Chapter Summaries

Ya Wen wrestled with her conscience over joining Frostplate’s invasion of Grant while speaking with Dai Sijia, who promised to support her choice. Their transport came under attack by an unidentified aerial force, and the chapter ended with it exploding before fighter support could arrive.

• Dai Sijia appeared beside Ya Wen and challenged her decision to go to war despite opposing the invasion.
• Ya Wen explained that she had joined the military to save her father and Frostplate, but admitted she felt complicit in harming the Grantians.
• Dai Sijia told Ya Wen she would support her as long as she followed her conscience and accepted the consequences.
• Ya Wen questioned whether loyalty to her homeland meant betraying her morals and compassion.
• An unidentified aerial force attacked the transports, destroying one aircraft and then blowing up Osprey before Ice Palace could send fighter support.

Li Aoz attacked a Frostplate transport formation and killed the pilots after stealing weapons from their aircraft. From their memories, he learned that Frostplate had built a temporary airfield along the border, which he planned to destroy.

• Magestone Squad was ordered to escort Frostplate transport planes, but Magestone One and Magestone Two mocked the Law Enforcement Division Four agents and delayed their approach.
• Unidentified attackers sliced through the transports, and Magestone One requested permission to use the Tactical Laser System, suspecting a Gamma Rank combatant.
• Li Aoz crashed into a transport, killed several agents, and took two Serpent anti-vehicle missile launchers from the armory.
• Li Aoz tore open the cockpit door and drained the two pilots, then crushed their purified souls to extract their memories.
• Li Aoz learned that Frostplate had a temporary airfield along the Frostplate-Grantian border and decided to destroy it.

Li Aoz survived a missile attack and entered an emergency mission that required him to shoot down two Frostplate pilots while saving them or destroy all Frostplate aircraft. Recognizing Yelivo and Magat as important figures, he charged into battle as they deployed drones and advanced fighter systems against him.

• A long-range missile destroyed Li Aoz's transport plane, and he escaped the explosion by flying out with his spoils.
• Li Aoz triggered the Sword of Azure Heaven event, which offered rewards for saving two attacking pilots or destroying every Frostplate aircraft.
• Li Aoz identified the attacking Z-11 pilots as Yelivo and Magat and decided they had to survive.
• Yelivo ordered Magat to deploy Loyal Wingman drones and prepare a TLS laser attack.
• Magat activated his Destruction-type energy and Hypersonic Mode, while Yelivo used optical camouflage to disappear.

Li Aoz fought Magat, Yelivo, and their Eaglet drones in an aerial battle, using gravity and fire to defeat their weapons and destroy the drone swarm. The two pilots released flares as Li Aoz pursued them, but he saw through the countermeasure.

• Magat attacked Li Aoz with missiles and twelve Eaglet drones, while Yelivo maneuvered behind him to prepare a tactical laser strike.
• Li Aoz used Gravity Turbulence to bend Yelivo’s laser and the drones’ fire away, then deflected Magat’s tactical laser as well.
• Yelivo and Magat pursued Li Aoz with crossfire, but Li Aoz abruptly stopped and made them overshoot.
• Li Aoz combined gravity, immortality, and ignition to charge through the drone swarm, overheat the drones, and trigger a chain of explosions.
• Magat and Yelivo attempted a high-G turn and released flares, but Li Aoz dismissed the countermeasure and runes appeared in his eyes.

Li Aoz used his gravity powers to capture Frostplate pilots Magat and Yelivo, rescuing them from the deadly Malefic Calamity clouds. After reflecting on why the pilots would become heroes in the future, he headed toward the Frostplate airfield to teach it a lesson, while the first closed beta player logged into Star Abyss.

• Li Aoz dodged eight missiles with a falling-leaf maneuver, then boarded Magat's fighter and forced him to eject.
• Li Aoz pursued Yelivo into the Malefic Calamity clouds, where entropy rapidly damaged the fighter and left Yelivo unconscious.
• Li Aoz pulled Yelivo and both fighters out of the clouds, transferred Yelivo to the working Vulture, and destroyed the ruined aircraft.
• Li Aoz left the captured pilots and fighters for Bermudes's soldiers, then took two aerial bombs and flew toward the Frostplate airfield.
• In a hospital in Grant, Private Second Class Lin Wenzhan woke after logging into Star Abyss as one of the first closed beta players.

Fifty Yanxia military players entered Azure Planet to aid Grant and test Frostplate’s forces, using their training and willingness to face death to infiltrate Domat. They destroyed the garrison camp and launched an attack on the town’s Law Enforcement Division Four Agents.

• A Yanxia officer gathered fifty military players at a Speria City hospital and ordered them to assist Grant while maintaining military discipline.
• The players collected basic weapons from a hidden stockpile, studied the enemy’s defenses, and drove toward Domat.
• The soldiers crossed Domat’s storm-covered outskirts, evaded sentries, and silently subdued two Frostplate patrolmen.
• Two infiltrators disguised themselves as Riot Control Force members, entered the garrison camp, and planted explosives in its armory.
• The infiltrators escaped before the explosives destroyed the camp, and the awakened Law Enforcement Division Four Agents were met with grenades thrown through the windows.

Yanxia military players captured Domat at great cost and reviewed their losses, concluding they needed better equipment and stronger characters. Liu Wenzhong reluctantly agreed to contact Li Aoz for help, while pursuing official support and remaining skeptical of individual power.

• A Law Enforcement Division Four Agent fought the military players but was overwhelmed by their disciplined, seemingly endless attacks and killed.
• The Yanxia soldiers captured Domat after losing fifteen players’ characters three times, then reviewed the heavy cost of their victory.
• Major Liu Wenzhong and his soldiers discussed improving their equipment and character levels, and a Qiqiao Network tester suggested they contact Li Aoz.
• Adjutant Zhao Xingzhe persuaded Liu Wenzhong to send a small group to assess Li Aoz, while Liu remained doubtful that a career mentor could help much.
• The soldiers learned Frostplate’s arms embargo barred artillery and anti-vehicle missiles, so Liu pursued an armed security company license and official assistance instead.

Liu Wenzhong’s soldiers discussed their mission, staffing shortages, and whether to trust Li Aoz, then sent three men to find him. They finally reached Li Aoz as he shot down a Frostplate aircraft and descended into a vast aircraft graveyard, leaving them ready to approach him.

• Liu Wenzhong questioned whether the soldiers’ in-game work should count toward their hours and argued that they needed more personnel and a mercenary license.
• Liu Wenzhong warned his officers to keep some distance from Li Aoz until they understood his background, though they agreed they needed to contact him and seek ways to improve their abilities.
• Wa Liangke, Yakesi, and Mohad Lin pursued Li Aoz across long distances, endured injuries and danger, and arrived at his latest location in a captured truck.
• The three soldiers found Grantian farmers gathering valuable wreckage in a ravine filled with Frostplate aircraft that had been shot down before reaching Grant.
• Li Aoz destroyed another Frostplate transport plane, descended in his red-and-black armor as the farmers cheered, and was recognized by Wa Liangke, Yakesi, and Mohad Lin.

After destroying Frostplate Devil aircraft, Li Aoz earned the Grant villagers’ admiration and met three military players seeking his guidance. Their request activated the new Path system, making Li Aoz the founder of Azure Planet’s Overlord Class Path and opening a broader route for his followers to grow alongside him.

• Li Aoz landed, ended his Overlord transformation, and traded captured supplies for food while the villagers praised him as Bahamut.
• The villagers welcomed Li Aoz and scavenged the aircraft wreckage, while Wa Liangke, Yakesi, and Mohade recognized his strength and good character.
• Wa Liangke asked Li Aoz to teach him the supreme Overlord Path, prompting a system message that identified him as a player seeking that Path.
• Li Aoz realized the Path system made him Azure Planet’s Overlord Class representative, able to influence and guide every Mutant pursuing that route.
• Li Aoz resolved to give Overlord followers a clearer path to advancement, and learned that his own advanced class would become Astral Echoer rather than Echoer.

Li Aoz recruited three military players into the Mutant pathway and assigned them paid work to build favor and help train the Grantians. As he prepared to move his Biochemical Pool, he learned that Pioneer N4 of Nethermark Heavy Industries had come looking for him, prompting him to raise his guard.

• Li Aoz warned the three military players about the risks of mutation, then offered them the Mutant pathway and a chance to repay the cost of DM-101 through labor.
• The three soldiers accepted Li Aoz's tasks, and he arranged for them to transport aircraft components and later teach the Grantians to use weapons.
• Li Aoz flew to Triangle Town to retrieve his Biochemical Pool after dealing with Frostplate's air force.
• The soldiers reported the training tasks to their superiors and worked enthusiastically, while their contact with the Grantians deepened their hostility toward Frostplate.
• Auckland Lord told Li Aoz that a Frostplate woman from Nethermark Heavy Industries had arrived and called herself N4, prompting Li Aoz to recognize her as Pioneer and recall her betrayal of the players and Azure Planet People.

Li Aoz met N4, the Nethermark Pioneer, and resisted her attempt to charm and manipulate him. He confronted her about the Professor’s death and pressed her to trust him, leaving their true intentions unresolved.

• Li Aoz entered the conference room with the Auckland Lord and met N4, a powerful biochemist and the Professor’s teacher.
• N4 used her Charm on Li Aoz, but his Arbitrary Rule specialty let him resist the effect.
• Li Aoz countered N4’s advances with his own Charm and tried to get her to speak openly by calling her family.
• N4 tried to entice Li Aoz with coffee and a promise to give him everything for the day.
• Li Aoz brought up the Professor’s death and told N4 he knew she was dangerous but had chosen to trust her.

Li Aoz struggled to resist N4’s persuasive attempt to recruit him into Nethermark Heavy Industries, while weighing the company’s scientific achievements against its atrocities. Riku Kurama then invited him to the Nine Dragons Gathering, offering the chance to obtain two Timeless Masterpiece weapons.

• N4 praised Li Aoz’s abilities and urged him to join Nethermark Heavy Industries, arguing that his power could advance science and help humanity face Malefic Calamity.
• Li Aoz considered N4’s morally indifferent pursuit of science, Nethermark Heavy Industries’ many beneficial technologies, and the immense number of people harmed by its experiments.
• Li Aoz weighed his need to shut down Nethermark Humanity’s laboratories against the possibility of working with N4.
• Riku Kurama arrived with an invitation from the Hojo Conglomerate for Li Aoz to attend the Nine Dragons Gathering and view the legendary blade Passing Shadow Edge.
• Li Aoz recognized the invitation as his chance to obtain Cloud-Cutter and another Timeless Masterpiece sword.

Li Aoz purified his body of dormant biochemical parasites, then decided to go to space after acquiring two weapons in Sky Ring and preparing to recruit N4 or eliminate her if necessary. On his return to Gulanter, he deliberately entered Frostplate airspace, prompting its commander to fire two missiles at him.

• A Sky Ring warrior's invitation gave Li Aoz a chance to dismiss N4, and he flew into the Outland to burn away twenty-nine dormant biochemical parasites before restoring his health with Blood of Immortality.
• Li Aoz concluded that N4 was too dangerous to leave unchecked and planned to win her over, while deciding to visit Sky Ring for two Timeless Masterpiece weapons before heading into space.
• He checked the Biochemical Pool's supply of DM-101, injected himself, and considered selling the current stock before announcing an upgraded version or renting a laboratory at the Red Arrow Royal Medical Academy.
• Li Aoz carried the Biochemical Pool toward Gulanter, where Frostplate's Air Force detected him but did not dare confront him directly.
• After Li Aoz deliberately crossed into Frostplate airspace, Alan Macdonald ordered two White Bird-11 missiles launched, though the Air Force could only watch him continue flying.

Li Aoz crossed into Frostplate and exposed the weakness of Medvi’s government, while his attacks stirred public anger and reflection. Medvi responded by threatening to purge the Air Force, prompting her officials to warn that she would cripple the military.

• Frostplate’s Air Force reeled from Li Aoz’s destruction of its aircraft, and its command warned Medvi that it would bomb Gemini Palace if she sent it against him again.
• As Frostplate’s citizens criticized Medvi and the Air Force for allowing Li Aoz to cross their airspace, Li Aoz demolished statues and left slogans condemning the government in several cities.
• The destruction and slogans made Frostplate’s citizens consider the fear and devastation caused by their own air raids on other nations.
• After Li Aoz departed, Medvi ordered daily Air Force patrols, demanded that pilots lose control of drones, and accused them of treason.
• Medvi ordered Governor Leliel Nanhu and Law Enforcement Division Four Agency to investigate the Air Force, but her secretary and other officials warned that the move could provoke a strike and damage Frostplate’s military.

President Medvi ordered a crackdown on the Air Force and discussed eliminating Li Aoz, whom she viewed as a threat to Frostplate. She and Frost planned to frame him at the Heavenly Ring People’s Nine Dragons Gathering, despite Law Enforcement Division Three’s repeated failures against him.

• Medvi ordered Blizzard placed on standby and threatened the Air Force with another attack if it showed signs of betrayal.
• Minister Rosata denounced Medvi, resigned, and left Gemini Palace; Medvi dismissed her as a potential traitor.
• Medvi questioned Frost about Dai Weilin and Li Aoz, deciding Dai could be useful while Li Aoz had to die.
• Frost proposed exploiting the Nine Dragons Gathering to make the Heavenly Ring People hate Li Aoz by framing him for stealing treasures.
• Medvi said Law Enforcement Division Three would fabricate charges against Li Aoz, though Frost remembered the division had failed every mission against him.

Ya Wen survived a crash in the Outland but discovered that the Malefic Calamity was infecting her, and she set off to find a professional who could help her. Meanwhile, Li Aoz weakened Frostplate’s hold over its military and supplied Grant with Aura Awakening Potions, earning the title Vasha Bahamut before proposing a university named Qiu Ran.

• Ya Wen cut herself free from her parachute, found her weapons ruined, and coughed up red-and-black matter as blotches spread through her eyes; she recognized the infection as Malefic Calamity and headed south to find a professional, with Dai Sijia following.
• Li Aoz assessed how Frostplate’s failed air response had undermined Medvi’s authority and could strengthen Dai Weilin’s support among the military.
• Li Aoz delivered two crates of Aura Awakening Potions to Sisron, who accepted them as a way to improve Grantian soldiers’ strength and survival.
• Sisron promised that Grant would repay Li Aoz, and the Grant Republic’s favorability toward him rose as he gained the title Vasha Bahamut.
• Li Aoz saw the bombed school ruins and suggested that Grant build a university after the war, proposing the name Qiu Ran University.

Li Aoz selected Eye of Truth as the priority Aoneng for new Pathway practitioners and visited Wa Liangke, whose awakening had proven its value in combat. After the soldiers praised the ability and sought to buy the awakening agent, Li Aoz offered to temporarily lend them his own Aoneng.

• Li Aoz visited Alexia at Battlefield Hospital and saw her advise Grantian officials on rebuilding industry and uniting their people.
• The Pathway System announced that its first practitioner had emerged, and Li Aoz set Eye of Truth as the priority Aoneng with a 60% awakening probability.
• Li Aoz followed the system beacon to an abandoned factory, where he met Wa Liangke and congratulated him on awakening Eye of Truth.
• Liu Wenzhong described how Wa Liangke had defeated twelve soldiers in nineteen seconds using the ability and discussed cooperation with Li Aoz.
• Li Aoz explained the limits of DM-101 Aura Agent, then offered to temporarily lend his own Aoneng.

Li Aoz offered to lease Aoneng to the military players, presenting it as a costly sacrifice despite the benefits it would bring him. The players were moved by his apparent generosity and left eager to prove themselves.

• Li Aoz planned to lease out his idle Aoneng so others could raise its development level and provide him with a long-term income.
• Li Aoz showed the players a trade panel offering leased Eye of Truth, and Liu Wenzhong and the officers praised its usefulness and affordable cost.
• The players discovered they needed at least 100 Favorability with Li Aoz to lease Aoneng, a requirement they could not currently meet.
• Liu Wenzhong admitted the group lacked the Favorability to lease Aoneng, and Li Aoz pretended that lending it would harm his combat ability.
• Li Aoz made an exception, offered the players a chance to work off their costs through Sisron, and left while the players interpreted his words as selfless concern.

Li Aoz considered how to grow his Starcaller Path by nurturing players, selling them resources, and turning their advancement into a cycle that strengthened him. As he flew toward the Sky Ring, a young man in Nura City suddenly moved after being knocked unconscious.

• Li Aoz implanted Aoneng into forty-seven players and sold them twenty Mutation Inducing Agents at a discount, earning 94,000 experience points and 200,000 Derby.
• Li Aoz compared his approach to raising pigs and concluded that nurturing players into stronger Starcallers would bring more lasting benefits than harvesting quick profits.
• Li Aoz reasoned that a large Path could attract powerful individuals through mutual benefit, while even formidable individuals could not overcome a society acting as a collective force.
• Li Aoz decided to expand the Starcaller Path rather than compete for crowded Path Sovereign positions, then flew toward the Sky Ring.
• In Nura City's District 12, a young man lying unconscious in a dark street corner suddenly tilted his head.

Caramel Snail learned about Saga Akira’s troubled past and tried to navigate Nura City as a street punk, hoping to level up before the closed beta ended. After cursing out the friends who abandoned Saga Akira, he triggered a side quest.

• Caramel Snail checked his character information and found that he had entered the game as Saga Akira, a Level 2 street punk.
• After boasting online that he would challenge the professional players, Caramel Snail received a challenge from XXG Chicken Cutlet and regretted speaking up.
• Caramel Snail reviewed Saga Akira’s history of abuse, bullying, and life on the streets, and decided the street-punk identity would help him fight and level up.
• Caramel Snail activated Disguise Mode and called Saga Akira’s friends, who mocked him for being beaten after they fled.
• Caramel Snail cursed out the friends, stunned them with his profanity, and triggered the side quest “Teach the Cowards a Lesson.”