I have heard a lot of people asking how to find the Rod of Trials in Ninja Gaiden 2 so that they can perform the Tests of Valor. It took me a while to figure it out - even after it was explained to me in detail (thanks Shackers) I was still confused about it - but once I got it, I figured I would share the knowledge with everyone else on how exactly to go about getting it.
I made a little video showing what you need to do. Also this can be accomplished on Acolyte or Warrior settings. The video starts immediately after you have used the first save totem in Chapter 2.