A Haunted Distraction

A Haunted Distraction sends Musashi toward Yasaka Shrine after The Demon on the Mount. Its objective is Seal the Rifts — 0/2. The route below starts at the Shijo Street Spirit Mirror and reaches both Rifts through the Malice-covered streets and rooftops.

There are five Malice plants along this route, but only two Rifts to seal. The plants are rooted structures with bright red cores; strike those cores to clear the surrounding red mist. The Rifts are the floating red spheres that summon enemy waves. Destroying a plant does not increase the Rift counter.

This is the main-story route. The intervening Kyoto side stories and street pickups are optional. Controls below use PlayStation labels: Square (□) to attack, Cross (×) to interact or use a golden wall, Circle (○) to evade, and L2 to absorb souls or a cleared Rift.

Travel to Shijo Street and enter the Malice

At a Spirit Mirror, select Travel → Eastern Kyoto → Shijo Street and confirm with Cross. This approaches the shrine from outside, following Shizuka's instruction to come in on foot.

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Turn away from the destination mirror. The street ahead is filled with red mist and pale roots. Enter it and follow the houses toward the large face-shaped root arch. Pass beneath the arch into the enemy-filled opening beyond.

The red Malice drains your health while you remain in it. Keep moving toward the next raised route, take short fights when enemies block your way and heal after reaching clear ground. Do not spend a long time collecting the blue-glowing street pickups while standing in the mist.

Destroy the first plant on the raised root

In the opening beyond the face arch, look to the right for a thick sloping root that rises above the street. Run up it to the plant with a bright red circular core at the top.

Strike the red core repeatedly with Square until it breaks. The nearby red mist clears, giving you room to deal with the pursuing enemies.

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Clear the enemies on the root and nearby ledges. A ranged enemy stands across the gap on the house's wooden edge. You can hold R2, aim and release to shoot it before moving across the exposed area.

Follow the raised root down to the wooden walkway along the house. The purple soul deposit beside it is optional. Continue to the end of the walkway overlooking the next red-mist square.

Climb to the second plant

Drop from the wooden walkway into the next red-mist square, beside the cart and scattered boards. A floating Rift hangs over this area. For now, head toward the ladder leaning against the house across the square.

Climb onto its tiled roof. Follow the roof toward the plant growing from the roots at its upper edge. Deal with the rooftop enemy, then strike the red core with Square until it breaks.

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The mist clears from the square below, but the floating Rift remains. Go down from the roof to finish its encounter.

Seal the first Rift

Defeat the enemies around the sphere, including the floating heads and the sword-wielding Genma. Move away from the cart and house corners if they trap you between attackers. Hold L1 to guard incoming sword attacks, then use short Square counters after the sequence ends.

When more enemies appear, finish the new wave. Do not stop merely because the arena was briefly clear. Once the encounter is over, the sphere gives Absorb Rift.

Approach it and hold L2 until the sphere breaks apart. Wait for the roots to withdraw and confirm Seal the Rifts — 1/2.

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Follow the root path to the third plant

Leave the cleared square along the open street beside the house. Follow the sloping root path on the right and pass through its opening into the next Malice-filled street.

Ahead is a damaged house with bamboo scaffolding and an exterior ladder. Clear enough space to reach the ladder, then climb out of the red mist onto the broken roof.

Cross the connected roof sections toward the visible red plant. Deal with the rooftop archer, walk onto the root behind the roof and attack the third red core until it bursts.

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With the street below clear, descend from the roof and root ledge. Follow the house wall into the next small courtyard.

Clear the alley and destroy the fourth plant

The courtyard contains green, bulbous Genma and spear-wielding enemies. Keep enough room to retreat from their lunges. Guard or evade their attack strings, then counter; avoid getting pinned against the house and upright wooden boards.

After clearing them, continue through the narrow lane beside the house into another patch of Malice. Turn toward the gold-marked wall at the edge of the lane. Press Cross at the golden surface to wall run onto the raised root platform.

The fourth plant is directly along this upper route. Strike its red core with Square until it breaks and the mist recedes.

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From the platform, use the bow against the enemy on the opposite roof if it is still firing. Return down to the street. Head around the house toward the golden wall beside the raised root bridge.

Cross the root bridge into the second Rift arena

Use Cross at the golden wall to reach the high root crossing. Follow the broad root bridge onto the damaged roof. At its far edge, use the next golden wall to cross into the open arena with the second floating Rift.

The arena is still full of Malice. Look beyond the sphere toward the plant on the raised bamboo roof, with a ladder beneath it. Cross to that ladder and climb.

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Defeat the enemy guarding the plant and attack the fifth red core until it breaks. The mist clears from the arena. Descend to face the Rift's waves.

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Defeat the waves and Dohatsu-ten

Clear the first groups of Genma around the Rift. Deal with ranged enemies before committing to a long exchange in the center. Keep watching the sphere: it summons further attackers before the final enemy appears.

The encounter ends with Dohatsu-ten — Heaven's Bane. He uses advancing sword combinations, jumping attacks and red-blade rushes. Leave room between yourself and the arena edge so you can reposition without getting trapped.

• Against ordinary sword strings: hold L1 to guard, or hold L1 and press Cross just before impact to Deflect. Expect follow-up swings before countering.
• Against the red-blade rush: evade sideways with Circle to leave his approach line. Watch his landing and follow-up swing before moving back in.
• During recovery: use a short Square combo or an equipped Oni Armament with R1, provided you have enough Oni Power. Take the Square weak-point prompt when he becomes vulnerable.

You can also use the Oni Awakening learned in the previous story. With the Awakening Gauge full, press L3 + R3. Attack during openings; R1 performs Onimusha Onslaught and ends the form. Afterward, return to normal defense and heal when you have space.

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Continue until Dohatsu-ten falls. His defeat alone does not seal the Rift.

Absorb the second Rift and finish the story

Return to the red sphere and wait for Absorb Rift. Hold L2 until it collapses completely. Confirm Seal the Rifts — 2/2 after the roots withdraw.

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Let the following scene with Lady Murasaki behind the screen play out. It follows the cleared objective; there is no additional Rift to hunt down. The conversation includes Ifuu and Burai calling Musashi back to Kennin-ji Temple.

Wait for Story Complete — A Haunted Distraction. The next story is Storm Chaser, with the objective Head for Kennin-ji Temple.