I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1108 "Commander Kondo, would you like to leave the Shinsengumi with me?" [5600]

As Shimada Kai led the members of the First Division to the front of the platform, he suddenly raised his right hand, reached for the sword at his left waist, and drew it with a "whoosh".

Immediately afterwards, the group of soldiers behind him raised their hands and drew their swords!

A series of clear, sharp sounds of swords being drawn filled the air... and the members of the First Division were seen raising their swords in front of their chests with one hand, the tips pointing to the sky.

The gleaming blade, like a mirror, reflected the sunlight alternately, emitting a dazzling brilliance that made people unconsciously look away, unable to look directly at it.

Drawing his sword in front of the high platform—this was Hijikata Toshizo's idea.

“Just walking straight past the platform like that is too bland. We have to do something to show the characteristics of a ‘close-quarters combat unit.’” — These are Hijikata Toshizo’s original words.

Qingdeng thought his words made a lot of sense, so he adopted them.

Drawing his sword and marching... Although it's flashy, there's no denying that it's very imposing!
Everyone present—whether VIPs on the platform or ordinary spectators around the parade ground—was deeply impressed.

Those who don't understand kendo are just watching for the spectacle.

Those who are well-versed in swordsmanship can tell from the movements and momentum when drawing their swords that the titles of the First Division as "Imperial Guard" and "Royal Guard" are not exaggerations!

After leaving the platform, the First Squad slowly retreated to an open space not far away and lined up peacefully.

Just now, they were like rolling thunder, every move they made carried an extraordinary aura.

Now, they have transformed into ancient, vigorous trees, their eyes fixed straight ahead, their legs and backs ramrod straight, motionless.

Strict enforcement of orders... Such behavior inevitably brings to mind the famous quote from "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu: "Therefore, it is as swift as the wind, as silent as the forest, as fierce as fire, as immovable as a mountain, as unknowable as the shadows, and as powerful as thunder!"
The remaining units that followed perfectly continued the excellent performance of the First Division.

"It's the Second Division! The Second Division is here!"

"He is the Second Division Captain, Nagakura Shinpachi. He is said to be the third strongest swordsman in the Shinsengumi! Only after 'Niou' and 'Tenken'!"

"The Third Division is here too! The one leading them is none other than the Third Division Captain, Saito Hajime!"

……

The VIPs, who are rarely seen on ordinary days, are now appearing one by one like a "grand show," which greatly excites the audience.

The First Division holds a very special position within the Shinsengumi.

On the one hand, everyone acknowledges its combat strength and recognizes it as the strongest force in the Shinsengumi.

On the other hand, the members of the second, third, fourth and fifth divisions were very dissatisfied.

As fellow swordsmen, we all have our pride—the members of the First Division are certainly formidable, but if we were to truly go all out and compete, the outcome would be uncertain!
In order to show an even greater presence than the First Division, the members of the subsequent teams all consciously puffed out their chests and stomped their feet even louder.

Those firm and powerful footsteps seemed to want to shatter the earth.

That confident face radiated extraordinary charm.

When drawing the sword in front of the high platform, deliberately use more force to make the sound of drawing the sword higher and clearer.

Ordinary viewers don't understand the internal "struggles" within the Shinsengumi; they only feel that each of the Shinsengumi's squads is very powerful and impressive, and they can't help but exclaim how exciting it is.

After the Fifth Division marched past the platform, many spectators at the scene perked up.

The reason for this was that they were quite clear that the first five units of the Shinsengumi were all close-combat units specializing in bayonet fighting.

The troops that appeared later were the Shinsengumi's "elite" troops!
Their expectations were quickly met.

When the Sixth Division appeared, the surrounding audience immediately erupted in gasps of surprise.

The soldiers of the Sixth Division were holding brand-new muskets, which gleamed dazzlingly in the sunlight, almost blinding to the naked eye.

Nowadays, very few people still hold outdated views such as "firearms are useful, but they cannot replace swords" or "samurai should wield swords."

Even the powerful forces that advocated "expelling the Western barbarians" and "the strange and ingenious skills of the Western barbarians are not worth taking" had to obediently purchase guns and cannons from Western arms dealers.

In recent years, the Shinsengumi has been the most frequent and skilled unit in Japan in using firearms.

The battles in which the Shinsengumi overwhelmingly crushed their enemies with the power of firearms proclaimed to the world the changing times, the decline of swords and the rise of firearms!

Even someone who knows nothing about firearms can tell from its design that the muskets used by the Shinsengumi are exceptionally advanced and far superior to the old matchlock muskets.

Seeing that the Shinsengumi had such a large musketeer unit, the audience felt both gratified and awestruck.

The distinguished guests on the high platform were also stunned speechless by this magnificent "musket array".

The arrival of the Seventh Division then brought the atmosphere to a new peak.

The loud thud of the horse stomping its feet instantly attracted everyone present.

The Seventh Division soldiers, riding warhorses and wielding katanas, created an extraordinary sense of oppression just by appearing on stage!
Even in modern times, cavalry remains one of the most prestigious and attractive military branches.

The "melee troops" only drew their swords when they reached the high platform, while the cavalry had their swords in hand as soon as they appeared.

With the reins in his left hand and a sword in his right, his light blue haori fluttered slightly like a battle robe, and his warhorse was also adorned with a magnificent riding coat... Such a posture is captivating!

The dashing figures of the two female warriors leading the parade—Sanako and Nakazawa Koto—added a unique and beautiful touch to the vast parade ground.

Despite having a child, Sanako's figure did not change. After picking up her naginata and tying her long black hair into a neat high ponytail, she was still the renowned "Chiba Oni Komachi"!
Afterwards, the appearances of the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Divisions were not particularly outstanding, but they were still excellent.

The Eleventh Division, leading the cannon into the arena, brought the atmosphere to a third climax.

"It's a cannon!"

"The cannons are coming!"

"These...these are all Shinsengumi cannons?!"

Accompanied by the creaking of wheels, more than two hundred packhorses pulled more than two hundred cannons at the same time... Such a scene is beyond description!
The bottomless, pitch-black muzzle pointed diagonally at the sky, resembling a series of monsters with gaping maws, roaring towards the heavens!

Hijikata Toshizo once proposed to Seito:

"A cannon that doesn't fire is a useless cannon! What kind of artillery unit can't fire? When the 11th Division passes by the high ground, let's just unleash a salvo! Let's turn the distant firing range into a sea of ​​fire!"

He makes a lot of sense. If cannons could be fired during a military parade, it would be incredibly impressive and might even be recorded in future history books.

But this time, Qingdeng did not take his advice.

First, many nobles and high-ranking officials will come to witness the ceremony.

These nobles and high-ranking officials were all physically weaker than the last; they would be out of breath even if they walked just a few steps faster.

Even though Princess Kazumi was considered healthy among the courtiers, she always looked sickly.

Firing cannons at such close range would likely cause a terrifying commotion that could frighten many nobles to death.

Secondly, there will be no shortage of spectators coming to watch the spectacle.

The deafening sound of cannons might cause panic among the audience, potentially leading to a stampede.

With such a large crowd, a stampede would be no laughing matter.

Therefore, although Aoto also wanted to have a "hundred cannons fired at once" to satisfy his craving, he reluctantly rejected Hijikata Toshizo's proposal.

Since they couldn't fire the cannons, they decided to use "quantity" and "scale" to demonstrate the strength of the artillery unit!

Therefore, Qing Deng specifically ordered the Eleventh Division: Bring all the cannons you can!
Thus, the extraordinary sight of more than two hundred cannons gathered here came about.

This seemingly endless artillery formation leaves no doubt that when these cannons roar, even the earth trembles!
The last two units to appear were the newly established Twelfth and Thirteenth Divisions.

Both units adopted the "veteran-newcomer" approach, which involved drawing veterans from the 6th and 8th Regiments to build the framework of these two new units, and then adding a sufficient number of new recruits to enrich the "flesh and blood." The ratio of veterans to new recruits was approximately 1 to 2.

In this way, under the guidance of veterans, these two units can form combat capability at the fastest speed.

With such outstanding performances preceding them, the appearances of the 12th and 13th Divisions seemed rather lackluster.

However, the sheer scale of the Shinsengumi's firearms still greatly impressed the onlookers.

Including the artillery unit, there were a total of 4 squads that were fully equipped with firearms, accounting for more than half of the Shinsengumi's total strength... Such an astonishing "firearms rate" is no less impressive than that of the Satsuma Domain and Hizen Domain, which had long promoted firearms in their armies!

In just over half an hour, the "Thirteen Guardian Squads of the Capital"... no, the thirteen squads of the Shinsengumi passed by the high platform without missing a single one, and each squad performed admirably!
The formation was neat, the movements were synchronized, and the spirit was high!
It is hard to believe that today's military parade was arranged at the last minute and hastily completed in just half a month.

This is thanks to the Shinsengumi's extremely strict discipline and their relentless daily training.

Since the formation of the new electoral group, Qing Deng has always emphasized discipline.

In order to train the soldiers' discipline and obedience, all new recruits had to start by practicing standing at attention and marching in step.

These training exercises may seem useless, but they are actually a perfect reflection of an army's discipline.

The soldiers slumped their shoulders, stood up straight, and walked like they were taking a stroll, completely lacking spirit... It's really hard to imagine that such an army could have any amazing fighting power.

Being carefree and irresponsible most of the time, but extremely reliable when it matters most—this scenario only applies to individuals, never to an entire group.

The Shinsengumi members came from all regions and social classes, with different accents and ideas. It was impossible to unite them as one by means of a considerable military salary and a plentiful diet. Only by imposing extremely strict discipline could they be restrained and controlled.

Otherwise, even the slightest slackening would cause the entire army's combat effectiveness to collapse! Therefore, Qing Deng never relaxed the discipline within the Shinsengumi.

Unless it is wartime, the various squads of the Shinsengumi maintain an extremely high level of training every day.

That's why we won't mess things up in important situations.

Admittedly, the Shinsengumi's performance at today's parade was far from comparable to the great army that Aoto knew in his previous life, but in Japan of this era, they were definitely a formidable force with impeccable military discipline.

It's enough to shock and horrify today's onlookers!
Seeing the swords held high in front of their chests, the muskets gleaming with cold light; hearing the sound of cannons turning, the rumbling footsteps... until this moment, the concepts of "the group that kills people," "the strongest army of the shogunate," and "invincible" finally took shape in the minds of the onlookers!
At that moment, countless people on and off the stage were so shocked that their eyes widened and they were speechless for a long time.

At that moment, countless people on and off the stage were thinking: even if the entire western country attacked together, the Shinsengumi would not lose!

One nobleman excitedly wrote in his diary that day, "Even the Oda army, which was famous throughout the world three hundred years ago, cannot compare with the Shinsengumi of today!"—of course, that's another story.

Suddenly, someone started shouting "Long live 'Niou'!" and "Long live the Shinsengumi!" in unison.

The people who revered and worshipped Qingdeng shouted Qingdeng's name almost fanatically.

Qingdeng was already used to the intense scene before him, his expression calm, with only a faint, barely visible smile on his face...

……

……

As one of the Shinsengumi's high-ranking officials, Kondo Isami also enjoyed the privilege of "watching the ceremony from a high platform," and he sat next to Aoto.

At this moment, Kondo Isami stared expressionlessly at the audience.

The constant chants of "Long live 'Niou'" and "Long live the Shinsengumi" filled his ear canals, preventing him from hearing anything else.

In the past, seeing so many people supporting and rallying behind Qingdeng would have filled him with excitement and a sense of pride.

But now... he is still happy for Qingdeng's achievements.

But... for some reason, at this moment, an indescribable "emotion" is pounding wildly in his chest.

He mechanically turned his gaze, sweeping it over the enthusiastic crowd below the stage, then suddenly fixed his eyes on Qing Deng, who was sitting to his side without blinking.

In that instant, he suddenly recalled the感慨 (gǎnkǎi, deep feelings) of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang) after witnessing the grand spectacle of Qin Shi Huang (Ying Zheng)'s procession—

As a true man, this is what you should do!

……

……

The following day (October 26th), at night—

Qinjin Domain, Otsu, Ito Residence, a certain room——

"Good evening, Director Kondo."

"Good evening, Professor Ito."

After a few brief pleasantries, Ito Kashitaro sat down meticulously in front of Kondo Isami.

After Kondo Isami became Ito Kashitaro's apprentice, whenever the two had free time, Kondo Isami would visit Ito's residence to learn more.

It must be said that Ito Koshitaro is indeed a "time management master".

While continuing to run the "Ito Juku", he still managed to find time to give Kondo Isami extra tutoring.

"Let me see...where did we leave off last time..."

As he spoke, Ito Kashitaro opened the book "Great History of Japan" in his palm.

"Oh my, you've already learned this much... Director Kondo, you're very talented. Your learning progress is much faster than I expected."

Faced with Ito Kashitaro's praise, Kondo Isami simply smiled politely and remained silent.

Although Ito Kashitaro's praise was sincere and Kondo Isami's learning speed was indeed very fast, in reality... he knew very well that his recent diligent study was just another form of escapism.

At first, he genuinely believed that as long as he read more books, he could make up for his deficiency of "only knowing how to wield swords".

But once he actually picked up a book, he was shocked to discover that studying was no easy task! It was not simply a matter of memorizing a few articles or reading a few pages of history to acquire extraordinary wisdom!
Although he was very unwilling, he had to face the truth: even if he spent day and night immersed in books, he could not possibly have the knowledge to be on par with Yamanami Keisuke, let alone acquire the unique military talent of Hijikata Toshizo!

Therefore... he was at a loss again.

What should I do?

It's one thing to be inferior to Qingdeng, but am I really not even as good as Asui and Mr. Shannan?

He has absolutely no ideas now, and can only mechanically and escapistly continue reading and seeking advice from Ito Kashitaro, creating the illusion that "I am still working hard and will surely reap the rewards in time."

Kondo Isami absentmindedly flipped through the pages of his book... unaware that Ito Kashitaro across from him was looking at him with a meaningful gaze.

Suddenly, Ito Kashitaro said quietly:

"Director Kondo, what's wrong? You don't seem to be feeling well."

Kondo Isami paused, chuckled twice, and then forced himself to stay alert:
"I'm fine, I just...didn't sleep well last night. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Ito Kashitaro smiled slightly:
"Director Kondo, do you feel the learning progress is too slow?"

"Please don't worry or be anxious, your learning progress is already fast enough."

"I don't mean to flatter you at all, but you are truly talented."

"To be honest, after witnessing your talent firsthand, I truly feel that appointing you as the 'director' is a waste of your abilities."

"With your abilities, you are fully capable of achieving even greater and more glorious accomplishments!"

Kondo Isami was stunned.

The reason for his stunned silence wasn't that Ito Kashitaro praised his talent, but rather his last words—

(With your abilities, you are fully capable of achieving even greater and more glorious accomplishments!)
After a short while, Kondo Isami regained his senses and quickly waved his hand:
"Mr. Ito, what are you talking about? I don't have that ability at all!"

"I am just a swordsman; I have no other skills besides wielding a sword!"

"If I hadn't joined the Shinsengumi, my life's achievement would have been limited to being a dojo instructor!"

Ito Kashitaro slowly closed the book "Great History of Japan" in his palm, a strange smile appearing on his cheek.

The candlelight flickered slightly, and the elongated, dark shadow of Ito Kashitaro cast on the wall swayed with it, like a wisp of demonic mist.

"Commander Kondo, now that things have come to this, I'll be frank—would you like to leave the Shinsengumi with me and establish a completely new organization?"

Even though it was a clear night with a bright night outside the window, Kondo Isami heard a thunderclap in his ear the instant Ito Kashitaro finished speaking!
The deathly silence lasted only 3 seconds.

Three seconds later, Kondo Isami lowered his voice and threatened with a menacing expression:

"Mr. Ito, do you know what you're saying? You can't joke about something like that...!"

Ito Kashitaro said calmly:
"Of course I know that you can't joke about things like that, so I wasn't joking with you at all."

"I was serious."

“I have long been unable to agree with Tachibana Seito’s governing methods.”

"His domineering act of arbitrarily calling the new emperor a 'false emperor' and establishing the emperor under the palace has completely disappointed me."

"Therefore, I have made up my mind—I want to start my own business! I want to build a brand new organization and promote righteousness in my own way!"

At this point, Ito Kashitaro leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between himself and Kondo Isami, and uttered a whisper that sounded like a "devil's murmur":
"Director Kondo, I admire your talent and I crave your 'sword'. I sincerely hope that you can lend me a hand."

"I can assure you—if the two of us work together, you will achieve far greater feats than you have today!"

Ito Kashitaro wanted to say something more.

But Kondo Isami, his face full of impatience, roared:
"shut up!"

"Mr. Ito, I really misjudged you!"

How could I betray the Shinsengumi?

The instant he finished roaring, he grabbed Nagasone Kotetsu from beside his leg, drew his sword, and the silver-white blade drew a clean arc in mid-air before being held straight against Ito Kashitaro's neck.

The blade, sharp enough to cut a hair in two, had sunk into flesh, and beads of crimson blood seeped out, dripping down the blade... If Kondo Isami were willing, he could easily take Ito Kashitaro's life by applying just a little more force to the blade!

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It rests diagonally on Ito Kashitaro's neck.