Xena (Lucy Lawless) marches onto the battlefield and begins slashing her way through the army of Samurai warriors. While Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) and Kenji (Mac Jeffery Ong) are fighting an attack from the rear, Xena comes face to face with Yodoshi's general Morimoto (Venant Wong), a formidable warrior she must fight while dispatching an onslaught of other Samurai. Xena emerges from battle in the spirit world, where she and Akemi embrace in an emotional reunion. Akemi explains that like herself, Xena is now under Yodoshi's control and must obey his will in order to escape from being consumed and enslaved forever ? unless, of course, Yodoshi is destroyed. Determined to annihilate the malevolent ghost warrior, Xena insists that Akemi teach her everything she needs to know to go up against him.
As Gabrielle searches for Xena in the forest, she runs into the ghost killer Harukata (Kazuhiro Muroyama), who tells her he's heard all about the battle at Higuchi. Meanwhile, Xena and Akemi are walking in the forest nearby and Akemi becomes fearful when she senses Harukata's approach. Xena, however, insists on talking to him. Fighting severe weakness as he draws closer, Xena vows to deliver Yodoshi to him. When Gabrielle and Kenji arrive and see Xena kneeling in front of the ghost killer, it becomes clear to Gabrielle that Xena has gone to the other side. Though obviously distraught, Gabrielle is determined to bring Xena back, and Xena reassures her that they've done it before.
Gabrielle convinces Harukata to reveal exactly what she must do to return Xena to this realm. Harukata tells her that she has until the second sunset to complete the ritual high atop Mt. Fuji. Morimoto is hot on her trail as Gabrielle scales the mountain to complete her mission.
Meanwhile, back at the teahouse, Xena executes her plan to trap Yodoshi using Kenji as bait. Just as Yodoshi is about to grab Kenji, Xena and Akemi attack him with everything they've got. In the ensuing struggle, Harukata appears and thrusts his katana into Yodoshi, but the mighty ghost warrior is unfazed. Yodoshi pulls out his sword, sends it flying through Harukata's stomach and resumes fighting with undiminished intensity. Gabrielle arrives and joins the fray, but Kenji is wounded and the group is forced to flee with the mortally wounded Harukata. As he lies dying, Harukata deduces that Yodoshi must be drinking from the Fountain of Strength in order to be invulnerable to a ghost killer. He pleads with them to find the fountain, drink the water and kill Yodoshi. Suspecting that Yodoshi has been traveling to Mt. Fuji disguised as a bird, Xena and Akemi watch as Yodoshi exits the teahouse and ascends into the body of a hawk. Xena and Akemi follow suit by ascending into the bodies of an owl and a heron, respectively, and take off for Mt. Fuji after promising Gabrielle that they'll meet her there.
Gabrielle reaches the slopes of Fuji with Morimoto in close pursuit, leading to an epic battle which Gabrielle wins. Xena fights Yodoshi and wins, but in order to free the thousands of souls he's enslaved, she must stay dead. At dusk, Gabrielle straps the chakram to her waist and sets out to continue her adventures, knowing Xena will still be with her in spirit.
Guest Starring: Michelle Ang (Akemi), Mac Jeffery Ong (Kenji), Adrian Brown (Yodoshi), Kazuhiro Moroyama (Harukata), Venant Wong (Morimoto), Shiori Terada (Miyoki), Yvonne Tan (Ayako)
Starring: Lucy Lawless as Xena, Renee O'Connor as Gabrielle
Teleplay by R.J. Stewart
Story by Rob Tapert & R.J. Stewart
Directed by Rob Tapert