Byakue (Enhanced) Summary
This stained variant starts out in an Enhanced state and goes Blazing upon reaching half health. Study its moves and send it back to hell!
| Type |
|---|
| Practice Ground Boss |
Byakue (Enhanced) Attack Patterns
The following table lists each attack Byakue (Enhanced) uses in its different forms. Take note that its moveset is identical to the base version.
| Attack | Description |
|---|---|
| Charge |  It charges straight toward the player. Parrying or deflecting the attack drains little to no stamina, so evade instead to build up the Reflex Gauge. |
| Leaping Axe Strike |  Byakue flips forward and plunges its axe into its target. This has an obvious tell and can be countered by an Issen. |
| Overhead Strike |  The creature spins its weapon before hacking downward with immense force. |
| Triple Axe Combo |  A triple axe swing is dished out by the boss. The first can be difficult to read due to its tight timing, while the succeeding swings have clearer visible cues. |
| Spinning Sweep |  It spins 360 degrees before sweeping its axe forward. |
| Hop & Bash |  The Oni hops and forcefully bashes the target with its shoulder. Parrying or deflecting both attacks drains no stamina, so evade these instead for a Reflex Combo counter. |
| Upswing Charge |  Byakue rushes toward the player before swinging its axe upward. |
| Hair Grab |  It whirls it glowing hair before attempting to snatch the player. This can be simply avoided by walking away from the beast. |
| 5-Hit Wild Swing |  Byakue goes on a rampage and unleashes five swings in a row, demolishing anything caught in its path. |
How to Beat Byakue (Enhanced)
[1] Punish its Leaping Axe Strike and Overhead Strike with an Issen.
These two moves are particularly notorious for having obvious telegraphs that can be intercepted with an Issen. Watch carefully and time your counter to deal massive damage.
[2] It is vulnerable during its Crimson Pour attack.
Keep striking Byakue while it casts Crimson Pour as it is completely vulnerable during this period. Just keep in mind to not stand directly above the pools of malice while you attack.
[3] Use Oni Strength: Chop to bridge the gap and deal damage from afar.
Your Oni Strength: Chop can cover a considerable distance and reach Byakue if it considers to back away. Unlock it in the Basic Skill Tree and upgrade to further reduce its charging time.
[4] Use your Oni Armament's Invisibility frames to dodge Crimson Smash.
Oni Armaments have valuable I-frames that can be utilized to avoid uninterruptible or powerful attacks. You can use these to evade the explosion of malice triggered by Byakue's Crimson Smash.
Byakue (Enhanced) Rewards
Being a Practice Ground boss, Byakue's Enhanced version does not drop rewards. However, defeating him in either Story or Action difficulty counts towards unlocking the General Armor outfit.
Related Trophy
| Trophy | How to Get |
|---|---|
 Serves You Right | Defeat Byakue at Kiyomizu-dera Temple. |
