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In Assassin’s Creed Shadows, “Way of the Blacksmith” sends you to Sakai to find Heiji, then back to the Hideout to build a forge. The quest follows “From Spark to Flame”; the walkthrough lists it as a level 5 main quest in Izumi Settsu, worth 1,000 EXP. PowerPyx’s walkthrough provides the route and quest steps.
How to start and track “Way of the Blacksmith”
Complete “From Spark to Flame” first. The quest then begins automatically, according to the PowerPyx walkthrough published March 18, 2025. Open the Objective Board and track it under The League > Tomiko; this is also where the game introduces the Objective Board tutorial.
Where to find Heiji in Sakai
The target is in Sakai, east of the Port of Sakai, in Izumi Settsu. The route to locating him depends on the Guided Exploration setting:
- Guided Exploration off: Read the location clues and send a scout to Sakai to reveal the investigation area.
- Guided Exploration on: Objectives are marked automatically; the walkthrough says scouts cannot be used for this information-gathering step.
At the investigation marker, scan the area and continue down the street toward the southwest. Look for two guards near a street light. Go west into the alley, then pass through the gap in the fence into the tall grass.
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- Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles.
- Make information your weapon as you explore the world, and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions.
- Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s layout, decorations, and accessories.
How to get past the guards
There are four guards between you and Heiji. PowerPyx recommends isolating the first two, then moving quickly between the third and fourth so the final guard does not raise an alarm. Once the guards are dealt with, speak to Heiji.
Does the dialogue choice matter?
Heiji offers “You are brave” and “You seem sad.” PowerPyx reports that neither response changes the outcome, so choose whichever fits the tone you want for the conversation.
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- ENTER FEUDAL JAPAN - Explore the captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes. Adventure through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments.
- MASTER COMPLEMENTARY PLAYSTYLES - Become Naoe, a shinobi Assassin, and Yasuke, a legendary samurai, as you experience their riveting stories and master their complementary playstyles. As Naoe, use stealth to avoid detection and agility to confound your enemies. As Yasuke, strike your foes with lethal precision and power. Unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character.
- MAKE INFORMATION YOUR WEAPON - Travel the world and build your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across locations to hunt down your next target. Along the way, recruit new allies with unique abilities to help accomplish your missions
- BUILD A PLACE TO CALL HOME - Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base’s buildings layout, decorations, and accessories.
How to build the forge and finish the quest
- Return to the Hideout.
- Use the workbench to craft a forge.
- Place the forge in the Hideout.
- Exit the building menu to trigger a cutscene.
- Open the Assassin Order and select “Way of the Blacksmith” to complete the quest.
The PowerPyx walkthrough lists the completion reward as 1,000 EXP.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If Heiji, the forge, or the quest is missing
Ubisoft’s Title Update 1.1.11 release notes, dated June 16, 2026, say the update fixed an issue in which “Heji and the forge” were removed from the Hideout and the quest became unavailable. Ubisoft spells the name “Heji” in the note; the walkthrough spells it “Heiji.” If the quest or forge is still missing, update the game and contact Ubisoft Support or report the bug if the issue continues.
Quick Recap
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![Assassin's Creed Shadows [PlayStation 5]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cgBmgsqGL._SL160_.jpg)
- Experience an epic, historical action adventure in feudal Japan and become a deadly Shinobi assassin and a powerful legendary samurai as you explore a beautiful open game world in chaotic times
- Sneak as a Naoe to not be discovered, use your agility to confuse your opponents and stretch down your opponents with deadly precision and power as a Yasuke
- Use information as weapons and build your own spy network to have eyes and ears everywhere and find your targets easier and recruit new allies on the go with unique skills to help you with your missions
- Create a fully customizable hideaway for your growing Shinobi league, where you train recruits, craft new equipment and interact with important characters; set the room layout, decoration and accessories yourself
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