#imanotsurugi

Year 1189. Minamoto no Yoshitsune was betrayed by Fujiwara no Yasuhira, with all but one of his men slaughtered. Yoshitsune and Benkei valiantly fight against Yasuhira's men, but they are overwhelmed, so Yoshitsune orders Benkei to burn the residence down, while he commits seppuku. Benkei promises to protect him with his life, and Yoshitsune promises they will meet again in the next world, and the world after that. As Yoshitsune slices his throat, a confused voice asks: "Lord Yoshitsune? Hey, Lord Yoshitsune? What's going on?"

At Honmaru, Kashuu Kiyomitsu is appointed by the Saniwa to be the captain of the first unit. Kashuu's happiness quickly turns to exasperation as he learns who will be his teammates: Imanotsurugi, Ishikirimaru, Kogitsunemaru, Mikazuki Munechika and the recently smithed Iwatooshi. Kashuu points that, strategically, this team makes no sense, and that the Sanjos are known eccentrics, but the Saniwa reassures that he trusts him to handle them.

Meanwhile, Kogitsunemaru and Mikazuki are on field duty. Kogitsunemaru plows the field as ordered, while Mikazuki doesn't really know how to use a hoe, so he just plays around. Kogitsunemaru worries about how Imanotsurugi and Iwatooshi will react to going to Atsukashiyama, where their former masters met their ends, but he trusts the Saniwa's judgement. Mikazuki says that the Saniwa might be laughing at them instead, but clarifies that he is just joking.

Ishikirimaru finds Iwatooshi and Imanotsurugi play-fighting and informs them about the next mission. Imanotsurugi gets a flashback to Yoshitsune's death, but quickly snaps out of it and runs to Kashuu, with worried Iwatooshi following behind. Poor Kashuu does his best to not lose his cool around the too-relaxed Sanjos and briefs them about the mission: they are going to Atsukashiyama, with Yoshitsune being the likely target of HRA. With everyone ready, the team finally departs.

In the past, Minamoto no Yoritomo's camp is suddenly attacked by Yasuhira, as well as Yoshitsune and Benkei. Something is obviously not right: they are inhumanly strong, act crazy and wield strange weapons. Even the mostly sane Benkei is struggling to keep his sword under control. Historically, Yasuhira should already be defeated and the other two dead, so the Touken Danshi quickly confirm that this time period is indeed targeted by HRA. After some fighting, they spot Yoritomo being chased by Yoshitsune and the rest. Imanotsurugi is happy to see his former master, but others keep him from running after Yoshitsune, and instead the team fights Benkei. Imanotsurugi gets injured during the skirmish, however, Kashuu refuses to retreat at first. After some more fighting, he finally gives in to others' pleas, while Iwatooshi covers their retreat.

Back at Honmaru, repaired Imanotsurugi is ecstatic after meeting his former master again, but Iwatooshi warns him against interfering, which upsets Imanotsurugi. Kashuu reveals to Kogitsunemaru and Ishikirimaru Saniwa's theory that HRA likely warned Yoshitsune about Yoritomo's plans, so, instead of being betrayed by Yasuhira, they joined forces against Yoritomo. Ishikirimaru confronts Kashuu about his earlier behavior: Ishikirimaru believes that it was Kashuu's responsibility as a captain to look after obviously shaken Imanotsurugi and that Kashuu's recklessness will only lead to death, while Kashuu thinks that they won't get anywhere if they keep retreating after every injury and that even the captain's life isn't as valuable as the mission's completion. Ishikirimaru leaves after pointing out they aren't bound by the Shinsengumi's code, with Kashuu angrily retorting that it should be an honour for a sword to break in the battle. He then asks Kogitsunemaru who was in the right in this argument, and Kogitsunemaru parries that, while he knows the answer, this is something Kashuu should think about by himself.

Under the full morning moon, Mikazuki challenges conflicted Iwatooshi to a duel to help him sort out his feelings about his current duties and Imanotsurugi's happiness. Mikazuki notes that they aren't just objects anymore, they have their own feelings, so, instead of there being a "right" answer, Iwatooshi needs to solve this dilemma himself. Mirroring Iwatooshi, Benkei has his own doubts. Yoshitsune plans a surprise raid to claim his brother's head, all the while his corrupted sword has a stronger effect on him. Yoshitsune admits that he just wants to know why Yoritomo would want him dead, and afterwards he plans to return to Kurama temple and become a monk.

While everyone was distracted by their own problems, Imanotsurugi sneaked back to Atsukashiyama. Kashuu tells Iwatooshi about it, who is quite hurt by the reveal. They discuss how, now that they have human bodies, they can't help but act on their emotions. Iwatooshi talks about how Buddha teaches that things come into existence thanks to other things, and, since they are connected, they must accept them all - just how their mission and Imanotsurugi's feelings are connected, and, instead of prioritizing one over the other, both needed to be taken into account. This helps Kashuu to realize that there aren't necessarily "right" and "wrong" answers, and both can be valid at the same time.

In the past, Imanotsurugi disguises himself and sneaks into Yoshitsune's camp as the raid starts. Yoritomo is surrounded by Yoshitsune, Benkei and Yasuhira, and Yoshitsune reveals that someone from the future told him about his fate. Yoshitsune is about to attack Yoritomo, but Benkei stops him, because Yoritomo is defenseless and Yoshitsune didn't even ask about his motive to kill him. Suddenly, Imanotsurugi interferes, confusing everyone, including Imanotsurugi himself. After regaining some composure, he talks about how Yoshitsune is a very kind person who loves his family and friends and how he wants to reconcile with his brother. This leaves Yoritomo speechless, and Yoshitsune bashfully asks Yasuhira to take him away. He then thanks Imanotsurugi and calls him to follow after him, while Benkei looks at his weapon, clearly contemplating something.

Since Yoritomo's camp is heavily guarded, Kashuu's team can't get inside. Kashuu proposes a surprise attack, but Ishikirimaru argues that Yoshitsune famously favoured surprise attacks, so they are unlikely to succeed against him. Iwatooshi decides to look for openings, with Mikazuki joining him. Kashuu is frustrated about the team not listening to him again until Kogitsunemaru points out this is just Mikazuki's way of helping nervous Iwatooshi, making Kashuu realize that he isn't taking his team into consideration again. Kogitsunemaru then makes an excuse to go look for another way in, leaving Kashuu alone with Ishikirimaru.

Kashuu nervously explains that he has been thinking about their argument, and he came to the conclusion that, while he believes he was right as a captain, he was also wrong as a friend, and perhaps this is the lesson the Saniwa wanted to teach him by appointing him as the captain. Ishikirimaru talks about how, even though he didn't forget his nature as a weapon, he dislikes the war, and Kashuu shows he understands by noting that Ishikirimaru was an object of prayer to heal injuries and illnesses, and yet he was still used as a weapon. Together they reach an understanding that their current existence as both humans and weapons leads to contradictions, and those same contradictions are about to cause Imanotsurugi a lot of grief. After reconciliation, Ishikirimaru suggests to attack Yoritomo's camp from the front, and once they (slowly) leave, Kogitsunemaru reveals he observed them all this time.

Imanotsurugi is having fun running around with Benkei, while Benkei tries to ask him about his friends. Imanotsurugi is happy to hear that he reminds Benkei of Yoshitsune when he was younger, and when he tells Benkei that he also reminds him of someone, he admits that he had a bit of a fight with that person and he is afraid his friend may hate him now. Benkei reassures him that a person like him won't hate someone just because of some argument, and they play some more.

After Benkei leaves, Imanotsurugi asks Yoshitsune why, in the past, he fled after losing his favour with Yoritomo instead of facing him. After all, he was a brilliant commander and could have seized the country for himself (and hopefully not die). Yoshitsune explains that he and Yoritomo were simply suitable for different roles: he as a military commander, and his brother as someone capable of bringing peace. And now that the war was over, Yoritomo's purpose was more important than Yoshitsune's. Imanotsurugi happily tells Yoshitsune that he hopes he will reconcile with his brother, and Yoshitsune goes to visit Yoritomo.

Yoshitsune uses his tantou to free bound Yoritomo and asks him to flee. Agitated Yoritomo instead hits Yoshitsune and finally admits that he was always jealous of him. He feels like he has no talent, while Yoshitsune is beloved by all, and everyone would prefer him to lead the Genji. Yoshitsune tells him that this isn't how he sees things at all: he wants Yoritomo to be the leader, and he simply sees himself as his brother. The two brothers apologize and forgive each other, but their reconciliation is cut short as Yoshitsune's sword decides that if Yoshitsune doesn't feel resentment anymore, it will possess him. Once Benkei and Yasuhira rejoin Yoshitsune, he pretends that nothing happened and follows Benkei to fight intruders, while Yoritomo is led away by Yasuhira.

The Touken Danshi fight their way into Yoritomo's camp. Once Benkei joins the battle, Iwatooshi asks others to leave Benkei to him. The two exchange compliments about their strengths, and Iwatooshi asks why Benkei did nothing, even though he knew something was wrong with Yoshitsune. Benkei simply answers that he is his lord, and that's all there is to that. Iwatooshi easily overpowers Benkei… too easily, in fact. Benkei is obviously throwing this fight so that Iwatooshi can join the rest and stop Yoshitsune.

The rest of the team reaches enemy stronghold, but they are stopped by Imanotsurugi. He can't accept that they are going after his former master and attacks Kashuu. The team is trying to convince him to follow the mission, but Imanotsurugi can only think about the warmth of his former master. Not even Iwatooshi, who caught up with the rest, can help much at first. But over time his words start to reach Imanotsurugi: even if Imanotsurugi can't help but remember Yoshitsune's blood, it's not his fault that he died. He doesn't need to forget it, but he shouldn't blame himself either. Imanotsurugi finally starts to calm down, but at this moment possessed Yoshitsune attacks Iwatooshi.

The Touken Danshi are overpowered by Yoshitsune until Benkei joins their side. Benkei duels Yoshitsune for a bit, but Yoshitsune tricks and kills him. Imanotsurugi completely snaps out of his earlier confusion after seeing Yoshitsune act in such an uncharacteristic manner, while Yoshitsune fully succumbs to his possession. The team fights the monstrous Yoshitsune, and Iwatooshi manages to catch him between his naginata and his body. He asks Mikazuki to pierce them, but Mikazuki is able to strike Yoshitsune without hurting Iwatooshi. The team keeps Yoshitsune in one place, while Imanotsurugi and Iwatooshi enter Awakening mode and deliver the finishing blow. Afterwards, injured Iwatooshi has trouble standing, but he reassures Imanotsurugi that they kept the promise between Yoshitsune and Benkei, to protect Yoshitsune even with their lives and to meet again in the next world, and the one after that.