The fourth stage is broken up into three different sections, each requiring a key. One important thing to note is that you will find a Yashichi in one of the pots on this stage. Where you find it, however, can change. Sometimes it's in the first section near the middle, and other times it can be found near the start of the upper path when the third section begins. Be on the lookout for this valuable item.
The exit to the first section is immediately above you, but you'll have to travel all the way to the right side of the stage in order to retrieve the key, before returning back to the left. If you happen to have any fist power left, there's a watermelon worth 100 Zenny hidden in the wall to the left of where you start. Then fight your way past Onis and slimes as you make your way to the right.
Carefully jump onto the moving platform that hovers above the purple poison marsh below. Ride it until you reach a rising platform. Get off on the ledge to the right. You must explore the region to the right before you jump up onto the next rising platform. Fight past a totem and you'll reach an area where tons of short tiny pillars dot the sky. Your goal is to use them to get all the way over to the right where the key is, and return. Below the key are a few pots that usually contain high-Zenny fruit, guarded by a spinning coin.
Once you have the key, return to the middle of the stage, and take the higher rising platform up to the next ledge on the left. After walking a bit to the left, you'll encounter an incredibly stubborn Sutegon. This particular Sutegon has a very high number of hit points, and it takes a tremendous number of strikes to defeat. You'll probably have to lure it back to the right, and attack it from the safety of the platform, although this will take a good amount of time to complete. Then return left, fight your way past some slimes and a one-eyed yokai to reach the locked door.
You arrive in the doorway closer to the left side of the map above. This is another section that wraps around, so you can travel in whatever direction you like. The most important thing is that you first visit the shop keeper behind the doorway on the right, and then you fall down the left-most platform into the pit below. For this reason, this walkthrough recommends that you head to the left first.
To do this, you must jump onto five different floating platforms that ferry you over the marsh below. A floating peach may try to make life difficult for you along the way. When you reach the other side, carefully land on the very edge and proceed slowly. In addition to the slime that drops down, there are at least three one-eyed yokai that will jump toward you, and a fourth hidden in a nearby pot. If you advance too far too fast, they will likely overwhelm you and take away some health.
| Staff (LV3) |
3000 |  |
1200 |
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3000 |  |
7000 |
Continue until you see an open doorway. Clear the slim that drops down, and then head inside. You'll be transported to an area of the map (shown in the lower left corner above) where you'll find a shop keeper. If you didn't purchase the level 3 staff in the previous stage, don't purchase it now; you'll actually have an opportunity to find an even better staff shortly. Instead, invest in the fist, regardless of how many fist uses you have left (unless you still have all five.) At 7000 Zenny, the Thunder spell is nothing more than a luxury.
From the shop keeper, return to the previous section, and continue left. When you step on these platforms, they will fall, so be prepared to jump to continue on. There is a girl in the middle who claims she can't find the center. She's referring to the pit below, and how it appears to be the most enticing path with all the fruit and the heart that it has. However, you should aim for the far left side. Jump over to the left most platform, stand towards the right side of it, and let it drop you straight down.
When you land, you'll see a free fist. Don't collect it yet. Instead, walk over to the left wall, and create a tunnel through it using the fist you just bought from the shop keeper. Through the tunnel, you'll find Cho Hakkai, who will happily trade you the meat bun for a cucumber. Collect the lemon in his chamber, and then return through the tunnel. Make sure you collect the fist now before passing through the door.
The door sends you to the other side of the central pit. You'll have little choice but to drop down the next platform to the ground below. There you'll find another Sutegon. This one is just as strong, but you can find safety in the small alcove to the right where you'll also happen to find the key to the exit. The exit happens to be on the left side of this floor, but you'll have to fight past two red Patapata bats to reach it.
Upon your arrival, you'll see two peaches floating around you, and a blue Oni to the left. Ignore them and immediately head left to collect the POW that instantly wipes them out. From here, you have a choice. You can take the high road or the low road. The low road leads to a door that takes you to the other side of the canyon, where you'll have to fight some strong enemies. There is, however, alarge heart and a watermelon hidden in the left and right walls of the canyon respectively.
On the other hand, taking the upper path can help you avoid those enemies altogether, and it leads to a very special hidden item. Assuming you choose the upper path, climb up the pillars, and jump off to the right. Fight your way past some Oni and blue Patapata bats until you reach a red plant. Red plants don't just pop up, they sprinkle the air with deadly pollen from time to time. If you attack as far away from them as possible, you can strike them without taking damage.
You'll be under a set of pillars. Climb up them and jump to the left to find Sagojo, who informs you that you can find a stronger staff in this stage. Return to the right, until you find a rising platform directly below a pillar. Assuming you have fist power, strike the wall to the right until you discover a new staff hidden in the wall. Collect it to obtain the level 4 staff! Then climb up the pillar and head to the right, watching out for the flying Boros, and a plant that pops up. Search this area to find the key.
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3000 |  |
200 |
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2000 |  |
7000 |
From there, climb up the pillars and follow the platforms as far to the right as you can. Along the way, you should see a 1000 Zenny strawberry floating in the sky below. Jump off the pillar and fall to collect it. That will put you in front of a shop keeper. You don't need anything she sells. Even the cloud is really unnecessary against the next boss. Buy a gourd if you think you really need one. Otherwise, return to the left and climb back up the pillars.
This time, after using the platforms to head right, jump onto the floating platform above the spinning coin. Ride it to the left. Watch out for one final slime and a plant, and then head through the door to reach the boss. If you somehow missed the key, return to the area below the exit and search again.
Boss: Ryuriki Taisen[edit]
This fight will be extremely similar the fight you had with the first boss in Stage 1. There are a few differences. For one thing, four blue slimes will drop from the ceiling and join the battle after the dialog ends. They are easily removed, and pose little threat, but you must be mindful to remove them once they solidify. The second big difference is that this boss can spit large fireballs at you. He does so infrequently, but they do significant damage if they connect. Fight carefully, remembering to jump up every now and then in case the boss decides to leap towards you. Once you've struck him enough, he explodes into a collect of fruits and vegetables (along with one skull which you should avoid.) Collect them all before you are whisked away to the next stage.