Recaps

Caroso gathered the Church of the God of Wisdom, the Blazing God of War Church, and his father Osiris to help expose the Goddess of Dawn Church’s corruption and advance his plans for change. He revealed that he was struggling to keep from becoming a god, leaving Osiris stunned.

• Caroso and Bai secretly watched a middle-aged man and his secretary making out, while Caroso photographed them for his campaign against the nobles.
• Caroso gave Jesta Hines evidence of the Goddess of Dawn Church’s corruption and secured the Church of the God of Wisdom’s help in spreading it.
• Caroso convinced Krosh Mohan that he remained a believer of the Blazing God of War and obtained the Blazing God of War Church’s support for releasing the evidence.
• Caroso told Osiris about his plans to redirect high-tier professionals from war and weaken the aristocratic system, and Osiris pledged support from the Azure Wolf Province’s dark ops.
• Caroso told Osiris that he might not last ten years because he was getting too close to becoming a god, shocking his father.

The Pope struggled to find Caroso as the Goddess of Dawn Church’s troubles multiplied, then heard what seemed to be the Goddess’s rebuke. Celica challenged the Church’s judges over its accusations and admitted fault for repeating its flawed investigations, but rejected blame for rumors about Caroso.

• The Pope demanded that the Prophet find Caroso within five days, while Ivan Trump and Hercules urged him to focus on Caroso.
• The Pope heard an illusory voice say the Church’s problems came from its own corruption, and he believed he had heard the Goddess of Dawn.
• The chief judge accused Celica of damaging the Church’s reputation, and Celica broke her handcuffs and confronted the judges over their failed internal inspections.
• Celica admitted she had been foolish to trust the investigation results and pleaded guilty to speaking without investigating for herself.
• When the chief judge accused her of telling citizens about the Divine Radiance of Dawn and defending Caroso, Celica questioned whether he was a cultist.
• Celica conceded her own punishment but demanded that the Church find whoever had spread rumors instead of blaming her.

Donald and Isli discussed sending troops to restore order as scandals destabilized the major powers, but fabricated news and leaked evidence made intervention politically dangerous. Donald suspected an unseen force was targeting the Ig Empire next, though it had not yet exposed any scandal there.

• Donald proposed that the Ig Empire reinforce the Pander Empire while Isli sent troops to the Azure Wolf Province, but Isli refused and the Nordo Empire called for negotiations.
• Donald learned that reports had exposed the Nordo Empire’s human experiments and organ trafficking, triggering panic and defections across its middle ranks.
• A spliced video made it appear that Donald had vowed to send troops to Nordo, so he ordered the Ig Empire to deny the claims and emphasize its commitment to peace.
• Leaked reports revealed that Pander nobles had staged battles and auctioned knights, deepening the empire’s crisis as Ailin prepared to march on Lion Heart City.
• Donald realized that the Ig Empire’s lack of exposed scandals could make others suspect it had helped engineer the revelations, and he dismissed his secretary to think.

Caroso explained to Bai how his own laws could let him become a god while leaving behind a shadow in the world, and reassured her that he might still return to the continent. He and Bai then set out for Ailin’s place to help bring down the Pander Empire.

• Bai asked Caroso whether he was truly about to become a god, and he described how his experiences and exploration of the Mirror World had brought him to the threshold.
• Caroso explained that he would cast out laws he had taken from others when he became a god, while the rejected laws could attach to souls and become new life.
• Caroso told Bai that mental fragments could remain in a statue as a limited avatar, and Bai feared that his ascension would force them to part.
• Caroso reassured Bai that his Law of the Mirror World might let him return from beyond the world barrier, and promised to look for a way to take her with him.
• Caroso said they were going to Ailin’s place to cripple the Pander Empire, and Bai teased him for bringing up another woman during their romantic moment.

Caroso and Bai returned to the Pander Empire and found Krumen running a thriving electrical appliance business. Caroso appeared in her office after overhearing her ruthless business plans, and Krumen misread his stealthy arrival as something much more intimate.

• Caroso and Bai went to Kolia Electrical Appliance Mall and saw its busy storefront selling mechanical goods and electrical appliances.
• Caroso and Bai entered Krumen's office unseen and heard her promise a nobleman that she would get goods through Teresa's blockade of Laria Port.
• Krumen told the nobleman to exploit workers, shift blame if the government banned machinery, and flee to the Ig Empire if necessary.
• After the nobleman left, Caroso dismissed his Rogue's Stealth and revealed himself to Krumen.
• Krumen wondered whether Caroso had watched her bathe or done more without her noticing, then called him bad.

Caroso questioned Krumen about how he continued doing business in the Pander Empire. Krumen explained that a noble had agreed to a deal after discovering his sales, while the young master's troops pressured Laria.

• Caroso asked Krumen what was going on.
• Krumen said he had continued doing business normally.
• Caroso asked how the Pander Empire had accepted the machinery so easily.
• Krumen explained that residents began buying the appliances in secret, and that he negotiated a deal with a noble after they were discovered.

Kazan’s forces fought the Perus Kingdom as their artillery and aircraft battled enemy mages and anti-aircraft guns. Caroso arrived with Bai and shattered the enemy’s magic arrays with one blade strike, leaving Perus’s army on the verge of defeat.

• Kazan sent the suicide squad forward and ordered fighter planes and bombers to attack the enemy.
• After Andre ran out of mana, Rayne sent the Mage Corps into battle, and enemy mages summoned a thunderstorm against the aircraft.
• Kazan ordered the bombers to drop their payloads despite the danger from enemy magic.
• Caroso arrived in the sky with Bai and turned back the lightning, lifting the Azure Wolf Province’s morale as enemy soldiers began to flee.
• Caroso used his ancestral blade to destroy the magic arrays protecting twelve divisions and the fortress, then Kazan ordered his forces to charge.

Caroso moved the battle to the edge of the Sea of Taboo, where the world’s Tier 9s gathered to kill him amid spreading revolutions and political upheaval. As Caroso waited for them, Messiah, the Goddess of Dawn, and the Lord of Eternal Life watched from a ship, and the Goddess of Dawn believed his only chance was to become a god in battle.

• Caroso escaped to the edge of the Sea of Taboo with Bai and prepared to face the pursuing Tier 9s there.
• The Prophet located Caroso, and Ivan gathered the available Tier 9s, who planned to defeat him before addressing the world’s growing unrest.
• Celica questioned the gathered powers’ hypocrisy about the law restricting Tier 9s from fighting, while the Pope suggested they might not need to intervene.
• Messiah and the Goddess of Dawn watched Caroso from a ship inside the Sea of Taboo, and the Goddess of Dawn said he might survive by becoming a god.
• The Lord of Eternal Life appeared beside Messiah and the Goddess of Dawn, explaining that his shadow could watch because one of his severed hands was in the sea.

Messiah lamented that he could not obtain the Law of Death or use the origin power others had intercepted. Surtur appeared as the others reacted nervously, and the chapter ended as she began to speak.

• Messiah said he had become a god through dreams and had no physical body when he might have obtained the Law of Death.
• Messiah said becoming a god left him no chance to use the origin power others had intercepted.
• Surtur appeared and asked why everyone was acting as if she were scary.
• Surtur began to remind the others that she was the one who had divided something.

Caroso confronted the Pope over the Church’s corruption and excessive power. The Pope admitted that his oversight had been lax.

• Caroso refused to surrender despite admiring the Pope and Archbishop Celica.
• Caroso said he hated the Church for straying from its purpose of inspiring faith and worship of the gods.
• Caroso criticized the Church for meddling in too many affairs and wielding too much power.
• Caroso condemned clergymen’s relatives for using their connections to lord it over others.
• The Pope acknowledged that his oversight had been lax.

Caroso survived the God Slaying Array and faced the gathered Tier 9 powerhouses, who prepared to attack him again. He summoned a powerful, older version of himself as his support, leaving the battle poised to begin.

• Hercules and the others believed Caroso and Bai had died in the God Slaying Array, while Kong and Elizabeth rushed toward the battle and Nimel set out to help her brother.
• Caroso and Bai reappeared after Caroso escaped the array, shocking the assembled powerhouses.
• Caroso challenged the group to attack again as Tier 9 fighters and mages surrounded him.
• Caroso used his Mirror World Law to summon a support who looked like an older, more murderous version of himself.

Boss Caro summoned a copy of himself, astonishing the gathered fighters and gods, while the tier-nine forces prepared their formations and equipment. Thrall and the Pope boosted their allies with powerful support spells, leaving Celica, Baudis, and Anson empowered and ready to fight.

• Boss Caro summoned the Corrupted Card, whose magic reserves matched his own, and introduced Bai as his wife.
• The Corrupted Card questioned their marriage and agreed to fight beside Boss Caro as onlookers and gods debated how his ability worked.
• The tier-nine fighters formed up and used equipment cards while Thrall planted totems that greatly boosted everyone except the three Boss Caro individuals.
• The Pope cast Eternal Blazing Sun's Protection on Celica, Baudis, and Anson, giving them blazing wings and a major boost.
• The Pope urged Celica to demonstrate her swordsmanship, but Celica said she was a priest who carried only healing cards.

The Pope questioned Celica’s ability to serve as a priest despite her ninth-rank status and formidable swordsmanship. He was especially unsettled that she had brought only Healing Cards, leaving him unsure whether she could use them.

• Celica was identified as a ninth-rank priest, though her masterful swordsmanship made her seem anything but one.
• The Pope asked Celica whether she had ever used the Healing Cards she brought.
• The Pope remained speechless and questioned how deeply Celica’s rebellious streak ran.
• The Pope wondered whether Celica could use the Healing Cards at all.

The Corrupted Card used Warrior's Battlefield and the Law of Extraction to hold Hercules and his allies off, while Caroso attacked Ivan and drew several enemy fighters into a chaotic battle. Caroso countered their spells and attacks, but Sakaski and Julia Ishit continued to pressure him.

• The Corrupted Card blocked attacks from Hercules, Xulos, and two Knights, then activated Warrior's Battlefield and drew power from the Sea of Taboo.
• Hercules recognized the Law of Extraction and ordered his allies to kill the Corrupted Card, but Thunder Summoning Balls interrupted their assault as the Corrupted Card recovered.
• Caroso split from the Corrupted Card and appeared above Ivan, striking Dief the Hunter's Drainage Shield without breaking through it.
• Guldan used Death Coil to drain Caroso's life force, but Caroso cut the spell's death line and injured Guldan by tracing the magic back to its source.
• Julia Ishit attacked Caroso with a lightning whip while Sakaski charged him with Ultimate Martial Tyrant Fist, and Caroso blocked Sakaski's successive punches despite being wounded.

Sakaski and another ninth-rank fighter struggled to keep up with Caroso, who avoided Sakaski’s final punch using the laws of the Mirror World. Sakaski was restored by a beam of healing light after spitting blood.

• Caroso found the two ninth-rank fighters far slower than him and largely dismissed their attacks.
• Sakaski threw his final punch at Caroso.
• Caroso shifted aside using the laws of the Mirror World, causing Sakaski’s punch to miss.
• Sakaski spat out blood, then received healing light that restored his magic power and blood energy.

Caroso and his allies battled Ivan’s group as Ivan unleashed a devastating attack aimed at Elizabeth. The Corrupted Card intercepted it and killed Thrall with a suicidal strike, then dissolved into blood over the Sea of Taboo.

• Joseph restrained Kong and Caroso with Arcane Chains while Caroso burned through the chains and prepared to attack Ivan.
• Sakaski, Stan Ishit, and Joseph unleashed powerful cards against Caroso, but his slash shattered their attacks and badly injured Sakaski and Stan Ishit.
• Ivan redirected his magic toward Elizabeth, and the Pope augmented it with the Eternal Blazing Sun’s power as Bai tried to intervene.
• Caroso rushed toward Ivan after hearing a voice, while the Corrupted Card emerged from the shattered Warrior’s Battlefield and moved to protect Elizabeth.
• The Corrupted Card pierced Ivan’s attack with Desperate Strike, killed Thrall, and turned into a rain of blood over the Sea of Taboo.

Caroso continued fighting after Corrupted Card died, using Nimel’s power to restore his strength and overwhelm the attackers. Joseph persuaded the alliance to make one final attempt, and the Pope restored their condition as they formed ranks against Caroso.

• Caroso concealed his grief over Corrupted Card’s death and decided to keep fighting until he had crippled the world’s Tier 9s.
• Minette attacked Caroso, but he killed Dief; Stan Ishit then charged while the Pope cast Shelter of Dawn on him.
• Caroso drew on Nimel’s power from afar and struck Stan Ishit back, leaving the attackers close to despair.
• Joseph urged the alliance to stand together for one last chance to kill Caroso, warning that retreat would leave them vulnerable to him and Minette.
• The Pope ordered everyone to reform their ranks and used a card to restore their condition.

Celica turned against the Goddess of Dawn Church but refused to join Caroso, choosing neutrality because she opposed both the Church’s corruption and Caroso’s violation of absolute law. As the battle resumed and Caroso persuaded several opponents to hold back, Nimel appeared to avenge her brother, while Julia Ishit offered the Pander Empire’s support to Ailin.

• Celica drew the Sword of Dawn on the Pope, denounced the Church’s corruption, and rejected his offer to return, but then chose to remain neutral rather than aid Caroso.
• Caroso challenged Joseph’s claim that the coalition would stay united, sowing doubts among Xulos, Norma, and Guldan about continuing the fight.
• Hercules attacked Caroso, the Pope restored Hercules’s severed arm, and Anson and Baudis joined the battle as Elizabeth, Blank, and Minette supported Caroso.
• Caroso warned the others that Minette would target them and urged them to step back; Norma and Guldan withdrew, while Julia Ishit stopped Stan from advancing.
• Nimel appeared above the battlefield and confronted Baudis, and Julia Ishit declared that the Pander Empire would help Ailin reclaim the glory of the King of Knights.

Nimel incapacitated Baudis with a spell, and Minette and Caroso killed Joseph as the opposing Tier 9s hesitated to fight. Hercules refused to retreat because he feared losing his chance to become a god, so Caroso accepted his life-or-death challenge and struck him from behind as their duel began.

• Nimel used Frost Finger to overwhelm Baudis with the God of Wisdom's knowledge, leaving her brain-dead, and warned the Pope not to act.
• Joseph used Mind Storm to push the others forward, but Minette assassinated him while Caroso distracted Hercules.
• Caroso warned Sakaski that pursuing Minette would doom his country, and the remaining opponents held back.
• Hercules rejected Xulos's pleas to retreat, explaining that he needed to fight Caroso to preserve his hope of becoming a god.
• Caroso accepted Hercules's life-or-death challenge, and after their blades clashed, Caroso appeared behind Hercules and pierced his neck.

Caroso spared Hercules's soul from annihilation and sent it through a spatial gate into the Nether Sea, while keeping Hercules's corpse. Xulos struggled to accept how quickly Caroso had killed his uncle.

• Caroso opened a spatial gate and sent Hercules's soul into the Nether Sea.
• Caroso held Hercules's corpse in his arms.
• Xulos watched Hercules die and struggled to accept that Caroso had killed him so easily.

Nimel confronted Bai over Caroso, whom she believed Bai had taken from her. Elizabeth asked Bai to speak with her and Nimel privately, leaving Caroso behind.

• Nimel stood before Caroso and accused Bai of stealing him away.
• Bai said Caroso had come willingly, and Caroso confirmed it with some guilt.
• Elizabeth asked Bai to talk with her and Nimel without Caroso.
• Bai agreed, and the three left Caroso behind.

Emmanuelle Yixite stood outside the royal capital after the Pander Empire arrived, no longer dressed as king, while Ailin confronted him. Ailin questioned his attempt to kill her and said his attack using the rebels as an excuse had driven more people to join her.

• The Pander Empire was the first to reach the royal capital.
• Emmanuelle Yixite stood outside the city gates in noble attire, carrying the King's robes, the crown, and the Sword of Victory and Oath.
• Emmanuelle sighed and told Ailin that she had still come back.
• Ailin asked why Emmanuelle had not used more legitimate means if he wanted her dead.
• Ailin said Emmanuelle's attack on her forces, blamed on the rebels, had led more people to join her.

Two months later, Caroso held his wedding in Morning Star City, with Osiris Kolia and Minette officiating. The chapter leaves the ceremony underway amid a crowd of prominent guests from every nation.

• Caroso's wedding took place in Morning Star City, Azure Wolf Province.
• Osiris Kolia and Minette served as the officiants instead of church representatives or Nimel.
• Osiris and Minette had become a couple, though neither planned to marry.
• Minette wanted to spend more time with Osiris, who had grown old while she belonged to a long-lived race.
• Prominent figures from every nation attended the wedding.