Recaps

Hoshino helped Rita resolve the crisis at Siesta, where Rita froze the volcano and exposed Cronin’s crimes, then Ceylon joined Rhodes Island. Hoshino traveled to Leithanien in response to a plea from a princess and became caught up in a violent conspiracy surrounding the Witch King.

• Black Fu Hua linked Ch’en and Talulah’s dreams, and Hoshino helped Amiya reach her before Talulah and Ch’en returned to waking life.
• Talulah survived another burst of the Black Snake’s control in Chernobog and began teaching Rozaliya to read.
• Hoshino arranged an expedition to Siesta with Eyjafjalla, where Rita froze the volcano and trapped Penguin Logistics and Ceylon in ice.
• Hoshino pierced the volcano to release pressure, helping defeat Rita and unlock Argent Knight: Artemis, while Rita later imprisoned Cronin for his crimes.
• Ceylon decided to join Rhodes Island and chose frontline medicine, while Schwarz joined the Sniper Department.
• Kal’tsit showed Hoshino a plea from Leithanien’s younger twin princess, and Hoshino traveled there to investigate.
• Hoshino met the princess behind a veil and learned from Leoni that the True History School was investigating the hidden history of the princess and the Witch King.
• Necromancers proclaimed the Witch King’s return, and Hoshino protected Leoni while fighting through an attack by crystal giants.

Hoshino and allies rescued Mudrock’s squad from the Winterwisp Mountains and confronted the Peacekeeper with support from Rhodes Island, Reunion, and Yae Shrine. They defeated the machine, but FrostNova, Mudrock, and Rosmontis collapsed when Celestial Hymn’s healing domain ended, and Hoshino froze after touching Mudrock.

• Ch'en’s worsening fox transformation drove her to attack Wei Yenwu, and Hoshino stopped her by taking Crimson Sakura and giving her the Void Blade.
• Hoshino learned the Ursus Emperor was her next target while Mudrock’s squad became trapped in the Winterwisp Mountains and called for help.
• Rhodes Island, Reunion, and Yae Shrine sent rescue forces into the mountains as Hoshino met FrostNova and joined the search for Mudrock.
• Rosmontis sensed Mudrock’s location after absorbing the mountains’ sorrow, and Hoshino entered the mist to rescue Mudrock’s squad.
• Mudrock agreed to help cleanse the mountains, and Hoshino evacuated the group before destroying a valley full of Blood Shaman captains with a tactical nuclear bomb.
• Peacekeeper emerged from the crater and attacked, so Hoshino’s allies held it off while Yae Shrine flew to the mountains with reinforcements.
• Celestial Hymn pinned Peacekeeper and empowered the fighters, who defeated it with attacks from FrostNova, Mudrock, and Rosmontis.
• When the divine-grace domain ended, FrostNova, Mudrock, and Rosmontis collapsed, and Hoshino froze after taking Mudrock’s hand.

Hoshino tested Father’s power and searched for a pilot while drawing Ch'en and Wendy into a staged phantom-thief trial. Ch'en exhausted herself protecting Wendy, and the system promised her the Fourth Herrscher Core after a verbal evaluation.

• Hoshino tested Father with the Herrscher of Thunder and drove it toward Lungmen, where she provoked the city’s cannons and Wei Yenwu billed her for the ammunition.
• Hoshino collected offerings at the shrine, while Ch'en tore up the collection bill and Exusiai began pursuing permission to pilot Father.
• Ch'en discovered Wendy in her dormitory, and Hoshino asked her to protect the girl, revealing that Wendy had been imprisoned inside Father.
• Hoshino appeared as Phantom Thief Sixth Serenade, and Ch'en learned from Kallen that Wendy was the Herrscher of Wind and faced another consciousness threatening to erode her body.
• Ch'en organized allies to protect Wendy, but Hoshino defeated Swire, Exusiai, Texas, Croissant, and Emperor in a series of staged encounters.
• Ch'en kept Wendy moving through Lungmen with Penguin Logistics, then faced Hoshino alone so Wendy could escape.
• Ch'en fought until she collapsed, and Wendy caught her before carrying her to safety.
• The system promised Ch'en the Fourth Herrscher Core after a verbal evaluation, and Wendy cared for her while she slept before Hoshino teased them at the shrine.