Look, we've all been there. You’re wandering around Limgrave, minding your own business, and you see a guy in a cool hat standing under a collapsed ruin. He tells you to stay away from the lake. "There's a dragon," he says, sounding like he’s seen too much. That’s Bloody Finger Hunter Yura.
He’s one of the few NPCs in Elden Ring who actually feels like he’s on your side from the jump. But if you think the Elden Ring Yura quest is just about killing a few invaders and grabbing a sword, you’re missing the most tragic—and honestly, weirdest—transformation in the game.
Yura’s story isn't just a gear farm. It’s a slow-motion car crash involving unrequited love, a body-snatching demon, and the literal end of the world.
The First Steps: Don't Kill Him Early
I know. The Nagakiba is tempting. It’s basically a Sephiroth-style washing pole with ridiculous range. A lot of players just whack Yura right there under the bridge to get it.
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Don't.
If you kill him in Limgrave, you lose out on the Ronin armor set and the Raptor of the Mists Ash of War. You can still get the Nagakiba, but you're butchering a great story for a weapon you can get naturally later.
Meeting the Man
You’ll find him just south of Agheel Lake. After he warns you about the dragon, go ahead and poke the dragon anyway. You don't even have to win. Just survive long enough to tell him about it. He’ll mention the Church of Dragon Communion, which is a nice tip, but the real quest starts when you head north up the river.
The Murkwater Ambush
As you head toward Murkwater Cave, a red phantom named Nerijus will invade you. He’s fast. He bleeds you out in three hits.
Hold out.
After about thirty seconds, Yura spawns in as a gold phantom to help. It’s a scripted "bro" moment. Once Nerijus is dead, you get the Reduvia dagger (a top-tier early bleed weapon). Talk to Yura further up the river. He’ll explain that he hunts "Bloody Fingers"—Tarnished who have lost their minds and started hunting their own.
Liurnia and the Academy Gate
Fast forward a bit. Once you get into Raya Lucaria Academy, don't just rush the boss. Go to the Main Academy Gate Site of Grace and walk past the blue seal to the north.
You’ll see a red summon sign on the bridge.
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This is the opposite of a normal invasion. You are invading with Yura to help him take down a Ravenmount Assassin. It’s a chaotic fight because that assassin loves to jump around like a caffeinated ninja.
Pro tip: Don't let Yura die here. If he survives, you get the Raptor of the Mists. This is arguably the best "get out of jail free" Ash of War in the game. It lets you vanish into thin air when an enemy hits you.
Talk to him on the bridge afterward. He’s breathing heavy. He’s talking about Eleonora, the "Violet Bloody Finger." He sounds obsessed. Honestly, he sounds like a man who knows he’s about to lose.
The Tragedy at the Second Church of Marika
This is where the Elden Ring Yura quest usually breaks people's hearts. You need to head to the Altus Plateau. Specifically, the Second Church of Marika.
When you walk in, you’ll find Yura lying on the floor.
He’s dying. He’s gasping out his final words about Eleonora, the woman he’s been chasing this whole time. It turns out she wasn't just another target; there's a deep, painful history there. As he breathes his last, he leaves you the Nagakiba.
Then, she shows up.
Eleonora invades immediately. She’s tough. She uses dragon incantations and a twinblade that causes massive blood loss. If you beat her, you get:
- Eleonora's Poleblade: One of the flashiest Dex/Arc weapons in the game.
- Purifying Crystal Tear: This is MANDATORY if you want to fight Mohg later without his blood ritual instantly killing you.
Most people think the quest ends here. They get the sword, they see the body, they move on. But Elden Ring isn't done with Yura’s "vessel" yet.
Shabriri: The Body Snatcher
Once you reach the Mountaintops of the Giants, you’ll see Yura again. He’s standing by the Zamor Ruins Site of Grace.
But it isn't him.
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The voice is wrong. The posture is weird. The man standing there is Shabriri, a chaos-worshipping entity that has possessed Yura’s dead body. He’ll try to convince you to "let chaos take the world" and seek out the Frenzied Flame.
It’s creepy as hell.
You have two choices here:
- Kill him on sight. He’s a tough fight—he uses madness spells that will stun-lock you if you aren't careful. Once he’s dead, he drops the Ronin armor set.
- Go find the Three Fingers. If you actually follow the Frenzied Flame path and get "touched" by the Three Fingers under the capital, come back here. Shabriri will be gone, but the armor set will be lying on the ground.
Why This Questline Actually Matters
There’s a lot of debate about whether Shabriri is actually Yura or just a demon wearing his skin. Some lore nerds point out that they share similar death dialogue. Others think Yura’s soul was so broken by Eleonora that it left the door open for Shabriri to walk right in.
Whatever the truth is, Yura’s journey is a mirror of your own. He started with a noble goal—protecting Tarnished—and ended up as a hollowed-out puppet for an outer god.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re currently looking for Yura, here is exactly what you should do right now to ensure you don't break the quest:
- Check the bridge: If you’ve already reached Altus but didn't help him at Raya Lucaria, go back to the Academy bridge. The sign might still be there.
- Don't skip dialogue: Always talk to him until he starts repeating himself. Elden Ring NPCs are notorious for not moving to their next location unless you've "exhausted" their talk options.
- Get the Tear: Even if you don't care about the katana, the Purifying Crystal Tear from the Eleonora fight is a literal lifesaver for the Mohg boss fight. Do not skip the Second Church of Marika.
- Grab the Armor: The Ronin set is some of the best-looking medium armor in the game and has surprisingly good stats for its weight. Whether you kill Shabriri or follow his path, make sure you get those robes.
The Lands Between are lonely, and Yura is one of the few characters who actually treats you like a peer rather than a tool. Watching him fall is part of the "genuine" Elden Ring experience. Don't rush it for the sake of a long sword.