Touch of Darkness
Touch of Darkness is a Sealed Abyss Artifact Operation challenge in Crimson Desert requiring the player to assassinate 3 enemies within 60 seconds.
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Touch of Darkness is a Sealed Abyss Artifact challenge in Crimson Desert. It falls under the Operation category of challenges, specifically testing the player's stealth and quick elimination skills. The challenge requires you to assassinate 3 enemies within 60 seconds.
Property | Detail |
|---|---|
Challenge Type | |
Requirement | Assassinate 3 enemies within 60 seconds |
Time Limit | 60 seconds |
Location | Hills of No Return, north side of road northeast of Vilkom Outpost (Hernand Region) |
Reward |
The Sealed Abyss Artifact is located in the Hills of No Return within the Hernand region, on the north side of the road directly northeast of Vilkom Outpost. Sealed Abyss Artifacts are not marked on the main map but appear as purple icons on the minimap when you are nearby.
There are several ways to detect the artifact:
Use Blinding Flash to scan the area. The artifact will produce a visible shimmer when you are within detection range.
Hold up your sword and activate the Guiding Light ability (L1+R1 on PlayStation, LB+RB on Xbox, CTRL + Left Click on PC). A blue shimmer appears when an artifact is close.
Watch for the purple artifact icon to appear on your minimap while traveling along roads and at intersections in the Hills of No Return.
Sealed Abyss Artifacts are always found along roads or at intersections, never deep in the wilderness. Once you interact with the artifact, the Operation challenge is revealed and you can attempt it immediately or return later.
The 60-second time limit is strict, so preparation is key. You need to assassinate (stealth kill) three enemies within the time window, not simply defeat them in open combat.
Scout the area before activating the challenge. Identify where 3 nearby enemies are positioned and plan your route between them.
Use Storm Veil to deploy a smoke cloud. This lets you approach enemies undetected even in close quarters.
Attempt the challenge at night when guards are less alert and more spread out, giving you larger stealth windows.
Approach each target from behind for a quick stealth kill. Backstab assassinations are the fastest method and count toward the requirement.
Move immediately after each kill. Do not linger or loot; focus on reaching the next target.
Quick stealth kills from behind are the intended method. Regular combat kills may not count as assassinations for this challenge.
If you fail the first attempt, the artifact remains and you can retry the challenge at any time.
The Stealth system in Crimson Desert is fairly forgiving. Crouching and staying behind enemies is usually sufficient to remain undetected.
Enemy camps near the artifact location provide convenient groups of 3+ targets within short distance of each other.
Completing the Touch of Darkness challenge unseals the artifact and grants either an Abyss Artifact (used as skill points in the Skill Tree), a Faded Abyss Artifact (used to reset skill points), or an Abyss Gear (a modifier that can be slotted into weapons and armor). The specific reward varies by artifact.
All Operation challenges are tracked in the Journal under the Challenges tab. Completing every Sealed Abyss Artifact challenge is required for the Platinum trophy and 1000 Gamerscore achievement.
Sealed Abyss Artifacts are collectibles scattered across the world that unlock specific challenges when interacted with. Each artifact is tied to a category: Operation, Hunting, Mastery, Combat, or Life. The challenges test different gameplay systems, from sword combat and bow accuracy to horseback hunting and stealth. For a full list of locations, see Sealed Abyss Artifacts by Region.