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The Three Blades of the Era
The Three Blades of the Era is one of the Bond Missions you'll unlock while you're in the Edo section of Rise of the Ronin. In this Bond Mission, you'll head to Odani Dojo to meet Nobutomo Odani, a man known as the Sword Saint.
The Three Blades of the Era Walkthrough
Location: The Odani Dojo in Shibuya, Edo
Level: 22
Prerequisites: Complete the Deadly Blade, Demon Belle Main Mission.
Description: Shusaku Chiba told you about Nobutomo Odani. Head to the Odani Dojo.
What to do: Head to Odani Dojo in Shibuya. If you've never been there before, there's a Veiled Edge Banner right out front, so make sure you use it. Then head inside. You'll spot a big guy with a quest marker over his head. Turns out this guy's name is Toanosuke Shimada. Speak to him.
Your conversation options don't matter too much here. You can choose the white options for some additional context, but otherwise it's pretty linear. The man will invite you to spar with him before telling you where Odani is. When you're ready, select "Got it. Let's begin."
You'll use wooden swords for this sparring match, so depleting Shimada's Ki is the name of the game. You can Counterspark any of his moves, but the easiest one to knock him out of is the unblockable attack where he crouches down before lunging at you. If you're having trouble there, try Countersparking his attack chains and dodging his unblockables and punshing him. Once his Ki is depleted and you go for a Critical Hit, Shimada will tackle you through one of the dojo's walls.
When you regain control, you'll be in a big courtyard where Shimada will gain an ally in the appropriately named Big Samurai. Seriously, that's his name. Thankfully, Big Samurai also has attacks that are easy to Counterspark. Look for the unblockable attack where he puts both hands on the hilt and jabs downwards (pictured below). Another great time to Counterspark him is when he ends his attack chain with a leaping unblockable. Use these opportunities to stagger him with Martial Skills and land Critical Hits.
As for Shimada, approach him with the same strategy we discussed earlier. Depleting Ki with Countersparks, attacks, and Martial Skills is the name of the game against both Shimada and Big Samurai. Then finish them off with a Critical Hit.
Once they're both down, you'll get a brief conversation where Big Samurai will introduce himself (his name is Tanetsugu Oishi), brag about being undefeated for decades until he run into Master Odani and then you, and tell you he's going to defeat you in the future. Neither response matters here, but choosing "Good for you." is funny, so we recommend that one.
Shimada has a little more humility. He'll tell you Odani would be honored to fight someone of your skill, and tell you to look for him on the banks of the nearby river. When this conversation ends, so does the quest. You'll also establish bonds with Shimada and Oishi. You can go fight Odani immediately in The Sword Saint Bond Quest, and since you're basically right next to where it starts, we recommend doing that next.