In Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, players hit a snag in Chapter 2: upgrading the Goromaru requires a hefty $10,000. This guide shows you the fastest ways to earn the necessary funds and continue your swashbuckling adventure.

To advance the story, Goro needs to upgrade his ship for the Pirate Coliseum in Madlantis. This involves not only ship repairs costing $10,000 but also recruiting five crew members. While crew recruitment is relatively straightforward, securing the funds for the Goromaru presents a significant challenge early in the game.

Fortunately, there are several methods for quickly earning in-game cash. However, accumulating substantial sums can be tricky, especially at this early stage. Three primary options exist: collecting bounties, hunting for treasure chests, and completing jobs in Honolulu.

Treasure Hunting

Treasure chests are scattered throughout Honolulu and various islands requiring raids. While a viable option, this method is time-consuming and requires venturing beyond Honolulu, delaying progress towards the main storyline. For a faster solution, consider bounty hunting.

Bounty Hunting: The Fastest Route

Hunting bounties in Honolulu offers the most efficient way to earn the $10,000. Even smaller bounties yield around $2,000, while larger ones can award up to $16,000—potentially providing all the necessary funds from a single successful hunt. However, tackling high-value bounties early on is challenging due to Goro's limited health and combat capabilities. Unless you're a seasoned Yakuza player, this approach might prove difficult.

A more balanced strategy involves targeting lower-difficulty bounties, which reward between $2,000 and $6,000. These bounties often involve several weaker enemies, making them easier to defeat. Utilize Goro's Sea Dog fighting style for crowd control, switching to Mad Dog for tougher one-on-one encounters with the bounty boss.

Bounties are easily identified on the Honolulu map by a red handcuff icon. Approaching the icon reveals bounty details, including difficulty, reward, and background information. This allows you to assess the risk before engaging.

Bounty fights function like other combat encounters in the game. Defeat enemies to claim your reward. Higher-value bounties often have multiple health bars and more challenging enemies. However, the significant cash reward makes it a worthwhile endeavor. Completing several lower-level bounties quickly provides the necessary funds to upgrade the Goromaru.

By focusing on lower-level bounties, you can efficiently earn the $10,000 needed to upgrade your ship and progress the main storyline. It’s a combat-heavy approach, but a highly effective one for speeding through the campaign.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.