I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Su Nuo, who was standing nearby, interjected:

"We were originally going to add the Ox Demon and the Wet Woman to the list. But alas, things didn't go as planned, and they left us too soon."

"..."

Katsura Kogoro pursed his lips, remaining silent as he looked back and forth at Shuten-dōji and the others with a complicated expression.

After a short while, he said in a low voice:

"...Count me in."

As he spoke, he raised his hand and gently touched the Muramasa at his waist.

"My strength is self-evident and needs no further explanation."

"With my help, your chances of winning will definitely increase significantly."

Although Shuten-dōji and his group's "final plan" was reckless, it was not without its feasibility.

In fact, Katsura Kogoro was also aware of the intense nature of the current battle.

With most of the defenders of Edo Castle drawn to the Sannomaru, sending an elite special forces unit straight into the heart of Edo Castle... this might be a brilliant plan to turn the tide of the battle!

After concisely explaining his determination, Katsura Kogoro pulled out a "Decisive Battle Pill" from his pocket.

Looking at the red pill in his hand, a dark look appeared on his cheeks.

He always carried this "Decisive Battle" coin with him.

The purpose is to use it at the "most critical moment".

And now, this "most crucial moment" has arrived!

Faced with Katsura Kogoro's offer of service, Shuten-dōji responded without hesitation—he laughed loudly, as if he had heard a funny joke.

"Hahahahaha!"

"Gui Jun, I admire your bravery."

"However, you'd better stay here obediently."

Upon hearing this, Katsura Kogoro frowned, his face showing confusion.

"Why? Do you think I'll hold you back?"

Shuten-dōji shook his head and patiently explained:

"Gui Jun, you've misunderstood."

"I don't look down on you."

"To be honest, I would be happy to fight alongside you if conditions allowed."

"Who would complain about having too many reliable comrades around them?"

"But it's too early for you to die here."

At this point, he turned his head and gestured with his chin toward Sukuna and Umibozu beside him.

"We, after storming Nobi and embarking on the expedition to Edo, never intended to return home alive."

"To put it bluntly, our lives are not so valuable that we 'absolutely cannot die'."

"If we can successfully kill Tokugawa Iemochi, it will be worth it even if it means the sacrifice of all of us."

Neither Sukuna nor Umibozu showed any displeasure at Shuten-dōji's words.

They remained expressionless and silent, tacitly accepting Shuten-dōji's statement.

Shuten-dōji's voice continued:

"Anyway, Lord Orochi, Lord Tamamo-no-Mae, and Lord Ōtakemaru are still alive, and the Fa-ju Party will not perish because of our deaths."

"Although it will severely damage our vitality, it won't come to a complete standstill."

"But you're different."

"Now, you are the last leader in the Choshu Domain who can command respect."

"Takasugi Shinsaku's fate is unknown... He might already be dead."

“If something were to happen to you, Changzhou would be left leaderless.”

"Thinking about the future, delaying your death a little longer will bring you greater value."

After speaking, Shuten-dōji took half a step forward and patted Katsura Kogoro's shoulder forcefully.

"Gui-jun, live well."

"I'm absolutely certain that the world will undergo some very exciting changes in the future!"

"Katsura-kun, I don't know if you've ever thought carefully about what kind of changes would occur in the political landscape if Tokugawa Iemochi were to die?"

"What do you think we went to such lengths, even at the cost of the lives of many of our officers, to defeat Tokugawa Iemochi?"

Before Katsura Kogoro could respond, Shuten-dōji continued on his own:

"Only by killing Tokugawa Iemochi can we awaken the ambitions of 'those guys'!"

When referring to "those guys," Shuten-dōji emphasized the term, and his expression became intriguing.

Faced with Shuten-dōji's persuasion, Katsura Kogoro stood frozen in place, a strong hesitation tugging at his cheek.

After a moment, he made a decision—he slowly lowered his hand from the hilt of the knife.

Seeing this, Shuten-dōji smiled slightly:

"Very good, thank you for your understanding."

"After the three of us storm Edo Castle, the main camp will be yours."

"The Slavic Legion is no longer of any use."

“I have already ordered them to attack with all their might and not to retreat, so you don’t need to worry about them.”

"You should focus on managing your elite troops."

"Keep a close eye on the battlefield situation."

"Once you feel that 'it's time to retreat' or 'the situation is not right,' take your surprise force and retreat through Zhongshan Street or Riguang Street in a timely manner."

Katsura Kogoro nodded solemnly and forcefully:

"Yes, I know."

Thus, the two ended their brief conversation.

Katsura Kogoro silently stepped aside.

Shuten-dōji turned to look at Sukuna and Umibōzu:

"Have you all received the wine?"

Su Nuo replied:

"Yes, I got them all."

Shuten-dōji smiled and nodded:

"Very well! Then let's not delay any longer, let's drink this last glass of wine in our lives!"

The three stood in a "品" shape, facing each other, with three wine glasses held in mid-air, filled to the brim with wine.

Suddenly, Umibozu said in a low voice:

"Just drinking like this feels kind of dull."

Su Nuo bluntly retorted:

"What? Are you going to hire ten or eight geishas to play music while seeing us off?"

Umibozu shrugged:

"If there were really ten or eight geishas here, that wouldn't be a bad thing."

At this moment, Shuten-dōji took over the conversation:

“Umibozu is right. It’s really too boring to just raise a glass and drink like this.”

He paused for a moment, then offered his suggestion:

"Let's sing 'Atsumori'."

Su Nu raised an eyebrow:

"Atsumori? You want to emulate Oda Nobunaga?"

Shuten-dōji changed to a half-joking tone:

"Why not? If we can successfully emulate Oda Nobunaga, that would be even better."

Atsumori is a famous piece from the "Kowaka-mai" genre of Noh, a traditional Japanese drama.

At the end of the Heian period, the two major samurai clans of Minamoto and Taira engaged in a fierce war known as the "Genpei War".

The Taira clan was unable to contend with the powerful Minamoto clan and gradually lost ground.

In 1184, the two armies clashed in the famous Battle of Ichi-no-Tani.

Taira no Atsumori, a young general of the Taira clan, died in this battle at the age of sixteen.

Taira no Atsumori was an exceptionally handsome young man with a beautiful face and many talents, especially in music, where he was skilled at playing the transverse flute.

Legend has it that even enemy generals were captivated by his good looks.

It is common knowledge that good-looking people always receive preferential treatment.

People felt great sympathy for this handsome young man who died on the battlefield at such a young age.

As a result, his tragic story spread widely and was adapted and absorbed by various art forms, including poetry, novels, and operas.

As time passed, the "Atsumori" dance gradually spread to later generations, becoming a popular dance among people from all walks of life and continuing to this day.

When talking about Atsumori, the most famous story associated with it is the Battle of Okehazama during the Sengoku period.

In 1560, the third year of the Eiroku era, Imagawa Yoshimoto, known as the "Number One Archer of the Tokaido," led 4 troops to Kyoto, with his sword pointed at the capital region.

Oda Nobunaga's territory—Owari, which lies between the Tokaido and the Kinai region—became an obstacle on Imagawa Yoshimoto's path to advance.