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"Where is Isshin Ashina? The note mentioned a watchtower, but I can't find it."

Stone was swinging around the Ashina Castle's towers, searching for Isshin Ashina.

Ashina Castle was simply too large, with too many places to explore.

Suddenly, he saw candlelight coming from a room, and a wisp of white smoke was rising from the incense burner on the balcony. Stone said uncertainly, "Is it here? I've been here before."

In fact, in the CG before the fight with Genichiro, when Genichiro was asking about 'Grandfather's condition' at the railing, the tower he was looking at was where Isshin Ashina was.

The grappling hook flew, and he saw an old man in a gray robe with silver hair, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, exuding an air of immortality, looking more like an unconventional Taoist than a Sword Saint.

But his back was straight, with a sense of utter sincerity, like a serious and rigid martial artist. The two temperaments were blended together, but it didn't feel conflicting, as if that's just who he was.

Wolf knelt on one knee and said in a deep voice, "By order of the Divine Heir..."

The old man responded with a resonant voice, "Oh!"

"I have a matter to ask for guidance."

"Before that," Isshin Ashina said slowly, then suddenly raised his voice, his tone authoritative, as if giving an order, "Let's have a drink first!"

Wolf: "Huh?"

"Consider it a reward." Isshin Ashina offered a pot of unrefined sake.

Giving unrefined sake, Ashina sake, or monkey booze to NPCs will trigger them to reveal different fragments of the story.

Stone was also a little puzzled: "A reward? What reward? Thank you for killing your grandson?"

Isshin Ashina's attitude became serious, and he spoke slowly, as if chewing on the words, sounding solemn: "My grandson, Genichiro, was blinded by the Rejuvenating Water. Thanks to you for stopping him. Thank you."

You could tell that the Sword Saint was genuinely grateful to Wolf. As for his grandson Genichiro, perhaps he had some regrets, but he knew what was right.

"I am merely following the precepts of a ninja."

After guessing that Wolf was an adopted son whom Owl had taken from the battlefield during the war to seize the country, Isshin Ashina suddenly laughed heartily, his voice much more cheerful: "Hahahaha, the fate of people is truly interesting!"

Then, Wolf repeatedly asked about severing immortality and the location of the Mortal Blade.

"Are you going, Wolf? Severing immortality... that will also be a fierce battle. In the battle, the wishes and intentions of those involved will swirl into a vortex, and once you hesitate, you will be swallowed by the vortex..."

"You will be defeated."

Isshin laughed heartily: "Hahaha, that's right, remember it well. Wolf, hesitation leads to defeat."

This sentence can be said to be the most widely spread famous line in 'Sekiro', and it has even become a meme. Even many players who haven't played it have heard of it!

Because in the battle with Isshin Ashina, every time you are killed, he will say "Hesitation leads to defeat." However, in fact, whether you hesitate or are decisive, you will be abused to death by the Sword Saint.

So there is also this sentence: "Hesitation leads to defeat, decisiveness leads to feeding, write the character '正' all over your thighs!"

......

Several days later!

Before the reservoir area's hidden passage.

Stone didn't remember when he stepped into the hidden passage, but when he saw the open field ahead and the large expanse of white reeds, he remembered that this was the place where he and Kuro were trying to escape at the beginning.

However, this time there were some red sparks floating in the air like fireflies, which should be the influence of the hatred demon who was burning with flames before.

Kuro coughed, gasped, and took a step back, clutching his stomach in pain, as if he had been attacked.

"Lord Kuro!" Wolf rushed from behind, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, about to rush forward, but Kuro stopped him with his hand.

Looking up, the line of sight was directed at a samurai sword exuding wisps of black energy, with a drop of thick ink dripping from the tip of the sword.

"Long time no see, Divine Heir's ninja..."

Although it was a greeting, this voice sounded extremely empty, as if without emotion, deathly silent.

Genichiro was bare-chested, his arm had become completely black, and several black marks extended from his ribs, like the claws of a demon, holding up a samurai sword exuding black energy, his messy hair covering his face.

He carried the samurai sword exuding black energy and narrated in an inhumanly indifferent voice, "You see, another Mortal Blade."

Stone said in surprise: "Eh, how come this Scumbag Genichiro hasn't died yet? He's practically a cockroach!"

"Lord Genichiro," Kuro released his small hand covering his abdomen, his hand full of dark red blood, and said sadly, "Relying on such a thing, Ashina's fate... will definitely not change."

"Wolf, the Dragon's Heritage should not fall into anyone's hands." Kuro looked at Wolf beside him again, his pursed lips gently upturned, like a gentle ray of moonlight, "I'm putting you through a lot."

Wolf still had a bitter and vengeful expression, and nodded tacitly: "As you command."

Then he stepped forward two steps, in the firefly-like flying sparks, "cing" drew out the samurai sword, raised it diagonally downwards to his shoulder, posed in an offensive starting stance, and said in a low and powerful voice: "I'm coming!"

"Alright..." Genichiro sighed at length, also raised the samurai sword to his side, and said softly, "Let's finish this."

"Eh?" Stone suddenly remembered a question, "If his is also a Mortal Blade, then won't I be able to revive?"

Actually, it won't. The function of the black Mortal Blade is to use someone with the Dragon's Heritage as a living sacrifice to revive another person in full condition.

"I will restore Ashina!"

Genichiro roared in a low voice, directly lowered his body and swung the Mortal Blade, black and white mixed sword energy appeared on the blade, spurting out like a violently burning black and white flame.

With a swing, it was like a thick ink-dyed brush, smearing a several-meter-long wide ink mark in the air, disappearing in an instant.

Stone blocked it, but it wasn't a perfect block, and his health was still cut off by the sword energy.

"Will not... let people trample!"

After a few clangs, Genichiro roared again, drew his bow and shot an arrow from afar, piercing Wolf's chest, followed by a jumping chop, directly killing him when Wolf retreated.

Stone fought Genichiro a few days ago, and had experienced many BOSS battles in between, and had almost forgotten his attack moves. But after dying twice, he quickly recalled them and quickly killed him.

Watching Wolf pull the sword out of Genichiro's chest, Stone said disdainfully: "This Genichiro only has one bar of health, tch, trash!"

"Ugh! Ugh..." Genichiro bent over, groaned in pain, then slowly straightened his body again and took a deep breath.

He spoke as if he was leaking air, weakly saying: "In the end, I am still powerless..."

"But... the Dragon's Heritage can allow this country to survive." Genichiro became like a fierce poisonous snake again, his tone full of resolute ruthlessness, raised the Mortal Blade exuding a black aura to his eyes, stared at it deeply, then slowly placed it on his neck.

A faint smile appeared on his pale lips: "In this way, Ashina's long night is about to dawn..."

Raising his head, the sound of the wind around him seemed to be getting louder.

Suddenly, with force in his arm, he pulled the knife down!

Stone widened his eyes and said in surprise: "Damn, he's a werewolf!"