Chapter Summaries

The Emperor negotiated with Queen Mother Ramonda over Wakanda's role in the Yugoslav Federation's interstellar project and offered Princess Shuri a place at the City of Immortals research base. Meanwhile, Athena gathered Bayonetta and Jeanne around an old painting mystery before its owner arrived.

• James Buchanan, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, and T'Challa discussed Wakandan citizenship for Kenyans and joked together at the reception.
• Queen Mother Ramonda told the Emperor that Wakanda would send a new ambassador to the Yugoslav Federation and proposed Shuri for work at the City of Immortals research base.
• The Emperor offered Shuri a chance to study advanced research, including life-extension surgery, while emphasizing Wakanda's importance to the interstellar exploration project.
• Queen Mother Ramonda agreed that Wakanda would shoulder its responsibility to the Human Race after more than a hundred conversations with the Emperor.
• Athena told Bayonetta and Jeanne that Vanessa's old mystery painting could be identified when its owner arrived at the Art Museum.

Bayonetta and Jeanne learned from Athena that the exhibition concealed Salomon’s political maneuvering and that an art-world guest was cursed by Evil Spirits. As Bayonetta weighed whether to expose the gathering to protect the venue’s staff, Salomon rushed from Wakanda to London to prevent a clash between Athena and the witches.

• Athena explained that Salomon had used the exhibition to gather influential guests and arrange political exchanges, including people connected to British intelligence and Jane Foster’s health.
• Athena revealed that Salomon’s interests extended to a Bulgarian riot and that he had killed key figures as part of a counterattack.
• Bayonetta challenged Athena’s view of Salomon, insisting that she valued his humanity, and Jeanne offered her a pistol.
• Bayonetta aimed at a fire alarm and warned Athena that she would disrupt the exhibition if the curse endangered its staff, then realized Athena would benefit either way.
• A Praetorian Guard told Salomon that the Queen Mother of Wakanda was displeased by his departure, while he explained that he had come to prevent Athena and the witches from fighting.
• Salomon’s forces prepared to block London police and contain any conflict near the museum.

A powerful Eye of Heaven swept over the exhibition, ending the tense standoff between Bayonetta and Athena while unknowingly healing a homeless man nearby. Athena and Bayonetta agreed to meet later, and Athena gave the Witches a card leading to the retired Triple Road Goddess for guidance.

• His Eye of Heaven spotted Bayonetta's SIG Sauer P226, and its presence silenced and disoriented people throughout the Art Museum.
• A visitor vomited a mass of supernatural sludge in the restroom, which ordinary people could not see, and found that the shadows troubling his vision had disappeared.
• Tatyana saw the homeless man outside the exhibition recover from blindness, damaged teeth, and festering sores, then ordered her agents to investigate him and correct his mistaken faith.
• Athena warned that He could affect reality and would become harder to deal with, while Bayonetta pointed out that He had arranged snipers.
• Athena gave the Witches a business card that would lead them to the retired Triple Road Goddess, and Bayonetta suggested they meet at a restaurant.

Hecate studied Unified Truth and recognized its materialist critique of idealism, while noting the author’s superhumanist vision and its ruthless elements. She sent an invitation for Wanda Maximoff to come to the island, believing Wanda needed guidance before a greater crisis.

• Hecate analyzed Unified Truth and concluded that its ideas challenged idealist worldviews by grounding them in specific historical and social conditions.
• Hecate recognized that the author’s philosophy also called for humanity to secure resources and power, while imagining a future of abundant production, reason, and democracy.
• Hecate wrote an invitation for Wanda Maximoff and sent it by Silver Pigeon.
• Hecate considered Bayonetta and Jeanne her own people and reflected on the Umbra Witches’ connections to the Olympian Gods.
• Hecate decided Wanda was the visitor who most needed guidance because her thoughts could affect the coming crisis and the fate of the world.

The Emperor prepared to occupy Greece, weighing the military plan and its likely consequences while heading to a restaurant in London. As he arrived, Dinah warned that several women and Athena were on their way, and that Mycroft Holmes was eager to meet him.

• Hammurabi told the Emperor that Hecate had written a treatise, and the Emperor asked him to send her thanks and arrange a personal visit.
• Hammurabi outlined a plan to seize Greece’s communications, navy, and air force before taking control of the government, and warned that it would require the Emperor and the Sacred Guard to oversee the operation.
• The Emperor approved Natasha Romanoff’s leave request and ordered standard surveillance procedures to continue.
• Dinah briefed the Emperor on the restaurant’s security and the approaching guests, including Wanda Maximoff, Laura Croft, Bayonetta, Jeanne, and Athena.
• Dinah told the Emperor that she had arranged an informal meeting with Mycroft Holmes, who was extremely eager to speak with him.

Mycroft Holmes clashed with Sir Arnold Abinson over Brexit and the Yugoslav Federation, then secretly asked Watson to return to Britain. Elsewhere, He read their intercepted conversation during dinner with Bayonetta, Athena, Dinah, and Laura Croft.

• Sir Arnold Abinson urged Mycroft Holmes to steer the Prime Minister and Parliament toward a Brexit plan that reclaimed judicial sovereignty while delaying the process.
• Sir Arnold Abinson hinted that Mycroft Holmes could take a Caribbean holiday and discussed the popularity of Gene Therapy among powerful people troubled by Aging.
• After Sir Arnold Abinson left, Mycroft Holmes called Watson and asked him to return because the British Empire and Queen needed him.
• Dinah concealed an intercepted transcript of Mycroft Holmes and Sir Arnold Abinson’s conversation in the wine list and brought it to He.
• Bayonetta and Athena teased He about Dinah’s report and his habit of checking the restaurant’s wine and adding bottles to his cellar.

At dinner, Laura Croft listened as Salomon joked about wine and discussed her studies, his adventures, and the people of Paititi. Salomon arranged for her to resume her university courses, while Laura showed the group souvenirs and photographs from Paititi.

• Laura Croft felt uneasy around Athena, whose abilities reminded her of the supernatural events she had witnessed at Kamar-Taj and Oxfordshire Manor.
• Salomon explained that he had bought the restaurant's wine as part of a security inspection, then told a story about wine that Laura recognized as fabricated.
• Wanda used magic to help Laura resume her University of London courses and discussed further study and archaeological projects with her.
• Salomon told Laura he planned to leave the United Kingdom for a vacation and described how he had helped the Paititi people develop mechanized agriculture.
• Laura showed the group photographs of her Paititi souvenirs, including a plastic penguin that she thought might point to contact with coastal regions.

Mycroft Holmes met a mysterious woman who demanded that he obtain every classified archive from Hong Kong’s dissolved Political Department for her Lord. She invoked the Emperor’s power and warned that his patience had run out, leaving Mycroft facing an assignment he had no clear way to refuse or fulfill.

• Mycroft Holmes waited for a promised conversation while considering how to steer the Prime Minister toward harmless concerns and doubting the loyalty of Britain’s intelligence agencies.
• A woman in a suit appeared behind Mycroft Holmes, revealed that his pistol had been emptied, and refused to identify herself or negotiate.
• The woman demanded the complete classified archives of the Hong Kong Police Political Department, and Mycroft objected that MI5 and the CIA had been involved in the operation.
• The woman cited the massacre of Bulgarian parliamentarian Shishkov and his family, along with subsequent deaths and the suppression of news about them, as evidence of her Lord’s reach.
• The woman declared that she was her Lord’s messenger and blade, said she had slit Shishkov’s throat, and announced that his patience with Mycroft Holmes had reached its limit.

Mycroft Holmes received a promise that the Brexit bill would satisfy many people and that the EU would delay its timetable, then set out for Sherrinford Prison to seek an answer from his imprisoned relative. Meanwhile, Salomon arranged to send his companions on a Southern Hemisphere vacation because the Northern Hemisphere had become unsafe, hinting that Odin and Frigga were involved.

• A mysterious woman told Mycroft Holmes that the Brexit bill would satisfy many people, the EU would delay Brexit, and his career would be cleared of its stain.
• After the woman vanished, Mycroft Holmes ordered a helicopter to take him to Sherrinford Prison to consult his imprisoned relative.
• Salomon reassured Bayonetta that his work was done and discussed vacation destinations with her, Wanda Maximoff, Laura, and Jeanne.
• Jeanne asked whether Salomon was sending them away so he could face danger, and Bayonetta inferred that the Northern Hemisphere was no longer safe.
• Salomon promised Jeanne there would be plenty to kill on the island, and she agreed on the condition that he not send a red-haired spy there.

Salomon discussed the isolated island he had prepared as a safe place while the Venerable One’s return and a storm from the Outer Dimensions approached. Laura Croft agreed to go there with Wanda and a prophet, and the chapter ended with her asking Salomon for an autographed photo of Natasha Romanoff.

• Salomon told Bayonetta that the island held supplies and toys, and said Laura Croft would be safe there while she continued her task of uncovering the past.
• Bayonetta teased Salomon about his relationships and asked about Athena, so he changed the subject by describing the island’s automated fusion station and sunscreen supply.
• Laura Croft agreed to go to the island after Wanda said she would go, and asked to bring the prophet staying at Oxfordshire Manor.
• Laura Croft asked to take books, give Winston a long vacation while he oversaw Croft Manor’s restoration, and use the Gulfstream G650 Salomon had given her.
• Laura Croft asked Salomon whether the red-haired spy was Natasha Romanoff and requested an autographed photo.

Salomon prepared for the coming Ragnarok while planning a winter escape with Laura Croft, who knew nothing of the looming war and nuclear threat. At the manor, Wanda Maximoff injured herself trying an Explosive Rounds Gun, and Salomon refused to heal her but promised her a laser handgun.

• Salomon weighed the coming Fimbulwinter and Hela's escape, and planned to lead an army to Asgard to seize knowledge and equipment for humanity.
• Laura Croft asked Dinah to show her the armory, then took Wanda Maximoff to the indoor range while Salomon went upstairs with Jeanne and Bayonetta.
• Wanda Maximoff used an Explosive Rounds Gun without protection and broke her wrist.
• At breakfast, Wanda Maximoff admitted she had ordered the servants out and unlocked the weapons cabinet, and Salomon refused to heal her but offered her a heavy Laser Handgun.
• Bayonetta teased Wanda Maximoff about her injury, while Salomon also promised Laura Croft a laser handgun.

At breakfast, Laura Croft asked how the Witches maintained their figures, prompting Bayonetta to tease her about their private exercises and drive Salomon and Milia from the table. Athena then confronted Bayonetta over how she guarded Salomon, arguing that his ambitions could benefit everyone.

• Laura Croft praised the manor gym and asked Salomon about a story from his work in Kathmandu, where he had used diamonds and handguns to help the poor and eliminate a pharmaceutical delegation.
• Laura asked how the women stayed fit while eating so much, and Bayonetta explained that they trained in private and joked about their post-meal activities.
• Bayonetta described her plans with Jeanne, provoking Athena and making Salomon flee with Milia.
• Athena told Bayonetta that Salomon was important, could go further, and wanted people to survive, while Bayonetta and the others were obstacles.

Athena warned Bayonetta and Jeanne that Salomon faced Ragnarok, other wars, and a grave duty in the Sea of Souls, leaving the witches determined to support him while making the most of their limited time together. Salomon reassured Wanda Maximoff and Laura Croft that the argument would not lead to anyone getting hurt.

• The Cheshire Cat stayed behind at the table, watching Bayonetta, Jeanne, and Athena argue while Laura Croft and Wanda Maximoff left.
• Athena told Bayonetta and Jeanne that Fimbulwinter had arrived and Salomon had many wars and greater responsibilities ahead of him.
• Athena warned that the coming conflicts would force Salomon to become a cold ruler and inspire humanity to face threats beyond Earth.
• Bayonetta said she and Jeanne should make the most of their time with Salomon and vowed to help him if his compassion became a weakness.
• Wanda Maximoff offered to help care for Milia, and Salomon assured her and Laura Croft that no one would be hurt.

Natasha Romanoff negotiated with Victoria Hand for intelligence, transportation, and weapons so she could rescue the girls she had traced to Alaska. Victoria Hand and Amon discussed recruiting the girls, while acknowledging Natasha might refuse to give up command or allow them to be augmented.

• Natasha Romanoff told Victoria Hand she would not hand over the girls and explained that she intended to save them.
• Victoria Hand warned Natasha that the girls could face brutal interrogation if they gathered intelligence on the Emperor and his subordinates.
• Natasha agreed to trade information for intelligence, transportation, and weapons, and Victoria Hand sent her a safe house address and contact details.
• Victoria Hand reported Natasha's situation to Amon and asked whether the girls should be recruited.
• Amon told Victoria Hand to recruit the girls and said he would inform the Regent, while Victoria noted that Natasha might resist surrendering command or accepting augmentation.

Natasha Romanoff weighed the risks of securing a future for the girls she had rescued, then fell asleep and dreamed of Bayonetta and Jeanne speaking with a man about an approaching danger. After waking, Natasha prepared to investigate a weapons deal linked to an attempted attack on Elson Air Force Base.

• Natasha Romanoff concluded she would have to negotiate with Victoria Hand and her backers to find resources for the girls, since no safe organization could take them in.
• Natasha remembered a promise from a sensitive little boy and prophet, then surrendered to exhaustion and fell asleep.
• Bayonetta asked the man about a fragment of the future and his danger, and he assured her he had prepared for what was coming.
• Natasha woke, gathered herself, and planned to retrieve equipment from a safe house before conducting surveillance and a kidnapping.
• Natasha set out to investigate Delta Junction's gangster families for records of recent weapons deals tied to an attempted attack on Elson Air Force Base.

Natasha Romanoff broke into a gang boss’s mansion to prepare surveillance and investigate a safe, while Amon monitored her and warned that her time away from the Space Station was limited. After completing the operation, she watched news coverage of the Yugoslav Federation’s emperor and reflected on how Americans might respond to a war with the Federation.

• Natasha Romanoff disabled the mansion’s alarm with an override key as Amon explained the gang’s links to local law enforcement.
• Natasha searched the mansion, planted miniature listening devices, silenced a squeaky bedroom door, and recorded the safe’s model without opening it.
• Natasha said she would return for the safe after the gang settled accounts in two days, while Amon warned that her support and access would not be extended indefinitely.
• Natasha teased Amon about a past operation, prompting him to say he would add details about their encounter to the Salem files.
• Natasha watched a news report about the Yugoslav Federation’s emperor and considered how Americans might support a war regardless of its cause.

Amon led a squad from the First Secret Regiment on a mission to raid a U.S. military base in Yemen for documents while Sophia coordinated the operation. Victor von Doom prepared to lead another mission to protect the empire’s trade routes near the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, and confirmed that the estate had been evacuated.

• Amon accepted his assignment and discussed the depleted Lighthouse Base and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents there with Sophia.
• Sophia and Amon joined ten soldiers from the First Secret Regiment at the landing pad and boarded a Pegasus Assault Transport bound for Yemen.
• Amon sent the squad toward the target and told Sophia he would see her in seventy-two hours.
• Victor von Doom told Milia that he would lead a mission to locate U.S. and United Kingdom submarines near the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
• Milia confirmed that the estate had been evacuated to Island Base, and Victor said they could go to war without distractions.

Victor von Doom and the Regent reviewed preparations for the Greek War, including troop readiness, logistics, and plans to weaken Greece before a full invasion. The Regent assigned one Helicarrier to the campaign, while Victor insisted Milia could help him kill Marduk.

• Victor von Doom joked about using the Emperor’s supernatural displays to frighten Greece into surrender and argued that weakening its government early could reduce the war’s costs.
• Victor von Doom and the Regent concluded that insufficiently trained Mortal Soldiers should serve in support roles while Gene-modded Warriors led the fighting.
• Victor von Doom urged the Regent to disrupt Greek communications and rely on assassins, noting that veteran Gene-modded Warriors might be scarce after the Lunar and Asgard wars.
• The Regent said he could assign one Helicarrier to the Greek War, transferred from the Lunar War.
• The Regent questioned whether Milia could help, and Victor von Doom said she could and that he had to kill Marduk.

The Emperor discussed Milia’s dangerous inherited destiny and his plans to raise her safely, while Victor von Doom prepared the empire against threats in the Material Universe. Constantine then brought news of military risks and intelligence from Attilan, leaving the Emperor with evidence that its Matriarchs’ lineage had been genetically modified.

• Victor von Doom warned that time travel carried a cost and that the Emperor’s plans would affect their human nation, while the Emperor explained why he intended to protect Milia from her prophesied fate.
• The Emperor planned to raise Milia as a capable warrior, but Bayonetta and Jeanne took her to begin shooting lessons while Constantine waited to speak with him.
• Constantine reported that Mycroft Holmes had yielded and that nuclear submarines near the Red Sea could threaten the oil route during the Regent’s Middle East visit.
• Constantine revealed that one of three assassins sent to Attilan had gone missing and that Attilan’s information network appeared to be under control.
• Constantine showed the Emperor medical data indicating that Attilan’s Matriarchs shared genetic markers, and the Emperor judged that the risk of attacking Attilan could bring worthwhile rewards.

Salomon prepared for the Lunar War while arranging to connect Island Manor to an island refuge, where he watched the Yugoslav Federal Civil War Tribunal and spent time with Bayonetta, Jeanne, Athena, Milia, and the Cheshire Cat. The Martian solar satellites were nearing Earth-Moon orbit, and the chapter ended with Salomon enjoying a beach vacation as the tribunal began judging war criminals.

• Constantine recommended exterminating Attilan’s Inhumans except for the scholar caste, and the Emperor accepted the plan to preserve the base’s research facilities and data.
• Constantine reported that Martian solar satellites were nearing Earth-Moon orbit, Wakanda had questioned the weapons, and Tony Stark had refused to join Cosa Nostra.
• The Emperor told Constantine that Tony Stark should be left alive and said he would begin a ritual to link the manor to an island.
• Victor von Doom opened the Yugoslav Federal Civil War Tribunal, condemned nationalist movements, and promised justice under the Emperor’s laws.
• Salomon watched the tribunal from Island Manor, then joined Bayonetta, Jeanne, Athena, Milia, and the Cheshire Cat at the beach.