User blog:Seieireppa/God Eater ∂: Those Who Change History, chapter 1

Listen close, dear Reader, as I tell you a story. A story of an ancient land known as Yamato, known today as Japan, where great men fought to claim territory and unite the land under their rule.

Perhaps you know the tale of the great Oda Nobunaga, warlord of the Warring States era who lived, slept, and breathed war. One of Japan’s most legendary rulers, Nobunaga was incredibly ambitious, instrumental in and best known for his efforts to unite the land of Japan, an effort that would later be completed by his successors, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Or perhaps you are more familiar with the tale of Takeda Shingen, Nobunaga’s most famous rival. Shingen was one of the leaders of the coalition formed to stand in the way of Nobunaga’s conquest and ambition, taking a stand against what was, in the eyes of him and the rest of the coalition, the greatest threat to Japan in the country’s history.

Now, what if I were to tell you that a greater tale exists just below the surface, one grand in scale and sinister in nature? This tale, a tale of gods and monsters, of unity and discord, shaped the history of Japan from behind the scenes, uniting men against a force that threatened to unravel the very fabric of existence itself…

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Flames.

The flames licked against the walls of Honnō-ji, their blazing tongues lashing against the temple’s fortifications and bringing it to bay.

Within the temple sat a sole figure, arrows littering his body and a sword in hand. And yet there he sat, his life refusing to give out until he accomplished his ultimate goal.

That goal now stood before the man, a figure bedecked in battle regalia befitting a noble and fierce warrior. This man held in his hand a similar blade as the man stood poised to strike down the one who sat before him.

As the two men stared each other down, their blades seemed to call out for each other, resonating with a peculiar frequency the closer they approached.

“So, Mitsuhide,” the sitting man spoke, a tone of arrogance in his voice, “this is what it’s come to, hm?”

“Stay your tongue, Nobunaga,” came the reply of the one called Mitsuhide. Akechi Mitsuhide was one of Oda Nobunaga’s closest followers — yet here he now stood, poised to strike down his master. “Your actions can only be called utterly reprehensible and despicable. No victory is worth the sacrifice of human life!”

“So you would rather Japan — nay, the entire world — have been overrun by the Aragami? Were it not for the Kamigui, you and I alike would have been dead a thousand times over by now. Why can you not see this?”

“There is no excuse, Nobunaga! You could have saved her, can you not see this? She would still be alive today had you not slain her by your own despicable hands!”

Nobunaga scoffed. “Ever the idealistic fool, Mitsuhide. Fine, then… it appears words are useless. Let us settle this like warriors — blade to blade, God Arc to God Arc!”

“Fine by me,” came Mitsuhide’s fierce reply. “On this day, I will end your life, and with it, your reign of terror!”

And with that, Nobunaga rose from his seated position, readying his blade as it called out once more to the blade Mitsuhide held in his hand.

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Now, let us turn back the hands of time to a day long ago, a day where peace came to a swift and decisive end…