Chapter Summaries

Sally and the Melada Witches confronted Tristan’s corrupted Vanguard Army while Tang Qi arrived at Raphael’s execution and gave him the Thorns Codex. Tang Qi survived Charles I’s strike with help from the Master of the Furnace, and the Lord of Light’s command ended the worldwide outbreak of madness.

• Tristan prepared to destroy Melada Special Education School, but Sally and the Melada Witches arrived and used Sally’s command to force Tristan and her Vanguard Army to kneel.
• Tang Qi left for the Thorn Skyscraper, where Charles I was about to kill Raphael as Jensen tried to intervene.
• Tang Qi handed the Thorns Codex to Raphael and faced Charles I’s Sword of Sin and Punishment, using his last Sun Merit to summon the Master of the Furnace’s roar.
• The Master of the Furnace’s flames burned Charles I and helped Tang Qi withstand the sword with his Protection Curse.
• The Lord of Light issued the command “Order,” awakening corrupted believers across Origin Star and ending the spreading disaster.

Raphael awakened as Thorns, calmed the catastrophe, and restrained Charles I while Tang Qi survived the battle beside him. As the Kingdom of Light withdrew, the still-dormant Lord of Light poured his corruption into Charles I, transforming him into a monstrous giant.

• Raphael’s awakening revealed new symbols of truth on the Holy Thorns, and he calmed the disaster sweeping across Origin Star.
• Raphael bound Charles I with the Thorns Codex while Tang Qi blocked Charles I’s slash without injury.
• Raphael appeared in his familiar human form, and Jensen embraced him before joking about their team’s future cases.
• The cracks above the followers of Light closed, and the Kingdom of Light withdrew from the Divine Eagle Federation.
• A gash opened in the sky, and the Lord of Light poured his corruption into Charles I, who began transforming into a filthy giant.

Raphael bound Tang Qi and Jensen and prepared to drag Charles I into the ruined Thorn Kingdom, while Tang Qi risked looking at Charles I's Filth Divinity. The chapter left Tang Qi bleeding and in agony as a faint Information Fragment appeared when a Holy Thorn pierced Charles I.

• Tang Qi concluded that the awakening Lord of Light would likely spread His contamination to others, while supernatural organizations prepared to oppose the resulting threat.
• Raphael transformed the Holy Thorns Tower of Babel into chains and tried to bind Charles I and pull him into the Thorn Kingdom as its barriers shook under the assault of trapped, mutated deities.
• Raphael bound Tang Qi and Jensen and sent Jensen to sleep, then declared, "I am Thorns, and I am Truth."
• Tang Qi forced himself to look at Charles I's monstrous Filth Divinity, suffering severe pain and bleeding from his eyes as he searched for information.
• As a Holy Thorn pierced Charles I's new skin, a tiny, blurry Information Fragment appeared in Tang Qi's mind.

Tang Qi realized the Lord of Light was awakening and mistaking the present for the final age described in the Holy Blood Scripture. He proposed a plan to Raphael to deceive the Lord into invoking the covenant and exiling his filthy incarnation, while the strange world they created began to unfold.

• Tang Qi used his Special Ability on the Lord of Filth and learned that the Lord of Light was awakening and preparing to destroy the world.
• Tang Qi recalled the Holy Blood Scripture’s covenant and devised a plan to make the Lord of Light believe the final age had arrived.
• Tang Qi silently suggested his plan to Raphael, who stopped trying to pull Charles I into the Thorn Kingdom and opened a rift to the Mystery.
• Raphael’s Holy Thorns lifted Lancelot and the other Church members, who received messages and renewed their devotion.
• Raphael, Tang Qi, Jensen, the followers, and the gateway to the Thorn Kingdom vanished as the Holy Thorns formed a convincing vision of an apocalyptic world.
• Lancelot and the survivors prayed for the Lord of Light to banish ultimate evil, and the watching great figures realized they were trying to make Him exile his filthy incarnation.

Tang Qi, Raphael, and the surviving believers deceived the half-awake Lord of Light into exiling Charles I, the embodiment of ultimate filth. As Light’s gateway closed, a survivor secured a new covenant in divine blood, leaving Tang Qi with a Sacred Covenant that absolved everyone’s sins and blasphemy.

• Lancelot and the survivors prayed for the Lord of Light to drive out ultimate evil, and Light answered while struggling to recall the betrayal of Thorns and the sleeping gods.
• Charles I absorbed the last contaminated divinity and began breaking free, but Light commanded him to destroy the world and then exiled him into the mysterious.
• As Light’s gateway began to close, a surviving human leader prayed for a new covenant and received a drop of divine blood on a clay tablet.
• The Doomsday World dissolved, and Tang Qi appeared with Raphael and Jensen holding the Sacred Covenant, whose message promised forgiveness and absolution.

Tang Qi and Raphael secured absolution for Light’s believers and dealt with the arriving threats before leaving the Federation. At Dragonheart Castle, guests gathered for a ceremony at Melada Special Education School, where formidable oddities and female figures welcomed them.

• Tang Qi and Raphael made a Holy Clay Tablet bearing a new covenant and Certificates of Absolution, while leaving their own names off it.
• Raphael used Holy Thorns to block incoming Mystic Side figures, while Tang Qi transformed Lancelot and the Army of Light into bloodied White Doves as punishment.
• Jennifer told Old Colson that the Church of Light had issued a vague wanted poster for Tang Qi and Raphael, and that Jensen had been confined by his mother after stealing a Holy Relic.
• Old Colson and Jennifer prepared to attend the ceremony on behalf of the Manor Bureau, noting that Jensen would miss it while confined and facing a planned wedding.
• Guests and magical creatures gathered at Dragonheart Castle, where the Decadent, the elephant carrying the Elf Kingdom, the mermaid, and other oddities welcomed them alongside formidable female figures led by a young Witch.

Melada Special Education School held its first graduation ceremony, with Sally presiding and the students receiving gifts and personal messages from Tang Qi. Though Sally had hoped Tang Qi would attend, she recognized he was avoiding her after her bold confession, and the ceremony ended with his unseen voice approving their graduation.

• Sally surveyed the transformed Witch School and realized Tang Qi was absent from the secret realm.
• Sally recalled confessing her love to Tang Qi in front of the Witches, and how he had restrained her when she used the True Word Curse.
• Sally donned a gold-and-white gown and opened Melada Special Education School’s first graduation ceremony.
• Noah, Shirley, Nydia, Peggy, Austin, Luca, the Hannahs, and the other students received graduation badges, gifts, and registers containing Tang Qi’s messages.
• As magical fireworks and the strange creatures’ music filled the ceremony, the students heard Tang Qi’s voice declare, “Graduation approved!”

Tang Qi watched Sally’s Witch Group complete its return to the transformed Witch School, then parted from Raphael and Jensen as he sailed into the mysterious. As the Spirit Tide stirred sleeping worlds and gods, the Furnace Sun appeared and demanded that Tang Qi meditate, spread its fire, and sacrifice evil gods.

• Tang Qi and Raphael watched the ceremony in the Lake Island Secret Realm and reflected on the Witch School and Tang Qi’s resignation as principal.
• Tang Qi and Raphael sent Jensen back to his secret realm, while Raphael departed with Ludwig and the Second Head of Decay.
• Tang Qi sailed the Ship of Fools into the mysterious and sensed the Spirit Tide awakening sleeping worlds and myriad spirits.
• Tang Qi thought about Raphael’s dangerous future and the unanswered secrets surrounding the Great Cataclysm and eternity.
• The Furnace Sun erupted from Tang Qi’s eyes, and its will demanded that he meditate, spread the fire, and sacrifice evil gods.

Tang Qi placated the awakening Master of the Furnace, then received a frightened plea for help from Madam Rowling. Her letter ended when someone knocked at her door, and Tang Qi realized that her returned husband might be nearby.

• Tang Qi complained about the Furnace’s demands and told it he was too weak to sacrifice powerful evil gods or spread its fire.
• The Master of the Furnace withdrew without granting Tang Qi a Bestowal, while its presence frightened away the strange creatures drawn to the Ship of Fools.
• As Tang Qi considered where to travel next, Gluttony produced a letter from Madam Rowling.
• Madam Rowling wrote that she had lost contact with her allies, was trapped at home, and that her husband had returned.
• Tang Qi replayed the moment the letter was written and recognized the sound of someone knocking at Madam Rowling’s door.

Rose Madeline realized that the being posing as her husband, Howard Rowling, possessed his memories and had imprisoned her while replacing her in their professional circles. As she searched for a way to resist and hoped Tang Qi could help, a figure began emerging from a painting in an art museum.

• Rose Madeline tried to send a warning to Tang Qi, but her Curio, Knowledge Seeker, had been disabled and could no longer transmit messages.
• Howard Rowling waited outside Rose's study and left after calling her his angel, confirming to Rose that the monster had Howard's memories and knew their private proposal words.
• Rose recalled that Howard had passed supernatural inspections after returning from the Mysterious, then gained extraordinary scholarly talent and took over her positions while confining her at home.
• Rose resolved not to give up and searched her knowledge for a way to confront the being wearing Howard's skin.
• Six young artists entered the closed Luft art museum, where a green-haired girl saw a figure emerging from the painting Dreamland and reached toward it.

Tang Qi reached Rose’s home and discovered that an unknown force field around 426 Lovecraft made the house dangerous to approach. Inside, Howard Rowling broke into Rose’s study with an axe and threatened to kill her for speaking to a stranger.

• Tang Qi entered the museum through a Dreamland entrance, erased the memories of the artists who saw him, and hurried toward Lovecraft District.
• Tang Qi reviewed intelligence about Howard Rowling’s return from a mysterious space and his sudden rise above his brilliant wife, Madam Rowling.
• Tang Qi found 426 Lovecraft surrounded by a powerful force field that isolated the house and blocked most attempts at communication or entry.
• Rose heard Howard approaching and began praying to the Great Sage beyond the Mystic Side, but he smashed through her study door with an axe.
• Howard confronted Rose, accused her of talking to a stranger, and threatened to kill her.

Rose Madeline calmed Howard Rowling with a lullaby, but he exposed his buried crimes and the horrors he endured in a desolate world, driving her toward self-destruction. Remembering “Dear Tang” steadied her, and Howard’s threat to invite Tang was answered by the doorbell at Lovecraft No. 426.

• Rose Madeline sang a lullaby from Howard Rowling’s favorite opera and briefly calmed him.
• Howard showed Rose his buried secrets, including his crimes, his affair with her laboratory assistant, and his survival in a desolate world.
• Howard revealed that he had merged with a contaminating alien life form, pushing Rose toward collapse.
• Rose remembered “Dear Tang,” regained her clarity, and prepared to sacrifice her soul to kill Howard.
• Howard warned that killing him could release the alien life form and bring disaster to the Divine Eagle Federation and Origin Star.
• Howard proposed inviting Tang to their home, and the doorbell rang at Lovecraft No. 426.

Tang Qi arrived at Rose Madeline’s home and discovered that her husband, Howard Rowling, was an unstable container for a Devouring Beast. Howard began forcing Rose to prepare for a sinister performance as Tang faced the danger without revealing what he knew.

• Rose realized Howard housed a world-destroying Life Form and resolved to make Tang leave before he could be drawn into danger.
• Howard blocked Rose from speaking, forced her to dress, and taunted her with the choice between sacrificing herself or allowing the monster to be released.
• Tang answered Rose’s urgent summons and found Howard waiting at the door with an axe.
• Tang’s Special Ability identified Howard as a container created by an unknown race to hold a Devouring Beast, which would be released if Howard died.
• Howard greeted Tang with a disturbing smile and invited him inside, eager to begin his performance.

Tang Qi visited Rose Madeline at her home in Hawknest City and discovered that her husband, Howard Rowling, had become a deranged Humanoid Container holding a Devouring Beast. As Howard forced Rose into a grotesque performance, he appeared behind Tang Qi, setting up an immediate threat.

• Tang Qi recognized that Howard Rowling contained a Devouring Beast and decided he could neither attack nor kill him without risking a greater danger.
• Tang Qi entered Howard Rowling's house, where the monster's influence had spread through Rose Madeline's belongings and the entire home.
• Howard swung an axe at Tang Qi, then served him tea and pastries contaminated with blood while pretending to be a courteous host.
• Rose Madeline appeared in a forced gown and warned Tang Qi through eye contact that Howard was dangerous and could not be killed.
• Howard pushed Rose into Tang Qi's arms, cleared the living room, and declared that they would perform a tragic final dance.
• Howard appeared behind Tang Qi like a shadow as Rose trembled, and Tang Qi felt an overwhelming wave of revulsion.

Tang Qi stalled Howard Rowling while the Holy Eagle's Nest Society moved Lovecraft No. 426 to Mount Saint Eagle's Nest. Tang Qi and Rose escaped into the darkness as a Speaker attacked Howard with lightning to contain the Devouring Beast inside him.

• Tang Qi danced with Rose Madeline to free her from Howard Rowling's restraint while secretly keeping Howard occupied.
• Howard mutated into a monstrous creature and attacked Tang Qi, but Tang Qi stopped his axe and smashed him into a wall.
• Tang Qi collapsed Lovecraft No. 426 with a stomp, revealing that it had been transported with them to the summit of Mount Saint Eagle's Nest.
• Tang Qi explained that he had contacted the Holy Eagle's Nest Society, which had moved the house while he distracted Howard.
• A Holy Eagle's Nest Society Speaker pulled Tang Qi and Rose into the darkness and struck Howard with torrents of lightning.

Howard Rowling transformed into a Devouring Beast and trapped Tang Qi and Rose Madeline inside its enormous mouth. After Tang Qi helped Rose escape, he went deeper into the creature’s body while the black Elder coordinated with him from outside.

• The black Elder’s lightning struck Howard Rowling, but Howard survived and began transforming into a gigantic Devouring Beast.
• Howard’s tentacle seized Tang Qi and Rose Madeline as the monster emerged, and the black Elder blasted open its mouth so they could escape.
• The Devouring Beast restrained Tang Qi and fixated on him, while Tang Qi used Flame Curse to free Rose and sent her out to the black Elder.
• Tang Qi shattered Howard’s skull, exchanged a signal with the black Elder, and searched among the corpses inside the monster.
• Tang Qi plunged deeper into the Devouring Beast, burning and smashing aside the flesh and teeth in his path.

Tang Qi fought his way through the Devouring Beast’s body to reach Queen Goluna, a divine being whose power could enslave souls. After tearing her from her throne, he began a Furnace Sacrifice, hoping to use her as fuel against the monster.

• Tang Qi endured the Devouring Beast’s digestive attacks while the Night Beast, Wilnas Sprite, and Gluttony helped him fight and collect Curios.
• Chadwick Morgan attacked the Devouring Beast with lightning when it tried to vomit Tang Qi out.
• Tang Qi found Queen Goluna controlling the corpses inside the Devouring Beast and resisted her soul-enslaving power.
• Tang Qi tore Queen Goluna from her throne and split her upper and lower body apart.
• With tendrils closing in again, Tang Qi contacted the Furnace and began the Furnace Sacrifice using Queen Goluna.

Tang Qi fought his way through the Devouring Beast’s digestive system, sacrificing divine monsters to the Master of the Furnace and gathering nine Sun Merit. As the Devouring Beast unleashed a flood of Devouring Pythons, Tang Qi sensed he was near its core and had to decide whether to press onward.

• Tang Qi sacrificed Queen Goluna and received half a Sun Merit, then continued through the Devouring Beast with his pets to search for divine prey.
• Tang Qi overcame the Apostle of Desire’s alluring treasure and sacrificed the creature while Chadwick Morgan struck the Devouring Beast with a Thunder Spear, forcing it to vomit out its tentacles.
• Tang Qi sacrificed the Daughter of Marius after a prolonged fight, leaving him exhausted inside the Devouring Beast.
• The Devouring Beast snapped its mouth shut, severing hundreds of thousands of its tentacles, which became Devouring Pythons and surged toward Tang Qi.
• Tang Qi counted nine Sun Merit and sensed that he was extremely close to the Devouring Beast’s core, then considered whether to risk going farther.

Tang Qi escaped the Devouring Beast’s tentacle flood when a Federation General struck the creature with a giant’s Metal Glove, then found himself in its Sea of Rot. He uncovered evidence that the beast was an experiment by the Witztonian Engineers and unleashed three Cores of the Sun, which began annihilating its insides.

• A Federation General put on a giant Metal Glove and punched the Devouring Beast, forcing it to vomit corpses and tentacles before the Black elder rescued the injured general.
• The Devouring Beast’s convulsions sent Tang Qi and the three little ones sliding into its stomach, where Tang Qi discovered a contaminated Sea of Rot.
• Tang Qi spotted a Divinity Crystal fed by the beast’s flesh and power, and read an inscription identifying it as Experiment Subject No. 26, a juvenile Devouring Beast fused with a human by the Witztonian Engineers.
• As the Sea of Rot turned against him, Tang Qi used flame and levitation to reach the Divinity Crystal and examine its conduits.
• Tang Qi exchanged for three Cores of the Sun and dropped them into the Sea of Rot, beginning a blast that erased the beast’s inner hell.

Tang Qi escaped the Devouring Beast as the three Core of the Suns detonated inside it, killing the monster and scattering its supernatural treasures. Afterward, Chadwick Morgan and Edward Clark invited him to join the Eagle's Nest Society, and Tang Qi accepted the Artisans while reserving his decision on the other roles.

• Tang Qi used his Furnace power to seize the Devouring Beast's Divinity Crystal and fled through its body with the three little fellows.
• Chadwick Morgan and Edward Clark activated the Transfer Gem and Mirror Space as the Devouring Beast swelled and threatened to explode.
• Tang Qi escaped through a gap in the Mirror Space moments before the Devouring Beast was destroyed by the three exploding Core of the Suns.
• The blast scattered supernatural curios, and Gluttony intercepted a strange hammer that Tang Qi kept rather than examining immediately.
• Tang Qi reunited with Rose Madeline and declined to claim the remaining spoils, then listened to invitations from the two Chairmen.
• Tang Qi agreed to join the Artisans but said he needed more time to consider becoming an Eagle Scholar or Sword Bearer.