The Christian Samurai

Psalm 144:1 “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle”

Yukinaga Konishi's soldiers crashed into the Fukushima army.

“The lord is with me! Face his wrath!” Yukinaga shouted, cutting through numerous soldiers. He laughed as he charged deep into the fray. Yukinaga was an odd sight on the battlefield. While most Samurai wielded traditional katanas, Yukinaga favoured a European sword, given to him by the Portuguese padres. It was not as sharp as the Japanese weapons, but it was a lot heavier and with a good swing could cleave a heathen. The tip of the sword was still sharp enough to skewer an enemy. He was not one of those lords to cower in their camp. He lead his men from the front

“Romans 12:19 leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”” Yukinaga shouted, hitting a Fukushima soldier in the face with the hilt of his sword. He then gripped the crossguard and swung back at the soldier, gutting him. As another stepped towards him, he thrust the tip of his blade into the heart of the soldier. After pulling it out, he spun his sword, wielding it like a tonfa, and slashed at a third, before gripping the hilt with his other hand and plunging the blade into the soldier's chest.

The battle was going well, the front was holding. Sakon was keeping the Kuroda troops at bay and the Ukita force, while stretched thin, was still standing. But something was wrong. The signal fire had been lit but the Shimazu troops were not moving, nor the Kobayakawa troops. With the Eastern army throwing everything forward, the Mori and Chosokabe forces should have been engaging their left flank. For now the armies were evenly matched, the Western forces were pushing back. It would only take a single action to break the Eastern attack and let momentum win the battle. Yukinaga slashed at the legs of a few samurai, bringing them to the floor for his spearmen to finish off. In the distance he saw Masanori Fukushima, leader of the Eastern vanguard. Taking his head might light the fuse.

Yukinaga began charging towards Masanori, but there were too many soldiers in the mess. He crashed through some more samurai, but now his force was weakening. He gave up pursuit of Masanori and regrouped with his men. With renewed determination they slowly pushed forward, though at the same time, the Ii troops had smashed into the Ukita force. Yukinaga cut through some more soldiers. If he could bolster the Ukita, they might be able to rout the Eastern army's left flank.

The tide had turned. They had been betrayed. Hideaki Kobayakawa was attacking the Western army's right flank. Yukinaga could see his forces charging down the hill towards Yoshitsugu's battalion. Yoshitsugu had expected as much and was firing his guns at Hideaki's force. However, this meant he had to divert men from the front, allowing the Eastern army to decimate his vanguard. Hideaki had broken through and the Otani army had collapsed. Yukinaga leapt towards the Kobayakawa troops carving through them.

“Judas!” Yukinaga shouted, pointing his sword at Hideaki. Romans 13: 4 For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Shouts of 'Traitor!' and 'Treachery!' rose up among the ranks of the faltering Western army. Another commander had seen Hideaki. Hideie Ukita was charging towards Kobayakawa. Hideie was after his head, just like Yukinaga. The mass of soldiers was too thick for Yukinaga to reach Kobayakawa. Instead he headed towards Hideie. Perhaps they could cut through the Eastern troops together. Yukinaga beheaded a soldier as he got closer to Hideie. Then he saw Hideie's retainers stop him and pull him away. Yukinaga was alone now, surrounded by traitors, cowards and thugs. He looked up to the sky.

“Guide me, Lord.” He prayed as the fighting encircled him. He looked down at the cross on his chest. “Thy will be done.” Yukinaga gripped his sword and fought viciously. But, for every Eastern soldier he killed, a Western soldier was simultaneously killed. The battle was over, but his life was not.

“Retreat!” He shouted, running back to the edge of the battlefield. He turned and waited for his forces to follow. Only a handful were able to disengage. They fled into the hills.

“Is this all that is left of us?” One soldier asked as another drew a small dagger. Yukinaga slapped it out of his hand.

“God owns our lives, they are his to take away, not ours.” Yukinaga said to his men. “The battle is lost, but we are not.” He took a sip of water from his gourd. “The hunting parties will be nearing us soon.” He looked at his men. They were scared. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. “Have no fear, my brothers. I will slow them down and give you time to return home.”

“My lord!” One of his soldiers bowed before him. “Please, let us take your place. You must return to your people.”

“You are my people. I have a duty to you and to God. I will hear no more of this.” Yukinaga turned away. “Now, go. Protect our people. Do your duty. For God and Japan.”

The soldiers all bowed before him, teary eyed. One by one, they ran further West. Yukinaga turned East towards the battlefield.

“John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” He said to himself as he drew his sword.

The road back to Sekigahara was not empty. In the distance, a cloud of dust had formed. Cavalry. They would surely run down his men if they were not stopped here. Yukinaga positioned himself in the middle of the road and pushed the tip of his sword into the ground, holding the hilt with both hands.

“Lord give me strength.” He whispered.

As the horses drew closer, he could make out the banners. A cross. Not the Lord's cross. The Shimazu cross. Yukinaga gritted his teeth. These men did not fight. They watched and waited and rand from battle. But they were not his enemy today. The horses slowed as they neared him. He recognised Yoshihiro, the head of the clan.

“Yukinaga?” Yoshihiro asked, stopping his horse. “The battle is over. Why are you here?”

“My battle is not over.” He said, looking at his cross.

“Don't die for that bureaucrat. We have a spare horse. Come with us to Kyushu.” Yukinaga noticed a distressed Hideie among the men.

“I made a promise to my men. I will hold off the enemy so they can escape.”

Yoshihiro looked down for a moment, then back to Yukinaga. He seemed happy.

“You remind me of my nephew, Toyohisa. He stayed back there so we could escape.”

“May God have mercy on his soul.” Yukinaga said. The statement seemed to have grated Yoshihiro. “May I ask something of you?”

“Of course.” Yoshihiro said. Yukinaga looked at the Shimazu soldiers. Yoshihiro waved them on.

“Justice.” Yukinaga calmly said. “Ieyasu will become Shogun and his sons after him. However, without Ieyasu, they will grow weak and arrogant. Bide your time, wait for an opportunity, then crush the Shogunate.”

“In favour of who? Hideyori?”

“No. Ieyasu won't keep him alive for too long.” Yukinaga paused. “It doesn't matter who, all that matters is the Tokugawa fall from power.”

“Fine. But it won't be for a long time. We will grow stronger, let them forget us. Then when the time is right, we will avenge this defeat. The Shimazu will avenge Toyohisa. And you.”

“Thank you.” Yukinaga bowed.

“Take as many as you can.” Yoshihiro said grimly, before whipping his horse and following his men.

Not long after the Shimazu left, the hunting parties arrived. The first was a Kobayakawa party. Yukinaga grinned.

“Ezekiel 25:17 I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I lay my vengeance upon them.” He said, tightly gripping his sword. Once the hunters saw him, they charged. Whoever could take his head would be well rewarded. Yukinaga waited for them to get close. He elbowed the first to reach him, then cut open his belly before moving to the next. With all his strength, he cleaved the soldier's arm off. As blood spurted out of his stump, Yukinaga pushed him to the ground. He could see fear in the eyes of some of the men, He blocked a few swings of swords and broke some spears before skewering a soldier. He slit a throat and cut the legs off a few more. Now only a handful remained. After cutting a head off one soldier and stabbing another he turned to the captain of the party who was trembling. He began to run away. Yukinaga dispatched the remaining brave men then shouted after the captain.

“Proverbs 28:1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Another party would be here soon. Yukinaga checked the bodies, putting the living out of their misery. He took another sip of water and picked up a spear. Soon enough, the next hunting party appeared. At their head was a large muscular Samurai with the previous captain's head on his belt. He pointed at Yukinaga and his men charged. Yukinaga quickly stabbed the first to attack him, plunging the spear into his throat. He then swung it at the second, slitting his throat. With the momentum from the previous swing, he sliced at the legs of the third, who soon fell to the floor. Yukinaga stabbed down at his chest, then threw the spear at the fourth to approach. He drew his sword and shouted.

“Psalm 94:1 O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!” Yukinaga charged at the remaining soldiers, cutting through them all, laughing as he went.

Once they were defeated, Yukinaga was spent. His arms and legs ached and his vision grew blurry. He looked at his sword, stained red with the blood of heathens. Then he looked at his Wakizashi, with his rosary fastened to it. He could not be a hypocrite. He would keep going until he could carry a sword no longer. Another hunting party was inbound. This one was smaller, only a handful of men. By now the Eastern army must have assumed their remaining prey had scattered and were alone.

Yukinaga shuffled towards the men and upon nearing them, he spoke.

“Luke 12:5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!”

The men laughed and charged towards him. Yukinaga grinned. A surge of energy coursed through his body. He dodged the first attack and cleaved through the neck of the soldier. The other two stopped in fear. The second soldier attacked and Yukinaga blocked their sword before slashing down across his chest. Then thrust his sword through the third's stomach, stepping forward to drive the blade in further.

“Job 8:13 Such are the paths of all who forget God; the hope of the godless shall perish” Yukinaga said as he glared into the eyes of the dying samurai. He pulled the sword out and stepped aside as the soldier fell to the floor.

Silence once again consumed the road. Yukinaga could go no further. He could surrender to the Eastern cutthroats or try to flee to the West. Prayer would guide him. He stabbed his sword in the ground and knelt before it. He closed his eyes for a minute until he heard a rustling in the trees. Opening his eyes, Yukinaga saw three soldiers with a peasant. The poor woman looked battered and bruised. One of the soldiers pushed her onto the road.

“Is that him? Is that Mitsunari?” He asked angrily.

“No.” The woman whimpered. The second soldier grabbed her.

“Do not lie to us. Who is that man?” He tightened his grip

“I don't know.” The woman cried. The soldier slapped her, knocking her to the floor.

Psalm 82:4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Yukinaga stood up, pulling his sword out of the ground. He looked at the woman.

“Do not be afraid for the Lord is with you.” He turned to the men. “My name is Yukinaga Konishi, retainer to Hideyori Toyotomi, general to Mitsunari Ishida.” The soldiers stared at him.

“Your head will fetch a fine price.” The lead soldier grinned, drawing his sword.

“Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said to myself, “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” The soldiers looked at each other with confusion, giving Yukinaga an opportunity to even the fight. He stabbed the nearest soldier through the neck, then swung at the next who blocked his attack. Were he at full strength, Yukinaga would have knocked his opponent to the ground with that attack. Instead, he parried the soldier's attack, then sliced at his leg, cutting it off below the knee. As he fell to the ground, the third soldier backed up, giving Yukinaga time to finish off the second. He plunged his sword into the soldier's eye and through his head.

The third soldier, however, was more skilled. He was agile, smart, and he must have been in the reserves as he showed no signs of tiredness. Yukinaga could not die here, he would not allow the innocent to fall into the hands of the wicked. If he kept swinging, he would get too slow. To combat this, Yukinaga let the soldier attack him. This man was not a well trained samurai as when he leapt towards Yukinaga, no sooner had his blade missed its target, his head was removed from his body. Yukinaga fell to his knees. He could barely stay awake. He looked at the woman. If his was the path of the righteous, Yukinaga was glad to walk it. The woman knelt before him.

“Thank you, my lord.”

“I...” Yukinaga panted. He began to fall forward.

“Are you alright?” The woman asked, catching him.

“Yes, I'm just a little tired.” He corrected himself

“Why are you here? Why have you not fled yet?”

“I am granting my allies a better chance to escape.” Yukinaga said. The woman smiled.

“Perhaps you can help lord Mitsunari. My family owes him for his kindness and generosity.”

“I would, but I know not where he is.”

“I saw him, when the battle was over. He was climbing Mt Ibuki.” She said, pointing at the great mountain in the distance. This must be why his body refused to give up. He was to help his friend. Yukinaga stood up.

“Thank you. I will go find him. You must get to safety.” He said, before beginning the trek towards the mountain. He sprinted with all his strength, taking comfort in the fact that this was his path, the path of a true Christian samurai.

He stopped at the foot of the mountain to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his face, falling to the ground like tears. He took a sip of water, there was not much left. Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Yukinaga climbed up the mountain. His legs ached and he was out of breath, but he had to keep going, just a little further. Yukinaga could hear people in the distance. Slowing down, he strained his eyes to see through the trees. Mitsunari was tied in rope and being pushed down the mountain. They looked like Nagamasa Kuroda's men. Well trained samurai and possibly Christian. Yukinaga drew his sword. Whatever they were, Mitsunari was his friend. He had sworn a sacred oath before God to serve him and he would not break it. He leapt out of the trees, but by the time he had caught up with the soldiers, they had already slung Mitsunari over the saddle of a horse. They rode off, too scared to risk giving up their prize. Yukinaga had failed and they now knew his location. It was over.

After drinking the last of his water, Yukinaga climbed down the mountain. If he could not save his friend, at the very least he would die trying, like a true samurai should. As he reached the base of the mountain, he recognised the banners of the nearby camp; Kuroda and Takenaka. Mitsunari would be here somewhere. He approached the camp and unsheathed his sword.

“Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” He cut through as many soldiers as he could until he could go no further.

Yukinaga was tossed into a cell. By the grace of God, he was permitted to keep his rosary. Kneeling on the cold stone floor, he closed his eyes and started to pray.

“Lord, I pray you give mercy to Mitsunari. Though he does not follow your teachings, he is a good man, a loyal man. I pray you take away his fear and grant him a place in paradise.” Yukinaga paused for a moment. “I know you have prepared a place for me, but I ask you to give it to him instead.”

He continued to pray until he fell asleep.

The next morning, Yukinaga was visited by Nagamasa Kuroda, general of the Eastern army and a fellow Christian. Yukinaga had requested that one of the padres be brought to him to read his last rites, but there was no priest to be seen. Nagamasa stood before him, looking slightly ashamed.

“Nagamasa, why do you deny me a priest? Were I a Buddhist would you grant me the same wish?”

“I am not a Christian.” He whispered, angrily. “That religion is a curse. It is the death of you. I will not let it be the death of me.”

“Jeremiah 17:5 Thus says the Lord; “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” Yukinaga said through gritted teeth. Nagamasa froze. His skin went as white as the Geisha in Gion and he quickly fled. Yukinaga looked to the sky.

“Forgive me Lord, for I have failed you.” He said. “I could not save my friend, I could not defeat the traitors. Thank you for giving my the strength to fight in your name. I pray for the strength to face my death.”

Yukinaga looked at the men now beside him. Ekei Ankokuji, the Buddhist warrior monk, was meditative, he had accepted death. Mitsunari, on the other hand, was in a sorry state. His skin was pallid and he was too ill to be angry or scared. Yukinaga felt sorry for him. He was a brave and loyal man and he did not deserve to die here. Yukinaga knew that with Mitsunari here, the Western army had lost. Matthew 9:36 Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Yukinaga scanned the camp. Ieyasu was not here, neither was Nagamasa. Yukinaga exhaled. He looked up once more. The vast blue sky stretched over the horizon.

“1 Peter 5:10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Mitsunari and Ekei looked to Yukinaga, perhaps they found solace in his words. Ekei then whispered some Buddhist chant. Mitsunari looked to the sky.

“Forgive me, lord Hideyoshi, I did my best to carry on your dream.”

The executioner arrived and an image of Jesus was put on the ground before Yukinaga. He recognised that it belonged to Nagamasa. Ekei was the first to be killed. Mitsunari followed him. His death meant the end of the Toyotomi regime. Though he was not a Christian, Yukinaga was glad to have been his friend. Now, he was the only one left. The samurai around him looked on as he smiled.

“2 Peter 3:7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgement and destruction of the ungodly.”

Yukinaga then looked upon the image of Jesus and spoke.

“Luke 23: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”