Isurugi Raij ta, a truly old-school swordsman, comes to Kenshin and requests his aid in reforming the state of swordsmanship schools, or kenjutsu dojo, in Japan. Although Kenshin is intrigued by Raij ta's ideals (chiefly, that there is a need for a nation-wide, unifying school), Raij ta's plan to "weed out" the schools he deems unfit is not in accordance with Kenshin's deepest-held beliefs. Given the choice of either joining Raij ta's "Shinko-ry " movement or dying, Kenshin walks away, choosing neither. But Raij ta isn't willing to let Kenshin off the hook so easily...