Balsa tells Chagum the story of how she met Jiguro Musa twenty-four years ago. Karna Yansa, her father, was ordered to poison the king of Kanbal by Logsam, the king's younger brother, in which failing to comply would have Balsa killed. Karna Yansa turns to his friend, Jiguro, one of the king's nine elite hunters, and requests him to take Balsa away from Kanbal. After Jiguro defeats one of the hunters sent by the king, he takes Balsa to the swordsmith to have a new spear forged in seven days time. In the middle of the night, Jiguro encounters Tagul, another one of the hunters, being forced to fight to the death. After killing him, Jiguro weeps over the corpse of his companion. After finding about when and why her father had died, Balsa was determined to get her revenge by becoming a spear wielder. At first, Jiguro wanted to avoid Balsa going through a life full of bloodshed, but he later decides to train her in the martial arts. When winter came, the six remaining hunters sent by the king find the two in the mountains. While Balsa hides in the bushes, the six hunters surround Jiguro, as they prepare to attack him.