My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 559: Chapter 183: Final Battle! Aoto vs. Shinno [9000]_2

”Fire!”

He swung his arm forcefully towards the front, towards Shinno and the others!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...

The dense sound of gunfire, like exploding beans, blasted out.

Row after row of scorching bullets, like beasts descending the mountain, roared toward Shinno and his group, who were frantically fleeing north.

The matchlock gun’s accuracy was poor, and though many bullets were fired, only a few hit people. The vast majority either shot into the sky or hit the ground.

However—despite the poor accuracy, the deafening and dense gunfire still delivered a strong psychological shock to the members of the Anti-foreigner Group.

Even those left by Shinno to cover the rear showed significant signs of wavering.

Originally, when facing Aoto, who almost single-handedly took down nearly half of their comrades, despite having a numerical advantage they couldn’t overpower him, the morale of the Anti-foreigner Group was already severely hit.

And now, with the arrival of the Arson and Theft Magistrate, the waves of gunfire became the final straw that broke their psychological defenses.

Their morale completely collapsed, and they fled in panic, without image or order.

Even the ”rear guard” left by Shinno to cover the main force ignored orders and mostly fled.

Though Shinno, after the disastrous failure in ambushing Elodie’s family four months ago, had always implemented the ”Elite Soldiers Strategy,” no matter how ”elite,” it couldn’t change the fact that the members of the Anti-foreigner Group were basically economically disadvantaged and poorly educated subordinate samurai.

Expecting a bunch of uncultured country bumpkins to possess high discipline... that’s utterly wishful thinking.

With the momentum on their side they are fierce like wolves, against it they lose all fighting spirit—for this group, this is the true reflection.

Among the scattering crowd, Aoto precisely found Shinno’s figure.

Watching Shinno about to disappear from his sight, urgency colored Aoto’s pupils.

Wanting to solve the big trouble tonight once and for all... it’s not just Shinno who felt this way!

If possible, Aoto wanted to settle the long-standing feud with the Anti-foreigner Group tonight!

If the leader Shinno is not dead, then the Anti-foreigner Group could always rise again.

To eradicate the Anti-foreigner Group, Shinno must not be allowed to escape again... there’s no time to run to the east and west street entrances to ask the Arson and Theft Magistrate for help in pursuing Shinno, doing so would let Shinno run far.

Thus, Aoto could only muster his spirit and chase after Shinno’s figure!

”Mr. Tachibana, where are you going?” Mukiwa, standing next to Aoto, quickly asked Aoto by instinct.

”I’m going to chase Kamino Tatsugorou!” Aoto’s answer was clear and straightforward.

Upon hearing Aoto’s response, Mukiwa immediately understood Aoto’s intention.

She said nothing—just silently followed closely by Aoto’s side.

At the same time, Shimizu Renzaburo waved his hand again.

”Follow me! Don’t let anyone escape!”

...

...

Mukiwa’s timely support, the arrival of the Arson and Theft Magistrate, and the madmen of the Anti-foreigner Group fleeing in panic due to the appearance of the Arson and Theft Magistrate... seeing all these scenes, Sazanoko finally showed a relieved expression.

However, she hadn’t had long to relax before her nerves tightened again—because she saw Aoto and Mukiwa pursuing the fleeing Anti-foreigner Group and others.

In just a moment, Aoto and Mukiwa’s figures disappeared from her view.

What happens next on Aoto’s side, Sazanoko would no longer know.

Praying that Aoto and the others will return victoriously... this was the only thing the incapacitated Sazanoko could do now.

”Um... um... um... um...”

”Hey! Hang in there! I’ll take you to a doctor right away!”

Suddenly, Sazanoko heard a male’s moaning and a female’s crying voice coming from beside her.

Looking towards the direction of the sound, she saw in the far right a young girl supporting a young man... both were Yamato people, presumably residents of the settlement.

The Edo settlement housed many Yamato people, most of whom either operated shops within the settlement or were hired by the foreigners residing in the settlement as servants and guard.

The male among the pair... the young man being supported by the girl, had quite a bit of blood on his forehead, moaning incoherently as he lost consciousness.

As for the girl supporting this young man, she appeared to be so anxious she was about to cry.

She struggled to move her feet forward, hoping to walk even slightly faster.

But with her quite slender figure, skinny arms, and legs, she found it quite strenuous just to support the young man in walking.

Trying to run swiftly while supporting the young man... was completely an impossible task.

The young man must have been injured while escaping the burning house or when fleeing in the streets, maybe hit by a falling ceiling or some debris... Sazanoko guessed in her heart.

Her upbringing, and the pride of being a daughter of the Samurai Family, made Sazanoko almost instinctively turn around upon seeing the struggling pair, hop beside the daikon, and mount the cow.

”Mr. Tachibana, I’ll borrow your cow.” She whispered softly.

Do my best to do what I can now... Sazanoko gently told herself in her heart.