The Hallway of Setbacks

(蹉跌の回廊 Satetsu no Kairō), also known as 'The Corridor of Setbacks', is the second episode of the anime Hakuōki: Hekketsuroku (Demon of the Fleeting Blossom: Record of the Jade Blood) and the fourteenth episode of the season one&two combined version. It aired on October 11, 2010.
==Plot==
March 1868
Souji keeps suffering from tuberculosis and feeling sorry for himself due to his inability to help Kondou who is planning to attack Kōfu Castle. He blames Hijikata for dragging Kondou into this despite the injury but Hijikata denies his initiative. Souji plans to join but Hijikata stops him abruptly by saying that he will only be on the way in his current condition. However, as soon as Chizuru speaks up about him being too harsh, Hijikata puts Souji's new outfit in front of him and orders him to focus on his health because Hijikata will be waiting for him.
Upon arriving in Hino, Kondou's hometown, the Shinsengumi recruit more members. Kondou receives a hearty welcome, people admire him and his achievements, so he stays there longer than everyone else. When the troops set off, there are 300 members. They are not trained enough and they keep fighting, Shinpachi complains about Kondou's behavior once again. Sano and Hijikata try to contradict by reminding that it is Kondou's hometown and that he is examining the new warriors who have expressed their wish to join. When Saitou is left alone with Hijikata and Chizuru, he asks bluntly whether the vice-commander considers the victory possible, to which Hijikata responds negatively. He considers it highly unlikely to win head-on because the enemy has cutting-edge weaponry from foreign countries in addition to great morale and skill they displayed in the Toba-Fushimi Battle. He also states that he will do his best not to see Kondou lose a battle. 
Chizuru sees a nightmare about her childhood where she is running away with someone from Hijikata who is attacking her and getting shot. Everything is on fire, and when she wakes up sweating, she notices Saitou walking away from the camp, so she decides to follow him. She admits that she cannot sleep because of Hijikata's words earlier that day and asks whether Saitou is afraid of dying. Saitou answers that he is more scared of losing the sight of what he believes in. He also reveals to Chizuru that he was once challenged by a child of a hatamoto who died at the end of the battle, and even though Saitou had won he was persecuted and cast out. He lost sight of what it meant to be a warrior but then he came into Kondou's dojo and regained the understanding once again. Chizuru supports him by saying that his sword can protect people, and that what truly matters is that his warrior spirit remains unchanged.
Shimada arrives to inform them that there is an emergency. As it turns out, the enemy is already in Kōfu Castle, and Hijikata, Sano, Shinpachi, Shimada, Saitou and Chizuru are discussing the new plan of action. Hijikata decides to relocate and orders Shimada to take the news to Kondou. Shinpachi blames Kondou once again for overstaying in Hino. Sano stops his rant, and Saitou leaves to wake up the soldiers. As it is narrated by Chizuru behind the scenes, half of the warriors leave the troops upon learning about the new circumstances. 
Next morning Kondou joins the Shinsengumi in the camp and they discuss how sensible it is to siege the castle. Shinpachi and Sano are heavily against it, however, Kondou is determined to proceed since the Shinsengumi accepted finance from the Bakufu, and it would be a disgrace to retreat. He accuses Shinpachi of cowardice, and Shinpachi considers Kondou blind due to not witnessing previous battles. Kondou pushes further by assuming that Shinpachi only fights battles he can win, which aggravates the latter massively causing him to attack the commander. Sano stops him just in time but Shinpachi keeps shouting. Hijikata suggests going to Edo to get reinforcements, and the conflict dies down. 
When Chizuru sees Hijikata off, he tells her to leave and save herself but she refuses and proclaims herself Kondou's shield in Hijikata's absence. He accepts her resolve and orders her as a Shinsengumi member to protect Kondou by cooperating with Saitou, but not risk her life and survive no matter what. They swear an oath by connecting their swords, even though it is something that only samurai do, that Hijikata will come back and Chizuru will wait for him and survive.
Kaoru informs Koudou that the Shinsengumi have problems due to their plans being ruined. Koudou laughs and says that the time is ripe. Kaoru smiles and leaves, assumingly following an order that was given earlier behind the scenes. 
A few hours after Hijikata leaves, a new battle begins because a newly recruited man fired at the Imperial Army. More and more people are dying when Sano comes to ask Kondou to give the retreat order. Kondou insults Sano in return by calling him a coward and shows no intention of leaving. Saitou arrives to inform him that the enemy is coming from the south, and the Shinsengumi will soon be surrounded. Shinpachi confirms that they are coming from the north, too. Sano attempts to convince Kondou once again but Kondou keeps thinking that the problem is in the lack of spirit, so he rushes into the battlefield by himself and gets caught in cannon fire straight away. Seeing a man die on his laps and looking around, he realizes his mistakes and decides that he needs to sacrifice his life here and now to atone for his sins. Chizuru persuades him to keep living for those who died believing in his ideals, Sano and Shinpachi beg him to stop more subordinates from dying, and he agrees to pull back. 
Kazama watches the action sitting on a tall tree when he notices Kaoru running towards the battlefield.
Shinpachi and Harada leave to inform different units of the decision to retreat and split up. Sano gets attacked by a cannonball when he meets Shiranui. Shortly after they start 'playing' (as Shiranui usually calls their battles), they encounter the newly created Rasetsu unit who can fight in the sunlight. Koudou appears behind them to witness his creation. 
Shinpachi stumbles upon the Rasetsu, too, as well as Saitou, Kondou and Chizuru. Saitou stays and fights while Kondou and Chizuru run away deep into the woods.
Category:Episodes
Category:Season 2
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