Previously (about maybe 2014) I said "I'm going to abducted annoying guys with my first corps North Korea special forces".

Wednesday, 28 November 2012

attack

"Those guys have managed to escape our surveillance up until now、so we can't underestimate them.

If we continue to wait idly for the Aizu clan soldiers to arrive、we may end up letting the violent terrorists who have been caught in our net escape into the darkness.

There's no time left、we rush into Ikedaya alone to arrest them."

Around ten o'clock at night、Kondo made that decision.

"There are no terrorists hiding in this area、at least at this time."

Hijikata、who was exploring another area、came to this conclusion almost at the same time as Kondo's decision.

That's right、about 30 Ronin gathered at Ikedaya at this time.

・・・・・・・・・

Okita Souji of the Shinsengumi was at this time known as a genius swordsman both inside and outside of the Shinsengumi.

Initially、Kondo stationed the Shinsengumi members he had brought with him around Ikedaya to prevent terrorists hiding inside the house from escaping、and then he and Okita entered Ikedaya alone.

※Kondo considered Okita the successor to his own school of swordsmanship、Tennen Rishin-ryu.

※Judging from the time、the shutters (Hatago-wiki) of Ikedaya were obviously closed、but Kondo pretended to be a walk-in guest and had them open the late-night door. 2024031022:45(japan time)。

"We are the Shinsengumi、and as part of our duties、we would like to confirm the identity of the guests of this inn."

The moment the innkeeper saw Kondo、fully armed、making this declaration as soon as he entered the inn、he suddenly and carelessly shouted、"Everyone on the second floor、the authorities have come to crack down !" .

And as soon as Okita heard that warning、he ran up the stairs in front of the inn's entrance with his sword drawn.

"Has anyone come？"

At this time、a Ronin noticed the commotion going on at the entrance and came to the front of the stairs on the second floor to see what was going on (they were drinking).

Okita cut down the man in an instant、and then quickly opened the shoji in the room where there were signs of a large group of people、 "We are the Shinsengumi. We will now confirm your identity. If you resist、we will cut you down！" he shouted.

A large number of people were huddled next to the window of a dimly lit room of about 12 tatami mats with the shutters shut、but they soon realized that there were only two intruders.

"Souji、these are the people who have survived until now、so they won't act according to your convenience."

Kondo said this with a smile、and slowly and dignifiedly he lined up next to Okita、who was standing in front of the threshold.

"Souji、the man who was cut by you died、but what would you have done if he wasn't one of these guys？

"Because he's one of these guys、right？"

"Well、the innkeeper nodded yes."

And then he spoke quietly.

"Guys、I'm sorry for suddenly causing a stir、we are the Shinsengumi、and all of your plans for insurrection have already been revealed to us. This inn is already surrounded by us and the Aizu clan、and there is no way for you to escape. Howeve、we do not want to resort to heavy-handed measures、and if you all lay down your weapons now and surrender to us、I'm sure the authorities will give due consideration to your treatment. Lay down your weapons and surrender to us now."

"Don't turn off the lights; with such a small number of enemies、we might end up fighting each other."

A voice like that was heard from within the shadows.

"They're the Shinsengumi、and I don't know how they made the mistake of rushing to us in such a small group、but I'm sure soon the situation will turn out exactly as they say. But if it were now、the situation surrounding us downstairs wouldn't be a big deal. Matsushita-kun、please take your comrades and escape from here right now. We will protect you from this situation."

"Wait、I'll fight too."

"You just happened to be here, right？

As your master's best friend、I will tell him about your progress in detail. 

And you guys need more opportunities to learn.

We ask you to take care of the rest.

Yajiro、open the shutters！Too dark."

"Below、the swords of my brave comrades await their prey."

"It would be so."

・・・・・・・・・

2 vs 30 people (of course I don't know the exact number).

However、Kondo and Okita were fully armed at this time.

(This is an official sortie as armed police to protect public order in Kyoto.)

On the other hand、the ronin were wearing kimono、and many of them were not wearing swords when Kondo and Okita first entered the room.

And this was a characteristic of common Japanese houses at the time、but the rooms at Ikedaya were too small and the ceilings were very low for large numbers of people to wield swords and fight.

Therefore、the combat actions of the Ronin、who were not used to fighting indoors、were extremely restricted.

・・・・・・・・・　

Come to think of it、there was a battle in Japan in the 12th century called the "Battle of Hiyodorigoe".

To be honest、I don't know the details of the situation、but a strong position had been built on a long、narrow coastline surrounded by steep cliffs on two sides (they had command of the sea on the battlefield).

However、they were suddenly attacked by a group of cavalry riding down the steep cliff behind them.

The size of this enemy cavalry group was small.

However、they were unable to take any effective countermeasures against a direct surprise attack into their strongholds.

"This is the enemy's attack！

No！There is no way any enemy can attack us from behind.

This is betrayal！"

They were helplessly defeated in great confusion.

※This is one of the first passages I wrote (※The text itself has been rewritten and is different from what it was then. 2024031120:46/japan time)、and it has some connection to the main text、but I guess at the time I wanted to introduce Japanese history every chance I got (lol).

・・・・・・・・・

"Those who commit despicable acts must commit seppuku."

The Shinsengumi had such a written rule.

Above all、Kondo was the head of the Shinsengumi、and Okita was a genius with the sword.

※For example (I think it depends on the situation、of course)、"If you are slashed in the back by an enemy、you will have to commit seppuku if you do not defeat its enemy."

I think Kondo and Okita probably fought in the narrow、low-ceilinged hallway of Ikedaya、but of course their opponent was also a samurai、and they probably didn't like cowardly behavior.※

Thursday, 29 November 2012

hardball

Among the members of the Shinsengumi when it was founded、there were a certain number of ronin who were originally samurai (in the sense that they were feudal retainers).

They voluntarily renounced their status as feudal retainers for various reasons.

Therefore、of course、each person was different, but their understanding of the existence of samurai was probably different from Kondo and Hijikata.

They were eliminated during the Shinsengumi's growth due to a power struggle with the Kondo group and the resulting purge.

※However, it is said that there was a sufficient reason for this purge (murder).

Forcing merchants to provide "military funds" (and harassing merchants with force if they refused)、assaulting women、etc.

It is said that the Aizu clan、the underwriter of Shinsengumi、was irritated by their excessive barbarity and ordered Kondo to purge them.※

Okita is the youngest founding member of the Shinsengumi、and was originally a samurai.

However、he seemed to have a lot of fun when he was with Kondo and Hijikata、and they also loved Okita like a younger brother.

※I think his father was already a ronin by the time Okita was born.

Okita was the captain of the Shinsengumi's top team.

※It may just be numbering、but he was a captain of "the first squad". 

一番隊隊長

According to the folklore gathered by Shimozawa kan san、Okita was not a serious man、but a cheerful man who was always joking.

He was the kind of guy who would play with the neighborhood kids whenever he had free time、but it is said that a colleague who saw him complain to him、"If you have that much free time、you should just come to the dojo and practice your sword a little".

※This man is Inoue Genzaburo、the eldest of Kondo's group from Edo.

He was originally a servant of the Hijikata family (I think they were wealthy farmers) in Tama、and served as the captain of another team in the Shinsengumi.※

※I'm relying on my memory、but I think he was an avid follower of Tennen Rishin-ryu from Kondo's predecessor (It seems that he wasn't that strong with the sword、but as a disciple of the same school、he was a senior to Kondo and Hijikata). 2024031217:13(japan time).

However、Okita was stronger than anyone else.

"If Okita fights seriously、even Kondo will lose."

Everyone said so.

※Perhaps Kondo also recognized that statement as true.

・・・・・・・・・

"Captain、I'm a druggist、and I also have medicine、and I'd like to take care of injured people who have fallen down. Is that okay？"

Yamazaki、dressed as a townsman、timidly asked Hijikata when he arrived at Ikedaya a while later.

"Okay、I'll allow it. However、Shinsengumi soldiers and ronin who are likely to be saved、make their treatment a priority."

Hijikata said so after seeing Yamazaki's expression.

"Listen guys ! Arrest the enemy without killing them as much as possible ! "

Hijikata then ran up the stairs to the second floor.

At this time、large-scale mobilization of Aizu clan soldiers had already progressed、and the city of Kyoto was effectively placed under martial law.

"I'm fine with just the hilt of the enemy's sword hitting my hachigane (iron helmet)、so please take better care of him than me."

Todo Heisuke、commander of Shinsengumi's 8th division、who participated in the battle at Ikedaya from the beginning, said so without worrying about the blood that had not stopped.

In front of his line of sight was the figure of Okita、who had been carried to an empty room on the first floor and was being laid down.

However、he was not seriously injured by the sword of his enemy.

His tuberculosis had already affected his body to such an extent that he could no longer endure such a battle (during the battle、he suddenly vomited a large amount of blood and collapsed into a coma).

※This is a story that happened after this time、but Ito Kashitaro、who had splintered off within the Shinsengumi and established the Resulting Organization、was assassinated by the Shinsengumi in the middle of the night in the streets of Kyoto.

The fully armed Shinsengumi left Ito's body where it was、and ambushed his subordinates in casual clothes (they apparently expected to be ambushed but did so on purpose) who came to retrieve it.

The next day、when the neighbors looked at the area after the battle, they found human fingers scattered all over the place and pieces of flesh with hair stuck to the walls (Todo、who participated in Ito's splinter activities、was also killed in the battle). 2024031421:20(japan time)。

※Come to think of it、according to Shiba Ryotaro san's "Clouds on the Slope," during the Battle of the Sea of Japan、the Japanese fleet must have covered its deck with sand to keep their feet from slipping due to blood. 2024031507:05(japan time).