quiet……
After the young man who called himself Toyotomi Nobuhide finished his unique self-introduction, the cell fell into a slightly eerie silence.
Hasegawa first stared at Toyotomi in a daze for a few seconds, then looked him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Oh." Toyotomi curled his lips at this time, "Your reaction is very dull."
"I'm a little disappointed. I thought you would show some interesting expression after hearing my self-introduction just now."
"I have no interest in your name. I just want to know where this place is?" Hasegawa asked in a deep voice, "and why I was imprisoned here?"
"Ah, you are worthy of being the chief of the Fire Thieves Kai." Toyotomi once again showed a very graceful smile, "He woke up and found himself imprisoned in a completely unfamiliar place, but he was not panicked at all - just this mentality is far beyond that of ordinary people."
"Don't worry, Mr. Hasegawa, I have no ill will towards you and no intention of hurting you."
"All your subordinates are fine now. They are all imprisoned elsewhere and are well fed and well provided for."
Although Toyotomi said this, Hasegawa's expression did not relax at all, and he still looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy.
"...Are you in cahoots with Sengenji?" Hasegawa asked.
Toyotomi's brows twitched slightly when he heard Hasegawa's question.
Hasegawa then continued:
"'Buddhist supplies stolen from Sengenji Temple' or something like that, that was just a bait to lure me to Koyasan, right? After luring me to your territory, you immediately set up a plan to capture me."
"Otherwise, it can't explain why we were found so quickly and accurately as soon as we arrived in Koya Town, and why our food was drugged."
"...Hahaha, could this be the result of catching so many thieves that you have developed a keen intuition?" Toyotomi clapped his hands a few times, "Your inference is completely correct!"
"A long time ago, Xianyuan Temple became our partner."
"We lied that 'Buddhist supplies from Xianyuan Temple were stolen' in order to lure you to our territory so that we could easily capture you."
"…Why are you doing this?" Hasegawa's face became increasingly gloomy. "Is it because you have a grudge against me, so you want to take revenge on me?"
"If I wanted to take revenge on you, I wouldn't let you live in such a nice place." Toyotomi pointed at the tatami under Hasegawa's feet, "Please forgive us for our reckless act of knocking you out without permission and bringing you here."
"I did this for no other reason than to bring you under my wing."
Toyotomi was tall, about 170cm tall.
He bent forward slightly, put his hands on the fence between him and Hasegawa, and made his line of sight level with Hasegawa, who was shorter than him.
"Mr. Hasegawa, my self-introduction just now was actually just a half-serious joke to tease you and see if you would show any funny expression."
"I don't have many hobbies, and one of my only hobbies is seeing other people's funny expressions."
"I'm not a Taoist, and I have no interest in sleeping with a man."
"To want to bring a fine man into your room - that's a lie."
“But wanting to recruit outstanding men under my wing—that’s true.”
“I like excellent men the most.”
"When I see outstanding men, I want to recruit them and use them for my own benefit."
"You manage the Fire Thief Kai, and you are also a manager. You should understand my eagerness to recruit talents."
"Mr. Hasegawa, I have been interested in you for a long time."
"The previous Fire Thieves were just an ordinary team."
"But after you became the leader of the Fire Thieves, this team has grown at an astonishing speed into a powerful force that countless thieves are terrified of."
"I have no shortage of brave generals who can fight ten or even a hundred of them at once."
"But we are in great need of talents like you who are good at management and training troops."
"If we want to regain the throne of the world, you are indispensable."
"I have wanted to recruit you for a long time."
"Until recently, I finally had the energy and time to try to subdue you."
As soon as Toyotomi finished speaking, Hasegawa's expression changed slightly.
"You just said... to regain the throne of the world?"
"Oh, Mr. Hasegawa. Don't look so scary." Toyotomi shrugged. "I'm just taking back what belongs to me."
"Have you forgotten the name I just gave you?"
"I am a descendant of the Toyotomi clan from 200 years ago."
"To take back the throne of the world - for us, the Toyotomi clan, this is just a just war to take back what belongs to us."
"Descendants of the Toyotomi clan?" Hasegawa could no longer keep his composure. "How is that possible? The Toyotomi clan was wiped out 200 years ago in the Osaka Summer Campaign!"
"That's the truth, believe it or not."
"I am too lazy to retell the story of how our Toyotomi family survived the Osaka Summer Campaign 200 years ago and has survived to this day."
Toyotomi said calmly.
"In short - in order to regain the throne of the world, I need a general like you."
"Mr. Hasegawa, I won't tell you too much nonsense. I will just tell you the benefits you can get by joining me!"
"As long as you can join me, I will immediately give you a new salary!"
"The salary amount... will be temporarily set at five times the salary you are currently receiving from the shogunate!"
"And I promise you - as long as you can accomplish enough merits for me, I will be very happy to make you a great name."
"By then, I will also strongly support you in developing the human football field!"
Hearing Toyotomi's words, Hasegawa's face changed uncontrollably.
"Mr. Hasegawa, I know everything. You went against all odds and opened this foot training ground to teach prisoners a skill."
“Although it was successfully opened, it is struggling due to lack of support.”
"You have worked so hard to build and operate the Renzuzhichang. This Renzuzhichang must have some special meaning to you, right?"
"I'm actually quite interested in this. Why do you work so hard to build and operate a human-powered logistics center? If you don't do this, your life will be much easier now."
Hasegawa fell silent.
Seeing that Hasegawa remained silent, Toyotomi grinned.
"Don't be so defensive with me. Just treat it as a casual chat between friends."
"Talking to me more and getting to know me better will only benefit you now, won't it?"
"...When I was young, I was a playboy who only knew how to eat, drink, gamble and whore, and squander my family fortune. The only serious thing I did on weekdays was to practice swordsmanship." Hasegawa was silent for a moment before slowly saying, "This kind of life of indulging in sensual pleasures and hanging out in casinos and brothels for many years allowed me to meet people from all walks of life... no, all kinds of people."
"A serious son of a samurai family, a beautiful boy who had to sell his body because of debt, a wealthy businessman who had slept with thousands of women... and a fool who had to commit crimes again and again because he lacked a skill."
"There are two kinds of criminals in the world."
"The first type is the bad guys who have no psychological burden towards doing bad things and even enjoy committing crimes."
"There is no hope for this type of criminal."
"The second type of criminal is the fool who accidentally goes astray due to a moment of confusion."
"This kind of criminal can be saved and brought back to the right path."
"I met a lot of these idiots during the time I spent hanging out in casinos, brothels, and other messy places."
"Some people steal money to pay for their parents' medical treatment, and some people rob people because they can't find a job..."
"The vast majority of them have one thing in common - they lack the skills to make a living."
"Some people lack the skills to make a living and are forced to take risks and commit crimes."
"They know they will go to jail if they steal or rob, but they have no other choice to survive."
"They steal and rob because they lack the skills to make a living, then they are thrown into jail. After they are released from jail, their lack of skills to make a living has not improved, so they can only steal and rob again... It's an endless cycle."
"They are the kind of 'neglected people', ignored by the government and ignored by the people. No one is willing to stand up for them and let them escape from this vicious cycle where they can only live by committing crimes."
“I am deeply moved by the plight of these poor people.”
"So I stopped being a playboy and officially entered the government at the age of 30."
"As long as we can give them a skill, we can save many fools and prevent them from taking the risk of committing crimes. I established the Renzu Post Station with this idea in mind."
Toyotomi listened attentively the whole time.
After Hasegawa finished speaking, Toyotomi smiled and clapped his hands vigorously.
"So this is why you went to such great lengths to build and operate the Renzu Post Station."
"The common people respectfully call you 'Kime Ooka', and it really is not wrong."
"There are probably only a few officials like you who are willing to stand up for this 'invisible person' in the entire shogunate!"
Ima-Ooka - Compared to "Onihira", another less well-known title of Hasegawa.
Ooka Echizen was a well-known honest official and capable official of the long-dead shogunate. Today, the title of Ooka is similar to the Chinese "Judge Bao reincarnated".
"Since Renzujichang is such an important place to you, you should join me!"
Toyotomi moved his face closer to Hasegawa, until his face was almost touching the fence.
"The shogunate does not support your establishment of the Hitoshiyome."
"But I support you."
"As long as you join my army, after I conquer the Edo shogunate and build my Toyotomi kingdom, I will support you in vigorously developing the Hitoshigi field. It will only be a piece of cake."
"Not only will we not hold you back on funding, but we will also allow you to build a human settlement facility across the country, so that criminals around the world can have a chance to reform."
"In this way, your long-cherished wish of saving those idiots can be fulfilled."
Hasegawa said nothing.
He just looked at Toyotomi with a slightly cold gaze.
"I know what you are thinking right now."
Facing Hasegawa's meaningful gaze, Toyotomi grinned again.
Obviously, the smiles Toyotomi showed were all elegant and graceful, and made people think of the word "nobleman".
But for some reason, every time Hasegawa saw Toyotomi laugh, he felt a slight chill in his heart.
"You must be thinking - it must be wishful thinking to ask you, a retainer who has been receiving salary from the Tokugawa clan for generations, to betray the Edo shogunate."
"And - I don't have the ability to shake the Edo Shogunate that has ruled the world for 200 years."
Toyotomi maintained his elegant smile and slowly straightened his back.
"I understand your thoughts very well."
"I don't intend for you to join us right away."
"Just stay here for a few days and watch carefully."
"In a few days, I will shake the world."
"Then you will know whether I have the ability to shake the Edo Shogunate."
"When that time comes, I will come back and listen to your answer slowly."
"The whole world... is shaken...?" A bad premonition surged from the bottom of Hasegawa's heart, "What... are you going to do?!"
Hasegawa lunged forward with half his body pressed against the fence.
"About this - please allow me to keep it secret for now." Toyotomi continued to smile as he stepped back.
After saying that, Toyotomi no longer paid attention to Hasegawa and turned away.
Toyotomi remained unmoved despite Hasegawa's shouting. He held the purple-handled katana at his waist and slowly walked out of the dungeon.
As soon as Toyotomi left the dungeon, he saw a young man in black running towards him at a fast speed.
"Lord Toyotomi." After arriving in front of Toyotomi, the young man in black knelt on one knee in front of Toyotomi, and then presented a sealed letter to Toyotomi with both hands, "An urgent letter from Osaka."
"Thank you for your hard work." Toyotomi took the well-wrapped envelope, tore it open, pulled out the letter inside, and read it word by word.
"...Xiaoliu." After reading every word written on the letter in his hand, Toyotomi put down the letter and looked at the young man in front of him who had just delivered the letter to him.
"I'm here!" the young man in black called Xiaoliu shouted.
"This is a letter sent by Prajna. Can you guess what's written in it?" Toyotomi showed a playful expression and played with the letter in his hand.
"Lord Toyotomi, I haven't even read the letter. How can I know what's written in it?" Xiaoliu said with a wry smile.
"Prajna saw the enemy who killed his senior brother that he had been looking for so hard during the 'Great Test' this morning."
"Enemy?" Xiaoliu's expression changed. "Lord Toyotomi, are you saying...he met Shura?"
Toyotomi nodded:
"Prajna said that he would never forget Shura's voice. He dared to guarantee it with his life - Shura did show up at today's 'Grand Test', and he has a close relationship with the people of Isshiki Sword Hall."
"Prajna has done a great job. He has only been under my command for a year, but he has already made many achievements. He is a talent worth training."
"Osaka is really bustling right now..."
Toyotomi's eyes narrowed slightly at this moment.
"I can't believe it... Not only Matsudaira Sadanobu and my annoying sister, but even Shura has come to Osaka..."
“What a great gathering of people.”
Toyotomi folded the letter in his hand and put it back into the envelope.
"Xiaoliu."
"I'm here!" the young man in black who was still kneeling in front of Toyotomi shouted loudly.
"Go and call the officers over for me," Toyotomi said calmly, "I want to slightly change the battle plan for the 'Spring Battle of Osaka'."
"Are we going to change the plan for the 'Spring Battle of Osaka'?" Xiaoliu exclaimed in a low voice, "The Spring Battle of Osaka is about to start, and if we suddenly change the plan, will it be..."
"Don't worry." Toyotomi waved his hand, "It's just a small change. The original combat objectives will not change at all."
…
…
Osaka——
"...Ittosai-sama."
After staying in Isshiki's "secret base" for a while, Ogata and Isshiki left the abandoned temple side by side.
"What's wrong?" Ogata turned his head to look at Isshikika who suddenly called him.
"How long...will you stay in Osaka now?" Isshiki Hana blinked her beautiful big eyes at Ogata.
"Now?" Ogata hesitated for a moment, "...I can't really say, but - I won't stay for long."
"After all... I still have some urgent things to do."
Ogata raised his hand and touched the left side of his neck.
Whenever he puts on his clothes now, he pulls his collar up a little bit to cover the large patch of purple skin that extends from his left neck to his left chest.
“You won’t stay in Osaka for long…” Isshikika lowered her head slightly.
There was a gleam of thought and hesitation in his eyes.
This light of thought and hesitation flickered fiercely in Isshikika's eyes, but in the end - this light gradually faded away.
"…Although I don't know what you are going to do in the future, Master Itosai, I would like to wish you good luck in martial arts in advance."
Isshikika stopped and bowed slightly to Ogata.
"When you finish all the important things you have on hand, you are welcome to come to Osaka again at any time."
"Yes. I will." Ogata nodded with a smile, "I quite like the city of Osaka. If I have the chance, I will definitely come to Osaka again..."
Before Ogata could finish his words, his pupils suddenly shrank.
“Hmm…!”
Ogata let out a low cry of pain, fell to one knee, and covered his left neck with his left hand.
Severe pain was spreading from his left neck to his entire body.
This special kind of pain was not unfamiliar to Ogata...
He had experienced this pain twice... the pain that is unique to the spread of the immortal poison...