In the end of the year 209, the Wakumi made their advances into the land of the Cho clan. Without any warning or signal, their forces went into the plains of the Jarldom of Birgir. Catching the Cho clan by surprise, the war would be the first of the wars between the Wakumi and Cho. The start of the bitter hatred between the two.
The Push[]
The Wakumi forces made a good push. Without any force with enough numbers to be a capable threat, the Cho would draw back to Meidong or further into their land. This bolstered the Wakumi who weren't in any hurry. Raids started where many small settlements of the Cho clan were burned, sacked and looted. Any survivors would be taken in as captives. Either to be sent back to the foreign Wakumi held land or to be used for later mockery against the Cho clan's 'cowardice'.
Insulted and furious, the Cho started their counter attack. It began with lightning fast raids on the supply routes of the Wakumi forces and continued to expand even into their own land. This, in turn, angered the Wakumi, who decided to lay siege to Meidong. For a year, the sieging army attempted to break the defences but every attempt was met with failure. While they believed that they held the Cho at a breaking point, they would be surprised as a Cho army would arrive at the siege. Relieving their comrades and kinsmen from the siege, the Wakumi started to suffer heavy losses. Instead of being able to push further into the land of the Cho clan, the Wakumi were forced to retreat to their own land. This went with even more blood as the Cho were relentless and merciless, performing night raids and attacks on the Wakimi forces.
Driven back to the borders of their own land, the Wakumi were able to rally a large force. The raids and attacks of the Cho halted, which the Wakumi believed to be because their adversaries didn't dare to enter their turf. Which would prove to be quite the opposite.
While the Wakumi regrouped back to their own land, the Cho clan were mustering a large host of their own. Marching south to the borders, the clash that would decide the end of the first Wakumi-Cho war was near.
The Battle of Niri[]
Near the small village of Niri would the battle take place. Both the Wakumi as the Cho were aware of each other's force. Small skirmished took place by small units, as the Cho were unfamiliar with the area and the Wakumi were cautious to not make any mistake. Defeat for the Wakumi meant that the Cho had a free pass to advance into their land.
As the two armies were testing each other out in the hills and small woods, the Cho would prepare their plan. Knowing that the Wakumi had taken a position on a large hill, an attack from any direction would be quickly noticed and then repelled. Resulting in heavy losses, which the Cho wanted to prevent. Instead, they decided to lure the Wakumi into a false sense of security and bolstering their confidence. A few of the Cho shinobi at the time would disguise themselves as soldiers of the Wakumi. Bringing in the news that the Cho were being attacked and raided by the Sarutobi and Hon clans, this development caused the Cho army to make preparations to send half their army back home. Hoping that they could keep the Wakumi off for some time.
This was just what the Wakumi needed. Eagerly, they waited for half a day before they would press forward. Marching towards the encampment of the Cho army, they were greeted with the sight of the Cho troops readying for battle. But their numbers were indeed just half of what they were used to be. The terrain did benefit the Cho as the Wakumi could only approach from one direction as a river cut off any flanking opportunity. The Cho warriors started to form a shield wall as their skirmishers would ready to loose arrows into any advancing enemy unit.
Sending a detachment, the Wakumi would launch the first attack. The goal was to probe the shield wall of the Cho army. On a given command, the Cho started to move backwards, giving the impression that the Wakumi were winning ground. More of the Wakumi moved in to aid the push. As the majority of the Wakumi were engaged and starting to push their comrades in hope to pressure the shield wall of the Cho to break, they would sign their own doom. Without any warning, the reserves of the Wakumi were overwhelmed and taken down by Cho. The other half of the Cho army had waited in another position, staying out of sight and range of the Wakumi troops. Advancing quickly towards their comrades, the other half of the Cho formed a shield wall. What happened then could be described as popping out a zit. The two shield walls pressed on as the Wakumi were unable to escape. A slaughter followed as the Cho weren't interested in keeping prisoners.
Conclussion[]
The Battle of Niri led to the Wakumi were left without any army to oppose the Cho present in their land. After a year of raiding and pillaging the Cho were willing to offer peace. Large sums of resources and wealth would be given to the Cho clan as war reparations. The Cho clan demanded that they had to execute the heir and any sons of the Wakumi leader, which left the later disgusted and bitter about their defeat. But also frightened of just attacking the Cho clan.