The Wheel Unmasked

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The Wheel Unmasked was a virtual representation of one of Fujibayashi Naoe and Yasuke's genetic memories, relived through the Animus EGO.

Description

Naoe and Yasuke rendezvous at the Shiotsu Shrine in Shiotsu after dismantling the Shinbakufu's activities in Ōmi.

Dialogue

NaoeYasuke

Naoe arrived at the shrine and found one of her kunai embedded on the stone fence.

• Naoe: My kunai? That's cute, Yasuke. I will wait for him.

Naoe waited for a while and was joined by Yasuke.

• Yasuke: We still do not have a name for whoever is behind the mask.
• Naoe: No, but they are gathering at an inn, right here in Shiotsu. I'll look for it.
• Yasuke: And I will search the harbor for their ship, a luxury barge.

Yasuke arrived at the shrine and found one of Naoe's kunai embedded on the stone fence.

• Yasuke: Naoe's kunai. She must be here. I will wait for her.

Yasuke waited for a while and was joined by Naoe.

• Yasuke: We still do not have a name for whoever is behind the mask.
• Naoe: No, but they are gathering at an inn, right here in Shiotsu. I'll look for it.
• Yasuke: And I will search the harbor for their ship, a luxury barge.

NaoeYasuke

• Naoe: All right, I'm off.
• Yasuke: I will meet you later.

Yasuke went off to investigate another area.

• Naoe: Got to find the inn where these corrupt tax collectors are staying. Should be right here in Shiotsu...

Naoe left the temple and headed into town. She found Tazu nearby.

• Tazu: Hey, big sister!

Naoe approached her.

• Naoe: Oh, it's you. The child from Hachiman. Still hungry?
• Tazu: Yes, miss. But Tazu knows things. The bad men are at the good inn! The one with lanterns and the climbing tree!
• Naoe: Thanks! But how do you know—
• Tazu: Over the bridge, across the canal. Bye!

Naoe arrived at the Riverside Hatago and eavesdropped on the people there.

• Noble 1: This gathering distresses me.
• Noble 2: What is your concern, my friend?
• Noble 1: The Wheel played us for fools! We have gathered here loyally, yet she moved the meeting.
• Noble 2: It could be worse. Our friend in the other room rented this entire inn to impress her.
• Noble 1: Good point. (sighs) A samurai who feels he was robbed is a dangerous samurai indeed.
• Naoe: The samurai those men mentioned. He might know more about the Wheel.

Naoe sneaked into the inn and heard sounds coming from the room the samurai was in.

• Samurai Spearman: What's wrong with this inn? I spent so much. Nobody can drink in Hogonji. I'll never make it to Chikubushima on time.

Naoe entered the room and assassinated the samurai, finding a letter on his body.

• Naoe: The Shinbakufu of northern Ōmi are gathering for a ceremony. And their leader, the Wheel, is a woman. Interesting—very interesting. I need to find Yasuke.

On her way back, Naoe found a fisherman at a river.

• Fisher: Fresh fish! From the waters of Chikubushima.

Naoe approached him.

• Fisher: Evening, miss! Lovely night for a stroll.
• Naoe: Indeed. Catch your dinner yet?
• Fisher: No. At this hour, the fish gather closer to the island.
• Naoe: Chikubushima?
• Fisher: That's the one. And I'll tell you a secret. There's a smuggler's cave on the southern end of the island. Sit in there, and the fish can't see you.
• Naoe: I'll keep it in mind the next time I fish for my dinner.

Naoe departed.

• Fisher: Fishing, I love fishing. Standing on a pier. Salmon, carp, and bass—swim over here!

Naoe returned to their original rendezvous point at the temple. Yasuke joined her shortly after.

• Yasuke: I am headed for the harbor.
• Naoe: Good. We'll meet up later.

Naoe went off to investigate another area while Yasuke made his way towards the harbor. He overheard some ashigaru talking.

• Ashigaru Spearman 1: What happened to the big load of sake I saw on the docks earlier today?
• Ashigaru Spearman 2: It was loaded onto the luxury barge.
• Ashigaru Spearman 1: Let's go "inspect the cargo" and seize some of that fine sake.
• Ashigaru Spearman 2: That ship has sailed. Literally. It's already left the harbor.
• Ashigaru Spearman 1: Truly, all existence is suffering.

Yasuke moved further into the harbor and heard some men talking near the coast.

• Man 1: Luxury barges, pleasure yachts, cargo rafts—I hate them all.
• Man 2: I loaded a dozen pots of sake onto that boat. Now I reek like an innkeeper.
• Man 1: Me too. Why does one barge need so much sake?
• Man 2: Because it is a luxury barge. It is not for the likes of us.
• Man 1: Speaking of sake, let us go find solace in its warm embrace.

Yasuke spoke to one of the men.

• Yasuke: Pardon me. Where is the barge you loaded?
• Man 1: Out on the lake, sir. Don't know where, exactly.
• Yasuke: Who would know where it is?
• Man 1: The samurai in charge of the harbor. He knows everything about the movement of boats.
• Yasuke: Thank you, friend.

Yasuke went and infiltrated the offices nearby, where he found a shipping manifest.

Boat Manifest

Esteemed Captain,

Here is a list of goods to place on your barge for our next client:

* Four casks of the highest quality sake

* A Noh stage - construct midships, actors will be provided

* Foodstuffs - sekihan, onigiri, shiitake, kai awabi, and yohi mochi

* Blankets - to fend off chill lake air; tiger-skin furs preferred

The name of our client and your ultimate destination will only be revealed when the party boards your vessel.

Perhaps you can hire that famous Wakasa cook to prepare the delicacies.

- The Harbormaster of Shiotsu

Yasuke then approached the harbor official and overheard him speaking with an ashigaru.

• Harbor Official: (groans) Last-minute itinerary changes are contrary to written regulations and popular custom.
• Ashigaru Spearman 3: It is a heavily guarded barge, sir. Best to let it go where it wishes.
• Harbor Official: Fetch my writing instruments! The other Shinbakufu must be informed of this gross breach of etiquette!

Yasuke approached to deal with the guards.

• Ashigaru Spearman 3: (screams)

Yasuke then talked with the cowering official.

• Harbor Official: (breathes) What do you want?
• Yasuke: Tell me. Where is that luxury barge?
• Harbor Official: It's gone to an event. On Chikubushima.

With this information, Yasuke left to meet Naoe back at the shrine.

• Yasuke: From what I have learned, the Shinbakufu are gathering on Chikubushima.
• Naoe: Yes, tonight at Hogongji Temple. By command of their leader.
• Yasuke: That may be the last command the Wheel ever gives.
• Naoe: One of us should go straight for the temple.
• Yasuke: Are we ready?
• Naoe: Time to go.
• Yasuke: Good.

NaoeYasuke

• Naoe: Nobody gets out alive.
• Yasuke: Hit them hard. I will circle the shore.

Naoe and Yasuke made their way to Chikubushima, Naoe approached a cave.

• Naoe: The cave the fisherman mentioned!

Naoe used the underwater caverns to get into the island. After climbing up some scaffolding, Naoe reached the complex, and eavesdropped on a samurai and an ashigaru nearby.

• Samurai: I fought at Tenmokuzan against the legendary Takeda Shingen. I should be treated with dignity and respect.
• Ashigaru Swordsman: The fire is warm and the rice is fresh. What more do you want?
• Samurai: To be stationed at Hogonji Temple with others of my rank. Not camping in the woods like a thieving rōnin!
• Ashigaru Swordsman: I shall have your palanquin summoned at once, Lord Ronin.

Naoe reached further into the temple, and eavesdropped on two men by the fences.

• Man 1: We will hold our meetings wherever we like. Nobody can stop us.
• Man 2: But inside Hogonji Temple?
• Man 1: Perhaps you are right. It is sacrilege to discuss our stolen gold in the presence of the goddess.
• Man 2: Not so loud, or they'll steal our gold, too.

As she reached the temple, she heard a tax collector pledging to the Wheel.

• Tax Collector: We honor and obey the Wheel.

• Yasuke: Time to confront the Wheel.
• Naoe: I'll sweep the shoreline.

Naoe and Yasuke made their way to Chikubushima, Yasuke arrived at the pier of the island and headed up to the temple.

• Yasuke: (grunts) More stairs. I had better hurry and get up there before sunrise.

Yasuke reached further into the temple, and eavesdropped on two men by the fences.

• Man 1: We will hold our meetings wherever we like. Nobody can stop us.
• Man 2: But inside Hogonji Temple?
• Man 1: Perhaps you are right. It is sacrilege to discuss our stolen gold in the presence of the goddess.
• Man 2: Not so loud, or they'll steal our gold, too.

Naoe and Yasuke soon reached the closed gate into the temple building. They took a peak inside, finding a masked woman talking to her followers.

• Seated Figure: No longer seize wealth from the poor of Ōmi. We have taken enough.
• Nobles: Hai!

The woman signaled for them to leave, and took off her mask, revealing herself as Lady Oichi.

• Naoe: I knew it.

Yasuke placed his hand on Naoe's shoulders, urging her not to be reckless. He opened up the door and stopped Naoe from confronting right away.

• Lady Oichi: Were you surprised, Yasuke? Come, sit.
• Yasuke: You. But why?
• Kuma: Sir. Please, respect the personage of Lady Oichi and be seated.

Yasuke decided to listen for now and sat down before Oichi. Naoe similarly followed as well, while Kuma sat down while guarding the noble lady.

• Yasuke: Lady Oichi. Explain yourself.
• Lady Oichi: I wanted only to help the people of Ōmi.
• Naoe: By stealing from them?
• Lady Oichi: A poor harvest. The people were starving, I borrowed from a moneylender, the daikan of Ōmi...
• Kuma: The people ate, but Lady Oichi's debts grew and grew.
• Lady Oichi: One day, the moneylender invited me to a group. He said we could help the province.
• Yasuke: That was not wise.
• Lady Oichi: By the time I discovered my mistake, it was too late.
• Naoe: These are lies. Obvious lies.
• Lady Oichi: Why should I lie? Why should I live? Nagamasa is dead, Nobunaga is dead, everyone is dead.

Naoe stood up in anger.

• Kuma: Please, sir. She did not know the evil this group would do.

Oichi and Kuma kneeled down to apologize for their actions.

• Naoe: Don't I get a say?
• Yasuke: You do. But, Naoe. She was kind to me at Azuchi. Her brother made me a samurai. I owe her.
• Naoe: Blood must be paid in blood, Yasuke. Lady Oichi must die.
• Yasuke: We cannot build a world without mercy or we are no better than those we overthrow.

Yasuke stood up. Still angered by Oichi's actions, Naoe ultimately threw a shuriken and hit a pillar. She then left the temple, having enough of the conversation. As the day came, Yasuke spoke to Oichi as she stood before a kami statue.

• Yasuke: Lady Oichi. Why not tell me? I could have freed you from their grasp.
• Lady Oichi: But you have, Don't you see?
• Yasuke: Fine... Fine. Tell me. What more do you know about this group?
• Lady Oichi: I know little. But I can tell you that Lord Mitsuhide knows all. Seek him.
• Yasuke: We shall. What will you do now?

Oichi looked at Nobunaga's wakizashi on the altar and picked it up, handing it to Yasuke.

• Lady Oichi: First, I will give you my brother's swords. Take them. Wield them well.

Yasuke accepted them with a bow.

• Lady Oichi: Second, I shall meditate upon my misdeeds and possible remedies. Farewell, Yasuke.

As Oichi returned to the altar, Yasuke bowed as farewell and left the temple, meeting with Naoe at the stone fence.

• Naoe: Are we doing any good at all? How can we build a land of peace on the backs of a thousand dead?
• Yasuke: Naoe. We are doing good...
• Naoe: Lady Oichi likes you. And you like her. I can tell. It will never work. She's a daimyō's daughter, and you're just a samurai.
• Yasuke: How do you know I was not a prince among my people?
• Naoe: Were you?
• Yasuke: Someday I will tell that story. But today is not that day.

Outcome

Naoe and Yasuke confronted the Wheel at Hogonji Temple, only to discover it was Lady Oichi. After a heated argument, the two ultimately decided to spare her life. After giving Nobunaga's wakizashi to Yasuke, Oichi told him to look for Akechi Mitsuhide for answers regarding the Shinbakufu.