At the Mugai-ryü banquet held for ten dojo leaders of the Ittö-ryü by Kagimura Habaki, nine of them are slaughtered and only Sosuke Abayama survives because he was outside relieving himself. Later, Giichi accepts payment from Habaki for the killings at the banquet, and asks that Hyakurin be extracted from the Mugai-ryü, but Habaki refuses. After hearing about the massacre, Anotsu plans his revenge on Habaki, but he blames himself for becoming complacent. The remaining Ittö-ryü leaders still support him so he decides they should separate and go into hiding, to re-emerge in winter and continue their campaign. Elsewhere, Abayama finds and kills Makoto for leaking information to the Mugai-ryü...