NTE drops you into Hethereau as Esper Zero, the newest Appraiser at the Eibon Antique Shop — part antique dealer, part anomaly-hunting outfit that pays its bills taking Anomaly Commissions. You don't have a hunter licence yet. The temptation is to sprint the story; the first few hours reward slowing down.
Push the Episode Quest first
The opening chapters are your tutorial: they teach Critical Dodge, the Esper Cycle swap and the Break Gauge, and they unlock the systems every later guide leans on — the Bureau of Anomaly Control, City Tycoon (the business-sim layer), vehicles and housing. Clear Chapter 1 before you wander.
Your day-one checklist
Clear the opening story beats
They unlock commissions, companions and the core systems.
Pull sensibly
NTE is generous — 120+ free pulls around launch. At 50 standard pulls you pick a free S-Rank (Sakiri and Jiuyuan are the popular picks). Rerolling is optional; you're given enough that you don't have to.
Build one team, not four
Pick a Main DPS you like and support it. Our free Chiz-led Blossom team is a safe default.
Start City Tycoon
The Chiz questline opens the business-sim layer that farms Fons — the currency behind housing and upgrades.
Make some Bagel friends
Bagel is the in-game social app — add members from different factions to unlock side-stories and rewards. Social is progression here.
Two level tracks matter: your Hunter Level (general activity) and your Appraisal Level, which raises your character cap and gates the endgame. Push Appraisal Level when you want to grow stronger.
Don't overspend
Spend your stamina (Character Pixels) before it caps, but early on funnel it into character EXP and ability mats — permanent gains — not gear. And hold your Annulith for a featured banner rather than dumping it into launch-week units. The roster grows fast; keep your options open.
Then go get lost. Once the systems click, wandering Hethereau is the best content in the game.