Chapter Summaries

After Gouki challenged Cheng Tian to a duel to the death, Cheng Tian calmed his unstable powers and chose to sacrifice World-Ender Nergigante’s corpse rather than take another bloodline. He gained permanent attributes and new hair-changing abilities, then decided to leave the dungeon, but the Great Commander tried to stop him.

• Cheng Tian accepted Gouki’s deathmatch challenge, but the Tai Chi True Eye subdued his surging killing intent and fighting spirit.
• Cheng Tian judged his body too saturated to absorb another bloodline and used Redemption and Sacrifice on World-Ender Nergigante’s corpse.
• Cheng Tian gained six permanent Agility and Strength, along with the ability to grow and regenerate tougher hair and nails.
• Cheng Tian changed his hair through several colors, extended it into a heavy orange-yellow Super Saiyan 3 style, then flung the excess spikes into a rock wall.
• Cheng Tian saw his teammates’ airdropped Super Mushroom parachutes, drank Recovery Medicine G, and told the Hunter’s Guild higher-ups aboard the Scorching Sun he was leaving the dungeon.
• The Great Commander grabbed Cheng Tian’s legs and protested that he could not leave.

Cheng Tian explained that he could not stay in the New Continent permanently, while the Hunter’s Guild feared losing the Fifth Expedition and the Balanced School he sustained. Merlin offered him the Guild’s Final Commission, which could lead to the source of the Soul Sacrifice rules and a lasting solution to mutation.

• The Hunter’s Guild recognized that the Scorching Sun Legion’s benefits were drawing its hunters away, but had no effective way to stop it.
• Cheng Tian told the Great Commander that he was a visitor from another world and could leave within about twenty-six standard hours.
• The Great Commander realized Cheng Tian’s strength had risen to seventy-eight, while Merlin accepted that he could not prevent Cheng Tian from leaving.
• Merlin presented Cheng Tian with the Guild’s Final Commission to investigate the New Continent’s concentrated ley-line energy and the source of the Soul Sacrifice rules.

Cheng Tian realized the Land of Convergence was both the source of the Elder Dragon Calamity and possibly a dragon-egg nest, then prepared a massive force to hunt the juvenile Elder Dragon. With eighteen hours left on the Player Community’s countdown, his forty-person team entered the underground river leading to the Land of Convergence.

• Cheng Tian deduced that the Elder Dragon was still inside a cocoon-like egg and that the leyline core might serve as its nest.
• Cheng Tian mobilized Star Stronghold and the Scorching Sun, upgrading equipment, organizing supplies, and putting researchers to work with Utan.
• Cheng Tian gathered hunters and players near the Elder Dragon’s Land to kill Mutated Monsters before they could disrupt the final quest.
• Cheng Tian led a forty-person team of players and NPCs into the underground river toward the Land of Convergence as the countdown reached its final eighteen hours.

Cheng Tian led a large, coordinated raid through the underground river to the Land of Convergence, where they discovered mutated monsters gathered around a pulsing mass of Dragon Crystals. When the horde attacked, Cheng Tian used Maelstrom to break up its charge, and the three squads began clearing the Grunt Units.

• Cheng Tian brought forty raid members through the underground river in boats, with their equipment divided into melee, ranged, and support roles.
• The group disembarked and found numerous mutated monsters gathered before a glowing mass of sword-shaped Dragon Crystals.
• A mutated Great Jagras noticed the intruders, and the monster horde launched a collective assault.
• Cheng Tian summoned Maelstrom to knock back the leading Great Jagras and split the horde's charge.
• Cheng Tian ordered the raid to clear the Grunt Units, and the three squads spread out to engage the attacking monsters.

Cheng Tian organized the hunters into a coordinated defensive force, using barriers, buffs, ranged weapons, and Wide-Range healing equipment to keep the battle under control. The monsters began sacrificing their own organs for power, and Cheng Tian noticed their magic gathering toward the incubating Elder Dragon Egg.

• Cheng Tian maintained Guardian Barrier and spread Heart Barriers while hunters formed shield lines, fired ranged weapons, and refreshed buffs.
• One-Handed Sword hunters used Mizutsune Headgear to share potions through Wide-Range, while Cheng Tian equipped them with special Lagiacrus Scale adult diapers to handle the strain of drinking so many potions.
• Eileen's Heavy Bowgun group bombarded the monsters as Captain Yamata Steve's melee unit blocked their charges, while Palicos and Martians supplied ammunition, potions, and support.
• A Great Jagras sacrificed its eyeballs, which became Floating Eye Demons that fired magic missiles; one missile grazed a Dragonkin hunter's ear and triggered the Forbidden Art Gorgon.
• Cheng Tian noticed that magic from the dying Eye Demons gathered toward the Elder Dragon Egg.

Cheng Tian’s group held off the mutated monsters while their sacrifices weakened them, and the egg hatched into the Elder Dragon. Cheng Tian saw a strange book lodged in the newborn dragon’s throat.

• Great Jagras sacrificed its mutated eyeballs to summon eye demons, while the other mutated monsters began sacrificing body parts as well.
• Mutated Rathalos used Salamander and burned itself as it fell into mutated Thunderjaw Dragon, whose Gleipnir chains had restrained several hunters.
• Cheng Tian noticed gray magical power flowing toward Elder Dragon whenever a monster sacrificed part of itself, and warned the hunters not to use Redemption or Sacrifice.
• The mutated monsters’ sacrifices left them weakened, and the hunters defeated all but a mutated Golden Lion and a mutated Zinogre.
• The egg shattered and Elder Dragon emerged, crushing the Golden Lion and Zinogre before Cheng Tian spotted a bizarre hardcover book in its throat.

Cheng Tian discovered that Librom and the King of Elder Dragons hatchling were tied to the contaminated earth veins and the laws of Soul Sacrifice. As the hatchling began growing by absorbing monster corpses—and gaining attributes from sacrifices—Cheng Tian ordered the raid to contain it and remove the bodies.

• Cheng Tian scanned the hatchling and found Librom beside Merlin, then revealed the dragon’s exceptional attributes and rapid growth.
• Cheng Tian saw the hatchling absorb flesh from nearby Mutated Monsters, while Merlin’s attempt to sacrifice a corpse gave the hatchling attributes too.
• Cheng Tian ordered the melee squad to draw the hatchling east, bowgun users to target its head, and support teams to move corpses away.
• Cheng Tian summoned Scarlet Tyrannosaurus Rex to destroy the corpses, and it hurled one over the rocks into an abyss.

Cheng Tian’s group protected Scarlet Tyrannosaurus Rex as it threw monster corpses away, limiting Elder Dragon’s attribute growth while Captain Yamata drew its attacks. Elder Dragon’s health continued to rise from activity elsewhere, and it unleashed a fiery assault just as the human-skin book appeared above its forehead and the World acted.

• Scarlet Tyrannosaurus Rex threw monster corpses over the rock walls while Captain Yamata blocked Elder Dragon’s claw and drew its attention.
• Cheng Tian ordered the others to help remove corpses, but he realized Elder Dragon’s health and mana were still growing because of sacrifices elsewhere in the New Continent.
• Elder Dragon became enraged, heated the ground until crimson areas drained health, then rose and unleashed Netherworld Flame.
• Cheng Tian noticed the human-skin book floating above Elder Dragon’s forehead as the World spread its arms and shouted, “Smash! The World!”

Cheng Tian used Data Tampering to sever Librom’s bond with Elder Dragon, then bound the ownerless Human Skin Diary to his Book of Ys. Librom accepted Cheng Tian as its new holder and revealed that it could let him and his companions revisit dungeons they had already explored.

• During the time stop, Cheng Tian identified the Human Skin Diary as Librom and judged that its connection to Elder Dragon was not absolute.
• Cheng Tian used World’s Data Tampering punch to erase “Elder Dragon” from Librom’s holder entry and make the diary ownerless.
• Cheng Tian brought the Book of Ys near Librom, and Librom fused with it as its new cover.
• Librom awoke, recognized Cheng Tian as its new holder, and said it could let him and his companions relive any dungeon they had visited.

Cheng Tian learned that Librom could open retroactive dungeons and grant access to Scorching Sun Legion members, then attacked the Elder Dragon with a fate-infused lance. His strike forced the dragon’s mouth shut, causing its accumulated Hellfire to explode inside its chest.

• Librom revealed the rules for Retroactive Dungeons and the monthly Librom’s Tear, which could remove an Innate Skill, erase an item trait, or eliminate a forbidden technique’s permanent side effect.
• A Space Prompt offered Cheng Tian the choice to let Scorching Sun Legion members use Librom’s Retroactive Dungeon function in exchange for a 20% tax on their sacrifices.
• Cheng Tian introduced himself as Orange, Cheng Tian, or aibo, and Librom hoped that joining his Book of Ys might let it and Merlin break free from their cycle.
• As the Elder Dragon swept Hellfire toward the crowd, Cheng Tian rose into the air with Librom and dove at it with the Heartpiercer Lance Gae Bolg.
• Cheng Tian’s Dragon Leap: Comet Fall pierced the Elder Dragon’s skull and shut its mouth, making the Hellfire trapped in its chest explode.

Cheng Tian and the hunters knocked Elder Dragon unconscious, leaving it vulnerable to their attacks. Inside its eggshell, Cheng Tian used his talent to pull three King of Elder Dragons' Eggs from the earth-vein core, which drained all the New Continent's earth-vein energy.

• The hunters attacked the unconscious Elder Dragon's head wound while its energy core went dark.
• Cheng Tian landed inside Elder Dragon's eggshell and pulled Human Skin Diary out of the egg fluid.
• Cheng Tian's Game Master talent let him extract a King of Elder Dragons' Egg from the earth-vein core and store Elder Dragon in his Bonding Stone.
• Cheng Tian pulled out two more King of Elder Dragons' Eggs, filling his remaining bonding slots.
• The earth-vein core went dark after Cheng Tian took the three eggs, leaving the New Continent's earth-vein energy completely depleted.

Cheng Tian conjured three Elder Dragon eggs by draining the New Continent’s ley line core, weakening the Elder Dragon and leaving it unable to draw on Librom. With the hunters still healthy, the Elder Dragon fell, and the dungeon began its settlement.

• Cheng Tian used the ley line energy to conjure three Elder Dragon eggs, leaving the ley line core nearly depleted.
• Librom realized the ley lines had paid the cost and recognized that Cheng Tian had made the newly born dragons far weaker but full of potential.
• Cheng Tian returned to the battlefield, where Ghost Cicada gave him a 90-second attack enhancement and Dominator Radar scanned the humanoid units.
• The hunters kept their health up with medicine and Cheng Tian’s Warm Sun Aura as the weakened Elder Dragon lost health.
• The Elder Dragon gave Librom a final look, howled, and collapsed, triggering dungeon settlement for players who had completed the main quest.

After the Elder Dragon hunt, the world’s Soul Sacrifice laws ended, and Cheng Tian received his settlement rewards and five opportunities to carve the Elder Dragon. The other hunters waited for him to carve first, and he received a surprisingly large haul of materials.

• The settlement ended the Redemption and Sacrifice skill for all players and NPCs, while preserving Cheng Tian’s sacrifice-based attribute increases and the Scorching Sun Legion’s presence in the New Continent.
• Cheng Tian received the Humanoid Bird Wyvern MAX skill, the Bond Stone, five Elder Dragon carving opportunities, and a golden treasure chest.
• The hunters realized that the loss of sacrifice abilities removed their reason to fight over the Elder Dragon’s corpse, then looked to Cheng Tian to make the first carve.
• Cheng Tian carved the Elder Dragon and received four Elder Dragon Ghost Wings, eight Ghost Scales, eight White Shells, sixteen units of Elder Dragon Blood, and four Spectral Jades.

Cheng Tian bought Elder Dragon materials from the Scorching Sun Legion to help craft and modify his equipment. He opened his golden chest and obtained three powerful items, including an amulet that promised a major temporary boost after he killed enough enemies.

• Cheng Tian bought Elder Dragon materials from his companions to gather enough variety for crafting and planned to have the workshop modify his Canghuo Dragon Scale Armor.
• Cheng Tian opened his golden chest as his companions watched, and pale Hellfire revealed three items.
• Cheng Tian equipped the Bite of the Elder Dragon, a ring that enhanced fire skills and granted mana recovery.
• Cheng Tian received the Devourer of Worlds, a greatsword that could grow stronger by killing dangerous enemies.
• Cheng Tian examined the Dragon's Slumber Cocoon, which required him to kill 1,000 enemies to complete its molting ritual and gain a temporary 100% boost to all attributes.

Cheng Tian reviewed his greatly improved status panel and the rewards he and his companions received after the dungeon. As the group prepared to leave, Eileen declined an Elder Dragon Egg because she wanted to keep raising her Brute Tigrex.

• Cheng Tian examined the Elder Dragon Egg’s attribute-reducing effect and his status panel, noting how much his attributes and skills had grown through sacrifice.
• Eileen received an S-rank evaluation, while Bazett and Wutan gained attributes based on percentages of Cheng Tian’s; Bazett also received a treasure chest.
• Eileen and Bazett opened their chests, obtaining new equipment and skills, including a growing heavy crossbow for Eileen and a combat suit for Bazett.
• Cheng Tian showed the women the Elder Dragon Egg and offered to give them eggs as battle pets.
• Eileen refused an egg because she wanted to keep and care for her Brute Tigrex, and Cheng Tian put away the Leshen Egg’s status panel.
• After the Players finished opening their chests and sorting out the remaining loot, they prepared to leave.

Cheng Tian and the players who had fought the Elder Dragon returned together, drawing the Player Community’s attention to the Scorching Sun Legion and its benefits. As discussion about the Legion spread, Cheng Tian revised its recruitment requirements and the dungeon permissions tied to Legion benefits.

• Cheng Tian returned to Chosen Space with a large group of players who had fought the Elder Dragon, rather than having them return separately.
• The returning players’ collective show of support signaled their interest in keeping the benefits they had gained through Cheng Tian’s leadership.
• Players in Chosen Space discussed the Scorching Sun Legion, especially its officially recognized three-person Combat Squads.
• Word about the Legion spread as players considered recommending trusted acquaintances to join.
• Cheng Tian ate sugared mandarins peeled by Fina while adjusting Legion recruitment requirements and the Human Skin Diary Librom’s Retroactive Dungeon permissions.

Cheng Tian and Eileen reviewed their dungeon records, and Eileen arranged to revisit Alien vs. Predator at its original difficulty so she could take revenge on the Aliens. Cheng Tian then returned to the record of his first Novice Trial, Demon World Village, to fulfill his promise to Arthur.

• Cheng Tian read through Eileen's Main Dungeon records and teased her about her failed Alien vs. Predator run.
• Eileen asked Librom to let her revisit Alien vs. Predator alone at its original difficulty, and Librom agreed that she would need no sacrifice.
• Cheng Tian reviewed his own dungeon history, noting how far he had advanced through eight Main Dungeons.
• Cheng Tian turned back to his first Novice Trial, Demon World Village, to fulfill his promise to Arthur.

Cheng Tian and Bazett fought through the upper levels of the Demon King's Castle, where Cheng Tian's magic and sunlike aura overwhelmed its monsters. After they killed two of Satan's Triplets, the gates to the Demon King's chamber opened.

• Cheng Tian entered the Demon King's Castle with Bazett, who fought off the Skeleton Soldiers that emerged from the ground.
• Cheng Tian used Librom and the Book of Ys to bombard the Cyclops, Red Demons, giants, wyverns, and other enemies with elemental magic.
• Cheng Tian's accumulated Sun God Gem Shards made his light and heat burn weaker monsters and terrified the Red Demon Clan.
• Cheng Tian used fire magic shaped like a cross to defeat a Champion Template wyvern despite its special weakness.
• Cheng Tian and Bazett killed Satan's Triplets No. 2 and No. 3, breaking the Demon King's Castle's Cycle Curse and opening the gates to the Demon King's chamber.

Cheng Tian and Bazett entered the Demon King's Chamber after using the cross to defeat the two Satans and dispel the Cycle Curse. Cheng Tian confronted Demon King Astaroth, then unleashed an attack that the Demon King recognized as Arthur's Knight's Throw.

• Cheng Tian used the cross to kill both Satans, dispelling the Cycle Curse, and entered the Demon King's Chamber with Bazett.
• Cheng Tian saw the captive Purple Haired Princess and asked Demon King Astaroth whether they were blood-related, leaving both stunned.
• Cheng Tian told Astaroth that he could explain himself to Arthur later, then summoned a barrage of weapons with Knight's Throw.
• A Phantom Sword struck Astaroth, who smashed it toward the ground as it erupted with surging ley-line energy.

Cheng Tian attacked Demon King Astaroth with a rain of phantom swords, then faced the monsters Astaroth summoned as shields. Cheng Tian used Domination and Night Parade of a Hundred Demons to turn the four Champion-class Cyclopes against their master.

• Cheng Tian used Knight's Throw with Phantom Sword and the Key to the Golden Capital to unleash a rain of phantom swords at Astaroth, blasting away the red demon general and the Princess in the opening explosion.
• Cheng Tian assessed Astaroth's attributes and realized the Demon King relied on a Psychic Shield and summoning magic.
• Astaroth summoned a Champion-class Cyclops to charge Cheng Tian, then called three more Cyclopes to surround him.
• Cheng Tian stopped Bazett from charging and used Domination followed by Night Parade of a Hundred Demons on all four Cyclopes.
• The transformed Cyclopes became axe-wielding monsters, knelt to Cheng Tian, and turned their weapons toward Astaroth.