Chapter 13: Pathto Zarkhan
The path to Zarkhan is very... moist. In fact, you’re going to be doing more diving here than you did in the Waterways. Fortunately, you’re also going to be getting an item that will allow you to breathe underwater indefinitely here, so that’ll be one less thing for you to worry about. Of course, you’ll still have to actually survive up to that point...
But enough of that, let’s get things started. Save at the Dragon Statue and loot the nearby treasures. If you turn around to look at the water, you’ll see some huge fish swimming just underneath the surface. They’re quite intimidating, and if you so desire, you can aim to take them out with projectile attacks. However, in reality, they really aren’t a huge threat unless they come very close to Ryu. If you think you’re skilled enough to simply avoid them, feel free to jump on in without killing them first.
There’s a steel-barred gate close to the ledge with the Dragon Statue. It’s impassable from the surface of the water, but there is an opening underneath you can swim through. The small area you’ll find contains a Golden Scarab.
Now head back and search for an underwater opening in one of the walls. (You shouldn’t have too much trouble seeing it from above the water’s surface.) Dive in and swim through, but don’t be too hasty – there are several spike traps here that will not only damage Ryu, but will drain his breath meter. If you’re afraid of getting poked, it’s better to wait for the spikes to trigger and then swim on through once they retreat.
Emerge from the underwater passage into a new area. There’s a Muramasa shop here, along with a fallen ninja who carries the Spear Gun. This projectile weapon can be used underwater and is highly effective against sealife. Now, dive back in and proceed through the next underwater tunnel.
The area following this tunnel is infested with flying security robots. Equip your Windmill Shuriken and jump above the waves, throwing it at the ‘bots as you run across the water’s surface. Destroy them all, then take another look around for the next underwater route you’ll need to swim through. (There’s another Golden Scarab nearby its entrance, so don’t neglect to pick it up.)
Dive back down and swim through the tunnel, emerging in another room with a Dragon Statue and a bunch of enemies. Cut them down and open the chest nearby for a Life of the Gods. Make sure to save your game, then jump into the water once again and proceed through the next tunnel you see.
You’ll emerge in another large, open area. New mermen enemies appear here alongside the giant fish you encountered previously. Both of these fishy fiends take a good deal of damage from the Spear Gun, so equip that and go to town. The fish are easier to take out while in the water, while the Mermen are easier to deal with at a distance on dry land.
Looking around this area, you’ll find a locked door a ways inland. It wouldn’t be a locked door if there wasn’t a key to go with it, right? Straight across from the locked door is another steel-barred gate. As before, you can swim through an opening underneath this one.
As you exit the tunnel, stop at the surface to catch your breath, then look for the shipwreck. There are some more flying robots here, so use the same technique to cut the down as before. After they’re no longer a threat, you can climb atop the part of the shipwreck sticking out from the water’s surface and turn the crank. This will open a passage into the ship underwater. Dive back down and swim into the newly created opening all the way to the end. Here you’ll find the Oxygen Cylinder. Now you can stay underwater as long as you’d like.
But where’s the Triton key? It’s actually very close by. There’s an opening in the roof of this passage that is difficult to see. Swim directly upwards from the opened chest, hugging the ceiling closely, to find another area with a Golden Scarab and a chest containing the Triton Key.
Now, you can head back towards the Triton Door if you’d like, but with your underwater exploration ability now unrestricted, now would be a very good time to check for things you may have missed underwater before. There’s another Golden Scarab lying around, as well as an underwater passage near the Triton Door that leads to a Life of the Gods and a Talisman of Rebirth.
After going through the Triton Door, your goal is to follow further underwater passages to re-emerge in the area where the Dragon Zombie’s remains lie (which is now flooded with water). From there, proceed onwards to the Chamber of Everlasting Sleep. There is a Golden Scarab here near the ceiling that was impossible to get before, but now that the place is completely submerged, you can swim up there and take it. Go through the skull door to the elevator area, then take the elevator up to the monk’s room again. There’s more enemies here, and the safe is once again locked. There are no numbers for you to use this time, just directions. Simply turn the dial left, left, right, and left again, waiting until the light on the safe turns on before switching directions. Your prize is a Jewel of the Demon Seal.
Ride the elevator back down, then return to the nearby area with the Dragon Statue you used before fighting Alma. There’s a new platform here to use, but before you hop on, make sure you’re prepared for a very fierce fight.
Chapter 13: Pathto Zarkhan
The path to Zarkhan is very... moist. In fact, you’re going to be doing more diving here than you did in the Waterways. Fortunately, you’re also going to be getting an item that will allow you to breathe underwater indefinitely here, so that’ll be one less thing for you to worry about. Of course, you’ll still have to actually survive up to that point...
But enough of that, let’s get things started. Save at the Dragon Statue and loot the nearby treasures. If you turn around to look at the water, you’ll see some huge fish swimming just underneath the surface. They’re quite intimidating, and if you so desire, you can aim to take them out with projectile attacks. However, in reality, they really aren’t a huge threat unless they come very close to Ryu. If you think you’re skilled enough to simply avoid them, feel free to jump on in without killing them first.
There’s a steel-barred gate close to the ledge with the Dragon Statue. It’s impassable from the surface of the water, but there is an opening underneath you can swim through. The small area you’ll find contains a Golden Scarab.
Now head back and search for an underwater opening in one of the walls. (You shouldn’t have too much trouble seeing it from above the water’s surface.) Dive in and swim through, but don’t be too hasty – there are several spike traps here that will not only damage Ryu, but will drain his breath meter. If you’re afraid of getting poked, it’s better to wait for the spikes to trigger and then swim on through once they retreat.
Emerge from the underwater passage into a new area. There’s a Muramasa shop here, along with a fallen ninja who carries the Spear Gun. This projectile weapon can be used underwater and is highly effective against sealife. Now, dive back in and proceed through the next underwater tunnel.
The area following this tunnel is infested with flying security robots. Equip your Windmill Shuriken and jump above the waves, throwing it at the ‘bots as you run across the water’s surface. Destroy them all, then take another look around for the next underwater route you’ll need to swim through. (There’s another Golden Scarab nearby its entrance, so don’t neglect to pick it up.)
Dive back down and swim through the tunnel, emerging in another room with a Dragon Statue and a bunch of enemies. Cut them down and open the chest nearby for a Life of the Gods. Make sure to save your game, then jump into the water once again and proceed through the next tunnel you see.
You’ll emerge in another large, open area. New mermen enemies appear here alongside the giant fish you encountered previously. Both of these fishy fiends take a good deal of damage from the Spear Gun, so equip that and go to town. The fish are easier to take out while in the water, while the Mermen are easier to deal with at a distance on dry land.
Looking around this area, you’ll find a locked door a ways inland. It wouldn’t be a locked door if there wasn’t a key to go with it, right? Straight across from the locked door is another steel-barred gate. As before, you can swim through an opening underneath this one.
As you exit the tunnel, stop at the surface to catch your breath, then look for the shipwreck. There are some more flying robots here, so use the same technique to cut the down as before. After they’re no longer a threat, you can climb atop the part of the shipwreck sticking out from the water’s surface and turn the crank. This will open a passage into the ship underwater. Dive back down and swim into the newly created opening all the way to the end. Here you’ll find the Oxygen Cylinder. Now you can stay underwater as long as you’d like.
But where’s the Triton key? It’s actually very close by. There’s an opening in the roof of this passage that is difficult to see. Swim directly upwards from the opened chest, hugging the ceiling closely, to find another area with a Golden Scarab and a chest containing the Triton Key.
Now, you can head back towards the Triton Door if you’d like, but with your underwater exploration ability now unrestricted, now would be a very good time to check for things you may have missed underwater before. There’s another Golden Scarab lying around, as well as an underwater passage near the Triton Door that leads to a Life of the Gods and a Talisman of Rebirth.
After going through the Triton Door, your goal is to follow further underwater passages to re-emerge in the area where the Dragon Zombie’s remains lie (which is now flooded with water). From there, proceed onwards to the Chamber of Everlasting Sleep. There is a Golden Scarab here near the ceiling that was impossible to get before, but now that the place is completely submerged, you can swim up there and take it. Go through the skull door to the elevator area, then take the elevator up to the monk’s room again. There’s more enemies here, and the safe is once again locked. There are no numbers for you to use this time, just directions. Simply turn the dial left, left, right, and left again, waiting until the light on the safe turns on before switching directions. Your prize is a Jewel of the Demon Seal.
Ride the elevator back down, then return to the nearby area with the Dragon Statue you used before fighting Alma. There’s a new platform here to use, but before you hop on, make sure you’re prepared for a very fierce fight.
