I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1109 "A Life Hanging in the Balance" and "Hijikata Toshizo of a Parallel World" [6500]

Although he is not as good as Kondo Isami, with Ito Kashitaro's skills, he can easily dodge Kondo Isami's sword.

However, he did not do so.

He just sat there, letting Kondo Isami hold the knife to his neck.

"...You didn't kill me."

"what?"

Ito Kashitaro smiled slightly and met Kondo Isami's gaze without flinching:

“If you truly hate me, despise me, and want to kill me, then in that instant, my head would have already fallen to the ground.”

“But I’m still alive…which only proves one thing: Chief Kondo, you don’t want to kill me.”

"Director Kondo, please listen to the voice in your heart."

"Prick up your ears and listen carefully. There is a voice in your heart repeatedly shouting: I am not reconciled!"

"I'm not content to be just a so-called 'bureau chief'."

"I am unwilling to be relegated to a lower position than Ju Qing Deng."

Kondo gritted his teeth and squeezed out the words:
"Shut up……!"

Ignoring Kondo Isami's threats, Ito Kashitaro adopted an even more impassioned tone:

"Director Kondo, if I may be so bold, your career in the Shinsengumi is basically over."

"As long as you're in the Shinsengumi, you'll live in Tachibana Aoto's shadow!"

"No, you don't even need Tachibana Seito to personally intervene! Hijikata Toshizo, Yamanami Keisuke, Okita Souji, and Nagakura Shinpachi alone are enough to completely overshadow your brilliance!"

"Director Kondo, are you willing to accept this?"

"Is it enough for you to just be a so-called 'bureau chief'?"
Don't you want to take it a step further?

In that instant, Kondo Isami's vision blurred... In his eyes, Ito Kashitaro seemed to have changed—as if he had transformed into a ferocious, terrifying venomous snake, hissing and flicking its tongue at him!

He lowered his head and repeated:
"Shut up……"

Compared to before, his "shut up" sounded weak and feeble this time.

Ito Kashitaro observed Kondo Isami's changing expression thoughtfully.

"...It seems I won't get a definite answer anytime soon."

As he spoke, he tilted his head to deflect his neck away from the blade of Nagasone Kotetsu, and then slowly stood up.

"I hope that my future close comrade-in-arms will be a truly determined and ambitious person."

"So, I'll give you some time."

"Whether you will fight alongside me or continue to stand with Tachibana Aoto... I hope you can give me a definite answer by tomorrow night."

"That concludes tonight's 'lesson,' please return now."

Having said that, Ito Kashitaro turned and left without pausing for a moment.

Kondo Isami did not give chase, nor did he hold the knife to the other man's neck again. Instead, he stared intently at the man's receding figure.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll turn around and tell Tachibana-kun about your 'rebellious' plot?"

Ito Kashitaro smiled and said without turning his head:

"If that's your intention, then please go ahead."

"Even if I force you to join my camp now, you can tell Tachibana Aoto about it after dawn tomorrow."

"When I decided to be frank with you first, I was already prepared for the possibility that my efforts to win you over would fail and I would perish before I even got started."

"Compared to Tachibana Seiden, the power I currently possess is far too weak."

"If we want to surpass Tachibana Seiden, we have no choice but to take a risk! We have no choice but to gamble everything we have!"

"Tonight, I bet you won't tell Ju Qingdeng."

"Tomorrow, I bet you'll become my partner."

"Since it's a gamble, I'll accept whatever the outcome may be."

After speaking, Ito Kashitaro said no more, and his footsteps faded into the distance.

After a while

Ito Kashitaro's presence had completely vanished, but Kondo Isami remained seated, motionless for a long time.

He stared intently at the void before him, his focus unfocused, as if looking at something close at hand, yet also gazing into the distance, a complex and indescribable emotion etched on his face.

Before they knew it, the candle beside them had burned out.

The light faded, and a deep, inky darkness enveloped him...

……

……

The first year of Kuangtian/the first year of Meiji (1865), November 10th——

Qinjin Fan, Otsu, Judi, the ward of the General Secretary——

Kondo Isami stood by Souji's bedside, staring blankly at Souji's face.

As Souji's sworn brothers, Kondo Isami and Hijikata Toshizo both had the privilege of "freely entering and leaving Souji's hospital room".

To be honest, Kondo Isami had absolutely no recollection of when he entered Souji's hospital room.

He only remembered that when he came to his senses, he was already sitting next to Souji, as if his legs had a mind of their own and had automatically brought him here.

Looking at the sleeping Souji, his empty eyes regained some of their light.

Suddenly, Hijikata Toshizo's voice rang out from behind him:
"Huh? Ah Sheng, what are you doing here?"

Kondo Isami was taken aback and turned to look, only to see Hijikata Toshizo standing outside the door, carrying something in his hand.

"Ah Sui, what is this?"

"It's nothing, just konpeito."

Hijikata Toshizo strode into the room, tossing the rather heavy konpeito in his palm.

"Let Xiao Si smell the aroma of her favorite konpeito more often; it might help her recover sooner."

As he spoke, he sat cross-legged next to Kondo Isami, held the konpeito in his palm to Souji's nose, and waved it.

"Hey, Tsukasa, smell this! It's your favorite konpeito. If you can smell it, you'll recover quickly. Once you're fully recovered, you can eat as much candy as you want, just like before."

"..."

The only response he received was the souji's light, gentle breathing.

"Tsk... still not working... Normally, even if she's fast asleep, she'll wake up immediately if she smells konpeito."

Hijikata Toshizo sighed silently and casually tossed the konpeito in his hand onto the side of Souji's bedside—where a mountain of konpeito already stood.

Everyone knows that Souji loves to eat konpeito (Japanese candy), and she eats it like it's her main meal. So everyone who comes to visit her brings her a bag or even several bags of konpeito.

By now, the number of konpeito (Japanese candy) given to us by everyone has reached an astonishing amount, enough to fill most of a room.

After exchanging brief greetings, the two brothers remained silent, quietly keeping their troublesome sister company.

Suddenly… truly suddenly, Kondo Isami abruptly asked Hijikata Toshizo:

"...A-Sui, if one day I become an enemy of the Shinsengumi, what will you do?"

"Aha?"

Hijikata Toshizo raised an eyebrow, his expression changing slightly, his face turning hostile:
"Ah Sheng, why are you asking such nonsensical questions?"

Kondo Isami subconsciously looked away, unwilling to meet Hijikata Toshizo's gaze.

"It's nothing, I just... asked casually."

Hijikata Toshizo squinted at Kondo Isami with a deep, indifferent gaze, devoid of any joy or sorrow.

After a short while, he spoke.

Instead of giving a direct answer, he abruptly threw out a counter-question.

"...Ah Sheng, do you know the origin of the idiom 'to risk one's life for a single place'?"

Before the other party could answer, he answered his own question:

The so-called "risking one's life for a place" means "to protect a place with one's life until the very last moment".

"For me, the Shinsengumi is this 'school'."

At this point, he abruptly changed the subject, bringing up a completely unrelated topic:

"I had a strange dream a while ago."

Kondo Isami raised an eyebrow, then chuckled twice in an annoyed tone.

"Another strange dream? Ah Sui, why do you have so many strange dreams?"

Kondo Isami clearly remembered that on the eve of the "Chōshū Campaign," when Hijikata Toshizo invited a photographer to take pictures of everyone as a memento, he also shared with him and Souji a strange dream he had.

Kondo Isami still clearly remembers the dream that Hijikata Toshizo described: He stood blankly in the empty, barren wasteland, his companions were all running into the distance, he wanted to chase after them, but he couldn't catch up no matter what he did, and could only helplessly watch them get further and further away from him...

At that time, Hijikata Toshizo, who was always fearless, was disturbed by this strange dream and believed that it was a premonition that he was about to die.

The reason he specifically hired a photographer to take pictures was because he was disturbed by this strange dream and wanted to prepare for his "afterlife".

As it turns out, dreams are just dreams and shouldn't be taken seriously.

To this day, he is still alive and well, and nothing unexpected has happened.

After casting a look at Hijikata Toshizo that was half amused and half helpless, Kondo Isami asked, half-jokingly:
"What did you dream about this time?"

“I dreamt that we lost to the ‘Western Alliance’.”

His very first words made Kondo Isami's eyes widen in surprise.

Hijikata Toshizo calmly continued speaking as if on his own:

"Faced with the powerful offensive of the 'Western Alliance,' we suffered a crushing defeat."

“From the Kinai region, they retreated to Nobi, then from Nobi to the Kanto region, then to the Utsunomiya Domain, the Aizu Domain… and finally all the way to Goryokaku.”

"Goryokaku became our last stronghold, and all the territory south of the Tsugaru Strait fell."

"The familiar faces are all gone... No Tachibana, no you, no Tsukasa, no one from the Shieikan... I'm all alone now, leading the remnants of the Shinsengumi, and waging a final, desperate battle against the 'Western Alliance'."

"It's called a 'final battle,' but there's really no suspense at all."

"The disparity in combat strength between the enemy and ourselves is enormous... The Western army is coming in overwhelming numbers. With such a small force and a mere Wulingguo, there is simply no chance of victory."

"On the eve of the Western Kingdom's general attack, someone said to me: Surrender, and you will live if you surrender to the Western Kingdom."

"The other side meant no harm; they just hoped that this battle, which was doomed to fail, could end as soon as possible, that there would be fewer casualties, and that I could survive."

"But I didn't even think about it and immediately refused."

"I cried out like a woman: If we surrender to the Western Kingdom, what kind of expression will I have when I go to the afterlife to face my comrades!"

"On the day the decisive battle began, I led my troops out of the city and charged into the enemy lines."

"I burned with all my might, wielding my sword with selfless abandon, fighting to the death to kill the enemy."

"The enemy soldiers, terrified by my slaughter, trembled and asked me who I was."

"I was already out of breath, but I still shouted at the top of my lungs, 'Shinsengumi Vice-Commander, Hijikata Toshizo!'"

"And these are my last words."

"After shouting those words, I charged straight into the enemy ranks, and then... I never came out again."

"That concludes the contents of my strange dream." Hijikata Toshizo let out a long breath, a strange, ambiguous expression appearing on his face.

Doesn't Buddhism have the concept of "three thousand worlds"?

"I think what I dreamed about might be a true story that happened in another world."

"In another world, I was utterly defeated by the Western Kingdom, losing battle after battle, yet fighting on despite the defeats, fighting across most of the world, and finally fighting to the last moment under the banner of sincerity... Hmph, although it's disgusting, I have to admit that this is indeed something I would do."

"No matter what world I am in, being the vice-commander of the Shinsengumi is the identity I am most proud of."

"No matter what world I am in, I will give my life for the Shinsengumi."

“I was a ‘thorny brat’ who lived a ridiculous life, spending every day either fighting or on my way to fight.”

"Without goals, without dreams, without a career to be proud of, I drift through each day in a daze, as if I'm floating in mid-air."

“It wasn’t until Tachibana formed the Shinsengumi, and until I became a part of the Shinsengumi, that I finally had a real sense of ‘being alive’.”

"Seeing Shinpachi, Sanosuke, and Heisuke makes me happy."

"Seeing Yamanami and Saito makes me feel at ease."

"Seeing you, Xiao Si, Uncle Yuan, and Ju makes me feel less lonely."

"For me now, the Shinsengumi is my home, a place I would protect with my life."

"Anyone who wants to harm the Shinsengumi, anyone who wants to oppose the Shinsengumi, no matter who they are, I will not show them any mercy; no matter how terrifying their power is, I will not be afraid!"

"As long as I can protect the Shinsengumi, I am willing to become a true 'Demon Vice-Commander'!"

“Ah Sheng, even you can’t take away my ‘one’ if you don’t show the same fighting spirit and awareness.”

“Now that things have come to this, the Shinsengumi is no longer just my ‘school,’ but also Tachibana’s ‘school,’ Tsukasa’s ‘school’… and everyone’s ‘school.’”

At this point, Hijikata Toshizo seemed to understand something and paused for a moment.

Then, he raised his gaze and stared straight at Kondo Isami with a scrutinizing look.

"Ah Sheng, where is your 'place'?"

Kondo Isami's pupils suddenly contracted... shrinking to pinhole size in the blink of an eye.

He turned his stiff neck and looked at his delicate younger sister again.

"...Ah Sui, if I asked Xiao Si the same question, how do you think she would react?"

Hijikata Toshizo shrugged and said jokingly:

"I imagine she'd be chewing on some konpeito (Japanese candy) while giving you a look like you're looking at a fool, and saying, 'Huh? Kondo-kun, are you still half asleep? Come on, let's go sunbathe together. Once the sun warms you up, you'll wake up.'"

Kondo Isami chuckled, his previously tense facial features softening.

Although it was barely perceptible, the "mist" hidden deep in his eyes did indeed dissipate in that instant.

About three minutes later, Kondo Isami said softly in a hoarse voice:
“…Ah Sui, thank you.”

The moment he finished speaking, he grabbed Nagasone Kotetsu from beside his leg, and left like a whirlwind, bursting out the door and disappearing in the blink of an eye, his whereabouts unknown.

Hijikata Toshizo turned his head away, expressionless and silent, watching them go... Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

……

……

Hatazu Domain, Otsu, Shinsengumi Garrison, a certain dojo—

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!
The clear sound of bamboo swords clashing could be heard continuously.

The fully dressed Todo Heisuke and Ito Kashitaro engage in a fierce and dazzling contest.

Since Todo Heisuke joined the "Ito Juku", he has met with Ito Kashitaro much more often.

As a result, they had more opportunities to learn from each other.

"Ahhhhhhhhh!"

With a shout, Todo Heisuke once again used his signature move—a feint followed by a fierce slash at his opponent's right wrist.

Ito Kashitaro didn't move at all; he merely flicked his wrists, causing the sword tip to tremble slightly, and deflected Todo Heisuke's slash.

The next instant, Ito Kashitaro stepped forward with his sword—bang—the sword slashed down and struck Todo Heisuke precisely on the top of his head.

The strikes were so exquisite that there was absolutely no fault in them.

Although protected by protective gear, Todo Heisuke was not injured, but the astonishing force still made him dizzy, and he had to fall to the floor.

"Haa... I lost again..."

Heisuke Todo smiled wryly, removed the headgear, and sighed deeply.
"Master, I'm afraid I'll never be able to surpass you in my entire life."

To date, Heisuke Todo has defeated Kashitaro Ito zero times!

From the moment he began learning martial arts from his master, he had never won against him.

Ito Kashitaro smiled and sat down properly in front of Todo Heisuke.

"Heisuke, you don't need to belittle yourself."

"Your talent is undeniable."

"What you lack right now is nothing more than experience."

"Give me time, and you will surely defeat me!"

Upon hearing this, the bitterness on Todo Heisuke's face deepened slightly.

"'Unquestionable'... Master, I am very grateful for your high regard for me."

"But being surrounded by geniuses in the Shinsengumi really makes me lose confidence..."

“Master Kondo, Mr. Hijikata, Mr. Yamanami, Mr. Nagakura, and Mr. Saito are all genius swordsmen who are one in a million.”

“Even the newcomers… such as that Jiro Oishiku, who has been very active recently, possess amazing talents.”

"Not to mention Mr. Tachibana and Ms. Okita, those two monsters..."

"To be honest, I've felt more than once that a swordsman of my caliber is simply dragging the Shinsengumi down..."

Todo Heisuke said with a self-deprecating tone... however, if one looked closely, one could see a few dark glints in his eyes.

Kashitaro Ito stared intently at Heisuke Todo.

After a short while, he spoke with displeasure:

"...How could I, a disciple of Ito Kashitaro, lose to anyone else?"

"Heisuke, this is a rare opportunity. Today I will give you one last lesson!"

Todo Heisuke was stunned:
"Huh? What? 'The last class'?"

Ito Kashitaro nodded:
"That's right, the last lesson. After today, I have nothing more to teach you."

The sudden "class time" left Todo Heisuke at a loss.

Upon hearing the words "last class," he felt an indescribable sorrow welling up inside him.

However, the muscle memory he had developed from years of listening to lectures in front of the other party made him subconsciously sit up straight, pretending to listen attentively, and his upper body subconsciously leaning towards the other party.

Ito Kashitaro cleared his throat and began to speak:

"The so-called swordsmanship is nothing more than 'not letting oneself reveal a weakness and being careful to avoid being cut,' and 'making the opponent reveal a weakness so that it is easy to cut.'"

"These principles are the consistent truths in martial arts, and can also be applied to other areas such as fists, feet, and spears."

"Therefore, there is only one way to defeat an opponent you can't defeat no matter what—find a weakness in them!"

"The most feasible method is to deliberately let oneself be cut, and then seize that extremely brief opening!"

"No matter how skilled a swordsman is, his stance will inevitably falter when he wields his sword."

"That's absolutely true, there will never be an exception. How can you wield a sword if you don't stretch your body and open your arms?"

"Therefore, if you encounter an incredibly powerful enemy in the future, but one you must defeat, you can simply relax your defenses and let the enemy attack you. Then, seize the moment when the enemy has a fleeting opening and turn the tables to kill them!"

Upon hearing this, Todo Heisuke couldn't help but swallow hard.

"Master...this is practically gambling with your life..."

Ito Kashitaro Kanji:

"That's right, it's a gamble with your life."

"How can we defeat a powerful enemy without paying a certain price?"

When he said this, Ito Kashitaro's tone carried a deeper meaning.

"The principle of 'equivalent exchange' is reflected in every aspect of life."

"If you don't work hard enough, you'll become a weakling."

"If you are not bold enough, you will miss the opportunity to change your destiny."

"When you are weak but want to defeat a powerful enemy, you can only gamble with the most 'valuable' thing you have, which is your life!"

Heisuke Todo was intimidated by the imposing aura emanating from the reprimand, and couldn't help but clench his fists.

"Yes! This disciple has learned a lot!"

As he spoke, he bowed respectfully and gave Ito Kashitaro a solemn disciple's salute.

"Master, although this is the 'last lesson,' I am still very inexperienced! I would like to continue to learn swordsmanship from you!"

Ito Koshitaro laughed dumbly:

"Heisuke, you're just too serious."

"When I said 'last lesson,' I only meant that I didn't have any more swordsmanship techniques to teach you, not that I was going to expel you from the school."

"As long as you don't mind the trouble, you can exchange sword techniques with me as usual."

Heisuke Todo beamed with a big smile:
"How could I find it troublesome? Having a wise teacher like you is the greatest fortune of my life, Todo Heisuke!"

Just as Todo Heisuke was about to use even more fervent words to express his heartfelt respect for Ito Kashitaro, suddenly, an uninvited guest arrived at the dojo gate:
"Mr. Ito, I've finally found you."

"Huh? Master Kondo?"

Todo Heisuke turned his surprised gaze toward the sound, staring blankly at Kondo Isami, who had suddenly appeared.

Ito Kashitaro lowered his eyelids and looked calmly at Kondo Isami, their eyes meeting.

"...Heisuke, I'm sorry, I have to excuse myself. Director Kondo seems to have something to discuss with me."

"Ah, yes, Master, see you later!"

Ito Kashitaro nodded slightly, and then, under the watchful eyes of Toudou Heisuke, he and Kondo Isami left the dojo together, walking side by side towards a secluded corner where no one was around...

……

……

After moving to a place where no one would disturb him or eavesdrop, Kondo Isami turned around, staring intently into Ito Kashitaro's eyes, and said directly and seriously:
"Mr. Ito, please take good care of me from now on."

In that instant, Ito Kashitaro's facial expression underwent a remarkable change.

Excitement, anticipation... his eyes shone brightly.

"Director Kondo... ah, no, Mr. Kondo, are you really determined?"

Kondo Isami nodded earnestly, his tone firm and resonant:

"That's right, my mind is made up—I will leave the Shinsengumi and build an even greater legacy than Tachibana Seito with my own hands!"

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