I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1128 The Pressure of Ōtakemaru! The Standoff Between Aoto and Ōtakemaru! [4800]

The fat man... that is, Yamata no Orochi, carefully examined Ōshio Heihachirō's entire body with great interest.

"Ōshio Heihachirō... I've finally met you. You look older than I expected."

Ōshio Heihachirō responded with a sharp and uncompromising reply:

"Yamata no Orochi, you are even less remarkable than I imagined."

Orochi laughed loudly:

"I tried to lose weight to make myself more noticeable, and I tried several times, but unfortunately, I failed each time."

Qing Deng glanced at Heihachiro Ooshio beside him, then at the Yamata no Orochi on the opposite bank...

Heihachiro Ooshio's "resurrection" certainly shocked him.

But what Qing Deng is most concerned about right now is the sudden appearance of the Yamata no Orochi.

—Is he the leader of the Party that punishes the law?

Qing Deng narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the Yamata no Orochi on the opposite bank.

The others present, including Sanako, Ama, and Shiyo, were also astonished.

Ziyang reacted the most strongly—as the intelligence chief of the Great Salt Party, one of her main tasks was to collect intelligence on the Fazhu Party, especially the true form and whereabouts of the Yamata no Orochi.

The leader of the Fa-Zhu Party, whom they had been searching for so long without success, suddenly appeared so brazenly... This dramatic scene was truly bewildering.

Mael's earlier information was correct; the Yamata no Orochi's appearance was indeed quite ordinary.

To put it bluntly, he looks no different from any other passerby.

Judging from his appearance alone, he was just an average, overweight man you could see anywhere.

It's hard to believe that this unassuming, overweight man was actually the leader of the "Law-Extermination Party," the source of so many troubles...

Of course, putting aside his appearance, his aura certainly fits the identity of "leader of the Party who punishes the law".

Because Qing Deng was also a powerful figure, he could keenly sense that the aura of the Yamata no Orochi was somewhat similar to his own.

This is the aura that only those in power who frequently control the life and death of others possess!
"It seems I guessed right. The ones who attacked us were indeed the bandits of the Fa-Zhu Party."

As he spoke, Ōshio Heihachirō furrowed his brows, his disdain and disgust reaching an unparalleled level:

Orochi smiled slightly:
"I had planned to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eliminate you in one fell swoop."

“You are the absolute core of the Great Salt Party. If you perish, the Great Salt Party will definitely fall apart.”

"Unexpectedly, despite all the careful planning, a few things were still overlooked."

At this point, Orochi turned its gaze to Qingdeng.

"You must be 'Niou' Tachibana Aoto? To be able to meet the two people I most wanted to see tonight is quite a stroke of luck."

Meeting the gaze cast by the Yamata no Orochi, Qing Deng spoke indifferently:

"...Yamata no Orochi, I have imagined countless possibilities regarding our meeting."

"Perhaps this is what they call 'fate playing tricks on us,' I never expected that our first meeting would take place in such an ordinary place."

Orochi smiled:
"You never know what will happen in an hour, and that's part of the fun of living."

"To hold talks in the deep mountains, far from the world, across a rushing river—don't you think that scene is quite picturesque?"

"Thanks to this river, we are able to have this peaceful conversation like we do now."

Qing Deng coldly picked up the conversation:
"Yes, otherwise I would have drawn my sword and chopped you down without hesitation."

At this moment, Sanako quietly moved behind Qingdeng, lowered her voice, and said in a low, focused tone:

"Qingdeng, why don't we take this opportunity to kill him?"

As she spoke, she gripped the naginata in her hand, a faint murderous glint appearing in her eyes.

Sanako had been witnessing the brutality and tyranny of the Party that was being persecuted by the law.

The demon that had brought suffering to countless lives was right before her eyes... Under such circumstances, it was hard not to feel murderous intent.

Ah Wu, standing to the side, also looked eager to try.

Without a word, she reached her right hand behind her waist and grasped the wakizashi tucked into her waistband.

Although he remained outwardly calm, Sanako's proposal did indeed stir something in Aoto's heart.

He had recently received intelligence that "the Fa-Zhu Party was colluding with the 'Southern Dynasty'."

Although he was unclear about the organizational structure of the Fazhu Party, killing the Yamata no Orochi would cause some chaos within the Fazhu Party, thereby weakening the strength of the "Southern Dynasty".

Such a highly profitable venture is truly tempting!
Here we have Sanako, Mai, the members of the "Zero Squad", and more importantly, "Niou" is here.

On the other hand, the Yamata no Orochi was accompanied by only two samurai.

In terms of combat strength, it is undoubtedly very sufficient!
Even if you just use sheer numbers, you can overwhelm and kill the Yamata no Orochi!

With favorable timing, location, and human factors, this is the best time to kill Yamata no Orochi from any perspective!
However, at that moment, Qing Deng suddenly remembered what Ma'er had said—that Orochi and Ootengu were inseparable.

Where there is Yamata no Orochi, there is Ōtakemaru; where there is Ōtakemaru, there is Yamata no Orochi.

Almost at the same moment that Qing Deng recalled this important information, the handsome samurai beside Yamata no Orochi moved.

He had been keeping his head down, observing the ants at his feet with a blank expression.

Suddenly—almost at the moment when Sanako's eyes flashed with murderous intent—he seemed to sense something, slowly raised his head, and looked straight at Sanako.

In an instant, Sanako's expression changed!
Without any warning... she suddenly felt an immense weight on her shoulders, as if two giant rocks were pressing down on her!

It was as if I had encountered my natural enemy, and a strong sense of crisis welled up in my heart! My body instinctively took two steps back, and even my breathing became erratic!
Fortunately, this change did not last long—Qingdeng moved his body in time, took a half step to the side, and stood in front of Sanako to block Ootakemaru's view for her.

With Qing Deng blocking her way, Sanako immediately felt the "giant boulder" on her shoulders disappear, and she was able to breathe freely again.

"Zanako? Are you alright?"

A-Mai noticed Sanako's unusual behavior and quickly came forward to help her, her face showing concern.

"I...I'm fine..."

At that moment, Sanako belatedly realized that her back was covered in sticky, cold sweat!
Qing Deng had no time to pay attention to Sanako behind him.

His entire focus was on Ōtakemaru opposite him.

He had just seen clearly that the other party had not released any "power" or done anything else—he was simply staring at Sanako!
With just a glance, the formidable Sanako lost her composure to this extent...

"...Are you Ōtakemaru?"

Although it was in the form of a question, Qing Deng was already certain that this person was none other than the top combatant of the Fazhu Party, Ōtakemaru!

"..."

The handsome samurai... or rather, Ōtakemaru, remained silent.

With Qing Deng standing in front of Sanako, he naturally turned his gaze to Qing Deng.

His first impression of Qingdeng was that he had very beautiful eyes.

His eyes were like those of a newborn baby, shining brightly as if untouched by the filth of the world.

However, despite having a pair of beautiful eyes, his gaze and expression were completely devoid of any emotion, making him appear like a doll.

This is not a natural indifference, but rather an extreme indifference that seems to show no interest in the people and things of the world!
Qingdeng stared at Ōtakemaru without fear, their eyes clearly reflecting each other's figures.

After meeting Ōtakemaru's gaze, Aoto finally understood why Sanako was intimidated by his eyes.

His eyes held a peculiar, indescribable pressure!

It's like being hit by a powerful "momentum"... However, it's clear that Ōtakemaru didn't release a single bit of "momentum".

To be able to exert such a level of pressure in one's eyes without even releasing any "momentum"... This was the first time Qing Deng had ever experienced such a thing!

Even Qingdeng himself felt his heart pound violently a few times when he met Ootakemaru's gaze, sensing the pressure and danger.

As if by conditioned reflex, Qingdeng unconsciously tightened his grip on the Vairocana at his waist, adjusting his body to a state of "ready to fight at any time".

Surprisingly, at this moment, the expression on Ōtakemaru's face underwent a very subtle change.

Qingdeng met his gaze without fear—which seemed to pique Ōtakemaru's curiosity.

A flicker of curiosity crossed her eyes, which had been devoid of any emotion... though it was only fleeting.

He took half a step forward and raised his hand to grasp the sword at his waist.

This small movement caused Qing Deng to lower his eyelids, squint his eyes, and with a "clang," pull the Vairocana sword out of its sheath by more than an inch.

At the same time, Sanako, Mai, and the members of the Zero Squad all prepared for battle.

In the blink of an eye, a tense atmosphere permeated both sides of the strait!
Sanako made a gesture to the members of the "Zero Squad".

Upon seeing this, the latter immediately and nimbly unslung the musket from his back.

The two sides were separated by a river several meters wide.

No matter how capable Ōtakemaru is, if he wants to attack, he will have to find a way to cross this turbulent river.

At that time, we can strike the enemy halfway across the river!

Despite Qing Deng and the others' high alert, they did not stop Ōtakemaru.

On the contrary, a hint of curiosity flashed in his eyes.

Just as he was about to take his second step forward, the Yamata no Orochi reached out and stopped him, giving him a wink.

Even an outsider like Qingdeng could see that Orochi was signaling to Ōtakemaru not to act rashly.

Ōtakemaru glanced at Yamata no Orochi... a hint of disappointment appearing on his face.

Despite his seemingly unwilling demeanor, he obediently followed the Eight-Headed Serpent's orders, silently retracting his outstretched leg and lowering his hand from his sword. Seeing this, Qing Deng slowly said:

"I almost forgot, you're deaf and mute. You can neither hear my voice nor respond to me."

The eight-headed serpent raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise appearing on its face:
"Oh? You actually knew that Ōtakemaru was deaf and mute? It seems your intelligence-gathering capabilities are not to be underestimated."

He smiled as he said this.

“Indeed, he is my pride—the strongest swordsman of the Law Extermination Party, Ōtakemaru.”

“Without him by my side, I wouldn’t dare stand so calmly before King Ni.”

As he spoke, he turned his gaze back to Heihachiro Ooshio.

"Ooshio Heihachiro, you've been given a second chance at life."

"I had intended to strike hard against the Great Salt Party in one fell swoop and personally send you, my respectable opponent, on your way, but you were destined to live."

“With ‘Ren-o’ here, even if I were to kill you, I would have to pay an exceptionally heavy price, which is not what I desire.”

"I admit defeat tonight."

"Fortunately, I met you, so it wasn't a complete waste of time."

"Because the situation has changed, I have adjusted my action plan to eliminate the party in accordance with the law."

"The old policy of 'letting the big salt party run wild' will never be repeated."

"Next, I will spare no effort in attacking the Great Salt Party."

"Just look forward to it."

At this point, Orochi turned its gaze back to Qing Deng.

"Your Majesty, the day we meet is much earlier than I expected."

"Fine, it doesn't matter."

"Since things have come to this, I'll take this opportunity to chat with you a bit more."

"You are the most formidable opponent I have ever faced in my life."

"Rakshasa, Hannya, Shuten-dōji... my beloved subordinates, one after another, have fallen at your hands."

"Although I hate you to the core, I also admire you very much."

"I'm looking forward to your future performance."

"I hope you can continue to show your amazing talent."

"Only in this way can I be motivated to continue fighting."

"Tonight is not the best time for us to settle this once and for all."

"The stage for our showdown should be even grander and more magnificent."

“I have a feeling that the most suitable ‘stage’ for us will appear in the near future.”

Let's meet again soon.

After saying that, Orochi twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing an ambiguous smile.

Then, without saying another word, he turned and left without hesitation, with Ōtakemaru and Satō Kenzō following closely behind.

It is worth mentioning that before leaving, Ōtakemaru turned his head and gave Aoto a deep and intriguing look.

Qingdeng did not order a pursuit, but simply watched them leave in silence.

In no time, the figures of Orochi and the others disappeared into the dark forest, completely vanishing from Qing Deng and the others' sight.

Seeing this, A-Wu couldn't help but ask Qing-Deng:

"Qingdeng, are we really going to let them leave?"

As Qingdeng sheathed the Vairocana sword with a clang, he replied calmly:
"That guy was right."

"I will settle things with him sooner or later, but not now or in this place."

"The conditions are not yet ripe."

"If we start fighting now, even if we win, it will most likely be a Pyrrhic victory."

Upon hearing this, A-Wu showed an expression of disbelief:

"Impossible! Is that Ōtakemaru really that strong?"

"With so many of us here, even if that Ōtakemaru is a formidable swordsman, he can't possibly turn the tables and kill us, can he?"

A-Wu had never personally experienced the oppressive aura of Ōtakemaru, so she couldn't understand Aoto's wariness of this person.

On the contrary, Sanako, who had just directly endured Ōtakemaru's "killer gaze", pursed her lips tightly, her face solemn, and did not respond.

Qingdeng said slowly:
"It remains to be seen just how capable that Ōtakemaru really is."

"However, I am certain that it is absolutely impossible to defeat him without paying a heavy price of 'serious injury' or even 'losing you'."

Qingdeng paused, then switched to a tone as if talking to himself:

"Of course, even after paying these prices, we might still not be able to beat him..."

……

……

"Phew...that's great...Niou has spared us..."

Sato Kenzo let out a long breath and looked back with lingering fear.

"Orochi, weren't you too reckless? You just swaggered in front of Niou like that. Aren't you afraid he'll rush over and attack you?"

Yamata no Orochi shrugged.

"It's still hard to say who will let whom go."

Sato Kenzo was taken aback, then half-jokingly asked in return:

"Don't tell me that Ōtakemaru can kill everyone on the other side by himself."

The Yamata no Orochi smiled and shook its head:

"I didn't say that."

"If it were just Niou alone, that would be fine."

"But Niou has so many subordinates around him. Even Ōtakemaru couldn't possibly deal with so many people's attacks while fighting against Niou."

"If we really have to tear off the mask and fight to the death, even if we win, we won't win gracefully. We might end up with a dismal 'lose-lose' outcome."

"This is a scene that neither Niou nor I wanted to see."

"Since one side will be completely eliminated sooner or later anyway, why not wait until the conditions are right and then achieve a resounding victory?"

No sooner had Yamata no Orochi finished speaking than he remembered something, turned to Ōtakemaru and asked:

"Ootakemaru, are you very interested in Niou? I haven't seen you show such strong interest in anyone in a long time."

Ootakemaru, who is deaf in both ears, should not be able to hear the words of Yamata no Orochi.

However, it was as if he completely understood what the other person was saying; as soon as the other person finished speaking, he quickly made various hand gestures.

"Oh? You really want to have a match with Niou? Hahaha! No need to rush!"

"You will face him, but not now."

"I'll set up the best dueling arena for you, just bear with it for a bit."

Ōtakemaru nodded vigorously.

Then, like a child, he curled the corners of his mouth and revealed an innocent smile.

*******
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It's almost the end of the month again! Readers with monthly passes, please vote for this book! (Crying leopard head.jpg) Requesting monthly passes! Requesting recommendation votes! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

P.S.: I can only write for another month at most... It will be finished by September at the latest. Sigh... Just thinking about it makes me so melancholy... I have to say goodbye to Qingdeng for now... (dejected leopard.jpg)

　Leopard has finished reading the first 7 volumes of "Too Many Loser Heroines" today and is eagerly awaiting the release of volume 8.

　　It's truly an excellent work; I couldn't stop watching it.

　　Thanks to this, following my mecha novel, I want to write a romantic comedy based on my own experiences.

　　To be honest, Leopard's campus life has a bit of the charm of a light novel protagonist. If I were to use my real-life experience as a blueprint, I could actually write an interesting story.

　　For example, in his first year of high school, he received high praise from his math teacher because of his decent looks. During class, the teacher suddenly said, "I think XXX is the most handsome boy in our class." Then the whole class cheered and applauded.

　　Leopard felt both embarrassed and secretly pleased by the thunderous applause.

　　In reality, it's not so much that I'm too handsome, but rather that all the male classmates in my class are rather unremarkable in appearance, so my barely decent looks stand out.

　　For example, I once said to a girl, "After we go into our second year of high school, we'll hardly see each other anymore. As a memento, can I hug you?"

　　She was facing away from me, quietly tidying up her stationery, when she nodded gently: "Okay, sure."

　　Then I went over and gently hugged her from behind.

　　This kind of plot, similar to that in light novels, has actually happened.

　　While traveling with a male friend, you unexpectedly run into four or five female friends you know and greet them one by one. As a result, your male friend next to you teases you, "So you're the type with few friends but many wives?" — This kind of scenario is also a real thing.

　　If I ever have the chance, I definitely want to bring this romantic comedy to the screen.

　　(End of this chapter)