At an early morning fish market in Edo, Matsu-no-Ichi displays his swordsmanship, and scares off a bullying rÅnin. At the time of the Kanda festival, a poor family argues over the lack of money. Choji the husband goes out, encounters a stranger, and picks his pocket. Later, Sabu talks of rumours that thieves and pick pockets are being murdered. Altogether six pick pockets are murdered. While fishing Ichi encounters a young swordsman he saw at the market that morning, Hibiki Kyonosuke...