Chapter Summaries

Lanchi, Frei, and Hughberlian demolished the duel hut through a calculated trick, then fled Cerveny and the furious fighters. The Student Union president watched the chase and trusted the three new members to handle the upcoming academic visit from Yarolan Kingdom Academy.

• Cerveny cautiously prepared for Lanchi's attacks, but Lanchi scattered unfinished Magic Cards onto the hut's roof beams and immediately surrendered.
• Frei and Hughberlian escaped as the cards exploded and the wooden hut collapsed, leaving Cerveny to realize Lanchi had used their treaty to avoid responsibility for the destruction.
• Cerveny and the other fighters entered Blood Rage and pursued Lanchi, Frei, and Hughberlian, who ran while insisting the signed treaty barred retaliation.
• Lanchi explained his explosive unfinished Magic Cards to Frei, and the two invited each other to join their team for future Shadow World challenges.
• Monast and Asina watched the chase from the Student Union Room, and Monast said the three newcomers would help the Student Management Committee face Yarolan Kingdom Academy's upcoming visit.

At Ikelite Magic Academy, Teacher Theresa taught Lanchi, Hughberlian, and their classmates about the thirty-two Primordial Slabs and how students could earn opportunities to study them. Lanchi asked Hughberlian whether she knew of any slab holders besides Dean Loren, and her sorrowful reaction left her answer unstated.

• First-year Magical Engineering students whispered about Lanchi and Hughberlian after rumors spread about their destruction of the Soul of a Fighter Team's clubroom.
• Teacher Theresa explained that the thirty-two indestructible Primordial Slabs were eternal Orange Epic Magic Cards, each representing the pinnacle of a type of magic.
• Teacher Theresa presented the Primordial Slab - Wind held by High Priest Loren and described how students could earn a chance to observe it by completing a trial.
• Lanchi asked Hughberlian whether she knew of other Primordial Slab holders, and Hughberlian showed sorrow before lowering her head and nodding.

During a lecture about Primordial Slabs, Lanchi learns that Hughberlian’s missing father, Duke Mi Gaiya Aransal, held the Slab of Darkness and realizes the game’s timeline has changed. He suspects Mi Gaiya is connected to the Blood Race and decides he may be able to rescue him, then lightens the classroom’s attention on Hughberlian with a joking question.

• Teacher Theresa explains that Primordial Slab holders are powerful and warns the students not to antagonize them.
• Teacher Theresa reveals that Duke Mi Gaiya Aransal disappeared with the Hutton Kingdom’s Primordial Slab - Darkness, drawing suspicion and attention toward Hughberlian.
• Lanchi realizes that the Slab’s current holder differs from the game’s future timeline and infers that the Blood Race may have taken Mi Gaiya.
• Lanchi considers traveling to the Krui Di Empire to reinforce Marquis Bernhard’s seal and rescue Mi Gaiya before the duke is killed.
• Lanchi asks what reward someone would receive for finding Mi Gaiya and recovering the Slab, easing the class’s tension and sparing Hughberlian further scrutiny.

Lanchi reassured Hughberlian that he would help bring her father back and considered asking Frei for help, while keeping the dangerous details of the rescue plan to himself. During class, he asked Teacher Theresa who possessed three Primordial Slabs, hoping to gather information for their future plans.

• Lanchi promised Hughberlian that he would help bring Duke Migaiya back, and she thanked him as her friend.
• Lanchi suggested asking Frei for help and decided not to reveal what he knew about the Duke's disappearance or the dangers in the Krui Di Empire.
• Lanchi considered how to grow stronger and how he might persuade Talia to accompany them on a future rescue mission.
• Lanchi raised his hand in Teacher Theresa's class and asked who possessed the Primordial Slab - Mental, the Primordial Slab - Healing, and the Primordial Slab-Seal.

Lanchi asked about the holders of three Primordial Slabs, then proposed a graduation project to seek out Nirvana Bishop Askesang. Hughberlian was shocked by his choice as they walked to the Student Union Room.

• Lanchi asked Teacher Theresa who held the Primordial Slabs of Mental, Healing, and Sealing, and she named a hidden Great Demon, the Saintess of the Goddess of Fate Church, and Nirvana Bishop Askesang.
• Theresa warned the students to avoid the Rebirth Church’s stone tablets, then explained that little was known about its mysterious Pope.
• After class, Lanchi and Hughberlian bought drinks and walked toward the Student Union Room.
• Lanchi told Hughberlian he wanted to pursue the graduation project “Seek the Stone Tablet Holder.”
• Lanchi named Askesang as the person he wanted to seek out, and Hughberlian nearly spat out her juice.

Lanchi proposed infiltrating the Rebirth Church in the Northern Continent to seek Nirvana Bishop Askesang, and Hughberlian reluctantly agreed to go with him. They planned to capture a Rebirth Cultist for an identity, while Lanchi explained that a hidden mole at Iketerite Academy had been leaking information about them.

• Lanchi suggested disguising themselves, crossing the Sea of Nether Servitude, and rising through the Nirvana Branch to reach Askesang’s stone tablet.
• Hughberlian worried that Lanchi would take the plan too far, but agreed to accompany him rather than let him go alone.
• Lanchi said they needed to capture a Rebirth Cultist from the Southern Continent to borrow their identity and infiltrate the church.
• Lanchi explained that a mole at the academy had coordinated the cultists’ ambush in the Shadow World and remained undetected despite Talia investigating.
• Hughberlian felt reassured by Lanchi’s preparations and said she might thank Talia, though she worried Talia would dislike her.

Lanchi proposed forming a task force with Hughberlian and their teammates to capture Resurrection Cultists in the next Shadow World. As they discussed their plans for the coming months, Hughberlian learned that Lanchi was a skilled card maker and agreed to cheer him on at his upcoming exam.

• Lanchi reassured Hughberlian that his teacher Talia did not hate demons, then proposed turning the Rebirth Church’s Shadow World scheme against its cultists.
• Hughberlian agreed that the team could prepare to capture cultists in the next Shadow World and interrogate them for information.
• Lanchi and Hughberlian discussed the Shadow World’s timing, the Card Maker Association exam, and the upcoming visit from Yarolan Kingdom Academy.
• Hughberlian learned that Lanchi could make Magic Cards, and he promised to practice Tier Three cards and take the Card Maker exam next month.
• Hughberlian said she would watch Lanchi’s exam and cheer him on.

Lanchi headed to the Royal Capital Card Maker Association to take the Registered Card Maker examination, accompanied by Hughberlian. On the way, she told him that rumors about his exploits had spread through the capital, and the two arrived early enough to browse the Association before his exam.

• The Poet of Great Love urged Lanchi to leave for his Card Maker examination, and he set off from the Sage Institute dormitory.
• Lanchi met Hughberlian, and they walked together toward the Card Maker Association.
• Hughberlian told Lanchi that exaggerated rumors about his feats in the Demon Realm Shadow World had made him famous in the Royal Capital.
• Lanchi and Hughberlian reached the Southern Continent Card Maker Association before the nine o'clock examination and decided to look around and browse for cards.

At the Ikelite Card Maker Association, Lanchi and Hughberlian ran into Prince Enoer, whose warmth toward Hughberlian made his jealous companion wary. Lanchi distracted Enoer to spare Hughberlian, but his success drew the girl’s jealousy onto himself, and he began considering how to help her too.

• Hughberlian tried to leave with Lanchi after spotting Prince Enoer, but Enoer noticed them and came over to greet them.
• Enoer warmly offered to show Hughberlian and Lanchi around, while the purple-haired girl he had left behind watched Hughberlian jealously.
• Lanchi realized Hughberlian feared being misunderstood by Enoer’s companion and drew Enoer’s attention toward himself.
• Lanchi praised Enoer by sharing Vivian’s good opinion of him, and Enoer eagerly began chatting with Lanchi.
• Lanchi noticed that Enoer’s companion had grown jealous of him, and Hughberlian worried that he would try to help her next.

Lanchi accompanied Hughberlian to the Card Maker Association for his Registered Card Maker Examination and helped expose Sophia’s feelings for Prince Enoer, though his attempts to mediate only made Enoer praise him more. Lanchi and Hughberlian left for the examination room, while Hughberlian worried that a high result could embarrass Sophia.

• Lanchi explained how to distinguish a professor’s Demon Realm paintings from a student’s work, impressing Prince Enoer.
• Lanchi told Enoer he had come to take the Registered Card Maker Examination, and Enoer praised his talent and compared him to Duke Migaiya.
• Lanchi tried to get Enoer to notice Sophia’s feelings, but Enoer misunderstood his hints and continued to focus on Lanchi.
• Sophia finally told Enoer that she was a talented seventeen-year-old Silver Tier Card Maker who wanted him to pay more attention to her.
• Lanchi and Hughberlian left for the fifth-floor examination room after Lanchi encouraged Enoer to comfort Sophia.
• Hughberlian worried that if Lanchi earned Silver Tier or higher, Sophia would feel humiliated after boasting about her own rank.

Lanchi arrived at the Registered Card Maker Examination feeling unusually confident and waited calmly as the chief examiner explained the process. The examination began with examinees entering individual Artificial Shadow Worlds, and the event appeared on the Association’s public screens.

• Lanchi told Hughberlian he felt he was in excellent shape, then headed to the examination area while she planned to watch from the third floor.
• Lanchi passed eligibility confirmation and waited in the Central Courtyard Hall, unfazed by the crowd and the examination machinery.
• Chief examiner Lawrence explained the examination rules, schedule, and material-purchasing period to the examinees.
• Lawrence activated the Artificial Shadow World terminal, creating a Void Gate, and Association staff began guiding examinees inside.
• The Card Maker Association’s giant glass-wall screen switched to the Registered Card Maker Examination.

Lanchi entered the Registered Card Maker Examination’s simulated Shadow World and prepared his materials during the half-hour waiting period. After spotting a mysterious Pink Divine-grade Unnamed Light Elemental Stone that he recognized as a meteorite, he spent most of his available funds on it and matching materials as the examination began.

• Lanchi reviewed the examination rules, entered the artificial Shadow World, and selected a spacious room resembling the Principal's Office.
• Lanchi browsed the Ikelite Card Maker Association branch’s inventory and chose materials for his plan to create cards of different grades.
• Lanchi noticed the expensive Unnamed Light Elemental Stone and recognized its structure as resembling material from a cosmic meteorite.
• Lanchi weighed the risk of spending most of his money against the chance to create a valuable card, then replaced most of his selected Purple Rare materials with the stone and matching materials.
• The preparation period ended, and the examination officially began.

Lanchi made three White Common sealing-type cards during the Registered Card Maker Examination, drawing attention for their unusual effects. He continued crafting cards instead of ending the exam, leaving Sophia and Hughberlian wondering whether he planned to improve his score with higher-quality cards.

• A Holy Teaching and Research Society examinee completed a Blue Precious Holy Light Sanction, and Enoer judged that a strong set of cards could earn the Bronze Tier.
• The broadcast showed Lanchi’s White Common Cartoon Mask, whose effect made a summoned creature look cute, and Enoer praised it.
• The group noted Lanchi’s other White Common cards, Little Love Doll and Praying?, and Hughberlian considered asking to buy a doll.
• Lanchi had successfully made three cards in three attempts, but he stayed in the exam and continued crafting.
• Sophia wondered whether Lanchi had made three safe cards before attempting higher-quality ones, while Hughberlian said she did not know why he had changed his plan.

Lanchi attempted to create a Tier 3 Summoning Card with Poet of Great Love’s help, pushing his design toward an unstable, sun-bright effect. The card survived the apparent explosion and was revealed as the Orange Epic Radiant Virtue.

• Lanchi prepared costly light-element and sealing materials and summoned Poet of Great Love to assist him.
• Lanchi used Poet of Great Love as both assistant and demonic medium while adapting the principles of Wonderful Notes (Purgatory Sound).
• Lanchi and Poet of Great Love spent nearly two hours engraving and refining the card’s magical circuits as its unstable light drew concern from spectators.
• Lanchi completed the card despite his depleted Mana, and a blinding flash filled the Principal’s Office and the broadcast screen.
• The finished Radiant Virtue was revealed as an Orange Epic Tier 3 Light/Seal Summoning Card that summoned a harmless miniature sun.

Lanchi completed the Registered Card Maker Examination by creating an Orange Epic card and received a Platinum Tier rating. Chief Examiner Lawrence congratulated him and began escorting him to meet his waiting friends on the third floor.

• Lanchi exited the Artificial Shadow World exhausted after he could no longer continue making cards.
• Lawrence checked the results and learned that Lanchi had been rated Platinum Tier.
• Lawrence asked Lanchi to speak with him, and Lanchi agreed because his friends were waiting on the third floor.
• Lawrence escorted Lanchi down the association’s floating crystal staircase and congratulated him on his Platinum Tier rating.
• Lanchi was surprised by the result and compared it with the Gold Tier rating of a visiting genius from Yarolan Kingdom Academy.

Lanchi learned that his exceptional card had earned him a provisional path to Platinum Tier, but the Card Maker Association headquarters still had to review and certify his rank. Lawrence promised the Ikelite branch and Magic Engineering Institute would handle much of the process, leaving Lanchi uneasy about involving teachers from an institute he barely knew.

• Lanchi asked whether creating an Orange Epic Card guaranteed Platinum Tier, and Lawrence explained that his artistic score had pushed him over the advancement threshold.
• Lawrence told Lanchi that headquarters had to review his rank and that he would receive temporary Gold Tier certification within three working days, making him Quasi-Platinum Tier for now.
• Lanchi asked how long certification would take, and Lawrence said the review could exceed six months because of heightened scrutiny of the Hutton Kingdom.
• Lawrence promised that the Ikelite branch would work with the Magic Engineering Institute to manage the procedures and spare Lanchi trouble.
• Lanchi worried that the Magic Engineering Institute's teachers would be inconvenienced, since he belonged to the Sage Institute and had little connection with them.

Lanchi learned that becoming a Platinum Tier Card Maker could open a path to teaching at the Magic Engineering Institute, and he eagerly imagined eventually becoming the headmaster of Iketerite Academy. Lawrence accompanied him back to the reception area after explaining that such an appointment was possible if both sides agreed.

• Lawrence discovered that Lanchi had enrolled in the Sage Institute because its entrance exam seemed easier, despite his talent for Magical Engineering.
• Lawrence explained that the Magic Engineering Institute could specially appoint a recognized Platinum Tier Card Maker as a professor-level staff member.
• Lanchi realized that teaching at Iketerite Academy could bring him closer to his dream of recreating Purgatory Corridor Academy and becoming a beloved headmaster.
• Lanchi asked Lawrence whether the Magic Engineering Institute might invite him to teach after his Platinum Tier Card Maker review, and Lawrence said it was possible if both sides agreed.
• Lawrence escorted Lanchi back to the Card Maker Association's reception area and offered to help him with future needs.

Lanchi arrived at the Card Maker Association and learned that his friends had gathered there, only for Lawrence to reveal that he had become a Platinum Tier Card Maker. Sophia was devastated by the news and ran off in tears, while Hughberlian wondered whether Lanchi had intentionally caused the situation to protect her.

• Lawrence welcomed Prince Enoer, Hughberlian, and Sophia, and Prince Enoer eagerly asked Lanchi what tier he had earned.
• Lawrence announced that Lanchi had become a Platinum Tier Card Maker, leaving Sophia ashamed of her earlier boast about being a Silver Tier Card Maker.
• Sophia broke down in tears and ran away, and Lanchi urged Enoer to follow her.
• Hughberlian asked whether Lanchi had caused trouble to protect her, but Lanchi said Sophia and Enoer had conveyed their feelings to each other.
• Hughberlian was unsettled by Lanchi's innocent expression and wondered whether he was naturally manipulative.

Professor Bora Ao learned that Lanqi Wilford had earned a Platinum Tier assignment by creating the Orange Epic card Radiant Virtue in the Registered Card Maker Examination. He prepared to meet Lanqi and Dean Loren, still angry about Lanqi’s earlier damage to the Artificial Shadow World Activation Terminal and the unreimbursed repair costs.

• A Magic Engineering Institute teacher told Professor Bora Ao that a student had received a Platinum Tier assignment in the Card Maker Examination.
• Professor Bora Ao read the report confirming that the student created the Orange Epic card Radiant Virtue alongside three White Common cards.
• The teacher identified the student as Lanqi Wilford, reminding Bora Ao that Lanqi had broken the Artificial Shadow World Activation Terminal and caused eight thousand pounds in expenses.
• The teacher said Dean Loren would bring Lanqi to meet Bora Ao, and Bora Ao told him to send Loren directly to his office.

Lanchi visited Professor Bora Ao with Dean Loren and proposed a way to fund repairs to the damaged Shadow World Activation Terminal by seeking royal funding and billing his father, Noe Wilford. He won Professor Bora Ao’s approval and an invitation to help with magical engineering, while Loren was left wondering why he had endured the professor’s scolding.

• Loren accompanied Lanchi to Professor Bora Ao’s office and warned him to wait outside until called in.
• Loren entered the office, where Professor Bora Ao angrily discussed the terminal’s £8,000 repair bill and funding with him.
• Professor Bora Ao had Loren use wind magic to bring Lanchi inside, and Lanchi offered a plan to seek royal funds while issuing his father a Penalty Ticket for the damage.
• Professor Bora Ao approved of Lanchi’s proposal and invited him to help test and develop magical engineering devices.
• Lanchi praised Professor Bora Ao and accepted the invitation, while Loren watched in dismay as the two got along.