Recaps

Hao Ren examined the Tower of Sunscorching as Rudolf III prepared Veronica to inherit the throne and reignite its sacred flame. Touching the tower’s energy pool, Hao Ren discovered that it restored his mental connection to Nolan.

• Hao Ren saw silver threads extending from the Tower of Sunscorching and entering the sky.
• Rudolf III explained that the tower’s sacred flame was nearly extinguished and told Veronica she would inherit the throne when she reignited it.
• Veronica doubted she could rule well, and Rudolf III admitted he saw little potential in her as a queen.
• Hao Ren postponed the succession discussion and agreed to inspect the tower for a way to reactivate it without bloodline power.
• Hao Ren touched the pool’s liquid and briefly sensed his mental link loosen.
• Hao Ren touched the liquid again and heard Nolan calling him from Giant Turtle Rock Platform.

Hao Ren reestablished contact with the Data Terminal and Vivian through the Tower of Sunscorching, and learned how difficult it would be to open a passage out of Kolo. The chapter ended with the Crystal Core Research Station reporting that Kolo meant “prison” and Lockmadon meant “the first, the original” in the Creation Goddess’s language.

• Hao Ren used the Tower of Sunscorching to establish a stable communication channel with the Data Terminal and Nolan.
• Hao Ren told the Data Terminal about Kolo, the war between chaos and order, and the legend of Lockmadon, while the Data Terminal described the defenses built around his disappearance site.
• The Data Terminal calculated that Kolo was sealed behind a vast phase-conversion zone and said a stronger relic of the Creation Goddess might enable a physical connection.
• Hao Ren spoke with Vivian, reassured her that he was safe, and explained that Lily was still missing but appeared to be doing well.
• The Data Terminal reported that the Crystal Core Research Station identified Kolo and Lockmadon as foreign words whose divine-language meanings were “prison” and “the first, the original.”

Hao Ren proposed using Source Blood as a substitute fuel to rekindle the Tower of Sunscorching after concluding that the Kolo World’s Keeper Bloodline might be compatible with it. Grand Duke Rune demanded proof that the Source Blood was safe before allowing it to be used.

• Hao Ren and Izax discussed whether Lockmadon was the Lord of Madness, a derivative entity, or something entirely different.
• Hao Ren reconnected with Vivian and the others, then ended the call and stood up beside the pool.
• Hao Ren revealed a container of dormant Source Blood and explained that it could serve as fuel for the Tower of Sunscorching.
• Veronica felt an unusual connection to the Source Blood, and Rudolf III asked whether it could replace her blood and ignite the sacred flame.
• Grand Duke Rune questioned the Source Blood’s safety, and Hao Ren offered to let anyone inspect it or test it at another kingdom’s Tower of Sunscorching.

Hao Ren poured an excessive amount of source blood into the Tower of Sunscorching, unleashing a world-spanning pillar of light that restored the other towers. At Black Raven Stronghold, Lily learned that the captured monster had begun acting strangely.

• Hao Ren poured half a washbasin of source blood into the Tower of Sunscorching after learning that a normal ignition required only twenty drops, triggering a burst of silver fire and light.
• The pillar of dawn appeared across the Kolo World, and rulers including Olaf, Constance, and Hector witnessed its arrival.
• The energy from the pillar restored the Tower of Sunscorching in the Violet Empire and the towers elsewhere, interrupting Hector's attempt to sacrifice himself.
• At Black Raven Stronghold, Lily discussed the Chaos War with Ulysses before the sudden light threw the fortress into confusion.
• After the light faded, Kalasios told Lily that the captured monster was acting strangely.

Lily investigated why the captured Shadow of the Nightmare had weakened after a burst of divine light. In Black Raven Stronghold’s dungeon, the monster revealed it could speak and warned Kalasios that Lockmadon was emerging from the Abyss of Oblivion and the ancient jailers had been corrupted.

• Kalasios told Lily that the Shadow of the Nightmare had become weak, possibly because the divine light of Order had affected its Chaos power.
• Kalasios informed Lily that his Sanctuary Investigation Team planned to continue its mission, though they would travel with her for a while longer.
• Lily, Duke Ulysses, and Kalasios visited the monster in Black Raven Stronghold’s dungeon and found it diminished and near death.
• The Shadow of the Nightmare spoke with Lily, explained that it was not going back for now, and showed it could communicate intelligently.
• The Shadow of the Nightmare recognized Kalasios as a bishop-level monk and warned him that Lockmadon was crawling out of the Abyss of Oblivion and the ancient jailers had become corrupted.

After a beam of light from Ansu Continent inspired hope among the Sanctuary People, Pope August VII heard that the Sanctuary’s barrier would fail within half a month and that Asuman’s decline continued. He visited the ancient statues in the Holy Image Hall to seek revelation, but the statues’ gazes filled him with terror before he stopped speaking.

• A beam of light pierced the Chaos vortex and appeared before the Sanctuary People, lifting ordinary people’s spirits.
• Cardinals told August VII that the light came from Ansu Continent, while Asuman’s weakening meant the Sanctuary could lose its barrier within half a month.
• Bishops and scholars argued over defending the Sanctuary and repairing Asuman, but they reached no solution.
• August VII ended the meeting and went to the Holy Image Hall to seek revelation from the ancient statues.
• August VII felt the statues’ gazes turn terrifying, bowed before the King of Kings, and abruptly fell silent.

After Hao Ren’s use of Source Blood relit and strengthened the kingdom’s Towers of Sunscorching, the divine-power burst left parts of White City affected by the shifting transparent zones known as Light Erosion. As the royal family assessed the damage, Hao Ren briefly saw Roll through an unexplained vision that vanished before anyone else noticed.

• The kingdoms discussed the mysterious beam that had reactivated their Towers of Sunscorching, whose damaged monitoring systems left their remaining power unknown.
• Hao Ren examined the shifting transparent areas around White City’s Tower of Sunscorching with Rudolf III, Anya, Veronica, and Scholar Alfred, while Alfred described the phenomenon as Light Erosion.
• Anya reported that Light Erosion had damaged magical devices and forced residents to leave the northern district, while Alfred said it had not harmed living things.
• Rudolf III accepted the disruption because the Towers of Sunscorching and other defenses had grown much stronger, then led the group away from the terrace as the palace staircase turned invisible.
• Hao Ren briefly saw Roll staring at him from a floating image of a tabletop, but the vision vanished before Veronica could see it.

Hao Ren discovered that strange apparitions in Kolo were caused by a temporary overlap with the Giant Turtle Rock Platform after he weakened the Creation Goddess’s seal. He warned the Data Terminal not to force open the prison while Lockmadon might still be contained there, then was summoned by the king.

• Hao Ren investigated the apparitions and learned that palace maids had seen an Autonomous Mechanical Unit and Wang Daquan during a brief overlap with the Giant Turtle Rock Platform.
• The Data Terminal contacted Hao Ren through a divine-power antenna powered by Muru and confirmed that Roll had also appeared to the crew.
• Hao Ren and the Data Terminal concluded that the apparitions and Light Erosion came from a singularity where Kolo and the real universe briefly shared coordinates.
• Hao Ren rejected the Data Terminal’s proposal to blast through Kolo’s shielding because the sealed world might still contain Lockmadon, but approved a one-way plan to send supplies.
• A Royal Guard told Hao Ren that the king had summoned him to discuss an important matter.

Hao Ren learned that the Wolf King leading the Beast Tide in the south was likely the person he sought, and agreed to escort An to meet a stranded Sanctuary investigation team. As Hao Ren prepared to leave White City, Rudolf III and Grand Duke Rune discussed An’s departure and their uncertainty about Hao Ren’s true nature.

• Rudolf III and Grand Duke Rune told Hao Ren that the Wolf King had led the Beast Tide to save Black Raven Stronghold, and Hao Ren recognized her as likely the missing wolf-like girl.
• Rudolf III asked Hao Ren to take An south to meet a Sanctuary investigation team that had joined the Beast Tide after an accident at sea.
• Hao Ren declined the king’s airship and escort, then left with An to prepare for a faster journey in Bei Dou Xing.
• Grand Duke Rune questioned whether An should leave, and Rudolf III explained that she was not Tarusian and could not be stopped if she chose to go.
• Rudolf III revealed that the Witch Queen and Desert King had reported strange lights and Tower of Sunscorching anomalies, and concluded that Hao Ren was neither a Sanctuary Person nor an Ancient Guardian.

Kalasios told Lily that Lockmadon’s evil spirit remained sealed in the Forgotten Abyss and revealed that his mission was to find a mysterious light at the ancient temple of Kasuan. Meanwhile, Lily announced that the other races were building a city on the unclaimed Great Wasteland, leaving Duke Ulysses unsure how to respond.

• Kalasios explained to Lily that Lockmadon’s evil thoughts lingered in the Forgotten Abyss, guarded by an ancient jailer, and worried that the weakened monster’s warning foretold a disaster.
• Kalasios revealed that his team had come to the Ansu Continent to search the desolate wilderness for a mysterious light near the temple of Kasuan.
• Duke Ulysses asked Lily why her forces were felling trees and clearing land near Black Raven Stronghold.
• Lily told Ulysses that the other races were building a city on the Great Wasteland.
• Ulysses reasoned that the unclaimed city could help defend Tarus against chaos, but remained astonished that magical beasts were building a city.

Lily explained why the Beast Tide needed a city and arranged for its chiefs to settle the migrating tribes in the Great Wasteland. She then set out for White City with Ulysses and Kalasios to find her Landlord, while a Bei Dou Xing raced south across the Green Plains.

• Lily told Ulysses and Kalasios that the Beast Tide needed a home, hunting grounds, and storehouses so it would not consume the land or threaten human territory.
• Lily explained that subraces could feed themselves by hunting and foraging, and said her appointed chiefs would oversee the settlements while she left to search for her Landlord.
• Lily said she wanted to go to White City, and Ulysses offered to send knights with her to deliver a message to the royal capital.
• Lily invited Kalasios to travel with her and bring the Smoked Big Meat, hoping it could help identify her Landlord.
• A Bei Dou Xing raced south across the Green Plains.

Hao Ren and An traveled across the Devil's Corridor toward the Sanctuary, where An revealed that she knew his Sanctuary identity was fake. After they camped near the southern hills, they spotted a Chaos Tear Point, while Lily led her group toward it despite Kalasios's warning.

• Hao Ren drove Bei Dou Xing through the Devil's Corridor with An, who said she was heading to the Sanctuary.
• An told Hao Ren that his identity as an Ancient Guardian was fake, but she had considered him harmless because he carried the power of Order.
• Hao Ren and An stopped for the night near the southern hills, and An identified a nearby Chaos Tear Point called Hogus Hut.
• Hao Ren and An discussed how Chaos Tear Points remained shrouded in Chaos even within lands governed by Order.
• Lily sensed something strange near the Tear Point and declared that she was going inside despite Kalasios's warning.

Lily led a divided mixed team into the Chaos Tear Point after smelling a familiar scent she believed belonged to her Landlord. They reached Hogus’s Cabin, where Lily detected another scent that stirred her predatory instincts as dark mana seeped from the mansion.

• Cudith and Kalasios urged Lily to avoid the Chaos Tear Point, but she insisted her Landlord might be inside.
• Kalasios and Cudith divided their teams, leaving guards outside to protect their mission and the captured monster while the others followed Lily.
• Lily led the group through the mist into a corrupted domain where Kalasios explained how the Shadow Mage Hogus had created the Tear Point.
• The group climbed to Hogus’s Cabin, where Lily spotted cleared thorns and smelled a recent visitor’s familiar scent.
• Lily detected another scent that made her want to bite someone, and Cudith raised her swords as dark mana began seeping from the mansion.

Lily and the knights fought Annihilation Cultists at Hogus Hut, where the heretics stalled until they escaped with a glowing disk. Lily recognized the disk as stolen from her home and charged after them, while Hao Ren sensed trouble and prepared to investigate the Chaos Tear Point.

• Annihilation Cultists blasted open Hogus Ruin and attacked Lily, Kalasios, Cudith, and their forces with spells and suicide charges.
• Lily fought the heretics while Kalasios and Cudith noticed that their defenders were buying time rather than trying to break out.
• The heretics unleashed a powerful surge of dark magic, then blasted through a weak point in the encirclement and fled with a one-armed aristocrat and a freckled girl carrying a glowing disk.
• Lily recognized the disk as something stolen from her home, summoned her Ice and Fire Claws, and prepared to pursue the fleeing heretics.
• Hao Ren sensed something amiss, declined An's offer to accompany him, and activated his Bei Dou Xing's battle tank mode.

Lily and the Order forces battled Count Willie’s cultists over a stolen family plate until Hao Ren arrived in the Type 59. After eating the latiao Hao Ren tossed her, Lily transformed into a gigantic silver wolf, confirming her identity as the Alpha Wolf.

• Lily fought through the Annihilation Cultists while trying to recover her family’s plate, as both sides became locked in a fierce battle outside Hogus Hut.
• A shell struck Hogus Hut, and Hao Ren’s Type 59 charged onto the battlefield, lifting the Order forces’ spirits.
• Hao Ren recognized Count Willie and Lavinia, who carried the stolen plate, while the cultists pushed Lily back in a desperate attempt to escape.
• Hao Ren threw Lily a package of latiao, and she caught and ate it.
• Lily howled and transformed into a gigantic silver wolf, prompting Kalasios to recognize her as the Alpha Wolf.

Lily’s giant-wolf transformation turned the battle against the Annihilation Cultists into chaos, while Willy and Lavinia escaped with a divine disc. The fighting ended with Hao Ren reunited with Lily, who finally stopped her wild rampage to fuss over him.

• Lily’s giant-wolf form crushed the cultists and accidentally rolled down the mountain, demolishing part of Hogus Hut.
• Willy and Lavinia sacrificed their blood and spirits to escape with the plastic plate, while Hao Ren let them flee because he sensed the cult’s seal could not suppress its divine power.
• Lily finished rolling at the foot of the mountain, and Hao Ren called her back after the battle ended.
• Lily returned to the mountaintop, shook gravel over the gathered people, and changed clothes after Hao Ren told her to stop.
• Hao Ren met Kalasios, and Lily excitedly recounted her adventures before settling down beside her Landlord.

After the cult leaders escaped, Hao Ren, Lily, Kalasios, and Cudith searched the ruined Hogus Hut for clues. Lily explained how she had gained the Light of Order, and the group discovered a blood-sacrifice altar inside the ruins.

• Lily returned from scouting and complained that the cult leaders had stolen their belongings, while Kalasios warned they were powerful Annihilation believers.
• Lily introduced Cudith, Kalasios, the Sanctuary Investigation Team, and her Alpha Wolf Royal Guard to Hao Ren.
• Hao Ren noticed Lily's partly bald tail, and Kalasios explained that she had sacrificed her fur to make protective charms against Chaos.
• Hao Ren and the others entered the ruined Hogus Hut and investigated while their forces kept watch outside.
• Lily told Hao Ren how she had begun glowing after eating rare treasures and entering a Chaos storm; Hao Ren explained that her Light of Order would flare in Chaos.
• Cudith found a hidden room where Kalasios identified a bloody altar and the cultists' blood-sacrifice ritual.

Hao Ren learned that the Annihilation Cultists were trying to use a stolen disc to reach Lockmadon’s prison, while the Light of Asuman had gone out and left the Sanctuary in danger. The chapter ended with Hao Ren realizing that the light Kalasios’s mission sought at the Kasuan Sacred Hall was one he had created himself.

• Kalasios explained that the cultists used an evil altar and human sacrifices to draw power from Lockmadon and bind an artifact.
• Kalasios revealed that Lockmadon was still alive in the Abyss of Oblivion and that the Mirror Realm connected it to the mortal world.
• Hao Ren told Kalasios that the Light of Asuman had gone out, prompting Kalasios to fear the cultists could free Lockmadon’s soul.
• Hao Ren reassured Kalasios that the Radiant Disc stolen by the cultists was fake.
• Lily revealed that Kalasios’s mission was to find the Kasuan Sacred Hall in the Barren Wasteland, where a light had appeared.
• Hao Ren realized the light Kalasios sought was the one he had smashed into existence.

Hao Ren convinced Kalasios that he had emerged from Kasuan Sacred Hall and agreed to return with the investigation team to the failing Sanctuary. As An'an offered a way to get them there, Pope August VII witnessed Count Willie and a woman arrive through a chaotic portal and heard that the Last Day had begun.

• Hao Ren showed Kalasios holographic records of Kasuan Sacred Hall and explained that he and Lily came from outside Kolo.
• Kalasios accepted Hao Ren's offer to help save the Crystal Sacred Mountain, Asuman, and decided they needed to return to the Sanctuary immediately.
• An'an appeared, offered a fast way back, and joined Hao Ren, Kalasios, and the others as they left the cult-tainted hills for Hao Ren's camp.
• Hao Ren wondered whether An'an could use Spatial Teleportation despite the Chaos storms blocking continent-scale travel.
• At the Sanctuary, Pope August VII stood in the dim Great Prayer Hall as a chaotic portal opened behind him and Count Willie and a woman fell out.
• Count Willie told August VII that the Last Day had already arrived.

Hao Ren and his group prepared to return to the Sanctuary, while the Black Raven Knights departed and Lily reunited with Hao Ren. Darkness began opening a passage to the Sanctuary with Kalasios’s Holy Seal, though she could only guarantee it would appear near one of the Sanctuary’s energy nodes.

• Hao Ren asked Cudith to tell the King of Taros that he and Darkness had gone to the Sanctuary, and the Black Raven Knights left the camp.
• Lily reunited with Hao Ren, explained that she had pretended to be a werewolf leader, and admitted she missed the medicinal soup that helped her fur grow back.
• A flash from the Sanctuary Investigation Team’s camp drew Hao Ren and Lily to Darkness, who was using a strange crystal staff to prepare a passage.
• Kalasios arrived with the Holy Seal and questioned Darkness about her knowledge and method, but agreed to proceed rather than risk losing the Sanctuary’s hope.
• Darkness said the passage would be secure but might open near any of the Sanctuary’s energy nodes, then began channeling power through her staff.

An opened a passage to the Sanctuary, and Hao Ren, Lily, Kalasios, and their followers traveled through it. They arrived near Luan to find the Sanctuary consumed by Chaos, and Kalasios could not determine their exact location.

• An built a magical array and used Kalasios's fragment of Asuman to open a passage to the Sanctuary.
• Kalasios, Hao Ren, Lily, the Sanctuary Investigation Team, and Lily's Royal Guard chose to travel through the gate, bringing the Shadow of the Nightmare with them.
• Hao Ren and the others emerged from the passage after a disorienting journey, with An arriving last and unharmed.
• The group saw that Chaos had corrupted the Sanctuary and nearly erased its Order Barrier.
• Kalasios identified their general location near Luan but could not determine their exact position, and everyone looked to An for guidance.

Hao Ren’s group reached Luan after an early teleportation and split up so he could investigate the city while Lily’s demi-human forces waited outside. They found Luan deserted and tainted by the Dark Power, and the wary residents refused to open their doors.

• An explained that the teleportation had brought them near Luan and said she would protect the Sanctuary, whose survival was tied to her.
• Kalasios pointed out Sacred Mount Asuman, and Hao Ren decided the group should enter Luan to gather information before approaching the City of Divine Favor.
• Hao Ren arranged for Lily’s demi-human soldiers and the Nightmare Monster, Smoked Big Meat, to remain in a concealed camp outside the city with Church Knights and an assistant bishop.
• Hao Ren’s group entered Luan at night and found empty streets, strange dark-red lights, and black rain that evaporated on Hao Ren and Lily.
• Kalasios knocked on a resident’s door, but the homeowner refused to let the group inside, alarming the clerics who remembered Luan’s people as hospitable.

Hao Ren investigated Luan City, where residents shunned outsiders and the Light of Asuman had gone out, then discovered that soulless people were converging on the Grand Cathedral. The chapter left Hao Ren and his companions following the silent crowd toward the faint, fading Light of Order.

• Hao Ren and the Church warriors failed to question Luan City's fearful, hostile residents, while magical detection became their next course of action.
• Hao Ren contacted Data Terminal and Vivian, reported the Sanctuary's decline, and agreed to monitor a test of matter transmission.
• Hao Ren spotted an unresponsive man walking stiffly through the streets and could not wake him.
• Kalasios ordered the group to follow the man, who was heading toward the Grand Cathedral.
• Hao Ren and his companions saw more walking corpses join a silent procession toward the cathedral, where the last Light of Order flickered faintly.

Hao Ren and the Sanctuary Investigation Team reached Luan's Grand Cathedral, where its holy protection erased the approaching corpses and a survivor let them inside. They learned that the City of Divine Favor had suffered a catastrophe and were invited to meet the injured Bishop Hozman before the next Nightmare.

• Hao Ren and the others watched the undead crowd converge on the Grand Cathedral, but its invisible holy power turned them into black smoke before they could approach.
• Hao Ren spotted someone inside the church, and Kalasios identified the group as survivors from the Sanctuary Investigation Team.
• A wary Priest questioned their identity and warned them not to enter while the church's defenses were active.
• Bernstein opened the church doors and admitted the group before the second Nightmare began.
• Bernstein told Kalasios that Bishop Hozman was recovering in the Underground Palace after suffering a mental backlash.

Hao Ren and Kalasios learned from Bishop Hutzman that Luan had been devastated by Chaos and a nightmare invasion that blurred dreams and reality. Hutzman revealed that the City of Divine Favor had vanished, leaving only scorched earth and enormous pits.

• Hao Ren and his companions entered the Underground Palace beneath Luan's Grand Cathedral and found most of the city's survivors sheltering there.
• Bishop Hutzman explained that Asuman's protection had weakened, allowing Chaos to breach the Holy Realm before nightmares began attacking people in their sleep.
• Hutzman said the sleeping residents' nightmares had manifested as wandering beings that spread mental shocks, while the city's memories had formed a separate nightmare resembling Luan's past.
• Hao Ren and Kalasios learned that the Grand Cathedral sheltered most of the remaining survivors, who could not safely sleep elsewhere.
• Hutzman revealed that the City of Divine Favor had severed its links with subordinate churches and disappeared, leaving Sulfur-scorched earth and enormous pits.