I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

A few seconds after the pill sank into his stomach, his entire being became unprecedentedly... tranquil.

Yes. It is tranquility.

All external sounds seemed to have faded away from him; his mind was completely free of distractions, and his concentration was terrifying. When he walked, it felt as if his feet were not stepping on solid ground, but rather on soft, fluffy clouds.

He was no match for Qingdeng, but with the help of this medicine, he managed to fight Qingdeng to a draw, with neither side gaining the upper hand.

I can win! I can defeat Qingdeng!

As he rejoiced at his ability to fight Qing Deng to a standstill... what followed shattered all his confidence.

With a swordsmanship talent dozens of times greater than that of ordinary people, Qing Deng learned his knife skills on the spot. In just a short while, he changed the "draw" situation to "slight advantage", and then turned it into "complete suppression" in one fell swoop.

Despite using every trick in the book, even resorting to underhanded tactics like "taking medicine," he was still defeated by Qing Deng's sword...

Before his new wife could fully savor the bitterness of his crushing defeat, the mysterious man's prior warning about the side effects of taking the drug began to affect his body.

He developed a high fever on the spot. The high temperature surprised even the most experienced doctors who had seen countless patients.

After lying in bed for more than a month, the high fever that felt like it could evaporate blood and brain matter finally subsided.

But this does not mean that his body has fully recovered.

Following the high fever came a weakness that made it difficult to even stand, and a dizzying sensation as if the world was spinning.

He consumed countless expensive tonics and received the most meticulous care from his family and servants, thus recuperating for several months. Only recently did he finally feel his body return to its pre-medication state.

Not only did he fail to win the championship, he also injured himself... It was truly a case of losing both his wife and his army.

Anyway, it doesn't matter.

Compared to all of this, the uncertainty of not knowing what to do next is what is currently causing Hiroshi Niizuma the most pain.

—Damn it...damn it...!

The new wife sighed heavily, letting out a soft "Ah!" as she expressed her deep resentment. She stretched out her hands to support herself against the wall in front of her, her head bowed and her eyes tightly closed.

—I've... given it my all...

—I practiced swordsmanship until my palms were raw and bleeding countless times, and several times I was so exhausted that I almost coughed up blood.

He exhausted all available connections and tried every possible method, yet he still could not obtain an official position...

—Just because I wasn't born into a good family…just because my family wasn't of high enough status…

—In terms of talent and effort, I am far superior to those good-for-nothings who live a life of debauchery and only know how to eat, drink, and have fun!

—When will I finally achieve great success?!

Shinzae Hiroshi's fingers gradually tightened, his nails scraping against the wooden wall with a sharp, piercing sound.

The dim candlelight cast a long, desolate shadow of the new bride, Kuan.

Just then, a cold wind blew, and the lamplight flickered.

"My dear wife, your energy and spirit are much better than I expected."

Caught off guard, Shinzawa Hiroshi suddenly heard a familiar young male voice coming from behind him...

His eyes widened instantly, and he quickly turned around.

A young man sat imposingly on the open windowsill.

Because of the backlighting, the young man's face was in relative darkness, making it difficult to see his features.

However, even so, Hiroshi Niizuma recognized the other person immediately.

"It's you...!"

"That's right, it's me."

The young man smiled slightly.

"I didn't expect you to still remember me."

How could Shin-zukuri Hiroshi possibly forget this man?

It was this man who called himself "Rakshasa" who gave him that miraculous pill that had amazing effects but extremely serious side effects!

From an objective standpoint, Rakshasa was a benefactor who had once extended a helping hand to him.

However, this does not mean that Hiroshi Niizuma considers Rasetsu to be one of his own, someone he can sincerely treat.

His superb skills in sneaking into his room silently, his ability to casually give out strange drugs that could suddenly boost a person's fighting power... all these behaviors shrouded Rakshasa in a hazy "fog," making it difficult for people to see his true face and what he wanted.

Shin-chan Hiroshi instinctively remained wary of this man.

Shinzaki Hiroshi, his face instantly turning solemn, subtly increased the distance between himself and the demon, and said in a deep voice:

"...It's you again... May I ask what brings you to my humble abode?"

Rakshasa shrugged. "Well, well, my new wife, there's no need to be so nervous or wary of me. I don't deserve such praise; I just wanted to come and visit you."

Having said that, Rakshasa swept his gaze across his new wife, Kuan, looking her up and down.

"Tsk tsk tsk... My new wife, the way you look now... is truly pathetic."

The word "disgraceful" was like a needle, piercing deeply into Niizuma Hiroshi's heart, causing his brows to twitch several times in displeasure.

Rakshasa seemed oblivious to the change in Niizuma Hiroshi's expression and continued speaking to herself:

“Every time I see a young person like you who is frustrated and unfulfilled, I feel very sorry for him.”

"Your talent is so outstanding, but because of your damned background, you have nowhere to realize your ambitions."

If Rakshasa's previous word "miserable" was a needle that pierced a small hole in Niizuma Hiroshi's heart, then his words just now were an arrow that pierced through Niizuma Hiroshi's entire heart!

The proud new wife, Hiroshi, had no desire to have his tragic situation of wasted career exposed to others.

"What exactly are you trying to say? You barged into my room without even saying hello, just to mock me?"

"No, no, no." Rakshasa extended her right index finger and shook it from side to side. "You misunderstood. If my words just now displeased you, then I apologize."

"I've always valued talent the most."

"Even if it's a man who almost caused serious damage to our careers, or even someone who almost killed me, I'm willing to treat him with respect."

At this point, Rakshasa raised her hand and touched a scar on her collarbone.

"So, I'm going to give you a chance to change your life."

"Change...life...?" A look of confusion and hesitation appeared on Niizuma Hiroshi's face.

Yes. Life-changing.

As he spoke, Rakshasa jumped down from the windowsill and then circled his new wife with unhurried steps.

"My dear new wife, have you ever thought about why you've ended up in such a shabby and destitute state?"

"Is it because you're not working hard enough? It doesn't seem so. You've been diligent enough."

"Is it because you're not talented enough? It doesn't seem so. You're one of the 'Three Heroes' who are highly regarded and admired."

"So, what exactly is the reason?"

"The answer is actually quite simple."

Just then, Rasetsu happened to walk behind Shinzaki Hiroshi.

A meaningful smile curved his lips. He stretched his neck and rested his chin on his new wife's broad left shoulder.

"It's all because of the incompetence and corruption of the Edo Shogunate."

A demonic breath lingered in Hiroshi Niizuma's ear.

"In order to maintain their rule, the shameless Tokugawa family established the rule that 'all other professions are inferior, only noble birth matters'."

"Having good academic achievements is not as good as having a good father."

"Incompetent idiots remain in high positions."

“Talented people are left behind in the countryside.”

“The sons of the wealthy have held onto money and power for generations, while people like you from humble backgrounds have to rack your brains and rack your brains to please these good-for-nothings in order to barely get a few scraps left over from their bowls and chopsticks.”

"My dear wife, ask yourself honestly: are you content to be ridden on by those good-for-nothings who have neither ability nor talent, but only a good family background? Are you willing to suffer such immense injustice?"

"..." Shinzama Hiroshi's lips unconsciously tightened, and his naturally hanging hands gradually clenched into fists. Although he didn't say a word, his small actions had already revealed his unsettled state of mind.

The Rakshasa's speech continued:

"If we want to change this situation... the only way is to launch a war to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate!"

"Hey, hey, hey! What nonsense are you talking about!"

Even the usually bold Hiroshi Niizuma turned pale with fright at these outrageous and dangerous ideas.

After nearly three hundred years of domestication by the Tokugawa family, the idea that "the ruling position of the Edo Shogunate is sacred and inviolable" had long been deeply ingrained in people's minds.

Overthrowing the shogunate? Hiroshi Niizuma wouldn't even dare to think about such a thing!

“I’m not making this up.”

"It is so serious," said the Rakshasa.

"Now that things have come to this, I'll confess to you."

Rakshasa lifted his chin off Shinza Hiroshi's shoulder, took two steps back, and then patted his chest.

“I come from a secret society with a 70-year history, whose goal is to overthrow the Edo Shogunate.”

"Overthrowing the corrupt rule of the Tokugawa family and establishing a country where all people are equal and even Eta have the opportunity to rise above others is the lifelong aspiration of me and my comrades."

"To realize this dream, we are constantly recruiting, attracting talent, developing technology, and expanding our strength."

"To be honest, at first, I wasn't interested in you at all."

"But after a brief observation of you, my opinion has changed."

“You have great potential. If you are properly nurtured, you could very well become one of our good comrades.”

"So—my new wife, it's time to choose."

"Are you going to continue being a useless lackey?"

"Or should we rise up and join us in the cause of overthrowing the Shogunate?"

After saying this, the Rakshasa extended his right hand in front of him as if seeking a handshake from a fellow countryman.