Standing under an awning, Urhaggha waited to make his move as he buckled his vambraces on. His shin guards were strapped tight and he now wore his armored raiment.

The enemy’s hail of arrows wouldn’t reach him here, but even if they had, his armor would absorb the vast majority of them anyway.

He was ready, though the assassin needed a better vantage point, so he entered the double storied machiya and made for the roof where he could see what was happening over the heads of Hukama’s forces while they did battle with the enemy.

On the tiled roof, Urhaggha bent to one knee as he surveyed the battle. Both sides were evenly matched, their lines being reinforced with yari spears and katanas. Was the Mikuma Imperial Emperor here, or waiting back in the temple?

A volley of enemy arrows went up. Urhaggha shielded his head with his vambrace in the unlikely event an arrow found its way into his skull. Nothing struck. The archers were not aiming this far back of the line, though he had to be careful, as he could be mistaken for a spotter.

Farther up behind the enemy lines a contingent of soldiers forming a tight-packed square of protection was visible, though no flags indicating Kurosawa’s presence were flying.

The assassin had no doubts. Something, or someone, was being protected in that enclosure of bodies. It seemed there were also some foreign knights there, lending their assistance.

Kurosawa awaits his chance to escape.

Looking to the east, he saw the ship Hukama’s forces were protecting from the enemy’s advancement. They wouldn’t be able to hold out long against this assault. He narrowed his eyes. She was undoubtedly on that ship right now. Yuko didn’t like being told what to do, but the courtesan would do her part to achieve their aims—the death of Emperor Kurosawa.