How to Complete Encroaching Shadows (Bond Mission) in Rise of the Ronin

Rise of the Ronin has numerous activities to complete which takes around 70 hours to complete the game totally without leaving anything behind. Inventing 70 hours for a game is not a joke, especially, if one has other commitments. But if you skip the side quests which are called Bond missions in Rise of the Ronin, you will certainly miss lots of interesting stuff. One can’t enjoy the game to the fullest without completing the side missions. 

Bond missions in Rise of the Ronin give players easy tasks to complete which don’t take more than a few minutes to be completed. They either want them to search for some NPCs or some hidden items and completing the objective rewards them heavily. Sometimes, the rewards even include unlocking new combat styles. So, if you get stuck while trying to complete the Encroaching Shadows bond mission, we suggest going through our guide for the entire process to complete it. We will proceed to discuss the mission objectives and give a detailed walkthrough of the mission, but before that, let’s start with some basic information like how to receive the Bond mission.

Rise of the Ronin Encroaching Shadows Bond Mission Details- How to Get?

Bond missions are character-oriented missions where players need to search for a specific character, either to recruit them or to increase their bond with a particular ally. These missions don’t take long to be completed, but often they are puzzling, especially, if some decision-making time comes at the end. Fortunately, Encroaching Shadows doesn’t have any decision-making sequence. This is a straight mission that players will receive while progressing through the Yokohama’s Shadow main story mission.

Before going forward, let me remind you that the Bond missions are related to the characters that you have recruited to your team already or you have encountered previously, maybe as an enemy. Encroaching Shadows is a bond mission that includes Taka Murayama. So, first, players need to know about this NPC. 

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Taka Murayama is one of the allies of your team, though she is a non-combatant ally still players can find her impressive for her qualities. She has a perfect balance of attractive looks and intelligence. However, like most other allies of the game, players need to recruit Taka to unlock her Bond missions. Players first time encounter her during one of the earliest main story missions of the game, Follow Your Blade Twin. 

Now that she is your ally, you will unlock her Bond missions, and the first bond mission connected to her is Encroaching Shadows where you have to rescue Taka. Without further ado, let’s jump into the mission objectives and walkthrough.

Rise of the Ronin- How to Complete Encroaching Shadows Bond Mission

To begin with the side mission, players need to talk to Taka when she asks to talk with you during the Yokohama’s Shadow main story mission. She will be found on the top floor of the Miyozaki Pleasure District. Head to the location and initiate the interaction. The NPC will inform that she is scared as she thinks someone is stalking her when she passes a certain row of houses. She called you for help as she wants you to investigate the matter for her. Accept the request and you will begin the bond mission.

Now, it’s time to inquire about the person stalking Taka. This process won’t be a long one as a marker will indicate that your destination is northwest of the pleasure district. Precisely, the marker is locating an area near the river. In the middle of a mission, players can’t fast travel to that location, so, take your time to reach the indicated area. It won’t take a lot of effort to spot a man standing alone. Of course, his appearance is suspicious, but don’t randomly approach him as he will start attacking you.

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Get prepared for the fight and approach him. As the battle begins, two of his companions join him in the fight. Don’t shift the focus. Your primary target should be the man you initially spotted. However, they are not tough enemies, so, you will easily beat them. On a dramatic turn, things will change as soon as the fight ends. A woman named Kichi Saito runs to you and informs you that Taka Murayama got kidnapped. According to her, the kidnappers demanded for the traitor to go alone and save Taka.

Here comes the next objective, to find and save Taka. Once again a marker will appear to indicate the location of Benten Shrine, where the kidnappers have locked Taka. It’s not far from your current location.  Start heading north, following the markers, and as soon as you appear at the destination, Blade Twins from the Kurosu clan start attacking you. Kill these two attackers and from their corpses, you will find the Benten Shrine Key. 

This fight will be a little tough as the enemies are also Veiled Edges like you. Additionally, they like to attack together, which makes the combat a bit challenging. Try to deal with them individually, to make the process smooth. Once they are dead and you have the key, use it to open the Shrine. Inside you will find Taka. 

Next comes a short interaction part with Taka. Here, players can strengthen their bond with their teammates by choosing ‘Sorry’ to express their remorse. Ride with her and return to the Miyozaki Pleasure District. Again, you have to talk to Kichi Saito who informed you about Taka’s kidnapping. After the interaction, again go to the top floor where you have met Taka at the beginning of the mission. This time, you will see the Red Demon, Naosuke Li, sitting there. 

During the further interaction process, choose, the “I don’t buy it. Speak the truth” option. This will immediately strengthen your bond with your ally. Later, you can ask Naosuke Li about the Samurai with the Demon Claw. That’s the end of the Encroaching Shadows Bond Mission.

This Bond mission in Rise of the Ronin is a little lengthy, but it gives players exciting rewards for completing it. The reward list includes 1200 coins, 35 XP, Kurosu Kimono, Veiled Edge’s Gauntlets, Veiled Edge’s Socks, and Lotus Flower.