Chapter 9 is centered in Onomichi Jingaicho and involves tracing the steps of the Hirose family and searching for a key person.

Part 1: Return to Onomichi

Start the Chapter: Speak to Nagumo inside the New Serena bar in Kamurocho to initiate your travel back to Onomichi.
The Roadblock Gauntlet: Once you arrive in Onomichi, you'll be on the main road, but your movement will be restricted for a short time.
- Walk along the main road toward the east. You will encounter multiple groups of enemies blocking your path in short, successive fights.
- Use the available street weapons (bikes, cones, signs) to speed up these brawls.
The Moreno Bar: Continue fighting your way east along National Route 2, then turn south into the alley just past the overhead pedestrian path to reach the Moreno Bar.
Dialogue: A long cutscene sequence will play inside the bar. Afterward, speak with the members of the Hirose Family inside.
Freedom of Movement: Exit the bar to trigger a short cutscene. Your paths are now less restricted.

Part 2: Searching the Hirose Family Office

Check the Office: Four pink dots will appear on your map, but the most important one is the Hirose Family Office, located immediately east of the Moreno Bar.
Find the Clues: Kiryu will note the lights are on, but the door is locked.
- Circle the Building: Walk around the north side of the office to find a side alley.
- Climb the Ladder: Kiryu will automatically set up and climb a ladder to enter the upstairs bedroom.
- Examine Objects: Once inside, you must examine two objects to progress:
  - A photo next to a telephone.
  - A box of matches on the table.
Fight: Exit the office, and you will be immediately ambushed by a large group of enemies. Since the alley is narrow, focus on sweeping attacks or use the environment if possible. Defeat them to receive crucial information.

Snack Hourglass: The next pink dot leads you to Snack Hourglass, in the narrow alley south of Kiyomi's bar.
- You cannot enter the bar. Speak to the woman standing outside to get your next lead.
The Shrine: The woman will direct you to the Shrine in the northwest corner of the city.
En Route to the Shrine: As you approach the shrine (you must go via the south, as the restaurant path is blocked), Kiryu will get a phone call, triggering the chapter's boss fight.

The battle begins with Yuta and a dozen other men.

Strategy (Phase 1): Focus on clearing the minions first. Yuta is fast and uses a knife, but the clutter of his men makes it hard to focus on him. Use your Extreme Heat mode to wipe out the small-fry quickly with wide-area attacks.
Boss Strategy (Phase 2): Once the minions are gone, focus on Yuta.
- Knife Attacks: Yuta's knife strikes deal good damage and will often cause Kiryu to fall down, interrupting your combos. Be extremely careful when he wields the knife.
- Patience and Dodging: Yuta is fast. Stay patient, use quick lateral Quicksteps to dodge his overcommitted attacks, and counter with short, quick combos. The Square-Square-Triangle-Triangle (Foot sweep/soccer kick) combo is highly effective due to its speed and knockdown ability.
- Weapons: If you can grab any nearby environmental weapons, use them to deal fast, reliable damage.
- Drunk Buff: If you are running low on Heat Orbs, consuming a strong alcoholic beverage (like one from your inventory) will restore some Heat and give you a brief strength boost, which is excellent for finishing the fight.
Climax: When Yuta's health drops low, a Quick Time Event (QTE) will trigger, and he will enter his own boosted state. Maintain your patient dodging and quick-attack counter-strategy to finish him off.

Defeating Yuta completes Chapter 9 and unlocks a major cutscene sequence.

This substory is a short, humorous encounter that requires you to correctly identify a voice from Kiryu's past.

Detail	Information
Location	Nakamichi Alley, Kamurocho (walk around the empty lot south of the safe).
Availability	Chapter 6 or later. You must be wandering around Kamurocho.
Reward	Experience and 30,000 Yen.

Trigger the Phone Call: Walk around Nakamichi Alley in Kamurocho (near the empty lot, south of the Coin Locker safe). Kiryu's phone will ring with an unknown number.
The Quiz: The person on the other end says, "Hey, it's me!" Kiryu has to guess who it is.
- Choice 1: Select "Sounds like Taichi." (This is the correct answer, the child from Morning Glory Orphanage.)
The Scam: Taichi claims he needs money for hospital bills because he got into trouble. Kiryu is immediately suspicious.
- Choice 2: Select "This is probably a scam."
- Choice 3: Select "This is definitely a scam!"
The Confrontation: The man on the phone, who is clearly not Taichi, will challenge Kiryu to meet at Millennium Tower to settle the matter. A blue speech bubble icon will appear on your map near the Tower.
Fight: Go to the spot outside the Millennium Tower and speak to the marked man, Ishigaki. After a short conversation, you will fight him and his friend.
Completion: Defeat the two con men to successfully complete the substory and receive your reward.