Even with the "Battousai"
case involving the Hiruma Brothers, Gohei and Kihei, closed,
students are not returning to the Kamiya Dojo. An angered
Kaoru takes off to the marketplace with Kenshin to do
some shopping. While shopping, however, Kaoru is asked
by a man with a long mustache in a carriage the location
of the nearest police station. Once the man is helped
out, Kaoru looks around for Kenshin. He has disappeared
from her side.
After searching around,
Kaoru finds Kenshin cornered against a wall by the sword
police, armed policemen that have the right to murder,
or so they say. Kaoru heads closer to the scene, but she
is stopped by other sword policemen. The head of the sword
police, Ujiki, demands that Kenshin draw his sword, otherwise,
both he and Kaoru will be killed before the public. The
onlooking people all disagree in an uproar of negative
comments towards the sword police. Without hesitation,
Ujiki orders his men to silence the crowd with death.
Kenshin is finally pushed over the line; he draws his
sword and fights.
Easily, Kenshin takes out
all the members of the sword police, leaving only Ujiki
as the last one standing. He promises to be arrested by
Ujiki on the charges of illegally carrying a weapon, but
he wants the safety of the people to be guaranteed. Ujiki
won't let the rurouni go so easily. With his sword raised
at his side, Ujiki charges forward at Kenshin. Using his
speed, Kenshin leaps over Ujiki and slashes his across
the back with his Sakabatou. Instantly, Ujiki is knocked
out.
The man bearing the mustache
Kaoru gave directions to when he was in a carriage appears
before both Kenshin and Kaoru as the crowd runs over to
hug the rurouni as a sign of thanks and appreciation.
The police disperses the crowd and takes the sword police
into custody for their abuse of power. The man is none
other than the Chief of the Meiji Government, Yamagata
Aritomo. Once the crowd is cleared away, Kenshin greets
Yamagata, but more importantly, Yamagata invites Kenshin
to the position in the Meiji Government that is awaiting
him. Graciously, Kenshin declines the position.
Even if he was one of the
most important men that helped bring forth the Meiji Government,
Kenshin does not accept such an offer. Government power
has corrupted such individuals like Ujiki, for example,
and Kenshin does not want to forget what all the fighting
was for - a new era of happiness for the people of Japan.
As Kenshin and Kaoru walk away from Yamagata, the man
with the mustache asks Kenshin why he carries a sword
when it's useless in the Meiji Era. Kenshin turns around
and answers. Simply, it's to protect. The only thing that
has actually changed is that Himura Kenshin has changed
from a hitokiri to a rurouni. With that said, Kenshin
and Kaoru depart. Through a basic trip to the marketplace,
Kaoru has learned much of the man now living at her home.
