Chapter Summaries

Rayne advanced to Level 12 Wizard by fusing the magic sprite’s Demon Soul, awakening the Wish Spell and gaining powerful new abilities. After testing his new spells, he sensed something happening on Reslin’s side and summoned Lord Akalande to the castle for an important discussion.

• Rayne learned that the goddess’s visit had been erased from most witnesses’ memories, then used his stored Soul Power to advance to Level 12 Wizard.
• Rayne released the magic sprite from its bottle, interrupted its Magic Blast Field with an incantation, and absorbed its Demon Soul into a Soul Stone.
• Rayne fused the magic sprite’s Demon Soul with the World Tree despite resistance from his other Demon Souls, gaining the Wish Spell, Magic Blast Field, and Permanent Flight Spell.
• Rayne discovered that the Wish Spell could cast a Third-Circle Fireball but permanently consumed Soul Power, while Permanent Flight required none and Magic Blast Field could be cast rapidly.
• Rayne sensed activity on Reslin’s side and ordered Fabian to invite Lord Akalande to the castle for an important discussion.

Rayne secured his ten-percent share in the Mechanics Guild’s motorcycle factories by agreeing to invest more than three million Gold Shields, then brought Akalande to Kongator to propose a massive mechanization project for the Duchy of Augustus. Akalande accepted the Guild’s role in the duchy’s development.

• Akalande told Rayne that motorcycle production and sales had surged, while pressure from Guild members and other investors threatened Rayne’s agreed ten-percent share in new factories.
• Rayne refused to surrender his share and agreed to invest according to his portion of the factories’ construction costs, while requiring a team to audit their accounts twice a year.
• Rayne took Akalande through a Portal to Kongator, where Akalande saw Reslin and learned that the young Wizard had helped establish the teleportation connection.
• At Dragon Spine Castle, Rayne outlined plans to mechanize the Duchy of Augustus with roads, railways, schools, factories, upgraded mines, and steam-powered production, alongside temples to the Goddess.
• Rayne offered the Mechanics Guild a major role in a project expected to receive five million Gold Shields in investment within three years, and Akalande agreed on the Guild’s behalf.

Rayne outlined an ambitious plan to industrialize and reform the Duchy of Augustus, then began stripping nobles of their fiefs and organizing city government around examinations and appointed officials. The Mechanics Guild agreed to provide extensive support, though its unusually generous offer left Rayne wondering what the guildmaster wanted.

• Rayne presented Akalande with plans for roads, railways, education, industry, merit-based city administrations, and a Tribunal, and Akalande eagerly agreed to contact the Mechanics Guild's guildmaster.
• Rayne declared Dragon Spine City the duchy's capital, reclaimed land and authority from six remaining lords, and announced that officials would be chosen through examinations.
• Rayne traveled through all seven territories, removed the remaining nobles' fiefs, screened residents with the Soul Eye, and organized temporary Security Squads.
• The Mechanics Guild agreed to support the duchy's development with workers, materials, equipment, and funding, including three million Gold Shields for the motorcycle factory while Rayne retained ten percent of its shares.
• Rayne accepted the Mechanics Guild's proposed cooperation and asked Akalande to thank the guildmaster.

Rayne planned to expand the Extreme Legion and Gunwing Knights, then told Emilith that the Goddess of Magic had agreed to their plan. He traveled to the Storm Temple to meet Elder Sorim, where Lord Lodar was astonished by how much his strength had grown.

• Rayne told Sikarius to sound out Chief Marius about recruiting more Makragge warriors for the Extreme Legion.
• Rayne visited Emilith and told her the Goddess of Magic had agreed to their plan and that Emilith could become the Chosen One.
• Emilith prayed to the Goddess of Magic, rapidly becoming a devout true believer while Rayne remained a shallow believer.
• Rayne left Emilith and traveled to the Thane Plateau, where he activated the interplanar Teleportation Array after leaving Thunder God's Hammer behind.
• Rayne arrived at the Storm Temple and asked Lord Lodar to direct him to Elder Sorim.
• Lord Lodar marveled at Rayne's increased strength and told him to visit Elder Sorim at the Forge Temple.

Rayne visited the Storm Temple and watched Athina, a young Titan Giant, defeat Pultos in the Thunder God Arena. After the fight, Athina noticed Rayne and chased after him, leaving their encounter to come.

• Rayne overheard Storm Giants discussing the temple’s dependence on Source Crystal and considered how much the Titan Forge consumed.
• Rayne stopped at the Thunder God Arena and watched Athina battle Pultos, recognizing her as a powerful young Titan Giant.
• Athina steadily overwhelmed Pultos and knocked him down with a burst of lightning.
• Athina helped Pultos up, and he acknowledged that she had beaten him again.
• Athina noticed Rayne, transformed into lightning, and chased after him.

Rayne returned to the Storm Temple and met Athina, a curious Titan Giant who questioned him about his strength and the Material Plane. He presented Elder Sorim with seventeen thousand pounds of refined Source Crystals and requested several rare items and Titan Blue Iron in exchange.

• Athina shrank to human size, questioned Rayne about his origins and abilities, and followed him toward the Forge Temple.
• Rayne evaded Athina’s attempts to provoke a duel and answered her questions about the Material Plane and Floating Cities.
• Rayne and Athina reached the Forge Temple, where they found Sorim working above the Titan Forge.
• Rayne presented Sorim with seventeen thousand pounds of refined Source Crystals, astonishing Sorim and Athina.
• Rayne asked to exchange the crystals for a Lightning-Forged Colossus, Titan Rune knowledge, a Nebula Ring, and Titan Blue Iron with the remainder.

Rayne exchanged ten thousand pounds of Source Crystals for a Lightning-Forged Colossus, a Nebula Ring, Titan Rune Knowledge, and Titan Blue Iron, choosing Titan technology over legendary equipment. After learning to control the colossus, he discovered its Titan Forge power core and began exploring its capabilities.

• Rayne declined Elder Solim's offer of the Endless Storm Staff and insisted on exchanging for a Lightning-Forged Colossus and Titan Rune Knowledge.
• Elder Solim gave Rayne the colossus, a Nebula Ring, and a tome containing Titan Rune Knowledge, then added fifteen thousand pounds of Titan Blue Iron for the remaining Source Crystals.
• Elder Solim explained that Titan Rune Knowledge had once powered the Giant Empire, but few Giants or traders were willing to study it.
• Rayne inspected the colossus's Titan Forge core and recognized it as a powerful miniature reactor, confirming why he had chosen the machine.
• Rayne copied Elder Solim's control Runes, activated the colossus, and formed a direct connection that let him control it and use its autonomous combat mode.

Rayne acquired a Lightning-Forged Colossus from the Storm Temple and returned to Wizerland's tower to study its Titan Forge. He began investigating how to miniaturize the Forge, while Athina resolved to train so she could one day leave the temple.

• Rayne tested the Lightning-Forged Colossus, completed his exchange with Elder Sorim, and stored the colossus in his Nebula Ring.
• Athina told Rayne she longed to explore the world, and Elder Sorim promised to let her leave the temple if she reached Legendary High Tier and passed his test.
• Rayne returned to Wizerland's tower and used Metal Touch to examine the colossus's miniature Titan Forge.
• Rayne estimated the Forge's energy output and concluded that shrinking it enough to power wearable armor would require advances in forging and energy control.
• Rayne decided to pursue his research despite the difficulty and began studying Titan Rune knowledge.

Rayne struggled to stabilize his miniature Titan Engine, then went to Red Dragon Fortress when Emilith began giving birth. Their son was born healthy, but Rayne discovered the Blood Soul Curse attacking the newborn’s soul and used his magic to try to remove it.

• Rayne tested the Titan Engine, which lost control and exploded after he stopped controlling it.
• Rayne searched the Mobile Library for an element that could let his Multi-core Chip control the Titan Engine remotely, but found no suitable match.
• A Wind Elf butler told Rayne that Emilith was about to give birth, and he teleported to Red Dragon Fortress.
• Emilith gave birth safely to a healthy son, and Rayne held the newborn with joy.
• Rayne saw the Blood Soul Curse attacking his son’s soul, sent the others out, and commanded his magic to remove the curse.

Rayne used the Wish Spell to lift his newborn son’s Blood Soul Curse, sacrificing most of his Soul Power but surviving. Emilith named their son Rex, destined to inherit the Iron Throne.

• Rayne lifted the Blood Soul Curse from his son with the Wish Spell, and Emilith realized the spell was weakening him.
• Rayne’s Soul Power drained until he fell from level fifteen to level twelve, permanently losing about eighty percent of it.
• Rayne reassured Emilith that he would recover and confirmed their son’s soul was healthy and unusually strong.
• Emilith began breastfeeding the baby and asked Rayne to help choose a name.
• Emilith suggested Hrus and Chaeos, but Rayne rejected both and named their son Rex.
• Emilith declared that Rex Augustus Zhuogengbao would one day be crowned king, leaving Rayne’s expression stiff.

Rayne stayed with Emilith and their newborn son, Rex, before Black Dragon Igon arrived seeking help because Brantania's Grail Knights were still hunting him. Igon left with his treasure and a Nebula Ring, while Rayne considered how to use Igon's Dark Soul Mushroom cultivation secret and hoped Igon would eventually seek refuge with him.

• Emilith named Rex heir apparent and enfeoffed him as Earl of Dragon Crystal Island, while Rayne watched their son grow and spent half a month at Red Dragon Fortress.
• Igon told Rayne that Brantania's Pegasus knights and a Grail Knight kept searching the Deep Mud Swamp for him.
• Rayne refused to confront Brantania and suggested Igon return the stolen money or move his mushroom cultivation elsewhere.
• Igon revealed that Dark Soul Mushrooms needed corpses as nutrients, and Rayne negotiated a ten percent discount on Dark Soul Potions.
• Rayne gave Igon the Nebula Ring containing his gold and reminded him that he owed Rayne a favor.
• Igon visited Emilith and Rex, then transformed into an Ethereal Griffon and flew away from Kingsland.

Rayne attended the opening of the Twin Dragon Railway with Queen Emilith and Mechanics Guild vice president Akalande, then rode the new train from Kingsland to Dragon Spine City. Along the way, he saw how mechanization and industry had transformed the Duchy of Augustus, while Akalande concealed the Mechanics Guild’s wider ambitions.

• Akalande reminded Rayne that the Twin Dragon Railway was opening, prompting Rayne to leave Red Dragon Fortress and join Queen Emilith at the ceremony.
• Rayne, Akalande, and Emilith toured Royal Capital Station, where the Queen presided over the opening before Rayne and Akalande boarded the train.
• Rayne rode the train toward Dragon Spine City and suspected Akalande was pretending to sleep to avoid questions about the Mechanics Guild’s motives.
• Rayne observed mechanized farms, busy roads, factories, schools, and new construction as the train passed through the rapidly developing Duchy of Augustus.
• The train stopped at Stream City, but the mayor arrived too late to meet Rayne before it departed.
• After nearly another hour, Rayne and Akalande reached the journey’s terminus at Dragon Spine City.

Rayne visited Dragon Spine City, reviewed its rapid growth, and assessed Mayor Bizmoke and the city officials. After rewarding the officials for their work, he surveyed the city’s Faith Power and prayed to Visctri, whose vision appeared without speaking.

• Rayne arrived at Dragon Spine City with Akalande and was greeted by Kronuan and the Extreme Warriors.
• Rayne questioned Bizmoke about welcoming him at the station and remained suspicious despite Kronuan confirming Bizmoke had official business nearby.
• Bizmoke reported the city’s development to Rayne, who listened to requests and then held a banquet for the officials.
• Rayne screened the officials with the Soul Eye, announced performance bonuses, and received their congratulations on Prince Rex’s birth.
• Rayne surveyed Dragon Spine City’s residents and their Faith Power, prayed to Visctri, and returned to the Empire through the Teleportation Array.

Rayne discovered that replica Assault Rifles had appeared on the market and showed Akalande why they could not match his genuine weapons. He authorized the Mechanics Guild and Wizerland to produce Assault Rifles with his limited supply of Caseless Ammunition, then tested his powerful new Explosive Bullet Gun.

• Rayne returned to Glamorgan Castle with Akalande, who asked how many Extreme Warriors Rayne had.
• Akalande showed Rayne a replica Assault Rifle bought at auction in Deep Harbor City, and Rayne tested it and explained that it used conventional Phlogiston bullets.
• Rayne demonstrated the Caseless Ammunition, but Akalande’s attempts to examine it caused every bullet to explode.
• Rayne agreed to let the Mechanics Guild produce Assault Rifles, with Wizerland participating, and set the profit shares before Akalande left to contact the mysterious president.
• Rayne fired his new Explosive Bullet Gun at the indoor range and blasted apart the target and part of the wall.

Rayne tested the Explosive Bullet Gun, a powerful but costly weapon, and explained its ammunition, production limits, and soul-lock system. Sikarius tried the gun and was thrilled by its destructive power, while Rayne promised that he would eventually equip every Extreme Warrior with one.

• Rayne demonstrated that the Explosive Bullet Gun could fire fifteen rounds in three seconds, destroying the indoor targets and damaging the stone walls.
• Rayne considered the bullets’ high cost, the difficulty of producing them, and the risks of sharing ammunition manufacturing with the Mechanics Guild.
• Sikarius came to the Mechanical Alchemy Room and eagerly asked to try the Explosive Bullet Gun.
• Rayne explained that the gun would fire only for someone whose soul-wave frequency he had recorded, then registered Sikarius.
• Sikarius fired the gun, switched to full-auto, and blasted through a stone wall before Rayne told him to stop.
• Rayne told the Extreme Warriors that ammunition was expensive and scarce but promised to equip them with Explosive Bullet Guns eventually.

Rayne gathered his students and announced that the Empire’s Wizard Exchange Tournament would be held at Bruwots Academy, sending four of them to compete. The chapter ended with Rayne explaining that Reslin could not participate because he was already a Legendary Wizard.

• Rayne reviewed his students’ progress and invited them to the tower’s top floor, where they congratulated him on becoming a father and presented gifts for Prince Rex.
• Rayne told his students they could choose whether to leave the tower, and Dalamar and Polaris said they wanted to seek opportunities to reach the Legendary realm.
• Rayne announced that Dalamar, Polaris, Anwella, and Garou would represent the tower at the upcoming Wizard Exchange Tournament in Bruwots, while Anwella reluctantly agreed to attend.
• Rayne privately intended the tournament’s Bruwots gathering to help force Master Ogulvi to appear in person so his teacher could investigate whether Ogulvi had fallen.
• Dalamar asked why Reslin would not compete, and Rayne explained that Reslin was already a Legendary Wizard and therefore ineligible.

Reslin revealed that he had reached Legendary rank, while Rayne continued developing weapons and searching for a suitable Demon Soul for the Gunwing Knights. After learning that the Sacred Scarab was tied to the Sun Knights, Rayne decided to pursue it anyway, and Habu told him where to find its source: a dangerous shattered plane.

• Reslin admitted he had become a Legendary Wizard, shocking the students, while Rayne reflected on Dalamar’s determination.
• Rayne continued researching the Titan Engine and producing ammunition as the Mechanics Guild and Wezelan Floating City announced the Gun God Arms Factory.
• Habu returned with news that the Sacred Scarab was a Primary Soul of the Sun Knights, whose faith forbade outsiders from wielding Holy Light Power.
• Rayne prayed to the goddess, who told him to do as he wished and not worry about Gewon or his followers.
• Rayne declared that the Gunwing Knights would use the Sacred Scarab, and Habu revealed its source lay in the dangerous shattered plane called the Shattered Remnant Sun.

Rayne learned that the Sunstrider Tribe controlled the entrance to the Sunset Plane and agreed to visit them, suspecting they wanted something from him. He traveled with Habu, Borchi, and two squads of Extreme Warriors across the World Mountain Range and arrived at the tribe’s home on the Tirion Plateau.

• Habu explained that the Sunstrider Tribe were Minotaur followers of Anse who guarded the Sunset Plane and had agreed to guide Rayne after learning his name.
• Rayne decided to meet the tribe and ordered Sikarius to prepare two squads of Extreme Warriors and bring their new weapons.
• Rayne, Habu, and Borchi teleported to King Kong Fortress, where twenty-five Extreme Warriors assembled with Explosive Bullet Guns and Fire Dragons.
• Rayne concealed Habu’s eyes while they left the fortress, then led the group through a Void Gate to a grassland northwest of King Kong Fortress.
• Borchi carried Rayne and Habu while the Fire Dragons flew across the World Mountain Range toward the Tirion Plateau.
• The group reached the Sunstrider Tribe’s pillar-like peaks, and Habu identified them as their destination.

Rayne and his companions arrived at Bright Cliff, where he met Dejiko and discovered the Sunstrider Tribe’s formidable Holy Light warriors. After the Minotaurs mistook Borchi for a Sun Knight, Dejiko led Rayne to a sacred totem, where Rayne noticed that the tribe’s faith was reaching their seemingly fallen god, Anse.

• Borchi’s Dragon Might frightened the Minotaurs until Dejiko used Ring of Resolve, and Rayne told Borchi to restrain his aura.
• Habu introduced Rayne to Dejiko, and Rayne recognized the Sunstrider Tribe’s many powerful Sun Walkers.
• The Minotaurs attacked Borchi when he appeared in Lightforged Holy Armor, but Rayne stopped him and explained that he was not a Sun Knight.
• Dejiko led Rayne and the Extreme Warriors across Bright Cliff to its central totem, where Minotaurs prayed to Anse.
• Rayne observed that the tribe’s dim Faith Power was entering the totem and wondered whether Anse might revive.

Rayne negotiated with Dejiko to hunt Sacred Scarabs in Atas before deciding whether to open Anse’s tomb, where a strange, possibly corrupted resurrection had begun. The group traveled through a portal into the Sunset Plane and emerged beneath a boulder blocking the way to the surface.

• Rayne noticed that Dejiko’s and some Minotaurs’ Flames of Faith were fluctuating, suggesting their faith in Anse had begun to waver.
• Dejiko told Rayne that a strange, mad voice had answered the tribe’s prayers more than thirty years earlier and revealed that Anse’s sealed tomb lay in Atas.
• Rayne agreed to accompany Dejiko, but required him to guide the group to at least fifty Sacred Scarab Demon Souls before Rayne decided whether to open the tomb, with permission to leave if it seemed too dangerous.
• Dejiko assembled two Legendary Sun Walkers and twenty-five Minotaurs, while Rayne prepared the Extreme Warriors and their Kodo Beasts for the journey.
• Dejiko activated the planar teleportation array with Sun Crystals, and the Sun Walkers and Rayne’s group crossed through the golden portal into Atas.
• Dejiko moved a huge boulder blocking their path, letting blood-red sunset light shine into the cavern.