I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1147 The Shinsengumi's Heroes Take the Field, the "Southern Army's" All-Out Attack! [4800]

When Aoto arrived in Mikicho, he looked perfectly normal, without even breaking a sweat.

About 10 seconds later, Shimada and the others caught up with him, panting heavily.

As expected of the elite First Division, if it were any other division, they would probably have been left far behind by Qing Deng long ago.

While waiting for Shimada Kai and the others to arrive, Aoto quickly scanned the battlefield.

As Shimada Kai had just said, the fighting in Mikicho was extremely fierce and had reached a stalemate.

The unit stationed here is the Fifth Division.

Looking up, there were about two hundred Southern soldiers attacking the area.

Just by looking at their spirit, you can tell they are the elite of the "Southern Army".

Not only were they highly motivated, but they were also well-equipped, with everyone wearing armor and possessing more than a hundred muskets.

They formed a circle, with the musketeers positioned on the outer edge.

Viewed from above, the circular formation resembles a vibrant chrysanthemum, with the rows of muskets held horizontally around the circumference as its petals.

The swordsmen wielding steel blades stayed inside the circular formation.

When the members of the Fifth Division stepped forward to attack, the musketeers on the perimeter pulled the triggers and repelled them with a barrage of bullets.

If the Fifth Division soldiers launch an attack while the musketeers are reloading, the inner swordsmen will rush out to meet them and fight hand-to-hand.

Once the musketeers had finished loading their weapons, the swordsmen retreated to the inner side of the circle... and so on.

Although it is a very simple tactic, it is exceptionally effective, insufficient for counterattacks but sufficient for self-defense.

The members of the Fifth Division launched wave after wave of attacks, but they were unable to break through the circular formation.

It would be far too difficult for the mediocre Fifth Division to deal with this elite group of Southern soldiers.

After confirming the battle situation, Qingdeng drew his Vairocana sword from his waist and strode towards the enemy lines.

Following closely behind, Shimada Kai deliberately shouted in a loud voice:

"Make way! Our lord is here!"

That shout was like a magical incantation... its effect was to boost the morale of one's own side!

The moment he finished speaking, the Shinsengumi members on the scene erupted in cheers!
"What? The lord has arrived?"

"I see him! It really is Lord Niou!"

"Great! We've got this in the bag!"

"What are you all standing there for? Get out of the way!"

Up until now, the members of the Fifth Division all looked worried due to the fierce battle.

Now, they all have smiles on their faces, each one more excited than the last.

The excitement on this side only served to highlight the fear on the other side.

"Damn it... it's 'Niou' Tachibana Aoto...!"

"Is it really him?"

"There's no mistake! Even if he were reduced to ashes, I would still recognize him! A year ago, it was his sudden entry into the battle that caused Tianwang Mountain to fall instantly!"

"Is 'Nioh' out in action...!"

"Let's...let's retreat..."

"What nonsense are you talking about! If we turn around and run away, we'll die even more miserably!"

Their initially high morale visibly waned. Fear, panic, unease... all sorts of negative emotions surfaced on the faces of the Southern soldiers.

Everyone else was dressed in plain clothes, except for Qingdeng, who wore a magnificent suit of armor. He looked like a warrior who had stepped out of an ancient painting, or a seal among a group of penguins, standing out from the crowd.

And that is precisely Qingdeng's goal.

The reason he wore this armor was quite simple: to make himself conspicuous so that both his own and the enemy could see him clearly!

Whether it's to defend Fushimi or to salvage yesterday's mishap, today's battle cannot afford to fail!

Therefore, Qing Deng made up his mind: he was determined to crush the morale of the "Southern Army" today! He wanted to turn Fushimi into a graveyard where countless Southern soldiers would perish!

Qing Deng was well aware that he himself was a strategic "decisive weapon".

Wherever he appears, his presence inspires the allied forces there.

Wherever his figure appeared, the enemy soldiers there would tremble in fear.

By making good use of this characteristic, the course of the battle can be easily shaken!

Thus, we have today's full armor and helmets, so that we can become the most conspicuous presence on the battlefield.

It must be said that this group of Southern soldiers truly deserves to be called elite troops with excellent training.

Even though they were intimidated by the sudden appearance of Qingdeng, they did not scatter and flee.

They knew perfectly well that they were surrounded by Shinsengumi members, and if they turned to run, they would only be chased and beaten! In that case, not only would they not be able to escape, but they would also be humiliatingly wiped out!

In a short while, Qingdeng had moved to the very front of the battle line.

Behind him were the Shinsengumi members, and twenty paces in front of him was the enemy's tight circular formation.

At the same time, the opposing team quickly adjusted their formation.

There were many more muskets on the side facing Qingdeng.

Each loaded gun was aimed directly at Qingdeng.

Mobilizing as many muskets as possible and using the power of technology to subdue Nioh... this is the most powerful countermeasure the enemy can think of.

However... the fact that "Nioh can split bullets" is no secret.

With just these muskets, can they stand against King Nioh?
No Southern soldier could be optimistic about this kind of problem...

Looking at the countless gun barrels before him, Qing Deng remained unmoved, his calm voice, devoid of joy or sorrow, reaching the ears of everyone present:

"Heroes of the Shinsengumi, you don't need to do anything. Just watch my back and charge with me."

"With me here, there will be no obstacles in your path."

The moment he finished speaking, he vanished from his spot, his legs becoming shadows and his body becoming wind, the hem of his haori fluttering high in the air a beat later!

Seeing Qingdeng rapidly approaching, the enemy commander, already extremely tense, immediately changed his expression. His pupils contracted to pinpoints, and he reflexively shouted in a shrill voice:

"put!"

Accompanied by piercing screams, the muskets aimed at Qingdeng simultaneously spewed out smoke and bullets!
Countless bullets streaked through the air in a complex pattern of straight lines.

Although modern firearms are still quite outdated and have a low hit rate, the sheer number of hits makes up for the low probability of a hit.

With so many bullets, surely a few will hit.

A few months ago, even Qing Deng would have found it difficult to handle a barrage of comments of this scale.

But now, "things have changed, and people are no longer the same."

Now, Qingdeng is all about numbers!
Talents "Eagle Eye +35", "Precognition +26", and "Speed ​​+23" activated!

The trajectory of each bullet was clearly visible to Qing Deng.

Equally clear to him were the air ripples caused by the bullets flying through the air.

Qing Deng instantly determined which bullets were harmless and which were dangerous.

With his unparalleled strength and reaction speed, he skillfully shifted his position, dodging most of the bullets.

As for those bullets that cannot be dodged, simply wave the Vairocana in your palm and shatter them into countless fragments.

To outsiders, the carved Qing Deng was practically possessed by Hachiman Daimyojin!

Facing a massive barrage of comments, dodging or weaving, it's like taking a stroll in your own backyard... No matter how many times you watch it, you'll always find it unbelievable!

This barrage of bullets is the only chance the opposing team has to "kill Nioh"—they have no chance to fire a second volley!

In an instant, Qingdeng had plunged headlong into the enemy ranks.

call out!
With a flash of dark purple light, Vairocana swung his blade diagonally, cutting down three southern soldiers in one fell swoop.

call out!
Vairocana's dark purple blade flashed once more, then swung in the opposite direction, killing four more southern soldiers.

Qingdeng swung his sword repeatedly, cutting down wave after wave of Southern soldiers like weeds.

There are no special techniques involved; it's just ordinary horizontal and vertical slashes.

There's no need for any tricks when dealing with these small fry! It's a waste of time and energy; just hack and slash!

It is worth mentioning that the fighting spirit of these southern soldiers was truly remarkable.

Even though they were suppressed, they still retained their fighting spirit.

They either raised their muskets or drew their swords, trying to block Qing Deng's slashes.

However... their fates were all the same: their weapons were destroyed and they died.

Even if they had enough strength, their weapons were not durable enough.

Currently, it seems that only Noble Phantasms of "Good Quality" or higher can withstand Qing Deng's attacks without being damaged.

Conversely, only the incredibly tough black blade can withstand Qing Deng's current power.

If it were an ordinary weapon, it would become a "disposable" weapon in his hands.

At this moment, Shimada Kai drew his sword and shouted loudly:
"What are you all standing there for?! Hurry up and support our lord!"

After shouting, he set an example by chasing after Qingdeng and charging into the enemy ranks.

Seeing Shimada Kai suddenly attack, a certain southern soldier who had just been narrowly missed by Aoto gritted his teeth and showed resentment.

His expression seemed to say: I may not be able to beat Niou, but surely I can beat you?
He raised his knife to meet the attack, lunging at Shimada Kai as if venting his anger. To be fair, he was really unlucky; of all people to go after, he had to pick on Shimada Kai.

Judging from his footwork, he's definitely not weak. If he were to take an ordinary Shinsengumi member down with him, he might actually succeed.

To be able to serve as the "vice-captain" of the First Division and keep the proud soldiers of the First Division completely under his control... Shimada Kai's strength is beyond question.

Sidestep, dodge, counterattack—Shimada Kai executed the three movements in one fluid motion, effortlessly sending his opponent to his doom.

Led by Aoto and Shimada, the Shinsengumi members were all fired up and poured into the gap created by Aoto like a flood, dividing and surrounding the enemy formation in the blink of an eye.

What followed was, in a literal sense, a “one-sided battle.”

Only ten minutes had passed... no, less than ten minutes, and the Southern Soldiers who had been giving the Fifth Division a headache were completely wiped out!
The price paid for this was only a single-digit number of casualties!

The Fifth Division members, who had just been exhausted from a fierce battle, stared blankly at the corpses scattered on the ground, their faces filled with disbelief.

From a stalemate to the easy annihilation of the enemy... the only difference was whether Qingdeng participated in the battle or not!

This is the power of "Nioh"... Upon realizing this, the team members present unconsciously raised their eyes, their gazes burning as they stared intently at Qing Deng.

As Qingdeng habitually brandished his sword, he turned and scanned the surrounding soldiers, issuing brief instructions with a cheerful tone:

"Miki-cho is very important and must not be lost. If enemy troops attack again, we must not let them pass, even if it means annihilating them all."

The members of the Fifth Division nodded in unison and shouted:
"Yes!"

Qingdeng turned his head to look southeast—there was a commotion coming from that direction.

"...It seems like they're also locked in a fierce battle over there. Shimada Kai, are you guys still able to keep up?"

"Of course!"

Shimada Kai and the others responded loudly and energetically.

……

……

Toba, South Palace of the City—

Saigo Kinosuke sat upright on a stool, awaiting the battle report.

Katsura Kogoro, Goto Shojiro, and other high-ranking members of the "Southern Army" were all around him.

After a long wait, the first battle report finally arrived—a messenger rushed into the South Palace, knelt on one knee before Saigo Kinosuke, and then, panting heavily, quickly reported:

"Lord Saigo! Our advance has stalled! Even the troops that have advanced the deepest have only just reached Hiro-cho!"

Upon hearing this, Saigo Kinosuke immediately frowned:

"Hiromachi?"

Having a thorough understanding of maps is a fundamental skill for any commander.

Saigo Kinosuke had already looked at the Fushimi map thousands of times, reaching the point where he "had the map in his mind".

Even with his eyes closed, he could clearly remember every area and every street in Fushimi.

Hiromachi, located in Fushimi, is not exactly in the suburbs, but it is certainly not in the heart of the area either.

After deploying three thousand troops and fighting for so long, all we've achieved is this little bit of result... It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say we've gained absolutely nothing! We've been completely blocked outside Fushimi!
Everyone present, led by Saigo Kinosuke, frowned.

Shojiro Goto, unable to contain himself, questioned:
"Why is the advance so slow? Even if the Shinsengumi is the strongest army in the world, it shouldn't be this slow!"

The 3,000-strong vanguard was composed of elite troops selected from the "Southern Army"—it's easy to imagine that any unit that could serve as the vanguard was certainly not a weak force.

Elite troops against elite troops, and this is how it turned out...

Yesterday's attack went very smoothly, and we took Toba in one fell swoop.

This stark contrast was unacceptable to many, including Shojiro Goto.

The messenger swallowed hard and stammered, "..."
"It is reported that the captains of the Shinsengumi, along with 'Niou' Tachibana Aoto... have been deployed!"

Instantly, an eerie silence fell over the scene.

Goto Shōjirō's face turned pale and he shut his mouth tightly.

Kichinosuke Saigo's expression grew increasingly serious.

The others were either surprised or frightened.

Niou and the captains of the Shinsengumi have gone into battle—the thing they feared most has finally happened!

……

……

Fushimi, north side, Hiromachi —

This location is a transportation hub in Fushimi and has great strategic value.

Therefore, the Southern Army committed a large force—more than 500 men, accounting for one-sixth of the vanguard—to launch an attack on Hiro-cho.

The troops stationed here are a combined force of the Third Division and the Twelfth Division.

The fierce battle between the two sides has been going on for a long time, with no clear victor.

The defenses here were breached, and the strongholds there were destroyed.

Gunshots, clangs, roars... all sorts of sounds rang out in one continuous chorus.

Amidst the chaos, on the outskirts of the unassuming Hiromachi, two samurai clad in light blue haori walked side by side toward the battlefield.

"...I never imagined that I would one day fight alongside you."

Saito Hajime, unusually, adopted a tone of reflection.

Serizawa Kamo said coldly:

"me too."

Saito Hajime slowly drew the sword from his waist:

"Don't hold me back."

Serizawa Kamo also drew his sword, a forced smile on his face.

I'll return those words to you exactly as they were.

Despite not communicating beforehand, the two of them quickened their pace simultaneously with perfect understanding.

First it was a brisk walk, then a jog... and in a matter of seconds it turned into a sprint!
They were like two sharp arrows, piercing into the enemy ranks from the left and right.

Fifteen minutes later, the southern soldiers attacking Hiromachi were repelled.

……

……

Fushimi, west side, Minamoto-cho —

"Aa ...

A southern soldier—judging from his attire, it would be more appropriate to call him a "southern general"—wielded his greatsword wildly.

The powerful yet swift series of strikes forced the surrounding Shinsengumi members to stay away.

Just when they were at their wits' end, a male voice drifted over.

“…All of you, get out of the way.”

Kondo Isami stretched his shoulders as he walked straight toward the "Southern General".

Upon seeing that it was the bureau chief, the team members consciously parted to the left and right to make way.

"Southern General" was already in a killing frenzy. Seeing someone recklessly approaching, he immediately roared and pounced on Kondo Isami.

Kondo Isami shifted his feet and nimbly dodged to the left, the two passing each other—in that instant, Nagasone Kotetsu suddenly appeared in his right palm, the blade stained with specks of blood.

Then look at this "Southern General"... his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud, the gushing blood instantly staining the ground beneath him black.

……

……

Similar scenes occurred throughout Fushimi.

Aoto and the captains of the Shinsengumi acted like "firefighters," constantly moving around Fushimi.

They appeared wherever the fighting was intense.

Wherever they appear, no matter how bad the previous battle situation was, it will be reversed instantly!

Thanks to their formidable fighting prowess, the Shinsengumi's casualties were kept to a minimum.

Without much sacrifice, the three thousand vanguard troops of the "Southern Army" were brought to the brink of collapse!

……

……

Toba, South Palace of the City—

Saigo Kinosuke frowned, deep in thought.

Katsura Kogoro, Goto Shojiro, and the others present were all staring intently at him.

Saigo Kichinosuke is the supreme commander of the "Southern Army". Faced with the impenetrable wall built by Niou and the captains of the Shinsengumi, how to make the next move is entirely up to him.

After a moment, under the intense gaze of the crowd, Saigo Kinosuke said in a deep voice:

"Summon the reserve forces and commit all available troops!"

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