This is one of two available Mythic Tales in the Iki Island Expansion for Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut. This tale focuses on a cursed set of Sarugami Armor, and the legend around it.

Search Mount Takenotsuji for Minato¶

Before you can even begin this Mythic Tale, first you must complete the main Tale, A Raider’s Return. Once completed, head to Fune’s Refuge and speak to the man on the east side of Fune’s Refuge to begin the Tale.

After gaining some vital information, leave Fune’s Refuge via the southeast exit and make your way to Mount Takenotsuji, located east of Fort Sakai. If you take the southern path below Fort Sakai, you’ll eventually reach the area where you can grapple up, and you’ll hear Minato’s voice. Quickly use the grapple point to climb up and you’ll find Minato under attack by a group of Mongols, should you have the Resolve, Dance of Wrath is a great way to start the battle off. With a few Mongols cut down, you can then focus on using Kunai’s or Sticky Bombs to neutralize the rest and rescue Minato. After she relays some more important intel, rest at her campfire until nightfall.

Find the glowing water on the northeastern coast¶

Your next clue points to some glowing water, open your map and you’ll spot the objective on the northeastern coast. Leave Minato’s camp and begin heading that way and along the edge of the cliff, south of a bridge, you’ll spot a small wooden ramp overlooking the water. Take a breath, and leap into the water below and the objective will update, leading you along the stream to the north. As you reach the northern edge, you’ll find the Mysterious Cave on your left.

Investigate the Cave¶

Make your way inside and you’ll be able to stock up on some Flaming Arrows near the monkeys on your right, do so as you’ll notice the area up ahead is pitch black. Use the Flaming Arrows to light the sconce and then use your grapple to pull down the makeshift door to continue deeper into the cave. Head through the linear passage, using more Flaming Arrows to light the next sconce and climb the following two ladders where another sconce awaits to be lit.

Continue along, lighting the sconces and you’ll reach an intersection. Press onwards and light the area to find an area chock full of supplies waiting to be looted. Return to the intersection and take the only other path in darkness and climb the nearby ladder to find another box of supplies. Look through the gap to shoot another sconce and then climb down the ladder and head further into the cave where you’ll find more loot and a scroll describing the fate of another would be treasure hunter.

Another ladder awaits just up ahead, and you’ll find three more sconces to light, allowing you to gather the abundance of supplies up here. Once you’re done looting, use your grapple to pull down another makeshift door and pass through the gap to light another sconce. Follow the winding path down and light the area to find a horde of treasure and, searching around the back of it, a chest containing some materials. Head back to where the water is and climb up the other side and follow the path ahead to an open body of water to trigger a duel with Black Hand Riku.

Duel in the Pit of Darkness¶

Black Hand Riku is a fast warrior that will need you to use effective use of parrying to take him down. You’ll want to focus on using parries for his attacks, opting for a long roll when he begins the windup for his unblockable attack (designated with a red marker), this will see him spin towards you but it’s nothing a dodge roll can’t handle.

As for Armor and perks, you’ll want to increase your damage and possibly use the Sakai Armor for its massive increase to health and major increase to melee damage. Alternatively, Gosaku’s Armor is also useful, this will grant you a major increase to stagger damage alongside the massive health boost. Look for when Black Hand Riku places both hands on his sheathed Katana, this is the tell for when he’s about to use an unblockable attack and you should avoid it with the long roll back. Once Black Hand Riku finally falls, examine him to claim the armor for yourself.

Escape Riku’s Lair¶

With the armor now equipped, loot the chest at the back for some Ghost tools and then follow the objective marker to another makeshift door. Use the grapple to tear it down and then head outside to trigger a scene.

It seems Kashira was using you to get his hands on the armor himself and will attack. All the enemies here are weak compared to what you’ve faced already on Iki Island, but they do present the perfect opportunity to test out your new armor. Wait for your foes strike to almost connect, then use the Parry button to execute a Perfect parry, killing them in an instant. If you can’t get the timing down, take down the enemies with Ghost tools such as Kunai and Sticky Bombs and wait until you upgrade the armor to max for the larger window for Perfect Parry. Regardless of how you deal with them, once the last raider falls, you’ll bring this Mythic Tale to an end.