I Was a Swordsman in Ancient Japan

Edo, in an unknown back alley.

Kondo held a bottle of sake in his hand, and while drinking, he told Ogata what happened after he and Ogata separated in Kyoto.

"Master, I told you before that I left my hometown and traveled all over the world just to hone my sword skills and broaden my horizons."

"Not long after you left Kyoto, I realized that staying in Kyoto could no longer improve my swordsmanship."

"And I'm tired of looking at the scenery of Kyoto."

"Then it occurred to me that I had never been to Edo since I grew up."

"So I left Kyoto and headed east, taking the Tokaido to Edo."

"When I came to Edo, I just ran out of spending money."

"I was very lucky. I found a job that suited me not long after I came to Edo."

"I plan to wait until I have saved enough money and seen the prosperity of Edo, and then continue to travel around... Sigh... It hurts."

After Kondo took a breath, he stretched out his hand and gently rubbed the thigh that was hit by the diners of Nagano just now.

"...So that's how it is." Ogata, who was standing next to Kondo, murmured, "Then we are really destined... I never thought we would meet again in Edo... Are you looking at the prize money? , did you just participate in the 'Imperial Trial'?"

"If you can get a bonus, that would be the best!" Kondo smiled "hehe", "The reason why I participated in the 'Imperial Trial' is not complicated, I just think the 'Imperial Trial' is very interesting, and I can By the way, it broadened my horizons, so I signed up for it.”

"Then what about your name?"

Ogata asked.

"I remember that in the martial arts test this morning, the official called not 'Kondo Neizosuke', but something like 'Yuji Sakamoto'."

"Oh! That name is an alias I made up blindly." Kondo smiled innocently, "Although I just came to Edo not long ago, I have managed to make a lot of new friends."

"I usually tell my friends that my swordsmanship is very good."

"If I fail to show my talents in the 'Imperial Trial', I will be ashamed."

"So this time I participated in the 'Imperial Trial', I kept it from my friends, and chose a pseudonym to participate."

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"Only one friend who also participated in the 'Imperial Trial' and successfully passed the martial arts test knew that I also participated in the 'Imperial Trial'."

"But now it seems that my behavior of participating in the 'Imperial Trial' under a pseudonym seems useless... Most of my friends have no interest in the 'Imperial Trial', and it doesn't matter whether I use a pseudonym or not... "

Speaking of this, Kondo's face showed a faint look of frustration.

"It's really embarrassing... I didn't expect to be screened out after only one fight..."

"That's what you did to kill yourself..." Ogata said angrily, "When you were in Kyoto before, you still patted your chest and said to me, 'You have enlightened'."

"Aren't you completely ignorant...!"

After sighing heavily,

Ogata went on to say:

"Kondo, listen up."

"'Ogata-ryu' can only be used in life-and-death duels. Do whatever it takes to win."

"However, there is no need to use the 'Ogata style' when exchanging lessons with others and communicating on swordsmanship."

"Your actions at the 'Imperial Trial' today... To be honest, I was dumbfounded."

Hearing Ogata's reprimand, Kondo smiled awkwardly.

"This...Master, I know I was wrong...I will learn my lesson in the future...I only wanted to win at the time, so I didn't think so much...Hiss...pain..." Kondo gasped again , and then raised his hand again to knead the injured thigh.

"Master. Don't be the only one talking about it."

Kondo said while rubbing his leg.

"I've finished talking about me, so you can tell about yours too. Why have you come to Edo too? And what happened to your face?"

"Why did I come to Edo - let me keep it a secret."

"As for the face, it's also very simple. I wear a human skin mask. As you know, my face is not easy to expose to the public."

"Then for some reason, I also participated in the 'Imperial Trial'. The specific reason is, let me keep it a secret."

"Then I ran into you by chance today."

After today's martial arts test ended, Ogata asked Mucun and the others to go back first, and quietly followed Kondo by himself.

Kondo can be regarded as his half apprentice.

Since we meet again by such a fate, it is really unreasonable not to say hello.

Then I ran into the six diners from Nagano who came to trouble Kondo.

After silently hiding from the sidelines and watching the battle for a while, after realizing that Kondo did not have the ability and experience to fight more than one dozen, Ogata had no choice but to show up and give his apprentice another hand.

"Human skin mask? Wow, it turns out that a mask that can change a person's face after wearing it really exists. I thought this kind of thing only existed in the mouth of a storyteller... just like a real face..."

"I heard that this human skin mask is very difficult to make." Ogata touched his face, "so it is a very rare thing."

"I'm so happy today!" Kondo put his hands on his hips, "Not only saw the rare human skin mask, but also met you again, Master!"

"I really want to talk to you a little more, but..."

Kondo smiled wryly and glanced at the sky that was almost completely dark.

"It's already dark... I should go back. There are many regulations in the place where I live. If I go back too late, I will be scolded."

Ogata lowered his eyes and glanced at Kondo's thigh: "Can your legs walk?"

Ogata noticed it just now—Kondo has been gasping for pain and rubbing his injured thigh from time to time.

"Should be able to walk..."

"Does it hurt where you were cut just now?"

"Hmm... a bit." Kondo lifted the hakama, revealing the place where Nagano's diners had just hacked.

Although Yong Ye's diners used the back of the knife just now, it is still a large piece of iron.

Being hacked by such a heavy slender piece of iron, and even if it missed the vital point, it would definitely not feel good.

The part of Kondo's leg where he was chopped just now was quite red and swollen.

Ogata: "Are you sure you can go?"

"Yes." Kondo nodded, "But it may be a bit strenuous to walk..."

"...I can't help it." After Ogata sighed softly, he stretched his left shoulder towards Kondo, "Come on, hold my shoulder, and I will take you back to your home. You must have a place in Edo place?"

"Master, are you going to take me back? The place where I live is a little far away."

"Since it's a little far away, why don't you hurry up and hold my shoulder? Take you home as soon as possible, and I can be free sooner."

"Then... there is you, Master Lao!"

Kondo put his arms around Ogata's shoulders without hesitation.

"Kondo, where do you live now?"

"Well... leave this alley first, then turn left."

Ogata supported Kondo, who was having trouble walking now, and walked out of the alley slowly, following the direction Kondo pointed.

"By the way, what's up with your natural flow of mind? Have you finally thought of a name for your self-created school?"

"That's right!"

Kondo, with a somewhat proud look on his face, straightened his chest.

"I can come up with such a great name, thanks to you, master!" Kondo continued.

Ogata: "Huh? I don't remember teaching you how to name a school of swordsmanship."

"When I said goodbye to you in Kyoto, you gave me very valuable advice: 'Don't be impatient. Follow nature. Take one step at a time, and move forward'."

"This sentence gave me a lot of insights!"

"It was also your words that inspired me. Helped me to take off the name 'Natural Lixinflow'."

"How? Master, isn't this a great name?"

"...Well." The corner of Ogata's mouth twitched, "It's quite imposing... So the origin of this name is still related to me..."

Ogata in his previous life didn't know much about Japanese history.

But even a person like him who doesn't know much about Japanese history has heard of the name of Natural Rishin-ryu more or less.

Natural Rinpoche is one of the most famous schools of swordsmanship in modern Japan.

A large part of the reason why Natural Rishin Flow is so famous is that during the end of the Tokugawa period, that is, the end of the Edo period, there were many celebrities who flowed out of Natural Rishin.

Isamu Kondo, Souji Okita, Toshizo Hijikata... These influential figures in the late Tokugawa period are all descendants of the natural flow of spirituality.

Of course, there is a very important reason why the natural Li-shin-ryu is famous in modern Japan, apart from having many powerful successors. It is also because it is a practical genre that can stand the test, and it is not a show.

——Kondo created the natural flow of spiritual flow...and Kondo respected me as a master...so am I the ancestor of the natural flow of flow?

Ogata feels very complicated now.

Unknowingly, I had a very close relationship with the founder of the awesome swordsmanship genre in history...

—Will I enter the history books later? Record me as "the patriarch in the legend of the natural mind" or something...

This idea just popped up in Ogata's mind, and Ogata felt that his idea was a bit funny, so he didn't need to think about this kind of problem at all.

Because—the current him must be included in the history books.

After all, he is basically considered a living legend now.

Such a legendary figure is destined to leave a strong mark in the history books.

I just don't know how the history books will write and evaluate these deeds of Ogata.

"The patriarch in the legend of the natural mind" - this kind of thing can only be regarded as a relatively insignificant category in Ogata's life trajectory...

...

...

"Ah, master, turn right next."

"Why do you live in such a remote place?" Ogata asked in surprise while supporting Kondo to turn right.

Ogata didn't count how long it had been since he started helping Kondo go home.

He only knew that the traffic around him was getting thinner and thinner, and he was slowly entering a very remote place.

"I'm living where I work now. The place where I work is so remote, I can't help it." Kondo said helplessly.

"Speaking of which, I haven't asked you what kind of work you're doing now."

"I'm helping a businessman now."

Ogata: "Businessmen? Are you their guard?"

"No." Kondo shook his head, "I'm currently working in a shop called 'Northern Wind House'."

"That store was short of a planner a while ago."

"And I happened to be good at abacus, so I was hired by the owner of 'North Wind House' to do abacus."

"You still plan to plan?"

"Master, don't think of me as an idiot who can only wield a sword, okay?" Kondo said angrily, "Although my brain is not very bright, I still know a lot of skills!"

"It is difficult for a person with few skills to roam around."

"Abacus..." A memory flashed across Ogata's face, "I used to make a living by abacus. Before leaving the feudal clan, my job was a treasury officer, and my daily tasks were abacus and bookkeeping. .”

"It's just that my abacus skills are basically useless, and I will definitely not have the opportunity to make money from this in the future."

"Why is there no use for it? Master, you..." Before Kondo finished speaking, he paused because he remembered something.

Kondo remembered - his master is now the most wanted criminal in the shogunate.

Not to mention planning, Ogata was basically unable to do all the normal work.

"...Master, don't you have a human skin mask now?" Kondo said after a moment of silence, "With this human skin mask, can't you live normally with the identity of 'Mashima Goro'?"

"It's true to say so, but it's not a last resort. I don't want to live on a human skin mask and the identity of 'Mashima Goro'."

Ogata said in a flat tone.

"I am 'Executioner Yidaosai' Ogata Yishi."

"It's not Goro Mashima."

Hearing Ogata's words, Kondo's expression became depressed.

"In this way... Master, you will live a very hard life..."

"I have already prepared." Ogata smiled calmly, "When I decided to assassinate Matsudaira Gennai, I had already prepared for the rest of my life that I would not be able to live like a normal person, and that I would die at some point. mentally prepared."

"...Master, if you need anything in the future, you can come to me!"

After being silent for a while, Kondo raised his hand and patted his chest.

"Although I plan to continue to travel around in the future, after the experience, I plan to open a sword gym here in Edo to teach my natural spiritual flow!"

"At that time, if you need any help, master, you can come to my sword hall to find me!"

"It's not so easy to open a sword gym. Don't you even have travel expenses now?" Ogata showed a helpless expression, "When you open a sword gym, you don't know when."

"It won't be long." Kondo said heartily, "I plan to carry forward my natural mind flow! Therefore, I must open a sword gym that specializes in teaching natural mind flow."

"Pass down my natural mental flow from generation to generation!"

"So master, if you meet my disciple somewhere in the future, please take care of me by the way!"

"...Well, I will." Ogata smiled slightly.

"Ah, Master, here we are, and the 'Northern Wind House' is in front of us! It's also where I live now!"

Ogata looked in the direction Kondo's finger pointed.

I saw a very large shop in front of me.

There are 2 floors in total, and a huge plaque hangs above the gate, with the three characters "Beifeng House" written on it.

The open door, the light shining from the door and the window are all telling outsiders that the store is open.

After finally arriving at the place where Kondo lived, Ogata helped Kondo through the gate.

As soon as they entered the shop, a very young samurai immediately walked up to the two of Ogata.

"Welcome light... eh? Kondo, you're back? What happened to your leg? And who is this person?"

"It's a long story." Kondo smiled wryly. "Anyway, let me introduce you first. Chiba, this is my teacher... Ah, no, my friend—Mashima Goro."

"Mashima, this is the one I told you just now besides you, the only friend who knew that I participated in the 'Gozen Trial' and also participated in the 'Gozen Trial' with me——Chiba Koyouwei Door!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you. This is Chiba Koemon." Chiba bowed to Ogata.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Goro Mashima." Ogata bowed back.

"Chiba is now working with me at North Wind House." Kondo continued, "But his job is different. He is a doctor and is good at treating back injuries! So he was hired by the owner of North Wind House to help him. A private doctor who treats the waist!"

"Are you a doctor?" Ogata asked in surprise, "I thought you were a samurai who wields a sword for a living..."

There are two knives stuck in Qianye's waist, Kong Wu is powerful, and the forearms of both hands are extremely thick.

No matter how you look at it, you look more like a samurai with a sword than a doctor.

"Hahahaha." Qianye laughed heartily a few times, "I practice medicine as a profession, but I have a small hobby of swordsmanship, so when I have nothing to do, I will practice swordsmanship to kill time!"

After saying that, Chiba turned his gaze to Kondo next to him.

"Kondo, look at you, have you gotten into trouble again... When you left the martial arts test venue just now, if you came back obediently with me, there would be no so many troubles. Come here, let me help you take a look What happened to your leg?"

When leaving the martial arts test venue just now, Chiba took the initiative to find his friend and invited Kondo to come back together.

But Kondo rudely refused, saying that he was in a bad mood and wanted to drink 2 cups.

In the end, it was only such a short time of separation, and Kondo was helped back by someone...

Ogata and Chiba worked together to place Kondo Hirai on a certain piece of tatami next to him.

Chiba picked up Kondo's hakama and looked at Kondo's leg injury.

Ogata, on the other hand, scanned everything around him with curious eyes.

They are now in the halls of Northwind House.

The four sides of the hall are filled with large cabinets, and the products on the cabinets are dazzling.

Ogata looked around and found that the products here are mainly wool products and handicrafts.

Those handicrafts are all exotic, but they don't look like commodities from Western countries.

"Speaking of which, Kondo. I haven't asked you yet. What do you sell at North Wind House? I always feel that your products here seem to be very mixed... Wool products, handicrafts, and food... ..."

"We mainly sell Ezo products here." Chiba, who was helping Kondo check his leg injury, replied on behalf of Kondo.

"Ezo goods?" A faint surprise appeared on Ogata's face.

Ezo, a derogatory term for the aborigines in Hokkaido and other places in Japan.

At this time, there is no such name as "Hokkaido".

At this time, people call the big island in the north of their country "Ezodi".

"Yeah." Chiba nodded, "We sell Ezo goods here, mainly animal fur and Azo handicrafts."

"Although our location is a bit remote, there are only a handful of shops selling Ezo goods, so the business is pretty good on weekdays."

"By the way, Chiba." Kondo asked, "Where is the boss? Isn't the boss here now?"

"It seems that I went to have dinner with some big shots." Qianye said, "As far as I know, I went to have dinner with some local snakes in the Edo business world."

"The owner told me before that he wants to transform and no longer sell Ezo goods."

"So now it's time to plan ahead and establish a good relationship with some big names in the Edo business world in advance."

"No more Ezo products?" Kondo exclaimed, "Why?"

"Because the land of Ezo is not flat right now." Chiba said softly, "The cost of purchasing Ezo goods is getting higher and higher, so the owner doesn't want to sell Ezo goods anymore."

"The land in Ezo is not flat?" Ogata raised his eyebrows, "Did something happen?"

"I'm not too sure about the specifics. It seems that the country of Lucia has recently sent expeditions to Ezo land frequently."

"And the shogunate is also adding troops to Ezo."

"It always feels like a war is coming."

"So now some people who have settled in Ezo are returning home in a hurry."

——The land in Ezo is not flat...

While Ogata said this in his heart, he frowned silently.

...

...

at the same time--

Edo, Shiranui's base——

"So that's it, is this the 'Gu Village'... Seeing is worth seeing." Hannosuke sighed softly while looking around.

"Hannosuke-sama, let me remind you first." A young man standing next to Hannosuke said blankly, "'Gu Village' isn't anything to look at."

The young man's name is Shutaro, and he is one of the Jonin in Shiranui.

After the Iga ninjas headed by Hannosuke arrived, Shutaro was sent to act as a caller between Hannosuke and others and the Balrog, and to act as the "steward" of these Iga ninjas.

Of course—Hannosuke knew that Shutaro had another mission.

That is to monitor them.

Hannosuke felt that it was very normal for Balrog to send people to plant beside them and monitor their behavior.

If the Balrog didn't send someone to monitor them, Hannosuke would feel very strange instead.

At this moment, Hannosuke is visiting Shiranui with several of his subordinates under the leadership of Zhou Taro.

And the place where they are now is "Foul Village".

...

In order to show their friendship in Shiranui and to facilitate mutual cooperation, after reaching a cooperation agreement with the Iga ninjas headed by Hannosuke, Balrog borrowed an empty mansion in Shiranui for them to live in. , allowing them to temporarily live in Shiranui.

Living in Shiranui, it is convenient to communicate with the ninjas in Shiranui in time, so Hannosuke and others also happily accepted Balrog's "living invitation".

But—although Balrog allowed Hannosuke and others to stay in Shiranui for a period of time, Balrog did not allow Hannosuke and others to approach certain areas in Shiranui.

Hannosuke and the others are very understanding of Balrog's behavior of restricting their range of activities in Shiranui, so they don't have any complaints.

These days, Hannosuke and others searched for Kinoshita Genichi in Edo day and night.

Early this morning, Hannosuke led his subordinates out and returned to Shiranui just now.

Today was the same as usual - nothing was gained, and no information related to Genichi Kinoshita was found.

Although there is still no harvest today, Hannosuke and the others are not impatient.

When they came to Edo to find Kinoshita Genichi, they already had a bit of a gamble, so they had long been prepared for a "protracted battle" and "return without success".

Since living in Shiranui for a while, Hannosuke has not visited Shiranui.

Therefore, after returning to Shiranui just now, Hannosuke, on a whim, made a request to the "butler" sent by Balrog to take care of and monitor them—that is, Zhou Taro, asking Zhou Taro to take them to a place where they can go shopping walk around.

While visiting Shiranui, you can also relax your body and mind that has been working hard to find Kinoshita Genichi.

Balrog had previously informed Zhou Taro in advance: If these Iga ninjas request to visit, just take them to some insignificant places for a stroll.

Because the Balrog had notified him in advance, after Hannosuke and the others made this request, Shutaro nodded happily and agreed.

Shutaro led Hannosuke and others through the places that can be visited one after another.

And now, they came to the last stop - "Girl Village".

...

Hannosuke smiled wryly after hearing Shutaro tell him that "Kuu Village" was nothing to look at:

"It seems that there is really nothing to see. There are not many pedestrians on the road..."

At this moment, Hannosuke saw 2 youths appearing not far ahead.

The two young men had disheveled faces, sunken cheeks, and almost pale lips. It was obvious at first glance that their usual meals must not be much better.

The clothes he was wearing were also tattered, and he didn't even have a pair of shoes on his feet.

What is striking is that both of their feet are bound in shackles.

Seeing Hannosuke and others approaching from a distance, the two youths immediately rushed to the side of the road like a conditioned reflex, and then knelt down on the ground, pressing their foreheads tightly to the ground.

After glancing at the two young men, Hannosuke asked Shutaro beside him:

"Are those two people 'Gu'?"

"That's right." Zhou Tailang nodded, "Anyone with shackles on their feet is 'dirt'."

Hannosuke has been admiring the name of "Kuu" in Shiranui for a long time.

Each ninja has a different system.

Compared with other ninjas, Shiranui has the most obvious institutional difference, that is, in addition to the three levels of upper ninja, middle ninja, and lower ninja, they also have the slave class of "gu".

Mainly responsible for handling all kinds of dirty and tiring work.

"I heard that your 'Gu' were originally ninjas who made a big mistake, right?" Hannosuke asked.

Zhou Taro: "That's right."

"This is where the 'Girls' live, and we are used to calling it 'Gould Village'."

"Most of the 'ghou' are 'former ninjas' who have made big mistakes or failed to accomplish anything, and only waste rice."

"But there are also a small number of 'scales' that are not 'original ninjas'."

"Occasionally, we will also capture enemies and their relatives who are against us in Shiranui to this 'Girl Village'."

Hannosuke nodded: "I see..."

After passing the two young men kneeling on the side of the road, Hannosuke continued to ask:

"The number of 'scales' is much less than I imagined...I thought I could see a lot of 'scales' working hard like ants."

"There is a reason why the number of 'Gu' seems to be so small." Zhou Tailang replied, "Lord Balrog intends to expand the scope of the base area, so now most of the 'Gu' are being pulled to log and open up wasteland. "

"That's why there seem to be so few Dirties in Dirty Village now."

"So that's the case...then how much 'dirt' is there in Shiranui?"

Zhou Taro: "I don't know the exact number, but there should be about a hundred people."

"A hundred people..." Hannosuke smiled wryly, "It's not a small number..."

After turning another intersection, Hannosuke and the others saw another "Ku".

This "Gou" is quite old, although his beard and hair are dirty, but it can be seen from the gaps in the dirt that his hair has turned gray.

After seeing Hannosuke and others walking towards his direction, he immediately rushed to the side of the road like the two "Kuu" just now, and then knelt on the ground in the position of Dogeza.

Hannosuke and the others quickly walked past him without even looking at this "Ku".

"You guys have to manage such a large number of 'Ku' well." Hannosuke put on a joking tone, "Most of the 'Ku' are 'former ninjas', which means they all retain a certain amount of fighting power. .”

"If the 'Goul' riots break out, you will be in great trouble."

"Master Hannosuke, don't worry." Zhou Taro smiled disdainfully, "These 'stains' won't do anything."

"They had shackles on their feet and they couldn't even walk briskly."

"And there are very few 'gou' who have the courage to riot."

"It's not like this kind of thing has happened before when the 'Gu' broke out in riots."

"But their riots will soon be quelled by us."

"In the past two years, no 'gu' has dared to riot again."

"Probably because we killed all the kind people."

Speaking of this, the disdain and ridicule on Zhou Tailang's face were extremely strong.

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