Meisai Tsuruga

Meisai is the holder of the deviant sword Tsurugi, which is split into 1000 swords. "Tsuruga Meisai" is the name of the previous priest of the shrine she presides over; she claims that she forgot her original name. After her father, a kendo master, was killed along with all his followers, she joined and became the leader of a group of bandits. After learning of the shrine and the physically and mentally injured shrine maidens who live there, she killed all 43 of the bandits and brought Tsurugi to the shrine to heal the shrine maidens, killing the previous Tsuruga Meisai in the process. Her name literally means "camouflage" or "disguise," which corresponds with her fighting style, Sentouryuu. She uses the many swords that make up Tsurugi to confuse and trap the opponent while she hides herself. Depsite her pure intentions, Shichika fights and kills her. Togame ensures the shrine receives support from the shogunate.