They're at Sugiyama's home in Marunouchi?
No mistake about it. Saura, a friend, is there.
He told our scout Aoyama.
Who else is there?
Lord Takahashi, Yamaoka, lshizaka, Azumi,
and Kiyokawa, the man we want.
Very well. We'll take care of him tonight.
Otherwise we can't leave for Kyoto with peace of mind.
Yoshida,
you can make full use of your silent form tonight.
But let's have a drink first. Pour one for Yoshida.
Please.
Was that a mouse?
That noise downstairs.
It's nothing. Snow falling from the roof.
Cold night, isn't it?
Thief!
I came to thank you.
Thanks for the rude reception today!
You're -
Yes, a scoundrel who breaks laws.
Just once, to make up for my crimes,
I saved her at Daibosatsu Pass.
But my feelings for her have deepened.
Now I feel like her real father.
I wanted money to retire.
I looked forward to holding her children in my lap!
Where'd you hide her?
I told you everything earlier.
I see.
Very well.
In that case, I'll shame you good.
I'll strip you and tie you up,
and I'll put the two of you out on the street.
Spare me!
I'll tell you!
I sold Omatsu to a place in Kyoto!
What's that?
Kyoto?
He brought a buyer.
She'd be easily found in Edo, so we decided on Kyoto.
Where in Kyoto?
Shimabara!
You wench!
Sinking Omatsu into a mire like that,
and my dreams as well!
He left Sugiyama's place?
Yes, we're lucky.
Two palanquins left the house.
Kiyokawa is in the second one.
You sure?
Saura said, "Two palanquins will leave.
Our man will be in the second one."
- Who's in the first one? - Lord Takahashi.
Takahashi?
The foremost lancer in Japan.
Who's afraid? Let's kill both of them!
No, we're after Kiyokawa alone.
We'll follow them.
When they part, we'll attack Kiyokawa.
And if they don't?
Then we'll kill them both.
Very well. It's settled.
Our leader has to see Superintendent Nishino
about setting out for Kyoto,
so I'll give the order to kill Kiyokawa.
Takahashi's gone his own way.
- Leader! - Not yet!
Not here in town. We'll chase them to Mount Ueno.
Now!
What is this? A joke?
Come out!
I am Shimada of Okachimachi.
If this is a challenge, name the time and place!
If it's a grudge, state your reason!
We've made a mistake!
You make a mistake and act rudely all the same?
State your names and motives, and then apologize!
Who are you? Your name!
Kill me!
You're the leader, it seems.
Your hot-headed men made me kill against my will!
The men lying here were good swordsmen.
Now they've died like dogs! How will you atone for it, you fool?
Kill me!
It's the worst mistake I ever made! Kill me!
The sword is the soul.
Study the soul to know the sword.
Evil mind, evil sword.
The Shincho Group's going to Kyoto!
Ryunosuke may accompany them.
Master!
You're not strong enough.
But if he goes to Kyoto, it will be hard to kill him.
At the moment, he's lost confidence in his sword.
Don't ask me why.
Now's the time.
Remember that both of you may die,
but the tsuki thrust may give you a slight edge.
Send him a letter of challenge.
He lives at Shiba likura.
What date?
Tomorrow, the 1 6th.
The pine grove to the right of Zojoji Temple.
At 6:00 a.m., to avoid encountering others.
Hama.
Give me some sake.
It's all gone.
You've been acting strangely since last night.
Ikutaro has a cold, yet you went out.
What were you doing out so late in the heavy snow?
He's fast asleep.
I hope he grows up safely.
Of course he will.
Won't you, son?
Children grow up even without parents, they say.
Don't say that! It's unlucky!
One day.
One day, I promise.
Hama.
I'm going to Kyoto soon.
Kyoto?
With Serizawa and the Shincho Group.
What will become of us?
No! You mustn't go!
Why these sudden decisions?
Don't you ever think of lkutaro and me?
You don't care what becomes of us.
But whose child is lkutaro, after all?
And now, when he's so sick.
What if he becomes worse and dies?
Are you saying you don't care?
Dear,
you're going to abandon us, aren't you?
I thought it might come to this.
But it's too cruel, too brutal!
Please, do me a favor.
I can't stand the prolonged agony.
Please divorce me!
No.
We're not formally married.
I need no divorce papers. I'm leaving!
Where will you go?
You can't tell me what to do.
It's not that.
I wanted to give you a farewell gift, but I have none.
So a word, before we part.
Tomorrow morning at 6:00, near Shiba Zojoji Temple,
I will kill Hyoma Utsugi.
Is this what arrived this evening?
Hyoma's challenge.
Bunnojo, now Hyoma.
I'll end up killing both the Utsugi brothers.
Yes, do that!
That's how you are!
Kill Hyoma!
Kill everyone!
Kill everyone in the world!
Not everyone.
But my sword will get Toranosuke Shimada
one of these days.
Hyoma will be child's play. I'll torture him to death.
Still up?
You told Yohachi, the mill guard, in place of his master?
Yes, to be here at 4:00 in the morning.
You can't sleep because you're intent on winning.
Don't think about winning or surviving.
Be prepared to die.
Risk everything, and you may have a chance.
Go lie down with a calm mind.
Ryunosuke's form may be about to meet defeat.
What are you doing?
Madwoman!
Was that for Hyoma's sake?
No, you're wrong.
You're wrong.
What?
I wanted to kill you.
I hated you.
Ikutaro and I could be happy
if it weren't for you.
But...
but not now.
It doesn't matter.
Dear.
Ryunosuke.
Please kill me here.
Kill me here.
I will die at your hands
so that you may die at Hyoma's.
One will make recompense for the other...
and it will make amends for your sins.
Dear.
Ryunosuke.
SPRlNG OF 1 863 THE SHlNSEN GROUP lS FORMED
You don't want to return to Edo?
No.
I don't have any relatives there.
So you insist on becoming a courtesan?
I'll be Miyuki the courtesan's sister at Kizuya the end of this month.
It can't be helped if you've decided.
But I wouldn't have saved you if I'd wanted you to become a courtesan.
Still...
it isn't easy for me to raise 200 pieces of gold.
Don't, Uncle. You've already done enough for me.
No, I haven't.
I do business in Osaka and Sakai. I'll see what I can do.
Don't become a courtesan yet.
Excuse me, Omatsu.
A young samurai wants to see you.
- A samurai? - Yes, a young traveler. Will you see him?
Well...
He doesn't think you'll remember him.
He said he met you in Edo.
Who is it?
I don't know.
Don't worry. Ask him in.
I must be going.
Please, Uncle, can't you stay?
You met in Edo. You don't remember him?
No, I'm afraid I don't.
Excuse me. One rainy day, I -
I remember.
Your name's Utsugi. You were at the Shimada school.
Please come in.
This man is like my real father.
Please.
Don't stand on formality.
So you two know each other from Edo?
No, we only met once.
Just once?
I had to come to Kyoto on business.
I was surprised when I saw you here unexpectedly.
What is your business here?
There's someone I must see.
- I'd better go. - No, Uncle.
I'm leaving soon.
You said you came to see someone.
Will you be staying in Kyoto long?
I don't know yet.
So you're actually searching for this person, aren't you?
Well, yes.
That could be difficult. Have you any idea -
Yes, but it's not much to go on.
Pardon my asking, but is this person a samurai or -
It's rather complicated.
Omatsu, tonight's party will be at Tsuchiya.
Men from the Shinsen Group?
Yes, the Mibu rowdies.
Omatsu!
You know the Shinsen Group?
Yes.
Assistant Leader Kondo favors the courtesan Miyuki.
Mr. Utsugi,
does the man you're looking for have anything to do with the Shinsen Group?
If there is anything I can do,
don't hesitate to ask.
She's saying she'll do anything for you.
Don't hold back with friends.
Ryutaro Yoshida's supposed to be among the group at Mibu,
but he's not there.
Ryutaro Yoshida.
His real name is Ryunosuke Tsukue. He's from Sawai.
From Sawai?
Ryunosuke Tsukue?
Mibu men! The Shinsen Group!
We've come from Mibu!
The more you tell me,
the more a villain he seems.
A man from hell.
The world's full of villains,
but he beats them all.
Please don't worry.
Omatsu's gentle but bright.
She'll ask without rousing suspicion.
Did Omatsu send you?
Yes, I have a message.
I see. Some tea?
I'm in a hurry.
What's the message?
A guest named Yoshida is at the party.
I see. Thank you.
When does the party end?
It's just begun. Perhaps about 1 0:00.
1 0:00?
Thank you. - Thanks!
Now that you know he's there, what will you do?
I'll kill him tonight.
Tonight?
If not tonight, I'll have to find him again.
I'll follow him to a lonely spot and then stop him.
I wonder.
What?
He's no ordinary man.
He'd notice if you followed him.
Attack when he comes out. That's your only chance.
Yoshida.
You must show me your silent form soon.
The Kyoto governor was so weak, we couldn't do a thing.
But things will change soon.
We'll raise hell and make a name for ourselves.
Girl.
You there! Come over here.
I see you here sometimes. What's your name?
I am Omatsu.
- Your age? - Guess.
Between 1 8 and 20?
Just about.
Where is your home?
To the west.
- Where in the west? - A pilgrims' amulet office.
What? An amulet office?
You!
You're one of the new girls at Kizuya?
When is your official announcement? I'll help you out when you -
No.
I, Serizawa, Shinsen Group leader, will make you a woman.
All right?
You may go.
I must talk to Yoshida a while.
I'm leaving. Take over.
Leader!
It's about Yoshida.
He still lives outside and not at Mibu.
He's a bad example for the other men.
In a way, he's a member, yet not a member.
He's not the type to be bound to a group.
Leave him to me.
I want to speak to you in another room.
You see, I don't know his face.
I do.
Before you carry out your important task,
there's something I must say.
It's about Omatsu.
The poor girl has no parents.
She had a grandfather, but the poor man was killed.
What?
I'll explain in full later.
It may sound funny for me to say it,
but she's a very nice girl.
When you're done here, will you take her with you?
I mean, will you marry her?
It's too soon for talk like that. I've got important work.
I know you'll win.
Shichibei's behind you.
Don't look so stern.
I travel about peddling expensive stuff.
I meet thieves at night or in the mountains.
That's why I carry it.
If things go wrong for you, it's bang!
That's cowardly. I'll fight fairly.
Please don't worry.
I won't need it.
You, Omatsu, and l are avenging your brother.
We can't lose.
Kill Kondo?
As I said, that former farmer and I differ in everything.
It makes it hard to lead the group.
With Kondo gone, Hijikata will follow me.
The sooner the better.
No, as soon as possible.
Are we doing it tonight?
After this party.
No, he'll leave early
and go to see Oume, his mistress, at Karasumaru.
We don't want to attract attention,
so we three will go at a suitable time.
No, there'll be one more. Heisuke Todo.
We four will be enough.
What about that nuisance Yoshida?
Yoshida,
if you succeed, there will be a generous reward.
I'll give you Hyoma's head.
The brother of Bunnojo Utsugi, the man you killed at Mount Mitake.
He's been inquiring all over Mibu as to your whereabouts.
Our men will kill him.
Reward number two is Kondo's woman.
Her name is Miyuki. She's a courtesan at Kizuya.
She's quite beautiful.
You must be lonely all by yourself in Kyoto.
Did you hear us, Omatsu?
No, I felt sick, so I was resting here.
I must return to the party.
No, you don't.
Serizawa.
What are you doing?
What?
She was eavesdropping. I'm questioning her.
No need for that. Just kill her.
She's not worth the bother.
Then leave her to me.
You go back to the men.
I agree to what you said.
I see.
In that case -
Woman.
Who told you to come here?
No one.
The party was so noisy. I came here for some quiet.
Please forgive me!
I didn't hear what you were saying.
Shout or run
and I'm afraid I'll have to kill you.
Stay as you are until I leave.
What is it?
Behind you.
Behind me?
The figure of a woman.
A woman?
I felt something too and looked back,
but I saw nothing.
But I'm sure I saw her.
It's a ghost!
A ghost?
Long ago, a courtesan named Kokonoe -
I don't know the reason -
She put on her makeup and dressed in her best
and then stabbed herself here with a dagger.
This room hasn't been used since.
A likely enough story, but there are no ghosts.
I'm more afraid of the living than the dead.
Did you see it again?
Yes.
I didn't see anything...
but I distinctly heard sounds.
Sounds?
Mountain winds.
They rise up from deep in the valleys...
blowing up the young green leaves.
Beyond, all you see
are endless mountain ranges...
that fade far away into the clouds.
I saw such a scene once somewhere.
At Daibosatsu Pass, I think.
Daibosatsu Pass?
Do you know that pass, samurai?
Very well.
But how do you know it?
I passed there once.
A difficult climb, 1 5 miles up and down.
Very strange.
Why would a Kyoto girl climb a mountain pass?
It was as a pilgrim two years ago in May, with my grandfather.
Ryunosuke, please kill me here!
Fool!
The sword is the soul! Study the soul to know the sword.
Evil mind, evil sword!
Merciful Buddha...
Fool!
Serizawa!
I promise to kill Kondo!
Serizawa!
Serizawa! Where's Kondo?
Serizawa!
Kill him!
Finish him off!
THE END