Started with a Thief and immediately sent him down the river for the Boots. When he returned to the castle, the Wizard had already become an Expert, having captured the Sulfur and Crystal mines along the way. On the sixth day, hired an Archer at the tavern and sent him to the Tactics altar. On the same day, I built Dragons, but couldn't buy them — I didn't have the money. So I rushed to the Nature Bank, where I sacrificed all my level 1 and 2 monsters. The next day, I took the free chests at the respawn for gold, bought a Dragon, and went to rob the Monk Bank. Along the way, I took a bag of gold from the Unicorns.
On the first day of the second week, with the Archer-Tactician, Runner, Wizard, and Druid with a Black Dragon, I dashed to the second castle, reaching up to 82 steps along the way. The movement range was satisfying. On the 4th day of the second week, I cleared the corner with the gold mines and the level 4 dwelling, where the useless Hydras lived. I spent another couple of days clearing and then started thinking about what to do next.
The Wizard was 2 levels short of GM, the Druid was 3 levels short of GM, the second Druid acquired at the second castle was 1 level weaker than the first, the Tactician was at 3131, the Runner was GM but knew only Pathfinding besides running.
Ideally, I could have dashed back to the respawn, stopping by the School of Magic along the way, finish off the Cyclopes, rob the Griffins, and visit the Tree of Knowledge. That would have been enough to get the Wizard to GM Chaos. With that approach, the Druid would become GM at the first castle on the stones. But then the second Druid would remain only a Master. However, I could have reached Zezuk as early as the start of week 3. I decided to do things differently.
I decided not to rush — I was tempted by the Nature book in the backwater by the river, past the Raging Bulls. So I headed there. Along the way, I stopped by the Mage Tower, obtained Exorcism, learned Tactics, Life Magic, and Order Magic for the Runner. In short, I spent a week running around. And at the start of week 4, I attacked the Pyromancer. I didn't rob the Dragon Lady; I didn't even set foot in the sands.
My army consisted of a GM Wizard, GM Druid, GM Druid, Tactician 3153, and a Runner with Advanced Order, but only level 1 Order spells. All heroes had basic or advanced Pathfinding and Resist. As for monsters: 3 Black Dragons and 19 Efreeti. First, I cast all sorts of buffs on the dragons, killed them, and then finished off the Hero.
I dove into a one-way teleporter, but came out in the wrong place — somewhere on the river near Zezuk, from where, with the Sailor's Hat, I crossed the river in one day and captured Zezuk's first castle. The next day — Zezuk's second castle. And the day after that — Zezuk himself.
Casted Armageddon twice, and on the battlefield, only the hero, the Black Dragons, and the Efreeti remained. Thanks for the game :)