Monster Hunter Wilds: the Free Challenge Quest returns on August 19 with "The Blackest Flames" — a 9★ time trial against the ultimate Alpha Nu Udra

The free Challenge Quest returns to Monster Hunter Wilds after about four and a half months of absence. Capcom's official French calendar schedules "The Blackest Flames", a 9★ time-attack quest targeting the Arch-tempered Nu Udra, running from August 19, 2026 at 02:00 to September 2 at 01:59.

Two clarifications before you prepare anything. First, the quest requires Hunter Rank 100 or higher: if you're not there yet, the four remaining days will decide whether you can take part. Second, the time thresholds have not been published. The calendar simply announces a race against the clock and an exclusive accessory to be delivered later. You won't find any timer figures in this article: no official source for one exists as of this writing.

One last point, and it matters: this quest has received no Steam announcement from Capcom. The information comes from the Event Quest calendar posted by the publisher, not from a press release shared on the game's page. And on the same night, "Gravios Barrage" leaves rotation: this Saturday opens the last weekend to clear it.

"The Blackest Flames" is a 9★ free Challenge Quest in the Oilwell Basin, restricted to HR 100

Here is the full content of the official calendar, without extrapolation:

• Title: "The Blackest Flames"
• Category: Free Challenge Quest
• Difficulty: 9★
• Region: Oilwell Basin
• Access requirement: HR 100 or higher (HR for Hunter Rank)
• Completion condition: Slay: Arch-tempered Nu Udra
• Window: from 08/19/2026 at 02:00 to 09/02/2026 at 01:59
• Where to accept it: at the Quest Counter

The official description contains the only available information about the reward:

A free Challenge Quest where you race against the clock. Take part to get an exclusive accessory! Note: the accessory will be distributed at a later date.

"Take part" is the key phrase: the reward is tied to participation, and its distribution is deferred. Don't expect to walk away with the accessory the moment you clear the quest. On its exact nature as on its delivery date, nothing has been communicated.

Capcom had nevertheless presented April's free Challenge Quest as the last one

This return is bound to surprise those who have followed the game since spring. On March 20, 2026, Capcom published on Steam an announcement titled "The Final Free Challenge Quest, Arch-tempered Arkveld", which highlighted a 10★ free Challenge Quest against the Arch-tempered Arkveld, available until April 1, 2026. The word final was explicit there.

We are not translating the title of that April quest: the publisher did not publish a sourceable French wording for that announcement, and an in-house translation would make it harder for you to find. Just keep the raw fact in mind: the format was announced as closed, and it returns roughly four and a half months later, this time via the calendar rather than through a press release. This is also why it's best to treat the official calendar as the reference: in this case, it is several days ahead of the game's Steam page.

"Gravios Onslaught" disappears on the night of Tuesday into Wednesday

The same time switch that opens "The Blackest Flames" closes another quest. "Gravios Onslaught" has been in rotation since July 8 and ends on August 19 at 1:59 AM. Its details:

• Difficulty: 6★
• Region: Scarred Coast
• Access requirement: HR 31 or higher
• Target: Alpha Gravios
• Window: from 07/08/2026 to 08/19/2026 at 1:59 AM

Its HR 31 threshold makes it accessible to a much larger population than the Challenge Quest that follows it. If you fall between HR 31 and HR 99, this is the quest not to let slip by this weekend: you won't be able to take on "The Blackest Flames" Wednesday morning anyway.

What opens at the same time: Congalala on Wednesday, Rompopolo the following week

The rotation doesn't stop at the Challenge Quest. On August 19 at 2:00 AM, "Congalala's Snack Attack" takes over on the Event Quest side: a 4★ quest in the Scarlet Forest, accessible from HR 9, with an objective centered on mushroom spores. It only lasts a week, until August 26 at 1:59 AM.

It will be followed by "Rompopolo Blows a Fuse," in the Oilwell Basin, from August 26 to September 2. The official calendar doesn't provide further details on this last entry at this stage.

The Oilwell Basin thus becomes the game's center of gravity again: the Challenge Quest settles in there for two weeks, and the Event Quest joins it on the 26th.

Four days to be ready: Hunter Rank first, gear second

There are four days left before it opens. Here's how to spend them, sticking to what's verifiable:

• Check your HR right now. It's the only hard lock: at HR 99, the quest won't appear at the Quest Counter on the morning of the 19th. It's also the only thing no last-minute optimization will fix on Wednesday.
• Finish "Gravios Onslaught" before Tuesday night. It closes at 1:59 AM on the night of Tuesday into Wednesday, with no announced extension.
• Finalize your set before the 19th, not during. On a race against the clock, time spent readjusting your gear between attempts is time wasted. We detailed on August 10 the Event Quests worth farming this month for your armor spheres and decorations: this is the ideal window to finish that work.
• Scout the terrain. The quest takes place in the Oilwell Basin, which the late-August rotation will put back in the spotlight anyway.
• Don't wait for benchmarks. Until Capcom publishes a scoring scale, no one can tell you what time "counts" as good. If numbers circulate before Wednesday without an official source, treat them as rumors.

Since update 1.042, playing offline is no longer an obstacle

A useful reminder for those who don't always stay connected: since 1.042, the 25 Event Quests and Challenge Quests that required a connection can now be accepted offline, and "Doctor's Orders" has become permanent and playable offline. We devoted a full guide to this update on August 5; the practical takeaway is simple: your prep this weekend no longer requires staying connected at all times.

No seasonal festival this weekend, and a championship still on the September schedule

Don't go looking for any ambiance bonus: no seasonal festival is active as of August 15. This preparation weekend runs on the ordinary rotation, with no seasonal event underway.

Meanwhile, two Challenge Quests remain marked "New" since August 4: "Event: The Champions' Dream" (9★, Scarred Coast, HR 100 or higher) and "Event: Arkveld Unleashed" (10★). These are the first and second quests of the Monster Hunter Wilds Championship Global Exhibition announced for September 2026, to which we devoted a dedicated guide on August 8. Same HR 100 threshold on the 9★ quest: the progress made between now and Wednesday therefore serves two deadlines.

Deadlines to note

• August 19, 1:59 AM: end of "Gravios Blockade" (6★, Scarred Coast, HR 31+).
• August 19, 2:00 AM: opening of "The Blackest Flames" (Free 9★ Challenge Quest, Oilwell Basin, HR 100+, Supremacy Nu Udra) and "Congalala Snack Attack" (4★, Scarlet Forest, HR 9+).
• August 26, 1:59 AM: end of "Congalala Snack Attack".
• August 26, 2:00 AM: start of "Rompopolo on a Rampage" (Oilwell Basin).
• September 2, 1:59 AM: end of "The Blackest Flames" and "Rompopolo on a Rampage".

The times above are those published by Capcom on the official French calendar of Event Quests. A major unknown remains, namely the time tiers and the promised accessory: we will update this article if Capcom documents them by Wednesday.