Chapter Summaries

Cheng Tian showed off his NESTS combat suit at SNK’s exhibition booth, where its amplified aura intimidated the crowd. After realizing why no one approached him, he suppressed the aura and noticed a free clinic beside the booth.

• Cheng Tian visited SNK’s booth and inspected its games and promotional displays while Mammoth recognized himself in the Metal Slug mural.
• Cheng Tian switched his combat suit into battle mode at the giant King of Fighters ’97 cabinet, drawing attention from SNK fans who admired his Igniz cosplay and equipment.
• The spectators kept their distance from Cheng Tian because his psychic presence, amplified by the suit, made them feel fear and reverence.
• Cheng Tian scanned the crowd, understood the cause of their reaction, and suppressed his aura before leaving the booth.
• Cheng Tian spotted a cosplayer running a free clinic beside SNK’s booth.

Cheng Tian and Bazett visited a traditional Chinese medicine consultation booth at a convention, where practitioners were astonished by their vigorous pulses. Yonglin advised the couple to increase the frequency of their intimacy, leaving Cheng Tian determined to raise his Strength Attribute.

• Cheng Tian joined the queue at Yonglin's Touhou-themed consultation booth.
• Yonglin and his colleagues examined Cheng Tian's pulse and marveled at his vigorous qi and blood.
• A practitioner checked Bazett's pulse, and Yonglin asked whether they were a couple.
• Yonglin joked that Cheng Tian and Bazett should increase the frequency of their intimacy because they were so healthy.
• Cheng Tian thought of Bazett's overwhelming strength and their dangerous encounters, then saw her eager expression and slammed his head onto the table.
• Cheng Tian decided he desperately needed to raise his Strength Attribute.

At the comic convention and gaming expo, Cheng Tian brought a weaponless Batmobile from Batman: Arkham Knight into the real world and displayed it as an extraordinary itasha. The car drew a huge crowd, and Cheng Tian left imagining that he would one day display a real Gundam in place of the life-size statues in Magic City and Odaiba.

• Cheng Tian toured the expo’s itasha parking area with Bazett and decided to make an unusual request to the person in charge.
• Cheng Tian used the Void Garage to bring a blank-stock Batmobile from Batman: Arkham Knight into the real world.
• The person in charge arrived, saw the Batmobile, and reacted with astonishment as a crowd gathered around it.
• Wearing an Igniz battle suit, Cheng Tian climbed out of the Batmobile, which matched his dark combat gear.
• Cheng Tian drove the Batmobile to the venue and parked beside the SONY exhibition area, drawing another surge of visitors.

Cheng Tian showcased his costumes and sugar sculptures across three days of a convention, and the Crimson Field Dress revealed different unsealing conditions for him and Eileen. After his work went viral and attracted a flood of messages and agency offers, Cheng Tian brushed off the attention and prepared for the next Main Dungeon.

• Cheng Tian wore Nizi's combat outfit at the Blade of Shadows area and displayed his costume-making quality.
• Cheng Tian cosplayed Shirou Emiya at the Black Monkey section, sculpted the Chosen One, and examined the sealed Crimson Field Dress's game-collecting requirements.
• Cheng Tian discovered that the Crimson Field Dress required the original Shroud of Turin to unseal for Eileen.
• Cheng Tian wore the Ghost Gauntlet as Sogoro Saito on the convention's third day, and recordings of his work spread online.
• Cheng Tian received messages, insults, and agency offers after gaining attention, while Bazett became angry at some of the messages.
• Cheng Tian told Bazett the attention would fade and prepared for the next Main Dungeon.

Cheng Tian recognized that the upcoming B-rank mission was likely Metal Slug 3 and regrouped with his old teammates after learning that Uncle Xue and Xiao P had received matching modifiers. As the dungeon began, Smart Head’s special modifier confirmed the likely setting, leaving Cheng Tian to consider whether his powerful former teammate might fit his current team.

• Cheng Tian identified the [Regular Army and Rebel Army] modifier as a strong sign that the next dungeon would be Metal Slug and prepared his vehicle equipment.
• Cheng Tian contacted Smart Head, Uncle Xue, and Xiao P, learning that all three were alive and had reached Black Iron Rank.
• Uncle Xue and Xiao P reported the same modifier as Cheng Tian, while Smart Head received [Cosmic Retaliation War], making Metal Slug 3 highly likely.
• Cheng Tian met his old teammates and saw Uncle Xue dressed as a mage, Xiao P wearing casual clothes with a golden hammer, and Smart Head in Ultramarines Astartes armor.
• Cheng Tian considered Smart Head’s strength and possible role as a tank but chose not to invite him to the team before they had worked together again.
• The Countdown ended, and silver light enveloped Cheng Tian as he entered the dungeon.

Cheng Tian and his companions entered the Metal Slug 3 dungeon, where they were assigned to intercept the Rebel Army’s supply lines. After arriving at the Government Army’s base, Cheng Tian headed to the Gates Group to meet Billy Gates and inspect its vehicle technology, where he encountered Leona and the Ikari Warriors.

• Cheng Tian and his companions entered the dungeon and were welcomed back to the Government Army base as Peregrine Falcon Squad 004.
• Cheng Tian accepted a mission report detailing the Rebel Army’s transport location and the Government Army vehicles awaiting the squad.
• Cheng Tian remarked that Smart Head was too large for an ordinary troop transport and would need a vehicle carrier.
• Cheng Tian went to the Gates Group to show off his armaments and learn about Billy Gates’s latest technology.
• Leona and the Ikari Warriors approached Cheng Tian at the Gates Group and recognized him as the world champion.

Cheng Tian coordinated with the Ikari Warriors and learned that he and Tama would lead the aerial interception against the Modern Army. Billy Gates then showed Cheng Tian a new Batmobile that looked like the one from the 1966 television series.

• Cheng Tian checked on Leona, while Ralf indicated that she was forcing herself to appear fit for duty.
• Cheng Tian confirmed that the Ikari Warriors shared his squad's mission to destroy the Modern Army's Rocket Launch Base, though they had different assignments.
• The Government Army selected Cheng Tian and Tama for the aerial interception mission because they were especially suited to piloting vehicles.
• Billy Gates welcomed Cheng Tian to the Gates Consortium and brought him to see its newly upgraded Batmobile.
• Cheng Tian recognized the new vehicle as the Batmobile from the 1966 television series.

Cheng Tian received the 1966 TV Series Batmobile as a collectible and showed Billy Gates the Toad mech, seeking a deal. He then traveled with Eileen and Tama to retrieve Government Army aircraft, where he revealed a silver flying surfboard.

• Cheng Tian obtained the 1966 TV Series Batmobile and stored it in his Void Garage.
• Cheng Tian showed Billy Gates the Toad mech and asked how much he would pay for it.
• Cheng Tian and Eileen boarded a transport plane with Tama while the Astartes armored shield guards took another route.
• Cheng Tian, Eileen, and Tama reached the storage site and found a vertical takeoff fighter and an armed helicopter.
• Cheng Tian revealed a silver surfboard and hovered on it before Tama could finish his question.

Cheng Tian discovered that his Silver Surfer template gave him a Silver Surfboard that let him fly and survive in space. He and Eileen joined Tama’s vehicles in the air, and their team launched a full-scale attack on the forces escorting supplies to the Rocket Launch Base.

• Cheng Tian loaded the Silver Surfer template and found that its main asset was the Silver Surfboard, which enabled flight and protected him from outer-space hazards.
• Cheng Tian realized the board’s survival abilities could help in dangerous space missions.
• Cheng Tian flew on the Silver Surfboard while Eileen transformed into a Wind Element Elf and took off.
• Tama watched the pilotless fighter jet, her helicopter, and a Helion transforming helicopter rise into a triangular Flying Tank Matrix.
• Cheng Tian, Eileen, and the Flying Tank Matrix attacked the Modern Army escorting supply vehicles toward the Rocket Launch Base, astonishing the Player squads inside the APCs.

Cheng Tian and his allies faced an aerial attack from Modern Army players with abilities drawn from various game worlds. After identifying several unusual opponents, Cheng Tian recognized the last player’s bizarre muscle-bound wingmen as Super Strong Brother and reacted with alarm.

• Rexar transformed into a Flying Dragon and led several players out of the transport plane to attack Cheng Tian’s group.
• Cheng Tian identified the attackers’ Flying Dragon, Final Mission flight pack, and Macross Valkyrie abilities.
• Cheng Tian noticed an enemy using a Bamboo Dragonfly and worried that he might possess other dangerous Doraemon gadgets.
• Two hovering, muscular bald men fired energy shots at Cheng Tian’s group, and Cheng Tian recognized them as Super Strong Brother’s wingmen.

Cheng Tian fought the Modern Army Players by combining his Tank Matrix with skills from other games, crippling Rexar in midair. Weida Tian recognized Cheng Tian’s reference to Super Strong Brother, while another opponent summoned Big G and Suneo as aerial escort craft.

• Cheng Tian said “Super Strong Brother,” causing Weida Tian to recognize him as someone who understood the series and lower his killing intent.
• Rexar charged Cheng Tian, but passed through him because Cheng Tian was standing on a Silver Surfboard.
• Cheng Tian’s escort craft launched Flame Dragon Swords at Rexar, who used Spark Shower to negate the attack and clear the projectiles.
• Phantom Sword effects and Black Particles struck Rexar, tearing his dragon wings and sending him falling from the sky.
• A Bamboo Dragonfly-wearing opponent summoned Big G and Suneo as aerial escort craft.

Cheng Tian used a broad aerial bombardment to scatter the Modern Army’s escorts while secretly trying to expose the impostor posing as General Modern. He raced to the Rocket Launch Base and forced Fake Modern’s disguise to fall, making the Martians mark him as their highest-priority target.

• Cheng Tian recognized the Bamboo Dragonfly game and bombarded the airborne forces, scattering the Modern Army’s escorts while mostly leaving their pilots a chance to escape.
• Cheng Tian told Eileen to keep fighting safely and said he would force the next part of the storyline to begin.
• Cheng Tian flew ahead at twice the speed of sound toward the Rocket Launch Base, while Tama silently accepted his orders.
• Fake Modern inspected the base from the Hyde and transformed into a mushroom-shaped Martian when Cheng Tian approached.
• Fake Modern aimed a pistol at Cheng Tian, and a Space Prompt declared Cheng Tian hostile to the Martian Faction.

Cheng Tian confronted Fake Modern after the Martian mimic revealed himself, but the Martian Restraint Gun bypassed Cheng Tian’s defenses by abducting one of his Character Templates instead. The gun selected his unsettled Captain America/Steve Rogers template, which was pulled away toward Fake Modern.

• Cheng Tian identified Fake Modern through his Martian-detecting passive skill, exposing that the rescued General Modern had been a mimic.
• Fake Modern fired three energy rings at Cheng Tian, triggering the Martian abduction sequence.
• Cheng Tian retreated at Mach 2.4 and layered defenses, but the rings caught him and sealed his skills.
• A Space Prompt revealed that the restraint gun could not restrain Cheng Tian’s main body, so it randomly targeted one of his Character Templates.
• The gun extracted the unsettled Native Protagonist Template, Captain America/Steve Rogers, from Cheng Tian and pulled it toward Fake Modern.

After the Martians abducted General Modern and rescued Fake Modern, the mission shifted from the factions’ war to a joint space operation to save General Modern and Soldier Steve. Cheng Tian’s rapid actions helped prevent the players from developing lasting hatred, while Alan O'Neil rallied the Modern Army to prepare for launch.

• Cheng Tian halted his attack when the Martian spacecraft used the captured General Modern as a human shield and retrieved Fake Modern.
• Players received a new cooperative mission requiring the Modern Army and any willing Government Army players to prepare for a space battle within two hours.
• Players from both factions lowered their weapons, and Rexar survived his fall after Cheng Tian shot him down.
• Cheng Tian’s speed had bypassed Alan O'Neil’s boss battle, leaving the bald sergeant alive to lead the Modern Army.
• Alan O'Neil directed soldiers to load troops, weapons, and supplies into rockets so they could pursue the Martians and rescue General Modern.

Cheng Tian’s group decided whether to join the Modern Army’s assault on the Martian mothership, while he warned that the Martian faction might also have players. After two hours, the rescue squad launched with the Modern Army rockets toward the alien ship.

• Cheng Tian checked that both factions’ players had survived and asked his group whether they would accept the space mission.
• Smart Head accepted the mission, while Uncle Xue and Xiao P hesitated; Cheng Tian told them not to feel ashamed if they chose to stay behind.
• Players from both factions split into groups, with the former aerial combatants staying behind and Brother Beastmaster choosing to join the assault.
• Cheng Tian warned the group that the Martian faction might have players too, then went to speak with Bald Alan.
• Cheng Tian’s rescue squad boarded the rockets, and the Modern Army launched its rocket clusters toward the Martian mothership.

Cheng Tian and Eileen launched aboard a Modern Army Personal Breaching Rocket as the soldiers headed for the Martian Mothership. After the Martian spacecraft attacked their rockets, Cheng Tian evaded the laser strikes and began organizing his group for space combat.

• Cheng Tian, Eileen, Uncle Xue, and Xiao P launched in carrier rockets, while Smart Head received a rocket of his own.
• The carrier rockets separated into stages, and Cheng Tian and Eileen’s Personal Breaching Rocket detached and fired toward space.
• Martian spacecraft unleashed green laser barrages that destroyed or crippled many Modern Army rockets.
• Cheng Tian used his remote control to guide Eileen’s rocket through near-grazing evasive maneuvers.
• Cheng Tian told his allies to maintain the Windy BUFF and form a triangle around him, then opened his Tai Chi True Eye to survey the battlefield.

Cheng Tian protected the allied rockets from the Martian assault with a mobile Guardian Barrier while the soldiers and players counterattacked. The barrier held through the focused fire, but Cheng Tian’s mana and consumables were being rapidly depleted as the battle continued.

• Cheng Tian led the rocket formation into the Martian assault as saucers and erratic Meteorite Fragments attacked.
• Cheng Tian activated Guardian Barrier, which blocked Martian lasers and meteorites while allowing allied rockets to pass through and fire back.
• The Martians focused their saucers’ laser volleys on the barrier, but Cheng Tian’s mana regeneration and consumables kept it standing.
• The sheltered Modern Army soldiers and allied players fired back, destroying saucers and easing the pressure on Cheng Tian.
• Thunder Beams, floating wingmen, Valkyrie Variable Fighters, Super Strong Brother wingmen, and Gian and Suneo wingmen joined the bizarre space battle.

Cheng Tian helped the Modern Army fight the Martian forces, using Stand World to collect drifting items and the Prince’s Sword to strengthen allied soldiers. After the Martian Mothership destroyed several rockets with a deadly beam, Cheng Tian activated Demon’s Concerto and began fusing with his vehicles.

• Modern Army players and their unusual wingmen fought the Martian mini flying saucers, while Little White Dragon maneuvered in his Valkyrie VF-1.
• Cheng Tian used Stand World to collect drifting drops and weapons, and an H-bomb pack changed Weida Tian’s muscle-man wingmen into gun-wielding forms.
• Cheng Tian wielded the Prince’s Sword, boosting nearby Modern Army soldiers and helping them withstand the mini flying saucer swarm.
• The Martian Mothership retracted its saucer deployment opening and charged a High Energy Beam, prompting Cheng Tian to order the rocket swarm to scatter.
• The beam instantly destroyed several rockets that failed to evade, so Cheng Tian activated Demon’s Concerto and began fusing with the Personal Breaching Rocket, Gates Six-Machine Combination Type, and Brodia.

Cheng Tian fused the Personal Breaching Rocket, the Gates Six-Machine Combination Type, and Brodia into Getter 2, then used it to pierce the Martian Mothership. Getter 2 broke through the ship’s armor, opening a breach for the Modern Army’s boarding assault.

• Cheng Tian fused three machines with Demon's Concerto, creating a temporary Getter 2 with the Personal Breaching Rocket as its core.
• Cheng Tian piloted Getter 2 into the Martian Mothership’s spawn port and drilled into it while the ship’s defenses were on cooldown.
• Eileen cast Wind King Barrier on Getter 2, concealing its drill and increasing its rotation speed.
• Cheng Tian installed Heart of Jelgard, which covered the drill in Psychic Power Flame and helped it overcome the mothership’s rapid self-repair.
• Getter 2 broke through the Martian Mothership’s outer armor, creating a breach for the Modern Army rockets to begin their boarding battle.

Cheng Tian piloted Getter 2 through the Martian Mothership’s outer passage and entered the ship before the machine’s timer ran out. Inside, Root of Mars overwhelmed his psychic scan, but Cheng Tian found Ichimonji Hyotarou and Billy Gates imprisoned in capsules.

• Cheng Tian’s Getter 2 drilled through the Black Pearls and other obstacles as the Personal Breaching Rockets followed through the passage.
• Getter 2 broke into the Martian Mothership and then expired, returning to Cheng Tian’s Void Garage as the breach sealed behind the rockets.
• Cheng Tian’s Dominator Radar scan was blocked by Root of Mars, whose psychic power proved stronger than his.
• Cheng Tian fired at metal capsules and freed Ichimonji Hyotarou, who explained that Martians had abducted him during an infiltration mission.
• Cheng Tian opened another capsule and found Billy Gates alive inside.