Recaps

Russell expanded the Blackfire Land, established black-oil industries, and helped build a Torrent Scale Tower in Thunder Marsh while continuing his campaigns against Snow Giant Da. He found and contracted with the Ouroboros Snake, then named his new castle Cigar Castle as the territory’s development continued.

• Russell opened a passage through Dagger Mountain, led hunts against Snow Demons, and reported the Snow Da Pilot to the Shadowflame Dragon.
• The Torrent Dragon and Shadowflame Dragon agreed on Torrent Scale Towers, and Russell helped establish towers in Fire Ant Swamp and Thunder Marsh despite worrying that the latter could spy on him.
• Russell funded black-oil research and brickmaking in the Blackfire Land, where Placido developed distilled products and Little William improved the kiln process.
• Russell led a snowfield campaign, searched unsuccessfully for Snow Giant Da, and discovered that Little Dream Dragon could hear magical power in the Dark Dreamscape.
• Russell found the Ouroboros Snake beneath a snow fir, earned its trust by touching its tail, and contracted with it after the campaign.
• Russell reassigned Catherine after learning about her past, while Roland reported that the three Warm Enclaves were rapidly merging and Russell ordered further reclamation.
• Russell hired Wai Maozi William to teach pottery and brickmaking, named the tougher black-oil-treated bricks Blackfire Bricks, and rewarded their discovery.
• Russell named his new castle Cigar Castle, ordered a family flag, and reviewed the knights serving the territory.

Russell ennobled followers, expanded Blackfire Land, earned recognition as a Grand Scholar, and advanced to Tier 3 High Phantom Beast Knight. The arc ended with Frost Trolls and Snow Giants attacking the Torrent Dragon, forcing the Shadowflame Grand Duchy to confront a threat that might require cooperation with the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.

• Russell welcomed knights to Cigar Castle, swore Great Knights and Armored Knights as followers, and made Eric and Charles lords.
• Russell took Velim Jinnali as a student and warned him that pursuing the rank of Dragon Domain Lord could be fatal.
• Russell defeated Snow Giant Da, but Snow Da Pilot appeared, absorbed its remains, and fled after Little Dream Dragon took a Star Crystal from it.
• Russell and Baron Roman discussed the Jinnali bloodline, Thunder Marsh ranch plans, and the possibility that Dragon Domain Lords emerged during the Dark Age.
• Russell helped develop Blackfire Land, appointed Charles Acting Governor, and earned promotion to Grand Scholar with ten thousand serfs.
• Polly and Harpe layered their essences around Russell’s Dragon Breath, and Russell contracted with Ouroboros to begin his third transformation and reach Tier 3 High Phantom Beast Knight.
• Two Frost Trolls and a Snow Giant attacked the Torrent Dragon as it returned to its volcano, and the wounded dragon crashed into Swan Lake.
• Russell rode to Redcastle, where Count Merlin told him that two Snow Giants and two Frost Trolls had attacked and discussed the need for cooperation with the Scorching Torrent Kingdom.

Russell uncovered the sealed Extreme Ice Sacred Artifact and used Frost Da’s interest in it to lure the Frost Troll while preparing Blackfire Land for danger. He then accompanied King Ares and the Shadowflame Dragon across the Scorching Torrent Kingdom to activate its Scale Towers, finishing the task and departing for Cat's Eye Emerald.

• King Ares arrived at Shadowflame Volcano, formed an alliance with the Shadowflame Grand Duchy, and recruited Russell to help activate reciprocal Scale Towers.
• Russell accepted Princess Kunlaya as his student, while Ice Cream strengthened Ouroboros’s concealment and Russell’s companions continued hunting in the snowfields.
• Russell found a buried metal block engraved in Dark Age script and learned from the Shadowflame Dragon that it sealed the Extreme Ice Sacred Artifact.
• Russell discovered a snow-white feather linked to Harpe’s ancestor, and Harpe remained in Green Capital Snow Forest to study its insights into life and death.
• Russell used the Extreme Ice Sacred Artifact as bait to draw Frost Da, stealing another Frost Star before Frost Da escaped, then ordered Blackfire Land’s knights to defend the territory.
• Russell stored the artifact at Shadowflame Volcano and accompanied King Ares and the Shadowflame Dragon across the border, where Ares revealed the Three-Dragon Sacrifice Method.
• Russell bonded with the Bee Amber Bug, activated the Scale Towers across the Scorching Torrent Kingdom, and visited Cold Wind Pass while seeking news of Welim.
• Russell sensed Jinnali weakening near Phoenix Plume Plains, completed the fourth Scale Tower with the Shadowflame Dragon, and departed for Cat's Eye Emerald.

Russell advanced with Harpe, earned the title of Earl Thunderflame, and killed Frost Troll Ge while defending the Extreme Ice Sacred Artifact. His victory stirred public support and political debate across the Grand Duchy, leaving the Elder Council to seek Shadowflame’s guidance about the Frost Giants.

• Russell and Harpe advanced together into a Pseudo-Dragon and opened the Azure Hills Warm Enclave.
• Russell was elevated to Earl Thunderflame and received one hundred thousand serfs, then named Baron Roman Chief Advisor of his territory.
• Russell developed Wind and Thunder techniques while training with Harpe and Polly, and he and Polly resolved her unease about being mistaken for a horse.
• Frost Troll Ge pursued Rosai, who was carrying the Extreme Ice Sacred Artifact, until Russell arrived and killed Ge with Sudden Wind and Thunder.
• Frost Da restored a Snow Giant after Ge’s death, then escaped with it before the dragon phantoms could catch them.
• Shadowflame granted Ge’s corpse to Little Dream Dragon, who consumed it in the Dark Dreamscape and left Russell unable to wake him.
• King Ares congratulated Russell for killing Ge, while nobles and commoners celebrated his victory and debated whether he would become Grand Duke.
• Count Merlin led the Elder Council ministers to Shadowflame Volcano to ask Shadowflame directly about the threat of the Frost Giants.