Episode Title:
Led of Destiny.
Episode Description:
The man that was waiting outside asking for Kondou and Hijikata is Saitou Hajime, who has come to join his friends in the Roshigumi. Meanwhile, Ryunosuke goes into the city to buy Serizawa more sake and runs into some ronin making a scene. They stole a man's money in front of his child and Ryunosuke tries stepping in to save the day. However, once the ronin take out their katana, Ryunosuke's fear is apparent and he tries to flee only to trip as Shinpachi, Sanosuke and Heisuke arrive. However, with the bystanders thinking it was a dispute between ronin, Sanosuke and Shinpachi report this to Kondou as he Hijikata are resolve to start making a name for themselves by patrolling the city. Saitou and Ryunosuke learn about the Honjou Inn incident. Because of this incident, it seems that it put a large rift between Serizawa and the others. Serizawa's violent temper is revealed as more extreme. Kondou and the others go to the city in order to protect the Shogun, but there are so many people around that they cannot actually protect the Shogun like they had intended. They run and follow the Shogun to the bridge and watch from afar and they all form the resolve that next time they will be able to protect the Shogun properly. Meanwhile, Serizawa meets with Koudou Yukimura and is given a red potion, the Water of Life, which will allow them to be sponsored by the Bakufu. Ryunosuke is cleaning when he sees a child run by crying and saying that he's frightened. Okita and Ryunosuke walk over to where the boy came from and are met with Shinpachi and Saitou standing there, covered in blood with fierce looks on their faces.
