Chapter Summaries

A colossal metal fleet arrived at the air harbor, where its flagship’s shield knocked the Advance into the water. Fang Zheng emerged from the flagship and greeted O'Glan, revealing that he had come to Golden Bay.

• O'Glan and the other nations’ fleets saw a giant metal battleship and its escorts descend toward the air harbor.
• The Holy Kingdom and Magical Nation fleets retreated, while the slower Advance was struck by the Hell Angel Class shield and fell into the water.
• Grand Knight Astor asked O'Glan where the fleet came from, but she did not know and suspected Fang Zheng might be involved.
• O'Glan, Astor, and the others hurried to the Dock as the Hell Angel Class finished docking.
• Fang Zheng stepped out of the flagship and greeted O'Glan, asking whether he was late.

Fang Zheng arrived at Golden Bay with Nymph, Hecate, the Cursed Children, and a fleet of enormous warships, shocking the gathered representatives. As he left with O'Glan, Aster took the fleet as proof that the Goddess's army had returned and ordered the Holy Temple to inform the Pope.

• Fang Zheng arrived at Golden Bay aboard a massive warship, accompanied by Nymph, Hecate, and the Cursed Children from the three academies.
• Fang Zheng greeted O'Glan and asked about the ceremony preparations and their accommodations.
• O'Glan led Fang Zheng and his group away from the crowded spaceport while representatives from other factions hurried to report the new force.
• Grand Knight Astor taunted Lieutenant General John about the Advance surviving the impact, and John left in anger.
• Aster concluded that Fang Zheng's fleet fulfilled the Holy Temple's predictions and ordered his attendant to tell the Pope that the Goddess's army had appeared again.

Heavenly Dao Palace’s arrival sparked rumors that Fang Zheng commanded a divine fleet, while Lieutenant General John rejected the idea and planned to challenge Fang Zheng during the ceremony. The chapter ended with a report that Fire Nation soldiers at the air harbor had clashed with the crew of a metal warship.

• People across Golden Bay speculated that Heavenly Dao Palace’s fleet belonged to the gods and linked it to Fang Zheng’s Holy Spirit Knight powers.
• Lieutenant General John dismissed the divine-fleet rumor and criticized the Wealth Nation’s Karon for seeking compensation.
• John ordered his subordinates to find a chance to challenge Fang Zheng during the ceremony.
• John decided to ask Master Kala to act, citing Fang Zheng’s alleged connection to Major General Mousse’s death.
• A pale-faced soldier reported that Fire Nation soldiers at the air harbor had clashed with people aboard a metal warship.

Aihara Enju and the other Cursed Children explored the air harbor, where Steven attacked one of them and the girls swiftly defeated his guards. Steven then called for Alfred and unleashed a sword strike at the children.

• Fang Zheng let the Cursed Children explore the air harbor while he was stationed in the new world.
• Steven brooded over the destruction of his warship and angrily kicked a girl after colliding with her.
• Aihara Enju stepped in to defend her companion and knocked Steven backward.
• Steven ordered his guards to arrest the girls, but the Cursed Children easily sent the soldiers flying.
• Steven called for Alfred and launched a flash of sword light toward the girls.

Aihara Enju fought Alfred after he demanded that she apologize to Lord Steven, then rejected Alfred’s offer to recruit her into Vanriel’s Claws of the Red Dragon. She left the crowd stunned by claiming that she and her companions were Chosen of God.

• Alfred defended Lord Steven’s behavior because he was a noble and demanded that Enju apologize, but Enju refused.
• Alfred attacked Enju, and she matched his Shining Sword in a rapid exchange before forcing him back with a powerful kick.
• Alfred admitted he had been rude and apologized, while Enju said that Cui was even stronger than she was.
• Alfred invited Enju to join Vanriel’s Claws of the Red Dragon and offered her noble status and resources, but she refused.
• Enju said she was content with Big Brother and that Sister Tilia had told them they were Chosen of God.

After Enju’s public duel with Alfred revealed the Cursed Children’s strength, Fang Zheng awaited the factions’ responses. Bishop Karl learned that the Holy City had granted his delegation first-level authority and decided the Holy Kingdom had to repair its relationship with Fang Zheng.

• Enju excitedly recounted her fight with Alfred, while Fang Zheng explained that he had let the Cursed Children go out to display their strength and deter hostile factions.
• Nymph reported that the observers following Fang Zheng’s group had left after seeing the children’s abilities.
• Bishop Karl told Grand Knight Astor that the Holy City had granted them first-level authority, though he regretted the Holy Temple’s past actions toward Fang Zheng.
• Bishop Karl reflected that some Holy City officials distrusted Fang Zheng and wanted to investigate the children, whom he recognized as the Chosen of God.
• Bishop Karl told Grand Knight Astor that the Holy Kingdom had to restore its relationship with Fang Zheng.

Douglas and Mary watched footage of the children fighting Alfred, and Douglas revealed that they all possessed linked energy fields. He planned to pursue contact with Fang Zheng to learn about the technology behind his warship, while suggesting Mary—or her sister Mistral—meet him.

• Douglas replayed the footage and joked about publishing it as an improvement to projected-image effects.
• Douglas pointed out that the blonde girl had protected the others during the fight, and told Mary that all the children possessed connected energy fields.
• Mary questioned Douglas about secretly investigating the children, but he defended his curiosity as a mage’s common failing.
• Douglas declared that the Magical Nation needed to learn from Fang Zheng’s warship and its technology.
• Douglas proposed introducing Mary to Fang Zheng, prompting her to punch him when he suggested she use her charm to secure his cooperation.
• Douglas said the Holy Temple also wanted ties with Fang Zheng and mentioned that Mary’s younger sister, Mistral, was eager to meet him.

O'Glan held Golden Bay's ceremony, where the Holy Kingdom celebrated its rise and the Fire Nation's loss of naval dominance. Afterward, Karon's representative demanded compensation for the Advance, and Lieutenant General John proposed settling the dispute through the Rite of Holy Judgment, which Fang Zheng accepted.

• O'Glan led a brief ceremony in Golden Bay, recounting its return to human hands and praising Fang Zheng.
• Grand Knight Astor praised Fang Zheng and the Holy Temple, then repeated the Holy Kingdom's commitment to protecting maritime trade, angering Lieutenant General John.
• O'Glan, Aster, and Fang Zheng symbolically tossed dirt to conclude the ceremony.
• Karon's representative demanded compensation from Fang Zheng for the Advance, which had been scrapped in a collision with his warship.
• Fang Zheng questioned whether the Advance's collision had been deliberate, drawing laughter from the gathered representatives.
• Lieutenant General John proposed using the Rite of Holy Judgment to settle the dispute, and Fang Zheng agreed.

Fang Zheng accepted a Rite of Holy Judgment against the Fire Nation and Wealth Nation, despite O'Glan's fears that his team was too inexperienced. He chose the Sea Fog Mental Model who answered his summons last to join the girls preparing to fight.

• O'Glan confronted Fang Zheng for accepting the Rite of Holy Judgment, but he said he did not want to waste time negotiating.
• O'Glan explained that the Rite included team and individual matches and warned that Fang Zheng's young companions could be badly hurt.
• Cui, Tina, Aihara Enju, and Xia Shi volunteered to fight for Fang Zheng.
• Fang Zheng contacted the Sea Fog Mental Models for help, considered Unicorn and Belfast, then chose the girl who arrived last.

Fang Zheng joined the Rite of Holy Judgment against the Fire Nation and the Wealth Nation, then negotiated the terms of the wager before agreeing to the ceremony. The four nations’ representatives prepared to open the sacred arbitration grounds, with John confident that his side would win.

• Aster worried that Fang Zheng had recklessly accepted the challenge, while Bishop Karl said Fang Zheng must be confident.
• Douglas Wygert, Carl D. Quinn, John Cliff, and Ante Doms each agreed on behalf of their nations to hold the Rite of Holy Judgment.
• Fang Zheng clarified that the Fire Nation and the Wealth Nation were both participants and proposed that each side grant one wish to the other if it lost.
• John Cliff and the Wealth Nation representative accepted Fang Zheng’s terms, believing their prepared trump card would ensure victory.
• Fang Zheng agreed on behalf of Heavenly Dao Palace to hold the Rite of Holy Judgment.

Fang Zheng and the other representatives set the Rite of Holy Judgment’s battlefield as a forested gorge for a Capture the Flag match. As the five girls appeared at their starting point, Xia Shi prepared to carry out Fang Zheng’s battle plan.

• Bishop Karl explained the rules, and Lieutenant General John won the coin toss and selected the battlefield.
• The arena became a forested gorge where the sides had thirty minutes to capture and hold the flag, with defeat also determined by annihilation or remaining numbers.
• The fat representative predicted an easy victory, but Lieutenant General John warned him not to underestimate Fang Zheng and the girls.
• Five girls appeared at their forest starting point, and Xia Shi said they would follow Fang Zheng’s battle plan.

The contestants were introduced before the Rite of Holy Judgment began, revealing formidable teams from Fire Nation and Wealth Nation alongside Fang Zheng’s five young-looking girls. Once the forest paths opened, Xia Shi led the girls into the woods while Alfred warned his team not to underestimate them, and both sides set off to begin the battle.

• The audience saw Fire Nation’s Alfred, Nosk Morningstar, Kess Vincent, and Wealth Nation’s Blood Blade and the New Moon Wolf Clan’s Alpha Wolf.
• Bishop Karl doubted that Fang Zheng’s team of five girls looked capable of matching the renowned fighters.
• Xia Shi ordered the girls to begin the operation, and they scattered into the forest shadows.
• Alfred split his team between two paths and warned them to treat the girls as opponents on their level.
• Alfred and Kess Vincent took the left path as the others moved along the right, beginning the forest battle.

Fang Zheng and Nymph watched Xia Shi and Enju test the Variable Wing System during the competition. After reaching the Stone Bridge, the girls encountered Alfred and two other opponents, and Enju attacked Alfred.

• Fang Zheng asked Nymph how long the competitors would last as they watched the footage, and Nymph hoped to collect combat data from the Variable Wing System.
• Nymph explained that Xia Shi, Senju Kayo, Tina, and Cui had been equipped with different systems she had created.
• Xia Shi activated the Variable Wing System, whose golden wings shed Light Feathers that enhanced senses and links while interfering with magic.
• Xia Shi and Enju used the wings to cross the forest quickly and arrived at the Stone Bridge.
• Alfred and two other competitors confronted Xia Shi and Enju, and Enju exchanged greetings with Alfred before attacking him.
• Enju dodged and countered Alfred's sword strikes, blasted a crater into the ground with her Psionic power, and charged at him again.

Xia Shi held off the red-armored warrior while Tina attacked the Half-elf ranger from long range with her Sniper Rifle. The ranger transformed into a Black Panther and fled into the jungle, but Tina locked onto him and fired a more powerful round.

• The red-armored warrior summoned flaming Dragon Wings and attacked Xia Shi, who blocked his flames and countered with Psionic lightning.
• The Half-elf ranger tried to ambush Xia Shi, but a distant shot blasted him out of cover.
• The Half-elf ranger recognized the attacks as shots from a long-range weapon and dodged another blast that destroyed his boulder cover.
• The Half-elf ranger transformed into a Black Panther and raced into the jungle to escape.
• Tina loaded a red bullet into her Sniper Rifle, aimed at the forest, and fired Round Three.

The Half-elf ranger struggled to survive a relentless shelling while the spectators watched Fang Zheng’s children battle with far more experience and skill than expected. Xia Shi joined Enju’s fight and trapped Alfred and Vincent in a golden beam, leaving their fate unclear.

• The Half-elf ranger dodged explosive, penetrating, and incendiary shells as he tried to close in on his attacker.
• The spectators were shocked by the children’s combat prowess, while the narration explained that Xia Shi and the others had gained experience fighting Gastrea.
• Enju fought Alfred to a standstill, then ran away and left Xia Shi to block his sword attack.
• Xia Shi bound Alfred and Vincent with golden chains and fired the Apollo System’s beam at them.

The Half-elf Ranger tried to close the distance and defeat Tina, mistaking her long-range attacks for a fixed weapon's weakness. Tina revealed her true form and overwhelmed him with her crystals and Sniper Rifle, leaving the match with her victory.

• The Half-elf Ranger dodged Tina's Magic Cannonballs, then fired arrows at her position and charged closer when her barrage stopped.
• The Half-elf Ranger found a petite figure on a branch and struck it with his curved blades, only to realize it was an illusion.
• Tina appeared in midair with glowing wings and orbiting crystals, then used their beams to force the Half-elf Ranger to defend himself.
• A crystal struck the Half-elf Ranger's Magic Shield from behind, and Tina aimed her Sniper Rifle at him at close range.
• Tina fired, and the Half-elf Ranger lost consciousness.

The three contestants from Fire Nation were swiftly eliminated, and observers marveled at Tina’s weapon and Xia Shi’s extraordinary abilities. Bishop Karl decided to act against the Holy City’s leadership, believing Fang Zheng would support him because the Rite of Holy Judgment had been held for that purpose.

• Lieutenant General John and the other spectators watched in shock as Fire Nation’s three contestants were eliminated.
• Douglas praised Tina’s miniature Magic Cannon and discussed the possibility that it came from an Outer Plane.
• Aster and Bishop Karl analyzed how Xia Shi’s barrier and invisibility let her defeat the red-armored warrior.
• Bishop Karl told Grand Knight Astor that he had decided to confront those in the Holy City who clung to power and past glory.
• Bishop Karl said he believed Fang Zheng would agree because that was why he had approved the Rite of Holy Judgment.

After Fire Nation and Wealth Nation fell behind in the team match, Xia Shi, Enju, and Tina headed for the flag while a black-cloaked girl faced a Crescent Moon werewolf. The girl endured his attacks, then destroyed him with one spear strike, leaving the battle’s outcome still unresolved.

• Spectators judged Fire Nation and Wealth Nation’s team-match defeat nearly certain, while the fat Wealth Nation representative remained calm beside a grim Lieutenant General John.
• Xia Shi, Enju, and Tina regrouped and headed toward the hill where the flag stood.
• A Crescent Moon werewolf ambushed a black-cloaked girl on a narrow mountain path and repeatedly attacked her hexagonal shield.
• The werewolf shattered the girl’s shield, but his claws struck her body without harming her.
• The girl raised her spear and sent the werewolf flying through the forest, destroying trees before he stopped three hundred meters away.

The New Moon Wolfman used his regenerative bloodline to grow stronger whenever he suffered severe injuries, believing the silver-haired girl could not kill him. Fang Zheng changed the plan, and the girl ended the fight with a devastating cannon blast that overwhelmed the wolfman.

• Bishop Karl recognized that the New Moon Wolfman’s regeneration made him grow stronger and warned Fang Zheng through a voice-transmission spell.
• Fang Zheng changed the plan and communicated with Darkness.
• The New Moon Wolfman attacked the silver-haired girl, who severed his arm and pinned him to the ground with enormous transparent spears.
• The wolfman’s body grew stronger as it regenerated, but the girl summoned massive black cannon barrels and asked whether he wanted to die once.
• The girl fired a blazing blast that swallowed the New Moon Wolfman.

Fang Zheng’s side won the first match after Hecate used Void Imprisonment to kill Blood Blade and claim the flag. Fire Nation sent the legendary Dragon Slayer Kala into the second match, and Fang Zheng chose Hecate to face him.

• Fang Zheng explained that Darkness had defeated the werewolf with materialized ship weapons.
• Blood Blade tried to capture the flag but Hecate froze him with Void Imprisonment and cut him down.
• The arena announced Fang Zheng’s side as the winner of the first match.
• Lieutenant General John sent Master Kala to fight in the individual match.
• Kala revealed himself as the legendary Dragon Slayer who had slain Fire Demon Dragon Sabak.
• Fang Zheng told Hecate to represent The Pinnacle Seat in the second match.