Lord Kuro

Lore & Background

Kuro is the last of the Dragon's Heritage line, a bloodline that can grant immortality through the blood of the Divine Dragon. He was entrusted to the care of the shinobi Wolf by Owl when Wolf was a boy. Two decades later, the elderly Isshin Ashina is on his deathbed, and his adoptive grandson Genichiro seeks Kuro to use his blood to create an immortal army. Disagreeing with this, Isshin has his physician Emma warn Wolf so the two can flee. Genichiro confronts them, defeats Wolf, severs his left arm, and captures Kuro. After Wolf rescues him, Kuro refuses to flee and instead asks Wolf to perform the Immortal Severance ritual, which would result in Kuro's death and eliminate the Dragon's Heritage. Wolf reluctantly agrees. Later, Owl, who faked his death and was revealed to be the one who stabbed Wolf three years prior, confronts them. If Wolf renounces his loyalty to Kuro, he kills Emma and Isshin while Owl kills Genichiro, but Wolf then becomes corrupted by bloodlust and kills Owl as well, leading to the Shura ending. If Wolf refuses, he kills Owl and retrieves the final ingredient from the Divine Dragon. Depending on items gathered, three endings are available: in Immortal Severance, Wolf performs the ritual, killing Kuro; in Purification, Wolf sacrifices himself while freeing Kuro; in Return, the Divine Child absorbs Kuro and they journey to return the Dragon's Heritage to the West.

In Their Own Story

Kuro sat quietly in the room at Ashina Castle, his young face calm despite the chaos outside. When Wolf entered, he looked up with relief. 'I knew you would come,' he said. 'But I cannot run. I want you to perform the Immortal Severance ritual on me.' Wolf hesitated. 'It would mean your death.' Kuro nodded. 'The Dragon's Heritage is a curse. It must end.' Later, after Wolf had gathered the Mortal Blade and other materials, Owl confronted them. 'You would throw away immortality?' Owl demanded. Kuro met his gaze. 'Yes. I will not let my blood be used for war.'

Reader's Guide

Lord Kuro is the young lord of the Ashina clan and the last of the Dragon's Heritage bloodline. He is the central figure Wolf must rescue from Genichiro at the start of the game. After Wolf defeats Genichiro, Kuro refuses to flee and instead asks Wolf to perform the Immortal Severance ritual, which requires collecting the Mortal Blade and other materials. Kuro's fate varies by ending: in Immortal Severance, Wolf kills Kuro with the Mortal Blade; in Purification, Wolf sacrifices himself instead, freeing Kuro; in Return, the Divine Child absorbs Kuro and they journey to the West. If Wolf chooses to obey Owl, he kills Emma and Isshin, then Owl, leading to the Shura ending where Kuro watches in horror.

Did You Know?

• Kuro is the last of the Dragon's Heritage line, a bloodline that can grant immortality through the blood of the Divine Dragon.
• Kuro shared his blood with Wolf three years before the main events, saving his life after Wolf was fatally stabbed by an unknown assailant (later revealed to be Owl).
• In the Shura ending, Kuro watches in horror as Wolf becomes corrupted by bloodlust and kills Owl.
• In the Return ending, Kuro is absorbed into the Divine Child and they journey to return the Dragon's Heritage to its home in the West.
• Kuro's blood was sought by Genichiro to create an immortal army to defend Ashina from the Interior Ministry.