Chapter Summaries

Surviving the Fourth Calamity
2432 summaries

Ch. 421The Arrival of the Gods

Chapter Summary: “The Arrival of the Gods”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hai Weilsen announces that the Wilds’ laws have stabilized under the gods’ control and that divine visitors are likely to arrive soon.
  • He orders Ihabu to move the main house outside the World Tree’s Divine Realm and instructs Hill to prepare the area, prioritizing the preferences of the Silver Moon Goddess and Sun God.
  • Hill realizes that the gods are coming to investigate the World Tree and the Earth Goddess. Since the World Tree represents Nature Consciousness, its emergence implies that the Earth Goddess could become the world’s true ruler.
  • Aglaia explains that she is trying to gain greater control over the Ice-Snow Laws, especially those governing icebergs and ice storms. She hopes the World Tree will let her inspect the relevant laws, using her connection to Hill and her childhood relationship with the oak to persuade it.
  • Hill leaves the World Tree’s Divine Realm and notices how strongly its environmental influence affects him. Outside, he feels less empowered and considers that remaining in the Divine Realm too long may be unhealthy for someone accustomed to a mage’s independent lifestyle.
  • Ihabu relocates and rearranges the buildings, while Hill turns the rough surroundings into a more elegant, Roman-style fountain complex. He decorates the hall with a special coating that changes color with the sun and moon, hoping to appeal to both the Silver Moon Goddess and Sun God.
  • Hill remains wary of hidden threats, including Karula, unknown Devils, Evil God servants, and other enemies who may exploit the gathering.
  • The gods’ incarnations finally arrive together. The World Tree transforms the hall into a starry-sky-like divine space, and the Silver Moon Goddess leads the group.
  • Hill initially hides behind Ihabu, while Aglaia mistakenly mingles with the Earth Bears before realizing she should stand with the visiting gods. The Sea God disguises himself in formal clothing and joins the divine delegation.

Character Developments

  • Hill acts as an organizer and host, demonstrating his creativity, practical ability, and caution. Despite the peaceful situation, he remains alert to concealed Devils and political dangers.
  • Hai Weilsen takes a firm, authoritative role in preparing the Earth Bears’ territory and protecting Hill. His confidence suggests he has received information from the World Tree about the coming meeting.
  • Aglaia shows growing ambition and independence as she seeks greater mastery of the Ice-Snow Laws. At the same time, she remains childlike and playful, comparing her own Divine Realm with the World Tree’s and nearly treating the gathering as entertainment.
  • Ihabu remains energetic and immature, helping with construction but interpreting “decoration” in a simplistic way by turning rocks and riverbeds into marble.
  • The World Tree is increasingly portrayed as a conscious, powerful entity capable of controlling the world’s laws, influencing the divine realm, and deciding who may enter.
  • The visiting gods demonstrate caution and political interest by sending incarnations to investigate the World Tree rather than entering its territory casually.

Significant Themes

  • Political and divine power: The World Tree’s emergence threatens to shift the balance of power by revealing the Earth Goddess’s potential supremacy over the world’s natural laws.
  • Control over laws: Aglaia’s desire to master the Ice-Snow Laws reflects the gods’ competition for authority over specific aspects of nature.
  • Hospitality versus suspicion: Hill prepares a beautiful reception while simultaneously anticipating betrayal, invasion, or hidden enemies.
  • Independence and influence: Hill’s discomfort outside the Divine Realm highlights the tension between receiving power from a greater entity and maintaining one’s own identity and autonomy.
  • Childlike innocence amid divine politics: Aglaia and Ihabu’s playful behavior contrasts with the seriousness of the gods’ arrival and the potential consequences of their meeting.

Character Interactions

  • Hai Weilsen directs Hill and Ihabu while making clear that the Silver Moon Goddess’s preferences are the priority because the Sun God usually defers to her.
  • Hill and Aglaia discuss her attempt to persuade the World Tree to grant her access to the Ice-Snow Laws. Their conversation emphasizes their familial bond and Aglaia’s reliance on Hill’s connection to the oak.
  • Hill manages Ihabu’s construction efforts and later repairs the crude fountain arrangement he created.
  • Hill repeatedly tries to keep Aglaia from behaving like a spectator, eventually pushing her toward the arriving gods.
  • Hai Weilsen formally welcomes the divine delegation, while Hill retreats into the background.
  • Aglaia’s mistaken attempt to stand among the Earth Bears provides comic relief, especially when the Sea God successfully disguises himself and joins the gods.
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Ch. 422The Message of the World's Coming Advancement

Chapter Summary: “The Message of the World’s Coming Advancement”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Aglaia arrives in the World Tree’s domain to find Hill after years of helping restore the Wilds and defeating opposing Sea Demon Beasts.
  • Hill is discussing the restoration of the Ring Crater with Ihabu, who insists that Hill find a way to grow watermelons despite the area’s unstable elemental conditions.
  • Hai Weilsen asks Hill to receive the arriving guests. William, Legendary Mage Draculus, prominent Mages, Valencia, several Legendary Sorcerers, and Hill’s daughter Alice have come to attend the World Tree’s summons.
  • Alice happily reunites with Hill but immediately clashes with Aglaia. Their argument reveals that Aglaia entered the Wilds without bringing Alice, despite Alice having helped her gain access. Hill stops the two from fighting.
  • Hill takes his traditional place beside Aurelio behind Hai Weilsen, symbolizing his status as second in line to the Earth Bear clan leadership.
  • The World Tree announces that the Earth Goddess is beginning to awaken and can now communicate subconsciously.
  • The Earth Goddess intends to separate her emotional divine soul from the World Will, allowing a purely rational consciousness to govern the world. Though this will prevent her from returning to the Starry Sky, she wishes to remain connected to the land.
  • The World Tree reveals that the world has survived its crisis and is ready to advance. The Earth Goddess’s divine soul will be completed during this advancement, reassuring the Silver Moon Goddess that the Earth Goddess will not suffer another prolonged sleep.

Character Developments

  • Hill continues acting as a mediator and caretaker. He is concerned with restoring the Ring Crater, accommodating Ihabu’s wishes, welcoming political guests, and controlling the quarrel between Alice and Aglaia.
  • William reflects on the Sorcerer Tower’s past treatment of Hill and realizes that delaying reconciliation out of pride can cause opportunities to disappear. He resolves to handle future conflicts more promptly.
  • Valencia appears uncomfortable because the Sorcerer Tower failed to repair its relationship with Hill in time. Their previous hesitation now seems increasingly costly.
  • Alice displays strong affection for Hill and resentment toward Aglaia for leaving her behind. Her relationship with Aglaia is playful but intensely competitive.
  • Aglaia remains energetic, bold, and impulsive. Her years of work for the Wilds show her commitment to the world’s recovery, but her rivalry with Alice remains unresolved.
  • The Earth Goddess demonstrates unusual self-awareness and humility. Rather than claiming absolute control as World Lord, she recognizes the danger of letting her emotions govern the entire world.
  • The World Tree now speaks with the authority of a mature ruler rather than the arrogant, youthful personality Hill remembers from the Nature Consciousness.

Significant Themes

  • Responsibility versus personal desire: The Earth Goddess sacrifices her chance to return to the Starry Sky so the world can be governed safely.
  • The dangers of unchecked power: She refuses to rule through emotion or personal will, choosing a rational World Will instead.
  • Reconciliation and the cost of delay: William realizes that pride and hesitation can permanently damage relationships, especially when opportunities to make amends are ignored.
  • Family affection and rivalry: Alice and Aglaia’s confrontation combines genuine resentment with the familiar competitiveness of close companions.
  • Recovery and renewal: The Ring Crater’s restoration, the planting of new magical crops, and the coming advancement all reflect the world moving beyond its recent catastrophe.

Important Character Interactions

  • Hill and Ihabu: Ihabu pressures Hill to grow watermelons, illustrating Hill’s willingness to indulge his family even when doing so is difficult.
  • Hill and Alice: Their warm reunion emphasizes their close parent-child bond.
  • Alice and Aglaia: They argue over Aglaia’s secret trip to the Wilds and nearly fight before Hill intervenes.
  • Hill and William: William questions Hill about the summons, but Hill remains uninformed and simply escorts him into the hall.
  • William and Valencia: William silently recognizes Valencia’s regret and considers how the Sorcerer Tower mishandled its chance to reconcile with Hill.
  • The World Tree and the Gods: The World Tree delivers the crucial revelation that the Earth Goddess can separate from the World Will and that the world is ready to advance.
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Ch. 423Can the Undead Be Loaned Out?

Chapter Summary: “Can the Undead Be Loaned Out?”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The World Tree informs the assembled Gods that the world is nearing an advancement. Its laws are being organized, and the process will begin soon.
  • This advancement represents a major opportunity for both mortals and Gods. Gods must maintain at least Neutral Alignment to benefit from the transformation, placing the God of Nobles under scrutiny because he is close to falling into Evil Alignment.
  • William points out that the Noble Church is desperately performing good deeds to protect its God. Its priests compete with the Undead for monster- and thief-killing quests and support construction beyond the Abyssal Gate by giving the Undead valuable treasures and luxuries.
  • The World Tree reveals that the Earth Goddess and Corellon have made a request concerning the Undead. Other dying worlds overwhelmed by Demons, Devils, or Evil Gods might be saved if the Undead could be sent there to fight those forces.
  • The Gods of Space-Time, the Sun, and the Silver Moon strongly object to allowing the Undead to leave with their physical bodies. The Undead consumed enormous amounts of the world’s resources and divine power when they were created. If they departed permanently, those resources would be removed from the world’s natural cycle, potentially causing severe damage and divine backlash.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess offers a compromise: the Undead may be recruited or sent elsewhere, but only if their elemental bodies remain in the current world. She bluntly states that anyone capable of reaching the Undead’s world coordinates may attempt to recruit them.

Character Developments

  • William appears amused by the God of Nobles’ desperate efforts to preserve Neutral Alignment, but his comments also reveal his ongoing responsibility toward the Undead and their rewards.
  • The God of Nobles is shown to be fighting for his survival and divine future through his church’s aggressive good deeds and support of frontier development.
  • The God of Space-Time demonstrates a practical and protective concern for the world’s resources. He emphasizes that the Undead were created through the combined sacrifices of himself, the Sun God, and the Silver Moon Goddess.
  • The Sun God reveals that the creators of the Undead would suffer backlash if their creation harmed the world, making the issue personally dangerous for the three Gods.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess remains cold, direct, and ruthless. Rather than worrying about the Undead’s freedom, she focuses on enforcing the condition that their bodies cannot leave.
  • Hill continues acting as an observer and mediator, monitoring Aglaia and Alice before carefully considering the implications of the World Tree’s announcement.
  • Aglaia and Alice briefly resume their antagonistic behavior but settle down when Hill reprimands them, showing Hill’s quiet authority over both.

Significant Themes

  • World advancement and divine power: The coming advancement could radically change the status of Gods and mortals, making alignment, contribution, and preparation crucial.
  • The cost of creation: The Undead are not merely soldiers; their existence consumed the world’s materials and the Gods’ divine power. Their creators remain responsible for the consequences of moving them elsewhere.
  • Individual worlds versus broader salvation: The request raises a moral conflict between protecting the current world and using the Undead to save other doomed worlds.
  • Alignment and redemption: The God of Nobles’ frantic efforts highlight how divine morality directly affects survival and power.
  • Political distrust among Gods: Although saving other worlds sounds noble, the Gods immediately suspect that Corellon and the World Tree may be trying to acquire the Undead for their own purposes.
  • Dependence and responsibility: Hill worries that Alice relies too much on others, while the larger debate similarly questions whether the Undead can be treated as a resource to be deployed by powerful beings.

Character Interactions

  • Hill forces Aglaia and Alice to stop provoking one another so they can listen to the World Tree.
  • The Gods collectively scrutinize the God of Nobles, while William lightens the tension by joking about the Noble Church competing with the Undead.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess mocks the God of Nobles, prompting the Love Goddess to defend him and creating a brief confrontation.
  • The God of Space-Time challenges the World Tree’s proposal and warns that transporting the Undead could drain the world and harm their creators.
  • The Sun God supports this objection and stresses the danger of divine backlash.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess ends the debate with a harsh but practical condition: the Undead can be recruited, but their bodies must remain behind.
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Ch. 424Controversial Starry Sky Gate

Chapter Summary: “Controversial Starry Sky Gate”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The Gods debate whether to provide Elemental Bodies to the Undead, allowing them to become fully advanced workers and help develop the world.
  • The World Tree presents a compensation package from the God of Space-Time and the Sun God:
    • They will replace the elemental energy used to create the bodies and provide additional resources.
    • They will distribute rare resources and mineral deposits throughout the Northern Wilds and the ocean.
    • Gods may spread their divine names and offices into other worlds and compete for believers there.
  • The Earth Goddess ensures that the Northern Wilds remain open to everyone, though excessive or destructive mining will invoke her curse.
  • The Gods recognize that other worlds contain larger human populations and more opportunities to gain influence, divine power, and faith. However, the God of Space-Time insists that the Undead remain under his artifact’s control and refuses to reveal the coordinates of their original world.
  • Gods who want the Undead to serve them must pay for the costly conversion of their professions and powers. The God of Nobles is particularly worried, since failing to do so could cause him to lose his position among the human Gods.
  • William asks how the Undead will travel to other worlds. The answer is that the visiting Gods want to construct a Star Gate.
  • The Star Gate would initially connect this world to a dangerous, chaotic universe filled with dying or collapsing worlds. Although powerful beings would be restricted from entering, even weaker inhabitants could possess dangerous abilities.
  • Legendary Mages become excited by the prospect of exploring these worlds, while the Gods react with suspicion and concern. The God of Space-Time emphasizes that the Star Gate has not yet been approved, much less built.

Character Developments

  • The Silver Moon Goddess remains confrontational and distrustful of the World Tree, objecting to its indirect negotiation style and suspecting that it may favor its greater cosmic origin.
  • The World Tree struggles to defend its loyalty to the current world and becomes visibly flustered while explaining the compensation terms. It stresses that the Earth Goddess helped negotiate a better deal.
  • The God of Space-Time demonstrates firm control over the negotiations. He protects the Undead’s connection to him, refuses to reveal their original world’s location, and demands that other Gods bear the cost of converting the Undead.
  • The God of Nobles is shown to be anxious and vulnerable. He may need to spend heavily to preserve his standing and prevent his divine influence from collapsing.
  • Aglaia appears potentially interested in spreading the Sea God’s influence across other worlds, even if she has little personal interest in faith-based advancement.
  • William continues thinking strategically, especially about the expansion of Salar and the practical consequences of opening the Star Gate.
  • The Legendary Mages are portrayed as adventurous and stubborn, eager to explore the unknown despite repeated warnings about the dangers.
  • Draculus voices the Mages’ adventurous attitude, arguing that many would rather face understandable Demons than the incomprehensible dangers of the Starry Sky.

Significant Themes

  • Political negotiation and self-interest: The Gods carefully weigh whether the compensation is sufficient and whether the agreement benefits their factions.
  • Trust and divided loyalties: The Silver Moon Goddess questions whether the World Tree truly serves this world or its greater cosmic master.
  • The cost of power and transformation: Converting the Undead to different divine professions requires enormous resources because their bodies and abilities are tied to Space-Time magic.
  • Expansion versus preservation: The Star Gate promises access to resources, believers, and new worlds, but also threatens to bring dangerous outsiders and destabilize the current world.
  • Exploration and the unknown: The Mages are drawn toward the Star Gate despite the dangers, reflecting their curiosity and refusal to accept limitations.
  • Faith and divine influence: Even Gods who do not actively seek worship still value recognition, fear, respect, and the ability to expand their influence.
  • Moral responsibility: The God of Space-Time insists that because he summoned the Undead, he must remain responsible for protecting them.

Character Interactions

  • The Silver Moon Goddess and the World Tree clash over negotiation tactics and loyalty, though she ultimately backs down out of respect for her long-standing companion, the Earth Goddess.
  • The God of Space-Time establishes firm conditions for the other Gods, especially regarding the Undead’s control, profession changes, and world coordinates.
  • The Knowledge God questions whether the Undead can be converted into professions besides Priests, prompting clarification about the high cost of altering their Space-Time-based abilities.
  • William’s question exposes the logistical problem of transporting the Undead between worlds and leads to the proposal of the Star Gate.
  • Draculus and the Mage faction favor the possibility of exploration, while the Gods remain wary of the dangers and possible consequences.
  • The chapter ends with a sharp contrast: the Mages eagerly anticipate the Star Gate, whereas the Gods view it as a serious and potentially disastrous decision.
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Ch. 425Where Contracted Magical Beasts Would Go

Chapter Summary: Where Contracted Magical Beasts Would Go

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The World Tree explains that Telashir’s location has been exposed after the recent war. Although the world won, surviving enemies—including Dwarf Evil Gods, Demons, Devils, and forces from the Abyss—may eventually target it.
  • Because Telashir can no longer remain isolated, the World Tree argues that constructing a Star Gate is the safest option. Contact with other worlds may bring protection and allies, while refusing the Star Gate would leave Telashir vulnerable to hostile visitors.
  • The Gods accept that the Star Gate must be built, though they discuss placing it outside Telashir itself. William suggests constructing it in the outer Starry Sky and linking it to Telashir through a Teleportation Array.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess volunteers to help locate a suitable site, drawing on her familiarity with the Starry Sky and other worlds. The God of Space-Time emphasizes that the location must remain within teleportation range.
  • The World Tree leaves the Gods responsible for choosing the location but warns that all residents must be informed about the dangers of using the Star Gate, particularly Mages and Sorcerers.
  • Draculus is reminded that the World Will summoned the Legendary Mages because they owe Telashir compensation. His former neutrality does not absolve him of responsibility for the Mage Association’s role in past deaths. He is required to help prevent future harm.
  • After the meeting ends, the Gods remain behind to discuss the Undead’s class changes. Hill instead takes Aglaia, Merkel, and Alice aside to discuss the fate of Magical Beasts contracted to Undead players.

Character Developments

  • The World Tree demonstrates a pragmatic and politically aware attitude. Rather than treating isolation as safety, it recognizes that Telashir must engage with the wider universe to survive.
  • The God of Space-Time is persuaded by the World Tree’s reasoning and participates in planning a practical, safer Star Gate location.
  • William contributes a creative solution by proposing that the gate be built outside the world, reducing the danger to Telashir itself.
  • The Silver Moon Goddess reveals her extensive knowledge of the Starry Sky and her history of exploring other worlds.
  • Draculus is forced to confront the consequences of his past neutrality. His relationship with the Mage Association, once a source of support, has become a burden imposed by the World Will.
  • Hill remains observant and quietly amused by Draculus’s predicament. He also shows concern for Magical Beasts, insisting that their own wishes should determine whether they remain in Telashir or travel with their contracted partners.
  • Merkel is surprised that Hill does not consider the contracted earth-type Magical Beasts permanently bound to him or to the human world.

Significant Themes

  • Isolation versus engagement: Complete isolation cannot protect Telashir now that its location is known. Establishing connections may be dangerous, but refusing them would be worse.
  • Powerlessness and political reality: The Legendary Mages are unhappy because they lack the power to choose whether the Star Gate is built. The chapter emphasizes that weaker factions must accept decisions made by stronger powers.
  • Responsibility and consequences: Draculus’s neutrality cannot erase the damage caused by the Mage Association. The World Will judges outcomes rather than intentions.
  • Protection through alliances: Telashir’s security depends not only on its own strength but also on connections to powerful Gods and other worlds.
  • Freedom and self-determination: Hill argues that Magical Beasts should decide their own futures rather than being treated as possessions merely because they have contracts with humans.

Character Interactions

  • The World Tree debates the Star Gate’s necessity with the Gods and Legendary Mages, ultimately leaving no real room for opposition.
  • William and the Silver Moon Goddess build upon each other’s ideas, developing a plan to locate the gate outside Telashir while keeping it accessible.
  • The World Tree directly reprimands Draculus, explaining that his obligations come from the World Will’s judgment and the deaths connected to the Mage Association.
  • Hill privately takes satisfaction in Draculus’s discomfort but avoids openly mocking the Legendary Mages.
  • Hill speaks with Merkel about the earth Magical Beasts accompanying the Undead. He reassures Merkel that their contracts are not absolutely binding and that the beasts may remain in Telashir if they choose.
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Ch. 426Hill's Dad Is My Anchor

Chapter Summary: Hill’s Dad Is My Anchor

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill considers whether Merkel should take responsibility for negotiating with the Undead on behalf of the Magical Beasts. The specific representative is less important than ensuring the Magical Beasts have a future after the Undead eventually leave the world.
  • Hill confirms that the contracts between the Undead and the Magical Beasts contain a clause allowing the beasts to terminate their contracts if the Undead depart. He believes both sides need to be reminded of this provision.
  • Hill’s main motivation is protecting Alice’s future. He fears that once the war ends, Alice may become merely Merkel’s wife and political shadow rather than an independent authority.
  • Hill reasons that many Magical Beasts may not follow Merkel immediately, since life with the Undead is safer and more comfortable. However, as human kingdoms expand, the beasts may eventually need to join the Magical Beast Kingdom.
  • Alice worries that she will be powerless if future conflict arises between humans and Magical Beasts. Hill and Aglaia assure her that she can rely on their protection, especially by returning to Aglaia’s valley.
  • Alice angrily reminds Aglaia that she was not originally invited to travel with the others and reveals that she established a statue beside Aglaia’s in the Wilds so she can receive messages and travel there independently.
  • Merkel avoids arguing with Hill and Aglaia, instead carrying Alice away to comfort her.
  • Aglaia suggests killing Merkel or sending Alice to her Divine Kingdom, but Hill refuses to interfere directly in Alice’s relationship. He insists that Alice must be free to choose love, even if it may eventually bring her pain.
  • Hill then reveals his practical reason for summoning Aglaia: he wants the Undead to undergo a class change and become her followers across different worlds.
  • Hill explains that worship and gratitude from distant worlds can serve as “anchors,” helping Aglaia retain her identity if the laws of the ocean gradually distort her mind or personality.
  • The Gods emerge after deciding the matter. Aglaia immediately asks the God of Space-Time what resources are needed to make the Undead her followers, and he agrees to calculate the cost.

Character Development

  • Hill shows himself to be protective, cautious, and politically farsighted. His concern for Alice is not merely emotional; he is preparing safeguards for her independence and long-term security.
  • Alice remains innocent and playful but demonstrates clear awareness of political danger. She understands that love alone may not protect her if humans and Magical Beasts eventually become enemies.
  • Merkel is portrayed as intelligent and diplomatic. Rather than challenge Hill or Aglaia, he recognizes the situation is unfavorable and prioritizes reassuring Alice.
  • Aglaia acts possessively and impulsively, offering extreme solutions such as killing Merkel. However, she also shows genuine concern for Alice and accepts Hill’s guidance.
  • Hill and Aglaia’s relationship deepens through the metaphor of an “anchor.” Aglaia openly declares that Hill is her strongest stabilizing influence, while Hill seeks additional safeguards for her future.

Significant Themes

  • Love versus political power: Hill worries that unequal status and changing circumstances could eventually undermine Alice and Merkel’s relationship.
  • Freedom and personal choice: Hill believes Alice must be allowed to choose love for herself, even if the choice carries the risk of future unhappiness.
  • Preparation for the distant future: The chapter emphasizes planning for events thousands of years away, including the departure of the Undead and the expansion of human kingdoms.
  • Identity and stability: Aglaia’s growing connection to the ocean’s laws threatens to alter her personality, so worship and emotional bonds are presented as anchors preserving her original self.
  • Family protection: Hill and Aglaia may disagree about Alice’s choices, but both are determined to protect her.
  • Human–Magical Beast tension: Even in peacetime, competition and distrust between humans and Magical Beasts are expected to continue.

Character Interactions

  • Hill and Merkel discuss the future of the Magical Beasts, with Hill making clear that Merkel’s authority ultimately exists because Hill permits it.
  • Alice seeks equal familial recognition by asking why Aglaia can call Hill “Dad” while she cannot. Hill jokingly refuses because doing so would make him Merkel’s father-in-law.
  • Alice and Aglaia exchange sharp, teasing accusations over Aglaia’s failure to bring Alice along earlier.
  • Hill restrains Aglaia’s hostility toward Merkel and defends Alice’s right to make her own romantic decisions.
  • Aglaia accepts Hill’s plan to become stronger through the Undead’s worship, while the God of Space-Time agrees to arrange the necessary resources.
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Ch. 427Earth Goddess's Joyful Sigh

Chapter Summary: “Earth Goddess’s Joyful Sigh”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill prepares to return to Salar after the gods’ meeting. William encourages him to visit Adrian and suggests that Hill eventually explore the ruined worlds beyond the Star Gate for their advanced magical and alchemical knowledge.
  • Aglaia returns to the World Tree and is allowed to view the world’s central Law Lines again. She then returns to her Divine Kingdom to prepare the resources required for its development.
  • Hill visits Central City and reunites with Adrian, explaining the events of the past several years. He demonstrates his greatly enhanced strength by crushing part of a Semi-Divine Artifact, reassuring Adrian that he is safe.
  • Hill returns to his valley, organizes his possessions, conducts alchemical experiments, and prepares for his departure. The Elemental Sprites decide either to follow him wherever he goes or return to the Elemental Realm.
  • The Earth Goddess awakens. Her return is marked by radiant light and golden rain rather than destructive tremors. The world welcomes her revival, and she affectionately calls it “my Telashir.”
  • Hill begins his final journey toward the Star Gate. He observes Aglaia establishing her Supreme God Temple and selecting priests from among the Sea Demon Beasts that serve her.
  • Hill visits Uniflorola, the Crystal Flower, who remains cautious about submitting to Aglaia. She ultimately decides that she will swear allegiance to the Earth Goddess if Aglaia approaches her.
  • At the Ring Crater, Hill learns that Hai Weilsen and Ihabu are helping the World Tree construct the Earth Goddess’s Divine Kingdom. He avoids Aurelio, who is still trying to escape his demanding training and responsibilities.
  • Hill reaches the Star Gate, where countless Undead are gathered noisily across the surrounding landscape, preparing for the next stage of their journey.

Character Developments

  • Hill has become significantly stronger and more emotionally mature. He is excited by the opportunity to study the magic systems of other worlds, but he also feels deep melancholy about leaving his home and companions.
  • William remains supportive but hints that his own future may involve returning to the Starry Sky, giving his farewell with an unusual tone.
  • Adrian shows deep concern for Hill but accepts his departure after seeing how powerful Hill has become. Their reunion emphasizes their close, familial relationship.
  • Aglaia demonstrates growing independence and maturity as a goddess. She begins establishing her own temple, selecting followers, and taking responsibility for her divine domain.
  • The Earth Goddess returns peacefully and joyfully, expressing deep affection for Telashir despite having sacrificed part of her divine soul to save it.
  • Aurelio continues to resent the pressure placed on him to become an ideal clan leader. He attempts to involve Hill in his troubles, but Hill repeatedly escapes.
  • Uniflorola remains distrustful of gods and divine authority, revealing her concern that even family bonds can eventually lead to betrayal.

Significant Themes

  • Farewell and transition: Hill’s departure represents the end of one stage of his life and the beginning of exploration beyond his world.
  • Growth through separation: Characters accept that they may live apart while maintaining their bonds and responsibilities.
  • Love and sacrifice: The Earth Goddess’s revival highlights her willingness to sacrifice herself for Telashir and her enduring love for the world.
  • Knowledge and exploration: Hill views the ruined worlds beyond the Star Gate not only as dangerous places but also as valuable sources of magical and alchemical knowledge.
  • Duty and inheritance: Aurelio’s forced preparation reflects the burden of leadership and the expectations placed on heirs.
  • Trust and allegiance: Aglaia’s rise as a goddess raises questions about whether loyalty comes from blood, personal bonds, or formal submission.

Character Interactions

  • William and Hill discuss Hill’s return, Adrian’s concern, and the possibility of exploring other worlds.
  • Hill and Adrian share an emotional reunion, with Hill explaining his experiences and proving his strength to ease Adrian’s fears.
  • Hill indirectly avoids Aurelio’s complaints and attempts to escape being drawn into his training.
  • Hill witnesses Aglaia’s growing authority and reflects on whether their relationship will remain unchanged as she becomes more powerful.
  • Hill reassures Uniflorola that Aglaia will not harm her, though Uniflorola remains cautious.
  • At the end, Hill once again evades Aurelio and heads toward the Star Gate, where the Undead await the coming journey.
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Ch. 428Hill Steps Out of the Star Gate

Chapter Summary: “Hill Steps Out of the Star Gate”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • As the Star Gate prepares to open, the Undead gather to decide whether to change their talents. Only about a third immediately plan to switch, while others weigh the long-term consequences, since they have only two opportunities to change talents.
  • The Undead are excited by the prospect of a new map, having grown bored with the Abyssal Gate, routine quests, and repetitive dungeon content. Despite their excitement, they continue blaming William—the game’s apparent chief planner—for the game’s shortcomings.
  • Hill observes the popularity of different class changes. Aglaia’s Water talents attract fewer applicants because many interested players have already switched, while the Lightning Law temple has the longest line. Defensive Knights also eagerly await the Earth Goddess’s talents.
  • Some Undead hope to reunite with their Magical Beast companions after returning to the world, though they are disappointed that most Magical Beasts cannot accompany them on their adventures.
  • Hill visits Aglaia, who tells him that her Supreme God Temple may take three years to complete. They discuss the Star Gate and the dangerous world beyond it. Aglaia warns that the God of Space-Time has forbidden the Gods from establishing temples or accepting believers there until the forces of the Abyss and Hell are defeated.
  • Hill makes Aglaia promise to obey these restrictions. She agrees, reassuring him that she will not do anything the God of Space-Time would forbid.
  • After three days, the God of Space-Time opens the Star Gate and warns the Undead that the new world is devastated by Demons and Devils, while humanity has been corrupted by despair. He tells them that the world may still be saved, but humanity could also perish, and urges them to bring hope and light.
  • Hill quietly leaves Aglaia and enters the Star Gate with a group of solo players. He arrives on a massive platform surrounded by a crystal barrier and sees the complete planet Telashir from afar.
  • Hill realizes the platform once occupied the Dwarven Pantheon’s Divine Kingdom, suggesting that the Gods deliberately placed the gate in a remote and unexpected location.
  • Upon traveling through the final gate, Hill discovers that the Undead are immediately surrounded by a Demon army. The Undead quickly form a defensive circle.
  • Hill also finds a Resurrection Formation protected by divine power, containing a copy of the God of Space-Time’s artifact. This reassures him that the Undead can revive and that William has not personally endangered himself by accompanying them.

Character Developments

  • Hill remains observant and cautious, blending into the Undead crowd while analyzing their behavior and the political implications of the new world. His concern for Aglaia becomes especially clear when he insists that she obey the God of Space-Time’s restrictions.
  • Aglaia shows both immaturity and growing responsibility. She is disappointed that Hill will leave before her temple is completed, but ultimately accepts his departure and does not selfishly try to stop him. Her willingness to obey the God of Space-Time reflects increasing awareness of the danger involved.
  • The Undead are portrayed as restless, adaptable, and enthusiastic about novelty. Their eagerness to change talents and explore the new map contrasts with their casual attitude toward danger, as they immediately treat the invasion as the expected “first-day beating.”
  • The God of Space-Time appears authoritative and deeply concerned about the new world. His warning emphasizes that the coming conflict will involve moral uncertainty, despair, and political danger rather than simple battles against obvious enemies.
  • William remains mostly absent, but his influence is evident through the game’s systems and the Undead’s complaints. Hill also suspects that the Star Gate technology came from William’s Teleportation Gate.

Significant Themes

  • Adventure versus stagnation: The new map renews the Undead’s excitement after years of repetitive gameplay, while also pushing them into a far more dangerous and morally complex environment.
  • Responsibility and restraint: Aglaia’s promise not to interfere in the new world highlights the importance of caution, especially when dealing with unknown powers and possible demonic corruption.
  • Hope amid despair: The God of Space-Time frames the Undead’s mission as more than conquest. Their purpose is to give humanity hope before its remaining humanity disappears.
  • Mortality and consequence: The limited chances to change talents and the slow advancement at higher levels make the Undead’s choices meaningful, despite their ability to resurrect.
  • Family and separation: Hill and Aglaia’s farewell shows genuine affection and mutual sacrifice. Aglaia lets Hill leave because she understands that his growth and journey matter.
  • The game-world perspective: The Undead treat a dangerous military ambush like the ordinary beginning of a new expansion, creating a contrast between their playful attitude and the world’s genuine suffering.

Character Interactions

  • Hill and the Undead: Hill secretly observes their discussions about talents, Magical Beasts, and the new map, learning about their expectations and frustrations.
  • Hill and Aglaia: They share a warm, father-daughter relationship. Hill comforts her about the unfinished temple, warns her to be obedient, and embraces her before leaving.
  • Aglaia and the God of Space-Time: Although he is not present during their conversation, Aglaia relays his orders and demonstrates that even she recognizes the seriousness of his warnings.
  • The God of Space-Time and the Undead: He addresses them directly before their departure, warning them that the new world is morally ambiguous and that its fate depends partly on their actions.
  • Hill and the new world: His initial awe at seeing Telashir quickly gives way to alarm when he emerges into a battlefield surrounded by Demons, setting the tone for the dangers ahead.
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Ch. 429The First Day in the New World—Still Doing What I Always Did

Chapter Summary: “The First Day in the New World—Still Doing What I Always Did”

Plot and Major Events

  • Hill arrives through the Star Gate in a massive valley already under attack by countless Demons. The Undead have pushed back the ground forces, but flying Demons still dominate the sky and bombard the valley with javelins.
  • The Undead rapidly establish a defensive line. Newly class-changed Earth Knights use Earth Resonance to hold their position against the Demon assault.
  • A familiar High-Rank Six-Armed Serpent Fiend charges the Knights. Hill uses Blizzard to freeze and disable it, allowing the Undead to finish it off.
  • As more Undead pour through the Star Gate, the valley becomes crowded, but their organized reinforcements gradually overwhelm the Demons’ numerical advantage. High-Rank Demons retreat, apparently confident that they can return once better organized.
  • The Undead combine Blizzard with the Priests’ Holy Rain, driving back the flying Demons. Their experience fighting in the Abyss has allowed them to develop highly coordinated battlefield tactics.
  • The Undead begin fortifying the area:
    • Earth Mages dig shallow trenches.
    • Priests fill them with Holy Rain, and Water Mages freeze the liquid.
    • Earth Mages restore the soil, while Knights compact the ground by riding over it.
    • Earth Mages reshape the mountains into sheer walls.
    • Large defensive walls and a planned camp are constructed at the valley entrance.
    • Alchemy Huts are deployed according to prearranged designs.
  • Hill realizes that the Undead are operating under a highly effective central command. Their coordination is far beyond what even Xue Yunfeng could achieve alone.
  • He discovers that William is directing the operation from a disguised palace built into the camp. Spencer is there as well.
  • William explains that the palace is an extremely powerful Divine Artifact, reinforced by the World Tree, Corellon, and the God of Space-Time. It should be safe from nearly any threat that can reach the world directly.
  • William reveals his immediate plan: he intends to have the Undead plant special sunflowers given to him by the Sun God. Once they grow across the planet, they will help make the new world safe.
  • Hill accepts that, even in a dangerous new world, he has once again been assigned the familiar task of planting flowers.

Character Developments

  • Hill: Remains cautious and observant, assessing both the Demons’ strength and the Undead’s tactics. He actively participates in the battle but quickly shifts to analyzing the broader military situation. He recognizes the scale of the invasion and becomes increasingly convinced that William is behind the Undead’s remarkable coordination.
  • William: Demonstrates confidence, strategic authority, and long-term planning. He is willing to enter the dangerous new world because he seeks power beyond merely becoming a subordinate deity of the God of Space-Time. Despite the war, he remains relaxed and humorously assigns Hill the task of planting sunflowers.
  • Spencer: Reveals unwavering loyalty to William by accompanying him despite the extreme danger. His determination to protect his king suggests that he is close to reaching the Legendary level.
  • The Undead: Show impressive discipline, adaptability, and logistical preparation. Their tactics reflect years of fighting Demons and include coordinated use of different classes, magic, engineering, and rapid camp construction.
  • The Demons: Low-ranking Demons remain instinctive and disorganized without direct leadership, while the stronger Demons are more calculating and retreat rather than commit to a decisive battle.

Significant Themes

  • Organization versus chaos: The Undead’s coordinated formations and preparation allow them to overcome the Demons’ overwhelming numbers and disorder.
  • War as logistics and construction: Victory depends not only on combat but also on fortifications, transportation, communication, terrain modification, and camp organization.
  • Loyalty and duty: Spencer’s decision to follow William illustrates devotion as a deliberate life mission rather than simple obedience.
  • Power and ambition: William refuses to settle for a lesser divine position and enters the new world in pursuit of greater power and independence.
  • Adaptation and continuity: Although the setting and enemies have changed, Hill once again finds himself performing the same familiar role—cultivating plants to secure the future.
  • The hidden importance of nature: The sunflowers appear to be more than ordinary plants; their growth may provide planetary protection and become central to establishing a safe foothold.

Important Character Interactions

  • Hill saves the Knights from the Six-Armed Serpent Fiend by using Blizzard, after which the Undead quickly kill the helpless Demon.
  • Hill observes the Undead’s military coordination and mentally compares it with Xue Yunfeng’s more limited command ability.
  • Hill confronts William and Spencer in the hidden palace, questioning Spencer’s decision to enter a war more dangerous than those in Telashir.
  • Spencer calmly explains that protecting William has always been his mission.
  • William reassures Hill that the palace is nearly invulnerable, then lightens the mood by asking Hill to help plant sunflowers.
  • The chapter closes with Hill humorously acknowledging that, even in a new world and amid a vast war, he is still “doing what he always did.”
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Ch. 430Gerns's World Will

Chapter Summary: “Gerns’s World Will”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill reveals himself to William after his arrival is exposed by the magically accelerated growth of sunflowers.
  • William explains that Belt has already been named crown prince and appointed regent of Salar. Since William’s ambitions lie beyond the kingdom—among the stars—he believes Belt is capable of managing Salar in his absence.
  • William favors Belt because, unlike the other royals, Belt challenged the Undead to determine their intentions rather than blindly obeying or appeasing them. This confrontation helped the nobles realize that the Undead intended humiliation and control, not mass slaughter.
  • Hill observes the Undead establishing a camp in the dangerous region of Telashir. They gather sunflower seeds, construct defensive magic formations, and use rain and snow magic to support the crops.
  • Hill assists by casting Natural Blessing, causing the sunflowers to grow rapidly despite the overwhelming demonic aura saturating the land. Their ability to bloom even under these conditions convinces him that the world is already dangerously close to being consumed by the Abyss.
  • Hill studies the world’s unusual Moon Ring, composed of multiple differently colored moons, and concludes that the moon gods are likely divided and hostile toward one another. He also realizes that this world’s Sun God has already fallen, while the benevolent Moon Goddess appears to have survived but is badly wounded.
  • After the camp’s defenses are completed, William announces that the Undead will soon gain access to a level-100 class advancement quest leading toward Legendary power.
  • The World Will, Gerns, then manifests and addresses the Undead directly. It admits that it is extremely weak and may soon fall into slumber, but offers what little assistance it can.
  • Gerns reinforces the camp’s defensive formations and alters the valley’s internal space so that all the Undead can fit within it, despite the valley appearing unchanged from outside.

Character Developments

  • William demonstrates decisiveness and a willingness to relinquish political control. He does not cling to the throne and views Salar as Belt’s responsibility while he pursues larger goals.
  • Belt is confirmed as William’s chosen successor. His earlier conflict with the Undead is reinterpreted as evidence of courage and political judgment rather than foolishness.
  • Hill remains observant and skeptical. He helps the Undead but is increasingly troubled by the world’s condition and by the possibility that even powerful gods cannot determine whether it is worth saving.
  • Hill also recognizes that he has become a significant “NPC” in the Undead’s eyes, since they repeatedly watch him and openly call on him for assistance.
  • Gerns, the World Will, is revealed to be near collapse. Its willingness to empower outsiders suggests desperation and highlights how little strength remains in the world.

Significant Themes

  • Political succession and responsibility: William chooses a practical heir rather than an obedient puppet, emphasizing competence over loyalty.
  • The limits of power: Even gods and powerful beings appear unable to fully understand or control the world’s crisis.
  • A world on the brink of destruction: The demonic aura, fallen Sun God, wounded Moon Goddess, and weakened World Will all indicate that the Abyss has nearly consumed the world.
  • Cooperation across worlds: Gerns accepts the aid of the Undead and possibly foreign gods despite the dangers, suggesting that survival requires outsiders to intervene.
  • Appearance versus reality: The valley seems unchanged even after its space is expanded, and Belt’s apparent defiance is revealed to have been wise political testing.
  • Player and world interaction: The Undead treat the unfolding crisis as both a campaign and a game-like progression system, while Hill recognizes the serious existential stakes beneath their enthusiasm.

Character Interactions

  • William and Hill discuss Salar’s future, Belt’s appointment, and Belt’s relationship with the Undead. William makes clear that he wants a capable heir, not a submissive one.
  • Hill watches the Undead work and is repeatedly treated as an important quest-giving figure. They later shout for him to restore their mana, and he responds by casting Tranquil Water.
  • William addresses the Undead publicly after the camp is completed, rewarding their efforts with the promise of Legendary advancement.
  • Gerns speaks directly to the Undead for the first time, acknowledging their contribution and granting the camp powerful spatial and defensive support.
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Ch. 431Hill Who Fooled Even the Undead

Chapter Summary: “Hill Who Fooled Even the Undead”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill is baffled by Gerns’s miraculous ability to contain countless people within a space that appears unchanged. He asks William whether the phenomenon uses illusory or real Space Law, but William admits he cannot explain it scientifically.
  • William mocks the God of Space-Time for approaching miracles through alchemy and magic arrays, insisting that Gerns can accomplish anything simply by thinking about it.
  • William warns Hill that the Demons are preparing a major assault, possibly led by Demon Lords. Because their location lies at the center of the world, near the sleeping World Will and Gerns’s core, Hill is told not to leave.
  • The Undead reorganize their settlement into defensive-looking rings of huts surrounding a central palace. They also construct numerous ornate Mage Towers around Hill’s conspicuous nine-story tower to disguise its importance.
  • Hill abandons his Mage Tower, relocates to a disguised Mushroom House, and hands control of the tower to Rainfall on the Mortal Realm, a Mage Commander from the Black Rose Family.
  • Hill establishes a small general store, intending to buy books, scrolls, and information about the collapsing world, particularly knowledge concerning the Abyss and Hell.
  • Perfect Baldhead secretly visits the shop on behalf of the Black Rose Family. She offers to sell Hill books recovered from an abandoned Mage Tower and asks him to provide attribute-enhancing potions.
  • Hill realizes that the Undead had already known he was coming and that Rainfall’s surprise was merely an act. He has failed to conceal his intentions from them.

Character Developments

  • Hill remains cautious and pragmatic. He prioritizes survival over exploration after William warns him of the approaching Demon attack. He also adapts quickly, disguising himself and transforming his role from mage and researcher into a traveling merchant and information broker.
  • William displays confidence and strategic awareness. He protects Hill by ordering him to stay hidden and withholds information about the Undead’s training plans, suggesting that he is preparing them for a difficult Legendary advancement quest.
  • Gerns is presented as an incomprehensible, near-omnipotent figure whose “Miracles” surpass conventional magical reasoning.
  • King Liszt takes pleasure in mocking the God of Space-Time, reflecting his pride in Gerns’s power and his disdain for overly rational, alchemical approaches.
  • Rainfall on the Mortal Realm demonstrates loyalty and enthusiasm toward Hill and the Black Rose Family’s interests, eagerly accepting control of Hill’s Mage Tower.
  • Perfect Baldhead is resourceful and commercially minded. She secretly seeks out Hill before informing her allies, hoping to secure an advantage for herself and the Black Rose Family.

Significant Themes

  • Miracle versus reason: The chapter contrasts Gerns’s effortless, thought-based miracles with the structured methods of alchemists and Mages.
  • Preparation and survival: The coming Demon assault forces characters to hide their strength, fortify their position, and gather resources rather than act impulsively.
  • Information as power: Hill seeks books and records from the collapsing world, recognizing that forbidden or valuable knowledge may soon become available.
  • Commerce amid catastrophe: Even as the world approaches destruction, the Undead and Hill continue trading, collecting materials, and pursuing economic advantages.
  • Deception and hidden motives: Hill disguises himself and attempts to conceal his plans, but the Undead have already anticipated his actions.

Character Interactions

  • Hill questions William about Space Law, leading to William’s sarcastic criticism of the God of Space-Time.
  • William advises Hill to remain near the settlement and avoid using his Mage Tower, demonstrating a protective but commanding relationship.
  • Hill cooperates with Rainfall by transferring control of the tower, while Rainfall offers the Black Rose Family’s continued support.
  • Hill and Perfect Baldhead negotiate over books, potions, and future supplies. Their friendly exchange reveals that both sides are trying to gain commercial and strategic advantages.
  • The final revelation—that Perfect Baldhead and the Black Rose Family already expected Hill’s arrival—undercuts Hill’s belief that he had successfully deceived the Undead.
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Ch. 432A Glimpse of Gerns World Revealed

Chapter Summary: “A Glimpse of Gerns World Revealed”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Perfect Baldhead brings Hill a collection of magic books copied from the Mage Tower, along with noble books, account records, novels, and a Mage’s diary recovered from a nearby estate.
  • Hill buys the ordinary books, recognizing that fictional knight tales and financial records may reveal truths hidden by official noble histories.
  • Black Rose members imply that Hill was responsible for crippling the first Greater Demon with holy-attribute Legendary magic. Their decision to search the Mage Tower’s study rather than pursue treasure proves highly profitable.
  • Hill establishes a small shop in the Mushroom House, using an ordinary Shop Core and an Advanced puppet to sell miscellaneous goods. He also prepares the building to withstand Undead visitors who might try to bypass its restrictions.
  • While the Undead Mages prepare chain-attack formations against the approaching Demons, Hill studies the recovered books and organizes them chronologically.
  • Through the Mage’s diary, noble family histories, and knight novels, Hill uncovers the hidden history of Gerns: nobles have long collaborated with Devils to obtain Soul Crystals through wars.
  • Baron Daley’s family acted as intermediaries between Devils and powerful Mages. Over generations, the nobles expanded from secretly collecting Soul Crystals during occasional wars to deliberately creating conflicts to harvest the souls of commoners, slaves, and inexperienced professionals.
  • Hill discovers that Gerns possesses a Mage Association capable of punishing nobles who attack Mages, but this protection does not extend to ordinary people.
  • The chapter ends with Hill puzzled by a censored or obscured reference in the Magus’s diary to a mysterious power or deity that even the Magus feared.

Character Developments

  • Hill: Becomes increasingly investigative and morally disturbed as he reconstructs Gerns’s history. His initial curiosity about the books turns into horror and anger when he realizes that noble wars were organized around soul harvesting. He also displays practical foresight by protecting his shop and preserving useful books.
  • Perfect Baldhead and Black Rose: Demonstrate their resourcefulness, opportunism, and tactical intelligence. They prioritize valuable information over ordinary treasure and exploit Hill’s interest in books for profit.
  • The recovered Mage: Is revealed to be hypocritical and complicit. Though he distrusted Devils and refused to deal with them directly, he used Baron Daley as an intermediary and benefited from the system. Later, he condemned the nobles when they became reckless enough to attack a Mage.
  • The Daley family: Their supposedly honorable history is exposed as a long-running cover for collaboration with Devils and the systematic exploitation of their subjects.
  • The Undead Mages: Are shown to be cautious and technically careful as they prepare dangerous chain-attack formations, emphasizing their vulnerability despite their high magical ranks.

Significant Themes

  • Historical truth versus official propaganda: Noble histories glorify honor and family courage, while novels, diaries, and account books expose political corruption and mass exploitation.
  • The commodification of souls: Soul Crystals are revealed to be the real prize behind supposedly honorable wars, reducing ordinary people to resources.
  • Institutional corruption and moral decay: Without effective restraints, the nobility becomes predatory, treating subjects as crops to be harvested.
  • Hypocrisy and complicity: Even those who recognize evil—such as the Mage—may continue benefiting from it indirectly.
  • Knowledge as a weapon: Hill’s reconstruction of the past allows him to understand the danger facing Gerns and the larger universe.
  • The approaching destruction of the world: Gerns’s Magic Port and established Devil trade suggest that Demons and Devils have already infiltrated a highly developed civilization, supporting the World Tree’s warning that the universe is nearing ruin.

Character Interactions

  • Perfect Baldhead and the Black Rose members interact with Hill in a teasing but commercially sharp manner, reminding him that they deliberately sought out the study because they knew he valued books.
  • Hill responds to their manipulation with reluctant amusement and pays them fairly, recognizing their competence.
  • Hill’s reading creates an indirect interaction with the past: the Mage’s diary, the Daley family histories, and knight novels contradict one another and collectively reveal the truth.
  • The Mage’s relationship with Baron Daley illustrates a corrupt alliance between magical elites and nobles, while the Mage Association’s intervention shows the limits of institutional justice.
  • Hill contrasts Gerns’s unrestrained nobility with Telashir’s more controlled system, reinforcing his concern that the absence of proper divine or political restraints allowed Gerns to collapse morally.
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Ch. 433A Different Welcoming Ceremony, Perhaps?

Chapter Summary: “A Different Welcoming Ceremony, Perhaps?”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill becomes furious after reading historical records from Gerns’s world. The books reveal that ordinary people lived relatively comfortable lives but were manipulated into fighting wars for noble glory, while nobles viewed their deaths mainly as a source of valuable soul crystals.
  • He concludes that the world’s nobility has maintained power by controlling information and suppressing dissent. Any resistance or criticism was either erased or reduced to subtle references in knightly fiction.
  • Hill contrasts Gerns’s world with Telashir and Salar, where people generally trust or openly challenge the Gods. In Gerns, the Gods appear absent or untrustworthy, while nobles retain their territories regardless of their crimes, creating a system in which aristocratic power is nearly impossible to remove.
  • Hill suspects that the dense Abyssal aura is connected to the world’s corrupt history and begins compiling a historical outline. He also questions the nature of Gerns, the World Will, believing something may have gone wrong during its formation.
  • After learning that William is in the “Stone Palace,” Hill discovers that the palace is surrounded by six houses arranged as part of a concealed divine formation, likely connected to the Undead’s Space-Time Sorcerers and equipment made by Falan.
  • Hill gives William his historical notes and a detailed history of the Daly noble family. William reads them, becomes enraged, and orders Spencer to distribute the information to the Undead, increase security, and gather more historical records—not merely spellbooks.
  • William realizes that noble infiltrators may be able to disguise themselves in Gerns, since even the World Will seems unable to understand its own condition. He plans to present himself as an ordinary Demigod rather than reveal his greater status.
  • A group of nobles is expected to arrive within an hour. Spencer has arranged for Xue Yunfeng and the Magic Elephant Corps to greet them, but he jokes that the Boar Team would provide a more fitting—and potentially violent—welcome. Hill suggests that the switch can still be made.

Character Developments

  • Hill: His anger at the nobles’ exploitation of ordinary people deepens into a broader distrust of Gerns’s entire social and divine order. He becomes more investigative, compiling historical evidence and recognizing the need to understand the world’s noble families before dealing with them.
  • William: His usual composure gives way to genuine outrage after reading the records. He becomes more cautious, ordering surveillance and research into the arriving nobles. He also deliberately limits how much of his true power he reveals.
  • Spencer: He shows strong contempt for Gerns’s nobles, viewing them as fundamentally corrupt and unworthy of comparison with the noble Knights of his own world. His dry remarks also reveal his practical approach to security and military arrangements.
  • Gerns: Though not physically present, the World Will is characterized as abnormal and passive. Hill suspects that Gerns may have been malformed or damaged during its creation, allowing Devils and corruption to spread unchecked.
  • The Undead: Their inability to navigate even simple locations remains a running source of humor, but they are also shown to be powerful, numerous, and in need of monitoring when entering unfamiliar territories.

Significant Themes

  • Aristocratic exploitation: The chapter condemns a ruling class that treats ordinary people as disposable resources while preserving its own privilege.
  • Control of history and information: The nobles’ control over written records allows them to erase resistance and shape public understanding of the past.
  • The failure of divine authority: Unlike Telashir, where Gods are generally trusted or held accountable, Gerns appears to have a broken relationship between humanity, divinity, and morality.
  • Inherited guilt versus individual responsibility: Spencer suggests that nobles may be born carrying “original sin,” while Hill’s observations leave open the question of whether every individual noble is equally culpable.
  • World-building and corrupted creation: The chapter explores the possibility that Gerns’s moral and political disorder originates in a flaw within the World Will itself.
  • Humor amid danger: The Undead’s constant loss of direction and the absurd contrast between the disciplined Magic Elephant Corps and the uncontrollable Boar Team lighten an otherwise grim discussion of oppression.

Character Interactions

  • Hill consults a camp guard to locate William, highlighting the camp’s organized security and the unusual need to guide wandering Undead.
  • Hill and William discuss the historical records, the nature of Gerns, and the possibility that the World Will itself is defective. Their exchange shows mutual trust, though Hill warns William not to rely too heavily on Gerns’s statements.
  • William orders Spencer to study and circulate Hill’s findings, demonstrating that Hill’s research directly influences policy.
  • Spencer questions whether the camp’s neutrality policy can protect it from corrupt nobles, while William explains that Gerns’s unusual nature makes deception difficult to detect.
  • Hill and Spencer discuss how to welcome the arriving nobles. Their conversation contrasts the disciplined Magic Elephant Corps with the deliberately unruly Boar Team, ending on the possibility of replacing the formal escort with a much more threatening one.
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Ch. 434The Arrival of the Legendary Knight Squad

Chapter Summary: “The Arrival of the Legendary Knight Squad”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Spencer contacts Xue Yunfeng about replacing the Undead originally assigned to welcome the visiting Knights. The replacement is permitted, but the original mission rewards must remain unchanged because they were already locked by the God of Space-Time’s system.
  • To compensate the substitute Undead, Hill offers crystal stones, potions, and Magus equipment. Spencer plans to issue them a separate, temporary mission rather than altering the official welcome mission.
  • The chapter explains why William’s authority over the Undead has been restricted. After William abandoned preparations to ignite Divine Fire and establish his Divine Kingdom in order to personally seek adventure in another world, the God of Space-Time angrily reprimanded him and imposed limits on his ability to issue missions.
  • Spencer reveals that he now handles most mission administration, leaving William only to approve decisions. He also uses a five-hour “camp entrance beautification” mission to recruit the Black Rose Family for the welcoming ceremony.
  • William asks Hill whether he will participate in greeting the guests. Hill chooses to observe from the second floor, while William tells him to hide before the guests arrive.
  • Hill notices that the “William” sitting on the throne is actually an extraordinarily realistic Legendary Puppet created by Falan. The real William is concealed in a hidden space behind the throne, showing unusual caution.
  • The Undead prepare an impressive ceremonial welcome. The Magic Elephant Legion lines the main road to the palace, while the Wild Boar Legion guards the outer entrance.
  • Before the visiting Knights can arrive properly, they are pursued into the valley by a large group of Demons. The Black Rose Knights use chained mud-pit spells to trap the pursuing Demons, accidentally covering the fleeing guests in foul mud.
  • The Magic Elephants wash the Knights with their trunks before they reach the palace. Although the guests are cleaned, the Undead have already witnessed their humiliating entrance.
  • Hill identifies the visitors as a squad composed entirely of Legendary-level Knights, suggesting that Spencer’s recruitment and testing have produced a strong first impression.

Character Developments

  • William: His usual carefree arrogance is revealed to have consequences. He is frustrated by the restrictions placed on him and complains about having to personally review missions, but he also demonstrates caution by using a puppet and hiding himself from the visitors.
  • Hill: He continues to act as an observer and strategist rather than directly participating. He gains a clearer understanding of William’s history with the God of Space-Time and shows concern about the dangerous state of Gerns and its World Will.
  • Spencer: He is established as the practical administrator managing William’s responsibilities. He bluntly criticizes William for avoiding work and cleverly finds ways to recruit the Undead without violating the mission restrictions.
  • Xue Yunfeng: Though mostly communicating indirectly, he demonstrates effective logistical planning by arranging the welcoming forces and ensuring the ceremony has a suitably impressive appearance.
  • The Black Rose Knights: They display excellent coordination in deploying the mud pits, though their tactics create an embarrassing situation for the visiting Knights.

Significant Themes

  • Responsibility versus freedom: William’s desire for independence and adventure conflicts with the responsibilities expected of a powerful divine ruler.
  • Authority and restraint: The God of Space-Time’s restrictions emphasize that power must be controlled, especially when mistakes could affect an entire world.
  • Appearance versus reality: The false William highlights the difference between what others see and the truth hidden behind appearances.
  • Comedy amid grandeur: The chapter contrasts a majestic, legendary welcome with the guests’ chaotic, muddy arrival, creating humor from the gap between ceremony and reality.
  • Preparation and resource management: Because supplies and missions are tightly controlled, the characters must plan carefully, especially with the Star Gate opening only once every three months.

Character Interactions

  • Spencer and Hill cooperate to find suitable compensation for the Undead taking over the mission.
  • Hill questions William about his conflict with the God of Space-Time, while Spencer openly explains and criticizes William’s behavior.
  • William and Spencer bicker over William’s unwillingness to handle administrative work.
  • William encourages Hill to remain hidden and avoid unnecessary danger, showing concern for him despite his teasing manner.
  • The Black Rose forces interact with the incoming Knights through a chaotic but effective rescue, trapping the pursuing Demons and washing the guests clean.
  • Hill observes all these interactions from above, amused by the spectacle and impressed by the visiting Legendary Knight squad.
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Ch. 435Radiant Knights Kneel on One Knee!

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Spencer deliberately tests the visiting Legendary Knights from Gerns by having Black Rose’s Boar Team splash them with filthy mud. He wants to see whether their noble status and temper will cause them to attack the Undead, or whether they can tolerate a minor insult from those helping their world.
  • Instead of reacting angrily, Commander Mason and the other knights laugh and enjoy the subsequent Holy Rain. Their cheerful response greatly exceeds Spencer and Hill’s expectations and suggests that they are not arrogant or needlessly hostile.
  • Spencer welcomes the group, led by Mason, commander of the Radiant Knights. Mason explains that they are a resistance force from Gerns summoned by their world’s Will.
  • The knights’ enormous white horses are settled in the prepared stables. The horses appear powerful, fast, and unusually well-behaved, though they are eager to be groomed and bathed.
  • Xue Yunfeng takes responsibility for guiding the guests and arranging their lodging, while Spencer observes their behavior. The Undead quickly adapt their preparations, demonstrating their efficiency and flexibility.
  • When the knights see Holy Rain falling over the camp, they become visibly emotional and excited. Since they have lived for years in darkness, the rain represents something they had previously known only through songs and legends.
  • Mason explains that the Radiant Knights had dreamed since childhood of experiencing Holy Rain. Spencer connects their order to the newly established Radiant Knights of Telashir, associated with the recovering Sun God of their world.
  • William appears in his true form on the throne to receive the visitors. When Mason and his knights enter, they all kneel on one knee in respect, astonishing Hill because even Legendary Knights are demonstrating humility.

Character Developments

  • Spencer acts as a cautious evaluator rather than a simple host. He is prepared to apologize if the test provokes the knights, but is primarily measuring their restraint, alignment, and sincerity.
  • Mason is introduced as a towering, disciplined, and direct commander. Despite his imposing presence, he proves warm-hearted, humble, and deeply moved by the Holy Rain.
  • The Radiant Knights are shown to be battle-worn but hopeful. Their delight in the rain reveals how deprived they have been and how strongly they still cling to ideals of light and righteousness.
  • Xue Yunfeng demonstrates his characteristic adaptability, quickly shifting from potentially suspicious observer to welcoming guide. He uses the camp’s resources to make the knights comfortable and even arranges additional Holy Rain for them.
  • Hill remains an observant intermediary. He notices the knights’ emotional reactions, studies their horses and behavior, and is shocked by their willingness to kneel before William.
  • William maintains a majestic and authoritative presence, appearing in his true form to receive the visitors and reinforce the importance of the meeting.
  • Edward is discussed in contrast to the knights. His short stature caused nobles to assume he could never become king, contributing to his resentment and eventual murder of his father. His example highlights the cruelty and superficiality of noble society.

Significant Themes

  • Humility versus aristocratic arrogance: Spencer expects the visiting nobles to be offended by the mud, but their good humor proves that they are more humble and reasonable than anticipated.
  • Testing character through adversity: The mud incident serves as a deliberate test of whether the knights value pride over cooperation.
  • Hope amid darkness: Holy Rain symbolizes restoration, faith, and the possibility that Gerns can be saved. The knights’ emotional response shows that hope has survived despite years of suffering.
  • Appearance and true nature: The narrative contrasts noble public appearances with private behavior, while also questioning whether the knights’ apparent urgency and sincerity are entirely genuine.
  • The burdens of social judgment: Edward’s history illustrates how physical traits and inherited expectations can determine a person’s prospects within a rigid aristocratic system.
  • Cross-world cooperation: The chapter establishes an alliance between the forces of Telashir and the resistance of Gerns, while also raising questions about trust, political motives, and the influence of different Sun Gods.

Important Character Interactions

  • Spencer and the Boar Team create the mud test to assess Mason’s group.
  • Spencer formally welcomes Mason and exchanges information about the Radiant Knights and the two worlds’ Sun Gods.
  • Mason apologizes for his knights’ emotional reaction to the Holy Rain and explains its personal significance.
  • Xue Yunfeng guides the knights to their quarters and assists them by arranging extra Holy Rain.
  • Hill observes the interactions and silently evaluates both the visitors and his own allies.
  • Mason and the Radiant Knights kneel before William, creating the chapter’s climactic image and signaling respect, submission, and possible trust.
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Ch. 436The Many Secrets of Gerns

Chapter Summary: “The Many Secrets of Gerns”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • King Salar’s audience with the Radiant Knights begins awkwardly when Commander Mason and the other Legendary Knights kneel before him. William is horrified because, in Telashir, Legendaries would never casually kneel to a king.
  • William and Hill explain that Legendaries are closely connected to the World Law and should not normally submit so readily to mortal authority. Their behavior suggests that Gerns has radically different traditions—or deeper problems.
  • Mason reveals that the Radiant Knights do not understand the true nature of Legendary advancement. They became Legendary by following the traditional Radiant Knight Manual and believed their power came from the Sun God’s final blessing after the Gods and priests fell.
  • The knights explain that Gerns teaches absolute royal supremacy. Even Legendary Mages must bow before kings, and royal families possess divine bloodlines. The kings eventually return to their Divine Kingdoms, while divine punishment protects them from rebellion.
  • Gerns contains four major countries: the Black Moon Kingdom, the Red Moon Kingdom, the God of War Kingdom, and the Kingdom of Magic. The Kingdom of Magic has many Legendary Mages, though Mason claims the Radiant Knights can match them.
  • Hill is introduced formally as a Legendary Mage connected to the Sun God. Mason admits that Hill is vastly stronger than any member of the Radiant Knights.
  • Hill asks about Gerns’s elves and learns that they have been isolated in the Verdant Forest for thousands of years.
  • William and Hill conclude that Gerns’s World Will does not appear fundamentally corrupted or hostile. Their expedition—and the decision to bring the Undead into Gerns—may not be a trap, though the world remains dangerous.

Character Developments

  • William becomes increasingly cautious and protective. He is deeply concerned that the Space-Time Pantheon’s summoning artifact could be compromised and refuses to let others control or endanger it. He also realizes that Hill’s instincts and sensitivity to falsehoods make him essential to judging Gerns safely.
  • Hill displays both innocence and formidable authority. His instinctive rejection of the knights’ submission reveals his understanding of the laws governing Legendaries. He is curious about Gerns’s history, royal system, and elves, while his connection to the Sun God earns the knights’ respect.
  • Commander Mason and the Radiant Knights are shown to be powerful but ignorant of the deeper principles behind their advancement. They are sincere rather than malicious, and their obedience comes from centuries of religious and royal tradition.
  • Spencer continues acting as a practical intermediary, helping Mason rise and reminding him that William is not a god who should receive such extreme reverence.
  • William’s concern for the God of Space-Time is revealed to be personal as well as strategic. He is willing to risk himself, but fears that the God of Space-Time’s destruction would endanger the entire Space-Time Pantheon.

Significant Themes

  • Power and submission: The chapter contrasts Telashir’s independent, proud Legendaries with Gerns’s obedient Legendaries, raising questions about whether power naturally leads to freedom or can be shaped by culture.
  • Ignorance and tradition: The Radiant Knights achieved Legendary strength without understanding the laws behind it, demonstrating how religious traditions can preserve power while obscuring its true source.
  • Divine authority and political control: Gerns’s kings rule through divine bloodlines and the threat of punishment from the Gods, making royal supremacy a religious reality rather than merely a social custom.
  • Trust and hidden danger: William remains alert to possible schemes involving the World Tree, the Elven Father, and the summoning artifact. Hill’s perception provides reassurance that Gerns is not immediately concealing a malicious plot.
  • Different systems of advancement: The chapter emphasizes that the path to becoming Legendary varies between worlds, with Gerns’s unusual method suggesting that its laws and divine structure differ greatly from Telashir’s.
  • Responsibility and sacrifice: William’s willingness to risk himself for the God of Space-Time reveals his loyalty, while his fear of losing that deity highlights the consequences of divine conflict.

Character Interactions

  • William reacts strongly to Mason’s kneeling and questions the knights about their understanding of Legendary power.
  • Spencer helps Mason up and politely corrects the knights’ behavior, establishing a more equal and less ceremonial relationship.
  • Hill openly challenges Gerns’s social order, particularly the idea that kings could kill or punish Legendary Mages. Mason responds by explaining the divine bloodlines of the royal families.
  • William introduces Hill to the knights, while Hill apologizes for his informal behavior and earns Mason’s admiration.
  • Hill’s questions about Gerns’s elves connect the current events to Adrian’s earlier reports about the world’s artificial or “shoddy” versions of familiar races.
  • William and Hill’s mutual observations reassure both of them that the Radiant Knights are genuine and that Gerns may be dangerous without being inherently deceptive.
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Ch. 437Abyss and Hell Were the Eternal Enemies

Chapter Summary: Abyss and Hell Were the Eternal Enemies

Key Plot Points and Events

  • William and Hill reflect on Gerns’s strange religious and magical situation, questioning why the Elves and Gods have remained uninvolved during the Demons’ invasion.
  • The Radiant Knights debate the danger of opposing divine descendants. They fear that the Gods might punish them, even though they refuse to submit to kings and rulers backed by those Gods.
  • Vice Captain Yulia Aldesia explains the Radiant Knights’ history:
    • They reject the descendants of the Gods who killed the Sun God.
    • They live outside national cities and survive by selling valuable goods.
    • They take in orphans and train them as Knights.
    • Governments repeatedly target them, especially because the Knights refuse to submit.
  • William explains that Legendary beings embody laws and should not be forced to kneel before ordinary rulers or divine descendants. The Knights apologize after realizing their salute may have offended him.
  • Aldesia asks permission to spread William’s teachings about the relationship between laws and Legendary beings. William agrees and suggests that Gerns may possess Legendary Mages who have bypassed the Magic God’s restrictions.
  • William and Hill discuss the possibility of a hidden Magic Weave controlling access to spellcasting and advancement. Hill can communicate directly with Gerns’s laws, suggesting that the World Will may have granted him special permission.
  • William warns Hill not to study or use Gerns’s spells recklessly until their underlying system is understood, since the Magic Weave may trap or control those who use it.
  • Hill realizes that such a Magic Weave could allow the Undead to become Pseudo-Legendaries far more easily, strengthening them for future battles in more dangerous worlds.
  • Mason reveals that the Radiant Knights were repeatedly attacked by Gods and their followers in the past. They survived until the Demons invaded and the World Will blessed them for defending the Knights’ ideals.
  • Hill deduces that the four Gods ruling Gerns may actually be Evil Gods or Devils. The Devils likely opposed the Demons because Hell and the Abyss are eternal enemies, and they may have infiltrated the World Will itself.
  • Hill decides to leave and investigate the Magic Books and the possible Magic Weave.

Character Developments

  • William demonstrates political insight and humility. He refuses to accept worshipful treatment from the Radiant Knights and positions himself as an ally rather than a superior. He also recognizes the strategic importance of the Magic Weave for empowering the Undead.
  • Hill becomes increasingly suspicious of Gerns’s history and magical structure. His ability to interact directly with the world’s laws may make him an exception to its restrictions. He becomes determined to study the Magic Weave and understand the world’s hidden power structure.
  • Yulia Aldesia is established as outspoken, courageous, and deeply loyal to the Radiant Knights. She openly challenges divine authority and wants William’s teachings shared.
  • Mason appears disciplined and respectful, but his calm account of the Knights’ persecution hints at a long history of suffering and resistance.
  • The Radiant Knights are portrayed as an isolated but principled order that protects orphans, resists divine and royal control, and survives through collective strength.

Significant Themes

  • Resistance to divine authority: The Radiant Knights reject the idea that divine ancestry automatically grants legitimacy or obedience.
  • Law versus power: William emphasizes that true Legendaries represent the laws themselves, making status, kingship, or divine blood insufficient grounds for authority.
  • Freedom and control: The possible Magic Weave may provide power, but it could also function as a system of magical domination designed to restrict independent advancement.
  • Political and historical manipulation: Gerns’s official religious order may conceal the truth about its Gods, the Sun God’s death, and the origins of its magical system.
  • Hell versus the Abyss: The chapter introduces the conflict between Devils and Demons as a major force shaping Gerns’s history.
  • Empowerment through knowledge: Understanding the Magic Weave could allow the Undead to overcome their limitations and survive in more dangerous worlds.

Important Character Interactions

  • William speaks with Aldesia and the Radiant Knights about Legendary power, divine authority, and their refusal to submit to kings.
  • The Knights salute William, but he gently rejects their worshipful behavior and explains that even powerful beings should not blindly accept reverence.
  • William consults Hill about spellcasting and the laws of Gerns, leading to speculation about the World Will and the Magic Weave.
  • William advises Hill to study cautiously, while Hill recognizes the potential value of the system for the Undead.
  • Mason recounts the Radiant Knights’ persecution, and Aldesia adds that the Gods may have stopped attacking only because the Demons became a greater threat.
  • Hill privately connects the Knights’ survival, the Gods’ behavior, and the ancient rivalry between Devils and Demons.
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Ch. 438The Magic Weave Was Indeed a Fake

Chapter Summary: “The Magic Weave Was Indeed a Fake”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Hill finishes questioning the Radiant Knights and leaves them with William, realizing that although they are powerful, their understanding of the world is limited.
  • Xue Yunfeng asks Hill to explain the strange events surrounding the Demons and Devils. Hill agrees, but first requests information about those races from Xue Yunfeng.
  • Xue Yunfeng gives Hill written notes about Demons and Devils, explaining that the World Will once prevented such information from being discussed in Telashir.
  • Jun Qi reports that two powerful Succubi have appeared on the battlefield. The Undead avoid using Blizzard near the Priests, while Old School Striking King secretly records the names of those who fail to cooperate.
  • Hill returns to study the world’s Magic Book and discovers that its Magic Weave is damaged, unstable, and far weaker than expected.
  • He concludes that the world’s apparent high-level Mages and Legends are not as powerful as their titles suggest. The Magic Weave likely cannot support Mages above level twenty.
  • Hill refuses to record spells created by Devils, suspecting that such magic is corrupt or “poisonous.”
  • From Xue Yunfeng’s notes, Hill learns the fundamental differences between Demons and Devils: Demons are chaotic destroyers who focus on the heart, while Devils are orderly corrupters who target the mind and soul.
  • After the battle ends, Hill prepares carefully before opening his shop, knowing the Undead will record and circulate images of him.
  • Xue Yunfeng arrives with a group of allies, and Hill explains that the God of Magic is likely an incarnation of an Archdevil. He also reveals that several Devils and Evil Gods have manipulated Gerns, while Demons invaded and disrupted their plans.

Character Developments

  • Hill becomes increasingly cautious and strategic. He recognizes that his outsider origins must remain secret, not because he believes William would kill him, but because William might recruit or exploit him.
  • Hill’s emotional attachment to his new family becomes clearer. He fears that revealing his alien soul might cause Hai Weilsen and Falan to stop treating him as family, leaving him without a true home.
  • Hill accepts that protecting his current life and relationships is more important than returning to his original world, unless his biological parents somehow reappear.
  • Xue Yunfeng continues acting as the Undead’s energetic representative, gathering information and organizing allies while relying on Hill’s expertise.
  • Jun Qi provides battlefield intelligence and shows the Undead’s practical, sometimes mischievous approach to warfare.
  • William and the Radiant Knights are portrayed as strong but only superficially knowledgeable, making them useful sources of information for Hill.

Significant Themes

  • The unreliability of appearances: The world’s supposedly powerful Magic Weave and Legendary Mages are revealed to be greatly weakened or fraudulent.
  • Corruption and manipulation: Devils do not openly destroy worlds; they gradually infiltrate, corrupt, and control them from within. Demons, by contrast, destroy openly and violently.
  • Belonging and identity: Hill struggles between his origins and the family and community he has found in the fantasy world.
  • Caution versus trust: Hill trusts William to some extent but understands that complete honesty could change their relationship and place him under William’s control.
  • The limits of systems: The Magic Weave makes spellcasting accessible and convenient, but prevents practitioners from directly understanding or controlling the source of magic.

Character Interactions

  • Hill and Xue Yunfeng exchange information, establishing a cooperative relationship based on mutual curiosity and strategic necessity.
  • Jun Qi’s comments about the Succubi and the Undead’s battlefield behavior create a humorous contrast with Hill’s seriousness.
  • Hill later meets Xue Yunfeng’s allies, including Perfect Baldhead, and explains the true nature of Devils, Archdevils, and the world’s magical system.
  • The Undead react with shock to Hill’s revelation that the God of Magic is likely an Archdevil incarnation and that Gerns may be nothing more than an experimental world.
  • Hill maintains a polite but guarded relationship with the Undead, helping them while remaining careful not to reveal the full truth about his origins or abilities.
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Ch. 439The Radiant Knights' Horses—Is There Really Something Wrong with Them?

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

  • The Undead discuss why the Demons reacted strongly to their appearance in the Gerns testing ground while the Devils have remained inactive. They conclude that the Demons may be more interested in the testing ground itself, while the Devils are likely observing from the shadows.
  • Xue Yunfeng explains that the Undead need to obtain and strengthen the God of Space-Time’s Divine Artifact before they can raise their level cap and advance to the Legendary realm. William also appears interested in the God of Magic’s artifact, which may be connected to the Undead-summoning artifact.
  • The Undead are advised to build relationships with the Radiant Knights, particularly those who own Magical Beast horses.
  • Hill reveals that the Radiant Knights’ horses give him a faint but unmistakable evil feeling. He suspects that the horses may not be ordinary Magical Beasts, but humans or Devils transformed into horses.
  • The group considers and rejects several possibilities, including intelligent Magical Beasts, puppets, and transformed Druids. They conclude that Devils, experts in disguise, are the most likely threat.
  • Xue Yunfeng reveals the embarrassing history of Virginia, a Moon Elf Druid whose mother permanently transformed into an Earth Bear after being deceived by an Elf. Virginia later had a child with the bear and eventually became isolated from both Elves and Earth Bears.
  • Hill is angered that this story continues to be used as gossip and ridicule, especially because the Earth Bear involved was his distant ancestor. He refuses the Undead’s offer to suppress the story, reasoning that it is too old to cause serious harm.
  • Hill warns the Undead that Devils can imitate affection and personality perfectly, and that they may infiltrate worlds through unfamiliar people or Magical Beasts. The Undead decide to test the Radiant Knights’ horses by sending socially unreliable members to interact with them.

Character Developments

  • Hill demonstrates sharp suspicion and emotional restraint. He recognizes that the threat surrounding the Radiant Knights may come from their horses and struggles to conceal his personal connection to the Earth Bear story.
  • Xue Yunfeng acts as an investigator and instigator, revealing sensitive information about Virginia while also proposing practical ways to test the horses.
  • The Undead shift from general political speculation to a focused investigation of the Radiant Knights and their animals.
  • Virginia is portrayed indirectly as lonely, naïve, and tragic, having inherited the consequences of her mother’s transformation and her own poor judgment.
  • Hill’s ancestor, Hai Weilsen, is presented as a victim of gossip and misunderstanding rather than a villain. Hill’s reaction shows his loyalty to his lineage despite its embarrassing history.

Significant Themes

  • Disguise and deception: Devils are dangerous because they can convincingly imitate love, loyalty, and identity rather than merely hiding their physical appearance.
  • Suspicion beneath ordinary appearances: The horses seem normal, yet Hill’s instincts suggest that something evil is concealed beneath the surface.
  • Family shame and inherited reputation: Hill is forced to confront an old scandal connected to his bloodline and must decide whether to defend it or let it remain in the past.
  • Identity and transformation: The story explores the consequences of being permanently changed into another form and the emotional damage caused by losing one’s original identity.
  • Trust and loyalty: The close bond between Knights and their horses makes the suspected infiltration especially disturbing. A horse is expected to be a lifelong, loyal companion, so a disguised enemy could exploit one of the strongest relationships in the world.
  • Rumor and storytelling: A painful personal tragedy has become an entertaining anecdote, showing how easily private suffering can be transformed into public gossip.

Character Interactions

  • Hill and the Undead debate the motives of the Demons, Devils, and the Radiant Knights.
  • Xue Yunfeng encourages the Knights to socialize with the Radiant Knights and their horses, while Hill warns them to treat the animals as possible infiltrators.
  • The Undead question Hill about transformed Druids and accidentally expose their knowledge of the Earth Bear scandal.
  • Hill angrily criticizes Virginia’s actions but carefully avoids revealing his true personal connection to the Earth Bear.
  • Xue Yunfeng offers to help suppress the gossip, but Hill refuses and instead focuses on identifying the possible Devil threat.
  • The chapter ends with the Undead preparing to use deliberately unreliable members as bait or testers to determine whether the Radiant Knights’ horses are capable of false affection.
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Ch. 440Stable Performances at the Stables Amid Flying War

Chapter Summary: “Stable Performances at the Stables Amid Flying War”

Key Plot Points and Events

  • Xue Yunfeng devises a plan to identify a dangerous or “problematic” horse by sending someone with genuine horse-riding experience and the scent of horses to the stables.
  • This immediately exposes several horse-loving families as potential candidates, especially Black-and-White Road, Rising Longwind, Ink Wash, and Night Hawk.
  • Ink Pen is singled out for the task, though he attempts to redirect the responsibility toward members of the Black Rose family. Perfect Baldhead counters that Idle One and Nie Xingchen are too strongly associated with Magical Beasts and would frighten the horse away.
  • Xue Yunfeng ultimately orders horse-owning families to send Knights from their management teams. Perfect Baldhead also agrees to transfer several troublesome members of his family to the Radiant Knights so they can participate in the investigation.
  • The discussion shifts toward the world’s nobility. Hill warns that Vitrashire’s nobles may be even more arrogant and vicious than those in Salar, despite Legendary Knights still being forced to kneel before kings.
  • The Undead learn that even the “best” nobles in this world may be worse than a notorious noble they once publicly punished. They begin to understand how deeply corrupt and cruel the world is.
  • Hill explains that the Elves are unlikely to join the war initially because they have an alternative homeland and little reason to sacrifice themselves for this world. The Elven God-King is also unlikely to form alliances there.
  • The Undead leave Hill’s shop and begin investigating what the shop’s puppets sell. They tease Perfect Baldhead, having realized that he was probably the one who sold Hill the Magic Book.
  • Meanwhile, the war intensifies. The Demons recognize that the Undead are stronger than expected, gather their forces, and bring hundreds of Legendary Demons and even a Demigod-level Demon to the battlefield.
  • The Blizzard and Holy Rain around the fortress become continuous, forcing the Undead’s managers to remain on the walls. Instead of a complete rotation system, each family is assigned a permanent section of the defenses.
  • Sunflowers are planted across the surrounding mountains. Their scent repels Demons, and their resistance to fire prevents the Demons from destroying them, concentrating the fighting at the city walls.
  • Xue Yunfeng’s stable operation doubles as an intelligence test: rival families send participants, unknowingly revealing spies and causing some managers to be dismissed.
  • Despite their internal rivalries, the Undead avoid openly humiliating themselves before the Radiant Knights and compete mainly to see who can locate the problematic horse first.

Character Developments

  • Xue Yunfeng demonstrates strategic intelligence and political cunning. He turns a seemingly ridiculous stable assignment into a method for testing loyalties and exposing spies.
  • Perfect Baldhead remains mischievous and opportunistic, enjoying Ink Pen’s predicament while also protecting his own family’s troublesome members from blame.
  • Ink Pen is shown to be sarcastic and defensive, trying to evade responsibility by nominating others, but he ultimately remains one of the obvious candidates.
  • Hill acts as an informed mediator and guide. He explains the political and moral conditions of the world while recognizing the Undead’s unusual organizational skill.
  • William is characterized indirectly as an uncompromising and mature king who is unlikely to tolerate corrupt nobles or accept political compromise.
  • The Undead managers and families reveal both their competitive nature and their ability to cooperate when facing a larger threat.

Significant Themes

  • Comedy amid crisis: Absurd stable antics and family rivalries occur alongside an increasingly dangerous war, creating a contrast between humor and serious military stakes.
  • Strategic intelligence and deception: The horse investigation is also a covert means of identifying spies and unreliable leaders.
  • Corruption of power: The chapter emphasizes that the world’s nobles are exceptionally cruel and arrogant, raising questions about whether morality can survive within its political system.
  • Cooperation among rivals: Families that normally compete or dislike one another temporarily unite against the Demons.
  • Cultural misunderstanding: The Radiant Knights interpret the Undead’s competition as admiration for their horses, while the Undead are actually pursuing an investigation.
  • The difference between appearance and reality: The Undead behave comically on the surface but are conducting serious military, political, and intelligence operations underneath.

Character Interactions

  • Xue Yunfeng and Ink Pen exchange sarcastic remarks over who should investigate the horse.
  • Perfect Baldhead mocks Ink Pen while defending his own family’s members from being assigned the task.
  • Xue Yunfeng and Perfect Baldhead negotiate the transfer of troublesome Undead to the Radiant Knights, with Baldhead jokingly refusing to take responsibility for the consequences.
  • Hill and Xue Yunfeng discuss William’s character and likely response to the world’s nobles.
  • The Undead tease and physically harass Baldhead after realizing he was responsible for selling Hill the Magic Book.
  • The Undead compete with one another while maintaining enough restraint to preserve their image before the Radiant Knights.
  • The Radiant Knights and their Magical Beast horses mistakenly believe the Undead are trying to win the horses’ favor, amusingly misreading the entire situation.
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