Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin visits the cemetery to check on the Wood Family, expecting them to be in distress, but finds them well-off and greeted by Miles, who should have left the kingdom.
• Miles reveals he knows the Wood Family, having been born in the Hori Kingdom and his father having served them.
• Benjamin learns about Miles' past and his current interest in God-Abandoned Valley, which Miles believes is located in Havenlight.

Character Developments

• Benjamin shows concern for the Wood Family's well-being and curiosity about Miles' past.
• Miles reveals personal history, expressing bitterness about his life's direction and interest in uncovering secrets about God-Abandoned Valley.

Significant Themes

• The past's influence on the present (Miles' history and its impact on his current actions).
• The power of secrets and hidden knowledge (the allure of God-Abandoned Valley's mysteries).

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles reunite under unexpected circumstances, leading to a conversation that reveals personal histories and shared interests.
• Miles greets the Wood Family, hinting at a past connection between them.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles decide to investigate the God-Abandoned Valley in Havenlight.
• Benjamin returns to Havenlight, visits his old home, and meets his father, Claude, without revealing his identity.
• Benjamin and Miles meet in Havenlight, and Miles reveals he knows the location of the God-Abandoned Valley, leading them to the Prison Ruins.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Shows nostalgia and concern for his old home and family, but maintains a low profile to avoid causing them trouble.
• Claude: Appears weary and tired, possibly due to the recent family turmoil.
• Miles: Remains mysterious and secretive, revealing he knows the location of the God-Abandoned Valley but not how he found out.

Significant Themes

• The impact of Benjamin's past on his present actions and emotions.
• The theme of secrets and revelation, as Miles keeps information to himself and Benjamin hides his identity from Claude.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Claude: Their brief encounter highlights the tension between Benjamin's desire to reconnect with his family and his need to keep them safe from The Church.
• Benjamin and Miles: Their dynamic shows Miles' mysterious nature and Benjamin's growing trust in him, as he follows Miles without question despite his secrecy.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miles leads Benjamin to the Prison Ruins, revealing that The Church is there to find the entrance to God-Abandoned Valley.
• They discover that the ruins are heavily guarded by The Church, making it difficult to enter.
• Miles suggests waiting until nightfall to sneak in, as the priests leave at night and only Paladins and Purifiers remain.

Character Developments

• Miles: Reveals he knew about The Church's presence and the nightly routine. He's resourceful and willing to take risks to achieve his goals.
• Benjamin: Shows determination to enter God-Abandoned Valley despite the risks. He's cautious and strategic, but also willing to help Miles if they find something valuable.

Significant Themes

• Trust and deception: Miles initially deceives Benjamin, but later reveals his true intentions. Benjamin, in turn, trusts Miles enough to enter the ruins together.
• Risk-taking: Both characters are willing to take risks to achieve their goals, showing courage and determination.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles: Their dynamic shifts from Benjamin's initial suspicion to a begrudging trust. They work together to find a way into the ruins, showing a level of teamwork and understanding.
• Benjamin and The Church: Benjamin's interactions with The Church are limited to observation, but his caution around them highlights his wariness of their power and influence.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Miles uses a potion to infiltrate the Prison Ruins undetected.
• Benjamin follows Miles' lead, using a gust of wind to slip into the ruins.
• Miles whistles to distract the guards, allowing Benjamin to enter.
• Benjamin uses the key (bracelet) inside the ruins, triggering ancient magical fluctuations.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Shows quick thinking and agility in entering the ruins. Demonstrates knowledge of magical items by using mental energy to activate the key.
• Miles: Exhibits exceptional infiltration skills and patience. Reveals anxiety about God-Abandoned Valley.

Significant Themes

• Trust and teamwork: Miles and Benjamin work together to infiltrate the ruins.
• Ancient magic and artifacts: The key (bracelet) and God-Abandoned Valley are revealed to be real, showcasing the power of ancient magic.

Character Interactions

• Miles and Benjamin: They communicate non-verbally and verbally to coordinate their actions. Miles provides guidance to Benjamin, showing a level of trust and reliance on each other.
• Guards and Purifiers: They react to the strange sound and wind, leading to Benjamin's successful infiltration.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles discover the entrance to God-Abandoned Valley, marked by a circle of light.
• They are pursued by Church Paladins, who also enter the valley.
• Benjamin and Miles eliminate the Paladins who entered before them.
• Benjamin reveals he has a map of God-Abandoned Valley.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Shows tension and caution initially, but later displays his power and confidence in dealing with the Paladins.
• Miles: Exhibits excitement and determination upon finding the valley's entrance, and later shows urgency in exploring it.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: Benjamin's magical abilities give him an advantage over the Paladins, reflecting the theme of power dynamics.
• Trust and Betrayal: The Paladins' secret conversation reveals their intention to cover up their dereliction of duty, highlighting themes of trust and betrayal.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles: They work together, with Miles driving the action forward and Benjamin using his magic to eliminate threats.
• Benjamin and the Paladins: Benjamin uses his magic to overwhelm the Paladins, showcasing his power and their vulnerability.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles enter a mysterious valley, likely the God-Abandoned Valley, using a map obtained earlier.
• They encounter Paladins from The Church who also entered the valley through the same halo.
• They follow the map's route, eventually encountering strange, floating elemental creatures.
• Benjamin's magic (Elemental Command: Destruction and ice blades) has no effect on the creatures.
• Miles's unique constitution repels the creatures, causing them to flee.

Character Developments

• Benjamin shows concern for Miles's safety and keeps an eye on their surroundings.
• Miles displays bravery and curiosity, willing to face the unknown creatures head-on.
• Both characters exhibit teamwork, with Benjamin using his magic and Miles using his unique constitution to deal with the creatures.

Significant Themes

• The unknown and mysterious nature of the God-Abandoned Valley.
• The power of teamwork and combining unique abilities.
• The repulsion of elements by Miles's constitution.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles work together to navigate the valley and face the elemental creatures.
• Benjamin shows concern for Miles's safety, while Miles displays confidence in his abilities.
• Their interaction reveals their complementary skills and trust in each other's abilities.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles continue through God-Abandoned Valley, encountering and studying elemental light clusters.
• Benjamin hears a strange, inaudible-to-others sound, increasing his unease about the valley's dangers.
• They reach the marked spot on the map, discovering a vast, devastated basin where an ancient battle took place.

Character Developments

• Benjamin becomes more cautious and alert due to the valley's unknown dangers.
• Miles remains focused on reaching their destination, showing determination and resilience.

Significant Themes

• The unknown and potentially dangerous nature of God-Abandoned Valley.
• The remnants of an ancient, catastrophic battle and its lingering oppressive atmosphere.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles work together, with Miles dispersing elemental light clusters and Benjamin studying them.
• Benjamin shares his concerns about the strange sound with Miles, but Miles remains unaware of it, highlighting Benjamin's isolation in this experience.
• Upon reaching the ancient battlefield, both characters are struck by its oppressive atmosphere, fostering a sense of shared awe and unease.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin hears a voice and turns around, finding himself in a lush, vibrant God-Abandoned Valley instead of the barren one he'd been in.
• Miles disappears, and Benjamin can't contact the Consciousness Space or the system.
• An unfamiliar man, Cain, appears and claims to be the most powerful mage in this world.
• Benjamin suspects he's been transported to an earlier era of God-Abandoned Valley.
• Cain calls Benjamin "Beast" and mentions an impending beast tide threat to their tribe.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Initially shocked and confused, he adapts to the situation and tries to understand his new circumstances. He's cautious and analytical, trying to figure out if he's in an illusion or a real past era.
• Cain: Introduced as a powerful mage with a mysterious past. He seems to have a connection to Benjamin's past and is aware of an impending threat to their tribe.

Significant Themes

• Time Travel/Parallel Worlds: Benjamin's possible transportation to an earlier era raises questions about time travel and parallel worlds.
• Identity: Benjamin's loss of memory and identity in this new context explores the theme of identity and self-discovery.
• Survival: The impending beast tide threat highlights the theme of survival and the struggle for existence.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Cain: Their interaction is tense and cautious, with Benjamin trying to gather information and Cain being enigmatic and somewhat teasing.
• Benjamin and Miles: Though Miles is not present, Benjamin's concern for his friend's disappearance is evident.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin follows Cain to his tribe, expecting to learn magic and understand the origins of magic and the conflict between Cain and Abel.
• The tribe is extremely primitive, with people barely clothed and living in crude shelters.
• Benjamin learns that there are several tribes in the known area, with Cain's tribe being the largest and most powerful.
• Cain teaches Benjamin a primitive hunting ritual to join the tribe by killing five Magic Beasts and collecting their blood.
• Cain and Benjamin encounter Magic Beasts, and Cain demonstrates a unique, seemingly instinctual way of casting fire magic without incantations or runes.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: He is curious and persistent in questioning Cain to learn more about this primitive era and the origins of magic. He also shows adaptability in accepting his new, primitive appearance and situation.
• Cain: He is revealed to be a powerful mage who can cast magic intuitively, without the need for incantations or runes. He is also protective of Benjamin, teaching him and guiding him through the tribe's customs.

Significant Themes

• The origins of magic and the evolution of magic casting methods.
• The primitive nature of early human societies and their struggle for survival against Magic Beasts.
• The power dynamics between tribes and the potential conflict between Cain and Abel.

Character Interactions

• Cain and Benjamin: Cain acts as a mentor and guide to Benjamin, teaching him about the tribe and demonstrating his unique magic casting method. Benjamin, in turn, questions Cain relentlessly to learn more about this era and the origins of magic.
• Benjamin and the Magic Beasts: Benjamin witnesses Cain's powerful magic and then attempts to finish off the wounded Magic Beasts, showing his determination to adapt to this new environment.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin discovers that the world he's in is an illusion created by Cain.
• He confirms this by stabbing Cain, who heals instantly, and noticing no blood flow.
• Benjamin uses a rune to attract elements from God-Abandoned Valley, causing the illusion to collapse.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Realizes the truth about the illusion and uses his knowledge of runes to escape.
• Cain (or the entity posing as Cain): Reveals his true nature as the illusion collapses.

Significant Themes

• Reality vs. Illusion: The chapter explores the blurred line between reality and illusion, with Benjamin ultimately discerning the truth.
• Power of Knowledge: Benjamin's understanding of runes and elements allows him to escape the illusion.
• Identity: Cain's true identity is left ambiguous, adding to the mystery of the story.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Cain: Their interaction is tense and revelatory, with Benjamin questioning Cain's true nature and Cain refusing to reveal himself until the end.
• Benjamin and the Elements: Benjamin's use of the rune to attract elements from God-Abandoned Valley is a crucial interaction that leads to his escape from the illusion.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles wake up in the basin, surrounded by elemental light clusters.
• The membrane protecting them bursts, and the elemental lights attack.
• Benjamin uses Miles as a shield to fend off the lights until Miles wakes up and fights them off.
• Benjamin learns from the System that they were likely targeted by a powerful spiritual force.
• They realize they're in the final battle site of Cain and Abel.
• Benjamin suggests leaving, but Miles insists on searching for the treasure.

Character Developments

• Benjamin demonstrates quick thinking and resourcefulness in dealing with the elemental lights.
• Miles shows his combat skills and determination in searching for the treasure.
• The System reveals its limitations, being blocked by the spiritual force.

Significant Themes

• The power of the past: The lingering influence of Cain's spirit and the final battle of Cain and Abel.
• The dangers of greed: Miles's obsession with finding the treasure despite the risks.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles work together to fend off the elemental lights.
• Benjamin and the System communicate about the mysterious force that targeted them.
• Benjamin and Miles discuss their plans, with Benjamin reluctantly agreeing to help Miles search for the treasure.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin discovers a well-preserved corpse buried underground using his water-element domain.
• The corpse is found to be thousands to tens of thousands of years old, with a parchment scroll containing an unknown rune.
• More corpses are unearthed, all preserved, and a broken sword with chaotic spiritual power is found at the burial site's center.

Character Developments

• Benjamin shows curiosity and excitement about the possibility of reviving the lost art of runes.
• Miles displays indifference to the corpses and the parchment but shows interest in the broken sword.

Significant Themes

• The lost knowledge of runes and the potential for revival.
• The power of spiritual energy and its chaotic state within the broken sword.
• The mystery surrounding the ancient battlefield and its buried relics.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles work together to excavate the site, with Benjamin digging and Miles searching the corpses.
• Benjamin shares his findings with Miles, but Miles is more interested in the broken sword than the parchment with the unknown rune.
• Benjamin is puzzled by the broken sword's purpose, while Miles recognizes its significance.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles discover a broken sword in the God-Abandoned Valley.
• Miles recognizes the sword as the legendary Holy Sword, capable of purifying all curses.
• Miles attempts to lift a curse using the sword by cutting himself, but nothing happens.
• Benjamin stops Miles from further self-harm and demands an explanation.
• Miles reveals his past: he underwent the Abyss Trial, killing his siblings to survive, and gained immunity to magic but a curse that limits his lifespan to 28 years.

Character Developments

• Miles: Reveals his dark past and the origin of his unique constitution. Struggles with the guilt and curse from the Abyss Trial, leading to despair and self-harm.
• Benjamin: Shows concern and understanding towards Miles, trying to comfort him and prevent him from harming himself. Struggles to understand and accept Miles's past.

Significant Themes

• Guilt and Redemption: Miles grapples with the guilt of killing his siblings and seeks redemption through lifting the curse.
• The Price of Power: Miles's immunity to magic comes at the cost of a shortened lifespan, raising questions about the morality of such power.
• Acceptance: Benjamin encourages Miles to accept his unique constitution and live his life well despite its sinful origins.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles: Their dynamic shifts from mere acquaintances to one of support and understanding as Benjamin learns about Miles's past. Benjamin tries to prevent Miles from harming himself and offers comfort, while Miles opens up about his experiences.
• Miles and His Father: The relationship is revealed to be complex and abusive, with Miles's father subjecting him to the Abyss Trial for revenge against mages.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Miles find a broken, rusty sword that Miles believes is the legendary Holy Sword, but Benjamin concludes it's unlikely to lift curses or help Miles' condition.
• They discover that God-Abandoned Valley has become an independent space with no obvious exit, and they must search for a fractured edge to leave.
• They encounter two priests from The Church who are discussing internal strife, including a potential new Pope (Grant) and the Bishop's influence.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: He remains pragmatic and analytical, even in the face of Miles' desperation. He's also more determined to undermine The Church's power after learning about their internal struggles.
• Miles: He's disheartened by Benjamin's assessment of the Holy Sword but maintains his usual carefree demeanor. His condition remains a pressing concern.

Significant Themes

• Hope and Despair: Miles clings to hope that the Holy Sword can save him, while Benjamin is more realistic. The theme is further emphasized when Benjamin encourages Miles not to give up.
• Power Struggles: The conversation between the priests highlights the power dynamics within The Church, foreshadowing potential conflicts and Benjamin's plans to exploit these divisions.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles: Their dynamic shifts as Miles becomes more vulnerable, seeking Benjamin's support. Benjamin, in turn, tries to be more considerate and encouraging.
• The Two Priests: Their conversation reveals the undercurrents of power within The Church, setting the stage for Benjamin's future plans.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin and Yi Ang return from God-Abandoned Valley, finding only a few minutes have passed in their original world.
• Miles leaves without saying goodbye, upsetting Benjamin but not deterring his plans.
• Benjamin decides to spread the Magic Is Innocent Doctrine in the Hori Kingdom to change public perception of mages.
• Benjamin arrives at a remote mountain village, where villagers plead with a priest for help against a plague. The priest refuses, claiming divine arts are not for such use.
• Benjamin intervenes, using magic to trap the priest and offer to heal the villagers.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Shows determination to improve mages' image and help those in need, despite Miles' departure.
• The Priest: Reveals his reluctance to use divine arts for healing, prioritizing his image and power over the villagers' well-being.
• Villagers: Initially afraid and distrustful of Benjamin, a mage, but desperate for help against the plague.

Significant Themes

• The stigma against mages and the fear of magic, instilled by the Church's propaganda.
• The power dynamics between the Church and common people, with the Church exploiting its position for personal gain.
• Benjamin's commitment to changing public perception and helping those in need, despite the challenges involved.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and Miles: Their relationship remains strained due to Miles' departure without a word.
• Benjamin and the Priest: Benjamin exposes the priest's unwillingness to help the villagers, using magic to trap him and offer an alternative solution.
• Benjamin and the Villagers: The villagers are initially afraid and distrustful of Benjamin, but their desperation for help creates a tense interaction.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin demonstrates his healing magic to cure a village plagued by a mysterious illness.
• He confronts the villagers' prejudice against mages and challenges the Church's authority.
• After healing the patients, Benjamin kills the priest and leaves, aiming to change the villagers' perspective on mages.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Shows compassion and determination to help the villagers, despite their initial suspicion. He also reveals his disdain for the Church and its false claims of divine power.
• The Villagers: Initially fearful and prejudiced against mages, they begin to change their views after witnessing Benjamin's healing magic.
• The Priest: Trapped and humiliated by Benjamin, he represents the Church's false claims and lack of power to help the villagers.

Significant Themes

• Prejudice and Discrimination: The villagers' initial fear and mistrust of mages, despite Benjamin's clear intention to help.
• The Power of Magic: Benjamin's use of magic to heal the sick challenges the Church's monopoly on divine power and healing.
• The Church's Fraudulence: Benjamin exposes the Church's inability to help the villagers and its false claims of divine power.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and the Villagers: Initially hostile, their relationship evolves as they witness Benjamin's healing magic, leading to gratitude and respect.
• Benjamin and the Priest: Benjamin confronts and ultimately kills the priest, symbolizing his challenge to the Church's authority.
• The Villagers and the Priest: The villagers' faith in the Church wavers as they see the priest's inability to help and Benjamin's successful healing.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The bishop receives a report about villagers showing signs of demonic influence.
• The bishop sends more Paladins to control speech and strengthen vigilance in nearby villages.
• Grant, a priest, emerges from the confessional, hinting at a secret.
• The bishop and Grant have a tense conversation, revealing a power struggle within the church.
• Grant stabs the bishop, who accepts his fate calmly, attributing everything to God's will.
• Grant leaves the bishop to die, expressing frustration and pain.

Character Developments

• The bishop remains composed and unemotional, even in the face of death, reinforcing his portrayal as a spokesperson for God, devoid of personal feelings.
• Grant's frustration and pain become evident, suggesting a complex inner struggle and a desire for recognition or change within the church.

Significant Themes

• Power and Control: The bishop's control over the church and his manipulation of Grant highlight the theme of power and its corrupting influence.
• Faith and Belief: The bishop's unwavering belief in God's will, even in the face of death, contrasts with Grant's frustration and questions about the church's teachings and actions.
• Secrets and Betrayal: The secretive nature of Grant's actions and his eventual betrayal of the bishop emphasize the theme of secrets and their destructive potential.

Character Interactions

• The bishop and Grant's interaction reveals a complex power dynamic, with the bishop maintaining control and Grant struggling against it.
• The bishop's calm acceptance of his fate and Grant's frustration highlight the emotional distance between them and the tension in their relationship.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Benjamin, disguised as Mage John, attends the Queen's birthday banquet in Ikor.
• The Mage Guild President provides Benjamin with a false identity and briefs him on the plan to free the mages from the Queen's control during the banquet.
• Benjamin senses that there are many powerful mages present, but he cannot locate the Queen.
• The Guild President informs Benjamin that some mages are missing, making this year's gathering unusual.

Character Developments

• Benjamin remains calm and focused on his mission, despite the unusual circumstances.
• The Guild President shows loyalty and dedication to the cause, providing Benjamin with crucial information and support.

Significant Themes

• Deception and Disguise: Benjamin uses a false identity to infiltrate the banquet, highlighting the theme of deception and disguise.
• Power and Control: The Queen's control over the mages and her display of power at the banquet contrast with Benjamin's stealthy approach.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and the Guild President meet secretly to discuss the plan, demonstrating their trust and cooperation.
• Benjamin interacts with other mages at the banquet, but his conversations are brief and focused on the mission.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A group of ordinary people, disguised as mages, infiltrates the royal banquet.
• Benjamin and the president discover the infiltration, but the intruders remain calm.
• The prime minister reveals that the Queen ordered the infiltration.
• Benjamin realizes that the absent mages might have been secretly gathered elsewhere.

Character Developments

• Benjamin: Becomes suspicious and starts piecing together clues.
• The President: Confronts the prime minister and the intruders, but remains puzzled by the Queen's actions.
• The Prime Minister: Maintains a calm demeanor, revealing only what is necessary.

Significant Themes

• Deception and truth: The intruders' true identities are hidden, and the Queen's motives remain unclear.
• Power dynamics: The mages' power is challenged by the presence of ordinary people in their midst.
• Trust and suspicion: The president's trust in the Queen is tested, and Benjamin starts questioning the situation.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and the President: They discuss the infiltration and try to understand the Queen's motives.
• The President and the Prime Minister: Their interaction is tense, with the president confronting the prime minister about the infiltration.
• The intruders and the mages: The intruders remain calm despite being exposed, while the mages are confused and suspicious.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Queen leads mages to attack the Magic Academy while Benjamin is at the banquet.
• Benjamin realizes the Queen's plan and decides to control the situation at the banquet.
• Benjamin and the Mage Guild's president create chaos by accusing the Prime Minister of colluding with The Church and kidnapping the Queen.
• The mages present, believing the Queen is in danger, turn against the Prime Minister and his guards.
• The president suggests removing the potion's effects to rescue the Queen and prevent The Church from using it against them.

Character Developments

• Benjamin shows leadership and quick thinking in crisis, prioritizing Ikor's safety over rushing back to the academy.
• The Mage Guild's president supports Benjamin, demonstrating unity among mages against the Queen's secret attack.
• The Prime Minister is overwhelmed and unable to explain the situation due to the mages' panic and Benjamin's manipulation.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and deception: Benjamin and the president manipulate the mages' emotions and actions to control the situation.
• Unity and division: The mages unite against the perceived threat of The Church and the Prime Minister, while the Queen's actions divide them from her.
• Power dynamics: The Queen's absence and the Prime Minister's inability to control the situation highlight the shifting power dynamics in Ikor.

Character Interactions

• Benjamin and the Mage Guild's president work together to create chaos and turn the mages against the Prime Minister.
• The mages present unite in their anxiety and anger, turning against the Prime Minister and his guards.
• The Prime Minister is isolated and unable to communicate effectively with the mages due to their panic and Benjamin's manipulation.