"Wandering Hearts" 「昏冥流亡 Konmei rubō」 is the seventeenth episode of Basilisk.
Summary[]
Gennosuke Kōga's group continues their journey when they see Ogen's hawk with a scroll and Kagerō decides to chase it while Gennosuke decides to go with her. Seeing Gennosuke leaving, Tenzen Yakushiji comments that Nenki Mino had failed to shut his eyes. He starts sneaking on the remaining two, believing they are Saemon Kisaragi and Hyōma Muroga, but as he gets close, he hears Gennosuke's voice, guessing that this bloodlust belongs to Tenzen. Kagerō sees Koshirō Chikuma controlling the hawk and attacks him while Saemon (disguised as Gennosuke) attacks the hawk, making it drop the scroll. Taking the scroll, Saemon believes they may have fallen into Iga trap and they head back. Tenzen realizes the other Gennosuke was Saemon and the real Gennosuke takes of his hood. Tenzen then laughs and congratulates Nenki and Hotarubi as they had managed to seal Gennosuke's eyes. Tenzen comments they had fooled him and he wasted his time preparing spectacle with Gyōbu Kasumi, but Hyōma tells him that they both saw him with their inner eyes and are thankful for being able to perform a funeral. Tenzen tells Gennosuke he planned on leaving him last and he see the Kōga's ruin and him marrying Oboro, but he can't miss this moment of destiny. They ask him if he could leave and wait for them in Iga Tsubagakure until they speak with the retired Shogun as they wish to put this 400-year grudge to an end. Tenzen then wonders what was that letter of challenge and Hyōma explains it was to save face as many of their men have hatred for Iga. Tenzen attacks Hyōma who manages to dodge his attacks, but eventually gets caught by Tenzen stepping on his foot. Gennosuke tells Tenzen that he won't see him marrying Oboro as he is going to die first and then tells Hyōma to look. Hyōma then open his eyes and Tenzen realizes he has same dōjutsu as Gennosuke, which makes him kill himself.
Kagerō and Saemon returns and give the scroll to Gennosuke, realizing that Jingorō Amayo is also killed by Gyōbu's hand. Gennosuke tells Saemon and Kagerō to kill the hawk and the one controlling it if they see it again and they wonder if its Oboro if they should still do it and he confirms. Saemon tells the rest to continue and turns to Tenzen, explaining he believed he was the most powerful one, but seems he was nothing.
Oboro takes a bath and asks Akeginu to help her scrub her back as she trembles thinking what Tenzen tried to do. Oboro then wonders about the man with the flute on the boat, but instead of revealing he died, Akeginu tells her she didn't know where he went. Akeginu then reveals that Koshirō went with Tenzen to slay Hyōma. Oboto is worried as Koshirō is blind and Akeginu shares the same worries. Akeginu then recalls her conversation with Tenzen where she expresses her concern for Koshirō, but Tenzen suggests that once the Kōga are slain, he don't mind having two wedding ceremonies, realizing Akeginu had started to feel something for Koshirō.
Koshirō heads back and recalls Tenzen had told him that what happened on the boat was just to drive out the Kōga ninja. He wonders where Tenzen is now and hears the hawk and continues to follow it. He starts to wonder when and why he started to loathe Kōga and that he wants to take Oboro and be forever by her side. He starts to blame and hate Gennosuke before the hawk leads him to Gennosuke's group a bit later.