I formed the strongest swordsman group.

Chapter 962: Shuten-doji vs. Tokugawa Iemochi! [5100]

A tall figure was running fast in the long and narrow corridor leading to the castle tower.

Countless guards stepped forward to intercept them.

Brave shouts, angry cries, painful wails, the muffled sound of flesh being cut and bones being broken...all kinds of sounds filled the entire corridor.

Every time the guards collided with this figure, blood and broken bones would splatter.

Broken limbs and body parts flew everywhere in parabolic trajectories, hitting the ceiling, breaking through the doors on both sides of the corridor, or falling directly to the ground.

This corridor is the last line of defense of the castle tower and also the last barrier to protect Tokugawa Iemochi.

Once it is lost, Shuten-doji can march up to Tokugawa Iemochi in a swagger!

The sense of responsibility and honor drove the guards to take the lead.

However... it is really most appropriate to describe Shuten-doji's attack as "unstoppable".

The duel with Chiba Eijiro just now had consumed him greatly, and the wound on his neck was still bleeding.

But even so, he is still not a match for ordinary people!

No matter how the guards advanced or how bravely they fought, they could only watch Shuten-doji walk across this bloody road paved with countless corpses.

Just at this moment, two warriors, whose identities were obvious from their appearance, stepped forward with swords drawn.

"I am the leader of the Xiaoxing Group, Kogoro Yamada!"

"I am the head of the Academy Group, Mizuno Daisaburo!"

They were the commanders of the two major imperial guards of the Shogun, the Kosei-gumi and the Shoin-ban-gumi.

I don’t know what happened to these two people who usually only knew how to eat, drink and have fun. Maybe they were inspired by the “Generals Guarding the Capital”. In short, they bravely stood up to meet the enemy.

But there was nothing they could do. Just as they announced their names, they saw the bright silver knife flashing rapidly approaching.

The two men are about the same height, making it much easier for Shuten-doji to attack.

But Shuten-doji took a step forward, instantly closing the distance, and then swung his sword horizontally from left to right.

Before the two men could react, a slash that covered their vision had already swept past.

Boom!Boom!
Immediately, there was the sound of something heavy falling to the ground.

Shuten-doji chopped off the heads of the two men with just one strike.

……

……

Edo Castle, Honmaru, Castle Tower——

After arriving at the castle tower, Tenshoin gave Tokugawa Iemochi a simple bandage on his forehead, barely stopping the bleeding.

After rough treatment, Tokugawa Iemochi has largely regained consciousness.

As soon as he regained consciousness, he immediately asked about the current battle situation.

Then he learned the bad news that "the enemy army entered the city" and the good news that "reinforcements arrived".

While listening to the former, his expression remained calm, with no sadness or joy on his face, and he did not show any panic or frustration.

Only after hearing the latter and seeing with his own eyes the "light green waves" pouring into Edo Town, did he slightly curl the corners of his mouth and reveal a faint smile.

At this moment, he sat safely on the main seat, looking at the gate in front of him calmly.

In comparison, the two women beside him were not so calm.

Whether it was Tianzhangyuan on his left or Elodi on his right, they all looked nervous as if they were facing a formidable enemy, and they repeatedly clenched their weapons.

Gradually, the shouting and screaming outside the door gradually weakened.

The faint, lonely footsteps were getting closer.

Snap…Snap…Snap…Snap…Snap…Snap…

Judging from the sound, it would only take a few seconds for the person outside to open the door and enter the room.

It was just a few seconds, but to Tianzhangyuan and Elodie, it seemed like several years.

at last……

With a "whoosh", a bloody hand opened the door.

Shuten-doji, emitting a bloody stench, strode into the room and walked in front of Tokugawa Iemochi.

A heavy shadow covered his upper body, leaving only his lower half exposed to the light.

As the other party gradually emerged from the darkness, Tokugawa Iemochi and others were able to see its full picture clearly.

To put it bluntly, he looked like he had just walked out of a pool of blood, and there was almost no clean place on his body.

Beneath the layers of blood, one can vaguely make out his handsome features.

Tokugawa Iemochi stared straight at his face and said softly:
"Are you the enemy's general?"

The target he had been longing for was right in front of him, just within reach... But the strange thing was that at this moment Shuten-doji became very calm and was not in a hurry to rush forward and take his life.

"Mr. Jia Mao, nice to meet you."

He bowed slightly and saluted in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.

"I will punish Shuten-doji according to the law."

Tokugawa Iemo nodded gently.

"I've admired my name for a long time."

"I've heard that you are one of the three major cadres of the Fazhu Party."

"I always thought you were a big, strong, fierce-looking man."

"I didn't expect him to be so young and look like a scholar."

Shuten-doji smiled:

"Scholar?... People always say that to me."

"To be honest, if I had a choice, I would rather be a scholar quietly reading in a study than a swordsman carrying a sword."

The two mortal enemies were chatting calmly... like two old friends who hadn't seen each other for a long time.

Elodie and Tianzhangyuan were stunned by the scene.

Suddenly, Shuten-doji stared at Tokugawa Iemochi, and said in a serious tone, enunciating each word:
"Mr. Jia Mao, to be honest, I don't hate you."

"You are a wise king known to everyone."

"If I were a retainer, I would probably support you wholeheartedly."

"When I think of this, I can't help but feel regretful - it's such a pity to be an enemy of a wise king like you."

"I wish all the shoguns in the shogunate could be as wise as you."

"In this way, the world should become a better place."

At this point, he seemed to recall some unbearable memory, his eyelids drooped slightly, and a hint of resentment flashed under his eyelashes.

Tokugawa Iemochi curled up the corners of his mouth slightly in amusement.

"I didn't expect you to think so highly of me."

“This really surprises me.”

"I wouldn't call myself 'wise'."

"All I do, all I ask for, and all I wish for is to restore peace to the world."

Having said this, he paused as if he remembered something.

After a moment, he suddenly asked the other party:

"This is a rare opportunity. Can you answer one of my questions?"

Shuten-doji raised his chin:
"Excuse me."

Tokugawa Iemochi raised his hand and made a "beheading" gesture at his neck.

"You have gone to great lengths to conquer Kanto, and even attacked Edo Castle on your own. All you want is to take my head and destroy the shogunate."

"I am the fourteenth shogun of the Edo shogunate and the co-leader of the military family. I understand that you want to take my head."

"But what I don't understand is, are you willing to be pawns?"

As he spoke, he narrowed his eyes and looked Shuten-doji up and down as if examining him.

"I'm sure you've heard it too. King Ni is here."

"The pale green waves are engulfing your troops."

"Edo Castle is a 'one-way' castle."

"Whether entering or exiting, there is only one way to go."

"In other words, if you want to leave Edo Castle, you can only return along the same route."

"If you do this, you will inevitably run into the Shinsengumi's offensive head-on, and end up being exhausted to death."

"At this point, you are doomed to die."

"Even if you kill me now, you will die."

“I don’t think the Fazhu Party’s foundation is so strong that even if a senior cadre dies, it won’t cause any serious damage.”

"Besides, in order to build that army composed of Westerners, you, the Fazhu Party, must have spent a lot of time and resources, right?"

"After this battle, this legion is doomed to be destroyed."

"Such a serious loss is bound to cause you to suffer heavy damage and greatly reduce your combat effectiveness."

"Simply taking my head or reducing Edo to ruins is not enough to destroy the shogunate."

"Even without me, the shogunate can survive."

"In the end, you made such a great sacrifice, but you didn't get any benefits commensurate with it."

"What on earth are you thinking of doing something that 'harms others and does not benefit yourself'?"

"Or are you the kind of people who do things without considering the consequences?"

"Because you hate the shogunate, you are eager to seek revenge on it." "As long as you can inflict heavy damage on the shogunate, you will be satisfied. As for what happens next, you don't care. Is that right?"

After asking, Tokugawa Iemochi looked straight at Shuten-doji, waiting for his reply.

The other party didn't make him wait too long.

After a moment, he sneered a few times, "Hehehe", and there was a meaningful tone in his laughter.

"As you said, at first glance, our Fazhu Party seems to be doing something stupid that 'harms others and does not benefit ourselves'."

"There may be people in this world who love to 'harm others without benefiting themselves', but we are definitely not one of them."

"The reason why we decided to attack Kanto is definitely because it will be of great benefit to us."

"Mr. Jia Mao, you are a little wrong."

"Our ultimate goal in this war has never been to 'destroy the shogunate'."

"We know very well that the shogunate has deep roots."

"It will take more than a day or two to destroy the shogunate."

"The great feat of 'annihilating the Edo Shogunate' cannot be achieved by chopping off one or two heads or conquering one or two castles."

"Therefore, our goal is clearly defined - 'to create an environment conducive to anti-curtain'."

As soon as these words were spoken, Tokugawa Iemochi and Tenshoin seemed to realize something and both of their expressions changed.

Only Elodie, who lacked political sensitivity, remained standing there in a daze, looking confused.

Shuten-doji's voice continued:
"The prestige that the shogunate has accumulated over three hundred years is not so easy to eliminate."

"On this basis, a wise king like you emerged."

"As a rare wise king, your performance in recent years has convinced the people of the world."

“The people respect you.”

"The princes of the world are afraid of you."

"As long as you remain in power, the world will remain stable on the surface."

"So, here's the problem."

"What would happen to the world if you died?"

"You have no offspring. Who will inherit the general's position in the future? Even if I don't say it, you know it in your heart."

"Do you think that the guy who did such a stupid thing that nearly destroyed Edo can control the heroes of the world?"

Having said this, he chuckled twice.

"Think about it carefully. When he comes to power, what will the princes of the world... especially those guys in the Western Kingdom, think?"

“The long-pent-up ambition will erupt.”

"For us, the force that ultimately defeats the shogunate doesn't necessarily have to be us."

"It could be Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa, Hizen, any domain, any power."

"When the day comes when all the princes of the world rise up, even if you have the support of the King of Mercy, you will not be able to do anything."

Suddenly, he paused, and then showed an expression of "enlightenment".

"Oh, no, I was wrong. By that time, I'm afraid that King Ni will have to fight alone."

"He had to face the powerful feudal lords in the west and the shogunate in Kanto at the same time. He was like the filling in a rice ball, silently enduring the pressure from all sides."

"He may be able to find a way to break through, but it is more likely that he will be crushed by this tremendous pressure."

Shuten-doji finished speaking.

After hearing this, Tokugawa Iemochi remained silent for a long time.

After about 10 seconds, he slowly said:

"...I see, this is your purpose...to cause chaos in the world, and then you can fish in troubled waters."

Shuten-doji smiled slightly and said nothing.

The scene fell into an eerie silence.

In this silence, Shuten-doji spoke again:

"Okay, let's stop talking here."

"I know your purpose."

"It's nothing more than buying time until the Shinsengumi arrives to help."

"Your wishful thinking is very loud, but it's all in vain."

"If I had the will, it would only take me three seconds to take your life!"

After saying this, he cast a gaze as sharp as an arrow towards Tokugawa Iemochi who was sitting on the main seat.

Upon hearing this, Tianzhangyuan and Elodi immediately took a half step forward, raised their weapons, and stood in front of Tokugawa Iemochi.

Only Tokugawa Iemochi remained as normal, with a very calm expression and no trace of panic on his face:
At this tense moment, he actually had the leisure to speak:

"Although you are enemies, you are indeed powerful."

"With only a few thousand men and horses, he caused unrest in Kanto and nearly conquered Edo, accomplishing a feat that no one had been able to accomplish in the past three hundred years."

His tone was strange, and it was hard to tell whether he was praising or making fun of himself.

"But... as the 14th shogun of the Edo period, I also have my own persistence."

As he spoke, he slowly stood up.

As he stood up, he pulled out the sword from his waist inch by inch with a clang.

"After taking the throne of the Shogun, I swore to myself that I would never bring disgrace to the title of 'Shogun'!"

"I will fight till the very end."

"Feel free to come over here!"

When Shuten-doji saw this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly and his expression became solemn.

"In that case, I will teach you!"

Bang!
The moment he finished speaking, he kicked his hind legs hard, leaped out like a tiger, and flew directly in front of Tokugawa Iemochi!

He has not entered the "state of no self".

On the one hand, he felt it was unnecessary.

On the other hand, he wanted to conserve his energy and save his precious strength to fight against the Shinsengumi!

He knew he could not escape death.

We're going to die anyway, so we might as well do our best to weaken the Shinsengumi's combat power before we die!
Their battle against the Fazang Party is not over yet.

After beheading Tokugawa Iemochi, their battle against the Fazhu Party has just begun!
In this case, as one of the three major cadres of the Law and Punishment Party, he has the obligation to do his best to share the pressure for Lord Yamata no Orochi... and for the living, while he still has three inches of breath.

In any case, it would never go wrong to weaken the Shinsengumi as much as possible.

Although he has not entered the "selfless state", his sword is not so easy to block.

But the blade was as fast as thunder, leaving only a trail of afterimages in the air.

In a split second, the knife had already fallen on Tokugawa Iemochi's head.

In a flash, the three weapons were swung together and aimed diagonally above Tokugawa Iemochi's head.

clang!
A katana, a katana and a naginata, the three weapons crossed each other, weaving a rough big net, blocking Shuten-doji's slashing attack!
With the combined strength of the three of them, they managed to block Shuten-doji's slash!

Seeing that his attack was blocked, Shuten-doji raised his eyebrows, a hint of surprise flashed across his cheeks.

Although it was very difficult, Shuten-doji's sword could not advance an inch.

The three of them gritted their teeth and exerted force together - with a clang - they successfully deflected Shuten-doji's knife.

The next moment, in order to make the opponent lose focus, the three of them stepped forward together and launched the attack to the best of their ability.

All three of them are warriors who have practiced martial arts. Their levels may not be very high, but they are always far better than ordinary people.

They attacked together, and the force was indeed quite massive.

Elodie used her sword skills to the best of her ability.

Upward slash, downward chopped, horizontal slash, vertical chopped... one move after another.

The same was true for Tokugawa Iemochi and Tenshoin beside him, swinging their weapons without sparing any effort.

But what can they do... the combined attack of the three of them couldn't even touch the corner of Shuten-doji's clothes.

He changed his steps deftly, dodging left and right, making all the attacks from the three people ineffective.

"Haaah!"

Elodie let out a delicate cry, aimed at Shuten-doji's crown, raised the knife over his head, and chopped down with all her might.

Shuten-doji simply glanced sideways, aimed at Elodi's sword, and then held the sword diagonally above his head, blocking Elodi's attack squarely.

Through the two knives held together, Shuten-doji carefully looked at Elodie's face.

"Blonde hair and blue eyes... You're Alice d'Orleans, right?"

Although he used the sentence structure of a question, his tone was that of an affirmative sentence.

When Elodie heard this, her face darkened and she ignored him.

Shuten-doji continued to talk to himself:
"I've noticed you since a while ago."

"You're actually here... It really embarrasses me."

"This is really difficult to deal with."

"While killing Tokugawa Iemochi, we also have to distract ourselves and capture you alive."

Not only did he know her real name, he also said "capture alive" himself... After hearing this word, Elodie seemed to have thought of something, she was stunned at first, and then her expression became extremely ugly.

At this moment, she had countless questions to ask Shuten-doji.

However, she pursed her lips, swallowed all the words that were about to come out of her mouth, and didn't ask anything - the tense battle situation at the moment did not allow her to make any distracting moves!
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