With Zhang Heng's help to contain the most troublesome Kirino Toshiaki, Okita Soki soon caught up with Shinsaku Takasugi and his men.
At this time, there were only four samurai left with Shinsaku Takasugi. The Tobaku still had a lot of men in Kyoto, but they could not be counted on now. So, these four samurai were the last armed forces protecting Shinsaku Takasugi.
The Choshu Domain samurai said to Shinji Takeuchi, "Takeuchi, the master's safety is in your hands."
Shinji Takeuchi gritted his teeth, "It's not a good idea to run away like this. Why don't we attack him together? He has already experienced a fierce battle. We might stand a chance."
The leader shook his head, "The master's safety is the most important. If no one follows him, the sedan carriers will definitely abandon the master and run away."
Takeuchi was speechless when he heard that. In the end, he could only reluctantly accept the proposal.
With him following the sedan, the sedan carriers had no choice but to carry the sedan obediently.
But after a few steps, Takeuchi heard the angry shouts of his companions behind him and the sound of weapons clashing. He knew that they were fighting with the Shinsengumi kid named Okita Soki.
Okita Soki had gone berserk tonight. He was determined to kill Shinsaku Takasugi, and anyone who dared to stand in his way was his enemy.
Seeing the three men rushing toward him, Okita did not retreat. Instead, he quickly moved forward to meet them. Before the three men could surround him, he swung his katana and slashed at the chest of the man in the middle. However, the latter obviously knew what Okita's goal was. Not only did he not lose his ability to fight, but he also became braver.
Like a madman, he continued to rush at Okita Soki while swinging his katana at the same time, cursing, "Shogunate's lackey, die!"
And his two companions took this opportunity to attack Okita Soki.
Okita Soki's mind was extremely calm at this moment. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the trajectory of the three katanas, and he made an extremely risky move.
He let go of the katana that was stuck in the enemy's body and took half a step back to avoid the attack. Then, he pressed forward again, reached out to grab the katana, and swung it with all his might before the enemy's katana could strike.
This time, he used all his strength. Not only did the Tachi cut through the target's flesh, but it also broke several of the target's sternum, drawing a line of blood. However, one of the remaining two men was also a master, and he took the opportunity to stab Okita's calf.
At this point in the battle, techniques were no longer that important. What mattered was the willpower and determination of both sides.
The man who was stabbed in the chest was dying, but when he fell to the ground, he reached out and grabbed Okita Soki's leg, trying to create an opportunity for his companion to kill the enemy.
At this time, Okita Soki also gave up on his defense. At the cost of his left arm being slashed again, he flipped his hand upward and stabbed the man's throat before the other man could swing his katana. After that, he beheaded the man who was hugging his thigh.
At this point, there was only one enemy left.
Okita Soki continued to fight and got into position.
At this time, the third man was completely stunned by Okita Soki's imposing manner. His hand holding the katana was trembling slightly. He was the least experienced among the three, and he had not experienced many battles, let alone tonight's tragic scene.
Seeing his companions fall one after another, he became timid before the battle even began. The faith in his heart was shaken. Just when he was hesitating whether he should run away to save his life or defend the samurai's honor, Okita Soki, who had been waiting impatiently, swung his katana and attacked first.
The result was without a doubt. Hesitation was a taboo in a battle.
Okita Soki effortlessly knocked away his opponent's katana, and the process was so easy that it surprised him. After that, he swung his katana a second time, and he could vaguely hear someone begging for mercy. However, the continuous battles seemed to have released the evil spirit in Okita Soki's heart.
At this moment, he could not hear anything. He continued to focus on swinging his katana for the last time, killing the enemy in front of him. After dealing with the wound on his thigh, he chased after the sedan.
His blood-stained appearance made passers-by scream, but Okita Soki ignored them. There was only one goal in his mind.
After a while, Okita Soki caught up with the sedan. However, the next moment, the sedan carriers suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed, begging for mercy. Okita Soki lifted the curtain with the tip of his katana and found that there was no one inside. The Choshu Domain samurai beside the sedan had also disappeared.
…
On the other side of the street, the battle between Zhang Heng and Kirino Toshiaki had also entered a white-hot stage.
In order to deplete the enemy's stamina more effectively, Kirino Toshiaki changed his fierce and aggressive fighting style and switched to a defensive stance. However, the angle and timing of his attacks were still very skillful, forcing Zhang Heng to move more.
The two of them advanced and retreated on the street, attacking and defending, attracting the attention of many passers-by.
Compared to Okita Soki's battle, Zhang Heng's battle looked a lot more elegant. After fighting for such a long time, neither of them was injured. They seemed to be gentlemen. However, only those who knew the ropes could see that this battle was far more dangerous than the one next to it.
There was not much difference in strength between the two, which meant that the battle would be broken down into smaller parts, with more emphasis on handling the details.
That was because the outcome was likely to be decided by a hair's breadth.
So far, Kirino Toshiaki was undoubtedly doing better. Both of them had speed and strength, and they were evenly matched. In terms of weapon, Kirino Toshiaki, who owned one of the world's five swords, was clearly ahead.
In fact, the katana in Zhang Heng's hand was now full of cracks, and he did not know how long it could last.
By then, the balance of the battle would tilt in Kirino Toshiaki's favor.
Zhang Heng seemed to realize this as well, but instead of changing his fighting style, he stepped up his attacks again. Finally, the katana in his hand could no longer withstand the continuous heavy blows. One-third of the top was cut off by Juzumaru, and the broken blade flew diagonally and stuck on the door plaque of a tea house next to him.
Kirino Toshiaki's expressionless square face finally flashed with a touch of joy.
In his opinion, with such a big part of his weapon missing, no matter which style he was, he would definitely be affected.
After that, Zhang Heng's fighting style also changed. However, it changed from Niten Ichi-ryū to a style that he had never seen before. There was no fixed pattern to his attacks, and he seemed to be waiting for the right moment to strike. Yet, every slash brought him an extremely dangerous feeling.
"I've seen your Shinju-ryu. Next, it's your turn to see my Annie-ryu," the man opposite said to Kirino Toshiaki.
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