Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary: “Seeing Kassel Off”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill and Sray pass through Bex Bay, where Hill remembers the turtle gentleman’s warning: calm waters without large fish may be dangerous, so they quickly move on.
• They cross into Hephasaldo and approach Spencer’s city. Spencer, Adrian, and Magus Levar Hensley—an apprentice of the Legendary Mage Miller—are waiting for Hill.
• Hensley has come on behalf of King Kortez to retrieve Lady Kassel and escort her to the capital. Hill directs him to the ship’s hall, where Hensley and Kassel quickly reach an agreement.
• Kassel transfers to a silver ship provided by the king. She reproaches Hill for leaving her behind and attempts to soften her complaint by acting hurt and affectionate.
• Hill bluntly explains that, as a properly educated nobleman, he must maintain distance from unmarried women, regardless of their age. His remark embarrasses Kassel, who realizes he knows she is over ninety and has exposed her false claim of being the count’s cousin.
• Hensley thanks Hill for protecting Kassel. He explains that King Kortez had correctly guessed the importance of what Kassel possessed but had not revealed the information to Kronos. Because of this uncertainty, Kronos had not dared fight Hill to the death.
• Hensley and Kassel depart for the capital, while Hill remains behind and watches them leave.

Character Developments

• Hill: Demonstrates caution, social awareness, and emotional control. He recognizes that his status and abilities make him politically valuable, so he remains guarded and avoids being drawn into other powers’ schemes. His teasingly blunt remark to Kassel shows both his noble upbringing and his unwillingness to indulge her manipulation.
• Kassel: Is revealed to be an elderly female mage who had concealed her true age and identity. She is embarrassed and angered when Hill exposes that he knew the truth, but ultimately accepts Hensley’s escort.
• Levar Hensley: Acts as a diplomatic representative of King Kortez. He is courteous and flattering toward Hill, clearly recognizing Hill’s growing importance and attempting to establish a friendly relationship.
• Adrian: Continues to serve as a politically shrewd intermediary. His presence and subtle reassurance indicate that Hensley’s visit is legitimate.
• Spencer: Helps escort Kassel to the new ship and seems amused by the exchange between Hill and Kassel.
• Falan: Though absent, his influence is central. His recent revelation that he is a Magus—and Hill’s rapid advancement—has made both of them highly valuable figures in the magical world.

Significant Themes

• Political maneuvering and alliances: Kassel’s transfer reflects the competing interests of kings, Legendary Mages, and powerful magical factions. Hill’s protection of Kassel has increased his diplomatic value.
• The difficulty of approaching powerful figures: Hensley’s thoughts emphasize how isolated Falan and Hill are. Many organizations want ties with them but lack a safe or direct way to establish contact.
• Hidden strength and mistaken assumptions: The magical world underestimated Falan, believing him damaged by past tragedy, only to discover that he had already become a Magus. Hill likewise surprises others with his early advancement.
• Caution and survival: Hill’s memory of the dangerous waters mirrors his broader approach: he avoids lingering in suspicious situations and remains alert to hidden threats.
• Social propriety and deception: Kassel’s fabricated identity and Hill’s insistence on noble boundaries create a humorous but revealing conflict between appearances, age, and truth.

Character Interactions

• Hill formally greets Hensley and Spencer while assessing Hensley’s connection to the Legendary Mage Miller.
• Hensley and Kassel negotiate privately before she agrees to leave with him.
• Kassel confronts Hill about abandoning her, using an emotionally manipulative tone; Hill responds with a dry, embarrassing observation about propriety.
• Spencer, Adrian, and Hensley enjoy the exchange rather than intervening.
• Hensley later shifts to diplomacy, thanking Hill on the king’s behalf and expressing hope for future friendship before departing with Kassel.

Chapter Summary: William Was Already a Demigod

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill and Adrian discuss William’s unusual transformation. William has reached the demigod stage and can involuntarily hear or respond when his name is spoken, especially within Salar, which has effectively become his divine realm.
• William may be able to ascend directly to godhood without following the usual process of spreading a divine name and claiming domains, possibly because he shares a soul with the God of Space-Time or has access to another method.
• The Mage Association and Hephasaldo’s Legendary figures appear to have surrendered because they already understand William’s divine status and recognize the danger of resistance.
• Hill and Adrian travel by silver ship toward the Northern Frontier to find the injured count’s forces, which have moved only about two thousand kilometers over the past year.
• Adrian plans to return to report the situation to his teacher, while Hill intends to continue north and avoid being caught by the Kortez royal family.
• They suspect Kortez may contact Edward for assistance, but any serious response would likely require Archmage Kronos, a disgraced figure seeking redemption through service.

Character Developments

• William: Revealed to be far closer to godhood than previously believed. His influence already extends across Salar, and his shared soul with the God of Space-Time may connect their thoughts. He is portrayed as prioritizing his role as a king before formally expanding his divine identity.
• Hill: Becomes more accepting of William’s transformation and takes comfort in imagining the humorous difficulties caused by William sharing thoughts with an older, stern scientist-like divine consciousness. He remains practical and focused on reaching the Northern Frontier before Kortez can act.
• Adrian: Acts as the more cautious and informed companion, explaining William’s condition and warning Hill to keep the matter secret. He prepares to report the situation to his teacher.
• Sray: Efficiently manages the ship and navigation, calculating a route that avoids unnecessary landings.
• Kronos: Though absent, he is identified as the likely Legendary figure Kortez might use, suggesting a possible opportunity for him to redeem himself.

Significant Themes

• The nature of godhood: William’s existence challenges established ideas about divine ascension, divine names, domains, and the relationship between souls and gods.
• Power and political submission: The Mage Association’s surrender and the obedience of Hephasaldo’s Legendaries demonstrate how overwhelming divine potential can reshape political structures without open conflict.
• Secrecy and divine perception: Speaking William’s name has become dangerous, emphasizing how divine power alters ordinary communication and makes privacy nearly impossible.
• Identity and inheritance: William is not identical to the God of Space-Time, yet their shared soul raises questions about individuality, influence, and whether one person can retain independent thoughts.
• Humor amid danger: Hill’s jokes about William being mentally connected to an elderly scientist lighten an otherwise ominous revelation.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Adrian exchange information about William’s demigod status and speculate about his connection to the God of Space-Time.
• Hill teases Adrian and privately imagines William being lectured by the older divine consciousness, prompting Adrian to criticize Hill’s expression.
• Adrian warns Hill to keep William’s condition confidential, and Hill agrees.
• The two discuss the possibility of Kortez contacting Edward and conclude that only someone like the disgraced Archmage Kronos could plausibly be sent against them.
• Hill and Adrian ultimately part plans: Adrian returns to report to his teacher, while Hill continues north with Sray.

Chapter Summary: “Reunion with Manton”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reunites with his uncle Adrian after retaliating against people who had disrespected him. Adrian approves of Hill defending a Mage’s dignity but advises him to preserve an image of noble restraint rather than seeming afraid to kill.
• Adrian explains that Hill’s specialization in elemental summoning has been reported to the Mage Association. Hill’s strength is rapidly increasing, and his Earth Elemental Commander may soon approach Legendary-level power.
• They discuss the danger posed by the Undead and their mysterious relationship with the World Consciousness. Legendary Mages are gathering around the king, while ordinary Mages intend to remain loyal to him.
• Adrian reveals that the king and Hill’s teacher are developing large-scale alchemical factories and assembly lines. These will produce inexpensive potions and tools for the growing number of Mage apprentices created by widespread education.
• Hill suggests that apprentices connected to Hephasaldo be transferred to his grandfather for training and later employment in these factories.
• Adrian informs Hill that the king has summoned the relevant forces to Keslote and may declare war within days, implying that Hill’s recent actions have helped the king strategically.
• Before departing, Adrian tells Hill that Lina’s family is safe under their teacher’s protection and that Bourne is working diligently toward becoming an Archmage. Hill is relieved that Bourne has found a better path away from dependence on him.
• Hill travels toward Edward’s camp in the Wilds, where Count Perast and his family have been driven after losing political protection.
• The chapter ends with Hill meeting Manton, now a hardened Knight. Manton agrees to lead Hill to his family but rejects riding in the carriage, telling Hill not to remain trapped in memories of the past.

Character Developments

• Hill: Shows growing confidence and a stronger understanding of Mage dignity and political realities. Although he remains reluctant to kill unnecessarily, he recognizes the need to appear capable of ruthless action. He also accepts that he lacks William’s freedom to disregard social conventions and must work within existing rules.
• Adrian: Acts as a supportive mentor and family figure. He praises Hill’s development, warns him about the Undead, and helps him connect his rescued apprentices with the king’s industrial plans.
• Bourne: Has matured into a disciplined scholar. By leaving Hill’s side and devoting himself to study, he now has a realistic chance of reaching the Archmage level.
• Count Perast: His downfall is explained in detail. His selfish political maneuvering, betrayal of Melanie, association with Helen and Edward, and attempt to profit from changing loyalties have left him disgraced, displaced, and vulnerable.
• Manton: Has changed greatly after years of exile and hardship. Once connected to Hill’s past, he is now a serious, battle-tested Knight who distances himself from his former identity.
• William and the King: Their broader political and economic ambitions become clearer. They are preparing both military expansion and magical industrialization.

Significant Themes

• Mage dignity and reputation: A Mage must defend personal honor while carefully controlling how others perceive their strength and restraint.
• Power and political pragmatism: Survival depends on understanding alliances, unspoken rules, and when to obey stronger powers. Hill contrasts his own cautious approach with William’s ability to overturn convention.
• Industrialization and social change: The planned factories and mass education suggest the beginning of magical industry, with magic becoming organized for large-scale production rather than remaining limited to individual Mages.
• Fate and personal responsibility: Count Perast’s ruin is presented as the result of his own choices rather than bad luck. His attempts to manipulate every faction ultimately leave him without allies.
• Growth through separation: Bourne and Manton both develop by moving away from Hill—Bourne through study and Manton through hardship—showing that independence can produce unexpected strength.
• Debt and moral obligation: Hill helps those connected to his past not because of deep emotion, but because he recognizes a debt of gratitude and the obligations imposed by Mage and social traditions.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Adrian: Their conversation combines family affection, mentorship, political analysis, and discussion of Hill’s moral development.
• Hill and Bourne: Although Bourne does not appear directly, Hill’s concern for his future reveals lingering care and respect. Hill is pleased that Bourne has found a path where he can succeed independently.
• Hill and Count Perast: They do not meet directly in the chapter, but Hill reflects on the count’s failures and prepares to confront him if necessary.
• Hill and Manton: Their reunion is restrained and awkward. Manton treats Hill formally and emphasizes that both of them have changed, urging Hill not to judge him by their shared past.
• Adrian and Hill’s rescued acquaintances: Adrian offers practical assistance by arranging for them to be trained and employed, turning Hill’s personal rescue into part of the king’s larger economic plans.

Chapter Summary: “Breaking Free of the Chaos, Heading North”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Manton apologizes to Hill for mistreating him during their childhood. He explains that the Kral Family and others manipulated him into believing Hill and Lady Melanie threatened his inheritance.
• Hill and Manton discuss the past: the Kral Family interfered in the conflict, Melanie was unfairly blamed and discarded by Count Perast, and the Count knowingly allowed the deception because it was easier to control her than confront the Kral Family.
• After the Count expelled the Kral Family’s agents, Manton realized that many of the people who claimed to protect him had only been serving their own interests. He also reveals that he nearly died during this period but eventually became a Knight.
• Manton has retained the former steward’s family as punishment for their disloyalty and manipulation. He also explains that the Countess, believing Count Perast near death, has begun associating with another nobleman.
• Hill visits the injured Count Perast. The Count is in poor condition and surrounded by neglect, but Hill’s medicine rapidly improves him. The steward’s incompetence and self-serving nature are exposed.
• Count Perast awakens and speaks with Hill. Hill makes it clear that he is not returning to the Perast family and regards his aid as repayment for the Count’s previous rescue of him.
• Manton deliberately tells the Count that the Countess has taken up with Marquis Feyn, provoking the Count’s anger. The Count then asks to see his younger son, Edgar, but Hill refuses to meet a sibling he does not know.
• Hill leaves the Perast encampment with Manton’s farewell. Several hostile Mages attempt to intimidate him, but Hill confronts them, transforms his carriage into an airship, and uses an Earth Rift spell against them when they flee.
• Ignoring the Archmages who arrive afterward, Hill flies north toward the Wilds, leaving House Perast and its conflicts behind.

Character Developments

• Hill: Demonstrates emotional detachment from his former family and refuses to be drawn back into their disputes. He remains willing to repay past debts but no longer feels responsible for the Perast household. His confidence and power as an Advanced Magus are evident.
• Manton: Shows remorse for his childhood behavior and acknowledges how thoroughly he was manipulated. He has become stronger, more independent, and more vindictive, particularly toward the steward’s family and the Countess. His apology may be sincere, but Hill remains unwilling to trust or reconnect with him.
• Count Perast: Is revealed as physically weakened but politically calculating and emotionally cold. He knowingly sacrificed Melanie to preserve his relationship with the Kral Family. Even after awakening, he remains more concerned with family control and reputation than reconciliation.
• The Countess: Appears opportunistic and cruel, abandoning the injured Count and seeking another powerful connection. Her behavior confirms Hill’s negative view of the family.
• The Steward: Continues trying to ingratiate himself with whoever holds power, but Hill and Manton expose his cowardice and opportunism.
• Lady Melanie: Though absent, her past suffering becomes clearer. She was scapegoated and rejected because the Count considered her easier to sacrifice than the influential Kral Family.

Significant Themes

• Freedom from family and political manipulation: Hill finally separates himself from House Perast and refuses to be controlled by its old conflicts.
• The consequences of cowardice and opportunism: The Count, steward, Kral agents, and Countess all suffer or lose influence because of their self-serving choices.
• Strength as true authority: The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that power, rather than scheming or titles, determines who can act freely. Hill’s magical strength renders the former political threats meaningless.
• The limits of remorse: Manton recognizes his wrongdoing, but an apology cannot restore the relationship or erase years of cruelty.
• Justice and retribution: Hill and Manton each punish those who abused their power, though Hill’s retaliation is direct and decisive while Manton’s is personal and sustained.
• Moving beyond the past: Hill’s departure north symbolizes a new beginning and his decision to pursue adventure in the Wilds rather than remain entangled in aristocratic drama.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Manton share a frank conversation about their childhood, Melanie’s mistreatment, and the political schemes surrounding the Perast family.
• Hill and Count Perast meet without affection or reconciliation; Hill remains formal and distant while the Count tries to assert familial authority.
• Manton taunts Count Perast about the Countess’s apparent affair, achieving a measure of revenge.
• Hill dismisses the steward’s flattery and prevents him from manipulating the situation.
• Manton protects Hill from the Countess and blocks her from entering the tent.
• Hill confronts hostile Mages indirectly but decisively, proving that their threats are empty before his superior power.

Chapter Summary: “Players Again”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill encounters a group of exhausted players stranded near an underground maze and rescues them aboard his flying ship.
• The players—mostly from Black Rose, Asking Sword, Young Wanderer Under Heaven, and Black-and-White Road—are starving, low on stamina, and nearly out of supplies after repeatedly getting lost and fighting Magical Beasts.
• Hill transforms his ship into a shop, allowing the players to eat, restore stamina, and purchase health and mana potions.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm explains that the group became involved in territory quests near Edward’s domain. Young Master insisted on exploring the area, eventually leading everyone into a dangerous underground passage.
• The passage was a natural maze where flight was impossible and powerful monsters attacked continuously. The players survived only after exhausting their food and potion supplies and finally finding the exit.
• The group reveals that the cave contains beautiful, unidentified ores. Hill recognizes them as impure Earth Element Ore containing a dangerous trace of resentment.
• Hill warns that absorbing the ore could kill the players instantly and curse their souls. Young Master, who had apparently touched or interacted with it, must drink a purification potion costing 1,000 crystals.
• Hill offers to construct a Purification Formation outside the cave for 10,000 crystals, allowing players to explore the area more safely.
• The players immediately begin contacting guild leaders and organizing a larger expedition, suggesting that the cave may be a new dungeon or a major secret.
• Hill suspects the location may be connected to the earth deity whose failed ascension caused the Beast Tide, though he lacks definitive proof.

Character Developments

• Hill remains calm and practical amid the players’ chaos. He demonstrates increasing familiarity with game mechanics such as stamina, levels, rankings, resurrection, and experience loss.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm acts as the group’s main narrator and organizer. His frustration shows how exhausted he is from repeatedly rescuing lost players, but he quickly takes responsibility for arranging the Purification Formation.
• Young Master is revealed as reckless, ambitious, and obsessed with discovering secrets and preserving his position on the rankings. He refuses to abandon the expedition despite the danger and even considers avoiding death to protect his experience.
• Old School Striking King continues to function as the group’s harsh disciplinarian, physically punishing An Idler and verbally attacking Young Master and Sui Chen. She also shows practical judgment by bringing the suspicious ores to Hill for inspection.
• Sui Chen and Nie Xingchen bicker over whose enthusiasm led them into the dangerous expedition. Their argument highlights their shared impulsiveness and competitive personalities.
• An Idler remains carefree and tactless, offering Young Master poorly timed reassurance about the consequences of dying.
• The guild members from Asking Sword, Young Wanderer Under Heaven and Black-and-White Road appear accustomed to Young Master’s foolish decisions and quietly endure the resulting trouble.

Significant Themes

• Player behavior versus real danger: The players treat the world like a game, but Hill repeatedly reminds them that curses, death, and powerful creatures have genuine consequences.
• Greed and curiosity: Young Master’s desire for fame and discovery drives the group into danger, reflecting the players’ tendency to pursue hidden dungeons and rewards regardless of risk.
• Community and organization: Despite constant arguments, the players cooperate by sharing food, potions, information, and responsibilities. Their guild networks allow news and resources to spread rapidly.
• The limits of knowledge: Even the players’ appraisal system cannot identify the ores, showing that the world contains forces beyond the understanding of both players and their creator.
• Commerce and survival: Hill’s shop and services turn danger into a business opportunity. Potions, purification, and protective formations become essential commodities.
• Exploration of forbidden power: The resentful Earth Element Ore hints at deeper supernatural history and connects the local mystery to ancient gods, curses, and the Beast Tide.

Character Interactions

• Hill rescues the players, feeds them, sells them potions, and calmly explains the dangers of the ores.
• Rainfall recounts the group’s disastrous expedition while the others react with embarrassment, irritation, or defensiveness.
• Old School Striking King repeatedly insults and attacks An Idler, while also mocking Young Master for his reckless behavior.
• Nie Xingchen and Sui Chen argue over their motives for exploring scenic locations and blame each other for joining the expedition.
• Young Master insists that the cave must be a new dungeon and dreams of becoming famous for clearing it first; the others ridicule him.
• The Asking Sword, Young Wanderer Under Heaven members restrain Young Master, force him to drink the purification potion, and manage his reckless behavior.
• The players rapidly form a group chat with major guild leaders to discuss funding and constructing Hill’s Purification Formation, turning the failed expedition into a coordinated future operation.

Chapter Summary: “Players Really Were Quite Different from One Another”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill discusses the upcoming arrival of a highly confident ninety-year-old female mage and worries that William may struggle to deal with her personality and appearance. He also reflects humorously on the players’ flamboyant behavior and fashion.
• Old School Striking King asks about Hill’s Purification Formation. Hill explains that:
  • It can purify one hundred people simultaneously.
  • Each use costs one hundred crystals.
  • He will leave behind a formation core but only enough crystals for its first activation.
  • Water Law and Wood Law mages are especially suited to creating such formations, while alchemists can make stronger versions.
• The players discover that Sanctum Magic and Divine Formations are available to priests who undergo sacred baptism. This requires kneeling before a statue, receiving Holy Water from a bishop, swearing loyalty to the faith, and paying five thousand crystals to learn the technique.
• The guilds begin organizing priests to learn Divine Formations, with the major guilds planning to coordinate the process and keep it from becoming public knowledge before they are prepared.
• Young Master again proves ineffective as a guild leader, leaving others to handle practical matters. His guildmates complain that he became leader only because he funded the guild, while everyone else actually manages it.
• Xue Yunfeng (“Snow Old Dog”), leader of the Alliance, agrees to pay for two Purification Formations. The Alliance plans to position them separately in the cave and bring additional mages to clear out Magical Beasts.
• Hill agrees to buy the Magical Beast corpses at fair prices and promises to explain the arrangements after the locations are selected.
• The chapter ends with Xue Yunfeng arriving with reinforcements. Hill greets him, agrees to assist, and withdraws to rest while the players discuss their plans.

Character Developments

• Hill continues acting as the practical intermediary between the players and the wider world. He is knowledgeable about magic and formations but often becomes exasperated by the players’ ignorance, chaotic organization, and unconventional personalities.
• Old School Striking King shows initiative and responsibility by researching Divine Formations and arranging for guild members to learn them. She is also quick-tempered, especially when An Idler mocks her.
• Sui Chen acts as a polite and sensible coordinator, asking useful questions and apologizing for his companions’ behavior. He tries to defend the players’ reputation before Hill.
• An Idler remains deliberately provocative and socially oblivious. His teasing repeatedly causes arguments, especially with Old School Striking King, but his eccentricity provides much of the chapter’s humor.
• Young Master is portrayed as wealthy but incompetent and carefree. He funded the guild and became its leader, yet avoids responsibility and leaves others to manage important decisions.
• Passionfruit and Mango reveal their frustration with Young Master. Passionfruit reluctantly takes on practical duties, while Mango is more perceptive and openly critical of the guild’s leadership.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm becomes increasingly exasperated by the organizational problems, especially Young Master’s refusal to manage Asking Sword’s affairs.
• Xue Yunfeng is introduced as a confident, worldly, and capable leader who immediately takes charge of the Alliance’s arrangements.

Significant Themes

• The diversity and strangeness of the players: The title is reflected in their wildly different personalities, tastes, leadership styles, and approaches to problem-solving.
• Organization versus individual freedom: The guilds struggle to coordinate large numbers of players. Their loose, informal origins no longer suit their growing membership.
• Knowledge hidden behind systems and costs: Players possess access to powerful magic but often overlook it because of obscure requirements, expensive fees, or their unwillingness to follow traditional religious practices.
• Practical cooperation amid chaos: Despite constant arguments and mockery, the players work together effectively when facing major threats.
• Cultural misunderstanding: Hill repeatedly interprets player behavior through the standards of the surrounding world, leading to humorous misunderstandings about fashion, beauty, religion, and social norms.
• Power and responsibility: Young Master’s nominal authority contrasts with Xue Yunfeng’s effective leadership, emphasizing that wealth or status does not necessarily translate into competence.

Character Interactions

• Hill patiently explains formation mechanics to Old School Striking King, Sui Chen, and An Idler, though he is repeatedly baffled by their ignorance of Divine Formations.
• Old School Striking King and Sui Chen coordinate efforts to have priests learn Sanctum Magic, while Passionfruit and Mango criticize Young Master for failing to lead.
• An Idler provokes Old School Striking King by insulting her abilities, prompting her to attack him physically. Their hostile banter highlights the familiar, chaotic relationships among the players.
• The players debate guild leadership, with several agreeing that Young Master is ineffective and that their organizations function only because others compensate for him.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm and the Alliance members coordinate with Hill regarding the Purification Formations and Magical Beast corpses.
• Xue Yunfeng and Hill establish a cooperative business arrangement: Hill provides the formations and purchases the corpses, while the Alliance handles the dangerous cave expedition.

Chapter Summary: “William Deserved a Scolding”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill reports to Falan and Adrian that he encountered Undead far north of Count Edward’s territory. The Undead had discovered a cursed ruin containing exceptionally dense Earth-Attribute Elemental Crystals and numerous aggressive Magical Beasts affected by the same curse.
• Falan and Hill conclude that the ruin is connected to a vanished Earth-Element Law Demigod who nearly ascended. The divine nature likely came from a powerful Earth-Element Magical Beast or from the Demigod’s subordinates, though it does not appear related to the legendary Earth Bear.
• Hill explains that he is developing two large-scale Purification Formations. They will use Soil, Wood, and Water concepts to break down, absorb, neutralize, and cleanse the curse. Falan encourages him to collect crystals and Magical Beasts while avoiding unnecessary involvement.
• News of the discovery spreads rapidly. Prince Karl and Prince Miller send representatives to meet Hill, acquire materials, and possibly seek his help introducing students. Legendary Mages connected to Obastian are also expected to investigate.
• Falan discusses the danger of powerful Mages being tempted to become Subordinate Gods when their progress toward Legendary stagnates. He insists that his own path remains focused on reaching the Legendary realm through continued magical and alchemical study.
• William secretly joins Hill and Falan’s communication by eavesdropping. He admits that he leaked information about the discovery and asks Hill for a copy of his analysis so he can address the Magical Beasts attacking cities.
• William reveals major political news: Hephasaldo’s former king was actually the legitimate heir to Kortez’s throne, having been involved in a baby-switching conspiracy. William plans to invade and reclaim Hephasaldo, reopen it to the Undead in stages, and eventually use the evidence to claim Kortez as well.
• After William leaves, Hill and Falan discuss the rumors surrounding Hephasaldo’s former king and the foolish royal schemes that allowed him to establish a separate kingdom.
• Hensley is scheduled to arrive with two of Prince Karl’s students, including a highly talented female Archmage under thirty. Adrian jokes about Hill’s romantic prospects, but Falan warns him not to become entangled in manipulation or political schemes.

Character Developments

• Hill: Remains cautious, independent, and uninterested in political intrigue. He demonstrates growing mastery of multiple Laws and formation techniques, particularly through his plan to combine Soil, Wood, and Water Laws to neutralize the curse. He also shows confidence that his connection to nature will help him recognize deception.
• Falan: Acts protectively toward Hill and firmly shields him from political pressure. His confidence in eventually becoming Legendary is strong, though he admits that even he might be tempted by divine power if his path ever stalled. His affection for Hill is shown through both encouragement and his willingness to physically reprimand Adrian and William’s improper behavior indirectly.
• Adrian: Continues to serve as an energetic intermediary and comic presence. He provides information, teases Hill about romance, and receives repeated slaps from Falan for his irreverence.
• William: Reveals himself as opportunistic, politically ambitious, and shamelessly intrusive. He uses eavesdropping to obtain information and manipulate timing, but also openly apologizes and seeks Hill’s expertise. His plans demonstrate a desire to consolidate control over the northern territories and eventually reclaim Kortez.
• Falan and Adrian’s relationship: Their teacher-student dynamic remains affectionate but combative, with Falan frequently disciplining Adrian for inappropriate remarks.

Significant Themes

• The pursuit of power and transcendence: The discovery of divine nature raises questions about ascension, the risks of becoming a god’s subordinate, and the uncertainty confronting Mages who cannot advance toward Legendary status.
• Caution versus ambition: Hill prefers observation and self-preservation, while William immediately turns the discovery into a political and military opportunity.
• The burden of history: Ancient divine creatures, forgotten Demigods, royal bloodlines, and old betrayals continue to shape present events.
• Family, bloodlines, and inherited foolishness: The discussion of royal scandals satirizes how repeated stupidity and poor decisions among ruling families have affected entire nations.
• Nature and balance: Hill’s purification method reflects the complementary roles of Soil, Wood, and Water Laws, emphasizing cooperation and balance rather than reliance on a single power.
• Trust and privacy: William’s intrusion into the communication highlights tensions between political authority and personal boundaries, prompting the chapter’s implied judgment that he deserves a scolding.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill cautiously informs Falan and Adrian about the cursed ruin, leading to an investigation into its divine origins.
• Falan and Adrian debate the Earth Bear, ancient races, and the differences in lifespan and culture between Elves, Humans, Dwarves, and Half-Elves.
• Falan reassures Hill that he will handle the Count’s political problems and prevent others from exploiting him.
• William interrupts the conversation, apologizes for eavesdropping, requests Hill’s research, and announces his plans to conquer Hephasaldo and target Kortez.
• Falan warns Hill against romance and political manipulation after Adrian jokes about the arrival of a beautiful young Archmage. Hill responds that his connection to nature and familiarity with beautiful female Undead make him difficult to sway.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Falan warns Hill that Karl’s faction may attempt to manipulate or seduce him through a young female Archmage, but advises him not to act impulsively. Hill recognizes the connection to past schemes involving Melanie and Falan’s family.
• Adrian reveals that the woman is Patricia Karl, Karl’s granddaughter, and explains that Karl’s faction may be trying to compensate Falan’s family for past wrongdoing while also gaining influence.
• Hill strengthens the defenses of his shop, ordering elemental guardians, Wood Elementals to guard against poison, and the Swordsman puppet to remain fully charged. He also closes the public areas of the shop and allows only trusted Undead upstairs.
• Hill spends the night observing the Undead outside, confident that Karl’s and Miller’s people cannot easily compete with him because he has divine assistance in acquiring crystal stones and Magical Beasts.
• At dawn, Hensley arrives with Baptiste, while Karl’s students Roel Phillips and Patricia accompany him. Hill remains deliberately indifferent to Patricia’s presence and refuses to be drawn into their manipulation.
• Hill informs Xue Yunfeng that the newcomers are interested in purchasing Magical Beasts and crystal stones. He intends to maintain his usual prices rather than compete with them.
• Hill joins Xue Yunfeng in exploring a vast underground passage and hall cleared by the Undead. Phillips follows them and subtly tries to create tension between the Undead and William by implying that Xue Yunfeng leads them.
• Hill identifies Phillips’s behavior as an attempt to undermine William’s control over the Undead. When Phillips asks to observe Hill drawing a Purification Formation, Hill challenges him by suggesting that he seek Karl’s permission, causing Phillips to withdraw.
• The chapter ends with Hill amused by the bickering between Xue Yunfeng and Rainfall on the Mortal Realm as preparations begin for the formation.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly firm and guarded. He refuses to be intimidated by powerful Mages, rejects emotional manipulation, and responds to threats with preparation rather than fear. His distrust of political schemes deepens, though he remains calm and polite.
• Falan shows continued concern for Hill while revealing his lingering hatred toward Karl’s faction. He encourages caution and restraint, demonstrating that he understands the danger of provoking powerful enemies.
• Adrian exposes the identity and motives of Patricia Karl’s faction, while displaying his own cold resentment toward those connected to Melanie’s past.
• Xue Yunfeng demonstrates his sharp political instincts and immediately understands the economic implications of rival buyers. He also reacts defensively when Phillips tries to misrepresent his relationship with the Undead.
• Phillips is portrayed as manipulative and provocative. He attempts to flatter Patricia toward Hill, probe Hill’s defenses, and drive a wedge between the Undead and William.
• Hensley remains cautious and unobtrusive, acting as a diplomatic contrast to Phillips’s aggressive behavior.
• Patricia is introduced as a young female Archmage whose status, rather than her appearance, is intended to make her useful in the political scheme.

Significant Themes

• Political manipulation and factional conflict: Rival Mage factions attempt to gain influence through indirect methods, including emotional manipulation, economic competition, and sowing distrust.
• Caution versus impulsiveness: Falan urges Hill not to repeat the mistakes of the past, while Hill demonstrates that vigilance and preparation are more effective than reckless confrontation.
• Power and independence: Hill’s access to divine support and the loyalty of the Undead allows him to resist Legendary Mages and their political pressure.
• Economic competition: The newcomers’ interest in Magical Beasts and crystal stones reveals that commerce is another front in the struggle for influence.
• Trust and loyalty: The chapter contrasts the Mages’ schemes with the more straightforward loyalty of Hill’s elementals, Magical Beasts, and Undead allies.
• Humor amid tension: Hill’s reactions to the Undead, Xue Yunfeng’s defensiveness, and the characters’ arguments provide comic relief within the political conflict.

Character Interactions

• Falan and Hill discuss Karl’s faction, Melanie’s past, and the danger of seduction-based manipulation.
• Adrian explains the identities and motives of Karl’s students, while Falan ends the conversation before it becomes too emotionally charged.
• Hill gives instructions to Liszt and Sray, showing his reliance on trusted subordinates and elemental guardians.
• Hensley introduces Karl’s students to Hill, but Hill’s indifference prevents Patricia’s planned introduction from having any effect.
• Hill and Xue Yunfeng discuss how to handle the newcomers’ interest in resources, with Xue Yunfeng immediately shifting into a calculating merchant role.
• Phillips attempts to provoke Xue Yunfeng and question the Undead’s leadership, but Hill exposes the political implication behind his words.
• Hill, Xue Yunfeng, and Rainfall exchange lighthearted remarks at the end, reinforcing the camaraderie among Hill’s allies.

Chapter Summary: “Undead Ready to Throw Down at the Drop of a Hat”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill prepares a Purification Formation for the Undead while protecting his work from surveillance. He summons more than a dozen Earth Elemental Spirits to conceal the platform and prevent even a Legendary Mage from observing the formation.
• After completing the formation, Hill instructs Xue Yunfeng and Rainfall on the Mortal Realm on how to place and secure the crystals. The formation uses magical locks that recognize the users’ magical auras.
• The Undead reveal that they intend to establish a territory in the area, which is strategically valuable and likely to become contested. Black-and-White Road has already received William’s approval to claim the location.
• Hill realizes that the God of Space-Time’s influence has expanded far beyond William’s current lands. Within this domain, the Justice God’s Land Deeds are ineffective, and all new territories require William’s approval.
• Hill completes a second formation at a defensible mountaintop position. The site is intended to serve as the center of Black-and-White Road’s future territory.
• Mo Bi Chenxin, Black-and-White Road’s guild leader, arrives. He is a Space Sorcerer accompanied by a silver Space Dragon and explains that groups of Sorcerers can create temporary strategic teleportation gates.
• Mo Bi Chenxin plans to establish a territory measuring five hundred square kilometers. Hill notes that the territory cannot later be expanded, unlike his own much larger count-level territory.
• Hill removes his shop before the territory formation is established, since existing magical equipment would otherwise become part of the territory’s defensive system and potentially bypass its alarms.
• Mo Bi Chenxin tells Hensley and the other Magi to leave the area. Hensley is offended but departs.
• Phillips then confronts Mo Bi Chenxin and demands that he surrender the location so Phillips can build a Mage Tower for Karl. Mo Bi Chenxin responds aggressively, challenging Phillips to fight.
• Anticipating violence, Hill withdraws with his shop transformed into a flying ship. Hensley, Archmage Ruis, and Sray follow him into the air while players and other Magi remain below to watch the conflict develop.

Character Developments

• Hill: Demonstrates careful preparation, immense magical power, and practical caution. He protects his formation from surveillance, recognizes the strategic importance of territory formation, and wisely avoids becoming involved in the confrontation between Mo Bi Chenxin and Phillips.
• Xue Yunfeng: Shows strong strategic awareness by arranging Black-and-White Road’s territorial claim and planning defensive measures. He understands that the area will become a major battlefield and wants a foothold for the Undead.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm: Assists Xue Yunfeng with the formation and its magical security.
• Mo Bi Chenxin: Is introduced as Black-and-White Road’s confident and confrontational leader. Despite being a Space Sorcerer with limited offensive abilities, he possesses valuable strategic mobility and commands more than ten Sorcerers. He openly refuses to defer to Hensley or Phillips.
• Hensley: Initially acts politely toward Hill but becomes visibly angry when displaced from the area. His status as the heir of Legendary Mage Miller gives him social importance, though Mo Bi Chenxin does not respect it.
• Phillips: Reveals his arrogance and entitlement by assuming he can take the desired territory for Karl. His aggressive demand leads directly to a confrontation with Mo Bi Chenxin.
• Karl: Remains mostly offscreen but is central to Phillips’s demand to construct a Mage Tower in the area.
• William: Though absent, his authority dominates the chapter. He controls territory approval, rewards the Undead, and has expanded the God of Space-Time’s influence over the region.

Significant Themes

• Territorial power and political control: Establishing a territory is not merely a matter of building structures; it requires William’s approval and places the region under the God of Space-Time’s authority.
• Preparation versus provocation: Hill succeeds through planning and overwhelming force, while Phillips and Mo Bi Chenxin rely on pride and confrontation.
• PVE versus PVP mentalities: Hill is surprised that the Undead’s specialists focus almost entirely on destructive combat magic and lack practical construction skills, highlighting the difference between adventuring and territorial development.
• The strategic value of mobility: Space Sorcery and teleportation gates may be more important than direct offensive power, allowing the Undead to relocate forces rapidly.
• Changing divine influence: The God of Space-Time’s expanding domain demonstrates a frightening level of divine power and signals the decline of older systems based on the Justice God’s authority.
• Social status versus personal strength: Hensley expects respect because of his lineage, but Mo Bi Chenxin treats him simply as another Magus, emphasizing the Undead’s disregard for conventional hierarchies.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill works with Xue Yunfeng and Rainfall to secure the purification formation and discuss the Undead’s territorial plans.
• Hill and Mo Bi Chenxin discuss Space Sorcery, Space Dragons, territory size, construction costs, and the differences between practical and combat-oriented magic.
• Mo Bi Chenxin dismisses Hensley’s status and orders him to leave, creating immediate tension.
• Phillips attempts to intimidate Mo Bi Chenxin into surrendering the territory, but Mo Bi Chenxin responds with an outright challenge to fight.
• Hill refuses to take sides and evacuates his shop, while Hensley and Ruis follow him to observe the impending conflict from safety.

Chapter Summary: “Miss Karl’s Schemes”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill’s floating ship stops above the clouds while Phillips argues with Mo Bi Chenxin, an Undead Sorcerer and city lord. Phillips demands that Mo Bi give his newly claimed territory to Miss Karl, but Mo Bi mocks him relentlessly and refuses.
• Hill and Hensley observe that Phillips has badly misjudged the situation. The Undead possess divine backing and considerable power, making Phillips’s condescending demand both foolish and dangerous.
• Miss Karl arrives and apologizes politely for Phillips’s behavior. She claims she loves the territory and offers double its price, along with a larger county-sized Land Deed, in exchange for it.
• Mo Bi rejects her offer, explaining that the territory has already been finalized with William and that Undead applicants receive only one chance to claim land. He also points out that Karl’s Fief Deed, issued by another god, is now unusable under William’s orders.
• Miss Karl pretends ignorance, blames Phillips for failing to explain the rules, and gracefully withdraws. Mo Bi and the other Sorcerers immediately recognize her performance as an outdated and transparent scheme, mocking her as they watch her leave.
• Miss Karl and Phillips then approach Hill’s ship. She asks to stay aboard, claiming Phillips has been emotionally shaken and cannot speak. Hill recognizes that she is trying to draw him into a social connection or make him introduce himself, but he refuses to encourage her and retreats to his cabin.
• Through his Wood and Water Elementals, Hill learns that Karl deliberately destroyed plants while preparing her building site and used a Water Element Core—an object formed from a deceased Water Elemental—in her house. These actions deeply offend the Elementals and convince Hill that she has no sincere interest in becoming closer to him.
• Sray explains that Miss Karl appears to prefer Phillips because she values inherited wealth and resources over the potential of becoming Legendary. Phillips is expected to inherit Karl’s ancient Mage Tower and its vast accumulated wealth.
• Sray also reveals that Karl acted warmly toward Phillips in front of Hensley, physically comforting him and making her preference obvious. This was likely intended both to pressure Phillips into acting quickly and to fulfill Lord Karl’s instructions to maintain appearances regarding Hill.
• The chapter ends when Hill senses a powerful divine force: the Black-and-White Road’s territory has been successfully established.

Character Developments

• Hill: Remains detached, perceptive, and unwilling to be manipulated. He sees through Karl’s false helplessness and refuses to play the role she expects. His affection for the Elementals also highlights his moral discomfort with her treatment of them.
• Miss Karl: Revealed as highly calculating and skilled at emotional performance. She uses politeness, feigned innocence, vulnerability, and romantic signaling to manipulate others, though her methods fail against Mo Bi and Hill.
• Phillips/Roel: Shown to be socially and verbally outmatched by the Undead. He makes demands without understanding the power dynamics, then becomes the target of both Mo Bi’s ridicule and Karl’s manipulation.
• Mo Bi Chenxin: Demonstrates sharp wit, confidence, loyalty to William and the God of Space-Time, and a willingness to defend the Undead’s rights. He refuses an attractive offer because it would violate divine rules.
• Hensley: Acts as an observer and becomes increasingly uncomfortable after realizing that the information he received about Karl and her plans was misleading.
• Sray: Shows strong analytical and social insight. He understands Karl’s motives through his study of human stories and helps Hill interpret the situation.
• The Elementals: Their reactions reinforce Hill’s empathy and reveal Karl’s disregard for nonhuman life and elemental customs.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation versus genuine feeling: Karl’s apologies, tears, and apparent vulnerability are revealed as calculated performances rather than sincere emotion.
• Power and hierarchy: Phillips assumes Miss Karl’s status entitles her to the territory, but Mo Bi reminds him that divine backing is more important than aristocratic or magical prestige.
• Divine law and loyalty: Mo Bi refuses to exchange the territory because doing so would violate William’s rules and offend the Undead’s Supreme God.
• Appearance versus reality: Karl carefully maintains the appearance of innocence and obedience while pursuing her own interests.
• Wealth versus potential: The contrast between Hill’s future potential and Lord Karl’s enormous inherited wealth raises the question of whether people value growth or established power more.
• Respect for nature and elemental life: Karl’s destruction of plants and use of a Water Element Core demonstrate her exploitative attitude, contrasting with Hill’s relationship of care and cooperation with the Elementals.

Character Interactions

• Phillips and Mo Bi: Their argument exposes Phillips’s arrogance and Mo Bi’s superior verbal skill. Mo Bi uses sarcasm to provoke and humiliate him without needing to fight.
• Miss Karl and Mo Bi: Karl uses courtesy and emotional appeal to persuade him, but Mo Bi remains firm and openly identifies the flaws in her proposal.
• Hill and Miss Karl: Karl attempts to cultivate an association with Hill, but he deliberately avoids engaging with her performance and withdraws.
• Hill and Sray: Their conversation clarifies Karl’s motives and helps Hill understand that her apparent interest in Phillips is strategic.
• Miss Karl and Phillips: Karl publicly comforts Phillips and implies romantic preference, both to soothe him and to pressure him into securing the territory.
• Hill and the Elementals: The Elementals report Karl’s actions, reinforcing their trust in Hill and his growing awareness of her true character.

Chapter Summary: “The Might of Space-Time”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill discusses Legendary Karl’s heir, Phillips, learning that Phillips is seventy-two and the designated successor after Karl stopped taking disciples.
• Mo Bi Chenxin’s new territory is completed. Remarkably, he uses Hill’s former Alchemy Hut as the lord’s manor rather than constructing a conventional castle.
• The territory’s divine power greatly expands the hut’s interior while preserving its compact, defensible exterior. Hill realizes the transformation is based on spatial abilities similar to those of Legendary Spatial Beasts, but enhanced by the God of Space-Time.
• Hill discovers that pieces of the manor’s walls have broken off and recognizes the material as extraordinarily valuable—stronger than ordinary Legendary materials. He negotiates an exchange: Hill will provide weapons and equipment from Adrian’s and his grandfather’s stores in return for the materials.
• The exchange will especially benefit the territory’s Mage and Space Sorcerer forces, whose specialized equipment is difficult to obtain. Hill also offers to have staffs modified to replace the players’ Signet Rings.
• Mo Bi Chenxin explains that the family tournament will officially begin about a month after newly summoned players arrive, with current members holding practice matches in the meantime.
• The territory begins organizing its population and commercial areas. The left side is reserved for family members, while part of the right side is open for outsiders and player-run stalls. Mo Bi Chenxin chooses not to impose commercial taxes, instead using the area to attract people and potentially weaken rival guilds.
• Hill formalizes the equipment trade with a written valuation, emphasizing the need for records to prevent fraud. He also explains that Adrian will arrive with apprentices and merchants to establish a general store.
• Hensley and Miss Karl inquire about building locations and Hill’s trade in Saintess’s Tears. Hill confirms he will continue buying the valuable materials, while Mo Bi Chenxin dismisses the outsiders’ concerns and heads underground to manage the Undead.

Character Developments

• Hill remains observant and analytical, studying the territory’s spatial expansion and trying to understand the divine power behind it. His expertise in magic, materials, and trade makes him a valuable intermediary between the players and the magical world.
• Mo Bi Chenxin demonstrates practical strategic thinking. His choice of the Alchemy Hut prioritizes defensive efficiency and expandable internal space over appearance. He also reveals a blunt, faction-focused personality, caring little about outsiders while actively seeking advantages for his family.
• Phillips is shown as Karl’s official heir but remains relatively uninformed and subordinate compared with Hensley, suggesting limited influence despite his status.
• Hensley acts as an interested outsider, seeking a place to build and hoping to benefit from access to the Undead’s goods.
• Adrian, though absent, becomes more important through Hill’s plans to bring his equipment, apprentices, and merchant caravan to support the new territory.
• William’s influence is indirectly evident through the organization of the players and the redistribution of royal resources, including the reclamation of Mage Apprentices.

Significant Themes

• Divine power versus mortal magic: The manor’s nearly hundredfold spatial expansion demonstrates how divine authority can accomplish feats beyond even Legendary Mages.
• Practicality over tradition: Mo Bi Chenxin rejects the conventional castle model in favor of a compact, highly defensible structure with maximum internal capacity.
• Economic and military cooperation: The exchange between Hill and the players shows how trade can supply specialized equipment while granting Hill access to rare materials.
• Factionalism and distrust: The players operate according to family and guild interests, and Mo Bi Chenxin openly uses commerce to pressure rival groups. Hill’s insistence on written agreements reflects the dangers of fraud and betrayal.
• Cultural differences: Hill struggles to understand the players’ warlike, profit-oriented mindset, while the players view magical crafting as inefficient and prefer acquiring finished equipment.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Mo Bi Chenxin develop a cooperative relationship based on mutual benefit. Hill provides access to weapons, equipment, and merchants, while Mo Bi Chenxin offers rare spatial materials.
• Hill politely refuses to exclude Hensley and others from the territory’s commercial district, but Mo Bi Chenxin remains suspicious of outsiders.
• Hensley and Miss Karl attempt to engage with Hill regarding housing, trade, and Saintess’s Tears, while Mo Bi Chenxin largely ignores them.
• Hill advises Mo Bi Chenxin on formal trade practices and equipment selection, reinforcing his role as both supplier and trusted consultant.
• The chapter ends with Mo Bi Chenxin returning underground to manage the territory, while Hill prepares for Adrian’s arrival and Hensley and Phillips begin searching for a building site.

Chapter Summary: “Three Shops, Choose as You Please”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hensley deliberately implies that Phillips and Miss Karl are romantically involved, hoping to provoke conflict between Phillips and Hill or create tension involving Legendary Karl.
• Hill recognizes Hensley’s manipulation but refuses to be drawn into a romantic or political struggle. He returns to his mountaintop shop and contacts Adrian and Falan.
• The Undead clan leader, a Space-Time Sorcerer, unexpectedly claims a territory and transfers tens of thousands of Undead there through spatial gates. He uses Hill’s enlarged Alchemy Hut as his Lord’s Manor.
• The hut’s materials have been enhanced by divine power to a quality surpassing Legendary materials. Hill obtains fragments and arranges a trade: Adrian’s weapons and equipment in exchange for the Undead choosing ten pieces freely, with the rest purchased normally.
• Adrian plans to send apprentices and defensive puppets to establish a shop in the Undead territory. He will also bring specialized staffs, weapons, armor, and high-quality defensive materials.
• Falan warns Hill not to let Hensley manipulate him, but assures him that he should resist directly if Phillips causes trouble.
• Hill decides not to visit the Undead settlement because of the dangerous, unpredictable players gathering there. He also considers the underground Magical Beast population and realizes the territory is connected to the source of the Beast Tides.
• Phillips and Hensley build competing houses and shops. They secretly cooperate by setting their prices identically, both pricing their goods substantially higher than Hill’s.
• Players begin arriving. Female players visit Miss Karl’s garden, while male players compare shop prices. Most enter Hensley’s shop, but several head toward Hill’s shop.

Character Developments

• Hill: Shows strong awareness of political manipulation and commercial rivalry. He remains calm outwardly but feels insulted and frustrated that Phillips and Hensley underestimate him. He demonstrates caution by avoiding the player-filled Undead territory while strategically preparing a business response.
• Hensley: Is revealed as calculating and provocative. He tries to use the supposed relationship between Phillips and Miss Karl to turn Hill against them and deliberately sets high prices to undermine Hill’s business.
• Phillips: Appears arrogant and politically confident. He clashes with the Undead clan leader when attempting to buy the territory and later joins Hensley in pricing competition against Hill.
• Miss Karl: Her relationship with Phillips is presented as a practical choice tied to talent, lifespan, and access to resources rather than purely romance. Falan suggests she may be shrewdly securing what she can personally obtain.
• Adrian: Becomes excited by the enhanced materials and eagerly prepares an expedition to trade with the Undead. His adaptable personality contrasts with Falan’s scholarly rigidity.
• Falan: Acts as a cautious mentor and grandfather figure, analyzing Miss Karl’s motives and advising Hill to defend himself rather than tolerate Hensley’s schemes.
• The Undead clan leader: Is decisive and practical, immediately choosing suitable territory and using spatial magic to move his people. He refuses to tolerate arrogance from Phillips or Hensley.
• The players: Their arrival creates both commercial opportunity and danger. Hill sees them as unpredictable but recognizes that their presence will provide a steady market for shops and a leveling ground for newer players.

Significant Themes

• Manipulation and political intrigue: Hensley attempts to weaponize romance and jealousy, while Hill must navigate hidden motives and rival alliances.
• Practical relationships and resource competition: Miss Karl’s apparent choice of Phillips is connected to talent, longevity, inheritance, and access to magical resources.
• Commerce and strategic rivalry: The chapter contrasts Hill’s lower prices and practical approach with Phillips and Hensley’s coordinated attempt to dominate the market.
• Adaptability versus rigidity: Adrian and Falan represent different approaches to magical scholarship. Falan emphasizes personal cultivation, while Adrian demonstrates flexibility and business-minded preparation.
• The dangers and opportunities of players: Players can bring wealth, demand, and leveling opportunities, but their reckless behavior makes them difficult for Hill to trust.
• Hidden threats beneath apparent prosperity: The large number of Magical Beasts beneath the territory hints at the origin of future Beast Tides and suggests that the new settlement may face serious danger.

Character Interactions

• Hill rebukes Hensley’s vulgar comments and refuses to participate in his attempt to cause jealousy.
• Hill, Adrian, and Falan discuss the political significance of Phillips and Miss Karl’s relationship, the Undead settlement, and the trade in enhanced materials.
• Adrian eagerly agrees to supply weapons and apprentices, while Falan instructs him to increase their allowances and prioritize defensive equipment.
• Falan advises Hill to avoid being provoked but to retaliate if Phillips attacks him.
• Phillips and Hensley independently build nearby residences but coordinate their shop prices, showing that their rivalry does not prevent them from cooperating against Hill.
• The arriving players reveal the practical consequences of the three-shop competition: most favor the established or conveniently located shops, while others are drawn to Hill’s lower prices.

Chapter Summary: “Adrian’s Uncompromising Attitude”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill prepares a roughly 500-square-meter plot beneath his shop for Adrian’s arrival, adding a wide stone corridor with benches. The corridor quickly becomes a resting place for exhausted players returning from monster-grinding expeditions.
• Hill reflects on the similarities between parallel worlds, especially the repeated emergence of China and the five-starred red flag. He also considers how William’s state-run Supply Cooperatives are gradually placing daily necessities under royal control.
• William’s expanding chain stores threaten traditional nobles and merchants by making affordable goods available to ordinary people. Player territories may become the only viable alternative for merchants such as Falan’s caravan.
• Hill observes that Hensley’s shop follows the traditional magic-shop model, selling books, scrolls, bombs, and limited potions, while lacking food and daily necessities. Hill’s own products are more comprehensive but too expensive for most players.
• Exhausted players, including Young Master, Old School Striking King, and members of Black Rose, arrive at Hill’s corridor. They complain about their guild leaders and the difficulties of leveling, especially the shortage of Priests and the physical limitations of Mage players.
• Hill realizes that no one has established a restaurant or food service in the area. He orders Sray to have the chef puppets prepare sandwiches, pizza, juice, and other food.
• The food immediately attracts the players. Young Master and others rush into Hill’s shop, while players from nearby areas also come to buy meals. Hill recognizes that food gives him both practical influence and access to valuable player gossip.
• Old School Striking King asks about continued food supplies. Hill directs her to his territory, where she can contact Liszt and purchase food whenever necessary.
• At night, returning players sell magical materials at other shops, then come to Hill’s shop for food and conversation. Sray, as a Tower Spirit, records the information exchanged in the area for Hill and Adrian to review.
• Hensley notices the players eating at Hill’s shop and begins to understand why they are gathering there, though he cannot comprehend why high-level, elementalized Undead still need food.
• Adrian arrives the next morning in an impressive golden airship, accompanied by four Mage Apprentices. His arrival draws admiration from the players and signals the importance he places on the new shop.
• Hensley and Phillips also arrive to greet Adrian. Adrian immediately warns them that Hill may be young, but he is not someone who can be bullied. He emphasizes that Hill can resist even a Legendary opponent and knows more than one elemental or summoning spell.
• Adrian ends the exchange by dismissing the two men and turning his attention to constructing the shop.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly strategic and politically aware. Rather than competing directly with Hensley and Phillips for rare materials, he uses food and the shop’s location to attract players and gather information. He also recognizes the importance of ordinary consumers and practical services in building long-term influence.
• Adrian demonstrates a firm, protective, and uncompromising attitude toward Hill. His polite introduction quickly turns into a veiled threat, making clear that Hill has powerful backing and should not be underestimated.
• William is portrayed as a revolutionary ruler whose governance is centered on commoners. His Supply Cooperatives are quietly undermining noble power by controlling access to affordable goods and services.
• Hensley is shown to be rigid and traditional. His shop caters to conventional magic users but fails to meet the practical needs of the players. He begins to recognize Hill’s advantage but does not understand its full significance.
• Phillips remains hostile toward Hensley and appears more perceptive about the changing balance of power, though he still operates within the old commercial framework.
• Old School Striking King remains forceful and outspoken, but her determination is also practical: despite exhaustion, she gets up to buy food and investigates whether Hill’s supply will be reliable.
• The players are portrayed as self-interested but adaptable. They prioritize convenience, food, rest, and entertainment over building permanent settlements or committing themselves to territorial development.

Significant Themes

• Control through everyday necessities: Hill’s food service becomes more influential than expensive magical goods because it meets an immediate, universal need.
• The rise of commoners and consumer power: William’s affordable supply network threatens the nobility by making ordinary people the foundation of the state and giving them the ability to withdraw their labor and patronage.
• Old systems versus new systems: Hensley and Phillips represent traditional magic shops and elite commerce, while Hill and Adrian introduce a more practical, service-oriented commercial model.
• Information as power: Hill uses the players’ casual conversations as a source of intelligence, showing that gossip and observation can be as valuable as formal reports.
• The limits of player commitment: Players enjoy building and adventuring, but few are willing to risk their hard work in unstable player-run territories. This challenges the idealized “genius city lord” model found in game stories.
• Strength beneath restraint: Hill does not seek conflict, but Adrian stresses that his calmness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Sray work together to establish the food counter, with Sray managing operations and reporting player reactions.
• Hill indirectly assists Old School Striking King by connecting her with Liszt and his territory’s resources.
• The players’ conversations reveal rivalries involving Young Master, Old School Striking King, An Idler, Nie Xingchen, and Sui Chen, while their exhaustion prevents them from responding to her insults.
• Hensley watches Hill’s growing popularity but does not confront him directly.
• Adrian greets Hensley and Phillips politely before issuing a clear warning. Phillips hints at hostility toward Hensley, while Hensley responds with controlled courtesy.
• Adrian’s final statement establishes the central power dynamic: Hill may avoid trouble, but Adrian will not tolerate anyone treating him as weak or vulnerable.

Chapter Summary: “Players Who Loved a Good Spectacle”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian defends his decision to establish a shop in the Undead players’ territory, explaining that the Undead operate constantly, forcing him to organize workers in shifts.
• He presents himself as respectful toward all customers, though the players immediately joke that his “respect” applies mainly to those who can pay.
• Phillips openly looks down on the players and leaves coldly. His attitude causes the players to question why he is still considered friendly, creating a dangerous shift in their mood. Hensley quickly drags him away before the situation worsens.
• Adrian begins constructing his new shop with Hill’s assistance. Hill uses Magus-level Earth Elementals to rapidly build a large two-and-a-half-story structure and secretly excavate a fortified underground Chamber of Secrets.
• Adrian uses Obsidian, magical formations, and an intermediate Tower Spirit as the Shop Core, ensuring that the shop can serve as a refuge for his apprentices.
• The players enthusiastically observe the construction, speculate about Hill’s strength and resources, and compare his Earth Elementals to entire armies. Hill is uncomfortable with how much information they have gathered about him.
• Hill reinforces the corridor because the crowd of players may damage it, especially since players like standing on rooftops and elevated positions.
• Mo Bi Chenxin and Brush with Heart approach Hill about buying cooking puppets. Brush hopes to open a restaurant, while Mo Bi admits that she cannot cook and wants a puppet to make the restaurant viable.
• Hill agrees that a restaurant would benefit the settlement and directs them to Liszt, who has more time to produce the puppets.
• Mo Bi also asks about reclaiming shops if their current owners leave. His eagerness reveals that he is already planning to take over the storefronts, though Hill reminds him to behave more politely.
• At the players’ request, Hill creates small folding tables in the corridor for their food and drinks before retreating to his own shop.
• Adrian later speaks privately with Hill about Hensley’s attempts to manipulate him politically.

Character Developments

• Adrian demonstrates a practical understanding of the players. He treats them courteously and maintains the refined, distant manners of a noble dealing with equals. He also shows caution by building a hidden escape route beneath his shop.
• Hill continues to appear calm and capable, but privately feels overwhelmed by the players’ noisy speculation, shameless demands, and frightening ability to analyze NPCs. He reveals that he is not naïve about manipulation and has experience recognizing schemes.
• Hill also shows increased responsibility toward Adrian’s enterprise, using his Earth Elementals not only for construction but also to protect the shop and accommodate the players.
• Hensley emerges as a manipulative and politically motivated figure. He tries to flatter Adrian and sow distrust, but Adrian and Hill recognize his methods.
• Phillips remains openly contemptuous of the players, failing to understand how dangerous their collective hostility can be.
• Mo Bi Chenxin and Brush with Heart show the players’ growing interest in developing businesses and infrastructure rather than merely fighting. Their restaurant plan depends on magical technology, particularly cooking puppets.
• Adrian begins treating Hill more as a powerful Magus and potential political target than as a child, though he still worries over him and offers protective advice.

Significant Themes

• The players’ power through numbers: Even powerful NPCs must be careful because the players can overwhelm them collectively, especially in a PvP-focused environment.
• Commerce and practical cooperation: The players and NPCs interact through shops, labor, puppets, food, and construction, showing how economic relationships are shaping the settlement.
• Appearances versus reality: Adrian’s polite treatment of customers conceals his need for profit, while the players’ joking behavior masks their ability to gather information and pose a serious threat.
• Political manipulation and vigilance: Hensley’s attempts to influence Hill and Adrian highlight the dangers faced by anyone who becomes politically significant.
• Technological and magical innovation: Earth Elementals, Shop Cores, Tower Spirits, magical formations, and cooking puppets make construction and business unusually efficient.
• Community as spectacle: The players treat the shop’s construction as entertainment, turning ordinary building work into a public event filled with commentary and speculation.

Character Interactions

• Adrian and Hensley exchange polite but strategic remarks about the Undead, commerce, and professional status.
• Phillips’ arrogance toward the players contrasts with Adrian’s careful courtesy, and Hensley intervenes to prevent a confrontation.
• Hill and Adrian cooperate closely on the shop, with Hill handling the structural construction and Adrian managing magical defenses, decoration, and the Shop Core.
• The players constantly discuss Hill, Adrian, Falan, and other powerful figures, effectively analyzing NPCs in public.
• Mo Bi and Brush approach Hill respectfully but reveal their humorous lack of cooking ability and their ambitions to open a restaurant.
• Hill accommodates the players’ needs by building corridor tables, though he eventually retreats to avoid further demands.
• In private, Adrian warns Hill not to rely entirely on Nature Consciousness and urges him to prepare for betrayal. Hill reassures him while emphasizing that he remains cautious and trusts very few people completely.

Chapter Summary: “A Start That Satisfied Both Natives and Players”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Adrian accidentally mentions “bad luck,” alarming Nature Consciousness because alchemists are particularly vulnerable to the idea of failure. He quickly reassures it by praising Hill’s powerful natural aura, and Nature Consciousness forgives him.
• Hill asks Sray for a report on the exploration of the underground area. Sray explains that:
  • Numerous Magical Beasts inhabit the depths.
  • Stronger beasts become increasingly grotesque and irrational.
  • Some creatures detonate their magic cores when cornered, killing several people.
  • Old School Striking King sold them one specimen of every type of beast encountered.
• Adrian examines the collected materials and senses that they contain more than divine power. He decides to take them to his teacher for further investigation.
• Hill suspects the underground region may contain something connected to the Abyssal Gate, spiders, or the reason World Consciousness and the players were able to enter so easily.
• Adrian reveals that Rose has not returned to the Divine Kingdom. Meanwhile, Dionysio is preparing to take over the Noble Church as Pope.
• Adrian explains the Noble Church’s political crisis: the current Pope has been manipulated into believing he can replace the Supreme God, while Dionysio—once an overlooked royal heir—has gained enough influence to become the likely successor. The Mage Association is eagerly watching the conflict.
• Hill arranges for Adrian to use the second floor as a shop for high-value goods, while ordinary items remain in the general store. Adrian begins selling powerful equipment to the players.
• Mo Bi Chenxin arrives with others to meet Adrian, but Hill requests that only Mo Bi Chenxin remain for the actual discussion.
• Old School Striking King is rewarded with triple territory contribution points, permission to settle in Hill’s territory, and a twenty-percent shopping discount. Hill is surprised to learn she is Lawful Good, despite her aggressive reputation, and concludes that personality does not necessarily reflect alignment.
• Thousands of players arrive to purchase Adrian’s expensive equipment, encouraged by Black-and-White Road. The players are willing to spend heavily on durable, high-level gear, even though it gives them an advantage over poorer players.
• The chapter ends with players proudly displaying their new weapons while others look on enviously. Hensley secretly observes the sales, likely calculating Adrian’s profits.

Character Developments

• Hill continues balancing the interests of supernatural beings, natives, and players. He remains cautious about giving players excessive advantages, but rationalizes the powerful equipment as limited, one-time purchases that will not permanently damage game balance.
• Adrian shows his usual bluntness and arrogance but also demonstrates expertise in alchemy and divine materials. His fear of failure makes him careful around Nature Consciousness, and he becomes enthusiastic about selling his creations.
• Nature Consciousness is portrayed as emotionally responsive and strongly attached to Hill. It forgives Adrian only after he praises Hill.
• Sray remains efficient and reliable, providing reports and managing territory affairs without unnecessary emotion.
• Old School Striking King is revealed to be a disciplined, defensive fighter rather than an evil or chaotic figure. Her Lawful Good alignment complicates Hill’s assumptions about her personality.
• Dionysio emerges as a major political force within the Noble Church, positioning himself to replace the current Pope.
• The current Pope is characterized as vain and deluded, having come to believe the exaggerated praise surrounding his status.
• The players increasingly behave like consumers and status-seekers, competing to obtain rare equipment and showing it off to others.

Significant Themes

• Luck, failure, and alchemy: Even powerful alchemists fear failure, making “bad luck” a dangerous and emotionally charged concept.
• Political corruption and ambition: The Noble Church’s succession crisis highlights how flattery, manipulation, and personal ambition can destabilize religious institutions.
• Game balance versus player advantage: Hill worries that powerful equipment may undermine fairness, though he convinces himself that scarcity and limited production will prevent serious imbalance.
• Appearance versus true nature: Old School Striking King’s Lawful Good alignment contrasts with her intimidating reputation, reinforcing that temperament and moral alignment are not identical.
• Commerce and social status: The players’ willingness to pay high prices and display their purchases reveals how material goods become symbols of prestige and power.
• The hidden truth beneath the world: The mysterious materials from the underground region suggest that a larger revelation involving divine power, the Abyssal Gate, or World Consciousness is approaching.

Character Interactions

• Adrian carefully placates Nature Consciousness after offending it, while Hill watches with amusement and sympathy.
• Hill and Sray discuss the underground expedition, the rewards given to Old School Striking King, and the management of Hill’s territory.
• Hill and Adrian discuss where different types of goods should be sold, reflecting their shared caution toward the players.
• Adrian questions why Undead need food, while Hill struggles to explain the game-like logic behind their behavior.
• Hill and Adrian discuss the Noble Church’s internal power struggle, with Adrian mocking the Pope’s arrogance and Hill reacting with weary disbelief.
• Hill gives Adrian authority over the second-floor shop but limits access to high-value items in the general store.
• The players interact indirectly through competition: those who purchase Adrian’s equipment flaunt it, while those unable to afford it respond with jealousy.
• Hensley observes the players and Adrian’s business dealings, suggesting that the shop’s success may have broader economic or political consequences.

Chapter Summary: “Utterly Terrible News”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sray reports that Sui Chen and Old School Striking King are disappointed that Mo Bi Chenxin received a unique reward for completing Falan’s materials mission. Hill explains that more missions will appear and that rarer materials will earn better compensation, hinting that his grandfather produces Legendary-grade alchemical items.
• By sunset, most of Hill’s shop inventory has been purchased by the players. Adrian is pleased, while Mo Bi Chenxin becomes absorbed in fantasies of future glory.
• Mo Bi Chenxin presents strange claw-like patterns discovered underground through the Transcription Technique. Adrian realizes the markings may indicate the presence of fallen Gods or Abyssal Demons.
• Adrian warns Mo Bi Chenxin not to disturb stone doors or swirling halos of light and rushes to report the discovery to his teacher.
• Hill explains that the threat may involve billions of Demons or beings far stronger than Legendary entities. He orders Mo Bi Chenxin to alert the other families and King William, emphasizing that the Abyssal Gate could weaken the Gods and cause players to lose experience or be forced to return to their churches.
• Mo Bi Chenxin submits copies of the blueprints secretly to Keslote and plans to monitor Edward, suspecting that some people might seek power through Demons.
• Hill reflects on the larger crisis: the appearance of the God of Space-Time, William, and the players may all be connected to the World Consciousness preparing for an eventual Abyssal Invasion.
• Concerned for House Perast despite their past actions, Hill writes Manton a warning to take people and find Charles. He makes clear that this is likely the last aid he will offer the family and that he will not risk himself to save them if Demons attack.
• Rainfall on the Mortal Realm agrees to deliver the letter. Meanwhile, Sui Chen and other players are allowed to purchase remaining goods using territory contribution points.
• Troubled by the worsening situation, Hill withdraws upstairs rather than engage with the players.

Character Developments

• Hill: Becomes increasingly alarmed and pragmatic. He recognizes the Abyssal threat as far more serious than ordinary political or religious conflicts and prepares warnings while limiting his personal involvement. His letter to Manton shows compassion, but also firm emotional boundaries.
• Mo Bi Chenxin: Moves from excitement over future rewards and imagined fame to genuine concern after learning about fallen Gods and Abyssal Demons. He takes responsibility by reporting the information and arranging surveillance of Edward.
• Adrian: Shifts immediately into a serious, cautious role when he examines the discovered patterns. His response demonstrates his knowledge of the danger and his willingness to act quickly.
• William: Though absent, he is portrayed as strategically preparing for a dangerous future, possibly because he already knows about the coming invasion.
• Sray: Efficiently handles Hill’s communications, inventory, and customers, helping spread information about future missions.
• House Perast: Hill’s warning reveals that, despite his resentment, he still retains some concern for their survival—though not enough to personally rescue them.

Significant Themes

• The looming Abyssal Invasion: The chapter transforms the story’s focus from player commerce and political struggles to a civilization-threatening supernatural crisis.
• Preparation versus recklessness: Hill and Adrian stress secrecy, reporting, and preparation, while Mo Bi Chenxin’s initial belief that overwhelming numbers can solve anything reflects the players’ dangerous naivety.
• Power and its consequences: The possibility that people may seek demonic power suggests that desperation and ambition could worsen the coming disaster.
• Emotional boundaries and limited compassion: Hill helps House Perast by warning them, but refuses to sacrifice himself for people who have harmed him.
• The players’ disruptive influence: Their enthusiasm, game-like thinking, and pursuit of rewards contrast sharply with the real danger facing the world.
• Foreknowledge and fate: Hill suspects that William, the God of Space-Time, and the World Consciousness may already be responding to a future catastrophe.

Character Interactions

• Hill reassures Sray about future missions and uses the promise of Legendary rewards to motivate the players.
• Adrian and Mo Bi Chenxin toast to the future, though they imagine very different futures: Adrian likely thinks strategically, while Mo Bi Chenxin dreams of fame and power.
• Mo Bi Chenxin gives the discovered patterns to Adrian, prompting Adrian’s urgent warning and departure.
• Hill instructs Mo Bi Chenxin to notify political and religious authorities, while Mo Bi Chenxin reacts with alarm over the possibility of losing experience.
• Hill directs Sray to continue managing the players and asks Rainfall on the Mortal Realm to deliver his warning to Manton.
• Sui Chen negotiates access to the remaining shop goods, and Hill permits purchases for players with territory contribution points.
• Hill’s final interaction is indirect but significant: through his letter, he gives Manton and House Perast one last chance to survive the impending disaster.

Summary

This chapter is an author’s personal note about the novel’s transition to premium access rather than a continuation of the story.

• Key events: The author announces that the novel will go premium on February 1 after nearly two months of work. They acknowledge the support received through collections, votes, and rewards, and promise that the first premium chapter will contain 10,000 words. Ten days later, the author reflects on disappointing subscription numbers and fears they may not qualify for the full-attendance bonus.
• Character developments: There is no narrative character development. However, the author describes their protagonist with affection, emphasizing that he has gradually grown from an ordinary person. The author also presents themself as earnest, vulnerable, and determined to continue despite poor results.
• Character interactions: The main interaction is between the author and the readers. The author thanks readers for their support, asks them to subscribe on the first day, and later humbly requests that departing readers watch an advertisement and leave a subscription before moving elsewhere. They also encourage readers to remain and provide subscriptions, monthly passes, votes, and rewards.
• Themes: The chapter focuses on perseverance, gratitude, artistic sincerity, financial uncertainty, and the emotional connection between creators and readers. It also highlights the tension between writing for personal fulfillment and relying on audience support for a novel’s survival.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill receives Falan’s warning that a weak Abyssal aura has been detected. He orders Liszt to stockpile crystals, strengthen the defensive formation, monitor the Undead, protect Alice and Merkel, activate the town’s Purification Formation, and prepare resources and purification potions for Bourne in case of an emergency.
• Despite Liszt urging him to return, Hill refuses to flee before any actual danger appears. He insists that he must gain experience and preserve his grandfather’s reputation, while relying on the Legendary Puppet and his preparations for protection.
• The players watch William’s invasion of Hephasaldo through a giant screen. Hephasaldo’s nobles have largely fled after the king exposed their involvement in the Rose Temple’s war against Salar.
• William destroys the capital’s defensive barrier and forces the King of Hephasaldo to abdicate. Legendary Knight Jindrich, disgusted by the king’s deception and stupidity, supports the abdication but protects the royal family from being harmed.
• William claims the Hephasaldo throne and establishes the United Kingdom of Hephasaldo and Salar. He allows up to twenty million Undead players to enter the country, though the players speculate that the limit exists for practical and server-related reasons.
• It is revealed that William possesses evidence proving he is the legitimate heir to Kortez. Hephasaldo’s founding royal line descended from the legitimate Kortez heir, while the current Kortez dynasty descended from an illegitimate son.
• Black-and-White Road builds a church to the God of Space-Time directly opposite the City Lord’s Manor. The church includes a Teleportation Array and a Resurrection Formation, reflecting the guild’s PvP-oriented defensive planning.
• Hill returns to his territory, prepares emergency supplies, establishes a mountain shelter, and begins researching an Alchemy Hut. Liszt also gives him a spatial glove capable of carrying living beings in case he must evacuate Adrian’s apprentices.
• After Phillips and Hensley leave, Hill learns that Phillips and Miss Karl appear to have developed a romantic relationship.
• A month later, William invades Kortez. He publicly displays the evidence of his legitimate inheritance for three days. Because the God of Nobility and Sovereignty remains trapped in the Abyssal Gate, neither the Church nor Kortez’s nobles can challenge the claim.
• Kortez surrenders with almost no resistance. William expels hostile or non-neutral nobles, takes the capital, and declares himself ruler of Kortez, Hephasaldo, and Salar.
• The chapter ends when Mo Bi Chenxin urgently announces that the players have found the Abyssal Gate—and that it is moving.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly cautious and responsible. Though he denies being afraid, his preparations reveal that he expects a serious crisis. He balances his desire for adventure with concern for his territory, Bourne, Adrian’s apprentices, and his animal companion Cohen.
• Liszt demonstrates practical judgment and loyalty. He challenges Hill’s reckless decisions, prepares shelters and supplies, and quietly anticipates the possibility of evacuation.
• William is shown as both politically clever and brutally decisive. He uses legal inheritance claims, public evidence, military superiority, and alignment-based policies to conquer Hephasaldo and Kortez while avoiding direct violations of divine law.
• The King of Hephasaldo is exposed as cowardly, foolish, and morally compromised. His attempts to invoke divine protection fail, and even Jindrich becomes embarrassed by his behavior.
• Jindrich Hephasaldo develops into an honorable, independent figure. He keeps his oath but refuses to support a king who concealed the truth from him, ultimately compelling the king to abdicate.
• Phillips and Miss Karl appear to grow close very rapidly, surprising Hill and suggesting a possible future marriage.
• Hensley and Phillips remain estranged, though both fulfill their duties. Their tense relationship becomes entertainment for the players.
• The players continue to behave unpredictably, treating major political and supernatural events as entertainment while also reshaping the world through exploration, PvP activity, construction, and mass migration.

Significant Themes

• Preparedness versus denial: Hill repeatedly claims there is no immediate danger, yet his extensive preparations reveal how seriously he takes the Abyssal threat.
• Legitimacy and inherited power: William’s conquest rests not only on force but on questions of lawful inheritance, legitimate birth, and the historical manipulation of royal succession.
• The consequences of political secrecy: The Kortez royal family’s thousand-year concealment of the truth ultimately destroys its legitimacy when William reveals the evidence.
• Law, divine authority, and loopholes: William carefully frames his conquests as lawful acts, while the absence of the God of Nobility and Sovereignty leaves Kortez unable to invoke divine authority against him.
• The unpredictability of the players: Their curiosity, irreverence, and game-like mentality disrupt traditional social structures. They turn wars, religious ceremonies, romance, and exploration into spectacles.
• Hidden dangers beneath apparent stability: While the south undergoes major political upheaval, Hill remains focused on the deeper mystery of the Abyss, nature’s strange indifference, and the secrets beneath the world’s surface.

Important Character Interactions

• Hill and Liszt argue over whether Hill should return, with Liszt warning him against tempting fate and Hill insisting on remaining.
• Hill gives Liszt detailed instructions to protect the territory and secretly support Bourne, demonstrating their trust and complementary personalities.
• William confronts the King of Hephasaldo, using mockery and legal arguments to force his abdication.
• Jindrich intervenes, criticizes the king, and physically compels him to stop disgracing Hephasaldo.
• Phillips questions Hill about William’s use of the name “Kortez,” indirectly confirming that Hill delivered the crucial inheritance evidence.
• Hill observes the strained relationship between Phillips and Hensley and later learns of Phillips’s apparent romance with Karl.
• Liszt and Hill discuss evacuation plans, including the use of the spatial glove and the mountain shelter.
• The players’ irreverent reactions to the church ceremony, royal conquest, and NPC relationships contrast sharply with the seriousness of the native characters.
• The chapter closes with Mo Bi Chenxin’s warning about the moving Abyssal Gate, shifting the focus from political conquest to an imminent supernatural crisis.

Chapter Summary: “Flags Weren’t Raised for Nothing”

Key Plot Points and Events

• Hill learns that the seal or gate beneath the territory is weakening and may lead to an Abyssal Invasion. Mo Bi Chenxin warns that players—including independent players and enemy guilds—may continue attacking it despite orders to stop.
• Hill orders guards and warnings sent to other territories. He evacuates Adrian’s apprentices, alerts Miss Karl and the Archmage Ruis, and prepares his own shop and allies for a possible disaster.
• Rather than abandoning the territory, Hill stores his shop inside the turtle-shell pendant for safekeeping and reopens it to provide supplies. He also arranges for food, potions, and other necessities to be distributed to the enormous number of players gathering for the defense.
• Hundreds of thousands of players enter the underground cavern, mistakenly believing the event to be a special game storyline or high-level siege. Demons eventually emerge, and Hill orders the Purification Formation to operate at full power.
• Players begin selling Demon-related materials to Hill, including Demon Eyes, Abyssal Dust, and Abyssal Springs. Hill purchases them for Falan, despite the Nature Consciousness’s disapproval.
• At night, a massive divine battle erupts. A powerful attack causes the mountain and surrounding players to sink deep underground, disables teleportation and magic, and forces many players to revive.
• Hill escapes the collapse with the help of the Legendary Swordsman Puppet. The surviving players reorganize into guild teams and independent-player parties while preparing to fight the monsters.
• The gods’ argument reveals a major political and religious conflict. The God of Nobles, Arturas, has apparently chosen the side of evil and attacked the God of Space-Time, Kronos. Flores renounces the title of Justice and becomes the God of Commerce and Contracts, while other goddesses distance themselves from Arturas.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly responsible and proactive. Although he recognizes the danger, he refuses to flee during what he considers only the first wave of the invasion. He balances protecting his allies, maintaining supplies, and preparing an escape route.
• Mo Bi Chenxin demonstrates concern for the territory but admits that controlling all players is nearly impossible.
• Xue Yunfeng acts as an effective Alliance leader, organizing reinforcements, food supplies, and player coordination. His priorities also reveal the practical chaos of supporting hundreds of thousands of players.
• Ruis responds sensibly to Hill’s warning and evacuates immediately, grateful for the advance notice.
• Miss Karl initially panics and hesitates but ultimately decides to flee. She gives Brush with Heart her house key, after which Brush with Heart burns the house, its core, and its contents rather than letting them fall into enemy hands.
• Brush with Heart remains resourceful and pragmatic, opening a restaurant for the players and helping organize survivors after the disaster.
• Sray shows loyalty and concern for Hill, attempting to contact Liszt and urging Hill to summon additional protection. Hill reassures Sray that he can escape if necessary.
• Arturas, the God of Nobles, is revealed as increasingly reckless and hostile. His actions are driven partly by resentment toward William and fear that his church and influence are collapsing.
• Flores undergoes a major transformation, admitting his past cowardice and abandoning the divine authority of Justice to embrace his true identity as the God of Commerce and Contracts.
• Kronos, the God of Space-Time, is furious at Arturas but eventually accepts Flores’s change and settles their old grievances.

Significant Themes

• Preparedness and responsibility: Hill takes the warning signs seriously while the players treat the invasion as entertainment. The chapter contrasts genuine danger with game-like excitement.
• Duty versus self-preservation: Several characters flee, while Hill chooses to remain and protect the territory, believing the crisis has not yet reached its worst stage.
• The consequences of ignoring warnings: The title emphasizes that the warning flags and defensive preparations were meaningful. The players’ failure to understand the danger leads to catastrophe.
• Chaos beneath organization: Guilds have combat coordination and resource systems, but the sudden disaster exposes how vulnerable even large groups are.
• Identity and divine authority: Flores’s renunciation of “Justice” highlights the conflict between a title and one’s true convictions. Gods are shown to be politically divided, fallible, and capable of betrayal.
• The collision of game and reality: Players interpret a genuine Abyssal threat as a special event, while Hill and the gods understand that lives, territories, and divine powers are truly at stake.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Mo Bi Chenxin discuss the impossible task of preventing players from attacking the weakening gate.
• Hill gives urgent orders to Adrian’s apprentices, warning them that remaining behind could cost them their lives.
• Hill warns Miss Karl and Ruis, though Miss Karl reacts with disbelief and panic while Ruis immediately trusts him.
• Xue Yunfeng persuades Hill to reopen the shop and secure food supplies for the massive player population. Hill agrees to obtain chef puppets and supplies from Liszt.
• Hill and Sray discuss communication, evacuation, and whether to summon the Legendary Swordsman Puppet or elemental allies.
• Brush with Heart interrupts Miss Karl’s escape to secure her house and later helps manage the player population through her restaurant.
• After the collapse, Xue Yunfeng scolds the guild leaders for failing to organize and instructs independent players to form parties.
• Hill explains the identities of the gods to Brush with Heart while the divine confrontation continues overhead, revealing that he is one of the few people who understands the true significance of the conflict.

Chapter Summary: “Orderly Battle Scene”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Gods publicly declare their positions after the God of Nobles deliberately tears open unstable spaces and accelerates the Abyssal invasion. His actions shift him toward evil alignment and may cause him to fall into the Abyss. The goddesses distance themselves to avoid sharing his fate.
• Hill explains the Gods’ motives to Xue Yunfeng, revealing his anger at the God of Nobles for ruining his preparations and forcing him and the players into the invasion zone.
• As divine suppression weakens, the players prepare for a large-scale defensive battle. Xue Yunfeng organizes them into a circular formation around the surviving buildings on the mountaintop.
• Hill orders the evacuation of Adrian’s general store and dismantles its core, preserving supplies and securing the reinforced Chamber of Secrets as a last refuge.
• He awakens the dying Beech tree and uses it as the foundation for a Forest Formation. With the aid of the Water Elemental Lord, he creates an area that heals injuries, purifies poison, and restores mana and health.
• Hill hides inside the Beech’s treeheart while directing defensive support. The Water Elemental Lord and summoned Water Elementals assist the players, who combine water and freezing magic to create icy barriers against the Demons.
• The players establish an efficient rotation system: front-line Knights and Swordsmen fight for thirty minutes before retreating to Hill’s forest to recover and cleanse poison.
• Xue Yunfeng secretly places Swordsmen inside Hill’s forest to protect him and use the area as bait for enemy spies. Several hostile players attempt to infiltrate the forest, but the Beech’s defensive magic detects and eliminates them.
• Hill communicates with allied players and arranges for battle footage to be shown to Liszt, ensuring that Falan and Adrian may learn what is happening.
• Near the end of the chapter, Xue Yunfeng requests Earth Elementals to reinforce the underground defenses. An Earth Elemental Lord responds enthusiastically to Hill’s summons.

Character Developments

• Hill becomes increasingly irritated but remains composed and practical. Despite exhaustion and depleted mana, he prioritizes evacuation, defense, healing, and protecting his territory’s people and resources.
• Hill also demonstrates greater trust in the players. Though he finds their methods chaotic, he recognizes their discipline, adaptability, and usefulness once they settle into an organized battle rhythm.
• Xue Yunfeng emerges as a highly capable battlefield commander. He controls the players through strict formations, rapid rotations, public accountability, and even unconventional tactics such as using Hill as bait.
• The players prove that their greatest strength lies in cooperation. After an initially disorderly start, they coordinate smoothly and exploit the advantages of freezing magic, defensive formations, and healing rotations.
• The Beech develops from a dying tree into an active guardian and core of Hill’s defensive formation. It responds eagerly to Hill’s presence and protects him from infiltrators.
• The Water Elemental Lord shows strong hostility toward poisonous and cursed Demons and willingly aids Hill. Its presence greatly strengthens the players’ defenses.
• Nie Xingchen is portrayed as nervous but brave. After realizing Hill may be watching him from inside the tree, he attacks the enemy spies courageously, then hides again while trying to preserve his privacy.
• The God of Nobles is further characterized as desperate and morally compromised, while the goddesses appear pragmatic and concerned with avoiding his downfall.

Significant Themes

• Order emerging from chaos: The battle begins with confusion, but disciplined leadership and cooperation transform the players into an effective fighting force.
• Pragmatism and survival: Characters abandon normal concerns such as commerce and property preservation in favor of evacuation, defense, and survival.
• Consequences of divine actions: The God of Nobles’ selfish attempt to escape the coming invasion threatens the entire Main World and risks condemning him to the Abyss.
• Trust and alliance: Hill gradually accepts the players as allies, while the players treat protecting him as a formal mission. The contrast between loyal cooperation and enemy factionalism becomes increasingly important.
• The strength of collective action: Individual power—such as Hill’s magic or the Water Elemental Lord—is valuable, but the battle is ultimately sustained by coordinated formations, rotations, healing, and communication.
• Humor amid danger: Hill’s irritation at being called “little Hill,” the players’ frantic tablet messages, and Nie Xingchen’s fear of being observed provide comic relief during the invasion.

Character Interactions

• Hill and Xue Yunfeng discuss the Gods’ political positions and later coordinate the defense of the mountaintop.
• Xue Yunfeng gives orders to the players, reprimanding them when gaps appear and organizing them into a disciplined battle formation.
• Hill instructs Xue Yunfeng and the players to maintain their defensive lines and warns them about High-Rank Demons using lower-ranking Demons as cover.
• Hill works with Powder and Ink, Heartless, who discovers the power of his Forest Formation and helps establish the Water Elemental Lord as an allied presence.
• Sui Chen asks Hill for more Water Elementals, prompting Hill to explain the difference between ordinary summoned elementals and the Legendary Water Elemental Lord.
• Hill interacts humorously with Nie Xingchen through the Beech’s moving branch, startling the Swordsman and exposing the players’ confusion about Hill’s abilities.
• Hill cooperates with allied Swordsmen to monitor spies and arranges for battle footage to reach Liszt, connecting the battlefield to Adrian and Falan.
• Hill’s final interaction with the Elemental Realm summons an Earth Elemental Lord, expanding the defensive preparations beyond the surface battle.