Chapter Summaries

Lister learned from Hoffman's diary that the Alchemy Civilization had been attacked after the Galactic Federation rejected its conscious mechanical life-forms, and that Hoffman had turned cryogenic survivors into alchemical puppets. At Hoffman's locked storeroom, Wang Yue transformed into his likeness, and Tia recognized her as the master.

• Lister read Hoffman's diary and learned that the Galactic Federation had attacked the Alchemy Civilization for creating mechanical life-forms with independent consciousness.
• Lister realized Hoffman had controlled the shelter district's cryogenic pods and used the people inside to make alchemical puppets, including a puppet made from Hoffman himself.
• Lister examined information crystals and learned how energy crystals granted mechanical life consciousness, while failed bestowals produced mindless, aggressive machines.
• Lister and Wang Yue reached Hoffman's locked storeroom, but the door rejected the Hoffman puppet because it failed the consciousness scan.
• Wang Yue transformed into Hoffman's likeness, and Tia welcomed her as Master Hoffman.

Lister and Wang Yue searched Hoffman’s warehouse and found alchemy equipment, including rare Time Crystal Bracers and a special saber. Lister left equipped with damage-boosting armor and bracers, and chose the Black Leaf Laceration Blade as his preferred replacement weapon.

• Lister found energy crystals and alchemy machinery materials, but noticed the warehouse held fewer high-grade materials than expected.
• Lister collected three A-grade standard armor sets and a three-piece special set, then equipped the special pieces for their damage bonuses.
• Wang Yue chose special C-grade equipment that improved aura perception.
• Lister found the S-grade Time Crystal Bracers and put them on after learning they delayed absorbed damage rather than negating it.
• Lister passed over the standard Alchemy Type A Long Saber and selected the Black Leaf Laceration Blade for its extending blade and additional damage.

Lister and Wang Yue reached District One, where they faced a contaminated Alchemical Mechanical Giant that Lister remembered as a powerful later-act boss. They began attacking it, and the fight continued after Lister discovered how effectively his extended blade could strike its enormous body.

• Lister equipped new alchemical armor and time bracers, but the system prevented him from upgrading Knee Strike while he was undertaking a class advancement quest.
• The system announced the end of Act Two and awarded Lister rewards for completing the Main Quest—The Rise of the Lucian Empire.
• Lister and Wang Yue entered District One and encountered the contaminated Alchemical Type A Mechanical Giant guarding the governing district.
• Lister cut through the giant’s cannons with Iai Slash, while Wang Yue used Alchemical Mechanical Frenzy to send self-destructing robots against it.
• After the giant entered its second phase, Lister extended his blade tenfold and pierced its torso, dealing damage as the weapon fragments reassembled in his hand.

Lister and Wang Yue defeated the alchemical mechanical giant, passed the trial, and entered the administrative district, where Lister found Carven Dill building another giant. Lister discovered that Carven Dill was level 80 with an S-rank rating, and he silenced Wang Yue before they could be noticed.

• Lister endured the giant’s paralysis and, with Wang Yue’s stun support, destroyed it with two slashes.
• The trial passed, opening the administrative district, and Lister led Wang Yue through the gate into the ruined offices.
• Lister found a signal transmission device that could contact the Galactic Federation, but left it alone because it did not serve his mission.
• Lister sensed a human presence and followed it to a voting hall, where Wang Yue spotted another mechanical giant.
• Lister found Carven Dill fitting A-rank materials onto the giant and warned Wang Yue to stay quiet after scanning Carven Dill as level 80 and S-rank.

Lister watched Carven Dill awaken the Alchemical Mechanical Giant and learned that Carven planned to build a civilization of conscious mechanical life. Carven proposed a bet about whether it could endure and announced that he would found the Church of Mechanical Truth.

• Lister compared Carven Dill’s rapid growth and powerful skills with his own progress and felt envious.
• Kavin finished assembling the Alchemical Mechanical Giant, and Carven Dill charged it until it awakened with a new consciousness.
• Carven Dill said he wanted to place the giant outside the city to protect it, then explained that Hoffman’s mechanical-life city had operated for over three thousand years.
• Lister questioned whether a mechanical civilization would eventually suffer the same conflicts as human civilization, prompting Carven Dill to propose a bet.
• Carven Dill declared that he would create a new mechanical civilization, encourage mechanical beings to develop self-awareness, and found the Church of Mechanical Truth.

Lister learned that the Church of Mechanical Truth grew from his rebuttal and discussed its future with Kavin, who prepared to leave the Alchemy Ruined City. Kavin gave Lister access to his share of the ruins’ materials and an A-class legacy crystal that would unlock a subclass, leaving Lister to choose among three options.

• Lister agreed to Kavin’s bet, and Kavin ordered the alchemy mechanical giant to guard the first district and eliminate anyone searching for the signal transmitter.
• Kavin revealed that Carven Lucian had disappeared a month earlier and that he was now the only personality left in their body; he also changed the giant’s energy crystal from green to red, confirming it was unpolluted.
• Kavin explained that crystal color reflected Hoffman’s preference, while pollution came from chaotic consciousness, and agreed to restore Hoffman’s damaged puppet in at least half a year.
• Kavin told Lister he had waited to honor their agreement giving Lister twenty percent of the ruins’ gains and granted him access to Hoffman’s warehouse.
• Kavin gave Lister a pure white knowledge legacy crystal that would unlock one of three alchemy or mechanical subclasses.

Lister received Jiji, a small S-grade mechanical bird that could strengthen and protect him, then unlocked Alchemy Synthesist as his secondary profession. On his way back, he successfully synthesized a necklace from old equipment and gained an item that let his attacks ignore some defense.

• Kavin gave Lister a palm-sized avian construct powered by an S-grade energy crystal, and Lister named it Jiji.
• Half a month later, Lister prepared to leave the Lost Land while Kavin continued repairing the alchemical puppet and Wang Yue explored the ruins.
• Lister used Kavin's Alchemy Knowledge Legacy Crystal and chose Alchemy Synthesis Apprentice, gaining the Alchemy Synthesist profession at level 30.
• Lister synthesized seven pieces of old equipment into Merrick's Heart of Determination, a B-grade necklace that gave his attacks 3% defense-ignoring damage.

As the third act Expansion opened with war between the Lucian Empire and the Great Chu Imperial Dynasty, Lister encountered a Poly Merchant Association convoy whose guards unknowingly threatened him with his own family's name. After recognizing him, Porter revealed that Emperor Hughes had been searching for Lister to lead an invasion and had considered stripping his rank.

• Lister selected the Lucian Empire and accepted its war Main Quest as the third act Expansion opened.
• Lister blocked a Poly Merchant Association convoy outside Will City while reading the announcements.
• The convoy leader invoked the Count Merrick Family to intimidate Lister and ordered armed Class Holders to surround him.
• Porter recognized Lister as Count Merrick and ordered the guards to withdraw.
• Porter told Lister that Emperor Hughes had restricted the association's trade while searching for him to lead troops against the Great Chu Imperial Dynasty.
• Porter reported that Duke Will had intervened repeatedly as Emperor Hughes considered stripping Lister of his rank.

Lister returned to Merrick Castle and learned why Emperor Hughes had begun searching for him: Count Yodi had accused him of defecting to Great Chu, while the renewed investigation into the missing royal treasury potions also pointed suspicion his way. Quint asked Lister to spare Hughes until the war ended, leaving Lister calm but ready to confront him.

• Porter brought Lister back to the newly rebuilt Merrick Castle, where Tim explained that he had preserved Lister’s bedroom and kept it clean.
• Lister met Quint and asked why Hughes was so eager to find him.
• Quint said Count Yodi had accused Lister of joining Great Chu’s delegation and helping it attack Lucian, apparently out of envy for Lister’s hereditary title.
• Quint explained that Hughes had reopened the investigation into the stolen treasury potions, and Lister’s departure for Great Chu had made him a suspect.
• Quint asked Lister not to kill Hughes before the war was over, fearing the Lucian Empire could lose its ability to fight or even fall apart.

Lister confronted Emperor Hughes and Count Yodi over accusations that he had robbed the treasury and defected to Great Chu. He killed Yodi with a single saber slash that split the palace and the sky, spared Hughes, and left the emperor to consider whether the accusations had ever made sense.

• Lister arrived in the Imperial City of Bode and went to the imperial palace to meet Hughes.
• Hughes summoned Count Yodi, who accused Lister of robbing the treasury and defecting to Great Chu.
• Lister unleashed his aura in the palace, terrifying Hughes and the Class Holders who rushed to the side hall.
• Yodi drew his sword to attack Lister, but Lister killed him with a black saber slash.
• Lister’s slash cut through the palace turrets and split the clouds, drawing stunned reactions from players across the city.
• Lister spared Hughes and asked whether he thought Lister had needed to do all that.

Lister became Grand Duke Merrick after securing Parik Province as his fief, where he taught skills to players as the war with Great Chu intensified. Half a year later, Jiji delivered Kavin Dill’s message that the repairs were complete, and Lister set out to meet him.

• Nobles learned that Merrick had been made a grand duke and that his saber strike had persuaded Emperor Hughes to grant him Parik Province.
• Lister began teaching the Merrick Saber Technique in Parik Province as players gathered for the third act, while he bought two passive skills and continued synthesizing materials for experience.
• Half a year later, the war between Lucian and Great Chu had escalated, and Lister had taught the skill to more than fifteen million players.
• Jiji awakened outside its usual active period and transmitted Kavin Dill’s message that the repairs were complete.
• Lister sent Jiji a reply that he would come right away.

Lister learned how to register his planet’s civilization with the Galactic Federation and chose to bind himself to it rather than accept a slot in another civilization. Hoffman warned him that the choice was permanent, and Lister stood by his decision.

• Lister used the Alchemy Ruined City's identity badge to pass through the energy shield and returned to Kavin, Wang Yue, and Hoffman.
• Lister asked Hoffman how to register his planet's civilization, and Hoffman explained that an advanced lifeform had to register it on a governing planet.
• Hoffman confirmed that Lister qualified because he possessed Overlord Tier strength, while Wang Yue did not, and said Lister's civilization would start at level one.
• Hoffman revealed that the Leviathan Civilization was level four, the Galactic Federation's highest level, and offered to find Lister a slot in another civilization.
• Lister refused Hoffman's offer and committed to registering his own civilization despite the permanent consequences.

Lister, Wang Yue, and Kavin arrived with Hoffman on the Arcane Civilization’s administrative planet, where local mages confronted Hoffman over his status as a wanted criminal. Hoffman forced the mages to back down, then parted ways with Lister and left with Kavin.

• Hoffman teleported Lister and Wang Yue to the Arcane Civilization’s administrative planet, where a group of mages had surrounded his puppet.
• Hoffman gave Lister and Wang Yue basic Arcane Civilization chips, but Lister’s system absorbed and replaced his chip’s functions.
• The lead mage identified Hoffman as an S-class wanted criminal of the Leviathan Civilization and threatened to arrest him.
• Hoffman challenged the mages to act and demanded they leave, prompting the lead mage to withdraw most of his forces and ask Hoffman to depart.
• Hoffman said goodbye to Lister, and Kavin reminded Lister of their bet before leaving with Hoffman.
• The lead mage ordered two mages to follow Hoffman and Kavin from a distance and report any serious developments.

Lister and Wang Yue went with Mage Martin to register their civilization in the Arcane Civilization, where Lister saw the Federation’s restrictions on lower-level civilizations. A strength assessment confirmed that Lister qualified as a level 1 advanced lifeform, leaving his registration process ready to proceed.

• Lister told Martin that he and Wang Yue wanted to register their civilization and join the Galactic Federation, and Martin agreed to take them to the registration office.
• As Martin guided them through the city, Lister used his system to inspect passersby and learned that Arcane Civilization lifeforms were generally stronger than those from lower-level civilizations.
• Martin granted Lister and Wang Yue special authorization to ride restricted public transportation and helped them enter the central tower despite the appointment requirement.
• At the registration office, Mage Moore asked for a permit, and Lister requested registration under the Federation’s advanced-lifeform standard.
• Moore sent Lister into a testing room, where the assessment identified him as an Ancient Human with an S-rank strength tier and confirmed he met the standard for a level 1 advanced lifeform.

Lister underwent a strength assessment and was identified as an Overlord Tier prospect, but he declined an invitation to join the Arcane Civilization and chose to register his own civilization. After learning about Galactic Nobles and the Federation’s rules, he confirmed the name of his new civilization.

• Lister learned that his S-rank lifeform met the level-one criteria and qualified as an Overlord Tier prospect.
• Mage Martin offered Lister a place in the Arcane Civilization, but Lister refused and insisted on registering his own civilization.
• Mage Moore explained that citizens of the three level-four civilizations were called Galactic Nobles and described the Federation’s rules for punishing criminals.
• Mage Moore received the report for planet CX7372, which approved registration of a new civilization but required a fine of 1.13 million credits.
• Lister confirmed that he wanted to register and named his civilization the Merrick Civilization.

After registering Merrick Civilization on Truth Star, Lister chose the rare Soul Saber Wielder class and completed his second advancement. He used most of his stored experience to raise his level and skills, but Robust Soul could not be upgraded further without Soul Crystals.

• Mage Moore registered Merrick Civilization under the Federation's basic regulations and told Lister to return after his next evolution.
• Mage Martin waived Lister and Wang Yue's Truth Star fees for 180 days and reminded them to obey local laws.
• Lister and Wang Yue rented two class C rooms, paying the deposit and other charges with traded goods.
• Lister chose Soul Saber Wielder over Tyrant Saber Fighter and Righteous and Evil Saber Fighter, then endured the advancement's strange sensations.
• The system removed the skill-level locks and increased experience requirements after Lister completed his second-stage advancement.
• Lister spent nearly all 2.7 billion stored experience on levels and skills, reaching level 90 and learning that Robust Soul required Soul Crystals for further upgrades.

Lister reached level 90 and upgraded Knee Strike to A rank, then investigated ways to raise his basic attributes. He learned that civilization-level restrictions barred him from buying second-level potions and decided to seek other sources.

• Lister spent all his experience points raising his level and passive skills to 90, but Robust Soul required Soul Crystals beyond level 20.
• Lister used three Radiances of Extreme Transcendence and one Crystal of Extreme Transcendence to raise Knee Strike to A rank, gaining powerful control effects.
• Lister scanned the innkeeper, discovered the fat mage was level 107 but only F rank, and concluded that civilization levels were tied to class advancements.
• Lister asked the fat mage about strength potions, but the available first-level potions could not help him after his second advancement.
• The fat mage refused to sell Lister second-level potions because Federation rules restricted them to citizens of second-level civilizations or higher.

Lister searched Truth Star’s black market for higher-tier potions but found that civilization restrictions and Federation rules blocked access to advanced resources. After abandoning his plans to buy his way forward or quickly register the Merrick Civilization as level two, he began looking for another path through the Galactic Federation.

• Lister entered a rough district on Truth Star, where a blue giant tried to sell him a potion for 4,000 credits.
• Lister struck the blue giant, overpowered him with a single Knee Strike, and intimidated the nearby crowd into backing away.
• Lister learned that the blue giant had only low-tier potions and that an Arcane Civilization official oversaw the black market; he forced the giant to pay him 13,123.41 credits for the Land's Wisdom Crystal, then killed him as he fled.
• Lister explored Truth Star for three more days and concluded that high-tier goods were restricted to citizens of higher-level civilizations.
• Lister found that Merrick Civilization could not qualify for level two until it met detailed advancement and population requirements, and that level-two strength potions cost hundreds of thousands of credits.
• Lister began considering alternative routes to advancement within the Galactic Federation.

Lister told Wang Yue he planned to join the Federation military, believing it offered the best route to resources and advancement for people from low-level civilizations. Wang Yue agreed to join as well because her civilization status prevented her from buying the resources she needed.

• Wang Yue renewed their inn rooms for a month and transferred 30,000 credits to Lister.
• Wang Yue explained that she had withdrawn 80,000 credits from the accounts of seven dead unregistered people, and Lister warned her to be careful about taking more.
• Lister explained that the Federation military welcomed even unregistered people and let them trade military merit for core resources.
• Lister told Wang Yue he planned to join the military, and Wang Yue said she planned to join too because she could not buy good resources with credits.

Lister and Wang Yue visited the Galactic Federation recruitment office, where Lister qualified for the recruit camp with ninth-tier, S-rank combat power. The clerk tried to steer him toward the Arcane Civilization’s army group, but Lister learned that the Central Army Group was stronger and remained undecided between them.

• Lister watched a recruitment clerk eject an unregistered horned man who could not communicate or meet the enlistment requirements.
• Lister qualified as a ninth-tier recruit and tested at S-rank, impressing the clerks and choosing recruit camp over the Expeditionary Army.
• The clerk explained that the Federation Military District included the Central Army Group and the Civilization Army Group, and Lister chose recruit camp to gain access to its resources.
• Wang Yue tested at ninth tier and B-rank, while Lister learned that recruit camp applicants could choose between the Central Army Group and a civilization's army group.
• The clerk revealed that joining through the Arcane Civilization's office would place Lister in the Arcane Army Group, and Lister questioned which group was stronger.