I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1157 Human history is indeed full of dark humor
Fushimi, the western outskirts of Fushimi, the base of the 2nd, 4th, and 13th Divisions—

There was still about half an hour until dawn... It was still pitch black all around, and flocks of birds that came out to forage kept chirping.

Although there were quite a few minor mishaps—many squad members were too exhausted to wake up—the second, fourth, and thirteenth squads managed to assemble before dawn.

At this moment, thousands of soldiers from the three squads were lined up in four neat rows on the desolate outskirts of Fushimi.

Looking up, they were all dressed neatly and had stern expressions.

The cool morning breeze brushed past them, lifting the hems of their haori and making them rustle.

Human beings' "sociality"...or rather, their "susceptibility to the influence of the atmosphere" is truly amazing.

The moment the formation was complete, although no one said it outright, they all felt a significant change in the surrounding atmosphere—like countless needles mixed in, making it prickly—and thus deeply realized the fact that "a great battle is imminent"!

Goosebumps rose on my skin, my throat went dry... Stimulated by this, the last vestiges of sleepiness vanished instantly, the blood in my veins flowed faster, and my mind became exceptionally excited!

Even if you gave them the most comfortable bedding and the softest pillows, they wouldn't be able to fall asleep now!
They exchanged glances, sharing their tense and excited emotions, anxiously counting down the time.

When the sunlight spreads across the earth, that will be the moment they launch their counterattack against Toba!
At this moment, Nagakura Shinpachi stood at the very front of the formation, staring blankly ahead—this direction was Toba's direction, the direction of their attack!
Although it is springtime, it is still very cold before sunrise.

Nagakura Shinpachi rubbed his frozen hands and yawned widely.

"sleepy……"

Just then, a greeting arrived:
"Shinpachi, how are you feeling?"

As he spoke, Kondo Isami walked up from behind and stood side by side with Nagakura Shinpachi.

"I'm perfectly fine! This is just a minor injury!"

Nagakura Shinpachi grinned widely and raised his hand to touch his forehead, which had been injured by being hit the day before.

"I'm bursting with energy right now! I can't wait to start the battle and make up for not being able to fight yesterday!"

Yesterday, under Qing Deng's strong demands, Nagakura Shinpachi was forced to rest in bed for a full day.

Despite his repeated statements that "I'm fine," "My head is no longer dizzy," and "I can fight," Qing Deng simply ignored them.

Thanks to this, Nagakura Shinpachi had a boring but beneficial day yesterday.

Thanks to his excellent recovery ability, his physical condition has largely recovered, and the dizziness that had been lingering deep in his head due to the forehead injury has vanished.

Looking at the spirited Nagakura Shinpachi, Kondo Isami chuckled a few times:
"It's good that you're alright. Today's battle is crucial, so let's make the most of the strength we've accumulated yesterday!"

Yongcang Xinba Wan'er:

"Each each other!"

……

……

Fushimi, the western outskirts of Fushimi, the base of the 3rd, 5th, and 12th Divisions—

Saito Hajime, standing at the very front of the formation, remained expressionless as always.

He crossed his arms over his chest, remaining silent. The only moving part of his body was his eyelids, which blinked occasionally.

If viewed from a distance, it would most likely be mistaken for a wooden sculpture.

Standing next to him was Nishiki Nishiki (captain of the 5th Division), who was also a man of few words.

After the two met, they only exchanged greetings and then said nothing more.

Their taciturnity left Soma Kazue (captain of the 12th Division) feeling bewildered.

Soma Kazue glanced at Saito Hajime on his left, then at Niimi Nishiki on his right… Because he was nervous, he wanted to chat with someone, to say anything to distract himself and regulate his emotions.

However... both seniors on either side exuded a cold aura that said, "Get out of my way, don't talk to me..."

Suddenly, the "wood carving" moved—Saito Kazuki raised his chin and looked up at the sky.

“…It’s dawn.”

Upon hearing this, Shinmi Nishiki and the horse-souke simultaneously looked up.

As dawn broke in the eastern sky, the heavy veil of night that had obscured the heavens began to recede.

Shinmi Nishiki vigorously moved his shoulders, making a series of sharp, teeth-grinding "crack" sounds.

"...Finally, it's dawn. I can't wait any longer."

As he murmured softly, he turned around, preparing to return to his position to lead the Fifth Division.

At the same time, Soma Kazue also set off for the Twelfth Division.

They had only walked a few steps—

"...Shinmi-kun, Soma-kun."

Saito suddenly called out to them.

Saito Hajime, who was usually very taciturn, actually took the initiative to talk to them... The two of them were both taken aback, and then stopped in their tracks, turning their heads around with puzzled expressions.

Saito Hajime looked at them intently, then said slowly and deliberately, in a serious tone:
"I wish you a resounding victory."

Nishiki Shinmi and Soma Kōkei exchanged a glance—they both saw intense surprise and a faint smile in each other's eyes.

The next moment, they all said in unison:

I wish you great success!

……

……

Fushimi, Fushimi West Suburbs—

Qingdeng stared intently at the rapidly changing sky.

The pitch-black sky slowly turned blue, and the beautiful ultramarine blue filled the view.

After blue came deep purple, then light red, peach, pink... Finally, the golden dawn dominated the sky with an overwhelming presence.

Fushimi, Toba, the nearby plains, the distant mountains... everything within sight was bathed in the dawn light.

The sky was already bright, and the morning mist was rising.

Hijikata Toshizo, who was gazing at the sky with Aoto, murmured softly:
"...To be honest, I've been thinking just now: I wish it would never get light."

Qingdeng naturally understood the implied meaning, so he responded half-jokingly:

"How dare the dignified 'Demon Vice-Commander' utter such spineless words. If others were to hear this, rumors would surely spread throughout the city that 'the Demon Vice-Commander is cowardly.'"

Hijikata Toshizo shrugged and returned the joke in the same tone:

"I still occasionally want to be a 'Bodhisattva Vice-Minister'."

Qingdeng glanced at him, smiled, and remained silent.

At that moment, a messenger from the Ninth Division rode up on horseback:

"My lord, the Eleventh Division is ready and can fire at any time!"

“Tell them: In 3 minutes, I want to see the sky shake and the earth tremble.”

"Yes!"

After watching the messenger leave, Hijikata Toshizo let out a long sigh of relief, and then drew Izumi no Kami Kanesada from his waist.

"Ju, please don't die."

Qing Deng Wan Er:

"Ah, you too."

He, too, had his sword drawn.

Then, he turned his head and looked at the soldiers of the five units behind him: "Zero", "One", "Six", "Eight", and "Training".

"set off!"

The loud shout startled countless birds into flight from afar.

The sun finally peeked out, its rays painting the eastern sky crimson and illuminating the vast battlefield.

……

...Toba, Autumn Mountain——

boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom! boom!
It was the usual exchange of fire between cannons.

The artillerymen of both armies repeatedly went through the process of loading, firing, reloading, and firing again.

At the Eleventh Division's position, Abe Juro (the Eleventh Division Captain) raised his voice:

"Give it your all! Don't skimp on the shells! Even if it destroys the gun barrels, it doesn't matter!"

Under the cover of a hail of cannon fire, thousands of light blue haori fluttered and swayed as thousands of Shinsengumi soldiers rushed toward Toba from three directions!

To be precise, it lunged at Autumn Mountain, located to the east of Toba!

The battle plan that Aoto, Hijikata Toshizo, and others drafted for today was very simple.

The small branch bridge is the absolute core of the bird's feathers; reclaiming the small branch bridge is equivalent to reclaiming the bird's feathers.

To reclaim the small bridge, Mount Qiu is an essential stronghold that cannot be bypassed.

Mount Aki is located east of Toba and is the highest point in Toba. In other words—it is an excellent strategic location!

Before the bird feather was lost, this place was the location of the Shinsengumi's artillery position.

Now, it has become an artillery position for the "Southern Army".

If they successfully recapture Akiyama, they can severely damage the Southern Army's important artillery units and regain an excellent artillery position.

Once the soldiers of the Eleventh Division have carried the cannons back to Mount Autumn, they can fire down on Koji Bridge from their high vantage point.

At that time, it will be a sure thing to recapture Xiaozhi Bridge and then Nyoyu!
In summary, today's battle plan is roughly as follows: Attack Autumn Mountain! Eliminate the "Southern Army's" artillery units, and then allow the Eleventh Division to occupy Autumn Mountain and bombard Koji Bridge!
Therefore, Qingdeng deployed three "attack arrows"—

Composed of the 2nd, 4th, and 13th Divisions, the "Third Army" is led by Kondo Isami.

The Second Army, composed of the Third, Fifth, and Twelfth Divisions, is led by Hijikata Toshizo.

Finally, there is the "First Army," composed of the "Zero," "One," "Sixth," and "Eighth" divisions, and the training squad, personally commanded by Aoto himself.

Three "arrows" were fired at Qiuzhishan at the same time, crushing the enemy army with the force of Mount Tai!

All units except the Ninth Division and the Cavalry Division (Seventh and Tenth Divisions) have been deployed... This is undoubtedly a full-scale attack!

Because it was a general offensive, the momentum of the attack was truly overwhelming!

The Shinsengumi members ran and howled. Even from a distance, one could imagine their ferocious faces through their increasingly loud roars.

Many southern soldiers were intimidated by it and couldn't help but show their fear on their faces.

Even some of the officers in the main camp were quite frightened.

Saigo Kinosuke's deep voice rang out at the right moment, spreading throughout the entire "Southern Army" headquarters.

"If we win today's battle, we've won!"

These brief words caused Katsura Kogoro, Goto Shojiro, and others to show resolute expressions.

The Northern Expeditionary Army is about to approach Otsu Castle. If the Shinsengumi cannot recapture Toba and severely damage the Southern Army today, then they are doomed to lose... Whenever he thinks about how significant today's battle is, Katsura Kogoro and the others can't help but gasp.

Saigo Kichinosuke anticipated that the Seito Society would focus its attack on Akiyama—the direction Seito might choose to attack was not hard to guess—so he deployed a large force on Akiyama.

Right now, the elite troops of the "Southern Army" have all gathered here, spreading from the foot of the mountain to the top!

One side held firm at Mount Aki, while the other launched a fierce attack... In other words, the battle on the third day of the Battle of Toba-Fushimi revolved entirely around this small mountain.

The battle that would decide the outcome of this war, the fate of the world, and the destiny of countless people unfolded on this inconspicuous hill... Events like this have repeatedly proven that human history is full of dark humor.

It's only 3 kilometers from Fushimi to Toba, and even closer to Akiyama.

Therefore... in just a moment, the "First Army" led by Qing Deng arrived at the foot of Qiu Zhi Shan!

Although time was of the essence—only a little over a day had passed since the capture of Toba—the Southern Army had managed to dig many makeshift trenches at the foot of the mountain facing Fushimi.

Like a flash flood crashing into a dam, the clash between the two armies created a terrifying spectacle, while simultaneously sending up sprays of blood that flew high into the air before falling in a dazzling display.

Biting, crushing, struggling... the two were entangled in a chaotic mess, unable to separate.

Just by looking at the troop composition, you can tell which army is the main force.

Qing Deng personally led five units. The elite status of the "Zero" and the First Division goes without saying. The two most experienced musketeer teams (the Sixth and Eighth Divisions), as well as the fearless training team, were also under his command.

It is obvious that the "First Army" led by Qing Deng is a spear that pierces the heart of the enemy!
The "Second Army" led by Hijikata Toshizo and the "Third Army" led by Kondo Isami both played only an auxiliary role in "dispersing the enemy's forces".

Toudo Heisuke shouted:

"put!"

Suddenly, a torrential downpour began—but the "raindrops" that poured out were bullets!

A barrage of bullets swept across, instantly taking down more than ten Southern soldiers.

Upon seeing this, Shimada Kai (first division vice-captain) immediately roared:
"First Division! Follow me!"

He led by example, charging forward, with the soldiers of the First Division close behind.

They jumped into the trenches in front of them and fought the enemy!

A cold glint flashed, and severed limbs flew everywhere.

In just a short time, the soldiers of the First Division successfully captured the trench with an overwhelming advantage.

"Go on!"

Without even taking a deep breath, Shimada Kai leaped out in a hurry and advanced to the next trench.

Before the battle began, Qingdeng repeatedly emphasized: Today's battle must be swift! We must maintain a high-intensity offensive at all times!
Shimada Kai obeyed this order without hesitation.

However, as soon as he showed his face, he saw a row of muskets pointed at him from not far away.

He reflexively ducked and crouched, nimbly rolling back to the trench he had just captured.

Almost simultaneously, a barrage of bullets came hurtling in, striking the spot where he had just stood.

If he had been even a fraction slower, he would have been riddled with bullets by now.

He gritted his teeth, hiding his body in the trench, anxiously waiting for the gunfire from the other side to stop.

Before long, silence fell over his ears.

He hurriedly got up again, only to find a large group of southern soldiers rushing towards him!

A brand new and intense battle unfolded in this trench.

……

……

Everywhere there were the explosions of muskets firing, interspersed with the clang of clashing swords, and shouts of battle rising higher and higher.

Everywhere there were groans of dying people, and broken corpses were scattered everywhere.

Swords against swords, muskets against muskets, cannons against cannons—the same weapons, the same fight to the death!
What should have been a complex war became exceptionally simple on this day—whoever was stronger and could defeat their opponent would win!
On this day, the Autumn Mountain, an unremarkable little mountain, is the abode of death.

Although the battle had only just begun, the air inside and outside the mountains was already filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder and the stench of fresh blood.

The Shinsengumi members, relying on their exceptional martial prowess and using the trees and bushes in the mountains as cover, successfully attacked the opposite position without any major incidents.

Swords and blades flashed and felled, cutting down one Southern soldier after another, quickly filling the surrounding land with the taste of blood.

However, their joy was short-lived. Bullets flew out from the side, and the unfortunate soldiers fell to the ground in rows, their blood staining their light blue haori red.

The musketeers were preparing to reload when a shell, whistling through the air, landed right above them.

With a loud crash, severed limbs and mud were scattered everywhere.

Suddenly, a deep conch shell sounded across the battlefield—the "Second Army" on the north side had engaged the enemy!

At almost the same time, the "Third Army" in the south also began fighting.

The pale green torrent surged, poured, roared, and destroyed, with occasional splashes of red water.

The terrifying roars from the three battlefields lingered over Autumn Mountain for a long time!

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