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

"If it weren't for me..."

"Kana, you wipe this guy's upper body, I'll take care of the lower body."

"Yes, I understand, Mr. Okada."

Yamanami Keisuke found Roslan: "Can you tell me... why is Samura here with you? Also, Samura's medical expenses...?"

As he spoke, he reached for his wallet.

"No need for medical expenses. Zuocun once saved my life, and even if he hadn't, I would have saved his." Luslan said with a tired smile. "Besides, we've known each other for a long time."

"Longer than all of you have known each other in total..."

"......Yeah."

“Oh, right.” Luslan pulled his cane, walked to the house next door, and took out a cloth bag.

Opening the cloth bag, one finds a human head stained with blood.

Yamanami Keisuke's eyes narrowed.

"This was dropped not far from Zuo Village... it should be what you need, right?" Luslan shrugged.

"I am deeply grateful." Yamanami Keisuke bowed slightly to Ruslan.

"I need to rest now. Zuo Cun is badly injured. I really risked my life to save him..."

As he spoke, Luslan went to his bedroom.

Yamanami Keisuke paused for a moment, then carefully wrapped Tokugawa Iemochi's head again.

"Okada".

Yizang was washing towels: "What's wrong, Shannan?"

"That thing we were discussing before we came here...?"

"Oh, you mean the casualties."

With a guilty smile, Izang said, "Thanks to Zuocun, he was too fast. Only two team members died during the entanglement phase, and the rest were just injured. How is the situation on your end?"

"No one on my side has died, all just minor injuries. After all, my mission is much easier than yours."

After they finished speaking, they both fell silent.

"Aren't we too incompetent?" Okada Izo asked.

"..." Yamanami Keisuke didn't know how to answer.

Zuocun took on almost all the key tasks himself.

He infiltrated Tokugawa Iemochi's residence, assassinated him, and ultimately bought Okada Izo time to retreat.

The mission was completed perfectly, if we ignore the seriously injured Zuo Cun.

Just then, Kanna came out carrying a basin of bloody water.

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

Chapter 406 The World in Anger

Tokugawa Iemochi, the de facto ruler of the Tokugawa shogunate and the shogunate general, was assassinated on August 3, 3rd year of the Keio era, in his temporary residence in Kyoto. The captains of his guards, the Shinsengumi, were later found outside Kyoto, each of them seriously injured.

The assassin's identity is clear.

The hero who slew evil spirits—Haneki-zan, Saemura Anno.

The whole country was in uproar.

The assassination of a king quickly spread throughout the world.

Most importantly, after Tokugawa Iemochi was assassinated, his head was nowhere to be found, and only his body lay dead inside the house.

Kyoto and Edo were instantly thrown into chaos.

......

"Tokugawa—cough—Tokugawa Iemochi, that fellow, is dead?!" Emperor Komei asked his ministers in alarm to confirm the news.

"Yes... The feudal lords who are still in Kyoto have sealed off the city. Several captains of the Shinsengumi were found outside Kyoto severely injured and unconscious, with multiple knife wounds and blunt force injuries. It is suspected that they were involved in a battle with the assassin, Hagiwara no Ayano."

The minister, sweating profusely, reported tremblingly.

"Assassinated?! Assassinated?!" Emperor Komei was both frightened and anxious. "What about the troops at the front? Have they heard of this?"

"...The news has been temporarily blocked."

"What about the shogunate? What are their movements? What are they doing now? Have they captured the assassin?"

"The senior Chinese are holding an emergency meeting to discuss the selection of the next general. As for the assassin... he has not been captured."

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Xiaoming cursed. "Can't even catch a single assassin! What are you good for!"

Many subordinates dared not speak, and the court was silent.

Xiaoming clutched his chest, panting heavily, his face flushed.

"Go, go catch them! Hurry up!!!"

"Yes, I understand!" The subordinate quickly retreated.

But as I walked, I kept thinking about it.

That's a powerful samurai who's rumored to have slain monsters. He even infiltrated the shogun's residence, killed people, and then beat up all the powerful squad leaders of the Shinsengumi. How are we supposed to catch him?

......

Shinsengumi Medical Clinic.

Saito Hajime remains unconscious due to severe head injuries, and Nagakura Shinpachi has also not woken up due to severe injuries.

The remaining three people remained silent.

Inoue Genzaburo's eyes were gloomy as he silently uttered a sentence.

"Please take the blame for failing to protect the general this time."

"Captain Inoue, you!" Harada Sanosuke exclaimed anxiously, "We are all responsible for this incident, how can you take all the blame!"

“Inoue…” Okita Souji stared blankly at Inoue Genzaburo.

Inoue Genzaburo lowered his head: "Don't you understand?"

"If no one steps forward to take responsibility after the general is killed, we... will all die."

He grabbed the blanket covering him.

"...Then I should be the one to do it. I was in charge that day, so I should take responsibility," Okita Souji said loudly.

"...Okita."

Inoue called out softly.

"...Inoue?" Okita Souji looked at Inoue Genzaburo with a puzzled expression.

"I made a promise with Hijikata and Kondo."

“You are our little sister. Even if the three of us are not as strong as you, we will definitely protect you as your older brothers.”

“You can’t die, so… the command that night is in my hands, understand?” Inoue Genzaburo looked at Okita Souji with tears in his eyes.

“Captain Inoue, then it should be my turn—” Harada Sanosuke said eagerly.

"Harada!" Inoue interrupted Harada Sanosuke loudly.

Inoue Genzaburo threw back the covers and performed a dogeza (a type of Buddhist meditation) on the bed.

"Please, everyone, promise me!"

"This is my... lifelong request!"

"...Please."

"Inoue...why?"

"...because that night, I realized a fact."

Inoue Genzaburo stood up, his expression sorrowful.

"My... my swordsmanship has reached its end."

"No matter what, I can't do what you did, I can't do what Captain Saito, Captain Nagakura, and... Samura did."

My heart is shattered.

"I am no longer of any value."

"Let this useless person like me offer a little value in the end."

......

Three days after Tokugawa Iemochi was assassinated.

“The situation in Kyoto is very tense right now. For safety’s sake, we should set off for Choshu Domain immediately,” Yamanami Keisuke said solemnly.

The remaining feudal lords are now like madmen, searching everywhere for Samura Anno. In order to avoid being discovered, Yamanami Keisuke made this decision.

"Samura hasn't woken up yet... This is troublesome." Okada Izo frowned as he looked at Samura, who was covered in bandages.

Zuo Cun couldn't possibly leave without taking him, but he was still in a coma, and transporting him risked reopening his wounds.

“Mr. Samurai, please take him to my house first. We have a place where you can hide him,” Kana said from the side.

“...No need.” Just then, a weak voice came.

All eyes turned to the hospital bed.

"I'll go to Choshu Domain with you all..." Samura said weakly, lying on the bed.

"Mr. Samura!" Kanna excitedly rushed over to Samura.

"Kanna...no!" Zuocun raised his right hand and gently touched Kanna's head.

"Are you serious, Sadamura?" Yamanami Keisuke frowned. "Your injuries haven't healed yet. If you move around too much, the wounds will definitely reopen."

"I'm fine. The most important thing now is to bring Tokugawa Iemochi's head back to Choshu." Samura gave the order from the bed. "Yanan, you should prioritize bringing Tokugawa Iemochi's head back."