Unlike some of the other bosses in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Byakue is one you’ll fight multiple times. I wouldn’t really think of him as a character you’re defeating once and moving on from. Instead, think of him more like a greater Genma.
The first time you fight him, he definitely feels like a boss, but each time after that, he’ll start to feel more and more like a mini-boss. That is, until you fight the “Enhanced” version, which is essentially just a Byakue that starts in his second form.
Byakue - Hundred Defilements Boss Guide in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
The first time you fight Byakue, I recommend taking your time. Be patient and learn his movements. Like I said, you’ll be fighting him again—around eight times, if I recall correctly. So, if you take your time during this first fight and really learn how he moves and attacks, you should have no problem dealing with him in the future.
The biggest thing to pay attention to with Byakue is the different types of charges he uses.
He has one charge where he drops his shoulder and rushes directly at you. You should Reflex Dodge this charge, then prepare for him to leap into the air and bring down an overhead attack. That follow-up can be fairly easy to parry once you learn the timing.
He also has a charge where he drags his axe along the ground. For this one, I recommend preparing to parry. Reflex Dodging the attack is possible, but the dodge timing feels a little odd compared to the parry timing.
Lastly, he has a charge where he squares his shoulders toward you and sort of hops in your direction. This one is a little more unpredictable. He may attack you immediately, or he may leap into the air and attempt to slam you into the ground. I recommend preparing to parry here, as I found the timing a little easier to adjust to than trying to dodge.
If you manage to completely deplete his stamina, I recommend targeting his head for the extra damage. Releasing the souls from his axe is a good option if you need to heal, but if you’re doing okay on health, it’s better to take advantage of the opportunity and deal as much damage as possible.
Byakue also has an attack where he raises his axe overhead before slamming it forward, causing some slight AOE damage. You’ll know he’s preparing this attack because he’ll hold the axe back for a noticeable amount of time before swinging.
I recommend dodging this attack. It can be parried, but getting hit by it will temporarily stun you and leave you open to another attack. Dodging is simply easier and safer. However, if you figure out the parry timing, then by all means, go for it.
If you keep your distance and force Byakue to come to you during that first fight, you should have no problem fighting him again in the future. Each time I fought him after the first encounter, I became more and more aggressive, and eventually the fights just became routine.
At that point, every time he showed up, my reaction was basically, “Oh, well, I guess it’s time to whoop on another Byakue.”
After defeating Byakue, you’ll close another rift, and once you reach the Dharma Hall, you’ll eventually fight Ifuu. That boss fight was actually a ton of fun and was the encounter that really made me fall in love with the play style of this game.
Looking for another violent game to play? Check out our Everything You Need to Know About Maneater 2!
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is available now on PC via Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
