It has been almost twenty days since Zhang Heng entered the dungeon. He has challenged many dojos and learned many schools. He can switch to different sword techniques according to different situations. However, in the most dangerous times, people will still Choose to return to nature.
Zhang Heng's instinct is the swordsmanship that Hei Fan honed through countless bloody battles during his ten years as a pirate. The so-called Annie Style is actually a swordsmanship without any schools, relying purely on combat instinct and experience.
After the katana in his hand was broken, Zhang Heng simply pressed directly against Nakamura Hanjiro, taking the initiative to close the distance between the two sides. This made the battle more dangerous and tested the reaction speed of both sides.
Reaction speed is Zhang Heng's strength. He has experienced more battles than Hanjiro Nakamura. How to wield a sword and capture fleeting opportunities in chaotic battles is something Zhang Heng can do better than anyone. The biggest reliance is on Nakamura Hanjiro. He is fifteen years older than Zhang Heng. In terms of sword training, he may not be worse than Zhang Heng, and his strength is stronger, but his reaction speed is still declining according to the laws of nature.
However, in this moment of risking his life, he remained calm. Since he couldn't defend, he simply stopped defending and turned to the offensive again. He was thinking that attacking him would save him, and he also began to consciously look for someone to fight with the sword. Opportunity, taking advantage of Sukumaru Tsuneji, while also patiently waiting for the opportunity to open the distance again.
Both are trying to play to their strengths while looking for the other's weaknesses.
Hanjiro Nakamura can be said to be the most powerful master Zhang Heng has encountered so far in this dungeon, so this battle is also the most satisfying one for him.
So far, neither of them has been able to take advantage.
But as time went by, Zhang Heng became more and more familiar with Nakamura Hanjiro's sword skills. The latter's knife-wielding habits and routines were gradually figured out by Zhang Heng. On the other hand, Nakamura Hanjiro had just adapted to the second-class swordsmanship. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Heng switched to a new style of fighting, and this time his sword skills became more elusive, and even fell out of the category of Japanese sword skills. Hanjiro Nakamura was at a loss.
At this time, Zhang Heng finally sounded the clarion call for counterattack. The katana in his right hand actively made contact with Tsuneji Sumamaru, blocking Nakamura Hanjiro's slash. At the same time, the ribs of his left hand stabbed Nakamura Hanjiro's lower ribs.
Nakamura Hanjiro realized the danger. Tsuneji Sukumaru did not press down anymore, but decisively retreated and slashed at Zhang Heng's left wrist. He was still trying to save him, but in the process he knew that something was wrong. Zhang Heng The knife that stabbed his lower ribs was just a feint. It seemed that he had already guessed how he would adapt to the situation, and he waited there with the knife horizontally while swiping the knife with his right hand.
Nakamura Hanjiro retreated with one strike, but in the end it was still a moment too late.
The two finally distanced themselves again, but Nakamura Hanjiro's right hand was bleeding, and there were two severed fingers on the ground.
What Zhang Heng did was to change his moves in a short period of time, bullying Hanjiro Nakamura into not being as responsive as him. At the same time, he also deliberately lured Hanjiro Nakamura into playing his previous tricks, and finally got rich rewards.
The hand with only three fingers was no longer able to hold the sword, so Nakamura Hanjiro changed Sukumaru Tsuneji to his left hand.
However, his left hand is definitely not as useful as his right hand, and it is no problem to deal with ordinary battles, but in the current master battle where details are competed, he has already lost.
Looking at the severed finger on the ground, Nakamura Hanjiro's face finally showed an expression.
However, it is not despair or fear, but more like a relief.
He opened his mouth and said in a deep voice, "Today I finally repaid Mr. Saigo's kindness of knowing me. Unfortunately...I can no longer see the new era you promised." After saying that, he raised the Shuzhu Pill in his hand again. Hengci nodded to Zhang Heng and said, "Come on, it's better to die in your hands than in the hands of other idiots."
"As you wish." Zhang Heng was not polite when he heard this, and once again clenched the two swords in his hands.
…………
Okita Souji knew he had been deceived when he opened the door curtain, but he was not too anxious. Takasugi Shinsaku's physical condition was very bad, and he was probably unable to walk on his own. This group of people would risk exposure and rob the sedan chair. But now the other party only has one person left, and he has to carry Takasugi Shinsaku on his back, so he can't walk fast at all.
Souji Okita recalled the forks he encountered along the way, turned around and hurried back, and he soon made a new discovery. At one of the intersections, he saw a pool of fresh blood, which seemed to prove Takasugi from the side. Jin Zuo is indeed in trouble now.
Okita Souji did not hesitate and immediately chased along the blood trail.
He has left Gion. Not far away is the residence of the Aizu clan. The Aizu clan belongs to the shogunate faction. It is unlikely that Takasugi Shinsaku will defect to them. However, there is a house belonging to the Yunshu clan on the other side of the street. There are many Yunshu clans. People are closer to the overthrowing forces.
Although the Shinsengumi's power in Kyoto was not large enough to force their way into the samurai's house, the matter was now over. Souji Okita would not let Takasugi Shinsaku go under any circumstances, so he chose to break in directly over the wall.
As soon as he hit the ground, a knife attacked him. Fortunately, Okita Souji had already been prepared for the enemy's sneak attack and blocked the opponent's attack.
In addition, I could see the opponent's face clearly through the moonlight. It was a young samurai about the same age as him. He was the last person accompanying Takasugi Shinsaku. Seeing that the sneak attack failed, the opponent didn't waste any words and continued to attack. Want to seize the opportunity and turn it into an advantage.
To be fair, his sword skills are pretty good among his peers, but they are still incomparable to a genius like Okita Souji. When Okita was at his peak, he could win or lose with less than ten moves, but now he has the strength There was too much wear and tear, and there were wounds all over the body.
Therefore, it took him some effort to win this battle. Souji Okita had to use his best flat blue eye, and finally stabbed the opponent's throat with a knife. Seeing blood spurting out of the young samurai's mouth, Okita Souji finally felt a little tired.
Fortunately, tonight's battle is over. Next, we only need to find Takasugi Shinsaku hiding in the house, and then stab him in the chest to make him fake death and become real death.
Okita Souji actually doesn't like killing very much, but in this era, every man is forced to make a choice.
Okita is relatively lazy. He is only closest to Kondo Isamu, the current leader of the Shinsengumi. He followed Kondo Isamu from his hometown to Kyoto. The latter wanted to do something big and finally chose the shogunate, so he followed as a matter of course. Together they became the so-called lackeys of the shogunate in the mouth of the anti-shogunate faction.
But recently, Okita's mind has not been on work at all.
After finishing off the last enemy, his mind drifted to other places.
It really gives me a headache...how on earth can I see Miss Xiaoye again?
Okita has been worried about this matter. Although the two had a happy chat when they first met, he forgot to ask for the other person's address. After that, although they "ran into" several times by chance, he was never able to encourage him. Take courage, sometimes even just dare to look at each other from a distance.
He also went to ask Hijikata, the most resourceful person in the group, but the latter told him, "Women, just be tougher. Just go and propose marriage to his father. Her intentions don't matter at all."
Okita scratched his head after hearing this. Although he didn't know what was wrong with doing this, he always felt bad. Maybe he subconsciously felt that he didn't want to be disliked by Miss Xiaoye.
But the next moment, he heard the sound of the bucket knocking over and falling to the ground.
And... enemies?
Okita turned around sharply with the knife in his hand, but what he saw was a face that he had always dreamed of.
Only this time, the innocent and healing smile no longer existed on that face, instead it was filled with endless fear.
What is she afraid of?
Oh, it must be me, it must be me who is covered in blood like a ghost now. Okita thought to himself, and apologized in his heart, "I'm sorry, Miss Xiaoye, I didn't even have time to introduce myself, but I let you see my ugliest side."
