Chapter Summaries

Ronan followed Schubert's Marvelous Mystery Box toward the Mechanical Heart Ruins and encountered an astonishingly resilient mechanical goat. After capturing it, he discovered it wore a Dawn Rank metal collar and bore a tag identifying it as a gift to Barbiea Gabriella Gold Beard.

• Ronan examined the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent's strength and his altered Tundra Frozen Earth rune before following the mystery box's turning gears across the wilderness.
• Ronan spotted a metallic Short-legged Gray Goat whose intricate mechanisms and Rune Arrays impressed him, but it escaped the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent's freezing breath.
• Ronan pursued the goat and trapped it with spatial stasis, but its struggle began cracking the binding mirror.
• Ronan seized the goat by the neck, forcing it to submit, and examined its spell-resistant construction.
• Ronan found a golden collar carrying immense metal and fire energy, recognized it as Dawn Rank material, and read the tag naming it Dordor Short Tail III, a gift to Barbiea Gabriella Gold Beard.

Ronan entered the Mechanical Heart Ruins, defeated a metal elemental lifeform, and discovered Dordor Short Tail III could locate Schubert's Marvelous Mystery Boxes. The goat led him to a metal magic box inside a sealed building, where something large was approaching.

• Ronan learned that the tame metal puppet goat was named Dordor Short Tail III, fed it metal, and discovered it was drawn to his golden gear.
• The mystery box opened an ancient, dwarf-sized entrance to the Mechanical Heart Ruins, where a metal elemental lifeform attacked Ronan.
• Ronan defeated the elemental lifeform, sealed its corroded core, and surveyed the vast, abandoned dwarven city-state.
• Ronan used the golden gear to search for more mystery boxes, then offered Dordor Short Tail III a chance to eat one if it could lead him to others.
• Dordor Short Tail III led Ronan to a hemispherical metal building, emerged with a magic box, and fled as heavy footsteps approached from inside.

Ronan explored the Mechanical Heart with Dodol III, opening Marvelous Mystery Boxes and uncovering Stele Tower records about the dwarves’ Thunder and Flame Hammer. The plaza collapsed and revealed a gigantic, living Mystery Box with golden dwarf legs, while Dodol III proudly claimed credit for finding it.

• Ronan escaped the headless Metal Puppet, found its missing head, and used Mirror Soul to summon a metal spell puppet to guard him.
• Ronan opened a Mystery Box containing a potent invisibility potion, then continued searching with Dodol III and found several boxes with trivial or strange contents, including Arcane Divination.
• Dodol III led Ronan to a vast plaza beneath a golden dwarf statue, where Ronan examined Stele Towers depicting dwarven forging rituals and a powerful hammer sealed in a Mystery Box.
• Ronan inferred that Schubert had helped the dwarves make countless Wonder Boxes to hide the real box containing the Thunder and Flame Hammer, and he tried to collect the Stele Towers for their clues.
• The plaza violently collapsed, revealing a gigantic black metal cube with golden dwarf legs that stood up and walked toward Ronan as Dodol III bleated proudly in his arms.

Ronan fled the awakened giant magic box and the Mechanical Heart’s rampaging machines, then found four wizards fighting for their lives. He rescued the protected young witch, Grace, and greeted her after a long separation.

• Ronan escaped the giant magic box as the Mechanical Heart’s ruins, puppets, and metal Elemental Lifeforms erupted into chaos.
• Ronan followed unfamiliar spell fluctuations and found three Third Level Wizards protecting a Second Level Wizard named Grace.
• Donny used a scroll to clear a path while the Silver-Haired Witch and another wizard tried to escort Grace away from the battle.
• A swarm of puppet insects and flying metal blades threatened the group, leaving Grace exposed as she fled.
• Ronan shielded Grace from the blades with an Umbrella of Living Steel, adjusted her Crystal Glasses, and greeted her by name.

Ronan rescued Grace and reunited with his old friend, only to clash with Donny, one of her Life Royal Court guards. When a swarm of winged magic boxes emerged beside the giant box creature, Ronan spotted a golden one and pursued it, but suspected it was a trap and stopped to watch Donny charge ahead.

• Ronan identified himself to Grace, captured the attacking metal blade discs, and learned that she was a Princess of the Life Royal Court.
• Grace joyfully recognized Ronan as an old friend, while Donny treated him with suspicion and demanded that he leave.
• The giant magic box creature arrived, and a swarm of winged magic boxes burst from beneath the ruined buildings.
• Ronan spotted a golden magic box and raced toward it, but slowed down after suspecting it was too conspicuous to contain the dwarves’ hidden treasure.
• Donny overtook Ronan and charged toward the swarm as the giant magic box creature showed signs of attacking him.

Ronan and Donny fought over the Golden Magic Box when Moriel, the Ash Witch, arrived and overwhelmed the battlefield with her terrifying fire. After Ronan rescued Grace and faced Moriel’s attacks, he trapped her inside a silver-white metal mirror.

• Donny used a light barrier and enchanted arrows to pursue the Golden Magic Box, but Ronan moved to intervene before Donny could claim it.
• Moriel’s crimson fire wave struck Donny and melted everything in its path, while Donny survived and fled in terror.
• The Silver-Haired Witch identified Moriel and warned Ronan that she was likely targeting Grace; Moriel appeared beside Grace and tormented her.
• Ronan pulled Grace away with a metal tentacle, then defended himself as Moriel vanished and attacked him with her flaming cane.
• Ronan let Moriel focus on his apparent vulnerability and secretly encased her in a silver-white mirror just as her cane swung at him.

Ronan used his Unparalleled Ice Seal Array to freeze Moriel’s Red Lotus Scepter, astonishing the Life Royal Court group, but the Golden Magic Box Monster intervened and helped the scepter break free. The chapter ended with Moriel and the monster striking Ronan from opposite sides, engulfing his defenses in crimson and gold.

• Ronan confronted Moriel and discovered that her Red Lotus Scepter’s heat melted his silver medium and overwhelmed his initial attack.
• Grace prepared to use a glowing white crystal, but the Silver-Haired Witch tried to lead her and the others away from the battle.
• Ronan formed the Unparalleled Ice Seal Array and trapped Moriel’s Red Lotus Scepter inside a chained ice sphere, temporarily extinguishing its flames.
• The Silver-Haired Witch decided to stay and help Ronan, while the Golden Magic Box Monster began moving toward the battlefield.
• The Golden Magic Box Monster kicked Ronan’s ice sphere apart as Moriel’s Red Lotus Scepter broke free, and their attacks struck Ronan from both sides.

Ronan and Moriel raced to seize the golden magic box, but its Golden Curse transformed the Mechanical Heart and turned them into statues. Moriel escaped the curse and left Ronan trapped with the box, then returned to Vivian and complained about Serena’s new toy.

• Ronan watched Moriel destroy the giant magic box monster and considered stealing the golden magic box while it was distracted.
• The Silver-Haired Witch offered Ronan escape and left him Communication Stones and spell scrolls before departing with Grace.
• Ronan attacked the winged black magic boxes, discovered they were fakes, and waited for Moriel to defeat the monster and reveal the golden magic box.
• Ronan and Moriel reached for the fleeing golden magic box, which released the Golden Curse and turned them, the city, and its inhabitants to gold.
• Moriel broke free of the curse, but could not approach the magic box without turning gold again; she gave it to the statue of the young man and left him trapped beneath the golden radiance.
• Moriel returned to Vivian, complained that Serena’s new toy was boring, and regretted not following Vivian’s suggestion to mark Serena’s face.

Ronan endured a powerful curse that threatened to turn him into gold and let the residual will of Ancient Frost Hydra Hecalto take control, until a dreamlike encounter with Schubert restored him. Schubert led him across a golden desert to the Golden City and welcomed him to Schubert's Golden Country.

• Moriel complained to Vivian about a vile creature she had encountered and left to ruin Princess Serena's plans.
• Ronan resisted the curse with his Vitality Orb and [Immaculate Body], but his body and consciousness continued to stiffen as metal.
• Ronan met a gray-robed man in a desert dream, recognized him as Schubert, and recovered after eating a golden apple.
• Schubert told Ronan a story about a king who sought immortality by building a Golden City and was transformed into a golden statue with his army.
• Ronan followed Schubert and the strange Black Dog named Itai across the desert until they reached the Golden City.
• Schubert revealed that the story had grown from a boy's golden seed of imagination and welcomed Ronan to Schubert's Golden Country.

Ronan awakened in the transformed Mechanical Heart with the Alchemist’s Golden Country inheritance and learned that the organization Schubert was named after an ancient dream. After escaping with its spell inheritance and the growing metal Itai, he headed toward the ruins of the Fairy Ancient City.

• The Alchemist revealed that Schubert was an organization whose members shared the name, introduced himself as the Alchemist, and asked Ronan to finish building the Golden Country.
• The Alchemist directed Ronan toward the Golden Fire Spirit Moye inheritance and told him the golden apple core would lead him to Golden Village.
• Ronan awoke in the gold-transformed Mechanical Heart and found Schubert’s Golden Law, five Metal Element spells, and a chunk of black metal inside the opened Golden Magic Box.
• Ronan concealed the Golden Country inheritance, released Dodol III to find an exit, and decided the ruined Mechanical Heart held no further reason to explore.
• Moriel hurried toward her next chance to humiliate Serena as Ronan traveled toward the Fairy Ancient City with Itai, which grew by devouring metal.

Ronan practiced the Golden Fire spell Black Steel Touch, considered whether he could reach the third level in time for the Helamus Genius Seat competition, and caught up with Grace through a Communication Stone. While browsing a Sunset Gathering for Saint Blood Tree materials, he asked Grace why Princess Serena treated her so generously, and Grace fell silent.

• Ronan used Itai to cast Spirit Maya Black Steel Touch and observed the spell’s unusual strength and rapid rise in proficiency.
• Ronan reviewed his advancement progress and doubted he could become a fully prepared Third Level Wizard before the Helamus Genius Seat competition.
• Ronan replied to Grace’s messages, reassured her about leaving him behind in the Mechanical Heart, and learned about her mother’s death and her escape from a wizard who wanted to experiment on her.
• Grace told Ronan that Serena belonged to the Life Royal Court, a powerful Wizard Empire in the central region, and had come south seeking Helamus’s Magic Controller inheritance.
• Ronan visited a Sunset Gathering, collected some materials from Bennigo’s list, and asked Grace why Serena treated her like a younger sister; Grace fell silent as Ronan approached a stall.

Ronan investigated a strange Howling Fish and a black beetle, whose secretions transformed the World Stone coordinate on his hand and revealed a terrifying glimpse of another world. After hiding the discovery and leaving the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent in a lake, he arrived at the Fairy Ancient City Ruins as the contest for the Helamus Genius Seat began.

• Ronan bought the Howling Fish and a mysterious one-horned black beetle at the Sunset Gathering, then learned that Grace had been speaking with Serena before their communication abruptly ended.
• Serena lulled Grace to sleep while gathering white light around herself and forming a profound golden rune between her brows.
• Ronan restored the Howling Fish with life energy, traced its origin to the Green Glimmering Sea Abyss, and studied how its burst of vitality might help him improve his demonification technique.
• The black beetle’s fluid transformed the World Stone coordinate mark on Ronan’s hand, allowing him to glimpse a chaotic and destructive other world and raising fears about the Ancient Wizard Revival Society.
• Ronan left the Ice Crystal Magic Serpent submerged in a lake to keep it safe from powerful wizards near the Fairy Ancient City.
• Ronan arrived at the vast gathering around the Fairy Ancient City Ruins, saw a Third Level Wizard attacked upon entering the inner ring, and told Orian and Grace he had arrived.

Ronan arrived at the Fairy Ancient City Ruins and met Princess Serena, who offered him a place in the Life Royal Court and the Omnipotent Magic Ring. He rejected her offer, took an inheritance to settle their accounts, and watched Serena clash with Ash Witch Moriel in a battle that shook the ruins.

• Ronan bought a [Space] Tent, set up camp among the Second Level Wizards, and sent Kosti and Bennigo messages announcing his arrival.
• The Silver-Haired Witch found Ronan and escorted him to the Life Royal Court’s residence, where Princess Serena invited him to join the Royal Court and study with the Omnipotent Magic Ring.
• Serena offered Ronan an inheritance for purifying Spiritual Power and Soul Power, but Ronan chose to reject her invitation and leave with their accounts settled.
• Donny confronted Ronan outside Serena’s cottage, but another wizard stopped Donny from attacking him.
• After Ronan left, Ash Witch Moriel attacked the Life Royal Court’s encampment, and Serena met her in battle as Ronan watched from a nearby slope.

Ronan used Serena’s Moon Soul Stone to strengthen his Soul Power while top geniuses gathered at the Fairy Ancient City Ruins. After meeting Orian, he learned about the threat posed by Andariel and Rufus’s pursuer, and heard that ancient spirit wizards pursued power through the soul.

• Top geniuses from the Southern Wizard World arrived at the Fairy Ancient City Ruins, including Evaqu, who transformed among several powerful forms, and Jupiter of the Thunder Council.
• Ronan’s Moon Soul Stone had nearly run out of moon essence, and his progress reached 200% as he remained just short of the Soul Power needed to advance to the third level.
• Ronan met Orian, who showed him the severe wounds Andariel of the Nether Toxin Mask had left on his face.
• Orian told Ronan that Rufus had twice been nearly torn apart by an inheritor of Giant Stone Peak.
• Orian explained that ancient spirit wizards followed an early path to power based on the soul rather than bloodlines.

Orian told Ronan about the ancient spirit wizard path and invited him to join Blue Mist Society, an alliance preparing for the competition for Helamus's Talent Seats. Ronan learned that he could enter by seizing another wizard's ticket and met the society's members, though Claire questioned his value as a Second Level Wizard.

• Orian explained how ancient spirit wizards summoned souls from the Hall of Spirits, and how a rebellion and soul-related dangers led the path to be abandoned.
• Orian told Ronan that Blue Mist Society had formed to improve its members' chances in the competition for Helamus's Talent Seats, where fewer than twenty seats might remain for their group to contest.
• Orian explained that entry required Third Level combat strength rather than Third Level status, and that Ronan could participate by seizing someone else's ticket.
• Orian brought Ronan to the Blue Mist Society gathering, where Claire objected to admitting a Second Level Wizard and challenged his usefulness to the alliance.
• Havide defused the confrontation, welcomed Ronan, and introduced him to the society's members.

Ronan prepared for the Helamus inheritance competition, then seized a ticket from a Third Level Wizard and entered the Fairy Ancient City. The competition began as other wizards fought for entry, while Moriel remained outside attacking the city’s barrier.

• Ronan stayed out of the Blue Mist Society’s affairs and spent his time meditating and preparing in his [Space] Tent.
• Rufus and a Giant Stone Peak youth arrived at the gathering grounds as the energy around the Fairy Ancient City Ruins intensified.
• The Fairy Ancient City rose from underground, and little fairies formed from seven-colored light to guide invited Third Level Wizards inside.
• Ronan stopped Oscar, froze him with Stasis, shattered his magic domain, and took his ticket fairy after defeating him.
• Ronan saw Fei Lie Jia Long enter with a seized ticket, then followed his own fairy through the barrier into the ancient city while Moriel attacked it from outside.

Moriel failed to enter the Fairy Ancient City and decided to keep Serena trapped inside while Vivian helped her interfere with others. Inside the city, Ronan gained Soul Power by absorbing light and defeating a wizard, then encountered Claire, a Blue Mist Society member who had opposed his joining.

• Moriel learned that only wizards born in the South could enter Helamus's barrier, and she resolved to stop Serena from leaving the ancient city.
• Ronan entered the Fairy Ancient City, where a fairy formed a contract with him and the drifting lights increased his Soul Power.
• Ronan defeated a Third Level Wizard with his Power of Breaking Law, gained a large amount of Soul Power, and watched the city expel his unconscious opponent.
• Ronan searched for more opponents while absorbing the lights, then used Orian's badge to detect an approaching Blue Mist Society member.
• Ronan recognized the approaching wizard as Claire, who had opposed his joining the Blue Mist Society.

Ronan encountered Bone Bell, also known as Skeleton Doom Bell Mafflin, whose ghostly tide devastated the wizards in the area. Rather than flee, Ronan awakened his Extremely Boiling Lake state and prepared to fight Mafflin.

• Claire recognized Ronan, told him to gather with the other Blue Mist Society members, and flew with him toward a nearby battle.
• Ronan watched two middle-stage Third Level Wizards fight and stayed behind when Claire urged him to leave, hoping to gain Soul Power from the ensuing chaos.
• The two combatants stopped fighting, but a sinister bell sounded and Mafflin arrived with a tide of Nether Ghosts that swallowed fleeing wizards.
• Claire returned and warned Ronan that Bone Bell was a deadly contender, then fled again when Ronan questioned why he had come back.
• Ronan confronted Mafflin, entered the Extremely Boiling Lake state, and summoned a massive ice blade.

Ronan unleashed his strengthened Ice Magic against Skeleton Doom Bell Mafflin, astonishing the wizards watching as a Second Level Wizard fought the infamous Undead mage. After Mafflin’s ghost storm nearly overwhelmed him, Ronan summoned a vast Thorn Snow Country, froze Mafflin and his ghosts, and hurled a spear through Mafflin’s head.

• Ronan used [Extremely Boiling Lake] to amplify his Spiritual Power and Ice Magic, then slashed Mafflin’s ghost tide with a giant Pure White Ice Blade.
• Claire and other wizards arrived near the battlefield and were shocked to see Second Level Ronan fighting Mafflin.
• Mafflin unleashed Panic Boil, turning his ghosts into a storm that shattered Ronan’s ice barriers and battered his Spiritual Force Field with a sonic attack.
• Snow began falling as Ronan’s Thorn Snow Country silenced the sonic tsunami and froze Mafflin and the surrounding ghosts.
• Ronan formed an Itai spear, approached Mafflin, and thrust it through his head.

Ronan defeated and killed Mafflin, then absorbed the mysterious light spheres that brought his Soul Power to the threshold of becoming a Third Level Wizard. After a Talent Seat was claimed elsewhere, Ronan left with Claire to prepare for his advancement while Claire offered to guard him.

• Ronan used Itai and his domains to bind Mafflin, compressed him inside a rotating ice ball, and shattered it, killing Mafflin and producing a strange bell filled with severed fingers and Space Rings.
• Mafflin's soul was dragged away by the Nether Ghosts he had controlled, and Ronan stored the mass of ghosts in his cracked Ghost Bone Ring before absorbing the light spheres that surged toward him.
• The watching wizards realized Ronan had killed Mafflin, while Claire recognized that Ronan was the Silver Magic Ring's hidden chief genius.
• A pillar of light appeared over a Talent Seat east of the Fairy Ancient City, and the wizards learned that one of Helamus's thirty-two seats had been claimed.
• Ronan told Claire he needed to find a quiet place to advance to the third level, and Claire offered to guard him and provide advancement materials.
• Ronan and Claire found a secluded gray mushroom-shaped Fairy Ancient Building, where Ronan entered to prepare for his breakthrough.