[Bang! Bang! Bang!]
Heavy metal hatch doors slammed down onto the concrete one after another.
Like giant beasts forced to vomit, the ships emptied all their "cargo" into this city block just three kilometers from Shogun Castle.
The Kiheitai samurai, who had long since been unable to contain themselves, gripped their gleaming swords.
With suppressed growls pouring from their throats, they surged forward in a frantic rush.
They wore samurai garb in various colors, their lower faces concealed behind black masks.
Their eyes burned with fighting spirit and twisted loyalty toward Takasugi Shinsuke.
The streets were deserted, with only abandoned vehicles left parked haphazardly about.
"Kill!"
"Our target is the Shogunate! Take the Shogun's head!"
Someone shouted first.
Nearly a thousand Kiheitai samurai converged into a chaotic, surging tide of black.
They raced down the broad yet lifeless main road toward the faint outline of the castle in the distance.
For a time, hurried footsteps, cries of battle, and heavy panting echoed between the buildings.
However, just as they had charged roughly a kilometer and were about to reach an intersection—
[Whoosh—!]
A piercing shriek tore through the air.
Without warning, it came hurtling in from an extreme distance.
It moved faster than the eye could follow.
Most of the Kiheitai samurai only had time to hear it.
Then they saw the chest of a companion at the very front suddenly burst into a spray of blood, flesh, and shredded cloth.
The fanaticism on his face froze instantly, replaced by stunned bewilderment.
Without making a sound, he collapsed to the ground, a wide pool of blood gradually spreading beneath him.
"What?!"
"Arrows! There's an archer!"
"Where is he?!"
Panic exploded among the Kiheitai vanguard like water thrown into hot oil.
They hurriedly searched for cover, staring anxiously ahead or sweeping