Rise of the Ronin introduces its players to a massive supporting cast of characters quite early on in its expansive main story. Each of these characters comes with a lot of unique content to explore through side quests called Bond Missions, that explore their motivations while also netting you some unique rewards in the process.

The ability to improve your healing items’ effects is a godsend in any game that follows the Dark Souls formula, and Rise of the Ronin is no exception. With that in mind, it can be a good idea to build your bond with the soft-spoken Japanese samurai and scholar Yukichi Fukuzawa, whose fascination with foreign knowledge extends to modern medicine and the benefits it brings.

Brains and Brawn

Yukichi is introduced to your Ronin as part of the Follow Your Blade Twin questline early on in the story. His initial suspicion of your Ronin quickly melts away in the face of shared danger, and you soon establish a friendly relationship with him. However, building your bond with him may require going off the beaten path a little bit. He is closely tied with the brilliant inventor Igashichi Iizuka, and is even a crucial part of one of his Bond Missions too.

However, Yukichi’s own Bond Mission requires you to visit him at the Yokohama Grand Villa where he laments on the local response to the American presence in Japan. He displays a fascination with their technology and way of life, wishing that he could have access to more study materials. He then requests your help in acquiring American texts and technology for him to study.

How to Complete the In Search of New Knowledge Bond Mission in Rise of the Ronin

Interacting with Yukichi at the Grand Villa kicks off the mission, which takes the pair of you to the American ship where you and your Blade Twin initially fought Matthew Perry and the Blue Demon.

For the best results, it is recommended that you equip a wooden sword or your fists for this mission, as Yukichi requests that you do not kill anyone in the interest of furthering his cause.

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Head down the ladder near the starting point and proceed north to find soldiers guarding the staircase ahead. There is another soldier waiting to ambush you on the right. Take him out and follow the path to find another ladder to descend.

Head north down this hallway, taking care of any enemies you find along the way and pick up the first item you came to find in the room at the end. Continue north to find another enemy for you to deal with.

From here, there is a chest up north that you can pick up but it doesn’t contain anything critical to the mission. Head south from the western wall, dealing with a lone soldier and head up the ladder. Keep going north hugging the western wall to find a large open area with another ladder going down. Check the northeastern section of this area to find another of the items you are looking for.

Head down the ladder and go north to find the last and final item that you need. There is a prisoner here you must interact with before you head up the nearby ladder to another open area.

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There is a fight against several waves of ninjas here that you must be prepared for. You can make short work of them with well-timed Countersparks. Yukichi’s assistance in this fight is most welcome, and he proves to be a formidable combatant!

Its a good idea to further build your bond with Yukichi as he not only rewards you with improved medicine efficacy, but also bestows a lot of useful gear for your character. This is especially valuable in the early stages of the game, giving you a distinct edge in the many battles that are to come.

And that wraps up the first bond mission for Yukichi Fukuzawa. Head on over to our guides for more exclusive Rise of the Ronin assistance, and make your time in ancient Japan a bit easier!