In 1894, Russia advances policy of southward expansion, Qing Dynasty says that Korea is its vassal state and Japan want to build new footing. Among the three countries, Korea had been swinging. The war broke out between Japan and the Qing Dynasty which stems from the run of so-called party Donghak that occurred there. Yoshifuru campaigns with Marenori Nogi to participate in the attack of the Port Arthur fortress. Yoshifuru felt out Katuaki’s view of the enemy’s position, leading the cavalry. The total attack is initiated based on that report, and the Port Arthur has fallen in a day. The following year, Shiki who works as a reporter for "Japan" newspaper appeals to Katsunan Kuga, an editor in chief, and he becomes a war correspondent and leaves for the battlefront of Qing. However, a peace negotiation between the two governments already had begun. Shiki and Rintaro Mori, a surgeon he met inside around the villages that were destroyed, talk about the war. Saneyuki also participates in the actual battle in the "Tsukushi" cruiser for the first time and the real horrors shocks him to allow subordinates to die. Saneyuki returned and had an opportunity to talk with Heihachiro Togo.
明治27年（1894年）。南下政策を推し進めるロシア、自らの属国と自負する清国、新たに地歩を築きたい日本、その三国の間で朝鮮は揺れていた。そこへ起きた、いわゆる東学党の乱に端を発して、日本と清国の間に戦争が勃発する。好古（阿部寛）は、乃木希典（柄本明）らとともに出征し、旅順要塞の攻撃に参加。好古は率いる騎兵をもって敵情を克明に探った。その報告をもとに総攻撃が開始され、わずか一日で旅順は陥落。
翌年、新聞「日本」の記者として働く子規（香川照之）は主筆の陸羯南（佐野史郎）に懇願して従軍記者となり、清国の戦地に赴くが、すでに日清両国政府の間では講和の談判が始まっていた。破壊された村々を回るなか出会った軍医の森林太郎（後の森鴎外・榎木孝明）と戦争について語り合う。真之（本木雅弘）もまた巡洋艦「筑紫」で初めて実戦に参加し、部下を死なせてしまい現実の惨状に衝撃を受けるのだった。そして、帰還した真之 は、東郷平八郎（渡哲也）と語る機会を得て・・・。
