If you're trying to reach Hadriel fast, the worst thing you can do is wander out of town "just to see." Use the map like it's your GPS, hit the nearest waypoint to the active objective, and get moving with a clean inventory. I'll usually do a quick repair, dump salvage, and then bounce—same mindset as topping up on Diablo 4 Gold (https://www.eznpc.com/diablo-4-items) before a long session so I'm not stuck making pointless return trips mid-run.
Set Up Before You Leave Town
Pin the quest and actually look at where the marker sits in the zone, not just the general region. If you're in a campaign hub, check your route from the gate out of town, then ride. Don't overthink it. The biggest time sink is "one more vendor stop" after you've already left. Also, glance at your consumables—if you're out of healing charges or your build relies on a mobility skill with a long cooldown, you'll feel it when you try to push past mobs and get snagged at a choke point.
Follow Roads, Not Distractions
Main roads exist for a reason. They're thick on the map, easy to read, and they tend to pull you toward the right sub-zone. Side trails are where time goes to die: cellars, events, random elite packs, all fun but not helpful when you're chasing a story step. If the quest pin doesn't point down that dirt path, don't take it. Keep the map slightly zoomed out so you can see intersections coming. When you hit a fork, pause for half a second, confirm the quest line direction, then commit.
Run Past Most Fights
A lot of players (me included) waste minutes trying to "clear properly." You don't need to. Pop dash, teleport, evade—whatever you've got—and keep your momentum. Fight only when something physically blocks you, like a narrow pass, a gate that won't open, or a pack that stuns and chains you in place. If you can, throw a quick stun or freeze, slip through, and don't chase the one straggler that sprints off-screen. You're not farming; you're navigating.
Don't Get Tricked by Terrain
Hadriel's step can land you in areas with cliffs, walls, and those annoying rock loops that make the marker feel "close" while you're actually on the wrong level. When that happens, hug the boundary and trace it until you find a ramp, bridge, or gap that lines up with the pin. If the directional line flips behind you, stop right there and check the map—don't stubbornly keep running. And watch dungeon doors on the minimap; double-check the name before you enter so you don't waste a load screen on the wrong instance. If you want to keep the pace up between chapters, it also helps to have a reliable place for quick currency or item pickups like eznpc (https://www.eznpc.com/) so your build stays smooth without turning the whole night into inventory management.