I've decided to bow out of this one after receiving the mantistorm cub. While the final prize seems attractive, I'm not at all sure I'd be able to finish and for me, personally, it's not worth it to pour ALL my energy into this event while I still have so much to do for the main storyline. Also, I'd have to babysit the game during working hours, and that's not really feasible.
However, I'm cheering for everyone who's trying and I hope you all make it!