Chapter 941 'The Last' of 'Deputy Commander Hijikata' Hijikata Toshizo [Leopard Generator 7K2]
Hijikata Toshisan's words are not finished yet:
"In Tama Hino, there is a man named 'Hikoro Sato'. He is my brother-in-law and he is very famous in the local area. You can find his address by asking around."
"This is a very difficult task, please do it."
Tetsunosuke Ichimura stared blankly at the photo and hair Hijikata Toizo handed over.
"Mr. Hijikata, you, you are..."
He stammered and could not calm down for a long time.
While he was still in a daze, Hijikata Toizan smiled slightly - he rarely showed such a gentle smile.
"Tetsunosuke, thank you for always helping me. Choosing you as my nickname was indeed the right choice. Thank you for your hard work."
Since being adopted as a nickname by Hijikata Toshizo, Tetsunosuke Ichimura's intelligence and ability have been obvious to all.
He managed Toshizo Hijikata's daily life in an orderly manner, allowing Toshizo Hijikata to focus on official duties.
After following Hijikata Toizo to Hachioji, his performance still did not disappoint anyone.
Because he was too young, Hijikata Toshizo was not allowed to go to the front line.
So, he did everything he could in the rear.
Heating hot water, carrying the wounded, delivering weapons and ammunition... Even the pickiest and most ruthless person cannot deny his diligence and contribution.
At this moment, Tetsunosuke Ichimura finally reacted:
"Mr. Hijikata! Please take back your order!"
As he spoke, he knelt on the ground with a sincere look on his face.
"I won't leave! Please let me stay! I want to fight with you until the last moment!"
The front is unsustainable... Everyone knows that today is the "last day".
Obviously, Hijikata Toshizo's move was to give Ichimura Tetsunosuke a way out.
You say you are asking him to deliver something, but you are actually asking him to escape from the battlefield.
"Don't be stupid, you won't do anything if you stay here."
"Even so, I want to stay and fight! I can swing a sword! I can fight!"
Hijikata Toshizo's tone gradually became colder:
"Article 1 of the Shinsengumi Code: All actions must be followed as directed. Anyone who disobeys orders will be beheaded."
After saying that, he raised his left hand, pressed the sheath of Izumi Mamoru Kanesada on his left waist, pressed his thumb forward against the blade, and a "click" sound revealed the red copper tenon holding the scabbard.
Looking at the unsheathed Izumi Mamoru Kanesada, a flash of fear flashed in Tetsunosuke Ichimura's eyes.
But despite this, he still refused to give in:
"Mr. Hijikata, please... let me stay. As a noble samurai, how can I run away..."
"This is not an escape, you are just following my orders."
"But...but..."
"Tetsunosuke, you have more tasks than just delivering things to me."
Hearing this, Ichimura Tetsunosuke subconsciously raised his eyes in confusion.
Hijikata Toshizo continued in a calm tone:
"In order to save the folks in Edo, we stayed here for five full days and nights, intimidating the enemy and ourselves."
"We cannot let this tragic battle be buried."
"How a Thousand People Unite to Fight in Hachioji."
"How did Hijikata Tozo, the 'Deputy Commander of the Demons', Shimada Kui, the First Division Vice Captain, Elodie Angouleme, the Shinsengumi Chief, and the rest of them, gallop on the battlefield?"
"I hope you can spread these stories and make them known to the world."
"With such an important responsibility, who else can I entrust to you besides you?"
Hijikata Toshizo's tone was sonorous and powerful, full of unquestionable meaning.
Ichimura Tetsunosuke's eyes gradually became moist.
He opened his mouth and seemed to have something to say.
But facing Hijikata Toshizo's firm gaze, he couldn't say anything.
Finally... he bit his lips, lowered his head, and nodded vigorously while choking.
"Yes...I...I understand..."
Looking at Tetsunosuke Ichimura who finally nodded in agreement, that gentle smile once again hung on Hijikata Toshizo's cheek.
"Let's set out quickly before the bandits attack."
He said and handed over the photo and hair in his hand again.
Ichimura Tetsunosuke wiped away his tears, stretched out his hands, took it respectfully, then stood up and bowed solemnly to Hijikata Toshizo.
When he turned around and left the bullet shelter and walked to the entrance of the cave, he suddenly stopped, turned his head, and looked at Hijikata Toshizo reluctantly.
Hijikata Toshizo nodded at him:
"Ironosuke, have a safe journey."
He bit his lip again and pretended to be free and easy:
"Mr. Hijikata, I wish you good luck in martial arts."
After saying that, he bowed deeply... After doing all this, he turned back his eyes, lifted his feet that were stuck to the ground, and left quickly.
It wasn't until the sound of his footsteps faded away that he slowly looked back.
"..."
He stared straight into the void in front of him and remained silent, not knowing what he was thinking.
After a moment, he chuckled lightly, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and there was a hint of relief in his smile.
At this time, Kui Shimada shouted from outside the cave:
"Deputy Chief! Vice Chief!"
After a while, Shimada Kui was seen rushing into the cave, followed closely by Elodie.
Just like Hijikata Toshizo, the fierce battles for days left them looking very embarrassed and covered in blood.
Even the luster of Elodie's beautiful blond hair had become much duller.
However, one thing about them has never changed: the fighting spirit in their eyes has never faded!
Kuiyan Shimada summarizes the report in a concise and comprehensive manner:
"Deputy Commander! The thieves are attacking!"
Hijikata Toshizo nodded lightly:
"Well, I understand."
He stood up calmly as he spoke.
At this time, he seemed to remember something and turned to look at Elodie.
"Elodie, although it would be unwise to ask this question now, I still want to confirm with you: Do you really want to fight with us to the end?"
Elodie tilted her head and smiled:
"If I run away from the battlefield, I will bring shame on my status as 'The Disciple of the Nioh'."
After saying that, she specially raised the Yamato Shou'an in her hand.
When Hijikata Toshizo saw this, he responded with a look of respect and conviction.
The next moment, with a "choking" sound, he suddenly pulled out the Izumi Mamoru Kanesada from his waist and shook off the long windbreaker on his body:
"Let's go and engrave our bravery in the history books of the future!"
…
…
French-Qich coalition forces, our formation——
The Shuten boy stood with his hands behind his hands, looking at the formation of thousands of people in the distance.
Abruptly, he murmured:
"It's amazing that they were able to block us for five days... I admire them, I admire them. I underestimated them."
Although it cannot be said that the generals of the French-Qich coalition looked down upon them with regard to Thousands of People United, they did not think they were a major threat.
It is true that Toshizo Hijikata is a talented person with great influence in the world, but what can he achieve by himself?
Everyone, including Shuten Doji and Katsura Kogoro, all judged optimistically: It only takes three days at most to break through the defense line of thousands of people! Capture the Hachioji!
Unexpectedly...Hijikata Toshizo and the thousands of soldiers with the same heart actually used their iron will to hold them off for five days!
For such achievements, for the tenacious will of thousands of people working together, and for Hijikata Tobizo's excellent command, even if he is as proud as a drunken boy, he has to give extremely high praise.
As soon as Shuten Doji finished speaking, Katsura Kogoro standing next to him said calmly:
"Hijikata Toshizo's unity with thousands of people is indeed admirable. What a pity...it ends here."
Shuten Doji nodded slightly in agreement:
"Yeah, that's it."
In front of their sight, they saw a huge number of soldiers rushing towards the position of thousands of people like a tide.
The "last day" of the Hachioji offensive and defensive battle begins!
…
…
"Ula! Kill them all!" (Russian)
"Fight them!"
"They can't hold it anymore! Come on! Come on!" (Russian)
"No matter what, you will die! Get a few more people to back you up!"
…
Accompanied by screams and screams, colorful blood splashed and fell repeatedly.
The blade cuts through flesh and blood.
Bullets penetrate life.
The opponents of thousands of people working together are not only the French and Qi coalition forces in front of them, but also the fatigue accumulated in their bodies.
Their blades are full of gaps.
Their clothes are in tatters and tatters.
Their legs are as heavy as lead.
Their spirits are approaching their limits.
Their bodies are scarred.
But despite this, they still refused to give in even half a step and allowed the brutal decisive battle to continue!
The soldiers here chopped off the heads of the Russian soldiers.
The Russian soldiers there shot through the bodies of the soldiers.
The soldiers here pulled the triggers in unison, disrupting the formation of the surprise team.
The team of surprise troops there worked together to trap the soldiers in action and pierced their bodies with bayonets.
The so-called "tragic" is nothing like this.
To this day, for the thousands of soldiers with one heart and one mind, the battle before them is no longer limited to "abide by the agreement made by our ancestors to guard the Eighth Prince from generation to generation."
Thousands of soldiers working together are all villagers who live in the same village and are related to each other.
In other words, they are basically "father and son soldiers", "brother soldiers" and "brother-in-law soldiers".
In the past five days, too many of their relatives and friends have been killed by the enemy.
In order to avenge their relatives and friends, and to fight for a breath, they voluntarily transformed into Shura!
Never mind Edo, never mind the ancestral agreement! Kill them first and then talk about it!
But... spiritual strength cannot make up for material weakness.
The five-day fierce battle caused the strength of both sides to wax and wane.
The huge gap in training levels caused thousands of people to be exhausted, but the French-Qich coalition was still able to handle it with ease.
Under the pressure of the French and Qi coalition forces, thousands of soldiers retreated steadily.
The current war situation has become irreversible...
At this moment, amidst the deafening shouts of killing, in a corner of the battlefield, an eye-catching scene happened.
A young man who was only in his early twenties at most faced a group attack of more than twenty members of the Raiders alone.
All the companions around him were killed in the battle, and he could only face the enemy alone.
He held the knife tightly in his palm, with a look of fear on his face, and his hands shook violently, as if he were holding a live fish, but he still held the knife very hard.
The enemy soldiers on the opposite side, that is, the soldiers of the surprise team, slowly narrowed the encirclement, walking in a comfortable manner, not paying attention to the young man at all, as if they were a cat playing with a mouse.
"Go! Kill him!"
Following the commander's order, the enemy soldiers swarmed forward, preparing to take the young man's life.
The young man gritted his teeth, a fierce look flashed in his eyes, his hands stopped shaking, and he was determined to find someone to support him.
Suddenly, a tall figure burst into this place from the thorn!
He stood in front of the young man, stretched out his arms, and waved the sharp blade in his hand.
One flash, another flash, three flashes.
The white blade flashed three times in mid-air, and every time it flashed, one or more enemy soldiers would be cut down to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the rough encirclement immediately opened! Those who were lucky enough not to be swept away by the cold light retreated backwards, distanced themselves, and looked at the man in black who had suddenly attacked with fear on their faces.
Toshizo Hijikata shook off the remaining blood on the sword and said to the young man behind him without looking back:
"You go to support other places, leave it to me here."
Looking at Hijikata Toshizo's back, looking at the man who saved him from danger, the young man's expression was dominated by strong excitement and excitement.
He did not disobey Hijikata Toshizo's order, nodded obediently, turned around and left.
At this moment, the enemy soldiers in front of him spontaneously formed a fan-shaped formation, confronting him as if facing a formidable enemy.
Hijikata Toisho rolled his eyes, scanning the circle like a wolf, calculating the position of each enemy soldier.
Wherever he glanced, the enemy soldiers felt as if they were falling into an ice cave, and a strong uneasiness arose in his heart.
The commander stared at Hijikata Toshizo with a face full of panic. He hurriedly pulled out the sword from his waist and held it firmly in front of him, as if this would give him a sufficient sense of security.
He stammered and shouted:
"You, who are you?!"
Hijikata Toshizo slowly raised the Izumi Mamoru Kanesada in his hand and said calmly:
"Deputy Chief of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo."
As soon as this statement came out, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly changed.
The enemy soldiers all changed their expressions and subconsciously took a few steps back. The fan-shaped formation became messy and unstable.
Hijikata Toizo saw this opportunity and jumped out! He jumped into the center of the enemy group!
He slashed diagonally, hitting the first man in the chest, then slid forward and penetrated deeper into the enemy group, further disrupting the enemy formation.
At the same time, two sword lights were left behind him, and the bodies of the second man and the third man swayed a few times before falling to the ground.
He pulled the knife back to his hand. This "retracting the blade" action was also an attack move. It swept across the fourth man's neck, and a terrifying column of blood spurted out from the wound.
Izumi Mamoru Kanesada is indeed a great asset! He can cut iron like clay!
Anyone swept by its blade will either die or be injured!
In seconds, Hijikata Suisan's feet were filled with dead bodies.
After he cut down the 11th man, the morale and order of the enemy soldiers completely collapsed.
The survivors did not dare to challenge this man who was known as a "ghost" and ran away, fearing that they would fall behind the others. They only blamed their parents for not giving them an extra pair of wings.
Hijikata Toshizo did not pursue them and allowed these people to escape - he wanted to save his little physical strength to support various battlefields.
"Huh...! Huh...! Huh...! Huh...!"
He gasped for breath, greedily swallowed oxygen, mixed his breath, and wiped his sweaty face.
Since the French-Qich coalition launched its general attack, he has been playing the role of "fire captain", running back and forth on the huge battlefield.
Wherever there were many enemies and where reinforcements were urgently needed, he would go there to help.
Even though he knew he would definitely lose, he was unwilling to give up.
All he can do now is to try his best to possibly delay the defeat.
He raised his eyes and looked around.
Enemy soldiers are everywhere, there are deaths everywhere, and there are defeats everywhere that are in urgent need of support... This scene makes people despair just looking at it.
Even if Hijikata Suisan is divided into ten parts, he cannot be saved.
It is worth mentioning that Shimada Kui and Elodie are not far away.
Just like Hijikata Toshizo, they both waved their swords unyieldingly and fought against the enemy regardless of their own safety!
Kui Shimada is a veteran, an expert in swordsmanship, and the deputy captain of the First Division. Apart from Hijikata Toshizo, he has killed the most enemies.
As for Elodie, her performance in the past few days has been amazing, and she doesn't look like a newcomer on the battlefield at all.
Brave and decisive... one can't help but praise her: she is worthy of being Tachibana Aoden's disciple!
Whenever she goes into battle with a sword, and whenever her valiant and heroic appearance is reflected in the eyes of the soldiers, the morale of the soldiers will be greatly stimulated: Even such a half-grown girl goes into battle to fight, what reason do we have to retreat?
Although his aura was not yet completely stable, the current war situation was urgent and he had no choice but to take a rest.
Just when Hijikata Toshizo re-clasped Izumi Mamoru Kanesada in his palm and prepared to continue to join the battle, a loud shout rang out from in front of him:
"Found it! It's Hijikata Tobizo, deputy chief of the Shinsengumi!"
"Hurry! Kill him! Mr. Gui said that whoever takes his head will receive a reward of five thousand taels!"
"It's this guy in the long black trench coat! The boss said that if you kill him, you will get a reward that will last a lifetime!" (Russian)
"Ula! He is mine!" (Russian)
"Get out of the way! This reward belongs to me!" (Russian)
A large group of enemy soldiers - about two or thirty people - rushed towards Hijikata Toshizo.
Under the heavy reward, there must be a brave man... A large amount of money is enough to transform human beings into greedy and fearless beasts.
Hijikata Toshizo cannot understand Russian.
However, he heard the word "five thousand taels of gold" clearly.
In the Edo period, five thousand taels of gold was an absolute huge amount of money!
As long as you don't squander it extravagantly, this amount of money can completely support a whole family to live a comfortable life.
Looking at this group of menacing enemy soldiers, Hijikata Toshizo twitched the corners of his lips and mocked mercilessly:
"Five thousand taels of gold? Doesn't it look down on me, Hijikata Suisan, too much?"
Having said that, he fearlessly raised the Izumi Mori Kanesada in his hand and got into a good posture.
If he is in full strength and the enemy is only equipped with cold weapons, then he will naturally not be afraid of only two or thirty people.
However... at this moment, after experiencing rounds of fierce battles, his physical strength has bottomed out, his lungs are swollen and aching, and the muscles in his limbs are wailing.
It is not difficult to imagine how difficult it is to fight against a group of enemies with a mixture of cold and hot weapons in such a state... This is a very difficult battle.
Hijikata Toshizo no longer has the time to think so much.
Soon after, nearly ten musketeers stepped forward and squatted down, steadying their flintlock rifles in their hands, and aimed at Hijikata Toshizo.
Seeing this, Hijikata Toshizo rolled to the left.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
All those bullets hit the spot where he was standing just now.
Taking advantage of the moment when the musketeers had run out of bullets and had no time to reload, Hijikata Toshizo took the initiative and attacked the enemy group proactively.
"Be careful! He's going towards you!"
"Cut him! Catch him!"
"Uhhhhhhhhh!"
Hijikata Toshizo launched a storm-like offensive, the knife in his palm cutting out streaks of cold silver light in mid-air, and the enemies fell to the left and right one by one.
He effortlessly cut down ten enemy soldiers to the ground.
The eleventh man didn't know whether he was good at hand-to-hand combat or something else, but he threw away the knife in his hand, opened his arms like a bear, and pounced forward.
Hijikata Toshizo would not give this guy a chance to get close.
He calmly took half a step back, opened the distance slightly, and struck the opponent's neck with the knife in his hand like lightning.
The feeling of cutting is very good.
The opponent's head is connected to the only half of the body's neck.
With such serious injuries, the man's remaining life can only be measured in seconds.
Unexpectedly... He actually relied on his last breath, and his forward momentum was not reduced. He threw himself on Hijikata Toshizo, wrapped his arms around his waist, and hung on Hijikata Toshizo's waist like a koala.
——After doing all this, he finally breathed his last.
His desperate "hug" indeed had an extraordinary effect.
With a big living person hanging on his waist, no one can move freely.
The twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth men keenly spotted this fighter opportunity and attacked Hijikata Toshizo from different directions.
Facts have proved that they underestimated Hijikata Toshizo after all.
The majestic "Deputy Commander of Ghosts" is definitely not something that these little pawns can handle easily!
He swung the Izumi Mamoru Kanesada in his hand like a windmill, deflecting all the incoming katana and bayonets.
The next moment, he pulled Izumi Mamoru Kanesada back to his hand and chopped down all three of them.
Immediately afterwards, he raised his knee and pushed the guy hanging on his waist out, successfully averting the crisis.
However, as soon as the shock subsided, another shock arose again.
Click...
Suddenly, he heard the unique metallic sound of holding a musket.
Diagonally behind him, a Russian soldier squatted on the ground, raised the flintlock gun in his hand with practiced movements, and aimed the black muzzle directly at his body.
What a coincidence, all kinds of "accidents" happened to Hijikata Toshizo at this very moment.
It just so happened that my physical strength was exhausted and my reaction speed was slowed down.
It just so happens that the current posture is not conducive to dodging.
Just when he was pushing back against the enemy flying at his waist, his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated.
It is precisely these many accidents that have created the current horror!
Bang!
Poof!
The projectile flew out immediately, and the sound of the projectile entering the body was immediately heard.
This scorching bullet pierced the atmosphere and hit Hijikata Tozo's waist and abdomen without any hesitation!
Instantly, Hijikata Toshizo felt heart-rending pain centered on the wound, instantly spreading throughout his body.
The pain penetrated to the bone marrow, but he could not scream. All the strength in his body seemed to be leaking out from the wound.
After his body swayed a few times, he fell to the ground on his back, and the vast sky filled his field of vision.
Looking at the blue sky and the dazzling red sun, he somehow suddenly recalled the strange dream he had a while ago: He stayed where he was, his friends all left him, and he struggled to catch up.
But he couldn't catch up no matter what.
Then, he thought of many people.
Familiar faces flashed before his eyes.
I thought of my honest and reliable brother Isamu Kondo.
I thought of my cute and lively sister Okita Souji.
He thought of his brother-in-law Hikoro Sato who had always taken good care of him.
He thought of Shusuke Kondo, who treated him like a son.
Finally...he thought of Qingdeng.
Compared with others, his relationship with Qingdeng is the most complicated.
For him, Qingdeng was not only his close friend, but also his confidant master; not only was he a brother-in-law with whom he lived in harmony, but also a comrade-in-arms who treated him with sincerity.
Recalling these faces, Hijikata Toshizo's face showed no trace of fear of death, and a calm smile appeared on his cheeks.
"Is this my...'final'..."
Describing Hijikata Toshizo's heart in such detail, it seems like a long time has passed.
In fact, everything happens in seconds.
Seeing Hijikata Toshizo fall, the surrounding enemy groups immediately erupted in excited shouts.
They couldn't wait to rush to Hijikata Toshizo, fearing that they would be half a step behind others.
In their eyes, Hijikata Toshizo was no longer a formidable opponent at this time, but a piece of fat meat, a lamb to be slaughtered, and a huge military achievement that symbolized glory and wealth!
Toshizo Hijikata subconsciously wanted to stand up and resist, but he could no longer control his body and could only watch helplessly as enemies approached from all directions.
Regarding this situation and this ending, he did not show any trace of unwillingness or anger, and slowly closed his eyes with an expressionless face.
The moment before he closed his eyes, the emotion called "regret" loomed in his eyes...
…
…
French-Qich coalition forces, our formation——
Even if you don't need a telescope to look carefully, you can still see that thousands of people are retreating together.
The current battle can no longer be regarded as a "battle", it can only be called "chasing the remaining enemies".
Looking at the entire battlefield, there are only a few scattered places where thousands of soldiers are still resisting.
Katsura Kogoro looked around the battlefield within sight with an expressionless expression:
"The fight was so difficult..."
Shuten Doji nodded gently without comment:
"We have to hurry up."
"According to currently known intelligence, Navy President Katsu Rintaro is solely responsible for the defense of Edo."
"Among the shogunates of the abandoned Ying Dynasty, Sheng Lintaro is a rare capable person."
"It was delayed for five days by the concerted efforts of thousands of people. During this period, Katsurin Taro must be racing against time to strengthen Edo's city defense and increase the strength of the defenders."
"There is no doubt that Edo's current defense capabilities will far exceed our prior expectations."
"Oh, what a surprise. Our good luck only lasted until we captured Sunfu Castle, and everything went wrong after that."
Like Takasugi Shinsaku, Katsura Kogoro doesn't like to punish the party.
In the past, after hearing Shuten-douji say such self-deprecating words, Katsura Kogoro would probably chime in with a few words in a bitter tone.
But now, he remained silent and did not sarcastically ridicule the drunken boy.
Still the same sentence - Changzhou and the Fazhu Party are already grasshoppers on the same rope, both prosper and lose!
At this critical juncture, we must remain united and advance and retreat together!
Shuten Doji’s words were not finished yet:
"If we want to personally destroy the Edo shogunate, this is our only chance."
"If you miss it, you will have to give up the opportunity to 'annihilate the shogunate' to other forces."
When he mentioned the term "other forces", Shuten Doji somehow emphasized his tone.
Having said this, he shook off the feather fabric on his body in a smart manner, turned back, and commanded majestically:
"Organize the army and move east! Capture Edo! Destroy the shogunate!"
*******
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Today is another seven thousand leopards! For the sake of leopards working so hard, please be sure to vote for this book! (Leopard's head sheds tears)
Please give me a monthly ticket! Please give me a recommendation vote! (Leopard Head Cries)
PS: In historical facts, Shimada Kui accompanies Hijikata Toshizo to fight until the moment - for this reason, I specially arranged for Shimada Kui to come to the Eighth Prince and guard the Eighth Prince together with Hijikata Toshizo.