The Way of the Sword

The Way of the Sword begins after The Clash at Rendaino, inside Shanaoh Castle. The first objective is Head for the top layer. This route covers the climb, its boss encounters and the final battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune, through the ending. It does not cover every chest or every boss move.

The last fight requires more than ordinary sword attacks: when Shizuka calls for the Oni's full power, collect souls with L2 and use Oni Awakening with L3 + R3. The detailed final-battle section below explains that cycle. All inputs use PlayStation labels.

Cross the gold walls and open the red barriers

Use the Spirit Mirror near the entrance to prepare. Go up the stone steps and follow the narrow ledges above the red chasm. At a glowing gold wall, approach its edge and press Cross (×) at Use Oni Power to cross it. Continue along the planks, curved root ledges and further gold wall sections until you enter a wooden room through the cave opening.

A blue item lies at a short dead end along the wall route. If you collect it, retrace that wall crossing and take the continuing ledge toward the cave.

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Defeat the enemies in the wooden room, then approach the red woven barrier and use Cross to open it. Stay on the raised edges and paths beyond it: the red ground substance is Crimson Malice, and stepping into it hurts Musashi.

Go up the stone stairs to the next Spirit Mirror. Open the next red barrier with Cross and continue into the room that introduces Daidara — Slavering Glutton.

Defeat Daidara and use the lift

Daidara attacks with a large club, sweeping swings and heavy body movements. Keep enough space to see the club rise; Circle (○) away from its landing area, then return for a short Square (□) combination after the attack finishes. Avoid standing in front of him through a long series of swings.

For ordinary melee strikes, hold L1 to guard, or hold L1 and press Cross just before impact to Deflect. When a Square weak-point prompt appears, use it for the follow-up attack. Oni Awakening (L3 + R3) provides another opening for damage when ready.

Continue until Daidara falls and Head for the top layer returns. Collect the released souls with L2. Run to the lift at the back of the room, between the two tall carved pillars.

Inside the lift, approach the red fleshy switch on the left and press Cross at Use. Musashi touches it and the lift rises during a conversation with Yoshitsune. Wait for the ride to end before leaving.

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Climb the roof and defeat Byakue

After the lift, cross the next gold wall and follow the stone ledges into the building. Fight through the rooms, the face-carved doorway and the paths beside the red pools.

At the armored axe enemy, a free-standing pillar offers Use Oni Power. You can topple it onto the enemy, but it is not the route switch. To continue upward, find the ladder between two burning torches, climb it and walk up the sloping tiled roof.

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Cross the gold wall at the top of the roof. A Spirit Mirror stands beyond it. Prepare there, then enter the dark doorway to Byakue — Hundred Defilements.

Stay on the dry footing around the red pool. Byakue uses wide blade sweeps and spinning approaches; let the sequence finish, then close in for a short attack. Guard or Deflect ordinary strikes and use the Square prompt when its weak point opens.

After Byakue dissolves, approach the floating rift and hold L2 at Absorb Rift. Keep absorbing until the sphere disappears. The surrounding barrier withdraws and reveals the exit.

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Leave through the newly opened arch. A nearby side alcove contains an optional chest; the continuing route curves upward along the stairs.

Defeat both Nue, then climb to Greater Nue

Pass the next mirror and follow the stairs and red-pool path, defeating the enemies along it. Climb the long ladder to the arena with Nue Blue and Nue Red.

Keep both enemies in view and avoid committing to long combinations while the other is approaching. Move away from a leap or tail swing, then punish the recovery with a short attack. Focus damage on one when you can do so safely; after one falls, finish the remaining Nue. A single empty boss bar does not finish this encounter.

When both are defeated and Head for the top layer returns, leave through the bright doorway, climb the steps and use Cross at the next gold wall. Continue up to the Spirit Mirror, prepare and climb the stairs beyond it.

The following scene introduces Greater Nue as a separate encounter. It leaps from the gate structure, attacks with its body and tail and sends purple lightning across the arena. Move out of the lightning and landing areas, then approach after it lands or finishes a swing. Use short attacks, the displayed weak-point opportunity and Awakening when available.

Defeat Greater Nue, then continue up the exit stairs to the next lift. Operate its switch with Cross and ride up. The next objective is Seal the Rift.

Seal the upper rift and reach the final mirror

Clear the enemies in the upper rift room. Watch for the floating ranged enemies while fighting on the floor; use the bow with R2 when you have space to aim, then deal with the nearby melee enemies.

The room's larger opponent is Dohatsu-ten — Heaven's Bane. Avoid its blade combinations, counter after the last swing and use Square when the weak-point prompt appears. Continue until it dissolves.

Approach the rift and hold L2 at Absorb Rift until it disappears. The roots blocking the large face-carved arch withdraw. Go through that newly opened arch and into the wooden lift; use the left-side switch with Cross.

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At the top, leave the lift onto the balcony and turn right along the covered corridor lined with columns. Follow its dark passage into a larger room. The Spirit Mirror is across the room; use it to prepare equipment and healing supplies for the final fight. The nearby chests are optional detours.

Cross back toward the side of the room where you entered and take the next lift beside that passage. Operate its left switch with Cross, ride up, then leave and climb the stone steps into the orange-lit arena.

Defeat Yoshitsune's human form

The scene at the top introduces Minamoto no Yoshitsune and changes the objective to Defeat Yoshitsune.

His human form combines sword strikes with purple slash waves and jumping overhead attacks. Keep room to move sideways out of a wave or landing point. Guard or Deflect the ordinary close-range strikes, then punish the end of the sequence with short Square attacks.

When Triangle + Circle (△ + ○) appears during a close exchange, press both buttons to perform the prompted counter. When the Square weak-point prompt appears, use it for the follow-up attack.

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Keep fighting until the scene begins. This is a transformation transition: Yoshitsune returns in an armored Oni form and the battle continues.

Survive the armored form and its purple attacks

The armored Yoshitsune adds airborne attacks, purple projectiles and glowing circular patterns on the ground. Leave a forming purple ground pattern before resuming attacks. Watch his landing after a jump; approaching while he is still attacking can put you inside the next slash.

Use short counters after his combinations. Continue using Triangle + Circle when its counter prompt appears and Square when his weak point is exposed. Use healing supplies after creating space rather than while a projectile or leap is reaching you.

After this part of the fight, Yoshitsune's health can return and he releases another burst of power. The battle is still in progress. Shizuka then tells Musashi to unleash the Oni's full power.

Use soul absorption and Oni Awakening to finish Yoshitsune

In this powered stage, use the Oni Gauntlet and Awakening cycle instead of relying only on ordinary sword combinations:

1. Defend, counter and take weak-point opportunities. Keep avoiding the purple patterns and follow-up strikes while creating openings.
2. Hold L2 to absorb the available souls. Use the openings after attacks to raise the gauntlet. Shizuka explicitly tells Musashi to steal Yoshitsune's strength; do not leave the released souls floating while waiting for Awakening.
3. Press L3 + R3 when Oni Awakening is ready. Musashi gains red hair and a golden aura. Close in and attack during the transformation.
4. Use R1 for Onslaught while awakened when you can reach him, then return to defending and absorbing souls after the transformation ends.
5. Repeat until the fight gives way to the ending. A weak-point animation or an empty-looking bar alone is not the final confirmation.

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If Musashi says he needs more souls, keep using L2 during safe openings before trying to transform again. Continue the same counter, absorption and Awakening loop; it can take more than one transformation.

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Ending and completion

The final successful attack removes the battle HUD and begins the ending scenes. Let those scenes and the credits play. The closing sequence reaches The End; you do not need to find another travel marker or NPC to finish this route.

This is the end of the main story route covered here. Use the walkthrough index to revisit an earlier task or find an outstanding guide.