Within the Shadows Quest Walkthrough: Argo and Iori’s Monster Hunt
Within the Shadows is the third major quest in Echoes of Aincrad, kicking off after Iori’s Request. In it, you team up with Argo and Iori to track down a particularly nasty enemy. Along the way, you’ll also clear out foes like the Shrewman, the Glenspore Grizzly, and other monsters that show up during the run. Here’s a full walkthrough to help you get through the quest, including how to handle both boss fights.
Within the Shadows Walkthrough
After leaving the Town of Beginnings, head northwest toward the waypoint. If you cleared the previous quest area, that nearby region should already be visible on your map, making navigation easier. On the route, you’ll run into Kobolds you’ve likely seen before. Watch out, though—an elite version can catch you off guard by attempting to apply the Paralyzed ailment.
As the game’s tooltip warns, ailments like Paralyzed only actually take effect once the meter near the bottom of your screen is completely filled. Keep that in mind, especially when you meet status effects that can outright kill you. Other ailments may also affect your performance quietly while active, without always being obvious at first. Not long into Within the Shadows, you’ll encounter a new foe: the Wind Wasp.
- Col
- Lustrous Carapace
As you approach the first waypoint, you’ll reach an area where large stones surround the spot. This triggers a cutscene in which Argo comments that a mystery monster could be nearby. After you steal Iori’s entire inventory, the next step is to hunt down what’s lurking in the area.
Keep following the route until you arrive at the waypoint. Interact with the gust of wind here and use the Investigate prompt to reveal the boss: the Shrewman.
How to Beat the Shrewman
Unlike many bosses in Echoes of Aincrad, the Shrewman doesn’t start with a cinematic that introduces the fight. After examining the markings around the encounter area, you’re thrown straight into combat. These are the main attacks to expect:
- Two-swipe combo: it alternates hands to deliver a pair of slashes. The reach is fairly solid because it moves forward as it attacks.
- Air flip into slam: it flips forward through the air and then drops down onto you.
- Other possible moves: it may have additional special attacks, but because its health is low, you may not see everything before Iori finishes it. That said, the Shrewman can appear again later in the quest.
When you defeat the Shrewman, it retreats to a new area. Before you go chasing after it, check for loot: you may find a Crude Weapon Fragment to pick up. Also, since the map area is cleared, there’s a treasure chest not far down the road, so be sure to grab it. After that, backtrack along the road you came from.
Take the first left along the road, heading north and crossing a stone bridge. Pass a set of stone pillars marked with neon blue lights, then look for another gust of wind to investigate. Doing so summons the Shrewman a second time. You can expect a fight similar to before, though you may notice a couple of extra moves this round—like its double uppercut swipe and a spinning swipe attack.
Win again and the Shrewman escapes a second time to another location. In the walkthrough run, it also dropped another Crude Weapon Fragment. From here, you can either continue southwest along the road to the next waypoint or search for the nearby Safe Area.
This gives you time to restore Healing Crystals and reveal the region. The walkthrough also includes an additional map image for positioning, but the key gameplay steps remain the same: once you reach the waypoint, Investigate the wind gust to summon the Shrewman a third time.
This is the final Shrewman fight in Within the Shadows, but it’s still necessary to recover Iori’s inventory. After taking it down for the third time, backtrack up the road to the next waypoint. If you need it, you can stop by the Northwest Temple Ruins Safe Area. However, you’ll encounter another Safe Area before you face the next boss.
After reaching the Megalith Forest: North Safe Area, head southwest toward the quest waypoint. Along the way, you’ll likely run into an elite wasp variant named Filthy Wasp.
- Col
- Lustrous Carapace
- Iron Ingot
- Taurus Axe
- Annealed Sledgehammer
- Steel Sword
When you arrive at the latest waypoint for Within the Shadows, you’ll find a yellow sealed wall. In the usual Echoes of Aincrad style, that means a boss encounter is next. This time, you won’t be fighting the Shrewman a fourth time—you’ll instead take on the Glenspore Grizzly.
How to Beat the Glenspore Grizzly
The Glenspore Grizzly is a large, bear-like enemy that can apply the Burning ailment. Many of its attacks have a chance to inflict Burning, but you can avoid it more consistently if you’re able to stay behind it. This is exactly where having Iori draw aggro helps most.
Fight tips for the Glenspore Grizzly:
- Shake and ember cloud: it can rattle itself and generate a dark cloud full of embers around its body. If you step into that smoke, it will knock you away.
- Fire breath (left to right): it can breathe fire across a moderate distance in front of it. If you remain behind the creature, you can hit it safely. If your attacks connect while you’re struck by the breath, your Burning ailment meter will increase.
- Melee claw combo: it swipes multiple times nearby using flaming claws. This combination can also apply Burning.
- Hind-leg fire alternative: instead of breathing fire while standing on its back legs, it may perform a straightforward downward swipe toward you.
After you defeat the Glenspore Grizzly, collect the loot it drops. Potential items include:
- Iori’s Col
- Col
- Iron Ingot
- Smooth Hide
- Greatsword
- Wild Edge
Once you pick up Iori’s Col, Within the Shadows is finished. You’ll then see a short cutscene where Iori is relieved to have his money back. Argo also praises you both for working well as a team. Afterward, you’ll return to the Town of Beginnings so you can prepare for the next quest, The Violet Fencer I.
Up Next: Partners
Top Guide Sections
- Tips & Tricks
- Walkthrough
- Partners
- When Character Customization Unlocks
