Episode 13

## Episode Chronology

**Dreams and Reality** (夢と現 (うつつ) , *Yume to Utsutsu*) is the thirteenth episode of the Jigokuraku anime series.

## Synopsis

Wielding his sword with rage over the death of his student, Shion puts his life on the line to fight against Mu Dan and exact vengeance. With another of her fellow clansmen dead, Sagiri makes a declaration to have everyone on the mission to make it off the island alive. However, something strange happens to Gabimaru that contradicts the person he has become.

## Plot

After arriving on time to save Sagiri and Yuzuriha from Mu Dan's attack, Shion has Nurugai take care of the flowers blooming out of Senta and moving the two women to a safe location as he prepares to fight the monster in front of him using what he has learned from testing the nature of Tao on his way to Hōrai. With Senta still in a worse condition even with the flowers removed, Sagiri turns to Hōko for a way to help Senta but is told that there is nothing he can do. Yuzuriha then steps up to help Senta by applying a salve to stop the bleeding. Hearing Shion's battle against Mu Dan commencing, Sagiri worries for her fellow Asaemon but is reassured by Nurugai that he will be okay since he is not willing to die yet.

Shion manages to avoid receiving a fatal hit from Mu Dan's stingers or his Tao attacks as he goes on the offensive and leaves wounds on the monster's body that are unable to heal, confirming to Sagiri that he has the same type of Tao as her that is capable of slaying the Tensen. However, Shion finds his body starting to bloom flowers from the scratches left by the stingers and resorts to slashing away at them, resulting in him losing a large amount of blood. Shion is laughed at by Mu Dan for committing an act that may result in his death and clarifies to him that he does not intend to die but is willing to if it is what it takes to bring him down.

Seeing Shion in danger as he fights alone, Sagiri prepares to go assist him and believes that she, Nurugai, and Yuzuriha could create an opening if they fight together. Yuzuriha tells Sagiri that she is choosing to sit out throughout the battle since she has no more strength left in her to continue. Hearing this, Nurugai hugs Yuzuriha and Sagiri as she believes, according to her and Shion's findings with Tao, that she can replenish their strength by doing so. While Yuzuriha doesn't feel that anything has changed from this, Sagiri finds that she feels more energized, realizing that there are positive interactions with Tao, and rushes to Shion's aid while both she and Nurugai are coated in Yuzuriha's mucus to protect themselves from Mu Dan's stingers.

Sagiri informs Shion that a Tensen can only be defeated if they strike at their tanden and that she and Nurugai will act as decoys to give him a chance to deal the finishing blow. Mu Dan targets Sagiri and Nurugai but fails to land a hit on them as they dodge his stingers and cut them down. Going with Sagiri's plan, Shion cuts Mu Dan's legs to immobilize him and rushes in to get close to the Tensen as he fires away Tao converted lasers and sends out a barrage of stingers his way. As he slashes away at the stingers targeting him, Shion becomes driven by his hatred and frustration over Tenza's death to push forward and manages to get on top of Mu Dan, with Sagiri and Nurugai having the Tensen's hands pinned by their swords to prevent him from attacking.

Shion gathers Tao to his sword as he prepares to bring his blade down and cut the two bodies' tandens but stops once he realizes that he is not sensing strong enough waves being emitting from the two bodies. With the stingers about to regenerate, Shion decides that he has no choice but to continue as planned. However, Senta yells out to Shion that he must strike at the center, its plant ovule, given that Mu Dan's Kishikai body is plant-like. Shion follows Senta's instructions and slashes the plant ovule, revealing multiple heads of Mu Dan. One of the heads becomes captivated by Shion's Tao surging in response to the Yin-Yang of life and death and wishes that he could have relayed this to Rien. During his final moments, as his Kishikai blankets the area with peony flowers from being destroyed, Mu Dan thanks Shion for killing him after waiting 1,000 years.

With the fight over, Sagiri and Shion worry for Senta as he is still suffering from his condition. Though she has enough of her salve left, Yuzuriha suggests to Sagiri to better make use of it to heal Shion's injuries instead, explaining that it is too late to save Senta but tells the injured Asaemon that he is now free to let go of his duties and use the remainder of his time to think about whatever he wants while she holds onto him. Hearing this, Senta decides to picture himself being in Yuzuriha's arms, as happily sheds a tear deciding that his last thoughts would be to be held by the person he admires.

Shion decides that they should move away from the area and access the situation, which Yuzuriha agrees. After finish grieving at Senta's grave, Sagiri thanks Yuzuriha for being reasonable with her earlier and believes that the only way to escape from the island is to have both criminals and executioners work together. Not wanting to see another of her comrades die, Sagiri makes a declaration to have everyone on the island make it out alive.

Sagiri, Yuzuriha, Hōko, Shion, and Nurugai enter Hōrai and take shelter inside a small house. While Yuzuriha and Nurugai decide to change out of their clothes, Shion focuses everyone's attention on reviewing the things they know so far, such as how dangerous Tao is when used improperly. Yuzuriha brings up the topic of the Elixir of Life not existing but hears from Sagiri that it must exist somewhere after bringing up Gabimaru's former leader's immortality that was caused by the elixir. Hearing this, Yuzuriha speculates that the Iwagakure chief must have used genjutsu, an illusion shinobi use, to trick his people into following him and questions the existence of Gabimaru's wife, speculating that she may be an illusion as well to control Gabimaru, much to Sagiri's shock as she tries to stop Yuzuriha from speculating further.

At around this point in time, Aza Chōbei and Aza Tōma forces the Dōshi to guide them to Hōrai.

Outside, Shion joins up Sagiri as she thinks about the deaths of her fallen comrades and Gabimaru, which causes Shion to think that she is in love with him. Sagiri denies this clarifies that although she does not know what she wants to be seen as in Gabimaru's eyes she feels pity for the life he has lived and that he is not a bad person despite being branded as a killer. She also voices her hopes that he and his wife will be reunited.

Meanwhile, Gabimaru regains consciousness from fainting earlier and is informed by Fuchi that they are now in a cave halfway up the valley wall. He then finds himself not remembering anything except that he is "Gabimaru the Hollow" and decides to play along with the people he is with to gather enough information or kill them if they figure that there is something wrong with him. Mei looks at Gabimaru to ask him if he is feeling okay and becomes shocked to sense that his Tao has not completely formed at the top of his head. While outside, Gabimaru fails to remember a memory of him and his wife together.

In Edo, Yamada Asaemon Shugen, alongside a colleague, is read a message written by the shogun to depart to Shinsenkyō to monitor the members of the Vanguard Party with allies of his choosing.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Mu Dan
* Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
* Yuzuriha
* Yamada Asaemon Senta
* Yamada Asaemon Shion
* Nurugai
* Yamada Asaemon Tenza (flashback)
* Zhu Jin
* Gabimaru
* Yamada Asaemon Fuchi
* Mei
* Tamiya Gantetsusai
* Aza Chōbei
* Aza Tōma
* *Tentacle Dōshi*
* Iwagakure Chief
* Yui (vision)
* Yamada Asaemon Eizen (vision)
* Yamada Asaemon Genji (vision)
* Yamada Asaemon Kishō (vision)
* Yamada Asaemon Jikka
* Yamada Asaemon Shugen

## Gallery

### Illustrations

Illustration by Yūji Kaku.Illustration by Koji Koku.Illustration by Koji Koku.