Kyonyo

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"You confuse me for my father, Yaya. I never wanted peace. Not until we take back what's ours."

―Kyonyo, 1582.

Kyonyo
Biographical information
Born	27 October 1558 Japan
Died	6 November 1614 Japan
Species	Human
Political information
Affiliations	Ikkō-ikki Assassins Kakushiba ikki

Kyonyo (教如; 1558 – 1614) was a Japanese sōhei who served as the twelfth abbot of the Hongan-ji. He was the son of Kennyo and led Ikkō-ikki remnants against Oda Nobunaga's forces following his father's defeat in 1580.

Biography

Leading the Ikkō-ikki

Kyonyo: "One of my duties as abbot is to entrust our sacred artifacts to those who need them most. Shinran gave hope to thousands upon thousands. Despite what you feel now, Naoe, we are still breathing. There is still hope. That is what fills the emptiness."

Naoe: "Thank you. I hope you and your father can one day forgive each other."

—Kyonyo and Naoe parting ways, 1582.

By early 1582, Kyonyo led a small group of Ikkō-ikki remnants who continued their resistance against Oda Nobunaga. Since this went against the wishes of Kennyo, who had signed a peace treaty with Nobunaga following his defeat, Kyonyo was ultimately disowned by his father.

In Izumi Settsu, Kyonyo and his followers were opposed by the samurai Wada Koretake, one of Nobunaga's retainers and a member of the Shinbakufu, and thus called for help from anyone willing to become involved in their struggle. His call was answered by his former associate Yaya and the Iga kunoichi Fujibayashi Naoe, the daughter of the jonin Fujibayashi Nagato who had been killed by Koretake's group. Sharing a common enemy, Kyonyo agreed to help Naoe eliminate Koretake and directed her to Nunobiki Falls to look for Mitsumune and his men, who might be willing to join their cause.

After Naoe secured Mitsumune's support and eliminated the executioner Shindo Hiroshii, from whom she discovered Koretake's whereabouts, she met with Kyonyo and Yaya to plan their assault on Amagasaki Castle, Koretake's stronghold. That night, once Mitsumune and his men joined them, the group assembled outside the castle to commence their attack. After Kyonyo rallied his followers with a speech, Naoe gave the signal to commence the assault.

Following the group's victory and Naoe's successful assassination of Koretake, she, Kyonyo, and Yaya witnessed Mitsumune and his men executing the surrendering enemy soldiers. Yaya tried to stop them, but both Mitsumune and Naoe believed that no one serving Oda Nobunaga deserved mercy. After Yaya left angrily, Kyonyo ordered Mitsumune to let the captive soldiers go. Mitsumune complied, though not before criticizing Kyonyo's leadership, pointing out that he ordered his men to fight one moment and asked them to "sign peace treaties with demons" the next.

Left alone with Naoe, Kyonyo was asked by the kunoichi how he had felt when his father disowned him. After the monk responded that he had felt lost, Naoe empathized with his experiences, revealing that she had also lost her way following her father's death and that she believed her quest for vengeance might fill the emptiness in her heart. When Naoe remarked that many people had already given their lives to her cause and that she should perhaps continue her mission alone, Kyonyo encouraged her not to lose hope and gifted her a statue of Shinran to help guide her path. The two then parted ways, after Naoe expressed hope that Kyonyo and his father might reconcile.

Pursued by bounty hunters

Later that year, Kyonyo was sought after by a group of bounty hunters. His father Kennyo who, by then, was situated at the Fudo-do Temple in Kii, tasked Naoe and her samurai ally Yasuke with eliminating these bounty hunters to save his son. After investigating an ambush site, Naoe confirmed the plot to kill Kyonyo and that the attackers would regroup at the Yunomine Onsen after the deed had been carried out.

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Shadows