Simultaneously, Katagiri is ordered by his clan to hunt down and kill his former close friend, Yaichiro Hazama , who has been accused of treason and rebellion against the shogunate.

The title refers to a secret, lethal sword technique—the "Devil's Claw"—that Katagiri was taught by his master, which becomes pivotal during his final confrontation with Hazama. 2. Major Themes

Set in the 1860s during the final years of the Edo period (the Bakematsu ), the story follows (Masatoshi Nagase), a low-ranking samurai.