Watanabe Moritsuna

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Watanabe Moritsuna (1542 – 1620) was a Japanese samurai of the Watanabe clan who served under Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Biography

In 1561, Moritsuna was in a village near Okazaki Castle in Mikawa, where he was ordered to find a highly skilled shinobi for his daimyō Matsudaira Motoyasu, who would later be known as Tokugawa Ieyasu. While fighting a drunk, he noticed that Hattori Hanzō was watching him and called him out. When Hanzō tried to deny his presence, Moritsuna asserted that he liked a good chase. Chasing Hanzō across the rooftops, Moritsuna challenged the shinobi to a fight. While taunting him for his perceived lack of skill, he was soon caught off-guard by Hanzō's quick thinking.

With Hanzō having passed his test, Moritsuna introduced himself, after which Hanzō apologized for his earlier remarks. Moritsuna also apologized for his test and stated that he needed Hanzō for a task. Going to meet Motoyasu, Moritsuna told Hanzō that this mission was dangerous and it may affect not only his standing, but his family's as well. After entering Motoyasu's residence, Moritsuna and Hanzō met with the daimyō, who confided in both of them about their secret mission.

Motoyasu informed them that his wife Sena and his children Matsudaira Nobuyasu and Kamehime were detained at the Imagawa Mansion under Imagawa Ujizane's watch, and tasked Moritsuna and Hanzō to rescue them discreetly. When Hanzō divulged his real mission, Motoyasu revealed that Ujizane had recently received a Jesuit priest who carried a red cross around his neck, similar to the one described by Hanzō. With the revelation of the Templars' involvement, Hanzō accepted the mission from Motoyasu.

While getting ready for their mission, Moritsuna noticed Hanzō's Hidden Blade and asked him about it, to which Hanzō divulged his alliance with the Assassins and his adoration of Tsuyu, who had given him the blade in Iga. At that moment, Hanzō accidentally activated the blade, nearly killing himself. After brushing the incident aside, Hanzō and Moritsuna turned their attention back to the mission and began to plan their rescue of Motoyasu's family.

The next year, Moritsuna and Hanzō planned their rescue mission by going over Imagawa Mansion's blueprints. While Moritsuna plans to go in with his own team of shinobi, Hanzō took the lead while he admitted that his hidden blade will prove more useful.

However, the mansion's bell is rung, leading Moritsuna to go and to find Hanzō with Takechiyo's family. Moritsuna soon found himself engaging many soldiers and killed them quickly. Soon enough, he found Hanzō but he is accompanied by a Imagawa guard Amano Kageyasu. Shocked, Moritsuna followed Hanzō and Kageyasu and ran away from the reinforcements. He later discussed their next steps while wondering how to find Sena and the kids. However, riding past them, Udono Nagateru had Sena hostage much to Moritsuna and Hanzō's dismay. Kageyasu soon informed them that they are headed to Kaminogō Castle, to which Moritsuna stated they all should follow. However, Hanzō instructed them to join Takechiyo's force while he left to save Sena and her family alone.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Shadows – Tales of Iga