Chapter Summaries

Aaron stored Auclair Sothos in the Green Forest Ring of Power and possessed him to attack the Bone Worship Society camp outside the mausoleum. Auclair’s Death Command killed the defenders, while Oliver survived its first strike with his Double-Return Doll, which then shattered.

• Aaron used the Green Forest Ring of Power to store and release Auclair Sothos, then possessed the Evil Spirit to fight the people outside the mausoleum.
• Oliver learned that Executioner Kyle and his squad had died and prepared the Bone Worship Society camp to defend the mausoleum entrance.
• The Bone Worship Society members attacked Auclair, but their bullets, talismans, and extraordinary abilities dissolved against his black mist.
• Aaron and Auclair emerged from the mausoleum and used Incantation—Death Command to kill the camp’s defenders.
• Oliver’s Double-Return Doll blocked the death spell once, but it cracked and broke under the Non-Human-level attack.

Aaron possessed Oliver and interrogated him about the Bone Worship Society, learning of its ties to Archbishop Roberts John Schaller and Roberts’s corrupted advancement. At Green Forest Cathedral, Nicholas Inam confronted Roberts as the transformed archbishop explained his ambition and revealed that he had orchestrated events to fulfill a grand ritual.

• Aaron took control of Oliver and forced him to answer questions about when Spet would return and where the society’s money and artifacts were kept.
• Oliver revealed that Roberts John Schaller had funded the Bone Worship Society in exchange for help pursuing advancement through the Crimson Secret Lore.
• After answering Aaron’s questions, Oliver began choking himself under the Evil Spirit’s influence.
• At Green Forest Cathedral, Nicholas Inam watched Roberts emerge from a giant cocoon, transformed into a monstrous body crawling with beetles.
• Roberts told Nicholas that he had abandoned his faith, pursued advancement and the meaning of life, and combined Crimson knowledge with his incomplete Weaver ritual.
• Roberts revealed that he had manipulated events from the beginning, gathering extraordinary people and weaving their fates into a grand performance for his ritual.

Archbishop Roberts revealed that he had become the Fourth Primordial, Insect Hive, and infected Nicholas with his madness before unleashing insects from Green Forest Church. As the Investigation Bureau responded to the crisis, it discovered its director had been killed and learned that the infestation was spreading.

• Roberts told Nicholas that he had ascended to the Fourth Primordial, Insect Hive, and made a beetle infect him with the burden of his desires and madness.
• Roberts left Nicholas suffering in the underground storeroom as his reason and control began to fail.
• Sinderson Kappler assembled the Green Forest City Investigation Bureau after reports of an evil believer and a high-level Yao spell at Green Forest Church.
• Sinderson and Percy Anias found Director Sendi dead, and Percy realized that a mole might have allowed the crisis to develop.
• Inspector Vick reported that insects were spreading from Green Forest Church and that officers had suffered heavy losses.
• Sinderson led the patrol team out into the night to respond to the large-scale supernatural incident.

Aaron returned to Green Forest City after a night at the racetrack and found the city under martial law following a deadly explosion at Green Forest Cathedral. At Clark Das’s home, Clark and Bruce suspected the disaster was part of a ritual intended to open the Fourth Primordial, while Aaron quietly learned more about the Chrysalis path.

• Aaron hid the Green Forest Ring of Power and his spiritual materials, then left the racetrack after learning that Green Forest City had been placed under martial law.
• Aaron learned on the subway that officials were blaming a gas explosion at Green Forest Cathedral for the deaths of the clergy and other victims.
• Sylvia told Aaron that at least a hundred people had died and that many survivors had suffered hallucinations after the supposed gas leak.
• Aaron concealed sensitive materials at home and went to Clark Das’s residence, where Bruce welcomed him back safely.
• Clark said the cathedral disaster might be part of a ritual to open the Fourth Primordial, and he and Bruce discussed whether the suspected mastermind followed the Chrysalis path.

Aaron received a prepared identity and learned that the recent incident would force Clark Das to suspend their gatherings, while Aaron considered exploring the Dream Realm through Auclair. An Investigation Bureau inspector then questioned Aaron at home, but his documents and alibi satisfied Percy Anias.

• Clark Das warned Aaron to keep a low profile and gave him identity documents prepared under the name Aaron Yugus.
• Clark told Aaron that an emergency gathering would take place the next day before their meetings were suspended, and Aaron considered entering the Dream Realm through Auclair.
• After returning to 33 Golden Rose Street, Aaron received Inspector Percy Anias, who was investigating the escape of Archbishop Roberts.
• Aaron showed Percy his documents and said he had been at Wickhanno Racecourse the previous night.
• Percy accepted Aaron's cooperation and left without further questioning.

Aaron attended a gathering where participants discussed the Green Forest Cathedral massacre, Archbishop Roberts, and growing dangers in the city. Nicholas, a surviving Cleric near losing control, sought Aaron's help, but Aaron admitted he was neither a Tower Pathway Beyonder nor a physician.

• Jazz announced that the gathering would be suspended indefinitely and offered potions for sale.
• The Cleric, Nicholas, sought information about Tower Pathway Beyonders and physicians skilled in mental healing.
• Jazz reported that Archbishop Roberts had become a Non-Human Existence, massacred the Green Forest Cathedral, and was wanted by the authorities.
• Gathering attendees discussed the Investigation Bureau's arrests and expected reinforcements, while Aaron wondered why no one mentioned the Sothos Ruins.
• Nicholas received a note directing him to the Morning Glory Room and met Aaron, who told him he was neither a Tower Pathway Beyonder nor a physician.

Aaron purified Nicholas by answering his prayer to the Spirit of Void, saving him from the corruption consuming his body. Nicholas embraced the Spirit of Void while retaining his faith in the Holy Spirit, and he speculated that the Church of the Holy Spirit descended from the ancient Ethereal Sect.

• Aaron sealed the room and urged Nicholas to pray to the Spirit of Void for salvation.
• Aaron answered Nicholas’s prayer and burned away the parasites and other corruption in his body.
• Nicholas thanked the Spirit of Void, while Aaron collected the removed contamination as potential material for powerful bullets.
• Nicholas introduced himself as the Cleric of Green Forest Cathedral and explained that he viewed the gods as faces of the Holy Spirit.
• Nicholas declared that the Holy Spirit might be one incarnation of the Spirit of Void and suggested the Ethereal Sect had inspired the Church of the Holy Spirit.

Aaron instructed Nicholas to remain undercover in the Sunset School and gather intelligence after hearing his account of the Green Forest Cathedral massacre. He then met Lilliat, rewarded her with a repaired Protective Doll, and warned her to limit contact while Green Forest City remained dangerous.

• Aaron told Nicholas to stay in the Sunset School, invent an explanation for his recovery, and use the Iron Fist Gang to contact him.
• Nicholas recounted the events at Green Forest Cathedral, including the mutated archbishop’s insect-controlling abilities.
• Aaron asked Nicholas to protect himself and gather information about the Sunset School and the authorities before ending their meeting.
• Aaron met Lilliat at her safehouse and offered her a choice of rewards for helping with the ruins exploration.
• Lilliat chose a repaired Protective Doll that could block one fatal attack, and Aaron warned her to reduce their contact.

Aaron encouraged Lilliat to cooperate with the authorities and assigned her a mission to reclaim Sothos Castle, while asking her to find Dream Realm navigation and timekeeping techniques. At a funeral for the Green Forest Cathedral victims, Percy saw powerful reinforcements arrive from Investigation Bureau headquarters and vowed to avenge his captain.

• Aaron told Lilliat that Archbishop Roberts had collaborated with the Lotus Eaters and permitted her to share some intelligence with the Investigation Bureau in exchange for leniency and rewards.
• Aaron asked Lilliat to take back Sothos Castle and find techniques for navigating and keeping time in the Dream Realm.
• Aaron returned to 33 Golden Rose Street and read that Nicholas Inam had survived the Green Forest Cathedral gas explosion and completed treatment.
• Percy attended a collective funeral for the fallen investigators, including his captain, Sinderson Kappler, and silently vowed to kill the fallen archbishop.
• Percy saw Jacob Jones, Caslow, and Lady Fiona arrive as reinforcements from headquarters, and vowed that they would avenge his captain.

Percy Anias received his promotion to captain of the Green Forest City Investigation Bureau's patrol team as the Bureau continued its search for Roberts. Jacob Jones told him that Roberts remained in the city, while Caslow and Fiona reported that Roberts had followed a newly created Pathway and likely received help from a secret society.

• Jacob Jones handed Percy Anias his appointment as patrol team captain and discussed the reliability of Nicholas Inam's testimony and the search for Roberts.
• Jacob told Percy that Headquarters' Diviner had concluded Roberts was still in Green Forest City, but refused to bring the Diviner there for further investigations.
• Percy vowed to intensify the citywide search for Roberts, then encountered Caslow and Fiona as they arrived at Jacob's office.
• Fiona reported that Roberts had followed the Chrysalis Pathway before turning toward Crimson at the Fourth Primordial, apparently creating a new Pathway.
• Caslow reported that bank, postal, and other clues suggested a secret society had helped Roberts, and Jacob ordered them to find the group before it could support further disasters.

Aaron attended Mr. Xilin’s art exhibition, where a painting called “Door” gave him a faint sense of Secret Lore and led him to suspect the painter was extraordinary. He learned Sisyphus Solo had died after being taken to Glamorgan Yard for questioning, and Xilin raised the painting’s price to 50 pounds.

• Aaron made four Parasite Bullets, armed himself, and rode with Ramiz to Mr. Xilin’s art exhibition.
• Aaron met William Mark, who had recovered from his auction injury and praised painter Sisyphus Solo’s work.
• Aaron sensed something mysterious in Solo’s painting “Door” and considered buying it to make contact with the mystical circle.
• Xilin told Aaron and William that Solo had been summoned to Glamorgan Yard for questioning by the Content Review Department.
• A servant brought news that Sisyphus Solo had died, and Xilin announced that “Door” now cost 50 pounds.

Aaron and William Mark witnessed a carriage accident in which a coachman vomited black insects that attacked bystanders, and Aaron hurried William away. William appeared to recover memories after the incident and asked to see Doctor Hannibal, while Aaron suspected Roberts was behind the danger and warned his household to stay inside.

• At the Witch's House, Aaron sensed danger shortly before a carriage crashed outside and its coachman vomited black insects that burrowed into the crowd.
• Aaron pulled William Mark from the restaurant and left with him in Ramiz's carriage as patrol officers and Investigation Bureau agents sealed off the scene.
• William developed a headache and said the accident reminded him of something he had seen before, then spoke cryptically about hidden things in the world.
• William asked Aaron to take him to Doctor Hannibal's clinic, and Aaron later decided to return home after confirming his suspicion.
• Back at Gold Rose Street, Aaron warned Sylvia to tell everyone not to go out because the situation outside had become dangerous.

Aaron met Lilliat in a café to discuss her family’s failure to obtain Dream Realm positioning technology and new reports of worsening incidents in Green Forest City. As they walked among vendors preparing for the Green Banyan Festival, an old woman collapsed with her abdomen swelling, and Lilliat recognized the sign of the rumored horrors.

• Aaron met Lilliat under the name Mr. Yasuo, and she apologized that her father had not found the Dream Realm positioning technology but promised to keep searching.
• Lilliat told Aaron that similar incidents to the Witch’s House disaster had repeatedly occurred in Green Forest City’s slums and were growing worse.
• Lilliat explained that the Green Banyan Festival was an old local custom associated in the mysterious world with the Count of Green Forest.
• Aaron bought a banyan-branch forehead band from a bankrupt elderly woman, and Lilliat exchanged an ancient blessing with her.
• The elderly woman suddenly collapsed unconscious as her abdomen swelled, and Lilliat recognized the frightening signs from rumors about the Witch’s House and the slums.

Aaron and Lilliat rescued Dorla from parasites and learned that similar incidents had been occurring in the slums, deepening Aaron’s anger at Roberts. Aaron prepared to divine the location of the person who produced the worm egg, asking his Lord to strengthen his abilities.

• Aaron and Lilliat helped the collapsed Dorla, and Aaron purified her parasites with a potion and his Light ability.
• Aaron gave Dorla a Gold Pound and left with Lilliat, who mentioned recent similar incidents in the slums.
• Aaron grew furious that Roberts might be harming civilians and agreed to help Lilliat find him.
• Aaron and Lilliat rented room 209 at an inn, where Aaron set up a ritual and asked his Lord to reveal the maker of the worm egg.

Aaron used divination and his reasoning to identify Roberts’s hiding place at Green Forest City Waterworks, where Roberts was contaminating the water supply and targeting the poor. Lilliat secretly sent the Investigation Bureau the information, and Percy took the warning to Director Jones as he prepared for a major operation.

• Aaron divined that Roberts was hiding somewhere in Green Forest City’s factory district and concluded he was most likely inside the waterworks.
• Aaron and Lilliat realized Roberts was contaminating the water supply, leaving the poor at risk of a large-scale parasite outbreak.
• Aaron told Lilliat to secretly send Roberts’s location and the waterworks threat to the Investigation Bureau.
• An agent received the anonymous note, recognized its urgent warning, and brought it to Percy.
• Percy read the note and hurried to Director Jones, believing the Bureau was about to launch a major operation.

Aaron watched the waterworks as the Investigation Bureau launched an operation to stop Roberts and the spreading parasite infestation. The waterworks employees began transforming into insect creatures as Percy’s team stormed the gates.

• Aaron sent Lilliat to report the waterworks threat, booked an inn room nearby, and watched the facility from its window.
• Spet warned Roberts that the Investigation Bureau might discover their plot, but Roberts pressed for a sacrifice of half the city to please the Insect Hive.
• Spet agreed to proceed with the planned flesh-and-blood sacrifice, hoping to gain what he wanted from the Lotus Eaters society.
• Jacob ordered the Investigation Bureau operation, and Percy prepared to use the Ghoul Mask while Fiona’s anti-curse ritual disrupted dangerous instincts.
• Percy led agents into the waterworks, where workers mutated into insect creatures after an agent shot one of them.

The Investigation Bureau ambushed Roberts and Spet, killing Roberts’s body and forcing Spet into a skeletal monster form. Roberts resurrected and called upon a Great Existence, whose gaze tore through the bureau’s defenses as his body began to transform.

• Jacob, Caslow, and Fiona launched their attack, and Caslow’s Mourning Bell froze Roberts and silenced Spet.
• Jacob shattered Roberts with a firearm and burned his remains with purification talismans while Fiona confronted Spet.
• Spet used the white-bone statuette to transform into a skeletal goat-headed monster, but Fiona’s lullaby weakened him.
• Roberts reassembled from insects in the ashes and invoked his Lord, tearing apart Fiona’s curtain of night with a gaze from the Dream Realm.
• Jacob warned that Roberts risked becoming an incarnation of the being who held dominion over February as Roberts’s body transformed amid spreading pollution and mental assaults.

Aaron sensed the Lord of Corpse Collection’s attention fall on the waterworks and entered Auclair’s spirit body to pursue Roberts. At the waterworks, Percy’s Ghoul Mask went berserk amid the divine descent, but he still delayed Roberts before collapsing to its corruption.

• Aaron saw a pure-white sun rise over the waterworks, and his divination failed to determine whether Roberts had survived.
• Aaron put on the Green Forest Ring of Power, recited his honorific name, and entered Auclair’s spirit body to fly toward the waterworks.
• Percy used the Ghoul Mask to fight the insect servants, but the Lord of Corpse Collection’s aura made the mask go berserk.
• A blast erupted at the pool, and Spet and Roberts fled in different directions as the investigators were thrown aside.
• Percy sent crimson tentacles after Roberts, delaying him, before the mask’s corruption overwhelmed Percy and destroyed his amulet.

Roberts escaped the Investigation Bureau’s trap but was attacked by Aaron, who possessed him through Auclair. Roberts unleashed the contamination of the Lord of Corpse Collection against the evil spirit, and Aaron learned more about the Age Controller’s nature before suspecting the Mother Tree of Flesh had given birth to it to purge madness.

• Roberts escaped the Investigation Bureau’s trap by calling upon the Lord of Corpse Collection, but the contamination left him half-mad and gravely wounded.
• As Roberts prepared to awaken his insect eggs and spread his madness among their hosts, an evil spirit invaded his body.
• Aaron, possessing Roberts through Auclair, questioned him, and Roberts claimed the Lotus Eaters had conspired to make him a vessel for the Lord of Corpse Collection.
• Roberts revealed that he had been pretending to cooperate and unleashed the Age Controller’s contamination against Auclair.
• Aaron witnessed the Lord of Corpse Collection’s power and learned its Crimson and Darkness aspects, then suspected the Mother Tree of Flesh had birthed it to purge contamination and madness.

Aaron defeated Roberts, purified and collected the Lord of Corpse Collection’s sealed crystals, then escaped the Investigation Bureau’s cordon. The next morning, Lilliat learned that an explosion and contamination incident at the waterworks had prompted the city to offer free medical examinations to poor residents.

• Roberts let the Lord of Corpse Collection’s power contaminate him, but Aaron’s intervention killed him and forced the crimson corruption away from Elector Auclair’s spirit.
• Aaron purified and sealed three crystals, collected Roberts’ insect-egg remains, and escaped before the Investigation Bureau could identify him.
• Fiona arrived at the alley and told the Investigation Bureau agents that Roberts was dead, killed by an unknown powerful figure.
• Aaron left the hotel amid the waterworks disaster and slipped past the cordon while agents carried away their badly injured captain.
• Lilliat asked Vernon for news, and he told her the mayor and councilors would arrange free medical examinations for the city’s poor after the contamination incident.