I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

As the deputy governor and de facto commander of the Edo Castle Siege, the heavy responsibility he shouldered far exceeded what most people could imagine.

At this moment, he is undoubtedly the one under the most pressure.

To facilitate command, he set up his main camp at Mount Atago, south of Edo Castle.

This is the highest point in Edo, offering a panoramic view of the entire town. It is advantageous for observing the battlefield and for relaying orders.

"Lord Katsu! There's a fire in Yanagicho!"

"Lord Katsu! The fire in Denma Town has been brought under control!"

"Lord Sheng! Apart from the artillery bombardment, the enemy has made no further moves!"

……

Messengers came and went in a constant stream.

Countless messages and intelligence gathered before the case of Katsurin Taro.

The bombardment by the Fazi alliance had lasted for a full half hour.

For the next half hour, their barrage of artillery fire never stopped.

Of course, the barrage of artillery fire from the Edo garrison never stopped!

The artillery duel between the two sides left both sides' positions in ruins.

The location of the Faki coalition's positions is another matter.

In any case, the main streets and towns of Edo had been ravaged by cannon fire.

Everywhere were ruins and rubble, and the firelight illuminated the entire town of Edo... It was a heartbreaking sight.

Even in the West today, the staff system is only just beginning to emerge.

Without the help of his staff, Katsura Rintaro had to analyze and process the intelligence on his own, and then issue military orders and command troops based on this intelligence.

At this moment, he frowned, his eyes fixed on the Edo map in front of him, his mind racing.

A moment later, he suddenly turned his head and shouted to the messenger beside him:

"Get the defenders at Nihonbashi ready! The real battle will begin soon!"

Suddenly, as if in response to his shout, the outside world fell silent.

The Edo garrison was still firing cannons, but the cannon fire from the opposite side had stopped.

This sudden change startled Katsura Rintaro.

This daze was only temporary; he quickly regained his senses and muttered through gritted teeth:

"Has it started...!"

……

……

"Kill them!" (Russian)

"Special Forces, follow me!"

The soldiers of the Faki Allied Forces emerged from their bunkers and advanced eastward, launching a charge towards Edo!

The reason they stopped shelling was simple—they ran out of shells!

The artillery faithfully carried out Shuten-dōji's orders, firing all the cannonballs until not a single one was left.

This is the final battle that will determine the success or failure of the "Heavenly Spear".

Therefore, there is no need for a main force or any reserve force!

The entire army, including Shuten-dōji and Katsura Kogoro, went into battle together!

A full-scale, decisive attack!

Soon, the town at the western end of Edo—the famous Shinjuku—came into view.

Because it was located in Edo, merchants and travelers coming to Edo along the "Five Roads" would often stay here, which is the origin of the name "Shinjuku".

For this reason, Shinjuku is home to a large number of post stations and is one of the most densely populated areas in Edo.

Katsura Rintaro's "Edo Renovation" resulted in the demolition of most of the houses and the widening of the streets.

It is not difficult to see that a considerable number of shells landed here.

The Faki coalition's heavy artillery barrage turned the vast Shinjuku into ablaze.

The houses on both sides of the street either collapsed or burned fiercely, with very few buildings remaining intact.

Upon seeing the enemy attack, the garrison soldiers who had been waiting there immediately raised their muskets.

"put!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The barrage of comments roared.

Amidst a shower of blood, the Faki coalition forces, despite suffering heavy casualties, raised their guns and launched a counterattack.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two waves of bullets alternately tore through the air, bringing death with them.

After closing the distance, several figures rushed out from the Faki coalition forces—it was Su Nuo and the cadres of the Fazhu Party!

They leaped into the ranks of the Edo garrison, brandishing their weapons and slaughtering lives with overwhelming force.

In an instant, gaps were torn in the defenses of the Shinjuku garrison.

Subsequent troops arrived in time, further widening these gaps.

The resistance of the Shinjuku garrison was undeniably tenacious, and their fighting spirit undeniably courageous.

However, they were at a disadvantage in terms of both troop size and individual soldier skills.

Moreover, the Faki alliance also has top-tier fighters like Shuten-dōji and Katsura Kogoro assisting them.

In just under 10 minutes, Shinjuku fell!

"Don't stop! Keep moving forward! We can't be considered victorious until we've completely captured Edo Castle and killed Tokugawa Iemochi!"

As Shuten-dōji wiped the bloodstains off his blade, he took the lead and set off with his soldiers toward the majestic Edo Castle!

They had barely broken through Shinjuku when they were immediately met with new resistance!

Accompanied by rapid footsteps, countless soldiers of the Mongol army emerged from all over the streets, alleys, and inside houses, blocking the path of the Faki coalition and launching an offensive!

The sight of the more than two thousand soldiers of the Faki coalition galloping across the open fields was truly magnificent.

However, once they stormed into Edo, their small force was quickly proven insufficient.

Edo was a large city with a complex layout of buildings and streets.

As they marched through the crisscrossing streets and alleys, they were met with fierce attacks from the Mongol army... and so the formation of the Faki coalition grew longer and longer.

Gradually, the massive legion was forced to break up into countless smaller squads.

Teams can range from a hundred to a dozen people.

They were scattered throughout Edo, fighting freely!

There were no tactics, no strategies, and no distance between the two armies... it was just a simple encounter and battle, over and over again!

Find the enemy, eliminate him, and then find the next enemy... Either drive the Faki coalition out of Edo; or defeat the shogunate army and capture Edo Castle!

A brutal and intense street battle is about to unfold!

*******

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Readers with monthly passes, please be sure to vote for this book! (Crying leopard head.jpg) This author has worked really hard this month! Deserves a reward! Requesting monthly passes! Requesting recommendation votes! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

P.S.: All the foreshadowing and subplots in the previous chapters are now being gradually resolved. The earlier mention of "Saito Yakuro being skilled at firing cannons" was preparation for this chapter.

Chapter 947 The Sword Saint Takes the Field! [4700]

call!

With a crisp flapping of its wings, an eagle glided over Edo.

Beneath it, the vast Edo region was stained with the colors of blood and fire!

Edo is on fire!

Flames flickered, a hail of bullets and blades! Countless lives perished in the battle!

From south to north; from open streets to narrow alleys... figures rush about, colliding fiercely!

Battlefields everywhere!

Everywhere you look, you can see soldiers from both sides fighting each other!

"Quickly! There are bandits here!"

"You lackeys of the Shogunate! Die!"

"You mere Westerners, stop being so arrogant! When it comes to bravery, when we Bando warriors were conquering new territories, you were still wearing loincloths somewhere!"

"They're attacking!"

"Hurrah!" (Russian)

"Throw away the musket! It's useless now! Draw your sword!"

"Wet nurse! Wet nurse!"

"Wait, wait! I surrender! I surrender! I didn't want to fight at all! It was the big tree... wait, wait! Don't kill me! Don't kill me... gulp!"

……

As expected, the direct staff made a fool of themselves again.

Faced with the ferocious Faki coalition, they hadn't even engaged in battle yet; they had only just caught a glimpse of the enemy soldiers in the distance when they began to panic.

Those who could truly muster the courage to remember that they were samurai and dare to fight were few and far between.