Heita, after reaching adulthood, wanders around gambling parlors being frustrated with his ironic fate of having two fathers: Tadamori as his foster father and the cloistered Emperor Shirakawa as his biological father. People consider Heita to be disreputable, however, Tadamori continues to treat Heita as the heir of the Taira clan, which worsens the relations between Tadamori and his brother, Tadamasa. One day, a fisherman close to Heita is captured by the Emperor Shirakawa for breaking the law that prohibits killing animals set by the Emperor.
若者になった平太（松山ケンイチ）は二人の父を持つという数奇なさだめのもと、何者でもない自分にいらだち賭場をうろつき、「無頼の高平太」と呼ばれるようになっていた。そんな折、白河法皇（伊東四朗）が出した殺生禁断令により兄弟のように慕う鱸丸（すずきまる）（上川隆也）の父・滝次が捕らえられてしまう。元服して名を改めた清盛（旧：平太）は滝次救出のため御所を訪れ、ついに実の父にして最高権力者の白河と対面する。
