Oshijo fought well.
The Oshijo castle was well fought. At Tatebayashi, more than 3,000 cavalrymen had joined forces, but they lasted only three days. As Shichibei said, even young and old women and children entered the castle carrying bamboo spears and rice, and those on the outside also kept close contact with the castle and secretly worried the yoteshi. Ishida’s army attacked with great vigor, but the castle soldiers were able to draw them in and fire a volley of arrows, or cut them down unexpectedly and rampaged in all directions.

One night in mid-June, Hanayo came to him and whispered softly, “I’m sorry for your trouble. 　……I’m sorry for your trouble, but please go outside for a moment,” Toshie nodded and walked away. ……It was a dark night with not a star to be seen, and the low-hanging clouds around Yoride’s camp were brightly tinged with the light of a bonfire, but it was so quiet and still that it was hard to believe that they were so close to the battlefield. 　 　 　How many were there? …… 　The two of them walked in silence. Hearing Hanayo’s youthful breathing, Toshie thought of that night when she had been saved from a close call, and of her daughter’s hardships to this day. It was also Hanayo who was the first to save a seriously wounded person who had collapsed, and she did not hesitate to come to his aid and care for him, even though she could have been charged with any crime if she had been found. Philosophy finds its height in the rejection of facts, and Buddhist theory makes lofty statements about compassion, but only yields to power in the face of the facts at hand. What Hanayo did was greater and deeper than the mercy of the Buddha, and how much deeper and greater it was! What Hanayo did was greater and deeper than the mercy of the Buddha. 　……Hanayo, I am so proud of you! 　The girl turned around as if startled, and Toshie said once more, “What do you mean? 　I’m really bowled over,” she said.

……Hanayo, I am so proud of you! 　The girl turned around as if startled, and Toshie said once more, “What do you mean? 　I’m really bowled over,” she said. 　If only all human beings were like you. …… 　The next day, the family was led to a chestnut grove behind Nanabei’s house, where Nanabei, the nut and his wife and about ten other villagers were standing quietly around a bun of clay that had just been heaped up, all silent. The sound of insects in the undergrowth was interrupted by the sound of rubbing prayer beads and low recitation of sutras, and in the quiet of the forest, the voice of Toshie chanting the sutras was like the wailing of a hair-raising ghost. The villagers began to follow along softly, and the memorial service, though reserved for strangers, continued for more than half a minute. 　A few days later, Toshie heard that about 20 of the castle’s soldiers had been slain in the forests of Gyoda. It was midday, and they had jumped out of the third wooden door and slashed into the Yorite camp, where they had been holding a yudan, without even looking at each other. When he heard this, he immediately left the temple. Of course, he had intended to visit the temple to pay his respects, but there was something else that compelled him to go. It was that anger that he did not understand, that uncontrollable rage that came up from the bottom of his heart, and now it gripped him firmly again. The forest of Gyoda was located on the south side of the castle, and since it was necessary to go around the Yoride camp from Shoheiji Temple, it was already twilight when he arrived there. He stirred his vestments, took out his prayer beads, and walked into the forest as if he were going to a sanctuary. The first thing to do is to look around for the dead. 　The dead body was quickly found without any need to look around.

The dead body was quickly found without any need to look around. One was lying here, two there, at the base of a huge cedar tree, on the soil where the underbrush was sparsely growing, and in the shade of a cluster of hikobaye leaves. Toshie stood at the bedside of the dead with a strange sense of calm and went around to make offerings. Some had their profiles buried in the grass, others had died on their backs with their eyes wide open, others were dead with one arm missing, some had lost a leg, others had lost their neck, and so on. Some were dead without arms, some had lost a leg, some had lost a neck, and some had lost a body. 　Toshie made offerings to three or five of them, chanting the name of the Buddha with all her heart. When he had counted seventeen, he stood in front of a warrior who was lying face down on the damp earth, wearing armor that had been shredded without a trace of grass, and holding a sword with a saw-like edge. 　He looked around quickly to see that the warrior was still breathing faintly, and after checking to make sure that there was no sign of him, he walked over to him.

He looked around quickly to see that the warrior was still breathing faintly, and after checking to make sure that there was no sign of him, he walked over to him. 　You are alive, where is your wound? 　No, don’t come any closer. …… The warrior shook his head. 　It is not long now, I can already see the time, but …… I have not read the sutras! 　Why do you say that scripture is useless? 　I …… gurgled and the warrior’s throat rumbled, his words were interrupted for a moment by heavy breathing, but he soon continued with renewed vigor. 　…… because I do not intend to attain Buddhahood! 　The first thing to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what is going on in your life. 　 　Shut up, shut up! 　I am a samurai! 　………… 　A warrior, even if he dies, will never attain Buddhahood. He will become an evil demon and protect this territory and the sovereign, and he will be reborn as a human being seven times, ten times, to protect the sovereign. …… As he said this, the warrior’s face lit up with a startling force. He looked up with astonishing power. 　Whether living or dead, to protect the land of the fathers and to protect the Sacred Heart, this is the way of the mononofu, not just me, but all those you have offered your prayers to.

Whether living or dead, to protect the land of the fathers and to protect the Sacred Heart, this is the way of the mononofu, not just me, but all those you have offered your prayers to. When Toshie heard the cry of “useless, monk,” she cowered there in horror, as if a thunderbolt had struck over her head and instantly shattered her flesh and bones. 　Something was about to break through in his mind, the essence of the matter of life and death that he had been pursuing for so long was being revealed as he shed his robe. 　He meditated and concentrated his single thought: “If I live, I will live as long as I live; if I die, I will become an evil demon and a Buddha; if I am reborn seven or ten times, I will be reborn as a human being, but I will never attain Buddhahood. 　I will never attain Buddhahood, and I will never be dissuaded by the slightest doubt from this single, fiery conviction that life is not life, death is not death, and I will protect this world and the future. 　This is the state of transcendence of life and death, this is the only immortal way.

This is the state of transcendence of life and death, this is the only immortal way. …… Yes, this is it, this is it, here it is. 　What lives must perish,” Toshie said, holding out one hand. 　……Life is not the goal, death is not the end, belief lives on beyond life and death, whatever may fall, belief will never fall. What kind of Buddha Dharma, what kind of enlightenment is this in the face of the fact that I was born and raised in this land, enjoying the blessings of this land? The words ended in a shout, and as soon as he finished shouting, he tore his prayer beads to shreds, and stepping on the scattered beads, he silently raised the warrior in front of him, who was already out of breath, but Toshie whispered to him as if he were still alive 　I will follow your wishes and enter the castle. I will borrow your armor. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that the dead man’s armor is now being removed. 　 　 　The actual a lot of people are going to be able to be the first to get a new one.

The actual a lot of people are going to be able to be the first to get a new one. As she looked at her, Toshie felt a new, fiery emotion flood her chest, something she had never felt before. It was as if a pain was shooting directly into his chest, where it seemed to burst out in flames. 　It was as if he had discovered for the first time in his life what it meant to be alive. 　I’m going to go to the castle. …… He said this in a scolding tone, and Hanayo nodded softly, as if she knew everything. 　It’s all about the next world, isn’t it, Hanayo? 　Yes. …… 　I promise you," he said in a scolding tone, but the meaning hidden in his words seemed to be exactly what he wanted to convey to his daughter. 　The actual a lot more you are able to do, the more you will be able to do. 　…… let me dress you.