Soujirou and Shishio wait for the winner. If Kenshin is the winner, Soujirou will have a chance to fight with him again. If Aoishi wins, Shishio will kill him.

Kenshin tells Aoishi that the overwhelming guilt of causing his comrades' death is ruining him. Deep down, he knows it very well. Aoishi wants Kenshin to shut up but Kenshin wouldn't despite the injuries he is receiving. Aoishi's actions are not going to let them die in peace. He must face the reality that nothing he does will bring them back. Sanosuke is very concerned on how long can Kenshin take it. The toll of the battle will affect the next fight.

Aoishi strikes, Kenshin catches the sword with his bare hand. He tells Aoishi about Misao being the leader of the Oniwabashi. A young girl at the age of 16 is carrying such harsh responsibilities on her shoulders. She needs him and he has to wake up from his obsession. Aoishi has a flashback of his friends (Shikijo, Hyottoko, Beshimi and Hannya) being shot down by the ratting gun one by one. He pushes Kenshin away. The memory of his 4 dead comrades remains in his mind.

However, this is the only way he could live with himself. Aoishi turns, his eyes looking different. Kenshin senses that the real Aoishi Shinomori has returned. Both men prepare for the final strike. Aoishi dedicates the fight to his friends in hopes to honour them. No matter what the outcome is. Sanosuke could feel the tense atmosphere and sweat drips from his face. He could hardly breathe. Then he hears a tapping sound. He looks up and sees Ayumi using the Morse code machine. He tries to warn Kenshin.

Both men strike.

Kenshin remember Hiko and Kaoru's words. Using the Ama Kakeru Ryuu No Hirameki, Kenshin sends Aoishi flying. A very deep scar appears across his chest. Ayumi and Sanosuke are stunned beyond words. Hoji informs this to Shishio. But there is one problem, Ayumi was not able to see it. Shishio finds this information very important.

Aoishi is breathing heavily but he is relieved. A great weight has been removed from his shoulders. What was the technique? Kenshin tells him. Aoishi advises him to be careful when using it. The impact of that technique should have affected Kenshin as well. Sanosuke destroys the Morse code machine and carries Ayumi off. They have to hurry. Aoishi closes his eyes. Kenshin has kept his promise and he will do the same. He hopes that he will be forgiven for trying to kill Okina.

At Kyoto, Saizuchi and Fuji burn down the police headquarters. At Aoiya, Yahiko warns Misao to be wary of Kamatari who seems to be more than who she is, even though she is lot prettier than Kaoru and Misao. Both girls fall into a mini cat fight on who's the prettiest. Kamatari comments on Yahiko's perceptiveness. Maybe, with training, he could be a great fighter. Why don't he join her? No way (says Yahiko), with all that saucy talking, don't tell me it's the training that changes a man to a woman.... Huh? ... Everybody stare at Kamatari (wide eyes and white faces). Kamatari is .... a ....man!

Yahiko then suggests that Kaoru help Misao against Kamatari while he deals with Henya. Kaoru is unwilling that it seems like that they don't have much of a choice. Henya gives a sigh of disgust. He wants to fight with the legendary Battousai not a boy. Yahiko taunts him. He is the closest to Kenshin since he has been studying his fighting techniques. Is Henya afraid to fight with a boy?

Henya agrees to fight Yahiko. He leaps high up in the sky, revealing his 'wings'. He is Henya, the winged warrior of the Juppongatana. There is no known technique to fight against a man who fights from the sky. He throws a bomb. The explosion blows Yahiko away. Before he could recover quickly, Henya throws down another.