Reborn in a Daimyo's court in Naruto

Part 17

Chapter 17

IEYATSU GIN

As the men rested after a fast-paced push towards the Northern border of Shinoi lands, he found himself sitting opposite their young lord as he asked him about their eventual plan.

"So, what is the plan?" he questioned as the young lord rolled out a detailed map of their lands.

"Sakazuki Mahiro has divided his forces into three parts," the young lord began as he put three stones on the three coordinates on the map where, according to their intelligence, the enemy forces were stationed.

"First is the force with himself. He has about two hundred men, along with two samurai," he began as he pointed towards the force located nearest to the border.

"Then the other two forces have two samurai each and are moving diagonally trying to reach the two defensive forts, near our Eastern and Western front," he pointed at the two forts that were basically there for defending against any incursion from lands belonging to Lord Saegusa and Lord Hattori respectively.

Basically, they were arranged in a triangle, with Sakazuki and his main force bringing up the rear, as two other apexes moved out to remove their major defenses to the East and West, hence giving a clear path for a three-pronged invasion.

"So, which fort do we choose to reinforce," he questioned as he stared at the map and saw Akihito smirk as he glinted, and the young Lord shook his head.

"Neither," he replied as he pointed towards the largest of the stones, the one indicating Sakazuki Mahiro and his force.

"We strike the head of the Snake," he remarked, and he whistled as he saw the viability of the plan.

"You wish to kill Sakazuki Mahiro by catching him off guard," he remarked before adding.

"But what if any of our forts fall first? They are already facing pressure from the allied lords. Would they be able to stand an assault from the other direction as well," he questioned, and the young lord answered.

"That is why we won't actually be killing Sakazuki Mahiro. Our aim will be to capture him and neutralize the men he has with himself," the young lord answered, and he realized the point now.

"Because if we kill him, then Lord Mahiro could simply send his second son, or any one of his grandsons with, with a supplementary force," he reasoned, and the young lord nodded.

"Exactly, we have to be swift in our attack," he said as he placed his finger at their current location.

"Sakazuki has already captured the Norther fort; we strike there, capture him, and then divide into two groups, with each heading in the opposite direction," he said as he pointed towards the other two forts.

"As reinforcements," he reasoned, and a nod followed.

"Yes, we hit the other two forces at the back again," the young lord drew the arrows as he divided their force.

"Speed and coordination are key here. We need to coordinate our own attack with our forces in these forts. We threaten them to lay down their arms, or we will kill Sakazuki, and then we take prisoners," he concluded. Gin could see the wisdom in the plan, yet it was all too risky.

And he decided it was time to tell him of the other thing as well.

"There is one more thing," he said cautiously, not knowing how the young lord would react to it.

"Yes?" the young lord questioned as he peered at the map again.

"Before I came, I also wrote a missive to Lord Chiba accepting his request for the alliance," he decided just to tell him and saw him still as he looked towards him with a frown and he could tell from that gaze that the lord was angry.