Wanting to become stronger herself, Rin received training from Manji, but is still a long way off from matching him in ability, much less the Ittou-ryu. Rin, in her melancholy, is drawn in by a sound, and finds a man training on his own. 'Some day I'll be like him', Rin tells herself, then is astonished upon seeing the man's face. It's her arch-nemesis, the head of the Ittou-ryu, Kagehisa Anotsu.

Rin, who has come to see the festival, meets a cheeky little kid, Renzou. At the mask shop, things get dangerous between Manji and Araya, until Araya's son Renzou shows up and the hostility dissolves. Araya and Renzou then leave. Having watched Manji from behind, for some reason Rin continues glaring at Araya with eyes full of shock and hatred.

Habaki's scheme gets Manji trapped in a dungeon. Habaki uses a doctor, Burando Ayame, to try and solve the mystery of the immortality. For the sake of the advancement of medicine, Burando sinks a scalpel into Manji's body. Meanwhile, while waiting for Manji's return, Rin is caught up in a strange cohabitation with Doua and Isaku, who had been searching for a place to stay.

Ever since the Dewanosuke incident, Burando kept making blunders. He is finally thrown in solitary confinement by Habaki, and goes insane. But as a result of his madness, Burando grasps something important about the immortality experiments: That humans are essentially otters. Meanwhile, Rin and Doua resolve to infiltrate Edo Castle to rescue the surrounded Manji and Isaku.

The Ittour-ryu are pursued by the Rokki-dan, lead by Habaki. Upon hearing this, Run and Manji decide to pursue as well. Even with all these people leaving Edo to chase the Ittou-ryu, the four leasers appointed by Kagehisa Anotsu are nowhere to be found. Then, in the wee hours of the morning, Kagehisa and the other three stand at the Ootemon in front of Edo Castle.

Arashino, Hasshuu, and Murasaki of the Rokki-dan act as the vanguard in the clash with the Ittou-ryu. The crucial Abayama manages to escape with the help of his followers. But then he hast to confront Giichi and Hyakurin, who pursued Abayama to assist Habaki.

The Ittou-ryu, Rokki-dan, and Manji and Rin all gather in Nakaminato, as if guided there. They all bear their motives on their swords in the moment they begin their final deathmatch. Deceive, subdue, and dance in chaos. Sparks will fly in the decisive batte between the strongest. The last laugh belongs to...