Once you get through the initial batch of Disney Worlds in Kingdom Hearts 1 (Wonderland, Deep Jungle, and Olympus Coliseum), the gang must return to the first World: Traverse Town. Revisiting locations is a staple in the Kingdom Hearts series, usually giving Sora another boss to fight, new areas, and more narrative plots to sink into.

The game doesn't do a great job telling you what you need to do once you end up in Traverse Town, but with this guide, we'll show you how to proceed quickly without running around all the Districts aimlessly.

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Kingdom Hearts 1: Second Traverse Town Visit Guide

Where to Find Leon

The first thing you need to do is find and speak to Leon, who happens to be the main protagonist of Final Fantasy 8. To reach him, you need to first enter the Alleyway area of Traverse Town. This is the section of the map that's behind the Hotel. You can get there by walking through the Dalmations' House (entrance is in the Second District) or just go into the Hotel, enter one of the rooms, and then exit to the Alleyway.

secret waterway traverse town kingdom hearts 1

There's a closed-off gate in one of the pools, and if you look closely, there's a red Trinity Mark that can be activated. Perform the move with Donald and Goofy, and the gate will be busted down by your group attack. This will lead you into the Secret Waterway.

Speak to Leon not once but twice. He'll give Sora an item called Earthshine, which will eventually unlock the Simba summon.

Giving the Old Book to Merlin

Now, head back to the First District and talk to Cid in the Accessory Shop. He'll want you to deliver an Old Book to the house in the Third District past the door with the flame icon on it. So, head over there, cast Fire on the door if you haven't already, and you'll end up in front of the Mysterious House. Carefully platform across the moving stones in the water and then go to the left side of the house to find a hidden entryway.

Speak to Merlin and the Fairy Godmother to get the Simba summon. You can also go upstairs with Merlin to practice magic, but you don't have to practice to progress the story. Feel free to leave once you've chatted them up.

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Sealing the Keyhole and a Boss Fight

red trinity traverse town kh1

Go through the Gizmo Shop and exit the store through the back door. Climb the ladder outside and use the Trinity move on the wooden door with a red mark in front of it. Pull the rope that appears to ring the big bell. Make sure to pull it until the picture of the butterflies pops up. This will cause the keyhole to appear in the nearby fountain. Approach it to start a cutscene and a boss fight.

You can use the Simba summon to help out during the boss fight, but you can only use him once your MP is high enough. He'll go away once your MP runs out.

Meeting Cid Again

After the fight is over, Sora will learn the magic spell Aero. Now, head to the Small House in the Third District. It's right next to the Second District entryway. Cid will be there with his friends, and he'll mention that you can travel to new Worlds with the Gummi Ship and return to other Worlds instantly.

After the meeting, return to the First District to find Cid behind the Accessory Shop. You'll find out that he has great experience with flying crafts and will sell you items for the Gummi Ship from now on.

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Kingdom Hearts Tag Page Cover Art
Kingdom Hearts
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Released
September 17, 2002
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Developer(s)
Square Enix
Publisher(s)
Square Enix
Franchise
Kingdom Hearts
Platform(s)
PS2
Genre(s)
Action RPG