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Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his na ve, diffident nature has time and again caused him to be let go by the lords who have employed him. Hungry and desperate, he becomes a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a gang called Five Leaves. Although disturbed by the gang's sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi's motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he's drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.

With Masa having joined the crew, the fragile bonds between the members of the Five Leaves begin to change. Further changes are promised by the arrival of Ginta, a self-styled "negotiator" who learns of the existence of the Five Leaves and offers them his services. Meanwhile, the pressure on Yaichi increases as the members of his old gang continue to track him down. Burdened by the weight of his hidden past, his impervious fa ade begins to crack.