 The terminally-ill swordsman Yagyu Tajima, father of Jubei, attempts to put a stop to them using a sword crafted by exiled sword maker Muramasa, and succeeds in killing Inshun, only to be thwarted by Shiro.Tajima initially declines their offers of joining them in their conquest, but is soon won over when his jealousy towards his son's swordsmanship is unleashed.In a remote shrine, Shiro chants a ritual curse to wither Tokugawa's crops.