TL;DR
- Case of Serial Explosion is an Anomaly Commission in NTE located in the Bridge Crossings district.
- Find it on the road northwest of The Cafe by Origen (Bluebeard Road).
- The core mechanic is a Spacetime Projector puzzle — examine clues by aligning the film bar to the red marker repeatedly.
- Enemies spawn after the third clue analysis. Defeat them to continue.
- Do one final rewind and analyze the last clue to complete the commission.
- Rewards include Hunter Level EXP ×160, Annulith ×20, Fons ×8,000, Bronze Carrota ×80, U-00NE ×15, Beetle Coin ×4,000, and Anomaly Material Selection Box I ×3.
- Unlock requires completing Prologue Part 2.
What Is the Case of Serial Explosion Anomaly Commission in NTE?
Case of Serial Explosion is one of the Anomaly Commissions found in the Bridge Crossings district of Hethereau in Neverness to Everness (NTE). Unlike combat-heavy commissions, this one leans into investigation. You use a device called a Spacetime Projector to rewind and analyze footage of a past explosion incident, uncovering the source of the chain events piece by piece.
The commission challenges you to interact with the projector in cycles — rewind the footage, align it to the red marker, examine the glowing clue that appears, then return and repeat. Enemies spawn partway through, so you need to be ready to fight before you can finish the investigation.
If you enjoy this style of puzzle-based commission, you will also like the Video Cemetery Anomaly Commission, which uses a very similar Spacetime Projector mechanic but takes you into a full multi-floor Anomalous Realm. For the full picture on all commissions across Hethereau, check our Anomaly Zones guide for NTE.
How to Unlock the Case of Serial Explosion Anomaly Commission
Anomaly Commissions unlock after completing the main story mission Prologue Part 2. Once that is done, the Anomaly Commission feature becomes available automatically. Open your World Map and access the Anomaly Commission menu from the bottom right corner. Find Case of Serial Explosion in the list and hit Track Anomaly to mark its location on your map.
You must also have the Bridge Crossings area accessible. If parts of the map are still fogged, read our guide on how to unlock all map areas in NTE to clear the way.
Case of Serial Explosion Location in NTE
The commission is found in the Bridge Crossings district, specifically on the road northwest of The Cafe by Origen on Bluebeard Road. Look for the Spacetime Projector sitting on a curving street next to a wall. The projector appears as a tripod-style device with a reddish glow around it — that visual cue confirms the commission is active and ready to interact with.
Fast travel to the nearest ReroRero Phone Booth or Wertheimer Tower in Bridge Crossings and follow the tracked marker on your map to reach it quickly. If you need to unlock nearby fast travel points, check our guide on how to unlock teleport points in NTE.
How the Spacetime Projector Works
Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand what the Spacetime Projector does. When you interact with it, it plays back recorded footage of a past incident in the surrounding area. Along the footage timeline, there are red markers that indicate moments where clues are hidden.
Your job is to scroll the film playback to each red marker position. When you align the bar correctly, a blue glowing clue appears somewhere nearby in the environment. You then walk over to it and examine it. After examining a clue, you return to the projector, rewind again to the next red marker, and repeat the cycle. This is the core loop of the entire commission.
The key rule to remember: always align the film bar to the red position, not anywhere else on the timeline. Only the red section triggers clues. If nothing appears after interacting, double-check that your playback is sitting on the red marker and try again.
Case of Serial Explosion Full Walkthrough – Step by Step
Step 1 – Find and Interact With the Spacetime Projector
Head to the curving road northwest of The Cafe by Origen on Bluebeard Road. Approach the Spacetime Projector standing next to the wall. Interact with it. This triggers the initial scene and plays the first segment of the recorded footage. After the opening scene plays, the first glowing blue clue appears somewhere nearby in the environment.
Step 2 – Examine the First Clue
Look around the immediate area for a blue glowing highlight. Walk toward it and examine it. This completes the first step of the investigation. You now need to go back to the projector to continue.
Step 3 – Rewind for the Second Clue
Return to the Spacetime Projector and interact with it again. This time, select the rewind option. Scroll through the footage timeline until you find the red box marker on the reel. Align the playback bar to this red position. A second blue glowing clue will appear in the area. Walk over to it and examine it immediately.
Step 4 – Rewind for the Third Clue
Go back to the Spacetime Projector once more. Rewind the footage again and find the next red box position on the updated timeline. Align the bar to it. A third clue appears. Examine it — but as soon as you do, prepare for combat. Enemies will spawn in the area right after this third analysis.
Step 5 – Defeat the Spawned Enemies
After the third clue is examined, hostile enemies appear around the commission site. Clear every enemy in the area. This is the main combat portion of the commission. Stay alert since the enemies can spawn quickly and interrupt you if you are not ready.
Make sure your team is in solid shape before reaching this step. Our best team compositions guide for NTE can help you build a lineup ready for surprise combat encounters. Character builds like the Nanally build, Chiz build, and Hathor build are all strong options to bring to this fight.
Step 6 – Final Rewind and Last Clue
After defeating all the enemies, return to the Spacetime Projector one final time. Interact with it, rewind the footage, and align the playback bar to the last red marker on the reel. The final clue appears. Examine it. This reveals the full source of the explosive events recorded in the footage and completes the commission.
Case of Serial Explosion Rewards
Finishing the Case of Serial Explosion Anomaly Commission gives you the following one-time rewards:
- Hunter Level EXP ×160
- Annulith ×20
- Fons ×8,000
- Bronze Carrota ×80
- U-00NE ×15
- Beetle Coin ×4,000
- Anomaly Material Selection Box I ×3
The Anomaly Material Selection Box I is a useful resource for upgrading your characters and equipment. If you want to grow your resource stockpile further, check out how to get Fons fast in NTE and our guide on how to get Cartridges and Modules to keep your builds progressing.
Tips for Completing Case of Serial Explosion Smoothly
Always Align to the Red Marker, Not Just Anywhere
The footage timeline has multiple positions, but only the red box section triggers a clue. If you interact with the projector and nothing appears in the environment, your playback bar is in the wrong spot. Scroll more carefully along the timeline until you land exactly on the red marker, then check again.
The Footage Reel Updates After Each Clue
After each clue is examined, the footage reel updates and a new red marker appears in a slightly different position. Do not expect the red box to stay in the same place every time you return to the projector. Each rewind reveals a new red position for the next clue in the sequence.
Stay Close to the Projector Between Clues
All the clues that spawn are within the immediate area of the curving road. You do not need to travel far from the projector at any point. After examining a clue, just turn around and walk back to the projector. Keeping your movement tight and efficient speeds up the whole commission.
Prepare for Combat Before the Third Clue
Enemies appear right after you examine the third clue, with no warning or cutscene buffer. If your character is low on health or your team has weak buffs active, they can hit you before you have time to react. Make sure you are at full health before inspecting the third clue. Using a healing item beforehand is a smart precaution.
Do Not Skip the Final Rewind
After the enemy fight ends, some players walk away thinking the commission is done. It is not. You must return to the Spacetime Projector for one more rewind and examine the final clue to properly close out the mission. Always confirm completion by checking your quest log or the Anomaly Commission menu after the fight.
What Is the Spacetime Projector System in NTE?
The Spacetime Projector is a recurring device you will encounter at multiple locations across Hethereau. It appears as a tripod camera with a reddish aura, placed along roads and in key investigation areas. Each one plays back recorded footage of a past incident, and your job is to use it to analyze evidence and uncover what happened.
The mechanic is built around patience and observation. You adjust the playback timeline, look for red markers, scan the environment for glowing clues, and examine them. Some commissions like Case of Serial Explosion take place entirely at a single street location. Others, like the Video Cemetery Anomaly Commission, use the projector mechanic inside a multi-floor Anomalous Realm with structural puzzle elements layered on top.
Getting familiar with how the Spacetime Projector works here in Case of Serial Explosion will make those more complex projector commissions much easier to handle later.
Other Bridge Crossings Anomaly Commissions Worth Doing
Case of Serial Explosion is one of several Anomaly Commissions available in Bridge Crossings. While you are in the area, these are worth picking up next:
- After School Anomaly Commission — found behind the red building on the western end of Coastal Highway Z42
- Flaming Bike Ride Assault Anomaly Commission — one of the most rewarding commissions in Bridge Crossings, gives the Raging Flames S-Rank Arc
- Heaven’s Forsaken Anomaly Commission
More Anomaly Commissions Across Hethereau
If you are working through all the commissions in the game, here are more guides to help:
- Lonely Player Anomaly Commission – All Wandering Puppet Locations
- Change Your Perspective Anomaly Commission
- All Nameless Hospital Endings Guide
Build Guides for Anomaly Combat
Combat encounters in Anomaly Commissions scale to your level, but a well-built team always makes things easier. Here are some recommended character build guides:
Helpful NTE Progression Guides
While working through Anomaly Commissions, these guides will help you manage your resources and stay progressing efficiently:
- How to Get the Free S-Class Arc in NTE
- How to Pass Time and Control Weather in NTE
- How to Lower Your Wanted Level in NTE
- How to Take a Photo of a Paper Plane in NTE
- Miles Apart Quest Guide
- Latest NTE Redeem Codes
Download NTE and Start Playing
Not playing NTE yet? Download it now on your preferred platform:
Ending With
Case of Serial Explosion is one of the quicker and more accessible Anomaly Commissions in NTE. The Spacetime Projector mechanic is easy to learn once you understand the red marker rule — align to red, examine the clue, return, repeat. The only moment that catches most players off guard is the enemy spawn after the third clue, so go in prepared.
Completing it gives you a solid stack of upgrade materials and Fons, and clears one more commission off your Anomaly Commission list. With the Spacetime Projector system now understood, commissions like the Video Cemetery Anomaly Commission — which uses the same core mechanic in a much larger and more complex setting — will feel a lot more approachable when you get to them.
Keep exploring Bridge Crossings and work your way through the rest of the commissions in Hethereau. There are rewards worth having all across the city, and each commission teaches you more about the world of NTE. For the full list of characters and how to build them, visit our complete playable character guide for NTE.
