Chapter Summaries

Ke Aojiena told Ji Minghuan, Sun Changkong, and Shang Xiaochi that Myth Grade Fragment holders did not live past eighteen, prompting the group to face their limited time together. Ji Minghuan then synchronized with Unit 1 and learned that Gu Qiye had arranged a dinner where he might see Father of Puppets without his mask.

• Ke Aojiena explained that Instructor was investigating the destruction of Whale Garden Box and creating an artificial human using Ji Minghuan’s younger brother’s genes.
• Ke Aojiena told Sun Changkong that Myth Grade Fragment holders did not live past eighteen, and Ji Minghuan reassured the girls that Sodalitas Salvifica might find a way to extend their lives.
• Sun Changkong promised to spend time with Ji Minghuan and celebrate many birthdays with him, then comforted Shang Xiaochi when she began to cry.
• Ji Minghuan asked to see Kong Youling, but Ke Aojiena said she was safe and that Instructor was trying to help her speak.
• After Sun Changkong and Shang Xiaochi left, Ji Minghuan synchronized his consciousness with Unit 1 and read Gu Qiye’s message about a dinner invitation from Rainbow Wing.
• Gu Qiye told Black Cocoon that the dinner might let him see Father of Puppets without his face bandages.

Gu Qiye and Uriel spent their free time in Dotonbori, where Uriel revealed that she could taste food when eating beside someone close to her. At lunch with Rainbow Wing, Gu Qiye sent Black Cocoon a photo of the unbandaged Father of Puppets, and Black Cocoon recognized him as his mentor.

• Gu Qiye and Uriel shared takoyaki and taiyaki, and Uriel explained that she had recently begun tasting food when eating beside him.
• Uriel told Gu Qiye that Fan Dongqing had invited them to lunch with Rainbow Wing, including the Father of Puppets.
• Gu Qiye met the unbandaged Father of Puppets, a bespectacled man in a white coat, at the barbecue restaurant.
• Fan Dongqing made a group chat and shared a photo of the gathering, which Uriel forwarded to Gu Qiye.
• Gu Qiye sent the photo to Black Cocoon, who recognized the Father of Puppets as his mentor.

Black Cocoon suspected that Instructor was Father of Puppets and discussed the coming battle on Nameless Island, while Gu Qiye spoke privately with Father of Puppets and remembered the Ruins’ destruction. Rainbow Wing reviewed the Bee Marquises’ abilities and set the Light-Devouring Bee extermination operation for midnight on August 14th.

• Black Cocoon recognized Father of Puppets’ resemblance to Instructor and theorized that he might be an artificial human created from Instructor’s genes.
• Black Cocoon joined Cesar and Yagubalu for Monopoly, learned that Cesar planned to use Babel Tower’s Heavenly Thunder against the bees, and tested his Restraint Bands on Cesar.
• Gu Qiye asked Father of Puppets about his identity and motives, then recalled the meteor that had turned Old Jingmai District into Ruins.
• Gu Qiye left the barbecue restaurant with Uriel for a quiet walk by the canal before the association meeting.
• Chen Qian briefed Rainbow Wing on the Bee Marquises’ abilities and assigned preparations for the island operation.
• Chen Qian announced that the Light-Devouring Bee Extermination Operation would begin at midnight on August 14th, while Esther fell asleep at the conference table.

Black Cocoon and Su Wei discussed Rainbow Wing’s planned assault on Nameless Island and the danger of Bee Marquises consuming one another. Their conversation was interrupted when Qiao and the Third Bee Marquis, Kameilong, arrived at the bookstore, and Qiao sensed someone hidden inside.

• Black Cocoon told Gu Qiye that Rainbow Wing planned to attack the Light-Devouring Bee Tribe at midnight on August 14th and warned him to keep the Bee Marquises from eating one another’s corpses.
• Su Wei explained that Ghost Bell had grown powerful enough to surpass most Calamity Grades, then began describing his abilities before sensing presences outside.
• Qiao arrived at the bookstore with Kameilong, who could make her wings invisible and planned to carry him away from the island without attracting ability users.
• Su Wei ordered Black Cocoon to conceal himself inside an invisible black cocoon.
• Qiao looked toward the empty ceiling and asked Su Wei whether he had brought a friend too.

Qiao confronted Su Wei about the hidden Black Cocoon, but backed down after sensing something inexplicable about him. Qiao then discussed the coming conflict with Su Wei, borrowed more books to read, and stayed in the bookstore while Black Cocoon left.

• Qiao detected Black Cocoon hiding in Osaka Bookstore and challenged Su Wei, who eventually told Black Cocoon to reveal himself.
• Black Cocoon introduced himself as Silver Devourer, and Qiao and Kameilong grew wary of him before Qiao restrained his killing intent and apologized to Su Wei.
• Kameilong left the bookstore, while Qiao returned three books and asked Su Wei what to read next.
• Qiao questioned whether Su Wei would oppose the Light-Devouring Bees if they defeated Rainbow Wing, and Su Wei named Sodalitas Salvifica and Lake Hunt as potential opponents.
• Qiao took books from the fifth bookshelf and began reading in the bookstore, while Black Cocoon packed his comic and flew away.

Black Cocoon borrowed Gu Zhuoan’s time-stopping ability and tested its limits before the coming battle on Nameless Island. Cesar and Yagubalu arrived to demonstrate their strength, and Yagubalu transformed into a colossal creature before Gu Zhuoan.

• Black Cocoon bound Gu Zhuoan and stole his Clock Tower Shadow ability with Restraint Bands.
• Black Cocoon summoned a clock tower and stopped time for 1.5 seconds, then discovered his avatar could not steal Gu Zhuoan’s ability again within 24 hours.
• Black Cocoon agreed to borrow Gu Zhuoan’s ability again on the afternoon of August 13, before the battle began in the early hours of August 14.
• Cesar arrived with Yagubalu, and Black Cocoon asked them to demonstrate their abilities to Su Wei and Gu Zhuoan.
• Yagubalu objected to the cramped basement, then expanded into a colossal creature and lunged at Gu Zhuoan.

Gu Zhuoan tested his strength against Yagubalu’s headbutt before Cesar prepared to show off his Christmas Sleigh fragment. Su Wei learned that Whale Garden was inside Yagubalu, and Black Cocoon returned to his mental Library, where Red Dragon Wales woke and spoke to him.

• Yagubalu charged Gu Zhuoan with Sha Sha’s Headbutt, and Gu Zhuoan braced himself and was driven backward before stopping the shark.
• Yagubalu boasted about its power, while Gu Zhuoan praised its size and Black Cocoon argued with it.
• Cesar brought out his Christmas Sleigh fragment, but Su Wei said he did not need to prove anything; Gu Zhuoan admitted he had little experience with Era Grade Fragments.
• Su Wei discussed the vanished Whale Garden and the Royal Court struggle, and Black Cocoon revealed that Whale Garden was inside Yagubalu’s stomach.
• Cesar thanked Black Cocoon for saving him and Yagubalu, and Su Wei learned that Black Cocoon had helped the Third Prince.
• Black Cocoon entered his mental Library, where Red Dragon Wales woke and asked whether he had finally remembered it.

Ji Minghuan discussed the coming battle and the choices he faced with Red Dragon in the Mental Library. Meanwhile, Qiao visited Su Wei’s bookstore again, admitted he wanted to open one, and flew away after Su Wei offered to teach him in Li Jing.

• Red Dragon challenged Ji Minghuan to face his feelings about the children, the Ripper, the kimono girl, and the people he claimed he only used.
• Ji Minghuan said he would destroy Earth rather than sacrifice the White-haired Girl, then acknowledged that Li Qingping would have returned to Box Garden regardless of Red Dragon’s advice.
• Qiao left the hive despite Mairweit and Guli urging him to stay and guard the sleeping Bee Queen, and flew to Osaka Bookstore.
• Qiao returned his borrowed books to Su Wei and said he thought opening a bookstore might suit him.
• Su Wei questioned whether Qiao could abandon his species and offered to teach him to run a bookstore in Li Jing if he would not eat people.
• Qiao called the offer boring and flew away, while Su Wei wondered why he did not believe him.

Gu Qiye and Uriel reviewed the mission plan for the Light-Devouring Bees, then spent their free evening looking at photos of children from Uriel’s Welfare Home. Uriel confessed that she liked Gu Qiye, and he asked her to survive the operation so they could talk about it afterward.

• Uriel explained that the team would eliminate the worker bees and divide the Four Great Bee Marquises among the assigned fighters, while she and Gu Qiye would handle Mairweit.
• Uriel told Gu Qiye that Esther would remain in Osaka on standby, and she reminded him that their operation would begin at midnight on the fourteenth.
• Gu Qiye asked to see photos of the Welfare Home children, and Uriel showed him the album and introduced them by name.
• Uriel told Gu Qiye that the children would like him because she liked him, then led him onto the canal after freezing its surface.
• Gu Qiye told Uriel they would talk after the operation and urged her to stay alive; he then carried her away over the river as onlookers watched.

As Rainbow Wing prepared to attack the Bee Tribe’s island, Fan Dongqing and Gu Qiye went out with Urushihara Ruri and Uriel while they waited for the operation to begin. The Third Bee Marquis Kameilong began transforming people aboard the Ferris Wheel and a sightseeing boat, leaving Osaka Port under threat.

• Commander Chen Qian reviewed the mission assignments and told Rainbow Wing to wait at Osaka Port while Garfiel’s drones monitored the island.
• Fan Dongqing invited Urushihara Ruri to go shopping, and she unexpectedly accepted.
• Gu Qiye invited Uriel to explore the night market, and she agreed to go with him.
• The Third Bee Marquis Kameilong tore open a man’s chest in a Ferris Wheel cabin and embedded an ice-blue crystal in his heart, turning him into a cocoon.
• Kameilong transformed tourists aboard a sightseeing boat with crystals and cocoon-like threads, then declared that the game had begun.

Cesar, Black Cocoon, Ghost Bell, and Mutong prepared to join Rainbow Wing’s assault on the Light-Devouring Bees while Rainbow Wing adjusted its forces. As the fighter jets departed for the island, a Light-Devouring Bee attacked Osaka’s Ferris Wheel, leaving Ke Qingzheng and Esther to confront the threat.

• Mutong arrived at Osaka Bookstore, where Black Cocoon and Ghost Bell confirmed he had been checked and was ready to join the operation.
• Cesar, Yagubalu, and the others argued and joked before Su Wei led the group out to join the assault.
• Gu Qiye sent Uriel a video of himself in a Blue Arc uniform, and Chen Qian ordered Ke Qingzheng to stay in Osaka with Esther in case the Third Bee Marquis had infiltrated the city.
• Rainbow Wing’s fighter jets departed for the island, and Esther woke from her coffin after Oda Hidehisa tapped it with his sword hilt.
• A giant Light-Devouring Bee emerged at the Ferris Wheel and began attacking passengers, while Ke Qingzheng identified it as the Third Bee Marquis’s transformation ability and Esther stepped out of her coffin.

Rainbow Wing attacked an uninhabited island to eliminate the Light-Devouring Bees surrounding the hive. After the four sides of the island were cleared, Qiao and Guli flew up to confront the approaching team while Mairweit guarded the Bee Queen.

• Urushihara Ruri parachuted onto the island, coordinated Garfiel’s drone surveillance, and began directing the worker-bee elimination.
• Alexandra used her Red Sun to incinerate thousands of Light-Devouring Bees on the eastern side.
• Tsukumo bombarded the western swarm with floating gun platforms, while Oda Hidehisa opened black holes to consume the southern swarm.
• Karina trapped the northern swarm in her Polar Domain and buried the bees in a sandstorm.
• Garfiel reported that the Third Bee Marquis, Kameilong, had gone to Osaka, where enhanced Light-Devouring Bees were attacking the city.
• Qiao and Guli flew from the hive entrance to confront Rainbow Wing’s fighters as Mairweit guarded the Bee Queen.

Gu Qiye and Uriel infiltrated the beehive while Rainbow Wing’s fighters occupied the Great and Second Bee Marquises. They reached the Bee Queen’s chamber, where Fourth Bee Marquis Mairweit waited to stop them.

• Father of Puppets summoned Ajaya’s Mechanical Buddha and struck Qiao out of the air.
• Guli transformed into a giant and blocked the beehive entrance, but Uriel created ice to redirect Gu Qiye while Fan Dongqing and Garfiel restrained Guli.
• Gu Qiye and Uriel entered the beehive and found the motionless Bee Queen inside a golden cocoon chamber.
• Mairweit greeted Gu Qiye and Uriel beside the Bee Queen and acknowledged that Qiao and Guli had failed to stop them.

Esther and Ke Qingzheng defended Osaka Port and fought the Third Bee Marquis, Kameilong, whose mutated Light-Devouring Bees devastated the city. Esther killed Kameilong and helped rescue survivors, then mourned the loss of Alice’s favorite rabbit doll and went to sleep in her coffin.

• Esther assigned Ke Qingzheng to handle the mutated bees while she pursued Kameilong through Osaka using a Puppet String.
• Ke Qingzheng killed the bees attacking Osaka Port, but their bodies exploded and left the port in ruins; he survived by escaping inside an air barrier.
• Kameilong lured Esther into a street filled with explosive bees, but Esther used her rabbit doll to break through the swarm and escape the blast.
• Esther’s puppet dancers restrained Kameilong, and Esther cut off her head, killing the Third Bee Marquis.
• Esther’s Alice personality mourned the destroyed rabbit doll, so Esther ordered Ke Qingzheng to buy a replacement and pick her up.
• Esther transformed a black cross into a coffin and went to sleep amid the burning city.

Rainbow Wing members Fan Dongqing, Garfiel, and Tsukumo joined forces to destroy Second Bee Marquis Guli after his regeneration and evolution overwhelmed their initial attacks. After the battle, Garfiel discovered that the drones monitoring Urushihara Ruri had gone dark, leaving her whereabouts unknown.

• Fan Dongqing and Garfiel attacked Guli at the hive, but his wounds healed almost instantly and his body evolved to withstand their strikes.
• Tsukumo arrived as reinforcements, and the three planned a combined assault that would keep their attacks away from the hive, where Gu Qiye and Uriel were inside.
• Fan Dongqing blasted Guli away from the hive, allowing Garfiel and Tsukumo to unleash their weapons and obliterate him in a massive explosion.
• Garfiel reported Guli's defeat and noted that the Third Bee Marquis in Osaka had also been dealt with, leaving Great Bee Marquis Qiao and Fourth Bee Marquis Mairweit.
• Garfiel checked the drone feed for Urushihara Ruri and found only static, suggesting the drones monitoring her had been destroyed.

Black Cocoon used Ghost Bell’s time-stopping ability to ambush and capture Urushihara Ruri on the island. He planned to take her away and question her about the Sodalitas Salvifica and her brother, Urushi Haramichi.

• Urushihara Ruri waited on the beach after hearing a faint bell, but time stopped before she could react.
• Black Cocoon descended from the rocky mountain, destroyed Ruri’s drones, and bound her with Restraint Bands that suppressed her ability.
• Ruri recognized Black Cocoon and learned he had taken Ghost Bell’s time-stopping ability.
• Black Cocoon explained how Cesar’s Divine Stealth Umbrella had concealed their approach and told Ruri he would take her off the island for questioning.
• Black Cocoon mentioned the Sodalitas Salvifica and Ruri’s brother, Urushi Haramichi, causing Ruri to tremble.

Black Cocoon restrained Urushihara Ruri while Su Wei’s group headed toward the island’s center, intending to let Rainbow Wing fight the Light-Devouring Bees before attacking them. As Mechanical Buddha battled Great Bee Marquis Qiao, Qiao saw Guli perish and flew toward the collapsing hive, leaving Father of Puppets behind.

• Black Cocoon took Urushihara Ruri behind a rocky mountain, summoned a Restraint Belt Avatar, and sent it toward the island’s center.
• Su Wei’s group flew toward the center to protect Gu Qiye if necessary, while planning to attack the weakened Rainbow Wing after the battle.
• Mechanical Buddha repeatedly struck Great Bee Marquis Qiao, then burned him with flames and steam when he adapted to its attacks.
• Qiao saw Guli fall from the sky and get blasted into fragments as the hive collapsed.
• Qiao used Mechanical Buddha’s palm strike to propel himself toward the hive, and Father of Puppets let him go.

Gu Qiye and Uriel fought Mairweit inside the hive, learning that his mirrors absorbed and reflected their attacks. Mairweit revealed why he had attacked the Bee Queen, but he armored himself with mirrors and continued advancing, leaving the fight unresolved.

• Gu Qiye and Uriel entered the Bee Queen's chamber and confronted Mairweit, the Fourth Bee Marquis.
• Mairweit's mirrors absorbed their attacks and reflected them back, wounding Uriel and forcing the pair to recognize his ability.
• Gu Qiye and Uriel closed in, and Uriel blinded Mairweit with ice spikes before Gu Qiye shattered half his head with a lightning strike.
• Mairweit recovered enough to cover himself in interlocking mirrors and told Gu Qiye and Uriel that the Bee Queen had intended him to be sacrificed so a Bee King could be born.
• Mairweit said he had attacked the Bee Queen and torn open her womb after she refused to let him live, then questioned why he now had to protect her.

Gu Qiye and Uriel killed Mairweit and destroyed the Bee Queen and the hive, apparently completing Rainbow Wing’s extermination mission. But Qiao emerged from the ruins transformed into the Bee King, leaving the survivors facing a new threat.

• Uriel and Gu Qiye exploited the blind spot beneath Mairweit’s mirror defense, then killed him with lightning and ice attacks.
• Gu Qiye destroyed the cocoon chamber with a sphere of black lightning, killing the Bee Queen as the palace collapsed.
• Qiao arrived, lost an arm shielding himself from the lightning, and carried Mairweit’s corpse as the hive fell.
• Gu Qiye and Uriel escaped the collapsing hive and rejoined Fan Dongqing and Tsukumo, who reported that the Second Bee Marquis had been defeated.
• Qiao emerged from the rubble transformed, with red armor, a bladed tail, and two pairs of wings, and the Rainbow Wing members recognized him as the Bee King.

Qiao evolved into a Bee King and paralyzed everyone on the island with a neurotoxin, leaving Gu Qiye helpless before him. As Qiao closed in to kill Gu Qiye, Cesar and Black Cocoon’s Restraint Belt Avatar arrived, and the Avatar announced that its show was about to begin.

• Qiao emerged from the ruined hive transformed, and Uriel concluded he had devoured Mairweit’s corpse to evolve into a Bee King.
• Qiao spread neurotoxin across the island, paralyzing Gu Qiye, the Rainbow Wing members, and the others present.
• Garfiel’s mech protected Gu Qiye from Qiao briefly, but Qiao disarmed and hurled it away; Garfiel then became paralyzed after escaping the cockpit.
• As Qiao approached Gu Qiye, a Christmas Sleigh driven by reindeer struck him, and Cesar revealed that the King’s Blessing made him immune to poison.
• Black Cocoon’s Restraint Belt Avatar landed beside Cesar, unaffected by the neurotoxin, and promised Qiao a grand gift.