Chapter Summaries

Last Dragonborn accepted White Light's offer to become a specially appointed external support player and agreed to contact Anvis the next morning. He then returned to the beast-fighting front, where a little girl wished him well before he left the city.

• Sharp Sword offered Last Dragonborn a paid external support role after he rejected rejoining White Light as an official member, and Last Dragonborn accepted.
• Last Dragonborn agreed to contact Anvis at eight the next morning and told Sharp Sword he was organizing the NPC Protection Association for fun.
• Last Dragonborn and Tiramisu left the tavern, collected their maintained combat Constructs, and headed back toward the front as the Dark Tide of Beasts continued.
• A little girl saw Last Dragonborn in his Construct armor, and her mother told her he was a hero protecting the city.
• Last Dragonborn raised his faceplate, waved to the girl, and thanked her for wishing him well.

After the Dark Tide of Beasts ended, Anvis gained allies and resources while the Gloria Empire began relief efforts and the Aslaid Family pursued the Spark Rebel Army. As Pamir Academy prepared to begin its term, Anvis awaited a mysterious item in the Mystery Great Library that he had wanted since enrolling.

• The Dark Tide of Beasts ended on its fourteenth day, leaving Magna Province devastated, and the Gloria Empire began distributing food and compensation to survivors.
• Anvis agreed to recognize White Light's Light and Shadow as an Outsider faction, opening the Olyvendi Family's faction store and Mission Hall and granting them eligibility to buy land in Carlras's Upper District.
• The Spark Rebel Army withdrew in scattered groups and began guerrilla warfare against the Aslaid Family, which struggled to track them with help from anonymous Prophets.
• Anvis trained his Force Field control with a specially made silver-gray Metal Rubik's Cube and reflected on the Fate Feedback he had gained during the beast tide.
• As Pamir Academy prepared to begin its term, Anvis anticipated the arrival of new mysterious items in the Mystery Great Library, including his long-sought target.

Anvis learned that students must decipher relics from the Fallen Star Remains and that the Academy Tournament would be held there, prompting him to worry about the danger to Claire. He accompanied her to the Mystery Great Library and found the Dark Gold Scepter he remembered.

• Anvis attended Instructor Nancy’s class in the Moon Bronze Rank area, where she announced the relic-deciphering requirement and the upcoming Academy Tournament in the Fallen Star Remains.
• Anvis worried that the remains’ dangers might threaten the students and Claire, whose presence could activate dormant defenses.
• Claire warned Anvis to keep away from her in the ruins, but he reassured her and suggested they choose relics early.
• Anvis complimented Claire’s appearance, flustering her, and the two went to the Mystery Great Library.
• Anvis found the Dark Gold Scepter among the relics on display.

Anvis selected a seemingly ordinary Golden Scepter from the Mystery Great Library and learned that the Academy Tournament would take place in the Fallen Star Remains. Back at his residence, he prepared to charge the scepter, which was actually the activation key for the powerful Themis Colossus.

• Anvis inspected the heavy Golden Scepter, found that its Secret Patterns only glowed when he fed it mana, and chose it as his Relic Item.
• Claire chose a broken Stone Tablet, and she and Anvis registered their items with the Old Mage before parting ways.
• Anvis encountered Harvey, who revealed that the tournament venue had been changed to the Fallen Star Remains by vice principal Hughes Duman and invited him to join forces.
• Anvis declined Harvey's offer, saying he would not participate in the tournament.
• Anvis returned to his residence and prepared to charge the scepter, which activated and controlled the Themis Colossus, an ancient weapon capable of power rivaling the Ninth Rank Limit.

Anvis examined the Scepter’s charging requirements and considered how taking it early might alter events, while Prophet Gray Mist investigated unexplained changes to a Child of Destiny’s Fate Line. At a Door in the Pupil meeting, Gray Mist reported that the Fallen Star Remains had been explored without the expected shift in the Web of Fate, suggesting its most important secret remained undiscovered.

• Anvis recalled how Raine had obtained and charged the Scepter, then connected it to his Laboratory’s mana system because he could not reproduce the lightning that had activated it.
• Gray Mist puzzled over a Child of Destiny’s altered Fate Line, which showed no trace of interference in the Web of Fate.
• After the Beast Tide ended, Gray Mist reflected on his narrow defeat by Star Gazer Brentz and received an invitation to a Door in the Pupil meeting.
• The masked Leader announced that Pamir Academy’s grand competition would be held in the Fallen Star Remains.
• Gray Mist explained that exploring the ruin had caused no major change in the Web of Fate, indicating that its most crucial secret had not yet been discovered.

Zero proposed destabilizing the Gloria Empire so its factions would be too occupied with internal conflict to defend the Fallen Star Remains. He urged the group to unite the Marquises, encourage minor nobles to oppose the major nobles, and let the Rebel Army spread disorder.

• The Leader noted that changes in the Web of Fate would alert the Gloria Empire to secrets remaining in the ruins, while stricter defenses made covert investigation difficult.
• Zero declared that the Empire was not chaotic enough and argued that the group should make it chaotic.
• Zero proposed supporting the Rebel Army's independence and encouraging minor nobles to ally against the major nobles.
• Lord Dark Abyss challenged Zero's plan, questioning whether the Marquises would risk punishment for a secret they might not be able to use.
• Zero argued that several Marquises could unite, gain the royal family's protection by sharing the secret, and exploit the Empire's internal rivalries to weaken its defenses.

Zero accepted the task of persuading one of the remaining Imperial marquises, while Gray Mist revealed that the Star Gazer may have arranged the Pamir Tournament’s venue change. Brentz explained to Orvanni that a growing variable had altered the Web of Fate, and as the tournament approached, Anvis continued preparing for the mysterious ruins.

• Zero accepted the task of winning over one of the remaining marquises and asked the others to support him if needed.
• Gray Mist reported that the Star Gazer might have used the Magic Council to change the Pamir Tournament’s venue, though he could not verify the information.
• Orvanni questioned Brentz about the cost of changing the venue, and Brentz said a special variable had increasingly diverted the Web of Fate from its expected path.
• Brentz told Orvanni he could no longer conduct another World Deduction and had changed the venue to steer the future back toward the only hopeful path he had seen.
• A month and a half after the Beast Tide receded, Anvis continued preparing equipment for the Pamir Tournament as its opening drew near.

On the eve of the First Bud Festival and Pamir Academy’s grand competition, Anvis played Arcane Cards with Fiona and used a clever combo to defeat her. Fiona left the game fuming as Anvis brought out his upgraded resentment Crystal Ball to absorb her anger.

• Anvis and Fiona played Arcane Cards while Kate and the shrunken Fia read nearby.
• Fiona summoned the Furnace Titan, which destroyed Anvis’s spell cards and threatened to overwhelm his field.
• Anvis exchanged his health and Mana, used Time Stop to disable Fiona’s Alchemic Soldiers, then summoned a Mind Control Priest.
• Anvis took control of Fiona’s Furnace Titan and won the match, leaving her health at zero.
• Fiona grew furious at Anvis’s insincere consolation, and he placed his upgraded resentment Crystal Ball beside her to absorb her anger.

After defeating Fiona in Arcane Card, Anvis made her promise to study Magic daily and then encountered Zero, a player who had secretly entered his residence. Anvis recognized Zero’s faction and ambitions, and saw that Zero was investigating him and searching for a mole within the Door in the Pupil.

• Fiona complained that Anvis had unfairly controlled her Mechanical Titan, and Anvis explained the card’s special control check.
• Anvis told Fiona to avoid assuming victory too early and to read about Magic for at least an hour each day; she reluctantly agreed.
• Anvis encountered a student-like figure outside his residence, who introduced himself as Zero and admitted he had found a way through the Mystic Lock Barrier.
• Anvis recognized Zero as a Silver Blue Esports player from the Door in the Pupil and recalled his role in provoking a civil war in the Gloria Empire.
• Anvis examined Zero’s information on him and saw quests to recruit a marquis for a Ruins operation and investigate a mole in the Door in the Pupil.

Anvis questioned Zero, a disguised Silver Blue Club player, about his late-night visit and heard his information about the Fallen Star Remains. Zero revealed that more than five marquises planned to seize the ruins’ Secret Treasure before the Four Great Families, leaving Anvis to weigh this new threat.

• Anvis recognized Zero’s disguise and inferred that the Door in the Pupil was courting the Empire’s marquises to act in the ruins.
• Zero invoked Marquis Barman and offered to cooperate with Anvis, claiming to have secret information about the Fallen Star Remains.
• Anvis invited Zero into the reception room, where Zero drank Venus Raspberry Juice and received a level-up notification.
• Zero explained that the Academy Tournament would trigger something hidden in the ruins, but Anvis said his family had already informed him about the plan.
• Zero told Anvis that more than five marquises were conspiring to seize the Secret Treasure before the Four Great Families.

After Zero revealed that the Marquises were conspiring, Anvis agreed to verify the intelligence and decided to warn Duke Carlot. The next morning, Anvis and Fiona joined the students gathering at Pamir Academy to travel to the Ruins, where they waited for a Floating Ship.

• Zero told Anvis that the Marquises planned to join forces, and Anvis said he would consider cooperating if the information proved true.
• Anvis realized Zero likely wanted him to pass the intelligence to Duke Carlot, but decided to inform the Duke to keep his family from being caught unprepared.
• Anvis used the Coin of Destiny and Moonlight Mercury to divine his luck and whether he would face danger on the trip.
• Anvis met Fiona and headed with her to Gloria Square, where students gathered for the journey to the Ruins.
• Anvis spotted Luo Qi and Matt with Ailisha, declined Harvey's invitation to chat, and waited with Fiona for the Floating Ship.

Anvis traveled with the Pamir students to the Fallen Star Remains, where he reunited with Claire and asked her to look after Fiona. After arriving, the students saw the enormous Sky City ruins embedded in a crater.

• Pamir's Dean explained the tournament rules, and the students boarded a floating ship bound for the Fallen Star Remains.
• Anvis met Claire aboard the ship, and they reminisced about the airship attacked during the previous New Life Festival before bonding over their shared knowledge.
• Fiona joined Anvis with Kate, and Anvis introduced her to Claire and asked Claire to watch over his younger sister.
• The floating ship reached the Fallen Star Remains, where Anvis sensed a ripple in the Web of Fate as the students disembarked.
• Anvis saw an enormous, partly torn city ruin embedded at an angle in a crater and recognized its Sky City architectural style.

Anvis explained why he and Fiona were exempt from random team formation as the Pamir Tournament began its team-based preliminary round. The first day ended with teams competing through battles and mass-producing disposable magic items, and the tournament continued.

• Mystic Light Hughes explained the tournament rules and had students below the Fourth Rank draw random team numbers.
• Anvis stopped Fiona from drawing a number and explained that descendants of the Four Great Families and the Royal Family skipped team formation to avoid an unfair advantage.
• Students drew their team numbers, met their temporary teammates, and learned that the first stage required five-person team battles scored over five matches.
• Hughes assigned opponents, and the teams headed to their battle venues after the students received the restrictions on magic items and spatial storage.
• Teams began mass-producing Magic Scrolls and disposable alchemical tools to gain an edge in the battles.
• The first day ended amid clashes fueled by teams' stocks of disposable consumables.

The Pamir Academy Grand Competition narrowed the battle stage to forty teams, while Anvis watched the matches and later encountered three Ninth Rank Experts discussing promising students in the ruins. He revealed that he had already secured Olbins and was funding Emily’s research, and Hill Lynn abandoned her interest in recruiting them.

• The competition’s semifinals ended, advancing the forty highest-scoring teams to the round of sixteen.
• After dinner, Anvis wandered through the ruins and climbed the leaning clock tower.
• Anvis overheard Hill Lynn, Rasul, and another Ninth Rank Expert discussing talented competitors and logistics students.
• Hill Lynn singled out Olbins and Emily as promising, but Rasul told her Olbins had already signed a high-level contract.
• Anvis arrived and told Hill Lynn that he had secured Olbins and was funding Emily’s research.

Colin, Rasul, Hillen, and Anvis discussed how Constructs, the Ruins, and possible foreign support for the Resistance Organization could affect the Empire. Meanwhile, Fiona finished a Magic Hour of studying and was interrupted just as she prepared to leave her room.

• Colin proposed that the four discuss the Empire's recent situation, and they debated the dangers of Constructs and the importance of uncovering the secret of the Ruins.
• Anvis asked whether foreign powers might secretly support the Empire's Resistance Organization, but Rasul questioned what they would gain from doing so.
• Fiona studied Ma Locke's Super Magic Laws for a Magic Hour, then put the book away and picked up the Blue-Gray Kitten to go out.
• Someone knocked on Fiona's door as she was preparing to leave.

Fiona discovered that she was a holder of a Stellar Disk Fragment and learned about its connection to the lost Civilization of Stars. After discussing the fragment with Anvis, she kept her own counsel, and the Academy Tournament’s team battles ended before the ruins exploration began.

• Vent visited Fiona and told her that she possessed a Stellar Disk Fragment, which had fused into a tablet and revealed information about the Civilization of Stars.
• Vent warned Fiona that fragment holders could be hunted and that telling loved ones about the disk could bring accidents, then left when a girl called for him.
• Fiona showed the fragment to Anvis, who explained the Civilization of Stars and recognized the disk quest from his previous life.
• Fiona said she had not believed Vent’s warning, leaving Anvis speechless.
• The Academy Tournament’s team battles ended with Marquis Vent’s descendant’s team winning above Fourth Rank and an obscure team of minor nobles and commoners winning below it.
• The victorious teams drew against descendants of the Four Great Families, and the tournament moved on to ruins exploration.

Anvis joined Claire’s ruins exploration with an Avatar while exploring elsewhere with Fiona, who found rune stones. Outside the ruins, Marquis Vent grew wary that Zero’s warning about the Four Great Families targeting a marquis might be true.

• Vice Dean Mystic Light Hughes announced the rules for the fifteen-day ruins exploration segment and declared it underway.
• Anvis followed Claire into a sparsely traveled district and offered to explore with her, then revealed that he was using an Avatar.
• Claire welcomed Anvis, and his Avatar sent him a small amount of Fate Feedback.
• While exploring a ruined clock tower with Anvis, Fiona found a black Rune Stone, and Anvis used his Magic Cube to uncover a black and a white Rune Stone.
• Marquis Vent noticed a Ninth Rank member of the Enoch Family watching Marquis Delaka and recalled Zero’s warning that the Four Great Families would target a marquis.

Marquis Vent weighed whether the Four Great Families could be trusted with the Ruins’ secret and decided to contact other marquises. Zero saw the recruitment mission gain its first participant and sent the Club a report, unaware that someone’s surveillance spell could see his game Panel.

• Marquis Vent concluded that the Four Great Families would likely monitor or obstruct him rather than share the Ruins’ secret, and he considered joining forces with other marquises.
• Marquis Vent used the Ring sent by Marquis Delaka’s people to signal a colleague while an Itel Family Ninth Rank Expert watched him.
• Zero saw the S-rank mission to recruit the marquises update from zero recruits to one.
• Zero sent the Club a report predicting a marquis alliance, turmoil around the Ruins, and an opportunity to infiltrate the Rebel Army.
• Zero reflected that he enjoyed the virtual world, unaware that a surveillance spell from someone could see his game Panel.

Anvis considered Zero’s report about the Ruins and the danger of internal conflict among the Empire’s Marquises. After Fiona uncovered a hidden passage behind a sealed-looking stone gate, Anvis judged it too dangerous to enter and prepared to leave, but another student recognized the gate.

• Anvis reviewed Zero’s report and considered how to handle Zero, whom he viewed as an unpredictable spy.
• Fiona called Anvis to a hidden underground passage she had revealed by touching a brick, with Kate pointing her toward it.
• Anvis compared the passage with Duke Carlot’s map and confirmed it was an unexplored secret route.
• Anvis explained that the gate’s Blood Orchid carvings suggested danger and refused to let Fiona enter, saying their father would investigate it.
• A student team arrived, and a red-haired girl reacted to the gate as though she had seen one before.

Anvis learned that Fiona’s group had found a Stone Gate like the one before them, then recognized Vivian as Xia Ye Ying Huo and spoke with her privately. Meanwhile, Claire and Anvis’s Avatar entered the gate, which Anvis suspected might lead to the Night-Calling Stone Clock, a treasure linked to the ruins’ secret beyond Ninth Rank.

• Fiona told Anvis that her team had found a strange Stone Gate beneath the Magic Grand Library ruins and had decided not to enter it.
• Anvis recognized Vivian as Xia Ye Ying Huo, asked to speak with her privately, and gave her a quest to explore the ruins.
• Anvis told Fiona that Vivian was a friend he had met on a mysterious island and had recently become a student of the Secret Star Scholar.
• Claire and Anvis’s Avatar entered a round door that appeared when Claire touched a brick in the wall.
• Anvis recalled that Raine had discovered the Night-Calling Stone Clock in the ruins and wondered whether it was connected to the secret beyond Ninth Rank.