I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1142 The "Toba Defense Line" Falls! Retreat to Fushimi! [5200]

"Toba Defense Line", Koji Bridge —

"Drink ah ah ah ah!"

Nagakura Shinpachi swung his blade in a wide arc, decapitating an enemy soldier.

No sooner said than done, several more enemy soldiers arrived, attacking Yongcang Xinba from three directions.

"He is Nagakura Shinpachi, the captain of the second division of the Shinsengumi!"

"His head is worth a fortune! Kill him!"

"He's exhausted! He doesn't have much energy left!"

Nagakura Shinpachi's fatigue has become quite evident.

Sweat poured down his face, his face was almost bloodless, and his limbs trembled slightly... He looked utterly exhausted.

However, his eyes remained sharp and did not lose their brilliance despite the fierce battle.

"If you want my head, Nagakura Shinpachi... you'll have to see if you have the ability!"

The moment he finished roaring, his cheeks bulged into two small bumps, and veins popped out on his neck and temples, as terrifying power gathered within him.

The instant the enemies stepped into its attack range, a cold light swept across—

call out!
With a single, devastating strike, all the approaching enemy soldiers were cut down to the ground!
With a single slash, he killed several people... This powerful scene completely shocked the enemy soldiers who originally intended to assassinate Nagakura Shinpachi.

They unconsciously stepped back, moving away from Nagakura Shinpachi, and dared not approach rashly again.

Taking advantage of this rare break, Nagakura Shinpachi raced against time to adjust his breathing and relax his muscles.

What is your current kill count?
Nagakura Shinpachi can't remember anything clearly anymore.

He dared not rest for too long, for if he rested for too long, intense fatigue would bind his body like chains!

However, no matter how hard he pushed himself, his physical strength eventually had its limits.

As the battle progressed, he felt a throbbing pain in his lungs, numbness in his arms, and almost loss of feeling in his legs.

"Drink...drink...drink...drink..."

He rested the knife on the ground, the tip of which was about an inch deep into the soil. He leaned his head against the hilt, putting all his weight on the knife, and greedily inhaled the air.

The air he inhaled was filled with a nauseating smell of blood and pungent gunpowder, making him want to vomit... Even so, he couldn't care less.

Not far away, the second division vice-captain Nakajima noticed Nagakura Shinpachi's unusual behavior and rushed over to help him up.

"Captain! Your face is all pale! Go and rest in the back!"

Nagakura Shinpachi gently shook his head:
"I will go to rest once the enemy retreats."

After saying that, he looked up and surveyed the battlefield.

The enemy's offensive remained fierce... and they did not retreat for a long time.

At that moment, a familiar shout caught Nagakura Shinpachi's attention.

"Go for it! Whoever hesitates first will lose!"

But Inoue Genzaburo took the lead, charging headlong into the enemy ranks with only a few men.

Nagakura Shinpachi was taken aback.

"Uncle Yuan? What's he doing here?"

Nakajima Noboru answered quickly:
"Captain Inoue has temporarily handed over command of the Sixth Division to Ando-kun (Sixth Division Vice-Captain Ando Hayataro)!"

"Because the battle had reached a stalemate, he decided to come and help!"

"With Captain Inoue's assistance, we are as strong as a hundred men!"

Upon hearing this, Nagakura Shinpachi murmured, half relieved and half worried:
"It's really unacceptable that I couldn't repel the enemy even though I was here."

In terms of fame, Inoue Genzaburo is not as famous as Souji or Nagakura Shinpachi.

In terms of strength, he was even less noticeable in the Shinsengumi, a group full of powerful individuals.

But in terms of reliability, he has always been a senior figure worthy of our utmost trust!
Whether it was the Battle of Ikedaya, the Second Battle of Sekigahara, or any other fierce battle, he never backed down.

In this bloody melee, the sudden entry of a highly skilled and experienced swordsman is destined to have a huge impact on the battle!
As expected, the battle situation changed dramatically after Inoue Genzaburo went into battle.

To counter Inoue Genzaburo, a large number of troops must be diverted... This would greatly alleviate the pressure on the Second Division.

Nagakura Shinpachi swallowed hard, licking his parched throat, then drew his sword from the ground and straightened his body.

"Alright, you've rested enough... Nakajima, let's go!"

Nakajima nodded vigorously:
"understand!"

The two were eager to return to the front lines.

However, before they could take a step, an unexpected situation occurred.

Nakajima pointed forward, having discovered something:
"Captain Yongcang! Look!"

Nagakura Shinpachi hurriedly looked in the direction he was pointing.

Suddenly, the enemy's offensive stopped.

They seemed to have received instructions and slowly retreated, withdrawing from the chaotic battle.

Seeing this, Nakajima Noboru murmured:
"The enemy has retreated..."

Nagakura Shinpachi immediately realized what was happening and shouted back:
"No need to pursue them! Just drive them back!"

Their mission was singular: "defend Xiaozhi Bridge to the death"—a point that Yongcang Xinba always kept in mind.

If you want to counterattack, you'll have plenty of opportunities once the enemy's morale is worn down.

Upon hearing this order, some of the soldiers who were originally itching to move quickly stopped in their tracks and watched the enemy troops disappear into the distance.

Only the members of the Sixth Division continued to fight, firing round after round, forcing the enemy to leave behind a large number of corpses.

The gunfire gradually ceased after the enemy troops had completely fled.

The battlefield, which had been bustling with activity just minutes before, has now fallen silent.

With the withdrawal of the "Southern Army," only the Shinsengumi members, clad in light blue haori, remained in the same place.

After a brief moment of awkward silence, suddenly, someone shouted:

"The enemy has been defeated!"

"The enemy is nothing special!"

"Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!"

"Damn those southern bandits! Have you seen how powerful the Shinsengumi are?!"

The members of the Second and Sixth Division cheered loudly, celebrating their victory in the first battle.

Finally, the enemy has been defeated... Nagakura Shinpachi couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

Suddenly, he turned his head to look around, thinking of something.

Looking up, the members of the Second Division were all covered in blood and looked exhausted.

The Second Division is the elite force of the Shinsengumi, bringing together a large number of skilled swordsmen.

Even the formidable Second Division is finding it so difficult... The "Final Battle at Lake" is indeed not to be underestimated.

What truly worried Nagakura Shinpachi was that he had no idea whether the enemy force he had just faced was a regular unit of the "Southern Army" or its elite troops.

If it's the latter, then so be it.

But if it were the former... Upon thinking of this, Nagakura Shinpachi suddenly felt his heart skip a beat.

The next moment, without hesitation, he turned to Nakajima Noboru beside him and said:
"Nakajima, go ask Mr. Hijikata for help! Send another squad over!"

A hint of surprise flashed in Nakajima Noboru's eyes.

He felt the current battle situation was good and there was no need to appeal to the Turks.

Despite his surprise, his reaction was swift.

From the moment Nagakura Shinpachi spoke to the moment he received the order, only a moment had passed.

"Ming, understand!"

As the vice-captain of the Second Division, Noboru Nakajima would naturally not make the foolish mistake of "giving an order from his superior and then stupidly asking why".

No matter what your superior says, get your hands and feet moving before you start thinking!

Nakajima turned around, preparing to relay Nagakura Shinpachi's request to the main camp.

But at this moment——

woo woo woo...

A sharp, rapidly approaching whooshing sound came from afar.

The Shinsengumi members were already used to this sound on the training ground—it was the sound of cannonballs flying!

Shinpachi Nagakura reacted the fastest, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints, and he reflexively leaped into Nakajima Noboru's arms, knocking him to the ground.

"Everyone get down!"

boom!
The instant Nagakura Shinpachi finished speaking, a shell landed in a mud pit not far away, splashing up countless mud sparks.

The sudden shelling caused a tense atmosphere to permeate Xiaozhi Bridge again, which had just calmed down!

This shell is like the prelude to a grand musical piece.

next moment--

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
Shells rained down like meteors, covering the defense zones of the Second and Sixth Divisions!
Without any orders from Shinpachi Nagakura or Genzaburo Inoue, the soldiers all consciously took cover in the nearest bunker.

"Captain! Come over here quickly!"

To thank Nagakura Shinpachi for his earlier assistance, Nakajima Toru dragged him into a sturdy bunker not far away.

The decision to designate Toba and Fushimi as a defensive line to block the enemy was made several months ago.

Therefore, the civil engineering veterans of the Shinsengumi (the General Affairs Department) had long been building various fortifications along the "Toba Defense Line".

Thanks to this, the area around Xiaozhi Bridge was covered with bunkers for protection. This intense barrage of artillery fire did not last long.

About ten minutes later, the shelling stopped.

Instead, there was the sound of thunderous footsteps!

Nakajima Noboru peeked out from his bunker to survey the battlefield—he saw a large number of enemy troops pouring out from the opposite bank of the small bridge! There were swordsmen and musketeers, capable of both close and long-range attacks! Roughly speaking, there were at least two thousand of them!
"Captain! The enemy is attacking again! Their numbers exceed two thousand!"

He hurriedly reported the military situation to Yongcang Xinba beside him.

When his gaze fell upon Nagakura Shinpachi, he was horrified to see a sight that sent chills down his spine: Nagakura Shinpachi's forehead was stained with blood, and bright red blood droplets were streaming down his cheeks.

"Captain! Your...your head..."

Upon hearing this, Nagakura Shinpachi belatedly raised his hand to touch his forehead, then calmly stared at his reddened palm.

"I'm fine..."

"Just as the shells were falling, a piece of gravel flew by and hit me right on the head..."

"This happens all the time on the battlefield. It's just a minor scrape, no need to panic."

After saying that, Nagakura Shinpachi casually tore off a clean strip of cloth, wrapped it tightly around the wound on his head, then used the crook of his left arm to hold the blade of the knife in his right hand, and used the clothes in the crook of his left arm to wipe the blood off the blade.

"Alright... Stop dawdling, hurry up and engage the enemy!"

As he spoke, Nagakura Shinpachi rolled over and rushed out of the cover.

At this moment, the Sixth Division had already taken the lead in launching an attack.

The enemy charged forward fearlessly, and no matter how fierce the barrage from the Sixth Division was, they could not be repelled.

In the blink of an eye, the Second Division is facing the enemy again!
An enemy soldier rushed straight towards Yongcang Xinba.

"Wa ...

A distinctive shout... it's a manifestation stream!
Nagakura Shinpachi snorted coldly, changed his footing, dodged, and then swung his sword backhand towards the opponent's chest.

This strike would absolutely kill an ordinary martial artist who lacks skill.

Unexpectedly, the opponent managed to dodge it!
Not only did he dodge it, but he also swung his sword a second time, aiming for the top of Nagakura Shinpachi's head.

Nagakura Shinpachi's expression changed slightly, then his gaze sharpened. After dodging the opponent's attack again, he unleashed a new offensive.

In an instant, he swung his sword twice—

The first strike is a feint, designed to trick the opponent into making a move.

The second strike is the killing blow; taking advantage of the opponent's exposed midline due to being deceived by a feint, the strike cuts open their chest.

They won... but Nagakura Shinpachi was not happy at all.

It took Nagakura Shinpachi three full moves to subdue just one enemy soldier...

Nagakura Shinpachi immediately realized the seriousness of the problem and muttered to himself through clenched teeth:

"The troops just now were just insignificant ordinary troops. Is the current force the real 'trump card'...?!"

With the support of "Decisive Battle of the Lake", the ordinary troops of the "Southern Army" were able to fight the Second Division to a standstill.

So, it's not hard to guess how the elite "Southern Army" soldiers who have conquered "Decisive Battle Lake" will perform!

Nagakura Shinpachi immediately issued a warning:

"These guys are the enemy's elite! Don't let your guard down!"

His warning was meaningless.

As soon as the two sides engaged in battle, the members of the Second Division immediately realized that the enemy they were facing was far superior to the enemy they had just dealt with!

This new round of fierce battle has just begun, and the Second Division, known for its elite troops, has already been suppressed! In the blink of an eye, signs of defeat have appeared!
Upon seeing this, Nagakura Shinpachi's cheeks gradually filled with a resolute expression.

In such a situation, the only way to make up for the gap is through individual skill!

If it were Mr. Tachibana, he would definitely do the same. Nagakura Shinpachi thought to himself.

The moment he made up his mind, Nagakura Shinpachi moved his feet, preparing to run towards the nearest place where the fighting was most intense.

However, before he could take two steps, a strong wave of dizziness hit his brain, causing him to stagger!
It took him a lot of effort to barely steady himself.

However, the dizziness in his head did not dissipate, but seemed to worsen, and things in his eyes began to appear double.

He had to bend over and hunch over, pinching his temples tightly with his left thumb and middle finger, only then could he feel a little better.

"Damn...!"

Needless to say, it must have been that flying rock that hit him on the head...

Fortunately, in this moment of crisis, Nakajima Noboru rushed out from the side and supported Nagakura Shinpachi's shoulder.

"Captain! You're badly injured! Quickly retreat to the rear!"

With his head covered in blood, Nagakura Shinpachi didn't look like he was alright at all.

Therefore, Nakajima Noboru has been keeping an eye on him ever since.

When Nagakura Shinpachi showed signs of distress, he immediately rushed to his aid.

Nagakura Shinpachi opened his mouth, wanting to say, "There's no time to rest now."

But he is now in a semi-comatose state and cannot even utter a complete sentence.

At that moment, Inoue Genzaburo, covered in blood, suddenly arrived.

"Shinpachi! What happened to your head?"

Nakajima Noboru succinctly explained the whole story.

Upon hearing this, Inoue Genzaburo's expression changed.

At this critical juncture when Nagakura Shinpachi's exceptional fighting prowess is most needed, he is now powerless to fight... For Inoue Genzaburo, there could be no worse news than this!

The enemy's offensive was unstoppable.

Whether they were swordsmen wielding knives or musketeers using firearms, they were all outstanding elites.

The Second Division has been decimated, and the aggressive enemy forces are beginning to threaten the Sixth Division behind them.

The Sixth Division soldiers, having closed the distance, were forced to fight back with their bayonets. They fought bravely, but... they were powerless to stop the enemy's advance.

Even an ordinary person with no military knowledge can see the current situation clearly—the Second and Sixth Divisions are powerless to stop the enemy! A complete rout is only a matter of time! Koji Bridge is about to fall!
Helpless, Noboru Nakajima could only turn to look at Genzaburo Inoue.

"Captain Inoue! Requesting instructions!"

Apart from the seriously injured Nagakura Shinpachi, the highest-ranking officer on this battlefield was Inoue Genzaburo.

Meeting Nakajima Noboru's expectant gaze, Inoue Genzaburo's face darkened. After a moment's thought, he issued an order that Nakajima Noboru could hardly believe:
"Abandon the small bridge! Retreat!"

Nakajima was taken aback. Even with his duty to "unconditionally obey orders from superiors," he couldn't help but ask in return:

"Retreat?! Captain Inoue! Koedashi is the core of the 'Toba Defense Line'..."

Before Nakajima Noboru could finish speaking, Inoue Genzaburo rudely interrupted:

"Of course I know the importance of Xiaozhi Bridge!"

"But you see what happened? If this continues, we will all be wiped out."

"The bridge can be taken back if it's gone, but if everyone dies, there's no hope left!"

“I gave the order to ‘retreat’.”

"I'll take full responsibility!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Retreat!"

Upon hearing this, Nakajima pursed his lips—the "hesitation" in his eyes was replaced by "resoluteness".

"...I understand! Captain Inoue! You organize the retreat! I'll cover the rear!"

After speaking, without waiting for Inoue Genzaburo's response, he handed the semi-conscious Nagakura Shinpachi to Inoue Genzaburo and then bravely returned to the front line.

……

……

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

The fall of Koji Bridge and the retreat of the Second and Sixth Divisions... This sudden and devastating news froze the surrounding air.

Hijikata Toshizo's staff all turned into clay and wooden statues, their expressions dominated by intense shock and terror.

The importance of Koji Bridge to the "Toba Defense Line" cannot be overstated.

Once Koji Bridge falls into enemy hands, the "Toba Defense Line" will be cut in half, and both "Upper Toba" and "Lower Toba" will be at risk of being attacked from both sides!
After regaining his senses, one of the staff members quickly said to Hijikata Toshizo:
"Vice Commander! Let's organize a counterattack quickly!"

Another aide chimed in:
"We must retake Xiaozhi Bridge immediately!"

Harada Sanosuke, who had been waiting quietly to the side, now showed a rare seriousness:
"Mr. Hijikata, let me go."

Almost all the staff agreed with the plan to "take back Xiaozhi Bridge immediately".

However, Hijikata Toshizo did not respond immediately.

From the moment he left, Hijikata Toshizo had been staring intently at the battle map in front of him, deep in thought.

After a moment, he spoke quickly but clearly and solemnly:

"...The small bridge, which was just fine a moment ago, was lost in the blink of an eye."

"This shows that the enemy is incredibly powerful and their attack speed is so fast that Shinpachi and his men have no time to call for reinforcements from the main camp."

"The Second and Sixth Divisions were instantly defeated... This level of formidable enemy cannot be easily defeated by sending one or two additional units."

"To retake 'Xiaozhi Bridge,' we must make more thorough preparations."

"Otherwise, not only will we fail to recapture 'Kojima Bridge,' but we will also put our allies in 'Uetoba' and 'Shimotoba' in a desperate situation of 'total annihilation.'"

At this point, Hijikata Toshizo paused, then said in a solemn voice:

"...Order the entire army! Retreat across the board! Temporarily abandon the 'Toba Line'! Retreat to the 'Fushimi Line'!"

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