Akechi Kagemitsu

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Akechi Kagemitsu (明智 景光; died 1582) was a Japanese samurai of the Akechi clan. The nephew of Akechi Mitsuhide, Kagemitsu followed his uncle's footsteps and joined the Shinbakufu, where he was known under the alias The Naginata (薙刀持). Commanding Sakamoto Castle in his uncle's stead, Kagemitsu sought to establish control in southern Ōmi and eliminate Kōga's former daimyō Shōtei.

Biography

Following his uncle

"Akechi Kagemitsu: They promised... my uncle... vast wealth... endless power."

―A mortally wounded Kagemitsu to Naoe and Yasuke, 1582.

Little is known of Kagemitsu's early life, other than that as a member of the Akechi clan, he served under his uncle Mitsuhide, and in turn Oda Nobunaga. When Mitsuhide sought revenge against Nobunaga for the death of his mother, Mitsuhide joined the Shinbakufu under the former shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki, who promised him power and wealth. Kagemitsu following suit as well and took up the mantle as The Naginata, wearing a fox mask and wielding a naginata.

On 30 September 1581 during Nobunaga's invasion of Iga, Kagemitsu joined his fellow members into recovering one of the Imperial Regalia, which had been kept by the Kakushiba ikki. The group were successful in eliminating Fujibayashi Nagato, the last of the ikki, and left behind his heavily wounded daughter Naoe, believing she would not survive.

Steward of Sakamoto Castle

Kagemitsu: "What's wrong? Still composing your samurai death poem? (laughs)"

Shotei: "You. You inbred whelp of a jumped-up traitor. Your clan would be nothing without the Demon of Owari. Now the Demon is dead and the Traitor will fall. And you... you die tonight."

Kagemitsu: "So say you. But there are other powers in this land. The Shinbakufu is rising!"

—Kagemitsu taunting Shōtei before their duel, 1582.

More than half a year later, Oda Nobunaga was forced to commit seppuku during the Honnō-ji incident orchestrated by Mitsuhide. With his death, some of Nobunaga's possessions fell into Mitsuhide's, including Sakamoto Castle. Mitsuhide would place Kagemitsu in charge of the castle during his absence, aided by Gamo Yoshimitsu as his bodyguard.

During this time, Kagemitsu sought to eliminate the former daimyo of Omi, Shōtei, in order to fully bring the region under his control. One day, Kagemitsu was challenged by Kagemitsu to a duel on Seta Bridge in Otsu, with the former accepting the offer. Secretly, however, he took this opportunity to eliminate the Rokkaku head by ambushing him during the duel. This plan failed to come to fruition when the ronin Yasuke arrived to confront Kagemitsu and his men. While Yasuke eliminated the soldiers with Shōtei's daughter Katsuhime covering the daimyo's escape, Kagemitsu fled back to Sakamoto Castle along with his bodyguard.

Death

With no opportunities to eliminate Shōtei, Kagemitsu remained in Sakamoto Castle, while his bodyguard Yoshimitsu was based in an estate outside the city. This was not for long, as Shōtei was soon joined by Katsuhime, Yasuke and Naoe to stage an attack on the castle, with Shōtei's knowledge of the castle's secret route aiding their endeavour. Yoshimitsu was defeated by Yasuke in a duel, while Kagemitsu's explosive supplies were taken out by Naoe and Katsuhime. With little defense, Kagemitsu was forced to confine himself in the castle's tenshu. Yet this could not protect him for long as Naoe and Yasuke soon entered the castle and eliminated him. With his dying breath, Kagemitsu revealed to the two he had cared little for the Shinbakufu and the box in their possession, for he and his uncle only joined for the power and wealth it gave them.

Gallery

• 
  Portrait of Kagemitsu in the Animus' Objective Menu

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Shadows