The Miburo's headquarters doesn't make the best first impression. Nio quails in the face of a pack of rowdy samurai, not all of whom welcome a kid in their ranks.

Nio meets another boy Miburo: Tanaka Taro. Despite Hijikata's warnings, he tries to start a friendship. But when Serizawa kills a fellow ronin, Taro gets orders to dispose of the evidence.

Swordsmanship isn't Nio's strong suit. He's determined to train with the Miburo regardless, but his clumsy efforts annoy another young recuit: the talented Saito Haijme.

The lord of Aizu invites the Miburo to serve him in keeping the peace. Their first task: to hunt down a killer who targets Aizu samurai. But how far can they trust their new patron?

Nio and Hajime confront an assassin who targets Aizu samurai. But unlike any killer they've faced before, he fights for conviction. Do the boys stand a chance against him with their blades or their words?

Nio confronts Seto about the men who attack him and Hajime, and he won't rest until he gets the truth. What drives the young merchant? And can the Miburo stop their first official targets before the assassins claim a fifth victim?

Two of the remaining assassins target Serizawa and Hajime while the rest of the Miburo hunt down the final culprit. Can they take the whole gang alive? And how will a lord's patronage change the ragtag group?

The Miburo celebrate their new status with the ultimate test of strength: a drinking competition. While inebriated swordsmen drop like flies, Serizawa confronts Hijikata with a question that shakes Nio's confidence.

A well-dressed young man staggers into the Chirinuya. Nio, Taro, and Hajime struggle with his demands, but things take a turn for the serious when a swordsman comes for the problem customer's head. Who is this young man, and what makes him a target?

Nio's plan sends most of the attackers on a wild goose chase. But the strongest assassin remains, and only a lone boy stands between him and the Shogun. Can Nio outmaneuver an opponent who has him so outmatched?

Nio risks his life in a desperate bid to buy time for Iemochi's escape, but the Shogun can't bring himself to abandon a child. When all seems lost, Hijikata joins the battle. But can even he defeat the white-clad assassin?

A wounded Nio wakes up in a luxurious sickbed in Nijo Castle. After a night of unsettling experiences, Kikuchiyo makes him a startling offer: leave the Miburo to serve the Shogun directly. Where do Nio's loyalties lie, and what has he learned from his encounter with the Blood Risshidan?

The Miburo set out to earn the small fortune their uniform coats will cost. While they each rack their brains and try their luck, a woman approaches Hijikata, offering a tempting new sword.

Hajime visits the Snake in search of work, but how far will he go for money? Meanwhile, Nio and Taro meet a woman named Nagi and her husband, Yotaro.

Kondo's sparring match with Yotaro, master of the Kyohachi School, takes a shocking turn! Who will triumph?

The Miburo's battle against the Blood Risshidan begins! Serizawa faces off against Naozumi.

The Hound falls, stabbed in the back by a comrade. Meanwhile, Hijikata faces an enemy of his own.

Ayame's strange confidence worries Hajime. Amid a tense battle, the boy's thoughts turn to the past.

Kondo duels Yotaro. Meanwhile, Nio confronts Nagi, but the pregnant woman's resolve shakes his own.

With Nagi about to give birth, Yotaro becomes painfully aware that Kondo has something he lacks.

Flames rise from the Kyohachi Dojo as the battle between Naozumi and Serizawa draws to a close.

Hajime guards a nobleman while Nio lies in bed. Both struggle with the lives they've failed to save.

Nagi endures a grueling labor, desperate to leave proof of her ties to the Kyohachi family.

The Miburo take a trip to Osaka to unwind and predictably run into trouble.

Kondo goes to settle Serizawa's killings before the law, but a corrupt official has the Miburo in his sights.

After accepting Nio's suggestion, the Miburo prepare to welcome new members.

The Miburo break into factions backing Serizawa and Kondo. Hijikata tries to defuse the crisis.

Taro struggles to make himself useful to Serizawa even as Serizawa's conduct grows increasingly suspect.

Serizawa continues to make enemies. An encounter on a routine patrols spurs Hijikata to pick a side.

A palace coup brings the Miburo new duties, but not all their allies like their growing prestige.

In the wake of Niimi's apparent suicide, Kondo resolves to kill Serizawa, but Hijikata has plans of his own.

The Miburo gather for a lavish party. Serizawa acts unusually cheerful while Hijikata plots his murder.

Hijikata launches his assassination attempt, only to find Serizawa ready and waiting for him.

Okita struggles against Serizawa, while Hijikata suffers a crisis of confidence.

Nio leads the wounded Serizawa out of Hijikata's trap, but to what purpose?

Serizawa faces Kondo. What will Nio make of the dying samurai's last moments?