Gensai gives his men a pep talk on killing Shintarō as the Retired Lord is leaving for Edo the next day. Shintarō, Tonbei and Shūsaku are hiding in a temple. There are Black Ninja patrols in the town, questioning everyone. The temple is attacked and Tonbei remains behind fighting to allow the others to escape. He is wounded and captured, then claimed by Gensai in the name of Sadayori, the Retired Lord. The Chief Retainer of the Owari clan, Fukano, learns of this and goes to Shintarō to let him know he is not in agreement with Sadayori’s plot. He further says that Shintarō can come with him to Sadayori’s mansion when he goes to beg the lord to give up the plot. He affirms that Sadayori’s son, Naritomo, who is the current lord, refuses to have any part of the plot, either. Shintarō rescues Tonbei who tells him Gensai is to kill Fukano. Shintarō intervenes and retrieves the agreement . He and Gensai duel. Gensai leaps a great distance to attack Shintarō but takes a bad head wound from Shintarō’s sword. He says that Shintarō will die with him and pulls off his artificial arm which contains a bomb and runs toward him. Shintarō moves aside and he runs into the river and is blown up. Shintarō confronts Sadayori with the agreement and identifies him as Hakuunsai. When Sadaoryi charges him with protecting the shogunate, Shintarō says he is not concerned with defending the shogun but with protecting the peace because power struggles disturb it. Sadayori asks if he will take the agreement to the shogun because if so, the Owari clan will be destroyed. Shintarō replies that this is not his desire. Sadayori takes all the blame, the plot was his alone and the Owari have not rebelled and he has no wish to jeopardise the clan’s position. Shintarō says he will see that the Owari clan remains as it is. He leaves with the agreement and tosses it unopened into the river. All return to Edo where Shintarō observes it is now autumn. As they walk along the river, t
