I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

While Usui was desperately trying to stop Nishino, Phoenix House Yataro, supported by the others, was already limping away from Nishino.

Although his expression was still terribly ugly, he let out a long sigh of relief.

—Forget it! At least I've survived! Let that bastard live a little longer!

—I can't stay in Edo any longer... After tonight, I'll go to Osaka to lay low for a while.

With this thought in mind, Phoenix House Yataro turned his head and cast a mocking and sarcastic look at Nishino behind him—and their eyes met.

In an instant, a distorted shadow appeared on Nishino's face.

"...Lord Usui, please move aside."

Having said that, without waiting for Bo Jing's response, he strode forward as if no one else was there.

Usui reacted a beat too late, quickly tightening his stance in an attempt to block Nishino.

Although Nishino is currently covered in wounds, he is still not someone that Usui, who is not skilled in martial arts, can stop.

In the blink of an eye, Nishino and Usui became like "bowling ball and bowling pin"—the one who gets knocked away and the one who is about to be knocked away.

In a moment of urgency, Bo Jing subconsciously straightened his face and said seriously:

"Nishino-kun, I told you to stop right now, didn't you hear me? Are you trying to disobey your superior's orders? Have you forgotten who you are?"

"..."

As soon as Usui finished speaking, Nishino was stunned.

Although Nishino was Usui's most capable subordinate, due to his personality, he often disobeyed orders and even argued with his superiors.

However, what Usui is least afraid of is Nishino's disobedience.

Because he had a foolproof question that, whenever Nishino acted up, could be used to immediately subdue him—

“Nishino-kun, you are a samurai, aren’t you?”

"..."

"Since you are a samurai, you should be loyal and never disobey your superior's orders, shouldn't you?"

"..."

Nishino seemed to freeze in place, completely motionless.

A tense atmosphere instantly arose... The person who created this atmosphere was none other than Nishino.

The aura surrounding him made him look exactly like a ferocious beast that seemed ready to leap out at any moment.

However, a second later, the "beast" did not pounce; instead, its aura slowly weakened...

After a moment, he slowly withdrew his feet and lowered his head...

Under the reforms of the Edo Shogunate, "loyalty" became the core of Bushido.

A samurai may be unkind, unjust, and even unfilial, but he must never be disloyal.

A disloyal person who disobeys orders from his superiors... For Nishino, who considers himself a "loyal retainer of the shogunate," this is an infamy he absolutely cannot bear...

Usui watched Nishino's every move with bated breath.

Only when Nishino lowered his head and began carving did a look of relief finally appear on his face.

"Hey! You two, hurry up and get Nishino-kun to the clinic!"

Usui's shouts, the hurried footsteps rushing towards him, the whistling of the wind across the sky... all these sounds sounded inexplicably distant to Nishino.

As if his soul had been ripped out, his eyes were lifeless, and he stared unfocusedly at the ground in front of his toes.

It was so close...

It was just a tiny bit short, and all our efforts were in vain! All the hard work and sacrifices of tonight have gone down the drain!

Why not... just tell us everything about the Illusionary Attachment and the Law Extermination Party!

I told you that Phoenix House Yataro is a traitor who brings disaster to the country and its people, which is why I pursued him so relentlessly.

No... No way! I don't have any solid evidence to prove the existence of the Phantom Dysfunction and that Phoenix House Yataro is involved with the Law Extermination Party.

Without evidence... even Lord Sakai, let alone Lord Usui, probably wouldn't believe me...

The two servants summoned by Usui had already walked to Nishino's side and supported his shoulders, one on each side.

Just as Nishino was about to be carried away and taken to the clinic... for some reason, his vision suddenly became blurry.

—Finally… unable to hold on any longer…?

Not only was he powerless to retrieve Phoenix House Yataro, but even his body, which he had been holding on to until now, collapsed... One bad news after another came crashing down.

However, Nishino at that moment didn't even have the strength to force a bitter smile.

As if surrendering to the cruel fate before him, he slowly closed his eyes...

……

……

Nishino thought he was going to lose consciousness.

When you open your eyes again, you may see the ceiling of the clinic... or you may never be able to open your eyes again.

But who knew... a sudden change would occur.

He was astonished to find that the world around him, which had been completely dark, had suddenly been filled with lines and colors.

The lines are either straightened or bent into new curves.

Colors either melt or blend into new colors.

This cycle of "destruction" and "rebirth" continues endlessly.

Gradually, a vivid and clear picture unfolded before Nishino's eyes.

The scene shows a beautiful young woman and a boy who looks to be around 8 years old. They sit facing each other on a clean tatami mat, with dignified posture and solemn expressions.

Although the two faces were somewhat unfamiliar, Nishino recognized the young woman as his mother when she was young, and the boy as himself when he was a child.

(Hosojiro! Listen up! Although our Nishino family has never produced any high-ranking officials or nobles, we have never produced any scoundrels who disobey the code of samurai! You must strictly remember the family precepts and never do anything that violates the code of samurai!)

As soon as his mother's words reached his ears, Nishino instinctively shouted "Yes!"

However, when he opened his mouth wide, he was surprised to find that he couldn't make a sound at all.

The mother, with her rigid and upright personality, has always presented herself as a "strict mother".

His mother's roars and scoldings permeated Nishino's entire childhood and adolescence.

Influenced by his mother, he aspired from a young age to become a "samurai among samurai" who would live up to his family name.

(Yes, Mother! I will definitely become a warrior that will make you proud!)

Suddenly, the scene before my eyes changed.

The lines and colors are decomposed one by one, and then reconstructed little by little.

What came into Nishino's view this time was the scene of him beginning his service as "Sadamachi Kaidoshin".

(Nishino-kun, well done!)

(Nishino! You've done another great job!)

(Hosojiro! We really owe you a lot this time!)

After entering the Northern Barbarian Garrison for the third time, he devoted himself to public service, never slacking off or daring to be negligent.

Since the goal is to become "the samurai among samurai", how can one waste time and live a lazy life?

With this belief, Nishino worked exceptionally hard in every job, and had extremely strict requirements for his abilities and character.

At the same time, it was precisely because of this belief that he became a stubborn and difficult-to-get-along-with eccentric.

He instinctively rejected both villains who violated the code of Bushido and good-for-nothings who ate their fill all day long.

Despite his tireless efforts to hone his skills, he had no ambition to gain official rank or wealth, nor did he aspire to be remembered in history.

He had only one goal: to reach that world and be able to stand tall with pride, saying to his ancestors: I have not tarnished the family's name! I have not disgraced the identity of a warrior!

Here, the scene before your eyes slowly changes again.

This time, the lines and colors were not reconstructed, but gradually faded away.

Nishino was once again surrounded by nothingness.

In the midst of this tranquility, a remarkably clear human voice suddenly rang out from the distant horizon.

(You went through all that trouble to master both literary and martial arts, just to serve the Shogun... to someone you've never even met?)

That's my grandson's voice...

Because it happened not long ago, Nishino immediately remembered: this was a series of questions that the other party "counterattacked" after he asked my grandson why he had betrayed his country and joined the rebels, after he and my grandson escaped from the Russian stronghold.

……

(Is this all you aspire to?)

……

(In your eyes, is it only by being loyal to the shogunate that one can become a worthy samurai?)

……

(What kind of samurai do you envision?)

……

……

……

……

"...Wait a minute."

Nishino slowly opened his eyes, his shoulders twitched, and he shook off the servant who was supporting him.

His actions immediately alerted Usui, Sakai Kingo, and Phoenix Yataro.

"Nishino-kun? What are you doing?"