Chapter Summaries

During a storm, Duanmu Huai and his companions met a frightened woman who spoke of people grafted onto a spider and entrusted him with the Soul Jellyfish Ashes. After they rested, Okegis asked about pain and grief, and Duanmu Huai explained emotional pain to her before dreaming of a mysterious woman calling him her king.

• The woman in the red cloak warned Duanmu Huai and the others that people in Stonewell City had been grafted onto a spider and asked them to deliver her message of love.
• The woman gave Duanmu Huai the Soul Jellyfish Ashes, and he summoned Kula La, a glowing soul jellyfish that joined the group.
• Duanmu Huai agreed to consider passing on the woman's message before she fell asleep.
• Okegis asked Duanmu Huai what pain felt like, and he explained that her grief over Jia Wei and her father's death was emotional pain.
• Okegis leaned against Duanmu Huai and rested beside him as the others slept.
• Duanmu Huai dreamed that a white figure embraced him and called him her king, urging him to awaken.

Duanmu Huai carried the others through the castle’s defenses and flew over its sealed gate. Following Mistreena’s directions, he landed atop a tower, where she found the Two Fingers and feared that Mother Earth had perished.

• Duanmu Huai and his companions set out toward Stonewell City, while the woman stayed behind.
• Okegis suggested that the group ride on Duanmu Huai as he charged past the road’s guards and ambushes.
• Duanmu Huai broke through the castle’s defenses, knocked a black shadow off the cliff, and leaped over the sealed gate with the others.
• Mistreena spotted a tower and asked Duanmu Huai to take them there because she sensed Mother Earth.
• Duanmu Huai landed on the tower and found the Two Fingers, and Mistreena mournfully wondered whether Mother Earth had truly perished.

After touching the two fingers atop the tower, Duanmu Huai was transported to Stonewell City and separated from his companions as punishment for violating the world's rules. Unable to reach Mistreena or Milfie, he set out to reunite with the others, but his attempt to enter the city quietly failed.

• Duanmu Huai touched the remnant fingers, heard a voice declare him unqualified, and was transported to Stonewell City's gates.
• Duanmu Huai contacted Okegis, Banbi, Lorena, and Odel telepathically and learned they had been sent to different locations.
• Duanmu Huai guessed that the tower had separated them as punishment for breaking its rules, then told the girls to stay put while he searched for them.
• A sleazy gatekeeper advised Duanmu Huai to enter Stonewell City through a hole in the wall, but the wooden stairs collapsed beneath him and two soldiers fell into the abyss.
• Duanmu Huai returned to the gatekeeper and demanded that he open the city gate.

Duanmu Huai forced his way into Stonewell City, learned from Rogier about Godrick’s Grafting and the route to the Divine Tower, then entered the Grafting Hall and defeated a Grafted Noble. A Soul Jellyfish appeared and led him deeper into the hall, apparently toward the remains of the people he had come to find.

• Duanmu Huai made the gatekeeper open Stonewell City’s main gate, then charged through the soldiers and destroyed a lion-like monster with his Thunder Warhammer.
• Rogier introduced himself as a sorcerer and told Duanmu Huai that he would need Godrick’s Great Rune to enter the Divine Tower.
• Rogier explained that Godrick captured Tarnished and grafted their limbs onto himself, while sewing their remaining body parts into Grafted Nobles.
• Duanmu Huai entered the Grafting Hall, killed a many-limbed Grafted Noble, and wondered how to identify the missing people’s remains.
• A Soul Jellyfish appeared, nodded when Duanmu Huai asked if it could guide him, and floated deeper into the hall.

Duanmu Huai and Rogier fought through the castle as Rogier explained the Golden Law’s shattering and the Rune of Death. They reached Godrick’s throne plaza with Nepheli Loux, while Rogier stayed behind and suggested they seek clues at the Raya Lucarian Magic Academy.

• Duanmu Huai retrieved a black sphere from a courtyard and learned from Rogier that Godwyn’s murder shattered the Golden Law into Great Runes.
• Rogier explained that the Rune of Death had been stolen and used by assassins during the Night of Black Knives, but its whereabouts remained unknown.
• Duanmu Huai survived a cannon-fired explosive bolt, destroyed the cannon emplacement, and defeated a Troll while fighting through the castle.
• Duanmu Huai and Rogier met Nepheli Loux, who joined them in confronting Godrick because she condemned his actions.
• At the Throne Plaza, Rogier revealed that a curse had left half his body dead and stayed behind, advising Duanmu Huai to investigate the Raya Lucarian Magic Academy for clues about the Rune of Death.

Duanmu Huai and the female warrior confronted Godrick at Throne Plaza and defeated him after his fear turned into a reckless frenzy. Duanmu Huai received Godrick’s Great Rune, which might allow him to enter a Divine Tower.

• Duanmu Huai and the female warrior found Godrick beside a dead dragon, and Godrick panicked when he saw Duanmu Huai.
• Godrick cut off his own left hand and tried to call on the dragon’s strength, but Duanmu Huai struck him with the Thunder Warhammer.
• Godrick attacked Duanmu Huai in a frenzy, and Duanmu Huai and the female warrior beat him down.
• Duanmu Huai smashed Godrick’s head with the Thunder Warhammer and killed him.
• Godrick turned to ash, and Duanmu Huai received Godrick’s Great Rune, which was uncharged and could regain its power within a Divine Tower.
• Duanmu Huai wondered whether possessing the Great Rune would qualify him to enter the Divine Tower.

Duanmu Huai activated Godrick’s Great Rune, learned that Rogier had found a lead on the Rune of Death, and traveled into Liurnia. After helping Little Red Hood find resolve, he encountered a woman whose necklace had been taken and tried to bargain with the thief over a pot of lobster.

• Duanmu Huai activated Godrick’s Great Rune at the Divine Tower, gaining five points in every attribute except Charm, while the Two Fingers twitched and vanished.
• Little Red Hood took the black orb, thanked Duanmu Huai, and left to find her own path.
• Rogier told Duanmu Huai that the Raya Lucarian Magic Academy library held a clue to the Black Knife Assassin Graveyard, and Duanmu Huai agreed to investigate for the Rune of Death.
• Duanmu Huai traveled through Liurnia, fought two enormous lobsters, and met a woman who asked him to retrieve her stolen necklace.
• Duanmu Huai found the helmeted thief cooking lobster and offered to improve the meal in exchange for the necklace and a share of the food.

Duanmu Huai recovered Lanya’s stolen necklace and learned that Odel was safe at Volcano Manor, then continued toward the Magic Academy. A black-armored rider appeared on the road, and Duanmu Huai prepared to fight.

• Duanmu Huai cooked the helmeted man’s crayfish with spicy hot pot broth, and they shared the meal.
• The helmeted man gave Duanmu Huai the stolen necklace, which Duanmu Huai returned to Lanya.
• Lanya introduced herself as a recruiter for Volcano Manor and gave Duanmu Huai an invitation to meet Lady Tanis at the Altus Plateau.
• Lanya told Duanmu Huai that Odel was at Volcano Manor and was safe, while Duanmu Huai remained unsure where Okegis, Lorena, and Banbi were.
• Duanmu Huai continued toward the Magic Academy and encountered a black-armored cavalryman, readying his warhammer for a fight.

Duanmu Huai rescued Milfie from a Red Wolf at Raya Lucarian Magic Academy, where she had fought her way through hostile mages. They reached the Grand Library and confronted a woman who protected herself with a golden barrier and resurrected the apprentices Duanmu Huai had killed, leaving them unsure how to fight her.

• Duanmu Huai found the academy full of recently killed mages and followed sounds of fighting to a conference hall.
• He killed the Red Wolf that was chasing Milfie, then learned she had killed the hostile mages while searching for the others.
• Duanmu Huai and Milfie went to the Grand Library, the only part of the academy Milfie had not searched.
• A woman holding Amber appeared with animated mage apprentices and tried to attack Duanmu Huai and Milfie.
• Duanmu Huai's hammer failed to break the woman's golden barrier, and his lightning attack killed the apprentices only for the woman to resurrect them.

Duanmu Huai and Milfie defeated Rennala’s magical manifestation by stopping the apprentices from singing, and Duanmu Huai obtained the Great Rune of the Unborn. Rennala remained in the library, where she gave Duanmu Huai information about the Black Knife Graveyard before he and Milfie left.

• Milfie realized the apprentices’ song sustained Rennala’s golden barrier and raced through the library to silence the singers.
• As the singing stopped, Rennala’s barrier shattered, and Duanmu Huai struck her before an amber egg released a dark mist and summoned a glowing apparition.
• Ranni’s voice identified the apparition as the Full Moon Queen Rennala, and the battle shifted to a moonlit realm where Rennala attacked with powerful magic.
• Duanmu Huai interrupted Rennala’s spell with his warhammer and defeated her manifestation with his Chainsaw Sword, receiving the Great Rune of the Unborn.
• Duanmu Huai returned to the library and asked Rennala about the Black Knife Graveyard; she gave him a book with information, and he left with Milfie.

Duanmu Huai and Milfie traced the Black Knife Brand to Witch Ranni, who admitted she had used a fragment of the Rune of Death to kill Godwyn. Ranni refused to reveal where her discarded original body lay, but agreed to tell Duanmu Huai more if he helped her find Nokron’s hidden treasure.

• Duanmu Huai gave Rogier the Black Knife Brand, and Rogier identified Ranni as the mastermind behind the Night of Black Knives.
• Rogier told Duanmu Huai that Ranni lived in a Magic Tower behind Caria Manor, so Duanmu Huai and Milfie went there despite having beaten Ranni’s mother, Rennala.
• Ranni admitted she had stolen part of the Rune of Death, made the Black Knife, and used it to kill Godwyn, but said her curse mark was on the body she had discarded.
• Duanmu Huai proposed a deal instead of fighting, and Ranni accepted in exchange for his help.
• Ranni gave Duanmu Huai a map to Nokron, Eternal City, and told him to meet Blaidd and uncover the secret treasure there.

Okegis confronted a shapeshifting copy of herself that attacked her hopes, emotions, and fear of being abandoned by her master. After experiencing pain and sorrow, she accepted that she was still a puppet and restrained the copy to destroy it.

• Okegis encountered a metallic creature that transformed into her likeness and claimed her master had abandoned her.
• The copy called Okegis a tool without a heart, provoking her to attack and insist that she wanted to understand human emotions.
• The copy exposed Okegis’s fear that she could become like Jia Wei, then struck her into an abyss as her doubts slowed her reactions.
• Okegis recognized that the confrontation had helped her understand pain and sorrow, and said she could now better understand Jia Wei.
• Okegis used her puppet strings to bind the copy, declaring that destroying the enemy came first for a puppet.

Duanmu Huai rescued Banbi from a monster-infested temple in Caelid, where he discovered that Black Blade Maliketh and a warrior named D were guarding the Rune of Death. After killing D and obtaining a fragment of the Rune of Death, Duanmu Huai faced Maliketh as the beast transformed and prepared to fight.

• Banbi flew to Duanmu Huai and led him through Caelid to the temple where she had been hiding from its monstrous inhabitants.
• Duanmu Huai defeated the bird-headed guardian, entered the temple, and rescued Banbi before a cloaked beast chased him outside.
• D and the beast accused Duanmu Huai of stealing a fragment of the Rune of Death, and D attacked him.
• Duanmu Huai killed D and obtained the Death's Brand, a fragment of the Rune of Death.
• The beast revealed itself as Black Blade Maliketh, transformed its short sword into a black greatsword, and challenged Duanmu Huai.

Duanmu Huai fought Maliketh, whose Destined Death could stack debilitating curses and threaten even a demigod. After his summons failed to stop the agile foe, Duanmu Huai detonated an Imperial Rocket Bomb, killed Maliketh, and obtained the Rune of Death.

• Maliketh transformed and struck Duanmu Huai with Destined Death, inflicting a stackable curse that reduced all his attributes by five percent.
• Duanmu Huai summoned dragons, Holy Paladins, Creations, and Mechanical Soldiers, but Maliketh dodged their attacks and destroyed them.
• As Maliketh charged, Duanmu Huai used an Imperial Rocket Bomb at close range, flattening the area and leaving Maliketh badly burned.
• Duanmu Huai smashed Maliketh's head with his warhammer, and Maliketh disintegrated into black smoke as an engraving resembling the Rune of Death appeared.

After acquiring the Death Rune fragment and Black Flame, Duanmu Huai traveled to Redmane Castle to defeat Starscourge General Radahn and release the seal of the Eternal City. He survived Radahn’s meteor attack, and the seal was released, allowing him to move closer to reaching Okegis.

• Duanmu Huai recovered from his fight with Maliketh and gained the Death Rune fragment and the Black Flame ability, which weakened enemies and reduced their maximum HP.
• Duanmu Huai learned that Okegis had developed an abnormality, so he headed to Redmane Castle with Banbi to defeat Radahn and release the Eternal City’s seal.
• Duanmu Huai arrived during the Radahn Festival, where warriors had gathered to give the Scarlet Rot-afflicted Radahn an honorable death.
• Radahn killed several charging warriors with arrows, then fought Duanmu Huai, whose Death Rune-powered attacks steadily weakened him.
• Radahn vanished into the sky and returned as a flaming meteor, but Duanmu Huai flew up to meet it and survived the ensuing explosion.
• Duanmu Huai saw meteors streak across the sky as the seal of the Eternal City was released.

Duanmu Huai found that a Mimic Tear had fused with Okegis, giving the doll a human body, and asked Ranni to help investigate. After revealing that he could wield the Rune of Death, he persuaded Ranni to agree to a new trade and explain her true plan.

• Duanmu Huai returned to the Eternal City with Banbi and Milfie and found Okegis unharmed but with a human body beneath her dress.
• Okegis explained that a creature which copied her had fused with her after she defeated it.
• Duanmu Huai brought Okegis and a small knife to Ranni, who identified the creature as an unusual Mimic Tear and said it had likely joined with Okegis to gain a soul.
• Ranni gave Duanmu Huai an hourglass in exchange for the knife and directed him to take it to the Caria Study Hall.
• Duanmu Huai offered to help Ranni with her plans if she would help resolve Okegis's condition, then revealed his command of the Rune of Death.
• Ranni agreed to the trade and said she would tell Duanmu Huai her true plan.

Ranni explained how the Supreme Will created the Golden Law, how Marika and Ranni undermined it, and why Ranni planned to kill her Two Fingers and replace it. Duanmu Huai agreed to help Ranni free the Interlands from the Supreme Will and travel to the stars, and they sealed the deal with a handshake.

• Ranni told Duanmu Huai that the Supreme Will had sent the Golden Tree to order the Interlands and later used the Golden Clan to defeat rival tribes and faiths.
• Ranni explained that Marika joined her in stealing part of the Rune of Death, which Ranni used to kill Godwyn and create a flaw in the Golden Law, allowing Marika to shatter it.
• Ranni said the Golden Tree had been sealed after Marika's disappearance, the Shattering War had begun, and she planned to kill her Two Fingers with the god-slaying dagger Duanmu Huai had retrieved.
• Ranni told Duanmu Huai that she intended to replace the Golden Law, free the Interlands from the Supreme Will, and travel to the true home of the stars.
• Duanmu Huai agreed to help Ranni, and she shook his hand.

After reuniting with Ranni, Duanmu Huai organized the search for his scattered companions and set out to retrieve the other half of the Centipede Mark. Meanwhile, Mistreena guarded Hyetta as the blind girl followed the Distant Light, leaving Mistreena uneasy about where their journey would lead.

• Ranni explained that Morgott had repelled the assault on the Royal City after Malenia and Rykard withdrew and Radahn abandoned the siege.
• Duanmu Huai and Ranni divided their plans: Banbi and Milfie went to the Weeping Peninsula to search for Mistreena, Duanmu Huai headed to the Caria Study Hall, and Okegis stayed in the Magic Tower to adapt to her new body.
• Mistreena found Irina near the road, delivered her letter to Castle Morne, and helped her father defeat the revolting servants, but Irina was murdered before they returned.
• Irina's grieving father gave Mistreena a Shabriri Grape to deliver to Hyetta, and Mistreena met the blind Finger Witch at Stonewell City's back gate.
• Hyetta ate the human eye despite learning what the Shabriri Grape was, and Mistreena became her bodyguard as they traveled in search of more grapes.
• Hyetta said she could feel the Distant Light ahead and continued onward, while Mistreena followed, determined to protect her despite her growing unease.

Duanmu Huai claimed the final Death Rune fragment from Ranni’s corpse and survived its fusion, becoming the God of Destruction. With upgraded armor and death-based abilities, he believed he was ready to face the Everchosen.

• Duanmu Huai touched Ranni’s charred corpse, and the final Death Rune fragment appeared on his hand.
• The Rune of Death’s power flooded Duanmu Huai, and the system asked what he wished to destroy and what death meant to him.
• Duanmu Huai defined death as the Inquisition’s judgment against enemies who threatened humanity, completing the fusion.
• The system advanced Duanmu Huai to God of Destruction and granted him Aura of Death, Soul Devour, and Eternal Death Armor.
• Duanmu Huai examined his transformed armor and abilities, then concluded that his gains were enough to face the Everchosen.

Duanmu Huai met Shrimp Bro near the Royal Capital, shared crab seasoned with hotpot spices, and promised to take him somewhere safer after visiting Volcano Manor. As Banbi and Milfie followed a lead toward Stonewell City in search of Mistreena, Mistreena encountered the Dung Eater in the capital’s sewers and charged into battle.

• Duanmu Huai bypassed the battlefield outside the Royal Capital and found Shrimp Bro cooking crabs by the river.
• Duanmu Huai gave Shrimp Bro Hotpot Seasoning, and they ate together before agreeing that Shrimp Bro would wait for him to return from Volcano Manor.
• Duanmu Huai learned from Banbi that a merchant had seen a girl resembling Mistreena heading toward Stonewell City, and he told Banbi and Milfie to follow the lead.
• Shrimp Bro warned Duanmu Huai that the Dung Eater was nearby and described his murders and curses.
• Mistreena followed Hyetta into the Royal Capital sewers, where the Dung Eater appeared and attacked her.
• Mistreena raised her shield, declared herself the Forest Princess, and charged at the Dung Eater.