The Light of Vengeance

The Light of Vengeance follows What Lurks in the Shadows. A boy at Kiyomizu-zaka Slope needs help finding his father, whose trail leads back through Kiyomizu-dera Temple. This route covers the search, the temple courtyard battle, the Rift and the final report. Lion Dog rescues, shopping and other Curious Cases along the way are separate activities.

Inputs below use the displayed PlayStation layout: Cross (×) to interact, Square (□) to attack and Circle (○) to evade. Use your displayed bindings if remapped.

Find the boy at Kiyomizu-zaka Slope

At a Spirit Mirror, choose Travel → Eastern Kyoto → Kiyomizu-zaka Slope. From the arrival mirror beside the building and wagon wheel, follow the stone road uphill between the houses.

Look on the left side of the slope for the boy in blue, standing beside a leaning ladder and woven bales. Approach him and press Cross — Talk. Finish the conversation and Murasaki's butterfly message until the objective reads Head for Kiyomizu-dera Temple.

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Return downhill to the Spirit Mirror. You can continue exploring the city, but its rescues and treasure detours are not the next destination for this search.

Travel to The Approach and find the father

Choose Travel → Kiyomizu-dera Temple → The Approach. After arriving at the forest mirror, let the butterfly conversation finish. Your objective changes to Look for the boy's father.

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Follow the path ahead through the small wooden gateway and into the trees. Clear the Genma along the trail, then climb the long stone staircase. At the upper bend, look for the man beside the large tree, rocks and wooden fence. Approach him to begin the conversation.

After he leaves, the objective becomes Pursue the man consumed by vengeance. Follow him onto the path beside the red-leaved tree and plaster-walled temple building.

Pursue the father through the forest paths

Continue downhill along the wooden fence. Fight through the Genma and follow the rocky path beneath the fallen tree trunk. At the stone retaining wall, clear the enemies near the torch, then follow the bend around the large tree.

Keep to the path through the next group of enemies. The red-bibbed stone statues and the broken wooden cart beside the stairs mark the climb back toward the temple. Take those stone steps upward and continue between the statues, clearing the Genma in the way.

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Activate the Spirit Mirror beside the temple building and wooden fence. Cross the next yard beneath the red maple, deal with the enemies and take the stone stairs toward the objective marker.

At the red-veined mass sealing the passage, approach until Use Oni Power appears. Hold Cross until the Malice barrier breaks. Continue through the opening and up the path. The Lion Dog beside this route is an additional rescue; it does not replace the father objective.

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Defeat Byakue in the temple courtyard

Open the paired wooden gate beyond the cleared barrier with Cross. Follow the path between the bamboo fence and stone wall into the next courtyard, where Byakue — Hundred Defilements appears.

Keep the red blade in view and leave space behind you. Its overhead attacks can continue into further swings, so avoid committing to a long combo after the first hit. Defend until the sequence ends, then answer with a few Square attacks and prepare for its next swing.

For Deflect, hold L1 and press Cross just before the blade connects. A successful counter gives you an opening to attack. If red Malice patches spread across the ground, pull back onto clear ground and face Byakue again. Avoid retreating into the bamboo fence, where the follow-up swings leave little room to escape.

When Byakue lands from a leap and your Oni Power gauge has enough charge, R1 — Earth-Shakers can punish its recovery. If it staggers and a Square prompt appears on the glowing chest, move close and press Square for the weak-point attack. Continue until the health bar disappears.

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Reach the purple stone lantern

From the courtyard, follow the side of the temple building toward the white plaster walls. The large wooden gate along this side can be opened as a shortcut; the route to the father continues around the building.

Turn around the building's corner and pass the small red-pillared hall. Follow its outer edge to the narrow path between the stone wall topped with bamboo fencing and the rocks. Climb this path through the red-leaved trees and continue beneath the roofed gateway.

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At Destination Reached, approach the man in front of the purple-glowing stone lantern, beside the standing stone figures. Finish the exchange to begin Seal the Rift.

Clear the Genma and absorb the Rift

Fight the Genma appearing around the lantern and the red sphere above the courtyard. Keep moving between the open paving and steps so the larger enemies do not trap you against the stone wall. Finish short sword attacks before turning to face the next enemy; use the displayed Square weak-point prompt when an enemy staggers.

Keep clearing enemies until the sphere loses its bright red glow and L2 — Absorb Rift appears. Stand near it and hold L2. Continue absorbing until the sphere breaks apart and disappears. Killing the enemies alone does not seal it.

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The father's conversation resumes at the lantern. Finish it before leaving the temple.

Report to Lady Murasaki

Return to a Spirit Mirror and choose Travel → Eastern Kyoto → Yasaka Shrine. Follow the shrine path to the building beside the cart piled with books, climb the steps and speak with Lady Murasaki.

Continue the report and the following exchange with Shizuka until Story Complete — The Light of Vengeance appears. This is the endpoint; the stone-lantern battle alone is not the completion notice.

The next story objective is The Roots of All Evil, which sends you to speak with Takamura. Curious Cases may update during this transition; follow the named story objective to continue the main route.

Optional Lion Dog discoveries near Kiyomizu-zaka Slope

While exploring around the slope, you can investigate two purple traces separately from the boy's search. Approach each trace and press Cross — Examine, then let the investigation finish. A white Lion Dog emerges and the matching Curious Cases entry updates.

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After exploring, return to the mirror and travel to The Approach to continue looking for the boy's father.