Chapter 101: The Outbreak of War
“───Fire.”
DODODODODODODODODOOOON！！！！！！
At Tōgō’s command, hundreds of cannon shells were unleashed toward Edo.
A single, unified barrage so dense that it blotted out the sky, turning the heavens a suffocating shade of black.
The spectacle was visible even from the castle’s tenshu keep.
Kagura-hime collapsed to her knees as if the strength had been drained from her body, while Sakai’s brow knotted tightly, deep lines carving across his forehead.
“N-No… that can’t be…”
“Damn you, Tōgō…!”
If those shells rained down unchecked, Edo would suffer a mortal wound.
This city, built largely of wood and paper, would be swallowed by raging infernos, flames leaping from roof to roof in a merciless chain. And as the fires devoured the streets, the Satsuma army would surge forward like an unstoppable tide.
The shogunate forces would be crushed between Satsuma and the combined might of Chōshū and Hizen—ground down in the blink of an eye, their resistance reduced to nothing.
In short───defeat was certain.
“S-Sakai, we must stop that…”
“I understand. However… that is not something human hands can simply undo…”
Even Sakai, steady and composed as she was, found herself unable to move.
No—more precisely, even if she did move, there was nothing she could do.
Just as despair began to settle over everyone—
For the briefest instant, the sky flashed.
““Huh?””
CRACKCRACKCRACKCRAAAAACK！！！！！
From right to left, a bolt of lightning tore across the heavens with blinding ferocity.
The thunderbolt struck every single shell midair.
A chain of violent explosions erupted across the sky, bursting like a string of suns igniting at once.
The roar thundered throughout Edo, shaking windows and rattling bones. Every soldier, friend and foe alike, halted their movements and turned toward Edo Bay in stunned disbelief.
The shockwave from the explosions stirred Tōgō’s hair.
“…………”
“Tōgō-dono, what in the world just happened? Could it have been a bolt from a clear sky…?”
“No. The enemy has employed lightning arts.”
“I-I see… Shall I order another barrage?”
“Don’t bother. It will be erased again immediately. A waste of time.”
“Understood.”
A soldier peered through a telescope and called out,
“Sir! There is a man standing alone at Edo Harbor!”
“What?”
Tōgō narrowed his eyes and focused his gaze.
And then──
Their eyes met.
Tōgō clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Tch…”
“Shall we deploy?”
“No. That man is mine alone to defeat. The Satsuma army will follow after me and make landfall.”
“Follow after you… sir?”
“Like this.”
Tōgō planted his foot firmly and leapt from the prow.
The force of his jump caused the warship itself to tilt.
His speed surpassed even the wind.
“Siiir!!!”
Assuming the stance of an iaijutsu draw, Tōgō shot forward over the sea like a bullet.
He fixed his sights on his target—
—and slashed.
GAKIINNNN！！！！！！
But his full-powered strike was stopped cold.
Steel clashed against steel, sparks bursting between the locked blades.
“Yo, Tōgō. You seemed like you were having quite a bit of fun earlier.”
“So it is you who stands in my way after all… Ryu Ardren…!!!”
While Ryu and Tōgō crossed blades, on the side of the shogunate forces……
At present, the shogunate army was fighting desperately atop the defensive walls, determined not to let the enemy enter the city of Edo.
“Slaughter the shogunate’s lapdogs!”
“Silence, you traitorous rebels!”
Ladders were thrown up against the walls. Enemy soldiers climbed. They were cut down and hurled back. The ladders were kicked away, only for more to take their place.
Between clashes, arrows were loosed downward to thin the enemy ranks below.
Again and again, the same brutal cycle repeated.
The supreme commander──Ii Naomasa stood atop a turret, gazing down at the battlefield.
“…………”
(The enemy is formidable… but our Tosa troops are stronger than rumor claimed. Even so, our numbers are insufficient. Sooner or later, the gates will be breached. Knowing when to withdraw will be crucial.)
An incursion into the city was unavoidable.
The true challenge would come afterward—how to fall back and defend Edo Castle itself.
This was only the first defensive wall.
Both sides understood that clearly.
A gentle breeze drifted through the air.
“Supreme Commander-dono, how fares the defense?”
“R-Ryoma-dono⁉ Since when were you here…?”
Ii Naomasa cleared his throat and steadied himself.
“Thanks to that earlier explosion, the enemy’s momentum faltered for a moment. We should be able to hold the gate for now.”
“We owe Ryu our thanks, then.”
“That explosion… was it truly Lord Ryu’s doing?”
“Indeed.”
“What…!”
“By the way, have the enemy’s main forces yet to emerge?”
“Yes. They are currently issuing orders from the rear. Whether they intend to charge in once the gates open, or are capable of infiltrating alone but await the proper moment—I cannot say which.”
Just then—
A short blade came flying from somewhere, aimed straight at Ryoma.
“Ryoma-dono!!!”
But Ryoma casually caught the blade mid-flight.
“I am unharmed. Hm… quite a fine piece of craftsmanship.”
“Ryoma-san… rather than admiring it, shouldn’t we find who threw it?”
“There is no need to search. The culprit is surely that Chōshū man—Hijikata.”
Looking toward the enemy’s rear, they saw Hijikata grinning like a lion, his gaze fixed upon them.
“So he noticed you’ve come to the front lines.”
“As hot-blooded as ever.”
Hijikata beckoned to Ryoma, then turned and headed toward the grassy plains beyond.
“He’s trying to lure you away. There’s no reason to fall for that—”
“Then I shall be off.”
“Eh?”
“Better to fight there than within the city, is it not?”
“W-Well, that is true, but…”
“I leave Edo in your care for a while, Supreme Commander-dono.”
With that, Ryoma vanished from the spot in an instant.
On a certain grassy plain—
“I knew you’d come, Ryoma!”
“You sent quite the passionate message.”
“Heh. Says the man who caught it barehanded.”
There was one more person present besides Ryoma and Hijikata.
“So you are the rumored Hero?”
“Yes. My name is Kagetora, Hero of the Duchy. I have been dispatched to assist in the overthrow of the shogunate. …Though I assume you already knew that.”
“You bear a striking resemblance to a Hinomaru native.”
“I was originally from Hinomaru .”
“Hmm? Ni-hon-jin…?”
“Ah—never mind that.”
Hijikata appeared irritated.
“I appreciate the help, but at least for this fight, couldn’t you leave it to just me and Ryoma?”
“No can do. Yoshida-san asked me to.”
“Tch. Shōin is always meddling…”
For a samurai, two against one was a battle—and yet not truly a battle.
Surely Hijikata wished to settle things honorably, one-on-one.
But this was war.
There was no room for selfish desires.
“Can’t be helped… In that case, sorry, but you’ll be fighting both of us at once, Ryoma.”
“Please allow me to introduce myself properly—Sakamoto Ryoma.
I do not mind. Whether two against one or one against one… it makes little difference.”
Ryoma drew Futsunomitama, the divine blade gleaming as it left its sheath.
“Ha! Big words.”
Hijikata drew his own masterwork sword.
As for the Hero, he held no weapon—most likely a mage.
“Then let’s settle this. Who is the strongest swordsman in Hinomaru?”
“Very well.”
The air shifted.
The Hero spoke first.
“Then, Ryoma-san, farewell. Please die───Meteor Strike.”
Gogogogogogo.
From the heavens above, a colossal meteor began its descent.
……At last, the battle had begun.