Chapter Summaries

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.