I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1158 "The Strongest Creature on Earth" - Tachibana Aoto
"Hurry up! Run! Over here!"

Dozens of Southern soldiers rushed in from the rear, jumping into the trenches like dumplings being dropped into boiling water. They set up their muskets, pointing them straight ahead towards the foot of the mountain.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The air was filled with a cacophony of sounds.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble...!
The sound grew closer and louder.

This was the sound of the earth trembling, and countless pebbles on the ground bounced and leaped up like fish that had just come ashore.

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble!
The true form of this strange sound was revealed—accompanied by a chilling killing intent, hundreds of Shinsengumi members charged forward!

They ran tirelessly at full speed, swinging the hem of their haoris behind them, each step causing the ground to tremble.

Even though they were all infantry, they managed to make the sound of four hooves when they were only two feet!

Viewed from the front, it looks like a cavalry charge straight at you! It gives you a feeling of sudden, suffocating pressure!

Many of the Southern soldiers in the trenches wavered, their faces filled with fear, and they unconsciously retreated.

A young man dressed as a general—wearing old armor, presumably passed down from his ancestors—shouted urgently:

"Don't be afraid! Look at what you've got! You're armed with muskets, while the bandits on the other side have swords and knives! How can you possibly lose with muskets against swords and knives?!"

This statement calmed the fear in the trenches somewhat.

Inspired by this, they gripped their muskets tightly, their knuckles turning white, as if they were grasping at a lifeline, not daring to relax their grip even slightly.

From the moment the Shinsengumi soldiers appeared until now, only a few seconds had passed... but for the Southern soldiers in the trenches, those few seconds felt like centuries.

Finally, clear instructions reached their ears:

"put!"

The next moment, a barrage of gunfire, like popping beans, completely drowned out the sound of the enemy's rushing footsteps.

This area is quite open, leaving no place to hide.

Many people didn't have time to dodge and were hit head-on by this barrage of bullets. Blood splattered instantly, and one after another, the light blue haori were covered in mud and blood. The originally very tight formation was immediately torn apart.

This volley successfully halted the Shinsengumi's advance... but it was only temporary.

As if by magic, another group of Shinsengumi members arrived from the foot of the mountain, about a hundred of them, with the same high morale!

Seeing the countless light blue haori that once again filled their field of vision, the Southern soldiers in the trenches had no time to rejoice over their previous victory before their faces fell again.

However, coincidentally, at almost the same time, a group of southern soldiers also arrived from the direction of the hilltop and joined the battle!
Both sides kept sending reinforcements, advancing, defending, fighting, and engaging in a protracted tug-of-war, as if adding fuel to the fire!
One person falls, and another immediately takes their place from behind, leaving no ground untouched!
The fierce fighting around this trench had reached a point where it was unbearable to witness.

Dozens of corpses—and their numbers are still rising—cover the not-so-large space.

Suddenly, a whirlwind of footsteps, carrying a foul stench, arrived, accompanied by an undisguised and terrifying killing intent!
From the perspective of the Southern soldiers, what happened next was like a nightmare—

The Shinsengumi members in front of him quickly and efficiently parted to the left and right, and a tall figure leaped out along the opened path, appearing in front of them in one breath.

Because of the backlighting, his face, figure, and the knife in his hand were all obscured by the relative shadows.

It wasn't until he got a little closer that the Southern soldiers were astonished to discover that the knife in his hand had a blade as black as ink.

Just then, a soft cloud drifted down from the sky and gently veiled the bright sun.

Without the cover of light and darkness, the true form of the shadowy figure was revealed.

In an instant, most of the Southern soldiers inside and outside the trenches lost their will to fight... no, they even lost their souls! They stood there blankly, their mouths slightly open, looking as if they wanted to scream but were too terrified to utter a sound.

As for the other small group, although they managed to regain their composure, every single one of them had their facial expressions dominated by intense fear.

Someone finally regained control of their vocal cords, opened their mouth wide, and stammered a terrified scream:
"It's, it's, it's 'Niou'! 'Niou' has arrived!"

"The King of Men has arrived"—for the Southern soldiers, this phrase meant the same as "Death has come!"
Qingdeng was still wearing that magnificent and conspicuous armor.

With such attire and the way he came riding the wind, he looked just like a martial god descending to earth.

And the attacks he unleashed next certainly had the power of a martial god!

In the blink of an eye, Qing Deng plunged headlong into the "Southern Army's" position like a wedge, announcing his arrival with the whirlwind of sword swings.

call out!
The first cut cleanly severed the bodies of all four men from the chest.

call out!
With the second strike, three heads flew into the air.

call out!
With the third cut, the two men's chests were pierced together. Qing Deng did not pull out his sword, but instead swung it to the right, slicing their clothes, armor, and bodies to shreds.

Qingdeng was much taller than the Japanese of his time; looking up, almost all the Southern soldiers were one or two heads shorter than him.

Because he was "easy to chop," his strikes were mostly concentrated on the opponent's head and chest.

This caused the level of gore at the scene to skyrocket! Brain matter and fragments of internal organs were scattered everywhere!

The sudden arrival of "Nioh" was already a blow to morale.

The horrifying scene he created caused the Southern soldiers' fighting spirit to plummet!

Not all the Southern soldiers were cowards; some of them rose up in resistance.

Anyone with a modicum of sense wouldn't want to engage in hand-to-hand combat with Qing Deng.

Therefore, they all fought back with muskets.

Rows of muskets were set up from all directions.

They aimed, pulled the trigger... and then followed in the footsteps of their predecessors who dared to point guns at Qingdeng.

Whether you shoot him in the face or take a sneak shot from a corner, you can't do anything to him!

It's as if Qingdeng has eyes all over his body, able to monitor every 360 degrees of the surroundings and every blind spot at all times.

With the blessing of the talent "Foresight +26", he doesn't need to use his five senses to find enemies or predict threats. No amount of killing intent can escape his perception!

Those who wanted to take sniper shots at Qingdeng thought they were well hidden, but little did they know that the moment they raised their guns, Qingdeng had already spotted them and was prepared to deal with them.

It's no exaggeration to say that Qingdeng is now virtually without weaknesses! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe him as the "strongest creature on Earth"! Let alone physical attacks, even if you were to poison him or launch a "biological attack," it might not necessarily kill him!

In terms of "combat effectiveness," Aoto, who has not yet reached the "perfect understanding" level, is still inferior to Ogata.

However, in terms of "comprehensiveness," the latter is far inferior to the former.

Qingdeng paid little attention to these "rebels"—if they were close, he would stab them; if they were far away, he would let them go, since they couldn't hurt him anyway.

Before long, there were no more living Southern soldiers around Qingdeng.

Qingdeng turned his head to look at the trench in a dangerous position.

The next instant, he leaped up like a spring, his body soaring into the air, and landed steadily in the trench.

Those outside the trenches could not see what was happening inside, only vaguely seeing a flash of light, followed by several Southern soldiers flying into the air and then falling back to the outside of the trenches.

The fierce battle, which had just been at a stalemate, ended in a complete victory in a short time.

The reason for this is entirely due to Qing Deng's assistance!

With overwhelming individual skill, the tide of battle is turned in one fell swoop... This kind of scene, like something out of a picture book, is most inspiring!
Instantly, the Shinsengumi members on the scene erupted in excited cheers, with shouts of "Long live Niou!" and "Long live Shinsengumi!" filling the air.

Without Qingdeng's orders, they spontaneously rushed forward, completely occupying the trench, and then used it as a stepping stone to continue their ascent to the summit.

Qingdeng jumped out of the trench at a leisurely pace.

He did not rush to continue the attack. Instead, he swung his sword to wipe away the bloodstains remaining on the blade, while turning his gaze and straining his ears to observe the battle situation.

Judging from the sounds, the battles between the "Second Army" and the "Third Army" were very intense.

The three armies attacked the mountain with unstoppable momentum. Although they made steady progress, the overall progress could only be described as mediocre.

The intensity of the resistance from the "Southern Army" was astonishing.

Today, a large number of southern soldiers clearly possess extraordinary combat power that defies common sense... It is likely that Saigo Kichinosuke has brought out all the remaining "decisive battle points".

He left absolutely no room for maneuver... Saigo Kinosuke's determination was evident; he was truly going all out.

Qingdeng raised his gaze and looked towards the mountaintop.

To inspire the entire army's morale and to demonstrate their determination to fight to the death, the banner of "Southern Dynasty" was hung high on the top of Qiuzhi Mountain, fluttering in the wind.

In terms of straight-line distance, it is still two or three hundred meters from where Qingdeng is currently standing to the top of the mountain.

Of course, the distance to climb a mountain cannot be calculated in this way.

Taking into account the complex mountain paths and the endless enemy fortifications, Qingdeng still needs to advance at least a thousand meters to reach the summit.

—There's still quite a distance to go...

Qingdeng pondered, his brow furrowing slightly as he gripped the Vairocana in his hand.

His combat prowess goes without saying.

Once he launches an attack, no enemy can stand unscathed!

But... as the old saying goes: no matter how powerful he is, he only has two arms and two legs; no matter how fast his slashing speed is, he can only wield one or two swords, not three.

Even though he is now the "strongest creature on Earth," there are still things he cannot do.

He had to eliminate the vast number of enemy soldiers in front of him, shoot down the bullets that kept flying in, and protect his subordinates around him... As a result, his offensive speed was greatly slowed down, and he could not advance at full speed.

—If only I had a capable "deputy"...

If he had a capable "second-in-command" to cover for him and support him, his life would be much easier!
Unfortunately... the current Shinsengumi doesn't have anyone qualified to be his "second-in-command".

The mere requirement of "keeping up with Aoto's movements" is enough to deter many, including sword masters such as Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Hajime, and Kondo Isami.

At this thought, a petite, smiling figure with a short ponytail flashed before his eyes. Just then, a greeting pulled Qingdeng back to reality.

"Mr. Tachibana, what a coincidence!"

Aoto followed the sound and looked in surprise at the sudden appearance of Yamanami Keisuke and Inoue Genzaburo, who appeared with him.

"Kei-suke, Uncle Yuan, what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Inoue and I fought our way here without even realizing it."

Yamanami Keisuke paused for a moment, then his expression turned serious:
"Ju, you're right. The other side's tactics are very insidious. They're focusing their efforts on the 'Hunter Captain,' and they definitely want to break your 'wings' and isolate you."

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng lowered his eyelids.

“…As expected.”

For the Southern Army, the biggest challenge in this battle was undoubtedly "how to deal with King Ren".

An unstoppable combat unit that can easily shake the course of the battle!

Looking across the entire "Southern Army," the only person who could challenge Qingdeng in a one-on-one fight was Ōtakemaru of the Fazhu Party.

Conversely, the only person on the Shinsengumi side who could rival Ōtakemaru was Aoto.

Therefore, since the start of the war, Qingdeng has remained vigilant and kept a close eye on the movements of the Fazhu Party.

However, to this day, Qing Deng has not encountered any members of the Fa-Zhu Party, nor has he received any eyewitness reports.

Therefore, Qing Deng suspected that the Fazhu Party was not here, but rather on the northern front, cooperating with the "Northern Army" to deal with the Aizu Army.

If this conjecture is true, then the Aizu army's swift defeat becomes even more plausible.

Without sending out Ōtakemaru, the only way to hold off or even defeat Aoto is to use sheer numbers to slowly wear him down.

Therefore, it is necessary to try to isolate Qingdeng.

The captains, led by Hijikata Toshizo, are the backbone of the Shinsengumi. If anything were to happen to them, the Shinsengumi's combat capability would be reduced by more than half!

If you put yourself in Qingdeng's shoes, he would also adopt the strategy of "first eliminating the captain, then annihilating Renwang".

This morning, Qingdeng specifically warned all the captains to be careful and cautious, not to underestimate the enemy and advance recklessly, and not to act alone, so as not to give the enemy any opportunity to take advantage.

Of course, even with the utmost caution, there is still a possibility of encountering misfortune.

The battlefield is ever-changing; even the most invincible top experts can be caught off guard and suffer unexpected setbacks.

"There's never a moment's rest..."

Qing Deng brandished his sword again, then took another step. Target—the summit of Autumn Mountain!
Yamanami Keisuke and Inoue Genzaburo consciously followed closely behind.

……

……

“Drink aaaaaaaa——!”

Nagakura Shinpachi shouted and brandished his sword, his feet exuding the aura of a pouncing tiger.

Suddenly, someone shouted from the side:

"That person is Nagakura Shinpachi!"

"We've finally found him!"

"Quick! Cast the net!"

Before Nagakura Shinpachi could react, fishing nets appeared out of thin air and rained down on him.

In the blink of an eye, he was covered up completely, like a fish.

Immediately afterwards, rows of muskets were raised and pointed directly at him...

……

……

"It's Captain Saito Hajime of the Third Division!"

"Don't get close to him! Deal with him slowly and deliberately!"

In a matter of seconds, countless bullets pierced the atmosphere, heading towards Saito Hajime from different directions.

Saito Hajime rolled away with a swift but unsightly motion, dodging to the side as bullets flew after him, hitting the ground and kicking up clouds of dust and specks of mud.

The opposing team relentlessly pressed Saito Hajime with continuous fire, forcing him to take cover behind a large tree.

……

……

"Huff...huff...huff...huff...huff..."

Kondo Isami leaned on his sword, trying to catch his breath as fast as he could.

He stood atop a vast mountain of corpses, with the bodies of Southern soldiers at his feet and their bloodstains all around him.

Even after such a fierce battle, he, who was full of energy and particularly skilled in group combat, couldn't help but feel tired.

However, before he could catch his breath, a new battle cry suddenly broke out.

Kondo Isami raised his head, looked at the numerous enemy soldiers charging towards him again, and twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a half-smile:

"Oh dear...did I rush too far ahead?"

……

……

The longer it drags on, the more likely something unexpected will happen.

After all, "unexpected things happening as expected" is a common occurrence in the world.

Qingdeng kept swinging his sword without stopping. For a long time, the blade of Vairocana had not returned to its "solid form" and remained a blurry, almost transparent afterimage.

Despite the best efforts of the soldiers led by Yamanami Keisuke and Inoue Genzaburo, it was still difficult for them to keep up with Aoto's speed.

Because the terrain is too complex, with a depression here and a protruding tree root there, even the tightest formation will become loose.

"Huff...huff...huff...huff...huff..."

Inoue Genzaburo stretched his nostrils to their limit, greedily inhaling oxygen, trying to calm the throbbing pain in his chest.

Due to his advanced age (37 years old), Inoue Genzaburo has never been known for his physical strength.

The fatigue that has been building up since the day before yesterday is gradually becoming apparent, like the receding tide on the shore.

While the younger generation was still handling things with ease, he already felt his legs getting heavy, his chest aching, and his reaction speed slowing down a bit.

That's why... when he noticed the musket hidden in the bushes not far away, pointing directly at him, his reaction was a beat slow.

boom!
The bullets that flew out overlapped with the figure of Inoue Genzaburo!

At this critical moment, Inoue Genzaburo's fighting instincts saved his life—he instinctively turned to the side, and a scorching bullet grazed his left leg, scraping away some flesh, but at least he was not in mortal danger.

However, the burning pain caused him to cry out uncontrollably, lose his balance, and fall heavily to the ground.

Not far away, Yamanami Keisuke immediately noticed Inoue Genzaburo's strange behavior and kept calling out:
"Mr. Inoue!"

His shout drew Qingdeng's attention back.

Qing Deng, who was fighting on the front lines, changed his expression slightly and then quickly turned around to look for Inoue Genzaburo's figure.

Inoue Genzaburo covered the bloody, mangled wound on his left leg with his left hand, enduring the pain as he struggled to stand up.

at this time--

call!
With the sound of clothes fluttering, a dark shadow pounced on him like a large bird!
This "big bird" was very strong. In the blink of an eye, he revealed "bird claws" from his waist—blades that gleamed with a cold light!
Before he could think further, Inoue Genzaburo raised his sword to meet the attack.

clang!
In the instant the steel blades clashed, countless sparks flew.

Inoue Genzaburo's attack was not a simple defense; he used considerable force in an attempt to knock the opponent's sword away.

Unexpectedly, the opponent's knife didn't budge at all! Instead, his palms were jolted painfully by the force of the rebound!
Separated by two steel blades, Inoue Genzaburo squinted and glared at his opponent:

"...You do have some skills."

The other party smiled slightly:
"You must be the captain of the 6th Division of the Shinsengumi? I am Nakamura Hanjiro, nice to meet you."

Genzaburo Inoue's pupils shrank:
"Half-Man Slayer... Hmph, I've heard so much about you."

Nakamura Hanjiro – a renowned Satsuma swordsman and a master of the Jigen-ryu style.

He was known as "Hanjiro the Man-Slayer" for assassinating many important figures in the shogunate, and was as famous as Okada Izo, Kawakami Gensai, and Tanaka Shinbei.

choke!
In an instant, the two steel blades, close to each other, slid past each other, ending their struggle.

Inoue Genzaburo quickly adjusted the blade and swiftly swept it towards Nakamura Hanjiro's waist and abdomen.

At the same time, the latter also swung his blade, making the same horizontal sweep, and slashed at the opponent's waist and abdomen.

At first glance, it was difficult to tell which of the two was faster at wielding their swords.

But... what followed clearly proved that Nakamura Hanjiro's knife was faster!
His knife tip grazed Inoue Genzaburo's side, drawing out a string of blood beads!
If Inoue Genzaburo hadn't instinctively twisted his body, causing Nakamura Hanjiro's knife tip to move a little further away, he would have already been disemboweled!

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