I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Yes, I understand, I feel the same way."

"It wasn't until I saw Captain Okita that I realized there were such handsome young men in this world."

"Captain Nagakura, you are an old friend of Lord Niou, you should know whether this rumor is true or false, right?"

……

This kind of situation is more likely to occur when a large group of men get together.

Men never lack topics to talk about.

Because they have an eternal topic: eroticism.

No matter what kind of man they are, whether a gentle scholar or a rough warrior, even if they have different interests, they can still have a pleasant and harmonious conversation about risqué topics.

The combination of elements—heroes of all kinds, towering figures, handsome young men, and the romance between a boss and a subordinate—is so captivating!

It's unclear when exactly, but rumors suddenly started circulating within the Shinsengumi that "Aoto and Souji are a couple."

Although it is unknown who first mentioned it, its creation can only be considered a natural progression.

After all, anyone with eyes can see that the relationship between these two is extraordinary!

Aoto spent significantly more time with Souji than with other men.

Souji always looked at Aoto with a very gentle, almost tender gaze.

How could such a scene not inspire one's imagination?

However... one side is the Commander-in-Chief of the entire army, and the other side is the strongest swordsman under Qingdeng—who would dare to openly discuss the relationship between these two gentlemen?

Therefore, this anecdote has only been circulated and spread quietly in private.

At this moment, apart from Nagakura Shinpachi, there were no other officers present in the huge bathroom—it was the perfect time to verify the truth of the matter!

The people who started the commotion were mainly members of the Second Division.

Based on their distance from Nagakura Shinpachi, it's easy to see that the two sides have a very close relationship.

Nagakura Shinpachi's forthright, honest, and loyal personality not only makes him good at making friends but also at managing his subordinates.

He never puts on airs or bullies others; he'll scold you harshly if you make a mistake, but he's also very capable when it comes to real trouble.

For example, in the "Kusunogi Group Extermination Operation" a few days ago, Nagakura Shinpachi took the lead and led the Second Division in a fierce attack. Due to the speed of the attack, he even left the other members far behind.

Who wouldn't respect a leader like that?

Shinpachi Nagakura's upright character fostered an excellent atmosphere within the Second Division.

In private, the members of the Second Division can naturally become friends with him.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have so blatantly asked him about their commander's privacy.

Ever since then, Nagakura Shinpachi's brows have been furrowed, forming a deep frown that looks like it could trap a mosquito.

"Enough! What kind of nonsense is this?!"

As he spoke, Nagakura Shinpachi straightened up and cleared his throat.

"Listen up! How could Mr. Tachibana be a member of the Souji? He and Souji are just very good friends, not the kind of... relationship you're talking about...?"

As Nagakura Shinpachi continued speaking, his tone grew weaker and weaker, his voice dropping as if he himself doubted the truthfulness of his words.

In the end, the tone of the declarative sentence changed directly to that of an interrogative sentence, as if he were questioning both the soldiers in front of him and himself.

It's no wonder that Nagakura Shinpachi acted this way.

Even ordinary members who were completely unfamiliar with Aoto and Souji could see that their relationship was unusual, let alone Nagakura Shinpachi, who lived under the same roof as the two of them.

In fact, the people at Shieikan had long suspected their relationship!

In the beginning, any interaction between Aoto and Souji was within the scope of "very good friends".

After Aoto and Sanako shared a passionate kiss in the street, everyone firmly believed that "the Tachibana family and the Chiba family will become in-laws."

Although Aoto and Sanako are not yet married, everyone already regards Sanako as "Tachibana Sanako".

Therefore, no one would think that the relationship between Aoto and Souji was related in that way.

But gradually, even the most oblivious and dull-witted person began to realize that something was wrong.

I don't know when it started, but the way these two interact... seems a bit too intimate!

The two always went out together.

The two always sat side by side when they ate.

The two would always suddenly disappear while practicing swordsmanship at the dojo, and then reappear one after another—at which time, they always had satisfied expressions on their faces.

These are just a few examples.

Although Nagakura Shinpachi is a rough and uncouth man, he is also a man of meticulousness beneath his rough exterior.

According to his observation, it's absolutely impossible for Aoto and Souji not to have something going on!

Although he respected Aoto and subconsciously wanted to protect Aoto's personal image, no matter how much he tried to deceive himself, he had to admit that Aoto seemed to be no less lecherous than Hijikata Toshizo...

Aside from Nagakura Shinpachi, Saito Hajime, Yamanami Keisuke, Todo Heisuke… everyone—including the dim-witted Harada Sanosuke—saw the unusual relationship between Aoto and Souji.

Out of a desire not to make the atmosphere at the testing center strange, everyone tacitly kept quiet about the matter and pretended not to see the two's intimate behavior.

Nagakura Shinpachi's sudden silence naturally made the atmosphere in the room strange.

The crowd exchanged glances and looked at each other.

Their eyes gleamed with the excitement of "We've heard some major gossip!"

Their eyes conveyed this message:

Oh! I knew it!

Even Captain Nagakura has tacitly acknowledged the relationship between Lord Niou and Souji.

Lord Niou is indeed a man of many paths!

Lord Niou is quite something! He can charm both the most beautiful woman in Edo and the most handsome young man!

Shinpachi Nagakura belatedly realized that his silence had caused a "celebration" among the crowd, so he quickly tried to make amends:

"Alright, alright! Let's stop talking about this!"

"In short, you all need to remember this! Mr. Tachibana is definitely not a member of the cult! His relationship with Souji is not ambiguous at all! They are just very good friends!"

"You're not allowed to talk about this again!"

As he spoke, Nagakura Shinpachi leaned back, shifting to a more relaxed sitting posture.

"Let's talk about something serious."

"What's wrong with all of you? Why do you all look so miserable? Was today's training that tough?"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Shimada Kai beside him:

"Ah Kui, it's one thing for the others, but why do you look like you've completely lost your fighting spirit?"

Upon hearing this, Shimada Kai gave a wry smile.

“Shinpachi, I’m not like a genius like you… To be honest, I’m just an ordinary person.”

Although Shimada Kai was ambitious, he was still aware of his own abilities.

Nagakura Shinpachi obtained the full transmission of the Shinto Munen-ryu school of Shinto at the age of 18.

And his current rank... is only at the catalog level of the Heart-Shaped Blade Style...

Having always been surrounded by geniuses, he knew very well that his own abilities were insignificant.

Shinpachi Nagakura's question sparked a conversation among the group.

In an instant, a chorus of complaints erupted:

"Captain Nagakura, it's not that I lack ambition! But this training is just too tough!"

"Nothing but standing, from morning till night, ever has anyone in history trained soldiers like this!"

"From now on, I'll be living like this... To be honest, if the food weren't so delicious, I'd be thinking of quitting the Shinsengumi right now..."

Nagakura Shinpachi remained silent, quietly observing the grumbling members of the squad.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly:

"...Hey, would you like to hear about my past with Mr. Tachibana? Are you interested in knowing how we fought side by side against the enemy back then?"

Although they didn't quite understand why Nagakura Shinpachi suddenly changed the subject so abruptly, everyone's eyes lit up.

The story of Lord Niou and Captain Nagakura... This is definitely worth hearing!

The crowd quieted down, some standing up, some sitting down, all looking at Nagakura Shinpachi with expectant expressions.

Nagakura Shinpachi pondered for a moment, considering his words.

"My acquaintance with Mr. Tachibana... began at a job placement agency called 'Senjiya'."

Nagakura Shinpachi spoke eloquently.

He recounted his first meeting with Aoto, how he became Aoto's guide, and how he, Aoto, Saito Hajime, Todo Heisuke, and Harada Sanosuke worked together to fight the anti-foreign group that attacked the anti-foreign affairs bureau, as well as a series of subsequent battles and security operations.

Nagakura Shinpachi was by no means a great orator, but he excelled in his concise language, factual accounts, and genuine emotions.

Shimada Kai and the others listened with rapt attention.

After recounting his past with Aoto, Nagakura Shinpachi paused for a few seconds before continuing:

“Mr. Tachibana… he is a remarkable man.”

"Although he is younger than me, only 21 years old this year, he is more composed and wiser than anyone else."

"When he drew his sword, he was more valiant than anyone else."

"He possessed an incredible 'magic' that I don't know how to describe. This 'magic' attracted countless heroes to gather around him."

“A long time ago, I made up my mind: I’m going to follow him for the rest of my life!”

"So I became a diner at the Imperial Guard, and now I'm one of his generals."

"The reason for this is not to pursue fame and fortune."

"It's because... being able to fight alongside such a towering man is a wonderful thing in itself!"