Tanba subsequently suffered an onslaight from Nobunaga ODA, who had secured control of Kinai (area near Kyoto) centered on Kyoto, however, the Akai clan including Naomasa continued to resist in tandem with the Hatano clan, and, succeeded in repulsing Oda's army, which was led by Mitsuhide AKECHI, several times.
これ以降、丹波は京都を中心に畿内の支配を固めた織田信長の侵攻にさらされるが、直正ら赤井一族は波多野氏と結束して頑強に抵抗し、明智光秀率いる織田軍を何度か撃退することに成功する。