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River of Mercy

"River of Mercy" 「仁慈流々 Jinji ryūryū」 is the twentieth episode of Basilisk.

Summary

After Nobunaga Oda's attack, Ogen calls Tenzen Yakushiji and asks him where he was during the event and he explains he got hit by a bullet and died quickly. Tenzen comments that he heard she failed to kill Danjō Kōga, but giving her condition it was expected. Tenzen talks to himself that he will not repeat the regret from that day and will have Oboro bury Gennosuke Kōga by her own hands.

Gennosuke strikes out the names of the dead ninja and comments there is no stopping this now and either the Kōga Manjidani clan or the Iga Tsubagakure clan will be ruined and the grudge will never end. Gennosuke decides to stay hidden as the Iga are now being protected by Ofuku, but Saemon Kisaragi wonders about that.

Ofuku and her men, along with Oboro and Akeginu stay in a inn. Saemon (still disguised as Tenzen) arrives and Ofuku's men try to chase him away, but he breaks their arms. Hearing the commotion, Akeginu comes out to see Tenzen and stops the men, explaining that he is on their side. Akeginu tells Tenzen to meet Ofuku, but he says there isn't time as he had found Kagerō of the Kōga clan. Ofuku men hears that and offer their help, but Tenzen declines it stating they are not match for Kōga and it will tarnish Iga's name if they depend on them. He then silently tells Akeginu that Kagerō killed Koshirō Chikuma. Akeginu believed it was Hyōma Muroga at first, but Tenzen explains that Kagerō produces poison and that Koshirō's body didn't had any wounds, but as her technique has no effect on woman, Akeginu must be the one. Angered after hearing this, Akeginu tells Tenzen to give her a moment and leaves. As she arms up, she see picks Gennosuke's flute and Tenzen arrives in that moment seeing it. Akeginu apologizes as she wanted Oboro to have at least a memento and Tenzen accepts it, saying he will pretend he didn't see it.

Heading towards Kagerō, Tenzen learns about Ofuku intention to slay the Kōga herself, but he thinks that's foolish and the succession is of no interest to them, only the end of the Kōga and if they don't do it themselves, the souls of those that perished won't rest. Akeginu agrees to that, as she thinks the same way and until Kōga are slain, the war and her war won't end, but she still wants Oboro to see Gennosuke. Back at the inn, the real Tenzen arrives.

Reaching the bridge, Akeginu takes out Koshirō's scythe and faces Kagerō who reveals she was waiting for her. Akeginu starts fighting with Kagerō, wanting to avenge all the fallen Iga. She unleashes her blood technique and is about to strike Kagerō when Tenzen stops her (much to her surprise) and Kagerō stabs her in the chest, killing her. As Akeginu dies, she looks at Saemon's eyes and he feels uncomfortable. She then falls over the bridge while still holding onto Koshirō's scythe and her body starts to float away in the river.

Saemon then recalls what Gennosuke had said as he had started to feel it too, but knew it with situation like this, they couldn't get to know each other. Kagerō is satisfied that they managed to lure Akeginu perfectly and wants she to be the one slaying Oboro. Saemon reveals he heard Oboro's eyes are sealed and Oboro receives Gennosuke's flute back at the inn. Meanwhile, Saemon and Kagerō form a plan to kill Oboro when they hear footsteps approach and Kagerō runs away.

Ofuku's men arrive and Saemon (still disguised as Tenzen) greets them while apologizing about attacking them and explains that he grew up in a place where politeness were rarely used. One of the men asks where Akeginu is and Tenzen explains that she left in pursuit of Gennosuke who was injured and she will make sure he dies. Then, the man explains that he heard there is another person named Kagerō. Tenzen explains he tamed her and made her his woman and she switched sides. The man then reveals Akeginu had told him that Tenzen can't die no matter what injuries he receive and he is an immortal ninja.

Characters