Following several years of training, Kenshin leaves his master to take part in the revolution to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. Allying himself with the Imperialists, he quickly becomes a hardened killer, and becomes feared far and wide as "Hitokiri Battōsai." After killing another skilled assassin, Kenshin meets a beautiful woman named Tomoe. He contemplates killing her (for witnessing his actions), but instead decides to take her to the Inn where he is staying. Over time, Tomoe and Kenshin grow close to each other once Tomoe realizes how tortured Kenshin is internally over his occupation as an assassin.
