Chapter Summaries

Murphy and Finnock fought through the Blood Eagle Sanctuary’s weakened vampire guards, but a surge of ancient psionic power revealed that the sanctuary was opening an astral rift. As Finnock warned that they had been used, Natalie’s Witch Hunters confronted Maxim and Lady Adele over a strange psionic device.

• Murphy and Finnock split up to clear the corridors while their forces rested, and Finnock gave Murphy vampire-slaying sword oil.
• Murphy defeated several deranged vampires, then killed Zachber and took the Blood Eagle secret vault seal and a scarlet hand crossbow from the family vault.
• Murphy and Finnock opened the sanctuary door, were overwhelmed by a chaotic force, and shut it again after the Astral Dire Wolf was expelled.
• Finnock concluded that an astral rift was opening through the Blood Eagle Sanctuary and that neither Salokdar nor the apparent conflict was the true sacrifice.
• Natalie and her team found Maxim and Lady Adele guarding a strange psionic device, and the Witch Hunters and vampires began fighting.

Triss helped oversee the survivors rescued from the Blood Eagle Corridor while learning that the Fifth Black Calamity was approaching. After Murphy alerted her to a warp-space rift beneath Cadman City, she ordered the Blood Pact Knights to summon reinforcements immediately, leaving the threat unresolved.

• Mirian and Triss received survivors from the Blood Eagle Corridor, while Major Fraser recognized the rescued Kudell as a legendary knight turned vampire.
• Triss left Mirian to manage the camp and later walked through it with Bonnie, learning that Bonnie had three mistresses.
• Triss met scouts from the Blood Pact Knights, who revealed that Lord Palanno would arrive in two days and warned that the Fifth Black Calamity was coming.
• Murphy contacted Triss, who ordered the scouts to summon Palanno and Lord Paling within three hours because a warp-space rift beneath Cadman City's ruins could open within three days.
• The scout sent a psionic flare to alert the Blood Pact Knights that the rift posed an immediate danger.

Triss gathered Mirian, Major Fraser, and Femis to prepare for the subspace rift beneath the Blood Eagle Corridor, suspecting the Tower of Rings’ ritual had concealed its formation. She arrived at the sealed chamber where Murphy’s allies were fighting over the self-destruct core and took command, ordering Maxim to modify it within six hours.

• Triss told Mirian and Major Fraser that Murphy had found an active subspace rift and warned that the Tower of Rings might have concealed or caused it.
• Triss explained that the Sacred Blood Pool anchored the rift and that Salokdar had become its vessel, then ordered Fraser and Mirian to prepare a calculation matrix and locate Cadman City’s Astral Realm coordinates.
• Triss ordered Femis to use a ritual to push the Sacred Blood Pool Hall into the Astral Realm and gave her a scroll explaining how to sever Salokdar’s connection to the pool.
• Femis agreed to face the danger and questioned whether Salokdar had willingly served the subspace; Triss suspected someone had manipulated him.
• Triss and her group entered the sealed chamber, where Natalie, Lady Adele, and Maxim were still fighting over Murphy’s self-destruct core, and Triss stopped the duel and took command.
• Triss ordered Maxim to raise the self-destruct core and begin modifying it, giving him six hours to finish.

Murphy prepared to confront the Chaos cultists gathered around a spatial rift, using Avalon’s blessing to resist its mental assaults and gaining the god’s approval. As Murphy and Finok attacked the cultists, Blood Knight lord Palano raced toward Cadman City with authority to stop the rift and orders to bring Femis Cecilia Lasombra back.

• Murphy reviewed the battle records and learned that the spatial rift’s mental shocks had nearly overwhelmed him and driven him mad.
• Murphy asked Finok for protection against Chaos, and Finok gave him Avalon Saint Scroll Rubbings and pledged to work with him against the rift.
• Avalon blessed Murphy with increased Mind and Perception, resistance to Chaos, permanent psionic resistance, and the Animal Speech skill.
• Murphy took Finok’s hammer and shield, then joined him in kicking open the door and confronting the Chaos spawn around the rift.
• Murphy resisted the rift’s mental shock, gained Iron Will, and taunted the will of the Warp.
• Palano rode to Cadman City, received Lord Paine’s authority to wield the Scarlet Holy Lance against the rift, and was ordered to bring Femis Cecilia Lasombra back to the Order’s base.

The players returned to Blood Vulture Corridor and learned that an extradimensional rift threatened Transia, then gathered with Murphy and the reinforcements for the final battle. As the group prepared to enter the Sacred Blood Hall, Meow Brother was nearly lost to the chaos, and Sir Palanno Galechi Cappadocia arrived with roses for everyone.

• Maxim told the players that Fallen Salokdar had concealed an extradimensional rift in the Sacred Blood Pool Hall and issued them protective supplies for the final battle.
• Murphy explained that the players had to protect the Sacred Blood Pool while the young lady severed Salokdar's connection to it.
• Meow Brother stared into the rift's influence and was dragged back by Murphy before a Blood Covenant Knight struck him down.
• Old Fenoak defended the players' place in the battle, arguing that their fearlessness made them valuable against chaos.
• Sir Palanno Galechi Cappadocia arrived, offered roses to the women and players, and presented Murphy with a blue rose while praising his looks.

Murphy and his allies prepared to destroy the warp rift and confronted Salokdar as he rose from the Sacred Blood Pool, corrupted by Chaos. Triss revealed that Salokdar had turned her old plan into an attempt to make Femis a vampire god, and the battle began with the final enemy awakened.

• Murphy prepared the little players with spells and weapons while Palanno summoned a protective projection of the Holy Lance, Eternal Silence.
• Palanno and Finoch broke through the door and charged toward the warp rift, while their relics shielded and empowered the warriors.
• Palanno accused Finoch of having repeatedly contacted the warp, and Finoch acknowledged the accusation as they advanced.
• Salokdar rose from the Sacred Blood Pool wielding Necessary Evil, and his Chaos power nearly overwhelmed the Witch Hunters.
• Salokdar called Femis his creation and urged her to become the Midnight Matriarch, while Triss explained that he meant to create a god for vampires.

The players, Witch Hunters, and knights fought Salokdar and the Chaos creatures pouring from the warp rift while the young lady plunged into the Blood Pool to stop her father’s plan. As Chaos drove more allies mad, the players killed or sacrificed their mind-controlled comrades, and Palanno denounced Salokdar as the battle continued.

• Lumina played “The Sacred War,” boosting the players and Witch Hunters as they fought the Chaos creatures emerging from the rift.
• Palanno and old Fennock forced Salokdar away from the Blood Pool, allowing Murphy to hold off elite creatures while the young lady plunged into the pool.
• Murphy realized Salokdar had sacrificed nearly ten thousand Blood Eagle vampires to the rift and fought the corrupted vampires alongside the players.
• Salokdar intensified the Chaos aura, causing Witch Hunters to turn on their comrades; Natalie killed the corrupted hunters, while the players faced their own failing Sanity checks.
• The Construction Worker became mind-controlled and Little Ashina shot him dead; Wanderer Xiao Zhou then charged into the enemy and detonated his bombs after his Sanity failed.
• Palanno condemned Salokdar for the sacrifices as the battle raged on.

Femis tried to sever Salokdar’s connection to the Sacred Blood Pool, but his forces overwhelmed the defenders and left her and Murphy gravely wounded. As Murphy sank into the corrupted pool, the Administrator System’s Omega antivirus program activated, and he began purging the Warp-tainted sword and pool while vowing to defeat Salokdar.

• Femis used the Shard of Desire to provoke a reaction in the corrupted Sacred Blood Pool, but Salokdar seized the relic and bound her with blood.
• Palanno and Finok attacked Salokdar while Murphy knocked the Shard of Desire from his grasp, but Necessary Evil pierced Femis and Murphy.
• Little Wheatname shot Salokdar with Triss’s powerful Daylight Potion bullet as Palanno drove his lance into him, while Murphy fell into the Sacred Blood Pool with the Shard of Desire.
• As Murphy clutched Necessary Evil, the Administrator System activated its Omega antivirus program, and its purifying power made the demon sword convulse.
• Murphy pulled Necessary Evil from his chest and pinned it beneath him against the pool’s bottom, using the antivirus power to purge the sword and Sacred Blood Pool and inflict pain on Salokdar.

Salokdar’s attempt to open a warp passage was disrupted as Murphy purified the Pool of Holy Blood, while Palanno and Finoc turned the battle against him. In a vision, Murphy met Reverno, who entrusted Triss to him before Murphy awakened and prepared to drink the restored origin blood.

• Salokdar felt the desire demon blade’s pain as the Pool of Holy Blood stopped feeding tainted psychic energy to the warp rift, and Palanno and Finoc seized the opening to counterattack.
• Kachitoni Tai and Nigei Luda You detonated their alchemical bombs to halt Salokdar, and Xiao Weiming shot him before he killed her with lightning.
• Palanno struck Salokdar with his shield, and Finoc drove his burning greatsword into Salokdar’s heart.
• As Murphy endured the purifying energy in the pool, he met Reverno in a white realm and learned that Reverno had accepted his death and entrusted Triss to him.
• Murphy persuaded Reverno to remain with him, and Reverno agreed to witness and help Murphy live as Freno Murphy Lasombra.
• Murphy awakened in the purified Pool of Holy Blood and prepared to drink the restored origin blood and claim its power.

Murphy absorbed the Blood Eagle Origin Sacred Blood, gained an Elite template and Reyfno’s spirit vulture, and claimed the weakened Necessary Evil. As the Sacred Blood Pool’s collapse disrupted Salokdar’s plan, Murphy struck down the former duke, who warned him that They of Dusk were close.

• Murphy absorbed the purified blood of origin, unlocked the Elite template and Night Claws, and gained the ability to summon Reyfno as a spirit vulture.
• Murphy claimed Necessary Evil after Salokdar abandoned the weakened demonblade, then joined the battle against the little black creatures.
• Femis took the Desire Fragment and, with Lumina, Sister Pomegranate, and Orchid, tried to draw the Sacred Blood Pool’s energy inward while Triss prepared to redirect it into the Astral Realm.
• The Sacred Blood Pool exploded and destabilized the warp rift, foiling Salokdar’s attempt to complete the Dark Mother’s path to godhood.
• Murphy stabbed Salokdar with Necessary Evil, tore out his heart with his Night Claws, and heard the dying duke warn him that They of Dusk were nearby.

Triss destroyed the psychic network around the Sacred Blood Pool, redirecting its energy and collapsing the Warp rift as a monstrous Shadow of the Warp emerged. Old Finoc sacrificed himself to contain the threat, leaving Murphy with Watcher and a warning about the Twilight; Murphy and Palanno escaped with Natalie, while Murphy affirmed his resolve to pursue Triss despite the bloodline pact.

• Mirian embraced Major Fraser in fear as Triss activated the self-destruct core, destroying the psychic nodes and forcing the Sacred Blood Pool's energy into the Warp rift.
• The rift became a collapsing storm, and Murphy identified the creature reaching through it as the Matron of Midnight, the severed future of Femis Cecilia Lasombra.
• Femis heard the Matron calling to her, but Murphy ordered Maxim and Lady Adele to take her away while Old Knight Finoc prepared to contain the corruption.
• Finoc transformed into a divine white oak, sealed the Warp shadow, warned Murphy and Palanno to avoid the Twilight, and asked Murphy to shelter his descendants in Transia.
• Finoc gave Murphy the holy blade Watcher and called him Alpha before the Sacred Blood Hall collapsed; Murphy and Palanno escaped with the unconscious Natalie Lawson.
• Murphy and Palanno discussed Triss and the bloodline pact as they fled, and Murphy said he was willing to break his chains to pursue her.

After the survivors defeated Salokdar and escaped the Blood Vulture Corridor, a new Astral Wound appeared over Cadman City, threatening to turn the inner district into a long-term hunting zone. Murphy honored Finok’s legacy by giving Natalie the Great Oak Holy Blade, then discovered that clearing the area’s achievements had unlocked a sleep connection feature that could let players remain online for up to fourteen hours a day.

• Meow Brother, Chen Dian Niu Niu, and Invincible Tyrannosaurus Car emerged as the only surviving players, while Lady Triss explained that their victory had reopened an Astral Wound over Cadman City.
• Lady Triss warned that astral shadows and strange creatures would infest part of the inner district for at least ten years, and Car celebrated the prospect of a larger monster-hunting zone.
• Murphy reunited with Triss and embraced her before the other survivors emerged from the ruins with the wounded.
• Murphy gave Natalie the Great Oak Holy Blade as Finok’s legacy, and Norman promised to ensure she inherited it.
• Murphy received a hidden achievement and learned that the Test Administrator System had unlocked sleep connection and the title system.
• Murphy discovered that sleep connection could provide players with eight hours of game time without using their daily allowance and celebrated the possible fourteen-hour total.

After the victory at Cadman City, Murphy arranged a celebration and preparations to recover the players’ rewards while learning that Femis had been ordered to meet Lord Paine. He returned Salokdar’s heart to the grieving Femis, who rejected it and questioned how to continue her life, and left her with advice to treat life like a game.

• Murphy decided to announce the end of the main quest prologue and its rewards after three days, while the survivors moved to a camp to recover.
• Murphy used Reifno’s vision to spot a Blood Knight delivering Lord Paine’s order for Femis to return to the Dark Mountains with Palanno in two days.
• Murphy told Adele to lead Maxim and others to excavate the secret vault and asked her to arrange a meeting with Mirian about a victory celebration.
• Murphy found Femis awake and crying, then brought her Salokdar’s still-pulsing heart, which she rejected and asked him to give to Triss.
• Femis asked Murphy how she could go on after learning her life had been built on lies, and Murphy advised her to treat life like a game and find a way to enjoy it.

Murphy and Triss discussed Salokdar’s death and the Blood of Origins before Palanno arrived to announce that the Fifth Black Calamity was imminent. The chapter left Murphy tasked with preparing Transia’s defenses as Palanno traveled to rally the continent’s powers.

• Murphy comforted Triss, who admitted that Salokdar’s death had led her to discover a possible way to weaken the bloodline contract.
• Triss recognized that Murphy had drunk the Blood of Origins and recalled how Salokdar had used it before the failed expedition to steal the Seed of Life.
• Palanno visited Triss with roses and a sketch from their past, then revealed that he had come to speak with Murphy about the Black Calamity.
• Palanno ordered Murphy, as Transia’s new lord, to prepare local defenses against the Fifth Black Calamity, which was expected in the coming months.
• Triss warned that Transia was too weakened to defend itself alone, and Palanno said Lord Payn would demand troops and the return of captured forces from the Kingdom of Nordtov and the Plantagenet Kingdom.
• Palanno explained that the continent’s powers would cooperate because the Black Calamity threatened them all, and praised Murphy’s rapid rise to power.

Palanno explained how past Black Calamities shaped the continent and warned Murphy that the fifth one was approaching as the Dark Mountains’ taint depletion ended. Murphy realized the six-month deadline in his main quest was tied to the coming disaster, leaving him facing the duty to defend Transia.

• Murphy asked Palanno to explain the Black Calamity, and Palanno unfolded a military map of the Dark Mountains and described their tainted energy and unstable ecosystem.
• Palanno and Triss recounted how the first three Black Calamities affected human kingdoms and helped establish the Bosia Confederacy.
• Palanno described how the fourth Black Calamity devastated the continent before a coalition of civilizations and races drove the gnolls back into the Dark Mountains.
• Palanno warned Murphy that abnormal gnoll activity and the final stage of taint depletion meant the fifth Black Calamity would arrive within four to six months.
• Murphy connected Palanno’s warning to the six-month deadline in his main quest and understood why the system had given him that much time to prepare.

Murphy discussed Transia’s defenses and need for military training with Lord Palanor, who promised to send squires and revealed the location of the arms dealer Sulk Flywheel. Palanor then explained the Bloodsworn Knights’ vows and warned Murphy to remain faithful to Triss, leaving their relationship under an ominous threat.

• Palanor reassured Murphy that the Bloodsworn Knights would defend the region against the coming Black Calamity, and Murphy asked him to send instructors to train his warriors.
• Murphy claimed his warriors were displaced mountain folk, and Palanor agreed to send squires to train them.
• Palanor recognized Murphy’s computational orb as Sulk Flywheel’s work and marked Hunger Mountain, where the arms dealer operated, on Murphy’s map.
• Palanor told Murphy that he had been the brother of Isha’s Oak King, had died in battle, and had been revived before joining the Bloodsworn Knights.
• Palanor explained the Knights’ restrictions and described his devotion to pure love, then warned Murphy that betraying Triss would mean death.

After Lord Palanno left, Murphy read his players’ predictions about the territory’s future and realized they had correctly anticipated plans for construction, refugees, and more recruits. He decided to prepare for the coming crisis by building a governing system and expanding his player force before the Black Calamity arrived.

• Lord Palanno warned Murphy not to follow the minotaur’s path before departing, and Murphy returned to his tent to read the game forum.
• A-Cha predicted that the game would shift toward developing a starting village, while Mud Truck and Bulldozer forecast war refugees and administrative roles.
• Meow King predicted more combat content, a wave of new players, and territory development tied to player recruitment, impressing Murphy with his grasp of the system.
• Murphy decided to prepare for returning blood thralls and incoming refugees by establishing a rudimentary system of governance based on the survivors’ camp.
• Murphy set a goal of commanding at least two thousand players before the Black Calamity arrived in six months, with a third passing the Black Iron Trial.

Murphy recovered the Blood Eagle Clan’s treasure and rejected becoming its Grand Duke, deciding instead to support Triss as the clan’s ruler while preserving his authority over all of Transia. He arranged for Triss, Femis, Lord Palanno, and witnesses to gather, and promised Maxim the Embrace after the victory celebration.

• Maxim reported that his men had excavated the intact treasure vault and found armories beneath the Blood Eagle Corridor.
• Murphy opened the vault, collected clan signet rings and powerful weapons, and told Maxim to distribute equipment and record the rewards.
• Murphy explained that becoming Blood Eagle Grand Duke would make Transia’s people see him as another vampire oppressor, so he would not claim the title.
• Maxim suggested Adele as a successor, but Murphy named Triss as the better choice and said Lord Payn would respect her ancient claim.
• Murphy told Maxim to invite Triss, Femis, Lord Palanno, and his attendants to witness what would happen, then promised to give Maxim the Embrace after the victory celebration.

Murphy arranged for Triss to take up the Blood Eagle Grand Duke’s mantle, offering her Salokdar’s heart and purified source blood while Femis and Lady Adele pledged their support. Triss accepted on the condition that Murphy break their bloodline contract, leaving him to agree to her first order as Grand Duke.

• Triss reached the treasure vault, where Murphy dressed her in the Grand Duke’s cloak and crown and gave her Serenade.
• Murphy offered Triss Salokdar’s heart and purified source blood to restore her strength and free her from Salokdar’s contract.
• Femis presented Triss with the Fragment of Desire and asked her to lead the Blood Eagle Clan, while Lady Adele and Murphy backed the choice.
• Triss agreed to become Grand Duke after Murphy and Femis promised to deal with rival family members.
• Triss ordered Murphy to break their bloodline contract so it could not influence his judgment, and Murphy agreed.

Murphy and Triss severed their bloodline pact, freeing Murphy from its influence as Triss restored her power and claimed the Blood Eagle throne. She appointed Murphy Count of Cadman and Femis Countess of Andermar, then privately asked Murphy how much Origin Blood he was hiding.

• Murphy and Triss felt the bloodline pact disappear, and Murphy saw Triss without the pact’s overwhelming influence for the first time.
• Triss drank Origin Blood and crushed the Grand Duke’s Heart, restoring her strength and taking up the Blood Eagle Grand Duchess’s ceremonial attire.
• Triss was recognized as Grand Duchess, while Murphy bowed to her without his former heartfelt warmth.
• Triss named Murphy Count of Cadman and granted him authority over the county and its surrounding areas.
• Triss named Femis Countess of Andermar and arranged for her to represent the clan before Lord Pien.
• After the gathering dispersed, Triss stopped Murphy and asked how much Origin Blood he was hiding.