Kowakujo: Wards and Pack-a-Punch

Reclaiming the castle

The Pack-a-Punch Machine of Kowakujo is not standing anywhere at the start of a game. It hides behind the World Seed, in the Shogun’s Sanctum at the heart of the castle, and the way to it runs through four steps: two wards to take back, a sealed gate, an Oni and a seal of the Shogun.

Recapture the two wards held by Nyxara’s forces, one in the Training Area, the other in the Kitchens, in either order: stand by the banner until its bar fills, while the zombies pour in.
At the Central Courtyard, remove the two red Gate Glyphs sealing the large wooden door of the castle.
In the War Room, interact with the golden sigil on the wall: a lightning shard turns into the first Oni of the game.
Kill it and pick up the Shogun’s Hanko, the seal that opens the golden dragon door of the Shogun’s Sanctum.
Kill the marked zombies around the World Seed until it powers up. The Pack-a-Punch Machine then appears in the Sanctum.

World Seed

The egg of blue light that holds the World Tree. The Path of Sorrows is plunged into the base of its altar, and freeing it is the thread of the main quest.

Pack-a-Punch Machine

Three tiers, as everywhere in Black Ops 7: 5,000 Essence for the first, 15,000 for the second and 30,000 for the third, according to Dexerto’s guide.

Getting around

Ninja Kite

500 Essence: a dragon kite that glides the player to the Grounds. The boss fight of the main quest is also reached with it.

Lava

Rivers of lava cut through the grounds. Several steps of the quests depend on whether it flows or has cooled, at the Stables for example.

Ghostly Rifleman Trap

The trap of the map is free. Pairs of komainu, the lion-dogs of Japanese shrines, guard several doorways of the castle and are marked with a trap icon on the minimap. Once the power is on, according to Treyarch’s description, a komainu calls up the long-dead riflemen of the castle, who fire on the horde from the windows.

The komainu

The stone statue that starts the trap.

Ghostly riflemen firing blue shots through the windows of a wooden hall, promotional image, Kowakujo, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Zombies

The riflemen

Ghostly blue arquebusiers fire through the windows of a wooden building.

Three traps on the main quest

Between the Outer Ward and the Gatehouse, between the Flower Garden and the Kitchens, and between the Central Courtyard and the Tenshu Entrance. The main quest uses them to hear a witness.

Cherry Blossom Trees

Five glowing cherry trees stand in the Outer Ward, the Staging Area, the Training Area, the Tenshu Entrance and the Kitchens. From time to time, or after a few melee hits, one shines and lays a pool of light under its branches.

A cherry tree in pink bloom glowing above a castle wall, Kowakujo, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 Zombies

Overheal

Standing in the light heals, then adds 10 health every few seconds, up to 50 over the maximum. A pink aura frames the screen while it lasts.

Small tornadoes

With the pink aura, running in tight circles raises a little tornado. It does nothing in a fight, but several quests need one.

Regrowth

The light fades after a while and the leaves die; the tree grows them back on its own, and nothing speeds it up.