My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 129: Chapter 84: Aoto Targeted for Retaliation

Shinno gazed distantly at Aoto’s house, which was glowing with lights, and without turning his head, he asked the samurai standing behind him:

”Are you sure Tachibana Aoto is inside the house right now?”

The samurai nodded: ”There is no mistake. Tachibana Aoto returned home this afternoon and hasn’t left since.”

At this point, the samurai paused, then added:

”Mr. Kamino, two young samurai... probably Tachibana Aoto’s friends, just entered his house.”

”Should we wait for those two to leave? Or should we act now?”

”Let’s act now.” said Shinno coldly, without a second thought.

”Understood.” The samurai replied in a deep voice, then turned his head and gestured to the five people behind him, ”Move!”

With that, the samurai bent down, his right hand lifting four large porcelain jars of unknown contents that were beside his right foot, while his left hand drew a torch from his waist that was not yet lit.

The five people standing behind the samurai mirrored his actions: lifting the large porcelain jars with their right hands and holding an unlit torch in their left hands.

With the samurai at the center, the six of them formed a circle and lit their torches.

”Follow me!” the samurai roared, then led the charge out of the dark alley they were hiding in.

In a single burst, the six moved as one to the front of Aoto’s house—

Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack...

They threw the large porcelain jars in their hands in unison, hurling them toward Aoto’s house and courtyard.

The porcelain jars shattered... Inside, they were filled to the brim with kerosene.

Splashing out with a pungent odor, the kerosene sprayed everywhere as the jars broke apart.

The six moved in perfect harmony, as if they had rehearsed beforehand.

In the moment after they released the jars, they simultaneously threw their lit torches forward.

The encounter with kerosene ignited, ”whoosh,” and flames leapt into the air, spreading rapidly along lines of fuel like serpents of fire, dancing wildly beneath the night sky.

...

...

Aoto, sitting closest to the main door of the hall, suddenly changed expressions upon hearing the sound of flames from the direction of the entryway.

He leapt to his feet, pushing open the hall’s door, and looked toward the entrance along the hallway outside the hall.

Fire.

Raging waves of flames tore through everything.

The flames had already engulfed his door and entryway, starting to climb the walls and bamboo toward the ceiling.

Sparks flew, cracking in his ears, while black plumes of smoke drifted out, the smell of fuel stinging his eyes and nose.

The red glow of the flames reflected off Aoto’s slightly pale cheeks.

”Fire!” Aoto turned and shouted to Kondo and the others inside the hall, ”Follow me! We’ll escape through the courtyard!”

With that, Aoto rushed to the eastern side of the hall and pulled open the wooden door there.

The hall was connected to the courtyard; if he opened the eastern wooden door, they could enter the courtyard.

Kondo, Chokata, and Saito, being warriors, quickly recovered from the initial shock and followed Aoto through the opened wooden door into the courtyard without missing a beat.

Only the timid Kyūbē was panic-stricken and at a loss.

”Ah! Young Master! Our money...”

”Forget the money! Our lives come first!”

The fire was extremely fierce.

In just moments, the flames had spread from the entryway to the hall’s doorway, and Aoto could already feel the heat baking his back.

Their valuable belongings were stored in the second-floor storage room.

But with the fire so fierce, going upstairs to retrieve anything would be suicidal.

Aoto grabbed the collar of the money-minded Kyūbē, dragging him out of the house.

In the courtyard, Chokata furrowed his handsome brows and sniffed hard: ”... Mr. Tachibana! I swear I smell kerosene!”

”Yes.” Aoto nodded grimly, ”I smell it too... But right now, we must focus on escaping! Follow me! Our courtyard leads straight to the street outside!”

Just now, upon noticing the fire at the entryway, Aoto had already caught the pungent scent of kerosene...

But there was no time to ponder where the kerosene smell came from; escaping to safety was the priority.

The courtyard also caught fire, but fortunately, it wasn’t too severe yet.

Dodging the writhing serpents of flame in the courtyard without incident, Aoto spotted through his night vision—the figures hurrying away to the western street corner on his left.

At this hour, there should have been few to no pedestrians on the street.

The sounds of porcelain breaking before the fire started... the heavy smell of kerosene... the few figures hurriedly escaping on a street that should have been empty...

Aoto instantly understood what was happening.

At this moment, Chokata exclaimed: ”Ah! Mr. Tachibana! Look! There are people fleeing over there!”

Chokata had also spotted the fleeing arsonists.

”Yes, I see them.” Aoto replied solemnly, then turned to shout to Kondo and the others, ”Kyūbē! Mr. Kondo! Mr. Chokata! You three, notify the Town Fire Extinguisher to come put out the fire, and inform the neighbors to evacuate quickly!”