Sekiro boss guide: Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen

The Hirata Estate region of Sekiro is rich with information, new tools, and enemies. Among the bandits, there is a mini-boss: Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen. He can be impossible to fight if you’re not prepared, but a little work and strategy will make this a quick fight.

This guide will tell you what you need to do before you fight, how to clear out the other enemies around him, and finally how to defeat him quickly.

Before the fight

There are two things you’ll need before the fight: the Mikiri Counter Shinobi Art and the Loaded Axe. You don’t technically need the axe for the fight itself, but it makes getting there immensely easier.

Shinobi Axe of the Monkey

Start at the Hirata Estate > Estate Path Sculptor’s Idol. For this section, we’re going to be referring to uphill (away from the river) as forward or ahead.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

From the Idol, hug the wall ahead of you and peek out. Handle the torch-wielding bandit and his three friends. At the far end of the path, drop through the broken wall on your right. There are a lot of enemies in this area, so take your time and handle them one by one.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

At the rightmost side of the area — farthest from the main path — you’ll find a gate to grapple over. There’s a new section on the other side with several more enemies and a few guard dogs. Handle them however you want to, but watch out for the archer on the rooftop — he’ll spot you and make sneaking difficult unless you deal with him early.

This area is where you’ll pick up the Flame Barrel, a Shinobi Prosthetic tool that we recommend having for the Chained Ogre boss fight.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

When you’re done clearing enemies and picking up loot, head to the bonfire end of the area. You’ll find a path that leads up and to the left, back to the main road. Take a left when you get back to the road. There’s an open gate on your left that you can grapple to the top of. Eavesdrop on the two bandits there, then take them out. Loot everything else in the area, then head to the small shrine they were guarding. Open it up and retrieve the Shinobi Axe of the Monkey.

Head back to the main road and turn left — downhill. Open the gate you find. This is a shortcut back toward the Estate Path Sculptor’s Idol. Visit the Idol and travel to the Dilapidated Shrine.

Mikiri Counter Shinobi Martial Art and Loaded Axe Prosthetic Arm Tool

Back at the Shrine, visit the Sculptor. The first thing he’ll give you is the Shinobi Esoteric Text. This allows you to start learning skills when you visit Sculptor’s Idols. While you’re here, give him your new axe and turn it into the Loaded Axe Prosthetic Arm Tool. This gives you a heavy attack specifically designed to “turn a wooden shield into splinters.” This will be important in a minute.

Once you’re done, equip the Loaded Axe into your Prosthetic and head to the Idol. You’ll have the new Acquire Skills option in the Idol menu. For this fight, buy the Mikiri Counter Shinobi Martial Arts Skill for one Skill Point. (If you don’t have the point, go find some low level grunts to grind until you do.) This skill is a counter to thrust attacks that also deals Posture Damage to your enemies — like, say, a spear-wielding Shinobi Hunter.

Now we’re ready for the fight.

Approaching the Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen boss fight

Start at the Hirata Estate > Estate Path Sculptor’s Idol again. Look straight above you to find a grapple point to the roof of the tower. From the roof, drop to the ground to the left of the wall. Head all the way to the other end, then climb the wall on your right.

Drop onto the main path and duck through the gate to your left — this is the gate that you opened just a minute ago. Continue up the path until you can grapple onto the roofs on your right. Run along the narrow roof until you can grapple across to the left — it’ll be just about even with the two bandits you can eavesdrop on. Continue along the roofs to the bottom of the stairs, but don’t jump down yet.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

Wait for the torch-wielding bandit to turn around, and head back up the stairs. Drop onto the stairs and kill him with a Stealth Deathblow. The two bandits with shields will notice you, but that’s fine.

Now, make sure your new Loaded Axe is equipped and target one of the shield guards. Approach him and hit him with your axe, then follow it up with an attack. The axe with shatter both the wooden shield and his Posture, and your attack will deal a Deathblow. Repeat this on the other shield-guard.

You can see the entire approach below, including killing these three bandits.

Continue past them to the bridge.

Clear the enemies around Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen

There are four other bandits in the arena where you’ll fight Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen. He’s a lot to handle by himself, and nearly impossible if he’s got backup, so let’s handle them first.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

From the bridge, grapple to the branch above you, then grapple to the roof of the tower on the left. Step off the roof and drop into the bushes, then immediately crouch.

Turn to your right and you should be parallel to a torch-wielding bandit. Target him, then choose a Ceramic Shard out of your inventory. This will get his attention, but he won’t spot you. Take a few steps to the left — staying crouched and in the bushes — until he enters the bushes. Sneak around behind him and give him a Stealth Deathblow.

Continue forward through the bushes. When you reach the stone lantern, there’s an archer bandit, but don’t attack yet. You’re going to see Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen wandering around (or at least spot the head of his spear as he walks). Wait for him to wander off (if you’re patient, he’ll cross to the other side of the arena), and then hit the archer with another Stealth Deathblow.

FromSoftware/Activision via Polygon

The other two bandits are on the right side. You may have drawn the attention of one when you took out the archer — that’s fine, just draw him back toward the bridge and out of sight of the Shinobi Hunter before you fight him.

If you didn’t get his attention, head back to the bridge anyway. Use the bushes on the right side to move forward, then grapple up to the tree on the right. Use the bushes along the right wall to take out one, then the other bandit.

Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen boss fight

If all has gone well, you’re left with only Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen to fight, and he hasn’t spotted you yet. Head back to the bridge at the start of the area. Return to the bushes along the left side and crouch. Get close to him, then wait until you can pop out and deal a Stealth Deathblow. That will remove half of his health.

For the remainder of the fight, focus on using your new skill, the Mikiri Counter. Eshin has a couple swinging attacks you can block without worrying too much, but what you’re watching for is his Perilous Attack — a thrust of his spear. You’ll get a glowing, red kanji when he’s about to launch this attack, and that’s your cue.

Block, and just as he starts his windup, press Dodge. Try not to hold left or right on the left thumbstick while you do this, or you might dodge out of the way instead of Mikiri Counter-ing. Pressing forward — toward Eshin — seems to help us with our timing, but it’s not, technically, necessary. If you feel like it, follow the Counter with a quick attack like we did above.

And that’s the only thing you have to do. Block his attacks and wait for a chance to Mikiri Counter. With a little practice, you’ll be able to Counter his attacks reliably. It only took us three Mikiri Counters to break his Posture and deal the second Deathblow.

Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen rewards

Once you’ve defeated him, you’ll receive a Prayer Bead — and you can turn four of these into a Prayer Necklace that increases your maximum Vitality and Posture.