In 1894, Russia advances policy of southward expansion, Qing Dynasty says that Korea is its vassal state and Japan want to build new footing. Among the three countries, Korea had been swinging. The war broke out between Japan and the Qing Dynasty which stems from the run of so-called party Donghak that occurred there. Yoshifuru campaigns with Marenori Nogi to participate in the attack of the Port Arthur fortress. Yoshifuru felt out Katuaki’s view of the enemy’s position, leading the cavalry. The total attack is initiated based on that report, and the Port Arthur has fallen in a day. The following year, Shiki who works as a reporter for "Japan" newspaper appeals to Katsunan Kuga, an editor in chief, and he becomes a war correspondent and leaves for the battlefront of Qing. However, a peace negotiation between the two governments already had begun. Shiki and Rintaro Mori, a surgeon he met inside around the villages that were destroyed, talk about the war. Saneyuki also participates in the actual battle in the "Tsukushi" cruiser for the first time and the real horrors shocks him to allow subordinates to die. Saneyuki returned and had an opportunity to talk with Heihachiro Togo.

“Land of the children,” Meiji Japan that began treading in rough water of Western power has been suffering from a world stage, just like the main characters. In 1889, the Constitution of the Empire of Japan was proclaimed and Japan began to establish the foundation of a modern nation. In summer of this year, Shiki goes home in Matsuyama for medical treatment. Saneyuki also comes home from Edashima and they see each other after an interval of three years. They spend time with Ritsu who has been taking care of Shiki. However, Shiki says that he will follow the path of Haiku, deciding to use his real name “Shiki” as the pseudonym. Meanwhile, Saneyuki causes a trouble during his homecoming.

On February 6, 1904, a combined fleet under the command of Admiral Heihachiro Togo attempted an attack from Saseho Port to wipe out Russian Port Arthur. But the Russian fleet remained secluded in Port Arthur which was protected so the combined fleet could not enter. The combined fleet was at its wits’ end with plans and they decided to blockade Port Arthur by sinking vessels at the entrance of the port. Saneyuki was asked to give a letter to Ariazuna by Takeo Hirose, his best friend since naval academy. Hirose noticed that Sugino was not there right before escaping from flying bullets. Hirose desperately looked for him inside the ship but unavoidably gave up and got in the ship but... Since Port Arthur Blockade Operation ended in failure, the combined fleet had a dark atmosphere. Saneyuki was forced to form a new plan soon after Hirose died.

November 1904, the Japanese Army persisted in a frontal attack and failed again in its third consecutive attack on the fortress, symbolized by a “White Sash Team” battle. Nogi refused the Third Army insisting the frontal attack and decided to operate 203 Hill. However, 203 Hill was also protected by robust Russian forts and the number of Japanese victims continued increasing. Saneyuki believed this offense and defense is the decisive battle of Russo-Japanese War. In such a situation, the Chief of Staff, Kodama went to Lushun to command the Third Army on behalf of Nogi in the knowledge that it might disturb military order. Nogi discussed with Kodama. Nogi temporally left the command of the Third Army to Kodama. In December, Kodama modified the plan of the Third Army and attacked 203 Hill with full effort. Through a hard-fought battle, 203 Hill finally fell with a great number of victims. The Japanese Army shelled the Lushun Fleet of Russia. Port Arthur Blockade Operation of the Combined Fleet under the command of Togo which had lasted 10 months ended.

After the defeat of Bakufu system which lasted for 260 years, more modern nation “Meiji” was born in Japan. However, this nation is more of a “land of the children” surrounded by “grownups” in the name of imperialism of western nations. There once were three men at Iyo-matsuyama located in Shikoku region. Yoshifuru Akiyama, Saneyuki Akiyama who later took a great part on “Russo-Japanese War” the biggest crisis Meiji Japan ever encountered and Shiki Masuoka who represents modern Japanese literature we know today with his brother. These 3 men who were raised by the people and land of Matsuyama, decided to move to Tokyo. Time flew by and these 3 men returned home and a took picture in front of Matsuyama castle. In the16th year of Meiji Era (1883), Yoshifuru enrolled at Army War College. In June of the same year, while Shiki was giving a speech for Freedom and People’s Right Movement, he received a letter from his young sister Ritsu, written by his uncle in Tokyo. In the letter his uncle suggests he move to Tokyo. The letter delighted him, and he immediately decided to move.