I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Therefore, although Aoto's growth rate is definitely higher than Souji's, the gap between them is not too huge at the moment.

If Aoto were to directly confront Souji's "Hirō-gan Sandan-tsu" now, the outcome would be hard to predict.

Of course, if a few more years pass, or if Qingdeng replicates or upgrades a few more amazing talents, the situation will definitely be very different.

Saito Hajime and Serizawa Kamo have both been defeated.

With its high-end combat capabilities completely lost, the White side has no generals left to lead the charge.

The outcome of this exercise is already decided.

……

……

As soon as the last white soldier had his porcelain bowl broken, cheers erupted from the red soldiers on the training ground.

Although the red side defeated the white side, their victory was hard-won.

Looking around, only about 40 Red Army soldiers remained standing calmly on the training ground.

The "battle," which involved a total force of over 700 men, left only about 40 "survivors"...

If this were a real battle, it would be a bloody fight to the death!

"Huff...huff...huff...huff...huff..."

The commander took several deep breaths.

After regulating her breathing, she looked up at Qingdeng on the watchtower.

It's over—that's what she said with her eyes.

Qingdeng nodded slightly, returning a look that said, "Yes, thank you for your hard work."

Then, he turned to the side and respectfully reported to Tokugawa Iemochi:

"Your Highness, the drill is complete."

"..."

Tokugawa Iemochi did not respond.

He... no, it should be said that everyone on the watchtower, without exception, was speechless.

For this reason, the upper floor was eerily quiet; you could hear a pin drop.

Although the drill had ended, Tokugawa Iemochi, Tenshōin, and the others were still immersed in the fierce battle and unable to extricate themselves.

Tenshoin blinked her beautiful eyes a few times.

At that moment, she suddenly remembered—she had just seriously reminded Aoto that she was worried the Shinsengumi wouldn't be able to compete with the major Kyoto-based gangs...

The thought of this made her face flush, and she instinctively gripped the ground with her feet, her expression dominated by intense shame.

Fortunately, the face mask concealed her appearance, so no one else noticed.

After a while, Tokugawa Iemochi finally broke the silence and uttered his first words:

"Seito, your Shinsengumi is truly... extraordinary...!"

He pondered for a long time before finally managing to utter the phrase "extraordinary".

After he finished speaking, he curled the corners of his mouth into a slight smile, revealing a look of surprise and satisfaction.

Although it was just a simple comment, it contained profound emotions.

"Your Highness, I dare not accept such praise."

After saying this, Qingdeng turned to face the generals of the "personal guard".

Those who noticed his gaze shuddered.

"Yamaki-kun, Sasaki-kun, and all the pagemen, you bear the heavy responsibility of protecting His Highness and guarding Edo Castle."

"I urge your troops to learn from the Shinsengumi and strive to reach their level as soon as possible."

When he said this, Qing Deng emphasized his words and activated his talent "Emperor's Art" to put on a look of "heartbroken regret".

"Only in this way can you better protect His Highness!"

"If in the end the Shinsengumi manages to defend the capital region, while you lose Edo, that would be truly heartbreaking."

These guys have been subtly belittling the Shinsengumi ever since they started.

The Shinsengumi is the brainchild of Aoto.

Aoto staked everything on the Shinsengumi—his time, energy, money, and future.

He was now inextricably linked to the Shinsengumi; their fates were intertwined, one's glory was their glory, and their downfall was their downfall.

Since these guys are so arrogant, Qingdeng naturally won't give them a friendly look either.

The reason he had been silently enduring was to save his outburst for now.

Only by letting these guys see firsthand the difference between the Third Division and the Shinsengumi can they be silenced completely and prevent them from causing further trouble!

After listening to Qing Deng's "earnest advice," the expressions of Shan Mu Yunlang and the others changed drastically, turning pale and then flushed.

Yamaki Yunro opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

However, his lips moved for a long time, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Finally, he lowered his head, looking dejected, staring at his toes, unable to utter a single word.

The same applies to the other "personal guard" generals.

They all looked away, not daring to look directly at Qingdeng, for fear that Qingdeng would look at them.

The recent "red vs. white battle" completely shattered their arrogance.

Compared to the Shinsengumi's "on-stage rehearsal," the Tokyo garrison's rehearsal was nothing more than children playing house!

An army is an organization whose mission is to fight, and it is the epitome of the word "violence".

For the military, and for a general, strength is everything! Might is everything! Being weak is the original sin!

An army that is weak or a general who is incompetent has no right to speak.

The fighting strength of the Kyoto garrison is far inferior to that of the Shinsengumi—this alone is enough to make Yamaki Unro and others unable to hold their heads high in front of Aoto!

Just then, a discordant voice suddenly rang out:

"Tachibana no Sakae, this is just a drill, why use such a... intense method to train the troops?"

Matsudaira Haruaki frowned, his face showing a mixture of confusion and reproach.

"Look, after just one drill, the casualties are heavy."

"According to my observation, at least four people have broken their arms and legs."

"As for those who suffered minor injuries, with bruises and swelling on their faces, there were even more."

"Minister Tachibana, please forgive my bluntness—training soldiers in such an intense manner is truly a losing proposition."

"If we have a few more drills like this, the number of injured people will probably be in the hundreds."

Although the weapons used by the soldiers on both sides were wooden swords and spears, they were essentially solid wooden clubs.

Being hit hard by a solid wooden stick... that's no joke.

For example, the duel between Souji and Saito Hajime just now.

If Souji's final blow lands, it will definitely splatter Saito Hajime's brains out!

Before bamboo swords and kendo protective gear were invented, swordsmen would practice in dojos using wooden swords directly, engaging in "naked training" without any protection.

No matter how careful or how much precaution you take, accidents can always happen.

This was especially true during the Warring States period, when martial virtue was at its peak.

It is perfectly normal to have your limbs broken or even lose your life when sparring with your fellow disciples.

Qingdeng, as if he had expected someone to bring up this issue, responded indifferently:

"Lord Matsudaira, as you say, such training methods are indeed too intense."

“Each time a ‘trial run’ is conducted, there are anywhere from a few to more than a dozen people who are injured.”

“If this continues, a large number of ‘non-combat casualties’ will be incurred before the war even begins.”

"But there's nothing we can do about it."

As the saying goes, "In times of chaos, harsh measures are necessary."

"I believe you've all heard about the current chaos in Kyoto countless times, to the point that your ears are practically calloused, and I'm too lazy to repeat it again."

"In short, in order to cope with the rapidly changing situation and to protect the capital region, I must strengthen the Shinsengumi as quickly as possible."

"To make the Shinsengumi stronger."

"It made the soldiers under my command become stronger."

"Being wounded by a comrade's wooden sword is far better than being killed by an enemy's steel sword."

"Lord Matsudaira, please forgive me for asking a question: If the Shinsengumi cannot withstand the invasion of foreign enemies, have you considered what terrible consequences this would bring?"

Matsudaira Haruaki was caught off guard when Aoto turned the tables on him.

Just as he was preparing to "counterattack," Tokugawa Iemochi interrupted him, saying:

"Alright, stop arguing."

He waved his hand and then continued the conversation.

"I support Qing Deng's position."

"The current situation is special, and special situations require special measures."

"There's no time for leisurely training now."

"Therefore, I think Qing Deng's approach is correct."

"Only by suffering multiple injuries on the training ground can one develop a fearless and courageous spirit that is unafraid of blood and fire."

After speaking, Tokugawa Iemochi put his hands behind his back, slowly turned around, and faced the crowd.

"Today's inspection has truly broadened my horizons!"