I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Despite the scarcity of information, it is certain that Takayuki Tachibana did indeed conduct a private investigation into the "strange drug"!

Since Takayuki Tachibana had investigated such a dangerous thing... then why he suddenly became addicted to gambling, and... whether he really died of illness, are debatable!

"...I have found the real culprit who was willing to burn down the prison house in Kodenma Town to kill me, but the matter is far from over."

Qing Deng said slowly.

"Although we still haven't been able to get Kitahara Konosuke and the others to talk, based on all the information we have so far... the reason why Kitahara Konosuke and the others are so determined to kill me is very likely because my father did something to them."

(We stood up so bravely and passionately to avenge the Tachibana family, didn't we?) — These words, shouted by Kitahara Kōnosuke last night, echoed in Aoto's ears.

"Your Highness, we've arrived at the same destination by different paths."

Qing Deng adopted a half-joking tone.

"You're investigating the 'strange drug'."

"And I... am now extremely interested in 'strange drugs'."

"Next, I plan to visit Tachibana Takashi... one of my father's old friends!"

*******

*******

I've written 5300 words today! The word count is steadily increasing! (Leopard Rising.jpg)

Chapter 398 Hokushin Ittō-ryū vs. Shindō Munen-ryū [4200 words]

Edo, somewhere—

After Nishino and my grandson rushed out of the teahouse one after the other, they ran straight to the riverbank.

—I absolutely have to make it…!

As Nishino pondered this, he subconsciously raised his left hand and pressed it against the sword at his left waist.

Although Nishino was not from a prestigious family, the katana he used was no ordinary weapon.

Sword name: Zhenzhu.

Nishino's great-great-grandfather commissioned a renowned craftsman to forge a precious sword for 150 taels of gold.

This sword has been passed down through the Nishino family for generations, now in its fifth generation, making it a true family heirloom.

It has been passed down for five generations, yet it remains sharp and can cut through iron like mud... This also demonstrates how excellent the quality of this knife is.

The reason it was named Zhenzhu (贞竹) is because Nishino's great-great-grandfather hoped that his descendants would be like the chaste bamboo, standing tall against snow and frost, and never become a villain who violates the code of samurai.

As a detective who spends many years on missions, Nishino's physique is well-trained, and his physical strength and speed are beyond the reach of ordinary people.

He had assumed that his grandson, a purely civil official, would not be able to keep up with his pace, but to his surprise, the other man's pace was not much slower than his.

As the two sped forward, the street scene, far from bustling, receded rapidly behind them.

Before long, the unique muddy smell of the riverbank filled Xiye's nostrils.

Looking ahead, Xiye saw the riverbank almost in front of him.

The mysterious person with strange behavior remained in the same spot.

Earlier, on the second floor of the teahouse, the distance was too great to see clearly. Now that the distance is closer, Nishino can see the mysterious man's figure and appearance clearly.

He was neither fat nor thin; he had a standard shaved head; he carried two swords at his waist; he had dark skin; a protruding chin; an underbite; and fierce features.

Upon seeing this man's imposing appearance, Nishino couldn't help but think of a wild boar.

As the saying goes, "Your appearance reflects your heart."

Although many people say this is nonsense, Nishino has always believed that "appearance reflects the heart" has some merit and reference value.

Because of his profession, Nishino has seen far too many criminals and scumbags. According to his own observations, the appearance of villains and scoundrels is indeed quite different from that of ordinary people.

Although it may be a bit arbitrary to say this, the moment Nishino saw the mysterious man... who looked exactly like a wild boar, he was certain: he was definitely not a good person!

There were few pedestrians around the riverbank, so it was very quiet.

Therefore, against this tranquil backdrop, the footsteps of Nishino and my grandson became particularly noticeable.

The boar-faced creature immediately turned its head in response to the sound.

When he saw that the newcomers were two menacing samurai, one of whom had a jitte with a red tassel at the end, the boar-faced man's expression changed drastically.

Immediately afterward, as if by reflex, he turned and ran away without the slightest hesitation.

He ran away at the sight of the officials... In Nishino's mind, the level of suspicion surrounding the boar-faced man had risen to the highest level.

The boar-faced creature fled eastward—this is a town.

"Get out of the way! All of you, get out of the way!"

The boar-faced man roared impatiently as he violently shoved aside all the innocent people blocking his way.

"Enforcement officers are handling a case! All bystanders, please make way!"

Nishino lifted the lower right hem of his haori, revealing the red tassel jitte and the magistrate's exclusive inro hanging on his right waist.

Although he wasn't as rough and savage as Wild Boar Face, he wasn't polite to anyone who was slow to react and didn't get to the side of the road in time—he would simply push them aside.

As for whether the person who was pushed fell or was injured... because he didn't have the attention to check, Nishino didn't know, nor did he have the time to find out.

Catching the wild boar in the face is the top priority right now; compared to that, whether passersby fall or get injured is simply a trivial matter.

Don't let the short legs of the wild boar's face fool you; it's surprisingly fast.

Even Nishino and my grandson, seasoned veterans who have experienced countless street chases throughout their lives, still find it difficult to close the gap between themselves and the other.

"If this continues, that guy might get away..."

Behind Nishino, I heard my grandson's murmurs.

Because Nishino was running ahead of my grandson, he didn't know that after muttering like that, my grandson stretched out his right index finger and pressed it against his forehead, closed his eyes, and looked thoughtful.

A moment later, he suddenly opened his eyes.

Immediately following, a powerful shout startled Nishino:

"Nishino-kun! Over here!"

"Ok?"

Nishino turned his head and saw my grandson suddenly make a 90-degree turn and run straight towards a narrow path not far away.

"What are you doing?!"

Nishino stopped in his tracks and questioned him loudly.

"Let's take a shortcut to ambush him."

My grandson gave a simple and straightforward answer without even turning his head.

"shortcut?"

Nishino was taken aback.

If there's a shortcut, that would be ideal.

However, because he wasn't very familiar with my grandson, Nishino instinctively doubted the other party's words and actions.

But clearly, the current environment does not allow Nishino to linger here and think things through slowly or hesitate.

After a moment, having made his decision, he gritted his teeth and followed in my grandson's footsteps.

The two, who had ventured into the narrow path, had completely reversed their positions; now, my grandson was running in front, and Nishino was running behind.

"My grandson, are you familiar with this area?"

Nishino couldn't help but ask.

"There is no place in Edo that I am not familiar with, except for Edo Castle."

My grandson turned his head to the side and smiled calmly.

……

"Huff...! Huff...! Huff...! Huff...!"

The wild boar-faced man, feeling a throbbing pain in his lungs, clutched his chest and staggered forward.

This place is a remote area between two towns, with almost no pedestrians.

Having run all this way, he was too exhausted to run any further. He leaned against the wall, and while catching his breath, turned his head to look back.

Looking at his empty space behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did you shake them off...?"

A hint of joy and relief appeared on his face.

Just as he was about to lean against the earthen wall to rest for a while—

Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap...

He suddenly heard footsteps approaching from a nearby alleyway.

Before he could even turn to look, two tall figures shot out of the alleyway like arrows.

"Hooray~ Looks like I made it in time~~"

Instantly, the ugly face of the wild boar was filled with fear and terror.

"Nishino-kun, how is it? Did I take the right shortcut with you?"

Ignoring my grandson's boasting, Nishino's gaze remained fixed on the boar-faced man after he rushed out of the alley.

"You should recognize what this is, right?"

Nishino lifted the lower right hem of his haori again, revealing the red tassels and the incense burner of the Magistrate's Office.

"If you don't want to get beaten up, just surrender obediently. You have nowhere to run."

"..."

The wild boar-faced creature made a move as if to flee.

But he soon realized that trying to escape now would be futile.