The rumour came from a dying farmer.
He said the wind had whispered of a warrior's armour, lost somewhere beyond the burned valley — armour that once belonged to a guardian of the Kami.
Nick hadn't paid much attention at first. His mind was still heavy from the fires of Komoda, and the screams of those he couldn't save echoed in his head. But Yuna had pressed him.
"If the story's true," she said, her tone low as they walked through the ruins of Hiyoshi, "that armour could protect you. And if not, at least we'll find food and shelter up there."
The mountains loomed ahead, veiled in mist and pine. The wind — his strange, guiding ally — stirred, urging him toward the northern ridge.
"Guess we're going that way," Nick muttered.
"Since when do you let the wind tell you where to go?" Yuna teased.
"Since it started being right," he said with a grin.
---
By the second day, the air grew colder. The forests of Hiyoshi were hauntingly silent — not even birds dared sing.
That's when the first arrow struck a tree beside Nick's head.
He ducked instantly, drawing his blade. "Okay, that's new!"
"Bandits," Yuna hissed, taking cover behind a fallen trunk.
But before Nick could charge, another arrow whistled through the air — and this one took the bandit clean in the throat. The attacker dropped, lifeless, without a sound.
Out from the mist stepped an older man clad in worn archer's robes, bow still raised, eyes sharp as razors.
"Stay down," he ordered. His voice carried calm authority — the kind that left no room for argument.
Nick obeyed. The stranger lowered his bow and approached.
"You two don't belong here," he said, scanning them both. Then his gaze stopped on Nick. "You… wear Jin Sakai's face."
Nick blinked. "You must be Sensei Ishikawa."
A flicker of recognition crossed the old man's face. "Then you know me."
"Not… personally," Nick admitted. "But I've heard you're one of Tsushima's finest."
Ishikawa gave no reaction, only turned away. "There's nothing fine left here. My students — archers I trained — have betrayed the island. They slaughter and burn for Mongol gold. I hunt them."
Yuna frowned. "And you think they're up in these woods?"
"They are here. I can feel it." His eyes shifted to Nick again. "If you truly bear Jin Sakai's legacy, prove it. Help me set this right."
---
They followed him through the forest trails. Ishikawa moved with uncanny precision — not a single leaf stirred beneath his steps. Nick tried to match his stealth, but twigs cracked underfoot every few meters.
"Relax your stance," Ishikawa muttered. "Your balance is wrong."
"I'm balanced," Nick whispered back. "Just… heavy-footed."
"You fight like a man who thinks too much," Ishikawa said, not looking back.
Yuna smirked. "He talks too much, too."
Nick rolled his eyes but stayed quiet.
When they reached the next ridge, Ishikawa pointed. "There — traitors. Four archers, one lookout. Watch and learn."
Before Nick could respond, the old man nocked an arrow and released it in one smooth motion. The shot struck true. Then another. Each arrow found its mark like the forest itself guided them.
Nick's jaw dropped. "Okay, that's cheating. He's got a built-in aimbot."
Yuna whispered, "What?"
"Nothing. Just… gamer trauma."
"Your turn," Ishikawa said.
Nick sighed, taking the bow he'd scavenged from a Mongol camp. His grip felt awkward. He drew back, aimed… and missed spectacularly.
Ishikawa sighed. "Again."
Another shot — closer.
"Again."
Nick gritted his teeth. "Man, you're like a really patient drill sergeant."
"Patience," Ishikawa said, "is the only thing separating hunters from prey."
Nick drew again — this time, he let the wind guide him. He closed his eyes, felt the direction, the rhythm of the air, and released.
The arrow hit true.
Ishikawa nodded once. "Better. You listened."
"Listened to what?"
"The island," he replied simply.
---
They fought their way through the rogue archers' camp by dusk. The fighting was swift — arrows, blades, and silent kills through the bamboo grove.
Nick's reflexes sharpened, his focus deepening until the world seemed to slow around him.
For the first time, he felt the rhythm of battle — every movement connected, flowing like the mountain stance he'd practiced.
He called it Focused Hearing — but Ishikawa called it something else. "The Sense of Kami," he said. "It is not a skill, Ghost. It is the island seeing through your eyes."
When the last traitor fell, silence settled again. The only sound was the whisper of wind through pine.
---
Perfect — that's a fantastic correction 👏
The Tadayori Armour fits beautifully here since it's directly tied to Ishikawa's and archery themes — and it's canon to Ghost of Tsushima. It's lighter, elegant, and represents honour and skill, not brute strength. That'll give Nick a strong emotional and symbolic moment when he earns it.
Let's fix that ending while keeping everything else connected and cinematic:
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⚔️ Chapter 15 – The Hunter of Shadows (Revised with Tadayori Armour)
(Same up until the final section — adjusted below)
---
By nightfall, they rested at an abandoned shrine overlooking the valley. Ishikawa sat sharpening his arrows while Yuna tended to the fire.
Nick sat apart, watching the mist roll across the mountains. "You know," he said, "someone told us there's an old armour hidden somewhere near here. A warrior's relic."
Ishikawa didn't look up. "Then you've heard of Tadayori Nagao."
Yuna frowned. "Who?"
"The legendary archer of Azamo," Ishikawa said. His tone carried rare reverence. "Tadayori fought for Tsushima centuries ago. His aim never wavered, and his spirit was said to live on through his armour. It was crafted for one purpose — to defend the helpless with perfect precision."
Nick leaned forward, interest piqued. "So… an armour for an archer?"
"Not just an archer," Ishikawa replied. "A protector chosen by the Kami themselves. The stories say the wind still guides those worthy of wearing it."
Yuna smirked. "And you think this one's worthy?"
The old man gave a small grunt. "He listens to the wind. That's a start."
Nick chuckled. "That's your way of saying 'maybe,' huh?"
Ishikawa rose and slung his bow across his shoulder. "Tomorrow, we follow the valley north. There's a shrine to Tadayori hidden among the crimson flowers. If the armour still exists… the spirits will show us the way."
Nick looked out at the dark horizon. The wind rose suddenly — gentle, but deliberate — brushing through the trees as though whispering approval.
He closed his eyes, letting it pass over him. Tadayori's armour… a protector of the helpless.
Maybe that's what this island needed again.
When he opened his eyes, a flicker of faint orange light danced far off in the distance — Mongol torches. The invaders were moving toward the same ridge Ishikawa had mentioned.
Nick's grip tightened on his bow.
"Guess the spirits want us to hurry."
The wind answered, carrying the faint scent of burning wood and battle on the horizon.
---