In order to get information on the whereabouts of his old boss Sasai, Saejima agrees to fight in a caged deathmatch by request of the Florist. He defeats his opponent, but when tossed a sword among the crowd's chants of "Kill him! Kill him!", he blows his top, delivering a Big "SHUT UP!" and telling the audience of the nightmare his life had been after carrying out a hit twenty-five years ago that left eighteen rival yakuza dead, with tears streaming down his face.
After the cage match, the Florist brings Sasai to Saejima. In the years since being sent to prison, Sasai had become homeless, senile, and borderline catatonic. Saejima is clearly heartbroken to see his boss like this and gets desperate when the Florist confirms that Sasai is unresponsive and tries to talk to him. It's already tearjerking enough seeing the previously dark Saejima get emotional, reminding us he didn't turn out that way at first because he was always like that but it was 25 years in jail that effectively turned him into the vengeful, borderline Villain Protagonist that he was, but when you see how something awakens in the former mob boss, and though it was difficult for him, he recognized Saejima and weakly called out his name, sealing the fact that nothing will ever be the same for him, Saejima finally breaking down in tears as he realizes how his actions indirectly lead to his patriach being broken and screaming how he never wanted it to be like this seals the fact that Saejima is ultimately truly a victim.
Late in the game, Haruka calls up Kiryu to inform him that Hamazaki had passed away in the hospital and knew right away that he gave up his life protecting Kiryu, despite that she treated their old enemy with distrust and utter (but understandable) disdain earlier.
Yasuko's death. The poor woman has spent the better part of two decades trying to get even the faintest glimpse of her brother Saejima, gets Forced into Evil by the Ueno Seiwa Clan, and just when she gets the chance to see Saejima she dies protecting him from Katsuragi. Her death marks the lowest point for our heroes, with Kiryu and Tanimura mulling in sullen silence while Akiyama and Saejima (the men who knew her best) go off on their own to mourn.
