Botan has joined forces with Tenka to find the Orochi's vessel. Tenka notices Soramaru eavesdropping and keeps him in the dark about it. Shirasu later interrupts Soramaru while he is training to become stronger. Outside a formal ball, Tenka meets with Kiiko Sasaki, a Yamainu Squad member, not long before encountering Tomomi Iwakura, the Minister of the Right. Elsewhere, Soramaru humbly requests Sōsei to teach him the way of the sword, but Sōsei rejects him. Shi Qian-Lang and Takeda agree to help Soramaru if he assists them by finding answers about the Orochi's vessel from inside Gokumonjo. After Chūtarō sends a disguised Soramaru to Gokumonjo, Tenka becomes worried that Soramaru has gone missing. As Shirasu finds Botan in the woods, he questions her motives for teaming up with Tenka to find the Orochi's vessel, and she questions his loyalty to the Kumō brothers in response. In Gokumonjo, Soramaru tries his best not to blow his cover with some familiar prisoners. At the shrine, after finding out what Chūtarō did, Tenka allows Shirasu to go rescue Soramaru. Meanwhile, Soramaru is dragged inside a cell to face the man wearing a fox mask, bringing up traumatic memories of the past.