Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe escape the traitor in their ranks but are on the run from assassins of the Conspiracy of Eight. Meanwhile, Gen has a choice to make: to go after the injured Inazuma for her reward or search for Usagi, who is being pursued by a band of killers? Usagi realizes that he, indeed, is carrying Grasscutter, the sword of the gods. Should he deliver it to the Shogun or to its rightful owner, the Emperor, possibly starting a civil war?