Part 12: CHAPTER 5: The One Ryou Request - [Part IV]

Kiryuu cuts a swath through Shishido's henchmen and makes his way to the bandit leader himself.


Some historical notes:

Nothing to say that I didn't cover in the video. Shishido Baiken is a major character in most fictional works relating to Miyamoto Musashi, but probably was not a real person. The Wikipedia stub about him contains some spoilers for this update.





The last two sidequests of Chapter 5 become available after the duel with Shishido, when it becomes twilight. It's important to do these now if you want to get all the sidequests without waiting until late in the game to catch up because we won't have another twilight instance until late in Chapter 7.



If we jog to the southwest corner of Rakugai, we can find a man and two women sitting on a bench and chatting in front of a tea shop.



This doesn't trigger automatically; you have to actually opt to talk to them.

Amazing! Is that true?

Yeah. I've got a ton of stories like that. Like just a little while ago I was invited to join Yoshioka.

Wow! You mean the famous Yoshioka Dojo? That's the best school in Kyoto. Are you studying there right now?

The Yoshioka Dojo was indeed a famous school of swordsmanship in early 17th Century Kyoto, and plays a major role in the Yoshikawa novel and in the Samurai Trilogy of films starring Mifune Toshiro, as well as in this game as we shall soon see. It was also involved in some of the most famous incidents of the real Miyamoto Musashi's life, although the true events were, as expected, quite different. I don't consider it a spoiler to tell this much, but be warned that if you go Googling the Yoshioka School you'll probably learn more than you wanted to know about the plot of this game. There will be plenty to cover when we get there in the story.

Nah, I turned them down.

Eh!? Why? Don't you envy the samurai who study there?

You know, that place just isn't enough for me. I'm not looking to fall in with a bunch of novices like that.

You're sooooo cool!

Oh, I think I'm falling in love!

Heh, it's nothing, ladies.



Suddenly, the tea shop owner runs up.

Excuse me, sir samurai. I overheard you talking and I have a big favor to ask.

Oh yeah? What's that?

It seems there have been a lot of bandits on the Forest Road recently.

Oh?

Visitors are too frightened to travel the road, and I'm losing customers. At this rate I'll go out of business. I'm sorry to impose, but would you please go to the Forest Road and put a stop to these bandits? Of course I'd be happy to compensate you.

Ah, um, well... sorry. I just don't feel like killing bandits today. Oh! It's getting late. I'd better be going.

Oh? You're not going to do it? This man really needs your help.

And I really want to see you in action. Please, please, please! Let me see you teach those awful men a lesson!

Uh, well, I mean I really want to help, but...

You're not afraid, are you? Maybe the bandits are too strong for you after all.

I guess you're not as tough as we thought.

That's not true! Fine, I'll do it! I won't leave a single one of those bandits standing!

Thank you, sir!

You'd better hurry on then.

Yes, no time to waste.

R-Right!

And with that the mighty and powerful samurai and his two female admirers race off to the Forest Road.



Well, we want to get a good look at whatever crazy ninja shit this guy is gonna pull off, right?



Upon arriving in the forest, a scream pierces the still dusk air.



The two cheerleaders coming running back toward Rakugai, shrieking at the top of their lungs.

YAHHHH! They're coming! They're coming!



What the hell was that all about? I'd better go check it out.



A bit down the road we come across this tableau.

What is it, buddy? Somethin' wrong? Your legs are shaking.

You came up to us all high and mighty and tough like, and now what? You gonna fight or not?

Ah! Um, you see... I'm sorry for, like, threating to kill you... you know? I, uh... I really didn't mean it. So can we just forget it...? Okay?

Huh!? Get ready to die, you piece of shit!

Y'AHHHHH!



Kiryuu steps up to save the day.

Eh? Who's there? You friends with this guy?

It's you! From the tea shop before! You... You came to save me, didn't you?

The Yoshioka School invited you to join? That's the worst lie I've ever heard.

Jeez, way to kick a guy while he's down and about to get stabbed repeatedly.

Ha! This big-mouth punk? What a loser!

This is boring. It's not even worth my time to kill this asshole.

W-What did you say!? Call me that again, you filthy thugs! I dare you!









You're even stupider than I thought. Say your prayers!

Ah! W-Wait! That's my brother over there and you don't want to mess with him!

(What should I do?)

Here's the usual choice about whether to help, but you already know we're going to.

Alright, that's enough. Knock it off.

Ahh! Help me!

Huh? Looks like we got two big-mouths here. Slice up both these assholes!








Argh!

Of course the bandits run away, none the worse for wear.

Whew.

You s-saved me...



Hey, um, I have a favor to ask.

What?

Would you mind, uh... tellling everyone that I beat those guys?

....

Please! I'll give you a reward! I'm begging you here!

Again we have a choice, but if we don't play along this quest won't count as "complete".

I guess I have no choice....

Wonderful! Great! Thank you!



P'shaw, it was nothing. Those bandits didn't even put up a fight.

What happened?

As soon as I drew my sword their knees started wobbling. I just didn't have the heart to kill them, so I said "You can keep your lives. Now leave this place and don't come back." And like that, my nerves of steel broke their gang forever.

Wow! Even those brutes were impressed by your strength!

So cool!

_{That's not how I remember it...}

So, uh, don't worry about those bandits for now. Everything's safe, right? Ha ha!

Thank you.

I think I'm in love...

Me too...

Ha ha! Pretty great, huh? And all before breakfast! Ha!

He must be a real late riser if he's having breakfast at what looks like about 8pm.

Um, I've been wondering about something for awhile now. Who is that man behind you? A pupil of yours?

Eh? Oh. Yes... Yes, that's right. He's my student. Of course.

Hmm. I imagine he really gets in your way, doesn't he?

Oh yes. He does his best, but it always ends with him crying and begging me to help him out. I guess he's just still too green.

What if he gets you in serious trouble someday?

Oh my! What a terrible thought!

Aw, I find his incompetence endearing. ...cute, even.

You're such a kind-hearted man!

He has truly stolen my heart!

Mine too!

Wonderful! Ha ha ha!

Once they're gone the schmuck falls to his knees.



Received [Oni Remains].

Got 1500 Experience Points

Whew! That was a little hard to take, but we at least got a decent crafting item out of it. If you don't know, an oni is a kind of demon or ogre in Japanese mythology, but the word is often left untranslated in games brought to the West. (See Onimusha, Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, etc).

The next and final sidequest of this chapter begins right in the center of Rakugai, outside the Arigataya Market.



Three townspeople are standing around gossipping, and we can eavesdrop on their conversation.

Hey, did you hear? He managed to capture another thief!

"He"?

Don't you know who we're talking about? When you say "he" in Rakugai there's only one man you could be talking about these days.

Who?

"Coin-Toss Kouta". They say he never misses a throw, and criminals everywhere fear his deadly aim. He's so cool!

He's a handsome one too. Oh, if only I was 50 years younger...



Hey there! What are you saying about me?

Oh, Kouta!

Are you on the way to the shrine again?

Yeah. I'll be donating the reward money for those criminals I caught yesterday. See you!

Kouta heads off down the street, but Kiryuu is treated to more gushing and fawning before he's free to go.



What an admirable man. My little brats at home could learn a thing or two from him.

Even though he spends his time catching thieves for this town, he gives all his money to the shrine.

As long as Kouta's around Rakugai's safe.

Well, we all know Kamurocho Kyoto has only one badass crimefighter, and that's Kiryuu! This guy must be up to something.



We can follow Kouta around a couple of corners as he makes his way to the big shrine at the southern end of Rakugai.



This place is always open, but there's nothing here most of the time.



(Huh? What the hell is he doing?)

Kouta hasn't noticed Kiryuu yet.

Heh heh heh... Look at that. How generous everyone was today. It's almost full again, and it's all for me!

Hey!

Y'AHHHHH!

So the famous vigilante is a thief after all.

You saw? Look, those coins I throw didn't come free. I'm not doing anything wrong; I'm just, you know, fighting for justice and getting my fair share in return.

That's a pretty self-centered approach to policing.

Fuck you! I can see tomorrow's headlines now: "News Flash: Coin-Toss Kouta punishes dirty, thieving ronin!" I'll be more popular than ever!



The fight is pretty boring so no video this time. He just throws knives (or maybe coins?) that can be blocked and do almost no damage if they do connect.

Ahh... I'm sorry... Please let me go...

I know! Money, right? Here, take it. Will you please let this slide now?

No, those are the coins you just stole. You can think about what you've done in prison.

Ah!

Then Kouta vanishes, presumably into whatever dank gulag the authorities of Kyoto are running.

Got 1000 Experience Points

That's all the sidequests for Chapter 5, but I stopped by to pick up a key on Higashiyama Street as well.



Next time we'll begin Chapter 6, in which Kiryuu attempts to catch the imposter at the Yoshioka Dojo.