The fourth episode of "Last Samurai Standing" commences with a deeper dive into Iroha's past. Scrapping a living, she finds herself in the company of Sansuke, who catches up with her as she entertains leering men with her blades. Iroha reveals that she's been evading Gentosai for some time, but Sansuke brings ominous news: the man has already reached Fugoro and Shichiya, both of whom are now deceased. Seeking the remaining disciples from their school, he's been examining the faces of various samurai. Sansuke decides that they should enter the competition together, hoping to alter the course of their family's and their own fates.
In the present, Kyojin strides into the temple where Futaba, Shujiro, and Iroha await him. Kyojin's plan is straightforward and ruthless—he intends to turn the tables on his pursuers by using one of the competitors as bait to be handed over to the authorities, a move that exposes their modus operandi to the public eye. If these game-makers believe themselves above the law, they're dealing with formidable adversaries.
The second prong of his strategy involves tracking the disposal of the dead bodies, which necessitates using Shujiro as bait to uncover their destination. With hundreds of deceased now, where are they being moved? Kyojin knows that the soldiers are watching them, even now, and they must have a base of operations nearby.
Meanwhile, Kawaji has scrutinized the records of the four officials and discovered that they've been on extended leave for a week. None have returned home, and their whereabouts are unknown. They're committing treason against the state, and Okubo works tirelessly to find them before it's too late.
Elsewhere in the land, our band of adventurers makes its way to the seaside state of Kuwana, where they stumble upon a teahouse dotted with a few participants flaunting their tags with reckless abandon. The air is thick with anticipation, and soon enough, it becomes evident why. As they sit down for a drink, the teahouse is revealed to be teeming with thugs, all under the ruthless control of a maniacal businessman who pays them to turn against our group. A brawl inevitably erupts within the confines of the teahouse.
In Yokkaichi, Kanjiya continues his relentless search for Shujiro, only to encounter an unexpected twist when he stumbles upon Kamuykocha instead. The two engage in a fierce battle that echoes through the streets until Sakara arrives and intervenes, halting the fight amidst the approach of the police. With higher-ups bearing grand designs for them, he puts a stop to the melee.
Meanwhile, Kyojin and the others vanquish their foes at the teahouse and interrogate the ringleader. One of the kids, Sayama Shinnosuke, weeps openly as he is released, while the other is destined to be their bait. The plan is set in motion, and they lure the cops to their location. On the way, Iroha imparts words of encouragement to Futaba about survival, while the man is arrested. Our group watches on, as if they’ve taken the bait perfectly.
The girls stage Shujiro's apparent death and follow the soldiers as they rickshaw him away, shocked by his sudden disappearance into a nearby bank. Inside, they find a multitude of other bodies lying on the ground, and an unsuspecting soldier left to take notes at the desk. Shujiro seizes his chance and chokes the guy out, revealing his true colors. Once he's down, Shujiro scours the documents nearby and discovers a veritable treasure trove of records for Mitsui Bank.
Elsewhere, the arrested man is brutally murdered behind bars, confirming Kyojin's worst suspicions. But he's also confronted by a couple of soldiers who know him by name. Meanwhile, Sakura arrives at the vault and finds the dead soldier. He realizes Shujiro is in the room and stalks him with deadly intent. Finally, our protagonist reveals himself, and Shujiro calls him by another name: Nakamura Hanjiro. It turns out these two have a long history together, with Sakura secretly rooting for Shujiro all this time. They were once brothers during wartime, but fate has since separated them onto opposite sides of the conflict.
Okubo discovers the telegrams exchanged by the officials and surmises that their headquarters might be situated south of Mount Fuji. The guards set off on a mission to locate the officials, tracing the telegram signals all the way back... to their very own Police Bureau, with a sense of perplexed irony. However, it transpires that Kawaji has been the mastermind behind it all, in charge of the VIPs and playing a double game this entire time. Okubo is stunned to realize that the person he was supposed to trust most could be working on the enemy's side. By this point, we learn that only 70 contestants remain in the competition.
