Washi was only eight years old when he went to live with his uncle, Kuma, after the powerful feudal lord Senshu killed his parents. As a child, Kuma diligently and patiently taught Washi the way of Bushidō even as Washi vowed to avenge his mother and father.

As his commitment to Bushidō increases, the influence of his uncle, wife, and son finally frees Washi from his thoughts of vengeance. One day, however, the feudal lord abruptly returns--forever taking away some of the most beloved and important people in Washi's life. Left alone, he must decide whether to fulfill his childhood plan of revenge or to move on with his life, pretending nothing ever happened.