In order to become a Heroic Spirit, I had no choice but to cause trouble in history.

One move—to decide the outcome!

"Hundred Birds Stream - New Feather Wheel..."

"One step, beyond the sound..."

Zuocun froze completely in mid-air, closing his eyes.

Okita exhaled a breath of white air, his eyes sharp, Kashuu Kiyomitsu was already positioned beside his head.

Zuocun opened his eyes, and Okita disappeared from the spot.

"Two steps without interruption—three steps! Absolute Blade!"

"One of the two wings! — Tsuru-no-ru!"

The three people in the distance were too far to stop it!

The eagle's talons and the wolf's sharp teeth clash head-on!

Ding--

Neither of them dodged; Tsurukae and Kashuu Kiyomitsu collided like two bolts of lightning.

However, Samura's sword was aimed from top to bottom, which perfectly countered Okita's triple flash.

As the blades clashed, a gust of wind rose up around the two of them.

Zuocun was thrown backward involuntarily, and Okita also crashed to the ground.

"Ugh—" Zuo Cun's back hit a tree, and he groaned.

Due to the reaction force, Okita rolled several times on the ground before stopping.

Tsurugi and Kashuu Kiyomitsu also fell to the side.

Zuo Cun coughed twice, clutching his chest, and jumped down from the tree, looking somewhat unwell, and helped Okita up.

Okita looked a bit disheveled and exhausted.

At this moment, the three people from the Shiwei Hall arrived.

"Samura, what are you doing—" Shimazaki Yu recognized Samura from afar. No one else could jump like that except Samura.

He was puzzled as to why Samura was fighting Okita.

"It was just a friendly spar. Okita and I both know our limits." Sakura looked at his two long-lost friends, feeling a little scared, but still took the initiative to greet them, "Long time no see... Shimazaki, Hijikata, Inoue."

What he feared was not these two people, but... a certain possibility.

“Okita and Samura must have been sparring, I knew it.” Inoue, being the nice guy he is, shook hands with Samura. “Long time no see, Samura.”

"Where have you been these past two years?" Shimazaki was happy to see Samura, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, but he was even more curious about what Samura had been doing during those two years of silence. "Because you ran away, Okita was heartbroken."

"Shimazaki!" Despite being completely exhausted, Okita suddenly slapped Shimazaki, making the usually composed Shimazaki wince in pain.

Zuocun gave a stiff smile and looked at Hijikata, who was standing behind the two men and hadn't said a word. Hijikata was also the one who used to be his closest friend.

Hijikata smiled and extended his fist. Samura was taken aback, then extended his fist as well and bumped fists with Hijikata's.

Kondo Shusuke had already come over. He wasn't surprised by Samura's arrival, and simply said, "What is it? Let's talk inside." Then he went inside on his own.

Saito Hajime was delighted to see the somewhat disheveled Samura: "Long time no see, Lord Hagiwara."

Zuo Cun gave a wry smile: "Let's not mention the name 'Feather Demon Slayer'."

Avoiding Okita, Samura picked up the crane's wings and sheathed them.

Okita's face flushed slightly as he picked up Kashuu Kiyomitsu, and the group went inside.

......

Kondo Shusuke had no intention of interfering in the affairs of these young people, but Samura insisted on paying a visit to Kondo Shusuke first.

“Mr. Kondo.” Samura bowed respectfully.

Kondo Shusuke remained silent, merely observing Samura.

He sat there, looking at the tall but troubled young man.

"You were capable of defeating Okita, so why did you hold back?" Kondo Shusuke's voice sounded weaker than it had been a few years ago.

Zuocun remained silent.

“Okita may not be able to see clearly in the midst of the battle, but… your swordsmanship is too heavy, so heavy that it has lost the elegance that Hyakuryuu should have.” Kondo Shusuke’s eyes were sharp, and he directly pointed out the problem with Samura.

Zuo Cun didn't know what to say, his eyes dimming.

"You've come back this time... you must have something you want to say to Hijikata and Shimazaki, right?" Kondo Shusuke smiled.

“...Yes.” Village Chief Zuo breathed a sigh of relief.

“Let me guess… it must be something concerning one’s stance and the world, am I right?” Kondo Shusuke continued.

He has been through many trials and tribulations and can see through a lot of things.

Before Samura could answer, Kondo Shusuke waved his hand.

"Go ahead and tell them."

“You young people should shine in this era.”

“But, Anno Samura, remember this,” Shusuke Kondo said piercingly, “even if you become enemies in the future, don’t let either of you lose your dignity.”

"The dignity of a samurai!"

Zuo Cun lowered his head and slowly agreed.

"......Understood."

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

It will be past midnight tomorrow and the day after.

As the title says, I'm taking a day off today. EDG, go for it!

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

Chapter 344 Roads, Forks in the Road, the Road to the Left

Samura walked out of Kondo Shusuke's guest room and sighed.

He knew that Kondo Shusuke was implying something, and he also knew Kondo Shusuke's expectations and... torment.

Therefore, Kondo Shusuke will not participate in this conversation, as he is too old and frail to attend.

Zuocun closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

Although both Hijikata and Shimazaki welcomed him, beneath that welcome lay the exact same emotion as Samura.

Hesitation and fear.

I just don't know if they're prepared for that possibility.

Opening his eyes, Zuo Cun's expression returned to its resolute tone.

This is the path he chose... a path he won't regret.

......

Samura went to the dojo, where Hijikata and Okita were.

But on the way, they met another person.

"Yo." Saito Hajime greeted him.

Zuocun nodded slightly.

He was in a bad mood, and his whole being exuded an aura that made him even more unapproachable than usual.

Saito waved his hand; he wasn't an ungrateful person.

Looking at Samura's back, Saito felt... as if two more mountains were pressing down on Samura's shoulders.

"Excuse me." Zuo Cun opened the door of the dojo and went inside.

All four disciples of the Tennen Rishin-ryu school were here, but the atmosphere was rather somber.

"Shimazaki, Hijikata, may I have a word with you?" Samura didn't waste any words and asked the two directly.

The two exchanged a glance, and Shimazaki nodded: "Hmm, what are you talking about?"

Inoue smiled and raised a hand: "Should I excuse myself?"

"It's no secret that Inoue no longer needs it."

Inoue is a gentle and honest person who doesn't like to cause trouble and closely follows in the footsteps of Shimazaki and Hijikata.

Ms. Okita also sensed that something was wrong, but she didn't say anything.

Samura walked directly to Shimazaki Isamu and sat down cross-legged.

"Shimazaki, Hijikata, I would like to invite you... to join me in resisting the shogunate." Samura bowed slightly as he stated his purpose.

The air fell silent.

No one spoke.

Although Okita was the strongest, he was obsessed with swordsmanship; Inoue, on the other hand, was not a person with his own opinions.

The decisions were always made by Isamu Shimazaki and Toshizo Hijikata.

"Samura...is this...your choice...?" After a long silence, Shimazaki Isamu spoke.

He looked into Zuo Cun's eyes, completely calm.

“...Yes, I want you to join me.” Zuocun calmly met Shimazaki’s gaze.

Zuocun did not say much.

Everyone has their own thoughts, and if the other party disagrees, unilaterally stating one's own ideas will only cause the conflict to erupt prematurely.

The suffocating atmosphere after our last conversation... Zuocun doesn't want to experience it again.

"...What's the reason?" Shimazaki Isamu pondered for a moment before asking Samura his question.

"This is the path I have chosen to save the country, for... this country," Zuo Cun said, emphasizing each word.