Azuchi (Level 16)

Though defeated at Yamazaki, Mitsuhide Akechi remains powerful, turning Azuchi Castle into a nest of Demons. The castle will stage the final battle!

## Level Introduction

Mitsuhide has transformed Azuchi Castle, Nobunaga Oda’s former stronghold, into a macabre nest of Demons. In the midst of this land enveloped in evil, he who would control the Demons and those who would stop him are about to clash in the ultimate climax…

## Walkthrough

**First task:** Smash the gate and get into the Castle's keep!

This will take some planning to reduce ally casualties. The first thing to do is open your pillar menu and select the "Stop" function. Do not activate the lead command yet. As you walk up the first slope towards the Demons attacking your front line, you will notice a wall on your left. Place multiple fire pillars along this wall, they will begin firing at a blood crystal above your location, saving you time later. When you reach the Demons at the top of the slope, dispatch them and build multiple life pillars for your soldiers to gather at. Some of your soldiers will independently start attacking the castle gate to your left. While they are doing so, gather the smallest unit possible using the lead command and bring them north. There will be a gate straight ahead and one to the left. You will need to place fire pillars at the base of the wall, close to the left gate, and have your small unit build them. These will target the left gate but after that falls, they will begin targeting a blood crystal above.

Disable the lead function and start building fire pillars back at the first gate you encountered. When this falls, destroy the close Demons in this area and lead a unit to finish the blood crystal you encounter. After this, cancel the lead function and build life pillars around the troops that have entered this area. This should stop them advancing any further. Using Inugami only, continue ahead and defeat the group of Demons further north. You will see a slope leading down to a blood crystal and more Demons. Proceed down and take down the Demons. As you do so, Aoi will say that the area is guarded by a strong evil aura and the third task will start. Complete it using Inugami before proceeding further.

After the third task is over, defeat any Demons left, ignoring the ones spawned by the blood crystal itself. Head back and lead a unit or two to the blood crystal, ensuring you keep to the left at all times to avoid the troops other gates along the way. Once the blood crystal shatters, ensure all the troops under your lead command have gathered, then build multiple life pillars amongst them before disabling the lead command. This should stop them wandering toward a gate without your intention.

The next step is to lead a small unit against the gate east of the location you just fought at. The gate will have a group of Demons behind it so before it falls, ensure there are a lot of pillars present and cancel the lead command again. Defeat the Demons in the newly opened area.

Now you need to return to where you first started. Gathering a small unit with the lead function, take them up to the gate that was directly north of your starting position. Build more fire pillars and have them take down this gate, cancelling the lead command before it falls. Once it's down, kill the Demons inside. If the blood crystal within is still standing, lead your troops in and destroy it, but do not let them near any other gates. Advance with Inugami and take out the Demons surrounding another blood crystal at the top of a slope. Then head back and lead your unit to the east gate that you will have just walked past. When this gate falls, two Giant Demons will appear and the second task will begin. Defeat them to complete it.

Once this is done, lead your single unit up to the higher blood crystal and have them destroy it. By this point there should be no Demons remaining on the map. Now, gather up your entire army and head for the gate marked by the crossed swords on the mini-map. Plant some fire pillars and take it down.

**Second task:** Kill the two Giant Demons!

One Giant Demon will appear behind you, and one on the opposite side of the gate you just destroyed (this is why you only led one unit here). Luckily, if you've followed the guide so far, you will have multiple fire pillars to keep the one behind you busy. Focus on taking out the one beyond the gate and the surrounding Demons, then turn back to dispatch the other.

**Third task:** Survive against the waves of Demons!

If you have followed the guide so far, your allies will be well out of range of the Demons that will now spawn. All you will need to do is have Inugami survive for three minutes against the spawning enemies in this area. At the 90s mark, you will need to take down a Giant Demon. If you have difficulty taking down the Cavalry Demons with your current weapon, stand nearer to the spawn point for the Centisoldiers.

**Fourth task:** Smash the Blood Crystals to clear the perimeter!

Clear the immediate area and quickly have your troops build fire pillars close to the two blood crystals. Also build some bow pillars on the periphery to help keep back the Demons. Protect your troops while they set to work destroying the crystals. Once the crystals are destroyed this task is complete.

**Fifth task:** Advance into Azuchi Castle!

Walk into the castle entrance.

**Sixth task:** Use a life pillar to weaken Mitsuhide's barrier!

Immediately gain the lead function over your army. Destroy the blood crystal just west of your starting position to reduce the Demon numbers. This will contribute towards the eighth task. Then go further west and place a life pillar on top of the small raised area indicated by a green arrow on the mini-map. As soon as this is built, rush east towards the southeast green arrow and kill the Demons there. Have your troops destroy the blood crystal at this location and place a life pillar at the top of this raised area as you did just now.

Heading north from this point will spawn two Giant Demons (starting the ninth task), one of which is behind you in the southeast corner. Defeat it, and then lead your troops north towards the northeast green arrow. On the way you will come across another large blood crystal. Have your men destroy it while you hold back the lesser Demons. Then place the life pillar at the target location.

Move northwest to encounter another blood crystal and another placement point for a life pillar. Repeat the same process as before.

Now, rush ahead with Inugami and defeat the Giant Demon. Doing so will spawn two more Giant Demons but for now, lead your men to the northwest blood crystal you will have just passed and have them attack it. Once it is being attacked head to the centre-north of the map and kill the Giant Demon there. Then head to the centre-south and do the same. This will complete the ninth task.

Head back to the northwest corner and place the life pillar in the indicated place. Before you place the final life pillar in the centre of the map, cancel the lead function. Your troops should make their way to the map edges. This should reduce the casualties made by Mitsuhide. Placing the final pillar will make Mitsuhide vulnerable to attack and begin the seventh task.

**Seventh task:** Defeat the Demon Mitsuhide!

Once Mitsuhide is vulnerable to harm, stick to his rear limbs and use your most powerful attacks to whittle down his health. Use your infantry to build pillars if you get low of Spirit Energy, or alternatively hit existing pillars. Once he is defeated the level will end.

**Eighth task:** Smash Blood crystals and reduce Demon numbers!

Destroy all blood crystals in the area, the method to do this is described above in the sixth task.

**Ninth task:** Kill all the Giant Demons!

Giant Demons will first appear in the southeast and northwest corners of the map. After these are defeated two more will appear at centre-north and centre-south locations. Defeating all four will complete the task.

## Plot

Standing before Azuchi Castle, Aoi senses a powerful aura of evil, concluding that all the Demons in the land are gathered there. Together with Inugami, she prepares to carry out her final duty.

Aoi and Inugami lead Hideyoshi and his army in the siege on the castle, destroying the castle gates as they advance. They are stopped at every turn by waves of Demons that spawn from the blood crystals littering the castle grounds. Eventually, they come to the castle entrance, which has been sealed by the power of multiple blood crystals. Inugami fights tirelessly to defend the ally infantry while they dispose of these blood crystals, until they are finally shattered and the seal fades.

Entering the castle, Aoi, Inugami and Hideyoshi’s soldiers are faced with a horrifying sight. Mitsuhide has been transformed into a giant, grotesque Demon and stands amongst a constantly spawning army of lesser Demons. Aoi senses an immense aura of evil that protects Mitsuhide from harm, and instructs the use of sacred pillars to break it. Fighting through the Demon hordes, Inugami and Hideyoshi’s men erect pillars in key locations, breaking the barrier that protects Mitsuhide.

Even with the barrier destroyed, Hideyoshi’s army are powerless to harm Mitsuhide’s demonic form. Inugami alone takes on the task of fighting the monster, repeatedly attacking in a frenzy until finally it succumbs to its wounds.
Returned to human form, a fatally wounded Mitsuhide reflects that with his death, the Demons have all been cleansed from the realm of man, but states that as long as the conflicts of man persist, the Demons will likely gain a foothold in the mortal realm once more. Aoi tells him that if that were to happen, she would repeat her duty again, as many times as necessary. Mitsuhide responds that if he had known she possessed such determination he would not have fought her. He wishes that the chaos will find its end before passing away, and is consumed by flames.

At long last, Aoi returns to the Shrine of Suwamyojin, her duty having been fulfilled. When Suwamyojin once again appears before her, Aoi asks whether the wars of men will cause the return of the Demons. He replies that he is unable to see the future, and that the wars of men can only be stopped by men themselves. Recognising that Aoi’s task is complete, Suwamyojin restores her mortality before he and Inugami vanish from the human realm. At the temple entrance, Aoi surmises that she has probably not seen the last of the Demons.

## True History

In the summer of 1582, just after Nobunaga's death at Honnō-Ji, Azuchi Castle was attacked by the forces of Akechi Mitsuhide, Nobunaga's betrayer. The castle was set aflame, though some accounts claim this might have been the work of looting townspeople, or of one of Nobunaga's sons. Mitsuhide, therefore, never managed to occupy the castle.