I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

In particular, the blade blank is well-made, and the blade surface shines with a clear, cold light.

Aoto pulled the wakizashi back to his chest and then skillfully removed the mekutaki.

A megumi is a round fastener used to secure the handle and tang of a samurai sword. It is inserted into the megumi hole on the handle and can be made of various materials such as copper, iron, bamboo, and wood.

The tang of a samurai sword is the part that is usually inserted into the handle.

The "tang" refers to the part of a Japanese sword that is held in the hilt, and its name comes from the Japanese word for "placed in the hilt." Besides being called the tang, it can also be called the "center," "heart of the hilt," or "loyalty."

The structure of a samurai sword can be roughly divided into two parts: the tang and the blade, which is called the "upper body".

The blade is usually engraved with information such as the craftsman's name and the date of manufacture.

After Qing Deng removed the mokugatari (mechagi) and separated the hilt from the tang, he was surprised to find that the tang of this wakizashi had neither the swordsmith's name nor the date of its creation; it only bore a short inscription—

"Exterminate evil spirits...?"

The commander recited the words softly.

Suddenly, an unexpected question rang out:

"Hey, is your surname 'Ju'? Is it the 'Ju' from Tachibana-san?"

Qingdeng and the others were all stunned for a moment, then turned their heads and looked in the direction of the voice towards the owner of the question... namely, "Squash Face".

Tachibana no Moroe (684-757) was a historical figure of the Nara period. He is said to be one of the editors of the Man'yōshū, the oldest anthology of waka poetry in Japan.

In Japanese, the word "橘" is pronounced "tachibana".

Another surname pronounced "tachibana" is "立花".

The question from "squab face" was probably an attempt to confirm whether Qing Deng's surname was "tachibana" or "Tachibana".

Qingdeng initially intended to ignore the "melon-faced" man, but upon seeing the man's bright and ardent eyes, he hesitated.

“...the 'orange' in Tachibana-san’s name.”

As soon as Qingdeng finished speaking, the expression on "squab face" became complicated.

However, this happened in the blink of an eye.

The next moment, the expression on "squab face" changed from "complex and indescribable" to "going all out".

He straightened his back, sat upright, and with a solemn expression, uttered a self-introduction that caused a dramatic change in the expressions of Qing Deng and the others:

"I am Onodera Sakura! I am a comrade-in-arms of Tachibana Takayuki! What is your relationship with Tachibana Takayuki?"

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Does any reader remember when the name "Onodera" last appeared? (Laughing emoji)

Today, because I have to take the high school entrance exam, the word count is a little lower than usual. I'm very sorry! (crying leopard head.jpg)

Chapter 430 Attacking the Mountain! The Qingshui Clan's Army Attacks! (Part 1) [4200]

Onodera Sakura... Takayuki Tachibana's comrade-in-arms... These words struck Aoto's heart like a hammer.

He cast a dazed, blank stare at the "melon-faced" man who called himself Onodera Sakura.

At this moment, neither Aoto, Souji, nor Sanako had any intention of paying attention to the wakizashi whose hilt was engraved with "Demon Slayer".

The two women's clear, beautiful eyes clearly reflected their astonished expressions.

In fact, not only them, but even Qing Deng, who was used to seeing storms, was extremely shocked by this unexpected change.

Before Qing Deng and the others could compose themselves, they heard Onodera speak again:

"This Kikyo Mountain is a desolate wilderness where there is no human presence!"

"It is neither located on a major transportation route nor in a place that can be called 'beautiful scenery'."

"Let alone ordinary passersby, even travelers who love sightseeing and traveling all over the country wouldn't come here!"

“But you not only came, you also found this thatched hut with great precision, and searched every corner of the hut thoroughly.”

"I have been observing your every move, demeanor and expression."

“You’re not looking for ‘something specific,’ but rather searching broadly for ‘things that can be used.’”

"It's less about 'finding something' and more about 'searching for clues'!"

"Knowing of the existence of this house; and knowing its value, tirelessly searching for valuable clues inside... These two points alone are enough to conclude that you have a very close relationship with Takayuki Tachibana!"

At this point, Onodera shifted his gaze and fixed it on Aoto's face.

"The method you used to bind me is the 'rope-catching technique' of the Magistrate's Office. Ordinary people can't learn this skill!"

"As far as I know, Tachibana Takayuki has a son who was once the Prince of Hokuban-sho-cho.

“You have a close relationship with Tachibana Takayuki, are proficient in the Magistrate’s Office’s ‘rope-catching technique,’ and your surname is ‘Tachibana’… If I’m not mistaken, you are Tachibana Takayuki’s son—Tachibana Aoto!”

Onodera has finished speaking.

It was quiet all around.

The house was enveloped in silence, both inside and out.

A tense atmosphere instantly arose.

The people who created this atmosphere were Aoto and Onodera.

A burning, piercing gaze.

A calm gaze, as if lost in thought.

Two completely different gazes collided and clashed in mid-air.

All sorts of things and a jumble of thoughts were swirling around in Qingdeng's mind like a washing machine.

The strong heart and resilient nerves, honed through countless trials and tribulations, came in handy at this moment.

In the blink of an eye, Qingdeng's thoughts caught up with the current situation.

There are still many perplexing questions and things I want to ask.

However, there is one thing that can be confirmed with absolute certainty—this young man in front of us, with his face resembling a gourd and strange appearance, is no ordinary person!

Whether Onodera is truly a comrade-in-arms of Tachibana Takayuki, as he just stated, remains unknown.

But there's no doubt that the two of them have a very close relationship!

In addition, Onodera's observation and reasoning abilities are also amazing.

With just that one clue, they successfully guessed Qing Deng's true identity.

Even setting aside all the factors mentioned above... the look he gave him alone made Qing Deng look at him with new respect.

It is sharp yet upright.

Maintaining composure amidst the intensity.

This is the look in the eyes of someone who is fearless of death.

That makes sense... Onodera's "self-disclosure of his identity" is no different from a disguised "pledge of allegiance".

He's gambling.

I'm betting that this "man in the straw hat" is one of his allies...

I'm betting that this "man in a straw hat" is indeed Tachibana Takayuki's son: Tachibana Aoto...

Onodera has shown his sincerity; now it's Aoto's turn to respond.

Should we be completely honest with each other?

Or should we continue with the backstabbing and intrigue?

Qingdeng: "..."

Onodera: "..."

A heavy silence settled between the two of them.

The sound of the wind coming from outside sounded strangely distant.

About 10 seconds later, the air, which had been as still as the deep sea, finally changed—Qing Deng suddenly raised his right arm and grabbed the straw hat on his head.

Seeing this, the commander-in-chief quickly said:

"Tachibana-kun, you..."

Although she spoke immediately, she was still a beat too slow.

The moment the chieftain's lips parted, Qing Deng had already removed his straw hat.

“Mr. Onodera, you guessed right, I am Tachibana Takayuki’s only son, Tachibana Aoto.”

With his thick, unshaven black hair, well-proportioned features, and eyes radiating an air of confidence, Onodera stared blankly at Aoto's face.

His behavior at that moment was just like that of an old computer with a malfunctioning program.

After Qingdeng had finished speaking for a while, he seemed to come back to his senses and muttered:

"It really looks like it..."

Soon after, the malfunction of the "program" was corrected, and the "old computer" returned to normal operation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you must have found this amusing."

He apologized while straightening his posture.

"Um, I'm older than you, may I be so bold as to call you 'Tachibana-kun'?"

Qingdeng nodded.

"Well then—it's nice to meet you, Tachibana-kun."

Onodera let out a long sigh of relief.

“Tachibana-kun, you and your father… look so alike. For a moment just now, I thought Tachibana Takayuki had come back to life.”

Qing Deng smiled slightly and said, half-jokingly:

"Shouldn't that be enough to prove my identity?"