My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 724: Chapter 22: Aoto Charges Into Battle! First Kill at Xuanwu Hall!

In the end, he hadn’t read the book for long before someone unintentionally discovered his unparalleled swordsmanship talent.

Realizing that he seemed to prefer practicing swords, Saito Mijuro decisively ”abandoned literature for swords.”

After formally studying swordsmanship at the Fencing Hall hosted by Ogata Jisshu of the Shindo Mononoke Stream, it didn’t take long for him to sit in the position of Deputy Master.

Saito Mijuro was not only very skilled in swordsmanship but also highly adept at running a business, possessing the talent of a great merchant.

After becoming the Deputy Master of the Fencing Hall, under his management, the Fencing Hall prospered and grew rapidly.

At the age of 28, he opened his own Sword Dojo, the Training Hall.

With outstanding swordsmanship and exceptional management ability, he single-handedly transformed the Training Hall into one of ”Edo’s Three Great Sword Dojos” in a very short time, glorifying the originally obscure Shindo Mononoke Stream.

The average age of Edo men was 30 to 40 years old; at 62, Saito Mijuro, having both personal achievements and social status, should be enjoying his later years.

But his inherently carefree nature, even at this age where others have long lost their vigor and energy, only wanting to surrender to aging, still hasn’t stopped his exploration of life and the world.

Following the ”Black Ship Incursion” and Japan’s national doors forced open under the threat of Western warships, Saito Mijuro very openly realized: in the face of cannons, swords are nothing more than embroidery needles; cannon art is the ultimate true meaning of killing skills.

This old man, who had practiced swordsmanship for most of his life, carefree and decisive, abandoned this skill that had long fused with his life, turning to learn how to maneuver cannons.

In order to devote more energy to studying cannons, Saito Mijuro became a hands-off shopkeeper, handing over the operation of the Training Hall to his eldest son Saito Shintaro, while he used private funds to buy 3000 tsubo of land in Daidaimu as a practice field, blissfully studying cannon art and practicing building batteries with disciples who also aspired to learn cannonry.

Saito Mijuro’s progress in studying cannon art was nothing but rapid.

Rumor has it that—The Edo Shogunate currently plans to build a battery for defending Edo Bay at Shinagawa Imperial Palace. Because Saito Mijuro has now mastered a considerable level of cannon art, the Edo Shogunate intends to hire Saito Mijuro to assist in the construction of the Shinagawa Battery.

Saito Mijuro, whose personality is like the best description of ”unconstrained by form,” doesn’t care at all about his second son being traumatized by Chiba Eijiro.

When someone asked Saito Mijuro why he was so, he replied—”Since you choose to devote yourself to the sword, you must be prepared for a life full of setbacks, dirt, sweat, and tears. My son is too proud, his will is weak, he lacks this kind of readiness, assuming he is undefeatable among his peers. Just one devastating defeat and his will and motivation were shattered; all this is merely his own doing, I blame no one.”

Now wholeheartedly focused on cannon art, having practically semi-retired from the swordsmanship world, Saito Mijuro rarely participates or concerns himself with sword-related activities anymore.

He is here today not to see whether Shiwei Hall and Xuanwu Hall can spark any special brilliance.

He came entirely for one person.

Saito Mijuro turned his face to speak to a well-featured young man sitting diagonally behind him:

”Katsura, you should watch carefully, I have a feeling that Tachibana Aoto will shine brilliantly again today.”

”Master, it’s not a wig, it’s Katsura.”

The young man said softly with a helpless tone.

”Hehehe, sorry sorry, people get unclear when they age, please understand.”

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Since entire web sections couldn’t post segment reviews these days, the author can only explain here: In Japanese, ”wig” and ”Katsura” sound similar. The former is pronounced ”Shira,” the latter is ”Kashira.”

With Aoto’s rise in social status, various masters of Edo began to appear in his life.

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