Walkthrough | Nioh 3 Wiki

 

 

Hitokoto Slope

Proceed Onward

After the cutscene ends with finding Takeda Shingen, make your way forward following the path while Nekomata explains the history of the Takeda army. You will encounter a shrine nearby where you can restore Life and replenish any expended Elixirs. You can also change Guardian Spirits when praying at a shrine. Depending on the Guardian Spirit you have accompanying you, they will enhance certain stats and also determine which Guardian Spirit skill can be used.

 

There are other things you can do at a shrine, like leveling up. You can level up by using Amrita to upgrade your core stats, which will raise cstats, as well as the attack power of certain weapons, which you can see as before you level up. You can also reset your levels at any time.

 

After praying at the Shrine, continue forward and you will enter Hitokoto Slope where you will trigger Escape from Hitokoto Slope. There, you will have to infiltrate a camp filled with enemy soldiers from Takeda's army and fight off enemy forces.

 

Pursue Takeda's Forces

Escape from Hitokoto Slope will trigger during The Battle of Hitokoto Slope after you've reached the location. Turn left after passing the torch and climb up the rock ledges to avoid detection from enemy guards. You can assassinate them from above and execute them by pressing the Triangle button on the controller while you're behind them. To make your movements quieter, you can press L3 crouch and move more stealthily. There will be enemies up ahead and you can move in while crouching before assassinating them to move forward.

 
 

After defeating the enemies in the area, you can loot a fallen soldier with a gold glow to obtain Mino Dual Tachi and a Spirit Stone, then turn left by the firepit and you will find a little crawlspace you can pass through. Then follow the path to circle back around to higher ground. On the right-hand side, before dropping down the ledge, you can pick up Irregular Troop's Cuirass, Spy's Kusarigama, and Yamato Odachi.

Go back down and continue moving forward. Climb up the scaffolding and defeat the Enemies you encounter. As you make your way up, be sure to avoid the spiked log the enemy forces will throw at you. At the top of the hill before entering the camp, you will find a fallen soldier you can loot and you will obtain a Longbow, x5 Arrow, and x4 Incendiary Arrow. Your bow will automatically be equipped. You can aim by pressing L2, and press R2 to fire. You can press R3 to zoom in while aiming, and direct hits to an enemy's head and other weak spots deal increased damage.

 

There will be a guard enemy on a watchtower that you can take out with your bow. You can then climb the tower to take more arrows and replenish your stock. There are two ways to go about clearing the camp. You can take your time, sneak around, and take the enemies out stealthily by assassinating them or taking them out with your Longbow, or diving straight in and facing them head-on.

 

To the left of the watchtower, you can climb a stack of crates to find more arrows. From the roof, you can choose to take out more enemies using your bow from above. Dropping down from the roof on the left side, you can find a fallen soldier that you can loot to find a Small Spirit Stone and an Irregular Troop's Waistguard. 

If you choose to clear the camp stealthily, it's best to stick to the edges of the camp behind the structures and crouch as you approach patrolling enemies before assassinating them, then moving onto the next one, repeating this until you've cleared the camp. Be sure to be on the lookout for golden glows while clearing areas to pick up various equipment and other loot.

After clearing the camp, go past the fire pit through the archway while picking up the Rogue's Waistguard from the fallen soldier on the right side of the arch post. Nekomata will mention that the enemy has yokai in their ranks. Just past the archway, there will be a shrine for you to pray at to replenish your Elixirs and restore some Life.

Continue following the path using the torches along the way to guide you. To your left near the bottom of the slope, you will find a sword surrounded by a red aura. This is a Bloody Grave. If you interact with it, you will have the option to fight Sumiyoshi the Impatient, a revenant. Defeating it will give you Fuma Chief's Robes, x2 Ochoko Cup, and 38 Glory. Nekomata will also mention that Takeda's forces are moving in on Tokugawa's camp.

 

Head to Tokugawa's Camp to Provide Assistance

Defeat the yokai at the bottom of the slope. There will also be a shrine at the end of the path. You can pick up x3 Ochoko Cups and x2 Small Spirit Stones from the fallen soldier nearby. After praying at the shrine, you will find a sword surrounded by a dark blue aura to your right, a Benevolent Grave. Offering an Ochoko Cup at a Benevolent Grave will allow you to summon an acolyte to help fight alongside you. Acolytes will remain on the field until the Battle Spoils Gauge disappears or if their Life drops to 0. Defeating enemies will diminish the Battle Spoils Gauge. You can earn Ochoko Cups from co-op mode or by defeating Revenants from Bloody Graves.

 

You can then head to the camp to the left of the shrine and you will enter a cutscene of the Tokugawa army fighting off the Takeda's yokai forces. You will see Honda Tadakatsu leading the fight against the yokai before Takechiyo rushes in to help. A higher-ranking official from Takeda's army, Yamagata Masakage, will appear as Tadakatsu runs to aid other Tokugawa soldiers.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Masakage. He is a fairly large enemy with Samurai donning the familiar crimson armor of the Takeda army. He wields a large blade resembling an oversized naginata. His moveset features wide swings and thrusts with his blade. He can also charge at you from a distance before swinging. His attacks are heavy hitters, but they are slower. You can focus on dodging them and moving around behind him to get attacks in and use Burst Break to deplete his Ki.

 

Masakage can also swing his blade around him in a cyclone to deal AOE damage. It's best to move away until the attack is over before charging in to deal damage. Masakage will use his Burst Attack after swinging his blade in a circle and bringing the blade up. You can anticipate the Burst attack and position yourself close enough to use Burst Break and deplete his health and defeat him. You will receive the Crimson General Set, the Heir Set, and the Heirloom Set upon defeating Masakage. You will then have successfully completed Escape from Hitokoto Slope and the next Main Mission, The Hamamatsu Incident will start after a cutscene with Honda Tadakatsu. 

 

 

Proceed Onward

After completing Escape from Hitokoto Slope, interact with the defeated Masakage, and you will enter a cutscene where he will flee. Honda Tadakatsu will introduce himself as the retainer of Tokugawa. He will then tell you about Takeda Shingen and how the yokai have joined with their forces to destroy the Tokugawa army in order to take out Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tadakatsu will take you toward Hamamatsu Castle and will ask for your assistance.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will receive a pop-up notifying you that you are accompanied by Shin-Roku via spirit division, and you will have completed The Battle of Hitokoto Slope, and the next Main Mission, The Hamamatsu Incident will begin.

 

Tenryu River

Upon arriving at Tenryu River, you will unlock Shin-Roku, a Guardian Spirit. Once you get off the boat and regain control of your character, speak to Honda Tadakatsu and exhaust all of his dialogues. Go up the ramp behind him until you reach the top, where you get a view of the Totomi Province. A short cutscene with Kusanagi will play, then Nekomata will appear next to you. After this, Axes and Tonfa Weapon types will be unlocked.

Prospect Hill Shrine

Head down the path to the left (facing north). Go past the first white banner, then go off the path to find a corpse that drops an Uchiko Powder. Return to the path and loot the corpses on the right side to get a Small Spirit Stone and Samurai's Locks. Pray at the Prospect Hill shrine to unlock Fast Travel and Multiplayer options like "Become a Visitor" and "Expedition", and the Training Ground sub mission.

 

Go past the Prospect Hill shrine and loot the corpse to get a Small Spirit Stone. Turn left to locate a hidden path and follow it until you hear the quiet sound of a Scampuss. Follow the scampuss to an elevated land in a secluded area to receive a Ninja's Locks and Scampuss Furball.  There's a corpse next to the Scampuss that will drop items. From here, head northwest to locate a group of Gaki enemies gathered over 3 corpses. 

 

Exit through the narrow tunnel you entered, then head up the path to the west to loot a corpse over the ledge that drops x2 Ochoko Cup. Jump to the area below to loot another corpse resting against the tree to get Sacred Water. Go to the elevated area towards the east to find an area with a large tree with red leaves and tall grasses. For now, take note of the Spirit Vein that you can find in the tall grass. This feature is inaccessible until you have Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit . 

 

 

Proceed through the tall grasses and return to the main path to find the Ikeda Ferry shrine. To the northwest, you can enter the small village in Tokaido. The main path is blocked by Gaki enemies, and you can loot the corpses near the broken carriage. Continue towards the small village and jump up the platform on the right, then towards the elevated terrain. Walk towards the ledge on the right to loot a corpse to get Salt. Go back to the elevated terrain on the left, and you will start to hear a bell ringing above a house with a locked door. Face the east direction and look up to the tree above to find the Chijiko. This Chijiko gives x1 Samurai's Locks and unlocks Moonlit Snow Charge.

 

 

 

Enter the nearest house with a broken roof to find a Kodama inside. If this is your first Kodama, then you'll unlock the mission Kodama Seeker. Open the door to exit the house, then defeat the Shunobon patrolling the main path.

 

You can go around the houses to find corpses that you can loot items from, although their drops are insignificant for the exploration level. Once satisfied, you can head further into the village and fight the large yokai to get the Dirty Key. This key is used to open the house at the elevated terrain that contains the chest that drops Secret Skills Text: Armor Piercer and other items.

  

 

Return to the main path in the village, then exit through the gate to the north. Turn left to go towards the forest with a Crucible Spike. Defeat the Shunobon enemies, then destroy the spike to strengthen your Guardian Spirit and increase your maximum Spirit Force. Then, head west to activate the Hojo Shrine.  

 

 

After activating the shrine, head east to find the farm area, an elevated terrain on the right with a Torii gate, and a large enemy roaming on the left. First, head up the Torii gate by climbing the platform. You can save the Kodama at the top of the destroyed shrine. To the left, you can see a Mikoshi Nyudo patrolling the main path of the farm. This enemy can drop a Splitstaves weapon type, which unlocks an additional weapon for the player. After fighting this enemy, check the nearby corpses, especially the one near a small tree, towards the northeast, to loot Secret Skills Text: Unshakable.

 

 

From here, you can return to the Prospect Hill shrine before moving on to the next location, or head northeast from the farm and follow the path that leads to an enemy base towards the edge of the Tenryu River. This base can be captured by defeating 5 enemies, and will unseal the chest that releases a Kodama. You will also receive other items, like Weapons and Armor pieces, from the chest. There's also a spirit vein at the northeastern edge of the base, just behind the chest, but it requires Kongojishi (Samurai)/ Kongojishi (Ninja). You can find a chest containing the the Secret Skills Text: Deadly Eye.

 

 

As you exit the enemy base to the south, climb on top of the shed near the entrance. Open the small treasure chest to get Secret Skills Text: Vital Spirit and other Items. 

 

From the Hojo Shrine

Fast travel to the Hojo Shrine, then loot the corpse that you'll see across from it. Then, head north towards the golden spikes to find the nearby Chijiko. This one gives Heaven Flash Lightning and Samurai's Locks. Head back to the shrine, then follow the path heading south. You'll find a Six Jizo statue on the elevated terrain, to the east of this path. Praying here grants +100 Jizo Merit.

 

 

Go to the western area to find an enemy base. This base can be captured by defeating 11 enemies. Upon defeating the last enemy, you will get a Bloody Iron Key, which is used to open the door of the large house located in the south. Inside, you can open the large chest containing Secret Skills Text: Panacea Curefast, x3 Ochoko Cup, along with other Items. Before leaving, go to the back of this house to find a small lockbox with Items.

 

 

From here, you can exit the enemy base and head to the shallow stream of water to the west. There are some objects that drop Amrita. Then, on the deeper part of this stream, you can loot a corpse that drops a Ninja's Locks. 

After clearing this area, head north towards the short bridge and cross the intersection. Transfer to the path to the right (facing northeast) and follow this through the tall grass, golden spikes, all the way to the top. Once you reach the top, you can loot a corpse that drops Amrita. Return to the previous path and follow it northwest to reach the Hamamatsu Gate shrine. 

 

After activating the shrine, go to the small village with friendly NPCs to the north. You can talk to them to find out that the bridge is blocked. For now, explore the house on the left to find a small treasure chest containing Warrior's Text and other items. You can also find a Kodama at the top of the right watchtower. 

 

Leave this village and go towards the edge of the cliff to the northwest. You can find a shadow that prompts the myth, A Drop of Hope. This myth is about a man who wants to recover and deliver the Physick to his sick wife. You can find a full walkthrough of this mission here.

 

From here, continue exploring the western area to find an uphill path that leads to a Lesser Crucible. By defeating the waves of enemies, you can get a Skeleton Warrior Soul Core from the final enemy and allow you to cleanse the crucible. Destroying the Crucible Spike will increase Spirit Force by 3.0, strengthen the Guardian Spirit, and drop a Large Spirit Stone. This also unlocks access to a hidden area with 2 corpses and the bandit camp. Crawl under the small hole and loot the corpse near the ledge to get a Ninja's Locks. 

 

 

The bandit camp related to the myth, A Drop of Hope, can be found straight ahead. There are 2 corpses in the middle of the bandit camp. The one at the back drops the Physick that is needed for the mission. From the camp, head west where you see a rocky path before crossing the border to Hamamatsu to find a Six Jizo statue. Praying here grants +50 Jizo Merit.

 

This concludes the exploration for Tenryu River, and you can either proceed to Hamamatsu for story progression or maximize your level and improve Equipment pieces by exploring Tokaido.

• If you followed this exploration, you will have 2 Spirit Veins and 1 Crucible Wraiths that are still missing. You'll need to progress the story to unlock the required Spirit Guardian to obtain these collectibles. However, you should have a Level 4 exploration area for the Tenryu River at this point.

 

Tokaido

Arriving at Tokaido

There are 2 ways to enter Tokaido: you can opt to explore this location before entering Hamamatsu or after clearing the Crucible Manifested mission. Due to the monster and boss difficulty inside Hamamatsu, we recommend clearing Tokaido first to get additional levels and better equipment. However, if you opt to clear Hamamatsu first, you will unlock the Gale Sprint skill, which allows the player to run at an inhuman speed, making exploration a lot faster.

  

Regardless if you want to do it before or after Hamamatsu, we recommend starting from the Tokaido shrine, located on the western side. To get there, you can fast travel to Hojo Shrine in Tenryu River or the Hamamatsu Post Shrine. This guide will start from Hojo Shrine, where you can follow the path that leads south, all the way to Tokaido. You'll pass by the Six Jizo on the left side of the main path, but if you've previously prayed here, then you can just run past it. When you see the logs on the left side, you'll start to hear the Scampuss. For now, head to the Shrine first on the right to secure your checkpoint. The previously mentioned scampuss is located next to the shrine, and petting it will make the yokai run away, and will take you to the roof of a house in Tenryu River. After petting it again, it will give you Samurai's Locks and a Scampuss Furball.

  

Head outside the village towards the Tokaido shrine and interact with the corpse directly across the gate to start the quest Insatiable Hunger. Return to the Shrine, follow the path leading south where you see golden spikes growing in the thick forest. Follow this path to the bottom, then turn right where you can see corpses in a sunken area. Loot the corpses to get Samurai's Locks. Return to the previous path and continue walking towards the large tree at the elevated terrain, with nearby Gaki enemies. Directly in front of this tree, you can find a Kodama that you can guide home.

 

 

After saving the Kodama, proceed to the eastern area, facing a tall building with an enemy patrolling its grounds. Defeat the Mezuki boss to get Mezuki Soul Core and other rewards. Then, loot the corpse at the base of the building to get Samurai's Locks. From here, head north and go down the steps to the main path, the same one where the enemy camp is located. Keep walking until you reach the destroyed carriage with yokai enemies. After this encounter, you can pray at the Ikeda Ferry shrine to update your checkpoint. 

 

 

 

Ikeda Ferry Shrine

Go inside the village, which is also an enemy base. You need to defeat 7 enemies here to capture it, as well as free the Kodama near the treasure chest. At the entrance, you'll see a corpse next to the haystack. Loot it to get information about what happened in the village. Defeat the Jailer Oni patrolling the main path, then crawl under the haystack on the right side. Loot the corpse to progress the mission, Insatiable Hunger and to replenish your Elixir.

 

 

Go to the opposite side and enter the house with blue banner near the logs to open a lockbox. Go to the well area behind this house, and defeat the 2 enemies here. Attack the well to replenish your Elixir. Then, go towards the dock to defeat 3 more enemies.The final enemy here drops a Dweller Soul Core. After this, go to the end of the boat to loot a corpse. Then, go back to the well area to guide the Kodama home, then loot the large treasure chest. This Kodama has a chance to drop a Kodama Soul Core.

 

 

When you're done here, proceed to the back of the village, where you see a path in the woods towards west. On the path, you can loot a corpse about a man who's demanding to give the food back to everyone. Keep walking until you see the two houses with a small campfire in the middle. There's a large figure in the middle of the area, and attacking it will start a fight against the Gaki Chief. Defeating this boss will complete Insatiable Hunger. After the fight, loot the corpse in the middle, then go inside the house to loot a lockbox.

 

After clearing this area, proceed to the path facing south, where you see a patch of tall grass. Look for a hidden path then make a left towards the thick forest, then go towards the tunnel. This will take you to a hidden area with multiple miner enemies. Loot the 2 corpses here, then return to the main path to pray at the Forest of Souls shrine. 

  

 

Forest of Souls Shrine

Head towards the intersection, then loot the corpse near the tree to get Smoke Ball. Pet the Scampuss and start following it. You'll pass by important items as you do, but it will eventually take you on the right side of the round path. This Scampuss will give you a Samurai's Locks and a Scampuss Furball once you catch up to it.

 

When you reach the area pond, go to the center where you see the lockbox. Loot this to get Ninja's Text. After that, jump on the platforms to rescue the Kodama in front of the miniature shrine. Drop down to the path on the left, then loot the corpse on the left side of the path. Continue walking towards the house to start a fight with Green Shadow's Blade. Defeating this boss will unlock Swift Step Heavy. Attack the well near the logs to replenish your Elixir. Then, go inside the house to receive Secret Skills Text: Roaring Dragon Deflect and other items. 

 

 

 

Return to the main path and walk towards the curve, where you see an enemy inside the sunken pond. Defeat this enemy for a chance to get Kappa Soul Core. From here, continue towards the path to the south, then look out for the Six Jizo on the right side. Continue to go up where you start to see the growth of the crucible spikes. Then, turn left to pray at the Shrine.

 

 

 

Cape Cavern Shrine

Interact with the corpse next to the tree to start the mission, Desecrated Hot Spring. This mission will require you to go inside the tunnel and defeat the enemies in the area. Before the Hot Spring, there's a crawl space on the right. Go inside and open the chest to get Samurai's Text. For a full guide and walkthrough, please see this page.

 

 

Back to the main path, go up to the elevated terrain on the right side to loot a corpse to get x3 Ochoko Cup. Then, loot the corpse right in front of the lesser crucible to receive Sacred Water. Defeat the waves of enemies until you face the Yoki, to get the Yoki Soul Core. Destroy the Crucible Spike to unlock special effects for Kusanagi, increase Spirit Force by 2.0, and strengthen Guardian Spirits. Go to the area behind and loot the corpse near the edge to get Secret Skills Text: Tachi Arts.

  

 

Hamamatsu

Arriving at Hamamatsu through Tenryu River

The first thing you can explore in the northern area of Hamamatsu is to go behind the open house to the left of the logs. Climb to the top and enter the house to find a ladder to a cave. Inside the cave, defeat the Yoki to get the Yoki Soul Core and other Items. You can also loot the corpse inside the cave that can drop a Sacred Water. Exit through the other ladder to access the nearby house. Then, you can open the large chest to receive Warrior's Text and other Items.

 

 

 

Exit the second house through the locked door, then go to the tree between the houses to open a small chest containing Accessories and Armor pieces.

 

Head back to the area below where you found the logs, then walk further into the town to reach the Hamamatsu Post - Terrace shrine. If you picked up the mission A Drop of Hope in Tenryu River, you can follow up on it by going to his home, which is 2 houses away from the shrine, guarded by a Yoki. Defeat this boss to enter the house and check on his wife to progress the quest. Upon completing, you will receive Omamori and Ninja's Locks. From there, you can check out the area near the farm to find corpses and defeat several enemies.

  

Proceed to the eastern edge of the farm, then drop down into the village area of Hamamatsu, which features a small group of houses. You can then walk towards the stable at the edge of the village. There's a corpse inside the stable that drops a Throwing Stone, and another at the back. Proceed towards the alley on the right to reach the Tokaido gate.

 

 

 

Path from Tokaido

Once you reach the main path from Tokaido, you can loot the corpse in the middle of the path to get a Small Spirit Stone. Continuing up ahead, you can find a soldier inspecting a corpse next to the barricade. To progress, explore the area on the left side, then go through the alley between the houses. Climb up the haystack and onto the roof of the house on the left to get a view of the small farm plot. Drop down to this side, then enter the house on the leftmost side to save the Kodama. Then, open the small chest next to the Kodama to get Ascetic Robes and Ninja's Locks.

 

 

You can also fight the enemy on the farm nearby to loot a corpse in the middle that drops a Spirit Stone. Then, you can go inside the house towards the south to get Sacred Ash from the corpse.

 

 

Return to the previous path and walk towards the center of the town. Go inside the house near the spike, and go up the stairs to open a large treasure chest that drops Secret Skills Text: Lingering Spirit, Elixir, Crimson General's Helmet, and Thief's Plated Headband. Then, go through the broken wall and loot the corpse to get a Power Pill before jumping down. From here, you can see the Hamamatsu Post shrine, where you can pray to activate it.

 

 

From the Hamamatsu Post Shrine

Loot the corpse near the wooden fence, then face the tree to the left. A Chijiko is flying above, and shooting it gives Ninja's Locks and Cloudspitter Fire. Go inside the house in the elevated area to open a small treasure chest that drops equipment pieces and some Accessories. Proceed further into the town, and you can loot the corpse in the middle to get x3 Ochoko Cup and a Summoner's Candle. For now, you can either cleanse the Lesser Crucible on the main path, or proceed to the tall grass on the left to go to the southern area. 

 

 

 

For this route, we recommend clearing the southern area first. Start by going through the back of the houses to the east where you'll fight soldiers. After the third house, go to the house in the middle to open a small lockbox. Then, go to the house opposite this one to open a large treasure chest that drops Secret Skills Text: Thrown Blade Counter, Elixir, and other Items. 

 

From here, go to the back of the house in the middle to find the connecting path to the other side. Attack the well to reveal a trapped Kodama. Then, go to the edge of the village towards the south to loot a corpse. From the well in the south, go towards the left side in the open area with enemies. Defeat them to get Smithing Text: Crucible Cudgel. From there, go towards the back of the house on the left to find a small treasure chest. To finish the exploration on this side, proceed to the open house in front of the well, to the right, to open a small lockbox that drops x2 Ochoko Cup. Then, you can trace your steps back to the Lesser Crucible by going through the connecting path. 

  

 

Purify the Lesser Crucible

The house on the right side, before you enter the Lesser Crucible, contains a Benevolent Grave and a corpse. Once you go inside, you'll fight waves of enemies that can drop Dweller Soul Core and Jailer Oni (Hellfire) Soul Core. Then, you can destroy the Crucible Spike to increase Spirit Force by 2.0, strengthen Guardian Spirit, and get a Large Spirit Stone.  

 

 

Once the path opens up, enter the house to the right and go up to the 2nd floor. Defeat the Jailer Oni here and loot the nearby corpse to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Exit through the window near the stairs, then follow this small roof to the end, and look at the roof of the next house to see the Kodama. Jump down to the ground, then save this Kodama by double jumping on the haystack.

 

After saving this Kodama, return to the ground, and continue to the next house. Loot the corpse in the middle of the open house to get Sacred Water. Then, exit through the main path, and go inside the house opposite this one. Go up to the second floor where you can see a corpse over the window. Take note of this corpse, but first explore the rooms inside this house to find a room hidden behind a breakable door. Loot the corpse to replenish your Elixir.

 

 

Go out this window, then turn left to follow the roof to the other house. Enter the next house through the window. Go down to the first floor and open the large treasure chest to get Secret Skills Text: Attack Mastery I, and other equipment pieces. Open the door to return to the main path. From here, walk towards the bridge, and defeat the enemy kneeling next to a corpse.

 

 

 

The main path near the bridge is being patrolled by a Yamainu. First, defeat this enemy, then loot the corpse in the middle to get a Ninja's Locks. Before crossing the bridge, climb the ladder and face northwest where you can see a wooden bridge connecting the roof of two houses. In the distance, you'll see an enemy next to a lockbox. Jump on top of the opposite house, then drop down to the alley. Open this lockbox to get a Samurai's Locks. 

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Inside the Crucible

After the cutscene ends, follow Ii Naotora as she guides you toward the entrance to the Hamamatsu Castle Town Crucible. Before entering, you will be able to find a shrine where you can level up and sort your gear, as well as a yokai merchant, Sudama to purchase any additional items you might need.

 

Once you are all sorted out, approach the entrance and interact with it, and you will trigger Crucible Manifested, where you will have to explore and traverse the corrupted Hamamatsu Castle Town to kill the yokai roaming around and cleanse the Crucible to gain access to Hamamatsu Castle.

 

Continue through the Hamamatsu Castle Town Crucible

After entering the Hamamatsu Castle Town, follow the path until you see a statue on your right side before a bridge. While inside the Crucible, you will only be able to Fast Travel and leave the Crucible while you are near one of these Bodhisattva Statues. They function like the shrines outside the Crucible.

Cross the bridge and follow the path until you reach the roof of a structure. Drop down to the left and you will find a yokai there by the obstruction. Defeat it before turning back and following the path. As the path splits, head to the left and go near the unlit lantern so Kusanagi can light it. You will find other lanterns as you explore within the Crucible; follow them to find your way through the Castle Town.

 

Turn right past the second lantern and you will find a yokai blocking the path. Defeat it to progress. Be careful while fighting inside the Crucible, as enemies deal more damage inside. Additionally, their attacks can inflict Life Corrosion which decreases your maximum Life temporarily. You can remove this effect by dealing damage or defeating enemies.

 

After defeating the large yokai, there will be a door that will be locked ahead. You need to take the left path, where you will find another lantern. If you go to the right through the house, you will find a Bloody Grave to your right along with some other enemies and a chest. For now, jump on the floating rocks that appear to cross the path and land on the roof.

 

From the roof, you can damage the yokai in the area below with your Longbow before dropping down to finish them off. There will be a Bloody Grave in the area, and another lantern will be lit by Kusanagi to help guide you through the Castle Town.

Go through the destroyed houses to find another lantern. Press forward and you will find enemies inside the structure. Defeat them before moving on to exit the house.

 

Climb the rock platform to the right and jump onto the bone-like structure resembling a joint and drop to the other side. There will be enemies as you land, one in particular on top of a roof with a bow, so be careful with getting hit and take it out first with your bow before engaging with the one on the ground.

  

Go up the ramp. To the left, you can lower a ladder for easier traversing and a shortcut when you die. Then, turn around and follow the path, jumping across the gap toward the roof. Go down the bone-like platform and continue moving forward.

 

Turn left to find another lantern with an enemy nearby. Turn left through the broken wall segment at the second nearby lantern to find a Bodhisattva Statue. There will also be a Benevolent Grave to the right side.

  

Turn left to enter the structure. Defeat the enemies, then turn right as you exit and you will find a large yokai on the open grounds where you will find another lantern. After defeating it, move past the lantern and enter the structure. Defeat the yokai inside and exit to the right where you will find more enemies.

  

Follow the path outside and go past the next lantern to find the next Bodhisattva Statue. Continue straight past the statue and follow the path illuminated by the lantern until you come across a stack of hay on your right.

 

Climb onto the roof and turn left before continuing until you reach the archway. Defeat the flying yokai in the area and continue forward.

 

Enter through the broken wall segment to the left and take out the skeletal archer. Jump across the lava puddle to move forward to find the next lantern. Continue moving forward to enter the structure and defeat the yokai inside.

  

Exit through the back left corner of the room and turn right to go around the structure to climb onto the roof. Use the crucible formations and follow its path down to the left. Continue following the path before you to find the next lantern and use the rock platform that appears to cross the gap to the other side. You will find another area with yokai. Defeat it and then turn right to find a Bodhisattva Statue.

 
 

Near the statue, you will find two Benevolent Graves and a large gate. Approach the gate to open it and you will enter a cutscene as you reach the area with the Crucible Spike. Takechiyo will attempt to break the Crucible spike but a large yokai with two serpent-headed-like tails will deter him.

  

 

Defeat Jakotsu-baba

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Jakotsu-baba. She is a large yokai with two serpentile creatures protruding from her back. The red one will be able to breathe fire, while the white one can make ice shards erupt from the ground toward you. You can tell which serpent is active as it will be slightly outstretched, while the dormant one will be kept closer to Jakotsu-baba's body. She can also shoot out a wave of skeletal projectiles and slam her staff on the ground.

 

Make sure to keep an eye out for when she glows red to use Burst Break and stagger her a little and drain her Ki. Once her Ki is depleted, you can focus on chaining attacks to deplete her health. Some of her attacks are consecutive in nature and Ki management is important to make sure you can always move out of the way from her attacks.

 

Cleanse the Hamamatsu Castle Town Crucible

Once you defeat Jakotsu-baba, pick up the drops and you will receive Iron Switchglaive, Rifle Ammunition, Simple Talons, and Tanegashima Matchlock as rewards for completing Crucible Manifested. Walk over to the Crucible Spike to break it. Once you destroy it, you will enter a cutscene and Commander Ii Naotora will arrive along with Hattori Hanzo and Tokugawa Ieyasu before the four of you enter the castle.

  

Once the cutscene ends, you will have officially completed Crucible Manifested and can continue your progress with The Hamamatsu Incident.

 

Speak with Ii Naotora

After completing Crucible Manifested, you will be transported to a new location and receive Enko as a Guardian Spirit by spirit division. Approach Ii Naotora and she will tell you that she need to speak with you. Follow her as she leads you up while explaining the source of the Crucible that is appearing throughout time. You will encounter a shrine at the top and you can fix your equipment and level up.

 

Speak to Naotora and she will give you the Guiding Mirror, a special item from a time long past that holds memories she believes will help you in finding the Crucinite to stop the spreading of the Crucible.

 

Search the Surroundings

After speaking with Naotora, Takechiyo will look into the mirror and be transported to the same location where Kusanagi first brought you to save you from Kunimatsu during The Fall of Edo Castle. Go toward the alcove and to the left inside a structure you will find a shrine. On the upper level, you will find the spirit of Saito Fuku, Takechiyo's wet nurse. You can exit the structure and turn left to find Yagyu Munenori. Exploring the area around, you will find other NPCs like Hattori Hanzo, from whom you can receive Side Missions, as well as a yokai merchant.

 
 

Go inside the first building on the right and you can speak to the Fox-masked Blacksmith, where you can forge equipment by spending gold and materials.

 

 

Speak with Kusanagi

Leave the building and approach the center of the alcove to speak with Kusanagi. Nekomata will prompt you to look at the Guiding Mirror once more and it will transport you back to Hamamatsu.

Once you arrive back in Hamamatsu, Naotora will be waiting for you and tell you that you need to head north to Ryotan Temple. Once the dialogue ends, you will have completed The Hamamatsu Incident, and the next mission Fated Land, will begin.

 

 

Speak with Tokugawa Ieyasu

Open the door behind Naotora and continue your ascent to the top. You will be met with Tadakatsu at the landing at the top of the steps. Turn right, and Ieyasu will be on the balcony of the tower. Speak to him, and he will tell you that Futamata Castle in Totomi is under attack from Takeda's forces. He will entrust the task of defending the castle to you as he must prepare to directly face Takeda's main force. He will point you to the direction of Futamata Castle to the mountains in the northeast. From there, it will be marked on your map.

 

Once the dialogue ends, you will have completed The Hamamatsu Incident, and the objective, The Battle of Futamata Castle, will begin.

 

Explore the Cleansed Hamamatsu

From the top of the castle, exit the building towards the north to find a Chijiko flying near the top. You need to jump down closer to the castle wall and shoot this yokai to unlock Transformed Art: Rampage Seeking and get x1 Samurai's Locks.

 

Return to the front steps of the castle, and head towards south to find a corpse on the scaffolding with a large stone that drops pieces of equipment. Drop down to the steps below, then walk towards the outskirts to find a miniature shrine. Interact with the corpse to acquire The Sub Mission Princess Tsubaki.

 

 

 

Go back to the steps of the castle again, then start to walk towards the opposite outskirts, towards the west. Turn left and go down the steps to open the gate. Follow this path all the way to the intersection and pray at the Saigagake Junction Shrine. Walk towards the Otemon Gate, to the south. Before the gate, you can loot a lockbox inside the left white camp. Continue to the northern gate, then walk down the stairs. Look towards the corner to find a Kodama. You can reach this Kodama by double jumping on top of the haystack on the other end. 

 

 

 

Continue to walk towards the next gate, then walk towards the corner on the right, then jump over the wooden fence to enter the tall haystack. Loot the lockbox here to get equipment pieces. Then, go towards the stable on the left side and loot the corpse to get a Dung Ball. From there, head towards the northeastern gate to reach a Spirit Vein. This Spirit Vein requires Enko, the Guardian Spirit. Upon traversing it, you will find a corpse that drops the Secret Skills Text: Rebounding Surge. Return to the main path to pray at the Hachiman Shrine Walk.

 

 

Return to Hamamatsu Castle, then go towards the Otemon Gate. Open it and walk further to pray at the shrine. Head towards the intersection, and you will hear a Scampuss purring nearby. While following the Scampuss, you can find a well towards the east that drops an Elixir. Continue following to pet this Scampuss to receive Samurai's Locks and Scampuss Furball. The Scampuss will also lead you to a large treasure chest that contains a Samurai's Locks. 

 

From the Hamamatsu Castle Town (East) Shrine, head towards the area behind the camp, then go to the narrow area to the left of the bridge to see the Spirit Vein. This leads to a corpse that drops Secret Skills Text: Aerial Strike. Traversing this Spirit Vein requires Enko, a Guardian Spirit. From here, you can drop down to the area below by jumping on the edges. To the right, you can fight a Jailer Oni. If you go to the left side (facing north), you'll find 2 corpses at the top of an elevated terrain. From this terrain, face the western area to find a tunnel with a large treasure chest that contains a Secret Skills Text: Recoup.

 

 

 

 

From the cave, head towards the area on the right side to continue exploring the other side of the bridge. You can find 2 corpses and a Spirit Vein, which requires TBA, Guardian Spirits to traverse. To the left, you can go to the uphill path to reach the elevated terrain surrounding the Spirit Vein. You can also head further east, where the path splits into two. A Yamainu is patrolling the left path, and on the right, you can loot a corpse that drops an Elixir.

 

  

After this, you can fast travel to the Otemon Gate shrine, then head directly south to pray at the Hamamatsu Castle Town (South) Shrine, which opens the path to Maisaka.

 

Maisaka 

Arriving at Maisaka

You can go to this area after clearing the Crucible Manifested mission in Hamamatsu. This opens up the path to the Hamamatsu Castle Town (South) Shrine, with direct access to Maisaka. Upon reaching the Shrine, go through the wooden gate to the right to reach Maisaka. Go to the bridge and loot the corpse to get the Antiparalytic Needle. Jump down the right side of the bridge, where you see a platform that you can land safely. Here you'll see a dried-up river filled with yokai enemies.

 

 

Loot the corpse on the right side to get another Antiparalytic Needle. Then, go up the platforms on the left to find a Spirit Vein. You can traverse this when accompanied by Enko, and it will take you to a corpse that can drop Samurai's Locks. Return to the initial point, then continue walking towards the house. Loot the corpse on the right side of the path to get Steel Pill.

 

 

Locate the hidden path to the right of the house, past the patch of tall grass. Follow it to the corner, then climb up the rocky formation to reach the roof of the house. Enter the house through the hole, then loot the corpse to get some equipment. Exit through the door, then go to the left to loot the corpse on the ledge to get some Arrow. Proceed to the path on the right side, towards the stone steps. Head towards the door of the hut on the right, then loot the corpse to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Keep walking to the top of the stone steps, then loot the corpse on the right to get another Antiparalytic Needle. Then, return to the previous shrine.

 

 

 

Keep walking to the other side of the bridge, then loot the corpse on the left side to get TBA. Keep walking to the end to reach the Lesser Crucibles. Defeat all enemies to get Yoki Soul Core, then destroy the Crucible Spike to increase Spirit Force cap by 2.0, strengthen the Guardian Spirits, and receive Large Spirit Stone and Spirit Stone.

 

Go through the newly-opened tunnel, then defeat the Hino-Enma at the exit. Loot the corpse on the ground to get Items. Go down to the sunken area and go inside the house to open the lockbox to receive x1 Samurai's Locks. Exit the house and continue walking ahead to loot another corpse. Then, head towards the village in front to pray at the Water Mill Shrine. 

 

 

Water Mill Shrine 

Pull down the lever to the right of the shrine to drain the water. Then, drop down to the area below to loot the corpse to get Yamato Uchigatana and a piece from Irregular Troop Set. Climb up the ladder, then go to the backyard of the house on the right. Attack the well to free the Lesser Umi-bozu. There's another enemy of the same kind on the upper level that can drop the Lesser Umi-bozu Soul Core. Continue to the next level by going up 2 wooden steps. As you climb to the top, you can loot a corpse on the right side, next to a torch that drops a Smoke Ball.

 

 

Continue deeper into the village, heading towards the house near the waterfall. Loot the corpse in front of the house to get x2 Antiparalytic Needle, then go inside to open the large treasure chest to get a Samurai's Text and other items. Exit the house, then turn left to find the Six Jizo statue, but it's missing one head. You can pick up the missing piece by climbing the rocks in front of this house. Then, put it back on the statues to receive x2 Spirit Stone and 50 Jizo Merit.

 

 

 

Head down the path to the area below, then jump down the ladder to reach the next area. Pull the lever to drain the water where you see the upper half of the torii gate, in the middle of the village. Cross the bridge and jump down into the newly-drained area. To the right of the torii gate, you can loot a corpse to get a Steel Pill. Climb up the platform to get Yamato Uchigatana and a piece from Ascetic Set.

 

From there, face north and drop down to loot a corpse to receive the Waterproof Amulet. Next, get on top of the platform and go inside the cave to loot the corpse that drops a Secret Skills Text: Backsta Life Siphon. Watch out for the Crucible Wraith that drops a Nure-Onna Soul Core. Exit the cave, then turn left to find another corpse at the edge to replenish Elixir. After this, you can return to the ladder to go back up to the village.

 

 

From here, continue to the bridge on the left. Defeat the enemy whose back is facing you. Continue to the path below, and enter the house across to find a Kodama. Exit the house, then follow the path facing south to reach the next shrine. Before that, climb up the elevated area on the left, then loot the corpse to get a Rejuvenation Pill. Don't engage the enemy on the left, but instead, go to the shrine first to secure your checkpoint. 

 

 

Maisaka Junction Shrine - Southeast

From the shrine, go to the area across the shrine, and jump on top of the rocks. You can find a Sudama here to trade your Yokai Teardrop for valuable Items or buy from its stock. Continue to the eastern area where you spotted a large enemy. Attacking it will start a fight against the Kamaitachi. You can visit the boss page to find tips and strategies on how to defeat this boss. Return to the main path to continue exploring. Loot the corpse on the right side to get Elixir, then another one can be found at the back of this stone, which drops an Antiparalytic Needle. 

 

Go down the steps, then loot the corpse on the left side where you see the broken carriage, to get the Water Amulet. Keep walking towards the south where you see a black tornado. Once you get closer, the Sunakake-Baba will appear.  Loot the corpse in the middle of the ground to get Water Omamori and Fuma Chief's Greaves. You can find another one by the stones on the right, which drops an Antiparalytic Needle. Walk towards the shore, then chase down the Kappa yokai for a chance to get rare items, like Yokai Teardrop, and other equipment. 

 

 

Return to the previous area, then climb on top of the boat. Loot the corpse to get an Elixir, then continue to the next area where you see more yokai enemies. Walk towards the wooden path, then jump to the end to loot the corpse that drops a piece from Footsoldier Set and White Bone Spirit Tonfa. Then, look for the path heading towards the upper area to pray at the next shrine. 

 

Return to the shore side, then cross the area on the left edge where you see a boat connected to a platform. Loot the corpse in the middle of the platform to get Sacred Water, then loot the next one on top of theboat to receive a Fan and a piece from the Warrior of the East Set. Continue to the next boat, then jump towards the shore to reach the entrance to the cave. Then, walk back up, going to the shrine by climbing the uphill path on the left. Before you reach the shrine, you can enter the house on the left side to open a lockbox that drops an Elixir, Fan, and Ascetic Robes.

 

Head down to the cave entrance and loot the corpse on top of the rocks to get Salt. Keep walking, then face the southeastern side when you start to hear the bells of the Chijiko. Look towards the sky, then shoot it to get Ninja's Locks and Wagon Kick Water. Keep walking towards the golden spikes, then follow the tunnel until you reach the next shrine. As you get near it, you will prompt the mission, The Demon of the Haunting Caves. You can find a full guide and walkthrough, including the exploration of the area by going to its page.

 

Maisaka Junction Shrine - West

After completing the mission, The Haunting of the Caves, return to the Maisaka Junction Shrine to explore the other side. Take the path heading northwest, then right before the stone steps, you can loot the corpse in the middle of the ground to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Head up the steps, then on the first level, go to the left side of the path to find a corpse by the tree. Loot it to get Luckbringer Amulet. Head towards the area under the bridge, then loot the corpse to get Power Pill. You can hear the Chijiko's bell here, but you can't reach it on this side. For now, return to the stone steps, then climb to the second level. 

 

 

Loot the corpse on the right side to get x3 Arrow. Then, go to the center to loot the corpse that drops Items. Finally, go to the area on the left by climbing the rocks. On the left ledge, you can loot a corpse to get Arrow. Continue on the path where you saw the bridge from earlier. Loot the corpse to get a Power Pill. Cross the log bridge, then jump on the platform to reach the torch with a nearby corpse. Loot it to get Paralysis Omamori and Thief's Waistguard. By now, you'll hear the Chijiko's bells again, and to reach it, you need to jump on the platform above where you see a lockbox. Loot the lockbox to get Samurai's Locks. Then, look to the sky towards the northwest to find the Chijiko. Shooting it gives Ninja's Locks and Leaping Strike Fire. 

 

Return to the stone steps and continue going west.  Before the shrine, you can loot a corpse by the rock on the left side to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Then, another one is located on the right side of the path, which drops a Luckbringer Amulet. Lastly, you'll find the third corpse that drops a Throwing Stone in front of the house. Pray at the shrine to secure your checkpoint, then continue west to progress the myth, Abundant Evil. You will find Honda Tadakatsu at the entrance. To learn about the full mission guide and walkthrough, please see this page. 

 

 

Maisaka Post Shrine

Fast travel to Maisaka Post Shrine, then head north. Towards the border, you'll find a small village. Enter the house on the right to open the large chest that drops a Ninja's Locks. Go to the next house, then climb on top of the platform at the back of the house. Jump on top of the roof, then do a double jump to reach the roof of the first house you entered. Loot the corpse to get Items. There's also a Spirit Vein on the opposite side of the path, and requires Kongojishi (Samurai) / Kongojishi (Ninja) Guardian Spirit to traverse. You'll obtain some Ninja's Locks, and other Items. This concludes the exploration in Maisaka, and you can head down the steps to start exploring Lake Sanaru. 

 

 

 

Lake Sanaru

From the Maisaka Post Shrine

Head north to follow the main path, then continue walking to the border of Lake Sanaru, where you can find the Lesser Crucible on the left. Defeat all enemies to get Bakegani Soul Core after the fight. Then, destroy the Crucible Spike to reveal the bridge to the next area, strengthen the Guardian Spirit, and increase Spirit Force by 2. For a complete guide and exploration walkthrough, please see A Fierce Flame. The mission will take place in this area and includes a complete walkthrough of the location.

 

 

Return to the Lesser Crucible at the entrance, then proceed to the area on the left. The nearest area is a ship, although we recommend securing the Shrine near the steps to the temple so you can respawn nearby. Starting from the wooden gate to the left, loot the corpse to get Shrapnel Bomb. Then, enter the grounds to discover the Enemy Base, where you need to defeat all 13 enemies to capture it. Proceed to the patch of land and take out the enemies on top of the roof and watchpost. Go to the western edge of this area to find a soldier facing the sea. Loot the corpse in front of the large boulder to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Then, go to the area behind the logs to get Poison Omamori and a piece from the Heir Set.

 

 

 

Walk towards the parked boats and loot the corpse to get Arrowproof Amulet. Head towards the boat next to a torch, then carefully jump on top of them until you reach the 2nd to the last. Save the Kodama, then navigate the other set of boats, the one closer to the wooden ship. Jump onto the ship, then loot the corpse to get Steel Pill. Jump on top of the haystack to get to the upper level of the boat. Defeat the 2 enemies on the ground, then loot the corpse on the right to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Shoot the enemy on the roof, then proceed towards the center of the boat. This will alert 3 more enemies on this level, and defeating them will capture the enemy base after the fight. Push down the ladder on the left side.

 

 

Go to the back of the ship to loot corpses to get x2 Ochoko Cup, Elixir, and other Items. You can also jump on top of the haystack to reach the roof and loot the enemy that was here earlier. While on the roof, face east or where the mast is, to find the Chijiko. Shooting it down gives Samurai's Locks and Lightning Blade Lightning.

 

 

Go inside the storage room to find the Kodama, then open the chest to get Tanegashima Matchlock and pieces from Ascetic Set. When you're done exploring this area, head down the ladder that you pushed earlier. Continue to the northeastern path, then defeat the enemies on the shed. Continue towards the next dock, then destroy the crates to reveal a corpse. Loot it to get Cross Spear and a piece from the Warrior of the East Set. Then, pray at the Shrine to secure your checkpoint.

 

 

 

Lake Sanaru Waterside Shrine - Temple

From the shrine, walk to the middle of the path to loot the corpse that drops x3 Rifle Ammunition. Then, head up the steps to the temple. Watch out for the Gaki enemy that will jump down from the cliff on the left. But also, take note of the corpse on the ledge here that you'll reach later. Proceed to the right side of the path where you see a well and some enemies. Attacking this well will free a Kappa enemy that you can defeat to gain valuable rewards like a Yokai Teardrop.

 

 

 

Next to the well, destroy the Crucible Spike to increase your maximum Spirit Force by 2.0 and strengthen your Guardian Spirit. Keep walking towards the west, where you see a view of the dock below. On the edge, you can loot a corpse that drops a Longbow and an armor piece from the Shinobi Light Set.

 

  

Go to the opposite side, and enter the temple. Loot the corpse near the hole to get an Arrowproof Amulet. Drop down the hole and then go to the area on the right to open a lockbox that drops Arrow, Tanegashima Matchlock, and an armor piece from the Shinobi Light Set. Return to the previous path, then loot the corpse on the side to get Sacred Water. Continue on this path, and walk until the end to find a Spirit Vein that you can traverse with Enko. Make an offering to the Six Jizo (in our playthrough, we offered 1,500 Gold and a Mujina was summoned). After this, you can pray at the statue to receive +50 Jizo Merit. 

 

 

Jump on top of the rocks to the left, then loot the corpse to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Then, you can see the corpse on the left side, which is the same corpse near the entrance. Loot it to get Sacred Water. After this, you can return to the shrine near the docks.

  

 

Lake Sanaru Waterside Shrine - North

From the Lake Sanaru Waterside Shrine, follow the path going north. Go up the watchtower on the left to loot a corpse and a lockbox to get Luckbringer Amulet, Sacred Water, Nokizaru Talons, and Devotional Helmet. Loot the corpse in the middle of the path, between the dock and a small camp, to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Then, loot the corpse at the end of the dock to get a Fan and Female Demon Mask. Return to the main path, then activate the next shrine at the junction, just past the watchtower.

 

 

 

Lake Sanaru North Shrine

From the shrine, go down the steps first, and explore the western stretch of land to find a Yamainu patrolling the path. Loot the corpse in the middle of the path to get a Poisonous Smoke Ball. Then, on the edge, you'll see a Spirit Vein that you can traverse with Nekomata, to challenge a Master to a duel. You can traverse this area after progressing the story mission.

 

Return to the shrine, then head to the eastern path this time. On the right side of the path, you'll find 2 corpses that you can loot to get a Power Pill and Secret Skill Text: Resolute Arts. Past this area, you'll see a shallow lake with enemies and a tree going over the ledge. Loot the corpse on the tree to get an armor piece from the Irregular Troop Set and Martial Artist's Switchglaive. Then, look to the area below the tree and you'll see the Chijiko. Shoot it to get Samurai's Locks and God of Wind Wind.

 

 

Return to the shallow lake, then look for the corpse facing the north, on the base of a rock formation. Loot it to get Waterproof Amulet. Then, jump up the rocks to get to an upper area and unlock the Usugiri Marshland Shrine.

 

Usugiri Marshland Shrine

Loot the corpse next to the shrine to get an Antidote. Then, you'll see the large tree in the middle of the marsh. Defeat the crab enemy, Bakegani, near a corpse. Then loot it to get Senjuin Tachi.

 

Go to the right side and you'll find a Kappa on the platform. Defeat it to get valuable Items. Continue to go around, then you'll find another corpse in the right corner that drops Elixir and Sacred Water. Climb the nearest platform, and you'll see a Spirit Vein going to the upper terrain. Traverse the Spirit Vein with Enko, then you'll reach an area with a corpse that you can loot to get a Samurai's Locks.

 

Start exploring the left side, then you'll find a Nure-Onna roaming near a corpse. Defeat it first, then loot the corpse to get a Steel Pill. As you go around, you'll see a corpse in the left corner. Loot it to get a Spirit Stone. 

At the back of the tree, to the north, you'll find more enemies and a corpse near a rock that drops x2 Antiparalytic Needle and another one further that drops an Antidote. Then, past this area, you can jump up the ledge to reach the path that will take you to Hamamatsu. To continue exploring Lake Sanaru, return to the Lake Sanaru North Shrine.

 

Lake Sanaru North Shrine

Head inside the gate, then drop down the right side. Go to the corner, and you'll see the Kodama just past the cart. Return to the starting area, then explore the left path this time. Defeat the Gaki enemies, then continue forward, where you'll encounter an archer shooting you from a platform on the left. Go to its position, then loot the corpse in the corner to get Longbow and a Devotional Helmet. Continue to the inner area, and you'll find a corpse on the left side that will drop a Fan. On the other side, you'll fight a Gaki Chief that's looking directly at the house. 

 

 

Loot the corpses near the lamp to get Secret Skills Text: Ninjutsu Cultivation, Fan, and Longbow. Head up the steps, then loot the corpse before the door to get Rifle Ammunition. Walk towards the cave with bamboo scaffolding on either side. Then, go to the back of the area to pray at the Otsuri Bridge Shrine.

 

  

 

Otsuri Bridge Shrine - Mikatagahara and Lake Hamana

From the Otsuri Bridge Shrine in Lake Sanaru, you can take 2 paths: First one is you go to the bridge and defeat the Jailer Oni patrolling it, you'll arrive at Mikatagahara; second one, there's a wooded pathway to the east of the Shrine that will take you to Lake Hamana's border. You can take either path, but we recommend exploring Lake Hamana first.

 

Lake Hamana

How to Reach Lake Hamana

From the Otsuri Bridge Shrine, go to the left side and follow the wooden pathway to loot a corpse that drops an Elixir. Continue to the end to traverse a Spirit Vein with Enko. Once you reach the other side, loot the large chest to get a Ninja's Locks. Jump to the next wooded pathway, then jump down the left to loot a corpse that drops an Arrow.

 

 

Return to the wooded path and follow it to enter a tunnel that opens up to a cave. Defeat the enemy on the platform, then keep walking towards the curve where you see a corpse. Loot it to get an Elixir. Then, continue onto the sunken area where you'll see the golden spikes and some enemies. Defeat the enemy on the left path, then loot the corpse on the ground to get Elixir. Climb up the platform in the middle, then go towards the right side where you see another enemy facing the golden spikes. Loot the corpse to get a Fan and an armor piece from the Ascetic Set.

 

 

 

Arriving at Lake Hamana

As soon as you enter Lake Hamana, the raging Daidara Bocchi will continuously launch a fireball in your direction, prompting the start of the Disaster at Lake Hamana. Follow the path as it goes down, and you will find a safe spot from the fireball next to a Bakegani. Defeat the Bakegani while being on the move to avoid the fireball, then keep heading west to get to Horie Castle. NOTE: When you enter Lake Hamana, you can find a Scampuss on the left. It is advisable to approach the Scampuss after finishing the myth, as it can be difficult to navigate the area with a Daidara Bocchi throwing fireballs at you.

 

You will encounter several Bakegani and Nure-Onna roaming around the area as you go west — make sure that you are in an area covered from the firebell when you are fighting the enemies. If you can dodge the fireball, you may head to the southernmost ledge to find a Bloodspider Blade on a corpse. Eventually, you will pass by a gate with a shrine nearby. Activate the Horie Castle - Outwork Shrine [See Nioh 3 Map].

 

Horie Castle - Outwork Shrine

From the shrine, head up the path to enter the castle. Pick up the Rifle Ammunition from a corpse along the right side of the path, then defeat the Thorned Gaki alongside several Gaki enemies in a cemetery on the southern side. 

  

Pick up the Wisteria Longbow and a random piece from the Ascetic Set on the corpse at the end of the cemetery, then make your way across the bridge, where a Jailer Oni is stationed at the other end. Pick up the Elixir on a corpse beside the oni, then keep following the path to encounter a Sunakake-Baba. To the left, you can find a Spirit Vein that you can break once you have Kongojishi (Samurai) / Kongojishi (Ninja). Follow the hidden path, and you'll spot some corpses to loot as well as a Bakegani Crucible Wraith that you can defeat to get its soul core.

  

Then, go through the first bridge and head to the dead-end to loot a corpse with a Wisteria Longbow and a random piece from the Irregular Troop Set. Cross the second bridge to reach the entrance to the Horie Castle. On the left side of the entrance, you can find a well containing an Elixir. Pick up the Sacred Water from the corpse by the carriage, then go through the path with wooden barricades and defeat the Jailer Oni enemies guarding the castle. Pick up the Elixir from a corpse on the platform.

  

Enter the crevice west of the platform to find a small dock containing two Jailer Oni — defeat them, then pick up the Ochoko Cup on a corpse on the northeastern side of the dock and a Sacred Water on a corpse leaning on the boxes on the west. Look up at the open area of the dock to find a Chijiko, which will give you a Ninja's Locks and the Abscission Combo weapon skill. For now, the door on the southwest will be locked, so head to the stairs next to it to get to the castle.

  

Defeat the Jailer Oni on the platform, then pick up the Elixir from the corpse that it was devouring. Follow the path as it goes up, then activate the Horie Castle - Main Keep shrine [See Nioh 3 Map].

 

Horie Castle - Main Keep Shrine

Head inside the castle grounds and follow the path on your left. Defeat the Gaki that lunges as you as you walk through the path, then the Ninja Yoki patrolling the area.

  

Proceed inside the structure and open the door on the left to find a Hot Spring. Then, head to the room on the right for a Sacred Water on a corpse. Head to the room next to it and open the door for a shortcut that leads back to the shrine. Head northwest and defeat the Jailer Oni inside the room, then loot the corpse for a Rifle Ammunition.

  

After exploring the structure, head to the open area on the western side, then loot the corpse for a Spirit Stone. Approach the stairs to fight a Yamainu, then head to the ledge on the right of the stairs and loot the corpse for the Cell Keys, which can be used to open the locked door you found earlier in the docks.

  

Look down the ledge, then navigate your way down to reach the docks. Defeat the Jailer Oni enemies stationed at the area, then open the door to find a Ninja's Locks on a corpse in the middle of the room. Guide the Kodama home, then backtrack your way to the stairs with the Yamainu. Follow the path going up to progress, then search the body in the middle for an Arrow. Go inside the nearby temple, then open the large chest for the Secret Skills Text: Indomitable Spirit, along with a Trident Vajra Sword Helmet and Fuma Chief's Robes.

  

Follow the path south of the structure, then loot the corpse outside of the crucible for a Sacred Water. Proceed inside the crucible, then defeat the waves of enemies that spawn. Once all of the enemies are defeated, destroy the Crucible Spikes to increase your Spirit Force and strengthen your Guardian Spirit.

  

Carry the stone at the dead-end, then backtrack to the temple and place it on the pedestal to calm the Daidara Bocchi. The Daidara Bocchi will then sink and take a deep slumber, and the myth, Disaster at Lake Hamana will be completed. You will receive a Ninja's Locks and a Magatama as a reward for completing the myth.

  

 

Explore Lake Hamana after completing the mission

After completing the mission, you can challenge Taigen Sessai, a master who is located at the northern shore. Fast travel to Horie Castle - Outwork, then head northwest towards the shore. To the left, you can loot a corpse that drops a Sacred Water. Continue going west towards the platform, and interact with the Bloody Grave to start the boss fight. After defeating the master, you will receive the Handbook: Lumber Chop.

 

 

Keep walking along the edge of the island while facing north. You'll find a Kappa enemy that you can hunt down to gain valuable items. Further north, you can loot a corpse that drops x3 Arrow. Behind this corpse, you can destroy a Crucible Spike to increase your maximum Spirit Force by 2.0, strengthen your Guardian Spirit, and Kusanagi.

 

Then, before you head back to the entrance, look for the sunken area with a golden glow to loot a corpse. You can get Rifle Ammunition from it. Go up the ramp, then pet the Scampuss on the main path near the entrance. After following it, you'll receive Yokai Teardrop, Scampuss Furball, and a Ninja's Locks.

 

  

Hamamatsu Hill

Arriving at Hamamatsu Hill

From the Hachiman Shrine Walk in Hamamatsu, you have two paths you can take. The southwestern path will take you through a bandit camp that leads to Iinoya, the southeastern path will take you to an enemy base that connects to Futamata Road. To start exploring, go to the area on the left, or facing west. Loot the corpse on the edge to pick up the Longbow and Arrow. From here, look for the Chijiko flying in the area below. Shoot it down to get Samurai's Locks and Sign of the Cross Pierce. Then, proceed towards the path between the rocks, where you see a torch planted near the top. Defeat the Ninja Yoki on the stone steps, then proceed to the cave behind it. Look for the Kappa enemy hiding behind the stones on the left side, then hunt it down to get valuable items. 

 

 

Continue to the stone steps, and watch out for the rolling boulder that will be pushed by the Ninja Yoki. Climb to the top of the steps, then turn around to find an enemy near the corpse. Loot it to get Tanegashima Matchlock and an armor piece from the Shinobi Light Set. Keep walking to the next area until the tornado created by a Sunakake-baba comes into view. Follow this path going to the sunken area where you see enemies near 2 corpses. Loot them to get random pieces from the Footsoldier Set, Irregular Troop Set, and Wayfarer Set.

 

 

 

Return to the main path to explore the opposite side. Loot the corpse on the pillar to get a Fan and a random piece from the Warrior of the East Set. From here, you'll start to hear the bells of the Chijiko. Before shooting it down, defeat the Sunakake-baba along the path. Then, head towards the edge facing west to find the Chijiko. Shoot it down to get Ninja's Locks and Heaven's Clash Wind.

 

 

 

 

Stay on the same path, and cross the broken bridge on the left. Take note of the shrine at the lower area, but for now, proceed to the edge on the left. Loot the corpse to get Longbow and Arrow. Return to the broken bridge, and jump down its left side so you can land safely. Walk to the area below the bridge, then jump onto the wooden platform. Loot the large chest to get Secret Skills Text: Snakebite Technique. Finally, go up the ramp to pray at the Mikatagahara Junction Shrine.

 

 

 

Mikatagahara Junction Shrine

Go up the steps across the shrine, and before crossing the bridge, loot the corpse on the right side to learn about the bandits and yokai in the area. You will also receive x2 Arrow from it. Cross the bridge and take note of the double doors, which can be opened after receiving the Mountain Temple Key from Ii Naotora. This requires completing the mission Fated Land, and then returning to Hamamatsu Castle to prompt the mission Ii's Memento. For a complete guide on how to complete this mission, please go to this page.

 

 

 

Return to the path below the bridge, and loot the corpse by the trunk to get x5 Incendiary Arrow. Defeat the bandits gathered in a small camp, then loot the corpse to get a Spirit Stone. Keep going in the same direction and fight the bandits that will be alerted to your presence.  Then, loot the corpse on the edge of the right platform to get a Fan and an armor piece from the Warrior of the East Set.

 

 

 

Climb up the wooden steps on the right and defeat the enemies on the wide platform. If you want, you can also cross the bridge to the opposite side, then walk towards the starting point of the bandit camp.  You'll find a corpse that you can loot to get x5 Incendiary Arrow. This path will lead back to the closed double doors near the shrine. To continue exploring, look for the wooden path on the eastern side, and follow this to find a Kappa inside a cave. After hunting it down, open the lockbox to get a Samurai's Locks. Head down to the other side of the tunnel until you reach a round platform with a hole in the middle. Drop down the hole and open the chest to get a Ninja's Text.

 

 

Exit through the wooden door and defeat the Blood-Spurting Ogin. After the fight, you will learn the Flying Buck Stomp. Then, go to the hut where you found this boss to save a Kodama that is hiding behind the straw bales. You can also go to the other hut to find a corpse behind the crates that drops a Wisteria Longbow and a random piece from the Wayfarer Set. Past this hut, you can loot a corpse near the gate to get a Luckbringer Amulet. Opening the double door next to this corpse will lead to Futamata Road.

 

 

  

Paths to Iinoya

There are 2 ways to reach Iinoya from Hamamatsu Hill. Starting from the center of the bandit camp, face north, and head up the path until you reach the top. You can pray at the Juji Fortress (North) Shrine, right before the bridge. Crossing this area will take you to Iinoya.

   

Back at the Bandit Camp, face west, and climb up the ladder on the left to loot a corpse that drops a Fan and a random piece from the Guardian Monk Set. Head up the steps and keep walking in this direction until you start to hear the Chijiko bells in the forest. Walk towards the bridge, then face the right side to spot the Chijiko. Shooting it gives Samurai's Locks and Windmill Wind. Cross to the other side of the bridge, and keep walking on the same path.

 

 

Loot the corpse on the mossy miniature shrine to get a Luckbringer Amulet. Continue to the other side of the path to reach Iinoya. You can also pray at the Iinoya Pass Shrine, which is located just on the other side. After unlocking the shrines, return to Hachiman Shrine Walk in Hamamatsu. 

 

 

 

Hachiman Shrine Walk - Path to Futamata Road

From the shrine, follow the path to the right. Then, loot the corpse below the collapsed trunk. Remain on the same path until you reach the elevated terrain. Watch out for the Yamabiko that will attack you from the ledge. Go to its position and loot the corpse to get Sacred Water.

 

Keep walking forward until the path opens up to a wide space with enemies. Drop down to the area below, then loot the nearest corpse to get a Luckbringer Amulet. You can climb the platform on the far left to defeat the Yamabiko. Loot the corpse nearby to get an Arrow. While in this area, face west to spot the Chijiko. Shoot it down to get Ninja's Locks and Sky Piercer Fire.

 

 

Go to the other side (near the torii gate) and loot the corpse in the corner to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Defeat the Lesser Umi-Bozu patrolling the path, then proceed to the rocky platform on the right. Climb up the rocks to make an offering to the Six Jizo. When we offered 1700 Gold, we received Healing Pill and Prayer Beads. Then, pray at the Six Jizo to receive +50 Jizo Merit.

 

Climb the steps to reach the enemy base. To the right, you'll find an item at the collapsed shrine between the thick trees. Loot it to get Secret Skills Text: Hollow Form. Defeat the Yamabiko on the shed on the left side, then climb up the bales of hay. Go to the roof of the nearby house, then take down the Yamabiko on this roof, and then the other enemies on the ground.

 

Go inside the building that you're standing on, and loot the lockbox to get Ninja's Locks. Defeat the enemy on the left side of the main building, then loot the corpse below the torii gate to get Salt. Go to the main building and loot the corpse on the porch to get Rai Odachi and the Ichi-no-Tani Helmet.

 

Explore the back of the house and defeat the Yamabiko on the stairs. Go up to the next section and defeat the Yamainu outside the house. After defeating all 7 enemies and capturing the base, go inside the house near the Yamainu. Save the Kodama and open the chest to get random pieces from the Eccentric Set and Shinobi Light Set, and a Curious Crown Helmet. 

 

Go to the back of this house and hunt down the Kappa. Loot the offering table to get a random piece from the Thief Set and a Wisteria Longbow. Go to the northeastern corner to find a well. Attacking it will drop a Small Spirit Stone. Beyond this area, you can go up the steps to Futamata Road.

  

 

Iinoya

Arriving at Iinoya: Juji Fortress (North)

There are 2 ways to reach Iinoya from Hamamatsu Hill. Starting from the center of the bandit camp, face north, and head up the path until you reach the top. You can pray at the Juji Fortress (North) Shrine, right before the bridge. Cross the bridge and open the gate to enter Iinoya. Defeat the Dweller yokai near the main gate.

 

 

Go to the left side while facing the gate, and enter the small house to loot a lockbox. It contains Elixir and an armor piece from the Fuma Chief Set. Go to the back of this house by destroying the jars to reveal an opening. Crawl through the opening to reach the back of the house and hunt down the Kappa to get valuable items. Leave this area, and proceed to the opposite side. Walk to the end of the narrow path to get Tanegashima Matchlock and the armor piece from the Fuma Chief Set from the miniature shrine.

 

 

Drop down to the sunken area, then loot the corpse in the corner to get Salt. From here, head north as you navigate the path through the temple. Loot the corpse over the ledge to get Arrow. Return to the main gate and enter the inner section. Across the entrance, you'll find another gate that leads to the Temple Ruins - Cemetery Shrine.

 

 

 

Temple Ruins - Cemetery Shrine

Return to the temple, explore the area on the right, loot a corpse, and get Salt. Before you enter the building, talk to the Sudama on the porch if you want to restock on some Consumables. Once inside the building, the waves of enemies will start appearing. Defeat all enemies and destroy the Crucible Spike to increase your maximum Spirit Force by 2.0 and strengthen your Guardian Spirit.

  

Loot the corpses at the back to get Pagoda Key, Samurai's Locks, Fan, and armor pieces from the Shinobi Light Set, and Fuma Chief Set. Return to the shrine area, then open the door towards the west to reach the Pagoda. You'll need the Pagoda Key from the corpse behind the Crucible Spike. You can also open the other gate facing north. Back at the pagoda, go inside the building and use the ladder to go to the second floor. Climb up the haystacks, then climb up another ladder. Open the large chest to get Secret Skills Text: Aerial Mastery.

 

 

Head outside the pagoda, and follow the path towards the alley. Loot the corpse between the destroyed wall to get Wisteria Longbow and armor piece from the Footsoldier Set. Explore the path belwo the tree, then turn left to find a corpse near the ledge that drops an armor piece from the Goichimonshu Set. This time, climb up the tree and jump towards the roof to save the Kodama.

  

Return to the shrine and exit through the north gate this time. Turn right and loot the corpse to get x3 Arrow. Then, go to the area on the right, past the wooden fence to save the Kodama between the bamboo shoots. Head down the steps, then look at the top of the platform on the left side. Go up the rocks and defeat this enemy to get Biwa Boku-boku Soul Core.

 

 

Drop down to the area on the right, then climb the platforms to get to the corpse on the edge. Loot it to get Salt. Then proceed to the path between the platforms. Loot the corpse to get Sacred Water and learn about how Takeda army invaded Iinoya. Past this corpse, you can explore the eastern area that leads to Hamamatsu Hill. Loot the corpse on the ledge to get Elixir. If you follow this path to the end, you'll find a wooden bridge going to the waterfalls.

 

 

Right after you cross the bridge, go to the platform on the right, then face the southern direction. Look for the Chijiko floating at the top of the trees. Shoot it to get Ninja's Locks and Whirlwind Wind.

 

 

Keep walking to the area below this ledge to reach the Sengan Waterfall Shrine. Go to the river below, and take note of the Spirit Vein by the waterfall on the right. For now, explore the left side. You'll find yokai enemies and a Shunobon that can drop a Shunobon Soul Core.

 

 

Return to the previous location, and head up the hill on the right. Loot the corpse at the end to get x3 Incendiary Arrow. Drop down to the middle and loot the corpse towards the northern edge to get Salt. Go to the area between the pillars and defeat the enemies here. If you look up at the platform, you'll find a corpse that you can go to by accessing a path near the cemetery entrance (on the left side). This corpse drops a Smoke Ball.

 

 

Proceed to the area on the right, where you see a faint light. As you get near the well, a Yamabiko will attack you. Attacking the well also frees up a Kappa. Go inside the hunt and loot the large chest to get Ninja's Locks. After exploring this area, return to the cemetery gate to explore the northern area.

 

 

Defeat the enemies near the entrance, then walk towards the corpse at the end of the broken bridge. Loot it to get Lumicite Fragment and Rotten Rope Cutter. Jump towards the other half of the bridge, until you reach a small house on the right side of the path. Go inside the house to loot a lockbox containing Throwing Stone, Tanegashima Matchlock, and an armor piece from the Footsoldier Set. Go to the back of this house to loot a corpse and get Fan.

 

 

Walk towards the cave, then, as you reach the intersection, you'll see a Mysterious Ninja vanish into thin air, and start the mission Those Who Live in the Shadows. For a full mission guide and walkthrough, please go to this page. Loot the corpses on the ground to learn about what happened in the temple. Then, pray at the Omomiji Junction Shrine. 

 

Iinoya Pass Shrine 

After acquiring the mission Those Who Live in the Shadows, fast travel to Iinoya Pass Shrine if you have unlocked it before. If you haven't, you'll need to start from the bandit camp in Hamamatsu Hill, then follow the path going west to reach this shrine. Starting from the Bandit Camp, face west, and climb up the ladder on the left to loot a corpse that drops a Fan and a random piece from the Guardian Monk Set. Head up the steps and keep walking in this direction until you start to hear the Chijiko bells in the forest. Walk towards the bridge, then face the right side to spot the Chijiko. Shooting it gives Samurai's Locks and Windmill Wind. Cross to the other side of the bridge, and keep walking on the same path. Loot the corpse on the mossy miniature shrine to get a Luckbringer Amulet. Continue to the other side of the path to reach Iinoya. You can also pray at the Iinoya Pass Shrine, which is located just on the other side. 

 

Head east where you see the path diverge. The slope on the right leads to a corpse that drops an Arrow. Continue walking to spot the Yamabiko patrolling the lower path. You'll also notice a new path to the left just before the corpse. Go to the platform in the corner to loot a corpse that drops a Spirit Stone. Jump towards the path in the western area. There's an enemy in the corner right before you turn. Walk towards the end of this path to find a corpse by the ledge. Loot it to get Throwing Stone. Drop down to the area below, then loot the corpse to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Head down this path to find large boulders grouped. To the left, you can climb up the rocky platforms to find a Spirit Vein. You'll need Enko unlocked to traverse this Spirit Vein. 

 

 

As you cross the area, you'll find bloody platforms, a Scampuss, and another Spirit Vein that will lead to a Six Jizo statue. First, turn to the platforms on the lower right (facing west) to find the second Spirit Vein. You can offer 1,200 Gold to the statue to receive Righteous Jasper and Prayer Beads. Praying to the Six Jizo will grant +50 Merit. Return to the previous Spirit Vein, then jump towards the Scampuss. Don't pet it right away, since there are enemies on its path.

 

 

First, head down the path to the lower area behind it. You'll find a Kappa on the alley to the left. Continue on this path to find a corpse by the corner. Then, turn right to find another corpse in a hollow land. After defeating the enemies here, return to the Scampuss and pet it. After following it, you'll get Ninja's Locks and Scampuss Furball.

 

  

Return to the large boulders, then head up the steps facing north. At the top of the steps, turn around at the outdoor storage, and loot the corpse in the corner to get a Tiger-Running Amulet. From here, you'll hear a nearby Kodama. Break the crates on the opposite corner to reveal the Kodama. You can also find a corpse on the roof of this shed, which drops an Arrow. Head up the steps again, then continue to the top. 

 

 

 

Open the wooden gate, then loot the corpse inside the shed on the left to get Salt. Go inside the nearest large house, and defeat the enemies here. Go to the room in the center, and open the chest at the back of the painting to get an assortment of armor pieces, like Upper Vassal Set, Mount Fuji Helmet, and Goichimonshu Set. Go to the end of the hallway, then exit to where you see a watch tower. Before you climb up, loot the corpse on the shed to get Noble Dung Ball. At the top of the watchtower, you can loot a corpse that gives Sacred Water.

 

 

Defeat the enemy standing guard at the main gate, then cross to the garden on the other side. Loot the corpse by the pillar to get Wisteria Longbow and armor piece from the Fuma Chief Set. Open the main gate to unlock the shortcut to the Omomiji Junction Shrine.

  

Return to the camp, and go to the area on the left where you see smaller houses. At the back of the first house, you can loot a corpse that drops x2 Ochoko Cup. Continue exploring and go to the back of the second house to find 2 enemies near a well.

 

Great Ginko Approach Shrine

Return to the intersection with large boulders, and this time, head up the hill towards the west. On the left side, you'll find a corpse on the sunken area that drops an Arrow. Continue walking up to find a corpse on the right side that drops a Steel Pill.

 

 

As you get near the wall, you'll discover the Great Ginko Approach Shrine. You can't open the wooden door from here, so you'll need to find an alternate route. You'll see 2 lampposts to the left, towards a rocky platform, where you need to go to complete the mission Those Who Live in the Shadows. 

 

Defeat the Skeleton Warriors patrolling the path, then pick up the loot on an altar for a Wisteria Longbow and an armor piece from the Fuma Chief Set. Keep following the path to get to the other side of the door, which is an Enemy Base. As you enter, you'll find 3 enemies at the garden area. You can also loot the corpse at the back of the large tree to get an Elixir. You can also loot the corpse in front of the gate to get Arrowproof Amulet. Then, open the gate for a shortcut back to the shrine.

  

Head north of the village to find a cliff with a Chijiko flying around — shoot it, then pet it to receive Ninja's Locks and to unlock the Greased Lightning Lightning weapon skill. Hit the well next to the cliff to get an Elixir, then work on clearing the Great Ginko Approach of enemies. You'll find the rest of the enemies surrounding the houses. Climb up the roof of the house on the northwestern side, near the cliff, then jump to the house on the eastern side to find a hole in the roof. Jump down the hole and open the large red chest for the Secret Skills Text: Attack Mastery II, along with a Female Demon Mask and Shinobi Robes. Open the door and head outside.

 

Follow the path as it goes west to find more enemies in the yard of a large house. Go inside the house to open another large chest to get the Secret Skills Text: Oppressive Strength, among other items. Leave this house and follow the path to the north, where you see 2 lampposts on each side. Once you reach the top of the stairs, you'll find yourself at a clearing surrounded by woods, a steps, and a house. First, turn left where you see a bridge and a small building. Loot the item in front to get Power Pill. Then, go to the back of this building to hunt down a Kappa for valuable rewards.

 

Return to the top of the steps, then head inside the house in front of you and destroy the door directly in front of the entrance to access the backyard. Loot the corpse to your right for a Ninja's Text, an Arrowhead Gunpowder, Fan, and x3 Arrows.

  

Exit the house, then you can attack the well to fight a Lesser Umi bozu. Proceed east to the door and use the Deserted Village Key to open it. Follow the path going down to find that the village is being attacked by two Aberrant Soldiers — fight alongside the Mysterious Ninja, then talk to him after defeating the yokai enemies.

  

Return to the main path, then keep following it and defeat the Skeleton Warriors. Enter the second house you see to find a chest containing various loot, such as a Wisteria Longbow and a random piece from the Warrior of the East Set, then make your way up. Defeat the Aberrant Soldiers and a Yoki, then enter the house on the curve and destroy the door to fight a Yoki and another Aberrant Soldier. Go to the northwestern corner of the house on the outside to find a Kodama. Then, push down the ladder west of you for a shortcut to the area where you fought alongside the ninja.

  

Head back to the house with the Kodama, then return to the main path and make your way up. Defeat the Yoki and Skeleton Warrior, then loot the corpse by the stairs for a Paralytic Blade Tincture. Before entering the temple, you can go to the right side, then open the large chest at the dead-end to get Secret Skills Text: Defense Mastery II. Return to the temple, then open the door to start the fight. You will be facing an Aberrant Soldier and Skeleton Warriors in the room. Be careful when engaging in combat, as the cramped space will allow the enemies to swarm you.

  

After defeating all the enemies, the Ninja Yoki will spawn in the middle of the room. For a detailed guide on how to defeat the Ninja Yoki, you may refer to the guide in this page. Once the Ninja Yoki is defeated, talk to the Mysterious Ninja, and he will reveal himself to be a shinobi under the Hojo clan. After you talk to him, Those Who Live in the Shadows will be completed, and you will be rewarded with a Ninja's Locks, Fuma Chief's Talons, and Fuma Chief's Greaves.

 

 After this, you can now talk to Fuma Kotaro to challenge him to a duel. Upon defeating him, you will get the Handbook: Flying Buck. Exit the temple, then go to the right side, then loot the 2 corpses to get various equipment. Follow the path on the left to open the locked gate. Defeat the Yamabiko in front of the crucible spike, then destroy it to increase Maximum Spirit Force by 2.0 and strengthen the Guardian Spirit. Explore the area below and defeat the yokai enemies like Shunobon and another Yamabiko. Jump up the platform to reach the corpse at the top, and loot it to get x3 Wood.

 

 

 

From here, go to the platform at the back, in between the rock formation. Explore the right side and continue jumping to get to the Kodama at the top. Return to the clearing and this time, head up the steps to the north. As you reach the first landing, go towards the ledge with a lit torch. Look for the Chijiko flying in the northwestern area. Shoot it to get Samurai's Locks and Raijin Lightning. Return to the steps and continue towards the area surrounded by tall platforms.

 

Loot the corpse by the ledge to get x5 Throwing Stone, then across this one, you can loot a Salt from another corpse. Continue to climb up the steps facing northwest. To the left of the path, you can loot a corpse by the tree to get a Steel Pill. You can find another corpse sitting against a tree that drops Throwing Stone. Continue to the stone steps, and you'll find more corpses along the way that drop more Throwing Stones. On the next landing, you'll find the next corpse that drops a Spirit Stone this time. Continue to the top to find Ii Naotora right before the next shrine. Talking to her will also progress the quest, Fated Land.

 

 

 

Ryotan Temple - Main Gate Shrine

After talking to Ii Naotora, she will join forces with you to reclaim the temple. Once you head inside, the mission The Apparition of Ryotan Temple will also start. Then pray at the shrine before proceeding deeper into the temple.

 

Follow the path going to the temple, then head to the area on the left of the stairs to find a Yamabiko at the end, devouring a corpse. Defeat the enemy and loot the corpse for an Antiparalytic Needle and a Writing Set, then make your way up the stairs. When you get to the top, turn right and loot the corpse by the ledge for a Kunitomo Rifle and a random piece from the Marksman Set, then defeat the Jailer Oni and Gaki guarding the path to the temple.

 

Go through the large door to the temple, then loot the corpse in the left corner for a Rifle Ammunition by the entrance. Head inside, then progress by following the hallway on the left. When you make a right, a Jailer Oni will emerge — defeat it, then go inside the room on the right to find a corpse containing a random piece from the Righteous Set and a Taima Kuniyuki. Hit the white poster on the south wall inside the room to reveal a hidden room with a chest containing a Hand Cannon. Head past the hall, then sneakily attack the Yamabiko, which will have its back toward you. Once you have taken care of the enemy, open the door for a shortcut to the entrance of the temple.

 
 

In the southern side of the room, you can find a hole that you can crouch to get to an area outside. Pick up the Writing Set and a random piece from the Warrior of the East Set from the corpse nearby, then follow the path or head through the room to progress.

 

Once you are in the open area, defeat the Ninja Yoki, then loot the corpse by the clothesline for equipment. Ring the bell on the right side, then go inside the structure north of you. Clear the rooms for enemies, then head to the room directly west of the entrance to find a Kodama in the corner.

  

Keep going northwest to find a Gaki inside a room with a corpse containing x2 Ochoko Cup, then pray at the Ryotan Temple - Living Quarters shrine [See Nioh 3 Map] in the hallway next to it.

 

Ryotan Temple - Living Quarters Shrine

From the shrine, continue to the hallway and loot the nearby corpse for x5 Hand Cannon Ammunition. Go to the right side of the room to find a large chest in the north to fight a Mujina, which will drop a Ninja's Locks, among other equipment, when defeated. 

  

Approach the black fog in the middle of the room to fight a Magatasu Warrior, which is a formidable opponent that performs quick slashes. Once it is defeated, it can potentially drop items such as an Elixir, Senjuin Uchigatana, and a Seven Scalp Switchglaive.

  

Then, defeat the Ninja Yoki inside the partition on the west and loot the corpse for a Tiger-Running Amulet. Head out through the door on the south to get to the garden area. Explore the garden to find three corpses containing loot. Go to the path on the south side to progress, then defeat the Yamabiko roaming the area. Loot the corpse on the ledge for a Writing Set and a random piece from the Marksman Set, then follow the path heading west.

  

As you go along the path, defeat the Jailer Oni on the high ground on the left, then climb the ledges for a vantage point of the nearby structure. Before you head up to the upper area, take the left path to find a Kodama, then use ranged attacks on the Yamabiko to clear the upper area. Jump to the tower, then ring the bell to progress through the myth.

  

Defeat the Aberrant Warrior and Jailer Oni roaming the area below you, then head inside the nearby structure to fight another Ninja Yoki. Once you defeat the yoki, head to the area behind the structure and defeat the enemies stationed there. Go through the crouch hole beneath the house to find a Kodama, then go back to the room where you fought the ninja yoki and climb the ladders to the top of the structure.

  

When you get to the top, open the large chest to receive the Secret Skills Text: Samurai's Cloak, along with Sacred Water, and random pieces from the Ferryman Set and Righteous Set. Climb down one level, then traverse to the other side of the rooftop. Head to the right, then guide the Kodama found at the edge of the rooftop. Then, head to the other side and climb down the ladder to progress.

  

Loot the corpse nearby for a Paralysis Omamori and a random piece from the Marksman's Waistguard, then walk along the shallow waters to explore the area. Defeat the Lesser Umi-bozu enemies that emerge, then head southwest to find a Kappa that drops numerous loot. Loot the two corpses at the end of the path for a Seven Scalp Switchglaive, a random piece from the Fuma Ninja Set, and a Genin's Kusarigama.

  

After looting the corpses, head north to find a Lesser Umi-bozu blocking a path heading north — defeat it, then loot the corpse for a Black Bamboo Kusarigama and a Dragon Head Helmet. Follow the path to go around, then sneakily attack the two Lesser Umi-bozu under the bridge to clear the area and pick up the Sacred Water from the nearby corpse. Defeat the Yoki roaming the area, then the Yamabiko attacking you from the rooftop of the pavilion.

  

Once the area is clear, head to the area under the pavilion to find a Kodama. Then, head inside the structure on the south and open the door for a shortcut back to the Living Quarters shrine. Return to the area, then head to the shed nearby to find a large monster watching through the holes —attack it repeatedly to fight a Nurikabe. Then, loot the chest in the room for a Warrior's Text, then go through the doorway nearby to find a Hot Spring.

  

Exit the shed and continue moving north by crossing the pavilion and looking up the rooftop to find a Crucible Wraith Yamabiko. Loot the corpse at the edge of the roof, then return to the forking path. You may take the path on the left to find loot, then head up the small tower at the end and ring the bell. Go down the tower, then follow the slope and head up the stairs to progress.

  

When you enter the area, approach the jar to fight a Sunakake-baba and a Jailer Oni, then loot the corpse on the northwestern corner for a Spirit Stone. Once the enemies have been defeated and the loot has been picked up, go up the stairs on the east and activate the Ryotan Temple - Mausoleum Shrine [See Nioh 3 Map].

 

Ryotan Temple Mausoleum Shrine

Pray at the shrine, then prepare yourself for a boss fight. Once you are ready, open the door to face the boss of the area, Ryomen Sukuna. This boss wields three weapons: a sword, an axe, and a bow. This boss will use different fighting styles depending on the weapon it is using, which can give you a difficult time adjusting. 

 

For a complete guide on how to defeat Ryomen Sukuna, you may refer to this page.

After defeating Ryomen Sukuna, you will complete The Apparition of Ryotan Temple. Speak with Ii Naotora to finish Fated Land, and you will be rewarded with Samurai's Locks and Prayer Beads.

 

Futamata Road

Arriving at Futamata Road

To reach Futamata Road, you need to progress through the story by clearing The Hamamatsu Incident and Crucible Manifested; doing so will unlock the path to the location. To get there, start by fast traveling to Hamamatsu Gate Shrine in Tenryu River. Tokugawa's guards are no longer manning the gate, and you are free to pass through it. Once you reach the other side, you'll arrive at Futamata Road.

 

 

Near the entrance, you'll find Dweller enemies. On the stables to the left, you can loot a corpse to get a Dung Ball. If you attack the well on the right side of the path, you'll free a Lesser Umi-bozu. Go inside the nearby shack and loot the lockbox to get Samurai's Locks and an armor piece from the Fuma Ninja Set. Continue up the muddy ramp, then turn left to jump on the roof of the stable. Go to the edge to loot the corpse to get a Smoke Ball. Return to the village and defeat the Shunobon standing on a corpse on the main path. Loot the corpse to get a Steel Pill. 

 

 

Continue to the upper area and defeat the Dweller enemy patrolling here. Loot the corpse in front of the house to get x5 Incendiary Arrow. Then, go inside the house to loot another corpse to obtain the Craft Guide: Ghastly Gall. Picking up this item will progress the quest Headaches. After acquiring the item, go to the back of this house to free a Kodama. You can find it by destroying the crates here.

 

 

Go up the stone steps again to reach the Lesser Crucible. Defeat all yokai enemies that will spawn, then destroy the Crucible Spike to increase Maximum Spirit Force by 2 and strengthen Guardian Spirit. You will also receive Large Spirit Stone and Spirit Stone.

 

Go up the next steps where your path is split into two: The left path will lead to a wooden gate that goes to an enemy base in Hamamatsu Hill, while the right path will lead to the shrine further in Futamata Road. First, open the gate to the enemy base, then proceed to the other path, where you get a view of the area below the Silver Grass Meadow Shrine. Follow the downward path, then speak to the shadow on the left side of the path to begin the mission, Depicting the Tiger of Kai. Then, pray at the shrine to update your checkpoint. 

 

 

 

Silver Grass Meadow Shrine

Continue down the path towards the bridge and the river. Loot the corpse by the river to get Steel Pill. Then, keep walking in the same direction to find a Kappa hiding in the corner. Hunt it down to get valuable items. Make your way back, then climb the platform on your left this time. You'll find a Kodama near the edge, just below the platform that the rogue enemy is standing on. Defeat this enemy, then move towards the next platform. Defeat the enemy standing near the corpse. Since its back is turned to you, you can do a sneak attack to execute them easily. Loot the corpse to get x3 Arrow and Rifle Ammunition.

 

 

From here, continue walking past the tall grasses towards the west until you find a small area with several large chests. At the back, open the remaining chest to reveal a Mujina. Defeat it to get Ninja's Locks. Exit this area and walk towards the first tree that comes into view. Defeat the Kappa hanging around here for valuable items. To the left, there's a small pagoda with an enemy next to a barrel. Defeat the Yagyo Soldier patrolling the main path. 

  

 

 

Follow this path towards the northwest where you see a soldier standing on the right side of the cave entrance. Keep walking inside the cave, then loot the corpse in the middle of the path to get Large Spirit Stone. Go up the hill to reach an enemy base with 6 enemies, and the Juji Fortress (East) Shrine. All enemies, including the dogs, are in the open ground, and the last enemy is at the top of the roof in the western area. Finally, after defeating the enemies, go inside the shack to the left. Loot the lockbox to get a Warrior's Text. 

 

  

Across this shed, you can attack the well to reveal a Kappa with valuable items. Loot the corpse in the middle of the camp to get Zen Splitstaff and armor piece from the Mino Veteran Set. Then, pray at the Shrine to update your checkpoint to Juji Fortress East (Shrine). From here, you can also head west to reach Hamamatsu Hill, or explore the northern area further into Futamata Road.

 

Juji Fortress East Shrine

From the shrine, head north past the barricade. Enter the wooden gate and go up the steps. To the right, you can loot a corpse. Then, go up first to explore the path on the left to reach the Hot Spring. You'll get x2 Yokai Teardrops after. Then, look for the lit torch in the corner to open the shortcut back to the entrance.

 

 

Go up the stairs and explore the other path by entering the Lesses Crucible. Defeat all yokai enemies which include Gaki and a Gaki Chief. After the fight, there's a chance that you'll get the Gaki Chief Soul Core. Then, you'll be able to destroy the Crucible Spike to increase maximum Spirit Force by 2.0 and strengthen Guardian Spirits.

 

 

Past the crucible spike, you'll reveal a path that leads to a house with a chest inside. Open the chest to receive Secret Skills Text: Spiritualism and other Items. After exploring this area, return to the Silver Grass Meadow Shrine to continue exploring. 

 

 

Silver Grass Meadow Shrine 

Return to the bridge this time and start walking towards the opposite side to start the fight against Naito Masatoyo. Watch out for the nearby troop that will be aiding him. You can use ranged attacks to take out the soldier on the platform on the right. You can find a full guide with tips and strategies on this page. You'll obtain the Transformed Art: Resounding Lunge Extend after defeating this formidable enemy.

 

Cross to the other side, then loot the corpse to get Hand Cannon Ammunition. Continue exploring the middle path towards northeast, where you see traces of the crucible. Head towards the forest and loot the corpse in the middle of the path to get Antidote and Antiparalytic Needle. Then, continue further to unlock the next shrine. 

 

Firefly Forest Shrine

From the shrine, continue walking north to find the lake at the center. There's a wooden bridge that extends toward the middle. Walk towards the northeast, but watch out for the Lesser Umi-bozu that will spawn from the water. Keep walking past this area, then go up the ramp to reach the upper area. Crouch under the root, then continue exploring to the top. Take note of the corpse that you can loot at the top, which drops x2 Antiparalytic Needle.

 

Return to the previous path and defeat the Nure-Onna near the corpse. Then. loot the corpse to get Borehole Bow and an armor piece from the Archer Set. Continue walking in the previous direction to find a Kappa by the waterfall. 

 

 

Follow the stream of the waterfall towards the west. Then, you'll hear a Kodama by the tree bark that extends above the river. To save this Kodama, walk towards the lake first, then turn left past the overgrowth. Climb up the mossy platform, and follow it towards the other side to get the Kodama.

 

Walk towards the edge of the lake, then kick down the burning tree to create a bridge shortcut to the shrine. Then, loot the corpse to get Tiger-Running Amulet and x2 Antidote. Return to the path and walk towards the tree that passes around a Lesser Crucible. Defeat the yokai enemies like Nure-Onna, Yamabiko, and Lesser Umi-bozu. After the waves of enemies, destroy the crucible spike to increase maximum Spirit Force by 2 and strengthen Guardian Spirits. You'll also get x2 Spirit Stone and Large Spirit Stone.

 

 

Explore the new path past the crucible, where you can find a path to the left and a set of steps directly in front of you. To the left, you can find 2 corpses that you can loot to get Martial Artist's Talons, Writing Set, and armor piece from the Marksman Set.

 

Go up the steps and enter the house to find a large treasure chest. Open it to get Sukesada Odachi, an armor piece from the Wayfarer Set, and from the Mino Veteran Set. Exit the house, and proceed towards the torii gate on the left. Loot the corpse by the gate to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Continue walking in this direction until you see the Cavern of Respite Shrine. Right before the shrine, look for a platform on the left to pray at the Six Jizo to receive 50 blessing.

 

To the left of the shrine, you'll find a ladder that goes up to Futamata. For now, we recommend going back to the Firefly Forest Shrine to explore the northwestern area.

 

Firefly Forest Shrine

After unlocking the Cavern of Respite Shrine, return to the Firefly Forest Shrine to explore the northwestern area. Jump above the platforms to reach the other side, where you see a ramp behind the large tree. Continue walking in this direction until you come across a Yamabiko feasting on a corpse. Defeat it and loot the corpse by the ledge to get an armor piece from the Mino Veteran Set and Thronecrusher Cannon.

 

 

Jump down to the platform below and defeat the Bakegani that has burrowed itself. Then, walk towards the south where you see a crucible spike and a corpse. The corpse drops a Rifle Ammunition, and destroying the spike will increase Maximum Spirit Force by 1 and strengthen Guardian Spirit. To leave this area, simply return to the initial path where you first climbed up the ramp behind the large tree. 

 

 

Back to the area where you found the Yamabiko and the corpse, head up the rocky platform. Once you reach the top, face the eastern direction to spot the Chijiko. Shoot it down to get Ninja's Locks and Transformed Art: Crimson Lotus Fire.

 

Continue walking towards the narrow alley to reach a diverging path. The southern path leads to an enemy base and a Shrine, while the northern path leads to a temple with a Crucible Wraith and a  Hot Spring. If you've been following this walkthrough, you would have unlocked the shrine and cleared the enemy base to the south, and have explored this area already. Instead, your next step is to fast travel to the Silver Grass Meadow Shrine to reach Futamata.

 

Entering Futamata

Return to the Silver Grass Meadow Shrine, then walk down to the bridge. Go towards the platform on the right side of the path, then defeat the soldier crouching next to a corpse. Loot the corpse to get a Luckbringer Amulet. 

 

 

Start exploring towards the eastern side, which is directly below the shrine. Before the river, look for a protruding platform on the mountain wall to the left. Jump on top of it to find the Sudama in a small cave. You can purchase the Secret Skills Text: Double-Edged Arts from it. Follow the river along this path, and you'll find an enemy here. Continue walking in the same direction, as the path will split into two. The upper leads to a shed overlooking the river, while the bottom one directly goes to the river. 

 

 

Continue to the path that goes to the river. Defeat the enemy in the water, then loot the corpse that it's standing on to get Smoke Ball. Walk further in the same direction to find the Chijiko flying. Shooting it gives Samurai's Locks and unlocks the Transformed Art: Mad Spinner Wind. Then, walk towards the edge of the stream to loot two more corpses. Explore the other path and defeat the soldiers outside the house. Then, go inside the shed to loot the lockbox that contains a Samurai's Text. If you go past this area, you'll find Hattori Hanzo on the roof, near the Tealeaf Village Shrine in Futamata.

 

Futamata

Paths to Futamata

There are two ways to enter Futamata; you can use the ladder from the Cavern of Respite Shrine to start at the western area, or start from the Tealeaf Village Shrine, which starts from the southeastern area. For this walkthrough, we recommend starting from the Silver Grass Meadow Shrine in Futamata Road for a more seamless exploration.

 

From the shrine, start exploring towards the eastern side, which is directly below the shrine. Follow the river along this path, then explore the upper path. Defeat the enemies on the main path, then continue towards the hill behind them. Go up the steps, all the way to the roof, where you'll find Hattori Hanzo, near the Tealeaf Village Shrine in Futamata. Talk to him to start the mission, Searching for a Spy.

 

 

Tealeaf Village Shrine

Pray at the shrine to update your checkpoint to Futamata. After joining forces with Hattori Hanzo, head down the stairs beside the Tealeaf Village shrine to find several enemies, such as a Yagyo Soldier and an Aberrant Soldier. Defeat the enemies, then climb up the platform in the middle and open the small chest containing a Ninja's Locks.

  

Inside the shack on the western side, you can loot a corpse that drops a Sacred Water. On the northwestern edge, you can loot another corpse that drops a Large Spirit Stone. Then, attacking the nearby well can free a Kappa that you can hunt down for Items.

 

Head up the stairs on the eastern side. If you turn right, you will be in a dead-end as the stairs will be broken. Follow the path to your left and defeat a grunt walking around the path. Then, make a right when you find a staircase and follow it to get to a small house with a grunt by the campfire. Defeat the enemy, then go inside the house and loot the corpses to find valuables, such as the Secret Skills Text: The More the Merrier and armor pieces from the Shinobi Set and Mino Veteran Set.

  

Climb up to the roof of the house using the bales of hay on the northern side to find a Kodama on the wooden scaffolding to the south, then follow the path going south to fight two more enemies. Go down the stairs to find a corpse in the landing — pick up the Abandoned Shrine Key. Then, you can explore the area on the eastern side by climbing up the stairs and opening the door to find a master, Ito Ittosai. He will only talk to you if you are alone, so you have to finish the myth first. NOTE: You may return to Ito Ittosai if you have no companion. Defeat him in a duel to receive the Handbook: Tiger's Blade.

  

Climb down the stairs and follow the path going north towards the myth objective marker. Defeat the two enemies guarding the entrance, then use the Abandoned Shrine Key to open the door. Make your way up and defeat all of the enemies in the temple grounds. Once they are all defeated, a boss Kyokotsu will emerge in the middle of the arena. Defeat the Kyokotsu, then talk to Hattori Hanzo to find that Hayatemaru is in the temple. The myth, Searching for a Spy, will be completed. You will be rewarded with Ninja's Locks and Hanzo the Demon's Spear for completing the myth. Then, you can loot the corpses on the ground to get Curious Crown Helm, Writing Set, and Trident Vajra Sword Helmet.

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Talk to Hattori Hanzo again to unlock the mission, The Demon's Regimen. Continue walking towards the torii gate to the north, then pray at the Abandoned Bamboo Grove Shrine to update your checkpoint.

 

Before proceeding further to Futamata, we recommend returning to Ito Ittosai, the master in the previous area, to get the Handbook: Tiger's Blade after you defeat him in a duel. After the duel, fast travel to the Abandoned Bamboo Grove Shrine to continue exploring Futamata.

 

Abandoned Bamboo Grove Shrine

Head north towards the gates to discover three paths; the western path will take you towards an enemy barricade formed near the border of Futamata Road, the northwestern path will head towards a Dark Realm and further progression, while the northeastern path will take you to a village near the river. If you want to explore the barricade, you can defeat the Takeda soldiers here for extra loot. You can also loot a corpse in the main path to get Sacred Water.

 

 

 

To start exploring, head towards the small village first. Go inside the first house on the right to loot a corpse that drops x3 Incendiary Arrow and Arrow. If you walk towards the ledge near the river, you can loot a corpse that drops Osafune Kanemitsu and an armor piece from the Wayfarer Set. Walk towards the entrance of the dark realm, where you see a black smoke emitting from the ground. Once inside, you'll need to defeat all enemies, including the source of the Yokai in the Dark Realm. You can find the source on the northern corner, which is a Yagyo Soldier patrolling the edges of the dark realm, near the shrine.

 

You can loot the corpse in the middle of the farm to the right to get Power Pill. Up ahead, you can see a Ninja Yoki on the tall platform on the left side. Below it, you can loot a corpse that drops a Throwing Stone, near the Aberrant Soldier on the ground level. After defeating the nearby enemies, you can also attack the well to free a Kappa that you can hunt down for rewards. Take note of the nearby shack, since there's a large chest that you can loot after you cleanse the Dark Realm. 

 

 

Once you see the shrine, pay attention to the nearby shed and the corpses to its left. Defeat the Skeleton Soldier near the corpses first, then defeat the remaining Yagyo Soldier. After the fight, the Dark Realm will be extinguished, which also unlocks the shrine and the chest inside the previously-mentioned shed. First, loot the corpses to get Mino Uchigatana, Japanese Scissors, and armor pieces from the Mino Veteran Set. Then, pray at the shrine to update your checkpoint. Return to the shed to open the large chest that drops the Handbook: Paralytic Groundfire.

 

 

Futamata Castle - Castle Town Shrine

From the Futamata Castle - Castle Town Shrine, cross the bridge to the east and stop at the shed. Look for the Chijiko floating above it. Shooting the Chijiko gives x1 Samurai's Locks and unlocks the Transformed Art: Cyclone Wind. Keep going past the shed, then climb up the wooden platforms to reach the upper area. Defeat the enemies walking out of the large house, then loot the large chest inside it to get Seven Scalp Splitstaff, Writing Set, and Moon Charm Helmet.

 

 

Exit the house, then turn left in the small alley to find a Kodama hiding between the wooden fence.

 

Return to the previous path, then continue towards the main gate. Defeat the soldier crouching near a corpse, then loot it to get a Large Spirit Stone. Climb on top of the main gate barricade to get a high ground advantage against the enemies ahead. You can also drop down to the area below the gate to loot a corpse behind the bales of hay. You can also loot another corpse in front of the rubble on the right side to get a Luckbringer Amulet. Then, go inside the next gate to continue exploring.

 

 

Once you cross the bridge on the other side, the mission Mirage Fortress will automatically start. You then need to go north towards Futamata Castle. When the pop-up for the location appears, you will see Hattori Hanzo to the right. Speak with him, and he will tell you that he will attack the castle from the rear and that you need to take the castle from the main entrance. Hanzo will also advise you to take a stealthy approach, as gunners will be posted on the walls. Hanzo will also tell you that bringing down their command structure is also a tactic that can be used. 

  

Once the dialogue ends, go down the path near Hanzo and use your compass to guide you to the castle. Cross the wooden bridge to find the Futamata Castle - Riverside Shrine. 

 

Futamata Castle - Riverside Shrine

Turn right and continue forward, but be careful as there will be Takeda forces patrolling the area. Loot the corpse on the main path to get a Large Spirit Stone. There's another corpse that you can loot by the patch of tall grasses, near the base of the ramp. Note that there's a door at the top of this ramp that you can unlock from the inside. For now, focus on exploring the main path and eliminating the soldiers to move forward. Use the wooden shields for cover to take out the soldier in the watchtower, then loot the corpse behind the bamboo shields to get Paralysis Omamori and armor piece from the Ferryman Set. Continue in the same path due east.

 

You will see a torch at the end of the path. Just continue to move forward and pass through the rocks, it is illusory. Defeat the enemy waiting on the other side then continue following the path up to an open gate. Right before the gate, you can loot a corpse over the ledge to get x2 Incendiary Arrow.

 

Take out the three soldiers to your left upon entering. They will be by the wall looking outwards, so you can assassinate one of them and quickly defeat the other two afterwards. Opposite the soldiers' position, enter the structure. You will find a small chest in the first room where you can find Samurai's Text.

 

Clear the house of enemies then exit through the front. You will find more enemies up ahead. You can then also unbar the gate to your left. This will be a shortcut from the shrine. Turn around and take out the two soldiers up ahead.

 

Turn right and on the right side behind the house, you can find a Kodama behind an illusory obstruction. Return to the previous area, and head towards northeastern side. Before going down the ladder, loot the corpse on the right side to get Steel Pill. Use the tall grass and wooden shields to hide. There are also yokai in the area, as well as gunners and a watcher that will alert other soldiers behind the upper wall. Then, loot the corpse behind the bamboo shield to get an armor piece from the Shinobi Set.

 
 

Head to the other side and climb the ladder. After reaching the top, you can take out the gunners to your left as you did before, and a soldier in one of the horse stalls. You can also find another Kodama in one of the horse stalls behind an illusory blockage. You can also attack the well here to replenish Elixir.

 

After clearing the area, move past the gate and climb down the ladder. Loot the corpse in the trenches to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Up ahead, there will be a boulder that will roll towards you from the enemies. Quickly move back and step out of the way to avoid taking damage, then defeat the enemy ahead.

 

Turn left at the split in the path, then destroy the illusory blockage to reveal a corpse that drops a Samurai's Locks. As you head to the opposite side, jump on top of the bales of hay between the houses and kick down the ladder to unlock the shortcut back to the shrine.

  

Return to the previous path and turn left to and go past the torch and follow the path up. Halfway across the bridge, you can drop down to your right and hunt the Kappa. Then, kick down the barrel to kill the enemies and obtain Ninja's Text from the corpse. You can then circle around and continue going up to the bridge once more.

 

When you reach the top of the incline, turn left at the first torch and defeat the enemies as you go. You can also loot a corpse in front of the torch to get Tanegashima Matchlock and an armor piece from the Ronin Set. Climb the ladder and follow the path. Loot the corpse over the bridge to get armor piece from the Archer Set and Borehole Bow. Use the platforms and roofs to cross over and enter the small opening of the house and drop down. You will find a shrine as you exit the structure.

 

 

 

 Futamata Castle - Storehouse Shrine

Before you continue exploring, you can enter the second house to destroy the partition. Crouch to enter the hole where you can find a lockbox with equipment pieces. You can then jump on the roof to the left to loot another corpse that drops Japanese Scissors and other items. Turn left after the shrine and follow the path. Defeat the enemy before continuing forward. Move out of the way from three boulders that will roll towards you before continuing on. Loot the corpse in the middle of the path to get Ochoko Cup. Climb up the wooden scaffolding using the crates to your left, and push forward, defeating the yokai as you go along. 

 

 

At the end, turn right and then turn left. Continue going up and defeat the enemies as you go along. There will be a Ninja Yoki on the ground, and another enemy that will shoot you from the high ground. Take note of its position since you'll go there later for important loot. Continue to the area on the left, then loot the corpse by the intersection to get a Fan and Incendiary Arrow. You can unbar the gate for a shortcut back to the current shrine.

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As you head up, pay attention to the wall that's emitting a smoke. Attack this to dispel the illusion, then go towards the cliff where the enemy was shooting from earlier. Loot the corpse over the ledge to get x1 Ninja's Locks. Return to the path, then go up to reach an open gate and there will be enemies past the gate.

 

You can go around and use stealth to kill them silently, or face them head-on. After clearing the area, you will need to face Anayama Nobutada, a formidable enemy within the outpost. After the fight, you'll receive Handbook: Punish the Proud.

 

Once you defeat Nobutada, you can loot the corpse near the prayer wall on the right to get an armor piece from the Shinobi Set. Go to the back of the house by exploring the wooden deck, then turn left to find a Kodama. Enter the structure and there will be more enemies and a chest inside that contains Secret Skills Text: Quelling Requiem inside. Exit the structure to the left and drop down from the broken segment of the fence. Follow the path to the left to find a shrine. 

 

 

Futamata Castle - Koguchi Junction Shrine

Climb the steps and collect Ninja's Locks from the roof of the structure in the area before continuing your climb.

 

Once you reach the next area, there will be a yokai near the entrance. Defeat the yokai and loot the corpse near the shed to get a Large Spirit Stone. Then, attack the door on the right to reveal a Nurikabe. Inside, there will be another enemy and a chest containing a Mujina that you need to defeat to collect Secret Skills Text: Purify Yokai Realm: Spirit.

  

Return to the area where you fought the Nurikabe. Then, climb the ramparts near the shed. Go over the roof, then jump in front of the shed to find a Kodama hiding in the corner. Go towards the corner of the castle wall then climb the ramparts. Hunt down the Kappa for rewards. Then, jump on the roof of the burning shed to find the Kodama.

Walk towards the stables where an enemy is patrolling the path. Defeat the enemy, then go inside the 5th stall to find a corpse that drops a Samurai's Locks. Continue to the area behind the Kyokotsu, then turn left for loot. You can find a large treasure chest at the back of the stables that drops Secret Skills Text: Wrathful Dragon.

 

 

 

Head towards the back of the houses, which is a bloody area directly below the Futamata Castle. There's an enemy that will alert other forces to your presence, so make sure to take them out to avoid calling more enemies. In the corner, you can loot a corpse that drops a Samurai's Locks. Go through the door opposite this corpse, then trace your steps back to the first house you entered.

 

Go back to the room you first entered and exit through your left. You'll find a corpse on the right side. Then, jump on the sacks to reach the platform of the castle walls. Loot the corpse to get a Samurai's Locks. Then climb up the steps ahead. At the top, you will find another shrine.

 

 

Futamata Castle - Defensive Gate Shrine

While facing the Shrine, pay attention to the destroyed wall on your right. This points to a Hot Spring located in the lower area, which you can go to by going down the steps first, then dispelling the illusion wall. Bathe in the Hot Springs to get x2 Yokai Teardrops. Then, return to the shrine again.

 

 

Proceed to the opening to the left of the shrine. Turn right after you enter and climb the steps to your right to take out the gunners on the upper ledge. There will be a small chest at the end of the ledge containing Secret Skills Text: Versatility. On this side of the castle, you can also attack the well to free the Lesser Umi-bozu. After that, go to the alley on the right to find a corpse in front of the golden spikes. Loot it to acquire x1 Ninja's Locks.

 

 

After taking out the gunners, go back down and clear the area. Defeat the Yagyo Soldier, patrolling the path near a corpse. Loot the said corpse to get Kunitomo Rifle and armor piece from the Thief Set. Before going inside the castle, go towards this alley on the eastern side. Attack the bamboo shield to reveal a Crucible Wraith hiding behind it. There's a chance that you'll get the Skeleton Warrior Soul Core from it. Then climb up the wooden platform to enter through the broken wall of the castle.

 

 

Once you enter, you can unbar the gate to your left before continuing going down the hall and opening the door on your left. You will enter a cutscene where the yokai Baba Nobuharu ravages the samurai protecting the castle.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Baba Nobuharu. He is a large yokai with grey skin, a tail, and golden horns who wields a proportionally large axe in one hand. His other hand is a large claw he uses to swipe at you. Nobuharu can send forward mirages of himself that he follows up with his own attacks. He can also use his mirages to teleport to different parts of the arena and send a deluge of water towards you when he swings his axe.

  

After defeating Nobuharu, you can collect the drops, such as Demon of Mino's Charm and x1 Samurai's Locks. This will also mark the mission Mirage Fortress as completed, and you will unlock the sub mission Vengeful Blade. You can now continue your progress with The Battle of Futamata Castle.

 

Speak with Hattori Hanzo

After completing Mirage Fortress and defeating Baba Nobuharu, Hattori Hanzo will arrive in the room. Walk up to him and speak with him he will inform you that he managed to save Lord Nakane because of your distraction. Nakane will also thank you and give you Wayfarer's Vest as a reward for helping him.

 

 

Return to Hamamatsu Castle and Speak with Hattori Hanzo

Hattori Hanzo will tell you to go back to Hamamatsu Castle once you are ready. From there, you can use your map and fast travel to the Hamamatsu Castle Keep Shrine.

Go up to the top of the castle keep and speak with Hattori Hanzo. He will tell you of the Takeda presence in Mikatagahara in the northwest, with reports of Takeda himself in the vanguard. He will tell you that Ieyasu has already brought the best troops to Mikatagahara, and that killing Takeda at this opportunity will help with gaining an advantage in the war. He will ask you to join him with following Ieyasu to Mikatagahara.

 

Once the conversation ends, you will have completed The Battle of Futamata Castle, and the next Objective, The Battle of Mikatagahara will begin. 

 

Mikatagahara

Arriving at Mikatagahara

You can explore Mikatagahara at any point in the game, but for minimal backtracking, we recommend exploring this area after you unlock the mission, The Battle of Mikatagahara. To get to this area, you can cross the Otsuri Bridge in Lake Sanaru, which will take you to the southern area of Mikatagahara. To start, fast travel to the Otsuri Bridge Shrine, then defeat the Jailer Oni patrolling it. Once you get to the middle of the bridge, you'll arrive at Mikatagahara. Loot the corpse on the other side of the bridge to get Longbow and Arrow.

 

 

Go up the steps and defeat the yokai Lesser Umi-bozu that will attack sneakily from the left side. Continue walking forward, then look for the tree branch that is angled toward a platform. Climb up this branch and defeat the Crucible Wasps gathered around a corpse. Loot the corpse sitting against the tree to get Amrita. Past this area, you can find another corpse on another platform. Loot it to get a Fan and an armor piece from the Irregular Troop Set. Right below this corpse, you can drop down to a narrow area where you can hunt down a Kappa for some items.

 

 

Go back to the main path, then climb up the steps lined with statues on each side. As you go up, you can find a corpse to your left that drops Sacred Water. Above this corpse, you can find a Scampuss resting at the base of the statue. Petting the Scampuss will make it guide you to the Six Jizo on the platform above. Defeat the wave of Gaki enemies that will spawn first, then pet the scampuss to receive Samurai's Locks and Scampuss Furball. Loot the corpse on the right to get a Fan, then pray at the statue to receive +50 Jizo Merit. 

 

 

Return to the top of the steps and enter the open gate to reach the enemy base/dark realm. Inside this area, you'll need to defeat a total of 6 enemies. To your right, defeat the Skeleton Warrior standing at the base of the steps behind the well. Go towards the stairs on the left, defeat the enemy at the bottom, then go up to the upper area to fight another Skeleton Warrior. 

 

Return to the well area and explore the path to your left, then look out for a corpse to get Spy's Kusarigama and an armor piece from the Irregular Troop Set. Go to the area across this nook to find a larger space with more yokai enemies.  Crouch as you pass through the tall grass, then defeat the Jailer Oni in the middle of the path. There's a chance you'll get the Crucible Sasumata from one of them. Before you move to the other side, loot the corpse on the tree to your left to get Sacred Water. This will leave you with the source of the yokai in the upper level. 

 

Once the enemy base is captured, open the chest to the right to receive items like Smoke Ball, Shugendo Hermit Hatchets, Hairy Caterpillar Helmet, and armor piece from the Irregular Troop Set. The gate next to this chest will also lead to Saigagake, which you can unlock later on. To the left of the gate, you can loot a corpse that drops Bizen Uchigatana and armor piece from the Irregular Troop Set. 

 

Go back to the nook from earlier, then look up to the south to find a Chijiko. Shoot it to get Samurai's Locks and unlock Retrogade Flow Water. Head north to find the path towards the next shrine. To the right, you'll find a tall patch of grass where you can see 2 enemies crouching next to a corpse. Loot the corpse to get Rifle Ammunition. Then, go to the corner and jump above the rocky platforms to get to the top. You can loot another corpse which drops a Dung Ball.

 

Drop down to the main path and go up the steps to reach a wide space with an entrance to Mikatagahara, and the Stone Buddha Path Shrine.

 

Stone Buddha Path Shrine

If you're coming from the Lake Sanaru path or the southern side, your next stop is to head east from the shrine. You'll find some collectibles in this area, and you'll also discover a path to Hamamatsu Hill. To start, go down the steps and take the path to your left. Defeat the Ninja Yoki patrolling near the stone pagoda. You can also explore the other side, which is a sunken area where you can find yokai enemies crouched next to a corpse. Loot the corpse to get Throwing Stone.

 

Up ahead, you'll reach another set of steps that go down to a wider area with enemies and corpses. Loot the corpse on the left side to get Samurai's Locks, then loot another corpse on the right for Female Demon Mask and Togakushi Ninja Hatchets.

Head east and continue walking on the platforms above the main path until you reach the shed. You can find a Kodama on the roof of the shed to the right. Drop down and loot the corpse for Elixir, and attack the well to the left side of the path to get another Elixir. If you continue walking up this area, you'll reach Hamamatsu Hill, but you can only enter from the other side.

 

Return to Stone Buddha Path Shrine

Open the large red gate to reveal a small clearing before a smaller gate. Loot the corpse to your right to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Enter the next gate to find yourself at a tunnel that leads to a Spirit Vein in the mountaineous platform to the left.

 

Drop down to the platform and, before traversing the Spirit Vein, look at the area behind you. Hunt down the Kappa for some loot, then interact with the corpse to get Arrowproof Amulet. Traverse the Spirit Vein with Enko. This will take you to the Sudama's location near the large red gate. You can kick down the ladder next to the Sudama to unlock the shortcut here. Return to the starting area and trace your steps back to where you dropped down.

 

 

Walk up ahead until you reach the wooden bridge. Before continuing, you can loot the corpse to your left to get x3 Arrow. Then, loot the corpse at the bridge to get Sacred Water. Continue walking until you prompt the cutscene. At the end, Hattori Hanzo will speak to you and will trigger the mission, A Fiery Invasion.

 

Tokugawa Camp Shrine in Mikatagahara

Prat the Mikatagahara - Tokugawa Camp Shrine to update your checkpoint. Enter the shack to the left to find a corpse that you can loot for Royal Tonfa and armor piece from the Iga Jonin Set. Continue through the arch and defeat the soldiers in the area.

 

After defeating the enemies, turn left to find a house with enemies outside. You can jump on the haystack to reach the roof, then loot the corpse to get Tanegashima Matchlock and Mount Fuji Helmet. Then, go through the open archway.

 

Continue to follow the path. As the camp comes into view, you can loot a corpse in the middle of the path that drops a Large Spirit Stone. After this, you'll see two houses to the left of the path, where you will come across a Yagyo Soldier, a horse-riding yokai; defeat it to continue. Enter the first house to the left and loot the lockbox to get Warrior's Text. Head outside and go further into the camp and loot the corpse on the main path to get x2 Arrow. Go through the open division to your right. 

 

Turn left after entering and continue following the path. You will come across Tokugawa soldiers who can help you with fighting enemies, but they die easily, so keep that in mind. You also need to keep an eye out for a large yokai that throws boulders from an upper ledge ahead. You can use the rock formations for cover and hide in the tall grass to take it out from a distance.

  

After defeating the enemies in the area, turn right on the gap in the fence with the blood trail and then turn right at the rock. Continue to follow the blood trail on the ground and defeat the enemies you encounter along the way.

 

You will encounter Takeda forces fighting with Tokugawa soldiers. Defeat the enemies in the area before continuing. While looking at the large yokai, look for a path to the right, and enter the house with a lit torch at the doorway. Follow the narrow pathway right below the large yokai to find the Kodama hiding.

 

Return to the rock formation from earlier and hide. Wait for the yokai to slow down its attacks, then you can crouch through the patch of tall grass to do a sneak attack. Turn left where you see a well and a house with a lit torch to the left. You can replenish your elixir by attacking the well. Go inside the house and go to the second floor. Exit through the balcony to find corpses on the roof. Loot them for armor pieces like Shinobi Set, Blessed Sleeve Set, and Ronin Set.

 

Exit the house and follow the trail of blood on the ground. You'll encounter an Aberrant Soldier in the area with burning wooden spikes. Go to the platform on the left and defeat the enemy crouched near a corpse. Loot the corpse to get Japanese Scissors and armor piece from the Ascetic Set. Face the opposite side and walk towards the group of houses to the south. You'll find a Yagyo Soldier patrolling the ground in front of the burning stables. 

 

Defeat the horse-riding yokai. Go to the house past the stables and enter it to find a large treasure chest. Open it to get Ninja's Locks and other items. Go to the back of this house and climb the haystack to reach the roof. Cross the wooden bridge to get to the stable, then cross again to the roof of the other house. Loot the corpse to get Jonin's Talons and Moon Charm Helmet. Drop down the roof and walk towards the large tent to the west to aid the Tokugawa soldiers. Walk towards the next area to find the shrine.

 

 

Mikatagahara - Kikyo Bellflower Fortress Shrine

Pray at the shrine to update your checkpoint. The area will open up with more Skeleton Warriors to defeat. Once you defeat the enemies, right to the tall boulder. Look for a path going up and climb it to find a Kodama.

  

Go to the next area by turning left to the wooden platform. You can assassinate the large yokai that throws boulders by turning right after passing through the wooden entrance.

 

Continue following the trail of blood upwards and defeat the enemies you encounter. You can find a lockbox in the right corner as you head up the half stairs. Loot it to get Samurai's Locks. As you go further inside the camp, you can encounter enemies with rifles on the right side of the path. When you reach the front of the gates, you can lower a ladder that leads directly to the shrine you passed by earlier by dropping down onto the lower platforms on the ledge. Loot the corpse in the outward platform to get Fireproof Amulet. Go back to the gate and open it to progress.

 

After opening the gate, you will enter a cutscene of Naotora holding off Takeda soldiers before Yamagata Masakage intervenes. Once the cutscene ends, you will enter with Masakage, this time, with him empowered by the strength of the yokai. With your rematch with Masakage, he will now be riding a horse during combat, which means he has more mobility than before, and his attacks will come from above more often.

 

Remember to use Burst Break when you can to quickly deplete his Ki and Life down. Masakage still uses the same weapon, which means his attacks have great reach. With the strength of yokai, he can now also imbue his blade with hellish flames. He can send a slash of fire from afar, as well as release a ring of fire that spreads out from him.

 

Once you defeat Masakage, you will enter another cutscene showing your victory over him. The skies will darken, with a new Crucible forming and changing the formation of the surroundings.

 

 

Enter the Crucible

Once the cutscene ends, Naotora will tell you that the yokai that spawned the new Crucible is called the Death Veil, which is summoned to the skies by those who harbor Crucinite inside them. Naotora suggests that Ieyasu is inside the Crucible, but that you are the only one who can reach him. You can collect the drops from Masakage before moving forward. Go through the open gate ahead and enter the Crucible to continue. Take note that you cannot fast travel to Shrines while inside the Crucible. If you need to upgrade your equipment, make sure to do it before entering.

 

Once you are in the Crucible, there will be a Bodhisattva Statue in front of you. Pray to it to update your checkpoint. Avoid the spectral white flames as they can quickly drain your health.

 

From the statue, go left and drop down the ledge. If you get close enough, a trap will activate, move out of the way of the yokai contraption, and it will explode upon impact. Loot the corpse to get x2 Rifle Ammunition on the main path, then you can find another one from the platform where the contraption rolled from. Loot it to get Throwing Stone.

 

Defeat the enemies in the area as you cross over, then go over the collapsed roof with the lantern. To the left of this roof, you can drop down in the alley to loot a corpse with Kunitomo Rifle and armor piece from the Shinobi Set. Return to the roof and continue to the other side. Once you defeat the Jailer Oni with white flames, the spectral white flames will die, and you can access the Bodhisattva Statue to the right.

 

Go through the area opposite this statue, where you see a wooden path leading into it. Loot the corpse in the nook to the left to get Fireproof Amulet. Follow the wooden pathway again to fight the Skeleton Warrior in the narrow alley. Towards the corner, you can climb the rocky platform towards the top to the left, or progress by climbing the platform on your right. Go to the edge to loot the corpse that drops Fan and armor piece from the Heir Shinobi Set. You can go to the upper area of this structure, then access the area on its outer ledge to find a corpse that drops a Noble Dung Ball and Fireproof Amulet. Leave this area by climbing the ladder back up.

  

When you see the burning structure, go near the entrance just close enough to trigger the traps and quickly move out of the way. You can then exit through the back, and you will find the next lantern where an Aberrant Soldier is standing next to it.

 

Use the rock platform to get to the next area, where you will find Lord Nakane Masateru fighting yokai. You can speak to Lord Nakane after defeating the enemies to receive a Power Pill. There is a small chest at the top if you climb the ladder to your left, containing Gourd and armor piece from the Shinobi Set. To progress, turn right and climb the rock ledges.

 

At the top, you will find the next lantern. Get on top of the collapsed roof. Loot the corpse to get x2 Arrow. To your left, you'll find another corpse in the nook that drops Secret Skills Text: Resilient Arts. Use the rock platforms to get to the other side. Before you enter, go through a path on your left, at the side of the structure to find a corpse that drops Kobo Daishi Beads and armor piece from the Iga Jonin Set. Enter the structure to the left and use the stairs to get to the upper level. There will be another yokai trap you need to avoid, as well as yokai you need to defeat. Trigger the trap first, then run out to avoid getting damaged.

 

 

To the right, cross the short bridge to access a platform with corpses. The one on the right will drop a Ninja's Locks, while the one one the left will drop armor piece from Shinobi Set and a Kunitomo Rifle. 

 

Cross the makeshift bridge on the roof to find a Bodhisattva Statue and past the statue, you will find Honda Tadakatsu, who will tell you that he got separated. Turn left and climb up the ledge by the flag to continue. You'll find someone fending off enemies at a large tent. After the fight, talk to him to learn his name is Sakakibara Yasumasa. You'll also receive  Daion-Jin's Sake from him.

  

Climb up the platform behind Sakakibara Yasumasa. Then, continue to the right to find a Hot Spring. Before you can bathe in it, you have to defeat the yokai enemies who have corrupted it. Bathe in the Hot Spring to receive Yokai Teardrop.

 

Continue following the path up from the ledge and defeat the enemies you encounter. Use the wooden stakes for cover against the large yokai that throws boulders at you. At the last wooden stake shield, turn left and go towards the edge facing north. You'll find a wooden stake at the bottom, and a yokai kneeling over a corpse at the edge. Defeat the enemy and loot the corpse to get Secret Skills Text: Fatal Fists. Return to the previous path and continue walking to find the next lantern.

 

Before the lantern, look for path on the southwestern side and drop down to the lower area where you see the Yagyo Soldier with spectral white flames. Defeat this enemy to dispel the surrounding flames. Head northeast to look for a rocky platform that stretches towards a roof. Defeat the Infernal Oni-bi that will reveal itself as you jump on the roof to get its soul core. Loot the corpses here to get Water Omamori and armor pieces from the Wayfarer Set and Shinobi Set. 

 

Head back to the previous path and locate the yokai that looks like a sunflower from the side, or a Wheelmonk. Destroy the barrier past this yokai to reveal the path back to the large yokai that throws boulders.

 

Return to the previous lantern where you see a makeshift bridge created from the broken roof of the house below. To the left, you can jump on top of the platforms to fight a Crucible Wraith. Defeat the enemy to get the Aberrant Soldier Soul Core. Then loot the corpse nearby to get Poison Omamori and armor piece from the Vassal Set. To continue, return to the lantern and head over to the bridge. Defeat the Wheelmonk on the path to progress.

You'll find the next lantern at the end of this path. You can jump onto the platform on the right to defeat the large yokai that throws boulders. You can also loot the corpse nearby to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Return to the lantern and turn left to continue exploring. Once you reach the next lantern, a Kyokotsu will appear. To the right, you can climb the rocky ledges to reach 2 corpses. Loot them to get armor pieces from the Iga Jonin Set, Togakushu Kusarigama, and Seki Kanenori Dual Uchigatana. 

 

Continue towards the wooden barrier where you'll fight Kosaka Masanobu while being assisted by Sakai. After the fight, you will acquire the Smithing Text: Retreat Master's Armor, Handbook: Reverse Impact, and other items. Talk to Sakai Tadatsugu to receive a Healing Pill.

  

Continue to the other side of the tent and cross the bridge to update your checkpoint. Return to the bridge and drop to the western side. You'll find a corpse under the bridge that drops a Sasayuki and Gourd. Loot the corpse on the other side of the bridge to get the Secret Skills Text: Weight Bearer. To leave this area, continue to the opposite side and trace it to find the talisman of the Nurikabe. Remove it to exit to the other side. 

 

Turn left and go towards the platform on the other side. Face the eastern direction while looking down to find a corpse on an isolated platform. Go down the rocks to get Japanese Scissors and armor piece from the Iga Jonin Set.

Return to the previous statue near the bridge before the tent. Walk past the statue and go inside the area with the two lanterns. You will enter a cutscene and see Takeda Shingen holding a shining stone with a pile of dead bodies beside him. Takechiyo will rush him but will be thrown back.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Takeda Shingen. He wields a naginata and uses heavy swinging and thrusting attacks with reach. Remember to use Burst Break to deplete his Ki. Shingen can imbue his blade with elements like fire and wind ,  and he can also summon his own guardian spirit yokai to attack you.

Keep in mind that while within the Crucible, you can be afflicted with Life Corrosion, which decreases your Maximum Life temporarily. Deal damage to Shingen to remove the effect.

 

Once you defeat Takeda Shingen, you will receive rewards. A cutscene will play afterwards, where Shingen's yokai guardian spirit will pull him back from the brink of death before they retreat.

 

 

Cleanse the Mikatagahara Crucible

Once the cutscene ends, walk up to the crucible and destroy it. Another cutscene will play where the effects of the crucible dissipates and Mikatagahara is freed from the darkness. Ieyasu will appear and advise Takechiyo not to pursue Shingen further. Once the cutscene ends, you will be accompanied by Narikama Tanuki by spirit division, and you will have officially completed A Fiery Invasion and continue your progress with The Battle of Mikatagahara

 

 

Arriving at Saigagake

Fast Travel to the Saigagake Junction shrine, located northwest of Hamamatsu Castle. Exit the gate and head further towards another gate that brings you to Saigagake. Once in Saigagake, you will find a shrine to your left. From the shrine, you will notice the bridge beside it is broken and inaccessible. Go down the hill to the left and save the Kodama on the corner of the platform. Proceed towards the opposite side to start exploring Saigagake. 

 

Go down the steps and defeat the yokai in the area. Loot the corpse to the right before crossing the bridge to get x3 Arrow. Jump across the smaller bridge with the more manageable gap. You will find an area lit up by a lantern with a Ninja Yoki. To the left, you can explore an area with a Skeleton Warrior and a loot. Interact with the corpse to get Mantra Sword and armor piece from the Wayfarer Set. You can also climb up the nearby platform to get Royal Tonfa from the corpse there.

 

After defeating the yokai enemy, you can jump down the right side of the bridge to find a corpse underneath. You will get armor piece from the Mitsumono Set and Vassal Set. Cross the bridge and turn right to find a corpse next to the tree. Loot it to get Japanese Scissors and armor piece from the Mitsumono Set. You'll also see a Crucible Wasp in the edge of the mountain here hovering over a wooded pathway and a ladder to your left.

 

Climb up the ladder to find a corpse that you can loot for Arrowproof Amulet. Jump down and explore the left side to find a Gaki yokai devouring a corpse. Loot it to replenish your Elixir. Then proceed to the wooded pathway and use the terrain to cross to the other side and defeat the yokai in the area. At the northeastern edge, you can drop down to a lower area near the waterfall to find Gaki and a Skeleton Warrior near a corpse. Loot it to get a Longbow.

 

Continue to follow the path around the cliff until you find another ladder. Climb the ladder up and clear the yokai out in the area. Go to the edge of the scaffolding to loot the corpse that drops Goichimonshu Dual Swords and armor piece from the Vassal Set. Head closer to the sunken area, but first, hunt down the Kappa on the left side. Inside the sunken area, there will be a Crucible Wraith who dual-wields katanas and can summon two more arms. Defeat it to get the Magatsu Warrior Soul Core.

Go down to the sunken area and loot the corpse to get Ninja's Text. Exit through the large wood plank angled in the corner. Go to the miniature shrine at the back and loot it to get Red Spider Lily. Jump onto the platform to your left and follow this path to recover an Arrow from the corpse at the eastern edge. Continue following the wooded scaffolding path and start your ascent. Use the wooden platforms and beam segments to climb.

 

Follow the path upwards while continuing to use the wooden platforms and beams to climb and defeat the enemies you encounter as you go along. Once the shrine comes into view on your right, drop down to the lower platform to save the Kodama. Continue to the path on the left to pray at the Shrine. There will also be a ladder that you can kick down for easier access.

 

Saigagake - Main Hall Shrine

Go past the shrine onto the connecting wooden platform and go left. Go to the roof to the left of the path and guide the Kodama. Trace your steps back to the top, then clear the enemies in the camp where a chest containing the Secret Skills Text: Illusory Dragon is located. You can also loot the corpse near the tree to get x2 Ochoko Cup, then go towards the broken bridge to loot the corpse for Heshikiri Hasebe, and armor piece from the Blessed Sleeve Set.

  

To the southern edge, you can find a ladder that you can use to drop down to an area below. Loot the corpse there to get Heavyweight Axe, armor piece from the Heirloom Set, and Crimson Hand Cannon. You can then proceed to go through the path behind the tree.

Follow the path, then turn left to enter the cave opening or turn right to follow the path to find a corpse with loot. The corpse here will drop a Large Spirit Stone and Sacred Water. Back in the tunnel, defeat the enemies and loot the corpse to get another Large Spirit Stone. Turn left after exiting, and enter the next tunnel on your left. You can also go to the southern edge of the scaffolding to find another corpse that drops Prayer Beads and armor piece from the Iga Jonin Set.

 

Head inside the tunnel and defeat the Magatsu Warrior. When you exit out the other side, turn left and climb the ladder near the lit torch. At the top, continue to follow the path to find a shrine. Once you unlock the shrine, head for the path to the left of it.

 

Saigagake - Rear Approach Shrine

 

When the area opens up, you will face a horse-riding enemy, a Yagyo Soldier. After defeating the enemy, open the gate across the large building to find a temple on the northern area. Loot the corpse along the path to get Prayer Beads and armor piece from the Mitsumono Set.. Defeat the enemy near the miniature shrine, then loot it to get Takeda Sake Bottle.

 

Return to the courtyard and go to the left side to find a small enemy camp. To the left, you can find a soldier crouching next to a Kodama. Defeat the enemies to save the Kodama. Return to the yard and attack the well to replenish your Elixir. Go to the shed to its left and destroy the door to the structure to reveal a Nurikabe blocking the entrance to the house where a chest containing Samurai's Locks and a hot spring is located. Bathing in the Hot Spring will give you x2 Yokai Teardrop. You can then exit the structure and turn right to go and enter the next area where Takeda Shingen is located.

 

  

After you open the door and enter, a cutscene will play where Takeda Shingen is seen waiting for Takechiyo. Shingen will tell Takechiyo his plans of conquering Kyoto and will invite Takechiyo to join him. Shingen will be empowered and with the power of his yokai guardian spirit, turn into a yokai himself

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Takeda Shingen in his Yokai form. Shingen's yokai form incorporates his yokai guardian spirit, making him appear as a large humanoid yokai with a great white mane and four arms with golden horns and a tail. In his yokai form, Shingen fights using his four large claws, using them to swipe at you and slam the ground with enormous force. He can also leap and charge towards you to cover a large distance.

 

He also has an empowered state where his attacks are imbued with both wind and fire elements, and he can throw a large projectile of those elements. If you are hit with his attacks, you can be afflicted with a burning status that slowly deals damage over a period of time. Keep an eye out for when he charges up a Burst Attack to use your Burst Break and deplete his Ki. 

 

After you defeat Shingen, a cutscene will play where hew ill revert to his normal form. He will then tell Takechiyo his story and will retreat along with his forces. After the cutscene ends, you will now be accompanied by Kongojishi by spirit division. You will also have officially completed Tiger's Cause and you can collect your rewards and loot before you continue your progress with The Battle of Saigagake.

 

 

Speak with Ii Naotora

After completing Tiger's Cause and successfully making the Takeda forces retreat from Saigagake, speak with Naotora as she arrives in the area. She will say that even though Shingen has been defeated, the darkness still permeates through time.

  

Naotora will tell you that the only way to stop it is to destroy all of the Crucinite. She will tell you that the Guiding Mirror that she had previously given you before should help with figuring out the next step, and to come find her when you are ready. The dialogue will end and you will need to interact with her again to continue.

After you confirm to continue with Naotora, a cutscene will play with Takechiyo looking into the mirror, where visual flashes will reveal themselves to him. 

 

Kusanagi will transport Takechiyo to a new location just before Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzo arrive to meet up with Naotora. Takechiyo will find himself in a snowy valley with a mysterious woman seeing him appear. A group of Kamakura warriors will appear before a winged yokai arrives.

  

Once the cutscene ends, you will have officially completed The Battle of Saigagake and the next objective, The Age of Clans Begins, will start.

 

 

Mount Kurama

Arriving at Mount Kurama in the Heian Era

After the cutscene of a winged yokai flying to Mount Kurama and Kurama Tengu heading in the same direction, you can control Takechiyo to head straight and enter the gate.

 

Upon entering the gate, Nekomata will recognize the place as Mount Kurama. As you go down the path of Mount Kurama, Nekomata will tell you that the winged yokai that passed by is a Great Tengu, and he will be skeptical as the yokai is heading to Kurama Temple, so he will tell you to follow it, which will trigger the next mission, Sacred Mountain Defiled. You will find a shrine beside a set of stairs that goes down as you follow the path down Mount Kurama.

 

 

Exploring Mount Kurama

From the Mt. Kurama - Kinone Michi shrine, head down the path. You will see ahead that there's a Jailer Oni, and to your right, you will find a corpse that can be looted.

As you tread your way ahead, after defeating the enemy, you will find a split path. The right path will direct you to progression, where you will find a ladder to climb on to reach a boulder. To the left path, there is a Spirit Vein and a corpse that you can loot. Take the left path to get as much loot as possible. However, if you want to progress immediately, take the right path.

If you decide to take the left path, loot the corpse before using the Spirit Vein via Enko Guardian Spirit. The Spirit Vein will lead you to a platform that has a ladder that goes down to a cliff, where you will find a Hot Spring, and near the ladder is a locked house. You can bathe in the Hot Spring to receive two Yokai Teardrops. Once you obtain the Yokai Teardrops, climb up using the ladder, then walk to the locked house to see a drop-down to the right. You will find a Jailer Oni and a corpse at the bottom of the drop-down, but be careful because there's another Jailer Oni on top of a platform across that can shoot Ice Shards at you. Defeat the enemies, then loot the corpse that can give an armor piece from the Mitsumono Set and a Quaking Tonfa. 

 

 

After looting the corpse, head to the left path to see another drop-down as you move forward. Go down to fight a Yamainu that is guarding a corpse near a Spirit Vein Boulder. After you defeat the enemy, loot the corpse to get a Sacred Water.

 

Head back up from where you dropped down using the ramp behind you. Once you're in the platform again, jump to the other platform to reach a bird house to loot the Crimson General Set armor piece and Prayer Beads. However, be careful with the Jailer Oni across the root bridge; it will throw ice shards to attack you from a distance. Once you have the loot, cross the bridge ahead and defeat the enemy to loot the corpse beside it to get a Throwing Stone.

  

Drop down to the left after looting to proceed to the right side path until you see a branch, then pass through that by crouching to find a ladder. Climb the ladder, and you will see a bloody grave, then turn right to find a boulder obstructing the path. You can clear the obstruction with your Guardian Spirit Kongojishi (Samurai)/Kongojishi (Ninja).

  

Once the obstruction is clear, head straight and defeat the sitting Jailer Oni. To your right, you will find a little platform you can jump on. Cross the platform to loot the Prayer Beads and Vassal's Set armor piece from the corpse ahead, then drop down to your right. After dropping down, take the right path to reach the corpse when you drop down again to the right after crossing the root bridge. You will get Ryomen Sukuna's Bow and a Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece.

 

Drop down to the right from where you loot the corpse to get back up via the ladder. Once you're back to the platform where you looted the Vassal's Set armor piece, drop down to the right again. This time, jump to the left platform and proceed to that path until you see a Kodama to your left. Interact with the Kodama for it to return to the shrine, then enter through the archway with two torches ahead.

  

After passing through the archway, follow the path down the steps. When you see the torch and the path splits, the path to the right leads to Boulder Spirit Vein; the path to the left is for progression. You can briefly destroy the Spirit Vein boulder to the right using your Guardian Spirit Kongojishi for easier access to the previous area you've gone through. Then, proceed to the left path to come across Kajiwara Kagetoki, one of the warriors of Yoritomo. Nekomata will confirm that you are in the Heian period. 

 

Take the steps down and to the left of the covered structure to find a small chest containing Samurai's Text. However, as you go down to get the chest, you will encounter an Oni-bi. After getting the Samurai's Text and defeating the enemy, head to the opposite side to encounter a Kappa on a drop-down guarding a corpse. Kill the Kappa and loot a Ninja's Locks from the corpse.

  

Go back up to the covered structure to go down and to loot a corpse, but be careful when approaching it because a Karasu Tengu will appear. Defeat the yokai and go through the Torii Gate to the left to get to the Mt. Kurama - Chokushi Gate shrine. Past the shrine, there's a staircase leading to a locked gate, which you can unlock later.

  

When you go down the stairs beside the shrine, you will find yourself on a three-way path. To the sharp right path, you will encounter a Karakasa Umbrella guarding a corpse that consist a Prayer Beads and Malefactor Set armor piece. To the far right, you will encounter a Kappa guarding a corpse by the door of an abandoned house. Looting the corpse will give you an Arrowproof Amulet and a Lantern Plant Fruit. The left path is for further progression; however, you will encounter a One-eyed Imp patrolling in front of the locked house.

 

You can unlock the locked house by going around it. Follow the left path of the house until you find a path to the right. Head to the path on the right, but watch out for the yokai realm. Once you defeat the yokai from the yokai realm, head straight until you see the hole in the roof that you can drop down to enter the house. Once you are in the house, open the chest to deal with the Mujina and get the Secret Skills Text: Powerful Shift. Lift the lock from the door to get out of the house.

   

Take the path to the right until you see another house, guarded by a Kappa and a Karakasa Umbrella. Defeat the enemies to safely get the x2 Ochoko Cups from the corpse by the entrance of the house. Enter the house to get Ninja's Locks from the chest you will find there. You will also find a Nurikabe in the house, which you can bow to unlock a path that leads to the ladder to the roof. Climb the ladder, then head left until you see the Kodama on the edge of the roof.

   

Go down the roof by going back to the path where you came from to fight a Karakasa Umbrella. Once you defeat the enemy, you will see a ladder ahead that leads to progression. However, you can take the left path to get more loot. If you drop down to the left path, follow the torches until you see the locked gate that leads to Mt. Kurama - Chokushi Gate shrine, but be careful because a yokai realm is blocking the gate. Defeat the yokai that will spawn from the realm, then lift the bar to unlock the gate for easy access to the shrine ahead.

   

Once you unlock the gate, head to the left path to find the stairs going to the bridge. You will find a corpse as you go up, and you will get a Large Spirit Stone upon looting it. Be careful with the roaming Jailer Oni on the top. Defeat the enemy, then drop down to the right of the structure you'll see upon reaching the top of the stairs. You will find a Kodama in the corner of the drop-down. Interact with the Kodama to guide it to the shrine and get a +50 Kodama Merit.

  

Go back up to the structure, then cross the bridge to continue your progress. Ahead, you will come across the ladder, where you fought the Karakasa Umbrella earlier, and encounter a Snowclops guarding the gate to progression. Defeat the enemy, then enter the gate.

 

From the entrance of the gate, you will see a One-Eyed Imp near the entrance and a Mikoshi Nyudo in front of a house. Sneak into the long bushes to prevent a combat, then head left to loot Hand Cannon Ammunition from a corpse in the corner. You can lure the One-Eye Imp to avoid the Mikoshi Nyudo from helping it. After defeating the Imp, move forward to the back porch of the house to use the ladder, but watch out for the Karakasa Umbrella. Climb the ladder after defeating the blocking enemy, then move forward until you see Mikoshi Nyudo. Jump on the Mikoshi Nyudo to sneak attack for extra damage. 

   

Once you defeat the Mikoshi Nyudo, enter the house to loot the Secret Skills Text: Butterfly's Grace from the chest inside. Head out of the house, then proceed to the right path to go up the stairs. As you go up the stairs, you will see a corpse from which you can loot a Steel Pill. When you reach the peak of the stairs, you will find a gate to your right, which leads to the boss, but it is recommended to go straight ahead to pray to the Mt. Kurama - Temple Lodgings shrine and replenish your health or level up. Beside the shrine is the burnt temple lodgings that you can unbar to unlock the path leading to the Hot Spring of Mount Kurama.

   

Defeat Great Tengu

Go back to the gate by the stairs to progress after using the Mt. Kurama - Temple Lodgings shrine. A cutscene where Takechiyo finds several dead people before the Great Tengu appears will play upon entering the gate. After the cutscene, you will fight against the Great Tengu.

 

The Great Tengu is a winged yokai that has high mobility and can fly around and rush towards you. He can also summon cyclones and swipe his talons towards you. He can also call down lightning to strike from the sky. Keep an eye out when he glows red to use Burst Break to deplete his Ki and Life faster.

 

After you defeat the Great Tengu, another cutscene will play. The Great Tengu will conjure a cyclone to try and blow Takechiyo away as a melodic tune is played by a stranger cloaked in white before the Great Tengu spirit comes to his senses and disappears. The stranger will introduce himself as Minamoto no Yoshitsune and will thank Takechiyo for his help.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will unlock Kurama Tengu and the Yokai Banisher skill, and officially complete Sacred Mountain Defiled. Loot the drops of the Great Tengu to obtain a Samurai's Locks. After which, you may continue your progress with The Age of Clans Begins.

Speak with Minamoto no Yoshitsune

After completing Sacred Mountain Defiled, interact with Minamoto no Yoshitsune to speak with him. He will tell you what he knows on the way to Kyoto, then a prompt will pop up; select "Yes" on the prompt to continue.

 

After confirming to proceed, a short cutscene will play where Yoshitsune will explain things, including his story and Kyoto, the capital of Japan, where you are headed. Yoshitsune will also tell Takechiyo that the Great Tengu was the high priest who became an aratama. Included in the cutscene, you will see Minamoto no Yoritomo, brother of Yoshitsune, is with a dark guardian spirit. Minamoto wanted Yoshitsune dead to eliminate the hurdles to his becoming a Shogun. Once the cutscene ends, you will have completed The Age of Clans Begins, and Heian Befouled will start as you head to the next location, Kamo Village.

 

Kamo Village

Arriving at the Path of Koyama with Minamoto no Yoshitsune

After the cutscene and completing The Age of Clans Begins, you will be transported to Kamo Village alongside Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He will tell you that he needs to go somewhere urgently, then he will ask you to seek out the barriers and expel their impurities using the Purification Talisman he handed over. Purifying the barriers will progress your quest, Heian Befouled. You will also receive the quest, Follow the Soldier's Shadow, upon receiving the talisman.

 

Once you receive the talisman, make your way up the ramp on your left to a spiky ice wall, where you can loot an Arrow from a corpse. From the ramp, approach the Path of Koyama shrine by dropping down to the edge of the ramp.

 

After you interact with the shrine, slide down the ramp on your left, and sneak attack on the Jailer Oni watching over the edge of a cliff. The enemy will drop a Smithing Text: Crucible Ice Spear. Proceed to the path on the left, and you will see a split path. Briefly go to the left ramp to loot Lumicite Fragment from a corpse, then drop down to the right to fight an Oni-bi. After defeating the enemy, loot the corpse on the edge it was guarding to get x2 Ochoko Cups.

 

Proceed to the left path until you see a corner with a corpse to loot an Elixir. After looting, go to the right to slide down on another ramp, and at the end of the slide, you will find another Elixir from a corpse. You will also find yourself at a split path after sliding down the ramp, where the left path leads to some loot, and the right path leads to a lesser crucible.

 

When you take the left path, two Gakis will attack you while guarding a corpse containing a Ninja's Locks. After defeating the enemies and looting the corpse, head to the edge of the area to look for a Kodama on your left, surrounded by branches, and to loot a Prayer Beads and a Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece from a corpse on the edge of a drop-down. You can drop down on the edge, then head left to progress, but it is optimal to go the opposite path and clear the lesser crucible to get more rewards.

 

Head back to the middle of the split path, then go right this time to clear the lesser crucible. Once you clear the lesser crucible, you will unlock a new skill for Kongojishi Guardian Spirit. From the exit of the lesser crucible, head left to follow a downward path.

  

As you move forward on the downward path, you will see on your right a One-Eyed Imp guarding a corpse containing x2 Arrows. After defeating the enemy and looting the corpse, move forward to see another split path. The left path will lead you to a Spirit Vein, while the right path leads to the Kamo Village shrine.

 

The path to the Spirit Vein will enable you to obtain loot and collectibles. Go to the left path to traverse the Spirit Vein using Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit. Once you are on the top, head left to fight a Gaki, a Snowclops, and an Oni-bi, guarding a corpse containing a Prayer Beads and a Malefactor Set armor piece. Approach the nearby edge of the cliff to free a Chijiko by shooting it. The Chijiko will give you a Samurai's Locks once you pet it.

  

After defeating the enemies, looting the corpse, and petting the Chijiko, tread your way up to the cliff. As you climb up a cliff, you will find a corpse with a Throwing Stone as loot along the way. When you reach the plateau of the ramp, you will find a corpse to the left before a drop down, and a corpse to the right leaning on the foot of a roofed structure. Briefly loot the corpse to the left to get a Sacred Water, then open the picture scroll of the corpse to the right. A yokai realm will open once you agree to open the picture scroll. Once you defeat the yokais from the yokai realm, you will receive the myth, Yokai Horde Picture Scroll.

  

While facing the roofed structure upon obtaining the myth, go to the left to traverse another Spirit Vein using Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit.

  

Once you are at the top, head straight to find a Six Jizo statue to your right, then loot the 3 Incendiary Arrows from the corpse on the edge of a drop-down beside the statue. After you pray to the Six Jizo statue, you can go back down to the split path, then go to the Kamo Village shrine.

 

Exploring Kamo Village

From the Kamo Village shrine, go down the left path to enter the village proper. As you approach the hut, you will encounter an Oni-bi guarding a corpse containing x3 Incendiary Arrows.

  

Once you passby the hut, follow the bloody path down until you encounter 4 hostile Onmyos and an Oni-bi, guarding 3 corpses containing Throwing Stones, Warrior's Text, and Secret Skills Text: Ki Pulse: Heaven. There is another corpse in the horse stable near the stairs, containing a Dung Ball.

 

When you use the stairs at the back of the horse stable, you can go over the roof of the stable to reach the platform and loot Sacred Water from the corpse. If you climb the stairs further, you will find a locked door at the top, which you need to go around to unlock.

  

Head back down to the bloody field, where you fought the Onmyos. From there, you can loot the Tiger-Running Amulet from the corpse in the house next to a watch tower. Next, climb the watch tower to loot the Armor Proof Amulet, Prayer Beads, and the Mitsumono Set armor piece from the corpse on the top platform of the tower.

 

Go down the tower to find a lootable corpse and go to the house guarded by an Onmyo, a One-eyed Oni, and an Oni-bi. If you also interact with the well next to the watch tower, you will be attacked by a Lesser Umi-bozu. After defeating the enemies, you will encounter another Onmyo and will find a chest inside the house. Loot the chest after defeating the Onmy to get a Warrior's Text, an Elixir, a Malefactor Set armor piece, and a Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece.

 

Head out from the house, then go up the ramp to the left, and as you go up, go to the house on the right to encounter a hostile Onmyo guarding a corpse containing a Lumicite Fragment and Salt.

  

After looting the corpse, head to the house across to loot Rifle Ammunition from the corpse guarded by a Dweller. Head to the next house by dropping down across near another watch tower to fight a camping Onmyo.

  

After defeating the Onmyo, go to the watch tower next to the house, but watch out for the Enki as you approach the tower. Once you reach the watch tower, traverse on the roofs to reach the house on the other side to loot the chest inside. You will also see by the entrance a corpse containing an Arrow. Once you are in the house, you will encounter a Dweller guarding the chest. Defeat the enemy, then loot the chest to get a Handbook: Rakansen Coin and a Smithing Text: Female Demon Mask.

  

Retrace your tracks back to the watch tower, and you will find yourself in a split path. The left path leads to a temple where you can get more loot, and the path ahead leads straight to the bloody temple. If you take the left path, you will find a corpse before a Spirit Vein to your right as you make your way to the temple. Loot the corpse to get a Smoke Ball. You can traverse to the Spirit Vein using Kurama Tengu; however, it is optimal to briefly go to the temple first.

  

Once you are near the temple, you will encounter an Oni-bi at the entrance of the temple. After defeating the enemy, you will encounter a Karasu Tengu upon entering the temple yard. Defeat the enemy to safely open the chest that you'll find by the stairs of the temple. You will get from the chest x2 Arrow, Tatenashi Set armor piece, Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece, and Exorcist Set armor piece. After looting the chest, proceed to the left side of the temple to get Sacred Water from the corpse. Once you get the loot from the corpse, head to the right to fight a Kappa at the back of the temple.

  

After exploring the temple, you can go back to the Spirit Vein outside the gate of the temple. Traverse using Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit to get to the top and find a secluded estate. Upon reaching the estate, approach the corpse containing Sacred Water on your left. If you want to enter the estate, you will find it empty, full of talismans pasted on its wall, and several swords planted on the floor. 

 

Note: The estate belongs to Tomoe Gozen, and you need to complete the Follow the Soldier's Shadow myth in Funaokayama to fight her here. You will receive a Lilac Switchglaive, a Lilac Set armor piece, a Smithing Text: Lilac Switchglaive, and a Handbook: Thin Air once you defeat Tomoe Gozen in her Estate.

 

Head outside the estate to find the corpse containing x2 Ochoko Cups on the left edge platform. From there, head right, then drop down to the corner outside of a house to find a Kodama. Once you have interacted with the Kodama to guide it, go inside the house to loot Rifle Ammunition from the corpse.

  

Upon looting the corpse, head out of the house, then go left to proceed to the archway. As you're making your way to the archway, briefly loot the Sacred Water from the corpse you'll find on the left. When you enter the archway, you will see a Gaki by the make-shift stairs on the right, guarding a corpse containing Rifle Ammunition. After defeating the enemy and looting the corpse, face right to see an archway leading down.

  

Head to that archway, then enter to encounter a Jailer Oni and a hostile Onmyo guarding a barred gate. Unbar the gate to unlock a path leading to the bloody field, where you fought the 4 hostile Onmyo when you first arrived in the Kamo Village proper. After unbarring the gate, enter the house adjacent to the gate, and encounter a hostile Onmyo guarding a chest containing Sacred Water, a Warrior Monk's Splitstaff, an Archer Set armor piece, and Secret Skills Text: Supreme Shift.

 

Clearing the Bloody Temple

After getting the loot from the chest, make your way up via the ramp to reach the bloody temple. Explore the back of the temple by heading to the right, then loot a Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece from the corpse you'll see on the left. Once you loot the corpse, go inside the bloody temple to fight the All-Seeing Mage boss and his two hostile Onmyo companions. Once you defeat the boss, you will learn a martial art through Handbook: Spinning Dragon, and you can safely loot the corpse containing a Samurai's Locks.

  

Head out to the left exit of the bloody temple to see an archway leading to the Funaokayama Shrine. But before entering through the archway, head to the left corner to loot Sacred Water from the corpse guarded by an Oni-bi, if you want more loot. Head back to the archway to go through it and reach the Funaokayama shrine. The shrine is between a split path; if you want to explore Kamo Village more, go to the right path, but if you want to progress to the next location, take the left path to enter Funaokayama.

  

 

Funaokayama

Entering Funaokayama

You will enter Funaokayama when you take the left path of Funaokayama Shrine at the end of Kamo Village. There's an archway that will welcome you, and ahead, you'll see a corpse containing a Power Pill on an elevated platform. If you go near the purified barrier ahead, Kurama Tengu will tell you that Shizuka Gozen has purified the plague of that barrier in Funaokayama. Entering this location will set you on a split path. It is optimal to take the left path to get loot and collectibles. If you want to progress immediately, head to the path on the right.

 

Exploring East Funaokayama

When you decide to take the left path, you will enter the east of Funaokayama. As you move forward to the left path, you will see a Gaki near a drop-down to the abandoned estate in Kamo Village on your left, guarding a corpse containing Sacred Water. After defeating the enemy and looting the corpse, move forward until you find another corpse ahead to loot Sacred Water.

 

Keep moving forward until you see bloody houses with 2 visible enemies. Head down the ramp, then go to the right corner of the ramp to loot a corpse containing Sacred Water. Once you loot the corpse, head to the house guarded by a Jailer Oni on the elevated platform to loot a Smoke Ball from the corpse inside the house. Head outside the house after looting, then climb the watch tower next to the house to get another Smoke Ball from the corpse on the roof of another house.

  

Drop down from the roof to the left, then go left to encounter a Jailer Oni and a Dweller guarding a corpse containing a Power Pill. Once you loot the Power Pill and defeat the enemies, head down to the bonfire to fight the Dweller. After defeating the enemy, head to the open house near the bonfire to fight another Jailer Oni guarding the house. Once you defeat the enemy, get inside the house to loot the corpse containing 2 Onmyo Hunting Set armor pieces.

 

Then head out of the house near the bonfire to find a corpse beside some boxes. Loot the corpse to obtain Sacred Water, then destroy the boxes to find a hidden crawlspace. Crawl through the crawlspace to find a Spirit Vein Boulder to the left and a right path going to the Frozen Ghost Town shrine and Sudama. Head to the shrine first because you can't destroy the boulder using Kongojishi (Samurai)/Kongojishi (Ninja) Guardian Spirit; you need to clear the Lesser Crucible nearby first. Across the shrine, you will find a Sudama exchanging x2 Yokai Teardrops each for a Secret Skills Text: Ascension, Craft Guide: Arrowhead Poison, Craft Guide: Fire Amulet, and Craft Guide: Wind Amulet.

 

After exchanging some Yokai Teardrops from Sudama, drop down, then head to the left to clear the Lesser Crucible. You will acquire a new Guardian Spirit Skill for Narikama Tanuki after clearing the Lesser Crucible. If you head to the exit stairs of the Lesser Crucible, you will find the Tacchi Bridge shrine of Awawa no Tsuji.

 

You can proceed to the shrine and go to the next location, but if you want to keep exploring Funaokayama, return to the Boulder Spirit Vein because you can break it now that you have cleared the Lesser Crucible. Break the boulder using Guardian Spirit Kongojishi (Samurai)/Kongojishi (Ninja) to get a Samurai's Locks, a Ninja's Locks, and the Secret Skills Text: Supreme Burst from the 3 corpses you'll find after breaking the boulder.

 

Exploring West Funaokayama

After looting the three corpses behind the boulder Spirit Vein, you can fast travel to Funaokayama Shrine to return to the split path at the entrance of Funaokayama. This time, take the path to the right to enter the west Funaokayama. As you head west of Funaokayama, you will encounter a Crucible Wasp and a Dweller guarding a corpse containing x3 Arrows.

 

You will encounter Minamoto no Yoshitsune and find a split path as you move forward. Talk to Yoshitsune briefly to progress the Follow the Soldier's Shadow myth. After talking to Yoshitsune, head to the left to find a Chijiko on the high wall you'll see to the left. However, after you free that Chijiko, an Enki will appear. Defeat the enemy to pet the Chijiko safely and receive Ninja's Locks and unlock the Transformed Art Mountain Breaker Lightning.

  

Return to the split path where you encounter Yoshitsune, then go right this time. From there, you will see a corpse by the drop-down containing an Arrowproof Amulet. Drop down to fight a Yamainu, and you will find yourself on a split path. Both paths lead to an enemy hideout, but the right path has a hot spring, and the left path opens a gate for easy access to the enemy base's exit.

 

Briefly go to the left path to reach the barred gate. As you tread the path, you will encounter 3 Crucible Wasps: 2 are patrolling around the path, and 1 is guarding the corpse containing a Lumicite Fragment.

 

After looting the corpse, briefly head to the left to unbar the gate. Enter the gate, then head left to find a corpse behind a rock, containing x3 Arrows, a Prayer Beads, and a Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece.

 

After looting, face right, then head to the elevated rock platform behind the bamboo trees to fight a Kappa to the left. Return to the gate, then scale up the ramp ahead to find the enemy base. You can clear the base there; however, the path to the right of the drop-down, where you fought the Yamainu, is the optimal way to get more loot. 

  

Once you unbar the gate and take a look at the enemy base, head back to the split path where you fought the Yamainu, head straight, and clear the bamboo trees. You will find a corpse containing a Power Pill after clearing the bamboo trees, but be careful because a Snowclops ahead and a Crucible Wasp on your left will attack you. Once you defeat the enemies, clear the bamboo trees to the right, but beware of the Crucible Wasp you'll encounter upon clearing the trees. Loot the corpse on the edge of a drop-down after defeating the wasp to get a Prayer Beads and a Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece.

  

Head back to where you fought the Snowclops, then scale up to see another split path. On the right path, you will find a corpse by the bamboo trees, and on the path ahead is a house where you'll encounter a Nurikabe. Briefly go to the right path, then loot the corpse containing Luckbringer Amulet, then clear the bamboo trees to find a Hot Spring. Bathe in the Hot Spring to get x2 Yokai Teardrops.

 

After bathing in the Hot Spring, go to the room where you'll find a Nurikabe to loot a chest containing a Sunderer, a Fan-Crested Set armor piece, and a Swordmaster Set armor piece. Get past the Nurikabe to enter an enemy base, where you will encounter the aramata you need to defeat to progress the Follow the Soldier's Shadow myth. You have to clear the enemy base by defeating 6 enemies in total. 5 enemies are patrolling outside the temple, and 1 enemy is on the roof. You will get the Grubby Iron Key and progress the myth once you clear the enemy base, and you'll have access to the temple once you have that key.

 

Head to the temple's entrance, but before going in, go to the left side of the entrance to interact with a Kodama beside a chest containing an Arrow, a Swordmaster Set armor piece, a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, and a Secret Skills Text: Repel Expert. After looting the chest, unlock the temple using the keys to encounter Yasha, the aramata that you need to defeat to progress the Follow the Soldier's Shadow myth. Tomoe Gozen will transform back to her human form once you defeat the Yasha. Speak to her to complete the Follow the Soldier's Shadow myth and receive a Samurai's Locks. Tomoe Gozen will also invite you to her estate back to the Onmyo Mage Village in Kamo Village for her to teach you the skills she honed.

  

Head out of the temple, then go right until you find a ramp going down. Before sliding down the ramp, loot the corpse by the ramp containing the Fireproof Amulet. As you slide down the ramp, jump to the right platform to loot the corpse containing Ninja's Locks.

  

Drop down to that ice platform to loot the corpse containing the Tiger-Running Amulet by dropping down the first rock platform ahead. Jump to the next elevated rock platform to open a picture scroll. Be ready to fight 3 waves of yokais that will appear in the Yokai Realm after opening the scroll. Once you clear the waves, you will progress the Yokai Horde Picture Scroll myth, and a man will appear on the picture scroll to tell you that his final picture scroll is at the Toji Temple.

  

Behind you is a crucible spike that you can destroy to strengthen your Guardian Spirit. Once you destroy the crucible spike, go left to fight a Kappa in the corner full of tall plants. From there, you can exit the area by going left to find a path blocked by bamboo trees.

  

Clear the bamboo trees until you see a path where you can find a corpse containing a Fan and a Malefactor Set armor piece, and you'll find a Crucible Wasp ahead. Clear the other bamboo trees ahead to fight the Crucible Wasp, then loot the corpse containing a Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece and a Samurai's Locks from the nearby wall.

 

Head back to the path from where you find a corpse on the floor, then go left to fight a Yamainu and a Crucible Wasp, guarding a corpse containing a Throwing Stone. Move forward after looting to find the Horinji Temple Bridge shrine beside a bridge to Sagano, guarded by an Onryoki. Once you cross the bridge, you will enter the next location, Sagano.

 

 

Sagano

Entering Sagano

Before you face the Onryoki on the bridge, head right from the Horinji Temple Bridge shrine until you see a ladder behind the straw fence. Use the ladder to go down under the bridge, then follow the path until you see a Dweller to the left guarding a chest containing Hand Cannon Ammunition, a Kamari Set armor piece, a Smithing Text: Ichi-no-Tani Helmet, and a Secret Skills Text: Dread Bringer.

 

Take out the other Dweller on your right, then follow the right path until you find a path to the left. An Ippon-Datara will attack you once you take the left path. After you defeat the enemy, interact with the Kodama surrounded by the boxes beside the camping spot of Ippon-Datara.

 

Continue your way to the right until you see a corpse containing Sacred Water, but beware of the Dweller that will climb from the river. After defeating the enemy, continue to tread the path to the right until you see another Dweller guarding a corpse containing a Steel Pill behind a sack.

 

Jump over to the other platform, then loot the corpse ahead to get x3 Arrows. After looting, go to the ladder on the right, then look for the Chijiko flying over to the right. Shoot the Chijiko to free it, then pet it to receive Samurai's Locks and Transformed Art Morning Moon Impact. Climb the ladder ahead to head back to the bridge.

 

You will encounter 2 Dwellers and the Onryoki on the bridge. You will get a Transformed Art Bear's Bane Fire and the Tarnished Iron Key when you defeat Onryoki, then safely loot the corpses on the bridge containing Shugendo Hermit Cestuses and Rifle Ammunition.

 

Follow the left path after the bridge until you see a split path leading down to the left ramp; ahead is a staircase leading to a house with a chest. Briefly go to the stairs, but you need to be careful because there's a Flying Bolt guarding the stairs. You will also find a corpse containing Rifle Ammunition to the far right.

 

Once you take out the enemy, climb the stairs to see the locked house. You can use the Tarnished Iron Key, which you got from defeating the Onryoki, to unlock the house. There's a chest in the middle of the house, but be careful when opening it because a Mujina will come out. Deal with the Mujina to get a Sacred Water, a Dragon Whistle, a Thief Set armor piece, a Swordmaster Set armor piece, a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, a Smithing Text: Devotional Helmet, and a Secret Skills Text: Artifact Tenacity.

 

Head back to the split path after the bridge to go down the ramp. As you go down, you will see a corpse beside a tree. Loot it to get a Salt, then move forward to find a Six Jizo. You won't be able to pray to that Six Jizo yet because there's a missing head, so drop down to the right to fight a Jailer Oni on a roof.

 

Drop down to the scaffolding to the left to find a corpse containing a Luckbringer Amulet. From there, head to the right, then go left to find the entrance of the house, but watch out for 2 wolves roaming around. Enter the house to open the chest containing a Longbow and an Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece.

 

Head out of the house to interact with the well and get an Elixir. As you follow the path ahead, you will find a Dweller to your left. Defeat the enemy, then face right to find the missing head of the Six Jizo Statue and a corpse containing a Tiger-Running Amulet.

  

When you try to pick up the missing head of Six Jizo, it will become a Mujina. Deal with the Mujina to pick up the head and acquire an Upper Vassal Set armor piece, a Small Spirit Stone, and a Warrior of East Set armor piece. Bring the missing head to the Six Jizo by climbing to the right platform, then jump on the wagon full of barrels to climb the roof leading to the stairs that go directly to the Six Jizo Statue.

  

Head back to where you find the missing head of the Six Jizo to follow the path ahead. You will find the Horiike of Arashiyama shrine. However, when you take the path to the left as you go towards the shrine, you can briefly loot a corpse containing a Quaking Tonfa and a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece.

 

After praying to the shrine, head left to climb the ramp and find 4 corpses. If you interact with one of the corpses, a Crucible Wraith Karasu Tengu will appear. Defeat the enemy to strengthen your Karasu Tengu Soul Core and safely loot the corpses containing an Elixir, Sacred Water, a Malefactor Set armor piece, a Ryomen Sukuna's Bow, and a Secret Skills Text: Ki Pulse: Man. Drop down to the left side of the cliff, where you will find 3 wolves guarding 2 corpses containing x3 Incendiary Arrows, Dragon Whistle, a Malefactor Set armor piece, a Heir Set armor piece, and a Samurai's Text.

  

Follow the path to the right side of the shrine, where you will enter a gap between a house and a ramp. Once you pass through the ramp, go right to jump on the platforms on the lake. You will find yourself on a split path, where you'll find a Jailer Oni to the left guarding a corpse containing a Crimson Hand Cannon and Fan-Crested Set armor piece, and to the right is a Flying Bolt guarding a corpse containing a Crimson Hand Cannon, a Malefactor Set armor piece, and a Secret Skills Text: Pufferpuss Technique.

  

After defeating the enemies and getting the loot from the corpses, retrace your steps back to the house before you jump onto the platform on the lake. You will encounter a Yamainu between the houses, and a Dweller on the roof of the left house. Defeat the enemies, then go to the ramp to jump on the roof of the left house. From the roof, jump to the left platform to interact with a Kodama.

  

Use the ramp across the house after guiding the Kodama, then jump to the roof to find a corpse containing a Kamari Set armor piece and a Blood Cleavers by the tree on the right. Once you loot the corpse, face right to find a Jailer Oni by the well and a house where you will meet the spirit of a woman who will give you the In Search of Eternal Youth myth. You will also acquire the Handbook: Shadowstitch inside the house from a small lockbox.

  

Use the left exit to head outside the house to find x2 corpses near the edge of the cliff and a Chijiko flying around. Loot the corpses to get x3 Rifle Ammunition and x 3 Arrows. Shoot the Chijiko to free it and obtain a Ninja's Locks and a Transformed Art Water Sword Water.

 

From the cliff edge, go down the left ramp until you see a split path: to the right is the Matsuo-Taisha Shrine, and to the left is a Dark Realm. You will also find a corpse containing x3 Incendiary Arrows between the split path.

 

Dark Realm in Sagano

Head to the Dark Realm to clear an Enemy Base inside. As you enter the Dark Realm, go to the ice pillar to the right, then face left to find a corpse sitting beside a boulder containing an Arrow.

 

Head left to fight the enemies and clear the Enemy Base. You need to defeat 6 enemies to clear the base. However, if you go further to the left, you will find a Mermaid and a path leading to Nisiichi. 

 

When clearing the base, you need to scale up a platform to encounter a Snowclops guarding a corpse containing a Dung Ball, an Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece, and a Samurai's Locks. You will also find a chest that will unlock once you clear the base, containing an Elixir, a Demon Horde Set armor piece, a Demon God Set armor piece, and a Malefactor Set armor piece.

 

After looting the chest in the Enemy Base, face right, then move forward to a drop-down until you see a platform that leads to a ruined pagoda, where you will find a Mikoshi Nyudo.

 

Traverse the platform to the right to loot a corpse containing a Dragon Whistle and a Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece. From there, jump to the roof of the pagoda to loot another corpse containing a Dragon Whistle and a Malefactor Set armor piece. 

 

Exploring Matsuo-Taisha Shrine

Drop down from the roof to defeat the Mikoshi Nyudo, then head to the Matsuo-taisha Shrine: Approach. Scale up the ramp until you see a corpse before a torii gate containing x3 Rifle Ammunition and x2 Ochoko Cups.

 

From the torii gate, a giant crow will attack you from a distance as you attempt to scale up the hill. Block or use the ice walls in the area as shields to avoid the projectile attacks of the enemy. Briefly go to the left to loot a corpse containing a Warrior Monk Set armor piece and a Kobo Daishi Set armor piece.

 

Go back on the path to the right to scale up the hill. As you climb to the right platform and see a corpse ahead, head first to the edge on the right to find a Kodama. After guiding the Kodama, loot the corpse containing x5 Arrows beside an ice spike.

 

Jump onto the platform to the left to encounter a Jailer Oni guarding the stairs. Take the guarded stairs to loot a corpse containing a Goichimonshu Set armor piece and a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece.

 

Retrace your tracks to the spot of the Jailer Oni, then scale up the hill via the left path until you see a corpse. Beware of the Jailer Oni to the right as you loot the corpse containing a Crimson Hand Cannon, a Hachiryo Set armor piece, and x3 Arrows.

 

Climb up to the position of the Jailer Oni and get closer to the torii gate, where the giant crow is throwing the projectile. Once you get near the torii gate, the crow will disappear. Instead of taking the stairs beneath the torii gate, go to the left ramp to loot a corpse containing an Elixir. Move forward to use the Matsuo-taisha Shrine: Great Torii.

 

From the shrine, head to the right side edge cliff of the temple entrance to loot a corpse containing another Elixir. If you attempt to enter the temple, it is barred on the other side. Head back to the shrine, then head left to enter a cave. As you scale up the cave, you will find a corpse on the trail, containing x5 Arrows

 

Once you enter deep into the cave, you will encounter 3 Onmyo: 1 is ahead, praying, the other is on the top platform near another path, and the last is hidden to the right side. Defeat the enemies, then climb up the platform to enter the path to the left.

 

You will find yourself on a split path: to the left, there is a boulder that you can push to create a path back outside the cave, and to the right is progression. Briefly go to the left to get a corpse containing x3 Rifle Ammunition.

 

Head back to the split path, then go to the right path this time. You will encounter the giant crow again, and two Jailer Oni on your right. Cross the bridge ahead to use the ice wall, then face right to see a cave behind the Jailer Oni. Go inside that cave to loot the chest containing Rifle Ammunition, a Malefactor Set armor piece, a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, and a Warrior's Text, but be careful with the other Jailer Oni inside.

 

Exit the cave towards the giant crow to make it go away, and face the other Jailer Oni upon exit. Defeat the enemy to loot the corpse containing x2 Incendiary Arrows. After looting the corpse, head to the edge of the broken bridge to the left to loot the corpse containing an Arrow.

  

Head to the path on the right, where you take down the Jailer Oni near the torii gate guarding a corpse. You will find a hostile Onmyo and a Mermaid once you reach the right path. Defeat the enemies to safely loot the corpse containing a Yamanba's Knives and Great Hachiryo Set armor piece.

 

Briefly find the icicle shards on the left side of the area to loot a corpse. Head out of that enclosure, then go to the path on the left to find another corpse, but be careful because an Onmyo mage will push the boulder ahead. Defeat the enemy to safely loot a Lumicite Fragment and a Steel Pill from the corpse.

  

Move forward until you see an icicle shard to the left. Break the shards, then follow the path to find the Hot Spring on your left. Bathe in the Hot Spring to receive x2 Yokai Teardrops.

 

Across the Hot Spring, you will find a Nurikabe. Remove the tag to deal with the Nurikabe, then head back to the cave to go left. You will encounter a hostile Onmyo as you climb the ramp.

 

After defeating the Onmyo, drop down to the left to get the chest guarded by a One-eyed Imp. Once you defeat the Imp, loot a Sacred Water, a Tanegashima Matchlock, a Yamabushi Set armor piece, and a Secret Skills Text: Enduring Arts from the chest. Traverse the platform behind you, then go right, but be careful because a hostile Onmyo will roll a boulder towards you.

 

Loot the corpse by the deadend to the left after defeating the Onmyo to get a Swordmaster Set armor piece and Dragon Whistle. Continue to follow the path to the right until you reach the Matsuo-taisha Shrine: Ascetic Cave shrine.

 

From the shrine, head right to enter the temple. As you head to that path, you will find two corpses along the way, containing a Smoke Ball and x5 Arrows, but watch out for the second corpse near the torii gate because an enemy will appear.

 

Go through the torii gate to find a corpse upon entering, but be careful because the giant crow will appear again. After looting the corpse, head right to find a well with two corpses guarded by a Jailer Oni. Defeat the enemy to loot White Lotus Talons, a Malefactor Set armor piece, a Fan-Crested Set armor piece, and Samurai's Locks.

 

Head back to the torii gate, then go to the Jailer Oni guarding the stairs and pagoda to loot the corpse by the pagoda. Defeat the enemy to get a Sacred Water from the corpse. Climb the stairs to get x 2 Paralytic Tinctures from the corpse at the top.

 

Go down the stairs to go back to the pagoda, then go to the left side to find a Jailer Oni guarding a passage blocked by some bamboo trees. Defeat the enemy, then cut the bamboo trees to get a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece and a Crimson General Set armor piece from the corpse there.

 

Head out of the bamboo path, then go left to encounter a yokai realm. Clear the realm, then go right to approach the torii gate and make the giant crow go away. From there, you will find a corpse by the pit next to the pagoda, containing a Smoke Ball. Head to the Pagoda to fight 2 Onmyos guarding a corpse containing a Paralysis Omamori, a Demon God Set armor piece, and a Ninja's Text.

  

Go down the pagoda, then head to the right side of the torii gate to go to the hidden path concealed by bamboo trees. Once you cut the trees and enter, you will encounter Tsurara-Onna and a hostile Onmyo guarding a corpse containing Lumicite Fragment.

 

After defeating the enemies, head to the left path to find another corpse containing a Lumicite Fragment on the edge of the platform. Jump on the roof, then head to the left to find a corpse containing Elixir and a hole in the roof.

 

Enter the house by dropping into the hole, then loot the chest inside to get x4 Arrows, a Tanegashima Matchlock, a White Fox Set armor piece, and a Mikazuki Munechika. Mikazuki Munechika is one of the swords that Senji Toyo requires to progress the Memories in the Blade myth. Unbar the door, then head out of the house to find a path going to another house ahead, but briefly open the gate first on your right, then loot the corpse containing an Elixir to the left side corner of the house. If you unlock the gate to the right, you will have easy access to the Matsuo-taisha Shrine: Great Torii shrine.

  

Before climbing the glacial ramp, head under the ramp first to fight a Karakasa Umbrella guarding a corpse containing a Throwing Stone. As you approach the hole of the house on top of the ramp, you will find a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet.

 

Enter the sliding door, but be careful of the One-Eyed Imp on the right. Follow the right path to find a chest in the room to the right. Go to the chest to loot a Luck Bringer Amulet, a Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, Hand Cannon Ammunition, and Ninja's Locks, but beware of the Biwa Boku-Boku in the room.

 

After looting the chest, go to the left to unlock the door. Upon going out the door, cut the bamboo trees to the left to find 2 corpses containing Sacred Water and a Hooked Kusarigama, guarded by 2 Karakasa Umbrella.

  

Head out of the hidden corner, then go left to enter a house. You will find a corpse by the entrance, containing x2 Lightning Amulet. From there, go right to unbar a door to unlock an exit to the pagoda. After unbarring the door to the pagoda, head to the right to find a corpse by a door, containing an Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece, a Yamabushi Set armor piece, and a Secret Skills Text: Vigorous Spirit. 

  

Open the door after looting the corpse to find another corpse containing x2 Fire Amulet to the right and a Kappa to the left. Once you loot the corpse and defeat the Kappa, head to the path on the right, then look for the Kodama in the right corner before pressing ahead.

  

Follow the path to the left, but beware of the Bakegani that will emerge as you move forward. Defeat the enemy, then continue moving forward to encounter another Bakegani and a Mermaid guarding a corpse and the ramp to progress.

 

Check the corner under the ramp before climbing to find a chest that is guarded by Mujina. Deal with the Mujina to loot a Shinto Priest Set armor piece, a Small Spirit Stone, an Elixir, a Yamabushi Set armor piece, and a Samurai's Locks. Climb the ramp, then follow the path until you reach the Matsuo-taisha: Monastic Cave shrine.

 

Cleansing the Barrier

After praying at the shrine, drop down to the path on the right to reach the tainted barrier. A cutscene will play upon dropping down. After the cutscene, you will fight Otoroshi before cleansing the barrier.

 

Otoroshi moves around using its two large arms, which it also uses to swipe at you and slam at the ground to attack. It can also conjure shards of ice to shoot toward you. Otoroshi can launch you into the air and grapple you with its toothy maw. It can also disappear in a plume of dark feathers before reappearing in the air to slam down on the ground.

 

In its empowered state, it can stand up on its hind legs and shoot out a flock of crows from its chest. It can also conjure large ice spikes to use as clubs and then smash them on the ground.

 

Once you defeat Otoroshi, you will have officially completed Black Feather Sanctuary. You will also receive Archer's Hakama, Ninja's Locks, and Shugendo Hermit Hatchets as a reward. Kurama Tengu will then tell you that the Purification Talisman can dispel the impurity in the barrier. Walk up to the barrier to cleanse the impurity, then you can continue your progress with Heian Befouled and move on to purify the next barrier.

 

Exploring the Southeast Part of Sagano

You can explore the southeast part of Sagano through Nisiichi. Fast travel to the Horiike of Arashiyama shrine, then go to the path heading to Nisiichi beside the cleared Dark Realm. Defeat the Mermaid, Enki, and a wolf before heading to the left path.

 

From there, go through the right gap of the ruined pagoda to traverse the ruined houses back to Sagano. Upon reaching Sagano, you will find a corpse containing x2 Ochoko Cups.

 

Move forward to see a Spirit Vein on your left, which you can traverse using Kurama Tengu, but briefly go to the Hot Spring ahead before traversing. You will get x2 Yokai Teardrops when you bathe in the Hot Spring. After traversing the Spirit Vein, you will enter a Lesser Crucible at the top.

 

Destroy the Crucible Spike to strengthen your Guardian Spirit and reach the area where you fought the Crucible Wraith Karasu Tengu. You will also find a corpse on the edge of the drop-down, containing a Heshikiri Hasebe and a Smithing Text: Moon Charm Helmet. From there, head to the left to loot another corpse on the edge of the drop-down, containing a Heir's Shinobi Set armor piece and a Ninja's Locks

 

Head back to the first corpse, then head to the right to find a camp, where you will meet the spirit of a man who will give you the Unwavering Hope myth. Go back to the right path of the Horiike of Arashiyama shrine to fight the Yamainu between houses. Defeat the enemy to loot the corpse you need to find to complete the Unwavering Hope myth. At this point, you have cleared Sagano, and you can start the next location, Nishiichi.

 

 

Nishiichi

Entering Nishiichi

You can enter Nishiichi by going through the cleared Enemy Base in Sagano. A Mermaid will attack you the moment you step into Nishiichi. You will also find yourself on a three-way path; the left leads back to Sagano, the path ahead leads to the broken houses in Nishiichi, and to the right is a Crucible Spike.

 

Briefly head to the left to enter a ruined pagoda, but you need to take out the Enki and the wolf camping ahead. You will progress the In Search of Eternal Youth myth and loot a Malefactor Set armor piece and a Dragon Whistle from the corpse that the enemies were guarding. You will loot a Dragon Whistle, Thief Set armor piece, and a Ninja's Text from the chest that you'll find inside the pagoda.

 

Head outside, then go around the pagoda until you see a platform to climb to the roof of the pagoda. From the roof, you will find a Scampuss, but don't pet it yet to loot the corpse on the platform across, containing a Marksman Set armor piece and a Ninja's Locks.

  

Following the Scampuss

Go back to the Scampuss to pet it, then follow it to complete its challenge. While following the Scampuss, you will come across several things. First, you will find a crucible spike that you can destroy. Next, you will find 3 corpses containing Salt, Rifle Ammunition, and x3 Incendiary Arrow guarded by 2 bandits. On the other side of the roof, where the two bandits are camping, near the dead trees, you'll find a corpse containing Secret Skills Text: Counteroffensive Evade guarded by a mermaid.

  

The Scampuss will head up to the ramp on the right. You will find a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet while the Scampuss is leading you to a One-Eyed Oni fighting bandits. However, the Scampuss will head to the right to go to the platform, where you will find a Sudama. Pet the Scampuss to get a Scampuss Furball and Ninja's Locks Reward. You can exchange x2 Yokai Teardrops each with Sudama for Craft Guide: Hyottoko Mask, Craft Guide: Lightningproof Amulet, Craft Guide: Waterproof Amulet, and Secret Skills Text: Mysteries of Summoning.

  

On the same platform, you'll find a Spirit Vein, traversable by using the Nekomata Guardian Spirit. Note that you need to unlock the version of Nekomata Guardian Spirit that you will receive while doing the quest, Light of Hope. If you traverse the Spirit Vein, you will meet Nasu No Yoichi on the other side. Once you defeat the Master, you will receive Handbook: Falcon Strike.

 

Completing the In Search of Eternal Youth Myth

Head back to where the One-Eyed Oni is to fight it. A Gaki will fight alongside the One-Eyed Oni. Defeat them to progress the In Search of Eternal Youth myth. You will also find two corpses beside the pagoda where you fought the 2 yokais: the first corpse is on the porch to the right, containing x3 Incendiary Arrow, a Dragon Whistle, and a Shinto Priest Set armor piece; the second corpse, containing Lumicite Fragment, is on a roof before scaling up the upper roof of the pagoda. Search the upper roof of the ruined pagoda to find a Kodama on its roof.

 

Head down to see the spirit of the woman who gave the In Search of Eternal Youth myth, which will appear once you defeat the 2 yokais. Speak to her to complete the quest and receive Ninja's Locks as a reward. You will also find yourself on a split path between the way to Sudama on the left and the way to more submerged houses to the right. Head to the right until you see a ruined torii gate to enter an Enemy base. You need to defeat 8 enemies in that base to clear it and unlock the Driftwood Fortress shrine.

 

Clearing Enemy Base

The enemies in the base are scattered around, and most of them are archers. When you enter the base, look up to the left, where you will face a mountain, to see a Chijiko flying around. Free the Chijiko by shooting it, then pet it to acquire Ninja's Locks and the Transformed Art: Radiant Moon Lightning. Head to the watch tower near the ruined torii gate to find a chest containing a Huge Celadon Jar.

 

Go down from the watch tower, then go to another watchtower behind the Driftwood Fortress shrine. Before you go up the watch tower, go behind the watch tower to loot a corpse containing Sacred Water. Go up the watch tower to get Sacred Water, a Shinto Priest Set armor piece, a Secret Skills Text: Ki Pulse: Earth, and a Smithing Text: Mount Fuji Helmet from the chest on the watchtower. 

 

Go down from that watch tower, then go right to loot another corpse containing Hand Cannon Ammunition. You will also see ahead the bridge to Hachijo. Approach the right side of the bridge to find a corpse behind the boxes, containing a Gorgeous Celadon Tea Bowl.

 

Clearing Lesser Crucible

Across the corpse beside the bridge, you will find a house. On the back part of that house, you will see a Kappa guarding a corpse containing a Power Pill. From there, follow the path to the right to enter a Lesser Crucible. Clear the Lesser Crucible and destroy the Crucible Spike to strengthen your Guardian Spirit.

 

You will be led to a hill once you destroy the Crucible Spike of the Lesser Crucible, and you will see a corpse on its foot, containing a Malefactor Set armor piece and Brothers' Omamori. As you scale up the hill, before reaching the top, you will find another corpse containing x3 Incendiary Arrows. Once you reach the peak of the hill, you will find two corpses containing a Shinto Priest Set armor piece, a Swordmaster Set armor piece, a Samurai's Locks, and a Ninja's Locks. You can fast travel the Frozen Ghost Town shrine to reach the next location, Awawa no Tsuji.

  

 

Awawa no Tsuji

Entering Awawa no Tsuji

Enter Awawa no Tsuji by fast travelling to the Frozen Ghost Town shrine, then drop down to the right to head to the cleared Lesser Crucible on the left path. Scale up the stairs to see the Tacchi Bridge shrine. Go down the stairs to the right of the shrine, and you will notice on your left, there's a corpse leaning on a wall, containing x3 Arrows.

 

Move forward after looting the corpse to see a gate to the left. Enter the gate, and you will notice another open gate to the left and a locked gate further ahead to the right. Go through the left gate to encounter 2 spiders. Find the gap between a ramp and a house within the area, then go through that gap.

 

As you tread the path on the gap, look to your left to find a blocked gate with a spider, guarding a corpse containing a Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece and a Ninja's Locks. Move forward until you see a Jailer Oni. Defeat the enemy, then go to the left path of the camping spot of that enemy.

 

You will find a corpse lying on a platform as you move forward on the left path. Loot the corpse to get a Power Pill, then head to the right to find a well guarded by 2 Karakasa Umbrellas. After defeating the enemy, head right to find a split path. It is optimal to go to the right path to get more loot in the center area, but briefly defeat the enemy on the left to loot the corpse containing Hand Cannon Ammunition.

  

Exploring the Center Area

You will notice a corpse next to a lamp, containing a Power Pill, as you go forward to the center area. Go through the gate on the right to find a concrete platform to your left, then jump on it to reach the roof.

 

 As you scale up, you will notice a Chijiko flying around. Shoot the Chijiko to acquire Ninja's Locks and Transformed Art: Fire Foot Drill Jump. You can drop down to the left to loot the corpse containing an Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece and a Malefactor Set armor piece.

 

Head back to the center area, then go to the left house to find 2 Jailer Oni guarding a corpse containing Spearbreaker Hammer. Across that house, you will find a well in the right corner. If you interact with the well, a Kappa will jump out.

 

Go left, after defeating the Kappa, then go down the ramp leading to another house ahead and the barred gate to the right. Be careful with the yokai that will appear from the yokai realm ahead and the Jailer Oni to the right. Unbar the gate first to unlock a path leading to the first area near the Tacchi Bridge shrine. Go to the house on the left to loot a corpse containing a Malefactor Set armor piece and Samurai's Locks. Inside the house, you will see an exit to the right blocked by a painting. Go through that exit, then head left to find a small chest containing a Seven Scalp Splitstaff, a Malefactor Set armor piece, an Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece, and Benkei's Hidden Scroll - Middle.

 

Clearing Enemy Base

Head out of the center area by retracing your steps to the entrance, then follow the right path to enter an Enemy Base and find the Awawa no Tsuji Shrine. You will not be able to pray to the shrine yet; you need to clear the enemy base first. Defeat 7 enemies to clear the base. Go to the left to fight 3 spiders: 2 inside the house, guarding a corpse containing an Elixir, and 1 at the back of the house near a well.

  

Move forward until you see a Jailer Oni on a roof to the right. Defeat the enemy, then go to the right part of the roof to loot a corpse containing a Kunitomo Rifle and Secret Skills Text: Favorable Wind. From there, head to the next roof to the left, then jump over again to the next roof to find another corpse containing a Luckbrringer Amulet. Drop down into the hole to enter that house, but be careful with the Jailer Oni that will attack you from the exit, where you'll find crates.

  

Exit the house and go to the bridge to fight a Sunakake-Baba. After defeating the enemy, head to the house on the left to loot a corpse containing a Lumicite Fragment. From there, head back out to loot another corpse containing Rifle Ammunition. Go to the center house to fight an enemy guarding a chest containing an Elixir, Seventh Sword Tonfa, an Irregular Troop Set armor piece, and a Smithing Text: Wild Boar Crest Helmet. At this point, you have cleared the enemy base.

  

Exploring Awawa no Tsuji

Go to the estate outside the enemy base by climbing up the staircase. When you reach the entrance, find a corpse in front of it to loot a Dragon Whistle and a Swordmaster Set armor piece. Go through the entrance to find a corpse ahead, containing a Dragon Whistle. Be careful with the enemies that will come out of the portal, defeat them, and slay the yokai summoner. Go to the right part of the estate until you reach the corner, then face right to find a Kodama on the porch.

  

Head outside the estate, then follow the path to the left to find a split path on your right. Briefly go to the path to the left, where you'll fight a Karakasa Umbrella guarding 2 corpses containing a Yamabushi Talons, a Brothers' Omamori, and a Demon God Set armor piece. Head back to the split path, then go inside the first house to loot a corpse containing a Throwing Stone, but be careful because a spider will appear upon interacting with the corpse.

 

Exit the house to find a ramp to the right. Once you get to a path after climbing the ramp, briefly speak with the spirit of an old man on your right, who will give you the Shadows on the Capital myth. Head to the house behind you after speaking with the spirit to find a Kappa on a narrow path.

  

Go inside the house to find a corpse in front of a painting, containing x2 Ochoko Cups. The painting is actually a secret passage. Pass through the painting to find a Six Jizo Statue at the back of the house.

 

Head outside the house, then go right to find the Kamo Riverbank shrine and a bridge going to Rokuhara. To the left of the shrine, you will find a Spirit Vein that is traversable using the Nekomata Guardian Spirit. Pray to the shrine, then go right to find 2 corpses containing Upper Vassal Set armor piece, a Noble Dungball, and a Tiger-Running Amulet. Be careful with the corpse inside the field because it is guarded by 2 Bakegani. After getting the loot, you can cross the bridge to get to the next location, Rokuhara.

 

 

Hachijo

Entering Hachijo

You can enter Hachijo by fast-travelling the Driftwood Fortress Shrine in Nishiichi. When you are in the shrine, cross the bridge behind to reach the Nishiichi Shrine in Hachijo. Once you cross the bridge, you will see two Jailer Onis on the left.

 

The Jailer Oni below the cliff is guarding a corpse consisting of a Throwing Stone. Be careful when approaching the corpse because two Bakeganis will appear. After looting the corpse below the cliff, go to the Jailer Oni on the cliff. It is also guarding a corpse containing a Power Pill.

 

Go back to the path near the shrine, then follow the path to the left. Along the way, you will find an Oni-bi guarding a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet. After looting the corpse, head to the spirit vein ahead, then traverse it with Kurama Tengu. You will find multiple enemies and a path on the left ahead after climbing up the spirit vein.

 

Head to the left edge cliff first before going straight to the path to loot the Ninja's Text on the corpse hanging on the edge of a roof. Go back to the path to defeat an Oni-bi and a Jailer Oni by the ruined roof.  Loot the corpse on the right side of the roof to obtain 2 Ochoko Cups.

 

Follow the path to the left up the hill, and you will find another corpse guarded by a One-eyed Imp on your left and a ruined house to your right. You can climb the ruined house first via the ice platform to find a Kappa guarding a corpse containing a Secret Skills Text: Ki-Sapping Follow-up. Go down the house to continue to follow the left path, then defeat the One-eyed Imp and loot the Throwing Stone from the corpse. Continue to follow the left path, but be careful because a Snowclops will be encountered along the way. 

 

Walk the path after defeating the Snowclops, and as you walk on the path, you will see an Oni-bi ahead guarding a corpse containing a Smoke Ball. Continue to follow the path, and you will see another One-eyed Imp guarding a corpse by the path on the right and a ladder ahead. Go to the ladder first to have easier access to the Nishiichi Shrine, then loot the corpse on the left. After bringing down the ladder, head back to the path, then go left to find a split path. On the left path, you will find a spirit vein behind the boxes, but loot the corpse containing Rifle Ammunition first before traversing the spirit vein.

 

Traverse the spirit vein using Enko to reach a house, but explore the surroundings before entering the house. Go to the left edge of the cliff to get Prayer Beads from a corpse. Go to the other side of the yard to find another corpse and loot 3 Arrows. Go to your left to find a Kappa ahead.

  

After defeating the Kappa, go left to find a gravestone with a planted sword. Search the gravestone to get the Dojikiri Yasutsuna sword, which will progress the Memories in the Blade quest. Proceed to the left to find a Kodama on the edge of the cliff beside the house.

 

When you enter the house, you will find it empty, so exit, then traverse the spirit vein to return to the split path. This time, head straight to the right path. Scale up the scaffolding ahead to encounter an Oni-bi guarding a corpse containing Salt. Drop down to the right after looting the corpse, then defeat the Jailer Oni guarding a corpse containing 

 

From there, go straight to the path to encounter a One-eyed Oni along the way. Once you defeat the enemy, head to the right until you see a corpse by a wall near a well. Loot the corpse to get a Noble Dung Ball. Follow the path to the right after looting the corpse, and you will end up at a split path. The path ahead is for progression and more loot, and the path on the left is where you can find a tainted barrier, which you can't purify yet because the crucible's power is too strong.

  

As you walk the path ahead towards the gate with a bonfire, you will find a corpse on the right, containing a Throwing Stone. Enter the gate, then go right to find a pit, where you will see a corpse containing a Lumicite Shard. Be careful as you approach the corpse in the pit because a Bakegani will spawn.

   

Follow the path behind you after looting the corpse guarded by Bakegani to see a loot ahead, then go to the right first to defeat a Kappa guarding a Six Jizo statue. Pray to the Six Jizo statue, then head in the opposite direction to loot the corpse containing Fragrant Wood.

 

Scale up the roof above the corpse to see a path blocked by logs. Kick the logs to open the path, and you will see a Gaki sitting on top of a roof, watching over a corpse containing two Ochoko Cups. You can sneak on the back of the Gaki, but be careful with the Crucible Wasp coming out of a hive beside the corpse. Take out the Gaki and the hive to safely loot the corpse. From there, look up to see a Chijiko flying over your head. Shoot the Chijiko to pet it and acquire Samurai Locks and Transformed Art: Whirling Tiger Water.

  

Proceed to the path behind the next roof to get more loot, but tread with caution because the flood will poison you if you stand on it for too long. Use the roof on the left to avoid the flood. You will notice a person ahead, standing on a roof, when you are on the half roof, but proceed to the left wall first to loot the corpse containing White Camellia Set armor piece. Proceed to the NPC on the roof after looting the corpse, but be careful with the lurking Bakegani.

 

 

Facing the Demon of Envy

Talk to the NPC on the roof, and he will introduce himself as Tatsumaro. He will ask you to bring him to the bath nearby, which will start the side quest, Putrid Paradise. You will go back to the path where you found the Chijiko to enter the hill towards the Hot Spring. As you follow the path, you will notice a corpse by the entrance. Loot the corpse to acquire a Fragrant Wood, then enter the gate. Head to the right until you see a set of stairs, then proceed to your right again to find the Hot Spring. Bathe with Tatsumaro, and he will ask you to accompany him to his home because he can't go alone, facing yokais.

  

Exit the Hot Spring, then head to the scaffolding ahead to find the chest containing Handbook: Shadowself, Hand Cannon Ammunition, Malefactor Set armor piece, and Smithing Text: Mountain Ridge Helmet.

 

Drop down on the end of the scaffolding to find a corpse containing three Arrows. From there, face to your left to find an Enemy Base ahead. You can clear the enemy base first before you continue to escort Tatsumaro to his house. Defeat 7 enemies to clear the base.

 

As you enter the enemy base, you will notice a One-eyed Oni beside the bonfire, guarding a corpse containing three Arrows. Get past the bonfire to find a tent on your left, where you will find a chest containing Secret Skills Text: Battle Frenzy Kata, Sacred Water, Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, and Yamabushi Set armor piece, but beware of the archers on the right high platform, because they will shoot arrows when they notice you.

 

Head back to the bonfire to clear the upper section of the enemy base. You will encounter an enemy Onmyo Mage and a Samurai with an axe upon reaching the upper section of the enemy base. Defeat the Onmyo Mage to acquire Smithing Text: Black Fox Mask. 

 

In the upper area of the enemy base, you will find a center stage, where you can loot a corpse containing the Kobo Daishi Set armor piece and the Onmyo Hunting Set armor piece. From the center stage, head left until you see a drop-down, where you will find a corpse by the wall. Loot the corpse to get 2 Arrows, then approach the watch tower with a colorful flag on your right. As you approach the watch tower, you will encounter a Jailer Oni guarding it. You will unlock the Anneibo Shrine within the enemy base after clearing the base.

 

Climb the watch tower to find the Kodama and a chest at the top of the tower. Interact with the Kodama for it to return to the shrine, then open the chest to loot Hand Cannon Ammunition, Magoroku Kanemoto Dual Katana, Night Shade Mask, and Mino Veteran Set armor piece. 

 

Go down the watchtower by jumping back to the center stage of the enemy base. From the center stage, jump above the tent to reach a platform. Once you reach the platform, head left to find a pit. Go down the pit to find a corpse by the second ladder containing a Ninja's Locks and Kobo Daishi Set armor piece. Go down the second ladder to encounter a dark spirit of Tokugawa Kunimatsu. Follow the dark spirit, and it will lead you to an arena.

 

Go down the arena, and the dark spirit of Kunimatsu will transform into the Demon of Envy. Fight the boss to reach out to the soul of Kunimatsu. A cutscene will play after reaching out to the soul, and you will acquire Transformed Art: Arc of Chaos Fire and Demon of Envy Soul Core after the cutscene. Return to the surface by traversing the Spirit Vein of the boss area using Kurama Tengu.

  

Exit to the east gate of the Enemy Base to go back to Tatsumaro, then continue heading east to find a ladder by the cliff edge. You can loot a corpse to the left before the ladder to get a Throwing Stone. Go down the ladder to reach the Filthy Flooded Street Shrine.

 

 

Finding Tatsumaro's House

From the shrine, go to the right, then jump on the roof of the ruined house ahead, but be careful with the bandit lurking around that house. You will find a corpse containing a Smoke Ball on the bridge to the next house.

 

Drop down the bridge to the right after looting the corpse, then enter the next house. You will find three thieves looting a corpse containing a Lumicite Shard. Within the house, you will find a chest that has a Mujina. Deal with the Mujina to get Smithing Text: Dragon Head Helmet, Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, White Camellia Set armor piece, Sacred Water, Small Spirit Stone, Wayfarer Set armor piece, and Secret Skills Text: Purify Yokai Realm: Earth.

 

Head outside the house to go back to the roof of the first house, then cross the bridge, and go to the right until you see an opening to another ruined house. Upon entering, look to your right, and you will find a bandit looting a chest containing Smithing Text: Curious Crown Helm, Elixir, Slayer's Axe, and Great Hachiryo Set armor piece.

 

Exit the ruined house after looting, then head right to find a Scampuss on a ruined roof. Before interacting with the Scampuss, loot the corpse by the wall to the right to get the Sacred Water. After looting the corpse by the wall, interact with the scampuss, and it will head to the ice platform on the left to the roof of the Scampuss. Scale the platform to pet the Scampuss, and get Samurai Locks and Scampuss Furball.

 

Loot the corpse that you'll find after petting the Scampuss to get another Samurai Locks, Kobo Daishi Set armor piece, and a Throwing Stone. You will also find a Chijiko ahead when you look from the edge of the cliff. Shoot the Chijiko to pet it, and acquire Samurai Locks and Transformed Art: Twisting Spear Fire

 

Cross the bridge by the planks to the right to get more loot, then look for an enclosure to the left to find a chest, but beware of the 2 Bakeganis that are guarding the chest. Defeat the enemies to loot Benkei's Hidden Scroll - Top, Tsuchigumo Talons, Wayfarer Set armor piece, and Crimson General Set armor piece.

 

Go to the next broken part of the bridge, near Rokuhara, to loot the chest beneath the bridge. A Lesser Umi-bozu will appear upon reaching the part of the bridge. You will loot Secret Skills Text: Style Shift Flow, Great Hachiryo Set armor piece, and Upper Vassal Set armor piece from that chest.

 

Go back to the Filthy Flooded Street Shrine, then this time go to the right part of the shrine. Along the way on the right path, you will encounter a Thorned Gaki guarding a corpse containing a Fragrant Wood. You will also find a Spirit Vein boulder ahead, but you can't interact with it yet. Head to the right, and enter the outskirts of Rajomon.

 

Upon entering the outskirts of Rajomon, find the crawlspace to the right before approaching the Bakegani guarding three corpses while fighting some Crucible Wasp and Enki. In the crawlspace, you will find a corpse containing a Fragrant Wood, White Camellia Hairpin, and Upper Vassal Set armor piece. Go to the Bakegani, and defeat it along with the other yokais to loot the corpses and get x2 Arrow, Fan, Fuma Chief Set armor piece, Sakai Rifle, and Upper Vassal Set armor piece

 

Scale up the house to the right to loot a corpse containing a Dragon Whistle. From there, go to the house on the opposite side to find a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet, but be careful of the Thorned Gaki camping on the roof. On top of the roof, you will find another corpse on top of the roof of the other submerged house across.

  

Go to that house to loot Sacred Water, then face right to see another crawlspace, where you will find a corpse containing Ninja's Locks, Riffle Ammunition, and Heir Set armor piece. Go back to the previous house, then head to the left cliff this time to find a Shunobon guarding two corpses containing a Brother Set armor piece, x2 Great Hachiryo Set armor pieces, and White Camellia Hairpin.

  

Head back in the opposite direction of the Shunobon to see a corpse by the ruined roof beneath the cliff. Loot the corpse to get a Fragrant Wood, then head left until you see a well, where you will find another corpse on the left side across the well containing a Throwing Stone, but be careful because there's a Hive of Crucible Wasp nearby. While looting the corpse near the well, you will find another corpse ahead, sitting on a platform by the next house. Be careful in approaching the next house because a Bakegani will pop up as you go near the corpse. Loot the corpse after defeating the Bakegani to get a Fragrant Wood.

  

From the roof of the current house, look to your right to find a Lesser Crucible. Head inside the crucible to destroy the crucible spike, which will strengthen your Guardian Spirit. You will also find the house of Tatsumaro after destroying the crucible spike. Tatsumaro will lament after learning that his house has been destroyed by the flood. He will lose his mind and bathe in his contaminated bath, which will cause his demise. Once Tatsumaro dies, you will complete the quest, Putrid Paradise.

  

You can loot Tatsumaro's corpse after he dies to get a Noble Dung Ball. You will also find a corpse beside his bath; loot the corpse to obtain Secret Skills Text: Vemonfang Technique, Dung Ball, and Sakai Rifle. When you open your map, a notification will pop up that reads, "It seems there is a new visitor in the Eternal Rift." You will meet Tatsumaro again in the Eternal Rift.

 

 

Entering Rajomon

The Spirit Vein near the Filthy Flooded Street Shrine will be available to traverse. Head back to the Spirit Vein to traverse it using Kongojishi (Samurai) / Kongojishi (Ninja). You will find a corpse containing Samurai's Locks, Salt, and Kobo Daishi Set armor piece upon destroying the boulder. At this point, you have all the loot from the outskirts of Rajomon, so you can return to the area of the tainted barrier. Head to the left to activate the Rajomon: Suzaku Avenue Shrine. As you are approaching the shrine, you will notice a corpse leaning against a tree on the right side. Go to the corpse to loot a Power Pill, but be careful because there is a Wheelmonk behind the debris ahead. 

  

Once you reach the Rajomon: Suzaku Avenue Shrine, you will find a corpse in a cave hidden by ice spikes. Clear the ice spikes to loot a Lumicite Fragment. From there, head to the left to enter the Rajomon: Suzaku Avenue for more loot. As you are entering the Suzaku Avenue through a wooden staircase, you will find a corpse containing an Arrow. 

 

Upon going down the staircase, go right, heading beneath the staircase to loot a corpse containing an Arrow. You can head straight after looting the corpse beneath the stairs to encounter a Gaki and find a locked door.

 

Go back in the opposite direction, then go right to encounter a hostile Onmyo Mage. Defeat the enemy, then head straight until you find a corpse to the left, containing Elixir. From there, enter the ruined castle by going in the opposite direction. As you follow the path in the ruined castle, you will encounter a Giant Spider guarding a corpse containing a Lumicite Fragment.

  

Head to the right after looting the corpse to find a ruin wall. Enter the hole in the wall to loot the corpse ahead, and get a Smoke Ball, but be careful because a spider is guarding the corpse. Slash the paper sliding door ahead to find a hidden chest containing an Arrow, Divination Board, and Kobo Daishi Set armor set.

  

Go back to the corpse, then go to the left path this time to continue exploring the ruined castle. As you enter the left path, check the right corner to find a giant spider guarding a corpse containing a Swallowtail Set armor piece and a Semiore Flute.

 

Continue to follow the path to go to the other section of the ruined castle. On the path leading to the other section of the ruined castle, you will find a giant spider guarding the exit, but destroy the paper wall first to find a hidden room, where you can unbar the door outside the castle and find a Kodama hidden behind the boxes. Unbar the door to have access to the exit of the ruined castle in Suzaku Avenue Shrine. After unbarring the door, destroy the boxes to interact with the Kodama.

  

Head back to the giant spider by the path leading to the other section of the ruined castle to defeat it, then go right to find a corpse containing Chinzei Hachiro's Bow and Tatenashi Set armor piece, but beware of the Gaki that will jump out from underground as you approach the corpse. Go back to the path to continue exploring the castle. As you follow the path, you will encounter an enemy disguised as a lamp. Defeat it to continue to explore the ruined castle.

 

Continue heading straight, and look at the walls closely to find a Nurikabe. Deal with the Nurikabe to find a room with a Hot Spring. Exit the Hot Spring, then turn left to find a Jailer Oni guarding a corpse containing Hand Cannon Ammunition. Go to the left after looting the corpse to find a well, where you will find a Kodama after hitting the well. 

  

Enter the room in the opposite direction after interacting with the Kodama to encounter a Raiju guarding a Spirit Vein. Traverse the Spirit Vein using Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit after defeating the Raiju. After traversing the Spirit Vein, go to the right, then drop down to loot the 2 corpses containing a Ninja's Text, Writing Set, and Torch Spear. Cross the bridge to find a Jailer Oni to the right, but before fighting the enemy, go towards the edge of the roof ahead to loot the corpse containing a Steel Pill.

  

Go back to the roof after the Spirit Vein, then traverse the left side of the roof until you find two corpses on the right side. Loot the corpses to obtain Sacred Water, Crimson Hand Cannon, and Fan-Crested Set armor piece. Jump to the roof of the house where you found the Hot Spring to find a ladder going down to the Hot Spring. Kick down the ladder to have easy access to the Hot Spring, then move forward to encounter a Jailer Oni and a Gaki guarding a corpse by the ladder.

  

Before looting the corpse by the ladder, go to the left first to find another corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet. Go back to the corpse by the ladder to loot x2 Ochoko Cups, then go down the ladder to encounter a Gaki and a Thorned Gaki guarding a corpse containing a Divination Board and Swallowtail Set armor piece.

  

Climb up the ladder, then follow the right path to find the Rajomon: Mibu Avenue Shrine and a corpse on the edge of a platform. Follow the path to the right, then scale up the platform you found earlier to the right to loot the corpse containing a Tiger-Running Amulet.

 

Go back to the path after the shrine, but beware of the Gaki and hostile Onmyo Mage ahead. As you continue moving forward on the path, you will encounter 2 more hostile Onmyo Mages guarding a room, where you will find a ladder leading to an attic.

 

Climb the ladder to find the attic, where you can loot a corpse containing Crimson General Set armor piece, Swordmaster Set armor piece, and a Comb. You will also find in the attic the Picture Scroll for your quest, Yokai Horde Picture Scroll, in which, if you interact with the picture scroll, you will be transported to another area, where you will encounter Enenra to progress the quest. You will be transported back to the attic after defeating Enenra, and you need to talk to the man to complete the quest.

 

Go down the ladder to continue exploring the castle. Exit the area to find a split path, but go to the roof on the right first to find a corpse lying on the ridge of the roof. Beware of the bandits as you approach the roof. Loot the corpse to obtain Fuma Talons and Divination Board. Go to the right edge of the roof to find a Kodama. Interact with the Kodama to guide it back to the shrine.

  

 

Fighting Ibaraki Doji

Go back to the split path, then go to the left this time to scale up the cliff. Before scaling up, you will find a corpse beneath the ramp, containing a Semiore Flute and a Mino Veteran Set armor piece. As you climb up the ramp, you will find a corpse on the edge of the cliff, containing Luckbringer Elixir.

 

Continue to scale up the cliff until you find a path to the left. Follow the path to encounter a Yamanba and a Jailer Oni, guarding a corpse containing an Arrow. Follow the path ahead to encounter a Kappa near a bell, guarding a corpse containing a Tatenashi Set armor piece.

 

Go to the right path of the bell to enter a field, where you will encounter 2 Yagyo Soldiers camped near the Rajomon: Kujo Street Shrine. Before facing the Yagyo Soldiers, go to the right to loot a corpse containing a Kobizen Tomonari. Defeat the enemies to safely go to the shrine.

 

From the shrine, follow the path ahead to find a corpse containing Sacred Water. Continue to follow the path to reach the boss arena, where you will enter a cutscene to fight the boss, Ibaraki Doji. You will complete your quest, The Oni of Rajomon, after defeating Ibaraki Doji. Cleanse the barrier in Rajomon to progress the quest, Heian Befouled. You can now proceed to the Rokuhara after cleansing the barrier.

  

 

Rokuhara

Entering Rokuhara

You can enter Rokuhara either through Kamo Riverbank Shrine in Awawa no Tsuji or Filthy Flooded Street Shrine in Rokuhara. The shortest way is the Kamo Riverbank Shrine, so we will start there. From the Kamo Riverbank Shrine, go to the left side until you see a Spirit Vein going to a platform in Rokuhara. Use the Enko Guardian Spirit to traverse the Spirit Vein, and you will encounter a Yokai Realm blocking two corpses containing Little Crow and Quickdraw, Gourd, and a Shinto Priest Set armor piece. 

  

Go back to the bridge by traversing back using the Spirit Vein, then approach the bridge to enter Rokuhara, and you will immediately see a Gaki Chief ahead. Go to the right to find a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet. You will notice another corpse beside a ruined roof on the left side ahead. Go to the corpse to loot Sacred Water.

 

Sneak behind the Gaki Chief to safely go to the left path and loot the corpse on the edge of the broken bridge. You will loot 2 Ochoko Cups from the corpse on the edge of the broken bridge. Go back to the path, then continue to follow the left path to find a staircase. 

 

Before climbing the staircase, loot the corpse by the staircase on the right to acquire a Throwing Stone, then go to the riverside on the right to find a Kodama. Interact with the Kodama to guide it to the shrine and earn +50 Kodama Merit.

 

 

Clearing Lesser Crucible

Climb the staircase, then look for a Chijiko behind the icespikes on the left. Shoot the Chijiko to be able to pet it to acquire Samurai's Locks and Transformed Art: Cuckoo's Call Fire. Proceed to the right to enter a Lesser Crucible. Clear the Lesser Crucible by defeating waves of Yokai and destroying the Crucible Spike. You will strengthen your Guardian Spirit after clearing the Lesser Crucible, and you will find the Gion Grove Shrine on the other side of the Lesser Crucible.

  

Drop down towards the river on the right side of the shrine to find a corpse containing Rifle Ammunition. Proceed to the crawlspace to the right to reach a platform and find two corpses containing Senjuin Uchigatana, Swallowtail Set armor piece, Secret Skills Text: Purify Yokai Realm: Heaven, and Smithing Text: Hairy Caterpillar Helmet. 

  

Crawl back to the crawlspace, then follow the path going back to the shrine until you see a cave with ice spikes. Destroy the ice spikes to find a One-Eyed Oni Crucible Wraith, which will give you the One-Eyed Oni Soul Core.

 

Head back outside, then continue to follow the path to the left. Climb the staircase until you find boxes blocking a crawlspace. Destroy the boxes to find a Spirit Vein guarded by a Giant Spider. Defeat the spider to traverse the Spirit Vein by using Enko. On the other side of the Spirit Vein, you will find a Crucible Spike. Destroy the Crucible Spike to strengthen your Guardian Spirit.

  

From the platform where you destroyed the Crucible Spike, look over the fences on the left side to find a Scampuss on the drop-down. Don't directly interact with the Scampuss because it is a timid one, and it will go away upon noticing you. Hide in the tall grasses, then pet it from behind for it to cautiously lead you back to the crawlspace hidden behind the boxes. Pet the Scampuss again to obtain Samurai's Locks and the Scampuss Furball.

 

 

Exploring Yasaka Shrine

Go back to the area where you will encounter the Gaki Chief guarding the entrance to Yasaka Shrine. Defeat the enemy to loot the corpses around the area. You will find a corpse leaning on a boulder on the right side; loot it to obtain a Throwing Stone. Proceed to the corpse leaning on a rock by the ice spike to loot Sacred Water. Before going into the Yasaka Shrine, follow the right path to find the Gojo Bridge Shrine. 

 

Go to Gojo Bridge and check its right side to find a corpse containing Sacred Water. Jump onto the platform in the river to find another corpse containing a Malefactor Set armor piece and a Hino Rifle. When you go up the bridge, you will encounter a Lesser Umi-bozu and will find the path back to Hachijo. 

  

Head back to the entrance of Yasaka Shrine, but before entering, go to the right corner to loot a corpse containing a Power Pill. You will also find a locked Spirit Vein because you don't have the Shami-choro Guardian spirit yet. When you have the required Guardian Spirit, you will find a courtyard and a building to the left, where there will be a chest containing the Secret Skills Text: Purify Yokai Realm Man. Go back to the entrance, then enter the Yasaka Shrine after looting the corpse. You will immediately find the Yasaka Shrine: Nishiro Shrine, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune standing next to it. Yoshitsune will welcome you upon arriving at the Shrine, and the quest Subterfuge at the Abandoned Shrine will progress. Pray to the shrine, then head right to loot the corpse on the corner of a pavilion to get Salt.

 

Enter the building behind the Nishiro Shrine to find a bandit guarding a corpse containing a Luckbringer Amulet. Head out of the building, then go left to climb the stairs. Beware of the 2 bandits patrolling the stairs. Go to the house on the right upon defeating the bandits to find another bandit guarding a corpse containing an Elixir.

   

You will notice another bandit on the roof as you exit the previous building. You can shoot that enemy, then go back to the stairs. Before entering the gate on the peak of the stairs, drop down on the left to loot a corpse by a bamboo tree, containing an Ochoko Cup. Enter the gate to find another staircase on the right. Before climbing the next staircase, loot the corpse containing a Smoke Ball.

  

Climb the stairs, and you will encounter a bandit and a hostile onmyo mage along the way. Defeat the enemies, then continue to climb the stairs until you see a gate on the right. Enter the gate, then go to the roof of a building on the right to loot the corpse containing an Elixir. 

 

Proceed to the next building's roof to find a Kodama on the edge of the roof, in the direction of Nishiro Shrine. Interact with the Kodama to guide it back to the shrine and receive +50 Kodama Merit. From the current roof, jump to the platform on the left to loot a corpse containing a Tiger-Running Amulet.

 

You will see a chest in the building ahead after looting the corpse on the edge of the platform. Beware of the enemy that will come out from the yokai realm as you approach the building with a visible chest. Defeat the enemy, then open the chest to encounter a Mujina. Deal with the Mujina to obtain Secret Skills Text: Streamflow, Small Spirit Stone, Mitsuyo Kusarigama, Upper Vassal Set armor piece, x2 Arrows, Dragon Head Set armor piece, and an Elixir. Head out of the building, then check the left side towards the back of the building to find a Kappa. Go back to the path, then go to the right side to kick the ladder down and have easy access to the Nishiro Shrine. As you kick down the ladder, you will notice an entrance to your left.

  

Proceed to the entrance, and you will see a corpse by the staircase on the left upon entering. If you climb up the staircase, you will find a locked door. Loot the corpse to obtain a Smoke Ball, then proceed to the Karakasa Umbrella, guarding a corpse containing x5 Arrows. Enter the building after looting the corpse to find another Karakasa Umbrella guarding a corpse containing x2 Arrows and Sacred Water.

  

Head out of the building, and proceed to the next building on the left to find a chest inside. Loot the chest to obtain a Samurai's Text, x2 Arrow, a Tatenashi Set armor piece, and an Irregular Troop Set armor piece. Exit the building, then proceed to the left, but beware of the Kyokotsu as you exit the building. Defeat the enemy to proceed to the gate safely. 

 

You will find a One-Eyed Oni and a hostile onmyo mage upon entering the gate, guarding a corpse containing x2 Ochoko Cups. Go to the house on the right, and you will find a summoning circle inside. You need to find the Yokai Summoner to break the circle, then defeat the yokais that have been summoned. Look on the left side to find a corpse by the balcony exit, containing a Smoke Ball.

  

Go to the balcony, and follow the path until you find a paper divider on the right. Destroy the paper divider to enter a room, where you will find a chest containing Salt, Chinzei Hachiro's Bow, Yamabushi Set armor piece, Kobo Daishi Set armor piece, and x4 Arrows

 

Go back to the path towards the entrance of the temple, then enter the house on the left to loot a chest containing Secret Skills Text: Perseverance, an Elixir, Chinzei Hachiro's Bow, and Shinobi Set armor piece. Proceed to the temple to find a corpse by the entrance, but beware of Enki as you approach the corpse. Defeat the enemy, then loot the corpse containing a Throwing Stone. Before entering the temple, go to the left side to reach the back of the temple to loot a corpse containing Salt.

  

Enter the temple to encounter a Ninja Yoki guarding a ladder. Defeat the enemy to climb the ladder. Upon climbing the ladder, go to the left to loot a corpse containing x5 Rifle Ammunition, then go in the opposite direction to find a corpse by the doorway leading to another ladder. Loot the corpse by the doorway to obtain Hand Cannon Ammunition.

  

Enter the doorway to approach the next ladder, but beware of a Ninja Yoki guarding the ladder. Defeat the Ninja Yoki to climb the ladder. Upon climbing the second ladder, go to the right and exit the doorway to find a corpse lying on the edge of the roof, containing x5 Arrows. Circle the balcony to find another corpse by the barred door, containing Ninja's Locks and Moonprayer Set armor piece.

  

Go back to the ladder, then go to the other direction this time to find a Spirit Vein that leads to the peak of the temple. Use Kurama Tengu to traverse the Spirit Vein. Upon reaching the peak of the temple, you will find a chest blocked by a Yokai Realm. Defeat the Yokai that will come out of the realm, then loot the chest to obtain a Ninja's Text, a Magatama, and an Irregular Troop Set armor piece.

 

 

Fighting Kajiwara Kagetoki

Go back to the third floor of the temple, then head outside the balcony to find the section of the roof, where you can drop down to a courtyard. Drop down to the courtyard to loot the corpse containing Salt. Head to the left to land on a roof, which you will use to reach the other roof to loot a corpse containing Salt.

  

Climb the higher roof on the right to find a sightseeing Kodama on the edge of the roof, next to an ice shard. Interact with the Kodama to guide it on the shrine and receive +50 Kodama Merit. Head back to the courtyard, but this time go in the opposite direction to get more loot.

 

Follow the path to the right until you find a Ninja Yoki. Defeat the enemy, then proceed to the opening blocked by ice shards on the left to loot the corpse containing a Semiore Flute and a Yamabushi Set armor piece. Move forward after looting the corpse to find a Hot Spring. Bathe in the Hot Spring to receive x2 Yokai Teardrops.

  

Go to the back of the Hot Spring, then approach the left side to find a tent, where you can find a chest containing the Benkei Hidden Scroll - Bottom, a Hino Rifle, a Kobo Daishi Set armor piece, a Swallowtail Set armor piece, and x5 Arrows. You can now go back to the path, where you encounter the Ninja Yoki, then head to the path on the back of the pavilion. You will find a corpse on the edge of the cliff, containing Ninja's Locks and Swallowtail Set armor piece.

  

Head back again to the courtyard to enter the gate this time. You will notice by the entrance that a summoning circle is activated. Go to the left house to find a corpse containing an Elixir. On the same side, outside the house, you will find the yokai summoner. Defeat the yokai summoner to destroy the circle. Fight the patrolling Ninja Yoki, then go to the locked gate to loot the corpse on the left and unbar the gate to have an exit for later.

 

Head back to the center to open the red gate. A cutscene will play upon entering the red gate, where Kajiwara Kagetoki is conspiring with the yokais protecting the tainted barrier of the Yasaka Shrine. Fight Kagetoki to progress the quest Subterfuge at the Abandoned Shrine. You will receive Handbook: Roundabout when you defeat Kajiwara Kagetoki. Purify the barrier in Yasaka Shrine, then talk to Minamoto no Yoshitsune to complete the quest, Heian Befouled. You will receive your next quest, A Cause Too Great, and go to the next location, Palace Grounds.

  

 

Palace Grounds

Entering Palace Grounds

You can enter the Palace Grounds through Hachijo. Fast-travel to the Anneibo Temple Shrine in Hachijo, then head north to reach the tainted barrier. You will find Minamoto no Yoshitsune beside the barrier as it gets purified.

 

Enter the Crucible to reach the Palace Grounds. Upon entering the Palace Grounds, you will find an icy ramp ahead. Slide down the ramp to reach the Palace Grounds: Abyssal Bodhisattva Statue. From the statue, go to the left to find a ramp, then loot the corpse containing Sacred Ash.

  

Move forward, and you will see an Oni-Bi on an ice platform ahead, guarding a corpse containing a Waterproof Amulet. Don't stay on the ice platform for too long because it will impair your movements. As you continue to follow the path, you will encounter an onmyo mage and a yokai realm near the corpse containing Wave Cutter Hatchets and a Tatenashi Set armor piece.

 

Go to the left to see a cavern, where you will find an altar and a corpse leaning on the wall to the right. Loot the corpse to obtain an Archer Set armor piece and a Torch Spear. Continue to follow the path to the left as you head out of the cavern to find another corpse on the icy ground, containing a Lumicite Shard. Beware of the Jailer Oni to the right, because it will shoot projectiles when it notices you.

 

You will find two more enemies ahead as you loot the corpse: an Oni-Bi to your right and a Kyokotsu guarding a corpse containing Fuma Cestuses and a Swallowtail Set armor piece. Follow the path to the left to enter an icy path. You will encounter 2 Oni-Bis, a Yamanba, and a Jailer Oni as you tread the path to reach a ramp. Defeat the Jailer Oni to loot the corpse containing Chinzei Hachiryo Bow and Fuma Ninja Set armor piece.

 

Before scaling up the ramp, take out the Oni-Bi to the right, then jump onto the floating platforms to loot two corpses containing x3 Rifle Ammunition, Magoroku Kanemoto Dual Katanas, and Tatenashi Set armor piece. Climb the ramp, and you will find a corpse to the right and another corpse to the left. Loot the corpse to the left first to loot Sacred Water.

  

Go to the right path, where you will pass under a bridge to reach an edge. You will find a corpse on the cliff edge, containing a Magatama and a Devotional Set armor piece. Go back to the split path after the ramp, then go to the right path this time to loot the corpse containing a Throwing Stone. Continue to find more loot on the right side to find another corpse blocked by a yokai realm. Clear the realm to loot the corpse containing a Moonprayer Set armor piece and Magatama.

  

Cross the bridge to the left to find a Jailer Oni guarding a corpse containing x3 Incendiary Arrows. Proceed to drop down to the left after looting the corpse to find a crawlspace camped by a mob of dark spirits guarding a corpse containing Prayer Beads and Moonprayer Set armor piece.

  

Head out of the crawlspace, then follow the path to the left to find an area filled with enemies and a corpse beneath a cliff on the left side. Defeat the enemies to loot the corpse and acquire a Warrior's Text, x2 Arrows, and a Swallowtail Set armor piece. As you loot the corpse, you will see another corpse to the left path, guarded by a Crucible Wasp and Dark Spirits. Loot the corpse to obtain a Dung Ball.

 

Scale up the rocks to the right after looting the corpse, and you will find a Crucible Wasp guarding a corpse containing x3 Rifle Ammunition. Return to the corpse, where you obtain the Warrior's Text, then go to the path on the right to find a ramp guarded by a Crucible Wasp on the left. Defeat the enemy to loot the corpse containing a Waterproof Amulet.

  

Go up the ramp until you find a Snowclops on a cliff to the right. Be careful as you approach the enemy because that Snowclops is throwing a block of ice and is surrounded by Crucible Wasps. Scale up until you reach the Snowclops.

 

Defeat the Snowclops to scale the ramp ahead, but before scaling up the ramp, go to the icy path to the left, then check a corpse to the right, containing a Divination Board and a Swallowtail Set armor piece. Return to the area where you defeated the Snowclops, then scale up the ramp until you find a Spirit Vein. Traverse the Spirit Vein using Kurama Tengu to exit the icy cave.

  

 

Exploring the Palace Grounds

A cutscene of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Minamoto no Yoritomo fighting will be played upon ascending from the icy cave. You will find the Palace Grounds: Crimson Lotus Inner Garden Bodhisattva Statue ahead after the cutscene ends.

 

Scale the left ramp to loot a corpse containing x2 Ochoko Cups and break the crucible spike. Go down the ramp, then go to the right path to find a corpse leaning against the debris to the left. Loot the corpse to obtain a Magatama and a Ronin Set armor piece.

 

Go down the ramp after looting the corpse, and as you go down, you will notice a Nurikabe on the left. Deal with the Nurikabe to enter a room, where you will find a Hot Spring. Bathe in the Hot Spring to receive x2 Yokai Teardrops.

 

Head out of the Hot Spring, and you'll find a Thorned Gaki ahead, guarding a corpse containing a Red Spider Lily. Cross the ruined wall to find three Oni-Bis flying around multiple crucible spikes. Take out the Oni-Bis, then check behind the crucible spike on the right to find a hostile undead, playing biwa to summon more undead soldiers.

 

Follow the left path to find a platform, where you will encounter a Thorned Gaki guarding a corpse containing Sacred Water. Climb the platform to find two corpses on the left guarded by an Oni-Bi. Defeat the Oni-Bi to loot the corpses and obtain a Healing Pill and Suzaku's Beak.

 

Go back to the platform, then scale the left path this time until you find a Snowclops guarding a crucible spike. Defeat the Snowclops to destroy the crucible spike, and you will find a corpse on the edge of the cliff, containing a Moonprayer Set armor piece.

  

Go down the platform to return to the field with multiple crucible spikes, then go to the burning house on the left. You will find a corpse leaning on a post as you approach the burning house. Loot the corpse to get a Sacred Ash.

 

Face right to see two floating platforms, and find a corpse on one of them. Loot the corpse to obtain a Fire Talisman. Go left first before scaling the hill after jumping on the platforms to loot a corpse containing Twin Dragon Tonfa and Kamari Set armor piece.

 

Continue to scale the hill to encounter a Jailer Oni and a Thorned Gaki. Defeat them to go to the right ruined house, and loot the two corpses you'll find there to obtain Sacred Water, Sakai Rifle, and Swallowtail Set armor piece.

 

Head outside the ruined house, then go to the left path this time to find a corpse as you tread the path, containing a Fire Talisman. Go to the left path to encounter dark spirits, and find a ramp to the right leading to a house, where you will find a crucible spike guarded by a Yasha. Before entering the house, loot the corpse on the ramp, containing a Lightning Amulet. Defeat the Yasha to destroy the crucible spike, and you will clear a path to the previous house.

  

Find the stairs going to the basement of the house after destroying the crucible spike, and you will find a Flying Bolt guarding a chest containing a Samurai's Text, Hand Cannon Ammunition, and x2 Moonprayer Set armor pieces.

 

Head outside the house by exiting in the opposite direction of the destroyed crucible spike to find a corpse on the right edge of a platform, containing a Steel Pill. Head to the left to find a Crucible Wraith Jailer Oni behind the bamboo trees, guarding a corpse containing Magatama, Sacred Water, and Moonprayer Set armor piece.

 

Go back to the first house by jumping over the cleared path after destroying the crucible spike to find a path leading to the Palace Grounds: Shomei Gate Bodhisattva Statue. Pray to the statue, then go to the left corner before scaling up the ramp to find a corpse containing Magatama and Exorcist Set armor piece.

  

Scale the ramp to the right after looting the corpse to encounter a patrolling Jailer Oni. You will find a house at the peak of the ramp, but beware of the Jailer Oni guarding it. Go to the house to find a chest blocked by a Yokai realm. Clear the realm to loot the chest and obtain the Odenta Mitsuyo, a Divination Board, and a Swallowtail Set armor piece. You will progress your quest, Memories in the Blade, when you acquire Odenta Mitsuyo.

 

Head outside the house after looting the chest to find a Snowclops by the bridge ahead and a corpse containing a Fire Amulet. You can shoot the Snowclops until you defeat it, then drop down to the root bridge next to the corpse where you obtained the Fire Amulet. You will find another corpse under the root bridge, and you can kick down a ladder to have easy access to the Palace Grounds: Shomei Bodhisattva Statue.

  

Follow the narrow path behind you after kicking down the ladder, and you will find a corpse containing a Lumicite Shard. Go to the left path after looting the corpse to encounter a Jailer Oni and the yokai summoner guarding a corpse containing a Night Shade Mask and a Tatenashi Set armor piece. Go back in the opposite direction, and continue to follow the path until you see a corpse on an icy floor, beneath a nearby bridge. Loot the corpse to obtain Secret Skills Text: Destructive Art and Wave Cutter Hatchets.

  

Head to the right until you find an icy ramp. Scale the ramp to find a Gaki ahead, guarding a crucible spike. Destroy the crucible spike to melt the nearby ice shards, then go back to the icy ramp to jump on a roof to the right, which was blocked by ice shards, where you will find a corpse containing a Swallowtail Set armor piece and a Ninja's Locks.

  

Scale the icy ramp again, and go to the left until you find a bridge with a small gate. As you approach the bridge, you will encounter a mob of dark spirits on your right. Cross the bridge to loot the corpse on the left edge of the cliff, containing x3 Gunpowder Bombs.

 

Continue to scale the ramp on the right after looting the corpse, and you will find 2 corpses guarded by 2 Onmyo Mages. Defeat the enemies to loot the corpse and obtain Sacred Ash, a Magatama, and a Tatenashi Set armor piece. Proceed to the path on the left to find another Onmyo Mage guarding a corpse containing Sacred Water.

 

Tread the ramp to the left, and you will find the Palace Ground: Shunka Gate Bodhisattva Statue. Pray to the Bodhisattva Statue, then go to the left path to encounter an Onmyo Mage and a dark spirit guarding a roof, where you can loot a corpse containing a Swallowtail Set armor piece and an Iga Jonin Set armor piece.

  

 

Fighting Minamoto no Yoritomo

Return to the Bodhisattva Statue, then traverse the Spirit Vein next to a lamp using Kurama Tengu. You will find a red gate with two lamps upon traversing the Spirit Vein. Enter the gate, and a cutscene will play where Minamoto no Yoritomo is overwhelming Shizuka Gozen. 

 

Eventually, Minamoto no Yoshitsune will arrive in his yokai form, and Yoritomo will transform to fight the yokai form of Yoshitsune. Yoshitsune will be overwhelmed by Yoritomo's yokai form, and you will step in to help Yoshitsune.

 

Defeat Yoritomo, and another cutscene will play about Yoritomo. Upon defeating Yoritomo, you will receive x2 Moonprayer Set armor piece, a Mino Dual Uchigatana, a Blessed Sleeve Set armor piece, a Little Crow & Quickdraw, and a Yoryu Cannon. Yoshitsune will try to end Yoritomo, but you will stop Yoshitsune. Yoritomo will walk away, and the Spirit Tree will burn, but Kusanagi will save a branch of the Spirit Tree, and he will give it to Shizuka Gozen.

 

You will receive the Oh Guardian Spirit, Torch Spear, Slayer's Odachi, Lord Kamakura Set armor piece, Breadcutter, Lord Kamakura's Bow, and Samurai's Locks after the cutscene, and complete the quest, Frozen City, Blazing Tree. Destroy the crucible spike to progress your quest, A Cause Too Great. Talk to Shizuka Gozen, and she will give you the branch of the Spirit Tree for you to plant. After planting the branch, the mirror will shine, and you will have visions of your next journey in the Antiquity Period.

 

  

 

 

Yamatai

Pursue the Yokai That Fled Through the Air 

After completing A Cause Too Great and leaving the Heian era, Calamity's Seed, along with the main mission related to the objective, The Spirit Tree Village, will automatically start. During the main mission, you will have to find your way through the forest to pursue the yokai and learn about where you are. 

 

Leave the Forest

After loading in the forest and starting the Spirit Tree Village, follow the path forward until you come across a shrine up ahead. The shrine you will see will look like a stone statue. From the statue, move forward and crouch through the foliage. Defeat the Yamabiko and Nozuchi, and loot the body in front of the large boulder with a rope to get a Throwing Stone.

Continue moving forward and take the right path toward the area with the water. Loot the corpse up ahead to get Antidote and kill the Kappa patrolling on this path. To the right, you can drop down the ledge and kill the Crucible Wraith below to get the Red Kappa Soul Core, and loot the corpse to get Master's Cestuses and Swallowtail Set armor piece.

  

Climb back up after getting the Soul Core and loot, then start following the path up the incline. Watch out for the Sentry that will attack from the left side. Continue towards the top until you see the Crucible Wasp devouring a corpse near the ledge. Loot this corpse to get Water Amulet. Drop down from the platform and turn left. Defeat the Yamainu devouring a corpse in the corner. Then, after the fight, loot the corpse to obtain Samurai's Locks, Omamori, Chinzei Hachiro's Bow, and Moonprayer Set armor piece. 

 

 

Go back up, and once you reach western side, you'll find a corpse under a shade that drops an Elixir. Go through the column of statues. The statues up ahead will come to life. Defeat them, then proceed to the open area where a Nozuchi is patrolling the grounds. You'll also encounter a Yamabiko as you reach the base of the overgrowth. There are corpses in the area you can loot as well, with some of them on top of the walls and pillars you can access by using the wooden growths around. These corpses on the ground can drop Magatama, armor piece of Swallowtail Set, Little Crow and Quickdraw, and Throwing Stone.

  

While you are on top of the wooden growth, you'll find more corpses that can drop Fireproof Amulet and Lumicite Shard. Face north and jump across toward the ledge. You will find a chest tucked in the corner where you can obtain Ninja's Locks as a drop from the enemy that comes out of the chest. After getting the Ninja's Locks, orient yourself northwest, before climbing up the wooden incline, drop down to the left of the path and defeat the Nozuchi Crucible Wraith to obtain its Soul Core. After defeating the Crucible Wraith, turn around and loot the nearby corpses to obtain Samurai's Locks.

  

After clearing the area of loot and the Crucible Wraith, climb back up and push onward using the wooden growth due northwest. Defeat the Yamabiko standing in the western corner. Then proceed to the right to loot the corpse that drops Salt. Drop down at the end of the wooden paths and turn right to find another shrine. From the shrine, continue up the path to the right, and the area will open up, where you will enter Yamatai where you can see the Spirit Tree and the Crucible in the distance.

 

 

Head Deeper into the Village

From the ledge, look to your right, and you can jump on top of a statue to obtain Medicine Case. Cross the bridge and defeat the enemies up ahead, then loot the corpse next to the torch on the right to get a Steel Pill before you enter the village.

  

Once you enter the village, the path will split before you with a large crucinite formation. To the right of the crucinite, you can pass through the house on your right to fight some enemies and loot some corpses behind the hut. You can get Yamatai Set armor piece, Moonprayer Set armor piece, Magatama, and Tanegashima Matchlock. Return to the entrance and take the left path from the crucinite formation, defeat the large yokai, and you will find a corpse that drops Magatama to the left near an enemy. You can also go inside the hut to obtain Power Pill.

 

Climb up the steps into the structure to your right and defeat the enemies inside, and loot the corpses to find Ninja's Locks and Sacred Water. Exit the structure and head west through the destroyed house. When you exit out of the back, defeat the enemies inside the hut, then loot the chest to acquire the Secret Skills Text: Tourbillon.

 

Exit the hut and turn left to find the next shrine and a corpse that you can loot to get x2 Ochoko Cup. Continue heading north. Inside the hut, before you climb up the steps, you can defeat an enemy and get a Sacred Water from a corpse inside. After looting the corpse, exit the hut and climb up the steps to continue your progress.

 

Open the gate at the top of the steps and a cutscene will play where Takechiyo will find a red-clothed maiden tending to the yokai that had fled the forest when he first arrived. The maiden will be influenced by the dark radiance and order the yokai to fight Takechiyo. Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Kusanagi.

 

In your fight against Kusanagi, he is much larger and corrupted by the dark radiance. He can attack from a distance by shooting projectiles. He also has high mobility as he can dash around with his wings and go up into the air. Kusanagi also uses his claws to swipe at you consecutively.

 

During the fight, the red-clothed maiden will also be in the arena and will have her own Life and Ki bar. She will periodically be surrounded by a barrier and can attack you independently with ranged magical attacks.

 

Once you defeat Kusanagi, a cutscene will play showing the influence of the dark radiance will dissipate from Kusanagi. The red-clothed Maiden will also be freed from the influence. Takechiyo will introduce himself and show the Guiding Mirror to the maiden and she will tell him the origin of the Crucinite and introduce herself as Himiko.

Once the cutscene ends, you will have officially completed The Spirit Tree Village and receive Ninja's Locks, Himiko's Staff, and the Shaman Queen's Necklace as completion rewards. You will also unlock the other guardian spirit form of Kusanagi, depending on which form you chose at the start of the game. Lastly, you will also complete the objective Calamity's Seed, and the next objective Ill Omen, will begin.

  

 

Speak with Himiko and Make Your Way Toward the Spirit Tree

After completing the main mission The Spirit Tree Village and the objective Calamity's Seed, Ill Omen will automatically start in the arena where you fought Kusanagi. Approach the red-clothed maiden who you now know as Himiko and speak with her. She will request your aid in defeating Hiruko together.

 

After speaking with Himiko, exit the arena through the gate behind her and follow the path to find a shrine toward the Spirit Tree. Once you reach the shrine by the base of the Spirit Tree, the related main mission, Dark Roots, will automatically start, where you will have to cleanse the Spirit Tree Crucible.

 

The Spirit Tree Shrine

Cleanse the Spirit Tree Shrine's Crucible

After reaching the shrine near the base of the Spirit Tree, Dark Roots will start automatically. During this mission, Himiko will be accompanying and fighting alongside you as you go towards the Spirit Tree Shrine Crucible. From the shrine, go towards the base of the Spirit Tree shrine and go up the steps to your right while defeating the enemies you encounter along the way to the top. You can also loot a corpse here to get Elixir.

 

At the top of the steps, approach the ledge in front of you to loot the corpse beside the broken pillar for Healing Pill, then take the path to your left. Before you go further, don't miss the loot from the corpse leaning against a pillar to your right at the start of the corridor to get Lumicite Shard.

 

At the end of the corridor, go down the steps to your right and you will find another shrine at the bottom of the steps to your right, near some pillars that you can interact with. For now, you cannot use these pillars, so you can simply unlock the shrine and then continue following the path to your left by using the rock formations to get to the corridor on the left.

 

Defeat the enemies in the chamber as you enter the area with the red crystal formations. Once the chamber is cleared, go to the western corner of the chamber on the first level to pick up Healing Pill from a corpse. Then climb the stairs to the second level. Turn left and defeat the enemy on the second level. To the left of the exit, you can loot a corpse of Steel Pill, hanging off the ledge before exiting through the doorway.

  

Loot the corpse up ahead to get x2 Ochoko Cup, and go down the path to your left to continue your descent. When you get to the stone platform, you can drop down facing northwest to access an area with a chest containing Samurai's Locks. There will be a Nuppeppo that will appear. Defeat the yokai before looting the chest, then go back up the stone platform and then turn left.

 

When you reach the circular arena at the end of the platform, Sentries will drop down. Defeat them, then interact with the item on the ground to acquire the Spirit Stone Box.

 

You can use the Spirit Stone Box and put them into the pillars you find across the shrine to activate them. Place the Spirit Stone Box on the Pillar, then interact with the pillar again to call on the moving platform. Climb onto the moving platform and time your jump off to one of the paths to your right to loot a corpse holding a Tatenashi Set armor piece and Tanegashima Matchlock on the ledge.

 

Go back across using the platform then use the stairs to the left to go down. There will be a corpse to your right being guarded by a Nuppeppo that you can loot before continuing your descent down the stairs. The corpse drops a Lord's Cestuses and Demon Horde Set armor piece.

 

At the bottom of the stairs, continue forward then loot the corpse to get Salt. Proceed forward and be careful of the two statues on the other end. They will shoot forward lightning projectiles. Stay in the middle and time your jump to the little section to the left. There will be a Sentry in that nook. Defeat it before continuing to make your way past the two projectile-shooting statues.

 

When you are past the statues, loot the corpse in the area to get Steel Pill, then pick up the Spirit Stone Box and place it on the pillar beside it to open a hidden door.

 

Clear the room of the enemies. There will be one to your right behind a pillar, a Jailer Oni up on a ledge, and a Sentry that will awaken near the door on the far side of the room. Go through the hole in the floor in the middle of the room. The path will lead toward the upper ledge where you can find another Spirit Stone Box. Jump back down to the main chamber and go up the stairs on the opposite side to open the door to a room containing multiple sentries and a large chest containing Secret Skills Text: Single Slash Kata.

 
 

After looting the chest, move on to the next chamber. Clear the enemies on the first level and loot the corpse here to get Hand Cannon Ammunition. Drop down in the little sunken section of the floor to get Lilac Eboshi and Tatenashi Set armor piece. Use the ramp on the right side of the entrance where you came from to get to the upper level and defeat the enemies. Some Sentries that are lined up on the walls will come to life to attack you. As you reach the top of the ramp, loot the corpse to your left to get Sacred Water. Move to the other side and behind three more projectile-shooting statues will be another Spirit Stone Box.

Alternatively, there's another path that you can take through a Nurikabe. You can find this yokai to the right while facing the three statues. Use the Gesture High Five to get through it without fighting, revealing a room that you can climb to get to a corpse that drops Suzaku's Beak and Swallowtail Set armor piece. You can drop down to the ledge past this corpse which will take you directly behind the statues.

 

After picking up the Spirit Stone Box, make your way back to the other side. You can drop down and just circle back so it's easier and in the wall to the right of where the statues are facing.

 

Go back down to the first level of the main chamber and use the Spirit Stone Box to open the door and go through. To the left you will find a Spirit Stone Box next to a pillar that will take you up to the shrine so you can replenish your Elixirs before going straight ahead to continue.

 

After you reach the bottom of the steps at the start of the bridge, there is a path branching off to the right you can take to get Salt from a corpse at the edge of this branch.

 

If you take the path off to the right, you can skip the main bridge and bypass fighting the large yokai guarding the bridge head-on. You can also go under the bridge to defeat Gaki, Jailer Oni, and Nuppeppo enemies instead. Next to this small group, you can loot a corpse that drops armor pieces from the Light Yamatai Set. Crouch as you sneak behind the Gaki Chief elite enemy, then pick up the Spirit Stone box near the entrance and place it on the pillar beside it to activate the projectile-shooting statues to fire them at the yokai. After dealing with the large yokai, collect its drops carefully, as the statues will remain active as long as something is in front of them.

 

After collecting the drops, turn around and enter through the doorway. The room you enter will have Grudge Spirits come out of the blood pooling on the floor. To the right of the room, there is a corpse you can loot to get Medicine Case and Naval Set armor piece, but be careful as a Sentry will drop on top of you while searching the corpse. Circle around the formation in the middle of the room and defeat more enemies and you will find another corpse with some loot guarded by two Grudge Spirits. The corpse here drops a Dung Ball.

  

After clearing the area and looting the corpse, turn around and head up the incline to your right to the upper level. Loot the corpse after you defeat the Spider to get a Healing Pill, then face west and jump toward the platforms across. At the end of the little platforming you have to do, you will find the Spirit Stone Box that unlocks the door below.

 

Place the Spirit Stone Box on the pillar mechanism and go through the door when it opens. You then go down the steps and at the midway point, you will find another Spirit Stone Box. Simply pick it up and place it on the mechanism to activate the moving platform.

 

Get on the platform and ride it all the way up. Once it stops, you can grab the Spirit Stone Box and place it on the pillar mechanism to open the door which will lead back to the shrine. Step back onto the platform to start the descent and when it goes down, jump on the platform to the east.

 

Follow the path down, jumping across to the nearby platform to loot the corpse hanging off the edge that drops Lumicite Shard. Then follow it further down to reach a chest where you can obtain Ninja's Locks. Jump down after looting the chest and there will be a hot spring in the area.

 

Defeat the Gaki Chief in the area then pass through the rows of statues to loot two corpses leaning against the wall. You can get Medicine Case, Onzoshi Set armor piece, and Brave Demon Hunter Set armor piece from it. After looting the corpses, orient yourself north and defeat more yokai enemies along the way. 

  

When you reach the open area near the steps leading to an altar, you'll find a corpse that drops Medicine Case and Swallowtail Set armor piece. Turn right and go east to find a Spirit Stone Box being guarded by a Jailer Oni, and a few more yokai enemies. You can also pick up the loot from the corpse nearby to get armor pieces from the Lilac Set and Sohaya Set.

 

After picking up the Stone Spirit Box, go up the steps towards the altar to find a pillar mechanism to insert the Spirit Stone Box into. Get on the platform to go down to a sub-level area where you will find a shrine beside a door. You can replenish your elixirs and spend your Amrita here for upgrades.

 

After unlocking and using the shrine, open the crucinite-covered door beside it and a cutscene will play where Takechiyo and Himiko will find Hiruko using the Crucinite to gain more power.

 

Once the cutscene ends, you will enter combat with Hiruko. You will be fighting Hiruko alone during the boss fight. Hiruko wields a sword during the fight, and he can imbue it with elements. He can make small columns of flames burst from the ground in a line toward you, as well as shards of ice erupt from the ground around him. 

  

When Hiruko's Life drops below 50%, a short cutscene will play where he will call upon the powers of the Crucinite and he will transform into a yokai himself.

 

When the cutscene ends and you resume your fight with Hiruko, he will have his Life bar fully restored. He will also have a wider range of attacks that have a greater area of effect and reach. During this second phase of the fight, he can also use his free hand to swipe at you using his claw

  

Once you defeat Hiruko, a cutscene will play where Takechiyo will subdue Hiruko before Himiko sends and traps him to the Eternal Rift.

 

Speak with Himiko and Continue to A New Era

Once the cutscene ends, you will have officially completed Dark Roots and the objective Ill Omen. You can collect the drops and also receive Mitsumono Vest, x2 Ninja's Text, Samurai's Locks, and Senjuin Tachi as completion rewards. After you've collected the drops, approach Himiko and speak with her and she will tell you that Hiruko will eventually break free and that the Spirit Tree will be the only thing that will be able to help stop him when that time comes.

 

She will then tell you that you may return to your own time. After the initial dialogue ends, speak with her again to confirm your selection to proceed. Once you confirm, another cutscene will play where Takechiyo will be brought back to the day when Edo Castle had fallen to the yokai, and the next objective, To the Beginning, will start.

 

 

 

Edo Castle

Going back to Edo Castle

After Himiko tells you to go back to your own time, select the option to proceed to play a cutscene. In the cutscene, you will return to the time when Yagyu Munenori is instructing you and Tokugawa Kunimatsu, but this time, the yokais will attack, and Kunimatsu will walk away as soon as you use Kusanagi as a sword to take out one of the yokais.

 

When the cutscene ends, you will receive your next quest, To the Beginning. Move forward, then go to the left path until you find another corner to the left. Loot the corpse in the left corner to obtain Sacred Water.

 

Head in the opposite direction, then move forward until you see an exit, where Yagyu Munemori is fighting a Jailer Oni. Help Munemori clear out the wave of Yokais to progress the quest, Light of Hope. After clearing the wave, go to the left wall to find a Spirit Vein. Use Kongojishi (Samurai) / Kongojishi (Ninja) to traverse that Spirit Vein and open a path ahead, where you will find a corpse containing an Arrowproof Amulet.

 

Scale the ramp to the left after looting the corpse to find the Edo Castle: Garden Shrine. Pray to the Shrine, then face behind you to find a path to the left. Follow the path to the left until you reach a crawlspace that leads to another path.

 

You will find a corpse ahead after crawling through the crawlspace. Loot the corpse to obtain a Luckbringer Amulet. Move forward until you see Hattori Hanzo fighting two Jailer Onis. Drop down to help Hanzo clear the wave of enemies. You will fight a Gozuki as the last enemy of the wave you've been fighting with Hanzo.

   

A cutscene will play, where you will fuse with Kusanagi to finish off the Gozuki after depleting the health of the enemy. Hanzo and Munemori will praise you after finishing off the Gozuki. You will receive Guhin and Nekomata Guardian Spirit after the cutscene of the two masters leaving to fend off the remaining yokais in the castle.

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Traverse the Spirit Vein on the right using Kurama Tengu to reach the second floor of a house with a hole in its wall. Before going through the hole, go to the left first to kick down a ladder. Go through the wall, and you will find the Edo Castle: Inner Gate after dropping down.

  

Pray to the Shrine, then go down the stairs on the left to find a Jailer Oni. Defeat the Jailer Oni to obtain Jailer Oni (Hellfire) Soul Core. Continue to follow the path until you go down another staircase to encounter a Jailer Oni by the well.

 

 

Fighting Tokugawa Kunimatsu

Drop down the well to reach an underground area. Follow the path until you find a door. Once you open the door, a cutscene will play, where Kunimatsu is overwhelming Saito Fuku, and you will try to stop him from killing Saito Fuku. 

 

You will fight Tokugawa Kunimatsu to complete the quest, Light of Hope, after defeating him. You will receive a Brother's Dual Katana and a Brother Set armor piece as a reward for completing the quest. You will also get a Moonprayer Set armor piece, a Naval Set armor piece, a Helmsplitter Axe, a Sohaya Set armor piece, a Negoro Rifle, x2 Medicine Case, a Jonin's Kusarigama, and an Evil-Crusher Hammer as a reward for defeating Kunimatsu.

 

A cutscene will play after defeating Kunimatsu, where his Guardian Spirit will attack you, but you will be able to stab it on its head, causing Kunimatsu to regain his consciousness. As Kunimatsu gains his consciousness, Hiruko will whisper to him, and Kunimatsu will go berserk, causing Hiruko to fuse with him along with his guardian spirit.

  

When Hiruko is about to give the finishing blow to you, Himiko will stop him with her spell. Himiko will tell you that the light of hope lies unseen at the end of time, and will order Kusanagi to bring you to another timeline. After the cutscene you will find yourself in Shimabara in the Bakamatsu Period: 1864 CE, and you will complete your quest, To the Beginning, and receive the quest, A New Era.