A year has passed since the Battle for Two Bridges, and Kazuchiyo is once again sent out to wage war in Lord Aritaka's name. With Yagi and Amai at his side, he ventures west into a new province in search of allies that will aid their march on the capital. There he is confronted with a castle under siege, a mortal enemy, and a mysterious stranger who holds the secrets of magic. As his resolve and his relationships are tested through battle and deception, he must ask of himself: how much would he risk to seize the title of shogun, not only from the current ruler, but from his own father?

The Breaking of the Siege is the second book of the KAZUCHIYO series, continuing the adventures and romance of a young samurai, his most loyal warrior, and a trickster shinobi.