Maybe I'm late for the party, but this fic is actually, 100%, indescrivibly amazing. Your war and contest knowledge shows your dedication, and gives the story a realistic vibe that's actually very rare and interesting.
Kudos for you for the choice of maintaining humor in a war fic, which is very Gintama-like (the song scene is hilarious, and tatsuma is a treasure. So is zura's contribute)
I loved your thoughts at the end of the chapters, and your characterization, especially Takasugi's: all of the joui 4 are leaders, though in different and complex ways. Gintoki's unassuming yet sincere and magnetic charisma draws people near to him without real effort or intention, while Takasugi is enigmatic and fascinating in a twisted way, brutal and insatiable, yet irresistible and inspiring for his followers, who tend to worship him like a divine and inarrivabile leader.
Thank you for sharing this story, it's sincerely one of the best war fic I've read!
(more like binge-read. I couldn't stop)

I'll just post a summary review about this story, since it didn't feel quite right to interrupt the flow of the chapters with one (that probably doesn't make much sense to anyone but me).
It was an amazing story, one which felt more like a book because of all that work you put into it. First of all, the characters: the original one and the ones from the manga all fit in the story in a very natural way. It was interesting to see how they developed their particular skills and habits that they would later be famous for; especially Sakamoto and Zura's change of character was executed quite well (I love how everyone was messing with their names!). And I have to admit, I have grown to like your OC a lot (that doesn't happen very often, I don't even bother to read most stories with OCs anymore). But Mikuni, his struggles and his own character development were kind of intriguing and he and his comrades really had their own personalities in the end. The end was quite realistic-though very sad-but it carried this peacefully melancholic Gintama feeling thanks to Gintoki being with Mikkun and talking to him during his last moments. He was very in-character as well, kudos for that. His interactions with his friends were spot-on. Maybe that was also accomplished thanks to the right amount of swearing (and how could the readers get the Gintama-feeling if not for random profanities here and there?). The way you took true historical and geographical facts and Japanese folklore and bended them so they would fit the purpose of the story was very much like Gintama as well and shows how much work you put into it. The Epilogue was a nice change of pace, I feel it was necessary to see Gintoki interact with his new family to show how much everything that happened has changed him and made him the person he is now, with all of his secrets but also with his newfound peace.
All in all, this story is one of the best for this fandom I've read so far and it deserves a favorite.

I really like the change of pace in the epilogue! It lets the reader finish the story with a somewhat optimistic outlook, after all that angst and suffering.

I also really like Okita here.

As much as I'm usually not into stories where original chatacters play a large part I really like how you used that captain guy to narrate the story. It was real fun to read as well, thanks for sharing!

this is such a beautiful pic. i felt sorry about mikuni on his last days must be hard dying and feeling betrayed by your own master. Reminds me of jiraia amd tsukki. glad that he could at least died next to someone like gintoki. and i love the epilogue. Thanks for writing! cheers!

Nice. I can tell this is gonna be a good read.

The story is really really touched me.I love Gintama,and love this story so my English is not very good.T_T Anyway,the story is great.

what are you apologizing for? this was a fit ending! it always fascinated me how would Shinsengumi and the Yorozuya children react to the permhead who they knew as a lazy, borderline diabetic, samurai and not /Shiroyasha/. I like that it was Okita who confronted him, and I absolutely loved their lines (so in character, and never losing that Gintama charm) and the way you pointed out how old Gintoki is.

Speaking of Gintama charm, the amount of dicks mentioned in this story is also worth mentioning. :D hehe. Oh and you adding bits of trivias and references are a nice touch as well! After all, gori-sensei's characters were also modelled from various japanese historical figures.

It's the first time I've read an OC-pov where I grew to like the character, where I didn't feel like he's overtaking the story. His death was heartbreaking, sure, but you wrote it realistically and beautifully at the same time (because really, a guy with a head wound at that time wouldn't be lucky enough to survive- but i still hoped anyway since Mikkun's practically the plot device and without him, there wouldn't be any story to tell). It didn't come out dramatic and tragic as any shonen story would be, ending not in a perfect one-liner or a piece of metaphor but an honest cut in the paragraph, and that itself is commendable. This has to be one of my greatest faves in this fandom, no, in all the fandoms i've read into. KUDOS to you!

This was a really interesting idea of a fic. IT was really sad at the end but I did enjoy it!

Oh this was really good. Great job.

Thanks for the story Im crying right now , i like mikuni so much I like the history corner(?) Too , the way you describe the war the action and situations are incredible

Lots of kudos for you

Snif. De gros yeux luisant en regardant votre chapitre. Mikkun restera toujours dans les mémoires.
Aussi non, une très bonne fin émouvante. J'ai beaucoup adoré votre histoire depuis presque 1 an.
Ne vous inquiétez pas, je reste toujours informé de vos nouvelles histoires. ;)

A general should be someone who lives, for if he were dead, no army will be led to survive another day. But when met with an enemy his army couldn't defeat, then it's the general's job to lead the retreat and leave to fight with everything on the line.
Zura, good boy! Granny will be proud of you.

And Mikkun, I dont have balls to sag but I will remember you by that name.

Great conclusion for a great story, will be missed truly :')

Behead the general! Seize control!
I love it, this is way more than I can ever predicted. So ch 8 will be the last? I know you'll finish with a bang. No matter, this story is already one I'll forever re-read. Tee hee.

And about that project of mine... It's on hold, a loooooong hold. Time hasn't been friendly with me.

Ugh I love your story so much! I've been waiting for this chapter for so long and I can say that it was worth the wait! Even though there wasn't that much action in this chapter the way you portrayed the Captain's turbulent emotions and Sakata's words and actions is beautiful! Keep up the good work! (Btw if you haven't already done so you should try posting this story on archiveofourown so that more people could read this masterpiece)