------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Winner of the GameFAQs FAQ of the Month for January 2011 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~ ------------------------------------------------------------------ ~ .-. .-.,---. .--. .--. .---. .--. |\ /|| | | || .-.\ / /\ \ |\ /| / /\ \ ( .-._)/ /\ \ |(\ / || | | || `-'/ / /__\ \|(\ / |/ /__\ \ (_) \ / /__\ \ (_)\/ || | | || ( | __ |(_)\/ || __ | _ \ \ | __ | | \ / || `-')|| |\ \ | | |)|| \ / || | |)|( `-' )| | |)| | |\/| |`---(_)|_| \)\|_| (_)| |\/| ||_| (_) `----' |_| (_) '-' '-' (__) '-' '-' ~ ------------------------------------------------------------------ ~ T H E D E M O N B L A D E ============================================================================== MURAMASA: THE DEMON BLADE FAQ/Walkthrough Copyright (c)2010-2011 DomZ Ninja ============================================================================== Author: DomZ Ninja E-mail: domzninja[at]hotmail[dot]com Updated: 07/11/11 Version: 1.0 NOTE: This guide does contain spoilers! ______________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS ______________________________________________________________________________ See that series of numbers to the right of each section? If you want to find a specific section in the FAQ, press CTRL + F to open a search box. Type in the series of numbers for the desired section that you're trying to find and press Enter. Whabam! The search function will take you there in an instant. [1] VERSION HISTORY.................................................. [0100] [2] CONTROLS......................................................... [0200] [3] WALKTHROUGH (MOMOHIME)........................................... [0300] Opening Act..................................................... [0301] Act 2........................................................... [0302] Act 3........................................................... [0303] Act 4........................................................... [0304] Act 5........................................................... [0305] Act 6........................................................... [0306] Act 7........................................................... [0307] Final Act....................................................... [0308] [4] WALKTHROUGH (KISUKE)............................................. [0400] Opening Act..................................................... [0401] Act 2........................................................... [0402] Act 3........................................................... [0403] Act 4........................................................... [0404] Act 5........................................................... [0405] Act 6........................................................... [0406] Act 7........................................................... [0407] Final Act....................................................... [0408] [5] ENEMY LAIRS...................................................... [0500] [6] EQUIPMENT........................................................ [0600] Blades.......................................................... [0601] Accessories..................................................... [0602] [7] ITEMS............................................................ [0700] [8] BESTIARY......................................................... [0800] Enemies......................................................... [0801] Bosses (Momohime)............................................... [0802] Bosses (Kisuke)................................................. [0803] [9] THANKS/CREDITS................................................... [0900] ______________________________________________________________________________ [1] VERSION HISTORY [0100] ______________________________________________________________________________ FAQ/Walkthrough #53 ------------------- Version 1.0 (12/31/10) - FAQ/Walkthrough complete and submitted. ______________________________________________________________________________ [2] CONTROLS [0200] ______________________________________________________________________________ .-----------------------------.----------------------------------------------. | Wii Remote | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | D-Pad | Switch/Use Items | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | A Button | Attack | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | B Button | Secret Art | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | 1 Button | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | 2 Button | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | + Button | Main Menu | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | - Button | N/A | '-----------------------------'----------------------------------------------' .-----------------------------.----------------------------------------------. | Nunchuk | N/A | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Control Stick | Move, Jump (Up), Crouch (Down) | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | C Button | Switch Blade | |-----------------------------|----------------------------------------------| | Z Button | View Map | '-----------------------------'----------------------------------------------' - ADVANCED CONTROLS - * For a simple blade combo, press A three times. * For a running slash, move left or right before hitting A. * To perform an upward attack, hit A while pointing up on the Control Stick. * For a low slash, press A while pointing down on the Control Stick. * Jump in the air, then press A to use a jump attack. * To parry, hold down the A button. * To repel and return a thrown object, hit the A button just as the thrown item is to make contact with your character. ______________________________________________________________________________ [3] WALKTHROUGH (MOMOHIME) [0300] ______________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: This walkthrough is based on the Muso difficulty. This legend will help decipher the maps found in the walkthrough. S - Start B - Boss Each room/screen "[ ]" will be referred to as an area in the walkthrough. ============================================================================== OPENING ACT [0301] ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sagami: Mountain Road of Rokkoku Kenzan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[B] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ Upon starting the opening act, the game will teach you the controls of Muramasa. If you're new to the game, accept the tutorial, otherwise skip it. You will leave the screen once the tutorial is over. -~ AREA 1 ~- Nothin' special here; just go to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Little green balls of flame inhabit this area. These are called Souls, and collecting them will slowly replenish your blade's Soul Power. You can stand on the tree branches, so use double jumps and work your way up the trunk of the tree to collect the Souls. Some Ninjas will attack Momohime in the middle of the area, signalling your first battle. Put the skills you learned in the tutorial to the test: these chumps aren't too difficult. Once the fight is over, grab the Souls on the eastern tree and continue to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are a few Souls lingering in the treetops, but nothing else. Proceed to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- There is a beige basket icon on the map in this area. This represents an item somewhere here on the screen. To the right is a glowing orb on one of the low branches of a tree. Jump into it and press A to examine the orb, revealing a treasure (Healing Pellet). The basket icon will lose its color once the treasure has been found. Snag a few Souls in the treetops and proceed up the rightmost tree. At the top is the exit. You may fight a few Ninjas along the way, but nothing is certain. -~ AREA 5 ~- Another basket icon is planted on the map. Head to the right, and at the first tree branch you find, hop up the side of the tree to find another glowing orb tucked on a high branch. Examine it with A to receive a Bamboo Flask. Exit the area. -~ AREA 6 ~- Ah, a nice change of scenery! As you move forward, Momohime will be ambushed by a pack of Wooly Eyeballs. These furry purple eyeballs travel in large groups and soar through the air. Use jumping slashes and/or uppercuts to significantly cut their numbers down to size, then finish off any stragglers. They are relatively harmless, but otherwise pesky. After disposing of the Wooly Eyeballs, head east to the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 7 ~- A hut stands in the center of the area. While in front of the building, press the A button to step inside. Open the chest in the back of the room to find two Bamboo Flasks. Exit the hut, then continue east. -~ AREA 8 ~- You will encounter a pair of Samurais not too long after entering. These troublesome foes are much tougher than Ninjas and are capable of dodging and blocking your attacks. As the game suggests, try breaking their blades with a Drawn Back slash. Crouch, then hold A and release to perform a powerful attack. This battle is your first real threat in the game, so try to crouch, jump, dodge, and generally evade attacks often here. Remember that you have plenty of recovery items if your Life Flame dips too low. -~ AREA 9 ~- Again, nothing much here aside from a handful of Souls. Grab 'em and go to the right. -~ AREA 10 ~- There is a large green fireball high up in a tree; this one gives you more Souls than the regular ol' little guy. A wave of Small Onis will attack: they are tiny and jittery, but don't pose that much of a threat. Hop up the tree on the far east side of the area and move onward. -~ AREA 11 ~- A whole lotta nothin' here (aside from Souls, haha). Search the trees, then leave the area. -~ AREA 12 ~- The first two buildings here each contain a Healing Pellet. Pilfer the homes and exit to the right. -~ AREA 13 ~- You will most likely fight two groups of Ninjas separately. Remember your basic fighting commands. Since we're so late into the act, it may be time to pay attention to your blade's Soul Power if you haven't been changing blades. Watch out for any potential broken blades and switch to another if necessary. Activating a Quick Draw is a nice bonus as well! Jump through the trees to find more Souls, then proceed to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Whoah, this place looks weird, like a wide-angle lens or something. I am probably wrong on that photography reference and just made a fool of myself, but that's not surprising. Anyways, continue to walk forward until you find a shiny blue pillar of light: a checkpoint. Checkpoints act as save points: they refill your Life Flame and Soul Power in addition to saving your progress. Save your game, then examine the glowing gate ahead to transport to the boss's lair. In the cemetery, talk to the three characters to trigger the boss fight. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Blue Monk ------------------- Recommended Level: 1 Drop: Hasebe Kunishige The Blue Monk is pudgy and fairly slow, but a few of his attacks have the chance of breaking your sword in a jiffy. His most dangerous attack: the Blue Monk will begin by throwing five gold daggers into the air. The first, third, and fifth daggers will drop to the ground, creating pillars of flame. Stay between the fire and do not block with your sword, or else its Soul Power will drastically decrease. Once the flames die down, the second and fourth daggers drop, with the same result. As the fight goes on, the number of daggers may increase (not positive), but the pattern of alternating daggers stays the same. The Blue Monk will also belly-flop forwards. If you are caught underneath the hulking mass, your sword will break automatically! The boss has two more attacks at his disposal. He will chant some weird mumbo-jumbo, then send a rolling wheel of fire your way. Just jump over it. Barely even worth a mention, the Blue Monk's foot-stamping can also deal damage to you. He will stomp his foot to the ground, resulting in a small puff of dust. It really won't be able to hurt you unless you're pretty much groping the guy, and just why would you want to do that?! Finally, the Blue Monk's last move is rarely used (at least that I saw). He will clear his throat, jump backwards, then cough out a wave of bouncy blue fireballs. When you see him put his hand over his mouth, back away. Like all bosses in Muramasa, the Blue Monk's main health bar is the small orange health bar at the bottom of the screen. It is composed of smaller sections (seven, represented by the big yellow health bar below). Once you deplete the yellow health bar, a chunk of the main health bar - the orange bar - will disappear. Each time this happens, you will be rewarded with Souls. Depleting seven total health bars seems daunting, but the Blue Monk is fairly easy for a boss. His attacks are slow and predictable, and in my eyes the hardest of his attacks to dodge is the wheel of fire spell. Constantly jump over the boss to attack his back, while keeping an eye on your swords and their Soul Power. Remember to use Secret Arts if you have enough Soul Power. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You will receive the Hasebe Kunishige after the battle. Speak with Kongiku and the two foxes, then press A to proceed. ============================================================================== ACT 2 [0302] ============================================================================== You're back at Sagami, Mountain Road of Rokkoku Kenzan with a new sword. Equip it in the Equipment menu, replacing one of the other three swords with it. At this time, you may also want to check out the Forge menu to see if you can forge any new Demon Blades. You should be able to forge the Botan Muramasa. We are currently at Area 14, and we have to head all the way back to Area 1. That's clearly a lot of backtracking, but there really is not anything we can do about it. You may fight some enemies on the way back - probably Ninjas - but they shouldn't give you too much trouble. -~ AREA 1 ~- Once back at Area 1, approach the red wall on the far left side. This is a barrier, and barriers of certain colors can only be broken by certain Demon Blades. The Hasebe Kunishige can break Red Barriers: approach the barrier and press A to break it, giving you access to Sagami. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sagami ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Collect the Souls high up in the tree before moving on. -~ AREA 2 ~- Climb up the first tree and up onto the rock formation above the entrance. Examine the shiny object for a Recovery Pellet and drop down. The exit is to the west. You may find a Pheasant or two here, they're nothing to write home about. -~ AREA 3 ~- You'll find yourself in a cave inhabited by some Small Onis. Dispose of them, then exit the cave to the west. -~ AREA 4 ~- Your first forked path! For now, ignore the northeast path and go west. Climb up the branches of the tree here for a giant Soul and a shiny orb, which reveals itself to be a Fire Charm. Take the western exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- There are a few Souls here along with an Orange Barrier. We cannot break this ultra-tough barrier, so return to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- This time, head through the northeast exit by jumping up some tree branches onto the rock structure. You may face off against some Ninjas here. They may be tougher than the Ninjas faced earlier, since they come in various classes. Watch your back. -~ AREA 6 ~- Defeat the Ninjas here, then climb the tree farthest to the right. Grab the Souls here and examine the shiny object for a Smoke Bomb. Drop back down and proceed east. -~ AREA 7 ~- A tree stump in the center of the area is blocked by a Purple Barrier. We cannot break it, so instead scrounge around for some Souls before leaving to the right. -~ AREA 8 ~- Collect the Souls lining the tree limbs and exit to the east. -~ AREA 9 ~- There is a chance you may fight off against some Karasu-Tengus in this area. These bird-like monsters like to fly around in the air, so counterattack with uppercuts and jumping slashes. Collect the Smoke Bomb high up in a tree near the center of the area and the Souls before leaving. -~ AREA 10 ~- You will find Kongiku here. Talk to her, then save your game at the checkpoint before going to the east. -~ AREA 11 ~- This area is devoid of any enemies, and there are a few friendly folks around that are willing to chat with Momohime. One is a shop owner that will bring you into her restaurant. You should have plenty of Mon by now, so why not buy a few pieces of food? -~ Soba Shop Menu ~- -------------------------------------- The old man inside the house has Steamed White Rice 8 Mon nothing important to say, so don't Kitsune Udon 16 Mon even bother going inside. Just Herring Soba 24 Mon continue east to the next screen once Tempura Udon 32 Mon you've filled your belly up with some -------------------------------------- tasty delicacies. -~ AREA 12 ~- Watch out for the Karasu-Tengus likely patrolling the forest. After the fight (if there is one), collect the Souls in the trees and search the ground for an Herbal Remedy. The glowing spot should be in the dirt closer to the east side of the area. -~ AREA 13 ~- There is an item shop in this area as well, providing you with a much wider range of goods than the Soba Shop two screens back. Talk to the peddler for an eyeful of his stock. -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- The peddler has a fairly wide range Bamboo Flask 4 Mon of items to take into consideration, Cabbage 7 Mon but you may not need much of it. For Healing Pellet 8 Mon starters, definitely pick up a Ninja Amazake 14 Mon Belt. It's your first accessory so it Rice Bag 20 Mon will definitely be useful down the Map of Izu 30 Mon road. Map of Sagami 30 Mon Culinary Tips Vol. 1 60 Mon You can probably pick up the Culinary Kitchen Secrets Vol. 1 60 Mon Tips Vol. 1 and Kitchen Secrets Vol. Ninja Belt 75 Mon 1 to start teaching yourself how to -------------------------------------- cook. Cooking can be useful since it allows you to use recovery items during battle. You probably won't need the two maps considering how you are currently using this guide, and I provide you with (mediocre at best) maps of the areas. So just save onto your money and kindly decline. Before leaving, open the main menu and access the cooking menu to get a hands-on tutorial on cooking. Afterwards, head to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Pass through the area to reach Musashi. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Musashi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ] | | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Very pretty scenery. Double-tap Down on the Control Stick to drop down into the stream. Gather the Souls floating in the water and go to the right to the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- Enemies are present in Musashi; most commonly Joshins. Again, drop down into the water to claim your prizes. If a battle occurs, jump back onto the stone walkway to do your business. Your destination is east. -~ AREA 3 ~- Another forked path. We're gonna want to go up, so head across the bridge you first see. -~ AREA 4 ~- A few of the townsfolk are spreading gossip about a murderer or something or other. You'll even find a Kappa in the water spreading talk about dangerous people. Apparently the peddler here isn't scared enough to close shop, so check out what he has in store: -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- Lots of interesting items here; all Radish 7 Mon pricey though. You could buy a Ninja Amazake 14 Mon Gauntlet or Swashbuckler's Sheath if Recovery Pellet 22 Mon you really want to, but we did just Bronze Mirror 30 Mon pick up an accessory not too long ago Map of Musashi 30 Mon that's perfectly competent at this Fire Charm 40 Mon stage in the game. Maybe pick up the Herbal Remedy 40 Mon Kitchen Secrets Vol. 2. Kitchen Secrets Vol. 2 60 Mon Ninja Gauntlet 75 Mon After your shopping spree, drop down Smoke Bomb 80 Mon into the water and look to the right Swashbuckler's Sheath 90 Mon of the peddler. Take the Bronze -------------------------------------- Mirror and exit to the right. -~ AREA 5 ~- Go west down the stream to find s'more Souls. Deal with the enemies here (probably Kappas) and continue west. -~ AREA 6 ~- There is a Yellow Barrier blocking the exit here. Bummer. Now that we know we cannot go this way, return to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- Head east one screen over. -~ AREA 7 ~- Kongiku is here guarding another checkpoint. Save your game and heal up, then continue onward. -~ AREA 8 ~- Head to the right, taking the Souls down by the waterside. Fight more foes here before proceeding east. -~ AREA 9 ~- Kill some Ninjas before moving east. -~ AREA 10 ~- There is another bridge leading north here. This time, ignore it and continue along the way to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- There is a well smack-dab in the center of the area. Press A to drop down to the bottom, collecting a handful of Souls along the way. There's more at the bottom, along with a Hinezumi Dress. Who would leave a dress at the bottom of a damp, musty well? Climb back up the well and go to the right. -~ AREA 12 ~- There is a Red Barrier blocking an Enemy Lair here. You can break the barrier and enter the realm if you so choose, but it's purely optional. I will be covering all Enemy Lairs in Section 5, so go there for more info. Otherwise, return to Area 10. -~ AREA 10 ~- Take the bridge north. -~ AREA 13 ~- I'm liking the green hue here. Kill some more Ninjas that get in your way, then go to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Examine the shiny object on the stone pathway right where you enter for an Herbal Remedy. You will have to fight some enemies before moving on. -~ AREA 15 ~- No way you're getting through this White Barrier here. Now it's time to backtrack all the way back to Area 3. Have fun! -~ AREA 3 ~- Once you've made it back, go east to the next area. -~ AREA 16 ~- You will be scaling the sides of buildings for the next few screens. Proceed forward to engage in a battle with two Karakasas. If you were listening in on the rumors, these folks certainly fit the description of the "murderers". Lucky for you, they are quite weak. Remember that you can climb on the upper balconies of the buildings as well. Continue on the upper balconies until you find an Amazake on the far east side, then move to the next screen. -~ AREA 17 ~- Several doors are open in this very tall section of Musashi. Beyond the first door lies a Samurai, if breaking and entering (and manslaughter) is your kinda thang. The second open room is empty, while the third contains three Rice Bags. Once at the top, go right. -~ AREA 18 ~- More open rooms to explore here. The first one holds The Dead. This enemy cannot be targeted physically. Instead, repel the blue fireballs it shoots out back at it to defeat the ghost. The third room contains two Cabbages, yummy! The next screen is due east. -~ AREA 19 ~- From the start, drop down to the bottom ledge to find a Recovery Pellet, then go inside the doorway nearby for a funny exchange of words. There's some more meaningless babbling to be found in the second open room. As for the third open room, you will find yourself a personable chef just waiting to feed you. -~ Restaurant Menu ~- -------------------------------------- Some of this stuff is very expensive, Sushi (Tuna) 20 Mon but eating gourmet food such as this Sushi (Flounder) 40 Mon yields a lot of Spirit, which is good Sushi (Sea Urchin) 60 Mon when it comes to forging new Demon Sillago Tempura 80 Mon Blades. Try one of the cheaper ones Whole Sea Bream 100 Mon if you're too stingy, but regardless -------------------------------------- don't leave on an empty stomach. Exit the area to the right after eating. -~ AREA 20 ~- Destroy the Red Barrier with one of your swords to proceed to a new map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Musashi: Shin-Yoshiwara, Nihonzutsumi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[B] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- This is an easy enough map to memorize, right? One straight line, the entire way. Start off by of course, heading east. -~ AREA 2 ~- A whole lot of apartments, but none of them are open. Shucks. Just continue to the right. -~ AREA 3 ~- There is a room you can enter right above you. Go inside and open the chest for two Amazakes. There's a Samurai and The Dead lurking inside the second and third open rooms respectively, if you're craving for some more EXP. Otherwise leave them be and move off the screen. -~ AREA 4 ~- The first two rooms contain enemies while the last one holds three Rice Bags. Go east. -~ AREA 5 ~- No open rooms! You have no business here then; quickly head to the right. -~ AREA 6 ~- Back on the cobblestone road. Drop into the water to find some Souls, then prepare for a battle. Defeat whichever enemy gets in your way, then proceed to the next area. -~ AREA 7 ~- Pick up the Smoke Bomb on the upper ledge in front of you and go east. You may fight a battle here even though you're back at more apartments. Monks are also frequent enemies from now on. They like to jump in the air and pull off a slamming attack with their staff. Stay above them or at the same level to win. Defeat any foes here before exiting. -~ AREA 8 ~- There are no items to be found here, so all open rooms house enemies. The exit is northeast. -~ AREA 9 ~- No open doors here, but the chance of fighting enemies is high. Go east. -~ AREA 10 ~- Another vertical-based screen. The second doorway contains a Recovery Pellet; the other two each house Samurais. Climb up the ledges to get outta here. -~ AREA 11 ~- There is a shiny orb on the far east side of the area, on the upper ledge. Examine it for a Fire Charm, then head out. -~ AREA 12 ~- There are some Souls in the water that you should definitely collect. Defeat the Kappas that likely rise from the stream before moving on. -~ AREA 13 ~- The boss is just beyond the glowing gate, so take some time to prepare before diving in. Try and forge a new Demon Blade for this occasion. If you haven't forged at all since I last made note, you should have enough Spirit and Souls to make a good three to four new blades. Equip these new swords and also equip the Hinezumi Dress you received earlier in the game. Fiddle around with your Item Shortcut if need be and save your game at the checkpoint, then enter the gateway. Walk to the far right side of the area to find an open door. Go inside, talk to the customer, then press A to proceed. Next up, go into the open door near the center of the area and talk to the ghost inside. Again, press A to proceed. This time, go into the final open room to find Rankai. Hit the A button to proceed to the boss battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Wanyudo --------------------- Recommended Level: 7 Drop: Kashagiri Hiromitsu Wanyudo is a fairly challenging boss, mainly because most of his attacks are long-range wallopers. The flaming wheel will charge up, then fire forwards, dashing either left or right (whichever side he isn't on). His path will be covered in a fiery blaze, which can damage Momohime when touched. When you see Wanyudo get ready to charge, jump over him and glide across the line of fire. The boss also hocks up a line of purple, poisonous loogies that fizzle around him. These can poison Momohime if you come in contact; use an Herbal Remedy to avoid the Life Flame-sapping status effect. Another long-range attack, Wanyudo will glow red and float in the air while spinning around. The result is a stream of fireballs that fire out from the boss in a circular fashion. You're best off deflecting these back at the boss, since they can be hard to dodge on your own. Remember to switch blades often (Quick Draws are key here) and/or use Omura Stones to refill your Soul Power. If you're feeling overwhelmed and may need to use items, just pause the came and reconfigure your Item Shortcut. You won't be able to change equipment but you can still place items in your shortcut to be used during battle. Wanyudo drips fire on the ground, leaving a pool of flame underneath him. Make sure not to stand in the fire when it forms by jumping often and staying to the side of the boss. You shouldn't have to use any Fire Charms since you have the Hinezumi Dress, but if for some reason you do not have the accessory you will have to incorporate Fire Charms into your item list. Getting burned is similar to being poisoned as it drains your health. This boss has one extra health bar than the Blue Monk, but your Demon Blades should be strong enough to handle him. I personally prefer blades over long blades by a landslide, so I stuck with the Getsuei Muramasa and Umitsubame Muramasa for dealing with Wanyudo. Use your Secret Arts often (even though I hate long blades, Hibari Muramasa's Secret Art, Skull, is awesome for this fight) and keep moving. The hardest part about this fight is keeping your blades in good condition. I found that Wanyudo's charge attack can break a blade instantly, so avoiding that specific attack will set you straight for the rest of this boss battle. He seems to does it immediately after his poison spit attack: back away from the boss and the purple goo, then get ready to jump as he speeds towards you. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- With the Kashagiri Hiromitsu, you can now break Orange Barriers. Talk to everyone here, then press the A button to continue. Act 2 is over! ============================================================================== ACT 3 [0303] ============================================================================== Act 3 begins with you still at Musashi: Shin-Yoshiwara, Nihonzutsumi. Too bad for you, as you have to trek all the way back to Sagami! Once at Sagami, return to Area 5. -~ AREA 5 ~- We are back at Area 5 with the Orange Barrier. If you can't remember, it's the far west end of Sagami. Upon entering Sagami from Musashi, just go west until you can go no further. From here, break the Orange Barrier to enter Izu. Be sure to collect the Recovery Pellet on the other side of the barrier first. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Izu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | '-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- First impression, Izu looks a lot like Sagami. Collect the Souls in the trees and take the Bear Pellet from a high branch near where you enter. Go west to reach the exit. -~ AREA 2 ~- There are more Souls here to gather. There is also an item in a rock alcove on the northwest end of the area. Near the "Go" sign, climb up the tree branches and jump into the alcove. Take the Iyo Stone, fall down, and leave. -~ AREA 3 ~- Checkpoint here! Save your game of course, then head west. -~ AREA 4 ~- Proceed through the damp cave. You should have a safe trip through. -~ AREA 5 ~- Ah, here we go. Scenery change! The currents of the river won't drift you away, so take your time through the area. There are more Souls in the trees, but there are no tree branches to scale. Continuously jump around to spot Souls hidden away in the dense foliage, then proceed west. -~ AREA 6 ~- You'll probably square off against some Ogamas. What makes these guys annoying (aside from their poisonous spit) is that they cannot be juggled in the air like most enemies. Ogamas come in three different sizes, and you cannot juggle the large and medium-sized ones in the air. Still, your attack strategy should be the same for any other enemy thus far. With the pesky toads out of the way, go west. -~ AREA 7 ~- There should be more Souls here near the top of the screen. On the far west end is the entrance to a cave; go inside. -~ AREA 8 ~- There are more Ninjas patrolling the dark cave, but they throw bombs instead of using traditional weaponry. Navigate the rock platforms to reach your enemies before finishing them off. Check the northeast alcove to find Kitchen Secrets Vol. 3! As for the choice in which way to go, take the southern exit. -~ AREA 9 ~- On the far east end of the beach is a shiny object; it's kinda hard to see when mixed with the bright-white sand. Pick it up for an Iyo Stone, then return to the cave. -~ AREA 8 ~- Go northwest this time to a new area. You'll probably have to kill more Ninjas again. -~ AREA 10 ~- A luscious field is presented in front of you, though that's interrupted by a group of Wooly Eyes. An easy way to take out most of the bunch is with a Quick Draw. Try to take them all out before the remaining escape. After the battle, go west. -~ AREA 11 ~- You want absolutely nothing to do with this White Enemy Lair right in front of you. Lucky for you, you won't be able to access it for a long-ass time. Ignore it and go to the left. -~ AREA 12 ~- There is Liquor found at the base of a stone statue near the left side of the area. Pick it up and exit to Suruga. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suruga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Climb along the tree branches once you get to them to find a Fire Charm high in the treetops. Stay up in the trees and take the upper pathway. -~ AREA 2 ~- Defeat the Ninjas sneaking around and take the Bear Pellet in the first tree you can climb. From there, collect the Souls as you drop down to the ground and continue to the left. -~ AREA 3 ~- Yawn. Nothing here, 'cept maybe a battle. As always, walk a straight line to the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Samurais start appearing more often here in Suruga, and you may fight some here. They start to appear in threes now, but the same strategy applies: break their wimpy toy swords, then unleash hell. Go west. -~ AREA 5 ~- Fight enemies. Go west. Success. -~ AREA 6 ~- As always, save at the checkpoint and talk to Kongiku for mostly useless information. -~ AREA 7 ~- Back at the forest. There are Souls lingering in the trees that are just waiting to be snatched up. Also, check the rocky outcropping on the far west end of the area for a Bronze Mirror. Exit stage left. -~ AREA 8 ~- Small Onis love caves, so they'll probably win the "who are you going to fight now?" game. Of course, they will then subsequently lose the "who is going to win said fight?" game. Grab the Souls here before exiting to the left. -~ AREA 9 ~- I fought Kite Ninjas for the first time here, so you may too. They float in the air using a large kite and drop bombs on unsuspecting victims. Just watch out that their kite blows up once defeated, posing the possible threat of immediate sword-breakage. It happened twice to me in my first fight with these losers. After the fight, proceed west. -~ AREA 10 ~- Time to turn back around, as there's a Yellow Barrier in your way! Don't forget to take the few Souls floating about and an Herbal Rememdy on the ground. -~ AREA 9 ~- Now climb up the tree on the east end to find a new trail to take. -~ AREA 11 ~- Drop down from the tree and immediately pick up the Yam. Glide around the area to collect all the Souls, then move to the right. -~ AREA 12 ~- I'm running out of creative ways to say "go". So just head east to the exit already! -~ AREA 13 ~- There's a peddler and a restaurant here, both wanting your money. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Restaurant Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Fried Tofu 10 Mon Three Dumplings 10 Mon Tofu 10 Mon Kusamochi 20 Mon Liquor 20 Mon Mitsumame 30 Mon Bear Pellet 30 Mon -------------------------------------- Bronze Mirror 30 Mon Map of Kai 30 Mon The peddler has some nice stuff like Map of Suruga 30 Mon always, but things are certainly Map of Totomi 30 Mon getting more expensive as we progress Fire Charm 40 Mon through the game. Pick up the cooking Herbal Remedy 40 Mon manuals like always, as well as the Yam 40 Mon Fox Spirit Belt. Smoke Bomb 80 Mon Grilled Cooking Vol. 1 84 Mon The restaurant provides us with some Kitchen Secrets Vol. 4 84 Mon cheap grub, so pick up some Kusamochi Omura Stone 84 Mon or Mitsumame for a huge Spirit boost. Fox Spirit Belt 104 Mon Plus, it's a good option if you're Straw Stalk 130 Mon hurting from any previous battles. -------------------------------------- The Palanquin Bearers provide a nice transportation option that's somewhat cheap, but we have no need to backtrack anywhere, so ignore them. It's just a nice service that will come in handy at points during the game. Now that we're rested, exit to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Some Wooly Eyeballs may appear here. Use a Quick Draw for an incredibly easy extermination, then continue east. -~ AREA 15 ~- Yep, empty area. Proceed east. -~ AREA 16 ~- More emptyness! Just go east. -~ AREA 17 ~- Ahh crap, the exit is blocked with a Yellow Barrier! Geez. Well now it's time to backtrack all the way to the entrance of Suruga! Remember that there's a checkpoint back at Area 6, so that'll be a nice resting point. You can also use a Bronze Mirror to teleport to the last shrine you used (Area 6) and then backtrack from there. I guess they're also called shrines. Shrines, checkpoints, same ol' thing (actually, it took me a while to realize that they are two different things)! Bronze Mirrors are also nifty ways for quick transportation. Cheap, too! -~ AREA 1 ~- Once we are all the way back here, take the southwest exit. -~ AREA 18 ~- There are more bomb-chucking Ninjas here in this cave. Out of the three enemies, one of them is a Jonin. Jonins have a different color attire than Ninjas, and can also breathe fire. Finally, Jonins also use smoke bombs to teleport from one spot in the area to another. Still, treat them like their weaker brethren. Dispose of all three foes, then drop down the rock platforms and make a right. -~ AREA 19 ~- Immediately after entering, jump up the tree and collect the Iyo Stone from the rock wall. Snag the Souls in this area before continuing to the right. -~ AREA 20 ~- A White Barrier is present in this area. Access denied! Still, we can at least take the Bear Pellet here before backtracking to Area 18. -~ AREA 18 ~- This time, go west instead. -~ AREA 21 ~- There is a high tree branch near the center of the area that can be reached by double jumping. Ascend up the tree to find a Tengu Mask accompanied by a few Souls. Equip it, then head west. -~ AREA 22 ~- Continue through the rainy weather; make a quick exit to the left -~ AREA 23 ~- Fight a battle if prompted, then continue left. -~ AREA 24 ~- Finally, a barrier we can break! Shatter the Orange Barrier and move west into the next region. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suruga: Satta Pass, Byroad of Tokaido ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- You should be familiar with this scenery. More yawn forest yayyyy. Collect the Souls here and pick up the Yam from under a tree to the west. Next, exit the screen via the western exit. -~ AREA 2 ~- There is a Bear Pellet to be found resting on a tree branch in here, as well as s'more Souls. Take everything, then leave. -~ AREA 3 ~- An Omura Stone is on the western end of the screen, at the base of a rock wall. Take it, then climb the tree to the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Boy, there's another items found here in this screen as well! They seem to really be preparing us for the upcoming fight. This item is a Fox Spirit Gauntlet, which increases Momohime's Strength. Pretty good piece of equipment if you ask me. Proceed west. -~ AREA 5 ~- An item is in a tree right near the entrance: a Bear Pellet. You'll prolly also fight against a few more enemies. The game regularly substitues in Jonins, so get ready to fight these guys more often than Ninjas. Head west once you get the chance. -~ AREA 6 ~- Pssst, you have to go west. Duh. -~ AREA 7 ~- Fight a battle if prompted, then move on to the left. -~ AREA 8 ~- Continue to the left, like always. -~ AREA 9 ~- Follow the beach to the left, then go through the tunnel. -~ AREA 10 ~- The checkpoint and and boss gate is ahead. Save your game, forge new swords, fight battles in previous areas, do whatever you need to do to prepare for the upcoming boss fight. Talk to Yukinojyo and Momohime's Soul, then walk to the right and speak with Rankai. Press A to proceed with the fight. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Yukinojyo ------------------- Recommended Level: 12 Drop: Izumokami Naganori While Yukinojyo may only have four health bars, he is not to be taken lightly. He pretty much acts exactly like a super-tough Samurai, as he is capable to blocking nearly all of your attacks as well as forcing you to parry and protect yourself frequently. Used when close by, Yukinojyo will unleash a vibrant purple pillar from his sword. The column stays close to the boss's body, so it should be simple to avoid if you back up a few steps. Yukinojyo also has two long-range attacks: he'll either fire a purple crescent towards you or perform a dash attack. Both are strong attacks, but his dash attack in particular can break your sword with relative ease. Blocking his attacks are key, but rolling and jumping are also essential to avoid constantly breaking your swords. If your sword gets broken, simply switch to another. Remember, bosses release Souls every time you deplete a health bar. Like, a LOT of Souls. Also keep in mind that you should have a slew of recovery items, from Bamboo Flasks to Rice Balls. Use 'em! Like Samurais, you will be forced to break Yukinojyo's blade before you can do any significant damage to him. Avoid using any of your Secret Arts until his blade is broken. To break his blade, constantly attack Yukinojyo while still having the wherewithal to survive moves of his own. It'll take a bit of time to break one of Yukinojyo's blades, but once you do, it's time to really turn up the heat. If you haven't already, switch to a blade and attack Yukinojyo. Using blades as opposed to long blades allows you to juggle the boss in the air and overall attack faster. The two best blades to use in my eye are Getsuei Muramasa and Kashagiri Hiromitsu. Faerie Blade is a good defensive mechanism while Earth Hornet can tear Yukinojyo to shreds. Eventually, Yukinojyo will switch to a brand new blade and the battle will repeat itself. You'll be in good rhythm if you manage to take out one of his health bars before he can switch weapons. Switch to a blade with more Soul Power to break his new blade, then switch back to one of the previously mentioned swords to wreak havoc. Once the boss is on his last legs, he will surround himself with purple flames and his speed and power will increase. Yukinojyo's ability to fix blades also increases, as you won't be able to take off as much health between periods. Nevertheless, employ the same battle tactics, and you should come through with the "W". =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Izumokami Naganori can break Yellow Barriers. Talk to everyone here, then proceed to the next Act. ============================================================================== ACT 4 [0304] ============================================================================== You'll be placed at the spot where you battled Yukinojyo. We have to not only backtrack to Suruga, but all the way back to Area 17. Along the way is a checkpoint (Area 6) and some spots to buy items and food (Area 13), so at least you can make a couple pit stops. -~ AREA 11 ~- Along the way, in Area 11, you will find a monkey sitting on a tree limb. Talk to him and he'll take you to a hot spring. Hot springs will completely restore your Life Flame and Soul Power, so it's a pretty nifty detour. Leave the springs and continue to Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- With the Yellow Barrier out of the way, you can move through to Kai. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kai ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .--[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-' ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Kai is somewhat difficult to navigate because the landscape really restricts your movement. To begin, hop across the dead tree limbs to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Fight against whatever enemy appears (Karasu-Tengus probably) and grab some Souls floating around. Hop up the tree branches above the entrance to find a Pheasant, then glide to the right onto the rock outcropping. -~ AREA 3 ~- Continue east to the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Dry land! Drop down to the grass and walk to the right to find another monkey. Head to the hot spring for a nice refreshment, then move east. -~ AREA 5 ~- Pass by the Enemy Lair to the next screen. -~ AREA 6 ~- Defeat any enemies hangin' out here before continuing east. -~ AREA 7 ~- For now, go to the right. We'll be back here in a jiffy. -~ AREA 8 ~- Take the Souls in the trees and head east. -~ AREA 9 ~- This area eventually leads back to Musashi. If for whatever reason you want to return there, you certainly can. Otherwise, walk back to Area 7. -~ AREA 7 ~- Go west this time to the next area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Shrine up ahead. Save your game, speak with the lovely fox lady, then walk by. -~ AREA 11 ~- Jump up the first tree you see to find a Tiger Pellet, then glide along the dead trees to find some Souls. Leap onto the plateau to the west to reach the next area. -~ AREA 12 ~- Stand in the center of the tree bridge. The tree will break in the middle, sending you to the area below. As you fall, begin gliding so you can collect the Souls as you plummet to a new area. -~ AREA 13 ~- Ninjas will most likely fall down with you as a battle begins. On the right is a rock wall that you can climb up, leading you to the Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 1 book. Exit to the left. -~ AREA 14 ~- There is a Tiger Pellet lying on a branch of the easternmost tree in this area. If you wish to return to Area 12, climb up the tree with the Tiger Pellet on it and hop over to the cliff. Otherwise, continue west while collecting more Souls. -~ AREA 15 ~- There's quite a few Souls lingering around high in the sky. But, your destination is west. -~ AREA 16 ~- From the entrance, drop directly onto the rock step to your left to find an Iyo Stone. Then, continue left to the exit. -~ AREA 17 ~- The last area is desolate, except maybe for an enemy encounter. Go west. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shinano ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-. | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Proceed through the corn field. Simple enough. -~ AREA 2 ~- There are two bomb-throwing Ninjas and one Jonin here. The Jonin may carry around a flail-type object. Kill 'em, take the Smoke Bomb (which is on the far left side of the screen), and leave. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are two levels here. A couple Ninjas stay on the upper level while the others roam around below. There is also a Bronze Mirror on the east corner of the lower level. The exit is to the west. -~ AREA 4 ~- For now, ignore everything and go west. -~ AREA 5 ~- Save here at the shrine and continue to the left. -~ AREA 6 ~- Go inside the house at the middle of the screen. Ignore the creepy old dude and open his chest to take three Yams. Stealing from the old never gets old, no pun intended. Next up, talk to the peddler. -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- For starters, get the Kitchen Cabbage 7 Mon Secrets Vol. 5, then pick out a new Pheasant 15 Mon accessory. The Tengu Gauntlet is a Liquor 20 Mon fine choice. At this point in the Sake Libation 25 Mon game, Iyo Stones are beginning to Bear Pellet 30 Mon replace Omura Stones, so you may Bronze Mirror 30 Mon want to pick up one or two if you Map of Hida 30 Mon don't have any. Sake Libations are Map of Shinano 30 Mon pretty good healing items, too. Tiger Pellet 38 Mon Yam 40 Mon Everything is getting more and more Herbal Remedy 50 Mon expensive, and for the first time you Smoke Bomb 80 Mon may be running low on cash. Conserve Iyo Stone 110 Mon your money and remember that many Kitchen Secrets Vol. 5 110 Mon enemies drop items. Plus, you find Tengu Gauntlet 140 Mon a ton of items in the areas as well. Clove Oil 170 Mon When you're ready to roll, head west -------------------------------------- to the next area. -~ AREA 7 ~- There's a teahouse here if you're hungry. Talk to the old hag to gain access to the building. -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- I did just previously mention that Three Dumplings 10 Mon you may not have much to spend, so Kusamochi 20 Mon you might want to think about Sweet Red Bean Soup 30 Mon skipping out on the teahouse's nice -------------------------------------- selection. The stuff here is cheap and isn't the best food we've seen, but it certainly works considering its low price. If you have sufficient cash, then go right ahead. If not, continue west towards the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 8 ~- Go to the left. -~ AREA 9 ~- There is a Blue Barrier knocking you back. Backtrack to the previous screen. -~ AREA 8 ~- This time, go south. -~ AREA 10 ~- Dispose of the foes that get in your way and head to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- There's a monkey and an Enemy Lair in this area. Ignore the lair, talk to the monkey. With your Life Flame and Soul Power peaked, move to the next screen. -~ AREA 12 ~- You might encounter The Dead in this tall area. If so, you know how to deal with them. With the enemies out of the way, climb up the rock structures to reach the top. You should find Souls and a Tiger Pellet along the way if you keep your eyes peeled. -~ AREA 13 ~- After fighting against a small band of Ninjas, walk to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- You're no match for the White Barrier here. Use a Bronze Mirror to warp back to the shrine, or backtrack. -~ AREA 5 ~- Go east to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- Head to the "Go" sign in the center of the area and proceed north. -~ AREA 15 ~- Walk to the left, then jump in the air to find some rocky outcroppings. Grab the Souls here and follow the platforms to the left to eventually find an Iyo Stone. Drop down to the floor and enter the cave. -~ AREA 16 ~- Ugh, I hate bomb Ninjas. Proceed through the cave, killing off each one. There is a Smoke Bomb near the first enemy. Continue to the top of the cave to find the exit. -~ AREA 17 ~- With the new territory comes new enemies. You'll be back to fighting either Karasu-Tengus or Ogamas. Follow the current of the water to the left. -~ AREA 18 ~- You'll most likely come across a group of Ogamas here. They scale the cliff wall in the background, but you can jump along the background with them. Scale the wall and pick off each pesky toad. There are also plenty of Souls in the area. Search the northwest corner of the area: there is some Toad Oil on a small ledge, hidden behind some leaves. The exit is below and to the left. -~ AREA 19 ~- To the left is the exit outta here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hida ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- The scenery here is beautiful. Soak it in, then proceed west. Take the Cabbage on the west end of the screen before leaving. -~ AREA 2 ~- The next two areas are tall (notice how they are composed of two sets of brackets on the map) and have two paths that lead to each other. Either take the upper path or lower path; doesn't matter. First, deal with the annoying- ass Jonins and Ninjas before moving on. Plus, there's a Tiger Pellet on the lower left corner of the screen. -~ AREA 3 ~- Remember, it doesn't matter if you got here from the northern or southern path. You'll most likely encounter some Snow Women here. They float through the air and fire snowflake projectiles at you. They are pretty weak though, so finish them off quickly. Search for Souls and take the Radish on the west end of the screen (lying on a ledge). Climb up the cliffside and take the northwest exit outta here. -~ AREA 4 ~- Fight some more enemies, then go west. Pick up the Iyo Stone before you leave. -~ AREA 5 ~- There's a shrine here, so save your game and exit to the left. -~ AREA 6 ~- More Snow Women here, joy. Finish them off, then climb along the mountainside. Take the Suiko Scale at the very top of the screen, then go left. -~ AREA 7 ~- A monkey here will take you to a hot spring if you wish. Accept or deny, but either way continue to the left to the exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- Pass by the Enemy Lair. -~ AREA 9 ~- Deal with the Snow Women, then explore. There is a Tiger Pellet on a platform on the east end of the screen and a few Souls to pick up. The exit is on the west end of the area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Dang, there's a lot of items here in Hida! Examine the shiny object directly below you for an Iyo Stone, then head west. -~ AREA 11 ~- Green Barrier here, no dice. Return to Area 5. -~ AREA 5 ~- Head to Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Kill the Snow Women here, and instead of going left like last time, go right to a new area. -~ AREA 12 ~- There will probably be another enemy attack here, most likely Ninjas. Kill them, then go right. -~ AREA 13 ~- Finally, a barrier we can break. Destroy the Yellow Barrier and move onward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hida: Byroad of Mt. Norikura, Takayama ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[B] | .-[ ]-[ ] | .-[ ]-[ ] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- It's another straightforward area, though you're essentially climbing up a mountain here. Go right. -~ AREA 2 ~- A nice enemy variety would have been nice. Slay the Snow Women and move on. -~ AREA 3 ~- There is a Tiger Pellet right next to the exit, on the right side of the screen. Otherwise, pass through the empty area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Defeat the Snow Women and grab the Souls. At the top of the area is a Tengu Belt, ripe for the picking. Take it and leave. -~ AREA 5 ~- Here in the cave, you will either fight Small Onis or Gakis. Gakis kinda look like weird zombie monster versions of Starvin' Marvin, but they are actually pretty feisty for their size. They're quick and have sharp claws. Deal with whichever enemy type that appears, then exit the cave. -~ AREA 6 ~- Snow Women will float towards you at the bottom of the mountainside. Deal with them, then collect the Souls down here. Make your way to the top and leave. -~ AREA 7 ~- There is Toad Oil directly below your starting point. Move east through the snow and to the exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- Another upwards battle here - literally. After exterminating the Snow Women, climb up the rock ledges. Pick up the Tiger Pellet underneath the tree at the top, then walk east to the next area. -~ AREA 9 ~- The last line of defense will attack you. Dispose of them before going east. -~ AREA 10 ~- Save at the checkpoint here, then do the essentials when preparing for a boss battle. Heal up, cook, rearrange your Item Shortcut, forge new Demon Blades. Step into the glowing gate to proceed to the boss area. Talk to everyone onscreen, including the fox, then proceed by pressing A. You'll anger a very large mountain god as the battle begins. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Ippondatara ----------------- Recommended Level: 18 Drop: Ichimonji Norimune Again, the lack of health bars does not make this boss easy whatsoever. As if you couldn't tell from the scene before the fight, this guy is friggin' HUGE. For the first stage of the fight, you're only fighting Ippondatara's foot. His foot can only attack you two ways: he'll either stomp and crush you like a grape, or he'll kick you like an NFL punter. The foot itself takes up nearly half the screen, so it can be pretty hard to dodge it when it attacks. When the foot rises in the air and stops, jump or roll out of the way. If you get stepped on, your sword will break immediately. No question about it. If you can, try to stay airborne just as Ippondatara stomps on the ground. If you stay grounded, the resulting shockwave will stun you momentarily. Use jumping slashes to combat with the foot. If he tries a straight kick, stay low to the ground as his foot will pass overhead. Remember that you can use Iyo Stones to not only repair a broken sword, but completely refill its Soul Power. Once you deplete one health bar, jump on Ippondatara's foot for a one- way ticket to the boss's head. You'll be able to walk across a cloud as you deal with Ippondatara head on. This stage of the fight is much harder than just combating against his smelly foot. Not only do you have to watch out for his colossal fist coming your way, but Ippondatara will also fire energy projectiles from his eyes. You can repel the doughnut-shaped ones, but the full spheres explode on contact and will end up damaging your sword. The boss's fist moves much faster than its foot, making it a deadly force to deal with. Like the foot stomp, avoid when Ippondatara raises his hand high in the air, palm open. Ippondatara also has a sweeping motion where he will first sweep across on the top of the screen, then follow up on the bottom of the screen. Stay low as it passes overhead, then get ready to jump. His final attack: Ippondara will back his hand up and wind up a vicious punch. As it flies towards the screen, roll or jump out of the way. It's his most powerful attack and has the capability of knocking you off the cloud and to the ground - where you'll have to resume fighting his foot. Other attacks have a chance of knocking you all the way to the ground as well. If this happens, you will be back at the first stage of the battle. Not many Secret Arts are helpful in this fight because your targets usally stay airborne. The three blades I used were: Kuchinawa Muramasa, Yamabuki Muramasa, and Kagetsu Muramasa. I mostly avoided using Secret Arts because all they did was drastically drain Soul Power, but Kuchinawa Muramasa's Flash II is probably the only one that did anything in this battle. I'd suggest not using any at all and continue with jumping slashes. It is very hard to dodge this guy's giant attacks, so you will probably be either healing yourself or repairing your swords. Use Iyo Stones and Omura Stones to fix your blades and Rice Balls or Sweet Potatoes to keep your Life Flame in check. After facing off against the boss's face and fist for a while, he will turn into a giant boar and drop straight to the ground. That is, only if you prevent Ippondatara from knocking you to the ground himself. This is a pretty good time to quickly heal if needed since he will not attack when in his true form. The thing is defenseless, so go crazy and begin unleashing all your Secret Arts on him (or just simply hack him apart). After a while, Ippondatara will get pissed and resume his previous form and you will be dropped off back at his feet again. The battle has three stages, and the pattern is as follows: Foot Stage -> Face Stage -> Boar Stage If you get knocked off the cloud during the Face Stage, you will be back at the Foot Stage and you'll have to start back over again. I am not positive if you have to end the battle with Ippondatara during the Boar Stage or if you can win by depleting all his health bars during one of the other two stages. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Now you can break Green Barriers with the Ichimonji Norimune. At the secret hot spring, talk to the boar to learn the mountain's secrets. Speak with everyone else, then proceed. ============================================================================== ACT 5 [0305] ============================================================================== If you have a Bronze Mirror, use it now. You will warp back to Area 5 in Hida, where the shrine is. Save your game, then head to Area 11. -~ AREA 11 ~- Shatter the Green Barrier and continue to Mino. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mino ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-' [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Ooh, a bamboo forest. Pretty cool! Walk to the left to continue. -~ AREA 2 ~- You'll probably begin fighting battles here in this area. If not, simply walk through to the next screen. -~ AREA 3 ~- At the base of the rock you're standing on is a shiny orb. Examine it for a Dragon Pellet, then continue through. -~ AREA 4 ~- Pick up a Yam from off the ground and head west. -~ AREA 5 ~- For now, take the western trail. -~ AREA 6 ~- Again, ignore any other path and stick to the western trail. -~ AREA 7 ~- Continue west through the empty area to exit the forest. -~ AREA 8 ~- Head to the left through the field. -~ AREA 9 ~- Enter the house and open the chest for a Rice Bag. Exit and proceed west like always. -~ AREA 10 ~- The Light Blue Barrier forces you to turn back around. Return to Area 5. -~ AREA 5 ~- This time, take the east path. -~ AREA 11 ~- We go from a bamboo forest to a regular forest. Explore the trees for Souls; one of the trees holds an Oni Necklace. Walk east. -~ AREA 12 ~- Another shrine. You know what to do here of course. Move east. -~ AREA 13 ~- You will find a peddler and a Soba Shop in this area. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Soba Shop Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Cabbage 7 Mon Steamed White Rice 8 Mon Radish 7 Mon Zaru Soba 16 Mon Tofu 10 Mon Tsukimi Udon 24 Mon Rice Bag 20 Mon Tempura Soba 32 Mon Sake Libation 25 Mon -------------------------------------- Bronze Mirror 30 Mon Map of Mikawa 30 Mon Well, you know how restaurants work. Map of Mino 30 Mon If you want some cheap food and a Map of Omi 30 Mon good source of Spirit, then pick up Map of Owari 30 Mon some food. Plus, the food animations Doburoku 35 Mon in this game are so cool. :) Tiger Pellet 38 Mon Fire Charm 50 Mon As for the peddler, we've got a whole Dragon Pellet 52 Mon new stash of items, from upgraded Char 70 Mon recovery items to new equipment. Get Smoke Bomb 80 Mon the cookbooks and some goodies. Culinary Tips Vol. 2 150 Mon Doburokus are nice healing items as Grilled Cooking Vol. 2 150 Mon well as Sake Libations. There are Utsusemi Belt 185 Mon some new pellets that recover even Crystal Magatama 230 Mon more HP and still don't leave you Igarashi Stone 250 Mon full, but I always found pellets to -------------------------------------- be kinda useless in this game. The Crystal Magatama is an interesting piece of equipment: it absorbs 5% more Souls. It's nifty if you're always short on Souls when forging, but it's got a steep asking price. Do what you want, but your current equipment is certainly good enough if you ask me. When done shopping, go inside the house next to the peddler and take the three Radishes from inside the chest. Exit the home, then continue east past the Soba Shop to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Climb up the first available tree to find a Fire Charm, then glide to the right to find a line of Souls trailing downward. Snag 'em, then fall to the forest floor and exit right. -~ AREA 15 ~- If you need to heal, talk to the monkey here. Otherwise, go east past the fork in the road. -~ AREA 16 ~- There's an Enemy Lair that you can actually access here. For more info, check the desired section. Go east. -~ AREA 17 ~- You can go back to Shinano if you'd like, but there really isn't any need to. Instead, return to Area 15. -~ AREA 15 ~- Go south down the path next to the cute monkey. -~ AREA 18 ~- Go right to the next screen. -~ AREA 19 ~- Drop down from the rock, pick up the Igarashi Stone, then return to the last area. -~ AREA 18 ~- This time, head left down the trail. -~ AREA 20 ~- Fight a fight here, then proceed west. -~ AREA 21 ~- Enter the abandoned home to find a few Souls and two Doburokus. Leave the creepy house and continue to the left. -~ AREA 22 ~- Destroy the Green Barrier and move onward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mino: Front of Ote Gate, Narukami Castle ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- The map looks kinda weird because the main attraction of the castle is an enormously tall room that leads to the top floor. It's a pretty cool place actually. From the entrance, jump over the wall and go left. -~ AREA 2 ~- Narukami Castle is home to new enemies, one of which being Ochimushas. These giant, undead suits of armor that are very powerful, but also very slow. Take into account their disadvantages in battle and unleash a flurry of sword slices to prevent them from attacking. I love this feeling of infiltrating a heavily-guarded castle. Seems really cool. Proceed along the castle wall to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- You will find yourself in front of an army of Gun Soldiers. These guys lie in wait and fire on sight. Your sword is no match for the powerful bullets and will likely shatter on impact. Your best bet is to physically dodge the gunshots and destroy the nearest enemy. It's pretty simple, considering how they do not move. Make your way to the left, slaying Gun Soldiers one by one. Use Iyo Stones if necessary, because you may suffer a broken sword or two here. Once the coast is clear, move west and slide down the ladder. -~ AREA 4 ~- You will fight some Ninjas and a Jonin or two here. Defeat them, then move to the left. -~ AREA 5 ~- More Ninjas and Jonins in this area as well. Some of them may wield some unique weapons, like a flail and/or giant shurikens. Take them out before slipping through the window on the west end of the screen. -~ AREA 6 ~- Make sure to pick up the Dragon Pellet behind the rope ladder before moving down the hallway. -~ AREA 7 ~- Defeat the enemies that appear before moving on. -~ AREA 8 ~- You will end up in a giant stairwell. Follow the walkway through the door. -~ AREA 9 ~- Go down the hall to the exit. -~ AREA 10 ~- Climb up the first set of stairs, then enter the side room to find a chest containing Culinary Tips Vol. 3. Exit and continue up the steps to the next room. -~ AREA 11 ~- Continue east through the hopefully enemy free room. -~ AREA 12 ~- Ascend the staircase to the next area. -~ AREA 13 ~- Walk east through the room. -~ AREA 14 ~- Pass through the room to the right. -~ AREA 15 ~- Go up the stairs. This side room contains an angry Samurai and no treasure. Head up a second staircase to another side room. This one holds an Igarashi Stone. Continue up the stairs and to the next area (the final side room holds two Samurais). -~ AREA 16 ~- Pass through the hallway to the next screen. -~ AREA 17 ~- A bridge will drop down to your level, providing a solution to the gaping hole in front of you. If for some reason you fall down, you'll end up in Area 13 again. Cross the bridge and through the door. -~ AREA 18 ~- Head west to the next area. -~ AREA 19 ~- Dang, nothin' here except maybe an enemy encounter. Proceed onward. -~ AREA 20 ~- There's a boss ahead, so make the necessary preparations. You should know what those are by now. Step into the gate when ready. Like always, talk to all characters to move on with the boss battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Chimera --------------------- Recommended Level: 23 Drop: Shishiou Seems like bosses nowadays have four health bars. Does not make them any easier, though. The Chimera floats around the castle rooftop and baits you like a hyena. Heck, I'm sure he's part hyena somewhere. The boss has a handful of attacks, all significantly different than the other. Its most common and least dangerous: he'll swipe at you with his big cat paws. This isn't the worst thing in the world, but it can still hurt quite a bit. A deadly attack: the Chimera will turn into a tornado and suck you in like a vacuum. If you get caught inside him, you'll get spun around and torn apart. This attack usually deals a crapload of damage and once you're stuck, you cannot escape. Once you see the tornado appear, back away from the boss. The Chimera also uses his snake tail to shoot out small blue fireballs. As they circle the arena, hit them to knock them right back at the boss to deal a fair amount of damage. At times, the Chimera will curl into a ball and spin around at insane speeds, creating nothing but a blur of colors on the screen. Three attacks will follow: The boss will begin bouncing up and down on the ground as it slowly moves left or right. This is really easy to avoid, since he bounces high in the air, giving you enough time to nonchalontly walk right underneath the boss. No biggie; just refrain from attacking because if you make contact you'll damage your swords. If the Chimera starts spinning and stays in one spot, then get ready to roll. He'll spin for a second or two, then slam right into the ground like a meteor. If you get hit, you'll take a crapload of damage/automatically break your sword. However, if you manage to successfully dodge the attack, the Chimera will collide head-first with the roof, stunning the beast. Use this opportunity to unleash any Secret Arts or use the breather to heal if needed. The third attack is similar to the above one: the Chimera will stand still and spin in midair, but it'll fling blue fireballs at you at an astounding rate. If you keep up with the pace, you can deflect every single one right back at him. If not, then you are in a world of hurt. Once the Chimera is down to his last health bar, he'll be engulfed in flames and move much faster in addition to packing a bigger punch. This is really the only frustrating part of the battle, because he is quite quick and his claw swipes start to become annoying. Just remember to heal and use the food that you cooked if needed. I dunno, I personally found the Chimera boss to be rather easy aside from his last health bar. All of his attacks were really easy to dodge except for his meteor and tornado attacks, and luckily he didn't use it all that much (he only used the tornado attack once). If you're around Level 23 with sufficient swords (I had the same ones from the last boss fight except now using the Ichimonji Norimune that was rewarded to you after said boss). Comet is also a pretty cool Secret Art that can be used to deal damage to the Chimera in his spinning ball form while keeping your distance. Otherwise, you can use aerial attacks when the Chimera is unraveled and not curled up like a crazy armadillo. Hell, he's probably part armadillo as well. Dang Chimeras and their Frankenstein-like complex. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Yep, another sword. Cool. At least this one's name is only one word! Anyways, you can now break Light Blue Barriers. Another Act down... ============================================================================== ACT 6 [0306] ============================================================================== After the boss battle, warp back to the shrine in Mino and save, then go west all the way back to Area 10. -~ AREA 10 ~- Destroy the Light Blue Barrier. We now have access to Omi. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Omi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Hmm, not much to find here. Just walk along the dead tree branches to the left to reach the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- Ooh, a treasure! You can find a Persimmon resting on top of the highest tree branch. There are some baddies here, likely Karasu-Tengus, so take 'em down before you collect the item and exit. -~ AREA 3 ~- Kill the nasty Ninjas here and proceed to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- There is an Enemy Lair here protected by a White Barrier, which we obviously cannot break right now. Ignore it and continue west. -~ AREA 5 ~- Pretty barren path. Just jump across the tree branches as the exit takes you south. -~ AREA 6 ~- The harmless Tengu perched on one of the trees here doesn't have much faith in you. Piss off, bird-man! Grab the Fire Charm on the branch to his left. If you wish, stop by at the hot springs here, but otherwise go right at the fork. -~ AREA 7 ~- There is a long drop here, so fall down to the bottom of the shaft. You may fight some enemies here as well. Pick up the Jyokenji Stone from the bottom left corner of the screen, then head to Area 8. -~ AREA 8 ~- Scenery change! Walk forward and jump up onto the raised slope. From here, double jump and you will land high up on a cliff wall. If you walk to the left along the cliffside, you'll locate a Sage Pellet. Collect the Souls in the area before continuing to the right. -~ AREA 9 ~- Peddler time! Among other things... -~ Peddler -~ -------------------------------------- There are two Palanquin Bearers to Cabbage 7 Mon the left of the peddler, but they Radish 7 Mon aren't important to you. Chat it up Tofu 10 Mon with the young monk for some light Fried Tofu 10 Mon conversation. Next to the peddler is Pheasant 15 Mon a Doburoku on the ground. Rice Bag 20 Mon Yam 40 Mon The peddler doesn't really have much; Boar 50 Mon he's more of a restaurant since all Char 70 Mon he really sells is food for cooking. Squid 100 Mon I think you're better off saving your The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 3 500 Mon Mon. Regardless, continue to the The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 4 500 Mon right once you have conducted your -------------------------------------- business to reach the next area. -~ AREA 10 ~- There is a Purple Barrier up ahead. We cannot break it; backtrack to the fork at Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Well, there clearly is an intersection here, and we clearly went to the right the first time. Clearly... go left this time! -~ AREA 11 ~- Aaaahhhhh, a lovely checkpoint. Save and talk to Kongiku before leaving. -~ AREA 12 ~- There is a Persimmon on a tree branch right below where you start out. There may be an enemy encounter here, most likely Karasu-Tengus. I hate those guys. When ready, proceed west. -~ AREA 13 ~- Defeat the enemies before moving to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Comb the area for Souls and a Sage Pellet. Drop down from the tree and follow the trail. -~ AREA 15 ~- And with that, we are outta here! The western exit takes you to Yamashiro. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamashiro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ][ ] .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | | | | '--[ ]--. | | | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- This is a mess of an area, and trying to accurately construct the map gave me headaches. It may look a bit different than the in-game map, but it is accurate. We've seen this scenery before. Walk to the left through the darkened bamboo forest to the next screen. -~ AREA 2 ~- Collect the Souls littered in the stream below you as you head to Area 3. -~ AREA 3 ~- Slay the Ninjas that you will probably encounter. Pass by the southern bridge and continue west. -~ AREA 4 ~- You may find some enemies here on the rooftops as well. Pick up the Jyokenji Stone from the roof farthest to the left, next to the exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- There are a few open windows you can crawl through. They are usually inhabited by enemies - either Samurais or The Dead, but you can find a townsperson inside one of them. He provides no helpful information. For now, take the northeast exit to Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Again, there are many windows you can go inside. Most of them contain enemies, so explore each one to gain a hefty amount of Experience. One of the rooms contains a Culinary Tips Vol. 5, so definitely make sure to pick it up. Head northeast once you are done. -~ AREA 7 ~- More rooms to search here! There are no items to be found, so you can expect an enemy in each room (usually Ninjas or Samurais). Head to the next screen. -~ AREA 8 ~- There is a White Barrier here, so return all the way back to Area 5. -~ AREA 5 ~- This time, go to the left to Area 9. -~ AREA 9 ~- Save your progress at the checkpoint before exiting to the left. -~ AREA 10 ~- This time, take the southern bridge. -~ AREA 11 ~- There's nothing here but a Soul Well. Jump inside to find a plethora of Souls. Return to the surface and back to the previous area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Now make your way to the left. -~ AREA 12 ~- Pick up the Sage Pellet off of the roof. I couldn't perfectly portray it on the map, but there are two windows here that take you to two different rooms. The rooms lead you to either a restaurant or a peddler. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Restaurant Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Pheasant 15 Mon Sushi (Tuna) 20 Mon Rice Bag 20 Mon Sushi (Mackerel) 40 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon Sushi (Yellowtail) 60 Mon Map of Iga 30 Mon Hitsumamushi 80 Mon Map of Yamashiro 30 Mon Lobster Tempura 100 Mon Doburoku 35 Mon -------------------------------------- Yam 40 Mon Fire Charm 50 Mon I love how the chef in the restaurant Herbal Remedy 50 Mon freaks out that you didn't use the Persimmon 50 Mon front entrance. Like always, grab a Dragon Pellet 52 Mon bite to eat if you are low on health. Sage Pellet 75 Mon Smoke Bomb 80 Mon The peddler has a fair share of items Squid 100 Mon even though most of them are old. You Culinary Tips Vol. 4 200 Mon would think that stocking up on Fire Grilled Cooking Vol. 3 200 Mon Charms would be a great idea since Shura Gauntlet 250 Mon we're about to go into Hell, but Ghoulish Seal 300 Mon surprisingly most of the enemies do Jyokenji Stone 400 Mon not inflict Burning Status on you. -------------------------------------- The Ghoulish Seal is an interesting accessory: your maximum Life Flame never increases, but you gain an extra 10% XP after battles. It's risky. The Shura Gauntlet is pricy, but a good accessory. When you are finished shopping/eating, take the western exit. -~ AREA 13 ~- More houses, but they are all closed up. To the left you go. -~ AREA 14 ~- Take out the Ninjas that roam around here. At the intersection, continue going to the left. -~ AREA 15 ~- The Purple Barrier leads to Yamato, but we cannot break it. Return to the previous area. -~ AREA 14 ~- This time, take the bridge south. -~ AREA 16 ~- Grab all the Souls here before moving to the left. -~ AREA 17 ~- This time, a Blue Barrier prevents you from going any further. -~ AREA 16 ~- Run to the right this time. -~ AREA 18 ~- Search all of the open rooms here; you can find a Master's Handbook inside one of them. If you are willing to sacrifice your boosted stats, equip this accessory to earn an extra 5% XP! When ready, head northeast through the exit. -~ AREA 19 ~- This area is prone to enemy encounters. When the coast is clear, move through. -~ AREA 20 ~- There is only one open window, and inside is a Sage Pellet. Grab it before you exit to the next screen. -~ AREA 21 ~- *sigh* more of the same here. Go to the right. -~ AREA 22 ~- The southern path takes us to our destination, but it's probably best that we explore the rest of Yamashiro. Head to the right if you're up for it. -~ AREA 23 ~- Taking the bridge in the center of the area brings us back to the Soul Well, so going that way isn't necessary. Proceed a little farther to find a young Tofu Seller. If you want Tofu, pick some up for 10 Mon. He's just so cute that you cannot resist buying at least one piece! Next, exit to the east. -~ AREA 24 ~- There is an Enemy Lair right in the middle of the area. If you're up for the challenge, take the detour, otherwise proceed forward. -~ AREA 25 ~- Immediately drop down into the water below to find some Char. Defeat any enemies that might appear here before going east. There's a hidden monkey right next to the eastern exit; talk to it for a trip to the hot springs. This exit brings us to the very beginning of the map, so instead backtrack to Area 22. -~ AREA 22 ~- We're done exploring, so it is down to business. Go south. -~ AREA 26 ~- There are a few Souls down by the waterside. Collect them and follow the road. -~ AREA 27 ~- The landscape is starting to look a bit more dark and dreary. Most of the ghastly and run-down houses are home to The Dead. Destroy every last enemy inside the open houses before leaving. You can also find a Shura Mask inside one of the houses, so make sure to search each one! -~ AREA 28 ~- A handful of enemies stands in your way to the map's exit. Defeat them and walk to the right. -~ AREA 29 ~- Here we are: the entrance to Hell. Shatter the Light Blue Barrier and go on through. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamashiro; Hell: Tokatsu, Eight Views of Hell ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[B] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- If you wish to escape Hell, inspect the green portal to your left. Start by walking through the dark tunnels. As the path begins to decline, double jump onto the ledge to your right to find a Sage Pellet. Drop back down to the ramp and follow it to the next screen. -~ AREA 2 ~- Yeah, this is Hell. Usually, this area here is barren, so walk through and take in the environment. -~ AREA 3 ~- You'll likely fight your first battle here. Hell is populated mainly by Onis, both Small Onis and Red/Blue Onis. In addition, you can also encounter Gozu and Mezu in this map. Those two, plus the Red and Blue Onis, are the most difficult normal enemy you will come across in the game. They are more like mini-bosses and are somewhat common here in Hell. Many of their attacks can break a blade in one shot. Keep recovery items at hand and use your Secret Arts against these foes. Plus, Quick Draws help here to initiate a juggle. Once you have survived the first onslaught, go right. -~ AREA 4 ~- Inside the caves like these, you usually only find weaker enemies like Small Onis and Gakis. Eliminate all of the monsters you find, then search the ground for a Shura Belt. Jump up the platforms to the exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- You're back in an open area, so expect to fight one of the Big Four, as described above. After the fight, head to the right (yay rhymes!) -~ AREA 6 ~- Go to the far right and take the path here. -~ AREA 7 ~- At the end of the road is a Jyokenji Stone: take it and backtrack to the last area. -~ AREA 6 ~- Take the only other exit south. -~ AREA 8 ~- Big area, so expect a big enemy here. Once victorious, run east. -~ AREA 9 ~- Dash through the cave to the other end. -~ AREA 10 ~- Destroy the baddies and run to the right. To the right... to the right... sensing a trend here? ;) -~ AREA 11 ~- There's another intersection here. Like before, first go to the right. -~ AREA 12 ~- Nab the Sage Pellet at the dead end, then return to Area 11. -~ AREA 11 ~- Take the southern path to continue your descent into Hell. -~ AREA 13 ~- Continue to the east. We're almost outta here! -~ AREA 14 ~- You will likely fight another one of the Big Four here. Take care of the monsters here and continue... you guessed it: to the right. Before you can exit, though, you will enter one more battle. This time, you are up against two of the Big Four: either Gozu and Mezu together or against a Red and Blue Oni. Use various stones to repair any broken blades and use Secret Arts. Quick Draws also help here. Heal yourself, but don't go too crazy on the items since we have a checkpoint in the next area. -~ AREA 15 ~- Save at the checkpoint and do any last minute cooking or forging. My strongest Demon Blade was Seika Muramasa, so if you do not have that blade yet, you may want to level up some more. Step through the portal and speak with the monsters to initiate the boss battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Big Oni --------------------- Recommended Level: 29 Drop: Onikiri Start the battle off by equipping some necessary accessories: the Suiko Scale is a great choice, but anything that prevents Poison is key here. The Big Oni technically has five health bars, but you deplete the first one while you are inside his tummy. Avoid the stomach acid that drips from the lining of the boss's stomach and slash away until he spits you out. The Big Oni is a very tough boss for the remaining fight. Needless to say, he's a giant, and most of his attacks cover a very wide range. Aside from worrying about the boss's attacks, you also have an endless wave of Small Onis that scurry around the battlefield. They usually don't get in your way that much, but they do offer a nice supply of Soul Power. Most of the boss's attacks are fairly similar, and they all pretty much involve him pummeling you with his giant fists. If you see the Big Oni lean to one side, he will begin furiously punching in that direction. Either climb over him or roll underneath his big tummy. His most common attack is when he becomes engulfed in flames and terrorizes the arena. The game orders you to hide behind one of the many rocks lining the floor. Do so quickly (pick one that's farthest away from the boss on either side of him), because the Big Oni will begin plowing the ground with his massive fists. If you are hit, you'll be grabbed and brought along for the ride. A truly devastating attack. The Big Oni destroys everything in his path; all rocks, and even Small Onis who also take shelter, will be destroyed. This attack can be useful since it clears out the Small Onis, but it also eliminates your cover. They don't stay gone for long, since creepy ghost children will appear and build you new rocks. Yes, I am serious. Sometimes, although pretty rarely, the Big Oni disappears and reappears in the background. He reaches over towards the screen with an enlarged fist and pulverizes one half of the arena. Make sure you aren't on that half (avoiding the giant orange blob usually works). At some point during the fight, the Big Oni will attempt to eat you again. He stands facing the screen and kinda just stands there and does nothing while profusely drooling all over the place. It's a perfect opportunity to go all out and attack while he does absolutely nothing. If he does suddenly grab and eat you, do not worry. You end up in his stomach again; escape by depleting one of his health bars. In fact, eating Momihime may even be detrimental to the boss since you can drain a full health bar without any of the hazards of the fight! The Big Oni takes a nice pause in between each attack, allowing you to dish out some attacks of your own. The boss is such a big monster, that his big pot belly and his wide shoulders act as platforms. It's easiest to rest on his belly and attack his face using various sword strikes. If you stay on his shoulders, you can only use crouching attacks. Plus, the Big Oni's final attack is used as a defensive precaution if you are ever on his shoulders: he flexes his arms and spikes protrude out from his shoulders and back like a porcupine. It is unfortunate that you can really only target the boss's head and shoulders. It would be so much easier if you can stay on the ground and whittle away at his shins, but that is not the case. Stay on his stomach and slash away, then jump off and hide behind the rocks when the the warning appears on the bottom of the screen. I found this battle to be very hard, since the Big Oni's attacks can be hard to avoid and deal whopping amounts of health. Also, many of them will destroy your blades, so make sure you have stocked up on food and stone-type items that restore your Soul Power and fix your blades. Spam Secret Arts and Quick Draws - I thought that Seika Muramasa's Secret Art (Shaded Wasp) was especially deadly when standing on the Big Oni's stomach. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Momohime receives the Onikiri Demon Blade at the conclusion of the boss fight. You can now destroy Blue Barriers. Talk to the dead people, then finally Kongiku, to escape Hell. ============================================================================== ACT 7 [0307] ============================================================================== You will be back in Yamashiro. There was a checkpoint back at Area 9 if you want to save again. Your destination is Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- Your new Demon Blade can break the Blue Barrier, giving you access to Iga. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Strange camera angle. Anyways, move to the left. -~ AREA 2 ~- Jump onto the tree branch to find a Mandarin, then continue up onto the rock wall to reach the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are a lot of Souls lingering in the canopy here, so spend some time gliding around to collect them all. Additionally, you can find a Kumori Stone down on the forest floor, on the far right side. When you are done, leave to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- There's another item in this area. A Trillium Tablet is found in the tree closest to your starting position. Slay any enemies present, then go west. -~ AREA 5 ~- You'll find another Enemy Lair. This one you cannot gain access to, so even if you wanted to make a short detour you won't be able to. Move to the left. -~ AREA 6 ~- This is wide open area, so you can expect a battle to take place. There are also a lot of Souls here, so explore the trees. In fact, you can find a Fire Charm on one of the tree branches near the middle of the area. Lastly, there's a monkey on the far left if you are interested in a trip to the hot springs. Otherwise, climb the western trees and exit. -~ AREA 7 ~- The southeast exit takes us to our destination, but as you already know, I'm going to explore the rest of the map. I suggest you do the same. Proceed to the west to find a Herbal Remedy right next to the western exit. Climb the trees for some Souls, then head to the west. -~ AREA 8 ~- Checkpoint time! Save and move through. -~ AREA 9 ~- As you've come to expect, there are plenty of Souls in the treetops. Scale the rock wall above the western exit for a Kumori Stone, then drop down and continue forward. -~ AREA 10 ~- You can expect to find a few Jonin inside the large cave. Kill them all, then climb up to the top and take the Trillium Tablet from the northeast corner. For now, go northwest. -~ AREA 11 ~- Simply run to the left. You may fight some Ogamas here. -~ AREA 12 ~- There is a Purple Barrier here, so return to Area 10. -~ AREA 10 ~- This time, make your descent to the bottom of the cave and proceed east. -~ AREA 13 ~- Proceed through the cave as you reach the exit on the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- You exit out into another forest. Climb up the tree next to you to find a Bronze Mirror on the top of the cliff next to you. This'll come in handy in a couple minutes from now. Walk to the right. -~ AREA 15 ~- There is an all-powerful White Barrier here. We have to head back to Area 7; if you want to use the Bronze Mirror to teleport to the checkpoint at Area 8, now would be a great time to do so. If you're brave enough for the trek back, be my guest. -~ AREA 7 ~- This time, head southeast to continue your journey. -~ AREA 16 ~- Another cave. Take down the Small Onis and move on. -~ AREA 17 ~- Ooh, a rare, double-decker area! There's a Smoke Bomb resting on top of the wall right above you. It doesn't matter which exit you take: both the northeast and southeast path takes you to the same area. -~ AREA 18 ~- Take down the monsters in this area, then run to the right. Climb up the tree on the far right to obtain a Mandarin, then drop back down and head east. -~ AREA 19 ~- Going through this final area leads us to Ise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ise ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [S]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-' | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Walk through the wonky forest. -~ AREA 2 ~- Yep, still forests. Not much variety here in the past two maps. Collect the smorgasbord of Souls and the Fire Charm before leaving. -~ AREA 3 ~- Run through the bamboo forest and to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- We arrive in the center of the area. Proceed west. -~ AREA 5 ~- Destroy the enemies and pick up the Yam as you continue west. -~ AREA 6 ~- If you continue left, you will go to Omi (there's still a Purple Barrier in the way, so doing so would be pointless). Backtrack to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- Right is the way to go! -~ AREA 7 ~- Finally, a change of pace! Stroll through the meadow to the next screen. -~ AREA 8 ~- At the checkpoint shrine, save and chat it up with the fox lady. Leave. -~ AREA 9 ~- Area 9 is home to a peddler and a teahouse. Get your Mon ready! -~ Peddler -~ -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Cabbage 7 Mon Sushi (Tuna) 10 Mon Radish 7 Mon Sushi (Mackerel) 20 Mon Tofu 10 Mon Sushi (Yellowtail) 30 Mon Fried Tofu 10 Mon -------------------------------------- Pheasant 15 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon Just a regular pit stop that you've Map of Ise 30 Mon likely grown accustomed to. The Fire Charm 50 Mon teahouse is a great stop since it's Persimmon 50 Mon all very inexpensive yet the food Mandarin 65 Mon yields great rewards. Sage Pellet 75 Mon Smoke Bomb 80 Mon Check out the peddler. He has a few Trillium Tablet 98 Mon new items: Mandarins are the next Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 2 270 Mon step up for recovery items, so you Yata Belt 335 Mon might want a few of those. The books Swordmaster's Sheath 400 Mon and accessories may be too expensive Kumori Stone 500 Mon for the time being, though. Proceed -------------------------------------- to the right when you are done. -~ AREA 10 ~- Kill the Ninjas and run towards the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 11 ~- Inspect the shiny object on the far right end for a Kumori Stone, then jump up onto the rock to reach the next area. -~ AREA 12 ~- This area takes you to a new map, but you'll end up at a dead end there. Return to the previous screen. -~ AREA 11 ~- This time, take the exit in the center of the area. -~ AREA 13 ~- Make sure to collect the Souls floating above the orange structures. You can also visit the hot springs here. If you aren't interested, just continue to the left. -~ AREA 14 ~- Another intersection here. Take out the baddies and run to the west end of the screen. Pick up the Trillium Tablet and go west. -~ AREA 15 ~- Another enemy encounter here (most likely Ninjas). When you are done, go west. -~ AREA 16 ~- Run past the inaccessible Enemy Lair to the next area. -~ AREA 17 ~- A beach! First, run past all of the people until you reach a rock wall. There is a shiny object on the ground, but it can be hard to see due to the white sand. Pick it up for a Squid. The Fisherman here can take you for a ride, but you really don't want to have to backtrack all the way to an earlier map. I'd just ignore him and head back to Area 14. -~ AREA 14 ~- Once back here, go south. -~ AREA 18 ~- Jump on top of the orange structure to find a Dragon Necklace and some more Souls. This is a great accessory that prevents all status effects. Leave to the east. -~ AREA 19 ~- Fight the enemies and go east. -~ AREA 20 ~- Finally, the exit! Break the Blue Barrier and leave the map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ise: Jingu Forest, Mt. Kamiji ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[B] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-. | .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Nothing here, so run to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- You'll start off by fighting enemies that you were seeing in the previous map (Ninjas and Karakasas). Defeat them before moving on. -~ AREA 3 ~- At the crossroads, you should go east first. But before you leave, make sure to find the Kumori Stone. -~ AREA 4 ~- Dead end. Go inside the abandoned shack and pick up the useful Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 3, then double back. -~ AREA 3 ~- There's only one way to go now: north. -~ AREA 5 ~- Guess what? Go east. -~ AREA 6 ~- The enemies start to get tougher here: you may start to encounter more Jonin than Ninjas. They are obviously tougher than the latter, so you can expect a short spike in difficulty on this map. After the fight, continue to the right. -~ AREA 7 ~- Things totally change in this area. The scenery is completely different as the screen is clouded by bright yellow fog. It can be hard to see in some parts of the area, but luckily it's empty and we can just run right through. -~ AREA 8 ~- Aside from enemies like Jonin, also expect to see some of the mini-boss enemies like the Red and Blue Onis in this map. You will likely encounter one here alongside some Small Onis. Take care of business and dash to the next area. -~ AREA 9 ~- This area is a pain in the ass because you have to climb a series of green platforms while battling Dokugas. These butterflies can be dispatched in one hit, but you are at risk of being poisoned if you kill them while they glow purple. Equip an accessory that prevents Poison and climb up the platforms while slaying each one. The yellow clouds make it hard to see the platforms, but try finding the closest one for a slow ascent. There is also a Trillium Tablet up at the very top of the area, in the northwest corner. -~ AREA 10 ~- Simply run to the right to Area 11. -~ AREA 11 ~- Another enemy encounter here (most likely Wolly Eyeballs). Leave to the east afterwards. -~ AREA 12 ~- Make sure to defeat every last Dokuga here. Before you climb up the platforms to the top of the area, head east instead. -~ AREA 13 ~- You may come across some Karasu-Tengus here that are different than the ones seen earlier in the game. Just like how Ninjas come in different colors, Karasu-Tengus also come in various colors. These ones fight just like normal, but are a bit more durable. Defeat them, collect the Trillium Tablet on the right-hand corner, then go back one screen. -~ AREA 12 ~- Defeat the Dokuga again and climb up the clouds to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Proceed to the left towards the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 15 ~- One last intersection. You can expect more Dokugu here as well. Once you are victorious, take the western trail. -~ AREA 16 ~- At the dead end, inspect the shiny object for a Yata Gauntlet and backtrack to Area 15. -~ AREA 15 ~- Destroy the Dokugus and take the northeast path this time. -~ AREA 17 ~- Defeat the Red or Blue Oni that appears here, then move forward. -~ AREA 18 ~- We're almost done with this map. Plus, this should be an empty area, so just walk to the right. -~ AREA 19 ~- Save your game at the checkpoint. Make any last-minute preparations: forge some new Demon Blades, cook up some fancy meals, rearrange your Item Shortcut. Once you step into that glowing gate, it's game time. Talk to Momohime's Soul, then both Fujin and Raijin. Lets go! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Raijin ---------------------- Recommended Level: 36 Drop: Mutsonokami Yoshiyuki Raijin is a very interesting boss. The arena isn't as big as many would like it to be, with only six small cloud platforms (three on each side). Raijin is a pretty small boss compared to previous ones (especially the Big Oni) and quite fast, making her difficult to hit. Additionally, she protects herself using strange blue orbs that circle around her. These small orbs that surround Raijin can be destroyed. However, focusing on each one is futile since she spends much of the battle creating new ones. The orbs aren't that powerful, so you shouldn't have trouble breaking one. Quick Draws usually help a lot. I have noticed that occasionally the orbs stop glowing and turn brown. I am not exactly sure why: maybe they are weakened when brown and therefore easier to destroy? Hmmm... The point of focusing on the orbs is to create a small chink in her armor so you can directly attack her with physical attacks. Otherwise, you may have to use Quick Draws and Secret Arts to easily damage her. However, usually focusing directly on Raijin results in you damaging both her and the orbs, so if I were you my primary focus would be the boss herself. This boss has a plethora of moves, and most involve her orbs, making it hard to initially determine which one she is using. While not an offensive attack, Raijin will make more orbs. She usually bends over and fiddles with her hands as a new ring of orbs appear. The attack doesn't hurt, but the orbs themselves do will spark and can damage you if you run into them. Sometimes, these orbs will radiate far out and begin releasing large, blue orbs. These ball lightning will home in on your location, but can be destroyed in one hit. I found it easiest to stay in a corner and let them all come to you; destroy a bunch, then run along the ground and wait for more to come. They are easy to dispatch and they shouldn't overwhelm you. Raijin sometimes floats in the center of the ring, arms outstretched. She will rotate her arms as tiny lightning bolts shoot out of her fingers like lasers. This creates a pair of spinning laser beams that rotates in a circle. Whether they travel clockwise or counter-clockwise, use the clouds and stay in the same direction. This sounds like a prime opportunity to attack Raijin, since she is a sitting duck. You may want to use a Secret Art while standing on one of the clouds directly next to her, but don't go too crazy. I wouldn't use this time to attack the boss, because if you are hit by the lightning bolt you will not be able to escape the attack and may lose a ton of health. If the background turns black, take your position either on one of the high clouds or in either corner of the room. A few of Raijin's orbs will float just below the center of the arena and shoot lightning bolts down to the ground. You should be safe if you are on the far left or far right side of the area, but staying on the clouds above the orbs is even better. We're still not done with attacks! Raijin has another one where her entire body glows bright blue and bounces around the arena like a pinball. Physical attacks cannot hurt her in this phase - only a few select Secret Arts - so spend this time dodging the boss until she returns to normal. Arguably her most annoying attack, Raijin will teleport around the room. After she disappears, she'll reapper somewhere else and immediately punch to her left or right. This thunder punch is extremely devastating and can take out almost all of your Life Flame in one shot. It can be hard to avoid, but all you can really do is stay outta dodge the second you see the boss appear. The best course of action is to study Raijin's attacks and understand when to attack yourself. She often floats near the center of the area, so standing on the two middle clouds gives you your best shot for hitting her with Secret Arts. There are a few attacks that end with Raijin landing on the ground, so if you ever see her drop to the ground unprotected, take advantage. Also, you may be lucky if you see Raijin fall flat on her butt. This doesn't often happen, but from my experience it can occur if you destroy all of her orbs or if you simply beat the snot out of her long enough. She'll fall on her butt and pout for a good minute or so, giving you enough time to fully deplete one health bar! When Raijin only has one or two health bars left, she starts to use a new attack (arguably her most powerful). The screen blackens and she flies to the very top of the screen. She starts on one side of the screen and moves from one side to the other while firing a massive lightning bolt down to the ground. Immediately run with her and hug the side of the screen because the attack stops just short of you. There is no way to run underneath or jump over this attack, so you simply have to stay in front of the lightning bolt. Getting hit by it is nearly a one-hit KO! Quick Draws are always helpful, but the two main Secret Arts I used were Moon Ring II (Onikiri) and Shaded Wasp (Seika Muramasa). These can only be used when you are standing, so stand at the very edge of one of the middle clouds and unleash it on the boss. Keep Iyo Stones and various food at hand, because her attacks pack a punch and many can break blades with little to no effort. Shuffle between your three Demon Blades and put their Secret Arts to use. It is one of those battles that may take a while, simply because it is much easier if you stand back and wait for an opening to attack rather than jumping inside Raijin's orb shield, ready to slice away (and subsequently get severely injured). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- With Raijin down for the count, you receive the Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki (what a mouthful!). This blade allows you to shatter Purple Barriers. Talk to everyone to wrap up the act. ============================================================================== FINAL ACT [0308] ============================================================================== You start off in a new map, but smack-dab in the center. Weird. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mikawa ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- You start off in a checkpoint in the center of Mikawa. You can either go left or right. Save your game first, then head to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- There are some random villagers here that you can talk to, including an old teahouse lady. -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- You probably have a lot of Mon after Three Dumplings 10 Mon that last boss fight. You should be Kusamochi 20 Mon all healed up, so the only reason why Mizu-yokan 30 Mon you would want to buy anything would -------------------------------------- be to gain some Spirit. It's cheap, so the choice is yours. Talk to the rest of the townsfolk, then proceed to the right to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Monster time! Defeat the monsters sna run to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- The clearing is devoid of enemies and items, so it's an easy trip. -~ AREA 5 ~- Go inside the shack for a Sage Pellet. Don't bother going any further, because it leads off the map. Head back to Area 1 now. -~ AREA 1 ~- Save once more, then continue west. -~ AREA 6 ~- Run past the fisherman and the samurai dude to the next screen. -~ AREA 7 ~- Go west to the next area. -~ AREA 8 ~- You can enter the Enemy Lair here if you wish. Otherwise, follow the trail to the left. -~ AREA 9 ~- Another battle. I found a lot of pheasants in this map; they seemed rather common. Not sure if anyone else had the same luck. Go west when finished. -~ AREA 10 ~- Search the trees for some Souls and a Bronze Mirror. You can also find a monkey that is willing to bring you to the hot springs. The area exit is to the left. -~ AREA 11 ~- Grab a few more Souls and the Persimmon from one of the trees, then proceed to the west to reach Owari. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Owari ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-. | | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- From the start of the map, hop around in the nearby trees a bit for some Souls. The leftmost tree contains a Fire Charm. Take it, then drop to the forest floor and leave. -~ AREA 2 ~- Eliminate the Monks that roam the forest. If you climb the western tree up to the cliff wall, you can spot a Smoke Bomb. Enter the cave below. -~ AREA 3 ~- You will find a trio of bomb-throwing Ninjas inside the cave. After you kill them all, take the northwest exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- There are a few things of note here: a hot springs monkey, an Enemy Lair, a Persimmon in the tree nearest the entrance, and a whole lotta Souls. Once you've cleaned the area out, return to the last area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Dispose of the bomb Ninjas again, then go southwest. -~ AREA 5 ~- Proceed through the cave to the exit. -~ AREA 6 ~- Deal with the Ninjas and the Kite Ninjas as you enter the area. Examine the shiny object on the floor for an Herbal Remedy. Ignore the western exit and go northeast instead. -~ AREA 7 ~- Another potential battle here. Fight the enemies, then run to the right. Climb up the tree to reach a small alcove containing a Jyokenji Stone. Drop down afterwards, then exit to the right. -~ AREA 8 ~- Fight the enemies inside the cave before you head out the other end. -~ AREA 9 ~- Dash through the stream to the next area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Going to the right takes you to Mino. No sense going there, so now make your way back to Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Once you are back at Area 6, follow the forest floor west. -~ AREA 11 ~- Rest at the checkpoint; save your game and prepare for the journey forward. -~ AREA 12 ~- There are some Palanquin Bearers here, but who cares about them? Just continue west. -~ AREA 13 ~- Boy, this is repetitive. Go... to the left! At least you can find a Bronze Mirror here in this area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Locate the Sage Pellet before breaking the Purple Barrier to Ise. We are in Ise right now. We have to go through all of Ise to reach Iga, then go all the way through Iga to reach the Purple Barrier there. Bronze Mirrors won't work here, since they only transport you to the last shrine visited. You'll have to hoof it. In the end, you need to be at Area 12 in Iga. I'm not going to provide you with maps, since I covered them not too long ago. You should know where to go (just use the in-game maps). -~ AREA 12 ~- Shatter the Purple Barrier and continue to Yamato. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamato ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | '-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- A nice, foggy field overlooking a mountain chain. I can get used to this. Follow the trail west. -~ AREA 2 ~- There's nothin' important in the trees, so run along the dirt road to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- This is one of those tall, double-decker areas. Both exits on the left take you to the same place. You may encounter a few of The Dead here. Defeat as many that stand in your way. For now, head to the right (pick up the Kumori Stone from the central platform). -~ AREA 4 ~- There are a few Jonin here. They can be especially annoying when teleporting around the big area. Defeat them all, then double jump onto the high platform to find a Demon God Mask. Return to the previous area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Defeat The Dead again, then exit to the left. -~ AREA 5 ~- Yep, more Jonin here. Oh joy. Once you kill every last one, search the cliff wall nearest where you entered to spot a Spirit Tablet. Leave to the west. -~ AREA 6 ~- Execute any enemy present, then proceed to the left. -~ AREA 7 ~- You're presented with another fork in the road. For now, take the northern exit (the one in the middle of the area). -~ AREA 8 ~- Take out all the Jonin here, then search the southeast corner of the map for a bunch of Souls and a Smoke Bomb. Climb the ledges before exiting to the right. -~ AREA 9 ~- Hm, I seem to be getting into a battle at almost every area here. Strange. Nevertheless, continue east. -~ AREA 10 ~- Continue east to the next area. -~ AREA 11 ~- If you exit to the right, you'll head to Yamashiro, so return to the fork at Area 7. -~ AREA 7 ~- At the fork, go left this time. -~ AREA 12 ~- There's a checkpoint here, so save before exiting. -~ AREA 13 ~- First a checkpoint, and now a peddler/teahouse combo! -~ Peddler -~ -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Radish 7 Mon Mizu-Manjyu 10 Mon Tofu 10 Mon Daifukumochi 20 Mon Pheasant 15 Mon Warabimochi 30 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon -------------------------------------- Map of Yamato 30 Mon Fire Charm 50 Mon Obviously you have full health since Herbal Remedy 50 Mon you just healed, so you shouldn't Smoke Bomb 80 Mon really waste your money here at the Peach 90 Mon teahouse. Squid 100 Mon Spirit Tablet 135 Mon The peddler doesn't have much aside Toad Oil 200 Mon from a few accessory pieces. The The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 1 360 Mon Demon God Gauntlet is a powerful Demon God Gauntlet 455 Mon gauntlet that boosts the wearer's Kumori Stone 500 Mon Strength, so that may be a useful Swordsmith Mallet 550 Mon accessory. Otherwise, pick up the new -------------------------------------- cooking book and maybe a few Spirit Tablets for the road. Go west. -~ AREA 14 ~- You're at another fork; take the first path north. -~ AREA 15 ~- Run to the left. There is a shiny object lying in front of a row of stone figurines; examine it up for a Peach. Head to the exit on the far left. -~ AREA 16 ~- Destroy the group of Ninjas before leaving to the west. -~ AREA 17 ~- There's a White Barrier blocking our progress. But at least I didn't drag you out here for nothing: there's a Spirit Tablet on the ground! Take it before returning to Area 14. -~ AREA 14 ~- Now continue to your destination by going left. -~ AREA 18 ~- Next, enter the house for a handful of Souls and the Grand Hot Pot Vol. 2. Leave the house and continue west. -~ AREA 19 ~- Just for the record, starting with this map I have occasionally been getting into two battles in one area. This may be common with you as well. It's annoying, but there's nothing you can do about it. Proceed west to the exit. -~ AREA 20 ~- Take a trip to the hot springs here. Pass by the White Enemy Lair to the next area. -~ AREA 21 ~- There are a lot of Souls here! After dealing with the Jonins, collect the Souls and search down on the ground for a Spirit Tablet. Use the high ledges to reach the exit. -~ AREA 22 ~- Proceed through the treetops and take out any enemy that appears in front of you. Near the middle of the area is a Bronze Mirror. Head west. -~ AREA 23 ~- The area exit takes you to a new map. First collect the Peach near the Purple Barrier, then break it to reach the next map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamato: HQ of Shingon - Renge School, Mt. Kongo ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Yes, this area map is supposed to look intimidating and confusing. I will explain later. For now, go to the left. -~ AREA 2 ~- After fighting a few Karasu-Tengus, climb the trees and head west. -~ AREA 3 ~- More monsters in your way here. After, continue to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- More of the same here: run west to the next area. -~ AREA 5 ~- We are finally inside the building now. Proceed down the hallway; there are likely a group of Jonin here, so defeat them before pressing forward. -~ AREA 6 ~- The chance of fighting enemies here is pretty high. Go west when finished. -~ AREA 7 ~- Here is where things get interesting. The Shingon HQ contains several large shafts like this one. Similar to the Narukami Castle in Act 5, you're essentially going to have to zig-zag through these tall rooms. For now, you can only go one way: directly to the left. -~ AREA 8 ~- Run down the hallway and to the next shaft. -~ AREA 9 ~- Similar to the last one, this shaft allows you to climb up to the ledge above. First kill all the Dokugas before running to the right and collecting the Smoke Bomb. Next, take the exit to the left. -~ AREA 10 ~- Another hallway here; you'll likely fight either Jonin or Samurais. Exit to the next area. -~ AREA 11 ~- We are in another shaft. Defeat the Dokugas and run to the left. -~ AREA 12 ~- Just like we've seen already, another hall. Go inside, clear the room of enemies, then exit. -~ AREA 13 ~- The fourth and final shaft. After the battle against the Dokugas, climb up the stairs to reach the second level. Grab the Kumori Stone on the left, then take the exit on the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Well, now we're doubling back to the right as we make our way through the headquarters, floor by floor. Continue down the hallway to the east. -~ AREA 11 ~- Now we are on the second floor of the third shaft (Area 11). Sound confusing? Yeah, it's supposed to (though looking at the in-game map is much more helpful when trying to figure things out). Take down the pesky enemies first. There are two doors to take: one directly in front of you and one below. Enter the one right in front of you to reach a dead end containing a treasure chest. This isn't a separate area, since it doesn't appear on the map, so it is just a miniature side room. Collect the Demon God Belt from inside, then return to the shaft. Head down the stairs and go through the door here to continue. -~ AREA 15 ~- Another hallway. Go to the right. -~ AREA 9 ~- Back at the second shaft (but on the second floor). Clear the room of Dokugas and pick up the Smoke Bomb. There's no trickery this time, so take the lone exit to the next area. -~ AREA 16 ~- Well... at least the rooms look different! Same layout though: proceed to the right to reach the exit. -~ AREA 7 ~- As one could easily figure out by now, we are back at the first shaft. Slice up the Dokugas as you climb up to the third floor. Grab the Spirit Tablet in the corner before heading to the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 17 ~- Hallway time! Continue through to Area 9. -~ AREA 9 ~- Once back at the second shaft, kill the Dokugas and run west. -~ AREA 18 ~- Prolly some enemies here, but nothin' else! Run through to the next area. -~ AREA 11 ~- Sensing a pattern here? Defeat enemies, then drop down through the broken floorboards to find two Spirit Tablets. Climb back up and walk left through the door. -~ AREA 19 ~- Yawn. Go west to the next area. -~ AREA 13 ~- We're on the third floor of the fourth shaft. Fight your battle, then escape. -~ AREA 20 ~- Finally, we are done with the zig-zag madness of the headquarters' first portion. From here on out, it's just a straight line through. Unfortunately, the scenery still stays the same. Another hallway; go west. -~ AREA 21 ~- We are back at one of those tall shafts, but there is only one way to go. All you have to do is climb up the staircases, slaying Dokugas as you go, until you reach the very top. At the top, inspect the shiny spot for a Bronze Mirror before exiting. -~ AREA 22 ~- Proceed down the corridor to Area 23. -~ AREA 23 ~- We're in another Dokuga-infested shaft like the one two screens ago. Once the coast is clear, climb up the staircases to reach the lone exit. Grab the Spirit Tablet in the northeast corner before you go through. -~ AREA 24 ~- We are almost done here, so hold on and bear through another boring, bland hallway. -~ AREA 25 ~- Another hall, but at least this one has enemies in it! After the battle, head west. -~ AREA 26 ~- The final chamber, so you can expect a checkpoint and a gate taking us to the final boss. Follow any last-minute preparations: cook some stat-boosting food, forge some new Demon Blades, rearrange the Item Shortcut to your liking, you know the drill. Speak with everyone present onscreen and you will proceed to the boss battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Fudo-Myoou ------------------ Recommended Level: 45 Drop: Tsukiotoshi Fudo-Myoou does not have any health bars. Rather, he has six weak points altogether that you must destroy in order to come out victorious: his two feet, his two hands, his stomach, and his head. However, the real challenge of the fight is gaining access to these weak points: they are protected by force fields that can only be lowered by defeating his two minions. The boss's two minions, Seitaka Doji and Kongara Doji, are the two guys you need to worry about in this boss fight. They are the source of all attacks during the boss fight, so they should be your primary focus. First off, lets differentiate between the two Dojis. Seitaka Doji is the dark- skinned fella, while Kongara Doji is the fair-skinned person (honestly, I can't tell if it's a girl or guy). I refer to them by their names, so you should know which one is which for the sole reason that you can figure out what attacks that person can use. Both Dojis guard various parts of Fudo-Myoou's body. Seitaka Doji controls all portions of the body that are colored red (right leg, right arm, stomach, head). Kongara Doji protects all parts of the body that are blue (left leg, left arm, stomach, head). Just think: Seitaka = red, Kongara = blue. You must defeat the guardians to lower the force field protecting their respective body parts. Note that the stomach and head are covered by red and blue force fields - you must defeat both Dojis before those two weak points become vulnerable. Both Dojis have several attacks, though for the most part they aren't that threatening. Both have an attack where they raise their staff and tiny yellow energy balls spin outwards in a spiral. They go slow enough for you to easily dodge them. They also share an attack where they release one energy ball that fires out smaller energy balls. In addition, both Dojis frequently teleport across the arena. The two targets can also use a joined attack, but such an attack is very rare and usually used when you have destroyed several of Fudo-Myoou's weak points. The two teleport to the top of the room and begin chanting. They release a red and blue orb that floats around the arena before stopping. When it stops, it shoots out giant fireballs several times before disappearing. Stay the hell away from this thing! It is a one-hit kill. Need I say more? The Dojis also have a few moves exclusive to themselves. The skinny white one (Kongara Doji) has a nasty attack where she (or he?) stands her staff upright as the tip becomes charged with blue energy. Run away from Kongara, as a ball of blue electricity radiates out from the Doji. Kongara also occasionally releases a few gold lotus petals that begin to fly around. When they stop, they'll each fire a laser beam straight ahead. Sometimes they hit the ground or the wall, but if they come in contact with a floating rock, the beam will ricochet off and make things more problematic. You're best off either hiding or targeting the flowers directly. As far as I know, the buff, dark-skinned Doji (Seitaka Doji) only has one move to himself. He will pause, then dash back and forth in a horizontal line. The attack can knock you to the ground and destroy any floating rocks in the way. The two Dojis are pretty weak, so defeating one isn't much of a challenge. The main problem is maneuvering around the arena. Fudo-Myoou is a gigantic specimen, so the only way to reach even his feet is with the use of floating rock platforms. Rocks will appear out of thin air, but soon fall to the ground. Falling rocks are actually the most dangerous element in this fight. Since the two Dojis float in the air and teleport all over the place, you will often have to climb up on a floating rock in order to reach them. Dodging attacks can be annoying since you'll often have to jump all the way down to the ground in order to avoid some big hits. Plus, the tiny rocks don't give you any space to move around and Secret Arts can be tough to pull off. I generally ignored using Secret Arts and stuck with aerial attacks and uppercuts. If you're too high up, you may want to stay on the platform and not risk jumping all over the place and potentially falling to the floor. Quick Draws also help a lot, especially if you have both Dojis and a weak point onscreen. The battle starts from the ground up. Take out the two Dojis to expose the boss's two legs. Next, you will be able to target the stomach by defeating both Dojis. Next up is the left and right arm, then finally the head. It becomes harder and harder to scale the side of Fudo-Myoou's body since you have to go higher and higher each time. It's possible that the Doji will regenerate before you can reach the weak point in time. If that's the case, go back to targeting the guardian and start over again. Look at the bright side: Fudo-Myoou doesn't even attack you and your two targets are pretty weak, so you can consider this a joke of a final battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Fudo-Myoou has been destroyed and Momohime receives the Tsukiotoshi blade. You'll have to go through a few cycles of conversations, so talk to everyone you see. After a cutscene or two, you will wrap up Momohime's First Story Ending. Each character's story has three endings, but a lot is required for you to achieve each one. By completing the First Story Ending, you can now warp to shrines. When you have completed both Kisuke and Momohime's First Story Endings, you will be able to destroy White Barriers. Plus, you can share Demon Blades with each other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Second Story Ending ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Return to where you fought Fudo-Myoou with the Tsukiotoshi and Mumei Tamanoo equipped. You will fight Kisuke here instead! He's what you would expect; basically a mirror of your own character. However, he is not all that difficult if you play things smart. You have played with this character for hours, so you should know what to expect in terms of battle strategies. Defeating Kisuke means that you have completed the Second Story Ending. You will also receive the Onimaru Kunitsuna Demon Blade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Third Story Ending ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once you have completed the Second Story Ending, equip the Oboro Muramasa and return to where you fought Fudo-Myoou. You will fight him again, but he should be even easier than before now that you are at a much higher level. ______________________________________________________________________________ [4] WALKTHROUGH (KISUKE) [0400] ______________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: This walkthrough is based on the Muso difficulty. This legend will help decipher the maps found in the walkthrough. S - Start B - Boss Each room/screen "[ ]" will be referred to as an area in the walkthrough. ============================================================================== OPENING ACT [0401] ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamashiro: Foot of Mt. Bukumi, Kii District ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[B] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ Upon starting the opening act, the game will teach you the controls of Muramasa. If you're new to the game, accept the tutorial, otherwise skip it. You will leave the screen once the tutorial is over. -~ AREA 1 ~- Grab a few Souls in the trees before leaving to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Little green balls of flame inhabit this area. These are called Souls, and collecting them will slowly replenish your blade's Soul Power. You can stand on the tree branches, so use double jumps and work your way up the trunk of the tree to collect the Souls. Once you're done, proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- You will likely fight your first battle here. Some Ninjas will attack Kisuke in the middle of the area, signalling your first battle. Put the skills you learned in the tutorial to the test: these chumps aren't too difficult. Once the fight is over, continue to the next area. -~ AREA 4 ~- There is a beige basket icon on the map in this area. This represents an item somewhere here on the screen. There is a shiny object on the rightmost tree; jump into it and press A to examine the orb, revealing a treasure (Healing Pellet). The basket icon will lose its color once the treasure has been found. From here, climb up the tree to reach the exit on the high cliff wall. -~ AREA 5 ~- Another basket icon is planted on the map. Head to the right to reach the exit, but climb up the tree before leaving to find a glowing object on the side of the cliff. Examine it with A to receive a Healing Pellet. Exit the area. -~ AREA 6 ~- Run through the dark, damp cave towards the "Go" sign. -~ AREA 7 ~- Nice scenery change here. You will encounter a pair of Samurais not too long after entering. These troublesome foes are much tougher than Ninjas and are capable of dodging and blocking your attacks. As the game suggests, try breaking their blades with a Drawn Back slash. Crouch, then hold A and release to perform a powerful attack. This battle is your first real threat in the game, so try to crouch, jump, dodge, and generally evade attacks often here. Remember that you have plenty of recovery items if your Life Flame dips too low. -~ AREA 8 ~- Walk over towards the shack and go inside to find a treasure chest. Open it with A to receive two Bamboo Flasks. Exit, then continue east to reach the next area. -~ AREA 9 ~- You will most likely fight two groups of Ninjas separately. Remember your basic fighting commands. Since we're so late into the act, it may be time to pay attention to your blade's Soul Power if you haven't been changing blades. Watch out for any potential broken blades and switch to another if necessary. Activating a Quick Draw is a nice bonus as well! -~ AREA 10 ~- There are more Ninjas strewn throughout this large area, so take 'em down, one by one. These bomb-throwing Ninjas are tougher than your average bear... mainly because they throw bombs at you! Collect the Souls afterwards and climb along the mountain path. -~ AREA 11 ~- This area is similar to the previous one: defeat more bomb Ninjas and gather all the Souls before exiting to the right. -~ AREA 12 ~- There's another hut for you to explore here. Inside is a chest bearing two Healing Pellets. Continue east. -~ AREA 13 ~- After the battle that takes place here, stroll through the field. -~ AREA 14 ~- Walk forward until you find a shiny blue pillar of light: a checkpoint. Checkpoints act as save points: they refill your Life Flame and Soul Power in addition to saving your progress. Save your game, then examine the glowing gate ahead to transport to the boss's lair. Talk to the three Ninjas present for the boss fight to commence. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Kurozaru -------------------- Recommended Level: 1 Drop: Nagasone Kotetsu Kurozaru is nothing but a big pushover. You cannot really expect from your first boss fight that starts about a half-hour after the game begins. Kurozaru is a big ninja, but compared to some of the other bosses in this game, he's a small-fry. The boss doesn't have too many attacks, so you should be able to keep all of them in check during the course of the battle. Kurozaru relies heavily on his signature Pinwheel Shurikens. These massive shurikens act like boomerangs, since they travel back and forth across the screen before eventually returning to sender. If the boss throws it high, you can expect it to be low when it's coming back to him. If he throws it low, then it'll be high as it comes back. Use this to your advantage when trying to simultaneously dodge and attack. Sometimes, Kurozaru will take both shurikens and place them on his hands. He stands still, raises his hands in the air, and spins the shurikens. While this process takes a few seconds and leaves him open to attack, back away as soon as he stops: the boss will begin punching the air in either direction, so stay away or else your blade may break. The boss only has one more attack: he will jump in the air, then come slamming down. With a guy the size of Kurozaru crashing down, you can expect a big impact. Jump as soon as he lands to avoid the shockwave that erupts from under him. If you accidentally jump sooner, you can always glide in the air to slow your descent. One thing that you should note is at around the halfway mark, Kurozaru becomes coated in flames. All of his attacks are stronger and faster. Additionally, he uses his jumping slam attack multiple times in succession. It's much more likely that you'll suffer from a broken blade during the second half of the fight. Overall, nothing too hardcore here. Most of his attacks are slow, giving you plenty of opportunities to safely slash away at him. Cycle through the three Demon Blades you have and see which ones work best for you: Blades are faster and weaker, while Long Blades are much slower and stronger. Also put your Secret Arts to use: Cyclone is especially effective when you get a direct hit. At the same time, be careful. Many of Kurozaru's attacks can wear down your blades or even break them in one hit. Use Bamboo Flasks when your Life Flame dips a little too low and remember that the boss releases Souls every time you cut away one of his health bars. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Well, that takes care of that. Your new blade, Nagasone Kotetsu, can now penetrate Red Barriers. Talk to Yuzuruha and the foxes, then proceed. ============================================================================== ACT 2 [0402] ============================================================================== You're back at Yamashiro: Foot of Mt. Bukumi, Kii District with a new sword. Equip it in the Equipment menu, replacing one of the other three swords with it. At this time, you may also want to check out the Forge menu to see if you can forge any new Demon Blades. We are currently at Area 14, and we have to head all the way back to Area 1. That's clearly a lot of backtracking, but there really is not anything we can do about it. You may fight some enemies on the way back - probably Ninjas - but they shouldn't give you too much trouble. -~ AREA 1 ~- Once back at Area 1, approach the red wall on the far left side. This is a barrier, and barriers of certain colors can only be broken by certain Demon Blades. The Nagasone Kotetsu can break Red Barriers: approach the barrier and press A to break it, giving you access to Yamashiro. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamashiro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ][ ] .-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | | '--[ ]--. | | | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- This is a mess of an area, and trying to accurately construct the map gave me headaches. It may look a bit different than the in-game map, but it is accurate. Nothin' special here, so just go west. -~ AREA 2 ~- No need to search the houses here, since they are all empty. Continue west. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are a bunch of open houses here, but the item present isn't inside of any. Drop down from the start and search the bottom row of roofs to find a Bronze Mirror. You can still go inside the houses for some enemy counters. Eventually, head to the exit on the northwest end. -~ AREA 4 ~- At the fork, go west. -~ AREA 5 ~- You will find a checkpoint here. Save and talk to Yuzuruha if you would like, but otherwise continue to the left. -~ AREA 6 ~- For now, take the southern exit. -~ AREA 7 ~- You may fight a few Kappas here; no worries. First, run past the well. Past the eastern exit is a shiny object hidden in the tall grass. Inspect it for an Herbal Remedy. Return to the well and go inside to find a whole lotta Souls. Return to the surface and backtrack to the previous area. -~ AREA 6 ~- Continue west to the next area. -~ AREA 8 ~- There are several open doors here in the rooftops. There's a Fire Charm on the top row of roofs, between the peddler and the restaurant. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Restaurant Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Bamboo Flask 5 Mon Sushi (Tuna) 20 Mon Cabbage 7 Mon Sushi (Mackerel) 40 Mon Healing Pellet 8 Mon Sushi (Yellowtail) 60 Mon Amazake 15 Mon Hitsumamushi 80 Mon Rice Bag 20 Mon Lobster Tempura 100 Mon Map of Iga 30 Mon -------------------------------------- Map of Yamashiro 30 Mon Fire Charm 50 Mon I love how the chef in the restaurant Herbal Remedy 50 Mon freaks out that you didn't use the Culinary Tips Vol. 1 60 Mon front entrance. Kitchen Secrets Vol. 1 60 Mon Ninja Belt 75 Mon The peddler does not offer much, but -------------------------------------- you may want to restock on some recovery items on the road. There's really no need to buy maps of the places since I provide you with (decent enough) maps in this guide. You may want to start picking up cookbooks, since they teach you valuable recipes that will help you when you are in dangerous areas lacking pit stops or restaurants. Then again, you probably don't have much money right now, so you won't be able to buy a lot. Get some Healing Pellets and Bamboo Flasks if you're low, but otherwise get the cookbooks. -~ AREA 9 ~- You're still on the rooftops, but all of the windows are closed. Rush through to the left. -~ AREA 10 ~- At the intersection, continue west. -~ AREA 11 ~- There is a Green Barrier at the end of the road. Your Demon Blade cannot break this barrier; not for a while. We cannot proceed here until we get a strong enough blade, so turn back. -~ AREA 10 ~- This time, take the exit in the area's center. -~ AREA 12 ~- The exit is west of here, but we still have a lot of the map to explore. Run through the stream for some Souls as you go to the right. -~ AREA 13 ~- There are a number of openings here, so search all the rooms to find enemies and even a pair of Radishes. Scale the side of the building to reach the exit at the very top. -~ AREA 14 ~- More emptiness. You may fight a battle here though. Continue along the roof to the east. -~ AREA 15 ~- There is only one open window here, and inside you'll find three Cabbages. Leave, then proceed east to the next screen. -~ AREA 16 ~- Once again, walk to the right. -~ AREA 17 ~- For now, run past the bridge leading south. Fight some monsters here as you continue to the right. -~ AREA 18 ~- There are some Souls here in the stream. Again, ignore the bridge in the middle of the area; it takes you back to the Soul Well. There's a little kid on the side of the road selling Tofu. It's cheap, but you probably don't need any. Pass by and head to the next screen. -~ AREA 19 ~- You can find an Enemy Lair here. Enemy Lairs are small dungeons that contain tons of enemies, but often reap rewards. They are little detours from your main journey that you can take if you are able to break the barrier protecting them. This one is guarded by a Red Barrier, which you are able to break. You can go inside and fight the enemies, but you do not have to. I will be covering all Enemy Lairs in Section 5, so head there if you are interested. Otherwise, walk to the right. -~ AREA 20 ~- You can find an Herbal Remedy and some Souls down in the water. Past the eastern bridge is a small monkey lurking in the bushes. This monkey can bring you to the hot springs. Trips to the hot springs restores your Life Flame and Soul Power, so seeing a monkey is always a good thing. Take the eastern bridge. -~ AREA 21 ~- Run around and collect the Souls here before you continue west. -~ AREA 22 ~- After the battle that takes place here, grab the Recovery Pellet. Going west brings you back to Area 4, so instead backtrack to Area 21. -~ AREA 21 ~- This time, go east. -~ AREA 23 ~- Fight some Ninjas and run to the right. -~ AREA 24 ~- There is another Green Barrier sealing us in, so time to turn around again. This time, head all the way back to Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- Now we can go down the southern bridge. -~ AREA 25 ~- There's a strange, green tint in this area. It's possible that you may encounter The Dead here. Regardless, follow the road. -~ AREA 26 ~- All the houses here are abandoned and looking generally messy. With that in mind, you can expect to find plenty of The Dead lurking in the open homes. Search the bottom floor to find a Smoke Bomb, then continue east. -~ AREA 27 ~- Simply walk to the right to the next area. -~ AREA 28 ~- Here, you find a White Barrier. You won't be breaking this for a looong while, so ignore it completely. Return all the way to Area 12 on the opposite side of the map. -~ AREA 12 ~- We've explored the rest of the map, so it is time to go west. -~ AREA 29 ~- There's no barrier blocking your exit, so it's a clear path to Iga. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Weird camera angle here. Go west. -~ AREA 2 ~- Collect the Herbal Remedy at the base of the tree and jump up the rock wall to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are a few more Souls to collect in the trees. Also inspect the shiny object on one of the tree branches for a Healing Pellet. Defeat the Ninjas that pop up in the clearing and exit to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- Another basket icon on the map, meaning an item to find. This one is in the tree right above you. Jump up to find a Recovery Pellet, then run to the left. -~ AREA 5 ~- Ignore the Enemy Lair and proceed west. -~ AREA 6 ~- You can find another item (a Smoke Bomb) in the tree next to your starting position. Additionally, there's a hot springs monkey here as well. Once you are ready, leave by exiting west. -~ AREA 7 ~- Hoo boy, there are a lot of Souls in this area! Collect them all (plus the Healing Pellet)! You have two paths to choose from: for now, go southeast. -~ AREA 8 ~- Either Small Onis or Gakis are lurking inside the cave. Defeat them, then continue on your way. -~ AREA 9 ~- This area is really large and actually has two exits, but both exits take you to the same place. Doesn't matter which one you take. First, climb up the rock wall above the starting location for a Recovery Pellet, then go through either exit to the next area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Back in the second half of the double-decker area. Unfortunately, we cannot go any further due to the Orange Barrier. Return to Area 7 (ps: I managed to fight and extremely rare Neppebou here!) -~ AREA 7 ~- Proceed to the left. -~ AREA 11 ~- Checkpoint here, so save. -~ AREA 12 ~- Run to the left and beat up some Karasu-Tengus. Before you exit, scale the tree and jump onto the ledge to spot a Bronze Mirror. Drop down and exit. -~ AREA 13 ~- The Ninjas here in the cave throw bombs, so stay on your toes when fighting them. Head to the top of the cave to find a Hinezumi Dress and take the northwest exit. -~ AREA 14 ~- Nothing here but a raging river. Follow it to the left. -~ AREA 15 ~- All you'll find here is a Green Barrier and some Souls. Take the Souls, then return to the cave at Area 13. -~ AREA 13 ~- Kill the bomb Ninjas again, then drop to the bottom cave and go through the opening here. -~ AREA 16 ~- Fight some monsters and head east. -~ AREA 17 ~- Again, climb the tree next to your starting position to find a Fire Charm on the high ledge. Run to the right to get the heck out of here. -~ AREA 18 ~- Break the Red Barrier to exit the map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Iga: In Front of Karamete Gate, Skull Valley Anya Castle ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B]-. | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Nice change of pace; going from a forest to a castle. Jump over the castle wall and to the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- Run atop the long roof. The landscape looks pretty cool here. -~ AREA 3 ~- There are a couple Jonin here. Jonin are like Ninjas, but can breathe fire, toss bombs, and teleport. Still, you should handle them with ease. There is a ladder leading you to the next screen, but make sure to take the Recovery Pellet on the roof above the ladder. -~ AREA 4 ~- Take down the Ninjas populating the hallway before exiting. -~ AREA 5 ~- Another hallway. Go east. -~ AREA 6 ~- You are now in a large stairwell. Head up the first flight of stairs and go inside the room here. This room does not show up on the map, so it's not an official "area". Just a mini side-room. Collect the Amazake from inside the chest, then exit and continue up the stairs. -~ AREA 7 ~- Dash along the roof to reach the next screen. -~ AREA 8 ~- Yep, another roof. There are some Ninjas that'll pop up here. After the fight, proceed west. -~ AREA 9 ~- This spot is similar to Area 3. Defeat the bomb Ninjas and/or Jonin. There is an open window near the center of the area that takes you to another side room. Inside is a chest containing three Smoke Bombs. Leave and descend the ladder on the western end of the area. -~ AREA 10 ~- At the start, turn to the right to find a Recovery Pellet. Head over to the exit on the far left end. -~ AREA 11 ~- You must climb up the hanging cages to reach the top of the stairwell. Go up the first flight of stairs and jump on top of the locked door to find a Bronze Mirror. Defeat the Jonins on each hanging cage as you make your way to the top of the stairwell. -~ AREA 12 ~- Like before any boss battle, you will find a checkpoint and a glowing gate. Save your game at the checkpoint and do your pre-boss ritual: forge some blades, fix your equipment, you know the drill. Talk to the characters once you go through the gate, then proceed. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Giant Centipede x3 ---------- Recommended Level: 7 Drop: Iganokami Kanemichi This is the dumbest, weirdest, easiest boss fight in the entire game. Hands down. You are very rarely in risk of taking damage in this battle. There are three Giant Centipedes scurrying around the castle rooftops. Normally when in a situation where you are presented with more than one target, I would suggest that you take one down at a time. Here, it doesn't really matter. Plus, it is hard to differentiate between the bosses so it would really be more trouble than anything. For the most part, the Giant Centipedes don't directly attack you. Watch out for their heads, since their pincers do most of the work and can instantly break a blade if you aren't careful. Their second attack is when they stop, then dash in any direction. You can get hurt by this attack; later in the fight the Giant Centipedes are covered in fire and the dash attack is even more poweful. Lastly, the bosses glow green for a split second before releasing several blue fireballs at you. This is just like encounters against The Dead: knock back the blue fireballs using your sword to deal damage to the centipedes. You are rarely in any danger. Occasionally you may step in front of one of the Giant Centipede's head and they can pinch you, but for the most part you are just jumping around, slashin' stuff. Some Secret Arts are useful, such as Cyclone and Hell Spinner, but you can just as easily complete this boss fight without using a single Secret Art. The Giant Centipedes are split up by segments, so you are targeting their individual segments. They have no health bars. Destroying each segment cuts them down a little bit, making them shorter and faster. In order to win the fight, continue cutting up each Giant Centipede until there's nothing left. However, hacking away at the middle of their body does you no good. In order to cut up a Giant Centipede, you must either sever its head or tail. Cut off either the head or tail and it will not be able to move. Once it's stationary, attacking the body will cause the boss to slowly fall apart. Once the head/tail regenerates, the boss begins moving and you'll have to stop it again. I cannot stress how pathetic this boss fight is. If you are reckless, you may suffer a broken blade here and there, but destroying each segment yields some Souls. Quick Draws always help, especially when all three Giant Centipedes are on the screen, so use them whenever they're available. Before this fight, one of your biggest accomplishments may have been a 70-hit combo. Well, you'll be getting anywhere from 300 to 700-hit combos here. Yes, I'm serious. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Kisuke receives a new Demon Blade: Iganokami Kanemichi. This one allows you to destroy Orange Barriers. Talk to everyone in the room for a cutscene, which completes Act 2. ============================================================================== ACT 3 [0403] ============================================================================== You are still in the castle, so it's a long way back to Iga. Do yourself a favor and use a Bronze Mirror to return to the last shrine you visited (it should be Area 11 in Iga). From here, double back to Area 10. -~ AREA 10 ~- Area 10 is where you found the Orange Barrier. Well, now we can crack it. Destroy the barrier. -~ AREA 11 ~- Continue through to Ise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ise ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [S]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-' | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Run to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- There are a lot of Souls high above, so jump and glide around for a little bit. There's a Bear Pellet on one of the eastern trees as well. Continue east to the area exit. -~ AREA 3 ~- Walk forward for a battle encounter in the bamboo forest. After, go to the right and make sure to jump on top of the orange gates to find some more Souls. When ready, proceed to the next area. -~ AREA 4 ~- For now, run to the left. -~ AREA 5 ~- Again, jump on top of the orange structures for some Souls, then drop down to find a Yam lying on the ground between them. Head towards the "Go" sign to the far left. -~ AREA 6 ~- Green Barrier here, so turn around and go back to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- Head to the right this time. -~ AREA 7 ~- Continue through the meadow. You may encounter some Ninjas and maybe even a couple Kite Ninjas. They're no problem, though. Exit to the right. -~ AREA 8 ~- 'Nother checkpoint here, so you know what to do. Go right afterwards. -~ AREA 9 ~- Happy peddler and teahouse time!! -~ Peddler -~ -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Radish 7 Mon Mizu-Manjyu 10 Mon Amazake 15 Mon Daifukumochi 20 Mon Liquor 20 Mon Kintsuba 30 Mon Recovery Pellet 22 Mon -------------------------------------- Bear Pellet 30 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon The teahouse is pretty cheap, but you Map of Ise 30 Mon most likely don't need to restore any Map of Owari 30 Mon Life Flame. If you want to chip in Fire Charm 50 Mon for a boost in Spirit, be my guest. Kitchen Secrets Vol. 2 60 Mon Ninja Gauntlet 75 Mon The peddler has a new line of items, Smoke Bomb 80 Mon but not many interesting things. Swashbuckler's Sheath 90 Mon Liquor is a step up from Amazake in -------------------------------------- terms of healing. Grab the Kitchen Secrets Vol. 2 and leave. -~ AREA 10 ~- Make your way to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- Defeat the monsters that ambush you. Run all the way to the right and examine the glowing object near the rock formation for some Liquor. We are given two exits: the eastern exit leads to the next map, but you most likely know my policy already. Time to explore the rest of the map! Take the middle exit. -~ AREA 12 ~- Grab the Souls and take a trip to the hot springs. Afterwards, continue west to the next screen. -~ AREA 13 ~- Ah, another fork! It actually doesn't matter which way you go, because both paths eventually lead to dead ends. Pick up the Bear Pellet on the west end of the area. Since we're right next to the western exit, why not take it? -~ AREA 14 ~- Fight some baddies and go to the left. -~ AREA 15 ~- There's an Enemy Lair sealed behind a White Barrier. No way we'll be getting through there for the time being; continue west. -~ AREA 16 ~- Here on the beach, go to the left to find some random people. Even though there are a few boats lying on the beach, there's no fisherman. Continue all the way to the left to find a shiny object up against a rock wall. Take the Omura Stone and return to Area 13. -~ AREA 13 ~- Go south once you're back here. -~ AREA 17 ~- Right in front of you is a Yam lying on the ground. After the upcoming battle (if you get in one), head all the way to the right. -~ AREA 18 ~- The fog picks up as you proceed through the bamboo forest. Continue east. -~ AREA 19 ~- The path here is sealed off by a White Barrer, so turn around. Make your way all the way back to Area 11. -~ AREA 11 ~- We are ready to leave, so take the eastern exit. -~ AREA 20 ~- Head through to Owari. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Owari ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ]-. | | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Jump around in the trees a bit and you will be able to find a Recovery Pellet and Souls. When you're done, drop down and walk to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Same situation here, but this time you can find a Fire Charm instead. Continue east. -~ AREA 3 ~- You can find a harmless ghost here, so talk to her for her backstory. After, head east to the next area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Save at the checkpoint and go to the right. -~ AREA 5 ~- At the fork, take the southeast exit. But first, jump up in the tree next to the exit for some Souls and a Bear Pellet -~ AREA 6 ~- Dash through the cave, battling some Small Onis as you go, to reach the other side. -~ AREA 7 ~- You'll find a trio of bomb Ninjas here in the tall cave. Defeat them all, then climb to the top and go left. -~ AREA 8 ~- There is an Orange Enemy Lair here if you are interested. The more interesting aspect is the buttload of Souls here in the treetops. Climb the first tree you see, then glide all the way to the left to reach an alcove containing a Bronze Mirror. Return to the previous area. -~ AREA 7 ~- Fight the bomb Ninjas again, then proceed east. -~ AREA 9 ~- Collect the Bear Pellet in this area before leaving. -~ AREA 10 ~- Ascend the tree closest to the Yellow Barrier for an Herbal Remedy. We cannot break this barrier just yet, but we'll be back here very soon. Backtrack all the way back to Area 5. -~ AREA 5 ~- Jump up the rocks this time to the next area. -~ AREA 11 ~- When you reach the "Go" sign, stop and climb up the tree here. You'll end up on top of a rock wall; step onto the rock and pick up the Omura Stone before falling down to the ground and exiting. -~ AREA 12 ~- Walk a straight line through the cave. -~ AREA 13 ~- You'll either fight Kappas or Ogamas here in this river environment. Once you have won the battle, continue to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Exit the area to Mino. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mino ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-' [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Tread through the bamboo forest to the next screen. -~ AREA 2 ~- Fight some baddies, then run east. -~ AREA 3 ~- Nothing here. Take the Souls lingering above the structures as you follow the trail to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- Here we are, at another crossroads. For the time being, go to the left and continue until you reach the exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- Take down some Monks (or any other enemy you find) and proceed west. -~ AREA 6 ~- Duck inside the hut and open the chest to find a Rice Bag; exit and continue west to reach the next area. -~ AREA 7 ~- Green Barrier ahead! Return to Area 4. -~ AREA 4 ~- Since there's only one other way to go... go east. -~ AREA 8 ~- Another fork! Take the first exit you see to go north. -~ AREA 9 ~- Inspect the shiny orb right in front of you for a Yam, collect the Souls floating above you, and then continue to the right. -~ AREA 10 ~- Pssst... run to the right. You'll find some Liquor along the way. -~ AREA 11 ~- You may run into some enemies here, but otherwise continue east. -~ AREA 12 ~- The Light Blue Barrier here stops us in our tracks. Oh well; time to go back to Area 8. -~ AREA 8 ~- Continue to the right the rest of the way. -~ AREA 13 ~- Going from a bamboo forest to a regular forest! Jump around in the trees like an ape, nabbing all the Souls you can (and the Fire Charm), then proceed to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Yuzuruha's guarding another checkpoint. Save before exiting. -~ AREA 15 ~- The old lady in the first house is handing out free Radishes, so go inside and open the chest for three of 'em. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Soba Shop Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Tofu 10 Mon Steamed White Rice 8 Mon Fried Tofu 10 Mon Zaru Soba 16 Mon Liquor 20 Mon Tsukimi Udon 24 Mon Bear Pellet 30 Mon Tempura Soba 32 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon -------------------------------------- Map of Hida 30 Mon Map of Mino 30 Mon Soba Shop here. It's cheap and also Yam 40 Mon effective. The Omura Stone that the Fire Charm 50 Mon peddler has in stock are useful as Smoke Bomb 80 Mon you progress through the game. Stones Grilled Cooking Vol. 1 85 Mon restore your blade's Soul Power, so Kitchen Secrets Vol. 4 85 Mon they can be very useful during a big Omura Stone 85 Mon boss fight. The Fox Spirit Belt is a Fox Spirit Belt 105 Mon good accessory. In short, do whatever Straw Stalk 130 Mon you want with your money. You have -------------------------------------- enough of it, so spend, spend, spend! -~ AREA 16 ~- There is a Tengu Mask high up in the canopy. Next, proceed east to the exit. -~ AREA 17 ~- Take a dip in the hot springs, then pass the first exit and continue east. -~ AREA 18 ~- The Enemy Lair here is sealed off for now, so run to the right. -~ AREA 19 ~- Another barrier seals you off. Rejection! Return to Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- Take the middle exit. -~ AREA 20 ~- Defeat the enemies lurking around here, then go to the left. -~ AREA 21 ~- Nothing here, so head left for a quick exit. -~ AREA 22 ~- Search the run-down house for a few Souls and Kitchen Secrets Vol. 3, then head towards the exit. -~ AREA 23 ~- No way you're getting past the White Barrier, so return to Area 20. -~ AREA 20 ~- Take down some more enemies if they arrive, then head to the right. -~ AREA 24 ~- Drop down from the rocks and pick up the Omura Stone, then destroy the Orange Barrier and make your way to the next map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mino: Kagami Manor of Narukami, Mt. Ibuki ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[B] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Love the layout of the map here... one straight line. As one could expect, to reach the exit all you have to do is run to the right. :) -~ AREA 2 ~- Take out the Ninjas here as you walk to the right. -~ AREA 3 ~- Inside the shack is a whopping three Rice Bags! Then go to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- There are a couple Gakis hangin' out inside the cave. First, jump onto the ledge to your right to find a Bear Pellet, then take out the enemies. Drop down a few levels to reach the exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- Similar layout to the last area, plus more enemies. Kill 'em off, then search the cave for an Omura Stone before you leave. -~ AREA 6 ~- I'll give you one guess on which direction you have to go. -~ AREA 7 ~- Well, they finally spice things up in Area 7. You'll get into a battle here, but as far as you can see, there are no enemies. What sort of trickery...? Pay attention to the ground and be on the lookout for small mounds. If you try and walk over the mounds, bamboo will shoot up from the ground. A clear and obvious trap! Destroy the lumps on the ground, then run ahead to find a lone Ninja. Whoop him, then leave the area. -~ AREA 8 ~- Step inside the abandoned house to find a Fox Spirit Gauntlet, then leave the house. You may encounter a couple Ochimushas here. These giant, undead suits of armor that are very powerful, but also very slow. Take into account their disadvantages in battle and unleash a flurry of sword slices to prevent them from attacking. Once you defeat them, run to the right. -~ AREA 9 ~- This area is home to another bamboo trap. Be very careful as you inch along the forest floor. The traps deal a lot of damage, so pay attention to your Life Flame. At the same time, don't try to waste too many recovery items, since there is a checkpont in the next area. Once you survive, exit. -~ AREA 10 ~- Save and refill your health at the checkpoint, then forge some new swords before you step into the gate. Speak with the three ghost warriors, then Torahime to begin the fight. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Torahime -------------------- Recommended Level: 14 Drop: Maguroku Kanemoto The battle begins with Torahime running off to the right, leaving you to deal with two Ochimushas. They should not give you any trouble, so a Quick Draw and some regular attacks will do them in. While you are attacking them, Torahime will be firing arrows at you from offscreen. Dodge roll or block these arrows, especially when she causes a number of them to rain down from the sky. Torahime only has a bow and arrow, so that's her only means of attacking. Doesn't sound too threatening, but paired with her crazy, creepy ghost horse, she will ride back and forth across the arena to get away from you and begin firing arrows like a madman while you try to catch up. Cheap. This boss fight is basically a game of cat and mouse. Torahime runs to one side of the arena, so you must follow. While she's safe and sound, she fires arrows as you try to follow her. There are a number of bamboo pieces sticking up from the ground. While they acted as traps earlier in the map, these ones serve as protection from Torahime's arrows. You cannot destroy them, so you must jump over the bamboo. Torahime fires her arrows in various patterns. She either fires them high, so they fly above the bamboo and can potentially hit you if you are attempting to jump in the air. She can also fire them low, but you will be safe if you are standing behind some bamboo. She can also catch you off guard if you are trying to shield yourself from the arrows. Sometimes Torahime fires multiple arrows at once that angle downward diagonally. She is sitting atop her horse, so the arrows tend to angle from the top of the screen down in a diagonal fashion. It's easy to get hit from the wall of arrows. Lastly, her most annoying form of arrow-firing: the boss aim high in the sky and unleashes a torrent of arrows as they come raining down from above. It can be challenging tying to evade them, so you may be best off crouching and blocking until the attack stops. You will have to avoid these four attacks as you hurdle bamboo until you finally reach Torahime. She still uses the same attacks, but they aren't very effective when you are standing directly under her, slashing at her steed's belly. Even when you reach Torahime, you may have a tough time hitting her. Staying on the ground and using side slashes doesn't always work, because targeting the horse's legs sometimes doesn't work. You either need to use uppercuts or aerial attacks in order to actually hit the boss. This is problematic because it puts you at greater risk. I found that aerial attacks and some Secret Arts (plus Quick Draws, of course) work the best at depleting Torahime's health. Some Secret Arts are good, like Iganokami Kanemichi's Cross and Fumitsuki Muramasa's Nightglow II (both are aerial-based Secret Arts). Also, when attacking Torahime, you may want to stay near her back and attack, rather than face the horse's head. The horse can attack, as it usually uses a stomp attack that can create a shockwave. Plus, you can get knocked over if the horse begins to gallop away. One cheap/clever alternative to this boss fight: when you cut away one of the boss's health bars, she will fly up in the air. Juggle her in the air and keep her airborne as you rip her health bar to shreds. You probably won't be able to keep her in the air long enough to drain a whole other health bar, but every little bit helps. This battle is pretty annoying. You'll suffer from lost health, broken blades, and other frustrating situations. Like I said, it's basically a game of cat and mouse as you have to track down Torahime and attack her for a few seconds before she runs off again like a pansy. Stick with it, keep those pellets and Omura Stones in your Item Shortcut, and you should be fine in the long run. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The new Demon Blade you receive can break Yellow Barriers, so you'll be able to explore some new areas. Talk to the three ghost soldiers, then Torahime once again to proceed to the next act. ============================================================================== ACT 4 [0404] ============================================================================== We have a long ways to go. For starters, use a Bronze Mirror to return to the shrine at Mino. Exit Mino the same way you came in to return to Owari. From Owari, make your way to Area 10 -~ AREA 10 ~- Heh, I told you we'd be back here. With the Yellow Barrier out of the way, you can go through to Mikawa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mikawa ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- According to the icon in the game map, there's an item here. There is a Tiger Pellet here in the trees. Go east to exit the area. -~ AREA 2 ~- There is a hot springs monkey here, plus a Pheasant. Plus a battle! Exit is to the right. -~ AREA 3 ~- Continue east to the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Pass by the Enemy Lair to the right. -~ AREA 5 ~- Nothing here, except maybe a battle. We are out of the forest, so you can expect different enemies here (usually Samurais or Monks). Proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 6 ~- You will find a peddler lounging out on the beach. Stop by and check out what he has to offer. -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- Strange to find a peddler here by Cabbage 7 Mon himself rather than in the vicinity Pheasant 15 Mon of a restaurant or teahouse. Overall, Sake Libation 25 Mon he really doesn't have much to offer Bronze Mirror 30 Mon for you. Not many advancements in Map of Mikawa 30 Mon recovery items or other goodies. Map of Totomi 30 Mon Tiger Pellet 38 Mon Grab the Kitchen Secrets Vol. 5 and Yam 40 Mon stock up on some recovery items. I Fire Charm 50 Mon shouldn't really tell you what you Herbal Remedy 50 Mon can and what you cannot buy with your Smoke Bomb 80 Mon money. You're far enough in the game Iyo Stone 110 Mon to determine what you need for the Kitchen Secrets Vol. 5 110 Mon long road ahead. Tengu Gauntlet 140 Mon Clove Oil 170 Mon Once you are done shopping, exit the -------------------------------------- beach area to the right. -~ AREA 7 ~- Save, then leave. Yep, that easy! -~ AREA 8 ~- This area contains no enemies; just some characters and an old teahouse lady. Strange to see the teahouse and peddler split up in separate areas when they are usually together... -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- I think it's pretty weird to have Three Dumplings 10 Mon teahouses and restaurants stationed Kusamochi 20 Mon right near checkpoints. It's pretty Mizu-yokan 30 Mon pointless to buy food to regain your -------------------------------------- health when you can do so at the checkpoint two areas back. Like I always say, though, the main point of these places seem to be for you to help gain Spirit and forge new blades. Oh well, I am just rambling on. Pick up some fresh food and be on your way. -~ AREA 9 ~- Do battle with some enemies here before exiting to the right. -~ AREA 10 ~- There are likely s'more enemies here, so do your business here and then leave. -~ AREA 11 ~- In the final area of the map, go inside the house for Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 1. Next, leave the area to Totomi. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Totomi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ] '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- You can talk to a weird little Kappa girl, but otherwise just run through to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- There are plenty of Ogamas here for you to kill. This area is strange, as it has a lot of hidden platforms and ledges due to the immense amount of foliage. There are often tons of Souls here on these "invisible" platforms. Explore the area from head to toe (collecting a Toad Oil) before leaving. -~ AREA 3 ~- More Ogamas here, so destroy them as you run east to the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- This large cave is home to a few Jonin. Defeat them one by one, then take the bottom exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- Pick up the Suiko Scale at the far end of the beach, then return to the previous rea. -~ AREA 4 ~- Defeat the enemies again, then go through the middle exit. -~ AREA 6 ~- Walk across the tree branches to the right. You can find a Tiger Pellet just before the exit. -~ AREA 7 ~- Checkpoint time, so save and go east. -~ AREA 8 ~- There's another encounter here (probably Karasu-Tengus). After, climb up the tree closest to where you came from to find a Tiger Pellet. At the fork ahead, take the northern path. -~ AREA 9 ~- Pick up the Pheasant as soon as you enter. Next, go to the right to the exit. -~ AREA 10 ~- Examine the shiny orb near the entrance for a Tiger Pellet, fight some bad guys, then exit the area. -~ AREA 11 ~- There is a Blue Barrier in this area. Return to Area 8. -~ AREA 8 ~- Take the southern trail. -~ AREA 12 ~- Defeat the enemies here in the cave, then leave. -~ AREA 13 ~- You can expect yet another battle in this area. Once it is over, drop down to the ground and continue east. -~ AREA 14 ~- Enemy Lair and hot springs here. The exit is to the right. -~ AREA 15 ~- Jump through the trees until you reach the next screen. -~ AREA 16 ~- Grab the Fire Cham in the tree above you, then fall down and destroy the Yellow Barrier to the map exit. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Totomi: Mountain Road of Mt. Akiha, Shuchi District ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[B] [ ] [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Different map, same style of areas. Leap through the trees to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Eliminate the Karasu-Tengus on screen, then climb the trees to find a Tiger Pellet and the exit. -~ AREA 3 ~- More of the same here. Some Karasu-Tengu madness, but move to the right to eventually reach the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Fight the Ninjas here and enter the cave east of your starting location. -~ AREA 5 ~- Just a cave, nothing more. Run through to the "Go" sign. *sigh* this is by far the most repetitive game I have ever FAQed... -~ AREA 6 ~- Run to the right and you'll find an object near the exit. Examine it for an Herbal Remedy, then leave. -~ AREA 7 ~- This is a very tall area home to several exits. For now, you want to clear the entire screen of Jonins. Once the coast is clear, take the eastern exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- In this dead end area, you'll find a very useful Tengu Belt. Equip it and go back to the last area. -~ AREA 7 ~- Take out the Jonins once more, then go west this time. -~ AREA 9 ~- Another dead end, but there's an Iyo Stone here for the taking. -~ AREA 7 ~- Once more, clear out the enemies. Finally, head through the northeast exit. -~ AREA 10 ~- This place is starting to get quite foggy. Still, proceed east. -~ AREA 11 ~- This is the last area of the map. Save your game and prepare for the upcoming boss battle. Once through the gate, talk to the... dying dead guy (wha...??) and the little girl to proceed with the boss battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Sayo ------------------------ Recommended Level: 19 Drop: Kogarasumaru Honestly, Sayo is about as difficult as she looks. This little twerp has some powerful attacks, but her defense is really low (she is a regular human, after all) and you should have a fairly easy time if you protect yourself and take shots at her when there's a green light. Sayo only has a handful of attacks, but they are all nasty and long-range. Her most common attack is the use of multiple bombs. The attack is actually accidental: Sayo runs across the arena, only to slip and fall. The fall causes a number of bombs to roll out of her backpack and explode. Of course, she's fine, but you'll take a ton of damage if caught in the explosion. She also often creates several paper scrolls in the air. These scrolls linger in the air before eventually shooting bolts of lightning at you. To counterattack the spell, jump in the air and slice the paper up to bits. They only withstand a couple hits, so you can destroy them all pretty quickly. Instead of walking from one side of the screen to the other, the boss will occasionally call a group of crows to carry her like an escort service. While she is in the air, she can use three attacks. Sayo can use an extra large bomb that can set off fireworks; this is a blade breaker. She can also summon a number of scrolls that surround and paralyze you. Repeatedly tap A to free yourself before the boss throws a bomb at your defenseless body. Sometimes, Sayo enlists in the help of more crows, as they fly onto the screen and divebomb you. Your best bet is to block most of the attacks and deal with it, or occasionally roll to the side to avoid their kamikaze strike. The paper scroll attack is easy to avoid, since you must destroy them in order to stay safe. It's easy to dodge bomb explosions as well; double jump and glide in the air as the explosions go off. Depleting the boss's health is pretty easy and the battle may not last long if you are aggressive enough. If Sayo is on the ground, you can use plenty of regular attacks and Secret Arts. You also have plenty of time to attack her when she is floating in the air with her crows. I found that Magoroku Kanemoto's Kamaitachi Secret Art to be useful in this situation, since the attack automatically sends you flying in the air like a pinwheel. Things heat up as the battle goes on - literally! Sayo covers herself in fire, which is pretty common in bosses. Sayo's attacks are more powerful and capable of shattering your Demon Blades. She also starts using a new, fireball attack. The boss stands on either side of the arena and shoots a number of homing fireballs at you. You can strike the bigger ones, but doing so only splits it into two smaller ones. Hitting the small ones destroys them. This is a great time to use Quick Draws! At this point, you may want to back off and slow things down a bit so you don't suffer from broken blades and severe health loss. The boss's defense doesn't increase at this stage of the fight, but her strength certainly does. Rewire your Item Shortcut so you have easy access to Omura Stones and Iyo Stones along with Tiger Pellets. Sayo may be a bit more intimidating once you get her down to about half health, but she's still a little twerp. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You can now cross Green Barriers with the Kogarasumaru Demon Blade in your possession. Well, this is strange. Talk to everyone to wrap things up here. ============================================================================== ACT 5 [0405] ============================================================================== To keep things simple and to the point... we are not even close to where we need to be right now. Either walk or warp back to Totomi. From Totomi, you have to make your way to Yamato. That means you must: - go through Totomi to Mikawa - go through Mikawa to Owari - go through Owari to Ise - go through Ise to Iga Have fun! Once you are finally at Iga, head to the western end of the map (Area 15, to be exact). -~ AREA 15 ~- Break the Green Barrier here, then proceed to Yamato. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamato ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | '-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- The fog here is nearly blinding, though it dissipates as you continue through the area. -~ AREA 2 ~- The fog picks up again as you move to the left. -~ AREA 3 ~- Defeat the enemies here; you may encounter several of The Dead. Once they are destroyed, collect the Souls in the area and climb down the rock ledges to locate an Herbal Remedy. Go southeast. -~ AREA 4 ~- This is a dead end with no items, but there are plenty of Souls to find. Kill off the Jonin, then collect the Souls and return to the last area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Fight the monsters here again, then take either the northwest or southwest exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- There are a number of Jonin here in this large mountainside. There's also a Dragon Pellet near where you enter (above you if you took the southwest path). Run to the west to the next area. -~ AREA 6 ~- Dash through the field to the left. -~ AREA 7 ~- Take down the enemies, then go north when you reach the fork. -~ AREA 8 ~- There is an Igarashi Stone found deep in the southeast corner of the area, but first you must slay all of the Jonins. The exit to the area is in the northeast corner. -~ AREA 9 ~- Go to the right, kill the monsters, and continue to the right. -~ AREA 10 ~- Once again, proceed to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- Going to the right takes you to Yamashiro. Instead, return to Area 7. -~ AREA 7 ~- This time, continue west at the fork towards the "Go" sign there. -~ AREA 12 ~- Checkpoint. Save your progress and continue west. -~ AREA 13 ~- This area contains a teahouse. Just a teahouse; no peddler. -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- You know what teahouses have to offer Mizu-Manjyu 10 Mon for you, so either pick up some food Daifukumochi 20 Mon or don't. I usually buy something Warabimochi 30 Mon regardless, just for the animations. -------------------------------------- Exit the screen to the left. -~ AREA 14 ~- Another battle here, plus an intersection. Unlike last time, pass by the first exit you see and continue to the left. -~ AREA 15 ~- Go inside the abandoned house for some Souls and a whopping four, count 'em, four Rice Bags! Yeah!!! Okay, you can leave now. -~ AREA 16 ~- Fight some enemies here, then continue to the left. -~ AREA 17 ~- There's an Enemy Lair we cannot access yet, plus a hot springs monkey. When you are ready, leave to the west. -~ AREA 18 ~- This area is similar to some of the earlier ones in Yamashiro: large, and full of Souls and Jonin. There is a Dragon Pellet on the ground in the southwest corner as well. -~ AREA 19 ~- There is a Fire Charm on a dead tree limb near where you begin. Run through the trees to the western exit. -~ AREA 20 ~- There is a White Barrier preventing us from going any further. On the bright side, you can collect an Oni Necklace here! Backtrack all the way to Area 14. -~ AREA 14 ~- Return to the center of the area and go north. -~ AREA 21 ~- There is a Sake Libation in the center of the area, in front of the little stone statues. Pick it up and exit to the west. -~ AREA 22 ~- The area is totally empty, so it's a serene walk through. -~ AREA 23 ~- Destroy the Green Barrier and grab the Doburoku before moving forward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yamato: Buddha Statue Hall in Zentoji, Nara ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[B] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Strange-looking map, but it's a pretty small one at that. Pick up the Doburoku off of the ground and continue west. -~ AREA 2 ~- Defeat the baddies here (prolly just Ninjas and Kite Ninjas) before entering the building. -~ AREA 3 ~- This colossal area is three screens high, but it is split into multiple floors. All you can do is kill the enemies on the first floor and exit to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- Walk through the dark hallway to the next screen. -~ AREA 5 ~- Another hallway here! Make your way through (you'll probably fight a battle here) to the other side. -~ AREA 6 ~- This area is identical to Area 3: it's broken up into several floors. However, there are staircases here that allow you to climb the room. First off, clear the entire chamber of Jonins, then return to the bottom. There are multiple doors that lead into side rooms. These rooms aren't visible on the map, so they aren't actual areas. Enter the first one on the second floor to find three Liquors. The one on the third floor contains two Dragon Pellets. Ascend to the fourth floor and head through the door to find a chest containing Culinary Tips Vol. 3. Finally, exit the area on the fifth floor. -~ AREA 7 ~- Just a simple hallway, so continue to the right. -~ AREA 8 ~- Again, another hallway. You will likely encounter some Ghost Spiders in this area. They hang from the ceiling and strike if anything runs underneath them. Cut them down from their webbing and fight them down on the ground. They'll scurry on the floor while trying to bite you, but these monsters aren't all that dangerous. Proceed east. -~ AREA 3 ~- Back at Area 3, but on a higher level. Exterminate all of the Ghost Spiders, then climb up to the top floor. Here you will find an Utsusemi Gauntlet and the area exit. -~ AREA 9 ~- Dash through the empty hallway to the next area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Another wave of Ghost Spiders for you to contend with. Slay the critters, then exit to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- Save your game and prepare for the upcoming boss battle before entering the glowing gate. Well, this place certainly tips the "Creepy Scale". Talk to everyone wrapped up in Tsuchigumo's web to start the battle. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Tsuchigumo ------------------ Recommended Level: 24 Drop: Kumokiri This is probably the second easiest boss battle in the entire game (the Giant Centipedes take that dubious award). Tsuchigumo barely even attacks you, and most of the time you'll be concentrating on the army of Ghost Spiders he sends after you. The arena is made up of a large area with several small platforms and a large spider web in the background. Tsuchigumo and his spider minions can crawl along the web and position themselves high in the arena. I'm actually tempted to say that Tsuchigumo is the easiest boss in the game, simply because the Giant Centipedes took a while to kill. Aside from spawning Ghost Spiders, Tsuchigumo only has one attack: he shoots webbing out of his mouth and spins his head around like some freak-ass exorcism, creating a stream of webbing that spins around the room in a circle. Even though Tsuchigumo only has one attack, it is quite annoying since it's very, very difficult to dodge. It deals little damage, but immobilizes you. I am not positive on how to free yourself; you either have to repeatedly tap A or shake the Wii Remote. Just try both to free yourself before the Ghost Spiders nibble away at you too much. The alternate method of freeing yourself from the boss's web is to use a Quick Draw. You should save your Quick Draws for when you get stuck, because it frees you as well as damages everything onscreen. The boss stays high up in the room, just above the platforms near the middle of the room. Sometimes, he will curl up and corscrew to another location in a weird fashion. Follow after him and keep up the assault. Use jumping slashes and other aerial attacks to damage Tsuchigumo. Occasionally, Tsuchigumo will fall to the ground after withstanding a certain amount of punishment. When this happens, switch to your strongest blade and hack away at the defenseless beast. The Ghost Spiders will try and protect him, but focus on the boss while simultaneously swatting the spiders away. For the most part, you should concentrate on Tsuchigumo, but there are times where you should step away and clear the room of Ghost Spiders. They tend to swarm you if the numbers get too high, but a few combos and/or Quick Draws can solve that problem. The Ghost Spiders are the only danger in this boss fight, because Tsuchigumo sits around and allows himself to be downright abused. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Kumokiri blade can break Light Blue Barriers. Speak with the characters to end the act and begin the next one. ============================================================================== ACT 6 [0406] ============================================================================== We have to make our way to Hida. The only way to get there is through Mino. I feel that there is so much more backtracking than in Momohime's story. Warp back to Yamato, then: - go through Yamato to Iga - go through Iga to Ise - go through Ise to Owari - go through Owari to Mino Once you are back at Mino, make your way to Area 12. -~ AREA 12 ~- We can shatter the Light Blue Barrier here to reach Hida. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hida ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Nice to see a real change of pace in terms of scenery. Trudge through the snow piles to the right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Defeat the enemies and walk east. Pick up the Persimmon next to the area exit, then leave. -~ AREA 3 ~- Kill the Snow Women, then drop down to the bottom of the area to find a Radish and some Souls. Climb to the top of the hill and exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- Ignore the Enemy Lair and continue east. -~ AREA 5 ~- A trip to the hot springs is a grand idea, especially since it starts snowing once you enter the area! Once you are ready, proceed to the right. -~ AREA 6 ~- Another tall area filled with Snow Women. Knock their icicle projectiles back at them, then slash away for a quick win. Collect the Souls and the Persimmon at the top of the hill, and take the northern exit for the time being. -~ AREA 7 ~- Walk through the snowy area, fight some monsters, and exit right. -~ AREA 8 ~- The evil White Barrier is blocking the exit, so go back to Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Fight the Snow Women again, then take the southern road. -~ AREA 9 ~- Save and heal at the shrine, then continue east. -~ AREA 10 ~- There is a Bronze Mirror near the entrance to the area. Walk a bit, get in a fight, then continue walking to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- This is one of those double decker areas, so it doesn't matter which exit you take. Take down the Snow Women, then grab the Jyokenji Stone at the bottom of the area before leaving to the next screen. -~ AREA 12 ~- This area looks the same as the last, but you'll be battling Jonin instead of Snow Women. I hate Jonin. Make sure to take the Sage Pellet off of the tiny platform way above the area exit. -~ AREA 13 ~- There's a glowing object just below where you start off; drop down and inspect it for a Cabbage, then walk to the right. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shinano ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-. | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Run to the right to reach the exit. -~ AREA 2 ~- You'll fight a bunch of Ogamas here. There are a lot of platforms concealed by the tree branches, so you may get a bit disoriented here. Plus, Ogamas are always a huge pain in the ass. Before you leave, make sure to get the Toad Oil on the northeast end of the area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Another battle here, but it's a straight path through to the next area. -~ AREA 4 ~- There are a few bomb Ninjas in here, so take 'em down. Pick up the Master's Handbook in the upper right-hand corner (equip this now!), then drop down and follow the tunnel to the next area. -~ AREA 5 ~- If you climb to the high platforms and follow them west, you'll find a small alcove filled with Souls and a Jyokenji Stone. There are no enemies here, so you can peacefully walk through to the east. -~ AREA 6 ~- You start off in the middle of an area. First, go east. -~ AREA 7 ~- There are several Jonin hanging out on the platforms and ledges here. Once the fight is over, grab the Sage Pellet near the exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- Same as before: Jonin, thousands of them! Well, more like three or four. There is a Bronze Mirror in the southwest corner that you should pick up. -~ AREA 9 ~- We can't go any further due to the Blue Barrier, but keep this spot in the back of your mind; we'll be back here soon. Return to Area 6. -~ AREA 6 ~- Head to the left this time. -~ AREA 10 ~- Checkpoint, so save before leaving. -~ AREA 11 ~- Go inside the house and talk to the creepy old dude to take his stash of Yams. Three, to be exact. Head back outside and chat with the peddler. -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- Persimmons are pretty good recovery Pheasant 15 Mon items, so you may want to stock up on Rice Bag 20 Mon a few of them. The cookbooks are, of Bronze Mirror 30 Mon course, always a good idea. Map of Kai 30 Mon Map of Shinano 30 Mon The Ghoulish Seal is a very strange, Yam 40 Mon yet interesting accessory. When Herbal Remedy 50 Mon equipped, your maximum Life Flame Persimmon 50 Mon always stays the same, but the amount Sage Pellet 75 Mon of Experience you earn increases by Smoke Bomb 80 Mon 10%. It's risky to prevent your Squid 100 Mon health from ever increasing, but XP Culinary Tips Vol. 4 200 Mon boosts are always nice. Grilled Cooking Vol. 3 200 Mon Shura Gauntlet 250 Mon When you are ready, step away from Ghoulish Seal 300 Mon the peddler and exit the area by Jyokenji Stone 400 Mon going west. -------------------------------------- -~ AREA 12 ~- Talk to the weird old dude, then walk past and stop by at the teahouse. -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- You know what teahouses have to Three Dumplings 10 Mon offer, so either buy food or don't. Kusamochi 20 Mon At least the food here is pretty Mizu-yokan 30 Mon cheap and yields a decent amount of -------------------------------------- Spirit, which you may be low on. When ready, exit the area to the left. -~ AREA 13 ~- When you reach the intersection, continue west. -~ AREA 14 ~- Pick up the Rice Bag, then turn back around; if you continue along the path, you'll only head back to Mino (and the path will be blocked by a barrier, so it's all for naught). -~ AREA 13 ~- Take the central path this time. -~ AREA 15 ~- The screen starts to dim as you proceed through the area. Ignore the effect and continue east. -~ AREA 16 ~- Stop by at the hot springs, ignore the Enemy Lair, and go east. -~ AREA 17 ~- Take out the group of enemies here, for starters. Jump up the side of the cliff, eventually collecting a Shura Mask. Head through to the next area. -~ AREA 18 ~- Clear the area of enemies before leaving. -~ AREA 19 ~- Break the Light Blue Barrier, then walk through to the next map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shinano: Hachimanbara, Kawanakajima Battle Field ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[B] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Now this is a really cool map. Love the carnage in the background. Sprint to the right to eventually leave. -~ AREA 2 ~- Even more carnage! Souls appear in the background and foreground, but you cannot collect them; just for show. Again, run to the right to the exit. -~ AREA 3 ~- As you climb the large hill nearby, you'll get into an enemy encounter. Defeat the enemies that appear and continue to the top of the hill to find the exit. -~ AREA 4 ~- There are several Gun Soldiers stationed as you go down the other side of the hill. Try not to block their bullets, since they often lead to the destruction of your blades. Dodge the gunfire and target each one individually. Not too difficult. Run down to to the bottom of the hill and continue east. -~ AREA 5 ~- Another batch of enemies here (most likely Gakis, like usual). Kill 'em, then run to the right. -~ AREA 6 ~- Walk forward and you will reach an intersection. Take the first path you see to be led to a dead end. The spot doesn't appear on the map, although there is a chest containing four Pheasants. Go back to the fork and continue east. -~ AREA 7 ~- There are several guard towers stationed near the middle of the area. You'll find Gun Soldiers and Ninjas up on these towers. Climb the towers and defeat their inhabitants before leaving. Make sure to pick up the Jyokenji Stone underneath one of the towers. -~ AREA 8 ~- Another bland area. You will probably fight some Ochimushas here. Once you're done, go to the right. -~ AREA 9 ~- Another area with more guard towers. This time, you'll find Kite Ninjas in addition to Gun Soldiers. There's a Shura Belt waiting for you under one of the towers. Head up the hill towards the "Go" sign afterwards. -~ AREA 10 ~- Some more Ochimushas here. You may fight a second battle here as well. No biggie, though. -~ AREA 11 ~- Empty area, so proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 12 ~- This is the last area before the boss fight; you know what to expect here. After saving and going through the gate, talk to the undead samurais and Torahime. Press A to proceed. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Chigurui Bishamon ----------- Recommended Level: 31 Drop: Osafune Kanemitsu After the last cakewalk boss battle, expect a true challenge here against Chigurui Bishamon. He is a very large target, and his long sword outclasses all of your Demon Blades. If you block most of his attacks head on, your sword will break. Count on it. The problem I had with this fight was trying to successfully identify which attack Chigurui Bishamon was going to use; they all involve his sword in some way. After playing this boss fight several times, I tried to study his attack patterns and movements. Here's what I got from it: the boss is capable of using a jumping slash that creates shockwaves that point in both directions. If you see him crouch and place both hands on his sword, get ready for him to jump and jump yourself just as he lands. Voila; that one is easy enough. The most basic attack the boss has is a forward slash. He'll hold his sword in front of him and above his head. The result: a quick forward slash. Another attack is used with a nearly identical setup. Except instead of a forward slash, Chigurui Bishamon moves his sword across his body horizontally, as tiny green skulls fly out in the same direction. He's tall enough so you can duck and avoid the attack entirely. He seems to have several very basic attacks, so you should watch out for them accordingly. Chigurui Bishamon also has some heavy-hitters. When you see the armor in his chest open up, back away from him. Ghastly skulls will be absorbed into his stomach as the boss creates a powerful green whirlwind. It looks pretty neat, but it can hurt. When you see the boss's mask come off, you know he's using one of his two most powerful attacks. Once you see the glow of his green fiery skull, prepare yourself for the worst. Both times he raises his sword over his head and one of two things will happen. One option is that the boss causes a horde of arrows to rain down on you. They have pretty good range, so your best bet would be to roll or run behind the boss so you can dodge most of the arrows. Blocking them head-on is just asking for a shattered blade. The second options is that Chigurui Bishamon summons an army of spectral horsemen that stampede across the battlefield. The easiest way to dodge this attack is to get behind the boss; the attack generates where the boss is standing, so staying behind the boss is the safest place to be. However, he usually uses this attack while standing on the far side of the room; if that's the case, then double jump and glide in the air until it's safe to land. Chigurui Bishamon is a big ol' target, so you should have no trouble hitting him. The key is figuring out which attack he is going to use and appropriately dodging them. One good thing about this fight is that all of his attacks require a bit of a "charge-up" period, so you are given a good second or two before the attack hits. Staying on the ground and hacking away at his feet is your best bet, since it allows you to avoid many of his attacks, especially his arrow barrage, jumping slash, and horizontal slice. Of course aerial attacks won't spell the death of you, but I found it easiest to mainly stay grounded during the course of this boss fight. Like the Torahime boss battle, every time you deplete a health bar you are given the chance to juggle Chigurui Bishamon in the air. He's a lot harder to keep in the air due to his size, but it's a cheap way to drain a lot of his health. I'm not one for using a ton of Secret Arts, and I'm certainly not a fan of Long Blades, but I thought the best way to go into this battle was with the Ishizuki Muramasa Blade. This is an incredibly powerful blade in itself, but its Secret Art, Wind II, is absolutely fantastic for this fight. All you have to do is stand near the boss's feet and use this Secret Art to unleash all hell on him. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- With Chigurui Bishamon down for the count, Kisuke receives the Osafune Kanemitsu blade. You can now pass through Blue Barriers. Needless to say, the conclusion of a boss battle also means the end of the act. ============================================================================== ACT 7 [0407] ============================================================================== The good news about our current situation is that it requires basically no backtracking! You are already back at Shinano, so all you have to do is make your way to Area 9. -~ AREA 9 ~- Remember this spot? Hopefully! Back here, destroy the Blue Barrier and go through to Kai. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kai ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .--[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-' ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Walk forward to the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- Continue until you reach a tall rock wall. In order to scale it, climb the tree next to it. Continue to the top to find a Mandarin, then drop onto the side of the rock wall and head to the next area. -~ AREA 3 ~- Defeat the enemies here, then run to the right. -~ AREA 4 ~- Kill the enemies here as well, then climb the trees for some Souls. For now, go through the southeast exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- Slay the Ninjas here and pick up the Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 3 before making your way back to the previous area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Take the northeast exit this time. -~ AREA 6 ~- Drop down onto the log bridge. As you walk out onto the center, it will crack and eventually split in half. Quickly double jump and glide to the other side or else you'll fall down to Area 5. -~ AREA 7 ~- Head towards the center of the area for a battle, then proceed east. In the tree nearest the exit is a shiny object; a Trillium Tablet. Take it and drop down to the exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- Talk to Yuzuruha if you wish, but otherwise save at the checkpoint and leave. -~ AREA 9 ~- In the middle of the area is an intersection. You may also get in a fight here. Defeat them, then continue east at the intersection. -~ AREA 10 ~- Pretty desolate area, so walk through to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- There is a White Barrier here, so turn around and backtrack to Area 9. -~ AREA 9 ~- This time, return to the street sign in the center of the road and go south. -~ AREA 12 ~- Fight some enemies, then exit stage left. -~ AREA 13 ~- You can't access the Enemy Lair here yet, so walk past it to the exit. -~ AREA 14 ~- What better way to relax after a tough battle than a trip to the hot springs? Talk to the monkey here to go there, and exit the area by going west once you come back. -~ AREA 15 ~- Jump and hop through the treetops to the next screen. -~ AREA 16 ~- I fought some Karasu-Tengus here, so you probably will, too. There is a Sake Libation on the tree right below where you enter the area. Once the battle comes to a close, drop down to the bottom of the area and head left. -~ AREA 17 ~- Exit the area to reach Suruga. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suruga ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[S] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Suruga is a big place, but it is pretty easy to navigate. From the start, run to the left to eventually reach the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- From a meadow to a beach. Fight some bad guys here before leaving. -~ AREA 3 ~- Another beach here: just follow it to the left. -~ AREA 4 ~- Continue west along the coast, fight some baddies, and move along. -~ AREA 5 ~- Peddler and teahouse time, so get your money out. -~ Peddler -~ -~ Teahouse Menu ~- -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Cabbage 7 Mon Three Dumplings 10 Mon Radish 7 Mon Kusamochi 20 Mon Tofu 10 Mon Mitsumame 30 Mon Fried Tofu 10 Mon -------------------------------------- Pheasant 15 Mon Bronze Mirror 30 Mon The teahouse is pretty cheap, so grab Map of Izu 30 Mon a few items for the road. As for the Map of Sagami 30 Mon peddler, stock up on some Mandarins: Map of Suruga 30 Mon they are tasty and restore a lot of Fire Charm 50 Mon Life Flame as well as Spirit. Herbal Remedy 50 Mon Trillium Tablets are also quite good. Mandarin 65 Mon I wouldn't bother buying any of the Smoke Bomb 80 Mon accessories he has in stock; stick Trillium Tablet 98 Mon with the Master's Handbook. And just Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 2 270 Mon why are stones so expensive at these Yata Belt 335 Mon places?! We find enough out in the Swordmaster's Sheath 400 Mon wild, so why ever buy them? Wrap Kumori Stone 500 Mon things up here and continue west. -------------------------------------- -~ AREA 6 ~- Go past the White Enemy Lair and to the next area. -~ AREA 7 ~- There is a hot springs monkey here if you're interested. Run along the forest floor until you reach the western end. Pick up the Trillium Tablet and climb up the tree to the exit. -~ AREA 8 ~- There's an intersection here in the area. For now, stick to the west path. -~ AREA 9 ~- Grab the Fire Charm and the Souls up in the trees and go back to the previous area; the path ahead is blocked. -~ AREA 8 ~- Go southeast to a new area. -~ AREA 10 ~- Such a wide variety of environemnts here: beach, fields, forests, and now caves! Defeat the cave-dwelling monsters, then exit. -~ AREA 11 ~- As soon as you enter the area, climb up the tree and jump to the left to reach an alcove; inspect the shiny object for a Kumori Stone. See? We don't need to spend such ludicrous amounts of money when we can just find them out here! Kill the enemies that appear in the area's center before going east. -~ AREA 12 ~- Checkpoint. Save. Leave. -~ AREA 13 ~- Follow the wooden fence to the right. -~ AREA 14 ~- Back at the beach! Defeat the Ninjas that ambush you here and go east. -~ AREA 15 ~- Guess what? Go east. -~ AREA 16 ~- Head all the way to the right until you can go no further. Search the ground here for a Dragon Necklace, then jump into the tree to reach the area exit. -~ AREA 17 ~- The eastern exit is protected by a Purple Barrier. Collect the Mandarin in the tree near the barrier, then drop to the ground. Instead, go southwest. -~ AREA 18 ~- There are some Jonin in the cave. When you defeat them, head to the bottom of the area and go west at the intersection. -~ AREA 19 ~- Search the alcove above where you enter the area for a Bronze Mirror. Proceed through the forest, defeating enemies as you go, until you reach the next area to the west. -~ AREA 20 ~- This area is completely empty, so sprint to the exit. -~ AREA 21 ~- Kill off the Ninjas or Samurais that appear on the beach, then head west. -~ AREA 22 ~- Dead end, due to the White Barrier. Return to Area 18. -~ AREA 18 ~- Clear the room of Jonin once more, then go east at the intersection. -~ AREA 23 ~- Again, there is an alcove high up above where you enter the area; climb up to find a Smoke Bomb. Glide around, collecting all the Souls here. Next, continue east to the exit. -~ AREA 24 ~- Pick up the Trillium Tablet near the Blue Barrier, then destroy it with your Demon Blades. Exit the map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Suruga: Foot of Mt. Fuji ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[B] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Climbing up a mountain should be a real blast. Yeah, right. Climb the trees and continue east. -~ AREA 2 ~- Drop down to the ground and follow the forest floor to the right. -~ AREA 3 ~- Slay the Gakis crawling around inside the cave before leaving. -~ AREA 4 ~- As soon as you enter the area, jump up the tree branches to reach the top of the wall. Grab the Trillium Tablet, then fall down to the ground. Head east to the next area. -~ AREA 5 ~- This area is totally empty. Exit it by going right. -~ AREA 6 ~- Take out the Jonin, then stay on the ground and go southeast. -~ AREA 7 ~- Dead end here, but you'll find a Yata Gauntlet. Go one screen back. -~ AREA 6 ~- Take down the enemies again before going northeast. -~ AREA 8 ~- Jump along the dead tree branches until you reach the next area. -~ AREA 9 ~- Same as the last area, though you may fight some monsters. When you are ready, go east. -~ AREA 10 ~- You are at another fork populated by Jonin. Once you've taken care of business, head southeast. -~ AREA 11 ~- Grab the Kumori Stone at the dead end before going back to Area 10. -~ AREA 10 ~- Defeat the enemies here again. Go the only other way that's left. -~ AREA 12 ~- You can tell that you're gaining some altitude, as the cave here looks very frigid. Defeat the Small Onis before exiting out the other side. -~ AREA 13 ~- From experience, I have found that most of the enemies from now on are usually Gakis or Small Onis. You'll fight one of the two here. Execute them, then run to the east. -~ AREA 14 ~- More enemies; finish 'em off and continue east. -~ AREA 15 ~- There are a trio of Snow Women that you must defeat. Once you have, explore the area for Souls and a Mandarin. When you are ready to continue, climb up the cliffside to the right. -~ AREA 16 ~- Proceed through the barren area to the east. -~ AREA 17 ~- You end up at another cliff. Take down the Snow Women, then follow the southeast trail. -~ AREA 18 ~- Just like before, this is a dead end with an item. However, said item is only a measly Radish. Backtrack to Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- Kill the Snow Women again before taking the northeast path. -~ AREA 19 ~- *sigh* more pain in the ass Jonin. I friggin' hate these guys so much. Beat them up, then drop to the bottom of the cliff to spot a Mandarin. Climb back up to the top of the area to reach the exit. -~ AREA 20 ~- This is the rest spot before the boss battle, so do what you must. You may want to equip the Dragon Necklace for the upcoming fight. Also cook some sort of meal that boosts your stats, because you will need all the help you can get here. Speak with the characters to get things going. You know the drill. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Dragon God ------------------ Recommended Level: 38 Drop: Goro Masamune Out of nowhere, the game's difficulty goes through the roof with this boss. Seriously, this battle is plain ridiculous. For starters, most of his attacks are fire-based, meaning they can cause Burn. Lame. Second, even though the Dragon God is a mighty big specimen, you can only target his face. SUPER LAME. You may actually want to be a bit higher than my suggested level if you are having serious problems with this fight. Most of the Dragon God's attacks are fireballs, but they have different effects. The first is a regular ol' fireball: he spits one out of his mouth and it creates a pillar of flame and smoke. Avoid them. Sometimes, the boss fires a single fireball, but once it hits the ground it travels all the way across like a wave. Sometimes the Dragon God shoots out a barrage of fireballs that results in several miniature explosions. Out of all his fireball attacks, it's hard to tell which one is which, so whenever you see him spit one out, jump and glide around just to be safe. His two other fireball attacks are unlike the others, since they travel horizontally instead of hitting the ground. The boss spits out a ring of tiny fireballs that pursue you. Even though you can deflect them back at the boss, the number of fireballs he deploys is high and you may get hit by a bunch of them. The Dragon God's last fireball attack travels horizontally, but they (thankfully) do not follow you. He shoots out a group of fireballs that resemble a pinwheel. Just duck and roll when it comes towards you. The Dragon God also has a few other, unrelated attacks. If you see him tingle with electricity, back away before he chomps at you. He performs a horizontal bite followed by a diagonal bite leaning towards the ground. One of his weaker attacks, in my opinion. Lastly, the boss disappears into the background as the entire screen goes black. During this time, five balls of electricity appear and float around before eventually fusing into a strange electrical star. The star will chase you around for a long time (during which the boss reappears). Eventually, the star breaks apart into five balls again and they line up horizontally. They then shoot lightning bolts down to the ground. This is probably the worst attack the boss has. You can actually damage and destroy the balls of lightning before they get a chance to form a star, but they are really durable. You'll have to dish out a lot of damage in order to destroy each lightning ball. It may actually be more trouble to try and eliminate them, so avoiding the electric star may be your best option. Take a very relaxed approach to this boss fight. If you rush in and try to kick ass, you're the one whose ass is going to get kicked. It can be fairly easy to scout which attacks the Dragon God is going to use, and honestly, it isn't all that difficult to dodge his fireballs. The problem is that his moves are deadly as all hell, so on the off chance that you mess up and you get hit by an attack, well get your Mandarins and Trillium Tablets ready. Remember that you can only hit the boss's head, so get up in the air and use jumping slashes. In terms of weapons, your best bet is to go with Osafune Kanemitsu: its Gale Secret Art is just what you need for this fight. Dragonfly II (Hisame Muramasa) isn't terribly bad, either. The speed of the fight is pretty fast, and it only increases when the Dragon God is low on health. He starts using his homing fireball and electric star attack more frequently when he's near death. Quick Draws are good for both cases, since they will help destroy the mini fireballs and can also help destroy the ball lightnings during that attack as well. This far into the game, you know the consequences of slacking off during major boss battles. One direct hit is enough to break a blade, so it's all about being careful and patient. If you want to go into the fight and spam Secret Arts all day, then you probably won't get too far. Keep Jyokenji Stones and Persimmons/Mandarins close by. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- You receive the Goro Masamune and can now break Purple Barriers. The Final Act is upon us! ============================================================================== FINAL ACT [0408] ============================================================================== You are right where you fought the Dragon God, so either walk back to Suruga or use a Bronze Mirror. Your destination is Area 17. -~ AREA 17 ~- Destroy the Purple Barrier and go east. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Izu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- On your way through the area, pick up the Mandarin. -~ AREA 2 ~- Run past the White Enemy Lair and continue east. -~ AREA 3 ~- Stop by the hot springs monkey and talk to him if you are interested. Otherwise, proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Begin by killing the three Jonin inside the damp and dark cave. Grab the Bronze Mirror in the northeast corner. When the fight is over, take the bottom path. -~ AREA 5 ~- Pass by the Palanquin Bearers and fisherman, then pick up the Peach at the far end of the beach. Return to the last area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Kill the enemies again and head east. -~ AREA 6 ~- Go through the area to the right. You may fight some Ogamas along the way. -~ AREA 7 ~- This area is identical to the last. Go to the right. -~ AREA 8 ~- Guess what? This area is identical to the previous two. Enter the cave on the far east end. -~ AREA 9 ~- Slay the monsters in the cave before exiting to the right. -~ AREA 10 ~- Save at the checkpoint and continue east. -~ AREA 11 ~- Climb the trees to find a Kumori Stone and a nice amount of Souls, then proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 12 ~- Take the Spirit Tablet from this area and exit to Sagami. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sagami ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | '-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Walk to the right and climb up the rightmost tree for a Peach. Drop down to the ground and leave. -~ AREA 2 ~- Go to the right; after the battle, climb the tree near the two exits for a Smoke Bomb. Head down the southern road. -~ AREA 3 ~- Exterminate the Small Onis inside the cave before leaving. -~ AREA 4 ~- Grab the Kumori Stone and the Souls, then proceed east. -~ AREA 5 ~- Return to Area 2 since the White Barrier prevents us from going any further. -~ AREA 2 ~- Take the northern road. -~ AREA 6 ~- You begin right next to a Spirit Tablet and a monkey that can lead you to hot springs. Walk forward for a battle, then continue walking forward to reach the next area. -~ AREA 7 ~- There's an Enemy Lair and some Souls here. Go east. -~ AREA 8 ~- Head to the right, mmmkay? -~ AREA 9 ~- Examine the object in the eastern tree for a Pheasant, then continue east to the next screen. -~ AREA 10 ~- Save at the checkpoint and proceed to the right. -~ AREA 11 ~- This is a lively area filled with many townsfolk and a Soba Shop. -~ Soba Shop Menu ~- -------------------------------------- We don't come across many Soba Shops, Steamed White Rice 8 Mon so pick one or two meals up. There Kitsune Udon 16 Mon are a bunch of people you can talk to Herring Soba 24 Mon here, so if you want to take a break Tempura Udon 32 Mon from all the action and mind-numbing -------------------------------------- monotony, then speak with everyone. -~ AREA 12 ~- Aaaand back to the monotony. Pick up the Spirit Tablet in the tree and grab all the Souls floating around. You'll probably fight Ninjas here. What a surprise. Go east. -~ AREA 13 ~- Another break! Kinda. -~ Peddler -~ -------------------------------------- What a weird peddler. So late in the Cabbage 7 Mon game, and all he has to offer is Radish 7 Mon cooking ingredients. No supplies, no Tofu 10 Mon maps, no recovery items, not even a Fried Tofu 10 Mon couple accessories. Just ingredients. Pheasant 15 Mon Rice Bag 20 Mon I like cooking as much as the next Yam 40 Mon guy, but you may not need a lot here. Boar 50 Mon If you're a cookbook collector, then Char 70 Mon grab these two mighty-expensive ones. Squid 100 Mon Grab some cooking ingredients if you The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 3 500 Mon are a big cooker in this game. Exit The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 4 500 Mon by heading east. -------------------------------------- -~ AREA 14 ~- Follow the fence and through the gateway to the next map. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Musashi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] | | [ ] | | [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- Back to the city feel of the game. Jump in the water for some Souls as you go right. -~ AREA 2 ~- Again, more Souls in the water. Head right. -~ AREA 3 ~- For now, ignore the bridge and go east. We'll be coming back here in a little bit, though. -~ AREA 4 ~- Pick up the Bronze Mirror and kill off any enemies that may or may not show up. Proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 5 ~- Climb up the tall building and enter any open window you come across. Most contain enemies, but one of them holds a treasure chest; open it for three Boards. The area exit is at the top of the building. -~ AREA 6 ~- One of the open buildings here contains The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 2; others are either empty or house enemies. Continue east. -~ AREA 7 ~- On the roof below you is a Spirit Tablet. Search the open windows here; one of them is actually a restaurant. -~ Restaurant Menu ~- -------------------------------------- Of course, you'll get a scolding from Sushi (Tuna) 20 Mon the kitchen staff for using the back Sushi (Flounder) 40 Mon entrance. Well then don't leave it Sushi (Sea Urchin) 60 Mon wide open! This place only serves Sillago Tempura 80 Mon delicacies, since it's all pretty Whole Sea Bream 100 Mon darn expensive. Pick some up (though -------------------------------------- keep an eye on your Mon), then exit the area by going east. -~ AREA 8 ~- Well, turn right back around; White Barrier ahead. Go all the way back to Area 3 to continue through the map. -~ AREA 3 ~- Cross the bridge to the north end of the map. -~ AREA 9 ~- Check out the busy area to find a peddler. -~ Peddler ~- -------------------------------------- Probably the one thing you should Radish 7 Mon stock up on are Spirit Tablets. They Tofu 10 Mon are a step up above the pellet-type Pheasant 15 Mon recovery items, but they are a tad Bronze Mirror 30 Mon expensive. Map of Musashi 30 Mon Fire Charm 50 Mon When you are done shopping, step back Herbal Remedy 50 Mon and talk to some of the villagers Smoke Bomb 80 Mon walking around. They usually have Peach 90 Mon some interesting things to say... Squid 100 Mon well, sometimes. Spirit Tablet 135 Mon Toad Oil 200 Mon The area is an intersection, so you The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 1 360 Mon should go west first. Before you do, Demon God Gauntlet 455 Mon drop into the river near the peddler Kumori Stone 500 Mon to find a Peach. Go west afterwards. Swordsmith Mallet 550 Mon -------------------------------------- -~ AREA 10 ~- Take down the enemies roaming around the area. Head west after you win. -~ AREA 11 ~- We have no need to go back to Kai (plus, a barrier blocks us from continuing once we get in), so go back to Area 9. -~ AREA 9 ~- Go east to the next area. -~ AREA 12 ~- Checkpoint time. Once you are ready, continue to the right. -~ AREA 13 ~- Empty area, so run to the right to exit. -~ AREA 14 ~- Run through the area and kill anything you see before leaving. -~ AREA 15 ~- Another fork here. Pass by the bridge and go east. -~ AREA 16 ~- Defeat the bad guys in this area, then drop down the well to find a hefty helping of green Souls. To boot, there's a hot springs monkey here! This area has everything! When you are done here, exit to the right. -~ AREA 17 ~- There's an Enemy Lair here at the dead end. That's it. Go back to Area 15. -~ AREA 15 ~- Head across the bridge now. -~ AREA 18 ~- Proceed through the green-tinted area, fight The Dead, then head on out. -~ AREA 19 ~- Drop down into the water to find a Peach, then jump back onto the road and leave the area to the east. -~ AREA 20 ~- Slice down the Purple Barrier and continue forward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Musashi: In Front of Ote Gate, Edo Castle ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [B] | [ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-. | .-[ ] [ ] | [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] [S]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ]-[ ] ~ -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~ -~ AREA 1 ~- I'm well aware that the map directly above is one hell of a mess. It is supposed to be: this place is large, long, confusing, and irritating. With that said, lets get started! Jump over the castle wall to the next area. -~ AREA 2 ~- Run along the rooftop. Everything is calm... for now... -~ AREA 3 ~- Here's where things pick up. Multiple Jonin are hanging out here on the roof; some stronger than others. Defeat them all, then go east and climb down the ladder. -~ AREA 4 ~- One of many forks in this map. Numerous Gun Soldiers are stationed on the rooftops. Defeat them, then take the southeast exit. -~ AREA 5 ~- Take out the Jonin in the dark hallway, then open the chest for a Spirit Tablet. Return to the last area. -~ AREA 4 ~- Go northwest this time. -~ AREA 6 ~- Another wave of Jonin will ambush you. After you win the battle, open the treasure chest to obtain a Peach. Return to the last area. -~ AREA 4 ~- I think you know which way to go now (northeast). -~ AREA 7 ~- Run across the roof. Easy enough. -~ AREA 8 ~- More rooftops! Take out the Jonin here and continue east. -~ AREA 9 ~- As one could expect, there are a lot of Jonin here. Once you are victorious, head to the right and descend the ladder. -~ AREA 10 ~- Huh, an empty area? That's a surprise. Go east through the burning hallway. -~ AREA 11 ~- Another multi-route area. Climb up the stairs to the top of the stairwell and through the open door. -~ AREA 12 ~- At the dead end is a treasure chest, but first you must slay a group of enemies. Take the two Smoke Bombs before leaving. -~ AREA 11 ~- This time, go down the flight of stairs. -~ AREA 13 ~- Walk through the hallway to the next area. -~ AREA 14 ~- Just another empty hallway. Go on through. -~ AREA 15 ~- This tall area is split into several floors, so all you can do is go across the walkway and through the door. -~ AREA 16 ~- Ascend the stairs to reach the previous area - but on a higher level. -~ AREA 15 ~- You can use the hanging platforms to climb up or down the room. First off, clear the entire shaft of Jonin. Drop to the very bottom of the floor and go through the door on the left. -~ AREA 16 ~- Destroy the two Ochimushas guarding the chest, then open it for a Bronze Mirror. Return to the last area. -~ AREA 15 ~- Needless to say, take care of the enemies that reappear here. This time, climb to the very top of the room and proceed through the door. -~ AREA 17 ~- Head to your left and fight the enemies that show up. I happeend to fight a group of Gun Soldiers and two Kite Ninjas. Run to the left once you're done. -~ AREA 18 ~- More Jonin here. Take 'em down and jump along the ledges to the left side of the area, where you'll find the exit. -~ AREA 19 ~- Continue west to the next screen. -~ AREA 20 ~- There are a bunch of Jonin posted on the rooftops. Once the coast is clear, take the southwest exit. -~ AREA 21 ~- Another dead end infested with bad guys. Collect the two Toad Oils and return to the last area. -~ AREA 22 ~- Once you're back here, go northeast. -~ AREA 23 ~- Grab the Demon God Belt from the chest and return to the last area. -~ AREA 20 ~- Continue through the area by going northwest. -~ AREA 24 ~- Fight some bad guys, then go west. -~ AREA 25 ~- Start by going up the first flight of stairs and taking the exit here. -~ AREA 26 ~- Fight your way to the two Spirit Tablets and return to the last area. -~ AREA 25 ~- Go up the rest of the way and through the door. -~ AREA 27 ~- Proceed east to the next area. -~ AREA 28 ~- No enemies here. Try and dismiss the thick black smoke as you jump and climb your way to the top of the stairwell. -~ AREA 29 ~- The final chamber before the boss. Save your game, then prepare for the final boss. Forge new blades, tinker around with the Item Shortcut, cook some stat- boosting meals, then head through the gate. Talk to everyone here to commence the final battle! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi - Recommended Level: 47 Drop: Mumei Tamanoo My, that's a mouthful! My boss template barely even fit the name. >_> The battle is broken up into two stages; both have completely new sets of health bars. Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi is just some old man that summons ghosts and teleports around the room. That's all he does: teleport and summon ghosts. He usually summons three to five ghosts at once; they will float there for a second, then lunge at you. You can destroy them with one or two hits, so slash away when they come at you with open arms. The boss's teleportation attack can also hurt you and will break your blade immediately if you are right next to him when he teleports. You'll know when the boss teleports because the scroll in his hand (looks kinda like a rolling pin) glows blue. The first stage of this fight is a joke. Follow him when he teleports to safety and hack away at the old man. His ghost minions shouldn't get in the way since they are really weak. Either cut right through them or jump over. The main thing you want to watch out for is when Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi is about to teleport; roll away when you see the scroll in his hand turn blue. The number of ghosts he summons begin to increase and sometimes appears in various patterns and formations, but it doesn't matter all that much. Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi also starts to teleport much faster and more frequently when the the first part of the battle is almost over. In addition, he often creates either one or two clones of himself - they are red. Ignore the red clones and go after the real one. Sometimes, Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi will fall to the ground after taking enough abuse. He'll be weakened and won't be able to teleport during this time, so switch to your strongest blade and try to cut away a full health bar before he gets back up. Once the second phase of the battle begins, Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi transforms into a gigantic hound. Take any perception you had about the first half of this fight, because this stage is a royal pain in the ass. This boss has a lot of attacks, and I probably won't be able to list them all. It's just a very fast-paced, chaotic fight. When you see Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi glow red, back away or else there will be sharp gusts of wind that spin around him. It's probably the easiest attack to scout. Also, sometimes his feet release a cloud of purple gas (maybe he passed gas? I dunno). Avoid this gas by backing away or jumping on his back or else you'll be poisoned. A simple Herbal Remedy takes care of it. If you see the boss unhinge his jaws like a freaky demon snake, that means he's going to dive towards the ground, face first. When you see this, run behind before he dives foward in a black flash. At the conclusion of the attack, the boss ends up on the other side of the room, so this move is also used for him to teleport from one side of the room to another. The worst attack is when the demon hound disappears entirely and the screen goes black. He grows about a thousand times larger and... I don't even know what the hell transpires here. He smashes his face in the ground and moves to the left or right like a giant, brown tidal wave. It's really weird and I have no idea how to dodge it. I usually hide in the corner like a sissy because the boss usually stops before reaching the wall. In addition, there are also a number of rainbow-colored circles that float around the arena. These can be used to attack you as well, and you can destroy them with a few sword strikes. If you walk underneath the ones low to the ground, skeletons emerge from the portal and stab you. These ones aren't too bad as long as you avoid walking underneath them. The ones high in the air are a pain in the ass because they shoot lightning bolts at you. Destroy them. There's a lot to worry about here, because there is a lot going on. You have to focus on the rainbow portals as well as the giant dog boss. Most, if not all, of his attacks can destroy a blade in one go, so get ready to use those Iyo Stones. I was in danger of dying a handful of times during this boss fight: Peaches and Spirit Tablets helped keep me alive. You can jump on Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's back and fight him up there, but I never found it to be very useful since you mainly have to use downward slashes to really hit him. Plus, most of the Secret Arts miss from up there. By far, the best Demon Blade for this fight is Tsubamegaeshi Muramasa: Meteor II is an absolute blessing. Stand right underneath the boss's head or butt and go to town. Like a lot of boss battles, there's a period where the boss collapses and is vulnerable to attack. When the boss falls to the ground, use all of your powerful Secret Arts and try to drain as much health as you can before he gets up again. I hadn't used a single Kumori Stone before this boss fight, so I was able to cheaply use a Kumori Stone and spam Meteor II on this jerk of a boss until he died. Problem? =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The old fool is done for, and Kisuke receives the Mumei Tamanoo as a reward. Speak with all the characters and watch a few scenes to finish things up here. The First Story Ending is now complete. The first of three, to be exact. You can now start finishing the second and third if you wish. By completing the First Story Ending, you can now warp to shrines. When you have completed both Kisuke and Momohime's First Story Endings, you will be able to destroy White Barriers. Plus, you can share Demon Blades with each other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Second Story Ending ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Return to where you fought Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi with the Tsukiotoshi and Mumei Tamanoo equipped. You will fight Momohime here instead! She's what you would expect; basically a mirror of your own character. However, she is not all that difficult if you play things smart. You have played with this character for hours, so you should know what to expect in terms of battle strategies. Defeating Momohime means that you have completed the Second Story Ending. You will also receive the Mikazuki Munechika Demon Blade. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Third Story Ending ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once you have completed the Second Story Ending, equip the Oboro Muramasa and return to where you fought Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. You will fight him again, but he should be even easier than before now that you are at a much higher level. ______________________________________________________________________________ [5] ENEMY LAIRS [0500] ______________________________________________________________________________ You may have noticed strange, ominous dead tree trunks when exploring areas throughout the game. These are Enemy Lairs, and are little sidequests that allow you to challenge waves of enemies for nice prizes. These Enemy Lairs are protected by barriers, so you can expect some real tough challenges behind the later barriers. Red -> Orange -> Yellow -> Green -> Light Blue -> Blue -> Purple -> White Obviously, the Red Enemy Lairs are the easiest while the White Enemy Lairs are the most difficult (by far). In order to gain access to White Enemy Lairs, you must be able to break White Barriers (obtain the First Story Ending with both characters). ============================================================================== RED ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 100 Armed Monks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Musashi Recommended Level: 9+ Reward: Kusarikatabira I won't go too in-depth with Enemy Lairs because they are pretty forward for the most part. This one especially: you can expect to fight a total of 100 Monks in this Enemy Lair. The Monks appear in groups of ten, so expect ten waves of ten Monks each. The good thing about fighting Monks is that they are fairly weak and susceptible to juggling. If you can get a good four grouped together, keep them in the air until they die. Monks are fast and have a few aerial attacks, so watch out for that. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 100 Incarnations of Shadowy Ninja ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Yamashiro Recommended Level: 9+ Reward: Chowhound Saucer As the name implies, you will be fighting 100 Ninjas. Like the previous Enemy Lair, the Ninjas appear in groups of ten, so there are ten groups total. You know what to expect from Ninjas: they are the game's most common enemy. Probably the easiest Enemy Lair in the game. ============================================================================== ORANGE ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ God of Pestilence ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Owari Recommended Level: 16+ Reward: Cypress Rosary Before entering, give yourself an accessory that prevents status effects (in particular, Poison). You only fight one enemy in this Enemy Lair, but it's more like a boss. The Furball is a gigantic fuzzy purple blob - it looks exactly like an oversized Wooly Eyeball. The Furball continuously releases Wooly Eyeballs out into the arena, but they are more of a distraction than an actual nuisance. The boss attacks by coating itself in electricity and bouncing around the arena. When you see it spark, back away and roll around until it stops. It also releases poison gas into the arena, so stay away from the purple clouds. Overall, this fight isn't really all that bad and can be beaten if your level is below the game's recommendation. The boss has four health bars, but you can easily drain it with aerial attacks and Secret Arts. No biggie. ============================================================================== YELLOW ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mountain Kagura Dance, the Storm of Tengu ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Totomi Recommended Level: 23+ Reward: Lucky Mallet In a mountain area like this, it's only proper that we continue fighting Karasu-Tengus even in the Enemy Lair. This can be a challenging Enemy Lair because most of the enemy's attacks are projectiles, and with ten onscreen at once, things can get pretty hectic. You fight ten waves of ten Karasu-Tengus. When they first arrive, all ten will flock together in the center of the screen. Use this time to dish out some aerial attacks so you hit most, if not all ten of them, at once. Start juggling and go from there. My main problem with this Enemy Lair is that my blades were breaking left and right. If you have enough stones with you, you'll be fine. ============================================================================== GREEN ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Toad of Yourou Falls ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Mino Recommended Level: 29+ Reward: Ise Charm As the title implies, you'll be fighting a lot of Ogamas here. They range in size, so the little ones are easy to take down; avoid the big guys though. Their jumping slam can snap a blade in half like a twig, so try and avoid blocking attacks from the larger Ogamas. Also equip an accessory that protects against Poison, like the Suiko Scale. Their poison bubbles can be troublesome. ============================================================================== LIGHT BLUE ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Seven Samurai ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Mikawa Recommended Level: 36+ Reward: Yamato Miracle Drug This Enemy Lair can be a major pain for some of you. You must fight a total of seven Samurai enemies, all at once. However, these are no normal Samurai. They're more like mini-bosses, since they each have their own health bar at the bottom of the screen. It's almost like fighting seven weaker Yukinojyos! These enemies have a lot of nasty cutter-like projectiles and lunging slashes. It's a lot easier to jump over them and their attacks rather than trying to block. Also, try not to let them surround you. The Samurais are hard and their swords can take a lot of punishment before breaking, so use your best Secret Arts to shatter their blade. However, once you can break one's blade, keep them airborne and juggle them to kingdom come. The start of the fight is the toughest, but it all goes downhill for them once you take out the first one. ============================================================================== BLUE ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Snow Woman, Oiran Procession ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Hida Recommended Level: 42+ Reward: Wolfsbane Poison Honestly, I thought this was one of the easiest Enemy Lairs in the game. I just don't find Snow Women to be difficult enemies in the slightest. You fight several waves of them, and there are a good six or seven Snow Women in each group. They can float around and shoot snowflakes and icicles at you, but knock them right back at 'em. Seriously, I wasn't much higher than the suggested level and I flew through this one. ============================================================================== PURPLE ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Courage in the Ghostly Hour ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Sagami Recommended Level: 47+ Reward: Clapper There are only four main enemies in this challenge, but they happen to all be bosses! You must fight a trio of Blue Monks at the same time here. Blue Monks are one of the easiest bosses in the game, and you are given enough room that you can fight each one separately. Unlike the regular Blue Monk boss, these ones only have three health bars each, so they go pretty fast. After defeating all three, you'll have to deal with some Wooly Eyeballs as an intermission. Defeat them with a Quick Draw, then tackle the Furball that follows. The Furball has a lot of health bars, but he isn't too hard. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ozaru Stealth Army ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Iga Recommended Level: 49+ Reward: Ninja Socks Remember Kurozaru? The boss you fought in the Opening Act for Kisuke's Story? You have to fight four of them here! These are the only four enemies in the Enemy Lair, but isn't that enough? To boot, they have four health bars! Unlike the last Enemy Lair, there isn't enough room to separate each of them, so it's hard to concentrate on one at a time. The Kurozarus usually bunch up together, so you'll be hitting multiple at a time. This challenge is really chaotic, especially when they start throwing the shurikens all over the place. I was never in danger of dying, but my blades kept breaking. If you have enough Iyo Stones and some strong blades with great Secret Arts, you should survive. ============================================================================== WHITE ENEMY LAIRS ============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wildlife Caricature ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Kai Recommended Level: 50+ Reward: Hungry Devil Saucer This is a really goofy Enemy Lair. The only enemies you fight here are... Pheasants and Boars! And the game thinks you should be at Level 50 for that?! Well, it kinda makes sense. This Enemy Lair is more annoying than challenging. The Boars are easy to take down since they are slow and stay on the ground. The Pheasants can be a pain since they are fast flyers and use their signature divebomb attack all the time. With each wave, take care of the Boars first, then focus on the Pheasants. The animals are a lot stronger than the ones you see in the wild, so a single Quick Draw won't be enough to finish them off. Just be patient and hit the Pheasants once or twice with jumping attacks before they fly off. Again, it's more drawn out and annoying than tough. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Scheming Yagyu Clan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Yamato Recommended Level: 57+ Reward: Jyusumaru Tsunetsugu This is a hard challenge that doesn't begin all that bad. You'll fight waves upon waves of Jonin. Yeah they're nasty, but they aren't very deadly when you are at a high enough level. After a while, though, you fight one last group of Jonin, but this one is accompanied by Yukinojyo! Defeat the Jonin before you focus on the boss. He has four health bars and acts just like when you fought him as Momohime in Act 3. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Giant Centipede of the Suzuka Pass ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Ise Recommended Level: 64+ Reward: Otenta Mitsuyo Why is this even an Enemy Lair? All that's here are two Giant Centipedes. Didn't we have to fight three of them way early in the game, when we weren't even Level 10? Obviously, these ones are much stronger, but it's the same concept. It may last a little longer than some of the other Enemy Lairs, but it certainly isn't as difficult as them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rising Dragon, Lying Dragon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Suruga Recommended Level: 71+ Reward: Okanehira Remember how I said that the Dragon God was one of the toughest boss fights in the game? You have to fight two Dragon Gods here, side by side. Welp. You know how to beat one of 'em, so all you have to do is double that. It can be difficult to figure out which one is which, so you might have trouble soloing one out. The battle does become much easier when there's only one left. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Lair of the Oni ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Omi Recommended Level: 78+ Reward: Dojigiri Yasutsuna Small Onis? That's it?! Of course not! The first group of enemies may just be a bunch of Small Onis, but a Blue and Red Oni arrive just as you wipe them out. These beasts have four health bars each, so they are a lot tougher than the ones you fought in Hell. After you beat them, Gozu and Mezu show up. Treat them just like the last two foes. The final wave is all of them; you must fight all of the Big Four at once! The good news is that these ones only have three health bars instead of four. If you can consider that good news... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ghost of the Battle Field ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Shinano Recommended Level: 85+ Reward: Toyama Miracle Drug This is a doozy of an Enemy Lair; you'll certainly need to be around the recommendation of Level 85 in order to beat it. To start things off, you must battle against waves of Gun Soldiers and Kite Ninjas. You probably won't have too much trouble with them. The Ochimushas arrive next, and again, they aren't too bad. I thought the majority of this Enemy Lair was manageable. The hard part is the final wave: three Chigurui Bishamon! Use my boss strategy on him in order to make it out alive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Total Pandemonium ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Location: Izu Recommended Level: 92+ Reward: - This is the biggest challenge Muramasa has to offer. In fact, there is no reward for completing this Enemy Lair; only bragging rights! One thing about this Enemy Lair is that it's broken up into several phases. After each phase, you'll see a results screen and you gain a helping of Experience. You start off the challenge against some Ninjas and Kite Ninjas. Not too bad, right? After the Ninjas, you have to fight a Furball. Again, not too bad. Even the pair of Furballs and Gun Soldiers that follow still isn't the end of the world. After the two Furballs, some Jonin show up. After you defeat a couple waves of Jonin, you must defeat three Kurozarus at once. Okay, now it's starting to get tough. Back to regular enemies; this time, it's a handful of Samurai groups. These are the tougher Samurais; the one in the Light Blue Enemy Lair. Next up is an army of Monks, but they are easy. Following them are a pair of Blue Monks... makes sense I guess. Another short intermission here, with several Pheasants and Boars. This is a good time to relax a bit and take a step back from the hectic battles that took place prior to the animals. Still, don't relax too much! After, it's a group of Karasu-Tengus and then a bunch of Snow Women. Once you have defeated them, you'll have to fight several Ochimushas. Next up: Chigurui Bishamon! After you take care of the boss, you'll fight several Small Onis. They should not give you any trouble. Next, take down a Blue and Red Oni; Gozu and Mezu follow. Next up is each one together; all four of the Big Four. Notice how this is basically the "Lair of the Oni" Enemy Lair condensed into this one? Sheesh. We're almost done! The two final enemies that stand in your way: Kisuke and Momohime! You must fight two doppelgangers, identical to the ones you had to fight in order to get the Second Story Endings for both characters. As you can see, this Enemy Lair sure is a trip. The game suggests that you be at Level 92; you're best off waiting until you're at the maximum of Level 99. You can try beforehand, but max out your level for guaranteed success. It's a pretty cool feeling once you've beaten it though; take in the fact that you just did that. ______________________________________________________________________________ [6] EQUIPMENT [0600] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== BLADES [0601] ============================================================================== There are dozens upon dozens of Demon Blades in Muramasa (considering the name of the title, this shouldn't be too surprising). Each Demon Blade has its own special Secret Art ability and many possess some sort of aiding effect. You can have up to three Demon Blades equipped at one time. Some Demon Blades are found by defeating bosses, but most of them need to be created using the Forge technique introduced early on in the game. In order to forge and equip a new blade, you must meet several requirements: first, your Strength and Vitality must be at a certain level. Additionally, you must pay various fees (Soul and Spirit). Once your stats are high enough and you have enough Souls and Spirit, you can forge the blade. There are two types of Demon Blades: Blades and Long Blades. Blades are fast, swift weapons, but often sacrifice power. Long Blades are stronger than their counterpart, but are much slower to use in battle. Test out which ones you like best and then put 'em to use! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Momohime ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Chizuru Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 12 Secret Art: Misty Slash Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Hisui ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 13 Secret Art: Moonlight Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Sazanami ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 14 Secret Art: Crescent Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Botan Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 18 Secret Art: Swallow Saw Effect: Boost Attack Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Ayame Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 15 Secret Art: 2 Lightning Effect: Burning 50% Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Hasebe Kunishige ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 17 Secret Art: Windmill Effect: Strength +1, Breaks Red Barriers Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Defeat Blue Monk ~-~ Umitsubame Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 19 Secret Art: Flash Effect: Income Boost Requirements: Strength 5, Vitality 6 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Getsuei Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 23 Secret Art: Faerie Bolt Effect: Mad Tummy Requirements: Strength 6, Vitality 6 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Hibari Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 30 Secret Art: Skull Effect: Vitality +1 Requirements: Strength 7, Vitality 7 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Tachigesa Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 33 Secret Art: Yasha Effect: - Requirements: Strength 8, Vitality 8 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Kashagiri Hiromitsu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 33 Secret Art: Earth Hornet Effect: No Burning, Breaks Orange Barriers Requirements: Strength 9, Vitality 9 Obtained: Defeat Wanyudo ~-~ Mutsuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 41 Secret Art: Sakuya Effect: - Requirements: Strength 10, Vitality 10 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Kisaragi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 49 Secret Art: Moonlight II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 12, Vitality 13 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Kagetsu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 53 Secret Art: Raiden Effect: Soul Power I Requirements: Strength 15, Vitality 16 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Izumokami Naganori ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 65 Secret Art: Moon Ring Effect: Soul Absorb, Breaks Yellow Barriers Requirements: Strength 16, Vitality 17 Obtained: Defeat Yukinoyjo ~-~ Tamatsubaki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 71 Secret Art: Vengeance Effect: Death Blade Requirements: Strength 18, Vitality 19 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Yamabuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 70 Secret Art: Misty Slash II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 20, Vitality 21 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Kuchinawa Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 78 Secret Art: Flash II Effect: No Poison Requirements: Strength 21, Vitality 23 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Asazakura Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 97 Secret Art: Tornado Effect: - Requirements: Strength 25, Vitality 27 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Ichimonji Norimune ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 99 Secret Art: Comet Effect: Absorb Life, Breaks Green Barriers Requirements: Strength 27, Vitality 29 Obtained: Defeat Ippondatara ~-~ Uzuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 119 Secret Art: Swallow Saw II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 32, Vitality 34 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Satsuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 135 Secret Art: Moonlight III Effect: - Requirements: Strength 36, Vitality 39 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Suigetsu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 139 Secret Art: Skull II Effect: Strength +2 Requirements: Strength 39, Vitality 41 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Shishiou ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 148 Secret Art: Universe Effect: Strength/Vitality +3, Breaks Light Blue Barriers Requirements: Strength 41, Vitality 44 Obtained: Defeat Chimera ~-~ Seika Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 167 Secret Art: Shaded Wasp Effect: Stop All 50% Requirements: Strength 47, Vitality 50 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Maidori Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 180 Secret Art: Concealing Mist Effect: XP Boost Requirements: Strength 50, Vitality 53 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Midarekaze Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 190 Secret Art: Sun Orb Effect: - Requirements: Strength 52, Vitality 56 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Tsukimigiri Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 198 Secret Art: Misty Slash III Effect: - Requirements: Strength 55, Vitality 59 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Onikiri ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 209 Secret Art: Moon Ring II Effect: Boost Attack, Breaks Blue Barriers Requirements: Strength 58, Vitality 62 Obtained: Defeat Big Oni ~-~ Shiden Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 229 Secret Art: Raiden II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 64, Vitality 68 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Hiei Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 250 Secret Art: Windmill II Effect: Soul Power I Requirements: Strength 71, Vitality 75 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Chisuberi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 264 Secret Art: 3 Lightning Effect: - Requirements: Strength 74, Vitality 78 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki ~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 271 Secret Art: Giant Tornado Effect: Quick Draw I, Breaks Purple Barriers Requirements: Strength 77, Vitality 82 Obtained: Defeat Raijin ~-~ Suiren Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 293 Secret Art: Earthworm Effect: - Requirements: Strength 84, Vitality 88 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Muhyo Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 310 Secret Art: Crescent II Effect: Vitality +3 Requirements: Strength 87, Vitality 92 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Shiratsuyu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 322 Secret Art: Universe II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 90, Vitality 95 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Tsuyuharai Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 325 Secret Art: 3 Vengeance Effect: Death Blade Requirements: Strength 93, Vitality 99 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Tsukiotoshi ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 345 Secret Art: Earth Hornet II Effect: Auto Recover, Breaks White Barriers (with Mumei Tamanoo) Requirements: Strength 97, Vitality 102 Obtained: Defeat Fudo-Myoou ~-~ Setsugekka Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 357 Secret Art: 4 Lightning Effect: Soul Absorb Requirements: Strength 100, Vitality 106 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Kasai Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 360 Secret Art: Flash III Effect: Quick Draw I Requirements: Strength 103, Vitality 110 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Takinomizu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 369 Secret Art: Windmill III Effect: - Requirements: Strength 103, Vitality 112 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Oka Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 380 Secret Art: 3 Faerie Bolt Effect: Boost Attack Requirements: Strength 107, Vitality 113 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Chizakura Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 379 Secret Art: Yasha II Effect: Absorb Life Requirements: Strength 110, Vitality 117 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Torinuke Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 389 Secret Art: Giant Sun Orb Effect: - Requirements: Strength 113, Vitality 120 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Onimaru Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 416 Secret Art: Moon Ring III Effect: Stop All 50% Requirements: Strength 117, Vitality 124 Obtained: After Second Ending ~-~ Byakko Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 451 Secret Art: Arc II Effect: XP Boost Requirements: Strength 132, Vitality 134 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Suzaku Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 496 Secret Art: 4 Faerie Blaze Effect: Vitality +4 Requirements: Strength 145, Vitality 147 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Genbu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 570 Secret Art: Yasha III Effect: Strength/Vitality +1 Requirements: Strength 161, Vitality 163 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Kisuke ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Kagura Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 15 Secret Art: Cyclone Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Shinmei ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 11 Secret Art: Nightglow Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Yakumo ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 17 Secret Art: 2 Flame Effect: - Requirements: Strength 3, Vitality 3 Obtained: Default ~-~ Hayate Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 19 Secret Art: Faerie Blaze Effect: Iron Wall Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Kagero Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 14 Secret Art: Haze Effect: Mad Tummy Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Kagasone Kotetsu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 16 Secret Art: Hell Spinner Effect: Poison 50%, Breaks Red Barriers Requirements: Strength 4, Vitality 4 Obtained: Defeat Kurozaru ~-~ Natsusame Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 25 Secret Art: Slice Effect: - Requirements: Strength 6, Vitality 5 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Yunagi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 28 Secret Art: Phantom Effect: Income Boost Requirements: Strength 6, Vitality 6 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Edauchi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 23 Secret Art: Log Chop Effect: Boost Attack Requirements: Strength 7, Vitality 7 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Yoiyami Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 36 Secret Art: Fire Storm Effect: Strength +1 Requirements: Strength 8, Vitality 8 Obtained: Forge (Act 2) ~-~ Iganokami Kanemichi ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 30 Secret Art: Cross Effect: Vitality +1, Breaks Orange Barriers Requirements: Strength 9, Vitality 9 Obtained: Defeat Giant Centipede x3 ~-~ Fumitsuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 45 Secret Art: Nightglow II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 10, Vitality 10 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Hazuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 41 Secret Art: Earth Runner Effect: - Requirements: Strength 13, Vitality 12 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Nagatsuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 59 Secret Art: Dragonfly Effect: Strength/Vitality +1 Requirements: Strength 14, Vitality 14 Obtained: Forge (Act 3) ~-~ Magoroku Kanemoto ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 54 Secret Art: Kamaitachi Effect: Soul Power I, Breaks Yellow Barriers Requirements: Strength 17, Vitality 17 Obtained: Defeat Torahime ~-~ Kirisame Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 65 Secret Art: Betting Slash Effect: - Requirements: Strength 21, Vitality 20 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Asaarashi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 71 Secret Art: Wind Effect: Quick Draw I Requirements: Strength 22, Vitality 22 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Shiguri Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 99 Secret Art: Haze II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 24, Vitality 24 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Amagiri Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 106 Secret Art: Specter Blow Effect: Death Blade Requirements: Strength 26, Vitality 26 Obtained: Forge (Act 4) ~-~ Kagarasumaru ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 90 Secret Art: Inverted Pillar Effect: Auto Recover, Breaks Green Barriers Requirements: Strength 29, Vitality 28 Obtained: Defeat Sayo ~-~ Yogetsu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 104 Secret Art: Arc Effect: - Requirements: Strength 33, Vitality 32 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Shimotsuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 139 Secret Art: Hell Spinner II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 36, Vitality 35 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Gokugetsu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 148 Secret Art: Moonlit Glint Effect: Vitality +2 Requirements: Strength 38, Vitality 37 Obtained: Forge (Act 5) ~-~ Kumokiri ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 167 Secret Art: Meteor Effect: Burning 50%, Breaks Light Blue Barriers Requirements: Strength 43, Vitality 42 Obtained: Defeat Tsuchigumo ~-~ Hibashiri Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 152 Secret Art: 3 Flame Effect: Soul Power I Requirements: Strength 49, Vitality 47 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Ishizuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 198 Secret Art: Wind II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 52, Vitality 50 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Kazanami Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 209 Secret Art: Gale Thrust Effect: XP Boost Requirements: Strength 55, Vitality 53 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Suiran Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 180 Secret Art: Slice II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 58, Vitality 56 Obtained: Forge (Act 6) ~-~ Osafune Kanemitsu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 190 Secret Art: Gale Effect: Soul Power I, Breaks Blue Barriers Requirements: Strength 61, Vitality 59 Obtained: Defeat Chigurui Bishamon ~-~ Hisame Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 209 Secret Art: Dragonfly II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 67, Vitality 65 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Mizutachi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 264 Secret Art: Earth Runner II Effect: Absorb Life Requirements: Strength 70, Vitality 68 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Tanahashi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 275 Secret Art: Cross II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 74, Vitality 72 Obtained: Forge (Act 7) ~-~ Goro Masamune ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 250 Secret Art: Kamaitachi IV Effect: Breaks Purple Barriers Requirements: Strength 80, Vitality 78 Obtained: Defeat Dragon God ~-~ Tasogare Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 271 Secret Art: Ghost Blow Effect: Income Boost Requirements: Strength 87, Vitality 85 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Reimei Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 333 Secret Art: Phantom II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 91, Vitality 88 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Gyoko Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 345 Secret Art: Gale Thrust II Effect: - Requirements: Strength 94, Vitality 91 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Tsubamegaeshi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 303 Secret Art: Meteor II Effect: Mad Tummy Requirements: Strength 98, Vitality 95 Obtained: Forge (Final Act) ~-~ Mumei Tamanoo ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 369 Secret Art: Gale II Effect: Strength/Vitality +5, Breaks White Barriers (with Tsukiotoshi) Requirements: Strength 101, Vitality 98 Obtained: Defeat Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ~-~ Iwatoshi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 314 Secret Art: 4 Flame Effect: Income Boost Requirements: Strength 101, Vitality 98 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Hiten Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 325 Secret Art: Haze III Effect: Iron Wall Requirements: Strength 105, Vitality 102 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Meikyo Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 392 Secret Art: 3 Faerie Blaze Effect: - Requirements: Strength 108, Vitality 105 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Sasanoyuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 345 Secret Art: Phantom III Effect: Strength +3 Requirements: Strength 111, Vitality 108 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Shusui Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 416 Secret Art: Meteor III Effect: - Requirements: Strength 115, Vitality 112 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Nukehishaku Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 427 Secret Art: Fire Storm II Effect: Auto Recover Requirements: Strength 118, Vitality 115 Obtained: Forge (After First Ending) ~-~ Mikazuki Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 440 Secret Art: Waning Moon Effect: Absorb Life Requirements: Strength 122, Vitality 118 Obtained: After Second Ending ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Either Character ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Tsukuyomi Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 430 Secret Art: 4 Vengeance Effect: Item Boost Requirements: Strength 118, Vitality 117 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' First Ending) ~-~ Amatsu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 414 Secret Art: Comet II Effect: Boost Attack Requirements: Strength 119, Vitality 120 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' First Ending) ~-~ Seiryu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 463 Secret Art: Fire Storm III Effect: - Requirements: Strength 129, Vitality 131 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Jyuzumaru Tsunetsugu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 507 Secret Art: 4 Faerie Bolt Effect: Death Blade Requirements: Strength 142, Vitality 144 Obtained: Complete Yamato White Enemy Lair Challenge ~-~ Kamikaze Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 529 Secret Art: Skull III Effect: Mad Tummy II Requirements: Strength 155, Vitality 157 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Ouryu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 590 Secret Art: Mountain Wind Effect: Strength +2 Requirements: Strength 167, Vitality 169 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Mugen Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 580 Secret Art: Universe III Effect: Quick Draw I Requirements: Strength 170, Vitality 172 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Kagotsurube Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 628 Secret Art: Cross III Effect: Death Blade II Requirements: Strength 179, Vitality 181 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Otenta Mitsuyo ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Long Blade Attack: 645 Secret Art: Kamaitachi V Effect: Soul Power I Requirements: Strength 184, Vitality 187 Obtained: Complete Ise White Enemy Lair ~-~ Okanehira ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 636 Secret Art: Gale Thrust III Effect: Stop All Requirements: Strength 187, Vitality 189 Obtained: Complete Suruga White Enemy Lair ~-~ Kyoshu Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Blade Attack: 663 Secret Art: Earth Hornet III Effect: Collect Spirit Requirements: Strength 194, Vitality 197 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Suisei Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 695 Secret Art: Comet III Effect: Super Draw Requirements: Strength 199, Vitality 202 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Dojigiri Yasutsuna ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 687 Secret Art: Thunderclap Effect: Absorb Life II Requirements: Strength 201, Vitality 204 Obtained: Complete Omi White Enemy Lair ~-~ Tokiwatari Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Long Blade Attack: 724 Secret Art: Waning Moon II Effect: Boost Attack Requirements: Strength 208, Vitality 211 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ~-~ Oboro Muramasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Blade Attack: 757 Secret Art: Disturbance Effect: Strength/Vitality +7 Requirements: Strength 222, Vitality 225 Obtained: Forge (After both characters' Second Ending) ============================================================================== ACCESSORIES [0602] ============================================================================== Unlike Demon Blades, you can only equip one accessory at a time. They are shared between both characters in the two stories. Accessories are found in maps, dropped by enemies, and sold by peddlers. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Belts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Ninja Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Vitality +1 ~-~ Fox Spirit Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Vitality +2 ~-~ Tengu Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Vitality +3 ~-~ Utsusemi Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Vitality +4 ~-~ Shura Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Vitality +5 ~-~ Yata Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Vitality +6 ~-~ Demon God Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Vitality +7 ~-~ Dragon God Belt ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Vitality +10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gauntlets ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Ninja Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength +1 ~-~ Fox Spirit Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Strength +2 ~-~ Tengu Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength +3 ~-~ Utsusemi Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Strength +4 ~-~ Shura Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength +5 ~-~ Yata Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Strength +6 ~-~ Demon God Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength +7 ~-~ Dragon God Gauntlet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Strength +10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Masks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Tengu Mask ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength/Vitality +1 ~-~ Shura Mask ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength/Vitality +3 ~-~ Demon God Mask ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Strength/Vitality +5 ~-~ Dragon God Mask ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Strength/Vitality +7 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Miscellaneous ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Hinezumi Dress ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: No Burning ~-~ Suiko Scale ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: No Poison ~-~ Oni Necklace ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Stop All 50% ~-~ Dragon Necklace ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Stop All ~-~ Master's Handbook ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: XP Boost ~-~ Kusarikatabira ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Iron Wall ~-~ Wolfsbane Poison ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Death Blade ~-~ Iwami Poison ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Death Blade II ~-~ Cypress Rosary ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Absorb Life ~-~ Cloisonne Rosary ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Absorb Life II ~-~ Clove Oil ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Boost Attack ~-~ Swashbuckler's Sheath ~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Quick Draw I ~-~ Swordmaster's Sheath -~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Super Draw ~-~ Ise Charm ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Soul Power I ~-~ Izumo Charm ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Soul Power II ~-~ Yamato Miracle Drug ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Auto Recover ~-~ Toyama Miracle Drug ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Auto Recover II ~-~ Hungry Devil Saucer ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Mad Tummy ~-~ Chowhound Saucer ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Mad Tummy II ~-~ Lucky Mallet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Income Boost ~-~ Straw Stalk ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Item Boost ~-~ Crystal Magatama ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Soul Absorb ~-~ Jada Magatama ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Soul Absorb II ~-~ Ghoulish Seal ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Asceticism ~-~ Shura Seal ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Asceticism II ~-~ Ninja Socks ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Ninja Feet ~-~ Ninja Socks II ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Ninja Feet II ~-~ Clapper ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Enemy Trap I ~-~ A Pair of Clappers ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Enemy Trap II ~-~ Swordsmith Mallet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Collect Blades ~-~ Merchant's Abacus ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Collect Money ~-~ Imari Platter ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Collect Spirit ~-~ Sacred Tree Tablet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Collect Souls ~-~ Narukami Bracelet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Save Soul ~-~ Nio Bracelet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Fix Power ______________________________________________________________________________ [7] ITEMS [0700] ______________________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recovery (Food) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Bamboo Flask ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 80 Life Flame Yields 250 Spirit 50% Full ~-~ Amazake ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 100 Life Flame Yields 300 Spirit 50% Full ~-~ Liquor ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 200 Life Flame Yields 450 Spirit 50% Full ~-~ Sake Libation ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 300 Life Flame Yields 600 Spirit 80% Full ~-~ Doburoku ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 400 Life Flame Yields 800 Spirit 80% Full ~-~ Persimmon ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 600 Life Flame Yields 1000 Spirit 80% Full ~-~ Mandarin ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 1000 Life Flame Yields 1500 Spirit 80% Full ~-~ Peach ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 2000 Life Flame Yields 2000 Spirit 80% Full ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recovery (Pellets) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Healing Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 50 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Recovery Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 70 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Bear Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 100 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Tiger Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 150 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Dragon Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 200 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Sage Pellet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 300 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Trillium Tablet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 500 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Spirit Tablet ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 1000 Life Flame Yields 10 Spirit ~-~ Fire Charm ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores Burning Status ~-~ Herbal Remedy ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores Poisoned Status ~-~ Toad Oil ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores Status to normal ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Supplies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Bronze Mirror ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Its Soul Power returns you to the last shrine ~-~ Yata Mirror ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Ritual article that returns you to the last shrine without limit ~-~ Smoke Bomb ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Lets you escape from non-boss battles ~-~ Omura Stone ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 50% Soul Power ~-~ Iyo Stone ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores all Soul Power ~-~ Igarashi Stone ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 50% Soul Power ~-~ Jyokenji Stone ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores all Soul Power ~-~ Kumori Stone ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Stops Soul Power from decreasing temporarily ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ingredients ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Rice Bag ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Cabbage ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: - ~-~ Radish ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Tofu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Fried Tofu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Yam ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: - ~-~ Pheasant ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Boar ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Char ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: - ~-~ Squid ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cookbooks ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Grilled Cooking Vol. 1 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Sweet Potato ~-~ Grilled Cooking Vol. 2 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Roasted Fish ~-~ Grilled Cooking Vol. 3 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Roasted Squid ~-~ Kitchen Secrets Vol. 1 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Rice Balls ~-~ Kitchen Secrets Vol. 2 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Boiled Radish ~-~ Kitchen Secrets Vol. 3 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Tofu Hot Pot ~-~ Kitchen Secrets Vol. 4 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Miso Soup ~-~ Kitchen Secrets Vol. 5 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Stewed Yam ~-~ Culinary Tips Vol. 1 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Cabbage Hot Pot ~-~ Culinary Tips Vol. 2 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Radish Hot Pot ~-~ Culinary Tips Vol. 3 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Zosui ~-~ Culinary Tips Vol. 4 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Zosui with Yam ~-~ Culinary Tips Vol. 5 ~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Zosui with Pheasant ~-~ Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 1 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Pheasant Hot Pot ~-~ Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 2 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Duck Hot Pot ~-~ Hot Pot Cooking Vol. 3 ~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Yosenabe Hot Pot ~-~ The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 1 ~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Houtou ~-~ The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 2 ~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Shabu-Shabu ~-~ The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 3 ~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Boar Hot Pot ~-~ The Grand Hot Pot Vol. 4 ~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Tells you how to make Chanko Hot Pot ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Cookbook Recipes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ~-~ Rice Ball ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 300 Life Flame Yields 600 Spirit 100% Full ~-~ Sweet Potato ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 600 Life Flame Yields 900 Spirit 100% Full ~-~ Roasted Fish ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 1200 Life Flame Yields 1600 Spirit 100% Full ~-~ Roasted Squid ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 2500 Life Flame Yields 2000 Spirit 100% Full ~-~ Cabbage Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 200 Life Flame Yields 1200 Spirit Briefly boosts Attack Power ~-~ Boiled Radish ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 300 Life Flame Yields 1500 Spirit Briefly boosts Defense Power ~-~ Tofu Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 400 Life Flame Yields 1800 Spirit Briefly boosts Attack and Defense ~-~ Miso Soup ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 500 Life Flame Yields 2100 Spirit Briefly boosts Soul Power recovery ~-~ Stewed Yam ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 600 Life Flame Yields 2400 Spirit Briefly enables auto recovery ~-~ Pheasant Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 700 Life Flame Yields 2800 Spirit Briefly decreases enemy encounters ~-~ Radish Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 800 Life Flame Yields 3200 Spirit Briefly increases enemy encounters ~-~ Zosui ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-- Effect: Restores 1000 Life Flame Yields 3600 Spirit Briefly yields more money ~-~ Zosui with Yam ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 1500 Life Flame Yields 4000 Spirit Briefly yields more items ~-~ Zosui with Pheasant ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 1800 Life Flame Yields 5000 Spirit Briefly prevents Abnormal Status ~-~ Duck Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 2000 Life Flame Yields 6000 Spirit Briefly prevents Soul Power reduction ~-~ Yosenabe ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 3000 Life Flame Yields 7000 Spirit Briefly boosts Secret Art effects ~-~ Houtou ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 4000 Life Flame Yields 8000 Spirit Enables divine recovery once ~-~ Shabu-Shabu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ Effect: Restores 5000 Life Flame Yields 9000 Spirit Briefly prevents injuries ~-~ Boar Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 6000 Life Flame Yields 10000 Spirit Briefly enhances auto recovery ~-~ Chanko Hot Pot ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Effect: Restores 9999 Life Flame Yields 15000 Spirit Briefly increases XP ______________________________________________________________________________ [8] BESTIARY [0800] ______________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== ENEMIES [0801] ============================================================================== ~-~ Pheasant ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 100 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Pheasant Pheasants are harmless creatures unless threatened. If one spots you in their territory, they will divebomb you in a hurry - usually preceded by flying offscreen. Since they are usually airborne, execute jumping slashes as it flutters back and forth across the screen. If they are left alive after a fair amount of time, pheasants will flee the scene. ~-~ Boar ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 300 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Boar Like pheasants, boars are wild animals that usually mind their own business. If you come across one, it will trudge along the ground and may charge you if you get too close. After a certain period of time, boars will also run away if left alive. ~-~ Ninja ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 350 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Smoke Bomb, Healing Pellet Ninjas are your most basic form of enemy and arguably the most common foe you'll come across in your journeys. They often appear in large groups and have various weaponry at their disposal. Ninjas can use katanas, throw shurikens, or toss bombs your way. Ninjas are quick on their feet and often jump around in the air before attacking or ganging up on a victim. Due to how often they appear during the game, Ninjas become increasingly easier as the game progresses. ~-~ Kite Ninja ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 300 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Smoke Bomb Kite Ninjas are strapped to large paper kites and float freely through the air. Kite Ninjas put away blades in favor of projectiles such as bombs and shurikens. They are a bit weaker than regular Ninjas and don't move around as much either, but have the height advantage and get away with tossing weapons at you from above. Use jumping slashes to defeat Kite Ninjas, but watch out: their kites explode once defeated. ~-~ Jonin ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 500 Mon: 14 XP: 7 Souls: 13 Drop: Smoke Bomb Jonins look very similar to Ninjas, but have a slightly different-colored uniform. This is even difficult to notice during a heated battle, so watch for their other unique mannerisms: Jonins have the ability to breathe fire and also teleport around the area with smoke bombs. Jonins will use weapons similar to Ninjas, but like Kite Ninjas, they will also blow up as a last resort. ~-~ Samurai ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 350 Mon: 24 XP: 12 Souls: 22 Drop: Omura Stone, Healing Pellet Samurais are slow beings that wield large swords. They are very skilled warriors and their techniques rival your own. Samurais are able to block and deflect attacks with their sword, and like yourself, their swords will break if they take enough abuse. Repeatedly attack a Samurai until you break their sword, then continue to damage them. Samurais often come in pairs, but late in the game you may encounter three together. ~-~ Monk ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 350 Mon: 24 XP: 12 Souls: 22 Drop: Fire Charm Despite their age and appearance, Monks are very agile and have a few powerful attacks. Monks aren't that scary on the ground, but most of their moves are based when in the air. Monks have a deadly slamming attack that occurs when airborne. They can also breathe fire and use normal staff attacks. Keep Monks grounded in order to win. ~-~ Small Oni ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 200 Mon: 12 XP: 4 Souls: 8 Drop: Bamboo Flask, Amazake, Liquor, Sake Libation, Doburoku, Persimmon, Mandarin, Healing Pellet Small Onis are cowardly and incredibly fragile when alone, which is why you will only find these enemies in large crowds ranging from 8-10. Small Onis also appear in dark areas such as caves and tunnels. They don't have much of an attack strategy, as all they really do is attack you with sickles and iron clubs. They come in blue or orange variants, but neither have unique abilities or characteristics. ~-~ Gaki ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 350-500 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Omura Stone, Iyo Stone, Igarashi Stone, Jyokenji Stone, Kumori Stone Gakis are small critters that share characteristics to Small Onis. They are tiny creatures that hunt in packs, they like to lurk in dark caves, and come in different colors. Unlike Small Onis, however, their power is based on their color. Yellow Gakis are the weakest while Black Gakis are the strongest (red sits comfortably in the middle). They are very quick creatures that attack with sharp claws, and also cough out blue energy balls that can poison you on contact. Don't let their appearance catch you off guard. ~-~ Karakasa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 250 Mon: 18 XP: 9 Souls: 16 Drop: Omura Stone Karakasa are slow, weak monsters that carry umbrellas. What's to be afraid of? Not much actually. Karakasas bounce around and glide in the air with their umbrellas, and will sometimes dive down at you with their umbrellas. These enemies can also only use their sword mid-bounce, meaning that they are very exposed when on the ground. ~-~ The Dead ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 400 Mon: 36 XP: 18 Souls: 33 Drop: Bronze Mirror The Dead are well, dead people, that lurk by themselves or in pairs. The Dead are unique foes in that you cannot directly attack them. As the game prompts every time you encounter one, you can only damage them by deflecting their projectiles back at them. The Dead will float across the screen, disappearing from time to time, stopping only to release blue fireballs. Knock these back at their sender with your sword to ultimately defeat them. ~-~ Kappa ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 300 Mon: 18 XP: 9 Souls: 16 Drop: Bronze Mirror Kappas are pesky creatures that only appear in areas where water is present. They come in groups and like to gang up on their enemies together. If you can, avoid staying in water when fighting Kappas, since it slows your movements down and makes you more of a target for their attacks. Their most dangerous attack, Kappas will leap in the air and spit water at you. While it doesn't sound threatening, it can drain your Life Flame or Soul Power quickly. ~-~ Ogama ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 400-600 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Toad Oil Ogamas are large purple toads that come in a wide variety of sizes. The bigger they are, the harder they are to take down. Ogamas can either jump on top of you or spit poisonous bubbles your way, with the attacks being stronger the larger the enemy is. The big Ogamas are the most annoying since you cannot juggle them in the air with sword attacks, so resort to Secret Arts or ground combos. ~-~ Karasu-Tengu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 300-400 Mon: 18 XP: 9 Souls: 16 Drop: Bamboo Flask, Amazake, Liquor, Sake Libation, Doburoku, Persimmon, Mandarin, Peach Karasu-Tengus are large, bird-like creatures that spend most of their time in the air. They will swoop downwards and pick on your with their large fans and sharp beaks. Blue Karasu-Tengus will hurl smokin'-hot fireballs while red ones use their fans to create shockwaves. To deal with these annoying foes, use jumping attacks or Quick Draws. ~-~ Snow Woman ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 300 Mon: 36 XP: 18 Souls: 33 Drop: Bronze Mirror Snow Women are not very threatening opponents, as they are weak, slow, and only have one attack. These ghastly creatures calmly float in the air and may occasionally shoot a snowflake your way (which you can deflect back). Snow Women can also use multiple snowflakes to create a shield of sorts, which can be destroyed with any blade. ~-~ Neppebou ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 2000 Mon: 48 XP: 24 Souls: 44 Drop: Herbal Remedy Only appearing in forests and other wooded areas, Neppebous are giant gelatinous monsters that are stationary and appear by themselves. They only have one attack, though it can wreak a lot of havoc if not protected. Since Neppebous don't move, they will shake and release many gooey balls that fall to the ground. These can cause great damage and must be either avoided or knocked back at the enemy. The best way to deal with this rare monster is to constantly attack it without hesitation. This will prevent it from using its one attack. Neppebous also have a lot of HP, so using Secret Arts may be in order as well. ~-~ Wooly Eyeball ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 100 Mon: 2 XP: 1 Souls: 2 Drop: Bronze Mirror, Healing Pellet Wooly Eyeball are harmless creatures that fly around the screen and retreat if given enough time. They are encountered in enormous groups: the easiest way to defeat each and every one simultaneously is with a Quick Draw. Otherwise, you will have to target individuals as they fly in and out of the area before ultimately running away for good. ~-~ Shelled Devil ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 100 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 2 Drop: - Shelled Devils are only encountered in the ocean when you ride with a fisherman. They jump out of the sea during the fishing minigame and swing their arms around. If they hit you, you'll lose all the fish you have in your possession. One hit is enough to take one out. You usually only see one Shelled Devil at a time, but occasionally multiple enemies will sprint out of the ocean at once. ~-~ Sea Bronze ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 2000 Mon: 10 XP: 15 Souls: 1 Drop: - Sea Bronze are only encountered in the ocean when you ride with a fisherman. It is a giant octopus that is very rare to encounter. Like all fishing trips, you only have 60 seconds to kill it. Sea Bronze will attack with their tentacles; usually by whipping them back and forth. The only way to damage the monster is to target the tentacles, so use aerial slashes. If you fall in the water, repeatedly tap A to escape. ~-~ Ghost Spider ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 300 Mon: 8 XP: 4 Souls: 2 Drop: Herbal Remedy Ghost Spiders are small green spiders that hang from the ceiling. If you run underneath one, they will attempt to sink their fangs into you. Instead, use aerial strikes to sever their webbing and send them to the ground. Ghost Spiders are fast critters that scurry across the floor and even hop in the air. When they're on the ground, they can also bite you. ~-~ Dokuga ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 100 Mon: 6 XP: 3 Souls: 7 Drop: Herbal Remedy Dokugas are small butterflies that are often found in large groups. They are rarely grouped together and are often spread apart (these enemies are usually found in tall, large areas). Dokugas have no direct form of attacking and can be killed in one hit. However, they are able to spread poison with the flap of their wings (they start to do so when they glow purple). Avoid direct contact with Dokugas when they glow purple or else you will be poisoned. ~-~ Ochimusha ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 500 Mon: 36 XP: 18 Souls: 33 Drop: Healing Pellet, Recovery Pellet, Bear Pellet, Tiger Pellet, Dragon Pellet, Sage Pellet, Trillium Tablet, Spirit Tablet Ochimushas are giant suits of armor, but with no one inside! They are comandeered by a flaming skull and tote around large swords. Their sword strikes are deadly, but overall Ochimushas are sluggish. If you keep your distance, they will attack by throwing arrows at you. Keep close to these enemies and hack them to bits. ~-~ Gun Soldier ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 300 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Omura Stone, Iyo Stone, Igarashi Stone, Jyokenji Stone, Kumori Stone Gun Soldiers do not move, but they don't really have to, as they often keep their enemies at a far enough distance due to their powerful rifle. These super-fast bullets will likely break your sword in one shot, so do not block them whatsoever. Instead, jump over a Gun Soldier and attack its back; they don't move, so this is a pretty simple task to achieve. ~-~ Red Oni & Blue Oni ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- HP: 2500 Mon: 70 XP: 36 Souls: 66 Drop: Bamboo Flask, Amazake, Liquor, Sake Libation, Doburoku, Persimmon, Mandarin Red Onis and Blue Onis are some of the toughest enemies you can find. I almost see them more as mini-bosses than anything. Blue and Red Onis are nearly identical to Gozu and Mezu. They are large creatures that carry clubs. They can swing their nasty club at you, but will often place them on the ground and punch the floor to create a shockwave. They also have a vicious charge attack that can shatter your blade or a jumping stomp. The Red and Blue Onis are difficult, since many of their attacks can break your blade in one hit. Additionally, they often run or jump offscreen, meaning that you cannot anticipate their next attack. Stick with long combos and try to juggle them to keep them from attacking, and of course: Secret Arts. ~-~ Gozu & Mezu ~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~ HP: 2500 Mon: 12 XP: 6 Souls: 11 Drop: Omura Stone, Iyo Stone, Igarashi Stone, Jyokenji Stone, Kumori Stone Gozu and Mezu are some of the toughest enemies you can find. I almost see them more as mini-bosses than anything. Gozu and Mezu are nearly identical to Blue and Red Onis. They are large creatures that carry plier-type weapons. They can use them to pinch you, but will often place them on the ground and punch the floor to create a shockwave. They also have a vicious charge attack that can shatter your blade or a jumping stomp. Gozu and Mezu are difficult, since many of their attacks can break your blade in one hit. Additionally, they often run or jump offscreen, meaning that you cannot anticipate their next attack. Stick with long combos and try to juggle them to keep them from attacking, and of course: Secret Arts. ============================================================================== BOSSES (MOMOHIME) [0802] ============================================================================== =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Blue Monk ------------------- Recommended Level: 1 Drop: Hasebe Kunishige The Blue Monk is pudgy and fairly slow, but a few of his attacks have the chance of breaking your sword in a jiffy. His most dangerous attack: the Blue Monk will begin by throwing five gold daggers into the air. The first, third, and fifth daggers will drop to the ground, creating pillars of flame. Stay between the fire and do not block with your sword, or else its Soul Power will drastically decrease. Once the flames die down, the second and fourth daggers drop, with the same result. As the fight goes on, the number of daggers may increase (not positive), but the pattern of alternating daggers stays the same. The Blue Monk will also belly-flop forwards. If you are caught underneath the hulking mass, your sword will break automatically! The boss has two more attacks at his disposal. He will chant some weird mumbo-jumbo, then send a rolling wheel of fire your way. Just jump over it. Barely even worth a mention, the Blue Monk's foot-stamping can also deal damage to you. He will stomp his foot to the ground, resulting in a small puff of dust. It really won't be able to hurt you unless you're pretty much groping the guy, and just why would you want to do that?! Finally, the Blue Monk's last move is rarely used (at least that I saw). He will clear his throat, jump backwards, then cough out a wave of bouncy blue fireballs. When you see him put his hand over his mouth, back away. Like all bosses in Muramasa, the Blue Monk's main health bar is the small orange health bar at the bottom of the screen. It is composed of smaller sections (seven, represented by the big yellow health bar below). Once you deplete the yellow health bar, a chunk of the main health bar - the orange bar - will disappear. Each time this happens, you will be rewarded with Souls. Depleting seven total health bars seems daunting, but the Blue Monk is fairly easy for a boss. His attacks are slow and predictable, and in my eyes the hardest of his attacks to dodge is the wheel of fire spell. Constantly jump over the boss to attack his back, while keeping an eye on your swords and their Soul Power. Remember to use Secret Arts if you have enough Soul Power. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Wanyudo --------------------- Recommended Level: 7 Drop: Kashagiri Hiromitsu Wanyudo is a fairly challenging boss, mainly because most of his attacks are long-range wallopers. The flaming wheel will charge up, then fire forwards, dashing either left or right (whichever side he isn't on). His path will be covered in a fiery blaze, which can damage Momohime when touched. When you see Wanyudo get ready to charge, jump over him and glide across the line of fire. The boss also hocks up a line of purple, poisonous loogies that fizzle around him. These can poison Momohime if you come in contact; use an Herbal Remedy to avoid the Life Flame-sapping status effect. Another long-range attack, Wanyudo will glow red and float in the air while spinning around. The result is a stream of fireballs that fire out from the boss in a circular fashion. You're best off deflecting these back at the boss, since they can be hard to dodge on your own. Remember to switch blades often (Quick Draws are key here) and/or use Omura Stones to refill your Soul Power. If you're feeling overwhelmed and may need to use items, just pause the came and reconfigure your Item Shortcut. You won't be able to change equipment but you can still place items in your shortcut to be used during battle. Wanyudo drips fire on the ground, leaving a pool of flame underneath him. Make sure not to stand in the fire when it forms by jumping often and staying to the side of the boss. You shouldn't have to use any Fire Charms since you have the Hinezumi Dress, but if for some reason you do not have the accessory you will have to incorporate Fire Charms into your item list. Getting burned is similar to being poisoned as it drains your health. This boss has one extra health bar than the Blue Monk, but your Demon Blades should be strong enough to handle him. I personally prefer blades over long blades by a landslide, so I stuck with the Getsuei Muramasa and Umitsubame Muramasa for dealing with Wanyudo. Use your Secret Arts often (even though I hate long blades, Hibari Muramasa's Secret Art, Skull, is awesome for this fight) and keep moving. The hardest part about this fight is keeping your blades in good condition. I found that Wanyudo's charge attack can break a blade instantly, so avoiding that specific attack will set you straight for the rest of this boss battle. He seems to does it immediately after his poison spit attack: back away from the boss and the purple goo, then get ready to jump as he speeds towards you. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Yukinojyo ------------------- Recommended Level: 12 Drop: Izumokami Naganori While Yukinojyo may only have four health bars, he is not to be taken lightly. He pretty much acts exactly like a super-tough Samurai, as he is capable to blocking nearly all of your attacks as well as forcing you to parry and protect yourself frequently. Used when close by, Yukinojyo will unleash a vibrant purple pillar from his sword. The column stays close to the boss's body, so it should be simple to avoid if you back up a few steps. Yukinojyo also has two long-range attacks: he'll either fire a purple crescent towards you or perform a dash attack. Both are strong attacks, but his dash attack in particular can break your sword with relative ease. Blocking his attacks are key, but rolling and jumping are also essential to avoid constantly breaking your swords. If your sword gets broken, simply switch to another. Remember, bosses release Souls every time you deplete a health bar. Like, a LOT of Souls. Also keep in mind that you should have a slew of recovery items, from Bamboo Flasks to Rice Balls. Use 'em! Like Samurais, you will be forced to break Yukinojyo's blade before you can do any significant damage to him. Avoid using any of your Secret Arts until his blade is broken. To break his blade, constantly attack Yukinojyo while still having the wherewithal to survive moves of his own. It'll take a bit of time to break one of Yukinojyo's blades, but once you do, it's time to really turn up the heat. If you haven't already, switch to a blade and attack Yukinojyo. Using blades as opposed to long blades allows you to juggle the boss in the air and overall attack faster. The two best blades to use in my eye are Getsuei Muramasa and Kashagiri Hiromitsu. Faerie Blade is a good defensive mechanism while Earth Hornet can tear Yukinojyo to shreds. Eventually, Yukinojyo will switch to a brand new blade and the battle will repeat itself. You'll be in good rhythm if you manage to take out one of his health bars before he can switch weapons. Switch to a blade with more Soul Power to break his new blade, then switch back to one of the previously mentioned swords to wreak havoc. Once the boss is on his last legs, he will surround himself with purple flames and his speed and power will increase. Yukinojyo's ability to fix blades also increases, as you won't be able to take off as much health between periods. Nevertheless, employ the same battle tactics, and you should come through with the "W". =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Ippondatara ----------------- Recommended Level: 18 Drop: Ichimonji Norimune Again, the lack of health bars does not make this boss easy whatsoever. As if you couldn't tell from the scene before the fight, this guy is friggin' HUGE. For the first stage of the fight, you're only fighting Ippondatara's foot. His foot can only attack you two ways: he'll either stomp and crush you like a grape, or he'll kick you like an NFL punter. The foot itself takes up nearly half the screen, so it can be pretty hard to dodge it when it attacks. When the foot rises in the air and stops, jump or roll out of the way. If you get stepped on, your sword will break immediately. No question about it. If you can, try to stay airborne just as Ippondatara stomps on the ground. If you stay grounded, the resulting shockwave will stun you momentarily. Use jumping slashes to combat with the foot. If he tries a straight kick, stay low to the ground as his foot will pass overhead. Remember that you can use Iyo Stones to not only repair a broken sword, but completely refill its Soul Power. Once you deplete one health bar, jump on Ippondatara's foot for a one- way ticket to the boss's head. You'll be able to walk across a cloud as you deal with Ippondatara head on. This stage of the fight is much harder than just combating against his smelly foot. Not only do you have to watch out for his colossal fist coming your way, but Ippondatara will also fire energy projectiles from his eyes. You can repel the doughnut-shaped ones, but the full spheres explode on contact and will end up damaging your sword. The boss's fist moves much faster than its foot, making it a deadly force to deal with. Like the foot stomp, avoid when Ippondatara raises his hand high in the air, palm open. Ippondatara also has a sweeping motion where he will first sweep across on the top of the screen, then follow up on the bottom of the screen. Stay low as it passes overhead, then get ready to jump. His final attack: Ippondara will back his hand up and wind up a vicious punch. As it flies towards the screen, roll or jump out of the way. It's his most powerful attack and has the capability of knocking you off the cloud and to the ground - where you'll have to resume fighting his foot. Other attacks have a chance of knocking you all the way to the ground as well. If this happens, you will be back at the first stage of the battle. Not many Secret Arts are helpful in this fight because your targets usally stay airborne. The three blades I used were: Kuchinawa Muramasa, Yamabuki Muramasa, and Kagetsu Muramasa. I mostly avoided using Secret Arts because all they did was drastically drain Soul Power, but Kuchinawa Muramasa's Flash II is probably the only one that did anything in this battle. I'd suggest not using any at all and continue with jumping slashes. It is very hard to dodge this guy's giant attacks, so you will probably be either healing yourself or repairing your swords. Use Iyo Stones and Omura Stones to fix your blades and Rice Balls or Sweet Potatoes to keep your Life Flame in check. After facing off against the boss's face and fist for a while, he will turn into a giant boar and drop straight to the ground. That is, only if you prevent Ippondatara from knocking you to the ground himself. This is a pretty good time to quickly heal if needed since he will not attack when in his true form. The thing is defenseless, so go crazy and begin unleashing all your Secret Arts on him (or just simply hack him apart). After a while, Ippondatara will get pissed and resume his previous form and you will be dropped off back at his feet again. The battle has three stages, and the pattern is as follows: Foot Stage -> Face Stage -> Boar Stage If you get knocked off the cloud during the Face Stage, you will be back at the Foot Stage and you'll have to start back over again. I am not positive if you have to end the battle with Ippondatara during the Boar Stage or if you can win by depleting all his health bars during one of the other two stages. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Chimera --------------------- Recommended Level: 23 Drop: Shishiou Seems like bosses nowadays have four health bars. Does not make them any easier, though. The Chimera floats around the castle rooftop and baits you like a hyena. Heck, I'm sure he's part hyena somewhere. The boss has a handful of attacks, all significantly different than the other. Its most common and least dangerous: he'll swipe at you with his big cat paws. This isn't the worst thing in the world, but it can still hurt quite a bit. A deadly attack: the Chimera will turn into a tornado and suck you in like a vacuum. If you get caught inside him, you'll get spun around and torn apart. This attack usually deals a crapload of damage and once you're stuck, you cannot escape. Once you see the tornado appear, back away from the boss. The Chimera also uses his snake tail to shoot out small blue fireballs. As they circle the arena, hit them to knock them right back at the boss to deal a fair amount of damage. At times, the Chimera will curl into a ball and spin around at insane speeds, creating nothing but a blur of colors on the screen. Three attacks will follow: The boss will begin bouncing up and down on the ground as it slowly moves left or right. This is really easy to avoid, since he bounces high in the air, giving you enough time to nonchalontly walk right underneath the boss. No biggie; just refrain from attacking because if you make contact you'll damage your swords. If the Chimera starts spinning and stays in one spot, then get ready to roll. He'll spin for a second or two, then slam right into the ground like a meteor. If you get hit, you'll take a crapload of damage/automatically break your sword. However, if you manage to successfully dodge the attack, the Chimera will collide head-first with the roof, stunning the beast. Use this opportunity to unleash any Secret Arts or use the breather to heal if needed. The third attack is similar to the above one: the Chimera will stand still and spin in midair, but it'll fling blue fireballs at you at an astounding rate. If you keep up with the pace, you can deflect every single one right back at him. If not, then you are in a world of hurt. Once the Chimera is down to his last health bar, he'll be engulfed in flames and move much faster in addition to packing a bigger punch. This is really the only frustrating part of the battle, because he is quite quick and his claw swipes start to become annoying. Just remember to heal and use the food that you cooked if needed. I dunno, I personally found the Chimera boss to be rather easy aside from his last health bar. All of his attacks were really easy to dodge except for his meteor and tornado attacks, and luckily he didn't use it all that much (he only used the tornado attack once). If you're around Level 23 with sufficient swords (I had the same ones from the last boss fight except now using the Ichimonji Norimune that was rewarded to you after said boss). Comet is also a pretty cool Secret Art that can be used to deal damage to the Chimera in his spinning ball form while keeping your distance. Otherwise, you can use aerial attacks when the Chimera is unraveled and not curled up like a crazy armadillo. Hell, he's probably part armadillo as well. Dang Chimeras and their Frankenstein-like complex. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Big Oni --------------------- Recommended Level: 29 Drop: Onikiri Start the battle off by equipping some necessary accessories: the Suiko Scale is a great choice, but anything that prevents Poison is key here. The Big Oni technically has five health bars, but you deplete the first one while you are inside his tummy. Avoid the stomach acid that drips from the lining of the boss's stomach and slash away until he spits you out. The Big Oni is a very tough boss for the remaining fight. Needless to say, he's a giant, and most of his attacks cover a very wide range. Aside from worrying about the boss's attacks, you also have an endless wave of Small Onis that scurry around the battlefield. They usually don't get in your way that much, but they do offer a nice supply of Soul Power. Most of the boss's attacks are fairly similar, and they all pretty much involve him pummeling you with his giant fists. If you see the Big Oni lean to one side, he will begin furiously punching in that direction. Either climb over him or roll underneath his big tummy. His most common attack is when he becomes engulfed in flames and terrorizes the arena. The game orders you to hide behind one of the many rocks lining the floor. Do so quickly (pick one that's farthest away from the boss on either side of him), because the Big Oni will begin plowing the ground with his massive fists. If you are hit, you'll be grabbed and brought along for the ride. A truly devastating attack. The Big Oni destroys everything in his path; all rocks, and even Small Onis who also take shelter, will be destroyed. This attack can be useful since it clears out the Small Onis, but it also eliminates your cover. They don't stay gone for long, since creepy ghost children will appear and build you new rocks. Yes, I am serious. Sometimes, although pretty rarely, the Big Oni disappears and reappears in the background. He reaches over towards the screen with an enlarged fist and pulverizes one half of the arena. Make sure you aren't on that half (avoiding the giant orange blob usually works). At some point during the fight, the Big Oni will attempt to eat you again. He stands facing the screen and kinda just stands there and does nothing while profusely drooling all over the place. It's a perfect opportunity to go all out and attack while he does absolutely nothing. If he does suddenly grab and eat you, do not worry. You end up in his stomach again; escape by depleting one of his health bars. In fact, eating Momihime may even be detrimental to the boss since you can drain a full health bar without any of the hazards of the fight! The Big Oni takes a nice pause in between each attack, allowing you to dish out some attacks of your own. The boss is such a big monster, that his big pot belly and his wide shoulders act as platforms. It's easiest to rest on his belly and attack his face using various sword strikes. If you stay on his shoulders, you can only use crouching attacks. Plus, the Big Oni's final attack is used as a defensive precaution if you are ever on his shoulders: he flexes his arms and spikes protrude out from his shoulders and back like a porcupine. It is unfortunate that you can really only target the boss's head and shoulders. It would be so much easier if you can stay on the ground and whittle away at his shins, but that is not the case. Stay on his stomach and slash away, then jump off and hide behind the rocks when the the warning appears on the bottom of the screen. I found this battle to be very hard, since the Big Oni's attacks can be hard to avoid and deal whopping amounts of health. Also, many of them will destroy your blades, so make sure you have stocked up on food and stone-type items that restore your Soul Power and fix your blades. Spam Secret Arts and Quick Draws - I thought that Seika Muramasa's Secret Art (Shaded Wasp) was especially deadly when standing on the Big Oni's stomach. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Raijin ---------------------- Recommended Level: 36 Drop: Mutsonokami Yoshiyuki Raijin is a very interesting boss. The arena isn't as big as many would like it to be, with only six small cloud platforms (three on each side). Raijin is a pretty small boss compared to previous ones (especially the Big Oni) and quite fast, making her difficult to hit. Additionally, she protects herself using strange blue orbs that circle around her. These small orbs that surround Raijin can be destroyed. However, focusing on each one is futile since she spends much of the battle creating new ones. The orbs aren't that powerful, so you shouldn't have trouble breaking one. Quick Draws usually help a lot. I have noticed that occasionally the orbs stop glowing and turn brown. I am not exactly sure why: maybe they are weakened when brown and therefore easier to destroy? Hmmm... The point of focusing on the orbs is to create a small chink in her armor so you can directly attack her with physical attacks. Otherwise, you may have to use Quick Draws and Secret Arts to easily damage her. However, usually focusing directly on Raijin results in you damaging both her and the orbs, so if I were you my primary focus would be the boss herself. This boss has a plethora of moves, and most involve her orbs, making it hard to initially determine which one she is using. While not an offensive attack, Raijin will make more orbs. She usually bends over and fiddles with her hands as a new ring of orbs appear. The attack doesn't hurt, but the orbs themselves do will spark and can damage you if you run into them. Sometimes, these orbs will radiate far out and begin releasing large, blue orbs. These ball lightning will home in on your location, but can be destroyed in one hit. I found it easiest to stay in a corner and let them all come to you; destroy a bunch, then run along the ground and wait for more to come. They are easy to dispatch and they shouldn't overwhelm you. Raijin sometimes floats in the center of the ring, arms outstretched. She will rotate her arms as tiny lightning bolts shoot out of her fingers like lasers. This creates a pair of spinning laser beams that rotates in a circle. Whether they travel clockwise or counter-clockwise, use the clouds and stay in the same direction. This sounds like a prime opportunity to attack Raijin, since she is a sitting duck. You may want to use a Secret Art while standing on one of the clouds directly next to her, but don't go too crazy. I wouldn't use this time to attack the boss, because if you are hit by the lightning bolt you will not be able to escape the attack and may lose a ton of health. If the background turns black, take your position either on one of the high clouds or in either corner of the room. A few of Raijin's orbs will float just below the center of the arena and shoot lightning bolts down to the ground. You should be safe if you are on the far left or far right side of the area, but staying on the clouds above the orbs is even better. We're still not done with attacks! Raijin has another one where her entire body glows bright blue and bounces around the arena like a pinball. Physical attacks cannot hurt her in this phase - only a few select Secret Arts - so spend this time dodging the boss until she returns to normal. Arguably her most annoying attack, Raijin will teleport around the room. After she disappears, she'll reapper somewhere else and immediately punch to her left or right. This thunder punch is extremely devastating and can take out almost all of your Life Flame in one shot. It can be hard to avoid, but all you can really do is stay outta dodge the second you see the boss appear. The best course of action is to study Raijin's attacks and understand when to attack yourself. She often floats near the center of the area, so standing on the two middle clouds gives you your best shot for hitting her with Secret Arts. There are a few attacks that end with Raijin landing on the ground, so if you ever see her drop to the ground unprotected, take advantage. Also, you may be lucky if you see Raijin fall flat on her butt. This doesn't often happen, but from my experience it can occur if you destroy all of her orbs or if you simply beat the snot out of her long enough. She'll fall on her butt and pout for a good minute or so, giving you enough time to fully deplete one health bar! When Raijin only has one or two health bars left, she starts to use a new attack (arguably her most powerful). The screen blackens and she flies to the very top of the screen. She starts on one side of the screen and moves from one side to the other while firing a massive lightning bolt down to the ground. Immediately run with her and hug the side of the screen because the attack stops just short of you. There is no way to run underneath or jump over this attack, so you simply have to stay in front of the lightning bolt. Getting hit by it is nearly a one-hit KO! Quick Draws are always helpful, but the two main Secret Arts I used were Moon Ring II (Onikiri) and Shaded Wasp (Seika Muramasa). These can only be used when you are standing, so stand at the very edge of one of the middle clouds and unleash it on the boss. Keep Iyo Stones and various food at hand, because her attacks pack a punch and many can break blades with little to no effort. Shuffle between your three Demon Blades and put their Secret Arts to use. It is one of those battles that may take a while, simply because it is much easier if you stand back and wait for an opening to attack rather than jumping inside Raijin's orb shield, ready to slice away (and subsequently get severely injured). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Fudo-Myoou ------------------ Recommended Level: 45 Drop: Tsukiotoshi Fudo-Myoou does not have any health bars. Rather, he has six weak points altogether that you must destroy in order to come out victorious: his two feet, his two hands, his stomach, and his head. However, the real challenge of the fight is gaining access to these weak points: they are protected by force fields that can only be lowered by defeating his two minions. The boss's two minions, Seitaka Doji and Kongara Doji, are the two guys you need to worry about in this boss fight. They are the source of all attacks during the boss fight, so they should be your primary focus. First off, lets differentiate between the two Dojis. Seitaka Doji is the dark- skinned fella, while Kongara Doji is the fair-skinned person (honestly, I can't tell if it's a girl or guy). I refer to them by their names, so you should know which one is which for the sole reason that you can figure out what attacks that person can use. Both Dojis guard various parts of Fudo-Myoou's body. Seitaka Doji controls all portions of the body that are colored red (right leg, right arm, stomach, head). Kongara Doji protects all parts of the body that are blue (left leg, left arm, stomach, head). Just think: Seitaka = red, Kongara = blue. You must defeat the guardians to lower the force field protecting their respective body parts. Note that the stomach and head are covered by red and blue force fields - you must defeat both Dojis before those two weak points become vulnerable. Both Dojis have several attacks, though for the most part they aren't that threatening. Both have an attack where they raise their staff and tiny yellow energy balls spin outwards in a spiral. They go slow enough for you to easily dodge them. They also share an attack where they release one energy ball that fires out smaller energy balls. In addition, both Dojis frequently teleport across the arena. The two targets can also use a joined attack, but such an attack is very rare and usually used when you have destroyed several of Fudo-Myoou's weak points. The two teleport to the top of the room and begin chanting. They release a red and blue orb that floats around the arena before stopping. When it stops, it shoots out giant fireballs several times before disappearing. Stay the hell away from this thing! It is a one-hit kill. Need I say more? The Dojis also have a few moves exclusive to themselves. The skinny white one (Kongara Doji) has a nasty attack where she (or he?) stands her staff upright as the tip becomes charged with blue energy. Run away from Kongara, as a ball of blue electricity radiates out from the Doji. Kongara also occasionally releases a few gold lotus petals that begin to fly around. When they stop, they'll each fire a laser beam straight ahead. Sometimes they hit the ground or the wall, but if they come in contact with a floating rock, the beam will ricochet off and make things more problematic. You're best off either hiding or targeting the flowers directly. As far as I know, the buff, dark-skinned Doji (Seitaka Doji) only has one move to himself. He will pause, then dash back and forth in a horizontal line. The attack can knock you to the ground and destroy any floating rocks in the way. The two Dojis are pretty weak, so defeating one isn't much of a challenge. The main problem is maneuvering around the arena. Fudo-Myoou is a gigantic specimen, so the only way to reach even his feet is with the use of floating rock platforms. Rocks will appear out of thin air, but soon fall to the ground. Falling rocks are actually the most dangerous element in this fight. Since the two Dojis float in the air and teleport all over the place, you will often have to climb up on a floating rock in order to reach them. Dodging attacks can be annoying since you'll often have to jump all the way down to the ground in order to avoid some big hits. Plus, the tiny rocks don't give you any space to move around and Secret Arts can be tough to pull off. I generally ignored using Secret Arts and stuck with aerial attacks and uppercuts. If you're too high up, you may want to stay on the platform and not risk jumping all over the place and potentially falling to the floor. Quick Draws also help a lot, especially if you have both Dojis and a weak point onscreen. The battle starts from the ground up. Take out the two Dojis to expose the boss's two legs. Next, you will be able to target the stomach by defeating both Dojis. Next up is the left and right arm, then finally the head. It becomes harder and harder to scale the side of Fudo-Myoou's body since you have to go higher and higher each time. It's possible that the Doji will regenerate before you can reach the weak point in time. If that's the case, go back to targeting the guardian and start over again. Look at the bright side: Fudo-Myoou doesn't even attack you and your two targets are pretty weak, so you can consider this a joke of a final battle. ============================================================================== BOSSES (KISUKE) [0803] ============================================================================== =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Kurozaru -------------------- Recommended Level: 1 Drop: Nagasone Kotetsu Kurozaru is nothing but a big pushover. You cannot really expect from your first boss fight that starts about a half-hour after the game begins. Kurozaru is a big ninja, but compared to some of the other bosses in this game, he's a small-fry. The boss doesn't have too many attacks, so you should be able to keep all of them in check during the course of the battle. Kurozaru relies heavily on his signature Pinwheel Shurikens. These massive shurikens act like boomerangs, since they travel back and forth across the screen before eventually returning to sender. If the boss throws it high, you can expect it to be low when it's coming back to him. If he throws it low, then it'll be high as it comes back. Use this to your advantage when trying to simultaneously dodge and attack. Sometimes, Kurozaru will take both shurikens and place them on his hands. He stands still, raises his hands in the air, and spins the shurikens. While this process takes a few seconds and leaves him open to attack, back away as soon as he stops: the boss will begin punching the air in either direction, so stay away or else your blade may break. The boss only has one more attack: he will jump in the air, then come slamming down. With a guy the size of Kurozaru crashing down, you can expect a big impact. Jump as soon as he lands to avoid the shockwave that erupts from under him. If you accidentally jump sooner, you can always glide in the air to slow your descent. One thing that you should note is at around the halfway mark, Kurozaru becomes coated in flames. All of his attacks are stronger and faster. Additionally, he uses his jumping slam attack multiple times in succession. It's much more likely that you'll suffer from a broken blade during the second half of the fight. Overall, nothing too hardcore here. Most of his attacks are slow, giving you plenty of opportunities to safely slash away at him. Cycle through the three Demon Blades you have and see which ones work best for you: Blades are faster and weaker, while Long Blades are much slower and stronger. Also put your Secret Arts to use: Cyclone is especially effective when you get a direct hit. At the same time, be careful. Many of Kurozaru's attacks can wear down your blades or even break them in one hit. Use Bamboo Flasks when your Life Flame dips a little too low and remember that the boss releases Souls every time you cut away one of his health bars. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Giant Centipede x3 ---------- Recommended Level: 7 Drop: Iganokami Kanemichi This is the dumbest, weirdest, easiest boss fight in the entire game. Hands down. You are very rarely in risk of taking damage in this battle. There are three Giant Centipedes scurrying around the castle rooftops. Normally when in a situation where you are presented with more than one target, I would suggest that you take one down at a time. Here, it doesn't really matter. Plus, it is hard to differentiate between the bosses so it would really be more trouble than anything. For the most part, the Giant Centipedes don't directly attack you. Watch out for their heads, since their pincers do most of the work and can instantly break a blade if you aren't careful. Their second attack is when they stop, then dash in any direction. You can get hurt by this attack; later in the fight the Giant Centipedes are covered in fire and the dash attack is even more poweful. Lastly, the bosses glow green for a split second before releasing several blue fireballs at you. This is just like encounters against The Dead: knock back the blue fireballs using your sword to deal damage to the centipedes. You are rarely in any danger. Occasionally you may step in front of one of the Giant Centipede's head and they can pinch you, but for the most part you are just jumping around, slashin' stuff. Some Secret Arts are useful, such as Cyclone and Hell Spinner, but you can just as easily complete this boss fight without using a single Secret Art. The Giant Centipedes are split up by segments, so you are targeting their individual segments. They have no health bars. Destroying each segment cuts them down a little bit, making them shorter and faster. In order to win the fight, continue cutting up each Giant Centipede until there's nothing left. However, hacking away at the middle of their body does you no good. In order to cut up a Giant Centipede, you must either sever its head or tail. Cut off either the head or tail and it will not be able to move. Once it's stationary, attacking the body will cause the boss to slowly fall apart. Once the head/tail regenerates, the boss begins moving and you'll have to stop it again. I cannot stress how pathetic this boss fight is. If you are reckless, you may suffer a broken blade here and there, but destroying each segment yields some Souls. Quick Draws always help, especially when all three Giant Centipedes are on the screen, so use them whenever they're available. Before this fight, one of your biggest accomplishments may have been a 70-hit combo. Well, you'll be getting anywhere from 300 to 700-hit combos here. Yes, I'm serious. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Torahime -------------------- Recommended Level: 14 Drop: Maguroku Kanemoto The battle begins with Torahime running off to the right, leaving you to deal with two Ochimushas. They should not give you any trouble, so a Quick Draw and some regular attacks will do them in. While you are attacking them, Torahime will be firing arrows at you from offscreen. Dodge roll or block these arrows, especially when she causes a number of them to rain down from the sky. Torahime only has a bow and arrow, so that's her only means of attacking. Doesn't sound too threatening, but paired with her crazy, creepy ghost horse, she will ride back and forth across the arena to get away from you and begin firing arrows like a madman while you try to catch up. Cheap. This boss fight is basically a game of cat and mouse. Torahime runs to one side of the arena, so you must follow. While she's safe and sound, she fires arrows as you try to follow her. There are a number of bamboo pieces sticking up from the ground. While they acted as traps earlier in the map, these ones serve as protection from Torahime's arrows. You cannot destroy them, so you must jump over the bamboo. Torahime fires her arrows in various patterns. She either fires them high, so they fly above the bamboo and can potentially hit you if you are attempting to jump in the air. She can also fire them low, but you will be safe if you are standing behind some bamboo. She can also catch you off guard if you are trying to shield yourself from the arrows. Sometimes Torahime fires multiple arrows at once that angle downward diagonally. She is sitting atop her horse, so the arrows tend to angle from the top of the screen down in a diagonal fashion. It's easy to get hit from the wall of arrows. Lastly, her most annoying form of arrow-firing: the boss aim high in the sky and unleashes a torrent of arrows as they come raining down from above. It can be challenging tying to evade them, so you may be best off crouching and blocking until the attack stops. You will have to avoid these four attacks as you hurdle bamboo until you finally reach Torahime. She still uses the same attacks, but they aren't very effective when you are standing directly under her, slashing at her steed's belly. Even when you reach Torahime, you may have a tough time hitting her. Staying on the ground and using side slashes doesn't always work, because targeting the horse's legs sometimes doesn't work. You either need to use uppercuts or aerial attacks in order to actually hit the boss. This is problematic because it puts you at greater risk. I found that aerial attacks and some Secret Arts (plus Quick Draws, of course) work the best at depleting Torahime's health. Some Secret Arts are good, like Iganokami Kanemichi's Cross and Fumitsuki Muramasa's Nightglow II (both are aerial-based Secret Arts). Also, when attacking Torahime, you may want to stay near her back and attack, rather than face the horse's head. The horse can attack, as it usually uses a stomp attack that can create a shockwave. Plus, you can get knocked over if the horse begins to gallop away. One cheap/clever alternative to this boss fight: when you cut away one of the boss's health bars, she will fly up in the air. Juggle her in the air and keep her airborne as you rip her health bar to shreds. You probably won't be able to keep her in the air long enough to drain a whole other health bar, but every little bit helps. This battle is pretty annoying. You'll suffer from lost health, broken blades, and other frustrating situations. Like I said, it's basically a game of cat and mouse as you have to track down Torahime and attack her for a few seconds before she runs off again like a pansy. Stick with it, keep those pellets and Omura Stones in your Item Shortcut, and you should be fine in the long run. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Sayo ------------------------ Recommended Level: 19 Drop: Kogarasumaru Honestly, Sayo is about as difficult as she looks. This little twerp has some powerful attacks, but her defense is really low (she is a regular human, after all) and you should have a fairly easy time if you protect yourself and take shots at her when there's a green light. Sayo only has a handful of attacks, but they are all nasty and long-range. Her most common attack is the use of multiple bombs. The attack is actually accidental: Sayo runs across the arena, only to slip and fall. The fall causes a number of bombs to roll out of her backpack and explode. Of course, she's fine, but you'll take a ton of damage if caught in the explosion. She also often creates several paper scrolls in the air. These scrolls linger in the air before eventually shooting bolts of lightning at you. To counterattack the spell, jump in the air and slice the paper up to bits. They only withstand a couple hits, so you can destroy them all pretty quickly. Instead of walking from one side of the screen to the other, the boss will occasionally call a group of crows to carry her like an escort service. While she is in the air, she can use three attacks. Sayo can use an extra large bomb that can set off fireworks; this is a blade breaker. She can also summon a number of scrolls that surround and paralyze you. Repeatedly tap A to free yourself before the boss throws a bomb at your defenseless body. Sometimes, Sayo enlists in the help of more crows, as they fly onto the screen and divebomb you. Your best bet is to block most of the attacks and deal with it, or occasionally roll to the side to avoid their kamikaze strike. The paper scroll attack is easy to avoid, since you must destroy them in order to stay safe. It's easy to dodge bomb explosions as well; double jump and glide in the air as the explosions go off. Depleting the boss's health is pretty easy and the battle may not last long if you are aggressive enough. If Sayo is on the ground, you can use plenty of regular attacks and Secret Arts. You also have plenty of time to attack her when she is floating in the air with her crows. I found that Magoroku Kanemoto's Kamaitachi Secret Art to be useful in this situation, since the attack automatically sends you flying in the air like a pinwheel. Things heat up as the battle goes on - literally! Sayo covers herself in fire, which is pretty common in bosses. Sayo's attacks are more powerful and capable of shattering your Demon Blades. She also starts using a new, fireball attack. The boss stands on either side of the arena and shoots a number of homing fireballs at you. You can strike the bigger ones, but doing so only splits it into two smaller ones. Hitting the small ones destroys them. This is a great time to use Quick Draws! At this point, you may want to back off and slow things down a bit so you don't suffer from broken blades and severe health loss. The boss's defense doesn't increase at this stage of the fight, but her strength certainly does. Rewire your Item Shortcut so you have easy access to Omura Stones and Iyo Stones along with Tiger Pellets. Sayo may be a bit more intimidating once you get her down to about half health, but she's still a little twerp. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Tsuchigumo ------------------ Recommended Level: 24 Drop: Kumokiri This is probably the second easiest boss battle in the entire game (the Giant Centipedes take that dubious award). Tsuchigumo barely even attacks you, and most of the time you'll be concentrating on the army of Ghost Spiders he sends after you. The arena is made up of a large area with several small platforms and a large spider web in the background. Tsuchigumo and his spider minions can crawl along the web and position themselves high in the arena. I'm actually tempted to say that Tsuchigumo is the easiest boss in the game, simply because the Giant Centipedes took a while to kill. Aside from spawning Ghost Spiders, Tsuchigumo only has one attack: he shoots webbing out of his mouth and spins his head around like some freak-ass exorcism, creating a stream of webbing that spins around the room in a circle. Even though Tsuchigumo only has one attack, it is quite annoying since it's very, very difficult to dodge. It deals little damage, but immobilizes you. I am not positive on how to free yourself; you either have to repeatedly tap A or shake the Wii Remote. Just try both to free yourself before the Ghost Spiders nibble away at you too much. The alternate method of freeing yourself from the boss's web is to use a Quick Draw. You should save your Quick Draws for when you get stuck, because it frees you as well as damages everything onscreen. The boss stays high up in the room, just above the platforms near the middle of the room. Sometimes, he will curl up and corscrew to another location in a weird fashion. Follow after him and keep up the assault. Use jumping slashes and other aerial attacks to damage Tsuchigumo. Occasionally, Tsuchigumo will fall to the ground after withstanding a certain amount of punishment. When this happens, switch to your strongest blade and hack away at the defenseless beast. The Ghost Spiders will try and protect him, but focus on the boss while simultaneously swatting the spiders away. For the most part, you should concentrate on Tsuchigumo, but there are times where you should step away and clear the room of Ghost Spiders. They tend to swarm you if the numbers get too high, but a few combos and/or Quick Draws can solve that problem. The Ghost Spiders are the only danger in this boss fight, because Tsuchigumo sits around and allows himself to be downright abused. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Chigurui Bishamon ----------- Recommended Level: 31 Drop: Osafune Kanemitsu After the last cakewalk boss battle, expect a true challenge here against Chigurui Bishamon. He is a very large target, and his long sword outclasses all of your Demon Blades. If you block most of his attacks head on, your sword will break. Count on it. The problem I had with this fight was trying to successfully identify which attack Chigurui Bishamon was going to use; they all involve his sword in some way. After playing this boss fight several times, I tried to study his attack patterns and movements. Here's what I got from it: the boss is capable of using a jumping slash that creates shockwaves that point in both directions. If you see him crouch and place both hands on his sword, get ready for him to jump and jump yourself just as he lands. Voila; that one is easy enough. The most basic attack the boss has is a forward slash. He'll hold his sword in front of him and above his head. The result: a quick forward slash. Another attack is used with a nearly identical setup. Except instead of a forward slash, Chigurui Bishamon moves his sword across his body horizontally, as tiny green skulls fly out in the same direction. He's tall enough so you can duck and avoid the attack entirely. He seems to have several very basic attacks, so you should watch out for them accordingly. Chigurui Bishamon also has some heavy-hitters. When you see the armor in his chest open up, back away from him. Ghastly skulls will be absorbed into his stomach as the boss creates a powerful green whirlwind. It looks pretty neat, but it can hurt. When you see the boss's mask come off, you know he's using one of his two most powerful attacks. Once you see the glow of his green fiery skull, prepare yourself for the worst. Both times he raises his sword over his head and one of two things will happen. One option is that the boss causes a horde of arrows to rain down on you. They have pretty good range, so your best bet would be to roll or run behind the boss so you can dodge most of the arrows. Blocking them head-on is just asking for a shattered blade. The second options is that Chigurui Bishamon summons an army of spectral horsemen that stampede across the battlefield. The easiest way to dodge this attack is to get behind the boss; the attack generates where the boss is standing, so staying behind the boss is the safest place to be. However, he usually uses this attack while standing on the far side of the room; if that's the case, then double jump and glide in the air until it's safe to land. Chigurui Bishamon is a big ol' target, so you should have no trouble hitting him. The key is figuring out which attack he is going to use and appropriately dodging them. One good thing about this fight is that all of his attacks require a bit of a "charge-up" period, so you are given a good second or two before the attack hits. Staying on the ground and hacking away at his feet is your best bet, since it allows you to avoid many of his attacks, especially his arrow barrage, jumping slash, and horizontal slice. Of course aerial attacks won't spell the death of you, but I found it easiest to mainly stay grounded during the course of this boss fight. Like the Torahime boss battle, every time you deplete a health bar you are given the chance to juggle Chigurui Bishamon in the air. He's a lot harder to keep in the air due to his size, but it's a cheap way to drain a lot of his health. I'm not one for using a ton of Secret Arts, and I'm certainly not a fan of Long Blades, but I thought the best way to go into this battle was with the Ishizuki Muramasa Blade. This is an incredibly powerful blade in itself, but its Secret Art, Wind II, is absolutely fantastic for this fight. All you have to do is stand near the boss's feet and use this Secret Art to unleash all hell on him. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Dragon God ------------------ Recommended Level: 38 Drop: Goro Masamune Out of nowhere, the game's difficulty goes through the roof with this boss. Seriously, this battle is plain ridiculous. For starters, most of his attacks are fire-based, meaning they can cause Burn. Lame. Second, even though the Dragon God is a mighty big specimen, you can only target his face. SUPER LAME. You may actually want to be a bit higher than my suggested level if you are having serious problems with this fight. Most of the Dragon God's attacks are fireballs, but they have different effects. The first is a regular ol' fireball: he spits one out of his mouth and it creates a pillar of flame and smoke. Avoid them. Sometimes, the boss fires a single fireball, but once it hits the ground it travels all the way across like a wave. Sometimes the Dragon God shoots out a barrage of fireballs that results in several miniature explosions. Out of all his fireball attacks, it's hard to tell which one is which, so whenever you see him spit one out, jump and glide around just to be safe. His two other fireball attacks are unlike the others, since they travel horizontally instead of hitting the ground. The boss spits out a ring of tiny fireballs that pursue you. Even though you can deflect them back at the boss, the number of fireballs he deploys is high and you may get hit by a bunch of them. The Dragon God's last fireball attack travels horizontally, but they (thankfully) do not follow you. He shoots out a group of fireballs that resemble a pinwheel. Just duck and roll when it comes towards you. The Dragon God also has a few other, unrelated attacks. If you see him tingle with electricity, back away before he chomps at you. He performs a horizontal bite followed by a diagonal bite leaning towards the ground. One of his weaker attacks, in my opinion. Lastly, the boss disappears into the background as the entire screen goes black. During this time, five balls of electricity appear and float around before eventually fusing into a strange electrical star. The star will chase you around for a long time (during which the boss reappears). Eventually, the star breaks apart into five balls again and they line up horizontally. They then shoot lightning bolts down to the ground. This is probably the worst attack the boss has. You can actually damage and destroy the balls of lightning before they get a chance to form a star, but they are really durable. You'll have to dish out a lot of damage in order to destroy each lightning ball. It may actually be more trouble to try and eliminate them, so avoiding the electric star may be your best option. Take a very relaxed approach to this boss fight. If you rush in and try to kick ass, you're the one whose ass is going to get kicked. It can be fairly easy to scout which attacks the Dragon God is going to use, and honestly, it isn't all that difficult to dodge his fireballs. The problem is that his moves are deadly as all hell, so on the off chance that you mess up and you get hit by an attack, well get your Mandarins and Trillium Tablets ready. Remember that you can only hit the boss's head, so get up in the air and use jumping slashes. In terms of weapons, your best bet is to go with Osafune Kanemitsu: its Gale Secret Art is just what you need for this fight. Dragonfly II (Hisame Muramasa) isn't terribly bad, either. The speed of the fight is pretty fast, and it only increases when the Dragon God is low on health. He starts using his homing fireball and electric star attack more frequently when he's near death. Quick Draws are good for both cases, since they will help destroy the mini fireballs and can also help destroy the ball lightnings during that attack as well. This far into the game, you know the consequences of slacking off during major boss battles. One direct hit is enough to break a blade, so it's all about being careful and patient. If you want to go into the fight and spam Secret Arts all day, then you probably won't get too far. Keep Jyokenji Stones and Persimmons/Mandarins close by. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- --- BOSS: Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi - Recommended Level: 47 Drop: Mumei Tamanoo My, that's a mouthful! My boss template barely even fit the name. >_> The battle is broken up into two stages; both have completely new sets of health bars. Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi is just some old man that summons ghosts and teleports around the room. That's all he does: teleport and summon ghosts. He usually summons three to five ghosts at once; they will float there for a second, then lunge at you. You can destroy them with one or two hits, so slash away when they come at you with open arms. The boss's teleportation attack can also hurt you and will break your blade immediately if you are right next to him when he teleports. You'll know when the boss teleports because the scroll in his hand (looks kinda like a rolling pin) glows blue. The first stage of this fight is a joke. Follow him when he teleports to safety and hack away at the old man. His ghost minions shouldn't get in the way since they are really weak. Either cut right through them or jump over. The main thing you want to watch out for is when Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi is about to teleport; roll away when you see the scroll in his hand turn blue. The number of ghosts he summons begin to increase and sometimes appears in various patterns and formations, but it doesn't matter all that much. Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi also starts to teleport much faster and more frequently when the the first part of the battle is almost over. In addition, he often creates either one or two clones of himself - they are red. Ignore the red clones and go after the real one. Sometimes, Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi will fall to the ground after taking enough abuse. He'll be weakened and won't be able to teleport during this time, so switch to your strongest blade and try to cut away a full health bar before he gets back up. Once the second phase of the battle begins, Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi transforms into a gigantic hound. Take any perception you had about the first half of this fight, because this stage is a royal pain in the ass. This boss has a lot of attacks, and I probably won't be able to list them all. It's just a very fast-paced, chaotic fight. When you see Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi glow red, back away or else there will be sharp gusts of wind that spin around him. It's probably the easiest attack to scout. Also, sometimes his feet release a cloud of purple gas (maybe he passed gas? I dunno). Avoid this gas by backing away or jumping on his back or else you'll be poisoned. A simple Herbal Remedy takes care of it. If you see the boss unhinge his jaws like a freaky demon snake, that means he's going to dive towards the ground, face first. When you see this, run behind before he dives foward in a black flash. At the conclusion of the attack, the boss ends up on the other side of the room, so this move is also used for him to teleport from one side of the room to another. The worst attack is when the demon hound disappears entirely and the screen goes black. He grows about a thousand times larger and... I don't even know what the hell transpires here. He smashes his face in the ground and moves to the left or right like a giant, brown tidal wave. It's really weird and I have no idea how to dodge it. I usually hide in the corner like a sissy because the boss usually stops before reaching the wall. In addition, there are also a number of rainbow-colored circles that float around the arena. These can be used to attack you as well, and you can destroy them with a few sword strikes. If you walk underneath the ones low to the ground, skeletons emerge from the portal and stab you. These ones aren't too bad as long as you avoid walking underneath them. The ones high in the air are a pain in the ass because they shoot lightning bolts at you. Destroy them. There's a lot to worry about here, because there is a lot going on. You have to focus on the rainbow portals as well as the giant dog boss. Most, if not all, of his attacks can destroy a blade in one go, so get ready to use those Iyo Stones. I was in danger of dying a handful of times during this boss fight: Peaches and Spirit Tablets helped keep me alive. You can jump on Inugami Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's back and fight him up there, but I never found it to be very useful since you mainly have to use downward slashes to really hit him. Plus, most of the Secret Arts miss from up there. By far, the best Demon Blade for this fight is Tsubamegaeshi Muramasa: Meteor II is an absolute blessing. Stand right underneath the boss's head or butt and go to town. Like a lot of boss battles, there's a period where the boss collapses and is vulnerable to attack. When the boss falls to the ground, use all of your powerful Secret Arts and try to drain as much health as you can before he gets up again. I hadn't used a single Kumori Stone before this boss fight, so I was able to cheaply use a Kumori Stone and spam Meteor II on this jerk of a boss until he died. Problem? ______________________________________________________________________________ [9] THANKS/CREDITS [0900] ______________________________________________________________________________ Of course, this guide couldn't have been made without some extra help. Here is a shoutout to everyone who made this FAQ possible: CJayC: For being an awesome host of an awesome site. Eternal Czar Smapdi: For being the best co-author anyone could have, and for being yourself. Bradygames Official Guide: For appendice info and enemy HP. Gbness: Cool format, man. As you can see, I kinda used it here and there. FESBians: Because you're cool. You: For reading this FAQ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LEGAL ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This document is copyright (c) DomZ Ninja 2010-2011. This document may be found on the following sites: * GameFAQs - http://www.gamefaqs.com * GameSpot - http://www.gamespot.com * IGN - http://faqs.ign.com * Super Cheats - http://www.supercheats.com * Neoseeker - http://www.neoseeker.com * HonestGamers - http://www.honestgamers.com The latest update of this document can always be found on GameFAQs. Other sites may use this document, but only with my permission. If you see this document on a website not listed above, please email me. Do not edit or alter this document in any way. Do not steal anything from this document. Do not host or distribute this document for profit. That is plagiarism, and it is against the law. If you have any questions, comments, or anything that you would like to add to this guide, then feel free to email me. My email address is found at the top of this guide. However, if you do email me, please include the name of the game in the title. Lastly, thanks for reading and using this FAQ. If you like this FAQ, then please recommend it to others by clicking the "recommend" button at the top of the guide. :] http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/52173.html "I'll be up up and away, up up and away, cause in the end they'll judge me anyway, so whatever" - Kid Cudi ______________________________________________________________________________ END OF DOCUMENT