After the death of Yukishiro Tomoe, Himura Kenshin became a wandering swordsman to protect members of the Ishin Shishi. Shishio Makoto succeeded him as the shadow hitokiri (assassin) and was responsible for assassinating Izuka, who had betrayed the shishi.
The future Meiji government kept Shishio's existence more secretive than Kenshin's; many members of the Chōshū and Satsuma clans, who would later form the Meiji government, knew very little about him.
During the Boshin War, the new Meiji government decided it was in their best interest to eliminate Shishio before he grew too powerful, as he was ambitious and sought control. Consequently, Shishio was shot multiple times, doused in oil, and set on fire by the newly formed government. He survived but suffered extensive burns across his body.
Following his recovery, Shishio assembled a group of Japan's finest fighters, known as the Juppongatana (Ten Swords), with the goal of overthrowing the Meiji government. His vision for Japan was one where he ruled, enforcing the principle of natural selection, which he summarized as "the strong eat the weak."
Believing the Meiji government was too weak to lead effectively, Shishio waged a campaign against it. Using his motto, he groomed Seta Sōjirō, his right-hand man and the strongest member of the Juppongatana, into an ideological disciple. Shishio planned to boost the economy through petroleum once he seized control of the country.
