Especially that genius Katsura Kogoro from the Choshu Domain.

Capture him, and the Xenophobic Patriots of the Choshu Domain will lose an arm!

Kondo Isami nodded.

No matter how many of these small fry are killed, it's not as glorious as killing the leader.

Kondo Isami and Okita Soji, Yukimura Tsuruko rushed to the second floor, while the ronin tried to stop them.

Hajime Saito grinned malevolently, drawing his sword with extreme speed, and his use of the katana was different from others.

In his hands, this katana was like a spear, its tip suddenly piercing through the necks of two ronin trying to block him.

Nagakura Shinpachi executed a diagonal cut to kill the ronin attempting to ambush Hajime Saito.

The two stood guard at the top of the stairs like nails, ensuring none of the ronin could advance.

...

Thud, thud.

Kondo Isami and the other two rushed to the second floor.

The layout here was clearly much better than below; the first floor was just a hall for drinking tea and eating dumplings.

The second floor appeared quite elegant.

The long corridor stretched from one end of the stairs to the other.

Beautiful sliding doors lined both sides.

"Careful!"

Kondo Isami called out, moving forward with his sword.

Okita Soji and Yukimura Tsuruko guarded the flanks.

The three advanced in a triangular formation down the corridor, alert for enemies that could burst out from the sliding doors.

"Divine retribution!"

A shout came from behind, but the enemy appeared silently from the front.

It was a tall ronin.

Okita Soji squinted slightly, immediately spotting numerous flaws on the opponent's body.

He drew the sword, unsheathed it, and before the blood could spill, his sword was sheathed again.

The charging samurai took a step, feeling his strength draining from his neck.

He looked down and saw that he had been slashed by the enemy somehow, his chest stained with blood.

"Such... such a fast sword."

The ronin mumbled, collapsing instantly.

The room behind him was empty, devoid of others.

Okita Soji withdrew his gaze and whispered, "We should hurry; if the enemy jumps out the window, it will be troublesome."

"Let me do it."

Yukimura Tsuruko replied, a surge of black qi suddenly appearing on her beautiful cheeks.

This was Yokai energy, a power only Demon Warriors possessed.

Pureblood yokai typically showed changes in hair and eyes when using power, not having black qi appear on their cheeks.

Kondo Isami and Okita Soji instantly changed positions, allowing Yukimura Tsuruko to stand at the front.

They took charge of guarding against possible ambushes from the surroundings.

Yukimura Tsuruko gritted her teeth as the black qi became denser, covering half her face, and she swung her sword forward.

At this moment, her strength in both hands became terrifying, the blade cutting through the air.

A slight whoosh sounded as an invisible slash surged forward.

With a crack, the wooden sliding doors on both sides were cleaved.

The doors were cut in half, revealing the ronin standing behind them.

There were about twenty-three people present, including a man with short golden hair.

Considering the identity of the group, Yukimura Tsuruko did not think they were Westerners.

The only answer was the Ghost Tribe.

Their gazes crossed, and Yukimura Tsuruko shouted, charging forward.

The Demon Warrior's identity intimidated the ronin into not daring to resist, quickly making way.

Yukimura Tsuruko didn't dare to swing her sword sideways; she had to focus all her energy on dealing with the Ghost Tribe in front of her.

Okita Soji and Kondo Isami drew their swords and attacked the group of samurai.

...

The battle cries to boost their spirits, the wails of intestines being sliced, and the clashing of blades.

The two floors instantly became incredibly lively, but unlike the previous festive atmosphere, it was now a more bloody slaughter.

Yukimura Tsuruko rushed to Nan Yunlian's front.

A stunning katana light instantly rose, like lightning splitting the dark clouds, the light seemed to illuminate the side of Yukimura Tsuruko's face.

Her pupils suddenly enlarged, she turned the blade, defending vertically.

With a ding, the rich black Qi rolled up, and Yukimura Tsuruko was forcibly blasted five meters away.

Thud, she collided solidly against the wall, the wall shattered, and the intense pain from her shoulder made her hands shake, her eyes flashed with surprise.

It wasn't her first time fighting the Ghost Tribe, but the Ghost Tribe before her was strong.

Strong enough to knock her flying without using true power.

"Quite surprising, I thought this katana would take your head off."

Nan Yunlian smiled, indifferent to the other warriors trapped in fierce battle, "Encountering the daughter of an old acquaintance in Kyoto truly surprises me."

"The daughter of an old acquaintance... Do you know my father?"

Yukimura Tsuruko looked surprised.

Nan Yunlian's face darkened, "I wouldn't know such a despicable human."

Mother was from the Ghost Tribe... Tsuruko concluded, "Did mother really die?"

"Of course, I killed her with my own hands for violating the rules of the Ghost Tribe, secretly mating with humans."

Nan Yunlian's expression turned cold, his golden short hair quickly turned silver, his eyes turned to a brilliant gold, "Now it's your turn, Tsuruko."

...

The gentle voice did nothing to lessen the killing intent in the air.

Yukimura Tsuruko understood she was facing the greatest danger since arriving in Kyoto; if she was even slightly careless, she could be killed here.

Counting on the Director and Okita Soji to rescue her seemed unrealistic.

The Xenophobic Patriots on the second floor were elites, unlike the lower-tier warriors, they were difficult to handle.

The two needed some time to deal with these people.

And during this time, she might not be able to hold on.

Yukimura Tsuruko raised her katana, no longer thinking about her parental issues.

Her eyes only had the enemy's figure, that focused expression made Nan Yunlian smile as he intentionally used a gentle tone, "You are so much like your mother, untainted by human blood.

I will kill you like I killed your mother.

First, I'll strip your clothes.

Then press your head down, making you endure the lashes from your master like a dog that betrayed its owner."

"You beast!"

Yukimura Tsuruko's heart instantly ignited with fury.

After all, she was still young; upon hearing these words, she couldn't suppress the anger in her heart, and kicking off the ground, she launched the attack.

Buzz, the blade lightly trembled, carrying a slight sound of wind, and within a few seconds, she swung the katana dozens of times, each strike was easily dodged by Nan Yunlian, who subsequently found an opening to counterattack.

The sharp blade cut open her tiger's mouth, the intense pain made her release the handle, and suddenly, there was a pain in her abdomen.

Nan Yunlian withdrew his right foot, and Tsuruko instinctively knelt down, feeling as if her organs were about to explode, her body wanting to curl up like a cooked shrimp.

Nan Yunlian grabbed her ponytail with one hand, preventing her from collapsing, and smiled, "I spent several wonderful nights with your mother, which makes me your half-father.

Honestly, before your mother died, she made me quite satisfied, and I made a promise with her.

As long as you don't come to me, I won't look for you.

So, although I knew you joined the Shinsengumi last year, I didn't come to you.

Unexpectedly, you came to me yourself, my good daughter."

"Bastard! Even if I die, I won't be humiliated by you!"

Yukimura Tsuruko tried to punch the central vulnerability, but it was easily caught by Nan Yunlian, "Death?

For that, you need the ability.

The weak have no right to decide their own life and death."

Clap, a round of applause sounded, a light voice came from behind, "You're right, the weak have no right to decide their own life and death.

From this moment, you also lose the power to choose your way of dying."

Nan Yunlian's pupils suddenly enlarged, feeling the hairs on his back standing up, a chilling aura penetrating his skin, all the way to his heart.

Someone managed to approach him silently?

Impossible!

Nan Yunlian did not believe such a person could exist, he turned around, the blade slicing like electricity towards the back.

A shadow encased the blade, and climbed rapidly along the blade, across his hand to his shoulder, then to his cheek.

In less than a breath, the shadow entangled his whole body rendering him immobile.

Then the shadow swept past him, landing on the corridor, dividing into dozens of paths, dispersing to each Xenophobic Patriot and Kondo Isami, Okita Soji, and further extending downward.

Finally, the shadow halted at the entrance, and within the entire Ikedaya, no one could move an inch.