Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “A Textbook Case of Dealing with a Scumbag”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Four women expose and punish a man who had deceived all of them simultaneously:
  • Two wealthy women commissioned his alchemical jewelry.
  • An aloof female Swordsman spent days completing missions with him.
  • A slender woman was his real-life girlfriend and cared for him outside the game.
• The man carefully maintained these relationships through lies, disguises, and impressive time management. He also deliberately cultivated an appearance resembling Hill, wearing white robes and presenting himself as gentle and refined.
• The women discovered the truth, secretly cooperated despite their hostility toward one another, and lured him onto the floating ship. They ensured his pain settings were at maximum before beating him together.
• Their actions become a spectacle for the Undead, who speculate about which woman uncovered the deception and connected the others. The man eventually disconnects—or more likely faints—from the excessive pain.
• Witness uses the incident to explain the effects of the floating ship’s mysterious Oil Painting and its underlying Sun God Power. The power causes people with hidden guilt or malice to become uncomfortable, reveal their thoughts, or erupt into conflict after remaining nearby for too long.
• Additional arguments and fights occur among visitors who reveal jealousy, resentment, or hostility during Truth or Dare. Most later incidents are ordinary disagreements caused by people’s concealed negative feelings.
• Hill realizes that the Oil Painting is not simply a truth detector or harmful spiritual artifact. It brings inner darkness into the open when exposed to its radiant power.
• The ship’s workers are largely unaware of the Sun God Power beneath the Silver Moon Power. Those without guilty consciences experience it as warmth and comfort, while guilty individuals may react suspiciously or become distressed.
• Hill also realizes that William likely understood the painting’s divine nature from the beginning and deliberately informed the Undead about it, perhaps knowing they would create entertaining chaos.

Character Developments

• The four women move from being isolated victims to a united group capable of cooperating against their shared deceiver. Their willingness to work together, even when some were former rivals, highlights their determination and practical intelligence.
• The scumbag is revealed as manipulative and highly calculating. He exploited the women’s different needs while constructing a false image based partly on Hill’s appearance and reputation.
• Hill becomes more aware of the Oil Painting’s true nature and reflects on the relationship between divine light, guilt, and human behavior. He also recognizes that he had underestimated William’s sensitivity to divine power.
• William is portrayed as perceptive and possibly mischievous. He appears to have recognized the painting’s effects and knowingly allowed the Undead to investigate it through gossip and games.
• Yue Xiaoluo is embarrassed because she apparently admired the scumbag and struggles to justify why she was fooled.
• Anlier explains the man’s deliberate imitation of Hill and clarifies that his apparent resemblance was part of his strategy.
• Old Cat makes blunt, cynical comments about the women’s poor judgment and Hill’s imitator, leading Xiao Chenhuan and others to joke that he is destined to remain single.
• Witness acts as commentator and investigator, turning the punishment and subsequent conflicts into public entertainment while explaining the Oil Painting’s effects.

Significant Themes

• Exposure of hidden darkness: The Sun God Power does not force people to become evil or good, but prolonged exposure makes concealed guilt, envy, and resentment difficult to suppress.
• Deception and manufactured trust: The scumbag succeeds by exploiting assumptions about a busy craftsman’s schedule and by presenting himself as gentle, reliable, and similar to a beloved figure.
• Solidarity among victims: The four women overcome their personal differences to confront the person who deceived them all.
• Truth versus social appearances: The chapter contrasts the scumbag’s polished reputation with his immoral behavior and shows that seemingly honest people may harbor deep resentment.
• Justice as spectacle: The Undead transform punishment into entertainment, mixing gossip, public commentary, and moral judgment.
• The danger and usefulness of powerful artifacts: The Oil Painting creates only a minor inconvenience for innocent people but may reveal spies or traitors, making it strategically valuable despite its unsettling effects.

Character Interactions

• The four women collectively beat and denounce the scumbag, while Witness narrates their story for the watching Undead.
• Yue Xiaoluo and Anlier explain the scumbag’s reputation and his attempts to imitate Hill, while Hill listens from above.
• Old Cat mocks the women’s judgment and is teased by Xiao Chenhuan, Yun Che, and the others for being permanently single.
• The group laughs together, easing the tension and bringing the incident to a close.
• Witness discusses the fights caused by Truth or Dare, while Hill privately analyzes the deeper psychological and divine forces behind them.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William travels aboard Falan’s lead royal ship with Salar’s nobles while watching the Undead’s livestream. The Undead are investigating and confronting hidden spies and conspirators connected to the marriage-related incident.
• Spencer questions whether exposing the spies’ actions will make them more cautious. William explains that he warned the Undead beforehand, ensuring that anyone who still acts recklessly will bear responsibility for the consequences.
• A Salar Duke worries about the Undead beating a man for having four lovers. William clarifies that the man was punished not for having multiple partners, but for deceiving four women of equal status who expected faithful marriages.
• The fleet approaches the Hundred Cities Alliance, a human-controlled buffer region between the Dwarf Kingdom and the Elven Forest.
• William explains the Alliance’s history: its cities survived by serving the Elves and Dwarves as trading intermediaries, eventually becoming dependent on slave trafficking. Since Salar began purchasing large numbers of slaves and offering reliable payment, the region has developed deep resentment toward William and the God of Space-Time.
• William confirms that many of the people attempting to sabotage the fleet likely originate from the Hundred Cities Alliance. Unlike in Salar, where he restrained the Undead, he intends to let them act freely there because the Alliance has never sworn loyalty to him.
• The nobles discuss the suspicious behavior of the Mage Association representatives, who remain isolated instead of joining the others in the main hall. William believes they are unlikely to betray humanity outright, though Karl and Miller criticize the Association’s recent alliance with the Elves and its support of Bolanio.
• Karl fears that the Mage Association’s internal conflict and loss of prestige could eventually cause it to collapse or split apart.

Character Developments

• William is shown as increasingly pragmatic and politically confident. He manipulates the Undead’s actions through advance warnings, allowing him to avoid responsibility while still benefiting from their investigations. He also reveals a harsher attitude toward the Hundred Cities Alliance, where he feels less obligated to protect nobles who oppose Salar.
• Spencer continues to act as a cautious, dutiful royal guard captain, though he remains baffled by the Undead’s willingness to embrace danger.
• The Salar Duke demonstrates anxiety over William’s expectations regarding fidelity and succession. His concerns expose how differently nobles and Undead view marriage.
• Karl appears loyal to the Mage Association despite criticizing it. His concern is partly personal, since he has family ties to many Mage Association members.
• Miller is more detached and pragmatic than Karl. He believes the Mage Association may be headed for collapse but has no desire to intervene.
• The Mage Association is portrayed as increasingly divided, politically compromised, and possibly weakened by its support for Bolanio and cooperation with the Elves.

Significant Themes

• Different moral systems reaching similar conclusions: William notes that Salar nobles and the Undead may justify marriage rules differently, but both condemn deception when partners have equal status and conflicting expectations.
• Political responsibility and plausible deniability: William protects himself by informing the Undead in advance, allowing him to claim that any resulting disaster was caused by those who ignored his warning.
• Class, power, and exploitation: The history of the Hundred Cities Alliance shows how weak human communities became economically dependent on stronger races and profited from slavery.
• Decline of institutions: The Mage Association’s willingness to cooperate with Elves against fellow humans suggests a loss of dignity, unity, and political authority.
• Justice versus restraint: William distinguishes between enemies within Salar, whom he has often spared, and hostile outsiders who have no allegiance to him and therefore may face harsher consequences.

Character Interactions

• William and Spencer discuss the risks of exposing spies, with William emphasizing preparation and responsibility.
• William explains the Undead’s relationship and marriage customs to the Salar Duke and other nobles, helping them understand why the unfaithful man was punished.
• Spencer and the nobles silently recall how severely the Undead punished corrupt Salar nobles, reinforcing their fear of what may happen in the Hundred Cities Alliance.
• Karl and Miller debate the Mage Association’s conduct, especially its support for Bolanio and apparent subordination to Elven interests.
• William reassures them that the Mage Association is unlikely to betray humanity completely, while Karl remains worried about its future and Miller treats its possible collapse as someone else’s problem.

Chapter Summary: The Sky Fleet with Undercurrents

Key Plot Points and Events

• William observes that Legendary Karl’s comments about Hill and the Sorcerer Tower are dangerously tactless. He explains that the Sorcerer Tower’s desire for independence existed long before the incident involving Hill; Hill was merely a convenient justification.
• Salar’s nobles avoid discussing Hill’s family scandal because they fear the Falan Line. Hill is now widely recognized as the creator of the Wind Law, leading people to worry that any malicious words might reach him through the wind.
• William becomes irritated that, because they cannot openly gossip about him or Hill’s family, the nobles have shifted their attention to rumors about the runaway princesses. He decides to leave their punishment to Little William, who can retaliate without creating the appearance that William is forgiving them.
• Meanwhile, Hill and the Undead travel aboard the Sky Fleet toward the Hundred Cities Alliance. The Undead are allowed onto the deck in small groups for only ten minutes at a time, under guard and the supervision of William’s Alchemical Golems.
• Old Cat mocks Anlier and the others for envying those already aboard the fleet, arguing that they can simply use the Teleportation Array later. His bluntness causes everyone except Hill to laugh.
• The fleet passes over Hundred Cities, which William does not consider the primary target. His immediate goals remain the Elven Forest and the Dwarf Kingdom.
• William notes that neither the Elven nor Dwarven Pantheons appear to understand that war has already effectively been declared. He suspects they have failed to grasp the true significance of the Sun God’s actions and Hill’s new Semi-Divine Artifact.
• The fleet’s central control room is located beneath an oil painting empowered by the Sun God. The painting causes people with guilty consciences to repent or expose themselves, though most observers mistakenly assume it is mental magic.
• Because of the painting’s effect, spies and infiltrators throughout the fleet begin revealing themselves. Many are taken to isolation rooms, and even William’s flagship is affected. The closer the fleet comes to Hundred Cities, the more infiltrators are caught.

Character Developments

• William displays political awareness and controlled hostility. He understands the nobles’ fear of Hill and Falan, while also resenting their cowardice and their unfair treatment of the royal princesses. He plans to have Little William deal with the gossipers more forcefully.
• Hill remains detached and analytical. He accepts Old Cat’s practical argument about merit missions and teleportation, though he is confused by the others’ emotional reaction. His growing reputation as the master of the Wind Law has made him a figure others fear to offend.
• Old Cat continues to speak bluntly and without concern for social tact, earning both ridicule and amusement from the group.
• Anlier is shown to be eager to experience the outside world but embarrassed by Old Cat’s teasing.
• William’s guards and Alchemical Golems demonstrate strict control over the Undead, ensuring they obey despite their unusual status.
• The infiltrators and spies become increasingly vulnerable as the Sun God’s power forces those with guilty consciences to reveal themselves.

Significant Themes

• Fear and political influence: Hill’s mastery of the Wind Law and connection to Falan have made him powerful enough that even casual gossip about him is considered dangerous.
• Reputation and social hypocrisy: Salar’s nobles avoid openly discussing serious scandals out of fear while freely spreading rumors about people with less immediate power.
• Justice versus mercy: William refuses to forgive the runaway princesses but also wants to prevent their actions from unfairly damaging the reputation of the entire royal family.
• Hidden warfare and deception: The Sky Fleet appears to be traveling openly, but spies and saboteurs are embedded within it. The conflict is already underway even though the Elves and Dwarves have not recognized it.
• Guilt as a weakness: The Sun God’s power exploits the conscience of infiltrators, turning their own guilt into a weapon against them.
• Freedom versus control: The Undead enjoy only tightly supervised access to the deck, highlighting the tension between their desire for freedom and William’s need to maintain order.

Character Interactions

• William silently criticizes Karl for raising the sensitive subject of Hill’s family and the Sorcerer Tower.
• William’s thoughts contrast the nobles’ cowardice with Falan’s reputation for uncompromising retaliation.
• Old Cat teases Anlier about envying the Undead aboard the fleet, prompting laughter from the villagers and other observers.
• Hill internally agrees with Old Cat’s logic but fails to understand why the others find his remarks insensitive.
• William’s power indirectly exposes the spies aboard the fleet, creating an ongoing conflict between the fleet’s leadership and hidden enemies.

Chapter Summary: “The Hundred Cities Alliance! The War Begins!”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Several mages cultivated by the Salar Royal Family are exposed as traitors who attempted to sabotage William’s airship. Their plan was likely to detonate the Elemental Crystals powering the vessel, potentially killing the nobles aboard.
• William and the Salar nobles discuss the traitors’ motives. The betrayers believe humanity will lose the coming war and hope to gain favor by surrendering early to the Hundred Cities Alliance, Elves, or Dwarves.
• William decides not to execute the traitors himself. Instead, he plans to send them to the Elves and Dwarves they betrayed humanity to serve, expecting those factions to kill them as useless or untrustworthy servants.
• Confessions from the captured saboteurs identify several supposed enemy cities as the ones behind the plot, but investigation reveals that all the names are fabricated. William realizes the Elves and Dwarves deliberately planted false information to provoke Salar into attacking each other.
• As William’s airship arrives over Central City, no Elves or Dwarves remain in the city. William concludes that both races have withdrawn their support from the Hundred Cities Alliance and intend to let humanity destroy it before backing a replacement regime.
• Miller explains that the Hundred Cities Alliance was effectively created and controlled as a collection of slave states. Their rulers’ attempts to gain independent wealth and power are viewed by the Elves and Dwarves as rebellion.
• William outlines the rules for the coming purge: the Undead will use Faction Detection to target those aligned with evil or hostile to Salar, while neutral citizens will be protected unless they attack first.
• The chapter also revisits the improved safeguards controlling the Undead. After the previous incident in which area attacks nearly killed Hill, William and the God of Space-Time strengthened the system so players who attack protected neutral targets can be punished through level loss, being logged out, or permanent bans.
• William reflects on his protective attitude toward Hill, including his refusal to let Valencia recruit him into the Sorcerer Tower. William believes Hill should be allowed to live freely rather than become a political tool.
• The chapter ends with William rising above the royal hall and declaring, “The war has begun!”

Character Developments

• William demonstrates strategic patience and political insight. Rather than reacting emotionally to betrayal, he recognizes the larger manipulation by the Elves and Dwarves and chooses to attack the Hundred Cities Alliance first.
• Spencer and the nobles show their anger and ruthlessness toward the traitors, but they ultimately accept William’s more calculated plan for dealing with them.
• Miller reveals his knowledge of the political relationship between the Hundred Cities Alliance and the Elves and Dwarves. His comments suggest he has connections to cities involved in trade with those factions.
• Hill does not appear directly, but the chapter emphasizes William’s strong sense of responsibility toward him. William’s guilt over the earlier Undead attack has deepened his determination to protect Hill from political exploitation.
• Valencia is portrayed as well-intentioned but politically manipulative. Her attempt to recruit Hill is rejected because William believes the Sorcerer Tower would use him for its own advantage.

Significant Themes

• Betrayal and opportunism: The traitorous mages abandon humanity because they believe the war is already lost, revealing the danger of serving power rather than principle.
• Political manipulation: The Elves and Dwarves use false accusations to make Salar attack the other prematurely, demonstrating that the coming war is as much about strategy and perception as military strength.
• Colonial control and rebellion: The Hundred Cities Alliance is portrayed as a long-term puppet structure created by the Elves and Dwarves. Its attempt at independence is treated as an intolerable rebellion.
• Justice versus revenge: William allows the traitors to face the consequences of their choices while avoiding an impulsive execution. His response is harsh but strategically reasoned.
• Protection and responsibility: William’s relationship with Hill highlights his willingness to use royal authority to defend individuals under his protection, even against powerful political organizations.
• Rules and consequences: The strengthened Undead system reflects the need to regulate power. Even in war, attacks against neutral parties are forbidden and punished.

Important Character Interactions

• William and Spencer: They discuss the betrayal of Salar’s mages, with William calming Spencer’s anger and explaining the traitors’ shortsighted motives.
• William and the Salar nobles: William convinces them that sending the traitors to the Elves and Dwarves will produce a more satisfying punishment than killing them immediately.
• William and the royal guard captain: The captain reports the saboteurs’ false confessions, allowing William to identify the Elves’ and Dwarves’ attempt to manipulate Salar.
• William and Miller: Miller explains why the Elves and Dwarves abandoned the Hundred Cities Alliance and helps establish the rules for separating neutral citizens from hostile targets.
• William and Hill/Valencia: Through William’s reflections, the chapter shows his determination to prevent Valencia and the Sorcerer Tower from turning Hill into a political asset.

Chapter Summary: “Central City Falls with Ease”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William begins the assault on Central City, ordering his Undead army to attack. Giant magic cannons mounted on floating ships destroy the city’s protective barrier after only three volleys.
• Five human Legendary figures emerge, but an overwhelming barrage from the Undead Mages forces them to flee before they can speak.
• William marks one Legendary figure whose aura is exceptionally evil—nearly as dark as that of a high-ranking Demon—and orders the Undead to pursue him relentlessly. The other Legendary figures are allowed to escape if they can.
• The Elven and Dwarven nations observe the invasion from afar but refuse to intervene. William and Hill condemn their hesitation and unwillingness to risk fighting first.
• The Xue Yunfeng Alliance and the Doomsday Alliance each target a separate Legendary figure. Their coordinated Undead forces trap and gradually overwhelm their opponents.
• The most evil Legendary figure is surrounded by millions of Undead and ultimately killed, reduced to a mangled corpse. The other two Legendary figures, judged to be less evil, manage to escape.
• Both alliances kill their chosen targets almost simultaneously, with Xue Yunfeng’s group claiming a slight victory and taunting the other alliance.
• With Central City’s defenses broken and its leaders defeated, the Undead enter the city with almost no resistance.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates overwhelming power and strategic restraint. He personally identifies the most dangerous and morally corrupt target while refusing to waste resources pursuing less evil opponents.
• Hill continues to view events critically, sharing William’s contempt for the Elves and Dwarves’ cowardice. He also remains an amused observer of the Undead’s livestreams and social dynamics.
• Xue Yunfeng shows strong battlefield coordination, directing Mages to seal every possible escape route and methodically destroy a Legendary Knight.
• Old Cat reinforces his role as a lazy but politically useful official. His high favorability and refusal to leave town make him ideal as deputy mayor, despite his love of gossip and spectacle.
• The Undead display both military efficiency and a playful, competitive culture. They pursue enemies for merit points, bet on which targets will die first, livestream the battle, and openly taunt rival alliances.
• Yue Xiaoluo and Anlier discuss the practical reasons behind Hill’s choice of officials, emphasizing that most Undead prefer adventuring and exploring to remaining in government posts.

Significant Themes

• Overwhelming force and the weakness of Central City: The city’s defenses collapse almost instantly, revealing that its apparent wealth and powerful equipment cannot withstand the Undead army’s numbers.
• Moral corruption: William’s ability to distinguish degrees of evil emphasizes the chapter’s concern with the consequences of oppression. Central City is portrayed as morally polluted, with its elite gradually corrupted by the system they uphold.
• Cowardice versus conviction: The Elves and Dwarves avoid confronting William because they fear mutual losses. Their hesitation is contrasted with the Undead’s willingness to fight decisively and accept casualties.
• Power in numbers and coordination: Even Legendary figures equipped with advanced defensive treasures cannot survive when surrounded, trapped, and attacked by millions of organized enemies.
• War as spectacle: The Undead transform the battle into entertainment through livestreams, bets, commentary, and rivalry, creating a contrast between the brutality of war and their lighthearted reactions.
• Pragmatism and political convenience: Hill’s appointment of Old Cat shows that leadership is based less on ideal qualifications than on reliability, availability, and usefulness.

Character Interactions

• William and the Elves/Dwarves: William deliberately provokes the distant Elven and Dwarven observers, while their refusal to act confirms his low opinion of them.
• William and the Undead: William gives the Undead a clear moral objective—kill the exceptionally evil Legendary figure—motivating their intense pursuit through high merit rewards.
• Xue Yunfeng and his alliance: Xue Yunfeng commands a disciplined operation, using water, ice, Earth, and Sky Knight forces to eliminate every escape route.
• Xue Yunfeng Alliance and Doomsday Alliance: The two alliances cooperate tactically but remain competitive, celebrating their near-simultaneous victories and taunting each other afterward.
• Hill and Old Cat: Old Cat jokes that he might be removed as deputy mayor for gloating, while others explain that his loyalty and constant presence in town make him indispensable.
• Old Cat, Xiao Chenhuan, Yue Xiaoluo, and Anlier: Their conversation shifts from mocking the battle to discussing Old Cat’s position and the Undead’s tendency to investigate everything, including government secrets.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill realizes two Undead girls may be writing biographies about him and resolves to be more cautious so he does not accidentally provide material for an embarrassing sequel.
• He concludes that infiltrating the Salar government or relying on noble gossip is impractical. Instead, he trusts the Undead’s existing knowledge and his own ability to remain hidden, while continuing to wear his protective hairpin.
• After three Legendary figures are killed and Central City’s gates are destroyed, the Undead enter the city and explore its districts.
• Central City initially appears prosperous and architecturally impressive, but the Undead soon discover that it is built on horrific exploitation:
  • The Dwarven district contains slaughterhouses filled with the corpses of intelligent Magical Beasts, many of which were butchered alive for their organs and blood.
  • The Elves live apart behind thick thorn barriers, apparently refusing to involve themselves in the suffering around them.
  • The human district contains starving slaves abandoned in forests without shelter.
• The Xue Yunfeng Alliance is enraged by the treatment of the Magical Beasts. With the help of their own companions, they gather the corpses and burn them in a funeral pyre, swearing vengeance against the Dwarves.
• The Undead find the human slaves terrified and psychologically broken. When smoke from the funeral fires rises, the slaves assume they will be killed and beg for mercy rather than attempting escape.
• A young-looking Undead girl reassures them that the newcomers are the army of Salar, will not harm humans, and intend to care for them. The Undead organize the slaves and bring them to the city plaza, where registration tables, food, and shelter have been prepared.
• Leng Lie, leader of the PVE Family, carefully avoids overwhelming the traumatized slaves with promises of freedom. He focuses first on restoring their physical and mental condition so they can eventually understand and accept a better future.
• Yue Xiaoluo ends the chapter by questioning why an Abyssal Gate never opened in Central City, since its cruelty seems worse than that of many human kingdoms.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes more cautious and politically aware, recognizing that gathering intelligence through official infiltration is unrealistic and that his anonymity remains important.
• The Undead reveal their strong sense of loyalty and protectiveness. They are particularly outraged when Magical Beasts—regarded as intelligent companions and kin—are tortured and discarded.
• Xue Yunfeng Alliance members shift from ordinary exploration to open moral outrage and vengeance, honoring the dead Magical Beasts through cremation.
• Leng Lie demonstrates practical leadership and psychological insight. Rather than making unrealistic promises to traumatized slaves, he prioritizes food, registration, safety, and recovery.
• The slaves are shown to have been reduced to a state of fear and emotional numbness. Their inability to believe in rescue emphasizes the depth of their abuse.
• Yue Xiaoluo voices the chapter’s central moral contradiction: Central City’s evil appears extreme enough to rival or exceed that associated with the Abyss.

Significant Themes

• Dehumanization and systemic cruelty: Both humans and Magical Beasts are treated as disposable resources.
• Moral responsibility versus indifference: The Elves’ isolation contrasts sharply with the Undead’s decision to intervene.
• Trauma and recovery: The slaves’ reactions show that liberation requires more than simply declaring them free; they must first regain health, trust, and a sense of identity.
• Justice and vengeance: The Undead’s fury reflects their belief that cruelty toward their own companions demands punishment.
• The hypocrisy of civilization: Central City’s wealth and architectural beauty conceal slaughterhouses, slavery, and widespread suffering.
• The nature of evil: The final question challenges the assumption that the Abyss is uniquely wicked, suggesting that organized human societies can produce comparable horrors.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill mentally evaluates the two Undead authors and considers how to avoid exposing his weaknesses.
• The Magical Beast companions and the Xue Yunfeng Alliance share grief and anger over the slaughtered beasts, strengthening their bond.
• The Undead approach the terrified slaves carefully, using gentle words and reassuring appearances to gain their trust.
• The young Undead girl publicly promises protection and a future in Salar, while the slaves slowly respond to her kindness.
• Old Cat and Xiao Chenhuan discuss Leng Lie’s reputation, highlighting his competence and careful leadership.
• Yue Xiaoluo’s final remark reframes the entire city’s tragedy as a challenge to conventional ideas about where evil truly comes from.

Chapter Summary: The Beginning of a War of Trump Cards

Key Plot Points and Events

• William discovers that Central City’s apparent neutrality is maintained by a powerful magic array hidden beneath the Lord’s Manor. The array suppresses the city’s enormous aura of evil and prevents it from falling into the influence of the Demons.
• William destroys the Lord’s Manor and breaks the array, causing black smoke—revealing the accumulated sins of the city’s inhabitants.
• He orders the Undead to kill everyone burdened by sin while sparing the blameless slaves. The Undead systematically purge Central City, perceiving the guilty as Demon-like beings surrounded by black smoke.
• The underground regions reveal a demonic lair containing a vast blood pool and mountains of bones. The Demons have already fled, leaving evidence of horrific sacrifices and crimes.
• William evacuates the slaves and places them in a large Alchemy Hut. Former residents of Central City, many with Elven blood, are forced to undergo inspection to determine whether they are secretly Demons.
• William orders the Undead to destroy the Lord’s Manors in every city of the Hundred Cities Alliance and dig deep underground, searching for similar demonic strongholds.
• A Space-Time Church and Teleportation Array are established, allowing enormous numbers of Undead to pour into the region. The Hundred Cities Alliance is rapidly conquered.
• The Elves and Dwarves initially remain silent, but when William prepares to summon the Undead, the Dwarven Pantheon launches an attack on the Space-Time River.
• The Dwarven God of Smithing and his subordinate confront William, while the Elven God-King engages the Silver Moon Goddess and the Wolf God.
• The Elven God-King is accused of colluding with the Abyss, while he claims that the Elves are merely seeking revenge for the destruction of their Divine Kingdom.
• William easily withstands the two Fallen Dwarven Gods and blocks a surprise attack from the former Human God of Smithing and Craftsmen, who has become a grotesque evil god after sacrificing all his believers.

Character Developments

• William abandons restraint after discovering the true extent of Central City’s corruption. His fury leads him to order a total purge of those responsible, demonstrating his increasingly uncompromising stance toward evil.
• He remains more merciful than the Demons, however, evacuating innocent slaves rather than treating all of Central City’s inhabitants as enemies.
• William also becomes more strategically cautious, using inspections and underground investigations to identify hidden Demons rather than relying solely on force.
• Hill gains a deeper understanding of the political and metaphysical situation. He concludes that the suppressive magic array may have originated from the Abyss and realizes that Central City’s accumulated evil could sustain powerful Demons.
• Hill also reassesses the neutrality of the Dwarves, suspecting that their ability to conceal their sins may depend on similar anti-evil magic.
• The Undead show complete confidence in their ability to identify evil. They kill without hesitation—even when the guilty appear as children—because they see their true, demonic souls.
• The Silver Moon Goddess openly mocks and challenges the Elven God-King, revealing her hostility and confidence during the divine confrontation.
• The former Human God of Smithing and Craftsmen has fully fallen into evil, abandoning his identity as a human god and sacrificing his followers for power.

Significant Themes

• Hidden evil beneath apparent neutrality: Central City’s beauty and neutrality conceal slavery, demonic influence, mass sacrifice, and deeply rooted corruption.
• Justice versus mercy: The massacre is horrifying from an ordinary human perspective, but the Undead can perceive the guilt of their victims. William’s actions raise questions about whether total destruction can be considered justice when nearly everyone involved is guilty.
• The danger of suppressed sin: Magic can conceal evil but cannot erase it. Once the array is destroyed, the city’s accumulated corruption becomes visible.
• Political neutrality as deception: The Dwarves’ and possibly the Elves’ neutral positions may depend on hidden alliances or methods of concealing their crimes.
• Escalation toward divine war: William’s conquest of the Hundred Cities Alliance provokes direct intervention from the Dwarven and Elven Pantheons, transforming a regional campaign into a conflict among gods.
• The cost of power: The former Human God’s transformation illustrates how sacrificing believers and abandoning moral identity can turn a once-human deity into a monstrous evil god.

Character Interactions

• William and Miller/Karl: Karl questions whether William’s ally is truly neutral after Central City’s hidden evil is exposed, while Miller reacts with surprise. William ignores their political intrigue and focuses on the purge.
• William and the slaves: William protects and evacuates the innocent slaves, separating them from the guilty city residents and arranging magical inspections for hidden Demons.
• William and the Undead: He directs their citywide purge and later organizes their rapid deployment throughout the Hundred Cities Alliance.
• Silver Moon Goddess and the Elven God-King: They exchange accusations and insults over Abyssal cooperation, the destruction of the Elven Forest, and the Elves’ dependence on nature’s power. Their argument quickly becomes a direct battle.
• William and the Dwarven Gods: William fights the Dwarven God of Smithing and his subordinate while wielding overwhelming sword techniques, appearing to hold the advantage.
• William and the former Human God: William condemns him for sacrificing his followers, but the fallen god launches a surprise attack before being intercepted.
  The chapter ends with the conflict widening into a full-scale divine war, as the Dwarven Pantheon, Elven Pantheon, Space-Time Pantheon, and newly revealed fallen gods prepare to reveal their strongest trump cards.

Chapter Summary: “A Melee in the Starry Sky”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The God of Nobles, formerly known as Dionysio, confronts the Evil God, his ancient rival of more than one hundred thousand years. The Evil God abandons the larger battle to attack him, consumed by hatred.
• The Dwarven Pantheon urges the Elves to join the assault, but the Human Pantheon intercepts the Elven gods. Major human deities, including the Love Goddess, Goddess of Agriculture, Knowledge God, and God of Contracts, take the field.
• William continues fighting the Dwarven God of Smithing while summoning vast numbers of low-level Undead. Their purpose is not combat but the massive elemental disturbance created as they materialize, draining the surrounding regions and generating destructive storms.
• Spencer and the Noble Church organize the Undead and send them through Hundred Cities, protected by Red Wizards who are especially alert to Demonic threats.
• The Dwarven and Elven gods launch a combined assault on the God of Space-Time. At the critical moment, the Sun God appears, reflects their power, and annihilates many of them with Solar Arrows.
• William and the God of Nobles attack the human-born Evil God. The Dwarf Gods abandon him, allowing William to fatally wound him before the God of Nobles delivers the final blow.
• The Evil God’s death enables the God of Nobles to complete his return to godhood. The World Will acknowledges him once again, though his new Divine Kingdom is smaller and dangerously close to the Evil Alignment.
• The human gods pursue the retreating Dwarven and Elven Pantheons. A powerful black hand—belonging to an extremely strong Abyssal entity—intercepts the Sun God’s attack.
• The Elven God-King is protected by an ancient Crescent Moon Emblem belonging to Corellon, the Father of Elves. A mysterious Abyssal woman then appears and attacks the emblem, declaring that the Abyss does not welcome Corellon’s descendants.

Character Developments

• The God of Nobles/Dionysio: Reclaims his identity and settles his ancient rivalry by personally killing the Evil God. His restoration to godhood confirms his renewed commitment to order, though his alignment has shifted dangerously toward evil.
• William: Shows strategic ingenuity by using low-level Undead to disrupt the elemental balance rather than relying on their strength. He also demonstrates restraint and trust by leaving the final blow against the Evil God to the God of Nobles.
• The Evil God: Fully loses his reason, becoming driven solely by hatred for Dionysio. His abandonment by the Dwarves emphasizes his isolation and eventual destruction.
• The God of Space-Time: Is forced to reveal himself and fight openly when the combined Dwarf and Elf assault overwhelms his defenses.
• The Sun God: Reveals himself as an overwhelmingly powerful combatant, effortlessly turning the enemy’s attack against them. His confident, humorous defense of his tactics reinforces his bold personality.
• The Elven God-King: Remains confident in Corellon’s protection, but the sudden Abyssal intervention threatens both his survival and the Elven Pantheon.
• Hill: Continues observing the battle with caution and fascination, recognizing the danger posed by the Abyssal power while suppressing his instinct to flee.

Significant Themes

• Ancient hatred and revenge: The central confrontation between Dionysio and the Evil God is the culmination of a rivalry lasting over one hundred thousand years.
• Order versus corruption: The God of Nobles’ restoration represents the survival of order, while the Evil God embodies humanity’s descent into blood sacrifice and monstrous cruelty.
• Strategy over brute force: William’s Undead are valuable because of the environmental consequences of their summoning, demonstrating that unconventional tactics can outweigh raw combat power.
• Alignment and moral ambiguity: Dionysio’s return to godhood does not restore him completely to his former state; despite upholding order, he now stands near the Evil Alignment.
• Divine alliances and betrayal: Human, Elven, and Dwarven gods shift between cooperation and hostility, while the Dwarves abandon their own ally and the Elves attack the God of Space-Time at a decisive moment.
• The intervention of greater powers: The appearance of Abyssal entities suggests that the conflict extends beyond the participating pantheons and may involve forces far older and more dangerous.

Important Character Interactions

• William and the God of Nobles: Fight side by side, with the God of Nobles protecting William using the Love Goddess’s artifact and William allowing him to execute the Evil God.
• The God of Nobles and the Evil God: Their confrontation is deeply personal, driven by a century-spanning rivalry and hatred.
• Human Pantheon and Elven Pantheon: The human gods prevent the Elves from aiding the Dwarves, turning the wider conflict into a massive divine battle.
• William and the Dwarven God of Smithing: William repeatedly harasses him with sword techniques while using the Undead summoning to undermine the Dwarves’ environment.
• The Sun God and the enemy pantheons: He appears at a crucial moment, reflects their combined power, and mocks them for failing to detect his presence.
• The Abyssal powers and the Elves: An Abyssal entity blocks the Sun God’s attack and another attacks Corellon’s protective emblem, ending the chapter on a dangerous new escalation.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Rose’s golden shield shatters the Father of Elves’ badge, dispersing its power and knocking the Elven God-King away. The Silver Wolf seizes the opportunity to bite him, then hides behind Silver Moon in fear of the surrounding danger.
• Rose retreats after helping attack the Elven God-King, while another Abyssal Evil God—the entity behind the enormous black hand—also withdraws.
• Their intrusion finally pushes the World Will past its limit. It unleashes the stars and massive amounts of Star Power, expelling both Evil Gods from the world.
• The World Will succeeds in forcing them out, but the cost is enormous: every ordinary star in the Starry Sky is destroyed, leaving only the gods’ Divine Kingdoms.
• Nature Consciousness tells Hill that the World Will has fallen asleep after exhausting its accumulated power. It also prepares to sleep, leaving Hill a small fragment of itself called the Eternal Luck Blessing.
• The human gods take advantage of the chaos to attack the Elven and Dwarven pantheons. The Dwarf God is badly wounded by the Sun God, and nearly half of the hundreds of Dwarven gods are destroyed or severely weakened.
• The Elven Pantheon retreats after suffering fewer losses. The Dwarven gods eventually flee into their linked Divine Kingdoms, which are too well defended for the human gods to destroy directly.
• The gods conclude that the war is ending for now. The Elves and Dwarves will need decades to recover, while the Sun God and Silver Moon focus on repairing the destroyed stars.
• The God of Space-Time leaves the remaining conflict to William. William realizes that the God of Nobles has abandoned him with the aftermath of the war.
• The Love Goddess announces that Arturas has returned to his original form but is asleep. Until he awakens, the Noble Church must obey William, effectively placing its forces under William’s control.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly perceptive about Rose’s unusual personal interest in the Elven God-King and suspects a complicated connection involving Corellon, though he is too afraid to voice his theories.
• Rose demonstrates both overwhelming power and a strangely personal fixation on the Elven God-King. Her playful praise of the Silver Wolf contrasts with her ruthless interference in the world’s affairs.
• The Silver Wolf proves useful by biting the Elven God-King, despite being humiliated by Rose’s “good doggy” praise and hiding behind Silver Moon afterward.
• The World Will shifts from passive observation to violent defense, exhausting itself to remove the Abyssal intruders and reinforce the world’s barrier.
• Nature Consciousness shows deep affection for Hill, sorrowfully saying goodbye before entering its own long sleep. Its remaining fragment grants Hill continued protection and luck.
• The human gods emerge victorious but recognize the limits of their strength. Rather than risk destroying the Elven and Dwarven Divine Kingdoms, they choose to weaken their enemies over time.
• William is left frustrated and overburdened. Although the war has technically ended, he inherits responsibility for controlling the Noble Church and managing the weakened Elves and Dwarves.

Significant Themes

• The cost of defense: The world survives the Abyssal invasion, but at the price of the destruction of the entire ordinary Starry Sky and the World Will’s accumulated energy.
• World sovereignty and foreign intrusion: The World Will treats the Abyssal gods as illegal invaders, emphasizing the tension between native powers and outsiders entering another world.
• Temporary victory and continuing danger: The Abyssal Evil Gods are expelled, but the world remains marked by the Abyss, and demons can still enter through Abyssal Gates.
• Sacrifice and recovery: The gods win the battle, yet the World Will, Nature Consciousness, Sun God, and Silver Moon must all enter periods of sleep or repair.
• Burden of leadership: William’s victory does not bring rest; instead, others leave him to handle the political and military consequences.
• Humor amid catastrophe: Rose’s teasing, the Silver Wolf’s embarrassment, and William’s final “dog man and woman” insult provide comic relief after a devastating divine conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• Rose praises the Silver Wolf after he bites the Elven God-King, while the Wolf hides behind Silver Moon in embarrassment and fear.
• The World Will reacts violently to Rose and the other Evil God, ultimately expelling them and nearly exhausting itself.
• Nature Consciousness says farewell to Hill and leaves him the Eternal Luck Blessing before falling asleep.
• The Sun God wounds the Dwarf God, prompting the Dwarven Pantheon to defend him and suffer massive losses.
• The Sun God, Silver Moon, and the God of Space-Time discuss the world’s condition and assign humanity responsibility for dealing with the weakened Elves and Dwarves.
• The God of Space-Time directly tells William that the remaining work is his responsibility.
• The Love Goddess thanks William for sparing the final blow for Arturas and places the Noble Church under his command, leaving William furious at being burdened by both gods and their unfinished business.

Chapter Summary: “Hill Sets Off for Central City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The God of Nobles and the Love Goddess remain silent in their Divine Kingdom, focusing on preserving the stability of the Noble God’s faction after the recent crisis.
• William takes control of the Noble Church’s immediate affairs by summoning Pope Dionysio and ordering the Church’s cardinals to cooperate with the Undead. The cardinals, fearful of being corrupted or punished like the former God of Smithing’s followers, obediently participate in the war effort.
• The chapter reflects on humanity’s low moral standards. Although many nobles are corrupt, they have not technically crossed into the evil faction, suggesting that humanity’s “bottom line” is already dangerously low. William’s efforts to raise that standard are presented as one of his greatest accomplishments.
• The Undead return to Central City and prepare to attack the Elves and Dwarves simultaneously. William orders them to excavate beneath the city to determine how deeply the land has been contaminated by Demonic energy and plans to construct a new city nearby.
• Pope Dionysio arrives to coordinate with William. Despite once leading an attack against Salar, he now behaves respectfully because the Noble Church has aligned itself with William and needs his support.
• The Silver Moon Goddess appears as a projection and presses William for information about the Abyss Goddess’s hatred of the Elven God-King. William cautiously reveals that the Elven God-King was the Abyss Goddess’s former husband and that she was cast into the Abyss after betraying him, but refuses to say more.
• Falan arrives in Central City to aid in its reconstruction, deploying his Spiral Mage Tower. His presence confirms that the conflict with the Elves and Dwarves is expected to become a prolonged war.
• Hill returns to his Mage Tower to study high-level wind magic, but Falan soon contacts him with suppressed anger, warning that Central City’s land has been contaminated. Hill immediately agrees to travel there.
• Hill activates a newly established long-distance Teleportation Array, paying 10,000 Elemental Crystals to travel from his territory to Central City. The array’s enormous cost is explained, but its strategic location near the Elves and Dwarves may make it highly profitable for merchants and nobles.
• During teleportation, Hill observes the dangerous spatial rifts outside the passage and appreciates their strange beauty.

Character Developments

• William continues to act as the practical leader of the anti-Demon and anti-Elf/Dwarf campaign. He balances military preparation, political control, and caution when dealing with powerful divine beings.
• Hill remains observant and detached, but he increasingly becomes involved in major strategic matters. His willingness to respond immediately to Falan’s warning shows his concern for the contaminated land and the wider consequences of the conflict.
• Dionysio demonstrates his adaptability and political flexibility. Though once an enemy of Salar, he now submits to William’s authority and helps reorganize the Noble Church. His recent efforts to purge Demons from the Noble Temple also suggest that he has been deeply affected by the Church’s corruption.
• Falan takes an active role in rebuilding Central City, indicating that the reconstruction will involve advanced magical and alchemical engineering rather than ordinary construction.
• The Silver Moon Goddess is shown as curious, playful, and impulsive. Her chaotic nature contrasts with William’s restraint, and his refusal to indulge her gossip prevents a potentially dangerous divine conflict.

Significant Themes

• Political pragmatism and submission: Former enemies cooperate when greater threats emerge. The Noble Church’s cardinals abandon pride and comfort to preserve their faction.
• The unstable boundary between morality and evil: The chapter questions how low humanity’s ethical standards have fallen and suggests that corruption can exist without officially becoming “evil.”
• Order versus chaos: William’s careful silence contrasts with the Silver Moon Goddess’s curiosity and impulsiveness. The transformation of nobles into chaotic Demons demonstrates the danger of losing order entirely.
• The cost of war and reconstruction: Central City is not merely a battlefield; its contaminated land must be excavated and rebuilt, implying a long-term struggle with lasting environmental and magical damage.
• Infrastructure and power: The long-distance Teleportation Array represents both technological progress and economic opportunity, while its enormous operating cost emphasizes the resources required to connect distant regions during wartime.

Important Character Interactions

• William summons Dionysio and treats him as a political equal, offering him a chair and discussing military plans over a map.
• William and Dionysio react cautiously to the Silver Moon Goddess’s questions, recognizing that gossip about the Abyss Goddess and the Elven God-King could provoke dangerous divine consequences.
• William reveals a limited version of the former marriage between the Elven God-King and the Abyss Goddess, while deliberately withholding details.
• Falan later contacts Hill about the contaminated ground, prompting Hill to leave his secluded studies and travel to Central City.
• The Undead remain central to the chapter’s military activity, excavating Central City, preparing for war, and turning the coming conflict into a continuing battlefield.

Chapter Summary: “Hill with Sunflowers”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill arrives through the long-distance Teleportation Array and meets Adrian at the spiral Mage Tower.
• Adrian explains that the demon-related contamination beneath the central city is far worse than expected. The underground area had apparently been used for tens of thousands of years to dispose of blood and cultivate Demons.
• His Majesty orders the land within a thousand kilometers of the capital excavated until uncontaminated soil is found. Underground creatures and demonized insects are killed and burned, while the contaminated earth is placed in a massive purification pool maintained by spatial magic and Undead priests.
• Falan takes Hill to inspect the excavation site. Even thousands of meters underground, the soil remains tainted.
• A Mage recently became demonized after entering the contaminated area, and an Archmage suffered the same fate after ignoring warnings. The Undead recorded the incident and killed him immediately.
• The source of the corruption has not yet been found. The city lord was among the Legendaries killed, and the entire city lord’s manor was eliminated to prevent further demonization or hidden contamination.
• Because of the crisis, His Majesty has suspended planned attacks on the Elves and Dwarves in order to investigate the Demonic threat.
• Hill brings more than a hundred rare Sunflower seeds. These plants absorb death and evil as nourishment and eventually develop powerful purifying properties, making them potentially useful for cleansing the contaminated land.
• Falan and Hill discuss the suspicious behavior of the Mage Association and the Sorcerers’ sudden interest in Demons. They speculate that Demonization may offer immortality and that the Sorcerers may know more than they have revealed.

Character Developments

• Hill demonstrates practical judgment and concern for the consequences of the contamination. He offers the Sunflower seeds as a possible long-term purification method and carefully questions Falan about the Demons’ origin.
• Falan acts as the authoritative leader of the cleanup effort. He is grim and cautious, recognizing that even Legendary Mages cannot safely remain underground for long. His trust in William and the Undead is reinforced by the crisis.
• Adrian is shown as responsible and pragmatic. He remains aboveground to organize materials and administrative matters rather than recklessly investigating the contaminated tunnels.
• William and the Undead are portrayed as efficient crisis managers. William orders the large-scale excavation, while the Undead perform dangerous labor, kill contaminated creatures, and enforce safety through decisive action.
• The reckless Archmage’s death emphasizes the consequences of arrogance and refusal to follow expert instructions.
• Hill reflects on his earlier decision to give up a spell rather than fight over it, recognizing that yielding on an unimportant matter can lead to greater opportunities.

Significant Themes

• Corruption and purification: The contaminated soil represents evil spreading beneath civilization, while the Sunflowers symbolize the possibility of transforming corruption into light and renewal.
• The danger of unchecked ambition: Mages who ignore warnings or suspect others of hiding benefits place themselves in danger and become victims of Demonization.
• Practical cooperation over prejudice: The Undead, despite being feared or distrusted, are uniquely capable of handling the contaminated environment and become indispensable to the cleanup.
• Political suspicion and hidden knowledge: The Mage Association and Sorcerers may be concealing information about Demons, immortality, or the true source of the crisis.
• Pragmatism and restraint: Hill’s willingness to step back from unnecessary conflict contrasts with the reckless behavior of the Archmage and certain political factions.

Character Interactions

• Adrian briefs Hill on the underground contamination and the role of the Undead in exterminating demonized creatures.
• Falan explains the crisis while escorting Hill to the excavation site, defending Adrian’s decision to remain behind and praising the Undead’s usefulness.
• Hill repeatedly questions Falan about the contaminated soil, the transformed humans, the missing Demon responsible, and the possible involvement of Dwarven or Elven forces.
• Falan and Hill share suspicions about the Mage Association and Sorcerers, particularly their unusual focus on Demons and possible knowledge of Demonization’s promise of immortality.
• Their conversation also recalls Hill’s former conflict with a water-element Legendary Sorcerer, with Falan suggesting that Hill’s earlier restraint may have protected him from unnecessary trouble.

Chapter Summary: “Hill, the Timely Rainmaker”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill realizes that the Archmage who transformed into a demon was likely connected to a faction cooperating with Demons. The transformation occurred because he remained in the demon pit too long and exceeded his resistance to demonic energy.
• He and Falan conclude that the Mage Association’s corruption is tolerated because the Lawbound Legendaries at its top are indifferent to the activities of lesser beings. Humans primarily oppose Demons because they cannot resist them, while the Gods are the ones most invested in preventing their spread.
• Falan brings Hill deep into the enormous excavation beneath the central city. They discover layers of soil saturated with filth, blood, and the remains of countless victims, suggesting that people have been sacrificed or exploited there for thousands of years.
• The Undead excavators are suffering continuous health loss underground and must repeatedly return to floating platforms equipped with Purification Formations. Hill determines that the deepest layers are deliberately organized, with polluted soil exchanged for deeper soil as the land reaches its tolerance limit.
• After returning to the Mage Tower, Falan asks Hill to accelerate the purification effort, fearing that the pollution is spreading into the earth veins. Hill believes the earth can recover if purification is increased.
• Hill speculates that the Elves may have knowingly allowed the crisis to grow so they could later appear as saviors after humanity was devastated. Falan finds the theory plausible and begins designing a castle that will make use of the enormous pit.
• Hill plants specially optimized Sunflower seeds in the temporary structure holding the excavated soil. The flowers grow at incredible speed, reaching full size within two hours and producing hundreds of seeds each. Their rapid growth allows the entire contaminated soil pile to be covered quickly.
• When the Sunflowers bloom, they release a powerful purifying force and absorb the surrounding filth. William recognizes their value and immediately issues quests for the Undead to gather and plant more seeds.
• Hill also prepares Cloud Houses and plans to attract the Undead with new products and material-exchange quests, ensuring that valuable resources from the new area come to him rather than William.

Character Developments

• Hill demonstrates increasingly sharp political judgment and environmental sensitivity. He understands the motives behind the Archmage’s actions, detects the layered pollution in the soil, and devises an efficient solution using Sunflowers.
• Falan becomes more willing to trust Hill’s instincts. He is disturbed by the scale of the corruption and quickly begins planning how to transform the pit into something useful.
• William continues to act pragmatically. He notices the Sunflowers’ purifying ability and immediately mobilizes the Undead to expand their use.
• Adrian serves as a practical administrator, coordinating the storage and future disposal of the purified soil.
• The Undead remain energetic, curious, and profit-driven. They eagerly watch Hill’s flowers bloom and are likely to undertake quests to collect seeds and resources.

Significant Themes

• Corruption beneath civilized society: The blood-filled pit exposes the cruelty and exploitation hidden beneath claims that slaves lived comfortably or that noble society was orderly.
• Indifference and political manipulation: The powerful Lawbound Legendaries ignore corruption because it does not threaten them, while the Elves may be allowing humanity to suffer for future political advantage.
• Purification and renewal: The Sunflowers symbolize the possibility of restoring land corrupted by centuries of violence and demonic influence.
• Pragmatism over morality: Nearly every faction—Mages, nobles, Elves, Gods, and the Undead—acts according to its own interests rather than abstract justice.
• Resourcefulness and opportunism: Hill solves a major environmental crisis while simultaneously creating commercial opportunities through Cloud Houses and material quests.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Falan discuss the Archmage’s demonic transformation, the Mage Association’s corruption, and the horrifying condition of the underground pit.
• Hill explains his suspicions about the Elves to Falan, who accepts the possibility and responds by planning construction around the excavation.
• Hill consults Adrian about the fate of the excavated soil and arranges for any future earth-element Legendary Mage to work through him.
• The Undead gather around Hill’s planting site, turning his experiment into a public spectacle.
• William observes the Sunflowers’ effects, recognizes their importance, and converts Hill’s discovery into a large-scale quest for the Undead.

Chapter Summary: “Freedom Without Restraint Was a Crime”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William realizes that nearly every city in the Hundred Cities region requires purification because of demonic corruption, slavery, and the resentment caused by widespread deaths.
• Hill’s discovery of Sunflowers provides an efficient solution. The flowers absorb demonic filth as nourishment, rapidly bloom under sunlight, and gradually purify contaminated soil.
• Millions of Sunflowers bloom simultaneously, creating a spectacular scene that attracts large numbers of Undead. Hill collects their seeds at dawn, when they are of the highest quality, while the Undead gather some for themselves.
• Hill explains that Sunflowers stop producing seeds once the soil is fully purified, though they continue to bloom during the day and close at night.
• William struggles to find enough high-ranking Alchemists to construct purification formations. He refuses to seek help from the Mage Association after becoming angered by its permissive attitude toward demonic research.
• Salar’s Alchemists, led by the respected Grandmaster Falan, assist enthusiastically. Falan secretly declines payment, and William plans to repay him with valuable materials.
• The Undead spread news of the Sunflowers and become interested in Hill’s cloud house. They learn that similar cloud houses are commercial products sold by Sray and begin buying them, hoping Hill will produce more.
• Hill gives William three kinds of Underground Gesneriad seeds. These plants possess detoxifying and purifying abilities; one variety is especially strong at purification, while the others repel insects and venomous creatures.
• William plans to use these plants in the underground areas, where contamination is particularly severe.
• William discusses how to handle the free citizens who remained indifferent to the slave massacres. Although they have not fully fallen into evil, their apathy has left them morally tainted. He plans eventual imprisonment and purification, with slaves housed separately.
• William uses Hill’s remaining paintings, likely connected to the Semi-Divine Artifact, to stabilize the settlements and monitor the people arriving on the six ships.
• The chapter ends with William and Hill discussing the absent Elven Druids and the danger of the Mage Association’s uncontrolled behavior.

Character Developments

• William becomes increasingly burdened by the scale of the purification crisis. His frustration with the Mage Association deepens, and he adopts a stricter view of freedom, insisting that it must have moral limits.
• He also demonstrates practical leadership by organizing Alchemists, planning containment facilities, separating victims from offenders, and finding uses for Hill’s resources.
• Hill continues to serve as a major source of natural and magical solutions. His knowledge of plants and his connection to nature allow him to provide alternatives to expensive or difficult magical methods.
• Hill is quietly pleased that William values him enough to grant him direct access, and he begins to recognize how useful the Semi-Divine Artifact has made his contributions.
• Falan is characterized as humble and generous. Despite being a Legendary Alchemist, he refuses compensation and protects the dignity of the ordinary Alchemists working under him.
• The Undead remain curious, opportunistic, and enthusiastic. They admire the Sunflowers, gather their seeds, purchase cloud houses, and turn Hill’s discoveries into popular commodities.

Significant Themes

• Freedom versus responsibility: The Mage Association’s belief that freedom permits nearly any research is condemned. The chapter argues that freedom without ethical restraint can become criminal negligence.
• Purification and redemption: Sunflowers and Gesneriads represent natural methods of cleansing corruption, paralleling the moral question of whether people stained by apathy can still be redeemed.
• The consequences of indifference: Ordinary citizens who ignored slavery may not be openly evil, but their refusal to act has made them morally complicit.
• Nature as a solution to corruption: Hill’s plants offer efficient, living methods of healing land damaged by demons, contrasting with the Mage Association’s dangerous experimentation.
• Practical cooperation: Salar’s Alchemists, William, Hill, and the Undead work together across social and magical boundaries, showing that collective effort is necessary to repair the devastated cities.
• Pride and political restraint: The absent Elven Druids are interpreted as too proud to intervene after Salar’s victory, even though they might have acted had humanity been losing.

Character Interactions

• William and Hill discuss the purification crisis, plant seeds, and the absence of the Elven Druids. Their conversations show mutual trust, with William relying heavily on Hill’s expertise.
• William’s dealings with Falan reveal respect and reciprocity: Falan offers his help freely, while William intends to reward him privately.
• William and the Mage Association remain in conflict. Their opposing ideas about magical freedom create one of the chapter’s central tensions.
• Hill interacts indirectly with the Undead through the Sunflowers and cloud house. Their fascination turns his inventions and discoveries into objects of popular interest and commerce.
• William’s treatment of the free citizens and slaves shows his attempt to balance justice, containment, and the prevention of further demonic corruption.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William and Hill discuss why Sorcerers avoid using demonic methods, despite two Legendary Sorcerers seeking help after discovering their possible connection to Demons. Hill explains that Sorcerers live extremely long lives and view losing their sanity as equivalent to death, especially because they constantly struggle against their bloodline’s violent or inhuman nature.
• Hill reveals that Alexis, the Legendary Water Sorcerer, sought Hill’s spell because his life-extending technique had severely damaged his sanity. Alexis hoped that gaining the faith of Water Sorcerers would cleanse his demonic aura and preserve his mind.
• The Sorcerer Tower master allowed Alexis to take the spell because Hill did not belong to the Tower—his allegiance was to Salar—and because Alexis’s request concerned survival. Alexis acted arrogantly rather than admitting weakness.
• Hill and William reflect on the resentment other Legendary Sorcerers feel toward Hill because of his unusually fortunate life, effortless advancement, and great strength. William compares this to the God of Space-Time’s attitude toward himself.
• Hill quietly allows Alexis to pursue his plan, knowing it can only stabilize Alexis’s sanity and will not allow him to become a Water deity. Hill also anticipates that the birth of the Water God in the Shell Pearl next year will frustrate Alexis further.
• The Water Elemental Lord informs Hill that William’s people have arrived and taken the Oil Painting. Hill leaves to attend to other matters.
• Spencer arrives to organize undead farming. He and William discuss Hill’s Seed Bag, a semi-divine artifact gifted by the Silver Moon Wolf God. Spencer sees Hill as unlucky for being drawn into divine conflicts while still weak, whereas William recognizes the hardships Hill overcame.
• William praises Spencer’s good character, making Spencer suspicious that another troublesome scheme is coming. William insists he is merely expressing admiration, though Spencer correctly recalls William’s history of causing him trouble.

Character Developments

• Hill: Demonstrates remarkable composure, insight, and emotional restraint. He understands Alexis’s motives but refuses to sympathize with his arrogance or warn him about the consequences of his actions. His confidence comes partly from knowing Alexis’s plan is ultimately futile.
• William: Shows empathy and perceptiveness toward Hill, recognizing that others envy Hill’s success without acknowledging his efforts. He remains amused by the conflicts among Sorcerers and continues to tease Spencer.
• Alexis: Is revealed to be desperate to preserve his sanity and lifespan, yet too proud to openly admit vulnerability. His pursuit of Hill’s spell is driven by survival rather than simple greed, though he may still be motivated by hopes of becoming a deity.
• Spencer: Continues to be wary of William’s praise and schemes. His practical concerns contrast with William’s playful, provocative personality.

Significant Themes

• Sanity versus immortality: For Sorcerers, maintaining their humanity is more important than merely extending life or gaining power.
• Envy and hidden suffering: People judge Hill by his success and good fortune while overlooking the hardships and dangers he endured.
• Pride and vulnerability: Alexis’s refusal to show weakness leads him to behave rudely, illustrating how pride can distort desperate choices.
• Fate, effort, and perspective: Hill’s calmness is linked to his understanding that some opponents’ efforts are doomed from the start. William also emphasizes that apparent luck often conceals hardship.
• Political loyalty and leadership: The Sorcerer Tower master prioritizes her institution’s interests, accepting Alexis’s request because Hill belongs to Salar rather than the Tower.

Character Interactions

• William and Hill engage in a thoughtful but humorous conversation about Sorcerers, Alexis, and the resentment Hill inspires.
• William defends Hill against those who envy him, while Hill remains detached and unwilling to judge himself as especially fortunate.
• Hill leaves on friendly terms after confirming the Oil Painting has been collected.
• William and Spencer exchange playful banter: William praises Spencer, Spencer becomes suspicious, and William denies planning another disruption.

Chapter Summary: Falan’s Guest, the Half-Elf Druid Viole

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill returns to his Cloud House to monitor the effectiveness of the giant mosses he has planted in caves and underground areas. He also begins constructing more Cloud Houses.
• While Hill works, Falan receives an unexpected visitor: Viole, a beautiful Half-Elf Druid and his former lover. She enters through his window and immediately brings up Hill, asking whether he truly possesses the Earth Bear Bloodline.
• Viole reveals that she came from the Wilds to observe the situation surrounding the Demonic aura near the city. Druids are concerned because the danger threatens the Elven Forest, and they are studying Hill’s success as a Nature Sorcerer.
• Viole admits that Hill’s unusual bloodline partly comes from her. Falan reacts defensively, insisting that she has no right to claim or interfere with Hill, especially after previously abandoning her daughter Melanie and denying responsibility for their descendants.
• Viole explains that she mainly wants to obtain sunflower seeds for the Druids. Falan initially threatens to report her to the king, but eventually arranges for Adrian to buy seeds from the Undead instead.
• The discussion expands to the decline of the Elves and Druids. Viole notes that Nature Consciousness no longer favors the Elves, while Falan argues that Hill cannot simply become a Sorcerer because of Elven blood, since Sorcerers must be recognized by the laws.
• Viole hints that the Elves and Dwarves possess secrets concerning their territories and elemental powers. She suggests that the Wood Elemental Lord may wish to leave the Elven Forest now that the Elves are rejected by the world.
• Falan warns Viole that the land now belongs to humans and will not be returned to the Elves. Viole counters that, because Elves live much longer than humans, they may eventually have opportunities to reclaim it.
• The chapter ends by framing Viole’s appearance as the arrival of Hill’s “beautiful grandmother” in the Elven-related conflict.

Character Developments

• Hill: Continues developing practical magical infrastructure, especially Cloud Houses and purification-related mosses. His importance grows as both humans and Druids study his connection to Nature and his unusual bloodline.
• Falan: Shows a stern, protective attitude toward Hill and resentment toward Viole. Though irritated by her behavior, he remains responsible and pragmatic, helping her obtain seeds while ensuring she cannot claim Hill or the territory.
• Viole: Introduced as lively, teasing, irreverent, and highly knowledgeable. Beneath her joking manner, she is concerned about the Druids’ declining status and curious about Hill’s potential. She also reveals a complicated family history involving Elves, Half-Elves, and possibly Water Sorcerer ancestry.
• Melanie: Though deceased, she becomes important through the discussion of her choices and relationship with Viole. Her short, unconventional life highlights the consequences of her human identity and her mother’s abandonment.
• Adrian: Remains busy managing affairs and is entrusted with purchasing sunflower seeds from the Undead.

Significant Themes

• Nature’s rejection and changing divine order: The Elves and Druids still retain their powers, but Nature Consciousness no longer favors them, leaving many Druids depressed and uncertain about their future.
• Bloodline versus personal achievement: Hill’s Earth Bear and mixed magical heritage may have contributed to his abilities, but Falan emphasizes that Hill’s accomplishments are his own and that bloodline alone does not determine magical advancement.
• Human and Elven territorial conflict: The chapter reinforces the political struggle over land near the Elven Forest. Humans claim legal ownership, while the Elves and Druids believe their long lifespans may allow them to reclaim it eventually.
• Family, abandonment, and inheritance: Viole’s relationship with Melanie and Hill raises questions about responsibility toward descendants and the emotional consequences of abandoning family.
• Old relationships and lingering resentment: Falan and Viole’s reunion mixes affection, mockery, bitterness, and unresolved history. Their contrasting personalities create both humor and tension.

Important Character Interactions

• Falan and Viole: Their conversation drives the chapter. Viole constantly teases Falan about their past romance, while he responds coldly and protects Hill from her interference. Their arguments reveal both old intimacy and deep resentment.
• Viole and Hill: They do not meet directly, but Viole’s interest in Hill establishes her as a potential influence or complication in his life. She claims partial responsibility for his bloodline but promises not to demand anything from him.
• Falan and the broader political powers: Falan acts as an intermediary between Viole, the human king, the Undead, and Hill, reflecting his role in managing the growing conflict surrounding the territory.

Chapter Summary: “Blade Pointed at the Dwarves”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian delivers Sunflower seeds to Falan and discovers that the mysterious Half-Elf woman visiting him is Viole, Hill’s mother and Falan’s former lover.
• Falan orders Adrian to keep Viole’s identity and visit secret from Hill, fearing that learning about her could cause him further emotional pain.
• Viole explains that she obtained the seeds for the Druids and that, because she is an Animal Druid, she can acquire them without being questioned. She transforms into a peregrine falcon and escapes the Mage Tower.
• Falan realizes that Viole entered by disguising herself as an ordinary animal, so he orders the Tower Spirit to prevent all animals and insects from entering in the future.
• Adrian tells William about Viole, describing her beauty and comparing her personality and appearance to Hill’s and the Hunting Goddess’s.
• William and Adrian discuss the Druids’ political position. The Druids have remained neutral because they expect humanity to lose eventually, but William suspects they would intervene if the Elves faced total destruction.
• William declares that he does not intend to exterminate the Elves, but he will prevent them from leaving the Elven Forest.
• Adrian reflects that the Dwarves may be a greater long-term danger than the Elves, since their use of Magical Beasts as forging materials could lead to the extinction of entire species.
• Hill realizes that the Dwarves’ attempts to turn humans into Demons may be intended to corrupt the land and damage the Earth Goddess’s recovery. He begins questioning who injured the major gods and why they are unwilling to reveal the truth.

Character Developments

• Viole reveals her true nature beneath her cheerful, innocent façade. She is calculating, secretive, and fiercely protective of her vulnerabilities, especially Hill’s parentage. Her hatred of the Elven Forest suggests deep betrayal and conflict with her former homeland.
• Falan shows continued concern for Hill and demonstrates that, despite his past relationship with Viole, he does not fully trust her. His affection for her is acknowledged as part of his attraction to her hidden complexity.
• Adrian becomes the chapter’s source of gossip but also shows loyalty by respecting Falan’s command to keep Viole’s identity secret. He gains a clearer understanding of the political threat posed by the Elves and Dwarves.
• William remains pragmatic and strategic. He distinguishes between limiting the Elves and exterminating them, while identifying the Dwarves as the more dangerous force. He also becomes curious about Viole and her connection to Falan and Hill.
• Hill, though absent from most of the events, remains central to the decisions of others. His sensitivity and bloodline make both Falan and Viole determined to protect him from further pain.

Significant Themes

• Hidden identities and concealed bloodlines: Viole has hidden her relationship with Falan and the existence of Hill to protect herself from enemies in the Elven Forest.
• Appearance versus reality: Viole’s lively, innocent persona conceals a sharp and resilient personality, while political factions also disguise their true intentions behind neutrality or pride.
• Parental protection and emotional vulnerability: Falan believes Hill is still too kindhearted to face another betrayal, while Viole treats Hill as a weakness that must remain hidden.
• Political neutrality and strategic restraint: The Druids’ refusal to aid either side may stem less from morality than from confidence that humanity cannot win.
• The greater danger of the Dwarves: Although the Elves are openly hostile, the Dwarves’ exploitation of Magical Beasts and corruption of the land may threaten the world’s survival more fundamentally.
• The damaged world and divine mysteries: Hill’s realization that demonic corruption may be aimed at the Earth Goddess expands the conflict beyond war between races to the restoration and survival of the planet itself.

Character Interactions

• Falan and Viole: Their reunion is outwardly calm but filled with history, distrust, and unresolved political implications. They behave like former lovers who no longer share romantic feelings but still understand one another deeply.
• Adrian and Viole: Adrian is fascinated and suspicious of her, while Viole allows him to observe her without revealing anything directly.
• Adrian and William: Their conversation is partly gossip about Viole but develops into a serious discussion about the Druids, Elves, Dwarves, and the future of the war.
• Falan and Hill: Though Hill is not present, Falan’s decision to hide Viole from him demonstrates his protective feelings and awareness of Hill’s emotional limits.
• William and Hill: William relies on Hill’s understanding of Elven behavior, acknowledging that Hill’s inherited knowledge gives him unusually accurate insight into the Druids’ motives.

Chapter Summary: “Where Have the Elves Hidden Their World Tree?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill theorizes that the ancient conflict involving the Sun God, Silver Moon, and Earth Goddess devastated several nearby worlds. The Elven and Dwarven worlds may have been destroyed, forcing their peoples to flee to this newly formed planet.
• The stolen World Tree Seeds likely guided the Elves to this world, allowing their World Tree to sense and locate them. Hill suspects the Elves and Dwarves initially sought refuge but later began planning to seize the planet after the local Gods fell into slumber.
• The Elves targeted the moon after the Elven God-King destroyed its protective halo, mistakenly believing that Silver Moon had either died or become too weak to retaliate.
• The Dwarves began plotting to seize the Earth Divine Office and corrupt the planet with Abyssal power. The Elves underestimated the Dwarves, assuming they only wanted control of the earth and would avoid damaging the foundation of the Wood Law.
• Hill realizes that the Dwarves may have intended to treat the Elves as enemies all along. If the earth became demonized, even an Elven victory would leave them with a ruined homeland.
• The Elves and Dwarves also failed to anticipate the resistance of the World Will or the awakening of Silver Moon through the Wolf King and the Goddess of Lakewater.
• Hill searches for the Elves’ hidden World Tree but cannot find any tree large enough to be their true World Tree.
• Concerned that the Dwarves may pollute the earth, Hill gives Spencer seeds of giant moss to plant near the Dwarf Kingdom as a precaution.
• Spencer misunderstands Hill’s concern, believing the seeds are meant to protect against Demons beneath the Dwarf Kingdom. Hill does not correct him, since the misunderstanding still leads to useful preparations.
• Hill reflects on the suspicious layouts of both Elven and Dwarven settlements. Although their public areas are near the City Lord’s Manor, their actual residences are hidden farther away, suggesting that both races are prepared to flee.
• At Sunflower Park, Hill observes the Undead constructing a large oval venue to spread and purify contaminated soil more efficiently. William has also turned the work into a building project for the newly arrived Undead.
• Hill notices that the God of Space-Time’s translation artifact has grown powerful enough to alter the Undead’s conversations, preventing him from hearing their original words directly.

Character Developments and Interactions

• Hill remains cautious and analytical, piecing together the history of the Gods, the destruction of the Elven and Dwarven worlds, and their possible motives. He also shows practical concern for protecting the planet despite lacking the ability to explain its true condition.
• Spencer continues serving as the person responsible for handling difficult or inconvenient tasks. He takes Hill’s warning seriously and agrees to organize the planting of the moss seeds.
• William is shown as strategic and resourceful. He delegates the management of the newly arrived Undead to Spencer and assigns them construction work that also contributes to cleaning the land.
• The Elves and Dwarves are portrayed as politically calculating and distrustful. Both groups maintain hidden or easily defensible living areas, implying that neither fully regards this world as a permanent home.
• Silver Moon gains importance in the background: her apparent weakness was misinterpreted by the Elven God-King, while her awakening changes the balance of power.
• Hill’s interaction with Spencer highlights a recurring pattern: Hill understands a deeper danger but must communicate indirectly, while others act on a more ordinary interpretation of his warnings.

Significant Themes

• Survival and displacement: The Elves and Dwarves may be refugees from destroyed worlds, but their refuge gradually becomes something they seek to control.
• Hidden motives and incomplete knowledge: Hill must reconstruct events from limited evidence, while the Elves, Dwarves, and Gods all conceal crucial information.
• Political mistrust: The Elves and Dwarves cooperate only temporarily, each expecting to turn against the other when circumstances allow.
• Environmental corruption and restoration: The danger of demonizing the earth contrasts with the restorative power of the moss seeds and Sunflower Park.
• Preparedness and suspicion: The hidden residences of the Elves and Dwarves, Hill’s precautions, and William’s practical planning all reflect the unstable political situation.
• The limits of communication: Hill’s inability to explain the World’s incompleteness—and the translation artifact’s distortion of the Undead’s speech—emphasize how often characters act on partial or misunderstood information.

Chapter Summary: Alice Advances to Legendary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill observes a newly admitted group of Undead players. Unlike the original Undead faction, they are more curious about the world itself, closely examining stones, noble armor, and family crests. Although some resent the high-ranking Undead directing them, most remain focused on entertainment and leveling.
• Liszt urgently summons Hill back to his territory because Alice has begun advancing to Legendary, much earlier than Hill expected.
• At the Mage Tower, Hill finds strange, shifting clouds surrounding Alice’s room. Neither he nor Merkel can identify which Law she is attempting to comprehend.
• Merkel explains that Alice’s sudden advancement is likely connected to Hill’s recent planting of rare sunflower seeds, which purified the land around Central City and greatly strengthened the natural elements in the valley. This raises the possibility that Hill’s actions may be helping awaken or restore the Earth Goddess.
• Hill and Merkel discuss how Magical Beasts and Nature Spirits advance differently from Mages. Alice, as a Nature Spirit, does not need to deliberately select a Law beforehand and may connect with any natural Law.
• After a tense wait, Alice successfully becomes Legendary. She reveals that she can hide herself in sunlight or moonlight, becoming completely invisible wherever even a small amount of light exists. In darkness, she can transform into a black cat and blend in so thoroughly that no one can see her.
• Alice immediately imagines using her new ability to eavesdrop and spy on others. Hill firmly warns her that invading people’s privacy is wrong, despite her insistence that she could help gather information.
• The Sun God appears after sensing someone touch the Light Law. He recognizes Alice’s connection to sunlight and moonlight, thanks Hill for his efforts and the sunflowers, and purifies Hill of the foul aura clinging to him before disappearing.

Character Developments

• Hill: Continues acting as an observer and guardian of both the Undead players and Alice. He gains a deeper understanding of how Nature Spirits and Magical Beasts advance. His cultivation of sunflowers may have consequences far beyond gardening, potentially aiding the planet and the Earth Goddess. The Sun God’s blessing and gratitude confirm that Hill’s actions have cosmic significance.
• Alice: Reaches Legendary rank earlier than expected and gains a defensive ability centered on concealment. Her personality remains playful, lazy, mischievous, and self-satisfied. Rather than seeking power for combat, she chooses an ability that allows her to avoid danger and escape training or supervision. Her desire to spy on others highlights both her curiosity and her childish lack of moral awareness.
• Merkel: Acts as Alice’s anxious and strict guardian. He understands Nature Spirits better than Hill but is frustrated by Alice’s laziness and her tendency to treat her advancement lightly. His anger at her spying ambitions reinforces his protective, disciplinarian role.
• The Sun God: Shows increased interest in Hill’s activities and reveals that the sunflowers have deep significance to him. His gratitude suggests that the flowers may be connected to the restoration of natural or divine power. He also rewards Hill by cleansing him of corrupting energy.

Significant Themes

• Nature’s unpredictability: Nature Spirits do not follow ordinary magical rules. Alice’s advancement and chosen ability reflect her personality rather than a carefully planned magical path.
• Power shaped by personality: Alice’s Legendary ability is not offensive but perfectly suits her desire to remain safe, avoid work, and indulge her curiosity.
• Restoration versus corruption: Hill’s sunflowers purify damaged land, suggesting a larger conflict between forces that heal the world and those that deliberately pollute it.
• Responsibility and morality: Hill teaches Alice that invisibility and information-gathering must not be used to violate others’ privacy. The chapter contrasts having power with knowing how to use it properly.
• Recognition from divine forces: The Sun God’s appearance confirms that Hill’s seemingly small actions are contributing to broader changes in the world and are being noticed by powerful cosmic beings.

Character Interactions

• Hill studies and interprets the behavior of the new Undead players but avoids interfering with them.
• Hill and Merkel wait anxiously outside Alice’s room, debate how Nature Spirits advance, and speculate about the ability she will gain.
• Alice proudly announces her Legendary advancement and immediately teases Merkel by implying that she can no longer be confined or controlled.
• Hill mediates between Alice and Merkel, celebrates her achievement, but establishes boundaries regarding spying and eavesdropping.
• The Sun God speaks with Hill, confirms Alice’s connection to the Light Law, praises Hill’s work, and purifies him before departing.

Chapter Summary: The Elf Called an Idiot

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill realizes that lingering demonic pollution from the Demon Lands has affected even him, despite the passage of time and the existing Purification Formations.
• Alice reveals that, after advancing, she can release golden light in her white form and silver light in her black form, both of which purify pollution from bodies and minds.
• Hill invites Alice and Merkel to accompany him to Central City, where he plans to address the contamination left behind by the Dwarves and their experiments.
• Merkel refuses to use the Teleportation Array because it makes him uncomfortable, so Hill travels by his specially designed Cloud Ship, shaped like a treehouse surrounded by nature.
• During the journey, Hill and Merkel discuss the Magical Beast races. Merkel explains that the Wolf Clan became united because it produced a Wolf God, while other Magical Beasts lack a leader and remain divided.
• Upon entering the Triangle Zone, Alice senses the land’s corruption. Hill explains that he will purify the area, restore vegetation, and use Alice’s light to support the process.
• At Central City, Alice is alarmed by the enormous contaminated soil pile and initially assumes Hill expects her to purify it. Hill reassures her that even Gods could not cleanse it instantly; she only needs to release her light twice daily.
• Hill establishes a Forest Formation centered on ginkgo trees, combines it with Water Law purification spells, and plans to place it near Spencer’s mission area so Spencer can manage it later.
• Hill informs Falan that he discovered residual demonic aura still clinging to him after his previous visit. Falan is surprised because he cannot sense it.
• Falan dismisses the Elves as “stupid” for failing to detect such hidden pollution, providing the chapter’s title and closing joke.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes more cautious about the subtle effects of demonic pollution and takes responsibility for creating a long-term purification system rather than relying only on existing formations. He also demonstrates his trust in Alice and his practical concern for Spencer and William’s soldiers.
• Alice gains confidence after discovering that her seemingly non-offensive abilities are extremely valuable. She eagerly volunteers to help and becomes more involved in Hill’s work.
• Merkel shows growing ambition and leadership potential. Although powerful, he recognizes that he lacks influence outside Hill’s territory and intends to wait patiently until he becomes strong enough to establish himself.
• Spencer demonstrates his intelligence and administrative ability by quickly understanding that Hill wants the Royal Guard to receive Alice’s purifying light regularly.
• Falan remains blunt and contemptuous, especially toward the Elves, but is also forced to acknowledge that the pollution is more concealed and dangerous than expected.

Significant Themes

• Hidden consequences of environmental destruction: Pollution can remain in bodies and landscapes long after its visible source is gone.
• Nature’s restoration: Hill’s use of forests, magical plants, water magic, and Alice’s light emphasizes healing and rebuilding rather than merely destroying corruption.
• Leadership and unity: Merkel’s discussion of the Wolf Clan shows that strength alone is insufficient; races also need organization and a unifying leader.
• Different perspectives on intelligence: Merkel sees the humans who altered themselves through demonic methods as irrational, while Hill explains that desperation, envy, and false promises of power drove them to abandon their humanity.
• Cooperation among races: Human, Magical Beast, and nonhuman abilities are combined to repair the damage caused by the Dwarves and their followers.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill reassures Alice that her purification abilities are useful and praises her capabilities, strengthening her confidence.
• Hill and Merkel discuss Magical Beast politics, their attitudes toward humans, and Merkel’s possible future as a beast king.
• Alice seeks confirmation that Merkel will accompany her, showing her attachment to him and her desire for security.
• Hill explains the Triangle Zone’s danger to Alice and encourages her to participate in restoring it.
• Merkel criticizes humanity for destroying its own home, prompting Hill to explain why some humans pursued demonic transformation.
• Hill instructs Spencer to coordinate the Royal Guard’s exposure to Alice’s golden light.
• Hill informs Falan of the remaining demonic aura, leading Falan to mock the Elves for being unable to perceive it.

Chapter Summary: Hill Learned of His Grandmother’s Arrival

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill and the others gather, and Alice casts Purifying Light, cleansing much of the lingering demonic energy in the area.
• Falan realizes that the Elves’ territory remains contaminated by hidden demonic aura. He angrily blames the Elves for their arrogance and predicts that Demons may eventually destroy them.
• Hill explains that the Druids nearby are unlikely to detect the corruption because the aura is well concealed. Their natural energy may gradually cleanse them, but only if Demons do not interfere.
• Falan warns Hill that a Half-Elf Druid may come looking for him, strongly implying that Hill’s long-absent grandmother has arrived. He advises Hill not to seek her out or be frightened if she appears.
• Hill becomes curious about his grandmother but chooses to remain cautious, suspecting that the Druids’ political position may make them potential enemies of humanity.
• Hill transfers control of the expanded Forest Formation to Spencer so that the nobles and visitors can use its healing benefits without Hill personally managing them.
• After returning to his Cloud Ship, Hill discovers that the Sun God has granted him a permanent blessing: while Hill remains Good-aligned, his spells gain Dispel Evil and Smite Evil properties. If he becomes Neutral, he retains Dispel Evil, but becoming Evil would revoke the blessing.
• Hill accepts the restriction pragmatically, understanding why the Sun God would protect His own Alignment from being damaged by Hill’s actions.
• Alice reports that foul smells are coming from nearly every direction around Central City except toward the Dwarf Kingdom. Hill investigates, suggesting that demonic contamination is widespread.

Character Developments

• Hill remains cautious, rational, and emotionally restrained. He is curious about his grandmother but feels no strong familial attachment, focusing instead on the kind of woman who could have won Falan’s affection. His discovery of the Sun God’s blessing further strengthens his ability to combat evil.
• Falan displays unusual anger toward the Elves and becomes protective of Hill. His warning about Hill’s grandmother reveals concern that the Druids may threaten or complicate Hill’s safety.
• Alice continues to be energetic and observant. Her ability to detect foul odors exposes the extent of the demonic influence around Central City.
• Adrian is implied to have information about Hill’s grandmother, since Hill plans to question him later.
• The Sun God is shown to be generous but cautious, attaching Alignment-based conditions to His blessing.
• The Elves and Druids are increasingly portrayed as politically hostile or unreliable, while their proximity to demonic corruption places them in danger.

Significant Themes

• Hidden corruption and delayed consequences: Demonic energy can remain concealed even from experienced Druids, suggesting that evil may spread quietly before becoming visible.
• Political resentment and shifting power: Falan’s bitterness reflects humanity’s long-standing resentment toward the Elves, who once watched humans suffer but may now face similar helplessness themselves.
• Family versus curiosity: Hill does not feel genuine emotional attachment to his grandmother; he is interested in her primarily as a mystery connected to Falan’s past.
• Moral responsibility and self-interest: Hill understands the Sun God’s restrictions because blessings create mutual risks. He believes no one should harm themselves merely to help another.
• Alignment and divine power: The chapter emphasizes that moral alignment directly affects divine blessings and magical abilities.
• Protection and independence: Falan wants Hill to stay safe, but Hill resists being treated as helpless, trusting his own defenses, companions, and magical residence.

Character Interactions

• Falan and Hill discuss the hidden demonic aura and the danger it poses to the Druids.
• Falan urges Hill to move into the Mage Tower, but Hill refuses, confident in Alice, Merkel, and the protective abilities of the Cloud House.
• Falan warns Hill about the possible arrival of his Half-Elf grandmother before abruptly leaving.
• Hill entrusts Spencer with control of the Forest Formation, avoiding direct conflicts with powerful nobles.
• Hill comforts and protects Alice while responding to her complaints about the foul smells surrounding Central City.