Ninja-kun Ashura no Shou/Scenes 9 - 16

Scene 9A/9B
Regardless of whether you took the upper A route exit, or the lower B route exit from scene 8, the 9th scene is the same for either path. It is a bonus stage, and your objective is to reach the exit before time runs out in order to receive a weapon boost.

You start out in the lower right corner. From there, you must clear the eyeballs, and make your way up to the middle of the scene. Then you must traverse to the left, making your way out of the pit along the way, and climb up the left side of the scene. You will start to encounter the Lightning Boys in the top half of the scene. Use bombs to clear the Lightning Boys away as you make your way back to the right.

If you have succeeded in completing the previous two bonus stages and have the bombs, you are given a fireball weapon. It works just like the fireball items that you can collect in a scene, but it lasts for 40 seconds. You can also switch to another weapon while it's activated. Once time runs out, you lose the fireballs until you clear another bonus stage.

Scene 10B
Apart from the background, and being a tad shorter, this scene is virtually identical to Scene 5, including the bonus items found near the end. Follow the same strategy to clear this scene, and you will be fine.

Scene 11B
Like route C in the beginning of the game, this stage is reminiscent of the original Ninjakun game, although the scene is wider than usual. The stage consists of nothing but Lion Dance enemies. Lion Dances spit balls of flame at you. If you intercept them with your own weapon, the flames stop advancing, but they remain on the screen, and must be avoided.

If you received the Fireball weapon from the last bonus stage, you can use it at this time to wipe out a considerable number of enemies before you should switch to another weapon so that you don't run out of fireballs (you're going to need it again shortly.) Pick off the remaining Lion Dances with bombs to be on your way to the next scene.

Scene 12A/12B
Like all bonus stages, this one is the same regardless of which route you took. The stage is infested with Skeletons. While you shouldn't be focused with defeating all of them, there are a few in particular which you may need to clear out in order to create a safe passage to the exit.

You start off in the lower left corner. The exit is high above in the upper right corner. The stage is divided by a tall structure in the middle. You only need to bounce up the left side and then hop over to the right side, bouncing off the walls near the top to reach the stairs. If you fall down the left side, you'll have a much harder time making it back up, as there are many more skeletons to hassle you. On your way up the left side, you'll have to clear out a few that wait for you in the alcoves, but don't let them slow you down if you can avoid dealing with them.

If you clear this bonus stage, and still have the fireball weapon in your possession, it will appear as if you don't gain a weapon, but in fact you do. This is probably the best weapon upgrade of all: the number of weapons that you can throw on the screen simultaneously increases from two to three. This will come in handy throughout the rest of your adventure.

Scene 13B
Route B will conclude in a single room scene with your first fight against a Giant Skeleton Demon. If you still have the fireball weapon, then this monster will be a breeze. If you don't, then you may find this enemy a bit more difficult to deal with.

If you have fireballs, activate them and begin firing them immediately. You will still need to stay out of the range of the skeleton's sword; if he swings it and it comes down on your head, you will lose a life. Keep your distance and let the fireballs reach out to destroy him.

If you don't have fireballs, you'll need to rely on Bombs. Star or crescent blades will take too long, and eventually, the skeleton will push you off the platform and into the lava. To win with bombs, you must stay relatively close to the skeleton, and hit him with bombs as fast as you can. If his sword comes down, you can survive by standing between his feet and his hand, but it's difficult to pull this off since you will get pushed back if you bounce off his feet. Hit him enough with the bombs, and he will be destroyed.