Kerning City Party Quest Walkthrough: First Time Together

By the end of this guide you can lead or join a full run of First Time Together, the Kerning City party quest in MapleStory Classic World (called Classic World from here on). You will know the five riddle answers, the method for solving the vine, cat platform and barrel stages, how the King Slime stage is ordered, and what the Companion's Magic Box can contain. Where the wiki has not listed a number, this guide says so instead of guessing.

PQ (party quest) means a quest that a group completes together inside a timed instance. First Time Together is also called KPQ (Kerning City Party Quest). Per mapleclassic.wiki it is the lowest-level party quest on Victoria Island and the standard entry point to party play.

Before you start: requirements and roles

Per mapleclassic.wiki, the quest is for levels 21 to 30 and is started by talking to Lakelis in Kerning City, a town on Victoria Island. The wiki does not list a walking route, so open your in-game world map and look for Kerning City if you do not know the way. The story is that Lakelis poured an experimental growth potion down the drain, a Slime drank it and became King Slime, and three sisters want it dealt with. Those sisters are the NPCs (non-player characters) Cloto, Nella and Lakelis.

Here are the fixed rules, all from mapleclassic.wiki:

• Party size: 4 members, one leader plus three others.
• Time limit: 30 minutes for the whole run.
• Stages 2 to 4: these need exactly three non-leaders, because three members each test one position while the leader talks to Cloto.
• Quest link: the quest Proof of Companionship (level 21) involves hunting King Slime, so the boss at the end of this run is relevant to that quest too.

Pick the leader before you enter. The leader hands items to Cloto and does the talking in stages 2 to 4, so choose someone who will stay focused on the chat window and the NPC. You should now have a party of four with a named leader standing near Lakelis.

The six stages at a glance

The table below is taken from the wiki's stage list. Read it as a route map: stage 1 is item collection, stages 2 to 4 are the same puzzle in three different costumes, stage 5 is the fight, and stage 6 is optional EXP (experience points).

The wiki says EXP is awarded after each cleared stage, but the amounts are not yet listed. That means you cannot yet compare how much EXP a stage gives against the time it costs, so this guide does not rank stages.

Stage 1: Coupons and the riddle answers

In this stage every member except the leader talks to Cloto and receives a riddle. The answer to the riddle is a number, and that number is how many Coupons you must collect from Ligators. A Ligator is the monster in this stage that drops Coupons. Collecting the wrong amount stalls the hand-in, so the riddle matters.

AP (ability points) appears in one riddle. It is the stat points you spend on STR, DEX, INT and LUK. Here are the answers from the wiki:

Notice that the answers are numbers you may already know from earlier content: the first-job level, the quest entry level, and the second-job level. The table is a lookup, so keep it open in a second window and match the wording of your riddle to the left column.

1. Each non-leader talks to Cloto and reads the riddle. You should now see a question in the chat box.
2. Match your riddle to the table above and note your Coupon number.
3. Hunt Ligators until you hold exactly that many Coupons. Do not collect more.
4. Talk to Cloto again and trade the Coupons for a Pass. You should now have a Pass in your inventory.
5. If the hand-in is refused, you have surplus Coupons. The wiki says extra Coupons block the hand-in, so drop the surplus on the ground and talk to Cloto again.
6. Give your Pass to the leader. The leader gathers every Pass and hands them to Cloto.

The leader does not hunt for a riddle. Use the leader's time to keep track of who has delivered a Pass. Stage 1 ends only when Cloto accepts the full set.

Stages 2 to 4: the combination method

These three stages share one puzzle. A set of objects is shown, three of them are correct, and the party finds the right three by trial and error. Three non-leaders each stand on or climb a different object while the leader talks to Cloto. Cloto answers whether the combination is right, and the party changes it until Cloto accepts.

The method works because a wrong answer is information. If you move only one person per attempt, you know that the change you made is what altered Cloto's answer. If you move everyone at once, you learn nothing about which position was wrong.

Stage 2: Vines

There are four vines, two on top and two on the bottom. Three are correct. Before anyone climbs, agree on a numbering, for example top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right, and say it in party chat.

1. Three members each climb a different vine. You should now see three characters hanging on three separate vines.
2. The leader talks to Cloto to submit the combination.
3. If Cloto rejects it, one member moves to the unused vine. Change one position at a time, as the wiki advises.
4. Repeat until Cloto accepts.

Stage 3: Cat platforms

There are five platforms, each marked by the number of cats in logs: one cat, two cats and so on. Three are correct. Call platforms by their cat count, not left to right, because left and right depends on where each member is standing and causes arguments.

1. Three members each stand on a different platform.
2. The leader talks to Cloto.
3. If it is wrong, move one member to a platform that nobody is on, then ask again.

Stage 4: Barrels

There are six numbered barrels at the top of the map, and three are correct. The method is the same as stages 2 and 3: one person moves per attempt. Use the numbers painted on the barrels as your shared language.

1. Three members each stand on a different barrel.
2. The leader talks to Cloto.
3. Move one member at a time until Cloto accepts.

What the wiki does not tell us: it does not list a fixed solution for any of these three stages, and this guide will not claim one. If the wiki and the in-game result disagree after launch, trust what Cloto tells you.

Stage 5: Curse Eyes, Jr. Neckis and King Slime

This stage has three sections separated by portals. The order is 3 Curse Eyes, then 6 Jr. Neckis, then King Slime at the bottom. Every monster drops a Pass, and all Passes must be collected and given to the leader, who hands them to Cloto. With 3 Curse Eyes, 6 Jr. Neckis and 1 King Slime, that is 10 Passes in total.

Clear the Curse Eyes and Jr. Neckis completely before you fight the boss. A missed Pass stalls the whole party, because Cloto will not accept an incomplete set. Defeat each monster, then check that someone has picked up its Pass before moving on.

1. Enter the first section and defeat all 3 Curse Eyes. Pick up each Pass.
2. Take the portal to the next section and defeat all 6 Jr. Neckis. You should now hold or have given away a Pass for every monster so far.
3. Take the portal to the bottom section and engage King Slime together.
4. When King Slime reaches 50% HP, it summons regular Slimes. Keep your party together and finish the boss rather than chasing the summons.
5. After King Slime dies, collect its Pass. Per mapleclassic.wiki, 11 Slimes spawn in its place when it dies. Clearing them is optional.
6. Give every Pass to the leader, and the leader gives them to Cloto.
7. Each member may now take a Companion's Magic Box from Cloto before leaving.

HP (hit points) is the health bar, and MP (mana points) fuels skills. The table below is the boss data per mapleclassic.wiki.

The table says King Slime has no listed weakness but resists four elements. If your skills have a choice between those elements and a non-elemental attack, prefer the non-elemental option, because those four are the only ones the wiki lists as resisted. King Slime spawns on the map 1st Accompaniment (Last Stage) in the Hidden Street region, and the wiki lists a single King Slime there. The map level is blank on the wiki.

At 16820 HP, this fight is meant to be shared. Four members dealing damage together will finish it faster than one, and that is why the party quest asks for four.

The bonus stage

After the boss, you can enter the bonus stage. Per the wiki, you hunt Green Mushrooms and Horny Mushrooms for the rest of the timer, or you leave by talking to Nella. The monsters are the only goal here, so everyone can attack freely.

Whether to stay depends on the clock. The time limit is 30 minutes, and the wiki gives the tip that on a fast run you can skip the bonus and re-enter. That is worth doing if the party wants more full clears, since each clear gives EXP after each stage and a Companion's Magic Box. If you are tired or the party is short on time, talk to Nella and leave. You should now see yourself outside the instance.

Companion's Magic Box rewards

You collect one Companion's Magic Box per member from Cloto after stage 5. The wiki lists these possible contents:

• Hats and accessories: Blue Bamboo Hat, Brown Bamboo Hat, Green Bamboo Hat, Yellow Square, Red Cross Earrings, Gold Earrings, Star Earrings, Emerald Earrings.
• Scrolls: Earring LUK Scroll: Intermediate; Earring Crit. Damage Scroll: Intermediate; Overall Armor STR Scroll: Greater.
• Potions and food: Orange Potion x 10, Blue Potion x 10, Unagi x 10.
• Crafting materials: Screw x 10, Bronze Ore x 5, Gold Ore x 5, Iron Ore x 8, Orihalcon Ore x 8, Amethyst Ore x 8, Opal Ore x 8, Fragment of Magic x 1.

The wiki lists contents but does not list drop rates, and the sheet does not say whether one box gives one item or several. Check in game after your first run and compare notes with your party. Companion's Magic Box is also listed as a King Slime drop, but the minimum, maximum and rate are blank. King Slime can also drop Squishy Shoes, with no rate listed either.

What the data does not tell us

• The EXP amount for each stage is not yet on the wiki.
• No drop rates are recorded for Companion's Magic Box or Squishy Shoes.
• King Slime's respawn time and map level are blank.
• No spawn counts are recorded for Ligators, Green Mushrooms or Horny Mushrooms.
• The wiki lists no fixed answers for stages 2 to 4.

Dates matter here too. Nexon states that Founder's Access begins October 6, 2026 and Grand Launch is October 21, 2026, and that progress carries over. Other party quests, such as the Ludibrium Party Quest and Orbis Party Quest, are not part of the launch game.

Last verified 2026-10-01 against mapleclassic.wiki data synced 2026-10-01 and Nexon's Classic World FAQ.

Frequently asked

What level do you need for the Kerning City party quest?

Per mapleclassic.wiki, First Time Together is a party quest for levels 21 to 30. You start it by talking to Lakelis in Kerning City.

How many people do you need for KPQ?

A party of 4: the leader plus three members. Stages 2 to 4 need exactly three non-leaders to test the combinations.

What are the KPQ stage 1 riddle answers?

10 Coupons for the level to become a Warrior, Magician, Bowman or Thief; 15 for the EXP to reach level 2; 21 for the entry level; 25 for the AP gained from level 1 to level 6; 30 for the level of the 2nd job advancement.

What do you get from the Companion's Magic Box?

Each member takes one box from Cloto after stage 5. The wiki lists hats, earrings, scrolls, potions, Unagi, Screw and several ores, but it does not list drop rates.

How long do you have to finish First Time Together?

The time limit is 30 minutes. The bonus stage runs until that 30-minute timer ends, or you can leave early by talking to Nella.

Does King Slime in the party quest summon monsters?

Yes. Per mapleclassic.wiki, King Slime summons regular Slimes when its HP reaches 50%, and 11 Slimes spawn in its place when it dies. Clearing them is optional.