Recaps

Fran, competing as 'Philly', defeated her opponent in a swift, overwhelming match, leaving Nathanael eager to investigate her extraordinary casting abilities. He arranged to meet her two evenings later, then left the Duel Arena when a rest break threatened to make him late.

• Fran won the match as 'Philly' with rapid spells and a concealment tactic, reaching five points in only a few rounds.
• Nathanael asked his assistant whether a Third Order Mage restricted to second-order spells could beat her, and the assistant said it would be difficult.
• Nathanael dismissed theories that Fran's casting speed came from a Spirit Realm Talent, a demon, or another extraordinary source, and concluded her abilities were worth studying.
• Nathanael asked his assistant to arrange a meeting with Fran for the evening two days later.
• Nathanael learned the final match was paused for a ten-minute rest break and left the Duel Arena because he was short on time.

On the final day of the Top Thirty-Two Tournament, attention centered on Philly and her upcoming match against Elton. Fran, posing as Philly, met Nathanael, chief of the Elemental School, and promised to explain her extraordinary casting speed after winning the championship.

• After the Top Thirty-Two Tournament, the draw placed Elton against Philly in the second match of the Top Sixteen Tournament, prompting Elton to train through the night and seek advice from fellow duelists.
• Fran waited nervously in her hotel room before Nathanael arrived with his assistant to meet her.
• Nathanael asked Philly her age, and she said she was twenty, surprising both him and his assistant.
• Nathanael asked how Philly cast spells so quickly, but Fran refused to reveal the secret before the competition ended.
• Fran promised to write a paper explaining her casting speed after winning the championship, and Nathanael gave her a dedicated communications device and his private frequency.

Fran dismissed the threat posed by the Felistin Family while discussing Alliance policies with Nathanael, unaware that their attackers were listening outside her room. The ambush failed when a powerful Third Order spell blasted the black-clad team before they could attack.

• Fran refused Nathanael’s offer to send a researcher to help her write a paper and criticized how difficult it was for low-order mages to access spells.
• Fran explained to Nathanael why she believed the Territory Mage Ban would stall development and leave the work without lasting support.
• Six Second Order Mages from the Felistin Family entered the hotel and prepared to ambush Fran while she talked with Nathanael.
• The attackers struggled to coordinate their spells, then heard a third person announce that they were stepping outside.
• A Third Order spell exploded at the doorway, knocking the black-clad attackers down and freezing them.

Nora learned that Philly had survived an attack by six mages and attended the Top Sixteen round to watch Fran compete. Fran overwhelmed a badly shaken Elton, who could barely focus on their match.

• Nora read that Philly had suffered no injuries that would affect her matches and tore up the newspaper in frustration.
• Nora went to the Duel Arena for the first day of the Top Sixteen matches, where Fran entered to loud cheers.
• Elton arrived sweating and terrified after days of despair over facing Fran.
• Fran began the match by hitting Elton with a Greater Fireball, and the referee declared the round valid.
• Elton tried to dodge Fran's Greater Fireball and blink behind her in the second round, but Fran turned and punched him, triggering his shield.

“Lai” entered a First Order Spirit Realm trial in the Brilliant Dream, where she planned to avoid combat and wait for further instructions from the Lord of Radiance. Meanwhile, Felicity argued with another dragon about her territory thefts and was urged to restrict Spirit Realm trials.

• “Lai” brought her prepared alchemy devices into the Spirit Realm and asked the Lord of Radiance when she could leave; the Lord sent her to the Gray Space just as the trial began.
• “Lai” realized the Lord of Radiance had timed her arrival to bypass notice from the local lord, then found herself in the Brilliant Dream near the harbor where her earlier promotion trial had taken place.
• “Lai” discovered she had little information about the mission and wore mercenary-style clothes, so she headed toward the city while intending to avoid fighting.
• Felicity told a rust-colored dragon that she would keep stealing territories, including those belonging to young dragons, after the Dragon Clan failed to help when one of her dreams was stolen.
• The rust-colored dragon warned Felicity to impose more restrictions on Spirit Realm trials, reminding her that she had lost her dream during one.

Felicity set out to inspect the half-dragons’ newly acquired blocks while one of her Trial spheres began changing. In the Radiance Domain, the Lord of Radiance sent Lyle to hold Felicity back, while “Lai” watched a city gate and saw guards attack an Abyss demon.

• Felicity rejected a warning to suspend her Spirit Realm Trials, checked her rented dreams, and left to investigate the half-dragons’ blocks.
• After Felicity departed, a red streak spread through one of her purple Trial spheres.
• The Lord of Radiance sent Lyle to the half-dragons’ domain to help its residents and delay a silvery-white dragon, then noticed Fran’s presence had changed a Trial’s rating.
• “Lai” entered the city without trouble despite first-order professionals guarding the gate, then waited to identify Spirit Realm Travelers by their unusual weapons.
• A bandage-wrapped figure arrived at the gate, and the guards attacked it; the figure revealed itself as an Abyss demon.

Lai followed guards carrying a demon corpse to a walled enclosure where demon bodies were being stored. After breaking into a small building to search for records, she found traces drawn in demon blood and realized the guards were using the demon materials for an unknown purpose, before someone shouted at her.

• Lai watched the guards defeat a demon and carry its wrapped corpse into the city instead of sealing the gates.
• Lai followed the guards to a large walled enclosure and climbed onto the wall to look inside.
• Lai saw the guards add the demon corpse to piles of stored bodies and then leave the enclosure.
• Lai entered a small building and found demon materials arranged on a table but no books or notes.
• Lai discovered dark traces made with low-order demon blood on the floor and suspected the guards were using the demon materials for something.
• Someone shouted at Lai from outside the room.

Lai escaped a black-mist spirit that seemed far too powerful for a First Order Trial, while Siena’s team learned that their task to move a merchant’s cargo put them against an overwhelming city guard force. The chapter left Siena and the others questioning how they could possibly pass the Trial.

• Lai tried to escape the open-roofed compound, dodged a black-mist spirit’s attacks, and smashed through a wall with Sunflame.
• The black-mist spirit withdrew after Lai escaped and noted that she had seen inside and entered the building where the ritual was being held.
• Siena and three other Spirit Realm Travelers accepted a merchant’s commission to get his cargo out of the harbor.
• The team discovered that the goods had been unloaded at the docks and spotted a Spirit Realm Traveler serving as a city guard.
• The guard Traveler urged Siena’s team to join him, warning that the city had ten Second Order Professionals, over a hundred First Order guards, and a Third Order leader.

Siena and the other Spirit Realm Travelers watched the city guards defeat a Second Order demon and realized the harbor was too dangerous for them to extract their cargo safely. As they considered giving up on the task, a guard captain arrived with an urgent call to help capture a suspected mole.

• Siena watched a trained squad of guards defeat a huge Second Order demon at the docks with only one guard seriously injured.
• Siena warned a fellow Spirit Realm Traveler that demons in the river and the guards' control of the harbor made taking the cargo an uncertain and dangerous task.
• The Spirit Realm Travelers questioned where the guards and demons had come from, then discussed how to avoid the Trial's penalties.
• Siena asked the group to count her in as they focused on staying alive and considered abandoning the task.
• A Second Order guard captain smashed through the door and announced that the guards had found a mole colluding with the demons and needed more help.

Siena and the other Spirit Realm Travelers stayed out of the Trial after guards uncovered a demon-collaboration site, while a mysterious newcomer called "Lai" began investigating the incident. "Lai" joined the guards’ recruitment route to learn what the conspirators knew about the Abyss.

• A second-order captain led the guards and Spirit Realm Travelers to a demon-material processing site, where they killed the revived demons and executed the suspected collaborators.
• The captain ordered the site burned, invited professionals to join the guards at the harbor, and had the captured Spirit Realm Traveler taken away to be hanged; Siena and most of the others chose to avoid the Trial.
• In a basement, black-clad conspirators discussed abandoning their exposed ascension site, moving to a harbor warehouse, and becoming third-order demons with help from a third-order demon waiting for Wesley in the Demon's Mouth.
• Siena gathered Spirit Realm Travelers in a small building, where the captured Traveler returned with a tall woman who had rescued him.
• The woman, "Lai," questioned Siena about the guard captain and the demon-processing site, then went to join the guards to investigate the conspirators and learn about the Abyss.

Lai joined the city guards as an independent investigator and used The Stars to locate a demon-colluding group. At their hideout, Oscar’s conflicting memories surfaced just as he recognized Lai, leaving their encounter unresolved.

• Lai refused a city-gate assignment, demonstrated her strength by shattering the registration desk, and secured permission to investigate the people colluding with demons alone.
• The guard captain agreed to provide Lai with information but no personnel, and warned her not to cripple merchants.
• Lai asked The Stars where to find the conspirators and learned they gathered in the basement of a purchased house in the south of the city.
• Oscar lamented the guards’ seizure of his assets, then entered the basement hideout and began questioning whether he was a wealthy merchant or a Second Order professional.
• After someone sent Oscar upstairs to handle an inspection, he recognized Lai as the person who had caught him performing a ritual beside a demon’s corpse.

‘Lai’ found Oscar, a demon collaborator, and claimed to have come on the orders of the Greater Demon Marius. She brought him to his group’s basement, where a demon confirmed Marius was a real Greater Demon.

• ‘Lai’ spotted demon blood and a horn fragment on Oscar’s black robe and confronted him, claiming to represent Marius.
• Oscar denied colluding with demons until ‘Lai’ lifted him and slammed him into the ground, then demanded to see the basement.
• Oscar led ‘Lai’ to the basement, where the black-robed collaborators were alarmed by the noise and argued over her claim.
• Oscar brought out a living lump of flesh to contact a demon, while ‘Lai’ noticed the group kept no written records.
• The demon inside the lump recognized Marius as a Greater Demon, reassuring ‘Lai’ and the collaborators.

Lai convinced Oscar’s group that she had come to audit their information on behalf of the Greater Demon Marius, while Ivo hid outside the city, terrified of its defenses and unsure why he had been assigned such dangerous work. Oscar agreed to have the group write down what they knew, and Ivo remained concealed in his cave.

• Oscar cautiously accepted Lai as a supposed comrade but refused to share the group’s central plans.
• Lai claimed Marius had ordered her to inspect the information the lesser demons had provided, and Oscar agreed to have it written down.
• Lai privately admitted she was bluffing because the communication device had stopped working, and she planned to extract the group’s knowledge quickly.
• Ivo hid in a cave after fleeing the city’s powerful defenders and feared the Greater Demon Marius after accidentally ending their communication.
• Ivo wondered why a First Order demon had been assigned to contact Second Order Professionals and chose to stay hidden rather than approach the city.

"Lai" heard the Lord of Radiance’s warning that the God of War would oppose anyone trying to move the sun domain realm, but she planned to seize it around the tenth day anyway. Elsewhere, Felicity discovered that Half-Dragons had activated a defensive barrier to guard against the Lord of Radiance’s followers and offered to help catch them while hiding their own plans to steal a block.

• "Lai" told the Lord of Radiance that the Trial remained under control, and the Lord said she needed to hold out at least five more days while she prepared to seize the domain.
• The Lord of Radiance warned "Lai" that the God of War would oppose anyone moving the sun domain realm, but "Lai" said she would handle it and asked whether the Lord planned to strip the domain of its valuables.
• "Lai" asked the Lord of Radiance to hold out for ten days, and the Lord agreed because the domain’s true lord would not return until at least the fifteenth day.
• Felicity found that a white barrier and a force of armed Half-Dragons guarded a block in their domain, then learned the Half-Dragons were protecting it from the Lord of Radiance’s followers.
• Felicity offered to help the Half-Dragons catch the Lord of Radiance’s follower, intending to keep their own plan to steal the block concealed until the barrier was deactivated.

Nora received Philly’s letter and realized that someone may have altered her urgent message, while Philly would not return to stop an impostor from competing under her identity. Meanwhile, “Philly” won another match with repeated Elemental Conversions and Pyroblasts, leaving the tournament’s other contestants convinced she was unbeatable.

• Nora received Philly’s letter, which declined her suggestion and mentioned that Aurora had read Nora’s previous correspondence.
• Nora suspected Aurora had altered her message and decided to investigate her through the Yobner Society and report the suspected impostors to the Investigators.
• Nora skipped the Duel Arena, expecting “Philly” to defeat her semifinal opponent without difficulty.
• “Philly” used two Elemental Conversions followed by Pyroblast in all five games, overwhelming her opponent in thirteen minutes.
• Ferdinand watched “Philly” finish her match before his own match resumed and concluded that she was completely unbeatable.

After Ferdinand nearly gave up against Philly, Russell promised him a chance to face her on fair terms and gave him an unpublished paper describing a simplified Anti-Magic Edict. Ferdinand learned that the spell could disrupt Philly’s magic, leaving him to prepare for a final fought with armor and a sword instead of a Magic Duel.

• Russell urged Ferdinand to return to his semifinal match and promised to explain a possible way to challenge Philly if he won.
• Ferdinand won the match and secured second place, then demanded that Russell reveal his plan.
• Russell gave Ferdinand an early copy of a paper on the Anti-Magic Edict and explained that its simplified spell could prohibit some Second Order and Third Order spells.
• Russell told Ferdinand to use the Anti-Magic Edict against Philly, then challenge her to a Knight's Duel with armor and a sword.

Fran bought tickets for every airship flight so she could escape Number Three Floating City after the Champion Mage Challenge final, while accepting that the Gods would attack the city after her victory. Nathanael learned the Felistin Family had targeted Philly but dismissed the accusations against her and looked forward to her advancement.

• Fran bought six tickets for flights leaving Number Three Floating City, planning to escape to Number Nine Floating City as Philly after the final.
• Fran considered warning Nathanael about the impending attack but decided not to interfere with the events foretold by the Star Gazing Art.
• Nathanael received the investigation results and learned that six Second Order Mages from the Felistin Family had attacked Philly because they suspected she was a powerful mage in disguise.
• Nathanael ordered investigators to check whether the Felistin Family had illegally used magic to control mages or apprentices.
• Nathanael dismissed the suggestion to investigate Philly and expected her to become a Third Order Mage after the final.

Fran faced Ferdinand in the Champion Mage Challenge final, where he tried to make the duel unlawful so he could use the Anti-Magic Edict. After losing the first two rounds while carrying out his preparations, Ferdinand believed he had secured the conditions to win the remaining rounds and claim the title.

• Fran and Ferdinand entered the arena in traditional finalist attire, and Ferdinand told Fran he would win before the match began.
• Ferdinand prepared to cast the Anti-Magic Edict by using illegal substances to undermine the duel’s legality.
• Fran opened the first round with two Greater Fireballs, and Ferdinand lost before completing his preparations.
• Ferdinand used another regulated substance in the second round, lost again, and was briefly questioned by the committee.
• Ferdinand decided his preparations were complete and believed he would win the next five rounds and become Champion Mage.

Fran faced Ferdinand in the final after he used an Anti-Magic Edict to disrupt her spells and dispel her defenses. Though Ferdinand expected to win with close combat, Fran swiftly disarmed and knocked him down, leaving him defeated despite his advantage.

• Ferdinand cast the Anti-Magic Edict, which disrupted Fran’s second-order spell models and dispelled her Mithril Body.
• Ferdinand explained that his friend Russell had obtained the unpublished spell for him, then drew a short sword and challenged Fran to a Knight’s Duel.
• Fran realized she could still use elemental manipulation, but chose to assess Ferdinand as he approached.
• Ferdinand thrust at Fran, but she dodged, seized his wrist, and knocked the short sword from his hand.
• Fran took Ferdinand’s sword and swept it across him; when his shield activated, she blocked his step and sent him crashing to the ground.

Fran, disguised as 'Philly,' defeated Ferdinand in the Champion Mage Challenge final and won the title of Champion Mage. After reassuring a Felistin Family staff member that the Alliance would not punish the family over her impersonation, Fran went to the restroom and vanished.

• 'Philly' tripped Ferdinand in the fourth round, then used mental power to control converted fire elements after Ferdinand activated the Anti-Magic Edict.
• The referee activated Ferdinand's Shield Device after flames engulfed him, and the crowd celebrated 'Philly's' victory.
• A High-Order Mage realized the best-of-nine final had ended in just sixteen minutes and saw the Champion Mage banner.
• Backstage, Fran told the Felistin Family staff member that the Alliance would not hold the family responsible for her affairs, then went to the restroom.
• Kieran Burns asked where 'Philly' was, and the staff member discovered she had disappeared from the restroom.

The disappearance of Champion Mage Philly stirred controversy on Number Three Floating City while Harbos continued searching for Fran. A call with Iris reached Fran on Number Nine Floating City, where she claimed she had been researching Oinrich’s time-related Alchemy Devices.

• Philly's canceled parade, banquet, and talk fueled rumors that she had disappeared and that the Champion Mage Committee was concealing the truth.
• Hარბos's investigation and divinations failed to locate Fran, though the results suggested she was likely alive.
• An Investigator told Harbos that Iris had answered his calls, and Iris found that Fran's Battle Mage Corps communication device was still passing its daily verification.
• Iris called Fran, and the connection succeeded almost immediately; Fran answered as though nothing was wrong.
• Fran told Harbos she was on Number Nine Floating City researching Oinrich's time-related Alchemy Devices, surprising both Harbos and Iris.

Fran concealed her disappearance from Harbos by pretending she had been researching temporal change residue, then told him she planned to use her Territory Mage Working Group results to seek a post in the Lohan Archipelago. After Harbos agreed to help her reach the region, Fran suspected that several events had been arranged to clear the way for Number Three Floating City’s fall.

• Fran staged a makeshift research setup in Forrest’s abandoned rental house to persuade Harbos that she had been studying temporal change residue.
• Harbos gave up questioning Fran’s disappearance and promised to obtain an Alliance Communication Device for her.
• Fran told Harbos she wanted to leave the Territory Mage Working Group after completing its assessment and go to the Lohan Archipelago; Harbos offered a recommendation that would keep her out of the front lines.
• Fran agreed to return to the Territory Mage Working Group in the next few days, and Harbos left to handle the resources he had mobilized to find her.
• After Harbos left, Fran reflected that Iris’s experiment, the Felistin Family’s retreat, the Chief’s absence, and the Gods’ followers’ inactivity had all coincided in ways that favored Number Three Floating City’s fall.

After testing the Champion Art trait, Fran prepared to move the Sun Block and had “Lai” leave the Spirit Realm Trial. “Lai” slaughtered the demon collaborators and flooded the city with blood, drawing the attention of a Third Order Professional as demons summoned their commander.

• Fran discovered Champion Art raised the mastery of all arts below the extraordinary level by half a level.
• Fran planned to move the Sun Block into the Sun Domain and arranged to monitor Number Three Floating City from Number Nine Floating City.
• The Lord of Radiance summoned “Lai” out of the Spirit Realm Trial, and “Lai” considered using a possible fight to improve her swordsmanship.
• “Lai” killed Oscar with Blood Law Sword Art, then wiped out the demon collaborators in the basement.
• “Lai” unleashed a wave of blood that swept through the city, killing citizens and guards while Siena watched from the bell tower.
• A Third Order Professional arrived to confront “Lai,” demons poured onto the Riverway, and Ivo hid as they called for their commander.

After completing her Spirit Realm trial, 'Lai' received an exception advancing her to Second Order, an extraordinary mental spell, and a key to a future Third Order trial. She returned to the Lord of Radiance's domain, where she was sent to meet a visitor from the God of War's faction concerned about the Sun Block.

• 'Lai' found that the Spirit Realm had advanced her to Second Order despite her trial's failure, rewarded her with Mental Contest, and granted her a Third Order Promotion Trial key scheduled for three years later.
• 'Lai' returned to the open-air palace and found the Lord of Radiance's device for moving the domain's blocks.
• The Lord of Radiance told 'Lai' that a Third Order follower of the God of War had arrived to discuss the Sun Block and asked her to receive the visitor.
• 'Lai' asked how she would reach the visitor, and the Lord of Radiance decided her bloodstained appearance suited the God of War's etiquette.

Lai assured Tobias that the Lord of Radiance would not move the Sun Block, though she intended to help move it anyway. Tobias then recruited Gray Dragon Hart and Image of the Void Holden to prepare to stop the Lord of Radiance’s Proxy, leaving the confrontation set for the coming days.

• Tobias told Lai that the God of War’s oracle and the Gods’ agreement forbade anyone from moving the Sun Block, and Lai assured him that the Lord of Radiance knew the restriction.
• After returning to his domain, Tobias asked the God of War for support, but was told he could not receive more help from the sect.
• Tobias decided to hire Third Order Spirit Realm Professionals, since his own strength was not enough to challenge a Deity’s Proxy.
• Tobias summoned Gray Dragon Hart and Image of the Void Holden, offering them six thousand Gold Coins for seven days of readiness and doubled pay if they fought.
• Tobias told Hart and Holden they might face the Lord of Radiance’s Proxy in a domain that weakened lord-related Spirit Realm abilities, and both agreed to the mission.