This was the early Sengoku (Warring States) period. People suffered, starved and suffered from constant wars. The orphan Kyubei, who has lost his parents, is rescued by Tamon Maru, the leader of a band of robbers, where he is sold into slavery. When Tamon Maru talks about his desire to rise in troubled times and become a daimyo (Japanese feudal lord), Kyubei feels the heartbeat of his soul.