The young
woman sitting behind Battousai is approached
by two swordsmen. They demand that the woman
join them in drinking sake, as they claim
to be Aizu Ishin Shishi that kill for her
everyday. Someone shouts that Aizu is on
the side of the Bakufu, causing one of the
swordsmen, perhaps the drunk one, to prepare
the withdrawal of his blade. When the swordsman
doesn't locate the source of the voice,
Battousai warns him that if he had drawn
his sword, he would end up fighting him.
The hitokiri tells the swordsmen that in
Kyoto, there is no place for foolish patriots.
Battousai asks them to leave town if they
value their lives. The crowd in the restaurant
all support the hitokiri. Because of the
intense amount of pressure put on them,
the two swordsmen run away in shame.
After paying
his tab, Battousai leaves to walk the streets
of Kyoto in the nighttime. In his thoughts,
he remembers that his master had told him
sake would only taste bad if there was something
sick inside of the person. Just ahead on
Battousai's path waits the two swordsmen.
The drunk swordsman seeks the death of Battousai
after making such a fool of him, but the
other seems a bit hesitant, as he can detect
that their target is a hitokiri. While the
two converse, a Bakufu spy comes up from
behind them.
A painful
scream is heard. Battousai stops in his
path and notices the hesitant swordsman
running towards him, screaming for help.
The swordsman is killed immediately afterwards.
The Bakufu spy stands before Battousai,
armed with a chain that has a sword connected
at each end. With little words exchanged
amongst each other, the battle begins.
The Bakufu
spy has been sent out to assassinate Battousai.
Like Hitokiri Battousai,
he is an assassin that works in the shadows,
never to be recognized or acknowledged in
history for his actions. Battousai and the
Bakufu spy charge for one another, but it
is the spy that gets the advantage. With
haste, he wraps his chain around Battousai
and leaps up to a nearby roof. The spy follows
up by leaping off of the roof, sword extended
forward. With skill, Battousai pulls the
chain and catches the other sword connected
to the chain in his hand. The Bakufu spy
cannot stop his assault - he is sliced in
half by his own blade.
Blood showers
the scene. Battousai quickly turns around
after sensing the presence of someone. Behind
him stands the young woman from the restaurant
covered in blood. She tells the hitokiri
that she had come to thank him for what
he did at the restaurant, but tells him
that it is he who causes bloody rain. The
two remain in silence as they stare at one
another.
