My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 325 - 131: Phantom Thief Tachibana Aoto Arrives! [6400]_4

After putting on the mask, Aoto caught a glimpse of a puddle at his feet from the corner of his eye, so he leaned over and used the water as a mirror.

Hmm, not bad. The reasonably sized black fox mask covered his entire face, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Before changing clothes, Aoto quietly returned to Shiwei Hall and swapped the sword on his back from Ghost-Slaying to Orange Water.

The red and black Ghost-Slaying was quite conspicuous and unique in style. If he wore Ghost-Slaying, it would be easy for people to recognize—Isn’t that the sword of Aoto from the North Guard Station?

Without such worries when carrying Orange Water.

Because the handle and sheath of the Orange Water were black and very common in style; nine out of ten swords on the market were of this design, making it impossible for outsiders to identify the owner by the sword.

After a final check of his attire and equipment, Aoto followed Mukiwa’s lead, sprinting one after the other out of the alley where they were hiding.

Tonight was clear and also a full moon night.

A clear and transparent full moon hung high in the sky, with a ghostly blue moonlight sprinkling like dust, stretching the shadows of Aoto and Mukiwa long.

In the gentle moonlight, moving and sprinting through the shadows of houses within Edo City with Mukiwa, Aoto felt as though he was in a tranquil sea.

Mukiwa was fast, but Aoto, whose legs had been enhanced by "Take the Lead" and "Strong Muscle," could easily keep up.

Looking at Mukiwa leading the way ahead, Aoto softly broke the silence between them.

"Miss Kinoshita, I almost forgot to ask you."

"The night the Foreign Language Research Institute was attacked... How did you know the office was being assaulted? And why did you tell me this news?"

"Ah, that..." Mukiwa turned her head, glancing at Aoto behind her, "I can only say it was all coincidence."

"At the end of January, after Elodie and their near-assassination by the Anti-foreigner Group, I noticed the ’Radical Anti-foreigner Faction’ had become an unignorable, fierce force."

"I thought if they were allowed to grow unchecked... they would sooner or later do something even crazier."

"So from February on, I focused all my energy on dealing with the ’Radical Anti-foreigner Faction.’

"Patrolling each night in the city towns of Edo, hoping to discover traces of the ’Radical Anti-foreigner Faction’ or gather some useful related information."

"The night the Foreign Language Research Institute was attacked... it was truly good luck."

"I happened to be passing by the vicinity of the Foreign Language Research Institute and witnessed the entire process of the Anti-foreigner Group attacking it."

"I’m well aware of my capabilities, no matter how hard I fight, it’s impossible to subdue dozens of sword-wielding samurai alone."

"So I could only figure out a way to bring the officials of the Magistrate’s Office there."

"As for how to bring the Magistrate’s Office’s officials, I was quite troubled at the time."

"After all, in my identity as the Cat Monk, I couldn’t just walk into the Magistrate’s Office and tell the officials ’Go assist the Foreign Language Research Institute.’

"So my plan was to find an official from the Magistrate’s Office, inform him that the Foreign Language Research Institute was under attack so that he could bring reinforcements from the Magistrate’s Office."

"Then... I just happened to run into you."

"In short, it was all a coincidence."

"I just happened to witness the Anti-foreigner Group attacking the Foreign Language Research Institute."

"And then I just happened to find you."

"I see..." Aoto nodded slightly, and then smiled wryly, casually saying, "In this case... it seems we two have a rather unique fate."

"Edo is such a large place, and yet it happened that you found me."

Mukiwa’s earlier explanation finally answered Aoto’s various doubts about "why the Cat Monk chose to send him the information."

Having a unique fate—upon hearing Aoto’s earlier remark, Mukiwa’s red lips pressed lightly together.

Her eyes gently rippling.

"Hmm..." Mukiwa murmured, "Yes... I think so too..."

While talking, the two had already arrived at the northern suburb of Edo.

Arrived at... the only Hieda Residence Area in Edo.

Upon stepping into the Hieda Residence Area, Aoto felt a sense of crossing time again.

Glancing around—

Short, broken houses.

Strange, foul smells.

This area... compared to other city towns in Edo, it was like two different worlds.

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Begging for monthly votes! Asking for recommendation tickets! (Leopard head crying.jpg)

Always seems like many people mistakenly read the protagonist’s name as "Tachibana Aocheng"... it’s "Aoto," please don’t mistake it...