Chapter Summaries

Jialan, Celine, and the Company Guards crossed Hell’s Gate and endured the Dark Forest to reach the River of Sorrow. A towering ferryman approached them in a ferry as they stood on the riverbank.

• Jialan led the Dark Angels through Hell’s corrupted outskirts while Celine scanned the area and planted a Flower of Purity.
• Celine assessed Hell’s Gate and said its intelligence-like mind would test those who crossed it; Jialan entered the flames first.
• Jialan resisted Hell’s temptations and emerged in the Dark Forest, where Celine identified the Acheron as the route to the first circle.
• Jialan led the group through the disorienting forest, past drifting souls, and they reached its edge after 666 minutes.
• The group saw the Acheron and watched a towering ferryman steer a ferry toward them.

Jialan and the Dark Angels killed the beasts representing avarice, ambition, and pleasure, then forced Charon to ferry them across the River of Sorrow. They reached Limbo and saw its tiered landscape descending toward a red-glowing abyss.

• Jialan and the Dark Angels attacked the three beasts from the Dark Forest and killed them with plasma fire, a grenade, and Jialan’s Power Claw.
• Celine collected samples from the Lion of Ambition and planted a Flower of Purity, which began spreading through the Dark Forest.
• Jialan ordered the Dark Angels to board Charon’s ferry by force because they had neither a coin nor a golden bough.
• A Company Guard struck and restrained Charon, then demanded that he ferry the group across the river.
• Jialan, Celine, and the Dark Angels disembarked in Limbo and saw its villages, castles, and descending tiers surrounding a red-lit abyss.

Jialan and the Dark Angels crossed Limbo, where they learned that Heaven and Hell had trapped countless souls there for rejecting faith. After Celine revealed that her Flowers of Purity could assimilate Hell for the Emperor, a tremor at Limbo’s entrance prompted Jialan’s force to skip the intervening layers and dive straight toward Hell’s core.

• Jialan’s force surveyed Limbo and found its souls condemned to eternal imprisonment, while a Company Guard cursed Heaven and Hell for their scheme.
• Celine planted a Flower of Purity and said she had brought enough to assimilate the entire Hell Dimension within sixty Earth days, assuming no rival power stopped them.
• Jialan asked what would happen to Limbo’s souls, and Celine predicted they would become the Emperor’s property, perhaps reborn as physical beings or made into a Ghost army.
• Jialan and the others passed through Limbo, using Boltgun fire to drive off enraged souls as rational souls such as Homer, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle watched them.
• At the abyss, Jialan estimated that Hell’s core lay about nine kilometers below and learned that time’s passage in the dimension could not be measured against Earth-13.
• A tremor shook Limbo, and Jialan led the Dark Angels in a plunge straight toward the ninth layer to reach the Lord of Hell before Athena’s advance changed the situation.

Celine, Jialan, Al Dimo, and the Dark Angels descended through Universe 13’s layers of Hell, recording its horrors as Athena fought her way down from Limbo. On the ninth layer, Athena killed Beelzebub, while Jialan’s group searched for Hell’s ruler and heard a voice threaten to make them its next meal.

• Celine recorded the punishments and creatures in Lust, Gluttony, and the other layers as she and the Dark Angels plunged toward Treachery.
• Celine saw Asmodeus and Beelzebub preparing their armies to fight Athena, who had invaded Limbo.
• Jialan, Al Dimo, the Company Guards, and Celine landed on the ninth layer and found its traitorous souls trapped in lava and ice.
• Athena pinned Beelzebub with the Spear of Victory, shot him with an enlarged 1911, and burned him to ash.
• Jialan told Al Dimo to focus on finding and killing Hell’s ruler before Athena reached them.
• A deep, nasal voice addressed Jialan and Al Dimo, threatening to eat them.

Jialan, Al Dimo, and the Company Guards fought Satan in the Ninth Circle, wounding him with close-combat weapons while he battered them with his trident. As Satan grew to enormous size and tried to crush the fallen Dark Angels, a golden pillar of light erupted beneath his foot.

• Satan appeared among the Dark Angels, and their guns failed to harm him, so Jialan led a close-combat assault.
• Jialan, Al Dimo, and the Guards wounded Satan, but he revealed his demonic form, broke their formation, and gravely injured several of them.
• Satan and the Dark Angels continued fighting as Athena's Grey Knights and Greek Demigods advanced through Hell toward the Ninth Circle.
• Satan unleashed a powerful shockwave that knocked Celine away and left the Guards unconscious; Jialan alone struggled back to his feet.
• Satan grew to three hundred meters tall and stamped toward the fallen warriors, while Jialan launched himself at him to protect Celine.
• Satan knocked Jialan down, but a golden pillar of light burst from below and forced Satan's foot upward.

Sui Yang possessed Jialan in the Ninth Circle and killed Satan, then healed Al Dimo and the Company Guards. The Dark Angels resumed their mission to find a route to Universe 13’s Heaven Plane while Athena’s forces advanced behind them.

• Jialan’s golden power burned Satan and let him evade the demon’s attacks as he charged toward his head.
• Jialan pinned Satan down, beheaded him with giant golden lightning claws, and destroyed his body in golden flames.
• Jialan healed Al Dimo and the wounded Company Guards, then returned to normal and forgot what had happened.
• Celine showed Al Dimo and the others her recordings and explained that Sui Yang had intervened through Jialan.
• Jialan urged the Dark Angels to credit the Emperor rather than themselves and reminded them that their mission was not over.
• As the Dark Angels followed Celine deeper into the Ninth Circle, Sui Yang reviewed affairs in the Main Universe and confirmed that he had killed Satan and absorbed some of his power.

Sui Yang considered taking control of Trench Crusade’s Hell and ordered the Imperium to eliminate faith-powered gods in Universe 13. He approved a major force to clear Xenomorphs from Moon of Forgotten River, then reviewed the developing operation in Universe 14.

• Sui Yang concluded that the Flower of Purity might soon make him the lord of Hell and considered sending heinous criminals there for eternal punishment.
• Sui Yang ordered the Universe 13 Frontline Base to eliminate every godlike being powered by human faith, especially the one calling himself God.
• Sui Yang approved Gary "Roach" Sanderson’s request and sent Clone Soldiers, Heavy Tyrants, hellhounds, Terminators, and Hunter-Killers to help clear Moon of Forgotten River’s rainforest.
• Sui Yang arranged for Forerunner Sentinels and elite Elves to monitor Moon of Forgotten River after the Xenomorph sweep.
• Sui Yang reviewed the Universe 14 report, where Simon "Ghost" Riley had nearly cleared New Hope Colony of Zerg nests and hurried to assist the Blood Angels Legion.

Sui Yang reviewed the Blood Angels' campaign plans in the Starship Troopers universe, where the United Citizen Federation was preparing to attack New Hope and Leon S. Kennedy and Maggie Shaw had been drafted into its expeditionary fleet. He then checked reports on Xenomorph research and Red Alert 2 before turning his attention back to the Heaven Plane in Trench Crusade.

• Sui Yang reviewed the Blood Angels' deployment and learned that their 1st Company had used antimatter and hydrogen bombs to destroy Arachnid populations on planets near New Hope.
• The Wise AI exposed the United Citizen Federation's abuses, prompting its leaders to assemble an expeditionary fleet of more than a hundred ships to attack New Hope.
• Sanguinius planned to lead the 1st Company and its fleet against the Federation force, while Leon S. Kennedy, Maggie Shaw, and other Investigators were drafted into the expedition.
• Sui Yang read Ada's assessment that the Arachnids might attack both sides during the coming clash, giving the embedded Investigators a chance to build influence.
• Sui Yang reviewed the Biological Department's ongoing Xenomorph research and reports on Alpharius and Omegon's progress in Red Alert 2.
• Sui Yang dismissed the reports and focused on the Heaven Plane in Trench Crusade.

The Imperium of Man transformed the border town in Universe 13 and used the Imperial Church to introduce the Human Codex as the Church concealed Athena’s destruction of Hell. Klonto and Carrie Loran visited the church and saw a statue of the Emperor.

• Atlas improved the border town, hired local residents, and replaced many patrols with locally recruited peace officers while Imperial forces secretly watched for fanatics.
• Jialan Clovey and Athena had purged Hell, and the Imperium hunted human traitors while using its withdrawal of troops to make the Church and Holy Roman Empire believe the border was exposed.
• The Church suppressed reports of Athena’s victory and planned to contact the Heaven Plane, fearing that the truth would undermine its authority.
• The Heretic Inquisition Department rebuilt the town’s church as the Imperial Church, where local believers gathered before statues of an Astartes and Athena and studied the Human Codex.
• Klonto and Carrie Loran visited the Imperial Church, admired the Company Guards, and saw a statue of the Emperor inside.

Klonto and Carrie watched Imperial battle footage at the church as Athena and the Emperor’s forces destroyed Hell, strengthening the townspeople’s loyalty to the Imperium. The footage enraged hidden Church loyalists, and a fanatical nun transformed into a monstrous mass of flesh as Klonto fled with Carrie.

• Carrie and Klonto admired the Emperor’s statue and watched battle footage of Athena’s campaign against Jerusalem with other town residents.
• The footage showed Athena and Imperial forces entering Hell, defeating its lords, and destroying Satan, while the townspeople’s faith in the Imperium grew.
• Heretic Inquisition personnel monitored the fanatical believers and nuns among the churchgoers as they watched the footage with concealed hatred.
• After the footage ended, most fanatical believers left the church, but a nun remained on a bench and caught the attention of a concealed Advance Team member.
• The nun convulsed and rapidly transformed into a huge mass of flesh, so Klonto grabbed Carrie’s hand and ran toward the square.

A fanatical nun transformed into a giant tumor and unleashed a Headless Knight, which overwhelmed the Empire’s defenders in a frontier town. As Klonto and Carrie fled with the civilians, another giant appeared in the square.

• The Empire evacuated the church, contained the transformed nun, and began screening civilians while Klonto and Carrie followed the Auxilia’s instructions.
• The tumor ruptured and revealed a Headless Knight, which deflected the defenders’ weapons and sent two Company Guards crashing through the church walls.
• The Headless Knight entered the square and fought two Company Guards and seven Greek Demigods while the Auxilia evacuated residents.
• The Headless Knight defeated its attackers and advanced toward Klonto, Carrie, and the fleeing civilians.
• As Klonto tried to escape with Carrie, another five-meter-tall giant appeared in the square.

Lion arrived in the frontier town and destroyed the Headless Knight before it could attack Carrie, then learned that the creature was likely War, an Apocalypse Knight summoned through a sacrificed nun. He ordered the Imperium to sacrifice every believer in God on Earth-13 to open a portal to the Heaven Plane.

• Klonto shielded Carrie as the Headless Knight threatened them, but Lion appeared between the creature and the civilians.
• Lion ordered the Auxilia to evacuate the locals and keep other departments from interfering with the Dark Angels' operation.
• The Headless Knight attacked Lion, who split it in two with his Lion King Greatsword and absorbed its remains.
• Imperial technicians and reinforcements arrived to secure the town, treat the wounded, and examine the civilians and the creature's corpse.
• Celine identified the Headless Knight as likely War and explained that the Church had sacrificed believers to summon it through a nun.
• Lion ordered that every believer in God on Earth-13 be sacrificed to open a portal to the Heaven Plane.

Lion ordered the Dark Angels to sacrifice Church fanatics to open a portal to the Heaven Plane and sent them to seize Vienna. The chapter ended as Lion and the Helljumpers began their orbital assault on the city.

• Apothecaries stabilized two wounded Company Guards aboard the Phoenix-class Supply Ship.
• Celine explained that opening a portal to the Heaven Plane required sacrificing at least one hundred thousand fanatical believers and nuns.
• Lion decided the brainwashed Church fanatics should be sacrificed, ordered Jialan Clovey to prepare the fleet for an Orbital Drop, and asked Athena and Soap to support the operation.
• Lion asked Celine to accompany the Dark Angels as a wartime adviser if they opened the portal.
• The Pope and bishops met in Vienna to discuss further sacrifices, but an earthquake and falling Drop Pods interrupted them.
• Lion and the Dark Angels landed across Vienna and began a citywide sweep as the city's defenses scrambled to respond.

The Dark Angels 1st Company invaded Vienna in Universe 13, and Lion captured the pope while defeating the cathedral’s defenders. After the city fell, Hera arrived to identify captives suitable as living sacrifices.

• The Dark Angels 1st Company launched an assault on Vienna as its fleet bombarded the Holy Roman Empire’s defenses.
• Lion entered the cathedral square, seized the fleeing pope, and knocked out the Knights and nuns guarding the cathedral.
• Lion killed the pope and left the surrounding young nobles horrified as the battle for Vienna neared its end.
• The 1st Company and its supporting forces captured Vienna and gathered the Church’s nuns, Knights, and personnel.
• Hera arrived at the palace, and Lion asked her to select suitable living sacrifices from the captives.

Hera gathered more than a hundred thousand Church loyalists as living sacrifices and opened a portal to the Heaven Plane, with the Emperor secretly protecting her from the ritual's backlash. Lion and the Imperial forces entered the portal to storm Heaven and hunt God.

• Hera used her Psychic Power to identify more than sixty thousand suitable sacrifices among Vienna's population, then selected additional candidates from the Holy Roman Empire's forces.
• Hera controlled the sacrifices and sent them to an altar built by the Dark Angels' engineering teams in Vienna's eastern outskirts.
• Lion ordered Clone Soldiers and T-800 Terminators to escort the sacrifices as Hera's Psychic Power weakened.
• Hera performed the ritual, and more than a hundred thousand sacrifices vanished as a portal measuring 77.7 by 77.7 meters opened beneath her.
• Lion ordered the Imperial forces to storm Heaven and hunt God, then led the Dark Angels through the portal.

Lion led Imperial forces through Heaven’s Gate, where they found beautiful angels and launched an assault to secure a foothold. After the angels’ deaths drew God’s attention, battle angels attacked, and Lion blocked a mysterious angel who charged him.

• Lion entered the Heaven Plane with Imperial troops while Auxilia, Clones, and Terminators stayed behind to maintain order and support reconstruction.
• Lion rejected Celine’s suggestion to split up, assigned Jialan to capture an angel, and tasked Athena with guarding the portal.
• Jialan’s Dark Angels killed the angels in a garden except for one, but the veteran holding the survivor killed her after lightning struck and Athena dispersed the storm.
• Battle angels appeared, and the Dark Angels, Greek Demigods, and Grey Knights opened fire, killing many with ranged weapons.
• Lion drew his Lion King Greatsword and blocked a mysterious angel’s sudden attack.

Lion and Athena led the imperial forces against Heaven’s army, killing the archangels Michael and Sariel while holding the defensive line. Lion then entered the forest and killed Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Metatron, and the remaining Apocalypse Knights in an instant, revealing that he had turned their planned encirclement against them.

• Lion recognized the angel fighting him as a decoy resembling Sanguinius, destroyed it, and hurled his greatsword through the concealed real Michael.
• Lion left Athena in command of the defensive line, and Athena killed Sariel with the Emperor’s pistol, piercing the sky and allowing Sui Yang to Plunder Sariel’s soul.
• Athena rallied the imperial warriors as they continued to repel Heaven’s advancing angels with gunfire, missiles, and golden arrows.
• Lion found Michael’s abandoned landing spot in the forest and challenged him to emerge; Michael appeared with Gabriel, Uriel, Metatron, and three Apocalypse Knights.
• Lion revealed that he had entered the supposed trap knowingly, then killed Michael and all the other high-level fighters in an instant.

Lion killed Michael and the remaining high-ranking forces of Heaven, then fought God with his father’s psychic power enhancing his ammunition. After the blast devastated Heaven, Lion reported that the key target was eliminated and ordered the Empire to begin integrating the plane.

• Lion absorbed Michael and the other archangels and Apocalypse Knights, eliminating Heaven’s high-tier combat power.
• God appeared before Lion, but Lion attacked immediately and dodged into a ranged fight after his sword strike missed.
• Lion’s psychic-power-blessed bolt shells struck God and detonated in a massive blast that devastated Heaven and destroyed its attacking angels.
• Athena shielded her group from the blast, while Celine survived in her specialized combat uniform.
• Lion reported God’s elimination, ordered Jialan to protect Celine and collect data, and directed the Empire to advance and incorporate Heaven’s forces.

As the Federation Expeditionary Fleet prepared to attack the Imperium of Man at New Hope, Leon and Johnny Rico boarded the Roger Young with their platoon. Rico received a breakup message from Carmen Ibanez, and Leon ended the chapter by pointing out that she had recorded it in a senior officer’s private cabin.

• The Federation assembled an expeditionary fleet to wipe out the Imperium of Man at New Hope.
• Leon found Johnny Rico brooding over a letter after Carmen asked to end their relationship and remain friends.
• Ace played Carmen’s recording for the recruits, who stopped teasing when they heard her break up with Rico.
• Leon noticed Carmen’s private cabin and questioned whether she had advanced to senior pilot by getting involved with a senior officer.

Leon helped Rico overcome his anger and heartbreak over Carmen’s infidelity as the Federation Expeditionary Fleet approached New Hope Colony with careless confidence. The Mobile Infantry began its landing, but the Blood Angels Fleet appeared behind the Federation ships.

• Leon told Rico that Carmen had cheated on him with her superior, and Rico thanked Leon for setting him straight.
• Leon bought drinks to celebrate Rico’s return to single life, while the Investigators noted the Federation’s complacency before the expedition.
• Rico coldly brushed off Carmen when she greeted him aboard the Roger Young, then told Dizzy that he had joined the military for himself rather than for Carmen.
• The Roger Young began Warp Travel, and the Federation Expeditionary Fleet reached New Hope Colony without encountering Imperial resistance.
• The Federation launched Viking Landing Craft toward New Hope’s atmosphere, and the Blood Angels Fleet appeared behind the Expeditionary Fleet.