I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

It's quite a coincidence that just yesterday, two major Japanese game companies announced that they would each release a new game with a Bakumatsu theme.

These are Sega's "Yakuza Ishin Kiwami" to be released in 2023, and Koei's "Rise of Ronin" to be released in 2024.

Both are highly anticipated, especially the latter.

The latter's development team is the "Ninja Gaiden" team, which is extremely skilled in action games. The team behind the Nioh series is known for its "open world in the Bakumatsu era."

I bet 10 chapters of "W-word update"—this "Rise of the Ronin" will definitely feature historical figures like the Shinsengumi. It would be strange if a Koei Tecmo game didn't include real historical figures.

Since it's an "open world × action role-playing" game set in the Bakumatsu period, it's impossible for it not to include the Shinsengumi; that's for sure.

Koei Tecmo's Ninja Gaiden team is really strong... Next year they're releasing "Wolong: Fall of the Azure Sky," a game based on the Three Kingdoms period, and the year after that, "Rise of the Ronin," a game based on the Bakumatsu period. They really have a lot of work to do.

As for Yakuza Ishin Kiwami, it's a game that completely revolves around the Shinsengumi, with a very imaginative premise.

"Sakamoto Ryoma, in order to find out who killed his adoptive father, infiltrates the Shinsengumi under the alias Saito Hajime and chats with Okita Souji and his gang"—this kind of game plot is quite imaginative, but if you can accept such a plot, it's still quite exciting.

In short, readers who are interested in these two Bakumatsu-themed games should keep an eye out for them, as trailers for both games have already been released.

Chapter 184 The Final Battle! Aoto vs. Kamino [9000]

Yesterday's monthly ticket goal was successfully achieved, and the author should have written another 10,000-word chapter today. However, due to some urgent matters that needed immediate attention in real life yesterday, the author only managed to write 9000 words despite rushing around (crying face).

I'll add another 10,000-word chapter tomorrow. (Leopard dead.jpg)

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"Ms. Kinoshita! Get out of here!"

Upon discovering the group of men in black who had suddenly appeared, Qing Deng's face immediately showed an expression mixed with surprise and other emotions.

He swiftly instructed Kinoshita Mai to retreat quickly, to a place far away from Kanna and the others, and out of the range of the men in black's fire.

Dressed in all black, each carrying a matchlock gun... their distinctive attire made their identities immediately clear.

The blood in Jinno and the others froze at that moment, and they could no longer care about Aoto and Kinoshita Mai in front of them.

However, in the next instant, a shout that allowed their consciousness to regain control of their bodies caused their blood to flow again.

"Don't move!"

On the east side of the street, Mizushima Ninzaburo, the captain of the 4th Division of the Fire Thieves, continued in an unyielding tone... no, it should be that Asakino and the others then announced:

"Drop all your weapons! Lie down on the ground!"

Mizushima Ninzaburo's voice was powerful and resonant, like heavy hammers striking the hearts of Kanna and the others.

As if by reflex, the members of the Exile Group focused their attention on Jinno.

Under the pleading gazes of the crowd, Shinno unconsciously clenched his teeth, making a grinding sound.

—Damn it! You beast!

Kamino mentally unleashed every swear word in Japanese.

The fire-wielding thief has returned... The situation that Jinno least wanted to see has occurred.

Jinno recognized Mizushima Ninzaburo's face, so when he saw Mizushima Ninzaburo appearing at the east street corner, he knew that it was the Fourth Division of the Fire Thieves.

Excluding the captain, each squad of the Fire Thieves has 10 members of the Righteousness and 50 members of the Unity, totaling 60 people.

Currently, the 60 members of the Fourth Division are evenly deployed at the east and west street corners, their matchlock guns, already lit, aimed at them... At Mizushima Ninzaburo's command, a dense hail of bullets will immediately rain down upon them...

What should I do? This question filled every corner of Kamino's mind.

This is actually a thought that doesn't require much consideration.

Even with everyone intact, Kamino wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with the powerful Fire Thief Kai.

Given the current situation where Qing Deng and Kinoshita Mai have already killed and injured many people, engaging in a direct conflict with the Fire Thieves is not a wise move no matter how you look at it.

retreat.

We must retreat as soon as possible!

However... the moment the word "retreat" surfaced in his mind, a surge of intense resentment welled up and overwhelmed Jinno's emotions.

Despite suffering such heavy casualties and making such a heavy sacrifice... we still couldn't kill Tachibana Aoto, that traitor!

There was another crucial reason why he was determined to kill Qingdeng tonight: Qingdeng's rapid growth... terrified him.

Two months ago, during the "Battle of the Foreign Documents Investigation Office," when he first met and fought Qingdeng, he was able to gain a slight advantage in his one-on-one duel with Qingdeng.

Now, just two months later, this young man, who is not yet 20 years old, is able to fight him and his subordinates at the same time and hold his own.

Even though he personally took to the field, he still couldn't defeat this traitor... Although Kinoshita Mai, who provided strong support to Aoto, deserves credit for this disheartening result, Jinno also truly felt that Aoto's strength was now vastly different from what it used to be.

Such a rate of growth... Although he didn't want to admit it, Kamino was indeed a little scared.

If we give this guy more time, how far can he grow?

Jinno didn't dare to think about it any further.

If they retreat now, all their efforts and sacrifices tonight will be for nothing...

Moreover, if we miss tonight, who knows when we'll have another chance to kill Qingdeng.

Despite being so unwilling that her eyes were practically spitting fire... reason eventually caught up with emotion.

If they don't retreat quickly and continue to insist on killing Qingdeng, they might all perish here tonight.

Kamino loosened his teeth, which were almost clenched to pieces.

"Withdraw! Withdraw!"

After a fierce battle with Aoto and Kinoshita Mai, only a little over thirty people from Jinno's group are still able to move and escape.

For those who are lying on the ground unable to move, or those who have suffered injuries that prevent them from running fast... there is really nothing that Shinno can do to help.

He quickly issued instructions, ordering a trusted confidant to lead a small group of men who still retained some fighting spirit as the rearguard to cover the main force. Then, Kanno took the lead and headed straight north.

Because of the short notice, there wasn't enough time to organize more people, so the "encirclement" "woven" by the Fire Thieves Fourth Division was not airtight, with several small paths connecting to the outside world in the north.

Seeing that Kamino and the others had no intention of surrendering obediently, Mizushima Ninzaburo, the captain of the Fourth Division of the Fire Thieves, did not hesitate for a moment.

"Fire!"

He swung his arm forcefully forward, towards Jinno and the others!

砰！砰！砰！砰！砰！砰！砰！砰……

The rapid, explosive gunfire, like popping beans, erupted.

A barrage of scorching bullets hurtled towards Jinno and his companions as they fled north in panic, like ferocious beasts descending from the mountain.

The matchlock gun was very inaccurate. Of all the bullets fired, only a few hit people. The vast majority either went into the air or hit the ground.

However, even with its poor accuracy, the deafening, dense barrage of gunfire still instilled a strong psychological shock in the members of the Extermination Group.

Even those who were left behind by Kamino to cover the rear showed obvious signs of wavering.

Originally, the morale of the Extermination Group had already been severely damaged by Qing Deng, who, despite their numerical advantage, could not be defeated and had almost single-handedly wiped out nearly half of their comrades.

Now, with the arrival of the Fire Thief, these bursts of gunfire have become the final straw that broke their psychological defenses.

With their morale completely shattered, they fled in a panic, devoid of any decorum or order.

Even the "rear guard" that Kamino left behind to cover the main force deserted, disregarding orders.

Although Jinno had been implementing a "policy of elite troops" after the disastrous defeat in the ambush of the Elodie family four months ago, no matter how "elite" the troops were, it could not change the fact that the members of the Extermination Group were mostly lower- and middle-ranking samurai with poor economic conditions and education.

Expecting a bunch of uneducated country bumpkins to have the high level of discipline and obedience... is pure wishful thinking.

When things are going well, they're all like wolves and tigers; when things are going badly, they all lose their fighting spirit—that's a true reflection of this group.

Amidst the scattering crowd, Qing Deng precisely spotted Jin Ye's figure.

Seeing that Jinno was about to disappear from his sight, Aoto's eyes were filled with anxiety.

Jinno isn't the only one who wants to solve this huge problem once and for all tonight!

If possible, Qingdeng wanted to settle things with the Taoyi Group, with whom he had a long-standing feud, tonight!

If Kamino, as the leader, had not died, the Exile Group could have grown stronger again at any time.

If we want to wipe out the Exiles Group, we absolutely cannot let Kamino escape again... There's no time to run to the east and west street corners to ask the Fire Thief Kai to come and help him chase Kamino. If we do that, Kamino will get far away.

So Aoto had no choice but to brace himself and chase after Kanno's figure!

"Tachibana-kun, where are you going?" Kinoshita Mai, standing next to Aoto, asked him quickly and instinctively.

"I'm going to chase after Tatsugoro Kanno!" Aoto's answer was concise and clear.

Upon hearing Aoto's reply, Kinoshita Mai immediately understood what Aoto was planning.

She didn't say a word—she just silently followed closely beside Qingdeng.

At the same time, Mizushima Ninzaburo waved his hand again.

"Follow me! Don't let anyone escape!"

……

……

Sanako, who witnessed all of this, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Kinoshita Mai's timely support, the arrival of the thief Kai, and the panicked escape of the madmen of the Exile Group due to the appearance of the thief Kai...

However, before she could relax for long, her nerves tightened again—because she saw Aoto and Kinoshita Mai chasing after the fleeing Exile Group.

In just a moment, Aoto and Kinoshita Mai disappeared from her sight.

Sanako had no idea what would happen to Aoto and the others after that.

Praying that Aoto and the others would return victorious... This was the only thing Sanako, who had lost her ability to move, could do now.

"Ugh... ugh... ugh... ugh..."

"Hey! Hang in there! I'll take you to a doctor right away!"

At that moment, Sanako suddenly heard a male groan and a female voice with a sobbing tone beside her.

Looking around in the direction of the sound, I saw a young girl supporting a young man in the distance to my right... Both of them were Japanese, and they must be residents of the settlement.

The settlements in Edo were inhabited by a considerable number of Japanese people. The vast majority of them either owned shops within the settlements or were servants or guards hired by the foreign residents to work for them.