The Dark Aether holds many secrets that Zombies fans are still waiting to uncover, and one of these secrets added in Season 3 Reloaded of Modern Warfare Zombies is an entire boss fight. The Gyanxi boss fight is the last challenge found inside the new Dark Aether Rift and rewards players who are brave and skilled enough to topple this enemy with the exclusive Smoke Signals Weapon Blueprint. For those who want the bragging rights and a new Blueprint for their arsenal, allow us to break down how to not only reach Gyanxi but also how to take this boss down!
Learn how to open the Dark Aether Rift and complete the Union Mission with our complete guide here.
Smoke Signals Weapon Blueprint
Before heading into the Dark Aether and confronting the new secret boss, you will need to make sure you are fully prepared for the battles ahead. You will want to make sure you have some of the stronger weapons available in the game and make sure they are at Legendary Rarity and Pack-a-Punch Level 3. Some of the weapons we suggest are using either the WSP Swarm SMG with the 100-Round Drum Magazine and Akimbo Brace Stock Aftermarket Part or WSP Stinger Machine Pistol with the 32-Round Mag as well as the Akimbo Rear Grip.
Other strong suggestions include the FJX Horus SMG, Lockwood 300 Shotgun, and the ever-popular Crossbow with the Blastcap Explosive Bolts. I also suggest bringing a fully Pack-a-Punched VR-11 Wonder Weapon. Not only will this weapon turn Zombies into Mercenaries to help you fight the undead as well as distract them, but it also has the added ability to repair the ACV tank that you must protect during the Escort Contract, making it much easier to complete.
All of these weapons are great choices and are made even better with the Mag of Holding item which will eliminate the need to reload your weapon. When it comes to Perks, you should aim to get all of them before heading into the Dark Aether, but make sure you definitely have Juggernog, Stamin-Up, Speed Cola, and Quick Revive. If you decide to use the explosive Crossbow, it is also required that you have PHD Flopper so you don’t need to worry about getting hurt from your own explosions. Tombstone Soda is also useful in case you fail your attempt at the Dark Aether so you can get any gear you still have in your inventory in the next game.
A really important tip we suggest is to bring in around 4-6 Sentry Gun killstreaks to help thin out the hordes during certain Contracts and also make the HVT Bounty Contract as well as the Gyanxi boss fight much easier. Having Decoy Grenades and some of the LT-53 Kazimir Grenades are also a must. With all of that acquired, you are ready to head into the Dark Aether. Go to the Dark Aether Rift in E4. You can use either a Sigil or an Elder Sigil to enter the Dark Aether and defeating the Gyanxi boss in either version will unlock the Blueprint, but we suggest using a regular Sigil just to make the battle easier.
Tips for the Dark Aether Contracts
Once in the Dark Aether, I suggest tackling the Contracts in counter-clockwise order. Start with the Escort Contract then move on to the Outlast mission and finish up with the HVT Bounty. This is because each Contract also comes with a special item that gives a passive buff to the player that carries it in their inventory, and we believe getting the items in this order will provide the best advantage against the hordes.
The Escort Contract is found on the roof of a building in G6 and will give you the Atomic Hunter perk. The player carrying this item will see Special Zombies with a unique green glow that, when eliminated by the player with Atomic Hunter, is guaranteed to drop a Nuke Power-Up. This is extremely useful to give you a reprieve as you defend the ACV and can save your run by getting rid of a nasty horde that swarms the vehicle. Atomic Hunter is also a great help with taking care of the Outlast and HVT Bounty Contracts also found in the Dark Aether.
When you get the ACV moving, place at least 1 Sentry Gun on the tank to thin the undead horde. You can put down multiple Sentries down if you want but I suggest making sure you have 3 Sentries left over for later Contracts. The ACV will stop at 4 Aetherial orbs and will absorb them. Throw your Kazimirs to stop the Zombies from attacking the ACV while it is stationary and absorbing the orbs. If the ACV has taken some damage and you brought in the VR-11, make sure to use it to repair it. Do all of this and keep an eye out for the Nuke-dropping Special Zombies and you should be able to get through this Contract with no problem.
Moving onto the next Contract, go to Sector I3 to start the Outlast Contract and acquire the Numb Foot item which will give the carrier increased movement speed. Once you start the Outlast Contract and activate the PND, use some of your remaining Kazimirs and keep an eye out for the Atomic Hunter Special Zombies as the Nukes they drop will give you a decent amount of time to stand within the small zone to fill the progress bar. This is the easiest of the Contracts so using your equipment and Atomic Hunter should make this a breeze.
The final Contract is in Sector F1 and is an HVT Bounty Contract. You will need to take down a powerful Mega-Abomination and will be given the Mind-Blowing Revelation item, which will mark enemies when you land headshots who will then explode upon death. This is where you will use 2-3 Sentry Guns to make this enemy that should be an absolute menace into a cakewalk. Once the Contract begins, head over to the Mega-Abomination and start setting up your Sentries around the square where it is located. Once you set up multiple Sentries, just keep the HVT in the killstreaks’ line of sight and they will do most of the work. As long as you are able to survive the wave of enemies and some of the HVT’s attacks, you should be able to defeat the Bounty with no problem.
With all of these Contracts completed in a single match, you can now go and begin the Gyanxi boss fight.
Unlocking the Secret Gyanxi Boss Fight
Head to the island at the center of the Dark Aether and you will find 4 Spores that can now be destroyed. You need to destroy 3 Spores that are located at the West, North, and East ends of the island. Destroy these Spores and you will now be able to target the giant Spore, called the Rift Heart, found at the dead center of the island. Once the Heart is destroyed, the boss Gyanxi will spawn.
How to Beat the Secret Gyanxi Boss Fight
Gyanxi is a powerful Disciple that functions exactly the same as the Taoxla boss from the Union Story Mission, meaning that this Dark Aether boss has the ability to summon other Special Zombies that make Gyanxi invincible while they are alive. You will need to eliminate these Special “Minions” in order to do damage to the boss. I suggest putting down any remaining Sentry Guns to help you and using any Decoys or Kazimirs left over to help you here. Basically, dump your entire arsenal into the fight to make sure you take this boss down.
- When the Minions are defeated, focus on Gyanxi’s critical weakpoint on its head. If you brought in the weapons we suggested, you should be a lot of damage and will be able to quickly whittle down their health bar. Make sure you take every chance you can to do as much damage as possible because Gyanxi will eventually summon more Minions that you will need to deal with.
- With the tools we have suggested, a focused attack, and maybe even some strong teammates, you should be able to take down the Dark Aether boss and will get the challenge pop-up, letting you know that you have unlocked the Smoke Signals Weapon Blueprint. This Blueprint is for the RAM-7 Assault Rifle and lives up to the name as it emits Aetherial smoke and even comes equipped with the Jak Limb Ripper Underbarrel chainsaw, allowing you to literally cut through the competition.
And with that, you now know how to take down the secret Gyanxi Dark Aether boss fight and unlock the Smoke Signals Weapon Blueprint. If you found this guide helpful, consider leaving a Like and a comment. And make sure to subscribe for more guides on Call of Duty and other games in the future!
