Waterway

Come in with Cecil and Yang in front, the mages protected, and enough recovery items to survive a bad back attack. The first cave screen is labeled Waterway; the next one is B3F. You haven’t missed a floor just because those names don’t form a tidy countdown.

Waterway: Three Chests Before the Stairs

Head south from the entrance and cross the water by way of the central land. Follow the southern corridor to three chests:

Left	Middle	Right
HiPotion	Ether1	ThorRage

From the east end of the chest corridor, head north. Follow the bridges and landings around the rocks to the northeastern stairs.

Fighting in the Water

Area Enemies: Waterway

Choose an enemy to open its stats and advice. Choose it again to collapse.

Steal is Edge's item target, not a drop-rarity roll. Drop labels describe relative rarity, not guaranteed rewards. Early enemies may be encountered before Edge joins. “None identified” means unknown, not a guarantee that no item exists.

AquaWorm’s Wave damages the party, while Hydra’s Entangle can make a fight drag on. Use Ice against Gator and Crocdile. Avoid including ElecFish in group Bolt casts; use physical attacks against it.

Cecil and Yang handle physical attacks, Porom keeps everyone healthy, and Palom can use Bolt magic when a group needs clearing. is useful for conserving his MP. Tellah’s equipped Thunder can also be used through Item without consuming MP, but its spread damage is not a substitute for every stronger spell.

After a back attack, check rows and HP before immediately queuing more attacks. If Mini leaves a fighter ineffective, Tellah’s can get them back into shape.

B3F: The Hidden Pool Connections

You enter at the southwest. Follow the short path north and east toward the ladder into the water.

The rocks aren’t as solid as they look. Before taking the narrow eastern channel toward the exit, collect the three treasures reached through the western and central pools.

Route Steps
Step	Action
1	From the entrance-side pool, look for the concealed route through the southern rock.
2	Follow it into the southwest pool, climb the ladder, and collect HrGlass1.
3	Use the hidden connection to the neighboring pool and climb north for Silk Web.
4	Reach the large central pool through the concealed connections, then climb onto the island from its south side for Hermes.
5	Return to the narrow channel at the far east. Follow it north to the exit stairs.

Don’t leave Hermes behind just because you found a route out. It’s on the central island, not beside the eastern staircase.

B2F: Ether and a Sword

Heal when you arrive, then climb the northern ladder. Before committing to the main corridor, investigate the hidden western connection to an isolated Ether1 chest.

Return to the corridor, continue north, and take the western doorway into the save room.

There is a second reason to stop here: walk through the east wall just north of the save seal to reach . Collect it, but don’t automatically equip it. Compared with , it lowers Cecil’s displayed Attack, Accuracy, and Will. Keep Legend for routine fighting and Ancient as a situational alternative.

Use a or Cabin and save. A restores up to 1,000 HP and 100 MP per character, so check the actual totals rather than assuming the camping animation means everyone is full.

Into the Castle Moat

Continue by the eastern/northern ladders until you emerge at Castle Baron.

Follow the western side of the moat south. On the south-facing wall, west of the main entrance, an opening leads into the western courtyard. (No, you don’t need to search every stretch of the eastern moat to find another secret exit.)

Before going into the main hall, visit Cecil’s old room and use his bed. It restores the party’s HP and MP for free. We’ll be back here again soon.

Treasure Check

Before leaving the Waterway behind, you should have collected:

The entrance-room 1,000 Gil.
HiPotion, Ether1, and ThorRage on the first cave screen.
HrGlass1, Silk Web, and Hermes on B3F.
Ether1 and Ancient beyond it.