Chapter Summaries

Soren and his companions damaged a Superior Construct Golem’s legs, but the Arcane Empire construct switched to a powerful defensive stance. Soren decided to destroy its energy core while the others drew its attention.

• Soren explained that the Golem’s Memory Metal repaired damage, then coordinated attacks against its legs.
• Soren and the Eastern Ronin damaged the Golem’s leg joints, slowing its movements.
• Soren used an Adamantine Dagger to sever one of the Golem’s legs.
• The Golem adopted a defensive stance behind its shield, making it dangerous to approach.
• Soren asked his companions to draw the Golem’s attention while he tried to destroy its energy core.

Soren and the others defeated the Superior Construct Golem by exposing its chest and destroying its energy core. After the group collected loot, Soren dismantled the Golem and took its components and intelligence crystal for Goria to study.

• Soren asked the Eastern Dancer to draw the Superior Construct Golem's attack so he could reach its chest.
• The Eastern Dancer baited the Golem into swinging its greatsword, and Soren used Shadow Jump to appear between its arms and stab its energy core with the Adamantine Dagger.
• The Superior Construct Golem collapsed, and Soren told the others to collect its loot while he and the Eastern Dancer stayed behind.
• Soren dismantled the Golem, gathered its Memory Metal and other components, and found a purple crystal that seemed to be its intelligence system.
• The Dwarf Heavy Warrior and the others returned with loot, including several intact pale-purple Crystals.

Soren led the group into the buried city ruins to obtain the [Anti-Detection Cloak], while an Ancient Mummy hunted nearby. He evaded the chest's deadly trap and claimed the cloak, leaving the Mummy unable to detect him.

• Soren ordered workers to dig through a wall, and the vibrations disturbed the sealed Balor beneath the ruins.
• Soren led the group into the noble district, where they encountered signs of an Ancient Mummy that had defeated an earlier Adventurer party.
• Soren used Hide from Gaze to slip away from the group and enter a hidden chamber containing the [Anti-Detection Cloak].
• Soren triggered the chest's Disintegrate trap with an Alchemy Crystal bottle, then used Shadow Jump to evade its ray.
• Soren opened the chest, put on the [Anti-Detection Cloak], and vanished into stealth as the Ancient Mummy approached without noticing him.

Soren decided to kill the ancient Mummy for its Slaughter Experience, but the fight went badly when its attacks drained attributes and paralyzed the party. He was forced to reveal Slayer Form after taking the ancient Mummy’s blows while rescuing the Eastern Dancer.

• Soren ambushed the ancient Mummy with an arrow and joined his companions in battle after the Dwarf Heavy Warrior resisted Ghoul Touch.
• The ancient Mummy struck the melee fighters with Necrotic Touch, draining four attribute points from each of them.
• The ancient Mummy paralyzed the Eastern Dancer and lunged at her, so Soren used Shadow Shift to shove her aside and take the attack himself.
• The ancient Mummy battered Soren until he reached the Heavy Injury Condition while his companions were too slow to rescue him.
• Soren forcibly broke Ghoul Touch’s Paralysis and transformed into Slayer Form.

Soren transformed into Slayer Form and killed the ancient Mummy, but Bloodlust drove him to seek stronger enemies. He entered the ruin’s depths, where he sensed the Balor and its flames.

• Soren activated Slayer Form, gaining immense strength and immunity to negative energy and mental control while Bloodlust began to consume him.
• Soren caught the ancient Mummy’s attack, broke its arm, threw it into the ground, and decapitated it with Icetail.
• Soren ordered the Eastern Dancer, Dwarf Heavy Warrior, Gale Ronin, and desert warrior to wait, then blasted through a sealed passageway.
• Soren slaughtered undead throughout the ruin to hold off his frenzy, but the weaker monsters could not satisfy his hunger for slaughter.
• Soren reached the ruin’s depths and sensed the Balor, which recognized his slaughtering aura.

Soren confronted a sealed Balor in an underground ruin and found that Icetail weakened its flames while his Slayer Form resisted its control spells. The Balor’s Blasphemous Utterance finally affected Soren, who answered with the same spell.

• Soren recognized the Balor and faced it in the ruin, where Icetail extinguished nearby magical flames and dimmed the demon’s fire.
• The Balor tried to lure Soren into freeing it, but Soren attacked with an arrow and then clashed with its Flame Whip.
• Soren assessed the Balor’s restraints and evaded its attacks while the demon cast Charm Monster and Power Word: Stun, both of which failed to control him.
• The Balor’s Mind Control and Unholy Aura also failed, but its Blasphemous Utterance left Soren trembling in pain.
• Soren recovered, spoke his own Blasphemous Utterance, and triggered a flood of notifications.

Soren survived the Balor’s Blasphemous Utterance and unexpectedly mastered the ability himself, revealing his Slaughter Divinity. The Balor, recognizing him as a descendant of the Child of Slaughter, began tearing free of its seal to claim his power.

• The Balor’s Blasphemous Utterance activated Soren’s memory and helped him comprehend the word “Pain.”
• Soren’s divinity made him immune to the blasphemous damage, and he mastered Blasphemous Utterance: Pain.
• The Balor recognized Soren’s Slaughter Divinity and identified him as a descendant of the Child of Slaughter.
• Balosa-Kendi challenged Soren to a battle for the Slaughter Divinity and began ripping free from its chains despite its injuries.

Soren waited as the Balor sacrificed its True Demon Blood to break the ancient chains, then exploited the demon’s weakened state to begin a close-quarters fight. After dodging the Balor’s attacks and landing several powerful strikes, Soren left the battle still underway, slashing across the Balor’s body.

• The Balor burned the silver-white chains with its True Demon Blood while Soren waited for the seal to break and its strength to decline.
• The Balor shattered the chains and charged Soren with its Abyssal Vorpal Sword and Flame Whip.
• Soren used Shadow Jump to evade the Balor’s attacks and stabbed its back with Icetail.
• Soren rolled beneath the Balor and cut a deep gash across its groin, enraging the demon.
• Soren dodged another heavy sword strike, then used Shadow Jump to appear behind the Balor and slash across its body.

Steven Hogle returned to Port Nyanzaru after a mission, planning to leave piracy, buy land, and bring his sweetheart and her children to live with him. At the city gates, he saw Vivian and Lulu heading to the seaside, while he continued toward the barracks to complete his handover.

• Steven Hogle declined an invitation to drink and calculated that his savings and merits could buy land south of Port Nyanzaru.
• Steven thought about his sweetheart and her children and planned to build a stable home and join the City Guard.
• Steven reached the city gates and knelt to greet Vivian as her Pteranodon, Blackie, stirred up dust.
• Vivian released Blackie and took Lulu toward the seaside to catch fish, while Steven hurried to the barracks to handle his mission handover.

Soren fought the Balor through a brutal exchange as both neared exhaustion, then used collapsing cave rock to create an opening and decapitated it. The dead Balor activated Body Blaze, engulfing Soren in a massive explosion.

• Soren and the Balor exchanged attacks, leaving both badly wounded and close to exhaustion.
• Soren noticed the damaged wall and maneuvered the Balor into striking it until cracks spread across the cavern.
• The collapsing ceiling dropped a stalactite and rocks onto the Balor, leaving its attack open.
• Soren used Vampiric Touch to recover from his wounds, then killed the Balor with Sword Momentum: Decapitation.
• The Balor's Body Blaze erupted on its death and engulfed Soren in flames.

After underground explosions triggered widespread cave-ins, the team split over whether to stay or flee. Eastern Dancer found Soren alive and received her mission item, but the exit collapsed, leaving them to dig their way out.

• The Desert Warrior urged the others to leave with their loot, and Gale Ronin followed him toward the plaza.
• Eastern Dancer chose to search for Soren, while the Dwarf Heavy Warrior gave her Healing Potions and a Grey Valley Dwarf Strength Potion before leaving.
• Eastern Dancer found Soren climbing out of a blast-shattered pit, and he gave her the gemstone she needed for her mission.
• As the ruins continued collapsing, Soren and Eastern Dancer ran back to the plaza and found their passage blocked.
• Soren tossed Eastern Dancer a shovel and told her they would have to dig their way out.

Trapped beneath an ancient ruin after defeating a Balor, Soren recovered while Eastern Dancer dug toward the surface. After learning he had gained only a little Legendary Degree, he suspected that widespread attention influenced how much he received.

• Eastern Dancer dug through the unstable sand while Soren rested and secretly re-memorized Spells as he recovered from his injuries.
• Soren reviewed the rewards for killing the Balor, including improved Fire Resistance, over 160,000 Slaughter Experience, and 5 points of Divine Rank.
• Soren joined Eastern Dancer in digging, and after several hours they continued working to escape the ruin.
• Soren received 2 points of Legendary Degree for defeating the Balor and wondered why the reward was so small.
• Soren concluded that Legendary Degree depended partly on how widely an event spread, since few people had witnessed his victory.

After escaping the underground ruins, Soren and the Eastern Dancer rested at a nearby Oasis, where she bathed while he kept watch. Soren encountered a mysterious woman who revealed herself as a Grand Master of Fist, and the chapter ended with the two facing off.

• Soren and the Eastern Dancer escaped the underground ruins after being trapped for a day and night, then found that the others had left.
• Soren and the Eastern Dancer agreed to rest for the night and part ways the next day, and they went to a nearby Oasis for water.
• The Eastern Dancer asked Soren to wait outside while she bathed, and he stayed away from the pool.
• Soren sensed someone approaching and used Stealth to investigate, but the woman detected him and attacked with a whip kick.
• The woman summoned electricity through her gloves, and Soren recognized her stance as that of a Grand Master of Fist.

Soren fought a tall Grand Master of Fist whose electric strikes and Sixth Sense-like ability overwhelmed his defenses. The Eastern Dancer interrupted their duel and told Jin that Soren was not an enemy.

• The tall woman attacked Soren with airborne strikes and Hidden Force, injuring him through his defenses.
• Soren vanished with Hide Sight and tried to ambush her, but she evaded his attacks and caught Icetail bare-handed.
• The woman trapped Soren at close range and battered him with electric punches until he knocked her back with Iron Mountain Lean.
• Soren drew the Adamantine Dagger and wounded the woman as they exchanged blows, then recognized that she had a powerful Sixth Sense ability.
• Jin launched another attack, but the Eastern Dancer appeared and ordered her to stop, saying Soren was not an enemy.

Soren and Ti ended their fight after Zi explained that Soren had saved her, and the group rested near the Oasis. Their conversation was interrupted when a star vanished and a brilliant light fell from the sky, revealing that a True God had died.

• Ti arrived and attacked Soren, but Zi stopped them and explained that Soren had saved her.
• Ti thanked Soren for protecting Zi and questioned whether he had killed the Balor beneath the ruins.
• Soren reflected on Ti's Eastern combat techniques and said he planned to leave the next day.
• Zi pointed out a star that dimmed and disappeared before a dazzling light streaked across the sky.
• Soren realized that a True God had fallen.

With Soren away, the Duchy of Rosado and Amazon pirates threatened his Eastern Route, prompting Goria to take charge at Sand Fury Island. When the Red Dragon Duchess appeared, Goria faced her with a newly completed deck of Tarot cards.

• The Duchy of Rosado rebuilt its navy, and the Half-Elf first mate requested reinforcements from Port Nyanzaru when its movements threatened the Eastern Route.
• Goria arrived at Sand Fury Island with Vivian and Lulumiao and ordered the pirate leaders to gather in the Council Hall.
• Goria reviewed reports of the growing threats from the Duchy of Rosado and the Amazon pirates.
• Goria sensed an intruder and teleported to the roof with the Fallen Witch, where the Red Dragon Duchess revealed herself.
• Goria told the Fallen Witch she would handle the enemy, then used a Tarot card to cast Lightning Bolt at the Red Dragon Duchess.

Soren considered how a Rogue might cultivate the power of shadows and parted ways with Ti and the Eastern Dancer before dawn. Meanwhile, Adele-Isabella’s rising prominence in Arendelle drew the attention of southern nobles as she traveled toward Shipwreck Bay, setting Soren’s plan in motion.

• Ti told Soren that he needed to seek the source of his own power and recounted a druid’s pursuit of the Way of Nature.
• Soren concluded that shadows were the source of a Rogue’s power and considered how Swordmasters combined Western combat techniques with Eastern Ki.
• At dawn, Soren said goodbye to Ti and the Eastern Dancer and walked away; Ti and the Eastern Dancer left to return to the Imperial Princess.
• Ti warned that monasteries were stirring and that the Evil Creatures sealed underground might soon emerge.
• Adele-Isabella left Arendelle by merchant ship for Shipwreck Bay, prompting southern nobles to arrange meetings with her and pursue her wealth and status.

Soren searched a volcano for the Fire Elemental Crystal and discovered that someone had already taken it. A little girl confronted him, and Soren seemed to recognize her as the Brass Dragon Desert Wind.

• Soren traveled to the volcano in Desert Wind’s territory to find the third Elemental Crystal.
• Soren defeated the Fire Elementals guarding the altar and searched its center.
• Soren found the crystal’s hidden compartment empty and realized someone had taken the Fire Elemental Crystal.
• A little girl appeared, accused Soren of sneaking into her territory, and excitedly questioned him.
• Soren readied Icetail and seemed to recognize the girl.

Soren encountered a Brass Dragon disguised as a little girl and sought the Fire Elemental Crystal she possessed. She attacked him and tried to capture him, but Soren resisted her spell and struck back, only to discover that her Spell Resistance remained powerful in human form.

• Soren recognized the girl as a Brass Dragon and told her he had come looking for an Elemental Crystal.
• The girl produced a Fire Elemental Crystal from extradimensional storage, then refused to give it to Soren and claimed him as her toy.
• The girl cast Hold Person, but Soren passed his saves and remained immune to its paralysis.
• Soren activated his Boots of Speed, attacked with his blade, and unleashed five Magic Missiles after the girl cast Greater Mage Armor.
• The Magic Missiles left the girl unharmed, and Soren was shocked that she retained such high Spell Resistance in human form.

Soren fought a little girl who revealed herself as the princess of the Brass Dragon Kingdom and retained a Brass Dragon’s powers in human form. After Soren’s spells exposed her regeneration and damaged her dress, she became serious and attacked him with her wings, leaving him in danger.

• Soren used maximized spells to strengthen himself and attack the little girl after learning that ordinary magic could not threaten her.
• The little girl revealed she was the princess of the Brass Dragon Kingdom, then used Dragon Breath to engulf Soren.
• Soren escaped with Shadow Jump and Hide from Gaze, then struck the girl with Melf’s Minute Meteors, breaking her Energy Protection Field and damaging her.
• The girl’s scorched skin healed rapidly, and Soren realized she retained a Dragon’s regeneration while transformed.
• The girl manifested enormous brass-colored Dragon Wings and used Sandstorm to expose Soren’s hidden outline.
• The girl charged Soren with Wing Buffet, declaring that she was playing for real.