The Six Blades of Kojiro

Key tips

• Water Stance with charged heavy attacks breaks the duellists’ guards quickly; Stone Stance also works against swordsmen.
• Heavenly Strike or Dance of Wrath at full Resolve shortens every one of the six duels considerably.

Overview

Most Mythic Tales are a search with a fight at the end. This one is just fights, and it does not pretend otherwise.

Kojiro's tale sends Jin to duel the swordmaster's students one after another across the island, each in an isolated arena with no camp to clear and nothing to sneak past. It is the game's clearest statement that the duel system is a system — every stance, parry window and Resolve decision is examined in turn.

The reward is Kensei Armor, which reduces the Resolve cost of techniques and increases the damage they do. That is a build-defining set for anyone leaning on Heavenly Strike or Dance of Wrath, and it is deliberately gated behind the tale that proves you can fight.

In the game’s own framing: Kojiro’s students are hunting, and the only way to the master is through five of them.

What to bring

What this tale expects you to have on you.

• RequiredComplete "A New Horizon"This tale does not appear until then.

Objectives

1. Find Yamato in Umugi Cove
2. Duel Under Autumn Leaves
3. Duel of Crashing Waves
4. Duel in the Drowning Marsh
5. Duel Among Spider Lilies
6. Duel Under Falling Water
7. Return to Yamato
8. Travel to Omi Monastery
9. Speak with Kojiro
10. Duel Kojiro — Mirror of Sacred Light

Full walkthrough

1. 01
   Find Yamato in Umugi Cove

   He is distressed and wants help.

2. 02
   Duel Under Autumn Leaves

   The first of five, in the top-right of the region. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

3. 03
   Duel of Crashing Waves

   On the coast. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

4. 04
   Duel in the Drowning Marsh

   In the wetland. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

5. 05
   Duel Among Spider Lilies

   In the flower field. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

6. 06
   Duel Under Falling Water

   At the waterfall. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

7. 07
   Return to Yamato

   Back at Umugi Cove; he points you at Kojiro himself.

8. 08
   Travel to Omi Monastery

   Northwest. The way into Kojiro’s hideout is right of the great Buddha statue, through a gap in the rocks.

9. 09
   Speak with Kojiro

   Before the duel. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

10. 10
    Duel Kojiro — Mirror of Sacred Light

    Fast strikes and unblockables. Stay defensive, dodge or counter patiently, and take the openings rather than making them. Spend Resolve abilities when they will land. Keep at least one Resolve segment in reserve — it is your healing as well as your techniques, and spending the last one on damage is how a won fight turns. Duels disable your tools, so this is stances, parries and dodges only. Let them commit first and take the recovery window rather than opening yourself.

    Checkpoint

Rewards

• Moderate Legend Increase
  Between the two: the size a Mythic Tale awards.
• Kensei Armor
  A full armour set. Sets are builds rather than defence numbers — each one changes how you are meant to fight.

Sources

• Ghost of Tsushima Walkthrough — PowerPyx
• Written from model knowledge of Ghost of Tsushima (2020) — Unverified — pending editorial review