One of the first friendly NPCs that players will encounter in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is Hanbei the Undying. Though he’s introduced to players as a bristly ally, Hanbei has an interesting place in the overall story of Sekiro and shows the ennui associated with immortality.
Hanbei initially challenges Wolf to a fight, but is dispatched with ease. He then surprises the player by pulling himself back up, despite eating a vicious deathblow. His questline in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is ultimately a short and simple one; he wants Wolf to kill him in a more permanent fashion.
Hanbei is a unique NPC and character in the story. While it’s shown that there are many ways to gain immortality, Hanbei is basically the only one outside Wolf and Kuro who is not villainous.
He also serves as something of a test dummy that allows the player to test out Wolf’s new abilities, prosthetic tools, and moves, which makes it quickly apparent that killing him isn’t going to be easy. Here’s how players can actually kill Hanbei the Undying and what they get out of it.
Kill Hanbei the Undying with the Mortal Blade
Players can kill Hanbei the Undying by using the Mortal Blade on him. If Wolf talks to him after acquiring the Mortal Blade, he will ask Wolf to kill him. The player ultimately gets to decide whether to do so, but Hanbei essentially pleads for it.
The Mortal Blade is required to get any of Sekiro’s endings, coming around the halfway point of the game. The item is acquired in the Inner Sanctum of the Senpou Temple from the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. The item allows Wolf to kill immortals, particularly those like the Guardian Ape who gain their powers from centipede demons.
After getting the Mortal Blade, talk to Hanbei and he will discuss Wolf killing him. If Wolf agrees to end his life, Hanbei will say that he will mentally prepare himself for his death. Rest at an idol and Hanbei will then invite Wolf to kill him.
What is Gained by Killing Hanbei the Undying?
Hanbei drops the Hidden Tooth item after he is killed. This is a quick item that instantly kills Wolf. That might sound bad, but it is useful in very specific situations.
Using the Hidden Tooth or Bite Down items kill Wolf instantly, but allow him to resurrect without locking resurrection nodes. This can allow players in a tight boss battle to get an extra resurrection without using a Bundled Jizo.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
