I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1115 All His Life's Learning Returned to Its Rightful Owner! Ito Kashitaro Dies! [5500]

Finally, the rustling footsteps stopped.

The once silent streets are now filled with a chilling aura of killing intent.

Light blue haori fluttered in the wind, and figures surrounded the street, making it impossible to move.

Roughly speaking, there were more than fifty people.

To deploy such a large force in such a narrow street... it was truly a "three-layered" force!
Looking around, Ito Kashitaro, Hattori Takeo, and Kondo Isami were completely "wrapped up," just like onions.

Despite the suddenness of the incident, Ito Kashitaro and Hattori Takeo proved to be exceptional swordsmen, one in a million.

They instinctively shifted their positions, back to back, and quickly raised their right hands to grip the swords at their waists.

They were not overwhelmed by the desperate situation before them, but instead took immediate action and prepared for battle... truly admirable.

Unfortunately, standing amidst the vast sea of ​​people in this pale green color, their isolated and helpless figures appeared so powerless.

Hattori Takeo clenched his teeth, his facial expression dominated by intense bewilderment.

what happened? !
How is this going? !
Why did we fall into the Shinsengumi's ambush?!

At that moment, a thousand thoughts raced through Hattori Takeo's mind.

It was obvious that the Shinsengumi had laid an ambush there long ago.

The problem is, their whereabouts can never be exposed!

Unless... there's a mole...!
So, who exactly leaked their whereabouts?

Only a very few people, such as Kondo Isami and Hattori Takeo, knew that Ito Kashitaro would be meeting with Imuta Shohei tonight.

Thinking about it this way... the answer is obvious!

Hattori Takeo suddenly raised his gaze, glaring angrily at Kondo Isami, his eyes practically bloodshot:

"Kondo Isamu! You bastard! You betrayed us?!"

A beastly roar startled birds that flew away into the distance.

Faced with Hattori Takeo's questioning, Kondo Isami replied calmly and expressionlessly:
"Hattori-kun, I was never one of your allies from the very beginning, so how can you say I've 'betrayed' you?"

Upon hearing this, Hattori Takeo's anger intensified, his entire face turning crimson, as if steaming blood would spurt from his seven orifices at any moment.

If it weren't for the other team members watching him, making him hesitant to act, he would have definitely pounced on Kondo Isami without hesitation, willing to die to make that bastard pay the price!
Compared to Hattori Takeo's fury, Ito Kashitaro's reaction was much calmer.

For a moment, the latter's attention was completely drawn to someone.

Right in front of Ito Kashitaro, the Shinsengumi members respectfully parted to the left and right to make way.

Immediately afterwards, someone stepped onto the long path—that familiar, tall figure appeared before Ito Kashitaro with unhurried steps.

"Mr. Ito, it's been a long time."

It was him... the man he both resented and envied...!
"Orange·Green·Deng!"

The words squeezed out from between the teeth seemed to be mixed with sharp sand and gravel.

Aoto watched Ito Kashitaro without changing his expression.

Such an expression is neither the victor's mockery of the loser nor the living's pity for the dying.

Rather, it is a kind of... ultimate indifference.

Indifference to having complete control over the fate of others!
It was as indifferent as if the Buddha were toying with the Monkey King!
Even though there was no obvious height difference between Ito Kashitaro and Aoto, at this moment, the former felt as if he was looking up at the latter.

In that instant, the Qingdeng he saw transformed into towering mountains and a vast, boundless sky.

As for him, he was like a blade of grass, a speck of dust, capable of nothing but staring blankly at the mountains and the sky!
At that moment, Kondo Isami silently moved his feet and stood next to Tachibana Aoto.

Upon seeing this, Ito Kashitaro's expression froze.

In fact, he realized the truth immediately after falling into the Shinsengumi's ambush.

However... due to various reasons, a sliver of "impossible" and "won't happen" still lingered in his heart.

Now, the undeniable facts are clearly presented before him.

Strangely, however, he calmed down after fully seeing the truth.

The eyes, which were originally filled with resentment and frustration, are now gradually regaining their clarity.

He stared intently at Kondo Isami and said softly and calmly:

"I see... Mr. Kondo, so you were Tachibana Aoto's mole sent to spy on me."

Kondo Isami shook his head:
"No, Ito-sensei, you're mistaken. Mr. Tachibana had no intention of sending me to monitor you. It was I who volunteered and took on this important task."

After hearing this, Ito Kashitaro closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I see... From the very beginning, you never intended to stand with me through thick and thin; you only wanted to kill me..."

"What a pity... I truly believed you would fight alongside me to conquer the world..."

“Mr. Kondo, although I have no right to criticize you, I still want to remind you: you made a really bad move.”

“If you stay in the Shinsengumi, your brilliance will always be overshadowed, and people like Tachibana Aoto and Hijikata Toshizo will always be ahead of you.”

Are you really willing to accept this?

Kondo Isami said calmly:

"Teacher Ito, if I really betray the Shinsengumi and fight alongside you, perhaps I will have a real chance to achieve even greater success."

"But in doing so, I will never be able to return to the 'Test Guard Hall' again."

"It would certainly make me happy to become a great figure who will be remembered for all time."

"But the time I spent practicing swordsmanship and laughing with everyone at the Shieikan... that time, which was both ordinary and yet so memorable, is what I crave most."

"It doesn't matter if I can't become a brilliant and outstanding person like Tachibana-kun or A-Sui."

"Compared to fame and fortune, I would rather protect the Shieikan."

"This is my 'one', the fourth head of the Tennen Rishin-ryu main family and the second head of the Shieikan.

Kondo Isami's tone wasn't high-pitched, but the firmness in his voice was incredibly strong.

"..."

Ito Kashitaro frowned slightly, staring intently at Kondo Isami with an incredulous look.

"Willing to submit to others for the sake of a temple... What a ridiculous reason! I cannot understand your thoughts at all."

Kondo Isami smiled slightly:
I don't crave your understanding.

"I will spare no effort to protect all the people and things I cherish, even if it means suffering criticism from the world. This is the 'way of the scholar' that I have recently come to understand and am prepared to uphold for the rest of my life."

Ito Kashitaro seemed to choke, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat, and he remained silent for a long time.

After a moment, he took another deep breath, and then, as if forced back by Kondo Isami's sincere gaze, he silently withdrew his gaze from him and turned to look at Aoto.

"Tachibana Aoto, I lost."

"You actually allowed a high-ranking official like Kondo Isami to feign betrayal... To be honest, your audacity far exceeds my expectations."

"Now that things have come to this, I have nothing more to say."

“I won’t say ‘please spare my life,’ and you’re not going to let me go either.”

"Any words from a loser are meaningless."

So... don't waste everyone's time! Bring it on!

With that, he suddenly drew his sword, the dazzling blade flashing into the eyes of everyone present.

Hattori Takeo drew his sword immediately after him, his eyes, filled with fighting spirit, roaring silently: Come on! Even if it means death, I will fight you to the death!

Seeing that Ito Kashitaro was already prepared to die, Aoto, who had been silent until now, finally spoke:

“Mr. Ito, although you have committed an unforgivable crime, it is an indisputable fact that you have made great contributions to the Shinsengumi.”

"As a sign of respect, I originally intended to personally see you off on your journey."

"However... someone is determined to settle things with you."

After speaking, Qingdeng shifted his feet, making half a body's width to the side.

Then... a person that Ito Kashitaro never expected appeared.

Then, Todo Heisuke walked out from behind, brushed past Aoto, and moved to stand in front of Ito Kashitaro.

"master……"

"Heisuke..."

The master and apprentice stared at each other, their gazes clashing, each filled with intense emotion.

They seemed to have countless things to say, yet they kept their mouths tightly shut.

In this deathly silence, the first person to speak was Todo Heisuke.

“…Master, I have always been proud to be a part of the Ito Dojo.”

As Todo Heisuke spoke, a faint smile curved his lips.

More than two weeks ago, he was nearly killed by the other party.

If it weren't for Kondo Isami's timely cover, acting as an inside man, he would have long since perished at the hands of the enemy. Undoubtedly, he had every reason to resent and hate the other party.

However, when they met as enemies, there was not a trace of resentment or malice in his eyes, nor a hint of murderous intent.

He poured out his emotions quietly and slowly:
"I will never regret becoming your disciple, whether in the past, present, or future."

"Perhaps our current opposition is not a matter of good versus evil, but the cruel times have forced us to draw our swords against each other. In that case, I cannot stand idly by no means."

"So... Master, come on, let's settle this once and for all."

"Let this duel mark my complete graduation from the Ito Dojo!"

Todo Heisuke suddenly drew the sword from his waist, raised the tip, and took a stance with a blue eye.

"Ito Dojo"

"Hokushin Ittō-ryū"

"Toudo Heisuke!"

Ito Kashitaro didn't say much, silently holding his sword in front of him.

"Ito Dojo"

"Hokushin Ittō-ryū"

"Ito Kashitaro!"

The moment they introduced themselves, Toudou Heisuke vanished from his spot and appeared before Ito Kashitaro in the blink of an eye, slashing down with his sword!

Ito Kashitaro lowered his center of gravity, stepped back firmly, raised his sword to block, and easily parried Todo Heisuke's sword.

The intense clanging of metal against metal, along with the resulting strong wind, echoed in all directions, whipping up countless grains of sand and gravel.

Under Qingdeng's orders, everyone kept their distance, leaving enough space for a fight.

This is a duel between master and disciple... a fight to the death, each resigning to fate! They will fight with all their might until one of them falls!

Everyone present was aware of the sacredness of this duel.

If you were to step forward to help, it would be an insult to the two swordsmen engaged in fierce combat!

Therefore, whether it was Aoto, Kondo Isami, or anyone else, they all stood silently, quietly watching this unprecedented duel!

Amidst the flashing swords and clashing blades, Todo Heisuke unleashed all the techniques he was proficient in.

Straight thrusts, diagonal slashes, robe cuts... one move after another, each faster than the last.

His left rib—the spot where he was injured during his previous duel with Saito Hajime—was still aching.

A little over half a month is not enough time for his injuries to heal.

However, his high morale and determination to "win" made him completely forget the pain!

In the blink of an eye, his knife once again cut through the autumn wind, flashing across the night sky.

clang!
Although Ito Kashitaro successfully blocked the slash, the immense force transmitted through the blade caused him to lose his balance and uncontrollably take a step back.

Heisuke Todo pressed his advantage, launching an even more ferocious offensive.

Dense flashes of sword light enveloped Ito Kashitaro from all directions, sometimes launching a fierce frontal attack, sometimes ambushing from the side.

The phrase "swift and decisive" perfectly describes Heisuke Todo's offensive.

At first glance, he had gained a significant advantage, firmly suppressing Ito Kashitaro and giving the latter no chance to catch his breath.

It's a pity... all these scenes are ultimately just "at first glance".

Even the most meticulous plans can have flaws—at this very moment, the connection between Toudou Heisuke's previous slash and this slash was not entirely smooth.

Although the opening occurred in the blink of an eye, Ito Kashitaro astutely seized the opportunity! As he twisted to dodge, the sword in his hand leaped from an unbelievable angle, slashing towards Toudou Heisuke's chest!
Startled, Todo Heisuke quickly leaned back, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Although he successfully escaped outside the opponent's attack range, his originally impeccable physical stance inevitably became loose.

The experienced Ito Kashitaro would naturally not give Todo Heisuke a chance to regroup.

But he clung to Toudou Heisuke like a shadow, relentlessly harassing him in every way possible.

In this situation, let alone regrouping, even self-preservation would be extremely difficult.

Thus, Ito Kashitaro reversed the situation with just one move, turning defense into offense!

The once imposing Todo Heisuke is now showing signs of defeat.

Toudou Heisuke viewed tonight's battle as his last, prepared to die, and raised all his senses to the highest level, unleashing a power far exceeding his usual strength.

However, the gap between him and Ito Kashitaro is not so easy to overcome.

Anyone with eyes could see that Todo Heisuke had completely fallen into a disadvantageous position.

If this continues, he'll be killed by Ito Kashitaro in less than ten... no, eight rounds!

What was clear to outsiders was even clearer to Toudou Heisuke, who was at the center of the fierce battle.

After a while, Todo Heisuke's brain, which had been extremely excited due to his heightened emotions, calmed down a little.

Without a doubt, if he doesn't find a way to break the deadlock quickly, his defeat will be a foregone conclusion.

But... what should I do?

He had already given it his all, but... even when he was suppressing his opponent, he couldn't force out a weakness.

Now that they are being suppressed by the opponent, it will be even more difficult to defeat them.

He had a perfect record of defeats against his mentor in the past... How could he possibly defeat this formidable opponent whom he had never beaten?
Suddenly, as if struck by a flash of inspiration, he suddenly recalled the last lesson the other person had given him—

(The so-called swordsmanship is nothing more than 'not letting oneself reveal a weakness and being careful not to be cut,' and 'making the opponent reveal a weakness so that it is easier to cut.')
(Therefore, if you encounter an incredibly powerful enemy in the future, but one you must defeat, you can simply relax your defenses, let the enemy attack, and then seize the fleeting opening to turn the tables and kill them in one fell swoop!)
(When you are weak but want to defeat a powerful enemy, you can only gamble with your most valuable possession, which is your life!)

"Huff...huff...huff...huff...huff..."

Todo Heisuke secretly adjusted his breathing and silently gripped the sword in his hand.

Although barely perceptible, a resolute flame did indeed ignite in his eyes.

Suddenly, he loosened his grip slightly, and the knife in his palm shifted away from the center line of his body.

Maintaining a firm grip on the body's midline—this is an absolute principle in martial arts.

Any martial artist of exceptional skill will pay close attention to their opponent's midline.

If the opponent's midline is even slightly exposed, a fatal blow will be delivered immediately!
Sure enough, at that very moment, Ito Kashitaro, as if by reflex, swiftly and decisively pounced on Todo Heisuke!
call out!
The whistling blade transformed into silver lightning, its terrifying power seemingly possessing the might of thunder!

The latter lowered his eyelids, staring intently at the rapidly approaching former without blinking.

Although it was only for a split second, he did see it... In the instant the opponent flew to strike, he saw that the opponent's posture was no longer perfect due to the outstretched arms!
Toudou Heisuke's eyes gleamed with starlight... and the sword in his hand transformed into lightning!
Two bolts of lightning crossed paths—

It was as if the pause button had been pressed; the master and apprentice remained motionless, still in their sword-wielding stances.

Ito Kashitaro's sword pierced Todo Heisuke's left shoulder socket. If it had been slightly lower, it would have pierced his heart and left lung, killing him instantly.

And Todo Heisuke's sword... pierced through Ito Kashitaro's chest!
The exchange just now happened in the blink of an eye.

Although all the team members present were elites among the best, only a very few, such as Aoto and Kondo Isami, were able to see the specific details of the confrontation.

Heisuke Todo seized the momentary opening exposed by Kashitaro Ito's sudden attack, thrusting his sword forward like lightning, while Kazusa Kenjiro's sword struck the opponent's body first.

Affected by the excruciating pain, Ito Kashitaro's sword path deviated uncontrollably, and the sword that could have pierced Todo Heisuke's heart only managed to pierce his shoulder.

Heisuke Todo's sword was only a few milliseconds faster than Kashitaro Ito's—it was this difference of milliseconds that determined the outcome of the battle!
Ito Kashitaro opened his mouth, and thick blood immediately gushed out like a waterfall.

Looking at his beloved student, so close yet so far, who filled him with a deep sense of loss because of his reluctance to leave the Shinsengumi, he forced a smile.

"Heisuke...you...you've really gotten capable..."

Heisuke Todo held the knife with only his right hand, his left hand clasped together, his head bowed, burying his face in Kashitaro Ito's chest, so that outsiders could not see the expression on his face.

"All my life's learning... I'm returning it to its rightful owner!"

The instant he finished speaking, he swiftly drew his sword!

Phew!

Blood spurted out, dripping all over the ground!

Ito Kashitaro collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

In the blink of an eye, the blood flowing from its body stained the earth black.

He moved his fingers, as if he wanted to pick up the knife again, but it was all in vain.

As Todo Heisuke drew his sword, the light in his eyes began to dim, much like a candle about to burn out.

And now... the "candlelight" has been extinguished.

His lifeless, empty eyes stared straight at Qingdeng—in his final moments, he mustered his last strength to turn his head and look at Qingdeng.

Heisuke Todo silently tore off his light blue haori and used it as a blanket to gently cover the body of Kashitaro Ito.

Ito Kashitaro, former assistant to the general affairs officer of the Shinsengumi and leader of the Goryoku-ebi, died in battle!

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PS: In historical fact, Todo Heisuke betrayed the Shinsengumi along with Ito Kashitaro.

During the Shinsengumi's battle against the "Ito Faction," Todo Heisuke drew his sword against his former comrades, including Nagakura Shinpachi and Harada Sanosuke, and ultimately died in battle.