At the beginning of the level you gain an enhanced weapon: the true dragon sword. This is essentially a dragon sword upgraded to level four, which provides additional moves. Proceed down the staircase on the left and battle the various ninja types. Beware of the archers in the rear. You can jump off the side and avoid them. Proceed down the ramp and battle groups of incendiary ninjas as well as more archers and normal ninjas (though much tougher in this mission).
Continue slowly so you fight small battles at a time. Retreat as needed to fight away from the archers so you only have to worry about the other ninjas. Follow the path around a left corner and spot a shop and save point in the distance. Lure any remaining ninjas in this area to a safe spot and eliminate them. There are a couple guard towers in sight of the save area. Move down and use Flying Bird between them to get to the top and take out the archers.
Move down the hill and trigger more ninjas. Expect to be shot at from archers in the distance. Retreat and battle the ninjas away from projectiles. You’ll trigger another group before reaching the bottom. The bottom courtyard contains a large ninja group with magic ninja support. Blast them with a couple ninpo or retreat and battle away from the large group.
You can search the building ahead to trigger a small ninja group inside. Locate the path to the right of the main building and spot some archers down the hall. You should be able to spot another ninja group in the distance. Use arrows to eliminate the archers and start down the walkway. Clear any ninjas that remain before gathering arrows from the dead body here and using the save point found on the left side.
Interact with the gravestone to recover Kureha’s Room Key.
Open the door at the bottom and battle more ninja. Cross the area to the next door. Open it and trigger a pack of dogs. Walk carefully into the next area and watch out for archers to the left and right. Eliminate them before ascending the staircase on the right side—it’s just after the entrance door in the right corner. Go up a flight of
stairs and find the Jizo Statue Head on the ground.
Continue up and walk over to the gravestone highlighted in the cut scene. Interact with the gravestone and find Kureha’s Room Key. Retrace your steps back over all the ninja corpses. Save your game again and cross over through the building. Hop out and go to the building on the left. This door was previous locked. Open the door to use Kureha’s Room Key. Enter the building. There are three chests inside: Windmill Shuriken, Spirit of the Devils, and yellow essence.
Return to the save point on the other side of the structure. Return toward the area you just cleared. When you reach the wide courtyard, a horde of ninja appear including a trio of the Shadow Ninja Rasetsus. You’re locked into the area. Use the Eclipse Scythe against the Rasetsus and make liberal use of ninpo, either wind blades or inferno to weaken the group.
The door ahead is now unlocked. Open it and find the shop inside. There’s also a chest in here containing an item. Ascend the ladder and search the corpse at the top to recover the History of the Castle of the Dragon. Drop out of the window and battle the ninja group. Use ninpo because there’s a chest on the left that contains red essence.
Place the Jizo Statue Head on this set of statues to reveal a hidden chest.
Continue up the hill and battle more ninja. Go around the back left side of the structures to find a corpse with an item. Approach the three statues across from the skull location. Use the statues and you automatically use the Jizo Statue Head. Open the exposed chest for an item. Head through the open passage; battle a group of ninjas on the other side. There’s a save point up ahead.
Tip: In the same area that features the statues that hold the Jizo Statue Head, look in the back corner of the area. It’s opposite the statues and around the back of the structure. You’ll find the twenty-eighth crystal skull behind a wooden wheel.
the underwater passage. Exit the other side and defeat several ninja groups. Beware of the archers in the
distance. Break open the door of the small shack on the right and find the twenty-ninth crystal skull. Maneuver up the hill and engage several ninja groups in route to a cave. Proceed through and battle ninjas on the opposite side. Jump up to the save point and heal and save. Down the next tunnel check the right side for an item chest and the left for a Test of Valor.
Return to the save point and jump up the steps on the opposite side. Go onto the walkway and around the left corner. Engage a group of incendiary ninja before entering the building in the back left corner. Check the corpse inside the room for Hachijuro’s Notebook. Drop into the hole and battle more ninja. Continue around the corner and fight more ninja on your way to a corpse in the back corner that contains a Devil Way Mushroom.
Tip: The ninth and final Test of Valor features a challenging combination: dogs and incendiary ninjas. Keep on the move and use quick hit and run attacks (Flying Swallow, for instance) against the enemies. Lure enemies around your position and activate your upgraded ninpo to clear out big groups. The reward for purifying this site is worth the effort: open the chest and receive a Lives of the Thousand Gods. Hold onto it and use it when you need the health boost. Expect to find ghostly fish in the other chests.
Enter the next room and battle a few ninja groups. Search a dead body in the next room for an item. Continue down steps to trigger another ninja group. Grab arrows from the dead body as you pass. Exit ahead and spot the rope on the right side. Before going there, check the left side for a well. Drop into the well and engage ninja. Search the corpse here for a Life of the Gods. Go to the end of the tunnel and drop out onto the ground. Search the opposite side for a small entryway. Check inside to find the last crystal skull. If you have collected all thirty crystal skulls, then congratulations on the achievement! You also receive a gamerpic.
Exit and find the small alcove on the right and use Flying Bird to get up. Leap up onto the steps to the top. Climb over the tree trunk and follow the route back to where you dropped out into the area; you’ll have to run along the right wall to get there. Return to the bottom of the well and use Flying Bird to reach the top.
Move over to the rope and use it to shimmy across to the far side where you can save your game. Maneuver through the thick brush and defeat some ninjas. Watch for archers at the end of a corner. Use charged arrows from long-range to clear most of them out. Follow the path to trigger another couple ninja groups; both of these contain incendiary ninja.
Keep the battle going until you trigger a cut scene—a rescue! At the scene’s conclusion, you receive a new item: the Muramusa’s Omusubi, which completes restores health and heals all lasting damage. Take the opportunity to save your game at the save point.
Tip: Muramusa’s Omusubi is an excellent healing item. It restores your entire health bar, including all lasting damage. You only have one and you can’t purchase another so save this item for the game’s final encounters. Proceed up the hill and battle a couple ninja groups. Beware of archer support and eliminate them as soon as possible. You reach a small clearing containing a shop. Go along the path right of the shop; continue along until find a corpse holding an item. Return to the shop and head down the left path.
When Muramusa arrives he gives you a unique healing item. Hold onto it!
Slide off the edge and reach a clearing with dogs and archers (somewhat hidden among the dying trees). Wait for the dogs to surround and use Art of Blades ninpo a couple times to clear them out. Finish off any remaining canines and archers. Look for a corpse in the middle and recover Koshimaru’s Notebook.
Follow the path toward the next large clearing. Approach the clearing to trigger a large group of ninjas and incendiary ninjas. Lure the groups back into the path and battle there using Divine Swallow to remain elusive. Once in the clearing search the right side for an item chest. There’s also a corpse nearby that contains a Life of the Gods. Search the clearing’s center for a Devil Way Mushroom on a dead body. Go to the opposite wall and find another dead body with another Devil Way Mushroom. Proceed into the next pathway under the far arch to trigger the next battle.
Boss Battle: Genshin
This battle against Genshin is similar to those before it. You won’t have to worry about any allies this time—it’s just a one-on-one fight against Genshin. This battle is about brute force. Don’t really bother with ninpo because it’s not effective. Also, don’t use aerial attacks (including Flying Swallow) because Genshin immediately counters and knocks you back down to the ground.
When Genshin attacks, dodge with Reverse Wind and follow up with your own combination. Also, if you’re blocking Genshin’s attacks and he breaks the block, immediately dodge and follow with a combination. Finishing one of your combinations isn’t always successful so it’s more effective to get in a couple hits then dodge out of the way and start over. Try not to remain adjacent to Genshin or you may get stuck in his devastating spinning tornado pile driver maneuver. A fully upgraded Eclipse Scythe inflicts big damage and likely the weapon of choice. The newly acquired true dragon sword is a good choice as well. The Fortuitous Phoenix combo (two quick attacks, four strong attacks) is a solid move after dodging Genshin.