Love without limits
War's end

With a surprise attack of takasugi, and the daring efforts of the army afterward, one of the four battlefields, the battle at oshima-guchi ended in a humiliating defeat for the shogunate fleet.

Around that time, fighting had begun on the other three fronts .. geisha-guchi on the 14th, sekishu-guchi on the 16th.

Ichinojo yamada participated in the battle at the geisha-guchi.

But this was a very intense battle, the choshu party won the first battle, but after that until the last battle, the battle entered a stalemate.

Meanwhile in sekishu-guchi, choshu scores an easy win.

Masujiro omura, the man who ate tofu vigorously at the party, commanded the troops.

In reality, omura was a genius tactician.

The shogun's army had quite a lot of advantages in troop size, but with the latest weaponry gained through the cooperation of satsuma and omura military strategy skills, the shogun army is forced to retreat with little damage to our side.

And finally, the battle at kokura-guchi with takasugi at the helm, began.

The Kanmon Strait has always been a very important crossing point.

Very importantly, if it fell to the enemy, choshu would have no future.

Of course, the shogun would try to take it, so a fierce battle was inevitable.

Ryoma, sail to moji in icchumaru, I'll go to tanoura in heiinmaru "command takasugi"

June 17, 1866.

On this morning, the choshu army led by takasugi began to move in the kokura-guchi.

Looks like the shogun army is planning to start a ground operation against the choshu tomorrow, the 18th. We will move first with a surprise attack.

We sent a letter to the enemy general to "rush up and attack the "shogun army believing that all our resources were focused on protecting the choshu. Let's surprise them. "Takasugi government"

Alrighty! “triak warrior choshu”

Takasugi actions are done with every aspect covered. He used a lot of spies to get information about the enemy.

The Kanmon Strait, which is vital for combat, has been accurately surveyed for six months.

And although the scene in the morning was bad, every step had been taken to allow for the battle.

The most effective strategy has been implemented.

Without a doubt, Takasugi was a genius.

He is a brave and precise man.

Every strategy works just as well as the takasugi planned it.

The enemy territories, tanoura and moji, were suppressed in the blink of an eye, and 200 ships to be used in ground combat against the choshu were destroyed.

There is never any mistake in pulling back.

Take aim at Takasugi at the fall of the kokura castle, the base of the enemy's choshu expedition.

And for this, rather than an ongoing attack, it was considered better to return once, and when victory was near, they left as fast as a storm.

Everyone sees Takasugi as a hero.

They respected and relied on takasugi like a god of war.

But I know what it takes for takasugi to do this ..

how much he endured his illness.

He never let anyone see how much and how often he coughed up blood behind the scenes.

Okay, I'm going to yamaguchi. “Ucap ryoma”

Yeah, if you see a kogoro, give him a war report. “Ucap takasugi”

Of course, I'll tell him that takasugi will go all out. “Ucap ryoma laugh”

I'm leaving with ryoma.I won't see you again for some time, sherry. “Ucap shota”

Yes .. please be careful, shota. And ryoma too. "My grandfather"

I will! All right, you two, goodbye. “Ucap ryoma smile”

With a bright smile, ryoma said goodbye to us.

A happy smile, full of confidence that we will meet again.

In the end, we did not tell ryoma about takasugi disease.

Takasugi doesn't want things to get emotional.

Please be careful you guys "say takasugi smile at shota and ryoma"

This could be their last farewell in life, but takasugi remains unusually optimistic when he sees them off.

This side of him makes things even more painful for me.

I'll run some errands, so please go back to the room and rest. "My grandfather"

Going shopping? “Only takasugi”

Yeah, I'll be right back "my word"

I rushed out of the shimonoseki house. I have to hurry or vice versa, I'll start crying in front of takasugi.

I would renege on the promise I made to myself, and plead with her in tears to take care of herself.

I won't stop Takasugi from going to war. But watching takasugi, who was so determined to stand on the battlefield despite coughing up blood, was too much to bear.

(Why .. why should takasugi? Why should takasugi be attacked by disease?)

This question kept coming into my mind.

I'm not sure when it started, but at times like this, I made excuses and moved away from takasugi.

And heading to the beach has become my habit.

The high tide helped disguise the sobs coming out of my face.

The wind blowing from the sea helped me dry my tears.

Hicks .. hiks .. "I knelt on the sand"

I think I'm ready.

But I can't stop the pain I feel when I think of takasugi.

Hiks . "please don't die"

Please don't die takasugi, please, don't die. I beg of you. Many times, I repeated this prayer that I could not say out loud. I caught a handful of sand.

I have to hurry .. "my word"

I have to stop crying and come back, or takasugi will be suspicious. But once the tears started, it flowed out of control and I couldn't stop it.

Sherry .. "call takasugi to surprise me"

Ah .. "the voice calmly mentioned my name"

It was a voice I would never be mistaken for.

Why would…

I feel like I'm takasugi right behind me.

Sherry . "takasugi calls my name once again"

I heard his footsteps in the sand.

What am I going to do .. I am crying .I have to do something so that she can't see my tears.

* you will never cry when you are near me *

I promised takasugi.

I can't let her see me cry.

Hiks . "quickly, I stood up and ran towards the sea"

....! Oi! “Takasugi surprised and shouted to call me”

And I keep on splashing into the water.

When it got a little deeper, I forcefully pushed my face into the water.

Closing my eyes, I said to myself .. When I get back to takasugi, I will smile. Just like when I walked down the palace street in Shimabara, no matter how much my heart aches.

(i won't stand in the way of takasugi. I will not hinder the heroism of Takasugi with my tears. I had to make it hard so that Takasugi could stand on the battlefield without ever looking back)

When I lifted my face out of the water, I went back to takasugi. And I gave him a bright smile.

it's hot, so I'm finally coming to the beach. “My cap with the prettiest smile possible”

If it was to remain on the side of takasugi, if it was to keep my promise, I could smile cheerfully at any moment.

…… "takasugi is still looking at me"

But .. It's a bad idea if I go shopping now "me say"

I came out of the water and faced takasugi.

My hair is soaking wet.

I had to change the kimono. Let's go back to the mansion, takasugi, so . "my words are stuck"

Takasugi pulled my wet body towards him.

Ah .. ta-takasugi .. "my speech"

… “Takasugi only diam”

t-please let go of me. You'll also get wet, takasugi "my word"

takasugi did not say a word.

I tried to push her back, but she hugged me very tightly and would not let go.

Takasu .. "my word but it's cut"

It will all end after this battle. "Father"

Huh huh? “Tanyaku”

After this battle, choshu will no longer need heroes. "Father"

… .. ”I was silent to hear it”

Then, even if I slept all day in the mountains, no one would complain. When the time comes, you will come with me. “Ucap takasugi”

Ah…! "my word"

As my wife, I want you near me, Sherry. “Ucapnya again”

My eyes opened wide, and became hot with tears again.

Takasugi .. This is the first time. First time Takasugi really said he wanted me.

This selfish man left me.

She just said .. for me to come. that she wanted me to be near her side*I don't mind*

Tears are flowing again. Disguised as seawater, teardrops ran down my cheeks.

I bite my lips hard. I must ... Otherwise, I will cry out sobbing.

you don't have to answer “bisikan takasugi to my ear”

Then, I realized.

Maybe all this time I knew that I was crying.

takasugi .. takasugi ...

Comforted by his words, I did not say a word.

I just held onto the kimono takasugi tightly.

Eventually, Takasugi began fighting on the ground.

This is a 5,000-strong shogunate army against 1,000 takasugi.

The difference in military strength was almost ridiculous.

However, with a brilliant surprise attack, takasugi captured osato which was the foothold of the kokura castle.

But in the midst of all this, the condition of the takasugi worsened until he could not wake up.

Even so, takasugi asserts to everyone in choshu that it is just the flu.

At this time, the Higo clan appeared in kokura-guchi.

the Higo clan is rumored to be formidable with many warriors. In addition, they are equipped with the latest weaponry.

Because of this, choshu lost ten percent of the thousand people positioned here.

During this time, takasugi is what everyone sees.

Just getting up is stressful for takasugi, but he gets on board and plans a strategy.

The enemy cannot be attacked directly.

So, regardless of day or night, takasugi performs surprise attacks to psychologically weaken the enemy.

Finally, takasugi tactics find success.

Pushed into a corner, one day, the shogun's army retreated from the kokura-guchi.

Although later, it is known that the reason for the withdrawal was due to the death of shogun Ieomchi.

Even after the shogun army left, the kokura clan dug deeper and continued to fight.

But on August 1, they burned their own castle and left the battlefield.

Look, takasugi! “ucap warrior choshu”

Pointing at the black smoke on the opposite shore, the soldier shouted.

Kokura Castle is on fire! “Ucap other soldier”

So they finally evacuated "snickering takasugi"

We succeeded! We choshu finally drove out the shogun army! “Ucap soldier chosu“

Tokugawa shogunate! We clan choshu finally ...! "Other soldiers"

Everyone shed tears of joy as they cheered.

Then one by one, they cheered takasugi.

This defeat showed another clan the weakness of the shogun, and after this, the voices to overthrow the shogun grew louder.

With the restoration of imperial power, the shogun was abolished, and a new era known as the meji would eventually be born.

Ukh .. "takasugi pronunciation"

But before the end of the shogun, here and now, another end is near.

As he coughed violently, takasugi let out a bright red liquid on his leg.

The soldiers look shocked.

As he watched the castle burn, takasugi fell to his knees.

Finally, the takasugi body had reached its limit.

...****************...

*continuing*