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Sadanobu summons some close associates to tell them of his mission to Kyoto, ostensibly to oversee the rebuilding of the Imperial palace destroyed in a fire some months before but actually to root out a conspiracy against the shogunate as Lord Owari has offered to rebuilt the palace at his own expense, thus curry favour with the emperor. Plus there are documents which reveal just how vulnerable the shogunate is . High Priest Donkai asks Shintarō to defend Sadanobu on his journey but Shintarō refuses, having renounced the sword and gone fishing because of all the killing he had to do with the Kōga ninja and Takeda Shingen's treasure.