My 2026 Trek Through Naoe’s Four Assassin Outposts

I went back to Assassin’s Creed Shadows in 2026 expecting a quick nostalgia tour, and instead Naoe’s personal quest turned me into a cliff-climbing detective with a grappling hook and a bad sense of direction. I had already spent hours hunting Shinbakfu with Naoe and Yasuke, so I thought I knew the rhythm of the game. Then I cleared Secrets of the Blade, picked up the Apprentice Assassin outfit, and realized Naoe had a quieter mystery of her own: what happened to her mother, and what became of the assassin order she formed. That mystery sent me toward four assassin outposts, and the game did not make the search obvious. The outposts are tied to the Path of … locations I had run past in the open world, which meant retracing steps and paying attention to places I had treated as scenery.

Why the Outposts Matter

The four outposts are not random collectibles. Each one holds a note that advances Naoe’s personal journey and expands the story of her past. If you have already explored the open world, you may have seen the outposts without realizing they were part of a quest chain. I certainly did. I remembered climbing a few Path of … trails for loot and views, then moving on. Coming back with the quest active made those same locations feel different. Suddenly every rope bridge, cliff face, and grapple point looked like a clue.

Here is the checklist I wish I had made before I started:

Omi: The Path of the Blade

Omi was my first stop, and it was a gentle introduction. The Path of the Blade is mostly climbing with a little grapple hooking, and the route is simple enough that I did not spend too long second-guessing myself. At the end I found the assassin order logo and a note waiting to be picked up. Because I had not been there before, I also found a treasure chest with Sumire’s Gear, an Epic Light Armor piece. That was a nice reward for what felt like a warm-up.

Iga: The Path of the Shadows

Iga came next, and the outpost there sits on the Path of the Shadows south of Nabari Wilds. This one made me think more about where I grappled and which rocks I climbed. It was not brutal, but it was not a straight line either. I took a few wrong turns, admired the view, and pretended that was intentional. At the top I found another outpost and another note. First-time visitors also get Yu-no-shin’s Gear, another Epic Light Armor piece, so the detour was worth it.

Yamato: The Path of Secrets

Yamato was tied to the Path of Secrets near Kompira Shrine, and this is where the platforming started to bite. I did a lot of climbing, a lot of grapple hooking, and a fair amount of muttering at the screen. The route felt like the toughest pure traversal path of the four. At the end I found another note and some gear for Naoe, which softened the sting of my repeated falls. If you are working through the outposts in any order, do not underestimate this one just because it lacks a boss fight.

Kii: The Path of the Chosen

Kii was the final outpost on my list, and it is linked to the Path of the Chosen near the Iseji Trails on the east side of the map near the coast. I walked across the rope to start the challenge, then climbed up rocks along the cliffside until I circled toward the outpost. That was the plan, anyway. The real obstacle was a Yambushi Imposter who hit far harder than I expected. He appeared as a skull when I faced him, and he could kill me in one hit. I was not ready for that kind of difficulty spike in a quest I could reasonably tackle at any time.

I had to get tricky. I used Naoe’s kusarigama to attack from a distance, mixing heavy Posture attacks with moves that could grapple the enemy and send him flying off the cliffside. It took a few attempts, and I definitely questioned my choices, but eventually the cliff did the work for me. After that I read the note, opened the treasure chest, and finished the questline. It was one of those moments where the game reminded me that exploration and combat are often tangled together in the best way.

What I Took Away

By the end of the outpost hunt, I felt like I understood Naoe a little better. The notes are small pieces of story, but they add up. The four outposts also taught me to look at the Path of … locations differently. They are not just scenic routes or loot trails. They are part of Naoe’s history, and each one gave me a reason to slow down and pay attention.

If I were starting again in 2026, I would:

• 🗺️ Mark the four regions early: Omi, Iga, Yamato, and Kii.

• 🧗 Treat each Path of … trail as a climbing puzzle, not a race.

• 📜 Read every note, even if the loot is the immediate draw.

• ⚔️ Bring a ranged plan for Kii, because the Yambushi Imposter is no joke.

• 💀 Expect at least one fight that can go very wrong very fast.

My advice is simple: do not rush the outposts. Let Naoe’s personal journey breathe. Climb the cliffs, read the notes, and enjoy the quiet moments between the big Shinbakfu hunts. And when you reach Kii, keep your kusarigama ready. That cliffside fight is the kind of memory that sticks with you.