Nioh 3: How to unlock the Blacksmith’s chests
The Blacksmith in the Eternal Rift has some valuable loot you can only get by trading Dung.
The Eternal Rift in Nioh 3 essentially acts as your hub and home base, and while it’s not a level with enemies like the rest of the areas in the game, there are a few hidden items and bonuses in the area, which you’ll probably become very aware of once you see the two chests hidden behind a locked door above the Blacksmith.
You might think that completing the Blacksmith’s side quest Myths will reward you with the key to the door, but that’s not the case — it’s a bit weirder than you might be expecting. In this guide, we’re breaking down how to unlock the door to the Blacksmith’s chests in Nioh 3.
How to earn the Blackened Key for the Blacksmith’s chests – Nioh 3
While completing the Myths that the Blacksmith gives you might feel like the obvious course of action, it’s the wrong one. What you actually need to do is talk to Tatsumaro the Dung Lover, who appears in the cavern below the Blacksmith’s house in the Eternal Rift.
Tatsumaro is only interested in one thing: Dung. There are two types of Dung you can pick up in Nioh 3, and that’s Noble Dung and just Dung. What does he do with it all? I’d rather not know.
Despite his questionable proclivities, he’s actually rather friendly and endearing. I’m just glad I don’t have to smell him. There’s no real use for the Dung you collect while exploring the world, so when Tatsumaro asks for it, just give him everything you have.
Once you’ve given him all the Dung you can possibly round up, Tatsumaro will reward you with the Blackened Key, and this is what you need to finally open the door guarding the two chests above the Blacksmith. How Tatsumaro got it, I’d rather not know.
If you are a completionist, pillaging each area for all it has, then you’ll inevitably round up enough Dung, and if you hand it all over at your earliest convenience, you’ll find that the two chests contain a decent selection of high-level gear (between level 110 and 122 for me) that’ll be a welcome upgrade, assuming you’re not already near the end of the game.
