Chapter Summaries

Shade reunited with Anqi Illustrious in the garden at Margaret Manor, where they caught up and shared a kiss. She explained her work to strengthen the Radiance Messenger and agreed to remain in Moon Bay for now, while Shade warned her about the dangers there.

• Anqi Illustrious greeted Shade and walked with him through the garden, recounting her Slumber, her awakening in the Sixth Epoch, and how she had waited for him in Moon Bay.
• Anqi Illustrious asked for one of the three kisses Shade owed her, and they kissed before continuing their stroll hand in hand.
• Anqi Illustrious revealed that Miss Violet had entrusted her with a secret Dragon-Tongue Spellcraft to teach Shade only when he faced danger.
• Anqi Illustrious told Shade she had to strengthen the Radiance Messenger and could not leave Moon Bay until local matters were resolved; she agreed to stay in contact with the Aurora Family Witch.
• Shade warned Anqi Illustrious about Moon Bay's dangers, including the Mermaid, but she said the ocean's existence meant she could not die.

Illustrious Miss joined Shade at the banquet and told him about the Angel Level relic Angel's Right Arm, a living sword tied to animated angel statues. At the ball, she revealed her Fifth Epoch origins to Miss Belinder and met Shade's companions, who accepted her as an ancient Blue Dragon.

• Illustrious Miss told Shade she would stay by his side and explained that Angel's Right Arm emerged as a Cross Sword from a defeated animated statue.
• Illustrious Miss promised to tell Shade where the sword was after he agreed to dance with her.
• Miss Belinder arranged for Shade to dance the opening dance with Margaret, who said she was thanking Miss Belinder for sharing Teacher Sylvia's business profits.
• Illustrious Miss told Miss Belinder she had met Shade in Fifth Epoch 5180 and asked her to wait until after the banquet before taking action.
• Miss Belinder summoned Vanessa and Emma, and Shade later joined the women at the sofas.
• Illustrious Miss told Shade that the Witches regarded her as an ancient Blue Dragon, and Miss Sylvia, Miss Benanis, and Siris accepted the explanation.

At Margaret Manor’s banquet, Shade and Illustrious Miss discovered a city official collapsing under the effect of a mysterious curse, which also briefly affected Shade. The witches’ investigation found no source, and Illustrious Miss joined Shade’s household at Belinder Manor for the night.

• Shade danced with Miss Benanis, Illustrious Miss, Siris, and Miss Sylvia before the guests gradually left to attend to their duties.
• Shade and Illustrious Miss saw Mr. Leonard Baldwin fall from a terrace, and Shade used False Immortality to save him from a heart attack linked to the Whisper Element.
• Shade recognized Baldwin as a corrupt city official and arranged for Margaret to handle the incident as an accidental fall.
• Shade felt a curse sting his heart, but his First Fire and Stone Heart resisted it, and the witches’ exorcism and tracing efforts found no lasting effect or source.
• Illustrious Miss returned with Shade to Belinder Manor, introduced herself as a Blue Dragon Dragonborn, and stayed overnight after Shade accepted Miss Belinder’s invitation.

Tifa spoke with Angelina and Matilda about her duties as Shade’s maid, while Shade and his allies captured Baron Chandler at the factory. Shade then followed Doctor Schneider’s feather to a hidden Crow’s Nest on Crow Mountain.

• Angelina asked Tifa how she maintained her figure, and Tifa later told Matilda that her duties followed Shade’s position rather than the manor’s household.
• Armand Bernhardt attacked the Chandler Textile Factory Third Branch and captured the badly wounded Baron Chandler, whom Shade handed over for interrogation.
• Shade suspected Baron Chandler was a decoy and planned for Megan and Audrey to contact their cousin Nadia Furen for information about the Dragon Devouring Order.
• Shade traveled northwest from Moon Bay City, followed the black pillar of light to Crow Mountain, and broke the illusion concealing a massive Crow’s Nest atop a ruined castle.

Shade found the Document Level Relic Crow's Eye in Pharnalius's crow's nest and tested its enhanced vision alongside the Star Scar Longbow. After killing a dragon beast and encountering a Dragon Devouring Order arcanist, he spotted a Church operation underway at Erwin Village and flew there as the battle began.

• Shade searched Pharnalius's burned crow's nest, found two Poet Level King's Eggs and Crow's Eye, and learned that the ring's curse could be blocked by the Primordial Fire.
• Shade combined Crow's Eye with the Star Scar Longbow, used their enhanced vision to spot an illusory dragon beast, and killed it with a silver arrow.
• Shade found an unfamiliar Fourth Ring Arcanist beside the fallen beast and subdued him, then flew toward a battle between the Church and the Dragon Devouring Order.
• The Church's joint operation at Erwin Village targeted a Dragon Devouring Ritual, with Joshua Brooklyn and Iluna Bayes among its leaders.
• Iluna saw the Dragon Devouring Sacrificial Ground and the bizarre ritual, leaving her too absorbed to think about notifying Shade.

Iluna and the Church forces attacked the Dragon Devouring Order’s operation at Erwin Village, where cultists unleashed dragons and a dangerous sphere of abnormal light. Shade’s Dragon Roar redirected the light, and his clash with a giant bronze great sword helped end the threat, though several cultists escaped and Shade vanished.

• Iluna joined the Church’s assault on Erwin Village, strengthening its forces with her power of Balance as dragons and cultists fought back.
• A cultist opened a spatial rift with a dragon horn, and a giant azure-scaled hand wielding a bronze great sword clashed with Iluna’s attack.
• Another cultist released a sphere of abnormal light, but Shade’s Dragon Roar condensed it into a light sword that he used to battle the bronze great sword.
• The Church defeated the remaining resistance, discovered a dragon beast hatchery beneath the Village Chief’s home, and captured four wounded Pureblood Dragons, though some cultists escaped.
• Iluna and the Thirteenth Ring Warlock followed a trail of petals into the forest but found only a dead dragon beast and an unconscious four-ring Cultist; Shade remained missing.

Iluna joined Shade and the witches at Belinder Manor, where they examined his Dangerous Radiance sword and discussed the Dragon Devouring Order’s Bone Offering Sword. The group suspected Moon Bay’s five known Holy Swords were connected to candidates for the Chosen Ones, including Shade and possibly Priest Augustus.

• Little Unicorn trembled and lowered itself at Iluna’s feet, startling Emilia and Angelina when they found them in the corridor.
• Shade showed Iluna the weakened Dangerous Radiance sword, and they tested it against Night Watchman without anything unusual happening.
• Miss Belinder explained that the sword could be safely stored in an Empty Bottle Fruit, though none was available at the manor yet.
• Iluna reported that the Dragon Devouring Order’s Black Forest village had been used to hatch dragon beasts and that the Church identified its greatsword as the cursed Sage Level relic Bone Offering Sword.
• Shade and the others counted five Holy Swords in Moon Bay and considered whether each belonged to a Chosen One candidate.
• Iluna recognized Shade’s likely connection to a Priest candidate, while Shade remained reluctant to believe Priest Augustus could be the Chosen One of Light.

Shade and his companions investigated the candidates in the Chosen Ones War and prepared a way to test the Sword of Light with Emilia. Luvia's divinations confirmed several candidates and suggested that Blood of Sorrow was held by a nonhuman, possibly one of the highest-ranked candidates.

• Iluna explained that justice depended on perspective, while Shade discussed the candidates and the Holy Swords with the Witches.
• The Witches stored a weakened version of the Sword of Light in an Empty Bottle Fruit and planned to test it with Emilia.
• Shade returned to Tobesk with Iluna and brought Luvia to Saint Derain Square to divine the candidates.
• Luvia discovered that Emilia was a low-ranked candidate and that the Dragon Devouring Order had a nonhuman candidate ranked above her.
• Luvia's attempt to divine John Flynn failed, indicating that he was an exceptionally high-ranked candidate.
• Luvia divined that Blood of Sorrow had a nonhuman holder but could not identify the holder or locate the sword without spending more coins.

Shade dreamed of the Long-haired Girl, who warned him that the Dragon Devouring Demon and the Seven-Tailed Player threatened Moon Bay and that the Orthodox Gods could not intervene. She urged him to fuse her soul with his power as a backup plan, but Shade refused to sacrifice her and committed to finding a way to save everyone; the dream ended with the Long-haired Girl holding a Unicorn doll.

• Shade and Luvia discussed the Chosen Ones and the threats surrounding Moon Bay, then Luvia interrupted Shade's plan to abstain before his exams.
• Shade dreamed that he had reached the City of the End and met the Long-haired Girl on the rooftop of his ruined home.
• The Long-haired Girl warned Shade that the Dragon Devouring Demon was an exceptionally powerful god and that the Orthodox Gods could not descend while the world's order was collapsing.
• She explained that the Dragon Devouring Sacrificial Ground could let the Dragon Devouring Demon enter the Material World in his true form and proposed fusing her soul with Shade's Mizzle Tower Lovers to strengthen his cards.
• Shade refused to sacrifice the Long-haired Girl or Moon Bay and promised to seek a way for everyone to survive.
• After Shade vanished from the dream, the Long-haired Girl realized his Childhood Dream blessing had affected her and hugged a Unicorn doll as she waited to see him again.

Shade and Luvia visited Dawn Church, then Shade joined the Illustrious Miss and Emilia to search for the Angel Level sword. The group rode north from Moon Bay as they learned that Leonard Baldwin had died in his sleep.

• Shade teased Luvia about being uncomfortable with Little Mia watching them at night, and she slapped him in embarrassment.
• Shade and Luvia met Priest Augustus at Dawn Church, where he gave Shade documents about his Saint Prayer Festival assignment; Luvia warned that Augustus was a candidate for the Seventh Chosen One.
• Shade returned home to find Leisha and Miss Galina staying there while Yodel Palace underwent new safety rituals and purification.
• At Belinder Manor, the Illustrious Miss invited Emilia to join the search for the sword, while Angelina stayed behind with Tifa.
• The Illustrious Miss told Shade that Leonard Baldwin had died in his sleep after being hospitalized, though his death had shown no supernatural signs.
• Shade, the Illustrious Miss, and Emilia rode north from Moon Bay toward their destination, carrying the Night Watchman.

Shade, Emilia, and Illustrious Miss traveled to an unmarked creekland beneath Vulture Mountain to find an elven ruin and the sword hidden there. They reached the site, where Illustrious Miss began opening the ruin.

• Emilia and Shade rode through the countryside with Illustrious Miss and Little Unicorn, and Illustrious Miss told Shade that women from the Fifth Epoch were still searching for him.
• The group crossed the forest after Shade rescued an herb gatherer bitten by a Venomous Snake, then stopped to eat lunch and Illustrious Miss revealed her Dragonborn form to Emilia.
• At the creekland, Emilia and Little Unicorn played in the stream while Illustrious Miss explained that an old woman had entrusted her with the ruin’s location and its guardianship.
• Illustrious Miss summoned her Twelfth Ring of Fate to open the elven ruin as Shade watched.

Illustrious Miss and Emilia opened an elven seal at a creek, releasing a metal box that the Thirteenth Ring Warlock Light Chaser claimed. When he attacked, Illustrious Miss revealed her Mystic Lock, Sea of No Light, and charged at him aboard a dragon-scaled ship.

• Illustrious Miss opened the Ancient Elvish Rune Lock with Emilia's help, raising a platform bearing statues of elven heroes.
• Shade spotted a metal box marked with the Wood Family crest in the Angel statue's hand.
• The Light Chaser emerged through a spatial fracture, took the box, and thanked them for opening the seal.
• The Light Chaser attacked with three orbs of light, but Illustrious Miss swallowed his Thaumaturgy and flew up to fight him.
• The Light Chaser transformed into a Light Giant, and Illustrious Miss engulfed the valley in the Sea of No Light.
• Illustrious Miss summoned a dragon-scaled cruise ship and charged through the dark sea toward the Light Giant.

Shade, Emilia, and Illustrious Miss escaped the Light Chaser after he awakened the Crying Angel, then returned to the creeklands to claim its relic. Shade destroyed the Angel statue with Madeline's Love and recovered its arm and holy sword, while Illustrious Miss warned that his dagger was dangerous.

• Illustrious Miss broke the Light Chaser's Mystic Lock, and Shade and Emilia joined her in attacking before the trio fled from the awakened Crying Angel.
• The Light Chaser chose to escape, and the Crying Angel returned to the creeklands after failing to catch him.
• Emilia touched an Elf statue and gained Elven sword dances and spells, then stepped aside as Shade approached the Angel statue.
• Shade pierced the Angel statue with Madeline's Love, shattered it, and took its right arm and Silver Cross Sword, which could summon an Angel's shadow.
• Illustrious Miss warned Shade that his dagger was dangerous, and Shade said it could only be used once more.

Shade learned that the Cross Sword was the severed right arm of an Angel called the Upside-down Judge, who had forged it to protect civilization after destroying a kingdom in battle. The Lady holding a staff warned Shade that the sword could corrupt him, and gave him a trial: guide Latt Augustus to understand his own heart.

• Shade and his companions sealed the ruins, then escaped Light Chaser by boarding Illustrious Miss's ship and sailing back to Moon Bay Port.
• Shade took the Cross Sword to Lake of Cherub and asked the staff-bearing Angel whether it was an Angel's arm and whether giving it to Latt Augustus would worsen his condition.
• The Angel confirmed that the sword would worsen Latt Augustus's condition and named guiding him to understand his heart as Shade's trial.
• The Angel revealed that the sword had come from the Upside-down Judge, who had severed his right arm and made it a relic after his battle destroyed a kingdom.
• The Angel warned Shade that the sword's extreme pursuit of justice could consume him, then blessed it before Shade took it back.

Shade learned that the Moon Bay Area held a fragment of the First Angel’s remains, then returned home and discussed his studies and the Light Chaser with Galina and Leisha. At Belinder Manor, the group planned to open a puzzle box linked to the Wood Family and set a Sunday operation against the Seekers of Light Research Society, after Shade’s exam.

• Shade asked the Angel about desire, was purified, and learned that a fragment of the First Angel’s remains lay in the Moon Bay Area.
• Shade returned home, told Galina and Leisha about the Angel’s Right Arm, the Light Chaser, and the Goddess in the Lake, and agreed to spend time reviewing for his exams.
• At Belinder Manor, Miss Belinder, Miss Swift, and Illustrious Miss discussed opening a Wood Family puzzle box that might contain Dragon Scales.
• Miss Belinder kept the plan to attack the Seekers of Light Research Society on Sunday, with Illustrious Miss returning from the New Continent with Sister Devlin and Sivie beforehand.
• Shade agreed to lend the Night Watchman and the Angel’s Right Arm, but asked the group to begin the operation on Sunday afternoon so he could join after his exam.

Shade stayed home to study and help Galina before the summer exam, while fitting in visits with friends and checking Moon Bay. The chapter ended as Shade and his companions began the final Sunday exam, especially important for Luvia’s Registered Diviner qualification.

• Shade told the women at home he planned to abstain from sex until the exams, but he spent the evening with Galina and Leisha anyway.
• Shade studied and helped Galina with government documents on Friday and Saturday, and chased Little Mia through the house before bathing her.
• Shade visited Grace and Helen in Miburg and asked whether they had encountered Illustrious Miss in the Fifth Epoch.
• Siris gave Shade tickets for the Golden Dawn Opera Troupe’s upcoming performances, then embraced him in a corridor while Little Unicorn watched.
• On Sunday morning, Shade gathered with Doctor Schneider, Priest Augustus, Dorothy, and Luvia at his home to begin the summer exam, with Luvia aiming to complete her Registered Diviner subjects.

Shade passed all twenty-eight exams and advanced to sixth grade, then traveled to Moon Bay after the Saint Prayer Festival gathering. He found the city under attack by Vampire Beasts and engulfed in fire, and began helping its people as a strange Whisper weakened the area.

• Luvia, Priest Augustus, Dorothy, Doctor Schneider, and Shade finished their exams, and the professors announced that all five had passed.
• Shade learned he had passed all twenty-eight exams, entered sixth grade, and celebrated with his friends before Priest Augustus announced he would leave after the festival.
• Shade traveled to Moon Bay and found fires burning across its northern streets as Vampire Beasts attacked the city.
• Shade killed a Vampire Beast, rescued two children from a burning house, and learned that the fires had started about fifteen minutes earlier.
• Shade sensed a Whisper affecting the area, used pink essence and his staff to clear the sky, and summoned heavy snow as he headed into the city to help.

Shade fought the Dragonborn Bloodkin and rescued civilians as Moon Bay City came under attack from Bloodkin in the north and dragons in the south. After learning that the witches at the eastern research base had lost contact, he left Belinder Manor with Little Liana to investigate.

• Shade killed a Dragonborn Bloodkin Ring Arcanist while battling monsters in the burning North District.
• Shade helped a Peace Church squad suppress a fire and rescue a family trapped in a collapsed building.
• A Sixth Ring Arcanist told Shade that Bloodkin and dragons were attacking the city, the eastern district had lost contact, and the Church needed help at Belinder Big Ben.
• Shade traveled to Belinder Manor and learned from Miss Swift that the witches had lost contact with the eastern research base, where a powerful illusion concealed events.
• Emilia sent Little Liana with Shade, who set out to check on the witches.

The Witches and Witch Followers attacked the Seekers of Light stronghold on Pompeii Street while the Light Chaser fought the Great Witches and Illustrious Miss. After destroying the Volcano Club, the Light Chaser unleashed Starfall and Falling Light Rain, but a sudden force of gravity pulled him toward the ground.

• Shade mounted Little Liana and flew away under an illusion as Illustrious Miss and Miss Aurora fought the Light Giant in the city.
• Miss Sylvia and Miss Benanis ambushed the Light Giant, and Miss Sylvia severed his arm with Dimension Slash before the mud giant exploded.
• Bella Belinder led the Witch Followers against the Volcano Club, while the illusion prevented them from contacting anyone outside the area.
• Bella Belinder summoned the Angel's phantom, whose Fate Guidance strike knocked the Light Chaser out of his Light Giant form and destroyed the Club.
• The Light Chaser summoned hundreds of meteors with Starfall, and Miss Aurora, Miss Sylvia, and Illustrious Miss flew to intercept them as he attacked the ground with Falling Light Rain.
• The Light Chaser prepared to attack the escaping Sorceresses, but gravity suddenly made him heavy and pulled him toward the ground.

The Witches and the Light Chaser fought to a stalemate until Shade and Illustrious Miss exposed his illusion and drove him away. They then joined the battle at Moon Bay Port, where Iluna sensed something strange about the Moon Bay Diocese.

• Miss Aurora and the other three Witches combined their power to fire Feliana's Witch Light at the Light Chaser, but neither side could defeat the other.
• Shade and Illustrious Miss attacked the Light Chaser as silver and blue Dragon Series, breaking the illusion barrier and sending him fleeing west.
• Miss Aurora's group flew toward the southern docks, while Bella Belinder rode Little Unicorn to join them and the Witch Followers began rescuing civilians and suppressing the Seekers of Light Research Society.
• Shade and the Witches reached Moon Bay Port, where the Church forces fought the Dragon Devouring Order's Dragon Series, undead ships, and other creatures.
• Iluna incorporated Shade into her Balance Domain and, while watching the battle from the docks, sensed something strange about the Moon Bay Diocese.