The Black Ninja have started systematically killing spy samurai in place on the staff of various domain lords, and identifying them as such. This is so the domain lords will become angry that the shogunate so distrusts them that it is spying on them. The Black Ninja intend to take advantage of the dissatisfaction of the clans. Sanzō the Swift, disguised as a blind masseur, passes a fake message from Kanabe Sakunosuke, the spy in the Itō clan to Kijima the spy in the Hotta clan to draw the latter out in order to kill him. However, Shintarō substitutes for Kijima at the rendezvous, Shiba Temple. Sanzō is badly wounded, swallows a suicide pill and explodes.
