Ikemen Sengoku: Nobunaga Oda

Prologue

Kyoto, Present Day--

This is my first vacation on my own. But you know what? I feel great! Not a care in the world! Stretching my arms above my head, I was enjoying a peaceful nighttime stroll through the city. I'd kept at it, sending my portfolio out time and time again, until it finally paid off. I'd gotten my dream job. Goodbye, matte gray cubicle! In a few days, I'll finally be a fashion designer! And this is my reward! I'm gonna get all the partying out of my system so I can focus on my new career.

Walking with a spring in my step, I pulled a guide book out of my purse. 'A Traveler's Guide to Japan's Hottest Warlords."

I bought it because the title made me smile. Kyoto's a hub of historical activity, and this book promised information on some good sightseeing spots.

I flicked through the pages, stopping when my eye fell upon a familiar name.

The Peerless Warrior - Yukimura Sanada. I've heard of this guy. He was famous for... Nope. I can't remember. I had always crammed for Japanese history last. Sadly, it showed in my test results.

The One-Eyed Dragon - Masamune Date. I'm more familiar with this one. There's been a bunch of historical dramas made about him. "The One-Eyed Dragon." 1 love that name. And the eyepatch is pretty sweet too. Too bad he's not from Kyoto.

"Let's see, where's the closest famous place I can visit?"

Here's one! A stone monument to Honno-ji, at the temple's original location.

The Devil King of the 6th Heaven – Nobunaga Oda. Opposite the map to the site was a page dedicated to the most famous man tied to that location. Nobunaga Oda is definitely someone I remember. He almost unified all of Japan under his rule.

"In the year 1582, betrayed by Mitsuhide Akechi, Nobunaga committed suicide amidst the fiery wreckage of Honno-ji."

Or as I remember it, "In fifteen-hundred-and-eighty-two, Nobunaga's ambitions burned in a coup!" Amused I could still remember that old mnemonic, I followed the map to the place where Honno-ji once stood.

This is it? It's a simple, somber monument. And pretty small too. I wonder if Nobunaga would be disappointed. I just stood and looked at it a moment. A man came up to the monument too. That he was wearing a lab coat in public made him immediately stand out. Standing silently beside me, his eyes were fixed on the stone.

He looks too young to be a doctor. Probably a medical school student. And what a serious expression he's got. He was more intriguing than the monument. I couldn't help looking. Just then, a drop of cold rain fell on my nose. Raising my head to the sky, I noticed the dark gray clouds in sheets overhead.

"Oh no." The clouds suddenly broke open and the tiny drops gave way to a downpour.

??: "What poor timing."

"'Clear skies, all day and all night' it said! Stupid weather report."

??: " Are you all right? Do you have an umbrella?"

"I do. But it's back at my hotel." I looked up into the man's eyes, when--

??: "Huh!"

"Aah!" A bolt of lightning touched down in front of us, shattering the stone monument. That couldn't have just happened?! I've never seen lightning that close before!

??: "Be careful, miss--"

"Huh?" He offered me a hand; just then, there was a loud crash and everything appeared to bend and warp into the darkness. I felt dizzy and instinctively squeezed my eyes shut. What's happening?