Chapter 685 [Ding! The host completely absorbs the power of undead!] [6100]
He saw himself practicing swordplay there - this shocking scene made Ogata subconsciously raise his hand and pinch his face to confirm whether he was dreaming.
"pain……!"
After pinching his cheek hard with the thumb and index finger of his right hand, Ogata felt a stinging sensation like being pricked by a needle, which made Ogata grin.
It was also at this time that Ogata was shocked to realize that the immortal poison that had tortured him for nearly a whole night had actually stopped.
There is no longer a tingling sensation in various parts of the body, the body temperature has returned to normal, the head no longer feels as if it is going to split into countless pieces, and the eyelids are no longer as heavy as a few pieces of steel.
He opened his clothes and looked at the left side of his neck - there was still a patch of purple skin, but the area was only a quarter of its original size.
Feeling the stinging sensation left on his cheek after pinching it just now, and his body returning to normal, Ogata's head was immediately filled with a huge amount of questions.
Why do I appear at Sakakibara Kenkan?
Why do I feel pain? Isn’t this my dream or hallucination?
Where is Miss Isshiki? Where is the Toyotomi clan’s army?
Why do you see a "me" practicing swordsmanship in the Sakakibara Sword Hall?
…
There were so many questions that Ogata didn't know where to start thinking.
Just then!
"Ogata", who was standing in the center of the dojo and had been practicing swinging his sword into the air in front of him, slowly stopped holding the wooden sword in his hand.
"First meeting."
He wiped his forehead, which was not sweating, and gave Ogata a friendly smile.
Seeing "himself" saying "first meeting" to himself - the sense of disobedience was so strong that Ogata didn't know what expression to put on.
"Who are you? Where are you?"
Ogata looked at "Ogata" with vigilant eyes, subconsciously lowered his body weight, and raised his hand to touch his left waist, but found nothing - there was nothing on his left waist.
"Don't be nervous. I'm not the enemy."
"Ogata" waved his hand to Ogata, then raised his right hand and rubbed his chin, as if in deep thought.
"If I want to explain to you who I am...it's a little too difficult to explain. To put it simply, you can think of me as another you."
"I am you and you are me."
"As for where this is... I don't need to explain it, right?"
"This is the Sakakihara Kenkan."
Having said this, he held the wooden knife in his right hand and put his left hand on his hip. He looked at the ceiling above his head with a nostalgic look, and then looked at the ground under his feet.
"This is also where our 'dream' begins."
"After traveling to this era, the first place I saw when I opened my eyes was the Sakakihara Sword Hall."
The words "Ogata" were like a spell with special magic power, causing Ogata's expression to change suddenly.
He is a time traveler - this is Ogata's biggest secret. He has never told anyone this secret about himself, including Atachi.
But the "Ogata" in front of him told the biggest secret about him in an understatement.
(I am you, you are me)
The words "Ogata" just said to him automatically echoed in Ogata's mind again.
But "Ogata"'s voice has not completely finished yet, and he can only be heard continuing to say:
"The days when I was learning swordsmanship at the Sakakihara Sword Hall were also the calmest and most carefree time since time travel."
"My daily life is to go to work and practice swordsmanship."
“Apart from the lack of money, there are almost no downsides to life.”
"I have a stable place to live, I'm not wanted nationwide, I don't have the ability to show my true colors, and I don't have so many enemies."
"It's a pity...this beautiful life was ruined not long after."
As soon as "Ogata" finished speaking, Ogata suddenly felt his eyes flashing with flowers!
The Sakakakihara Kenkan under your feet is like a piece of burned plastic. The ceiling, walls, floor... everything is melting and distorting.
Before Ogata could even utter a exclamation, the Sakakihara Kensho under his feet melted and reorganized into a new scene.
A rather rowdy new scene.
"He's almost out of strength! Hurry! Surround him!"
"He ran towards you!"
"Come on!"
…
Hearing these slightly familiar calls, Ogata was stunned, quickly turned his head, and scanned his surroundings.
Another place... quite familiar to Ogata.
Ogata looked in the direction where the shouts came from.
He saw the third self.
The third "he" is holding two swords and fighting bloody battles with hundreds of warriors who are coming one after another.
Not far from the battlefield, Matsudaira Gennai was sitting on a big rock, as if watching an outstanding performance, watching with relish how his men risked their lives to fight for him.
Show a happy smile.
"This is the first fierce battle we have experienced since arriving in the Edo period."
The wooden sword in "Ogata's" hand had disappeared at this time. He put his hands behind his back and stood beside Ogata, looking at the bloody battlefield not far away with Ogata.
"Fighting hundreds of samurai with our own strength... Oh, it's a shame we had such a crazy idea back then."
"Ah, I almost forgot to say it - you can now understand that the two of us are watching a movie."
"Whether it's 'me' who is fighting with Matsudaira Gennai's subordinates, or Matsudaira Gennai and their subordinates, we can see them, but they can't see us, and they can't touch us."
"So don't think about rushing over to support yourself."
"...I feel like my mind can't turn around anymore." Ogata closed his eyes tightly and raised his hand to rub the center of his eyebrows with a tired expression, "Where is this place...why did I suddenly switch from the Sakakibara sword?"
The museum will be moved here.”
"Ugh...!" - At this moment, a scream came into Ogata's ears.
There should be no one who is more familiar with this voice than Ogata - because it is his own voice.
He opened his eyes and looked up at the battlefield not far away - the third "he" accidentally exposed a flaw due to the decline in physical strength, allowing the enemy to chop him in the left shoulder.
The pain in his left shoulder made the third "Ogata" involuntarily let out a low cry of pain.
Ever since he drew his sword and charged at these hundreds of warriors, he had suffered countless injuries like this.
His body was covered in bruises and blood was pouring out, staining his clothes with blood. His physical strength had declined and he could no longer control his hands and feet.
He almost has no strength to fight anymore, but his eyes are still crowded with countless enemies.
The situation of the battle... no matter how you look at it, it has been decided.
However, this "Ogata" who had just received a knife on his left shoulder did not show any timidity or fear.
Even if I am already scarred.
Even if it seems like he has no chance of winning at the moment.
He still opened his eyes as if there were flames burning inside, and persisted in slashing the knife in his hand at the enemy in front of him.
"...You didn't know at that time that you were about to make your first breakthrough, and you didn't know that you were about to enter the 'realm of selflessness'."
"Ogata", who was standing next to Ogata with his hands behind his back, slowly turned around and asked in a tone that sounded like an interrogation:
"The war situation at that time was despairing no matter how you looked at it."
"But why don't you put down the knife in your hand?"
"Why doesn't the light in your eyes dissipate?"
Facing the calm gaze cast by "Ogata", Ogata was startled, and then slowly turned his gaze back to the "himself" who was still fighting bloody battles in front of him.
"...Because I don't want to lose like this." He said.
"Why don't you want to lose?" Another self asked.
"...If I lose..."
Ogata lowered his head and was silent for a moment before raising his head again, looking firmly at "himself" who was fighting bloody battles.
"...If I fall like this, I don't know how long this beast Matsudaira Gennai will be at large. I don't know how many innocent people will be poisoned by him. My master, brothers, and others will be harmed by Matsudaira Gennai."
I don’t know how long it will take for the victims to be redressed for their grievances.”
"So I can't fall down."
"No matter how much pain I suffer...I cannot fall!"
"Ogata" seemed to be very satisfied with Ogata's answer and showed a happy smile.
Immediately afterwards - the scene around Ogata melted, distorted, and reorganized into a new scene.
This new scene is very hot.
This is another scene that is quite familiar to Ogata - Nijo Castle in Kyoto.
Ogata looked forward, and sure enough, he saw himself again.
On the Nijo Castle Castle Tower, which was now in chaos, he once again fought to the death with the ninjas in Shiranui and the gang of lunatics who were trying to blow up Kyoto.
As for "Ogata", he still had a smile on his face and stood beside Ogata with his hands behind his back.
"Kyoto is really a very memorable city for us."
"Here, we meet A-Machi again."
"When I first saw Amachi on the street, I was so happy."
"Ogata" smiled evilly and poked Ogata's side with his elbow.
"After all, we already had a good impression of Amachi at that time."
"People in the world must not have imagined that the famous Ogata is also an ordinary person, and he will fall in love at first sight with girls who match his own aesthetics."
"When you first met A-Machi on Butterfly Island, you were fascinated by A-Machi. If it weren't for being fascinated by A-Machi, you might not have agreed to A-Machi's invitation to form a team. If so, A-Machi
Machi is an ugly girl, so you won’t care about her."
Someone revealed the truth about why he agreed to form a team with Atachi in the first place - even though the person who revealed the truth was "himself", Ogata still couldn't help but look embarrassed.
And "Ogata" seemed to have exposed Ogata's little secret just to see Ogata's embarrassed expression. He carefully looked at Ogata's embarrassed expression several times with a joking smile before turning his gaze back.
The battlefield ahead was almost surrounded by flames.
"This is our second tough battle."
"At the Nijo Castle castle tower that was engulfed by fire, fight against Shiranui's ninjas and thugs who are trying to make Kyoto a dead city."
"Ha, this should be our highest-level battlefield so far."
"The battle begins at the castle tower of Nijo Castle in Kyoto."
"This was another hard fight that almost resulted in death several times."
"You could actually have avoided this battle."
"But why did you finally choose to draw the sword?"
"...because I want to protect Omachi." Ogata's answer this time was much faster than the previous answer, "Amachi defected from Shiranui and is being chased by Shiranui's soldiers."
"And those pursuers are now gathered in Nijo Castle in Kyoto, serving as guards for those who are holding a banquet in Nijo Castle."
"That night, that Nijo Castle was the only chance I had to catch all of Atachi's pursuers in one fell swoop."
"If you miss this opportunity, God knows what those pursuers will do to A-Machi in the future."
"So... I don't want to miss this opportunity to kill them all."
"Protect Amachi..." "Ogata" nodded with a smile, "What else? The reason why you attacked Nijo Castle in one go was not just for Amachi, right?"
Ogata pursed his lips, thinking and recalling.
But before he could think for long, "Ogata" interrupted his thinking with a smile.
"Let me answer it for you this time."
"To protect the innocent people in Kyoto, right?"
Although "Ogata" added "right?" at the end of this sentence, the tone did not have the tone of a question at all, and the tone used was that of an affirmative sentence.
"That night, Kyoto was almost blown up by those madmen."
"If those thugs who intend to destroy Kyoto succeed, then I don't know how many innocent people in Kyoto will die tragically."
"So, you decided to lure those thugs who are planning to burn down Kyoto and attack you to the most conspicuous building in Kyoto: Nijo Castle, and eliminate these thugs and Amachi's pursuers in one go."
"At the same time, it was this belief in protecting Amachi and the people of Kyoto that supported you in defeating all enemies in Nijo Castle."
"...You seem to know me better than I do." Ogata pursed his lips and said softly.
"From a certain point of view - it is true." "Ogata" smiled.
The surrounding scene melted, distorted, and reorganized into a new scene at this moment.
The new scene this time is very cold.
"Is this the Red Moon Fortress..." Ogata lowered his eyes and glanced at the city wall at his feet.
"This place is very, very familiar to us." "Ogata"'s personality seems to be different from Ogata's. He seems to be more cheerful, with a smile almost always on his face, "After all,
Not long ago we were drinking and chatting with the Ainu people here."
At this time, the two of them were standing on the inner wall of Red Moon Fortress.
Surrounded by tribesmen from the Red Moon Fortress who were standing guard.
They were all staring with vigilant eyes at the seemingly endless shogunate army camp outside the city.
"This battle... is our third battle. It is also the largest battle."
"Ogata" put his hands on the battlements in front of him, looked at the military camp outside the city, and then said in a joking tone:
"Fighting the 10,000-strong army of the shogunate... Ha, before we only fought enemies in units of hundreds."
"And in this battle, we actually fought an army numbering in the tens of thousands at once."
"After this battle, people in future generations will always remember that during Japan's Kansei period, there was a swordsman who could defeat even the shogunate's army."
"...You're not going to ask me again why I took the risk to fight against the shogunate's 10,000 troops?" Ogata walked slowly to "Ogata"'s side.
"As expected of me. You got the answer right." The smile on "Ogata's" face became brighter, "Why are you fighting this kind of battle that most people don't even dare to think about?"
"This time it is also to protect A-Machi." Ogata responded without thinking, "A-Machi was recovering from her injuries in the Red Moon Fortress and needed to be taken care of for a long time. During this time, she could not move...
"
Before Ogata finished speaking, "Ogata" interrupted him:
"Besides protecting Atachi, what else? What's the other reason?"
Ogata paused.
After a pause, Ogata lowered his head slightly and thought deeply.
And "Ogata" patiently put his hands behind his back this time, quietly waiting for Ogata's answer with a faint smile on his face.
An unknown amount of time passed before I heard Ogata say in a deep voice:
"...and for everyone at Red Moon Fortress who helped me a lot."
A bright smile appeared on "Ogata"'s face.
He took over what Ogata said:
"The reason why we chose to fight against the 10,000 shogunate troops is not just to protect A-Machi, who currently needs to rest in the Red Moon Fortress for a while."
"It's also for the Red Moon Fortress."
"The Ainu people living in this fortress have given us a lot of help."
"Help us find Xuanzheng and Xuanzhi."
"When A-Machi was seriously injured and in urgent need of treatment, they also provided medicine for A-Machi, which saved his life in disguise."
"In order to protect Omachi and repay our kindness, we mounted our horses, picked up our swords, and launched a desperate blow against the shogunate's 10,000-strong army."
"We have always held on to the sword in order to protect the important people, out of a simple sense of justice, in order to repay the kindness to our benefactors, and for various other reasons."
"At the same time, our victory in these fierce battles cannot be separated from the support of these beliefs."
The surrounding scenes changed again.
Ogata looked around - he and "Ogata Hara" were back to the very beginning: Sakakihara Sword Hall.
"Ogata Issei. After watching the scene just now, how do you feel?"
"Did you feel that you were really ugly just now?"
"Ogata", who had always loved to smile and had been smiling all day long, now had no trace of smile on his face.
He looked at Ogata closely with a very solemn expression.
"I was just being chased by the Toyotomi clan's army, and was tortured to death by the 'immortal poison'."
"It's just that, you just thought that 'death would be a kind of relief'. Is it because the torture brought by the 'immortal poison' to the body is too strong, making your willpower weak?"
Listening to "Hara Ogata"'s words, Ogata subconsciously wanted to argue.
And he found - he had no way to argue.
After fainting just now and before coming to this inexplicable place, he mistakenly thought that he was going to die soon. He was really thinking that "death is also a kind of relief for him." Deep in his heart, there was indeed something...
…fortunately…
"Not long ago, you swore to Isshikika: Even if you are in extreme pain, you will not give in to death. But not long ago, you were thinking, 'It's better to die, you will be free'. It's really funny."
Got it!"
"Ogata"'s words became more and more intense and severe.
Ogata, on the other hand, was like a child being lectured by his parents, staring blankly at "Ogata" who was still making an impassioned speech.
"We still don't know what the situation of Atachi and the others is. The worst-case scenario is that they will also be attacked by the Toyotomi clan."
"The Toyotomi clan destroyed Osaka beyond recognition, and countless people died at their hands."
"And now, the Toyotomi clan's army has surrounded us and Isshikika, trying to kill us, and Isshikika has also been implicated by us."
"This silly girl who has always refused to obey our words and ran away alone is now planning to fight the Toyotomi clan's army on her own and do her best to protect us."
"Ogata Issei!"
"Look at your left waist!"
"What's hanging on your left waist right now?"
The tone of "Ogata" suddenly rose a few keys!
"Tell me! What should you do now?!"
Ogata lowered his head and looked at his left waist.
The left waist that had been empty just now now had a katana.
An ordinary sword with an unremarkable appearance and weight.
Looking at the ordinary sword on his waist, Ogata's expression first froze in surprise, and then he saw determination in his eyes!
Click!
Ogata suddenly raised his hand and pressed the handle of the knife.
The blade of this sword seemed to have grown together with the handle. Ogata had to use all his strength to pull the sword out of the scabbard bit by bit.
But even though the sword was so difficult to pull out, Ogata did not let go of his hand to draw the sword.
Looking at Ogata who was pulling out the knife from his waist inch by inch, "Ogata's" originally frowning eyebrows slowly relaxed, and a smile slowly appeared in his eyes.
The smile in his eyes contained a bit of relief.
"Are you going to draw the knife?"
After asking this question, I heard him throw out a sentence pattern that he had been throwing at Ogata since he first met him -
"Why draw the sword?"
"Why?" Ogata raised his eyes and looked directly into "Ogata's" smiling eyes.
At this time, the knife in his waist was just a few inches out.
The cold light reflected from the slightly unsheathed blade shone on Ogata's eyes, which seemed to have flames burning in them!
"Because I--I still have unfinished business!"
Bear!
The Sakakibara Dojo beneath him and "Ogata" suddenly burst into flames.
The fire only took a moment to engulf the ceiling and walls of the dojo.
The ceilings were burned down one by one.
The knife rests and wooden knives placed at the edge of the dojo were burned to ashes.
The smile that originally existed only in the pupils now spread to the entire face - "Ogata" stood in the center of the fire, smiling happily at Ogata.
"Ogata Issei!"
he shouted.
"Draw the sword!"
…
…
The smell of earth penetrated Ogata's nose continuously.
He slowly opened his eyes - he was lying face down on the ground, with the tip of his nose stuck in the soil.
At the moment when consciousness was hazy, a voice suddenly sounded in my mind:
[Ding! The host has completely absorbed the "power of immortality"!]
The sudden system sound was like lightning on a rainy night, piercing the darkness.