Naoe explored the area northwest of Miki Castle, finding a group of samurai hunting down a rōnin near a farm.
- Samurai Spearman: Found you, traitor! Wait until the Ox hears.
- Ronin: And how do you plan to tell him once I take your tongue?
Naoe joined the fight, helping the rōnin eliminate the group of samurai. After their foes were dispatched, Naoe freed some nearby prisoners.
- Woman: Thank you! They're holding more of us at the camp.
- Ashigaru Archer: Thank you for freeing us.
Naoe then spoke to the rōnin, though he wore a hat concealing his identity.
- Naoe: You're the ronin from Miki Castle who broke rank with the Ox.
- Ronin: Your relationship with the Ox will determine my answer.
- Naoe: He is my target.
- Ronin: Ah. Then I am that ronin.
- Naoe: I need your help to get to him. I don't want to harm any conscript willing to walk away.
- Ronin: Though I am thankful for your blade, I cannot help you, miss. I am in enough trouble as it is. Deserters who followed me have been taken back to Miki Castle. And if that wasn't enough, I have endangered my friend. Seiji. He is being kept in Kanki Castle. These soldiers told me after I bled it out of them.
- Naoe: Sounds like we are both in need of help.
- Ronin: Seiji and I promised to look out for one another. I intend to keep my end of our deal. There are men in Hirada who need saving. Perhaps you could start by helping them. My name is Koshiro. I hope to see you again, miss. You fight well.
- Naoe: Naoe.
The two parted ways with a bow. Having heard Koshiro's wish to save Seiji, Naoe traveled to the Ruins of Kanki, and the Kanki Castle within. Soon after infiltrating the complex, Naoe eavesdropped on two guards.
- Castle Guard 1: He got him! The commander captured that damned ronin who was giving us trouble.
- Castle Guard 2: Kill all the traitors, I say.
- Naoe: Damn. They captured Koshiro.
Naoe moved further and got near to a residence where she could hear a guard and a servant.
- Castle Guard 3: I need to see the commander.
- Servant: The commander is busy.
- Castle Guard 3: Busy with what?
- Servant: That's none of your business, is it?
Naoe followed and confronted the servant.
- Naoe: Where is the ronin?
- Servant: Ah, easy with that blade. He's with the commander. They know each other.
- Naoe: The commander is a friend of Koshiro's?
In the room the servant walked to after speaking with the guard, Naoe found a letter.
Orders Concerning a Ronin
- That pesky ronin friend of yours keeps trying to disrupt the march of justice in Harima. I wonder, Commander Seiji... Do you perhaps harbor some measure of sympathy for your old companion?
This should be easy to disprove. Capture your old "friend" and show him the righteousness of our cause. And do not be lenient or squeamish, for I surely will not be with you.
At the Jorakuji Temple, Naoe found an injured Koshiro clashing with Seiji.
- Koshiro: (grunts)
- Commander Seiji: You have nerve showing your face here, Koshiro.
- Koshiro: (gasps)
Naoe joined the fight.
- Commander Seiji: More trouble. This is one of yours, Koshiro? Koshiro must pay for his disloyalty. Right after I deal with you! (breathes) Traitors! You are all traitors!
Naoe and Koshiro, now without his hat, defeated Seiji, causing his surrender.
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) You would rob us of our chance to fight back?
- Naoe: You have been blinded by the Ox's promises. Just like all the others.
- Koshiro: Seiji, listen! In another life we were brothers. We fought together. Bled together. All our youth was spent at war. Against the Uragami, Akamatsu, Lord Hideyoshi. The Bessho!
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) And now you war against me. Your dearest friend. Your talents... wasted. We could have made a difference. (gurgles)
- Koshiro: We could have. Yes.
Koshiro turned to Naoe.
- Koshiro: You are prepared to make the Ox answer for what he has done?
- Naoe: And free those under his control. Including the deserters.
- Koshiro: Some will refuse saving. Some are already lost. How do you deal with them?
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) Whatever you are going to do, just do it. Our cause will not end with me.
- Koshiro: Our history clouds my judgment. You will have to decide. Is Seiji worth saving?
- Naoe: Koshiro's friendship has spared you today. Work towards deserving it.
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) "Friendship." We will not meet again, Koshiro.
Seiji took his leave, with Koshiro unwilling bidding him farewell.
- Koshiro: No, we won't. Goodbye, old friend.
With Seiji out of the picture, Koshiro spoke to Naoe.
- Koshiro: You spared his life.
- Naoe: You promised Seiji you'd look out for him. I am helping you keep your promise.
- Koshiro: I am in your debt. Now, on to Miki Castle for the deserters. Find me there. Perhaps there is some good left to salvage in all of this.
The two bid each other farewell.
- Naoe: I trust Koshiro will come through for Yasuke. And the deserters... I can help them. But we still need a way to sneak in./Tadashige is expecting us in Miki Castle Town. The Ox will be the next to fall.
Yasuke explored the area northwest of Miki Castle, finding a group of samurai hunting down a rōnin near a farm.
- Samurai Spearman: Found you, traitor! Wait until the Ox hears.
- Ronin: And how do you plan to tell him once I take your tongue?
Yasuke joined the fight, helping the rōnin eliminate the group of samurai. After their foes were dispatched, Yasuke freed some nearby prisoners.
- Woman: Thank you! They're holding more of us at the camp.
- Ashigaru Archer: Thank you for freeing us.
Yasuke then spoke to the rōnin, though he wore a hat concealing his identity.
- Yasuke: You are the ronin from Miki Castle who broke rank with the Ox.
- Ronin: Your relationship with the Ox will determine my answer.
- Yasuke: He is my target.
- Ronin: Ah. Then I am that ronin.
- Yasuke: I need your help to get to him. I do not want to harm any conscript willing to walk away.
- Ronin: Though I am thankful for your blade, I cannot help you, sir. I am in enough trouble as it is. Deserters who followed me have been taken back to Miki Castle. And if that wasn't enough, I have endangered my friend. Seiji. He is being kept in Kanki Castle. These soldiers told me after I bled it out of them.
- Yasuke: Sounds like we are both in need of help.
- Ronin: Seiji and I promised to look out for one another. I intend to keep my end of our deal. There are men in Hirada who need saving. Perhaps you could start by helping them. Until then, I am Koshiro. May we meet again, samurai.
- Yasuke: Yasuke.
The two parted ways with a bow. Having heard Koshiro's wish to save Seiji, Yasuke traveled to the Ruins of Kanki, and the Kanki Castle within. Soon after infiltrating the complex, Yasuke eavesdropped on two guards.
- Castle Guard 1: He got him! The commander captured that damned ronin who was giving us trouble.
- Castle Guard 2: Kill all the traitors, I say.
- Yasuke: Damn. They captured Koshiro.
Yasuke moved further and got near to a residence where he could hear a guard and a servant.
- Castle Guard 3: I need to see the commander.
- Servant: The commander is busy.
- Castle Guard 3: Busy with what?
- Servant: That's none of your business, is it?
Yasuke confronted the servant.
- Yasuke: Where is the ronin?
- Servant: Ah, easy with that blade! He's with the commander. They know each other.
- Yasuke: The commander is a friend of Koshiro's?
In the room the servant walked to after speaking with the guard, Yasuke found a letter.
Orders Concerning a Ronin
- That pesky ronin friend of yours keeps trying to disrupt the march of justice in Harima. I wonder, Commander Seiji... Do you perhaps harbor some measure of sympathy for your old companion?
This should be easy to disprove. Capture your old "friend" and show him the righteousness of our cause. And do not be lenient or squeamish, for I surely will not be with you.
At the Jorakuji Temple, Yasuke found an injured Koshiro clashing with Seiji.
- Koshiro: (grunts)
- Commander Seiji: You have nerve showing your face here, Koshiro.
- Koshiro: (gasps)
Yasuke joined the fight.
- Commander Seiji: More trouble. This is one of yours, Koshiro? Koshiro must pay for his disloyalty. Right after I deal with you! (breathes) Traitors! You are all traitors!
Yasuke and Koshiro, now without his hat, defeated Seiji, causing his surrender.
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) You would rob us of our chance to fight back?
- Yasuke: You have been blinded by the Ox's promises. Just like all the others.
- Koshiro: Seiji, listen! In another life we were brothers. We fought together. Bled together. All our youth was spent at war. Against the Uragami, Akamatsu, Lord Hideyoshi. The Bessho!
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) And now you war against me. Your dearest friend. Your talents... wasted. We could have made a difference. (gurgles)
- Koshiro: We could have. Yes.
Koshiro turned to Yasuke.
- Koshiro: You are prepared to make the Ox answer for what he has done?
- Yasuke: And free those under his control. Including the deserters.
- Koshiro: Some will refuse saving. Some are already lost. How do you deal with them?
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) Whatever you are going to do, just do it. Our cause will not end with me.
- Koshiro: Our history clouds my judgment. You will have to decide. Is Seiji worth saving?
- Yasuke: I know the power of a second chance. Of friendship. It is not too late.
- Commander Seiji: (breathes) "Friendship." We will not meet again, Koshiro.
Seiji took his leave, with Koshiro unwilling bidding him farewell.
- Koshiro: No, we won't. Goodbye, old friend.
With Seiji out of the picture, Koshiro spoke to Yasuke.
- Koshiro: You spared his life.
- Yasuke: You made a promise to this man. I would not want you to break it.
- Koshiro: I am in your debt. Now, on to Miki Castle for the deserters. Find me there. Perhaps there is some good left to salvage in all of this.
The two bid each other farewell.
- Yasuke: Koshiro will help me avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Naoe can help the deserters. But we still need a way to sneak in./Tadashige is expecting us in Miki Castle Town. The Ox will be the next to fall.
