It was a time of war in Japan. Innocent people, including women and children, were being slaughtered. Three women, while protecting a child named Shinta, were all killed brutally. When the soldiers were done with the three, they turned to Shinta. Luckily, a sword master came by and saved Shinta by killing the soldiers who were after him. The sword master left the boy alone after saving him.

The next morning, the sword master came back to that place and was amazed by what he saw. He found the boy standing in the middle of a graveyard he dug himself. Shinta told the sword master that the three women, Sakura, Katsumi, and Akane weren’t his family but were slave traders who took care of him. He said that he was looking for flowers but he couldn’t find any. The sword master poured saki into their graves as a tribute to them. The sword master, who said that his name was Seijuro Hiko, asked the boy’s name. He said that Shinta was too soft for a swordsman so he changed it into Kenshin. He told Kenshin that he would learn the art of sword fighting.

Seijuro taught Kenshin the Hiten Mitusurugi with the principle of protecting the innocent. Years passed and the war was not yet over. Kenshin told his master that he wanted to go and fight the war and to save the innocent lives. Seijuro tried to tell Kenshin that he wasn’t prepared yet but Kenshin had no plans of turning back. So after realizing that the boy wouldn’t listen to him, Seijuro let Kenshin go.

Kenshin became a part of Takasugi Shinsaku’s training ground for Choshu soldiers. Katsura, the leader if the Choshu clan was impressed with his skills. So in exchange for Katsura’s vow that he would not draw his sword ever again, Takasugi gave Kenshin to him. Katsura asked Kenshin to work for him as an assassin. After his first assignment (also his first kill), Kenshin met Katsura’s field chief, Iizuka.

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Kenshin’s next assignment was to kill Juubeh Shigekura. Among the bodyguards was Akira Kiyosato who was about to marry a woman named Tomoe Yukishiro. Kiyosato was determined but he ended up dead like his leader and the other guards but he was able to cut Kenshin’s left cheek. The next morning, Katsura called Kenshin and gave him a new assignment. He wanted Kenshin to attend the meeting but not as a bodyguard. Kenshin didn’t accept the assignment because the according to him, he was an assassin and his only job was to kill.

Days passed but Kenshin’s wound on his cheek hadn’t healed yet. Iizuka told Kenshin about some superstitions that the person who gave him that wound might be crying out for justice that’s why his wound wouldn’t heal. He also told Kenshin that the summit meeting didn’t go well after the Mibu clan showed up. He said Katsura almost drew his sword.

One night after his assignment, Iizuka invited him to celebrate but Kenshin didn’t want to go. While on his way home, an assassin appeared in front of him and attacked him. Kenshin was caught in trouble but got himself out and killed the assassin. Tomoe was drunk and it happened that she was passing by that place. She saw Kenshin and the dead assassin.