I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Qing Deng sliced ​​open the throat of the enemy behind Mizushima Renzaburo with a single stroke.

Mizushima Ninzaburo pierced the chest of the enemy behind Aoto with a single slash.

Two plumes of blood mist flew down behind each other and in front of each other.

"Mizushima-kun!"

Aoto threw the Bizen longship back to Mizushima behind him.

Compared to the awkwardness of using two swords, Qing Deng felt more at ease holding only one sword.

Without turning his head, Mizushima reached out and took back his Bizen Obinune, then leaned back and used his back to reach for Aoto.

The two of them pressed their backs together.

A series of high-intensity battles had left this seasoned general breathless, exhausted, and mentally drained.

Mizushima Ninzaburo's heart pounded so hard it seemed it might burst from his chest at any moment. The heartbeat, like the sound of war drums, was clearly transmitted through his clothes and skin to Aoto's body.

However, like Aoto, Mizushima Ninzaburo's eyes still shone brightly despite his extreme exhaustion.

"Niou!" Mizushima said, "The morale of the bandits has begun to collapse! Now is the perfect time to crush them in one fell swoop!"

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng's lips curled into a slight smile: "Then what are we waiting for?"

He quietly placed the spirit-controlling device in front of him.

Mizushima Ninzaburo's face, which had become stiff from years of not smiling, now showed a rare, faint smile.

"Let's go! Niou!"

The two shouted a challenge at the same time and shot out simultaneously! They threw themselves back into the battlefield!

……

……

Amidst the clashing of arrows, the clash of swords and spears, and the frenzy of blood and dust, the balance of power on the battlefield finally began to tilt noticeably.

Their equipment and individual combat abilities are far inferior to those of the Fire Thief modified Soma, and signs of defeat are gradually emerging.

Under the command of three formidable "assault spearheads"—Aoto, Mizushima Ninzaburo, and Kanazawa Tadatsugu—the Soma clan's battle lines visibly crumbled and became riddled with holes.

The bravery and invincible spirit of the king, tiger, and dog greatly boosted the morale of the expeditionary force.

More and more soldiers of the expeditionary force, having shaken off the shadow of their earlier suffering at the hands of the fire demon, were now flushed and excited, charging forward fearlessly.

Conversely, the morale of the bandits plummeted.

Even the most elite army would feel terrified after suffering such heavy losses and witnessing such a one-sided battle, let alone a group of mountain bandits who make a living by bullying the weak.

The fighting spirit on the bandits' faces gradually disappeared.

Instead, there was a profound sense of fear and dread.

In the chaos, someone threw down their weapon and fled in panic, screaming.

"Defeat" is a very peculiar group behavior.

When everyone stands still, even if morale is extremely low, no one will run away.

But if someone starts this... then a terrifying "contagion" will begin.

If one person runs away, a second person will soon follow suit.

Then came the third, the fourth... the tenth... the hundredth...

This emotion called "fear" is more contagious than any disease in the world.

The current situation of the horse-scouting crowd is just like this—after the first escapee appears, in just a few breaths, "one person's escape" has evolved into "a great rout of a group of people".

The bandits scattered and fled in all directions without any order or organization.

They fled recklessly up the mountain path, heading towards the second checkpoint they had set up along the path.

Upon seeing this, the soldiers of the punitive expeditionary force erupted in a series of thunderous cheers.

Covered in blood from the carnage, Kanazawa Tadatsugu casually wiped his face, then grinned excitedly as he raised the knife in his hand high:

"Hey—! Hey—!"

The soldiers: "Ooooh ooooh ooooh—!"

Mizushima Ninzaburo also raised his Bizen Osafune above his head, the tip of his sword pointing to the sky:

"Hey—! Hey—!"

The soldiers: "Ooooh ooooh ooooh—!"

Hey, hey, oh—this sound is called "shenghong".

In ancient Japan, when the army went into battle or won a battle, they often used a "victory cheer" to boost morale and celebrate the victory, similar to the Russian "Hurrah".

Generally speaking, the commander-in-chief would shout "Hey, hey," and after the commander-in-chief finished shouting "Hey" twice, the soldiers would respond with "Oh."

Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of victory and cheering loudly—

"Is there anyone still strong enough?"

Qing Deng's calm, emotionless voice drew everyone's attention.

When the soldiers of the punitive expedition, led by Kanazawa Tadatsugu and Mizushima Ninzaburo, looked toward the sound, they saw Aoto looking down and searching for something.

A short while later, Qingdeng found the thing he had been searching for on the ground... or rather, on someone's waist.

He bent down and snatched the gourd from the waist of one of the bandits who had already died.

As soon as the cap was unscrewed, a rich aroma of wine wafted towards Qingdeng.

—Alcohol… never mind, it doesn’t matter!

Qingdeng raised his head and drank heavily, a wave of pleasure sliding down his lips.

The mouth and throat, which were originally as dry as twigs, felt incredibly satisfying as they were moisturized again.

The liquor in this gourd is quite strong.

In just a short while, Qingdeng felt a warm sensation throughout his abdomen.

Extremely thirsty, Qingdeng gulped down the wine in the gourd for over ten seconds—he didn't finish it all. He deliberately left about two mouthfuls and poured them onto the back of his neck.

The liquor slid down his neck and down his back.

The refreshing, cool touch invigorated Qingdeng's already exhausted spirit.

The muscles in my limbs, which were originally as stiff and heavy as marble, have become strong and resilient again.

"If anyone still has the strength... come with me!"

Qingdeng casually tossed the empty gourd in his hand to his feet.

"I will pursue and annihilate the remaining enemy!"

Upon hearing Qing Deng's words, everyone present was speechless.

Kanazawa Tadatsugu and Mizushima Ninzaburo exchanged a glance. Then, the former said in a solemn voice:

"...Tachibana-kun. I understand what you mean. The bandits have already been defeated, and it's the perfect time to launch a pursuit and expand our gains. But...look, the soldiers are already exhausted. Launching a pursuit now might lead to unforeseen circumstances."

Stick to the fleeing soldiers and keep attacking them to expand the gains—this simple principle was well understood by Kanazawa Tadatsugu and Mizushima Ninzaburo, who had long served as public servants after being thieves.

If conditions had allowed, they would have ordered a pursuit long ago.

However, just as Kanazawa Tadatsugu said earlier, the Soma army has indeed been defeated, but they no longer have the strength to launch any large-scale combat operations.

Looking around, most of the team members were either panting heavily or unable to even stand.

Just then, a weak voice suddenly rang out from the crowd not far away:

"How about... we go and ask my grandson?"

The person who made this suggestion was none other than Nobuyoshi Kazama, the captain of the Eighth Division.

Compared to the King, Tiger, and Dog, whose hands had been almost constantly gripping their swords since the start of the war, Kazama Nobuyoshi's clothes were incredibly clean—almost without a trace of blood, only covered in a little dust.

My grandson is the commander-in-chief and overall commander of this western expedition. Therefore, whenever there is a major event during the campaign, it is always best to report it directly to him.

However... my grandson is currently stationed at the main camp at the foot of the mountain.

If we need to consult him, we have to send someone down the mountain—this back and forth will waste a lot of time and cause us to miss a valuable opportunity.

The optimal window for pursuit is very short. Once missed, the enemy will gradually recover.

At that time, the "pursuit and annihilation battle" will turn into a new "offensive battle".

Qingdeng pursed his lips, pondered for a moment, and then said:

"Kinze-kun, I know that all of us under my command are exhausted."

"but--"

As Qingdeng changed the subject, he raised his voice and tone. "Piercing Clouds and Splitting Rocks," "Golden Voice," and "Oriole's Song" were unleashed.

"When two armies meet on a narrow path, the brave shall prevail. Isn't a major factor in determining the outcome of a war the strength of one side's will and their ability to persevere?"

"In order to receive the fleeing routs, the second checkpoint set up by the bandits on the mountain road must be wide open right now—meaning that the bandits' second checkpoint is currently in a state of disarray!"

"If we launch a pursuit immediately, we have a good chance to take advantage of the bandits' current disorder and capture their second checkpoint in one fell swoop!"

"If we let them retreat at will, they will be able to regain their footing at their second checkpoint in just one night!"

"At that time, we will have to fight another hard-fought battle just like today!"

"Rather than that, I'd rather stay focused, grit my teeth, and finish this in one fell swoop, chasing the bandits to the ends of the earth! Today, let's take down every bandit stronghold we can!"

Qingdeng presented his opinion in a reasoned, well-founded, and forceful manner.

Instantly, many people's expressions changed—they showed signs of interest.

The soldiers... regardless of which squad they were from, all looked at each other in bewilderment.

"..." Jin Zezhong lowered his eyelids and head slightly, his face showing a thoughtful expression—whether or not to adopt Qing Deng's opinion depended entirely on his decision as the "Deputy General" and "Commander-in-Chief of the Frontline".

Kanazawa Tadatsugu glanced at Mizushima Ninzaburo beside him, wanting to ask his old comrade-in-arms for his opinion.

"..." Mizushima Ninzaburo remained silent as well.

However, after a moment of silence, he nodded slightly to Kanazawa Tadashi.