Chapter Summaries

Hoshino confronted Nian after Rhodes Island’s chaotic assault, then arrived with her at the main entrance and was identified by the operators as the Red Kite Immortal. She decided to stay at Rhodes Island until Yae Sakura returned, while Kal'tsit was left wondering what Hoshino meant by calling her a Fusion Warrior.

• Hoshino caught Nian trying to flee and questioned her about why she had not acted during the incident.
• Kal'tsit received a damage report: Pramanix had been found in a potato crate, while Nian and Angelina were still missing.
• Nian and Angelina returned with Hoshino, who dragged Nian toward the screening room and told Pramanix that she had responsibilities while Nian did not.
• The operators recognized Hoshino as the Red Kite Immortal, while Kal'tsit fixated on Hoshino calling her a Fusion Warrior.
• After seven minutes, Hoshino emerged with a shaken Nian, and Nian relayed that Hoshino would stay at Rhodes Island until Yae Sakura returned.

Kal'tsit investigated the immortal Hoshino's quiet presence on Rhodes Island as reports showed fewer accidents and more operators watching her. After three days, people from Yan Kingdom began flocking to Rhodes Island in pilgrimage, and Hoshino summoned Amiya.

• Kal'tsit watched Nian clock in at the Weapons Department and wondered about Hoshino, who sat on the ship's radar antenna holding an umbrella.
• Kal'tsit learned that Rhodes Island's financial losses and utility outages had fallen sharply, while operators increasingly watched Hoshino from the top-deck elevator.
• Over the next three days, crowds from Yan Kingdom arrived in Lungmen, dressed in old-fashioned clothing and carrying an incense burner toward Rhodes Island.
• Kal'tsit told Amiya that Yan people were treating Rhodes Island as a promised land and explained their custom of finding ancestors.
• Amiya received word that Hoshino had summoned her and went to meet the immortal.

Hoshino manifested a domain over Rhodes Island and the Yan crowd, causing Originium-based Arts and technology to stop working while Amiya slept in her arms. After the domain ended, Amiya woke feeling comfortable and asked whether Hoshino had suppressed Originium.

• Hoshino opened a domain that encompassed herself, Rhodes Island, and the Yan crowd, then invited Amiya into her arms and told her to sleep.
• The Yan people interpreted the manifestation as an act of an immortal, while Hoshino watched Delta's unlock progress reach completion.
• Amiya fell asleep in Hoshino's arms as Originium-based Arts and devices across Rhodes Island and the surrounding crowd stopped working.
• After forty minutes, Amiya woke and asked whether Hoshino had suppressed Originium, and Hoshino pointed out the yin-yang symbol spinning above the sun.

After the Immortal appeared before the public and spoke with Amiya, Yae Sakura returned to Rhodes Island and questioned Kal'tsit about the Immortal's state. Hoshino later visited Amiya, cautioned her about repeating a dangerous phrase, and told her that Durandal and the Immortal Blades would soon resume operations.

• Hoshino warned Amiya that tomorrow's self would be different, then withdrew her domain and vanished beneath her umbrella.
• Yae Sakura arrived at Rhodes Island and learned from Kal'tsit that the Immortal had appeared in her ink-wash state.
• Hoshino discussed the Immortal's humane nature with Kal'tsit, who privately lamented Yae Sakura's return.
• Hoshino visited Amiya, heard her recount the Immortal's words, and warned her not to repeat the mysterious phrase in an ancient language.
• Hoshino told Amiya that Durandal had returned and the Immortal Blades would soon resume normal operations, but Amiya said they still had Teacher.

Hoshino found the missing Nian and Pramanix hiding in a locked storage room, then Amiya and Kal'tsit cautiously considered Hoshino’s claim that the Immortal Blades could be summoned. Kal'tsit arranged a field test by sending Gavial home with help from the mysterious organization, and the Hyperion descended that night.

• Hoshino learned that Nian and Pramanix had disappeared and traced them to a locked storage room on Rhodes Island.
• Hoshino entered the storage room and found Nian and Pramanix pretending to be calm, then tested Nian’s reaction by claiming the Exalted Immortal had left.
• Amiya questioned Hoshino’s claim about the Immortal Blades, while Hoshino taught her a searchlight-and-sticker method for summoning the Hyperion.
• Kal'tsit and the Doctor decided to test the summoning cautiously away from Rhodes Island.
• Gavial requested leave to attend a festival in her hometown, and Kal'tsit arranged a near-ground aircraft as a preliminary test.
• That night, Rhodes Island’s leaders watched the Hyperion descend beneath a searchlight and a drifting silhouette.

Kal'tsit and Amiya watched the immense Hyperion appear above Rhodes Island and wondered how such a vast ship had gone unnoticed. Delta descended from the ship to take Gavial to Sargon, while Amiya considered how far away or high above it might have been.

• Kal'tsit recognized Theresa's emblem on the Immortal Blades and connected the knights to Theresa and the Kaslana family.
• The clouds parted to reveal the Hyperion, a flying warship nearly as large as Rhodes Island.
• Delta descended from the Hyperion and learned that her mission was to transport Gavial to an uninhabited forest in Sargon.
• Delta brought Gavial aboard the Hyperion and said its near-ground speed would get them to Sargon in minutes.
• Amiya asked why there had been no reports of the Hyperion and suggested it was either extremely high or beyond the other side of the Deep.

Kal'tsit and the Doctor discussed the return of the people of the gods and warned that history’s peaceful run had ended. Hoshino brought Gavial to the jungle, where a new mission revealed that their journey involved the Mechanical God Cult and hidden mysteries.

• Kal'tsit compared images of Durandal and Kallen with Amiya’s impression of the immortal, then concluded that the people of the gods were returning rather than dead.
• Yae Kasumi secretly listened as Kal'tsit speculated about Laterano’s control over the new interpretation of its faith and warned that everyone should prepare for upheaval.
• Hoshino transformed into Delta and tried to explain the name to Gavial, who dismissed her talk before they arrived at the jungle.
• The system issued Hoshino the mission “Gavial the Great Chief Returns,” asking her to help Gavial get home and investigate the jungle’s mysteries.
• Hoshino and Gavial jumped from the Hyperion, and Hoshino explained that its counterattack had been triggered by someone shooting at it.

Hoshino and Gavial traveled through the jungle to Gavial’s tribe while Hoshino searched for the person who had fired a cannon at the Hyperion. After the Hyperion’s broadside struck the rainforest, Hoshino still had not identified the culprit, while Temimi feared her secret would be exposed.

• Hoshino and Gavial set off toward the tribe after spotting signs of the cannon attack, and Hoshino questioned two Archosaurs who did not know what a cannon was.
• The Archosaurs recognized Gavial, and she explained that her younger sister had invited her back.
• Gavial and Hoshino met Temimi, but Temimi denied knowing who had fired at the Hyperion.
• Hoshino ordered a broadside against the rainforest, which vaporized the ground but eliminated no one.
• Temimi grew pale as Hoshino continued asking where the culprit was.

Gavial, Hoshino, and Tiemimi headed to the temple for the High Chief election, after Hoshino asked Gavial to help her. They arrived at an Archosaur settlement where the people worshipped the Hyperion as a great bird, and Gavial was quickly swept into the election as a leading candidate.

• Gavial questioned Tiemimi about the rocket launcher, but Tiemimi denied firing it and claimed not to know who had.
• Hoshino asked Tiemimi for someone skilled in inventions and firearms, and Tiemimi named Zumama, now leader of the Eunectes Tribe.
• Tiemimi explained that the Mawvisotia festival selected a High Chief through hand-to-hand combat, with candidates gathering at the temple.
• The group reached an Archosaur settlement, where the people prayed to the Hyperion as a great bird and cheered for it to spin around.
• Tiemimi announced Gavial's return, and Hoshino asked her to help; Gavial agreed, becoming a leading High Chief candidate within minutes.

Hoshino discovered that the Archosaurs wanted to make the Hyperion their Great Chieftain, so she planned to redirect their worship by having a candidate defeat a weak Hyperion mech. She and her companions reached the Eunectes tribe, where Zumama and the villagers were prostrating themselves.

• Hoshino found the temple deserted and realized the Archosaurs were gathering to worship the Hyperion.
• The Archosaurs called for the Hyperion to become their Great Chieftain, alarming Hoshino.
• Hoshino proposed that the candidates unite and defeat a weak Hyperion mech to shift the tribe's worship.
• Gavial warned that the Archosaurs would value a one-on-one victory more than a group victory.
• Hoshino, Gavial, and Temimi reached the Eunectes tribe, where Zumama and the villagers were prostrating themselves.

Hoshino’s effort to investigate the rainforest’s secret became entangled with the conflict between Zumama’s machine-worshipping faction and Gavial’s supporters. After the Hyperion brought Operator Ceobe to the temple, the rival groups gathered for a confrontation, while Hoshino wondered what secret lay hidden in the rainforest.

• Zumama proclaimed that machinery would save her people, and Gavial prepared to stop her as the tribes’ artillery machine began to activate.
• Hoshino summoned two Schicksal mechs from the Hyperion, and they destroyed the robot Zumama had prepared to fight Gavial.
• Hoshino and the others failed to persuade Zumama, while several tribes chose to wait and see and placed their hopes in Gavial.
• Hoshino brought Operator Ceobe from Rhodes Island, and the two factions assembled at the temple with spectators including Croissant and the High Priest.
• Hoshino wondered what secret deep in the rainforest she was supposed to explore.

Hoshino watched Gavial and Ceobe battle Schicksal mechas for the chieftain position while growing suspicious of the High Priest. The fights continued as the High Priest revealed that it had helped Zumama build her machines before two mechas suddenly fell from the sky.

• The High Priest said it had known Emperor for a long time and considered him a friend.
• Zumama admired the Schicksal mechas and wanted to take them apart, but Gavial reminded her that she needed to win the chieftain position.
• Gavial called Ceobe to fight alongside her, promising honey cakes as a reward.
• Gavial fought one Schicksal mecha with her bare hands while Ceobe faced the other, eager to earn honey cakes.
• Hoshino questioned the High Priest about its home, and it said it had helped Zumama build machines before two enormous mechas fell from the sky.

Gavial defeated the Heavenly Mandate mech and settled the Great Chieftain position, while Hoshino considered what to do with Zumama. The group left the forest’s leadership unresolved in practice and discussed taking Zumama to Rhodes Island.

• Gavial snapped off both arms of the Heavenly Mandate mech and defeated Zumama with a headbutt.
• Ceobe bit off the mech’s head, and the crowd cheered as sunlight returned after the giant bird disappeared.
• Gavial asked Temimi to become Great Chieftain, and Temimi refused before Gavial declared the matter settled and carried away Zumama.
• Gavial considered executing Zumama by cannon, but Hoshino suggested sending her to Rhodes Island for re-education through labor.
• Gavial noted that the Hyperion could no longer fly above the forest, so they might have to walk to Rhodes Island without a smaller aircraft.

Hoshino followed the High Priest into an ancient temple and discovered it was a civilization-guidance system desperate for freedom. After leaving, she returned as Durandal to ask whether she had the authorization to help it.

• Gavial sent Zumama to Rhodes Island for labor reform, while Hoshino followed the High Priest into the temple.
• The High Priest recorded that its attempts to guide the region’s civilization had failed and revealed its mechanical nature.
• Hoshino inferred that the High Priest was a civilization-correction system barred from damaging its own terminal, and it asked her not to leave.
• Hoshino departed, then returned as Durandal and asked whether she had enough authorization to help the High Priest.

Hoshino learned that the High Priest was part of an ancient Civilization Correction Device whose plans had failed after Originium became uncontrollable, then destroyed its temple to free it. Back from the rainforest, Gavial and Zumama fought until Ceobe bit Zumama’s tail, helping Gavial land another headbutt.

• Hoshino used Durandal’s full name to gain lieutenant-grade access and read the High Priest’s records about the Civilization Correction Device and the ancients’ failed attempts to control Originium.
• Hoshino received the True History mission’s reward and destroyed the temple, freeing the High Priest while leaving the future of the history investigation unresolved.
• After returning from the rainforest, Gavial treated Zumama, who woke and attacked her before pinning her down.
• Ceobe remembered Gavial’s promise of a tasty treat for hitting someone and bit Zumama’s tail, giving Gavial the chance to headbutt Zumama again.

Hoshino feared that the unexpected Memory Battlefield boss might be Black Fu Hua, while Talulah encountered Black Fu Hua in a dream. Black Fu Hua explored Talulah’s memories and left her trapped in a scene where she faced Duke Koschei again.

• Gavial bandaged Zumama’s tail and warned her not to bite anyone else’s tail.
• Hoshino studied Originium’s spiritual mysteries, then worried that the next Memory Battlefield boss was an unexpected female opponent who might be Black Fu Hua.
• Zumama lost interest in the Engineering Department’s giant ship but became excited by the talking vehicles.
• Black Fu Hua visited Talulah in a dream and restored her mind to its state before the Black Snake corrupted her.
• Black Fu Hua made Talulah relive the scene of Duke Koschei’s patricide and questioned what she would choose if given another chance.

Black Fu Hua invaded Talulah and Ch'en's dreams, manipulating their scenes for her own amusement. Talulah accepted that her anger would fade when she woke, while Ch'en broke free after Black Fu Hua staged a wedding scene with Yae Sakura.

• Black Fu Hua tested Talulah in a dream and found her no longer angry or afraid of the fate awaiting her.
• Talulah urged Black Fu Hua to keep living and recited a poem before Black Fu Hua sent her into a deep sleep.
• Black Fu Hua entered Ch'en's mahjong dream and changed the game so Ch'en won against Yae Sakura.
• Black Fu Hua turned Yae Sakura's wager into a romantic moment, then changed the dream to show her in a white wedding kimono.
• Ch'en recognized the dream's strangeness and broke free, leaving Black Fu Hua grumbling about the wedding scene.

Black Fu Hua used her Herrscher powers to manipulate Ifrit’s dream and create a bowler hat, then woke in Ifrit’s body. After Hoshino investigated Ifrit’s minor loss of control, the Herrscher of Sentience revealed herself through Saria and urged Hoshino to inspect other people’s dreams, especially her apprentice’s.

• Black Fu Hua entered Ifrit’s dream, controlled her emotions, and silenced her ego and id.
• Black Fu Hua woke in Ifrit’s body, made a bowler hat real, and tried it on.
• Hoshino saw that the Herrscher of Sentience had been deployed and learned that Ifrit had briefly lost control.
• Hoshino met Saria outside Ifrit’s dormitory and realized something was wrong when Saria spoke unusually.
• The Herrscher of Sentience took over Saria’s body, revealed that she had affected the real world, and told Hoshino to inspect her apprentice’s dream.

Hoshino investigated Saria and discovered that Black Fu Hua had silently corrupted her, then used Fenghuang Down to enter Ch'en’s dream. There, Hoshino found herself dressed in a white wedding kimono and angrily accused Ch'en of betraying her master and dishonoring her ancestors.

• Hoshino confronted Saria, recognized her as a clone, and left after Saria returned to normal.
• Hoshino worried that Black Fu Hua had corrupted Saria and wondered what gift she had left in Ch'en’s dream.
• Ch'en asked Swire and her coworkers what a dream about an admired person wearing bridal clothes might mean, while denying the dream was hers.
• Hoshino entered Ch'en’s dream and lost a mahjong game to her.
• Illusory mist replaced the mahjong table, and Hoshino discovered she was wearing a white wedding kimono.
• Hoshino grabbed Ch'en by her dragon horns, threw her away, and shouted that she was betraying her master and dishonoring her ancestors.

Hoshino dealt with Ch'en's altered dream and learned that the Immortal was wreaking havoc in people's dreams, while Black Fu Hua went to bother Amiya. In Amiya's dream, Black Fu Hua unexpectedly found comfort in Amiya's embrace.

• Hoshino found Ch'en overwhelmed by her dream-induced crush and erased the meaning of Ch'en's wedding kimono, restoring her composure.
• Black Fu Hua admitted she had influenced Ch'en's emotions and announced she would visit Amiya's dream.
• Hoshino told Ch'en that the Immortal had escaped from inside her and was causing trouble in dreams and controlling bodies in reality.
• Black Fu Hua entered Amiya's dark, peaceful dream and tried to provoke her, but Amiya remained calm.
• Amiya embraced Black Fu Hua and comforted her, causing Black Fu Hua's pupils to shrink.