Bakumatsu Gijinden Roman

During the Bakumatsu, young men's souls burned with worry for the future of their nation. In search of a mysterious "timepiece" with the ability to change time that he suspects the government wants to keep for themselves, Takasugi Shinsaku, a soldier of fortune from Choshu, sneaks onboard a government ship alongside his buddy Katsura Kogorou. Takasugi intends to destroy the relic in order to prevent such power from falling into the wrong hands, but after obtaining it, the artifact is swiftly taken, prompting the pair to pursue the enigmatic thief to Kyoto's administrative center. But when they go to the capital, they find that Susanoo the deity has taken over and the government has been toppled. Compared to what Takasugi and Katsura remembered, the city's streets and its inhabitants are very different. Takasugi and Katsura decide to reset time in order to protect their country from the evil forces attempting to hijack it. The times may have changed, but their purpose hasn't.