Chapter Summaries

Apocalypse and Agatha pressured the Blood Clan into agreeing to awaken Dracula as the Illuminati’s power threatened to overwhelm them. Meanwhile, Tony discovered that Shang-Chi could lead the Illuminati to his father, Xu Wenwu, and Captain America approached Shang-Chi, who realized his identity had been exposed.

• Apocalypse warned the Blood Clan that the Illuminati could crush them and demanded that they awaken Dracula.
• Agatha supported awakening Dracula, and the Blood Clan elder agreed to awaken the Blood Ancestor.
• Tony showed Captain America a file identifying Shang-Chi as Xu Wenwu’s son and describing Xu Wenwu’s long life and Ten Rings.
• Captain America went to Shang-Chi’s hotel and asked to talk, prompting Shang-Chi to realize the Illuminati had found him.

Captain America brought Shang-Chi and Xialing to meet Xu Wenwu and invite him to join the Illuminati. Xu Wenwu said he had reunited his children because he wanted them to protect themselves from the danger that had taken their mother.

• Captain America told Shang-Chi that Xu Wenwu had kept track of him and Xialing, and said he wanted to invite their father to join the Illuminati.
• Captain America revealed that Xialing was in Hong Kong, while Shang-Chi agreed to go with the Ten Rings Gang members who arrived to take him.
• A Ten Rings Gang member contacted Xu Wenwu, who agreed to receive Shang-Chi and Captain America.
• Captain America and Shang-Chi traveled to the Ten Rings Gang compound, where they reunited with Xialing and Xu Wenwu.
• Xu Wenwu told Shang-Chi and Xialing that he wanted them to protect themselves so they would not suffer what happened to their mother.

Xu Wenwu said he had heard his dead wife calling him from Ta Lo and insisted on going there to find her. Captain America agreed to accompany him and arranged for Bucky to join them, leaving Shang-Chi and Xialing caught up in the plan.

• Xu Wenwu took Shang-Chi and Xialing's necklaces and said their mother was being held prisoner in Ta Lo.
• Captain America questioned Xu Wenwu about his wife's death and asked whether he would join the Illuminati if the Time Stone could bring her back.
• Xu Wenwu said he still needed to go to Ta Lo, and Captain America agreed to accompany him.
• Captain America called Tony and asked him to send Bucky along because something about Xu Wenwu's wife's calls seemed wrong.
• The Ancient One watched the agreement, while Shang-Chi and Xialing accepted the plan; Captain America could not summon Bucky immediately from the Ten Rings Gang headquarters.

Xu Wenwu led the Ten Rings Gang and Captain America’s group into Ta Lo, seeking to save his wife, Ying Li. Ying Nan revealed that the voice calling Xu Wenwu was not Ying Li but the Soul Devouring Beast Ta Lo had guarded for generations.

• Xu Wenwu used the pendant gems to reveal a map to Ta Lo, then set out with the Ten Rings Gang while Captain America met up with Bucky.
• The group followed the map into Ta Lo and marveled at its scenery and strange creatures before reaching its inhabited center.
• Guang Bo confronted Xu Wenwu and accused him of getting Ying Li killed, while Captain America tried to prevent a fight.
• Ying Nan arrived and acknowledged Xu Wenwu as her brother-in-law, but told him Ying Li was gone and not in Ta Lo.
• Xu Wenwu heard Ying Li’s voice calling for help and flew into a rage until Captain America calmed him with Water Power.
• Ying Nan explained that the voice belonged to the Soul Devouring Beast, not Ying Li.

Ying Nan explained that the Soul Devouring Beast was a demon god sealed beneath Ta Lo, but it exploited Xu Wenwu’s grief over Ying Li to make him damage the seal. The dragon-scale door shattered, freeing the beast as Captain America, Bucky, and the people of Ta Lo prepared to fight.

• Ying Nan led the group to Ta Lo’s records and explained the Soul Devouring Beast’s history, the seal, and how Divine Dragon Envoys received Dragon Force.
• Captain America reminded Xu Wenwu of their deal, but Xu Wenwu said he would join the Illuminati only if they brought Ying Li back to life.
• The Soul Devouring Beast used Ying Li’s voice to bewitch Xu Wenwu, who struck the sealed door with the Ten Rings.
• Captain America and Bucky transformed into Armor Summoners and rushed to stop Xu Wenwu while the people of Ta Lo and the Ten Rings Gang fought smaller beasts.
• Bucky knocked Xu Wenwu back to his senses, but the dragon-scale door shattered and the Soul Devouring Beast emerged.

Captain America, Xu Wenwu, and Bucky struggled to fight the powerful Soul Devouring Beast in Ta Lo, whose strength grew as smaller beasts fed it souls. Bucky brought Johnny Blaze and a mage through a portal as backup, and Johnny arrived ready to attack with Hellfire.

• Captain America, Xu Wenwu, and Bucky attacked the Soul Devouring Beast while the people of Ta Lo and the Great Protector fought the smaller beasts.
• Ying Nan revealed that the Soul Devouring Beast drew power from souls and urged them to use soul-based powers.
• Bucky left Ta Lo to contact Johnny Blaze, who found a mage to open a portal to the battlefield.
• The smaller Soul Devouring Beasts fed souls to the larger beast, making it stronger as Captain America and Xu Wenwu struggled to hold it back.
• Bucky returned with Johnny Blaze, who unleashed Hellfire against the Soul Devouring Beast.

Johnny Blaze, Xu Wenwu, and Captain America killed the Soul Devouring Beast, freeing Ta Lo from its ancient curse. As Captain America invited Xu Wenwu back to the Illuminati, Huang Yun arrived and said Xu Wenwu could not go with them.

• Xu Wenwu recognized the Hellfire covering Johnny Blaze as they confronted the Soul Devouring Beast.
• Johnny Blaze attacked with a Hellfire chain, Xu Wenwu struck the beast with the Ten Rings, and Captain America restrained it with water.
• Xu Wenwu and Johnny Blaze destroyed the Soul Devouring Beast, and the people of Ta Lo celebrated their freedom.
• Captain America invited Xu Wenwu to return to the Illuminati with them.
• Huang Yun appeared and stopped Xu Wenwu from going, having chosen him as the ideal summoner for the Eastern Azure Dragon Armor.

Huang Yun revealed himself as the God of the Bright Dimension and offered Xu Wenwu a chance to resurrect Ying Li in exchange for the Ten Rings. After Xu Wenwu accepted and gained Shou-Lao’s Dragon Force, Huang Yun took Taro and its people into the Bright Realm, while Xu Wenwu entrusted the Ten Rings to Shang-Chi and Xialing.

• Huang Yun identified himself as the God of the Bright Dimension and invited Xu Wenwu to join him, promising to resurrect Ying Li if Xu Wenwu surrendered the Ten Rings.
• Xu Wenwu agreed, and Huang Yun summoned Shou-Lao for Xu Wenwu to kill, then transferred the dragon’s power into him.
• Huang Yun said he would absorb Taro, assign its people to logistics in the Bright Realm, and let Captain America, Bucky, Johnny Blaze, Shang-Chi, and Xialing leave.
• Xu Wenwu severed his connection to the Ten Rings and gave them to Shang-Chi, while Huang Yun analyzed them and found their power exceeded that of a single Infinity Gem.

Huang Yun separated Ta Lo from Earth and absorbed it into the Bright Realm, then gave Xu Wenwu Wu Fengji’s Dragon Force and resurrected Ying Li. He left Xu Wenwu to grow accustomed to his new power before deciding whether he would forge armor for him.

• Huang Yun used spatial energy to sever Ta Lo’s connection to Earth, and the Bright Realm absorbed the pocket dimension.
• Huang Yun brought Xu Wenwu before Wu Fengji and asked her to pass on her Dragon Force.
• Wu Fengji gave Xu Wenwu the Dragon Force, raising him to God King-level strength that he could not yet control.
• Huang Yun resurrected Ying Li, reuniting her with Xu Wenwu.
• Huang Yun told Xu Wenwu to spend time with Ying Li and the people of Ta Lo and master his chi before he could meet the requirements for armor.
• Wu Fengji asked Huang Yun if he had high hopes for Xu Wenwu, and Huang Yun said Xu Wenwu’s existence was unusual.

Agatha, Apocalypse, and a Blood Clan elder reached Dracula’s resting place to awaken him, while the Illuminati learned that Captain America’s team had encountered the God of the Bright Dimension. The Darkhold’s magic flowed into Dracula’s coffin, and the chapter ended as his awakening began.

• The Illuminati members reacted with shock when Captain America, Bucky, and Johnny Blaze reported meeting the God of the Bright Dimension, and Doom regretted missing the encounter.
• Agatha and Apocalypse went with a Blood Clan elder to Dracula’s remote castle, where the guards led them deeper inside.
• Apocalypse and Agatha sensed that the sleeping Dracula’s aura rivaled their own, and Apocalypse hoped to use him as a powerful ally.
• Agatha used an incantation to channel dark magic from the Darkhold into Dracula’s ancient coffin.

Dracula awoke to the Blood Clan elders’ plea and learned about the wars and powers that had emerged during his slumber. He warned Apocalypse and Agatha that the Illuminati’s Infinity Gems and armors were stronger than they realized, leaving his account unfinished as he discussed the four Four Elements Armors.

• Dracula awakened and drained the blood slaves brought by the Blood Clan Council elders, restoring his human form.
• The elders told Dracula that the Blood Clan was on the brink of extinction, and Apocalypse identified himself and Agatha as its allies.
• The elders explained the dimensional war and the conflicts involving the Illuminati, the Sanctum Sanctorum, Wakanda, and the Dark Alliance.
• Apocalypse showed Dracula a Demon Spirit Stone, and Dracula recognized its unusually pure and powerful darkness.
• Dracula warned that the Dark Alliance might not defeat the Illuminati, describing his past battles against the Elemental Armor and the Five Elements Armor.
• Dracula explained that the Illuminati’s Infinity Gems rivaled the armors and noted that Apocalypse and Agatha had not yet seen the gems’ power.

Dracula, Apocalypse, and Agatha discussed how the Illuminati’s overwhelming strength left the Dark Alliance needing powerful allies. Apocalypse contacted the Female Elder God to seek Thanos and stronger support, while Agatha considered drawing more power from the Darkhold despite the risk of losing herself.

• Dracula told Apocalypse and Agatha that the Illuminati’s Four Elements Armor and planned Elf Armor made them formidable, and suggested using a high-grade Demon Spirit Stone to reach God King level.
• Dracula proposed finding Thanos and contacting the Black Order, and Apocalypse agreed to locate him.
• Dracula told Agatha to watch for evil superpowered people on Earth, and she agreed to seek powerful allies.
• Apocalypse contacted the Female Elder God, requested help finding Thanos and stronger support, and she agreed to watch for signs of him and inform the Shadow Emperor of Earth’s dire situation.
• Apocalypse wondered why powerful beings were so interested in Earth, while Agatha weighed using the Darkhold’s power and feared it would gradually consume her.

Mephisto visited Zeus to offer him a chance to get revenge on the God of the Bright Dimension, but Zeus refused while the gods feared All-Black the Necrosword. Learning that All-Black had reappeared, Mephisto suspected the symbiotes had awakened as well.

• Mephisto answered the Female Elder God's message and traveled to meet her in the Shadow World.
• The gods in the Divine Kingdom debated All-Black the Necrosword, and Zeus ordered the universe's gods to seek refuge there.
• Mephisto approached Zeus with an offer to help him take revenge on the God of the Bright Dimension, but Zeus rejected him.
• Zeus told Mephisto that All-Black had appeared and that the gods were on edge.
• Mephisto realized that All-Black's return might mean the symbiotes had awakened.

The Life Foundation’s symbiotes escaped after becoming violent, while Venom fled from Riot and the other symbiotes. Natasha brought the escape report to the Illuminati, where Tony and the others learned that six intelligent symbiotes were loose and difficult to track.

• Mephisto refused Zeus’s request to help deal with All-Black the Necrosword.
• The Life Foundation’s symbiotes broke out of their enclosures and searched for hosts as Riot celebrated Knull’s return.
• Venom escaped from Riot and decided to hide, while Riot raged at his absence.
• Natasha brought the Life Foundation’s research files to the Illuminati and told Tony that six symbiotes had escaped by attaching themselves to researchers.
• Captain America condemned the Life Foundation for hiding its alien research, and Peter noted that the symbiotes would be harder to catch than Skrulls.

The symbiotes evaded detection and decided to split up to possess supernatural creatures so they could grow stronger. In the Dark Dimension, Mephisto proposed using All-Black the Necrosword to empower Thanos, while the Shadow Emperor considered exploiting the ensuing god-killing to complete his essence.

• Tony ordered satellites to keep the symbiotes under constant surveillance because their cellular concealment made them impossible to detect.
• Riot considered targeting the Illuminati to reach the Infinity Gems, then decided the symbiotes should possess supernatural creatures of darkness.
• Riot and his four siblings agreed to split up so the others could rescue any one of them who was captured.
• Mephisto told the Shadow Emperor that All-Black the Necrosword had appeared and proposed using it to empower Thanos against the gods.
• The Shadow Emperor doubted Thanos could escape the Quarry of Gods but asked Mephisto to tell him if he heard more about the Necrosword.
• The Shadow Emperor asked whether the Dark Dimension had any power left that could provide support.

Eternity met Death in her realm to discuss his agreement with the God of the Bright Dimension, whom he saw as a chance to escape his role as a pawn. He left Death facing his desire to betray the First Colored Gods and become a true Creator God.

• Eternity appeared in Death's realm, and Death warned him that OAA could hear them unless she placed the realm under the Bright Realm's laws.
• Eternity told Death that he had reached an agreement with the God of the Bright Dimension, stunning her.
• Eternity declared that he wanted to become a true Creator God rather than remain a pawn.
• Death asked whether Eternity intended to betray the First Colored Gods and warned that even a Creator God could die for such a betrayal.
• Eternity insisted that the God of the Bright Dimension was their hope and the variable that made this time different.

Eternity asked Death to help him reclaim his Authority so he could strengthen the First Firmament and make it weaken the First Colored Gods, clearing obstacles for Huang Yun. Death agreed to report his plan to the God of the Bright Dimension, while Eternity left his memories of their conversation behind to keep OAA from discovering it.

• Eternity asked Death to help him reclaim his Creation Authority, and she warned that this would strengthen the First Firmament.
• Eternity explained that he wanted the First Firmament to fight the First Colored Gods and clear the way for the God of the Bright Dimension.
• Death said they lacked the strength to carry out the plan and pointed to the dangers posed by the Omniverse’s growing turmoil.
• Death agreed to report Eternity’s plan to the God of the Bright Dimension and told him to keep playing his part as Creator God.
• Death and Eternity arranged for him to leave his memories of their conversation in the Bright Dimension until he returned.

Death removed and hid part of Eternity’s soul at Eternity’s request, then reported that Eternity planned to reclaim the Creation Authority. Huang Yun approved the plan and intended to find an ally to help Eternity, leaving Death to notify Eternity after he visited an old friend.

• Eternity asked Death to cut away part of his soul, and Death stored it within the Bright Realm’s laws of death.
• Huang Yun noticed Death and Eternity meeting in the Bright Realm but focused on the creator of the White Tiger Armor.
• Death told Huang Yun that Eternity wanted to reclaim the Creation Authority to strengthen the First Firmament and set it against the First Colored Gods.
• Huang Yun suspected Eternity also wanted to grow stronger, but agreed to the plan and said he would find a reliable ally to help.
• Huang Yun told Death to wait before notifying Eternity while he went to see an old friend.

Huang Yun returned to the Dark Dimension and proposed an alliance with the weakened Shadow Emperor, offering to help restore his God-given true body in exchange for their origins. The Shadow Emperor listened warily as Huang Yun argued that they were not absolute opposites.

• Huang Yun blasted through the boundary of the Dark Dimension, alarming powerful gods who feared another battle.
• Huang Yun met the Shadow Emperor and proposed a partnership instead of attacking him.
• The Shadow Emperor realized Huang Yun had recovered some of his memories and asked what kind of partnership he wanted.
• Huang Yun offered to help restore the Shadow Emperor’s God-given true body and exchange their origins.
• Huang Yun explained that they could cooperate because, unlike beings in the Armor Universe, they were not absolute opposites.

Huang Yun recruited the Shadow Emperor to help Eternity and Death defeat other abstract entities in exchange for restoring his God-given true form. He also demanded the Shadow Emperor help him seize the Primal Light, and the Shadow Emperor agreed.

• Huang Yun explained that he had made a deal with Eternity and gained Death's submission, and asked the Shadow Emperor to help defeat abstract entities while keeping their involvement secret.
• The Shadow Emperor considered the scheme and agreed, hoping to extract the entities' essence and restore his God-given true form.
• Huang Yun said Death would help by imbuing the abstract entities with the concept of death, while keeping her existence hidden.
• Huang Yun asked the Shadow Emperor to help seize the Primal Light, which he described as the universe's first light and true God of Light.
• The Shadow Emperor agreed to help Huang Yun obtain the Primal Light, and Huang Yun proposed that they exchange essences after the Shadow Emperor recovered.