Ryu Hayabusa

"I have fought in many battles recently. Even in this world, my destiny to eradicate darkness remains unchanged."

- Ryu Hayabusa

Ryu Hayabusa is the main protagonist in the Ninja Gaiden Series as well as one of the four major characters in Dead or Alive series.

Etymology
His name is derived by two words, "Ryuu" (竜), which stands for "Dragon" and "Hayabusa" (隼), which stands for "falcon".

Appearance
Ryu is the epitome of a present day ninja, his Legendary Black Falcon outfit's sleek design is similar to that of the modern special ops agent, while the tabi boots, ninja head piece, mask, scarf and shin/forearm guards are reminiscent of the ancient ninja warrior.

Physically, Ryu Hayabusa is a young man in his early 20s, standing at 5'10" and weighing in at 172 lbs. He is in peak physical condition with a muscular build. As a ninja, most of his costumes and attire conceal his face, revealing only his eyes, one of his most distinctive features. Ryu's eyes feature vibrant green coloration with a slight golden hue. This golden hue feature is more prominent accompanied with his wardrobe composed of mostly dark colours, something that points out even more of his peculiar eyes and gives him an intimidating appearance.

Underneath the ninja mask and hood reveals a youthful face, and brown hair held in a ponytail, a completely opposite appearance to what many would expect, given his deadly skills and calculative, savage brutality in battle.

Personality
As a ninja, Ryu ruthlessly kills his enemies without mercy, executing them in a very cold, technical and calculative fashion. His rigorous upbringing in tandem with the many hardships and tragedies he has suffered, has forced Ryu to harden his emotions and disciplined his skills to perfection. He is undaunted by the lives he must take in order to protect the balance within the world, knowing that balance of the world is more important.

Ryu knows life following the ninja path can be both cruel and short, especially for one of the Dragon Lineage. He has already felt first hand the brutality of this life; watching Kureha, his best friend murdered right in front of his own eyes, his clan massacred and he himself killed as he tries to save his village. Ryu endures these hardships with his unstoppable will, an indomitable spirit shown in his exploits as he overcomes every challenge and obstacle, surviving even the trauma of death to return and exact his vengeance.

Though Ryu cares little for his enemies' well being, he still respects them on a warrior basis, even having mutual respect with some adversaries such as Genshin. Outside of battle Ryu is modest and refined, he is popular among the local residents in his village. Not only as a strong role model for ninja in training, but he is heralded for being kind and gentle, as he cares for the safety of every resident in his home.

Ryu has the demeanour and wisdom of a man far older than himself, an understanding of the world around him and the balance of power within it. He ignores the pursuit of power to the dismay of his uncle Murai, showing no signs of curiosity for the dark powers that dwelled within the Dark Dragon Blade. When given a choice, he chooses to destroy it rather than consume it's immense dark powers. Ryu also refused to keep its divine counterpart the True Dragon Sword, knowing this weapon's existence upsets the delicate balance of the peaceful world. "The immense power contained within the True Dragon Sword upsets the delicate balance of a peaceful world, and it is argued that there are very few instances in which such a powerful weapon should be allowed to exist. Thus, it has become customary to store the Dragon Sword and Eye of the Dragon in separate locations."

Overall Ryu's exploits have given him an attitude far removed from most others, as he understands things in more abstract and philosophical terms. He adopts a tranquil nature, free flowing most of the time, but unforgiving and crushing when roused.

History
The son of Jô Hayabusa, Ryu was born into the Dragon Lineage legacy; as required, he would be trained from childhood to walk the path of a ninja, a way of life plagued with danger, pain and sorrow.

As a child Ryu learnt many crucial survival skills under the guidance and watchful eye of Omitsu, the caretaker of the Hayabusa clan's children. Under Omitsu's care Ryu quickly befriended Kureha and the two became inseparable. Training intensified as he grew older, adapting to these difficulties, Ryu quickly excelled among his peers, becoming one of the clan's top students. His skill would earn him the right to bear the name Hayabusa as his own, mastering many ninja skills, to the delight of his father.

As Ryu grew into a strong young ninja, his best friend Kureha became a Shrine Maiden. Growing up, he befriended many other members of his clan, including the veteran who fought beside his father Genjiro, Kureha's younger sister Momiji (who later becomes Ryu's apprentice), and his uncle from his mother's side Murai, who left the clan under unknown circumstances to establish his own rogue ninja clan.

Ryu also finds himself in good terms with the Mugen Tenshin clan, especially with Ayane, Kasumi (who later becomes a runaway ninja) and their current leader, Hayate. This also expands the Hayabusa clan own relations, meaning they can count on the Mugen Tenshin members for help and the opposite.

Ninja Gaiden (Arcade)
In America, the Cult of Nostradamus lead by Nostradamus's descendent Bladedamus was rising from obscurity as Nostradamus's doomsday prediction drew closer. With country gripped in fear and wishing to fulfill the prophecy, Bladedamus orchestrated a massive jailbreak from Alcatraz the world's largest maximum security prison. The charismatic Bladedamus recruited the criminals mainly psychopaths and serial killers into his cult, they then took control of every major American city, flooding the streets with legions of criminals. Bladedamus kidnapped the CEO of the ICBM control switch, leaving the US President powerless against the cult.

In Japan, an 18 year old Ryu Hayabusa was eager to test his training and abilities, so he took up the blue ninja attire to join his father Jô Hayabusa in his mission. Jô Hayabusa had donned the red ninja attire and taken upon his clan's cause as leader of the Hayabusa clan, a ninja clan who've shaped history from behind the scenes in times of peril. Together the two Hayabusa headed to America to stop Bladedamus and his cult.

Upon arriving in San Francisco, they were attacked by Bladedamus's minions. Mainly using hand to hand combat, father and son fought off hundreds of murderous psychopaths and criminals consisting of masked psychopaths, street gangs, clawed killers, road warriors, ninja and sumo wrestlers, as they made their way through New Jersey, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, the American wilderness and then the Cult of Nostradamus's headquarters. Inside the headquarters surrounded by demonic symbols and artefacts, the Hayabusa dispatched the last of the cult to face Bladedamus in a climatic battle, defeating Bladedamus and any hope of his Nostradamus prophecy ever being fulfilled. Their mission accomplished, the Hayabusa ninja returned to Japan.

Ninja Gaiden Shadow
A year later, a dictator calling himself Emperor Garuda rises with an army. On a dark stormy night, they waste no time and quickly captured New York city. There, they would attempt to awaken the Jaquio. With the aid of a katana and a grappling hook, Ryu Hayabusa took it upon himself to stop this dictator. As he scaled the skyscrapers, battling robots, he destroys their leader, the Cyborg Spider. Searching the city, Ryu encounters the kick boxing champion Gregory and his smaller manager Jack, working for Garuda. They attempted to stop Ryu, but to no avail and so were defeated in battle.

Following the trail of minions and robots, Ryu began encountering the military portion of Emperor Garuda's forces, quickly dispatching them and their leader, former military commander Colonel Allen. In desperation, Garuda unleashed his ninja upon Ryu, but that proved ineffective, as Ryu defeated each ninja that went up against him. Making his way through the deadly traps and minions, Ryu came face to face with the Master Ninja, Nobleman Fūkisai. It was a hard fought battle, but Ryu killed the levitating ninja, freeing his path to Garuda himself. In the final Show down, Garuda would attempt to use his magical abilities against Ryu, flying and discharging bolts from his hand, then, in desperation, transforming into a deadly biometal being. In the aftermath, Ryu succeeds in killing Garuda, ending the emperor's reign and preventing Jaquio's awakening.

Ninja Gaiden (Xbox)/Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Now at age 21, Ryu is entrusted with the Dragon Sword as his father trains in the sacred wilderness. Working under her master Murai, the 14 year old kunoichi, Ayane, delivers messages to Ryu via kunai scrolls, inviting him to visit his uncle in the Shadow Ninja Fortress for special training. Ryu accepts this invitation and proceeds to walk the path of the ninja during the autumn afternoon. As Ryu makes his way to the Ninja Fortress, he is ambushed by ninja of the Shadow Clan. The path a ninja must walk is merciless and cruel, as Ryu must slay Murai's ninja or be killed himself. Ryu makes his way to Murai as the sun sets. There, the two ninja have an exchange of lethal weaponry before sitting down for conversation.

While discussing current affairs, Ayane rushes into the room to quickly inform them that the Hayabusa village is burning. Upon hearing this news, Ryu quickly rushes back to his village to find it under attack by Samurai warriors and mages. Arriving too late, he could only find his dead brethren laying on the ground as he fights through the hordes of Samurai. Making his way to the center of the village, Ryu attempts to save his best friend Kureha, but is unable to reach her in time and was forced to watch as she is killed right in front of his eyes by the Greater Fiend Doku, who then proceeds to behead senior Hayabusa ninja armed with the Dark Dragon Blade, a relic his clan is tasked to protect. The two square off but Ryu is quickly overcome by the Greater Fiend and the Dark Dragon Blade. Ryu collapses and seemingly dies. Hours later, the Hayabusa animal spirit appears, the peregrine falcon landing on a tree above Ryu's body. What transpires in this moment is unknown.

Three weeks later, having fully healed from his wounds and informed by Murai of the mastermind behind the attack on his village, Ryu Hayabusa, donning the Black Falcon attire, makes his way towards the Vigoor Empire, an isolated landlocked country with few ways of getting in. One of the few existing routes is by air ship, one of which gets boarded by Ryu. However, on the way there, it is commandeered by Vigoorian special forces perceiving Ryu as a hostile malefactor crossing into the Vigoor border. Ryu wipes out the whole squad, facing General Dynamo atop the air ship where Ryu wounds the general and damages his powersuit, causing it to explode. The air ship crashes in a huge fiery explosion as Ryu reaches the capital city of Tairon in the darkness of the night.

In Tairon, Ryu kills more special forces and MSATs before reaching Muramasa's shop and then Han's bar, where he meets Rachel. They have a brief conversation before Ryu continues his journey. As Ryu infiltrates further, he encounters the rival Black Spider ninja as well. This rival ninja clan that had tried to exterminate the Hayabusa clan for generations were also after the Dark Dragon Blade. Ryu makes his way to the Monastery where he encounters Galla fiends, slaying them as Rachel watches. Afterwards, a larger fiend Hydracubus grabs a hold of Rachel and consumes her. Ryu quickly dispatches the large fiend, saving Rachel as Ayane appears. Ayane informs Ryu that the Dark Dragon Blade's growth in power is causing fiends to appear, Rachel confirms this as explaining the stirring in her fiendish bloodline. Rachel then informs Ryu about an underground path underneath the Monastery she heard about, leading to the Emperor's Palace where Doku will likely be.

Inside the Monastery, Ryu kills many more fiends, encountering the more demonic Shadow, Monk and Bast fiends. Making his way to the bottom of a deep underground cavern, Ryu discovers a large underground cemetery. During a battle with some fiends, Ryu accidentally reanimates hundreds of zombies known as Ghuls by getting fiend blood onto the Holy Grail. Looting the relic, Ryu battles his way through numerous ghuls, reaching the upper levels of the cavern where he uses the Holy Grail to reanimate the large Bone Dragon. The Dragon Skeleton attempts to consume him but Ryu injures it's limbs, causing the creature to fall to the bottom of the cavern, it's sheer size impacts the ground with force enough to break into another hidden section of the underground as water slowly seeps in. Ryu journeys deeper, finding an Egyptian like tomb full of ghuls. Ryu reaches a cavernous tunnel, when the area where the bone dragon landed collapses further, causing water to rush in. This quickly floods the whole area and washes Ryu into another section of the cavern with an elevator. Taking the elevator, Ryu was lead back to the Monastery, where he fought and defeated the greater fiend Alma. However, the power unleashed from her defeat destroys the Monastery, attracting the attention of the Vigoorian Military.

By this time, it's daytime and the military are on full alert. Ryu inquires from Rachel that the Greater Fiends retain their souls. Rachel reveals that Greater Fiends are the ones who retain a soul even after becoming Fiends, and that there are only three of them; Doku, Alma, and Marbus who guards the Emperor. With the military on his trail, Ryu decides to strike at the heart of the military base to disable them. Killing all Vigoorian soldiers and mech infantry in his way, Ryu makes it to the military supply base by nightfall. There, he dispatches the army of soldiers, sentry robots, tanks and helicopters, as they throw everything they have at him. Once in the heart of the base, Ryu destroys the large radio tower, disabling the military's organization.

With the military crippled, Ryu continues on his quest to track down Doku and the Dark Dragon Blade. Still searching for that underground path to the Palace, Ryu enters the sewers of Tairon, leading into the Aqueducts beneath the city. Making his way to the end, Ryu faces off against and slays the wind demon Paz Zuu, the door behind the demon leading into a moat surrounding the gated Zakhan. Navigating through the moat, Ryu ended in the underground passage again. This time, however, he discovers a working elevator leading to a coliseum. There, he encounters Doku, who was holding a captured Rachel. The two warriors fought again. However, this time Ryu was victorious and Doku fell. Upon dying, Doku informed Ryu that the Dark Dragon Blade was with the Emperor and that the Awakening was soon at hand. Upon hearing this, Rachel quickly sped away while Ryu continued on his path.

The next leg of Ryu's journey leads him to caverns near the Zakhan palace. Once inside, Ryu navigates through a cavern of ice, fighting more fiends, including the deadlier ice Gobdecks. At the end of the ice caverns, Ryu slayed the large ice beast Yotunfrau. After smelting the Cog of Vigoor, Ryu gain access to the Fire caverns. Slaying it's fiery denizens as he navigated through the lava filled cavern, Ryu reached the end of the cavern where he killed the Flame Dragon. Proceeding into the next area, Ryu found himself in familiar territory, as he made his way back to the Aqueducts, and eventually made his way back to the streets of Tairon. But as the awakening drew closer, fiends started flooding the streets. At Muramasa's shop, Muramasa explained to Ryu that the Dragon Sword was no match for the Dark Dragon Blade's, but required a jewel to make it complete; only then would it be powerful enough to take on the Dark Dragon Blade.

After collecting all the stone tablets during his journey, Ryu placed them on the Twin Serpent Statue near the city entrance; this activated portals throughout the world, and Ryu was suddenly pulled through one of them, leading to the Hayabusa village. There, he visited his childhood friend's grave site, Kureha. On her tombstone was the Eye of the Dragon jewel placed there out of respect. Ryu took this jewel and attached it to the hilt of his sword, unlocking the True Dragon Sword. At the same moment, Ryu had a glimpse of the Vigoorian Emperor. Now having unsealed the Dark Dragon Blade and infused with all the powers of the Evil Deities, the human Emperor was no more, there was only the Supreme Deity known as Vigoor.

Wasting no time, Ryu hopped from portal to portal, ending up in an open field, with a Mayan style pyramid on the other end. Atop the pyramid was Rachel chained up with a Spirit Doku performing an Awakening ritual. As Ryu ran across the field towards them, Alma returned, empowered by Vigoor's return, she was stronger than before. The two fought but Alma was no match for Ryu and his True Dragon Sword. Doku lifted his blade, ready to kill as the sacrifice of Rachel drew closer, while Ryu rushed up the flight of stairs on the Pyramid. Alma, seeing this ran up the stairs as well, outpacing Ryu. At the last moment Alma put herself in front of Doku's blade saving her sister and returning back to her human form, but dying in the process.

Ryu proceeds towards Vigoor. Making his way through the Labyrinth infested with Ghost Fishes and Ariochs. At the end of the Labyrinth, Ryu encountered Doku in his spirit form, and for the second time defeated him in combat. However, upon dying, Doku placed the Fiendish Curse on Ryu, transforming him into a fiend. But Ryu was far too disciplined to give into its corruption, retaining his mind and soul while gaining none of the powers of a fiend, unlike the other humans who became powerful but savage creatures.

At the end of the labyrinth was a path leading into Zakhan Palace, with it Ryu made his way into the palace where all reality had changed and the laws of physics no longer applied. Soon he would come face to face with the dying Black Spider Ninja named Dai. Before he dies, Dai gives Ryu the key to the Palace Core, but not before he tells the young Dragon Shinobi to reclaim the nation of Vigoor, as the world's equilibrium was falling apart. Journeying deep into the Core, Ryu fought the toughest of the fiends, even entering the underworld to defeat Ishtaros and Nicchae, ancient greater fiends of creation and destruction, and Marbus the greater fiend who guarded the way to the Vigoorian Emperor. Once the path was unlocked, Ryu entered a strange realm falling down and then upwards into a field of flowers. There stood the Vigoorian Emperor, reborn in a divine form and on top of him was the Dark Dragon Blade. The heavenly fields quickly became a hellish fire pit. Ryu then summoned a flying platform of earth to aid him as the large Supreme Deity reached down for him. With the might of the True Dragon Sword, Ryu killed the Vigoorian Emperor, but the Emperor arose again from the magma in his hellish form, and the two battled once more with Ryu winning the fight.

With the Vigoorian Emperor dead, the fiend curse lifted and Ryu returned to normal. Ryu quickly retrieved the Dark Dragon Blade, alas his mission was completed, honoring the duty of his clan. At that moment, Rachel called from the upper portion of the magma cave, hanging onto her by her grappling gun. Ryu quickly raced over and got to her just as the cave was collapsing, as the two shot out of the ground pushed out by the spewing ash. In that moment, the Dark Dragon Blade fell out of Ryu's hand and landed right in front of the Dark Disciple. Him, who had been waiting their arrival, revealed his manipulation and identity as Murai, and quickly took the power of the Dark Dragon Blade for himself, becoming the Devil Incarnate. Ryu ultimately defeated Murai, who fell into the pit. From there, Ryu destroyed the Dark Dragon Blade with the True Dragon Sword, shattering it into pieces and teleported away.

Ryu later returned the Eye of the Dragon to Kureha's grave.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword
Six months later the Hayabusa village is rebuilt. Outside in the forest of shadows, Ryu is training his protege Momiji, after their spar Momiji tells Ryu to head back to the village as she promised Sakura that she would collect flowers for Kureha's grave. After collecting the flowers, Black Spider Ninja descend upon the forest and the Hayabusa Village simultaneously. As Ryu arrives at the village, he finds the clan under attack and quickly aids the villagers, meanwhile Momiji manages to hold her own against the Black Spider ninja, but is overpowered and captured by the Red Wyrm fiend. Back at the Hayabusa Village, Ryu manages to save everyone while slaying all the Black Spider ninja and killing the Red Wyrm fiend in the Castle of the Dragon's courtyard.

Ryu investigates and finds out the Black Spider ninja came in through a portal near the grave site currently sealed off with a large boulder, he also finds signs of struggle in forest. Promising not to lose Momiji the same way he lost Kureha, Ryu sets out to find her. Using the Art of the Inazuma, Ryu destroys the boulder near the grave site and enters portal, on the side a familiar place, the Monastery in Tairon and it appears to have been rebuilt. As Ryu investigates further he is attacked by the fiends, making his way through the Monastery, Ryu kills a Yotunfrau like creature, picking up a stone in the wake of its death. Soon enough, the Monastery returns back to its destroyed state, with what was before merely an illusion created by the stone as the Ancient Greater Fiend, Ishtaros, briefly conversed with the Dragon Ninja before leaving. Ryu then enters a portal, which leads to the Stone Circle Cove, a realm of multiple portals, going through the only active portal Ryu ends up back in the Hayabusa village to the surprise of Omitsu, as Ryu seemingly came out of no where.

In the village Muramasa explained to Ryu that the stone was one of the Dark Dragonstones were formed after the defeat of the Dark Dragon, each containing an essence of the god, should they ever be reunited the Dark Dragon would return and all would be destroyed. However each stone called out to the other, shining as they got closer and following them was the only way to find Momiji, Ryu was left with no choice but to go to where ever the stones may lead him. Going through the portals again, Ryu was lead back to the Aqueducts where he made his way back down to the Underground Sanctuary. There, he discovered the Dark Dragon Stone had to power of resurrection as he battled the wind demon, Paz Zuu, once more, collecting the Dark Dragonstone of Strength after defeating the demon.

Returning to the Hayabusa village, Ryu finds it under attack in his absence and quickly dispatches the Black Spider ninja. Hearing the Sakura had been kidnapped, Ryu heads off in search of her in the forest of shadows. There the Black Spider ninja held Sakura hostage as they offered to free her in exchanged for the Dragon Sword, but with a distraction from Sanji, Ryu was about quickly finish off the Black Spider ninja, saving Sakura.

Continuing on his quest to find Momiji, Ryu found that the Dark Dragonstones lead him to the Underground Mausoleum, encounter zombie like Ghuls once again. At the end, Ryu fought killed the large golem like creature, collecting the Dark Dragonstone of Slumber from it. Next Ryu found that stones lead him to the Underground Coliseum, where he heard an all too familiar voice. It was Spectral Doku bent on revenge and driven mad by his defeat, but Ryu prevailed again, collecting the Dark Dragonstone of Spirit. Then returning to the Magma Caverns, Ryu slayed the Flame Dragon again to collect the Dark Dragonstone of Fire, and to the Ice Cavern where he killed the Ice Dragon to gain the Dark Dragonstone of Ice.

Ryu is then lead to the Isle of Destiny, a chain of strange tropical islands and jungles, where he encounters demonic Black Spider ninja and Ghost Fishes on the beaches. At the end of isles he faced the elder sorceress of the Black Spider Ninja, Obaba, having become a powerful monster through Ishtaros she attempted to kill the Dragon Ninja but fell in battle. As she died, she revealed to Ryu that Momiji is with Ishtaros. Ryu's journey would then lead him to the Pyramid where he had saved Rachel 6 months prior. Here, Ryu faced the deadly Vigoorian Berserker fiends again, at the end of it Ryu killed a Rasetsu like creature to gain the Dark Dragonstone of Serpent. Returning to the Hayabusa village, Ryu received explosive arrows made by Denroku and Hanamaru.

With only one Dark Dragonstone left and in the possession of Ishtaros Ryu followed stones straight to the gates of the underworld, where he finally found Momiji imprisoned by the Ancient Fiend Sisters Ishtaros and Nicchae. At that moment, Ishtaros telekinetically pulled all the Dark Dragonstones from Ryu, making herself all powerful with might of the Dark Dragon. With this power she manages to defeat Ryu in combat, but through the spirit of Kureha, Momiji unfuses the Eye of the Dragon, sending it towards the Dragon Sword. Ryu now armed with the True Dragon Sword defeats Ishtaros. While dead, Ishtaros's body still contained the power of the Dark Dragon, and with her sister's floating corpse, Nicchae attempted to resurrect Vigoor, however the power was sapped from Vigoor, causing him to degenerate into his chaos skeletal form where he was quickly made short work of by Ryu. Nicchae seeing all hope for an Age of Fiends and enslavement of humans dashed went mad, knowing that the Dark Dragon would soon emerge and destroy all including humans and fiends. Knowing that she was going to die soon, she wanted nothing more than feel the joy of killing Ryu before she goes, instead she was slain in battle by Ryu. Afterwards, the Dark Dragon emerged, Ryu had a tough battle as he took on the colossal deity. After a hard battle, Ryu defeated the Dark Dragon and returned home to his village with Momiji.

The Vampire War
Six Months later, Ryu finds himself battling the vampire fiend known as Crimson in the dark of night, alongside his father. For millennium Vampires have fought against the Ninja of the Dragon Lineage, and now it was drawing to close. In the battle Ryu throws Crimson into a building as it collapses on the Vampire. Crimson survives and replies with a sonic attack at Ryu, Jô thens pushes his only son out of the way and takes the brunt of the attack. Luckily Jô is carrying the Eye of the Dragon and remains unharmed. The light from jewel weakens Crimson as Ryu speeds in and cuts down the fiend. Then the two ninja make their way back to the Hayabusa village as the sun rises. As Jô is healing from his wound, Momiji informs Ryu of news that Black Spider Ninja are planning to invade Tokyo. Ryu asks Momiji to watch over the village as he heads to Tokyo to investigate.

Ninja Gaiden II/Sigma 2
Spying on the Black Spider Ninja from afar Ryu investigates their motives in Tokyo. At Muramasa's new shop in Tokyo, the Black Spider Ninja raid and snare a woman, just as they're about finish her off with a claw weapon, Ryu intervenes kills one of them a shuriken to the head, he then slices another in half. Just then more Black Spider Ninja ambush Ryu as one of them escapes with the captured woman. Ryu makes his way through the city fighting waves of Black Spider Ninja. From atop a tall building, Ryu spots the captured woman, as another woman interrogates her. Jumping towards the other building, Ryu crashes through the glass window and suddenly fights more ninja as they rush him. Working his way to the top of the tower, Ryu kills a Rasetsu ninja attempting to slow him down. As the mysterious women is getting away with the captured women on a helicopter, Ryu throws his shuriken, forcing her to release the woman as Ryu catches the falling woman. As he unties her Ryu finds out she's a CIA agent name Sonia and she's been looking for him, warning him about the plot to resurrect the Archfiend and the impending attack on his village.

Ryu rushes back to his village only to see it decimated for the second time. Fighting his way through countless ninja warriors and mages, Ryu makes his way through the village and into the Castle of the Dragon, where he works his way to top just as his father still healing from his wound is fighting the Black Spider Clan's leader Genshin. Just as Ryu enters the room, Jô is knocked down a collapsed floor while the mysterious woman known as Elizébet gets away with the Demon Statue. Ryu and Genshin battle to a close draw, but just as it appears Genshin is going to win, Jô appears and takes on Genshin. Jô then orders his son to retrieve the Demon Statue from Elizébet as he is fighting Genshin, Ryu reluctantly obeys his father.

Ryu follows Elizébet to New York City, a city now taken over by fiends now that she had awaken the Greater Fiend Alexei. Fighting the many hordes of Van Gelf fiends, Black Spider ninja and demon dragons, Ryu makes his through the city, then through the sewers and then through the subways where destroys Gigadeath with a finishing stab and slice to the head. Up on the surface Ryu slays kills the giant troll like fiend known as Godomus before being flown in helicopter piloted by Sonia to the Statue of Liberty. Fighting his way up to the top of the statue, Ryu encounters Alexei, who compares humans to flies, although boasting about his great power and immortal lifespan he is mortally wounded by Ryu and dies.

Following Elizébet's trail Ryu is lead to the Aqua City in Italy. It's in this city where he first encounters the deadly Gaja and Werewolves. The journey through this city of canals takes him into the waterway systems underneath the city, here he discovers an ancient ruin area submerged in water where he slays the large loch ness monster like Water Dragon, running up its large long neck with his sword slitting it's throat vertically and then impaling it into the creature's head. Navigating his way out he winds'up in a bone pit underneath the Lycanthropes' Castle. Here Ryu defends himself against numerous skeletal creatures including a large skeleton monster, destroying them all before making his way through the Castle. Slaying werewolf after werewolf Ryu meets up with their leader Volf, the Greater Fiend of Storms. In a one-on-one showdown in the ancient coliseum, Ryu kills the beast, prompting the werewolves in the stands to rush in at him. After killing many werewolves, Sonia arrives in her helicopter to finish them off as Ryu grabs on.

Tracking down Elizébet, Ryu and Sonia catch up to the Daedalus, the large flying fortress and flagship of the Black Spider Ninja. Infiltrating the Daedalus, Ryu fights his way through the swarms of black spider ninja armed with automatic guns and high tech gear, mech suits and robots. Sabotaging the airship as he makes his way to Elizébet, however Genshin stood in his way. In the large cargo bay the two super ninja battle once again, ending in a draw as the Daedalus breaks in half. Stuck in the free falling half Ryu and Sonia grab the nearest motocycle and escape just as the falling airship hits the ground, crashing into an icy mountain in Russia. Picking himself up after the incident, Ryu found himself fighting large nuclear armadillo like fiend, weakening the fiery beast, Ryu impales the creature's brain until it falls, exploding in a nuclear mushroom cloud. After finding Sonia, Ryu journeys alone into Moscow, a city now over run with fiends and black spider ninja after it's military was wiped out by Zedonius, the Greater Fiend of Flames. Ryu would eventually make it to the clock tower killing another Godomus along the way, here he fought and killed the Greater Fiend.

Still trailing Elizébet, Ryu ends up in the Amazon rainforest, making his way past the many monsterous creatures and Black Spider Tech Ninja stationed there. Deep in the underground tunnel Ryu slays a large tunnel worm before making his way towards Elizébet. To slow him down Elizébet commands her Black Dragon (in Sigma) or two of her Quetzalcoatls to kill the Dragon Ninja, but proves futile as Ryu finishes off the beast. As Ryu drew nearer the Elizébet used the Demon statue to enter the Temple of Sacrifice deep in a cavern as a result blood rained from the skies. Ryu worked his way through the caverns killing the legendary Quetzalcoatl, before confronting Elizébet deep inside the Temple. Here Elizébet revealed herself to be a Greater Fiend and ruler of Blood, while mockingly stating that the demon statue was with the Inferno High Priest and the plot to resurrect the Archfiend was already underway. After defeating Elizébet in battle, Ryu is approached by Genshin who reveals the location of the Archfiend's revival to be at the summit of Mt. Fuji in Japan, and that it is there where they will finish their duel.

Wasting no time Ryu makes his way heads back the Hayabusa Village, there he is approached by Ayane with the Eye of the Dragon, with it Ryu gains the True Dragon Sword once again. Slaying his way through the final waves of Black Spider Ninja Ryu navigates through familiar Shadow Ninja Fortress now ruined before climbing Mt Fuji. He is than approached by Muramasa, for a little prep talk. Making his way through the Black Spider grave site Ryu reaches the summit where he and Genshin face off for the final time. After a close fight Genshin falls and Ryu continues on into Mt. Fuji and into the Underworld. Here he encounter Marbus (Sigma only) for the second time bent on revenge, but Ryu easily kills the Greater Fiend. Ryu makes his way through the many domains of the Underworld, from the fire pits of Hell to the dark Abyss, killing countless fiends and the 4 Greater Fiends he had previously killed in the world of the living, including Alexei who had taken Sonia captive as she followed Ryu. After rescuing Sonia Ryu heads into the Hall of Blood where he encounters Genshin again now a fiend, the two battle and as Genshin falls he reveals to Ryu that he had no regrets he walking the path of the ninja til the end, Ryu being able to relate understood as the two form a mutual respect. As he died Genshin handed Ryu the Black Spider's sacred weapon, the Blade of the Archfiend.

Now armed with both the Blade of the Archfiend and the True Dragon Sword, Ryu headed deeper after slaying Elizébet.

Reaching his goal Ryu ends up in the domain of the Archfiend's revival, interrupting a ritual being performed by the Infernal High Priest Dagra Dai. Ryu quickly defeats the Infernal High Priest, in desperation, Dagra Dai offers himself up as sacrifice hastening the return of the Archfiend Vazdah. Ryu does battle with the large deity, and prevents him from escaping to the summit of Mt Fuji. Afterwards Sonia appears and the two work they way out, but a blood drop from one of Ryu's injuries falls drips down landing on the dead Archfiend. With this Vazdah is revived in his full form flying straight up to the top, Ryu seeing this jumps up from his location, the two fight another epic battle before Ryu finishes Vazdah off in a fury of attacks, the death of Vazdah releases a huge amount of energy exploding at the top of Mt. Fuji. In the aftermath Sonia is looking for Ryu on the mountain, and relieved to find him under a large rubble boulder. Then Ryu and Sonia then look on as the sun rises, as the ninja states, "The light of dawn drives away the darkness once again".

Ryu is later seen in the Black Spider graveyard planting the Blade of the Archfiend, honoring Genshin in a graveyard filled with swords of fallen warriors. As he leaves the graveyard, Ryu catches a glimpse of the Mugen Tenshin princess Kasumi. He says to her, "Darkness is destined to lift in the end. I still have much left to do..." as he walks away.

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge
Ryu is called upon by the Japanese Self-Defense Force to deal with a terrorist group led by the mysterious alchemist, the Regent of the Mask who personally wanted the Dragon Ninja to come. Upon encountering the alchemist, he curses Ryu's right arm with the Grip of Murder which thrives on all the lives Ryu has taken. After escaping the Prime minister's mansion when it was destroyed by an incoming missile, Ryu returns to the JSDF Yunagi. There he and Mizuki see the Regent demand the immediate surrender by the nations of the world in seven days, or face annihilation.

After the Yunagi intercepts a signal coming from the Rub al' Khali Desert, Ryu departs there with Mizuki who gives him a bow that locks on to targets. while she monitors Ryu, the Super Ninja is visited by Ayane, who delivers to Ryu the Tenshin clan's treasured Jinran-Maru sword, at Hayate's request. Fighting past hired killers and desert assassins, Ryu makes his way to the tower in the desert, where he meets the Regent of the Mask once again. The Regent reveals to him that the affliction of the Grip of Murder used the Dragon Sword as a medium for the curse, then broke it's structure down and transmutated it into Hayabusa's arm, and reveals that without treatment, the curse will rot his arm from the inside out, and spread throughout his body, killing him. Ryu attacks but discovers that it's a mirage, and battles an armed helicopter. Ryu staggers back to Mizuki, who catches him as he collapases. On the Yunagi he meets Mizuki's daughter Canna. Ryu then meets Cliff Higgins, Mizuki's brother-in-law. Cliff reveals that the group they were fighting are called the Lords of Alchemy, also known by the conglomerate monicher LOA. Ryu departs for Abismo Island, but not before Canna makes him promise to protect her mother. Ryu gently assures her that he'd protect them both, and Canna, finally opening up to him, shakes his cursed hand.

At the island Ryu lays waste to all the assassins sent to kill him, all the while fighting off the effects of the curse. Soon Ryu would face the Regent again, after discovering that he had been using clones to recreate the dinosaurs, including a Gigantosaurus that the Dragon Ninja was forced to battle. After defeating the creature, Ryu sees Mizuki is captured. To save her, Hayabusa feigned surrender and in a surprise move, killed the guards holding her, only for Mizuki to knock him unconscious with a tranquilizer gun.

Ryu awakens in a VR simulator, where he meets the alluring and sinister Lovelace. She demonstrates that in the simulator he can be hurt or killed, and Ryu is forced to go through with the simulation, taking him to places from his past, from the blimp to Vigoor, to the Sky City in Tokyo, to the Prime Minister's Residence, where he squared off with a virtual Regent of the Mask. After escaping, Ryu fights his way through the LOA guards, and the hideous chimera Lovelace created using his blood. Eventually he finds Canna and escapes with her to find her mother. They find Mizuki, held captive by the Regent. After reuniting, the Regent ruthlessly pushes Lovelace into a prototype God's Egg, and Ryu is forced to fight a mutated version of Lovelace. After defeating her altered form, Ryu escapes with Canna and Mizuki, only to be arrested by the US military. The two are reprimanded by Captain Heinlern for their actions and are ordered to cease their operation immediately.

After the captain dismisses them, Ryu is told about Canna's tragic past. Suddenly Canna comes out and shows Ryu a message on her cell phone; "Be my daddy?". This comes as a surprise for Ryu, as he has never thought of being a father. After Cliff picks him, Canna and Mizuki up, Ryu travels via helicopter back to Hayabusa Village. Before he arrives at his home, Ryu jumps from the helicopter and lands in the Black Spider graveyard. He walks into the misty gravesite, the souls of the Black Spider Clan Ninja howling as he passes them by. Eventually he comes to where he placed the Blade of the Archfiend, the demonic ninja blade that was once used by the deceased Dark Ninja Lord, Genshin. As he takes the sword, the Dragon Ninja respectfully addresses Genshin as he says "I will borrow your soul, Lord of the Dark Ninja." and with that, he travels back to Hayabusa Village. While fighting across hordes of vengeful Spider Ninja, the Grip of Murder begins to take its toll on Ryu, causing him to stagger to the village gate before losing consciousness.

Tortured by a nightmare of being consumed by the curse, Ryu awakens in the clan leader's residence, nursed to health by the Dragon Miko, Momiji. Sanji runs in and gives Ryu an origami crane, asking him to get better so that they can train again. Momiji tells Ryu that Sanji was the one who found him. Ryu thanks the young ninja cadet, playfully telling him not to get cocky. He tells Sanji that he'll train with him anytime he wants, to Sanji's delight. Momiji tells her that Jo is in the hermitage just outside the village, and suggests they visit him. After walking through the village and easing his clan's fears, Ryu and Momiji travel to the hermitage. On the way, they are attacked by the Spider Ninja. Soon as they are near the shrine gate, the two shinobi sense an evil presence as hordes of Black Spider ninja appear. The presence they feel was none other than the Spider Clan Sorceress Obaba, who somehow came back to life. As the legion of Spider Ninja begin to overwhelm them, Momiji uses a Ninpo technique to destroy them. Soon the demonic sorceress shows herself, and proceeds to battle the two ninja of the Dragon Clan. Momiji encases herself in a Kekkai Ninpo, but is almost crushed to death by Obaba within the barrier. Ryu thinking fast begins attacking the power cores on her body. As Ryu prepares to strike the demonic witch down, Obaba knocks Momiji off in an attempt to kill her, but is killed by Ryu, who saves Momiji in the process.

Ryu carries Momiji as he makes it to the shrine. There he is met by his father, Jo Hayabusa in the temple. Jo tells Ryu that the curse has infested his entire body. Ryu asked his father how to remove it, but Jo replied that he didn't know. Jo then told Ryu about an ancestor of theirs who was afflicted by a similar curse, but was consumed by it, only the Ryuken was left. Jo reveals that the Dragon Sword was a gift meant to be used to kill the Evil Deities, but it became tainted by the souls of those it slew over the millennia. The curse of the Ryuken was the karmic retribution for all the deeds committed by the Dragon Ninja Clan over the generations. Ryu prepares to leave, and heads back to the Yunagi.

On the Yunagi, Cliff tells him that he will be his back up on an operation to Antarctica. Ryu prepares to leave but not before Canna gives him an origami shuriken for good luck. After Ryu arrives in Antarctica, he proceeds to lay waist to the LOA forces blocking his way. As he went deeper, he finds himself attacked by a foe he hasn't seen since the death of Archfiend Vazdah: the fiends. Ryu quickly discovered that these fiends are created by the LOA on the Abismo Island and battles through hordes of them until he comes face to face with an evil version of himself called the Epigonos. After an intense fight, Ryu defeats the false incarnation, but the Grip of Murder begins to activate. Cliff reveals himself as a member of the LOA group, along with his grandfather Ashtear Higgins; the Chairman of LOA. Ashtear reveals that Cliff is the head of LOA's R n' D and that he has plans for Canna. The LOA Chairman demonstrates his mastery of sorcery by manipulating the curse on the Dragon Ninja's hand, and resurrecting the Epigonos, morphing it into a more gruesome ninja demon. Ryu battles it again and kills it. Soon after, he attempts to chase down Cliff and Ashtear, but is left behind when he is knocked off their jet. Cliff tells Ryu that he would meet him on the Black Narwhal, a mysterious fleet thought long dismantled. Ryu is picked up by Ishigami, and is transported to a UN vessel.

Ryu is told by Ishigami that Canna was gone, and Mizuki was working on a plan to save her. Ishigami reveals that he suspected Cliff for quite sometime, and that the LOA infiltrated their upper ranks when Ryu and Mizuki were sent to England. Ken tells Ryu about how he and Mizuki's father were colleagues and the best of friends, and that he was bound by honor to protect his family, asking for the Dragon Ninja's help. The ship receives intel on the Black Narwhal's location from the CIA in Langley, where the signature was only one word; "Irene Lew". Ryu knew that codeword and tells them they can trust it. But they team are left with no idea how to get Ryu to the Black Narwhal safely. Ryu proposes a daring and in normal sense, suicidal act; Jump between two jets in mid-flight, saving fuel and making it to the fleet. Ryu is transported by Robert T. Sturgeon, who meets up with Mizuki. Ryu jumps from the plane and to everyone's astonishment, succeeded in his plan. Ryu and Mizuki fly over the Black Narwhal, and Ryu jumps off and proceeds to take down the escort ships before landing on the main ship itself. There he faces off with Ashtear, and defeats the alchemist. Ryu learns of his plans for Canna just before killing him, and proceeds to search for her inside, slaughtering all LOA members who got in his way. Eventually he would come face to face with the Regent of the Mask, watching as Canna is fused with the Egg of a God. Ryu defeats the Regent and is shocked to see that the man is actually Canna's father, Theodore Higgins, who was thought long dead. Cliff appears and revealed that he killed his brother when he tried to stop his plan, but for the purpose of him dying at Ryu's hand, he brought him back from the dead, and erased his memories, while controlling him through an AI unit in the mask. Canna sees this and calls Ryu a murderer with her own voice in anger. Ryu tries to go to her, but his cursed arm begins to fester again, with Cliff taunting him. Cliff stabs Ryu with his bare hand and rips out the Dragon Sword from his body. The Ryuken had been purified of the sin and pollution of its masters and Cliff hurls it into the Egg chamber. Ryu is helpless as Canna merges with the Egg, and the Goddess appears, wielding the Ryuken as the Black Narwhal is split in half, and sinks into the dephts of the ocean.

In a dream, Ryu finds himself on the border between Earth and the realm of the dead, the memories of those he killed and Canna calling him a murderer echoing in his mind. Genshin, the Dark Ninja Lord of the Jigumo Ninja appears before him, and gives the Dragon Ninja the Jashinken's spiritual part, awakening it from its slumber. Genshin returns to the other world smiling, leaving Ryu to go back to the world of the living. There he awakes in Mizuki's care on the JSDF destroyer ship "Zangetsu". Ryu prepares to go find Canna and save her, assisted by Ishigami and Mizuki. The three arrive in Tokyo, Japan, where the Goddess runs amok. Ryu battles hordes of LOA and fiends they created, Ryu comes across Muramasa, who was escaping the ruins of his shop. Muramasa tells him that the Dragon Sword only kills that which is completely evil, and that even if he got the sword back, he might not be able to kill her. Ryu tells him he had to try regardless, not because of his duty as a Dragon Shinobi, but for a child he promised. Muramasa commends him and tells him to have faith in the Ryuken and himself. With that Ryu leaves with Mizuki and heads for Canna.

Narrowly escaping LOA soldiers, Ryu and Mizuki are attacked by Cliff, who has transformed into a mutant creature. Ryu and Mizuki were about to be killed, when Theodore appeared, his memories fully restored. After he and Theodore send Mizuki to take care of her injuries, the two men battle through the fiend infested streets and buildings of Shinjuku, until they arrive at a powerful forcefield. Theodore uses his magic skills to break through and the two entered the area. Theodore suddenly betrayed Ryu, stating that if Canna awakens, she'd destroy the world, and that it was his fate to use the Blade of the Archfiend to cut Canna down; Ryu began to realize because the Jashinken was the Dragon Sword's polar opposite, it is the only sword that has a chance of combating the katana of his ancestors, but because it is an evil blade, it would kill Canna indescriminately. The two men battled for the final time, when Ryu ran him through with the Blade of the Archfiend. Theodore chanted an incantation and the curse on Ryu was removed. Ryu realized that Theodore wanted to die, as for Theodore, this was his atonement. With his final breath, Theodore tells Ryu that it's up to him to save Canna. The ninja prepares to battle the Goddess, doing it unmasked for the first time.

The Dragon Ninja is attacked by the Goddess with the giant Dragon Sword, and proceeded to attack her mask, causing the Goddess extreme pain. Ryu is able to block the Dragon Sword's powerful strikes thanks to the Blade of the Archfiend, enabling him to hold his own. As the battle reached its climax, the Jashinken and the giant Ryuken are broken to their hilts, and disperse into particles of light. Ryu's original Dragon Sword returns to him and he prepares to do use the Eye of the Dragon to awaken the sword. Ryu sees the origami shuriken Canna gave him fall to the ground and he picks it up. With the Shin Ryuken activated Ryu charges for the Goddess and strikes the head, cutting the Goddess in half, killing it. Canna fell into Ryu's arms, safe and alive. She whispered for her father, and Ryu leaves her in a safe area for Mizuki to find her. Ryu is visited by Ishigami as he prepared to leave. Ishigami tells Ryu that he is not a murderer, and not exactly a hero either, stating that being in between is what it means to be a ninja. Ishigami thanks Ryu and the master ninja vanishes into the shadows content. After Canna awakens, she sees the origami shuriken that she gave to Ryu left to her as a gift from the Dragon Ninja himself. With his duty complete, Ryu Hayabusa departed into the sunrise.

Ninja Gaiden (NES)
Ryu receives a pre written letter from his father, explaining that he had gone off to a life or death duel due to circumstances, should he not return Ryu was to travel to America and seek out an old acquaintance Dr. Walter Smith. In search of his father's murderer, Ryu sets off to America where he encounters the first of the Malice Four in Jay's Bar, a deadly axe wielding man who calls himself the Barbarian. After killing the Barbarian, Ryu encounters CIA Agent Irene Lew, who captures him by shooting him with a tranquilizer dart. She subsequently gives him the Demon Statue and frees him from a CIA-run prison. Going on his way, Ryu soon encounters Bomberhead trying to stop him, but Ryu kills the second of the Malice Four.

Without any leads Ryu decides to look for that acquaintance of his father living out in wilderness. Upon meeting, Dr. Walter Smith wastes no time, explaining to Ryu that long ago, his father and the doctor went on an archeology expedition to South America where they discovered some ruins. In there was a tablet telling a story of an ancient battle taking place 700 years ago, when Demon the Deity of Destruction entered the earth realm causing deaths on untold scales and destroying many nations. Then Ryu's ancestor, the Shinobi took up the mantle of the Dragon Ninja bloodline, upholding his duty shinobi fought the Deity in an epic struggle. The Demon had powerful attacks but Shinobi countered with the aid of the Dragon Sword, the very same one Ryu carried. Although defeated, Shinobi was unable to destroy Demon, so he sealed him away in two Demon Statues, the Statue of Light and the Statue of Shadow, warning should they ever be reunited in the ruin temple during the dark moon, the Demon will return. Knowing this information Jô took the Demon Statue of Shadow with him to Japan while Walter took the Demon Statue of Light with him to America, keeping they safeguarded and separated. Before Walter could finish his story Basque of the Malice four steals the Demon Statue of Shadow from Ryu. Walter Smith tells Ryu to get the Statue back and he wastes no time chasing Basque. Eventually Ryu kills Basque and retrieve the statue, but upon returning he finds Walter mortally wounded, telling Ryu all he could before dying as the CIA showed up.

Going with the CIA agents to their headquarters, Ryu meets Foster who brings him up to speed on the situation. Explaining that the Devil King Jaquio had returned and that he intended to become all powerful with the aid of Demon. Ryu was then flown to South America where he parachuted out into the Jungle. Once there Ryu made his way to Jaquio, but was forced to give Jaquio the Demon Statues as he held Irene hostage threatening to kill her. Left with no choice Ryu obeyed and was dropped through a trap door. Fighting his way through the caverns Ryu made his way back to the ruins, at the top he ran into his father's killer Bloody Malth, leader of the Malice Four. Having his vengeance, Ryu defeated Malth, however before his death, Malth claimed that Jô is still alive and when Ryu meets him it will be the last thing sees, laughing as he died. Ryu journel further, until he finally found Jaquio accompanied by the Masked Devil, who turned out to be Ryu's father under control, Jaquio laughed as he forced father and son to fight to the death. Ryu thinking quickly realized his father was being controlled by an orb and destroyed it freeing his father. Jaquio then attempted to blast Ryu with a powerful attack but Jô pushed his son out of the way and took the force of the attack. Ryu then retaliated by killing Jaquio in combat. Ryu then assisted his father with Irene, as they limped out, Jô told Ryu to quickly retrieve the Demon Statues, but it was too late as lunar eclipsed took place, the dark moon awakening the Demon. Ryu took up the Dragon Sword and after a long hard battle, the Demon was defeated, but its power unleashed caused the ruins to crumble.

Unable to make it out in time Jô told Ryu that his fate was tied to this place, and for Ryu to take Irene and go before it was too late. With little time left, Ryu was forced to abandon his father, Ryu screamed for his father as Jô perished in the collapse. Ryu was now the last of the Dragon Lineage. Outside Foster radio for Irene to kill Ryu but she refused and the two watched the sunrise.

Ninja Gaiden III:The Ancient Ship of Doom
A Ryu doppelganger assassinates Irene and frames the original for murder. During his quest to clear his name, Ryu discovers that Irene is still alive and that his doppelgänger was a BIO-NOID sent by Irene's old boss and former acquaintance of his, Foster. This was followed by an engagement with Ryu's doppelgänger which ended in Ryu's defeat. But in their second encounter, Ryu turns the tables, defeating his doppelgänger instead. But in a shocking turn-of-events, Foster is double-crossed by his accomplice, Clancy, who murders him. Clancy reveals the true nature of their location, the Castle Rock Fortress, as an inter-dimensional warship, which he intends to use for global dominance. With both Irene and himself caught up in Clancy's machinations, Ryu is forced to take action. Subsequently, Ryu foils Clancy's plans and flees the crumbling Castle Rock Fortress with Irene.

Ninja Gaiden II:The Dark Sword of Chaos
Ryu travels on the rooftops of New York killing fighting demonic forces, making his way to the train station Ryu defeats the brutish Viking spirit knowns as Dando. As Ryu questions these events to himself, Robert T. Sturgeon appears from the shadows informing Ryu that Irene had been kidnapped, telling to head to the Tower of Lahja. Ryu then jumps on a freight train fighting enemies as it traveled to the countryside, once there Ryu moved through the mountains killing Baron Spider. In darkness Ryu makes his way to the Temple up Lahja, scaling to the top of the tower Ryu encounters Ashtar who was holding Irene hostage, while forcing Ryu to fight Funky Dynamite. After slaying the cybernetic creature, Robert appeared with US army surrounding the Tower. Ashtar using Irene as a shield open a portal to the demon world and hoped through. Ryu and Robert then followed before the portal closed.

On the other side Ryu makes his way to Ashtar, who stabs Irene as the Dragon ninja approached, in a hard fought duel, Ryu kills the sorcerer and rescues Irene. Irene then tells Ryu that he has to destroy an alter before demon is revived, Ryu head on further while asking Robert to escort Irene out of the Demon Realm. However Ryu sense something strange when he battles familiar enemies. At the alter of sacrifice, Ryu later finds an injured Robert who informs him that Jaquio had taken Irene, telling Ryu to head on as he held off the demons. Ryu then reaches the alter of sacrifice where Jaquio reveals that he had been resurrected by Demon upon its death after their last encounter, giving him unfathomable power. Despite this Ryu kills Jaquio, but Jaquio blood floods the floor and eventually touches the Sword of Chaos, sapping the life out of Irene as sacrifice and reviving him as the Demon of Destruction. After a hard battle Ryu defeats the Jaquio Demon. Irene is then revived by the Dragon Sword.

Powers & Abilities
Easily one of the top tier characters, Ryu Hayabusa is stated as being the most powerful ninja in the world, hence his nickname "the Singular Super Ninja". This is further exemplified by his exploits where he defeated his toughest foes and beings of omnipotent nature.

Ryu's ongoing rigorous training from childhood augmented with his bloodline's ties to ancient evil deities have shaped him into a powerhouse warrior. Physically conditioned Ryu's speed and acrobatic skills are beyond exceptional, and while his strength may not be as immense as those of fiendish bloodlines, it is strong enough to wield hefty weapons and still maintain his agility. His senses are extremely high beyond the potential of a normal human being and predict an approaching attack. Cognitively he is a tactical fighter and highly calculative in battle. His skills in hand to hand combat and weaponry are at the master level, particularly his swordsmanship skill. Due to his level of mastery, Ryu is often seen using his weapons at their peak physical limit, often requiring the services of a legendary blacksmith to upgrade his weapons past these limitations. He also shows multiple chi and elemental abilities like conjuring a giant flaming dragon and using different types of elements with his attacks.

Ryu specializes in a martial art known as Hayabusa style Ninjutsu and his main weapon is the Dragon Sword, a powerful relic passed down from generation to generation, this is his signature weapon. It is also mentioned that he studied other martial arts. Although the Dragon Sword was not originally his, Ryu tasked with safeguarding it during the Dark Dragon Blade Incident, proved his worthiness by demonstrating his proficiency and valor with the sword, allowing his father to proudly part with it and continue the tradition of passing it down his lineage.

Ryu Hayabusa's abilities, equipment and titles are astonishing feats controlled by the player throughout the Ninja Gaiden series, utilized and earned by the main character Ryu Hayabusa as he walks the path of the ninja. Most of his skills come from rigorous training throughout his childhood and young adult life, but he is also descended from a line of warriors known as the Dragon Lineage, giving Ryu a greater connection and understanding of philosophical and spiritual arts, as well as granting him greater ease in enhancing his physical prowess. Though still only human, this conditioning has allowed Ryu to push past the physical limitations of the human body, giving him the ability to defeat supernatural foes and even supreme deities.