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Back to Part 5: Moon Whistle (Part 1)

Making it to the 4th layer, you’ll still be a Moon Whistle, so shop inventory doesn’t seem to change, and you’ll have access to the same skill trees as before. You’ll be able to fast travel into the 4th layer, but you still won’t be able to fast travel out of the 3rd Layer, so when you begin your dive into the 4th Layer, be prepared for the return trip through the third. Also, just diving into the 4th Layer takes a lot out of you, so you’ll probably want to bring plenty of eggs just to offset the cost of the trip.

A Hunting Party side quest becomes available, and it’s pretty simple, as it only requires going to the 1st Layer. It’s a quick battle that ends with a simple quick-time event. Also, if you found the missing Moon Whistle that Marulk asked you to find in the 3rd Layer, and treated his injury, you can take his letter to Marulk and complete this quest. If not, don’t worry about it. You can beat the game without taking on this quest, anyhow.

Like most layers in this game, the 4th has one that you’re better off avoiding, if you can. In the 4th, that would be the Orb Piercer. This nasty critter has tons of health, and has a nasty attack that’s fast and has a long area of effect that can hit, even from a seemingly-safe distance. What’s more, they also inflict a special poison condition that takes away more HP at a time than red poison, and can only be healed with a special kind of antidote or by returning to the surface. Usually, avoiding these is not a problem, but there is a possible Orb Piercer spawn location on a route in a 4th layer questline, so it’s not a bad idea to bring along some extra Mail Balloons and trying to find an opportunity to sneak around it.

Before journeying into the 4th Layer, it’s recommended to bring plenty of Ropes, because shortly into it, you’ll initiate a questline which will require lots of ropes just to get around. You can find Rhombus Thorn Plants that can help offset the use of Ropes, however.

If you have any questions as to whether the events in this game are canon, this questline should answer them. As you enter the 4th Layer, you’ll encounter Riko, who wants a certain herb, and won’t allow you near her until you have it. It’s nearby in the Goblets of Giants. Bring it to her, and she’ll join you as you both search for Reg. This can last a while, and involves some fighting, so be sure you come prepared with lots of food and weapons.

Just for bringing the Spring Bringer herb to Riko, you’ll be gifted with Old Cave Raider Hat. It’s like Marulk’s hat, but with a bit more defense, but Marulk’s hat still provides more light.

The layout of the Goblets of Giants seems to sometimes change on subsequent visits, so don’t be surprised if you sometimes see a different layout.

That aside, you’ll find Dechuanga’s guide along the way, in the Giant Vine bridge. This concludes the 4th Layer Investigation, so continue with Riko. Hopefully, the game didn’t decide to spawn an Orb Piercer along the way. If so, use a Mail Balloon to make a place to resume from in case things go wrong as you try to get around it.

The journey takes you to Eternal Fortunes. Here, you’ll have a battle against a Kudara. After that, Riko will task you with finding 2 Hard Meat and 2 Eternal Fortunes. The Hard Meat is a drop from the Kudaras that are nearby. After you’re done, it’s back to the Goblets of Giants. The questline concludes with 2 battles against groups of Horncriers (Subspecies), which puts some wear on your weapons. But your prize for all this is the Scaled Umbrella, which doesn’t have much attack, but high durability. As far as I know, it’s the only one you get.

After your playdate with Riko, you’ll be near the entrance to the Goblets of Giants, so go ahead and make an autosave for yourself by using the entrance, if you want, just in case something goes wrong.

It’s possible to meet Nanachi in this game. The method is so obscure that many players aren’t even aware that meeting Nanachi is possible. To do it, you need to have no one in tow, so finish up the Riko questline. Then, you need to take a fall that normally does lethal damage. Taking a fall from anywhere where you’d normally use a rope may suffice, as there’d have to be a solid surface below.

Once the cutscene is over, you’ll have access to Nanachi’s Hideout, which can be accessed near the entrance to Goblets of Giants. There are many perks to having access to this place. Nanachi has quests which involves seeking out various items or ingredients, or Nanachi will request a prepared meal. You can give Nanachi just about any prepared meal, and the better the meal, the better Nanachi’s response. The reward for the meal is a high-grade relic, so give Nanachi the best you have to offer. Among the best items are Laffi’s Special Lunch and Hamashirama Hot Pot. Eventually, Nanachi will request Hamashirama Meat, which can only be obtained in the 5th Layer, so if you want to complete them all, they’ll have to go on the back burner.

From Nanachi’s Hideout, you can access Hidden Hot spring, where you can get some easy relics. You can also access Crystal Valley from here, so you’ll have a quick route through the 4th Layer.

Back on the surface, if you visit Guild HQ, you’ll find that Habolg has recommended you for Black Whistle. But there’s a condition: Go to a location in Deep Tree Remains by yourself and make it back alive. By now, you should know what that means: It’s another boss battle! You’re going to want to bring a lot of food for the trip there and the trip back. You’ll also want to be well armed. If you save two Relic Pickaxes for the battle, that’ll be plenty.

To get to the boss, fast travel to 4th Layer, then go from Goblets of Giants to Nanachi’s Hideout to Hidden Hot Spring to Crystal Valley to Giant Vine Bridge to Eternal Fortunes to Deep Tree Remains, where the boss can be found. This might sound like a long trip, but you’ll only be in most of these areas briefly. Head to the Main Quest marker on the map to initiate the battle. No prize for guessing the boss’s identity.

BOSS: Interference Device #4
As with the other ones, no need to scan it, this boss will be automatically added to your notebook. This guy is easy. He’s got a wave-motion cannon that he can sweep side-to-side, so be sure you’re not in front of him when he fires it off. He lets off a burst of flame right before firing it, so you only have a brief window to get some melee attacks in. But that’s it, that’s all the boss can do. His attacks do a lot of damage, but they’re predictable.

Once you defeat this boss, poke your head in the 5th Layer so you’ll have a fast travel point later on. Then, it’s time for a return trip. Returning through the 4th Layer the way you came is pretty easy. As for the 3rd Layer, here’s the video again for if you don’t already have the path memorized:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NUDVFpGvIg

The trip back is kind of long, but think of it as a victory lap. Enjoy your new Black Whistle!

To Part 7: Black Whistle