Chapter Summaries

Locke ordered a Thousand-Fold Bronze Magic Furnace and a custom wand to strengthen himself for the upcoming Magic Combat Tournament, choosing practical options over more expensive models. After signing the contracts and leaving his soul and magical characteristics for the makers, he headed to the Truth Institute Castle for his defense, still awaiting both items.

• Locke chose the Thousand-Fold Magic Furnace over the Crystal-Core and Emotional models, paid a deposit, and agreed to wait at least a month for it to be forged.
• Locke asked Colin Morgan about wands and learned that Antoine Fischer, a well-connected tournament contestant with Magic Pressure of 9,999, had ordered a heavily customized wand for 1,000,000 Magic Stones.
• Locke rejected the million-level wand and selected a custom wand priced at 500,000 Magic Stones, which would take at least two months to make.
• Locke signed the contracts, paid deposits, and left his soul, mana, spiritual, and soul characteristics for the makers to use.
• Locke left the Alchemy Workshop on a Cloud Whale and headed to the Truth Institute Castle for his defense, reflecting that he would have to wait for his new artifacts.

Locke encountered Daniel after Daniel’s failed defense and learned that a fraudulent investment had left him deeply in debt and at risk of expulsion. Locke then entered his own second-class fund defense before a panel that included the eccentric Master Milady, who invited him to begin.

• Daniel told Locke that Witch Lena had swindled his savings and borrowed money, leaving his project unfinished and his final review failed.
• Daniel described how his debts had isolated him from his laboratory colleagues, and Locke offered to refer him to Contract Master Hassan and encouraged him not to give up hope.
• Celt warned Locke that Master Milady was a prominent authority in Overlordization and that another judge also studied the field, making the defense panel especially challenging.
• Locke entered the meeting room, saw that Witch Catherine and his co-advisor were absent, and faced the three judges and the attending wizards.
• Master Milady joked about the defense and urged Locke to make his logic and data compelling, while Sith George struggled with Milady’s irreverent manner.
• The Rose Council judge invited Locke to begin his defense.

Locke defended his research on air pineapples before three wizard judges, revealing seven previously unknown natural magical structures, including No. 2 overlord element. Although Rogge tried to challenge the finding, Locke demonstrated that he had tested it through breeding, and Master Milady praised his results and asked to buy an Overlord Pineapple.

• Locke presented evidence that twenty-six types of air pineapples formed symbiotic microecosystems and questioned earlier claims about their effects on magical birds.
• The judges discovered that Locke had identified seven previously unknown natural magical structures, and Rogge reacted with concern to the findings.
• Sith asked how Locke had made so many discoveries in a few months, and Locke credited his super intuition, which Witch Catherine had identified.
• Rogge challenged Locke's research on No. 2 overlord element, but Locke explained that he had used the Queen's Chessboard to test it and complete the first round of breeding.
• Locke summoned his Tyrant Sea Golden Sand, and Master Milady examined it, praised its qualities, and asked to buy an Overlord Pineapple.

Locke passed his Truth Institute Second-Class Fund defense after explaining how he planned to develop and license the No. 2 Overlord Element. Team leader Celt warned him that the upcoming Magic Combat Tournament was a proxy war and military display, with powerful rivals competing for a place in the Silent Grail Plane Conquest Tournament.

• Locke explained to Witch Milady that he wanted High-Ring Wizards to help develop the No. 2 Overlord Element while he focused on producing Overlordized Magic Plants, and the judges accepted his defense.
• Witch Milady proposed a collaboration between her research group and Locke, while Locke said he would consult Witch Catherine before agreeing.
• Locke left the conference room without negotiating with the Shop Alliance representatives and met team leader Celt in an empty classroom.
• Team leader Celt warned Locke that Antoine Fischer and other well-funded or talented Wizards would compete in the Magic Combat Tournament, and demonstrated how a Second-Ring Wizard's Great Magic could pressure and strengthen a First-Ring Wizard.
• Team leader Celt explained that the tournament was a proxy war and a display of Golden Crown Mountain's military power, then asked whether Locke was prepared to compete.

Locke assessed his rivals for the Plane Conquest Tournament and developed Peach Arc Thorn Arrow into a powerful new attack. His research also produced a flood of accepted papers, while Witch Catherine and Fafnir discussed the test awaiting him.

• Locke reviewed the tournament competitors, including Emerson Nelson and Saira, then practiced Peach Arc Thorn Arrow and considered the next Heavenly Ladder Test.
• Witch Catherine and Fafnir discussed Locke's talent and the harsher test Catherine planned for him, while noting that Daniel was undergoing a test as well.
• A month later, Locke completed and submitted eight papers to Green-Grass Cloud Marsh and twenty-eight papers to Life and Reproduction.
• Locke combined a bow made from the golden palace relic branch with a civilization-flame arrow, demonstrating the tremendous power of Peach Arc Thorn Arrow.
• The editor-in-chief of Green-Grass Cloud Marsh approved all eight of Locke's papers for publication and invited him to submit more.
• Wizard Hayes learned that Locke had sent Life and Reproduction twenty-eight high-quality papers and celebrated his good fortune in discovering him.

Locke reviewed the journals featuring his research and revealed that he had made Gregor and Williams first authors on fourteen Q2 papers each. He celebrated their apprentice competition results, offered to fund their training, and asked which Permanent Defense Fields they planned to pursue.

• Locke received journals and peaches from Green-Grass Cloud Marsh and Life and Reproduction, then learned that Witch Catherine would handle licensing negotiations.
• Locke told Gregor and Williams that each had first authorship on fourteen Q2 papers because they had helped with the experiments.
• Locke congratulated Gregor on ranking twenty-second and Williams on ranking seventh in the apprentice competition, then encouraged both to become Wizard Seed candidates.
• Locke planned to spend his Contribution Points on resources and an Apprentice Level Wizard Secret Realm for each apprentice instead of prioritizing a Colonization Permit.
• Locke explained Permanent Defense Fields and asked Gregor which defensive spell he intended to choose.

Locke offered Williams and Gregor different Permanent Defense Field paths, then began seeking a way to pass the fourth Heavenly Ladder test. The chapter ended with the Elder Council using the Student Affairs Department to target Locke over his participation in the Magic Combat Tournament.

• Williams chose to study Forest Sanctuary despite its high cost, while Gregor opted for Falling Flowers, Heartless and accepted Locke's offer to enter the Four Seasons Valley Secret Realm.
• Williams told Locke that Gregor seemed to lack a personal goal, and Locke agreed that Gregor had not yet found what he truly wanted.
• Locke gave Williams the Forest Sanctuary magic book and outlined the plants and Magic Field she would need to study it.
• Locke considered how to pass the fourth Heavenly Ladder test, then traveled toward the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion to research it.
• A Student Affairs Department staff member told Locke that Gregor and Williams would face discipline for skipping public classes; Locke suspected something was wrong and sent the message to Team Leader Celt.
• An Elder Council deputy revealed that the council wanted the department to make trouble for Locke because it opposed his participation in the Magic Combat Tournament.

Locke studied Abyssal Potioncraft and decided to develop the Tyrant’s Eye Potion to raise his Mental Power and Magic Pressure quickly. He rented a top-tier First-Ring Potion Laboratory from the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion and arranged to hire three skilled potion wizards.

• Locke read classified materials describing the Tyrant Beholder and learned that the Tyrant’s Eye Potion could increase Mental Power, though it carried severe risks.
• Locke chose to research and improve the Tyrant’s Eye Potion rather than buy weaker market potions, hoping to reach 9,999 Magic Pressure before the upcoming tournament and Abyssal Ruins exploration.
• Locke asked the Green Dragon Half-Dragon shopkeeper to rent the pavilion’s highest-level First-Ring Potion Laboratory at his discounted rate.
• The shopkeeper explained the laboratory rental and staffing services, including Potion Masters’ salaries and part-time schedules.
• Locke requested at least three First-Ring Crystallization Stage potion wizards with experience refining potions at that level, and the shopkeeper promised to deliver candidate records that afternoon.

Locke learned that the Student Affairs Department had targeted him as part of a factional dispute, but Witch Catherine intervened and ended the matter. She offered him a Superior Meditation Method and new research arrangements, leaving Locke uncertain about why she planned to move him from Group Six.

• Group leader Celt told Locke that the Elder Council controlled the Student Affairs Department and offered to resolve the problem by apologizing, but Locke doubted an apology would help.
• Witch Catherine informed Locke that she had settled the matter, and the Student Affairs Department admitted its mistake and said Locke’s students had not missed classes.
• The Student Affairs Department director told Rudolf Fischer to stop targeting Locke because a Throne Wizard had intervened, and Rudolf worried that Locke’s protection could affect the Magic Combat Tournament.
• Witch Catherine explained to Locke how the Elder Council, Academic Committee, and Deacons Group used competitions to influence Golden Crown Mountain’s direction and said the Elder Council had opposed Locke’s tournament participation.
• Witch Catherine invited Locke to choose a Superior Meditation Method in three days and announced new research arrangements that would move him away from Group Six; Locke questioned why she was changing his work.

Locke acquired a soul-bound Thousand-Stack Magic Furnace and a custom Dragon-Cradling Longevity Peach Wand, which strengthened his soul and magic ahead of the Magic Combat Tournament. After Locke declined to buy a rune stone, Shopkeeper Simon advised Morgan on earning customers’ trust and recognized Locke’s strong Dragon Race aura.

• Locke bound the Thousand-Stack Magic Furnace to his soul, raising his Magic Pressure from 9,200 to 9,400 and increasing his Soul Limit.
• The trader explained that the furnace would grow with Locke’s soul and that it could later be upgraded or replaced.
• Locke tested the custom Dragon-Cradling Longevity Peach Wand and found that it enhanced his Mana and felt like an extension of his arm.
• The trader offered Locke a Peach Blossom Rune Stone, but Locke declined and left with his two magic artifacts.
• Shopkeeper Simon told Morgan that his sales pitch had failed because he had not earned Locke’s trust, then demonstrated the rune stone’s spell effect.
• Simon watched Locke leave and reflected that the Dragonblood Society wizard carried a dense Dragon Race aura.

Locke completed the Tyrant's Eye Potion and injected it, causing his Magic Pressure to surge and his consciousness to be drawn into the Abyssal Plane's 78th layer, Thousand-Eyed Abyss. There, he fought a Tyrant Beholder and realized that his deep connection to Beholder Abyssal Energy had allowed the Supreme Beholder to summon him.

• Locke visited Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion and learned that Lien Edwards, Cassius, and Upton had completed the Tyrant's Eye Potion experiments.
• Locke injected the potion, and his Magic Pressure rose dramatically, overwhelming the three First-Ring Crystallization Stage wizards.
• Locke's consciousness arrived in Thousand-Eyed Abyss, where he witnessed demon larvae transform into Beholders and encountered a Tyrant Beholder.
• The Tyrant Beholder attacked Locke, but Locke repelled it and used his Overlord Domain to suppress three approaching Beholder Lords.
• Locke concluded that his connection to Beholder lineage had let the Supreme Beholder locate and summon his consciousness through the potion's Abyssal Energy.

Locke killed the Tyrant Beholder in the Abyss after using Forest Sanctuary to overpower its Magicless Ray, absorbing a large amount of Abyssal Energy. Back in the potion room, his normal Magic Pressure had reached 9600, but his Abyssal Energy ratio had neared the dangerous threshold, leaving him to seek another way to reach 9999 before the tournament.

• Locke raised his Magic Pressure to 9999 temporarily and used the Overlord Fern Spear to fight the Tyrant Beholder and its Beholder Dynasty.
• The Tyrant Beholder drove its army into a chaotic attack, while Locke used the Great Green Leaf Dragon Sparrow and the Three Kings to evade the beholders and interrupt the Tyrant Beholder's spellcasting.
• The Tyrant Beholder used Magicless Ray to drain Locke's magic, but Locke summoned Forest Sanctuary and overwhelmed it with the forest's enormous total Magic Pressure.
• Locke pierced and killed the Tyrant Beholder, then absorbed its purified Abyssal Energy before the ritual returned him to the Wizarding World.
• Locke found that his normal Magic Pressure was 9600 and his Abyssal Energy was 2500, leaving him 399 points short of 9999 while his Abyssal Energy ratio approached 0.3.
• Locke told the three young-wizard potion masters that he would not renew their contract the following month.

Locke chose the Eye of the World Superior Meditation Method after learning how ancient methods drew power from Origin Force planes. As he began to visualize the Natural Force Plane, he nearly lost his sense of self but used the Flow State to preserve his consciousness.

• Locke calculated that he had 650,000 Magic Stones in savings after repaying his Fairy Family Bank debt, then ordered Ginny to buy magical supplies for strengthening him.
• Locke visited Witch Catherine and observed the Red Demon God's Imaginary Roots before receiving Golden Crown Mountain's list of Superior Meditation Methods.
• Witch Catherine explained how Superior Meditation Methods worked and advised Locke that the Eye of the World would suit his broad interests better than Nature's Heart.
• Locke chose the Eye of the World Meditation Method, and Witch Catherine sent its spiritual magic book into his Sea of Consciousness.
• Locke began visualizing the Natural Force Plane, resisted thoughts that he was becoming the world, and used the Flow State to confirm his own existence.

Locke witnessed a plane’s birth and encountered a colossal Void Behemoth during his first No-Thought state, then learned about the dangers of his Abyssal Energy and the potential value of the creature’s feather patterns. Catherine encouraged him to study those patterns for the Magic Combat Tournament and began teaching him about Great Magic, ending with Locke questioning how its foundation spell differed from the one used for Eternal Defensive Magic Force Fields.

• Locke observed Origin Force collapse into a new plane, where a giant void eagle ate something from its core and dropped a seed that became a black bear, before the creature’s feathers knocked him out of the No-Thought state.
• Catherine explained the Secret of Creation, checked Locke’s Magic Pressure, and warned that his Abyssal Energy could cause irreversible abyssalization.
• Catherine sealed Locke’s Abyssal Energy with a Second-Ring magical bracelet and explained how the Abyss could corrupt wizards.
• Locke described the giant eagle, and Catherine identified it as an unknown Void Behemoth whose feather patterns might help him develop a Spell Model for the tournament.
• Catherine cautioned Locke that he had only seen part of plane formation, then asked which offensive spell he would use as the foundation for his Great Magic.
• Locke asked why choosing a spell for Great Magic followed the opposite principle from choosing one for an Eternal Defensive Magic Force Field.

Catherine explained her Great Magic and advised Locke to study ecological Plant Magic as the foundation for his own, while assigning him books and monthly reports. She entered True Dragon's Slumber for a month, and Locke later met Scarlett to discuss preparing for the upcoming Sports Festival.

• Catherine showed Locke her Great Magic, Beast-Tide Ecology, and explained how Great Magic functioned and why ecological Plant Magic made a suitable foundation.
• Catherine gave Locke a list of Second-Ring books to study, required monthly book reports, and arranged for two wizards' students to sign No. 2 Overlord Element authorization-fee contracts with him.
• Catherine told Locke she was entering True Dragon's Slumber for a month, teleported him outside Truth Institute, and Locke contacted Celt to relay her message to the six group leaders.
• Locke met Scarlett at the Witch's Kitchen, where she apologized for being busy and asked what preparations he had made for the Sports Festival.
• Scarlett handed Locke the Sports Festival event materials after he agreed he wanted to make money.

Locke studied the Golden Crown Mountain Sports Festival market and chose to improve the Greater Hummingbird Pineapple Shoes using his Overlordization technology. After learning that the original maker, Peto, had died, Locke decided to pursue the project himself and borrowed Magic Stones to speed up development before the festival.

• Locke reviewed the Sports Festival’s competitions and learned that wizard shoes and magic clothes were among its best-selling products.
• Scarlett explained that magic clothing was controlled by closed Textile Studies circles, while Pure Magic Plant Wizard Shoes offered Locke a way to avoid relying on Magic Weavers.
• Locke focused on the Greater Hummingbird Pineapple Shoes, a successful Magic Plant product that had combined Breeding Science with Enchanting and Textile Studies.
• Scarlett told Locke that the shoes’ creator, Peto, had died while attempting plane conquest after reaching the Soul Decline Period, prompting Locke to reflect on his own future breakthrough.
• Scarlett offered Locke access to a low-cost plane production base, and Locke decided to improve the shoes with Overlordization technology.
• Locke borrowed five hundred thousand Magic Stones from the Fairy Family Bank to accelerate research and production before the Sports Festival.

Locke completed the Tyrant Hummingbird Pineapple for commercial production, created the First-Ring spell Full Moon Growth, and reached the First-Ring Crystallization Stage Magic Pressure limit of 9999 before the tournament. As the competition approached, contenders across Golden Crown Mountain prepared to win the right to compete for the Silent Grail.

• Locke borrowed five hundred thousand magic stones, synthesized Giant Hummingbird Pineapple subspecies, and used the Queen's Chessboard to create the No. 2 Overlord Element cell compound.
• Locke successfully Overlordized the best-suited pineapple subspecies, named it the Tyrant Hummingbird Pineapple, and arranged for Witch Scarlett to produce shoes using it.
• Locke used a Void Behemoth feather's patterns to create Full Moon Growth, which rapidly matured a magic plant before causing it to wither, and his Magic Pressure reached 9999.
• Antoine Fischer persuaded Fischer Wizard to provide him with expensive equipment and a Star-Ring Wizard teacher before the competition.
• Witch Julian left Feodor Wizard's office and encouraged Daniel Wizard, who said that she and Locke Augustine had helped him find a way past his predicament.
• Emerson Nelson Wizard trained against a golem, Witch Saira hunted Black Wizards for money, and Mike prepared to represent Kunguding Constructor Academy in the tournament.

Wizards from across the Golden Crown Mountain District gathered for the Sports Festival, where Golden Crown Mountain showcased its lavish venues and powerful magical research. After the opening ceremony, Gaia Meek declared the competitions officially underway.

• Golden Crown Mountain built 108 cloud venues and hosted tens of thousands of wizards for the Sports Festival.
• The Reborn Longevity Peach Tree distributed lifespan-extending peaches, and Mason Witch received the only one in the Truth Institute’s section.
• Force School wizards performed a Wave Song that transformed the audience’s spirituality into fluctuations, impressing visiting wizards.
• Golden Crown Mountain revealed its Bloodline Sacred Pool, which could cleanse or selectively remove bloodlines and bloodline factors.
• After fifteen performances, Gaia Meek announced that the competitions had officially begun.

Locke dominated the first day of the Magic Combat Tournament, defeating six opponents with Peach Arc Thorn Arrow and drawing the attention of fellow competitors. After his latest victory, the story left him established as a dangerous contender while the tournament continued.

• Locke defeated Pedro Bennett by resisting his painted illusions and knocking him out of the arena with Peach Arc Thorn Arrow.
• Mason Witch, Witch Freya, and Wizard Barrett congratulated Locke, while he noticed Daniel was absent and Wizard Griffin left without greeting him.
• Witch Diana discussed the tournament’s origins and attack-magic focus with Locke, then admitted his final arrow had surpassed her own strength.
• Locke’s first victory drew reactions from contestants including Wizard Nelson, Witch Julian, and Antoine Fischer.
• Locke won four more matches in single strikes, then blocked a Weather Wizard’s Thunderfire Taiko and defeated him with another Peach Arc Thorn Arrow.

Locke sought to boost sales of his Overlord Hummingbird Pineapple Shoes by wearing them at the Magic Combat Tournament, where he faced fellow Golden Crown Mountain wizard Saira Richie. Saira revealed her Bloodline Activation magic and attacked with a Flame Sparrow clone, but Locke dodged and began countering with his Overlord Domain.

• The judges discussed the tournament’s undefeated First-Ring contestants, including Locke and Julian, while Wizard Fischer warned his grandson to watch out for Locke.
• Locke checked his shoe sales, decided to promote them at the tournament, and wore a pair to the Cloud Arena.
• The tournament draw matched Locke against Saira Richie, alarming Wizard Kraft Roosevelt because both contestants were winning Golden Crown Mountain wizards.
• Saira asked Locke about his experience with Black Wizards, then summoned a Flame Sparrow through her Bloodline Activation magic and declared she would win.
• Locke dodged Saira’s attack using his Overlord Hummingbird Pineapple Shoes and activated his Overlord Domain, weakening the Flame Sparrow’s fire.