Over the course of the story, Tenzen dies a total of four times at the hands of Jubei, Gyoubu, Hyouma, and Kagerou; before finally dying for good when he's decapitated by Gennosuke and then has his symbiote purged by Oboro's mystic eyes. For the most part, the Kouga ninja did not know what Tenzen's abilities were, which allowed Tenzen to kill several of the Kouga ninja who thought he was dead. He used this tactic to kill Jubei, Gyoubu, Saemon, and to capture Kagerou (leading to her death).