Chance Encounters is the third of the three story types in Onimusha: Way of the Sword, alongside the main Way of the Sword story and Mysteries of Kyoto. Even after part of Edo-Era Kyoto has been cleared of corruption, its residents may still need help, and Chance Encounters are those requests.
Optional, Not Mandatory
As with Mysteries of Kyoto, only a few Chance Encounters affect the main narrative, and none are required to finish the game. Completing them earns various rewards, following the same clue-icon system used for Mysteries of Kyoto: people holding a Chance Encounter clue are marked with an icon above their head, and speaking to them starts the encounter.
All 18 Chance Encounters
Community documentation of the shipped game counts 18 Chance Encounters. Each one is marked on the map with a notebook icon, and walking up to the person at the marker starts it. They do not all appear at once: two are available as soon as Chance Encounters unlock, and the rest are added as specific main missions are completed, so it is worth checking the map again after each stage of the story. The mission order is on the Main Missions page.
The table below is drawn from player guides to the finished game rather than from Capcom. Available After gives the main mission that has to be completed first. Map is filled in only where the encounter's destination is part of its title, and Charm Reward lists the charm the encounter awards, where guides agree on one; the other encounters award materials rather than a charm.
# | Chance Encounter | Available After | Map | Charm Reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Pale Lights (full title varies, see below) | When Chance Encounters first unlock | Not documented | |
2 | Clear Space, Clear Mind | When Chance Encounters first unlock | Not documented | |
3 | Ace Archer: Kiyomizu-dera Temple | Bloodbath on the Bridge | No charm | |
4 | Ace Archer: Nijo-jo Castle | Bloodbath on the Bridge | Nijo-jo Castle | No charm |
5 | The Growling Ghost | A Tempest at the Temple | Not documented | |
6 | Ace Archer: Kyoto Imperial Palace | A Tempest at the Temple | Kyoto Imperial Palace | No charm |
7 | Hidden Treasure No. 1 | A Tempest at the Temple | Not documented | No charm |
8 | Hidden Treasure No. 2 | To Live is to Suffer | Not documented | No charm |
9 | An Ugly Business | Not documented | Not documented | |
10 | Noisy Neighbors | To Live is to Suffer | Not documented | |
11 | Hidden Treasure No. 3 | Okuni's Kabuki Dance | Not documented | No charm |
12 | The Odd Couples | Okuni's Kabuki Dance | Not documented | |
13 | A Fishy Story | The Demon on the Mount | Not documented | |
14 | Ace Archer: Mount Oe | The Demon on the Mount | No charm | |
15 | Hidden Treasure No. 4 | The Demon on the Mount | Not documented | No charm |
16 | Ace Archer: Arashiyama | In the Light of an Icy Moon | Arashiyama | No charm |
17 | Hidden Treasure No. 5 | In the Light of an Icy Moon | Not documented | No charm |
18 | Restless Spirits | In the Light of an Icy Moon | Not documented |
Player guides disagree on the full title of the first encounter: it is recorded both as Pale Lights in a Night Sky and as Pale Lights in the Night Sky. They also disagree on when An Ugly Business becomes available, so that cell reads Not documented. Each of the five Ace Archer encounters sends Musashi to the map named in its title to shoot down targets with the Oni Bow.
All Chance Encounters can still be finished up to the point of no return at the start of The Clash at Rendaino, and the game returns the save to just before that mission after the credits. Chance Encounter progress does not carry over into New Game Plus.
Rescuing Townspeople
A related field activity plays out directly in the streets rather than through a marked NPC: Genma attack townspeople out in the open, and stepping in to defeat the attacking Genma before it is too late earns a token of the rescued person's thanks. This can happen while simply passing through an area, without needing to seek out a specific Chance Encounter first.
Achievements
Steam's achievement list ties two achievements directly to this rescue activity: one for rescuing 30 townspeople in total, and a separate one specifically for rescuing a merchant.
Two further achievements track the encounters themselves: Life-Saver for completing a first Chance Encounter, and No Job Too Small for completing all of them.
How Chance Encounters Differ from Mysteries of Kyoto
Both optional story types share the same clue-icon system and the same rule that only a handful of entries touch the main narrative, but they are tied to different circumstances. Mysteries of Kyoto arise directly from advancing the main Way of the Sword story and a certain individual's requests, while Chance Encounters surface specifically in areas that have already been freed from concentrated Malice, once the immediate danger to a district has passed and its people can be helped with smaller, more personal problems.
Practical Notes
Because rescues can happen opportunistically while exploring, it is worth staying alert to Genma attacking bystanders even when not actively pursuing a Chance Encounter lead; the 30-rescue achievement adds up faster when every attack on a townsperson is answered rather than ignored.