Time Attack (1) - Everything About Time Attack (Ver 3.0)

A post with over ten million views and a whopping twelve revisions in the 'Tips and Tricks' board—the most popular thread on All about Titan, the biggest community forum for Titan Chronicle, commonly called "Allta" by players.

"No major changes, that's for sure. I did a practice run yesterday, and I've read this thing cover to cover enough times. Now I've got the mob placements down perfectly!"

Time attack! A concept mostly seen in racing games, but Titan Chronicle had something similar. More precisely, there was one famous quest that everyone associated with the term "time attack," just like in this post.

The Imperial Knight Order Entrance Exam quest.

The reason it was called "time attack" instead of its official name was simple. Any player under level 100 could attempt it once per day, and the top 100 clear times were engraved on a public bulletin board with their IDs.

"From the comments, looks like there are still tons of hardcore vets camping at 99 just grinding it daily. Makes sense, though—with rankings on the line and all."

But if it were just about honor, there probably wouldn't be so many players still obsessed with time attacks even now. No, it was the rewards that made everyone covet it at least once.

The reward was an achievement.

Land in the top 100 on the board, and you got the game's one-of-a-kind effect: bonus experience gain.

"Newbies leveling alts gonna skip this? It's the only way to snag bonus EXP!"

This wasn't a one-time operator buff. As long as no one beat your ranking, the effect persisted indefinitely—making it arguably the most overpowered achievement in the game, beyond reproach.

Yet oddly, no one complained.

Why? The "attack" in time attack wasn't there by accident. Records were inevitably shattered by challengers, especially latecomers.

Naturally, the number one record for this Imperial Knight Order exam had been broken countless times over the past three years.

"Level cap's still 99, but optimized skill trees keep getting refined, and gear's improved beyond recognition..."

The devs didn't implement this system for nothing. It was a way for promising sub-100 newcomers to catch up to veteran high-levels.

In other words, a quest tailor-made for skilled rookies like me, aiming for the top ranks.

That's why, from the moment I decided to rebuild my character, time attack had been my top priority.

"Bonus EXP is exclusive to this. Gotta milk it dry before serious leveling!"

The achievement vanished the instant you dropped out of the top 100. Few kept the bonus long-term, so gripes were rare.

Especially the top spot's 20% bonus—unlike the standard 10%—no one had held it for over a month, according to the post.

But what if you could hold that number one bonus forever?

Then it'd be the undisputed best achievement.

"Can't settle for some mediocre record on a prize like that!"

I'd leave an unbreakable record—one no trailing challenger could touch until I claimed integrated ranking one... or maybe until the game shut down servers.

An immortal legacy at the top of the board.

All powered by my Holy Sword.

They say the quickest path takes a detour. I'd grinded non-stop with zero wasted movement, hitting level 99 at record speed.

But right after, I spent hours parked in front of Ebashu Castle's auction house, doing nothing.

Prep for the time attack demanded it.

You're insane, Tayen. Dropping 1.8 million gold on a game ring...!

The final bid on my legendary ring I'd lucked into? It hammered home that I was truly in the game as the real Tayen.

One ring netted me 150 million won after fees. Toss in miscellaneous junk sales, and my balance topped 3 million gold.

Still can't believe that number in my inventory. Like going from pickup soccer to Premier League overnight.

I was getting used to it, but three years of scraping for 100 gold left me dazed. I kept hypnotizing myself: It's just game money. Rinse, repeat item searches.

Damn it! Got the gold now, but why can't I find shit? Unique+ listings are nonexistent!

For hours, I'd scoured for gear. Weapons? Overprepared. But the rest? Just rare leveling trash.

Rares could smash the top spot easy. But I wanted an eternal record.

So I hunted mana-option ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gear viable past 300—hence the auction house vigil.

No more wasting time. Gold's stacked—time for that idea I had.

Market manipulation via hoarding! Nail this, and gold woes are history.

Merchants dream big. But real profits? Monopoly.

I'd leverage my funds to corner one item in Titan.

Shining Mana Stone. A high-grade material unused anywhere yet. No real demand, just speculators nibbling.

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I knew better. I was the sole existing end-user, privy to its purpose and future value.

Unlike vague merchant hunches, I'd tasted Titan's power. Prices would skyrocket.

Hoard now, profit later.

"Hoarding's a wallet war."

For junk like this, speculators set the price. But here, my funds outmatched any merchant.

Unlosable—I could just use them if needed.

I snapped up ~400 cheapest listings.

500k gold gone in a flash.

Cool as ice, I relisted ~100 at ~1/4 price, densely filling low-end slots.

Done at 238g floor. Market cornered.

"Perfect. First 10 search pages? All mine."

Casuals can't track flux daily. Loot farmers eyeball auctions, undercut lowest by a bit, sell fast.

I'd snipe incoming stones dirt cheap exploiting that.

"Annoying, but daily checks and resets. Play right, I monopolize all in-game mana ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stones for months."

Failed on defense/accessories, but hoarding binge sated. No new uniques anyway, so I whispered Hyunjung.

Rankers clustered 340-350. Hyunjung wasn't top-tier but 320+ elite. No legendaries, but all uniques—solid even off-meta.

Hyunjung gamed full-time sans living worries—rich family, post-grad managed parents' properties. Prime "heavy gamer" stock.

Skilled too, Saint Guild exec from PC days. Early server leader, held top fringes.

Ranker-adjacent. That's my wisecracking bro objectively.

Gap widening pushed my solo grind. Quit pocket-farming for levels partly why.

Once peers, his lead bred quiet envy. Rejected his guild invite flat.

But at 20, he hadn't changed a bit.

I protested, but he snagged guild mage gear anyway—"no biggie."

Teleported to claim it.

"Hurry the hell up! What're you doing?!"

"Not newbies—wtf?!"

Capital vibes. Busiest hub.

Central square hit: noise assault.

Navigated teleporter chaos, set recall, headed north square—calmer.

"Jihwan! Here, here!"