In 1180, Kiyomori commands his followers to defeat Yoritomo under the name of the former Emperor Takakura. Although Yoritomo loses the battle against the Taira forces at Mt. Ishibashi, he vows to realize Yoshitomo's long-cherished wish to build a true samurai-oriented country with the backing of powerful anti-Taira samurais. On October 20, the Taira forces led by Koremori (Shigemori's son) and the Minamoto forces led by Takeda Nobuyoshi stand face to face near Fuji River--the Battle of Fujikawa. The Taira forces, however, flee in fear from the battlefield, mistaking the sound of water birds for a surprise night attack by the Minamoto forces.
頼朝（岡田将生）の挙兵を知った清盛（松山ケンイチ）は、孫の維盛（井之脇海）を総大将として追討軍を派遣。一方、数万に膨れ上がる源氏軍は西へ兵を進め、両軍は富士川を挟んで対じする。しかし敵軍を目にし、おじけづく平家軍は、戦闘前に総崩れ。大敗に激怒する清盛だが、家臣の伊藤忠清（藤本隆宏）から殿自身が武士の魂を忘れていると痛烈な批判を浴びる。圧倒的勝利を手にした頼朝は弟・義経（神木隆之介）と、ついに対面！
