Crystal of Atlan x KOF ’98 Collab Guide: Events, Free Rewards, Mai Shiranui Pet & Outfit

Mai Shiranui is bringing her fans, flames, and signature Shiranui ninjutsu to Atlan! The Crystal of Atlan x THE KING OF FIGHTERS ’98 collaboration begins on August 27, 2026, introducing limited challenge battles, daily check-in rewards, a chibi Mai Shiranui pet, and the exclusive Flaming Butterfly outfit.

However, not everything shown in the collaboration is obtained in the same way. Most of the title, aura, trinket, emoticon, and avatar-frame rewards are free, while the pet comes from a limited summon and the outfit is tied to collab bundles. This guide explains every confirmed event and reward, along with the best order to complete them.

 

Crystal of Atlan x KOF ’98 Collab Schedule

The main gameplay events run from August 27 at 06:00 to September 17 at 06:00, based on the time of your character’s server. The Mai Shiranui pet summon and Flaming Butterfly outfit remain available for longer, ending before the October 28 maintenance.

Collab Content	How It Works	Main Rewards	Duration
Dancing With Flames	Clear a five-round battle series	Emoticons, Arcanite of Adore, SS Trinket “Butterfly Fan” and SS Aura “Flaming Ring”	Aug. 27–Sept. 17
Flame Dance Pact	Log in and complete daily check-ins	SS Title “Dancing With Flames,” Avatar Frame “Crimson Firefan” and account materials	Aug. 27–Sept. 17
Mai Shiranui Pet Summon	Use Arcanite of Adore, Prismadium or Opals	Mai Shiranui or a previous Orange Pet	Aug. 27–Oct. 28
Flaming Butterfly Outfit	Obtain the limited collab outfit bundle	Crimson Ninja Garb, Ninja Dance Headband, “Victory” emote and avatar	Aug. 27–Oct. 28

 

Dancing With Flames Challenge Battles

Dancing With Flames is the main combat event of the KOF ’98 collaboration. A master of Shiranui ninjutsu has appeared in Atlan in search of a worthy opponent, prompting Rhine City to organize a new fighting tournament.

The event is divided into a five-round challenge series. Players earn rewards the first time they defeat each challenger in every round, so the main objective is to clear the complete series rather than repeatedly farm one battle.

Confirmed first-clear rewards include:

• KOF ’98 collab Emoticons
• Arcanite of Adore
• Lv.3 Inscription Selection Box
• SS Trinket “Butterfly Fan”
• SS Aura “Flaming Ring”

Mai uses her familiar fans, flames, and Shiranui-style attacks during the encounter. Because the event ends on September 17, clear all five rounds before that date even if you plan to wait before using the summon materials. The Arcanite of Adore obtained here can later be spent on the Mai Shiranui pet summon.

 

Flame Dance Pact Check-In Event

Flame Dance Pact is the collaboration’s login event. During the event period, log in each day and complete the check-in to unlock its rewards.

Confirmed rewards include:

• Astral Clock
• Insignia Module Selection Box
• SS Title “Dancing With Flames”
• Exclusive Avatar Frame “Crimson Firefan”
• Other account progression materials

Unlike the battle event, Flame Dance Pact does not require clearing combat stages. Its rewards are tied to check-ins, making it the easiest part of the collaboration to complete—but also the easiest to miss by forgetting to log in.

It is therefore best to begin checking in as soon as the collaboration opens. The challenge battles can be completed later, while missed login progress may leave less room to claim every reward before September 17.

 

How to Get the Mai Shiranui Pet

Mai Shiranui also appears as a chibi-style limited Orange Pet. According to the official pet showcase, this version of Mai accompanies Adventurers on their journey rather than becoming a playable class.

The pet is obtained through the limited Mai Shiranui Rare Pet Summon. Players can use the following currencies:

• Arcanite of Adore
• Prismadium, if Arcanite of Adore is unavailable
• Opals, if additional summons are needed

The S-rank prize is a selection bag that lets the player choose Mai Shiranui or a previously released Orange Pet. Check the in-game prize list before making the selection, as the official notice does not state that every past Orange Pet will be included.

Two summon rules are especially important:

• The banner inherits the pity count from the previous Rare Pet Summon.
• Mai Shiranui’s cumulative summon rewards begin with a new reward track.

This means players with existing pity progress do not necessarily start from zero, but previously completed cumulative-pull milestones should not be treated as already completed on the Mai banner.

Can You Get the Mai Shiranui Pet for Free?

The event provides free Arcanite of Adore through Dancing With Flames, allowing everyone to make some attempts. However, the official announcement does not promise enough free currency to reach the S-rank guarantee.

Mai Shiranui should therefore be described as a limited summon pet with free pulls available, not as a pet given away for free.

For the most efficient approach, complete all five Dancing With Flames rounds before spending Prismadium or Opals. Use every free Arcanite of Adore first, check your inherited pity count, and only then decide whether the remaining cost is worth it.

 

 

How to Get the Flaming Butterfly Outfit

The collaboration’s limited Mai Shiranui outfit is called Flaming Butterfly. It recreates her crimson costume and fiery fan-dance theme for characters in the Fighter and Musketeer class families.

The outfit set includes:

• Ninja Dance Headband
• Crimson Ninja Garb
• The “Victory” emote action

The outfit is not part of the free challenge or check-in reward pools. It is obtained through limited collaboration bundles, which may also contain a Mai Shiranui avatar and additional items such as Opals, Points, or a Collector’s Custom Coin.

Before buying it, keep the following restrictions in mind:

• Only Fighter, Musketeer, and their eligible class branches can use the outfit.
• The outfit cannot be dyed.
• The unopened outfit bag can be listed on the Trading Post.
• The limited bundles leave the store before the October 28 maintenance.

 

Best F2P Route Through the KOF ’98 Collab

Players who want the largest possible collection without unnecessary spending should complete the collaboration in this order:

• Start Flame Dance Pact immediately.
  Check in every day so you do not lose access to the title, avatar frame, or later login rewards.
• Clear all five Dancing With Flames rounds.
  Each first clear contributes to the free cosmetic set and provides Arcanite of Adore for the pet banner.
• Collect every free reward before September 17.
  The challenge and check-in events close well before the pet summon and outfit bundles.
• Use free Arcanite of Adore first.
  Do not begin with Prismadium or Opals while free summon materials are still available from the event.
• Check your inherited pet pity.
  Existing Rare Pet Summon progress may reduce how far you are from the next S-rank reward.
• Confirm your class before buying the outfit.
  Flaming Butterfly is limited to the Fighter and Musketeer class families and cannot be dyed.

This order secures every guaranteed reward first while leaving more time to decide whether to pursue the pet or outfit.

 

Additional TikTok Video Creation Challenge

The Crystal of Atlan global team has also announced a separate TikTok Video Creation Challenge tied to the Mai Shiranui collaboration. Players can upload gameplay videos and compete through the event rankings.

This is a community campaign rather than an in-game progression event. Eligibility, hashtags, ranking rules, and prizes may depend on region, so creators should read the full official TikTok challenge announcement before submitting a video.

 

Conclusion

Complete Flame Dance Pact and all five Dancing With Flames rounds first to secure every free reward and Arcanite of Adore. If you need more Opals for the Mai Shiranui pet summon, you can top up Crystal of Atlan at LDShop for a faster, more affordable way to prepare for the rest of the collab.