Hoji plans an attack of Aoiya at night using a secret unit, the Owl Clan, in order to capture Okina and catch a hint of Kenshin's whereabouts, but instead the Owl Clan were the ones defeated. Okina challenges Aoshi to a battle via a member of the clan whom he sent back to Shishio's location. 

Kenshin undergoes training so that he can learn the ultimate technique. He barely manages to get in a hit against Seijuro in a bout, where he then learns "Kuzuryuusen,"a powerful technique that launches nine slashes at the same time. Kenshin learns to see through Seijuro's swift sword movements and masters "Kuzuryuusen" by looking at it only once. However, the technique was only born out of the process of passing down the ultimate technique, "Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki" of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu.