Rise Of The Ronin: How To Beat Naosuke Ii & Akikatsu Manabe (Boss Fight)

Naosuke Ii and Akikatsu Manabe are the dual final bosses of Chapter 1 in , and they are formidable bosses at that. While taking on Naosuke alone is relatively easy, the real challenge is juggling your attention against two hard-hitting enemies. Yet, with plenty of Counterspark parries and grappling hook throws, taking the Red and Blue Demons down can be achieved with only a handful of deaths.

As mentioned, players should heavily practice using Counterspark throughout Chapter 1 to prepare for this pair. You may want to initially keep a wide berthbetween the Veiled Edge and each other to memorize their Katana slash rhythms before executing Counterspark Chains. Also, if you have any unlockable allies in , bringing them along will greatly help you manage both of these bosses.

You will initially face Naosuke himself. He primarily uses shockwave projectiles with occasional close combat. Utilizing the Counterspark mechanic is key, as this will quickly fill Naosuke's panic meter and leave him vulnerable to combos. The Veiled Edge can also throw weapons scattered around the arena at Naosuke with the grappling hook, temporarily staggering him.

When Naosuke reaches half health, a short cutscene shows Akikatsu, the Blue Demon, coming to Naosuke's aid. Akikatsu is trickier, relying on fast projectile attacks and sudden close-range rushes. As mentioned, if you have any companions, they can greatly assist during this second phase by keeping Akikatsu distracted while you focus on whittling down the rest of Naosuke's health.

After dealing with the Red Demon in, focus on countering with Countersparks when Akikatsu does his three-strike katana slashes. Dash away when he throws down a grenade before he lunges at you, and remember to throw weapons at him as a disruption. When he summons clones to confuse you at low health,note that the Akikatsu that the camera repeatedly locks onto is the real Blue Demon.

You should know one key mechanic both bosses have, i.e., Ki Blaze. Like the