Nobunaga's Caddie, Episode 1 [Creative Awards 2024, Manga Original Story Category Entry]

Synopsis
One day, a mysterious power suddenly awakens in golf enthusiasts around the world. It is the power to summon historical figures. Milan Komori, a boy working part-time at a golf course in Gifu Prefecture, unintentionally exercises this power. As a result, the person summoned is none other than Oda Nobunaga himself.
Nobunaga shows an interest in golf, displaying powerful and skillful play that one would not expect from a beginner. In response to similar phenomena occurring across the globe, the World Golf Federation takes swift action. They announce the holding of a golf tournament featuring historical figures: the "Masterpiece" tournament.
Nobunaga tells Milan, "Milan, be my 'caddie'."
A dream match where historical figures compete through the sport of golf!

Main Story
0
“...!”
Early one sunny morning, a crisp sound rings out across the course at the Tenka Fubu Country Club, a golf course in Gifu Prefecture. The source of the sound is a beautiful, androgynous boy holding a golf club.Tenka Fubu Country Club “Heh! Nice shot!”
The boy rubs the tip of his nose and praises himself. The golf ball launched from the club he swung flies straight down the vibrant green
fairway. The boy watches it with satisfaction. “...Huh?”
Just ahead of the ball flying through the air, a space resembling a mist of mixed purple and black appears for an instant, and the ball is sucked into it and vanishes.
“Eh!?”
The boy cannot believe his eyes. However, just a few seconds later, a similar mist-like space appears near the ground—close to where the ball should have landed—and from it,
along with the golf ball, a man with a topknot, dressed in magnificent black armor and a bright red cape, falls out. “Gyan!”
“E-eh!?”
The boy cries out in surprise again.
“...Mu, muu...”
“...Ah! A-are you okay!?”
The boy rushes over to the man and calls out to him.
“...W-who are you! Who shot me with this white ball!?”
The man, who had been lying on his back, opens his eyes wide, grips the golf ball tightly, and jumps up.
“U-uwaah!?”
The boy is startled and falls backward onto his bottom.
“Is it the ghost of Sugitani!? You wretch!
Seize him and tear him to pieces!” The man stands up vigorously and shouts in a high-pitched voice.
“Eh...?”
“Hmm...?”
The man and the boy lock eyes.
“U-um...”
“...
What is wrong, Ran, what is with that strange attire?” “R-Ran?”
“Did you cut your hair, too? Since when...”
The man tilts his head.
“Um... who is Ran?”
“What are you babbling about... it is you,
Mori Ranmaru.” “M-Mori Ranmaru? I am
Komori Miran...” “...”
“...”
“...Who are you!?”
“N-no, that’s what I want to ask! Besides, you can’t just wander onto the course like that!”
“...Where is this?”
The man looks around and asks. The boy, who called himself Miran, answers with a look of exasperation.
“Where? It’s a golf course.”
“
Golf Castle? Which castle is that?” “Huh? Castle?”
“...Is this not
Gifu Castle?”
“Gifu Castle is further south. Oh, wait, are you perhaps from the 'Gifu Castle Excitement Squad'?”Gifu Castle Excitement Squad “...What is that squad... did
Nobutada have it formed?” “Eh? It’s a group that promotes local revitalization and historical culture while interacting with tourists at places like Gifu Castle.”
Hearing Miran’s explanation, the man narrows his eyes.
“Historical culture, you say...?”
“Y-yes...”
The man rubs his chin, thinks for a moment, and then speaks.
“...You imposter Ran.”
“Imposter! I’m the real Miran!”
“What year of
Tensho is it now?” “Huh? Te-Tensho? It’s currently the sixth year of
Reiwa...” “Reiwa? Is it not the tenth year of Tensho?”
“The tenth year of Tensho... th-that’s
1582 AD!?” Miran takes out his smartphone to search, sees the results, and lets out a bewildered cry. The man crosses his arms and nods.
“So I truly have
leaped through time...” “Y-you’re quick to catch on...”
“I can tell by your reaction... including the fact that you pulled out that strange
mechanical board... so?” “Eh?”
“What year is it now, in that... AD calendar?”
“...It is
2024.” “...Hmm,
roughly four hundred years later...” The man nods again.
“U-um...”
“What is it?”
“You don’t seem very surprised...”
“If I were to be rattled by something like this, I could never achieve
Tenka Fubu.” “Te-Tenka Fubu? W-what is your name...?”
“I am
Oda Nobunaga...!” “E-ehhh!?”
Miran is shocked. His loud voice echoes across the golf course. About two months pass after that...
“...Hmph!”
“Nice shot!”

Nobunaga adapted to the modern era quite quickly.

1
"Phew..."
"Nobu-san, you're in top form again today!"
After finishing practice, Miran calls out to Nobunaga, who is resting in the clubhouse.
"Hmm, naturally..."
Nobunaga nods. His topknot is as it always was, and although he is in a somewhat bizarre outfit of golf wear with a cape draped over it, the sight of him sitting in a chair with a beer mug in one hand makes him look like a completely modern person. By the way, the beer is non-alcoholic beer.
"Excuse me..."
Miran sits in the seat opposite him. Nobunaga places his mug on the table and mutters deeply.
"When I was on my way to Gifu Castle to encourage Nobutada as he headed for the Koshu Conquest, I was hit by a white ball that flew out of nowhere, and for a moment I wondered what would become of me..."
"Ugh... I-I'm sorry..."
Miran bows her head. Nobunaga responds with a smile.
"You didn't mean any harm, I'm sure. There is no need to apologize. Besides..."
"Besides?"
"I encountered something truly interesting called 'golf'..."
"I was surprised that you have such a good aptitude for golf, Nobu-san."
"That is because your way of teaching is good."
"No, no, I'm still just an amateur..."
Miran scratches the back of her head, looking embarrassed.
"Hmph..."
Nobunaga takes his smartphone out of his pocket and begins operating it with practiced ease. It is surreal, but it is a sight I am already used to.
"U-um..."
"What is it?"
"What do you usually do on your smartphone, Nobu-san?"
"I mostly update my '"Instagraph'."
"Y-you're quite the extrovert...!"
"Does that bother you?"
"Um... aren't you curious about yourself?"
"Is that what they call... ego-searching?"
"Y-yes..."
Miran nods hesitantly.
"Actually, I tried doing it once..."
"O-oh..."
""I stopped halfway through because there seemed to be a lot of insults."
"Y-you stopped!?"
"Yes, they were writing things like '"Demon King' and so on. If I were to read through such things one by one, my heart would break."
"Didn't you write 'Demon King' yourself?"
"That was because that monk Shingen sent me a letter signed 'Tendai Zasu Shamon Shingen', so I just replied with '"Sixth Heavenly Demon King'... Honestly, to take mere nonsense so seriously..."
Nobunaga mutters while taking several photos of the parfait on the table with his smartphone from different angles.The Sixth Heavenly Demon King who cares about his Instagram aesthetic.
"B-but..."
"Hmm?"
"Isn't gathering information necessary? In this day and age, the information-illiterate are weeded out in no time at all."
"Hoh, you've got a sharp tongue..."
Nobunaga strokes his beard and gives a wry smile. Just then, audio from a television can be heard. An elderly man sitting at the table next to Nobunaga and the others has turned on the TV.
"Uh, this is an emergency special report. Since the beginning of this year, there have been a series of reports that a mysterious power has begun to awaken in people who enjoy golf at golf courses around the world."
"!"
"That mysterious power is... first, the power to summon historical greats."
"!!"
Miran stands up and approaches the TV.
"The triggers are quite varied, but it seems that young men and women working at golf courses are mainly beginning to awaken to the other part of this power."
"What exactly do you mean by 'the other part'?"
The main MC of the program asks the announcer.
"The details are not yet clear, but..."
"Uh-huh."
"Those who have summoned historical greats, or those who provided the trigger... it seems they can control the greats and are able to fully draw out their extraordinary power."
"That is...!"
Miran looks at Nobunaga. It is true that he listened to her golf advice obediently. And she has heard from others that he plays terribly on her days off. On TV, the MC opens his mouth.
"Those greats who have appeared all over the world, right?"
"Yes."
"They're all hooked on golf, aren't they?"
"It seems so."
"That means, doesn't it? The great and the person who summoned them... from now on, it's like they're tied together for life, isn't it?"
"N-no, surely it's not that far..."
Miran, who has returned her gaze to the TV, gives a wry smile.
"And here is the breaking news that just came in...!"
"Eh?"
Miran reacts to the announcer's words. She turns her gaze to the TV.
"The greats summoned around the world have all shown an interest in golf, and each is showing a powerful and skillful play that you wouldn't expect from a beginner... Therefore, the World Golf Federation has decided to hold a golf tournament by those greats, the '"Masterpiece'!"
"!?"
"Ohhh!"
The MC and other guests on the TV show raise their voices.
""The prize money for the winner is 500 million dollars! That's about 80 billion yen!"
"Whoa!!"
"It seems that the only condition for participation is that the great and the person who summoned them must be their caddie..."
"Huh, I wonder which course they'll play on?"
"As for that, it hasn't been announced yet..."
"Who will be playing?"
"It seems they will treat the rounds in each country as a kind of qualifier. Although they say it's just one of the benchmarks... they will decide the invited players by judging their play there..."
"Man, I'm looking forward to the Masterpiece!"
Contrary to the MC's cheerful voice, Miran slumps down, hands on her knees.
"...So it wasn't just Nobu-san... I was the information-illiterate one... haha."
"...Hey."
"Eh? Whoa!?"
A golf bag containing clubs is thrust at Miran as she turns around.
""Oran, be my 'caddie'"
"N-no, even if you say that..."
"...Don't you want the prize money?"
"! T-that is... I want it, very much!"
Nobunaga smiles at Miran's honest words.
"Good... then what should we do?"
Miran checks her smartphone.
"Um... found it, 'Masterpiece'! Has the official site been up since yesterday? ...Let's see... 'First, defeat other greats in match play... then you will be closer to participating in the Masterpiece...' ...W-what is this vague tournament outline..."
"...I generally understand."
"R-really!? Nobu-san!?"
"First, I just need to find and defeat anyone in this land of Hinomoto who is in a similar situation to me, right?"
"W-well, that's about it..."
"Then, let's go immediately..."
"W-wait a minute! We don't even know where our opponents are..."
"Young Oda! Challenge me!"
"Eh!?"
A loud voice can be heard from outside the clubhouse. In contrast to the surprised Miran, Nobunaga grins.
"To think they would come to us... that saves me the trouble..."
When Nobunaga and Miran go outside, two men are standing there. One is dressed normally, but the other is in a bizarre outfit with painted eyebrows, blackened teeth, light makeup, wearing an eboshi hat, and golf wear. That person gives a faint smile and mutters.
"So you are the young Oda... is this actually the first time we've met face-to-face?"
"Nobu-san... do you know him?"
Nobunaga tilts his head.
"...No, I don't know him at all."
"What!?"
"Which court noble are you?"
"I am no court noble! I am a man of the warrior class!"
"Warrior class?"
"D-do you not know?"
"Unfortunately..."
"I am someone who holds a grudge against you!"
""There are too many of you for me to know"
"What!?"
The man with the painted eyebrows is taken aback. Miran gives a wry smile.
"Nobu-san..."
"D-do you really not know?"
"Yes, although you call me a young man, you seem a few years younger than me... but I'll listen, so state your name quickly."
"I am Imagawa Yoshimoto!"
"!"
"Eh!?"
""At Okehazama, you caused me a painful experience...!"
"Come to think of it, I remember... that's the face I saw at the head inspection... Wait, why are you here?"
"T-that is something I don't know either...!"
"...?"
Miran speaks up from beside the head-scratching Nobunaga.
"...I think it's something like a parallel world..."
"...What do you mean, Oran?"
"I-I can't explain it well either, but... even in a similar world, perhaps the two of you here followed different paths..."
"Different paths?"
"Yes, Nobu-san who won the Battle of Okehazama, and this Imagawa Yoshimoto-san, who somehow managed to avoid death in the Battle of Okehazama..."
Miran points to each of them. Nobunaga nods while stroking his beard.
"Hmm, I have a vague feeling..."
"Did you understand?"
""I understand well that I don't understand well"
"Haha, right, I thought so~"
Miran gives a wry smile again. Nobunaga asks the man with the painted eyebrows who called himself Imagawa Yoshimoto.
"...And in any case, what does a loser want?"
"A-a loser!?"
"It's a fact, isn't it? You said you had a painful experience, and you followed the path of a defeated general at Okehazama... isn't that right?"
"Guh..."
"Am I wrong?"
"Yes, that's right! But by some twist of fate, we have met again in this Reiwa era!"
"Hmph, what a strange thing..."
Nobunaga laughs.
"Oda Nobunaga! Let's settle this with golf!"
Yoshimoto glares at Nobunaga and points at him sharply.
"I'll take you on...!"
Nobunaga glares back at Yoshimoto.Oda Nobunaga and Imagawa Yoshimoto were to fight again... in a golf match play.
"Hmph!"
"Nice shot!"
Nobunaga's tee shot is a success. The ball flies far and lands right in the middle of the fairway.
"Hmm..."
"That's a good position!"
Miran calls out. Next, Yoshimoto hits his tee shot. The ball, launched from a beautiful swing, flies in a fairly good direction, but it doesn't come close to Nobunaga's distance. Nobunaga laughs through his nose.
"Hmph, is that all..."
"...You may be able to get some distance, but golf is not all about distance."
Yoshimoto replies. Nobunaga gives a wry smile.
"Ha, you talk like you know... You are further from the pin than I am. You go first."
"...I will show you... the difference in class...!"
Yoshimoto not only lands it on the green with an accurate and powerful shot, but also lands it right next to the pin. Miran is surprised.
"What!? He landed it next to the pin on the second shot of a par 4? B-birdie chance..."
"Hmph..."
Nobunaga's second shot goes slightly over the green. He approaches well near the pin on his third shot and cups it in on his fourth. He got a par, but Yoshimoto makes his third shot for a birdie. From the first hole, Yoshimoto takes a one-stroke lead.
"Haha, a good start..."
"..."
Yoshimoto continues to get birdies and pars on the following holes as well. In contrast, Nobunaga's shots are generally a bit messy, and he gets a few bogeys. Since he also got a few birdies, he managed to keep up, but Yoshimoto enters the final stages with a two-stroke lead.
"S-such accurate play... to do this much even though it's his first time on this course..."
Yoshimoto reacts to Miran, who lets out a sigh of admiration.
"Boy, who do you think I am? I am Imagawa Yoshimoto, hailed as the '"greatest archer in the Tokaido'? Golf is nothing..."
"Ugh..."
"Oran, don't pay him any mind, more importantly, the next hole."
"Y-yes... the next is a par 5 long hole."
"Long hole..."
"I'd like to get a birdie here. But Nobu-san is good at this hole. If you stay calm, you'll be fine..."
First, Yoshimoto hits his tee shot. He lands the ball slightly short of the midpoint of the long fairway. It's a solid way to attack.
"Hmm... hmph!"
"Ahhh!?"
Nobunaga's tee shot flies with more force than expected, and the ball falls into a somewhat wide pond between the fairway and the green. It's a '"water hazard'. Yoshimoto laughs loudly.
"Hahaha! You put too much power into it!"
"N-Nobu-san... don't mind it."
"Is the next shot the third?"
"Y-yes, because there's a +1 stroke penalty..."
Miran nods to Nobunaga's question. Yoshimoto hits his second shot. It lands in front of the pond. This is also a solid way to attack. Yoshimoto turns toward Nobunaga and speaks so he can hear.
""It was raining on that day at Okehazama..."
"..."
"Our army was defeated by your attack, which was almost a surprise attack despite being inferior in military strength... but that won't happen this time."
"..."
"I will win...!"
Yoshimoto also lands his third shot near the pin with an accurate shot. It's a birdie chance. Miran frowns and mutters in a low voice.
"It's bad if he gets ahead here... I want to somehow scrape by with a par..."
"Oran."
"Y-yes!"
"It's fine to hit from in front of the pond, right?"
"Y-yes... but that's the rough... the grass is growing and it's hard to hit. It would be better to hit from the fairway a little further back..."
"No, here is fine..."
"B-but..."
"It's fine, hand me the 7-iron."
"S-seven-iron!?"
Miran raises her voice in surprise.
"That's right."
"N-no, if you're hitting from the rough, an 8-iron or 9-iron would be..."
"It's the 7-iron. Because it's the easiest to handle."
"I-it's true that it's one beginners often use, but..."
"Hurry up."
"Y-yes..."
Miran hands him the club. Nobunaga hits his third shot.
"Hmph!"
"!?"
"What!?"
Miran and Yoshimoto are surprised. Not only did he get out of the rough without difficulty, but he also cleared the pond, bounced a few times on the green, and cupped in.
"An eagle!"
Miran raises her voice.
"...Okehazama was a surprise attack, and yet it was not a surprise attack..."
"...What?"
Yoshimoto reacts to Nobunaga's words.
"For me at that time, that was the orthodox method..."
"! D-don't tell me... did you intentionally put it in the pond? Because you could place it in a position where you could hit the third shot straight toward the pin..."
"What if I said yes?"
Nobunaga grins at Yoshimoto.
"I-impossible...!"
Perhaps shaken, Yoshimoto misses the subsequent birdie putt and the following par putt in succession, his first bogey of the day. Nobunaga makes a comeback with a one-stroke lead. In the end, the gap was never closed, and it resulted in Nobunaga's victory.
"Y-you did it! Nobu-san's win!"
Miran rejoices.
"I-impossible..."
Nobunaga calls out to Yoshimoto, who has slumped his shoulders in disappointment.
"Yoshimoto..."
"Nobunaga..."
"By defeating you at Okehazama, my name thundered throughout the world, and my luck opened up greatly... After that, I took this land... Mino, and changed the place name to Gifu..."
"! I thought it was a place name I hadn't heard of, but did you change it!? Y-you behave just like a ruler of the world..."
"I advocated 'Tenka Fubu' (Rule the World by Military Force), and from this land of Gifu, I was able to pacify most of the world..."
"T-Tenka Fubu..."
"I will have you do the same this time. Not with military force, but with golf, though."
Nobunaga grins with a club in one hand.
"!!"
""Your service as a stepping stone this time is truly appreciated..."
Nobunaga calmly flips his cape and leaves the scene with dignity.