Ghost of Tsushima Mythic Tale guide: The Heavenly Strike walkthrough

Ghost of Tsushima’s Heavenly Strike Mythic Tale is the first you’ll find, and it will give you one of your key abilities for combat. In this walkthrough, we’ll show you how acquire the Heavenly Strike legendary combat art.

Step 1. Finding the musician

Image: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

At the start of every Mythic Tale, you’ll need to find a musician in the world — rumors from townspeople, especially from the Golden Temple, can help mark the musician on the map. For The Heavenly Strike Mythic Tale, head southwest of Golden Temple and just to the right of the Brown River Gorge on the map.

Talk to the musician there, and listen to his tale.

Step 2. Search for the bridge and follow the tracks

When you regain control of Jin, hop on your horse and ride to the nearby bridge — just follow the wind. When you reach the bridge, go under it and speak to the woman. Follow her up to the top side of the bridge.

Investigate the horse tracks you find, and follow the mud path left at the fork, and then right. Continue following the road with the woman until you turn right, under a wooden gate. You’ll find yourself at a small Mongol camp. Take out the enemies there, and then speak to the villager.

Enter the watchtower and investigate the tables to your left, as well as the painting to your right. Leave the watchtower and speak to the woman again. She’ll send you to find the white-leafed tree.

Step 3. Look for the white-leafed tree

Image: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Follow the wind to reach the investigation area for the tree. Keep going up the mountain to your right. Climb the cliffs until you reach the Plum Blossom Shrine. Talk to the nearby woman. You should be north of the River Falls Bridge on the map.

The woman will introduce you to the Shinto Shrine system, which offers you some Wax Wood and a Charm for climbing a difficult mountain.

Image: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

Go through the torii gate and climb the Plum Blossom Shrine. Head up the path and take a left when you see the fire. Follow the path up the mountain until you reach the top.

When you reach the top of the Shinto Shrine, interact with it to claim your rewards. Then turn right and hop off the cliff and climb the rocks up to the white-leafed tree. Squeeze through the rock, and interact with the blue survey marker. Survey the landscape until you find a group of white-leaf trees. You now have a new objective to visit the white tree grove.

Step 4. Travel to the white tree grove

Climb down from the cliff that housed the white-leaf tree and make your way toward the white tree grove, following the objective marker. It’s the same grove you just saw from the cliff, and it’s pretty tough to miss.

Follow the objective to a small town. Kill the Mongols inside and rescue the hostage. He’ll send you to Shigenori’s Rest.

Step 5. Search for Shigenori’s Rest

Image: Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment via Polygon

After the white tree grove, follow the objective marker until you reach the Shigenori’s Rest area. You’re looking for a small mountain, with white-leafed trees on top, and a broken tree acting as a bridge. Climb over the tree bridge, squeeze through the rock, and you’ll find yourself in a small grove with a group of Mongols. Deal with them.

With the Mongols gone, walk up to the dueling ring. A samurai will approach you and ask to duel. This is a sword duel, and it works similarly to your usual fights.

Yasuhira Koga duel boss fight

When you square off, the first thing t to do is change your armor to gear that increases your health or decreases your damage taken.

Watch the boss’ sword, and parry or block when they attack you. If you see a red flash, make sure to dodge out of the way, since you can’t block that kind of attack — this can be a great way to get a few cuts into Yasuhira Koga’s back.

Take things slow and use heavy attacks to break his guard. Play defensively, and you’ll eventually take the Koga down. Note that, like all sword duels, you’ll come back to life with more Resolve if you fail. If you’re struggling with Koga, fail a few times, and the fight should get much easier.

When Koga is near death, the game will prompt you to use your new Heavenly Strike ability, which deals increased damage to enemies after you’ve broken their guard. You’ll strike Koga, and then he’ll get hit by lightning.

Investigate the nearby body to finish the quest. You’ll also earn the Heavenly Falcon sheathe.