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Synopsis
The game takes place in a re-imagined late 16th century Sengoku period Japan. At the end of the Sengoku era, warlord Isshin Ashina stages a bloody coup and seizes the land of Ashina. During this time, a nameless orphan is adopted by the wandering shinobi Owl, who names the orphan "Wolf".
Twenty years later, the Ashina clan are on the brink of collapse due to a combination of the now elderly Isshin having fallen ill and the clan's enemies steadily closing in from all sides. Desperate to find a way to prevent the fall of his clan, Isshin's grandson Genichiro captures the Divine Heir Kuro, in hopes of using his "Dragon Heritage" to create an immortal army. Wolf, now a full fledged shinobi and Kuro's personal bodyguard, attempts to stop Genichiro but is defeated and his left arm is cut off. Wolf survives his wounds due to Kuro having given him the Dragon Heritage three years prior, and he awakes in an abandoned temple. In the temple, he meets the Sculptor, a former shinobi who now carves Buddha statues, and Wolf finds that his missing arm has been replaced with the Shinobi Prosthetic, a sophisticated artificial arm that can wield a variety of gadgets and weaponry.[3][8][9]
With the Shinobi Prosthetic, Wolf assaults Ashina Castle and confronts Genichiro again, defeating him, although the latter is able to escape by drinking the Rejuvinating waters, which is a replication of the dragons blood made by men. Despite having an opportunity to flee Ashina forever, Kuro instead decides to stay and perform the "Immortal Severance" ritual, which would remove his Dragon Heritage and prevent anybody else from fighting over him to obtain immortality. Wolf reluctantly agrees to help Kuro and sets out to the areas surrounding the castle to collect all of the necessary components of the ritual, including the Mortal Blade. When Wolf returns, he encounters Owl, who was previously thought to have been killed three years ago. Owl reveals that he also seeks the Dragon Heritage from Kuro, and orders Wolf to renounce his loyalty to Kuro.
Wolf is then presented with the option to follow Owl and betray Kuro, or to remain loyal to Kuro. If the player sides with Owl they are forced to fight Emma, a doctor in service to Isshin, and Isshin himself. Upon defeating them Wolf then stabs Owl in the back while Kuro in horror realizes Wolf has been corrupted by bloodlust and refers to Wolf as Shura. It is then stated that a demon roamed the lands for many years slaughtering many people.
If Kuro is chosen Wolf fights and kills Owl. He then uses the items he has gathered to enter Fountainhead Palace. Wolf then enters the Divine Realm, where they fight the Divine Dragon to obtain it's tears for Immortal Severance. Upon returning to Ashina Castle Wolf discovers that it has been attacked by the Interior Ministry and is informed by Emma that Kuro has fled through a secret escape passage. Wolf finds an injured Kuro and Genichiro, wielding a second Mortal Blade. Genichiro then challenges Wolf a final time. Upon his defeat he sacrifices himself to bring Isshin, who recently died from his illness, back to life at the height of his power. Although Isshin is on Wolf and Kuro's side he honors Genichiro's sacrifice and chooses to fight Wolf.
After defeating Isshin the player can obtain three endings depending on what is given to Kuro. The standard ending is "Immortal Severance." Wolf gives Kuro the dragon tears and severs his ties to the Divine Dragon. This process ends up killing Kuro, while Wolf becomes the next sculptor and ends his life as a shinobi. In the "Purification" ending Wolf manages to save Kuro at the cost of his own life. The final ending "Return" is obtained by helping the Divine Child of the Rejuvinating Waters complete a ritual to return the power of the Divine Dragon to its birthplace in the West. Kuro's body dies but his spirit is transferred into the Divine Child's heart. Wolf remains a shinobi and chooses to travel with the Divine Child on their westward journey.