I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Once one bullet is fired, fire another!

The muzzle was faintly red, and translucent steam was rising from it. The paint on the cannon barrel seemed to be boiling in the sunlight!

The incessant sound of cannon fire deprived all the soldiers on Sasao and Matsuo mountains of their hearing.

The soldiers on both fronts could no longer hear any sound except for the sound of cannon fire.

Even during routine training, the Eleventh Division rarely conducts such high-intensity artillery fire.

This "treating shells like they're nothing" attitude has a do-or-die spirit, as if they're determined to completely flatten Nangong Mountain!

Not to mention outsiders, even many members of the Shinsengumi were stunned by the grand scene of continuous gunfire.

Soon, the men responsible for pushing the shells into the breech and the men responsible for cleaning the muzzle began to feel their arms getting heavy, as if they were filled with lead.

Those responsible for moving the shells had an even more tiring job.

Compared to others, these "porters" have to use both their hands and their legs, making their work exceptionally arduous.

To keep up with the intensity of the shelling, they had to grit their teeth and suppress their fatigue.

After his physical strength was exhausted, he relied solely on willpower, instinct, and muscle memory to carry the shells to the muzzle.

The guns and ammunition that Mr. Kiryu brought were a great help.

Thanks to the timely assistance from the Calabash House, the Eleventh Division's firepower has greatly increased! The number of cannons exceeds one hundred! And there's an abundance of shells!

Without exaggeration, this was the most lucrative battle the Eleventh Division had ever fought since its formation.

Even in Europe, an artillery array of this size would be considered a considerable amount of firepower.

However... even so, it is still not enough for the vast Nangong Mountain.

Qingdeng stared expressionlessly at Nangong Mountain in the distance.

With the blessing of his talent "Eagle Eyes +5", he saw many defensive fortifications that had been blasted to pieces and blown into the sky.

However... the number of these aerial defensive works was far less than expected.

Seeing this, Qingdeng couldn't help but frown...

……

……

Nangong Mountain, a certain pit—

Shinsaku Takasugi, holding his ever-present shamisen, half-closed his eyes and played music with a calm expression and elegant demeanor.

Although his music was completely drowned out by the sound of exploding shells, he paid no attention and meticulously plucked the strings, seemingly lost in the moment.

The pit where he hid was impeccable in both location and depth.

The shrapnel and aftershocks from the explosion did not harm him in the slightest.

Unless he is extremely unlucky and a shell happens to fall into the crater, he is definitely safe.

Although safety is guaranteed, the noise outside the pit is truly terrifying.

The whistling sound of the shells falling, the continuous rumbling of explosions... it wasn't just a pain in my eardrums, but a feeling that my internal organs were shaking!

Every now and then, dust and stones were blown away by the shells and fell into the pit, landing on Takasugi Shinsaku's head.

He simply shook his head to remove the dust, then continued playing the zither.

It's worth mentioning that Takasugi Shinsaku wasn't the only one in this pit.

Beside him stood a short, ugly man with a wide forehead, a large head, and unremarkable appearance, looking at Takasugi Shinsaku with a helpless expression.

A moment later, as if unable to contain himself, he leaned closer and said to Shinsaku Takasugi:

"Mr. Takasugi! In this kind of environment, you still have the leisure to play music! Should I say you have the demeanor of a great general, or should I say you have something wrong with your head?"

Because the cannon fire was so loud, he had to shout and put his mouth close to the other person's ear in order to barely make a single communication.

Takasugi Shinsaku smiled slightly and continued playing the koto with both hands:

"Since I have nothing to do anyway, I might as well play the piano for a while!"

"If I don't play a few more tunes now, I might never have the chance to pluck the strings again!"

Upon hearing this, the ugly guy immediately switched to an annoyed tone:

“Mr. Takasugi, with a great battle imminent, please refrain from such ominous remarks.”

Shinsaku Takasugi grinned:

"What? Mr. Ōmura, even you've started to believe in these superstitious things?"

The ugly guy called "Omura-kun" shrugged:

"I do not believe in metaphysics."

"I simply dislike these ominous remarks."

Takasugi Shinsaku chuckled a few times, his laughter carrying a hint of deeper meaning.

"...Alright, since a major battle is imminent, let's talk about matters related to the war."

As he spoke, he put down the shamisen he was holding.

"Omura-kun, listen! The Shinsengumi's shelling is far more powerful than we anticipated."

Omura nodded slightly:

"Hmm, the Shinsengumi truly lives up to its reputation as a formidable force of the time. To possess so many cannons is truly enviable."

"I really hope that one day in the future, Changzhou can also have such financial and firepower."

Shinsaku Takasugi casually agreed.

Then, he turned his head, gazing at the eastern horizon—the direction of Edo—and spoke in a serious tone:

"Omura-kun, as the strategist of the Kiheitai, in your opinion, do you think we can hold off the Shinsengumi for at least three days?"

Before he could finish speaking, Omura replied without hesitation:

"Absolutely no problem!"

"The Shinsengumi may be strong, but we are not without countermeasures!"

"We have four advantages."

At this point, Ōmura held up four fingers.

"Firstly, the geographical advantage of Nangong Mountain."

"This goes without saying."

"The Shinsengumi, eager to rush to the aid of Kanto, will inevitably take aggressive offensive measures."

"This situation, where 'only a direct attack is possible and no other strategy can be adopted,' is extremely disadvantageous for the Shinsengumi."

"We can take advantage of the mountainous terrain to give them a head-on blow!"

"Secondly, the combat effectiveness of the surprise force."

"This point also needs no further explanation."

"The Shinsengumi have never experienced our prowess."

"They'll be quite surprised after we engage in close combat."

"Thirdly, there is me, the 'rare strategist' Ōmura Masujirō!"

As he spoke, he patted his chest, his face radiating intense confidence.

"When it comes to the ability to 'make trouble for the enemy,' I am confident that I am second to none in this world!"

"Under my meticulous design, this Nangong Mountain beneath our feet has been transformed into an impregnable fortress!"

"Everywhere there are tricky trenches, everywhere there are fortified positions!"

"No matter how much the Shinsengumi bombards us, they can't possibly destroy our defenses!"

"When the Shinsengumi finishes shelling and begins their assault on the mountain, they will be able to truly experience what a 'nightmare' is."

"As for the fourth..."

At this point, Ōmura Masujirō abruptly stopped speaking.

The confidence that had just radiated from his cheeks now transformed into a strange and indescribable expression.

After a short while, he continued speaking quietly:

"...We have the 'Decisive Battle Lake' given to us by Shuten-dōji."

Upon hearing the phrase "Decisive Battle at Lake," Takasugi Shinsaku's gaze narrowed slightly, and he subconsciously gritted his teeth.

"...To be honest, I have no intention of using this thing."

Masujiro Ōmura nodded:

“I understand. However… this is ultimately our trump card. Mr. Takasugi, if things really come to an extremely urgent moment, do not hesitate, use ‘Decisive Battle’ immediately.”

"..."

Shinsaku Takasugi did not respond, his expression somber.

At that moment, the world outside the pit underwent a dramatic change.

The continuous shelling suddenly stopped.

In the blink of an eye, the world returned to silence!

The change was so sudden and rapid that both Shinsaku Takasugi and Masujiro Omura were momentarily stunned.

Takasugi Shinsaku had never felt the world could be so quiet as he did at this moment.

Just seconds ago, the deafening sound of artillery fire filled the entire space as far as the eye could see, as if ten thousand thunderbolts were exploding in our ears.

A few seconds later, all the terrifying sounds disappeared.

Compared to the "hundreds of cannons bombarding the top" just now, it is now eerily quiet, so quiet that it exudes a strange and eerie feeling—like the calm before a storm.

"Mr. Takasugi, are you alright?"

"I can't help but ask," Ōmura Masujirō suddenly asked.