Sanosuke is beginning to recover from the wounds inflicted by Saito, but Kenshin's mind is greatly disturbed. Akamatsu, another assassin hired by the same man who is paying Saito fights Kenshin by drawing him out but loses to Kenshin while Saito arrives at the dojo using his status as a policeman to gain entrance. Kenshin and Saito begin to fight, despite Kaoru's attempt to stop them as she begs Kenshin not to revert to his Battousai persona.