My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 496: Chapter 172: Single Blade Breaks the Bow! Copy Talent [Master of Archery]

Nagakura had a redeeming quality—he was very aware of his own intellect, and he never forced himself to handle tasks beyond his mental ability.

When faced with a conundrum he couldn’t solve, he would either evade it or delegate it to someone else.

Nagakura and Harada, well... they were the ”dumb duo” within the Aoto team.

However, while both were fools, their follies lay in different directions.

Harada’s ”dumbness” stemmed from a lack of education and a habit of not engaging his brain. At the mere hint of a problem requiring thought, he’d habitually give up and avoid it.

Nagakura had a decent education, knew many Chinese characters, and could recite a few classic lines from the Four Books and Five Classics. His ”dumbness” was purely from a lack of nimbleness in thought.

Aoto pondered for a moment, then reached to his left waist for his Wakizashi, only to find it empty—he had forgotten he left it in the body of the dwarf he had just stabbed.

”Nagakura, lend me your Wakizashi for a moment.”

Nagakura, though unsure why Aoto suddenly needed his Wakizashi, silently drew it from his waist and handed it to Aoto.

After accepting Nagakura’s Wakizashi, Aoto held it upright and extended its flat blade out of the trash heap, using the smooth, polished surface as a mirror to observe the outside of the heap.

Though the image it reflected was slightly blurred... it was barely adequate to see by.

The survivors had already fled the alley with the wounded, vanishing from Aoto and the others’ field of vision.

Only the three archers remained at the alley entrance—it was obvious they were covering their comrades’ retreat, preventing Aoto and Nagakura from pursuing, buying time for their withdrawal.

”Mr. Tachibana.” Nagakura said with noticeable anxiety in his voice as he and Aoto examined the reflection in the blade, ”This is troublesome... those guys have all run away!”

Compared to Nagakura’s agitation... Aoto was much calmer.

”...Who says so?” Aoto said nonchalantly, ”There are still those three who haven’t left, right?”

With that, Aoto slightly adjusted the angle of the Wakizashi, fixing a meaningful gaze on the reflection of the three archers.

Understanding Aoto’s intention, Nagakura widened his eyes, smacking his lips a few times: ”Mr. Tachibana, are you... planning to capture those three archers alive?”

”There’s no other way, is there? I’ve been chasing and slaying today... I don’t want it to be for nothing. I’ve got to figure out a way to capture someone who can be questioned for intel.”

With that said, Aoto returned the Wakizashi to Nagakura.

——About 20 meters?

Using the Wakizashi’s blade to survey outside the trash heap, Aoto roughly gauged the distance between them and the three archers.

From the trash heap where he and Nagakura hid to the mouth of the alley where the archers were, lay a straight path.

The length of this straight alley was about 20 meters.

To capture those three archers alive, they’d have to find a way to dodge their shots and cross this 20-meter distance.

As long as they could cross this 20-meter span and reach the archers... the rest would be easy.

Aoto realized suddenly—today was a day of many firsts for him.

The first time experiencing Western Swordsmanship of this era.

The first time facing so many foes alone.

The first time confronting archers.

Initially, Aoto thought of finding a shield to block arrows.

Looking around... Aoto truly found something usable as a shield—a large wooden board nearly 2 meters long and 1 meter wide.

This board was discarded in the trash heap they hid in, probably leftover material from a building renovation.

After consideration, Aoto gave up on using the board as a shield.

Though large, it was too thin... at its thickest, only about 3 centimeters.

A board this thin... Aoto thought using it to block arrows from a Yumi Bow was quite futile...

At this moment, Aoto suddenly spotted an empty sake bottle lying at his feet.

Looking at the bottle... inspiration struck—a bold idea suddenly flashed through his mind.

Aoto looked up at the houses lining the alley.

”...Nagakura, lend me your ear. I have a plan that needs your help.”

Aoto leaned close to Nagakura’s ear and whispered softly to him.

”...Mr. Tachibana.” Nagakura looked at Aoto in stunned disbelief, as if hearing an outlandish tale, ”Isn’t this too risky?”

Aoto fearlessly smiled calmly: ”Funny enough—I’ve forgotten since when, but I have been less and less afraid of death.”

Aoto reached into his pocket, pulled out a piece of pocket paper, and began wiping away the blood and fat on the Ghost-Slaying Divine Blade. He then peeked out from the trash heap again, quietly observing the three archers still at the western alley entrance.

”...Understood.” Nagakura nodded solemnly, ”Mr. Tachibana, may fortune be with you.”

Aoto’s lips curled up: ”Appreciate your kind words.”