Searching

These last few weeks I have been staying in an abandoned castle. It is secluded, dark and sunlight only enters through some part of the castle. It is a pretty good hideout.

It is near Kyoto as wars are happening around here and it will be easy to gain any information.

I am also constantly searching for any information on the stone. Since the situation in Japan is complicated with demons and slayers running around it is a bit difficult to search.

After some searching, I finally found some results. I learned that there are clues to the stone in the Shimazu clan. It was a family of samurai that are currently at war with the Minamoto clan.

From the information, the stone is suspected to be held by the general of the Shimazu clan. Right now, he is in the middle of the battlefield.

The Shimazu clan is in dire straits as their opponent is gaining the upper hand. They are recruiting many soldiers, rōnins, anyone who will fight.

I plan on recruiting into their ranks. As the general right is now in the middle of a war I can't directly attack him. So, the best option is a sneak attack.

I soon reached the place where they are recruiting people. The heavy noon hung above everyone as the place smelled of sweat, weapons, blood.

Some had excited faces as they came here hoping to gain honour and riches from the war. Some who knew the reality of war had a numb and calm face.

'Ah, how good is it to be in the Sun' I am now in the body of another person. Using the trick that Santana used I entered the body of another person and am controlling him now.

I need great control to make my body a liquid-like substance to enter others. And it takes some time to get full control.

Since I could not find any solution to the sun, I thought why not copy the already available viable solution. (AN- please suggest some viable and working methods to counter the sun)

'I don't know if it is because Santana has a special property or something but this, is pretty difficult'

The person whose body I inhabited is called Haruki Kitagawa. He came from a small village and practised sword from a young age. His parents had spent all their savings to send him to participate in war and gain glory.

I entered the requirement centre. It was very crowded as the salary was pretty good. I was asked to fill out my name, details and stuff. I was soon led into an area where many people were swinging swords.

The participants were required to show their sword forms. They selected the candidates from this small test.

I passed the test easily was enrolled on the army. After providing everyone with sufficient lunch we departed. Everyone was given standard armour. They had to use their own katana.

After travelling for some time we reached the camp of Shimazu. They had their personal army of 1000 men armed with quality armour and katana.

We met with my target, general Ezume Shimazu. He was kind of a local legend in the Shimazu clan. Many people joined this war because of their admiration for Ezume.

He was apparently a servant in the Shimazu clan. He had gained his status in the Ōnin war that happened a few years back.

He cleverly laid the plans and informed everyone of their roles. His instructions were on point as even I, who didn't know anything about war understood easily.

The plan was pretty simple. The newly recruited people will move around the forest into the camp of the Minamato and stage an attack.

While the Minamato clan was distracted with us, the trained warriors of the Shimazu clan will quickly and orderly attack them.

I decided to play along and wait for the right opportunity to strike. Well, I can finish him off pretty easily when he will be in his tent but I kinda want to how war will feel like. It is pretty childish.

We rested for a while and the journey began again. But this time it was only the new recruits. There was no order among us. Many arrogant idiots were showing off their sword techniques to the newbies.

We soon reached our destination and waited for the time to attack as informed by Ezume. The sun was beginning to set and the time arrived.

We first sent a guy who is good at stealth to revert the attention of guards. The guards were lured out easily as we quickly finished them.

Some soft-hearted people puked when they saw someone die. In the era where war is everywhere death was a but common occurrence.

We immediately started burning their hut to attract attention and make all the people panic.

It was what happened, all the ran out of the outpost to escape from the fire. They soon diverted their attention to us and the battle become a frontal confrontation.

The sound of arrows, swords, spears were ringing everywhere. Blood, flesh splattered everywhere. Only the fire that we lit served as a light in the darkness.

Soon, the sound of footsteps echoed all around the forest. Ezume arrived with his army of 1000.

The army of the Minamato clan fell into a state of confusion. It was pretty interesting for me to fight through the body of an ordinary human.

I also felt a little weird as I have never killed people over a conflict or problem. I have killed them for my sustenance and sometimes when used for experiments. I have never had any sort of problem with them.

It was then that I noticed something abnormal. The flesh of the dead bodies looked like they disappearing. No one noticed anything abnormal.

Even I didn't notice anything. In the thick stench of blood, fire, flesh, sweat I failed to notice the abnormality. Soon, I concentrated as I felt many unfamiliar presences.

The same kind of presence I felt in the village a few days back but varying in intensities.

Demons.

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The stage is set in the land of demons, Japan