Chapter Summaries

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens with the official livestream of the Chosen Ones tournament, where ten arenas are randomly selected for public viewing. The first featured match involves Eternal Solitude, captain of the Prosperous Millennium Club, fighting a powerful pugilist player.
• The commentators discuss Eternal Solitude’s strength as a Wind Element Ranger. Although he did not pursue William’s favorability, he became Legolas’s disciple, obtained powerful equipment and manuals, and gained Dragon Transformation after bathing in dragon blood.
• The commentators also compare Eternal Solitude to Changli Jiugu, who had previously defeated him. Their discussion prompts viewers to joke about why Eternal Solitude did not choose William as his master.
• William himself has no interest in watching the tournament. His attention is focused on advancing from level 139 into the Epic Tier.
• William receives an Epic-tier class advancement quest requiring him to find a place where thunder and soul coexist and use it to condense his Elemental Body.
• Neither William nor Bernice, the Elven Queen, knows of such a location. Bernice consults several powerful figures but receives no useful answer. She advises William to remain patient, noting that breakthroughs depend partly on fate and cannot be forced.
• William remains confident that the location must exist because the Mainframe issued the quest. He returns to Dawn City and encounters Gerant, the legendary gold dragon who has been guarding the city.
• Gerant asks to bring younger gold and silver dragons to Dawn City to study and live there. His true goal is to bring dragons close to the Dusk Dragon, hoping they can gain its favor and eventually persuade it to leave William’s protection.
• William agrees, intending to use Dawn City’s influence and his own favorability-related talents to prevent the dragons from taking the Dusk Dragon away.
• In exchange, Gerant tells William about the Endless Thunder Sea, a dangerous location in the Divine Realm where thunder and Thunder Spirits—possibly qualifying as soul entities—coexist.
• However, Gerant admits that he does not know how to reach it and escapes before William can question him further. William realizes he has been tricked by an NPC-like character.
• The chapter ends with William suspecting that the Endless Thunder Sea may be connected to the Thunder God, the Thunder God Temple, or the Thunder God’s corpse, potentially revealing a major opportunity.

Character Developments

• William is shown to be highly motivated but not truly panicked about his advancement. He trusts that the quest has a solution and quickly begins searching for one. His willingness to negotiate with Gerant also demonstrates his strategic thinking.
• William’s confidence and possessiveness are evident in his response to Gerant’s plan for the Dusk Dragon. He allows the dragons into Dawn City because he believes his city and talents will ensure their loyalty remains with him.
• Bernice displays wisdom and restraint. Although she tries to help, she refuses to interfere excessively, emphasizing that personal choices and destiny shape breakthroughs.
• Gerant is revealed to be clever, manipulative, and deeply interested in the Dusk Dragon. He presents his request as peaceful cultural exchange while secretly plotting to “abduct” the Dusk Dragon through friendship and favorability.
• Eternal Solitude is established as a formidable Professional Player, though his decision not to pursue William’s favorability becomes a source of humor among the audience.
• Changli Jiugu behaves diplomatically while commentating, avoiding arrogance because of the rivalry between their clubs and their fans.

Significant Themes

• Advancement and fate: William’s quest reflects the uncertainty of reaching a higher realm. Talent and preparation matter, but even geniuses may become trapped at a bottleneck.
• Knowledge and the limits of experience: Even Bernice, despite her immense age and status, cannot answer William’s question. The world remains vast enough that older or more mysterious beings may possess knowledge beyond hers.
• Manipulation and favorability: The chapter repeatedly treats relationships as a form of strategy. Players farm NPC favorability to gain skills, while Gerant plans to use the same method to influence the Dusk Dragon.
• Trust and deception: William believes he has negotiated from a position of strength, while Gerant is secretly pursuing his own objective. Gerant ultimately gives William incomplete information, reversing the usual player-over-NPC dynamic.
• The blending of game and real-world logic: William is an NPC-like lord who still remembers the experience of being deceived by game characters. The chapter humorously highlights how his former player perspective now applies to his own life.
• Power and opportunity: The possible connection between the Endless Thunder Sea and the Thunder God suggests that William’s class advancement may also lead to valuable treasures, secrets, or divine inheritances.

Character Interactions

• The livestream commentators Kaka, Changli Jiugu, and Xixi create tension and humor by probing Changli Jiugu about his rivalry with Eternal Solitude.
• The audience mocks Eternal Solitude for choosing Legolas over William, while acknowledging that pursuing William’s favorability may be dangerous.
• William consults Bernice, who offers cautious advice rather than a direct solution.
• William and Gerant negotiate the admission of gold and silver dragons into Dawn City. Their conversation is superficially cooperative but driven by conflicting motives: William wants to keep the Dusk Dragon, while Gerant wants to remove it from William’s control.
• Gerant’s incomplete explanation of the Endless Thunder Sea leaves William intrigued, frustrated, and suspicious, setting up the next stage of his advancement quest.

Chapter Summary: “Becoming Epic”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William returns to Dawn City instead of attending the Chosen Son Tournament, attracting the attention and speculation of nearby Players.
• He visits Moxis’s Divination Shop, a location he has frequently entered and always locked behind him, fueling humorous rumors among the Players.
• In Moxis’s hidden laboratory, William discovers that the Otherworld Space has expanded dramatically and that its mana density has increased more than tenfold.
• Moxis is absent but leaves him a letter and a Space Ring containing numerous teleportation scrolls, including two Fixed-Point Spatial Teleportation Scrolls.
• In her letter, Moxis explains that she is preparing to become a Grand Archmage and must leave the Gods Continent temporarily to avoid attracting attention. She directs William to the Thunder Realm, the Thunder God’s birthplace, where he can complete his breakthrough.
• William learns that the Thunder Realm is an extremely dangerous place known as the Endless Thunder Sea. Most previous explorers died there, but Moxis believes William can survive if he proceeds cautiously and leaves quickly.
• William speculates about the origins of Deities, Thunder Spirits, and the mysterious Divine Race, wondering whether the gods are physical manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth.
• He uses a purple teleportation scroll, arrives in the Thunder Realm, and is immediately surrounded by overwhelming thunder power.
• The Class Advancement Quest completes, initiating William’s transformation and advancement to the Epic Tier.
• William witnesses a vast sea filled with Thunder Spirits, each possessing power comparable to an Epic-level powerhouse, but wisely avoids approaching them.
• After a prolonged advancement, his body partially transforms into lightning, granting him an Elemental Body and strengthening his thunder-related abilities.
• William successfully becomes both a Domain Ranger and a Holy Spirit Archmage.

Character Developments

• William advances to Level 140 and reaches the Epic Tier, marking a major transition into the ranks of the continent’s truly powerful beings.
• He gains:

Low-Class Elemental Body

• Mutated Thunder Physique, upgraded from Mutated Thunder Body
• High-Class Flight, allowing flight at up to 600 km/h
• Increased core attributes, health, charm, and maximum skill levels
• His body becomes increasingly elemental, with parts of his skin turning translucent blue and lightning erupting from his eyes after the breakthrough.
• His HP rises above 200,000, giving him significantly greater durability.
• William’s growing knowledge of Deities and ancient history leads him to question the true nature of divine beings and the origins of the world.
• Moxis is revealed to be preparing for a dangerous breakthrough and further demonstrates her concern for William by leaving careful instructions, teleportation tools, and repeated warnings to be cautious.
• The chapter also reinforces William’s unusual Luck Value, which remains cursed despite his increasingly immense power.

Significant Themes

• Power and transformation: William’s advancement is both a numerical progression and a physical metamorphosis, turning him partially into an elemental being.
• Dangerous growth: Greater power requires entering increasingly hazardous realms, emphasizing the risks behind William’s progress.
• Ancient mysteries: The Thunder Realm and Thunder Spirits introduce deeper questions about the Gods Continent, the Divine Race, and the origins of Deities.
• Care beneath restraint: Moxis’s brief letter conveys genuine concern despite her practical tone, strengthening the bond between her and William.
• Humor amid danger: Player gossip, Little Black’s uselessness as a Watchcat, William’s fear of going bald, and the exaggerated reputation of the Radiant Pope provide comic relief.
• Limits of knowledge: William has reached the Epic Tier but remains uncertain about the true strength of Saints, Main Gods, and other supreme beings.

Character Interactions

• William and the Players: The Players follow and speculate about William’s actions, especially his repeated secretive visits to the Divination Shop.
• William and the Blood Moon Witch: She delivers Moxis’s letter but has little further interaction with William before he departs.
• William and Moxis: Although they do not meet directly, Moxis guides William through her letter and supplies the means for his advancement. Her warnings reveal her protectiveness and concern.
• William and Little Black: William briefly interacts with the sleeping Black Cat, who remains indifferent and fails to guard the shop.
• William and the Thunder Spirits: William observes the powerful beings from a distance and wisely avoids confrontation, recognizing that he is not yet prepared to challenge them.

Chapter Summary

Plot Points and Events

This chapter is primarily a comprehensive status update rather than a conventional narrative chapter. William Blackleaf, now level 140 and advancing into the Epic tier, receives an extensive presentation of his current attributes, talents, battle aura, magic, and newly acquired abilities. The author emphasizes that the chapter is free and marks newly added skills and talents with “***.”
William’s power set has expanded significantly, particularly through the upgrade of his lightning-based abilities. His Mutated Thunder Physique has been enhanced, improving his lightning offense, defense, elemental affinity, resistance, and healing. He also gains a new Low-Class Elemental Body, allowing him to store enormous amounts of lightning energy, resist most lightning damage, move faster, and activate the powerful Thunder Domain.
His Dawn Sacred Battle Aura also receives a new ability, Thunder Momentum, which adds lightning damage to every attack while his aura shield is active. His Holy Spirit Magic gains Life Transfer, allowing him to heal allies by sacrificing the soul of a weakened enemy.
Three new skills are introduced:

• Lightning Arrow, a fast ranged attack that deals lightning damage and causes extra true damage when it strikes a weakness.
• Soul Revival, which temporarily restores a recently deceased person’s soul to their corpse and allows William to control the body.
• Peerless Sacred Thunder, a powerful transformation that boosts all of William’s major combat attributes, grants crowd-control immunity, causes area damage and additional true damage, but severely weakens him after it ends.
  The chapter concludes with the author discussing the pace of William’s progression and possible future power realms, including Legendary, Saint, Main God, and a realm beyond the Main God level. The author also jokes about expanding the story to several million words and asks readers for support through votes and tickets.

Character Development

William’s development is defined by his transition into an overwhelmingly powerful Epic-tier combatant. His abilities now combine lightning offense, physical durability, holy magic, mental resistance, mobility, healing, and leadership.
His upgraded thunder physique makes him much harder to damage and gives him a powerful recovery mechanism: attacks against him trigger the Thunder Heart, restoring health based on the damage received. His elemental body further strengthens his defenses and allows him to unleash the Thunder Domain, turning the battlefield into an area of paralysis, dizziness, stiffness, and repeated lightning strikes.
William also becomes more versatile. He can now attack at range with Lightning Arrow, revive and control a corpse through Soul Revival, and restore an ally’s health with Life Transfer. Peerless Sacred Thunder demonstrates that he possesses a temporary “ultimate form,” though its severe post-use weakening introduces a meaningful limitation.
His identity as a leader is reinforced through the Legendary Lord talent. His strength can be amplified by the number of Dawn Professionals under his command, while his aura improves their morale, recovery, and combat performance. If William is near death, his followers can enter increasingly powerful fury and sacrifice states, showing that his survival is tied to the strength and behavior of his entire faction.

Significant Themes

• Power escalation: The chapter showcases William’s rapid advancement and the increasingly complex abilities available at higher tiers.
• Risk and cost: Although William gains extraordinary skills, many have cooldowns, resource costs, or dangerous side effects. Peerless Sacred Thunder, for example, grants immense temporary power but leaves him weakened afterward.
• Leadership and collective strength: William’s abilities are no longer limited to personal combat. His Legendary Lord aura strengthens entire groups of Dawn Professionals and connects his condition to the morale and power of his followers.
• Sacrifice and protection: Several abilities involve trading resources, enemy souls, or William’s own health to protect or restore others. This reinforces his role as a guardian and defender.
• Justice versus the abyss: His Heart of Justice and mental defenses emphasize his determination to resist corruption, control, and invasion by abyssal forces.
• Game-like progression: The chapter is structured around levels, stats, cooldowns, skills, and numerical upgrades, highlighting the story’s system-based fantasy framework.

Character Interactions

There are no major scene-based conversations or direct interpersonal interactions in this chapter. Instead, William’s relationships with his followers and allies are represented mechanically through his Legendary Lord abilities. His presence improves subordinate morale, health recovery, and combat strength, while his near-death condition can trigger powerful collective responses among his followers.
His interaction with enemies is also reflected through his new abilities: he can exploit their weaknesses with True Eye and Lightning Arrow, drain weakened enemies’ souls to heal himself or allies, and temporarily revive corpses through Soul Revival. Overall, the chapter focuses less on dialogue and more on defining how William will interact with allies, enemies, and battlefields at the Epic tier.

Chapter Summary: “Countless Thunder Spirits”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William assesses his newly upgraded abilities:
  • [Mutated Thunder Body] evolves into [Mutated Thunder Physique], significantly increasing his Thunder damage and allowing attacks against him to restore 4% of his HP.
  • Combined with [Undying Relentlessness], this makes him exceptionally durable—effectively the strongest defensive Epic-tier Ranger.
  • [Low-Class Elemental Body] raises his attack and defense by 20%.
  • His Lightning Element abilities dramatically increase his speed, allowing him to fly at roughly 1,080 km/h and move faster than sound.
• He examines his new Skills:
  • [Lightning Arrow] deals extra true damage when striking weak points, making it especially effective against heavily armored Tanks.
  • [Soul Revival] can revive corpses dead for less than twenty-four hours, allowing interrogation, deception, and combat applications.
  • [Peerless Sacred Thunder] is an extremely powerful attack, though it temporarily reduces all of his attributes by 50%.
• With his experience exhausted, William turns his attention to the Endless Thunder Sea, believing it contains Thunder Spirits, the Thunder God’s legacy, and possibly the Thunder God’s remains.
• A Legendary Thunder Crystal flies toward him. William collects it and realizes that the Thunder Sea may provide enough materials to forge powerful Elemental Equipment and replace his outdated Rune Suit.
• He enters the Thunder Sea. Although its lightning damages him, his immense regeneration quickly offsets it. Growing overconfident, he spends hours gathering Thunder Crystals and bathing in the Thunder.
• His greed leads him into danger when countless Thunder Spirits surround him. Initially shapeless, they imitate William and transform into copies of his appearance.
• William attempts to escape using speed and trickery, but the Spirits mimic his movements and prevent him from breaking through their encirclement.
• The Spirits eventually begin closing in, but they show no immediate hostility. The strongest among them touches William’s Thunder God’s Left Hand, creating a telepathic connection between him and all the Spirits.
• Through their thoughts, William learns that the Thunder Spirits behave like immature children. They recognize that his aura resembles theirs and reveal that they previously killed—and apparently consumed—other powerful beings who entered the realm.
• The strongest Thunder Spirit clears a path and leads William deeper into the Thunder Sea, apparently toward the Thunder God’s remains or legacy. William follows, hoping this will lead to a major discovery.

Character Developments

• William gains a clearer understanding of his new Epic-tier strength. He is no longer merely a fast ranged fighter; his regeneration, defenses, and Thunder abilities make him an unusually durable and versatile combatant.
• His confidence and recklessness increase as he realizes the Thunder Sea cannot seriously harm him. However, his greed nearly causes him to lose control of the situation.
• William displays his characteristic resourcefulness and humor when attempting to escape the Thunder Spirits, using distractions and physical imitation to test their intelligence.
• Despite initially fearing the Spirits, he quickly adapts once he discovers their childlike nature and lack of immediate hostility.
• The Thunder Spirits are introduced as immature, curious elemental beings. They imitate William instinctively, possess great power, and may be dangerous predators despite their childish behavior.

Significant Themes

• Power and overconfidence: William’s new abilities make him extraordinarily strong, but his confidence encourages reckless behavior and leads him into an ambush.
• Greed and temptation: The abundance of Thunder Crystals causes William to keep collecting long after he has obtained enough, demonstrating how opportunity can turn into danger.
• Inheritance and destiny: William believes his connection to the Thunder God makes him different from previous intruders and expects to inherit the Thunder God’s legacy rather than steal it.
• Elemental identity and kinship: The Thunder Spirits sense that William’s aura resembles their own, suggesting a deeper connection between him, the Thunder God, and the elemental beings.
• Childlike innocence versus lethal power: The Spirits act like curious children but have enough strength to kill and consume powerful beings, making them both amusing and threatening.
• Adaptation and ingenuity: William repeatedly studies unfamiliar powers and situations, relying on observation, humor, and improvisation to survive.

Character Interactions

• William interacts primarily with the Thunder Spirits:
  • They mimic his appearance, gestures, expressions, and movements.
  • His attempts to deceive or outrun them are copied, producing both comedic and unsettling results.
  • Their mental connection allows them to communicate directly and reveals their curiosity about him.
  • They debate among themselves over who gets to interact with him, treating him like a fascinating outsider.
  • The strongest Thunder Spirit recognizes William’s connection to Thunder and takes him by the hand, leading him deeper into the realm.
• William’s relationship with the Thunder Spirits shifts from fear and suspicion to cautious cooperation, though he remains aware that their playful nature conceals immense and potentially deadly power.

Chapter Summary: “Thunder God’s Corpse”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William is brought by a powerful Thunder Spirit to the Thunder God’s Main God Temple, hidden within the world’s densest concentration of lightning.
• The temple is surprisingly small and protected not by traps, but by hundreds of thousands of Epic-tier Thunder Spirits. Because William possesses the Thunder God’s Left Hand, the spirits recognize him as one of their own.
• Inside, William discovers the nearly consumed corpse of the Thunder God. The Thunder Spirits have been feeding on it for ages, gaining power from its energy.
• Rather than attacking William, the leading Thunder Spirit encourages him to absorb the remaining energy. It explains that the Thunder God once took power from the Thunder Spirits but ultimately returned even greater power to them through his corpse.
• William absorbs the corpse through his Thunder God's Left Hand. The energy first completes the transformation of his left arm into a genuine Thunder God’s arm, then begins transforming his right arm.
• After six or seven hours, the corpse completely disappears. William’s left arm is fully transformed, while his right arm is only modified up to the wrist because the corpse’s remaining energy runs out.
• Searching the Thunder God’s residence, William finds no Divine Weapons or other major treasures. However, he takes roughly 360 books from the study, hoping Moxis can decipher them and identify useful lightning techniques.
• Before leaving, William finally notices a saber beside the desk. When he picks it up, it releases a powerful Thunder Blade Qi and reveals itself as Thunder Slash, a Legendary weapon once used by the Thunder God during his Legendary phase.

Character Development

• William displays his usual mix of caution, greed, curiosity, and irreverent humor. He initially fears the Thunder Spirits intend to eat him, but quickly exploits their trust once he realizes they consider him one of their kind.
• His absorption of the corpse greatly strengthens him, completing his Thunder God’s Left Arm and partially enhancing his right arm. However, he remains dissatisfied that the transformation is incomplete and that the temple contains fewer treasures than expected.
• William also gains a deeper connection to the Thunder God’s legacy, though he still treats the power practically—most humorously imagining that his enhanced arms will mainly help him dig tunnels faster.
• The Thunder Spirits are shown to possess loyalty and a collective sense of justice. They regard the Thunder God’s corpse as compensation for the power he once took from them and willingly share it with William.

Significant Themes

• Legacy and repayment: The Thunder God’s corpse serves as a final gift to the Thunder Spirits, repaying them for the power he had taken during his lifetime.
• The remains of divine power: Even a nearly destroyed Main God’s corpse contains enough energy to elevate hundreds of thousands of beings and transform William’s body.
• Mystery of divine death: William wonders who could kill a Main God and sever the Thunder God’s arm, raising questions about the powerful being responsible.
• Inheritance versus recognition: William benefits from the Thunder God’s remains but is not truly acknowledged as the god’s successor. The Thunder God’s actual inheritance may be connected to the soul or legacy left elsewhere.
• Humor amid grandeur: The chapter contrasts the immense significance of a dead Main God with William’s mundane concerns about treasure, weapons, and tunnel-digging speed.

Character Interactions

• The strongest Thunder Spirit guides William into the temple and communicates telepathically with him.
• William initially mistrusts the spirit, fearing he will be treated as food, but the spirit reassures him by offering the corpse’s energy instead.
• The Thunder Spirit explains the Thunder God’s relationship with the Thunder Spirits and leaves William to absorb the remaining power.
• William later searches the Thunder God’s private rooms alone, treating the former deity’s home like a treasure vault and eventually discovering the Legendary saber, Thunder Slash.

Chapter Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William acquires and examines Thunder Slash, a legendary saber created by the Thunder God. Although he is only an Epic-tier professional, his Thunder God’s Left Hands allow him to wield it.
• Thunder Slash possesses powerful lightning-based abilities:
  • Chain Lightning, which spreads between enemies and inflicts effects such as Yin Lightning, stiffness, and paralysis.
  • Thunderstorm, which adds true damage to every attack.
  • Thunder Rage, which restores William’s health when he attacks enemies suffering from thunder-related debuffs.
  • Lightning Flash, allowing him to teleport to enemies marked by thunder buffs.
  • Thunder Slash, a devastating long-range area attack that deals extra critical and true damage against Yin Lightning targets.
• William realizes the weapon is exceptionally well suited to his lightning-based abilities. By spreading Yin Lightning through a battlefield and detonating it with his Thunder Domain or other lightning attacks, he could devastate entire armies.
• After searching the Thunder Realm and finding nothing else of value, William returns to Dawn City using a teleportation scroll. His Epic-tier aura immediately attracts the attention of Doglitt and the gold dragon Geralt, who congratulate him.
• William learns that only twelve days have passed in the outside world, despite his extended absence. He leaves quickly for the Far North, where the Ten-Year Blood War is still underway.
• Humans and elves have conquered the orc fortresses, but the Black Great Wall remains the major obstacle before the final assault on the Orc Empire.
• William reflects on the coming five-year player absence and the future disasters awaiting the World of Gods, including:
  • The Sand Sea Kingdom–Red Fire Kingdom war.
  • The second invasion of the Dark World, known as the Dark Tide.
  • The growing conflict among kingdoms, hidden factions, reincarnated deities, extraterrestrials from the three moons, and the ambitious Winged Folk.
• He decides that his main priority during the coming period will be fighting on the Black Great Wall and increasing the elves’ trust in him, thereby protecting Dawn City from powerful elven or enemy figures.
• In Snow Elf King City, William discovers that Chu Liuqiu, captain of the Glory Club, won the Chosen Son Tournament. William is surprised that Chu defeated stronger-looking competitors through strategy, skill, and extraordinary luck.
• William finally presents Chu Liuqiu with his rewards in front of a massive crowd:
  • A high-class Legendary metal armor set.
  • Diablo’s Cultivation Secret Manual.
  • A high-class Legendary metal longsword.
  • The fabricated Chosen Son title, granting significant attribute, attack, and defense bonuses.
• The players are astonished by both the rewards and William’s newly revealed Epic-tier strength. William humorously claims that he broke through because his battle aura and mana could no longer be suppressed.

Character Developments

• William becomes an Epic-tier professional and gains a legendary weapon that dramatically increases his battlefield potential. He is more confident, strategic, and aware of the large-scale threats approaching the world.
• His combat style evolves around mass application and detonation of Yin Lightning, making him especially dangerous in army-scale battles.
• William also demonstrates political awareness: he recognizes the importance of maintaining elven loyalty and using the Chosen Son Tournament to strengthen Dawn City’s position among players.
• Doglitt and Geralt react with genuine surprise and approval at William’s rapid advancement.
• Brother Jie/Geralt remains interested in obtaining William’s Dusk Dragon but becomes increasingly discouraged as William grows stronger.
• Chu Liuqiu is established as a highly capable but fortunate competitor. His victory confirms his talent in strategy and combat, while also foreshadowing later struggles in professional gaming.
• Chu’s reward elevates him from a newly advanced high-tier player into a fully equipped and publicly celebrated champion.

Significant Themes

• Power and rapid advancement: William’s leap into the Epic tier illustrates his extraordinary growth and the widening gap between him and ordinary players.
• Synergy between character and equipment: Thunder Slash’s strength comes not only from its statistics but from how perfectly its lightning effects complement William’s existing abilities.
• Preparation for an approaching age of war: The chapter frames the next era as a period of worldwide upheaval involving invasions, political struggles, divine factions, and territorial conflict.
• Loyalty and political influence: William understands that military strength alone is insufficient; he must prove his value to the elves and secure powerful alliances.
• The harshness of competition: William’s reflections on Chu Liuqiu’s future career emphasize the unstable nature of professional gaming, where success brings praise and failure brings relentless criticism.
• Public image and spectacle: The Chosen Son title and public reward ceremony show how reputation, symbolism, and player attention can be as important as actual power.

Character Interactions

• Doglitt and Geralt congratulate William after his return, while Geralt privately becomes more pessimistic about his chances of obtaining the Dusk Dragon.
• William exchanges brief conversation with them before hurrying to the Far North.
• William observes and evaluates Chu Liuqiu’s tournament victory, acknowledging both his skill and luck.
• In front of a large crowd in Elf Square, William personally summons Chu and presents his rewards. Chu appears obedient but is secretly pleased that the public attention makes other players envious.
• William’s deliberately exaggerated explanation of his breakthrough causes the surrounding players to marvel at his strength and rapid progress.

Chapter Summary: A Brief Summary of Version 3.0

Key Plot Points and Events

• In the Pacification Empire, Thor, a Lightning Element Grandmaster Professional, defeats an assassin from the Godslayer Hall. Despite his victory, he feels emotionally drained and strangely empty. Shortly afterward, he is struck by lightning again, a bizarre condition that has plagued him for years.
• Thor’s friend reveals that Thor has advanced extraordinarily quickly, reaching the Grandmaster tier after only four years of cultivation. Thor is secretly suppressing his Battle Aura and may already be close to becoming a Domain powerhouse.
• William rewards the Player Chu Liuqiu with titles and other benefits, then deliberately withdraws from public view. Since he has reached the Epic tier, he wants to preserve an aura of mystery and ensure that every future appearance creates maximum impact.
• With Version 3.0 nearing its end, all eighteen Orc fortresses have been conquered. While the NPC forces rest and the Players prepare for their world finals, William launches a final equipment sale, offering Gold Sets and specially made Silver Sets.
• The Players spend tens of millions of Gold Coins on Dawn City’s equipment, even though much of it is outdated by NPC standards. They fear that Dawn City or its faction rewards may disappear after the next update, so they spend their accumulated Contribution and currency before the reset.
• William calculates that he has earned roughly 180 million Gold Coins from the war and around 230 million when his cities’ annual income is included. Much of this profit comes from taking a share of the rewards provided by the Elves for Player quests and then selling equipment back to the Players.
• William plans to use the wealth to expand Dawn City, increase the size of his Legions, and train the 200,000 Reserve Legion soldiers stationed on Storm Island by sending them to clear Demon Caverns.
• Dawn City’s military strength continues to grow: its Regular Army numbers 250,000, with elite forces stationed in the Far North and other troops serving as mercenaries throughout human territories. The Dawn Mercenary Group also includes more than 180,000 NPCs.
• William looks ahead to the chaos expected across the Legendary Continent in five years. He intends to make the Dawn Legion so powerful that hiring it will effectively guarantee victory.
• Because his current Rune Equipment is insufficient for Epic-level combat, William commissions a new set from a Legendary Snow Elf Archmage using Thunder Crystals and rare materials. His personal charm and strong relationships with the Elven leadership help him secure the crafting arrangement.
• During his six months in the Snow Elf King City, William builds strong relationships with numerous Legendary and Epic Elves. His influence is supported not only by his appearance and charisma but also by Dawn City’s major contributions during the war.
• William’s trusted subordinates—Burning Ash, Diablo, Tyrannosaur, and others—grow rapidly through repeated warfare and the use of Mana Gemstones.
• Old Pi, who rarely fights directly, makes exceptional progress under the tutelage of Kieran, a Time-type Grand Archmage. His study of Time Magic may allow him to become a Time Sword Saint and the second Epic powerhouse under William.

Character Developments

• William becomes increasingly wealthy, influential, and strategically ambitious. He shifts his focus from surviving Version 3.0 to preparing Dawn City for the continent-wide wars expected after the next major update.
• Thor is portrayed as an absurdly talented but unfortunate Lightning Professional. His rapid growth contrasts with his mysterious curse of being repeatedly struck by lightning.
• Old Pi develops through disciplined study rather than battlefield experience. His mastery of Time Magic positions him as a future high-level combatant.
• William’s subordinates continue evolving through war, gaining both experience and stronger combat abilities.
• William’s relationship with the Elves deepens, giving him access to powerful allies, craftsmen, and political influence.

Significant Themes

• Power through war and experience: Battles serve as the primary means by which both NPCs and Players grow stronger.
• Economic exploitation and game-like systems: William profits by controlling quests, rewards, equipment, and faction resources, effectively turning the Players into both soldiers and customers.
• Preparation for future conflict: The conclusion of Version 3.0 is less an ending than a period of preparation for the larger wars that will erupt in five years.
• Influence and social capital: William’s charisma, appearance, generosity, and wartime achievements allow him to gain the favor of powerful Elven figures.
• Mystery and spectacle: William deliberately limits his appearances so that each encounter with the Players feels important and impressive.
• Different paths to strength: Characters advance through different methods—Thor through innate talent, the soldiers through war, William through strategy and resources, and Old Pi through education and mastery of Time Magic.

Character Interactions

• Thor speaks with a fellow Academy student about his lightning curse and rapid advancement. Their exchange highlights Thor’s unusual condition and the friend’s familiarity with his repeated misfortune.
• William interacts with Players by distributing rewards and equipment, maintaining his authority while profiting from their enthusiasm and fear of losing access to Dawn City.
• William works with the Elves by accepting quests and rewards from them, then redistributing those opportunities to the Players while keeping a portion of the profits.
• William earns the cooperation of a Legendary Snow Elf Archmage by combining personal charm, political relationships, and valuable crafting materials.
• William’s relationship with Kieran indirectly benefits Old Pi, whose apprenticeship allows him to study advanced Time Magic.
• William’s dealings with his subordinates and military organizations show him acting as both commander and long-term planner, building a force capable of dominating future wars.

Chapter 421 Summary: “Five-Year Plan, Beast-Taming City”

Key Plot Points and Events

• At Dawn Fortress, William reflects on Dawn City’s future over the next five years. Having reached the Epic level, he believes his development during this period will determine whether Dawn City becomes a major empire-level faction or remains limited to a kingdom-level power.
• He identifies Dawn City’s greatest weaknesses as its lack of:
  • Sufficient territory and resources
  • A large population and professional workforce
  • Saints and legendary powerhouses
  • Deep historical foundations
• William concludes that territory is the most urgent priority, since it determines Dawn City’s resources, population, and long-term potential.
• Because Dawn City officially belongs to the Neutral Faction, William cannot openly attack human kingdoms. Instead, he plans to exploit wars and target other neutral factions while preserving Dawn City’s neutral status.
• His primary target becomes Beast-Taming City, a powerful neutral faction near the Lion Kingdom that possesses numerous beast tamers, magical beasts, and ties to three legendary dragons.
• William recalls that Beast-Taming City eventually collapses after secretly selling young dragons and fake or defective dragon eggs. The revelation causes two legendary dragons to abandon the city after one of them destroys part of it, while the remaining dragon becomes unwilling to help.
• William devises a long-term scheme:
  1. Establish regular trade with Beast-Taming City.
  2. Buy approximately 300 warhorses and griffins every month to lower its suspicions.
  3. Eventually arrange to purchase a dragon.
  4. Leak the transaction to Beast-Taming City’s legendary dragons.
  5. Cause the city to be viewed as a fraudulent seller while portraying Dawn City as the victim.
  6. Use the resulting internal conflict to attack or loot Beast-Taming City under the pretext of rescuing the dragon and pursuing justice.
• He hopes this could lead to an alliance of factions against Beast-Taming City and allow Dawn City to profit greatly during the future “Dragon Chaos” era.
• William also plans to continue participating in the war against the Orc Empire and explore nearby islands.
• He remains concerned about Beast-Taming City’s missing former city lord, a powerful Legendary-level figure who may still be alive. However, William believes the old lord will not intervene soon, based on events from his previous life.
• The chapter ends with William ordering his subordinates to begin trade negotiations while preparing to personally return to the Orc Empire, eager for further battles.

Character Developments

• William becomes more strategic and ambitious. He shifts from short-term commercial growth toward a broad geopolitical plan involving territory expansion, manipulation of rival factions, and long-term warfare.
• His confidence has grown significantly after reaching the Epic level. He now believes he can challenge powerful neutral factions and compete for influence with major human powers.
• William also shows his characteristic scheming nature, intending to create a complicated chain of events that makes Dawn City appear innocent while engineering Beast-Taming City’s downfall.
• Despite his confidence, he remains cautious about unpredictable threats, particularly the possible survival of Beast-Taming City’s old city lord.
• His restless, battle-hungry side reappears at the end, as he prepares to return to the Orc Empire and fight.

Significant Themes

• Power and political positioning: William seeks to elevate Dawn City from a regional power into an empire-level faction.
• Territory as the foundation of power: The chapter emphasizes that land, resources, population, and professionals are essential to long-term development.
• Neutrality versus opportunism: William wants Dawn City to remain officially neutral while profiting from wars and attacking other neutral powers.
• Manipulation and indirect warfare: Rather than openly declaring war, William plans to provoke internal conflict and use reputation, alliances, and political excuses to weaken Beast-Taming City.
• The danger of deception and exploitation: Beast-Taming City’s fraudulent dragon sales reveal how powerful factions can abuse weaker groups when protected by political connections.
• Ambition and risk: William’s plan could bring enormous gains but risks provoking the Pacification Empire, legendary dragons, and possibly Beast-Taming City’s missing founder.

Character Interactions

• William is largely alone at Dawn Fortress, allowing him to privately analyze Dawn City’s situation and formulate his five-year plan.
• He references past dealings with Beast-Taming City’s deputy city lord, whom he considers dishonest for overcharging Dawn City for dragonblood warhorses and griffins.
• William plans to use his connections—especially a legendary gold dragon associated with his household—to make the purchase and exposure of a dragon appear accidental.
• He intends to send subordinates to contact Beast-Taming City and gradually establish regular trade before proposing the dragon purchase.
• The chapter also highlights William’s broader diplomatic rivalry with the human empire, the Lion Kingdom, the Red Fire Kingdom, the Pacification Empire, and other major factions, all of whom may influence or react to his plans.

Chapter Summary: “Even Saints Can Feel Helpless”

Key Plot Points and Events

• The chapter opens in the Orc Empire, where seven enormous military-industrial cities supply the Black Great Wall. Each city contains over a million Orcs working brutal, year-round shifts producing weapons and supplies.
• Ordinary Orcs—those unable to cultivate Battle Aura or magic—suffer especially harsh conditions. Many die from exhaustion, while continued population growth is encouraged to replace wartime losses.
• Orc Saint and emperor Gurtai reflects on the war. He knows the Orc Empire is almost certain to lose because the Elves and humans possess more Saints, Legendaries, and Epics. He therefore obeys the battlefield’s unspoken rules, matching opponents by rank rather than unleashing his full power.
• The Dark World’s promised support has largely failed. Its Dark Creatures are weak and undisciplined, while the Demon army abandoned the war after its leader, Silag, was killed and Sidi lost a wager connected to William.
• Gurtai believes he must endure for at least five more years, hoping the coming Dark Invasion will allow him to retaliate against the Elves and humans even if the Orc Empire collapses.
• A Legendary Orc reports that three million talented Orcs have been sent to the Otherworld Space. Gurtai orders further selection and forced reproduction to preserve the Orc race, despite the suffering caused by separating infants from their mothers.
• The narrative then shifts to William, who has secretly dug a long underground tunnel toward an Orc super military factory. Using Bernice’s detailed magical map, he plans to raid the lightly defended facility.
• William suspects Bernice intentionally gave him the map to provoke trouble, but decides to proceed, trusting that she would protect him if Gurtai intervened.

Character Developments

• Gurtai: Revealed as a deeply burdened and conflicted ruler rather than a simple tyrant. He understands the suffering of ordinary Orcs and hears their despair, but believes ruthless measures are necessary to preserve the race. His power as a Saint contrasts with his political helplessness.
• The Legendary Orc subordinate: Shows compassion toward the infants separated from their mothers, but lacks the authority to oppose Gurtai. His reaction emphasizes the moral cost of the emperor’s survival strategy.
• William: Remains pragmatic, self-interested, and confident. He views strength as the only true protection in the world and prepares to exploit the Orcs’ weak internal defenses. His humor and boldness contrast sharply with Gurtai’s grim responsibility.
• Bernice: Though absent, she becomes more intriguing. Her map is so precise that William suspects she deliberately intends for him to cause trouble inside the Orc Empire.

Significant Themes

• Powerlessness despite strength: Gurtai is one of the world’s strongest beings, yet cannot freely act because doing so would expose his entire empire to annihilation.
• The burden of leadership: As the Orc Saint, Gurtai carries the hopes, anger, and suffering of millions. His personal desires are subordinate to preserving the Orc race.
• Moral ambiguity in war: The Orcs’ oppression and alliance with the Dark World are condemned, yet their desire for survival and expansion is presented as understandable. The chapter argues that racial wars have no genuine justice—only competing interests and strength.
• Strength as survival: William’s belief that weakness is the “original sin” of the world is reinforced by both his past humiliation and the Orc Empire’s predicament.
• Sacrifice for the future: Gurtai sacrifices present generations—including children and workers—in the hope that the Orc race will survive long enough to regain power.

Character Interactions

• Gurtai’s brief exchange with the Legendary Orc exposes the tension between compassion and necessity. The subordinate objects indirectly to the treatment of the infants, but Gurtai’s authority silences him.
• Gurtai is psychologically connected to the Orc population, hearing their complaints and despair even though they hate and blame him.
• William has no direct interaction with the Orcs yet, but his planned raid places him in opposition to Gurtai’s wartime efforts.
• William’s imagined relationship with Bernice is playful and suspicious: he believes she may be manipulating him into attacking the Orcs, yet he willingly accepts the risk because he expects her protection.

Chapter Summary: “A Holy Vein Discovered by Accident”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William, now an Epic-Class Professional, infiltrates a major Orc city using invisibility, breath-concealment, and Archmage-level scrolls.
• Rather than robbing a single warehouse, he plans to strip an entire city of supplies, reasoning that such an operation would be “strategic” rather than ordinary theft.
• Over twelve days, William digs an extensive network of underground tunnels connecting all seven Orc cities. He identifies eight heavily guarded warehouses containing raw materials and finished goods.
• While preparing to raid a particularly well-stocked warehouse, he overhears Orc soldiers discussing the imminent transfer of supplies and the empire’s two legendary “Saint Veins.”
• William realizes that the Saint Veins are enormous Mana Gemstone deposits—resources vastly more valuable than the warehouse supplies and essential for cultivation, trade, and the Orc Empire’s foundation.
• He decides to abandon his original target and attempt to steal part of one of the veins before they are moved.
• William secretly appeals to Bernice for assistance, offering half of his eventual gains to the three allied races.
• Bernice is exasperated by his shamelessness but accepts the arrangement, agreeing to prevent Altai from personally intervening if William is discovered.
• William begins tunneling more than a hundred kilometers toward the Orc Royal City, where the Saint Veins are located.

Character Developments

• William: Displays growing confidence, boldness, and strategic ruthlessness after reaching the Epic level. He carefully studies guard schedules and the empire’s logistics before acting, but his greed and ambition intensify when he learns about the Mana Gemstone veins. He is willing to gamble against an entire empire and rely on Bernice’s protection.
• Bernice: Her view of William’s behavior combines disbelief, irritation, and reluctant approval. Although she considers stealing the Orc Empire’s foundational resources far more serious than raiding warehouses, she recognizes the value of the Mana Gemstones and agrees to support him for a share of the profits.
• Altai: Though absent from the immediate action, he is portrayed as increasingly pragmatic and defeated. Rather than continuing a hopeless war, he sacrifices Orc soldiers to appease the human and elven Saints and preserve as many Orcs and resources as possible.
• The Orcs: Their empire is shown to possess immense reserves, but ordinary Orcs remain largely unaware of the larger strategic decisions surrounding the war and the movement of the Saint Veins.

Significant Themes

• Strategy versus theft: William mentally reframes looting an entire city as a strategic operation, illustrating his ability to justify increasingly audacious actions.
• War and sacrifice: Altai’s decision to send Orc legions to their deaths reflects the brutal compromises made to preserve the Orc race after the empire’s defeat becomes likely.
• Resource inequality and survival: Mana Gemstones are crucial to cultivation and national strength. Dawn City’s poverty contrasts sharply with the vast foundations of older powers such as the Orc Empire and Black Leaf Elves.
• Risk, ambition, and opportunism: William repeatedly chooses to exploit moments of weakness, believing that a single successful operation could greatly accelerate Dawn City’s development.
• Political power and deterrence: William’s confidence depends partly on Bernice’s protection and on the political consequences of harming him. The balance between Saints and major races prevents Altai from acting freely.

Character Interactions

• William overhears Orc soldiers casually discussing the movement of the Saint Veins, accidentally revealing information that changes his entire plan.
• He mentally weighs whether stealing the veins will provoke Altai, concluding that Altai cannot afford a direct confrontation with Bernice and the allied races.
• William calls upon Bernice for help, repeatedly promising to divide the spoils.
• Bernice reacts with silent annoyance at his audacity but ultimately permits the operation, agreeing to restrain Altai if William is exposed.

Chapter 431 Summary: “The Mutated Burrowing Worm”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William secretly tunnels beneath the Orc Royal City using God’s Hand, aiming to locate and plunder the Saint Vein beneath the Royal Palace.
• He uses Invisibility and Aura Concealment Scrolls to avoid detection by the city’s many powerful Professionals.
• William discovers a powerful Earth Element Magic Barrier surrounding the Saint Vein. Although he can tear through it, doing so risks alerting the Legendary Archmage who created it.
• After confirming that the Saint Vein lies beneath the Royal Palace and powerful figures’ residences, William breaks into the barrier and begins rapidly harvesting Mana Gemstones.
• The barrier’s disturbance alerts Hamel, an Orc Earth Element Archmage assigned to guard the Saint Vein. However, because William’s concealment is so effective, Hamel cannot detect him directly.
• Hamel mistakes William for a rare, powerful Mutated Burrowing Worm, believing it to be an Epic-Tier Magical Beast capable of devouring the Saint Vein.
• William fills six Space Rings with Mana Gemstones but continues stripping the Saint Vein, hoping to take as much as possible.
• Hamel follows the tunnels and tries to trap the supposed beast by creating earth walls. William effortlessly digs through them and keeps fleeing toward the center of the Saint Vein.
• As Hamel’s caution fades, William suddenly reveals himself and attacks with powerful thunder-infused punches.
• The battle’s disturbance is sensed throughout the Orc Royal City, causing numerous experts to rush toward the Saint Vein.

Character Developments

• William demonstrates exceptional control over God’s Hand, combining speed, precision, stealth, and immense physical strength. He carefully assesses risks but remains bold enough to infiltrate a heavily guarded location.
• His confidence grows as he realizes the Legendary Archmage guarding the Saint Vein is absent and that the city’s powerful figures cannot freely destroy the area without damaging their own residences.
• Hamel is portrayed as both greedy and overconfident. Rather than immediately calling for help, he chooses to capture the “Mutated Burrowing Worm” for its valuable Magic Crystal, allowing William to continue stealing.
• Hamel’s initial caution gradually disappears because William refuses to fight openly, creating the opportunity for William’s surprise attack.

Significant Themes

• Exceptional beings surpass ordinary limits: William’s endurance, digging ability, and use of God’s Hand emphasize the chapter’s central idea that true extraordinary figures do what normal people cannot.
• Stealth and misdirection: William’s concealment causes the Orcs to misidentify him completely, turning a dangerous infiltration into a bizarre case of mistaken identity.
• Greed and overconfidence: Hamel’s desire to acquire a rare magical beast prevents him from responding rationally or summoning assistance.
• Resource exploitation and power accumulation: William’s raid on the Saint Vein highlights the importance of Mana resources in strengthening an empire’s Professionals and advancing cultivation.
• Strategic restraint: Both William and the Orc defenders must avoid destroying the Royal Palace or Saint Vein, making the confrontation a tactical contest rather than a straightforward battle.

Character Interactions

• William and Hamel never initially recognize each other’s identities. Hamel sees William only as an invisible, formless burrowing monster.
• Hamel attempts to pursue and contain William using Earth Element magic, while William repeatedly escapes by digging through every barrier.
• William exploits Hamel’s mistaken assumptions and declining vigilance before revealing himself and striking him with thunder-powered punches.
• The chapter ends as other Orc experts converge on the battle, leaving William’s escape and the outcome of the confrontation unresolved.

Plot points and events

• William overpowers the Earth Element Archmage Hamel underground, smashing through his defenses and crushing his heart. He kills him, then uses Soul Revival to bring him back.
• William leaves the revived Hamel behind as a decoy while he continues stripping the Saint Vein of Mana Gemstones. He has already filled three Space Rings and collected over thirty million gemstones.
• Tyler and other Orc and demon Professionals arrive. Hamel points them toward William, but then explodes, devastating the area and injuring several Epic-Class pursuers. Tyler survives and rushes after the intruder.
• William leaves his Holy Thunder Incarnation behind to keep mining while he escapes. Tyler attacks the Incarnation repeatedly, but cannot harm it; it calmly blocks his blows while continuing to gather gemstones.
• Mistaking the Incarnation for a newly born Deity, Tyler tries to recruit it for the Orc Empire. The Incarnation gives a noncommittal answer, then departs. Tyler lets it go, convinced he has made a valuable ally.
• When other Legendary leaders arrive and ask about the thief, Tyler claims he met a Born Deity—not an enemy. They doubt his judgment, but he remains confident.

Character developments and interactions

• William shows overwhelming physical power and quick thinking: he uses Hamel to delay pursuit, divides his labor with an Incarnation, and prioritizes escape over a dangerous fight.
• Hamel is reduced to a badly injured, revived decoy. His apparent confusion and later explosion create chaos among the pursuers.
• Tyler shifts from furious defender of the Saint Vein to enthusiastic would-be recruiter. He interprets the Incarnation’s strange behavior as evidence of divine origin and sees its potential as a boon for the Orc Empire.
• William’s Incarnation and Tyler have an absurdly lopsided encounter: Tyler’s attacks do nothing, while the Incarnation’s calm, cryptic responses encourage Tyler’s mistaken theory. Their farewell gesture further reinforces the misunderstanding.
• The pursuers also misread Hamel’s position and Tyler’s actions, briefly imagining a scandalous scene before learning there was an intruder.

Significant themes

• Strength and survival: William’s power makes conventional defenses ineffective, but he still knows when to flee rather than risk everything.
• Deception and mistaken identity: William’s decoy and Incarnation exploit the pursuers’ assumptions; Tyler mistakes a projection connected to William for a newborn Deity.
• Greed and power: The Saint Vein’s immense store of Mana Gemstones motivates the raid, while Tyler imagines how a Deity might strengthen the Orc Empire.
• Comic irony: Tyler’s sincere confidence in his misinterpretation contrasts with the reality that William has robbed the vein and escaped.

Chapter Summary

Key plot points and events

• William recalls his Holy Thunder Incarnation after it survives the Orcs’ attacks. Because the avatar is invulnerable and radiates an unusual aura, Tyler mistakes it for a Born Deity and lets it go. William realizes he may be able to exploit that misunderstanding to influence the Orc Empire.
• William escapes beneath the Black Great Wall with 58 million mana gemstones. He places 28 million beneath Dawn City to boost its mana supply, potentially accelerating the city’s growth and helping produce many powerful Professionals over the next five years.
• At a portal, William is reminded that he promised someone half of his haul. Reluctantly, he hands over three Space Rings.
• In the Orc Empire, Saint Altai watches Tyler’s recorded encounter with the incarnation. Altai accepts that it may be a Born Deity and advises Tyler to cultivate its friendship, while remaining suspicious and considering how to kill it if necessary.
• Back in Dawn City, Doglitt—dispirited by the disappearance of the Players he used to entertain—asks William to join an expedition to find the Sea God’s ruins. William declines but recommends Captain Jack and the Dawnship, hoping Doglitt might grow strong enough to become another asset for the city.
• William learns that Caesar, the Second Prince of the Pacification Empire, is marrying in seven days. He studies the guest list and begins to consider the invitation.

Character developments and interactions

• William shows his resourcefulness by recognizing how the incarnation’s apparent divinity could be turned into political leverage. He remains cautious about being tracked, yet treats the gemstone haul as a foundation for Dawn City’s development. His exchange with Doglitt is blunt but supportive.
• Tyler is convinced the incarnation is a Born Deity after failing to harm it. His encounter makes him a potential link between William and the Orc Empire.
• Altai takes Tyler’s report seriously but remains wary. He believes Born Deities are secretive and difficult to win over, and worries that the mysterious figure may be vulnerable to soul-based magic.
• Doglitt reveals that his sense of purpose depended heavily on the Players’ attention. Despite his gloom, he wants to pursue the Sea God’s ruins and advance beyond his long-standing plateau. William refuses to accompany him but helps him set out.
• William and Bernice remain at odds: William assumes the Queen’s silence means she rejected his request, and uses that as justification for taking the gemstones.

Significant themes

• Deception and mistaken identity: William’s avatar is mistaken for a Born Deity, creating opportunities he may use to manipulate the Orcs.
• Power and resources: Mana gemstones are both a source of personal advancement and a means to strengthen an entire city.
• Ambition and purpose: Doglitt’s desire to advance contrasts with his dependence on the Players for meaning, while William focuses on Dawn City’s future.
• Caution and mistrust: William hides his tracks, and Altai recognizes that neither side can safely assume the other’s intentions.

Chapter 427 Summary: Imperial Throne Succession Right

Key Plot Points and Events

• The Second Prince of the Pacification Empire, Caesar Zhi Ge, is preparing for a lavish wedding with Orphila, the great-granddaughter of the powerful Peerless War Saint.
• The wedding is intended not only as a marriage ceremony but also as a public declaration that Caesar has been granted the right to compete for the imperial throne.
• Orphila’s family is exceptionally influential:
  • Her father is a powerful Legendary Realm general commanding 800,000 Professionals.
  • Her great-grandfather is one of the remaining Twelve Human Saints and a founding figure of the Pacification Empire.
• William reflects on the overwhelming strength of the Human Empire, noting that even the combined Elven races possess fewer Saints than a single Human Empire.
• The chapter explains the empire’s succession system:
  • The emperor publicly designates princes eligible to compete.
  • Eligible princes build factions and seize influence without violating imperial laws, provided they do not damage the empire or murder their brothers.
  • The emperor ultimately selects the successor based on ministerial support and personal judgment.
  • Each succession struggle causes a major reshuffling of imperial power, allowing new forces to rise.
• The First Prince currently has the strongest faction, supported by the Magic Sanctum, Magic Academy, powerful mages, and Beast-Taming City.
• Caesar’s faction is backed by his marriage alliance, his father-in-law’s military influence, the Battle Aura Academy, and potentially William’s Dawn City.
• The Third Prince withdraws from the succession struggle after Caesar’s Life Fruit heals the emperor and extends his lifespan. He transfers his supporters to the First Prince, his full brother.
• William decides to attend Caesar’s wedding and send 10,000 Mana Crystals as a major investment.
• He plans to bring the Blood Moon Witch and possibly the Legendary Gold Dragon “Brother Jie” to demonstrate Dawn City’s strength and protect his prestige as leader of a neutral faction.

Character Developments

• Caesar Zhi Ge advances from an ambitious prince to a legitimate contender for the imperial throne. His marriage gives him a powerful political and military foundation.
• William becomes increasingly involved in imperial politics. He recognizes that his earlier sale of the Life Fruit has tied him closely to Caesar and made Caesar’s success strategically important to Dawn City.
• William also realizes that supporting Caesar may be his safest option: if the First Prince becomes emperor, he could retaliate against William because of the resentment caused by the Life Fruit.
• The Third Prince abandons his own imperial ambitions and strengthens the First Prince’s faction.
• The Pacification Emperor demonstrates his favor toward Caesar by prolonging his life, arranging the marriage, and effectively allowing Caesar to enter the succession contest.
• Orphila becomes an important political bridge between Caesar and the military and Saint-level legacy of the Pacification Empire.
• The First Prince emerges as Caesar’s primary rival, with broad institutional and factional support.

Significant Themes

• Political succession and faction-building: Imperial succession is portrayed as a controlled struggle in which princes compete by gathering allies, power, and resources.
• Investment and political risk: William views his support for Caesar as a high-risk, high-reward investment that could yield enormous benefits if Caesar becomes emperor.
• Power and deterrence: William understands that status, allies, and visible strength are essential when dealing with powerful human factions.
• The aging of great powers: The discussion of the Twelve Human Saints emphasizes the decline of legendary figures over time, while also showing how a few surviving Saints continue to shape empires.
• Neutrality versus involvement: Although William claims to represent Dawn City rather than the Black Leaf Elves, supporting Caesar may draw him directly into conflicts with other imperial factions.
• Historical divergence: Caesar’s marriage to Orphila differs from William’s previous-life memories, making him more confident that this timeline is changing and that Caesar’s prospects are stronger.

Character Interactions

• William and Caesar: William has already aided Caesar through the Life Fruit and now decides to reinforce their relationship with a massive wedding gift. Their connection is both personal and strategically transactional.
• Caesar and the Pacification Emperor: Caesar’s act of providing the Life Fruit earns the emperor’s gratitude, resulting in greater favor, an extended lifespan, and recognition as a succession candidate.
• Caesar and Orphila: Their marriage unites Caesar with one of the empire’s most powerful military and Saint-descended families.
• The First and Third Princes: As full brothers, they share a common factional base. The Third Prince’s withdrawal strengthens the First Prince’s position against Caesar.
• William and the First Prince: Their relationship has deteriorated because the Life Fruit benefited Caesar and harmed the First Prince’s prospects, creating the possibility of future retaliation.
• William and Beast-Taming City: William suspects Beast-Taming City supports the First Prince and considers using his alliance with Caesar as a justification to oppose or undermine it.
• William and his allies: He considers bringing the Blood Moon Witch and Brother Jie to the wedding, both to support Caesar and to signal that Dawn City cannot be bullied.

Chapter 428: “True Face-Slapping” — Summary

Key Plot Points and Events

• William waits three days in Dawn City for the Legendary Gold Dragon Geralt, but Geralt does not return. He therefore travels to the Zhi Ge Empire with the Blood Moon Witch instead.
• They arrive in the enormous imperial city, a heavily militarized metropolis with more than ten million residents and a very high proportion of professionals.
• While exploring the city, the Blood Moon Witch is astonished by its advanced infrastructure, including floating airships, magical beasts, towering pagodas, and the thirteen legendary magic towers of the Empire Magic Academy.
• The Witch worries about whether her master, Moxis, can successfully advance to the Grand Archmage realm. William reassures her that Moxis’s talent as an All-Element Archmage makes the breakthrough nearly inevitable.
• An arrogant young Epic-tier archmage overhears William praising Moxis and mocks both Moxis and people from “small places.”
• William immediately slaps him, sending him crashing hundreds of meters into the magic academy.
• The injured archmage returns with academy personnel and imperial guards, demanding William’s arrest. William presents his invitation to Prince Caesar Zhi Ge’s wedding, revealing that he is the Lord of Dawn City.
• The guards hesitate because William is a powerful and notorious figure known as the Black Leaf Elf Prince and the “Butcher.”
• Caesar Zhi Ge arrives and orders the insulting archmage arrested for offending a current prince, effectively siding with William.
• Before the situation can be settled, First Prince Peter Zhi Ge appears and challenges Caesar’s decision, questioning why the beaten archmage—not William—is being arrested. This sets up a conflict between the two princes.

Character Developments

• William remains confident, domineering, and unwilling to tolerate insults toward people he values. His immediate slap demonstrates both his overwhelming combat ability and his blunt, confrontational personality.
• The Blood Moon Witch continues to behave with complete obedience toward William and deep devotion toward Moxis. Despite her former strength and independent memories, she has fully accepted her subservient position.
• The Blood Moon Witch’s admiration of Moxis becomes clearer. Moxis has become her spiritual and magical ideal, making the Witch especially anxious about Moxis’s advancement.
• Moxis does not appear directly, but her reputation as an All-Element Archmage establishes her as an exceptionally gifted figure.
• Caesar Zhi Ge demonstrates political awareness and decisiveness by using the incident to defend William and punish someone who insulted a prince.
• Peter Zhi Ge is introduced as Caesar’s rival. His immediate challenge suggests a calculating, antagonistic relationship and a willingness to exploit the incident to undermine his younger brother.
• The young archmage is portrayed as arrogant and reckless. His inability to restrain his speech leads directly to his humiliation and possible arrest.

Significant Themes

• Power and reputation: William’s titles and past achievements protect him from immediate punishment, even in the heavily controlled imperial capital.
• Face and social hierarchy: The chapter centers on public humiliation and retaliation. William “slaps” the archmage physically and socially, while Caesar attempts to reinforce royal authority.
• Military control versus freedom: The Zhi Ge Empire’s militarized society contrasts with the more relaxed lifestyle of Dawn City, highlighting different models of governance.
• Loyalty and submission: The Blood Moon Witch’s total devotion to Moxis and obedience to William show how overwhelming power and personal influence can reshape loyalties.
• Political rivalry: The confrontation between Caesar and Peter reveals the struggle within the imperial family and suggests that the wedding gathering may become a stage for factional conflict.

Important Character Interactions

• William and the Blood Moon Witch: William explains the differences between Dawn City and the Zhi Ge Empire, while the Witch openly shares her observations and worries.
• William and the arrogant archmage: After the archmage insults Moxis, William responds with a single overwhelming slap and a verbal rebuke.
• William and the imperial guard: William calmly presents his wedding invitation, forcing the guards to reconsider their assumption that he is an ordinary troublemaker.
• William and Caesar: Caesar intervenes on William’s behalf, ordering the offending archmage arrested.
• Caesar and Peter: Peter immediately disputes Caesar’s handling of the incident, transforming a street altercation into a visible struggle between the two princes.

Chapter Summary: Chaos City Lord, Thunder God

Key Plot Points and Events

• William watches as Caesar Zhi Ge handles a conflict involving a young Mage who falsely implicated William.
• Caesar publicly slaps the Mage, then forces him to deny that either Caesar or William attacked him. He justifies the assault by claiming the Mage slandered his guest and reminds First Prince Peter that he has authority as the newly appointed Grand Commander of the Forbidden Army.
• Peter threatens Caesar, promising to deal with him after the wedding period, but Caesar dismisses him as a “mad dog” and apologizes to William for the disturbance.
• William recognizes that Caesar’s response is politically effective: although it may create future problems, it wins the loyalty and satisfaction of Caesar’s supporters.
• William and the Blood Moon Witch attend a banquet at Caesar’s palace, where numerous young representatives of powerful factions gather to support Caesar’s claim to the imperial throne.
• William meets several notable figures, including Keane Angus, an Epic Lightning Element Brawler, and learns about the various factions backing Caesar.
• He observes that Caesar has attracted freelance professionals, military figures, wealthy commercial interests, religious representatives, and even traditionally neutral factions such as Chaos City.
• William is surprised when members of the Zhi Ge Battle Aura Academy arrive, especially Thor, a newly promoted Epic Lightning Element Professional. Thor immediately notices William, hinting at a coming confrontation or significant connection.

Character Developments

• William: Continues evaluating Caesar as a potential ally and investment. He recognizes Caesar’s political skill but remains cautious because Caesar’s growing faction may eventually rival or surpass his own. William also identifies many individuals whose future achievements or deaths he remembers from his past life.
• Caesar Zhi Ge: Demonstrates decisiveness, political boldness, and an instinct for winning loyalty. His defense of William strengthens his image as a leader willing to protect supporters, though his aggressive conduct may provide Peter with ammunition against him.
• First Prince Peter: Shows his hostility toward Caesar and his willingness to use Caesar’s public actions as a political weakness. His influence comes largely from the Magic Sanctum and Magic Academy.
• Keane Angus: Introduced as a self-made Lightning Element Brawler who recently entered the Epic Tier. He is impressed that William knows his achievements and appears eager to establish a friendly relationship with him.
• Thor: Revealed as a newly advanced Epic Lightning Element Professional from the Battle Aura Academy. His unusual reaction to William suggests that he may be connected to William’s past or future and that their meeting could become important.
• Acaro: Identified as the son of the powerful Chaos City Lord. He possesses both Time and Spatial Talents and is expected to reach the peak of the Legendary Class, though perhaps not sainthood.
• The Blood Moon Witch: Accompanies William to Caesar’s palace but remains largely in the background during the banquet.

Significant Themes

• Political allegiance and investment: William judges Caesar not merely as a friend but as a potential political asset, studying whether Caesar is capable of protecting allies and attracting powerful supporters.
• Power and reputation: Public actions, such as Caesar’s slap and defense of William, shape political loyalty and deter future provocations.
• Factional competition: Caesar’s support base includes military forces, independent professionals, merchants, nobles, religious groups, and neutral powers, placing him in direct competition with Peter’s magical institutions.
• The influence of fate and changed history: William recognizes people and future events from his previous life, but the altered circumstances are causing factions that once remained neutral to support Caesar.
• Strength beneath appearances: Many young professionals at the banquet possess impressive backgrounds, talents, or future potential, demonstrating that political power depends on both current status and long-term promise.

Character Interactions

• Caesar confronts and humiliates the Mage who slandered William, then argues with Peter over the legitimacy of his actions.
• Caesar reassures William and presents himself as a protector of his allies.
• William and Keane exchange introductions while testing each other’s strength through a handshake charged with Lightning Element energy.
• Caesar introduces William to the various young professionals supporting him, while William privately assesses their identities and future significance.
• Caesar warmly embraces Thor after learning of his breakthrough and introduces him to William as a fellow Lightning Element Professional.
• Thor and William exchange restrained remarks, with both seemingly aware that their meeting may lead to a physical or personal conflict.

Summary

At a banquet, Thor—the secretly reincarnated Thunder God—recognizes William as the man who possesses his former left hand and body. They leave for a private conversation, prompting the guests to wildly speculate about their relationship. William’s use of a soundproofing Scroll only fuels the gossip, while Keane Angus firmly denies having anything to do with the pair’s apparent “preference.”
Thor confronts William about taking his old body. William claims it came to him willingly, and Thor dismisses the excuse as shameless. Thor is far more startled when William casually says that Moxis—the Goddess of Magic—is his woman. Though skeptical because William is a Half-Elf who has not reached adulthood, Thor decides not to investigate or expose the claim. He recognizes Moxis’s influence in William’s powers, including his Eye of Thunder, and concludes that she is supporting him.
Thor warns William not to reveal the identities of reincarnated Deities, since doing so would cause trouble. He explains that he has hidden his own identity by placing a curse on his reincarnated body: lightning regularly strikes him, making others think he is cursed by the Thunder God rather than being the Thunder God himself. When William asks whether Saints overlook lesser reincarnated Deities, Thor deflects the question to Moxis.
William then shows Thor his Holy Thunder Incarnation. Thor recognizes its aura as that of a newly born Deity and says the Avatar may prove useful, though he offers no way to strengthen it. Despite repeatedly trying to leave, Thor finds himself increasingly fond of William. William asks him to spar, and Thor agrees—partly under the pretense of giving Moxis’s friend guidance, but also because he wants a chance to beat him.

Character developments and interactions

• William is confident and opportunistic, concealing how much he understands about Thor while using their meeting to seek training and possible rewards. He also openly—and provocatively—claims a relationship with Moxis.
• Thor is conflicted about William’s possession of his former body and hand, but his suspicion gradually gives way to affection. He warns William about the risks facing reincarnated Deities and reluctantly agrees to teach him.
• The banquet guests misread the men’s private conversation and soundproofing as evidence of an intimate relationship, creating a running comic misunderstanding.
• Thor and William establish a cautious, teasing rapport that shifts toward mentorship and friendship, though Thor still wants to prove his superiority.

Significant themes

• Reincarnation and inherited identity: Thor must live with parts of his former body and power in William’s possession.
• Secrecy and misinterpretation: Thor hides his divine identity, while the guests draw absurd conclusions from limited evidence.
• Power and mentorship: William seeks to test himself against a vastly more experienced Thunder Deity.
• Growing attachment: Thor’s stated desire to punish William clashes with his steadily increasing fondness for him.
  The chapter ends with the two heading to an arena for a spar. A mission notification promises William increased Lightning Skill level caps for lasting longer, one of Thor’s Talents if he survives thirty minutes, and two if he wins.

Chapter Summary: The Battle Between the “New and Old” Thunder Gods

Key Plot Points and Events

• Thor, known as the reincarnation of the Thunder God and the “Little Thunder God,” has an extraordinary record: he rose from Low-Class to Epic in only four years and has never lost among his peers.
• William, the newly promoted Epic-tier Dawn City Lord and rumored reincarnation of the Thunder God, agrees to spar with Thor. Their battle attracts widespread attention because it appears to be a confrontation between the “old” and “new” Thunder Gods.
• The spectators debate William’s chances. Acaro believes Thor has the advantage due to his unmatched lightning abilities, while Kassadin points out that William once manifested a Thunder Domain while only at the High-Class.
• William and Thor begin by fighting with lightning-enhanced speed, physical attacks, and eye-beams rather than immediately using their strongest techniques. Both avoid activating their Thunder Domains because their immense resistance to lightning would make the domains inefficient and costly.
• William initially uses the legendary weapon Thunder Slash, while Thor’s attacks trigger the dangerous Yin Lightning effect. After both are affected, they mutually agree to stop using those advantages and continue the contest through their own abilities.
• Their physical battle escalates. Thor activates True Lightning Infusion, transforming into an almost perfected lightning elemental form and gaining overwhelming offensive power. William counters with Power of Holy Soul, increasing all his attributes by 40%.
• Thor’s attacks prove devastating, with roughly 70% of his lightning damage functioning as true damage. He drives William into the barrier and damages him severely, but William’s healing ability allows him to endure.
• William retaliates with Light of Dawn and later Dawn Impact, overpowering Thor in a direct skill clash and plowing him through multiple palaces.
• Thor immediately counterattacks, blasting William into the sky and shattering several of his ribs. Neither fighter is willing to concede, and they resume their clash high above the Imperial City.
• Their final collision creates a massive thunderous domain in the sky, audible throughout the city. The spectators allow the fight to continue despite the destruction, while Caesar worries about the cost of the ruined palace. Goya lightheartedly offers to pay, linking her arm through Caesar’s just as his fiancée arrives.

Character Developments

• William: Demonstrates that his strength is not limited to his Thunder abilities. Although Thor has superior lightning talent and true-damage effects, William relies on exceptional durability, healing, Holy Spirit Magic, and powerful physical strength. His refusal to use his most dangerous trump card, Peerless Sacred Thunder, shows restraint while still allowing him to compete with Thor.
• Thor: His undefeated reputation is justified. He possesses overwhelming mastery of lightning, extraordinary speed, powerful physical attacks, True Lightning Infusion, and a perfected Elemental Body. However, he becomes increasingly irritated by William’s resilience and apparent provocations, causing the spar to become emotionally charged.
• Acaro: His past defeat by Thor is briefly referenced, reinforcing Thor’s status as a dominant fighter even against professionals who wield space and time.
• Caesar: Acts as an observer and unofficial host. Though concerned about the escalating destruction, he recognizes that both combatants are trying to prove something important and allows the fight to continue.
• Goya: Provides comic relief by offering to cover the repair costs and deliberately linking arms with Caesar in front of his approaching fiancée.

Significant Themes

• New versus old power: The fight symbolizes a generational or ideological contest between Thor, the established “Little Thunder God,” and William, the rumored reincarnation of the original Thunder God.
• Talent versus versatility: Thor possesses the superior lightning talent, but William compensates through durability, healing, physical power, and Holy Spirit Magic.
• Pride and rivalry: Neither fighter is willing to back down, and their desire to prove the superiority of their Thunder abilities turns a friendly spar into a destructive, nearly uncontrolled battle.
• Restraint and escalation: Both initially agree not to use certain advantages or ultimate techniques, but the intensity of the fight gradually forces them to reveal stronger abilities.
• Public reputation versus actual strength: The battle allows the spectators to test Thor’s legendary reputation against William’s rapidly growing fame and rumored divine identity.

Character Interactions

• Caesar asks Acaro for an assessment of William’s chances, prompting discussion of Thor’s past victories.
• Kassadin challenges the assumption that Thor is automatically superior by reminding everyone of William’s early Thunder Domain.
• William deliberately taunts Thor by asking to see how he uses the Wind Element, while Thor recognizes the mockery and attacks immediately.
• William and Thor silently cooperate when they mutually abandon Thunder Slash and Yin Lightning, choosing to test their natural abilities instead.
• Their exchanges become increasingly personal and competitive, with each responding to the other’s escalation rather than treating the encounter as a simple demonstration.
• The surrounding characters provide commentary and humor, while Caesar and Goya frame the battle as both a spectacular rivalry and an expensive disaster.

Chapter Summary

Plot and key events

• William and Thor continue their duel high above the city. Grand Archmages contain the battle in a vast aerial arena to prevent the lightning storm from destroying Caesar’s Palace and harming bystanders.
• Thor proves he can attack at range, summoning a space-and-time-piercing Lightning Spear that cannot be dodged. It strikes William through the chest and nearly kills him, but William’s Resurrection Armor restores him to full health.
• William activates Peerless Sacred Thunder, greatly boosting his attributes. He catches Thor off guard and batters him, but Thor summons hundreds of powerful Thunder Avatars, turning the fight into a prolonged group beating.
• William endures the assault through extraordinary defense and regeneration. For ten minutes, Thor and the avatars cannot meaningfully hurt him.
• When the thirty-minute trial ends, William stops the match and declares it a draw. He admits Thor’s Thunder Talent is stronger, but argues that neither can defeat the other.
• Thor demands a rematch and boasts that he will need only three moves. William refuses, taunts him, and leaves—having lasted long enough to earn a talent without exhausting himself in a potentially dangerous fight.

Character developments and interactions

• William shows not only remarkable toughness but also tactical caution: he uses his defensive abilities to survive, then ends the duel once he has achieved his goal. His playful bravado masks his concern that Thor may still have powerful moves in reserve.
• Thor is impressed by William’s resilience and becomes increasingly frustrated when his strongest attacks fail to finish him. Though he claims he could win quickly in a rematch, his anger and insistence on fighting again reveal how personally he takes the stalemate.
• Caesar Zhi Ge and the spectators watch in disbelief. Acaro jokes that William’s durability makes ordinary Shield Warriors look inadequate, prompting one nearby Shield Warrior to leave in humiliation.

Significant themes

• Endurance versus offense: Thor’s overwhelming attacks meet William’s extraordinary healing and defense, leaving neither able to secure a decisive victory.
• Tactical restraint: William distinguishes a sparring match from a fight to the death and refuses to risk more than necessary.
• Pride and face-saving: William calls the result a draw while Thor insists on a rematch; both try to frame the outcome in their own favor.
• Humor amid danger: William’s shameless boasts and evasions contrast with the destructive scale of the duel.

Chapter Summary: “Wanting to Try a Lemon?”

Key Plot Points and Events

• William completes Thor’s guidance and gains 8.5 million EXP, along with Thor’s talent, Thunder Annihilation.
• The talent converts 20% of William’s lightning attack power into true damage, greatly increasing the damage of his rapid lightning attacks.
• William regrets not obtaining Thor’s more powerful skills, particularly True Lightning Infusion, but plans to duel Thor again in the future and acquire additional abilities.
• Their previous battle has caused extensive damage to the imperial palace, effectively ending the banquet. William then witnesses the aftermath of Caesar’s romantic complications.
• Caesar is caught between his fiancée Orphila and the wealthy female Gunner Goya after kissing Goya. Rather than immediately ending the relationship, Orphila later appears to tolerate—or strategically accept—Caesar’s continued relationship with Goya.
• William spends three days attending Caesar’s wedding banquets, improving relations with many powerful professionals and helping increase Dawn City’s projected monthly income by 2.5 million gold coins.
• William identifies Rodaldo, a dark-and-soul melee Warlock, as a possible spy working for Caesar’s rival, First Prince Peter. Rodaldo repeatedly loses favorability toward William because William outshines him socially, but William chooses not to expose him without proof.
• Caesar and Orphila’s wedding officially takes place in the imperial palace garden. They exchange rings and kiss before several thousand guests, while Goya celebrates tearfully.
• At the reception, William focuses on eating rare attribute-enhancing foods rather than the ceremony itself.
• The Blood Moon Witch indirectly reveals that her master, Moxis, has broken through and returned to Dawn City. William decides to leave after finishing the meal and has her pack food for Moxis.

Character Developments

• William gains a major offensive improvement through Thunder Annihilation and becomes more confident in exploiting future battles with Thor for personal advancement.
• He continues to use charm, socializing, and strategic manipulation to raise favorability with influential figures and strengthen Dawn City’s political and economic position.
• William remains cautious and calculating regarding Rodaldo, preferring to gather evidence and wait for a moment when exposing him would bring greater benefits.
• Thor remains hostile but not irreconcilable with William; despite their destructive duel, his favorability does not decrease.
• Caesar is portrayed as anxious and helpless amid his complicated romantic relationships, particularly because Orphila is vastly stronger than him.
• Orphila demonstrates unexpected tolerance toward Goya’s relationship with Caesar, possibly because she recognizes the political and financial advantages Goya provides.
• Goya appears genuinely happy for Caesar and Orphila despite her own relationship with Caesar, suggesting either unusual generosity, strategic thinking, or an unconventional acceptance of the arrangement.
• The Blood Moon Witch acts obediently and attentively toward William, while subtly using the lemon and other sour fruits to draw his attention to important news about Moxis.

Significant Themes

• Power acquisition and optimization: William immediately assesses the practical value of Thunder Annihilation and considers how to obtain even stronger abilities from Thor.
• Political maneuvering and social influence: Banquets and weddings function as opportunities for William to build relationships, increase favorability, and improve Dawn City’s finances.
• Deception and espionage: Rodaldo’s suspicious behavior highlights the danger of hidden spies and the importance of patience, evidence, and timing.
• Romantic and political compromise: Caesar’s relationships show how personal romance is intertwined with wealth, alliances, and imperial interests.
• Comedy through contrast: Grand battles, political intrigue, and royal weddings are repeatedly undercut by William’s shallow priorities—especially his obsession with food and his refusal to eat sour fruits.
• Strategic patience: William avoids acting impulsively against Rodaldo and postpones returning to Dawn City until he has finished taking advantage of the banquet.

Character Interactions

• William and Thor: Their destructive duel ends with William gaining Thor’s talent, though William still views Thor as a future source of valuable skills and equipment.
• William and Caesar: William observes and mocks Caesar’s romantic predicament but does not intervene, treating the situation as entertainment.
• Caesar, Orphila, and Goya: Caesar is trapped between the two women after kissing Goya. Orphila’s later acceptance of Goya allows the relationship to continue, likely for strategic reasons.
• William and Acaro: Acaro jokes about William’s ability to attract multiple partners, while William deflects the teasing by insisting he is still single.
• William and Rodaldo: William notices Rodaldo’s unexplained hostility and suspects espionage, while Rodaldo becomes increasingly resentful as William dominates the social atmosphere.
• William and the Blood Moon Witch: Their conversation mixes teasing with hidden information. Her unusual talkativeness alerts William that she has important news, ultimately revealing Moxis’s return to Dawn City.
• William and Moxis: Although Moxis does not appear directly, William is concerned about how Moxis might react to rumors regarding his romantic reputation and prepares to return with food for her.