’s name was, Francis struggled to pronounce it and butchered it as “Akechyou Mister Heydey”.

Realizing that Francis had meant to say that the man’s name was Akechi Mitsuhide, Hayato decided to leave. He was surprised that Mitsuhide wanted to ally with the Black Wings and realized that Oda’s ambitions had grown to the point that he sought to control both Hinomaru and Maple World. He decided to return to the Bowman Instructional School and reported what he had learned to Athena, warning her that Oda sought to conquer Maple World.

Athena replied that even though she didn’t know much about Hayato’s enemies, anyone who allied with the Black Wings was a threat to Maple World, and so she couldn’t sit by and watch idly. She then pledged her support to Hayato as a citizen of Maple World and promised to spread the news and gather support from the people to come to her aid.

Soon after, Hayato was passing through Momijigaoka and ran into Shingen, who noted that he was looking much stronger. He explained that he had prepared a gift for him, a great horse, though Hayato would need to get fitted for a harness. Hayato obtained a harness from Kikkawa Motoharu and brought it to Shingen, who presented Hayato with the great horse Onikageh.

As Hayato continued to grow stronger, he decided to seek out Empress Cygnus in Ereve. After arriving on the island, he spoke with Neinheart, who noted that he had never seen someone with as peculiar clothing as Hayato was wearing, which reminded him of a report he had recently received from Zipangu from an informant that reported that a terrible storm had recently occurred there, with its aftermath bringing forth a new land.

Realizing that Hayato was from that new land, Neinheart asked whether he was a friend or foe. Hayato reassured Neinheart that he was an ally and explained the story of how his land had been transported to Maple World, as well as the threat of Oda’s army. Neinheart told Hayato that he believed him, as his story lined up with the reports of the shift in the Black Wings’ operations.

He then allowed Hayato to meet Cygnus, who told him that Oda’s threat meant that the people of Maple World would need to rally together to defeat him. She also explained that she would need the full cooperation of the Sengoku Warriors and asked Hayato to deliver the message. Before Hayato could return to Momijigaoka, Neinheart reported that remnants of Oda’s army had been sighted near El Nath and asked him to meet with Alcaster, who would provide further details.

Hayato arrived in Orbis on his way to El Nath, where he encountered Yukimori, who explained that he was glad to be away from the base, as there were many unpleasant people there. Hayato laughed and asked whether he had found himself rivals in Maple World, though Yukimori clarified that the grudge had come from their homeland. He explained that he had served the Amago clan until the death of his master, and that he had traveled as a ronin ever since.

He then revealed that just as Hayato’s clan had been broken by Oda Nobunaga, his own had been broken by Mouri Motonari, and that seeing Motonari lauded in the base made his blood boil. However, he reassured Hayato that he would continue serving the alliance with all his might until the day that he could return to their homeland and seek out the successor to the Amago clan.

(A/N: In real life, Yukimori served the Amago clan and spent a number of years trying to restore them after the Mori clan toppled them from power. He even asked Oda Nobunaga for help, although Oda merely used him as a tool so that he could claim the Mori lands for himself. Eventually, Yukimori surrendered and his master, Amago Katsuhisa, killed himself. As a reward for his surrender, Kikkawa Motoharu, the second son of Mori Motonari and the guy from whom Hayato just bought a harness for his mount, awarded him a small castle. However, this was a trap, as he ordered his soldiers to assassinate Yukimori on his way to the castle. A pretty depressing ending if you ask me.)

Yukimori then asked Hayato why he had come to Orbis, explaining that he himself was planning to head to Orbis Station in order to board a ship to Ludibrium at Haruaki’s request. Hayato told Yukimori that he was on his way to El Nath in order to meet Alcaster and investigate the sightings of Oda’s forces. Yukimori pointed him to Orbis Tower and explained that he could reach Alcaster by climbing to the bottom of the tower.

Hayato then traveled to El Nath, where Alcaster informed him that Oda’s forces were preparing for a ritual, and that one of them had the same outfit as Hayato’s, only black. Fearing that he was Akechi Mitsuhide, Hayato proceeded on and soon encountered several Oda Spirit Walkers with a Black Wings henchman. He noted that Mitsuhide wasn’t present amongst them, and that they had enchanted several of the monsters nearby. The Black Wings henchman asked the Spirit Walkers who Hayato was, to which they claimed that he was an enemy and moved to attack him.

After Hayato defeated them, he returned to Alcaster and reported that Oda had used spells to provoke the monsters from afar, as he was likely aware that Hayato was tracking him. He also reported that he had encountered a rabbit-like creature and asked what it could be. Alcaster explained that it was a member of the Black Wings, adding that things would be a lot harder if Oda had sided with them.

Hayato noted that Cygnus was right about Oda finding allies in Maple World and wondered whether his forces were weaker than anticipated if he needed the Black Wings’ power. He also recalled that it was unlike the Oda clan to dilute their own power with underhanded deals, with even the use of dark magic to cause chaos in Maple World being completely unlike the rigid, structured warlord that he knew Oda to be.

On his way back to report to Momijigaoka, Hayato ran into Yukimori and explained what had happened in El Nath. Yukimori explained that he had found similar evidence in Ludibrium and noted that Oda’s alliance with the Black Wings did not bode well. He offered to bring Hayato’s report to the base along with his, allowing Hayato to continue his investigations.

Hayato then continued growing stronger until he was contacted by Shingen, who asked him whether he had ever heard of Empress Cygnus. When Hayato explained that she was the ruler of Maple World, Shingen told him that Cygnus had sent an invitation for a meeting. He then asked Hayato to go to Ereve as an envoy of the Sengoku alliance.

Hayato traveled to Ereve, where Cygnus explained that the Black Mage, who had once threatened Maple World, had returned again. Believing that the Black Mage would soon turn to attack other worlds, including Hayato’s homeland, Cygnus extended an invitation to join the Maple Alliance. Hayato agreed with Cygnus’ assessment and asked her to reach out whenever she needed them, promising that the Sengoku Warriors would stand with her.

As Hayato continued regaining his strength, Princess Sakuno passed along a message from Athena Pierce, who had written that Oda’s troops had been sighted in Mu Lung and requested him to speak with Tae Sang.

(A/N: If you’re curious about how out-of-character Athena Pierce sounds in this letter, I’ve transcribed it word-for-word here:

“Hayato! How come you never visit me now? I got word that old Nobu-nobody’s troops are in Mu Lung. That’s no good for the pandas! You need to go see Tae Sung in Mu Lung. He’s grumpy and wrinkly, but he’ll help you. I’ll get my allies to do a little investigating while you’re there. PEACE OUT!”
-Athena Piercina (yep, that’s how she spelled it)

Sakuno wonders what manner of creature Athena is, as she speaks with “the cadence of a sea troll”, and yet she shared valuable information.)

Hayato traveled to Mu Lung and spoke with Tae Sang, who explained that a group of suspicious people had passed through near the Peach Farm, and that they wore similar clothing to Hayato. Hayato then headed to the Peach Farm and spoke with Tae Soo, who explained that the Peach Monkeys and Reindeer had gone berserk after the suspicious group had passed through.

Fearing that they would ruin the harvest, Tae Soon asked Hayato to calm the monsters down. After Hayato defeated the monsters, he returned to Tae Soon, who wondered why the group wanted to disrupt the harvest. He then sent Hayato to Do Gong at the Mu Lung Temple, as he kept watch over everything that happened in Mu Lung.

Do Gong explained that Maple World’s energy flowed strongest in Mu Lung, likening the town as the piece the held together the whole puzzle. Because of the threat to Mu Lung, Do Gong believed that Maple World’s energy was the goal of the perpetrators. Their actions at the Peach Farm led Do Gong to believe that they would soon be upon the forest, where the energy of Mu Lung flowed the strongest. He told Hayato to defeat the Sage Cats in the forest, who had been warped by Mu Lung’s energy. While fighting the Sage Cats, Hayato found Oda’s Clan Seal teeming with dark energy, which he brought to Do Gong.

Do Gong realized that Oda’s forces had been planning to warp the monsters of Mu Lung and realized that they were likely heading to the Goblin Forest, which was a sinkhole of energy. Inside the forest, Hayato was shocked to find Akechi Mitsuhide, who vaguely recognized him. Hayato demanded to know what Mitsuhide was planning by corrupting the monsters of Maple World.

Mitsuhide amusedly claimed that he was hoping to spread chaos. He explained that it was a matter of misdirection, as two forces who met on the field of battle did not pay attention to the snake in the grass. Hayato noted that Oda must be more cowardly than he had first presumed for him to be using such tactics, but Mitsuhide laughed and revealed that he had left Oda’s service long ago, and that he had just been borrowing Oda’s name for his goals.

He then disappeared, but before Hayato could chase after him, King Sage Cat appeared and decided to punish Hayato for trespassing into his territory. After Hayato defeated him and escaped, he was troubled to know that Mitsuhide had orchestrated the invasion and realized that he could be more of a threat than Oda.

Soon after he sent a letter to Momijigaoka, Hayato received one in response from Princess Sakuno, who thanked him for uncovering the truth and reminded him that they needed to defeat both Mitsuhide and Oda.

(A/N: As I’d mentioned in Kanna’s section, you can do the Mori Ranmaru prequest before the Mu Lung quests, but for the sake of consistency, I’m placing them both in the same place in the guide.)

Some time later, Princess Sakuno contacted Hayato and explained that Mori Ranmaru had been discovered. Hayato vaguely recognized the name, and so Sakuno explained that he had been one of Haruaki’s students before serving Oda Nobunaga, having performed the ritual to open a link to the Demon Realm.

Sakuno told Hayato that Ranmaru hadn’t been seen near Honnou-ji in some time, though Sanada Yukimura had reported that he was preparing for a ritual deep in the mines of El Nath. Hayato traveled to the El Nath mines and spoke with Yukimura, who explained that Ranmaru was preparing for an unknown ritual. He wondered whether Mori was planning to open the link to the Demon Realm, though he noted that it would be impossible without Princess Sakuno.

Hayato realized that if Ranmaru was the one who had facilitated the connection to the Demon Realm, it was entirely likely that he was the one who had masterminded the destruction of the Matsuyama clan. Yukimura told Hayato that his theory may be correct, as Akechi Mitsuhide had attacked the Matsuyama clan and kidnapped Princess Sakuno, though Ranmaru had ordered it in the first place.

Hayato then vowed to defeat Ranmaru as soon as Mitsuhide had been dealt with. However, Yukimura cautioned him not to give in to personal vengeance, as he would surely fall to ruin. Hayato then calmed himself down and apologized. Yukimura noted that Hayato wasn’t so far gone and told him to stop Ranmaru out of duty, not vengeance, as the stain on his heart would be lessened. Hayato then confronted Ranmaru and put an end to his ritual.

Soon after, Sakuno contacted Hayato once again and ordered him to return to Momijigaoka immediately, as Shingen had summoned the entire Sengoku alliance. Back at the base, Shingen addressed the Sengoku Warriors and explained that Oda’s forces had been broken, having lost Akechi Mitsuhide and several lesser generals.

With Niwa Nagahide missing, only two of the four Heavenly Kings remained: Shibata Katsuie and Takigawa Kazumasu. He also explained that he had just received word that Oda had moved his base out of Honnou-ji, and though Shibata was possibly in the area, Shingen expressed his confidence that they could take Honnou-ji for themselves.

The daimyos resolved to take the temple and sent their forces immediately. At the southern gate, the daimyos gathered together, where Shingen told Hayato that because of his accomplishments in Maple World, he was the only one that Shingen could trust to create a diversion for their forces to charge in. Hayato entered the battlefield and fought the soldiers, allowing the Sengoku Warriors to follow. He then proceeded deeper and fought the samurai captains in the temple plaza. Shingen then asked him to defeat Kazumasu and claim victory for their forces.

Inside the temple, Hayato encountered Kazumasu and urged him surrender, claiming that there was no reason for him to throw his life away for Oda. Reminding Hayato that he was one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Kazumasu charged to attack. After a fierce battle, Hayato managed to defeat him. Hayato then demanded to know where Oda was hiding, but Kazumasu laughed that he didn’t know, as Oda would not be so foolish as to reveal his plans to mere footsoldiers. He explained that the only thing he knew was that Honnou-ji was worthless before collapsing. (A/N: I’m not sure whether he’s dead or just unconscious.)

News of the alliance’s victory quickly spread amongst the troops as they all celebrated having retaken Honnou-ji. In Momijigaoka, Haruaki congratulated the alliance, though he noted that there was more work to be done, as Oda was missing and his base’s location remained a mystery. He lamented that the only thing they had learned was that Honnou-ji once had great spiritual power, though it seemed to be gone. He speculated that if Oda had left Honnou-ji to find a new base, he would likely be looking for a location of great power.

(A/N: Here’s Hayato’s exclusive cutscene from Black Heaven. I don’t really know where all of GMS-verse fits within the chronology of the main story, and so I’m just including this in case anyone’s interested.)

Several days after the operation to rescue 10 Boogies, Princess Sakuno addressed the entire Sengoku alliance. Sakuno explained that a few days ago, she had received a letter from Neinheart that Maple World was being confronted by an incredible menace, and that the entire Alliance was moving to combat it. She added that Neinheart had also closed his letter with a request for help from the Sengoku Warriors. She then told the soldiers that even though Maple World wasn’t their home, they had learned to appreciate it, as it had much of the beauty and tranquility of their homeland.

In the name of the Matsuyama clan, Sakuno then ordered the Sengoku Warriors to claim an honorable victory over the Black Wings. Motonari, Shingen, and Kenshin immediately moved to mobilize their troops as Sakuno took Hayato aside and explained that Empress Cygnus had bestowed a special mission upon him. She told Hayato that Cygnus valued his courage and skills, and so the Empress wished for Hayato to join her on the front lines.

Though Hayato was grateful, he began asking whether his place was with Sakuno, though the princess reminded him that it was a great opportunity for him to bring honor to the Sengoku Warriors. Hayato then swore by the name of Battoujutsu that he would bring victory. Sakuno approvingly noted that he wouldn’t let her down.

She then admitted that her heart was beating faster ever since the Empress had called upon him and wondered whether it was jealousy. An embarrassed Hayato began spluttering as Sakuno laughed at his expression, telling him that Shingen had suggested that it would help relieve his tension. She then told Hayato to travel safety, reminding him that he was her sword.

(A/N: There’s a couple of errors in this cutscene, just like in Kanna’s version. First off, when Sakuno swears on her clan’s name, she says that she’s swearing in the name of the Sakuno clan, which doesn’t make sense since Sakuno is her first name. Her surname is also misspelled as Matsukaya instead of Matsuyama. Finally, when Kenshin has her dialogue, she has her old illustration with black hair, rather than her current illustration, which correctly depicts her hair as teal. The last scene with Sakuno pranking Hayato is entirely exclusive to his story, as Kanna’s ends before that.

Moving on, here’s Hayato’s Aftermath cutscene. In the Labyrinth of Suffering, he hears the voice of Sakuno. The White Mage also gives him the title “Honorable Warrior” at the end of Limina. The Sengoku Warriors were also said to have fought at Tenebris alongside the Alliance, the Nova, and the Temple Keepers.)

Several days after the victory at Tenebris, Princess Sakuno addressed the Sengoku Warriors at Momijigaoka. She told the soldiers that when they had first joined forces with the Alliance, their goal had simply been to vanquish Oda Nobunaga, and that they never would have suspected that their battle would have taken them to Maple World, where they would meet new enemies and allies alike.

Having fought with the Alliance, she proudly proclaimed that they had vanquished the Black Mage, whom she called the greatest evil of all. She then congratulated the troops for their dedication before presenting Hayato, whom she described as having led the battle with courage and honor. As the soldiers cheered Hayato, Shingen noted that the time for celebration was upon them. Yukimura also proudly told Hayato that he had been impressive, adding that he had also taught him much. (A/N: English is a dumb language so just to clarify, Yukimura is saying that Hayato had taught him much.)

Kenshin warmly told Hayato that he had become a blade of justice to cut down his foes, though Kanetsugu stubbornly reminded him that he still wasn’t as great as Kenshin. Haruaki then told Hayato that he had exceeded all expectations, even exceeding Haruaki’s wildest dreams. Motonari proudly noted that the Sengoku Warriors were now feared and renowned worldwide, which was an excellent position for them.

However, Sakuno then reminded the crowd that the path ahead was still difficult, as Oda Nobunaga, Akechi Mitsuhide, and the villains of Grandis were still enemies that they were yet to face. However, she proclaimed that their unbreakable bonds of unity would see them prevail the battles ahead. With that, she declared that they would celebrate their victory in Hayato’s honor.

Later that night, Hayato found Sakuno in her chambers. Sakuno once again thanked Hayato for the crucial role he had played in their victory. Hayato dismissed her words, claiming that he had only done his duty, though he apologized for not being able to stay by her side during the battle. However, Sakuno waved away his apology, noting that he had far more important things to be worrying about at the time.

She then recalled how they had known each other for a long time, and how, even when they had been young, he would throw himself into danger without a second thought if he believed that it was right. She then proudly noted that in their adulthood, he had become the savior of Maple World and the hero of the Sengoku Warriors. She explained that by defeating the Black Mage, he hadn’t merely protected her, but the entire world.

She then told Hayato that he had always been her noble sword, and that she knew that he would continue to be so. Moved by her words, Hayato proclaimed that she was his light, and that the memory of her voice was what had saved him when he had been swallowed by the darkness. He then declared that his sword would always serve her. Sakuno graciously thanked Hayato and told him that if he was prepared, she had a new quest for him. She then asked Hayato to gaze up at the moon and tell each other stories of home. Though Hayato was flustered by her request, he nevertheless obeyed.

(A/N: I mentioned earlier in Kanna’s section that I’d cover the contents of the Ninja Spy Book here. The book itself was written by three of Oda’s ninjas: Taro, Ringo, and Saburo. Taro is in love with Kanna, even though he’s on the opposite side; Ringo believes herself to be the cutest ninja in Oda’s army; Saburo is very reserved and talks in as few words as possible. These three have been spying for quite some time, meaning that some of these events are from when everyone was still fighting Oda in Hinomaru.

Here’s a summary of all the records they’ve gathered:

Kanna’s Big Night: Taro basically follows Kanna and simps over her while spying. Kanna is preoccupied and Haku teasingly asks whether she’s worried about Hayato. Kanna tells Haku that she’s not gonna feed him any more Star Candies at this rate. Taro wishes that Kanna would feed him Star Candies.

Saburo’s Sweet Tooth: Saburo observes the day that Kanna and Haku became partners. Haruaki is impressed with Kanna’s improvement, while Mori Ranmaru gloats that he’s better. As a congratulatory present for her improvement, Haruaki gives her a fox. Ranmaru is jealous until Haruaki amusedly asks if he thinks that he needs a fox to match Kanna’s skill. Haku introduces himself as Youkohakugen, the Phantom Haku. To his annoyance, Kanna decides to call him Haku for short. Saburo notes that Ranmaru’s expression reminds him of Oda’s.

Kanna is Pretty! Hayato Sucks!: Taro discovers that Sakuno’s two biggest allies are Hayato, whom he hates, and Kanna, whom he refers to as his darling Kanna. He also draws an unflattering photo of Hayato and a nice photo of Kanna.

Operation Hot Talk: Taro spies on Hayato and Honda Tadakatsu making weird grunting noises and assumes that it’s a secret code. In the original storyline, Tadakatsu and several others defect from Oda’s side and join the Sengoku Warriors. However, this plot thread was removed from the game, and so they’re only mentioned in the journal.

Deadeye: Saburo spies on one of Sakuno’s vassals, a sharpshooter. He witnesses an argument between Hayato and Kanna, with Hayato getting mad at her for commenting that she doesn’t like the princess’ dress. Kanna snaps that Sakuno could wear a potato sack dress and he’d call it pretty. Just then, an unknown woman (she has a weird black silhouette for her illustration, but she’s meant to be Ayame) breaks up the fight.

Haku then says that the two would get along if Kanna accepted how she really felt about him. Ayame says that she’ll plant a spear in the ground and shoot it from fifty paces away, and if she hits it, they both have to make up and go shopping with her. Haku says that’s too close, and so she changes it to be 200 paces away. Everyone is shocked when she makes the shot and drags them away. Saburo notes that it was an amazing shot, and that Oda doesn’t have a sharpshooter like that.

Kenshin and Shingen: Ringo discovers that Kenshin and Shingen are joining together in an alliance. After a toast, Shingen proposes that they visit the hot springs together. Kenshin is shocked at his audacity, but Shingen asks what the problem is, claiming that a dip in the hot springs will cement the alliance between the two most powerful men in Hinomaru. Kenshin is furious at Shingen mistaking her for a man and vows to destroy him, thus sparking their rivalry. Ringo is pleased, since the end of their alliance is good for Oda. This interaction is likely a reference to the fact that the real Kenshin was a man.

The Flood: Taro discovers that Kenshin and Shingen are meeting to talk about their alliance. He then notices Kanetsugu and Yukimura, the right-hand men of Kenshin and Shingen, respectively. They start politely talking and soon getting into a polite argument about each of their leaders being better than the other. It’s hilarious the way that they’re respectfully savage and at the same time, they just make up stories like Shingen defeating Oda’s army by roaring and Kenshin setting Oda’s camp on fire with a single glare.

Yukimura claims that they managed to flood Oda’s army by using Shingen’s spit. Kanetsugu begins to make up a better story with Kenshin’s spit when she appears and smacks him for telling unseemly stories about her. Shingen laughs and challenges Kenshin to a spitting competition. Kenshin is mortified but refuses to back down. Taro is dumb and believes the stories, returning back to Oda in order to warn him immediately.

Kanna, Help!!!: Ringo is spying on Motonari when she discovers Kanna, who was just teleported to Maple World by the flash of light. Haku is panicking because Kanna got knocked out by the light. He then notices that her clothes are in a terrible state. Kanetsugu appears while patrolling and notices her. Haku then finds a sack of clothes and puts them on Kanna before Kanetsugu arrives. It’s revealed that Ringo was the one who had covertly placed the sack of clothes there, as she felt that it was inhumane to leave Kanna half-naked, even if she was the enemy. However, she’s upset because she needed those clothes as a disguise to sneak into Momijigaoka.

World Leaders: Saburo discovers that the Black Mage is Maple World’s tyrant and sneaks into a meeting between his Commanders. Orchid is annoyed by Arkarium’s summons and wants to know why she was called all the way there. Arkarium tells her that out of the new people who recently appeared in Zipangu, Oda Nobunaga has a formidable aura, and he wants to know if Oda will be a friend or foe to the Black Mage. Orchid tells Arkarium to investigate it himself and asks why he even called her.

Arkarium attempts to intimidate her by explaining that he knows that she has recently hired a new underling, and that she has no secrets that he doesn’t know. Orchid is supremely unconcerned and tells him that she’s charging him the next time that he wastes her time. Arkarium silently resolves to figure out what Orchid is really up to. Saburo notes that the Commanders possess enough power to match Oda.

This story is interesting because even though the Sengoku Warriors are non-canon, it implies that Orchid actively participated in the Commanders’ plans while commanding the Black Wings. It also implies that Arkarium had no idea what Orchid’s real goals are, even though it seems pretty obvious to everyone who did the most minimum investigation that she was planning to bring Lotus back.

The Three Arrows: Taro is excited because he caught Motonari’s sons – Kikkawa Motoharu, Mouri Takamoto, and Kobayakawa Takakage –in the middle of an argument about whose plan is better. An angry Motonari breaks up the fight and asks who he can trust to lead the clan after his death if they can’t work together.

As the three argue again about who’s best suited to lead the clan, Motonari presents an arrow to each of them and orders them to break it. They easily break their arrows, after which Motonari gives each of them three arrows and asks them to break the arrows all at once. When Takamoto and Takakage can’t break them, he goes into a lecture about how the three arrows don’t break when united, but suddenly, Motoharu breaks the three arrows through brute strength, much to Motonari’s annoyance. Taro gets the message and excitedly tries to do the lesson himself, but finds that he's too weak to break even a single arrow.

The Silent Crusade: Saburo notes that the Silent Crusade is aware of the Sengoku Warriors’ arrival in Maple World. He spies on a meeting between Wence, Crow, and Starling discussing the arrival of the samurai. Wence tells them that the boss wants them to investigate Oda and eliminate him if he seems to be a threat. Crow asks whether the boss wanted both him and Starling to go, adding that the rookie should be fine to go alone.

Starling notes that Crow seems to have a lot of interest in the rookie, but Crow snaps that he's only trying to keep his eyes open in case the rookie gets in his way. He then claims that it’s Starling who’s interested in the rookie, which she flatly denies. Crow then asks Wence why he has to work with Starling, to which Wence says that he’s just the messenger, though he tells them to consider it a team building exercise. Crow says that’s fine, as long as unit #5 stays out of the way, which Starling concurs with. They then head out, both of them claiming that they work better alone. Saburo is left to wonder who the rookie could be, although we know that the rookie is the protagonist of the Silent Crusade storyline.

Kanna’s Biggest Fan: Saburo is interested in knowing why Kanna uses a fan. He spies on Haku asking Kanna why she uses a fan, as it’s fairly rare for Spirit Walkers to use them. Kanna explains that her fan had belonged to her late father, which make both Haku and Saburo feel bad.

Orchid and Mitsuhide: Ringo is excited to have discovered the traitor, Akechi Mitsuhide. She then spies on a meeting between Mitsuhide and Orchid, who decides to meet Mitsuhide after Francis tells her about him. Mitsuhide is surprised to see that Orchid is a little girl. Orchid gets annoyed and attacks Mitsuhide, who barely manages to deflect it.

Orchid is impressed and decides to forgive him because he’s good-looking like her. However, she warns him to henceforth refer to her as Ms. Orchid. She then tells him that Francis will explain everything he needs to know and orders him to keep quiet until then. Mitsuhide is impressed at Orchid’s strength and believes that even Oda couldn’t beat her in a fair fight. He resolves to put her strength to good use.

Akatsuki Weapon: Ringo has discovered Momijigaoka near Oda’s base and heads in to investigate. Motonari is worried that Shingen and Kenshin are missing and summons Takakage. He tells his son that finding them is their highest priority and laments that short of soldiers falling from the sky, they’re on their own.

Takakage notes that they’ll need powerful weapons and says that a renowned blacksmith works for him. He resolves to have the blacksmith make new weapons for the soldiers and Motonari decides to name the great weapon that the blacksmith will create as Akatsuki to signify a new dawn. Ringo is scared of how powerful that weapon will be.

Tears of a Princess: Ringo spies on a conversation between Hayato and Princess Sakuno. Hayato asks Sakuno not to go to Takamatsu castle with “him”, although we don’t know who he’s referring to. He offers to escort her, but Sakuno tells him that he has his own duties to take care of. Hayato realizes that he stepped out of bounds and tells her to have a safe trip. As he turns to leave, Ringo notes that Sakuno has started crying. I wonder whether “he” is supposed to be Mitsuhide, with this serving as the prequel of him kidnapping the princess.)