I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1065 Qing Deng: "Prepare for a night attack! Sink the enemy ship!" [6400]

During the time when Qingdeng was away from the base camp, Katsurintaro, John Manjiro and others really lost their appetite and could not sleep, worrying about Qingdeng's safety all day long.

Ezo was a truly wild and desolate place. In the eyes of the Japanese, the Ainu were uncivilized savages who ate raw meat and drank blood... and in fact, this was indeed the case.

Going deep into the territory of the savages...it is normal to encounter wild beasts such as bears and wolves. The most likely scenario is that you will be ambushed and hunted down by the Ainu people.

It is easy to dodge an open attack, but it is hard to guard against an arrow from the dark. Even a powerful person like Qing Deng cannot avoid capsizing in the gutter.

Akechi Mitsuhide, who was once so powerful and killed Oda Nobunaga, was killed by a group of peasants.

If something unexpected happened to Qingdeng, there would be no need to fight this battle, and the current "East-West Confrontation" and the possible "East-West War" that might occur later would be greatly affected!
When he thought of this, John Manjiro felt his chest tighten, and he regretted his carelessness at the time - he should have been tougher at the time, not helping Qing Deng to drive the boat, and strictly forbidding Qing Deng to get into danger himself.

In order to calm the uneasiness in his heart, he took a deep breath and scanned the coastline back and forth with extra care, not even willing to blink, praying wholeheartedly that Qing Deng would appear as soon as possible.

Suddenly, a shout from a crew member drew his attention.

"Captain! We found Admiral Tachibana!"

John Manjiro quickly put down the telescope in his hand and asked anxiously:

"What? Where?!"

"There! Northeast!"

John Manjiro looked in the direction of the crew member's finger and raised the telescope again.

The distant scene is reflected on the lens.

On the coastline where it meets the sky, a vague figure can be vaguely seen - a young samurai in a light green feather robe riding the iconic big black bull, hurriedly rushing towards the seaside.

After confirming again and again that he was not mistaken, John Manjiro could not suppress his ecstasy, and his cheeks were filled with an excited smile.

"General Tachibana is back! Quick! Send out a small boat to pick him up!"

Qing Deng's return excited everyone in Xianlinwan.

The small boat that went to pick up Qing Deng soon reached the seashore and carried one man and one cow back to Xianlin Wan.

John Manjiro took two steps at a time and walked forward, smiling happily:

"General Tachibana, it's great that you can return safely!"

Qingdeng smiled slightly:
"Manjiro, long time no see."

John Manjiro smiled bitterly:
"It's been a long time since we last met. I've been thinking about you for the past half month."

"I'm sorry to trouble you."

Compared with half a month ago, Qing Deng looked much more disheveled, with his clothes covered with grass leaves and mud.

Radish also became dirty, with its four hooves covered with dirt, but it was originally a black cow, so even though it was covered in dirt, it didn't look very dirty.

Although covered in dust, Qingdeng is still full of energy and looks energetic.

Upon seeing this, John Manjiro thought to himself: General Tachibana's "trip to Ezo" must have yielded good results.

At this time, John Manjiro realized belatedly that one person was missing.

He glanced around and asked in a daze:
"General Tachibana, where is Mr. Majima Kazuma?"

Qingden shrugged:

"Don't worry about him, we'll pick him up later."

"Ah? Where did he go?"

"Don't worry about that. Set sail and return to the main camp in Aomori. I have a plan to defeat the enemy. We will recapture Goryokaku within five days!"

When John Manjiro heard this, he was stunned at first, then he showed a stern expression.

He was the captain of the Shogunate Navy and a serious military personnel. Naturally, he knew the principle of "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."

So, he said no more, turned around and shouted to the crew behind him:
"Set sail, back to Aomori!"

Following his command, the crew members responded in unison and then quickly returned to their respective posts, each doing their own job, like small gears running in an orderly manner.

The small gears mesh and rotate with each other, and finally drive the big ship!

In a short while, the sails of Xianlin Maru were slowly opened, and the steam engine made a "humming" sound, and tremendous power enough to drive the warship was accumulating.

While the crew were preparing to set sail, John Manjiro turned sideways and made a "please" gesture to Qing Deng.

"General Tachibana, please follow me. I will take you back to your room to rest."

Qing Deng nodded and signaled with his eyes, "Thank you for your help."

The two walked towards the cabin one after the other.

After entering an empty corner of the cabin, John Manjiro suddenly turned his head, put his lips to Qing Deng's ear, lowered his voice, and spoke in a deep voice:
"Admiral Tachibana, during the time you were away from the main camp, we made a significant discovery - we found the location of the enemy ship."

……

……

Hakodate, Goryokaku——

Looking at the towering fortress in the distance, Yaikoon couldn't help but smack his lips.

"Is that Goryokaku? It's huge. Even bigger than I imagined."

For the Ainu people, who could only build thatched huts, Goryokaku, built of bricks and stones, was like a miracle.

Yayikong scratched his head and said half-jokingly:

"To be able to capture such a huge fortress, that Xilika is really capable. No wonder so many people admire him."

Ogata smiled noncommittally.

"Ayikon, let's go."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and patted Yaikoon's shoulder.

Yayikong put away the joking expression on his face and nodded seriously:

"Well, let's go."

They checked their equipment one last time, and after confirming that everything was correct, they walked slowly towards Goryokaku.

They had already made a very careful plan on how to sneak into Goryokaku and hide from the scrutiny of the "Ainu Coalition": Aikon would act as their leader, and whenever anyone asked about their identities, it would be Aikon who would answer.

Although Yaikoon looks big and strong, he is actually a quick-witted person, eloquent and very good at dealing with people.

To put it simply, Aikon will be the "eye-catcher" to draw everyone's attention to himself, while Ogata will try to speak as little as possible and strive to be an inconspicuous and transparent person.

Looking at Goryokaku getting closer and closer, Ogata suddenly said to his companions around him:
"If anything unexpected happens, you can run away bravely, and I will cover your rear."

Yayi Kong Waner:
"Akonglu, I feel relieved with your words."

After the words were spoken, the others chuckled.

They fully expected Ogata to tell a joke to lighten the mood.

You're here to cover the rear? How do you cover the rear? We're facing a fortress and an army!
Although you are recognized as the best Akonlu (brave man) in Murokonkara, with extraordinary skills and the ability to hunt bears with a knife, can you still fight against the "Ainu Alliance" alone?
The "Ainu Coalition" is not a bear, and a knife alone is not enough!

Therefore, they did not take Ogata's words seriously and just regarded them as a joke.

It must be said that after listening to Ogata's "joking", they were indeed more relaxed and their facial expressions were not so stiff anymore.

I’m sorry I don’t know… At this moment, Ogata slightly raised the corner of his mouth, revealing a playful expression that seemed to be smiling but not smiling.

Soon, they arrived at the north gate of Goryokaku.

Looking up, I saw many guards patrolling on the city wall.

Seeing someone approaching, the guards on the city wall immediately raised their bows and guns, aiming at Ogata and others while issuing stern threats:

"Stop! Who are you?"

Ogata and the others paused.

The leader, Yaiko, responded loudly:
"We are one of us! We are one of us! We are from Murokonkala! I am Yaikon from Murokonkala! I am here to fight alongside you!"

The guards were stunned and looked at each other.

"Murokonkala?"

There are hundreds of Ainu tribes, and no one can remember the name of every one of them.

Seeing the Ainu costumes of Ogata and others, as well as the red headscarves on their heads, the guards' expressions relaxed, they were no longer aggressive, and they put down their weapons one after another.

Then, they gathered together and their voices could be heard faintly:

"Have any of you heard of Murkonkala?"

"I've heard of it. It's a pretty big village, but they're pretty closed off and rarely interact with the outside world."

"I know Yaikon. He is very famous. It is said that he is very good at archery. He can hit the target as long as he draws the bow."

After a brief discussion, a guard leaned out of the city wall and shouted to Ogata and the others:
"Wait a mininute!"

After a while, the city gate in front of Ogata and others slowly opened.

Behind the city gate was a group of enthusiastic and smiling guards.

The leader - a hairy one-eyed young man - opened his arms and strode towards Yaikoon.

"Welcome! Welcome! I guess you are Yaikon? I've heard of you! Legend has it that you are the best hunter in Murokonkala, and have killed more than a hundred bears on your own!"

Yayikong smiled calmly:
"I don't dare to call myself the 'best hunter'. I haven't hunted more than 76 bears. I have only hunted bears."

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Iraka (Strong)! I come from Moshili (Earth) in the north!"

After saying that, he turned to look at Ogata and others behind Aikon.

"Are they all your companions?"

Yaiko nodded:

"They are all my friends from the same village. Like me, they were moved by Xilika's great martial arts and decided to come and join the war."

At this point, Yaiko shrugged his shoulders, looking helpless.

"I was planning to bring more people to join the war, but unfortunately everyone in our village just wants to live a peaceful life and doesn't want to fight."

Iraka waved his hand:
"It doesn't matter! We respect the decision of every individual and every tribe! Even if only one person comes from your village, we will still warmly welcome him! What's more, the one who comes is an outstanding hunter selected from hundreds of thousands! Well, don't stand stupidly outside the city, come in!"

Iraka said as he turned sideways, signaling Ogata and the others to quickly enter the fortress.

——You’re letting us in now?
Ogata couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

The censorship methods of the "Ainu Alliance" were even cruder than he had imagined.

He also thought that they would ask each person's name, origin, age, and observe everyone's appearance to ensure that there were no spies among them.

Unexpectedly, Iraka just chatted with Yaiko, glanced at them briefly, and then let them in.

There was a hint of strangeness in Yaikoon's eyes, but he quickly adjusted himself, and walked through the city gate with big strides as usual, followed by Ogata and others.

We can't let our guard down yet, Ogata thought to himself.

Maybe this is a trap. There is a group of musketeers waiting for them inside. Once they enter the fortress, they will close the gates and kill the enemy. Therefore, Ogata did not take it lightly. Under his loose robe, his muscles were slightly tense, ready to attack the enemy at any time.

He promised the village chief that he would let Yaiko and others return to the village safely.

Since he made a promise, he will naturally fulfill it!
Putting aside the agreement between himself and the village chief, based on his deep friendship with Mukongkala, he would do his best to protect Yaikoon and others.

If there were a team of musketeers and archers waiting for them behind the city gate, he would step forward and block all the bullets and arrows.

Anyway, as long as you protect your head and heart, it won't matter how many bullets and arrows hit other parts of your body.

However, Ogata was worrying too much.

The scene he imagined of "teams of musketeers and archers aiming at them" did not appear.

After entering the fortress, nothing happened, no musketeers, no archers, no traps, just quiet and peaceful.

Ogata glanced around inconspicuously, observing everything within his sight and listening to everything he heard.

Inside the fortress, Ainu people dressed in colorful clothes were running back and forth.

"Move quickly! Don't delay!"

"A few more sandbags over here!"

"Hold your chest high! Keep your head up! March in step!"

They might be carrying baggage, cleaning weapons, training seriously, or patrolling back and forth.

At first glance, it seems like a bustling scene, with everyone preparing for the upcoming war.

However, after a closer look, many problems can be found.

A large number of people were either slacking off or just chatting in groups with nothing to do.

"See this hunting bow of mine? It's the best bow in our village. It can shoot through a bear's skull with just one arrow! I'm going to use this bow to shoot through every Japanese head!"

"I heard that the He people are in civil strife right now. They are split into two parts, east and west, and are fighting non-stop! Now is the best time to declare war on the He people and take back our ancestral land in one fell swoop!"

"As expected of Xilika! He started the battle while Kazuto was weak! He took down such a big family in one fell swoop!"

"Idiot! This isn't a home, it's a fortress!"

Either he is bragging about his own abilities, or he is belittling others and praising Xilika.

In a nutshell, they are all confident about the war they are about to face.

Judging from their leisurely demeanor, it seemed as if they were here to travel and have fun, not to fight.

Perhaps in their perception, fighting is just like hunting - finding prey, drawing the bow and arrow, deciding the outcome with one strike, carrying the prey back to the village, and receiving cheers and honor.

From their words, it is not difficult to hear that they all respect Xilika very much.

It seems that Silika's capture of Goryokaku did greatly boost the morale of the Ainu people and established his own high prestige in one fell swoop.

At this moment, Ogata noticed a scene that could not be ignored.

Just in front of him, a group of Ainu were practicing with muskets.

They were seen lined up in neat array, with their heads held high and their muskets in their arms.

Both the formation and the movements were very professional and you could tell at a glance that they had been trained for some time.

Ogata had long known that the "Ainu Coalition" had guns and artillery and a high level of training.

What really surprised him was that the instructor in charge of training them was a blond, blue-eyed, high-browed Westerner!
When the Western instructor opened his mouth and prepared to give new instructions, Ogata immediately pricked up his ears and listened carefully.

Although he didn't know much foreign languages, he instantly recognized the language the other party was using. After all, this language was very well-known and widely used - it was French!
There were two translators beside him, one was responsible for translating French into Japanese, and the other was responsible for translating Japanese into Ainu.

The Ainu coalition has French instructors... This is undoubtedly very important information with a lot of information. Ogata lowered his eyelids and looked serious.

He suddenly recalled Qingdeng's previous instructions: if you find a middle-aged French man with blond hair and blue eyes named Mael d'Orleans, you must pay more attention to him.

—Is he Mael d’Orleans?

Ogata glanced at the other person without leaving a trace, firmly memorizing the figure of the French instructor in his mind.

However, at this moment, he saw the figure of a Western officer.

The other party was standing on a nearby wall, speaking excitedly to the Ainu people in front of him, also in French.

Ogata was startled and quickly turned his gaze, scanning the surroundings, looking for the Western instructor he had missed.

Sure enough, he saw several Westerners.

There are so many Western instructors in Goryokaku... Although it is not clear whether they are all French, the fact that there are so many Western instructors already explains a lot of problems.

——Is it the French government that is obstructing this? No, the French government had no reason to support the Ainu. The French government's Far East strategy was bound to be centered on containing Britain and Russia. They should have supported the shogunate instead of instigating the Ainu to rebel and causing trouble for the shogunate at this critical juncture.

Just as Ogata was thinking to himself, they had already entered the depths of Goryokaku.

After passing through the city gate, Iraka led the way and led them to the barracks.

"I'll take you to where you'll be staying first. There are still many empty rooms in this fortress, and there are plenty of beds!"

Suddenly, a loud shout attracted Ogata... no, it attracted the attention of everyone present!

"Look! It's Xilika!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Everyone at the scene - whether they were working diligently or slacking off, including Ogata - all turned their heads and looked in the same direction.

Respect, curiosity, envy...all the gazes with different emotions are focused on the same point and the same person.

But then a tall Ainu man appeared on a tower in the distance.

——Is he Xilika?

Ogata narrowed his eyes and looked at the other person's whole body carefully.

This person did not speak, but his mere presence revealed an extraordinary aura.

Xilika is very young and looks to be only in his early thirties.

He has dark skin, ordinary looks, sharp eyes, and thin lips that are tightly pursed, giving people a harsh and strict feeling.

Compared to his appearance, Ogata paid more attention to the weapon in his hand - he held a red scabbard sword in his left hand.

Even among katana, his katana is considered to be a very long type, with a blade length of over 80cm, and it feels like a clothesline when held in the hand.

Ogata was not a famous sword appraiser, but even if he had not eaten pork, he had seen pigs run. He lived for nearly a hundred years and had seen countless precious swords and magical swords in his life, so he had developed an excellent eye.

Although the blade has not been seen, judging from the gorgeous and exquisite handle and scabbard, this sword must be extraordinary.

The leader of the "Ainu Coalition" who threatened to defeat the Japanese and take back their ancestral land actually held Japanese weapons... This was really beyond Ogata's expectations.

When Xilika appeared, he naturally became the focus of the whole audience, just like when the moon appeared, the stars would only become dim.

"Xilika! Xilika! Xilika!"

I don’t know who started it, but cheers suddenly rang out, one louder than the other, causing the temperature at the scene to suddenly rise!
Xilika looked around grimly...he didn't seem to enjoy the shouting and cheering of his tribesmen.

Suddenly, he raised his right fist, signaling everyone to be quiet.

In a short while, the temperature at the scene cooled down and the noise gradually died down.

"Everyone! Look around you!"

Xilika's voice was loud and powerful, and it was clearly heard by everyone.

"Look! We are not alone!"

"Look! More and more friends are coming to help!"

"Look! We have a powerful force! Powerful enough to overcome any difficulty!"

"Everyone, keep working hard! As long as we unite, we will be able to defeat Kazuto! Take back the land that rightfully belongs to us!"

It seems that Xilika was just passing by.

After giving a brief speech, he hurried away, leaving behind a hurried back.

However, although it was just a few ordinary words, it ignited the emotions of everyone present!

The cheers that had just died down erupted again.

"Xilika! Xilika! Xilika!"

"Defeat Kazuto! Reclaim the lost territory!"

Those who repeatedly shouted Silica's name and made bold statements... Ogata looked around silently and muttered in a voice that only he could hear:
"This battle is not so easy to fight..."

……

……

Aomori, the expeditionary camp, main camp——

"The King of Kings has returned" - this news spread like a whirlwind throughout the expeditionary camp.

Although Qing Deng did nothing but return safely, the morale of the expeditionary army was boosted.

This is the power of Nioh!

After Qing Deng returned to the camp, he didn't even have time to change his clothes and rode straight to the main camp without stopping.

When he saw Katsutaro, he didn't even say hello, but said, "Rintaro, tell me all the information about the enemy ships."

Katsurintaro was stunned for a moment, then quickly came to his senses, nodded vigorously, and raised his hand to signal Qingdeng to take a seat.

As soon as Qingdeng's butt touched the stool, Katsurintaro spread a map on the table in front of Qingdeng.

"Qing Deng, please look."

Qing Deng leaned over to take a look - this was a nautical chart of the Tsugaru Strait, with Hakodate on the north side and Aomori on the south side.

"Just the day before yesterday, our scouts successfully found the enemy's base. The enemy's three warships were all anchored east of Hakodate Bay."

Katsurintaro gave a concise report while pointing at the map.

Hakodate Bay - as the name suggests, it is located at the mouth of the bay on the south side of Hakodate.

With the strong support of the shogunate, Hakodate Bay is transforming into an international port, and its infrastructure has made great progress, enough to dock huge warships.

Qing Deng asked:
"Have you confirmed the type of the enemy ship?"

Katrintaro nodded:
"Confirmed. These three warships are all ironclad ships! Each warship is equipped with 16 guns!"

When mentioning the words "ironclad ship" and "16 guns", Katsurintaro couldn't help but emphasize his tone and his face darkened.

"...Since we already know the location of the enemy ship, what are we waiting for?"

Qing Deng straightened his back and spoke in a cold tone.

"Rintaro, prepare all the ships for the attack. Launch a night attack tonight! Sink the enemy ships!"

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