Chapter Summaries

Saruman’s Uruk-hai and Easterling army attacked Rohan at the Fords of Isen as the Fellowship arrived, and Tao Yu chose to aid the outnumbered Rohirrim with his shadowy Xenomorphs. The battle began with Saruman’s flood stopped by an unknown ice wielder, and Tao Yu moved to take command of Rohan’s cavalry and empower them.

• Púzi ordered the Uruk-hai and Easterlings to attack Rohan, while he and the other two captured pioneers discussed their collars and the Eight-Armed Vajra’s rise to Boundary Breaker.
• Théoden gathered his elite Rohirrim and rode out to meet the invading army before it could reach the ford.
• Tao Yu and the Fellowship encountered Théoden’s cavalry and the advancing Uruk-hai army, and Saruman reacted with feigned shock before summoning a flood.
• An unknown force froze Saruman’s flood into a moving glacier, and Saruman urged the Fellowship to leave the fighting to Rohan.
• Tao Yu summoned hundreds of shadowy Xenomorphs to attack the allied army and charged toward the Rohirrim to take command and boost their strength.

Tao Yu’s Shadow Aliens and empowered Rohan cavalry routed the Uruk-hai, and Théoden agreed to recommend Éomer as a potential ally. As Saruman prepared to visit the King of Rohan, Tao Yu recognized that a hidden Luck Stealer Alliance leader had frozen the flood and was working with Saruman.

• Tao Yu’s Shadow Aliens stalled the Uruk-hai while his buffs strengthened the Rohan cavalry, which charged through the enemy and sent the Uruk-hai and Easterlings retreating.
• Three pioneers watched the battle by drone and sounded a retreat horn, while Tao Yu searched the Uruk-hai corpses for anything valuable.
• Théoden thanked Tao Yu but said he had to guard Rohan’s western border, then offered a letter of recommendation for his cousin Éomer to join Tao Yu.
• Tao Yu explained that he had made the Shadow Aliens from creatures in the western rainforest, and Saruman warned him about the corrupting influence of dark powers.
• Tao Yu noticed that the flood remained frozen and suspected that the hidden leader of the Luck Stealer Alliance had joined forces with Saruman.
• Saruman proposed visiting the King of Rohan with an elite squad and said he might return to Isengard, concerned that Tao Yu could unite Rohan and Gondor against Mordor.

Saruman persuaded the party to continue without him while he and Celeborn rode toward Isengard, but Tao Yu and Gandalf grew suspicious of his motives. After Tao Yu’s powers helped the Rohirrim defeat the Uruk-hai and Easterlings, Boromir asked whether his enhancement had dangerous side effects.

• Saruman convinced the group that he needed to investigate Isengard and left with Celeborn, planning to let the others confront Sauron while he prepared to intervene later.
• Tao Yu privately warned Gandalf that Saruman and Celeborn seemed suspicious, and Gandalf admitted he also sensed something was wrong.
• Tao Yu and Gandalf agreed to keep moving and seek allies as the Fellowship resumed its journey.
• The Fellowship’s members reconsidered Tao Yu after seeing him empower the Rohirrim and help them rout the allied Uruk-hai and Easterlings.
• Boromir asked Tao Yu whether his enhancement of the Rohirrim had caused serious side effects.

Tao Yu demonstrated his Pioneer class ability to the Fellowship, strengthening them through a bond of trust as they traveled toward Rohan's capital. At Orthanc, Saruman learned about Tao Yu from Púzi but underestimated his strength and decided he could use Tao Yu to lead an attack on Mordor.

• Tao Yu bonded with the Fellowship and granted them enchantments that enhanced their strength, speed, reflexes, and defense through their shadows.
• Aragorn's shadow caught and crushed a stone, while Tao Yu showed Legolas that he could briefly absorb some of the Fellowship's power to improve his own archery.
• Boromir proposed rallying the allied forces for a counterattack on Mordor and offering to represent Gondor in talks at Rohan's capital.
• Saruman returned to Orthanc with Celeborn, where Celeborn saw the Uruk-hai being prepared for war and Púzi apologized for the failed attack across the river.
• Saruman showed the Pioneers Tao Yu's image, and Púzi identified him as the Eight-Armed Vajra, a powerful Boundary Breaker with enhancement abilities.
• Saruman dismissed Tao Yu as a threat and decided to let him lead the human alliance against Mordor so he could claim the rewards afterward.

Tao Yu and Gandalf secured 7,500 Rohirrim from King Théoden, whom they suspected was under Saruman’s control, and decided to turn back to counterattack Isengard. Éomer agreed to lead the troops, leaving the group poised to confront Saruman before heading to Gondor.

• Grima relayed King Théoden’s agreement to lend Éomer and 7,500 Rohirrim after Gandalf presented Prince Théodred’s letter.
• Tao Yu and Gandalf suspected Théoden was controlled and chose not to act against Grima while the king was vulnerable.
• Tao Yu proposed returning to the Rohan Ford to join Prince Théodred and attack Isengard before the Easterlings could threaten Rohan.
• Éomer agreed to the revised plan and said he would fight with the borrowed troops.
• Tao Yu asked Éomer for some control over the army as they prepared to strike at Saruman’s forces.

Tao Yu joined Théoden and Éomer’s forces to eliminate the Uruk-hai and Easterlings near Isengard before aiding Gondor. He led more than ten thousand Rohan cavalry to the River Isen and froze it so they could cross.

• Théoden welcomed Éomer and agreed to place his troops under Tao Yu’s command against the threats from Isengard.
• Théoden reported that Saruman’s companions had crossed the river and that a violent tremor had weakened the enemy creatures.
• Théoden and Éomer combined their cavalry with Tao Yu’s force, forming an army of more than ten thousand riders.
• Tao Yu rallied the cavalry and led them toward the River Isen to cross and attack the enemy.
• Tao Yu used his ice magic to freeze the river, creating a crossing for the cavalry.

Saruman discovered that killing Uruk-hai restored his power, then turned on Celeborn as Rohan's army returned with Tao Yu. After murdering Celeborn, Saruman summoned a vast lightning storm from Orthanc Tower as the battle began.

• Saruman strengthened himself by killing Uruk-hai, while Celeborn gained nothing from killing one.
• A pioneer reported that more than ten thousand Rohan cavalry were approaching, with Tao Yu at their head.
• Saruman tried to recruit a woman through a Wish Power communication device, but she refused to help unless he gave her half his Uruk-hai.
• Saruman struck Celeborn from behind, killed him, and dismissed him as useless when the murder provided no Wish Power.
• Saruman chanted atop Orthanc Tower and drew a massive storm of lightning down toward the battlefield.

Tao Yu and Gandalf combined their powers to protect Rohan’s cavalry from Saruman’s devastating lightning, then Tao Yu flew toward Orthanc Tower to confront him. The chapter ended with Saruman and several pioneers wondering whether Tao Yu intended to drag him into the Duel Space.

• Tao Yu realized Saruman’s lightning storm threatened the cavalry and warned Gandalf that he could not protect everyone alone.
• Gandalf raised a barrier while Tao Yu used the Legion’s Power, shadow armor, and a lightning talisman to blunt Saruman’s attack and protect the army.
• Gandalf urged a retreat, but Tao Yu insisted they continue toward Saruman and asked Gandalf to help defeat the orcs.
• Tao Yu entrusted the troops to Medici and Gandalf, then flew toward the top of Orthanc Tower.
• Saruman and nearby pioneers saw Tao Yu charging at him and suspected he planned to pull Saruman into the Duel Space.

Tao Yu trapped Saruman in his Duel Space and summoned the Balrog, Tinavis, and a squad of Boundary Breakers to overwhelm him. Saruman fought back with his awakened Maia power, but the attackers tore into his radiant domain, and Teng Lianghong began reforming after Saruman killed him.

• Tao Yu drew Saruman into his Duel Space, where Saruman used his staff’s blue radiance to hold back the black mud and disease.
• Tao Yu summoned the Balrog, Tinavis the Terror Demon King, and a squad of Boundary Breakers led by Teng Lianghong.
• Teng Lianghong and the other Boundary Breakers charged Saruman’s domain, forcing him to conjure weapons and kill them as they attacked.
• The Balrog tore at Saruman’s domain while Tinavis drained his power with fel energy, allowing black mud and tentacles to press in.
• Teng Lianghong began reforming from the black mud after Saruman struck him down.

Tao Yu and his allies overwhelmed Saruman inside Tao Yu’s Inherent Domain, but Saruman destroyed his body and escaped as a streak of blue light with the Crystal of True Knowledge. Tao Yu returned to the battlefield at Orthanc Tower, where Medici and Gandalf were fighting the enemy forces.

• Saruman unleashed his full power against Tao Yu’s summoned fighters, the Balrog, and the Terror Demon King as Tao Yu warned that the Inherent Domain could not hold much longer.
• Tao Yu transferred Demoness Pathway powers to Scathach, who helped petrify Saruman while the Tailed Beast amalgamation, Tao Yu, and other allies pinned and sealed him.
• Tao Yu drained the black sludge from Saruman’s barrier and struck Saruman’s spirit with Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Thunder, but Saruman escaped as blue light carrying the Crystal of True Knowledge.
• Three collared Pioneers greeted Tao Yu, then their collars activated and killed them before he could decide what to do with them.
• Tao Yu watched Medici and Gandalf fight the Uruk-hai and Easterlings, and sensed that he had made progress digesting the Iron-Blooded Knight and War Bishop pathways.

After taking Orthanc, Gandalf and Tao Yu mourned Celeborn and prepared to join Gondor before Saruman and Sauron could grow stronger. Their search of the tower uncovered a battered pioneer whom Tao Yu recognized as Gant.

• Gandalf and the Rohirrim defeated the Uruk-hai and discovered Celeborn's mutilated body in Orthanc.
• Tao Yu and Gandalf discussed Saruman's alliance with Sauron and decided to hurry toward Gondor with Rohan's reinforcements.
• Aragorn brought in a captured pioneer who had fought the Fellowship members while trying to escape.
• Tao Yu recognized the prisoner as Gant, a former New Frontier power and Sun Family representative, who greeted Tao Yu respectfully.

Tao Yu learned how Gant and his team had been captured by Saruman, then took stock of the spoils from Orthanc. He planned to watch how Púzi’s family reacted to the items he intended to sell back, after discovering that something had interfered with his divination of Púzi’s belongings.

• Gant told Tao Yu that Saruman had captured his team after they discovered the wizard’s secret activities, and that the others had accepted collars while he tried to escape.
• Tao Yu told Gant he could report the truth about Púzi’s death, and Gant left Orthanc for the rainforest to return home.
• Tao Yu examined Saruman’s Black Scepter and Wizard’s White Robes, then assessed the valuable loot taken from Púzi and the other explorers.
• Tao Yu found a bloodline-restricted Inheritance Rune in Púzi’s spinal cord and set it aside, considering whether Púzi’s family might buy it back.
• Tao Yu’s divination of Púzi’s belongings encountered interference, so he used Spirit Channeling on two other explorers and decided to watch for moves from Púzi’s family.

Tao Yu and the Fellowship led Rohan's cavalry toward Gondor to prepare a counterattack against Mordor, while Galadriel joined them after learning of Celeborn's death. Boromir recruited Faramir and Gondor's forces for the campaign, but a beacon revealed that Minas Tirith was under attack.

• Tao Yu studied Saruman's notes as the Rohan cavalry traveled toward Gondor, and Gandalf warned him about their contents.
• Galadriel arrived, cremated Celeborn's remains, and asked whether Saruman was alive; Tao Yu told her Saruman had fled toward Mordor with the Crystal of True Knowledge.
• Boromir met Faramir at Gondor's border and urged him to bring the soldiers to join a march on the Black Gate.
• A beacon smoke column rose from Minas Tirith, signaling that Gondor's capital was under attack.

As Mordor’s army attacked Gondor under a veil of dark clouds, Tao Yu took the Ring from Frodo and sensed that Sauron had unleashed powerful dark magic. Denethor II and the Third Raikage prepared to defend Minas Tirith, but the city faced overwhelming odds until three Tailed Beast Bombs struck the Orc army.

• Gandalf suspected Saruman had helped bring about Mordor’s assault, while Tao Yu sensed a great darkness near the enemy forces.
• Tao Yu asked Frodo to surrender the Ring, took it from him, and put it on after Frodo struggled against its influence.
• Tao Yu sensed that Sauron had used powerful dark magic and urged the company to hurry toward Gondor.
• Mordor’s Orcs and Ringwraiths surrounded Minas Tirith beneath dark clouds, while Denethor II and the Third Raikage prepared for the attack.
• Three Tailed Beast Bombs struck the Orc army and unleashed devastating shockwaves.

Tao Yu led the Rohirrim in a devastating assault on Mordor’s army while Sauron attacked from the storm clouds in a powerful form of pure will. The chapter ended with Sauron declaring that destructive Hellfire was coming from the east and claiming he was saving the world.

• Tao Yu unleashed a Tailed Beast Bomb that shattered Mordor’s ranks and drove the Ringwraiths to flee.
• Tao Yu led the Rohirrim’s charge, while he warned Gandalf and Galadriel that Sauron had broken free and was above the clouds.
• Sauron formed a gigantic eye in the storm and fired a dark beam at Tao Yu, which Gandalf and Galadriel helped deflect.
• Tao Yu blocked another beam with Saruman’s Black Scepter and continued directing the Rohirrim as they slaughtered the disorganized orcs.
• Sauron announced that destructive Hellfire was coming from the east and claimed he was saving the world.

Tao Yu led the Human Allied Forces to the Black Gate and destroyed it with an immense Tailed Beast Bomb, despite Sauron’s attempts to interfere. From above, Tao Yu also spotted signs that the Burning Legion was invading the Dark Land, and he resolved to enslave Sauron before dealing with the wider threat.

• Tao Yu and the Human Allied Forces pursued the retreating orcs to the Black Gate, where Galadriel recalled the ancient battle fought there.
• Tao Yu’s first Tailed Beast Bombs were intercepted by lightning from Mount Doom, so he flew upward to clear the clouds and attack the gate directly.
• Tao Yu spotted green meteors falling into the Dark Land and recognized them as signs of the Burning Legion’s invasion.
• Tao Yu decided to enslave Sauron and use the Ring’s power, then told Gandalf to prepare a wide-area attack after the Black Gate fell.
• Tao Yu absorbed Sauron’s lightning and hurled a massive Tailed Beast Bomb at the Black Gate, destroying it and forcing Gandalf to shield the Human Allied Forces from the shock wave.

Tao Yu’s uncontrolled attack on the Black Gate created a devastating shock wave, and Gandalf and Galadriel discussed his role in an approaching threat. After Tao Yu warned them that the Burning Legion had entered the Dark Land, he proposed using The One Ring to lure out Sauron and asked for their help capturing him.

• Tao Yu’s shock wave struck Gandalf’s barrier, and the Human Allied Forces blamed Sauron while Gandalf and Galadriel concealed the truth.
• Galadriel told Gandalf that her vision identified Tao Yu as key to saving their world from a coming evil, and they wondered how to persuade him to help.
• Tao Yu apologized for losing control of his power and revealed that Burning Legion infernals had appeared in the Dark Land.
• Tao Yu said Sauron remained his main target, and Galadriel reported that Sauron had escaped his restraints and was drifting above Mount Doom.
• Tao Yu proposed activating The One Ring to draw out Sauron and asked Gandalf and Galadriel to help capture him, while warning that powerful Burning Legion forces might also have entered.

Tao Yu led the Human Allied Forces to the ruined Black Gate, then went alone into Barad-dûr to lure out Sauron with the One Ring. Sauron reappeared as a gigantic eye above the tower, staring at the Ring.

• Tao Yu surveyed the Black Gate’s destruction and felt satisfied with the power of his attack, while the Third Raikage, A, Killer B, Boromir, and the Human Allied Forces reacted with awe.
• Tao Yu and the others reached Barad-dûr and found the fortress deserted, with Sauron’s giant eye gone.
• Tao Yu decided to climb Barad-dûr alone and use the One Ring to draw Sauron out, leaving Gandalf and the others behind to support him.
• Tao Yu called to Sauron from the tower’s summit, and the clouds gathered into a gigantic eye that fixed its gaze on the One Ring.

Tao Yu lured Sauron into his inner world and overwhelmed him, where Sauron regained his sanity and explained how the Abyss and Burning Legion had destabilized Middle-earth. Sauron also recounted the arrival of Reincarnators and Esdeath, leaving Tao Yu with new information about the threats and visitors surrounding the world.

• Medici stopped Gandalf and Galadriel from attacking Sauron until Tao Yu gave the signal.
• Tao Yu lured Sauron into his inner world, where the One Ring blazed and Sauron’s spirit entered without resisting.
• Tao Yu shrank Sauron and offered him a chance to serve, but Sauron asked to pass away in peace and began explaining what had happened.
• Sauron said he had fought the Abyssal Will after the world fell into the Abyss, then sensed the Burning Legion and heard General Zakka demand his surrender.
• Sauron recounted that Reincarnators had arrived and vanished after completing a mission, followed by a powerful woman named Esdeath who tried to recruit him.

Tao Yu learned more about Esdeath and the Burning Legion, then killed Sauron and claimed the One Ring and the Gift of the Craftsman. He discovered the Ring could greatly increase his power and protect his soul, and began using his new crafting ability to form energy weapons.

• Tao Yu recognized Esdeath as a powerful Luck Stealer and asked Sauron about the Priest and the Burning Legion's invasion.
• Sauron explained that the Priest had avoided meeting him and that the Orc Allied Army was containing the Burning Legion's Infernos.
• Tao Yu obtained Sauron's research materials, kept his promise to kill him, and claimed the Gift of the Craftsman.
• Tao Yu learned that the One Ring contained a Maia's power, protected its owner's soul, and could control the Nine Ringwraiths and influence other Rings of Power.
• Tao Yu used the Gift of the Craftsman to create energy weapons with the properties of Noble Phantasms.