'Goddess of Victory: NIKKE' has announced its summer festivities alongside a pop-up store, which sounds like the perfect way to spend a sweltering summer. While everyone is distracted by the beach-themed event, a new Commander popped into the official lounge to complain about struggling with the 'Ultra' boss. Their question was simple: Is it impossible to clear without a shielding Nikke? Veterans were quick to jump in with advice and recommended team compositions.

WAVE TO YOU

On July 2nd, the 2026 summer story event WAVE TO YOU officially kicked off. It follows the Old Tales squad, who were busy hunting for Hansel and Gretel, as they stumble into Marciana and their graduating class for an island exploration. You have until July 23rd to roam the event map and snag rewards like 'Advanced Recruit Vouchers'. Additionally, 'Cinderella : Crystal Wave' and 'Marciana : Marine Study' arrive as limited-time recruits. Both are Iron-code units specialized for PvE—and yes, their outfits are rather daring, so consider this your friendly 'not safe for work' warning.

It is not just the newcomers; the 2025 summer limited recruits are making a comeback. You can try your luck with 'Dorothy : Serendipity' starting July 2nd and 'Elegg : Boom & Shock' on July 9th, so plan your gems and vouchers wisely. New costumes including 'Little Mermaid - Shell Princess', 'Tia - Sea Ridge', and 'Naga - Ring Ensemble' are also waiting for you, along with a selection of returning summer costumes from years past.

Summer Pop-up Store Incoming

Beyond the digital ocean, an offline pop-up store is also on the cards. From July 17th to 30th, the 2026 Summer Pop-up Store will take over the basement level of The Hyundai Seoul. They have already teased exclusive merch like acrylic stands, beach towels, and 'Dororong' beach balls featuring the new 2026 summer units. Pre-orders begin Wednesday, July 8th—mark your calendars if you want to snag some gear.

AI Search Beta Testing Underway

On June 30th, an AI search function entered beta testing on the official Blabla community platform. The team is running this as a limited test for a randomly selected group of Commanders to gather feedback for future optimization. If you are among the chosen few, clicking the search bar on the Blabla main screen will whisk you away to the AI interface. If you find the AI a bit too much, you can simply toggle back to standard search with a button.

It is worth noting that the AI is still in its infancy, so you might run into the occasional error or slightly off-the-mark response. The developers have acknowledged that it might struggle to recognise the newest Nikkes or events, but they are working on it. If you are part of the closed test, be sure to leave your feedback on Blabla.

Is a Shielding Nikke Mandatory for 'Ultra'?

As a boss in both the Special Interception and Chapter 26, 'Ultra' has six patterns, three of which can be dodged or covered. However, if you have a shielding unit, you can skip the cover mechanic and keep attacking. 'Crown' is the go-to for this kind of aggressive play, though newer Commanders might lack this Pilgrim, making the fight a bit of a headache.

When a player asked if Ultra was impossible to beat without a shield, the community stepped up with alternatives. One suggested a team of 'Liter - Mast : Romantic Maid - Anchor : Innocent Maid - Personal Item Helm - DPS Nikke', noting that using healing and cover repair is key when you do not have Crown.

'Liter' is fantastic for repairing cover objects, which lets you tank through patterns—just keep an eye on them, because once a cover is destroyed, it is gone for good. Others recommended the 'Tia - Naga' combo. If you are hitting a wall, the official lounge is always a solid place to ask for advice.

The Simply Stunning 'Cinderella : Crystal Wave'

Today we are highlighting Cinderella : Crystal Wave. Often nicknamed 'Su-Rella' by the community, this version comes from the time Grave prepared the swimwear during the search for Hansel and Gretel. Notably, this is the first swimsuit Nikke to feature a unique animation where the character actually changes into their swimsuit during the touch motion. Check it out in-game or through the story event.

As a limited Pilgrim, Su-Rella packs a punch. By reloading while in the 'Preparation for Change' state, you can swap weapons to 'Sniper Mode'. She also shares synergies with the Little Mermaid; whenever allies consume ammo, she triggers a burst gauge charge for the whole team. Since she uses a machine gun, pairing her with the Little Mermaid is a top-tier choice.

Depending on the mode, her effects change, making her incredibly versatile if you handle her manually. Sniper mode is great for parts-heavy bosses, while the machine gun is your best friend against core-heavy enemies. Just remember that auto-battle makes timing these reloads tricky, so watch the boss type and trigger the swap manually. Early consensus? She is an absolute 'must-pull'. Since this is a limited Pilgrim, if you miss out now, you will be waiting a year for the summer rerun. Go get her.

Cinderella is easily one of the most striking characters in the game. While every Nikke has their own charm, Cinderella carries an air of 'beauty' that is almost otherworldly—even other Nikkes seem to lose their train of thought around her. It is practically official lore at this point. During the event, a robot penguin named 'Peng-goon 1' falls head-over-heels for her, switching its eyes to hearts the moment she reaches out a hand after a tumble in the woods. See the full story for yourself in the event.

Consistency over Strength, Together over Alone: 'AKA WHITE'

The Korean server Union 'AKA WHITE' is scouting for new members. They recently boasted a Platinum 8% ranking in the Union Raid with only 18 active members and claim to run a '10% bus' for every Co-op raid. They also highlighted that a third of their members consistently hit Champion Arena, so you can expect those rewards to roll in.

Their motto is 'Consistency over strength, together over alone,' and they are looking for players with a Synchro Level of 500+, age 25+, and a commitment to Union Raids. They only ask for three participation attempts in the raid; otherwise, you have total freedom. If you are interested, check out their recruitment post on the official lounge for the open chat link.