Episode 9: Ruthless License

May 29, 1582, Sasuke is still readying: he will only be able to feed half of his 50 men. He then receives a rather crude Bizen bowl said to be worth a 1000 koku from Hideyoshi. June 1, Nobunaga plans to go to war on Kyushu against Chousokabe, and requires the assistance of Hakata merchants Kamiya Soutan and Shimai Shoushitsu. Courtiers ask him to take a position in the imperial court: either shogun, grand advisor, or grand counsellor. He refuses claiming the title of God of the Realm, since he has more masterpieces than any previous shogun although he is still lacking two tea jars. Sasuke arrives at Kiyohide's. He wants to go to Honno witness the masterpieces but Kiyohide dissuades him from doing so. Mistuhide informs four trusted retainers he plans to murder Nobunaga. Soueki arrives at Honno with a load of gunpowder, pretexting it is for the war against the Mori. Nobunaga dines with Nobutada and Nagamasu. He wants Nobutada to inherit his rule using masterpieces as tools of influence, with a less licentious Nagamasu as his advisor. Mitsuhide moves his troops to Honno. While carving a tea scoop, Sasuke has a foreboding of doom regarding Nobunaga. Nobunaga, woken up by the stone frog, is slashed in half by Hideyoshi.