Rin, the daughter of a martial arts master, embarks on a journey to avenge her slain parents, and her target is Kagehisa Anotsu, the head of the Ittou-ryu.

Manji and Rin visit the famous swordsman and artist Master Sori to enlist his aid for revenge on the Ittō-ryū; Rin tries to convince him to join her, revealing that she is aware that he is a spy for the shogunate.

Makie approaches Manji in an alley and tries to seduce him, but he realizes it is a trap and they fight; during a quiet moment on a bridge, Makie meets Anotsu and asserts that he is only interested in her fighting ability.

Rin encounters Kagehisa Anotsu training with an axe in the nearby forest and throws all of her knives, but only one lands in his shoulder, causing her to realize how poor her skills are.

Manji and Rin stop to rest at an inn, where Manji encounters Eiku Shizuma disguised as a monk; he offers to help Manji find Anotsu, as he is also seeking him for his own purposes.

When Rin encounters a boy at a festival, she has no idea that he's the son of a mask maker Manji feels enmity towards.