Chapter Summaries

Duanmu Huai reached Volcano Manor, joined Tanis’s campaign against the Golden Tree, and left Odel there to investigate quietly. Meanwhile, Mistreena accepted the Frenzied Flame and learned that it demanded the destruction of all distinction and life, leaving her overwhelmed by fear.

• Duanmu Huai met Tanis at Volcano Manor, agreed to join her cause, and accepted a commission to hunt Golden Tree warriors.
• Duanmu Huai told Odel to remain at the manor, act normally, and alert him if anything unusual happened, especially involving Rykard or Lanya.
• Mistreena followed Hyetta to the stone door and let the Three Fingers seize her, planting the Frenzied Flame within her.
• Hyetta asked Mistreena to burn her eyes and declared that the Frenzied Flame would melt the world back into its original state.
• Mistreena watched Hyetta burn, realized the flame opposed everything she wanted to protect, and was overcome by a vast Fear Domain.

Duanmu Huai investigated strange noises in Volcano Manor and discovered that Lanya was secretly a giant lizard in her true form. After promising to keep her identity secret, he planned to ask Tanis about Lanya’s situation.

• Duanmu Huai learned that Lanya had heard strange breathing and scraping sounds behind the walls, then used his armor’s scanner to find a hidden passage.
• Duanmu Huai and Odel entered Lanya’s room and found her in her two-meter-tall snake form, which she had failed to conceal.
• Lanya revealed that her real name was Zelaya Si, that she was Tanis’s daughter, and that she disguised herself to carry out her recruiting duties.
• Duanmu Huai and Odel promised to keep Lanya’s identity secret, and Lanya said she would try to return to human form.
• Odel admitted that she had been terrified but had kept her composure through noble training, while Duanmu Huai decided to ask Tanis about Lanya.

Duanmu Huai learned that Rykard opposed the Golden Tree and agreed to investigate the secrets surrounding Raya’s origins. In a hidden settlement beneath Volcano Manor, he found a Godskin Noble who gave him the Snake’s Amnion, leaving him with evidence of Raya’s mysterious birth to take back to her.

• Tanis asked Duanmu Huai to continue treating Zelaya Si well, then explained Rykard’s opposition to the Golden Tree and said Duanmu Huai would meet her king if he continued as a hero.
• Duanmu Huai told Raya about his findings, and she asked him to uncover what Tanis was hiding; after he warned her that the truth might come at a cost, Raya insisted she wanted to know.
• Duanmu Huai found a hidden passage leading to an abandoned chapel and a concealed settlement, where a Lizardman stretched into a Man-Serpent and attacked him before he killed it.
• Duanmu Huai contacted Banbi, who relayed Milfie’s identification of the creatures as the Spirit Snake Clan, and he continued to a church where he encountered a Godskin Noble wielding Black Flame.
• The Godskin Noble led Duanmu Huai to the altar and gave him the Snake’s Amnion, which the System Prompt described as having enveloped an abandoned child from a dreadful birth ritual.

Banbi and Milfie found Mistreena in the Royal Capital’s sewers, where she warned them away after confessing that her actions had endangered the Interlands. Meanwhile, Duanmu Huai comforted Lanya after she learned about her birth, then Tanis sent him to face her king, the Great Serpent.

• Banbi and Milfie followed Mistreena’s trail to the sewers and found her injured and distressed.
• Mistreena told Banbi and Milfie to leave and said her foolish choices had put the Interlands on the brink of destruction.
• Banbi contacted Duanmu Huai, then attacked Mistreena to knock her out and bring her back.
• Lanya told Duanmu Huai that she had been born through a ritual and asked him to kill her, but he urged her to reconsider.
• Tanis gave Duanmu Huai a Forgetfulness Potion and took him to meet her king, the Great Serpent.
• Duanmu Huai faced the Great Serpent and struck its head with his warhammer.

Duanmu Huai killed Rykard with Destined Death and returned to find Mistreena cursed by the Frenzied Flame. Ranni proposed using Destined Death to remove the flame, but her instructions left Duanmu Huai confused.

• Ranni explained that Rykard had become a beast after merging with the Great Serpent, and Duanmu Huai killed the serpent with Destined Death.
• Duanmu Huai returned to Volcano Manor, where Odel gave him Lanya's letter saying she had left to travel and search for her purpose.
• Duanmu Huai brought Odel, Lorena, and Shrimp Bro to Ranni's Magic Tower, where he learned that Mistreena had been chosen by the Three Fingers and cursed with the Frenzied Flame.
• Ranni said Mistreena would eventually die and the Frenzied Flame could destroy the Interlands, while the lost Unalloyed Gold Needle might have suppressed it.
• Ranni suggested that Duanmu Huai use Destined Death to destroy the Frenzied Flame inside Mistreena, then told him to inject it into her body however he liked.

Mistreena survived the Frenzied Flame after Duanmu Huai saved her, and she confessed how she had been deceived into helping Hyetta. Duanmu Huai and Ranni decided to continue the Age of Stars plan and prepare for the Three Fingers, while the last Great Runes remained within reach.

• Mistreena endured the Frenzied Flame until a cooling power extinguished it, then lost consciousness.
• Mistreena awoke to Milfie and learned that Duanmu Huai had saved her and Lorena had treated her wounds.
• Duanmu Huai and Lorena saw Kula La reunite with her sister Kula Lise, and Milfie told them Mistreena had awakened.
• Mistreena told the group how Irina's death had led her to trust Hyetta and encounter the Three Fingers.
• Ranni said they could draw out the Three Fingers, and Duanmu Huai agreed to continue the Age of Stars plan.
• Duanmu Huai revealed that he had obtained Malenia's and Mohg's Great Runes, leaving Morgott's Rune and Marika's Golden Law as the remaining targets.

Duanmu Huai defeated Morgott and Godfrey at the Royal Court before the Golden Tree. With both kings dead, he turned toward the Golden Tree as the final battle approached.

• Duanmu Huai confronted Morgott and fought him with his warhammer and God-Slaying Flame.
• Duanmu Huai smashed Morgott's weapon and killed him, but Godfrey arrived and struck Duanmu Huai with a battle-axe.
• Godfrey declared himself the first Elden Lord and challenged Duanmu Huai while Ranni, Mistreena, and the others watched from a distance.
• Duanmu Huai grappled Godfrey, used his Jetpack to carry them high into the air, and drove them into the Royal Court, killing Godfrey.
• Duanmu Huai retrieved his warhammer and looked toward the Golden Tree, preparing for the final battle.

Duanmu Huai burned the Golden Tree, defeated the Elden Beast, and helped Ranni strike down a colossal hand belonging to the Supreme Will. The System warned him that his actions had drawn the attention of a Great Being.

• Duanmu Huai burned through the Wall of Thorns and set the Golden Tree ablaze, restoring death to the Interlands.
• Marika’s body fell from its bindings, and the Elden Beast emerged to attack Duanmu Huai.
• Duanmu Huai charged through the Elden Beast and struck its inner source of light, grievously wounding it.
• Banbi, Lorena, Okegis, and Ranni helped Duanmu Huai fight the enormous hand that seized the Elden Beast.
• Ranni struck the hand with the Fingerslayer Blade, killing its finger, and the System reported that a Great Being had noticed Duanmu Huai.

After completing the Interlands quest, Duanmu Huai brought Ranni aboard his warship and warned her away from the dangerous force behind the Supreme Will. He then detonated a massive explosive in Skavenblight, triggering a volcanic eruption, and attacked the Great Horned Rat as it emerged.

• Duanmu Huai placed the restored Interlands above the Holy City, while Mistreena, Milfie, and the Holy City's religious order began rebuilding the region.
• Duanmu Huai took Ranni to his warship, explained the stars and worlds, and warned her not to seek knowledge of the Supreme Will's true identity.
• Duanmu Huai visited Kula La in the Void Barracks and confirmed that her device was ready for use.
• Duanmu Huai planted the device in Skavenblight and escaped through a Teleportation Gate as it exploded, destroying the city above ground.
• The blast opened the underground passages to lava, which flooded the Ratmen's city and forced the Great Horned Rat to emerge.
• Duanmu Huai descended in Black Flame and charged at the Great Horned Rat with his warhammer.

Duanmu Huai pursued the Great Horned Rat into its Divine Domain and burned the Ruined Kingdom with Black Flame to force the god into a direct fight. The Great Horned Rat emerged and reached for him, and Duanmu Huai swung his warhammer at its hand.

• Duanmu Huai explained that his power over destruction and death made him a counter to the Great Horned Rat, then attacked it.
• The Great Horned Rat fled into its Divine Domain, but Duanmu Huai found the passage and followed it into the Ruined Kingdom.
• Duanmu Huai unleashed Black Flame to destroy the Divine Domain, growing stronger as he burned its ruins and bones.
• Ratmen and a Plague Lord charged Duanmu Huai, but the Black Flame devoured them and spread further.
• The Great Horned Rat appeared above the burning domain and reached for Duanmu Huai, who gathered the Black Flame around his warhammer and struck at its hand.

Duanmu Huai burned the Great Horned Rat’s Divine Domain to gain experience, forcing the god to choose between fleeing and attacking. The Great Horned Rat tried to kill him and claim his power, but Duanmu Huai revived after the fatal strike and killed it.

• Duanmu Huai used Black Flame to destroy the Ruined Kingdom and gained experience as the flames spread.
• The Great Horned Rat sent rats and Ratmen to attack Duanmu Huai, but they failed to weaken the Black Flame.
• The Great Horned Rat hesitated between abandoning its Divine Domain and attacking Duanmu Huai, then chose to strike at him.
• The Great Horned Rat tore through Duanmu Huai’s armor and bit through his neck, apparently killing him.
• Duanmu Huai revived with Immortal Warrior, blasted the Great Horned Rat away, and cleaved its head apart with his Chainsaw Sword.

Duanmu Huai destroyed the Great Horned Rat and escaped the collapsing Divine Domain, then returned to his battleship to recover. After waking, he agreed to investigate a woman accused of being a Succubus after five noble sons fought over her.

• Duanmu Huai killed the Great Horned Rat, whose Divine Domain collapsed as black mist and a Warp Space storm consumed it.
• Duanmu Huai returned to the real world and saw Ratmen swarm into the sea before reviewing his rewards and the gods whose attention he had attracted.
• Duanmu Huai assigned his attribute and specialization points, then returned to his battleship exhausted and fell asleep.
• Ann told Duanmu Huai that the nobles wanted him to investigate a woman they suspected was a Succubus after five talented noble sons fought over her.
• Duanmu Huai agreed to examine the case after Ann said Lorena and Sahariel believed the woman was an ordinary human.

Duanmu Huai and Ann discovered that Christine, accused of being a succubus, had only been paid to impersonate a noblewoman for several foolish noblemen. After clearing her, Duanmu Huai offered her work helping Odel and gathering information through her family’s merchant business, and Christine agreed.

• Duanmu Huai and Ann questioned Christine, who explained that she had been paid to impersonate a noblewoman and keep several noblemen company without romantic involvement.
• Duanmu Huai questioned the noblemen, who blamed Christine for their fight and claimed a succubus had bewitched them.
• Duanmu Huai judged that Christine was unrelated to the succubus and released her, while Ann explained that the nobles still refused to drop the matter.
• Christine demonstrated how she impersonated Miss Lilina, and Ann recognized the resemblance.
• Duanmu Huai offered Christine work helping Odel and moving her family’s business to the Holy City to gather information from the Interlands, and Christine accepted.

Duanmu Huai returned to Middenheim, where Carl explained the Allied Forces’ desperate struggle against the Chaos army. Duanmu Huai planned a direct assault with his hidden reinforcements, then investigated Ulric’s Holy Flame before Elisara eagerly greeted him ahead of the next battle.

• Duanmu Huai told Carl that the Ratmen were no longer a threat, and Carl explained that the Dwarfs had joined the Allied Forces after receiving a divine revelation.
• Carl described the Chaos army’s powerful leaders and the Allies’ shortage of troops, while Duanmu Huai proposed attacking directly with an army of three thousand.
• Duanmu Huai said his reinforcements would appear when the battle began and planned to fight alongside Okegis and Ann.
• Duanmu Huai visited the Temple of Ulric and wondered whether the Holy Flame’s extinguishing would allow Chaos to conquer Middenheim.
• Elisara met Duanmu Huai and excitedly said she looked forward to fighting beside him in the next battle.

Duanmu Huai led the Allied Forces into battle against the Chaos army, using summoned dragons and Inquisition troops to devastate the Plague Legion and disrupt the enemy. With the Chaos army collapsing, Carl ordered the Allied Forces to advance.

• Carl faced the Chaos army’s renewed attack and assembled the Empire, Kislev, Bartonia, and Elven forces for battle.
• Duanmu Huai rejected Carl’s defensive plan and declared he would destroy the Plague Legion and challenge Archaon.
• Duanmu Huai summoned black dragons, empowered them with the Law of Death, and led their attack on the Plague Legion.
• The dragons’ flames annihilated plague warriors, while steel Drop Pods brought the Guardians and Night Watch into the Chaos army.
• Duanmu Huai led the Inquisition troops into battle, and Carl ordered the Allied Forces to advance against the disrupted enemy.

Duanmu Huai and Okegis tore through the Chaos Faction’s plague army, killing its champions and leaving Duanmu Huai challenging the remaining enemies to face him.

• Duanmu Huai charged into the plague army, burned a Great Unclean One to ash, and smashed through Chaos Warriors while Okegis cut down enemies with her Puppet Strings.
• Duanmu Huai attacked the Glott Brothers, fed the Plague Sorcerer to the youngest brother, killed the youngest with a bone spike, and crushed the eldest after Okegis severed his lower body.
• Okegis trapped Valkia in a web of threads as she attacked Duanmu Huai from the sky.
• Duanmu Huai seized Valkia, shattered both her arms, tore her in half, and shouted for another opponent.

Duanmu Huai slaughtered the Chaos champions and broke the invading army, while the Allied Forces routed the remaining Chaos troops and their Beastmen allies. He killed the fleeing Vilitch and his brother, leaving the Chaos vanguard completely destroyed.

• After Duanmu Huai used gravity to slow Siggvald, he crushed the champion and reduced his body and skull to ash with Black Flame.
• The Chaos Legion panicked and fled as the Night Watch, the Guardians, and the Titan helped the Allied Forces rout the enemy and annihilate the Beastmen.
• Vilitch tried to escape and report to Archaon, but Duanmu Huai blocked his path and approached the fused brothers.
• Vilitch's brother charged Duanmu Huai in a panic, while Vilitch concealed his fear and blasted Duanmu Huai with purple magic.
• Duanmu Huai emerged unharmed, seized Vilitch, and crushed both brothers' heads, destroying the Chaos vanguard.

After routing the Chaos vanguard, Duanmu Huai spoke with Elisara about his duty to protect humanity and forced her to reveal information concerning the Northern Territory. Elisara reveled in the terror of nearly being killed and, after Duanmu Huai left, declared him her ideal partner.

• The Allied Forces reclaimed their position and began building fortifications while Duanmu Huai rested in camp.
• Elisara invited Duanmu Huai into the Black Forest and asked what he fought for; he said he protected humanity, even against elves who threatened it.
• Elisara demanded that Duanmu Huai interrogate her before she revealed information about the Northern Territory.
• Duanmu Huai grabbed Elisara by the neck and nearly suffocated her until she gave in and disclosed her secret.
• Duanmu Huai left without looking back, while Elisara watched him with delight and called him her ideal partner.

Duanmu Huai stopped Tigris from stealing Ulric’s Holy Flame and learned that a sealed Ancient Saint’s Navigation Beacon could let Chaos destroy the world. He defeated Tigris, then opened the beacon’s seal and took it from beneath the temple.

• Tigris infiltrated the Temple of Ulric, but Duanmu Huai confronted him before he could steal the Holy Flame.
• Duanmu Huai defeated Tigris’s magic, shattered his weapons, and killed him despite Tigris’s warnings about humanity’s fate.
• Ulric appeared as a gigantic ice wolf and thanked Duanmu Huai for his assistance.
• Duanmu Huai warned Ulric that a Holy Relic beneath the temple could let Chaos open passages at the poles and destroy the world.
• Ulric led Duanmu Huai to the sealed black pyramid, which Duanmu Huai recognized as the Ancient Saint’s Navigation Beacon.
• Duanmu Huai opened the containment seal and took the beacon.

After the Chaos vanguard’s defeat, Archaon resolved to personally destroy Duanmu Huai and led the main Chaos army into battle. The two leaders faced each other as their forces prepared to clash, and Duanmu Huai charged Archaon with his warhammer.

• Archaon learned that the Chaos champions had been killed and the vanguard had collapsed, then recalled how the Empire’s suspicion and a self-fulfilling prophecy had driven him to become the Everchosen.
• Archaon ordered his army to prepare and marched out before dawn to confront Duanmu Huai.
• Duanmu Huai and the Allied Forces reorganized for battle, while Archaon’s main army advanced with four Chaos champion lords at its head.
• Archaon and Duanmu Huai exchanged threats and rallied their armies as they met on the battlefield.
• Duanmu Huai leaped from the Metal Secret Dragon and swung his warhammer at Archaon.