Chapter Summaries

Fran realized Aether had been used as a material in the Infinite Blood Bottle, then visited the Battle Mage Corps to exchange battle credits for spells. While Nora recommended Elemental School combat spells, Fran found a Transmutation plan that could lead to the Third Order among the exchange items.

• Fran concluded that Aether had helped Miracle Alchemy create the Infinite Blood Bottle and decided to be more careful with Aether in future alchemy.
• Fran arrived at the Battle Mage Corps station and learned from Nora that mages had gathered to exchange battle credits earned during a recruitment drive for an investigation in Snow Bear Territory.
• Fran told Nora she wanted a powerful First Order fire spell, and Nora recommended several Elemental School combat spells.
• Fran entered the exchange building, checked the item booklet, and spotted the Song of the Deep Sea Sequence Transmutation Knowledge, a plan that could lead to the Third Order.

Fran discovered that the exchange catalog offered the Transmutation School’s “Song of the Deep Sea” method and spent 25,000 Contribution Points to obtain it. At the Transmutation School headquarters, Vernon learned the method had been approved for release and that the Northern Lands Society was transporting a young Deep Sea Golden Dragon to them.

• Fran checked her balance and learned she had 31,200 Contribution Points from her earlier mission reward.
• Fran exchanged 25,000 Contribution Points for the Transmutation School’s “Song of the Deep Sea” method despite Nora’s warning that she might not be able to use it.
• The exchange staff explained that obtaining the method required approval from the Transmutation School and hurried to prepare it.
• Scott told Vernon that someone at the Northern Lands Society had requested the method and that he had approved the exchange as instructed.
• Scott confirmed that the Northern Lands Society was bringing the Transmutation School a young Deep Sea Golden Dragon, then gave Vernon the judges’ opinions on Harbos’s award.

Vernon watched The Alliance’s schools remain silent after his appeal to the Northern Lands Society, while the Arcane Mage Award vote was postponed for a month. He learned that Harbos was likely to receive the Elemental School’s Master of Elements Award and that Iris was promoting a paper for the Silver Alchemy Award, leaving him puzzled by their different approaches.

• Scott told Vernon that the Arcane Mage Award judges had postponed their vote for a month and that most schools had stayed silent about Vernon’s actions.
• Vernon learned that Preston had gone to Abyss Mouth No. 3 two months earlier and had not been heard from since.
• Vernon decided to wait for the Elemental School’s decision on the Master of Elements Award before attacking its judges, and Scott reported that Harbos had won and the result would be announced next week.
• Scott told Vernon that Harbos was continuing his experiments and developing his Forge School in the City of Apprentices.
• Scott reported that Iris was promoting the paper on Refining White Star Sand for the Alchemy School’s Silver Alchemy Award, prompting Vernon to question what they were doing.

Fran examined the Song of the Deep Sea transmutation sequence and realized its stages required marine materials she could not find near the Northern Lands Society. Nora offered to take her to a Spirit Realm market next week, while Fran decided to advance to Tier Two and prepare before visiting the Spirit Realm.

• Fran opened the exchange box and read the Song of the Deep Sea sequence, which required her to implant increasingly powerful marine organs through seven stages.
• Fran considered using her Panel to meet the physical requirements for a Tier Three transmutation but worried that she could not find the required sea creatures inland.
• Nora told Fran that people traded materials in the Spirit Realm and offered to take her to a large market opening the following week.
• Fran agreed to wait for Nora's market visit and returned to her dormitory to pursue Tier Two advancement before entering the Spirit Realm.

Fran prepared to promote from First Order Elemental School mage to Second Order Elite Elemental Mage and used a precise ruler-and-compass method to draw her spell structures. Her promotion succeeded flawlessly, improving her mental strength and granting her a new trait, but her Panel also revealed an unidentified spell.

• Fran secured the house and reviewed the promotion methods before beginning her attempt to become an Elite Mage.
• Fran memorized the structures for Earth Uplift, Howling Gale, and Greater Fireball, then used mental rulers and marked points to draw them accurately.
• Fran erased her guides and poured her remaining mental strength into the centers of the three spell structures.
• Fran completed her promotion and felt her body and mental strength change.
• Fran checked her Panel and discovered that promotion had increased her spell proficiencies and granted her the Perfect Mage trait, while an unknown spell appeared among her skills.

After advancing to Second Order, Fran inspected her new Elite Mage profession, traits, and improved mental-power efficiency. She went to the Mage Tower to learn more about Elite Mages and discovered that her Fireball paper had earned her 1,345 Contribution Points.

• Fran examined her advancement changes, including increased spell proficiency and the new Multi-Element Mastery and Perfect Mage traits.
• Fran tested Perfect Mage with a White Star Sand refining device and found her mental power went about 1.1 to 1.2 times as far.
• Fran went to the Mage Tower and found her Mathematical Analysis of Fireball featured on nearly every curated edition’s cover.
• Fran discovered she had 1,345 Contribution Points, largely earned from her popular Fireball paper.
• Fran spent five Contribution Points on Unique Characteristics of Tier 2 Elite Mages.

Fran read a paper about Elite Mage advancement and learned that Elemental Conversion could help reveal the nature of her unknown bonus spell. She studied Harbos’s [Elemental Radiance] and planned to visit the Spirit Realm for materials to upgrade her weapon.

• Fran skimmed a paper on Elite Mage advancement and found that Elemental Conversion could help explain the unknown spell she had gained.
• Fran realized Harbos’s research and his Second Order spell [Elemental Radiance] could teach her Elemental Conversion.
• Fran studied [Elemental Radiance], a spell that converted nearby elements to strengthen her elemental spells and weaken her enemies’ spells.
• Fran planned to practice Harbos’s two forging spells when she found suitable materials.
• Fran decided to enter the Spirit Realm to search for reliable Second Order materials and upgrade her weapon.

Fran and Nora prepared to enter the Spirit Realm, where Fran discovered that she had arrived in her familiar body. Nora materialized beside her after Fran entered first.

• Fran explained to Nora that her changed presence came from her recent advancement and a special experiment.
• Nora led Fran through a rented house to a separate mage-safe house prepared for their trip.
• Nora explained that Spirit Crystals were the Spirit Realm’s currency and gave Fran one as an entry fee.
• Fran recited the entry incantation and entered the Spirit Realm before Nora could react.
• Fran found herself in her usual body, saw a busy settlement nearby, and watched Nora materialize beside her.

Fran explored the Emerald Market with Nora, learned how its sections and trading rules worked, and discovered the Adventurers Guild and weapon stalls. After separating from Nora to look for ways to earn Spirit Crystals, Fran encountered Una, whom she had met during the Spirit Realm advancement trial.

• Nora gave Fran a Spirit Realm Guide and explained the market’s entry fees, trading rituals, and restrictions on First Order professionals.
• Nora led Fran through the herb and potion section into the monster-materials section, where Fran resisted her Monster Hunter Profession’s urge to attack living monsters.
• Fran learned that rare-monster medals could help her advance in rank, but she lacked the Spirit Crystals to buy monsters or materials.
• Nora showed Fran the Adventurers Guild, and Fran decided to find a way to earn Spirit Crystals before using its services.
• Fran left Nora and headed toward the weapon stalls to study Spirit Realm weapons and consider selling one of her own.
• Una recognized Fran and called out to her from behind.

Fran reunited with Una in the Spirit Realm and discovered that the Lord of Radiance had helped her reach the First Order. Fran contacted the Lord through a hidden Angel Statue to discuss helping her gather believers, but the Lord’s claim that they were already friends left Fran speechless.

• Fran recognized Una, who had become a First Order Professional, and explained that her current body was her original one.
• Una led Fran through an alley and into a hidden basement where she and another believer were staying.
• Fran told the believers she had come to borrow their Divine Statue and approached it to contact the Lord of Radiance.
• The Lord of Radiance asked why Fran had not begun developing believers in the Material Realm, and Fran said she had changed her mind and wanted to discuss helping.
• The Lord of Radiance said she thought she and Fran were already friends, leaving Fran unable to respond.

Fran clarified her cooperative relationship with the Lord of Radiance and learned that the Lord’s believers were operating a black-market scheme in the Emerald Market to earn Spirit Crystals. She entered the central area and registered her shortsword for auction while preparing to join the operation.

• Fran told the Lord of Radiance that they were friends but set out their cooperative relationship, then revealed her real name and asked for Spirit Crystals.
• The Lord of Radiance admitted she had no spare Spirit Crystals and invited Fran to join the believers’ Emerald Market operation instead.
• The Lord of Radiance said Fran’s ability to enter the central area made her useful to the operation.
• Fran presented her Purple Shortsword at the appraisal station, where the appraiser praised its craftsmanship and recognized its unfamiliar rune.
• Fran registered the shortsword for auction to remain in the central area, where the Lord of Radiance intended to take Spirit Crystals stored in the Emerald Market.

Fran entered the Emerald Market's central district with a pass granted for consigning a main auction item, while the Lord of Radiance planned to use her visit to seize Spirit Crystals from the auction warehouses. Fran met Nora before the auction and revealed that the weapon she had consigned was a shortsword, leaving Nora bewildered.

• The Lord of Radiance sought Spirit Crystals to expand the Radiance Domain and planned to breach the Emerald Market's defenses while Fran entered its auction warehouse.
• Fran explored the central district and learned that her Purple Shortsword would be auctioned in three hours.
• Fran met Nora, who was surprised that Fran had obtained a pass by consigning a main auction item.
• A purple beam announced that the auction's main item was a weapon, and Nora guessed Fran had sold a staff.
• Fran said she had sold a shortsword, shocking Nora, who knew Fran was a mage.

Heather and Valerie discussed the purple shortsword’s possible Ancient Rune and the Spirit Realm Market’s safe auction rules, then decided to attend the auction. Fran recognized their Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents robes and watched Heather with unexplained interest.

• Heather examined Fran’s purple shortsword, and Valerie explained the history of Ancient Runes and why recreating them was difficult.
• Valerie offered to bid on the shortsword and reassured Heather that the Spirit Realm Market prevented buyers from taking auction items without completing its ritual.
• Heather and Valerie left the display area to see what else was up for auction.
• Nora asked Fran where the shortsword came from, and Fran explained that she had made it herself and learned her craft from her mentor.
• Fran noticed Heather and Valerie wearing robes of the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents and wondered why she had encountered them in the Spirit Realm.

Fran attended the Emerald Market auction with Nora while waiting for the Lord of Radiance's operation to begin, then left for the Emerald Rockery. Heather planned to bid heavily on Fran's short sword, but an explosion plunged the auction hall into darkness.

• Fran entered the auction hall with Nora and sat in the back while they discussed why they had come.
• The auctioneer sold a Life Replenishment Potion for 360 grams of Spirit Crystals, then a mysterious Spirit Realm page to two Priests of the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents for 130 grams.
• Fran decided the remaining auction items were not worth waiting for and left to head toward the Emerald Rockery.
• Heather told her companion that she planned to bid at least a hundred kilograms of Spirit Crystals on Fran's short sword.
• An explosion sounded outside and plunged the auction hall into darkness.

Fran broke into Emerald Market’s restricted area, defeated its guards, and recovered her Purple Shortsword and other equipment from the storeroom. As she left the artificial hill, two Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents priests confronted her.

• Fran waited for the Lord of Radiance to cover Emerald Market’s barrier in white light, then used spells to destroy the two enhanced statues guarding the purple door.
• Fran passed several waves of emerald guards and reached the storeroom without encountering any Second Order defenders.
• Fran recovered her undamaged Purple Shortsword and took several portable weapons and special metal materials.
• Fran left the artificial hill and encountered two priests of the Church of the Goddess of Ocean Currents who appeared ready to fight.

Fran tried to escape Heather and Valerie after retrieving her Purple Shortsword, but Heather intercepted her and the two fought. After Heather’s divine protection was pierced and she lost an arm, she invoked a power that transported Fran before the Goddess of Ocean Currents.

• Heather won Valerie’s permission to fight Fran, then demanded that Fran return the Purple Shortsword.
• Fran ignored Heather and fled, but Heather’s companion intercepted her after a beam attack exploded near her.
• Fran prepared to fight and used wind-enhanced swordsmanship to rush Heather, cutting off her arm despite Heather’s divine protection.
• Heather raised her uninjured hand and unleashed a blue light that sent Fran to a vast ocean before the Goddess of Ocean Currents.

Fran used a second-tier wind spell to interrupt Heather’s attack, then faced Valerie while Heather prayed from behind. Fran tested her strength with an overloaded spear and close-range Sunflame strikes, ending the chapter as the spear and her longsword exploded in Valerie’s hands.

• Fran saw the Goddess of Ocean Currents, then returned to the battle and struck Heather with an Enhanced Wind Blade that disrupted her divine spell.
• Valerie rescued Heather, who told her to attack Fran while she prayed from the rear.
• Fran decided to test herself against Valerie before resorting to Blood of the Furnace and repaired her Hardened Scale Rock.
• Fran overloaded a spear with mental power and hurled it at Valerie, who caught it but was driven backward and wounded by the wind elements.
• Fran attacked Valerie with Sunflame, and Valerie blocked with the spear before stepping back from Fran’s thrust.
• Fran unleashed a surge of mental power that caused the spear in Valerie’s hands and the tip of Fran’s longsword to explode.

Fran fought Valerie and Heather in the barrier, then used the Radiance from the Lord of Radiance to blind them and send Heather back to the Material Realm. After Blood of the Furnace left her mentally drained, Fran escaped the barrier with two minutes remaining.

• Valerie struck Fran with a powerful punch, but Fran's [Light in Blood] healed her severe injuries within seconds.
• Fran decided to escape the barrier before the ten-minute deadline and used the Radiance given to her by the Lord of Radiance to blind Valerie and Heather.
• Fran charged at Valerie, then redirected her attack to Heather with Howling Gale, sending Heather back to the Material Realm.
• Valerie collapsed, and Fran suffered the mental backlash from Blood of the Furnace.
• Fran checked that two minutes remained and ran through the barrier's white membrane.

Fran returned to Monsa after the Spirit Realm trial and negotiated a reward with the Lord of Radiance for the Emerald Market heist. The Lord pointed her toward the Sun Domain as a possible location for the Trial of the Sun, and Fran left to pursue it.

• Fran appeared at Monsa's river port, where residents recognized her as the Proxy and Spirit Crystals spilled from a glowing screen.
• Lyle met Fran and escorted her to the Divine Temple, showing her regions the Lord of Radiance had claimed.
• Fran bargained with the Lord of Radiance and received around eight percent of the Spirit Crystals as her reward.
• Fran asked about the Trial of the Sun, and the Lord of Radiance suggested it might be in the Sun Domain of the Spirit Realm.
• Fran left the Divine Temple to pursue her new mission, disappointing Lyle, who had hoped she would stay.

After returning from the Spirit Realm, Fran learned that the Emerald Market had revoked Nora’s pass and began engraving a new Ancient Rune on the Purple Shortsword. She stopped when the weapon’s material could not withstand the rune’s power, then considered seeking Divine Statues to help her discover more Deities’ runes and improve her Runology.

• Fran waited for Nora to return from the Spirit Realm, and Nora explained that the Emerald Market had revoked her pass after the attack.
• Fran told Nora she had not encountered the Market’s staff, arranged to meet her at another Spirit Realm market next week, and hid the Purple Shortsword and stolen goods to avoid suspicion.
• Fran erased the Purple Shortsword’s old runes and began engraving the Goddess of Ocean Currents, creating a detailed rune that approached second-tier power.
• Fran stopped engraving when the amethyst could not withstand the complete rune and received 5,000 Runology proficiency points from the Panel.
• Fran reasoned that Divine Statues might provide a strong enough connection to reveal other Deities’ appearances without finding their Proxies.