A single merciless volley staggered a thousand men. If not for their veteran experience, then they likely would have fallen there and then, after regarding the hideous crater left in their leather chest plates and the charred flesh and darkened blood that poured out from the wound.
Already s.h.i.+ngen"s suspicions were determined to be well-founded and he gave the immediate order for them to retreat. They turned on their heels as fast as they were able, struggling to move despite their wounds. Rifles were truly to be feared.
And then, the hammer was pulled back once more and the barrel revolved, setting a fresh bullet in place and the fleeing soldiers were chased with yet another volley of this horrific shot. It hit them in the back and many of them fell into the dirt, coughing up a mouthful of blood, faces covered in splattered mud and breathing laboured.
It did not stop there either. They continued to pull their triggers to unleash another four volleys, chasing the retreating men, making them look like new bloods fresh onto the battlefield with the ease that they claimed their lives. By the time they finally made it out of range of the weapons, less than a third of the bow samurai remained with the majority of them still sporting heavy injuries.
s.h.i.+ngen regarded the causalities with a thunderous face. The questions that had sat in the back of his mind began to find their answers. To think there was a weapon capable of unleas.h.i.+ng wave after wave of deadly missiles. It was no wonder the enemy found success in his battles, having such a powerful hidden card. Internally, he retracted the statement he"d made to Gengyo. It would seem his enemy held the equipment advantage.
It was not enough to unsettle him, however. In fact, it was the opposite – it excited him. What he gained from this battle would be far more significant than what he had initially suspected. With a single one of those weapons, he would be able to replicate them through his smiths and finally secure the advantage he needed to put an end to the irritating fly known as the Uesugi.
The Crane"s Wing formation was completed and before the enemy had time to reload their weapons, he gave the signal for the body of his army to charge forward at full speed. With this, he had confidence that he could overwhelm them.
The peasants in the Miura army were blessed, they felt. The dominance of this unstoppable army that they had joined was displayed immediately. The deadly threat posed by three thousand bow samurai was immediately nulled as if they were nothing more than garden ants. They had their spears raised and were cheering the efforts by the elites – their superiors. At this rate, they would not even have to raise a hand.
Without yet being able to see them with the rain distorting his vision, Matsudaira knew the Takeda army was already coming and so he gave the order. It was time for the second surprise they had in store.
Slowly the order was delivered and the newly receptive peasants began to move, with the frontline cavalry of the Crane"s Wing growing closer. Watching it, s.h.i.+ngen was at first inclined to believe that it was the actions of a panicked force and that they were merely moving themselves to send the yari to the front in order to deal with the incoming threat of cavalry.
But then, an odd order could be seen in it all. A section of the right-wing pulled forward, following behind the mounted figure of a rather enthusiastic general. After it, the right centre came, setting up a second row. Then the left centre came after it, leaving Gengyo and his force standing still waiting.
"It can"t be…" He muttered to himself, almost unwilling to believe the picture that was being painted. He"d kept his eyes on Miura Tadakata throughout and he hadn"t seen him deliver a single order. What was this then? Were the troops moving with their own will? The left-wing went behind them leaving the five hundred man cavalry as a response unit. Then Gengyo took his place right at the back. "There"s no doubt. That shape – that"s the Extending Snake Formation!"
An impossible reaction time responding to a formation that he couldn"t see. Just what was going on? To perfectly counter his Crane"s Wing – there was no accident here. At this rate, his numerical advantage would be almost obsolete.
His mind was racing, trying to understand what had just come into play. They were meant to be undisciplined troops. He was sure they were mere peasants. It was impossible to inspire such order so quickly. If it really was the case though, his entire battle plan would have to be revised.
Gengyo knew his eyes would be on him and so he smiled widely, silently complementing Matsudaira"s prediction. It had set them ahead and given them a good amount of breathing s.p.a.ce.
Matsudaira was well aware of the internal strife s.h.i.+ngen would be undergoing. He wiped the sweat away from his forehead with the back of his hand, pleased that his gamble had paid off. Whilst he was still mentally vulnerable, it was time to run the plan through its final phase and fill his mind with something other than battle whilst they seized an insurmountable advantage.
By his order, the flags were raised and he brought his hidden headquarters into view. The mon of the Matsudaira clan flapped proudly in the wind – three golden leaves encapsulated by a golden circle on a white background.
s.h.i.+ngen noticed it immediately and his eyes widened. Was that the Matsudaira clan? Were they not destroyed with the death of Matsudaira Motoyasu? Why had the sided with this new Daimyo? What Matsudaira man was capable of putting the Tiger of Kai on the back foot and why had he not heard of him before? What was to be done now, with the arrival of this new man?