I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

The enemy charged forward fearlessly, and no matter how fierce the barrage from the Sixth Division was, they could not be repelled.

In the blink of an eye, the Second Division is facing the enemy again!

An enemy soldier rushed straight towards Yongcang Xinba.

"Wa ...

A distinctive shout... it's a manifestation stream!

Nagakura Shinpachi snorted coldly, changed his footing, dodged, and then swung his sword backhand towards the opponent's chest.

This strike would absolutely kill an ordinary martial artist who lacks skill.

Unexpectedly, the opponent managed to dodge it!

Not only did he dodge it, but he also swung his sword a second time, aiming for the top of Nagakura Shinpachi's head.

Nagakura Shinpachi's expression changed slightly, then his gaze sharpened. After dodging the opponent's attack again, he unleashed a new offensive.

In an instant, he swung his sword twice—

The first strike is a feint, designed to trick the opponent into making a move.

The second strike is the killing blow; taking advantage of the opponent's exposed midline due to being deceived by a feint, the strike cuts open their chest.

They won... but Nagakura Shinpachi was not happy at all.

It took Nagakura Shinpachi three full moves to subdue just one enemy soldier...

Nagakura Shinpachi immediately realized the seriousness of the problem and muttered to himself through clenched teeth:

"The troops just now were just insignificant ordinary troops. Is the current force the real 'trump card'...?!"

With the support of "Decisive Battle of the Lake", the ordinary troops of the "Southern Army" were able to fight the Second Division to a standstill.

So, it's not hard to guess how the elite "Southern Army" soldiers who have conquered "Decisive Battle Lake" will perform!

Nagakura Shinpachi immediately issued a warning:

"These guys are the enemy's elite! Don't let your guard down!"

His warning was meaningless.

As soon as the two sides engaged in battle, the members of the Second Division immediately realized that the enemy they were facing was far superior to the enemy they had just dealt with!

This new round of fierce battle has just begun, and the Second Division, known for its elite troops, has already been suppressed! In the blink of an eye, signs of defeat have appeared!

Upon seeing this, Nagakura Shinpachi's cheeks gradually filled with a resolute expression.

In such a situation, the only way to make up for the gap is through individual skill!

If it were Mr. Tachibana, he would definitely do the same. Nagakura Shinpachi thought to himself.

The moment he made up his mind, Nagakura Shinpachi moved his feet, preparing to run towards the nearest place where the fighting was most intense.

However, before he could take two steps, a strong wave of dizziness hit his brain, causing him to stagger!

It took him a lot of effort to barely steady himself.

However, the dizziness in his head did not dissipate, but seemed to worsen, and things in his eyes began to appear double.

He had to bend over and hunch over, pinching his temples tightly with his left thumb and middle finger, only then could he feel a little better.

"Damn it...!"

Needless to say, it must have been that flying rock that hit him on the head...

Fortunately, in this moment of crisis, Nakajima Noboru rushed out from the side and supported Nagakura Shinpachi's shoulder.

"Captain! You're badly injured! Quickly retreat to the rear!"

With his head covered in blood, Nagakura Shinpachi didn't look like he was alright at all.

Therefore, Nakajima Noboru has been keeping an eye on him ever since.

When Nagakura Shinpachi showed signs of distress, he immediately rushed to his aid.

Nagakura Shinpachi opened his mouth, wanting to say, "There's no time to rest now."

But he is now in a semi-comatose state and cannot even utter a complete sentence.

At that moment, Inoue Genzaburo, covered in blood, suddenly arrived.

"Shinpachi! What happened to your head?"

Nakajima Noboru succinctly explained the whole story.

Upon hearing this, Inoue Genzaburo's expression changed.

At this critical juncture when Nagakura Shinpachi's exceptional fighting prowess is most needed, he is now powerless to fight... For Inoue Genzaburo, there could be no worse news than this!

The enemy's offensive was unstoppable.

Whether they were swordsmen wielding knives or musketeers using firearms, they were all outstanding elites.

The Second Division has been decimated, and the aggressive enemy forces are beginning to threaten the Sixth Division behind them.

The Sixth Division soldiers, having closed the distance, were forced to fight back with their bayonets. They fought bravely, but... they were powerless to stop the enemy's advance.

Even an ordinary person with no military knowledge can see the current situation clearly—the Second and Sixth Divisions are powerless to stop the enemy! A complete rout is only a matter of time! Koji Bridge is about to fall!

Helpless, Noboru Nakajima could only turn to look at Genzaburo Inoue.

"Captain Inoue! Requesting instructions!"

Apart from the seriously injured Nagakura Shinpachi, the highest-ranking officer on this battlefield was Inoue Genzaburo.

Meeting Nakajima Noboru's expectant gaze, Inoue Genzaburo's face darkened. After a moment's thought, he issued an order that Nakajima Noboru could hardly believe:

"Abandon the small bridge! Retreat!"

Nakajima was taken aback. Even with his duty to "unconditionally obey orders from superiors," he couldn't help but ask in return:

"Retreat?! Captain Inoue! Koedashi is the core of the 'Toba Defense Line'..."

Before Nakajima Noboru could finish speaking, Inoue Genzaburo rudely interrupted:

"Of course I know the importance of Xiaozhi Bridge!"

"But you see what happened? If this continues, we will all be wiped out."

"The bridge can be taken back if it's gone, but if everyone dies, there's no hope left!"

“I gave the order to ‘retreat’.”

"I'll take full responsibility!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Retreat!"

Upon hearing this, Nakajima pursed his lips—the "hesitation" in his eyes was replaced by "resoluteness".

"...I understand! Captain Inoue! You organize the retreat! I'll cover the rear!"

After speaking, without waiting for Inoue Genzaburo's response, he handed the semi-conscious Nagakura Shinpachi to Inoue Genzaburo and then bravely returned to the front line.

……

……

South Palace (the main camp of the "Toba Defense Line") —

The fall of Koji Bridge and the retreat of the Second and Sixth Divisions... This sudden and devastating news froze the surrounding air.

Hijikata Toshizo's staff all turned into clay and wooden statues, their expressions dominated by intense shock and terror.

The importance of Koji Bridge to the "Toba Defense Line" cannot be overstated.

Once Koji Bridge falls into enemy hands, the "Toba Defense Line" will be cut in half, and both "Upper Toba" and "Lower Toba" will be at risk of being attacked from both sides!

After regaining his senses, one of the staff members quickly said to Hijikata Toshizo:

"Vice Commander! Let's organize a counterattack quickly!"

Another aide chimed in:

"We must retake Xiaozhi Bridge immediately!"

Harada Sanosuke, who had been waiting quietly to the side, now showed a rare seriousness:

"Mr. Hijikata, let me go."

Almost all the staff agreed with the plan to "take back Xiaozhi Bridge immediately".

However, Hijikata Toshizo did not respond immediately.

From the moment he left, Hijikata Toshizo had been staring intently at the battle map in front of him, deep in thought.

After a moment, he spoke quickly but clearly and solemnly:

"...The small bridge, which was just fine a moment ago, was lost in the blink of an eye."

"This shows that the enemy is incredibly powerful and their attack speed is so fast that Shinpachi and his men have no time to call for reinforcements from the main camp."

"The Second and Sixth Divisions were instantly defeated... This level of formidable enemy cannot be easily defeated by sending one or two additional units."

"To retake 'Xiaozhi Bridge,' we must make more thorough preparations."

"Otherwise, not only will we fail to recapture 'Kojima Bridge,' but we will also put our allies in 'Uetoba' and 'Shimotoba' in a desperate situation of 'total annihilation.'"

At this point, Hijikata Toshizo paused, then said in a solemn voice:

"...Order the entire army! Retreat across the board! Temporarily abandon the 'Toba Line'! Retreat to the 'Fushimi Line'!"

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Chapter 1143 The "Southern Army" Suffers Heavy Losses; Two Armies with Victories and Defeats [4600]

"Toba Defense Line," under Toba—

"Watch out! It's Captain Serizawa Kamo from the Fourth Division!"