We look the same, but men call us monsters. If we shadows, which lurk between eras, are destined to die, then I shall fall with the cherry blossoms. Then, I shall fall with the cherry blossoms.
Oh, dear...
Who's there?!
Perhaps, now, your treason will be revealed.
Damn you—
Hello again, Suruga-sama.
Wh-Who are you?
Oh, my. Have you forgotten me?
Suruga-sama, it is I.
J-Joujin...
E-Everyone, come here! Intruder!
I won't let you fool me again.
I will never...
Suruga-sama,
first, put away your sword and sit.
We might be talking for a while.
I was a fool...
It was only a moment,
but your honeyed words deceived me.
And I thought to take my brother's place as ruler.
I never spoke to you of anything as simple
as becoming ruler of Japan.
What?
I told you to become a god who rules.
The forest... The forest moved!
You said that my wish would come true, unless the forest moved...
But it did!
Those were mere monkeys.
Just groups of monkeys that were seeking a new place to live.
You know this.
You slew so many of them.
The moving forest was simply a fantasy of yours.
Tadanaga-sama, get a hold of yourself.
Such weakness will only put you in danger.
I cannot have a man who wanted to be a god feeling such things.
A god commands, and all the laws of this world change.
Suruga-sama, that is what you must be! A god!
But a man cannot become a god...
Was there not such a one?
A man who became as close to a god as one could be.
Oda Kazusanosuke Nobunaga-sama!
The Butterfly Dances
When I see you in my dreams,
it seems it is because
you are telling me to die for love.
The hell you saw was no illusion.
It is real.
It is the true hell.
There are too many.
Rui ran this way, right?
I think so.
Let's go.
Yeah.
Well done, Utsutsu...
Do you think you can learn anything?
I'll have to take a closer look.
This is fascinating, though.
Those girls are crazy.
They almost put themselves in danger.
Then you came back at the perfect time.
I thought we'd never bathe together again.
Indeed, it's strange.
They called themselves the Rain.
Who are they?
The Rain?
A group of brigands who attacked us.
Well, regardless,
you and Namenba saved us, this time.
You owe us.
Yeah. I promise to repay you.
It's getting cold... Let's go.
Hey...
I'm going back.
An illusion...
I want you to show me one of your illusions.
Something so pretty, no one has ever seen it.
I'm sorry.
The only illusions I can show are of hell...
The endless hell that comes after the end of the world.
It is an awful technique.
And?
Head straight back.
High Priest Tenkai?
This is Namenba.
She saved Princess Sen, granddaughter of His Divine Lordship Ieyasu,
from the burning Osaka Castle.
During the Osaka Summer Campaign.
Namenba, do you know me?
Yes.
To borrow the words of the man hiding in the rafters,
you are His Holiness Nankoubou Tenkai.
The most trusted councilor of Lord Ieyasu.
You were deeply involved in the Houkouji bell's naming
that led to the Osaka War.
And Tenkai asked for help defeating the Joujinshuu?
I guess so.
You want us, the Iga, to help defeat the Joujinshuu?
Joujin is trying to end Tokugawa rule...
No, the peaceful era that has finally come...
to return us to the civil wars.
This must not be allowed to happen.
But you're aware that he and his men will not be easy to deal with.
Indeed.
Will you put aside our differences,
to fight with me, for the sake of all?
The Divine Lord Ieyasu did not unite Japan
merely for the sake of his own ambition...
It was for the sake of all people.
Jeez, you wouldn't believe the crap that stupid priest said.
Sounds like a crafty old man.
Interesting, I suppose.
Thanks, come again.
I'll take dumplings and tea.
Sure, coming up—
Shichigen!
Make 'em piping hot.
We met at Takasaki, in Kouzuke.
At Tadanaga-sama's residence.
What was Hachirou doing there?
Tadanaga-sama called him there.
He told Hachirou to crush the Joujinshuu.
And what was the reply?
"Hell, no."
And so, they attacked with rifles.
Mere samurai can't best Hachirou and our techniques.
We killed many.
Where's Hachirou?
He said he isn't coming back.
He'll finish this himself.
Right now, there's no point in thinking about Hachirou anymore.
Let's just be glad we found out where he is.
Hibiki, forget him.
Hey, who are you?
I'm Ishi Saizou, one of the Five Treasures of Kouga.
Got a problem?
What?
That's right.
If that's here, he'll certainly...
Indeed.
Our current job
is to learn more about that castle before Hachirou's return.
Agreed?
Indeed.
But the Rain... What do we do about them?
I will go.
Times like these...
are what I'm here for.
Your technique really is amazing.
Don't worry.
I promise that I'll protect you.
Who is that man?
I've seen him somewhere before.
Damn, I can't remember.
How are you feeling, Kazusanosuke-sama?
Oda Nobunaga?
He died in the flames at Honnouji...
That was close...
Let's go. Hurry.
They're persistent.
Paddle harder, or you'll be caught in it, too.
Go.
Is it okay, leaving it to her alone?
She isn't alone.
This is pretty useful.
It seems the weak ones have begun to stir.
They must be quite surprised by the appearance of the Murakumo.
And there are more surprises in store...
Who are they?
The soldiers of Kishuu.
It seems I'd do best to hurry.
Preview
The twentieth year of Keichou.
The Iga ninja Namenba of Otoshi
saves Oichi no Kata from Osaka Castle, shortly before it falls.
The war in which this occurs will later be called The Osaka Summer Campaign.
The Heavenly Robe Sees Carnage