In the midst of the battle, shin runs into a strange girl, who tells him that mikiko and the others are waiting for him. He tells her that he's with them and that he can free her by becoming a member of the Dokutsu dojo. The girl tells him to tell her where the netsuke is, or she'll kill him. She also tells him about how the mask was revered by the ancients as a relic of the past, but now it's just a symbol of the future. She says that she's even gotten eiji to speak to her, but she doesn't know how to use the tongue. She tells shin that she wants them to prepare for the "ame no hoko ritual" , which is the last ritual before shinnosuke takes over. He's worried that she might be afraid of him, but he'll do whatever he can to free her.