But that's how it is among samurai; once a duel begins, one must be prepared to be killed.

"Ah, I lost. Feather Demon Slayer... lives up to its name." Yamanami Keisuke trembled slightly as he sheathed his katana, turned around, and bowed to Samurai. "Thank you, Samurai-kun... for showing mercy."

“I did not hold back, Yamanami-kun.” Zamura smiled. “Among the samurai I have fought, your strength is already among the top tier. There is no need to underestimate yourself.”

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Chapter 334 Takeoff Game

Upon hearing Zuocun say, "I didn't hold back," the people at Shieikan rolled their eyes.

Yamanami Keisuke adjusted his glasses, sensing that something was off about the atmosphere inside Mibu-ji Temple.

Samura sheathed the scythe, patted his clothes, shook hands with Yamanami Keisuke, and then walked toward the group from the Shieikan.

"How did you end up here?" Zuocun smiled and hugged Hijikata Toshizo again.

"We just came out for a stroll." Shimazaki Yu said with a grin. Despite being burly and tall, he always exuded a youthful and passionate energy. "We told our master that simply practicing swordsmanship in the Shieikan would not lead to improvement, so our master let us out."

"Mr. Samura, what brings you here?" Okita blinked.

"I've been to this village once before, as for why I'm coming back again..." Samura heard a commotion outside Mibu-ji Temple, "The reason has come to light."

A group of children appeared at the entrance of Mibu-ji Temple.

“Ah, it’s a child,” Okita said instinctively.

A group of children aged five or six to ten years old arrived.

As for those who are older, thirteen or fourteen years old or above, they are treated as adults. Girls will find their own partners and get married, while boys will become laborers and start working.

Therefore, everyone who comes here is a child under ten years old.

"Huh? There are so many people at Mibu-ji Temple today." A chubby-faced little boy looked happily at the crowded temple.

"Kakisuke, look, isn't that Mr. Samura standing next to the pretty older sister?" Another little girl pointed at Samura and excitedly nudged Kakisuke next to her.

"Kakisuke, Masako, Shimada." Samura smiled gently and moved closer to the children.

Last year, when Sa-mura stayed in Mibu Village, he played with these children, so they all remembered each other.

"Hey, Shimazaki, Okita, Inoue," Hijikata called out softly to the three of them, waving his hand.

"What's wrong, Hijikata?" Shimazaki Isamu leaned close to Hijikata Toshizo's ear.

"These kids... they're a bit strange..."

"Huh? What's wrong?" Okita asked, puzzled.

"They're actually not afraid of samurai," Hijikata muttered to himself.

“Perhaps samurai often stay here,” Samura said to Hijikata with a smile, turning his head.

For some reason, Zuocun always unconsciously becomes gentle when he is around children.

“No, not at all.” The little boy named Kakisuke looked at Samura excitedly. “The only samurai who have stayed here are Mr. Samura, Mr. Yamanami, Mr. Kamo, and Mr. Nishiki.”

“Mr. Samura, please demonstrate your swordsmanship for us. Mr. Kamo and Mr. Yamanami are all unwilling to perform for us.” Masako tugged at Samura’s sleeve.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Zuo Cun's temple: "Um... I can't perform for you guys either..."

Yamanami Keisuke, unsure of what to do, ran back to his room at lightning speed.

Meanwhile, the people at the Shieikan were watching Samura with amusement.

It's rare to see Zuocun in such dire straits.

A group of children came to Mibu-ji Temple but didn't play games. Instead, they pestered Samura to demonstrate his swordsmanship.

Children whose minds are not fully developed do not understand how dangerous or heavy swords and swordsmanship are; they only think swords are cool.

However, Zuocun would not explain the weight and significance of a sword to the children, as these things would only add to their burden.

And you might even find swords cooler.

Zuo Cun thought for a moment, then held up one finger: "Ah, right, kids, I'll perform that for you."

"Which one, Mr. Samura?" Kakisuke asked, reaching for the hilt of Tsurugi's sword.

Zuocun was startled; this Kakisuke was the most mischievous one among the group of children.

He took two steps back abruptly, then plucked the crane's wings and pheasant feathers from his waist and tossed them to Hijikata: "Keep these safe for me."

Hijikata said with a dashing expression, "Understood."

Zuo Cun opened his arms, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and slightly bent his legs.

Shimazaki Isamu narrowed his eyes: "They're coming. Keep a close eye on Inoue."

Inoue:?

Zuocun opened his eyes, clasped his arms together, and leaped towards the sky.

Like an eagle taking flight, Zuocun disappeared from the ground in an instant.

Children: "Wow—"

Zuocun opened his arms again, focused his mind, and maintained his posture.

He jumped with all his might, and now he's almost twenty meters high.

Inoue Genzaburo: "Holy crap."

Yamanami Keisuke, who had just come out of the house, exclaimed, "Holy crap!"

Zuo Cun's body paused in mid-air for a moment before falling back to the ground.

pat.

Zuo Cun put his feet on the ground and rubbed his shoulders.

"call--"

"Mr. Samura is amazing!" Kakisuke's eyes were sparkling.

"It's just like a bird! It feels like I'm flying!" Masako exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down.

"Mr. Samura, Mr. Samura, can you take me flying?" Kakisuke asked again, looking at Samura with anticipation.

Zuo Cun hesitated, "Well..."

"Mr. Zuocun, please..." A group of children used their charm to beg Zuocun.

Zuocun just couldn't stand this kind of thing.

"Okay, but you have to hold on tight to me." Zuo Cun sighed and said seriously to the children.

"I understand—!!!" The children cheered instantly.

Okita didn't know what was going on, but suddenly felt that Samura had glanced at him.

Zuo Cun didn't jump up with anyone else either; he just held Kashisuke in his arms and tried his best not to look so tense.

Kakisuke, on the other hand, looked incredibly happy.

“Well then, Kakisuke, we—” Samura smiled, “are taking off—”

With a powerful leap, Zuo Cun soared ten meters into the air.

"Whoa!!!" Kashisuke shouted happily in Samura's arms.

Zuocun adjusted his position, landed on the ground, and then let out a long breath.

Thankfully, nothing went wrong.

Masako immediately opened her arms wide: "Mr. Samura! It's my turn! It's my turn!"

Zuocun led the children around, jumping and playing.

Hijikata and Shimazaki went to find suitable rooms, leaving Inoue Genzaburo and Ms. Okita standing there with their mouths agape, watching Samura jump around.

Just then, a mischievous little boy tried to break free from Zuo Cun's hand in mid-air.

Zuo Cun had been concentrating intently, but he couldn't grab it for a moment and shouted anxiously, "Danger!"

Just as the little boy was about to hit the ground, another figure suddenly appeared where the little boy was about to fall and caught him.

"Okita!" Zuocun said involuntarily, landing on the ground.

Miss Okita looked at Samura and smiled gently.

------------

Chapter 335 The Silence of the Examination Hall

There was no moon in the night sky tonight; instead, the stars were twinkling all night.

Samura sat on a large tree inside Mibu-ji Temple, holding a bowl of sake in his hand.

A figure appeared in the courtyard.

“You’ve arrived, Mr. Yamanami.” Samura noticed the figure and said to Yamanami Keisuke with a slightly tipsy smile.

"What brings you here, Mr. Samura?" Keisuke Yamanami asked, sitting under the tree, puzzled.

Everyone at the Shieikan was asleep when Samura suddenly called him out, leaving him a little confused.

The two had never crossed paths before; Yamanami had only heard of the name of Saemura Hagiwara.

Unlike his usual aloofness, the drunk Zuo Cun appeared somewhat carefree.

Zuo Cun downed the wine in the bowl, wiped his mouth, tossed the bowl into the air, and then jumped off the tree.

Snapped.

The sake bowl reappeared in Samura's hands, and Samura was already sitting next to Yamanami Keisuke.

"I wanted to ask you about the Hokushin Ittō-ryū style," Zamura said with a slight smile. "Does Mr. Yamanami know someone named Sakamoto Ryōma?"

"Junior Brother Sakamoto?" Keisuke Yamanami scratched the back of his head. "I spent some time with Junior Brother Sakamoto back in the dojo. What's wrong?"

"I want to ask about Sakamoto's whereabouts. We parted ways in Shinano and said we would meet again in Edo, but I haven't been back to Edo for a long time. So I wanted to ask you, Mr. Yamanami, who is also a member of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū school, if you know where he is now."

"I'm not really sure either." Yamanami Keisuke shook his head. "I don't have much interaction with Sakamoto-kun."

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