I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1141 The Fall of Xiaozhi Bridge! The Collapse of the "Toba Defense Line"! [4200]

Unafraid of pain, in a strangely excited state of mind...

This situation instantly reminded Nagakura Shinpachi of the fierce battles he had personally experienced a year ago during the "Second Battle of Sekigahara".

It's that troublesome secret medicine again... Nagakura Shinpachi unconsciously frowned and gritted his teeth.

Under the influence of the "Decisive Battle of Dian", the soldiers of the "Southern Army" were all brave and took the lead!
Even if they face mountains of knives and seas of fire, they will charge straight in without hesitation!
Furthermore, due to their heightened emotions and intense concentration, their physical potential is greatly stimulated... Simply put, it's like they've been given a stimulant.

In this way, even when fighting the "invincible in close combat" Shinsengumi in melee combat, they would not be at a disadvantage!

Not only were their long-range firepower suppressed, but they also couldn't gain an advantage in close combat...

Shinpachi Nagakura had considered the possibility of an unfavorable start, but he never expected that the battle would deteriorate to this extent so soon after it had just begun!

Upon realizing this, he couldn't help but click his tongue:
"It's troublesome..."

He had already anticipated what would happen next.

As expected, when the Southern Army soldiers rushed forward and launched wave after wave of attacks with a death-defying spirit, the Shinsengumi soldiers immediately showed their weakness and cowardice.

The veterans were a bit better, but the new recruits' performance was really lackluster.

Seeing this, Nagakura Shinpachi sighed with a mixture of helplessness and resentment:
"The Shinsengumi's problem of being afraid of tough battles still exists..."

Around the time the Southern Dynasty was first established, a saying circulated widely among the common people—especially within the Southern Dynasty—that the Shinsengumi was a cowardly army that dared not fight hard battles.

There is certainly an element of "the Southern Court deliberately smearing the Shinsengumi" involved.

However, from a certain perspective, this statement is not wrong.

Since its founding, the Shinsengumi has been a unit that has been highly dependent on Aoto—a characteristic that remains unchanged to this day.

Relying on Qingdeng's invincibility and the fact that the enemies he had faced in the past were indeed very weak, he became accustomed to winning battles with the wind at his back and to one-sided reaping. As a result, he developed a "spoiled" habit and would show fear when he encountered a slightly stronger enemy.

Simply put, the Shinsengumi is very lacking in experience.

This flaw was fully demonstrated in the previous "Second Battle of Sekigahara".

Therefore, since this battle, Aoto has been trying to enhance the morale, fighting spirit, and cohesion of the Shinsengumi.

Although Qingdeng's efforts have improved this problem considerably, it has only "improved" and is far from being "cured".

To transform the Shinsengumi into a truly iron-blooded army, mere verbal instructions are far from sufficient—what it currently lacks is blood and fire! It needs arduous training!
Seeing that his own defenses seemed to be "loosening", Nagakura Shinpachi made a decisive move, took a step forward, and his figure became a shadow as he rushed into the enemy ranks!
With a sharp whooshing sound, the treasured sword in his hand sprayed out clouds of blood mist in mid-air, and corpses fell limply to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, he unleashed seven strikes, each one a fatal blow! Single-handedly, he carved out a small salient on the long battlefront!
His brave and fearless demeanor instantly attracted the attention of soldiers on both sides, bringing a moment of silence to the fierce battlefield.

"What's wrong? Are they all shrinking back?!"

As he shouted, Nagakura Shinpachi swung his sword forcefully, shaking off the remaining bloodstains.

"The enemy is only slightly troublesome, yet they're already acting like cowards!"

"If that's the case! All you cowards who are afraid of death, get out of here!"

"Give up your battle positions! Give up your opportunities to make a name for yourself!"

"I will use this battle to become a legendary swordsman!"

"Whether you choose to be a coward or seek fame and fortune in times of crisis is entirely up to you! Just don't get in my way! Don't block my path to wealth and power!"

A very crude method of provocation.

But it is very effective.

Most of the Shinsengumi soldiers didn't have any lofty ideals; they were simply driven by the utilitarian belief that "following Niou will lead to a bright future."

If you are timid and afraid to fight the enemy, then all the rigorous training and suffering you have endured since joining the Shinsengumi will have been in vain.

Upon hearing Shinpachi Nagakura's admonition, countless soldiers' eyes instantly regained their clarity—their eyes burning with a desire for money, power, and upward mobility!
Second Division Vice-Captain Nakajima Noboru shouted at the opportune moment:
"Charge! Today is the day to make our mark!"

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!"

A burst of fighting spirit followed immediately!
Nagakura Shinpachi once again wielded his blade, personally taking the lead in the attack. His light blue haori fluttered up and down and swayed left and right, gradually becoming stained with glaring blood!
The members of the Second Division broke through the "gap" opened by Shinpachi Masakura and charged through the enemy ranks like a flood.

At the same time, not far away, Inoue Genzaburo also gave a passionate speech to boost the morale of the Sixth Division.

"Did you all hear that? This battle is unprecedented! If you can achieve merit in this battle, your wife and children will be rewarded!"

After shouting, he personally picked up a freshly loaded musket and aimed it at the countless enemy soldiers in front of him:

"Raise your guns! Cover the Second Division!"

A new round of shootings erupted, the sound deafening.

The lingering smoke of battle filled the battlefield.

With the combined efforts of the Second and Sixth Divisions, the Southern Army's offensive was halted, but they did not retreat. Instead, they continued to clash with the Shinsengumi, fighting for every inch of land!
Close up, there was hand-to-hand combat; further away, the roar of muskets could be heard, and cannonballs rained down from time to time... The fierce battle around the small branch bridge gradually became intense!
……

……

South Palace (the main camp of the "Toba Defense Line") —

Looking up, one could see the figures of the Ninth Division's soldiers (messengers) everywhere in the South City Palace.

They could either relay orders to the front lines or report the latest battle situation to Hijikata Toshizo.

"Lieutenant Commander! Captain Yongcang has held the bridge!"

"Very good! Tell Shinpachi! Just hold off the enemy! Even if they retreat, do not pursue them rashly!"

"Yes!"

"Lieutenant Commander, the horses carrying the artillery shells have spooked! They're in complete disarray! The Eleventh Division's artillery fire may be affected!"

Before Hijikata Toshizo could respond, a new messenger brought a new report:

"Lieutenant Commander! Akiyama has been shelled! Several artillery pieces have been destroyed!"

"Lieutenant Commander! The enemy has made a new move! A new force is attacking Xiaozhi Bridge! Their strength exceeds two thousand!"

"Vice Commander! Vice Commander! Vice Commander!"

The repeated calls of "Vice Commander" made Hijikata Toshizo dizzy.

After the war began, he was undoubtedly the busiest person in the "Toba Line," without exception.

From the front lines to the rear, unexpected situations occur everywhere.

Just processing this massive amount of information is a considerable challenge for the human brain.

For an ordinary person, it would probably take long before their brain overloaded and crashed.

For a moment, his brows were furrowed tightly, and the dark cloud gathered on his cheeks did not dissipate for a long time.

The current battle situation... can be summed up in one sentence: it's far from optimistic!
In comparison, Nagakura Shinpachi and Inoue Genzaburo performed admirably, successfully defending Koshibashi Bridge and preventing the enemy from crossing even half a step.

In contrast, other battlefields... are all in a worrying predicament!
The Southern Army's long-range firepower surpasses that of the Shinsengumi—something that Aoto, Hijikata Toshizo, and others had anticipated long ago.

The Satsuma and Hizen domains had been running military industries for over a decade, far surpassing the Hatatsu domain, which was just starting out.

It would be illogical if the "Southern Army" did not have an astonishingly large firearms force.

However… despite being mentally prepared, the density of the Southern Army's artillery barrage still surprised Hijikata Toshizo. The enemy held the upper hand in both artillery and musket fire… Just as Hijikata Toshizo was considering whether to use his precious reserves to send reinforcements to the front lines, a truly piercing cry drifted from afar:

"Vice Commander! Vice Commander!"

Hijikata Toshizo instinctively looked in the direction of the sound—a pale-faced messenger stumbled towards him.

Hearing the hurried footsteps and seeing the panicked expression on his face, Hijikata Toshizo immediately frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Soon, his ominous premonition came true.

"Shimotoba is in dire need of help! Shimotoba is in dire need of help! Captain Serizawa is about to be overwhelmed by the enemy!"

……

……

Centered on Xiaozhi Bridge, the area to the north is called "Upper Bird Feather" and the area to the south is called "Lower Bird Feather".

The troops responsible for guarding Shimotoba were the Fourth Division, led by Serizawa Kamo, and the newly formed Twelfth Division.

Under Serizawa Kamo's command, the members of the Fourth Division, as always, displayed their brave and fierce fighting spirit, holding off the enemy's invasion.

However... while the Fourth Division was fighting bravely, the Twelfth Division behind them failed to fulfill their support mission.

The reload speed is too slow... the gunfire is chaotic... bullets that should hit the enemy are flying into the air instead...

The lack of adequate remote support has significantly increased the pressure on the Fourth Division!
As time went by, the battle lines that were barely holding on became increasingly fragmented, and the rate of casualties in the Fourth Division was accelerating.

This rapidly deteriorating battle situation caused Serizawa Kamo, whose temper was already extremely volatile, to finally lose her temper and turn around to angrily rebuke:
"Damn it! Twelfth Division! What are you doing?! Fight back! Are the weapons you're holding just fire pokers?"

The captain of the 12th Division, Soma Kazue, blushed with anxiety.

He wanted to say something in his defense, but after opening his mouth, he finally pursed his lips because he had nothing to say.

Serizawa Kamo's accusations were not inappropriate.

Based on the performance of the Twelfth Division... to put it bluntly, they really deserve to be criticized!

Before the enemy forces reached them, they were still somewhat organized, methodically aiming, firing, and loading ammunition.

But when the enemy was close at hand, they immediately panicked and completely forgot their past training.

Ultimately, the 12th Division was just a new unit dominated by recruits, severely lacking in combat experience.

Soma no Kei had done his best to boost morale and restore order to the troops, but his efforts were only a drop in the ocean.

Seeing that the 12th Division was out of the question for the time being, Serizawa Kamo gritted his teeth, his face turning extremely gloomy.

—If this continues, the bird feathers will be lost!

The proud and arrogant Serizawa Kamo would rather die than bear the responsibility of defeat.

Should they rely on the Fourth Division's own strength to break the deadlock, or should they seek help from Hijikata Toshizo?
Before Serizawa Kamo could figure it out, a loud shout suddenly came from behind him:
"Kill them! Support the Fourth Division!"

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of swordsmen joined the chaotic battle from the side! They fought fiercely with the "Southern Army," effectively relieving the pressure on the Fourth Division!

A samurai took advantage of the chaos to slip to Serizawa Kamo's side, and the two stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Serizawa, I'm here to help you."

Looking at the newcomer, Serizawa Kamo blinked in surprise:

"Jin, what brings you here?"

Fifth Division Captain Nishiki Niimi said calmly:
"Of course, it was Hijikata Toshizo who sent me. He sent me immediately after learning that Shimotoba was at risk of falling."

Before Serizawa Kamo could ask for help, Hijikata Toshizo took the initiative to send reinforcements... Although it was a joyous occasion, Serizawa Kamo did not show any excitement; instead, he appeared solemn.

"Sending the Fifth Division into battle so quickly... that's not good news."

Shinji nods slightly:
"Yeah, that's terrible."

Hijikata Toshizo left three reserve units at the Jonan Palace (main camp) – Niimi Nishiki's fifth squad, Harada Sanosuke's tenth squad, and Yoshida Kanichiro's thirteenth squad.

The importance of the reserve team goes without saying.

Each reserve team is like a crucial trump card.

Every time a reserve team is sent out, one less card can be played in the hand.

The battle has been going on for less than half an hour, and we've already been forced to send the Fifth Division into the fray... In terms of the overall situation, this is definitely not a cause for celebration!
After pondering for a moment, Serizawa Kamo shook his head vigorously:
"Forget about that for now. What we need to do right now is very clear—defeat the enemy forces in front of us!"

Shinmi Nishiki nodded vigorously as he drew his sword from his waist:

"Yes, you're right."

The moment they finished speaking, the two of them simultaneously released a chilling killing intent and sped forward!

……

……

South Palace (the main camp of the "Toba Defense Line") —

"Vice Commander! Shimotoriba is out of danger! Shimotoriba is out of danger!"

Upon hearing this report, Hijikata Toshizo did not show any obvious reaction, but the gloom on his cheeks dissipated slightly.

Finally, some good news... although it's not exactly cause for celebration.

A moment later, Hijikata Toshizo turned to the messenger beside him and asked:

"How is the battle at Xiaozhi Bridge going?"

No new messages yet!

Every so often, he would personally inquire about the current situation of Xiaozhiqiao.

It's no wonder he cares so much about Xiaozhi Bridge.

Koji Bridge is the absolute core of the "Toba Defense Line," much like the lumbar spine of a person.

If Koji Bridge falls, the Toba Defense Line will be broken in two! The entire defense line will be at risk of complete collapse!

So far, the reports Hijikata Toshizo has received regarding Koeda Bridge are mostly about "successfully blocking the enemy" and "the enemy cannot advance an inch," and so on.

Judging from the looks of it, the defenses at Xiaozhi Bridge are quite solid, so there's nothing to worry about.

With this thought in mind, Hijikata Toshimitsu lowered his head again, staring intently at the battle map in front of him, occasionally fiddling with the pieces.

Suddenly, anxious footsteps reached Hijikata Toshizo's ears again—a disheveled, breathless messenger brought an unsettling atmosphere.

The moment he opened his mouth, Hijikata Toshizo's hand, which was adjusting the pieces, suddenly froze:

"Deputy Commander! Xiaozhi Bridge has fallen! Xiaozhi Bridge has fallen!"

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