The Crucible II[albiononline.com] is in full swing, and it has already made one thing clear: there are no easy rides. Here’s the current state of the top 10:

[assets.albiononline.com]But the leaderboard[albiononline.com] keeps shifting, and if anyone thought Zizaran would quietly sit on his throne this time, that idea didn’t last long. Diables has been glued to him from the start, and after showing up on stream in full plate armor and tossing out a tongue-in-cheek challenge, things escalated quickly. Since then, it’s been a constant back-and-forth, with both of them trading momentum and refusing to give the other even a moment to breathe.

Meanwhile, the French squad has decided that subtlety is overrated. JLTomy, Youby4, Nozadah, Narkuss, Galino, GobGG, and company are all piling into the top ranks. At this point, it’s less of a push and more of a full-scale invasion. BagginsTV and REVENANT are right in the middle of that chaos, both with their sights set on the real-life weapons at the podium. Getting there, though, is another story. In Turkey, RRaenee is mobilizing a large and highly active community to maintain a steady presence near the top.

Then there’s Josh Strife Hayes, who seems to be having the time of his life running dungeons and discovering that axes might be the answer to everything. Rushing through the ranks doesn’t seem to concern him much though. After all, he says Albion is his natural talent. Metashi12 is circling, pushing closer and waiting for an opening. East Asian and Latin American communities are rising as well: Inki and friends are in the mix for the top ranks, while CAHOS_GAMING continues to push steadily forward.

If you want to follow the action, Hyrst is covering the event with special Crucible editions of his Daily Dose of Albion videos. Albion Bard has also put together a compilation of the best moments from the competition so far, highlighting the biggest plays, rivalries, and funny moments as they unfolded. Take a look:

As the race continues, there’s still everything to play for. The Crucible II runs until May 4, with the final standings deciding who walks away with the real-world forged weapons. At the top, the winner will claim a massive Kingmaker sword, while second and third place will each receive a Twin Slayer dagger, all forged in steel by the craftsmen at That Works.

Beyond that, members of the top 10 guilds who contributed at least 50,000 challenge points will earn an exclusive Avatar Ring, while creators in the top 20 will share 10,000 Twitch subscriptions with their communities.

Viewers can earn rewards too. Watch creators to earn Twitch Drops, alongside additional community rewards through the Wehype campaign. On top of that, gifting 2 subscriptions to any Crucible participant or AOCP creator will instantly earn you the sweet Buttercup mount skin.

The race is far from over, and if the past few days are anything to go by, things are only going to get more intense. Keep an eye on the leaderboard[albiononline.com], and may the best win!