Chapter Summaries

Yi Chen and the others faced a powerful, self-aware Death Image that wielded a giant scythe and Deep Death. With Vivian’s help, Yi Chen reached the creature’s shoulder and aimed Bartosh at its neck, poised to attack.

• The Death Image struck the group with its giant palm, eroding their mounts, but Yi Chen carried the injured dire wolf out of the spreading Deep Death.
• The Death Image revealed its skull-built scythe and attacked so quickly that it knocked Berna into a wall, prompting Vivian and Stephen to use their Limit Releases.
• Yi Chen told Vivian that Deep Death did not affect him and asked for her help with a plan, then evaded the Death Image’s scythe using Star Transfer.
• When the Death Image tried to seize Yi Chen, Vivian created pale palms that propelled him onto its shoulder.
• Yi Chen aimed Bartosh, loaded with Ember Rune armor-piercing rounds, at the Death Image’s neck.

Yi Chen, Vivian, and Berner destroyed the fully conscious Death Image and collected the Wedge Stones it dropped. As they left the cavern, Stephen offered to find Yi Chen a master blacksmith in exchange for touching his ears for two more hours.

• Yi Chen used Vivian’s strengthening words and Little Grape’s mental force to shoot an Evil Sun bullet into the Death Image’s neck, cracking it but failing to pierce it completely.
• Berner charged in wolf form and struck the bullet with the Tombstone Greatsword, crushing the Death Image’s neck and destroying its body and consciousness.
• The group gathered four Deadperson’s Wedge Stones and divided them, with Yi Chen receiving the purest one.
• Berner left to seek The First Dead’s help with the Deep Death affecting him, while Vivian rode with Yi Chen toward the elevator and asked about his resistance to Deep Death.
• Yi Chen told Vivian that his power seemed to come from another plane and that he would investigate it when strong enough to cross between worlds.
• Stephen offered to find Yi Chen a master craftsman to work with his Wedge Stone in exchange for touching Yi Chen’s ears for two more hours, and Yi Chen accepted.

Yi Chen followed Mr. Bone Listener to the Death Plague Knights’ training grounds and met their field artisan, Mr. Alpachi, to have Dead Spine Lake and the Deadperson’s Wedge Stone crafted into a weapon. Alpachi began the work after Yi Chen willingly sacrificed his dominant hand, leaving Yi Chen waiting outside the shop.

• Yi Chen learned from Vivian that Mr. Bone Listener honored reasonable bargains, then waited for him to find a blacksmith.
• Mr. Bone Listener visited Yi Chen and Thirteen, and Yi Chen agreed to visit the blacksmith before completing their private transaction.
• Mr. Bone Listener explained that the sixth floor’s coffins were reserved for knights’ death meditation and warned that too much proximity to The First Dead could make them lose themselves.
• Mr. Bone Listener brought Yi Chen to Mr. Alpachi, a field artisan of the Death Plague Knights, who agreed to craft a weapon from Yi Chen’s Wedge Stone.
• Mr. Alpachi demanded Yi Chen’s dominant hand, and Yi Chen cut it off before leaving to wait for the weapon.

Yi Chen waited for Stephen to finish forging a weapon from his Wedge Stone, while Stephen listened to Yi Chen and offered to let him claim his head in a future duel. A week later, Yi Chen collected the completed axe, which had been shaped to channel his hidden negative emotions and needed to taste a strong enemy before it could be safely unleashed.

• While Stephen touched Yi Chen’s ears, he revealed that he could hear the dark emotions within Yi Chen and guessed that Yi Chen sought more than the Wedge Stone.
• Stephen offered Yi Chen the chance to challenge him for his head once Yi Chen was strong enough, and Yi Chen dismissed the offer as mad rambling.
• After a week, Stephen told Yi Chen that the Wedge Stone’s Death Echo had drawn knights to the smithy and offered to escort him there as a bodyguard.
• At the smithy, Stephen drove away a curious Rabbit Mask knight and brought Yi Chen to Mr. Alpachi, who had finished forging the weapon.
• Mr. Alpachi explained that the wrapped axe reflected Yi Chen’s hidden negative emotions and would damage itself unless its first release tasted a strong enemy.

Yi Chen finished his journey through Within the Original Tomb and encountered Dean Diss and Rotvis before leaving with Stephen. At the Grave Forest, Yi Chen set out for the Abyssal Skin Factory after giving Stephen his severed ear as a keepsake.

• Yi Chen left the craftsman's shop with the shrouded weapon after explaining its origin to the Death Plague Knights.
• Yi Chen and Stephen encountered Rotvis and Sun Dis at the Tombstone Elevator, and Yi Chen greeted Dean Diss while Rotvis recognized him as a survivor from Lewenholm.
• Rotvis led Sun Dis toward the training grounds, while Yi Chen said farewell to Black Wolf Berna and Death Speech Vivian.
• Stephen escorted Yi Chen and Thirteen to the surface and explained the benefits Yi Chen had gained from climbing the abyss.
• When Stephen declined to accompany him to the Abyssal Skin Factory, Yi Chen cut off his right ear and gave it to Stephen before departing.

Yi Chen and Thirteen left the Original Tomb, but Renato Battis tried to stop them from leaving Blackmouth City. Yi Chen overpowered Renato and warned him not to interfere as they continued toward the exit.

• Yi Chen and Little Grape discussed how the Original Tomb had changed Yi Chen and how Little Grape would keep accompanying him.
• Yi Chen and Thirteen passed through the city gates after the bonfire tested Yi Chen and let him leave the Realm of the Dead.
• Renato Battis blocked Yi Chen’s path and demanded that he either serve in Blackmouth Fortress for twenty years or weaken the mountain bonfire.
• Yi Chen used his Frenzied Brain to attack Renato, then gripped him with Thorned Iron Chains as the bonfire’s light weakened the knight.
• Yi Chen warned Renato not to interfere again and led Thirteen through Blackmouth City, while Renato later tortured imprisoned Dead Citizens in anger.

After escaping Blackmouth City, Yi Chen discovered that Deep Death had seeped through his Mad Brain and corroded his Memory Palace. Inside the hidden aquarium where his sealed memories were stored, he encountered a strange corpse swimming toward him.

• Yi Chen explained that he had used psychological pressure to keep Renato from pursuing him, then told Thirteen and Little Grape he would seek help if Renato attacked.
• Yi Chen asked the train attendant to take him to the Abyssal Skin Factory, but Death Corrosion injured her worm feelers when she tried to enter his brain.
• Yi Chen found black liquid flowing through his Mad Brain and decided to reseal his memories to keep himself under control.
• Yi Chen entered the Memory Palace and discovered that black liquid had corroded the shelves, passage, and doors leading to the aquarium.
• Yi Chen relit the aquarium's candles and saw tanks filled with his own corpses, then noticed a strange corpse with half its head severed and a halo swimming toward him.

William confronted a Death Construct resembling his past self in the Memory Palace, resisted its attempt to make him release it, and sealed it away before returning to the Living Train. After recovering and preparing for the journey to the Abyssal Skin Factory, he reread The Skin Bible and saw a vision of the factory transformed by death.

• William recognized the Death Construct’s resemblance to Yi Chen and nearly shot the aquarium glass after it urged him to unite with it, but a seizure restored his control.
• William repaired the aquarium and sealed the black iron door, telling Yi Chen to stay inside.
• William awoke on the Living Train after three days and two hours of sleep, with Thirteen massaging his head and his Death Sense restored.
• William exercised, inspected Bartosh, and assigned Little Grape to prepare bullets for skin-based creatures while three days remained before their arrival at the Abyssal Skin Factory.
• William reread the blackened The Skin Bible and saw a death-stained vision of the skin factory, wondering if it suited his future.

William read the first official chapter of the Skin Bible, but Yellow Skin interrupted him when the text began deforming his body. The Living Train reached the Abyssal Skin Factory’s outskirts, where a blood stench and the absence of any visible life made Yellow Skin warn him that something was wrong.

• William used his improved skin to read the Skin Bible until Yellow Skin stopped him and pointed out that his body was wrinkling into skin.
• Yellow Skin repaired William’s appearance and warned that it would stay hidden because the factory’s origin existence had created memory cells targeting it.
• After sleeping, William learned that the Living Train had entered the factory’s marginal region and was nearing the Foot of Connective Mountains.
• William looked out at the Marginal Skin Plain and the Irregular Connective Mountains, but saw no skin slaves or other life-forms.
• The Living Train stopped at the Foot of Connective Mountains, and William sealed his sense of smell against the blood stench as Yellow Skin warned him to be careful.

William and Thirteen investigated the deserted Abyssal Skin Factory, where a toxic blood plague surrounded its bleeding headquarters. They discovered Bloodfolk, thought to have nearly vanished after Blood Manor was destroyed, guarding the factory.

• The Black Roundworm Train warned William about the factory's dangerous condition, but he chose to continue with Thirteen.
• William's Black Umbilical Cord absorbed the air's blood matter, convulsed, and retreated after coughing up bloody water.
• Guided by the Yellow Skin, William saw that the factory's giant peak was bleeding and watched by winged Sick Ones associated with the blood plague.
• The Yellow Skin said the factory had likely cooperated with the blood-plague Sick Ones and warned William to be careful.
• Thirteen identified the watchers as Bloodfolk from the destroyed Source Plague Zone Blood Manor, leaving William to suspect that Blood Manor had become entangled with Abyssal Skin Factory.

William disguised his human blood and reached the Skin Factory, where Blood People barred entry during a secret reform. After paying the Sky Overseer, he learned that he could seek permission at the Stitched Gate, though the attempt would be dangerous.

• William used Yellow Skin to hide his human blood and traveled with Thirteen toward the Skin Factory.
• A crowd of Blood People surrounded William, but his introduction in Old World language made them keep their distance.
• The Sky Overseer arrived, killed Blood People blocking her path, and told William the factory was closed during its reform.
• William refused her offer to become a Blood Person and paid her one thousand Ancient Coins for another way inside.
• The Sky Overseer directed William to seek permission at the Stitched Gate, while the Blood People watched him.

William and Thirteen crossed the Blood River toward the Stitched Gate, where they discovered a powerful Skin Apostle waiting beneath the water. The Apostle dragged William into the river and rose to guard the gate, revealing his name as Pim Lawley.

• William used starlight to walk across the Blood River toward the Stitched Gate, while Thirteen followed on his shoulder.
• Little Grape spotted a skinned humanoid in the river, and Yellow Skin identified him as a Skin Apostle.
• As William cautiously passed the Apostle, the creature’s skin-attracting force pulled him into the Blood River.
• The Skin Apostle parted the river, put on his folded skin, and revealed himself as Pim Lawley, Guardian of the Stitched Gate.

William fought Gatekeeper Pim, a deranged Skin Apostle guarding the Stitched Gate, to secure access to the skin factory. After dodging Pim’s Sebum Black Flame attacks and countering with his death weapon, William badly wounded Pim, while Yi Chen urged the weapon to release more death.

• William failed to reach Pim with Mad Speech as blood blocked the virus in his words, and Pim drew a Spiral Greatsword wrapped in Sebum Black Flame.
• Thirteen warned William about the flames, and William activated Limit Release to break Pim’s control over his skin.
• The Noblewoman said William could enter the skin factory regardless of the duel’s outcome, but victory would earn him better treatment.
• Pim attacked William with a series of black-flame slashes, and a gunshot deflected the second strike enough for William to roll beneath it.
• William struck Pim with his death weapon, tearing open his shoulder and abdomen while Yi Chen urged the weapon to draw in more death.

William’s new death-infused hand ax, Deslake, emerged as he fought Pym, while a Noblewoman watched from above and considered capturing him. Pym mistook William for a Death Plague Knight, unleashed his Holy Blood Skin Armor, and impaled him with the Spiral Greatsword, leaving William burning as a profound death stirred within him.

• The Noblewoman avoided the spreading death and considered offering William to her master, but Pym’s glare forced her to stay back.
• William’s weapon broke free of the burial shroud and revealed itself as Deslake, a hand ax fused to his body and able to channel death.
• Pym backstepped from William’s attack, burned the death from his wound, and mistook William for a Death Plague Knight.
• Pym released his Holy Blood Skin Armor, unfurled blood-covered wings, and charged at twice his previous speed.
• Pym impaled William with the Spiral Greatsword and burned his body, awakening a profound death within him.

William used Dead Person Makeup and Shisan’s help to escape Pim’s attack and defeat the Blood Plague Virus in Pim’s brain. After Pim regained his clarity, he recognized William as an outside skin slave and threw him and Shisan away from the skin factory, giving William a chance to escape with a special piece of skin.

• Inside The Memory Palace, Yi Chen gave William a face skin, and William activated Dead Person Makeup.
• William split his body to escape the Spiral Greatsword, while Shisan absorbed its Sebum Black Flame and nearly burned out.
• William resurrected from a rib wedged in the Spiral Greatsword, then shot Pim with a pain-inflicting bullet and struck his head with the hand axe.
• William and Little Grape used the Ash Eyes to destroy the Blood Plague Virus organisms in Pim’s brain, and Pim recovered his clarity.
• Pim recognized William as an outside skin slave, urged him to gather the other scattered skin slaves, and hurled William and Shisan onto a nearby mountain with a special piece of skin.
• The Noblewoman saw the container being carried away and roared in fury.

William escaped the skin factory with Gatekeeper Pym’s help, but a powerful blond man caught up with him on the Marginal Skin Plain and seized control of his blood. As William neared unconsciousness, a stampede of sheep approached.

• William fled as the bloodfolk poured out of the skin factory, while Gatekeeper Pym attacked the Noblewoman and held off her pursuers.
• A blond man arrived, defeated Pym, and pursued William with the Noblewoman across the Connective Mountains.
• William reached the Marginal Skin Plain and boarded a Black Roundworm Company Living Train, but the blond man cut it apart and killed its attendants and conductors.
• The blond man restrained William’s blood and lifted him by the neck, but the ground began to tremble as a flock of sheep stampeded toward them.

After escaping the skin factory, William woke in a hidden cavern and discovered that Lainey and the Sheep Flock Organization had rescued him. Meanwhile, the Marquis planned to report William’s identity, and Black Roundworm Company’s president vowed revenge for the destruction of his transport train.

• The Marquis bathed with Trinity’s severed head and promised to credit her for discovering William as a valuable vessel.
• Black Roundworm Company’s president learned that Blood People had destroyed his Living Train and killed its employees, then swore to slaughter them.
• William dreamed of his former life as Yi Chen before Lainey’s voice woke him.
• William woke in a nourishing hot spring and recognized Lainey Histria, the former owner of the Black Umbilical Cord.
• Lainey explained that she had followed a signal from the Black Umbilical Cord and persuaded Mother and the Sheep Flock Organization to rescue William from the Marquis.

Lainey brought William to the Forest of Incubation, where he reunited with Thirteen and learned how the sheep had survived after reproduction rules were sealed. He arrived at the Palace of Sheep and agreed to stay in a private room while waiting for Lainey's Mother to return.

• Lainey explained that the sheep had rebuilt their race under Mother's protection and that the Newborn Church had tried to restore a reproduction network.
• William recovered his belongings, praised Thirteen, and clarified to Lainey that he had no close relationship with the Old Grave.
• Lainey led William into the Palace of Sheep, where its inhabitants welcomed him from a distance because of the Death Aura around him.
• Lainey showed William the giant goat skull suspended above the forest and explained how the sheep's Reproductive Fluid sustained the land.
• William agreed to stay in a private room while Lainey waited for Mother to return.

William settled into his quarters in the Forest of Incubation and read a record about the Abyssal Skin Factory’s decline and its alliance with the Blood People. He learned that Yellow Skin had caused much of the damage, and he decided he needed to return quickly to warn the G&D organization about the threat.

• Lainey showed William his isolated cavern quarters and explained that he could contact her through the Black Umbilical Cord.
• William examined the Apostle Skin Pouch Pym had given him and read its hidden account of the Skin Factory’s collapse, the Blood People’s arrival, and the factory’s split into Purity and Cooperation factions.
• William learned that Pym had opposed cooperation and was driven mad after the Blood People implanted blood in him and assigned him to guard the Stitched Gate.
• Yellow Skin admitted that 99.9% of it had launched a suicide attack on the Skin Factory after its attempt to seize control failed.
• William warned that the Blood People’s influence could spread to G&D through bloody skin pouches and resolved to return to warn the organization, while Yellow Skin urged him to focus on finding his own path.

William sent Little Grape to Zion to warn the Principal about the skin factory and the Bloody Skin Sac, then explored whether he could cultivate the Reproductive Attribute to counter his Death Attribute. Lainey brought him to a Fertility Ritual room, where he saw the failed candidates’ regressed bodies, and the chapter left him facing the dangerous initiation.

• William asked Little Grape to return to Zion and warn the Principal about the skin factory and the Bloody Skin Sac, and Little Grape departed on the Black Roundworm Train.
• William suffered a Death Attribute overflow that contaminated the bathtub, so he repaired the aquarium in The Memory Palace.
• Lainey suggested William learn the Reproductive Attribute to restrain death, and William asked to begin with an introduction to the ritual.
• William followed Lainey to the Fertility Ritual room after the black sheep guarding it permitted them to enter.
• William saw the Regressed Bodies of failed ritual candidates as the black sheep explained the danger and told him he could hang the umbilical cord on the central frame.