Episode 10: This Is Where to Make the Effort

Jiyu, the Ruffians, and Koinosuke are now tied to poles. Hajime interrogates Jiyu asking what the power of the eye-patch is.

Meanwhile, Maro is still staring at Sai and Mikage's encounter.

Introduction.

Shiro finally has enough energy to walk out where he sees Jiyu's teacher gardening. Through his gibberish, he tells him that he is an art teacher at the school and Shiro should be feeling better. Shiro speaks his thoughts on Jiyu and the teacher replies that Jiyu is all right and attends class, but is currently at Hajime's compound. Shiro dashes off.

Sachi and Maro are sneaking around trying to listen to what Sai and Mikage are talking about. Mikage tells Sai that she's sorry for what she did before (the pummel) and Sai wants to tell her that he kinda loves her. He reacts as though she was his wife. Maro, upon hearing this, cannot understand why Sai would love this old and wrinkly woman.

Hajime is still asking Jiyu about the powers of the eye-patch. Sandayu, the schoolmaster, first shows her the powers that he's discovered, but she doesn't know of any special powers that the eye-patch has. However, she then remembers what Mikage told her about how the people she defeats become normal. Bantaro then says that's enough and asks that Hajime stop picking on Jiyu. But Hajime beats Bantaro and the Ruffians. Koinosuke intervenes and also gets a beating.

She tells the schoolmaster that she knows the secret and that she'll show them if he puts the eye-patch on her. Hajime jumps in because he knows that this is a trick. Jiyu then tells Hajime that his ambitions are stupid. Hajime is about to beat her when Shiro jumps in and knocks his brother down.

Shiro unties Jiyu and they talk about what Shiro is thinking. There are no hard feelings between them. After that, he challenges his brother to a duel. Shiro explains to his brother that he was lost before, but now he understands that he needs to defeat him.

Intermission

Hajime tells his brother that Shiro is the best in the nation because he defeated Jubei II and that he wants Shiro to join him. But Shiro explains that their paths have always missed each other. It then has a flashback. Shiro/Hajime's father, Ryujoji Amon, refused to succeed the Ryujoji School because he didn't believe in the 300 year-old grudge. He wants to end the tradition. However, the spirit that he was talking to (Taiko Daiyu) tries to possess him, but can't. Therefore, Taiko Daiyu tells him that if he were to have twins, the one would be his. And it so happens that he had twins and so Taiko Daiyu takes one away. On his deathbed, Amon wants Shiro to save his brother.

Shiro, however, has an ego trip and wonders why his brother gets to lead the family. Hajime means the first son, but they're twins. Shiro means fourth son. He vows that he wants to be like Hajime and to have a better life. Meanwhile, Hajime is thinking the opposite when he was training with Taiko Daiyu. He just wants a plain life.

Back to present day, Hajime is still trying to convince Shiro to join the clan. But Shiro says he's going to beat them. But before they start, Jiyu jumps between them and explains that brothers shouldn't fight. Jiyu is an only child but if she had siblings, she wouldn't fight them. She then receives the eye-patch from the schoolmaster and transforms. This only way to save Hajime is for her to defeat him.

Hajime then calls the army of ninjas to take care of Jubei II, but they get whooped. Then she whoops Hajime. When they all wake up after the defeat, they wonder what's going on. Jiyu then tells them that the power of the eye-patch is to save people, as Mikage has told her. Shiro then tells Hajime that he'll bring him home and live with mama.

When they leave, they all look at the sunset. Bantaro recruits Hajime into the Ruffians. However, Mikage appears in the background and gives a word of thanks for Jiyu. However, she senses that something's wrong. Shiro goes back to the old teacher, but it turns out that he became possessed by Taiko Daiyu.

Koinosuke then carries Jiyu home and telling her to keep the eye-patch even though there's no more use for it. Meanwhile, Sai is saying that he needs to see Mikage.