In which Takaya is confused, Naoe waxes lyrical and there are lots of translation notes.

Chapter 4: Traces of the Dream

Leaving National Highway 18, the car turned onto a narrow road following alongside the Chikuma River. It's the border of Koushoku City, Nagano Prefecture; from the beach the river approaches is already Nagano City.

The river basin has since olden times been called the Zenkoujidaira, and one of the beaches in the area was called Kawanakajima.

A Cefiro pulled up, kicking river pebbles into the Chikuma river-terrace as it did so. It stopped slowly; the doors opened, and Naoe Nobutsuna and Ougi Takaya got out.

"……"

Takaya looked up at the clear blue sky stretching out into the distance above his head. The town of Shinonoi that the clear Chikuma River flows towards is visible. Beyond that is the Togashiku mountain range. The invigorating river breeze; the gentle river sound.

"Here is…"

"'After we crossed the river in the night, paying attention even to the sounds of whips, we found that the banner of the general of our enemy was surrounded by a great number of soldiers.'¹"

"?"

"A Chinese poem written by the Edo historian Rai Sanyou. A battle happened here four hundred years ago- have you heard of it?"

"You mean, the battle of Kawanakajima?"

"That's right. A battle where the Warring Clans' generals Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin fought each other. In those days, the Chikuma River flowed a little further south to the base of the mountain, but… Yes, exactly. Approximately around here, we are looking at the modern location of 'the sounds of whips…'."

Having said that, Naoe covered his eyes for a moment.

"That fight was a terrible thing. Even though it was the Warring Clans period, in no other battle were as many lives lost. The scene after the fight surely seemed like a picture of Hell."

Takaya's expression is dubious.

"By saying 'it seemed like', you make it sound as though you were actually there."

"……"

Without answering, Naoe listened to the sound of the river for a bit, and cast his gaze in its direction.

"There were so many nameless lives that fell one by one in battle here. Can you feel it?"

"……"

"The weight of each of those deaths is completely lost in the code of history. Perhaps it was an era where people's lives were more inconsequential. Perhaps by nature that is the measure of such things as human beings. Or else, if a weight so long ago as this is understood, can history begin? If it does."

"……"

"That which we call the 'value of history', I think of as utterly terrifying."

"… You, what the hell…"

Silently, Naoe turned his head to Takaya.

"However, their pain, resentment, sadness- it was definitely there. The emotions of the dead who were left on this ground, where do you think they go?"

"--The emotions of the dead?"

"Yes."

All of a sudden, Naoe pointed at the flow of the Chikuma River.

"Look."

"?"

As told, Takaya moves his gaze to the flow.

It's not at all deep, a babble that can be crossed.

"What can you see?"

"What I see--"

Is just a river, he had intended to say, but Takaya's eyes suddenly widened.

It's because he had a feeling as though the clear flow of the river had become slightly muddy.

(… Eh…?)

He had thought it was a trick of the light, but that wasn't it. The murkiness is going and spreading out from the centre. It's a cloud of red. The red cloud very quickly finishes dying the flow of the clear water red.

(… What…)

Takaya's eyes were distrustful. His breath caught.

The Chikuma River had been dyed brilliant red.

Red water, as if fresh blood flowed…

Fresh blood.

"No way…"

The river is flowing with blood!

"That's right."

Naoe adopted a frightfully calm tone after Takaya's words.

"This river overflowed with the blood of many people. This blood is their hearts; their emotions."

"……"

"The leftover emotions of the people who have died soak into the mountains and rivers like this, and they never disappear."

"……"

Takaya looked at Naoe, and returned his eyes to the Chikuma River again. Somewhere in the distance a skylark cries.

"Let's go."

Having been prompted, Takaya started walking too.

While staring over his shoulder at the Chikuma River.

*

The car drove on once more along the road edging the main Nagano electric railway line for a few minutes and crossed the railway crossing near a small station called Iwano. Just after the crossing was what seemed to be a farm road; in that direction, a construction site spread out, bulldozers and dumps coming into view bit by bit, and beyond that was a bare earth-coloured mountain, clearly man-made.

The road continues towards the construction site.

"What, we're going to a construction site?"

"Is that it?"

Naoe answered as he grasped the steering wheel, eyes fixed in the direction of the windscreen.

"You can see something that looks like the exit to a tunnel on the right, can't you? It appears to pass into a freeway here. Until just recently, there was no mountain."

"You know?"

Without answering, Naoe turned the steering wheel to the right.

"It's a fateful era."

"?"

"The mountains and rivers permeated by people's emotions, too, now completely disappear so easily by the hands of people. So too does the birthplace of the mountains and rivers quickly go and change its appearance."

"……"

"It surpasses eras, and perhaps now there is no longer anything that doesn't change."

Takaya sees Naoe's smile turn self-derisive, and Takaya's expression complicates. As the car repeatedly turned, it climbed to the flattened cape-like form of the treeless maintain.

The mountain isn't tall. The slope had already been completely cleared of trees, hardened with a trowel.

This mountain is the Saijyo Mountain. It was the mountain where Uesugi Kenshin had formed his troops at the time of the battle of Kawanakajima.

Saijyo Mountain had completely worn away, yet even so from the peak a thick forest is still growing on the opposite slope. The car ascended to the environs of the peak and came to a stop.

There is an open clearing surrounded by tall cedar trees. A temple grown old stands isolated; a plaque saying Shoukon Temple was hung on it, and at the back there stands a large stone monument… There's no one else.

"Saijyo Mountain…"

Standing in front of the explanatory placard, Takaya skimmed it in a brief glance.

"The place where Uesugi Kenshin pitched camp?"

"That's right."

"Why bring me to a place like this?"

Naoe still doesn't answer. At the front of the clearing on a section of the cape stands a wooden-frame viewing pedestal mimicking a signal fire pedestal. It too looks like something done just recently. It's a construct of the sixty-third year of Showa. Naoe climbed onto it.

He looks out over the Zenkoujidaira. The earth-coloured farms spread out right beneath them; near that is the Chikuma River, and beyond that, the town of Shinonoi. The mountain range that encircles all these. The contrast of the blue sky.

"… Hyo--…"

Takaya's voice rose in amazement. Beside him, Naoe points north-west.

"The green, gentle-sloped mountain over there is called Chausu Mountain, and it is the place where the Takeda army first lined up for battle. After that, he moved his troops to turn in a circle, and--"

This time, Naoe returns his gaze to the east.

"At the bottom of this mountain, can you see the place where trees are growing densely near the edge of the track? That is Kaidzu Castle, the stronghold Takeda set up. The two glared at each other here for ten days."

"……"

"The day before the battle. Seeing from here more cooking smoke near Kaidzu Castle from the evening meal than usual, the Uesugi realised they had a problem, meaning that before falling to a plan they moved the troops without delay. Uesugi Kenshin-daimyo²… Which is to say-"

Naoe turns to Takaya from the front.

"Your father, Kagetora-sama."

"…!..."

Takaya swallows his words.

Naoe watches him with sincere eyes.

The wind from the mountain blows through.

Stare.

……

"… He~h…"

Before long, Takaya retorted in a mocking tone.

"What kind of story is that? Maybe you're talking about my 'past life'?"

"No."

Naoe answers carefully, so that he restrains his words.

"It's the story of your 'present life'."

The wind stops.

This time, his eyes widen.

Naoe doesn't move. Takaya stands frozen still.

"What's that supposed to mean…?"

Naoe narrowed dazzled eyes and stared at Kawanakajima.

"You should at least know most of the story up to this point…"

"?"

"Have you heard the term 'Kanshou'³?"

"Kanshou?"

"When people die, they go to the 'world of the dead'; their souls are cleansed, the memories and personality of their former life are entirely erased, and they are reborn into the world."

"……"

"A person's soul is like a glasswork. The glass is melted in the flames of the purifying fire, loses its original form, and then cools to accomplish a new form again. It's the same as that. After death, a person's soul is purified and reincarnates. Past life, present life, next life… The vicissitudes continue endlessly. Furthermore, purification is when all of a soul's memories are purged. Due to this act of purification, people do not remember who they were in past lives. The souls of the dead receive purification without fail, and the memories, personality and behaviour of the past life is completely cleansed for the sake of reincarnation."

"……"

"However, among the dead there are also people who refuse purification."

Naoe's tone turns strict.

"One such type are those called vengeful ghosts. They are those whose strength of pain, bitterness and regret unconsciously refuses purification… refuses to let the memories of their former life be purged, and they remain in this world only as souls. Then, the other type…"

"……"

"The other type are those who consciously refuse purification. They are those whose soul, after the death of their body, possesses another person in its unpurified state- an embryo, specifically- steals that body from its owner, makes it their own, and in that way starts a new life. That is to say."

Naoe said with sharp eyes.

"Kanshousha."

"……"

Takaya's expression turns unreadable. Fanned by the wind, Naoe talks.

"As they aren't purified, they don't lose their soul's memories. So to speak, while their bodies are replaced as I said, there are people in this era who have gone on living for hundreds of years."

"… That kind of story…"

"Is unbelievable, is it? If this were anyone else, perhaps that would be the end of it. However, you are the one person who doesn't have a reason to disbelieve, whatever happens."

"What do you mean?"

"This is not a story I am telling in the third person."

"Eh?"

"That is to say, I'm talking about you and I."

"……!"

"My name is Naoe Nobutsuna. The eldest son of Naoe 'Yamato no Kami'⁴ Sanetsuna, hereditary vassal of Uesugi Kenshin-daimyo… A Kanshousha who, after death, received orders from the war hero Uesugi Kenshin-daimyo to guard Uesugi Kagetora-daimyo, who had undergone the process of Kanshou."

Takaya was speechless.

Uesugi Kenshin… no way.

"This body is the twelfth reincarnation I have been given. Over these four hundred years, as a Kanshousha of the Meikai⁵ Uesugi army, with Kagetora-daimyo, I have gone around subjugating the evil spirits of this world. Kagetora-daimyo was the adopted son of Kenshin-daimyo, and after death, the one who became the commander of the Meikai Uesugi army as Kenshin-daimyo's representative…"

"……"

"That's you. Ougi Takaya."

Takaya glared at Naoe.

His fists are trembling.

"… Are you making fun of me?"

He grabbed the front of Naoe's jacket roughly.

"That kind of story, how do you expect me to believe that! Mocking people like that, quit screwing around--…!"

He yelled, but suddenly he swallowed his words.

Grabbed by his jacket front, Naoe has a strangely sad look in his eyes.

"So you really don't remember."

"… I--"

The strength escapes his hands.

"What the hell am I?"

Naoe slowly turned his face away slantwise and closed his eyes. Takaya is seeking answers, staring at Naoe. The wind blows, engulfing the two of them.

Naoe opened his mouth silently.

Four hundred years ago…

"In that period of civil unrest, an era where everyone tried frantically to expand their own power and territory, Kenshin-daimyo was the only one who fought not for his own selfish desires but for justice and order. The Uesugi troops became an army that crushed evil and spread truth by judging those who possess evil hearts on behalf of heaven, and fought to build up "the way of justice" and "the beauty of order" in this world."

Naoe speaks longingly.

"After death, Kenshin-daimyo became a god of war. Before long, Japan moved from the hands of the Toyotomi and then the Tokugawa towards unity, and the era of peace Kenshin-daimyo had dreamed of arrived… However."

"……"

"The many human spirits scattered in the world of civil war continue to linger in this world, and those vengeful spirits were whirled around. The vengeful spirits hate peace and throw the world out of order, intending to force this world they hate to capsize. To prevent this, the war god Kenshin-daimyo used the spirits related to the Uesugi household, and they set out to pacify the vengeful spirits. He named them the Meikai Uesugi army, and entrusted what was essentially complete command to Kagetora-daimyo, his adopted son."

"That's… me?"

"That's right. One year after Kenshin-daimyo's death, you were defeated in a succession war by Uesugi Kagekatsu-daimyo, an adopted son the same as you, and died at the age of twenty-six. You, with the natural strength of your spiritual powers, were called by Kenshin-daimyo to undertake this role. You became a Kanshousha and remained in this world, going on to exorcise the vengeful spirits of the Warring Clans' period. To this current age, you have continued to go through Kanshou for four hundred years as the only person with the authority to summon and forcefully invoke the Meikai Uesugi army, never losing your memories. I am the one who has guarded you. A person who has continuously been reborn along with you for four hundred years."

"… No way."

Takaya muttered, dumbfounded.

"I don't have any memories like that. Kagetora, Kenshin… Aren't Kanshousha supposed to remember their past lives?"

"There are none who remember their past lives. What we remember starts with the life before we became Kanshousha…"

"I'm telling you I don't remember anything like that at all! It's not me! Your Kagetora-san, or whoever! I'm Ougi Takaya, and I don't remember being anyone else…!"

"Perhaps not. But strictly speaking, that isn't because you don't have the memories. You should have the memories. However, it's simply that you have become unable to recall them."

"What the hell is with that! Don't you have some kind of proof! If you say that kind of thing, you need proof that I'm Kagetora!"

"Proof--"

Naoe murmured, and smiled sadly.

"Something like that… is it necessary?"

"……"

"In your ten instances of Kanshou up to this point, I have not once failed to recognise you. No matter how your outward appearance changes."

"But it's not me."

"No."

Naoe says with extreme force,

"It's you. Kagetora-sama."

Takaya's eyebrows draw together.

"… I don't have any memories."

"That is--"

Naoe frowns slightly.

"I know the reason for that."

"……"

"Thirty years ago, there was an incident where we took a destructive blow. Due to that, both you and I came to death as we were. I went through Kanshou like this, but after that, no matter how many times I called out, you didn't answer. I thought I would never see you again. In all honesty, I was afraid."

"……"

"You are… so tragic."

"I am? Why?"

Instead of answering, Naoe chewed his lip lightly. Takaya gazes at him. Naoe was silent for several seconds, and then opened his mouth to reply.

"Right now, this country is facing a Warring Clans' period invisible to the eye."

"A Warring Clans' period invisible to the eye?"

"At this moment, in the dark region of this world, we are fighting with the vengeful spirits of the warring clans to take Japan."

"!"

Takaya's eyes widen.

"What the hell…!"

"It's the repechage of the vengeful spirits. With the energy of their own malice, they are trying to resume the Warring Clans' period once more."

"Wh-what's…that?"

"The Dark Civil War. The generals who fell in history have denied their former defeat, and have once more started a battle to decide who takes Japan. They don't accept their own lose. It seems that somehow or other Yuzuru-san has been caught up in that fight."

"Yuzuru…"

Turning, Takaya raised his voice sharply.

"You know something! Tell me. What happened. What the hell is up with his dreams, and that girl from the other day."

"I don't know the relation between the two, but."

Placing his hand on the handrail of the viewing platform, Naoe replied.

"Yuzuru-san appears to have been possessed by the spirit of one of the generals."

"One of the generals?"

"Will you try to guess?"

"Maybe."

"I have one other aim in bringing you here to Kawanakajima. That's a hint."

"Aim in bringing me here, huh?"

"He too was a person whose objective was to take over Japan in his past life."

Takaya's face stiffens gradually.

"No way. It can't be…"

"That's exactly it."

Naoe revealed his answer in a calm tone.

"The spirit of the Warring Clans' general, Takeda Shingen, has finally started moving. Our mission this time is to exorcise the spirit of Takeda Shingen and the vengeful spirits of those Takeda warriors presumably involved in reviving him."

"!"

Takaya was lost for words.

Yuzuru is possessed by that famous historical Warring Clans' general-- Takeda Shingen!

"… No way…"

"Even if I'm lying to you, it hasn't begun."

"Why, again…"

"From ancient times, Takeda Shingen's vengeful spirit was angry with everyone; for several years after his death Shingen caused considerable riot, and was appeased by the hand of his own high priest, Kaisen-kokushi⁶, but."

"……?"

"Do you know anything about the Maendzuka⁷ of Shingen?"

"Maendzuka? What's that?"

"There are many points throughout the country called the tomb of Takeda Shingen… and this was apparently for the execution of his last will and testament, to 'conceal his death for three years'… Among these, one of Shingen's bases is a place called Koufu no Iwakubo. It is said that the place where Shingen's remains were cremated, the Tsuchiya Uemon mansion, is there; the villagers of the time called this place the Maendzuka, fearful and not approaching it, but--"

Naoe's eyes narrow.

"Just the other day. Someone destroyed this tomb."

"Destroyed the tomb?"

"Yes. And, to tell the truth, this grave called the Maendzuka is where Kaisen-kokushi confined the vengeful spirit of Takeda Shingen."

"Confined… huh."

"That is to say, someone has taken the seal of the Maendzuka completely apart."

"What for?"

"To settle things, probably."

Naoe says.

"So that Shingen can take over Japan."

"Who did?"

"I'm taking a guess."

"……"

"The seal was taken apart six days ago."

"If it was six days, that the day Yuzuru started skipping school. So, what about the day he started having that dream?"

"When people with strong feelings are possessed, we say they receive some 'spiritual harm'. Presumably, those dreams Yuzuru-san had were of that kind. Well, maybe they weren't without reason. After that, to release Shingen, they gave power to all the places the spirits related to the Takeda had been bound to the earth and they have started moving fairly actively."

"When you say moving, what are they doing?"

"I mean they've started gathering around Yuzuru-san."

"Seriously?"

"Have you heard the story that last night a meteor fell on Erin Temple, the Takeda family temple?"

"I'm saying I haven't…"

"I see. Well, it happened then. That wasn't really a meteor. Eyewitnesses all said that something like a ball of fire crashed down, but that was a cluster of vengeful spirits."

"!"

"It appears that they felt Shingen's revival and didn't know where he was, so grew desperate and searched for him."

"What did you do to Yuzuru yesterday?"

"Confined him."

"Shingen, inside Yuzuru?"

"Yes. Only, because I can't anticipate the seal very much with only the tools I made use of, I allowed Yuzuru-san himself a hint. Because he possesses adequately strong spiritual ability, I utilised that, and directed him to bind the spirit he is possessed by inside of him… But I don't think he could be aware of it."

"You mean Yuzuru is suppressing Shingen by himself?"

"Yes, exactly. The << amulet bracelet >> I used is instead something that assists Yuzuru-san, and part of the eight-sentence dharani⁸ Ryougonshu⁹ Kaisen-kokushi used when he sealed Shingen in the Maendzuka is engraved inside it. Because of the earlier damage to Shingen, this mantra should weaken him. If he grows fearful and tries to hide in Yuzuru-san's shadow, I think Yuzuru-san will also find it easier to << bind >> him. Still, if we don't exorcise him completely as soon as possible…"

"It'll be trouble?"

"Shingen's spiritual power is immeasurable. Even if it Yuzuru-san's strength temporarily, I don't know when he will break the << spirit bind >> and start to act violently. If that happens, Yuzuru-san himself will be in danger. If we do this badly, Takeda will snatch Yuzuru's body and complete Kanshou."

Startled, Takaya's breath caught.

"What's that supposed to mean, snatching his body?"

"It means he will force Yuzuru-san's soul out of his body and make it entirely his own."

"His own…?"

"Yuzuru-san will no longer be Yuzuru-san."

Takaya feels like the bottom has dropped out of his stomach.

"Yuzuru's soul, what will happen to it?"

"It will become a wandering spirit with no destination, or otherwise it will be purified like that, but either way it will be a condition of "death" the same as if his body was destroyed."

"------"

"Therefore, we'll hurry. Unfortunately, I do not have the ability to exorcise those who have as much spiritual power as Shingen. Because of that, I'm calling an ally with the ability to exorcise, and we will do Yuzuru-san's << exorcism >> first anyway."

So saying, Naoe looks reproachfully at Takaya.

"If it was the former you, you could have exorcised him directly without this kind of trouble."

"And like I'm telling you, I'm not Kagetora…"

Naoe sighed, as if to say, it can't be helped.

"I will stand guard over Yuzuru-san again. I think that thanks to the dharani on the bracelet the vengeful ghosts will be unable to approach, but in the long run there's one person I have to stop from coming into contact with him."

"What? The person who took the seal apart?"

"Possibly."

"Do you know them?"

"……"

Naoe returns his look.

"Because ordinarily, that person shouldn't have the << power >> to take down the seal of the Maendzuka alone."

Takaya gazes at him with a dubious expression.

"In any case, we have to assist Yuzuru-san by achieving the exorcism of Shingen. Kagetora-sama."

"Jeez, you're stubborn. I said you're wrong!"

"You will cooperate with me, won't you."

"……"

The two of them stare at each other for a moment.

Silence--.

Mouth twisting, Takaya reluctantly ran a hand through his hair.

"Since it involves Yuzuru…"

"So you will cooperate with me."

"However! I'm lending you a hand because I'm Yuzuru's friend. I don't care whether it's a tiger or a cow¹⁰, but it's definitely not me!"

"… Fine."

Bowing his head in assent, a gentle smile hovers on Naoe's lips. Seeing that, Takaya looked away sullenly.

"So, you'll take care of it at once."

"?"

"The girl you met the day before yesterday. Please don't take your eyes off her."

"I knew it, something's up with her?"

"She has also been possessed by some kind of spirit."

"Whose?"

"I don't know that much. However, somehow or another I get a dangerous feeling from her. Please make sure she doesn't come into contact with Yuzuru-san."

"… Understood. But…"

"What is it?"

"You said exorcism, but what do you mean by that? Not goma¹¹?"

After a brief silence, Naoe opened his mouth.

"Generally speaking, exorcism is a little different."

"?"

"Because with spirits remaining in this world, all we can do is make them want to be allowed to die after dispelling their lingering affection and bitterness, but in many cases, that doesn't work. When that happens, we have to send them on to the other world by force."

"And that's… << exorcism >>?"

"It is 'the power to send spirits to the realm of the dead'."

Naoe tells him.

"The powers we use as weapons are divided into two main types. << Telekinesis >> and << reiha¹² >>. << Telekinesis >> is what I showed you earlier. Other than that, there is the power to influence matter. This falls within << reiha >>, namely the power to influence the spirit of your opponent. << Exorcism >> is a variety of this, and moreover the power to do that is given to us by our guardian deity, Bishamonten."

He glances sideways at Takaya.

"What kind of thing do you want to see?"

"… Eh…"

"For example, there have been vengeful spirits targeting us from behind for quite some time now."

"!"

He turns his head automatically.

His breath caught.

"Uu…!"

(You have got to be kidding me…!)

Skeleton warriors draw katana and are stepping up towards them. Naoe speaks without a change to his composure.

"Spirits tied to the area of Kawanakajima. When you see ones that bear malice, they are warriors of the Takeda."

<< ------! >>

The warrior ghosts let out a scream and attacked, brandishing their katana!

"Uwa--!"

Takaya falters. Naoe links his hands in a symbolic seal.

"Ari Nari Tonari Anaro Nabi Kunabi!"

The katana swing down at him. Naoe cried out in a thundering voice.

"BAI!"

Bishuu-!

It was over in a moment. All of a sudden there was a fissure in space, and the warriors were sucked into it. Afterwards, there is something like smoke drifting around. ---- The skeletal warriors have disappeared.

"… Ah…"

"That was << exorcism >> just now."

Naoe turns his head to Takaya.

"Don't just think it's someone else's business."

"------"

Dumbfounded, Takaya stared at where the warriors had been until just now, but…

"… He~h…"

Before long, his lips twitched into a faint smile.

"That looked pretty interesting."

Takaya grinned boldly.

"Fine, I'll go along with you."

"……"

Naoe smiled silently.

"So you will go along with me."

¹ Translation (with minor alterations) from http://ejmas.com/proceedings/GSJSA04alexanian.html.
² Daimyo is an honorific suffix, much like -san and -sama. It is used toward feudal lords.
³ I've left the term Kanshou as is, because it is not actually a word in Japanese and there is no equivalent for it in English, either. Naoe explains it himself; it was a bit difficult to turn into a verb, but "reincarnate" isn't preciously the right term, so I tried to find a way around that.
⁴ One of the many titles bestowed upon samurai in the Warring Clans' period. The kanji translate literally to "protector of (ancient) Japan". If you're interested, there's a full list of titles here: http://www.samurai-archives.com/title.html
⁵ Meikai means "realm of the dead". It sounds awkward as part of a title and this term gets used a lot, so I thought it was better to leave it in Japanese.
⁶ Kokushi: another, more obscure honorific ("Most Reverend Priest"). Go here for more about Kaisen: http://www.jah.ne.jp/~rshingen/eng/cbyn02.htm
⁷ Not a word in Japanese, either. The kanji are "Evil Spirit", "Barrier" and "Grave". And I translated it as Spiritual Grave in the prologue, I know, but... I changed my mind.
⁸ Spell, litany, Sanskrit multi-syllabic chant.
⁹ "Rigid Corner Curse"
¹⁰ Play on Kagetora's name- the "tora" kanji is "tiger".
¹¹ Buddhist rite of cedar-stick burning.
¹² Another made-up word. "Spirit Wave".

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