Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1814 - 1302: First Clash with the Wa People—Spear Tip Against Spear Tip!

Kaozaki Yoshihiro donned Doumaru armor, astride a tall Jurchen Horse, gazing majestically ahead. The veteran Shigeyasu Kudo rode a smaller Dewa horse, carrying a conspicuous banner, following by his side. Surrounding the two generals were two hundred Koyozaki warriors, marching in formation. Most of them wielded double-length spears, with a dire need at their waist a small rib sword, yet a few affluent ones were armed with close combat blades.

As for the ten precious cavalrymen, they were all leading their small battle horses, following the two generals on foot. Each only had one horse, and the horse's stamina was extremely valuable. Riding it for an extra quarter meant feeding it grass for an extra two quarters, even exhausting the hard-to-transport Dou Liao, burdensome and inefficient. Thus, during marches, cavalrymen predominantly traveled on foot. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

On the outer perimeter, groups of dozens of three hundred Ishikari tribal warriors served as the army's eyes, as well as skirmishers engaging with the enemy. At the rearmost position, bearing food, were one hundred able-bodied men of the Uchiura tribes, in charge of logistics. Whether Ishikari or Uchiura tribes, most of these Ainu tribespeople were without armor, a few had rudimentary leather armor. Their weapons mainly consisted of stone spears, stone hammers, stone axes, with fewer iron spears and iron axes.

Of course, though Ishikari Tribal Warriors had rudimentary equipment, their morale was very high. They had already hunted extensively in Beiyu Clan's hunting grounds for more than a month, nearly depleting all the deer and rabbit herds. Likewise, they had raided several small scattered Northern Excess Tribes, even capturing women who couldn't escape in time, to bring back for tribal marriages. Hence, even just withdrawing now with everyone returning to their tribes meant a fruitful venture, abundant and fulfilling!

"Young Master Yoshihiro, the north of Ezo Fuji is bitterly cold. The Northern Four Tribes' territory is difficult for the Main Family to occupy. Actually, only the Uchiura clans south of Ezo Fuji have the potential to develop rice fields, becoming directly held by the Main Family, increasing the Main Family's stone height, which is the Main Family's strategic focus!… As for the Northern Four Tribes, Beiyu, Ishikari, West Yuan, East Yuan, the Family Head has repeatedly instructed me to ensure the Ezo Clans are like dogs biting dogs, entangled and slaughtering each other… Yet absolutely never allowing them to decide a victor, to unite the Ezo people into one, forming a leading dog king!…"

"Hmm? Kudo Chief Retainer, you mean? Guard against Ishikari Tribe's expansion?…"

The veteran Shigeyasu Kudo's expression turned melancholy, looking at the jubilant Ishikari tribal warriors around, akin to a seasoned Hunter, overseeing his hunting dogs, no, hunting wolves. In his eyes, there was only three parts coldness, yet a full seven parts distrust, buried deeply within him since arriving in Ezo land, and now still buried.

"Yes! Young Master Yoshihiro. We cannot seize Beiyu Clan's territory, but the Ishikari Clan can occupy it. They've already devoured half of the Beiyu Clan, nearly pushing them into the sea. They've grown very strong, ranking first among the four tribes. Their territories have iron ore, even coal for warmth, making the Family Head very wary!… On this expedition, they even want to request Iron Smelting, Blacksmithing artisans from the Main Family, all directly refused by the Family Head!…"

"Young Master, once you inherit the Family Head position, you must absolutely guard against the Ishikari Clan! The best outcome is for the Main Family to subdue the Beiyu Clan this time, making them a vassal just like the Uchiura clans. Then, with two Ezo clans, balance and suppress the Ishikari Tribe… In any case, on this Ezo land plotted by the Main Family, there must not be an overly strong Ainu Clan emerging! Irrespective of them forming alliances with us, or seeming friendly… Yet at the root, we are not of the same clan with the Wa People, ultimately untrustworthy!…"

The words from the veteran Shigeyasu Kudo spoke the mind of all Wa People Martial Families on Ezo land. They viewed Ezo land as the clan's underlying foundation, treating the Ainu People as a conquered alien tribe. They had no mind to integrate with the Ainu People, all surface alliances were for the long-term interests, for complete annexation and occupation.

Consequently, even though Ishikari Clan and Kaozaki Clan formed an alliance, seeming a strong partnership, it was actually superficially harmonious yet inwardly discordant, bound to eventually diverge. The chieftains of the Ishikari Tribes attempted multiple times to form marital bonds with the Koyozaki Clan's direct line, but were unequivocally refused by Takeda Nobuhiro. His inheritors had already arranged alliances with important Wa People Martial Families. These marital alliances stabilized retainers internally and attracted strong reinforcements externally. As for marital alliances with Ezo tribal women? Ridiculous, not even for the chieftain's daughter!

"Hmm! Kudo Chief Retainer, you speak with reason!…"

Kaozaki Yoshihiro pondered momentarily, nodding atop the horse. Nearby, the faint shadows of the Northern Remaining Cold Shore Division's village were already appearing alongside the northern shoreline. As the 'great army' of six hundred approached, the shrill sound of conch shells echoed continuously, signaling the Ainu people's alert.

"Diu! Diu!… The brutal Wa People army has emerged from the south!…"

"Quick! Quickly mobilize able-bodied men from each village, inform the three Great Chiefs!…"

"The three Great Chiefs have spoken! Great Chiefs' orders!… All archers and able-bodied men ascend the high places of the village! All Hanbin Faction Warriors, Cold Swamp Tribe Warriors, and armored Thousand Island Warriors, rely on the village stockade walls, form ranks at the village entrance!…"

"Guarded by Divine Might! We have a thousand warriors, an unprecedented formidable force, the protective power bestowed by the Heavenly Divine! We will certainly defeat the Wa People and the Ishikari Tribe army, driving them from our Ancestor's inherited hunting grounds!…"

The mobilization by the Beiyu Clan was chaotic and noisy, the expressions of hundreds of tribal warriors were a mix of anger and some hidden fear. Zuwaro observed these combatably dubious allies of Northern Exceeded Tribes with ordinary morale, and secretly shook his head. Then he raised the Chief Divine's banner, inspiringly shouted to his armored warriors from the Kingdom and Rokube.

"The Blood Eye of the Chief Divine is watching over us! It has long been hungry, waiting for blood and sacrifices!… It protects us, from thousands of miles afar in the East to this Western Sea Continent. Under its protection, we have always been victorious, sure to defeat the enemy!…"

"Chief Divine's protection, the Force of sea and Thunderbolt, has descended from the sky! The Thunderbolt Ritual Artifact bestowed by it is beside us!… All warriors of the Chief Divine! March out, form ranks, raise the Long Spears, prepare to meet the enemy!…"

Thunderous cheers erupted from the village of the Hanbin Faction, and a forest of golden spears surged from the village entrance. Subsequently, to the jaw-dropping gaze of Wa People warriors, and the uneasy withdrawal of Ishikari Clan, a group of tall and fierce Armored Warriors aligned facing them across hundreds of meters, spearhead confronting spearhead!