I followed blue hydrangeas to a small island, swimming across deep water when Nobu refused to cross. I found a map revealing Hiyoshi Mountain, but the masked monk warned me to leave the bow alone. Afterwards, I tracked the mountain path, wiping out a patrol of Mongols along the way.
I pressed forward on my journey, keeping my eyes fixed on the vibrant blue hydrangeas scattering the terrain. Following the trail of petals felt like the only clear way to reach the island and uncover the secrets of Uchitsune's legendary weapon.
As I reached the shore, I spotted the island blanketed in the same brilliant blue flowers, matching the details drawn on my map. Castle Kaneda was still visible off in the distance.
I tried to ride Nobu straight into the water, but my horse refused to cross. The water was far too deep for him to carry me through. I did not mind swimming across, knowing a legendary weapon might be waiting on the other side.
Leaving Nobu behind on the shore, I plunged into the water and swam toward the island, passing a few crabs along the muddy bank as I hauled myself onto land.
I explored deeper into a cave until I discovered another map resting inside. It depicted a mountain surrounded by blue flowers, giving me a clear hint that the bow was hidden near Hiyoshi Mountain. I just found another vital clue, though the weapon itself was nowhere to be seen.
As I turned to leave the island, the masked monk appeared out of nowhere. He issued another sharp warning. He urged me to give up the search and leave the bow alone, calling this my final chance before walking away.
I swam back to the shore, where a strange thing happened. Nobu had refused to carry me across the deep water earlier, but the moment I whistled from the opposite bank, he somehow managed to find his way over to my side. It was a bit weird and funny, but I was glad to have him back.
I wondered why he left these maps scattered across the region instead of destroying them if he truly wanted to hide the bow. He could have hidden or taken the maps himself, yet he left them out for anyone to find.
As we rode along the winding path, I spotted a parade of Mongols marching through the countryside. I could not just let them pass by freely. I urged Nobu into a full gallop, charged straight into the middle of their group, and leaped off his back to land a heavy strike on one of them.
The surrounding enemies quickly reacted. An archer began taking shots at me from a distance, creating a huge nuisance while I fought off the melee soldiers. I pushed past the guards, closed the distance, and ran my blade through the archer to eliminate the threat.
Turning back to the rest, I parried two swordmen with precise timing and brought them down. A few remaining Mongols tried to flee down the path, but I chased them down before they could escape.
After making sure every single invader was dead, I caught my breath and prepared to continue my search up the mountain. Though I ended suffering of two Mongols who were clinging to life.
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