Chapter 574 Annie-ryu
Since Zhang Heng was dealing with Kirino Toshiaki, Okita Soki soon caught up with Takasugi and his gang. At the same time, only four samurai were now left beside Shinsaku Takasugi. It was true that there were numerous Tobaku Supporters in Kyoto, but none of them were reliable. So these four were the last armed personnel that Takasugi had for protection.
The Choshu Domain’s leading samurai harrumphed with conviction to Shinji Takeuchi, “Takeuchi, I will leave you now to protect the lord!”
Shinji Takeuchi gritted his teeth. “I don’t think it’s a good idea that we keep running. So let’s fight the common enemy together! He has endured a fierce battle. We might just be able to defeat him.”
The leader shook his head. “The lord’s safety is our priority. If there’s no one to follow the litter, the group of bearers will definitely leave our lord behind!”
After hearing what the leader said, Takeuchi was speechless. In the end, he could only do what was asked of him. With him following the litter, those bearers had no choice but to continue carrying it.
But after taking a few steps, Takeuchi heard angry shouts of his allies behind him and the clash of weapons. At that time, he knew they had to be fighting the Shinsengumi kid named Okita Soki. He had been killing everyone that attempted to stop him tonight, and only one goal was in his mind-come what may, he had to send Shinsaku Takasugi to his maker tonight. Anyone who dared cross his path was an enemy.
Seeing how the three enemies from the opposing side were rushing forward, Okita did not retreat but charged at them instead. He swung his katana before the three encircled him, the sword landing on an enemy’s chest. However, the latter knew what Okita’s goal was. Not only did he not lose his combat effectiveness, but he became even more courageous.
The wounded man transformed into a wild maniac upon receiving Okita’s heavy blow, rushing towards Okita with his katana, swinging his wakizashi at the same time. “Shogunate bastard! Die!!!” His two allies also took the opportunity to attack Okita as well. Okita was extremely calm in the face of such peril, the corner of his eye-catching the trajectory of the three katana aiming at him. After that, he pulled off what was a precarious move.
He first let go of the Tachi that was stuck in the enemy’s body, then stepped half a step back to dodge the attack. Without hesitation, he charged at his enemies once again, reached out to his Tachi, swung it vigorously before his opponent’s wakizashi attacked him.
This time, he used his strength very well. Not only did his Tachi manage to cut into the enemy’s flesh, but he even cracked through a few ribs. However, there was a master samurai among the two remaining enemies. While Okita was dealing with another enemy, he stabbed him in his calf.
At this point in the battle, techniques were no longer that important anymore. Willpower and determination were the two factors that would determine the winner of this battle. The man with the knife in his chest was obviously expiring soon. He reached out and grabbed Okita Soki’s leg as he fell to the ground, trying to create an opening for his allies to kill Okita.
Presently, Okita seemed to have given up on defense. He bore the price of letting his enemy slash his left arm, rushing to stab the opponent in the throat before another enemy swung a katana at him. After that, he beheaded the man holding on to his thigh. Now, there was only one enemy left.
Okita Soki prepared himself for the final battle. The last remaining enemy was stunned by his overbearing aura, his hands trembling slightly as overwhelming fear engulfed him. Among the three enemies, this was the one with the least combat experience. After witnessing the tragic scene, he seemed to have lost all will to fight.
His allies had been ticked off one by one, causing him to lose his battle intent entirely. The strong pillar of faith in his heart was shaken to its core. Just as he hesitated, wondering if he should escape to save his life or uphold the samurai’s honor, Okita swung his katana and struck first. At that time, the winner had already been decided. Indecision was a big taboo in any battle.
Okita Soki effortlessly sent his enemy’s katana flying away. It was so easy, even he was surprised. He then swung his Tachi at the enemy for the second time, and that was when he heard the frail voice of the enemy begging for dear life. Unfortunately, the continuous onslaught of wonton violence and blood seemed to have invoked something evil buried deep within Okita Soki.
Ignoring his enemy’s pleas and cries to spare his life, Okita landed a lethal blow on his enemy with no respite. When that was done, he tended to the wound on his leg and quickly and went after the litter.
His blood-washed appearance made pedestrians scream, but General Manager Okita ignored the irrelevant guys. There was only one goal in his mind.
Soon after, Okita managed to catch up with the litter. Immediately, the bearers knelt and begged for mercy. Okita lifted the curtain with the tip of his katana, and lo and behold, discovered that no one inside. The Choshu Domain’s samurai were gone as well.
…
On the other side of the street, the battle between Zhang Heng and Kirino Toshiaki had reached its climax. To drain the enemy’s stamina more effectively, Kirino Toshiaki changed his previous valiant and fierce fighting style to a more defensive one. He skillfully executed his attack’s angles and timing, forcing Zhang Heng to make more moves than necessary. The two were fighting on the street, and it attracted the attention of many passers-by. Compared with Okita Soki’s battle, Zhang Heng’s battle was obviously a lot more elegant. After they fought for some time, neither of them got hurt. It seemed more like a gentleman battle. However, only experts could see that this battle was actually far more dangerous than Okita’s battle. There was not much difference between their strength, which meant the battle would be broken down into smaller pieces and would emphasize handling details. It was one fight too close to call.
So far, Kirino Toshiaki was undoubtedly on the winning side. One of them had the speed advantage, and the other one held the edge in power. Hence, they could be considered as standing on equal ground. However, Kirino Toshiaki had one of the five best katana in the world, and it enabled him to gain the upper hand in this battle. On the other hand, Zhang Heng’s katana was already riddled with cracks. It wouldn’t last any longer than a couple more hits.
The balance of the battle would eventually lean towards Kirino Toshiaki.
Zhang Heng seemed to be aware of this, as well. Instead of changing the way he fought, he took his offense up a notch. Finally, the katana in Zhang Heng’s hand could no longer withstand another heavy blow; one-third of it was sliced off by Juzumaru. And the broken blade flew out obliquely and stuck on the door of a nearby tea house. Kirino Toshiaki’s expressionless face finally showed a touch of joy.
Since Zhang Heng’s weapon was broken, it would definitely affect him greatly no matter what sect he was in. After that, Zhang Heng’s fighting style started to change drastically. It transformed from a Niten Ichi-ryū to something he had never seen before. There was no fixed attack pattern, and it seemed that he was just waiting for the opportunity to land a heavy strike on him. Every single strike was life-threatening.
“I have seen your sigen-ryu. Next, it’s your turn to see Annie-ryu.”