Ninja Gaiden II/Chapter 2: Castle of the Dragon

"The Shadow of the Black Spider Clan reaches Hayabusa Village. The hunt for the Demon Statue, the key to resurrecting the Archfiend. Only Joe Hayabusa, his body still mending from his last battle, stands between them. Genshin, leader of the Black Spider Ninja Clan, faces his longtime rival in a fateful duel. As the Castle of Dragon burns, the otherworldly Elizébet smiles coldly. The seal binding the Demon Statue is broken."

When is the Hayabusa clan's village not on fire?

Part 1: Enter the Castle
After the opening cutscene, run forward, beneath the red arches, and examine the corpse ahead of you to receive a notebook on the Flying Swallow technique. If you are quick with your shuriken or dash, you can kill the crow waiting on the corpse for some yellow essence. You will promptly be attacked by some sword-bearing ninjas. After dispatching them, you are free to move on. To the left of the previously examined corpse is a tombstone that can be examined, the grave of Kureha. Continue down the path through the graveyard and make a left at the stairs, where you will be attacked by a few more ninjas.

Kill off these two ninjas and continue down to the bottom of the stairs for a brief cutscene featuring some particularly nasty-looking zombie dogs. You will promptly be attacked by one. Make use of the Muramasa statue if you wish. Proceed through the large door on the left of the statue. Kill off the rather large group of ninjas and open the chest at the end of the bridge for a Life of the Gods. The door beside the chest is blocked, so return to the entrance to the bridge. Afterward, proceed forward along the path. Examine the corpse around the first corner for a notebook on the Reverse Wind Technique. Round the next corner to be attacked by a large group of zombie dogs. Don't get cornered and try to stay off of the ground here, or they will make very short work of you. Art of the Inferno works well here. Proceed forward along the path and examine the corpse ahead for an Herb of Spiritual Life.

Head down the stairs and into the water. Look left across the water and you should clearly see a crystal skull beneath the surface of the water, just under the bridge. Water run by repeatedly tapping the A button until you reach the location of the skull. When you reach the bridge, two ninjas on the opposite shore will start shooting arrows at you. Dive below the surface of the water and grab the skull. It is easy to misjudge your distance from the skull so be careful to dodge the arrows while making your attempts. After collecting it, run toward the fire arrow ninjas and take them out hand-to-hand. Progress up the stairs and onto the path ahead.

When you reach the open area, examine the corpse ahead for a Scroll on the Counter Attack Technique. Use the Dragon Statue ahead to save and heal and then continue up the stairs onto the porch of the building to your left. You will promptly be attacked by several claw ninjas at close range and several fire arrow ninjas at a distance. Run and jump forward into the claw ninjas to knock them down and attack the fire arrow ninjas at close range to prevent them from firing arrows at you. Take out the rest as normal. Before venturing into the open area ahead, turn right and enter the open door. When you approach the chest, you will be attacked by several ninjas. Kill all of them and open the chest at the back of the room for a Grains of Spiritual life. Diagonally across from this chest, on a table in a small closet, are the Falcon's Talons. Grab these and head back toward the door. On the left is a chest containing an Herb of Spiritual Life. Return to the porch. Enter the open area ahead.

Examine the corpse on the ground in front of you to obtain a notebook on Ultimate Guidance. You will now be promptly attacked by various and numerous ninjas. Attack the fire arrow ninjas first, and then take out the rest of the ninjas as you see fit. After the initial wave, more ninjas will trickle their way down the stairs. Attack them as they come until you see a short cutscene in which a candle is lit. Proceed into the small shrine and grab the Rod of Trials. Head up the stairs to your left. Perform a Flying Bird on the guard tower walls at the top of the stairs and examine the chest inside the guard tower to receive an Herb of Spiritual Life. Continue along the path to the next set of guard towers, avoiding the fire arrows. Kill the claw ninjas and perform a Flying Bird between the towers to reach the fire arrow ninjas. Take them out and then drop down to proceed up the stairs again. Attack the ninjas at the top of the stairs and use the Dragon Statue to save an heal. Turn left up a short flight of stairs to reach another Muramasa statue. Shop and return to where the Dragon Statue was to enter a small cave. Kill any ninjas in your path and proceed. You will be attacked from behind about midway through by claw ninjas. Kill them and perform a Flying Bird at the end of the path to exit this level of the cave. You will promptly be attacked.

As before, take out the fire arrow ninjas first. They can be a real pain when they break up your combos. Proceed up the stairs to another small open area. Attack the ninjas here and examine the corpse on your left for a notebook on Counter Attack. Proceed up the walkway. At the top of the walkway, you will be attacked by four more claw ninjas. Kill them and examine the chest in the upper left corner before the doorway to obtain some blue orbs. Proceed forward and up the stairs, where you will be attacked by flaming arrows. Proceed right, through the archway, and make an immediate left into the alley to find a chest containing an Herb of Spiritual Life. Continue up the next set of stairs, taking out any ninjas that attack you.

At the top of the stairs, you will be attacked by a group of claw ninjas and purple ninjas. Take them out and examine the corpse near the door for a Notebook on Ultimate Technique. Continue over the plank against the far wall and onto the rooftops. Kill the three claw ninjas and one purple ninja and drop into the hole in the roof. Once inside, kill all of the ninjas within. Use the Dragon Statue behind you to heal and save and then proceed toward the door. Before heading up the stairs, grab the Fiend's Bane Bow on your left. Equip it and head up the stairs. A brief cutscene will show a glowing stone. It will be pretty obvious that you are expected to test out your new toy. Aim the bow at the crystal and fire to lower some stairs. Proceed up them and then drop into the arena for a boss fight with an old friend.

Boss: Shadow Ninja Ratsetsu Redux
It just wouldn't be a Ninja Gaiden game if you didn't have to fight a boss more than once. This time is the same as the last, except Ratsetsu has brought some ninja friends with him. As before, keep your distance and keep your guard up or you will get grabbed and have your head munched on. To kill Ratsetsu quickly, summon your fire ninpo immediately when the battle starts, and be sure to focus at him as his minions may will walk into the path between him and you and become the target instead. Ratsetsu somehow seems weak to fire, thus, your flame ninpo will cause severe damage to him. If you are able to summon the ninpo more than once, do it. About four ninpo casts and a bit of slashing should take care of Ratsetsu.

Part 2: Castle Keep
After taking out Ratsetsu and his friends, proceed through the gated door opposite the enormous dragon statue. Turn right and head down the hall to find a chest containing an Herb of Spiritual Life. Head back down the hallway. At the stairs, kill the two claw ninjas that attack you and examine the corpse under the stairs for a Grains of Spiritual Life. Proceed up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, some friendly ninjas will collapse the wall for you to pass through. Take out the fire archer ninja and then wipe out his friends. Grab some arrows from the stand in the corner if you are running low and then collapse the wall to proceed. Use the Dragon Statue ahead to save and heal, being careful of the ninja that drops down from the ceiling above. Back out of this hallway and up the stairs to the left. At the top of the stairs, examine the corpse for a scroll detailing the Technique of Unrivaled Soaring. This will come in handy soon. Take out the wall beside you and walk onto the platform for a short cutscene detailing the puzzle you are about to complete. Ninjas will advance down walkways on both sides. Use your new technique to reach the walkway on the right. Kill all of the ninjas there and then grab the Ultramarine Jewel at the back of the room. Turn around and smash the wall behind you, killing any ninjas that appear. Snag the Crystal Skull sitting on the shelf and proceed down the hallway, being careful not to fall down the trap door ahead, just before the corpse on the floor. Examine the corpse for a Devil Way Mushroom and continue down the hallway.

Smash the wall in front of you and kill all of the ninjas inside the room and grab the Vermillion Jewel at the far end of the room. Return to the pedestal in front of the gold dragon statue and place the jewels in the stands on either side of the pedestal. This will activate a short cutscene. Use your Fiend's Bane Bow to hit the gold sphere in the dragon statue's hand. This will lower a platform and allow you to enter the dragon's mouth. Once inside, turn left to find a chest containing a Devil Way Mushroom, and then right to use the Dragon Statue. After healing and saving, jump out through the hole in the wall. Once outside, you will be expected to kill six purple ninjas. Once they are dispatched head left from where you exited onto the roof. Head up toward the top of the structure and through a hole in the wall to reenter the building at a higher floor. Inside you will meet several more ninjas. Kill the fire archer ninjas first and then take out the rest. The chest near the trap door contains a Lives of the Thousand Gods. Hold on to this for the boss battle ahead, as using it restores full health. Before going up the stairs, drop into the trap door that the two ninjas jumped up through earlier.

At the bottom of the ladder, go to the right to find a Muramasa statue. Shop here and go left for a Dragon Statue. Save and heal and then return up the ladder and then up the stairs in this room. Kill the ninjas at the top of the stairs and go left behind them to find a corpse holding a Life of the Gods. Head around the walkway to a door and prepare yourself for a cutscene and another boss battle.

Boss: Genshin
Genshin is pretty hardcore for such an early boss. He attacks with a claw and a sword and is completely immune to your Ninpo. Block his attacks and wait for an opportunity to unleash your quickest combos and he will fall eventually. Especially multiple Y-Combos with the Lunar Staff and your flying bird technique (Jump towards Genshin and quickly press Y when Dragon Sword is equipped, this will not only hurt Genshin, but get you out of his attack range for a few seconds, too) are ideal for taking care of him.