The Blue Wolves of Mibu

Nio and his sister meet a pair of charming swordsmen in their grandmother's Kyoto eatery; despite unsavory rumors, the children befriend the ronin from the east; seeing how these wolves of Mibu change their destinies.

The Miburo's headquarters doesn't make the best first impression; Nio quails in the face of a pack of rowdy samurai, not all of whom welcome a kid in their ranks.

Nio meets another boy, Miburo: Tanaka Taro; despite Hijikata's warnings, he tries to start a friendship; when Serizawa kills a fellow ronin, Taro gets orders to dispose of the evidence.

Swordsmanship isn't Nio's strong suit; he's determined to train with the Miburo regardless, but his clumsy efforts annoy another young recruit, the talented Saito Hajime.

The lord of Aizu invites the Miburo to serve him in keeping the peace; their first task: to hunt down a killer who targets Aizu samurai.

Nio and Hajime confront an assassin who targets Aizu samurai; unlike any killer they've faced before, he fights for conviction.