Plans and Secrets
Night settles over the Kamiya Dojo, but rest doesn’t come easily. In private, Kenshin and Megumi speak in low voices about what lies ahead. Megumi explains the terrifying hierarchy of the Oniwabanshu, the elite ninja group working for Takeda Kanryu, and warns that they won’t stop until she’s silenced. Kenshin listens carefully, his expression calm yet serious. “Then we’ll have to be ready for them,” he says.
Outside the room, someone sneezes. It’s Kaoru, eavesdropping with all the subtlety of a drum. Before she can make an excuse, Sanosuke catches her and scolds her for spying. Their shouting match fills the hallway. Meanwhile, hidden nearby, Yahiko is also listening in. When he hears that a fight might be coming, he bursts out angrily—upset that no one thought to tell him. “I’m part of this too!” he declares, fists clenched.
Kenshin smiles faintly. “So it seems we’re all involved now.”
The Wall Explodes
Before anyone can respond, the dojo wall explodes inward. The Oniwabanshu have arrived. Three figures step through the smoke—silent, confident, and deadly. The first is massive: Hyottoko, a mountain of muscle with a twisted grin and scorch marks on his clothes.
Sanosuke charges without hesitation, landing a powerful punch to Hyottoko’s stomach—but then staggers back as his leg burns. The brute clenches his teeth, and with a horrific roar, spits fire across the courtyard. The air ignites, heat washing over everyone. Sano narrowly dodges, rolling aside, his right leg scorched.
“Oil,” Kenshin mutters, eyes narrowing. “He’s got a bag of it inside him.”
Megumi, watching from the doorway, freezes in terror. She’d been preparing to flee, thinking these men couldn’t possibly face the Oniwabanshu. But then she sees Kenshin move.
The Flame Cutter
Kenshin steps forward calmly, his sakabato gleaming in the firelight. As Hyottoko breathes another stream of flame, Kenshin spins his blade in a perfect 360-degree arc, dispersing the blaze in an instant. The fire fades into a harmless burst of sparks.
Even Megumi, who had nearly lost hope, can’t hide her awe. “He… cut the fire?” she whispers.
Kaoru, realizing that Megumi was about to escape, grabs her by the wrist. “You’re not going anywhere! They’re fighting for you.”
Megumi stares at the scene—the ruined wall, the burning ground, and Kenshin standing between her and the flames. For the first time, she truly sees the depth of his resolve.
The Oniwabanshu have struck, and the battle for the Kamiya Dojo has just begun.
Final Thoughts
This act captures the perfect blend of comedy, tension, and action that defines Rurouni Kenshin. The calm before the storm—the bickering, the secrets, the playful jealousy—erupts into a full-blown battle when the Oniwabanshu make their entrance.
Hyottoko’s bizarre flame-spitting technique immediately raises the stakes, and Kenshin’s ability to counter it with elegance shows why he’s more than just a fighter—he’s a master of control. Meanwhile, Megumi’s facade begins to crack; beneath her teasing charm lies real fear, and this is the moment she starts trusting her unlikely protectors.
The Oniwabanshu have arrived, and peace at the Kamiya Dojo is about to burn.
All images are personal captures taken from my own physical copy of the manga.