After his defeat in the night ambush, the Kitsune, furious and humiliated, decides to turn to his specialty: deception and manipulation. He knows that brute strength will not be enough to destroy the samurai or the protagonists, now that they have strengthened their spirits. Therefore, the Kitsune decides to infiltrate the village and sow chaos from within.

The cunning Kitsune, capable of shapeshifting, takes on the appearance of a respected villager and begins manipulating the samurai from the shadows. Unbeknownst to them, he uses his powers to heighten their fears and mistrust toward each other. Subtly, he plants seeds of doubt in their hearts, suggesting that some of their comrades might be allied with the yokai or that the protagonists, as outsiders, could be bringing misfortune to the village.

Meanwhile, the protagonists and Carlos sense that something strange is happening. As the days pass, the atmosphere in the village becomes increasingly tense. The samurai, who once fought as a united team, begin to show signs of discord. Takeshi, still recovering from his wound, suspects something is wrong, but his mind is clouded by the growing mistrust in the air. Kaede also notices the shift in how her comrades treat her; where there was once respect, there is now suspicion.

Thanks to the Kodama's teachings, the protagonists sense the distorted energy in the environment. Carlos, with his sharp observational skills, also realizes that the samurai have changed, but he cannot identify the culprit. As the tension grows, he tries to keep the samurai together, using his skills in persuasion and stealth to uncover who the traitor among them is.

The village, once strong and resilient, begins to fracture from within. Kaede, being young and emotional, is especially affected by the rumors that the Kitsune has spread about her, causing her to doubt her place in the village. The internal conflict weakens the samurai's morale, and the situation becomes even more critical when the Kitsune, in disguise, suggests that the outsiders are responsible for the recent yokai attacks.

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The protagonists, aware that someone is playing with the village, cannot do much without concrete proof. Fear and paranoia spread rapidly, and the samurai begin questioning one another, eroding their mutual trust. Shun, the quiet archer, even starts to suspect his closest allies, emotionally isolating himself. Kaede, increasingly troubled, tries to remain calm, but the weight of the doubts weighs heavily on her.

Finally, Kaede, recalling the lessons of balance and trust she learned in the forest with the Kodama, decides to investigate on her own. Using her skills of observation and strategy, she begins to notice small inconsistencies: the behavior of the supposed villager, his presence in key places where rumors originated, and how he twisted words to generate more discord.

As Kaede gets closer to uncovering the truth, the Kitsune, realizing that his disguise has been discovered, acts more aggressively. In a tense confrontation, Kaede exposes the Kitsune’s true identity to the other samurai. The Kitsune, feeling cornered, decides to attack directly, revealing his true form: a creature with multiple tails and glowing eyes full of malice and cunning.

Although Kaede manages to unmask the Kitsune, the revelation comes too late. The seed of mistrust has already taken root in the hearts of the samurai, and the village stands on the brink of fragmentation. With their defenses weakened, the yokai prepare to launch a devastating attack, knowing the samurai and their allies are more divided than ever.

The chapter ends with the village plunged into internal chaos, as the protagonists and Carlos brace themselves for what seems like an impossible battle to win unless they can restore the samurai’s trust before the Kitsune and his horde return to finish them off.