The traitor priest is revealed to be Akasha Shishido, a member of the Kōgon Sect who went rogue due to his radical views regarding Shikabane Hime. Makina defeats the SUV Shikabane after being assisted by Keisei, who violated his suspension in doing so, having to severe her right arm in sacrifice. After figuring out that Akasha used a dark artifact to create Shikabane from the human lives suffered inside the SUV, a desperate Keisei turns the dark artifact against Akasha, temporarily routing the rogue priest, but at great cost to his own health. Ouri narrowly avoids a sniper's bullet from a heretofore unseen third Shikabane Hime and Contracted Monk observing the battle from above. The entire Kōgon Sect is shocked to learn that Akasha has resurfaced. Keisei is reinstated but is recovering from the psychic backlash of using the dark artifact.