In the early days of training, the young ninja practice, but are reminded by gorone negoro that they do not fight for kouga nor iga, but for their leaders. They also learn about the powers of hibiki and hachirou. Back at the ooi river gei'in and kaso rush out looking for kazuma and find him bound to a water wheel and killed by his own heaven's lyre. The meet the killer, but when kaso attacks him, his own grass fire flames consume him. He reveals his name is kujaku tsuibamu, one of the joujinshuu, enemies of both the five treasures of kouga and five flowers of iga who ...