Chapter Summaries

The Earth Temple detected an evil god’s presence on Lomb Star and dispatched battle priests while moving to secure the planet’s Portal. Bishop Borin met with his brother Lord Gould, learned that Plague God Gladstone had cursed him after a battle, and was told that an unknown person had already eased his injuries; Gould refused Borin’s offer to ask a god for help.

• The Earth Temple’s alarm rang thirteen times, and the archbishop ordered battle priests to find the evil presence on Lomb Star.
• The archbishop told Bishop Borin to seal the Portal to Lomb Star, and Borin left after receiving a summons from Lord Gould.
• Bishop Borin arrived at Mein Castle and discovered Lord Gould’s true body was gravely weakened by a divine curse.
• Bishop Borin identified the curse as one inflicted by Plague God Gladstone, while Gould explained that an unknown person had already reduced the damage.
• Bishop Borin reported the temple’s alarm and offered to ask a god to heal Gould, but Gould refused because of the enormous cost.

Lord Gould learned that Baron Arthur’s Warmheart Lotus Seed Soup contained undying life force and might help treat his curse, while David returned to Qinya Manor with spoils from the battle against Plague God Gladstone. David examined the recovered Space Rings and discovered the corpses and extraordinary equipment of Lord Ferdinand and Lord Merlin.

• Bishop Borin detected undying life force in the Warmheart Lotus Seed Soup, and Lord Gould agreed to seek out the person who cooked it.
• Bishop Borin left the Mein Family, whose sealed Level 5 Temple Knights served as a deterrent protecting the family.
• David returned to Qinya Manor and found twenty-five Sky Knight corpses among his spoils, considering how to resurrect and use them.
• David opened one of four recovered Space Rings and found Lord Ferdinand’s corpse, intact self-repairing black armor, and a Grade 5 light longsword.
• David examined another Space Ring, found Lord Merlin’s corpse, and discovered that his black armor also repaired itself and weighed over ten thousand kilograms.

David tested the black armor, discovered it could withstand his Grade 5 light longsword, and kept the four lords’ equipment hidden. He revived ten more Sky Knights before the Beguile Pattern reached its limit, then shared the remaining soul energy with the Shadow Servant and realized his gains might be far greater than expected.

• David struck the black armor with a Grade 5 light longsword but could not damage it, and he put away the four lords’ Space Rings and equipment.
• David used life energy to neutralize the poison in a Sky Knight corpse, then used the Beguile Pattern and soul energy to revive the Sky Knight.
• David revived ten Sky Knights, numbered them No. 4 through No. 13, and stopped when the Beguile Pattern reached its limit.
• David removed the old marks from the Sky Knights’ armor and swords and added the Shadow Leopard and Luce Family emblems.
• The fifteen Sky Knights shared combat knowledge through their soul connection, improving their fighting abilities.
• David split the remaining soul energy with the Shadow Servant and realized the soul-energy gains from the expedition exceeded his estimate.

David absorbed one hundred level-five souls, and the Battle Angel Crystal used their essence to transform his Soul Space and raise his soul to level five. He discovered that he had gained immense Mental power but lacked the secret techniques to use it fully, so he considered seeking help from the top aristocrats rather than pledging faith to an Ancient God.

• David absorbed the soul energy and level-five essence of one hundred black divine servants, causing his Soul Fortress to expand and form a pattern of golden points.
• The Battle Angel Crystal controlled the level-five soul essence, transforming one portion into David's soul core and the other portions into one hundred soul avatars.
• The Shadow Servant absorbed half the soul energy and grew more solid, gaining intricate patterns and a faint golden sheen.
• David adapted to dividing his thoughts among one hundred soul avatars and saw that his Mental attribute had risen to 10.48.
• David tested his Mental power and found it strong enough to rival his physical strength, though he lacked Mental Secret Techniques to use it effectively.
• David rejected joining an Ancient God Church because he would not risk placing his soul in a god's hands, and he considered seeking assistance from the top aristocrats.

David discovered that Shadow Servant had grown stronger and gained mental strength nearly equal to his own, then absorbed knightly skills from Knowledge Light Orbs taken from Sky Knights. He also found that all one hundred Black Divine Servants had possessed the Plague Talent, though he underestimated its true power.

• David revealed Shadow Servant and confirmed that its solid golden body could still become incorporeal, while its mental strength had risen close to his own.
• David examined the Knowledge Light Orbs from twenty-five Sky Knights and found Grandmaster-level Lance Technique and Knight Inheritance Swordsmanship among them.
• David absorbed Lance Technique and several inherited sword arts, then fused Horsemanship, Throwing Technique, and Knight Battle Formation to raise his knightly combat skills to Master level.
• David inspected the one hundred Knowledge Light Orbs from the Black Divine Servants and discovered that every one contained the Plague Talent.
• Plague God Gladstone had given the Black Divine Servants his powerful Plague ability, which enabled their poison to threaten even Sky Knights.

David discovered that his level-five Plague Talent could spread deadly poison or viruses across his thousand-meter spiritual range, then welcomed Lord Gould and Charlie to Qinya Manor. Lord Gould granted David the title of Count Arthur and asked for his help treating his injuries, and David offered him the water he had used in the Warmheart Lotus Seed Soup.

• David absorbed the Plague Talent Knowledge Light Orb and learned that his level-five spirit let him spread deadly poison across a thousand meters, though he could not control its targets once released.
• David saw the Mein Family space skiff approach Qinya Manor and prepared to receive Charlie, storing away the Sky Knights who had not been exposed.
• Lord Gould arrived with Charlie, noticed David had advanced to Earth Knight, and asked to speak with him aboard the airship.
• Lord Gould gave David his noble identity document, confirming his elevation to Count Arthur.
• Lord Gould revealed that the undying life force in David's Warmheart Lotus Seed Soup could treat his injuries and asked for help.
• David recalled adding life energy to the soup and handed Lord Gould the remaining water from that cooking.

David gave Lord Gould water containing undying life force, which weakened the curse afflicting him. When David tried to remove the remaining poison with his 'Plague' Talent Ability, it was absorbed by his 'Plague Pattern' instead, leaving him unharmed and deepening his ability.

• Lord Gould recognized the undying life force in David's water, drank it, and weakened Plague God Gladstone's curse by one-fifth.
• Charlie thanked David and discussed Noble Affairs Office missions with him, while David asked about going to War Star.
• Lord Gould met David in person and explained that the undying life force had eased his poisoning.
• David offered to detoxify Lord Gould and touched his shoulder, causing the curse to flow into his 'Plague Pattern' and strengthen it.
• Lord Gould realized the curse had vanished from his body and found David unharmed, then told David and Charlie to address each other by name.

Lord Gould recovered, gave David his personal airship, and agreed to exchange the Ancient God Statue for a territory through the Earth Temple. Three days later, Lydgate Sky Knight and Dick Sky Knight learned that David had become an Earl and plotted to use a possible God War recruitment to cause him trouble.

• Lord Gould gave David his airship and promised to arrange a territory in exchange for the Ancient God Statue, which he planned to submit to the Earth Temple.
• Lord Gould left with Charlie to handle the aftermath of the four other lords’ deaths, and David explored the airship’s library, alchemical items, and space-capable map.
• David stored the Space Skiff in his spatial Pendant after touring it.
• The Noble Affairs Office announced that David’s title had been promoted to Earl, and Lydgate Sky Knight and Dick Sky Knight suspected he had taken most of the merit from their earlier mission.
• Dick Sky Knight told Lydgate Sky Knight that temple recruitment might involve a God War, and they decided to connect with Bernal Sky Knight to help get David recruited.

David returned to Bama Main City after being summoned by the Noble Affairs Office and discovered that the War God Temple had called him to serve in a mission. Baron Blackmer explained that Sky Knight Bernal had recommended David without authorization and promised the Mein Family would handle the matter, while David's territory remained delayed.

• David rode into Bama Main City with two Sky Knights escorting him and suspected Sky Knight Lydgate was connected to the summons.
• David returned to Villa No. 35, where Butler Jason and the Luce Family welcomed him and showed him the sealed summons from the Noble Affairs Office and the War God Temple.
• David considered Euphemia's suggestion to protest the summons, but welcomed Baron Blackmer, who explained that Sky Knight Bernal had recommended David without authorization.
• Baron Blackmer said the War God Temple would require David only to appear, not take part in the mission, and promised to punish Sky Knight Bernal.
• David guessed Bernal had retaliated over the Moba Star mission, and Baron Blackmer said David's territory would be delayed until after the summons.

David investigated the Law Enforcement Team after learning its Sky Knights had conspired against him, then ambushed Sky Knight Lydgate and Sky Knight Dick before his mandatory conscription. His attack incapacitated both Sky Knights, leaving their fate unresolved.

• David learned that his summons required him to report in three days with the strength of six Earth Knights, then traveled underground to investigate the Law Enforcement Team.
• Sky Knight Lydgate told Sky Knight Dick that David had returned and feared he knew about their scheme against him.
• Sky Knight Bernal warned Sky Knight Dick and Sky Knight Lydgate that the Mein Family had asked the War God Temple to protect David, alarming both Sky Knights.
• David overheard their conversation through the Shadow Servant and decided to attack before his conscription took him away from Bama Main City.
• David struck the two Sky Knights with Mutated Lightning and a coordinated barrage of a hundred black Spears, causing both to fall into darkness.

David used his spirit-controlled black spears to kill Sky Knights Lydgate and Dick inside the Law Enforcement Team headquarters, then returned to Villa No. 35. As the Law Enforcement Team investigated, Sky Knight Bernal recognized the killings as part of a familiar pattern and sought more information.

• David used one hundred poison-coated black spears controlled by his spirit to kill Sky Knights Lydgate and Dick, and the Shadow Servant collected their souls, rings, and bodies.
• Chief Clarence found the courtyard empty and ordered a citywide search after security records showed neither Sky Knight had left.
• Chief Clarence visited Count Arthur, who acted surprised and denied any knowledge of the Sky Knights' disappearance.
• Baron Blackmer and Charlie learned that Count Arthur had acted first and arranged for the Mein Family to pursue Sky Knight Bernal through the Noble Affairs Office.
• Sky Knight Bernal heard that two Sky Knights had disappeared, suspected they had been murdered, and went to the intelligence room to examine the report and case files.

Sky Knight Bernal fled the Noble Affairs Office but was ambushed and killed by Lord Gould, while the nobles began connecting the missing Sky Knights to Arthur. On Lomb Star, Earth Temple priests arrived to find the Portal shut and the population transformed into followers of Plague God Gladstone.

• Sky Knight Bernal suspected Count Arthur had killed Sky Knight Dick and Sky Knight Lydgate, then tried to escape to Erlue Star and hide.
• The Portal sent Sky Knight Bernal to Mein Family territory, where Lord Gould’s energy avatar defeated and killed him, then gave his rings to Baron Blackmer for Arthur.
• Nobles began leaving Bama Main City and speculating that the three missing Sky Knights were connected to the temple of the God of Shadows and Arthur’s promotion.
• A Level Four priest and six Level Three battle priests arrived on Lomb Star, where the Portal closed behind them.
• The priest used Detect Evil and discovered that the knights surrounding them had white eyes and bore signs of ancient-god influence.
• The priest recognized that Plague God Gladstone had spent three divine power crystals to turn Lomb Star’s population into followers after Shadow Servant absorbed the souls sustaining Gladstone’s world.

Plague God Gladstone used the corrupted knights of Lomb Star to wipe out the Earth Temple’s priest squad, confirming a god-level crisis and prompting the temples to confer. The Archbishop then visited Lord Gould and demanded the ancient god’s true name, offering to overlook Gould’s unauthorized actions as the temples prepared to negotiate over a possible godslaying.

• Plague God Gladstone closed Lomb Star’s Portal after the Earth Temple priests entered, hoping to keep the temples from discovering the crisis while his believers died naturally.
• The Level 4 priest and his six Level 3 combat priests were overwhelmed by suicidal knights whose exploding corpses spread deadly black poison.
• The Earth Temple confirmed that an abnormal, likely god-level event had occurred on Lomb Star, and the news spread among the major temples and aristocrats.
• The Archbishop met Lord Gould in person at Mein Castle and asked him to reveal the ancient god’s true name.
• The Archbishop offered not to pursue Lord Gould’s unauthorized actions, seeking an advantage for the Earth Temple in negotiations over the god’s spoils.

Lord Gould named Plague God Gladstone to the Earth Temple archbishop, who repaid the favor by promising commendations for four fallen lords. David retrieved his Medium Portal and joined the summoned nobles on Kailian Star, where his reputation frightened the other nobles and a War God Temple priest sought to make amends with him.

• Lord Gould identified Plague God Gladstone, and the archbishop offered to commend four lords who had died fighting the evil god, protecting their families from opportunistic rivals.
• David returned to Qinya Manor, packed away the Medium Portal, trained for a day, and then traveled to Kailian Star with Knight Mark and Knight Garland.
• A Level Three priest questioned David for bringing only two knights, but Knight Mark and Knight Garland revealed their Sky Knight auras, and the priest escorted David to the nobles' hotel.
• David met Earl Henderson and Angelo in the hotel bar, where nobles fled after seeing him; Earl Henderson explained that the gathering would include up to ninety-nine nobles and around forty Sky Knights.
• After hearing rumors that David had killed Law Enforcement Sky Knights and destroyed noble families, the Level Three priest became frightened and brought David a bottle of fine red wine to appease him.

Bishop McKinley summoned ninety-nine nobles and changed their assignment on Lomb Star from combat to reconnaissance, offering major merit for placing a detection array. After Marquis Munford’s two Sky Knights died soon after departing, the temples raised the reward and reissued the mission.

• David kept to himself at the hotel and attended the War God Temple’s mission briefing with his two Sky Knights.
• Bishop McKinley explained that the crisis on Lomb Star had worsened and that the nobles’ mission would be reconnaissance rather than combat.
• Marquis Munford volunteered his two Sky Knights to place a temple detection array on Lomb Star in exchange for one major merit.
• The two Sky Knights left Kailian Star aboard a space airship, while David remained at the hotel and worked on his combat technique.
• Bishop McKinley announced that Marquis Munford’s two Sky Knights had died shortly after leaving the airship.
• Bishop McKinley reissued the mission with a reward of one and a half major merits.

Duke Bertram led three Sky Knights to Lomb Star, where a poisonous divine net trapped and killed his companions as they forced him through. He returned to Kailian Star alone with one companion’s corpse, leaving Bishop McKinley to face the failure of the mission and the looming task of sending more nobles.

• Duke Bertram accepted Bishop McKinley’s mission and traveled with three Sky Knights to Lomb Star.
• Duke Bertram and his companions became trapped in Plague God Gladstone’s fine net, which they could not cut open with a sword.
• Three Sky Knights sacrificed themselves in successive Red Bull Charges to open a route for Duke Bertram, and poison killed them as the net closed behind him.
• Duke Bertram escaped the net with one companion’s corpse and ordered the space airship to return immediately.
• Bishop McKinley watched the life plaques of the four Sky Knights, saw three go dark, and waited for Duke Bertram’s return.
• A priest reported that Duke Bertram had returned, and Bishop McKinley reacted with disbelief and anger.

Duke Bertram returned from Lomb Star and accused Bishop McKinley of hiding that a true god was involved, then ended his summons and vowed to take the matter to the Supreme Council. Bishop McKinley asked David to infiltrate Lomb Star and establish a detection array and Portal, and David agreed to handle both tasks himself.

• Duke Bertram confronted Bishop McKinley over the dangerous mission and asked to end his summons after reporting what he had found.
• Bishop McKinley approved Duke Bertram's request, and Duke Bertram left, threatening to raise the matter before the Supreme Council.
• David watched the confrontation through the Shadow Servant before Bishop McKinley visited him privately and asked about his infiltration abilities.
• Bishop McKinley contacted Lord Gould and requested David's help infiltrating Lomb Star; Lord Gould left the choice to David and warned him to stay alive.
• David agreed to place the detection array and said he could also set up the Portal himself, leaving Bishop McKinley surprised by his claimed alchemy skills.

David entered Lomb Star through the God of Shadows' Safe House Portal and discovered that a god's hypnotic energy had spread across the planet. He moved far from the Safe House to prepare the temple's arrays, then noticed a stone statue changing as its followers prayed and hid his presence.

• Bishop McKinley promised David twelve major merits, a territory, the array components, isolation arrays, and life-saving Magic Talismans for his mission.
• David left in Lord Gould's personal space vessel, then traveled underground to a hidden mountain cave and assembled the ancient Portal.
• David found the God of Shadows' Safe House undisturbed, but detected hypnotic energy powerful enough to affect most people on Lomb Star.
• David traveled thousands of kilometers to a city where residents of all ages gathered around a stone statue, praying in a hypnotized state.
• David sensed the statue changing, sent the Shadow Servant underground, and concealed himself as a faint streak of lightning beneath the ground.

David avoided detection by Plague God Gladstone’s statue, installed the scouting array and Portal on Lomb Star, and returned to Kailian Star with two Sky Knights. The scouting data revealed that Lomb Star was heavily contaminated by the evil god, while Bishop McKinley rewarded David with Duke Bertram’s former residence.

• David concealed himself from Plague God Gladstone’s divine consciousness and continued underground until he was safely away from the city.
• David chose a remote mountain, set up isolation arrays for the scouting array and Portal, and waited thirty hours before activating them.
• Bishop McKinley received the scouting data, which showed that Plague God Gladstone’s mental bewitchment contaminated Lomb Star and endangered all life below Level 4.
• Bishop McKinley established the Portal connection, and David returned to Kailian Star with two Sky Knights.
• Bishop McKinley praised David and arranged for him to stay in Duke Bertram’s former residence, Courtyard No. 2.

David returned to Lomb Star after completing the detection array and Portal mission, and Bishop McKinley sent thirty Sky Knights to explore the planet. Plague God Gladstone took control of Sky Knight Jeremiah in Gora City and ordered him to lead the others toward the faith; Jeremiah began by controlling another Sky Knight.

• Bishop McKinley announced that David had installed the detection array and Portal on Lomb Star, then opened the exploration mission to Level Four Sky Knights and David.
• Thirty Sky Knights passed through the Portal, and one was caught and killed by the fine net surrounding Lomb Star after flying too high.
• Jeremiah used a map to fly toward Gora City, hoping to earn merit by recording the major city before the other explorers.
• Plague God Gladstone entered the statue in Gora City, controlled Jeremiah, and learned of the Portal on Lomb Star.
• Gladstone ordered Jeremiah to guide the Sky Knights toward the proper faith, and Jeremiah used Blue Comb Grass to lure another Sky Knight close enough to control him.