Chapter Summaries

Tang Zheng learned the damaged Grey Dwarf armor retained four Highest-Tier Runes, took it, and considered how its lost abilities might be restored. After the humans returned to their Oasis, he prepared to leave Despair Valley and weighed ways to reach the northwest corner of the continent.

• Tang Zheng examined the Grey Dwarf Kingdom's relics and learned that its finest armor held four preserved Highest-Tier Runes and had once devoured ore to repair and strengthen itself.
• The Minister of Forging explained that the armor had become ordinary because its rare forging ore was unavailable, and that the Grey Dwarves lacked the Rune Smiths and materials needed to make another.
• Tang Zheng stored the armor in his Item Box and thought of a different approach to its problems.
• After the humans cleared some of the Grey Dwarf corpses, Yal arranged for some people to remain at the Grey Dwarf Oasis and escorted the supplies and Tang Zheng back to the Human Oasis.
• During a bonfire celebration on the third night, Tang Zheng decided to leave Despair Valley and considered using higher-tier Teleportation magic or returning through the volcanic Gate.
• Yal approached Tang Zheng and called him "Hero."

After helping the humans of the Oasis defeat the Grey Dwarves, Tang Zheng comforted Yaluer and arranged for Chief Dielong to hand over the Grey Dwarf Oasis to the Orcs while gathering intelligence for him. Tang Zheng departed the next morning, leaving Yaluer hopeful that he would return.

• Yaluer told Tang Zheng about the pressure she felt to protect her tribe, and he comforted her as she fell asleep against him.
• When Tang Zheng tried to leave Yaluer in the hut, she caught his hand, but he reassured her and went to speak with Chief Dielong.
• Tang Zheng instructed Chief Dielong to withdraw from the Grey Dwarf Oasis and give it to the Orcs while gathering information about them and the lands beyond Shadow Valley.
• The humans hailed Tang Zheng as the Gray Armored Knight and prostrated themselves as he left the Oasis with the goshawk.
• Chief Dielong told the tribe to carry out Tang Zheng's plan, and Yaluer brightened when he said Tang Zheng would return.

Tang Zheng learned several higher-tier spells and prepared to return to the Azerlisia Mountains, where the Ancient Fire Dragon was still recovering from its wounds. He entered the magma in anglerfish form, leaving the Barghest and the Duan minister dead in his Item Box so he could resurrect them later.

• Tang Zheng learned Teleportation and Greater Teleportation, then upgraded Dragon Lightning and Papermaking into higher-tier spells.
• Tang Zheng made five Seventh-Tier magic scrolls and decided to return to the Azerlisia Mountains.
• Tang Zheng teleported to the volcanic region, killed the Barghest and the Duan minister, and stored their bodies in his Item Box.
• Tang Zheng used Wild Shape to become an anglerfish and plunged into the magma toward the Azerlisia Mountains.
• The Ancient Fire Dragon remained in the Magma Sea, still recovering from Tang Zheng's injuries and the curse affecting its wounds.

The Ancient Fire Dragon realized Tang Zheng might signal the return of a century-old threat and pursued him through the magma. Tang Zheng used Greater Teleportation to move into the dragon’s open mouth and swim down its throat.

• The Ancient Fire Dragon considered warning Tsaindorcus at the Argland Council State about Tang Zheng, but chose to recover and wait.
• After sensing Tang Zheng return, the Ancient Fire Dragon charged toward him through the magma, hoping to attack while he was transformed and weakened.
• Tang Zheng stopped swimming and faced the Ancient Fire Dragon, then used a Magic Scroll to cast Greater Teleportation as the dragon attacked with its mouth open.
• Tang Zheng appeared inside the Ancient Fire Dragon’s mouth and swam down its throat, causing the dragon to panic and try to vomit him out.

Tang Zheng killed the Ancient Fire Dragon by teleporting into its stomach and tearing his way out, then resisted its curse and failed to claim its soul with Totem Possession. After collecting the dragon’s remains and blood, he turned his attention to the Sun Anglerfish still raging in the Magma Sea.

• Tang Zheng used Greater Teleportation from inside the Ancient Fire Dragon to bring himself and the dragon to the edge of the Magma Sea, then cut open its body and killed it.
• A curse burst from the Ancient Fire Dragon’s eyes, but Tang Zheng’s immunity stopped it; he also failed to use Totem Possession on the dragon’s fading soul.
• Tang Zheng stored the Ancient Fire Dragon’s corpse and head, gathered its blood as alchemical material, and healed the damage from its stomach acid.
• The Sun Anglerfish leaped from the Magma Sea and attacked from a distance, while Tang Zheng said he would deal with it next but worried about entering the magma without Fire Resistance.

Tang Zheng discovered that contact with the Ancient Fire Dragon's blood had increased his MP, then lured the Sun Anglerfish out of the Magma Sea with a teleportation trap. He battered the stranded creature with water and lightning magic, but the Sun Anglerfish counterattacked with a torrent of lava.

• Tang Zheng found red marks from the Ancient Fire Dragon's blood on his skin and noticed his MP had risen by one.
• Tang Zheng summoned an Observer Dominion carrying a Greater Teleportation scroll and baited the Sun Anglerfish into swallowing it.
• The scroll teleported the Sun Anglerfish from the Magma Sea to Tang Zheng, where he knocked it back with Unclean Impact Shield.
• Tang Zheng struck the stranded Sun Anglerfish with Chain Water Dragons, cooling its scales, then used Chain Dragon Lightning to crack them and wound it.
• The injured Sun Anglerfish recovered enough to attack Tang Zheng with Lava Impact.

Tang Zheng defeated the Sun Anglerfish, gained its totem and selected immunity to fire-attribute attacks. He tested the new ability by bathing in the Magma Sea and emerged unharmed.

• Tang Zheng used Chain Water Dragons to scatter the Sun Anglerfish’s magma attack, then cleared the resulting mist and struck the monster with a Purifying Throwing Spear.
• The Sun Anglerfish launched a Scorching Sound Wave, but Tang Zheng blocked it with Unclean Impact Shield and killed the monster.
• Tang Zheng noticed new fire resistance and minor poison resistance, and suspected that his skin had absorbed the dragon blood.
• Tang Zheng used Totem Possession on the Sun Anglerfish, gaining fifty HP, then permanently selected Fire Attribute Attack Nullification.
• Tang Zheng walked to the Magma Sea, leaped into the molten lava, and emerged minutes later without injury.

Tang Zheng resurrected the Barghest and discovered that licking Ancient Red Dragon blood made it stronger but temporarily drove it berserk. He then visited the Twin Witches, who had been living disguised as humans, and they submitted to him when he appeared.

• Tang Zheng considered the Lava Zone as a possible base and resurrected the Barghest after leaving the magma sea.
• The Barghest sensed dried Ancient Red Dragon blood, licked it, and became stronger but lost control and attacked Tang Zheng.
• Tang Zheng repeatedly struck and healed the Barghest until its violent state passed, then told it to stay and study the blood’s effects.
• The Twin Witches continued posing as a human woman in a village and discussed their frustration at being unable to escape Tang Zheng’s Magic Mark.
• Tang Zheng suddenly appeared at the Twin Witches’ home, and Verdant Leaf Witch and Dense Fog Witch knelt and called him Master.

Tang Zheng discovered that food shortages were limiting the Demon Snake of the West’s goblin population, then turned to the revived grey dwarf minister of smithing to learn how to reproduce rune technology. He decided to seek out the dwarves, but flew toward the Lava Zone’s edge rather than contact them directly.

• Tang Zheng confronted the Demon Snake of the West and learned that he had raised about eighty thousand goblins in two months.
• Tang Zheng broke the Demon Snake of the West’s tail for failing to raise goblins in greater numbers, then ordered him to gather them and reach over one hundred thousand before December ended.
• The Demon Snake of the West explained that goblins’ appetite was depleting the forest’s ordinary beasts, so Tang Zheng planned to use Eight Fingers to obtain food.
• Tang Zheng resurrected the grey dwarf minister of smithing and learned that recreating the four highest-tier runes required as many Rune Smiths as possible.
• Tang Zheng decided he would eventually visit the dwarves, then flew toward the Lava Zone’s edge while considering how to approach them.

Tang Zheng abducted every Rune Smith from the Dwarves’ newly established Eastern City and brought them to the Lava Zone. He introduced himself to the confused craftsmen and apologized for taking them without their consent.

• Tang Zheng infiltrated the Dwarf outpost and discovered that the Dwarves had begun building the Eastern City, Feo Jera, ahead of schedule because of Zern tracks near their Southern City.
• Tang Zheng learned that the craftsmen, including the Rune Smiths, had been sent to the new city, then located and abducted every Rune Smith while the Dwarves slept.
• Tang Zheng used Teleportation to make dozens of trips and brought more than twenty Rune Smiths to the Lava Zone.
• Gondo woke to the sight of the Magma Sea, alerted the other Dwarves, and realized they were no longer in Feo Jera.
• Tang Zheng welcomed the Dwarves to the Lava Zone and apologized for bringing them there without their consent.

Tang Zheng brought Dwarf craftsmen to the Lava Zone and asked them to replicate armor bearing four lost High-Tier Runes. While Gondo and the others studied it, Tang Zheng drank a large amount of Ancient Fire Dragon blood and watched his attributes change.

• Tang Zheng reassured the frightened Dwarf craftsmen, demonstrated his power with Lightning Ball, and explained that he wanted their help making Rune-imbued defensive equipment.
• Gondo Firebeard defended Rune Technology, and Tang Zheng revealed that he wanted the craftsmen to replicate a damaged suit of armor rather than forge a new item.
• The minister of forging showed the armor’s four High-Tier Runes, prompting the Dwarf craftsmen, especially Gondo, to crowd around and study it.
• Tang Zheng moved away with the Barghest and drank the Ancient Fire Dragon blood he had collected, while the Barghest trembled under its pressure.
• Tang Zheng’s HP, Physical Defense, and Magic Defense each rose by one point, and he continued monitoring the lingering heat within his body.

Tang Zheng absorbed Dragon Blood to raise his attributes, then persuaded the Dwarf craftsmen to reproduce the Grey Dwarves' Rune Armor. He revealed that his Body Armament was the material for their work and demonstrated its ability to heal after being damaged.

• Tang Zheng drank three portions of Dragon Blood, gaining 81 HP and 31 points each in physical and magic defense before its beneficial effects ran out.
• Tang Zheng asked the Dwarf craftsmen to reproduce the Rune Armor, and the Minister of Forging estimated their chances of success at thirty percent.
• Gondo and the other Dwarves said stronger metal could raise their chances, so Tang Zheng supplied them with a Great Wine Vat, meat, and the tools they needed.
• On November 18th, Tang Zheng summoned his Body Armament and asked the Dwarves to engrave the armor's runes onto it.
• Tang Zheng struck his armament with the Magic Greatsword, then poured alchemical potion over the crack and showed the Dwarves that it healed completely.

Tang Zheng and the Grey Dwarf craftsmen engraved four High-Tier Runes onto his self-repairing Body Armament, creating a Rune Body Armament with the Blessing of Abundance. He tested the new ability on Hamsuke’s corpse and discovered that the armor could absorb its remains, gain attributes, and acquire Hamsuke’s skills.

• Tang Zheng persuaded Gondo and the Grey Dwarf craftsmen to engrave four High-Tier Runes onto his armor, assuring them it could repair itself and withstand the heat.
• The craftsmen worked for ten days, successfully transforming the Degraded Body Armament into a Rune Body Armament with the Blessing of Abundance.
• Tang Zheng realized the ability might let the armor absorb compatible materials and strengthen itself.
• Tang Zheng brought Hamsuke’s corpse to the Lava Zone and activated Blessing of Abundance, causing the armor to absorb its fur, tail, teeth, claws, and bones.
• Tang Zheng tested the armor and found that it had gained Hamsuke’s Jungle Acceleration and Tail Strike skills, along with increased physical defense.

Tang Zheng tested Blessing of Abundance by absorbing powerful materials into his Rune Body Armament, raising it to High Tier and gaining new abilities. After the armor reached an apparent limit while absorbing Sun Anglerfish’s scales, he suspected its growth was constrained by his own level.

• Tang Zheng absorbed the Wise King of the Forest’s remains and considered using the Ancient Fire Dragon or Sun Anglerfish as further materials.
• Tang Zheng absorbed the Mysterious Scale, increasing his armor’s stats and gaining Shadow Ambush, which let him travel through shadows.
• Tang Zheng absorbed the White Dragon Bone Armor, raising his Rune Body Armament from Middle Tier to High Tier and gaining Ice Attribute Resistance and Curse Conversion.
• Tang Zheng began absorbing Sun Anglerfish’s scales in the Lava Zone, but the process stopped after a short time and turned his armor crimson.
• Tang Zheng found that his armor’s Magic Defense had reached 399 and it had gained Scorching Sound Wave, while its tier and Physical Defense remained unchanged.
• Tang Zheng concluded that the armor had reached a limit tied to his level and reconsidered the danger of Blessing of Abundance falling into Bone Lord’s hands.

Tang Zheng secured the Dwarf craftsmen’s cooperation by promising to bring their families and establish a place for them to study Rune Technology. Later, he traveled through the snow with the Barghest and the Verdant Leaf Witch to Carne Village, where he greeted the guards at the entrance.

• Tang Zheng waited while the Dwarf craftsmen rested, then heard their leader ask what he wanted them to do next.
• The Dwarf leader negotiated for Tang Zheng to bring the craftsmen’s families, and Tang Zheng agreed to relocate everyone once he had arranged housing and a research site.
• Tang Zheng considered the need to secure funding and manpower, including taking over Eight Fingers, and identified national arrangements and obtaining a new class as his priorities.
• Tang Zheng traveled on foot through the snow toward Carne Village with the Barghest and the Verdant Leaf Witch, explaining that understanding ordinary humans would help them avoid trouble.
• At Carne Village, Tang Zheng recognized it as his third visit and greeted the two guards, who recognized him by his black hair.

Tang Zheng brought Enri from Carne Village after inviting her to join him, then discovered that he had become famous in the Re-Estize Kingdom. Soldiers at E-Rantel told him that the Empire was in turmoil after Go Gin left for the Abelion Hills, and Tang Zheng realized the Blood Emperor’s anger might have made him a wanted man.

• Tang Zheng asked the village chief to invite Enri and her father, Aemert, so he could offer Enri a chance to leave the village with him.
• Enri accepted Tang Zheng’s invitation, and he stayed in Carne Village for a day before taking her toward E-Rantel with the Verdant Leaf Witch.
• Tang Zheng had the Verdant Leaf Witch shield the carriage from the cold, and the group reached E-Rantel in two hours.
• At the city gate, soldiers recognized Tang Zheng as the black-haired Genius Alchemist and called him the most famous Gold Rank adventurer.
• The soldiers told Tang Zheng that Go Gin’s departure for the Abelion Hills had thrown the Empire into turmoil and angered the Blood Emperor, prompting Tang Zheng to ask whether the Empire had put him on a wanted list.

Tang Zheng entered E-Rantel after the Blood Emperor issued a warrant for his arrest, and he decided to use the resulting fame to advance a deliberately public identity as a genius alchemist and Divine System magic caster. He tested Dragon Blood’s resistance-enhancing effects in the Lava Zone, then returned to find the Verdant Leaf Witch waiting with the purchases.

• Tang Zheng entered E-Rantel with Enri, the Verdant Leaf Witch, and the Barghest, drawing frightened looks from the townspeople.
• Tang Zheng gave Enri twenty gold coins and tasked her with buying supplies and new clothes, with the Verdant Leaf Witch and Barghest accompanying her.
• Tang Zheng considered how to turn his growing reputation into a public identity that could support his plans and distract Nazarick.
• Tang Zheng teleported to the Lava Zone and soaked in Dragon Blood, confirming that his Poison Attribute Resistance had increased but had reached a limit.
• Tang Zheng searched the Lava Zone for the Ancient Fire Dragon’s cave, found nothing, and teleported back to the inn in E-Rantel.
• The Verdant Leaf Witch returned with a bundle and knocked on Tang Zheng’s door.

Tang Zheng prepared potions for sale in E-Rantel, where Enri and the Verdant Leaf Witch displayed them at Central Square. The crowd recognized the expensive Regeneration Potions as the work of the wanted black-haired Genius Alchemist, while Tang Zheng arrived at Lizzie's Workshop.

• The Verdant Leaf Witch reported that Enri had helped buy supplies, and Tang Zheng cautioned her not to treat Enri as a servant.
• Tang Zheng filled the empty bottles with Regeneration Potion, intending to sell them and spread his reputation.
• Enri and the Verdant Leaf Witch offered one hundred potions at Central Square, pricing ordinary potions at five copper coins and ten Regeneration Potions at ten gold coins each.
• A Potion Maker identified the Regeneration Potions as Alchemical Potions made by the black-haired Genius Alchemist, prompting several adventurers and mercenaries to leave.
• Tang Zheng arrived at Lizzie's Workshop.

Fipak’s sale of Tang Zheng’s Regeneration Potion stirred E-Rantel and drew secret interest from people tracking him. At Lizzie’s Workshop, Tang Zheng asked Grandmother Lizzie and Nfirea to study mysterious blood, then returned to the inn after Enri and the Verdant Leaf Witch sold their potions.

• Fipak offered a top-grade Regeneration Potion for fifty gold coins, prompting adventurers to gather information and several teams to leave the guild.
• Four figures discussed Tang Zheng’s arrival, revealing that they had investigated his inn and were waiting for others to gather information.
• Grandmother Lizzie told Tang Zheng that the Kingdom’s Adamantite Rank team, Red Drop, would not attack him despite the Blood Emperor’s bounty.
• Tang Zheng explained his Regeneration Potion to Nfirea and drank tea without fear of poison, saying ordinary poison had no effect on him.
• Tang Zheng asked Grandmother Lizzie and Nfirea to research two drops of Sun Anglerfish blood, which made them feel a brief, intense sense of dread.
• Tang Zheng returned to the inn, where Enri and the Verdant Leaf Witch had sold one hundred alchemical potions for one hundred gold coins and four hundred and fifty copper coins.

Tang Zheng sold his potions in E-Rantel, rewarded Enri, and set out with her and the Twin Witches. As they left the city, a soldier caught up with a gift from Lord Panasole.

• Tang Zheng gave Enri a share of the potion profits and encouraged her to make use of her talent, which he valued for her Commander Class abilities and its Message skill.
• Tang Zheng told Enri to ready the carriage, then urged Verdant Leaf Witch to master Wild Shape and suggested he might help improve her strength.
• Tang Zheng's group left the inn in a carriage pulled by the Barghest, while onlookers disappeared from the street.
• Adeb told Ainzach that Tang Zheng seemed formidable, and Ainzach decided not to meet him because the Adventurer's Guild was neutral and Tang Zheng was leaving E-Rantel.
• A soldier serving Lord Panasole caught up with Tang Zheng outside the city and offered him a wooden box as a gift.