I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 1185 Orochi Makes Its Move, the Death Squad of the Law-Slaying Party

Day 20 of the Battle of Otsu

A disheveled soldier approached Saito Hajime:

"Captain Saito! The enemy is attacking again!"

Saito hastily wiped the sweat from his face and said in a low, panting voice:

"Okay, come with me."

After saying that, before he could catch his breath, he hurriedly rushed to the place where he was needed most.

Today, the enemy resumed close combat, and groups of enemy soldiers broke through the breach and stormed into the city!
Undoubtedly, they wanted to test how much fighting strength the city's garrison still had.

If the city's defenders show signs of collapse, the enemy will surely launch a full-scale attack and seize the opportunity to win today!

The troops leading today's offensive are the Northern soldiers who have been resting for quite some time.

The Northern soldiers, who had been weakened by the side effects of the "Decisive Battle of the Lake," have recovered and are back in battle.

After the two sides engaged in battle, the defending troops in the city no longer displayed the tenacity and amazing fighting power they had shown before. Instead, they faced numerous dangers, and the battle line nearly collapsed several times!
The reason for this is not complicated: the defending troops in the city are exhausted and their fighting strength has been greatly reduced!

Firstly, many captains, led by Kondo Isami, were unfortunately injured, creating a huge gap in high-level combat power that was difficult to fill.

Secondly, the morale of the city's garrison had been largely worn down by the previous "gunfights".

Even though the "foxhole" tactic was used to reduce damage, it only reduced casualties and could not completely stop the British guns and cannons.

With their superior firearms tactics and a clear numerical advantage in firearms, the British forces maintained a significant advantage in the "gunfights," inflicting heavy casualties on the city's defenders.

The rear hospital was already overflowing with people. Nanjo Akizaburo (the medical team) and others were so busy that they had no time to eat or sleep, truly working themselves to the bone.

However, the speed at which they managed to treat the wounded was still not keeping up with the rate at which the number of injured people was increasing.

It is not surprising that the morale of the city's defenders was dampened.

In order to maintain the war situation, the uninjured Yamanami Keisuke, Saito Hajime, and others all transformed into "firefighters," rushing to various battlefields.

The reason they remain unharmed until now is not because they possess any extraordinary skills, but purely due to luck—in a battlefield of this intensity, whether one is injured or survives depends entirely on luck!

They might be killed by a stray bullet in the next second.

While completing their own tasks, they also had to find ways to fill the gaps left by Kondo Isami and others... It's easy to imagine the immense pressure that Saito Hajime and his team were under.

Saito had barely taken two steps when another disheveled soldier approached him:
"Captain Saito! Come this way! The enemy's offensive is fierce! We can't hold them off any longer!"

Upon hearing this request, even the usually composed Saito Hajime couldn't help but frown.

Both places are locked in fierce fighting... and a choice must be made.

This was a difficult choice involving the lives of countless people... Fortunately, at that moment, a strong female voice suddenly came from behind Saito:
"Leave that place to me!"

Saito paused for a moment, then quickly turned his head to look in the direction of the sound.

"Miss Sanako?"

Then, Sanako, fully armed and carrying her naginata, strode in, leading dozens of fully armed men.

Saito immediately recognized the group of soldiers behind her: they were all cavalrymen (the 7th and 10th Divisions).

"Miss Sanako, what brings you here?"

According to Qingdeng's plan, cavalry was the key to turning the tide against the enemy.

Therefore, since the start of the war, Qingdeng has kept his cavalry hidden in the rear and has not moved rashly.

Sanako replied in a deep voice:
"Qingdeng sent us. It's no longer the time to keep the cavalry."

Even the cavalry, considered the "trump card" for victory, has been sent to the front lines... One can imagine the current state of the battle.

Saito felt a sinking feeling in his heart, and then said to Sanako with utmost seriousness:

"Miss Sanako, I'm counting on you. I wish you great success!"

Sanako nodded vigorously in response.

Suddenly, a deep male voice broke in:

"Miss Sanako, please allow me to accompany you!"

The visitor was none other than Sagawa Kanbei, the "fiercest general of Aizu".

Then, Sagawa Kanbei, carrying his spear, led a dozen or so Aizu soldiers toward Sanako.

They were covered in blood and wounds, and in a few cases, their linen cloths—such as those of Kanbei Sagawa—were still seeping blood.

The bravery of the Aizu army since the start of the war is evident to all.

Guilt for causing this calamity to Ōtsu; disappointment from repeated defeats; resentment at being ridiculed... all these emotions transformed into the strength of the Aizu army!

After the war began, the soldiers of the Aizu Army fought bravely and provided strong support to the battle, thus salvaging their reputation.

Now, no one dares to say that the Aizu Army is a showy but useless army.

Sanako glanced at Sagawa Kanbei, then spoke succinctly and clearly:

"Follow up quickly!"

Having said that, she took the first step.

The cavalry and Aizu soldiers behind her gave chase.

……

……

Day 22 of the Battle of Otsu

Today, the British troops were exceptionally bold, transporting several cannons across the breach and bombarding the city's defenders at a very short distance!

To avoid shelling, Elodie had to lead a group of militiamen into hiding in a bunker.

The militiamen around him were either trembling or had blank expressions.

Suddenly, a militiaman with glazed eyes and a livid face stood up abruptly and turned to walk out of the bunker without saying a word.

Elodie had noticed him earlier, so she quickly grabbed him and shouted:
"Don't get up! Sit back down!"

"I...I don't want to stay in this place anymore...I...I want to get out...Let me out..."

"Are you crazy?! There's gunfire outside, going out now is suicide!"

Elodie demanded in an uncompromising tone that the other person return to their original seat.

However, this person seemed to be trapped in a nightmare, appearing like a madman who had lost his mind. He wouldn't listen to anything anyone said, and kept repeating "I want to get out," "Let me out," and "I don't want to stay in this place anymore."

suddenly--

boom!
A shell landed precisely nearby, sending shockwaves through the area.

Elodie felt the ground beneath her feet shake violently, her body momentarily losing its balance, and her grip on "Madman's" sleeve involuntarily loosened.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, "Madman" broke free from Elodie's control and dashed out of the cover.

"Come back quickly..."

Before Elodie could finish speaking—

boom!
Another shell fell, and by sheer coincidence, it landed right on the "madman's" head...

Fireworks shot up, releasing a nauseating, acrid smell.

When the smoke cleared, only a few bits of human tissue remained to prove that a living person had once stood there.

Witnessing such a horrific scene, Elodie's face turned pale and then red.

In fact, this is not an isolated case, but rather a widespread occurrence on battlefields everywhere!

Elodie witnessed several such incidents firsthand.

Certainly, some people are more adaptable and can quickly get used to the battlefield and the barrage of artillery fire, treating the shelling as nothing.

However, some people simply couldn't adapt to the battlefield and the endless sound of artillery fire.

The pressure kept building up until... he completely broke down, leading to bizarre behavior.

They either ran around and shouted, or they refused to stay in the shelter any longer and insisted on going outside.

Watching helplessly as a living person was brutally tortured by the enemy and ended up in such a miserable state... Elodie felt a lump in her throat and subconsciously clenched her fists.

Suddenly, Yamanami Keisuke's shout rang out:
"Miss Angoulême! The enemy is charging again!"

*Swoosh!* Elodie swiftly drew Yamato no Kami Kanesada from her waist, turned, and shouted to the group hiding behind cover:
"Did you all hear that? Prepare for battle!" ...

……

Day 24 of the Battle of Otsu, at night—

The camps of the Northern Expeditionary Army and the British Army—

"Aa ...

"Don't move! The more you move, the faster you bleed!"

"This guy's dead! Carry him away!"

"Didn't they say this battle would be easy...?" (in English)

"This is the toughest battle I've ever fought in my life..." (in English)

"When will this fighting ever end?"

……

An atmosphere of panic and fear filled the camp. Wherever they went, they could hear the screams of the wounded and the groans of the terrified.

At this moment, the generals of both armies gathered at their respective camps, all looking solemn.

The defenders in the city suffered heavy casualties—as did the Northern Expeditionary Army and the British Army.

This fierce battle has lasted for a full 24 days.

Both the Northern Expeditionary Army and the British Army have exhausted all their strength and used every possible tactic.

However... however... Otsu Castle still stands strong!
They launched wave after wave of attacks, leaving the eastern and northern walls of Dajin City almost completely destroyed, but they still failed to capture it.

Even if some progress was made, it was quickly met with a counterattack, causing the hard-won gains to be wiped out.

In short—they are almost out of energy!

The casualties were heavy, and the survivors were filled with grief. The soldiers' war-weariness had reached a level that could not be ignored.

Even more serious is that their ammunition reserves are almost exhausted.

Although the British army was quite powerful, its ammunition reserves were ultimately not unlimited.

The British government began secretly shipping artillery shells to Japan more than half a year ago, and it took so much time to prepare and accumulate this astonishing stockpile of ammunition.

But no matter how abundant the reserves were, they couldn't withstand the British army's consumption like this.

The city, which was originally thought to be captured in 10 days at most, has now been under attack for 24 days without a clear victor... The consumption of cannonballs has far exceeded Howell's expectations.

According to their calculations, if they continue to maintain the current level of shelling, their existing shell reserves will only last them for another two days!
One piece of bad news after another... If we don't find a way to break this deadlock, this battle is very likely to end in defeat!
Failure... This is a severe consequence that none of those present can bear!

They were now in the same boat. Therefore, the officers of the Northern Expeditionary Army no longer bothered to mock Howell and his men, who were repeatedly humiliated.

The current military meeting is about pooling collective wisdom to jointly devise countermeasures.

However, although the military council had been underway for quite some time, no one spoke for a long time, and an eerie silence gradually accumulated...

It's not that I don't want to, but that I can't... If I had any brilliant plan to defeat the enemy and breach the city, I would have used it long ago. Why wait until today?

Suddenly, a general from the Northern Army slammed his fist on his thigh and shouted:
"Victory is within reach! Just a little more effort and we'll be able to hold a victory celebration banquet in Dajin City!"

"Admittedly, our army is at its last gasp, but the enemy is also nearing its limit!"

"Now it's a test of perseverance!"

"Whichever side can grit their teeth and hold on until the end will win!"

The man's tone was exceptionally enthusiastic, slightly dispelling the deathly silence of the scene—but only "slightly."

He had barely finished speaking when one of them curled his lip in disapproval.
"Perseverance, perseverance, perseverance... That's easy to say. Of course, we know that as long as we show perseverance, victory is just around the corner. But the question is, how can we get our soldiers to regroup?"

Someone quietly ended the conversation:
"If only there were reinforcements..."

Everyone tacitly ignored this person's statement.

Reinforcements... something that simply cannot exist is not even worth discussing.

If there is any force that can take on the responsibility of "reinforcements" at present, it is only the "Southern Army" in the west.

The Southern Army did indeed attempt to come to the rescue.

Five days ago, Saigo Kinosuke gathered his remaining troops and launched a probing attack on Toba, but was repelled by Hijikata Toshizo.

Although Aoto left a small force in Toba, it was enough to hold off the "Southern Army".

Therefore, the aid from the "Southern Army" was completely out of the question.

Just as the scene returned to deathly silence, a weak voice suddenly came from outside the tent:

"It seems the war is going quite badly."

Everyone was startled and turned to look—they saw Ōtakemaru supporting Yamata no Orochi, lifting the tent flap and slowly walking into the tent, appearing before them.

Tokugawa Yoshinobu's eyes widened in surprise:

"Lord Orochi? What brings you here?"

The Yamata no Orochi had been bedridden for a long time due to its worsening condition. Although it moved with the army, it had always been elusive, and now it had made a rare appearance... which was truly astonishing.

The Yamata no Orochi's physical condition was visibly poor.

His face was as pale as paper, his voice weak and feeble, only his pair of bright eyes showed the vitality that a "living person" should possess.

Without Ōtakemaru's support, he probably wouldn't even be able to stand up.

The Yamata no Orochi calmly turned its gaze, sweeping over the faces of everyone present.

"I just wanted to let you know—the reinforcements you wanted have arrived."

Before anyone could ask further questions, a messenger came running up:

"General, a large, unidentified force has appeared to the north!"

Instantly, the entire audience was astonished.

After listening to Sadaoyi's translation, the British officers, led by Howell, were also greatly alarmed.

Tokugawa Yoshinobu instinctively jumped to his feet and asked urgently:

"How many troops? What flags are they flying?"

Orochi smiled slightly:
"Don't worry, they are my troops."

"Your troops?"

As Tokugawa Yoshinobu asked the question, he cast a look of surprise and uncertainty at the Yamata no Orochi.

"Instead of explaining slowly, let's talk as we go."

……

……

Led by Yamata no Orochi, the group left their main camp and headed north towards the main camp.

Upon arriving at their destination, they were suddenly struck by a formidable military force!

"This is……!"

Tokugawa Yoshinobu was speechless—what came into view was an army of about two thousand men!

The soldiers of this army were dressed in different colored clothes and carried various weapons of different types... They looked more like a group of civilians who had been temporarily assembled than a regular army.

The Yamata no Orochi spoke slowly and deliberately:
"These are our secret assassins, whom we have secretly trained among the people to eliminate the Party."

"It took a long time to gather them together, but thankfully we made it in time."

"With my group of loyal soldiers here, I'm sure our army will be able to launch another powerful offensive."

"General, Mr. Howell, let's stake our remaining strength and equipment on tomorrow."

"Launch a full-scale attack tomorrow, leaving no room for retreat."

"Whether it's right or wrong, success or failure, it all depends on tomorrow!"

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It's almost the end of the month again! Readers with monthly passes, please vote for this book! This is the last time I'm asking for your votes! (Crying leopard head.jpg)

Please vote with monthly tickets! Please vote with recommendation tickets! (Leopard crying.jpg)

P.S.: For some reason, my throat hurts a bit today... I really hope I don't get sick at a time like this... (panic.jpg)