“Mr. Kiryu! Elodie and I want to build snowmen! Would you like to join us?”

“Build snowmen? Right now?” Kiryu asked in return to Kinoshita Mai who now stood before him.

Kiryu was one of the few people Kinoshita Mai could speak to using her normal voice volume.

Kinoshita Mai nodded vigorously: “The snow on the ground today is finally thick and wet enough! Elodie and I are having a snowman building competition! Mr. Kiryu, please come play with us!”

“Building snowmen…” Kiryu smiled helplessly, then shook his head, “I’ll pass, young master. You and Miss Elodie go enjoy yourselves…”

Before he could finish speaking, Kiryu’s words abruptly cut off.

The old man seemed to sense something, his expression suddenly changing as he lifted his head to look around in all directions.

“Mr. Kiryu?” Seeing Kiryu’s sudden expression change before her, Kinoshita Mai couldn’t help but feel startled, “What’s wrong?”

“……” Kiryu didn’t respond to Kinoshita Mai’s question.

His bright eyes behind his glasses stared intently with a grave expression… at the surroundings outside the camp.

……

“Mr. Suehiro.” Yamada pressed his hand against the tachi at his waist, climbed up the high slope, and spoke respectfully to Suehiro, “Everyone… has completed preparations and is ready to attack at any moment!”

“Hmm…” Suehiro nodded, “Understood.”

After telling Yamada, who was assisting him as deputy commander for tonight’s battle, “You’ve worked hard,” Suehiro lifted his head and let out a long breath.

Although he had mentally rehearsed similar scenarios countless times, Suehiro still couldn’t help feeling nervous at this moment.

Commanding over 200 samurai to launch a thunderous attack against the barbarians… this was something he couldn’t even imagine just a few years ago when he first joined the “Great Cause of Expelling Foreigners.”

But along with the nervousness… Suehiro also felt somewhat excited.

Since studying under the Hozoin-ryu school and learning their spear techniques, he had always yearned to achieve fame through military exploits like the warlords of the Sengoku Period 300 years ago! To command thousands of troops and earn achievements that would shock both ancient and modern times!

And now, he had accomplished a small part of this dream.

He was about to lead over 200 fellow “Expel the Barbarians activists” filled with the same fervor as him to deliver a fierce strike against the barbarians invading their country!

Although this battle didn’t involve commanding thousands of troops or fighting a major engagement that could influence the nation’s situation or historical direction, Suehiro still couldn’t help but proudly puff out his chest.

Everyone… had completed their battle preparations.

The timing… was now ripe!

The time had come!

The high-spirited Suehiro imagined the blood-red haori draped over his shoulders as the jingasa worn by military commanders, giving it a vigorous shake.

Suehiro turned around to face his comrades hiding below the high slope.

There were 42 Anti-Foreigner Squad members hiding in this area together with Suehiro and Yamada.

They all wore the same blood-red haori as Suehiro and Yamada, used to distinguish friend from foe during nighttime.

“Gentlemen!”

Suehiro firmly planted his Wind Cutter spear beside him.

“Everything that needed to be said, I’ve already told you before!”

Fine snowflakes danced through the air.

Amidst this snow curtain where snowflakes drifted like willow catkins, Suehiro slowly moved his gaze, letting his eyes sweep across the faces of his comrades before him.

“I believe I no longer need to say anything more to ignite your fighting spirit!”

Suehiro held his head high, filled with imposing momentum.

At this moment, he truly felt like the supreme commander of an army! Delivering the final pre-battle mobilization to his subordinate officers!

“Grip your swords! Hold your blades tight!”

“The barbarian invaders disturbing our nation’s soil are right before our eyes!”

“Tell me—can we allow these barbarians, and these traitors serving as their running dogs, to simply escape right under our noses?!”

“Tell me—can we return empty-handed tonight?!”

“Gentlemen!”

“Join me in exterminating the barbarians!”

“Tonight, let those barbarians still running rampant on our soil witness our power, let them experience our determination to defend our country! Let them see our samurai spirit!”

“Tonight, let our Anti-Foreigner Squad’s name spread throughout the entire nation!”

“Tonight, let every barbarian setting foot on our territory tremble with fear when they hear our Anti-Foreigner Squad’s name!”

Having said this, Suehiro sharply turned around! Aiming the matchlock gun he had been holding in his left hand—already with lit matchcord, ready to fire at any moment—toward the distant camp!

“Exterminate the barbarians—!”

After roaring these words with all his strength, Suehiro sharply pulled the trigger.

Boom!

A flash of sparks.

Countless birds startled by the gunshot flapped their wings, rushing out from the woods behind Suehiro with frantic cries and flying feathers.

This was the signal Suehiro had arranged with his subordinates.

The gunshot was the signal! Upon hearing the gunshot, they would launch their attack against the already surrounded camp! Killing every enemy they encountered!

Shing! Yamada, standing beside Suehiro, sharply drew his family’s ancestral tachi.

Tensing all his muscles, mustering all his strength, he pointed the tachi’s tip straight toward the sky, roaring at the heavens:

“Expel the barbarians—!!”

The various Anti-Foreigner Squad members crouching before Suehiro all stood up, either waving their fists or raising their weapons toward the sky like Yamada.

“Expel the barbarians—!! Expel the barbarians—!! Expel the barbarians—!! Expel the barbarians—!!”

They all strained their necks, faces flushed red with heightened emotions, repeatedly shouting “Expel the barbarians” over and over.

Morale soared, emotions ran high!

When everyone’s morale reached its peak with these furious roars, Yamada fiercely swung his tachi toward the distant camp.

“Follow me!” Yamada took the lead, jumping out from their hiding spot on the high slope!

The other members shouted and followed behind Yamada like a wolf pack chasing prey behind their alpha!

Suehiro had divided his over 200 subordinates into six groups, positioning them east, west, south, north, southwest, and northeast outside the camp, completely surrounding Anthony’s camp.

After Suehiro pulled the trigger, the Anti-Foreigner Squad members hiding in the other five locations immediately received the attack signal.

They immediately received the attack signal, then immediately rushed out from their respective hiding areas.

All wearing unified blood-red haori, they converged toward their unified target like waves of blood-red ocean—the camp that, unprepared for such a large-scale attack, was completely unequipped to fight back!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep