I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Under the orderly command of Ōmura Masujirō, the soldiers of the main camp quickly and efficiently packed up their equipment and weapons and moved eastward.

Before long, only Takasugi Shinsaku remained on the vast mountaintop.

Takasugi Shinsaku stood alone in place, staring intently to the south, waiting quietly.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, he closed his eyes, his face filled with emotion, and slowly raised his knife while silently putting the red pill in his mouth.

The next instant, he suddenly opened his eyes—where there had been no one before, now stood a sinister figure covered in blood.

*******

*******

I was so hyped up last night that I didn't finally fall asleep until 3 a.m.... (crying leopard head.jpg)

Chapter 936 Qing Deng Transforms into a Demon [5400]

Looking at this old friend who was both familiar and unfamiliar, Takasugi Shinsaku couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

His first meeting with Qingdeng dates back to a long time ago.

At that time, Qing Deng, who had just made his fortune, was the captain of the third squad of the Fire Thief.

During an operation by the Fire Thieves to eliminate the remnants of the Extermination Group, they encountered each other and engaged in a brief confrontation.

Although the duel ended prematurely, forced to close before a victor could be determined by uncontrollable external forces, Takasugi Shinsaku knew very well that if the fight continued, he would inevitably suffer defeat.

Admittedly, Qing Deng was the sworn enemy of the Zunrong faction, and repeatedly caused trouble for Choshu. A large number of Choshu elites, including Kusaka Genzui, died at his hands.

However, Takasugi Shinsaku did not hate Aoto, and unlike others, he would not write Aoto's name on the sole of his shoe to vent his anger.

To put it bluntly, their conflict with the patriots and the Qing Deng was simply a matter of different positions and differing ideologies.

In terms of character, Shinsaku Takasugi greatly admired Seito.

Even those who despise and hate Qing Deng the most cannot deny his ability, achievements, and charisma.

Takasugi Shinsaku fantasized more than once: If only Tachibana Aoto were our companion.

If Qing Deng were a member of the Zunrang faction, he would willingly submit to him and wholeheartedly assist him.

In his memory, Qingdeng had always been a righteous gentleman, just like a benevolent king who protected the world.

The Qing Deng he had carved was completely different from the Qing Deng he remembered, who was full of righteousness!

Takasugi Shinsaku lowered his eyelids, staring intently with a mixture of confusion and wariness.

Is it because he was covered in blood?

Or is it the visual effect brought about by the changing light and shadow?

He felt that Qingdeng looked a bit eerie at that moment!

He didn't strike any pose; he just stood there straight with his arms hanging naturally at his sides.

From his hair to his face to his clothes, every part of him was stained with blood, making it almost impossible to see his original skin color and clothing color.

The only expression on his face was a faint smile, but his eyes flashed with a chilling coldness and a sharp edge, exuding a strange killing intent...!

What happened next really happened in an instant.

Qingdeng suddenly vanished from the spot!

When his figure reappeared, he was already standing in front of Shinsaku Takasugi!

Holding the knife in his right hand, he raised it to the upper right and slashed down diagonally—a simple yet powerful strike!

Shinsaku Takasugi's pupils instantly contracted to pinpoint size.

Driven by instinct, he subconsciously raised the Muramasa in his hand, narrowly blocking Qing Deng's attack.

In an instant, a tremendous force crashed down like a tsunami!

Takasugi Shinsaku felt a tingling sensation in his palms and almost dropped the Muramasa in his hands.

Although he can't compare to Katsura Kogoro, Takasugi Shinsaku is also a master swordsman.

While raising his sword to defend, he retreated rapidly, not only minimizing the pressure from Qing Deng's heavy slash, but also creating distance as he retreated.

He had barely retreated when Qingdeng caught up with him.

Seeing the fierce attack from Aoto, Takasugi Shinsaku roused himself, gripped the Muramasa in his hand, and his fighting spirit burned:

"Come on, it's time to bring our duel to an end...!"

In a split second, Aoto's sword slashed down again, aiming swiftly at Takasugi Shinsaku's shoulder.

This time, Takasugi Shinsaku did not retreat. He stepped forward without showing any weakness and fiercely attacked Aoto's chest.

The two swords clashed in mid-air, causing the surrounding air to ripple.

In the next instant, both of them simultaneously leaped backward, then collided again, clashing hand-to-hand with each other.

Qing Deng's slashing speed is extremely fast, and his footwork is as fast as a ghost. Every move and every stance is filled with a chilling killing intent!

In the blink of an eye, Qing Deng lowered his waist and used a footwork technique that made his feet stick to the ground, rushing towards Takasugi Shinsaku as if gliding on the ground, and swung his sword from bottom to top, sweeping diagonally towards his waist.

Takasugi Shinsaku hissed and took a quick, deep breath, gathering all his strength. He lifted Muramasa and slashed down with all his might, barely managing to block Aoto's sword.

Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, Qingdeng pulled the knife back to his side and then slashed a second time from a different direction.

The sound of blades clashing was heard, and sparks flew.

Aoto's attack was unstoppable. Takasugi Shinsaku had no time to dodge. Although he managed to take a defensive stance and barely managed to block it, his left arm was still cut by the tip of the knife.

He held the thrown Muramasa and staggered back a few steps.

Before he could regain his footing, Qingdeng had already assumed the stance of a broken heart, ready to launch a new attack at any moment.

It's obvious to anyone with eyes that Takasugi Shinsaku has already fallen into a disadvantageous position.

Faced with Qingdeng's fierce attack, he could only parry and had no power to retaliate.

If he hadn't taken the "Decisive Battle Elixir" beforehand, he probably would have been killed by Qing Deng long ago.

At this moment, Shinsaku Takasugi felt his body getting hotter and the blood in his veins flowing rapidly.

My heart was pounding so hard... the "thump, thump" sound kept hitting my eardrums, as if it might jump out of my throat at any moment.

Despite the unfavorable battle situation, and Qing Deng's knife constantly slashing at his body, leaving large and small wounds, he felt not only no frustration or disappointment, but instead became increasingly excited! More excited than the night he first tasted the joy of love!

Undoubtedly, these are all effects brought about by the "decisive battle against the desertification".

Both his rapidly pumping muscles and his extremely excited emotions greatly enhanced his fighting ability.

Only with the help of external forces can they contend with Aoto... This made Takasugi Shinsaku feel very unwilling.

But things had already come to this point, and in order to preserve the overall situation, he couldn't care less about anything else.

When he chose to stay and hold off Qingdeng, he was already prepared to die.

He never expected to win against Qingdeng in a direct confrontation.

But now that the battle has gone on, he suddenly realizes that he is not without options!

Just now, he suddenly discovered Qing Deng's weakness—the knife in his hand was no good!

Although Takasugi Shinsaku was not a professional sword appraiser, as a samurai, he still possessed the most basic sword appraisal skills.

He could tell at a glance that the knife in Qing Deng's hand was a cheap one, probably a nameless knife he had taken from someone.

How could such a mediocre product, which doesn't even have a sword inscription, be a match for Muramasa?

As expected, after several rounds of sword fighting, Muramasa's blade remained intact, while Aoto's blade was covered with nicks and slits of all sizes.

To prevent the blade from breaking—this is an essential skill for experienced swordsmen.

Focusing solely on killing enemies while neglecting the condition of the blade in one's hand can lead to the blade breaking during combat... Many beginners fall victim to this mistake.

If he could, Takasugi Shinsaku would love to find an opportunity to slash at the blade.

In this way, no matter how fine the sword is, it will inevitably break.

Unfortunately, given his skill level, he simply couldn't manage to strike Qing Deng's blade.

Unaware that the sword in his hand was about to break, he continued his frantic attack... To be honest, Takasugi Shinsaku found it hard to believe that the mighty King Niou would make such a basic mistake.

Aoto's current state was indeed extremely strange. His eyes were fixed on Takasugi Shinsaku, barely blinking, as if he would not rest until he killed Takasugi Shinsaku, completely ignoring the knife in his hand.

Despite his confusion, Shinsaku Takasugi didn't have time to consider the reasons behind it.

Regardless, this is undoubtedly his only chance to turn the tide!

Therefore, from the moment he started, he deliberately changed from dodging to defending and fought Qingdeng with his knife without regard for his own safety!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The clanging sound, like the striking of metal, became the only sound in this place at that moment.

Even with the added advantage of "Decisive Battle at Yoko," Takasugi Shinsaku's strength was far inferior to that of Aoto.

Therefore, this is entirely a contest of perseverance!

Every time their swords clashed, Takasugi Shinsaku felt as if his arm was broken, and even his internal organs were groaning.

His hands had long lost their feeling, so he had to clench his teeth, making a grinding sound, to endure the ordeal.

Whether Qingdeng's sword breaks first, or his body gives way first... will determine the outcome of this battle!

In clashes of this caliber, the turning point often occurs in an instant.

Suddenly, Qing Deng rushed forward and swung his sword fiercely at the top of Takasugi Shinsaku's head.

Takasugi Shinsaku raised his sword again and took the blow head-on.

Another fierce clash of swords, another loud clang... But this time, a sudden "crack" sound rang out—Qing Deng's sword finally gave way! It broke and shattered, scattering fragments everywhere, leaving only a blade less than 2 inches long!

In an instant, a sharp glint flashed in Takasugi Shinsaku's eyes!

The long-awaited fighter jet has finally appeared!

In an instant... it really was in a flash! He changed his stance, lowered his waist, took a half step back with his left foot, and assumed the most advantageous position for exerting force. Then, he swung his sword horizontally like a whirlwind!

The blade whistled... Muramasa sliced ​​through the air in a beautiful arc, sweeping straight towards Aoto's neck!

Shinsaku Takasugi pinned all his hopes for victory on this one strike.