A person in Japan, a sword that soars to immortality.

Chapter 191 Sharpening Knives, All for Cattle and Sheep

The streets of Kyoto.

The streets, which were originally packed with people attending the Gion Festival, began to part automatically to both sides with a clear shout.

In everyone's sight, a small team of dozens of people was walking down the road with their heads held high.

These people are either distinguished by their striking features, handsome and refined, or full of heroic spirit.

Although they look different, they are all the same: their clothes are covered in blood, their sleeves are made of light blue haori with a mountain-shaped pattern, and they walk under the "Sincerity" flag fluttering in the air.

"It's a Mibu wolf!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you trying to get yourself killed?! They're calling for the Shinsengumi now!"

His attire immediately caught the eye of those with sharp eyes, but his companions quickly reminded him not to call others by their nicknames.

Mibu Wolves—this name sounds harsh, but it's actually a derogatory term for the Shinsengumi.

Rensheng means Rensheng Village, so how fierce can the wolves in that village be?

Furthermore, this is in Kyoto, and the fact that the name "Mibu" is placed before "old general" implies that the Shinsengumi are country samurai.

In Sakura, city dwellers held severe prejudices against country folk. So, to belittle a samurai, one could call him a country samurai, which is the origin of the term "Asagi-sato".

However, at this moment, the Shinsengumi members walking in the ranks were not angry when they heard someone call them Mibu Wolves; on the contrary, they were happy.

"Haha, it was us wolves who wiped out all the rebels in your Choshu Domain!"

Walking at the very front of the squad, the tall and imposing Kondo Isao slung his sword over his shoulder with an air of bravado and grinned as he spoke.

Behind him, Okita Souji, Hijikata Toshizo, and others, though not as flamboyant as him, still couldn't hide the smugness in their eyes.

In the past, the people of Kyoto had no different impression of them than they had of the Yakuza, all thanks to Serizawa Kamo's previous atrocities.

Even though the Shinsengumi were trying to maintain order, assassinations continued to occur.

"After this operation, those Restoration forces lurking in Kyoto should behave themselves a bit... Hmm?"

Saito Hajime, leaning on his sword, walked in the group, pondering whether he should rest for a while after returning home. Suddenly, he noticed a sharp gaze fixed on him from the crowd gathered on both sides of the street.

A very skilled samurai, interesting...

"Brother Saito, what are you looking at?"

"Haha, no, Okita, let's keep going!"

"Yes!"

Kenshin watched the receding figure, his grip on the scabbard tightening, his eyes growing colder and colder.

These people will be the biggest obstacle to the Reform Movement in the future!

In the instant his eyes met Saito's, Kenshin suddenly realized that he would definitely have some interaction with this person in the future.

At the same time, Kenshin decided that he should go back and reflect on why he had become lax during this period.

As the Shinsengumi passed by, the fluctuations of their true energy were particularly noticeable to Kenshin.

Both in terms of quantity and quality, they far surpass our side.

"Therefore, only by constantly becoming stronger can I safeguard the great cause of the Restoration!"

Kenshin's fighting spirit was rekindled, but this time fate did not grant him much time.

Following the Ikedaya Incident, news of heavy casualties among the Choshu faction of reformers was deliberately exaggerated by certain individuals, who then misled the public.

The most dedicated of these was Douma's Eternal Paradise Sect.

They claimed that the Meiji Restoration was being thwarted, and that other domains in Kyoto looked down on the people of Choshu, suggesting that all Choshu people should be killed.

Some even said that the Choshu Domain was useless, that they could get caught even in a meeting, and that they were a disgrace to the Meiji Restoration forces.

The people of Choshu Domain, who were already grieving, couldn't bear these rumors and broke down on the spot. From nobles to commoners, everyone was overwhelmed.

Thus, a force of about 3000 people was quickly assembled and began its rapid advance towards Kyoto, starting from the Choshu Domain.

Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Inside the house belonging to the Manse Gyokurakyo within the area managed by the Onmyōryō (Yin-Yang Bureau).

"Alright, this time it's just as you wished, making them want to raise an army and rebel."

Domo raised an eyebrow, spread his hands to the sides, looking both helpless and eager to see a good show.

He couldn't quite understand what Taiichi was trying to do.

Why meddle in the affairs of ordinary people? Isn't it better to stay home?

They seem to serve no other purpose than being food.

Could it be that Taiyi, this child, also wants to become a nobleman, for the sake of power?

Sorry, I'm so bored.

"What are the opinions of those high-ranking officials and nobles in the palace now?"

Taiichi chuckled and shook his head. He had long since stopped caring about Douma's exaggerated expression and was now more concerned about the situation in the palace.

"What else could it be? One group of people said not to fight and to let the people of Changzhou enter the capital, while another group said we must fight and teach them a lesson."

"Can we stop talking about this?"

Doma lay on the large lotus throne, his seven-colored pupils staring blankly at the ceiling. His hands were placed at his sides, and he lay very flat and peacefully, as if he had passed away.

Now, whenever he hears about human disputes, he wants to lie down and pretend to be dead.

Before he met Taiyi, he could hear all this awful stuff without any emotional reaction, but now... he felt a certain emotion—annoyance!

Seeing Douma's expression, Tai found it hilarious at first. After thinking about it carefully, he comforted him:

"Don't worry about it, they'll still end up fighting eventually."

"How are you sure?"

"The news of the Choshu Domain's impending arrival in the capital has already spread throughout the streets and alleys, hasn't it?" Taiichi glanced at Douma, as if he thought the other was an idiot, and then continued:

"Furthermore, the Choshu Domain's demand was to expel officials in Kyoto who were on the pro-shogunate side, such as Matsudaira Yasutaka, the Kyoto governor, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the governor of the Kyoto Imperial Household Department."

"Those two are not pushovers..."

“So.” Taiichi picked up the Mortal Blade, placed it horizontally on his lap, and watched as the white cloth unfurled on its own, revealing the dark red blade. A slow, sly smile curved his lips as he continued coldly:

"War is imminent."