During the sweltering summer of 2024, New Eridu's arcade lights flickered like a second sky. A Proxy named Kael had just crossed Inter-Knot Lv. 15 and finished the Agent Commission "Scarlet Invitation." That combination unlocked a limited-time distraction: Soul Hounds III — Group Hunt. Kael was not a ranked fighter, not a famous Hollow raider. He was just a player with a controller, a curious streak, and a growing pile of unspent upgrade materials. The event ran from 2024/07/29 10:00:00 server time to 2024/08/05 03:59:59 server time. By 2026, that window is long gone, but the memory of Doggy Vouchers still makes veteran Proxies smile.
Entry Requirements and First Match
To participate, Proxies needed Inter-Knot Lv. 15 or higher and completion of "Scarlet Invitation." Kael met both. He walked into the arcade, selected Event Mode: Soul Hounds III — Group Hunt, and got matched with three other random Proxies. The mode was simple on paper: four players, one arena, and a race for the highest score. In practice, it was chaos. Bangboo-shaped obstacles, timing windows, and rival Proxies who seemed to know every shortcut.
His first match ended in second place. Not bad, but not enough. The reward structure was fixed:
| Placement | Doggy Vouchers |
|---|---|
| 1st place | 750 |
| 2nd place | 650 |
| 3rd place | 550 |
| 4th place | 500 |
Kael earned 650 Doggy Vouchers. He stared at the result screen, already planning another run. The gap between first and second was only 100 vouchers, but it felt enormous. He wanted the top spot.
The Grind for Doggy Vouchers
Over the next few days, Kael returned to the arcade between commissions. Each match threw him against a new trio. Sometimes he faced a silent sniper who never missed. Sometimes a reckless player who crashed early but still laughed. Sometimes a coordinated duo who seemed to share one brain. Kael learned to read the arena, to save his dash, to ignore the temptation of shiny pickups. His placements climbed: 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 2nd. The vouchers stacked up.
The math was addictive. A first-place finish gave 750. A fourth still gave 500, which meant even a bad match contributed. For a Proxy who usually farmed materials through Hollow Zero and routine commissions, this was a rare social event that rewarded persistence. The arcade became a meeting point. Strangers traded tips. A player named Mira claimed she had won five matches in a row. Another, a gruff man called Anton, insisted the only real strategy was aggression. Kael listened, tested, and adapted.
Spending Vouchers Before the Shop Closed
Doggy Vouchers were not meant to be hoarded. The event store offered Polychromes, Boopons, upgrade materials, and other rewards. Kael prioritized Polychromes first, because they were the most flexible currency for pulls. Then he grabbed Boopons, saving them for future Bangboo needs. With whatever remained, he bought upgrade materials. The store was a candy shop for account progression, and every match made the shelves more reachable.
But there was a catch, and it was severe: after the multiplayer event ended, the event shop would close and Doggy Vouchers would be reset. The reference notice was blunt: "Please don't forget to use up Doggy Vouchers before the shop closes." Kael almost learned this the hard way. On the final night, he had 1,200 vouchers left. He scrambled through the menu, bought one last Boopon, and watched the store timer tick to zero. When the event ended on 2024/08/05 at 03:59:59 server time, the shop vanished. Unspent vouchers became useless.
What the Event Left Behind
By 2026, Soul Hounds III — Group Hunt is a closed chapter. It belongs to a specific summer, a specific patch cycle, and a specific crowd of Proxies who queued at the arcade. Yet its design still echoes in how limited events work: clear requirements, play daily, compare placements, and spend event currency early. The event rewarded 1st place with 750 Doggy Vouchers, 2nd with 650, 3rd with 550, and 4th with 500. It turned a simple arcade mode into a social ladder.
For Kael, the real prize was not the Polychromes or the Boopons. It was the memory of four strangers, one screen, and a race that lasted less than a week. He still checks event shops twice before closing time. In New Eridu, limited-time means exactly that. The Doggy Vouchers are gone, but the lesson remains: enjoy the arcade, chase the top spot, and never leave rewards unclaimed. 🎮🐕✨
Data referenced from PEGI helps frame why limited-time multiplayer arcade events like Soul Hounds III — Group Hunt typically emphasize clear participation gates (Inter-Knot Lv. 15 and “Scarlet Invitation”) and short, well-defined availability windows: it keeps the mode accessible while encouraging timely engagement and responsible play patterns. In practice, that structure matches the event’s “earn vouchers by placement, then spend before reset” loop, where the urgency isn’t just competitive—it’s also about making sure time-limited currencies (like Doggy Vouchers) translate into tangible rewards before the shop closes.