Arknights Major Update: The Masses' Travels – New Laterano Operators and Event Guide
Last Updated on December 18, 2026
A grand and celebratory event has arrived in Arknights! The new Side Story, The Masses’ Travels, is now open for a limited time, plunging Doctors back into the lore and politics of Laterano. This event marks one of the most significant updates of the year, bringing with it powerful meta-defining Operators and a massive collection of new outfits.
This comprehensive guide from CodeKhazana provides the detailed analysis you need to navigate the event, clear the challenging stages, and prioritize your limited Headhunting resources.
New Side Story: The Masses’ Travels Synopsis
“The Masses’ Travels” (abbreviated as MT) serves as a deep dive into Laterano, the Holy City of the Sankta, focusing on the mysterious anomalies plaguing the city.
- Setting: Laterano, where the halos and wings of Sankta outside the city suddenly blacken and shatter, prompting Operators like Exusiai to investigate the mysterious new Shrine of Nurtury.
- Gameplay: The event introduces new mechanics and challenging S-Stages that test your roster’s versatility, including specialized terrain and unique enemies.
- Story Significance: This narrative explores the deep-seated flaws and subtle bigotry within Lateran society toward non-Sankta and Alienus (Sankta with neurological differences), serving as a crucial chapter in the game’s overarching lore.
New and Limited Operators: The Laterano Firepower
The Headhunting Banner for this event features a powerful lineup, headlined by two limited 6-Star Operators.
| Operator | Rarity | Class/Branch | How to Obtain | Operator Assessment |
| Exusiai the New Covenant | 6★ (Limited) | Specialist (Geek) | Celebration Limited Headhunting | Meta-Defining DPS. A monstrously strong alternate version of Exusiai. Her S2 and S3 provide absurd single-target and multi-target damage, sustain (HP recovery), and utility (Barriers/Redeploy Beacon). A must-pull. |
| Lemuen | 6★ | Sniper (Gracebearer) | Celebration Limited Headhunting | High DPS Ranged Striker. A powerful pure DPS unit who excels at dealing massive damage per hit (DPH). Her talent allows Laterano allies to “spot” enemies, giving her extended range and increased damage against marked targets. |
| Gracebearer | 5★ | Sniper (Gracebearer) | Celebration Limited Headhunting | Standard 5-Star from the banner. |
| Sankta Miksaparato | 6★ (Bonus) | Defender (Sentry Protector) | Welfare/Event Reward | FREE 6-Star Operator. A Sentry Protector Defender who attacks from long range and provides unique bullet replenishment support to other nearby Laterano Operators. Highly valuable utility. |
New Outfits: A Fashion Review
A major celebration event means a major update to the Outfit Store, featuring new additions across multiple popular series:
- Iteration Provident: This series explores alternate timeline/decision points for Operators. A notable addition is the outfit for Młynar (Roar Against the Wilds).
- Bloodline of Combat: These outfits typically depict an Operator’s future, final, or most crucial moment in their respective arcs, often released during large anniversary events.
- EPOQUE, Achievement Star, and Test: These series also receive new additions, ensuring a wide array of new aesthetic options for your favorite Rhodes Island Operators.
Event Priorities: How to Maximize Your Rewards
- Clear Stages and Farm: Prioritize clearing all standard and challenge stages, including the new difficult S-Stages. These provide significant rewards and and unlock the event store currency.
- Claim the Welfare Operator: Ensure you complete the specific event missions (“Babysitting Criteria”) needed to fully recruit and potentialize the free 6-Star Defender, Sankta Miksaparato.
- Use Free Daily Pulls: The event grants players a free daily headhunting pull on the limited banner (Freedom of Preach). These pulls do not accumulate, so log in daily to maximize your chances of obtaining Exusiai the New Covenant.
- Limited Headhunting: Given the meta-defining power of Exusiai the New Covenant, prioritizing her acquisition is strongly recommended for any Doctor focused on endgame content and future high-difficulty events.
The fate of Laterano and Rhodes Island’s involvement awaits you! Dive into Arknights now to start the adventure.
What is the new Arknights side story called?
The new Arknights side story is called The Masses' Travels (MT). It is a limited-time Celebration event in Arknights that focuses heavily on the politics and events within Laterano.
Which Operator rarities are featured in The Masses' Travels limited banner in Arknights?
The limited Headhunting banner for The Masses' Travels in Arknights features two new 6-Star Operators and one new 5-Star Operator, all with a connection to the Laterano faction within the game.
Is the main 6-Star Specialist Operator from this event strong in Arknights?
Yes, the main 6-Star Specialist Operator from this limited Arknights event is considered one of the best and most meta-defining damage units. Her kit offers extremely high DPS, self-sustain, and unique utility within Arknights team setups.
How do I get the free 6-Star Operator during this Arknights event?
The free 6-Star Operator during The Masses' Travels event in Arknights is a Sentry Protector Defender unit. This Operator is a welfare reward obtained by completing specific event missions and collecting tokens through the event store in Arknights.
What new outfit collections are featured in the Arknights store?
The new outfits available during The Masses' Travels update are additions to the EPOQUE, Achievement Star, Test, Iteration Provident, and Bloodline of Combat Collection Series in the Arknights store, featuring multiple new skins for various Operator classes.
