Hello, this is Director Lee Jong-joo.

I'd like to share more details about the main updates planned for July.

Originally, We intended to release the update this week.However, some unexpected issues were discovered during the final stages of development. To ensure stability and a more polished experience, we've decided to postpone the update to next week. We sincerely apologize for the delay.

The main updates coming next week are as follows:

1. Equipment Awakening

2. Extreme III

3. Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch Chapter 3

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch Chapter 3.

Jurio and Chris successfully stopped Galga in Bolt and went to visit Igunis Shrine. At the invitation of King Alfred, they are now staying at Amdera Castle. Chapter 3 follows the events that unfold during their stay at the castle. This chapter offers a light, heartwarming interlude, with its highlight being the much-anticipated Cooking Contest─which I hope you all enjoy!

Equipment Awakening

Equipment Awakening is a system that enhances Tier 25 equipment using 'Awakening stone'. It provides a new motivation for farming, adds a layer of enjoyment to enhancement, and helps you prepare for upcoming Threats. This is not just about increasing values─it also includes adding new options or expanding the potential of existing ones. In short, it's an evolved form of the enhancement system.

You can perform Awakening at Brunac's forge. If you are a fan of the original Legend of Heroes, the name should immediately ring a bell. Yes, it's nameed after the legendary artisan Brunac ─ widely regarded as the greatest blacksmith in the world, known for crafting legendary weapons. There's a reason people say, "There is no weapon in the world that Brunac cannot make."

In this universe, there exists a special ore known as 'Raremetal'. After the Gods vanished, their lingering aura spread across Gagharv─eventually dwelling within Raremetal. When infused with this divine energy, Raremetal transforms into a Piece of Awakening. By forging this piece, you can create Awakening Stone, which imbues equipment with new power.

※ A small behind-the-scenes note

At first, we considered having Raremetal branch into Mithril or Orichalcum. However, we decided to go with the names 'Piece of Awakening' and 'Awakening Stone' for the sake of clarity and easier understanding.

Requirements for Equipment Awakening

All existing Tier 25 equipment is eligible for Awakening.─including 25,25+, and 25++ gear.

This is because while base stat values increase with the + and ++ versions, additional option values, which largely determine equipment performance, remain the same across all Tier 25 variants. In Practice, it is difficult to obtain the exact additional options adventurers desire. As a result, many adventurers have chosen to use 25 or 25+ equipment with decent or passable additional options and settled for what they had. With this in mind, we designed the Awakening system based on the principle: Gear that adventurers already own should be enhanced as it is.

However, the base stat differences between 25, 25+, and 25++ will still remain after Awakening. We want to honor both the slight stat differences and the emotional attachment adventurers have toward their gear.

Equipment Awakening Stage and Fusion

Equipment Awakening consists of a total of 6 stages, with each stage gradually enhancing the equipment's performance starting from Stage 1.

At certain stages, you'll unlock the ability to perform Equipment Fusion—a system that allows you to grant a new option to your gear by using a duplicate item.

For example, if you want to fuse a 25++ Awakened Winged Staff, you'll need another 25++ Winged Staff as the material.

The second item doesn't need to be awakened—just of the same name and tier.

This is why I previously recommended collecting Tier 25 equipment in advance. If you’re not satisfied with the new option, you can retry as many times as you like—there’s no limit to the number of attempts.

Piece of Awakening and Smelting System

Awakening Stones are essential for progressing through the Awakening system. These stones can be crafted by smelting Pieces of Awakening at Brunach’s Forge.

Smelting 100 Pieces of Awakening will yield 1 Awakening Stone. During this process, there's a chance to receive bonus Pieces of Awakening at random.

In other words, smelting 100 pieces may result in 1 Awakening Stone + bonus Pieces of Awakening. Additionally, by using Garnets, you can increase the number of bonus pieces obtained—making the process more efficient for those seeking better returns.

How to obtain Piece of Awakening

Pieces of Awakening are a rare material and not easily acquired. Below are the main sources where they can be obtained.

Guia Mine (New Dungeon)

The most reliable source for Pieces of Awakening is the newly added dungeon, Giah Mine.

This content appears under Exploration and is structured across four difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Hard, and Extreme.

Unlike typical stage-based content, Giah Mine is divided clearly by difficulty tiers—so please note that the jump in difficulty between each tier may be significant.

In terms of world lore, Giah Mine is the region with the highest known concentration of Raremetal, making it the core location for stable Piece acquisition.

Extreme III (Adventure)

Pieces of Awakening can also drop at a low rate from Extreme III Adventure stages, which will be added alongside the Equipment Awakening update.

However, since gear, gold, and EXP are the primary rewards for these stages, please consider Pieces of Awakening as bonus drops rather than main farming targets.

That said, if you defeat the Hidden Beast within the Cave on this difficulty, you can obtain a guaranteed amount of Pieces of Awakening as a weekly reward. This will become one of the key weekly routines.

Tower of Challenge – Goods Store

Pieces of Awakening will also be added to the Goods Store tied to the Tower of Challenge.

Originally, this shop was designed for one-time powerful rewards followed by high-tier toolboxes.

However, as previously promised, we’ve restructured the lineup to allow for regular, repeatable purchases.

This means players who continue progressing through the Tower can steadily secure Pieces of Awakening as part of their weekly routine.

Extreme III and Smithy Expansion

Starting next week, Extreme III difficulty will become available in stages—beginning with A Tear of Vermillion, followed by CageSong of the ocean, and finally Prophecy of the Moonlight Witch, with a new stage opening each week.

Alongside this, the Smithy system will be expanded from Step 5 to Step 7, allowing players to grow their gear even further in preparation for high-level challenges.

As mentioned earlier, Extreme III stages will offer low-rate Piece drops, and Hidden Beasts in the Cave will grant fixed weekly rewards upon defeat. We hope this helps those of you preparing for your next big challenge.

Closing Thoughts

Unlike the Artifact system, the Equipment Awakening system was designed to offer a more straightforward and intuitive growth path.

While it may seem complex at first due to the sheer amount of information, the structure is simple:

Collect Awakening Stones to strengthen your gear. Once you get used to that core loop, we believe you’ll find it easy and rewarding to use.

We’ll see you again in the next Director’s Note.

Thank you always for your continued support.

<Director's Note Surprise Coupon>

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Expiration Date: August 16th, 2025, 14:59 PM (UTC+0)

Reward: X200, Red Garnet