Sanosuke is quite eager to
fight the large man standing before him, but the big guy
calls for bodyguards he hired a few days ago. Onto the field
steps the Hiruma Brothers, Kihei and Gohei, only to be struck
with fear at the sight of the street fighter once known
as Zanza. Sanosuke doesn't seem to recognize the two, despite
them trying to refresh his memory. Gohei notices that Sanosuke
no longer has the Zanbatou, so he draws his sword and rushes
forward, ensuring victory. Mere seconds later, both Hirumas
are dealt with and then some. The large man named Fudosawa
leaves the scene, impressed with what he saw. The people
all cheer as Sanosuke has saved the day.
The young girl that was being
pestered rushes up to Sanosuke, praising him like mad. Yet,
her attention is then focused on her younger brother, who
calls to her from nearby after coming out of hiding. Immediately,
the girl introduces Sanosuke to her brother Outa. The so-called
savior greets Outa with a nice kick. Sanosuke belittles
Outa for not being a man and protecting his sister in the
face of danger. The young girl argues that Outa is only
so old, but that's no excuse for someone who was a member
of the Seikihou Tai at such a young age. Glad that he got
to relieve some stress, Sanosuke disappears back into the
restaurant.
Nighttime falls and Sanosuke
is the last one remaining in the restaurant. He doesn't
seem to want to budge, as he is still thinking about the
pathetic look on Kenshin's face and Yahiko's voice of determination.
The waiter insists that he pay his bill and leave, but Fudosawa
and some of his lackeys enter, scaring him off. Fudosawa
calls Sanosuke by his name, explaining that he learned of
his history from the Hiruma Brothers. He once again mentions
that he was impressed with Sanosuke's performance earlier,
and asks him of a favor. Shinshuu is well-known for its
silk, and Fudosawa is trying to control the town. However,
there is one person trying to prevent him from doing so,
the father of the girl he met in the afternoon, a man who
has already taken out fifty of Fudosawa's men. Fudosawa
asks Sanosuke if he'd be interested in getting rid of the
pest, since he cannot rely on Gohei after his performance
in the afternoon. Bored and hungry for battle, Sanosuke
accepts Fudosawa's offer.
