My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 4: Chapter 3: Have You Ever Seen a Protagonist Who Almost Got Chopped to Death Right After Transmigrating?

How should I put it... Aoto now only feels this system is so user-friendly!

It even clearly marks the usage rules, making it obvious at a glance.

——Is this the legendary system cheat...

Aoto slapped his face hard, wanting to see if he was dreaming, but the stinging pain from his cheeks and the virtual screen right before his eyes told him——he was not dreaming.

He truly got himself a cheat.

A smile slowly crept up his face along his slightly upturned lips.

The uneasiness that had been hovering in his heart ever since he crossed into this unfamiliar environment and era dissipated slightly.

——To copy a talent, one must fight with an opponent for more than 10 seconds... Speaking of which... during the confrontation with that second-in-command of the Righteous Group, the fight did last more than 10 seconds...

——Awakening a talent on one’s own...

Aoto was most concerned about the last usage rule: upon fulfilling certain conditions, such as a change in mood, a new talent may awaken on its own.

——Awakening a new talent upon meeting certain conditions... isn’t that just too vague...

After pondering for a while, realizing he couldn’t figure anything out, he gave up thinking and focused on the talents he currently possessed:

[Current Talents Owned:

Night Vision]

Around the term ”Night Vision” in the system interface, golden light was shimmering.

This should be what the fourth point in the usage rules referred to: when a talent is activated, the term on the system interface will appear illuminated.

Aoto was currently in a dim environment, so the talent ”Night Vision” activated on its own.

Aoto currently only possesses this one talent — which he just acquired after cutting down the second-in-command of the ”Righteous Group”.

Looking at this singular talent he recently copied, Aoto’s feelings were somewhat subtle.

The only talent he possesses at the moment was copied from someone else — this signifies his previous body had no special talent, just an ordinary person.

However, after consoling himself, Aoto felt relaxed: the system’s usage introduction also mentioned not everyone has special talents, most people are ordinary without anything special about them.

The body he has now is nothing more than an ordinary, unremarkable one.

Aoto began seriously examining the talent he just copied.

One must admit — the talent ”Night Vision” is indeed very practical.

In this era, streetlights naturally do not exist, unless one goes to a City of Eternal Night like Yoshiwara, otherwise, going out at night without a lantern makes it basically impossible to move.

Currently, Aoto is on a secluded path, with surrounding houses and shops tightly shut, the only light source being the lantern in his hand.

Despite the dim light, Aoto could still see everything clearly as if it were daytime.

This should be the effect of this talent — having the ability to see clearly even in pitch-black darkness.

Whew!

At this moment, a gust of cold wind blew.

The sudden cold wind drilled into the gap in Aoto’s clothes, making him shiver involuntarily.

”So cold...” Aoto tightened the collar of his Feathered Robe.

[Note: Feathered Robe: an outer garment of traditional attire]

According to the memories of ”Original Tachibana Aoto”, today is January 12th, in the midst of winter.

Feeling it getting colder around him, Aoto puffed warm air into his hands, then lifted his lantern and stood up: ”Let’s head home quickly...”

With the talent ”Night Vision”, Aoto doesn’t actually need the lantern for illumination.

Just as Aoto was contemplating whether to extinguish the flame inside the lantern——

Rustle rustle rustle——!

The sound of straw sandals grinding the ground suddenly came from Aoto’s right side!

Aoto instinctively looked in the direction of the sound.

Just to see three samurai with conical hats swiftly running towards him!

As Aoto cast his gaze upon these three, they simultaneously reached for the swords around their waists.

Three consecutive metallic hissing sounds rang out as they unsheathed their swords, aggressive and imposing!

Watching these three samurai charging at him with swords, Aoto’s expression suddenly changed.

Their speed was exceptionally fast; in the blink of an eye, the one leading the charge—a fat man had already reached Aoto.

”Tachibana Aoto! You traitor who panders to foreign powers!” the fat man shouted while swinging his sword towards Aoto’s face, ”Behold! Celestial Punishment!”

The fat man’s sword was already swinging down, leaving Aoto no time to draw his sword.

In this situation, a normal person would likely be so scared they’d forget to move.

But Aoto — is not your average person.

In his previous life, he was a top student graduating with first in rank from the police academy!

The ”awareness” cultivated from years at the police academy awakens at this moment!

A piercing light flashes in Aoto’s eyes.

Although he couldn’t draw his sword in time, he still has the most primitive weapon.

Aoto releases his hand, discarding the lantern he held, raises his arms, grabs the person’s knife-bearing right hand with his left, and seizes the person’s left shoulder with his right, employing his signature technique from his past life—Capture!

In his previous life, Aoto graduated from the police academy as the top student in his class, with outstanding scores in all courses.

Particularly in police athletics courses, like the one teaching Police Baton Skill, Aoto’s results were unbeatable.

Moreover, Aoto’s greatest extracurricular interest in his previous life was fitness and sports. While at the police academy, he was notoriously known as the ”devil muscle man,” with biceps that dwarfed a baby’s head when flexed.

Beyond fitness and sports, Aoto also had a deep interest in Hand-to-Hand Combat Skills, exploring many different forms and excelling particularly in Capture Technique and Free Fighting.

Aoto initially intended to use Capture Technique to disarm the knife from the fat man and then directly take him down to the ground. However, to his surprise—he couldn’t budge the fat man at all.

——This body’s strength... is too weak!

The combat skills from his previous life can be perfectly replicated, but the body’s strength cannot.

In this new body, though his height is passable at 1.75 meters, he seriously lacks muscle mass, with a frame that is too slim and weighs only about 120 pounds, unable to match the fat man’s strength!

Failing to take down the fat man or disarm him, he is stuck in a stalemate, wrestling with the fat man.

At this moment, two other companions of the fat man charge in.

Currently, Aoto’s two hands are locked wrestling with the fat man, leaving him without a third or fourth hand to handle the other two enemies.

Thus, Aoto decisively pushes forward with all his might, shoving the fat man away, and steps back several paces in one breath.

Although Aoto retreated as fast as he could, his left thigh was still grazed by a blade, tearing his pants and leaving a fine cut on his skin.

With no time to attend to the wound, after distancing himself from the three uninvited guests, Aoto quickly draws his sword.

If others are unarmed, you draw a police weapon; if others bear weapons, you draw a gun. In any case, wherever or whenever, use whatever weapon is available, and opt for a weapon stronger than the criminal’s. Never foolishly engage in hand-to-hand combat; when facing criminals, there’s no need to uphold ”Martial Virtue” — a senior once earnestly advised Aoto during his police academy days.

After hearing this heartfelt advice from his senior, Aoto once asked, ”So, what if the criminal has a gun?”

”We’ve dispatched an armored vehicle before to exchange fire with an armed criminal,” the senior replied with a deadpan seriousness.

——If only I had a gun and armored vehicle now...!

Aoto grips his sword tightly, reflecting on his senior’s earnest teachings with regret.

Aoto’s earlier Capture technique, which temporarily subdued the fat man, along with the gleaming sword now in hand, subdued the three uninvited guests.

Holding knives, the three engage in a standoff with Aoto, hesitating to advance.

As they hold back, Aoto certainly won’t recklessly charge forward.

If he had the physique of his former life, there might still be hope in confronting the three people before him.

Through the brief clash with the fat man, Aoto realized: with his current frail body to confront the three head-on... it’s utterly foolhardy.

Only now does Aoto have the luxury to survey the appearances of the three — and yet, there’s nothing to be seen.

All three wear wide-brimmed straw hats, obscuring the upper halves of their faces, leaving only the lower halves visible.

——Who are these people? Why did they suddenly draw their swords to attack me? Are they enemies of this body’s original owner?

——What to do now? Fighting one against three, even if he wins, he may suffer significant injuries...

Aoto bitterly ponders a way out of this predicament. A few cold sweat drops seep from his brow, trailing down his nose and cheeks.

Just as Aoto muses on how to break through the current predicament, a sound emerges, heavenly music to Aoto’s ears at this moment:

”Hey! What’s going on? Why is it so noisy?”

”Ahhh—! Samurai are fighting! They’ve drawn their swords!”

”Samurai are fighting?”

”Samurai are fighting! Quickly, come look!”

...

The sounds of Aoto’s fight with the three uninvited guests awaken nearby residents.

Several bold individuals rush out to watch the commotion.

As people approach, the three samurai exchange glances, and the fat man sheathes his sword: ”Retreat!”

With that, the fat man is the first to leave quickly while supporting his sword.

And as he departs, the fat man turns his head to shout fiercely at Aoto:

”Tachibana Aoto! You traitor to the nation who fawns over foreign powers! Wait for us! One day, we shall cut you down!”

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