Chapter Summaries

Sherlock and Lucia spent a quiet day together before an unexpected clash erupted outside their courtyard. After seeing soldiers clear blood and corpses from the alley, Sherlock wondered whether turmoil had reached the East Coast and threatened his peaceful life.

• Sherlock taught Lucia how to clean ears, then let her practice on him.
• As the first snow of January fell, Sherlock told Lucia he wanted to stay with her, and she agreed.
• An explosion and the sounds of fighting erupted outside, so Sherlock went with Lucia to investigate.
• Sherlock and Lucia saw Black Armor Soldiers remove bloodstains and Blue Armor Soldiers' corpses while a Black Robe Wizard watched the alley.
• Sherlock closed the gate and wondered what had happened and whether he would be forced to return to the East Coast.

War began across the East Coast as Black Erb Castle Wizards led forces away from Florence City. In Witch Forest, Richard received his orders, met the Wizards assigned to his route, and learned he would first go to Malaga Mine to join a military force.

• Black Armor Soldiers cleaned the battlefield in Florence City, joined the main force, and reported to Black Erb Castle Wizards outside the city.
• A Black Erb Castle Wizard ordered the assembled forces to march onward and claim their rewards as war began across the East Coast.
• Richard left the Wooden Building in the Dark Forest Gathering Place and saw Wizards preparing to depart through the snowstorm.
• Master Eva introduced Wizard Bata, Wizard Noel, Wizard Jenny, and Wizard Teddy as Richard’s assigned companions for his attack route.
• Master Eva told Richard to go to Malaga Mine first, where a military force had been arranged for him.

Richard set out east with Ulong’s elite cavalry and other Wizards to attack the Golden Triangle Duchy, while Baron Lancaster learned the promised rewards and decided to join the campaign. The chapter left Lancaster preparing to gather troops and seek wealth and food in the war.

• Richard learned that Ulong’s First Glory Cavalry Regiment had been ordered to accompany the Wizards into battle.
• Ulong explained that his cavalry could not fight Wizards or besiege cities, and Richard understood that ordinary armies were needed to occupy and secure conquered territory.
• Richard led Ulong and his cavalry east, thinking their manpower would later help excavate Yadis Village.
• Baron Lancaster refused to join the war at first, but learned that participating lords could take loot from city treasuries and that Marquis Capechi was seeking soldiers.
• Baron Lancaster abandoned his plan to lend men to Marquis Capechi and ordered his subordinate to gather troops so he could join the Wizards’ eastern campaign.

General Murphy led Myne City’s defenders against a surprise assault by Dorrance soldiers under General Mavenke. When repeated pleas for reinforcements went unanswered, Murphy realized the city might be in danger and left the wall to investigate.

• Mavenke tried to shoot Murphy with a Hand Crossbow, then ordered his archers and crossbowmen to attack Myne City’s wall.
• Murphy ordered the defenders to return fire, and both sides suffered casualties as the outnumbered garrison fought off attempts to scale the wall.
• Murphy sent two soldiers to ask City Lord Bart for reinforcements, but neither the messengers nor any help returned.
• Murphy concluded that trouble inside Myne City had prevented reinforcements from reaching the wall.
• Murphy urged his wounded soldiers to hold the line for a reward, then went into the city to find out what had happened.

The Dolans invasion captured Myne City after the White Robe Wizard killed City Lord Bart and Murphy. Iron Wheel Fortress also fell to the invading forces, leaving the Dora Kingdom’s defenders defeated.

• Murphy entered the City Lord’s residence and discovered pools of green liquid where the dead should have been.
• The White Robe Wizard revealed that he had killed City Lord Bart and offered Murphy the position of City Lord if he joined Dolans.
• Murphy refused to betray Hosk, but the White Robe Wizard dissolved him with acid and left as Dolans forces captured Myne City.
• On the fourth day after the snowfall, an explosion blasted open Iron Wheel Fortress’s walls, and black-armored soldiers poured into the city.
• The one-armed commander charged the Red Robe Female Wizard, who killed him with a flaming stone, while his subordinates surrendered.
• The Red Robe Female Wizard walked away as Iron Wheel Fortress fell to the Dora Kingdom’s attackers.

Baron Lancaster profited from the Alliance of Revenge Wizards’ swift victories in the Eastern War, while Muse received reports of the advancing fronts and learned that reinforcements from the Main Continent had arrived. She ordered Franklin to bring their leader, Jia Suo Er Kunman, to her, recognizing him as an old enemy.

• Baron Lancaster counted 2,364 silver coins and ordered soldiers to hide the money while guarding the warehouse’s supplies for the Wizards.
• Baron Lancaster believed the war would end in complete victory as the Alliance of Revenge Wizards’ forces advanced with ease.
• Franklin reported the Alliance’s progress across several fronts to Muse in the underground hall.
• Muse told Franklin to let the offensive continue unless the forces crossed their warning line.
• Franklin informed Muse that Main Continent reinforcements had arrived and that their leader, Jia Suo Er Kunman, wanted to meet her.
• Muse recognized Kunman and ordered Franklin to bring him to her.

Jia Suo Er arrived from the Main Continent claiming to support Muse, but she defeated him and made clear that she alone commanded the East Coast. As Franklin escorted him out, Jia Suo Er revealed that he had brought a Singular Species.

• Franklin led Jia Suo Er into the Council Hall to meet Muse.
• Jia Suo Er taunted Muse about her troubles and claimed his new abilities could restrain her.
• Muse charged through Jia Suo Er’s blood-colored mist, defeated him, and tore off his face.
• Muse ordered Jia Suo Er to obey her or be made to obey, and he submitted before Franklin led him out.
• Jia Suo Er stopped at the doorway and told Muse that he had brought a Singular Species as support.

Muse inspected the frozen Singular Species that Jia Suo Er had brought on Chief Steward Long Mei Er’s orders. In Floren, Sherlock dreamed of the Blue-skinned Rat, discovered his old scar was bleeding, and learned from the crystal ball that he and Lucia had to leave for the Main Continent.

• Jia Suo Er told Muse that Chief Steward Long Mei Er had ordered him to bring a Singular Species to help advance the plan.
• Muse opened the stone coffin, recognized the Singular Species, and warned that it had recently undergone extermination treatment before shutting the coffin.
• Sherlock followed strange noises in his dream and encountered a giant Blue-skinned Rat that tried to swallow him.
• Sherlock woke from the nightmare and saw that the scar on his wrist was filling with blood and causing intense pain.
• The crystal ball turned blood-red, and Sherlock told Lucia they had to leave for the Main Continent.

Richard helped the Blood Radiance Kingdom capture Auben City by breaking its gate and routing the defenders, then Ulong led his cavalry into the city and took control.

• Ulong told Richard that Auben City's alert defenders and lack of siege equipment made a direct attack difficult.
• Richard asked Ulong how he would capture the city quickly with minimal losses, and Ulong described breaking the gate and defeating the first counterattack.
• Richard flew to Auben City's walls, deflected the defenders' arrows with air magic, and blasted the city gate apart with Pandora's hand cannon.
• Richard offered the defenders a chance to surrender, then used the Spell Gun to rout the Heavy Cavalry and heavy infantry charging through the gate.
• Richard signaled Ulong, who led his cavalry into Auben City and seized control.

After Auben City fell, Richard ordered Ulong to secure the city and led soldiers to Rocky Mountain to search for the ruins of Yadis Village. When Bata came to confront Richard about the Wizards being left out of the fighting, Richard offered him a valuable magical ring.

• Bata, Noel, and Jenny persuaded Teddy to speak to Richard about the Wizards being repeatedly left out of battle.
• Ulong reported that Richard's forces controlled Auben City, with enemy soldiers killed, captured, or fleeing toward Kru City.
• Richard ordered Ulong to guard the prisoners and maintain order while the rest of the troops accompanied him to Rocky Mountain to excavate.
• Bata, Noel, Jenny, and Teddy went to Rocky Mountain to find Richard and discuss their role in the war.
• Richard's soldiers dug through Rocky Mountain as he searched for the ruins of Yadis Village, a suspected location based on records from the Deep Blue Fort library.
• Bata confronted Richard about denying the Wizards a chance to fight, but Richard held out a valuable magical ring, leaving Bata stunned.

Richard persuaded the wizards who had complained about being excluded from the battle to help with excavation by giving each a magic item suited to their abilities. Bata, Noel, Jenny, and Teddy joined the work, greatly speeding it up.

• Richard offered Bata an Earth Magic ring in exchange for helping the soldiers excavate, and Bata accepted after learning it could boost his combat power by thirty percent.
• Bata used the ring to soften earth and move stones, making the excavation progress faster.
• Noel confronted Richard about being left out of the battle, but accepted a Wood Magic pendant and went to help the soldiers.
• Jenny accepted a Water Magic bracelet from Richard and joined the excavation, speeding up the work further.
• Teddy recognized Richard's tactic, tried to bargain for two magic items, then accepted a wristband and went to work.

Richard’s excavation near Auben City uncovered no Yadis Village ruins, but he encountered Sherlock Melros leading a convoy away from the East Coast. As they discussed Sherlock’s return to the Main Continent, Sherlock warned Richard of its greater dangers and began recounting a disaster caused by a Lerna Monster.

• Richard and the soldiers excavated half the planned area without finding the ruins of Yadis Village.
• Ulong reported a large, suspicious convoy at the foot of the mountain, and Richard went to investigate.
• Richard recognized Sherlock Melros, who explained that he was leaving the dangerous East Coast and returning to the Main Continent.
• Sherlock described the Main Continent as richer and more dangerous than the East Coast, then recounted how a Lerna Monster devastated the Nice Great Swamp and killed many people, including a young Wizard genius.
• Richard asked whether powerful Demonized Creatures like Lerna were common, and Sherlock said it was difficult to give a definite answer.

Sherlock described the Main Continent’s dangers and opportunities to Richard through examples of Demonized Creatures, a murderous Wizard, and a fatal potion accident. Richard gained a rough understanding of the continent and concluded that it was a worthwhile destination despite its risks.

• Sherlock told Richard that powerful Demonized Creatures were rare and recounted how the Wizard Xin Er slaughtered several thousand people before being hunted down.
• Sherlock warned Richard that the Main Continent’s hidden dangers could come from people who seemed harmless, then described how a failed potion killed the population of Shalin’s capital.
• Richard reflected that his own biological weapons could cause similar disasters and agreed that the Main Continent was dangerous.
• Richard asked Sherlock about other aspects of the Main Continent, and Sherlock answered until Richard formed a rough picture of it.
• Richard concluded that the Main Continent offered greater opportunities and rewards than the East Coast, making it a good destination.

Richard continued the campaign eastward while major Wizard organizations seized cities and resource sites, encircling Deep Blue Fort. In captured cities, their Wizards ordered local officials to secure and restore production of valuable resources before the offensive moved on.

• Sherlock departed with his convoy for a port bound for the Main Continent, while Richard stayed behind and ordered Commander Ulong to wake the exhausted workers.
• Richard’s forces finished excavating Rocky Mountain without finding Yadis Village, then advanced east and captured more cities as other organizations closed in around Deep Blue Fort.
• In Gray Stone City, a White Mist City Wizard ordered General Olic to secure the mine and send its gold and silver to Twilight Radiance City, then gave Mars three days to restore production.
• In Carlo City, a Rose City Female Wizard ordered the captured prince to persuade his father to return the crystals taken to the Royal Capital within two days.
• Outside Holy Lake City, a Death Valley Wizard gave Moke until nightfall to harvest the Sherry Luo Flowers before the Wizard continued the offensive.

Sig questioned Bayer about the approaching Wizard organizations, and Bayer described a planned battle to destroy them all at once. Sig took precautions of his own as Muse ordered Franklin and Jia Suo Er to begin the final plan, while a great star fell toward the southeast.

• Sig confronted Bayer about the Wizard organizations closing in on Deep Blue Fort and demanded to know why their promised plan had not begun.
• Bayer showed Sig a planned battlefield and assured him that their forces would encircle and eliminate the approaching organizations.
• After Bayer left, Sig summoned Di Lin and gave him an undisclosed assignment, deciding he needed precautions beyond trusting the mysterious organization.
• Bayer reported to Muse that Deep Blue Fort was anxious and the other organizations were nearing the planned battlefield, and Muse ordered Franklin and Jia Suo Er to carry out the final plan together.
• A great star fell toward the southeast as the night sky’s stars dimmed.

Teddy, Bata, Noel, and Jenny defeated a Deep Blue Fort Wizard by activating more than a dozen spell items. Level 2 Wizard Goring appeared over Manden City, but a newcomer aimed a strange weapon at him and fired.

• Bata, Noel, Jenny, and Teddy surrounded the wounded Deep Blue Fort Wizard after battling him through Manden City.
• The Deep Blue Fort Wizard activated a bracelet spell item, but Teddy and the others revealed and used their many stronger spell items to overwhelm him.
• The dying Deep Blue Fort Wizard warned that Master Goring would avenge him and crush the attackers.
• Goring flew into the sky and threatened the attackers, while the Deep Blue Fort Wizard celebrated his arrival.
• A person walked up, aimed a strange weapon at Goring, and fired several shots.

Richard’s forces defeated Manden City’s defenders, and he ordered the city secured before the troops continued excavating near Screaming Forest. As preparations began for a final battle discussion, Richard worried that he would be pulled into the war before finding the true ruins of Yadis Village; then Teddy called him over because something seemed wrong at the excavation site.

• A strange weapon’s rapid-fire metal rounds shattered Level 2 Wizard Goring’s shields and blew him apart, and the Deep Blue Fort Wizard died after Teddy taunted him.
• Richard met Teddy and the other three, then learned from Ulong that the cavalry had nearly crushed Manden City’s defenders and ordered the city cleared and the troops sent to excavate east of it.
• Richard and several hundred soldiers spent a day and night digging near Screaming Forest while Teddy discussed Master Eva’s planned Final Battle Discussion with Richard.
• Richard worried that the excavation might fail and force him into a dangerous final battle, since only two suspected Yadis Village sites would remain.
• Teddy went back to the excavation site, then called Richard over, saying something was not right.

Richard investigated soldiers’ report of a ghostly scream beneath Screaming Forest and ordered them to dig at its source. The soldiers uncovered a hole that continuously produced snakes, and the chapter ended with Richard’s Ice Shard saving a panicked soldier from a black snake.

• Two soldiers told Richard and Teddy that they had heard a terrifying scream from underground in Screaming Forest.
• Richard questioned the soldiers about the scream and ordered more than a hundred soldiers to dig at the spot where it had come from.
• A tall soldier uncovered a hole that repeatedly produced snakes, chopping them apart as the other soldiers watched.
• A black snake emerged and chased the tall soldier after he missed with his shovel.
• Richard struck the black snake with an Ice Shard, sending it flying and freezing it solid.

Richard and the soldiers uncovered the ruins of Yadis Village and found an entrance that he believed would reveal the Black Spirit King's ultimate secret. As Richard prepared to enter alone, Wizard Bata insisted on accompanying him, claiming Master Eva had ordered him to keep Richard safe.

• Richard burned the snakes in the excavation site and helped the soldiers uncover a massive black rock slab beneath the nest.
• Richard, Teddy, Bata, Noel, and Jenny shattered the slab, and the soldiers dug down to a constructed passage with double doors bearing a circle of green stones.
• Richard recognized the stones as the Green Stone Bracelet of Yadis Village and realized they marked the village's ruins.
• Richard drew a triangle on the doors to complete the Black Spirit Empire Symbol and connected its elements to Yadis Village, Black Holy Mountain, and the Black Spirit King.
• Richard said he would explore the passage alone, but Wizard Bata insisted on joining him and cited Master Eva's instructions.

Richard and Bata explored the Black Spirit Empire’s underground treasure site, where Bata’s insistence on joining exposed his divided loyalties. After they entered an empty hall, a Gold-Striped Silver Snake survived Bata’s attack and lunged at him again.

• Richard offered Bata a powerful spell tool to keep him aboveground, but Bata accepted it and still insisted on exploring the passage with him.
• Teddy asked Richard whether he would attend the Final Battle Discussion, and Richard told him to wait until he returned from underground.
• Richard and Bata walked through a brightly lit stone corridor and reached an empty hall.
• Bata entered the hall and dismissed Richard’s caution until Richard spotted a hole in the wall.
• A Gold-Striped Silver Snake attacked Bata, who shocked and flung it aside, but the snake sprang back toward his throat.