My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 75: Chapter 57: Anti-foreigner Group (Part 1)

”Huff... Huff... Huff... Huff...”

The vision rises and falls with the rhythm of the breath.

—Did we win...

After scanning the corpses sprawled around him, Aoto swallowed, moistening his slightly parched throat from focusing so much on the battle that he hadn’t even had time to swallow his saliva.

”...Impressive,” Saito’s voice emerged from behind Aoto at this moment.

Saito, holding a tachi still dripping blood, walked slowly toward Aoto.

”I thought the person I was protecting this time would be someone lacking in skill.”

”It seems that is not the case.”

In response to Saito’s brief compliment, Aoto chuckled lightly a few times:

”I owe it to the fact that the opponents we encountered this time were conveniently weak, and with you guarding my back, I could fight so smoothly.”

The main reason Aoto believed they could achieve such a decisive victory in the recent battle was— the enemy was weak.

The enemy’s strength was inadequate, let alone competent swordsmanship; even their footwork was far from qualified.

The talents of ”Lone Brave” and ”Eagle Eye” also played a significant role.

Under the influence of ”Lone Brave,” Aoto, who fought four enemies alone, felt his physical condition was exceptionally good, with stamina, strength, speed, and reaction time all significantly enhanced.

With Saito guarding his back, allowing him to attack forward with full force, it also contributed significantly.

After a few days of special training, Aoto was no longer the ”Swordsmanship novice” he once was. With the combat experience from his previous life as a foundation, combined with these powerful talents... all these factors interwoven allowed him to swiftly defeat the four considerably weak enemies as a matter of course.

”How about your side? Did you take care of all the enemies?” Aoto asked Saito while pulling out a pocket paper to wipe his sword.

”One got away.”

”One escaped, huh... well, that was within my expectations. If all these lunatics were determined fighters who fought to the death without retreat, that would be surprising. Here, take this.”

Aoto handed one of the pocket papers to Saito.

After wiping off the remaining blood, fat, brain matter, bone fragments, and other miscellaneous substances from the blade, Aoto sheathed his sword—

”... You seem quite calm. Isn’t this your first time killing someone?”

While wiping his sword, Saito asked Aoto like this.

”Hmm? No, it is.” Aoto glanced at the corpse by his feet, ”This is my first time.”

”Your first time killing someone?” Saito, whose face usually showed no expression, made a rare expression—his eyes narrowed slightly, ”... Being as calm as you are on your first kill is truly rare. Don’t you feel scared or uncomfortable?”

”Well... drawing a sword against those who draw theirs towards me, killing those who wish to kill me— I think this is only natural and doesn’t make me uncomfortable.”

Saito’s eyes narrowed even more.

His eyes remained like an ancient pond, devoid of joy or sorrow.

But at this moment, if observed closely, a hint of amusement could be seen deep within his pupils.

Since Aoto had his back to Saito, he did not see this faint hint of amusement in Saito’s eyes. He looked around.

”Saito, help me keep an eye on the surroundings. If any bystanders or enemies approach, warn me.”

”I need to see if these people have any valuable intelligence on them.”

With that, Aoto crouched over the corpse at his feet, searching inside and out.

Aoto’s goal was to find items that could provide high-quality intelligence on these lunatics targeting his head.

For instance, orders or letters given to them by their superiors or comrades, lists of organization members, and similar items.

Aoto was now quite suspicious: this ”Radical Anti-foreigner Faction” targeting his head was not a small organization.

After the last failed attack on Aoto, being able to quickly organize another assassination attempt with even greater numbers this time, sending out eight people in one go... Aoto absolutely did not believe this could happen without an organization commanding them.

Saito nodded slightly towards Aoto, lifted his head, and placed his left hand on the hilt of the tachi he had just sheathed, standing guard for Aoto.

After thoroughly searching the insides and outsides of the seven corpses on the ground, Aoto was disappointed to find that—these seven people were shockingly ”clean.”

Not to mention any items that could provide intelligence, neither money nor provisions... nothing was found.

If it were just one person like this, it could be dismissed.

But with all seven people being like this... it raised doubts in Aoto’s mind.

—Is it a coincidence...

Aoto furrowed his brows.

—Or was it deliberate, to prevent these people from leaking intelligence after a failed assassination...

Various doubts floated up in Aoto’s mind.

But here and now wasn’t the right time or place for these thoughts.

The current time was already around 3 PM. With the delay caused by the ”Radical Anti-foreigner Faction’s” attack, if they lingered any longer, it was highly likely that they wouldn’t reach the first post station: Shinagawa Inn before dark.

In this era without streetlights or navigation, traveling at night was very dangerous, and it was common sense not to walk at night in such desolate places unless absolutely necessary.

Therefore, Aoto had to somewhat suppress the various doubts in his heart, retrieve the straw hat he had thrown earlier, and waved at Saito, ”Let’s go, Saito.”

...

...

Tokaido, Shinagawa Inn—

As the post station closest to Edo on the Tokaido, Shinagawa Inn was influenced by the radiation effect of the large city of Edo, with its population of over a million. The post station town of Shinagawa had developed into a sizable castle town.

With the hasty efforts of Aoto and Saito, they managed to enter the post station town of Shinagawa Inn just before it was completely dark.

These post station towns mainly survived on ”tourism industry.”

So, as soon as Aoto and Saito entered the post station town of Shinagawa Inn, more than a dozen figures, like cats smelling fish, gathered around them, asking if they wanted to visit their tea houses or izakayas or if they wanted young maidens.

Having no time to entertain them, Aoto politely refused their solicitations and headed straight for the Inquiry House of Shinagawa Inn.

The agency responsible for managing the post station and helping officials with ”Man-And-Horse Relay Formation” and other related matters was called the ”Inquiry House.”

The head of the Inquiry House was referred to as the ”Guild Master,” with permanent staff like Nianji, Accountant, Horse Commander, and human foot under its jurisdiction.

Aoto led Saito into the Inquiry House of Shinagawa Inn, and a human foot, the grassroots staff of the Inquiry House, immediately came up to them.

Seeing the Edo Magistrate’s Office’s Seal Cage hanging on Aoto’s right waist and the jitte with a red tassel proving his ”Three Times” Dōshin identity, this human foot dared not neglect them and hurriedly quickened their pace.

”I am Edo North Guard Station Designated Town Patrol Dōshin: Tachibana Aoto.” Aoto took out the document from his pocket that proved he was on official duty, handing it to the human foot. ”Please prepare lodging, meals, bathing water for me... Oh, and also, have my clothes washed.”

Aoto shook the cloak he wore today to shield from blood.

”Also arrange for a Flying Foot to help me send a message.”

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