Corrupted Monk

The **Corrupted Monk** (破戒僧, Depraved Monk) is a mandatory Boss with one Deathblow counter.

She's an illusion that guards the entrance of the Wedding Cave Door, where the Shelter Stone is enshrined.

## Behaviour and tactics

* **Perilous Sweep Combo**: a *Perilous Sweep* followed by a spinning hook.
* **Perilous Sweep Follow-up**: a quick cleave, then followed by a slow started *Perilous Sweep*.
* **Perilous Sweep Retreat**: a quick hook followed by two *Perilous Sweeps* backwards.
* **Perilous Thrust**: thrusts with her blade.
* **Six-Hit Combo**: cleaves for a maximum of five times and may end early at any given time with a *Perilous Thrust*. The Monk telegraphs this by raising her blade above her head before the first hit.
* **Three-Hit Combo**: cleaves two times and ends with a *Perilous Sweep*.
* **Chase**: readies her blade and put her left hand forward, strutting towards Wolf then does a quick upward hook. She may follow up with *Helm Splitter.*
* **Helm Splitter**: leaps into the air with her body spinning means an overhead smash, while sitting up straight means a cleave is imminent.
* **Overpowering Shove**: during a combo, she may shove with both hand then ends with a powerful guard-breaking cleave.
* **Retreat**: cleaves in front while jumping back for a long distance.
* **Whirlwind**: enacts a stance then spins her blade for four times and one last spin with extended range..

As an illusion, she's vulnerable to Snap Seeds which will deplete a large portion of her Vitality bar and damage her Posture too, staggering her in the process. Only three will have effect on her though.

Just like against the Long-arm Centipedes, the stagger caused by Firecrackers and Fistfuls of Ash has no cooldown on her. Since she'll block most of the attacks thrown at her, both the Divine Abduction and the Mist Raven can be employed to expose her back.

Due to how quick her Posture regenerates at the beginning of the battle, it's best to first focus on reducing her Vitality.

As she fades in, there's enough time to land two charged attacks on her.

It's vital not to get greedy and always wait for a combo to end to counter-attack and only with no more than a couple of hits. Performing a Mikiri Counter on her *Perilous Thrust* attack creates the safest opening for any offensive.

She'll always start the fight with her *Whirlwind* move and, if interrupted, she'll try to create some space to launch her combo.

Since she doesn't use her *Perilous Sweep* at the end of her combos if the preceding attacks aren't deflected, it's easy to use hit-and-run tactics on this Boss. The *Helm Splitter* move in particular can be abused, as it's her only mean to close any distance, and can be completely avoided by simply running behind her coming from the left.

It's recommended to only land one hit after jump-kicking one of her *Perilous Sweeps*, as she'll often counter it with her *Retreat* move, which can't be interrupted.

Using a regular deflection instead of a Mikiri Counter can prove useful as it'll push the Monk to follow its combo with another immediately, preventing her from regenerating her Posture while also exposing her to more Posture damage.

It's best not to jump-kick her *Perilous Sweep Retreat*, unless she has her back to a wall, since the second sweep can hit Wolf while he's landing.

It's possible to stunlock this Boss to death: after using the Ceremonial Tanto for more Spirit Emblems, consume a Yashariku's Sugar and buff the katana with Divine Confetti and, as soon as the boss appears, throw Firecrackers at her, land two hits, then throw Firecrackers again. Rinse and repeat. Fistfuls of Ash can be employed as a substitute or an addition to Firecrackers. Furthermore, Snap Seeds can also be used at the start, since their stun leaves enough time to land two swings, but once the third is used, after suffering one attack, the Monk will always use her *Retreat* move, so one must be ready to catch up to her.

## Notes

* Immune to Poison.
* Retrieving the Mortal Blade, the Lotus of the Palace and the Shelter Stone triggers the next stage of game progression, causing some of the Mini-Bosses in Ashina Castle to be replaced by others as part of the invasion of the Central Forces.
* It's possible to perform a stealth Deathblow on this Boss by pushing her back as soon as shows up with Firecrackers and Fistfuls of Ash and use the stone next to where the Sculptor's Idol will appear to lunge on her back.