Chapter 33

Episode 33: The Tale of the Man Erased from History

In the continent where the Kingdom of Gilbert resides, there lies a country called “Wa no Kuni” (Land of Harmony) beyond the eastern sea.

Wa no Kuni is a tiny island nation with a unique culture slightly different from the mainland, covering less than one-hundredth of the continent’s land area.

Once, there were over twenty territories and lords, with constant battles among warriors known as samurai vying for land.

Later, the largest territorial conflict in history, known as the “Warring States Period,” raged in Wa no Kuni for a full century.

Eventually, one man unified all the territories for the first time in history, becoming a ruler known as the Seii Taishogun (Great General of Subjugation).

This man, the first Seii Taishogun, was originally the lord of a weak territory with little land, few people, and barely any military strength.

Yet, he defeated one powerful warlord after another, expanding his influence until he unified the entire nation.

Wa no Kuni’s history claims that the first Seii Taishogun overturned overwhelming odds with exceptional intelligence and strategy, boasting an undefeated record.

…But the truth is a bit different.

In reality, it wasn’t the first general himself who led the weak territory to national unification—it was the achievement of his close aide and strategist.

Though called an aide, this strategist wasn’t originally the general’s subordinate.

He was just a humble farmer in the territory ruled by the first general.

This farmer had no ambitions of becoming a “ruler of the land” or desires to rise in status; he lived a simple life as a farmer.

However, after his village nearly got caught in a large-scale battle, he resolved to unify the land himself to ensure his village would never suffer the ravages of war again and to bring eternal peace to Wa no Kuni.

That said, the man had no talent for combat—no strength, swordsmanship, archery, spearmanship, or even the mystical arts like ninjutsu or sorcery.

But he possessed a terrifyingly sharp eye for observation and insight, able to see through others’ thoughts.

Moreover, he had the ability to craft the perfect words to deceive, the foresight to create the situations he envisioned, and, above all, unparalleled courage.

Using these abilities, he prevented the large-scale battle that threatened his village and, with that achievement, quickly rose to become the strategist for the lord who would later become the first general.

As a strategist, he was a parade of lies and deceit.

At times, he tricked two rival factions into destroying each other; at others, he deceived transporters to smuggle goods into enemy territory, or fooled enemy foot soldiers into handing over supplies.

He tricked neighboring lords into lending their forces, lured enemy soldiers to his side, and fed false information to enemy generals to force their surrender.

Though he trampled on the ideals of “bushido”—honor, respect, and pride—his methods ultimately ended the Warring States era with minimal bloodshed.

Normally, he would have been remembered as a legendary strategist, his name passed down through the ages in Wa no Kuni.

…But his achievements and name were never known to the world.

During the war, his role necessitated his existence being kept secret.

After unification, the first general offered to reveal his contributions to the world and even proposed handing over the title of Seii Taishogun to him.

Becoming the general would have granted him the highest status and honor in the land, with a life of luxury guaranteed.

But he stubbornly refused, insisting on remaining hidden.

His reasoning? —”Being the shadow strategist just sounds cooler, doesn’t it?”

The name of the man who served as the first Seii Taishogun’s strategist was Kurozaki Ippei.

After unification, Ippei abandoned his position as the general’s retainer and set out on a journey to see the land he had brought peace to.

Later, his descendants crossed to the mainland, using the exceptional insight and rhetoric inherited from their ancestor to succeed as merchants.

…And now, generations later, one of his descendants stands face-to-face with the world’s strongest dragon.

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