In medieval Japan, eight-year-old Hojo Tokiyuki is the heir to the Kamakura shogunate. But the Hojo clan is in decline, and Tokiyuki's peaceful days of playing hide-and-seek with his teachers come to an abrupt end when his clan is betrayed from within. The lone survivor of his family, Tokiyuki is the rightful heir to the throne, but to take it back, he'll have to do what he does best--run away!

Suwa allies Shinomiya and Hoshina have lost ground in their battle with the Kokushi's forces. But the outcome could have been worse if not for Tokiyuki's quick thinking. And even in defeat, Tokiyuki has learned valuable lessons about strategy from his nemesis, the wily Shokan. Now new battlefields await, and with spies everywhere in Suwa, Tokiyuki must head for Kyo, the capital city of his enemy Takauji! Though the capital is the center of arts and culture in Japan, danger still lurks at every turn...