Neverness to Everness 1.3 Banner: Zankou Drip Marketing

Right as Version 1.2 "999 Nights" settles in, NTE's official channels have already started teasing what comes next for the NTE 1.3 banner. On July 9, the game's social accounts posted the first splash art for Zankou, framed with the kind of moody, personal-message copy Hotta Studio likes to use for new banner reveals. It's the same drip marketing pattern that introduced Shinku and Iroi ahead of 1.2, so if the pacing holds, more details on the NTE 1.3 banner's kit, element, and exact phase should trickle out over the next few weeks.

NTE 1.3 Banner Overview

Zankou isn't a new face to the story. She's a member of the Scarlet Letter, the criminal faction that drove the Version 1.0 main story, and she was the final story boss of the Debt Collector questline back in Chapter 4. Lore-wise, she's the daughter of Inanna, the faction's leader, which makes her Daffodil's younger sister and Poinsette's older sister. Turning a story boss into a playable S-Class character is a familiar move for gacha games, and it usually means a fair amount of existing model and animation work can carry over, which could explain why her splash art appeared so soon after 1.2 launched.

Her fighting style in the Chapter 4 boss fight leaned slow and deliberate, built around heavy charged katana strikes rather than fast combo strings. That's the closest thing to a playstyle hint available right now, though it's worth remembering that boss AI and playable kits don't always translate directly.

Community reporting has tied Zankou to the first half of Version 1.3 specifically, though that comes from social/community sources rather than an official Hotta Studio announcement, so treat the exact phase as a leak rather than a lock.

Zankou

Zankou has more backstory than most newly-teased characters, mainly because she isn't a fresh concept — she's an existing story character being positioned for a playable banner. Her role in the main story so far has been antagonist rather than ally, and her family ties to Daffodil and Poinsette give her one of the more developed backstories among NTE's antagonist cast. Visually she sticks to white hair, red eyes, and a dark kimono-style outfit, which matches the newly revealed splash art.

What's still missing is anything on her attribute, weapon type, or skill kit. Since she started out as a story boss rather than a banner character, none of that data has gone through NTE's usual pre-release reveal process yet.

Pull Plan: Wait Before Committing

Don't touch pull currency for 1.3 yet. With no confirmed element, weapon, or kit, spending now is a guess, not a plan. If you're mid-way through Shinku or saving for Iroi in 1.2, finish those decisions first — 1.3 planning only makes sense once Hotta Studio locks the actual phase order and kit details. Watch for the official pre-release livestream, which is typically where NTE nails down final kits, banner dates, and phase splits before a version goes live.

[A second splash art reveal, if one drops, would typically confirm the Phase 2 character. Nothing along those lines has surfaced yet as of writing — check back once it does.]

FAQ

Is Zankou confirmed as playable in 1.3?

Her splash art has been revealed, which strongly suggests she's coming, but Hotta Studio hasn't published an official banner date or kit yet.

What's Zankou's role in the story?

She's a member of the Scarlet Letter faction and served as the final boss of the Chapter 4 Debt Collector questline in the main story.

Should I save pulls for 1.3 now?

It's early. Wait for the official preview livestream before locking in a pull plan, since her kit and exact banner phase aren't confirmed.

Is Zankou a new character or an existing NPC?

She's an existing story character — the Chapter 4 final boss and a member of the Scarlet Letter faction — being turned into a playable unit.

Need pull currency ready for whenever the 1.3 banners actually go live? LDShop keeps NTE top-ups quick and discounted, so you're not scrambling once the official dates drop.

Top Up Safely & Affordably on LDShop

35% OFF Huge Savings Get up to 35% OFF on game top-ups.

Instant Top-up Delivered in as fast as 3 minutes.

4.9 Trustpilot Rating Rated 4.9/5 on Trustpilot - Trusted by gamers worldwide.

100% Safety Guaranteed Safe partnership route, your account and wallet are protected.

TOP UP WITH DISCOUNT NOW

Sylune Experienced Game Editor

I'm a game guide writer with over 20 years of experience playing all types of games, especially anime-style RPGs, gacha and sports games. I love finding smart ways to beat tough levels without spending too much money. By studying game mechanics and character systems, I create easy tips to help players save time and resources. When I'm not gaming, I watch anime to get inspiration for strategies. My goal? To help you enjoy games more and stress less – even when facing "impossible" bosses! Let’s make gaming fun and affordable together!