Chapter Summaries

Roy planned to enter the heroes’ competition to approach Yannis, while Ivent developed a rapid way to grow Mimic Mushrooms from corpses. Ivent then proposed using a parasitic fungal transformation to advance to Formal Rank and asked Roy for supplies, especially the corpse of Amo.

• Tuval reported that Yannis had become a Formal Rank warrior and was preparing to pursue the Hero’s Path and a generalship.
• Roy decided to compete among the heroes rather than attack Yannis directly, while preparing for the risks and a possible escape.
• Ivent showed Roy how Spore Strain and Animate Potion rapidly transformed a coyote corpse into a Mimic Mushroom.
• Roy praised Ivent’s work and rewarded him with potions and valuable materials.
• Ivent explained that he had formed a Wizard’s Maxim and proposed replacing his Source of Magic Power with a fungal Witch Body, asking Roy for supplies including Amo’s corpse.

Roy supported Ivent’s attempt to transform himself into a humanoid Mushroom Demon and observed the final stage of the experiment. Ivent gained immense Life Energy and a Source of Magic Power but failed to reach the Formal Wizard stage, then lost control of his growth and became a giant Deformed Monster.

• Roy gave Ivent Amo’s corpse as a Culture Medium and agreed to share information and resources for the experiment.
• Roy stayed at the Secret Camp and discussed the strengths and flaws of Ivent’s method of using Wood Elf bloodline affinity to tame the spores.
• Ivent completed the transformation in the Nurturing Pod, replacing nearly all his flesh and blood cells with Mimic Mushroom tissue.
• Roy sensed that Ivent’s Life Energy rose above thirty degrees and his Mental Strength reached about nine degrees, while a Source of Magic Power formed.
• Ivent lamented that he had failed to reach the Formal Wizard stage, then screamed as his body expanded beyond his control into a several-meter-tall Deformed Monster.

Roy investigated Event’s failed transformation into a Wizard and discovered a Tumor Demon Source growing in his body, then prepared to leave the camp for Tanlie City. Before departing, he promised Athedia that he would collect her soul after her death, while warning her not to risk her life.

• Roy found Event suffering from severe brain damage after his Wizard Body transformation failed, and he ordered the laboratory area sealed off.
• Roy discovered a Tumor Demon Source in Event’s body and placed Secret Runes on him to control his transformed body while he slept.
• Roy told Ulid and the others to monitor Event and left them Blackening Potions in case he went berserk.
• Roy visited Sailen, whose health had continued to deteriorate, and carved a statue of her as a memento.
• Athedia asked Roy to preserve her appearance, flesh, and soul in a stone statue, and Roy agreed to collect her soul after her death while urging her to stay alive.

Roy returned to the Secret Camp after Ivent awakened without his memories and became a rapidly growing Mushroom Demon. He destroyed Ivent’s main body and left the camp to contain a spreading mushroom colony, while keeping the largest Tumor Demon Source for himself.

• Planje asked whether Sailen could be saved, and Roy told her not to interfere because Sailen was not truly her sister.
• Ivent’s transformation overwhelmed the camp’s experimental area, so Roy ordered the apprentices to evacuate to a nearby valley.
• Roy, Planje, and Luker fought the Mushroom Demons and found Tumor Demon Sources inside their bodies.
• Roy restrained and dissolved Ivent’s enormous main body with Blackening Potion, then cut off its head in case he could recover its brain and memories.
• Roy told Ulid and the others that Ivent had spread into a stable mushroom colony and gave them smaller Tumor Demon Sources to investigate.

Roy gained new insights into brain cultivation while investigating Yivent’s brain, then received an imperial conscription order requiring him to join the Bloody Trial in four years. With official permission to build an army and a token that concealed his identity, he began preparing a potion to strengthen his deficient Golden Behemoth body.

• Roy discovered that Yivent’s cultivated brain had developed brain-wave-like activity and gained knowledge about memory transfer and biological brains.
• Imperial officials arrived at Amo’s estate and conscripted Roy to join the Beast God Festival pilgrimage and the Bloody Trial at Mulien City in four years.
• Roy accepted the Conscription Order, which authorized him to raise up to 300 personal guards and granted him a token marking him as a trial participant.
• Roy secretly tested the token with the Golden Behemoth power in his body and found that it made him appear to be a believer of the Behemoth God.
• After the officials left, Luker said Roy should be able to qualify if he avoided the strongest heroes, and Roy returned to the Alchemy Room to prepare a Pilfa Magic Potion.

Roy developed a bloodline-purification potion plan and built an underground Mimic Mushroom surveillance network, then learned that someone had challenged him. He realized the Beast God Festival pilgrimage was heating up ahead of the Bloody Trial.

• Roy identified the materials needed to refine his Golden Behemoth bloodline and concluded that he needed Bloodline Essence Crystals from Golden Behemoth warriors.
• Roy studied Ivent's nerve-transmitting filaments and planned a surveillance system using Wizard's Eyes and Mimic Mushrooms.
• Roy integrated an eyeball's organs into a Mimic Mushroom network, which detected intruders underground, and planned to improve its Biological Brain.
• Luker told Roy that a challenger had sent him a challenge letter, and Roy recognized that the Orc Warriors' pilgrimage had begun in earnest.

Roy defeated Lion Rayne and discovered that he carried a trace of Golden Behemoth bloodline, then returned to his research in Tanlie City. When Sailen’s health worsened, Roy went to see her before she died and left him a letter containing her Secret Rune.

• Roy killed Lion Rayne in a challenge and found a trace of Golden Behemoth bloodline in his corpse.
• Roy concealed the bloodline and arranged for Lion Rayne’s body to be cremated and his ashes returned home.
• Roy continued gathering materials, refining potions, and crafting items in Tanlie City.
• Athedia contacted Roy to tell him that Sailen’s condition had worsened, and Roy hurried to the camp in the wasteland.
• Sailen thanked Roy, gave him back the Space Ring, and died after telling him she had left a letter inside.
• Roy took the Legacy Letter from Sailen’s Space Ring and began reading it.

Roy read Sailen’s farewell letter, learning about her miserable past, her gratitude toward him, and a secret path to the core of the Flesh Swamp. He took her body and soul for his research and left Tanlie City with Athedia, whose appearance attracted attention but did not arouse suspicion.

• Roy read Sailen’s letter and learned how her lowly origins, lack of talent, and difficult experiences had shaped her life.
• Sailen revealed that she and Sophia had found a path into the core area of the Flesh Swamp and left Roy a map.
• Roy gave Athedia the choice of taking some of Sailen’s Enchanted Items, then took Sailen’s body and soul to study her brain.
• Roy explained that Athedia could pass as someone from the Osiris Plane if they concealed her face and gave her an identity.
• Roy rode Athedia through Tanlie City, where the orcs reacted with surprise and awe but did not suspect her.

After researching memory and brain replication, Roy created a Biological Brain from copied versions of Sailen’s brain cells and awakened it as Sailen. He confirmed that it retained only part of her memories, then used the experiment to learn a Mind Reading Technique.

• Roy returned to the estate, heard that news of killing Lion Rayne had spread, and ordered Luker and Planje to keep collecting Witchcraft Materials.
• Roy spent more than a month researching the brain and successfully replicated several parts of Sailen’s brain tissue.
• At the former Amo residence in Tanlie City, Roy activated the Biological Brain in a Nutrient Pod, and it identified itself as Sailen.
• Roy explained to Athedia that the experiment had not truly resurrected Sailen, then learned that the brain retained approximately 17.5% of her memories.
• Roy examined Sailen’s memories, copied a new Spell Model into his notebook, and gained an initial grasp of the Mind Reading Technique.

Roy continued researching memory witchcraft and a mushroom-based communications network while, half a year later, Yannis gained divine powers as a War Priest of the Tiger King. The chapter left Yannis preparing to pursue a Hero Trial and the next Beast God Festival with Maggie’s support.

• Roy concluded that memory alteration and brainwashing required further research, then focused on monitoring the Sky Network and building a Biological Brain linked through Mimic Mushroom mycelium.
• After half a year, Yannis prayed at an altar in Mulien City and received divine arts from Tiger King Haigertai.
• Marshal Masur named Yannis a War Priest and urged him to combine divine arts with Martial Arts and remain devoted to the Tiger King.
• Maggie Quicks greeted Yannis outside the temple and promised to ask her father to arrange a Hero Trial for him.
• Yannis concealed his reservations about Maggie’s fur and affectionately agreed that his new strength was wonderful.

Roy learned that Yannis had become Tiger King Haigertai’s War Priest and discovered that his research had produced Memory Stones from Ivent’s brain tissue. By reading the stones, Roy uncovered fragments of Ivent’s memories and stopped after the experience left him feeling contaminated.

• Sailen reported that Yannis had become Haigertai’s War Priest and had begun the Hero Trial journey.
• Roy examined Ivent’s brain tissue and found that his experiments had produced Memory Stones.
• Roy identified the stones as the introductory foundation of the Soul Stone series, which culminated in Divinity.
• Roy read Ivent’s memories of growing mushrooms and gambling with Ulid and the others.
• Roy saw a memory of Ivent secretly cultivating a Mimic Mushroom and using Animate Potion on it, then decided that reading other people’s memories was dangerous and unethical.

Roy refined a Memory Alchemy technique and used his surveillance network to learn that Wilbur had challenged Luker Black Blade. After defeating Wilbur and taking his Conscription Order and Flame Fruit, Roy prepared to leave Tanlie City and begin a hero-challenge pilgrimage.

• Roy completed a Formation Array-based Memory Alchemy technique and considered using altered memories to create an Artificial Soul or cast brainwashing spells.
• Sailen warned Roy that a likely challenger had appeared at Tanlie City's gates, and Roy used modified creatures to observe Wilbur and his entourage.
• Wilbur challenged Luker Black Blade, and Roy came out to face him.
• Roy defeated Wilbur, spared his life in exchange for the Conscription Order and a treasure, and took the Flame Fruit.
• Roy ordered preparations for a hero-challenge pilgrimage, and Luker eagerly anticipated the Black Blade Clan's journey to the royal capital.

Two months later, Roy traveled to Dom City, where he gathered witchcraft materials and refined Memory Stones while trying to improve Intelligent Brain Sailen. Outside the city, he finally created an Experience Stone, but its contents were mostly lessons in banditry and other unsavory pursuits.

• Roy arrived in Dom City and sent his followers to investigate local markets and gather news and materials.
• Roy found a level-two Extraterrestrial Meteorite among the gathered items and put it away to help forge a level-two weapon.
• Roy spoke with Intelligent Brain Sailen and taught her to decode Memory Stones while experimenting with ways to strengthen them.
• Several days later, Roy killed a bandit chief outside Dom City and used his head in a Formation Array to refine crystals.
• Roy discovered that one crystal was an Experience Stone containing knowledge about robbing, interrogation, and other bandit skills, including an experience he rejected as unwanted.

Roy studied how Experience Stones carried and transferred knowledge, then used them to absorb Orc martial arts and combat experience. By the end of June, he had gained several warrior skills and his Spiritual Power had increased.

• Roy concluded that Experience Stones came from living beings’ brain tissue and required a more skilled source to yield valuable experience.
• Roy returned to the city with his followers, completed the bandit mission, and told the tavern keeper to bring him more paid killing jobs.
• Roy refined Experience Stones and discovered that absorbing them consumed the crystal and could cause mental contamination if he took in too much knowledge.
• Roy realized Hermes' Eye let him judge the essence of spiritual memories and knowledge with exceptional accuracy.
• Over half a month, Roy took combat missions, extracted experience from enemies, and mastered Orc martial techniques including Battle Roar, Following Slash, Combat Reflexes, and Weapon Mastery.
• Roy found that his Spiritual Power had increased after absorbing the martial experience.

Roy realized that Experience Stones might rapidly increase his Spiritual Power if Hermes' Eye could reduce their mental toxicity. Meanwhile, imperial orc soldiers began seizing grain and attacking a caravan, prompting the victims' chieftain to post a notice seeking a Hero to fight back.

• Roy reasoned that he could use Hermes' Eye to refine Experience Stones and tolerate more of them than other wizards.
• Imperial orc soldiers attacked a merchant caravan, demanded its grain, and beat and killed members of the tribe.
• Planje told Roy that imperial soldiers were collecting grain across the region, and Roy suspected the empire was preparing for war against Netherland.
• The caravan's chieftain posted a notice seeking a Hero to reclaim the stolen grain, and Roy decided it gave him a chance to test this world's official powers.

Roy accepted Luanti’s mission to recover the Ice Plains Orcs’ stolen food, taking a mysterious Sky Stone as an advance payment. He then ambushed an orc patrol, harvested Experience Stones from its soldiers, and ordered Luker to burn their bodies.

• Luanti offered Roy a mission to recover the Ice Plains Orcs’ stolen food, promising payment plus a fifty-percent reward.
• Luanti gave Roy a Sky Stone that Roy identified as a Sacred Mark Stone containing an unknown divine spell.
• Roy tracked down the orc soldiers near the city and killed them to assess their abilities and collect Experience Stones.
• Roy killed the Great Knight officer, absorbed the Experience Stones’ spirituality, and summoned Luker to burn the corpses.

Roy discovered that the Sacred Mark Stone resonated with his Golden Behemoth Bloodline, awakening a mysterious ability and showing him a vision of a colossal bear-like corpse. After learning the Behemoth God had shown no miracles for sixty years, Roy concluded that the god was probably dead.

• Luanti paid Roy and his companions their mission reward and told Roy that Sky Stones were rare and could respond to orcs with dense Behemoth Bloodlines.
• Roy used his Golden Behemoth Bloodline to draw a claw-mark from the Sacred Mark Stone, which triggered a bloodline resonance and illuminated new stars on his Constellation Fate Disk.
• The Sacred Mark Stone shattered as a mysterious ability began forming in Roy's soul, and Roy saw a vision of a colossal bear-like creature lying in a pool of blood.
• A Phantom Panel revealed that Roy had gained the Bronze-grade Bloodline Expert talent, improving his ability in bloodline potion preparation and related alchemy.
• Roy contacted Tuval, learned that the Behemoth God had not shown a miracle in about sixty years, and concluded that the god was probably dead.

Roy failed to persuade Tuval to investigate the Behemoth God's possible death, so he continued alone toward Mulien and tested his suspicions about his unusual soul and talents. After reaching the city, he hid his real plans, found a secluded valley, and established a secret base.

• Roy shared his suspicions about the Behemoth God with Tuval, but Tuval refused to believe him or join his investigation.
• Roy traveled toward Mulien, detoured to search for Sacred Mark Stones, and considered whether his Golden Behemoth Bloodline had granted him the world's Mandate of Heaven.
• Roy and Athedia arrived near Mulien City after half a year of travel, and Roy asked Luker to prepare for the Beast God Festival under his own name.
• Roy took Athedia into the Loniro mountain range and found a secluded underground cavern suitable for a hidden base.
• Roy planted Dormant Spores, set up a wizard array and Portable Small Alchemy Laboratory, and settled Sailen into the secret base.

Roy trained his warrior abilities in the Loniro Mountains while developing Mimic Mushrooms, golems, and other projects in a hidden cavern. After receiving word from Luker about a new batch of materials, Roy prepared to visit the city.

• Roy practiced warrior techniques at a waterfall and used his body’s Life Energy to improve his combat movements.
• Roy carried a magical beast to his cavern, where the Mimic Mushrooms had grown enough to patrol and hunt under Sailen’s control.
• Roy asked Sailen about turning warrior Memory Stones into Skill Stones, but Sailen had not succeeded, so Roy postponed the attempt until he advanced to the second level.
• Roy inspected his cultivated Spore Strain and worked on upgrading Kaiser and Marcel into Level 1 Golems, limited by a shortage of materials.
• Roy received Luker’s message that they had contacted a new batch of materials, replied, and announced that he would go into the city.

Roy used his Alchemy Talent to identify and acquire rare materials, then refined and drank an Elixir Potion that sharpened his mind and increased his Mental Strength. When the Slaughter Moon appeared and agitated the creatures around his mountain refuge, Roy decided to use the lunar change to attempt refining a Pilfa Magic Potion.

• Roy inspected magical materials with Luker and bought several overlooked rarities from Orc merchants.
• Roy realized his ingredients were sufficient to refine an Elixir Potion and returned to the mountains to brew it.
• Roy drank the Elixir Potion and spent the night studying runes and magic arrays, raising his Mental Strength by about one degree.
• Sailen warned Roy that the beasts in the forest were agitated, and Roy saw the crimson Slaughter Moon replacing the blue moon.
• Roy explained the Slaughter Moon to Athedia and sent her inside to rest, then decided to try refining a Pilfa Magic Potion under the changed lunar phase.