Rise of the Ronin’s Bond Missions is a great way to increase your bond level with specific characters while exploring their backstories and motivations. Completing these missions is a great way to make the most out of your time in ancient Japan.

If you’re looking to get the main story’s disparate bunch of characters to “rise as one” as Master Shoin Yoshida wanted, these missions are a great way to do so.

Engaging With The Eccentric Samurai

Among the many characters with whom you can bond is Ryoma Sakomoto, first introduced to your Veiled Edge ronin as the eccentric samurai. His friendly disposition and cheerful personality quickly make him an important part of the main story – and a steadfast friend to your character to boot!

With that in mind, it can be a good idea to improve your bond with Ryoma as much as you can while progressing the game’s main story. You can do this by taking him along as an ally on story missions, sparring with him in the dojo, and giving him the right gifts.

However, the best way to improve your bond with Ryoma is to take on Bond Missions that are specific to his story. The Two Apprentices is one such opportunity for you to improve your bond with Ryoma during your journey.

How to Complete The Two Apprentices Bond Mission

To unlock this Bond Mission, you need to have completed The Men from Tosa in Yokohama, the first playable area in the game. If you have progressed the story beyond a certain point, there’s no reason to worry as you can return to this area early on in the second act using the Testament of the Soul from your longhouse.

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Once your bond with Ryoma progresses beyond a certain level, you will see that he requires your assistance in the northern regions of Edo, the location where second act of the game takes place. You will need to be at player level 20 and at a Friendly bond level with Ryoma for this mission to unlock.

We highly recommend selecting dialogue choices that can improve your bond level with Ryoma in both the Men From Tosa and The Fire Attack mission’s aftermath to ensure a good bond with him.

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Head on over to the mission marker to find that Ryoma is nowhere to be seen. Instead, you will find his friend  Izo Okada, who explains that they plan to prevent the desecration of certain master’s remains by grave robbers looking to sell human innards as medicine.

Ryoma quickly joins the two of you, and the mission begins in earnest. Head up the nearby stairs to find a large open area with several patrolling enemies. You could either attack them head-on or choose to sneak around and pick them off one by one.

Once they are dealt with, find a shrine on the eastern side of this area with a couple of enemies guarding a large wooden barrel. Deal with them and examine the barrel to find that it is not the one Ryoma is looking for.

Exit the shrine and find a broken wall to the north leading to an area with some tall grass to hide in. Take out the patrolling enemy and the ranged enemy on top of the nearby tower to find the next wooden barrel to examine. While its contents are certainly not for the faint of heart, it isn’t the one you seek.

Two more barrels to the southeast produce the same results and a nearby Veiled Edge banner that you can raise. Head up the stairs next to it to find the final barrel you need to examine. It’s the one you are looking for but is guarded by a cross between Wolverine and the Long-Arm Centipede from Sekiro.

Defeat this enemy to complete the mission (their parry timings can be a little tricky to master) and ensure that the master’s remains are passed on to those who would dispose of them with respect.

A Friend Indeed

If you’re looking to deepen your bond with Ryoma outside of his bond missions, a few of the below items can help. He is a fan of Western fashion and cosmetics, and certainly likes a drink too!

• European Dandy’s Kit
• Premium Whiskey
• Imported Beer
• Milk Chocolate
• Knot Of Destiny

Looking for more Rise of the Ronin guides? We’ve got you covered! Head on over to our exclusive guides section for more help on forging your destiny – and the future of Japan!