Kurama Tengu and the commander of the Shinsengumi, Kondo Isami, each become aware that some of their respective comrades have joined the Sangakuto. Kurata Tenzen meets with members of the secret group and offers to assassinate Kurama Tengu for money. Kurata then appears to cut down Kurama Tengu as the leaders of the Sangakuto watch from a distance. But this Kurama Tengu is actually a fake played by Katsura Kogoro in disguise. Kurata's ploy helps him to gain the trust of the Sangakuto leadership, enabling him to get into the secret group's hideout to rescue Shiragiku. Meanwhile, Kondo begins to suspect that the mastermind behind Sangakuto is the merchant Mishimaya.