I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Come on!"

Another one has come to cause trouble… Hattori Takeo gritted his teeth and shouted impatiently:

"Get out of my way! I don't have time for you scum!"

Oishi Kuwajiro naturally ignored his threats.

He calmly held his knife in front of him, leisurely spread his legs, and stared intently at his opponent without any panic.

Seeing that Oishi Kuwajiro was unwilling to back down, Hattori Takeo didn't bother to say anything more. He got into a slashing stance, ready to use this foolish guy as a sacrificial offering before killing Kondo Isami!

One side leaps forward at lightning speed, like a thunderbolt, using movement to attack stillness!

The other side stood still, like an ancient tree, using stillness to control movement!

In the instant the two passed each other, a flash of light appeared—

Oishi Kuwajiro ducked slightly to dodge Hattori Takeo's slash, and passed under his left armpit.

The instant the two figures merged into one, he held the knife in his hand horizontally at the other's waist. He didn't even need to swing the knife; the other "consciously" ran into the blade!

scoff!

With a dull thud as the blade sliced ​​through flesh, Hattori Takeo's charge was abruptly halted.

Although Oishi Kuwajiro's sword was not a priceless treasure, it was still a top-quality sword, capable of easily cutting flesh and breaking bones.

After the attack, Hattori Takeo's upper and lower body were only connected by a few bits of flesh.

With such a broken body, there is absolutely no way he could stand or fight again.

Driven by inertia, he staggered forward two steps before collapsing to the ground like a lump of mud.

With such severe injuries, he didn't even have the strength to cry out.

Hattori Takeo struggled several times, but could not get himself up again.

Even so, he still did not give up on revenge!

He raised his head and cast a hateful, venomous glance at Kondo Isami, as if he wanted to memorize Kondo Isami's appearance in his eyes and heart so that he could seek revenge in the next life!

Kondo Isami met his gaze without fear, his expression open and honest, as if to say: Remember my face, I welcome you to come and seek revenge anytime!

And so, Hattori Takeo glared fiercely at Kondo Isami before taking his last breath.

Takeo Hattori, a former Shinsengumi member and Goryo-ebi, died in battle!

Unlike Ito Kashitaro's relief at the moment of his death, Hattori Takeo did not give up his hatred for Kondo Isami until his last breath.

Even though its brilliance had faded, a fierce rage remained in its eyes.

It's over... Ito Kashitaro and Hattori Takeo were both killed, and apart from Todo Heisuke who suffered minor injuries, no one else was killed or injured.

"Kujiro, well done."

After giving a brief compliment to Oishi Kuwajiro, Aoto slowly moved to Todo Heisuke's side:

"Heisuke, you should go and heal your wounds."

Although the injury to Todo Heisuke's left shoulder was not fatal, the amount of bleeding was not to be underestimated.

In a short while, the small patch of his clothing centered around the wound was stained red with blood, looking particularly frightening.

However, Todo Heisuke seemed oblivious to the pain in his left shoulder, his eyes blankly fixed on Ito Kashitaro's corpse.

To personally kill one's mentor... perhaps no words or phrases can accurately describe the state of mind he was in.

"...Mr. Ju, may I have the right to dispose of my master's remains?"

Qingdeng nodded without hesitation:

"That's what I meant."

"Mr. Ju, thank you..."

Todo Heisuke looked up, wanting to show Aoto a grateful smile.

However, he now feels that every muscle in his face is as heavy as a thousand pounds, and he can't even do something as simple as "lifting the corners of his mouth".

Aoto patted Todo Heisuke's head and whispered:

"Heisuke, you didn't have to do this..."

When Todo Heisuke declared his intention to fight Ito Kashitaro to the death, Aoto explicitly opposed it.

It wasn't just that they were worried he wouldn't be a match for Ito Kashitaro, but also that they didn't want him to bear the heavy pressure of "killing his mentor."

Faced with Aoto's concern, Toudou Heisuke mustered his spirits and gently shook his head:

"Mr. Ju, thank you for your concern. You don't need to worry about me."

“I’m fine. I was prepared when I drew my sword and charged at my master.”

"I have no regrets about killing my master."

"I'm just... a little disappointed..."

"So this is what it feels like to lose a loved one... It feels like a piece of my heart has been ripped out..."

Qingdeng pursed his lips, wanting to say something more, but not knowing how to begin.

He had only killed his senior brother, not his master, so he couldn't possibly say something as irresponsible as "feeling the same way."

After a moment of silence, he could only pat the other person's head again:

"Heisuke, I'm giving you two weeks off. You should rest well."

"Yes……"

After comforting Todo Heisuke to the best of his ability, Aoto turned around, raised his chin, and gazed into the distance—in the direction of Kodai-ji Geshin-in Temple—and murmured softly:

"It should have started by now..."

……

……

Kyoto, Kodai-ji Geshin-in Temple (the stronghold of the Imperial Guards), a room on the second floor—

"Why hasn't my brother returned yet..."

Suzuki Mikisaburo stood by the window, frequently glancing outside, his face filled with anxiety.

Logically speaking, Ito Kashitaro, who went to meet with Imuta Shohei, should have returned long ago.

However, even at this hour, with the moon already past its zenith and below the horizon, it was still nowhere to be seen...

The deeper Suzuki Saburo thought about it, the more anxious he became.

Although he didn't want to speculate negatively, an ominous premonition had already crept into his heart...

Just as he was contemplating whether to gather his men to search for Ito Kashitaro—

"Hmm? You are... um!"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"It's the Shinsengumi! The Shinsengumi are attacking!"

"Ughhhhhh!"

The fierce shouts of battle coming from downstairs instantly took away Suzuki Mikisaburo's entire focus, leaving him frozen in place like a statue.

Before he could react, a series of rapid footsteps came from the direction of the corridor—a large group of people was rushing towards him!

At that moment, Suzuki Miki Saburo finally came to his senses and immediately drew his sword.

Bang!

The fragile paper sliding door was kicked open roughly.

Samurai dressed in light blue haori filed in and surrounded Suzuki Mikisaburo.

Swords and blades formed a forest, their cold gleams pointing diagonally in all directions at Suzuki Mikisaburo, blocking all his escape routes.

Upon seeing the Shinsengumi members suddenly arrive, Suzuki Mikisaburo's face immediately turned extremely ugly.

What are Tachibana Aoto's lackeys doing here?!

As he was puzzled by this question, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the vast sea of ​​people.

"Saito...kun...?"

Suzuki Miki Saburo stared wide-eyed, his face filled with disbelief.

Saito Hajime stood at the forefront of the squad members, looking expressionlessly at Suzuki Mikisaburo. In the moonlight shining through the window, his eyes gleamed with a cold light.

Standing beside Saito Hajime, Inoue Genzaburo spoke in a clear, deliberate voice, enunciating each word clearly:

"I am Inoue Genzaburo, captain of the 6th Division of the Shinsengumi! Suzuki Mikisaburo, you have violated Article 5 of the Shinsengumi Law! Surrender!"

[Note: Article 5 of the Shinsengumi Laws: Anyone who betrays the country and colludes with the enemy shall be executed on the spot!]

Seeing Saito Hajime standing side by side with Inoue Genzaburo, Suzuki Mikizaburo instantly understood everything.

"Saito Hajime...you brat...so you were an inside man for the Shinsengumi?!"

He gritted his teeth in fury, his face turning deathly pale with fear, and his face flushed red like a tomato in an instant.

"..."

Saito didn't say a word, but silently raised his hand, drew his sword, and released a fierce killing intent!

Suzuki Mikisaburo relentlessly questioned in a shrill voice:

"Where is my brother? Where is he?"

Inoue Genzaburo said coldly:

"Now that things have come to this, do you still have the energy to care about others?"

Having said that, he drew his knife and stepped forward.

The soldiers around him stepped forward and tightened the encirclement.

“该死……该死……！”

Hatred, fear, panic... Suzuki Mikisaburo's face was like a large dyeing palette, with all sorts of negative emotions vying to emerge and blend together.