The Ruckus at Rendaino is the first main story chapter in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, taking Musashi from the opening tutorial battles into the actual Genma conflict. Following the events of the Prologue, Miyamoto Musashi arrives in Eastern Kyoto seeking answers about the entity slumbering within his newly acquired Oni Gauntlet. In this The Ruckus at Rendaino walkthrough, you’ll learn how to prove yourself to Takamura, seal a Rift, and learn how Spirit Mirrors and the Hozuki Pouch work before moving to Kiyomizu-dera.
How to Complete The Ruckus at Rendaino in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Arrive at Rokudo-chinnoji Temple
Guided by the female voice inside his Oni Gauntlet, Musashi travels to Rokudo-chinnoji Temple in Kyoto to find Ono no Takamura. Upon entering the shrine grounds, a cutscene shows a young girl (none other than Ono no Takamura) having a great deal of business to defend herself against an aggressive Genma group. Just as she gets pinned down, a giant warrior wielding an Oni Gauntlet enters the ground to protect her.
This scene introduces you to Takamura and his ward, Izumo no Okuni. Once the immediate threat to Okuni is cleared, Takamura leaves the leftover creatures for Musashi to handle.
Defeat the Genma
After control returns, you must kill all Genma in the courtyard while Takamura evaluates your fighting ability. Treat this encounter as a test of your foundational defensive mechanics:
- Basic Combat: Genma usually engage one at a time here. Deliver two to three light slashes, then reset your guard.
- Defensive Actions: Time your Parry immediately before an enemy strike hits. If an enemy winds up a non-parryable attack like a front kick, use Reflex Dodge to circle around their back.
- Executions: Depleting a Genma’s stamina meter stuns them and opens them up for a quick execution via Break Issen. You can perform normal Issen strikes as well by attacking right at the moment of impact.
- Soul Harvest: Hold the absorption input after enemies disintegrate to collect all floating red and yellow Genma souls.
Seal the Rift
The fight isn’t over when the first group of Genma falls. A Rift opens above the area, giving a way for more Genma to enter the world. The very first thing to do is to kill the enemies surrounding the Rift.
Once the area is secure and the Rift has been weakened, stand near the tear and hold the Gauntlet Absorption button (Left Trigger on controller or F on keyboard). Channel the demonic energy until the sphere implodes and seals the Rift, preventing further enemy reinforcements.
Speak with Takamura
With the area cleared of threats, approach Takamura and Okuni at the shrine entrance. This conversation gives Musashi some answers about the Oni Gauntlet and the woman whose voice came from inside. Takamura still cannot explain everything, but this big man clearly understands the Oni Power far better than Musashi does.
After the conversation, follow Takamura through the inner shrine until he leads you to an ancient stone well capped with a wooden lattice. Takamura turns into yellow spirit dust and drops into the shaft. Musashi does the same, following him into the underworld threshold between the mortal world and Hell that’s guarding the Oni Gate.
Takamura leads Musashi toward the gateway to Hell and explains the job that comes with being an Onimusha. Here, you will learn that the man has guarded this gateway for seven centuries. Kyoto’s major temples act as protective seals for the gateway, though Malice spread has corrupted these sanctuaries, causing Rifts to break out across the region.
Takamura offers an arrangement for you: purify the infected sanctuaries around Kyoto to reinforce the barrier, purge the Genma infestation, and harvest the Genma souls you need along the way to awaken your Gauntlet while keeping the Hell Gate sealed.
Follow Takamura and Speak with Okuni
Back in the living world, follow the stone path back to the central courtyard where Takamura and Okuni are waiting. Okuni reveals that Kiyomizu-dera Temple has fallen under Genma’s attack. Takamura tasks you with liberating it and tells Okuni to teach you how to use Spirit Mirror.
Head down the left walkway of the courtyard and talk to Izumo no Okuni, who stands beside a small shrine housing a glowing golden relic. Okuni explains how Spirit Mirrors are connected to the Oni’s power and how you can use them to fast travel between locations. Spirit Mirrors are ancient Oni shrines located throughout Kyoto. They act as checkpoints and save points, let you access your storage, and are used for quick travel across the map.
Okuni also gives you a Hozuki Pouch, the consumable healing flask. Press Up on the D-Pad to consume a Hozuki fruit imbued with Oni Power that restores health. Charges can be replenished by interacting with Spirit Mirrors or by gathering wild Hozuki fruits that grow on bushes throughout Kyoto. Excess fruits are stored in your inventory.
Hozuki Pouch’s intro completes The Ruckus at Rendaino and opens the next main mission, The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu, which asks you to interact with the Spirit Mirror to reach the Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
