Learn where to explore Ishikari Market for your hunt of the Oni in Ghost of Yotei. After reaching Ishikari Plain, Atsu must find a lead on the Oni of the Yotei Six, leading her chasing an Oni Raider named Mad Goro.
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How to start A Mad Pursuit
You can start A Mad Pursuit after finding your way to Ishikari Plain during your hunt for The Oni. After surveying the area, you’ll want to head towards Ishikari Market. Read the bounty board when you get there, and take the bounty for Mad Goro.
Before you reach the market, follow the trail leading into town. Stick to the left when there’s a fork in the road. This will let you overhear a group of ronin talking about the Onyro. Defeat them to get information on the Kitsune or the Dragon and Spider.
Continue following the trail to the market, you’ll run into a bridge with dead raiders littering the floor. A ronin is taking their masks, you can either pay him 750 mon for them, fight him, or leave him be.
The best option (maybe not the morally correct option) is to fight him and take the masks for yourself. These can be used to upgrade your gear.
When you reach the market, go down the main road and inspect the Bounty Board that will be on your right. Take the bounty for “The Traitorous Raider Mad Goro”. This will start a cutscene where some Oni Raiders are harassing a barman.
This fight will introduce two new types of Oni Raiders, one that throws bombs and spearmen that attach fireworks to their spears.
Your first target should be the raider with the lantern. He’ll use that lantern to ignite bombs and throw them at you.
If the spearmen are about to use an unblockable attack with a red glint, back away as fast as you can. Their spears will fire out flames for a few seconds, don’t get caught up in that. When the raiders are defeated, speak with the barman to start A Mad Pursuit.
Eavesdropping in the Bar
You’ll find yourself in a sake bar. You can eavesdrop on the patrons, pick one to listen in on. After doing this, look to your left. A man joins a patron at the table, eavesdrop on them.
Jubei (Lord Kitamori) will join Atsu in the bar and help extract information from the bar patrons. You’ll learn that there’s trouble in Iwami Village. Upon exiting the bar, Atsu and Jubei will be attacked by a group of raiders.
Defeat the raiders and be sure to focus the ones with the lanterns first. Keep dodging those firework spears then follow Jubei to your horses.
Searching for Mad Goro
Follow the trails and wind to Iwami Village across the bridge. A settler will flag down Jubei and provide information. Continue following the wind and you’ll find a camp you’ll need to investigate.
Investigate the charred corpse Jubei is looking at, and the broken Oni mask on the bedroll. This will start a cutscene where some ronin are also looking to claim Mad Goro’s bounty.
The ronin don’t welcome the competition and start a standoff. This introduces the Feint mechanics in standoffs. As you hold down your heavy attack, you’ll need to be careful and not release it too early. Wait for them to move in fully before releasing.
After defeating the ronin, ride to then up the river. A trail of bloated corpses will lead you to an Oni Raider camp. Atsu makes a bet with Jubei that she can take out all of the raiders without alerting them.
If you alert them, you’ll lose the bet and won’t get paid. The bow (Hankyu or Yumi) is great for quietly picking off isolated raiders.
There’s a bamboo bridge leading to the next outcrop. Hide in the yellow grass and listen in on the two Oni Raiders talking there. When they’re finished, they’ll walk away from each other. Take this opportunity to snipe or assassinate them.
The last two raiders are a bit more tricky to deal with. Grapple onto the branch to swing across to the outcrop ahead.
Sneak your way to the empty sake bottles and throw them to distract one. Alternatively, use Chain Assassinate if you’ve unlocked it at this point.
When the raiders are killed, help Jubei investigate the bodies of other Oni Raiders. After the cutscene, pull out your spyglass and zoom in on the log at the top of the cliff. Surprise! It’s Mad Goro taking a shot at you!
Capture Mad Goro Alive
As Jubei distracts Goro, go down the log to the left and swing across to the other side. Run to the cliff but watch out for the explosives Goro launches, they’ll ignite the grass.
As soon as you reach the top of the cliff, he’ll run away on his horse. Chase him on yours while dodging the explosives.
When you reach the part of the forest that’s lit on fire, take cover behind the boulders. Keep running ahead between his shots while sticking to the right side. Hide in the yellow grass to go uphill and catch Goro off-guard.
Mad Goro isn’t too different from the Oni Raider Ambusher you fought on the way to Ishikari Plane. He’s just a bit more unpredictable with his attacks in comparison.
He wields two sickles, but can opt for a katana and a torch. Be careful when he has his torch out as he can easily light you on fire.
As the fight progresses, he’ll start to use feint attacks at the start of his combos. Watch if he lunges a bit forward then reels back, don’t parry that and leave yourself open to attack.
Upon defeating him, Atsu and Jubei will take Goro alive. However, their methods of getting their objective differs. Jubei takes Goro in for questioning, with the promise he’ll return him to Atsu so she may turn in the bounty.
Thus ends A Mad Pursuit, your next task is to meet up with Jubei near the Ishikari Market. There’s nothing quite like chasing crazed gunmen with rashes to bond with your long lost brother.
