Watch Rurouni Kenshin: Final Chapter Part I - The Final (2021) online

In a flashback, Hiko Seijūrō finds young Shinta digging graves for bandits and slavers killed in battle. Shinta explains that all people are only bodies after death. Hiko decides to take Shinta as his student and names him "Kenshin". Kenshin wakes up at Master Hiko's home, and asks if his friend (Kaoru) was also washed up. He has been unconscious for three days, and master tells him that his friend is most likely dead. Kenshin asks to learn the final Hiten Mitsurugi technique, "Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki", in order to defeat Shishio Makoto and prevent his onslaught. Hiko agrees, and the two engage in a duel to start his training.

Shishio appears off the Tokyo coast in a large black iron-clad battleship, and demands that the prime minister visit him to discuss the situation. After inviting the ministers to join him for food, one of them loses his temper, and is killed by one of Shishio's men. The prime minister tries to restore order and decorum, but Shishio takes them prisoner when they try to leave - killing all the government men apart from the prime minister. Shishio demands that Battousai be brought to him for the life of the prime minister. Fujita is still searching for Battousai, and is disgusted with the way the government is handling the matter by giving in to blackmail from Shishio.