Nexon announced on August 20 that the third wave of its summer update for MapleStory is now live. This patch invites players to challenge the formidable new boss 'Bellona' and introduces fresh content to the seasonal 'Mission Ultima' event. Alongside these additions, a suite of quality-of-life improvements has been implemented to keep the experience polished.

The new boss, 'Bellona', enters the fray as a brutal executioner. To take on this challenge, you will need a character at level 280 or higher who has completed the necessary pre-quest. The fight is available in Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulties, with a maximum party size of three. Should you succeed in defeating 'Bellona', you stand to gain rewards like the new 'Hungry Bloody Spirit' boss accessory or the 'Madness Eternal Equipment Box'.

To mark the arrival of 'Bellona', the 'Zealot's Qualification' clear event runs until September 16. Defeating the boss at various difficulties grants exclusive cosmetic rewards, such as the 'Bellona Action Damage Skin (Unit)', the 'Abyssal Rift' chair, and various ring coupons. For those seeking true glory, the first 50 players across all worlds to clear the Hard mode in a solo party starting August 27 at 7 PM will receive the 'Despiser of the Weak' animation title, a custom background coupon, and a special execution finish effect.

The 'Mission Ultima' summer event has also expanded with two new activities. First, the 'Ultima Relic Exploration' mini-game runs until September 16. This background feature activates while you hunt; simply pick a relic map, set your desired reward parameters, and slay 500 level-appropriate monsters to uncover map tiles. Rewards include 'Hero's White Additional Cube', 'Hero's Black Cube', and 'Sol Erda Fragment Coupons'.

Completing a relic map nets you the accumulated exploration spoils, plus a choice between 'Sol Erda', 'High-level EXP Coupons', or 'Sol Erda Fragment Coupons'. Keep an eye out for 'Special Relics' that clear multiple tiles at once. You can acquire a new map every three days, with a maximum of 10 maps available throughout the event.

Meanwhile, the 'Merchant Guild's Supply Support III' hunting event is also underway. Slaying 500 monsters fills your general gauge to spawn a 'Shadow Merchant's Box' filled with EXP, while 2,500 kills fills the special gauge to grant a 'Shadow Merchant's Premium Box' containing 'Sol Erda Energy' and fragments. A cheeky new skill has been added where the Shadow Merchant drops bombs to assist in clearing mobs, and the Premium Box can even evolve up to four stages for greater loot.

Quality-of-life updates have been applied as well. 'Maple Auction' now features a dark mode, and the 'Monster Park Hands' feature within the 'MapleHands+' mobile app has received a PIP mode for multitasking, alongside a battery-saving power mode.

Full details regarding the third MapleStory summer update can be found on the official MapleStory website.