During his wanderings, Zatoichi comes across a group of people connected with an infamous Yakuza boss, known as "Dark Lord" Yamikubo. Yamikubo is blind like Ichi, but he is indeed evil and rules with an iron fist a great region of lands and towns who pay tribute to him. After Zatoichi tries to help a woman who has been bought at a mistress auction organized by one of Yamikubo's henchmen, the Dark Lord uses the beautiful Okiyo, his protégé, as a spy who must seduce and take Ichi's famed cane sword away. But shortly after meeting him, Okiyo falls in love with Ichi and refuses to carry out her mission. Yamikubo has to devise another way of ousting the blind swordsman and it just so happens to land at his feet.
—DanTheMan2150AD