Ep. 9: Sugimoto's group seeks Asirpa in Ako while Kiroranke uncovers imprisoned revolutionaries.

Sugimoto’s group approaches Asirpa, who is with Kiroranke in Ako. At a Nivkh village, Kiroranke learns that revolutionaries including Sofia are held in Alexandrovskaya Prison and could aid the Ainu. Flashbacks show Kiroranke, Wilk, and Sofia fleeing to Vladivostok after Emperor Alexander II’s assassination. There, they met photographer Koichi Hasegawa, who married local Russian woman Fina. The fugitives paid him to teach Japanese, but fled when secret police arrived, fearing discovery. The police actually targeted Hasegawa, a Japanese spy. A gunfight ensued, killing the police but fatally wounding Fina and her child with stray bullets. Sofia blamed herself for the deaths. The group planned to cross the Strait of Tartary to Karafuto via ice bridge. Sofia declared love for Wilk but stayed to fight. Kiroranke now plans to free Sofia and others to continue their revolution. In an epilogue, dying Fina’s husband reveals his true name is Tokushirou Tsurumi.

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