The second episode of "Last Samurai Standing" commences with a poignant flashback, where Futaba tenderly tends to a group of children afflicted with Cholera at a temple. She vows to one of the children that they will be okay, as her mother and all the other parents are praying, but the futility of her words is palpable. As the village's father figure is absent and the villagers continue to succumb to the disease, Futaba is drowning in grief, believing that the gods have turned a deaf ear. Her mother, on the other hand, remains steadfast in her belief that this is all part of God's plan and that they must continue to have faith and do their best. Unfortunately, her mother collapses soon after.
In the present, Futaba watches in shock as Kanjiya and Shujiro engage in a fierce battle that spills into the alleyways. Shujiro struggles to draw his sword, his hands shaking uncontrollably. Despite this, his muscle memory kicks in, and he manages to fight back after playing defense. However, he hesitates before delivering the fatal blow to Kanjiya. Kanjiya, enraged, shouts at him just as Futaba arrives on horseback. They ride off before things can escalate, leaving Kanjiya seething with anger.
The pair rides to the old inn, where Shujiro thanks Futaba for saving him. He urges her to leave and get out of the game, but she refuses. She has her own personal struggle with Cholera and knows that if she quits now, countless others will suffer. Remember the man who handed them the tags in the previous episode? Well, this is Kyojin, and he shows up at the inn with a proposition for both of them. He wants them to form an alliance, as he is unsure what the organizers have in store for them next in their journey to Tokyo.
Kyojin is questioning the validity of this game and they have no idea what the organizers will throw at them next, so they must be wary. He believes that working together gives them a better chance of winning this contest.
Kyojin's meticulous homework has revealed that only nine individuals will make it to Tokyo, leaving the question of whether these nine will be crowned winners and divide the prize pool, or if there's a twist in the tale yet to unfold. He grants the duo a window of three nights to forge an alliance, setting a mid-route meeting point where they must decide their fate together. Kyojin's bluntness about his willingness to end Futaba's life without hesitation, save for Shujiro's presence, underscores the gravity of their situation.
Flashbacks reveal that both Shujiro and Futaba's motives for joining the game stem from the tragic demise of a comrade at the temple, bonding them over their shared desire to salvage their families' fortunes. Their connection is further solidified after Shujiro witnesses Futaba's ritual dance by the lake.
In the Home Ministry of Tokyo, Home Minister Okubo convenes a meeting to delve deeper into the whispers surrounding the game. With hundreds of samurai lives lost and a hefty prize fund up for grabs, officials fret over the possibility of an insurrection, fearing that the shizoku, resentful of the new government, could use this bounty against them—potentially sparking a civil war. Kawaji is tasked with launching a thorough investigation to uncover the mastermind behind this operation.
Meanwhile, Kanjira continues his relentless killing spree, leaving a trail of destruction through small villages until he stumbles upon Shujiro. However, Kikuomi Ukyo, the Guardian of Nobility and the first to step out of the temple in the previous episode, stands in his path. The two eventually draw their swords and engage in a fierce battle.
Kikuomi's pride and ferocity as a fighter are evident in his flashbacks, where he nearly wielded his sword against the nobility after his house was shunned and ignored. With no income flowing into the Kikuomi household due to the samurai's abandonment, he eventually found himself alone at the temple. The only thing left for him to sell was his sword—a sentiment he refused to relinquish.
As the duel rages on, Kanjiya's sword clatters to the ground, but it doesn't dampen his fury. Instead, he seizes the opportunity to launch a ruthless assault on Kikuomi, forcing the samurai to lose his thumb in the heat of battle. Tragically, Kanjira emerges victorious, beheading his foe with a maniacal laugh as he saunters away.
Shujiro and Futaba make their way to the outskirts of town, where they encounter Tachikawa, the timid samurai from the first episode. Shujiro is wary of him until Tachikawa reveals that he and the other men here wish to quit the game. He drops his weapon and falls to his knees. Shujiro tries to dissuade them from removing their tags, but it's too late; the soldiers watching from the hilltop have other plans.
As Tachikawa and the others remove their tags, they are shot dead. Shujiro is stunned by the soldiers' sudden appearance and lashes out, slicing them all up with his sword. The memory of his time in the War comes flooding back with a horrid intensity. Sakura watches from the hilltop and decides to inform the Organizer, believing that the Manslayer has been reawakened once more. And just in time, as there are now only 117 contestants remaining.
