FromSoftware has dominated the 2010's with their mysterious, tough, and gloomy titles, ranging from Dark Souls to Bloodborne. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice closed out the decade on a high note, with new challenges and plenty of its own secrets. Uncover all of its hidden content and unlock four unique endings!
So you’ve made it through most of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, one of the hardest Souls-like games out there, and now you find yourself wondering how you should complete it. First - nicely done! Not everyone who plays the game gets to this point. Second, you should consider how your version of Sekiro would complete this long and difficult journey. Would you stop at nothing to gain power, turning on your allies? Does a professional commitment to serving your master Kuro outweigh family loyalty to your father Owl? And what do you do with the Dragon’s Heritage?
Lord Kuro
At this point, you’ll probably realize that you can’t please everyone, no matter what you do. So whether you’re having trouble choosing an ending, or you’ve already made your choice and you’re just stumped about how to unlock it, GamersDecide is here to help! Our guide will lead you through the steps to unlock all four endings.
The Great Shinobi Owl
1. “Shura” (“Follow the Iron Code”)
This is the ultimate bad-guy ending. It has all of the ingredients to make Sekiro a perfect supervillain - power, greed, betrayal, and ruthless violence. Keep in mind, though, that this is the earliest ending, cutting the game a bit short. You won’t get access to all of the items. Plus, you’ll miss out on the final area and its cool bosses.
“Shura” Sekiro
“Shura” Ending Review
For those of you who love playing as Renegades in Mass Effect and nuking towns in Fallout, here’s your evil ending. In the guise of following the ‘Iron Code,’ you and your father Owl greedily take the Dragon’s Heritage to fuel your own dreams of conquest.
Since you decided to turn evil, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that your former friends turn against you. To complete this ending, you need to fight Emma and Isshin Ashina, who battle to keep you from succumbing to bloodlust, evil, and hunger for power.
The term “shura” isn’t clearly explained in the game, but it’s an idea rooted in Buddhism. It refers to evil, bloodlust, and hatred. In the lore of the game, that’s why the last and toughest optional boss is called ‘The Demon of Hatred.’ (You can learn more about the Buddhist demon/titan ‘shura,’ also written as ‘Asura’ or ‘Ashura,’ here and here.)
How To Get This Ending
For this ending, you move through the game normally, until you fight your way through Ashina Castle up to Lord Kuro. Make sure to get two items that are needed to advance the game-world to this end-state: the Lotus of the Palace and the Shelter Stone.
When you reach the roof of Ashina Castle and confront your father, the Owl, he’ll give you a choice between following the iron code (siding with Owl) or staying loyal to Kuro. To be “shura,” you need to side with Owl.
Siding with Owl will trigger two boss fights. The first is with Emma, the Gentle Blade. The second boss fight is with Isshin Ashina. After beating them, you’re rewarded with a cut-scene and the ending of the game.
2. “Immortal Severance” (Serve Kuro)
This is your stock good-guy ending. It’s the most straight-forward option, because you don’t need to collect any extra secret items or start any special conversations with your allies. But, beware that this ending comes with some of the heaviest consequences for you and your master Kuro. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The final act of severance
“Immortal Severance” Ending Review
This ending kills Kuro. He asks you to execute him with the Mortal Blade and permanently remove the Dragon’s Heritage from the world.
How To Get This Ending
Like the “Shura” ending, you don’t need any special items aside from the Lotus of the Palace and the Shelter Stone. Go through the game normally.
When you reach the roof of Ashina Castle and The Great Shinobi Owl asks you to choose between siding with him (following the Iron Code) or siding with Kuro, choose Kuro.
After you defeat the final boss, give Kuro only one item: the Divine Dragon’s Tears.
3. “Purification” (Serve Kuro, Alternate Version)
Okay, now this is where we get to the cool, secret stuff! This option will grant you access to two more Prayer Breads, another Memory, one more critical item that impacts the end-game, and even a harder, alternative version of a previous level, complete with a new boss!
Purifying the Dragon’s Heritage
“Purification” Ending Review
This is one alternative good-guy ending, where you serve Kuro and accomplish his goal, while finding a way to keep him alive.
This comes at another big cost, though: you end up dying. Yes, you read that right. You use the Everblossom item to sever Lord Kuro’s immortality without killing him, making him a normal boy. But, the same process doesn’t work for you, so you sever your immortality by killing yourself with the Mortal Blade.
How To Get This Ending
Once you’ve beaten Genichiro Ashina on the Ashina Castle roof and received the Mortal Blade from the Divine Child, you’ll need to exhaust all of the dialogue with Kuro and Emma.
Next, while you’re still in Ashina Castle with Emma and Kuro, hide behind a wall in the back of the room. Hug the wall and position yourself near a corner behind Kuro and a large statue. This will let you eavesdrop on Kuro. You should keep exiting and re-entering this wall-hugging position, so that you can eavesdrop multiple times and exhaust all of the conversation. Kuro will mention keeping a secret from you.
Then, progress the game normally by getting the Lotus of the Palace and the Shelter Stone. When you’re back on the Ashina Castle rooftop and you need to choose between Owl and Kuro, side with Kuro.
At this point, there’s new eavesdropping opportunities, so go back to your hiding spot and exhaust all of the conversation. Rest at the Sculptor’s Idol after your eavesdropping, and you should see Emma move to the top of the stairs.
Go talk with her and tell her your choice to keep Kuro alive. Rest again at the nearby Sculptor’s Idol. Return to talking with Emma, and agree to help her. She’ll give you Tomoe’s Note, an important item for this ending.
Now you need to travel to the Old Grave Sculptor’s Idol, where you will see Emma to your left standing by some tombstones. Talk to her. When the conversation ends, travel to the Dilapidated Temple Sculptor’s Idol.
The Sculptor carving Buddha statues
Look at the actual temple, where the Sculptor sits inside carving Buddha statues. You should also see Emma near the Sculptor. Walk around to stand behind the outside of the temple and hug the wall. You can now eavesdrop on Emma and the Sculptor. Once their conversation ends, head inside the temple and talk to Emma. Question her about what you heard, and then ask “what are you hiding?”
In response, Emma will give you an item called Father’s Bell Charm. Before you try to use this item, make sure that you’ve already completed the Hirata Estates level using the other bell charm. Once that’s done, you’re ready to use Father’s Bell Charm to unlock a new, alternative version of the Hirata Estates level with a different final boss - the Great Shinobi Owl.
The Owl boss fight in this alternate Hirata Estates level is even harder than the Owl boss fight at Ashina Castle. So, buckle up!
When you beat him (let’s be optimistic, right?), you’ll get an item named the Aromatic Flower. It’s a piece of the Everblossom tree that Owl took. Completing the alternate Hirata Estates level, you’ll also get two Prayer Beads from mini-bosses.
After beating the final boss of the game, you need to talk to Kuro and give him two items - the Everblossom Aromatic Flower and the Divine Dragon’s Tears.
Owl the Father, a boss fight at the alternate version of Hirata Estates
4. “Return” (“Dragon’s Homecoming”)
The last option here is probably the most complicated and secret one. Your investment really pays off, though, because the Return ending is arguably the best! You get a few extra items that have big impacts on the end-game, and you can access all levels. There’s a bit of a convoluted process to get this ending, and some actions need to be taken at specific times, so let me guide you step-by-step.
Returning the Dragon to its homeland
“Return” Ending Review
Both you and Lord Kuro make it out alive!
You can actually go through all of the steps for the Purification ending, get the extra Prayer Beads, Memory, and extra optional boss fight that it offers, but then choose this ending, if you prefer. This way, you’ll gain all of the items that the game offers, beat all of its bosses, and still manage to have both protagonists walk away unscathed.
How To Get This Ending
Okay. So, to get this ending, prepare yourself for a big process. You’ll need to start working towards this ending before you beat the Divine Dragon. The first thing to do is to get the book Holy Chapter: Infested.
Before you fight Genichiro Ashina on the roof of Ashina Castle, you should do the following:
Go chat with the old lady who’s praying nearby the Ashina Castle Sculptor’s Idol. This is critical - if you forget to do this first step, then you won’t be able to do any of the next steps!
Travel to the Main Hall Sculptor’s Idol at Senpou Temple in Mt. Kongo. Inside the Main Hall, look for the living monk who’s praying to Buddha. Do not go up to any of the weird, frozen, undead monks, though. Nothing good will come out of that! Speak with the living and praying monk to get the Holy Chapter: Infested.
Sekiro praying in the main hall of Senpou Temple
Alternatively, let’s say you’ve goofed a little bit and you already beat Genichiro at Ashina Castle. I’ve got you covered - no worries! The monk praying in the Main Hall area of Senpou Temple won’t be there anymore after you beat Genichiro, so in this case, you’ll actually find the Holy Chapter: Infested underwater. Go to the Temple Grounds Sculptor’s Idol, and dive into the pond. With the Mibu Breathing Technique, this should be doable. Grab the book at the bottom of the pond.
When you retrieve the book, head to the Inner Sanctum Sculptor’s Idol. Go inside and talk to the Divine Child of Rejuvenation. She should give you Rice, which may not sound like anything special at first, but it is key to this ending. You should also give the Divine Child your book, the Holy Chapter: Infested.
Sekiro meeting with the Divine Child of Rejuvenation
Get rid of the Rice by either using it on yourself (it heals you) or by giving it to the Old Hag outside the Main Hall of Senpou Temple. Then, reset the world-state of the Inner Sanctum area. You can only do this by leaving and then coming back later. Resting at the Sculptor’s Idol isn’t enough. Double-check that you don’t have any Rice left in your inventory, and if you do, use it to get rid of it.
Keep talking to the Divine Child, getting Rice, using the Rice, and re-setting the Inner Sanctum world-state by traveling away and coming back. This will trigger the Divine Child to fall asleep. At which point, you should ask her for Rice, use it, and re-set the world-state one more time.
Going up to chat again with the Divine Child, she won’t feel well. Exhaust her dialogue, and she will ask for a persimmon. Give her one, which you can buy from a vendor in Shugendo. After giving her a persimmon, ask for Rice again. She’ll actually give you a new item, Rice for Kuro, and will, of course, ask you to give it to Kuro.
At any time before defeating the Divine Dragon, give Kuro the Divine Child’s rice item. Rest at the closest Sculptor’s Idol, and return to chat with Kuro. He’ll cook two Sweet Rice Balls for you, which are items that heal you more than regular rice. You need to eat at least one of them to progress the steps for this ending, and if you eat one of them in the room with Kuro, you’ll get an extra piece of dialogue from him.
Sekiro speaking with Lord Kuro at Ashina Castle
Travel to the Inner Sanctum and talk to the Divine Child. After you talk to her, double-check that you’ve given her the Holy Chapter: Infested. If so, rest at the Sculptor’s Idol. The Divine Child will disappear from the Inner Sanctum.
Travel to the Illusory Hall, where you will now find the Divine Child, meditating near the large tree in the center of the area. She’ll ask that you search for a Senpou High Priest who may be able to help you in your quest.
Go to the Main Hall Sculptor’s Idol at Senpou Temple, and look for the Main Hall’s side entrance. Nearby, there will be a cave.
Enter the cave and follow its pathway until it ends at the corpse of a blue-robed monk. This is the Senpou Temple High Priest, and he’s guarding an important book - the Holy Chapter: Dragon’s Return. Get the book and rest at a Sculptor’s Idol.
Sekiro finds the Senpou Temple High Priest and gets the Holy Chapter: Dragon’s Return
The Divine Child will now be back at the Inner Sanctum, so go there and talk with her. Give her the Holy Chapter: Dragon’s Return, and she’ll inform you that she needs two ‘serpentine fruits’ - a Fresh Serpent Viscera and a Dried Serpent Viscera. Let’s go over how to get these two items.
To get the Fresh Serpent Viscera, start at the first Sculptor’s Idol in Senpou Temple. Look outside of the temple, to the right and down. You should see a short enemy with a big hat, like the Senpou Temple assassins you’ve already encountered, and near him will be a crank with a rope and a kite at the end. Use the Puppeteer Ninjutsu on this enemy. He’ll start operating the crank and lifting the kite into the sky. Go past the temple’s Main Hall area and find the large tree by the Old Hag who wanted Rice. Climb up the tree, and use the kite to grapple across the valley. By grappling and jumping from platform to platform, you can reach a Sculptor’s Idol at the Sunken Valley Cavern.
If you go forward a bit and look down, you’ll see a Great Serpent all coiled up and lounging beneath you. Take advantage of that, and get some revenge from the last time you saw him! Plunge-attack and it’s an instant-kill. You will get the Fresh Serpent Viscera afterwards.
Sekiro encounters the Great Serpent on a bridge in Sunken Valley
To get the Dried Serpent Viscera, keep in mind that you need to have already gone through an encounter with a Great Serpent at the bridge in the Sunken Valley leading to the Gun Fort. Now, go to the Bodhisattva Valley Sculptor’s Idol. Go towards the Toxic Memorial Mob, and then head into the cave behind him. At the other end of the cave, there’s a Great Serpent that you need to navigate around. Find an enemy monkey in the cave, on a stretch of land to the left, near a large pit where the Serpent hangs out. Attack the monkey and use the Puppeteer Ninjutsu on it. The monkey will distract the Serpent, letting you grapple across the pit to the stretch of land on the other side, where there is an abandoned house. Enter the house quickly to avoid the Serpent, which will block you in. At the back of the house is the Dried Serpent Viscera. Ta-da!
Escape with your Homeward Idol and travel to the Inner Sanctum to see the Divine Child. Give her both of the viscera items. Rest at the Inner Sanctum Sculptor’s Idol and then eavesdrop on the Divine Child, who will close the doors to her room and eat the viscera items.
Make sure that you have the Shelter Stone and Lotus of the Palace by this step in the process. Choose loyalty to Kuro, beat Owl at Ashina Castle, and talk to Kuro. Then, burn the Fountainhead Incense at the Altar inside Ashina Castle.
Return to Inner Sanctum, where you should find that the doors to the Divine Child’s room are open. Talk with her to get the final item required for this ending - the Frozen Tears. Once you beat the final boss, give Kuro both the Frozen Tears and the Divine Dragon’s Tears.
Congratulations! Now you’ve survived Sekiro and found out how to get all four endings! Feel free to choose whichever one you prefer. You can find even more info on each ending at Fextralife’s excellent Sekiro wiki, linked here.
If you’re still a glutton for punishment after beating the game, feel free to go through all of that torture again on New Game +, and you can keep going until you’ve unlocked the other three endings! At any rate, you are now a newly-minted member in the prestigious, highly-exclusive ‘Git Gud’ club of players who successfully completed a FromSoftware game. You’ve earned it!
Welcome. Clearly, you got gud!
Also be sure to read:
- [Top 10] Best Sekiro Mods That Are Awesome
- Top 5 Best Sekiro Prosthetic Upgrades And How To Get Them
- [Top 5] Best Sekiro Combat Arts and Why They’re So Good
- [Top 10] Sekiro Best Farming Spots
- Sekiro Endings [All Sekiro Endings Guide]
