List of Samurai Champloo episodes 13-26

In the quiet of the night, a large shipping vessel carrying gold, floats along easily with the current. But the peaceful night is soon broken by the terrified screams of, "Pirates!"

Ramming the larger ship, the pirates barraged their victim boat with fire and arrows. Armed with swords, the pirates boarded and mercilessly killed almost everyone standing in their way, with the exception of one man who they tied to the deck of the ship. As the pirates hefted the crates of gold onto their ship, Mukuro, armed with a grenade, shoves the explosive into the man's mouth and walks away. As the pirate ship sails away, the explosive goes off, giving Mukuro a satisfied smile.

Mugen, Jin and Fuu have decided on taking a shortcut to the ocean. Fuu claims to be exhausted from the trip, but the moment Mugen says that they're close, Fuu is renewed with energy and dashes past them. Brushing past some overgrown bushes, Fuu is amazed by the sight before her. Like a child, she runs out into the sea and plays in the small waves. Mugen and Jin are not far behind, however as Mugen looks around the beach, he sees a familiar face.

Kohza rises from the sand in shock and breaks down crying in front of Mugen and the others. Despite Jin and Fuu's curiosity of the stranger who is crying over Mugen, a net descends upon the trio but only manages to capture Fuu. The band of pirates from earlier make an attempt to capture the others, but they are struck down quickly. Kohza attempts to stop them, but she is pushed away. But the fight is stopped by gunfire, as Mukuro himself steps down from the cliffs. Armed with an old western style revolver, Mukuro heads straight to Mugen and reminds him of their past together as pirates. But Mugen is disturbed by his words and leaves, closely followed by Fuu and Kohza.

Fuu and Jin listen as Kohza explains her past, that she grew up with Mugen and her brother Mukuro on the Ryukyu Islands. She describes the islands as hell, mostly because only criminals lived there. Her surprise that Mugen is alive is illustrated in a flashback, remembering that Mugen had been captured and sentenced to death but he chose to take a dive off of a cliff than face a firing squad. Mukuro challenges Mugen to a type of game of chicken on this cliff and wins, forcing Mugen to help him on his raid.

While Jin and Fuu stare at the burning ship in disbelief, Mugen slowly sinks deeper into the waters as Ikue Asazaki's Obokuri Ēemui plays in the background. He flashes back to a memory of him and Kohza lying on a beach, presumably in Okinawa, staring at the stars. Kohza tells Mugen that she never knew her father, and that Mukuro killed her mother; she also announces her desire to leave "this hell."

Mugen then finds himself again in Nirai Kanai, a mythical realm in Ryūkyūan religion. After protesting that he doesn't want to go yet, he is "rejected" and brought back to life. As Mugen begins to rise to the surface of the ocean, he experiences another flashback: this time with Mukuro. Mukuro attempts to convince Mugen to team up with him to hijack a cargo ship carrying brown sugar, and thus escape from the island, but as usual Mugen refuses to join forces with anyone. Eventually, however, Mukuro prevails upon him to join in the raid. Just as in the previous episode, Mukuro ends up betraying Mugen, leaving him to be captured by the government to face the firing squad, as seen in the previous episode.

Meanwhile, Jin, Kohza, and Fuu are searching frantically for Mugen. Kohza announces her intention to avenge Mugen by killing Mukuro to Jin. A fisherman finds Mugen's body; to Fuu's immense relief he is still alive. Meanwhile, Mukuro and his accomplice—a rather mercenary Shogunate official named Shiren—have hidden the gold from the ship in a location known only to themselves.

Fuu is tending to Mugen; as she is about to leave, Mugen catches her hand and indicates that he is hungry. No sooner has Fuu left to get food than Mugen opens his eyes.

Kohza finds Mukuro sitting on the steps to an abandoned temple. Mukuro tells her that Shiren is waiting inside for her, and she goes in quietly. Mukuro turns back to the path and finds Jin waiting for him. Jin says that he was supposed to be the one to kill Mugen, and attacks Mukuro, dodging the bullets fired at him. Mukuro finally realizes Kohza's treachery and dies, telling Jin that she has fooled them both. Jin suddenly understands and opens the door to the temple. Sure enough, Kohza and Shiren have made off, secure in the knowledge that Jin would kill Mukuro, the only other person to know the location of the gold. Meanwhile, Fuu arrives back at the cabin with food for Mugen, only to find him missing.

On his way back, Jin meets Mugen, who is slowly limping on his way to kill Mukuro. Jin explains (to Mugen's disappointment) that he has already killed Mukuro, and (to Mugen's shock) that Kohza has betrayed them all. Jin implies that he can't kill Kohza, due to the proscriptions of bushido.

While Mugen, Jin, and Fuu are walking down a road headed west, Mugen is further ahead, hitting on a couple of rather attractive girls. One of them mentions a rather scary monster in the forest, and Mugen, after dismissing it as hearsay, steals their food, which earns him a beating. As he recovers, three men come along on the road, and inform the travelers, through a rap, that the monster might be the legendary samurai Yoshitsune. All this time, they are watched by a shady man sitting in a hut. When the three are taking a shortcut through the woods, Mugen sees the so-called monster: a dead bear, shot full of arrows. He and Jin start talking about the monster, and when Jin hints interest in meeting the ghost of Yoshitsune. This causes Fuu to lose her temper, and she accuses them of only going with her because she's cute. The ensuing argument gets so heated that the three of them each go separate ways. Later that night, Mugen is nearly hit by an assassin's arrow. When he sees who shoots the arrow, the assailant asks him if he is from Matsumae-Han. When Mugen shows that he has no idea what that is, the assailant runs away. Jin meets up with one of his former classmates, whom he duels. He escapes by jumping into a waterfall, saying "You can tell your friends that you killed me. I might as well be dead anyway." Fuu, meanwhile, has fallen into a river, and has a flashback in which she is ten years younger, and watches the Sunflower Samurai walk away from her. When she awakens, she is next to a fire, and a man wearing strange clothing sits nearby. He gives Fuu some food, and treats a bruise on her leg with a herbal remedy that he makes in front of her; he identifies himself as Okuru, and tells Fuu of what became of his village. The people were destroyed by an epidemic that only he survived, as he was traveling. He says that he is heading west, and since Fuu is also heading west, she asks to travel with him.

Mugen fights the officials from Matsumae-Han, but when Mugen suggests that he wants to find Okuru, the officials realize that Mugen is not Okuru. Their leader orders the officials to continue their pursuit of Okuru, but Mugen takes one of them prisoner for questioning. In the cave, Okuru tells Fuu that she cannot come with him. He mentions that he killed soldiers and if she travels with him, she will be a fugitive, too. When Okuru learns that Fuu had bodyguards, he suggests that she reunite with them, saying that once you travel with someone, they become like brothers. When Fuu asks if he will always travel alone, Okuru says he is never alone; his wife and daughter are always with him. He tells Fuu to get some sleep. Meanwhile, the official Mugen is interrogating says that Okuru probably went mad from the disease and killed everyone, including his wife, his daughter and the soldiers. Mugen says it's funny, because Okuru didn't look "like a nutjob", but says he will have to take him down. He kicks the official to the ground and tells the official to warn his buddies to stay out of his way. Okuru leaves the cave and Fuu's flying squirrel follows him. Jin is cleaning his sword on the bank of the river, and hears the officials discussing their latest plans to take the head of Okuru. Mugen comes upon Okuru playing music in the forest, meditating upon the events surrounding the death of his wife and daughter. Mugen and Okuru talk briefly about music and Mugen's run-in with the officials. Okuru explains the real story of the death of his family. Mugen tells Okuru that his eyes look like the eyes from the skull of a recently decapitated person. He asks Okuru if he is dead or not and the two prepare for battle. Okuru fires arrows at Mugen, but is unable to strike Mugen with them. Mugen closes, but the officials show up and start firing flaming arrows at the two of them. Both take cover together. Fuu wakes to find that Momo and Okuru are gone. Fuu sees a shadowy figure. Jin hears her scream. As they talk, Jin is attacked by the samurai from the previous episode. Jin identifies him as Yukimaru, who also studied with Jin's master. The two battle, though Jin is reluctant to fight him. Jin stabs Yukimaru, who dies. He tells Jin that he was lying when he said he only wanted to make a name for himself, that he really only wanted to "be you". Jin calls his name one time and finishes him. Jin tells Fuu that Yukimaru was like a brother to him, but that is ancient history to him. The two hear the officials surrounding Mugen and Okuru in the forest nearby. When Fuu hear them mention Okuru, she runs off to help. When Jin asks about Okuru, Fuu mentions she has to help, because he saved her life. Jin tells her she has a strong sense of duty. She replies that, without duty, the world would be a dark place. Okuru tells Mugen that he has to confront the officials. He says that Mugen was right, that maybe he's been dead all these years since his wife died. Fuu sees the officials surround Okuru and Momo flies to her. The leader of the officials mentions he has waited years to bring Okuru's head home with him, and Okuru replies that the leader has no idea what happened in the village. Okuru relates that he returned to the village that the soldiers spared no one, burning the village to the ground, because they were afraid of the disease spreading. That is when Okuru slew the soldiers, and he certainly had nothing to do with the destruction of the village. The leader of the officials say it doesn't matter, that he has his orders. The leader orders his archers to shoot Okuru with flaming arrows. Mugen intervenes, telling the officials that Okuru is his. He creates havoc among the ranks, as Okuru stands with his head bowed as the flames begin to engulf him. The leader calls Okuru a monster and moves to kill him, but is stabbed to death by Okuru. Mugen and Jin continue to fight the officials, finishing them off. Both samurai and Fuu turn to see a fiery Okuru eerily walk towards the edge of the waterfall. Mugen says he's never seen anyone like Okuru before, and says "I know he's still alive. Something in my gut tells me," as a still flaming and dazes seeming Okuru falls over the ledge into the water below.

Uhori of Andouya (Champloo's version of Andy Warhol), begins the episode with a short anachronistic narration, claiming that he was the one to find art of graffiti and that it actually originated during the Edo period.

A man dressed in baggy clothes and a demon mask twirls a paint brush in his hand as he sneaks along leyway. Giving the signal, three other men join him, all carrying paint and other utensils. The group then begins to tag one of the walls in the alleyway.

In typical fashion, Mugen, Jin and Fuu are getting ready to eat. After Fuu orders some griddle cakes, Jin decides on oysters, and after staring at the Menu, so does Mugen. But Fuu is curious, wondering aloud why Mugen keeps ordering the same thing as Jin. It turns out that Mugen can only read one letter of hiragana (Japanese alphabet), no. Mugen believes that one letter is more than enough, but Fuu and Jin begin giggling amongst themselves at Mugen's illiteracy. Mugen then says that reading isn't necessary for living, which causes a reaction from Bundai. Wrenching Mugen into a headlock, Bundai begins lecturing Mugen on the importance of letters while drowning Mugen with alcohol. Eventually, Bundai passes out, and is left to take care of the trio's tab.

Uhori of Andouya has made it into Hiroshima and is captivated by the multi colored graffiti art left behind by the Niwa Brothers raids. Fuu also rushes Jin off on his trip to find Niwa Juunosuke, and attempts to teach Mugen how to read the scribbles that Uohori was staring at. However, her lesson is cut short when Bundai catches sight of Mugen and kidnaps him without Fuu noticing. Bundai proceeds to put Mugen through a humorously bootcamp-like reading course.

Jin has made it to the dojo that he was trying to tell Fuu about, but finds it littered with graffiti and in ruins. As he sits to rest, he is quickly met by a group of taggers that claim the dojo to be their hideout. He quickly disarms the group and has them take him to the Niwa's.

Believing that Mugen simply took off, Fuu manages to wander into an argument between Kazunosuke and Tatsunoshin. The twins have seemingly come into conflict over who is the leader of their tagging gang, but upon sight of Fuu, they start fighting over her. Throwing her all kinds of compliments that make her blush. Their frustration with each other escalates, but eventually the two are interrupted by Jin who look up to him like an older brother.

Jin doesn't understand why the two are fighting. He tells them to work together and help each other, but the brothers don't want any part of that. Jin see's it as hopeless and tells them to settle their dispute with a duel, but the brother's have no intention of killing each other. Apparently the sword has been replaced by graffiti for the Niwa's, and Fuu helps them plan out a competition, with the winner being the one who paints in the most dangerous location. The Niwa's both agree that the prize should be Fuu, making her blush again, and they both ask Jin to be their observer for this competition.

Fuu comments that it is unusual for Jin to just up and intervene in a simple conflict between siblings, but Jin explains that they are really his responsibility. In a flashback, Juunosuke had entrusted Jin with the responsibility of looking after his two son's if anything was to happen to him. Visiting Juunosuke's grave, Jin finds out that Juunosuke had been forced by the fuedal lord to either take down the signboard of his dojo or cut off his own arm. Juunosuke committed suicide in order to keep the dojo for his son's as well as to preserve the honor of the dojo. But the Niwa's were too young and didn't keep the dojo up.

After his reading lessons, Mugen returns to the trio's apartment, where he catches Fuu checking her face in a mirror. Fuu brags that two men are going to fight over her using letters, but the idea catches Mugen's interest.

Police are running through the streets as well as masked taggers. Each place the police run to is covered in graffiti, even the ground they stand on (a bridge) is covered in the scribbles. Even Itsukushima Shrine is covered in graffiti. The police are baffled so much, that they turn to find that they even have graffiti on them. Still, the competition is at a stand still, with each brother claiming victory. But the tie-breaker is announced to be Hiroshima Castle.

Chased across the five floors of Hiroshima Castle and scrambling to the top, the Niwa's are beaten by Mugen, who tags the castle with the infinity symbol, which Mugen has chosen as the written form of his name. The Niwas are actually humbled by Mugen's act, saying that the world is a big place and that there is always someone better. Jin is relieved that they at least learned that much from this experience. After this realization, Uhori of Andouya appears with his enterage stating that he'll buy the graffiti art. But before that, Bundai has stolen the Niwa's away to study, as their letters were written incorrectly. And although they lost to Mugen, the Niwa brothers get their price which wasn't Fuu, but to hold and play with Fuu's squirrel.

As Fuu lights a fire and complains about Mugen & Jin she hears a knock at the door. Thinking it is Mugen & Jin, Fuu answers the door to find it is a young woman being chased by two thugs. After half-destroying the hut and interrogating Fuu, the thugs leave.

Jin and Mugen are waiting in line only to be told to step on a coin with the picture of Jesus. After starting a commotion with the guards they are interrupted by a man who calls himself Xavier III. Fuu reveals the hiding spot of the young woman and starts talking to her and finds that she is called Yuri. Yuri notices the small skull that Fuu carries around and explains to her that it's a good luck charm for underground Christians. The two start talking about the samurai who smells of sunflowers when they are interrupted by the two thugs again who realise that Fuu tricked them and knock out Fuu. When Fuu comes to she explains to Jin & Mugen about Yuri only to have them think that she is lying. Walking around in darkness the trio come to a small village where they take up the chance to stay the night.

Later in the night, Fuu notices a parade of people passing the house and she follows them into a cave. Fuu stumbles upon a mass like gathering with Xavier III giving a sermon to the people that to get into heaven they must produce fire-arms. Fuu is discovered and then thrown into jail. Xavier III then reveals in secret to Yuri that he is just running a scam to get money and try to satisfy his greed and that he aspires to marry Yuri whether she likes it or not. Fuu ties a message to Momo and then sends it to Mugen & Jin when Yuri is thrown into her cell. The two start talking about the samurai who smells of sunflowers and the island that the christians have taken refuge on.

Momo flies in through the window and crashes into Mugen who doesn't realise it as Fuu's flying squirrel. After fighting off the town officials they force them into taking them to Xavier III's hideout.

Just as Xavier III & Yuri are about to be married Fuu interrupts the ceremony stating her objections to the marriage. Just as Xavier III is about to shoot them, Mugen & Jin barge in and yell out Xavier III's plan to sell fire-arms. A shoot-out then begins and after the cross falls on Xavier III, his false nose falls off to reveal to the crowd that he is actually Japanese. As the crowd turn on him, Yuri aims a gun at Xavier who then picks up a cannon like gun and tries to fire at Yuri. When it does not fire, he inspects it when it backfires into his face.

This episode starts by showing Jin and Sara fighting where the last episode ended. Sara lands slashes on Jin's arm and leg. Jin, wounded, cuts the bridge out of desperation and they both fall into the river.

Then it shows Fuu and Mugen in town they talk about waiting for Jin to come back but Mugen says he is already gone. A man comes running into town and shouts that the bridge has gone out. Mugen and Fuu run to check the bridge and arrive just in time to see Sara pulled from the water.

Sara and Mugen sit in the hut and Mugen talks about Jin. Sara leaves and tells Mugen to find her at the riverbank. Mugen goes to meet at the riverbank and Mugen and Sara get into a fierce battle.

Sara quickly gains the upper hand and wounds Mugen. Mugen is beaten and falls into the water. Sara is about to kill him when Fuu throws herself on him, crying. Sara hesitates, and then walks away from the battle letting Mugen live.

It then Flashes to Jin who is in the house of a local fisherman. he tests Jin several times and then when he asks his name tells him he is the famous swordsman Miyamato Musashi. The fisherman immediately revokes the claim, stating that he was joking, and that his real name is "Johnny".

In town Sara when talking to the shogunate how has hired her finally realises the truth about her son. During this time Jin returns to the hut to see Mugen and Fuu. Soon Mugen leaves to go fight Sara once again. Having gained a better grasp of what it is that allows Sara to fight despite her blindness, the battle is more even this time. However, the true victor will never be known, as Sara averts her own fatal blow and allows Mugen to strike her-- she has come to the realisation that the son for whom all her battles have been fought has most likely been dead for many years. Mugen is furious, but there is nothing that can be done. He throws Sara's weapon in frustration, as we cut to the final credits.

A tremendous asteroid floats through the darkness of outerspace as the narrator states that, "Long ago, the stars that glittered in the sky were a vital set of guidepost's used by travelers everywhere. These heavenly bodies were believed to be immortal, and so because of this belief that whenever meteors or comets were to fall from the sky without warning, they were feared as sinister omens. Some believed that if anyone saw a star falling from the sky before them, terrible luck lay in store for them."

Fuu manages to see a shooting star as Mugen finds a mushroom, the mushrooms are apparently worth a lot of money, but Jin and Mugen don't care and gorge themselves. As Fuu tells them that they should have been wary of mushrooms, the ground beneath Fuu collapses as she drags Mugen and Jin with her into a mine shaft. In the mine, Fuu runs into two strange people and is startled by their appearance, Mugen cuts the arm off of one of them as they run away.

Emerging from the mine shaft, the trio finds themselves in the middle of a massive excavation. Apologizing and handing back the man's arm, Mugen brushes off the fact that he reattaches his arm as if that were normal. Atop a nearby rock mound, the trio is introduced to Shige, who is believed to be a descendant of the Heike. Shige tells them that they have been digging for five years to find the lost treasure of the Heike, and offers the trio a part of the massive fortune that they are trying to excavate if they lend their help in trying to find the incredible treasure.

The work is back breaking and tough, combined with a gloomy and run down atmosphere and the only food being wasabi, it would be intolerable if not for the promise of fortune. Fuu also suspects the strange people helping Shige, almost like they're dead or rotting. She even overhears an odd conversation between two workers referring to the continuing rule of Emperor Genji, who died hundreds of years previously. Fuu becomes even more suspicious when she sees two men who were apparently crushed to death walking around as if nothing had happened.

As the massive asteroid approaches the earth's atmosphere, Mugen and Jin have collapsed behind their small house from sickness and hunger. Fuu runs away from them in paranoia and finds herself in a graveyard. Jin, troubled by a nagging suspicion over Shige's lineage chart, rouses Mugen and himself to further examine it. While Jin and Mugen are puzzling over the family tree of the Heike, Fuu's suspicions are confirmed in gruesome fashion as Shige summons the dead to rise from their graves. She flees in panic, running back to the shed, only to find Mugen and Jin eating wasabi, as if they, too, had become zombies. Caught between the two, Fuu faints. Shige arrives and decides that the trio know too much and must therefore die. Mugen tries to fend off the attacking workers, but is also nonplussed as each zombie he strikes down rises up again. Even Shige takes Mugen's best, saved from total decapitation by a single flap of skin, and then effortlessly reattaching his head as if nothing had happened.

Mugen is overwhelmed by the dead as Fuu tries to get Shige to listen to reason, telling him that Genji and Heike have been dead for centuries, that they are now living in the Edo period, and that they haven't been digging for only 5 years, but 500 years. Shige tries to laugh this off, until Jin comes forth with the family tree of the Heike and shows Shige that he really isn't a descendant of the Heike after all, and that he has wasted his and everyone else's time with this dig.

Seeing the angry group of zombies closing in on him, Shige tries to plead with them, but to no avail; however, the outcome becomes moot as the massive meteor crashes directly into the excavation site, creating a large mushroom cloud of destruction.

In the distance, a man and a young boy observe the cloud. This is in fact a cameo appearance by Ogami Ittō and Daigoro from the famous samurai manga Lone Wolf and Cub. There is an extra sequence in the credits, that shows Shige re-emerging from his grave.

Sakami Manzou starts up this episode with another futuristic narration, this time about the sport of baseball. Currently, Japanese players have enjoyed a lot of success in the American Major League but the first Japanese players weren't just playing to succeed. They were playing for the sake of the whole country.

The trio has stopped in a restaurant for some food. Fuu looks over a map as Jin tells her that they are currently in Saga, and that it won't be much longer till they reach Ikitsuki Island. As they look over the map a little more, their order comes but it is much more food than they can pay for. However Mugen stresses that it'll all be fine, and that he's got it covered. At first, Fuu is skeptical of Mugen's confidence, but Jin is already chowing down.

After their meal, Jin asks Mugen if he's sure everything is alright. Mugen replies, "Sure!" But soon after saying this, Mugen jumps into his geta, sets himself up like an Olympic runner and dashes away as fast as he can. The cooks give chase and surround the shocked Jin and bloated Fuu. As Mugen appears to be out of reach, Kagemaru drops out of a tree and throws a baseball at Mugen's head, knocking him to the ground. Mugen burst's up from the ground enraged and throws the ball with all his might, although his throw is inaccurate, the ball destroys a nearby pagoda. This impresses Kagemaru, and he asks Mugen if he wants to play baseball.

Back at the restaurant, Kagemaru makes the trio a deal. Play a game of baseball with him, or work in the restaurant for a month to pay off the bill. Explaining the basic idea of the game, he tells them of the circumstances behind this event, that he challenged a group of Americans to a game of baseball:

He gives a slightly negetive yet humorous account of an American ship docking in a Japanese port. Hoping to establish a trading agreement, the Americans fire off cannons to demand who is in charge. The Americans introduce themselves as Admiral Joy Cartwright, the commander of the US East Fleet, and the translator as Abner Doubleday. An elderly man steps forward, asking them to leave. To which Cartwright replies, " that!" and fires off cannons in the background. The Americans demand a trading relationship, or else there may be a war; however upon sight of Kagemaru's baseball, the Americans seem to forget about the trading relationship and become more focused on Kagemaru's challenge.

Mugen and the others agree to participate in the baseball game. The narrator decides to skip past most of trio learning how to play baseball as it wasn't particularly interesting. However, Manzou the Saw does try to sneak his way onto the American ship.

Game day. The Game itself only lasts one inning, but it is packed with humorous moments and a guest appearance from Manzou, who acts as if he is the classic home run hitter Babe Ruth. However, most of the players on the Japanese team are "killed" before the bottom of the first. Leaving only Kagemaru and Mugen standing. After the "death" of Kagemaru, Mugen destroys the American team with his fastball, and leaves homeplate in a wreck. With the victory of the Japanese team, as there is no one left to play for the Americans, they are forced to leave.

Kagiya Kagetoki is at work in his flower garden. A councilor and an assistant appear to speak with him. The councilor mentions that they are in a race against time, that the criminal from the Ryukyus, Mugen, and the ronin who betrayed the Muju dojo are about to make contact with Seizo Kasumi. The councilor goes on to say that this cannot happen before they round up the remnants of the Shimbara Rebellion. Kagiya gives a lesson about gardening and how that applies to life, and then announces he will intervene personally. The councilor's assistant doubts that Kagiya cannot handle the situation, because all he does is tend his garden all day. The councilor replies that his assistant is young, too young to known that Kagiya is the kenjutsu master known as the Hand of the Gods. He tends his garden all day because there is no worthy opponent for him.

Mugen, Jin and Fuu are sitting around a campfire at night. They discuss their proximity to Nagasaki. Fuu discusses how little they know one another and suggests each reveal a secret they have never told one another before. When Mugen asks what's up with Fuu, Jin replies she's being sentimental, a female emotion discovered in Western Europe. Mugen goes first. He relays that he was in a fight on the road once with an old geezer who showed him the Shogun's crest. Mugen mentions that he killed the old man anyway. Jin mentions that his parents died when he was young and he was raised in the Muju Shin Kenjutso dojo. He did nothing but train and soon none of the other children could match him. He was shunned by the other children. His master understood his skill, but Jin was forced to bear the shame of killing his master and was driven from the dojo. He has been traveling on the road every day since, in search of something, but having no idea what that is. He explains that perhaps he is simply running away. Fuu mentions that she and her mother lived by themselves. She believed her father had died, but her mother explained on her deathbed that Fuu's father was still alive somewhere. He left when Fuu was very young. Fuu's mother seemed at peace with this, but Fuu was not. She decided she was going to find him and "slug him one" for her mother. She had never worked up the courage until the two of them came along. When they showed up, she realized she might have the courage. She thanks the two of them for sticking with her.

Later, Fuu is sitting at the water's edge. Jin asks her what she will do after she finds the Sunflower Samurai. She says she does not know, but should think about it more. When Jin implies that they should perhaps stay together as a couple, Fuu says she doesn't want to think about it right now, and implies that if they did stay together, Mugen would be angry. She tells Jin she's sorry and asks forgiveness, and clutches him as she begins crying. Mugen is seen awake near the campfire, listening to what is transpiring.

Three outlaws appear to be tracking someone. They are Umanosuke, a man with an eyepatch and a kusarigama who appears to be the leader; Denkibou, the youngest of the three, who appears to be a skilled tracker and to be impatient for revenge; and Toube, who appears confined to a rudimentary wheelchair. The three ask a man walking down the road who might have set the campfire they have spotted. They guy tells them he does not know and says they don't like outsiders around these parts. Umanosuke uses the blade on his kusarigama to decapitate the man.

The three protagonists reach the city and get some food. When they reach the docks to arrange passage to the nearby island, Fuu asks Jin and Mugen to buy her a souvenir while she hires a boat. They go to buy the souvenir, but find a rock instead of coins in the money purse she hands them. They also find a note she wrote them. The note says that Fuu feels too reliant on the two of them, that she enjoyed the conversation at the campire and that she wishes the trip could go on forever, but wants to make the final leg of the journey on her own. She leaves castella cakes as a gift and urges them not to kill one another in their long-awaited duel. Before Fuu gets on the boat, she sees a Kagiya. She wonders if he is the Sunflower Samurai, but dismisses the thought. Mugen and Jin eat their cake on the docks in silence.

The three outlaws appear at the restaurant that Mugen's group ate at. Umanosuke asks about Mugen. Denkibou intimidates the owner of the restaurant, who confirms that the group was there. They warn the owner not to tell anyone of their appearance. When he walks outside suspiciously, Denkibou appears to strike him down.

Fuu reaches a village on the island. She begins to ask the villagers about Seizo Kasumi, but the villagers seem scared to tell her anything. She helps a child get a toy out of a tree. The mother pulls the child away, but tells Fuu where to find Seizo, in a house on the north cape. Fuu gets to the north cape, only to encounter the three outlaws who are searching for Mugen. They tell her she is going to die and Umanosake swings his weapon in a threatening fashion.

The episode begins with Kariya Kagetoki drawing his sword. Mugen remarks that the fight will be interesting and attacks first, but soon realizes Kariya is too fast for him. Kariya says that Mugen's unpredictability isn't enough for Bujutsu and that relying on instinct only limits the fighter. Offended, Mugen lunges towards Kariya again and seemingly passes through Kariya, as if he were a ghost. With Mugen noticeably astounded, Kariya pushes Mugen down a riverbank with the hilt of his sword and focuses his attention on Jin. He wants Jin to demonstrate Mujuushin Kenjutsu, the very skills that killed Jin's former master, leading Jin to realize that Kariya is a part of the Shogunate.

Meanwhile, on the island, Fuu attempts to escape from the three brothers, who are taking their time pursuing her. Umanosuke hurls his Kusarigama at the surrounding sunflowers near Fuu, essentially cutting them all down. Fuu, realizing that escape is futile, drops to her knees. Umanosuke knocks her out.

Kariya is now fighting both Jin and Mugen, easily overtaking both men due to his sword skills and his proficiency with his usage of ki. Soon in to the fight, Denkibou (the youngest of the brothers who kidnapped Fuu), arrives to inform Mugen of Fuu's situation. Mugen must leave immediately to save her life. He's hesitant, however, to leave the current battle with Kariya. Jin, remembering Fuu's words from the previous episode, urges Mugen to save Fuu. Mugen hops on the next boat to Fuu's island and warns Jin not to die. Alone at last, Kariya remarks now they can have a proper battle. Jin asks how Kariya knew that he was from the Mujuushin dojo. Kariya answers that if it weren't for Jin, Kariya would have been a part of it himself. The scene cuts to a flashback between a younger Jin and Mariya Enshirou, who informs the former that the dojo will now be training under the Shogunate. Young Jin is troubled by the news because of his opinion that the Shogunate is corrupt. The present time Jin quickly realizes that Kariya the man who ordered Mariya to kill his own pupil. Mariya attempted to murder Jin in his sleep, but Jin overpowered his master and to his horror, killed him. So either way, Kariya comments, Jin's fate is to die under Kariya's hands.

Denkibou sneaks onto Mugen's boat and declares that it's impossible to wait when the man he wants to kill the most is standing in front of him. Mugen has trouble with Denkibou due to the lack of open space there is on the boat. The boat is overturned with both passengers falling in the water. Denkibou attacks again, with Mugen dodging most of his blows, until Denkibou tries to stab Mugen with his bladed fist. Mugen stops it with his palm with the blades going directly through it and impales Denkibou with his sword. Meanwhile, Jin asks Kariya why he would submit himself as a Shogunate lapdog. Kariya reveals that because the age of the Samurai is coming to an end, he's actually using his superiors to gain power for himself. Their fight restarts; Jin dodges Kariya's swipes but his glasses are knocked off. Kariya states that their fight will be very close, with Jin losing. Jin cannot sense any noticeable weaknesses with Kariya and fears that in one blow, he will die. Both Kariya and Jin attack each other at the same time.

Mugen finally arrives on the island. Fuu dreams of her father in the sunflower fields and abruptly wakes up. She is tied to a pole with Umanosuke and Toube. She tells them that Mugen is someone who kills recklessly and doesn't care about the hostage. Umanosuke laughs and replies that maybe it's pointless to keep her alive then. He repeatedly jabs at her to the point where Fuu vomits blood. Umanosuke assures Fuu that he won't kill her, but he will hurt her. They take delight in the fact that Mugen showed up, but Mugen doesn't recognize any of them. Umanosuke says that although Mugen's forgotten, they (the brothers) will never forget until their deaths. Umanosuke explains that he and their brothers were guarding a ship that Mugen and Mukuro attacked. Mugen cut Toube's leg off (which leads to his confinement in a wheelchair) and caused Toube's muteness. Umanosuke further points out that the three brothers were held responsible for the siege and their collective dreams of becoming an officer were crushed. Mugen gives up his sword for Fuu's freedom. She's reluctant to go but Mugen reassures her that he will not die.

Umanosuke strikes Mugen with the blunt side of his kusarigama. As he tries to reach his sword, Umanosuke strikes him again. As Mugen lies on the floor, his attacker uses the handle of his weapon to crush Mugen's hand on the floor. Umanosuke continues to taunt Mugen as he torments him.

Fuu comes to the house of Seizo Kasumi. Seizo's retainer tells Fuu to go away. Then he recognizes Fuu and goes inside to get the consent of Seizo to allow her entrance.

Umanosake tells Mugen he will learn to live with disgrace, like he and his brothers have. Mugen calls him a name and says that he's lived with every kind of disgrace. He tells Umanosake to shut up and get over it, whereupon Umanosuke tries to finish him off. Mugen pulls a small dagger and throws it at his enemy, but it misses. This move allows Mugen to grab his sword.

Seizo allows Fuu to enter. He is on his deathbed and he appears to be going blind. Fuu tells her story to him. She mentions she denies she has a father and that she won't forgive him for the suffering she and her mother went through. She mentions she meant to belt him one, but she can't do anything with him so sick. Fuu mentions it isn't fair. She walks out of the house and has a flashback to her childhood, to a time when she was praying for her father.

Umanosuke swings the chain portion of his kusarigama at Mugen, though Mugen is barely able to avoid being struck.

Seizo's retainer is sitting outside with Fuu, explaining to her about Seizo. Suddenly, the two of them see Kariya Kagetoki walking slowly and menacingly down the road. The retainer asks who he is. He walks past them into the house without saying a word. Fuu sees his swords and yells for him to wait. Seizo's retainer grabs her to keep from running after her father's assassin.

Umanosuke and Mugen fights. Umanosuke continues striking various portions of the edifice, and Mugen continues to evade hits. He runs away from Umanosuke.

Kariya tells Seizo he has come from the Shogun to take his life. Seizo says he is as good as dead anyway. Kariya asks if he has any last words. Seizo asks Fuu's forgiveness, saying that a day has not passed without his thinking for Fuu and her mother. Kariya strikes him as Fuu watches on in horror.

Umanosuke appears to be growing frustrated with Mugen, and begins to sling the chain, and slices two more pillars. The ceiling of the structure caves in.

Kariya turns to Fuu and the retainer, saying he has fulfilled the first half of his order, adding that he must now finish off all family members and retainers. The old retainer begs Kariya not to harm him, but Kariya appears to stab him in the gut, and the old man falls to the ground. Fuu flees the area.

Meanwhile, nothing but a red cross remains in the collapsed structure. Mugen and Umanosuke dig themselves out of the rubble in different parts of the room. Mugen runs down the beach, while Umanosuke continues to swing his bladed chain at him. Mugen runs at his opponent, saying, "This is where you die," but his sword stick into the sand. Umanosuke pulls his sword, as the chain of the kusarigama wraps around Mugen's sword. Mugen grabs Umanosuke with his legs, though this move is quickly turned against Mugen. As he clutches for his weapon, the blade of the kusarigama flies at Umanosuke and decapitates him.

Fuu flees to a cape overlooking the water. Fuu sees Mugen below her on the beach. Kariya tells Fuu that he's glad she fleds to this spot, so she can fall to her death, taking her own life like the daughter of a samurai should.

Mugen struggles to stand, with blood all over his left side. From behind, Toube shoots Mugen with a gun mounted on his wheelchair. Blood begins to form in Mugen's right abdomen. Mugen turns to face Toube and calls him a name.

Fuu sees Jin walking up behind Kariya. She calls out his name. Jin and Kariya face off again. Kariya reminds Jin that he earlier said that no lord is worth fighting for. Jin agrees, saying he's fought only for himself his entire life, until now. Jin has a flashback to a time when his master showed him a dreaded move. This move would open a samurai to a fatal blow, but would leave an opening that would allow a swordsmen also to kill his opponent. The master tells Jin if at all possible, never use the technique, for it is not likely he will survive. Returning to the present, Jin says to himself that he always gets the short end of the stick. Jin and Kariya have swordplay, then Jin appears to be stabbed. Kariya looks at him from behind, then realizes he, too, has been struck. Kariya tells Jin that he can't believe Jin left himself open for attack. Kariya dies. At this moment, Fuu looks down to the beach to see an explosion in the scene that follows.

Mugen struggles towards Toube, who is lighting an explosive. Mugen kicks the bottom of Toube's wheelchair, but this only causes numerous sticks of explosives to fall out of the bottom of it. Mugen looks in horror. There is an explosion where Toube and Mugen are.

Mugen finds himself lying on the ground staring at a bright sky. Men stand around Mugen and he says, "You guys, again." He mentions he can't move and suggests he is dying. Suddenly, a bird appears to carry Mugen's dying body into the bright sky. He hears someone call out his name. It is Fuu.

Mugen is lying on the floor. Fuu is sitting with him, crying. Mugen tells Fuu, "It's only you. I though you were the angel of death." Fuu mentions all she does is cry anymore about other people, and mentions the irony that she was trying to make it on her own. Mugen asks if she finally met the Sunflower Samurai. Mugen sees Jins struggling to his feet and does the same. Both hold their swords up to one another. The two wounded samurai stand to settle their old feud. Mugen says, "A promise is a promise. You and I have some unfinished business." Jin replies, "You are right, for once." The two move to strike at one another, Fuu looks away and the two samurais' swords break on one another. The two agree they are a sorry sight, and both fall over unconscious.

Seizo's retainer and Fuu stand at Seizo's grave. The retainer explains that Seizo left Fuu and her mother in order to protect them from the Shogunate, who were determined to hunt down Seizo for his Christian beliefs. Fuu mentions she remembered her father as tall and strong, but he seemed so small and frail, though she knew instantly he was her father.

Jin wakes up and asks Mugen if he's awake. Mugen replies that he is. Both are confused as to their whereabouts, and Jin says he could be wrong, but they don't seem to be in Hell. Mugen confides in Jin that every time before when he met someone tougher than him, he couldn't rest until he killed the guy, but he has no desire to kill Jin. Jin mentions that he has found what he's searching for all this time. Jin mentions that Fuu and Mugen are his first friends. Fuu and the old man enter the house. The old man mentions that Mugen and Jin have been asleep for nearly an entire week. Mugen mentions he's starving.