"Emancipation" 「夢幻泡影 Mugen hōyō」 is the twenty-third episode of Basilisk.
Summary[]
Tenzen Yakushiji tells Gennosuke Kōga that he needs to loath Ieyasu Tokugawa for his succession war and himself for being born a Kōga. Tenzen again engages Gennosuke in a fight and manages to stab him in the shoulder. Gennosuke then hold Tenzen's sword and cuts Tenzen's head with a single strike. Gennosuke then turns towards Oboro and asks her if she has a sword. Oboro says she doesn't and Gennosuke tells her to take Tenzen's as he must slay her and she to slay him. He explains his eyes had been shut and Oboro reveals her eyes are shut too by herself. Oboro didn't want the war to happen and tells Gennosuke to kill her. Kagerō barely moving asks Gennosuke why won't he slay Oboro and if he intend to betray all of Kōga. Gennosuke takes Kagerō, who then breaths poison and makes him collapse. Kagerō throws the scroll towards Oboro, telling her that only she may live and attempts with her last breath to continue poisoning Gennosuke, but Oboro wanting her to stop, manages to open her eyes and break her poison technique, removing the poison.
Oboro hears Ofuku and her retainers are coming and hides Gennosuke under the stairs. As he wakes up, he tells her that he didn't want to kill anyone or let anyone die. Ofuku and her retainers arrive to see Tenzen dead again before she orders them to put his head back on as he is immortal ninja. Tenzen tries to heal back, but sees Oboro is looking at him. Oboro recalls her grandmother Ogen telling her to be wary of Tenzen and that his immortality isn't ninpu, but something that he harbors in his body. As Tenzen barely speaks Oboro's name, Ofuku realizes that Oboro's eyes are open. Tenzen's healing fails, but then the thing inside of him reveals himself and tells that Gennosuke is under the stairs behind Oboro, but then he sees Oboro's gaze. It is then revealed that long ago, a pregnant Iga woman went to meet her lover, a Kōga man, but she was betrayed by him before she was killed by him and the other Kōga ninjas. From her womb, a baby emerged. Oboro continues to stare at Tenzen and asks why as the mysterious creature dies along with Tenzen.
Ofuku questions Oboro if what Tenzen said it true, as she confirms that behind her lies a poisoned Kōga, but killing him in that state will bring no honor to Iga. Ofuku accepts her decision and tells her men to send a message to Hattori and a duel between Oboro and Gennosuke will be held with Hattori as referee, to which Oboro has no objection.