Recaps

Shien confronted the human leaders gathered at House Poztut and challenged them to cross a line he had cut into the ground if they wanted to see Shafna. Meldo accepted the challenge, and Shien faced the proud Legendary-tier Archmage.

• Shien explained that the human factions knew little of how strong he had become since entering the Inner Sanctum.
• Shien slashed a ravine before the gates of House Poztut with a blade of magic power.
• Shien gave the gathered leaders one hour to cross the line and warned them against actions he disliked.
• The crowd realized that backing down would make them a laughingstock, and Meldo volunteered to fight.
• Shien recognized Meldo as a level 97 Archmage and beckoned him forward, humiliating him.
• Meldo cast Explosive Flame Spear without hesitation.

Shien effortlessly dispersed Meldo’s powerful magic before knocking him down, then faced Yose as the Sword Saint attacked with a storm of sword lights. Yose’s blades failed to pierce Shien’s body, and Shien countered with a punch.

• Meldo enhanced his staff with Artifact Mastery and unleashed powerful spells at Shien, who dispersed them all with Enchantment: Disperse.
• Shien teleported in front of Meldo and struck him in the abdomen, knocking him down.
• Yose drew his sword and attacked Shien using Wind Spirit Surround and a storm of sword lights.
• Yose’s sword lights bounced off Shien, who taunted him and swung a fist toward his face.

Shien defeated Yose, Nobu, and the other challengers while Yulin prevented the experts from crossing the line at House Poztut. The entire attacking force was annihilated, with Yule and Misgi surrendering.

• Shien struck Yose down with a single punch, then met Nobu's charge and traded blows with the Tigerfolk chief using raw strength.
• As Shien and Nobu fought, the Legendary-tier experts realized the challenge was to cross the line at House Poztut and rushed toward its gates.
• Yulin landed before the gates and blasted the charging experts and faction leaders away with Dragon Breath.
• Shien defeated Nobu and found Meldo, Yose, and the other challengers incapacitated.
• Shien asked Yule and Misgi if they wanted to fight, and both raised their hands in surrender.

Shien defeated the Human Realm powerhouses who demanded to see Shafna and told them to leave, while explaining that Shafna had never cared about them. When Meldo accused Shien of wanting Shafna for himself, a magical attack struck Meldo, and Shafna appeared at the gates of House Poztut.

• Shien ordered the gathered powerhouses to leave and rejected Misgi's plea to see Shafna.
• Shien told the admirers that Shafna had never wanted to see them, leaving them silent and sorrowful.
• Meldo accused Shien of trying to monopolize Shafna, and a blast of magic shot from House Poztut and struck him down.
• Shafna's captivating voice rang out as she emerged through the gates of House Poztut.

Shafna emerged from House Poztut to punish Meldo after he accused Shien of usurping her. She cursed Meldo so he would never have a partner, leaving him unconscious as the plaza fell silent.

• Shafna came out of House Poztut and told Shien she would handle the people who had caused trouble.
• Shafna dismissed the crowd and confronted Meldo for claiming Shien had usurped her.
• Shafna argued that she did not belong to Meldo or anyone else and did not need anyone's approval to choose whom she loved.
• Shafna cursed Meldo to never have a partner and struck him with magic, leaving him unconscious.
• The people in the plaza watched in silence.

Shafna rejected the people who had gathered to see her, then returned to Shien, leaving the crowd to depart and Yule to accept that his affection had been wishful thinking. Shien returned to his room, where Shafna seduced him again, and he decided to go along with it.

• Shafna left the square after telling everyone she did not care about them and that Shien’s feelings mattered more to her.
• Misgi, Yose, Nobu, and the other visitors departed, while Yule told Shien he was grateful to Shafna for letting him experience affection.
• Shien explained to Yulin that Shafna’s blunt rejection might help the visitors reclaim the lives they had given up for their obsession with her.
• Yulin transformed into a black dragon and stood guard outside House Poztut, while Roxie watched from afar and planned to teach Shien a lesson.
• Shien returned to his room and found Shafna waiting on the bed; after she invited him to continue, he closed the door and strode toward her.

News of Shien’s strength and promotion to Marquis Poztut spread across the Human Realm, while the Ragna Empire’s new Emperor Harvis arrived in the royal capital with Capeline. Elsewhere, Cosmos’s Beastfolk, led by the Saintess, set out for the capital to meet Shien.

• Reports confirmed that Shien had defeated top Legendary-tier experts, Yulin had reached Limit-tier, and Shafna had moved into House Poztut.
• Aridia admitted that he was inferior to Shien, and the royal palace elevated Count Poztut to Marquis Poztut.
• Harvis arrived at the royal capital with Capeline, who planned to settle things with Roxielusty, and announced that they would visit Shien after meeting King Anxi.
• A group of Beastfolk recognized the news about Shien, their savior and the Hero, as they traveled toward the royal capital with their Saintess.
• The Saintess, whose fox ears twitched beneath her hood, declared that she was coming to the royal capital too.

Sophie led the Elves’ elite toward the Kingdom of Mithra to protect peace and support Shien at the Three Races conference, while Carol explained to Geno that Merika loved Shien for who he was, not because he was a Hero. At House Poztut, Ryley buckled under a flood of congratulatory letters as Shien sparred with Tier, whose growing power caught Shafna’s attention.

• Sophie gathered the Elven elite and set out for the Kingdom of Mithra to preserve peace and support Shien at the conference.
• Carol told Geno that Merika loved Shien for his own qualities, not because he was a Hero, and confirmed Merika would attend with Nadula.
• Ryley struggled to process House Poztut’s many congratulatory letters while Vivian explained why they had to maintain relations with the nobles and other factions.
• Lumya brought in another enormous batch of letters, and Ryley collapsed onto her desk.
• Shien fought Tier in the garden as her power grew strong enough to slightly injure him through his Inner Fate of Heaven.
• Shafna watched Tier’s battle and wondered at her power’s resemblance to Milu’s.

Shien trained Tier to prepare her for a decisive challenge against Aridia Elbain, but warned that her newly regrown horn made Oni Transformation slow and physically taxing. Shafna suggested that Miru Pesh could teach Tier to control the ghost within her, and Tier agreed to try; Shafna then learned that Tier was Lidas's Blessing Bearer.

• Shien defeated Tier in their training bout and warned her that Oni Transformation strained her body and took too long to reach its full power.
• Tier insisted she would still challenge Aridia Elbain despite the drawbacks of her newly regrown horn.
• Shafna explained that Tier's Oni Transformation resembled Miru Pesh's Ghost Seed and suggested Miru could help her control the ghost within her.
• Tier agreed to seek Miru's help, saying she needed an unconventional method to defeat her opponent.
• Tier said she had Lidas's blessing and protection of fate, prompting Shafna to realize she was Lidas's Blessing Bearer.

Tier rejected Shafna’s invitation to join the Demon Realm but agreed to train with Milu before her duel with Aridia. Shafna reflected that Shien’s arrival had ushered in a special era, and resolved that the Demon Race would not let the God Race claim him alone.

• Shafna discovered Tier’s Unique Skill and Lidas’s blessing, then invited her to the Demon Realm.
• Tier refused, but wavered when Shafna offered to arrange training with Milu.
• Shien stopped Shafna from poaching Tier and agreed to speak with Milu before the Three Races conference.
• Shien reminded Tier that her duel with Aridia would follow the conference and that she had little time to grow.
• Shafna remarked that the era had produced many unprecedented talents and privately suspected Shien’s return had caused it.
• Shafna decided that the Demon Race would keep its claim on Shien, even as the God Race supported him.

Shien tried to visit Roxie, unaware that she had manipulated fate to keep him from seeing her and punish him for flirting around. His misdirected Teleportation sent him into a bath where Ria and Shana were naked, and he escaped after Shana nearly discovered him.

• Shien suspected Shafna wanted to seduce him, but fled when she glared at him furiously.
• Shien Teleported to Roxie's quarters to confront her for avoiding him, while Roxie used fate manipulation to ensure he could not see her and would suffer bad luck when attempting anything improper.
• Shien's Teleportation sent him to Ria's bath, where she complained to Shana about the work caused by Shien and planned to visit House Poztut.
• Ria and Shana left the bath without noticing the concealed Shien, who blurted out a remark about what he had seen.
• Shana heard Shien's voice and turned toward his hiding place, but Shien Teleported away before she could find him.

Shien’s teleportation repeatedly sent him into private bathing and changing areas instead of Roxie’s room, so he walked toward her residence. After punishing a noble who insulted him, he took a shortcut through bushes and found two naked young girls there.

• Shien repeatedly failed to teleport to Roxie’s room and appeared in private areas around the palace, leaving him to suspect that Nien, Roxie, Shafna, Laisha, or another powerful being was interfering.
• Shien gave up on teleporting and decided to walk to Roxie’s residence, joking that he would thank Heaven if he encountered another naked woman along the way.
• Officials, nobles, and knights saluted Shien as he crossed the palace, while some onlookers regarded him with jealousy and hatred.
• A young noble insulted Shien under his breath and was struck by an invisible impact that blasted him to the ground.
• Shien cut through bushes as a shortcut and found two completely naked young girls staring at him.

Shien caught Capeline and Tilly changing into Kingdom court attire in the palace gardens, then learned they were disguised because they planned to see Roxielusty without permission. He openly sided with his fiancée, leaving Capeline furious and the group at odds.

• Shien came across Capeline and Tilly changing clothes in a patch of grass, and Capeline attacked him before he caught her sword tip.
• Capeline and Tilly dressed and explained that they had been disguising themselves as Kingdom nobles.
• Shien suspected they were plotting something, so Tilly and Capeline explained that they wanted to see Roxielusty.
• Tilly said Anxi and Harvis had forbidden Capeline from confronting Roxielusty during the Three Races conference.
• Shien mocked Capeline's plan and declared that he would take Roxielusty's side because she was his wife, enraging Capeline.

Capeline gave up on challenging Roxie after Shien warned her how powerful Roxie had become, but she secretly decided to try to win Shien over instead. Shien agreed to show Capeline and Tilly around, while Roxie unexpectedly sensed she had suffered a loss.

• Capeline confronted Shien about meeting Roxie, and Shien warned her that Roxie’s power made a challenge hopeless.
• Capeline agreed not to challenge Roxie, while secretly resolving to seduce Shien and take him from her.
• Shien praised Capeline for being reasonable and agreed to show her around, with Tilly accompanying them.
• Capeline told Tilly she might be needed later, and the three left together.
• Roxie sneezed in her bedchamber and wondered why she felt as if she had suffered a huge loss.

Shien and Capeline discussed the Empire’s recovery and plans to reconcile with the Kingdom, with Shien advising Capeline to negotiate through Ria. Their palace walk turned increasingly awkward as Capeline openly flirted with Shien and pulled Tilly into the spectacle, until someone called him a bastard.

• Shien and Capeline discussed Harvis’s purge of his opponents, the Empire’s reforms, and its growing stability.
• Capeline told Shien that Harvis hoped to end the Empire’s long hostility with the Kingdom and negotiate cooperation.
• Shien explained that Anxi wanted Ria to lead the reconciliation talks so she could gain political achievements and build support for her ascension; Capeline agreed to tell Harvis.
• Capeline invited Shien to visit her new territory and said she had prepared measures against the Streim Family.
• Capeline asked Shien increasingly personal questions about marriage and children, then made Tilly hug his other arm as they walked around the palace.
• Onlookers whispered about Shien between Capeline and Tilly until a delighted voice called him a bastard.

Shien reunited with Iris, Oz, and Mafy, the Beastman Priests he had once fought alongside, at the palace garden. Iris’s apparent interest in Shien sparked jealousy and romantic confusion among the group, and Capeline took Iris away for a private talk, leaving Shien bewildered.

• Iris, Oz, and Mafy arrived at the palace garden and joyfully reunited with Capeline and Shien.
• Oz challenged Shien after hearing of his strength, but Mafy pointed out that Shien was far beyond him.
• Capeline revealed that Oz loved Iris and Mafy loved Oz, then Iris’s reaction suggested she might have feelings for Shien.
• Capeline took Iris away for an all-night talk, while Mafy dragged the protesting Oz away and encouraged Shien to pursue Iris.
• Shien left the garden confused, relieved that Capeline had apparently preserved his chastity.

As the Three Races talks approached, Shien welcomed the Empire, the Beastman Priest Corps, and the Elves at House Poztut. Elf Queen Sophie warned him that the Old Demon Faction might attack the talks, leaving the gathered visitors to consider the threat.

• The Dwarves and Elves arrived in the royal capital, where crowds cheered the Elf Queen Sophie and Anxi personally received her.
• Shien opened House Poztut to Harvis and the imperial family, Iris and the Beastman Priest Corps, and Sophie and the Elves.
• The visitors sensed Shien's immense power, and Sophie remarked that his talent surpassed even Hero Mitra's.
• Harvis mentioned Shien's engagement to the Dragon Demon Lord, prompting disapproving reactions from Capeline, Iris, and Geno.
• Sophie warned Shien that the Old Demon Faction might strike during the Three Races talks, and Harvis, Mafy, and Sophie agreed that an attack was likely.

Sophie and Carol warned Shien and the gathered leaders that the Old Demon Faction was capturing monsters in Taiger Forest, while Harvis revealed that the faction had also taken the Demonoid Larvae the Empire was tracking. They suspected the Old Demon Faction planned to unleash them during the Three Races talks, and the chapter ended as an alluring Witch arrived with a little girl and vowed that the attackers would never leave.

• Sophie warned that unidentified demons had been capturing monsters in Taiger Forest, and Carol reported that the evidence pointed to the Old Demon Faction.
• Harvis and Capeline revealed that the eleven Demonoid Larvae that escaped after Moro's death had vanished after battles with an unknown enemy.
• The gathered leaders concluded that the Old Demon Faction might unleash captured monsters and Demonoid Larvae in the Royal Capital to disrupt the Three Races talks and reignite conflict.
• Sophie warned Shien that the Old Demon Faction might target him because he was the Hero.
• An alluring Witch entered the reception room holding a little girl's hand and declared that anyone who came would never leave again.

Shafna appeared at the reception and revealed that Iris had become Goddess Anima’s Blessing Bearer after Shien healed her. She then declared that the demons would protect Shien, leaving the human and elven leaders uneasy about the Demon Race’s intentions toward the Hero.

• Shafna arrived with Lilith, captivating the reception guests before greeting Sophie, Leia, and Nia.
• Shafna teased Iris about being interested in Shien, then revealed that Iris was Anima’s Blessing Bearer.
• Mafy explained that Shien had healed Iris in Cosmos, allowing Anima to cultivate Iris’s affinity for life power and grant her a blessing.
• Shafna remarked that Blessing Bearers of all Three Great Goddesses had appeared in the same era and privately considered Shien’s own blessing even more remarkable.
• Shafna assured Sophie and the others that the demons would not let anything happen to Shien, making them fear the Demon Race intended to claim his allegiance.

After Shafna departed, Harvis explained the political stakes of the Three Races conference and asked Shien what he intended to do. With the conference two days away, Shien decided to confront the Old Demon Faction that had attacked his estate.

• Shafna left Lilith with Shien, and Sophie, Carol, Geno, and Iris departed after stating or considering their positions.
• Harvis and Rocket admitted that Shafna had captivated them but recognized they could not pursue her, while Capeline and Tilly felt relieved.
• Harvis told Shien that the God Race, Demon Race, Kingdom, Empire, Elves, and Beastman Priest Corps would support him, but other human factions and the Dwarves might oppose him.
• Harvis warned that Shien’s choices at the Three Races conference could affect peace across Omnipotens, and Shien assured him he knew what to do.
• After Harvis left, Shien told Ryley and Vivian that he would meet the Old Demon Faction before the conference; he declined Vivian’s offer of help.

Shien used Roxie’s attempts to keep him away as an excuse to persuade Anxi to sign a marriage cancellation agreement. Roxie arrived too late to stop him, and Shien left after declaring her single again.

• Shien’s Teleportation repeatedly sent him to royal bedrooms and bathhouses instead of Roxie, leading him to suspect she was manipulating fate to avoid him.
• Roxie smugly planned to keep Shien away for another day, until a Knight told her he had gone to Anxi to cancel their engagement.
• Shien confused Anxi with a long argument about marriage and coaxed him into signing a marriage cancellation agreement while binding Aridia with magic.
• Roxie burst into Anxi’s room after Anxi had signed, but Shien left with the agreement and congratulated her on being single.
• Roxie chased after Shien while Anxi despaired over signing the agreement and Aridia silently covered his face.

Shien confronted Roxie about her hide-and-seek scheme and used a Marriage Cancellation Agreement to make her agree to his demands. Roxie promised to stop plotting against him and accepted the positions and requests he had previously mentioned, while Shien kept their engagement intact.

• Roxie admitted she had hidden from Shien because she was jealous of Shafna and wanted to warn him, make him feel guilty, and possibly become Empress.
• Shien showed Roxie the Marriage Cancellation Agreement, and she tried to argue that their engagement could not be canceled so easily.
• Shien threatened to give the agreement to Aiyi, who could use it to reduce Roxie's status and prevent her from becoming Empress.
• Roxie promised not to play hide-and-seek or use her Authority against Shien, then agreed to his previously mentioned positions and requests.
• Shien handed Roxie the agreement and declared victory, leaving Roxie in tears.

Shien accompanied Roxie to the royal palace’s underground prison to visit the Old Demon Race prisoners. After protecting Roxie from the prisoners’ lewd threats and silencing them with the Holy Sword, he continued deeper into the prison.

• Roxie led Shien through the magical barriers to the prison, and Shien used his skill to detect and avoid its traps.
• The prisoners shouted and slammed against their cells when Shien and Roxie passed, and Roxie warned Shien about their violence.
• The prisoners made obscene demands about Roxie, so Shien cut off the tongue and hands of the one who reached for her.
• Shien intimidated the other prisoners into silence, then suggested to Roxie that the kingdom had no need to keep them alive.
• Roxie explained that some prisoners were retained as subjects for magical experiments, and Shien walked deeper into the prison.

Shien went to the royal palace’s underground prison to question Shudi, a vicious Old Demon Faction expert who had resisted interrogation for nearly a month. After Shudi attacked him, Shien beat him mercilessly, leaving the prisoners wondering what kind of demon had entered the prison.

• Roxie told Shien that Shudi, an expert from Hundred Beast's Lair, had refused to reveal information about the Old Demon Factions despite repeated interrogations.
• Shien said he would handle Shudi alone and entered the deepest section of the underground prison with Roxie.
• Shudi sprang at Shien with his Beast Claw Tribe claws, but his attack could not pierce Shien’s skin.
• Shien kicked Shudi into a wall, grabbed him, and slammed him to the ground.
• Shien repeatedly stomped on Shudi’s head as the other prisoners watched in fear.

Shien interrogated Shudi about whether the Hundred Beast's Lair was plotting against the Three Races conference, repeatedly healing him after inflicting severe injuries. Shudi finally abandoned his resistance, but Shien judged that the pain had not yet made him afraid.

• Shien asked the imprisoned Shudi whether the Hundred Beast's Lair had a plan targeting the Three Races conference, then battered him through the cell bars.
• Shien healed Shudi with Celestial Breathe, and Shudi immediately attacked him with magic claws.
• Shien broke Shudi's fingers and wrists, healed him, and asked the same question again.
• Shudi tried to flee, but Shien caught him and used Grant: Sever to slash him before healing him once more.
• Shudi gave up struggling and begged Shien to kill him, but Shien smiled and said the pain was not enough to make him afraid.