Hanbei the Undying, your training partner in Sekiro, is a curious fellow. He’s not only one of the first NPCs you meet outside the Dilapidated Temple, but also the one with the most mysterious lore attached to him. Below, we’ll answer your questions, including a look at who is Hanbei, whether you can kill Hanbei the Undying in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, how to kill Hanbei, and the choice between “Accept” and “I do not wish to kill you.”
Who is Hanbei the Undying?
Despite always being there for you as a training partner throughout the game, not much is ever explained about Hanbei. Much like you, he can not truly die, and has been infected with Dragonrot. His attacks, too, show that he has a warrior background but, beyond that, Hanbei’s background is very much left open to interpretation.
Can I kill Hanbei the Undying in Sekiro?
You can! However, you need a very specific mid-to-late game item. That means that, even when he dies during sparring early on, he’ll always get back up, and you won’t be able to kill him for around 20 hours.
How to kill Hanbei the Undying
Make your way into the Main Hall of Senpou Temple and, once there at the Sculptor’s Idol for the area, turn and head right towards the desk. Inspect it to be whisked away to the Hall of Illusions. You then have to defeat the Folding Screen Monkeys.
Once you’ve done that, head inside the Inner Sanctum. You’ll be gifted the Mortal Blade by the figure within.
Use the Homeward Idol to return to the Dilapidated Temple and go and speak to Hanbei at his usual spot at the top of the hill. He’ll recognize the Mortal Blade and ask you to kill him. Travel elsewhere and then return to Hanbei to see him on his knees. You can then instigate a dialogue which would then give you the option to kill him. Deathblow him and he’ll say his goodbyes.
Should I kill Hanbei the Undying in Sekiro?
Almost definitely yes, unless you’re the sentimental type. Not only does killing Hanbei have no effect on any endings or any other choices in the game, the decision to pick between “Accept” [killing Hanbei] and “I do not wish to kill you” doesn’t matter in the long run either. You can choose to kill Hanbei or not to kill Hanbei, with the only difference being that you get a very useful reward for letting him finally die.
Once Hanbei shuffles off this mortal coil, you’ll get a Hidden Tooth. This lets you refill your resurrections by killing yourself (bear with me, this is a good thing) and reviving, negating the need for a res cooldown.
