Time To Keep A Promise. Kenshin and Aoshi Battle Once Again!

Aoshi's been waiting to face Kenshin for a while. Kenshin walks into Hoji's room, where Aoshi awaits, without his sword drawn. Aoshi and the rurouni exchange words, expressing their thoughts. Aoshi speaks of his hardships, giving up everything so he can became the strongest for his men, the Oniwa Banshu. Kenshin, on the other hand, refuses to fight an evil Aoshi. For the sake of Misao, he promised to bring the good old Aoshi back home. By time the fight begins, Yumi had run off to telegraph Shishio messages concerning the fight and news. When Shishio receives the news that Anji had given up fighting and Usui was left against Saitou, a smile comes to his face, knowing that no one can walk away unhurt from two fighters like them.

The battle begins to save Aoshi's own life. The plan for Kenshin was to fight peacefully without drawing his sword. Kenshin had toppled over shelves of books to do this, but Aoshi had forced Kenshin to draw his blade when he had put the rurouni's life in danger. Aoshi tries to attack Kenshin when he turns his kodachis upside-down. Kenshin blocks and tries the Ryu Kan Sen, but Aoshi blocks it and counters with an elbow to Kenshin's face. Following, Aoshi executes his Onmyou Hasshi, barely missing Kenshin, but follows up nicely with a kick to the face.

Now, Kenshin isn't holding back. While the Aoiya battle only begins, Aoshi taunts Kenshin, yelling at him to get up. Aoshi wants to face the Hitokiri Battousai, not the rurouni, Himura Kenshin. After an exchange of words, in which Kenshin tells Aoshi he won't need to revert back to the Battousai to beat him, the fight picks up. Aoshi tries the Gokou Juuji, but Kenshin blocks with a Ryu Sho Sen and follows up with a Ryu Tsui Sen, which Aoshi blocks. The force in which Kenshin put into the Ryu Tsui Sen is immense. Even though Aoshi had blocked it, Kenshin pushed his way to cut Aoshi a bit. Kenshin notes that he understands why Aoshi wants to give his men the title of the strongest, but doesn't understand why it's the only reason for Aoshi to throw away his life. Those words hit Aoshi with the shock, and Kenshin adds in that it is just disgracing the Oniwa Banshu completely when Aoshi uses them as an excuse.