Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven - Strategy Guide (Page 03)

Below are the cheat codes, hints and help for Tenchu: Wrath Of Heaven - Strategy Guide (Page 03).

When the undead mob is dealt with, pick up the box in the front of the hut if 
you haven't done so already. Your life is still draining away so make haste 
for the hole in the back of the area. Continue down the passage and SK the 
undead. You should end up in a large area with trees and several undead 
wandering around. The darkness makes it hard to spot the enemies here. If 
you're detected try to kill the enemies for the health refill. If things are 
taking to long it might be a good idea just to make a break for it to the 
next passage. The next passage features floating ghost heads that are more 
annoying than dangerous. Killing them will refill your life so go ahead and 
SK them. The area after that is a large cemetery with several undead 
sentries. There are some spots on the ground where hands will burst out from 
below and grab you for a few seconds. Try to jump away if you see them coming 
out. To exit the area grapple up to the large fence in the northwest and 
continue into the passageway.

This area is a bit of a maze, but your goal is to pass through the large red 
room on the map. Several undead will be wandering around inside so SK them 
when the opportunity presents itself. The red room is actually filled with 
blood and has a single guard in it. Kill the guard and grapple up to the 
exit. Quickly follow the passage to the final outside area. There are a few 
enemies around, but if your health is low and you're out of health potions it 
might be a better idea to make a break for it to the exit.

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MISSION 7: BAMBOO FOREST
Objective: Find Ayame's imposter!
Ability: Wall Kick
Grand Master Item: Ninja Armor
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Poisoned Rice, Ninja Rebirth
--------------------------------------------------------------

Now that Izayoi is repaired it's time to get back to business. This is a 
tricky mission, but you don't have to worry about your life draining away 
this time. Cautiously make your way forward, stealth killing the Jonin you 
come across. When you get the large open area, be careful of the Shikigami 
enemies here. They are usually placed in spots that give them a wide field of 
view. Although they don't give you kanji for stealth kills, you should try to 
do so anyway as they have incredible range on their attacks. Don't worry if 
your health gets low here as you can refill it at the hot springs in the next 
area. Follow the wooden walkway to the springs and jump in. Note that you 
need to crouch in the spring in order to refill your health. When you're 
refreshed, look for a small opening near the spring entrance and crawl in.

You'll end up in a large area with a wooden walkway. Several Shikigami are in 
the area, as is the so called "werewolf" enemy you've been hearing about 
during the mission loading screen. Get up on the bridge and follow it to the 
end. There is an area to the left of the tunnel where several enemies are, 
but they're positioned in such a way that it's very difficult to kill one 
without alerting the others. Underneath the bridge is a water filled tunnel 
leading to the next area. Continue through the tunnel and SK the enemies 
there. Keep going up to the next area.

More Jonin are patrolling in the area. You know what to do with them. Keep 
following the path until you get to the area with a snowman. From here you 
can take an upper route or lower route. The upper route is shorter and has 
fewer enemies, where the lower route has more enemies and a pit to avoid. 
Either route will lead you to the gate that leads to the boss battle.

BOSS: Hyakubake (disguised as Ayame)     HP:100

Ayame is a tough cookie due to her speed. If you're far away she'll throw 
multiple shuriken in a fan pattern (which can't be blocked). Up close she'll 
hit you with her trademark four hit combo. Attacking aggressively won't work 
here since Ayame can counterattack rather quickly. The only chance you have 
is to anticipate her attack and sidestep. Smoke bombs are good here, so smoke 
em if you got em.

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MISSION 8: BUDDHA TEMPLE
Objective: Infiltrate the Buddha temple!
Ability: Ninja Mind Control
Grand Master Item: Fireworks
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Blow Gun, Ninja Rebirth,
                   Smoke Bomb, Sticky Bomb, Grenade
----------------------------------------------------------

I guess sending a ninja into a temple to kill everyone isn't violating holy 
ground huh? Anyway, the temple is a huge area with many passages and multiple 
levels that can really confuse you, especially if this is your first time 
through. It almost makes the colored rice seem useful. Well maybe not. You 
begin on a wooden walkway in the front of the temple. A monk is wandering 
nearby. Use the pillars for cover and SK him. Then grapple up to the wooden 
beams. You should see a crawlspace nearby. Enter and make your way through 
the temple, stealth killing the monks as you go along. Eventually you'll end 
up in a large outdoor area with wooden beams. Carefully make your way across 
the gap. There are quite a bit of monks below, so stealth killing them all is 
a bit of a risk. If you get spotted try to grapple back up and start again. 
If there are too many of them you might as well go ahead and fight them toe 
to toe. When the guards are dealt with, continue grappling up the beams until 
you see a tunnel entrance. Take out the nearby guard and enter, grappling up 
at the end of the tunnel. After another guard you should come across a large 
pit. The lower platform has shuriken on it. Grapple up to the wooden bridge. 
Turn left and follow the bridge. To the right should be another hole and a 
passageway beyond it. Jump across the hole and follow the right path. You'll 
know you're on the right path if there's a beehive nearby.

Keep on moving, grappling up when things look like a dead end. Eventually 
you'll arrive at a large pit. It looks like a dead end, but the path 
continues below you. The trick is to gently jump onto the wooden plank and 
fall (not jump) off, hanging back on the stick so you land on the platform 
directly underneath. Rikimaru's Fugaku sword is on a ledge across the pit 
area, but it's impossible to get to from the lower area. If you want to get 
it you'll need to be on the top platform. Carefully aim for the leftmost 
ledge in the distance. You'll have to target it from above. When you grapple 
to it hold the stick towards the ledge as you fall. With any luck you'll fall 
onto the ledge. From here you can easily grapple over to the area where 
Fugaku is. Getting back presents another problem. It may seem that it is 
impossible to get back to the lower platform, but there is a trick you can 
use. Hold down the R1 button and crouch walk past the pillars on the outer 
edge. It may look impossible to pass, but it will work. From there you can 
grapple to the lower platform and continue with the mission.

Keep on going down the passage, crawling through a small tunnel, until you 
see a hole above leading to the main temple area. Grapple up and SK the 
guard. There's a bear in the distance, but unless you're itching for a fight 
I would recommend avoiding it. Walk around to the side entrance (watch out 
for the hard to see gap in the walkway) and enter the temple. A few monks are 
wandering around so SK them if your kuji meter isn't full yet. You'll need 
all the help you can get in the boss fight.

BOSS: Kagura     HP: 60     BOSS: Ganda     HP: 200

Here's a tip right off the bat. Ignore Ganda and concentrate on Kagura. Ganda 
will regenerate all the damage you deal him so forget about killing him. 
Kagura teleports all over the place so use the R2 button to lock on to her. 
She'll throw ofuda in a fan pattern, and if one hits you you'll be stunned 
for a few seconds, which is bad if Ganda is nearby. Ganda will just follow 
you during the fight, trying to beat the crap out of you with his stick. Get 
in Kagura's face and start working on her before she teleports again. If she 
blocks get in close and throw her. She has only 60 HP so she can't take much 
of a beating. When she dies the battle will end.

BOSS: Tatsumaru     HP: 100

Tatsumaru has all of his attacks from Tenchu 2, in addition to several new 
ones. If you get too close to him he'll be glad to demonstrate them for you. 
If you're at less than half health it would be a good idea to use a health 
potion, as his special attacks can kill you instantly if you're low on 
health. Fight defensively as he tends to block everything you throw at him. 
He will also occasionally throw smoke bombs at you, which equals a lot of 
hurt if one hits you. Return the favor by tossing a few of your own. If he 
starts taunting you, don't bother attacking him. Just go up to him and throw 
his ass. He won't heal himself, so if you fight defensively and have health 
potions (and/or a ninja rebirth) on hand you should be able to outlast him.

---------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 9: TENRAI FORTRESS PART ONE
Objective: Assassinate the evil Tenrai!
Ability: Wrath of Heaven
Grand Master Item: Decoy Whistle
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Blow Gun, Ninja Rebirth
                   Smoke Bomb, Sticky Bomb, Grenade
---------------------------------------------------------

Start out the mission by stealth killing the nearby Jonins, using the 
assorted pieces of lumber for cover. Move across the log to the next area 
with a house. A Jonin and a Kunoichi (those white haired female ninjas with 
the flower tattoo on their thigh) are patrolling nearby. Stay crouched on the 
roof to wait for an opening, then SK them one at a time. If they're too close 
you might want to Blow Gun one of them. Continue to the next area taking out 
the Kunoichi along the way.

The next area is a large cavern with multiple levels and wooden walkways. In 
other words it's a perfect place for stealth kills. Make your way to the far 
right side taking out everyone along the way. A Martial Artist guards the 
exit so just hang around (literally) until he turns his back. SK and proceed 
to the next area that has several cannons in it. Martial Artists are 
wandering around the area, so give them a friendly Azuma hello. Go up the 
stairs to the next level. There should be more cannons and enemies. You know 
what to do. Be sure to pick up the health potion around the corner of the 
third cannon room. The remainder of the level is pretty straightforward. 
Assorted Martial Artists, Kunoichi, and Jonin guard the passageways. SK as 
many as possible so you can Wrath of Heaven before the next level. Another 
health potion is on top of the second watchtower. You're going to need it in 
the next boss fight.

BOSS: Onikage     HP: 200

Haven't we done this battle like six times already? Let's see. Twice in 
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins. Twice in Tenchu 2: Birth of the Assassins. And 
twice in Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven. Yep. That's six times. I'd be willing to 
bet we're going to be fighting him yet again in the next Tenchu game. Anyway, 
it's time for round seven with our dear old friend. He's pretty much the same 
as the last time, except he has more HP and his attacks seem to do a bit more 
damage. Stay away from him or he'll quickly drain your life with his special 
attack (I love it! I love it!). Concentrate on dodging and counterattacking. 
If you plant a sticky bomb on him during the fight, you can detonate it when 
he tries to drink his health potion. Not only will this damage him but it 
will also knock the potion from his hand, allowing you to pick it up. Using 
the Wrath of Heaven is not advisable here, as it means certain death if you 
miss. If you do decide to use it, follow up immediately with a health potion.

----------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 10: TENRAI FORTRESS PART TWO
Objective: Assassinate the evil Tenrai!
Ability: Wrath of Heaven (if not obtained in mission nine)
Grand Master Item: Binding Spell
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Blow Gun, Ninja Rebirth
                   Smoke Bomb, Sticky Bomb, Grenade
----------------------------------------------------------

This is Rikimaru's final mission, but if you've gotten this far you shouldn't 
have any serious problems here. SK the sentries here until you get to the 
point where two routes are. Up to the right is a ledge you can grapple up to. 
Taking this route (west on the map) involves a great deal of grappling. 
Taking the left route (south on the map) has far less grappling involved but 
involves some risky jumping. For the walkthrough we'll go with the left 
route. Continue along until you reach an area with some strange things 
chained to the wall. Use the corners to hide and SK the guards. Keep on going 
until you reach an area with several pillars. SK away and grapple to the top. 
Be careful of the monk nearby. You should end up at the edge of a large pit 
with pillars. Carefully jump from pillar to pillar to around the corner. A 
blue Jonin is near so wait till he's turned before jumping there. From there 
head west up the stone ledges to an area with several pillars. Use the 
pillars for cover as two monks are wandering around. If they see you you're 
going to be in for quite a fight. There are also some pits in the room so 
watch your step. Run up the stairs and grapple up to the room with the 
glowing walls. 

Exit the glowing room and you should see a red Jonin to the right beyond the 
gap. You can either double jump and SK him when his back is turned or simply 
Blow Gun him. In either case carefully maneuver around the walkway to the 
other side. A red Jonin is waiting across the pit. If he spots you he'll 
throw a shuriken at you, which you can easily dodge and pick up. Throw it 
back at him if you feel like it. Otherwise grapple across and take him out. 
From there move to the end near where the bars are and grapple diagonally to 
the area in the distance. Follow the path and SK the last two guards along 
the way. You can tell you're at the end when you see the door with the symbol 
on it. Prepare yourself for the final battle.

FINAL BOSS: Tenrai     HP: 150

Tenrai teleports around the area, either shooting spells at you from a 
distance or smacking you with his staff if you're close. His attack that 
thrusts rock spears from the ground is fairly easy to dodge and leaves him 
wide open, so go to work on him. Save your items and stick with normal 
attacks.

FINAL BOSS: Tenrai     HP: 200

Tenrai is invincible for the first part of the battle, but continue to attack 
him until the cut scene plays. After that your attacks will start to damage 
him. If you have any explosive weapons now would be the time to use them. 
Dodge his attacks and strike when you see an opening. What happens when you 
defeat him for the second time depends on the decision that you made in 
mission six. If you didn't use the Shichishito sword to repair Izayoi, 
congratulations! You've beaten the game. Otherwise...

FINAL BOSS: Tenrai     HP: 200

The main strategy here is to get in his face and launch an all out attack. 
Izayoi is powered up here so the battle shouldn't take too long if you're 
aggressive. Kill Tenrai for the third time and you've won the game.

--------------------------
XIII.  AYAME'S WALKTHROUGH
--------------------------

Note: These walkthroughs assume that you are playing on the first (initial) 
layout of the mission. The second and third layouts have the same area 
design, but the placement and number of items and enemies changes.

SK = Stealth Kill

------------------------------------
MISSION 1: BAMBOO FOREST
Objective: Rescue the village girls!
Ability: Somersault Kick
Grand Master Item: Exploding Arrow
Recommended Items: Health Potion
------------------------------------

This mission is pretty much the same as it was for Rikimaru, except there are 
no Jonin, Shikigami, or Werewolves around. Instead you have plain vanilla 
samurai enemies. This mission is interesting in the fact that most of the 
first area is completely optional. Basically it's an introduction to stealth 
killing with Ayame. You'll begin on top of a wooden bridge with your first 
victim in plain view. Once you've gotten your first SK proceed to the end of 
the bridge. Note that if you somehow get injured there is a tunnel you can 
crawl through to reach the hot springs. At the end of the bridge you can 
either hop down and enter the water filled tunnel to the next area, or take a 
detour to the left where you can SK a half dozen enemies wandering around the 
area. It's good practice and an easy way to rank up the kanji, so I would 
highly recommend taking the time to kill them all before moving on.

Once you've killed to your contentment, enter the water filled tunnel. Two 
guards here start chatting away when you get close, then split up to start 
their patrols. Dispose of them both and proceed up the stairs to the next 
level. Keep on going until you come to the snowman area. From here you can 
take one of two paths. The left path is a bit more direct while the right is 
longer and has a pit you'll need to jump. It doesn't matter which one you 
take, but be sure SK enough enemies to earn the somersault kick before you 
leave the level. The last enemy guarding the gate is hard to approach head 
on, so come at him from the side instead.

BOSS: Tajima     HP: 100

Tajima has the same attacks and patterns that he had in Rikimaru's mission, 
so you can use the same strategies for that battle. You have a wider area to 
fight in this time, so dodging his attacks shouldn't be a problem. Dodge and 
counterattack, and Tajima should fall in no time at all.

-------------------------------------
MISSION 2: ECHIGOYA
Objective: Execute the evil merchant!
Ability: Ninjitsu Block
Grand Master Item: Invisibility Spell
Recommended Items: Health Potion
-------------------------------------

Not to sound like a broken record, but this mission is pretty much the same 
as it was for Rikimaru. Well, okay, there are a few minor changes, but the 
overall mission is pretty much the same. If you don't want to go back and 
read that walkthrough, I'll summarize here. You can go into the front 
entrance of the main house and make your way to the secret crawlspace, or you 
can take out the three guards in the back and get the gate key to the gate by 
the ramp. One notable difference here is that the geisha that was in the 
underground passage is gone, and a guard is up hidden in the area above, so 
be careful when you grapple up there.

The upper area is also pretty much unchanged from Rikimaru's first mission. 
Take out the guards and enter the main house by the front door. The house 
layout is exactly the same as it was last time. The only difference is that 
you won't have to fight Tajima this time through since you already took care 
of him in the last mission. Here's a brief walkthrough in case you're too 
lazy to go back and look at the previous one. From the entrance head right 
and at the long corridor take the door on the left to the basement. Move 
through the basement and grapple up to the next level and keep going to the 
second floor. Follow the passage and take the door on the right. Either crawl 
through the space or take the long way around to the end of the hall. From 
the boxes grapple up to the attic. Go through the attic and drop down the 
hole at the end. Drop down again and get ready to rumble.

BOSS: Nasu     HP: 100

Thanks to Ayame's mad skills there won't be any guards to help to Nasu this 
time. He hasn't changed any since you fought him as Rikimaru, so just get in 
his face and slash away. When he's low on life he'll start begging for mercy, 
but you know how to deal with that trick already.

When Nasu has been dealt with, simply retrace your steps back out and the 
mission will automatically end when you head for the first floor.

---------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 3: GODHA CASTLE
Objective: Assassinate the traitor Hamada!
Ability: Ninja Vision
Grand Master Item: Super Shuriken
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Poison Rice, Smoke Bomb
---------------------------------------------------------

This mission will put your SK skills to the test, as there are ninjas in 
every nook and cranny of the castle. Fortunately you won't have to avoid 
combat like you did for the first part of Rikimaru's mission. The layout and 
route you need to take is the same as for Rikimaru, except that there are a 
whole lot more enemies to deal with. Some enemies are paired up in opposite 
positions, so look both ways before you attempt to SK someone. There are two 
things you can do to make your life a bit easier. First, you can open sliding 
doors by sliding near them with your back to the wall. This reduces the 
chances of a ninja spotting you on the opposite side. Second, when you're 
moving with your back to the wall, you can look behind walls by rotating the 
camera twice around a corner. Both of these will come in handy in the tight 
confines of the castle corridors.

For a more detailed walkthrough refer to the Rikimaru mission. Here's the 
condensed version. Make your way to the atrium in the center. Enter the 
crawlspace nearby and go up stairs. Make your way to the second staircase 
going down. Go right around the corner and make your way to the stairs going 
up. Follow the winding corridors to the stairs leading down to the boss. Of 
course, there's going to be a small army of ninjas along the way to deal 
with, but hey, the journey is the reward right? If you move with caution and 
make judicious use of the manual camera, you can get a grand master ranking 
on this one easy. The Ninja Vision you earn here will be especially important 
in the next mission, so don't leave the castle without it.

BOSS: Hamada     HP: 100

Just like the first game, Ayame has to deal with a boss that Rikimaru kills 
automatically. Hamada has good range and damage with his sword, but Ayame has 
an edge in speed. His attacks leave him wide open if he misses, so use quick 
hops or just run like a maniac to avoid and counterattack. Remember that 
Ayame takes more damage than Rikimaru, so it's safer to dodge than to try 
blocking attacks.

--------------------------------------------
MISSION 4: CEMETERY
Objective: Retrieve the Yoto swords!
Ability: Grappling Hook Combo
Grand Master Item: Chameleon Spell
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Smoke Bomb
--------------------------------------------

This mission is nowhere near as difficult as Rikimaru's version, but it is 
still very challenging. Your health won't drain away during the mission, so 
you can take all the time you want. The trade off is that you have no way to 
kill the undead you encounter, so you'll have to sneak or run pass them. The 
good news (if you can call it that) is that the ninjas here aren't undead so 
they can be killed. The bad news is that since they're wearing black they're 
difficult to spot in the darkness (Hmmm. I guess that's the reason why ninjas 
wear black.), so you'll need to be extra careful and use the L1 button (and 
Ninja Vision if you have it) to look ahead in the gloom for them.

Ayame starts out where Rikimaru ended his mission, so basically we're going 
in reverse of that mission. In order to proceed Ayame must strike sealing 
stones (red glowing stones) to open up the next areas of the mission. Right 
from the start a fire demon dances nearby, so carefully sneak past it. Crouch 
and roll by to minimize your profile. There's a ninja nearby as well, but 
it's difficult to SK him with the demon so near. Carefully make your way to 
the sealing stone near the tunnel entrance and hit it with your sword. When 
the door opens proceed into the maze like tunnels. There should be a few 
ninjas wandering around. Make sure to SK as many as you can, as the number of 
time you can earn kanji in this mission is severely limited. In the blood 
room an undead soldier is walking around. When he's looking right quickly 
drop down quietly (hold R1 before you land), roll to the left and quickly 
grapple up to exit before he sees you. Carefully avoid the undead in the area 
as you make your way through the maze. There should be a sealing stone near 
the exit. Smash it and head outside.

Jump over the fence and you should see the sealing stone to the left of the 
area. You can try to kill the ninja in the area, but remember there are 
undead wandering about as well. If you want to play it safe head for the 
stone, smash it, and stealthily make your way to the next tunnel area without 
engaging the enemies here. Floating heads patrol the next tunnel. Avoid them 
and run to the next area. The next sealing stone is here, along with a few 
ninjas. SK them all if you can, hit the stone, and move on. The next tunnel 
features a ninja and undead guard near the gap. Carefully drop down and hang 
on the ledge until the undead guard turns. Then quickly move past and SK the 
ninja nearby. Grapple up the well to the last area. Run to the hut and 
prepare for the boss.

BOSS: Undead Headless Giant     HP: 200

You have the Yoto swords equipped for this battle so you can kill this boss. 
Unfortunately, like the Muramasa, Kazumi and Shizuku will constantly drain 
your health. Since there are no undead nearby to kill except the boss, the 
only way you can refill your life is to drink a health potion. The giant is a 
huge target and his attacks are slow, but his sword gives him a huge reach. 
If he hits you with it, expect to get swatted away like a baseball. Run 
around and wait for the giant to commit himself to an attack, then hit him 
for all you're worth. Unless you have a lot of health potions and a ninja 
rebirth, you'll want to fight cautiously for this one.

--------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 5: RONIN VILLAGE
Objective: Go to the red house of Zennosuke!
Ability: Cling to Ceiling
Grand Master Item: Fire Spell
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Poison Rice, Blow Gun,
                   Smoke Bomb
--------------------------------------------------------

This is probably the hardest mission to get a Grand Master Ninja ranking, as 
it is very easy to be seen. There are civilians everywhere, the darkness and 
rain make it very difficult to spot the black garbed ninjas, and the Kunoichi 
are easily mistaken for geishas due to their red clothing. Add this to the 
fact that the enemies here frequently jump on top of buildings, and you have 
the most challenging SK mission in the game. If you can get past this one 
without being spotted once, you truly are a ninja master.

The first village area is crawling with non-combatants and ninjas. The ninjas 
frequently jump on roofs, so don't assume you're safe just because you're up 
on higher ground. Keep low and make judicious use of the manual camera. 
Unless you slowly make your way through the village, you are bound to get 
spotted a few times. Make your way to the crawlspace to the next area.

Two ninjas are near you from the water. Keep low, roll, and take out the 
closest one to the wall. The one further down is a real pain in the ass since 
he keeps jumping up and down from the ledge, making stealth killing him a 
real chore. A Kunoichi and ninja are in the courtyard area. The ninja is near 
the wall so make sure he's facing away before jumping down. From there you 
can make your way to the platform where the Kunoichi is keeping watch. Two 
more guards are waiting in the area near the house.

There are a whole lot of enemies in the barrel area. If you're intent on 
stealth killing them all, make sure to wait on a barrel near one of the 
isolated corners. Chances are another guard will see the body and come 
running shortly after. Grapple back up the barrel and SK the guard when he 
calms down. Repeat until you have a pile of bodies, then proceed to the next 
and final area.

Zennosuke's house is the only bright red one so you can't miss it. There are 
more villagers roaming around here to make stealth killing more interesting. 
Stick to the rooftops, but watch out for the ninjas that occasionally patrol 
up there. Step through the door to Zennosuke's house and prepare to rock. 

BOSS: Tesshu     HP: 100

Tesshu is much stronger than Ayame, but by the same token he's also much 
slower. Watch out for his rushes and counterattack when the opportunity 
presents itself. A few combos into the fight Tesshu will break off the 
attack. Don't rest easy since this leads to...

BOSS: Hyakubake (disguised as Rikimaru)     HP: 100

You're probably familiar with all of Rikimaru's attacks by now. He can attack 
faster than Tesshu, so you'll need to block more often. Use Ayame's edge in 
speed to dodge and counterattack, and "Rikimaru" should eventually fall.

-------------------------------------
MISSION 6: AMAGAI CASTLE
Objective: Escape from Amagai Castle!
Ability: Feign Death
Grand Master Item: Ninja Armor
Recommended Items: Health Potion
-------------------------------------

BOSS: Dr. Kimaira     HP: 150

Nope. You're not seeing things. Ayame begins this mission with a boss fight, 
in this case good old crazy Kimaira. You can use the same strategies you used 
in Rikimaru's fight. Run around Maihime when it winds up to attack, and then 
hit it for all you're worth. Watch out for its spinning attack that can do 
some serious damage to Ayame. It may take a while, but eventually the big 
freaky machine will fall.

Now that we're done playing with the doctor, it's time to blow this joint. 
Unfortunately, you have a 20-minute time limit before the castle floods with 
deadly gas, so you're going to be cutting it a bit close. The mission is 
pretty much the same as it was for Rikimaru, with the major exception that 
you're going to be going in reverse. Fighting enemies will definitely eat up 
the clock here, so it's even more important to SK as much as possible.

Head downstairs and make your way to the room with the falling blades, taking 
care to SK the wooden guards along the way. Grapple across the blade room and 
then carefully double jump diagonally through the gear room. The next room 
with the smaller gear pit has a guard, so time it so that you jump across 
when it's not looking. Keep on moving past the outdoor area with the wooden 
beams, being wary of the Chibots on patrol. Note that past the outdoor area 
are several revolving doors. The left one around the corner leads inside 
where you can get the Stone of Power. Just be sure to exit via the revolving 
door to the left to avoid getting killed by the spiked roof coming down. 
Avoid the flame trap in the next area by sticking to the left route. Jump 
past the deep spear trap while the guard is turned, and make your way 
downstairs to the next level.

Keep going past the room with the trap pits, and take a left to the smoke 
bomb/grenade trap room. The moment you step on the beam the trap will 
activate. You can't open the door or stop the trap, so you're going to have 
to jump over the door from the beam. Past the trap room, jump across the gap 
and use the nearby revolving door. Keep going to the staircase at the north 
of the map, again watching out for enemies using the Ki Meter.

More enemies await downstairs. Past the spear trapped door is a hallway with 
several pit traps in the floor. Unlike Rikimaru's mission, there is a pit 
trap on the side this time. If you want to play it safe, grapple up to the 
wooden walkway and use that instead. Grapple up to the orange beams and 
across the lava pit, carefully taking out the remaining enemies on the way to 
the exit.

As you reach the exit Onikage confronts you at the same time Rikimaru arrives 
on the scene. Here you have a choice of either fighting Onikage or letting 
Rikimaru do it while you go to the temple. Your choice here affects some cut 
scenes later in the game. Unless you're low on health I would recommend 
fighting him. Who doesn't enjoy beating up on Onikage?

BOSS: Onikage     HP: 150

Yep. It's the same old Onikage with the same old tricks you've seen before. 
You can use the same strategies that you used with Rikimaru, except it's a 
bit easier to dodge his attacks since Ayame is much faster. Just keep your 
distance or else his close range special attack will quickly drain Ayame's 
health. Note that this attack will also refill his health quite a bit so 
avoid getting close.

---------------------------------------------
MISSION 7: BUDDHA TEMPLE
Objective: Retrieve the Jewel of Heaven!
Ability: Wall Kick
Grand Master Item: Fireworks
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Poison Rice
---------------------------------------------

BOSS: Ganda     HP: 200

Yea! It's yet another pre mission boss fight. Unlike Rikimaru, this time you 
must fight Ganda. Fortunately, Kagura isn't here so you can fight mono e mono 
with the big guy. His attacks are slow and easy to dodge. If they do connect, 
Ayame will be in a world of hurt. Keep Ganda in the center and run around him 
until he launches an attack. Then move in and whack away. You can't use the 
close range knee bash on Ganda so don't bother. He has a ton of HP, but 
eventually you'll manage to chop the big guy down to size.

Move down the tunnel and you'll see the temple entrance where Rikimaru 
started. Take out the guard in the tunnel, and then stealthily kill the guard 
on the walkway. Grapple up the beam to the crawlspace above and enter the 
temple. A monk is nearby when you exit so stay crouched and move in when he 
turns around. Keep going until you reach the hole in the floor. You can see a 
monk in the distance down there, but don't be too hasty to jump down as 
another guard is below and to the right. Jump down when the guard in the 
distance is turned and take out the nearby monk, then rush the other guard 
when the time comes.

Jump across the platforms in the large outside open area with the wooden 
beams. If you look down a bear will be wandering nearby. Carefully drop down 
and hide using the beams. When the bear presents his bear behind, run up to 
him (her?) and SK it. There are more guards in the nearby candle lit tunnel, 
but your ultimate goal is to grapple up the wooden beams to the tunnel above. 
A guard is nearby, but fortunately for you he has horrendous peripheral 
vision. Jump when he's turned, SK him, and enter the tunnel. Grapple up and 
keep going till you reach the pit area.

Grapple up to the wooden bridge walkway. The guards here tend to look at each 
other, so it will take some timing on your part to take them out with 
stealth. Once the coast is clear, head left to the area with the hole. Jump 
across and keep going until you reach an area with a long deep pit in the 
shape of an L. To borrow a phrase from the loading screen: To fall is to die. 
Do not fall. Carefully jump to the plank in the middle of the pit, then jump 
to the ledge on the right. From here you'll need to grapple in a zig zag 
fashion across the pit to the ledges on the sides. Note that around the 
corner of the L shaped pit there is a platform nearby if you look down. This 
leads to a room with Ayame's Dokuto swords. Get them if you wish, but don't 
equip them yet, as they will poison you. When you reach the end of the pit 
area you'll need to grapple up to the top of the pillar on the left. It might 
take you a few tries. From there keep grappling up to the temple area above.

Note that there is an alternate path through the mission. It's the same as 
the one in Rikimaru's mission that involves falling down and backward to a 
platform near a deep pit. While this route is safer, there are two monks 
waiting down there for you. Unless you use a chameleon or invisibility spell 
before you make the fall you will be spotted. 

You should end up near the side entrance of the temple. Enter the temple and 
SK the guards on your way to the temple center. When you reach the statue 
grapple up the planks, taking care to eliminate the monk on the walkway 
above. Jump to the face of the statue and the mission ends.

---------------------------------------------
MISSION 8: LIMESTONE CAVERN
Objective: Rescue Council Sekiya!
Ability: Ninja Mind Control
Grand Master Item: Dog Bone
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Poison Rice
---------------------------------------------

Wow. A mission that doesn't start with a boss fight. Ayame begins further in 
the caverns that Rikimaru's mission near the wooden walkway area. A red Jonin 
is nearby so take him out first. While you can walk back to the waterfall 
area, there aren't any items there. There are several enemies however, 
including a werewolf and a blue Jonin. If you need the kanji go ahead and 
clear the area out. Otherwise, you can proceed through the caves much in the 
same way that you did as Rikimaru. From the starting area you can take either 
path north to the large cavern. Watch out for the Kunoichi here though. They 
attack just as fast as you do. The large cavern is crawling with enemies. 
Killing a guard here is bound to attract attention. You can sometimes use 
this to your advantage by hiding nearby as the guard rushes up to investigate 
a body. When the enemies are cleared, grapple up to the right and continue 
down the tunnel until you reach a hole with the blue sparkles. Drop down and 
continue onwards. A Kunoichi should be down there, and another Jonin waits at 
the end. Look down from the ledge for the lower floor and drop down. Another 
Jonin is guarding the cell where Sekiya is being held. Sneak up and take him 
out. When you reach the cells Sekiya will tell you that the path to the 
island is blocked by a boulder and you will need to get some explosives to 
clear the way. You can see the location of the explosives on the map. From 
here on, Shikigami spirits appear frequently. Use your Ki Meter to carefully 
proceed to the room with the explosives. Once you have them, move on to the 
large cavern with the plank walkways over the water. A werewolf is around 
here, as are a few more guards. Remember that the water will alert guards if 
you land in it. When you reach the end of the cavern grapple to the upper 
walkway and take out the nearby Jonin. Then proceed to the large circular 
water filled area where Rikimaru fought Onikage. A Kunoichi is nearby. Avoid 
falling into the pool or the sound will put her on alert. Creep up and take 
her out. Then get in front of the boulder and place the explosives on the 
ground in front of it. Quickly move away or you'll be caught in the 
explosion. When the smoke clears, head through the opening and on to the 
boss.

BOSS: Kagura     HP: 60          BOSS: Spirit Wolf     HP: 200

It's Princess Mononoke! Since you took care of Ganda earlier, Kagura has a 
spirit wolf helping her out this time. As before, ignore the wolf and 
concentrate on Kagura. Get in her face and start whacking away. If she 
blocks, nail her with a close range knee bash. Be careful as she has a close 
range attack of her own using her wolf. At 60 HP she can't take too much 
punishment so be relentless with your attacks.

---------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 9: TENRAI FORTRESS PART ONE
Objective: Assassinate the evil Tenrai!
Ability: Wrath of Heaven
Grand Master Item: Decoy Whistle
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Blow Gun, Ninja Rebirth
                   Smoke Bomb, Kasumi and Shizuku
---------------------------------------------------------

This mission is essentially the same as Rikimaru's with one major exception. 
Undead fire demons are wandering around the fortress this time around, and 
while you don't have to kill them to proceed, getting rid of them permanently 
with Kasumi and Shizuku will make your life a whole lot easier. I would 
highly recommend bringing them along for the ride.

Head for the house area at the start of the mission. There's a health potion 
on the roof that's ripe for the taking. SK the nearby blue Jonin while you're 
up there as well. Move to the next area, taking out the guard in the passage. 
In the large cavern area you'll notice a fire demon walking around. If you 
have the Yoto swords take him out. Otherwise, avoid him by taking the long 
way around the cavern. A Martial Artist will appear as you approach the exit 
to the area, so hang around and wait till he turns away. Move through the 
cannon room and SK the monks. Go up the stairs and SK the monk in the next 
cannon room. Past the wooden bridge is a third cannon room and a fire demon. 
Yoto him if you can. Otherwise you'll need to use the box for cover while you 
sneak past him. From this point on it's pretty much a straightforward sneak 
and destroy mission. Past the guard towers are trenches that you can use to 
sneak up on the unsuspecting Jonin. One more undead awaits you near the end. 
If you're spotted and don't have an undead killing weapon just run like hell 
past it.

BOSS: Tatsumaru     HP: 100

For some reason Tatsumaru seems much more difficult this time around. Being 
aggressive will quickly get you killed, especially if Tatsu hits you with his 
special attack combo. Fight defensively and watch out for the occasional 
smoke bomb he'll throw at you. If Tatsu starts blocking frequently, counter 
with a quick knee bash. It won't do much damage, but thankfully Tatsu doesn't 
have any health potions on hand. Speaking of which, if you're low on health 
don't hesitate to use a health potion on your own, as one of his kick combos 
can kill you instantly if you're not prepared for it. Blocking, dodging, and 
counterattacking are the keys to victory here.

----------------------------------------------------------
MISSION 10: TENRAI FORTRESS PART TWO
Objective: Assassinate the evil Tenrai!
Ability: Wrath of Heaven (if not obtained in mission nine)
Grand Master Item: Binding Spell
Recommended Items: Health Potion, Blow Gun, Ninja Rebirth
                   Smoke Bomb, Kasumi and Shizuku
----------------------------------------------------------

Bring the Yoto swords and plenty of health potions cause it's going to be a 
bumpy ride. The mission is similar to Rikimaru's, with the addition of a few 
undead to make things a bit livelier. Start off by grappling up to the ledge 
in front. Hang around until the Martial Artist turns away, then go up and 
greet him in proper fashion. Continue on stealth killing the guards as you go 
until you reach the break in the path. Grappling up to the right path is 
longer and requires a bit of grappling, while the left path is more 
straightforward. I usually take the left path but it doesn't really make a 
difference. Jump the pit and keep going until you reach an area with some 
things chained to the walls. Two enemies including a fire demon are wandering 
nearby so use the surroundings to play hide and go seek. Grapple to the next 
area with the pillars. A Martial Artist is wandering below. Take him out and 
grapple to the top of the pillars. Another one is on the ledge near the top 
of the pillars. Crouch to hide, then jump across and take him out when he 
turns. Proceed to the large pit area.

Jump carefully on the pillar to the ledge around the corner. Be careful, as 
it is very easy to fall to your death here. A Jonin should be nearby. Crouch 
then rush him when the opportunity presents itself. Keep going west and up 
the stone ledges. More Martial Artists await in the next area. Use the 
pillars to your advantage and take them all down. Go up the stairs and 
grapple up to the glowing room entrance.