Playthrough - 1

Game Start
Leave starting well and reach Kuro
Achivement: Revered Blade (Kusabimaru get) 1/34
Complete Tutorial (skip enemies, no reason to fight)
Die to Genichiro (no reason to attempt to fight)

True Game Start

Achievement: Shinobi Prostethic (From Sculptor) 2/34
Go through Ashina Outskirts
Pick up Shuriken Wheel (Tools 1/10)
Talk to Old Woman for Bell
Loot under house for Coin Purses
Get to sculptor’s idol before Chained Ogre
Optional Grinding Location - 1 (low yield)
Backtrack to Dilepated Temple
Enter Hirata Estates - Past using bell
Get to first Sculptor’s Idol past the bridge
Optional Grinding Location - 2 (low yield)
Run through Hirata Estates
Pick up Flame Vent (Tools 2/10)
Pick up Shinobi Axe (Tools 3/10)
Return to Ashina Outskirts
Grind or use coin purses for 400 sen
Purchase Robert’s Firecrackers from Memorial Mob (Tools 4/10)
Achievement: Memorial Mob 3/34
Return to Sculptor
Fit Shuriken, Flame Vent, Shinobi Axe, and Robert’s Firecrackers
Get Shinobi Arts Esoteric Text from Sculptor
Get Prosthetic Arts Esoteric Text from Sculptor
Return to 2nd Ashina Outskirts Idol
Fight General Naomiri Kawarada (use a stealth Deathblow from above first)
Gourd Seed 1/9
Prayer Bead 1/40
Likely to get KO’d here, whenever you do, revive
Achievement: Resurrection 4/34
Return to Emma for +1 Flask uses
Warp to Sculptor’s Idol before Chained Ogre
Kill enemies surrounding, aggro Ogre
Run back to de-aggro Ogre
Get a stealth Deathblow on Ogre
Kill with stab attacks and Flame Vent/Firecracker Spam - Avoid the grabs
Prayer Bead 2/40
Rest/Reset
Grapple onto roof, pick up Gourd Seed
Gourd Seed 2/9
Return to Emma for +1 Flask uses
Return to Stairway Sculptor’s Idol and Grapple up
Kill all lesser enemies in this area
Once done, head back to Ogre’s area to drop aggro on Tenzen
Stealth Deathblow on General Tenzen Yamauchi
Fight normally, abuse parries
Prayer Bead 3/40
Head down, and do Serpent Stealth Setpeice
Take Sculptor’s Idol
Fight First Boss Gyoubu Oniwa
Achievement: Gyoubu Oniwa 5/34
Take Sculptor’s Idol
Increase Attack Power
Head over wall, and kill “rats”
Return to Gyoubu Oniwa arena
Head to Tengu Man up the back stairs
Talk to him get Ashina Esoteric Text
(This is mandatory, do it now to save time, otherwise Isshin won’t show up post-Genichiro)
(Prioritize unlocking Ascending Carp, and Descending Carp from the Ashina Esoteric Text tree, as it will be fundamental moving forward)
Head up to top of this building for another Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead 4/40
Head to Battlefield Memorial Mob
Purchase Gourd Seed for 1000 Sen (Use Money Bags if you have them)
Gourd Seed 3/9
Increase Gourd Uses at Emma, and make 1st Prayer Necklace at Sculptor’s Idol.
Return to Battlefield Sculptor’s Idol
Head through level avoiding combat
Fight Bull
Prayer Bead 5/40
Unlock Ashina Castle Antechamber Sculptor’s Idol
Gourd Seed 4/9
Return to Emma and upgrade flask
Travel to Ashina Castle Antechamber
Jump out window and head down to Grave Sculptor’s Idol
Eavesdrop on Soldiers about Salt
Return to Merchant and complete questline (increased inventory)
Head down to Great Serpent Shrine Idol
Jump down to Sunken Valley Idol
Head right past enemies to get the Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead 6/40
Head left to pick up the Gourd Seed by tent
Gourd Seed 5/9
Head to Gunfort
Ignore Snake Eyes for now
Head to Gunfort Idol
Optional Grinding Location - 3 - Gunfort (moderate yield)
Grind here approximately 10 minutes (Pick up Ascending Carp and Descending Carp, as well as other favored skills like Suppress Presence) - Maybe Delay this until post-Rescue incase you die.
Return to Ashina Castle
Rescue Info Broker
Purchase Gourd Seed for 2000 Sen
Gourd Seed 6/9
Upgrade Flask (2x if missed the first one)
Cross Broken Bridge
Kill Soldier for Key to get Gyoubus Horn Building
Bypass Bell Soldier
Take Dungeon Idol
Head through dungeon to Senpou Temple
Climb Temple to Gourd Seed
Gourd Seed 7/9
Climb to next Idol
Collect Red and White and White Pinwheel and Bell Demon Idol
Fight Robert’s Dad (Armored Warrior)
Prayer Bead 7/40
OPTIONAL - Send Kotaro to the Merchant by giving him the Red and White Pinwheel, this expands his inventory to include infinite Ako’s Sugar (The only useful sugar for combat) and will allow you to get the Promissory Note for discounts later in the game. Not required or necessary by any means as its a small discount)
Take Idol
Head to top of Temple
Get Immortality Text from Priest
Head to back Cave, collect Senpou Esoteric Arts
Ashina Castle Antechamber Idol
Jump down and get Sabimaru (Tools 5/10)
Return to Antechamber
Hidden Wall Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead (8/40) - Upgrade Stats
Head to upper Dojo Idol
Fight Jinusuke Saze (wait for the flash, double parry)
Prayer Bead (9/40)
Return to Gunfort
Fight Centipede Giraffe (parry spam, jump and kick off during Red grab attacks)
Pick up Divine Abduction (Tools 6/10)
Prayer Bead (10/40)
Head down the cave, pick up hidden Prayer Bead at the end
Prayer Bead (11/40)
Return to Tutorial Area from Broken bridge
Take Idol
Clear out enemies using stealth or basic combat
Collect Gyoubu’s Horn (Tools 7/10)
Stealth to Seven Spears Shikibu Toshikatsu Yamauchi
Prayer Bead (12/40)
Return to Hirata Estates
Take out Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen (clear enemies, de-aggro, and stealth, mikiri him)
Prayer Bead (13/40)
Get Mist Raven (Tools 8/10)
Get the Key from Owl
Jump to cave, climb up to Hirata Estate Idol
Use accumulated Money to buy Iron Fortress and Anti-Air Deathblow (grind at Gunfort otherwise)
Iron Fortress (Tools 9/10)
Return to Hirata Estate Idol
Clear Enemies
Fight Juzou the Drunk
Prayer Bead (14/40)
Head to next Idol
Collect Hidden Prayer Bead behind wall
Prayer Bead (15/40)
Return to Ashina Castle
Fight General Kuranosuke Matsumoto (stealth DB and clear using firecrackers, or abuse stealth leashing to get a deathblow after clearing)
Prayer Bead (16/40) - Upgrade Stats
Fight Lady Butterfly
Achievement: Lady Butterfly 6/34
Increase Attack Power
Return to Hirata Castle Dojo Idol
Fight Genichiro from Dojo Idol
Achievement: Genichiro Ashina 7/34
Increase Attack Power
Talk to Kuro, Isshin, and Emma a lot (Make sure to talk to Kuro by the window or Isshin won’t be there)
Return form Isshin
Make sure the Library is Open
Collect Gunfort Shrine Key
Teleport to Senpou Temple
Enter Divine Realm
Kill Folding Screen Monkeys
(Immediately behind, kill invisible, then run to middle, and use bell to kill Green. Open door to put out flames, return, kill purple, chase down red)
Achievement: Folding Screen Monkeys 8/34
Increase Attack Power
Collect Mortal Blade (and some rice)
Head to Mibu via Reservoir Well
Kill Loneshadow Longswordsman (Use hole for free deathblow)
Prayer Bead (17/40)
Keep right, take idol, and jump down hole
Find second hole and take idol
Spiderman to get a free deathblow on Shirafuji
Pray you don’t get grabbed a bunch (jump back when you see the red flash)
Prayer Bead (18/40)
Head through new area, jump in tunnel and collect Prayer Bead from Buddha’s head
Prayer Bead (19/40)
Continue to Mist Area, take Idol
Return to pre-Gunfort Idol
Fight Snake Eyes Shirafuji (since you have experience)
Prayer Bead (20/40) - Increase Stats
Fight Tokujiro the Glutton (kill Monkeys, de-aggro for stealth deathblow)
Prayer Bead (21/40)
Kill Mist Noble, head down to Mibu Village
Take Mibu Village Sculptor’s Idol
Optional Grinding Location - 3 - Mibu Village (moderate yield)
Potential grinding for Memorial Mob Prayer Bead here, and Terror Gourd, also carp scales optional.
Prayer Bead (22/40)
Run through Mibu Village
Pick up Gourd Seed by White Tree
Gourd Seed (8/9)
Watermill Sculptor’s Idol
Fight O’rin of the Water for Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead (23/40)
Pick up Hidden Shrine Prayer Bead in Mibu
Prayer Bead (24/40) - Upgrade Stats
Fight Corrupt Monk
Achievement: Corrupt Monk 9/34
Collect the Rock and Mibu Water Breathing
Return to Mibu Village Idol
Collect Prayer Bead in Chest under the Lake (kill Carps)
Prayer Bead (25/40)
Collect Resin Upgrade Material
Return to Senpou Temple
Use Mibu Breathing for 2 Treasure Carp and Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead (26/40)
Continue through Senpou and Kill Centipede Sen’un
Prayer Bead (27/40)
Return to Gunfort Idol
Open Door
Drop down Rope Bridge
Sink to bottom to avoid getting killed by Snake
Kill Carps in here for scales if you want
Collect 1 directly before Idol
Continue through Buddha Valley
Fight Guardian Ape
Swim in lake to get the Precious Bait
Achievement: Guardian Ape 10/34
Increase Attack Power
Get Finger Whistle (Tools 10/10)
Pick up Flower (this will trigger phase 2 Ashina)
Return to Sculptor and put on final Prosthetic Tool
Achievement: All Prosthetic Tools
Warp to Abandoned Dungeon Idol
Jump into Moat
Collect Scale, and Kill Carp
Take Ashina Castle Idol by broken bridge
Climb back into the Ashina Castle Antechamber
Jump down and kill the Chained Ogre (1 Stealth DB, cheese behind the door to Sabimaru)
Prayer Bead (28/40) - Upgrade Stats
Shinobi Medicine Rank Up
Head to Dojo in Ashina Castle
Take out Vilehand using Puppeteer
Prayer Bead (29/40)
Optional Grinding Location - 4 - Ashina Castle Dojo (2nd) (moderate yield)
Return to Antechamber
Jump out window into moat
Unlock Grave Idol
Run to Great Serpent Shrine
Fight Masanaga (kill dogs with shuriken outside, stealth DB opportunity by sneaking around him)
Prayer Bead (30/40) - Upgrade Stats
Return to Poison Pool
Fight Guardian Ape (lmao 2 Ape)
Prayer Bead (31/40)
Prayer Bead (32/40)
Use Mortal Blade on corpse of Headless Guardian Ape
Achievement: Immortality Severed (Headless Ape)
Final Ninjutsu
Achievement: All Ninjutsu
Increase Attack Power
Return to Ashina Castle Dojo Idol
Remainder of Beads can only be gotten in Purification Ending Path
-2 Purification Hirata
-3 Fountainhead Palace
-3 Post Dragon Ashina Castle/Outskirts
Head to Ashina Castle Roof where you fought Genichiro
Protect Kuro (Betray leads to Shura path ending, Break the Iron Code: Stay loyal to Kuro)
Fight Owl
Increase Attack Power
Purification Ending Start
Exhaust Dialogue with Kuro and Emma
Eavesdrop on Kuro between each dialogue segment (hide behind paper wall)
Emma will eventually head back upstairs (for some reason)
Talk to Emma about Kuro, agree with her
She will move to the Old Grave
Travel to Old Grave Idol
Talk to her
She will move to Dilapidated Temple
Talk to her here
Sculptor will say the Temple is drafty
Head behind Temple to Eavesdrop
Return to Temple and talk to Emma
Ask her about what you overheard
Use the Bell at the Buddha Statue to enter Alternate Hirata Estate
Enter Hirata Estates - Alternate
Fight Spear-bearer Masanaga (Will call wolves, interupt with Spear, Shuriken, or a hit)
Prayer Bead (33/40)
Continue through Hirata Estates back to Hidden Temple
Take the idol
No need to fight, enemies wont follow you past a certain point
Fight Juzou (kill henchmen, run back to waters, isolate the minister, and then get a stealth deathblow)
Prayer Bead (34/40)
Take the Idol
Return to Mibu Village Wedding Cave
Use Incense to Enter the Palanquin
Take the Sculptor’s Idol
Fight Corrupted Monk (True)
(Use 2 Free Stealth Deathblows by jumping off the branches. Then lock down with Ash and Firecrackers and parries, divine confetti optional)
Get the ability to buy Divine Confetti at this point from Info Broker for 300 Sen. Strongly recommend buying lots of it with spare sen
Take the Sculptor’s Idol
Head through Fountainhead to next Sculptor’s Idol
Note: For the rest of fountainhead, The Sabimaru is your friend.
Optional Grinding Location - 5 - Mibu Manor (High Yield) EXP and Sen for Days, also Grave Wax, Fat Wax, Adamantite Scraps, and Magnetite Ore. (Adamantite Requires Level 2 Drops from Senpou Scoll, prioritize unlocking it now)
Grind if you want, otherwise continue to next Sculptor’s Idol past the bridge
Fight Sakura Bull for Prayer Bead
Prayer Bead (35/40)
Collect drops here
Head up Fountainhead to Great Sakura
Take the Idol
Take out Okami Leader (can AA deathblow, otherwise spam sabimaru)
Prayer Bead (36/40) - Upgrade Stats
Pillage Carp scales from around Fountainhead Lake (need at least 12, more preferred)
Get the Water of Fountainhead and give it to the guy in Mibu, return and kill for 5 scales
Get Precious Bait from under the building the woman is standing on (2 total for hand in (not required, 1 Precious Bait and 1 Truly Precious Bait will give you the 4 scales you can get from attendant)
Collect Carp Scales from around the Lake (Not required)
Head to Sculptor’s Idol
Optional Grinding Location - 6 - Red Nobles (Low-Moderate, drops fat wax)
-Not recommended, not high enough yield and fat wax is common elsewhere.
Collect Gourd Seed from this house
Give it to Emma for final Upgrade
Achievement - All Gourd Seeds
Get to Pot Noble’s Sculptor’s Idol
Get to Feeding Grounds
Feed Precious Bait x2 for scales
Buy Lapis Lazuli x2 using Carp Scales
Get Truly Precious Bait
Feed Truly Precious Bait
Talk to Attendant for Scales
Return to Pot Noble for Lapis Lazuli
Also buy Flowing Water skill
Return to Guardian Apes watering hole Idol
Find Great Carp dead
Achievement - Great Colored Carp
Return Whisker to Attendant (optional)
Return to Palace Grounds Idol
Head up the path
Defeat Divine Dragon
Upgrade Attack Power
Achievement - Gracious Gift of Tears
Ashina is Burning now, no more idols (again)
Talk to Emma in Kuros Room for the required Key
Take out Ashina Elite in Isshin’s Hidden Dojo
Prayer Bead (38/40)
Head back to Ashina Outskirts Wall to Grave Idol
Theres a new bridge back to Ashina Outskirts now
Skip Red Guard for now
Return to Merchant/1st Grinding Spot pre-Ogre Idol
If you sent Kotaro to Anayama the Peddler, talk to them on the OTHER side of where they usually are for the Promissory Note
Optional Farming Location - 7 - Red Gunners
Can get Yellow Gunpowder, Fulminated Mercury, and occasionally Adamantite Scrap from this location. (Requires Level 2 Senpou Text drops upgrade)
Take out Red Guard
Prayer Bead (39/40)
Return the Ashina Castle
Travel to Reservoir
Take the Idol
Take out Seven Ashina Spears
Prayer Bead (40/40)
Achievement Unlocked: All Prayer Beads
Finished all prayer beads
Return to Hirata Estates-Alternate
Fight Owl (Father)
Achievement Unlocked: Owl
Increase Attack Power
Kill Schinchimen for Finger Ring (mandatory for maxing upgrades achievement) in Guardian Apes Burrow (Use Lilac Umbrella, and Divine Confetti)
Fight Demon of Hatred (may want to unlock Malcontent Shinobi Tool, which gives 3 stuns, not overly worth it, but you have to build it anyways)
Get Lapis Lazuli x 2
Increase Attack Power
Achievement - Demon of Hatred
Return to the Hidden passage
Fight Sword Saint Isshin
Achievement - Sword Saint
Ending - Choose Everblossom
Achievement - Purification
Increase Attack Power

Miscellaneous End Game Roundups before moving on to NG+
Get to Feeding Grounds
Feed the Carp 1 Bait
Talk to Attendant for 1 Scale
Feed the Carp 2nd Bait
Talk to Attendant for 3 Scales
Feed Truly Precious Bait to Carp
Return to Guardian Ape’s Watering Hole
Collect Great Whisker
Achievement: Great Colored Carp
Free Attendant (optional)
Go to pot noble for another Lapis Lazuli (5 total)
Purchase Flowing Water Skill (5 scales)
Purchase Red Gourd (2 Scales)
Purchase Purple Gourd (1800 Sen from guy in Mibu)
Kill Schichimen in Fountain Head for Lapis Lazuli (need it for upgrades, by doing this you won’t have to fight Demon of Hatred again in NG+ for more Lapis Lazuli)
Kill Schichimen in Sunken Valley for Ceremonial Tanto (optional)
Kill All Headless for Sugars/Items (optional)

Playthrough - 2 - Shura
(This is where we start cutting out everything non-mandatory, all optional mini-bosses are no longer worth fighting as they only provide exp and heavy coin purses. Therefore, they arent worth the time, you’ll be swimming in Sen once we do the mandatory grinding for All the skills we need)
Complete Tutorial
Fight Genichiro: Lose (fight if you want, no difference)
Head through Ashina Outskirts
Fight Chained Ogre (stealth deathblow)
Run through to Snake Stealth Setpeice
Complete Snake Setpeice
Fight Gyoubu
Increase Attack Power (from now on, every attack power upgrade is only a marginal one, so feel free to skip non-mandatory bosses)
Kill Rats, talk to Tengu (cant skip this at all)
Fight Bull
(Strongly recommend at this point unlocking the Gunfort Idol and Mibu Village Idol as after you start killing bosses more phantom enemies spawn making traversal more difficult)
Fight Genichiro
Increase Attack Power
Run around for Mortal Blade info
Get Gunfort Key
Run to Senpou Temple
Kill Folding Screen Monkeys
Increase Attack Power
Head to Ashina Reservoir Well
Kill Vilehand
Jump down the hole
Fight Snake Eyes Shiranagi
Head through Mist Forest ignore everything
Kill Mist Noble
Drop through to Mibu
Buy 2 Scales (optional)
Fight Corrupt Monk (pocket sand and seeds)
Increase Attack Power
Pick up Stone
Head to Gunfort
Fight Centipede
Continue through Buddha Valley
Kill Guardian Ape
Increase Attack Power
Pick up Flower
Head back to Ashina Castle - Abandoned Dungeon
Collect Carp Scales in the Moaton the way
Head to Roof
Side with Owl (Obey the Iron Code, Forsake Kuro)
Fight Emma
Fight Isshin Ashina
Achievement - Isshin Ashina
Achievement Shura Ending
You’ll get One Mind Skill as well.
Start next playthrough immediately, nothing left for us to do here.

Playthrough - 3 - Return
(This is the most involved ending, and all grinding for materials, and upgrades should be done here at end game as you’ll be in NG++)
This is where we start cutting out everything non-mandatory, all optional mini-bosses are no longer worth fighting as they only provide minor exp and money and arent worth the time,. The first part of this is a 1-1 of the previous playthrough)
Complete Tutorial
Fight Genichiro: Lose (fight if you want, no difference)
Head through Ashina Outskirts
Increase Attack Power (Isshin Ashina Memory)
Fight Chained Ogre (stealth deathblow)
Run through to Snake Stealth Setpeice
Complete Snake Setpeice
Fight Gyoubu
Increase Attack Power (from now on, every attack power upgrade is only a marginal one, so feel free to skip non-mandatory bosses)
Kill Rats, talk to Tengu (cant skip this at all)
Fight Bull
Talk to Woman on the bridge to find out about Holy Child (speeds up the process, dont need to find the book in the water later)
Head up to Senpou Temple
Use Puppeteer on the Monk to fly the Kite
Head up through Senpou Temple
Use the kite to get across
Hit the Idol
Return to Senpou Temple Idol
Progress through the normal way now
Buy Persimmons from Memorial Mob behind Shugendo Idol
Collect White Pinwheel
Talk to the Monk at the top for the text (only works if you talked to the woman on the bridge after Bull)
Use Divine Abduction on Kotaro after giving him the White Pinwheel
Return to Ashina Castle
(Strongly recommend at this point unlocking the Gunfort Idol and Mibu Village Idol as after you start killing bosses more phantom enemies spawn making traversal more difficult)
Fight Genichiro
Increase Attack Power
Run around for Mortal Blade info
Get Gunfort Key
Warp back to Senpou Temple
Talk to Taro in Hall of Illusion
Get Taro Persimmon
Kill Folding Screen Monkeys
Increase Attack Power
Get Mortal Blade from Divine Child
Give her the text from the Monk
Collect Rice, Eat Rice.
Travel to Dilapidated Temple Idol using Buddha Statue
Ask for more Rice, Eat it.
Repeat until she’s sick
Give her a Persimmon, or Taro Persimmon (1 taro should be enough, otherwise 2 regular ones)
May have to rezone, but she should be better
Get Rice for Kuro, give it to him in his room
Eat Kuro’s Rice Ball in front of him
Reset the Area
Head to hall of illusion talk to her again
Head to back of cave behind Senpou Temple
Collect the Book from the blue monk
Return to Divine Child
Need to get two snake hearts here now.
Head to Ashina Reservoir Well
Kill Vilehand
Jump down the hole
Fight Snake Eyes Shiranagi
At Sculptor’s Idol return to Divine Child
Head through Mist Forest ignore everything
Kill Mist Noble
Drop through to Mibu
Buy 2 Scales in Mibu (optional)
Fight Corrupt Monk
Increase Attack Power
Pick up Stone
Head to Gunfort
Fight Centipede
Unlock door, trigger Snake (Required for him to be killable)
Take Idol
Warp to Idol behind Kite
Kill Snake by Stealth DB using Mortal Blade
Should get the achievement for All Bosses here as well
Achievement - Great Serpent
Achievement - All Bosses
Sneak past Snake to get the Old Heart in the Buddha Valley
Give Divine Child the hearts
Rest, door should be closed, and eavesdrop
Continue through Buddha Valley
Kill Guardian Ape
Increase Attack Power
Pick up Flower
Head back to Ashina Castle - Abandoned Dungeon
Collect Carp Scales in the Moat
Head to Roof
Break the Iron Code, Protect Kuro
Kill Owl
Increase Attack Power
Create the fountainhead essence
Return to divine child
Collect the Frozen Dragon Tears - Required for ending
Head to Fountainhead Palace
Run through, pick up Palace Water
Return to Mibu, do Fountainhead Water Quest for 5 carp scales
Run to Okami Leader
Kill Her
Head to upper Fountainhead
Pick up Carp Scales
Make sure to collect Carp Scales
Make sure to Kill Shichimen in Fountainhead for Lapis Lazuli
Get Lapis Lazuli x 2 from Pot Noble
Use Truly Precious Bait on Great Colored Carp
Collect 10th Lapis Lazuli from the Pot Noble
(If you skipped a Schichimen Warrior in Fountainhead, you’ll need to fight Demon of Hatred again, OR do another playthrough and buy the rest using Carp Scales, your call)
Fight Divine Dragon
Increase Attack Power
Head towards Demon of Hatred, take the Ashina Outskirts Stairs Idol
Grind like a madman to get all the upgrade materials and final skills
Took me roughly 3-4 hours of grinding here, I was well above the required materials at this point.
Achievement Unlocked - Lazulite Upgrade 30/34
Achievement Unlocked - All Prosthetic Upgrades 31/34
Achievement Unlocked - All Skills 32/34
Optional Step - Back up Save before Sword Saint, this will allow you to bypass a fourth playthrough, if you don’t want to glitch it, you can just do a fourth playthrough)
Kill Sword Saint
Increase Attack Power
Give Kuro the Cold Dragon Tears
Return Ending
Achievement: Return Ending

Playthrough - 4 - Immortal Severance
Exactly the same as Return, just remove the grinding and questline,
Just go through the game as fast as possible. Additionally, if you backed up your very first playthroughs Save, that will be the easiest way to beat Sword Saint, your call.

If you REALLY want, you can grind 5k and do the carp scales again to get the Dragon Mask for extra scaling, but it’s not worth the time or effort. Unless you’re going to continue this playthrough
Defeat Sword Saint, unlock final Ending
Achievement Unlocked - Immortal Severance 33/34
Achievement Unlocked - Sekiro 34/34
Finished