Chapter Summaries

Lister completed the enhancement chamber treatment, tested his newly improved skills, and briefly reached an SS-rank evaluation before leveling up lowered it. He chose to graduate early so he could return to the Merrick Civilization for experience, and Major Qi agreed to arrange his graduation with Reck.

• Colonel Lafei decided not to compete with Major Qi for Lister and left after Lister completed the enhancement treatment.
• Lister recovered, tested his S-rank Merrick Saber Technique and renamed Federation Shunpo to Flash, then reached SS-rank before leveling up dropped his evaluation to S-rank.
• Lister reviewed the Arcane Army Group's leave rules and decided to pursue early graduation so he could return to the Merrick Civilization.
• Lister asked Major Qi to arrange his graduation after the next monthly assessment, and Major Qi agreed to let him graduate at the rank of captain.
• Lister asked for Reck to graduate with him and be assigned to the same place, and Major Qi agreed.

Lister and Reck reported to the A73 Small Cruiser, where Lister was assigned to head the Landing Operations Department. Their arrival coincided with Major Boren arguing with headquarters over a mission, and Boren reacted angrily when he learned Lister was the new department head.

• Lister and Reck left the frigate on Satellite XQ333 and presented their transfer orders to the A73 Cruiser’s guard.
• Captain Cohen verified their orders, welcomed them aboard, and prepared to take them to Major Boren.
• Lister asked Cohen how to obtain leave and learned that Boren’s approval was required for the department head.
• Boren protested to Lieutenant Colonel Kali about losing a ten-thousand-point mission, then accepted a replacement mission worth one thousand points.
• After Cohen introduced Lister, Boren interrupted and cursed headquarters for sending a recruit to lead his Landing Operations Department.

Lister joined cruiser A73 as the provisional minister of landing operations, but Captain Boren assigned Major Thorn to guide him until he learned to command. As the ship sailed toward a new mission, Lister began taking charge of the department and appointed Reck as deputy leader of the second combat team.

• Captain Boren assessed Lister's strength but objected to putting a recruit in charge of landing operations, so he told Major Thorn to guide him.
• Major Thorn showed Lister and Reck around A73 and explained the ship's layout, reduced crew, and landing department.
• Cohen confirmed Lister's minister position and told him to raise his pending matter after the mission.
• Thorn advised Lister and Reck to change into their proper uniforms and rank insignia before reporting to the department.
• After A73 began sailing, Lister reviewed the officers and chose Reck to fill the vacant deputy leader position on the second combat team, with Thorn's approval.

Lister learned that the Landing Operations Department usually avoided combat to limit casualties, but the cruiser’s mission at CX412 turned out to involve a vast infestation of mutated giant black ants. After the cruiser’s cannons were forced to stop to protect the planet’s resources, the Landing Operations Department was ordered to prepare for battle.

• Major Thorn explained that the department usually kept soldiers out of combat and aimed to keep each mission’s death rate below one percent.
• Lister learned that the previous head of the Landing Operations Department had been demoted and transferred after the last mission’s high casualties.
• Lister and Major Thorn examined scans of CX412 and discovered that its population had been killed and giant black ants had spread across the planet.
• The cruiser fired its Magnetic Pulse Cannon and neutron cannon at a concentration of ants, but stopped the bombardment to avoid destroying the planet and its obsidian Fu stone.
• Major Thorn ordered the Landing Operations Department to prepare for combat as the cruiser could not safely eliminate the scattered ants from orbit.

Captain Boren debated abandoning the black-ant extermination mission, but Lister and Major Thorn landed on the resource planet to try to handle it. Lister revealed the force of his Killing Intent Wave and sensed every black ant underground before unleashing a surge of energy.

• Captain Boren rejected dangerous plans to send soldiers down and prepared to ask headquarters to reassign the mission.
• Truman reported that only Director Lister and Major Thorn had landed on the planet.
• Lister told Thorn he would take responsibility if he failed to deal with the black ants.
• A dozen giant black ants surrounded Lister and Thorn, and Lister said he would kill them directly.
• Lister spread his Killing Intent Wave, making the nearby ants tremble and the underground swarm shake.
• Lister sensed black ants across a radius of more than a hundred kilometers, opened his eyes, and released a violent energy fluctuation.

Lister used Killing Intent Wave to wipe out the black ants across a vast area while preserving the obsidian Fu Stone resources, revealing power that suggested he had Overlord Tier combat strength. Captain Boren investigated Lister’s restricted personnel file and learned he was a reserve talent, while Lister continued clearing the resource planet.

• Lister’s Killing Intent Release killed the nearby black ants, earning experience and showing Major Thorn the scale of his strength.
• Captain Boren found that Lister’s transfer order omitted his tier and combat power, then discovered his restricted file identified him as Federation Military District reserve talent.
• Boren questioned the bald head of the Cadre Division, who explained that Major Qi had arranged Lister’s transfer and confirmed that Lister had Overlord Tier combat power.
• The bald major hinted that headquarters did not yet plan to reclaim Lister from the A73, and Boren agreed to thank him during his next leave.
• Lister used his saber to kill the remaining black ants above and below ground, then told Major Thorn that they needed to clear more areas.

Lister led the Landing Operations Department in wiping out the black ants on a resource planet with support from the cruiser’s radar and artillery departments. After learning how mission rewards were distributed, he realized military merit was much harder to earn in the army group than it had been at the recruit camp.

• Captain Boren arranged full support from the radar and artillery departments and prepared the ship’s officers to help Lister complete the mission.
• Truman used the electromagnetic cannon and particle imaging to locate and restrain the black ants while the artillery cleared paths for Lister and Major Thorn.
• Lister unleashed his Killing Intent Wave against the ant colonies, then officers followed up at seventeen underground locations and killed the remaining ants across the planet.
• Lister asked Major Thorn about the mission’s military merit and learned that the Landing Operations Department could receive up to 300 points, which he had authority to distribute.
• Thorn explained that enlisted personnel often waited a year or longer for merit points, and Lister realized that even earning 180 points a month would be difficult in the army group.

After Ship A73 completed its mission, Lister secured the Landing Operations Department’s standing and learned about the possibility of forming a Civilization Army for the Merrick Civilization. He left the conversation interested in pursuing that path, while Major Boren hoped to keep him on the ship.

• Lister issued orders and filed the mission records as Ship A73 finished its work and prepared to resupply.
• Captain Boren announced that headquarters would continue assigning missions after Ship A73’s successful operation, and the officers welcomed Lister to the ship.
• The officers distributed military merit, giving the Landing Operations Department 300 points and leaving the rest of the share largely to the captain and deputy captains.
• Captain Boren apologized to Lister, arranged a private training room for him, and guaranteed the Landing Operations Department at least five percent of future mission merit.
• Captain Boren urged Lister to stay on Ship A73 and explained that Lister could eventually establish a Civilization Army if he became a major and gathered enough military merit and resources.
• Lister asked about the requirements for establishing a Civilization Army and became interested in forming one for the Merrick Civilization.

Lister arranged two weeks of leave to return to the Merrick Civilization and delegated the Landing Operations Department’s daily work while he was away. As he prepared to leave aboard the warship A73, he learned how the Galactic Federation’s warships relied on different Class Holders to amplify their weapons.

• Captain Boren approved Lister’s two-week leave, which would begin when the warship reached Planet A4323.
• Lister told the Landing Operations Department that Lieutenant Zahn would handle its daily work during his absence, with Second Lieutenant Reck assisting.
• Lister distributed military merit to the department’s company-grade officers, giving most three points and Reck five.
• Lister visited other department heads aboard the warship A73 and found they treated him with deference because of rumors about his S-rank combat power.
• Lister learned that telekinetic, mechanical, and magic Class Holders powered the warship’s weapons, while martial arts Class Holders were considered less useful aboard ship.

Lister accepted a personal mission to capture the fugitive Powell in the Yalan Civilization, where he recognized Powell as the notorious Dog Profiteer from his past life. He found Powell’s shop and agreed to buy an S-rank saber, leaving his plan for the mission unclear.

• Captain Boren offered Lister extra leave in exchange for a personal mission to capture or execute the C-rank fugitive Powell in the Yalan Civilization.
• Lister traveled to the Yalan governing planet and learned that Powell had fled there after murdering two Arcane Civilization citizens.
• A blacksmith’s hammering reminded Lister that Powell was the Dog Profiteer from his previous life, and he hurried to Powell’s shop.
• Powell displayed expensive sabers and claimed their attributes would be revealed only after purchase.
• Lister pretended to choose Powell’s S-rank saber and agreed to buy it for thirty thousand credits, then said he had one condition to make clear.

Lister confronted Powell over selling fraudulent overgrade weapons, then brought him his legendary Time Crystal Bracers to raise from the fourth tier to the twelfth. Their bargaining collapsed when Powell realized Lister expected him to pay 110,000 credits, and Powell attacked him with his guns.

• Lister threatened Powell over the S-grade saber and accused him of selling overgrade weapons.
• Lister revealed he had come to raise the tier of his Time Crystal Bracers, and Powell eagerly offered forging potions and services.
• Lister asked Powell to raise the legendary bracers to the twelfth tier and agreed to use the potions if they guaranteed success.
• Powell quoted 300,000 credits, but Lister countered with 110,000; Powell accepted while assuming Lister would pay him.
• Lister clarified that Powell was supposed to pay him 110,000 credits, enraging Powell, who drew his guns and fired energy beams at Lister.

Lister defeated Powell but kept him alive to collect payment and force him to upgrade his bracers. After showing Powell the mission authorizing his execution, Lister demanded 300,000 credits in total for his life and his unwanted potions.

• Lister dodged Powell's energy beams, overwhelmed him with Killing Intent Wave, and struck him down while deliberately leaving him alive.
• Yalan guards arrived and moved to arrest Lister, but they saluted him after he showed his Federation Military District credentials and then left at his request.
• Lister showed Powell the mission authorizing him to execute him, prompting Powell to offer credits and promise to upgrade Lister's bracers.
• Lister pressured Powell by threatening to kill him and placing his unwanted potions before him.
• Powell agreed to buy the potions as Lister set the total price at 300,000 credits for the potions and his life.

Lister collected 300,000 credits from Powell for one month’s use of the Time Crystal Bracers, then returned to the Duchy of Merrick and ordered preparations for a teleportation array. He granted Tim the title of viscount and put him in charge of building the structure within a month.

• Lister accepted 300,000 credits from Powell and gave him one month to finish work on the Time Crystal Bracers, promising future protection and clients if he did well.
• Tim told Lister that Lucian and Great Chu were preparing for war, while the Duchy of Merrick had become the Lucian Empire’s strongest duchy economically.
• Tim reported rumors that Merrick was prospering without its duke and that nobles in the Duchy of Bell were using it as an example to plot against their own duke.
• Lister explained the teleportation array’s construction plans to Tim and summoned the duchy’s officials and troops.
• Lister granted Tim a lifetime viscountcy and ordered him to direct the construction, with everyone present required to cooperate and finish within a month.

Lister oversaw construction of a teleportation array, then visited District 49 and offered saber players a way to advance the Merrick Saber Technique to S-grade. His gift transformed Chen Shanqiang’s ranking and drew a long line of martial arts players seeking the skill.

• Lister left the construction site for the Alchemy Ruined City after Tim smoothly took charge of the teleportation-array project.
• Lister checked the rankings and learned that martial arts players were being excluded from parties, while War God of Jiangling Prefecture ranked 103rd.
• Lister told War God of Jiangling Prefecture that he could learn an advanced saber skill from Grand Duke Merrick for five gold coins at level 40.
• War God of Jiangling Prefecture met Lister with a group of saber players and received the S-grade Merrick Saber Technique, jumping to 22nd in the rankings.
• Other players gathered in a long line to learn the skill as word spread that Lister was helping martial arts players.

Lister’s skill teaching helped the martial arts branch rise to the second tier, though it still lagged behind the mechanical branch. He returned to the Duchy of Merrick, completed a high-spec long-distance teleportation array, and connected it to the Yalan Civilization’s network.

• A new esper player accepted Lister’s C-rank skill teaching, raised the skill to level 40 and S rank, and improved his combat rating from F to E.
• Over the next twenty days, Lister taught fewer players as the rush dwindled, while the martial arts branch gained strength and the Merrick Civilization reached tier 2 standards.
• Lister returned to the Duchy of Merrick and ordered the Black Armor Guard to secure the teleportation array site while Tim moved farther away.
• Lister engraved the array’s inscriptions, installed its energy reuse stones, and powered it with an A-rank energy crystal.
• Lister activated the long-distance teleportation array and received authorization to connect it to the Yalan Civilization’s network.

Lister connected the Merrick Civilization to the Galactic Federation and received an exclusive quest to raise it to greater heights. He promoted it to level two, accepted the Yalan Civilization’s offer of friendship, and returned to Powell to collect upgraded bracers and commission another item.

• Lister accepted the exclusive quest to raise the Merrick Civilization, and the mainframe announced that the civilization had been registered under his name.
• Lister left Viscount Adrian and Viscount Tim in charge of the teleportation array, then traveled to the Yalan Civilization to apply for the Merrick Civilization’s promotion.
• The Yalan office confirmed the Merrick Civilization’s expanded star domain, completing the quest’s first stage and granting Lister five free attribute points.
• A Yalan official asked to establish diplomatic relations; Lister agreed in principle but explained that the Merrick Civilization had not yet established a government.
• Lister collected his upgraded Time Crystal Bracers from Powell and commissioned him to raise Merrick’s Heart of Determination to tier twelve and perfect grade within three months.

After returning to the A73 cruiser, Lister investigated complaints among the Landing Operations Department’s enlisted soldiers, then spent two months on easy patrol missions that yielded little military merit. Captain Boren announced a new mission in which Lister would be the ship’s main force, but its details were not yet revealed.

• Lister returned to the cruiser and let Reck use his dedicated training room while asking him about the ship and the Landing Operations Department.
• Reck told Lister that some enlisted soldiers resented receiving no military merits, and Lister left without addressing their complaints.
• Captain Boren returned a week later, and the cruiser destroyed a pirate warship quickly with its weapons, earning Lister’s department a small share of the reward.
• Over the next two months, the cruiser completed seven missions against pirates and rebels, while Lister accumulated enough military merit to buy two bottles of level-two standard resources.
• Captain Boren told Lister that headquarters had issued a new mission and that Lister would be the cruiser’s main force.

Captain Boren briefed Lister and the crew on a joint mission to exterminate the Evil Shadow Eye Monster Civilization, then Lister asked Minister Cohen to keep Powell’s bounty mission open. After learning that insectoid and mechanical civilizations were banned by the Galactic Federation, Lister searched the database for more information about them.

• Captain Boren announced that the A61 destroyer would lead the extermination mission while the A73 provided support, and said the crew would receive 10,400 military merit points.
• Vice Captain Brody warned the crew not to get carried away, and Captain Boren assigned Oni to kill the mother and Lister to lead a team in the final operation under the A61 destroyer's command.
• Lister asked Minister Cohen to keep Powell’s bounty mission open, and Cohen agreed to have someone at headquarters monitor it.
• Lister asked why missions against insectoid and mechanical civilizations paid so much, and Cohen explained that the Galactic Federation’s constitution required their extermination because they were outside Federation control and used its resources without contributing.
• Lister searched the Federation database and learned that insectoid civilizations consumed planetary resources and reproduced rapidly, while mechanical civilizations were forbidden despite mechanical technology being allowed.

Lister watched as two ships attacked a tier-15 Evil Shadow Eye Monster Mother, whose offspring shielded it from the neutron cannon. The attack left the mother badly wounded, but it entered hibernation, summoned more shadows, and began recovering while the exhausted gunners needed a break.

• Captain Kade pressed Captain Boren to hurry, but Truman's scan revealed that the mother was tier 15, prompting Kade to ask the A73 for full support rather than request reinforcements.
• Captain Boren agreed to help, and the ships fired their neutron cannons at the mother.
• The mother sent Evil Shadow Eye Monsters to block the beam and boosted their health and defense, but Truman's electromagnetic pulse cannon stopped more monsters from joining them.
• Oni and the artillery crew sustained the attack until the neutron cannon reduced the mother's health to about 40 percent.
• The mother contracted into a silent, hibernating state and sent black shadows to shield itself; the cruiser's cannon fell silent, the mother's health began recovering, and Oni reported that he could no longer continue.

Captain Kade led a landing force against the Evil Shadow Eye Monsters but struggled to kill them as they resurrected and poured out of the nest. When Lister arrived with a small group, his killing intent wiped out most of the monsters, leaving Kade stunned by what appeared to be a soul-targeting attack.

• Captain Kade refused Captain Boren’s offer of support and led his own landing force to the planet’s surface.
• Captain Kade’s soldiers learned that the Evil Shadow Eye Monsters could only be killed by striking their eyes while they were in shadow form, while more monsters continued emerging from the nest.
• Lister arrived with several dozen enlisted soldiers, and Captain Kade accused him of bringing an unwanted burden into the battle.
• Lister released an immense killing intent that killed most nearby Evil Shadow Eye Monsters, including those in shadow form.
• Captain Kade recognized that Lister’s attack had struck the monsters’ souls and wondered in disbelief how such a method was possible.