A Stick of Time

In 1554, a young and ambitious Toranaga leads his first battle, emerging victorious against the rebel warlord Mizoguchi. Admiring Toranaga's skill and determination, Mizoguchi surrenders. Honoring Mizoguchi's wishes, Toranaga allows him to commit seppuku, a ritual suicide where Mizoguchi stabs himself in the stomach before Toranaga decapitates him.

Fast forward to 1600, and Toranaga's story takes another dramatic turn. He meets his estranged half-brother, Saeki Nobutatsu, with the aim of uniting their forces to invade Osaka as part of a plan called Crimson Sky. Saeki agrees to support Toranaga, but tensions remain high. Toranaga, skeptical of the European sailor Blackthorne's role, decides not to give him command of his ship.

During a tense dinner, Saeki reveals that he has been offered a position as the fifth regent, replacing Sugiyama. This ultimatum forces Toranaga to choose between surrendering to the council in Osaka or facing an imminent war. Adding to the pressure, Saeki informs Yabushige that his general has been executed, destroying any hopes Yabushige had of manipulating both sides.

The conflict escalates as Buntaro, another key figure, threatens Blackthorne and asks Toranaga for permission to kill him. Toranaga refuses, understanding that this would also mean killing Mariko, whom Buntaro loves deeply. Mariko, in a gesture of loyalty, asks to commit seppuku, but Toranaga denies her request as well.

As the situation becomes more dire, Toranaga makes the unexpected decision to surrender to the council in Osaka, declaring there will be no Crimson Sky. This decision goes against the wishes of his advisors, Nagakado and Yabushige. Meanwhile, Nagakado, with the help of Kiku, plans to assassinate Saeki at Ajiro's teahouse. The attempt fails disastrously when Nagakado slips and fatally hits his head on a rock while trying to kill Saeki. The story highlights how Toranaga thinks smart in tough situations and talks about honor, war, and what's right and wrong. Fuji, who lost her family, shows us it's important to keep trying, like Toranaga surrendering to avoid more fighting. It's different from the book and focuses on Toranaga and Saeki's complicated relationship, showing Toranaga's cleverness in tricky situations.