Kitanamono, the feral agent of the Conspiracy of Eight, has stolen the sacred sword. Usagi, however, is right on his heels, and behind them both is the bounty hunter, Gen. Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe are also on the run from the Conspiracy's assassins and the Geishu traitor, but they seek refuge with a seemingly harmless farmer who turns out to be an old enemy of the Geishu Clan. Jei, the demonic swordsman, abandons Keiko and is mysteriously drawn into the deep forests, down half-hidden trails towards some unknown goal.