Chapter Summaries

Angel discovered that Nakbi had been crying because the running wheel was the only familiar comfort he had, then returned him to the bracelet space with toys and food. Meanwhile, the audience watched a replay of the Mystic Dragon Eya appearing above the main display platform to speak privately with Gleipnir.

• Angel conjured a running wheel for Nakbi, who stopped crying and happily ran on it as a music box played.
• Angel and Laplace explained that the wheel comforted Nakbi because it was the only familiar thing in his life, and Luigi suggested leaving him to run.
• Angel returned Nakbi to the bracelet space, soundproofed his cage, and added food and sound-making activities to keep him occupied and train his vocalization.
• Angel noticed that Little Red, Luigi, Laplace, Sypolov, and the Hound Butler were watching the screens and asked Luigi to replay what he had missed.
• The replay showed the Mystic Dragon Eya reveal his colossal true form above the main display platform and speak with Gleipnir before she left the stage.

The Hound Butler received Heartfire research from the Ghost Butler and used it to keep Angel and Laplace’s group at Hound House. It explained that gaining Heartfire required mastery of the power of the heart and began recounting how a Legendary outsider had once obtained it.

• The Hound Butler received a message from the Consciousness Cloud containing the Heartfire materials it had requested from the Ghost Butler.
• When Luigi proposed leaving, the Hound Butler revealed the Heartfire materials, prompting Angel and Laplace to agree to stay.
• The Hound Butler asked Sypolov for permission to discuss Heartfire, then offered Angel guidance on improving his chances of obtaining it.
• The Hound Butler explained that an outsider had once gained Heartfire and began telling the story of a Legendary being skilled in psychic abilities.
• The Hound Butler said that mastery of the power of the heart was essential, while Angel considered learning Mind Illusion or borrowing psychic power to meet the requirement.

The Hound Butler explained how the Yingji Race found compatible heartfire and why outsiders could not use the same approach. He revealed that a legendary outsider had gained heartfire's recognition through a proper method, and that the key involved heartfires that could develop intelligence.

• The Hound Butler asked Sypolov to describe how he found heartfire in Heartfire Hall, and Sypolov recounted entering as a toddler and following the scenes that drew his attention.
• Sypolov explained that heartfire scenes loosely reflected their abilities and that he had chosen an art gallery because its oil paintings captivated him.
• The Hound Butler said heartfire ignored outsiders despite attempts to imitate the Yingji Race, then revealed that a legendary outsider had gained recognition without force.
• The Hound Butler said the legendary being's record divided heartfires into two types, and he led Sypolov and Angel to consider whether heartfire could possess intelligence.
• Angel said heartfire could develop intelligence, and the Hound Butler confirmed that the legendary being classified heartfires by whether they possessed intelligence.

The Hound Butler explained that intelligent Heartfires could rebel against their rules and choose to follow outsiders, revealing how a legendary figure had once obtained one. It pushed Sypolov to help Angel enter Heartfire Hall, while Angel agreed that studying a Heartfire would suffice if he could not gain one; Luigi then sought details for a new story.

• The Hound Butler told Angel that intelligent Heartfires questioned their rules, concealed themselves, and might choose to leave Heartfire Hall with outsiders.
• Angel reasoned that his perception and Nightmare Illusion could help him find an intelligent Heartfire, and he thanked the Hound Butler for the information.
• Sypolov asked permission to tell the Yingji Race about the secret, and the Hound Butler said he should wait until Angel had obtained Heartfire.
• The Hound Butler pressed Sypolov to repay his debt by helping Angel enter Heartfire Hall, and Angel said he would be content to study a Heartfire if he could not obtain one.
• Sypolov promised to help Angel qualify and to provide a Heartfire for study if Angel found none in Heartfire Hall.
• Luigi questioned the Hound Butler about intelligent Heartfires for a new epic, while the Hound Butler postponed asking about Gleipnir.

Angel prepared Little Red to enter Dream Crystal Plain, where Rabbit Girl welcomed her in Rabbit Town. Little Red heard a voice calling her from deep within a cavern, and Angel and Rabbit Girl began investigating whether it signaled a new Wonderland.

• Angel explained Dream Crystal Plain's dangers to Little Red and watched as she logged in from the ball pit.
• Little Red arrived in Rabbit Town, where Rabbit Girl greeted her and asked about her new body's abilities.
• Little Red told Rabbit Girl that a voice inside her mind was calling her to find it and claiming to be her puzzle piece.
• Angel reassured Rabbit Girl through the wind, and Little Red identified the voice's location deep in a nearby cavern.
• Rabbit Girl realized the voice might be connected to a new Wonderland and considered the danger its appearance could pose to Rabbit Town's natives.

Angel discovered that a new training-type Wonderland had appeared in the cave because of Little Red, and learned that such instances could help her recover a world-bestowed talent. Little Red chose to investigate the entrance, where a white light began to descend through the darkness.

• Angel used the God's-eye view to find a recently formed door mark at the cave's end and identified it as the entrance to a new Wonderland.
• Angel searched Dreamwalking Wonderland's authority and learned that training instances were opened by players with special talents gifted by the Nightmare Realm, Dream Realm, or Day Mirror Domain, and that Little Red would need to clear multiple instances to unseal hers.
• Angel told Rabbit Girl what he had learned and explained that Little Red could choose whether to enter the instance without being forced to participate.
• Rabbit Girl told Little Red the choice was hers, and Little Red decided to go into the cave because she wanted to investigate the voice calling her.
• Rabbit Girl led Little Red deeper into the pitch-black cave, but considered turning back when Little Red clung to her in fear, just as a white light began drifting down from above.

Rabbit Girl guided Little Red through a dark cavern to a Wonderland door created for her, and Little Red opened the trial Instance Flavor-Seeking Circuit—Little Garden. Angel discovered that Little Red had one month and limited daily attempts to clear a fragrance-identification challenge or have her talent permanently sealed.

• Angel used Celestial Change to light a path through the cavern, and Rabbit Girl led Little Red to her glowing door mark.
• Little Red sensed no malice from the door mark and chose to touch it despite the urgent emotion urging her forward.
• The door mark transformed into a door, and Little Red unlocked its Wonderland prompts by touching the doorknob.
• Little Red told Rabbit Girl that the trial allowed one attempt per day and gave her one month to clear it or lose her talent permanently.
• Angel read the Little Garden overview and learned that Little Red would need to identify flower scents across one hundred stages.

Little Red entered the trainee Instance Little Garden, where she began a trial based on distinguishing flavors, while Angel confirmed the Instance was safe. Angel and Laplace discussed what trainee Instances could mean for others with talents, including Hound Butler, and decided to speak with it privately.

• Rabbit Girl let Little Red enter Little Garden and waited outside after Angel confirmed the Instance was safe.
• Little Red entered the flower-filled garden and began her flavor-distinguishing trial while Angel checked the Instance for dangers.
• Angel told Laplace that Little Garden was a trainee Instance that could help Little Red recover her talent by collecting puzzle pieces.
• Laplace realized Hound Butler might activate a trainee Instance to regain its mind-reading talent, and she and Angel decided to discuss the possibility with it privately.
• Angel and Laplace considered identifying talented members of All Things House so they could monitor them when they entered Dream Crystal Plain.
• Hound Butler ended its conversation with Luigi and turned toward Laplace, who met its gaze.

Laplace warned Hound Butler that entering the Dream Crystal Plain could trigger a personal trial Wonderland and advised it to log in in human form to hide its identity. After Hound Butler shared information about other gifted residents of All Things House, Gleipnir reported that Mystic Dragon wanted to meet them, and Laplace hinted that new information might explain why Mystic Dragon had approached her.

• Laplace and Luigi explained Wonderlands and trial Wonderlands to Hound Butler, warning that its talent could cause a new instance to appear when it entered the Dream Crystal Plain.
• Laplace advised Hound Butler to log in in human form and conceal its identity so others would not discover its mind-reading ability.
• Hound Butler gave Laplace information about gifted individuals in All Things House, and Angel marked them through the Dream Gate.
• Luigi told Hound Butler that Mystic Dragon had likely approached Gleipnir because of the Login Device, though he denied that Mystic Dragon had seemed impatient.
• Gleipnir contacted them to report that she had told Mystic Dragon about the Ghost Domain and that Mystic Dragon wanted to meet them.
• Laplace said Gleipnir had also passed along information that might explain Mystic Dragon's interest.

Angel and Laplace explained to the Hound Butler how Kukulus began manifesting Dragon-Eating Sunflower’s Assimilation ability in reality after challenging the Mist Island Dragon Tomb, prompting Mystic Dragon to pursue talks over Dream Crystal Plain. The Hound Butler grew eager to enter the Wonderland, and Angel agreed to stay until it tried its trial instance, while Luigi remained outside because he was trapped in a Fairyland Instance.

• Laplace told Angel that Kukulus had begun using an incomplete form of Assimilation in reality despite failing its first statue challenge.
• Angel and Laplace reasoned that Kukulus’s ability had prompted Mystic Dragon to seek information about Dream Crystal Plain and negotiate for Login Devices.
• Laplace explained the Mist Island Dragon Tomb’s rules and Kukulus’s challenge to the Hound Butler, who recognized the Wonderland’s potential.
• Gleipnir asked Laplace and the others to delay joining Mystic Dragon while she negotiated, so Angel chose to stay and watch the Hound Butler enter its trial instance.
• The Hound Butler agreed to enter Dream Crystal Plain with Angel and Laplace, and Laplace said Luigi would remain outside because he was trapped in a Fairyland Instance.

Luigi watched the Cuphead Telu People’s display while Sypolov considered how to help secure Heartfire from General Oleg. In the Dream Crystal Plain, the Hound Butler entered in a human form with dog ears and a tail, felt an inexplicable urge to explore, and headed for the library to learn about the place.

• Sypolov realized Luigi intended them to leave the Hound House together and considered how to persuade General Oleg to provide an opportunity to obtain Heartfire.
• Luigi watched Cuphead’s low-popularity display because he enjoyed the Telu People’s traditional performances, especially their music.
• The Hound Butler entered the Dream Crystal Plain in his human form, retaining his dog ears and tail, and said he felt no summons but had an unusual desire to explore.
• Angel and Laplace encouraged the Hound Butler to follow that urge, then let him choose where to go outside Rabbit Tower.
• The Hound Butler asked a resident how to learn about the Dream Crystal Plain and followed the directions to its library.

Hound Butler entered Angel’s Illusion Library and discovered a worn book that held his hidden trial Instance. Angel and Laplace stopped him from opening it there and decided to take it to Silver Coral Island to test whether the Instance could be opened inside another Instance.

• Hound Butler followed directions to the Illusion Library behind Rabbit Tower and realized it was an illusion created by Angel.
• Laplace suggested that fate might have guided Hound Butler to the library, and Angel inspected the library for anything unusual.
• Laplace pointed out the worn book Hound Butler was reading, and Angel discovered it contained the seal hiding Hound Butler’s trial Instance.
• Angel stopped Hound Butler before he turned to the book’s final page and explained that doing so could open the trial Instance.
• Laplace proposed taking the book to Silver Coral Island and trying to open the trial Instance inside an existing Instance space.

Angel, Laplace, and Hound Butler entered Silver Coral Island with the leather-bound book and traveled to a secluded rocky shoal to open Hound Butler’s trial Instance. After learning that “Forest Fairy Tales” was a collection of animal stories, Hound Butler began memorizing it before entering the trial, eager not to fall behind Little Red.

• Angel, Laplace, and Hound Butler entered Silver Coral Island through a tiny pool, and the book remained with Hound Butler after they arrived.
• Laplace led the group to a nearby rocky shoal, where Angel used the wind to propel a shared plank boat.
• Hound Butler told Angel and Laplace that the book, “Forest Fairy Tales,” contained illustrated stories about anthropomorphic animals and a wish-granting golden python named Goldcake.
• Angel suggested that Hound Butler’s trial might relate to its mind-reading ability, but neither he nor Laplace could connect that ability to the fairy tales.
• Hound Butler chose to enter the trial Instance and began reading and memorizing “Forest Fairy Tales” from its first page.

Hound Butler entered the trial Fairyland Listener of Hearts, the Traveler—Verdant Rainforest Arc, where the rainforest animals’ souls had been exchanged and their identities erased. He set out to identify the soul in Shodi the otter’s body, but struggled to swim from the lake’s center to shore.

• Hound Butler read the final page of Forest Fairy Tales, which revealed that a witch had scrambled the rainforest animals’ souls and erased their memories before a mysterious door appeared.
• Hound Butler touched the illustrated door, opening a passage to the Verdant Rainforest and receiving prompts about accepting the animals’ commission.
• Hound Butler, Angel, and Laplace reasoned that he would need to identify the animals by their personalities and might later have to confront the witch to restore their souls.
• Hound Butler entered the trial Fairyland Listener of Hearts, the Traveler—Verdant Rainforest Arc, which gave him 720 hours to clear it or lose his special talent.
• Laplace logged off to visit the Yingji Race with Angel, while Hound Butler began swimming toward Shodi the otter and made no progress.

Hound Butler began the first main quest by trying to uncover the true identity of the soul in otter Shodi, while Angel watched from outside the Instance. After leaving, Angel noticed the Telu People performing and thought of Chacha, a tea-loving rabbit.

• Otter Shodi cried out at Hound Butler, triggering the first main quest to restore the identities of 108 confused souls in the Verdant Rainforest.
• Hound Butler used a storybook trick and refined manners to calm otter Shodi and draw out its feelings and clues about its identity.
• Angel stopped watching once Hound Butler had gained otter Shodi's trust, then returned to reality and told Laplace that the main quest matched their guess.
• Angel praised Hound Butler's skill and strategy, and Laplace suggested they leave the sub-display stage to visit Little Red and Meatball on the Dream Crystal Plain.
• Angel saw the veiled Telu People perform, associated their teapot-like faces with the Teapot Kingdom, and explained that the sight reminded him of a tea-loving rabbit.

Angel, Laplace, and Sypolov left the Hound House after Laplace sent Luigi into her Silver Forest space, where her clones would keep him safe until his ranking. As they reached All Things House's affairs hall, they found its visitors watching the gathering's displays by reading lips.

• Angel and Laplace agreed that Luigi could wait for Uriel's ranking in Laplace's Silver Forest space, and Luigi reluctantly entered it.
• Laplace explained through the Mind Tether that Luigi feared her Divine Blood Clone, who repeatedly made him revise his imperfect poems.
• Angel left a farewell note for the sleeping Little Red and Hound Butler, then departed the Hound House with Laplace and Sypolov.
• Laplace told Angel that the figures around Silver Forest's table were her clones, including the perfectionist Divine Blood Clone.
• The group reached All Things House's affairs hall, where visitors watched all forty-four display stages on a circular screen by reading lips.

Angel, Laplace, and Sypolov left the All Things House after learning that Uncle Ku had taken Ksenia away, and they discussed the exhibition’s revelations. Outside, Angel recognized the Rice God among a group entering the All Things House, but the man did not stop to speak with him.

• Sypolov asked an Affairs Hall staff member to check whether Ksenia was waiting outside, then explained how her persistent pursuit had invaded his privacy.
• The staff member reported that Ksenia had been taken away by a gentleman of the Yingji Race, whom Sypolov identified as Uncle Ku.
• Angel and Sypolov discussed Uncle Ku’s special status and the Changhuo Clan’s presentation, which had revealed Breaking the Mirror and Breaking Barriers.
• Angel noted that the Mystic Dragon’s interest would soon bring the Dream Mirror’s Login Device to the attention of every race.
• Angel and Laplace left the All Things House with Sypolov, and Laplace recognized the Rice God among a group entering the building.

Rice God learned that Angel was accompanied by powerful allies and headed to the affairs hall to seek help tracking down the merchant who stole the Blood of the God. Meanwhile, Angel and Laplace visited the Yingji Race encampment with Sypolov, who went to request an audience with General Oleg, while Angel began exploring the Yingji Race’s biological-modification products.

• Rice God questioned the Earsi doll about Angel, and the doll explained that Angel’s companions—a dangerous silver-haired woman and a high-ranking Yingji knight—could threaten the hunt if they joined it.
• Rice God felt relieved that Angel had capable allies and continued toward the affairs hall to commission an investigator to track the criminal merchant who had taken the Blood of the God.
• Angel and Laplace entered the Yingji Race encampment with Sypolov, where the soldiers’ Heartfires watched them and Sypolov explained that many were also amused by Ksenia’s pursuit of him.
• Sypolov told Angel and Laplace that military regulations required him to request General Oleg’s approval before bringing them in, and Angel allowed him to disclose their identities and purpose.
• After Sypolov entered the main tent to seek an audience, Angel followed guide Takiana toward the Yingji Race’s displays of biological-modification research.

Angel and Laplace toured the Yingji Race’s display of biological troops and weapons after Takiana explained the laboratories and war-focused products. Angel examined the Giant-Axe War Soldier II and learned that its transplanted brainworm improved its combat instincts, though Takiana’s explanation left out the scholars’ core knowledge.

• Takiana explained that the Yingji Race’s biological corps and modified weapons came mainly from the Anatoly and Valery laboratories and were designed for war.
• Takiana led Angel and Laplace through a guarded passage into a private display area prepared for important guests and buyers.
• Angel inspected the Giant-Axe War Soldier II, a troll-like combat troop with a brainworm in place of its original head.
• Takiana consulted a Yingji Race scholar through her cloned Heartfire and told Angel that brainworms were intelligent parasites whose transplantation enhanced the soldier’s combat adaptability.

Angel learned that the Yingji Race cultivated biological units with the help of a mysterious object, not cloning technology, and toured their support and special warfare units. He left the exhibition with no intention of buying anything, hoping instead to get the units into the Dream Crystal Plain for possible Wonderland discoveries, as Takiana led him to the Valery Laboratory’s weapons display.

• Angel asked Takiana where the Giant-Axe War Soldier’s body came from and learned that Yingji Race scholars cultivated bodies from Demonic Beast flesh-and-blood factors.
• Laplace told Angel that the cultivation relied on a mysterious object associated with flesh and blood, and Angel considered asking Sypolov about it.
• Takiana showed Angel the Bailuo Treant, Roaring Ice Bear, and Tounie Flower, and Angel became especially interested in the Tounie Flower’s ability to induce amnesia through a mental-strength field.
• Angel considered whether conscious biological units with transplanted organs could trigger Wonderlands in the Dream Crystal Plain, but decided he would rather have the Yingji Race bring them there than buy them.
• Takiana guided Angel and Laplace away from the private exhibition and toward the biological modification weapons produced by the Valery Laboratory.