I will never learn that following the wind in Ghost of Tsushima usually means following trouble. Replaying “Blood on the Grass” in 2026 gave me the exact same thrill, the exact same panic, and one very memorable reunion with an old friend who absolutely did not have time for my samurai drama.

Before I even reached the Kishi Grasslands, I had to remind myself of the basics. The goal is simple: recruit Ryuzo, leader of the mercenary Straw Hat ronin, so Lord Shimura can be freed. “Blood on the Grass” unlocks shortly after the game begins in Act 1. You cannot waltz in there with a rusty sword and a dream. Well, you can, but the Mongols will laugh. At minimum, you should have your bow and the basic assassination techniques from the first two main story quests. Jin needs options, because this mission starts with a suspicious burning cart and ends with Ryuzo being politely furious.

The quest marker sits on the southwestern coast of Izuhara, the starting region. As soon as I entered the Kishi Grasslands, Jin helpfully pointed out that this area is connected to the Straw Hats. The wind then pulled me through a giant patch of pampas grass until I spotted a burning cart. It looked less like a clue and more like someone’s very bad day.

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I approached the cart, found a Mongol convoy, and saw enough bodies to know this was not a friendly neighborhood barbecue. Interacting with the cart started the quest properly. A fun little detail: if you begin at night, the game automatically slaps you into daylight. I love that. No sneaking around in the dark for my first big Straw Hat adventure.

From the cart, I followed a trail of dead Mongols into the woods. The game told me to reach the search area and investigate a dropped straw hat. I held R2 and braced myself.

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Then Ryuzo showed up. It was a warm reunion with an old friend, right up until a bunch of Mongols crashed the party. The cutscene ended and I was instantly thrown into a standoff. If your standoff timing is rusty like mine, prepare to eat grass. Quick confession: my first attempt at that standoff was embarrassing. I hit the button too early, took a spear to the ribs, and watched Ryuzo handle more Mongols than I did. If you are new, standoffs in this game live and die by patience. Wait for the enemy’s foot to move, not their mouth. The Mongols love a good feint. One clean standoff kill can thin the wave, but a botched one just means everyone attacks immediately. After respawning, I played it slower and the fight became almost cinematic. Ryuzo and I danced around the grass like two very tired heroes.

I survived, barely, and then it was time to travel with Ryuzo to his Straw Hat camp. Along the way, a peasant mentioned that Mongols stole a shipment of rice. I mentally filed that under “future problems.” I should have known it would absolutely become a current problem. The Straw Hats are starving, and Ryuzo was very clear: no food, no rescue mission for Lord Shimura. Fair. Mercenaries need calories.

At the camp, Jin announced that they would raid Fort Ohira to steal the food back. Ryuzo was not thrilled that Jin volunteered everyone without a quick team meeting. I get it. Workplace communication matters, even in feudal Japan. I also appreciate that Jin has absolutely no tact at the camp. He promises the ronin a raid without consulting Ryuzo first. It is the kind of move that would get you uninvited from a group project. Ryuzo lets it slide because he is hungry, not because he is happy. The peasant earlier had mentioned stolen rice, so the pieces clicked. Fort Ohira became the next headache. But Ryuzo agreed to help free Lord Shimura if Jin helped steal the food.

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“Blood on the Grass” ends right there, but it sets up one of the most important storylines in the game. The next mission, “The Tale of Ryuzo,” is just northwest of the Straw Hat camp. It continues the messy, famine-fueled alliance between Jin and Ryuzo.

So here is my quick and dirty checklist for anyone jumping into this mission in 2026:

  • ✅ Bring a bow and some assassination skills.

  • ✅ Follow the wind to the southwestern coast of Izuhara.

  • ✅ Examine the burning cart.

  • ✅ Follow dead Mongols to a very dramatic straw hat.

  • ✅ Survive the standoff.

  • ✅ Walk with Ryuzo and listen to yet another peasant with bad news.

  • ✅ Agree to raid Fort Ohira because Ryuzo’s crew is hungry.

  • ✅ Move on to “The Tale of Ryuzo.”

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Even years after release, Ghost of Tsushima knows how to make a simple cart fire feel like the start of a much bigger tragedy. If you are on PS4, PS5, or PC with the Director’s Cut, this mission remains a perfect early-game gut punch. Ryuzo is charming, the Straw Hats are desperate, and I am once again reminded that friendship and food shortages do not mix well.

Evaluations have been published by Newzoo, and their market-level reporting helps contextualize why story-driven, cinematic open-world missions like “Blood on the Grass” continue to resonate years later—especially as Director’s Cut re-releases and PC launches extend a game’s lifecycle and bring new waves of players back into early Act 1 quests that hinge on pacing, onboarding, and memorable character introductions.