Chapter Summaries

Hoshino pursued the wounded Aldrich after his pleas to the deep sea went unanswered, while Specter and Grani drew a crowd into a street performance. As Hoshino tried to leave the city, Seele’s Stigma began glowing and answered a call from somewhere deeper than the ocean.

• Goushinnso Memento burned Aldrich, but the deep sea ignored his pleas for mercy.
• Aldrich recovered enough to threaten Hoshino and vow to devour Jizo Mitama, so Hoshino pursued him.
• Specter reassured Grani that Yae Sakura could take care of herself, then recruited Grani to perform with Jizo Mitama for the gathered crowd.
• Hoshino used a Swallowtail Phantasm character card to pass through the amusement park guards, but sensed a call from Seele’s glowing Stigma.
• Hoshino wondered whether the deep sea had noticed Seele because her Stigma came from the Sea of Quanta.

Hoshino, transformed into Seele and linked to the Deep, confronted Aldrich after he mistook the Deep’s attention for a sign of his own greatness. She killed him for provoking the [Shrine], and the chapter ended with Aldrich dead and Hoshino’s purpose fulfilled.

• Hoshino sensed the Church of the Deep’s believers and found Aldrich celebrating what he believed was the Deep’s favor.
• Aldrich mistook Hoshino for a divine messenger or examiner, while she revealed that the Deep had been watching her, not him.
• Hoshino told Aldrich that he had provoked the [Shrine] and declared that he would die.
• Hoshino’s attacks carved Aldrich’s mutated body into a complete form, and he asked whether his life could repay his transgression.
• Hoshino accepted Aldrich’s apology and beheaded him.

Hoshino killed the Saint of the Deep and met Specter after the battle, while ancient Deep Sea beings took notice of Seele. Back in Lungmen, Hoshino returned with Specter and Grani, and Pramanix misunderstood the payment of Specter’s reward as something intimate.

• Seele arrogantly taunted the ancient Deep Sea beings who watched after the Saint of the Deep died.
• Hoshino transformed into Goushinnso Memento and found Specter performing for a huge crowd, then waited until the performance ended.
• Hoshino told Specter that the chaos had ended and that the new terrifying presence had come for her, not Specter.
• Pramanix waited bored at the shrine until Hoshino, Specter, and Grani returned to Lungmen.
• Hoshino told Specter’s attending physician that Specter’s treatment had succeeded and asked for Doctor Kal'tsit to be informed and Skadi to come pay the remaining reward.
• Pramanix questioned what had happened in the car, and Hoshino said Specter had paid her portion of the reward, leaving Pramanix flustered.

Hoshino tested Durandal's power and accidentally devastated a mountain range before disguising the destruction as a ball-lightning disaster. She met Ch'en in the wilderness, claimed to be a passing knight seeking an immortal, and left to continue her search.

• Hoshino transformed into Durandal and realized her power was too dangerous to test at the shrine.
• Hoshino threw Durandal's lance through thirty-six mountains, leaving lava-filled destruction behind.
• Hoshino transformed into Lightning Empress and staged the scene as damage caused by ball lightning.
• Hoshino met Ch'en, introduced herself as Bianca Durandal Ataegina, and explained that she was searching for an immortal to challenge.
• Hoshino learned the immortal had already left Lungmen and departed without seeking out Yae Sakura.

Ch'en questioned Hoshino about Durandal and the Immortal Blades, but Hoshino gave her only limited information. A new quest then appeared, asking Hoshino to bestow flame power on Surtr, and its reward revealed itself as 999 Xuanyuan Swords.

• Swire suggested Ch'en visit the shrine to investigate the Immortal Blades, and Ch'en reluctantly agreed.
• Hoshino returned to the shrine and prepared a story about the Immortal Blades and their origins.
• Ch'en told Hoshino about Durandal stopping the ball of lightning, and Hoshino described Durandal as powerful and straightforward.
• Hoshino withheld further details, so Ch'en returned to the Lungmen Guard Department with what she had learned.
• Hoshino checked the new emergency quest about Surtr and discovered that its quest item was a Xuanyuan Sword and its reward was 999 Xuanyuan Swords.
• Hoshino decided she could give Surtr one of the Xuanyuan Swords.

Hoshino set out for Ursus to find Surtr, whom she hoped to test with the Xuanyuan Sword. After entering the country under Durandal’s identity, she headed for the deep forests where Surtr was likely to be exploring.

• Hoshino examined the Xuanyuan Sword, found its plain white form dull, and decided to seek out Surtr.
• Hoshino left Lungmen after writing Ch'en a misleading letter and took on Durandal’s appearance.
• Hoshino crossed into Ursus, telling the border officer she was searching for Surtr because she might be compatible with a weapon under development.
• Hoshino surveyed Ursus’s imperial architecture and concluded that Surtr would likely be in the wilderness rather than at tourist attractions.
• Hoshino set off toward the deep forests to find Surtr.

Hoshino, disguised as Durandal, found the newly Infected Surtr in Ursus and tried to offer her power. Surtr refused, and Hoshino carried her away from the Ursus soldiers, leaving their partnership unresolved.

• Surtr escaped Ursus soldiers who had identified her as Infected and hid in the wilderness, fearing imprisonment in a mine.
• Hoshino followed the soldiers’ trail and found Surtr, but Surtr mistook her military uniform for a threat and leaped from a cliff.
• Hoshino pinned Surtr to the cliff with her lance and offered to grant her power if she fought her.
• Surtr said she wanted to leave Ursus and find treatment for Oripathy, not gain power.
• When Ursus soldiers approached, Hoshino flew away with Surtr, then crashed into the ground and asked again whether she craved power.
• Surtr refused because she did not want to fight Hoshino after receiving power.

Hoshino brought Surtr to the Yeti Squad so Surtr would accept her offer of power, then introduced herself to FrostNova as Yae Sakura’s old friend. Surtr remained dazed as Hoshino asked whether she was ready to accept the power and fight.

• Surtr tried to delay Hoshino’s offer by asking to see a rare wonder in Ursus, the Yeti Squad.
• Hoshino agreed and led Surtr to the tundra, where FrostNova sensed their approach and prepared for a powerful opponent.
• Hoshino descended in a fiery meteor and introduced herself to FrostNova as Bianca Durandal Ataegina, captain of the Immortal Blades and Yae Sakura’s old friend.
• FrostNova introduced herself as captain of the Yeti Squad and Yae Sakura’s new friend, while remaining wary of Hoshino.
• Hoshino asked the dazed Surtr whether she would accept the power and fight her, and FrostNova demanded to know Hoshino’s purpose.

Hoshino brought Surtr to meet the Yeti Squad and urged her to pull the Xuanyuan Sword to awaken her power. After Surtr’s Originium Infection triggered an empathic ability that overwhelmed her with others’ sorrow, Hoshino and FrostNova discussed its risks.

• Hoshino planted the Xuanyuan Sword in a rock and told Surtr that she had to pull it free to earn its recognition.
• FrostNova asked Hoshino to help destroy a mine, and Hoshino’s fiery attack turned it into a lava pit while the Yeti Squad evacuated the infected.
• Hoshino found that Surtr still could not awaken the power needed to unlock the system’s characters, and Surtr remained afraid of the sword.
• Surtr’s Originium Infection symptoms erupted as the group traveled, allowing her to see her surroundings clearly and deeply feel the sorrow of the Yeti Squad members.
• Surtr looked at Hoshino and saw warmth and dawn, while Hoshino and FrostNova considered whether Surtr’s ability could confuse her memories.

Hoshino helped Surtr adjust to her awakening while the Yeti Squad continued destroying Ursus mines, causing strange weather and rumors across the empire. As FrostNova suspected they were being used, Hoshino asked Surtr whether she wanted power and told her to draw the sword.

• FrostNova explained that Surtr’s Originium talent could bring what she wanted at a cost, while Hoshino gave Surtr time to adapt.
• The Ursus capital was struck by an unexpected blizzard, and the general blamed the meteorological minister for failing to predict the chaotic weather.
• The Yeti Squad destroyed another mine, and rumors spread about Vulcan and her cheerleading fan club.
• Hoshino tested Surtr’s ability and found her overwhelmed by memories and incoming information.
• FrostNova worried that the Yeti Squad was being used as a weapon as Hoshino asked Surtr whether she desired power and urged her to draw the sword.

Hoshino escorted Surtr to the Xuanyuan Sword, whose transformation began when Surtr grasped its hilt. While Surtr changed, Hoshino defended the sword from Ursus forces and received confirmation that her mission was complete.

• FrostNova parted ways with Hoshino and Surtr, then decided to rest while the Yeti Squad handled its own problems.
• Hoshino guided Surtr toward the Xuanyuan Sword, and Surtr saw the sword as a person before reaching for it.
• Surtr gripped the hilt, prompting the Xuanyuan Sword to transform around her as the mission entered a new phase.
• Hoshino saw Ursus soldiers approaching and held them back with flames, keeping them away from Surtr and the sword.
• The mission confirmed that the Xuanyuan Sword had been given away, and Hoshino told the soldiers they had picked up an extra life.

Hoshino subdued Surtr after the Sarkaz girl unleashed the Xuanyuan Sword’s power, then watched her recover and unlock Blood Rose. Surtr accepted her defeat, while Hoshino pointed her toward Fu Hua as a future opponent and warned her to eat more ice cream if she traveled south.

• Hoshino grabbed Surtr by the horn and carried her away as the Ursus witnesses feared the minister would be executed for the catastrophe.
• Hoshino checked her character cards and saw Blood Rose unlocking while 999 mass-produced Xuanyuan Swords appeared in her inventory.
• Surtr collapsed after using her life-consuming power, and Hoshino watched over her as her breathing stabilized.
• Blood Rose finished unlocking, and Hoshino noticed that Rozaliya's Fervent Tempo Delta counted as a separate character.
• Surtr woke and admitted defeat when Hoshino offered to fight her again.
• Hoshino told Surtr that Fu Hua was the Xuanyuan Sword’s original owner and advised her to eat more ice cream if she went south.

After leaving Ursus, Surtr headed south toward Yan, while Hoshino returned to Lungmen and transformed into Blood Rose to test Ch'en’s reaction. Ch'en fainted during their encounter and woke up with Hoshino denying that anything unusual had happened.

• Hoshino left Surtr and flew from Ursus, while Surtr decided to travel south toward Yan.
• Hoshino landed outside Lungmen, returned to Yae Sakura’s form, and noted that her Goushinnso Memento unlock progress had barely advanced.
• At Yae Shrine, Hoshino transformed into Blood Rose and approached Ch'en as she practiced swordsmanship.
• Ch'en tried a Draw Slash, but a barrier stopped her before Hoshino struck her with light swords and knocked her unconscious.
• Ch'en woke with her head on Hoshino’s lap and accused the shrine of being haunted, but Hoshino claimed she had fainted from fatigue.

Ch'en saw the red-haired female ghost at Yae Shrine again and recruited Hoshiguma to help investigate the threat to Lungmen. When the ghost appeared before Hoshiguma, three phantom swordswomen joined the fight.

• Ch'en spotted the red-haired female ghost at the shrine gate and fled home in fear.
• Ch'en told Hoshiguma about the ghost and decided they would surveil Yae Shrine together.
• Ch'en practiced quick-draw techniques while Hoshiguma watched from the back mountain as Hoshino counted money in Tenshukaku.
• Hoshiguma heard Ch'en had reported a ghost, and the red-haired female ghost appeared atop Tenshukaku.
• Three phantom figures carrying greatswords approached Hoshiguma, who rose from the grass and fought them with her shield.

Hoshino convinced Ch'en and Hoshiguma that a corrupted Xuanyuan Sword had drawn a red-haired woman to the shrine, and that an immortal in the heavens was watching them. She left with the two inspectors to find the woman while keeping their investigation quiet.

• Hoshino intervened in Hoshiguma's fight with elemental clones, making it appear that she had defeated them with her blades.
• Hoshino questioned Ch'en about the red-haired woman and learned that she carried a black sword surrounded by sinister energy.
• Hoshino showed Ch'en a Xuanyuan Sword and invented a story that the woman was controlled by a Black Xuanyuan Sword seeking to devour it.
• Hoshino persuaded Ch'en and Hoshiguma to help find the woman, then took them to a coffee shop and claimed an immortal in the heavens was watching her.

Ch'en and Hoshiguma confronted Blood Rose, and Ch'en’s Chi Xiao slash broke the barrier but left her badly injured while damaging a Lungmen street. Hoshino continued directing the staged pursuit and arrived at Ch'en’s office with a plan.

• Hoshino, Ch'en, and Hoshiguma saw Blood Rose approach through a barrier that froze the civilians on the street.
• Ch'en drew Chi Xiao and slashed through the barrier, scattering Blood Rose’s aura but exhausting herself and wrecking the street.
• Hoshiguma helped Ch'en retreat as Blood Rose ignored them and pursued the fleeing Hoshino.
• Hoshino ordered Blood Rose to continue the performance, then made herself look battered before seeking Ch'en.
• Ch'en rested her bandaged hand in her office as Hoshino entered and announced she had a plan.

Hoshino persuaded Ch'en to serve as bait in a staged confrontation, relying on Kiana’s healing to let her repeatedly draw the Chi Xiao Sword against Blood Rose. The spectacle escalated when Blood Rose transformed into Lightning Empress and a thunderstorm struck Ch'en from above.

• Hoshino convinced Ch'en to endure repeated injuries, promising Kiana would heal her and restore her stamina.
• Hoshino placed the Xuanyuan Sword on a mountain in the Outer Ring, and Ch'en took her position there.
• Kiana arrived in disguise while Blood Rose entered the scene, and Ch'en repeatedly drew the Chi Xiao Sword as Kiana healed her wounds.
• Blood Rose transformed into Lightning Empress, and Hoshino told Ch'en that Yae Sakura’s greatest fear had come true.
• A thunderstorm descended, blinding Ch'en and blasting her off the ground.

Hoshino tricked Ch'en into believing she had faced a terrifying natural disaster, then carried her back to the shrine after she collapsed from exhaustion. Ch'en woke after a sixteen-hour sleep and called Hoshino a liar.

• Hoshino used her clone and Paralysis Field to make Ch'en believe she had survived a devastating thunderstorm, then escaped with the Xuanyuan Swords.
• Ch'en woke immobilized amid the wreckage, mistook her paralysis for fear, and collapsed when Hoshino told her she had improved.
• Hoshino carried Ch'en to the shrine, where Ch'en slept for sixteen hours as Wei Yenwu learned about the battlefield damage and arranged a gift for Yae Sakura.
• Ch'en woke thirsty and sore, asked what Hoshino had said before she passed out, and called her a liar when Hoshino repeated that she still had a long way to go.

After witnessing Ch'en reflect on her swordsmanship and worry about her absence from work, Hoshino received Princess Wen Yue’s gift and letter from Bai Xue. Hoshino persuaded Bai Xue to stay by offering her a large sum of money, leaving Bai Xue to consider the employment arrangement.

• Ch'en ate congee on her way back, resolved to keep practicing with Chi Xiao, and worried about explaining her absence to the Lungmen Guard Department.
• Hoshino waited at the shrine, thinking about the consequences of the supernatural event, until Bai Xue arrived with Princess Wen Yue’s gift and letter.
• Hoshino accepted the gift, which contained cherry blossom wine, and read the princess’s letter of thanks.
• Hoshino claimed Princess Wen Yue had granted her temporary use of Bai Xue and persuaded the ninja to remain by offering her roughly one hundred and twenty thousand Lungmen Dollars.
• Bai Xue considered whether the employment offer concealed a deeper purpose, such as observing Hoshino.

Bai Xue left the shrine to buy ingredients for Hoshino, while Saria escorted Ifrit to visit her friend. After unlocking Yae Kasumi, Hoshino received a system trial: she had to handle Ifrit and Saria’s arrival without being discovered, using only Raiden Mei and Yae Sakura.

• Hoshino persuaded Bai Xue to cook by sending her to Lungmen’s seafood market for ingredients.
• Saria escorted Ifrit toward Lungmen after preparing numerous safety agreements and defensive measures.
• Hoshino unlocked Yae Kasumi and praised Bai Xue’s salmon roe sushi.
• Hoshino sensed an urgent situation and sent Bai Xue back to Princess Wen Yue.
• The system announced a trial in which Hoshino had to avoid discovery by Ifrit and Saria using only Raiden Mei and Yae Sakura.