Chapter Summaries

Evan and Olivia attacked High Cliff Fortress with waves of Alchemy Bombs and precision sorcery, overcoming its defenses and forcing Sidrick to reveal the Mechanical Immortality School’s strongest combatants. The Chief, Second Seat, and Third Seat charged toward Evan in powerful Artificial Bodies.

• Sidrick used the fortress’s control spellbook to unleash burrowing creatures and illuminate the fortress, allowing its defenders to expose and kill the Shadow Demon Wolves.
• Evan and Olivia linked their minds and used a guided beam cannon to destroy the insects launched from the fortress.
• Evan ordered another wave of attacks, relying on intelligence from Samuer and his large stockpile of Alchemy Bombs to exhaust the fortress’s defenses.
• Sidrick activated the Flesh Altar’s regeneration effect and sent Billy Buddha and four hundred flesh-and-construct soldiers to fight.
• The Chief, Second Seat, and Third Seat revealed their metal Artificial Bodies and charged through the air toward Evan.

Evan and his allies launched an assault on High Cliff Fortress, using Black Thorns Forest and their forces to overwhelm the Clockwork Servants while Anita, Gell, and Rudolph fought the three peak wizards. As the fortress deployed a massive array of turrets against Olivia’s beam cannon, Evan watched the new threat emerge and wanted to learn the same technology.

• Anita, Gell, and Rudolph engaged the three Evil Path Alchemists while Olivia weakened them with her beam cannon.
• Evan summoned Black Thorns Forest, devastating the Clockwork Servants and sweeping spikes across the fortress before leading his troops forward.
• Evan joined Anita against School Chief Sidrick, destroyed his Blood Construct Kite’s Wings with Flesh and Blood Collapse, and drew Sidrick’s attention to his connection to the Tree of Life School.
• Olivia and the advancing forces crippled the Clockwork Servants, while Pipi deflected an Alchemy Cannon shell aimed at her.
• The fortress sent its captured Night Spirits and Formal Wizards into battle to delay Evan’s forces as its defenses prepared a turret array.
• More than forty Construct Turrets rose from the fortress and aimed at Olivia’s beam cannon, prompting Evan to wish he could learn to build them.

Olivia destroyed High Cliff Fortress with Star Shattering, and Evan’s forces used the collapse and prepared countermeasures to defeat the Mechanical Immortality School’s troops and capture three peak wizards. Evan combined the stolen parchment with Sacrifice of Flesh and Blood, completing its first three volumes, but the battle’s end revealed a group unaffected by the Madness Potion.

• Olivia retreated from the turret array, then used the Gemstone Star Tamil to cast Star Shattering and destroy the cliff supporting High Cliff Fortress.
• High Cliff Fortress collapsed into the San Francisco River, while Evan’s forces deployed the Madness Potion against the enemy troops.
• Evan used an Electromagnetic Pulse Bomb to paralyze Sidrick, Second Seat, and Third Seat, then removed their brains and placed them in jars of Sleeping Potion.
• Evan merged the parchment from Sidrick’s Brass Key into Sacrifice of Flesh and Blood, completing its first three volumes and clearing his path to becoming a Third-Order High-Ranking Wizard.
• Evan and the others looked toward the main battlefield and noticed people unaffected by the Madness Potion.

Evan’s forces defeated the Profane Alchemists, freed their captives, and took in a group of homeless Night Spirits. The chapter ended with a Profane Cultist arriving for an initiation ritual and finding High Cliff Fortress gone.

• Gary and Iron Bone William helped break the final Profane Alchemist’s Sorcery Shield, and the Skin-Wearing People killed the wizard.
• Boris reported the casualties and captives to Evan, who ordered rewards for the fighters and pensions for the fallen.
• Evan used the Animation School’s core spellbook to restore Billy Buddha’s Self-Awareness and freed the Night Spirits from their explosive collars.
• Sara told Evan, Olivia, and Milan that the Night Spirits had been driven from the Shattered Star Sea and captured by the Profane Alchemists.
• Olivia offered the Night Spirits work, and they accepted after their hunger became impossible to ignore.
• A Profane Cultist arrived at the ruined cliff bank to perform an initiation ritual and wondered where he was.

Evan and Olivia inspected Georgia Territory’s new steelworks and porcelain kiln, celebrating a successful blast furnace run while pushing local craftspeople to improve production. Back at the Governor’s Office, Evan found inspiration for an innovative Wizard’s Path achievement.

• Evan watched the first run of the new blast furnace produce high-quality pig iron, and Mr. Kinslem reported that it could meet its target of six hundred tons per day.
• Evan and Olivia visited Ceramics Town, where Old Buck explained that most of the first porcelain firing had shattered because the kiln temperature was difficult to control.
• Evan ordered Mr. Kenneth to propose an alchemical temperature-control device and told the craftsmen to keep experimenting toward reliable white porcelain production.
• Evan and Olivia returned to the Governor’s Office, where Evan reflected on territorial transport, the Wizard Tower’s projects, and his need for a biological innovation to reach Third-Order.
• When Sara brought afternoon tea, Evan suddenly announced that he had an idea.

In Buffalo, militia captain Johnson realized the town’s new rulers were feeding people to ghouls and prepared to flee with his family. Near Long Island Port, Billy Buddha rescued Johnson’s party from five ghoul-hyenas, while Ai’s ships stood ready to help Iliya colonists leave for Georgia Territory.

• Town Chief asked Johnson to lead a hunting party, and Johnson agreed while recognizing the request was meant to expose him and his men to monsters.
• Johnson told his wife Sandy to pack and sent his son Dick to summon Duwa, Eden, and Jin so they could escape Buffalo for Long Island Port.
• At a camp near Long Island Port, Chris and Qinaluo fought Billy Buddha while Ai’s ships helped freemen leave the increasingly dangerous Iliya Colony.
• A gunshot drew Billy Buddha away from the fight, and he rushed toward Johnson and two other hunters cornered by five hyena-like ghouls.
• Billy Buddha killed the five ghouls, which reverted to bluish-white human forms, and taunted them as the hunters watched.

Evan expanded the Wizard Tower’s defenses and considered studying the Night Spirits’ longevity while preparing a gift for Olivia’s eighteenth birthday. On Ugor Island, Nymph launched construction of Limerick Port and returned toward home, while Aliyi set out to obtain the Gem School’s artificial gemstone technology.

• Angie tested Venom-armored Night Spirits against Sword Winged Flying Insects as Evan assessed their combat abilities and usefulness as servants.
• Evan considered researching the Night Spirits’ Longevity Factor and wondered what to give Olivia for her eighteenth birthday.
• Nymph and Hawkins held the groundbreaking ceremony for Limerick Port, after which Nymph decided to return for Hecy’s birthday.
• Nymph vanished using her Emerald Natal Gemstone after vowing to punish Aliyi for pursuing Organic Gemstone secrets.
• Aliyi declared that he would obtain the artificial gemstone technology and teleported away using his Oceanic Secret Treasure.

At Olivia’s eighteenth birthday banquet, Evan publicly danced with her, making their relationship clear to the guests. Meanwhile, Aliyi arrived with Ifrit and plotted to win the heart of Nymph Grand Wizard’s daughter, unaware that Olivia was the young woman he sought.

• Guests gathered at Orange Leaf Castle and discussed Olivia’s coming of age, which made her a target for marriage alliances.
• Olivia’s friends admired the eligible young men at the banquet, and one declared that she wanted General Garratt for herself.
• Evan attended with Anita and Molly while Milan and Apusuya slipped away together.
• Olivia descended in a dazzling gown surrounded by gem butterflies, and Evan immediately invited her to dance, publicly revealing their intimacy.
• Aliyi entered the banquet with Ifrit and proposed winning Nymph Grand Wizard’s daughter over to gain access to her family’s gems, though he did not know which guest she was.

Evan proposed to Olivia at her coming-of-age ceremony, and Kraken secretly blessed their union. Soon afterward, the first impact of the New Continent Spirit Tide struck their territory, with the Skin-Wearing People capturing Steel City and Piggens Town being destroyed.

• Aliyi prepared to win Olivia over with the enormous Baroque Pearl, but Ifrit warned him that he was running out of time.
• After dancing with Olivia, Evan presented her with a ring set with a Gemstone Star and proposed; Olivia accepted by offering him her hand.
• Kraken's incarnation witnessed their engagement and bestowed the Blessing of the Ancient Sea Turtle on Evan and Olivia.
• The Marquis suggested holding the engagement ceremony alongside the other family celebrations, with Anita and their relatives present.
• The first impact of the New Continent Spirit Tide arrived, and the Skin-Wearing People captured Steel City while Piggens Town was wiped out before reinforcements arrived.

After the Spirit Tide devastated the New Continent, Evan joined colonial leaders in planning a prolonged defense and agreed to shelter three Huron tribes in exchange for intelligence about the Totem Gods. Aliyi then approached Evan with an offer of a trade that could help solve the colonies’ urgent equipment shortage.

• Vice Admiral Gustav warned the colonial leaders that the Spirit Tide was a continent-wide disaster and called for a coordinated defense.
• Major General Christopher argued that conventional weapons could not harm spirits and proposed buying supernatural equipment within the New Continent.
• Princess Apusuya asked Evan to shelter members of three Huron tribes, and he agreed in exchange for intelligence on the Totem Gods.
• Apusuya explained that six powerful Totem Gods could compete for demigodhood and that their conflicts over fragments of origin had triggered the Spirit Tide.
• Aliyi visited Evan and offered to make a trade that could help solve the colonies’ greatest problem.

Evan accepted Aliyi’s offer of Ifrit’s Sacrifice, a ritual that could let fighters grow stronger through battle, and began distributing its components to defend the colonies from the Spirit Tide. He left the chapter preparing the Cumberland Defense Line with a large force, hoping its protection would draw people to his territory.

• Aliyi introduced Evan to Ifrit, who gave him a gemstone containing the knowledge of Ifrit’s Sacrifice.
• Evan agreed to trade gemstones and research on Peach-Colored Pillar Stone for the ritual, and Aliyi shared additional knowledge from the Starry Night Order.
• After the Cloud Conference, the colonies rebuilt their defenses into the Abayachi Defense Line, including the Cumberland line through Georgia Territory.
• Evan supplied the colonies with Arena Altars and Gladiator Amulets so defenders could use Ifrit’s Sacrifice, and independent fighters joined the lines.
• Evan moved most of his seventy Skin-Wearing People into his lord’s guard and sent them to the front line against the Spirit Tide.

Two months after the first Spirit Tide eruption, the kingdom’s defenses and weapons production had improved, while Evan used sea monster corpses to advance his Flesh Altar research. The chapter ended with Evan cultivating enough Night Spirit bloodline for his path to the third rank and looking forward to expanding the experiments.

• At a Cumberland watchtower, Crow-Man soldiers, grenadiers, and werewolves killed a silver leopard Nature Spirit using positive-energy bullets, Holy Salt Bombs, and a Coral Steel dagger.
• The chapter described how thirty-six watchtowers, improved tactics, and monthly rewards had strengthened the defenses along the Abayachi Defense Line.
• In Steel City, Evan’s arsenal expanded production of Spirit Tide weapons and began trial production of ship cannons.
• Evan and Angie studied Flesh and Blood Puppets as Evan used sea monster corpses from the Raging Tide Church to build up the Flesh Altar.
• Evan used the Flesh Altar to cultivate a trace of Night Spirit bloodline until it equaled the blood of two adult Night Spirits, supporting his research toward the third rank.

Evan and Angie began a Bloodline Transplant Ritual to turn Midola’s human body into a Night Spirit and study its longevity factor. During the ritual, Evan conceived a way to use stem-cell cultivation and the Bronze Amulet to produce abundant flesh and Extraordinary creatures, potentially transforming the Animation School’s capabilities.

• Evan and Angie completed the ritual array and summoned Midola to serve as the test subject, despite her plea to let Calvin take her place.
• Evan put Midola’s body to sleep, and he and Angie began the ritual using Night Spirit blood and their shared connection to the Tree of Life.
• The ritual infused Night Spirit essence into Midola’s Spirit Origin, remolding her into an acquired Night Spirit as Evan and Angie received a burst of inspiration.
• Evan realized that stem-cell cultivation could produce pure flesh and eventually entire Extraordinary creatures, with the Bronze Amulet supplying energy.
• Evan envisioned using the process to purify Kaka’s shadow dragon bloodline and judged the artificial-meat breakthrough more significant than a potion that extended ordinary life by two hundred years.

Wild Buffalo God Bellow located a likely site for the next Source Overflow before clashing with Giant Falcon God Flanida, while the ailing Wizard Leon prepared to pass on his Potionology knowledge. In Georgia, Evan welcomed the final group of Iliya refugees, but the returning fleet’s lead ship, the Morning Star, appeared to have no sailors aboard.

• Wild Buffalo God Bellow sensed that one of five abnormal locations near Lake Huron would host the next Source Overflow and declared his support for Uhao.
• Giant Falcon God Flanida confronted Bellow over trespassing, and the two third-rank Totem Gods fought across the frozen lake.
• Wizard Leon told his two apprentices that he was a second-rank Formal Wizard and urged them to ask him questions while he could still teach them Potionology.
• Evan and Olivia led a ceremony in Brunswick Port to welcome the last and largest group of Iliya refugees, while Evan’s armored guards displayed Georgia’s strength.
• The returning refugee fleet approached Georgia, but the dark-green Morning Star had no sailors visible aboard except Anita and Molly.

Evan welcomed the final wave of Iliya immigrants to Georgia Territory and demonstrated the Dragoon Privateer Fleet’s strength with the Quasi-Legendary Battleship Morning Star. Meanwhile, Bogg received a transfer to Ugor Island as deputy port officer, realizing Evan still trusted him.

• Evan’s officials organized the nearly seven thousand arriving Iliya immigrants, while Doctor Taylor’s team treated the sick and administrators prepared to send families to assigned settlements.
• Anita used her enchanted link to command the Morning Star as the privateer fleet sailed past the harbor and fired three broadsides into the sea, impressing the refugees and reassuring Johnson.
• Evan reflected on the Morning Star’s Venom Ship-Coat, its extraordinary capabilities, and Sirius’s inability to retaliate against his growing maritime power.
• At the Faletis Third Fleet’s logistics department, Bogg endured his colleagues’ doubts about his abilities after losing his right hand and considered leaving the service.
• Colonel Oriel informed Bogg that he had been appointed deputy port officer at Limerick Port on Ugor Island, and Bogg was moved by the trust behind the transfer.

As the Georgia Territory faced a rise in dangerous spirits, Evan discovered that the Spirit Tide had improved newborns’ aptitude and accelerated extraordinary people’s cultivation. He and Olivia used an emerald ritual to search humanity’s dreams for potential Animation School apprentices, then decided to begin testing and recruitment.

• The Arawak Clan celebrated the birth of Natu, whom Evan recognized as having excellent aptitude for becoming a Tree of Life Totem Warrior.
• Evan and Olivia encountered and destroyed a hyena-faced Nature Spirit, prompting Evan to call for a curfew as spirits spread through the territory.
• Evan connected the territory’s improved newborn aptitude and faster advancement among extraordinary people to the Spirit Tide and its fragments.
• Evan, Olivia, and Angie used a large emerald in the Wizard Tower to search the Collective Unconscious for people compatible with their school.
• The search found two promising people in the north, and Evan and Olivia decided to test children aged ten to sixteen and launch a recruitment plan.

Johnson introduced Dick to the gunslinger profession while hunting in the mountains near Frost Pine Town. At Lake Huron, Leon’s apprentices Jacob and Kyle learned that the Four-Leaf Clover School would not help their ailing teacher obtain treatment, and Leon sent them to hide with a friend from the Iroquois Tribe.

• Johnson hunted a stag with Dick and explained the gunslinger profession, but told him he probably could not become as strong as the warrior who had once saved them.
• Jacob told Kyle he wanted to become a naturalist, while Kyle hoped to learn enough to cure their teacher, Leon.
• A wizard from the Four-Leaf Clover School threatened to return for Leon’s Dreamscape Corridor Potion formula, leaving Jacob and Kyle angry and helpless.
• Leon explained that the potion had let him enter the Spirit World, where creatures at Beacon Anchorage cursed and contaminated him.
• Leon refused to let Jacob and Kyle advance as Wild Wizards and told them to prepare to hide with his Atelian People friend from the Iroquois Tribe.

Evan and Angie reached Leon’s cabin, where Evan rescued Leon from the Four-Leaf Clover School and revealed that he was connected to Leon through the Apothecary's Notebook. As Evan began discussing the Animation School’s origins with Leon, a sudden Source Overflow erupted over Lake Huron.

• Evan and Angie arrived in the northern cedar forest, where Angie told Evan about youths with wizard aptitude and the candidates for the Animation School.
• Leon refused the Four-Leaf Clover School’s offer, while Jacob and Kyle prepared to attack its wizards with a hallucinogenic potion.
• Evan and Angie surprised Jacob and Kyle, recognized their Birdsong Potion, and Evan sent Heavy Armor Guards to defeat the Four-Leaf Clover wizards.
• Evan met Leon, revealed the Apothecary's Notebook, and introduced himself as Evan Garratt; Leon realized Evan’s Animation School had once been called the Tree of Life School.
• Radiant energy surged over Lake Huron and bells rang through the void, prompting Evan to recognize a Source Overflow.

Evan and Angie faced a mass gathering of spirits at Lake Huron as the Spirit Origin began to overflow, but escape became impossible when the area blocked Shadow Realm traversal. After Angie destroyed an approaching river of ghostfire, the sky revealed an inverted Manitoulin Island and Lake, and a bell chime flipped the world, sending everyone falling toward the island.

• Leon asked Evan what Source Overflow was as dark clouds gathered and vast numbers of spirits converged on Lake Huron.
• A river of blue ghostfire killed three hidden Four-Leaf Clover School wizards and approached Evan's group, while Kaka warned that Shadow Realm traversal was blocked around the lake.
• Evan put Leon, Jacob, and Kyle into the Toy Box, and Angie summoned Minnie, whose Hammer of Punishment destroyed the ghostfire.
• Evan flew off with Angie but saw Manitoulin Island and its lake appear upside down above Lake Huron.
• A bell chimed, the world flipped upside down, and Evan, Angie, and everyone gathered at the lake fell toward Manitoulin Island.

Evan and Angie were dropped into the White Bone Temple, a flooded deathtrap filled with Bone Removal Priests that stole their victims’ bones. With Angie’s guidance, Evan found a way out, cut through the temple wall into the true secret realm, and escaped after leaving explosives behind.

• Evan and Angie landed inside the flooded White Bone Temple and discovered that its walls and platform were built from human remains.
• Five Iroquois hunters fled from the Bone Removal Priests, who stripped the hunters of their bones and turned them into part of the temple.
• Evan used lightning to destroy the attacking priests, while Angie used Sacrifice of Flesh and Blood and her Animal Affinity to find the temple’s connection to the outside.
• Evan, Angie, and Kaka held back the pursuing priests as Evan used Esoteric Truth · Thunderous Breath to cut through a stone wall into the true secret realm.
• Evan and Angie escaped through the opening, and Evan left dolphins carrying Alchemy Bombs behind; the White Bone Temple exploded in a mushroom cloud.