Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Several UR Contract Spirits battle World-Class Wanted Bosses in separate live-streamed fights:
  • Rain God trades water attacks with the Abyss Water Serpent, neither gaining a clear advantage.
  • Owlman uses gadgets, stealth, and quick thinking against the heavily armored Mechanical Wyvern, but its sound-wave detection keeps locating him.
  • Angel uses holy light to expose and damage the regenerative Shadow Demon Wolf, though it repeatedly recovers.
  • Undying Hero is badly corroded by the Venomous Empress’s poison, recovers, and resumes fighting; his resilience keeps him alive, but the battle becomes a stalemate.
  • Kuang Lan repeatedly shatters the regenerating Earth Guardian with telekinetic force, lightning, and wind.
  • Haotian impresses viewers with powerful named attacks, while War God fights King Kong without losing heart, despite having previously lost to Xia Yuan.
• As viewers drift from Xia Yuan’s stream to the more suspenseful fights, they realize the bosses are not weak—Xia Yuan is simply so powerful that he defeats them too quickly.
• A Mechanical Tyrannosaurus, an eight-story-tall boss and an old acquaintance, appears before Xia Yuan. He wonders whether it will survive a single punch, and viewers wait to see what happens.
• Elsewhere, Othinus cradles Sevier’s cold body and asks why she hid and what might make her wake. Remembering the Scientist’s claim that killing Xia Yuan and obtaining the Heart of Requiem could let her surpass demigodhood and make anything possible, Othinus contemplates that path.

Character developments and interactions

• The battles highlight each spirit’s distinct strengths and limitations: Rain God’s graceful elemental skill, Owlman’s versatility, Angel’s natural advantage against darkness, Undying Hero’s near-instant recovery, and Kuang Lan’s overwhelming destructive power.
• War God’s fight against King Kong reinforces his courage and resilience; viewers argue that losing once to Xia Yuan does not negate his strength.
• Viewer reactions shape the chapter’s perspective: they first favor the more balanced, spectacular fights, then recognize Xia Yuan’s victories as evidence of extraordinary power rather than weak opponents.
• Othinus’s grief and longing for Sevier intersect with the Scientist’s promise, setting her on a possible collision course with Xia Yuan.

Significant themes

• Strength and spectacle: A quick, effortless victory can appear less impressive than a hard-fought battle, even when it demonstrates greater power.
• Different forms of strength: Tactical ingenuity, elemental control, endurance, courage, and overwhelming force are all celebrated.
• Grief and desperate hope: Othinus’s wish to revive Sevier makes the prospect of killing Xia Yuan seem like a possible means to transcend the limits of death.

Chapter Summary: “Cheer for Me”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yuan’s livestream gains massive attention when a new World-Class Wanted Boss appears in the holographic space.
• The opponent is revealed to be the Mechanical Tyrannosaurus, a powerful boss Xia Yuan previously fought alongside Haotian.
• The Mechanical Tyrannosaurus unleashes overwhelming firepower—Gatling guns, missiles, lasers, and cannons—but Xia Yuan destroys the entire barrage with a single Normal Punch.
• The Tyrannosaurus survives through a hidden second phase, regenerating its body with liquid metal and restoring its health bar. This is the first time one of Xia Yuan’s opponents withstands his ordinary punch.
• Excited by the challenge, Xia Yuan allows the boss to activate Overload Mode and charge its city-destroying Annihilation Cannon.
• Xia Yuan responds with his killing move, “Serious Series: Serious Punch.” The punch instantly disperses the Annihilation Cannon and completely destroys the Mechanical Tyrannosaurus.
• Xia Yuan earns 10,000 points, raising his reward progress to 48% and placing him far ahead in the rankings. Despite this, he is frustrated that he “got too serious” and ended the fight too quickly.
• The other UR Contract Spirits defeat their own World-Class Wanted Bosses:
  • Kuang Lan destroys the Earth Guardian with her lightning technique, Moment of Annihilation.
  • Haotian defeats his opponent with Great Annihilation Fist.
  • Feng Luan kills the Lava Lizard King with overwhelming flames.
  • Rain God defeats the Abyss Water Serpent after a prolonged water battle.
  • M Superman defeats the Sandworm.
  • Undying Hero and War God remain locked in difficult battles against their opponents.
• Kuang Lan discovers that Xia Yuan leads the rankings with 27,831 points, more than 5,000 ahead of her 22,777 points. Determined to overtake him, she searches for him.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God eventually arrive at Xia Yuan’s location. Their encounter creates intense excitement among the viewers, who anticipate a battle between three top UR Contract Spirits.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God confront Xia Yuan over their previous conflicts. The chapter ends as all three unleash their UR auras and simultaneously declare, “Domain Expansion!”

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan: Remains overwhelmingly powerful, but finally shows genuine excitement when an opponent survives his Normal Punch. His brief seriousness reveals an even greater level of power, while his frustration shows that he is bored by battles he cannot fully enjoy.
• Kuang Lan: Demonstrates immense offensive power and confidence by defeating the Earth Guardian. However, seeing Xia Yuan still far ahead awakens her competitive pride and determination to surpass him.
• Rain God: Proves her strength through patience, endurance, and tactical timing, defeating the Abyss Water Serpent despite its environmental advantage. She approaches Xia Yuan with confidence and a desire to settle their past conflict.
• Haotian: Continues to perform strongly and takes satisfaction in seeing Great Xia’s UR Contract Spirits dominate the rankings.
• Undying Hero and War God: Their struggles emphasize that powerful abilities do not guarantee easy victories; limited damage output, enemy intelligence, and second phases can create serious difficulties.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and the limits of challenge: Xia Yuan’s power is so extreme that even a city-destroying attack cannot force him into a prolonged fight.
• Simplicity concealing terrifying power: Xia Yuan’s attacks have ordinary names and appearances, but their effects are devastating. His “Serious Punch” represents mastery expressed through simplicity.
• Competition and pride: The ranking system motivates the other UR Contract Spirits, especially Kuang Lan, to compete more aggressively.
• Spectacle and entertainment: The livestream audience treats the battles as both combat demonstrations and entertainment, becoming bored when fights are effortless and excited when Xia Yuan finally faces resistance.
• Team and national rivalry: The performance of Great Xia’s UR Contract Spirits boosts confidence that their country may surpass the United States at the Global Summit.

Character Interactions

• Xia Yuan’s rematch with the Mechanical Tyrannosaurus contrasts his current effortless strength with their former intense battle alongside Haotian.
• The livestream audience repeatedly compares Xia Yuan’s instant victories with the prolonged struggles of the other UR Contract Spirits.
• Kuang Lan’s rivalry with Xia Yuan continues as she reacts angrily to his lead and actively seeks him out.
• Rain God also confronts Xia Yuan, invoking their previous clash and suggesting unresolved hostility.
• The final triangular standoff between Xia Yuan, Kuang Lan, and Rain God sets up a major confrontation, with all three preparing to use Domain Expansion.

Chapter Summary: “Heaven-Descending Justice”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Kuang Lan, Rain God, and Xia Yuan engage in a three-way battle on an open plain while the fight is broadcast live.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God unleash increasingly powerful attacks—lightning strikes, water blades, windstorms, water dragons, and crushing gravitational force—but Xia Yuan remains stationary and casually destroys every attack with simple punches.
• Xia Yuan’s mocking, indifferent attitude enrages both women. He repeatedly calls their attacks repetitive and compares them to a massage or a children’s game.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God briefly turn their attacks against each other because of their longstanding personal rivalry, though they continue targeting Xia Yuan as well.
• Kuang Lan uses her strongest technique, “Thunder Roar, Violet Lightning Pursues the Shadow,” but Xia Yuan disperses the mountain-level lightning with a single “Normal Punch.”
• The two Contract Spirits combine their ultimate attacks: Kuang Lan summons a gigantic meteor through “Heaven-Descending Justice,” while Rain God creates a massive tsunami. Xia Yuan destroys the meteor with “Consecutive Normal Punch” and splits the tsunami with the force of his strikes.
• A World-Class Wanted Boss, Taotie, appears and interrupts the battle. Kuang Lan and Rain God immediately redirect their anger toward it, attacking it together.
• Their coordinated assault quickly depletes Taotie’s health, and they defeat it, earning 5,000 points each. The livestream audience is stunned by both their power and the absurdity of the situation.
• Despite Taotie’s defeat, Kuang Lan and Rain God insist on continuing their fight with Xia Yuan. A mysterious fourth expert arrives, joking about joining the battle for a game of mahjong.
• The chapter then shifts to Saint Laurent Cathedral, introducing a seemingly benevolent priest who claims to heal a noblewoman’s daughter. After the woman leaves, his cold and disturbing nature is revealed: he disinfects himself after touching her and keeps a young boy named James hidden in the cathedral.
• The priest receives a letter asking him to help subdue Xia Yuan, but burns it, declaring that Xia Yuan’s strength is irrelevant to him. He instead descends into the basement to listen to “his Lord’s voice,” suggesting a separate sinister plot.

2. Character Developments

• Xia Yuan: Demonstrates overwhelming physical strength and complete confidence. He never needs to move defensively and defeats attacks capable of destroying mountains or cities with casual punches. His lazy, deadpan personality remains unchanged, but his dominance establishes him as vastly superior to the two UR Contract Spirits.
• Kuang Lan: Becomes increasingly frustrated and emotional as Xia Yuan mocks her. Her pride as a UR Contract Spirit is wounded, and she escalates from lightning attacks to her devastating meteor technique. She also reveals her impulsive, childish side through her arguments with Rain God.
• Rain God: Shows equal combat ability and a competitive, sharp-tongued personality. She works effectively with Kuang Lan against Taotie, shifting from rivalry to flawless cooperation when confronting a common enemy.
• Taotie: Despite being a powerful World-Class Boss, it is completely overwhelmed by the combined fury of Kuang Lan and Rain God. Its defeat emphasizes how far below Xia Yuan even major monsters rank.
• The Priest: Is introduced as outwardly compassionate and devout but is revealed to be manipulative, unsettling, and possibly cruel. His interaction with James suggests he may be exploiting or experimenting on the child, while his devotion to an unknown “Lord” establishes him as a likely future antagonist.
• James: Appears frightened, submissive, and vulnerable under the priest’s control, hinting at a troubling relationship.

3. Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength versus flashy power: The UR Contract Spirits use spectacular, destructive techniques, but Xia Yuan’s basic punches prove that raw, controlled power can surpass elaborate abilities.
• Pride and provocation: Xia Yuan’s casual insults drive Kuang Lan and Rain God to escalate the conflict, showing how wounded pride can turn a battle into reckless overkill.
• Rivalry and cooperation: Although Kuang Lan and Rain God constantly insult and attack each other, they can cooperate efficiently when faced with a shared enemy such as Taotie.
• Public spectacle: The livestream commentary turns the battle into entertainment, emphasizing how combatants’ reputations and public reactions influence the scene.
• Deceptive appearances: Xia Yuan’s lazy appearance hides terrifying strength, while the priest’s kindly religious persona conceals a disturbing nature.
• Moral corruption beneath piety: The cathedral subplot contrasts outward charity with hidden manipulation, suggesting that religious devotion may be used to mask sinister intentions.

4. Character Interactions

• Xia Yuan repeatedly provokes Kuang Lan and Rain God by dismissing their techniques, calling their attacks repetitive and comparing them to children playing.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God exchange insults and deliberately interfere with each other’s attacks, reflecting their established rivalry.
• When Taotie appears, the two immediately unite against it, combining Kuang Lan’s ranged lightning and storms with Rain God’s water-based close combat.
• After killing Taotie, they return their attention to Xia Yuan and challenge him to continue the fight.
• The unnamed fourth expert interrupts the confrontation with a joking invitation to play mahjong, adding another layer of comedic chaos.
• In the cathedral, the priest reassures the noblewoman and accepts her gratitude while secretly treating her touch as contaminating. He then comforts and controls James with false gentleness, revealing a stark contrast between his public and private behavior.

Chapter Summary: “My Soldiers”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens in the Land of Chaos, an ungoverned region where warlords, mercenaries, criminals, refugees, and other factions fight constantly. It is both the world’s last “free land” and its largest graveyard.
• Two armed factions battle through the ruins of an abandoned industrial city. After hours of intense fighting involving rifles, machine guns, grenades, rockets, and close combat, both sides suffer enormous casualties.
• Watching from above is War, a beautiful, seemingly teenage girl and a World-Class Wanted Boss who rules the Land of Chaos.
• War uses her Divine Ring—a massive rotating arsenal containing weapons from across human history—to fire bullets into the corpses on the battlefield. She commands them to rise as Steel Puppets, undead mechanical soldiers whose bodies are reinforced with metal and who feel no pain or fear.
• The remaining combatants continue fighting despite the supernatural intervention, viewing death as either an escape from suffering or an opportunity to earn War’s attention.
• Within two and a half hours, all 137 fighters from both factions are dead. Their bodies are transformed into puppets, which War dispatches to patrol the region.
• War visits an abandoned church, reflecting on her isolation and the nature of her existence. She wonders whether she exists only to witness and encourage human violence, or whether she is the living embodiment of war itself.
• A paper airplane delivers an invitation from the Holy Maiden Church, asking War to attend a gathering of powerful figures to discuss the world’s future.
• Although War recognizes that the Church intends to use her power, she accepts the invitation because the gathering may provide powerful opponents and the possibility of exciting conflict.

2. Character Developments

• War is established as overwhelmingly powerful, detached, and almost entirely devoted to conflict. She treats human warfare as entertainment and sees the battlefield as a stage.
• Her ability to animate corpses reveals that she does not merely observe war—she actively perpetuates it and converts its casualties into obedient soldiers.
• Despite her confidence and apparent invincibility, War shows a rare moment of loneliness and existential uncertainty. She questions whether her existence has any purpose beyond slaughter and battle.
• Her interest in the Holy Maiden Church’s gathering suggests that, while she is indifferent to fame and other powerful individuals, she remains curious about potential challenges and stronger opponents.
• The soldiers are portrayed collectively rather than individually, demonstrating how completely war has reduced human beings to expendable combatants. Some fear death, while others glorify battle and even desire War’s approval.

3. Significant Themes

• War as both freedom and destruction: The Land of Chaos is free from governments and laws, but this freedom comes at the cost of constant violence and death.
• The dehumanization of combatants: Human life is treated as the cheapest resource, and the dead are literally repurposed as weapons.
• The cycle of conflict: Battles destroy existing powers, create new ones, and ensure that violence continues indefinitely.
• War as an autonomous force: War is depicted not simply as a person but as the personification of humanity’s aggression, possessiveness, hatred, and desire for destruction.
• Violence as spectacle: War admires the mechanics and “aesthetics” of battle—the weapons, explosions, tactics, and physical destruction—while ignoring its human cost.
• Loneliness and meaninglessness: Though War is the strongest being in the region, she is isolated from everyone else and unable to find an answer to why she exists.
• Manipulation and power politics: The Holy Maiden Church’s invitation introduces a wider political scheme in which powerful organizations seek to exploit supernatural beings for their own objectives.

4. Character Interactions

• War and the soldiers: War watches the soldiers from above as if they are performers. The soldiers are aware of her presence and interpret her powers through worship, fear, or fanaticism, but War remains emotionally distant from them.
• War and the Steel Puppets: She treats the newly created puppets as her personal army, giving them simple orders and using them to maintain control over the Land of Chaos.
• War and the Holy Maiden Church: The Church approaches her respectfully, inviting her to a gathering while concealing its full intentions. War understands that they want to use her but willingly entertains the arrangement because it may lead to more conflict.
• War and other powerful beings: She dismisses the Church’s bishops and even a newly famous UR Contract Spirit as temporary figures who will eventually fade, reinforcing her belief that she alone is enduring because war itself will always exist.

Chapter Summary: “Sworn Brotherhood”

Key plot points and events

• M Superman arrives, eager to test Xia Yuan’s strength. When Kuang Lan and Rain God object to him cutting in, he fights them both instead.
• Their battle becomes a chaotic spectacle of lightning, water attacks, and M Superman’s strength and energy beams. Xia Yuan watches from the sidelines, barely reacting, though he complains when their attacks nearly hit him.
• The three eventually turn on Xia Yuan. He casually scatters their opening attacks with a single punch, then overwhelms their stronger combined assault with Consecutive Normal Punch, blasting M Superman far away while remaining unharmed.
• Despite this demonstration, Kuang Lan, Rain God, and M Superman insist on continuing. Feng Luan arrives and offers to help Xia Yuan, believing he may need backup against all three.
• The chapter ends with Xia Yuan and Feng Luan facing Kuang Lan, Rain God, and M Superman as all five prepare to fight.

Character developments

• Xia Yuan remains laid-back and impatient, treating the clashes as an interruption to his monster farming. His effortless victories nevertheless reveal overwhelming power, even against three UR Contract Spirits attacking together.
• M Superman is bold, competitive, and eager to test himself against Xia Yuan. Though his toughness lets him withstand earlier attacks, Xia Yuan’s Consecutive Normal Punch finally leaves him visibly injured and surprised.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God demonstrate strong abilities and growing coordination, but their attacks prove ineffective against Xia Yuan. Their rivalry and determination to settle their score with him keep them from backing down.
• Feng Luan arrives in a protective, teasing mood and offers to stand beside Xia Yuan. She believes he is boasting when he claims he can handle the others alone, but wants to support him without embarrassing him.

Significant themes

• Power and spectacle: The chapter emphasizes the vast difference between impressive attacks and Xia Yuan’s seemingly effortless strength.
• Competitive pride: Each fighter wants a chance to challenge Xia Yuan, and none is willing to concede after being repelled.
• Loyalty and solidarity: Feng Luan’s arrival introduces a contrast to the others’ rivalry: she joins Xia Yuan out of concern and support.
• Comedy amid combat: Xia Yuan’s deadpan impatience and the live-stream audience’s jokes undercut the dramatic scale of the battle.

Character interactions

• M Superman’s enthusiasm clashes with Kuang Lan and Rain God’s insistence that they have first claim on Xia Yuan; their argument turns into a three-way fight.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God attack M Superman together, showing cooperation despite their usual antagonism.
• Xia Yuan criticizes their careless attacks and later objects to being ganged up on, but responds decisively when they target him.
• Feng Luan challenges the group’s fairness and stands beside Xia Yuan. M Superman remains frustrated that others keep interrupting his hoped-for one-on-one fight.
• The live-stream viewers follow the shifting alliances, celebrate Xia Yuan’s strength, and anticipate the impending two-versus-three battle.

Summary of “Itching for a Fight”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Wrath, the Holy Maiden Church’s “World Shatterer” bishop, travels to the Arctic with four subordinates to awaken Godzilla.
• The Church intends to bring Godzilla to the Global Summit in Evernight City, where it can fight Xia Yuan, a powerful UR Contract Spirit. The mission is part of the Church’s larger, century-long plan.
• Impatient with the planned use of explosives, Wrath personally cuts through the hundred-meter-thick ice with his battle axes.
• His attacks awaken Godzilla, an ancient beast over 120 meters tall and more than 300 meters long.
• Instead of negotiating, Wrath immediately attacks Godzilla. The ensuing battle devastates the Arctic ice field:
  • Wrath’s axes repeatedly strike Godzilla’s armored head and neck.
  • Godzilla counters with sonic roars, massive claws, and its Atomic Breath.
  • Wrath answers the Atomic Breath with his “Heaven-Splitting: Realm Rend.”
• The fight lasts two and a half hours, collapsing glaciers and destroying much of the surrounding landscape. Both combatants suffer serious damage, but neither is decisively defeated.
• Wrath eventually remembers the actual purpose of the mission and invites Godzilla to the Global Summit. Godzilla refuses and begins returning beneath the ice.
• Wrath changes tactics by mentioning Xia Yuan and revealing that Xia Yuan killed King Kong.
• Godzilla reacts with overwhelming rage and renewed killing intent, deciding to pursue Xia Yuan to Evernight City.

Character Development

• Wrath: He is introduced as an immensely powerful but impatient and battle-obsessed warrior. He despises planning and believes overwhelming force is the solution to every problem. During the battle, his excitement grows as he encounters an opponent capable of enduring his strongest attacks. He develops genuine admiration for Godzilla, but his obsession causes him to forget the mission entirely. By the end, he cleverly uses Godzilla’s hatred of Xia Yuan to accomplish the Church’s objective.
• Godzilla: Initially dormant and indifferent, Godzilla awakens in anger after Wrath’s attacks. It proves to be an almost invulnerable ancient monster capable of matching Wrath’s power. Although it rejects the invitation to the Global Summit, its attitude changes completely when it learns of King Kong’s death, revealing a deep emotional connection or sense of vengeance.
• Wrath’s Subordinates: They begin as obedient and reverent followers, praising Wrath’s strength, but become terrified spectators during the battle. Their main concern shifts from the mission to basic survival, highlighting the enormous gap between ordinary Church members and their bishop.

Significant Themes

• The destructive nature of obsession: Wrath’s hunger for combat overrides his reason and nearly derails the mission.
• Power recognizing power: Wrath and Godzilla develop mutual acknowledgment through combat, despite being unable to communicate conventionally.
• Strength versus strategy: Wrath rejects complicated plans, yet ultimately succeeds through a simple psychological tactic—appealing to Godzilla’s hatred of Xia Yuan.
• Ancient power and modern conflict: Godzilla represents a primordial force awakened and redirected into the Church’s contemporary struggle.
• Revenge and emotional motivation: Godzilla’s response to King Kong’s death suggests that personal loss is a stronger motivator than political goals or invitations.

Character Interactions

• Wrath intimidates and commands his subordinates, forcing them to accelerate the helicopter despite the danger.
• His subordinates repeatedly praise his power but later criticize his recklessness and urge him to remember the mission.
• Wrath and Godzilla communicate primarily through battle, roars, and instinctive reactions. Their fight becomes a form of mutual recognition.
• After the battle, Wrath awkwardly attempts to invite Godzilla to the summit, but Godzilla refuses.
• Wrath then tells Godzilla that Xia Yuan killed King Kong. This revelation transforms Godzilla’s indifference into fury and persuades it to pursue Xia Yuan.

Chapter Summary: “Sword Fighting Is Great”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Feng Luan arrives on the battlefield to support Xia Yuan, turning the fight into a two-against-three battle against Kuang Lan, Rain God, and M Superman.
• Feng Luan attacks M Superman with fire pythons and flaming arrows, but his powerful body withstands her attacks without injury.
• Rain God engages Feng Luan with water blades while Kuang Lan uses gravity manipulation to pin her down. Xia Yuan casually breaks the gravity field with a punch, freeing Feng Luan.
• Feng Luan activates “Phoenix Wing Soaring” and clashes directly with Kuang Lan’s lightning. Their fire-and-lightning battle becomes evenly matched.
• Rain God and M Superman attack Xia Yuan together. He destroys Rain God’s water dragon and sends M Superman flying with a light palm strike.
• The two opponents launch a combined assault: Rain God creates a massive tidal wave while M Superman uses “Superman Meteor.” Xia Yuan counters with “Consecutive Normal Punch,” splitting the wave and blasting M Superman more than a thousand meters away.
• The livestream audience is stunned by Xia Yuan’s overwhelming strength, while M Superman’s enthusiastic comments prompt jokes about “sword fighting.”
• Feng Luan and Kuang Lan continue their fierce battle. Kuang Lan increases the force of her gravity field, but Feng Luan resists and counters with “Brahma Boils the Sea.”
• Feng Luan realizes that Xia Yuan has been effortlessly enduring Rain God and M Superman’s attacks without even defending himself. He is deliberately prolonging the fight to study their abilities rather than defeating them immediately.
• Rain God uses her signature technique, “Water God’s Sword,” but Xia Yuan destroys the gigantic blade with one casual punch.
• Impressed and finally serious, M Superman prepares his strongest transformation, “Super M Superman: Holy Light Form,” bringing the chapter to a cliffhanger.

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan: Demonstrates an absurd gap in strength, casually neutralizing attacks that could devastate the battlefield. His detached, lazy attitude hides complete confidence. Rather than fighting seriously, he prolongs the battle to observe different combat styles and avoid boredom.
• Feng Luan: Shows courage, power, and improved teamwork with Xia Yuan. She initially worries that he is merely pretending to be confident, but becomes astonished when she realizes he genuinely considers the three opponents unthreatening. Her rivalry with Kuang Lan intensifies.
• Kuang Lan: Reveals mastery over lightning and gravity manipulation. She becomes increasingly excited and angry as Feng Luan matches her, especially when Feng Luan teases her by calling her “little sister.”
• Rain God: Escalates from water blades and dragons to a massive tidal wave and her powerful Water God’s Sword, but grows increasingly shocked and frustrated by Xia Yuan’s effortless counters.
• M Superman: Treats the battle as an exhilarating test of strength. Even after being severely knocked back and injured, he becomes more excited and decides to use his full power against Xia Yuan.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength versus coordinated teamwork: The three opponents combine their abilities effectively, but Xia Yuan’s raw power makes their teamwork nearly meaningless.
• Hidden ability beneath apparent laziness: Xia Yuan’s slacker demeanor contrasts sharply with his incredible combat ability, emphasizing that appearances can be misleading.
• Combat as learning and entertainment: Xia Yuan is not fighting for survival but using the battle to study techniques and enjoy a rare challenge.
• Rivalry and mutual respect: Feng Luan and Kuang Lan taunt one another while recognizing each other’s strength, turning their conflict into an intense but respectful contest.
• Spectacle and audience reaction: The livestream comments add humor and highlight how extraordinary Xia Yuan’s performance appears to outside observers.

Character Interactions

• Feng Luan teasingly calls herself Xia Yuan’s “big sister,” while Xia Yuan responds with dry concern and criticism.
• Xia Yuan saves Feng Luan from Kuang Lan’s gravity attack, prompting her to accept his instruction and fight more seriously.
• Feng Luan and Kuang Lan exchange taunts while battling, particularly over who should be considered the “little sister.”
• Rain God and M Superman coordinate multiple attacks against Xia Yuan but are repeatedly humiliated by his casual defenses.
• M Superman openly admires Xia Yuan’s strength and enthusiastically demands that he attack harder.
• Feng Luan begins the chapter uncertain about Xia Yuan’s ability to handle the enemies alone but ends convinced that he has been holding back from the start.

Chapter Summary — “Sensitive at Heart”

Key Plot Points and Events

• M Superman activates his powerful Holy Light Form, greatly increasing his size, strength, and durability. The livestream audience recognizes it as his ultimate trump card.
• He charges Xia Yuan at tremendous speed, but Xia Yuan stops the attack with a single punch. M Superman is sent flying and suffers visible cracks in his arms, realizing the huge gap between them.
• Owlman arrives and announces that he will join the battle, transforming the conflict into a six-way confrontation involving Xia Yuan, Feng Luan, Kuang Lan, Rain God, M Superman, and Owlman.
• Xia Yuan immediately attacks, forcing Kuang Lan, Rain God, and M Superman to retreat. Owlman then joins their assault, attacking Xia Yuan from behind while the others strike from different directions.
• Despite being surrounded by four powerful UR Contract Spirits, Xia Yuan effortlessly avoids or destroys every attack using only basic punches and kicks. He withstands Kuang Lan’s lightning, breaks Rain God’s water techniques, repels M Superman, and evades Owlman’s ambushes.
• The fight becomes a one-sided demonstration of Xia Yuan’s overwhelming power.
• Haotian arrives in a burst of golden light, claiming that he has come to protect his junior. Shortly afterward, Undying Hero also appears, humorously complaining that he was not invited to the “team battle.”
• With their arrival, eight UR Contract Spirits gather: Xia Yuan, Feng Luan, Kuang Lan, Rain God, M Superman, Owlman, Haotian, and Undying Hero. The chapter ends as an unprecedented eight-way melee is about to begin.

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan continues to appear calm and emotionless while revealing overwhelming physical strength. His ability to defeat multiple UR Contract Spirits without using elaborate techniques establishes him as vastly superior to the others.
• M Superman demonstrates his strongest form but is shaken when Xia Yuan casually overpowers him. His confidence is replaced by disbelief and caution.
• Owlman maintains his mysterious, opportunistic nature. Rather than openly joining a faction, he watches the battlefield and uses stealth attacks to exploit openings.
• Kuang Lan becomes increasingly angry and aggressive after Xia Yuan repeatedly repels her attacks. She also keeps Feng Luan occupied, preventing her from supporting Xia Yuan.
• Rain God recognizes Owlman’s strength and becomes more cautious once he enters the battle.
• Feng Luan remains suspicious of Owlman and understands that his involvement is unlikely to benefit Great Xia. She is forced to defend herself against Kuang Lan instead of helping Xia Yuan.
• Haotian reveals a protective attitude toward Xia Yuan, referring to him as his junior and directly implying a personal connection.
• Undying Hero adds comic relief with his exaggerated complaint about being excluded, while also signaling that he is eager to participate in the battle.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and hierarchy: Although all the combatants are UR Contract Spirits, Xia Yuan’s strength places him in a completely different class.
• Escalation and spectacle: The arrival of each new character steadily increases the scale of the conflict, turning a duel into a six-way fight and finally an eight-way confrontation.
• Calm versus chaos: The other fighters and livestream viewers react with excitement, anger, or caution, while Xia Yuan remains indifferent and controlled.
• Unpredictable alliances: Owlman’s neutrality and the arrival of Haotian and Undying Hero create uncertainty about who will fight alongside whom.
• Public spectacle: The livestream commentary emphasizes how the battle has become entertainment for the masses, with viewers eagerly anticipating destruction and bloodshed.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Yuan vs. M Superman: Xia Yuan stops M Superman’s Holy Light Form attack with one punch and later knocks him back repeatedly.
• Xia Yuan vs. the four-person assault: Xia Yuan effortlessly counters simultaneous attacks from M Superman, Rain God, Kuang Lan, and Owlman.
• Kuang Lan vs. Feng Luan: Kuang Lan prevents Feng Luan from assisting Xia Yuan by forcing her into a separate lightning battle.
• Owlman and the other fighters: Owlman refuses to clarify whose side he is on, increasing everyone’s suspicion.
• Haotian and Xia Yuan: Haotian arrives specifically to defend Xia Yuan, suggesting a mentor-junior or senior-junior relationship.
• Undying Hero and the battlefield: His playful entrance contrasts with the serious atmosphere and further intensifies the gathering of powerful combatants.

Chapter Summary: “Insensitive to Romance”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• Deep beneath a ruined cathedral, behind multiple reinforced barriers and a holy light seal, Lucius, the Bishop of Pride and one of the Holy Maiden Church’s Seven Deadly Sins bishops, prepares himself before a magical mirror.
• Lucius is portrayed as an almost divine figure with twelve pairs of luminous wings, overwhelming spiritual pressure, and an extreme belief in his own perfection.
• He summons a young priest and questions him about recent events, particularly the rise of Xia Yuan, a powerful UR Contract Spirit who has defeated several World-Class Wanted Bosses and killed two bishops of the Church.
• Lucius dismisses the dead bishops as insignificant and demonstrates his terrifying power by forcing the priest to look into his eyes. The priest nearly loses his sanity from the experience.
• After the priest leaves, Lucius declares that Xia Yuan is insignificant and insists that the world will ultimately belong to him.
• Lilith, another bishop associated with seduction and temptation, enters the chamber. She brings Lucius a vial of Primordial Blood from the Dark Abyss, a rare substance containing the essence of a fallen ancient god.
• Lilith reveals that she has sent Wrath to awaken Godzilla, an ancient behemoth, with the goal of sending it to Evernight City to fight Xia Yuan.
• Because multiple UR Contract Spirits are present in Evernight City, Lilith asks Lucius to manipulate mission-bound bosses into joining the attack.
• Lucius agrees mainly because he finds the coming battle entertaining. He remains convinced that, regardless of the outcome, he will be the ultimate victor.
• Lilith leaves after teasing Lucius, while he returns to admiring himself in the mirror and reaffirming his intention to rule the world.

2. Character Developments

• Lucius is established as the embodiment of pride and arrogance. He views himself as flawless and superior to all other beings, including powerful Contract Spirits. His eye contact induces madness, and his spiritual power is so overwhelming that ordinary people instinctively fear him.
• Lucius’s interest in Xia Yuan is not based on fear or respect. Instead, he sees Xia Yuan as a potential source of amusement and an opportunity to display his superiority.
• Lilith is introduced as a seductive, manipulative, and highly confident figure. Her beauty and charm function as weapons, but Lucius is notably unaffected by them.
• Lilith is also shown to be strategic and ruthless. Rather than relying on a single opponent, she plans to use Godzilla and several mission-bound bosses to overwhelm Xia Yuan and the other UR Contract Spirits.
• The young priest serves to emphasize Lucius’s terrifying presence. His panic and near mental collapse show the effect Lucius has on lesser beings.

3. Significant Themes

• Pride and superiority: Lucius’s identity revolves around his conviction that he is perfection incarnate and that everyone else is beneath him.
• Power as psychological domination: Lucius does not merely possess physical strength; his gaze, presence, and voice can break another person’s mind and suppress them at a fundamental level.
• Manipulation and strategy: Lilith’s plan demonstrates that the Church relies on indirect tactics, alliances, awakened monsters, and controlled bosses rather than simple confrontation.
• Appearance versus emotional detachment: Lilith represents beauty, desire, and seduction, while Lucius remains completely indifferent to her advances. Their contrast highlights his emotional detachment and obsessive self-focus.
• God complex and ambition: Lucius’s repeated admiration of his reflection reinforces his belief that he alone deserves to rule the world.
• Entertainment amid danger: The impending battle is potentially catastrophic, but Lucius views it primarily as a spectacle, revealing his cruelty and detachment from ordinary consequences.

4. Character Interactions

• Lucius and the young priest: Lucius interrogates and intimidates the priest, deliberately forcing him to experience the terror of looking upon him. The interaction demonstrates the absolute power imbalance between them.
• Lucius and Lilith: Their exchange is marked by mutual confidence, sarcasm, and manipulation. Lilith attempts to provoke him with charm and physical contact, but Lucius remains unmoved and bluntly recognizes her ulterior motives.
• Lilith offers Lucius the Primordial Blood as both a valuable gift and a means of securing his cooperation. Lucius accepts it but immediately asks what she wants in return.
• Lilith asks Lucius to help arrange a coordinated attack on Xia Yuan. Lucius agrees, not from loyalty to the Church, but because the conflict promises to amuse him.
• Their final exchange—Lucius threatening to gouge out Lilith’s eyes and Lilith daring him to try—reveals their antagonistic but familiar relationship and suggests that neither is intimidated by the other.

Key plot points and events

• Eight UR Contract Spirits gather on the Barren Plains. Xia Yuan faces five opponents—Kuang Lan, Rain God, M Superman, Undying Hero, and Owlman—while Feng Luan and Haotian stand with him. A livestream audience watches, expecting an uneven fight.
• The five launch a coordinated opening attack. Xia Yuan stops it with a casual punch and a light stomp, then effortlessly withstands Kuang Lan’s gravity and lightning, Rain God’s water-dragon attack, M Superman’s charge, and the surprise attacks from Undying Hero and Owlman.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God combine their strongest attacks, summoning devastating lightning and a vast wave. Xia Yuan counters with Consecutive Normal Punch, breaking both attacks apart.
• Feng Luan and Haotian engage M Superman, Undying Hero, and Owlman, dividing the battlefield into two separate fights.
• As Xia Yuan continues to fend off Kuang Lan and Rain God, War God and Angel arrive. Their entrance silences the battlefield, and Xia Yuan welcomes the prospect of a more exciting fight.

Character developments

• Xia Yuan remains deadpan and seemingly unbothered, but his overwhelming strength becomes unmistakable. He finally shows a spark of interest when War God and Angel arrive.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God grow frustrated and serious as their attacks repeatedly fail. Kuang Lan’s trembling is described as excitement rather than fear or anger.
• M Superman relishes the power of Xia Yuan’s punch and rushes back into the fight, eager for another encounter.
• Undying Hero and Owlman are both easily countered. Owlman recognizes Xia Yuan’s strength, while Undying Hero is badly injured.
• Feng Luan and Haotian actively protect Xia Yuan by taking on the other three opponents.
• War God and Angel enter as powerful new arrivals, raising the stakes.

Significant themes

• Overwhelming strength and composure: Xia Yuan’s calm, minimal effort contrasts with the intensity of the attacks around him.
• Spectacle and pride: The livestream audience and the fighters’ reputations make retreat seem unacceptable.
• Challenge and excitement: Several fighters seek the thrill of testing themselves against stronger opponents, especially M Superman and Kuang Lan.
• Escalating conflict: New arrivals promise to expand an already lopsided battle into a larger confrontation.

Character interactions

• Xia Yuan trades dry, dismissive remarks with Kuang Lan and Rain God, taunting them even as he blocks their attacks.
• M Superman openly admires Xia Yuan and treats their exchanges as an exhilarating challenge.
• Xia Yuan calmly rebukes Owlman for a sneak attack and matter-of-factly agrees when Owlman calls him strong.
• Feng Luan and Haotian tell the opposing trio that they must get through them to reach Xia Yuan, then begin fighting them.
• The audience reacts with shock and debate over whether Xia Yuan’s opponents are holding back, while observers in the VIP seats worry about the apparent numerical disadvantage.

Summary of “The Taste of Fear”

Key Plot Points and Events

• On an uncharted Pacific island, the World-Class Wanted Boss Demon massacres six explorers who accidentally enter his territory. Their bodies show no wounds but are drained of life and transformed into black mist, which Demon absorbs as nourishment.
• Demon identifies himself as the representative of the Slaughter Faction and the embodiment of fear. He feeds not on flesh, but on the terror experienced by his victims.
• Unsatisfied with the fear of the six explorers, Demon turns his attention toward Evernight City, where the Global Summit is taking place and eleven UR Contract Spirits have gathered.
• He changes from his monstrous, hybrid form into that of a handsome, well-dressed man and travels toward the city in a mysterious speedboat.
• In Evernight City, Demon kills a homeless man and absorbs his weak fear, but dismisses it as insufficient. He then heads toward the summit venue, where tens of thousands of people are gathered.
• Demon's approach distorts the environment: lights flicker, shadows twist, animals flee, and pedestrians instinctively sense the danger.
• Outside the summit venue, a twenty-person security team detects an enormous energy signature. Demon appears and claims he has come to attend a “banquet of fear.”
• He instantly overwhelms the captain, an SR Contract Spirit Master, whose summoned spirit is defeated before it can fight. Demon absorbs the captain’s fear and kills him.
• Demon traps the remaining nineteen guards within his supernatural domain. Their attacks fail, escape becomes impossible, and their terror is harvested until they disappear.
• Still hungry, Demon advances toward the summit, sensing the fear of the enormous crowd inside. He declares that the feast is only beginning.

Character Developments

• Demon: His nature and abilities are established as terrifying, sadistic, and predatory. He grows more confident and excited as he moves toward stronger prey. He values the fear of powerful individuals more than that of ordinary people and demonstrates control over space, movement, and supernatural energy.
• The security captain: Initially professional and proud of his role protecting the city, he is quickly reduced to helpless terror when confronted by Demon. His defeat emphasizes the enormous gap between ordinary trained fighters—even SR-level ones—and a World-Class Wanted Boss.
• The security guards: They shift from disciplined defenders to panicked victims, showing how Demon's presence destroys courage and physical agency.
• The homeless man and explorers: They serve as early victims illustrating Demon's feeding process and the varying “quality” of fear.

Significant Themes

• Fear as power and sustenance: Terror is treated as a tangible resource that Demon consumes and converts into strength.
• Predator versus prey: The explorers, homeless man, and security team are all reduced to helpless prey despite their different circumstances and abilities.
• The limits of human power: Advanced weapons, trained personnel, and Contract Spirits are useless against a being operating on a far higher level.
• False security: The brightly lit Global Summit appears protected, but Demon enters the city and approaches it almost unhindered.
• Instinctive recognition of evil: Animals and ordinary people sense Demon's presence before they understand the threat, suggesting that his danger is deeper than ordinary physical violence.
• Anticipation and escalation: The chapter moves from an isolated massacre to a looming attack on a massive international gathering, greatly expanding the scale of danger.

Character Interactions

• Demon speaks to and taunts his victims, treating them as ingredients rather than people.
• He mockingly refers to the explorers as accidental “snacks” and expresses contempt for the weak fear of the homeless man.
• The security captain confronts Demon according to procedure, demanding identification and questioning his purpose. Demon responds cryptically that he has come for a “banquet of fear.”
• Demon invades the captain’s mind and body through terror, calmly reassuring him as he kills him.
• He addresses the remaining guards collectively, telling them escape is impossible within his domain and inviting them to surrender their fear.
• The chapter ends with Demon turning his attention toward the thousands attending the summit, setting up a large-scale confrontation or massacre.

Chapter Summary: “Really Likes Her”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Angel and War God arrive on the battlefield, bringing the number of UR Contract Spirits present to ten—an unprecedented gathering.
• War God enthusiastically offers to assist Rain God against Xia Yuan, presenting himself as her heroic protector. Rain God repeatedly rejects his help and orders him to stay away.
• When War God continues pestering her, Rain God attacks him with a water blade. Even after being rejected, he stubbornly remains beside her.
• Rain God begins singing, activating a powerful waterspout and signaling that she has entered her serious combat state.
• Kuang Lan realizes that the chaotic battlefield is distracting her from focusing on Xia Yuan. She decides to eliminate the other fighters—or at least force them to defend themselves—by summoning nine enormous meteors.
• The UR Contract Spirits each destroy a meteor using their signature abilities:
  • M Superman smashes one with his body.
  • Undying Hero cuts through several while darting between them.
  • Owlman detonates one with a Batarang.
  • Angel destroys one with light arrows.
  • War God splits one with his golden blade.
  • Feng Luan melts one with flames.
  • Haotian pierces one with a pillar of light.
  • Rain God cuts one apart with water blades.
  • Xia Yuan destroys one with a casual punch.
• After seeing that the meteor attack fails to defeat anyone, Kuang Lan focuses all her power on Xia Yuan.
• She pins him down with gravity, buries him inside a stone coffin, smashes him underground with another meteor, and then strikes the impact site with numerous bolts of violet lightning.
• The chapter ends with Kuang Lan believing the combined attack must have seriously injured Xia Yuan—until the smoke clears and her expression freezes at what she sees.

Character Developments

• Rain God demonstrates her independence, cold temperament, and confidence by firmly rejecting War God’s assistance. Her singing marks a significant increase in her combat power.
• War God is shown to be deeply infatuated with Rain God. Despite her blunt rejection and even an attack, he continues trying to protect and accompany her, creating a comedic “hero pursuing an uninterested beauty” dynamic.
• Kuang Lan becomes more strategic and aggressive. Rather than continuing to fight everyone at once, she identifies Xia Yuan as her main target and concentrates her strongest abilities on him.
• Xia Yuan remains calm and seemingly unconcerned throughout the battle. His effortless destruction of a meteor reinforces how far above ordinary attacks he may be.
• The other UR Contract Spirits each reveal their distinctive powers and combat styles while effortlessly surviving Kuang Lan’s large-scale attack.

Significant Themes

• Unrequited affection and persistence: War God’s obvious feelings for Rain God contrast sharply with her complete lack of interest, forming the chapter’s main comedic theme.
• Power and escalation: The arrival of ten UR Contract Spirits raises the battle to an unprecedented level, while Kuang Lan repeatedly escalates her attacks in response.
• Individual strength and identity: Each powerful spirit destroys a meteor in a manner reflecting their unique abilities and personality.
• Calm versus overwhelming force: Xia Yuan’s casual responses contrast with Kuang Lan’s spectacular, energy-consuming attacks, suggesting a major difference in their actual power.
• Spectacle and public entertainment: The livestream audience reacts enthusiastically to the battle, romance, and dramatic abilities, treating the conflict as both a serious confrontation and a source of entertainment.

Important Character Interactions

• War God repeatedly tries to team up with Rain God, while she dismisses him and eventually attacks him to make him back off.
• Rain God’s serious performance excites both her supporters and the livestream audience.
• Kuang Lan indirectly forces every UR Contract Spirit to display their abilities through the meteor attack.
• The spirits collectively demonstrate their strength by destroying all nine meteors.
• Kuang Lan then singles out Xia Yuan, turning the chaotic group battle into a direct confrontation between the two.

Chapter Summary: “Grinding Monsters”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yuan emerges from Kuang Lan’s powerful combination attack completely unharmed, despite being struck by meteors, lightning, and a gravity field.
• He counters with a single punch that destroys nearly half of Kuang Lan’s health, shocking her and the livestream audience.
• Spectators realize that Xia Yuan’s bald form, especially when using Serious Mode, may be even stronger than his previous forms.
• Xia Yuan tells Haotian and Feng Luan to stand behind him, signaling that he intends to finish the fight himself.
• When the other UR Contract Spirits mock him for apparently retreating or seeking a truce, Xia Yuan unleashes his ultimate attack: “Serious Series, Serious Punch.”
• The punch instantly destroys seven UR Contract Spirits—M Superman, Undying Hero, Owlman, Angel, War God, Kuang Lan, and Rain God—forcing them to wait for revival.
• The attack tears a trench dozens of kilometers across the plain, destroys a distant mountain range, parts the clouds, and nearly destabilizes the holographic battlefield.
• Afterward, Xia Yuan calmly dusts off his cloak and tells Haotian and Feng Luan, “Let’s go grind monsters,” treating the overwhelming victory as routine.

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan demonstrates overwhelming offensive and defensive power. He is completely unaffected by Kuang Lan’s strongest attacks and defeats her with one counterpunch.
• His calm, emotionless attitude emphasizes the enormous gap between him and the other UR Contract Spirits. He shows no pride or excitement after his victory, behaving as though the battle were insignificant.
• Kuang Lan suffers a major loss of confidence. Previously regarded as one of the top three UR Contract Spirits, she is unable to understand how Xia Yuan endured her attacks and ultimately has no chance against him.
• Haotian and Feng Luan gain a deeper appreciation of Xia Yuan’s true strength. They trust him immediately when he orders them behind him, but are left speechless after witnessing his Serious Punch.
• M Superman, Undying Hero, Owlman, Angel, War God, and Rain God all recognize Xia Yuan as an unprecedented threat, but their reactions come too late to matter.
• Su Yue becomes even more enthusiastic about Xia Yuan, praising his bald Serious Mode and ordering figures of the form.
• The four maids at Kunlun Academy openly admire Xia Yuan through the livestream, while Future acknowledges his strength but remains confident that the Holy Maiden Church’s godlike power will eventually defeat him.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and the gap between appearances and reality: Xia Yuan’s bald, seemingly unimpressive form initially appears tacky, but proves vastly more powerful than expected.
• Humility and emotional detachment: Xia Yuan’s casual behavior contrasts sharply with the battlefield’s devastation, making his strength appear even more frightening.
• Public perception and spectacle: The livestream audience, supporters, and skeptics all react dramatically as Xia Yuan proves the superiority of his new form.
• Confidence versus arrogance: The other Contract Spirits mistake Xia Yuan’s preparation for retreat, only to discover that his calmness reflects certainty rather than fear.
• Foreshadowing a greater conflict: Future’s thoughts introduce the Holy Maiden Church’s advancement toward godhood, suggesting that Xia Yuan’s dominance may still face a serious future challenge.

Character Interactions

• Xia Yuan and Kuang Lan shift from her confident attack to his effortless counterattack, establishing a clear power imbalance.
• M Superman, Undying Hero, and Kuang Lan taunt Xia Yuan when he tells Haotian and Feng Luan to stand behind him, but Xia Yuan ignores them and answers through action.
• Haotian and Feng Luan follow Xia Yuan without questioning him, reinforcing their trust and teamwork.
• The livestream audience, Su Yue, and the maids provide enthusiastic reactions that contrast with Future’s cautious, hostile assessment.
• After witnessing the destruction of the seven UR Contract Spirits, Haotian and Feng Luan exchange a bitter, stunned look, realizing that Xia Yuan truly meant he wanted to “grind monsters.”

Chapter Summary: “What to Eat Is Unaffected”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yuan delivers a single punch that instantly destroys all seven opposing UR Contract Spirits: M Superman, Kuang Lan, Rain God, Owlman, Undying Hero, Angel, and War God.
• The attack creates a massive ravine dozens of kilometers long, collapses surrounding mountains, and tears open the clouds, demonstrating overwhelming destructive power.
• Haotian and Feng Luan are stunned by the attack. Both realize that although they could potentially produce similar destruction, they would need to use costly ultimate abilities and suffer serious aftereffects. Xia Yuan, by contrast, appears completely unaffected.
• Since the defeated UR Contract Spirits require ten minutes to revive, Xia Yuan, Haotian, and Feng Luan split up to hunt monsters and gather points while they have an uncontested advantage.
• The livestream audience erupts in shock and begins calling Xia Yuan the strongest UR Contract Spirit. His “Serious Punch” and “Bald-Headed War God” forms rapidly become worldwide trending topics.
• At the Global Summit, international representatives are astonished. Great Xia’s representative, Zhao Wenguo, secretly celebrates because Xia Yuan’s performance greatly enhances Great Xia’s international standing.
• The American side reacts more cautiously. Nick remains outwardly indifferent, remarking that the result will not affect what he eats after work, though the chapter suggests he understands that the contest’s visible power struggle is less important than deeper threats facing humanity.
• Mo Shiyu watches excitedly and realizes that Xia Yuan’s victory may make her, as his Contract Spirit Master, the strongest Contract Spirit Master as well.

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan: His true strength is revealed as vastly beyond the expectations of both allies and enemies. He remains casual, emotionless, and focused on practical matters such as farming points rather than seeking praise or attention.
• Haotian: His confidence is shaken by the enormous gap between his own power and Xia Yuan’s effortless attack. He develops a deeper respect for Xia Yuan and recognizes that Xia Yuan’s strength cannot be measured by ordinary standards.
• Feng Luan: Her teasing attitude toward Xia Yuan gives way to genuine awe and admiration. She privately acknowledges that his terrible fashion sense is irrelevant compared with his unmatched power.
• Zhao Wenguo: Though maintaining diplomatic composure, he feels immense pride and relief because Xia Yuan’s victory may finally allow Great Xia to surpass the United States in global influence.
• Nick: His detached response reveals a pragmatic, long-term perspective. He appears to understand that rankings among UR Contract Spirits are ultimately secondary to the hidden dangers threatening humanity.
• Mo Shiyu: Her admiration and excitement toward Xia Yuan intensify. She begins thinking about the prestige and status his strength grants her as his Contract Spirit Master.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and effortless dominance: Xia Yuan’s casual punch establishes a dramatic contrast between his strength and that of even the strongest known spirits.
• Appearances versus reality: Xia Yuan looks ridiculous and unremarkable in his bald-headed form, yet possesses unmatched power.
• National prestige and international rivalry: His victory changes how the world views Great Xia and disrupts the previous balance of influence between Great Xia and the United States.
• Public spectacle versus deeper threats: While the world focuses on rankings and viral headlines, Nick’s thoughts hint that more serious dangers exist beyond the competition.
• Composure and detachment: Xia Yuan’s lack of excitement and Nick’s indifferent attitude both contrast with the hysterical reactions of the public, suggesting different forms of strength and perspective.

Character Interactions

• Haotian questions Xia Yuan about the punch but is unable to fully express his disbelief, revealing the depth of his shock.
• Feng Luan praises and teases Xia Yuan, though her humor now contains genuine reverence.
• Xia Yuan interrupts both allies’ thoughts and redirects them toward collecting points, emphasizing his practical, unfazed personality.
• Haotian and Feng Luan exchange helpless glances before agreeing to split up and continue fighting.
• Zhao Wenguo silently celebrates Xia Yuan’s success while maintaining a dignified public image.
• Nick’s adjutant worries that Xia Yuan’s performance harms America’s position, but Nick dismisses the immediate concern and implies that larger issues matter more.
• Mo Shiyu watches Xia Yuan’s victory with admiration and excitement, privately connecting his achievement to her own rising status.

Chapter Summary: “In Other Words”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Xia Yuan’s decisive punch in the Holographic Battle kills all seven opposing UR Contract Spirits at once, shocking the world and establishing him as the event’s dominant combatant.
• Kunlun Academy celebrates Xia Yuan and Mo Shiyu’s success, recognizing that their performance has greatly enhanced the academy’s reputation and will likely attract many applicants.
• Viewers across Great Xia react enthusiastically. Su Yue, an ardent admirer of Xia Yuan, aggressively defends him online against skeptics who dismiss his achievement as luck, a system error, or meaningless holographic data.
• After the other UR Contract Spirits are temporarily eliminated, Xia Yuan farms monsters at extraordinary speed. His score rapidly climbs from 32,000 to 42,300, while second-place Haotian remains far behind.
• When the other UR Contract Spirits revive, they respond differently:
  • M Superman eagerly pursues Xia Yuan and demands another fight but cannot catch him.
  • Rain God furiously attacks monsters in an attempt to close the gap.
  • Undying Hero gives up entirely, lies down, and accepts defeat, amusing the livestream audience and irritating Nick.
• The battle ends with Xia Yuan scoring 52,300 points, nearly double Haotian’s score. He wins decisively, while Undying Hero finishes last.
• After Xia Yuan exits the holographic pod, Kuang Lan and Rain God challenge him to a rematch, claiming they had not used their full strength and had only lost because of surprise.
• Before the rematch can begin, alarms sound throughout the venue. A high-energy reaction is detected at the main entrance, with an unknown threat expected to arrive in thirty seconds.

Character Developments

• Xia Yuan: His overwhelming strength and effortless attitude reinforce his status as humanity’s strongest Contract Spirit. Despite his historic victory, he remains bored and detached, treating the battle as little more than a warm-up.
• Su Yue: Her admiration for Xia Yuan becomes even more intense. She demonstrates confidence, sharp reasoning, and impressive online combat skills while silencing his critics.
• Future: Though she acknowledges Xia Yuan’s current dominance, she remains skeptical of his ultimate importance. She believes the true dangers lie with the Holy Maiden Church and abyssal beings, hinting at threats beyond his present understanding.
• M Superman: His competitive enthusiasm grows stronger after being defeated, and he immediately seeks another battle with Xia Yuan.
• Rain God: Her pride is wounded by the one-sided defeat, motivating her to insist that Xia Yuan only won through an ambush.
• Kuang Lan: Like Rain God, she refuses to accept the result and openly challenges Xia Yuan to prove himself again.
• Undying Hero: His laid-back personality is highlighted through his decision to stop competing altogether once victory seems impossible.
• Nick: His normally composed demeanor briefly cracks when he sees Undying Hero abandoning the competition.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming strength and reputation: Xia Yuan’s victory transforms him into a global symbol of power and elevates Kunlun Academy’s prestige.
• Public perception and validation: The event demonstrates how quickly achievements become public spectacle, with fans, critics, and institutions all competing to interpret Xia Yuan’s success.
• Pride and defeat: The other UR Contract Spirits struggle to accept Xia Yuan’s superiority, revealing how competition and wounded pride shape their reactions.
• Different responses to failure: M Superman pursues greater challenges, Rain God and Kuang Lan demand another chance, while Undying Hero embraces resignation and leisure.
• Hidden future threats: Future’s thoughts contrast the immediate celebration with warnings that Xia Yuan’s current strength may be insignificant against deeper threats from the Holy Maiden Church and the abyss.

Character Interactions

• The maids celebrate Xia Yuan together, with Joy openly worshipping him, Anger attempting to conceal her excitement, and Sorrow crying from emotional pride. Future remains detached and privately critical.
• Kunlun Academy’s teachers and students unite in celebrating Xia Yuan and Mo Shiyu, taking pride in their success and anticipating increased enrollment.
• Su Yue interacts with online detractors through a fierce series of rebuttals, defending Xia Yuan’s legitimacy and humiliating one critic into deleting his account.
• M Superman chases Xia Yuan through the battlefield, but Xia Yuan completely ignores him.
• Rain God channels her frustration into monster-slaying, while Undying Hero’s indifference provides comic contrast.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God jointly confront Xia Yuan after the match, encouraging the crowd to demand a rematch.
• The unexpected alarm abruptly interrupts the confrontation, shifting the chapter from celebration and rivalry to suspense over the approaching threat.

Key plot points and events

• Niko, the self-styled Witch of Travel, flies into Foosha Village, where wary villagers react to her appearance. At a local bookshop, she shares her travelogue with the owner, who is inspired to publish one of her stories, “The Frog Prince’s Tragic Life.”
• In Emerald City, Niko hears a bard sing of a distant island where a fairy grants wishes. Intrigued, she crosses the sea and finds a temple guarded by a silver-haired woman and a wish-granting crystal ball.
• The guardian warns that wishes consume mana and may cost the wisher’s life. Niko realizes she has no need to wish for anything: traveling, meeting people, and recording their stories already fulfill her desire. She leaves and writes about the encounter.
• After Niko departs, the guardian angrily reveals that she had hoped to use Niko as a vessel to complete a mission for “Lady Lilith.” Niko’s apparent sensuality had misled her; Niko has little interest in worldly rewards.
• The narrative jumps through comic, seemingly imagined or out-of-place recollections, including Niko’s visit to a truth-bound land and a triumphant esports-style championship scene.
• A timed quest then appears, ordering Niko to travel to Night City and kill Mo Shiyu and Xia Yuan. She changes its objective to eating two servings of tako, but the mention of Xia Yuan makes her resolve to visit Night City and wonder how Xia Yuan is doing.

Character developments

• Niko remains independent and curious, but the island encounter confirms that she is already living according to her deepest wish. She values experience, storytelling, and freedom above wealth, power, or immortality.
• The bookstore owner rediscovers his enthusiasm for travel and books through Niko’s writing and takes on the role of publishing her work.
• The island guardian is exposed as deceptive and frustrated: she intended to exploit Niko for a larger mission, but misjudged her character.

Significant themes

• Living one’s wish: Fulfillment comes not from a magical reward but from pursuing the life one genuinely wants.
• Travel and storytelling: Niko turns encounters and experiences into lasting stories, connecting people through her writing.
• Appearances versus reality: Villagers and the guardian judge Niko by her revealing clothes, while her true priorities are far removed from their assumptions.
• Freedom from conventional desires: Niko rejects status, wealth, power, and even a potentially dangerous wish in favor of continued exploration.

Character interactions

• Niko’s polite, untroubled exchanges with the wary villagers contrast with their suspicion of witches.
• Her conversation with the bookstore owner becomes a collaboration: she shares her work, and he arranges to publish it.
• The bard’s song inspires Niko to seek the island, while he cautions her that its story may be only legend.
• The guardian offers Niko a wish and presses her to accept worldly rewards; Niko calmly declines, unknowingly frustrating the guardian’s hidden plan.
• The quest’s mention of Xia Yuan shifts Niko’s attention from general travel to a specific personal concern.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• A monster alarm disrupts the Global Summit, but the audience initially treats the intrusion as entertainment because eleven UR Contract Spirits are present.
• Demon arrives at the venue intending to cause chaos and confront Xia Yuan, but senses the overwhelming number of powerful Contract Spirits inside and briefly considers retreating.
• He then detects numerous other powerful auras converging on Evernight City and realizes that multiple World-Class Wanted Bosses have received the same timed mission.
• Choosing to exploit the situation, Demon summons a massive army of fear-born servants and orders them to attack the venue.
• The monsters break through the main entrance and flood inside. While the other UR Contract Spirits hold back, Xia Yuan volunteers to deal with them.
• Xia Yuan annihilates the monster army with effortless punches and kicks, killing hundreds in seconds. His efficiency astonishes the audience and livestream viewers, who jokingly nickname him “One-Punch Man” and “Caped Baldy.”
• The monster slaughter fills Xia Yuan’s system reward progress bar to 100%, allowing him to unlock a new combat template. He draws Sōsuke Aizen and is delighted both by the character’s immense power and his handsome appearance, hoping to escape his bald image.
• After the monsters are defeated, Angel steps forward and asks to fight Demon herself because of their longstanding personal feud. Xia Yuan agrees, and the other UR Contract Spirits allow her to confront him.
• Just as Angel and Demon face each other, Demon reveals that he is only the first enemy to arrive.
• Alarms and emergency reports then announce simultaneous invasions across the world: attacks in Gotham, an Abyssal Rift in New Mountain City, threats along the Great Xia coast, and assaults on Europe’s defenses. The summit realizes that a coordinated global catastrophe is beginning.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Xia Yuan: Though he appears apathetic, he is secretly thrilled by the monster invasion because it provides the final progress needed to unlock a new template. His overwhelming combat power is publicly demonstrated, cementing his reputation while also causing embarrassment over the nickname “Caped Baldy.” He becomes excited about adopting Aizen’s appearance and abilities.
• Demon: Initially confident, Demon is shaken by the presence of eleven UR Contract Spirits and recognizes that attacking them directly would be suicidal. He adapts intelligently, using his monster army to create chaos rather than confronting everyone immediately. His reaction to the approaching enemies reveals that he understands the attack is part of a much larger operation.
• Angel: Her calm, righteous demeanor shifts into focused hostility when she sees Demon. Her hatred and determination establish that their conflict is deeply personal and longstanding. She claims the right to fight him herself.
• Other UR Contract Spirits: M Superman, Kuang Lan, Rain God, Haotian, Feng Luan, and the others initially compete or express interest in fighting the monsters, but ultimately watch Xia Yuan handle the invasion alone. Haotian and Feng Luan defer to Xia Yuan, while the group respects Angel’s desire to settle her feud with Demon.
• Audience and livestream viewers: Their initial confidence and mockery of the monsters turn into astonishment as Xia Yuan massacres them. Their reactions help build Xia Yuan’s public image as the summit’s strongest performer, although their jokes about his baldness irritate him.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming power and spectacle: The invasion is initially framed as entertainment because the world’s strongest Contract Spirits are gathered in one place. Xia Yuan’s effortless victory turns a seemingly dangerous battle into a public spectacle.
• Reputation versus reality: Xia Yuan’s actual strength is undeniable, but the audience’s humorous nickname highlights the gap between how powerful he is and how he is publicly perceived.
• Adaptation and strategy: Demon recognizes when direct confrontation is impossible and changes tactics, using his servants and the wider invasion to create an advantageous situation.
• Personal vengeance and justice: Angel’s confrontation with Demon represents a conflict between light and darkness, but also a deeply personal desire for retribution.
• False security: The summit audience initially believes the venue is the safest place in the world. The coordinated attacks reveal that their confidence was misplaced and that the threat extends far beyond a single monster assault.
• A larger global crisis: The chapter shifts from comedic monster extermination to serious danger, ending with evidence of a synchronized worldwide invasion.

Important Character Interactions

• Xia Yuan dismisses the other spirits’ objections and insists on fighting the monster army alone.
• Kuang Lan and Rain God accuse him of trying to monopolize the spotlight, but they ultimately let him proceed.
• Demon observes Xia Yuan’s fighting style and recognizes his pure, overwhelming physical power as a genuine threat.
• Angel directly confronts Demon and declares that his end has come.
• Demon responds cryptically, warning that he is merely the first attacker, immediately followed by reports of invasions around the world.

Chapter Summary: “Congratulations”

1. Key Plot Points and Events

• A piercing alarm announces simultaneous Abyss invasions across the entire world during the Global Summit.
• Distress reports flood communication networks, causing panic among the audience and billions watching the livestream. Many cities, including Beijing, Huijing, the Spirit Tamer Great Wall, Gotham City, and the American West Coast, come under attack.
• Doctor reveals an emergency teleportation machine prepared by the Spirit Tamer Alliance. It can instantly transport Contract Spirits and representatives to any location with known coordinates.
• Representatives and powerful Contract Spirits begin returning to their homelands to defend them.
• Zhao Wenguo, Haotian, and Feng Luan prepare to return to Great Xia. Xia Yuan refuses to leave Evernight City, explaining that powerful enemies are targeting him and might redirect their attack toward Great Xia if he departed.
• Xia Yuan creates two UR-level clones—a Satoru Gojo clone and a War Princess clone—to accompany Zhao Wenguo and assist in Great Xia.
• Several other powerful figures depart:
  • Owlman returns to Gotham City.
  • M Superman is ordered to defend the West Coast despite wanting to remain with Xia Yuan.
  • Kuang Lan and War God leave to support their own areas.
• Angel and Demon begin a spectacular battle inside the venue, representing a confrontation between holy light and darkness.
• As the venue is evacuated, Nick reports that a monster horde and several BOSS-level entities are approaching Evernight City from the coast.
• Xia Yuan, Mo Shiyu, Rain God, and Undying Hero head to the shoreline.
• Xia Yuan summons a Gilgamesh-like golden-armored clone, who uses the Gate of Babylon to annihilate thousands of invading monsters.
• A colossal ancient beast resembling Godzilla rises from the sea, becoming the next major threat.

2. Character Developments

• Xia Yuan demonstrates strategic judgment and self-sacrifice by remaining in Evernight City to draw enemy attention away from Great Xia. His ability to produce multiple UR-level clones reveals the depth of his hidden power.
• Doctor is established as a highly prepared and dependable leader. His teleportation device restores hope and enables the global defense effort.
• Zhao Wenguo remains calm and authoritative despite the worldwide crisis. He trusts Xia Yuan’s decision without demanding an explanation.
• M Superman shows strong loyalty to Xia Yuan, resisting orders because he wants to fight beside him, but ultimately accepts his duty.
• Rain God remains stern and powerful, though her exchanges with War God suggest she is uncomfortable with or dismissive of his affection.
• Undying Hero embraces the coming battle with enthusiasm and confidence.
• Mo Shiyu is largely unfazed by Xia Yuan’s extraordinary abilities, having become accustomed to his increasingly outrageous powers.
• Angel and Demon resume their long-standing rivalry, with their battle suggesting a deeper history between them.
• Kuang Lan maintains a competitive attitude toward Xia Yuan, disguising concern beneath her provocation.

3. Significant Themes

• Global crisis and collective responsibility: The invasions force every nation and powerful Contract Spirit to prioritize protecting civilians and defending their homelands.
• Preparation overcoming panic: Doctor’s teleportation machine demonstrates the importance of planning and shows how hope can emerge even during apparent catastrophe.
• Sacrifice and strategic burden: Xia Yuan chooses to remain behind as a target, accepting personal danger to protect Great Xia and others.
• Hidden power and trust: Xia Yuan’s UR-level clones reinforce his mysterious strength, while Zhao Wenguo’s immediate trust highlights their mutual respect.
• Light versus darkness: Angel and Demon’s battle embodies the chapter’s symbolic conflict between opposing forces.
• Humor amid apocalypse: The absurd exchange between M Superman and Nick provides comic relief and shows the unusual familiarity between them despite the emergency.
• Escalation of danger: The chapter moves from worldwide panic, to local monster invasions, to the arrival of a seemingly legendary and overwhelming beast.

4. Character Interactions

• Doctor and the summit representatives: Doctor calms the panicked crowd and presents the teleportation machine, restoring confidence.
• Zhao Wenguo and Xia Yuan: Zhao asks Xia Yuan to return to Great Xia, but accepts his decision to stay after hearing his reasoning.
• Xia Yuan and his clones: Xia Yuan dispatches powerful clones to assist Great Xia while keeping his main body in Evernight City.
• M Superman and Nick: Their argument over M Superman’s orders degenerates into outrageous insults, revealing a bizarre but familiar relationship. M Superman ultimately leaves while promising Xia Yuan they will fight together later.
• Kuang Lan and Xia Yuan: Kuang Lan provocatively asks whether Xia Yuan will survive, while he teases her about being worried for him.
• War God and Rain God: War God invites Rain God to leave with him, but she rejects him and attacks with a Water Blade.
• Angel and Demon: Their battle is both physical and personal, with Demon taunting Angel about her impulsiveness and Angel responding through increasingly powerful attacks.
• Xia Yuan, Rain God, and Undying Hero: The three prepare to defend Evernight City together, though Rain God objects to Xia Yuan’s nicknames.
• Xia Yuan and the monster horde: Xia Yuan’s summoned golden-armored clone effortlessly destroys the invading monsters, only for the emergence of the massive sea beast to raise the stakes again.

Chapter Summary: “Bouncing Bomb”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Godzilla emerges along the coastline, terrifying civilians and viewers worldwide. Its immense size, history of surviving nuclear attacks, and ability to grow stronger from absorbed energy make it appear nearly invincible.
• Xia Yuan’s Gilgamesh clone continues bombarding the invading monsters with weapons from the Gate of Babylon, while Rain God steps forward to face Godzilla herself.
• Rain God reveals that the ocean greatly amplifies her water-based abilities. She travels into the sea and summons a colossal Water Giant nearly equal in size to Godzilla.
• After warning Godzilla to leave, Rain God engages it in a massive battle across the ocean. Their blows create enormous waves, destroy weaker monsters, and repeatedly push invading creatures away from the shore.
• Meanwhile, Angel and Demon continue their intense battle at the original venue, representing a clash between sacred light and sinister darkness. Their attacks devastate the abandoned building, but the livestream cameraman continues filming to boost humanity’s morale.
• At the coastline, the constant monster attacks begin draining Gilgamesh’s clone. Xia Yuan also senses several powerful entities approaching and decides to conserve energy.
• The clone summons Ionioi Hetairoi, deploying tens of thousands of soldiers equipped with Noble Phantasms from the Gate of Babylon. The army forms an overwhelming defensive line and completely halts the monsters’ advance.
• The apparent victory is interrupted when an unmarked helicopter approaches. Undying Hero destroys it, revealing the arrival of Wrath, a massive, heavily scarred warrior who challenges Xia Yuan directly.

Character Developments

• Rain God demonstrates confidence and a desire to prove her strength rather than remain a spectator behind Xia Yuan. In the ocean, she reveals a dramatic increase in power and successfully battles Godzilla on equal terms.
• Xia Yuan remains relaxed and detached, willingly allowing Rain God to take the spotlight. He recognizes her need to release her anger and treats the battle almost like entertainment. However, he also shows strategic judgment by conserving his clone’s spiritual power once stronger enemies approach.
• Gilgamesh’s clone displays both overwhelming offensive power and tactical versatility. When Gate of Babylon alone becomes insufficient, he shifts from bombardment to commanding a massive army.
• Undying Hero remains confident and irreverent, enjoying the spectacle while protecting the battlefield. He quickly identifies the helicopter as a threat and destroys it without hesitation.
• Angel and Demon continue their long-standing rivalry. Demon taunts Angel about her lack of improvement, while Angel responds through increasingly powerful attacks rather than words.
• Wrath is introduced as a direct and aggressive enemy of Xia Yuan. His arrival shifts the chapter toward a more personal confrontation.

Significant Themes

• Humanity’s power against overwhelming disaster: Godzilla and the monster invasion inspire global panic, but the strength of Rain God, Gilgamesh’s army, Angel, and Demon proves that humanity is not helpless.
• Home-field advantage and personal potential: Rain God’s connection to the ocean allows her to reach a new level of strength, emphasizing how characters can excel under the right conditions.
• Spectacle and morale: The livestream is more than entertainment. The cameraman deliberately broadcasts the battles to reassure the public and demonstrate that humanity possesses defenders capable of resisting destruction.
• Strategy versus brute force: Although Xia Yuan’s forces are overwhelmingly powerful, he recognizes the need to manage spiritual energy and prepare for stronger threats rather than waste resources on endless monster waves.
• Rivalry and self-assertion: Rain God wants recognition independent of Xia Yuan, while Angel and Demon’s battle reflects an enduring ideological and personal conflict between light and darkness.

Character Interactions

• Rain God challenges Xia Yuan for permission to fight Godzilla, teasing him about stealing the glory. Xia Yuan casually agrees, understanding that she needs the opportunity to vent and prove herself.
• Undying Hero supports Rain God’s fight but jokes about enjoying the spectacle. He later reacts with amazement to Gilgamesh’s summoned army.
• Xia Yuan and Mo Shiyu observe Rain God’s transformation, with Mo Shiyu surprised by her ocean-enhanced power and Xia Yuan calmly recognizing its logic.
• Angel and Demon exchange taunts during their battle, with Demon provoking Angel by claiming she has not improved.
• The livestream audience alternates between fear, excitement, humor, and encouragement, turning the battles into a worldwide morale event.
• Wrath ends the chapter by directly threatening Xia Yuan, setting up the next major confrontation.

Zhao Wenguo deployed Great Xia's forces as monsters appeared worldwide, while Mei Mei watched Xia Yuan's live stream from Kunlun Academy. On Evernight City's beach, Undying Hero fought Wrath, a bishop of the Holy Maiden Church, while Xia Yuan watched and Rain God and Godzilla continued battling offshore.

• Zhao Wenguo assigned Contract Spirit Master squads to reinforce coastal defenses as reports of monster attacks flooded in across the globe.
• Mei Mei watched the live stream with Censored Knight and Dumb Dragon before they left to join the fighting, then watched it with the maids.
• Wrath appeared on Evernight City's beach and challenged Xia Yuan, but Undying Hero stepped in to fight him instead.
• Wrath cleaved Undying Hero in half with one axe swing, but Undying Hero immediately regenerated and revealed his undying body.
• Undying Hero and Wrath clashed in a fierce battle as Xia Yuan watched from a reef and Rain God and Godzilla fought at sea.