The Abandoned Village Kenshin refuses to tell Misao about the Oniwaban's fates, which enrages the young girl. After seeing how determined she is to meet Shinomori again, Kenshin allows her to follow him on the way to Kyoto. As Sanosuke, Yahiko, and Kaoru continue their different travels to Kyoto, Kenshin finds a dying man with an unconscious boy, who begs Kenshin to grant him his final wish of saving his village, Shingetsu, from Shishio's forces. Following the man's death, the young boy claims that the Meiji Government abandoned the village and Kenshin decides to protect it, especially since one of Shishio's men, Senkaku is corrupting it. Upon his arrival to Shingetsu, Kenshin finds two bloodied bodies hanging, which causes Eiji to scream in horror as he recognizes them as his parents. As Senkaku's men start fighting Kenshin, Saito arrives and saves Misao and Eiji from another assassin.