Evil Monster of Revenge... Shishio Makoto's Plot!

A counter for the Gatotsu! Kenshin is stabbed in the stomach with Saitou's anti-gar Gatotsu, but the fight still goes on. To Saitou's surprise, Kenshin is growing stronger as he fights. Kaoru tries to stop the battle from going even further, but there's no stopping the two warriors. Sano and Megumi join Kaoru and Yahiko as they watch on the fight resumed from the Bakumatsu. Kenshin has regained his speed, but perhaps it's too much for his body. Slowly, he is reverting into the Battousai. Saitou repeatedly uses the Gatotsu until Kenshin begins blocking it, revealing his defense for such a repetitive technique. After a long hard fought battle, it is thought to be over when Kenshin cuts Saitou's sword tip off. To everyone's surprise, Saitou fights, using his belt to disarm Kenshin of his Sakabatou.

Okubo Toshimichi is at the Kamiya Dojo for what? A sleeperhold is locked onto Kenshin by Saitou, but the rurouni manages to escape the hold and reclaim his sword. As the two stare at each other, face-to-face, they pant hard. One hit will decide the entire battle. Before that final blow does occur, a voice calls out to Kenshin and Saitou to stop. At the entrance of the Kamiya Dojo stands a police officer and a well-dressed man. The police officer is the police commissioner, Kawaji. The well-dressed man is Okubo Toshimichi, ex-Ishin Shishi of the Satsuma Prefecture, the Meiji Government's Secretary of the Cabinet, and one of the three men who brought about the reorganization of the Meiji Government. It's all revealed, Okubo was the man who had asked Saitou to test Kenshin's skills and report how good they were, but Saitou had gotten a bit carried away. Akamatsu, who was watching all along, hears that Okubo is involved and quickly leaves to tell Shibumi. Saitou leaves as well, reporting that Kenshin's skills are weak, but the Battousai has potential. With a fist to his face, Kenshin eliminates the Battousai from him and reverts back to his normal self.

Shishio Makoto's Growing Army of Killers Okubo asks Kenshin a favor, as requested, in front of everyone, if he could go to Kyoto to assassinate Shishio Makoto. Kenshin explains to Kaoru and the others that Shishio Makoto could be described basically as his replacement as the Battousai when he became a rurouni. Shishio was a very skilled and powerful killer. Very few knew little about him, even Kenshin, but what Kenshin knows is that Shishio was exterminated by his own people. Okubo confesses that Shishio was "killed" when they threw oil on him and burned him, but somehow, Shishio didn't die. Shishio was killed so that things could be run smoothly by the Meiji Government. If things about him were found out, people would revolt against the government. Now, Shishio has risen in Kyoto and formed his own militia with various types of evil, trying to blackmail the country using long lost secrets. Troops were sent to deal with him, but nothing was ever accomplished. All of Kenshin's friends stand up for their protector, trying to put the blame on Okubo, since it was his government that caused the conflict. However, Okubo adds in that they've never arrested any of Kenshin's friends when they could have easily done so, like Megumi who was selling opium. Kenshin going to Kyoto to kill Shishio would be a payback of some sort. No one is forcing Kenshin to go, it's his decision whether to go or not.

Shibumi's Final Plea Akamatsu reports to Shibumi about Saitou's involvement with Okubo. All along, Saitou was playing, acting as though he worked for Shibumi. When the news is delivered, Akamatsu rushes out, hoping to make it to someplace like Shanghai to get away. Saitou enters Shibumi's room, stopping the stitched faced man and decapitates him. Nearing Shibumi, Saitou tells him that it is his job to eliminate those who try to interfere with the country. Shibumi tries to bribe one of Miburo's wolves, assuring to give Saitou anything he wants. Nothing can buy the former Shinsen Gumi member; Shibumi is killed.

A day would come that no one would expect... One week from the current time, May 14, Meiji 11, Okubo Toshimichi promises to return to the Kamiya Dojo to get an answer from Himura Kenshin if he agrees to go to Kyoto to fight with Shishio. Yahiko, Sano, Megumi, and everyone, especially Kaoru, were unaware of what was to take place next. In a few days, the lives of everyone close to Kenshin would change suddenly, and there could be nothing done.