I formed the strongest swordsman group

The tone is relaxed and casual.

It seemed like he was just going for an outing, rather than having a fight to the death with his beloved disciple.

Qingdeng was speechless for a moment, then put on a solemn expression.

"Boss Kiryu, how are you sure that guy is at Tenryuji Temple?"

Boss Kiryu smiled:

"Don't underestimate my intelligence network."

"I know that - a figure suspected to be Katsura Kogoro was found at Tenryuji Temple."

"In the previous battle of Ikedaya, Katsumi served as Katsura Kogoro's bodyguard."

"That being the case, that guy is probably still by Katsura Kogoro's side."

"So, I'm going."

Qingdeng said hurriedly:

"This is just a 'suspicion'. It is not yet certain whether Katsura Kogoro is in Tenryuji Temple!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Boss Kiryu said immediately:

"Even so, I still want to go!"

He raised his gaze and looked directly at Qingdeng, their eyes meeting each other.

"Even if there is only a slight possibility, I am willing to go."

Qingdeng opened his mouth and wanted to say something else.

However... facing Boss Kiryu's firm eyes, he felt like there was a lump in his throat and couldn't say anything.

Boss Kiryu seemed to have read through Qingdeng's thoughts and smiled freely:

"Tachibana-kun, don't show such an expression."

"In life, there are some battles that you are destined to not escape."

"Whether it's victory or defeat, whether it's laughter or howling, I'm mentally prepared. No matter what the outcome is, I'll happily accept it."

"Besides, maybe Katsumi and I won't fight at all."

"I used to study debate in Osaka."

"Maybe with just a few words, Katsumi could change his ways and apologize to me with tears."

After making a small joke in a joking tone, Boss Kiryu raised his hand and patted Aonto on the shoulder.

"Tangerine-kun, thank you for your concern."

"Although I really don't want to make the atmosphere so heavy, I do come to say goodbye to you tonight."

"To be honest, I actually ran away secretly."

"My lord, after learning about Katsura Kogoro's whereabouts, she blocked the news in the first place and didn't want me to know."

"But she underestimated my intelligence network."

"As soon as she received the news, I packed my luggage and sneaked out of Osaka without telling everyone."

"I originally wanted to go straight to Tianlong Temple."

"But for some reason, I really want to come over and see you and talk to you."

"Sure enough, once people get older, they tend to become sentimental."

After saying that, Boss Kiryu smiled and patted Aonto's shoulder again.

"Although it's just some commonplace talk, but before leaving, I, as a master, might as well say a few more words."

"You must eat well, sleep well, practice well, avoid being anxious and impatient, and continue to improve yourself."

"You are one of the best swordsmen I have ever seen in my life."

"I believe that one day, your fame will be far-reaching, and your achievements in martial arts will reach a level that even I can't reach."

"If you encounter setbacks, encounter bottlenecks, and doubt your own strength in the future, there is no need to feel depressed."

"You have the courage to overcome all obstacles - I'm sure of that."

"In short, don't underestimate yourself."

"Even if everyone in the world betrays you and hates you, there will still be an old man who regards you as his greatest pride."

When Qingdeng heard this, he subconsciously looked up to the sky. The darkness that could not be illuminated by candles hid the expression on his face very well.

Boss Kiryu's smile gradually softened.

"Okay, let's stop talking about mother-in-law."

"Let's talk business for a moment."

"After you launch a general attack on the Changzhou Army tomorrow, I will take advantage of the chaos and rush straight to the enemy's main line to look for Katsumi."

"So, Tachibana-kun, I will help you tomorrow."

"It would be great if we could disrupt the order of the Changzhou Army and turn them into chaos."

"This way, I can relax a lot."

"Tachibana-kun, please."

Faced with Boss Kiryu's ardent request, Aomori remained silent for a long time.

After about half a minute, Qingdeng finally spoke.

A calm voice came from the darkness.

"The defense on the east side of the bandit army is relatively weak. You can try to sneak in from this direction."

As Aoto said, he took two steps forward and got closer to Boss Kiryu.

For this reason, his face emerged from the darkness, with a calm expression and a determined gaze.

"Boss Kiryu, even if I tell you not to go, it's useless, so I won't talk such useless nonsense."

"Tomorrow, I will lead the charge and crush the Changzhou Army with thunderous momentum. I will do everything I can to try to open up a suitable opportunity for you to infiltrate as early as possible."

"This is a battle of your own choosing. I can't comment on it, let alone stop it."

"However, I still want to say one thing: remember to protect yourself, don't die."

"If you can go and come back, that would be great."

"I wish you good luck in martial arts!"

Looking at Qingdeng who calmly sent his blessings, Boss Kiryu was surprised at first, and then his surprise turned into joy and relief. He laughed dumbly and nodded vigorously.

"Well, Tachibana-kun, I'll be right back!"

…

…

The next day, early morning——

The pale yellow sun rises slowly from behind the mountains.

The faint dawn penetrated the thin clouds and cast towards the land of Gyeonggi.

Although the sun is warm, it cannot warm the cold air in the Changzhou Army Camp.

"Ho...! Ho...! My hand...! My hand...! Ho...! Ho...!"

"Bring more soju!"

"Damn it! There are so many injured, there's no way we can save them!"

"Sigh... Is it still necessary to continue this battle?"

"You bastard! You are here to boost the morale of others and destroy your own prestige! We still have the strength to fight, of course we must continue the fight!"

"Stop lying to yourself! Haven't you seen it yet? We have already been defeated! A huge defeat! There is no chance of winning!"

…

Ever since the remnants of Fushimi and Yamazaki's troops poured into Tenryu Temple, there has been an atmosphere of pain and panic inside and outside the temple.

In fact, a rather fierce quarrel broke out among the Changshu generals at Tenryu Temple about whether to accept this group of remnants.

Of course they knew the severe consequences of accepting remnants of soldiers.

Many generals were unwilling to let the remaining soldiers enter the camp.

But...these remnant soldiers in urgent need of rescue are all their compatriots.

Keeping compatriots out of the camp and refusing to save them until death... No one dares to give such an order!

Moreover, if they refuse to accept the remaining soldiers, it may lead to large-scale riots by the remaining soldiers.

They managed to escape the Shinsengumi's pursuit and managed to escape to the friendly camp at Tenryuji Temple, but were refused entry...

God knows whether they will be filled with grief and anger and attack the military camp in anger, causing a tragedy of fratricide!

Even though I knew it was a ball of fire, I could only hold my nose and swallow it!

In this way, the Changzhou generals of Tianlong Temple had no choice but to open the camp gate and let the remaining soldiers into the camp.

Sure enough, as soon as the remaining soldiers entered the camp, rumors spread rapidly in the camp about how brave the Shinsengumi were, how cunning the Satsuma army was, and that we were bound to lose.

The soldiers in the camp all knew the tragic endings on other battlefields.

In just one day, nearly ten thousand troops in Fushimi and Yamazaki suffered a devastating blow.

Currently, the only troops that can still fight are those from Tianlong Temple... But no one with a brain will have optimistic thoughts about the current war situation.

Since last night, the Changzhou camp has been full of scenes of "imminent defeat".

People who groan in pain because of their injuries…

People who weep secretly...

A man with his head hanging down and a look of despair...

The listless patrol...

Those who are unwilling to give up, still want to fight against the trapped beast, and work hard to boost morale...

The so-called "doomsday scenario" is nothing more than this.

Even the main formation was completely silent.

At this moment, all the generals of the Changzhou Army gathered in this formation.

Looking up, almost all the generals looked disgraced and in such a sorry state.

There is no shortage of injured people.

Kusaka Genrui sat on the maza with a dull expression.

The spine in his back seemed to have been ripped out, and he fell forward limply, with his two elbows pressed against his legs, barely supporting his body.

Just late last night, under the brave escort of those loyal ministers, Kusaka Genrui finally arrived safely at Tianlong Temple without any danger.

For the generals of the Changshu Army, Kusaka Genrui's survival was truly a blessing among misfortunes.

This was the only good news that gave them some comfort.

I don’t know whether it was due to the renewed desire to survive or something else. After arriving at Tenryuji Temple, Kusaka Genrui no longer shouted "Let me die", but became quite quiet...or maybe too quiet.

In the past, Genrui Kusaka, who was very eloquent and good at public speaking, would have spoken out to encourage everyone immediately.

But this time, he was silent and didn't say a word.

No words, no expression... At first glance, it looks like a string puppet and an autistic person.

This made the Changzhou generals feel very uneasy.

Even though there was no relevant notice, at dawn today, the generals came to the formation consciously and tried to discuss strategies to break the situation.

However, quite some time has passed, and the inside and outside of the formation are still surrounded by silence that can be heard as a needle drops.

No one made a sound, no one spoke...

Such a result is just a matter of course.

After all, the status quo is so rotten that nothing can be done about it...

Overwhelming military disadvantage, low morale, equipment gap like a dimensionality reduction strike... Even when Han Baiweihuo was alive, facing such a huge gap in combat power, he could only raise his hands and surrender.

The radicals who used to dance the loudest and shout the loudest now have their heads lowered and their eyes are staring at their noses and hearts. Their faces are expressionless, and their dull eyes look like dead people.

By now, all mentally ill patients who are not completely deranged have begun to see the current situation clearly.

They went out to fight with confidence, but they were completely defeated in just one day... Especially the disastrous defeat on the Fushimi battlefield brought an unspeakable impact to them.

The Shinsengumi didn't even send out infantry or cavalry. They just used muskets and artillery to beat them to the ground.

What the hell? Is this how battles are fought? !

Artillery is just that, but Western muskets are so powerful? !

In this way, it is difficult for these radicals who advocate the power of idealism and talk about the "soul of Changzhou" to have strong self-doubt about themselves: Is the concept of respecting and fighting that we have always adhered to wrong?

At this moment, in the corner of the main camp, Katsura Kogoro, dressed in cloth, leaned against a tree trunk with his arms folded. He didn't seem to be thinking or in a daze. He just stared at Kusaka Genzui not far away.

Beside him, Prajna squatted on the ground like a gangster, sweeping his eyes, scanning the main camp, smacking his lips a few times:

"Tsk tsk tsk, pitiful... Lost so miserably, the coffin is almost gone."

Katsura Kogoro's face sank:

"Prajna, shut up."

Prajna turned a deaf ear to his rebuke and continued:

"I say, Katsura Kogoro, why don't you kill that Kusaka Genzui?"

"...What did you say?"

Katsura Kogoro suddenly opened his eyes wide, turned his head, and cast a sharp look at Prajna.

Prajna shrugged.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm not afraid of you."

"I can subdue you to the ground with just one hand, it's not much more difficult than pressing a woman down on the bed."

"Although I don't like you, I have to admit that you are indeed a character."

"You are both civil and martial, and you are very courageous. You are a material for doing great things."

"No wonder Yamata no Orochi values ​​you."

"In terms of personal ability, that Kusaka Genzui is indeed not bad, but his brain is broken."

Prajna raised her hand and poked her forehead.

"Expel all Westerners and return this country to a state of isolation... How can he not fail if his mind is full of these unrealistic ideas?"

"Instead of letting this guy continue to waste Choshu's human and material resources, it is better to kill people and seize power directly."

"If you had done this earlier, maybe you could have avoided today's disaster."

"Look, after being tossed around by that kid, not only did you get nothing, but you also caused Choshu's national strength to be greatly reduced, and the situation became even more precarious."

Prajna thought that after he finished speaking, he would be fiercely refuted by the other party.

Because he knew that Katsura Kogoro had always valued the friendship of his former fellow students.

Unexpectedly, the scolding he expected did not come.

"..."

Katsura Kogoro remained silent with a complicated expression.

Prajna turned her head in surprise, looked him up and down, and grinned:

"Heh~~ It seems that the kid who always talks about 'fellow students' and 'classmates' has finally grown up."

Katsura Kogoro ignored Prajna's ridicule, silently raised his eyes, and cast an intriguing look at Kusaka Genzui not far away.

Just then, a series of panicked footsteps came from afar, approaching.

In a moment, a panic-stricken messenger broke into the sight of Katsura Kogoro and others.

"Kusaka-sama! The enemy, the enemy army has begun to move!"

The moment this person's voice fell, the sky was cut by the sound of a rapid horn.

Woo——! Woo——! Woo——! Woo——Woo——! Woo——!

Countless birds flew out in fright, rising from the Arashiyama behind Tenryuji like locusts.

The generals, including Kusaka Genzui and Katsura Kogoro, straightened up reflexively, their faces looked as if they were stained with black ink.

…

…

"Moo! Moo!"

After eating more than 60 kilograms of high-quality fodder and resting for a night, Radish regained his vitality.

Qing Deng held the spear in his hand, drove the ox to the front of the battle, and looked at the Tenryuji Temple in the distance.

Tenryuji Temple is adjacent to Arashiyama in the west, and only this direction cannot be deployed.

The other three directions - north, east, and south - are all heavily surrounded.

This is a battle that is sure to win, and the almost free military exploits are in front of them, which greatly boosts the morale of the soldiers.

Even the feudal troops want to get involved and ask for battle.

Of course, Qing Deng can't let these rubbish pick peaches and grab credit.

He still deployed the feudal troops in the rear and let them be the atmosphere group.

Accompanied by the deafening horn, the soldiers of the army left the barracks one after another and lined up in an orderly manner.

Three-leaf sunflower, gentian leaf, Aizu three-leaf sunflower, Maru cross... flags of different colors and pictures fluttered in the morning breeze.

Under the sunlight, the soldiers' armor and weapons shone brightly.

When Qing Deng appeared in front of the battle, in an instant, long spears, muskets, and swords were waved in the air, and cheers came one after another.

As long as Qing Deng gave an order, this huge army composed of the Shinsengumi, Aizu Army and Satsuma Army would launch an overwhelming attack like a torrent, swallowing up Tenryuji in one breath!

While Qing Deng was observing the enemy's formation from a distance, Hijikata Toshizo's voice suddenly sounded behind him:

"Tachibana, you don't have to risk the arrows and stones in this battle."

As Hijikata Toshizo said, he rode to Qing Deng's side.

"We are sure to win."

"Even without your help, we can still achieve a complete victory."

"Why do you have to go into battle in person?"

"I don't want to see you encounter any accidents."

This morning, Qing Deng announced to all the generals: I will lead the battle today!

Almost everyone did not understand his decision - this is not a tough battle with unpredictable results, why do you need to go out in person?

As soon as Hijikata Toshizo finished speaking, Qing Deng smiled slightly:

"Toshizo, thank you for your kindness."

"I understand your good intentions, but I have made up my mind."

"For some reasons, I will go all out in today's battle!"

After that, Qing Deng turned his head and looked to the east.

His intuition told him that Kiryu boss was lurking in the east, quietly waiting for the best time to sneak in.

Hijikata Toshizo looked at Qing Deng deeply, then sighed silently:

"Okay, you are the boss, I will listen to you."

At this time, Yamanami Keisuke drove his horse over.

"Tachibana-kun! All the troops are ready! We can attack at any time!"

Qing Deng heard this, nodded to indicate "I know", and retracted his sight, looking at the distant Tenryuji again, his eyes flickering, and his fighting spirit burned.

"Shinsengumi!"

He pulled the reins suddenly, and Radish raised his front hoof and made a powerful cry.

"Assault!"

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