Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin (released in Japan in February 2014) is a spin-off game set at the end of the Edo period of Japanese history (known as the Bakumatsu period), a period when the Tokugawa Shogunate came to an end and imperial rule was restored (Meiji Restoration).
Sakamoto Ryoma is living undercover, with a false identity, as "Saito Hajime" in Kyoto. One year earlier, on the eve of the coup d'état of Tosa, Ryoma's foster father, the man who raised him, was murdered before his eyes. The only lead he had to discover who the killer was is that he used the Tennen Rishin style of fighting. This is a style used by the Shinsengumi, so Ryoma infiltrates their ranks, becoming captain of the 3rd Shinsengumi unit, in attempt to find the killer.
Big thanks to Kevin Debrabandere for creating a PDF for the entire Ishin guide. You can download the PDF version of the guide here. Please be advised that the PDF is outdated now, but still contains information for the whole game.
The chapter starts off with Ito beginning the burning down of Kyoto, as per Kondo's plan. Okita and Ryoma arrive back in Kyoto to see it burning and Ryoma wonders if they were too late. A nearby man moans about the actions of the Shinsengumi, who are going so far as to burn down the place.
When you have control, head to Terada Inn. When inside, examine the desk near the entrance. Ryoma sees a letter from Otose, telling him that herself and Oryo got out of there safely, so he doesn't have to worry about them. Next, leave Terada Inn.
Outside, Ryoma and Okita talk and agree that they have to find Kondo. Ryoma thinks he might find him at Gion again or at the Shinsengumi HQ.
[1]
You can talk to the pharmacist here to buy healing items if you need to.
[2]
Here, the Mimawarigumi, lead by Sasaki, confront Ryoma and Okita. He says he knows the Shinsengumi started all the fires here and then fights Okita and Ryoma.
After the fight, more Mimawarigumi members show up. Okita says he'll take care of these guys, while Ryoma goes off to find Kondo.
[1]
When you get here, Ryoma sees 10th captain Harada ordering his men to burn all the houses here to the ground. Ryoma asks what he's doing and Harada tells him he's following orders from Kondo to burn Kyoto. Harada tells him if he has a problem, then bring it on!
After the fight, head towards Gion.
[1]
Go here and Ryoma automatically enters the building. Ryoma sees Kondo injured on the ground. He asks who did this to him, but Kondo doesn't know - he says the man told him to give Ryoma a message though: "I will be waiting for you at the Imperial palace". Kondo says his objective is the Emperor, because while the Shinsengumi are out on the streets burning Kyoto to the ground, they will use it as a distraction and kill the Emperor. Kondo thinks this man might possibly be the fake Sakamoto Ryoma and he's trying to make it look like the Shogunate (or, more specifically, Kondo himself) are the culprits behind the assassination of the Emperor, with the objective of starting up a war between the supporters of the Emperor and the Shogunate. Kondo wasn't behind the order the burn the capital down, after all, so the Shinsengumi were being used by someone else to burn the place down and create the distraction so these other guys can get to the Emperor. Kondo says it's ironic - He originally wanted to burn the capital down but then chose to protect the capital after meeting Sakamoto Ryoma, but now his name is to go down in history as the man who burned Kyoto to the ground. He asks Ryoma if he'll do him one last favour - deliver a letter to Hijikata detailing his "final plan". He tells Ryoma he's glad he got to meet him, saying that after he met him he truly felt like he could change the country. Kondo asks Ryoma to save Japan and stop the fake Sakamoto Ryoma, then Ryoma swears he will fulfill his wish.
[1]
Head over here and go past the gates to get to the Imperial palace. You can buy recovery items from the pharmacist standing near here if you need to.
Ryoma encounters Okada Izo, asking if he is the fake Sakamoto Ryoma. Ryoma asks what he's up to, why he's been using his name and why he betrayed Takechi, accusing him of selling out Takechi to Yamauchi. Izo says he's lying - because deep down Ryoma believes Takechi is the fake Sakamoto Ryoma and he just doesn't want to accept the fact that he was betrayed by him; he's scared of the truth! Izo says he's glad he gets to fight the real Sakamoto Ryoma, not "Saito Hajime", properly. Ryoma says he'll put an end to Izo's murdering spree, then the two of them fight.
After the fight, Izo bemoans that he was never able to truly replace Ryoma in "his" eyes (referring to Takechi). Ryoma then asks if Takechi is the fake Sakamoto Ryoma and Izo says Takechi has gone past the point of no return and that Ryoma is the only one who can stop him now. Izo says he was never able to become Takechi's "kyodai" (/brother), because Ryoma is his only "kyodai". He tells Ryoma that Takechi is here in Kyoto, then Ryoma tells him he will stop him.
The next day, Ryoma drops off his captain's uniform along with the letter from Kondo at the entrance to the Shinsengumi HQ. As he turns to leave, he sees Hijikata along with Okita and Nagakura. Hijikata says Okita has told him everything - including the reason he's here, as well as his real name. As Ryoma goes to leave, Okita and Nagakura try to convince him to stay, saying he shouldn't go out alone and should fight alongside friends. Ryoma says he doesn't want to cause any more trouble for the Shinsengumi and that he only has one more fight against Sakamoto Ryoma, one-on-one, but Okita and Nagakura say the Shinsengumi will fight for him so he can have his fight against the fake Sakamoto Ryoma. Hijikata gives Ryoma back his captains uniform, telling him he still has work to do as "Saito Hajime".
The remaining captains and commanders meet up. Hijikata reveals the details of Kondo's original plan of burning down the capitol, saying that only a select few trustworthy members were to carry it out. Last night, Kondo gave no instructions to carry out the plan. Hijikata says that it will be difficult to keep the Shinsengumi going after the loss of many captains - Yamanami, Matsubara, Tani, Suzuki, Genzaburo and Harada - and then there's the fact the commander is absent as well. He then nominates Ryoma to take over as the role of commander. Takeda isn't happy, saying that Ryoma is still a newbie. Okita says it doesn't matter if he's new; he's far tougher than anyone else here! Ito points out that while Ryoma is very tough, it takes more than that to be a competent commander. He then tries to make a case for himself to be the next commander, mentioning Kondo's death at the hands of a samurai and that this is what he would have wanted. Hijikata points out that he never mentioned that Kondo was dead, he simply mentioned that he's absent, as usual, yet from that Ito says he's dead and even says he was killed by a samurai! Hijikata, Ryoma, Okita and Nagakura surround Ito, then Hijikata says Kondo is actually alive and asks if he knows something that they don't, accusing him of being the fake Sakamoto Ryoma's spy within the Shinsengumi. As they are about to strike him down, Todo interrupts, saying that he can't let them kill him. Ito reveals that he was originally hoping to hijack the Shinsengumi, but now he's forming a new organisation called the "Goryoeji" and that the Shinsengumi is finished.
When you complete this chapter, you get the "Story Clear #6" trophy.
