A Handsome Reward is the opening quest in the Ghost of Yotei expansion Echoes of Sekigahara.
It introduces Atsu to Nagato the Handsome, opens the new Ashoro Foothills region, and sets up the story surrounding the Vipers.
A Handsome Reward is tied directly to the expansion’s main storyline.
Here is a complete walkthrough covering how to start the quest, how to reach Ashoro, the Sekigahara flashback, the wolf rescue, and the armored Viper encounter.
How to Start A Handsome Reward
Before A Handsome Reward becomes available, you need to meet the requirements for the Echoes of Sekigahara expansion.
Complete The Old Inn, The Way of Dual Katana, The Tale of the Oni, and The Kitsune’s Fate, then speak with Kojiro, the bounty broker.
Once the requirements are met, travel to one of Kojiro’s locations and interact with his bounty board. The relevant locations are Yōtei’s Shadow Inn, Ishikari Market, and Matsumae Residences.
Look for the bounty poster for Nagato the Handsome. Accepting this bounty starts A Handsome Reward and sends Atsu toward the newly accessible Ashoro Foothills.
Follow the Marshland Path to Ashoro
After accepting Nagato’s bounty, Kojiro directs Atsu toward Ashoro. The normal roads into the region have been closed, so you need to take the marshland route instead.
Follow the quest marker through the marshes. This section mainly serves as an introduction to the new area and the Vipers who control it.
Keep following the marked path until Atsu reaches the first major story sequence.
Play the Sekigahara Flashback
A Handsome Reward is not entirely set in the present. The expansion regularly switches between Atsu’s current journey in Ezo and memories from the Battle of Sekigahara.
The first flashback gives you additional context for Atsu and Nagato’s relationship. Follow the objectives during the sequence and continue through the battlefield until the memory concludes.
You will eventually return to the present-day story and continue your journey through Ashoro.
Rescue the Wounded Wolf
After returning to the present, continue along the objective until you reach a Viper hunting camp.
The Vipers have captured a wounded wolf, and Atsu needs to deal with the camp before she can free it.
Take your time approaching the camp. You can use stealth to remove some enemies before starting a larger fight, or simply engage the Vipers directly if you prefer open combat.
Once the area is secure, rescue the wolf and continue following the objective.
How to Defeat the Armored Viper
The most important combat encounter in A Handsome Reward comes when you encounter an armored Viper.
Normal attacks are ineffective against heavily armored enemies, so don’t waste time trying to defeat the target with standard sword attacks.
Instead, look around the area for a Massive Weapon. The game introduces these weapons during this encounter and points you toward one when you need it.
Pick up the Massive Weapon and use it against the armored Viper. These weapons are temporary and do not occupy one of your normal weapon slots, so there is no reason to save it for later.
Once the armored enemy is defeated, finish off any remaining Vipers in the area.
Continue With Nagato
After dealing with the Vipers and rescuing the wolf, continue following Nagato and the quest objectives.
This brings A Handsome Reward to its conclusion and properly establishes the conflict surrounding the Vipers in Ashoro.
Completing the quest also leads into the next major section of the expansion, where Atsu begins working to understand what is happening in the region.
What Comes After A Handsome Reward?
A Handsome Reward is only the beginning of the Echoes of Sekigahara storyline.
The expansion contains seven main Tales, with A Handsome Reward followed by Ashoro Springs, Another Man’s Treasure, A Past and Present Battle, A Buried Promise, Dream’s End, and The Nature of War.
The final Tale, The Nature of War, requires Dream’s End and all six Ashoro bounties, so don’t assume the main storyline is finished simply because you have completed the earlier Tales.
The expansion also includes The Wolf’s Chosen Mythic Tale, A Mother’s Love Side Tale, and six additional bounties.
A Handsome Reward Tips
The opening quest is relatively straightforward, but the armored Viper can catch you off guard because conventional attacks are not the best way to deal with it.
When the game introduces the Massive Weapon, use it rather than trying to brute-force the enemy with Atsu’s normal attacks.
It is also worth paying attention to the Sekigahara flashback. The expansion uses these memories to provide important background for Atsu and Nagato, so the opening quest is doing more than simply introducing a new location.
Once A Handsome Reward is complete, Ashoro Springs becomes the next major step in the Echoes of Sekigahara storyline.
From there, you’ll gain access to more activities, bounties, and exploration opportunities throughout the Ashoro Foothills.
