Early in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, you are faced with a moral dilemma that can affect your relationship with one of your earliest allies. During Yaya’s quest, Stray Dogs, Naoe is asked to judge a monk who led shrine raids. The quest unlocks shortly after Wada Koretake’s assassination. It turns relevant if Yaya is willing to work with Naoe after Heads Will Roll, where you previously weighed in on the fate of surrendering soldiers.
Once you reach Yaya near the Fishermen’s District in Osaka, you’ll find her dealing with bandits before she asks for help to track down thieves who have looted sacred sites. Follow the trail, which leads to a monk who abused his position to steal offerings. After Yaya confronts him, she turns to Naoe and asks what should be done. That’s where you face the choice:
- We forgive him
- We punish him
The game will give a notification that your decision will impact Yaya, which is accurate, but it’s not what you might expect.
What Happens If You Forgive the Shrine Raiders?
If you pick “We forgive him,” Yaya will be happy with it. She holds sacred spaces in her heart, but human life matters more to her. She would rather give the monk a chance to make amends than see him killed. When Naoe supports forgiveness, Yaya agrees and releases the monk with a stern warning.
From a gameplay perspective, this is the best outcome:
- Yaya will approve of Naoe’s judgment
- Naoe will prove herself to be someone who holds her principles
- This decision will unlock Yaya as a recruitable ally
After that, Yaya confirms Naoe has passed her final test. She will join The League and become a summonable ally you can call in fights. In combat, Yaya can be an aggressive distraction—she draws enemy attention, disrupts groups, and buys you time to escape or reposition yourself, mainly when Naoe is in action. There are no extra loot rewards you get by forgiving the shrine raiders.
What Happens If You Punish the Shrine Raiders?
If you decide to punish the Shrine Raiders, Yaya isn’t going to take it well. She will strongly disagree with a statement that violence and revenge are not justice in her eyes. Despite your choice, she will refuse to execute or harm the monk and will let him go anyway. The result will be no Yaya recruitment as a companion in The League.
It means two things happen if you go this route:
- The shrine raiders will survive no matter if you ask to punish them.
- Yaya will lose trust in Naoe’s judgment.
If you push for punishment here when you’ve already angered Yaya in Heads Will Roll, she will decide that Naoe’s actions are too violent for her to support. When that happens, she will permanently leave your side and won’t appear again throughout the game. There are no rewards for this choice either. The monk will walk away free, and the questline ends at Yaya’s loss.
Should You Forgive or Punish the Shrine Raiders in AC Shadows?
Yes, you should forgive the Shrine Raiders in Assassin’s Creed: Shadows because there’s no upside even if you punish them. Yaya will be bummed, and you won’t even do it yourself. Further, a solid chance you get to recruit her will go out of your hand for the rest of the game. Moreover, AC Shadows isn’t flooded with helpful companions who can join the combat to pull aggro when you are one mistimed parry away from death. If you care about character-driven outcomes, ally utility, or getting the most out of your playthrough, you should know what is at stake and which way to go.
