The disciples of the Sakakihara Sword Pavilion, led by Mikami, all quietly looked at the Matsudaira Gennai group sitting opposite them with nervous, confused, and overwhelmed eyes.

The sudden arrival of Gennai Matsudaira and the others made everyone, including the half-guards, feel quite uneasy.

Especially if their lord is still a man of a cruel temperament.

Matsudaira Gennai's brutal temperament was well known among the samurai of the Hirose Domain.

But no one dared to tell anyone else about it.

Everyone, including the Hanbei, was expecting that Matsudaira Genuchi was really just borrowing a cup of tea to drink.

Looking forward to Matsudaira Genuchi finishing drinking tea and leaving quickly.

Matsudaira Gennai took a sip of tea from the cup and said to the half-guard beside him with a nonchalant attitude:

"It's the first time I've come to your Sakakibara Sword Hall."

"I've heard before that there is a young sword hall in our domain called 'Sakakihara Sword Hall'."

"It wasn't until today, on a whim, that I changed the route back to the city, and I passed in front of the gate of your sword hall by chance."

"There are quite a lot of disciples in your Sword Pavilion."

As soon as Matsudaira Genuchi's words fell, the flattering smile on the half-soldier's face became a little stronger, and he spoke in response to what Matsudaira Genuchi had just said.

At the same time as responding to the peace, the half-guard secretly said in his heart:

- Looking at it this way, the lord is quite normal......

Hanbei was originally worried that the notorious Matsudaira Genuchi would be an absurd person who couldn't even have a normal conversation with people.

But now it seems that this Matsudaira Gennai can still talk to people well, and he can still make small talk with the half-guards.

Feeling the worry in his heart, the half-soldier who let go a little bit quietly waited for Matsudaira Genuchi to finish his tea and leave here.

However, at this moment, Matsudaira Genuchi suddenly said something that made Hanbei unclear what he meant.

Matsudaira Gennai looked at the disciples of the Sakakihara Sword Pavilion who were kneeling in front of him, as if he remembered something, he let out a light "ah", and then said:

"Since these people are all disciples of this sword hall, then they should be very good at swordsmanship, right? In that case, let's play that. ”

- The ......?

The half-guards didn't know what the "that" Gennai Matsudaira was referring to.

But he instinctively felt that a bad premonition was constantly coming out of his heart......

……

……

Hirose Domain, Kuranaga's mansion.

Ogata, Kuranaga, and Flying Ape returned to the room they had been in at the beginning.

"The tragedy of Miaozhang Village...... It is just one of the thousands of tragedies that have occurred since the lord ascended the throne. ”

"If we don't stop the lord soon, there will be more people like the villagers of Miaozhang Village...... No, there will be more people who will fall into a tragedy that is even more miserable than the villagers of Miaozhang Village. ”

Kuranaga said quietly, and Ogata listened quietly.

"In order to stop the cruelty of the lord, I have thought of various methods and made various efforts."

"But...... The brutality of the lord...... It's like it's innate......"

Speaking of this, Kuranaga closed his eyes in pain.

"Whatever I did, whatever I tried, it was all in vain......"

"The cruelty of the lord has not only not been stopped, but has only intensified......

"So...... After some deliberation, I decided to ......"

Kuranaga slowly opened his eyes, which had been closed in pain.

Kuranaga's eyes at this time burst with a fierce light like firelight.

"Assassinate the lord!"

"With the death of the lord, in exchange for the peace of the Hirose Domain!"

"So - Ogata-kun, I need your help! I need your sword! ”

“…… I see. Ogata said softly, "The question you asked me at the beginning - 'Would you like to be an executioner?'" That's what it means......"

"Would you like me to be an executioner who can help you assassinate Gennai Matsuhira......"

At this, Ogata fell silent.

After a long silence, Ogata asked rhetorically:

"My lord, let me take the liberty of asking—how many executioners have you already gathered?"

"Six." Kuranaga replied unequivocally, "If you are willing to help us, Ogata-kun, it will be seven. ”

"Six of them......," Ogata said with a wry smile, "that a few people would want to assassinate a daimyo of a country...... Don't you think this is too reluctant? Is there no other way to assassinate? For example, poisoning the daily meals in Matsudaira Gen and the like. ”

"If you plan to assassinate your lord by poisoning, it's almost impossible."

Kuranaga sighed lightly.

"All the food and all the water that we drink on the Lord's fair day are tested for poison."

"As long as there are people who test the poison, it is impossible to poison the lord by poisoning."

“…… So, if you want to rely on the sword to kill Matsudaira Gennai, what is your plan, the elder of the family? ”

"How are you going to use this scarce combat power to take down the head of Matsudaira Gennai?"

As soon as Ogata's words fell, the flying ape, who was kneeling next to Kuranaga, took the lead and said:

"Ogata-kun, I'm sorry. You haven't joined us yet, so it's impossible for us to tell you all about our plans. ”

“…… That's right. Ogata sighed lightly and raised his hand to grab his hair.

Thanks to the ape's reminder just now, Ogata realized that he seemed to have asked a stupid question just now.

He is still just an outsider.

How could Kurunaga possibly inform an outsider like him of their assassination plans?

"Ogata-kun."

Kuranaga looked straight into Ogata's eyes, and said with a straight face.

"Now—can you tell me your answer?"

"Would you like to join us in helping the good with us?"

Hearing Kuranaga's question, Ogata suddenly felt as if his thighs were feeling the warm touch of Rigi's blood and tears falling on his thighs again.

Riggi's screams echoed in his ears.

The horrific scene he had just seen in the dim room reappeared in front of him.

Remembering this, Ogata's hands, which had been naturally placed on his legs, began to clench slowly, and his lips pursed.

His gaze also looked uncontrollably to his right.

He looked at the knife that was quietly placed on the tatami mat on his right side......

……

Hirose Domain, Sakakibara Sword Hall.

Whether it was the master and apprentice of the Sakakiwara Sword Pavilion, or the group of Matsudaira Gennai, they all knelt on the edge of the dojo at this time.

Except for Matsudaira Gennai.

Matsudaira Genuchi sat on the wooden floor at the edge of the dojo with a big grin and a casual attitude, his legs wide open.

At this time, Matsudaira Gennai looked at the center of the dojo with interest.

In the center of the dojo, two people were standing opposite each other with real swords.

These two people are Mikami.

and their youngest disciple of the Sakakibara Kenkan - Sawamura Goro.