Chapter Summaries

Tang Zheng tested his combat skills against a Flame Archangel and successfully made a second-tier Angel Summoning scroll from paper alone. His success gave him a new way to pursue a powerful magic item in E-Rantel, though he knew the plan was dangerous.

• Tang Zheng damaged the Flame Archangel with Quick Slash, caught it before it hit the ground, and watched it dissolve without granting him experience.
• Tang Zheng used Scroll Making to turn 20 sheets of second-tier paper into a pure white magic scroll.
• Tang Zheng infused the scroll with second-tier Angel Summoning using Mana Infusion and confirmed its contents with Item Appraisal.
• Tang Zheng realized that his new scroll-making skill could help him obtain a high-level magic item in E-Rantel, but the attempt would still be extremely dangerous.

Tang Zheng spent eight days crafting Magic Scrolls and planned to steal Khajit’s Orb of Death to test whether Mana Infusion could make it store mana. After preparing more scrolls and disguising his voice, he slipped out of the inn at night, leaving the Lesser Barghest behind.

• Tang Zheng made ten Third-Tier Angel Summoning scrolls and five Tier 2: Summon Angel scrolls, then decided to prepare more.
• Tang Zheng suspected that his Mana Infusion ability could force mana into Khajit’s Orb of Death, which already absorbed and stored Negative Energy.
• Tang Zheng made five additional Second-Tier scrolls and sold harvested beast and magical beast corpses, spending half his remaining 1,200 gold coins on a Magic Item for moving at night.
• Tang Zheng drank a potion that altered his voice, told the Lesser Barghest to remain in the inn, and leaped from the window into an alley.

Tang Zheng infiltrated E-Rantel’s cemetery to investigate Khajit and prepare to counter his necromancy. He lured the nearby Undead away from an underground Temple and prepared to proceed.

• Tang Zheng avoided the guarded cemetery entrance and climbed over its wall using a Mithril Dagger.
• Tang Zheng recalled Khajit’s plans and prepared ten Flame Archangels, including two to hold off possible Bone Dragons.
• Tang Zheng spotted an old Temple deep in the cemetery as Undead gathered around him.
• Tang Zheng used a Second-Tier Magic Scroll to summon an Angel Guardian and ordered it to lure away the Undead.
• After the Angel Guardian drew the Undead away, Tang Zheng produced two Tier 2: Summon Angel Magic Scrolls.

Tang Zheng used camouflage and stealth to probe Khajit’s underground Temple and destroy its stone coffin entrance. Khajit emerged cautiously to investigate the Angel Guardians, while Tang Zheng remained hidden nearby.

• Tang Zheng camouflaged one Angel Guardian and positioned her to the side, then summoned another and hid within the first Guardian’s shadow.
• Tang Zheng sent the newly summoned Angel Guardian into the Temple, where she smashed the stone coffin and entered the underground passage.
• The Angel Guardian’s attack caused a brief series of tremors before a dozen Zombies emerged and surrounded the passage entrance.
• Khajit questioned the presence of a Second-Tier Angel Guardian and climbed out of the underground chamber as Tang Zheng concealed himself completely.

Tang Zheng confronted Khajit in the graveyard, using Angel Guardians to draw his attention and testing Khajit’s defenses against mental control. The encounter ended with Khajit preparing to attack Tang Zheng, who stood with two damaged Angel Guardians and claimed he had no companions.

• Khajit emerged from the underground passage and realized someone had lured away the low-tier Undead he had placed around the temple.
• Khajit detected an invisible magical presence, struck it with Negative Energy Ray, and revealed a second Angel Guardian.
• Tang Zheng emerged from hiding and cast Charm Species: Human, while Undead Mind protected Khajit from mental control.
• Tang Zheng confirmed that Undead Mind had worked and told Khajit he had no companions.
• The Angel Guardian returned to Tang Zheng, and Khajit raised his Black staff and Orb of Death to attack.

Khajit unleashed a graveyard full of Undead against Tang Zheng, using their Negative Energy to destroy his Angel Guardians. Tang Zheng summoned two Flame Archangels, halting the undead assault and leaving the confrontation poised to resume.

• Khajit spread Negative Energy through the graveyard, causing Undead to rise and attack Tang Zheng.
• Tang Zheng noticed that his summons killing Undead awarded him experience, though only one point per kill.
• Khajit used an Organ Egg and six Corpse Eaters to drag down and destroy both of Tang Zheng's Angel Guardians.
• Khajit revealed that he had once been a Divine System Magic Caster and had become Undead while seeking a way to resurrect his mother.
• Tang Zheng crushed two Magic Scrolls and summoned two Flame Archangels, whose Flame Swords destroyed the Organ Egg's intestine and the Corpse Eaters.

Khajit used the Orb of Death to summon and enhance four Skeletal Warriors, then sent them against Tang Zheng’s two Flame Archangels. Tang Zheng answered by summoning six Flame Archangels, leaving Khajit stunned and questioning how he could summon so many.

• Tang Zheng ordered his two Flame Archangels to attack the nearby Low-Tier Undead while Khajit demanded to know who he was.
• Khajit summoned two Skeletal Warriors with Third-Tier magic, then used the Orb of Death to summon two more.
• Khajit’s four Skeletal Warriors coordinated an attack that knocked back Tang Zheng’s Flame Archangels without defeating them.
• Khajit enhanced all four Skeletal Warriors with Muscle Enhancement, Armor Enhancement, and Flame of the Dead.
• Tang Zheng summoned six Flame Archangels, shocking Khajit, who insisted that such a feat was impossible for a Divine System caster.

Tang Zheng and six Flame Archangels defeated Khajit before he could use the Orb of Death’s ultimate magic. Tang Zheng had the orb appraised and learned that it was a powerful magic item with independent consciousness and several necromancy abilities.

• Tang Zheng ordered six Flame Archangels to attack Khajit and his Skeletal Warriors.
• Khajit defended himself with a Wall of Skeleton and Shield Wall, but a Flame Archangel pierced his chest with its sword.
• As Khajit tried to activate the Orb of Death, a Flame Archangel severed the arm holding it, and the angels killed him.
• Tang Zheng observed that Khajit’s defeat left his undead forces collapsing and noted that he still had four Flame Archangel scrolls.
• Tang Zheng used a Flame Archangel to retrieve the Orb of Death and confirmed that it did not interfere with summons.
• Tang Zheng appraised the orb and discovered its many necromancy effects, including the ability to summon a Bone Dragon.

Tang Zheng examined the Orb of Death, resisted its influence, and considered which of Khajit's spells to learn. A warning about conflicting classes appeared, but his Genius trait converted successfully into Necromancer, allowing him to acquire Undead Control; he then stored the Orb of Death and planned to use the Cursed Knight's ability against its consciousness.

• Tang Zheng appraised the Orb of Death, wondered about its energy, and used Undead Mind to resist its urge to pick it up.
• Tang Zheng reviewed Khajit's spells and rejected Summon Undead and Create Undead after the panel warned that they conflicted with Angel Summoning.
• Tang Zheng chose Undead Control to make use of the corpses in his Item Box, but the panel warned that the Necromancer class conflicted with the living and would expose him to Negative Energy.
• Tang Zheng's Genius trait activated and converted into Necromancer, letting him learn Undead Control for one Skill Point.
• Tang Zheng touched the Orb of Death, heard its seductive voice, and stored it in his Item Box before it could influence him further.
• Tang Zheng decided he would use the Cursed Knight's curse ability to try to destroy the consciousness inside the Orb of Death.

Tang Zheng investigated Khajit’s remains and discovered that a mysterious caster had resurrected him with a modified Divine spell. Khajit awoke before Zurrernorn’s shadowy leader, while Tang Zheng suspected the leader was more dangerous than he had expected.

• Tang Zheng searched the Temple’s underground passage, found nothing valuable, and ordered the Flame Archangels to burn Khajit’s corpse.
• Tang Zheng took Khajit’s severed arm back to his inn to see whether it would disappear if Khajit was resurrected.
• Khajit’s arm vanished, and Tang Zheng learned the skill Improved Resurrection of the Dead, which let Arcane System casters use a modified Divine resurrection spell.
• Khajit awoke in a bleak, mist-filled place and knelt before Zurrernorn’s shadowy leader.

Khajit learned that Zurrernorn’s leader had revived him and claimed the Slane Theocracy had mastered high-tier scrolls long ago. Meanwhile, Tang Zheng bought new clothes in E-Rantel, prepared to sell herbs, and considered the strength of humanity’s magical knowledge as he traveled toward his grandmother’s shop.

• Khajit reported that a scroll had killed his subordinate, and Zurrernorn’s leader explained that the Slane Theocracy had developed Fourth-Tier scrolls long ago.
• Zurrernorn’s leader ordered Khajit to serve as his slave and led him deeper into Terror.
• Tang Zheng collected four custom Priest-style outfits from Vier’s Tailor Shop and paid twenty-four gold coins.
• Tang Zheng headed through E-Rantel toward Lizzie’s shop, planning to sell some herbs and leave for the Baharuth Empire soon.
• Tang Zheng reflected on humanity’s advances in potion making, scroll making, and modified magic, then thought that Resurrection Magic was the true way to kill people.

Tang Zheng visited Lizzie's Workshop to sell herbs, and Grandma Lizzie recognized his Alchemical Potion and offered to buy its creation method. After watching him make Alchemical Potions effortlessly, she abandoned her attempt to understand the technique and turned to discuss his herbs.

• Tang Zheng arrived at Lizzie's Workshop, where Nfirea was surprised by his changed appearance and noticed the Lesser Barghest with him.
• Grandma Lizzie sent Nfirea away and asked Tang Zheng whether he had resolved his trouble; he said he had not, but had some ideas.
• Grandma Lizzie showed Tang Zheng the Alchemical Potion he had made and offered him two thousand gold coins for the method.
• Tang Zheng asked whether Grandma Lizzie had the materials, and she brought out Gallows Spider corpses and alchemical apparatus.
• Tang Zheng used a Gallows Spider Venom Sac to make an Alchemical Potion twice, leaving Grandma Lizzie unable to understand his technique.
• Grandma Lizzie gave up on buying the method and asked Tang Zheng to discuss the herbs he wanted to sell.

Tang Zheng registered himself and Blackie as the adventurer team Free Will so he could enter the Baharuth Empire with an official identity. He left E-Rantel for the Empire, where a remarkably cheap healing potion had recently become popular.

• Tang Zheng sold herbs from the Great Forest of Tob and considered taking control of the forest by dealing with its three rulers.
• Grandma Lizzie realized Tang Zheng was an extraordinary Alchemist and considered whether Nfirea might learn from him.
• Tang Zheng registered Free Will at the Adventurer's Guild with Blackie as a teammate and received a Copper Rank nameplate.
• Tang Zheng left E-Rantel for the Baharuth Empire, suspecting the early mobilization for war was connected to the Royal Tournament.
• In Imperial Capital Arwintar, a powerful healing potion costing about eight copper coins had caused a sensation.

Tang Zheng’s search for Lainas and a way to meet Fluder had stalled, so he began selling alchemical potions and spreading rumors to attract attention. As he waited in his rented residence, Imina arrived and warned him that people were watching him.

• Tang Zheng removed the Ogre’s cervical vertebrae to keep it paralyzed, then fed them to his growing Lesser Barghest.
• Tang Zheng recalled that Lainas had disappeared after the Rokubols family cast her out, while Fluder remained unreachable because of their difference in status.
• Tang Zheng began selling inexpensive alchemical potions and spreading rumors about a potion that could heal any injury as part of his Fishing Plan.
• Imina vaulted over the courtyard wall, argued with Tang Zheng about his Lesser Barghest, and warned him that many people were watching him.

Tang Zheng sold his Regeneration Potions through Imina and asked her to find injured adventurers and Workers he could treat, while planning to attract Lainas and protect people destined to suffer at Nazarick’s hands. At the Imperial Grand Arena, merchant Osk learned that the potion was made with Ogre blood and asked whether the Martial Lord knew.

• Imina reported that all one hundred of Tang Zheng’s potions had sold overnight for sixty-one silver coins and seven copper coins, and Tang Zheng corrected her by calling them Regeneration Potions.
• Tang Zheng paid Imina her agreed fee and an errand fee, then discussed growing demand and the danger of relying on the Ogre’s limited supply of blood.
• Tang Zheng asked Imina to find severely injured adventurers and Workers so he could offer them free treatment, and Imina agreed before leaving.
• Osk’s butler reported that potion makers had identified the potion’s main ingredient as Ogre blood and that its appearance had hurt major workshops’ sales.
• Osk asked whether the Martial Lord knew about the potion, and his butler confirmed that he did.

Tang Zheng tested an undiluted Regeneration Potion that could heal limb damage, then experimented with infusing mana into an Ogre and found its body still could not withstand the process. That evening, someone knocked at his residence, and Tang Zheng went to answer.

• Tang Zheng examined an undiluted Regeneration Potion that restored 20 HP and could heal limb loss, and considered attracting the Blood Emperor's and Fluder's attention with it.
• Tang Zheng fed the captive Ogre Goblin corpses, knocked it unconscious, and gave it a Paralysis Potion before beginning a mana infusion experiment.
• Tang Zheng forced mana into the Ogre and observed its body swell and distort, then stopped the infusion as its regeneration restored it.
• Tang Zheng reflected that he needed other Ogres for comparison and hoped Imina could find some companions for the captive.
• Tang Zheng heard a knock while training the Lesser Barghest and walked to the courtyard gate, surprised that the visitor seemed unusually polite.

Tang Zheng rejected the Herbalist Guild’s invitation and used the Lesser Barghest to drive off its representative, Bert. After news spread about his disability-healing potion, Tang met Arche outside the Imperial Magic Academy to investigate her All-Seeing Eye talent.

• Bert invited Tang Zheng to a Herbalist Guild banquet and offered preservation magic and alchemy techniques in exchange for guidance about his potions.
• Tang Zheng refused Bert’s offer, and the Lesser Barghest struck Bert with its Bone Chains, sending him crashing into his carriage.
• Imina spread news that Tang Zheng had created a potion capable of healing disabilities, drawing interest from Workers and adventurers.
• Tang Zheng went to a restaurant outside the Imperial Magic Academy to meet Arche, whose All-Seeing Eye talent he wanted to examine.

Tang Zheng tested whether his Player trait made him unobservable by asking Arche to use her All-Seeing Eye, then recruited Frianne to try Detection magic. The chapter left him considering that his trait might block observation-based detection but not spells that sense nearby life.

• Tang Zheng paid Arche to use her All-Seeing Eye and found that she could not see any Arcane System magic aura around him.
• Tang Zheng explained that he had no magic item and concluded that the Player trait Unobservable had been verified.
• Tang Zheng asked Arche to bring a classmate who knew Detection magic, and Arche returned with Frianne Vaelia Lan Gushimonde.
• Frianne cast Life Detection and sensed Tang Zheng, leading him to consider that Unobservable blocked observation-based magic but not sensing magic.

Tang Zheng’s healing potion restored an amputee’s legs, proving that Alchemy could function as an independent system and drawing a crowd of disabled people to his courtyard. As Tang Zheng agreed to treat only one person, a blond young man arrived in a luxurious carriage.

• Tang Zheng confirmed that Frianne’s Object Location spell could not affect him, then left the restaurant with Arche without telling her his name.
• Imina’s reports spread word of Tang Zheng’s free but dangerous potion trials, and on the third day a farmer and his son came to his courtyard seeking treatment.
• The father and son emerged with the son’s legs restored, shocking adventurers, Workers, the Herbalist Guild, and potion makers.
• After someone verified the potion’s effects, a crowd of disabled people gathered outside Tang Zheng’s gate the next morning, and he said he would treat one person.
• A luxurious carriage stopped at the gate, and a blond young man carrying a ruby scepter stepped out.

Tang Zheng treated Count Belambella’s son Joshua, whose Ruby Staff extracted the Regeneration Potion from his restored hand for the Blood Emperor Jircniv. That night, after Imina reported that Ogre suppliers had been shut down, three intruders entered Tang Zheng’s courtyard and a gray-robed figure appeared by the gate.

• Joshua introduced himself to Tang Zheng and asked to be treated before the gathered nobles and adventurers.
• Tang Zheng reopened Joshua’s arm and used the Regeneration Potion to regrow his missing hand despite the painful treatment.
• Joshua returned to Jircniv, who ordered the Ruby Staff and extracted potion sent to the Ministry of Magic and demanded a thorough investigation of Tang Zheng.
• Imina told Tang Zheng that every channel for buying Ogres had been shut down, suggesting that someone was targeting them.
• A Lesser Barghest spotted three figures vaulting into the courtyard, while a gray-robed figure appeared at the gate and Imina stepped in front of Tang Zheng.