Expert Chapters 26-29 are the new Solo Leveling: ARISE Story stages added on September 17, extending the game’s Expert difficulty with four more chapters of high level progression. The expansion also adds cumulative Battle Mission achievement rewards for Expert difficulty, giving players another reason to return to Story rather than treating the new chapters as one and done clears.
The timing of Expert Chapters 26-29 matters because the same update changes how being under the recommended Total Power affects Story content. If your power is significantly below the recommendation, the new system applies a stronger combat penalty than before, so progressing through the new Expert range is now more tightly connected to account upgrades.
What is new in Expert Chapters 26-29
Expert Chapters 26-29 Image Netmarble.
Expert Chapters 26-29 unlock Chapters 26, 27, 28 and 29 in Expert difficulty. They extend the existing Expert Story path rather than creating a separate event menu, and the update adds new cumulative Battle Mission achievement rewards alongside the chapter expansion. That means both stage completion and Battle Mission progress matter across the newly extended Expert track.
The update notice does not publish a full stage by stage enemy, objective or reward table for the new Expert chapters, so the practical focus is on progression requirements that are confirmed in game. The chapters are live as part of the Story Expert path, while the new Battle Mission achievement rewards build on the objectives attached to those stages.
Recommended power matters more in Expert Chapters 26-29
The September combat system changes make Expert Chapters 26-29 especially relevant for players returning after a break. In Story content, a large gap below Recommended Total Power now applies a stronger penalty than before. The game also divides the Total Power display into more detailed exceeded and insufficient tiers so you can see more clearly how your current setup compares with the recommendation.
If the new chapters suddenly feel harsher than the previous Expert chapters, check the power comparison before changing your whole team. The update directly increases the effect of being significantly under the recommendation in Story. Conversely, entering content above Recommended Total Power now grants an increased damage bonus based on how far you exceed the requirement.
How to prepare for Expert Chapters 26-29
Several progression caps rise in the same patch as Expert Chapters 26-29. Battle Class expands from Tier 120 to Tier 150, Core level rises from 20 to 25, and new Armory slots are added. These systems give established accounts additional room to gain power before pushing the latest Expert Story chapters.
Core progression is one concrete route added with the update. A Level 20 Core with maximum option enhancement can break through toward Level 25, using the new Condensed Energy III material. Condensed Energy III can be obtained from Mind Rift Stage 13 and above or through crafting, which creates a new upgrade path if your Story power is lagging behind Expert Chapters 26-29.
Battle Missions in Expert Chapters 26-29
Expert Chapters 26-29 also arrive with cumulative Battle Mission achievement rewards for Expert difficulty. This makes it worth paying attention to more than the basic clear condition. A successful first run opens the next step in progression, while completing the attached Battle Missions contributes to the wider Expert achievement reward track added with the new chapters.
If you are close to the recommended power, it can be more efficient to secure the chapter clear first and then clean up harder Battle Mission objectives after strengthening your account. These chapters remain part of the normal Story progression, so you are not working against a short event timer like the three week Beast’s Hunting Ground season or the Monarch of Fangs Smash Event.
What else arrived with Expert Chapters 26-29
The same update that adds Expert Chapters 26-29 also opens Battlefield of Trials Floors 91-100 in both Player Mode and Hunter Mode. Beast’s Hunting Ground becomes the new Workshop of Brilliant Light dungeon, and clearing its Stage 1 automatically unlocks Adan Remnant Power. Together, these additions create several parallel progression targets for endgame accounts.
There are also higher difficulties for Unstable Dungeon, Battlefield of Chaos and Mind Rift, plus the raised Core cap and new Blessing Stones. Those additions can feed directly back into your Story strength if Expert Chapters 26-29 expose a power gap, particularly because the revised Story penalty makes being far below Recommended Total Power less forgiving than it was before September 17.
Best order for tackling Expert Chapters 26-29
For a returning account, check your Recommended Total Power against the first stage of Expert Chapters 26-29 before burning resources at random. If the gap is large, use the newly expanded progression systems to raise your account, then return to Story. Once you are clearing consistently, start chasing the Battle Mission objectives that feed the new cumulative Expert rewards.
If your account already sits comfortably above the recommendation, Expert Chapters 26-29 can be treated as the next straight Story push before moving to the new Trials floors and Workshop season. Netmarble lists the chapter expansion, new Battle Mission rewards and revised Story power rules in the official September 17 update details.
