Dragonspring Hill, acquisition of Flame Vent, Loaded Axe, and Mist Raven tools, Shinobi Hunter Enshin, Juzou the Drunkard, and Lady Butterfly.
Memory 1 — Hirata Estate: Accessed by offering the Young Lord's Bell Charm to the Buddha Statue at the Dilapidated Temple, Hirata Estate takes Wolf back three years into the past to the night the Hirata clan was attacked by bandits. This memory contains crucial early prosthetic tools (Flame Vent, Loaded Axe, Mist Raven), 3 Prayer Beads, and an optional encounter against Lord Kuro's former mentor, Lady Butterfly.
Do not waste hours banging your head against Lady Butterfly early on! She is a notorious early-game difficulty spike. Instead of struggling here with low stats:
| Item / Upgrade | Type | Location & How to Acquire |
|---|---|---|
| Sakura Droplet | Key Upgrade | Dropped by main boss Lady Butterfly (gives +1 Resurrection Node when given to Kuro). |
| Unrefined Sake | Key NPC Item | Dropped by mini-boss Juzou the Drunkard in Main Hall courtyard. |
| Hidden Temple Key | Key Item | Given by dying Owl inside the burning estate courtyard. |
| Prayer Bead #6 | Health Upgrade | Dropped by Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen at Bamboo Thicket Slope. |
| Prayer Bead #7 | Health Upgrade | Dropped by Juzou the Drunkard in Main Hall courtyard. |
| Prayer Bead #8 | Health Upgrade | Inside wooden chest in revolving Shinobi Wall secret room before Audience Chamber. |
| Tool / Material | Type | Location & Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Flame Vent (Flame Barrel) | Prosthetic Tool | Found resting inside the large raging bonfire pit surrounded by drinking bandits. |
| Loaded Axe (Shinobi Axe of Gyobu) | Prosthetic Tool | Inside small garden shrine guarded by two eavesdropping bandits on Estate Path. |
| Mist Raven (Mist Raven's Feathers) | Prosthetic Tool | Inside secret pagoda guarded by purple Lone Shadow ninja up the bamboo river shaft. |
| Scrap Iron x4 | Crafting Material | Found near estate gate, inside bamboo thicket, and in Juzou's pavilion. |
| Consumable / Item | Type | Effect & Location |
|---|---|---|
| Snap Seed x1+ | Consumable / Key | Dispels illusion phantoms. Given by wounded Inosuke before Lady Butterfly door. |
| Heavy Coin Purse (500 Sen) | Currency Item | Contains 500 Sen. Found in side storehouse near estate path compound. |
| Light Coin Purse x2 (100 Sen ea.) | Currency Item | Contains 100 Sen each. Found on residential roofs and near riverbank. |
| Oil x4 | Combat Consumable | Increases fire burn buildup when hit by Flame Vent. Found near bonfire village. |
| Ako's Sugar x2 | Buff Consumable | Increases Vitality/Posture damage for 30s. Found near Shinobi Hunter Enshin. |
| Gachiin's Sugar x2 | Buff Consumable | Suppresses presence for stealth for 45s. Found on bamboo thicket path. |
| Pellet x4 | Consumable Healing | Gradual health recovery over time. Dropped by archers and found near bonfire. |
| Dousing Powder x3 | Status Cure | Cures burn buildup and increases fire defense. Found in burning courtyard. |
Area Clearance Order: Activate the Dragonspring Hirata Estate Idol right where you spawn after offering the Bell Charm. Grapple across the large tree branches down the cliffside to the bridge below. Defeat the patrolling bandit and his dogs. Cross the bridge and jump the wall. Speak to the dying samurai NPC (Inosuke) leaning against the wall, then speak to his blind mother in the ruined house on the right to receive the Young Lord's Bell Shrine (if you didn't get it in Outskirts). Pick up the Pellet x2 near the bridge and the Fistful of Ash scattered along the estate path.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Proceed past the estate gate and grapple onto the residential rooftops to avoid the large bandit patrols on the main street. Move right along the walls to reach the massive central courtyard with a large bonfire pit. Drop down and stealth-kill the drinking bandits around the fire. Grab the Flame Vent (Flame Barrel) from the smoldering center of the bonfire. Pick up the Oil x3 on the crates nearby, which pairs perfectly with your new prosthetic. Grab the Light Coin Purse from the nearby roof before exiting.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Exit the bonfire compound and proceed up the narrow alleyway lined with bamboo fences. Eavesdrop on the two bandits discussing looting a small wooden shrine on the right side. Defeat them both. Open the small garden shrine's wooden doors to claim the Loaded Axe (Shinobi Axe of Gyobu). Check the small storehouse right next to the shrine to find a Heavy Coin Purse. Equip the Axe to easily destroy the wooden shields held by bandits ahead.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Unlock the shortcut gate and rest at the Estate Path - Bamboo Thicket Slope Idol. Walk onto the wooden bridge ahead and immediately jump off into the river below to your right. Swim upstream, avoiding the bridge guards, and grapple to the high bamboo wall ledge on the right bank. Slash through the hidden bamboo door covering the cave entrance. Wall-jump up the vertical shaft to reach the secret hilltop pagoda. Defeat the Purple Lone Shadow Ninja guarding the pagoda (or bait him off the cliff) to open the door and obtain the Mist Raven prosthetic tool.
Detailed Lone Shadow Tactics:
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Drop back down to the river, grapple up to the bridge, and follow the bamboo path upwards. Use the tall white flower bushes on the left side to stealth-kill the three torch-bearing bandits and archers without alerting the spear boss. Once the minions are clear, sneak up behind Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen for a free stealth Deathblow. Mikiri Counter his spear thrusts to break his posture quickly. Upon defeat, collect Prayer Bead #6 and grab the Ako's Sugar and Pellets around the bridge.
Detailed Spear Counter Strategy: Enshin is designed as the ultimate Mikiri Counter test.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Activate the Hirata Estate - Main Hall Idol just past the bridge. Advance past the locked wooden gate into the burning estate courtyard. Grapple onto the rooftops to avoid the falling debris and the massive groups of bandits below. Traverse the perimeter walls to reach the burning main building at the back. Here, you will find your adoptive father, Owl, severely wounded. Speak to him to receive the Hidden Temple Key. Check the side hallways of the burning building for Dousing Powder x3.
Narrative Secret: Owl claims he was mortally wounded by raiding bandits. He hands Wolf the Hidden Temple Key and commands him to save Lord Kuro in the secret cellar below the audience chamber. In reality, Owl orchestrated the entire raid three years ago to steal Lord Kuro's Dragon Blood!
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Use your grappling hook to climb up the well shaft behind Owl's location, dropping down into the Hirata Main Hall pond area. Stay in the left-side building walkways to stealth-kill the bandit minions without alerting Juzou. Once the small fry are dealt with, run away until Juzou the Drunkard de-aggros. Sneak up behind him for a stealth Deathblow. Then, immediately run to the pond's edge and talk to samurai NPC Nogami Gensai to recruit him into the fight. While Juzou is distracted by Gensai, hit him with Oil and the Flame Vent for massive damage to secure Prayer Bead #7 and some Unrefined Sake.
Detailed Battle Strategy & 2v1 Setup:
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Enter the main estate hall building that Juzou was guarding. Stealth-kill the patrolling guards and archers in the long hallway. Halfway down the hall, hug the wall adorned with a hanging scroll picture. Wolf will push against it, revealing a hidden revolving Shinobi door! Inside the secret stash room, open the chests to find Prayer Bead #8, a Heavy Coin Purse, and Divine Confetti x2.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Area Clearance Order: Exit the secret room and continue down the hall to activate the Hirata Audience Chamber Idol. Move down the final basement stairs to find the wounded Inosuke sitting near the locked wooden double doors. Speak to him to receive a Snap Seed, which is critically important for the upcoming boss fight.
Items to Keep Picking Up:
Struggling with Lady Butterfly? You do NOT have to beat her right now! You can safely leave Hirata Estate and proceed into Ashina Castle (Part 4) all the way up to mini-boss Ashina Elite - Jinsuke Saze. Clear the Castle rooftops, collect extra Gourd Seeds (up to 5 charges) and Prayer Beads (up to 3 Prayer Necklaces), and practice your Deflections and Mikiri Counters against Ashina samurai.
Once you have mastered the deflection rhythm and upgraded your Vitality & Gourd, return here to execute Lady Butterfly and Genichiro Ashina back-to-back with ease!
Area Clearance Order: Use the Hidden Temple Key you received from Owl to unlock the basement doors. Enter the burning underground temple and move the tatami mat to discover a hidden staircase. Proceed down to face Lord Kuro's former mentor, Lady Butterfly. Rely on Shurikens to knock her out of the air in Phase 1, and use the Snap Seed to dispel her illusion minions in Phase 2.
Phase 1 Deflection & Wire Shuriken Stun:
Phase 2 Phantom Illusions & Homing Butterflies:
Ending Cutscene Plot Twist: After executing Lady Butterfly, Wolf kneels to comfort Lord Kuro. Suddenly, a mysterious sword impales Wolf through the back from behind! As Wolf dies and the burning sanctuary collapses, Lord Kuro uses his Divine Dragon Blood heritage to bestow immortality upon Wolf, granting him the Dragon's Heritage mark and bringing him back to life at the Dilapidated Temple three years later!
Boss Victory Rewards:
With Gyoubu Oniwa and the Blazing Bull defeated, the gates to Ashina Castle are open! Your next objective is to scale the castle, rescue Lord Kuro, and face Genichiro Ashina on the rooftop.