Assassin’s Creed Shadows: The Ox Walkthrough

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Quick Links

  • A Voice In Anger
  • Astray
  • Brothers In Arms
  • Of My Enemy
  • Broken Horn

In the sequence suggested for Shinbakufu targets in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the character you should eliminate next following The Noble’s demise is known as The Ox.

Just like every Shinbakufu you’ve defeated so far, you’ll have to accomplish a set of smaller tasks before you can square off against The Ox directly.

In this task, you’ll find a sequence of four smaller missions to accomplish. Here’s the suggested order for completing them that I will detail below:

1. Mission A
2. Mission B
3. Mission C
4. Mission D

So let’s dive into each one!

1. First up is Mission A…

Should any of these topics leave you stumped, don’t worry! We’ve gathered all the essential information you’ll need to confidently tackle The Ox head-on.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, this figure stands out as the most impressive target physically. By now, though, you should possess the necessary abilities to eliminate another name from your list with relative ease.

Let’s begin.

A Voice In Anger

Play this mission as Yasuke. There’s a decent amount of combat ahead of you.

As a gamer, I navigate through my objective menu to pick up my next task at hand. This time around, I’m on a mission to find the Abbot, currently held hostage by The Ox inside a fortified castle.

To find the Tanjosan Myoyoji Temple, follow the map clues or simply refer to the provided image above. The temple’s central location includes a breathtaking viewpoint. If you’re returning, you can directly teleport yourself to this stunning vantage point.

Directly beneath the quick travel spot lies a treasure chest situated in the uppermost chamber of the temple. The contents of the chest are randomly selected in Shadows, yet it’s expected that you’ll discover something valuable there.

If it doesn’t work out, you might have to adopt a more assertive approach. As Yasuke, you simply must proceed towards the temple’s main entrance and prepare yourself for potential fighting.

Keep an eye out for the very high wooden ladder situated near the temple entrance. At its peak lies a warning bell, so be cautious to avoid adversaries from scaling it, as they could trigger the alarm and incur a warning across the entire area until the weather shifts.

Continue navigating the temple, remembering to regularly activate your Observation tool to identify the Abbot’s whereabouts. In time, you will discover him, imprisoned near a big bonfire alongside some of his companions.

As a fan, I find myself in a tricky situation: I can’t engage in conversation with him until every menace has been handled. That being said, let’s systematically eliminate the eight adversaries lurking around here. A few of them are the larger, more challenging types, so be prepared for some extended combat. Also, keep an eye out for the guardians in the vicinity. They’re a tricky bunch and usually cause me some additional difficulty when I encounter them.

Aim to divert the conflict far from the Abbot and fellow captives. In the intensity of the ensuing fight, be mindful that unintended casualties might occur. Should such an unfortunate event transpire, we may need to repeat the mission entirely.

After taking care of all tasks, approach the Abbot and select the dialogue option “I’m prepared,” which will cause time to advance quickly until The Ox comes back.

During a scene, it will be revealed that the character known as The Ox is actually named Bessho Harumasa. Additionally, he has a trusted associate called The Tsuno who assists him. It makes me ponder if you’ll need to deal with The Tsuno at some point as well…

After the current scene, it’s time for you to release Nakamura Tadashige. Although his location is close, marked on your map, you’ll encounter more foes before reaching him. However, keep going and eventually, you’ll find Tadashige near another bonfire.

In this case, the same strategy we used earlier is applicable. Ensure that you eliminate all adversaries prior to moving forward, and remember to exercise caution to prevent any unintentional harm to non-combatants.

After ensuring it’s safe, release Tadashige, and he’ll arrange for us to discuss in a secure spot near a close-by watchtower. Quickly teleport yourself to the Myoyoji Mietou vantage point that we were at previously.

As a gamer, I gotta scoot myself out of these temple walls if I wanna warp safely back to that tower I’m aiming for. Going directly from here to Tadashige could be risky and take longer, so it’s wiser to make a quick detour first.

Downstairs in the same tower, you’ll find Tadashige. Go ahead and chat with him. He might provide you with additional clues to capture The Ox, wrapping up this quest in the process.

Astray

Keep playing as Yasuke for this one too.

Next, you should locate the strategic plans for The Ox’s attack. Remember, they are well-protected, so prepare yourself for a fight as you proceed.

Examine the region depicted or consult the image provided, and you’ll notice it leads to Hiraiyama Fort. No nearby quick-travel spot is available from your current position, so activate Pathfinder and commence your journey towards it.

Ultimately, you will arrive at the main entrance of the fort. From there, proceed inside and initiate your attacks immediately. Be mindful of the large watchtower right after entering, and eliminate any individuals who are attempting to raise an alarm without delay.

For the majority of your journey through the fort, you can rely on the illuminated path, so simply continue along the marked trail.

The gist of this entire section will be:

  • Defeat all enemies
  • Look around for loot
  • Follow Pathfinder
  • Sprint through the next gate to access a new area
  • Repeat

Moving forward from this point until you reach the end of the level, you will encounter two Samurais named Diasho. Defeat them to “clear” this area and unlock a large treasure chest situated at the peak.

Once you shatter the second gate and secure the vicinity, make a brief detour toward the northwest instead of following Pathfinder’s path. There, you will encounter another gate that can be destroyed for passage.

Right at the entrance, there’s a quaint little house to your right, brimming with essential supplies. You can rejuvenate yourself by replenishing your health rations, and you might even find a couple of intriguing treasure chests tucked away inside.

Following this useful diversion, feel welcome to continue on Pathfinder’s course. As you progress, the opponents will grow more challenging, but remember to press forward. During your journey, make sure to observe small shelters that you can open to collect additional treasures and supplies as you ascend.

As you progress, you’ll encounter additional breakable barriers, tiny sets of steps, and earthy trails. Eventually, you will conclude this infiltration task at the endpoint.

At the beginning, you’ll encounter the Hiraiyama Commander for a brief battle against a boss. His moves are typical and similar to those of others, making it less challenging for you.

Following his defeat, a set of The Ox’s invasion strategies will be found on a desk being protected by a commander. Grab these documents, but be prepared to be interrupted by a remarkably youthful soldier belonging to The Ox.

After the scene ends, make your way into the big house you saw right before engaging the commander. Inside, you’ll discover details about a shipment that The Ox is anticipating.

In addition, you’ll discover a sizable treasure chest that you can unlock, provided you have defeated Samurai Daisho during the mission previously.

In this ongoing adventure, the final step is to return to Nakamura Tadashige. Now, his location has been marked on your map for convenience. Since he resides in a peaceful region, your journey there should be worry-free.

Speak with Tadashige, and this sub-quest is in the books.

Not too far from where Tadashige stands, there’s a merchant offering some excellent weapons and armor if you happen to be looking for new equipment.

Brothers In Arms

Once again, this is a quest best played as Yasuke.

Next up, locate a former member of The Ox’s gang who is now a ronin. Look around the vicinity to find his whereabouts, or simply navigate towards the symbol marked on the map above.

In the middle of a battle, assist Koshiro in defeating his assailants first. Once the fight is over, have a conversation with him. His name is Koshiro, and he requests your aid in locating a former ally from The Ox’s group, Seiji.

On your map, Seiji’s location marker will automatically appear, making it easier for you. Activate Pathfinder, mount your steed, then ride westward. You’ll eventually come across the gates of Kanki Castle. As usual, you’ll have to battle your way towards your objective.

As a keen admirer, I’d like to share some exciting news! Seiji, our focal point of interest, resides within the sprawling western expanse of Kanki Castle. With your Observe feature handy, his distinctive blue marker dot will gracefully appear on your screen once you’re close enough to catch a glimpse of him!

In this castle, there was an issue with the Observe function I encountered. Instead of having a single blue dot to find Seiji, I ended up with four blue dots, three of which were not helpful at all. The one blue dot you should concentrate on finding is located most to the west and will display “Commander Seiji” above it when you’re close enough.

As soon as you locate Commander Seiji, you’ll notice that Koshiro is engaged in combat with him. Dive in for a swift boss battle. Given the advantage of having two against one, this encounter should be relatively easy for you.

After Seiji has been adequately hurt, you will have the option to either end his life or let him live. Feel free to decide what you think is best; there won’t be any consequences, either way.

Of My Enemy

Finally, it’s Naoe’s time to shine. Select her for this mission.

Initially, your task is to find a reliable source, often called Hiromichi’s contact. Investigate the area, or consult the map provided for guidance in locating this person.

For this goal, the quickest teleportation spot is Mount Tatsu. However, it places you right in the midst of a dangerous quarry. Fortunately, you can simply run past the quarry walls, and you’ll quickly find yourself out of harm’s way.

Since Hiromichi’s companion is open and in a secure zone, feel free to engage with him, and automatically follow him to your next destination. Upon arrival at a house, go ahead and enter it.

Currently, you find yourself standing before Hiromichi himself, and he requests that you eliminate one of his influential aides from the Ox’s inner circle.

Again, you’ll have to either find where he is (by searching) or use the provided map for guidance to help him. You might observe that the lieutenant appears to be right smack in the middle of the sea.

Follow the map symbol, then begin swimming towards the distant vessels. The lieutenant’s vessel is clearly visible due to its immense size.

Naoe can ascend the bow of the vessel by grasping the sturdy horizontal planks. Continue your ascent until you’re able to look over the ship’s railing. Be aware that from this point on, the ship is teeming with adversaries.

If you choose to secretly eliminate one of the enemies nearby, there’s a high probability they’ll notice you soon. The lieutenant you’re seeking is located on an upper level inside the ship, so make your way higher and leap through the open window ahead.

In this area, you’ll encounter the second-in-command of The Ox. His tactics aren’t particularly unique, and given your current skillset, it should be straightforward for you to overcome him using the battle techniques you’re now accustomed to.

Here’s a more straightforward rephrasing: It’s essential to clean out the entire lower part of the ship first, as enemies will keep ascending the stairs towards the lieutenant’s room and potentially joining the battle. The room is quite compact, so it can easily become crowded very quickly.

Your most effective strategy should be to quickly eliminate the lieutenant as soon as possible, removing your main obstacle. After that, focus on defeating any enemies who attempt to ascend the ladder and participate in the fight. Once the area is secure and the lieutenant has been defeated, search his body for The Ox’s shipping manifest. Additionally, there’s a large chest in the room that you can open.

Jump overboard and swim back to Hiromichi to report your victory.

Broken Horn

Switch back to Yasuke for your final showdown with The Ox.

What remains now is to face off against The Ox at last. Before we proceed, let’s reconnect with Nakamura Tadashige to ensure that we are all in agreement.

There’s no need to search for this character, so go directly to him and choose “We are prepared” when asked to initiate the last battle sequence. Immediately, you’ll be transported to Miki Castle.

Initially, you’ll merely have to cut your way through a couple of waves from The Ox’s troops. It shouldn’t be much trouble as you’ve handled similar situations in the past.

Up next is an encounter against The Tsuno, who appears formidable, but as you may have gathered by this point, the majority of bosses in Shadows follow a similar pattern.

Against Tsuno, wield a polished Katana with grace. Deflect his blue attacks with a parry, swiftly evade the red ones, and take advantage of any opportunities for counterattack. Remember, you’ve got this!

After dealing with Tsuno, there’s no one else standing between you and Ox. What sets him apart from past opponents is his use of a large kanobo, which means each strike he delivers will inflict additional harm.

Maintain concentration, adopt a defensive strategy, frequently use your unique skills (as they provide invincibility frames throughout their duration), and eventually, the Ox will be defeated.

Congrats! There’s one more Shinbakufu target dealt with. On to the next one.

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2025-03-27 16:44