Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Zhong Yi repeatedly dies to Yuan Zhen, a spear-wielding fighter who counters his sword style. The encounter strengthens his suspicion that the Hirata Household’s fall was planned, not the work of ordinary thieves.
• Hoping to overcome the obstacle by grinding, Zhong Yi runs through the Hirata Estate repeatedly and reaches level 1. He discovers that leveling grants only a Skill point, not the usual increases to core stats.
• He realizes that Sekiro is designed to make players improve their own skill rather than overpower challenges through grinding. He learns the Mikiri Counter, leaves the especially difficult Hirata Estate, and decides to demonstrate an easier way to beat the Red Oni.
• In her Illusion Realm, Zhou Qiaoling avoids fights wherever possible, but cannot bypass the Red Oni. After eighteen deaths, she beats him largely by luck.
• Zhou learns from the floating commentary that Zhong has found a safer Red Oni strategy and that a fire-spraying prosthetic tool is useful. She then sneaks past another general and faces the Great Serpent.
• The serpent’s intimidating pursuit forces Zhou to experience the fear ordinary people might feel before a demon beast. Following the system’s guidance, she blinds it and escapes, pausing to loot treasure along the way. She reaches the city and cautiously avoids its guards.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhong Yi shifts from frustration and reliance on grinding to understanding that the Illusion Realm rewards personal skill. His experience with Yuan Zhen also deepens his suspicions about the Hirata attack.
• Zhou Qiaoling remains a cautious, fight-avoiding player, but her painful encounters make her question whether entering the Illusion Realm was worth it. She uses the floating commentary to learn from Zhong’s progress.
• Lu Ze’s design is indirectly central: his game offers little character-stat growth, while its realistic threats and demanding combat are meant to train players.

Significant themes

• Skill over numerical power: Leveling offers limited benefits; progress depends on learning and execution.
• Fear and perspective: Zhou, powerful in reality, discovers how helpless ordinary people might feel facing a demon beast.
• Persistence and adaptation: Both players respond to setbacks by changing tactics—Zhong learns a counter and withdraws from an unsuitable challenge, while Zhou relies on stealth and system guidance.
• Humor through contrast: Zhou’s treasure-hunting during a terrifying chase and her regret over choosing “punishment” provide comic relief.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Qiaoling sneaks through a castle tower packed with dangerous soldiers, then reaches a battlefield with no obvious route forward.
• She initially suspects a trap and refuses to cross—until a glowing “treasure” catches her eye. The prize is only a common Fistful of Ash, and Lu Ze reveals that he baited her with a misleading livestream comment.
• As Zhou Qiaoling realizes the battlefield is a trap, Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa charges out on horseback and challenges her.
• In his own Illusion Realm, Zhou Yue has learned Gyoubu’s attack patterns through repeated attempts and confidently parries the boss. Just as he is about to win, a soldier’s discarded banana peel makes him slip, and he dies.
• Zhou Qiaoling fares much worse. After thirty deaths, still unable to overcome Gyoubu’s dangerous attacks, she gives up and returns to the Dilapidated Temple.
• Hoping to escape the Illusion Realm by apologizing to her master, Zhou Qiaoling opens the system interface—only to discover that there is no Exit button.

Character development

• Zhou Qiaoling remains impulsive and easily tempted by treasure, despite knowing the battlefield may be dangerous. Her confidence collapses after repeated defeats, then returns in a new form when she decides to quit and seek her master’s forgiveness.
• Zhou Yue is shown as a patient, capable fighter who improves by learning an opponent’s patterns. His overconfidence proves premature when an absurd environmental hazard kills him.
• Lu Ze is established as a mischievous antagonist to Zhou Qiaoling, deliberately using the livestream comments to lure her into danger.

Character interactions

• Zhou Qiaoling’s choices are influenced by the Danmu comments, including Lu Ze’s deceptive bait; she later curses him for setting her up.
• Zhou Yue taunts Gyoubu during their duel, treating him as a manageable test of his parrying skills.
• Zhou Qiaoling’s frustration is directed at Gyoubu, the Illusion Realm, and Lu Ze. Her planned escape also depends on the belief that her master will forgive her.

Significant themes

• Practice versus avoidance: Zhou Yue’s preparation lets him handle Gyoubu, while Zhou Qiaoling’s habit of skipping lessons leaves her unable to progress.
• Temptation and consequences: Greed draws Zhou Qiaoling into the battlefield trap.
• Perseverance versus escape: The chapter contrasts learning through repeated failure with trying to abandon a difficult challenge.
• Comic unfairness: Just as Zhou Yue seems to have victory secured, a banana peel turns success into another death; Zhou Qiaoling’s hoped-for escape is likewise blocked.

Plot points and events

• Zhou Yue defeats Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa without taking damage, securing the first kill on the Normal-difficulty boss. He is proud both of the flawless victory and of beating the Limitless Sword Sect to the kill.
• He receives repeated messages from his younger sister, Zhou Qiaoling, asking how to leave the Illusion Realm. Zhou Yue teases her that Elder Liu has trapped her inside until she clears it, then ignores her curses.
• Zhou Yue watches Zhong Yi’s livestream. Zhong Yi has defeated the Red Oni using a Flame Vent and is now facing Yamauchi Noriyoshi. His plan to exploit a narrow passage fails when Noriyoshi kills him with one slash.
• Zhong Yi’s exploration reveals that the Hirata Estate, set three years earlier, is a hidden instance containing shinobi tools and a “Ninja Killer.” Eager to pursue more first kills, Zhou Yue returns to his own realm to investigate.
• Zhou Yue speaks with a bald man at the Tiger Gate Steps, learning that he can become a merchant, then explores more carefully than before. He discovers a neglected shrine warning of a deadly Headless Demon and, despite viewers’ caution, heads toward the mountains to find it.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Yue’s confidence and competitive drive grow after his flawless boss victory. He also begins to appreciate the Illusion Realm’s carefully designed world instead of focusing only on combat.
• His relationship with Zhou Qiaoling is playful but antagonistic: he delights in her frustration and mocks her for being stuck.
• Zhong Yi comes across as resourceful and willing to experiment with unconventional tactics, though his risky ambush attempt fails. His discoveries give Zhou Yue new goals.
• Zhou Yue’s viewers encourage caution about the shrine, but he responds with bravado and dismisses their warnings.

Significant themes

• Skill, competition, and prestige: First kills and flawless victories carry status, driving Zhou Yue to compete with rival sects.
• Exploration and discovery: Zhong Yi’s findings inspire Zhou Yue to look beyond the main path and notice hidden content.
• Pride and risk-taking: Zhou Yue’s confidence pushes him toward the unknown, but may also lead him into danger.
• Playful rivalry and teasing: Zhou Yue’s exchanges with his sister and his competitive attitude toward other players add humor to the chapter.

Key plot points and events

• Guided by the Danmu, Zhou Yue discovers a hidden cave containing a purple-glowing katana. The apparent treasure is held by a Headless corpse demon.
• The Headless is surrounded by purple mist and a Fearful Soul Entanglement Array, which slows Zhou Yue, limits his ability to dodge, and builds a [Terror] meter whenever he fails to deflect attacks. As Terror rises, his fear worsens.
• Zhou Yue initially boasts that he can fight back in Sekiro, unlike in Ghost Town Terror, but Headless repeatedly defeats and humiliates him—especially with a brutal execution. He revives at the Ghost Buddha and keeps returning to the fight.
• Despite the Danmu urging him to stop and prepare first, Zhou Yue persists, even declaring he will not bow to fate. His attempts end in more deaths, including a fall caused by a branch breaking.
• After a day and night of repeated failures, Zhou Yue is exhausted and considers abandoning the fight for now. He has overlooked that Divine Confetti could substantially increase his damage against Headless.
• To take a break, he enters Zhong Yi’s livestream and finds him celebrating his victory over the first samurai general. This reminds Zhou Yue that Lu Ze gave him an item to open once Zhong Yi reached that milestone.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Yue shifts from confident excitement at finding a powerful weapon to fear, frustration, and near despair. Even when demoralized, his stubborn pride and appetite for combat keep drawing him back to Headless.
• Headless is established as an unusually dangerous elite enemy: its erratic attacks are difficult to read, and the Terror effect makes the encounter far harder than an ordinary Sekiro fight.
• The Danmu alternates between teasing Zhou Yue about his bad luck and offering sensible advice to retreat and improve his stats.
• Zhong Yi makes a modest but meaningful breakthrough by defeating the samurai general, prompting Zhou Yue to recall Lu Ze’s promised item.

Significant themes

• Persistence versus preparation: Zhou Yue’s determination is admirable, but refusing to retreat or reconsider his approach keeps him trapped in repeated failure.
• Difficulty and achievement: Sekiro’s appeal comes from the satisfaction of overcoming challenges, yet relentless punishment without progress can drain motivation.
• Fear as a gameplay mechanic: The Terror meter turns psychological pressure into a direct obstacle, linking the combat to the horror of Ghost Town Terror.
• Humor through frustration: Zhou Yue’s dramatic declarations and humiliating deaths contrast comically, while the Danmu’s commentary adds a teasing audience perspective.

Key plot points and events

• After defeating the Samurai General, Zhong Yi opens a pouch Lu Ze left him. Its simple formation triggers a trip outside, where Zhong Yi discovers the sect has staged a celebration—with a banner teasing him for taking an entire day to win.
• News breaks that Li Moran is close to defeating Genichiro. Zhou Yue and Zhong Yi rush to watch her stream, amazed that she has kept fighting him for a day and a night.
• Meanwhile, Chen Yuan finally defeats Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa after eighty-eight deaths. Lu Ze immediately commemorates the victory with a banner, publicly mocking Chen’s slow progress.
• Chen argues that his sword path differs from Lu Ze’s, but Lu Ze reminds him of their five-day challenge. Chen doubts anyone can finish the game in time, yet takes comfort in the separate wager: if nobody defeats Genichiro within three days, Lu Ze loses.
• A shout from the viewing terrace reveals that Li is only a few strikes away from defeating Genichiro—threatening Chen’s confidence in that wager.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhong Yi goes from proud victory to mortified embarrassment when he realizes Lu Ze arranged a public joke at his expense. Zhou Yue shares his surprise and joins him in watching Li.
• Li Moran is shown as unusually persistent: she has spent a full day and night repeatedly challenging Genichiro.
• Chen Yuan is exhausted and resentful after his difficult win. He tries to defend his pride and relies on the wager’s three-day deadline to reassure himself.
• Lu Ze continues to provoke his rivals with playful, public celebrations, while remaining confident that his challenge is going his way.

Significant themes

• Persistence and mastery: Progress in the sword-game illusion comes through repeated failure and practice.
• Pride and public embarrassment: Victories—and shortcomings—are turned into spectacles, testing the characters’ dignity.
• Unexpected determination: Lu Ze assumes no one would repeatedly face Genichiro, but Li’s perseverance proves otherwise.

Plot points and events

• Li Moran faces Genichiro in the Illusion Realm with only a third of her health remaining. She calmly deflects his changing, lethal attack patterns, filling his Posture Bar while taking no further damage.
• With victory seemingly within reach, she puts away her sword and resets the fight. Spectators assume she is attempting a flawless, no-hit run.
• Li Moran explains through her actions that she wants to defeat Genichiro without taking any damage. She returns to the moonlit Reed Field and fights him again, treating the encounter as rigorous sword training.
• This time Genichiro attacks with a new, faster opening, but Li Moran adapts. She gradually perceives his movements more clearly and blocks his entire assault.
• With her health untouched and Genichiro’s Posture Bar full, she delivers the deathblow and becomes the first cultivator to defeat Genichiro on Normal difficulty. The achievement is announced throughout the Illusion Realm, and her livestream is flooded with viewers and gifts.

Character developments

• Li Moran demonstrates exceptional patience, precision, and self-discipline. Rather than settling for an ordinary victory, she deliberately restarts to pursue perfection. Fighting without her usual cultivation forces her to refine her swordsmanship in unfamiliar ways.
• Genichiro remains a formidable opponent, but his adaptable attacks reveal that the fight is not merely a matter of memorizing patterns.
• The spectators move from disbelief to excitement and admiration as they witness Li Moran’s skill and her uncompromising standards.

Significant themes

• Perfection through practice: Li Moran values a flawless performance over simply winning.
• Growth through constraint: Stripped of cultivation and relying only on Kusabimaru, she pushes her swordsmanship beyond its previous limits.
• Attention and perception: As Li Moran focuses, Genichiro’s attacks seem to slow, suggesting deeper understanding gained through concentrated practice.
• Spectacle and recognition: Li Moran fights for her own training, only belatedly realizing that a vast audience has been watching.

Character interactions

• Li Moran repeatedly faces Genichiro alone, while ensuring Kurō leaves the battlefield.
• The cultivators on the Viewing Terrace comment on her deflections, speculate about her reset, and cheer her eventual victory.
• After the announcement, livestream viewers send messages and lavish gifts. One donor jokes that defeating Genichiro means Li Moran may not have to lose an arm—a reference to the outcome people feared.

Key plot points and events

• Li Moran defeats Genichiro in the Sekiro Illusion Realm, but the expected cutscene still occurs: Genichiro tricks Sekiro from behind and cuts off his left arm while Sekiro tries to protect Kuro.
• Viewers joke that Zhong Yi’s earlier prediction caused the injury, while others blame Lu Ze for designing the scene.
• At the Limitless Sword Sect’s Viewing Terrace, spectators praise Li Moran’s skill and recognize the Illusion Realm’s value as a way to test oneself.
• Lu Ze reminds Grand Elder Chen Yuan that the wager’s “enemies can be defeated” condition has been met. Chen Yuan accuses him of secretly coaching Li Moran, but the spectators defend her hard-earned progress.
• Chen Yuan shifts his argument to the final condition: that the Illusion Realm must genuinely improve Sword Dao, not merely teach basic moves.
• As Lu Ze points toward Li Moran, a disturbance erupts from the sect’s sealed forbidden grounds. The air around her warps, and sword cries ring out.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Moran proves she can overcome Genichiro through persistence and skill, despite the game’s unavoidable post-battle ambush.
• Lu Ze remains confident and teasing, using the wager to challenge Chen Yuan’s objections.
• Chen Yuan grows increasingly anxious about losing the Three Tribulations Sword Art, first questioning Li Moran’s victory, then disputing whether the Illusion Realm can improve Sword Dao.
• The spectators shift from skepticism to admiration, defending Li Moran and acknowledging the challenge’s training value.
• Zhong Yi becomes the target of playful blame for supposedly jinxing Sekiro’s arm.

Significant themes

• Persistence and learning through failure: Li Moran’s victory follows extensive practice, and observers see improvement as the result of repeated attempts.
• Skill beyond cultivation: The Illusion Realm strips away cultivation and forces participants to rely on timing, technique, and judgment.
• Fairness versus pride: Chen Yuan’s objections increasingly seem driven by reluctance to lose the wager.
• A possible breakthrough: The disturbance around Li Moran hints that the Illusion Realm may indeed have affected her Sword Dao.

Summary

Key plot points and events

• As Li Moran comprehends the Sword Dao on the Viewing Terrace, hundreds of Sword Cultivators’ weapons rise against their owners’ control and gather around her. The disturbance also stirs the sealed depths of the Limitless Sword Domain.
• The sect’s Elders reinforce the seal, but a battered black longsword passes through it and floats before Li Moran. Though onlookers dismiss it as an ordinary weapon, Chen Yuan recognizes it as the First Sect Master’s sword.
• Li Moran touches the sword, and it crumbles into motes that flow into her own Silver Longsword. She manifests Void-Returning Sword Intent, a devastating power that forms a black hole and drains the surrounding weapons of their strength.
• Lu Ze’s illusion has helped Li Moran reach this breakthrough, validating his wager with Chen Yuan. The sect cannot blame her for what she gained during its Sword Dao event.
• Chen Yuan abandons the argument and returns to the Illusion Tower, determined to clear Sekiro within five days so he can still win their remaining bet.
• Li Moran thanks Lu Ze. His system rewards him with the ability to learn her Void-Returning Sword Intent, which he eagerly accepts.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Moran proves to be exceptionally gifted, awakening the Limitless Sword Sect’s ancient supreme Sword Intent. She acknowledges Lu Ze’s role in her progress.
• Lu Ze is pleased that his wager paid off and sees Li Moran’s breakthrough as a major gain. He also plans to reward her after acquiring her Sword Intent.
• Chen Yuan is shaken by the loss of the sect’s treasured sword and frustrated by Lu Ze’s taunts. Though he insists Li Moran’s breakthrough was due to her own talent, he focuses on salvaging the bet by tackling Sekiro.
• The watching cultivators shift from excitement to disbelief: some admire Li Moran’s achievement, while others worry about getting their swords back.

Significant themes

• Talent and opportunity: Lu Ze’s illusion provides a catalyst, but Li Moran’s extraordinary ability determines the scale of her breakthrough.
• Power and its cost: Her insight comes with the apparent loss of the sect’s ancient sword and the disruption of countless weapons.
• Rivalry and leverage: Lu Ze and Chen Yuan’s wager turns the breakthrough into a public victory for Lu Ze, while Chen Yuan scrambles to protect what remains of his position.

Key events

• Li Moran’s mastery of the Void-Returning Sword Intent spreads through the cultivation world. Rumors credit Sekiro’s restrictions on her cultivation with forcing her to refine her swordsmanship, convincing many that the Illusion Realm can produce genuine improvement.
• Skeptics who had avoided Lu Ze’s punishing games begin trying Sekiro. Its player count surpasses Immortal Abyss Continent Operation at its peak, and its difficulty fuels rather than deters interest.
• Zhong Yi livestreams his attempt to defeat Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa. He explains that clues in the realm point to using firecrackers—sold by a hidden merchant—to frighten Gyoubu’s horse and create openings.
• His tactic works, but Zhong Yi gets greedy, is struck down, and dies. He insists the death was an instructional example, then teases that he knows a safer way to win.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Moran becomes proof, in the eyes of the cultivation world, that Sekiro can sharpen a player’s abilities rather than merely entertain them.
• Zhong Yi shows himself to be a clever, analytical player who prefers exploiting enemy design over mastering swordplay. His confidence and self-deprecating excuses make him an entertaining streamer.
• Lu Ze remains offstage, but Zhong Yi treats every detail he designed—enemy dialogue, environmental hints, and item placement—as intentional clues.
• Zhong Yi banters with viewers through the livestream’s scrolling comments, whose teasing skepticism contrasts with his confident claims.

Significant themes

• Challenge as a path to growth: Sekiro’s difficulty becomes attractive because players believe struggle can lead to real cultivation gains.
• Observation and adaptation: Success may come from reading clues and understanding an opponent, not simply relying on strength or skill.
• Entertainment through failure: Zhong Yi’s defeat is part of the show, and his excuses turn frustration into humor.

Plot points and events

• Zhong Yi promises to defeat Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa without drawing his sword, presenting the tactic as a brainless alternative to a clean, skill-based victory.
• He runs past the opening attack and climbs a watchtower, using a Fistful of Ash to disrupt the mounted Boss and his horse.
• Zhong Yi then exploits an invisible Barrier as a midair foothold to reach the city wall, escapes onto a rooftop, and draws the disoriented horse toward him.
• The horse charges after him by scent, carrying Gyoubu straight off a cliff. The game registers the Boss as defeated, and Zhong Yi’s sword remains unused.
• Lu Ze reveals that the tactic exploits the enemy AI’s relentless pursuit. He had deliberately left the terrain exploit in place and made the ash enrage the horse, admiring Zhong Yi’s ingenuity.

Character development and interactions

• Zhong Yi comes across as playful, confident, and inventive. His awkward fall at the start contrasts with the precision of his eventual route, and he entertains the livestream audience while explaining the trick.
• Zhou Qiaoling appears in the chat, asking Zhong Yi for help after struggling with the Boss. His teasing response shows their familiar, joking relationship.
• The viewers shift from confusion and skepticism to astonishment as Zhong Yi’s unusual plan works.
• Lu Ze recognizes the exploit as a clever “Evil Cultivator” strategy and appreciates Zhong Yi’s creativity rather than patching it out.

Significant themes

• Ingenuity over conventional skill: Zhong Yi wins through environmental manipulation, not swordsmanship or deflection.
• Exploiting systems and rules: The victory depends on understanding the game’s terrain, Barrier mechanics, item effects, and AI behavior.
• Performance and community: Zhong Yi turns the fight into a show, using his livestream to build suspense and share the tactic.
• Challenge and creativity: Lu Ze designed the Illusion Realm to be difficult, yet its flexible world allows players to discover unexpected solutions.

Key events

• Lu Ze leaves Zhong Yi’s livestream after Zhong’s Evil Cultivator playstyle changes the mood and Zhou Qiaoling clears Gyoubu Oniwa. He switches to Zhou Yue’s stream, where Zhou is repeatedly fighting the boss Headless.
• Zhou Yue knows Headless’s attacks and can deflect them, but every attack raises his Terror meter. When it fills, he dies instantly. Without Divine Confetti to pierce Headless’s spirit defense or Pacifying Agent to reduce Terror, Zhou Yue can barely damage the boss and has little chance of winning.
• After many attempts, Zhou Yue decides to quit. Lu Ze, hoping to keep earning Demonic Value from the deaths, tricks him into trying again by insisting Headless can be beaten without those items.
• Zhou Yue dies again shortly afterward. Instead of the usual [Death!] message, the game displays [Noob]—a new feature Lu Ze added after more than one hundred deaths to the same enemy. The viewers laugh, and Zhou Yue vows to beat either Headless or Lu Ze.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhou Yue starts out frustrated but determined, inspired by Li Moran’s success against Genichiro. After repeated failures he nearly gives up, then Lu Ze’s encouragement rekindles his resolve. The humiliating “Noob” message turns his frustration toward Lu Ze as well as the boss.
• Lu Ze understands that Zhou Yue lacks the tools to counter Headless, but conceals this to keep him playing and profit from his deaths. His prank reveals his mischievous, self-serving side.
• The livestream audience recognizes Lu Ze’s trick and teases Zhou Yue, adding to the comedy of his defeat.

Significant themes

• Persistence and pride: Zhou Yue keeps fighting partly because he believes a real man should not give up.
• Unfairness and game mechanics: Skillful play alone cannot overcome Headless’s Terror buildup and spirit defense; the right items are essential.
• Exploitation for amusement: Lu Ze turns Zhou Yue’s stubbornness and repeated deaths into entertainment—and Demonic Value—while the game’s new “Noob” feature makes the humiliation explicit.

Plot points and events

• In Zhong Yi’s livestream, he is struggling through the Hirata Estate in Sekiro, where he has been repeatedly killed while exploring the estate’s hidden story.
• After finding the dying Owl, who urges Sekiro to rescue the young lord Kurō, Zhong Yi presses onward and gets stuck fighting Juzou the Drunkard and his numerous guards.
• A late-arriving samurai named Inosuke joins the fight and draws Juzou’s attention, giving Zhong Yi hope. Zhong Yi rushes in to help—but accidentally hits Inosuke instead, prompting laughter from the livestream chat.
• An author’s note announces that the novel’s traffic has fallen after a failed title test. The author plans to slow updates to roughly one short chapter every two days, complete two more Illusion Realms after the Sekiro arc, resolve the major real-world plotlines, and aim for a year-end finale.

Character developments

• Zhong Yi remains determined and resourceful despite repeated defeats, but his enthusiasm and poor judgment lead him to injure his would-be ally.
• Inosuke is introduced as a brave, durable samurai who throws himself into danger to help rescue the young lord.
• Owl appears gravely wounded after the attack on Hirata Estate and entrusts Zhong Yi with the rescue mission.

Significant themes

• Persistence through failure: Zhong Yi keeps retrying despite punishing enemies and repeated setbacks.
• Comedic incompetence and camaraderie: Zhong Yi’s friendly-fire mistake turns a tense boss fight into a joke shared with the audience.
• Endings and creative limits: The author’s note reflects on dwindling readership, the cost of sustaining a demanding update pace, and the intention to finish the story properly.

Character interactions

• Inosuke charges Juzou while Zhong Yi cheers him on and calls him a brother.
• Zhong Yi tries to join the fight but strikes Inosuke instead, while Juzou remains unharmed; the chat teases Zhong Yi for attacking allies.
• Owl gives Zhong Yi his final instruction: save Kurō.

Key plot points and events

• Zhong Yi and Inosuke defeat Juzou the Drunkard by working together: Inosuke keeps him occupied while Zhong Yi attacks from behind. The livestream audience jokes that Inosuke did most of the fighting and that Zhong Yi’s sword ends up covered in filth.
• Inosuke enters the building Juzou guarded, but disappears before Zhong Yi follows. Zhong Yi searches the rooms and collects valuables.
• He discovers Divine Confetti, an item that removes the protection surrounding Vengeful Spirits. He realizes it is likely essential for fighting Headless, a spirit enemy that has repeatedly defeated Zhou Yue.
• Zhong Yi regrets that Zhou Yue refused to look for a counter to Headless’s mechanics, but decides to pass along the information later.
• Finding other spirit-related items, Zhong Yi suspects a major fight is approaching. In a hidden passage, he encounters an elderly woman who speaks fearfully of things rising from beneath the ground, suggesting a supernatural threat.

Character developments

• Zhong Yi applies what he learned from his earlier mistake and fights strategically, keeping clear of Inosuke while exploiting Juzou’s blind spots.
• He shows growing familiarity with the game’s mechanics, recognizing Divine Confetti’s likely purpose and anticipating danger when the area supplies several related items.
• Zhou Yue’s stubborn determination to defeat Headless without first countering its abilities is recalled as a source of frustration.

Significant themes

• Preparation before confrontation: Zhong Yi’s rule is that a major battle is usually preceded by an opportunity to resupply.
• Learning from mistakes: Zhong Yi changes his tactics after accidentally killing Inosuke previously.
• Pride versus practical strategy: Zhou Yue’s refusal to seek a counter contrasts with Zhong Yi’s willingness to study and exploit the game’s mechanics.
• Humor amid danger: The livestream’s teasing commentary lightens the violence and highlights the contrast between Inosuke’s effort and Zhong Yi’s opportunistic tactics.

Character interactions

• Zhong Yi encourages Inosuke during the fight, then congratulates and thanks him afterward.
• Their teamwork relies on Inosuke absorbing Juzou’s attacks while Zhong Yi strikes from behind.
• Zhong Yi reflects on Zhou Yue’s past struggle with Headless and plans to share the discovery with him later.
• The elderly woman’s terrified rambling gives Zhong Yi his first clue about the threat ahead.

Key plot points and events

• The old woman, trapped in an illusion, begs Zhong Yi to protect the Young Master. He recognizes her as the same granny who gave him a wind chime in a later encounter.
• Zhong Yi promises to help, then finds Inosuke unconscious outside a doorway. Inosuke warns that the illusion is dangerous and can only be broken with a Chirping Seed, which he entrusts to Zhong Yi before passing out.
• Realizing an Illusionist is behind the events, Zhong Yi draws his sword and heads inside.
• He uses the key given to him by his foster father, Owl, to open the entrance to the Underground Buddhist Hall. The scene shifts to a burning hall, where Kurō wanders in a daze, searching for his missing family and Butterfly.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhong Yi moves from joking confidence to seriousness after finding Inosuke injured. He accepts responsibility for protecting the Young Master and sets out to confront the illusion.
• The old woman remains focused on the Young Master’s safety despite her terror, and her past connection to Zhong Yi is clarified.
• Inosuke is badly hurt but still manages to warn Zhong Yi and pass him the means to counter the illusion.
• The livestream audience mocks Zhong Yi’s habit of making grand declarations just before trouble appears.
• Kurō’s confused, searching behavior suggests the illusion is tied to painful memories or loss.

Significant themes

• Protective loyalty: The old woman and Inosuke both risk themselves for the Young Master.
• Courage tested by consequences: Zhong Yi’s swagger gives way to genuine concern and action.
• Memory and time: Zhong Yi recognizes the granny from an encounter that, chronologically, lies in his future.
• Illusion and trauma: The burning hall and Kurō’s disorientation hint that the illusion is exploiting grief and painful memories.

Key plot points and events

• Sekiro dispels the illusion affecting Kurō, but Lady Butterfly appears and addresses him as “Owl’s Son.” Sekiro orders Kurō to escape and prepares to fight her.
• Zhong Yi recognizes Lady Butterfly as a formidable opponent. Once control returns, he draws confidence from holding Kusabimaru and challenges her.
• In Zhou Yue’s Illusion Realm, Zhou finally defeats Headless after more than 1,600 basic sword strikes. He discovers he has earned the first-kill announcement and claims a Mortal Draw Artifact.
• Zhou learns from the chat that Divine Confetti could have made the fight far easier. Furious that Zhong Yi never told him, he visits Zhong’s stream—just as it shows Sekiro’s death and Lady Butterfly’s taunt: “You’re just a little puppy at best!”

Character developments and interactions

• Sekiro/Zhong Yi becomes intensely cautious when Lady Butterfly appears, prioritizing Kurō’s safety before facing her. Despite his nerves, he regains confidence when he takes up Kusabimaru.
• Kurō reluctantly leaves when Sekiro tells him to, showing the danger of the encounter and Sekiro’s protective role.
• Zhou Yue proves extraordinarily persistent, defeating Headless through painstaking dodges and repeated attacks rather than posture breaks. His pride in the hard-won victory quickly turns to anger when he realizes he missed an easier strategy.
• Zhou and Zhong are indirectly linked through Zhong’s earlier advice: Zhou’s eventual victory came from a solution Zhong suggested, but Zhou resents him for not mentioning Divine Confetti.

Significant themes

• Perseverance and ingenuity: Zhou overcomes an apparently overwhelming enemy by adapting his tactics and refusing to quit.
• The cost of incomplete knowledge: His success is impressive, but learning about Divine Confetti afterward makes the ordeal feel unnecessarily punishing.
• Protection and danger: Sekiro places himself between Kurō and Lady Butterfly, while the chapter’s closing taunt underscores how vulnerable he is against her.

• Zhong Yi’s repeated defeats: After hours of being mocked as a “puppy,” Zhong Yi snaps and challenges Lady Butterfly, only to be beaten again. He has reached her second phase many times, but with his Snap Seeds depleted, he can’t dispel her illusions. The phantoms disorient him, and he is killed by one of her butterflies.
• The stream piles on: Viewers tease Zhong Yi and rename him “Dog,” while the illusions show him grave markers reading “If You Suck, Practice Some More.” He blames Junior Brother Lu for the taunt. A viewer sends 999 barking effects, and Zhou Yue leaves only after enjoying Zhong Yi’s furious reaction.
• Zhou Yue’s renewed confidence: Having recently endured a punishing fight with the Headless, Zhou Yue feels his control and awareness have improved. He heads to the Hirata Estate, convinced he has figured out Lady Butterfly—then immediately botches a grappling-hook maneuver.
  Character developments and interactions: Zhong Yi’s frustration turns into defiance, then helpless anger as Lady Butterfly and the livestream audience keep humiliating him. Zhou Yue takes pleasure in teasing him, then carries his own hard-won confidence into the game—though his first mistake undercuts his boast.
  Themes: The chapter uses repeated failure as comedy while highlighting practice, skill-building, and overconfidence. It also shows how livestream audiences can intensify a player’s frustration, and how one person’s misery can briefly cheer up another.

Plot points and events

• In Zhong Yi’s illusion of Hirata Estate, Sekiro defeats Lady Butterfly after a difficult fight. Before she dies, she acknowledges his strength; Zhong Yi celebrates that she finally called him “Wolf.”
• He explains his strategy to livestream viewers: a repeated slash-and-step combo can make the first phase manageable, while the second largely depends on knocking Lady Butterfly off her wire with a shuriken.
• As Zhong Yi assumes the danger has passed, the underground temple collapses. An unseen attacker drives a huge red blade through Sekiro’s chest, apparently killing him as Hirata burns.
• In a brief flashback, Kurō finds Sekiro beneath the rubble and gives him his blood, telling him to live on.
• Zhong Yi awakens at the Dilapidated Temple, back in the present-day timeline three years later. He concludes that Sekiro and Lady Butterfly were likely deceived into seeing each other as enemies, and that Kurō’s Dragon’s Heritage blood granted Sekiro the power to resurrect.

Character developments and interactions

• Zhong Yi/Sekiro: Zhong Yi’s exhaustion and resentment give way to excitement as he pieces together the past. He recognizes that his apparent death—and Kurō’s intervention—explains Sekiro’s resurrection.
• Lady Butterfly: Her final words suggest respect or release, complicating Zhong Yi’s belief that she was the true villain.
• Kurō: He risks himself to save Sekiro, choosing to share his blood and bind their fates.
• Livestream viewers: They tease Zhong Yi about Lady Butterfly repeatedly calling him a “puppy,” providing comic relief during the fight.

Significant themes

• Deception and misunderstanding: Lady Butterfly and Sekiro may have been manipulated into fighting by a hidden mastermind.
• Sacrifice and loyalty: Kurō’s choice to save Sekiro demonstrates deep devotion.
• Death and renewal: Sekiro’s apparent death becomes the origin of his resurrection.
• Humor amid danger: Zhong Yi’s frustration and the viewers’ jokes offset the chapter’s violence and tragedy.

Key plot points and events

• In Li Moran’s Sekiro Illusion Realm, she continues to defeat major opponents with extraordinary ease. After Genichiro Ashina, she beats Gyoubu Masataka Oniwa in under fifteen minutes and clears the Headless encounter after only a dozen or so deaths, following a method she had heard about at the Limitless Sword Domain.
• Bored by the lack of challenging opponents, Li Moran asks Lu Ze whether the realm has anyone stronger. He reminds her that every character in the Illusion Realm can be challenged.
• As she advances through Ashina Castle, Li Moran meets a tall, white-haired man in a red Tengu mask, examining a dead enemy. He identifies himself as the Tengu of Ashina and explains that he is hunting infiltrating enemy soldiers called “rats.” He also notices Sekiro’s prosthetic arm and gives him the name “Sekiro.”
• Sensing the Tengu’s immense strength—and recalling Lu Ze’s hint—Li Moran attacks him. Her strike is deflected, and the man’s identity and health bar appear: Ashina Isshin.

Character developments and interactions

• Li Moran remains confident and highly skilled, but her effortless victories leave her restless. Her desire to find a worthy opponent leads her to attack the Tengu without hesitation.
• Lu Ze watches her progress and hopes she will earn rewards for the realm. He steers her toward the possibility of fighting characters beyond the usual main-quest bosses.
• The Tengu of Ashina / Ashina Isshin shifts from threatening Li Moran to warmly approving of Sekiro after recognizing the prosthetic arm. His friendliness hides a level of strength that immediately draws Li Moran’s interest.
• The live-stream audience recognizes the Tengu encounter as a side quest, but Li Moran has blocked the comments and acts entirely on her own judgment.

Significant themes

• Skill and challenge: Li Moran’s talent turns formidable bosses into routine fights, raising the question of what can still test her.
• Exploration beyond the main quest: Lu Ze’s reminder broadens the realm’s possibilities; even apparently incidental characters may be opponents.
• Appearance versus strength: The Tengu initially seems approachable, yet Li Moran senses his power before his identity is revealed.

Key plot points and events

• In the Illusion Realm, players can attack any NPC—including Isshin Ashina, the legendary Sword Saint.
• Li Moran challenges Isshin but is quickly overwhelmed. Although he is only testing her, his strength makes defeat unavoidable.
• After reviving at the Ghost Buddha, Li Moran studies his techniques and attempts to reproduce them.
• Lu Ze recognizes her movements as attempts at Ashina Style’s One-Slash and Cross Slash, as well as Isshin’s “One Mind.” Alarmed that she might progress too quickly, he rushes to the Main Server World and announces a change of plans: “Get ready to log in!”

Character developments and interactions

• Li Moran responds to defeat with curiosity rather than frustration. She carefully recalls Isshin’s attacks, analyzes what makes them effective, and persistently experiments with her own movements—revealing exceptional talent and determination.
• Isshin Ashina establishes himself as an almost insurmountable opponent, casually deflecting Li Moran’s attack and overpowering her with ease.
• Lu Ze recognizes the danger in Li Moran’s rapid learning and reacts with urgent concern, suggesting he must adjust the Illusion Realm’s plans.
• The livestream audience misunderstands Li Moran’s unusual practice, while Lu Ze alone understands which advanced techniques she is attempting.

Significant themes

• Talent and perseverance: Li Moran turns defeat into an opportunity to learn.
• Limits of imitation: She can study a technique’s form, but the Illusion Realm’s rules prevent copying its effects simply by mimicking it.
• Freedom and danger in the Illusion Realm: Players’ ability to attack any NPC creates unusual possibilities, even against figures meant to test or challenge them.
• The gap between appearance and understanding: Li Moran’s awkward practice looks nonsensical to viewers but signals remarkable progress to Lu Ze.

Plot points and events

• Lu Ze, anticipating that the Fragment of the Heavenly Dao would be bored before its planned arrival in the third playthrough, tries to persuade it to start tormenting cultivators early.
• The Fragment initially refuses, claiming it has no interest in bullying mortals. Lu Ze provokes it by claiming that Chen Yuan boasts he will surpass the Heavenly Dao. Angered, the Fragment agrees to confront him.
• Lu Ze redirects it toward Li Moran, who is fighting Isshin of Ashina in the Illusion Realm, presenting the encounter as a warm-up.
• Lu Ze explains that Li Moran’s exceptional talent could let her clear the game before the system’s five-day deadline, costing him his task reward. He has already blocked her from gaining Ashina-style Skills merely by copying their movements, but she is still progressing too quickly.
• The chapter ends with Li Moran under intense pressure in the castle tower as Lu Ze cheerfully anticipates her suffering.

Character developments and interactions

• Lu Ze manipulates the proud, easily provoked Fragment by inventing an insult from Chen Yuan, then uses its agreement to make Li Moran’s challenge harder. He frames the plan as beneficial to everyone, while prioritizing his reward.
• The Fragment of the Heavenly Dao shifts from bored refusal to eager participation once its pride is challenged. Its insistence that it dislikes bullying contrasts with its obvious enthusiasm.
• Li Moran remains an exceptionally capable and observant cultivator, learning to imitate techniques quickly enough to threaten Lu Ze’s plans. Here, however, she faces a formidable opponent and the Fragment’s intervention.
• Chen Yuan appears only in Lu Ze’s fabricated account, which serves to provoke the Fragment.

Significant themes

• Manipulation and self-interest: Lu Ze disguises his desire to protect his reward as a mutually beneficial arrangement.
• Pride and provocation: The Fragment can be persuaded not by reason but by an attack on its dignity.
• Talent versus engineered difficulty: Li Moran’s rapid progress forces Lu Ze to add obstacles to keep the game’s intended pace.
• Comedic irony: The Fragment denies wanting to bully anyone even as it eagerly accepts a chance to do so.