In the year 1878-the 11th year of the Meiji era in Japan-a secret battle royale is brewing amongst the mightiest warriors in the country for a chance to win 100,000 yen-2,000 times a police officer's annual salary. In dire need of money to save his wife and child from cholera, Shujiro Saga enters combat. But as blood pours at Tenryuji Temple, Shujiro becomes the reluctant protector of a young former samurai's daughter, Futaba Katsuki-who is on a similar noble mission to save her ill mother. How will they manage to pass through the seven checkpoints along the Tokaido highway without meeting their gruesome demise?