He saw himself practicing swordplay there - this shocking scene made Ogata subconsciously raise his hand and pinch his face to confirm whether he was dreaming.

"pain……!"

After pinching his cheek hard with the thumb and index finger of his right hand, Ogata felt a stinging sensation like being pricked by a needle, which made Ogata grin.

It was also at this time that Ogata was shocked to realize that the immortal poison that had tortured him for nearly a whole night had actually stopped.

There is no longer a tingling sensation in various parts of the body, the body temperature has returned to normal, the head no longer feels as if it is going to split into countless pieces, and the eyelids are no longer as heavy as a few pieces of steel.

He opened his clothes and looked at the left side of his neck - there was still a patch of purple skin, but the area was only a quarter of its original size.

Feeling the stinging sensation left on his cheek after pinching it just now, and his body returning to normal, Ogata's head was immediately filled with a huge amount of questions.

Why do I appear at Sakakibara Kenkan?

Why do I feel pain? Isn’t this my dream or hallucination?

Where is Miss Isshiki? Where is the Toyotomi clan’s army?

Why do you see a "me" practicing swordsmanship in the Sakakibara Sword Hall?

…

There were so many questions that Ogata didn't know where to start thinking.

Just then!

"Ogata", who was standing in the center of the dojo and had been practicing swinging his sword into the air in front of him, slowly stopped holding the wooden sword in his hand.

"First meeting."

He wiped his forehead, which was not sweating, and gave Ogata a friendly smile.

Seeing "himself" saying "first meeting" to himself - the sense of disobedience was so strong that Ogata didn't know what expression to put on.

"Who are you? Where are you?"

Ogata looked at "Ogata" with vigilant eyes, subconsciously lowered his body weight, and raised his hand to touch his left waist, but found nothing - there was nothing on his left waist.

"Don't be nervous. I'm not the enemy."

"Ogata" waved his hand to Ogata, then raised his right hand and rubbed his chin, as if in deep thought.

"If I want to explain to you who I am...it's a little too difficult to explain. To put it simply, you can think of me as another you."

"I am you and you are me."

"As for where this is... I don't need to explain it, right?"

"This is the Sakakihara Kenkan."

Having said this, he held the wooden knife in his right hand and put his left hand on his hip. He looked at the ceiling above his head with a nostalgic look, and then looked at the ground under his feet.

"This is also where our 'dream' begins."

"After traveling to this era, the first place I saw when I opened my eyes was the Sakakihara Sword Hall."

The words "Ogata" were like a spell with special magic power, causing Ogata's expression to change suddenly.

He is a time traveler - this is Ogata's biggest secret. He has never told anyone this secret about himself, including Atachi.

But the "Ogata" in front of him told the biggest secret about him in an understatement.

(I am you, you are me)

The words "Ogata" just said to him automatically echoed in Ogata's mind again.

But "Ogata"'s voice has not completely finished yet, and he can only be heard continuing to say:

"The days when I was learning swordsmanship at the Sakakihara Sword Hall were also the calmest and most carefree time since time travel."

"My daily life is to go to work and practice swordsmanship."

“Apart from the lack of money, there are almost no downsides to life.”

"I have a stable place to live, I'm not wanted nationwide, I don't have the ability to show my true colors, and I don't have so many enemies."

"It's a pity...this beautiful life was ruined not long after."

As soon as "Ogata" finished speaking, Ogata suddenly felt his eyes flashing with flowers!

The Sakakakihara Kenkan under your feet is like a piece of burned plastic. The ceiling, walls, floor... everything is melting and distorting.

Before Ogata could even utter a exclamation, the Sakakihara Kensho under his feet melted and reorganized into a new scene.

A rather rowdy new scene.

"He's almost out of strength! Hurry! Surround him!"

"He ran towards you!"

"Come on!"

…

Hearing these slightly familiar calls, Ogata was stunned, quickly turned his head, and scanned his surroundings.

Another place... quite familiar to Ogata.

Ogata looked in the direction where the shouts came from.

He saw the third self.

The third "he" is holding two swords and fighting bloody battles with hundreds of warriors who are coming one after another.

Not far from the battlefield, Matsudaira Gennai was sitting on a big rock, as if watching an outstanding performance, watching with relish how his men risked their lives to fight for him.

Show a happy smile.

"This is the first fierce battle we have experienced since arriving in the Edo period."

The wooden sword in "Ogata's" hand had disappeared at this time. He put his hands behind his back and stood beside Ogata, looking at the bloody battlefield not far away with Ogata.

"Fighting hundreds of samurai with our own strength... Oh, it's a shame we had such a crazy idea back then."

"Ah, I almost forgot to say it - you can now understand that the two of us are watching a movie."

"Whether it's 'me' who is fighting with Matsudaira Gennai's subordinates, or Matsudaira Gennai and their subordinates, we can see them, but they can't see us, and they can't touch us."

"So don't think about rushing over to support yourself."

"...I feel like my mind can't turn around anymore." Ogata closed his eyes tightly and raised his hand to rub the center of his eyebrows with a tired expression, "Where is this place...why did I suddenly switch from the Sakakibara sword?"

The museum will be moved here.”

"Ugh...!" - At this moment, a scream came into Ogata's ears.

There should be no one who is more familiar with this voice than Ogata - because it is his own voice.

He opened his eyes and looked up at the battlefield not far away - the third "he" accidentally exposed a flaw due to the decline in physical strength, allowing the enemy to chop him in the left shoulder.

The pain in his left shoulder made the third "Ogata" involuntarily let out a low cry of pain.

Ever since he drew his sword and charged at these hundreds of warriors, he had suffered countless injuries like this.

His body was covered in bruises and blood was pouring out, staining his clothes with blood. His physical strength had declined and he could no longer control his hands and feet.

He almost has no strength to fight anymore, but his eyes are still crowded with countless enemies.

The situation of the battle... no matter how you look at it, it has been decided.

However, this "Ogata" who had just received a knife on his left shoulder did not show any timidity or fear.

Even if I am already scarred.

Even if it seems like he has no chance of winning at the moment.

He still opened his eyes as if there were flames burning inside, and persisted in slashing the knife in his hand at the enemy in front of him.

"...You didn't know at that time that you were about to make your first breakthrough, and you didn't know that you were about to enter the 'realm of selflessness'."

"Ogata", who was standing next to Ogata with his hands behind his back, slowly turned around and asked in a tone that sounded like an interrogation:

"The war situation at that time was despairing no matter how you looked at it."

"But why don't you put down the knife in your hand?"

"Why doesn't the light in your eyes dissipate?"

Facing the calm gaze cast by "Ogata", Ogata was startled, and then slowly turned his gaze back to the "himself" who was still fighting bloody battles in front of him.

"...Because I don't want to lose like this." He said.

"Why don't you want to lose?" Another self asked.

"...If I lose..."

Ogata lowered his head and was silent for a moment before raising his head again, looking firmly at "himself" who was fighting bloody battles.

"...If I fall like this, I don't know how long this beast Matsudaira Gennai will be at large. I don't know how many innocent people will be poisoned by him. My master, brothers, and others will be harmed by Matsudaira Gennai."

I don’t know how long it will take for the victims to be redressed for their grievances.”

"So I can't fall down."
To be continued...