The Black Narwhal, Pacific Ocean

Close Range Abilities: Electric Field, Flamethrower, Missiles

Long Range Abilities: Missiles

Strategy: Two Steel Spiders attack as soon as Hayabusa lands. Quickly slide to escape their initial attack.

The goal here is to focus on one Steel Spider at a time. Turn the first Steel Spider around so that its vulnerable legs (all of the legs except the front two) are facing away from the other Steel Spider.

Each leg has three layers of shielding. Cut down each leg until only the final layer of shielding remains.

This means that each leg is only a few slashes shy of being destroyed. Slide from leg to leg between each attack to avoid missiles and machine gun fire.

At this point, start destroying legs. When one leg is destroyed, the Steel Spider generates an electric field when Hayabusa is close.

However, with only one attack needed to destroy each leg, it is now possible to take out all of them in succession before the Steel Spider can generate the electrical field. When all of the Steel Spider’s vulnerable legs are destroyed, the back panel opens.

Quickly move up the ramp and destroy the glowing orange section to finish off the Steel Spider. With one Steel Spider down, use the same strategy on the next one.

Close Range Abilities: Electric Pound (right hand), Mecha Jab (right hand)

Long Range Abilities: Flamethrower (left hand), Missiles

Strategy: Quickly slide to the right and toward the Chairman’s mech to avoid the initial Flamethrower attack.

During phase one, the left hand of the mech shoots flames, while the right hand creates an electrical field when it slams to the ground. Missiles also fire from the mech’s back, but if Hayabusa stays close to the mech, they do not pose a threat.

When the battle begins ...

... Slide to the right and toward the mech to avoid the Flamethrower.

Stay as close as possible, and attack the hand that shoots flames. When the mech tries to back away, quickly slide toward it to keep Hayabusa under its legs and on the side of the mech’s active hand (right side if he’s using the Electric Pound, left side if he’s using the Flamethrower). When he reels back, slide over and attack the hand on the ground.

Stay just behind and slightly to the right of the mech’s right foot ...

... then slide in and attack when the arm is stationary on the ground.

When the right hand is pounding the ground, generating electrical fields, stay just behind and slightly to the right of the mech’s right foot. This puts Hayabusa outside of the Electric Pound attack range, but close enough to reach the hand in one or two slides.

The mech’s right hand slams the ground several times consecutively, generating a small electrical field each time.

Wait until the hand is stationary on the ground, then quickly slide in and attack. The left hand creates a large flame that sweeps across the screen from left to right (when facing the Chairman in the line of fire). As long as Hayabusa is behind it, there’s no danger to him.

Stay behind the left hand when the Flamethrower is active ...

... to avoid the attack completely.

Attack both arms until prompted to finish them off by pressing Strong Attack ( or ) rapidly. The mech stumbles back, then opens its mouth.

Hold Block ( or ) and press Up on the Left Analog Stick when prompted. At this point, the mech transforms into phase two.

Close Range Abilities: Multi-Laser

Long Range Abilities: Missiles, Bombs, Multi-Laser

Strategy: Phase two is essentially a vehicle mode. The mech starts by lifting into the air and dropping bombs near Hayabusa. Orange circles on the ground indicate where the bombs will fall.

Avoid these circles to ensure that Hayabusa does not get hit. As the mech flies back and forth across the screen, it launches missiles at Hayabusa. Treat this like the helicopter battles from previous levels. Wait until the missiles get close to Hayabusa, then slide back and forth quickly to avoid them.

Between missile barrages, shoot as many standing arrows as possible (generally this will be anywhere between two and four arrows). After the mech flies overhead, watch out for more bombs, then stay on the ground and shoot a flurry of arrows until the missile barrage resumes.

The orange circles on the ground ...

... indicate where the bombs will land.

Occasionally, the mech stops and opens its mouth. If Hayabusa happens to be directly below the mech when this happens, remain stationary. If not, watch the mech’s mouth for the trajectory of the blue lasers.

Do not slide to avoid the laser. There isn’t enough room between lasers to slide. Instead, walk right or left to make sure Hayabusa is between the lasers. With every blast, the lasers move slightly.

Hayabusa must walk slightly to the right or left (walk the same direction each time) between each spread of lasers.

When enough damage is inflicted, the mech crashes back to the ground and shifts into a tank-like vehicle.

Stay in the middle of the area and shoot grounded arrows at the mech until it aligns with Hayabusa (this happens just before it starts moving).

Walk to the right or left, then as soon as it starts moving, slide the same direction Hayabusa was walking to evade the mech.

The mech moves very fast and will run over Hayabusa if you rely strictly on slides to maneuver. Continue to attack the mech with arrows and dodge its charge until both front wheels are destroyed.

At this point, the mech charges up with its mouth open. Quickly move between the wheels (which are now horizontal) and slide under the mech’s belly.

Rapidly tap Strong Attack ( or ) when prompted to finish off the Chairman’s mech. If you do not get under the mech in time, stay away from it while the lasers are active. Wait for it to charge again, then slide under it.

Destroy the mech, then walk toward the Chairman until Hayabusa is close enough to attack and kill him.

Close Range Abilities: Two-Hit Combo, Three-Hit Combos, Five-Hit Combos, Six-Hit Combos, Unblockable Three-Grab Combo

Long Range Abilities: Two-Hit Charge Technique, Unblockable Jumping Grab, Projectile Attack

Strategy: This is the third time Hayabusa battles against the Regent of the Mask. The key to this battle is to react to the Regent of the Mask’s actions.

If Hayabusa takes the initiative, the Regent of the Mask uses one of many unblockable attacks which inflicts a great deal of damage.

The Regent of the Mask’s two-hit combo.

To properly react to the Regent of the Mask’s attacks, it is important to be able to recognize each attack combo.

The Regent of the Mask uses sword and kick combos that range from two hits to six hits, as well as an Unblockable Grab technique that can execute up to three times in a row.

He also has the ability to use an attack similar to Hayabusa’s Ultimate Technique, Wind Run (which transitions into an Unblockable Grab), and Dark Void Ninpo.

The Regent of the Mask’s three-hit combo.

The Regent of the Mask’s four-hit combo.

The Regent of the Mask’s five-hit combo.

The Regent of the Mask’s six-hit combo.

Remain stationary and block until the Regent of the Mask gets close to Hayabusa. Use the slide to evade his first attack, then wait to see which combo he’s using.

At the completion of each combo, use a Wind Run into Flying Swallow, Strong Attack combo or Quick Attack combo (depending on how close Hayabusa is to the Regent of the Mask).

Do not stay close to the Regent of the Mask after Hayabusa’s combo or he will use one of his unblockable attacks.

This is a difficult fight if you’re too aggressive, so continue this slow but effective battle strategy until Hayabusa clashes swords with the Regent of the Mask. When this happens, tap Quick Attack ( or ) rapidly when prompted to complete the battle and initiate another cinematic.

If the Regent of the Mask’s fist begins to glow red, he’s about to execute an Unblockable Grab combo.

Quickly slide away and wait to see how many times it’s used. If it’s only used once, Hayabusa can’t do much to counterattack because it’s too risky in the event the Regent of the Mask performs the attack multiple times.

There’s a slight delay between attacks, which is enough time to determine if another attack is coming or if the Regent of the Mask is shifting to a different attack pattern.

After the second attack, it’s usually safe to use a Wind Run into Flying Swallow, or a Strong Attack combo if Hayabusa is close enough.

When the Regent of the Mask pulls both arm back and to the right ...

... watch out for his projectile attack!

When the Regent of the Mask pulls both arms behind him and to his right side and begins to charge, the Projectile Attack is coming.

It looks similar to Hayabusa’s Dark Void Ninpo, but is easily evaded by sliding left or right.

If Hayabusa is close to the Regent of the Mask when this happens, use a Quick Attack combo to counter attack. If Hayabusa is not close, there isn’t much he can do to counterattack.

If the Regent of the Mask uses a Wind Run ...

.... an Unblockable Grab is coming.

The Regent of the Mask also uses a jumping attack that looks like Hayabusa’s Wind Run. If you see this, slide away to avoid it. The Wind Run transitions into an Unblockable Grab attack that cannot be interrupted by any of Hayabusa’s attacks.

If the Regent of the Mask lowers his stance ...

... get ready to dodge his Ultimate Technique.

If the Regent of the Mask knees into a lowers fighting stance, similar to Hayabusa’s Ultimate Technique stance, get ready to evade with a slide.

This is the Regent of the Mask’s altered Ultimate Technique. The attack executes very fast and is difficult to dodge if you’re not ready for it.

Slide to escape the first attack, then slide a second time immediately after. The Regent of the Mask uses a second attack immediately following the first Ultimate Technique.