Climbing up hills, jumping down steep slopes, pushing through bushes... After trekking for an unknown amount of time, suddenly, the sound of gurgling water came from afar.

After a while, a clear mountain stream appeared in front of the three people.

This creek is very clear, flowing "gurgling" to the foot of the mountain.

The Shuten boy looked at the stream and said:

"We're almost there. Go upstream along the stream and you'll find a waterfall. There is a cave behind the waterfall, and Lord Orochi is in the cave."

Takasugi Shinsaku smacked his lips:

"Tsk, we're finally here...huh? Who is it?"

His eyes suddenly widened and he turned his head to the right.

Almost at the same time, Katsura Kogoro raised his eyes and saw a young man and woman with their backs to them, sitting cross-legged by the stream not far away.

The girl was startled by Takasugi Shinsaku's shout.

She screamed "Wow!" and hurriedly turned her head, casting confused and frightened glances at Katsura Kogoro and the others.

In comparison, the young man was much calmer and remained seated, unmoved.

As the girl turned her head, Katsura Kogoro was able to see her face clearly.

She is around 20 years old, wearing an orange yukata, petite in stature, with delicate features and a pretty face, and is worthy of the title of "beauty".

At first, the girl's pretty face was full of vigilance, but she relaxed after seeing the drunken boy.

"What, it's Ah Jiu..."

Shuten Doji shrugged:

"A Ling, what are you afraid of? With your brother here, who has the ability to hurt you?"

Facing Shuten Doji's complaints, the girl called "A Suzu" playfully made a face, then turned around and shouted to the boy next to her:

"Brother, Ah Jiu is back!"

It was only then that the young man finally reacted and took action.

He slowly turned his head and looked at Katsura Kogoro and the others expressionlessly.

Katsura Kogoro took advantage of the situation and looked at the other party.

He is 23 or 4 years old. He is dressed in the attire of a martial artist. He is quite tall, fair-skinned, neither ugly nor handsome. He has a gorgeous ancient sword hanging on his waist and has no belt.

At first glance, he is just an ordinary person who is thrown into the crowd and cannot be found again.

However, somehow, this person gave Katsura Kogoro an...indescribable strange feeling.

At this time, Shuten Doji's voice interrupted his train of thought:

"Mr. Takasugi, Mr. Gui, let me introduce you."

Shuten Doji stood sideways on one side so that they could face each other.

"This is Otakemaru, the highest combat power of our Punishment Party."

"This is Otakemaru's younger sister, Suzu."

"Otakemaru, Suzu, this is Takasugi Shinsaku, and this is Katsura Kogoro."

As soon as Shuten Doji finished retracting his front legs, Ah Ling stood up straight on his back legs, bowed slightly, and said seriously:

"This is the first time we meet, little girl A Ling! I have already known your names for a long time. It is a great honor to meet you today!"

Reasonable and restrained, neither humble nor arrogant, showing everyone's style.

Otakemaru: "..."

The young man...that is, Otakemaru, didn't say a word, just looked at the two of them expressionlessly.

In fact, Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro didn't hear the second half of Shuten Doji's words or Suzu's self-introduction at all.

After hearing the name "Otake Maru", all their attention was taken away.

At this moment, both of them stared at the young man with widened eyes, looking at the young man in astonishment, shouting the same question in their hearts:

——He is Otakemaru?!

Katsura Kogoro couldn't control his shock.

There was no way he could equate this young man, who looked ordinary and had neither a strong physique nor awe-inspiring domineering power, with the "highest combat power of the Fa Zun Party".

Shuten Doji watched all this with a smile.

It is not difficult to see that he had already guessed how the two would react after seeing Otake Maru.

After about 5 seconds, they gradually calmed down.

Shocked as it is, the etiquette should still be fulfilled.

Katsura Kogoro straightened his back and cleared his throat:

"I'm sorry. I am a patriot from Choshu, Katsura Kogoro."

Takasugi Shinsaku followed closely:

"With the patriots of Changzhou, Takasugi Jinzuo."

Otakemaru: "..."

Otakemaru still looks like that, expressionless and speechless, looking like a puppet.

——Why is this person so rude? Didn’t he even give his name?

Just when Katsura Kogoro was secretly dissatisfied, Shuten Doji smiled and explained:

"Please forgive me, Otakemaru is not a disrespectful person, he just cannot hear me."

He raised his hand and pointed at his ear.

"He was born deaf, so he can neither hear nor speak."

As soon as these words came out, the shock that had just faded away once again dominated the expressions of the two of them.

"He can't hear?!"

Katsura Kogoro asked awkwardly.

Shuten Doji nodded:

"Yes, if you don't believe it, you can take some firecrackers and light them in his ears, and he won't react at all."

"Only Orochi-sama and Suzu can communicate with him using their eyes, expressions, and special gestures."

Katsura Kogoro opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.

But the extremely strong shock made his brain confused, and he didn't know what to say for a while.

After a while, Takasugi Shinsaku took over:

"Can a deaf person be your greatest fighting force?"

Deaf—this title made Ah Ling puff up her cheeks and look unhappy.

"Mr. Takasugi, this is ridiculous."

Shuten Doji chuckled and his tone became intriguing.

"It is precisely because he was born deaf and has been unable to hear the sounds of the world since birth, so he can hear the 'voices' that we cannot hear, and then set foot in areas beyond the reach of us mortals."

His words made the two of them feel trapped in a fog.

Katsura Kogoro tried his best to imagine how a deaf-mute could learn to sword.

It is even more unimaginable how he can become the strongest fighting force over Shuten Doji and Hannya.

The drunken boy's voice continued:

“I’ll talk to you later when I have the opportunity to discuss the details.”

"Now let's go see Lord Orochi first."

"Don't keep him waiting too long."

Having said this, he turned to look at Otakemaru and Aling.

"Speaking of which, Ah Ling, what are you two brothers and sisters doing here?"

Ah Ling sighed and said:

"Do you think I want to bask in the sun here? It's all because my brother suddenly said he was going for a walk, so I had no choice but to accompany him."

Shuten Doji:

"That's it...then you go ahead. I'll take Mr. Takasugi and Mr. Katsura to see Lord Orochi first."

"Well, okay."

Shuten Doji led the two of them on the road again.

When they left, A Ling did not forget to cast a vicious look at Takasugi Shinsaku who had just bluntly said the word "deaf".
To be continued...