I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

"Why do you not seek a grand undertaking, but instead act like a tiger with wings? Isn't that absurd?"

Rakshasa was an excellent orator and a learned man.

He was eloquent and witty, his words flowing like a river, and he was in no way intimidated by Nishino, who had received strict martial arts training since childhood.

However, despite his long and rambling speech, the feedback he received was... dismal.

"..."

Nishino remained silent.

He glanced at Rakshasa with a sidelong look.

Then he turned his gaze back to the void ahead.

He remained silent for a long time, his face expressionless.

Silence is the greatest form of contempt.

Knowing he was being scorned, the Rakshasa smiled helplessly.

"As expected, it's not that easy to persuade you..."

Rakshasa took a deep breath and then let out a long sigh.

"Fine, I never expected you to agree to me right away anyway."

"As I just said, I value talent the most."

"Whether it's seeing talented people left to languish in the countryside or killing talented people, I can't bear it."

At this point, Rakshasa habitually raised his left hand and touched his right collarbone.

"You can stay here for a while."

"I believe you will understand the greater good sooner or later."

After leaving behind this meaningful remark, Rakshasa turned and left without the slightest hesitation.

My grandson followed closely behind the Rakshasa.

Just as my grandson was about to leave Nishino's cell, he turned his head and gave Nishino a deep look.

The footsteps of the Rakshasa and my grandson gradually faded into the distance.

Nishino closed his eyes again, resting them to recover.

In no time, silence returned to Nishino's surroundings, as if nothing had happened...

……

……

No sooner had Rakshasa left the basement where Nishino was being held than she encountered a subordinate hurrying by.

"Lord Rakshasa, I have urgent news to report!"

Upon hearing this, Rakshasa stopped and leaned out towards his subordinates.

The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then stood on tiptoe and brought his lips close to the Rakshasa's ear.

The Rakshasa stared ahead, remaining calm and listening intently.

This posture was maintained for a long time.

Finally, the subordinate stopped whispering and put his feet back on the ground.

Rakshasa curled the corners of her lips and muttered to herself:

"Onodera... I've found you...!"

*******

*******

I was hoping to write a super long chapter today... but this chapter was just too difficult to write!

Nishino is an elite samurai skilled in both literature and martial arts; Rasetsu is the "highest authority in the Kanto region" of the Fazhi Party, and is also skilled in both literature and martial arts.

Therefore, in order to fit the character settings, we can't have them speak too crudely. Their lines... especially Rakshasa's lines, I've deleted, revised, and rewritten them countless times today... to the point that even now, I've only written 5000+ words.

Please be sure to vote for this book with some monthly tickets, considering how dedicated Leopard is!

Chapter 426 Okita Souji: "Tachibana-kun! Let's go for a soak in the hot spring together!" [4500]

Edo, western suburbs—

Aoto, Sanako, Souji, and the old man leading the way—the four of them—walked unhurriedly along the wide road overgrown with weeds.

It was nearly noon, and a cool breeze brushed past their ears, carrying the earthy smell of cold.

Before long, the sound of rushing water reached the ears of the three of them.

Qingdeng looked in the direction of the sound and saw a river with many pieces of ice floating on it.

The river, reflecting the clear winter sky, flows quietly, passing through the messy riverbed, emitting a low and monotonous roar, heading straight west.

The riverbank was covered with dense, withered, yellow wild reeds.

As if drawn by a river, the wild reeds meander alone across the vast plains. Occasionally, scattered bushes or mixed forests block their way.

"Ah! Sir Samurai! Do you see that mountain?"

The elderly man leading the way suddenly stopped and pointed northwest.

"That mountain is Mount Kikyo! Just keep walking along this river and you'll reach Mount Kikyo!"

Whether it was Aoto, Sanako, or Souji, none of them were very familiar with the western suburbs of Edo.

Kikyoyama... Aoto, Sanako, and Souji had never even heard of it.

So, Aoto paid a guide who was quite familiar with the western suburbs of Edo... this old man, and asked him to lead the way.

Qingdeng raised his gaze and looked in the direction the old man was pointing.

Looking out into the distance, across the vast reed plains, a large mountain revealed its dark blue-green ridgeline.

"Grandpa, is that the mountain?"

"Yes, yes, that's the mountain! That mountain is Kikyo Mountain!"

At that moment, the commander suddenly interrupted:

"Wow, it's huge...much bigger than I imagined..."

Before the commander-in-chief had even finished speaking, the old man immediately explained:

"The most distinctive feature of Jiegeng Mountain is its width, its exceptional width! It's a mile from north to south and half a mile from east to west. It's just a pity it's not high enough; the highest point is only about 10 rooms high. Otherwise, it would definitely be a strategic location fought over by military strategists!"

[Note: In Japan, 1 ri is approximately 3.924 kilometers. 1 ken is approximately 1.818 meters.]

Upon hearing this, Qing Deng turned his head to look at the Edo city behind him, and then nodded slightly.

“Indeed. If this mountain were ten ken higher, it would be a perfect fortress. We could simply set up cannons on the top and bombard most of Edo.”

This was just a casual remark by Qingdeng, but it resulted in the old man's enthusiastic flattery.

After showering him with a sycophantic compliment, "What you say is absolutely right!", he hurriedly asked:

"Sir, are you heading into Mount Kikyo?"

"um, yes."

"In that case, you all better be careful!"

"What? Are there wild boars in the mountains?"

As Qingdeng asked the question, he unconsciously revealed a solemn expression.

If there are wild boars in Kikyo Mountain... then we really have to be extremely careful.

As the saying goes, first comes the pig, second the bear, and third the tiger.

Many people have a deep misunderstanding of this proverb, believing that it ranks the three animals according to their fighting power, saying that the wild boar is the strongest, the bear is second, and the tiger is last.

This is actually a complete misunderstanding.

This proverb ranks these three large wild animals according to their perceived threat level to humans.

In other words, wild boar attacks are the most frequent and dangerous incidents in the wild.

Next is the bear.

As for tigers, they usually hide in deep forests and will never enter human territory unless they are extremely hungry, so they are ranked last.

Wild boars are a typical example of animals that excel in both offense and defense.

Anyone with a little common sense knows that in hand-to-hand combat, the heavier person has the advantage.

Wild boars can weigh hundreds of kilograms, and are not only large and strong, but also have a pair of long, hard tusks that grow as they age.

In addition, its bite force is also amazing, reaching up to 400 kilograms.

Wild boars are incredibly fierce and fearless. Once provoked, they'll charge at even the gods.

If you are hit by them, the consequences are no less than those of a car accident. The impact of their running can easily shatter human bones, and the result is often death or serious injury.

The famous Japanese idiom "猪突猛进" (zhūtū měngjìn) describes the fierce momentum and domineering power of a wild boar charging forward.

Their formidable attack power was already a major problem, but the wild boars' defensive tactics made it even more difficult to handle.

Wild boars have thick skin and long, stiff bristles on their backs. They also love to wallow in mud, getting covered in mud that dries into solid lumps, which is like wearing a suit of armor.

As a result, wild boars have an astonishing level of defense, and ordinary weapons simply cannot harm them.

To date, Qingdeng has never fought against large wild animals such as wild boars, bears, or tigers, but he has killed quite a few people.

The difference between wild boars and humans in terms of strength, speed, and fighting style is probably even greater than the difference between Aoto and Souji in terms of their preferred positions.

Qingdeng was really unsure whether he could take on a wild boar one-on-one.

Under Qingdeng's gaze, the old man shook his head:

"No, there are no wild boars in Kikyō Mountain. At least in the last 10 years, I have not heard of any wild boars appearing in Kikyō Mountain."

"Jiegeng Mountain is an uninhabited mountain, with no one coming or going, let alone living there. It is a truly desolate wilderness. The roads are extremely difficult to walk on, and there is basically no place that can be called a 'road'! You can easily twist your ankle or even fall down the mountain if you are not careful, so you must not be careless!"