Chapter Summaries

Harvis, the Ragna Empire's First Prince, challenged Shien at the royal consort selection, drawing a huge crowd eager to judge the top candidate's strength. As Harvis stepped onto the martial stage, Rocket warned him that Shien might be more extraordinary than they expected.

• News of Harvis's challenge spread through the capital, and Ria, Anxi, Roxie, and many others headed to the martial stage.
• Shien arrived at the stage as nobles and princes gathered to watch and speculated about his abilities and Harvis's chances.
• Warren urged Harvis to teach Shien a lesson, hoping to weaken Shien's position and help House Laifirut pursue a talented person.
• Harvis revealed that he intended to test Shien's true strength before considering anything else.
• Rocket warned Harvis to be careful because Shien might be more extraordinary than they imagined, and Harvis stepped onto the stage.

Shien and Harvis prepared to duel before the Kingdom’s royal family and a crowd eager to learn whether strength affected the husband-selection rankings. After agreeing to fight with swords alone, they drew their blades and began.

• Shien and Harvis discussed the crowd’s expectations and agreed that neither would use magic during the duel.
• Roxie appeared above the royal palace, drawing the crowd’s attention, and the rest of the royal family came out to watch.
• Shien privately decided to try a more challenging position with Roxie that night.
• Harvis set the rules: falling off the stage or conceding meant defeat, and a fighter with no remaining options should surrender.
• Shien and Harvis agreed to begin and drew their swords.

Shien and Harvis began their duel, and Shien gained the upper hand in their first exchange before Harvis used Body Reinforcement and Magic Sword to force them apart. They resumed their standoff, and Shien declared that the warm-up was over.

• Harvis revealed his Level 80 strength and challenged Shien with his greatsword.
• Roxie tossed a stone between the fighters, starting the duel as Shien and Harvis rushed together and traded hundreds of blows.
• Shien knocked Harvis's greatsword aside, then pressed his attack after explaining the weakness of Flash Sword.
• Harvis used Body Reinforcement and Magic Sword to repel Shien and create distance between them.
• Harvis asked whether Shien had fought Capeline, but Shien dodged the question and urged him to stop stalling.
• Shien and Harvis agreed that their real battle was beginning, and Shien said the warm-up was over.

Harvis revealed the imperial Magic Weapon Thunderstorm and unleashed its lightning power against Shien, forcing the duel into a fierce exchange of sword strikes. Shien activated Limit Break and brought an enormous Blade of Magic Power down on Harvis, leaving the battle's outcome unresolved.

• Harvis drew Thunderstorm, a powerful imperial Magic Weapon that amplified his Magic: Lightning skill and could summon lightning.
• Harvis attacked Shien with Thunderstorm, and Anxi ordered the mages to raise protective barriers around the stage.
• Shien resisted Harvis's lightning and countered with Magic Sword-infused slashes as they clashed at high speed.
• Shien recognized Harvis's strength and activated Limit Break, unleashing a storm of magic power that shattered the barriers and sent spectators stumbling.
• Shien enlarged the Blade of Magic Power on his Holy Sword and brought it down toward Harvis, shaking the royal palace's island.

Shien defeated Harvis in their duel, but Rocket intervened to erase Shien’s Magic Sword before it could strike. Harvis conceded, publicly endorsed Shien as a worthy match for Roxie, and left Shien anticipating new complications after their private exchange.

• Rocket appeared before Harvis and erased Shien’s Magic Sword with his greatsword, preventing further damage to the stage.
• Harvis admitted defeat, praised Shien’s strength, and bowed to him before the spectators.
• Harvis publicly withdrew from the competition for Roxie and declared Shien worthy of marrying her, prompting uproar and changing how people viewed Shien.
• Anxi and Ria recognized Harvis’s strength and character, while the other competitors reacted with wariness and anger at his endorsement of Shien.
• Harvis shook Shien’s hand, whispered something to him, and left with Rocket; Shien smiled and remarked that things would not be boring from then on.

After Shien’s decisive battle made him famous and strengthened his standing as Roxie’s groom candidate, Harvis summoned him outside the capital and revealed that he wanted to overthrow his father, the emperor. Harvis asked for Shien’s help, warning that Tier would be killed next by someone from House Laifirut.

• Shien’s victory quieted many noble challengers and won him praise from Anxi, Ria, Aridia, and Shana.
• Roxie warned Shien that Harvis was not simple, and Shien remembered Harvis had asked to meet him at midnight.
• Harvis met Shien outside the western gate with Rocket and explained that he had come to seek the kingdom’s support.
• Harvis told Shien he wanted to usurp the throne and remove his father as emperor.
• Harvis said he had approached Shien because of his ties to the Mitra Royal Family, his ability to change the situation, and the danger facing Tier.
• Shien identified Tier as the person at risk, and Harvis confirmed that someone from House Laifirut would kill her next.

Shien learned from Harvis that House Laifirut wanted Tier for her powerful Hero bloodlines and Unique Skill, and that a Poisonous Consort had taken control of the Ragna Empire and orchestrated the royal-capital assassination. The chapter left Shien suspecting that Morō was the mastermind behind the Cosmos incident and Mirage’s collaborator.

• Harvis explained that relations between the Ragna Empire and the Kingdom worsened after the assassination incident in the royal capital ten years earlier.
• Harvis revealed that House Laifirut arranged Tier’s mother’s political marriage to combine the Hero bloodlines of the two nations, and that the family wanted to bring Tier back for her talent and Unique Skill.
• Harvis said an unknown woman gained control over the Emperor, displaced his consorts, purged opposing nobles, and made House Laifirut her close ally.
• Harvis identified the Poisonous Consort as the planner of the royal-capital assassination and said she had brought in the Slayer Faction.
• Harvis said the Poisonous Consort had sent Capeline to Cosmos, prompting Shien to suspect she was the hidden mastermind working with Mirage.
• Harvis named the Poisonous Consort Morō.

Harvis explained that Moro was behind the plot against Tier and sought Shien’s help in bringing her down. He swore a Blessing Vow to prove his honesty, and Shien agreed to cooperate on the condition that he deal with Warren and the assassins himself.

• Harvis told Shien that Moro had manipulated the Emperor, targeted Tier, and sent Warren to retrieve her corpse.
• Harvis explained that Warren was at the Imperial Embassy and that an elite House Laifirut assassination squad was waiting near the royal capital.
• Harvis swore a Blessing Vow that his statements were true, risking the loss of his Blessing if he lied.
• Shien accepted Harvis’s offer to cooperate against Moro and House Laifirut.
• Harvis proposed wiping out Warren and the assassination squad, and Shien insisted on handling them himself.

Shien returned to House Poztut and found Tier training, where they discussed her rapid growth, her determination to surpass Aridia, and her unease about a threat she sensed. After realizing Shien was hiding something from her, Tier took him inside to question him.

• Shien returned to House Poztut and found Tier practicing her Magic Sword, which she had trained to level five.
• Tier told Shien that Vivian's Squad had grown stronger in the royal capital and said she was determined to surpass Aridia.
• Shien told Tier that Aridia might not be as emotionless as she believed, and Tier insisted that Shien not acknowledge him.
• Tier said Vivian and the others had been taking her on commissions without an apparent pattern and that she felt an evil presence watching her.
• Tier suspected Shien was hiding something and said she wanted to become stronger rather than remain protected.
• Tier took Shien by the hand and told him to go take a bath so she could get the truth from him.

While shopping for recovery items with Lumya, Merika admitted that she loved Shien and struggled with the prospect of him marrying Princess Roxielusty. She resolved to protect his secret as the Hero but remained unsure whether to hide her feelings or let them go, unaware that someone in the crowd was watching her.

• Merika sighed repeatedly as she and Lumya went to buy Magic Potions, prompting Lumya to ask what was troubling her.
• Merika confessed to Lumya that she liked Shien, and Lumya blurted out his name before Merika covered her mouth.
• Lumya asked whether Merika was upset that Shien had become Princess Roxielusty's top candidate for husband, and Merika explained that she admired him but felt uncertain about her own feelings.
• Merika stopped Lumya from discussing the possibility that Shien was the Hero and reaffirmed that she would keep his identity secret.
• Merika wondered whether to continue hiding her love for Shien or give up, while an unseen observer watched her with fascination and evil desire.

After being rejected by Ria and the royal family, Edel vented his anger in the capital until he spotted Merika, an Elf, and decided to claim her for himself. He approached her with his two knights following, unaware that his apparent good fortune would make him the most unfortunate man.

• Edel left the royal family’s residence furious after failing to meet Ria or the King, and complained that they were dismissing his family’s marriage agreement.
• Edel’s knights Aiji and Red looked down on him and recalled that his talented elder brothers had died, leaving him as the Ryusica Family’s desperate choice for the royal engagement.
• Edel kicked over a shop’s signboard and noticed Merika, an Elf, speaking with a Dogkin girl.
• Edel became captivated by Merika, and Aiji and Red confirmed they did not recognize her as a well-known adventurer.
• Edel declared that Merika was his and headed toward her as Aiji and Red followed.

Shien kept Tier from learning about House Laifirut because he feared she would confront its powerful assassins alone. Nadula contacted him through her blessing and asked him to help Merika, who was in trouble.

• Shien recalled Harvis's warning that Warren and House Laifirut's elite assassins posed a grave threat to Tier, so he refused to tell her about them.
• Shien left the bathhouse intending to return to his room and calm Lilith after she had nearly turned House Poztut upside down looking for him.
• Nadula recognized the name Moro but could not remember why it seemed familiar, and decided she might investigate the Empire later.
• Nadula sensed that Merika was in trouble and chose to contact Shien through the power of her blessing rather than intervene herself.
• Nadula told Shien that Merika, someone he knew, was facing difficulties and sent him the location where she needed help.

Merika and Lumya were cornered by Edel and his powerful knights, and Merika prepared to sacrifice herself to protect her friend. After Edel recognized Shien’s name, Shien arrived and swiftly defeated Edel, Aiji, and Red, leaving Merika and Lumya safe for the moment.

• Edel used his status and the strength of Aiji and Red to intimidate Merika and Lumya into going with him.
• Merika offered to go with Edel if he let Lumya leave, though she secretly planned to use Self-immolation Magic once Lumya was safe.
• Merika urged Lumya to find Vivian and Shien, and Edel reacted with alarm when he heard Shien’s name.
• Shien rushed in and kicked Edel into a wall before deflecting Aiji and Red’s sword strikes and knocking them down.
• Merika and Lumya recognized Shien and greeted him with relief.

Shien rescued Merika and Lumya from Edel and his guards, then beat Edel unconscious and challenged his ducal father to answer for his son’s attempted assault. Shien took Edel back to House Poztut, leaving the Knights to report a looming conflict in the royal capital.

• Shien comforted the shaken Merika and Lumya after rescuing them, while Aiji and Red recognized him and froze under his pressure.
• Shien bound Edel with enchantment and stopped him from escaping, then told Merika he would get even for her.
• Shien beat Edel severely, learned that his father was a duke, and knocked him unconscious with a final punch.
• Shien told Aiji and Red to summon the duke to House Poztut and denounced Edel for trying to abduct and violate young women.
• Shien carried Edel home with Merika and Lumya as the Knights and bystanders realized the incident could spark a major disturbance.

After Edel Ryusica tried to seize Merika, Shien took him to House Poztut and declared that Duke Ryusica must come retrieve him. As the royal family and nobles rushed to respond, Shien decided to escalate the confrontation and make the power behind him known.

• Edel's attack on Merika reached King Anxi, Roxie, and Ria, who each left the palace to see what would happen.
• At House Poztut, Tier beat Edel until Merika, Lumya, and Vivian stopped her from killing him.
• Vivian worried that Shien's treatment of Duke Ryusica's son could provoke a conflict the royal family could not contain.
• Shien said he would show everyone that the power behind him went beyond the Mitra Royal Family and vowed to make the matter a big deal.

Shien confronted Duke Jeroman Ryusica after Edel’s harassment of a woman sparked a public scandal, refusing to yield despite the duke’s threats. With Artur’s Black Dragon and his Royal Token backing him, Shien killed Edel in front of Jeroman, leaving the duke howling in grief.

• Word of Edel’s offense and Jeroman’s march on House Poztut spread through the capital, drawing crowds to the estate.
• Shien came out dragging the wounded Edel and mocked Jeroman when he demanded his son back.
• Jeroman attacked Shien with magic, but Shien dispersed the flames and stomped on Edel again.
• Jeroman ordered his knights and mages to attack, but Artur’s Black Dragon drove them back and halted the assault.
• Shien showed Jeroman his Royal Token and rebuked him, then crushed Edel’s neck and killed him.

After Shien killed Edel, Jeroman attacked him, but Shien decided to make an example of the Ryusica Family and unleashed his devastating Celestial Magic. The meteor shower ravaged the noble district, leaving the royal capital in panic as Roxie rushed toward Shien.

• Shien killed Edel, and Jeroman attacked him with advanced fire magic, which Shien dispersed with Enchantment Magic.
• Jeroman ordered the Ryusica Family's knights to attack, and Shien took to the air atop Yulin while preparing to demonstrate his power.
• Shien cast Auroras Meteoric, sending a meteor shower crashing into the noble district and destroying buildings across the area.
• People throughout the royal capital panicked as the destruction recalled the meteor shower that had devastated House Galuoli and nearly wiped out the Kingdom Knights.
• Anxi and Ria reacted in shock, while Roxie abandoned the Sacred Sword Knights and rushed into the noble district to reach Shien.

Shien destroyed the noble district and crippled the Ryusica Family after its members attacked him, explaining that Jeroman and his family were being punished for their abuses. Aiyi declared that Shien was under her protection, leaving Anxi and the gathered nobles to face the Dragon Demon’s warning.

• After the meteor shower ended, Shien explained that he had limited the destruction to the noble district and had targeted the Ryusica guards who attacked him.
• Shien confronted the dying Jeroman, condemned him for sheltering Edel and enabling corruption, and declared the Ryusica Family finished.
• Jeroman warned that nobles, foreign powers, and the kingdom would punish Shien for destroying the district.
• Aiyi appeared beside Shien and challenged Anxi, who had arrived at the ruins.
• Aiyi declared that Shien was a human she favored and that anyone who made an enemy of him would also make an enemy of her and the demon race.

Aiyi and Lilith publicly stood beside Shien after he punished the Ryusica Family, while Shien warned the gathered nobles that Merika was protected by Goddess of Nature Nadula. The night ended with the major powers recognizing Shien as someone they could not afford to provoke.

• Aiyi declared that she would protect Shien because his independent, forceful actions appealed to her and she wanted him for herself.
• Lilith appeared beside Shien, revealing her power as an Evil God and joining Aiyi in guarding him.
• Shien told the crowd that Merika was watched over by Goddess of Nature Nadula and warned them that his Auroras Meteoric could destroy their families, territories, or countries.
• Shien left with Aiyi, Lilith, Vivian, Tier, Lumya, and Merika, while Anxi and the others stayed behind with the dying Jeroman and Edel's corpse.
• Ria and Roxie observed the aftermath, and Roxie concluded that few in the three realms would dare provoke Shien.

After Shien destroyed the Ryusica Family and the noble district, the kingdom tacitly supported him, and nobles flocked to House Poztut seeking his favor. As Shien settled into a quiet routine, Merika began training to discover why the Goddess of Nature had taken an interest in her, until something interrupted their peaceful days.

• Rumors about Shien's power and the destruction of the Ryusica Family spread through the capital, and a royal decree stripped the family of its title and territory.
• Nobles blamed the Ryusica Family, avoided challenging Shien, and brought gifts to House Poztut in hopes of gaining his friendship.
• Shien received only House Razahad, Jacinta and the Demon Race embassy, and the Pope and the temple representatives, leaving Vivian to handle most visitors.
• Laisha escaped the crowded estate with Lasha, while Aiyi slept, Tier trained, and Lumya and Merika sought Shien's reassurance.
• Shien encouraged Merika to uncover what made the Goddess of Nature favor her, and Merika joined Lumya and Tier in training.