In the last few days it has happened in Japan a very special fact, that scared not a little the most superstitious and those who take the legends very seriously. We are talking about the breaking of the “Pietra Assassin“, A boulder formed by volcanic stone which according to mythology contained a demon enclosed within it: yes, its breaking would have freed it. Furthermore, it is said that this stone also has the power to kill anyone who comes into contact with it (hence the name, “Sesshō-seki” in Japanese language). Doing two calculations, the Killing Stone could also be linked to Nioh 2.
Legend has it that the demon it contains is Tamamo-no-mae, a wicked entity whose features do not seem to be clear: there are those who portray it as a beautiful woman, or who talked about it like an old fox, or just one nine-tailed fox.
What is the connection of the legend with Nioh? According to the lore of the game, there seem to be a lot similitudes tra Tamamo-no-mae e Lady Osakabe, such as his features, his motives, and other small details (both spirits made sick and conspired against a powerful personality). The Nioh 2 community itself has come to say almost with certainty that Lady Soakabe is just Tamamo-no-mae.
I came alone to Sesshoseki, where the legend of the nine-tailed fox remains.
The big rock in the middle wrapped around with a rope is that ...
It was supposed to be, but the rock was split in half and the rope was also detached.
If it's a manga, it's a pattern that the seal is broken and it's possessed by the nine-tailed fox, and I feel like I've seen something that shouldn't be seen. pic.twitter.com/wwkb0lGOM9
— Lillian (@Lily0727K) March 5, 2022
In fact, it appears that the stone has split in two due to the corrosion created by the weathering, with water infiltrations that continued for years. In fact, from the prefecture they say that a crack on the stone it had long been visible, and that in all probability it has extended with rains and temperature changes.
However the supernatural hypothesis has incredibly caught on, with such themes as in Japan they are taken very seriously. Social media are literally exploding, with people who they fear a catastrophic repercussion between environmental disasters, curses and so on. Some people have even decided to cancel their holidays because of what happened (and we also mean those who were already in the area, who returned home) thinking about the worst. Is Lady Osakabe's spirit truly free?
Whether the killing stone is truth or legend, the prefecture of Tochigi is thinking of reassembling it, not only for supernatural reasons to reassure the population (as if the act could in short trap the spirit again), and because the park in which it finds the stone, and itself, are considered subjects of historical interest from 1957.
If you haven't (hoping not to be affected by the curse of the killing stone in the meantime), we invite you to read our review of Nioh 2 and the new Collection for PS5.
