Sanosuke grins defiantly, eyes twinkling -- slightly bloodied but never beaten. This is from his fight with Saito. Saito has just told him that he's nothing but a fledgling compared to himself or the Battousai, and proceeds to clock Sano one in the nose. But his next blow stops just shy of Sanosuke's face, as Sano does a variation of the blade-grab move with his fists, on either side of Saito's forearm. "Just a fledgling, am I?" he grins. "Well even a fledgling can break your arm."

I think this shot sums up everything about Sanosuke. He's hurt deeply by the thought that he might be a hindrance to Kenshin, and he's not afraid to say so out loud. Still, that's not going to stop him. He's going to get up, dust off, and do everything he can to become more powerful and follow the second man he's truly admired in his lifetime.