My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 650: Chapter 7: One-Slash Insta-Kill! Aoto vs. Sazanoko Pursuer Corps [7400]

The vast majority of apprentices at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo are at an age where they are full of youthful vigor and have a strong curiosity about women.

In an era where meeting girls of the same age mainly depended on matchmaking, the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, which allowed women to learn martial arts, was like a ”Holy Land” to many of the apprentices there.

Because aside from matchmaking, this was their only way to meet girls of the same age...

Although there were some female disciples at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, they were not many, and quite a few of them were rather plain-looking.

Therefore, in the midst of ”a sea of green,” the exceptionally striking Sazanoko naturally became the center of attention at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo!

When she wields her sword and glaive, she is a spirited female warrior, and when she puts them down, she becomes a graceful Yamato Nadeshiko, talented and beautiful, and also the daughter of the prestigious Chiba family... Sazanoko, with such ”lethality,” is truly overwhelming!

Whether they are lustful men or ambitious ones hoping to climb the social ladder by befriending prestigious families, to these people, Sazanoko is undoubtedly the perfect match.

In short, Sazanoko is the dream lover of over half of the male apprentices at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, each harboring some fantasy about her.

For such a perfect goddess, some did not dare to even glance at Sazanoko due to their inferiority complex. However, quite a few had the courage to bravely launch their ”offensive” and actively pursued Sazanoko.

Among them, there were those with outstanding talents in swordsmanship, some of whom were destined for a brilliant future in Sword Dao, and sons of prestigious families.

Handsome, extraordinarily talented, very wealthy, or from eminent families... In short, among those who pursued Sazanoko, there were many who were outstanding in one or several aspects.

But all these pursuits ended without exception—in failure.

No one managed to break through Sazanoko’s seemingly impregnable heart; no one won her affection.

Regardless of who they were, Sazanoko always remained extremely cold, never showing any positive or warm attitude towards any male, except for family members like Chiba Shigetarou.

Logically speaking, Sazanoko’s suitors should have been rivals, as incompatible as water and fire.

But strangely, their relationships were surprisingly harmonious.

Not only did they rarely engage in verbal or violent conflicts, but they also often gathered to discuss Sazanoko: ”Miss Chiba is as beautiful as ever today,” ”Miss Chiba has new clothes, and they look great,” ”Miss Chiba’s bust seems to have become even fuller,” and so on...

The reason for this harmony is simple—none of them could win Sazanoko’s heart, and since they were all in the same boat, why hold grudges?

And so, this ”Sazanoko Pursuer Corps” within the Little Chiba Sword Dojo maintained its peculiar harmonious atmosphere day after day. ℴ

Until...someone appeared recently, causing this harmony among the ”pursuer corps” to collapse.

And this ”someone” is Aoto.

Imagine from the perspective of this group who viewed Sazanoko as their dream goddess, what kind of existence was Aoto?

Belonging to the Shiwei Hall, not even an apprentice of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo...

During the time when Sazanoko was kidnapped, he was the one who saved her. Therefore, members of the Chiba family like Chiba Dingji and Chiba Shigetarou held him in high regard...

He frequently visited the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, and every time he did, he would meet and chat with Sazanoko, who did not seem to mind talking to him...

...

This last reason alone was enough to make Sazanoko’s suitors regard Aoto as a great enemy!

We have pursued Sazanoko for so long without the fortune of being able to ”chat frequently with Sazanoko, and she does not mind,” so why should this guy, who is not even an apprentice of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, be any different from us?

Out of strong jealousy, the ”Sazanoko Pursuer Corps” started drafting a plan over a month ago to teach Aoto...this annoying guy, a good lesson!

To teach Aoto a lesson...it sounds easy, but the problem is: how to do it?

Though they were reluctant to admit, Sazanoko’s suitors had to acknowledge—this annoying guy was quite capable indeed.

Single-handedly challenging over sixty Samurai from the Anti-foreigner Group, severely injuring them, and killing their leader, Kamino Tatsugorou... Such a formidable feat was hard not to admire.

Nevertheless, although they acknowledged Aoto’s impressive abilities, Sazanoko’s suitors did not believe they were helpless against him.

The reason for their confidence lay entirely in the title ”swordsmen of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo,” which gave them immense confidence.

We are swordsmen of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo—a phrase many apprentices of the dojo took great pride in.

We practice swordsmanship at the Little Chiba Sword Dojo, which ranks among the top in Edo for its scale, reputation, and entry difficulty... This intense sense of superiority inevitably brought tremendous confidence.

This is a common ailment among these top students of the Great Sword Dojos.

Having passed the rigorous examinations to enter the Great Sword Dojo, they grew conceited, looking down on others.

The bugs of the Anti-foreigner Group, who act savagely under the guise of expelling foreigners, how could their abilities compare to us swordsmen of the Little Chiba Sword Dojo?