True Shadow Monarch introduces several progression systems that run alongside the normal Roblox Anime Vanguards unit leveling process. You can strengthen the standard unit stats, advance the 100-level Player Quest, and develop a separate System Level that unlocks additional Shadow Army slots and stat points.
This guide explains the fastest ways to advance the Player Quest, farm ordinary unit XP, and develop True Shadow Monarch’s System without wasting time on activities that don’t support your current goal. If you haven’t unlocked it yet, start with our Anime Vanguards: The True Shadow Monarch Complete Quest & Evolution Guide for the full requirements and Returned Dungeon walkthrough.
1. Understand the Three Progression Systems
Before choosing a farming route, identify which level you’re trying to increase. True Shadow Monarch has a separate progression system, and its Player Quest should not be confused with ordinary unit XP or System EXP.
| PROGRESSION TRACK | HOW IT WORKS | MAIN REWARD |
| Player Quest (0–100) | Complete assigned objectives, Gates, and Emergency Quests | Advances the questline required to obtain True Shadow Monarch |
| Standard Unit Level | Feed XP items such as Strange Fruit, Brands, and Doggy Bones | Improves the unit’s normal stats |
| Monarch System Level (1–100) | Earn System EXP through takedowns and supported Portal activities | Unlocks Shadow slots, stat points, and System progression |
These tracks require different farming strategies. Exp Rush stages are useful for Player Quest objectives, XP food helps with ordinary unit leveling, and the Portal feature provides an AFK-friendly way to accumulate Monarch progression resources.
Player Quest Levels
The Player Quest begins at Level 0 and requires you to complete a series of objectives before reaching Level 100. Not every objective gives the same amount of progress.
| ENCOUNTER TYPE | QUEST PROGRESS | BEST STRATEGY |
| Normal Quest Stage | +1 Level | Complete the fastest stage that satisfies the objective |
| Gate Encounter | +5 Levels | Prioritize these whenever they appear |
| Emergency Quest | Up to +3 additional levels | Complete manually when your team can handle the modifiers |
Gates are very valuable because one successful clear provides five times the progress of an ordinary quest objective. Emergency Quests offer additional rewards, but their surprise spawns and more demanding conditions can make them dangerous.
2. Fastest Active Methods for Completing the Player Quest
If you’re actively playing and want to reach Player Level 100 efficiently, focus on completing objectives with the least possible downtime. Rather than following every recommended stage blindly, choose the shortest available route that satisfies the current requirement.
Method A: Prioritize Gate Encounters
Gates should be your first priority whenever they become available. A normal objective awards one level, while a successful Gate clear advances the Player Quest by five. This makes Gates one of the most efficient ways to shorten the overall grind. Keep an eye out for the notification announcing a new Gate. Once it appears:
- Check the objective and its recommended difficulty.
- Prepare a team capable of clearing the encounter.
- Enter the Gate and complete the run.
- Check your Player Quest level to confirm the five-level increase.
- Return to normal objective farming until another Gate becomes available.
Don’t ignore a Gate simply because you’re already working through another objective. The additional progression can save several ordinary stage clears.
Method B: Use Exp Rush for Quick Objectives
Recommended stages:
- Flower Country (Exp Rush)
- Downtown Tokyo (Exp Rush)
Exp Rush encounters are very useful when the Player Quest asks you to defeat a boss or complete an objective involving enemies that appear in these stages. Runs can take approximately 15–20 seconds, depending on the objective and your team’s clearing speed. This makes them attractive alternatives to longer Story or Legend encounters. Use the following approach:
- Check your current Player Quest objective.
- Determine whether the required boss or enemy appears in an Exp Rush stage.
- Enter the appropriate stage and defeat the target.
- Leave once the target is defeated (if the objective only requires that particular elimination).
Method C: Use the Codex to Find Enemy Spawns
Some objectives require defeating a specific enemy several times. Instead of repeatedly entering the stage recommended by the quest’s Go button, use the Codex to find a faster option:
- Open the main menu and access the Codex.
- Search for the enemy named in your current objective.
- Review the stages where that enemy appears.
- Compare the number of spawns in each available stage.
- Choose the encounter with the highest target count and shortest completion time.
For example, a stage containing 22 copies of your target is much more efficient for a defeat-three objective than an encounter featuring only three. This approach is especially useful when your quest asks you to defeat several ordinary enemies rather than clear a complete stage.
3. Farm Ordinary Unit XP with the Right Infinite Modes
If your goal is to increase True Shadow Monarch’s normal unit level rather than his System Level, XP food is the most direct solution. Several Infinite Mode maps provide unit XP items at regular intervals. You can also obtain additional supplies from Legend Stages.
Best Infinite Mode XP Routes
| MODE/MAP | XP ITEM | REWARD |
| Infinite Mode — Frozen Port | Strange Fruit | 3–6 items every four waves |
| Infinite Mode — Hill of Swords | Brand | 3–6 items every four waves |
| Legend Stages — Imprisoned Island | Strange Fruit | Additional drops per clear |
| Legend Stages — Burning Spirit Tree | Brand | Additional drops per clear |
| Legend Stages — Tokyo Railway | Doggy Bone | Additional drops per clear |
Each Strange Fruit or Brand provides 280 unit XP, while Doggy Bones grant 300 unit XP. For a repeatable farming routine, choose the Infinite Mode map your team can handle most consistently. Surviving additional waves provides more opportunities to collect XP items, but pushing too far with an unreliable team can reduce your overall efficiency. Legend Stages are another option when you prefer shorter, completed encounters rather than staying in an extended Infinite run.
4. AFK Leveling: Use the True Shadow Monarch Portal System
For players who want progression while away from the keyboard, the most relevant feature is the Portal system inside True Shadow Monarch’s dedicated interface. Unlike ordinary stage farming, these Portals are designed to provide a passive progression option. They can generate System EXP and System Gold while you’re away, making them very useful for developing the Monarch’s separate progression track.
How to Prepare an AFK Portal Session
- Equip True Shadow Monarch in your first team slot.
- Open the unit’s dedicated System interface.
- Navigate to the Portals tab.
- Review the available Portal or Gate activity.
- Assign an eligible Shadow to the available training opportunity.
- Start the activity and check its displayed requirements and rewards.
- Return after the activity finishes to collect the available progression rewards.
5. Configure Auto Play for Repeatable Farming
Auto Play is one of the most useful built-in automation features for repetitive Anime Vanguards stages. Rebuilt in Update 15.0, it allows players to save placement and upgrade configurations rather than manually deploying every unit during each run.
How to Set Up an Auto Play Preset
- Enter the stage you want to farm.
- Open the Auto Play panel from the match interface.
- Select the positioning area where you want your units to be deployed.
- Use the settings button to adjust placement range and Yen reserve.
- Assign the preferred upgrade priorities to each unit slot.
- Enable the relevant Auto Ability options for units whose abilities should be activated automatically.
- Save or link the configuration to your preferred team where the preset option is available.
- Start Auto Play and observe the opening waves to make sure the formation works.
Don’t Use Auto Play for Every Quest
Auto Play is most reliable in familiar encounters where enemy movement and wave progression are predictable. Emergency Quests can introduce sudden spawns and more demanding modifiers, which may catch an automated formation unprepared. For those encounters, manual control is the safer choice.
The fastest way to progress in Anime Vanguards depends on which part of True Shadow Monarch’s development you’re working on. Use Gates and Exp Rush stages for the 100-level Player Quest, XP food for ordinary unit levels, and takedowns or Portals for Monarch System progression.
Most importantly, don’t treat every progression system as one long grind. Once you understand which activities reward which type of XP, you can divide your farming time more effectively and unlock the full potential of True Shadow Monarch without wasting resources.
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